World News in Relation to Biblical Prophecy ── August 28, 2026

Sadly, there was massive and deadly flooding in Tibet and Nepal.

August 28, 2026

… Deadly flash flood hits Nepal-China border region

Key developments

• Search for survivors: A frantic search is underway for more than 1,300 people missing after catastrophic flooding swamped a China-Nepal border region Wednesday. Dozens of Americans are among the at least 700 foreigners unaccounted for. …
• Death toll climbs: At least 469 people have been killed in Nepal, authorities said. …
• Secondary threat: Rain and chilly weather is expected in China’s Gyirong County, where it’s feared a dam created during the initial landslide could breach and cause more flooding.
• What caused it? Scientists are still working to determine exactly what caused the disaster. Video posted on Chinese social media showed where a large portion of glacier broke off a mountain and plunged into the river below.

(https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/26/world/live-news/nepal-flash-flooding-floods-intl).

August 27, 2026

Catastrophic floods kill over 390 in Nepal and Tibet, with more than 1,400 missing

DEVIGHAT, Nepal (AP) — Rescue teams and military helicopters searched Thursday for hundreds of missing people along the Nepal-China border, where a deadly torrent of water and mud several stories high swept through communities a day earlier following a glacier collapse. …

The steep slopes and lush valleys below the Himalayan mountain range — home to many of the world’s highest peaks and remaining glaciers — are especially vulnerable to flooding and landslides. …

Before-and-after images aired by state broadcaster China Central Television showed a multistory building and more than a dozen vehicles covered in mud. A two-lane road running along a river in a valley in Tibet’s Shigatse prefecture was completely buried. Aerial footage also showed that a lake had formed and expanded on the China-Nepal border.

(https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-nepal-tibet-glacier-collapse-floods-61b592d428e4631add31ce052d0daf1f).

Family, friends, and all those affected by this terrible disaster are in our prayers.

This terrible tragedy should be a sobering reminder that tragedies, without the divine protection from the LORD God, can happen to anyone at any time. Let us consider the living words of our Savior, Jesus Christ ──

“There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2) And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?

3) I tell you, no; BUT UNLESS YOU REPENT YOU WILL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH.

4) Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5) I tell you, no; BUT UNLESS YOU REPENT YOU WILL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH.’” – Luke 13:1-5.

A person’s situation can change on a dime. You can perish! Do not put off repenting to the Eternal GOD──to our Heavenly Father and our Heavenly Savior, Jesus Christ! “ …’ The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’” – Mark 1:15.

The LORD God can control weather and oftentimes will allow extreme weather for punishment and/or correction.

God’s eternal word is plain: who is in control of weather! ──

“Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word.” – Psalm 148:8.

The LORD God can intervene in weather to work out His purposes among the nations. Oftentimes, disastrous weather can be a dire warning to a nation. Although weather and weather patterns operate according to natural laws set in motion, and damaging weather can develop──the Eternal One may choose to intervene to push such extreme weather aside or can choose to allow extreme weather to strike a land because of various sins and idolatries. His living word reveals to us that the LORD God can directly intervene in severe weather to WARN certain lands, nations, countries, and/or provinces ──

“’ I blasted you with blight and mildew. …Yet you have NOT RETURNED TO ME,’ Says the LORD.” – Amos 4:9.

Our LORD, in His great purpose for working things out here below, may also allow the evil one──Satan the Devil──to have a role in producing damaging weather, for mankind’s ultimate learning (See Job 1).

Also, let us consider Genesis 18 where our beloved Abraham asked the LORD, “’ Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24) Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place [or, allow the place to be destroyed] and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? …

26) So the LORD said, ‘If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.’” – Genesis 18:23, 24, 26.

And since our LORD does not change, this is how He looks upon all cities, lands, nations, countries, and provinces.

Our beloved Apostle Peter, inspired, wrote ──

“Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2) that you may be MINDFUL OF THE WORDS which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3) knowing this FIRST: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4) and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.’

5) For this they willfully FORGET: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6) by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7) But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8) But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9) The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” – 2 Peter 3:1-9.

Indeed, there are a great many scoffers during these ‘last days’! And, of course, many insist that what tragically occurred in Tibet and Nepal has nothing to do with the Almighty God at all──and all that tragically happened was nothing more than a natural phenomenon, meaning it is an observable event that occurs in nature without God.

DIRE WARNINGS FROM THE ETERNAL ONE ARE GOING OUT UNTO THE WORLD; sadly, most will ignore them.

>>> Also in world news, United States President Donald Trump taking tariff steps against Canada once again (See: ZeroHedge – Canada Retaliates, Slaps $20 Billion In Tariffs On 700 US Goods).

Well, surely, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney felt that… at least publicly, he needed to say ‘No! I’m as mad as all get out, and I’m not gonna take it anymore!’ At least publicly. Canada doesn’t have the power to fight the United States of America economically. Canada will be forced to bend its knee once again.

President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social ──

Notice this from Russia Today ──

24 Aug 2026

Canada threatens to cut electricity to US

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has threatened to cut electricity and critical minerals to the US if President Donald Trump continues to escalate his trade war with Canada, drawing an angry response from Trump.

The exchange came hours after Trump announced that tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks, auto parts, and steel would rise to 50% on January 1, 2027. The move followed the collapse of trade talks last week and a separate 50% tariff that took effect Saturday on around $20 billion worth of Canadian imports.

“Everything’s on the table. I’ll do whatever it takes,” Ford told AP on Monday, saying Ontario could raise electricity prices or halt exports altogether.

“We power 1.5 million homes and businesses,” he added, warning that if Trump keeps trying to dismantle Canadian manufacturing, “he better have a pack of batteries.”

Trump fired back on Truth Social, dismissing Ford’s comments as “bluster” and personally attacking the premier before warning Canadian leaders to “fall in line.”

(https://www.rt.com/news/644608-trump-canada-electricity-ford/).

