The U.S. State Department maintained that Lin had been wrongfully detained since he was first sent to jail in 2006 for his role as a missionary in the country as well as his work in non-state sanctioned house churches.
“We welcome David Lin’s release from prison in the People’s Republic of China. He has returned to the United States and now gets to see his family for the first time in nearly 20 years,” says Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller.
Lin, now 68 years old, was “formally” arrested in 2009 for “contract fraud” over a license for a ministry he applied for in China, which allegedly was denied.
“No words can express the joy we have—we have a lot of time to make up for,” Lin’s daughter, Alice, told Politico.
The Chinese embassy declined any comment on the prisoner release.
The most overt persecution in China often takes place in regions where Buddhism or Islam are the majority religions—anyone who converts to Christianity is seen as a traitor to their ethnicity and family. These believers may be threatened or even harmed, all to convince them to return to the family’s religion.
Christians around the world have rejoiced as the news of Pastor Lin went viral, but there are still many more suffering under the heavy-handed persecution of the CCP. Pray that believers have the strength and perseverance to endure these trials, and that their captors see the light of Jesus in them and repent of their sins and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Chris Reed Sheds More Light on MorningStar Resignation
Chris Reed continues to provide further details following his resignation from MorningStar Ministries.
“I don’t even like showing communications, especially not salacious or incriminating or conversations you’re having where you’re being light-hearted just with friends, but because no one from MorningStar’s willing to speak up and to defend my tenure there, I have to show you communications that are relevant to the situation. Not just communications to trash people or to embarrass them, but communications to show you what you’re being presented with now,” Reed states.
Not disclosing the name of the person, Reed showed text communication he had with someone he claims is one of the top executives at MorningStar. This discussion took place back in January of this year.
“Chris, I do believe you are here in this place by divine direction,” the text began. “And while I know you have options you are considering, I would like to encourage you the decisions you have made and the leadership you have and are providing for MorningStar at this time is critical for this place. You have made more progress in this ministry in less than a year that is bringing this place to new horizons. The problems Ric[k] has created over the last 15 years you have cleaned up in less than a year!”
The message continued: “Remember part of Jeremiah’s commission was not only to build and plant but to root out and to pull down. That is what you are doing right now is rooting up and pulling down.”
Reed says the changes he helped to implement include the work on the church’s tower, and the culture and community of the ministry. He continues to claim that the ministry is trying to shift away the focus from the legal battles they are dealing with by shifting their focus to him. He also says he has figured out who took the domain for Chrisreedministries.com, however, he did not disclose the identity of the person. Reed’s actual website is Chrisreedministries.net.
“I do know who stole the other domain. I just wanted you to see that there is two-faced stuff being said,” Reed says.
“Thank you to everyone who has been kind. I’m going to be announcing something pretty significant here in the next bit of time,” he continues.
In a recent message to MorningStar, Rick Joyner also updated the church on his current vision for MorningStar to continue moving forward. He briefly spoke about Reed’s departure.
“I’m real sorry that I created some of the mess that we went through the last few weeks. And in another way, I’m not. In another way, I am truly not because the Lord causes all things to work for good, and He showed me the good that’s going to come from all that,” Joyner says.
Joyner also says he is “going to hear from the Lord before I put somebody else in any position, much less mine.”
Continue to lift up Chris Reed, Rick Joyner and MorningStar in prayer.
Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
Reports: Over 1,000 Hezbollah operatives wounded across Lebanon as communication devices explode
This is a developing story.
Over 1,000 Hezbollah operatives were wounded across Lebanon on Tuesday afternoon when their communication devices mysteriously exploded at around the same time, according to Reuters and local reports.
A Hezbollah source told the Qatari Al Araby Al-Jadeed: “Israel remotely hacked into Hezbollah’s unique communication devices and blew them up. There are injured; no deaths have been reported yet.”
According to Reuters, the terror group ordered its operatives to ditch all communication devices after hundreds sought treatment for their wounds.
