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We are truly living in serious times. We are truly living in unprecedented times. We truly stand at a crucial juncture in human history!

The question of the hour is twofold: Firstly, have we understood the times and do we know what to do, like the sons of Issachar in 1 Chronicles 12:32? Secondly, have we acted with a commensurate response as exhorted by the prophet Joel in Joel 2:1 and Joel 2:12–17?

We are way past the hour of merely making our walk with God better and becoming more effective in ministry. Casual Christianity, merely going through the motions, and meeting requirements are no longer sufficient as a believer. Developing a history in God in this season is not simply a matter of making our walk with God more enjoyable or having a cutting-edge ministry, but an absolute essential! Cultivating a history with God as an individual and as a Body of Christ is an absolute necessity to bear the weight of the coming and impending global crisis and also God’s requirement for us to partner with Him as the burning and the shining lamp (John 5:35).

In Matthew 11:7–30, Jesus, through John the Baptist’s message and lifestyle, was giving an essential call to fully embrace and enter into that which the Father was revealing for unique and unprecedented generations. He was especially pointing to the generation of His return and made two generational appeals that are required of us:
1. A prophetic call to a wholehearted and radical response that is commensurate with the coming glory of God and the impending crises.

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matt. 11:12)

In Matthew 11:12, Jesus was giving clear insight into the necessary response for this hour of historic transition unto the dawning of a new era: wholeheartedness that is expressed through holy violence. What does this mean? There is a three-fold expression:

1. A radical pursuit of Jesus and the fullness of His promises for our generation;
2. A refusal to be denied anything less than God’s fullness and to accept any alternative other than the narrative of God;
3. A removal of every hindrance and obstacle that will deter us from entering into the fullness of God.

2. A prophetic warning to not be indifferent or passive to His call to respond!

“But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, and saying: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not lament.’” (Matt. 11:16–17)

In Matthew 11:16–17, Jesus gave a clear prophetic warning to not be indifferent or passive in our response.

The flute and dance are symbolic of the prophetic message of the joyful Bridegroom’s wedding feast. The people of Jesus’ day did not respond to His call into the joy and delight of intimacy with Jesus by buying “oil” like the wise virgins in Matthew 25.

The song of mourning is symbolic of the sobering call to holiness and obedience. John the Baptist came preaching a prophetic message that was a call to turn away from prevailing traditions of a religious culture that was mere legalism and compromise. Yet the crowds did not repent of their spiritual condition unto an awakening to change their lifestyle.

I believe that this two-fold appeal is a generational call that has significant bearing upon the hour in which we live. As Jesus was helping His own generation make sense of the times and seasons they were living in and the appropriate response that is commensurate with what the LORD was doing, so too is the heart behind writing Rhema Now!

There is no greater hour of history in which to be alive and also to be living radically for the LORD. Yet it is a terrible hour to be weighed down with the spirit of compromise like the Laodicean Church, to be casual, indifferent and passive in our response and ultimately be found unprepared! What is coming upon the earth is cataclysmic. An obvious alarm of the LORD is sounding! Like the days of Joel, the LORD is sounding the trumpet to awaken us to the seriousness of the times unto a wholehearted response:

“Blow a trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the Day of the Lord is at hand.”  (Joel 2:1)

A proper and appropriate response to both the logos Word and rhema Word of the LORD is our only safety. That was why Jesus concluded His appeal by saying, “but wisdom is justified by her children,” in Matthew 11:19. May we respond without delay while it is still called “today”!

Let me conclude this Rhema Now series by reiterating the word that the LORD spoke to me in December 2015:

“It will not get better! But we can grow stronger, we can burn hotter, we can shine brighter!”

Rhema Now | Full Series

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Preparation for the Times (Intro)

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In this last issue of Rhema Now: The Word of the Lord for the Decade of the 2020s, we are intentionally making Psalm 24 the final instalment because this passage of Scripture is immensely vital and pivotal. It gives God’s people the key to both ascend and enter into the fullness of what the LORD is doing in this kairos hour!

We are standing at the crest of the wave of something unique, unprecedented, and unsurpassed that God is doing in and through us in our time and generation! This is the sovereign appointed time of God where many Biblical and prophetic promises of God pertaining to the End of the Age are beginning to be fulfilled.

It is foolish to live within the fulfilment of God’s promises yet not to have comprehended. It is sad or even tragic to live within the reach of the divine fulfilment of God’s promises yet not to have taken hold of them.

This is the heart behind Rhema Now! We desire to proclaim and make known what the Spirit is saying and doing. However, more than simply knowing, we want to enter into the fullness of God’s divine promises and partner with Him in the finest hour of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Word of the LORD for 2024

In the latter half of 2023, the Lord highlighted Psalm 24 to us and to others in His Body as an important Scripture to pay attention to as we entered into 2024. However, more than just a Scripture for this year, it is a crucial key to what He has been speaking to us regarding this decade of historic transition unto the Dawning of the New Era in 2030.

Psalm 24 reveals the heart of our Bridegroom-King to have a holy, surrendered, and mature people who will deeply and gloriously partner with Him in fullness and authority. It also admonishes us to crown Jesus as King and Lord of our lives, and to deal with the things that will hinder and disqualify us from being able to ascend into His glory and enter into His promises for this generation.

The Lord is so zealous for His people to step into the fullness that He led us on a 24-day Psalm 24 Fast (from 29 February to 23 March 2024) with a focus on lifting up His Name in worship and seriously dealing with sin, uncleanness, and unrighteousness in our hearts and lives.

Our Bridegroom God is the King of Glory

On 16 April 2021, the Lord spoke to us clearly through Revelation 3:20. This is one of the words for the decade of 2020s. Jesus our passionate Bridegroom is knocking at the doors of our hearts (issue #18). Now is the time and season where He is zealously desiring to awaken us from a life of compromise that is steeped in the Laodicean spirit. This is an invitation for us to come to the table of fellowship with our divine Bridegroom even in our weakness, where He will restore and impart His zeal for Him and His Kingdom purposes into our hearts.

However, in Psalm 24, He is coming as a glorious, mighty, and powerful King who seeks a holy, wholehearted and fully surrendered people in partnership. As the King of Glory, He will brook no disobedience or hindrance to His rule and reign. This means that we will need to deal with every misalignment in our lives and prepare ourselves to be ready for His coming into our midst.