President Donald Trump! Yes, President Trump, greater than anything else; often unnoticed ── even by Americans claiming to be Christian ── is that his administration has actually succeeded in changing the United States of America for the better! Being an American, we are either part of the solution to a better America, or part of its downfall. (Be sure to read Minister Guy LaMar’s Commentary: Should Christians Vote?). For those so-called Christians calling President Trump “TACO,” or a “bully,” “tyrant,’ and I’ve heard some claiming to be Christian call him “Hitler” ── I should warn you in the glorious name of Jesus Christ and with His authority, that we all should “be subject to the governing authorities, For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” – Romans 13:1. Now, there’s nothing wrong with disagreeing with government authorities ── even the commander in chief. But, when one calls him names and disrespects him, that’s the same as disrespecting the Lord GOD Himself!

As Politico apparently had to admit concerning President Trump ──

[He] is someone with an ability to perceive opportunities that most politicians do not and forge powerful, sustained connections with large swaths of people in ways that no contemporary can match. In other words: He is a force of history. … Like other large presidents, Trump has been a communications innovator and exploited technological shifts more effectively than rivals. In that sense, Trump’s use of social media recalls Franklin D. Roosevelt’s mastery of radio, and John F. Kennedy’s and Ronald Reagan’s mastery of television. … Imagine running for president amid huge civil suits, criminal prosecutions, and even felony convictions — then emerging from this morass as a larger figure than before. No one needs to admire the achievement to recognize that Trump is possessed by some rare traits …

FDR: “All our great presidents were leaders of thought at a time when certain ideas in the life of our nation had to be clarified.”

FDR also said: “I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made.” …

He’s ready to use his second term, and second chance, to divide the nation over immigration, over foreign policy, over school curriculums that allegedly teach “our children to be ashamed of themselves, in many cases to hate our country,” and a long roster of other subjects.

What he didn’t show in his first term, or on his improbable pathway to a second, was an ability to bring these conflicts to resolution, to unite the country on a new level of understanding.

(https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/01/21/harris-column-trump-great-president-00199564).

Brethren, we as true Christians, should be praying for President Donald Trump! That Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ will bless him with divine protection from his enemies and bless him with Wisdom and knowledge in leading this great nation in this 21st century present evil age (1 Timothy 2:1-2). □

The Four Horsemen

ChatGPT-generated illustration for COJCOM

by Leonard V Johnson

GREETINGS EVERYONE! Now, I have spoken of this important subject before: the Four Horsemen of the “Apocalypse” ── like in our article, “Revelation – A Book of the Past and the Future (Part IV).” Which is also in audio on our SoundCloud channel. 🔊

As I’ve asked before, if you could know what your future holds, would you want to know? And who would you trust to tell you the truth regarding this? What is going to happen in the world in the very near future? Truly, all of God’s living prophecies are coordinated within the Book of Revelation──that is how important this Book truly is. God’s prophecies begin in the Book of Genesis and go throughout His living word all the way to the end of the Book of Revelation.

In the very Book of Revelation──and our Lord Jesus Christ had sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who recorded the visions of what he had seen. The Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ contains the word of God and the direct testimony of our Lord Jesus, besides His prophecies. And these are His prophecies; they are of no private interpretation (2 Peter 1:20). Most of the prophecies are recorded in what the Apostle John had seen in vision while imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos. When we come to chapter 6 of the Book of Revelation, we find that it’s in symbols.

Again, it is our Lord Jesus Christ who is the revelator, not the Apostle John. Apostle John was merely the one who was recording it. JESUS CHRIST IS THE REVEALER! He is the one who reveals the prophecies. Because, as we are told in chapter 5, it was He, ‘the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, who had prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its SEVEN SEALS.’ And something that has been revealed to me, and I speak more concerning this in the article, “Conversation With AI Regarding the Meaning of ‘the beginning of sorrows’ ── and ‘Then’ (Part I)” is that our Lord Jesus Christ begins to open the seals spoken of in chapter 6 not long after His glorious resurrection and ascension to the upper heavenly realms! But here in chapter 6, He begins opening the seals; we find the first seal reveals a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown upon his head. The second seal reveals a fiery red horse, and he who sat on it was granted to take peace from the earth, and there was granted to him a great sword. The third seal reveals a black horse, and its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. The fourth seal reveals a pale horse with a rider whose name is Death and Hades──and these are all symbolic.

So, it’s not made plain here, yet we find that just as our Lord Jesus explained His parables to His servants then──His parables were used to mask the true meaning of a subject──in which the people didn’t understand, His disciples went to Him privately and asked Him for the subject's true meaning. He went on to reveal to them the true meaning in simple and plain language. Notice ──

“And the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Why do You speak to them in parables?’ 11) He answered and said to them, ‘Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom [from] heaven, but to them it has not been given.’” – Matthew 13:10-11.

So, again, something that I want to reiterate and stress, and I’m not sure if many people truly understand this, but the seals in chapter 6 of the Book of Revelation were beginning to be opened not long after our Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected and had ascended back to the upper heavenly realms. Those four seals have been in motion throughout Church history rather than purely future events. They are ongoing rather than just end-time markers.

Matthew 24

We find that our Lord Jesus Christ does indeed explain these symbols of the four horsemen with the same identical story, in plain language, in what many call His “Sermon on the Mount.” It’s found in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21.

First, our Lord Jesus said there would be false Christianity ── “’ For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.’” – Matthew 24:4-5.

Mark 1:15 ── is the heart of our Lord Jesus’ entire ministry! “’ The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. …’” That kairos moment when the LORD God’s prophetic timeline began upon our Savior’s arrival. That moment in time when ‘the beginning of sorrows’ was about to begin, with each generation experiencing those ‘birth pangs’ our Lord Jesus speaks of ── false religion, wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places ── all intensifying as we move closer to His glorious and powerful return!

