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The International Prophetic Voice for the Endtimes
APRIL 2010$4.75
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
TenCommandmentsFridayCrucifixionOneShallBeTakenPg.37
\
Last-DayOppressors:HonoredElites&anIndebtedWorldOrderPartI
Pg.23
TheCallingof theTwelveDisciplesPhilip
Pg.34
FirstThessalonians4andtheRapturePartIPg.15
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BANKRUPTCY OF OURNATION
ITEM# 2244 272 pgs.
Paperback
$13.99Author: Jerry Robinson
POTECT YOUR FAMILYFROMOUR
BUY NOW, PAY LATER NATIONWelcome to the End of an EmpireSurrounded by a host of political and social problems, America standsat the crossroads of a devastating economic crisisthe size and scopeof which demand immediate action, while instability and debt loom
over the future.
America is the greatest debtor nation in history. The value of the dollar is at tremendous risk. Inflation is about to become a huge reality.
Crippled by personal debt, local and state governments facing revenuelosses, and the federal government struggling to bail out segments ofthe economy, many Americans are suddenly afraid and uncertain ofwhat the future may bring. Many worry if the United States can evenrecover from this crisis. Will you and your family financially survive andeven thrive during this turbulent time?
Bankruptcy of Our Nationgives you vital insight, historical and futureperspective, revealing how America got into this mess, and how youcan make informed decisions to weather this economic crisis. Prepareyour family for the coming hyperinflationary depression and build yourfinancial house on the Rock of our salvationwe needGods wisdom now, more than ever.
Jerry Robinson, conference speaker,columnist, economic consultant, andpresident of Jerry RobinsonMinistriesInternational,offers cutting-edge
teaching on geopolitical, economic,and cultural trends and how they relateto the Church.
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C O N T E N T S
8
Barabbas or JesusBy Norbert Lieth
The story of Barabbas has a meaning and a
purpose. It is in the Bible for our sakes.It is a
biography of the whole of mankind. God planned
toinclude itin the Bible in order toopen our eyes
about ourselves and about His intent to save.
15 First Thessalonians 4 and the Rapture PartIBy Dr. Ron J. Bigalke Jr.
If one were to request only onepassage of Scripture
as proof for a pretribulational rapture,the majority of
pretribulationists wouldlikely cite 1 Thessalonians
4:13-18. Since this is a foundational passage,it is
pertinent to understand rightly what God has
revealed.
23 Money: Ends and Trends
Last-Day Oppressors: Honored Elites & anIndebted World Order Part IBy Wilfred Hahn
According to a recently released study,government debt levels around the world have risen
75%over the last two years. Just what threat to the entire earth would cause policymakers
around the globe to plunge into such lunacy?We will highlight the significance of this
development and how it relates to Bible prophecy.
34 The Calling of the Twelve DisciplesPhilip
MidnightCallAPRIL 2010
COVER STORY
28 FRANCE
The Best Place to Live
in the World
29 SRI LANKA
EU Warns of Human
Rights Abuses
31 USA
President
Obama
Seeking
Chinese Help
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Court Rules Christians Can
Use the Word Allah
32 BRAZIL
Shell Signs $12 Billion
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33 EU
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4 Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Arno FroeseZECHARIAH 7:13
37 Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Arno FroeseTEN COMMANDMENTS...FRIDAY CRUCIFIXION...ONE SHALL BE TAKEN
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4 M I D N I G H T C A L L
Therefore it is come to pass, thatas he cried,and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear,saith the LORD of hosts (Zechariah 7:13).
E D I T O R S N O T E
B y A r n o F r o e s e
After Zechariah had received
eight prophetic visions of spiri-
tual and heavenly substance,
but relating to his people Israel, he
now finds himself back in Jerusalem.
Zechariah is now confronted with
earthly realities: And it came to pass in the
fourth year of king Darius, that the word ofthe LORD came unto Zechariah in the
fourth day of the ninth month, even in
Chisleu (verse 1). We note that the year,
the day and the month are given. Mention-
ing King Darius points to the fact that the
political authority of a foreign king was ac-
cepted. Most commentaries agree that this
was in the second year of the rebuilding of
the Temple, which lasted a total of four
years. The month Chisleu is equivalent to
November/December. The year is 518 BC.The next verse needs some explanation
to grasp the meaning: When they had sent
unto the house of God Sharezar and Regem-
melech, and their men, to pray before the
LORD (verse 2). We are not clearly told
who they are. So lets read the NIV transla-
tion: The people of Bethel had sent
Sharezer and Regem-melech, together with
their men, to entreat the LORD. These peo-
ple are from Bethel, which means house of
God. This is the place where Jacob had his
dream and said, And he was afraid, and
said, How dreadful is this place! this is
none other but the house of God, and this
is the gate of heaven (Genesis 28:17).
The inhabitants of Bethel were not of the
tribe of Judah, but they recognized it was
God who brought Judah back from captiv-ity after 70 years. They also knew that the
Temple in Jerusalem was under construc-
tion. They came to ask a specific question
regarding their religious activity: Speak
unto the priests which were in the house of
the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets,
saying, Should I weep in the fifth month,
separating myself, as I have done these so
many years? (verse 3). The fifth month is
the month of Av (July/August). Ungers
Bible Dictionary names three reasons forfasting (page 164):
1) New moon; fast for death of Aaron,
commemorated by children of Jethuel, who
furnished wood to temple after the captiv-
ity.
2) Fast in memory of Gods declaration
against murmurers entering Canaan (Num-
bers 14:29-31).
3) Fast, because in the time of Ahaz the
evening lamp went out.
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APRIL 2010 5
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STATEMENT OF FAITHWE BELIEVEin the divine inspiration of the whole Bible andtherewith the infallibility of the Holy Scripture, which is GodsWord, and in the eternal Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
WE BELIEVEJesus Christ, the Son of God, was conceived of theHoly Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, and shedHis blood to save mankind. He died and arose bodily the thirdday and later ascended into heaven.
WE BELIEVEthat the Lord Jesus Christ died in the place ofeach individual sinner and that all who believe in Him as theirpersonal Savior are justified through His shed blood and havebecome children of God.
WE BELIEVEthat Israel is Gods chosen people, and that therestoration of the Jews to their own land is the fulfillment ofthe Word of God.
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The Prophetic Voice for the Endtimes PRINTED IN 12 LANGUAGES
ISSN 10948600
These people were religiously very active. They did what they were sup-
posed to do.
But there is no reaction from the priests or the prophets. The next verse
reads: Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me (verse 4). Appar-
ently, the men of Bethel did not need additional instruction from the priests or
prophets; they needed to hear directly from the Lord, and thats what transpired:Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted
and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at
all fast unto me, even to me? And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did
not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves? Should ye not hear the
words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was
inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men
inhabited the south and the plain? (verses 5-7). We note that this is addressed
unto all the people: those who came from Bethel and those who had returned
from the Babylonian captivity. In other words, it was addressed to all of Israel.
The Lord God asked three significant questions: 1) Did you fast because
of Me? 2) Did you feast for yourselves? and 3) Why did you not listen to the
prophets?
When they fasted on the fifth month, they also had reasons to feast. Here
again,Ungers Bible Dictionary(page 164):
1) Feast, when wood was stored in temple. 2) Feast, in memory of law
providing for sons and daughters alike inheriting estate of parents.
The same is applicable for the seventh month. They fasted and were
feasting as well. In plain words, they did their religious duty for the sake of
their own selves. Now they inquire if they did enough.
The Lord reminds them of Jerusalems former glory, the times under David
and Solomon, when peace and prosperity reigned. This included Bethel, theplace located about 20 kilometers north of Jerusalem. Interestingly, it also
mentions the south and the plain, which includes part of todays Negev. That
was the time when God looked upon the people and the land favorably.
It stands to reason therefore that the Israelites were in dire need during
those days; they were hoping for the good ole days to return. They knew
that the God of Israel was the source of all blessing; subsequently, they prac-
ticed their religious duty to obtain favor from God.
