Although I have more reports that have been sent to me from the House of Blessing, in this Mideast Update, I would like to share a sermon that Pastor Abdelrahem sent and asked me to pass on to you all. Please take the time to read what the Lord has laid on his heart, keeping in mind that these thoughts do not come from someone sitting in a pastor’s study, but rather straight from the front lines of one of the most dangerous places on earth for preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. At the end of Abdelrahem’s exhortation, you will find a very short report of a very unusual experience that he and some of the brothers had recently. I have also included a short commentary at the very end. Thank you for reading!
There will be another Mideast Update made available by this coming weekend.
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Greetings, brother Jack, and peace be upon all who follow Jesus, the Savior of the nations from destruction. As for me, I have long followed prophecies, now, at the age of 89, I am utterly amazed by what has transpired over the past sixty years. I am struck by the speed at which everything is coming to pass in this generation. As I follow global news, I see biblical prophecies being fulfilled daily — something that was not the case before.
In a dialogue and discussion with Rabbis Spazi and Shabu — which was conducted during time spent in prayer and supplication to the Lord Jesus — the question arose: What is the purpose of the prophecies revealed to us? Prophecy serves as a warning bell, reminding us of our responsibilities. God Almighty urges us to understand events and history so that we may face current challenges. Prophecies do not merely provide us with material to help us prepare for life; they also guide us to realize that the world has a Creator — for we see God Almighty at work.”
It is important for us, as created beings, to realize that we are not at the pinnacle of the hierarchy. Humans may sit at the top of the food chain, yet we are but a tiny speck compared to the vastness of the universe in which we have been placed. Not long ago, we were ignorant of anything beyond the three dimensions visible to the naked eye. Today, however, scientists recognize eleven dimensions, and there is evidence suggesting that parallel universes are not merely the stuff of science fiction. Our Creator is far greater than we can imagine, yet humans find it extremely difficult to submit to anyone or anything. There is a pride within us that resists submission to anyone — even to God. Among the millions — perhaps even billions — of books printed since the dawn of history, there is only one that has never erred in its prophecies. Figures like Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, and others claiming prophetic insight are often praised; yet, none of them were infallible in their predictions — unless they were among God’s chosen prophets. No other book has demonstrated such accuracy in its prophecies as the Bible. Not a single one!
I believe we bear a profound responsibility to recognize the true nature of this Book with which God has blessed us. It encompasses many facets, including history, the laws of life, the stories of pivotal historical figures, and much more. It also contains the only accurate account of our world’s origins — that it was truly created out of nothing. Although science does not readily accept the Bible’s veracity, it finds it increasingly impossible to deny its truth. The Bible also tells the story of Jesus — the only one who was truly the “Son of Man” in every sense of the word, yet also God incarnate. Furthermore, it offers detailed guidance on how to live life as it was intended to be lived. Those who follow these guidelines — especially while maintaining a living relationship with God — find themselves fully prepared for the very purpose of our creation; indeed, following this path leads to success in life and to eternal life.
Yet, there is another crucial theme in God’s Word: prophecy. Approximately one-third of the Bible is prophetic in nature. God intentionally filled the Word He left us — our roadmap — with foreknowledge of events before they were to occur. He did this by design. Our world is full of false prophets. Even a prophet whose predictions are accurate more than 50% of the time is not a true prophet; rather, he is merely a charlatan. The world is full of them, and — sadly — so is the Church. The Bible, however, contains a long list of true prophets whose words have been recorded. These prophets possess a flawless track record. This is because the God who called them to their difficult mission exists outside of time, seeing the past, present, and future all at once. He never errs!
Today, the world’s population exceeds eight billion people. Much of the world is in a state of utter chaos; disorder is everywhere. That which Jesus prophesied is coming to pass today. It is crucial that we understand what He and His prophets said and how those words apply to our dying world. Unfortunately, many churches content themselves with offering good programs while avoiding any controversial topics. Regrettably, biblical prophecy is often viewed as controversial. In doing so, they dishonor the God who ensured that His Book included so much on this subject. As Rabbis Spazi and Shabu observe:
“We are witnessing the work of Almighty God! This places upon us the responsibility to explain this to a world thirsting for knowledge. If we do not tell them, where else will they find the truth? When we begin to witness the fulfillment of prophecies, it signifies that the Messianic Age has begun. We are living in extraordinary times — the dawn of the Messianic Age — as biblical prophecies come to pass. We see evidence of Almighty God’s existence and His direct intervention. Consequently, certain behaviors are expected of us. Indeed, one of the purposes behind Almighty God’s recording of these prophecies is to inspire us — ordinary people — to lead lives of purpose and significance.”
Several points struck a deep chord with me as I read this, though I will touch upon them only briefly — leaving you to reflect on them further for yourself. Most people fail to realize that, prior to the pivotal year, 1948, there had seemingly been very little of significant prophetic import linked to the “End Times” spoken of by Jesus. That year marked the start of a momentous countdown. As I often reiterate: “The Messianic Age began when biblical prophecies started to be fulfilled.” This refers specifically to prophecies concerning the return of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland and their re-establishment as a sovereign nation.
The year 1948 witnessed many other significant events, yet none were as important as the re-establishment of the State of Israel. This significance was compounded when Israel gained control over the ancient city of Jerusalem in 1967. God’s orchestration of world affairs begins in Jerusalem. I have heard it said that Jerusalem is the navel of the earth, and I believe this to be true. When the State of Israel was re-established, prophecies began to be fulfilled one after another — great, unbelievable events that would have been utterly impossible without God’s intervention. The biblical prophecies concerning global events — spanning the period from Israel’s re-establishment as a state to Jesus’ arrival on the Mount of Olives upon His return — are numerous and follow in rapid succession. Jesus stated that the generation witnessing the re-establishment of the State of Israel would also witness His actual return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This includes all of us!
