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The International Prophetic Voice for the Endtimes

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EndtimeEarthquakes,Pestilences,Famines&

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

GodAngrywiththeUSA

Sadness inHeavenOldTestamentSaintsPg.26

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The Hidden Faith of the Founding Fathers is perhaps the firstand only documentary to go where no film has ever gonebefore,confronting the little known beliefs of Americasfounders. Conservative Christian leaders often claim thatthe revolutionaries were godly men who were trying tobuild a Christian nation. But was their faith the true faithof the Bible? Or is it possible that the exact opposite istrue? The real questions are:What did the founders be-lieve about Jesus Christ? Christianity begins with faith inthe Person of Christ Himself:what did the founders think

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C O N T E N T S

6The Last Speakingof GodBy Wim Malgo

In the midst of a time when the world was ripe for

judgment,God told Noah to build the ark of

salvation.This was Gods last speaking at that time.Here we have a connection between our time and

that of Noah,for in our day also God has spoken to

this world for the last time.

12 The Importance of Biblical ProphecyBy Dr. Ron J. Bigalke

The issues in Bible prophecy are important because they

deal with the whole counsel of Gods Word and the

eschatological hope of the Christian.The world today wants

to make sense of the events currently transpiring, and Bibleprophecy reveals that the only hope for mankind is to be

found in Jesus Christ.

19 Money:Ends andTrendsEndtime Earthquakes,Pestilences,Famines & Disasters:When? Part IIBy Wilfred Hahn

As disastrous and powerful as the recent Japanese earthquake may have been, it will pale in

comparison to the worst yet to come.Not only is the heightened earthquake activity mentionedby Christ yet in the future, but also the biggest earthquakes of all time have yet to occur.

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4 M I D N I G H T C A L L

Thy word is a lamp untomy feet, and a light untomy path,(Psalm 119:105).

E D I T O R S N O T E

At home with me there lies a

beautiful old Bible, a precious

treasure from the 17th century.

But this Bible stands on the shelf only

as decoration. With many people,things are no different. They have one

single Bible, and it stands somewhat dusty

on the shelf. They read it very rarely. To

take the Bible as the living foundation for

their lifethey are far from that. For them,

the Holy Scripture is an unintelligible book

with dead letters.

Paul points out to the Corinthians what

constitutes life with Jesus Christ, and how

one uses the Bible correctly: For we are

not as many, which corrupt the word ofGod: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in

the sight of God speak we in ChristWho

also has made us able ministers of the new

testament; not of the letter, but of the

Spirit: for the letter kills, but the Spirit

gives life (2 Cor. 2:17; 3:6). How do you

read the Bible? What does the Word of God

mean for you? It is our great longing to

show you what tremendous treasure has

been given to you with Gods Word, with

the Bible. It is more up-to-date than ever.

Therefore, we knowingly and purposely

want to direct your focus on the Bible by

our periodicals, our literature, our internet

work, etc. It is the bright light in this darktime! David declares in Psalm 119:105:

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a

light unto my path. Our Lord Jesus re-

minds us not to let our light go out on our

way. This means nothing else but that we

remain close to Gods Word. Yet a little

while is the light with you. Walk while you

have the light, lest darkness come upon

you! For he that walks in darkness does

not know where he is going. While you

have the light, believe in the light, that youmay be the children of light! (John 12:35-

36). We still live in the time of grace. How-

ever, in John 9:4 Jesus says, The night

comes when no one can work. Here, Jesus

means first the night of the end time, in

which darkness descends upon all nations.

But the Bible also speaks of another

darkness, a darkness that can overtake

everyone. Are we aware that our life is of

short duration? James says this quite dras-

B y P e t e r M a l g o

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 1 5

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OUR TASKMidnight Call Ministries is a nonprofit missionary organization,dedicated to proclaiming the entire Bible as the unfailing and eternalwritten Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and the unerringguide for the Christian faith.

The object of Midnight Call is to call people everywhere to Christ,to proclaim the Second Coming of Christ, to prepare Christians forHis coming, and to uphold the faith and warn of false doctrines.Midnight Callmagazine is available in twelve languages. All workdone through radio, literature and missionaries is supported entirelyby the gifts and free will offerings of Gods people.

STATEMENT OF FAITH

WE BELIEVEin the divine inspiration of the whole Bible and there-with the infallibility of the Holy Scripture, which is Gods Word, andin the eternal Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

WE BELIEVEJesus Christ, the Son of God, was conceived of theHoly Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, and shed Hisblood to save mankind. He died and arose bodily the third day andlater ascended into heaven.

WE BELIEVEthat the Lord Jesus Christ died in the place of eachindividual sinner and that all who believe in Him as their personalSavior are justified through His shed blood and have becomechildren of God.

WE BELIEVEthat Israel is Gods chosen people, and that therestoration of the Jews to their own land is the fulfillment of theWord of God.

WE BELIEVEin the pretribulational appearance of Jesus Christ forthe Rapture of His Church (all born again believers).

WE BELIEVEin the immortality of our souls and the resurrection ofour bodies, and in the resurrection of the just and the unjust, theeverlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting punishment ofthe lost.

The Prophetic Voice for the Endtimes PRINTED IN 12 LANGUAGES

ISSN 10948600tically: For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little

time, and then vanishes away (James 4:14). Frequently, even believers

are befallen by a personal darkness toward the end of their lives. The key

words are Alzheimers, dementia. I witness this also with my mother in

her 84th year. Her thoughts are darkened, but her eyes are shining, be-cause Jesus lives in her heart. Did Jeremiah have such happenings before

his eyes when he warned: Give glory to the LORD your God, before he

cause darkness and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains,

and while you look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and

make it gross darkness (Jer. 13:16)? How terrible it must be for people

who do not have Jesus in their hearts and know that they are ill with

Alzheimers and approaching mental darkness. Frequently, such patients

see only one solution to escape this disintegrationsuicide. On the other

hand, what comfort it is when a man approaching this darkness knows

that Jesus is his light! Children of God can testify in every situation: For

thou wilt light my lamp; the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness

(Psalm 18:28).

Israel, the Church and the FutureSomething strange is happening in our days. There are a number of unex-

plained revolutions occurring worldwide; in particular, in the Arab world.

The unusual part is that there is no leader. The Arab pro-democracy move-

ment is leaderless. People from all walks of life are just protesting. They

want a change: they want democracy.This reminds us of the fall of the Soviet Union. In that case too, no

leader was to be identified. Suddenly, and seemingly without warning, the

citizens of the various Soviet dominated countries arose in protest. Hun-

dreds of thousands filled the streets in many East European cities, which

climaxed in the fall of the Berlin Wallall without a leader.

The Church of Jesus Christ, His Body on earth, is in a similar position:

we have no leaders, no apostles, and yet, the Church is functioning and

growing all over the world. That really is a miracle.

How this all relates to the prophetic Word will be the theme of this im-

portant prophecy conference.

You will hear the reasons for the Arab pro-democracy movement. Youwill learn why Israel is in such a precarious position and why the Church,

seemingly diverse, is in reality being prepared for collective departure.

Thats why you should not miss this extremely relevant conference; you

will better understand what is happening in the world, in our country, the

Church, and our families after hearing the many Scripture-based prophetic

messages.

Six Bible scholars will expound in detail the things that were, the things

that are, and the things to come in the near future.

Be sure to register now so you will not miss this vital conference for the

year 2011.

