Tag: apocalypse

Acts 28:15-20 — And When We Came To Rome . . .

~ mikethemissionary

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

In our last post, Paul and Co were leaving Puteoli and heading towards Rome. Paul’s journey into Rome was probably fairly pleasant, as we will see. On the other hand, a few years later, in 71 AD, this 100-mile stretch of the Appian Way was lined with the rotting corpses of 6000 crucified rebels after the rebellion of Spartacus was put down. The ancient world was a cruel and unforgiving place. One could argue the modern world is too in many ways, but in Christ there is mercy and hope for the future.

Rome in Paul’s day must have been absolutely breathtaking. Yet, even if Paul was not a prisoner, which he was, I doubt he would have been very interested in Rome’s many amenities, beyond a curious perusal. Paul declared plainly that he sought a better country, that is, an heavenly.

In fact, while Rome may be impressive from a human perspective, from God’s point of view Rome is a monstrosity, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly, a seven-headed beast with ten horns, great iron teeth, and brass claws, that devours its victims and stamps the residue with the feet of it.

Paul, on the other hand, is a simple living stone, hurtling towards Rome like the smooth stone that David hurled at Goliath. Just as Rome was not built in a day, it will not be conquered overnight. Yet, that is how Scripture ends. Jesus is about to begin the process, and Paul is his instrument. So are you and I, every time we share the gospel.

Father, fill us each with your Holy Spirit and give us understanding as we proceed with our study in Acts. We ask this in Jesus’ name, the name above all names. Amen.

Acts 28:15-20
15 And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum [40 miles from Rome], and The three taverns [31 miles from Rome]: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

As Paul travels toward Rome on the Appian Way, the Christians start coming to meet him. Today, the section of the Appian Way leading into Rome is a ten-mile-long open-air museum. When I was in Rome last year, I did not make it as far as The three taverns, but I saw some of the other things Paul passed along the way as he neared Rome. Paul walked by the tomb of Caecilia Metella and several Columbaria, some of which were there hundreds of years before Paul arrived.


A section of The Appian Way


Mausoleum of Caecilia Metella


Circular Mausoleum


On The Appian Way

Another view from The Appian Way

Another site on the Appian Way I found interesting was the traditional site where Peter allegedly met Jesus and said, “Domine, quo vadis?” — “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied that He was going to Rome to be crucified again. Yet the Bible says that Jesus was only crucified once, just as Moses was only supposed to smite the rock once. (Heb 7:27; 9:28; cf Num 20:7-12) Moses was supposed to speak to the rock the second time, but he smote it again twice, and for that reason he was not allowed to enter the Promised Land.

Paul’s Christian friends are happy to greet him now, but it will not be long before Rome starts persecuting the Christians and they forsake Paul. (II Tim 4:10f)

16 And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.

Why did Paul have to be chained (v 20) to a Roman soldier? So the soldier couldn’t get away.

17 And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
18 Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me.
19 But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Cæsar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.
20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
Acts 28:15-20

As Acts is coming to a close, Paul is meeting with the chief of the Jews in Rome, explaining what has happened, and why. Paul always met with the Jews when he went somewhere new. (Rom 1:16) Priscilla and Aquila were expelled by Claudius, but Jews were allowed to return after Claudius’ death in AD 54. Hence, the Jews Paul meets with in Rome. In our next post, we will read more about Paul’s meeting with the Jews in Rome.

Paul will eventually be acquitted, but persecution is on the horizon. Just outside Rome along the Appian Way are many different catacombs. In our day, they are still excavating the catacombs that sprawl for miles and miles around the outskirts of Rome. There are some sixty of these underground labyrinths, and some go on for 12-14 miles. The Catacombs of St Sebastian, for example, have five levels that extend for 13 miles. According to my guide, the Catacombs of Domitilla have more than 100,000 tombs. Some sources say 150,000 — and that is just one catacomb out of sixty. The guides caution tourists not to stray because it is easy to get so lost down there that you cannot find your way back. These catacombs are where the early Christians martyred by Rome are buried. The Catacombs of Domitilla have an underground basilica, constructed in the fourth century. (Since only five catacombs are open to the public, one wonders what curious finds the others might contain.)