Simon Magus, the magician from Samaria, likely began gathering his own followers sometime in the mid-first century AD, roughly around 50 AD, just after he clashed with the Apostle Peter ── we hold that he was the founder of Roman Catholicism and their first pope.

The first major conflict after Jesus’ ascension was the Jewish‑Roman War, kicking off around 66 AD and ending with Jerusalem’s temple destruction in 70 AD.

One of the earliest severe famines after Jesus’ ascension was the worldwide famine foretold by Agabus in Acts 11:28, which struck during Emperor Claudius’s reign around 45 AD, affecting Judea and much of the Roman world.

One of the most catastrophic pestilences after Jesus’ ascension was the Black Death, which swept Europe, North Africa and the Near East from 1346 to 1353, killing up to 50 million people—about half the continent’s population.

Right from our Lord Jesus’ ascension, those signs He warned about began to be manifested! A major series of earthquakes around 62 AD in the Pompeii region is just one example of how these ‘birth pangs’ were already beginning in the apostolic era.

The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake in China, on January 23, 1556, was the deadliest recorded quake, killing about 830,000 people.

We’ve experienced all of these signs since our Lord Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, growing more and more intense and continuing to the glorious and powerful coming of our Savior, accelerating their intensity. “’ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. …’” – Matthew 24:7. World wars.

World War I ── the Great War ── officially began on 28th July 1914 until 11th November 1918, resulting in an estimated 15 to 22 million deaths, including those in war crimes and genocides.

World War II ── the Second World War ── which officially began 1st September 1939 until 2nd September 1945, the deadliest conflict in history, causing the deaths of 60 to 75 million people, a majority of whom were civilians. Millions died as a result of massacres, starvation, disease, and genocide, including the Holocaust.

Well, here we are. We know from God’s living word in prophecy that there is coming another world war ── a World War III. We have yet to come to the final world war that is foretold and prophesied to take place just before the glorious and powerful return of our Savior, Jesus Christ, called the battle of “Armageddon” ── the terrible Great Day of God Almighty, as His word tells us (cf. Revelation 16:14-16). We haven’t come to that yet. Is it five years away, ten, fifteen? Could Mankind’s 6,000 Years End in 2030?

Well, how is this third world war coming? And from whom will it begin? This second horse, fiery red, with its rider that was granted to take peace from the earth, ‘and that people should kill one another; given to him a great sword’ is indeed a symbol for world wars. Then, as we see, our Lord Jesus spoke of famines and pestilences. The third horse, black, with its rider – a food merchant- symbolizing famine and carrying a pair of scales. Then there are pestilences, diseases, and epidemics: the pale horse and its rider, whose name is Death and Hades. They are the Four Horsemen.

And as I’ve been saying, these have been occurring throughout the world ever since our Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected and ascended back to the upper heavenly realms.

So, speaking of famine and drought, the Book of Joel is a prophetic work likely composed between the 9th century BC and the early Ptolemaic period, or even in the mid-ninth century during Israel’s pre-exile. Chapter 1 opens describing a catastrophic locust swarm and a severe drought and devastating agriculture and temple offerings, and then it shifts in Chapter 2 to an apocalyptic image of the LORD God’s army and a call for national repentance. The Prophet Joel was likely writing this around ── and I have noted at the top of my Bible, 835 – 800 BC ── during King Joash’s minority after Athaliah’s reign. A devastating locust swarm struck the southern kingdom of Judah, wiping out crops, vines, and olive oil. This disaster cut off grain and drink offerings at the temple, leaving the people in famine and prompting the Prophet Joel to urgently call for national repentance.

This dire message is seen as a dual prophecy──it was initially addressed to the 9th-century locust disaster, but it is also speaking and pointing to a future Day of the LORD judgment against Judah──modern-day Israel──which our Lord Jesus Christ has called ‘great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.’

Sadly, so many of these worldly churches are waiting for ‘a great tribulation’ to occur to America, the United States. Yet, these prophecies are focused on Judah, which is modern-day Israel. That’s where biblical prophecy points: Judah as the epicenter and a “United Europe” playing its prophetic end-time role, not America being the main stage like so many churches assume.

As we look at today’s geopolitical landscape, we see devastation on the horizon in the Middle East. We see Judah surrounded by her “enemies” (Luke 21:20). We see the evil and vile Islamic Regime of Iran──who could… well… the idea of acquiring a tactical nuke from North Korea may be gaining quiet traction behind closed doors. 1 Again, the living words of our Savior, Jesus Christ ──

“’ Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place’ (whoever reads, let him understand), …’” – we certainly need to understand what occurred when King Antiochus IV Epiphanes desecrated the Jerusalem temple, stole its treasures, and set up an altar to Zeus, sparking the first Maccabean Revolt. (I speak with AI regarding this in the “Conversation With AI Regarding Various Biblical Subjects (Part II).”) 16) ‘then let those WHO ARE IN JUDEA flee to the mountains. … 21) For then there will be great tribulation, such as HAS NOT BEEN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22) And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake THOSE DAYS WILL BE SHORTENED.’” – Matthew 24:15-16, 21-22.

Now indeed one of the major factors of the downfall of the United States of America has to do with our burdensome debt ── which is soon to reach $50 TRILLION! And, of course, that’s only part of it; there’s much more than that ── like mass immigration. This massive debt burden is what historically brings down empires. When you’re spending over a trillion just on interest payments alone and heading toward fifty trillion, that’s what weakens a nation from within. And, of course, a mass influx of legal and illegal immigrants into a nation doesn’t help ── when large numbers of people bring different cultures and values and systems, it can strain the social fabric that holds a nation together.