Footage shows a detonation inside a bag belonging to an unknown individual. Apparently, communication devices on Hezbollah members detonated wounding an unconfirmed number of fighters. pic.twitter.com/e9khfMDLNS
Reports of the mysterious explosions came from across the country, including southern Lebanon, the Lebanon Valley and Mount Lebanon, with casualty numbers between several hundreds to over 1,000 being reported.
A Reuters journalist reported seeing at least 10 Hezbollah members with bleeding hand wounds in the group’s stronghold in the Dahiyeh neighborhood of Beirut, where most of the incidents appeared to be concentrated.
The Health Ministry in Lebanon instructed hospitals to be on the highest alert level to receive the wounded, and urged all Lebanese citizens who own the same type of communication device to dispose of it immediately.
Among those wounded in the explosions is the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, according to Iranian state-owned Mehr News.
According to reports, the devices that exploded weren’t regular phones, but beepers or pagers, which are harder to track and and may therefore be widely used by the terror group.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the pagers were received by Hezbollah in recent days, and that hundreds of its operatives use the devices.
A Hezbollah official cited by the WSJ said some operatives had felt the pagers heat up and threw them away before they exploded.
Reports of the as-of-now unexplained explosions occurred amid reports of “dramatic” discussions among Israel’s security establishment regarding the tense situation on Israel’s northern border.
Reports: Over 1,000 Hezbollah operatives wounded across Lebanon as communication devices explode
This is a developing story.
Over 1,000 Hezbollah operatives were wounded across Lebanon on Tuesday afternoon when their communication devices mysteriously exploded at around the same time, according to Reuters and local reports.
A Hezbollah source told the Qatari Al Araby Al-Jadeed: “Israel remotely hacked into Hezbollah’s unique communication devices and blew them up. There are injured; no deaths have been reported yet.”
According to Reuters, the terror group ordered its operatives to ditch all communication devices after hundreds sought treatment for their wounds.
Footage shows a detonation inside a bag belonging to an unknown individual. Apparently, communication devices on Hezbollah members detonated wounding an unconfirmed number of fighters. pic.twitter.com/e9khfMDLNS
Reports of the mysterious explosions came from across the country, including southern Lebanon, the Lebanon Valley and Mount Lebanon, with casualty numbers between several hundreds to over 1,000 being reported.
A Reuters journalist reported seeing at least 10 Hezbollah members with bleeding hand wounds in the group’s stronghold in the Dahiyeh neighborhood of Beirut, where most of the incidents appeared to be concentrated.
The Health Ministry in Lebanon instructed hospitals to be on the highest alert level to receive the wounded, and urged all Lebanese citizens who own the same type of communication device to dispose of it immediately.
Among those wounded in the explosions is the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, according to Iranian state-owned Mehr News.
According to reports, the devices that exploded weren’t regular phones, but beepers or pagers, which are harder to track and and may therefore be widely used by the terror group.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the pagers were received by Hezbollah in recent days, and that hundreds of its operatives use the devices.
A Hezbollah official cited by the WSJ said some operatives had felt the pagers heat up and threw them away before they exploded.
Reports of the as-of-now unexplained explosions occurred amid reports of “dramatic” discussions among Israel’s security establishment regarding the tense situation on Israel’s northern border.
Latest Attempt on Trump’s Life Another Example of Chaos Plaguing Society
We were warned that it was just a matter of time before there would be another attempt on Donald Trump’s life, and now it has happened. Thankfully, this new attempt to take Trump out failed, and so for now we have avoided a nightmare scenario.
From this point forward, Trump and other prominent politicians are going to need to take extreme precautions regarding their safety. We are less than two months away from the election, and emotions are running extremely high. Needless to say, this is especially true when it comes to Trump. No presidential candidate has ever been more hated by the left than Donald Trump, and he just “narrowly survived yet another assassination attempt.”
Former President Trump narrowly survived yet another assassination attempt after a sniper with a scoped AK-47 rifle got within a few hundred yards of him as he played golf at his West Palm Beach, Florida club on Sunday, Sept. 15.