Next comes the Lords thundering accusations against His people: And
the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying, Thus speaketh the
LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and com-
passions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fa-therless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against
his brother in your heart (verses 8-10). They faithfully practiced their reli-
gious feasts, but quite apparently in a shallow manner; not in truth or with
compassion. The most essential, they failed to practice, and that can be
summarized with the words of our Lord: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself (Matthew 19:19). Their personal well-being, the accumulation of
possessions, was how they defined the sign of blessings of the Lord.
What a message for the Church today! In reading Christian literature and lis-
tening to the voices over the air, it becomes crystal clear that we confuse blessing
with success, possessions with compassion. When it comes to the poor in our
8/13/2019 04 Apr 2010
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nation, they are either totally ignored or brushed off with the words, They are
too lazy to work. Often Scripture is used to support such heartlessness, If any
would not work, neither should he eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). But this Scrip-
ture is not applicable to a nation; it is addressed to the Church.
In talking about the stranger, the foreigner, we see an abundance of un-
bridled hate clearly expressed in Christian literature: hate against strangers,foreigners, and the less fortunate.
In conversation with a brother some time ago, who expressed his disdain
about the great number of Mexicans coming to this country, I found that he did
not realize that the majority are of Native American descent. He ignored the
fact that most have not had the opportunity to hear the Gospel of the Lord Je-
sus Christ. I said, Allow for the possibility that the Lord brings these people to
us because we were too lazy to go to them and present the Gospel. Such sim-
ple truth hurts, but it exposes our diabolical selfish nature. We only think
about ourselves, our family, our people. Self-centeredness is probably more ev-
ident today than ever before. Here we are reminded of the words found in 2
Timothy 3, which specifically emphasizes the last days: For men shall be
lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient
to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false
accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady,
highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God (verses 2-4).
The Israelis in ancient time did imagine evil against [their] brother in
[their] heart. That was the accusation of God against His people.
Not heeding the Word of God, not wanting righteous judgment, and not
practicing mercy and compassion leads to the hardening of the spiritual ear:
But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their
ears, that they should not hear (Zechariah 7:11).Throughout the Bible, over and again, man is invited, admonished, even
urged to hear what the Lord has to say. Even in the last book of the Bible, Rev-
elation, we read of the exalted Lord urging the church seven times: He that
hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit sayeth unto the churches.
Israel was chosen by God to be a nation above all other nations on the face of
the earth, yet they simply and stubbornly refused to listen to the prophetic Word
of God. This is a deliberate act of rebellion. It reminds us of disobedient children.
If faced with the truth, they will shrug their shoulders and act as if they dont
know what is being said, thus deliberately refusing to acknowledge wrong.
The Lord continues: Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone,
lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hathsent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from
the LORD of hosts (verse 12).
These accusations, we reemphasize again, are directed unto all the people. In
the first place, it means the people of Israel, but it also includes the entire world.
Do we find many righteous people, upright in heart, full of compassion?
The brutality and hate against our fellow man is the very nature of our be-
ing; it is the old Adamic flesh with the heart of stone. It needs to come to
the cross, not once, but must remain there until the death of the old nature.
Israel refused to listen to the prophets. Today, Churchianity has excluded
the prophetic Word from the proclamation of the Gospel. Worse yet, Bible-
To start or renew yourNews From Israelmagazinesubscription, please use the
order form on pages 46-47, orcall 800-845-2420 and haveyour credit card ready.
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E D I T O R S N O T E
believing Christianity increasingly refuses to heed the prophetic Word,
which instructs us: Waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This
plain and simple admonition to wait is being changed by interpretation to
mean, after certain events. For example, many teach today that we must
first wait for the tribulation, or the middle of the tribulation. Innumerable
other theories are being put forth with one purpose in mind: the believershould not wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ today, but rather
must wait for certain signs to be fulfilled first. That is a false gospel.
It is not just a matter of ignoring the prophetic Word or of shutting ones
ear to the warning of God, but the very messengers proclaiming the warning
are attacked.
Some 500 years after Zechariah, it was the Lord Jesus Christ Himself who
stated, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been
partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses
unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets
(Matthew 23:30-31). We know what happened in 70 A.D. The Romans came,
destroyed Jerusalem and burned the Temple, not leaving one stone upon an-
other, and the Jewish people were dispersed all over planet Earth.
Now we come to our introductory verse: Therefore it is come to pass, that as
he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the
LORD of hosts (verse 13). That too was literally fulfilled. There was no prophet
in Israel during those 500 years. Then John the Baptist appeared on the scene
with a very simple message: Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand
(Matthew 3:2). Doubtless, during those 500 years, the Jews in the Diaspora and
the few who lived in the land of Israel searched the Scriptures diligently. They
practiced their religion, they read the Torah, but there was no answer from
heaven; there was no prophet who said, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel.When we refuse to hear the words of the Lord, it will not only result in
the hardening of the heart and the closing of the ear, but something much
worse: I would not hear. He, the Lord God of Israel, would shut off His
ear to the cry of His people.
With the rejection of the nation of Israel, although temporary, the land
suffered as well: But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the na-
tions whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no
man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate
(verse 14). This is evident from a number of historical documents: Israel be-
came a desert, void of vegetation. It could no longer be defined as a pleasant
land; the land was stripped of its fertile soil and exposed to the burning heatof the Middle Eastern sun.
We cannot conclude this study without again showing Gods mercy, long
suffering, grace and His intention to return His people to their land: And
I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries,
and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of
Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the countryAnd the
tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase,
and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD,
when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the
hand of those that served themselves of them. (Ezekiel 34:13, 27).
APRIL 2010 7
Atlantic CoastProphecy Conference2426 October 2010
Now is the time to send in yourregistration for this important
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Midnightcall.comWe are still under construc-
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8 M I D N I G H T C A L L
N O R B E R T L I E T H
It is the greatest exchange of places in the history of mankind.
This event epitomizes the truth concerning God and man.
It is the story of Barabbas, the condemned murderer,
and Jesus the Son of God.
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C O V E R S T O R Y
The person of Barabbas shows us
a true picture of man. Jesus
shows us the true image of
God. In Barabbas we see a piece of
ourselves. In Jesus we see the nature
of God. Yet Barabbas was set free, and
Jesus condemned. The story of their
change of places is in Mark 15:6-15:
Now at that feast he released unto
them one prisoner, whomsoever they
desired. And there was one named
Barabbas, which lay bound with them
that had made insurrection with him,
who had committed murder in the in-
surrection. And the multitude crying
aloud began to desire him to do as he
had ever done unto them. But Pilate
answered them, saying, Will ye that
I release unto you the King of the
Jews? For he knew that the chief
priests had delivered him for envy. Butthe chief priests moved the people,
that he should rather release Barabbas
unto them. And Pilate answered and
said again unto them, What will ye
then that I shall do unto him whom ye
call the King of the Jews? And they
cried out again, Crucify him. Then Pi-
late said unto them, Why, what evil
hath he done? And they cried out the
more exceedingly, Crucify him. And so
Pilate, willing to content the people,released Barabbas unto them, and de-
livered Jesus, when he had scourged
him, to be crucified.
The story of Barabbas has a meaning
and a purpose. It is in the Bible for our
sakes. It is a biography of the whole of
mankind. God planned to include it in
the Bible in order to open our eyes
about ourselves and about His intent to
save.
Barabbas shows us man as he is.The meaning of the Aramaic name
Barabbas is son of the father. It is
striking that Barabbas has no family
name. For this reason Mark describes
him as one named Barabbas. He seems
to lack a clear identity. He is not called
Bar Jona (son of Jona), or Barnabas
(son of comfort), or Barsabas (son of
the sabbath). His name is not
Bartholomew (son of Talmai) or Barti-
maeus (son of Timaeus). Barabbas is
simply called son of the father. Barab-
bas is the son of a father. This unusual
name casts light on certain truths con-
cerning us.