E D I T O R S N O T E

MC

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6 M I D N I G H T C A L L

W I M M A L G O(1922-1992)

ButasthedaysofNoahwere,soshallalsothecomingoftheSonofmanbe.Forasinthedaysthatwerebefore the flood they were eating and drinking,marrying and giving in marriage,until the day that Noahentered into the ark,and knew not until the flood came,and took them all away;so shall also the comingoftheSonofmanbe(Matthew24:37-39).

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8 M I D N I G H T C A L L

Jesus, who died almost two thousand years ago, to

me? How can that help me in the 21st century? Has

not this blood disappeared? How can it still be ef-

fective today? The answer is that the Holy Spirit

makes the redemption that took place around two

thousand years ago alive. He glorifies the Lamb ofGod, and He makes the power of the blood of Jesus

effective now, today.

It is a bad thing when a person departs from God theFather, it is terrible when he denies the Son, but

he will inevitably come under judgment if he re-

sists the Holy Spirit, for it is always the Holy Spirit

who glorifies and makes the work of God come

alive through the Lord Jesus. God said concerning

the people of Noahs time, My spirit shall not al-

ways strive with man (Genesis 6:3). Everythingwhich God wanted to make alive through His

Spirit in the hearts of men was rejected. For this

reason, the Holy Spirit turned away from the

world of that time and turned to Noah and his

family. Noah concerned himself with the building

of the ark, and through this the gulf between Noah

and his contemporaries became ever wider. In-

stead of a uniting, a general ecumenism, there was

actually an ever greater separation. This is the

work of the Holy Spirit today, in these end times.

He is turning away from the world and seeks to

unite Himself with the Bride-Church. More and

more the call of Revelation 22:17 is heard, And

the Spirit and the bride say, Come. The resistance

to the Holy Spirit was expressed in Noahs time

mainly through occultism, which blurs the bound-

aries between heaven and earth. The sons of God

saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and

they took them wives of all which they chose

(Genesis 6:2). According to our understanding of

the Scriptures, these were fallen angels, spirits of

darkness, which had relations with human beings.

This union produced tyrants or so-called giants

(Genesis 6:4). In that time, as today, spiritualism,

calling upon spirits, was rampant. Reading horo-

scopes and other abominable sins are common-

place today (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). That is why

Jesus said, As the days of Noah were, so shall also

the coming of the Son of man be in Matthew

24:37.

This is the terrible burden that we feel in ourday. In spite of Gods clear warning signs (Israel,

the nations, the reappearance of the Roman Em-

pire), a completely opposite development is taking

place among men: intemperance, adultery and sor-

cery are taking on gigantic proportions. But in the

midst of these warnings that the Lord gives us, He

calls to us, He that shall endure unto the end, the

same shall be saved (Matthew 24:13). And in

verse 25, Behold, I have told you before.

What was the tragedy of the people of that time?Was itthat they perished? No! The tragedy was that they

perished while salvation was so near, and that many

of them fell prey to the deception, I am saved.

Nothing can happen to me, although they were ac-

tually lost. This is clear from the words of the Lord

Jesus in Matthew 24:39, And [they] knew not until

the flood came, i.e. they did not realize the serious-

ness of the situation, just as it is today. The Scrip-

tures imply that Noahs contemporaries were more

or less religious; they were familiar with the ark,

The Last Speaking of GodWhat kind of people were those who entered the ark? A minority,but there were people who really did enter it.

People who are saved are safe in Jesus Christ.They are,like Noah,hermetically sealed off from the spirit of this

world,for they have their window above.

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with its purpose, and they were moreor less in agreement with Noahs

work. The mockers, as is the case to-

day, did not want to know about it;

they perished. But there must have

been other people, of which there are

many today, who stood around the

ark, so-called nominal Christians.

But, my dear friends, one thing is im-

portant, then as now: to enter. Jesus

said, Strait is the gate, and narrow is

the way, which leadeth unto life, and

few there be that find it (Matthew

7:14).

What kind of people were those

who entered the ark? A minority, but

there were people who really did en-

ter it. People who are saved are safe in

Jesus Christ. They are, like Noah, hermetically

sealed off from the spirit of this world, for they have

their window above. God instructed Noah concern-

ing the ark, A window shalt thou make to the ark,and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above (Genesis

6:16). If you are in Jesus, you have an open window

where you can look up. Why? Because you have a

little strength, I know thy works: behold, I have set

before thee an open door, and no man can shut it:

for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my

word, and hast not denied my name (Revelation

3:8).

What kind of people were those who stood out-

side? Were they all mockers? Not at all! There were

people who had heard everything from Noah, overwhose life stood both the one and the other, peo-

ple who had one foot in the ark and the other out-

side it. They did not notice until the flood came,

and then it was too late. There were above all peo-

ple with certain religious opinions. There were

surely those who said, God is a God of love; He

will not let us perish. But when the flood came,

they all perished, together with those who smiled

superciliously at Noah and his ark and maintained

that the result of scientific research proved, The

idea of a coming judgment is not true. But when

the flood came, theyall perished.

A last question:What does Noahs time mean to chil-dren of God today? Three terms become apparent in

Noahs time which we must also keep in mind to-

day:

1. Grace: While God pronounced the inevitable

judgment in Genesis 6:7, through which not only

all people but also all the beasts, creeping things

and birds would be destroyed, He then said,

ButBut Noah found grace in the eyes of the

Lord (Genesis 6:8). This shows us his position. He

was a man who found grace, who had to assert him-

self against the general opinion of the people of thattime. He was a friend of God.

2. Sanctification: It says of Noah that he walked

with God (Genesis 6:9). This is always a result of

grace. Let nobody say they have found grace with

God if they do not live a sanctified life. We do not

find grace because we live sanctified lives, but vice

versa: the reality of grace in our lives produces a

holy life. If this is not so, we have received the grace

of God in vain (Titus 2:11-13 and 2 Corinthians

6:1).

I know thy works:behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it:for thou hast a little

strength,and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name(Revelation 3:8).

A U G U S T 2 0 1 1 9

C O V E R S T O R Y

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10 M I D N I G H T C A L L

3. Persevering obedience: Noah was

perseveringly obedient to his God for

decades. It says in Genesis 6:22, Ac-

cording to all that God commanded

him, so did he. And in Genesis 7:5,

And Noah did according unto all that

the Lord commanded him. In verse 9,

it says that the animals went into the

ark in pairs, a male and a female, just

as God had commanded them. This

was persevering obedience, illogical,

ridiculous and open to the opposition

of world opinion at that time. But

Noah did what his Lord commanded.

Only out of this threefold inner at-

titudegrace, sanctification and obe-

diencedo we have a clear stand.

Noah did what nobody else did; what

nobody else thought necessary was a

vital necessity for Noah, namely, not only to be in-terested in the building of the ark, but also to enter

it himself. He went a step further, in spite of his

decade-long persevering obedience of faith: when

the ark was finished, which he had himself com-

pleted, he entered it himself. Here, too, he obeyed

the Lord. This is taking a clear stand. Today, a clear

stand is necessary for every ark-builder, and this at

the Lords command. Let us not forget: Noah had

already done everything which God had com-

manded him. He had found grace before Him, he

was obedient, he walked with God, but after allthis came the new, end-times command of the Lord

in Genesis 7:1, And the Lord said unto Noah,

Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee

have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

This had consequences for Noah. It meant a com-

plete break with everything hitherto; he could not

return to his old life. This is what Jesus demands in

Luke 12:35-40.

We believe that the Lords command in Genesis

7:1, Come thouinto the ark is equivalent to the

cry at midnight in Matthew 25:6, Behold, thebridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. This

shows our inner stand, the examination of our in-

ner attitude before and in the Lord. Examine your-

selves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own

selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Je-

sus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? (2

Corinthians 13:5). Then and now the words apply,

Go ye out to meet him!

