Escaping Israel (Part C)

Of course it was written by men.

What do you want? Finger writing on the wall? They didn't believe that. It was too late actually. When Moses had the tablets, they didn't believe that.

Eventually somebody stole them. Every criticism of Jesus Christ is a revelation of the one who made the criticism. Every time somebody mocks the Lord, they're revealing that Jesus is the Lord.

They're revealing something about themselves that is a malfunction from hell. This is the conclusion of Pastor Rick's message called Escaping Israel. He'll be in Mark chapter 13 today. Don't think that because people hate Christ that Satan loves them.

He loves using them. He hates all mankind. And so here's this culture that we're in, trying to reverse everything. Isaiah called it 700 years, over 700 years before Christ came. Isaiah chapter 5. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness. They were doing it in his day.

Isaiah would come along and say, this is the Lord according to his law of Moses. Don't do this, don't do that. It's bad for everybody.

And they would switch it around. No, this is actually good for each other. Stealing is good.

If it helps, helps who? Not the one stolen from, it doesn't help them. Their insistence that judgment is untrue seals their doom. And that's what they think. I don't believe it, it's not true.

Okay, you're fine then. There's too much evidence. There's too much scriptural prophecy. And knowing it and being able to draw it out. I have noticed when I've used prophecy on some unbelievers who are adamant about their unbelief, they don't want to hear it. They want to shut me down on the prophecy. I could talk about Christ and his cross, I could talk about sin, but when I start talking about the facts of prophecy, no, they don't want to hear that.

Why? Because they can't dispute it. When you talk about, look, the Bible called the cashless society long before there were credit cards, long before there were bitcoins, long before these things. He said, this is what's going to happen. He said, the day is going to come when you can't buy or sell without being plugged into the government.

Barter systems will be done. The Bible called. And there's this many other such things. John's gospel, for those that are trying to make sin honorable. They're even trying to make it honorable to God by taking their perversity into churches and flaunting it. You can go to a church and you can have someone that is totally steeped in perversity and everybody knows it and they're calling this wonderful.

John chapter 15 verse 18. If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you because of that aroma, that fragrance that's coming off the believer. And simply for not agreeing with a Lucifer bloated society, that's why you'll be hated.

Because you disagree. Just go to the office place, stand around the cooler and say, now I think that's sick. And watch what happens to you. Demonically. Stuff. We have foie gras humans. You know, they've taken, they've taken the, you know, they take the goose or the duck and they force feed it until the liver becomes bloated and then they butcher it after they of course kill it and serve the liver. Foie gras. What is that from?

It's from a goose or a duck that we force fed. That's what Satan and Antichrist are trying to do to us now. So Jesus warns.

He says these are climactic times. When you see that temple built and you see it defiled, you understand that the end is coming. They're going to have 1260 days of persecution from that point forward. And so Luke's gospel chapter 21, Jesus said, and you will be hated for my name's sake. He's not talking just to the Jew. The Jews are hated because they're Jews. We know Satan hates them because the Jews are the people chosen by God to produce Messiah and many other promises surrounding that event. But the Christians will be hated. The believers will be hated. Verse 13 now, we come to our text this morning.

Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house nor enter to take anything out of his house. Now their rooftops in ancient Israel at the time Jesus preached served as our porches, our patios, our backyard decks. That's where people went to hang out. And he is saying if you're out on the patio and you're listening to the radio. Well, I don't know if anybody has a radio anymore.

You're listening to your smart device and you get the headline. The anti-Christ, we won't know his name. They'll know it. We won't be here for that. When they say so and so has defiled the Jewish temple, when you hear that on the radio, don't go back in the house to get something.

No matter what it is. People, I mean, you know, you have to catch the urgency here. But you have to instantly realize that anti-Christ is a monster. He's not a friend of Israel and this hatred is unprecedented for the Jews. With this unprecedented hatred and unprecedented resources, it will be extreme, the extermination. Verse 20, we'll come back to that later. So as the news breaks of this abomination, escape before the checkpoints are in place. Don't hesitate. Flee.