In fact, Europe is experiencing exactly what I’m speaking of, with countries like Spain, Italy, and Germany all struggling with the pressures from large-scale migration flows that are straining their systems and creating political tensions across the continent. Without getting deep in depth here, we can see from God’s living word that He never originally designed countries and nations to be a “melting pot” (cf. Deuteronomy 32:8). We can look to the Tower of Babel as an example, where the LORD God scattered the people, establishing boundaries. It doesn’t suggest that He intended peoples and cultures to be one homogenous mix. When differing cultures and beliefs move into one homogenous mix, you create internal tensions that strain the nation’s foundation rather than strengthen it. And in this present evil age, this is where you get cultural and religious conflicts, because well-established societies have their own foundations and belief systems that they’ve built their communities around. The LORD God does things for a reason. He doesn’t do it because He wants us to suffer or because He doesn’t want us to visit other lands. No, He does it for our protection ── it’s a divine protection, not punishment. He knows that when different belief systems and cultures clash, it creates conflict and suffering, so establishing boundaries is actually an act of love to preserve peace.

And when a nation takes in too many immigrants who don’t have anything to offer, whether it's education, job skills, or a career, relying instead on a state or government, it creates a drain on resources that were meant for citizens who’ve been contributing to the system, while also undermining the self-sufficiency that built strong communities in the first place. When you flood a nation with people who can’t contribute, or won’t contribute, economically, it strains the whole system and weakens the foundation that took generations to build.

National Repentance Is Needed

Chapters 4 & 5 of the Book of Ezekiel were likely written around ── again, I have written at the top of the page 593 – 565 BC ── when Jerusalem was under Babylonian pressure. We see a miniature model in chapter 4 being used to show the city’s upcoming siege, and chapter 5 depicts the harsh judgment, the cutting off of hair and clothing, to illustrate how the people’s sin will lead to their destruction and exile. This is a dual prophecy ── Jerusalem’s great damage (cf. Isaiah 22:6-9) and Judah’s coming judgment. The broader warning is for both kingdoms, though it focuses on Judah’s exile.

Ecclesiastes 1:9 tells us, “That which has been is what will be,” which highlights the LORD God’s view of history’s cycles and the enduring pattern of rise and fall. History’s ups and downs mirror humanity’s ongoing struggle to follow the LORD God’s Way. The pattern will repeat itself until humanity collectively turns back to the Eternal One and obeys His commandments. Sadly, so many people make the mistake that God’s living words here in the Book of Ezekiel are only ancient prophecies for the kingdom of Judah and therefore are not necessary to learn.

The LORD God’s WARNING ── through the Prophet Ezekiel ── wasn’t just past events; they illustrate timeless principles about judgment and obedience that still apply today. The Prophet Ezekiel’s dual warning mirrors today’s Middle East tensions, where nations grapple with cycles of conflict and judgment.

Our lands are filled with churches, and they make mention of God in their prayers, but as our Lord Jesus Christ tells us, “’ Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8) ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.’” – Matthew 15:7-8. There is a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof, as the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy (2 Timothy 3:5). O’ there is a great deal of ceremony ── a great deal of what Brother Guy calls religiosity, but I want to tell you, people are not putting their whole heart into it.

And going back to the Book of Joel, the LORD God tells us what we need to do, and if the nations would do it ── the United States of America, the United Kingdom and her Commonwealth Nations, and Judah (modern-day Israel) ── this downfall and destruction would not occur ──

“’ Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; … Now, therefore,’ says the LORD, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.’ 13) So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.” – Joel 2:15, 12-13.

Now, the very word Zion is derived from an uncertain Hebrew root ──likely ṣiyyôn meaning “fortress” or צִיּהָ “dry place.” It first denoted the Jebusite stronghold on Jerusalem’s southeast hill that King David captured. Later it became a poetic name for Jerusalem and, by extension, all the tribes of Israel. Prophetic language can let Zion represent the whole of the children of Israel, the kingdom of Israel, even the twelve tribes united. Revelation chapter 7’s “multitude from every tribe” shows us a similar duality here. The word Zion, in its primary sense, remains geographical and historical, not just a blanket term for the spiritual Church of God.

“’ Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babies; … 17) Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, ‘Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. …’” – Joel 2:16, 17.

And if we REPENT UNTO THE LORD GOD as a nation, the LORD God tells us that He will repent and prevent this destruction from coming.

Now, 2nd Chronicles chapter 20 was written by the post-exilic Chronicler in the late 5th century BC, which preserves for us a ninth-century BC event during King Jehoshaphat’s reign (circ. 873-848 BC). He had just reformed Judah’s worship and justice when a coalition of Moabites, Ammonites and Edomites marched from the Dead Sea corridor to attack Jerusalem. The chapter records for us Judah’s nationwide prayer to the LORD and the miraculous defeat that followed, emphasizing the LORD God’s sovereignty over all nations. Other tales with the LORD God’s divine intervention include David’s win over Goliath, the angel of the Lord striking down the Assyrian forces in 2nd Kings 19, the Red Sea crossing in Exodus 14, and Jehoash’s defeat of Amaziah in 2nd Chronicles chapter 25.

And in more modern times, the Allied victory in World War II. Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower would later note that a sudden break in the worst weather in 20 years allowed the invasion to proceed with far fewer losses than expected. That breaking of the weather was a true miracle from the Lord!

Our LORD God Almighty fought the battles for His people. He won the wars. There was a time when three allied nations, three allied armies, were coming down against Judah, and they were unprepared, ‘having no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.’ – 2 Chronicles 20:12.

“ …’ Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.’ … 22) Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.” – 2 Chronicles 20:15, 22.

It is coming to be acknowledged that the exiled children of Israel (the Twelve Tribes of Israel), upon their release, either returned to Judah or joined existing diaspora communities, spreading gradually through the Mediterranean and eventually Europe.

Utter destruction is coming. And we need to think about this and wake up! Because one of the greatest falls that has ever happened to a nation is coming to the United States of America. And if we don’t, as a nation, repent and turn to the LORD God, it will. Because we are God’s people and we are injuring ourselves by the things we are doing. I want to tell you, my friends, right here in the United States, we need to awaken from spiritual sleep.