Observe our time. We are in the end phase of the

end; some people hear it, and others do not. Noahs

contemporaries were incapable of hearing the com-mand to enter into the ark. They lacked grace, sanc-

tification and obedience. In the same way, the

foolish virgins were incapable of going into the

marriage (cf. Matthew 25:6ff.). They lacked the oil

of the Holy Spirit. How is it with you? The Lord

says, For yet a little while, and he that shall come

will come, and will not tarry in Hebrews 10:37. An

examination of your inner stand is necessary for

you now!

(MR0210/386)

Noah had already done everything which God had commanded him.He had found grace before Him,he was

obedient,he walked with God, but after all this came the new,end-times command of the Lord in Genesis 7:1,

And the Lord said unto Noah,Come thou and all thy house into the ark;for thee have I seen righteous before me

in this generation.

The Last Speaking of God

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The word eschatology is derived from two Greek

words, eschatos (last) and logos (dis-

course), meaning the doctrine of last things.

Though there are Christians who seek to undermine

this field of theology, the study of eschatology is im-

portant because it fits the totality of Scripture. For

instance, one of every ten verses in Scripture is

prophetic (meaning 27 percent of all Scripture is

predictive of future events). Furthermore, theprophetic Word is important to study for, at least,

six reasons. First, Bible prophecy demonstrates the

veracity of Gods Word (Isa 4049; 2 Pet 3:13).

There are over 300 prophecies with regard to

Christs first coming, and approximately one-fourth

of the New Testament is prophetic. Second, Bible

prophecy demonstrates the sovereignty of God in

real history. God has stated history before it com-

mences.Third, Bible prophecy demonstrates the be-

lievers responsibility in the current age. Ones view

of the future will determine how he/she lives in the

present.Fourth,an understanding of Bible prophecy

should be an impetus for evangelism. Christ will

judge the world of sin and unrighteousness, thus the

gospel message needs to be proclaimed boldly and

clearly. Fifth, Bible prophecy should be an impetus

for godly living. One does not want to be caught in

shame when Christ returns for His church. Sixth,

Bible prophecy gives comfort in the midst of sorrowand facilitates perseverance with a hope of the fu-

ture.

The Prophetic Word

The issues in Bible prophecy are important because

they deal with the whole counsel of Gods Word and

the eschatological hope of the Christian. The study

of Bible prophecy also follows biblical admonitions

(cf. Matt 16:1-3; 24:3). Hebrews 11:13-16 (cf. Luke

21:34, 36) refers to those who lived in light of Gods

By Dr. Ron J. Bigalke

12 M I D N I G H T C A L L

TheImportanceofBiblical Prophecy

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 1 1 3

future promises. Second Peter 3:11-14 emphasizes

the urgency of being ready when Christ returns.First Thessalonians 5:1-11 contrasts the you

(those who are able to understand the times in

which they live) and they (those who are un-

aware of Gods prophetic decrees). Bible prophecy

is important because Jesus commended the study

of prophecy.

The world today wants to make sense of the

events currently transpiring. In Matthew 2425,

the question is answered with regard to the sign of

Messiahs coming and the end of the world. The

Jewish understanding of the end of the age and

Messiahs subsequent coming are intricately re-

lated. The reference to the coming in verse 3

(also vv. 27, 37, 39) would have meant the king-

dom of God being established by Messiah as a lit-

eral, earthly reign. It is when Christ establishes His

kingdom on earth that the unconditional promises

made to Israel in the Abrahamic covenant will be

fulfilled. Prior to that time, Jerusalem will be a

cup of trembling unto all the people round about

(Zech 12:2). The present turmoil in the world to-day is leading toward the fulfillment of Bible

prophecy.

The Rapture

Though many signs are given for Christs second

coming, none are given for the rapture. There is

nothing thatmustprecede the rapture, and yet noth-

ing thatprecludes prophesied events from transpir-

ing before the rapture of the church prior to the

tribulation; it is an imminent event (e.g. Phil 3:20;

1 Thess 1:10; Tit 2:13). Despite all the signs of thesecond coming, there will be scoffers in the last

days (2 Pet 3:3-4). Peter exhorted those living in

the last days that the heavens and the earth are re-

served unto fire for the day of Gods judgment and

destruction of the ungodly (3:7). Furthermore, he

warned that the reason for the Lords delay is that

God is not willing that any should perish, but for all

to come to repentance (3:9). Christians who rightly

believe in the rapture and Christs judgments are not

pessimistic; rather they are optimistic, realizing that

the only hope for mankind is to be found in Jesus

Christ.

Identity of the Antichrist

The Antichrist is known as the beast (Rev 13:1),

the man of lawlessness (2 Thess 2:3), the son of

perdition (2 Thess 2:3), Wicked (2 Thess 2:8),

the abomination (Matt 24:15), the little horn

(Dan 7:8), a king of fierce countenance (Dan

8:23), the prince that shall come (Dan 9:26), a

vile person (Dan 11:21), the strong-willed king

(Dan 11:36), and the worthless shepherd (Zech

11:16-17). The Antichrist (Greek prefix anti) not

only stands against the true Messiah, but also in the

most diabolical manner, he comes in the place of

Christ. The Antichrist will likely be the one who is

able to make the peace process in the Middle East

work. He will accomplish a false peace that will end

in sudden destruction (1 Thess 5:3). The man of

lawlessness (2 Thess 2:3), or the wicked, is dia-

bolical in his nature and deeds. He is certain to

break any and all laws that God has commanded.

Specifically, his rebellion is against God and His law.The Antichrist will actually exalt himself as God

and erect an image of himself to be worshipped

(Dan 11:36; 2 Thess 2:4; Rev 13:8). The New Age

movement will find great joy in this world leader, as

he will likely encourage the lie that man can be-

come a little god. Through lying signs and won-

ders, he will deceive a wicked and unrepentant

world (2 Thess 2:9-10).

The Nature of the Tribulation

The Jewish understanding of the end of the agewas directly related with a future resurrection and

Messiahs reign on earth (Luke 20:34-40; Dan 12:2;

Ezek 37:12-14; Isa 26:19). The end of the age is a

reference to judgment at the end of the mystery

kingdom that is illustrated in the parable of the

wheat and tares (Matt 13:39, 40). The parable

teaches that both wheat and tares will grow side by

side as a result of the true sowing of the gospel and

false countersowing, which will culminate in the

saved of God entering the blessings of the millen-

The issues in Bible prophecy are important because they deal with the whole counsel of Gods Wordand the eschatological hope of the Christian.

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nium, and those who have rejected the gospel suf-

fering eternal punishment.

The tribulation period is said to be cut short

(Matt 24:22); otherwise, no life would have been

saved. The shortening of the days does not mean

that it will be less than seven years; rather, it means

the time of wrath will be cut short. Surely, mankind

deserves more than seven years of tribulation for

his rebellion against God. Although the judgments

intensify in sequential order (i.e. the seventh seal is

the seven trumpets and the seventh trumpet is the

seven bowls), the intensity of those judgments is re-

stricted primarily to the last three-and-one-half

years (Dan 7:25; 12:7; Rev 11:2; 12:6, 14; 13:5).

Throughout the tribulation, there will be an un-

precedented number of conversions through the

ministry of the 144,000 (Rev 7:1-8) and the two

witnesses (Rev 11:3). The reference to he that shall

endure unto the end (Matt 24:13) refers to the

time of Christs second coming (cf. Rev 7:9-17), and

not the false doctrine of salvation by works. Onlythose believers who endure, that is, survive through

the horrors of this period (Rev 619) will be

saved. The saved will enter the millennial king-

dom in their natural bodies.

