| |
PATRIOTIC ARMAGEDDON...Can You Hear Me Now?
By Doug Krieger
"Radical Terrorism" (a.k.a. Islamic Terrorism) is breaking out all over the globe. Iran’s surge into fundamentalism’s nuclear club is one intolerable thought—Osama’s dirty-little suit case bombs coming across the USA-Mexican border is another! Man, and all this while Bolton ascends to the UN, CAFTA is passed by the Congress, the Unions self-destruct, and the Dems. claim victory in Ohio from the jaws of defeat . . . not bad for one of the hottest summer’s on record! Once again, theology—specifically, Christian eschatology—plays a huge part in all this business. That’s what this article is all about—sure, I get real preachy at the end: But there’s no one, no where else, to turn! Wonder no more—there’s a reason why the film Megiddo, with all its carnage, was allowed to play in American theaters after 9/11—better read the "rest of the story" while we still have time.
By Doug Krieger
Each day the present geo-political reality confirms what The Tribulation Network has been saying for the past two years! All this, while the world still debates whether or not we should call the current War on Terrorism/Terror: The West vs. Radical Islam!
Now, the EU and Iran squabble over Iran’s real intentions—but the US makes plans for taking out Iran’s nuclear threat—this week (August 1-7) is the turning point! Bolton is in place at the UN—Bush is ready to move and faster than you think (about as fast as the Democrats turn in a victory claim on a dead jackass in Ohio).
We have termed the spiritual force(s) behind "Radical Islam" the rise of "Gog" that great principality the Bible declares, who under the Prince of Darkness (both now, as found in Ezekiel 38, 39, and Daniel 11:40-45; and at the close the Millennium in Revelation 20:7-10), is summoned to confront Israel at the "End of Days" AND at the conclusion of millenarian bliss.
To announce this, to be utterly cognizant and Biblically affirmed in this scenario, does not mean that we here at The Tribulation Network are hell-bent on an Armageddon strategy and full of gloom and doom. There’s hope beyond the criminality and destruction that is going on out there—most of which acclaims "peace and safety" to all who would join in assailing the prospect of Gog and those allied with this principality (Magog).
Kenneth Timmerman’s much-acclaimed exposure on Teheran’s intentions (The Coming Nuclear Showdown with Iran) has been given overwhelming exposure in the "conservative media" and even some liberals concur with his nuclear suspicions. A quick read of Timmerman’s immediate conclusions portend an exceedingly aggressive Iran with 30 deliverable nukes on the ready—we’re talking a major crisis here where even the French (can you believe) would side with the US and go after Iran!
TBN/LEFT-BEHIND CHRISTIANITY’S SCENARIO
Likewise, we have repeatedly warned of the folly, false hope—yea, deception, fraught with pride and false patriotism, which cripples the evangelical Church in America from her true testimony to the Cross of Christ!
Their shameful display of such in the War on Terror, in the name of the Son of God—against the "Evil Doers"—is akin to the cutting off of the ear of the servant of the high priest wrought by impetuous Peter that night in the Garden of Gethsemane in order to protect his Master . . . as if the Master needed any sword of man!
Our previous tomes have excoriated our beloved brother, Dave Hunt, for his persistent denial of Gog’s specificity—claiming it all blends together into Armageddon. This he deliberately does, I surmise, because of the Premillenarian embarrassment of claiming that Gog-Magog was for decades believed to be Russia and her Arab allies—but that stupidity ended when the Cold War terminated any real Russian threat (Note: If Biblicists would have taken the nations "literally" – as they are wont to do – the current alignment of nations in the Middle East found in Gog-Magog, and recorded in Ezekiel 38-39, is nigh perfect!). Today’s Russia is, as Vladimir Putin put it: The greatest geopolitical tragedy of the century—while decrying the onslaughts of the New Roman Empire: The USA. (Of course, it's the USA trying to save them Russkies in that mini-sub!).
By blurring the distinctions of Gog-Magog from that of Armageddon would be one thing—but Hunt (as pointed out), not only blurs these distinctions (allegedly to make amends to Premillenarian exegetical excesses) but asserts that we have naught to worry for the Church’s Rapture (and that but a scarce 200 million will rapture—I guess akin to the 200 million figure mentioned in Revelation 9:16 of those armies of the Kings of the East who shall assault the Middle East) or His coming for precludes any involvement (or testimony) to any future or revealed Antichrist and the forces of darkness.
In other words, Hunt’s eschatology precisely mirrors the Left Behind Series eschatology of Tim LaHaye and Hal Lindsey (America’s top book sellers!)—falsely, as far as we are Biblically concerned—leaving the entire 70th Week of Daniel to Israel of the flesh to fend off the Prince of Darkness and his minions, while getting pounded for their rejection of Messiah, until He finally shows up.
Somehow, however, as other Pretribulationists/Premillenarians explain (and here’s where their theology does great insult to the doctrine of being "in Christ" (i.e., being a part of the Body of Christ))—a vast multitude of "Tribulation Saints" shall arise during this awful time of the revealed Antichrist to contend with his Pax Antichristus; however, their "salvation" is akin to those of the Old Testament (whatever that means or can mean since the cross of Christ persists straight through the 70th Week of Daniel).
Nonsense, these "Tribulation Saints" described in Revelation 4-on, until the coming of our Lord in bodily form, are as much "in Christ" – as much a part of the Church here and present – as we believers in Christ are this very moment!