Perhaps Barabbas was an illegitimate
child who did not know his father.
Somebody fathered him, but he did not
have a father in his home. Family
warmth and security were not known tohim. This is the whole point.
According to Deuteronomy 23:3, a
man who was the product of a forbidden
marriage or an extra-marital relation-
ship was not allowed to enter into the
congregation of the Lord, even to the
tenth generation.
Because he had no name, we can in-
sert any name here. We can insert our
own names. Barabbas means every one
of us. Any one of us could be in hisplace. Yes, Barabbas bears a thousand
names.
It is bitter to grow up without a fa-
ther. Such people often lack warmth.
They have difficulty in showing their
feelings. They are often shy and retiring,
or else ruthless and hard. Later on their
own children often suffer under the fact
that their father (or their mother) had
no father themselves.
APRIL 2010 9
The story of Barabbas has a meaning and a purpose. It is in the Bible for oursakes. It is a biography of the whole of mankind. God planned to include it in theBible in order to open our eyes about ourselves and about His intent to save.
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10 M I D N I G H T C A L L
It is incomparably worse, however,
when we are fatherless in the spiritual
sense. All people that are born into this
world have by nature no Father in
heaven. We were not born into the fam-
ily of God, for we are born in sin. The
natural man does not know the warmth
and security in God.
As shocked as many people may be,
it is the biblical truth that every personis by nature a child of the devil. Jesus,
in His lifetime, shocked the most pious
people in the world, the Jews, with this
truth.
But the problem is just as topical to-
day and concerns each one of us. Jesus
said, Ye do the deeds of your father.
Then said they to him, We be not born
of fornication; we have one Father, even
God. Jesus said unto them, If God were
your Father, ye would love me: forI proceeded forth and came from God;
neither came I of myself, but he sent
me. Why do ye not understand my
speech? Even because ye cannot hear
my word. Ye are of your father the devil,
and the lusts of your father ye will do.
He was a murderer from the beginning,
and abode not in the truth, because
there is no truth in him. When he
speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own:
for he is a liar, and the father ofit (John 8:41-44).
The lies of the world and the
lies of life show us who our fa-
ther is, and they reveal how all
our own piety and the fulfilling
of moral and religious laws can-
not change the inborn nature of
man.
Barabbas is a person underthe rule of sin and Satan.This
man, who lacked a real father, is given
many other descriptions in the Bible in
the place of a family name:
He is called a robber (John
18:40).
He is said to have made insurrec-
tion and committed murder (Mark
15:7).
He is called a notable prisoner
(Matthew 27:16). He was a political antagonist who
lay bound with them that had made
insurrection with him (Mark 15:7).
It is assumed, therefore, that he was a
zealot, a resistance fighter against the
Roman occupation powers. He was,
then, a terrorist, a rebel, an incalculable
man, capable of anything, ruthless and
full of hatred.
Even if not all people behave as
wickedly as Barabbas, we all bear thesame seed of evil in us.
Man robs by taking advantage of
others.
He is rebellious against God, as
also against man.
He is a captive of sin, hatred and
resistance.
Man takes other people with him
and induces them to do evil. Man influ-
ences man and is influenced by others.
It is assumed, therefore, that he was a zealot, a resistance fighter against theRoman occupation powers. He was, then, a terrorist, a rebel, an incalculable man,capable of anything, ruthless and full of hatred.
BARABBAS OR JESUS
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C O V E R S T O R Y
Yes, man is sitting with thou-
sands of other rebels in the
same cell.
Barabbas is what pleasesman. Barabbas symbolizes amankind who chooses every-
thing rather than Jesus:
power, politics, religion, re-
bellion. Barabbas also sym-
bolizes simultaneously men
who let themselves be influ-
enced by all sorts of things,
just not by the truth in Jesus
Christ. But the chief priests
and elders persuaded the
multitude that they should
ask Barabbas, and destroy Je-
sus (Matthew 27:20). This
has not changed up to the present day.Man is influenced today by:
a new atheism,
everything anti-godly, such as the
doctrine of evolution, for instance,
pseudo-scientific books, antichrist-
ian articles in news magazines, films,
television and the Internet,
diverse religions or esoteric things,
all kinds of trends and movements.
A cold, calculating Barabbas is prefer-
able to people to a loving Jesus. Theheathen of our day are admired and
their way of thinking quickly adopted.
What Barabbas wanted appears to them
to be logical and exemplary; what Jesus
brought, they reject. Somebody said,
The choice between Jesus and Barabbas
is a clear proof of how dangerous it is to
let public opinion decide concerning the
most important questions of life, truth
and right.
The governor answered and saidunto them, Whether of the twain will ye
that I release unto you? They said,
Barabbas (Matthew 27:21). Is it not
shocking what superficial and adopted
convictions people prefer to cling to,
rather than to choose Jesus? Man does
not want any changes that God makes.
Instead of this, he lets himself be led by
others. Thereby he becomes a victim of
self-deception and thinks he has his
own opinion and is free. Yet in reality heis succumbing more and more to group
pressure.
Pilate saith unto them, What shall
I do then with Jesus which is called
Christ? They all say unto him, Let him
be crucified (verse 22). Our present
world is intent as never before on doing
away with Jesus and choosing an an-
tichristian Barabbas for themselves. In
German [and no doubt American]
APRIL 2010 11
Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?They all say unto him, Let him be crucified (verse 22). Our present world isintent as never before on doing away with Jesus and choosing an antichristian
Barabbas for themselves.
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12 M I D N I G H T C A L L
schools everything is
taught under religious
instruction, whether it
be Buddhism or Yoga,
but that which Christ
brought is trampled
underfoot.
And the governor
said, Why, what evil
hath he done? But they
cried out the more,
saying, Let him be cru-
cified (verse 23). In
truth, the people had
no valid argument against Jesus and His
Word. Jesus is historically incomparable
and superior to all. The Bible has never
really been proven wrong, but ultimately
confirmed.
The famous Russian author, FyodorMikhaylovich Dostoyevsky, wrote, I be-
lieve there is nothing more lovely, deeper,
more likeable, more reasonable, stronger
and more perfect than the Redeemer.
One of the most significant presidents
of the United States, Abraham Lincoln,
said, In my opinion, the Bible is Gods
greatest gift to mankind. All the good
deeds of the Redeemer to mankind are
made known to us through this book.
I have often been brought to my kneesbecause I was convinced that there is no
alternative.
Man has ultimately no argument
against Christ, What evil hath he
done? This is the reason for mans argu-
ment, Crucify him.
When Pilate saw that he could pre-
vail nothing, but that rather a tumult was
made, he took water, and washed his
hands before the multitude, saying, I am
innocent of the blood
of this just person: see
ye to it (verse 24). Ul-
timately, every individ-
ual person is himself
fully responsible for
what he does with Je-
sus, and by whom he is
influenced. Pilate saw
that Jesus was accused
out of envy, without
having done anything
wrong. There were no
real arguments. The
Roman governor called Him a just per-
son, even, and then said, See ye to it.
What are you going to do with Jesus?
What are you going to let happen? Do
you set your sail according to the wind?
Do you howl with the wolves? And soPilate, willing to content the people, re-
leased Barabbas unto them, and deliv-
ered Jesus, when he had scourged him,
to be crucified (Mark 15:15).
Man seeks satisfaction. He seems to
find the greatest satisfaction in doing
away with Jesus Christ, so that he can
live as he pleases. Our world rejects Je-
sus and cries simultaneously for a world
redeemer. And they were instant with
loud voices, requiring that he might becrucified. And the voices of them and of
the chief priests prevailed (Luke
23:23).
In our day the cries are becoming
louder and louder. The headwind is be-
coming stronger. People do not want Je-
sus but Barabbas. Those who voice their
Christian opinions are called extremists
and fundamentalists. Jesus is con-
demned for what Barabbas did. Man
One of the most significant presidents of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, said,In my opinion, the Bible is Gods greatest gift to mankind. All the good deeds ofthe Redeemer to mankind are made known to us through this book. I have often
been brought to my knees because I was convinced that there is no alternative.