Eventually, Christianity triumphed over paganism, but in many ways, the changes were merely superficial. Jupiter was renamed Peter and Venus became Mary. Saturnalia and Dies Natalis Solis Invicti (the Birthday of the Unconquerable Sun) became Christmas. Today, the ancient Pantheon in Rome contains statues of Christian heroes, replacing the images of the Roman gods that once were there, but these images do not glorify God. They glorify man.

Paul had many Roman friends. (Rom 16) Some were even of Caesar’s household. (Phil 4:22) However, the spirit behind the powers that be in Rome is anything but friendly. The day is coming when all will see Rome’s true colors:

    And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Revelation 17:5

    And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Revelation 18:4

In other words, put your trust in the Bible, not the ‘Church’.

Father, forgive me for trusting in philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, and not in your Son. I receive Him as my personal Saviour. I repent of all my sin, and put my faith in your perfect word as my final authority in all matters of faith and practice. I trust in your Son alone, by faith alone, to save me. I pray this in Jesus’ name, the name above all names. Amen.

Acts 28:1-7 — They Shall Take Up Serpents

~ mikethemissionary

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

In our last Post, Paul and Co (276 passengers in all) were shipwrecked on the island of Malta. As Dr Luke picks back up in Chapter 28, they are making their way to shore.

Father, fill us with your Holy Spirit and give us understanding as we read thy word, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 28:1-7
1 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita [Malta].
2 And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

Hospitality seems to me to be a natural worldwide custom, especially among rural people. In America, before there were Howard Johnson’s, when people were traveling and it was time to stop for the night, they simply knocked on a door. The women were usually welcomed into the house to sleep on beds or couches, while the men slept in the barn.

In the ancient Greek world, hospitality was an honored custom known as Xenia, derived from the Greek word for stranger, xenos. Hospitality honored Zeus (Xenios), or Athena (Xenia), both of whom were patrons of strangers.

The Sanskrit proverb, Atithi Devo Bhava, translates to ‘The guest is akin to God’. This ancient proverb has become a code of conduct in Hindu culture. In the Shona culture, if a stranger asks for directions, one is obligated to walk with him up to 1 mile to take him where he is going. As Christians, we are instructed to show hospitality as well. (Heb 13:2)

The word Dr Luke uses here, barbaros, literally means a ‘non-Greek’. They were not what we typically think of as ‘barbarians’. They were very hospitable hosts.

3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance [Gk dike] suffereth not to live.

The KJV translators chose to translate dike (thee-kee) as vengeance rather than justice, undoubtedly because divine vengeance was understood to be the way justice was meted out in the ancient world. Nemesis’ name is from the Greek word némein, which literally means “to give what is due.” (Incidentally, Nemesis was the mother of Castor and Pollux, who are mentioned later in Chapter 28.)

While looking into this, I was not a little surprised to find that Invidia was sometimes considered the Roman counterpart to Nemesis. Invidia was more commonly associated with the evil eye, which explains the eye in the logo of the modern tech company Nvidia. However, the Latin word invidia was most commonly associated with justice, particularly in cases of shameless abuse of authority or undeserved wealth. Now if the Romans associated Invidia with vengeance or divine justice, that sheds a whole new light on the controversy surrounding the data centers that are currently being built. The company that is most entwined in these buildouts is Nvidia, the chip maker. According to Grokipedia, Invidia was sent by other gods to “enforce moral balance,” and moral balance is definitely out of balance in these last days.

It started in the sixties with ‘sex, drugs, and rock and roll’, which by the nineties had morphed into ‘AIDS, crack, punk and rap’. These things did not happen organically. They were sown into society by the powers that be, whose tyranny is now on full display. They shifted gears and accelerated their plans on September 11, 2001, then put them in overdrive in March of 2020. AI will be their next change of pace, going into warp drive in 2030, if their schedule holds.

Years ago, Elon Musk famously likened the rise of AI to a witch conjuring a demon and thinking that it could be controlled, when in fact it never could. More recently, the engineers at Anthropic have predicted that AI could kill us all. Evan Hubinger posted on X that there is a greater than 10% chance of this within the decade. He posted this after the resignation of his colleague, Jacob Coxon, who claimed the AI engineers at Anthropic “earnestly believe” AI poses an existential threat to humanity by 2030. More here.

