Articles

"Countdown to Armageddon" by Tricia Tillin

Links Between Israel's Peace Accords and the Endtimes Scriptures

Kronenberg AdvertA few years back, Kronenberg Lager ran an advertising campaign based around the words “Que Signifie 1664?” which says in French “What does 1664 mean?”

At the time I toyed with those words and made them the title of an article in my newsletter “Mainstream” - “Que Signifie 1994?”. It was because, in that year, we had the first outbreak of what became known as the Toronto Blessing (later to become a global spiritual ‘revival’ based on manifestations and dominionism).

(So significant did that year become to some in the Church that many "Latter-Rain" teachers now believe that the promised and longed-for latter rain that would arrive to perfect and glorify the Church BEGAN IN 1994.)

Later still, that question became more of a teaser to me, because I found out that 1994 saw the breaking open of the first seal on the inheritance scroll [1] that will ultimately lead us to the great fulfilment of all things (of Israel, of the Church and of the World).

As year followed year, I saw the progression of biblical events, but I asked the Lord to show me “why 1994” because (to me) it seemed like a random number unrelated to Israel’s history. I knew there had to be a reason and a significance.

I had already extensively studied the concept of the biblical Jubilees, and their 490-year cycle throughout Jewish and Church history. (See this page for my conclusions, and that whole study - contents page.) I therefore knew that the peace summits and the seal judgements were running according to the biblical seven-year calendar. Here is a reproduction from that study of just ONE cycle of 49 years with the seventh (sabbatical) years marked in brown.

LAST JUBILEE CYCLE OF 49 YEARS

1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981
1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988
1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 Oslo 1994 First Seal 1995
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Camp David 2001 2nd Seal 2002
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Annapolis 2008 3rd Seal 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 (?) 2015 4th Seal? 2016
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

 

But this didn't go far enough. Today I have been able to add to that earlier work. As you see this 69th Jubilee cycle starts with 1975. The previous cycle ending in 1974 is covered in this present study because it shows us WHY 1994 (amongst other reasons.)

I can best illustrate this with a chart, seen HERE

Revelation

Watching the recent UN discussions on Palestinian Statehood suddenly I knew! It has to do with the “peace process” in Israel. I felt like slapping myself for being so dense as not to see this obvious connection before, and the election slogan came to mind - in my case “it’s the peace process, stooopid!”

(Addendum) **WOW. Confirmation!! I stand amazed at God’s leading. I’m writing this just after flicking through a book (written in 1995) that I was using for quotes later in this article. Then I ‘just happened’ to read a crucial statement shown below. Thus I have returned to this first paragraph to say that the book unknowingly confirmed for me not only the reason for 1994 but the date itself. (That is, the Jewish year 1993-94):

“On September 13, 1993, Israel signed the DOP (Declaration of Principles) along with Yasser Arafat of the PLO.  Arafat is a Muslim who has sworn, along with other Muslim leaders, to liquidate Israel for Allah’s sake.  (2). Arafat’s mentor is Mohammed, the founder of Islam, and Arafat is emulating his mentor’s use of deceit in the war to destroy Israel.  The DOP and the peace agreement signed by Arafat in Cairo is a tactical military manoeuvre known in Arabic as a Truce of Hudaybiyyah.  (See http://www.jihadwatch.org/2009/01/hamas-offers-israel-one-year-truce.html). Mohammed first used that Truce against the inhabitants of Mecca in the seventh century, two years before he destroyed them. Saladin, the famous 12th century Muslim prince, also used the Truce and made peace with the Crusaders in the Holy Land before attacking and defeating them.  The Truce has become a model for all agreements with non-Muslims (“infidels”).  It is never permanent: never lasting more than 10 years with the possibility of another 10 years extension, no more.  Islam is not permitted to stop its war against non-Muslims for more than this period. The countdown to Armageddon, therefore, began in September 1993, and the war ought to be launched before September 2003, but must begin, at the very latest, in September 2013.  The actual timing for the war will entirely depend upon Islam’s perception of its own strength, and that of Israel’s weakness brought about by the Truce.” (Philistine: The Great Deception by Ramon Bennett 1995, p281)

The Muslim Truce should not run for more than ten years, which is perhaps why the "Second Intifada" was launched in September 2000. (Although in truth, there had been no cessation of violence anyway. There were over 90 terrorist attacks against Israelis in the immediate 31 weeks following the signing of the DOP in September 1993. In 1994, with Jericho and Gaza under Arafat’s rule, Israel suffered more terrorism than in any year since the founding of the state in 1948).

The Oslo Accords

The Israeli-PLO "Declaration of Principles" or Oslo Accord, is the agreement signed between the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on September 13, 1993. The official signing ceremony was held in Washington the following September, with then-Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat representing both sides and US President Bill Clinton serving as their witness. [see below]

Prior to signing the accords, Arafat—as Chairman of the PLO and its official representative—signed two letters renouncing violence and officially recognizing Israel. Despite this, violence by the PLO did not decrease. (Here are graphs showing the increase in violence after the Oslo Agreement.)

On May 4, 1994, the first phase of the Oslo Accords was implemented, as Israel and the PA signed the Cairo Agreement, giving the Palestinians control over Gaza and Jericho.

God owns the land; it belongs to HIM and it was given to Israel. So this was as much a slap in the face to God as was the Toronto Blessing that broke out at the same time. In both cases, God’s people departed from his true redemptive purpose and intention!

In the very same month, six days later to be exact, Arafat said this: "The jihad will continue ... You have to understand our main battle is Jerusalem ... You have to come and to fight a jihad to liberate Jerusalem, your precious shrine ... No, it is not their capital. It is our capital." (at a mosque in Johannesburg, South Africa on May 10, 1994)

Arafat during a speech in Gaza: "The heroic intifada, which has entered its seventh year, is an extension of the 29-year old Palestinian revolution and will go on relentlessly ... It is continuing, continuing, continuing." (Associated Press, Jan. 7, 1994)

  • (The First Intifada was a Palestinian uprising that began in 1987 in the Jabalia refugee camp and quickly spread throughout Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. It was supposed to have been ended by the Oslo Agreement in 1993, yet Arafat here is confirming that the Intifada continues unabated, “entering its seventh year” in 1994.)

