The Convergence Continues

In vol 17 qtr1, we published part of Jan Markell’s article, titled the Convergence, where she defined convergence as “ a coming together of many things,.. a coming together of last days' signs the Bible told us to watch for.”  A number of these signs were highlighted in that article.

In this present article, we emphasise as we have done on a few occasions before, the point that the two opposing teams involved in the end-time conflict: the Kingdom of God and that of the devil, are both agreed on the timeline and key events that will characterize the end times.  The two key events are the emergence of a global leader to merge all spiritual/faith matters into one, followed by the emergence of another global leader to merge all political entities into one.  Our position is that, progress along these two key areas of converging opinions by two opposing parties, can be taken (with a little caution here and there) as indicative of how late the hour is

On the issue of spirituality and faith, as we pointed out before in a review article in 2006, virtually every spiritual expression around is confidently announcing that some world-ruling figure is about to emerge from their particular platform to close the ages.  New agers boast of their coming Grand Master/Avatar/etc while faithful Shiites (as in Iran) frantically prepare the grounds for their Mahdi. (Even ISIS seems to be buoyed in their unimaginable atrocities with the expectation that they are setting the stage for the prophesied battle of Dabiq, which explains why they have set up their headquarters in that city and are eagerly awaiting the prophesied invasion by Western forces!) Similarly, contemplative Catholics continue to be burdened with the famous prophecy of one of their own, St Malachy, that the current Pope would be the last. Even UFO enthusiasts are convinced that their little green friends are now finally set to reveal themselves to the world.  The list goes on and on (see our article: Of the coming Saviours, Messiahs, Avatars and Divine Teachers). Bible-believing Christians are of course expecting the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ, first exclusively for them, at the Rapture. 

   Therefore,  even though the details  may come with different colourings and interpretations, nevertheless the reality on ground is that, for that fraction of mankind who still have time to think and reflect on the spiritual situation around them, the one clear conclusion is that the climax of all things is at hand!

       As for the political sphere, Rev 17:17 gives a short but vivid description of the convergence of opinions to expect at the time of the end:

    “For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will,

     and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the

     beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.”.

 This indicates that without their realizing that the move was coming from God in pursuance of His own agenda, leaders of the nations will agree to surrender the sovereignties of their respective nations to one global political ruler - the antichrist.  According to Rev 13:11ff  one of the principal facilitators of this move will be the spiritual leader (better known as the false prophet) who would have come to global prominence a little while earlier.  He will do this via strings of awesome signs, miracles and wonders that is guaranteed to dazzle anyone who is not well acquainted with the Lord Jesus Christ.

We expect that the merger of political kingdoms described in Rev 17 will be the final step in several other preceding mergers across political, economical, and social lines, all driven by irrepressible anti-christian globalist visions.  And indeed our world today is nearly overwhelmed with such continuous mergers and re-alignment of forces and interests (see our 1998 article on mega-mergers, vol 1 no 5).  Players at the apex of these merger plans are clear about their goal to usher in one world government and religion.  Recent examples of such moves in the United States are cited in the article  http://themostimportantnews.com/archives/inside-the-vast-liberal-conspiracy-to-reshape-the-globe.   A similar secretive group of “progressive journalists” comprising of 1,000 journalists from various media houses  in the US under the name “Gamechanger Salon” is described in another  article  (1,000-member secretive progressive journalist group uncovered). The ultimate gang-up/political re-alignment will be that by the nations of the world against Israel, especially on the issue of who should control Jerusalem. Clearly such a move is already taking shape today.  (see

http://themostimportantnews.com/archives/status-quo-not-viable-option-in-jerusalem-un-political-chief-tells-security-council)

So we have a clear convergence of predictions of what would follow on planet earth shortly heareafter, both from Biblical (godly) and anti-Biblical (satanic) sources.

However, there is yet another important third group of prophecy source – apart from the Bible and the anti-Bible sources.  This is modern-day Judaism.  Prophecies from Judaism are a bit more difficult to place as either “godly” or “ungodly”.  Usually they are pronounced in the name of the God of Israel, yet they generally hold the wrong notion that the Messiah is yet to come.  Perhaps they are better classified as “veiled godly prophecies” meaning they are from God, but still as veiled to its recipients as was the case with Daniel (Dan. 12:8-9).

