Fear, Desperation and Greed

The World held its breath as the heads of the Federal Reserve met. And, we all breathed a sigh of relief as they chose not to raise interest rates. But, if you knew the fear at the heart of this decision you wouldn’t feel relief. From now until the Lord returns, fear, desperation and greed will be the watchwords of our society.

This is why Muslim migrants are flooding into Europe. This is why China fortifies tiny atolls in the South China Sea. This is why Russia sends weapons to Syria. This is why ISIS fights to the death. This will be why America will one day declare Martial Law. This will be why Gog and Magog will come against Israel.

My hope is that you will prepare and not join the world in this Fear, Desperation and Greed.

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Fear, Desperation and Greed

I usually start these articles on Thursday, so that I will have enough time to write thoroughly and completely on something that I believe that you need to know – and so that I can make it on time to the Bible class that I teach on Friday nights, here in Taipei. However, I didn’t do that for two reasons:

  • I wanted to know what the FOMC would do at 2 p.m., Thursday (2 a.m., my time)
  • I was hopping mad about something said by John MacArthur

The Fed Blinks

Since I am human, like the rest of you, logic doesn’t always dictate my actions. All kinds of anticipations will push me this way – or that. And, my anticipation – or better, apprehension – over what the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) would do about interest rates… well …it gave me pause.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what the FOMC does. But, its decisions are a kind of communication to the rest of us useless eaters. In this case the FOMC was communicating to us that the financial collapse is coming, and they do NOT wish to be blamed for it.

Only once the financial collapse can be blamed on someone else… only THEN will they raise interest rates. Fear and desperation were the emotion of the day, yesterday, and you need to understand that. In fact, you need to internalize that understanding, so that you will go out and prepare for what they fear and are desperate to avoid.

Unfortunately, when you get to my research for the week, you’ll find that it’s almost too late for preparation. But, ALMOST TOO LATE isn’t the same as IS TOO LATE. When the government closes the exits to America – and when the cities collapse into violence and death – THEN it will be TOO LATE.

But, please understand that it will be too late, when you see the violent collapse from your window. Please act now.

Hopping Mad About John MacArthur

A good friend of mine asked about something that finally had reached his attention. He wanted to know about John MacArthur’s claim that taking the Mark of the Beast will not keep you from going to heaven.

Unfortunately, the claim is true, and every time I contemplate the evil of such a thing, I become too angry for words. The book of Revelation – in chapter 14 and chapter 16 and chapter 20 – is extremely clear about what will happen to you, if you take the Mark of the Beast.

John MacArthur made this claim many years ago, to the outrage of many Christians, and he has refused to repent of that statement. His staff has double-downed on it, and his supporters are waging a guerrilla campaign against those who try to shed light on this statement.

I have repeatedly had to recreate links to videos that John MacArthur’s organization and his supporters have forced YouTube to take down. This is just further evidence of the corruption at the heart of what MacArthur is doing. In fact, whenever I see such ‘guerrilla warfare’, I double-down on my own response to this great evil, and that’s what I did yesterday.

The following is a part of the section of Ezekiel’s Fire that I am currently editing. The link to the full section is here:

http://www.ezekielsfire.com/chapter-one/twisting-the-bible/

And, the core of the issue is here:

http://www.ezekielsfire.com/chapter-one/the-pre-tribulation-rapture-lie/

John MacArthur And the Mark of the Beast

I dimly remembered a controversy over a pastor saying something about taking the Mark of the Beast – and still being able to go to heaven. In fact, I couldn’t quite remember his name. It was John-somebody. John… …ah yes… …John MacArthur.

The Evidence

Yes, that was it. John MacArthur.

So, I did a search for “John MacArthur” mark of the beast. In fact, that link is essentially the same Google search that I did that day. If you do that search again, you will not find the video that I originally discovered, since John MacArthur’s organization keeps trying to stamp out all videos that reveal what he has been saying.

This is just another sign of the corruption within John MacArthur’s organization.

But, I did find this video, and it’s a good one – from Pastor David Williams:

JOHN MACARTHUR: GETTING 666 WON’T CONDEMN

YouTube shortlink: https://youtu.be/EuOnT1AOtBI

note: I have found that someone keeps trying to take down videos that criticize John MacArthur. If that occurs to the above video, you will know what happened. It is a shameful thing for anyone to try and hide John MacArthur’s heresy.

I clicked the link and listened to the video. When I got to the main point, it took a moment for John MacArthur’s words to sink in. Then, the shock hit:

He said WHAT?!?!

John MacArthur actually said that you can take the Mark of the Beast and not go to Hell. I was so horrified, so shocked… well, I just don’t have words to adequately express how I felt.