So much for his honest intentions!

Note: Please read this appraisal of events written on September 13th 2011 by Ambassador Michael Oren of the Israeli Embassy.

1993-1994: The Oslo Accords & Vatican Agreements

Here we see a beaming and proud Sponsor of the Oslo Accords, then US President Bill Clinton, outside the White House with Rabin and Arafat. (Yitzhak Rabin paid a high price: his assassination took place on November 4, 1995 at the end of a rally in support of the Oslo Accords at the Kings of Israel Square in Tel Aviv. The assassin, Yigal Amir, a far-right-wing religious Zionist strenuously opposed Rabin's peace initiative and particularly the signing of the Oslo Accords.)

Oslo Accords

laurel crownThe next year, 1994, they are seen clutching their awards for the Nobel Peace Prize, thus becoming - as it is said - Nobel LAUREATES.

The word is taken from the laurel wreath crown once worn by victors and conquerors. It is the traditional symbol of victory, recognition, and reward.

It is also seen in the bible - on the head of the first rider sent forth from the heavens, the Rider on the White Horse! Rev 6:2: And I saw: and behold, a white horse, and he that sat upon it having a bow; and a crown [stephanos] was given to him, and he went forth conquering and that he might conquer. (Darby)

This White Horse Rider is NOT a real living person; he is not "The Antichrist". (see note 3). None of the participants at the Oslo Accord were the Antichrist; yet the process that began there will prepare the way. An antichrist deception, a false peace, and the Great Apostasy was launched in that year. "Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first". (2 Thess 2:3).

Nobel Peace Prize

Here is another hand-shake moment for you (two in fact). These were also taken during the time-period 1993-1994. The first, on 21 September 1993, is Israel's Chief Rabbi Israel Meir Lau at Pope John-Paul II's summer residence near Rome. Lau said afterwards that a pontifical visit to Jerusalem was 'approaching.' That visit did indeed take place, in March 1994.

It is important to note that the Vatican and Israel had no diplomatic ties until 1994, and the two sides were estranged. In 1993, however, John Paul II agreed to the Fundamental Agreement between the Holy See and Israel establishing relations between the two states and, in 1997, the Legal Personality Agreement recognizing church officials in Israel.

rabbi shakes pope's hand Rabin and Pope
September 21st 1993, eight days after the Oslo Accord It was only in 1993-94 that diplomatic ties were forged with Israel

By the way, the very first visit of a Pope to the modern-day Holy Land was in 1964 and we'll look at that in a moment. (See Timeline of Papal Visits to Israel). First, the parallel events in the Church.

At exactly the same time that Israel's Prime Minister shook hands with a Deceiver (read that as you will), and this deceptive peace process began in the Middle East, the Church also opened its doors to a Deceiver, and began treading the same path towards "The Great Falling-Away". (See more below).

The Endtimes Process Began in 1993-1994

Confused, because there are two years? That is because God's calendar for Israel is not a Westernised one that starts in the month dedicated to the Roman god Janus (January) but about three months earlier at Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish New Year. So we have to look at 1993-1994 as ONE year. New Year was September 16th in 1993, and September 6th in 1994.

Thus the countdown to Armageddon began in that time-period, 1993-1994. Others seemed to sense the turning of the tide also. In a statement to the United Nations Business Council in September 1994, David Rockefeller said,

"… this present 'window of opportunity,' during which a truly peaceful and interdependent World Order might be built, will not be open for long... We are on the verge of a global transformation. All we need is the right major crisis and the nations will accept the New World Order." (Address to the 28th Annual United Nations Ambassador Dinner, September 14, 1994, as quoted in the Business Council for the United Nations Briefing; Vol. 8, Issue 2, Winter 1995, page 1).

Signs

No wonder there was an explosion in the skies as well as on the earth, at this momentous and world-changing moment in 1994.

solar eclipse 1994

As one excited Astronomy magazine said about May 1994: “It's a great month: Two eclipses (note 4), a reliable meteor shower, and the planet Mercury await your observing pleasure.” What they didn't know in advance is that a FIREBALL would streak across the sky on May 8th 1994 as well.

 

fireball 1994

supernova 1994

Want a new star too? Okay, how's this - a supernova (supernova 1994D in galaxy NGC 4526) captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Supernova 1994D was a Type Ia supernova on the outskirts of galaxy NGC 4526. It was discovered in 1994 by Treffers, Filippenko, Van Dyk, and Richmond using the automated 30-inch telescope at Leuschner Observatory.

This new star was seen in the Constellation VIRGO, the Woman.

Then additionally, between July 16 and July 22 1994, the fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy Comet 19949 - first observed in March 1993 - collided with the planet Jupiter in a spectacular and one-off display! (You Tube Video).

The first impact and explosion took place in the late evening of 16th July, which in the Jewish calendar for that year was 9th Av. This day has historically been associated with bad tidings for Israel.

Tisha B'Av  or the 9th Av is a fast day that commemorates the destruction of both the First Temple and Second Temple in Jerusalem, which occurred about 655 years apart, but on the same Hebrew calendar date. Although primarily meant to commemorate the destruction of the Temples, it is also considered appropriate to commemorate other Jewish tragedies that occurred on this day, most notably the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492. Accordingly, the day has been called the "saddest day in Jewish history".

The peace process that was launched in 1993 and began in 1994 with the withdrawal from Gaza and Jericho will indeed lead to a very tragic conclusion.

Considerations About Peace

Since the turning-point of history, in theological terms, began with the peace-talks in 1993-1993, you might be questioning the reasons for this. You may feel that peace talks are necessary and no danger to Israel; you may feel that negotiations with the Arabs towards self-rule and statehood are a huge step forward. Many people do, but we need to dig underneath the political agenda to see what’s going on.

I would like to show you the true goal of these conflicts and negotiations.

The true intentions of the PLO are plainly seen by reading their own statements. The fact is, the Arab contingent of modern Palestine have worked for years towards their goal, which is the elimination of Israel as a nation and world power, and complete control of the land and the city of Jerusalem.