The Christians have been predicting the end for decades now, simply because the Bible says that is what is coming. Now the techies are in agreement with us. A little late to the party perhaps, but in agreement with us nevertheless.

5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

Paul, always cool, calm, and collected, does not make a fuss about the viper. He simply shakes it off in the fire. I suspect he may have even seen it coming, a Romans 8:28 that he could use as an evangelistic tool. Now that the island people think Paul is a god, he can tell them about Mark 16:18 and the one true God: They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

7 In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously.
Acts 28:1-7

The Roman, Publius, though probably more refined and cultured than the island people who first received Paul, is likewise very hospitable and courteous. He will become a believer, and according to tradition, the first bishop of Malta, and one of the first bishops of Athens.

Paul performed the first part of Mark 16:18 in this post. In our next post, Paul will perform the last part of Mark 16:18.

In closing, just as surely as Jesus’ prediction about taking up serpents came to pass, so will what He said about the end of the world as we know it. (Matt 24 et al) Jesus is going to restore the ‘moral balance’. Jesus is going to punish the injustices that we all see. Maybe Nvidia is just one of his tools. In Romans 12:19, Paul cited Isaiah and Ezekiel, writing, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Tick … tock.

Finally, if you want to escape the coming judgment, simply receive Christ as your personal Saviour and then do what He says. (Jam 1:22) For example, For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matt 25:35-40) And, Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (Luke 21:36)

Acts 24:1-27 — Paul Before Felix

~ mikethemissionary

Law.

Roman law – the basis of Western law — is the focus of Acts 24.

In this post — and throughout the remainder of Acts — we will look at a case history from the annals of Roman history: the case of the apostle Paul. The parallels to our current legal system are unmistakable. Corruption is evident at every level. From the lawfare among elites competing for power, to the lawfare directed against the American people, to the farcical Fauci show trial (Senate hearing) this week, the corruption is on full display.

End of prologue.

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

When we left off in our last post, Paul was being kept in Caesarea in Herod’s Judgement Hall.

After a plot to kill Paul was uncovered (in a quite extraordinary way, by a child), Paul received a massive military escort to Caesarea, by way of Antipatris. Paul is on his way to Rome, and Rome is paying for his mission trip.

Five days have passed since our previous post, as Paul’s accusers are arriving from Jerusalem. Paul, a man of exceptional learning and impeccable integrity, is now standing before Felix Antonius, a former slave remembered mostly for his corruption, which led to increased crime in Judea. Tacitus famously said that, “Antonius Felix, indulging in every kind of barbarity and lust, exercised the power of a king in the spirit of a slave.” (The Histories, Book V, Chapter IX)

Father, fill us with your Holy Spirit and give us understanding as we read thy word, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 24:1-27
1 And after five days Ananias the high priest descended [from Jerusalem] with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.
2 And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,
3 We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.

Tertullus was no doubt aware of the corruption Felix was notorious for. Yet he is still not above using flattery to build his case.

4 Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words.
5 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
6 Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.

Of the four charges Tertullus leveled against Paul, only the third one is true. Paul was indeed a ringleader of the ‘sect of the Nazarenes’, but that was not a crime. It was an honorable privilege.

7 But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,
8 Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.
9 And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.
10 Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself:

Paul does not flatter Felix the way Tertullus did. He knows the case is in God’s hands and he will use the opportunity to give his personal testimony of the gospel.

11 Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.
12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:
13 Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.
14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
17 Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.
18 Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
19 Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had ought against me.

Paul points out that the witnesses are not present. Therefore, what Tertullus alleges is hearsay.

20 Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,
21 Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.
22 And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down [from Jerusalem], I will know the uttermost of your matter.
23 And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.
24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.

Josephus said Drusilla had an unequalled beauty. (Pr 11:22) We will meet Drusilla’s brother and sister, Agrippa II and Bernice, in Chapter 25. Drusilla was a member of the infamous Herod family. Her great-grandfather tried to kill Jesus. (Matt 2) Her great-uncle killed John the Baptist. (Luke 23) Her father killed the apostle James. (Acts 12) Through an intermediary, Felix, the pagan Roman, convinced Drusilla, a Jewess, to divorce her first husband in order to marry him. Curiously, the intermediary was a ‘sorcerer’ (or at least posed as one) named Simon. Felix and Drusilla were perfect for each other. 