Prophecies from this third group are also screaming the same message as the others: that the end of the current world order is at hand.  For instance earlier in the year, at the death of Ariel Sharon, we pointed out the prophecy of Rabbi Yitzhak Kaduri. Before his death on January 29 2006, Rabbi Kaduri reportedly left a note in which he stated that he met the Messiah and that his  name is Jesus Christ.  Kaduri categorically stated that this Messiah Jesus Christ  “ will come shortly after the death of Ariel Sharon.”

(www.alamongordo.com/prophetic-predictions-rabbi-yitzhak-kaduri/).

The prophecy of Rabbi Judah ben Samuel about the end-time is also compelling and currently generating considerable interests.  The prophecy purportedly detailed events that would happen in the land of Israel in 50-year (Jubilee) cycles, beginning from the death of the Rabbi who gave the prophecy.  According to Rabbi Judah ben Samuel:

 (see www.escapeallthesethings.com/judah-ben-samuel-prophecy.htm)

Taking the word “Jubilee” roughly as a shorthand for 50 years (based on Leviticus 25:10-11), then the prophecy as stated would be indicating that the Ottoman Turks will rule over Jerusalem for 400 years (eight jubilees); after which Jerusalem will become no-man’s land for 50 years (one jubilee), and finally at the expiry of the ninth jubilee, it will once again come back into the possession of the Jewish nation, which event would signify “the beginning of the Messianic end  time.”

The great excitement this prophecy has generated is based not only on the clear Biblical basis/patterns for the delineation of the history of the important city of Jerusalem as described; to date, the prophecy has been fulfilled literally to the letter.  The Turks conquered Jerusalem in 1517, 300 years (6 jubilees) from the death of ben Samuel which occurred in 1217.  They ruled Jerusalem for precisely 400 years – 8 Jubilees  from 1517- December 17, 1917 when the British defeated them and established a League of Nations-sanctioned Mandate for the Holy land. This made Jerusalem technically a no-man’s land under international law, and this persisted precisely one Jubilee - till June 17, 1967 when Israel regained control of the Temple Mount precisely 6 months to the end of the ninth Jubilee.  This would be the first time the Jews will again be in control of Jerusalem since 70 AD (nearly 2,000 years!) and it happened “in the ninth Jubilee”. According to the prophecy of ben Samuel therefore, the Messianic end time actually had started in 1967. Now, looking at the Jubilee rythmn, some feel that the end of another Jubilee (year 2017) is a right time for the Messiah to appear, - else we might have to wait an unlikely one or more Jubilee(s)!

Apart from some key issues which make it necessary to take the prophecy with caution, as pointed out by Tim McHyde (http://www.escapeallthesethings.com/judah-ben-samuel-prophecy.htm), it should be noted that all the prophecy, as translated, is saying is that the ninth jubilee (1967 – 2017) would signify the” beginning of the Messianic end time.”  This certainly does not give room for any precise date-setting on when the Messiah (or even the preceding false Prophet and the anti-Christ) would actually come.  But it does clearly suggest that the season is around.  The whole world (thankfully that does not include Nigeria) seem agreed on the point that the status of Jerusalem is due for a review. A seven hundred and ninety-seven years old prophecy suggesting a 2017 date for status-change in Jerusalem is therefore not in any way unreasonable. 

At the least, the clear convergence of opinions and claims should be instructive!

From the Church’s perspective in particular, given that no one knows exactly how much time lag there would be between the Rapture and the manifestation of the anti-christ (whose manifestation is being hindered, and would so continue to be hindered, till the church is taken out of the way via the rapture – 2 Thess, 2:3-10); all this means we need to be looking up indeed for our redemption must be very close (Luke 21;28)!

In conclusion, looking at the unfolding socio-political landscape of our world, our reasoning at CA! is that it is either Rapture  soon or the Lord would need to send a mighty revival in order to restrain things a little more – or else there would be no Bride left for the Heavenly wedding!  In the Lord’s own words: “When the son of man cometh, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8)

While the answer might be something in between those two options, individuals who call themselves Christians will do well to take more seriously Scriptures such as Rev 22:11:

The Lord might as well have made up His mind to wrap up things on this planet very soon (Rev 22:12)!  More than ever before, it is time the Church arose and be up and doing for the Kingdom.