There is indeed a “two-stage” process but it’s not the one the Press talks about. The truth is found in this quote by the PLO’s “Foreign Minister” Farouk Kadoumi (as quoted by the Middle East Intelligence Digest in May 1993 p.6):

“There are two stages to our return: the first phase is to the 1967 lines, and the second to the 1948 lines.”

On 13th September 1993, the VERY SAME DAY that Arafat had signed the Israeli-PLO Declaration of Principles he stated in an interview on Jordan TV:

“Since we cannot defeat Israel in war, we will do this in stages. We take any and every territory that we can of Palestine, and establish a sovereignty there, and we use it as a springboard to take more. When the time comes, we can get the Arab nations to join us for the final blow against Israel.”

What people do not realise is that the current negotiations are only part of the Phased Plan drawn up by the PLO in 1974. The endgame is total control. The White Horse Rider is a Victor, a Conqueror - but one who uses deception and falsehood for his weapons. His bow has no arrow and he appears to come in peace, but his aim is domination.

What was the 1974 PLO “Phased Plan” for Israel’s destruction?

The October 1973 Yom Kippur War convinced the Arabs that they would not be able to destroy Israel through military action within its post-1967 boundaries. Thus they embarked upon a new three-stage strategy for Israel’s destruction, embodied in the Palestine Liberation Organization’s 1974 Political Program, commonly known as the “Phased Plan”, adopted at the 12th Session of the Palestinian National Council, held in Cairo, June 9, 1974.

The plan has three main articles:

  • Through the “armed struggle” , to establish an “independent combatant national authority” over any territory that is “liberated” from Israeli rule. (Article 2)
  • To continue the struggle against Israel, using the territory of the national authority as a base of operations. (Article 4)
  • To provoke an all-out war in which Israel’s Arab neighbors destroy it entirely (“liberate all Palestinian territory”).

The Phased Plan remains the basis of PLO actions, even in the era of the Oslo Accords. Speaking on September 1, 1993, just after the announcement of the 1993 Israel-PLO agreement, PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat said on Radio Monte Carlo that the Oslo agreement:

"will be a basis for an independent Palestinian state in accordance with the Palestine National Council resolution issued in 1974… The PNC resolution issued in 1974 calls for the establishment of a national authority on any part of Palestinian soil from which Israel withdraws or which is liberated."

Historical Precedence

(Skip this and go on to the next section)

For any who are curious about why the Israelis should lay claim to any land, and why the greatest battle of all time is about to rage there, we need to look at history.

Millennia ago, God granted the land and the sovereignty to his covenant people, no matter what the world or the Church says to the contrary. It was the decision of God alone to mark out a piece of land and dedicate it to a family then unknown in the land of Ur.

Abram didn’t up-stumps of his own accord, move into Canaan and afterwards credit it to a god he previously knew nothing about! It was the Lord's call and command.

The Lord said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:1-3)

Later on, God also led the descendants of Abraham to the same spot at the time of Joshua, David, Nehemiah and after the Second World War. This was all because of an ‘everlasting covenant’ or vow that God has made to them:

Gen 15:18-19: “… the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates.”

Gen 17:19-20: “Then God said: … I will establish My covenant with [Isaac] for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.

Ex 6:2-8 “And God spoke to Moses and said to him: ‘I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name LORD I was not known to them. I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers… And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the LORD.'”

Throughout history it is the Jews who have lived in Israel. (Zech 2:10-13) (Here is an article that also explores the non-religious, political claim to the land).

God Cannot Lie (6)

The Holy Land is an important issue because it demonstrates the nature of God, both to the Jews and eventually to the world.

  • Firstly it establishes that God’s word is his bond and that he makes good on his promises.
  • Secondly, God’s name and reputation are at stake, both in history and in the future:

2 Chron 20:5-8 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, and said: "O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?

Isa 60:19-22 "… the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. Also your people shall all be righteous; they shall inherit the land forever… that I may be glorified.”

Isa 65:17-19 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind….for behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, and her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people…”

It is clear from bible prophecy that not only in the PAST, but also in the FUTURE God intends to protect and preserve his land. "God is not a man, that he should lie". If the land is forfeited or stolen, as the PLO intends, God could never fulfill his covenant promises to the Jews. Also, the plan to demonstrate his nature and glory there would fail - this cannot happen! It is impossible that God should fail.

It’s not surprising then, that the process to divide and withdraw from that land was the first step in the long walk towards Armageddon.

The Land Belongs to GOD

Any and all Israeli-PLO peace accords that place large areas of Israel’s land under Arab sovereignty are bound to end in dispute and bloodshed because:

  1. The land – as we see above - was given to Israel, and only to Israel for an eternal possession.
  2. Israel is the possessor, not the owner of the land.  The title deed remains in the hands of Almighty God, and Israel simply cannot give away land to others.  God placed an injunction on the land, and even Israelites could not sell their plots permanently to one another.  Israel has an everlasting possession, but God has absolute ownership – “The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me". (Leviticus 25:23)

One Hundred Years

Now let’s look at the remarkable course of events spanning a hundred years in which the Jews returned to their Promised Land, and the ‘peace process’ and endtimes began.

HUNDRED YEARS HISTORY
Click the chart to see the full version.

1914 – First World War August WW1 declared (Aug 1st) On Aug 21st there was total solar eclipse over Europe with point of greatest eclipse centred on Belarus (next to Poland and the Ukraine) 

NB: There is a curious pattern that emerges when counting in intervals of 666 days – that being an ominous number used in Revelation - Beginning at the outbreak of war on August 1, 1914, and counting in intervals of 666 days, there are 11 x 666 days to Aug. 1934. On August 2, 1934, with the death of Hindenburg, Hitler assumed the title of "Fuhrer", making himself absolute dictator of Germany. There are 29 x 666 days to June 16, 1967, the Arab-Israel Six Day War. There are 44 x 666 days to Oct. 1994 when there was a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan.