BARABBAS OR JESUS
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C O V E R S T O R Y
gives God the blame, while he legiti-
mates evil. The truth has to die for the
lie, and the just One is given up for the
unjust.
Are you crying out against God in
your heart?
Jesus. And Jesus? He simply standsthere. Is God the brutal, unjust judge
who deliberately torments us and is re-
sponsible for evil? No, Jesus shows us
through Himself who God is. Jesus does
not answer; He says nothing and He
does not argue with the abysmal injus-
tice of the people against Him. He sim-
ply stands in silence next to Barabbas,
and even accepts the exchange of places.
He wants it. His silence is the loudest
speaking of God to our hearts. He wants
to bring freedom to us rebels, we people
who are laden down with rebelliousthoughts. He wants to be a Father to the
fatherless.
In Barabbas, the son without a father,
we see coldness and ruthlessness. We
see the world, sin and ourselves. In Je-
sus, the Son of the Father in heaven, we
see the exact opposite. John greets the
recipients of his second letter concern-
ing the Father and His Son fittingly with
the following words, Grace be with
you, mercy, and peace, from God the Fa-ther, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the
Son of the Father, in truth and love (2
John 3).
Barabbas or Jesus today. Today weare living at the end of the days before
the return of Jesus. The battle of society
over the decision between Barabbas and
Jesus is taking on distinct outlines. At
that time, it was one of the first acts that
belonged to the rejection of Christ. To-
day, we are approaching the climax of
the last act of the rejection of Jesus.
Barabbas, a son of the fatherJe-
sus, the Son of the Father. Some trans-
lations even add the name Jesus to the
name of Barabbas; the German Luther
Bible, for instance.
So at the beginning of redemption a
Jesus, son of the father, is confrontedwith the heavenly Jesus, Son of the Fa-
ther.
At the end of the age of grace, the
world will have to decide again between
an Antichrist and the true Christ. We
know now already how this choice will
turn out. The tendencies of our day
speak a clear language.
The so-called public opinion will, as
it was then, be strongly influenced. Be-
APRIL 2010 13
At the end of the age of grace, the world will have to decide again between anAntichrist and the true Christ. We know now already how this choice will turn out.The tendencies of our day speak a clear language.
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16 M I D N I G H T C A L L
THETIMINGOFTHE PAROUSIA
There are three views with regard to the
timing of the Lords coming, and those
are pretribulationism, midtribulation-
ism, and then posttribulationism.1 It is
important to understand that the timing
issue with regard to the Lords coming
(i.e. the doctrine of the rapture as dis-
tinct from the second coming) is the re-
sult of premillennial theology. For
instance, amillennialists and postmillen-
nialists do not believe Scripture to teach
any kind of rapture, because those the-
ologies believe there is only one return
of the Lord Jesus, which is accompanied
by a general resurrection and general
judgment.2
Consequently, amillennialand postmillennial eschatology is sim-
plistic (and therefore easy to under-
stand), because all prophecies with
regard to judgment and resurrection are
combined.
Premillennial eschatology is very
complex because there are many diverse
events. Scripture prophesies of a rapture,
seven-year tribulation, second coming, a
75-day interval prior to the millennium,
the final rebellion of Satan at the end ofthe millennium; moreover, there is not a
general resurrection and general judg-
ment, but there is the judgment seat of
Christ, the first resurrection, the second
resurrection, and the Great White
Throne judgment. What is noteworthy
with regard to premillennialism is to
compare it to diagrams of the Book of
Kings or the Book of Chronicles, which
are also incredibly complex because
those Old Testament books are accounts
of real history. Likewise, premillennial
eschatology is complex because it sys-
tematizes what will be historical, and
therefore literal details of the Bible.
It is also worthy noting that there is
nearly universal agreement that if one
interprets Scripture literally, the out-
come will be a premillennial eschatology.
For instance, (amillennialist) Oswald T.
Allis wrote, The Old Testament prophe-
cies if literally interpreted cannot be re-
garded as having been fulfilled or as
being capable of fulfillment in this pre-
sent age.3 Floyd E. Hamilton, who was
also opposed to premillennialism, wrote
similarly, Now we must frankly admitthat a literal interpretation of the Old
Testament prophecies gives us just such
a picture of an earthly reign of the Mes-
siah as the premillennialist pictures.
That was the kind of a Messianic king-
dom that the Jews of the time of Christ
were looking for, on the basis of a literal
interpretation of the Old Testament.4 Of
course, amillennialists and postmillenni-
alists attempt to provide explanations as
to why one should not regard specificprophetic texts literally and why one
should not interpret biblical prophecy
literally. Certain passages in 1 Thessalo-
nians or in Daniel (chs. 712) and Rev-
elation are regarded as an apocalyptic
genre (sc. symbolic primarily), and/or
are interpreted spiritually (allegorically),
so that the literal meaning is not de-
sired.5 Therefore, addressing the issue of
the distinction between the rapture and
Premillennial eschatology is very complex because there are many di-
verse events. Scripture prophesies of a rapture, seven-year tribulation,
second coming, a 75-day interval prior to the millennium, the final re-
bellion of Satan at the end of the millennium; moreover, there is not ageneral resurrection and general judgment, but there is the judgment
seat of Christ, the first resurrection, the second resurrection, and the
Great White Throne judgment.
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the second coming is not a concern for
amillennialists and postmillennialists.
PRETRIBULATIONISM ANDMIDTRIBULA-
TIONISM
The issue with regard to the rapture of
the church is a premillennial discussion
dealing with the timing of that coming,
and whether it is pretribulational,
midtribulational, or posttribulational.The pretribulational view that the rap-
ture will precede the seven years of
tribulation is whatMidnight Callunder-
stands Scripture to teach. The midtribu-
lational view is actually a variation of
the pretribulational, because midtribu-
lationists simply regard the church as
being exempt from tribulation, or the
wrath of God, which begins at the mid-
point of the tribulation, that is, the last
three and a half years. Both pretribula-tionists and midtribulationists would
agree the church is not destined to ex-
perience the wrath of the tribulation,
but pretribulationists and midtribula-
tionists disagree as to when that wrath
begins.
The pretribulationist understands
the wrath of God to begin at the begin-
ning of the tribulation, and the
midtribulationist believes that Gods
wrath occurs at the tribulational
midpoint, which is their method
for affirming that the church is
raptured prior to the outpouring of
Gods wrath. Midtribulationists re-
fer typically to Revelation 11,
wherein the biblical text refers to
the snatching upward of the two
witnesses who have been martyred.
Midtribulationists believe the
prophesied event to be symbolic of
the church. Consequently, the
midtribulationist does not believe the
rapture is imminent; it cannot occur at
any moment because certain events
must occur, which is a primary distinc-
tion from pretribulationism, which
states the rapture can occur at any mo-
ment (i.e. although events may precede
the rapture, there are no prophesied
events thatmustoccur).Midtribulationism does not receive
much attention, as there are not many
midtribulationists presently, and there
have not been many midtribulationists
throughout the history of the church.
Marvin Rosenthal, the founder of Zions
Hope Ministries and the Holy Land Ex-
perience in Orlando, Florida,6 has at-
tempted to revive midtribulational
thinking with what he calls the pre-
wrath rapture of the church. Rosenthaldoes not regard his view as midtribula-
tional and does not make any reference
to midtribulationism. However, his ar-
gumentation is entirely similar to
midtribulationism, and should be un-
derstood as a combination of both pret-
ribulational and posttribulational
assertions. The majority of rapture dis-
cussions involve the pretribulational or
posttribulational views.
Both pretribulationists and midtribulationists would agree the church is
not destined to experience the wrath of the tribulation, but pretribula-
tionists and midtribulationists disagree as to when that wrath begins.