Yes. At this moment in time, under this Administration, the crime rate in the United States has subsided ── The homicide rate in the United States dropped to the lowest it’s been in 75 years. 2 According to statistics, the U.S. divorce rate has not increased in recent years; it remains at historic lows. 2020–2023: The pandemic caused a temporary pause in divorces, but rates have since rebounded slightly, still well below historical highs. 3 However, according to a WifiTalents Report 2026, 90% of homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes! 4 Overall, juvenile delinquency has decreased in the United States, but certain types of offenses, particularly violent crimes involving firearms, have increased. 5 Chronic diseases are on the rise. Recent global health data show that both chronic and infectious diseases are increasing in prevalence and impact worldwide. Infectious diseases are also increasing in some areas. 6 And one key takeaway from those reports is, “Over 95% of HIV child infections occur via mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) without prevention.” And, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one in five U.S. adults, approximately 59.3 million adults, or 23.1% of the adult population, is living with a mental illness. 7 Mental illness! Now why should that be? Of course we hear all kinds of answers to this question. The other day I went around and around with AI with this very question. I discussed genetics in relation to mental illness. It stated, “that while genetics plays a role [in mental health], environmental factors could be just as important in explaining the rise in mental health issues.” 8

Imperial Socialism Shattered the Roman Empire! 10

If we reach back into our history. The Spanish were the first Europeans to establish permanent settlements in the territory that became the United States. St. Augustine, Florida, in 1565. The first English attempt at colonization was the Roanoke Colony in 1587. The first permanent English settlement was Jamestown, Virginia, founded in 1607. My 6th great-grandfather came to Virginia from Aberdeenshire, Scotland in 1696. Now, this land was taken from the Native Americans. And maybe that was meant to be by the LORD God, but we certainly didn’t “take it” the LORD God’s Way ── The nation’s indigenous people had a population of nearly 10 million before European settlers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the current total population of Native Americans in the United States is 6.79 million, which is about 2.09% of the entire population. 9 Native Americans faced centuries of persecution and discrimination, losing their land and resources and being forced onto reservations that lacked the soil and natural resources needed to build and sustain their communities. Certainly, the way our forefathers went about it was horribly wrong! Never should we think it was alright; it wasn’t.

Now look at us ── Democratic Socialism and Communism are making a rise in America! We have great division; we have strife even in our own homes, strife between husbands and wives; even politically. Sadly, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and her Commonwealth Nations, along with Judah (modern-day Israel), are going the way of Rome! And far faster than even ancient Rome ever did. And the LORD God is calling upon us to cry out unto Him, “Spare Your people, O LORD, …”!

Christ’s Coming!

There is something else that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, mentioned in Matthew 24 that needs our attention. And that’s the word, “Then.” Because after verse 8, comes the word “Then” ── “’ Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.’” And we contend that our Lord Jesus is speaking about here His end-time prophets. 🔊 (See also: Revelation 14:6-7). The LORD God’s end-time prophets will be going around the world, ‘standing before the god of the earth,’ kings, presidents, and world leaders, including the final end-time false prophet, ‘having the power from God to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy [3 ½ years]; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth will all plagues, as often as they desire.’ – see Revelation 8:7-12. And they will be announcing the coming kingdom of God! “’ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.’” – Matthew 24:14. Then the end of this present evil age will come!

Now, what did His disciples ask Him? “’ And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?’” – Matthew 24:3. Truly, the answer is no different than the answer He gave the scribes and Pharisees of His day (Matthew 12:38) ── Three and a half years. Notice Daniel 9 ──

“Then He shall confirm a covenant with many FOR ONE WEEK [seven years for a day]; But in the middle of the week [Wednesday] He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. …” – Daniel 9:27.

Our Lord Jesus’ ministry lasted about three-and-a-half years! He was to confirm a covenant with many for one week ── there is soon another 3 ½ years coming! See again, Revelation 14 ──

“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of [the atmosphere], having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth ── to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people ── 7) saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, FOR THE HOUR OF HIS JUDGMENT HAS COME; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.’” – Revelation 14:6-7.

Now, I’m aware that this revelation from the LORD God sounds strange to you ── you’ve probably never heard it! Many will say that these 3 ½ years are merely symbolic ── was our Lord Jesus’ ministry merely symbolic? No.

At the very beginning of His WORK OF GOD, our Lord Jesus Christ taught His twelve disciples, whom God the Father had called unto Him (cf. John 17:24), the very Message given to Him by His Father concerning the soon-coming Kingdom of God. Then, after 3 ½ years, our Lord Jesus finished that initial phase of the Work of God, which Father had given Him to do. In His final prayer to Father, He says, “’ I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do’” – John 17:4. Daniel 9:27, a two-fold prophecy, speaks of a remaining 3 ½ years of an end-time work. □

Sources:

1 Weiner, J., Iran Has No Options Left — Could It ‘Rent’ a Nuke from North Korea or Russia?, Washington Morning, 27 August 2026.

2 Associated Press, Homicides Dropped 18.1% in 2025 to the Lowest Rate Since 1956, FBI Says, U.S. News, 14 Aug. 2026.

3 Krolikowska, A., J.D., Historical Trends: Divorce Rates in America by Year & What They Mean for Modern Family, Anna Law.com, Feb. 2026.

4 Prescott, H., Fatherlessness Statistics, WifiTalents, 14 July 2026.

5 Lantz, B., Ph.D. & Knapp, K.G., M.S., Trends in Juvenile Offending: What You Need to Know, CCJ, Sept. 2024.

6 Nuwer, R., Around the World, Chronic Diseases Are Rising, Think Global Health, 12 Oct. 2025.

Llewellyn, P., Infectious Disease Statistics, Worldmetrics, 7 July 2026.

7 University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, Mental Health Statistics [2026], Retrieved 28 Aug. 2026.