1924 – Nazi party wins seats in Government. (Hitler had determined that power was to be achieved not through revolution but through legal means, within the confines of the democratic system established by Weimar.)

1934 - Second World War (Aug 2nd). Hitler becomes Fuhrer & Chancellor (forerunner of Antichrist)

  • June 30, 1934 - 'Night of Long Knives'. Hitler, Göring and Himmler conduct a purge of the SA (storm trooper) leadership.
  • July 20, 1934 - The SS (Schutzstaffel) is made an independent organization from the SA.
  • August 2, 1934 - German President von Hindenburg dies. Hitler becomes Führer.
  • August 19, 1934 - Hitler receives a 90 percent 'Yes' vote from German voters approving his new powers.

1944 - March 19,  Nazis occupy Hungary (Jewish pop. 725,000).  Jews deported to Auschwitz and that Summer Auschwitz-Birkenau records its highest-ever daily number of persons gassed and burned at just over 9,000.

1954 - February 16: Legislation passed excluding all Jews from Jordan.
March 17 – Ma'ale Akrabim Massacre: Armed Palestinian Arab militants ambush and board an Israeli civilian passenger bus traveling from Eilat to Tel Aviv. Eleven Israelis brutally killed by the militants, others wounded.

1964 - The Crucial Pivot: Creation of the Palestine Liberation Movement.
PLO EmblemThe PLO grew out of the Arab Summit in Cairo in January 1964. The PLO’s founding congress took place in May 1964 in East Jerusalem, then annexed by Jordan. The organization’s charter — Palestinian National Covenant —  (issued on May 28, 1964) stated that "Palestine with its boundaries that existed at the time of the British mandate is an integral regional unit" and sought to "prohibit... the existence and activity" of Zionism. It also called for a right of return and self-determination for Palestinian Arabs. The PLO was considered by the United States and Israel to be a terrorist organization until the Madrid Conference in 1991.

January 5 – Pope Paul VI arrived in Israel, marking the first visit to Israel by the head of the Roman Catholic Church.

1964 Pope to IsraelIn this pivotal year of 1964 - halfway between 1914 and 2014 - there were two total lunar eclipses. The one on June 25th was completely visible from South America and Africa (Cairo!), seen as rising over North America, and setting over Europe and Western Asia; the December 19th one was visible over Europe and America. There were also FOUR partial solar eclipses that same year.

1973 October Yom Kippur War
1974 - In January 1974, the Palestine National Council met in Cairo and adopted a program for gradual "liberation" of Palestine, declaring that it would establish a state on any part of Palestine liberated from the Zionists. The Phased Plan was approved by the PLO on June 8, 1974. (What was the 1974 PLO “Phased Plan” for Israel’s destruction? See Above and links.)

1984  ?? (I'm not aware of any significant event, but I'm open to suggestions. If you know what fits here, let me know.)

1994 We have already covered this extensively. The creation of the Palestinian Authority and the withdrawal of Israel from parts of the land kick-started the countdown to the End. Click on the latter part of the Hundred Years Chart to see in more detail the section from here onwards, or go direct to the chart below.

Chart Two

DECEPTION
1993-1994 First Seal Opened and Spirit of Dominion released.

"The White Horse and its rider cannot represent Jesus Christ or the Antichrist. If the rider of the first horse was a noted personality, then the other riders would by necessity represent someone equal. All of the activities of these horses and horsemen are a redemptive and judgmental process right out of the seven-sealed scroll. The Son of God turns these forces loose and they are going forth throughout the earth. The Antichrist is part of the action but on the defense. He cannot come out of God’s redemption plan recorded in this scroll. Rather, he fights to defeat the process." (Joseph Chambers http://apostolicendtimescenario.blogspot.com/2010/01/white-horse-in-book-of-revelation.html )

White Horse The hallmark of the White Horse Rider is "Total Dominion" and that has been the central tenet established by the so-called 'apostolic-prophetic revival' of 1994 as well as the PLO. The Great Delusion of peace and goodwill in the Brotherhood of Mankind is now well under way.

This is as true in the Church as in Israel and the rest of the world. (See my article about the First Seal and the White Horse Rider here.) (The very foundation and basis for the "revival" was the "manifestation of the sons of god" as world rulers but it was not publicly presented as such.)

Peter Wagner, the leading 'apostle' of the New Apostolic Reformation taught this at a conference:

Dominion has to do with control. Dominion has to do with rulership. Dominion has to do with authority and subduing and it relates to society. In other words, what the values are in heaven need to be made manifest here on earth. Dominion means being the head and not the tail. Dominion means ruling as kings. It says in Revelation Chapter 1:6 that He has made us kings and priests, and check the rest of that verse. It says "for dominion." So we are kings for dominion. (Online source)

Dominion in Church, Israel and the Earth

In the Church, The Toronto Blessing kept step with the Israel-PLO meetings.  In November 1993, during a visit to Argentina, John Arnott pastor of the then Vineyard Fellowship at Toronto Airport, was prayed for by Assemblies of God minister Claudio Friedzon. The other channel of the new impartation was Rodney Howard Browne, who had experienced 'laughing revival' in South Africa.

In August 1993, Browne had imparted the 'blessing' to Randy Clark in Rhema Bible Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Clark, in turn, was the invited preacher at the Airport Vineyard on that decisive night when pandemonium broke out on January 20 1994.

By May 1994 it had reached the UK and spread quickly round the globe during that year. (The meeting called by John Wimber in September 1994 to control the abuses did not in fact restrain the Toronto Blessing but ensured that it circled the globe as an uncontrolled inter-denominational phenomenon.)

Oslo Accords Toronto Blessing

August 1993: Israeli and Palestinian chief negotiators initial
the Declaration of Principles (DOP) in Oslo.

August 1993 Browne lays hands
on Randy Clark

Sept. 13, 1993: President Clinton hosts a formal signing ceremony in Washington - Rabin and Arafat shake hands and sign the "Declaration of Principles"

November 1993 John Arnott visits Argentina

January 1994 Randy Clark in Toronto; Eighty-percent of meeting affected by manifestations

May 4, 1994 Gaza-Jericho Agreement (the Cairo Agreement)
Israel's initial withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and Jericho,
as well as the creation of the Palestinian Authority.