In Psalm 24:1–2, Jesus is the Creator King who made the earth and all who dwell within it. Thus, He is the rightful King and Owner of all nations and the world. In verses 7–10, He is the King of Glory who is victorious against His enemies and who will take His rightful place as King over Jerusalem and all nations.

However, more than just knowing and accepting Him as King over the earth and nations, He is issuing individual admonishments to each of us to crown Him as our personal King and to remove every hindrance that prevents us from giving Him the title deed of our lives.

The King’s Holy Invitation and Divine Summons Through Psalm 24

Through Psalm 24, Jesus reveals His invitation to us for deep communion and His summons to a strategic partnership. It is an invitation for us to ascend to His realm of glory and enter into the fullness of His promises (v3), but it also reveals His desire to break into our earthly realm (v7–10).

This is why the psalmist asks this rhetorical question: “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place?” (v3)

Implied in this is God’s invitation to come up higher to Him and partner with Him. He is calling us to not just be where He is but also to dwell and remain in His very presence and glory (Zech. 4:14), and from that place, to partner Him in strategic spiritual warfare and intercession. This is the very same summons to the Jeremiah 23:18 Table of Counsel (issue #19)!

However, more than a question and invitation, this verse points to verse 4, which spells out the issues that may disqualify us. Because we are being summoned to stand before and partner with a holy King of Glory, there are “criteria” that we as believers need to possess in order to be able to do so. We are no longer simply just approaching our tender-hearted Bridegroom (although He never ceases to be so), but also a mighty and powerful King who rules the nations! To be able to partner with Him, we need to be found ready!

Biblical Criteria to Ascend and Enter Into

Verse 4 reveals four criteria (i.e. two positives to acquire and two negatives to remove) for us to possess so that we can be counted worthy to ascend and stand in His holy hill, and be ready for the entrance of the King of Glory:

Clean hands — this refers to our actions and dealings, as well as what we touch, whether literally or figuratively. God is looking for those whose actions are righteous before His sight (Ps. 141:4, Ps. 15:2);

Pure hearts — this refers to having an undivided and sincere heart of devotion to the Lord that is without mixture (Ps. 86:11, 2 Cor. 11:3, Acts 13:22);

Not lifting our souls to idols — this refers to anything that we place above God in our hearts and lives. It could be something we pursue after, place our confidence in or are preoccupied with. It could even be something good, but as long as it takes a higher place in our hearts than God, it is considered an idol (Ex. 20:3–6);

Not sworn deceitfully — this is an issue of integrity. More than just honouring our words to those around us, it is also about taking our vows and promises to God seriously (Matt. 5:33–37, Ecc. 5:4).

As this is the 1 Peter 4:17 Moment (issue #31), this is the time when God wants us to deal radically with all hindrances so that our King of Glory can break into the hearts and lives of His people!

Furthermore, the Lord directed us to another four of His Names from this psalm. Together with His nine covenantal names from Psalm 23 (issue #20), He highlighted that encountering and growing to know Him through them will establish us in confidence and also restore a much-needed fear of the Lord in His people. These four names are:

1. Melek Hak Kabod — King of Glory (v7–10)
2. YHWH Izzu Wa-Gibbo — the LORD Strong and Mighty (v8)
3. YHWH Gibbor Milchamah — the LORD Mighty in Battle (v8)
4. YHWH Tseva’ot — the LORD of Hosts (v10)

Necessary Realities in Our Lives

During this fast, God emphasised some keys that need to be realities in our lives as believers. More than just something we know in our minds, we have to truly step into living them out.

1. The Power of the Blood of Jesus and the Work of the Cross
Through the course of the fast, the Lord broke in at certain moments and brought us through a time of standing before Him to be washed by the blood of Jesus, like in Zechariah 3 (issue #19). He highlighted His Names — YHWH Tsidkenu and YHWH M’Kaddesh — as the One who is our righteousness and who will sanctify us!

It is a reminder that ultimately, it is because of the cross that we can have confidence before Him, our sinful nature can be put to death, and we can be conformed to the image of Jesus. Truly we need to reckon ourselves dead to sin, alive in Christ, cleansed by the power of His blood, and walking in the grace of God! This is just a down payment of what He is going to do in His entire Body of Christ, unto a pure and spotless people of God.

2. The Necessity to Settle the Issue of Lordship
What was just a whisper in our journey through Psalm 23 in 2023 (issue #20) became a loud and firm call during the fast. The Lord was seriously placing His finger on the issue of lordship and kingship in the lives of His people. While it is easy for us to give the earth over to Jesus as Lord, it is much harder for us as individuals to surrender all of our lives to Him as our personal Lord and King.

Yet, this is His admonishment to us! It is necessary to crown Jesus as the true Lord and King over our individual lives and possessions. Without our total surrender, we will not be able to go far with Him or step into the fullness He has for us.

The Arising of the End-Time Esthers

Finally, the Lord has been directing us and many others in the Body of Christ to the Biblical character of Esther. Unbeknownst to us when the dates were initially decided upon, the 24-day fast wound up ending exactly on the Jewish festival of Purim (23^rd March 2024)!

Furthermore, Kay-Chong had recently received from the Lord a vision related to the arising of Esthers in the End-Time generation:

As he was praying on the morning of 12 December 2023, he heard the sounding of a trumpet followed immediately by a loud voice that proclaimed, “Watch and pray!”

He then saw an open vision…

Two large clouds came from two opposing directions — one was dark and stormy, while the other was full of light. Both clouds collided, and the words “Isaiah 60 Moment” immediately appeared just below both clouds.

Suddenly, three persons began to emerge from the two clouds. From the dark cloud, a woman emerged dressed in a purple and scarlet dress, with a smaller cloud below her inscribed with “Revelation 17 & 18”.

From the cloud that was full of bright light, two women emerged — one was Mary of Bethany and the other was Esther. There was another smaller cloud below these two women inscribed with “Psalm 18”, “Psalm 24” and “Hebrews 4”.

Finally, the vision ended with another voice proclaiming, “Do not neglect the buying of gold, white garments and eye salve!”