Hence, there is full justification, yea, absolute value in support of all "wars of liberation and democratization" throughout the planet wrought by these United States of America—though they be unilateral, pre-emptive, and self-serving of our national interest—because the Man of Sin, the Son of Perdition, the Lawless One "who is after the working of Satan with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish" (II Thess. 2:9-10) has NOT been "revealed in his own time" (II Thess. 2:6) and will not be so revealed (so says Dave Hunt) until "He who now restrains (i.e., the Holy Spirit and, ipso facto, the Church) will do so until He (the Holy Spirit, along with the Church) is taken out of the way (i.e., Hunt/LaHaye/Lindsey’s alleged Rapture of the Church).
It is this faulty exegesis and cruel subterfuge which lulls the Body of Christ at the close of this age into a false sense of security and formidable deception AND under this vulnerability, commits her to the War on Terror—compounding the error of Balaam and the gospel of prosperity and wealth within the overall Laodicean expression of the current apostasy wherein the god Mammon is worshiped and adored, as the Green Gospel persists from sea to shining sea!
TBN’s MEGIDDO—SEQUEL TO "THE OMEGA CODE"
Lewis McNeely, Senior Pastor of Warehouse Ministries (who is also an avowed Calvary Chapel Pretribber), Sacramento, California, gave the Megiddo film a four-star rating and claimed:
"Biblically, the film appears sound, allowing enough speculation to not offend anyone's end-times interpretations . . . Overall a great film with an even better conclusion. Go see this and pay full price!"
(http://www.christiananswers.net/spotlight/movies/2001/megiddo.html )
Of course Pastor McNeely would encourage its viewing—it utterly supports his patriotic views and end-times scenario. Alas! The you-can-have-your-cake-and-it-it-too proponents of "bless-me-Christianity" are more than thrilled to pay full price to see such a resounding confirmation of their eschatology!
Thus it was on the evening of July 23, 2005, that I actually viewed the film myself—all the while musing over McNeely’s remarks that it was well-worth the original price to be paid right after 9/11’s attack; and, since I abide within the confines of Laodicean Christendom, why not? In point of fact Michael York, interviewed after the performance (and, by the way, he’s an excellent actor/performer—no problem there as Antichrist) amplified the significance of the film’s release shortly after 9/11 as a "rare exception" to all other violent films being placed on hold: Except Megiddo’s carnage.
And, why was this? Because of its solid USA-patriotic agenda.
Michael Biehn (Terminator, The Abyss, The Seventh Sign) plays David Alexander, the brother of antichrist York (Stone Alexander). The $20-million film released by the Crouches (Matthew and Paul of TBN) depicts a turn-of-the-century premillenarianism/pre-tribulationalism (in the main) view of eschatology—with a super-duper patriotic twist that utterly exonerates the USA, aside from a demonic-style Secretary of State who attempts to dethrone Biehn (who as Vice-President inherits the Presidency of the USA when Stone Alexander greets the USA President near Rome in an attempt to persuade him to join the New World Order under the yet-revealed Antichrist). The USA President is implanted, upon a handshake with Antichrist, with a biologically-transmitted disease which kills the USA President.
But . . . lo and behold, USA President Biehn/Alexander holds out against his antichrist brother, Stone Alexander, in a clash of American patriotism (good) vs. awful Antichrist Globalism (evil)—escaping the coup of the demon-possessed Secretary of State (played by a white male—just thought I’d mentioned it) . . . now, Biehn helicopters over to the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea and launches an all-out assault against antichrist York at his palace near Rome (and, of course, a sinister False Prophet, wrapped in clerical garb with incessant whisperings between the AC/False Prophet takes place throughout the film). The AC escapes to the Middle East and amasses allies from no less than 10 (ten, as in ten toes) from around the globe—most of the world’s "ten quadrants" siding with him (except, for some inexplicable reason, Mexico/Latin America, and, of course, China).
America flags are blazoned on all kinds of tanks as the armies of the world gather on the plains of Megiddo (which, actually was a set just outside of Los Angeles—couldn’t film on the actual Jezreel Plain of Megiddo because of the Intafada). No bother though, Biehn decides he’ll personally assassinate his brother, AC-York, notwithstanding a Latin-type compatriot who attempts to dissuade him otherwise (man, the Mexican Army had the Mexican flag on their tanks—undoubtedly, leading the Latin American forces allied with the USA against the AC). Alas, Biehn is caught and subjected to total humiliation and nigh killed by AC-York himself!
Then . . . while all "hell is breaking loose" between the forces of AC-York and the 200 million-man army of the Chinese (a.k.a., Kings of the East, led by none other than the Premiere of China himself) with the USA somehow allied against AC-York’s forces (Interesting, isn’t it?); and when AC-York morphs into the beast-like creature of the classical Hollywood Satan (horns, tail, etc.) . . . and when the whole earth is about to be murdered by the "Murderer from the beginning" – Christ arrives and the Devil is cast into the bottomless pit and seen with chains wallowing around in the fiery seas of the Abyss: GOD BLESS AMERICA!
View entire article/graphics/links @ http://www.the-tribulation-network.com
About the Author
Doug is a member of the "Last Days Network" . . . a group of evangelical pundits providing news and analysis on Religion in Politics. "Applied Biblical prophecy," apostasy and deception, the impact of the New American World Order System, and the influence of the Religious Right and Left upon American culture--are topics discussed by the group. He is an educator in the public schools (California) and an administrator.
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/6998.html
| If you wish to add the above article to your website or newsletters then please include the "Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/6998.html" as shown above and make it hyperlinked. |
| Some other articles by Doug Krieger | |
| |