May 1994 Revival spreads to the UK and round the globe

July 25, 1994: The Washington Declaration King Hussein of Jordan
and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin meet publicly
in Washington, D.C. for the first time and take important
steps toward implementing a peace treaty.

July 1994 Clark takes the revival to America "Let The Fire Fall conferences".

2004 Jan/Feb two separate suicide bombs by Fatah Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades in Jerusalem Bus Massacre, July 9, 2004: International court of Justice (ICJ) rules that the Israeli security barrier violates international law and must be torn down. Nov 11, 2004: Yasser Arafat dies.

2014 Third World War?

The Next Three Seals

2000-2001 the Bloody-Red Sword of Violence

2000 - This year, (feared as Y2K,  when the “Millennium bug” would cause computers to crash!) began and ended with an eclipse over America, and provided a rare planetary alignment for good measure. It was another watershed year in the Arab-Israeli march towards “peace” for which America would pay dearly.

2000 Alignment

2000th Birthday of Jesus?

That year was notable for other reasons, for instance, the belief that it was the end of the Church Era because it was two thousand years since Jesus came to earth. It was hailed as "The First Year of the 21st Century" too, but actually was not either of these. The first year of the 21st Century was in fact 2001. And Jesus Christ was born before the year 1AD, so his 2000th birthday had already passed. (If it was in fact 1994 that would have made more sense! And there's a possibility that it was, as some believe Jesus could have been born in 6 or 7 BC.) (note 8)

Regardless of this, the year began with a total lunar eclipse on January 21 visible from all of North and South America and Europe, lasting for 1 hour and 18 minutes.

On May 5th 2000, an ominous alignment of planets, sun and moon on one side of the earth. (see picture above)  Many people had predicted dire consequences to the earth, that all failed to materialise. Nonetheless it was enough to give earth’s people a “heads-up” to events that year.

Camp David Peace Conference, July 2000

As we have seen, Arafat and the Arabs had no intention - despite the peace accord - of renouncing their battle for domination. For the next few years, there were many bloody confrontations. With his accustomed arrogance, President Clinton thought he could remedy the problem. He called for a Peace Summit, the Camp David meetings.

The actual Month of the Camp David Summit (July 2000) saw a string of notable heavenly events.

  • July 1, 2000, Partial Solar Eclipse
  • July 11, 2000, The Camp David Summit convened.
  • July 16, 2000, Total Lunar Eclipse across America where the Summit was being held.
  • July 25, 2000, The Summit ended without an agreement being reached.
  • July 31, 2000, Partial Solar Eclipse (This was a notable double eclipse: the second solar eclipse within one calendar month, the first being on 2000 July 1. But the latter was not visible in America.)

Camp DavidNo tenable solution was crafted which would satisfy both Israeli and Palestinian demands, even under intense U.S. pressure.

President Clinton was furious that he could not emerge as Peacemaker in the year of the New Millennium. It would have been his crowning achievement as US President but in the event, it proved his undoing.

He ended his presidency in disgrace and in January 2001 George W Bush was elected in his place. Another participant, Ehud Barak also lost his seat of power. He resigned in December 2000 and was replaced in 2001 by Ariel Sharon.

Temple Mount Battle; Second Intifada Begins

The Israeli prime minister, Ehud Barak, was criticised when he returned home from the unsuccessful Summit, as he was negotiating the division of Jerusalem and the ownership of the Temple Mount. Although he stood firm, the very idea was loathesome to the Jews.

Ariel Sharon, the leader of the right-wing Israeli opposition set out to drive Barak from office for bargaining over Temple Mount. He says in a television interview: 'One man, the Prime Minister, without discussing the issue with the inner cabinet, without bringing it to the government, without bringing it to the Knesset, without asking anyone of the Jewish leaders around the world, decided to hand over the holiest place of the Jewish people. That is something that no one can understand.'

To make his point that Temple Mount belongs to the Jews, Ariel Sharon said he would take a public walk on Haram al-Sharif, around two of Islam's holiest mosques. And on 28th September 2000, (two days before Rosh Hashannah) he made good on that promise. Just after dawn, Sharon entered the mosque enclave above Temple Mount. He said: "I came here with a message of peace. I believe that we can live together with the Palestinians. I came here to the holiest place of the Jewish people in order to see what happens here."

However, a crowd of outraged Palestinians tried to stone him, shouting at him to quit this provocation and get out of the holy al-Aqsa 2000 eclipse pathmosque. The visit sparked off a spiral of violence that left more than 300 dead by the middle of December.

December 2000

Time was running out for negotiations as far as Bill Clinton was concerned. He called the parties back to the table in December 2000 to no avail. On December 23rd Clinton, and Secretary of State Albright, held a meeting at the White House and presented the participants with proposed "parameters" for a final status agreement.

The outcome has been deliberately obscured by many, but Dennis Ross, chief US negotiator, was unequivocal in his memoir (Dennis Ross, The Missing Peace, 2004, pp 753-755).

According to Ross's summary, (and as published in the Bridging Proposals) Clinton's proposal gave the Palestinians about 97% of the territory of the West Bank and sovereignty over their airspace. Refugees could not return to Israel without Israeli consent. An international force would remain in the Jordan valley for six years, replacing the IDF. Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem and the Haram as Sharif (temple mount) would be incorporated into Palestine. Saudi Arabian ambassador Prince Bandar Ibn Sultan said, "If Arafat does not accept what is available now, it won't be a tragedy, it will be a crime." (Ross, The Missing Peace, 2004, p.748).

December 25, 2000 On Christmas Day, there was a solar eclipse visible during mid-day from the entire 48 states of the U.S. It was a sign of what America was to endure at the breaking-open of the Second Seal.

Second Seal: Violence, Bloodshed & Terrorism


red horse riderSeptember 2001. The Second Seal Opened and Spirit of Violence released.

Terrorism and bloodshed, international strife, wars and “rumours of wars” began and have continued to this day, including the current “Arab Spring” uprising.

