The Great Prophecy Debate: Why the Rapture and Israel Are Under Fire
Pastor Tom Hughes joined Prophecy Watchers to preview his upcoming conference messages on two of the most contested topics in biblical prophecy: the rapture and the rebirth of Israel. He explained why both subjects face constant attacks and how misinformation has spread among believers and skeptics alike.
Hughes emphasized that the rapture was not an invention of John Nelson Darby, as some critics claim, but a biblical truth taught throughout history. His goal is to simplify complex theology so that everyday Christians can understand and defend their faith against false narratives.
He also addressed the growing belief that the Rothschild family or the Elders of Zion “invented” modern Israel, calling such ideas historically and biblically unfounded. He aims to expose the spiritual deception behind these claims and reaffirm God’s everlasting covenant with the Jewish people.
According to Hughes, the global rise in antisemitism and the denial of Israel’s legitimacy are not merely political issues but part of a larger spiritual war tied to prophecy and the enemy’s attempt to thwart God’s plan.
To hear Pastor Hughes explain these topics in full detail, watch the complete interview in the video above.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
Something Spiritually Off: Pope Leo and the Strange Direction of the Vatican
When Liz Wheeler joined Glenn Beck by phone to talk about the Vatican’s recent actions, what started as a conversation about faith and leadership quickly turned toward something far deeper. Beck didn’t shy away from asking the question that’s been lingering among believers everywhere: “Where do you stand with this Pope? Is there hope here, or is this just a blip?”
Wheeler, who has never been one to dodge a hard question, gave an honest answer. “I think Catholics all over the world are asking themselves that same question,” she said. “The Catholic Church is the Davidic kingdom and it will endure regardless of infiltrators.”
Her words carried a mix of conviction and concern. Yes, the Church will stand the test of time, but that doesn’t mean everything happening in its leadership is good. For many believers, Catholic and Protestant alike, it feels like something spiritually off is stirring behind the scenes.
The Spirit Behind “Climate Justice”
Wheeler didn’t mince words about what troubles her most. “It is demoralizing as a Catholic to see the Pope engaging in this climate… he calls it climate justice. What does that mean? Climate justice is a very thin mask over communist political aspirations. So it feels scandalous for a Pope to be courting with these people.”
She wasn’t talking politics for the sake of debate. Her point was spiritual. There’s a difference between caring for God’s creation and partnering with movements that deny the Creator altogether. “He blessed that water,” she said with a hint of disbelief. “I’d throw that holy water on these communists. See how many demons hiss out of them.”
Behind the humor, there’s a serious warning. The enemy has always been skilled at disguising deception as virtue. Dressing up ideology in words like “justice” and “compassion” makes it harder for the Church to discern what’s holy from what’s hollow.
Confusion Among the Faithful
Wheeler went on to describe how these public displays can mislead believers who trust the Pope’s authority. “When you stand quite literally next to communists and take part in their rituals, it’s going to be very confusing,” she said. “It is the near occasion of sin at best because people who are not as informed… might conflate it for our true calling as Christians.”
She pointed out that Christians are indeed called to care for the world God made, but not at the expense of truth. “We are called to do that as Christians,” she said, “but when you conflate that with climate justice, which is anti-humanity, anti-good, that can be very confusing.”
Her warning strikes at the heart of the issue: when moral causes are rooted in ideologies that deny God, they cease to be moral.
A Crisis of Leadership
Beck agreed and said what many believers have felt for a long time. “I think all of our churches have let us down,” he admitted. “I hope and pray that we’ll start to see our churches find leadership that will stand up and be very clear on universal principles.”
His words hit home. Across denominations, many Christians feel that spiritual leaders have become hesitant to speak truth plainly. They want shepherds who aren’t afraid to call sin what it is, even when it’s unpopular.
Revival Rising Amid Darkness
Beck later asked if Wheeler believed anything good was coming out of the chaos. Her answer brought the conversation full circle. “There’s a spiritual revival that’s happening,” she said. “When someone is confronted with evil… it brings to the forefront of your mind in a new way that if there’s evil, there must also be good. And when you search for that good, it leads you toward God.”
In other words, the darkness has done something the devil didn’t intend, it’s driving people back to the light. Every lie exposed, every compromise uncovered, is turning hearts toward truth.