It is the second time a madman armed with an assault rifle has tried to kill the 45th president in two months.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the suspect had taken cover near a chain-link fence between 300 and 500 yards away from Trump, but conceded, “with a rifle and scope like that is not a long distance.”
How did this sniper know that Trump would be golfing? Trump’s golf outings are not put on any public schedule. Somehow he knew that Trump would be there.
It is being reported that there were gunshots in the “vicinity” of Trump, and once the sniper realized that his plot had been foiled he fled the scene and took off in a black Nissan.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said in a briefing that Trump was about 300-500 yards away from the man with the gun.
Bradshaw they received a call from U.S. Secret Service at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday that shots had been fired. Units immediately moved to seal off the area, and a witness told authorities that they had seen a man jumping out of the bushes and fleeing in a black Nissan. They took a photo of the license plate number, and the car was spotted traveling north on I-95 toward Martin County, where the driver was pulled over and detained. The witness then identified the individual as the man they had seen in the bushes.
Law enforcement found an AK47-style rifle with a scope, two backpacks with ceramic tile and a Go Pro camera in the bushes at the scene. They displayed photos of the weapon and the backpack at the briefing.
Authorities were able to capture the sniper, and they have identified him as Ryan Wesley Routh.
The man who authorities say pointed a rifle with a scope into former President Donald Trump’s golf club and was arrested is Ryan Wesley Routh, three law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.
The officials identified the suspect to the AP but spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.
At this hour, we don’t know much about Ryan Wesley Routh other than that he is from Hawaii and that he “championed left-wing causes on social media.”
But I find it quite interesting that this is yet another presidential assassin with three names. He also seemed to know quite a bit about the golf course, somehow.
He picked a spot that would give him a very easy escape route, and we are being told that the area around the fifth and sixth hole is quite “vulnerable.”
The armed suspect was posted up outside the club around the fifth and sixth hole, which a source familiar with the incident told DailyMail.com is a ‘vulnerable’ area of the course.
Obviously there was quite a bit of planning involved in this operation.
Did Routh plan this by himself, or did he have help?
Trump was extremely fortunate that the Secret Service was able to spot Routh, because once someone gets into the shrubbery that surrounds the golf course “they’re pretty much out of sight.”
Asked by reporters how this incident could occur, especially given the previous attempt on Trump’s life, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw described the golf course as being “surrounded by shrubbery” with a limited perimeter.
“When somebody gets into the shrubbery, they’re pretty much out of sight,” he said.
And there is a lot less security around Trump when he is golfing than there is when he is at a rally. So when Trump is golfing, that presents a real security challenge for the Secret Service.
Because Trump is not a sitting president, Bradshaw said, “security is limited to the areas that the Secret Service deems possible,” but that will likely change in the future.
“I would imagine the next time he comes at a golf course, there’ll probably be a little bit more people around the perimeter, but the Secret Service did exactly what they should have done. They provided exactly what the protection should have been, and their agent did a fantastic job.”
If I was Trump, I would refrain from golfing for the foreseeable future.
Undoubtedly, there will probably be more attempts to take him out.
One of the only reasons why authorities were able to catch this sniper is because a quick thinking bystander photographed the sniper and reported what he witnessed to law enforcement.
The gunman’s arrest was given a big boost by a bystander who spotted the suspect running out of the bushes and getting into a black Nissan, even photographing the man and reporting the sighting to law enforcement, who then blasted it out statewide leading to his arrest after a felony stop on I-95 a short time later.
Sadly, this attempt on Trump’s life is yet another example of the widespread chaos that is plaguing our entire society.
According to one recent survey, approximately 60% of all Americans believe that violent crime is getting worse.
The majority of Americans agree, crime is on the rise. A recent survey from Rasmussen Reports showed that about 60% of Americans believe violent crime is getting worse.
Today, many Americans are literally afraid to leave their own homes because the violence in the streets has gotten so bad.
In Chicago, they have spent 180 million dollars on crime reduction programs, but violent crime just keeps going up.