It was an American President who tried to bring about peace in Israel through land-exchanges and haggling over the Temple Mount and Jerusalem, the centre of the Jew's religion and Capital City. We all know what happened in New York on September 11th 2001.

It is important to note that the next seal in 2008 (global economic meltdown) began exactly seven years later to the day! "Although Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy on Monday, September 15, 2008, it was actually “bombed” on September 11, when the biggest one-day drop in its stock and highest trading volume occurred before bankruptcy." (http://www.webofdebt.com/articles/economic9-11.php)

(By the way, many believe that Palestine was behind the 9/11 atrocity; video footage of Palestinians rejoicing and whooping with delight at the news is abhorrent and exposes their true aim. "911 Report" on YouTube suggests the motive for the attack was American support of Israel.)

Third Seal: 2007-2008 Economic Recession

2007 Next Step, The Annapolis Conference

The next major step towards 'peace' was a Conference held on November 27, 2007, at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. The conference marked the first time a two-state solution was articulated as the mutually agreed-upon outline for addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Bush's Roadmap For Peace proposed the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state.

Interestingly, the Annapolis peace talks on November 27, 2007 were:

  • 30 years (+ 8 days) after Anwar El Sadat, president of Egypt, visited Israel on November 19, 1977 to sign a peace agreement.
  • 60 years (- 2 days) after UN Resolution 181 on November 29, 1947, which created the State of Israel.

There was an ECONOMIC element to the talks.

The International Donors’ Conference for the Palestinian State which followed the Annapolis Conference convened in Paris on December 17th 2007. It expressed political and financial support to the government of President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and their vision of a future Palestinian state, underpinning the political process launched in Annapolis. The international community pledged over $7.7 billion for 2008–2010 in support of the Palestinian Reform and Development Program (PRDP).

Since the establishment of limited Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1994, the U.S. government has committed over $4 billion in bilateral assistance to the Palestinians, who are among the world’s largest per capita recipients of international foreign aid.

2008: Financial Crash

Third Deal RiderThird Seal Opened: Spirit of Want and Loss

15th Sep (15 days before Rosh Hashannah) Lehman Bros filed for Bankruptcy. (The name Lehman is Jewish of course) and the recession has begun.

Note: Lehmann is a common Germanic surname derived from the German word Lehen, meaning fiefdom .This is ironic since it describes the property of a feudal lord in the Middle Ages or the area dominated by that lord. It was the central element of Medieval Feudalism, and now it seems the Lehman Brothers have pitched us all back into the same state by their selfishness and foolishness.

This description could apply to the mortgage-lenders of America: fiefdom was the central element of feudalism and consisted of heritable lands (or revenue-producing property) granted under one of several varieties of feudal tenure by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty (or "in fee") in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the personal ceremonies of homage and fealty.

Not only land but anything of value could be held in fee, such as an office, a right of exploitation (e.g., hunting, fishing) or any other type of right to receive revenue such as a fee farm, rather than the land it comes from. In the 10th and 11th centuries the term "fee" (feudum) could be used either to describe dependent tenure held by a man from his lord, as the term is used now by historians, or it could mean simply "property".

Thus in September 2008 the third Seal was broken, loosing world economic woes that have continued and worsened to this day. Today the news is that we are heading into a full global economic breakdown.

Following this, In June 2009, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented his vision of peace with the Palestinians based on the principles of recognition and demilitarization. He called on the Arab countries "to cooperate with the Palestinians and with us to advance an economic peace. An economic peace is not a substitute for a political peace, but an important element to achieving it."

World Bank and PLO statistics show an 8% growth in the West Bank economy from 2009. So each step along the way is God’s appropriate response to Israel’s capitulation to the Arabs, as well as the Arabs deceptions. It is also an indictment on a world that refuses to accept and support Israel!

2014-2015 Third World War?

Each seal has been opened in a regular sequence, after seven years. Each seal has followed immediately after an attempt to settle the dispute between "Isaac and Ishmael", a dispute that in reality can never be settled, at least without sacrificing the land, the city, and the Temple Mount.

pale horse riderWill we see an escalation of these events in the next few years? Will we see further terrorist atrocities, or perhaps a false peace?

Whatever happens, we are on the way to the FINAL Seal of this foursome, the Seal that looses death and hell! Could this be speaking of the outbreak of World War Three?

At that point there is no further delay to the opening of the scroll. Two further seals show events that are outside of time, in Heaven, and one (the sixth) describes the Coming of the Lord for his faithful. Compare Luke 21:25-28:

"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

As far as the "signs in the sky" it has already been widely reported that there is to be a rare "tetrad" of eclipses of the moon and sun all on Jewish Feast Days during the years 2014-2015. 2014 is also the seventh year from the Third Seal, so are we looking at a confirmation of the timing?

Both Sides Are Wrong

This peace process that has been under way almost from the moment of Israel's birth is similar in many respects to historical threats to Jerusalem and the Nation of Israel.

The threat comes in the same way each time: pressure upon Israel to compromise with her religion and/or her possession of the land, pressure to become secularised, and to withdraw from the strict and absolute nature of God's commands - those commands having wrought over many years a precise belief-system, culture and way of life that is unique to the Jews.

The threat builds to an intolerable level, with increasing bloody attacks and political ultimatums. Then the Jews split into two parties, neither of which is right. It is an unenviable choice, since they are truly between a rock and a hard place. One side believes in compromise and withdrawal as the price for peace (thus offending God through disoebience); the other hardens into false piety and legalism, upholding their claim to the land and Temple so tenaciously that they are prepared to kill anyone who disagrees with them.

These two parties (historically the Hellenists and Zealots) have either thrown open the gates to their enemies, or else dug in their heels and rebelled to the point of death.

The zealots throughout all ages have responded to any capitulation by murdering their own people as well as their enemies, and in each case the result has been catastrophe. In AD 70 for example the end was utter destruction; the Roman armies eventually overran Jerusalem and destroyed it, with thousands losing their lives.

Murdered by a Zealot?