25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled [lit was frightened], and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
26 He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.
27 But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.
Acts 24:1-27

Two years have passed in this chapter. The year is now 60 AD.

The key verse in Acts 24 is verse 25. Felix is convicted by Paul’s testimony, but too scared to receive Christ, which is a common phenomenon. Sadly, the ‘convenient’ time never came for Felix. His heart grew harder as the years passed by. As far as we know, he died in his sins. In reality, Felix was the prisoner while Paul was free. Felix and Drusilla, like Antony and Cleopatra, Mary I and Philip II, or Bonnie and Clyde, could have repented and been forgiven. Paul did his part. Jesus did his part. The Holy Spirit did his part, and so did God the Father. Therefore, Drusilla and Felix are without excuse. What about the rest of us? If you are a Christian like Paul, have you done your part? If you are still on the fence like Felix, will you die in your sins, without excuse?

In closing, with respect to Fauci’s hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee mentioned above, I believe Dr Simone Gold (who incidentally was caught up in the January 6 lawfare against the American people and ended up serving 60 days in federal prison for nothing more than going to DC to give a presentation) put it most succinctly:

Fauci was wrong about virtually everything. We were right all along.

-Ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine worked—safe, early treatments that were deliberately suppressed.

-Masks were theater, not science.

-Lockdowns caused far more harm than good.

-Remdesivir was, and remains, harmful.

-The mRNA injections carried serious risks that were never honestly disclosed.

-Six-foot “social distancing” was an arbitrary invention with no rigorous basis.

-PCR testing was massively overused and produced huge numbers of false positives that were treated as real infections.

-The case fatality rate for most people was low.

-COVID originated from the Wuhan lab, and NIH funding flowed into gain-of-function research there.

Fauci funded and defended that research while publicly denying it.

He lied to protect his position, his funding streams, and his power. He harmed ordinary Americans—patients, families, children—to advance his own money and control.

This man should face real accountability. Put the villain in prison.

Incidentally, despite everything Dr Gold said being proven and public knowledge, her Wikipedia page maintains the Jim Jones version of events and implies that Dr Gold is a quack. I thank God for Dr Gold and others like her who were willing to tell the truth and accept the consequences.

Finally, they continue to tell us another pandemic is coming, more or less admitting they are going to do it to us all over again. Their depopulation agenda was published as far back as 1977 in Ecoscience by Paul Ehrlich and John Holdren. The Fauci hearing is a red herring. The real crime was the Covid shots, which are not being talked about and are still being dispensed to this day, despite the VAERS data, which plainly shows the shots kill. I am attending my second memorial in as many weeks today. Yesterday, I learned an acquaintance from high school died suddenly. I lost two family members immediately after the shots were rolled out, and the losses continue to mount. We all see it, not just in deaths but in disabilities. The only question is whether we deny it or whether we face the facts. God help us.

Thank You, Father, that the truth about what they did to us in 2020 continues to come out and is there for anyone who cares to see it. Thank You more over that those who ask have it given unto them, those who seek find, and those who knock have the door opened unto them. Thank You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 8:1 — No Fear

~ mikethemissionary

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

In this post, let us consider how the apostles patiently waited for the leading of the Holy Spirit in the midst of persecution. 

Father, fill us with your Holy Spirit and give us understanding as we read your word, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

     And Saul was consenting unto his [Stephen’s] death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
Acts‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬ ‭

One of the things I have been contemplating as part of this study in Acts is how to discern the voice of the Holy Spirit. To be led of the Spirit, I first need to hear the voice of the Spirit. In The Spiritual Man, Watchman Nee spends a lot of time talking about the need to differentiate between the various voices competing for our attention:

1 There are the many voices from the world that bombard us each day.
2 There are my thoughts, that come from my own soul, or mind. 
3 There is the voice of the enemy, who can inject thoughts into our minds.
4 Then there is the voice of the Holy Spirit.

The last three on the list are the tricky ones. One guideline that I have found helpful is to ask myself if I sense fear. If you sense that a directive you think may be coming from the Holy Spirit has an element of fear attached to it, that is an indicator that it is in fact coming from the enemy. 