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18 M I D N I G H T C A L L
POSTTRIBULATIONISM
Posttribulationalists are attempting to
reassert their position. Baker Books has
even released a new book affirming acertain type of posttribulationism,7 be-
cause adherents of that position recog-
nize that primarily with regard to the
rapture, the majority of the focus has
been upon pretribulationism. According
to the posttribulational view, the church
will experience the entire seven years of
tribulation, and the rapture and the sec-
ond coming are regarded as one event.
George Eldon Ladd (1911-82), who was
professor of New Testament exegesis andtheology at Fuller Theological Seminary,
is a primary reference for posttribula-
tional studies. There is also much atten-
tion upon Ladds eschatology and its
relationship to the miraculous gifts of
the Holy Spirit.8 The theology of Ladd
was a major influence upon John Wim-
ber (1934-97), founder of the Vineyard
Christian Fellowship, who was con-
vinced that demonstration and valida-
tion of the power of the Gospel was
through miracles. Ladd is a noteworthy
individual not only for eschatological
studies, but also for pneumatology (doc-trine of the Holy Spirit) among those
who argue that signs and wonders of the
New Testament times should be com-
mon practices in the contemporary
church. Ladds writings remain influen-
tial in the current time.
As a futurist posttribulationist, Ladd
wrote, The parousia, the apokalypse,
and the epiphany appear to be a single
event. Any division of Christs coming
into two parts is an unproven infer-ence.9 Ladd believed the words parou-
sia, the apokalypse, and the epiphany
refer to the same, single event, and
therefore are not to be differentiated.
Ladd is incorrect, however, in his asser-
tion. The first word, parousia, is trans-
lated coming in 1 Thessalonians 4:15,
and in that passage refers rather specifi-
cally to the rapture of the church. The
same Greek word, parousia, is used in
The first word, parousia, is translated coming in 1 Thessalonians 4:15,
and in that passage refers rather specifically to the rapture of the church.
The same Greek word, parousia, is used in Matthew 24:27 and is accu-
rately translated coming with regard to the Lords return to earth.
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Matthew 24:27 and is accurately trans-
lated coming with regard to the Lords
return to earth. Since the same Greek
word is used in Matthew 24:27 and 1
Thessalonians 4:15, posttribulationists
believe the texts refer to the same, singleevent. Pretribulationists disagree, and
understand parousia to describe two
separate events: the rapture and the sec-
ond coming.
Parousia is properly translated as
coming, and literally bears the idea of
presence associated with the coming. An
illustration may help to clarify the literal
meaning. Grandparents may say they
are expecting the presence (the
parousia) of their grandchildren for aspecial occasion. The statement may be
understood in a twofold manner. The
first meaning may be that the grandpar-
ents are expecting the presence of their
grandchildren soon, and they will be
present for the special occasion. In other
words, the grandchildren will come
soon, which will be evident in them be-
ing present and experiencing the special
occasion of their grandparents. There-
fore, the soon coming and
the actual celebration occur
at one time. The second
meaning of the statement
could be that the grandpar-
ents will be experiencing
the presence of their grand-
children soon, and they will
also be present for the spe-
cial occasion. Therefore,
two events are understood.
The grandchildren could
come soon, leave the grand-
parents home, and return again for the
special occasion. The coming of the
grandchildren may refer to one event, or
it could refer to two events.
The illustration serves to demonstrate
that the coming of the grandchildrendoes not necessarily infer one, single
event. It is similar with the presence
(coming) of the Lord Jesus. When the
Greek word, parousia, is used, it does
not have to mean that the rapture and
the second coming are one event.Parou-
siacould quite simply be a word that de-
scribes two separate events. Ladds
statement is wrong because the mere use
of parousia does not indicate whether
the coming is the rapture of the churchor the Lords return to earth. Only con-
text of the biblical passage will indicate
which coming is being referenced.
The other word used with regard to
the Lords coming is apokalupsis
(). The three uses of this
word in 1 Corinthians 1:7 and 1 Peter 1:7
and 4:13 are references to the rapture.
Apokalupsissimply means revelation. In
the Corinthians passage and the two ref-
The illustration serves to demonstrate that the coming of the grandchil-
dren does not necessarily infer one, single event. It is similar with the
presence (coming) of the Lord Jesus. When the Greek word, parousia, is
used, it does not have to mean that the rapture and the second comingare one event.
FIRST THESSALONIANS 4 AND THE RAPTURE
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But this would not be the intended
meaning of the word usage, because
what is meant is just what a motor
does. One understands the function of
a motor, and therefore the usage of
that word is characterizing; it is not
intended to mean that every reference
to a motor refers to the exact, same
motor. It is similar with the words
used for the rapture and the second
coming.
Therefore, parousia, apokalupsis,
and epiphaneia do not catalog the
Lords return into a single event;
rather, one must examine context to
determine what the words character-
ize. One must ask, does the word
characterize the rapture, or does theword characterize the second coming?
To be rather direct, there are too many
irreconcilable differences between the
biblical passages with regard to the
rapture and those regarding the sec-
ond coming for them to be cataloging
the same event. Revelation 19, for in-
stance, prophesies Christs coming,
and the emphasis is upon His judg-
ment of the wicked. Whereas, in 1
Thessalonians 4, there is only a depic-tion of the righteous in Christ, and the
emphasis is upon the dead being
raised to life. The dead are raised to
life and the living are immediately
translated (i.e. they receive a new, glo-
rified body).
In Revelation 19, however, the liv-
ing are judged: either the living are
judged to experience death, or the liv-
ing are judged to enter the kingdom.
In 1 Thessalonians 4, the living meet
the Lord Jesus in the air; whereas, in
Revelation 19, there is the prophecy of
Christ coming with the armies of
heaven, that is, coming with His
saints. The emphasis in 1 Thessaloni-
ans 4 is upon the guests at the mar-
riage supper of the Lamb; whereas, in
Revelation 19, the bride is distinctfrom those assembled for the great
supper of God. In 1 Thessalonians 4,
the emphasis is upon the coming of
the Lord Jesus for those who will be
with Him forever. Conversely, in Reve-
lation 19, the emphasis is upon those
forever separated from Christ Jesus.
Incredibly distinct events are being
described in 1 Thessalonians 4 and
Revelation 19.
John 14:1-3 and 1 Thessalonians 4use remarkably similar language. In
John 14, Jesus said do not be trou-
bled, and in 1 Thessalonians 4, He
said, do not have sorrow, because
the emphasis is upon the fact that if
one trusts in Jesus as Lord and Sav-
ior, and therefore believes in God,
then when Christ comes, He will
take those individuals to be
with Him. John 14 states that
APRIL 2010 21
In its original language (Koine [common] Greek), the New Testament
used different words to describe the rapture and the second coming.
The usages do not catalog the Greek words, nor do they indicate that the
coming of Lord Jesus is a single event; rather, the usages characterizethe return of the Lord Jesus at the rapture and at the second coming (i.e.
two events, not one).
FIRST THESSALONIANS 4 AND THE RAPTURE
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the Lord Jesus will receive them,
whereas 1 Thessalonians 4 says they
will be raptured, taken to be with the
Lord, and will always be with Him. Of
course, these are tremendous differ-
ences from what one reads in Matthew
2425 and Revelation 19; in those
passages, the emphasis is upon events
when Christ returns to earth. There-
fore, the biblical text causes this writer
to disagree with his posttribulational
brethren, as he does not believe that
parousia, apokalupsis, and epiphaneia
catalog one single event. When con-
text is examined more carefully, it is
evident that those words may refer to
two different events: the rapture of the
church and the Lords return to earth.
The believer in Jesus may biblically an-
ticipate the return of the Lord prior to
the beginning of the seven-year tribu-lation. (379)
ENDNOTES
1 Pre-wrath rapturism would be best identified as a
variation of midtribulationism.See this authors
previous article:Pre-Wrath Rapturism,Midnight
Call(December 2008): 17-25.
