“2007 Off to an Ominous Start” by Terry James
Signs in the sun, moon, and stars; the seas and waves roaring; distress and perplexity of nations; Israel a burdensome stone and cup of trembling to the world–the year 2007, indeed, seems to have launched Planet Earth into perilous times.
My good friend and colleague, J. Michael Hile (Mike), has done an interesting study on cycles of history. Researching the generations of man has been a particular area of analysis for Mike over the years, leading him to produce Timeline 2000–a book that presents some fascinating facts on the generations as juxtaposed against biblical records of mankind.
His new research effort reveals some intriguing things about the 490-year cycles he has discovered, with years ending in the number 7 at the heart of the study. We are, according to Mike’s research, apparently at the end of one such cycle. Mike Hile, and certainly Rapture Ready, do not set dates, or make any sort of predictions of a prophetic nature in any sense whatsoever. As the author of the 490-year cycle study states: “…It should be emphasized that these findings in no way suggest or imply that anything prophetic will happen this year, next year, or at any time in the future. Only God knows the future.”
Hile’s charts are, however, something I believe the prophecy student or anyone interested in studying history in greater depth might want to look at in attempting to understand how things involving mankind are moving toward consummation.Certainly, when looking at the way things are shaping up, the year 2007 seems pivotal.
One area of my interest as of late has been the UFO phenomenon that has stepped up in reported sightings since the 1947 Roswell incident, and even earlier in 1947 when “flying saucer”-like discs were seen soaring over mountains in Washington State. I have related before in Nearing Midnight articles that I believe such phenomena were prophesied by Jesus In Luke chapter 17, in which He foretold that things would again be like in the days of Noah,as the time of His return to earth draws near.
One disturbing thing going on during the antediluvian time was the “Sons of God” visiting the planet. This created order was, I’m convinced, the fallen angels who followed Lucifer in the rebellion against the Creator. Jude 6-7 tells of them and their fate.
Jesus prophesied that the end of history just before His return would be marked by signs in the sun, moon, and stars. He said that people’s hearts would fail for things they see coming upon the earth. While sightings of UFOs haven’t yet reached the levels that cause hearts to fail, the year 2007 has already produced signs in the heavens that are at the very least disconcerting to many. The other-worldly craft hovering over O’Hare Airport near Chicago recently–reported by numerous observers that were credible as witnesses–came to light early in this first month of the new year. And, now, another sighting by a credible witness, a former F-16 pilot quite familiar with what is and isn’t earthly aircraft, recorded sighting UFOs near his home in western Arkansas.
I continue to believe these manifestations of other worlds visiting earth will proliferate, the nearer we get to Christ’s Second Coming. The visitors are, however, I’m convinced, not extraterrestrial, but interdimensional in character. They are the minions of Satan. The year 2007 is off to a startling beginning in that regard. The seas and waves are roaring as we begin 2007.
This, according to many prophecy scholars, has two basic meanings:
1) The “seas” represent the peoples of the world being extremely restless –even in chaos. 2) These are actual, literal, physical seas and waves roaring, as the very geophysical elements cry out to be noticed.
With the wars and rumors of war on the world scene at present, can there be any argument that the seas of people are in tumult? Equally so, can it be argued against, that the geophysical elements, the literal ocean, and land storm systems have fired up the meteorological radars during the start of the new year? Strange things, weather-wise, are happening in places unfamiliar to such harsh weather phenomena; for example, record-breaking snowfall has blanketed places like Los Angeles, and tornadic windstorms have hammered places like northern Europe, where 25 were killed by weather-related means within the past few days of this writing.
Jesus said the nations will be in great perplexity when the time of His Second Coming nears. This seems to indicate that the nations will be almost rudderless. They will be floundering on those wild metaphorical seas that will be roaring. Leaders of our time are searching in every world nook and cranny, trying to find a course that will provide direction upon which they can set their ships of state to sail.
The nuclear sword of Damocles hangs over us all, while world diplomats search for ways to keep the atomic genie from getting out of the bottle for the second time in the war-making sense. The nation Israel in 2007 sits in the heart of its ancient, God-given land, with Jerusalem and the Temple Mount at the center of the three millennia-long controversy that threatens to release that genie. Zechariah’s prophecy is shaping up in a major way. Israel is already, in this new year, a “cup of trembling” and a “burdensome stone” to the whole world.
Fears of North Korea’s atomic threat pale in comparison to the threat of that tiny nation, Israel, possessed of great nuclear power, threatened by the Islamic crazies that hold sway over many millions of its blood-vowed enemies.
Ancient Persia – foretold by Ezekiel the prophet to be part of a destructive military storm that will invade toward Israel in the latter day—in its modern incarnation, has a leader whose prime reason for existence, according to his ideology and theology, seems to be to get rid of Israel and to kill every Jew in the Middle East, if not the world. In 2007, we face the likes of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who believes if he can just start World War III, thus bringing on Armageddon, the 12th Imam –Islam’s Messiah—will be joined by Jesus in bringing Allah’s perfect world upon earth.
But take heart, the REAL Jesus is coming! This all means that the intensity and frequency of the birth pangs Jesus predicted are with us, and growing ever stronger in their convulsing end-time swells. The end of this very troubled age is at hand seems to be the message we are getting as 2007 begins.
–Terry
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