From this encounter, the Spirit caused us to understand that:

1. We are stepping into the Isaiah 60:1–3 prophetic moment in this decade and beyond, where both light and darkness will simultaneously increase.

2. The Harlot Babylon will begin to emerge and it is something that God’s people need to pay attention to (issue #30). In this season, instead of watching out for what will occur in Revelation 13, we need to first watch for the emergence of the Harlot Babylon (Rev. 17 – 18), as it will be the primary cause of the Great Falling Away (2 Thess. 3:5), and will pave the way for the rising of the Antichrist and the Mark-of-the-Beast economic system (Rev. 13).

3. The End-Time prayer movement will possess the heart of Mary of Bethany and the mantle of Esther. These will be people who know and understand Jesus’ heart from a place of intimacy with Him, and also know how to partner with King Jesus as His Ekklesia from the position of the mature Bride of Christ.

4. The End-Time Ekklesia of Jesus Christ has to be built upon John 13 – 17 (gold), Revelation 2 – 3 (white garments), and Matthew 5 – 7 (eye salve).

As we postured our hearts before God, He further led us to pay closer attention to Esther’s story in the book of Esther.

God is emphasising a few things to His people through this book:

1. Esther provides a picture of the mature Bride of Christ and how we are to partner with Jesus in power and authority, from the place of intimacy, at the End of the Age (we also talked about the equally yoked Bride in issue #23).

2. Esther was strategically positioned by God (whose Name is never mentioned once in the book) to stand in the gap for the Jewish people. In the same manner, He is now calling His people to arise as the End-Time Esthers to stand in the gap for Israel in the face of her coming persecution.

3. Just as Esther went through a process of preparation (Est. 2:12) before becoming queen, God’s people would have to go through a preparation and maturing process before becoming ready for mature bridal partnership with Jesus.

4. We will need to be a people who are completely and utterly obedient to and walking with the Holy Spirit, just like Esther who heeded the voice of Mordecai and the advice of Hegai (Est. 2:15).

Indeed, through this psalm and fast, the Lord is giving us another piece of the puzzle in the preparation process to be ready for the 2030s. Placing this in context of His very word to us for this decade, we see with greater clarity how we will arise to burn and shine in the coming unprecedented darkness:

The decade of the 2020’s is a Historic Transitional Decade that requires the Preparation for the Times in order to be ready for the Dawning of a New Era (issue #2).

Ultimately, Psalm 24’s final fulfilment will be at Jesus’ Second Coming when He marches in all His glory into the city of Jerusalem. However, before we witness that reality, the global mature equally yoked Bride of Christ would have arisen to partner with Jesus to stand in the gap for Israel, push back darkness, and judge the enemies of God and His people.

Today, as we escalate towards the Isaiah 60:1–2 and Psalm 2 reality, will we settle once and for all, the issue of lordship and kingship over our lives?

Will we seriously deal with the sin, impurity and idols in our hearts so that we can ascend and enter into all that God has for us?

And like Esther, will we surrender to His will and step up to take our stand for God and His Kingdom?

May we crown Jesus as our Lord and remove every hindrance to the King of Glory.

May we arise as Esthers, surrendered to the purposes of God in our lives, having the same cry of her heart on ours: “…and if I perish, I perish!” (Est. 4:16).

May the King of Glory have His mature Bride, faithfully standing with Israel until the very end, and partnering with Him to bring His Kingdom down on earth!

Word of the Lord 2024 I | Teaching Series
“A Season of Open Doors — To Ascend and Enter In”

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Word of the Lord 2024 VII | Teaching Series
“Psalm 24 — Key to the Fullness of God”

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Psalm 24 Fasting Guide
(29 February – 23 March 2024)

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“For the time has come for judgement to begin at the house of God…
if it begins with us first…”
(1 Pet 4:17)

The Lord has spoken to many in the Global Body of Christ that 2024 is a season of open doors. He has also highlighted Psalm 24 as a focus for the year 2024 to different ones in the Ekklesia.

As we sought the Lord further, He showed us that in this season of open doors, He is inviting His people to ascend into His holy hill and enter into the fullness of our destiny and the promises He has for this generation.

Psalm 24:3–4 tells us that there are Biblical “criteria” in order to ascend and enter — clean hands, pure heart, not lifting our souls to idols and not swearing deceitfully. In other words, in order to partner with God and enter into the fullness of our destiny, there are things that we need to possess. At the same time, there are things that may hinder and eventually disqualify us from fullness that we need to remove.

The 1 Peter 4:17 Moment

On 14 December 2023 during a time of prayer, Kay-Chong heard the Lord say, “I am coming in this time of 1 Peter 4:17 as the Righteous Judge, with a plumbline in My right hand and the Refiner’s Fire in My left.” As he subsequently read 1 Peter 4:17, the phrase “for the time has come” came forth as a rhema word and struck his heart.

This is the kairos time. This is the moment! This is the 1 Peter 4:17 Moment where God is coming to judge.

Who is He judging?

In this hour, God is judging His people first. In His zeal for us, Jesus is coming as a righteous Judge, with eyes like flames of fire, to remove the things that disqualify us from entering into the fullness of all that He has for us. He is fighting for us by first “fighting against us” — specifically against the internal enemies that are in our lives: the sin, compromise or idolatry that we consciously or unconsciously harbour. He is jealous for His Bride and is angry with every enemy that perverts and hinders us.

Is this Biblical? It sure is!

Matthew 22:14 says, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” We have to be found qualified to enter into God’s call and election for us. We have to walk in His standards of holiness and righteousness. This is what the plumbline in His right hand is all about (Amos 7:7–8)!

The Apostle Paul bears witness to this. In 2 Corinthians 7:1, he exhorts believers to “cleanse ourselves from all filthiness” while “perfecting holiness in the fear of God”, so that we may enter into the promises in 2 Corinthians 6:16–18. He also warns us to examine and test ourselves as to whether we are in the faith, because we can be found disqualified (2 Cor. 13:5).

This is why God is coming to judge.

Understanding the Judgements of God

By and large, God’s judgements are viewed by many in the Body of Christ as being negative. Some even avoid talking or teaching about the subject altogether. This has led to a lack of understanding and many believers having misconceptions about God’s judgements.