RabinAfter the Oslo Accords, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin returned to Israel as either a hero of the peace process (to some) or (to others) a traitor and betrayer of Israel.

Not only was he given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 but he was also awarded the 1994 Ronald Reagan Freedom Award which is only given to "those who have made monumental and lasting contributions to the cause of freedom worldwide".

On the evening of 4 November 1995, Rabin was assassinated by Yigal Amir, a radical right-wing Orthodox Jew who opposed the signing of the Oslo Accords. Rabin had been attending a mass rally at the Kings of Israel Square (Now Rabin Square) in Tel Aviv, held in support of the Oslo Accords. When the rally ended, Rabin walked down the city hall steps towards the open door of his car, at which point Amir fired three shots at Rabin with a semi-automatic pistol.

This event, like 9/11, the death of Diana Princess of Wales, and many others, has been disputed over the years - but it serves to show that rival idealogies lead only to bloodshed, and instead of resolving the situation simply exacerbate it.

The book of Revelation seems to show the fulness of this rivalry and wrong-headeadness. What is needed is faith in God, not bigotry, rebellion, entrenchment or withdrawal. In every case throughout history where the nation of Israel and Jerusalem were under threat, it was the "Third Party" - a small remnant - who voted with their feet and fled the city. It was that Remnant who returned to rebuild.

There IS no resolution to the enmity between Muslim and Jew (or Christian). There IS no agreement that the Jews can make that will allow them to live in peace and harmony. Instead, the bible tells of a complete catastrophy, a war to end all wars - this MUST come! Whether or not they sign a peace agreement today or in the future, it WILL be broken, and it WILL end in disaster.... but the point of Revelation (the very name of the book) is to REVEAL Jesus Christ to the Jews and to the world. HE alone is the Man of Peace!

What Next?

1. Israel trusted in a false peace and a lying Peacemaker in 1993, and a Victor went riding out with false peace in his hand.

2. They trusted to the American President in 2000 to end the bloodshed, and a dreadful act of terrorism struck America and escalated violence throughout the world ever after. The blood-red horse-rider held a sword of division in his hand.

3. They trusted to economic sweetners in 2007 to aid Palestine in their quest for Statehood, leading to economic growth in the West Bank, but the third horse-rider brought a global economic meltdown.

4. Will Israel come into agreement with their enemies [or even the Antichrist] in 2014, hand over the land, the city and the Temple Mount and trust their lives and safety to falsehood?  Will this result in the sending forth of the fourth horse of Death and Hades in the following year?

Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men, who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we are in agreement, when the overflowing scourge passes through, It will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves…" your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it. Isa 28:14-18

This verse prophesies that Israel will "make a covenant with death" and that is why the Pale Horse is sent forth.

What could an agreement with Death possibly be? Well, if terror and torment stare you in the face, either you can accept it (if it's godly persecution and inevitable) or you can bow to its demands and escape its clutches, but at the expense of your conscience. Did Jesus not say "Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." (Luke 17:32-34)

I believe eventually Israel WILL make a "pact with the Devil" under terrible pressure, and that agreement will lead many Jews to deny the Lord and abandon their heritage. Trusting in safety and security by such an apostasy, they will actually put themselves in terrible danger and suffer the consequences – because immediately following, the Pale Horse Rider comes!

I find it interesting that three and a half years from that date is the 70th anniversary of Israel’s establishment as a nation - March 2018 !!! What events will mark that day?

NOTES:

Note One: Is the scroll about the inheritance? In the Roman world a will was witnessed by seven persons and each person attached his seal to the document. It is a will (or ‘testament’). Once the person who wrote the will has died, the will is read to the beneficiaries. In this case, GOD wrote the will and also GOD died! The testamentary nature of the scroll is seen in the fact that only the slain Lamb can open it (Heb. 9:15-17; Rev. 5:9).  It is the Deed of Purchase of the Earth, which is rightly owned by God but was “bought back” or redeemed to God by the Cross of Jesus. Not until Jesus Christ is rightful KING of the Earth can he ride in to take it for his Kingdom realm and judge the people there. (1 Tim 2:4-6, Heb 10:12-13) Thus, before the Coming in glory Jesus must open and read the scroll of inheritance. By opening of the scroll, the Lamb takes as His inheritance that which He had already purchased (Rev. 5:9). His inheritance includes an enduring kingdom and the title deed to the earth (Ps. 2:6-8).
“But what is this remarkable scroll? It is nothing less than the title deed to the earth itself. . . . it is clearly the antitype of all the rich typological teaching associated with the divinely specified procedures for land redemption in the Old Testament.” (Henry Morris, The Revelation Record , 1983)
“The sealed scroll is the deed of purchase for mankind’s tenant possession inheritance or administration of the earth that was forfeited when mankind fell away from God. . . . a scroll deed of purchase was made when Christ paid the redemption price to redeem mankind’s tenant possession of the earth by shedding His blood on the cross.” (Renald E. Showers, The Pre-Wrath Rapture View, 2001)
Along with the ownership of earth, Jesus intends to fulfil his promises to the faithful in Israel, of providing for them a secure home in Palestine.

Note Two: In 1980, Yasser Arafat said: "Peace for us means the destruction of Israel. We are preparing an all-out war, a war which will last for generations. ... We shall not rest until the day when we return to our home, and until we destroy Israel. ("El Mundo", Venezuela Feb 11, 1980) And: "The Israelis are mistaken if they think we do not have an alternative to negotiations. By Allah I swear they are wrong. The Palestinian people are prepared to sacrifice the last boy and the last girl so that the Palestinian flag will be flown over the walls, the churches and the mosques of Jerusalem."  Yasser Arafat, in a speech given on 6 August 1995 at a party to celebrate the birth of his daughter (Haaretz, 6 September 1995; The Jerusalem Post, 7 September 1995)

Note Three: These horses and riders are sent out with a mission from God. They are spirit-beings that do the Lord's bidding. In this case they are preparing mankind for the End. Compare Zech 1:7-11 "I saw by night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and it stood among the myrtle trees in the hollow; and behind him were horses: red, sorrel, and white. Then I said,"My lord, what are these?" So the angel who talked with me said to me, "I will show you what they are." ..."These are the ones whom the LORD has sent to walk to and fro throughout the earth." So they answered the Angel of the LORD, who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, "We have walked to and fro throughout the earth, and behold, all the earth is resting quietly." By contrast, Antichrist arises from the SEA, from the PIT, and not from HEAVEN. (See Rev 11:7-8, Rev 13:1-6, Rev 17:7-8).