2 Scripture distinguishes the rapture of the church
and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth, in
addition to differentiating the first resurrection
(which includes the judgment seat of Christ for the
church,the judgment of Old Testament saints, the
judgment of tribulation saints, the judgment of
millennial saints) from the second resurrection
(the judgment of unbelievers at the Great White
Throne).
3 OswaldT.Allis,Prophecy and the Church(Philadel-
phia: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1945) 238.
4 Floyd E.Hamilton, The Basis of Millennial Faith
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,1942) 38.
5 For example,Allis wrote,Obedience is the precon-
dition of blessing under all circumstances
(Prophecy andthe Church, 33).It is correct to state
that some blessings of God in both the Old Testa-
ment and New Testament are conditioned upon
obedience.However, it is equally true that the sov-
ereign decrees of God will be fulfilled exactly as He
promised.Moreover, while Israel was disciplined
severely for disobedience,the fulfillment of Gods
promises to the believing remnant is unconditional
(as in election). Hamilton provided another alleged
reason for rejecting premillennial doctrine, Jesus
Himself,in speaking of that whole idea said,The
kingdom of God is within (or,in the midst of ) you
(Luke 17:21), thus contradicting the idea that it was
an earthly, literal Jewish kingdom(Basis of Millen-
nial Faith,39). Jesus, however, did not declare a spiri-
tual form of the kingdom had arrived,but was
indicating that the kingdom was near because He
was present on earth, and a genuine offer of the
kingdom was proffered to the nation of Israel (seeRon J. Bigalke Jr.and George Gunn,Contingency of
the Davidic Reign,in Progressive Dispensationalism:
An Analysis of the Movement and Defense of Tradi-
tional Dispensationalism,ed.Ron J. Bigalke Jr.(Lan-
ham, MD:University Press of America, 2005) 181-82.
6 As a result of increasing debt,the Holy Land Experi-
ence was purchased by the apostate Trinity Broad-
casting Network in June 2007.
7 Craig L.Blomberg and Sung Wook Chung, eds.,A
Casefor Historic Premillennialism: An Alternativeto
LeftBehindEschatology(Grand Rapids: Baker,
2009).
8 Bruce A. Baker,Progressive Dispensationalism and
Cessationism:Why They Are Incompatible,Is Pro-
gressive Dispensationalism Really Dispensational?,
in Progressive Dispensationalism,257-84,346-60.
9 George E.Ladd, The Blessed Hope(Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans,1956) 69; cf.Douglas J. Moo,The Case for
the Posttribulation Rapture Position,inThe Rap-
ture: Pre-, Mid-,or Post-Tribulational?(Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 1984) 176-78.
Therefore, parousia, apokalupsis, and epiphaneia do not catalog the
Lords return into a single event; rather, one must examine context to de-
termine what the words characterize.
22 M I D N I G H T C A L L
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APRIL 2010 23
MONEY: ENDS & TRENDS $For resources on endtime economics and to subscribe to the free newsletter,Eternal Value Review,visit Wilfreds
website www.eternalvalue.com or contact him at: [email protected]
Last-Day Oppressors: Honored
Elites & an Indebted World Order Part I
The results continue to roll in and they are shocking. Though some
may think that the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) already belongs to the
history books, in reality, its fallout is epochal for the world; its
development a chapter in the processes leading to the end of days.Readers might think this a sensationalist statement. However, by the
end of this article, you may want to reconsider.
B y W i l f r e d H a h n
According to a recently
released study by two well-
known international econ-
omists, Carmen Reinhart and
Kenneth Rogoff, the impact of the
GFC upon global debt levels has
been catastrophic. In their re-search report1, they document that gov-
ernment debt levels around the world
have risen 75% over the last two years.
Stop to consider this statistic for a mo-
ment. Astoundingly, in the short time-
span of only two years, global
government debt levels have risen by
more than two-thirds. No, this is not a
statistic that applies to a single banana
republic nation. Rather, it applies to the
entire world. The total amount of all
government debt in the world rose 75%
in that incredibly short space of time.
While anyone following global finan-
cial affairs during the last few years will
not have been surprised by this develop-
ment, it nonetheless is alarming. Manysecular observers would agree. However,
we here wish to focus upon the
prophetic timeline and an entirely dif-
ferent set of questions. Just why the ra-
pidity? Just how does this trend
correlate with the Bible? Does govern-
ment debt have an endtime role?
Taken together with several other
trends and a literal scriptural perspec-
tive, in our view, it leads to an irrefutable
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diagnosis. These developments do align
with endtime Bible prophecy. Though,
of course, we cannot draw any near-
term, specific predictions, we would be
negligent not to conclude that the worldis indeed on the fast track to great trou-
bles such as never was (Daniel 12:1).
Just what threat to the entire earth
would cause policymakers around the
globe to plunge into such lunacy? Of
what great significance is this develop-
ment?
Recent Reprobations of GreedyBankersThe news media is full of reports of vari-
ous committees and hearings in high
places, examining the causes of the
Global Financial Crisis
(GFC). Wall Street
bankers and mone-
tary officials have
been summoned
before special
tribunals, which
are investigating the massivelosses and financial instabilities
foisted upon America and the world.
Why did it happen? Who can be
blamed?
One Wall Street banker, Lloyd Blank-
fein, CEO of Goldman Sachs, appearing
before the Financial Crisis Inquiry Com-
mission, even claimed that the GFC was
an act of God. Only weeks earlier,
when being interviewed in London, he
commented that he was only a bankerdoing Gods work. Other senior finan-
cial executives have also expressed fa-
vorable opinions on the morality of their
work and their bulge bracket compa-
nies and incomes.
They accept no extraordinary blame
for financial misadventure. It is a char-
acteristic trait of some parts of this in-
dustry already long documented. The
respected John Kenneth Galbraith, in
his book The Great Crash: 1929, writes
of this industrys leaders: They re-
mained very quiet. The sense of respon-
sibility in the financial community for
the community as a whole is not small.It is nearly nil. To speak out against
madness may be to ruin those who have
succumbed to it. So the wise on Wall
Street are nearly always silent. The fool-
ish have the field to themselves and
none rebukes them.2 Observing recent
intransigent attitudes on Wall Street, it
is actually much worse than Galbraith
suggests. Said Daniel Fass, organizer for
an Obama fundraising dinner from Wall
Street at the Mandarin Hotel, The in-
vestment community feels very put-
upon. They feel there is no reason why
they shouldnt earn $1 million to $200
million a year, and they dont want to be
held responsible for
the global finan-
cial melt-
down. And
so, only a year
after many ofthese financial
firms were saved
from certain col-
lapse through government-funded
bailoutsactually, by future generations
of our childrenthey are again paying
themselves multi-billions in bonuses. To
recall, these bailouts were one of the
contributing causes to soaring govern-
ment debt levels.
How does such graft and corruptioncontinue unprotested? Past instabilities
and mismanagement aside, bankers
well understand that they remain in the
drivers seat. How so? This industry sits
squarely upon the edifice of money.
Bankers (meaning any and all who
work in financial institutions and are
plugged into global financial markets)
know well that they will not soon be
thrown out of mankinds secular temple
24 M I D N I G H T C A L L
MONEY: ENDS & TRENDS $
The news media
s full of reports of
various
committees and
hearings in high
places, examining
the causes of the
Global Financial
Crisis (GFC). WallStreet bankers
and monetary
officials have been
summoned before
special tribunals,
which are
nvestigating the
massive losses
and financial
nstabilities foisted
upon America and
the world. Why did
t happen? Who
can be blamed?
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25/48
Last-Day Oppressors: Honored Elites & an Indebted World Order Part I
of this present Age of Capital. We live
in an era of global convergence in val-
ues. The world has agreed to endorse
humanist materialism. Fractional re-
serve banking, wealth in the form ofdebt, and the notion that human
progress is defined by growth in gross
domestic product (GDP) make up the
unholy trinity of toppling idols that
must be propped up and nailed down at
all cost. They adorn it with silver and
gold; they fasten it with hammer and
nails so it will not totter (Jeremiah
10:4).