Peter prophesied that the Day of the Lord would

come as a thief in the night (2 Pet 3:10). John also

used the same terminology with reference to the

Lords second coming (Rev 16:15). The Day of the

Lord is the same as the day of God described in

2 Peter 3:12, as the time including the burning of

the earth in which the elements will melt. Thejudgment with fire is contained in the seal, trum-

pet, and bowl judgments. After the millennium,

there will be the new heavens and the new earth in

which righteousness dwells. The new heaven is

described in Revelation 21; it will be established at

the end of the millennial kingdom, and its creation

is to be eagerly anticipated by believers. At the end

of the millennium, all the effects of Adams fall and

sin will be erased in the creation of the new earth.

The new Jerusalem will then descend from heaven

as the eternal dwelling place of the redeemed of all

the ages.

Conclusion

Bible prophecy is as an impetus to believers to warn

the lost. Since these events have not occurred yet, it

proves that the longsuffering of our Lord is salva-

tion (2 Pet 3:15). Peters words of exhortation are

both dramatic and sobering, as he prioritized thebelievers responsibility to live a diligent lifein

peacespotless and blameless in Christ. The future

is certain for all those in the Lord Christ Jesus, and

the duration of all the saints in fellowship with the

God of peace, who has reconciled the elect unto

Himself, will be eternal. Surely, with such a great

hope for the church, Gods people should take com-

fort that God hath not appointed us to wrath, but

to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ (2

Thess 5:9; Tit 2:13). Christians are to warn those

that do not have such hope that the coming of Godin judgment will be swift (1 Thess 5:1-6). The early

church would greet each other (in the form of a pe-

tition) with the word maranatha (1 Cor 16:22),

meaning our Lord come; it was spoken to indi-

cate their eager expectation for the coming of the

Lord Jesus to deliver the church from the coming

Day of the Lord (1 Thess 1:10). As Christians, we

should live each day with an eternal perspective,

knowing that our future in Christ is certain.

Maranatha! (448)

14 M I D N I G H T C A L L

Peter prophesied that the Day of the Lord would come as a thief in the night (2 Pet 3:10). Johnalso used the same terminology with reference to the Lords second coming (Rev 16:15). TheDay of the Lord is the same as the day of God described in 2 Peter 3:12, as the time includingthe burning of the earth in which the elements will melt.

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Democracy Invasion of Islam

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 1 1 5

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NORBERT LIETHis a graduate of Midnight Call

Bible School in Montevideo/Uruguay. He has

served as Midnight Calls missionary in sev-

eral South American countries. Norbert Lieth is

the lead speaker for Midnight Call Ministries

throughout Europe. He has authored 18 books,

and many have been translated into several languages. He

and his wife, Elke, and their four daughters reside in Switzerland.

WILFRED HAHNis known for his writings and

insights on present-day world economic and

money trends, viewed from a Biblical perspec-

tive. He has global investment industry experi-

ence spanning three decades, having held

various executive positions from Director of

Research for a major Wall Street firm, to Chairman of Canadas

largest global investment group. At one time also a top-ranked

global analyst and strategist, he continues to write and work as

a Chief Investment Officer. The Mulberry Ministry, founded in

1995 with his wife, Joyce, publishes and distributes Eternal

Value Reviewand over 40 books and booklets. For the past 10

years, he has been a contributor toMidnight Callmagazine.

DR. CHUCK MISSLER,a Naval academy gradu-

ate and former Branch Chief of the Dept. of

Guided Missiles, had a remarkable 30-year

executive career. He served on the Board of

Directors of 12 public companies and was CEO

of 6 of them. For twenty years, Chuck balanced

his high-profile corporate career with his teaching commit-

ment to a weekly Bible study at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa in

Southern California. He earned a Ph.D. from Louisiana Baptist

University in Biblical Studies in 1999. He and his wife Nancy

established Koinonia House in 1973. Koinonia House publishes

the monthlyPersonal UPDATE, which highlights the Biblical rel-

evance of current events to over 50,000 subscribers world-

wide. After a devastating earthquake in 1992 demolished their

home in Big Bear, California, Chuck and Nancy moved Koinonia

House to Coeur dAlene, Idaho, and K-House now reaches tens

of thousands through its monthly newsletter, radio shows, and

conferences.

DR. GREG HARRIS(Th.D.) has taught at Wash-

ington Bible College for seven years. Then for

ten years, Dr. Harris taught Bible and Greek at

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

He continues to serve as an international faculty

member of the Jordan Evangelical Theological

Seminary in Amman, and maintains an ongoing international

conference and pulpit ministry. He is the author ofThe Cup and

the Glory, The Darkness and the Glory, andThe Stone and the

Gloryand numerous journal articles. He joined The Masters

Seminary family in 2006 as Professor of Bible Exposition, and

also teaches as an adjunct professor at The Masters College. Dr.

Harris serves as the teaching pastor at Lake Hills Community

Church in Castaic, CA.

JAMES K. WALKER,the president of Watchman

Fellowship, is a former fourth generation Mor-

mon with over twenty years of ministry experi-

ence in the field of Christian counter-cult

evangelism, apologetics, and discernment. He

has been interviewed as an expert on new

religious movements and cults on a variety of network television

programs including Nightline, ABC World News Tonight, and The

News Hour with Jim Lehrer. He has spoken at hundreds of

churches, colleges, universities, and seminaries throughout

the United States and internationally.

ARNO FROESEis the executive director of Mid-

night Call Ministries and editor-in-chief of the

critically-acclaimed prophetic magazinesMid-

night Call and News From Israel. He has

authored a number of well-received books,

and has sponsored many prophecy confer-

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MEET THE SPEAKERS

A U G U S T 2 0 1 1 1 7

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Prophetsvs.Mormonisms Prophets

ArnoFroeseDemocracy Invasion of Islam

Dr.Chuck MisslerWhere Are We Headed?

Norbert LiethFurnace of the Future

Dr.Greg HarrisJesusUseof Psalm 118and

theFuture of the Nationof Israel

WilfredHahnFuture Israel Linked:Islam,Oil&theWest

JamesWalker

ThusSaiththeLord?Israels Prophetsvs.the End-timeDate-Setters

Questions & Answers

Norbert LiethOne Sentence About the Future

Arno Froese

The Timing of the Rapture

8:45

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Introduction/Welcome

Break Break

Lunch Lunch

Evening Banquet

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Endtime Earthquakes,Pestilences, Famines & Disasters:When? Part II

In Part I of this series on prophesied natural disasters, focusing upon

earthquakes, we had reviewed the earthquakes in diverse places

mentioned by Christ. We also examined the first four of the five

apocalyptic seismic events mentioned in the book of Revelation. Crucially,

we had concluded that the earthquakes mentioned by Christ are not the

same as the ones mentioned in Revelation. We continue our review of the

apocalyptic earthquakes.

B y W i l f r e d H a h n

The fifth and greatest earth-

quake of all time occurs at

the time of the seventh bowl(or vial) judgment. It most certainly

is a global earthquake, said to affect

the islands. It again is accompa-

nied by voices, thunderings, light-

nings, and again hail (this time,

precipitation the weight of a talent, which

is the equivalent of 25.5 kilograms or 56

pounds).