Proof Of Abominable Heresy

This is a true abomination.

Here is a preacher – that is revered by many – openly denying the words of the Book of Revelation. Here is the relevant verse:

And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Revelation 14:11

You can parse that verse any way you like, but when you say “and whosoever” you are making an and/or statement. You are not saying that just both will go to Hell. You are saying that either one OR BOTH will go to Hell.

To put it another way, there are two conditions that will send you to Hell:

  • worship the beast and his image
  • receiving the mark of his name

Just ONE of those will send you to eternal punishment. Doing both is just icing on the cake.

THAT is the syntax of this verse in English. It’s even stronger in Greek:

καὶ εἴ τις λαμβάνει τὸ χάραγμα τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ.

Transliterated, it says:

…and if anyone receives the mark of the name of it.

If you want to look at it for yourself, the link is here:

http://biblehub.com/interlinear/revelation/14-11.htm

If you want confirmation, notice in Revelation 20:4-5 that NO ONE who stands before the Lord in the First Resurrection has taken the Mark of the Beast. Not a single person in the first resurrection has the Mark of the Beast. And, as I said earlier, there is only ONE Resurrection of the Just. I quote this verse later on in the article, but you can click the link if you can’t wait.

Another Video

Now, since Phil Johnson and other supporters of John MacArthur are trying to take down those videos that expose the evil that John MacArthur has spoken, let me bring you another video that they will have a little more trouble taking down.

This is from Pastor Jacob Prasch:

On the Mark: A Word to John MacArthur Part 1

YouTube shortlink: https://youtu.be/efHvkZ32RZk

That was/is a powerful indictment of John MacArthur. And, I can tell you that I would have been just as passionate in my response. In fact, I’m not sure that I would have been as self-controlled.

This stance by John MacArthur is pure heresy, and he will be judged by God for this vile evil. He has put the eternal lives of Christians in jeopardy by this evil teaching.

My prayer is that MacArthur will repent of this evil before it is too late. I really do.

John MacArthur In Text

For those who want the text of this abomination that John MacArthur said in the video, you can find it here:

https://www.gty.org/resources/Print/Sermons/1301-I

Here’s the relevant question and John’s answer (about a third of the way down the page of the above link):

QUESTIONER: Oh, my question is in regard to the latter half of the Tribulation period, when…when men will be required to have the mark of the beast in order to buy or sell. My question is once the person takes the mark, is there possibility of Him coming to Christ?

JOHN: Yes, I think, you know, in the seven-year Tribulation coming in the future, we’re gonna get into this, so probably a week from Sunday night, maybe this Sunday night, maybe a week, I’m not sure. But the Tribulation is a seven-year period, right? The Rapture of the church, seven-year Tribulation, then Christ returns, sets up His Kingdom. Now, in that seven-year period, really two things happen. God begins to judge the world in…with a series of holocausts; and, at the same time, He begins to redeem His people Israel; and in the process of this, the antichrist establishes his rule; and in order to function in the economy of the antichrist, you have to take the mark of the beast. The mark being the number of a man, Revelation 13, 666. Six is the number of man, right? Seven is the number of perfection, and man always falls short of perfection, 666, always sixes, never seven. So the number man, and apparently what’s gonna happen, you take the mark on your hand or on your forehead; and we’ve talked a lot about that, you know, that…that that’s kind of the computer situation. We’re now moving fast toward the time when we’re going to have to do everything we do by cards and by numbers and all of that, and those number…the thing about a card that’s a problem is you lose it, and they’ve already devised systems to put the number on your hand and on your forehead, and you go through a scanner and, you know, that’s how you buy and sell. It’s automatically deducted from your bank account.

Now, the question is, if you’re living in the Tribulation period, and you take this mark, in other words, you identify with the beast’s empire, will you still be able to be redeemed? And I think the answer to that is yes. Yes, otherwise there would be no salvation of anybody in the end of the Tribulation; and you’ve got to have the salvation of folks in the end of the Tribulation. You’re gonna have the Jews redeemed. You’re gonna have, according to Revelation chapter 7, “An innumerable number of Gentiles redeemed, so many they can’t even be counted across the face of the earth.” So I don’t think the fact that someone takes that is a sentence to…to permanency anymore than you being a part of this world system once in your life means you have to be a part of the system all your life. Well, especially when 144,000 don’t start their ministry till the second half.

QUESTIONER: Yeah, that’s true, yeah.

JOHN: That’d make it a little tough.

(I have put in bold the relevant text.)