Crime is up in Chicago despite city-wide efforts, and more than $180 million, to reduce violence through a series of programs.
Republican state Rep. John Cabello said Chicago’s rising crime rate amounts to an indictment of the state’s present legal system and all its recent changes.
New data shows robbery, aggravated assault and aggravated battery cases across the city are all at five-year highs over the 12 months as the number of violent crimes overall have jumped by 7.2%.
Overall, more than 30,000 violent crimes were reported in Chicago during the 12 months that ended in July.
That is nuts. But that is the society that we live in now.
Our society is absolutely teeming with violent predators, and more come pouring into our country with each passing day.
At this point, violent gangs are terrorizing communities from coast to coast, and even “America’s highest producing oil field” is not immune.
It’s only going to get worse from here, as the Biden-Harris administration’s disastrous open border policies have now come to a ‘neighborhood near you’ (for some of you). In the past week, we saw armed Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua members terrorize the northern Denver suburb of Aurora and other sanctuary cities run by far-left Democrats. New concerns out Thursday afternoon indicate critical infrastructure is now under threat from migrant cartel members.
According to Libs of TikTok, a Texas-based oil/gas company issued a memo to employees informing them that police and the FBI have warned armed Cuba and Venezuela migrant gangs are committing thefts in the Permian Basin (America’s highest producing oil field).
For a long time, we were warned that chaos was coming. Now it is here.
Our society is literally coming apart at the seams all around us, and violence is out of control. But if you think that things are bad now, just wait, because what is ahead is going to be even worse.
Were These Eerie Taylor Swift Lyrics Connected to a Murder?
Were some eerie Taylor Swift lyrics connected to a murder?
Catherine Griffith of Florida, 39, was brutally stabbed by her 17-year-old son. According to Fox News, Griffith died from the wounds. What’s extra eerie about this case are the chosen lyrics from a Taylor Swift song that Griffith posted online soon before her son “stabbed his mother in the neck so hard that the knife went all the way through,” as Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd stated.
The son also has a history of violence with when claimed that “On Feb. 14, 2023…[he] said his dad pulled a knife on him, and he shot and killed his dad,” according to Judd. The 17-year-old claimed that shooting his father once in the chest and once in the head was “self-defense.”
The story becomes even stranger with the connection of the song lyrics Griffith posted before her death. She posted the lyrics from the Taylor Swift song, “It’s Time to Go.”
“You know when it’s time to go…Sometimes givin’ up is the strong thing,” Griffith posted.
The song’s lyrics are filled with resentment about different life situations. From not receiving a desired promotion, to disputes within relationships, “It’s Time to Go” is riddled with discussion about knowing when “it’s time to go.”
The chorus reads: “That old familiar body ache / The snaps from the same little breaks in my soul / I know when it’s time to go.”
“Sometimes, givin’ up is the strong thing / Sometimes to run is the brave thing / Sometimes walkin’ out is the one thing / That will find you the right thing,” the song continues.
Swift’s image and music has skyrocketed in fame over the last few years, and with that fame has also come an increase in demonic influence in her music videos, lyrics, clothing and concert performances.
Whatever kind of demonic influences were behind the actions of Griffith’s son to murder both of his parents, this situation makes it clear that there is darkness in this world, and our battle is not with flesh and blood, but with powers and principalities.
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me,” (John 14:6).
For the past 2,000 years, the words of Jesus as the way, the truth and the life have rung throughout the world, and that it is only by Him that anyone can truly experience eternal life. However, Pope Francis is no longer clinging to these words as the truth.
In his visit to Singapore, Pope Francis said that “all religions are a path to God,” according to the Christian Post.
After the second assassination attempt on President Trump just occurred, here are the things you need to know about the incident and the prophecies which may have acted as a forewarning of what was to come.