8 Amazon.com, 26 Aug. 2026.

9 World Population Review, Native American Population by State 2026, Retrieved 28 Aug. 2026.

10. While the modern concept of socialism as a political and economic ideology did not exist in ancient Rome, there were early forms of state-directed economic policies and welfare measures that resemble socialist principles, particularly during the late Republic and early Empire.

The Feast of Trumpets and the Book of Life

by Leonard V Johnson

Here we are again, dear brethren, coming up on the LORD God’s glorious Feast of Trumpets, September 12th, 2026! Hello to our beloved Brethren, Co-Workers, and Friends in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Lahore, Pakistan, Manchester, England, UK, Owensboro, Kentucky, and Fayetteville, NC!

Here at the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries (COJCOM), we continue to keep and celebrate the LORD God’s biblical holy days and feasts, including the Feast of Trumpets, also called Rosh Hashanah by our Jewish brethren. Two older sermons of related interest would be “Feast of Trumpets and the Church” and “Prophecy – Feast of Trumpets 2022.”

The LORD’s Feast of Trumpets is on September 12th this year──2026. Its observance begins the evening before, at sunset, on the Gregorian calendar and runs until sunset on the Gregorian calendar.

Let’s turn in our Bible to Leviticus 23 ──

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 24) ‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial [not a shadow] of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.’

25) ‘You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD.’” – Leviticus 23:23-25.

Here is pictured within the memorial of blowing of trumpets the next phase of the LORD God’s redemptive plan, when our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, shall come, in the clouds with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17) For it shall be AT THE LAST TRUMP “for the trumpet will sound, and the dead [in Christ] will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” – 1 Corinthians 15:52.

Unless our Lord Jesus returns to resurrect the dead in Christ, we would never gain eternal life if there were no resurrection: “Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” – 1 Corinthians 15:18.

Our Lord Jesus will directly intervene in world affairs upon the SEVENTH BLOWING OF THE TRUMPET ──

“The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

15) Then the SEVENTH ANGEL SOUNDED: And there were loud voices in [the atmosphere], saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord [God the Father] and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’” – Revelation 11:14-15.

A trumpet in God’s living word can symbolize war. He will come during a time of worldwide war when the nations are angry!

So, let us notice exactly when this takes place ──

“’ So it shall be in that day: The great trumpet will be blown; They [ISRAEL] will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, And they [ISRAEL] who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, And shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.’” – Isaiah 27:13.

Now, when will ISRAEL be gathered together? At the sound of the SEVENTH TRUMPET, at the glorious and powerful coming of our Lord Jesus! Most churches have forgotten or are blatantly ignorant of the LORD’s Feast of Trumpets; they believe that the return of the Jews to the holy land and the establishment of a nation which is called Israel was the fulfillment of the above prophecy.

The LORD’s Feast of Trumpets clearly points to the blowing of trumpets, and God’s living word shows us a variety of prophetic events that will accompany the cacophony of blasts.

In this article, I’d like to cover with you the relevance of the Feast of Trumpets and the Book of Life.

The Feast of Trumpets in the Old Testament

God’s word tells us ──

“And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2) ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, THESE ARE MY FEASTS. …

24) ‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial [not a shadow] of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.’

25) ‘You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD.’” – Leviticus 23:23-25.

Let us note that the children of Israel were to mark this particular day as A MEMORIAL OF THE MEANING THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS HAS FOR THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL──both physically and symbolically. 

The Eternal One instructed the children of Israel to ‘make two silver trumpets to use them for calling the congregation and for directing the movement of the camps.’ They were to gather the Tribes of Israel for assemblies and signal when it was time to move during their migration to the Promised Land. They were also instructed to blow them when they were preparing for a military attack or to defend against an enemy. Moreover, trumpets were blown during the LORD’s festivals and at the beginning of each month ── cf. Numbers 10:1-10.

The children of Israel had already experienced the awesome and ear-splitting trumpet and its blast when the LORD God gave them the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:19). So, the Lord continued associating trumpet blasts with important events and happenings──as the LORD God continues for us today!

Here is a little more regarding the ‘day of blowing of trumpets’ from God’s living word ──

“’ And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month [Tishri], you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work. For you it is a day of blowing the trumpets. 2) You shall offer a burnt offering as a sweet aroma to the LORD: one young bull, one ram, and seven lambs in their first year, without blemish. 3) Their grain offering shall be fine flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the ram, 4) and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs; 5) also one kid of the goats as a sin offering, to make atonement for you; 6) besides the burnt offering with its grain offering for the New Moon, the regular burnt offering, and their drink offerings, according to their ordinance, as a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD.” – Numbers 29:1-6.

In the Strong’s Concordance of the Bible (#8643), the ‘blowing of the trumpets’ term is terû‘â. “Alarm, signal, sound of trumpet. This is a feminine noun formed from the root rûa’. It is a purely Hebrew formation and occurs thirty-six times in the OT, mostly in the singular. There are four distinct senses in which it is used. It is used for “signal” (Lev. 25:9), the “sound of the trumpet” for the blowing of the shofar on the day of atonement. It is also used for “alarm” as in case of attack (Josh 6:5; Jer 4:19), “I hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.” In addition, it is used for the trumpet in the tumult of the battle, “And Moab shall die amid uproar, amid shouting, and the sound of the trumpet” (Amos 2:2). Lastly, the noun is used for the exultation of praise to God, “Praise Him with trumpet sound, praise Him with lute and harp” (Ps 150:3).” 1

Now, because animal sacrifices are no longer required (cf. Hebrews 10:3-10), Christians do not offer burnt offerings, grain offerings, or drink offerings made by fire──we are to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). However, traditionally, a financial offering is taken up on this holy day consistent with what the Apostle Paul teaches in 2 Corinthians 9 ──

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7) So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8) And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” – 2 Corinthians 9:6-8.