One of my favorite proverbs is, ‘Worry is a sin’. (Phil 4:6)

This sort of thought inevitably comes when God is telling us to do something new for Him, when we really need to trust Him as we step out in faith. The enemy would love nothing more than to cripple us with fear. He wants us to be afraid of the government, or a new relationship, or some potential disaster that will befall us if we trust God and do as He says — anything he can use to scare us. Sometimes he will even pick some minor arbitrary issue. For example, I recently felt like God might be telling me if I rented a car to go to Philippi, it was going to turn out to be a hassle that was more trouble than it was worth. I’ve rented dozens of cars and I’ve never had a thought like this before. I almost listened to this thought, but then I realized it was coming from a place of fear. I went ahead a rented the car, and when I woke up on the day I had to return it, I was having a dream that the car was stolen. That was when I knew the enemy was trying to scare me. I had been wondering what the deal was, and now I knew. The dream was proof that I was worried.

In closing, as Saul was wreaking havoc on the church in Jerusalem, the apostles were waiting on the Lord, a good habit to get into. (Why didn’t Saul go after them? Probably because he saw what happened the first two times they tried.) David, who spent a lot of time waiting for the leading of the Holy Spirit, wrote: What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. (Ps 56:3, 4)

Solomon, a chip of the old block, wrote:

     The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
Proverbs‬ ‭28‬:‭1‬ 

Be brave friends, the Lord commands it: Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. (Joshua 1:9)

Acts 8:1-11 — Simon the Sorcerer Part I

~ mikethemissionary

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

When we left off in Acts 7, Stephen was being received into heaven as they stoned him with stones. Saul was present as a party to his execution. As Chapter 8 opens, Dr Luke mentions Saul again, as consenting to Stephen’s death, and then engaging in the persecution of other believers as well. Give us understanding, Father, and fill us with your Holy Spirit, as we read your word, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 8:1-11
AND Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

The apostles did not fear the persecution. They stayed in Jerusalem and cared for the church.

2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus gave the outline for Acts. We now come to Section II, as the gospel goes into Samaria. The persecution is watering the church and making it grow, as rank-and-file Christians go out from Jerusalem into Samaria. Similar to how the wind spreads the seeds of a dandelion, the Spirit is using their evangelism to spread the seeds of the gospel.

Just as the Holy Spirit raised up Stephen from among the seven deacons selected in Chapter 7, likewise now Philip steps out in faith:

5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies [paralized], and that were lame, were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.

Wherever the gospel is received, it brings joy. Reading Acts reminds me of when I was young and living in San Diego. My friends and I met in houses, churches, Christian coffee shops, on the beach, in the park, and Jesus always came with. When one of my friends was diagnosed with a fatal disease, we all felt the leading of the Holy Spirit telling us to hold a prayer meeting. After we laid hands on her and asked for healing, the Spirit spoke to us and told us she was healed, so we sent her back to the doctor to get tested again. When we went to collect her at the hospital, she informed us the test was negative and she had a clean bill of health. Do you think we had joy? You bet we did, but eventually hardships hit our group and we all splintered off in different directions. That was bitter, but when I ended up in the mission field I found even more joy.

Paul’s treatise on joy, his letter to the Philippians, was written while he was in prison, as joy is not necessarily dependent on circumstances. As Christians, the joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh 8:10), whatever our situation may be. Moving through Acts, Dr Luke has been highlighting the joy and gladness that the gospel brings. (Acts 2:41, 46; 3:8f; 5:41; 8:8, 39) Dr Luke highlighted the joy that accompanies the gospel in his first letter to Theophilus as well, but not everyone is filled with joy. We should endeavor to rejoice in the Lord alway (Phil 4:4) but remember to weep with those who weep. (Rom 12:15)

9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
Acts 8:1-11

That is a very interesting word in verse 11, sorceries (Gk mageia).  Simon fooled people by pretending to be “some great one.” I suspect he wore a costume, as that is usually the first requirement to be a convincing con man sorcerer. For example, a Catholic priest wears a costume, says some mysterious-sounding Latin words, “Hoc est enim Corpus meum,” and turns a piece of bread into Jesus. (Did you know that is where the phrase ‘hocus pocus’ comes from?) 