According to Fox News, Routh is listed as living in Hawaii, and is originally from North Carolina. Since the 1990s, Routh has faced multiple run-ins with the police, including for drug possession. Back in 2002, Routh went on a three-hour stand-off with the police after a traffic stop where he placed his hand on his gun before taking off and barricading himself in the office at his roofing company. Routh had an AK-47, two backpacks and a go-pro camera with him as Trump was playing on the fifth hole of the course at Trump International Golf Club.
Trump updated America on his safety.
Trump made sure to update Americans of his safety following the events on Sunday.
Is Genesis a record of true history, given by God, or was it written by men trying to answer the questions that plague our world? An article I saw recently [from the Biblical Archaeology Society] makes the latter claim—that Genesis is just a compilation of etiological myths finally written down by the biblical authors.
Now, what is an “etiological myth”? The article answers this way: “The creation stories in Genesis served to provide answers to why the world was the way it was, such as why people wear clothes and why women experience pain during childbirth.” So according to this view, Genesis is myth but that doesn’t mean it’s not “true,” as myths “are stories that convey and reinforce aspects of a culture’s worldview: many truths.”
In support of this view, the article claims that the Bible has three different creation accounts: Genesis 1, Genesis 2 and “a third version alluded to elsewhere in the Bible, a myth of the primordial battle between God and the forces of chaos known as Leviathan (e.g., Psalm 74), Rahab (Psalm 89), or the dragon (Isaiah 27; 51).”
Discussing his #1 New York Times best-selling book, “The Dragon’s Prophecy,” Cahn says that the more you dive into the book of Revelation, the more you see how prophecies are being fulfilled all around us today.
“Once you see the spiritual realm and the prophetic realm, then everything makes sense,” Cahn says. “It all affects each of us; the dragon’s war is against each of us.”
Cahn explains how the dragon – the devil – is after God and His people, especially Israel, all of which connects to the October 7 invasion by Hamas.
“There’s one day of the Hebrew year where they read the account of Solomon building the Temple on the mount and dedicating the temple on the Temple Mount,” Cahn says. “Now, that would be a threat to the dragon, the enemy. But they read, they declare and Solomon dedicated the temple on the Temple Mount. What day is it? It was October 7.”
“It was a holy day, fell on October 7. So, as the Jewish people are reading the account of the Temple Mount…the dragon goes crazy and Hamas issues the flood called the flood of the Temple Mount at the same time,” he continues.
Amanda Grace points out that the enemy picks how and when he will strike in strategic ways, including this striking of Israel on a holy day. This demonic hatred of Israel, unfortunately, has spread across the globe, finding its way even into America and on our college campuses.
“The Bible says in the last days, all nations are going to rage against Israel, and it’s going to be the dragon,” Cahn says. “From the mouth of the dragon…came spirits. And they went forth all over the world.”
“…it’s the largest outbreak of anti-Semitism all over,” he continues. “The young, the next generation, Harvard, the next leaders, were all raging for the death of Israel.”
As we draw closer to the return of Christ, this is the time we are to stick close to the Word of God and continue to lift up Israel in prayer.
Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
Dire Consequences Await the Apathetic Church
Joseph Z, a prophetic voice and founder of Joseph Z Ministries, recently appeared on “The Strang Report” podcast to discuss the upcoming election and its potential consequences.
Z describes 2024 as a “do-over year,” referencing what he sees as unresolved tensions from the 2020 election. He claims that the church’s response will play a crucial role in determining the country’s direction.
“The Lord is saying it’s in the hands of the church,” Z says, asserting that the outcome of the election hinges on whether the church actively engages in the political process. “If [the church] will show up, I think there’ll be victory. If they don’t, I think we’re going to go into a very, very difficult season,” he added.
Z also expresses concern over what might happen if former President Donald Trump loses and the Left gains power. He warns that the country could be headed for a “socialist concentration camp style of governing.” According to him, such a future could involve “digital prisons” and an increase in control by global entities. “They’ll let people like the World Economic Forum run free… take away our medical sovereignty,” he warns, referencing potential loss of freedoms in every corner of society.