Delay. In Pompeii, Pompeii close to Naples, Mount Vesuvius, centuries ago there was a very large volcano there that erupted and wiped out the city of Pompeii. Other places too. When boats were coming to their help, many of them got wiped out also. But anyway, archeologists have found beneath a skeleton that perished in Pompeii, the remains of a leather pouch with 20 coins of silver in it and a key which was believed to be his house key. The point is, he took the key, he went back in the house, he got his silver and he never made it out. So that is just a natural lesson from a natural disaster, but this is a spiritual lesson from an omnipotent God. He says, don't go back.

As soon as you hear the news, you have no time. Global persecution of the Christian and the Jew, of the non-Jewish Christian will be everywhere. You know, the ethnic Jew cannot, he won't be able to opt out of his ethnicity, but people can opt out of Christianity. The Gentiles can say, okay, I'm not going to follow Christ, and they will of course perish because of that, but the Jews are stuck. They cannot say, okay, I'm not a Jew.

The DNA research is going to be thorough there. This is why you have the 12,000 from each tribe. They're going to be able to identify without any doubt that you're a Jew.

They can do that now. Verse 16, and let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. So if you're at work and you hear on the radio, he's just done this, don't go back home. This is radical stuff.

This is the time of Jacob's trouble, as Jeremiah prophesied, I'll read that verse later. But how will they know where to go? Okay, flee. Flee where? Well, some of it will be process of elimination.

At this point, smart phones will be very beneficial. They'll be talking with you, those roads are closed, but here's one that's open, and likely the only roads going to be open will be to Jordan. I don't think Egypt's going to play along.

I don't think they'll make it there. Anyway, and there's some precedence for this. His troops will seal off exit routes of the city because he's been ready for this. House to house drag nets, rounding up Jews as they did with the Nazis.

Whether the Jew is compliant or non-compliant, they will die if caught. This global surrender is what is going to take place. Antichrist, he's going to control the world. I believe, again, for those of you who are familiar with Ezekiel 38, I believe that section of Scripture takes place before. That's what gets Antichrist into power. That allows him to be able to make a covenant with the Jews. That's why the armies are put around Jerusalem. And he has control, and the Gentiles will be receiving his mark with allegiance. Revelation 13, 17, he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive the mark on their right hand or on their foreheads. Pause here for a minute. This was not possible without the technology we have now.

In John's day, what was he thinking? Is this going to be a tattoo? How's that going to work? Now we have full knowledge of how this is going to work. Bar codes were just the beginning of it coming into view, and it's being greatly developed even now. There are already chip implants that can read data. The convenience of technology. You won't have to carry a wallet.

One reason why I like sports coats is I can put my wallet in one pocket and my phone in another pocket and ammunition in this pocket and, you know, I'm just ready. So, continues. And that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name.

You're going to have to be tied into this monster. What if during this recent mask mandate, which was for the first time, I don't know that there's ever been another time in human history where globally everyone fell under the same mandate. And I mean back in Shinar, you know, before the flood where everybody was living in one city. I mean the world. And we watched this happen. Now this does not mean that mask wearing is the mark.

What it most certainly does mean is that we now live in a time where what rulers could, what Alexander the Great could not do, what Genghis Khan could not do, what Napoleon could not do, and a host of others who wanted to conquer the planet. Now it can be done. Now you can put everybody under one mandate. And that's what's going to happen with the chip. You will be put under a mandate. We're talking about worrying about a vaccine being mandated. What happens when this becomes mandated? It's almost a death sentence to do what government demands.

It's not an anti-government statement. I'm just telling you what is going to happen because the scripture says it. Those who willingly receive this mark, they will be happy and gay. And I don't mean the word gay in its corrupted sense.