Anthony Fauci’s costume was his tie and white lab coat. His silver tongue was every bit as effective as a mysterious-sounding foreign language. The tie and white lab coat is probably the most effective costume there is in this regard. People will believe almost anything or do almost anything if a man in a tie and a white lab coat tells them to. This has been demonstrated, for example, in the Milgram experiment, where people delivered what they believed were life-threatening electric shocks to others because a man in a tie and a white lab coat told them to. 

The TV set is an effective prop for sorcery as well. Viewing something on TV, or even in the new media if it is presented well, creates a psychological effect of believability. Why am I talking about this? Because Jesus warned us not to be deceived. (Matt 24:4) 

Whether Simon’s ‘sorcery’ involved any real magic, as seemed to be the case with Pharaoh’s magicians, for example, is not certain, but what real difference does it make? Consider our situation today; when spiritual wickedness in high places takes control of peoples’ minds through control of mass media, turns them away from the gospel, and convinces them to trust new-world-order narratives that are harmful to themselves and others, what real difference does it make how they manage to pull it off? 

Let us consider the contrast between the ‘magic’ Simon used and the power of the gospel that Philip possessed:

Magic requires skill, deception. It enriches the practitioner as he deceived his victims.

The gospel requires humility, obedience, and faith to minister the truth of the the word of God (creation, death and resurrection, second coming, etc). The gospel benefits all who receive it.

The word for Simon’s magic, mageia, is different than pharmakeia, which specifically refers to deception using drugs or poisons. That one, pharmakeia, is a hallmark of the end-times deception. (Rev 9:21; 18:23) 

Although we are not currently experiencing 2020-level lies and deceptions, there is deception all around us. Even for those of us who know Christ, this deception is dangerous. Otherwise, Jesus would not have bothered to warn us about it. Jesus said if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

We will see what happens with Simon the sorcerer in our next post, but for now, let’s consider the Simons in our own day. Let’s carefully consider what we are being told. Question everything and examine all the evidence when considering important issues. Remember the key question, Who benefits? Pray for discernment. Most of what we are told in the media is lies, but if we keep our focus on Christ, if we keep our armor on and continue in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, we will not have a hard time remembering that we are the ones who have the answers — not the talking heads on TV or on X. Most of them are just a distraction.

In closing, ‭‭I don’t often feel joy after reading the news, but I do after sharing the gospel with someone. It may be foolishness to those that perish, but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God. Father, we are living in the age of deceit and the strong delusion is already taking hold of peoples’ minds. Strengthen us Father, that we may be strong in the Spirit and in the truth of your word, that we may light the way for others. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prophecy Update: Finally, let’s consider a bit of good news concerning one of the ‘Simons’ in our day, Jeffrey Epstein bud and tech titan, Bill Gates. He has been walking back his ridiculous claims about ‘climate change’. Notice the body language in the clips below as Gates realizes people are no longer fooled by his nonsense:

Of course, profiting from ‘climate change’ through things like carbon credits and fake meat was only one of Gates’ grifts. He is a party to the mRNA vaccine catastrophe, which used the same business model he used at Microsoft; create computer viruses, then market the solution. He applied this model to vaccines, mosquitoes (more vaccines), and more — all of it tied to the new world order and their agenda of depopulation.

PS: Endofdays.press will expire in January. Notes on Acts will continue to be posted at: MichaelJamesHarvey.substack.com

#ProphecyUpdate June 2025 #MustReading #IntelligenceBriefing:

~ mikethemissionary

Prologue

Dragon Slayer (2014),  P 161:

A well-rounded worldview is one that incorporates not just religion, philosophy, history, and current events, but politics as well — a reasoned view of politics. In order to truly understand an organization, one needs to understand its roots. Although the Democratic Party has styled itself as the party of civil liberties, their true roots are such that they were indeed the party of slavery. This is what they stood for historically. The Republicans, the party of Lincoln, started out well but have been co-opted in the twenty-first century by the ‘neocons’, a name they adopted for themselves. The neocons no longer represent American values as defined by the founding fathers. The anti-slavery stance for example was a founding-father value. Many of the founding fathers were abolitionists. The Declaration of Independence itself attacked slavery by declaring that all men are created equal. However the neocons are now championing the end of civil liberties by destroying the Bill of Rights, and by subjugating the modern populations of the world. The Democrats are complicit with them. 