Despite these concerns, Z says he believes there is still hope. He called on Christians to reject passivity, attributing inaction to years of “bad teaching, soft teaching.” He criticizes church leadership for avoiding political engagement, referring to this mindset as the “Pretty pretty pony gospel culture.” Z argues that believers must influence society and engage in political discourse. “We definitely need to be salt and light… because it’s not just about the gospel. It’s also preaching the kingdom and bringing influence into all these spheres,” he says.
He urges Christians to overcome their fears of being “canceled” or “hassled” for their political views. “Your house is on fire, and if your house is on fire…You’ve got to put it out,” Z says, stressing the urgency of political engagement.
If Christians in America have any chance of continuing to be an effective influence on culture and society, they must put more focus on unity and action: “We can push darkness back one more round… maintain a future for our children, at least for another few years,” Z encourages.
Do These Signs, Secrets and Codes Reveal Our End-Times Future?
X marks the spot. Seven years after the awe-inspiring Great American Eclipse in 2017, a total solar eclipse on Apr. 8 formed a giant “X” in the heart of America, passing through multiple cities named Nineveh after a planetary alignment.
Is God sending a message to Earth?
Is this what Billy Graham foresaw as America’s “Nineveh Moment?”
Is This America’s Final Warning?
In an exclusive interview with renowned evangelist Billy Graham in 2013, he said when God sent the prophet Jonah to Nineveh to warn the city of judgment that the king and the people repented, sparing Nineveh. Graham said he believed the same thing could happen again today, this time in America.
Flash forward to Apr. 8, when the Great North American Eclipse of 2024, as compared to the Great American Eclipse of 2017, formed its giant “X” in the middle of America centered in Carbondale, Illinois, famously known as “Little Egypt.”
This total solar eclipse will traverse the United States from Texas to Maine, just days after a planetary alignment, captivating millions as the moon steals the sun’s spotlight, transforming the sky into a mesmerizing ethereal twilight.
Remarkably, this total solar eclipse will intersect with seven cities named Nineveh in the United States, with three directly in the path of the eclipse, alongside Jonah, Texas, and an additional Nineveh in Nova Scotia, Canada. This follows the Great American Eclipse of 2017, which passed through seven cities named Salem or Jerusalem in Hebrew.
Between these two eclipses, an annular eclipse occurred on Oct. 14, 2023, shortly after the Hamas-led attack on Israel. Strikingly, the paths of these three eclipses form the letters “Aleph” and “Tav,” the first and last letters in the Hebrew alphabet—or “Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End,” the title of Jesus Christ in the last chapter of Revelation.
Is the Apr. 8, eclipse the “Nineveh Moment” Graham foresaw? Is Christ telling America, shortly before the pivotal 2024 Presidential Election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, that we’re facing judgment or revival?
“I believe, as you (Troy Anderson) and Pastor Paul Begley wrote in Revelation 911, that we’re about to enter the greatest harvest of all time,” says Pastor Mark Biltz, founder of El Shaddai Ministries. “This is the Super Bowl of human history. I don’t want to miss out on the greatest thing God is doing in history.”
As followers of Jesus, are we being called to action? Does the destiny of America and the world lie in our hands? If we truly repent, turn away from our sins, and completely devote our lives to serving in God’s army of warriors, could we witness one last great revival before Christ’s return?
“I think God always warns before he strikes,” says Biltz, an expert on the blood moons phenomena and author of America at War 2024-2026. “He gave us a seven-year warning from the 2017 eclipse, and this one is His final warning. With the 2017 eclipse passing through the cities named Salem, I think God was saying, ‘This is my hand. This is me. It’s not a coincidence.’ Too many people put things off as a coincidence, but I believe God’s hand was all over that. That’s what people need to realize. We’ve had a seven-year warning and so now we better be careful, alert and ready to repent because we’re in a war cycle. We’re in a season of war.”
Biltz is especially concerned about tens of thousands of military age men, many from China, invading America via our open southern and northern borders.