God’s Truth Will Stand
Wheeler closed with hope, and it’s a hope that all believers can hold onto. “We are of course engaged in spiritual warfare,” she said. “It is a good and humbling reminder that God brings so much good out of evil because you see this incredible awakening happening in people’s hearts.”
The world may be filled with confusion, but God is not confused. While leaders waver, the Spirit of truth is still speaking. What’s unfolding in the Vatican isn’t just politics, it’s a glimpse into the wider spiritual battle shaking the world.
And in that battle, one truth remains: God’s Word will outlast every false ideology, and His Spirit will continue to call His people out of deception and back into the light.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
Bad Bunny and SNL’s ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Sketch Crossed a Spiritual Line
Pop culture’s obsession with spectacle has reached a new spiritual low. Saturday Night Live’s recent “KPop Demon Hunters” sketch turned overt demonic possession into a cultural spectacle. What began as lighthearted banter among friends descended into chanting, possession and black liquid spilling from a woman’s mouth played for laughs and wrapped in neon lights and dance music.
This is not harmless comedy. It’s how desensitization works. The demonic is rebranded as entertainment. Evil is rewritten as empowerment. The spiritual realm is mocked under the banner of irony.
The Bible warns that “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14) and in 2025 that light comes in the form of bright colors, catchy lyrics and pop choreography. The enemy no longer needs to hide in the shadows. He just needs to be normalized.
The K-Pop Illusion
In the SNL skit music is portrayed as a literal weapon against evil, replacing prayer, repentance and the authority of Jesus with pop songs and synchronized dance. The show makes light of possession and deliverance, making demonic warfare seem whimsical.
This kind of portrayal blurs the line between fantasy and spiritual truth. Scripture is clear: demonic forces are real, and they don’t flee at the sound of a pop chorus. Only the name and power of Jesus Christ can cast them out (Mark 16:17).
From SNL to the Super Bowl
Now that same spirit of deception is moving from late-night comedy to the world’s biggest stage. The NFL has selected Bad Bunny as the performer for the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show.
As Charisma Media previously reported, Bad Bunny’s concerts have contained demonic symbolism, occult overtones and cross-dressing performances celebrating rebellion and sexual confusion. These are not creative stunts. They are spiritual statements.
Millions of viewers including children will be watching this halftime show. Unless the NFL reverses course, a performer with a history of glorifying the demonic will be given a global platform to broadcast that darkness straight into the homes of tens of millions around the world.
The Cultural Strategy of the Enemy
What unites both the SNL sketch and Bad Bunny’s performances is a shared deception: that darkness can be beautiful, playful and harmless.
Mocking deliverance: Both forms of entertainment treat demonic power as something to laugh at, making true deliverance seem foolish.
Replacing divine power with performance: Where the Bible calls for prayer these shows substitute choreography and glamor.
Targeting youth: The aesthetics of bright colors, animation and pop idols aim directly at the next generation, training them to see spiritual corruption as harmless fun.
This is how culture prepares hearts for the ultimate deception warned of in 2 Thessalonians 2: the rise of lawlessness and the worship of false powers disguised as light.
What the Church Must Do
It’s time for believers to wake up. The spiritual battlefield has moved into the mainstream. The devil is no longer hiding. He’s headlining.
Pray for discernment: Ask the Holy Spirit to open eyes to the reality behind cultural entertainment.
Guard your homes: Be intentional about what your family consumes. Turn off what mocks the sacred.
Speak truth: Share biblical perspective boldly even when the world mocks it.
Call it what it is: This is not art. It’s warfare disguised as art.
The same spirit that turned demonic possession into comedy on Saturday Night Live is now being mainstreamed through one of the largest televised events on Earth. If the church stays silent the enemy will keep dancing across our screens smiling as we applaud.
What the world laughs at today it will bow to tomorrow.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
Matt Chandler Says the Mark of the Beast Is Already Here
Matt Chandler, lead pastor of The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, recently addressed one of the most debated topics in the book of Revelation, the mark of the beast. Far from science fiction or futuristic implants, Chandler explained that the mark is a spiritual and cultural reality unfolding right before our eyes.