Dragon Slayer (2014),  P 215:

The New World Order, with its intervention policies that erode national sovereignty, used to only appeal to the left. Then along came the neocons. The neocons have been in control of the Republican Party ever since George H.W. Bush. Irving Kristol is the “godfather of neoconservatism.” This is what Irving Krostol’s Wikipedia page says: “As a former Trotskyist, Irving was indeed himself mugged by the “reality” of conservative philosophy and enfolded leftist policies such as a lack of objection to welfare programs, international “revolution” through nation-building/ militarily imposed “democracy” and application of Fabian Socialism/Keynesianism coupled with a socially conservative viewpoint. These concepts lie at the core of neoconservative philosophy to this day.” [Emphasis added.] 

Dragon Slayer (2014), P 43:

After our involvement in Iraq, it was admitted that Iraq had nothing to do with September 11, nor were there any WMDs in Iraq.  Instead of liberation, our involvement only badly destabilized the area, forcing the Christians to flee the country. They sought refuge in Syria, where it was granted. Then we aided in the destabilization of Syria by supporting the Syrian rebels. The Christian refugees and the local Christians were badly persecuted by the very rebel forces the United States was supporting. The Christians were raped, killed, forced to convert to Islam, or beheaded in many cases. Many fled for their lives back to Iraq again. 

Notes on John (2020):

Essentially what we are looking at is Obama 2.0. [Biden] We can expect all the things I wrote about in Dragon Slayer Jesus Christ to resurface. For example, expect to see ISIS come back and wars in the Middle East to return. Added to this is the fact that Biden is 100% committed to medical tyranny in the name of COVID. Take heart though. All these are the beginning of sorrows [birth pangs]. Although dark times are upon us, the good news is we have a new birth of freedom coming. [Ie, 1000 years of peace (Rev 20)]

Notes on John (2021):

One of the greatest achievements of the Trump Administration was the defeat of ISIS and a drawdown of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention the multiple peace treaties between Israel and her neighbors. Following the stolen presidential election of 2020, I wrote that we will soon see a return of the failed policies of the Obama Administration. Right on cue, Washington has been busy rebranding Mohammad al Jolani, the founder of al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, as a legitimate head of state dressed in Western business attire. In Dragon Slayer Jesus Christ, I wrote about how this shell game is played with al-Qaeda, blaming them for terrorism while at the same time using them to fight proxy wars. Now, they are being presented as our new ally, the legitimate government in Syria.

Fast forward to 2024: As the Biden Administration (Obama 2.0) was winding down, Syria was taken over by HTS in a lightning-fast eight-day blitz. Shortly afterward, the US lifted the terror designation from HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. The wars in the Middle East are following a predictable pattern, ie the final stages of a plan set in motion over 25 years ago by the Project for a New American Century. After September 11, General Wesley Clark learned of these plans directly from the top brass in DC and made them public. The plan was to take over seven nations in the Middle East starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and finishing off, Iran. (See Dragon Slayer, p 179) 

That brings us to where we are now in 2025:

These events were orchestrated and executed by the Republican neocons. The Democrats under Obama were complicit with them. Now Trump — either wittingly or unwittingly, who knows — is embroiled in this plot. The momentum of this agenda is an unstoppable force, on a crash course with the immovable object of Bible prophecy. From a worldly perspective, what we see transpiring in the Middle East is essentially the Great Game Part II. This, however, is a very short-sighted perspective. To have an accurate worldview, one must examine everything through the lens of Scripture. 