“I think we could see our electric grid go down,” Biltz says. “That’s their specialty. But I also see civil wars on different levels. I think with Trump winning the Republican nomination, you could see a political war between the right and left. I think we’re going to see a religious war between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinians, especially if the war goes on. I believe we’re going to see race wars between undocumented immigrants and legal immigrants who are upset because they’re losing government benefits that are going to support illegal immigrants.
“I would not be surprised if we have suicide bombers in the United States this year. I would not be surprised if they blew themselves up in grocery stores, at gas stations and on bridges. Can you imagine what that would do to the psyche of Americans? People would go into a grocery store, and they would be afraid of who is on the other side of the aisle.”
As the Russian-Ukraine war has sparked fears of nuclear war and military experts say China may soon invade Taiwan, potentially triggering World War III, the Great North American Eclipse has captured the attention of millions of people across the globe, sparking discussions about its prophetic significance and potential implications.
“Jesus told us in Luke 21 in the times just before His return that we should expect there to be signs in the sun, moon and stars, and for an eclipse to happen, you’re going to have the sun and the moon involved,” says Michael Snyder, founder of The Economic Collapse Blog and author of the book Chaos exploring the prophetic significance of the eclipses. “So, we’ve got this tremendous eclipse on Apr. 8 and they’re saying it’s going to be the most watched astronomical event in all of U.S. history in terms of the number of Americans that are going to watch it.”
Behold, Signs in the Heavens
The Bible is replete with Scriptures indicating that God communicates with humanity through celestial phenomena. When Christ’s disciples asked Him about signs of the end times, He said (Luke 21:25-26 NIV), “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.”
While eclipses are not uncommon, the rarity of a total solar eclipse crossing land, as opposed to sea, as seen in 2017 and now in 2024, is a cosmic event that should garner our contemplation.
“Don’t let anyone fool you into thinking the 2017 eclipse was nothing out of the ordinary,” says A.C. Katz, author of a book about the eclipse, The Great American Writing on the Wall. “While people were watching, day was turned to night all across the United States. It had been 99 years since a total solar eclipse crossed the entire United States, and having another total solar eclipse cross the entire United States again in 2024, just seven years later, is unprecedented.
“Lunar eclipses (blood moons) are of prophetic significance for Israel, whereas solar eclipses are of prophetic significance for Gentiles…. Two total solar eclipses spaced seven years apart, crossing the entirety of the United States that form an ‘X’ over the largest and main Gentile nation on earth should not be ignored—it should at least be thought-provoking.”
Signs of the End Times Unveiled
In Revelation 911, 50 biblical signs of the end times are listed. These are the signs that Jesus and the prophets told us to watch for that would indicate we’re approaching His return to earth.
These signs include things such as increasing lawlessness and violence (Matthew 24:12), increasing immorality (Matthew 24:37), depraved entertainment (2 Timothy 3:2), calling evil good and good evil (Isaiah 3:4), signs in the heavens (Luke 21:11, 25), increasing apostasy within the church (Matthew 24:5), increasing persecution of Christians (Matthew 24:9), weapons of mass destruction (Luke 21:26), increasing pestilence (Luke 21:11), computer technology (Revelation 13:16-17), virtual reality (Revelation 13:14-15), movement toward a one-world government (Daniel 7:23-26), reestablishment of Israel as a nation (Isaiah 66:7-8), denial of the Second Coming (2 Peter 3:3-4), and preaching of the gospel worldwide (Matthew 24:14).
When you read the list, and compare it to today’s headlines, the similarities are uncanny. Many biblical prophecy experts we interviewed said we are witnessing an unprecedented acceleration and convergence in signs of the end of the age. Meanwhile, existential risk experts at Harvard and Oxford universities and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said the world is facing the end of human civilization unless dramatic actions are taken to reduce the threat of nuclear war, extreme climate change, artificial intelligence and other dangers.
“There’s a great deal to say in the Bible about the signs we’re to watch for and when these signs all converge at one place, we can be sure that we’re close to the end of the age,” Graham said. “And those signs, in my judgment, are converging now for the first time since Jesus made those predictions.”