In Revelation 13, Scripture describes a beast that forces “all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave” to receive a mark on their right hand or forehead without which no one can buy or sell. For centuries speculation has tied this prophecy to credit cards, chips or other technological advances. Chandler pushed back against these interpretations. “The mark of the beast ‘is not [Elon Musk] putting something in our brains or something like that,’” he said.
Instead he pointed to the deeper biblical meaning behind the infamous number. “The perfect number is number seven, and so if seven is complete, six is incomplete,” Chandler explained. “We also know that the number three means complete. And so 666, the mark of the beast, is really to show that the work of the enemy is completely—three sixes—incomplete. And so this is, really, what the enemy produces: complete incompleteness.”
The forehead and hand imagery in Revelation are not physical placements but symbols of belief and action. Chandler noted, “A forehead mark [is] ideological belief and a hand mark [is] the practice of that ideological belief.” In other words, what you think and what you live out shows who you belong to.
This interpretation ties directly into the broader biblical warning about the Beast system, a world order that demands allegiance and conformity in order to participate in society. As Revelation 13:17 states, no one can buy or sell without the mark. Chandler sees this reality already at work: “I think the way you’re even seeing this today is there are certain, especially in the business community now, ideological beliefs you must have in order to participate in the economy. And I think we’re going to see this get worse.”
According to Chandler the mark of the beast is not waiting for a distant future. “That means I believe the mark of the beast is active even now in this moment of history that we’re in,” he concluded.
It is an interesting approach for sure, one that emphasizes the spiritual dimension of the Beast system rather than a physical technology. Yet many end times prophecy watchers would caution that with the explosive growth of artificial intelligence, digital surveillance and rising global authoritarianism we may be heading toward a literal fulfillment of Revelation 13, where economic and political systems will require men and women to bear an actual mark on their bodies in order to buy or sell.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
Jack Hibbs: Forgiveness After Tragedy Is the Most Radical Weapon Against Evil
In a moment of national grief, the words of Erica Kirk at her husband’s memorial service shocked many. Instead of demanding vengeance on the man who took Charlie Kirk’s life, she spoke forgiveness. To some, it was unthinkable. Yet as Pastor Jack Hibbs recently explained, forgiveness is not weakness. It is strength, and it is the biblical way of breaking free from the power of evil.
“Forgiveness, of course, the whole topic comes out of the assassination of my friend and your friend Charlie Kirk,” Hibbs said. “And then of course the remarkable and just spine of steel handling of it all through Erica Kirk.” He went on to say her act was nothing short of a testimony that “God is using… and opening up the eyes of people who are in cults to consider this forgiveness as well.”
Emotional Reactions vs. Biblical Truth
Hibbs drew a sharp line between human emotion and biblical teaching. “Most of the world operates off of an emotionally based theology which always leads to error,” he warned. While some people wanted to hear Erica condemn her husband’s assassin to hell, Hibbs reminded believers that true forgiveness does not mean excusing sin. “When Erica said I forgive him, it doesn’t mean that he’s been absolved of his responsibilities. He’s a murderer. He’s an assassin. He’s committed murder.”
What her forgiveness did mean was handing the man over to God. “I forgive you because Jesus Christ has forgiven me so much,” Hibbs explained. “You assassin are no longer going to have any control or power over my life or the life of my family or the relationship between me and my God. I give you up. I release you to God.”
Forgiveness in the Church
Within the body of Christ, forgiveness is not optional. Hibbs pointed to 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” He explained that John’s letters were written “only to believers, not unbelievers,” meaning forgiveness in this context is about fellowship with God and one another. “We are commanded to forgive our brothers and sisters,” Hibbs said. “We are to strive to keep the unity of the faith among one another.”
This is how believers “rip Satan off,” Hibbs said, by forgiving quickly and refusing to let division take root.
Justice, Mercy and Grace
Forgiveness does not erase justice. Hibbs made clear that Scripture teaches capital punishment for murder. “If a human murders another human, the justice system must take that human’s life. Life for a life. That is justice.” Yet God’s justice is always balanced by mercy and grace.
Hibbs praised the old English practice of giving condemned murderers two weeks of daily gospel preaching before execution. “That person would die by justice but would immediately enter paradise in heaven because he had been forgiven,” he said. “That’s mercy. That’s justice. And there’s no contradiction in the word of God.”