For those who grasp this reality, it ought to truly transform the way we live. Yet, therein lies the problem at times: no generation wants to believe it might be the last. Of course, this depends on one’s perspective regarding life and eternity. Naturally, it is easier for an older person like myself (Abdelrahem), and others no longer young, like Elders Hayel and Arshid, to accept this as fact, as we no longer need to build a career. I am not a young man aspiring to marry and raise a family; finding that balance is difficult when one is raising children. We must always anticipate the Lord’s return; however, none of us should stop living our lives. We do not know the day or the hour of the Lord’s return, so the Bible urges us to persevere in the path God has set for our lives until He takes us to Himself.
Nevertheless, the Bible tells us that we will know the time of his return. In fact, Jesus sharply criticized the religious leaders because, while they could predict the weather for the coming day, they failed to discern the times in which they lived. Jesus did not label them hypocrites so much for their lack of understanding as for their failure to recognize the era they had been placed in. The same holds true today. In many Western societies, the longing for Heaven is virtually not-existent; indeed, it is scarcely even mentioned. Could it be that we live in such comfort that heaven seems of little consequence? I fear that life itself has the power to change that. Hardship need only knock at our doors for us to view from a radically different perspective — what is truly important and worth living for.
Our motivation should be to live a life that connects us to this world just enough to fulfill the role God intended for us. When we become consumed by our earthly successes, we lose the ability to serve as true examples of faith in God. One need only read the Sermon on the Mount to see how easily we allow ourselves to be distracted by this fleeting world. Is true success merely a matter of observing the laws of the Bible? It is all a question of priorities; we must order our priorities correctly, and then everything else will fall into place.
Witnessing the fulfillment of prophecies carries immense responsibility. The world has a Creator and Judge, and ultimately, we are accountable for our daily actions and conduct. We ought to be deeply concerned, for we are witnessing the fulfillment of biblical prophecies and acknowledging the presence of the Eternal Judge. “The Judge will review the path we took in life when we enter the heavenly court…”
Neither you nor I came to exist on this earth by accident. We were born at the time God willed and in the place ordained for us. Nothing happens by chance; God is in control of everything. The mere presence of evil around us does not mean God has lost control. Ultimately, everything will unfold according to His divine plan; evil will be utterly defeated and confined to a place where it can never again touch or defile God’s creation.
Since we are not the product of chance, we should not live haphazard lives. Life is a gift that must not be taken for granted. So, what should we do? Here are a few suggestions:
- Ensure you have a genuine relationship with God, your Creator.
- Acknowledge Him not only as your Creator but also as your Savior. Jesus was not merely a good man, nor was He simply a great prophet: he was — and remains — God.
- We are the final generation, racing toward the fulfillment of everything foretold in the bible.
- Recognize that biblical prophecies are not to be avoided, but heeded! God exists and is in absolute control. He has commanded us to be watchful of the times in which we live.
Our prayers are for you all.
His Servants Forever,
Abdelrahem, Rabbis Sabazi, Shabo, and others
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I received a short message a couple days ago that I would like to share. Pastor Abdelrahem described a very unusual experience he and some of the others with him had. This is what he related to Dr. Nibras, who in turn passed it on to me.
Peace be upon you, brother Jack, and upon the Lord’s beloved. I received an account from Abdelrahem and the brethren regarding a vision they experienced after the Holy Spirit descended upon them during prayer. They journeyed with the Lord Jesus to the Holy of Holies and prayed there. The Lord was with them, shining as a brilliant light all around them — what a profound moment it was as they prayed and wept at the sight of that holy place. The Scripture passages the Lord spoke to Abdelrahem and the accompanying elders and rabbis were Psalm 24:7, and Psalm 118:19-20
“Life up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.”
“Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, and I will praise the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord, through which the righteous shall enter.”
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There may be those who might question what this was about. We know that the ancient location of the Holy of Holies was in the Temple — which has been destroyed twice over the centuries. As we know, there is not a Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount today. We also know that there will be a very short-lived 3rd Temple that will be built and will be functioning during the seven years of John’s Apocalypse. All of the component parts of the Temple have apparently already been built and are ready to be erected. When the “right” moment arrives, the Temple will be erected in a very short period of time. All of the Temple accessories are ready and the priests have already been fully trained.
Is this the Temple Jesus will reign from in the Millennium? No. We find a very detailed description of this 4th Temple, the Millennial Temple, in Ezekiel 40-48. What is significant about the readiness of the 3rd Temple to be erected is that it is a strong prophetic sign of the soon to begin Apocalypse of John, also referred to as Daniel’s 70th Week.
Where was the Holy of Holies that Abdelrahem and the brethren were spirited to for this special time of prayer? I would say they found themselves somewhere in or on the Temple Mount — although certainly not visible to anyone there. Some might argue that God does not do such things, but isn’t that what God did with the Apostle Philip when he had finished baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch? God took Philip and he found himself in Azotus (Ashdod today). Incidentally, this same thing has happened to others over the years, even in our generation.
Only God knows the full reason, but it was His will to temporarily put these men in this place for a very special time of intercession and worship. It was also, however, a very strong sign of the imminence of the Great Tribulation itself. We must pay attention!
In conclusion, HOB wants to thank you all for your very generous gifts to help finance the House of Blessing’s mission. You and I cannot even imagine the number of souls that have been reached because of the obedience of those that have been led to support HOB’s work. It has kept the printing press busy, and is providing for the secondary smaller printer to be paid off and put into operation. Thank you from all of HOB! The House of Blessing is also very grateful, and dependent upon your prayers. God continues to answer these prayers! God Bless You All.
Forever in His Service,
Jake (aka Jack)