Also notice what the LORD God tells us in Deuteronomy 16 ──

“’ Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses: at the FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD, at the FEAST OF WEEKS [PENTECOST], and at the FEAST OF TABERNACLES; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed. 17) Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you.” – Deuteronomy 16:16-17.

This coming SEVENTH MONTH is called Ethanim in God’s living word ──

“Therefore all the men of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the feast in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month.” – 1 Kings 8:2.

However, this month is typically called Tishri by our Jewish brethren, as that was the name used when they were in Babylonian captivity. And although our Jewish brethren call the LORD’s feast Rosh Hashanah, that was never its original name.

“Rosh Hashanah actually means “Head of the Year.” What: Rosh Hashanah is the birthday of the universe, the day G‑d created Adam and Eve, and it’s celebrated as the head of the Jewish year.” 2

The Jewish Talmud was compiled between the 1st and 7th centuries, with the Babylonian Talmud, which is considered the main version, completed around 500 AD. And since the meaning of the name Rosh Hashanah means “Head” and “Year” ── which is nowhere to be found in God’s living word ── we use the term “the Feast of Trumpets.

The Book of Life

True Christians have our names written in God’s Book of Life (cf. Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5).

The first allusion to the Book of Life appears in Exodus 32 ──

“’ Yet now, if You will forgive their sin ── but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.’ 33) And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against Me I will blot him out of My book.’” – Exodus 32:32-33.

Besides Exodus, Psalm 69:28 talks about being blotted ‘out of the book of the living,’ Daniel 12:1 mentions those whose names are written ‘in the book’ shall be delivered, Malachi 3:16 refers to ‘a book of remembrance’ for the faithful, and Isaiah 4:3 alludes to a list of those ‘who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem.’

My heart swells with great joy knowing that His mighty prophets of old weren’t just guessing ── they heard the LORD God speak of a heavenly book, the “Book of Life,” long before we ever heard of it. They spoke of it in visions and writings, marking the righteous for all eternity.

Our beloved Prophet Moses knew that his name was written in the Book of Life.

Additionally, the Book of Life could very well be mentioned in three other Psalms ──

“Then I said, ‘Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. 8) I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.’” – Psalm 40:7-8.

“You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?” – Psalm 56:8.

“Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.” – Psalm 139:16.

God’s word clearly shows us that those who reverently fear the LORD our God have their name written in the Book of Life, but those who do not and are not righteous don’t have their name written in the Book of Life.

True Christians who are inscribed in the Book of Life will be born-again at the glorious resurrection which occurs with the blowing of THE SEVENTH TRUMPET BLAST spoken of in the Book of Revelation. Eternal life will be given at the time of the LAST TRUMPET to the LORD God’s chosen people.

The Prophet Isaiah appears to be referencing this LAST TRUMP, the one that signals the glorious and powerful return of our Savior Jesus Christ and the calling ‘with a great sound of a trumpet, gathering together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other’ ──

“So it shall be in that day: The great trumpet will be blown; They will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, And they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, And shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.” – Isaiah 27:13.

CHOOSE LIFE

Our Holy Father and our Holy Savior want all people to choose life ──

“’ I call heaven and earth as witnesses TODAY against you, that I have set before you LIFE and DEATH, BLESSING and CURSING; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.’” – Deuteronomy 30:19.

Now, I’ve spoken of this before, like in my recent Personal From… Christ’s Coming! There are physical laws, and there are spiritual laws, and every single one of us must choose as to whether we will accept and follow the LORD God’s spiritual laws or not. Because if we neglect so great a salvation, as the LORD God has offered to us, we are turning our back on the LORD God, and we will find only death. The penalty of sin. We must choose LIFE, and we must choose LIFE of our own volition, voluntarily. Our OWN FREE WILL! No one can choose it for you ── no armchair televangelist, no door-to-door preacher, no minister, rabbi, no Imam. And it doesn’t matter how much they promise you salvation, a heavenly paradise, or seventy-two virgins! They can’t save you!

You know, I can’t help but think of my sister-in-law’s friend that was visiting our home once, and I was asked about ── why I don’t believe in the rapture ── and after my brief biblical teaching on this subject, and explaining and solemnly testifying of the kingdom of God, teaching Jesus and of eternal life, she laughed and said, “Everybody is a savior.” I couldn’t save her. I just taught the truth. Our whole private relationship with the LORD is between you and Him! And it is true that we are often brought into certain circumstances, and that the LORD God can bring about certain circumstances that bring a person to a place where a decision must be made, a decision is offered ── to choose life or to choose death. Sadly, my sister-in-law’s friend died about 2 weeks later. The LORD God will never force you to accept His living word. Now, she’s not “lost” or “burning in a hellfire.” She will be resurrected among those of the “Great White Throne Judgment,” and ‘books will be opened for her. And another book will be opened, which is the Book of Life, and she will be judged according to her works, by the things which are written in the books.’ – Revelation 20:11-15. I have placed her name among my “list.” And I pray to our heavenly Father and Elder Brother that I will have the great pleasure and honor to speak with her once again the glorious testimony of the kingdom of God, teaching Jesus and of eternal life.

Let’s go back to verse 17, “’ But IF your heart turns away so that you do not hear, …’” You see, the LORD God allows us to turn away, He allows us to rebel, when He says, “IF” ── because if He was forcing us to obey Him, then He couldn’t say, “IF.” So, IF “ …’ your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18) I ANNOUNCE TO YOU TODAY THAT YOU SHALL SURELY PERISH; …’”

Our Holy Father is the great Ancient of Days ── the Supreme Ruler of all that is. And the LORD God says here, “‘I have set before you life and death [the second death], blessing and cursing; therefore CHOOSE LIFE.’” He desires us to choose life, yet the LORD allows us to disobey “’ that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for HE IS YOUR LIFE …’” And how wonderful it is when you see and hear clearly what His Spirit has to say regarding this! The kingdom of God is the family of God. And if you choose life, you will be begotten of God and later born-again into the family of God! More on the PLAN OF GOD… FROM THE BEGINNING can be found in our message “God’s Master Plan… From the Beginning!”