And the seventh angel poured out his vial

into the air; and there came a great voice

out of the temple of heaven, from the

throne, saying, It is done. And there were

voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and

there was a great earthquake, such as was

not since men were upon the earth, so

mighty an earthquake, and so great. And

the great city was divided into three parts,

and the cities of the nations fell: and great

Babylon came in remembrance before

God, to give unto her the cup of the wine

of the fierceness of his wrath. And every is-

land fled away, and the mountains were

not found.And there fell upon men a great

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hail out of heaven, every stone about the

weight of a talent: and men blasphemed

God because of the plague of the hail; for

the plague thereof was exceeding great

(Revelation 16:17-21).

This final and most catastrophic

earthquake of all history is also the fre-

quent topic of Old Testament prophets.

It coincides with the final judgment, tak-

ing place at the time of Armageddon

(possibly also the quashing of Gog) and

the smashing of all the capital cities of

the nations, including Babylon the Great.

It is just prior to the restoration of Israel.

A number of prophets speak of this time.

Says Joel:

Multitudes,multitudes in the valley of deci-

sion: for the day of the LORD is near in the

valley of decision. The sun and the moon

shall be darkened, and the stars shall with-

draw their shining.The LORD also shall roar

out of Zion, and utter his voice from

Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth

shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope

of his people, and the strength of the chil-dren of Israel (Joel 3:14-16).

Haggai also is given a vision of this

time:

And I will overthrow the throne of king-

doms, and I will destroy the strength of the

kingdoms of the heathen; and I will over-

throw the chariots, and those that ride in

them; and the horses and their riders shall

come down, every one by the sword of his

brother.In that day, saith the LORD of hosts,

will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant,

the son of Shealtiel,saith the LORD, and will

make thee as a signet: for I have chosen

thee, saith the LORD of hosts (Haggai 2:22-

23).

This last earthquake of judgment, po-

sitioned at the very end and at the time

of Armageddon, is also confirmed by Isa-

iah in several Scriptures:

Therefore the LORDs anger burns against

his people; his hand is raised and he strikes

them down. The mountains shake, and the

dead bodies are like refuse in the streets.

Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,

his hand is still upraised. He lifts up a ban-

ner for the distant nations, he whistles for

those at the ends of the earth. Here they

come, swiftly and speedily! (Isaiah 5:25-26,

NIV). Also, [] The floodgates of the heav-

ens are opened, the foundations of the

earth shake. The earth is broken up, the

earth is split asunder, the earth is thor-

oughly shaken.The earth reels like a drunk-

ard, itsways like a hut in the wind;so heavy

upon it is the guilt of its rebellion that it

fallsnever to rise again (Isaiah 24:18-20).

We have hardly exhausted the

prophecies of the Old Testament

prophets, not to mention connecting

them to the judgment of Babylon the

Great. See also these Scriptures: Isaiah

29:6-7 and Haggai 2:6-8, Ezekiel 26:15,

31:16, Zechariah 2:7-9.

Having briefly reviewed the fiveearthquakes of the Tribulation period

mentioned in Revelation, we note that

they are not the earthquakes that Christ

told us would happen. The first and fifth

earthquakesbracketing the other

threein this writers opinion, represent

both the start and end of the Great

Tribulation period (the second period of

42 months), framing the time of Gods

wrath in the form of supernatural

events.As a matter of interest, this perspec-

tive on the timing of Revelations earth-

quakes aligns with the opinion of a

number of scholars, who view the

events of the beginning of sorrows

(Matthew 24) in parallel with the first

five seal judgments of Revelation. As

such, the sixth and seventh seals would

then occur in the second half of the

Tribulation.

20 M I D N I G H T C A L L

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This final and

most catastrophic

earthquake of all

history is also the

frequent topic of

Old Testament

prophets.

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Endtime Earthquakes, Pestilences, Famines & Disasters: When? Part II

Prophecy Keys to EarthquakesIt goes without saying that there re-

mains much debate between scholars

that endorse the pre-tribulational view,

as to the times of the various judgmentsmentioned in Revelation (seals, trum-

pets and bowls). We can hardly con-

tribute to this debate. However, in the

matter of earthquakes, here are some of

the keys that must be considered.

1. In the book of Revelation, there is

no mention of earthquakes before the

time of the sixth seal. All five earth-

quakes mentioned occur from that point

forward.

2. All earthquakes mentioned in Rev-

elation are of divine or heavenly ori-

gin. None are natural phenomena such

as are occurring today or as may be the

earthquakes in diverse places that

Christ indicated. All are divinely en-

acted, either through Christ or angels.

3. All prophesied earthquakes in the

Old Testament are specific to the day of

the Lord in other words, those that

are caused by divine judgment, andclearly referring to the time of Gods

wrath. (Possibly there is one exception,

this being the point where Christs feet

alight upon the mount of Olives, split-

ting the mountain in Zechariah 14:4.)

4. All the earthquakes prophesied in

the Old Testament as part of the time of

wrath are all specific events, most of

them global in scope. They are truly

apocalyptic and not part of a generic

group of earthquakes that occur in di-verse places on the earth.

Next, we should note the differences

between the earthquakes that were

prophesied by Christ (Matthew 24,

Mark 13, Luke 21) and the specific ones

mentioned in the Old Testament, Reve-

lation and the other New Testament

writers.

1. The earthquakes prophesied by

Christ are non-specific to location and

number, in that there are multiple earth-

quakes in various places. By contrast, all

five earthquakes mentioned in the book

of Revelation are singular and specific

events.

2. The earthquakes mentioned by

Christ occur during the period that is

called the beginning of sorrows. The

three accounts of this prophecy in

Matthew, Mark and Luke are all in agree-

ment on this point. The earthquakes

mentioned in Revelation, on the other

hand, all occur at the time of the sixth

seal and thereafter. That period is not the

beginning of sorrows, but rather much

later, likely (as in this writers opinion)

the Great Tribulation period (the secondhalf of the Tribulation period).

3. Several of the prophecies involving

earthquakes in Revelation, correspond to

earthquakes prophesied in the Old Testa-

ment and elsewhere in the New Testa-

ment; whereas the earthquakes in

diverse places, associated with nations

rising against nations, and kingdoms

against kingdoms, along with pesti-

lences and famines, do not.

Are Earthquakes Increasing Today?Finally, lets consider this most intriguing

question: has the incidence of earth-

quakes been increasing in recent years

and decades? To be scientifically valid

not going beyond what can be validly as-

certained from statisticsthe answer is

probably not. This conclusion may be

shocking to some. Indeed, this writer

has received numerous aggravated re-

$

Finally, lets

consider this

most intriguing

question: has the

incidence of

earthquakes

been increasing

in recent years

and decades?

A U G U S T 2 0 1 1 2 1

Tsunami flooding on theSendai Airport runway,

Japan

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M O NE Y: E ND S & T R E ND S $

Then, can wars,pestilences and

famines be said

to be increasing

n severity and

frequency today?

The evidence

would suggest

no at least, not

yet. In the case

of wars, they can

be shown to be

decreasing in

recent decades.

sponses to this con-

clusion in the past.

Apparently, some

Christians hold

great comfort in thenotion that earth-

quakes are already

increasing in sever-

ity and frequency to-

day. To them, this is seen as a sign that

the Lords return is near. However, the

plain truth is that anyone using proper

statistical methods (and, it should be

added, adhering to what the Bible actu-

ally says) cannot conclusively state that

earthquakes have increased in recent

times. Seismologists (who are experts in

this topic, and other Bible students)

have come to the same conclusion.

Consider this quote from the website

of the United States Geological Survey

(USGS), In 1931, there were about 350

[seismograph] stations operating in the

world; today, there are more than 8,000

stations and the data now comes in

rapidly from these stations by electronicmail, internet and satellite.