The key argument bankers used to
bludgeon governments into bailing
them out, was the cry that economies
cannot recover if you do not first allow
us to recover. We see that the world has
been held hostage by the financial in-
dustry. How did this late state of affairs
happen? In recent decades, the financial
industry became inordinately large, not
just in America but worldwide. The af-
fairs of money grew to the point that
this sector represented more than a thirdof all corporate profits.
How is it that an industry that con-
tributes so little productive activity
should become so profitable and employ
so many people? We have documented
these epochal developments in previous
articles.
Franklin D. Roosevelt was to have
said, The money-changers have fled
from their high seats in the temple our
civilization. We may now restore thattemple to the ancient truths. He made
this rather optimistic statement during
his First Inaugural Address, in 1933. At
that time, America was in the depths of
the Great Depression. Wall Street had
been chastened, and thousands of banks
were closing their doors. Unfortunately,
Roosevelt was wrong. He probably did
not imagine that the business of money
would become many, many times larger
relative to human life than during his
day.
It surely did, and it likely will remain
so. The love of money reigns rampant
today in its advanced state, there beingfew and fewer restrainers in the world
against this force. Corruption runs deep
in high places, the world having com-
mitted to a materialist heaven on earth
(denying God), and much of religion
has found a comfortable coexistence
with this state of affairs. That this is the
road to an eventual holocaust for
mankind is supported by Christs state-
ment, Man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that pro-
ceedeth out of the mouth of God
(Matthew 4:4). This statement in itself
essentially condemns the modern
worlds slavish fixation with every nu-ance and statistic of the fabricated no-
tion of GDP.
Wrangling EconomistsDebates continue to rage in the acade-
mic world of economics as to the causes
of the GFC and just what should be
done in the future to avoid similar disas-
ters. While we certainly respect the con-
tributions of some of these intellectuals,
$
Franklin D.
Roosevelt was
to have said,
The money-
changers have
fled from their
high seats in the
temple our
civilization. Wemay now
restore that
temple to the
ancient truths.
Unfortunately,
Roosevelt was
wrong. He
probably did not
imagine that the
business of
money would
become many,
many times
larger relative to
human life than
during his day.
APRIL 2010 25
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Last-Day Oppressors: Honored Elites & an Indebted World Order Part I
the mind and heart of man are cunning
(Psalm 64:6).
How Three Endtime Conditions In-
terconnectWe now return to the topic of govern-
ment debt. Just how does it figure into
endtime developments? Shouldnt it be
strange that government indebtedness
plays a role? Isnt it indebted and
trapped individuals who come under the
economic influence of the False
Prophet and the Antichrist? If it is true,
as the Proverbs writer says, that The
rich ruleth over the poor, and the bor-
rower is servant to the lender
(22:7, KJV), just how can
indebted governments
collaborate to rule the
world?
Actually, with respect to
the money aspects of last
day events, conditions are
rather more complex according
to the Bible. At least three major
impulses can be identified fromBible prophecy, including that of
an indebted world rulership. To
explain how these conditions in-
terweave, we will describe each of
these three roles.
1. A protracted wealth skew. What is
meant by a wealth skew? It is the ex-
treme between the wealthy and the
poorthe outcome of the wealthy be-
coming richer and fewer, the relatively
poor more so. But is such a conditionprophesied? Yes, James specifically
prophesies that an amassing of riches
plays a role in the endtimes. He says,
Now listen, you rich people [] You
have hoarded wealth in the last days
(James 5:1, 3). The King James transla-
tion, in this writers opinion, translates
this condition of amassing wealth more
accurately, stating, Ye have heaped trea-
sure together for the last days (verse 3).
Here, we understand that not only
may wealth have increased overall, but it
is also heaped or amassed, as is im-
plied by the Greek wordthesaurizo.This
is an important distinction, as it gives ev-idence of a wealth skew. Wealth cannot
be heaped and concentrated without
there being a deprivation of someone
elses wealth.
However, is it reasonable to deduce
this endtime condition of an extreme
wealth skew from only one single verse?
Not only would it be plausible to argue
that this verse is clear, but also many
other Bible references fore-
shadow conditions that are
in alignment with this con-
dition. From the Old Testa-
ment (OT) to the New
Testament (NT) prophets,
times of extreme commer-
cialism and financial oppres-
sion in the last days are
outlined. Isaiah and Zechariah
point to extreme commercial-
ism, among other OT prophets.In the New Testament, the
Apostle Peter warns of difficult
times that are evidenced by
lovers of money (2 Timothy 3:1-
2). John prophesies in Revelation of the
Laodicean church that says, I am rich;
I have acquired wealth and do not need a
thing (Revelation 3:17). This seventh
and last church that is admonished is
commonly believed to represent the last-
day church.In Part II, we review the other two
major players and conclude with the
implications for the world.
ENDNOTES
1 Carmen Reinhart (University of Maryland),Kenneth
Rogoff (Harvard University and NBR),Growth in the
Time of Debt,December 31,2009.
2 John Kenneth Galbraith,TheGreat Crash: 1929,1954,
Houghton Mifflin Company, New York.
$
What is meant
by a wealth
skew? It is the
extreme
between the
wealthy and the
poorthe
outcome of thewealthy
becoming richer
and fewer, the
relatively poor
more so. But is
such a condition
prophesied? Yes,
James
specifically
prophesies that
an amassing of
riches plays a
role in the
endtimes.
APRIL 2010 27
MC
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Dupouy, a 28-year-old
lawyer, got almost five
months paid maternity leave from
er company for the birth. She
an take another seven months
ffbeyondthatayear totalun-
aid, if she wants, with her job
uaranteedunderFrench law.
When her son Louis was born,
ealthy and by way of a normal delivery, she got to
tay in her local French hospital, around the corner
rom where she lives, for five full days, to rest.
Welcome to France, voted the best place in the
world to live for the fifth year in a row by Interna-onal Living magazine, which has been analyzing
ata and publishing its annual Quality of Life Index
or 30 years.
One of the reasons France keeps winning the
anking is its world-class health care system, which
Dupouy just experienced first-hand.
They treat expecting mums like treasures here,
Dupouy told CNN from her Paris apartment. They
ake really good care of you. The health care sys-
em is just amazing. She said she wouldnt have
otten the same maternity leaveor carebackome inAustralia.
At her job, Dupouy also gets seven weeks paid
acation a year, although itsher first job as an attor-
ey since graduating with a law degree inAustralia.
She doesnt think twice about taking the Metro
cross townfor just $1.37 a rideto visit a friend.
Or she picks up a rental bike at one of the many
omputerized bike hire racks in town to get around.
France scores high marks across the board in
he survey, which is done every January, from
health care (100 points) to infrastructure (92
points) to safety and risk (100 points).
No surprise, said the magazine in its report.Its (Frances) tiresome bureaucracy and high
taxes are outweighed by an unsurpassable qual-
ity of life, including the worlds best health care.
Following France in the top ten are Australia,
Switzerland, Germany, New Zealand, Luxem-
bourg, the U.S., Belgium, Canada and Italy, in
that order.
The United States dropped from third to sev-
enth place in this years rankings, largely be-
cause of the grinding economic crisis last year.
Of course, France too has its
problems. The country suffers
from high youth unemployment,
particularly among the disaffected
young people who live in its equiv-
alent of the projects, known asles-
banlieues.
Late last year, the French gov-
ernment opened a national dis-
cussion about national identity, which has
evolved into debates over whether immi-
grants, and particularly Muslim immigrants,
are French enough. The country has the h igh-
est Muslim population of any European coun-try, with an estimated six million living in the
country.
But for the most part, French people enjoy a
good lifestyle. International Living says that dur-
ing their large chunk of leisure time, the French
enjoy visiting the countrys many beaches and
Alpine ski resorts.