The truth of the matter is that God is good, and His judgements are good!

There are four general categories of judgement:

1. Punitive — This is punishment directed against the rebellious and not meant for sincere believers of Christ.
2. Evaluative — This takes place at the Judgement Seat of Christ where believers will be given rewards.
3. Vindicative — This is where God vindicates and fights for His people.
4. Redemptive and disciplinary — This confronts and removes things that hinder believers from entering into the fullness of our destiny. This is the Hebrews 12 “chastening” of those He loves so that we may be partakers of His holiness.

The “judgement” in 1 Peter 4:17 is primarily redemptive and disciplinary. God’s purpose is to expose and confront every sin and compromise and to remove and cleanse us from every filthiness. God is good. He is not angry with us and is not here to destroy, but to confront and remove sin so that we may have life and enter into fullness.

Why Judgement Begins with the House of God

Some of us may be wondering — why does God judge His people first?

Firstly, we are nearing the End of the Age where God is going to judge the earth. If He is going to judge the world, He will first judge His people, for He does not want us to be condemned with the rest of the world (1 Cor. 11:32).

Furthermore, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:2 that the saints are called to judge the world. If we are called to judge nations, God has to first judge us so that we will be found qualified to partner with Him in administering judgement.

Hence, God is judging us now so that we will be found qualified to enter into the fullness of partnership with Him in the days ahead and in the Millennial Kingdom.

Entering into our fullness is very important to the Lord and He does not want any of His people to miss out. He directed us to Ezekiel 44:4–31, which gives a glimpse of the divine separation of His people into two groups based on how each responded to God. The Lord is so zealous that He began the passage with this exhortation, “Mark well, see with your eyes and hear with your ears…” (Ezek. 44:5).

One group of God’s people will be those who enter into the fullness of their destiny and promises. The other will not be able to. Those who qualify will partner with the Lord and serve Him from the place of proximity, while those who do not will still serve Him, but sadly from a distance (Ezek. 44:10–16). (The fullness of this partnership will especially be at the End of the Age and during the Millennial Kingdom.)

May many of us be found qualified to enter into our fullness!

We need to pay attention to deal with anything that may disqualify us. We have to cooperate with the Lord and let Him search our hearts and remove everything that hinders us. And we need to allow Him to do so now.

The Care and Wisdom of the Refiner

If 1 Peter 4:17 is coming to pass now, as God’s people, we want to submit to His process of judgement and cleansing. While many of us may find ourselves “bracing” for this, Jesus is inviting us to embrace Him as the Refiner’s Fire and to embrace this process instead (Mal. 3:1–7). This is because He is the One who refines and purifies with great care and wisdom — with a heart of tenderness and full knowledge of just how much fire to bring us through.

Through Malachi 3:3 and 3:6, the Lord reveals this heart of His even as He judges and takes us through the process of refining.

In verse 6, the Lord declares that He does not change. This has a dual meaning: His standards of righteousness and holiness do not change, and His heart towards us does not change. He is always merciful and tender towards us, and His plans for our fullness still stand.

In verse 3, the prophet Malachi uses the analogy of the silversmith who sits beside the fire as he refines silver. Just as a silversmith intently watches and never takes his eyes off the silver throughout the entire process of refining, Jesus never takes His eyes off us because He is intimately concerned with and acquainted with our ways (Job 23:10). At the right time when all dross is removed, He will swiftly take us out of the fire. He knows just the right temperature and duration of the fire needed and will never put us there for longer than necessary. Praise God!

And how does Jesus know when to take us out of the fire? Just as the silversmith removes the silver from the fire the instance he sees his own image in the pure silver, Jesus refines us until His own image is formed in us. The end goal of this refining is to be conformed to the image of Jesus — especially in holiness, wholeheartedness, and righteousness.

Wow!

Surely, the Lord is for us and not here to destroy us. We need to have clarity of this refining process so that we do not misinterpret His work and resist Him. In the midst of His judgements, we can trust and have confidence in Him, His heart and His process because our Refiner is good.

Our Acceptable Response

Now that we know all this, how should we respond?

First, find out what the Lord wants to remove from our lives and what He desires to give us. Scripture is replete with revelation of what pleases God, what He is looking for in His people, and what He hates. It behoves us to pay attention and watch out for these things in our own lives.

Specifically in Ezekiel 44:6–9, the Lord reveals what He deems abominable and thus wants to remove as He refines. These include:

1. Compromising on standards of righteousness (when Israel allowed foreigners to minister in the temple);
2. The lack of holiness, righteousness and purity in our hearts (uncircumcised in heart);
3. Having a worldly spirit as laid out in 1 John 2:15–16 — the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (uncircumcised in flesh).

In Malachi 3:5, God reveals what He desires to give us even as we go through the fire — a reverent and holy fear of Him. Indeed, restoring the fear of the Lord to His people is something that He promises to do with all His heart and all His soul (Jer. 32:40–41). Wow! If this is so important to Him, let us respond and cooperate with Him by intentionally choosing the fear of the Lord (Prov. 1:29; 23:17)!

Finally, Hebrews 12:25–29 reveals five aspects of an appropriate response to God’s shaking and judgements:

1. Do not refuse Him who speaks (v25) — We are exhorted not to resist the Lord, or deny the misplaced confidences, weaknesses, fault lines, and sins that His judgement reveals. Instead, we need to embrace His correction wholeheartedly and deal with issues thoroughly.

2. Allow Him to remove (v27) — God wants to remove everything that can be shaken. Besides sin, there may be “good” things in our lives that are not of God, not what He desires, or that do not matter in His Kingdom. We are to exercise discernment, let God remove these things, and not hold on to them.

3. Let the things that cannot be shaken remain (v27) — As He shakes away things that are not of Him, we need to cooperate with His grace to replace them with Kingdom foundations that He wants to establish in our lives. These include love for His truth, living according to Kingdom values, the promises of God, confidence in God, and intimacy with God.

4. Receive the Kingdom that cannot be shaken (v28) — As the Lord shakes and removes, we also need to come to Him with faith so that we may receive, inherit and possess His unshakeable Kingdom in fullness.

5. Serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear (v28) — Finally, God calls us to serve Him out of a heart and posture of reverence and godly fear.

The author of Hebrews ends chapter 12 with, “For our God is a consuming fire”.

Indeed! He is a God who is jealous and zealous for our fullness. That is why He is coming to judge His people in this 1 Peter 4:17 Moment. He will remove every sin, evil and compromise until we have clean hands and pure hearts, do not lift up our souls to idols, nor swear deceitfully.

Then we may ascend into the hill of the LORD and enter into the fullness of all that God has prepared for us as His End-Time Generation!

Word of the Lord 2024 | Teaching Series
“The 1 Peter 4:17 Moment”

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The world is transiting into a New Era in the 2030s (issue #2). This era will be marked by unprecedented darkness and the turbocharging of the global release of evil. Concurrently, there will be the increase in light and glory in God’s people who have understanding and who align with Him.

One key eschatological event we will see in the coming days is the emergence of the “Harlot-Babylon” found in Revelation 17 and 18. (She is also referred to by some scholars and theologians as the “Whore of Babylon”.)

While the attention of many in the Body of Christ has been rivetted on the issue of the Mark of the Beast (Rev. 13:17), what is more urgent and pressing for us to watch for is the emergence of the Harlot-Babylon, because if we understand the Biblical narrative, her appearance will precede that of the Mark-of-the-Beast system. In fact, she will lay the groundwork for the ascendency and reign of the Antichrist.

It’s high time for the Body of Christ to take heed. We have to shift our priority and focus to gaining understanding and having clarity of the Harlot-Babylon and to seriously prepare ourselves for her emergence!

Who and What is the Harlot-Babylon?

Do we know that the longest prophecy in both the Old and New Testaments speak about the Harlot-Babylon (Jer. 50–51; Rev. 17–18)?

Why? Because God wants us, especially the End-Time generation, to know and have clarity regarding the Harlot-Babylon, as this will be crucial for us going forward.

The Harlot-Babylon is both a spirit and a system. She is firstly a spirit that will manifest herself through a perverse religious network and a global economic system that will infiltrate and corrupt all nations. She will have authority and control over many nations through seduction and deception (Rev. 17:1–2).

At the same time, it is also a global religious and economic entity that will bring forth the One World Religion and One World Economy, which will in turn set the stage for the worship of the Antichrist and the Mark-of-the-Beast economic system!

This is why it is so critical for us to understand!

In fact, shakings are about to come that will lead to the emergence of the Harlot-Babylon system. God wants the Body of Christ to be awakened to this coming reality, be directed to the urgency of seeking His face in a sustained manner, and prioritise the preparation of ourselves and others unto being established in confidence in Him, so that we are ready for what is to come.

The Root and Origin of the Harlot-Babylon

The name “Babylon the Great” in Revelation 17:5 gives us a powerful hint of the root and origin of the Harlot-Babylon. It can be traced all the way back to the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. It was at Babel that mankind came together as one in an attempt to reach God on their own terms.  They wanted to illicitly access the spirit realm in a way that was forbidden by God. They wanted to open up a gateway to heaven for God to come down on earth.

This was open and outright rebellion against God!

What happened at the Tower of Babel will be re-enacted at the End of the Age because the same spirit that was at work then is the same spirit that is at work in the Harlot-Babylon. However, this time round, it will be far worse!

As we approach the fullness of times, God will remove His hand of restraint and allow this spirit to work until she attains to the fullness of abomination (2 Thes. 2:7–11; Rev. 17:4). There will be an unprecedented interaction between the demonic and human realms. The Harlot-Babylon will have demonic and occultic power to the highest. There will be the greatest spiritual darkness and deception that is unleashed upon the world, and this will lead to the release of God’s End-Time judgements.

The Harlot Religious System

The term “harlot” or “harlotry” is used to refer to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament and was always linked to idolatry (2 Chron. 21:13; Hos. 1:2; 2:5,7; 4:11–19). The term “Mother of Harlots” points to the fact that the Harlot-Babylon is the source of all false religions (Rev. 17:5). In fact, she will have the influence to pull all the religions of the world together. This is because she is empowered spiritually by the devil himself. She will move in sorcery and will have great powers to deceive and dull the hearts and consciences of people (Rev. 18:23; 1 Tim. 4:1–2).

The Harlot will be a religious system of affirmation and tolerance without absolutes. Yet, it will be a religious system that will come against the true believers of Jesus Christ (Rev. 17:6; 18:24). Many will be martyred by her.

It will be a counterfeit justice movement that will feed the poor, be involved in humanitarian projects, and appear to be good and filled with compassion. The nations will rejoice in the unity and world peace that this global religious movement will seemingly bring. Since military conflicts and wars are often linked to religious differences, many are looking for a “religious solution” that will enable lasting world peace and prosperity.

The inhabitants of the earth, including believers with no understanding, will be legitimately deceived by Harlot-Babylon. They will willingly embrace her because they will genuinely believe that she is good!

All religions will be involved, including some in the modern-day Christian church who subscribe to syncretism. In fact, Christian and Jewish religious leaders will likely play key leadership roles in this entity. The goal of this system is ostensibly for “peace” and tolerance. However, anyone who does not agree and participate in this system will be considered an enemy of peace, and legislation will likely be enacted to prosecute those who resist (Rev. 17:6).

Even now, there are many working to bring the three monotheistic religions together (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam). They seek to unify liberal “Christianity” (whether Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox) with moderate Islam and Judaism, together with Hinduism, Buddhism, New Age, etc.  Each group will be required to commit to moral and religious tolerance and will have to make many compromises to reach “unity.”

It is essential for us to acquire understanding regarding the emergence of the Harlot-Babylon as she will powerfully seduce and deceive Israel, the Church and people across the nations. We have to pay attention and discern her emergence as it will come masquerading as a solution for stability and peace amid difficult times!

The majority of the world will consider this new amalgamated religion as the much-awaited solution to achieve lasting peace. In fact, the Harlot-Babylon will soften and prepare the ground for the confirmation of the ultimate peace treaty between Israel and the surrounding nations that is brokered by the Antichrist (Dan. 9:27). This will lead to a period of false peace and safety in the first three-and-a-half years of the final seven years of human history (1 Thes. 5:3).