The Power of Forgiveness
The heart of Hibbs’ message is that forgiveness is a gift from God meant to set His people free. “God grants you and I as the believer the power to forgive those who have sinned against us so that we release them from the control that they have over our lives,” he said. “We communicate them to his justice and to his grace and to his mercy and we get up and we live our lives free.”
Hibbs urged believers not to cling to bitterness or to find satisfaction in the thought of someone rotting in hell. “You cannot know God and revel over the damnation of a human soul for which Jesus Christ died for,” he said. Instead, he pointed back to the cross, where Christ offered forgiveness to all who would repent and believe.
We live in a world quick to demand revenge, yet Erica Kirk’s decision to forgive stands as a radical act of faith. It is the same kind of faith Pastor Jack Hibbs called every believer to embrace. Forgiveness is not about denying justice. It is about refusing to let hatred take hold of the heart. “What Satan meant for evil is going to be destroyed by good,” Hibbs declared. That is the power of forgiveness, and it is the path to true freedom in Christ.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
Jonathan Cahn Tells Roseanne Barr: Assassination Attempts Reveal Demonic Forces in America
On a recent episode of the Roseanne Barr Podcast, bestselling author Jonathan Cahn delivered an urgent warning about the unseen forces shaping America’s future. Cahn framed the recent attempt on Charlie Kirk’s life, and even the attempt on President Donald Trump, as part of a cosmic conflict rooted in ancient pagan powers described in Scripture.
“This was demonic,” Cahn said of the Kirk incident. “We’re dealing with a spiritual thing … there’s such a spiritual war for the future of America it’s gotten so intense that it’s actually shedding the blood of a key person in this spiritual war.”
Witchcraft, Jezebel and Modern Curses
Cahn and Barr spoke about the growing influence of witchcraft and the “Jezebel spirit” in American life. “It’s all about witchcraft,” Barr said, adding that she had seen firsthand the dark rituals on the political left.
Cahn recounted reports of witches being paid to curse Charlie Kirk shortly before the assassination attempt. “It’s true and it’s not conspiracy theory,” he said. “There was a woman who paid witches … to place a curse on Charlie Kirk … one of the witches took a photo of Charlie Kirk and burned it.”
He noted the group involved was literally called Jezebel, mirroring the biblical queen who “hunted down righteous people to kill them.”
Cahn explained that when a nation turns away from God it creates a spiritual vacuum that allows ancient demonic powers to return. “What happened is when Jesus spread forth the gospel … it drove out the gods … but any nation or culture if it once knew God and empties itself of God, what was cast out is going to come back in,” he warned.
He identified three principal forces, the “Dark Trinity”:
Baal – “This is the spirit that replaces God with paganism. His sign was the bull … with polytheism you don’t have one truth. Everybody has their own truth.”
Ishtar (Ashtoreth) – “She’s the goddess of sexual immorality … she sexualizes the culture, sexualizes children. The Greeks called her ‘porn’ — pornography comes from this goddess … she said, ‘I am a woman, I am a man’ … one of her signs was the rainbow … the month that she especially possessed the culture was the month of June or pride month.”
Molech – “Which is [to] offer up your children. That’s what’s happening.”
Cahn said Jezebel herself worshiped Ishtar, tying the ancient goddess to modern leaders and policies. “Whoever was standing for God … like Charlie Kirk … she’s got to kill them,” he said.
The Attempt on Trump and the Priestly Consecration
Cahn argued the recent attempt on President Trump’s life echoed the Torah’s ritual for consecrating priests, which involved the application of blood and removal of shoes. “In order for somebody to be anointed to serve God’s purposes … the blood according to the mystery in the Torah had to touch the ear of the one being anointed,” he said.
He then drew a direct line to what unfolded at the rally:
The bullet striking Trump’s right ear mirrors the Torah’s requirement that the blood touch the right ear of the one being consecrated.
Trump’s instinctive act of raising his right hand to the wound reflects the ritual where the blood next touches the right hand.
Trump being knocked down and losing his shoes parallels the consecration step requiring the shoes to be removed for the anointing to be complete.