As such, statistics gathering and re-

porting has served to increase the earth-

quake counts as well as the perception

of their incidence. In reality, occurrences

have not risen, just the reporting of

earthquakes of smaller size. Earth-

quakes of magnitude 7.0 (on the

Richter scale) or greaterthe ones that

historically were noticeably cata-

clysmic, and most likely to be re-portedhave remained fairly constant.

In fact, one earthquake per year exceed-

ing 9.0 on the Richter scale (as was the

strength of the recent seismic occur-

rence in Japan) is considered normal.

There are other independently corrobo-

rated studies that have come to the

same conclusion.

For those who are inclined to disre-

gard statistical validity and to interpret

seismic data in a fashion more agreeable

to their preferred opinions on the matter

of earthquakes, they will discover that

similar problems will arise with the

other phenomena that Christ said wouldoccur during the beginning of sor-

rows.

We recall that along with earth-

quakes, there would also occur famines,

pestilences, and that nations would rise

against nations and kingdoms against

kingdoms (Matthew 24:7). Of course,

over history, the world has always been

subject to wars, famines and pestilences.

Should we therefore interpret Christs

statements to indicate that these phe-

nomena during the beginning of sor-

rows will be much the same as usual?

Such an interpretation would not be rea-

sonable either. If so, there would be no

need for Christ to give us these indica-

tors to identify a period of heightening

sorrows.

Then, can wars, pestilences and

famines be said to be increasing in sever-

ity and frequency today? The evidencewould suggest no at least, not yet. In

the case of wars, they can be shown to

be decreasing in recent decades. For ex-

ample, a recent report of the World De-

velopment Indicators (World Bank,

2011) concludes the following:

Interstate war has declined dramatically

since the two world wars of the first half of

the 20th century. Major civil conflicts

(those with more than 1,000 battle deaths

a year) increased during the postcolonial

and Cold War era, peaking in the late 1980s

and early 1990s. Since 199192, when

there were 21 active major civil wars, the

number has steadily fallen to less than 10

each year since 2002.

Other research organizations have ex-

pressed similar opinions. In the case of

pestilences and famines, we can well

point to reasons why these may sharply

Child victim of the 1921-923 Famine in Soviet

Russia.

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Endtime Earthquakes, Pestilences, Famines & Disasters: When? Part II

increase in the future. However,

the reality is that their incidence

around the world has decreased

sharply over the past century or

so.At this point in history, both

for reasons of limited data and

statistical validity, a rise in the

frequency and severity of earth-

quakes cannot be proven con-

clusively. Confirming this view

that the time of earthquakes in

diverse places is not yet, is the fact that

none of the other tandem phenomena of

famine, pestilences and wars can be

shown as having increased.

Should this really be seen as a disap-

pointment? Is prophecy therefore invali-

dated? May that never be the case. For

one, as we have shown, this conclusion

does not overturn Scripture. Our study to

this point would argue that the earth-

quakes that Christ mentions occur dur-

ing the first half of the Tribulation period

not before, nor after. Moreover,

Christs return and the Rapture are notdelayed by this conclusion. Why? Be-

cause the Rapture is signless and has al-

ways been imminent.

Points to Ponder Part IIThe Lords return is not delayed at all by

the fact that earthquakes are not yet in-

creasing today. We must conclude that

much greater earthquake activity lies

ahead for the world. If our interpreta-

tion of Matthew 24 and the correspond-ing accounts of Revelation is correct, a

pronounced increaseconclusively no-

ticeable for all of mankind to recog-

nizewill occur during the first half of

the Tribulation period. We can conclude

that there will be many all around the

world. Moreover, these seismic events

are not specifically mentioned in the

book of Revelation, nor are they part of

the divinely triggered earthquakes that

are instruments of Gods wrath in the

second half of the Tribulation period.

As disastrous and powerful as the re-

cent Japanese earthquake may have been,

it will pale in comparison to the worst yet

to come. Not only is the heightened

earthquake activity mentioned by Christ

yet in the future, but also the biggest

earthquakes of all time have yet to occur.

With respect to the last one, John the

Revelator tells us this: [] No earth-

quake like it has ever occurred since man

has been on earth, so tremendous was the

quake (Revelation 16:18).Most wonderfully for Israel and the

remaining Christians at the end of the

Tribulation period, is the advent of one

more earthquake. This is a local one, oc-

curring on the Mount of Olives.

And his feet shall stand in that day upon

the mount of Olives, which is before

Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of

Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof to-

ward the east and toward the west, and

there shall be a very great valley; and half

of the mountain shall remove toward the

north, and half of it toward the south

(Zechariah 14:4).

This occurs at the time that Israels

Messiah finally returns. As his feet touch

the Mount of Olives, the hill splits in

two. Water flows out of the temple

mount, and the new Millennial period

begins (Revelation 22:1).

$

A U G U S T 2 0 1 1 2 3

MC

And his feet shall

stand in that day

upon the mount

of Olives, which is

before Jerusalem

on the east, and

the mount of

Olives shall

cleave in themidst thereof

toward the east

and toward the

west, and there

shall be a very

great valley; and

half of the

mountain shall

remove toward

the north, and

half of it toward

the south

(Zechariah 14:4).

Mount of Olives, Israel

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24/32

Whats more, just a fifth of households

were traditional familiesmarried cou-

ples with childrendown from about a quarter a

decade ago and from 43 percent in 1950, as the

iconic image of the American family continues to

break apart.

In recent history, the marriage rate among

Americans was at its highest in the 1950s, when

the institution defined gender roles, family life

and a persons place in society. But as women

moved into the workforce, cohabitation lost its

taboo, and as society grew more secular, mar-

riage lost some of its central authority.

Today, traditional patterns have been turned

upside down. Women with college degrees are

now more likely to marry than those with justhigh school diplomas, the reverse of several

decades ago, said June Carbone, a law profes-

sor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City

and co-author of Red Families v. Blue Fami-

lies.

Employment instability depresses marriage

rates, Carbone said. Explaining the reasoning,

she said: I can support myself and the kid, but

not myself, the kid and him.

W. Bradford Wilcox, the director of the National

Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, ar-

gues that the retreat from marriage is bad for soci-

ety because it means less security for children.

-The Kansas City Star,29 May 2011, pg. A6

The Bible says, Therefore shall a man

leave his father and his mother, and shall

cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one

flesh (Genesis 2:24). Marriage is God-or-dained; thus, the tendency toward non-mar-

riage on the one hand and desiring

same-sex marriage on the other clearly

casts the shadow of things to come, namely

the decline of marriage.

Experts point to various reasons for this

development. However, the real reason is

often overlooked, which is Satans attempt

to invalidate Gods principal laws for

mankind. The Bible says of the Antichrist,

Who opposeth and exalteth himself above

all that is called God, or that is worshipped;

so that he as God sitteth in the temple of

God, shewing himself that he is God (2

Thessalonians 2:4).

The most shocking news, however, is that

divorce is more common within the evangel-

ical campthose who claim to believe in the

Biblethan the rest of America. 4112

(ReadPrayer and Revival, Item 1002 to stir revival in your

lives,families, churches and the world.)

U S A

MarriedCouplesNoLongerinMajorityMarriedcoupleshavedroppedbelowhalfofallU.S.households for the first time, theCensusBureausays,amilestoneintheevolutionoftheAmericanfamilytowardless traditional forms.

G E R M A N Y

LutheranChurchanOasisforMulti-Culturalism

Christians, Jews and Muslims are con-

nected in fellowship as all believe in the

one God, said Bishop Munin Younan, elected

president of the Lutheran World Federation, repre-

senting over 70 million Lutherans worldwide.