There will be huge governmental and societal pressure exerted on everyone across nations to be part of the Harlot-Babylon. Some will join her to avoid being penalised or prosecuted. Others will join for the perceived benefits she will bring. Though outwardly the Harlot-Babylon appears to be working towards peaceful co-existence of religions, in reality, she will not allow religions to hold fast to the fundamental truths of their faith that are perceived to cause disunity.

What’s more, this One World Religion will serve as a precursor that prepares the ground for the reign of the Antichrist. It does so by dulling the hearts and conscience of people globally so that when the time comes to transit into the Antichrist worship system, the leaders and people in various religions will not resist but will readily embrace and worship the Antichrist as God (1 Tim. 4:1–2; Rev. 13:3,4,8)!

The Babylon Economic System

Besides the religious system, there is the “Babylon” aspect of the Harlot-Babylon, which is an evil global economic network that will be synergistically and intricately linked with the Harlot.

Economies of nations all over the world are currently either facing slower growth rates or are in recession. Many nations of the world are saddled with huge debts. This is setting the stage for a global economic reset that will come sooner than later.

We are nearing an impending economic crisis that will shake nations globally! This shaking is God’s judgement on the current Egyptian system of economy. This will lead to the transition into the Babylon economic system. Everyone will be looking for an answer to alleviate the financial burden that will be created by the global collapse of debt-ridden economies of nations. They will embrace the new system with open arms!

This new global economic system will have utopian goals to bring fairness, equity and stability to member nations. This is not yet the “666 Mark-of-the-Beast” trading system, but it will lead to the One World Economy that will be implemented across nations. This in turn sets the stage for the Antichrist to use the system as a means to control people and nations. Many nations will be seduced by the benefits of the Babylon system and will willingly prostitute themselves for money.

Do Not Fear 

Indeed, the level of pressure that is coming will be immense and intense, and many who are not watching and prepared will compromise and fall into this snare!

However, as believers, we do not need to fear! Remember that our God sits on the throne. He is in full control. God shakes not to create panic or fear, but to awaken His people to the urgency of the hour. He wants to shift us to a place of seeking His face in a sustained manner and being established in confidence in Him.

We who prepare ourselves now will gain strength so as not to fall into the snare of the evil one. Remember that Jesus forewarned us that we would surely face persecution (Lk. 21:12; Jn. 15:20; 2 Tim. 3:12). But if we prepare ourselves now, we will have the grace to endure, remain faithful until the end, and receive our eternal rewards (Matt. 5:11; Rev. 2:8–11).

The Right Approach and Response

We must approach understanding the mystery of the Harlot-Babylon with discernment and guidance from the Holy Spirit. We must not swing to the extreme of being suspicious of everything, which leads to paranoia and wrong interpretation of events or developments. This creates an unhealthy fear that is not of God (2 Tim. 1:7).

However, we should also not be ignorant and naïve, brushing aside everything as “wild conspiracy theories”. Doing so will cause us to be weak and unprepared for the coming crises and pressures that will come upon the earth.

Now that we are aware of the imminent emergence of the Harlot Babylon, how should we respond?

Firstly, believers are to come out of Babylon now (Rev. 18:4)! We are to be people who are pure and without mixture, who do not lift up our soul to an idol (Ps. 24:4). We need to crown Jesus as King and relate with Him on His terms and not ours. If the evil one or the world has anything in us, or if there are any secret unholy desires in our heart, it would be easy for us to compromise because of the Harlot’s power of seduction and deception. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to search our hearts and reveal any “wicked way” in us so that we can deal with them now (Ps. 139:23–24).

Secondly, we need to watch and pray with sobriety, actively looking out for the emergence of the Harlot-Babylon, looking past superficial appearances into the evil reality of this entity. Like Daniel, we need to press in to seek the wisdom and understanding that the Lord has reserved for the End-Time generation with regard to the Mystery of the Harlot-Babylon, and to interpret what is happening in the world through the lens of the Holy Scriptures (Dan. 10:12; 12:9–10; Jer. 23:20).

Thirdly, we need to gather together to pray as His Ekklesia, discern and understand God’s strategies for His people to overcome, and bring His plans to pass from the place of intercession and declaration.

As we watch, pray, and receive understanding, we need to then prepare ourselves rightly in accordance to God’s divine blueprint, and also arise to be voices that warn and also teach others about the Harlot-Babylon.

God’s Answer to the Harlot-Babylon

Amidst the global culmination of the fullness of iniquity, God is raising up the mature sons of God and the equally yoked Bride of Christ. In response to the counterfeit “oneness” offered by the Harlot-Babylon, God is raising up the John 17 generation that walks in oneness with the Trinitarian God and with one another. They will have the reality of God and His wisdom and counsel in their midst, which is what the world needs in times of shaking and trouble.

Led by the Spirit, they will walk in total trust and obedience to the Lord, not yielding to the pressures of the Harlot-Babylon system. Like Daniel who lived in the time of the Babylonian empire, they will not bend or bow in compromise, and will willingly lay down their lives for their faith.

These Daniel 11:32–33 people will know their God and have understanding. They will walk in purity, power and authority in the midst of the darkest hour. They will experience God’s supernatural provision, protection, guidance and deliverance, even as they hold fast to Him and declare His truth without fear!

May we arise to be God’s answer in such a time as this!

Understanding the Harlot-Babylon (Rev. 17 – 18)
Upcoming Teaching Series | Starting 5 March 2024

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Since 2020, God has been highlighting His End-Time storyline that prominently features Israel, and also divinely orchestrated events that involve and surround her. Concurrently, He is also shifting the global Gentile Church’s focus to the Middle East and highlighting Scriptures concerning them.

Together with the emphasis on the Isaiah 42:23 summons (issue #27), God directed our attention to a largely unknown passage of Scripture that reveals His End-Time plan for Middle Eastern nations — Isaiah 19. In April 2020, the Lord sovereignly orchestrated the Global Passover and Last Supper alignment (an online gathering) that saw Arabic and Jewish Messianic believers come together in an unprecedented way (issue #7). It was through knowledge of this gathering that He directed our attention to the prophecy in Isaiah 19 regarding Egypt’s and Assyria’s roles in the End Times.