According to Cahn, this aligned perfectly with a seven-day consecration cycle. “From the day that the blood touches the ear … the seventh day the man whose blood has been touched is invested to serve God,” he said. Counting Hebrew days from the attempt, Cahn noted the seventh day fell on July 18, the very night Trump officially received the Republican nomination. “Oh, you’re right,” Barr exclaimed as he laid out the timeline.
Prayer as a Shield
Cahn continued by urging believers to recognize their power in prayer. “They tried to shoot him [Trump] … and you know what happened recently? The witches were saying, ‘Our spells aren’t working against him’ … they said he’s got some shield around him … we believe it’s the prayers of Christians, the prayers of God’s people.”
These events are not random. They are signs of a titanic struggle for America’s destiny, one that believers must meet with vigilance and intercession. “It’s a war,” Cahn declared. “It is a war.”
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
Living Under Heaven: Discovering God’s Plan in Every Season of Life
Life often feels like it runs in circles, repeating the same struggles and routines. Yet Dr. Michelle Corral says the Bible reveals something greater. Drawing from Ecclesiastes, she explains that there are two ways to live: one bound to cycles without change and the other filled with purpose through God’s providence.
“There are two dimensions of time that are revealed to us in Ecclesiastes,” she said. “Number one, the time that can be for your life, which is under the heaven, or the time that can be under the sun. Two different types of lives that we can live.”
Living Under the Heaven
For Dr. Corral, to live “under the heaven” means to walk fully under God’s direction. “Those who are under the heaven and those who trust completely in the Lord are walking and living under the power of providence,” she explained. “He guides every thought. He guides my steps. He guides those who I meet. He is the one who orchestrates and coordinates all the events in my life.”
This view, she said, gives assurance that nothing in life is accidental. Even trials have meaning when seen through the lens of divine providence.
Life Under the Sun
In contrast, to live “under the sun” is to be caught in an endless cycle without God’s direction. Dr. Corral quoted Ecclesiastes 1:9: “There is no new thing under the sun.” She explained that life without God is bound to repetition, describing it as “the cycle of creation” that never changes.
“When I’m not living under the power of God, I’m stuck in the cycle. I can’t break out of it,” she said.
But for those who walk with the Lord, Dr. Corral emphasized that seasons change and each one carries meaning. “You’re not going to be stuck in this storm forever because God’s got a purpose for you right now,” she said.
Quoting Ecclesiastes 3, she highlighted that there is “a time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted.” These seasons, she explained, are not random but designed by God to bring about transformation.
Seasons of Dying and Renewal
Dr. Corral encouraged believers not to fear seasons of loss or endings. “A time to die to ourself, a time to die to selfishness, a time to die to self-centeredness, a time to die to being seen of men, and a time to live for others,” she said. “A time to bring the gospel to the entire world. A time of selflessness.”
Even times of weeping, she said, are not wasted. “Today you may be weeping, but child, tomorrow you’re going to laugh,” she told her audience. “Because you serve Jesus, He’s going to bring some laughter into your life.”
Hope in Every Season
The heart of her message was one of hope. “There’s a purpose behind every season of your life,” Dr. Corral said. “It means that it’s not going to stay this way forever. And when you are guided by divine providence, God will bring purpose out of every season.”
Her words carried an uplifting reminder: life is never meaningless when lived under God’s direction. Even in seasons of hardship, His providence is shaping something eternal.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
Church of England Names First Female Archbishop Amid Backlash Over Unbiblical Views
The Church of England announced Friday the appointment of Dame Sarah Mullally as its next Archbishop of Canterbury, making her the first woman to hold the position in the church’s 1,400-year history.
The decision, approved by King Charles III, drew immediate criticism from conservative Anglican leaders who called Mullally unqualified due in part to her support for abortion rights and same-sex marriage blessings. They accused her of abandoning biblical doctrine in favor of progressive ideology.
Mullally, 63, currently serves as Bishop of London. She will replace Justin Welby, who resigned last year after an investigation found he mishandled abuse allegations at Christian summer camps.
In a statement, Mullally said she responds “to the call of Christ to this new ministry” in a “spirit of service to God and to others.”She vowed to encourage the church “to continue to grow in confidence in the Gospel” and to let it “shape our actions.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the nomination. His office said Mullally “will play a key role in our national life.” Starmer wished her “every success.”
Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell also praised her, calling Mullally “a person of huge courage, wisdom, integrity and experience.” He said he looks forward to serving alongside her to make the church “simpler, humbler and bolder.”
But the appointment sparked sharp opposition from global conservatives, who view Mullally’s theological liberalism as apostasy that disqualifies her from leading the 85-million-member Anglican Communion.
The Global Anglican Future Conference, or GAFCON, which represents conservative churches mainly in Africa and Asia, issued a statement expressing “sorrow” over the choice. It said the decision “abandons global Anglicans” and that Mullally’s appointment “will make it impossible for the Archbishop of Canterbury to serve as a focus of unity within the Communion.”
GAFCON accused Mullally of failing “to uphold her consecration vows” by promoting “unbiblical and revisionist teachings regarding marriage and sexual morality.” The group noted she voted in favor of blessings for same-sex marriages and once said some same-sex relationships “could, in fact, be blessed.”
On abortion, Mullally has described herself as “pro choice rather than pro life.” Critics say this stance contradicts church teachings on the sanctity of life.
Dr. Calum Miller, an Oxford ethicist and medical doctor, reacted harshly on social media. He quoted Mullally’s abortion comment and declared: “The Church of England has lost all moral credibility. It is over.”
Fr. Calvin Robinson, a conservative Anglican priest and broadcaster, called the appointment a disaster. Robinson argued Mullally prioritizes “secular approval over eternal truth” and embodies “the worst of the liberal tendency.”
The Church of England is no longer a Church, and no longer for England.
An apostate liberal-progressive institution.
But God is good, and the Church is growing in Britain.
If you are looking for a church, pop your postcode into this site for directions: https://t.co/LeOb9QJK5o
Mullally’s background includes a career as England’s chief nursing officer, where she became a dame for her work. She was ordained in 2001 and made history as the first female Bishop of London in 2018.
Her installation is set for March 25, 2026, at Canterbury Cathedral. The move comes as the church grapples with declining membership and deepening divides over sexuality and gender roles.
Conservatives warn her leadership will accelerate schisms, leaving traditionalists to seek alternatives outside Canterbury’s authority.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
Is Truth Dead? How AI Deception and Prophecy Collide
Christians have always wrestled with a paradox: how do we live faithfully in the moment while keeping our eyes fixed on the horizon of eternity?
In a recent Prophecy Watchers conversation, host Mondo Gonzales sat down with researcher and author L.A. Marzulli to talk through this very tension. Their discussion wasn’t about wild predictions or setting dates but about living wisely in days that increasingly look like the ones Jesus described in Matthew 24.
Keep Your Hand on the Plow
Marzulli didn’t shy away from addressing the ongoing chatter about the rapture. Every year, some circle a date on the calendar with high expectations, and every year those days come and go. His reminder was simple but striking: the command hasn’t changed. We are to keep our hands on the plow and occupy until Christ returns. That means staying faithful in the small things—writing, ministering, raising families, even making long-term plans. Expectancy doesn’t mean passivity. Christians can long for the trumpet blast while still living responsibly in the here and now.
Artificial Intelligence and the Collapse of Truth
When the conversation turned toward technology, Marzulli described the rise of artificial intelligence as a line of demarcation in human history. For him, AI represents something more than just faster apps or smarter gadgets. It signals a deeper problem: the erosion of truth itself. As AI-generated voices, images and stories flood our lives, discerning reality becomes harder by the day.
If deception is a hallmark of the last days, then this technological revolution fits the prophetic script. Marzulli pointed ahead to 2026 as a year when AI breakthroughs will make this even more undeniable.
Israel: God’s Timepiece Still Ticking
The discussion eventually landed where every conversation on prophecy seems to go—Israel. Marzulli underscored that despite its political upheavals and moral struggles, Israel remains the central timepiece of God’s plan. The nation’s rebirth in 1948 was no accident of history but the fulfillment of ancient promises.
Today Jerusalem has become a global flashpoint, a cup of trembling just as Zechariah described. And with events on the Temple Mount taking unprecedented turns, the prophetic clock continues to tick loudly for those paying attention.
Living in the Tension
What emerged from the conversation was not a spirit of fear but a call to faithfulness. We are not asked to bunker down in panic or float through life waiting for escape. We are called to live with urgency and responsibility, eyes on the horizon but hands steady on the work before them.