We are united in our striving for human val-

ues, human rights, religious freedom, the pro-

tection of minorities, the fight against poverty,

being responsible tenants of planet Earth and

the creation of righteous peace in the Middle

East, the Reverend Younan stated in Hanover,

Germany. Unitedly he said, we will transform

the world into an oasis for multi-culturalism.

The Reverend Younan is bishop of the Lutheran

Church in Jordan and in the Holy Land. There

are approximately 3,000 members in six differ-

ent locations, including Jerusalem, Bethlehem,

Beit Jala, Beit Sahour, Ramallah and Amman.-IdeaSpektrum

These noble goals of the president of the

Lutheran World Federation are to be com-

mended, but something is missingthe

Great Commission, Go ye therefore, and

teach all nations, baptizing them in the name

of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy

Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things

whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo,

I am with you alway, even unto the end of

the world. Amen (Matthew 28:19-20).

Wasnt it Luther who often quoted the Scrip-

ture, The just shall live by faith? Isnt that

more important than anything else on planet

Earth?

Indeed, the world will unify and is

presently in the process of doing so, but that

will not lead to the recognition of mans sin-

ful nature, neither the need to be converted to

living faith in the Redeemer. Bishop

Younans admonition ignores the plain truth,

He that believeth on the Son hath everlast-

ing life: and he that believeth not the Son

shall not see life; but the wrath of God

abideth on him (John 3:36). 4113

(Tolearn thetruemarksof a believer,read SevenSignsof a

BornAgain Person,Item 1030.)

24 M I D N I G H T C A L L

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 1 2 5

C H I N A

ANewCommunistCareerBuiltonthePastBoXilai,whoisinchargeofthecityofChongqing, isone oftherisingstarsofChinas Commu-nistParty.His recipe forpopularsuccess?A crackdownoncor-ruption, patriotic songs andthesayingsofChairmanMaode-livereddirectly toyourmobilephone.

Its a new morning in Chongqing, a major

city in southwest China. In a city park, the

sound of Oh, red song can be heard coming

from dozens of voices. The singers are sitting on

green and white plastic stools. A few meters away,

another group of citizens who apparently love to

sing are practicing the revolutionary hymn Zuguo,

nihao! or Hello, Fatherland!

The amateur neighborhood choirs have gath-

ered in front of wooden signs that are placed

through the park and encourage citizens to sing

red songs. Elsewhere in Chongqing, the political

culture that the Great Leader Mao Zedong once

used to provoke Chinas masses to embark onpermanent revolution is blossoming once again.

The citys radio and television stations are also

broadcasting revolutionary songs, and instead of

the entertainment shows that used to be its cus-

tomary fare, one channel is showing prime-time

documentaries about the historical achievements

of the Communist Party. Local newspapers are

also firing up the revolutionary campaign.

Since Bo Xilai, the local Communist Party sec-

retary and former trade minister, has been in

charge in Chongqing, Mao has been reinstated as

the patron saint in the struggle against all of the

possible contradictions of a very real capitalism.

Bo even uses text messages to send inspiring

Mao quotes to his fellow citizens, who now find

sentences like The world is ours, we should unite

for achievements, or Responsibility and serious-

ness can conquer the world and the Chinese

Communist Party members represent these quali-

ties, popping up on the screens of their mobile

phones.

Bo began by winning public support with a mer-

ciless campaign against the local mafia and the

government officials connected to them. He or-

dered the arrests of an estimated 5,000 people for

illegal prostitution, operating gambling dens,

weapons possession and other crimes. Thirteen

were executed, including the former deputy police

chief. Even Chinese legal experts criticized this

purge as too authoritarian. For example, Li

Zhuang, the prominent attorney of a mafia boss,

was sentenced to one-and-a-half years in prison

for allegedly urging his client to make false state-

ments.

But instead of diminishing Bos popularity, the

criticism only enhanced it. He is continuing to

make radical changes in Chongqing, especially inplaces where citizens are most likely to notice.

Trees are being planted along dusty streets, and

the police officers who are now posted at major in-

tersections compete to help citizens instead of ha-

rassing them, as they did in the past.As of May 1,

Chongqing eliminated school tuition for all children

below the ninth grade.

Bos mix of a tough leadership style and pop-

ulism is effective in China, where the countrys

economic miracle is fueling inflation and deepen-

ing the gap between rich and poor.

Bo Xilai is setting the right idealogical tone,

says Chen Chuan, the deputy propaganda chief

of Shapingba, one of Chongqings districts.-www.spiegel.de,12May 2011

With the implosion of the Soviet Union, cli-

maxing in the fall of the Berlin Wall, commu-

nism supposedly had died, but not really.

Today, Chinathe worlds most popu-

lous country with the fastest growing econ-

omy, aimed at overtaking the United States

and possibly Europehas no intention to re-

place its communist ideology with Roman

(European) democracy. This is quite evident

by the popularity of a man called Bo. What

will be the outcome? Temporary success po-

litically, economically, and especially finan-

cially.

The Communist Party is well aware that

the king of capitalism, the United States,

needs China and her capacity to buy Ameri-

can government bonds. In short, the U.S.A.

needs China more than China needs the

U.S.A.

Yet, this astonishing success will not last

indefinitely, so China will doubtless changetoward a European-social democracy in or-

der to fully cooperate with the worlds largest

economy, the European Union.

The last Gentile superpower is described

in Daniel 7:7 with these words, After this

I saw in the night visions, and behold a

fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and

strong exceedingly; and it had great iron

teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and

stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it

was diverse from all the beasts that were be-

fore it; and it had ten horns. The diversity

of Europe can readily accommodate Chi-

nese communism, but in the end, it will

break in pieces and stamp the residue with

its feet. That will bring about Chinas final

compliance with Roman laws. 4091

(For more on how the world is heading toward a global

society, read Revelation 13: Satans Last Victory, Item

1067.)

Bo Xilai, who is in charge of the city ofChongqing, is one of the rising stars ofChinas Communist Party.His recipe forpopular success includes patriotic songsand the sayings of Chairman Mao,delivereddirectly to your mobile phone.This photoshows people singing revolutionary songsduring a celebration for the upcoming 90thanniversary of the Communist Party ofChina in Chongqing.

8/13/2019 08 Aug 2011

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God Angry with the USA...

Sadness in Heaven...Old Testament Saints

LE T T E R S T O T H E E D IT O R

Address letters for publication to: Letters to the Editor, Midnight Call, P.O. Box 280008,

Columbia, SC 29228. Include full name, address, and daytime phone number. Without

name and address, letters will be discarded unread. All material is subject to editing.

Midnight Call assumes all publishing rights on letters sent to the Editor.

26 M I D N I G H T C A L L

God Angry with the USA

Dear Mr. Froese,

I received the magazine Midnight

Call and was reading about Brazil andthe mineral deposits. Ive often

thought that God is pretty disgusted

with America at this point in time.

Yet when I had read just a couple of

paragraphs, it hit me all of a sudden:

not only is God pretty angry at Amer-

ica, but God has removed His hand

from America. The reasons I say this

are:

A. Millions here are rejecting Jesus

as the Son of God.B. America is practically stupid in

sin of all kinds.

C. Obama has rejected Israel, will

not support Israel, but gives support

to her enemies.

It hurts me to see people that

I know who just wont come to Je-

sus. I hear, Oh, Im not doing any-

thing bad, or After Ive had my fill

of fun, then I might give your Jesus

a chance. It just hurts my heart. I read

a book called Desire of the Ages.