The time is soon when Isaiah 19 will no longer remain a prophecy, but come to pass into reality!

The Isaiah 19 Vortex

Scripture prophesies that the Middle East will be the focus and epicentre of the End-Time drama that will affect the whole earth. Israel, together with Egypt and the Arab nations will be at the centre of God’s End-Time redemptive plan (Joel 3; Zech. 12 – 14; Isa. 19), and nations worldwide will be drawn into what is unfolding in that region. No one will be able to stay neutral.

This is the Isaiah 19 vortex!

Already, we are seeing a foreshadow of this with the current Israel-Hamas war, where conflict has spread beyond Israel’s immediate borders to the region, and nations around the world have begun taking sides. Within the Body of Christ, we also see this conflict causing a rift and confusion, with believers jumping into the maelstrom of differing and even opposing opinions.

With increasing division among nations and even within the Church caused by the Middle East conflict, it is crucial now, more than ever, for God’s people to gain understanding of His heart and plans not only for Israel (which we addressed in preceding issues), but also for Egypt and the Arab nations. This has to be done through His Word.

Indeed, while God identifies Himself as the “God of Israel” and has chosen her for a specific role, the Bible also has much to say about the nations surrounding her. Furthermore, while most prophecies in Scripture involving Egypt and the Arab nations have already been fulfilled, there are still some that have not.

In fact, many of these yet-to-be-fulfilled prophecies, (e.g., Dan. 11:21–45; Isa. 28:14–18), will be the context for the Isaiah 19 vortex. Other scriptures reveal God’s grand redemptive storyline in the midst of this Isaiah 19 vortex. Isaiah 19:24–25 is one such Scripture.

The Prophecy in Isaiah 19:24–25

While much of Isaiah 19 focuses specifically on the nation of Egypt and the intense shaking she will go through at the End of the Age, the chapter ends on an astounding note:

In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria — a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.”
(Isaiah 19:24–25)
Whoa. How can this be?

Throughout the rest of Old Testament Scripture, God only uses “My people” to refer to the nation of Israel. He does not call any other nation “My people” except in this particular verse — for the nation of Egypt! Also, throughout Biblical history, Assyria (consisting of modern-day Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan, Armenia, northern Saudi Arabia, southeast Turkey, southwest Iran) had been Israel’s enemy and an object of God’s judgement. Yet in this prophecy, we see that she will be carefully fashioned by the Lord for His purposes and blessed together with Israel and Egypt.

Most astoundingly, this Scripture prophesies that “in that day”, all three nations will come together and be “a blessing in the midst of the land”. Eventually, Israel, Egypt and Assyria will be one, leading to blessing for the rest of the earth!

Wow! Could this really be?

Knowing the current situation in the Middle East, what God has ordained for Egypt, Assyria and Israel in Isaiah 19:24–25 would be considered a miracle should it come to pass. But Scripture tells us that it will! More than that, these two verses in Isaiah 19 are the context for the Romans 11:11 call for Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy and the manifestation of the fullness of the John 17 Oneness in the earth!

The Unlikeliest Vessels for God’s Mercy

In the previous issue, we elaborated on how God is calling the Gentile Church to provoke Israel to jealousy through moving in signs and wonders and showing her the greater love of Yeshua (Jn. 14:12, 15:13). The main “stage” for this to be manifest is the region of the Middle East, where Egyptian and Arab believers will arise to aid and show mercy to the Jewish people.

It is amidst the Isaiah 19 vortex and Israel’s unprecedented persecution that Egypt and the Arab nations will be used as vessels to show God’s mercy to the Jewish people, through believers in those lands.

This is unfathomable if not for what we see in Scripture.

Jesus Himself prophesied that many Jewish people will flee Judea into the neighbouring nations under Antichrist’s persecution (Matt. 24:16; Ezek. 20:35; Rev. 12:14; Zech. 14:2). At that time, the situation for Israel could not be more dire! It is as though she flees from a lion, only to be met by a bear (Amos. 5:19)!

However, instead of being completely annihilated in the neighbouring nations, the Jewish people will find places of refuge among communities of believers in these hostile nations who will take them in and protect them at the cost of their own lives. Age-old ethnic enemies who have been transformed by the love and glory of Yeshua will lay down their lives for the Jewish people, who will then be provoked to jealousy.

This is God’s redemptive plan for the End of the Age! And it has already been set in motion!

Today, we see revival taking place in the underground church in many Middle Eastern nations, and believers in those lands awakening to their call to prepare themselves to shelter, protect, and show mercy to the Jewish people in their time of greatest need.

In fact, Isaiah 19 provides a detailed prophecy of what God will orchestrate to prepare Egypt specifically for the role He has for her at the End of the Age.

Egypt’s Significance and Role at the End of the Age

In End-Time prophecy, Egypt is the Gentile nation that is most mentioned above all others. However, she not only features prominently in future prophecy but also in Israel’s history.

As a nation, Egypt has been sovereignly used by God in times past to be a vessel to help Israel:

• Genesis 12 — she was a place of refuge for Abraham during a time of famine in Canaan;
• Genesis 46 — she was the “womb” that provided a place for the “gestation” of the nation of Israel before the Lord birthed Israel out of Egypt in Exodus;
• Matthew 2 — she was the place of refuge for Joseph, Mary and Jesus during the time that Herod sought to kill Jesus.

Isaiah 19 reveals that at the End of the Age, God will once again use Egypt mightily for the good of His people Israel.

However, Egypt herself will first go through crises on all fronts — economic, political, environmental, and social as a result of God’s judgement on her (Isa. 19:1–15). Scripture prophesies that she will be oppressed by the Antichrist for a time as he exerts his dominion and power over the region (Dan. 11:40–43; Isa. 19:20).

Yet, this judgement over Egypt is redemptive and meant to prepare her to be a vessel to show God’s mercy to Israel. In God’s sovereignty, He has decreed five realities (through Isaiah 19) for her that will come to pass at the End of the Age:

1. Egypt will fear the Lord (v16–17). The people of Egypt will be seized with fear when they see the judgements of God upon their nation. This negative fear will be replaced by the Fear of the Lord which will bring Egypt into alignment with God and His ways and turn many to Yeshua.