Each stage in this process that kicked off on September 11, 2001 has antagonized various players in the Magog scenario of Ezekiel 38, 39. After the rapture of the church and the fulfillment of Ezekiel 37 (ie, the worldwide return of the Jews to Israel), Russia (Magog), Iran, and the other Muslim participants are going to be so incensed over their many losses that they are going to rise up in unison against Israel. They will feel invincible as they descend on their tiny adversary, only to be obliterated. After their defeat, their corpses will be buried in the valley of Hamon-gog. Their weapons will be burned for seven years. (Ez 39:1-16) Nevertheless, world sentiment will continue to turn against Israel (and toward the Antichrist) until Israel has to flee to Jordan, where they will find refuge in Petra. (Isa 16:1-4) When Jesus returns at the end of the Great Tribulation Period, Israel will receive her Messiah. (Zech 13:6) 

End of Prologue. Now we are prepared to proceed with this prophecy update:

In Daniel 9, Daniel recognized his people would soon be released from Babylon just as Jeremiah foretold. (Jer 29:10) Daniel knew that God was about to do something big. Daniel therefore prepared himself with prayer and fasting. God is preparing to do something big in our day too. The ‘great men’ of the earth make their plans. The Bible says God is laughing at them. (Ps 2:4) Father, give us understanding as we read thy word, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daniel 9:1-21

1  In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;

2  In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

3  And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

4  And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

5  We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:

6  Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

7  O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.

8  O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.

9  To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;

10  Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

11  Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.

12  And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.

13  As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.

14  Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.

15  And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

16  O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.

17  Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake.

18  O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.

19  O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

20  And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;

21  Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.

Daniel 9:1-21

In Daniel’s prayer, we see that one of the curses Israel brought on themselves through their transgressions was confusion. Daniel mentioned this twice. Daniel said this confusion had permeated their culture, affecting everyone from the head to the tail (v 7f). Mark Twain said history does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes. Much like Israel, the church in these last days has sinned too. Hence, we are cursed with confusion just as they were. Let’s take a step back:

Do you remember where you were the first time you used the Internet? I certainly do. I also remember where I was when I first heard we were attacked on September 11, yet my emotional response to the one seemed to be an inverse function of the other. Like the precious Ring of Power in a Tolkien novel, the Internet captivated us. It then lured us away from our books, our critical thought patterns, and our communion with God. It was available to all, unprejudiced and nonthreatening. It was like a lotus salad on a silver platter served by an enchantress named Pandora. Once the Internet became part of our daily lives, I could not help but notice how people were embracing the opinions of total strangers. If their site appeared near the top of the search results, they were automatically an authority on any given subject. Before anyone even knew who was running Snopes it was widely regarded as the final arbiter of truth. When search results were later manipulated to hide certain hits and magnify others, the cancer metastasized. 

The complete control of the Internet was always the plan of the New World Order. I wrote about this in the 10-Year Anniversary Edition of Dragon Slayer (available for free here). Controlling the narrative is necessary for their plan of world domination, especially their plans to depopulate the world through vaccines, or what the Bible calls sorceries (Gk pharmakeia, Rev 18:23). Artificial Intelligence is taking the deception to the next level. I think the question we need to ask ourselves is whether we are going to let this trend affect us as Christians. Daniel serves as a model for us to follow in this regard. He refused to eat the rich food the Babylonians ate. He refused to follow their laws when they conflicted with his faith. Daniel was in Babylon but not of Babylon. Daniel was knowledgeable of the times and he exercised discernment; he prepared himself accordingly.

As for us, our King is coming back for us soon. Will He find you watching? Or will you be lulled to sleep by the alternate reality of Satan and his silicon army? Timothy Leary told his followers to “Turn on, tune in, drop out.” I say Turn off, tune out, unplug. I have never used Siri and I never will. I will always choose reality over AI. I do not own a TV. Digital lotus may be pleasurable for a season, but the end thereof is death. AI amounts to lies and deception. The Bible and analog reality point to the truth. Consider:

They are preparing to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. (Matt 24:15)

They are preparing the new economy of the New World Order. (Rev 13:16-18)

They are preparing the worldwide deception of the Antichrist. (2 Thess 2:11)

Are you prepared?

Whatever turn current events may take, the key thing to keep in mind is where all this is leading. Jesus is coming back soon. Jesus is not worried about the news headlines. We need to stay focused on Jesus. (Isa 26:3) Everything else is a distraction. 

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Hebrews 10:37

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 1 Peter 1:13

Keep your attention fixed on Christ and his kingdom. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Jesus is coming. In the final analysis that is all that really matters. Tell others. Be ready. Come quickly Lord Jesus. Amen.