Trumpets in the New Testament

An ancient Greek warrior blowing a salpinx

God’s living word in the New Testament frequently speaks of the blowing of trumpets.

Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us ──

“’ And He will send His angels with a great sound of a TRUMPET, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.’” – Matthew 24:31.

The Greek word here is salpinx, meaning an ancient Greek trumpet used for military and ceremonial purposes.

The Apostle Paul teaches the same ──

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the TRUMPET OF GOD. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17) Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

So, both our Savior and the Apostle Paul taught that His saints would be gathered together when the TRUMPET OF GOD is sounded. And that our Lord Jesus will return upon the LAST TRUMPET BLAST, which is after ‘the tribulation of those days’ (Matthew 24:15-29). Therefore, those who are “pre-tribulation rapturists” are in error. Check out our message, “Is There a ‘Secret Rapture’?”

THE LAST TRUMPET is the RESURRECTION TRUMPET ──

“in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, AT THE LAST TRUMPET. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead [in Christ] will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. … 58) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” – 1 Corinthians 15:52, 58.

Our beloved Polycarp of Smyrna (c. 69–155 AD), a disciple of the Apostle John, also wrote about and looked forward to the blowing of this LAST TRUMPET ──

“Wherefore, girding up your loins,” “serve the Lord in fear” and truth, as those who have forsaken the vain, empty talk and error of the multitude, and “believed in Him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and gave Him glory,” and a throne at His right hand. To Him all things in heaven and on earth are subject. Him every spirit serves. He comes as the Judge of the living and the dead. His blood will God require of those who do not believe in Him. But He who raised Him from the dead will raise us up also, if we do His will, and walk in His commandments, and love what He loved, …” 3

Our Lord Jesus teaches us ──

“’ But those WHO ARE COUNTED WORTHY to attain that age [the age to come], and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36) nor can they die anymore, for they are equal [in this regard] to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

37) But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38) For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.’” – Luke 20:35-38.

Let us always PRAISE THE LORD OUR GOD ── the resurrection from the dead brings one back to life!

Our Lord Jesus also teaches us ──

“ … ‘if you want to enter into life, KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS.’” – Matthew 19:17.

“’ And as Moses LIFTED UP THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15) that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM should not perish but have everlasting life. 17) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MIGHT BE SAVED.’” – John 3:14-17.

Moses placing a bronze fiery serpent on an old wooden pole (Numbers 21:8-9) (ChatGPT-generated illustration for COJCOM)

Let us also notice the living words of our Savior ──

“’ Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 25) Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.

26) For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27) and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.

28) Do not marvel at this: for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29) and come forth ── those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of [judgment].’” – John 5:24-29.

There is a resurrection to life for those who ‘have done good.’ And there is a resurrection to ‘judgment for those who have done evil.’

Returning again to the beloved Apostle Paul ──

“Now IF Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection? …” – The Sadducees were a Jewish sect that denied the resurrection of the dead, and, sadly, there are a great many peoples today that continue to deny the truth concerning the resurrection of the dead. 13) But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14) And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.

15) Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up ── if in fact the dead do not rise.

16) For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17) And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18) Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19) If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

20) But now CHRIST IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21) For since by man came death [the first death here], by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23) But EACH ONE IN HIS OWN ORDER: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 24) Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom of God the Father, when he puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.

25) For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26) The last enemy that will be destroyed is death [the second death].” – 1 Corinthians 15:12-26.

We do not know upon what day or hour that this LAST TRUMPET BLAST will be blown, but it will announce the glorious and powerful return of our Savior, Jesus Christ! (Matthew 24:36, 44).

~ Be sure to also read “Conversation With AI Regarding the Meaning of ‘the beginning of sorrows’ ── and ‘Then’ (Part I)” where additional trumpets are spoken in the Book of Revelation ~

Is Your Name Written in God’s Book of Life?

Does God’s living word teach us whose names are in His Book of Life?

Indeed, it does!

Our Lord Jesus alludes to the Book of Life in the Book of Luke here ──

“And He said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19) Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions [symbolize evil, danger, deception, and spiritual adversaries], and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

20) Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice BECAUSE YOUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN.’” – Luke 10:18-20.

So, all true Christians have their names written ‘in heaven’ ── which surely is in the Book of Life.

The Apostle Paul implored “Euodia and … Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.” And I, like the Apostle Paul, implore you, my beloved and longed-for brothers and sisters in Christ, my joy and my crown, to stand fast in the Lord, and continue having your name written in His Book of Life! (cf. Philippians 4:1-3). Let not your name be blotted out and removed.

Also notice ──

“But you have come to MOUNT ZION and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem [see: Revelation 21:2], to AN INNUMERABLE COMPANY OF ANGELS, 23) to the general assembly and Church of the firstborn WHO WAS REGISTERED IN HEAVEN, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect.” – Hebrews 12:22-23.

Our Lord Jesus Christ says to His Church ──

“’ He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.’” – Revelation 3:5.

We are warned within the Book of Revelation that those who worship the ‘beast’ and its mouth piece, and partake of the ‘mark’ of the ‘beast’ (Revelation 13:1, 8; 17:8), and those who are involved in abominations (Revelation 21:27), and those who ‘adds to the living word’s written in the Book, or takes away from the living words of the Book and its prophecies, He shall take away your part from the Book of Life, and from the holy city of God, and from any blessings spoken of in the Book (Revelation 22:18-19). □

Sources:

1 Harris L. R., Archer, L. Gleason, Jr., and Waltke K. Bruce. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, 1980, #2135b, pg. 839.

2 Chabad.org, “Rosh Hashanah” What Is Rosh Hashanah? Retrieved 25 Aug 2026.

3 New Advent, Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians, CH. II: An Exhortation to Virtue. (https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0136.htm).