Dupouylike more famous experts Ernest
Hemingway and Julia Child before heragrees.-cnn.com, 11 February 2010
Contrary to many other reports, France pre-
sents a rather impressive report card.
Peace, freedom, prosperity, and security are
the goals of every nation on the face of the
earth. That is one side of the story. The
other side is exposed by our Lord in
Matthew 16:26: For what is a man prof-
ited, if he shall gain the whole world, and
lose his own soul? or what shall a man give
in exchange for his soul? 3750
28 M I D N I G H T C A L L
F R A N C E
Half-timberedhouses inCalvados in the
Augecountryside, anarea that hassome of themost beautifulvillages inFrance.
TheBestPlacetoLiveintheWorldBindiDupouy, anAustralian living inParis, andherFrenchhusband, justhad their firstchild,a sonborninthe country.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Francescoreshighmarksacrosstheboard,especiallyinhealthcare
U.S.dropstoseventhplacefromthird becauseof economy
FrenchenjoyeverythingfromRiv-ierabeachestoAlpineskiing
Vacationsarelong,leavesaregen-erous,lifestyle good
8/13/2019 04 Apr 2010
29/48
APRIL 2010 29
The decision comes after an exhaustive
investigation by the European Commis-
sion into the situation which identified significant
shortcomings in respect of Sri Lankas implemen-
tation of three UN human rights conventions, the
EU executive said in a statement announcing the
measure.
The withdrawal of GSP Plus (an extension of
the Generalized System of Preferences) will begin
in six months time, it said, during which time Brus-
sels hopes to engage in a dialogue with Colombo
over the matter, giving Sri Lanka extra time to ad-
dress the problems identified.
Unlike many other EU trade relations, the GSP
Plus program is predicated specifically on adher-
ence to human rights norms.
Under the program, the EU provides additional
preferences to economically vulnerable developing
countries that have ratified and effectively imple-
mented27 international conventions in thefieldsof hu-
man and labor rights, sustainable development and
good governance.
Brussels is to closely monitor the situation and reg-
ularly re-evaluate its position. Once sufficient progress
has been made, the decision is to be reversed.-euobserver.com, 16February2010
The EU represents the worlds largest economy.
They also occupy the number 1 spot when it
comes to imports and exports. Politically, how-
ever, the EU is little more than a paper tiger, at
least at this moment. But economy and politics
go hand in hand; thus, one can expect the EUs
political power to grow significantly in the fu-ture. Human rights are the key to remain in favor
with the European Union and democracy.
Analyzing political/economic global devel-
opment requires us to look at Scripture. Daniel
chapter 2 reveals an image representing the four
Gentile superpowers: Babylon, Persia, Greece,
and Rome. The fourth oneRomeis diverse
from all others, And the fourth kingdom shall
be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in
pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that
breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and
bruise (Daniel 2:40). This last global power
structure will force the world to be unified. That
means all the traditions, customs, cultures, and
laws of individual nations will be broken to
pieces in order for all nations to become subject
to the final power structurethe iron and clay
kingdom! 3749
(For detailed information, read Daniels Prophecies
Made Easy, Item 1057).1068).
P O L A N D
Polish Political Power in BelarusPolandhasthreatenedtofreezeprogress inEU-BelarusrelationsandtolobbytheIMFtocutoffaid followingacrackdownonethnicPoles.
Police arrested the leader of the Union of
Poles in Belarus, Angelika Borys, along
with around 40 other activists on their way to a
rally in Valozhyn, in the west of the country.
Thanks to Polish engagement Belarus has
found itself in the Eastern Partnership. Poland
would like to continue the trend of gradually de-
veloping contacts, Polish deputy foreign minis-
ter Andrzej Kramer told press in the Polish
capital.
But a negative scenario is possible, which
would mean the self-isolation of the Belarusian
side, if these repressive acts continue.
Mr. Kramer said Poland will deny visas to any
Belarus officials involved in the events. Warsaw
has also asked EU foreign ministers to discuss
the situation at a regular meeting in Brussels.
The Polish government is in a tricky spot.
On the one hand it is facing public pressure to
act tough. But it does not want to jeopardize its
strategic aim of bringing Belarus closer to the EU or
its efforts to improve the lives of ordinary people liv-
ing in the authoritarian state.
If the crackdown continues, Poland is likely to try
and block any prestigious high-level EU-Belarus
meetings.
A Polish diplomat also underlined Warsaws
growing influence in the International Monetary
Fund (IMF), which is propping up Belarus crisis-hit
economy with billions of dollars in aid. We will try to
exert pressure in all international fora where Poland
hasa voice, the diplomatic contact said.
The Polish Union in Belarus is the largest inde-
pendent NGO in the country.
Belarus is home to 400,000 ethnic Poles
following a change in borders after World
War II, which pushed the Polish frontier to
the west.-euobserver.com, 15 February 2010
As a full-fledged member of the European
Union, the Poles are a key nation in build-
ing relationships between the EU and for-
mer Soviet nations.
While there are only few signs indicat-
ing Belarus political change, progress is
nevertheless being made slowly and surely.
Belarus is a European nation and will even-
tually obtain EU membership. Fundamen-
tal human rights and democracy are the
first stepping stones toward a preliminary
application for membership. Belarus can-
not ignore the rich, the free, the secure and
prosperous European Union. 3752
Asthepoliticalsituation inSriLankadeterioratesandaccusationsofhumanrightsabusesmount,EuropeanUnionmemberstateson15Februaryagreedtosuspendpreferential tradebenefits fortheislandcountry.
Belarussianpolice arrestUnion ofPoles activist(Photo:Nasha Niva)
S R I L A N K A
EUWarnsofHumanRightsAbuses
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Londons Court of Appeal rejected a
request by British Foreign Secretary
David Miliband to prevent senior judges from
disclosing claims that former Guantanamo
Bay detainee Binyam Mohamed had been
shackled and subjected to sleep deprivation
and threats while in U.S. custody.
The office of Dennis Blair, U.S. director of
national intelligence, issued a statement say-
ing the British courts decision to release
classified information provided by the United
States is not helpful, and we deeply regret it.
The protection of confidential information
is essential to strong, effective security and
intelligence cooperation among allies, the
statement said. It indicated the ruling would
create challenges but the two countrieswould remain united in our efforts to fight
against violent extremist groups.
Miliband had argued that full disclosure of
the redacted claims might make the United
States less willing to share intelligence and
thus prejudice Britains national security.
Recent events showed the importance of
sharing intelligence, and the U.S. authorities
were concerned about the release of such
material, he told parliament, adding that he
was working with U.S. officials to ensure bi-lateral ties were not damaged.
The court excluded seven sensitive para-
graphs supplied by U.S. intelligence services,
and judges said later the United States had
threatened to end intelligence cooperation if
the evidence of alleged torture was released.
But last October, two High Court judges
ruled there was an overwhelming public in-
terest in releasing the details, a decision the
Appeal Court upheld.
The treatment reported ... could be readily
contended to be at the very least cruel, inhu-
man and degrading treatment by the United
States authorities, the now public judgment
said.
Miliband said the Appeal Court would have
upheld the principle that no country should
disclose intelligence from another without its
agreementhad the substance of the para-graphs not already been put into the public
domain by a U.S. court judgment in a sepa-
rate case in December.
Without that disclosure, it is clear that the
Court of Appeal would have overturned the
Divisional Courts decision to publish the ma-
terial, Miliband said in a statement.
He told parliament Britain was opposed to
torture. The UK firmly opposes torture and
cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or
punishment. This is not just about legal oblig-ations, it is also about our values as a nation
....
Human rights campaigners said the gov-
ernment had gone to great lengths to conceal
torture and the Foreign Office had been con-
cerned mainly with saving face.
These embarrassing paragraphs reveal
nothing of use to terrorists but they do show
something of the UK governments complicity
with the most sha