I mean it the way it meant before the 1970s. But anyway, those who willingly receive this mark are doomed. They're sealing their own faith, fate. God will not be able to save them because he's already said, Revelation 14 verse 9, then a third of the angel, then a third angel followed them saying with a loud voice, if anyone worships the beast in his image and receives his mark on his forehead or his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out, now listen to this, in full strength. That is without the grace. He continues, into the cup of his indignation he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb. Revelation 19, 20, then the beast was captured and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. See the willfulness, the worshipping of the image. They followed the lie.

They are now irretrievable. You say, how do you know they followed the lie? 2 Thessalonians 2, 10, because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved and that is in the context of Antichrist and what he is doing. Verse 17, but woe to those who are pregnant and those who are nursing babies in those days.

Another burden, advanced pregnancy, caring for little children. Again, well I told you I'd read Jeremiah 30 verse 7. Jeremiah says, alas for that day is great. Remember the massiveness of end times.

So that none is like it as Jesus said, not since creation. And it is a time of Jacob's trouble. The Jews are singled out for extermination. They can't hide. They cannot disown their ethnicity regardless of what they do with their religion. They are Jews nonetheless and that's all they have to be. And then Jeremiah says, and it is a time of Jacob's trouble but he shall be saved out of it. A third of the Jewish population.

That's not little of how many are slaughtered. Two thirds wiped out. This is what's coming to mankind. Verse 18, and pray that your flight may not be in winter.

Another obstacle of bad weather. And so he urges the people to pray that there will be no part of this. While in Jerusalem especially, and while Jerusalem writhes in pain, the rest of the world will be going to games wherever it is not wiped out from other natural destructions. Some people will be going on with business as usual.

Verse 19, for in those days there will be tribulation such as not been seen since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. Five or six evolutionists would just pass out hearing that, that God created. I heard an evolutionist, several of them, recently. I've been on this thing watching things on bugs and animals and several of these evolutionists, I know I'm getting a little excited, but I'm running out of time.

So they say, evolution has thought of. What? You just personified it. You just admit it.

It's a person and not some random selection stuff. And their own hypocrisy, they don't see it. But we see it anyway. And believe me, or believe the scientists who lie. And scientists lie a lot. For instance, icebergs melting, we're going to get flooded. You can just prove this with a glass of ice water. Because you put ice in ice water and when the ice melts you don't have more water, you have less.

And so when icebergs melt we're going to have less water. What are you talking about? Okay. It's right. You do it at home. All of a sudden that's not science, right? True science is a study of creation with honesty. Alright, I've got to finish this up because you people have places to go.

Where was? We're in those days, verse 19. This is self-explanatory. Through the other prophets we know that there's going to be 1260 days from that point forward, from the time that Antichrist defiles the temple to the return of Christ. That's three and a half years. There are more days tacked on because there are judgments and there are cleanup operations.

There are actually a few years of cleaning up battlefield debris and toxins. There will be those fooled by signs and wonders because they did not love the truth. Verse 20, And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved, but for the elect's sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

A man would have been wiped off the face of the earth. God's wrath poured out in the great tribulation. It's for their abominations. Zechariah 14.4, And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west.

That's His return. The battle of Armageddon will be happening north of Jerusalem and they'll be dealt with too while He puts His feet on the ground there at the Mount of Olives from where He ascended to heaven. The context of verse 20 is clearly the Jews in use of the word elect.

In John's second letter, when he uses the phrase elect, the context is clear. It is the church, which is made up of Jew and Gentile. Here it is the Jewish people as according to Isaiah 65 verses 8 and 9.

Almost finished without rushing. Verse 21, Then if anyone says to you, look, here is the Christ, or look, He is there, do not believe it. A lot of Jewish religious activity going on. They're going to be desperate for their deliverer. And the Jewish people at this time in history are so desperate for peace that they're willing to appease and compromise and bend over backwards where they really should not be doing this.

And this is going to work against them. They are desperate for peace to a fault and this is why the covenant with Antichrist will take off. Daniel chapter 9, Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week.