2. There will be five cities of refuge in Egypt that speak Hebrew and are filled with believers of Yeshua (v18). This means that God will move and send revival in an unusual way to these regions in Egypt.

3. There will be a mature prayer movement in Egypt (v19–22). This will bring forth national deliverance unto national salvation resulting in healing for her.

4. Egyptian believers will be reconciled with the rest of the Arab believers and God will bring forth healing unto partnership for His Kingdom (v23).

5. Egypt will come together with Israel and Assyria (v24–25). God will bring forth supernatural oneness among these three traditionally hostile people groups. Their oneness in Yeshua will result in the glory of the Lord filling the nations, fulfilling the Habakkuk 2:14 promise.

Wow! What a destiny God has for Egypt!

However, more than just for Egypt, God is calling nations — both in the Middle East and across the world — to turn and repent through revealing how He deals with Egypt. He is highlighting her as the prototype for how He will deal with Gentile nations as He sends the End-of-the-Age shakings (Hag. 2:6–7; Matt. 24:3–21). Granted, while some of these promises are specific to Egypt, they reveal the heart of God for nations in the midst of the shakings: to repent so that He can turn and relent from judgement, and leave a blessing behind (Joel 2:14).

As we read and begin to understand about this Isaiah 19 vortex and God’s redemptive plan in the midst of it, some of us may be wondering:

Why all the “drama” in the End Times?

Ultimately, God is bringing restoration. What will play out in the End Times is actually a divine 4000-year family drama! God is “making all things right” and bringing a resolution to what the mistakes and weakness of man four millennia ago have since led to. The end of this work — what we see in Isaiah 19:24–25 — will be a mighty testament to God’s faithfulness and mercy, and to His ability, wisdom and sovereignty.

God’s Faithfulness Despite Man’s Weakness and Faithlessness

The roots of today’s conflict in the Middle East go way beyond the end of the 19^th Century into ancient history.

The resentment, bitterness, and hostility that are found between the Jewish, Egyptian and Arab peoples began within Abraham’s family — between Ishmael and Isaac, and Esau and Jacob. Isaac was the promised son, but Ishmael was the firstborn after Abram and Sarai took things into their own hands (Gen. 16). Esau was the firstborn, but Jacob was the chosen son for promises to be passed down to.

In both cases, deep enmity was sown between the two brothers. Because of Isaac, Ishmael was eventually sent away as a young teenager and lost everything: his father, his position as firstborn, and his possessions (Gen. 21). Because of Jacob’s deception, Esau was cheated of his birthright and blessing from Isaac his father (Gen. 25:29 – 26:29).

Through the 4000 years since, the fruit of the root of bitterness and resentment have manifested in the Middle East. Some of Israel’s enemies, such as the Amalekites and the nation of Egypt, are descendants of Ishmael and Esau.

Today, the Jewish people are hated by both Egyptians and Arabs. There is also hostility between the Egyptians and the Arabs, and conflicts within the Arab peoples themselves (which was also prophesied in Genesis 16:12 and 27:40). It would seem to the world that the region is an irreparable mess that is perpetually embroiled in never-ending turmoil and conflict.

Yet, in spite of everything, God has proven faithful to His Word and merciful to all!

As Ishmael and Esau were firstborn, God still honoured their positions as the firstborn (Deut. 21:15–17), even though it would be through Isaac that Abraham’s offspring would be reckoned (Heb. 9:7–8). God promised Abraham and Hagar that He would bless and multiply Ishmael exceedingly and make him a “great nation” (Gen. 17:20, 21:18); Esau would dwell of the “fatness of the earth” and of the “dew of heaven from above” (Gen. 27:39).

Eventually, the descendants of Ishmael and Esau settled across the lands of the Middle East, Arabia and Egypt. They are blessed with lands that are rich in resources. This is in accordance to God’s promises in His Word.

The Ultimate John 17 Oneness

In issue #24, we talked about the John 17 generation that God is raising up, and it is in Isaiah 19:24–25 that we see the manifestation of this generation and the ultimate expression of the John 17 oneness. Surely, there can be no greater miracle than oneness between Egyptians, Arabs and Jewish people! It does not mean that these three nations will lose their individual distinctiveness, but they will be one just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are One.

Wow!

Lest we be mistaken, this will not be via any human or political means but only through the body and blood of Yeshua. There will have to be a process of intentional repentance, forgiveness, healing and reconciliation between these people groups that will eventually lead to oneness among them.

We can be confident that this is now entirely possible because of Yeshua who has made and shown us the way! These believers will not only corporately carry the glory of the triune God, but also express the greater love, greater works, and the greater oneness unto becoming the greater witness of Yeshua to the world (Jn. 17:21)!

Our Appropriate Response

What about Gentile believers from the rest of the nations? How should we respond?

Certainly, we want to continue to pray for, stand with, and provoke Israel to jealousy. The Romans 11:11 call is for all Gentile believers, even if we are not from the Middle East.

The Lord is also calling us to cultivate and develop understanding regarding the Isaiah 19 vortex, and His heart and plan pertaining to His grand End-Time redemptive storyline. May we align with Him and His narrative regarding the Middle East as we do so!

We should definitely stand in the gap in prayer on behalf of our Egyptian and Arab brothers and sisters-in-Christ! As Asia will play a major role in God’s End-Time prayer movement, it is time for God’s people in this region to take our stand as watchmen for His Kingdom plans and purposes.

Finally, more than just growing in understanding and praying, God is also calling many to arise to speak as His voices to bring clarity in the midst of confusion, truth in the midst of lies, and light in the midst of darkness.

Let us eagerly look forward to the day when the Isaiah 19 oneness of nations in the Middle East will come forth from the Isaiah 19 vortex, that will lead to the glory of God covering the whole earth, as the waters cover the sea!

The Book of Zechariah | Teaching Series

In early 2023, the Lord directed us to revisit the Book of Zechariah in order to understand His End-Time plan for Israel. We invite you to watch and listen to the series, especially sessions 10 to 13.

Introductory Series on Understanding Israel

For an introduction to the topic of Israel, what Scripture says, and how Gentile believers are not to be ignorant about this mystery, watch our Introductory Series on Understanding Israel.

Watch here