Artificial intelligence may be blurring truth, and Israel may stand at the epicenter of global turmoil, but none of it catches God off guard. These are reminders that His promises are sure and that His timetable is unfolding exactly as He said it would.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
Are We Standing at the Threshold of the Messianic Era?
Rabbi Mendel Kessin, a well-known lecturer on end-times prophecy, recently declared that the United Nations’ recognition of a Palestinian state is nothing less than the biblical “Gog and Magog.” His comments, reported by Israel365 News, are stirring discussion among Jews and Christians alike as global politics collide with ancient prophecy.
Kessin pointed to the vote in which 157 of the 193 UN member states, about 81%, affirmed the sovereignty of a Palestinian state. “They did this on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the day of judgment,” he said. “The United Nations is Gog and Magog.”
The Jewish View: A Messianic Moment
In his remarks, Kessin drew from gematria, Hebrew numerology, noting that the value of “Gog and Magog” (גוג ומגוג) is 70. “The UN represents the world, basically 70 nations, and therefore they must defy Israel, which is, of course, to declare the Palestinian state,” he said.
For Kessin, this is not a coincidence but a messianic event. “We are now witnessing the actual defiance of the United Nations in terms of Gog and Magog trying to overthrow Israel, which is incredible, because that is a messianic event.”
He stressed that this had to happen in the Jewish year 5785. “This means Moshiach is coming,” Kessin said.
Kessin also connected the year 5786 with the ten plagues of Egypt, citing the prophet Micah. “‘I will show him wondrous deeds as in the days when You sallied forth from the land of Egypt’” (Micah 7:15). He explained, “The redemption from Egypt is the framework for the final geula, the release of the 10 sefirot of redemption which are now back in the side of holiness.”
Christians who hold to a dispensational understanding of prophecy see significant overlap in Kessin’s warnings, yet with important differences.
The Bible is clear that the nations of the world will one day rise against Israel. Zechariah wrote, “On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations” (Zech. 12:3). From a Christian perspective, the UN resolution foreshadows that reality, but it does not fulfill it.
Dispensational teaching identifies the Gog and Magog war of Ezekiel 38–39 as a future military invasion, led by a northern power with a coalition of nations. This is expected to occur around the start of the seven-year Tribulation. Another Gog and Magog rebellion is seen at the end of the Millennial Kingdom in Revelation 20. The UN’s declaration therefore resembles stage-setting rather than the completion of these prophecies.
Jesus and the Messianic Expectation
While Jewish voices like Kessin’s look for the coming of Messiah, Christians affirm He has already come in Jesus Christ. His first coming fulfilled prophecies such as Isaiah 53, the suffering servant, and Zechariah 9, the humble king riding on a donkey. His second coming will fulfill passages like Zechariah 14, when He will reign as King in Jerusalem.
Before that visible return, believers hold to the promise of the rapture. Paul wrote, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:16-17).
Judgment Echoes: Plagues and Revelation
Kessin tied the year 5786 to the plagues of Egypt, suggesting they would reappear in more powerful form at the end of days. Christians recognize similar imagery in the Book of Revelation. Water turned to blood, boils, locusts, hail and darkness all echo the Exodus story, but are unleashed globally during the Tribulation as God judges the world.
In that sense, both Jewish and Christian traditions anticipate a return of the plagues before final redemption, though Christians view this through the lens of Revelation’s seals, trumpets and bowls.
Converging Views on the End of Days
Rabbi Kessin sees the UN vote as the opening act of Gog and Magog and the threshold of messianic redemption. Christians view the same developments as foreshadowing the Tribulation and the return of Christ. While the two approaches differ in how they identify the Messiah and when the events will be fulfilled, both agree that the nations of the world will align against Israel, that echoes of Egypt’s plagues will resurface in judgment, and that these signs point to an imminent and dramatic shift in world history.
The convergence is striking. Both Jews and Christians understand that history is moving toward divine intervention, redemption and the establishment of God’s kingdom. For Christians, the hope is in the rapture and the return of Jesus. For Jews like Kessin, it is the arrival of Mashiach. Despite the differences, both perspectives affirm that what unfolds in Israel is not coincidence but prophecy being brought to life before our eyes.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