Your Assignment in God’s Army
So then, how shall we live in this end time environment? Some, as in history, want to run to the hills and wait in white robes until the coming of the Lord. Others would rather bury themselves in busyness or hide in an underground shelter in the middle of nowhere.
The real answer, however, comes from the very words of Christ: “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. The night is coming when no one can work (John 9:4, NIV).
In our (Col. David Giammona and Troy Anderson’s) new book, Your Mission in God’s Army, we outline three important steps found in the story of Jesus’ parents looking for Him at the age of 12, for three days in Jerusalem, and finally finding Him in the great temple teaching and listening to the rabbis. These are important steps we must take to join God’s army and fight against spiritual darkness and deception so prevalent today.
Timing. The first point is preparation. The Bible says that, immediately following this incident, Jesus “kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men,” (Luke 2:52, NIV).
Listening. We learn from the story of Jesus being found in the Temple by His parents the importance of listening—especially listening to others, to those you trust and to those who may have traveled the path before you. This is an important part of the assignment process in the U.S. Army. As an assignments officer, I (Col. Giammona) had to listen to my superiors, my peers and those to whom I was making an assignment.
Obeying. A third and final point we learn from Jesus in the Temple story is obedience. Notice that, after His parents found Him, Jesus “went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them,” (Luke 2:51, NIV).
Yes, His parents were angry and worried about Him. They had been searching for Him in Jerusalem for three days. Can you imagine all the things they were thinking and going through to find their lost son? When they found Him, He did not put up an argument. He could have said, “This is My Father’s house, and I am staying here to do the work My Father has given me to do.” But it was not time yet, so He simply subjected Himself in obedience to His parents.
All of us who desire to be a part of God’s end-time army must prepare by studying God’s Word, listening to the Holy Spirit and those with godly wisdom, and obeying the direction that God gives us for our lives. We are all called by God for the assignment He has for each of us.
In this tumultuous epoch, believers are summoned to action, not retreat. The path forward lies in preparation, listening to divine counsel and obedience to God.
The prophet Joel foresaw a great harvest in the end times as the Lord said He would pour out His Spirit amid celestial events: “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions,” (Joel 2:28-31, NIV). We’re beginning to see this with great moves of God taking place around the world. I (Pastor Paul Begley) have seen thousands upon thousands accepting Christ. People are getting saved in underground revivals in Iran and massive crusades in India. This is just a trickle. The faucet just got turned on. The outpouring is about ready to completely saturate the earth with the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Remember the words of Jesus: “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” (John 4:35, NIV). That’s where we’re at. God is saying, “Hey, the harvest is ready. Pray for more laborers to be in this vineyard. We’re going to see this now.” The Great North American Eclipse is part of the signs of the last days. This is the beginning of what we call the “Great Harvest Revival.”
Troy Anderson is a Pulitzer Prize–nominated journalist, bestselling author of Revelation 911 and other books, founder of the Inspire Literary Group, vice president of Battle Ready Ministries, co-founder of Revelation Watchers, and former executive editor of Charisma magazine and reporter at the Los Angeles Daily News and other newspapers. He lives with his family in Irvine, California. Find out more at www.troyanderson.us and www.revelationwatchers.com.His newest book, The Trump Code, is available now at amazon.com.
Colonel David J. Giammona, a retired U.S. Army chaplain, is an end-times expert, scholar, author, writer, speaker, host of FrontLine, and president of Battle Ready Ministries. Find out more at www.davidjgiammona.com and www.battlereadyministries.org.
Pastor Paul Begley, host of the syndicated television show The Coming Apocalypse and a YouTube program with over 250 million views, is a fourth-generation preacher and musician. Ordained by evangelist Lester Sumrall, he has been in ministry for nearly four decades, now co-pastoring the Freedom Fellowship Church in The Villages, Florida, and the Community Gospel Baptist Church in Knox, Indiana. He’s co-founder of Revelation Watchers. Find out more at www.paulbegleyprophecy.org and www.revelationwatchers.com.