That's a seven year period. But in the middle of the week, that's a three and a half year period, he shall bring an end to the sacrifice and offering, the abomination of desolation Jesus spoke about quoting this section of scripture. And on the wing of abominations, right on the tip of those abominations, shall be one who makes desolate. That is the vile king, the son of perdition, the beast continues even until the consummation. That is Christ returning as I just read from Zechariah, which is determined is poured out on the desolate.

And that is such as the world has never seen. Verse 22, For false Christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, the elect. And this is primarily Israel. The converts, Gentile converts aren't going to be fooled. They're going to be so willing to believe that they'll die believing. That's how solid their conversions are going to be.

And we fret over, you know, things, gas prices going on, which is understandable to a point, but we got to keep our perspective anyway. Second Thessalonians 2, 9, The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan with all power, signs and lying wonders. He's going to do some impressive things and only truth will beat it.

Truth of what? Righteousness, because he's going to be a dirty dude. He is not going to be, you know, boy, I sure hope my daughter would marry somebody like him. He is not going to be that guy. He's the reason why dads own guns. Well, dads with daughters, I should say. Well, an added reason.

There are other reasons and they're good reasons. Anyway, verse 23, but take heed. See, I have told you all things beforehand. Following the Lord's instructions.

Following these instructions. First century Christians, when the temple of the Jews was still up, before the Romans, when the Romans started to see surrounding Jerusalem, when stuff was beginning to happen, there were Christian Jews in Jerusalem. James was leader of that church. They packed up and they moved to Jordan, a city called Pella. This is historical.

You can look it up. Because they believed what Jesus said. When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, flee to the mountains.

And they did. And because they did, when the Romans finally did, wipe out, nearly wiped out the Jews in Jerusalem. The famine, the starvation, the civil infighting, the hell on earth that the Jews went through in the city, they escaped it. That, I believe, is a dress rehearsal for what's going to happen with the Jews. They're going to make it out, many of them, who listen to what has been preached. They will make it out.

Pella is about 40 miles northwest of Jerusalem, 50 miles, sorry. Jesus says here in verse 23, see, I have told you all things beforehand. He says, so now you know. He's not finished.

He's got more to say. But I want to close with three verses and one comment. Isaiah 44-7. Yahweh is speaking to the prophet Isaiah. And who can proclaim as I do?

Then let him declare it and set it in order for me. Since I appointed the ancient people and the things that are coming and shall come, let them show these things to them. So God is saying, I tell the future.

Who else does that? He continues, Isaiah 48. Even from the beginning I have declared it to you. Before it came to pass, I proclaimed it to you.

Lest you should say, my idol has done them. My carved image and my molded image have commanded them. And so the prophet says, I'm getting this on paper. God is calling the future. And he's calling it so that you can't say, oh, this is just coincidence.

Oh, my God did it. You who believe know the benefits of knowing end time prophecy in real time, right now, and this is it. And don't back down from it. Don't listen to that Nostradamus nonsense. It's crazy. It can fit anything. I mean, there shall come a man with a size nine shoe, and he shall walk down the street.

How many guys have nine? I mean, just not. Anyway, they're just so general and flawed.

They don't have it. Finally, 2 Peter chapter 1, for prophecy never came by the will of men, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. So they'll try to throw up in your face things like, well, the Bible was written by men. Well, it wasn't written by pachyderms, even though they're big as elephants. Of course it was written by men.

What do you want? Finger writing on the wall? They didn't believe that. It was too late, actually. When Moses had the tablets, they didn't believe that.

Eventually, somebody stole them. Every criticism of Jesus Christ is a revelation of the one who made the criticism. Every time somebody mocks the Lord, they're revealing something about themselves that is a malfunction from hell. Once you're there, you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe, you'll be notified of each new edition of Cross-Reference Radio. You can search for Cross-Reference Radio on your favorite podcast app. That's all we have time for today, but we hope you'll join us next time as Pastor Rick continues to teach through the book of Mark, right here on Cross-Reference Radio.