Now, in case you are wondering whether John MacArthur has backtracked on the above, think again. Here’s a member of his staff, Phil Johnson, doubling down on it:

http://www.gty.org/Blog/B131030

My answer to this foolish article is that yes, God COULD forgive the sin of taking the Mark of the Beast. God COULD do that.

But, He is NOT going to.

Please get this right. God CAN forgive this sin. He really can. But, He’s not going to. It’s His choice, and He’s warning us ahead of time that this is a line that you had better not cross.

Why John MacArthur Believes This

Now, why does John MacArthur preach AGAINST the words of Revelation 14:11?

He doesn’t have a choice.

Wait… He doesn’t have a choice?

Yeah. He’s stuck with this position because it is dictated by a fraudulent theory that he passionately believes in:

The Pretribulation Rapture Theory

If he had said something else, like ‘you cannot go to heaven if you take the Mark of the Beast’, he would have had to tear up the Pretribulation Rapture Theory AND Dispensationalism. In fact, he’d have to tear up decades of false teaching, and he’s NOT going to do that.

The Pretribulation Rapture Theory Requires It

Now, I see that you have a question, so I’ll ask it for you:

Why does the Pretribulation Rapture Theory require people to take the Mark of the Beast before getting saved?

Well, MacArthur DOES know what the Bible says, and here is the key point:

And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

Revelation 13:16

That means that The Beast makes everyone take the Mark of the Beast. Everyone. (Well… except for those who are already saved.) And, since he believes that the Rapture took away all the saved people before this moment in time… well, all that’s left are those who will take the Mark of the Beast.

With me so far?

So, according to the Pretribulation Rapture THEORY, since everyone takes the Mark of the Beast…

this means that everyone saved during the Tribulation has ALREADY taken the Mark of the Beast.

John MacArthur acknowledged this when he said:

Now, the question is, if you’re living in the Tribulation period, and you take this mark, in other words, you identify with the beast’s empire, will you still be able to be redeemed? And I think the answer to that is yes. Yes, otherwise there would be no salvation of anybody in the end of the Tribulation; and you’ve got to have the salvation of folks in the end of the Tribulation.

It’s logic. And, I understand that.

Two HUGE Problems

But, wait… Houston, we have a problem… There’s this verse:

And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

Revelation 16:2

And then, there’s this verse (which I linked to earlier):

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Revelation 20:4-5

You CANNOT fit those verses in with John MacArthur’s interpretation of Revelation.

Why?

Because, the wrath of God would be poured out on those who are saved, because all the saved people would ALSO have the mark. But, the second verse that I quoted condemns John even more.

Revelation 20:4-5 is describing the first resurrection, and not a single one of the people in the first resurrection has the Mark of the Beast on him/her.

NOT. A. SINGLE. ONE.

Not a single person who stands before the Lord in the First Resurrection will have EVER received the Mark of the Beast. PERIOD.

MacArthur Chooses Poorly

This Pretribulation Rapture Theory has put John MacArthur in a difficult position. He’s stuck between this fraudulent theory of the Rapture…

…and the Bible.

What did he choose?

Well, he chose the theory.

Does this sound like a teacher that you should be following?

Not to me.

Now, there’s another dimension to this. It’s bad enough that John MacArthur is preaching abominable heresy. We have two more that are doing the same.

John MacArthur OUTRAGE: Take the Mark of Beast, still be saved. False Teaching

YouTube shortlink: https://youtu.be/iU3tjRq6tX4

So, now we add to more voices to this heresy – Brannon Howse and Jimmy DeYoung.

I do not wish to feel upset about John MacArthur, but he has chosen evil over good. This doesn’t mean that there is NO good in John MacArthur. He preaches that Jesus is God and that faith in Him will bring you salvation.

But, he also preaches lies, lies that will condemn you to Hell – if you follow them.

No. They aren’t just lies. They are heresy. And all who preach heresy are heretics. So yes, John MacArthur is a heretic, and I hate the fact that I must say that. I really do.

So, if you listen to John MacArthur, stop. If you have his books, throw them out. If you are reading his ‘annotated’ Bible, go out and buy one that isn’t ‘annotated’.

I am truly grieved that someone like MacArthur would deliberately put the spiritual lives of our brothers and sisters into such great jeopardy. It is truly an abomination beyond my ability to adequately describe – at least, not without resorting to book-length text.

So, let me stop here and move to the research of the past week.

 

May The Lord Bless You

So let me end with a blessing:

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:

The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

 – Numbers 6:24-26

AMEN!

I truly hope that you’ll be ready for this
(That’s a link. Click it for a discussion on preparation.)

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.Proverbs 22:3

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If you find a flaw in my reasoning, have a question, or wish to add your own viewpoint, leave a comment on the website. Your input is truly welcome.

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