Note Four: The two May eclipses were a solar one (May 10th 1994) and a lunar one (May 25, 1994).There were actually two solar eclipses in 1994, the other was on November 3rd.

Note Five: Isn’t the Inheritance Superceded now? Didn’t the Jews forfeit the Inheritance through disobedience? The promise of ‘inheritance’ is ultimately about a spiritual possession in God, and in Heaven. That is the goal for all of God’s chosen. The qualifications for obtaining the inheritance have been shown to be repentance and reconciliation with God, not merely law-keeping. Disobedience did cause the explusion of Israel from the land, not only in the current era but before the time of Christ. Nonetheless, the bible states clearly that God has not utterly forsaken Israel and "a remnant will return"; some who turn to Christ in the last days will inherit the earthly blessings of land and rulership. (Romans 11).

Note Six: The eternal nature of the promise of the land: In the early part of the 19th century BC, in what must surely be the oldest and most universally published deed of possession in the world, God covenanted to give the land of Canaan to Abraham, and through Abraham son, Isaac, to his descendants forever. (Genesis 13:15.)  Other pertinent scriptures are: Genesis 12:1, 7, 13: 14, 15, 17, 15:7, 18-21, 17:8 are. God covenanted to give the Jewish people all the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession (Genesis 17:8).
Nearly 500 years later the Israelite nation camped along the Jordan River awaiting Joshua's orders to cross over and take possession of their land.  There on the banks of the Jordan opposite Jericho, it was again declared that the land was being given to them "for all time" (Deuteronomy 4:40).  God has also stated repeatedly that the land he gave to Abraham and through the line of Isaac to all the Jewish people is actually his land (Leviticus 25:23; 2 Chronicles 7:20, Isaiah 14:25, Jeremiah 2:7, 16:8, Ezekiel 36: Isaiah, 38:16, Joel 1:6, 3:2.)
God is still the owner of the land today, and the Jews still have the right of possession. 

Note Seven: THE EMBASSY OF ISRAEL TO THE UNITED STATES, September 13, 2011  By, Amb. Michael Oren: Ambassador Michael Oren reflects on the anniversary of the Oslo Accords, signed on September 13, 1993:
On the White House lawn, eighteen years ago, under the auspices of President Bill Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat signed an agreement intended to end the tragic conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The Oslo Accords, as they were called, contained a Declaration of Principles creating a Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and initiating negotiations on all the core issues – refugees, borders, security, Jerusalem—to begin May 1996. At the time, the handshake between Rabin and Arafat was widely believed to herald a new age of peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors beginning with the Palestinians. Those hopes, however, were all too swiftly dashed.
By May 1996, hundreds of Israelis had already been killed and wounded by Palestinian terrorists. The Israeli public’s confidence that the Oslo process would enhance, rather than worsen, their security was severely shaken. Still, many maintained the hope that a breakthrough could be achieved.
Then, at the Camp David Summit in the summer of 2000, Arafat rejected an Israeli and American offer of a Palestinian state that met virtually all the Palestinian demands. Instead of making peace, however, the Palestinians went to war, launching the so-called Second Intifada.
Thousands of Israelis were killed and maimed by Palestinian suicide bombers. And yet, incredibly, Israelis refused to relinquish the vision of peace. In a further effort to realize that vision, in August 2005, Israel uprooted 21 settlements in Gaza—an excruciating experience undertaken in the cause of peace. Yet the disengagement from Gaza brought no peace but rather countless Hamas rockets raining on Israeli neighborhoods.
It seems extraordinary that, in 2008, Israel once again offered to create a Palestinian state even larger than the one proposed in 2000, but Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas rejected it.
In every stage of the Oslo process, the main stumbling block was not borders, not settlements, not even Jerusalem. Rather, it was the Palestinian refusal to accept the existence of a permanent, legitimate, and recognized Jewish state.
Today, the Palestinians are poised to seek United Nations recognition of a unilaterally declared Palestinian state. By doing so, they effectively tear up the Oslo agreements and abandon their commitments to both Israel and the United States. Our position - and America’s - remains direct negotiations, without preconditions, leading to a viable two-state solution. The Palestinians, unfortunately, still refuse to join us at the negotiating table. In spite of all the bloodshed, traumas, and disappointments, we remain committed to the solution envisioned on the White House lawn eighteen years ago. Israel still wants peace.

Note Eight: 2000th Birthday in 1994? Herod the Great, who the Bible says was alive at the time of Christ's birth, died in the year 4 B.C., based on the reports of Josephus. According to the Gospel of Matthew, when Herod was unable to trick the astrologers into leading him to the Child, he ordered the slaughter of all the male babies in Bethlehem. Since Herod's command was to kill all babies under age 2, this event occurred no more than 2 years after Christ's birth. If we assume that this happened near the end of Herod's life (which seems likely), this puts Christ's birth in the year 7 or 6 B.C. In that case, the 2000th anniversary of Christ's birth has already gone by, having been in 1993 or 1994. Naturally at the distance of years, it is practically impossibile to say with certainty what year Christ was actually born, though sometime between 7 B.C. and 1 B.C. seems all but certain. (http://www.ewtn.com/jubilee/news/zdating.htm)

(c) 2011 Tricia Tillin-Booth of Banner Ministries. All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission. © 2013 Tricia Tillin-Booth. All rights reserved. Birthpangs Website: http://www.birthpangs.org/  This document is the property of its author and is not to be displayed on other websites, redistributed, sold, reprinted, or reproduced in printed in any other format without permission. Websites may link to this article, if they provide proper title and author information.   One copy may be downloaded, stored and/or printed for personal research. All spelling and phraseology is UK English.