I cried for the hurt that was done then.

For now, how it must break His heartto be rejected even more.

-M.Monaghan,WA

Answer: Man consists of spirit, soul and

body, made in the image of God. America or

any other country on planet Earth is a politi-

cal identity, governed by the god of this

world and always standing in opposition to

the God of creation.

Now to yourABC:

A. Not millions, but all except the smallflockreject Jesus, the Son of God.

B. The Bible says, The whole world lieth

in wickedness. However, an escape is pro-

vided,Who gave himself for our sins, that he

might deliver us from this present evil world,

according to the will of God and our Father

(Galatians 1:4).

C. Americas provision for grants, loans,

and military aid to Israel has not changed un-

der the Obama administration.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 1 2 7

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

In summary, the whole world is still

subject to Gods grace:That whosoever

believeth in him should not perish, but

have eternal life (John 3:15)thosewho remain in this world, but are not of

this world.The only nation different is Is-

rael; the prophet Jeremiah proclaims,

I am with thee (Israel) saith the Lord,

to save thee: though I make a full end

of all nations whither I have scattered

thee(Jeremiah 30:11).

Learn not to mix political exhibition

with spiritual realities.

Sadness in Heaven

Dear Mr. Froese,

We enjoy our Midnight Call

so much and look forward to it.

A lot of questions have been an-

swered for me and now I have

one of my own.

I have been praying for our

four children for a long time to

receive Jesus Christ as their Sav-

ior. They are all grown up andhave children and grandchil-

dren of their own.

My question is this: when

I arrive in heaven and they

arent saved, how can I be

happy, peaceful and content

when I know they will be in

hell forever? The Lord says

there will be no tears and sad-

ness in heaven.

-J.Ward,MO

Answer: The Bible says, Eye hath not

seen, nor ear heard, neither have en-

tered into the heart of man, the things

which God hath prepared for them that

love Him. That means we will experi-

ence something that is literally out of

this world. The target of our joy will be

Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom

we will recognize each other, but not in

the flesh. Otherwise, heaven would not

be heaven as you rightly state.

Read the profound statement in 2

Corinthians 5:16,Wherefore henceforthknow we no man after the flesh: yea,

though we have known Christ after the

flesh, yet now henceforth know we him

no more. So no recognition after the

flesh in heaven. Being earthly-minded

clouds our spiritual vision of heaven.

Old Testament Saints

Dear Arno Froese,

In the April edition of Mid-

night Call, in your reply to P.

McHugh, OH regarding Old

Covenant Regeneration, you de-

nied that people in Old Testa-

ment times could experience a

rebirth. As I understand it, the

rebirth is the Holy Spirit of God

operating upon ones heart and

in ones life. Revelation 14 speaks

of the everlasting gospel. So

the gospel of Jesus Christ hasbeen in existence from the very

beginning of the Old Testament

(Genesis 3:15). In Galatians 3:8,

we read of the gospel being

preached to Abraham, and Abra-

ham believed the gospel, and

righteousness was imputed to

him (verse 6). In verse 14, we

read of the blessing of Abra-

ham, which was the Spirit. So

the Spirit was given in Old Testa-ment times as well as New Testa-

ment times. You cited John

14:17, where Jesus said to his

disciples that the Spirit would be

in them, and that Even today,

Jesus comes to us through the

Holy Spirit. This is true; but it

was also true in Old Testament

times, for we read in 1 Peter

1:10-11 of the prophets proph-

esying of the grace to come, and

searching what, or what manner

of time the Spirit of Christ

which was in them did signify.So the Spirit was in the

prophets as well as in the apos-

tles. This is Old Covenant regen-

eration before the incarnation,

because the Holy Spirit could not

be in the prophets unless they

had been regenerated in their

own personal experience. God

has always saved souls in pre-

cisely the same wayby grace

through faith, and even faith the

gift of God, lest any man should

boast. Jesus said that Abraham

rejoiced to see Christs day, and

he saw it and was glad. Thats the

true, everlasting gospel of Jesus

Christ, from Adam and Eve on

down through past ages to our

time todaysame gospel, same

Spirit.

-W.Hargreaves,AL

Answer: You certainly put forth some

excellent arguments about the possibil-

ity of the rebirth for Old Testament

saints, but in reading prophecies relat-

ing to the promised New Covenant,one

finds that they nullify the OldTestament

rebirth theory. Jeremiah speak of the fu-

ture, clearly revealing the result of the

rebirth in chapter 31, verses 31-34.That

means it had not taken place at thattime.

Note also that Jesus speaks of the fu-

ture, I will pray the Father, and he shall

give you another Comforter, that he

may abide with you forever (John

14:16).That promise was only fulfilled at

Pentecost.

The fact that the Holy Spirit came

upon the prophets and was in them

served only one purpose:to assist them

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LE T T E R S T O T H E E D IT O R LE T T E R S T O T H E E D IT O R

28 M I D N I G H T C A L L

in fulfilling their task.That is not equal to

abide with you forever.

Founding FathersThe Founding Fathers of our

nation, for being such an un-

godly bunch of men who hated

the Bible, sure gave us a won-

derland to teach and preach the

Gospel and all the freedoms we

enjoy! The old devil was good

to work through these men to

give us such a great Constitu-

tion like none other in this

world. No man is perfect, only

Christ, but He really used this

awful bunch of unbelievers to

help establish this wicked land

of America. Thank you, God,

for those sinners (like you and

I) that gave us a nation where

we can preach and teach and

tell all the world about your

love. God have mercy on their

wretched souls.-D.Oswald,WI

Answer: The Bible instructs us to

earnestly contend for the faith, which

was once delivered to the saints, not

the Founding Fathers. The fact that the

overwhelming majority within Churchi-

anity come close to worshiping the

faith of the Founding Fathers is the rea-

son for this documentary (see page 2).

Under no circumstances do wequestion the integrity of these coura-

geous and God-fearing men we call

the Founding Fathers, but when it

comes to their faith, which they wrote

about with their own hands, then we

are duty bound to warn of such false

religions.

If I do not count myself a stranger

and foreigner in this country, or any

other country, then my allegiance is

not undividedly to Jesus Christ my

Lord.

We must learn to distinguish be-

tween political religious faith and faithas revealed in Holy Scripture.

Advice to Israel

Dear Editor,

I have been a reader ofNews

From Israel for over a year and,

for the most part, the articles

are interesting and at times very

informative. I do, however, dis-

agree about God and the end

time because I cant conceive of

a mother or father who creates

and favor another child over the

other. I dont believe God

thinks like that and any religion

which preaches that sort of

nonsense refuses to understand

the Gospels. I do believe God is

the creator and all that we are

belongs to Him. Thus, we are

all under the face of God andone is not greater than the

other. What I am saying is that

all of us, all 7 billion, belong to

the creator and are all Gods

children. I do understand the

need to bring God into human

understanding and the develop-

ment of the Old Testament and

the history of the Jew before the

development of that text.

I will say that I continue to readas much as I can about God and

the development of religion. I do

wish I could read in the original

text, some of what has been writ-

ten over the ages. I believe, by

reading in the original, I would

be a better person and under-

stand the Lords Word more fully.

Apart from that, you could

help by separating the political

from the original text when you

do your articles. I dont know if

that is possible, but I believe by

doing so, clarity of thoughtwould come through.

For example, the events of

the Middle East are rapidly

changing and have been for

some time. I do hold Israel to a

higher standard because, the

great majority of the founding

leaders were Europeans and

had a background in Western

European thought and all that it

entails. Thus, I say this: when

you discuss the political, sepa-