July, 2006

Fred R. Coulter, Minister

July 18, 2006

Dear Brethren,

We are currently witnessing a new Arab-Israeli war. This one is different, however, in that the Jews have not been attacked as in the past by another nation, but by the terrorist militias of Hezbollah and Hamas. This latest conflict suggests that a shift in the power of terrorist organizations is taking place—away from the greatly weakened Al Queda and the Sunni Moslems directed by Ben Laden, and toward Hezbollah and Hamas, both dominated and directed by the Shiite Moslems of Iran and Syria.

In another dramatic shift from the past, the nations of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and the Arab Gulf states—all Sunni Moslems—have not endorsed the actions of the Hezbollah and Hamas Shiite terrorist organizations. Apparently, the Sunni Arab nations fear that Iran and the Shiite Moslems desire to ultimately dominate all the Arab states. At the same time, however, they cannot openly support what the Jews are doing. It appears that this war will not be ending any time soon—and some have even labeled it as the start of WWIII.

While end-time prophecies do not particularly indicate that Persia (Iran) will be the dominant power in the Arab world, there are several prophecies concerning Esau, also called Edom, the brother of Jacob. Esau’s original inheritance was Mount Seir, which was south and east of the Negev Desert in southern Israel today. The Edomites, however, have been scattered throughout history into the various Arab countries, largely as a result of God’s punishment against them. Today, many have adopted the Shiite Moslem religion—which fuels fanatical, extremist terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas.

From ancient times to today, the Edomites have had an ongoing hatred of the Jews. In Ezekiel, we read that God pronounced judgment against Mount Seir because they rejoiced at the Jews’ calamity of being taken captive into Babylon in 605-585 BC: “Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, ‘Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it, and say unto it, “Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee most desolate. I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD. Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end: Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: since thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee” ’ ” (Ezek. 35:1-6).

Because of their hatred of Israel, God has scattered Edom among the Arab nations. Ezekiel’s prophecy apparently has a dual or “ongoing” fulfillment, which helps explain the Edomites’ utter hatred for the Jews today, and why they have dealt with so harshly with the nation of Israel. The prophecy of Obadiah gives some additional details of God’s judgment against Edom: “The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, ‘Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.’ ‘Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised. The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, “Who shall bring me down to the ground?” Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down,’ saith the LORD…. ‘How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!…

“ ‘Shall I not in that day,’ saith the LORD, ‘even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau? And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter. For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress.

“ ‘Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity; neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress.

“ ‘For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen [the days in which we are living]: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head…. But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. And the house of Jacob [including the Jews today] shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph [the USA and UK today] a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau;’for the LORD hath spoken it” (Obadiah 1-4, 6, 8-15, 17-18).

These prophecies shed some light on events taking place today. The Jews, the United States and Britain are really the only ones fighting against the terrorists of Esau and Ishmael. Now that the power has shifted to the Shiites of Hezbollah and Hamas and they have declared war against the Jews, we can expect this conflict to be a bloody slaughter against “Edom.”

There is another prophecy, in Zechariah, which shows that all nations of the world will eventually become involved in the Middle East—leading up to the return of Jesus Christ. In one way or another, they will all be drawn into this conflict that centers around Jerusalem: “ ‘Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

“ ‘In that day,’ saith the LORD, ‘I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, “The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.” In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem’” (Zech. 12:2-6).

Psalm 83 reveals the very peoples that have been fighting against the Jews from ancient times—the same enemies that surround the Jewish nation today: “Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, ‘Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.’ For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot” (Psa. 83:1-8).

This is why the Jews have had to fight so many bloody wars—even against terrorist organizations—just to maintain their existence as a small nation in the Middle East. As a result of this most recent conflict, proposals are now being made for various nations to send troops to stop the fighting between the Jews and the Hezbollah and Hamas terrorists.

Modern, Instant Communication and Prophecy. Two hundred years ago—before the technology made readily available to us today—it would have been almost impossible to know of events taking place in other parts of the world. The “news” would take too long to reach us. Indeed, those living in the more isolated areas of the world might never know of wars and natural disasters occurring elsewhere.

Today, we have instant communication, instant news—all 24/7. It floods into our living rooms via television, radio, newspapers and the Internet. With this in mind, we need to read again Matthew 24 and realize that such instant communication is exactly what is required in order for us to even know about many of the events Jesus discussed prophetically. Only in our modern era has such communication been made possible.

Let us review some key verses of this critical end-time prophecy: “And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, His disciples came to Him alone, saying, ‘Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the completion of the age?’ Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Be on guard, so that no one deceives you. For many shall come in My name, saying, “I am the Christ”; and they shall deceive many.

“ ‘And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you do not let these things disturb you. For it is necessary that all these things take place, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places. Now all these things are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to affliction, and shall kill you; and you shall be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then shall many be led into sin, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another; and many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many; and because lawlessness shall be multiplied, the love of many shall grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, that one shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world for a witness to all nations; and then shall the end come’ ” (Matt. 24:3-14).

In Luke’s parallel account, Jesus shows that the one event that will signal the immediacy of the end is Jerusalem being surrounded by armies: “But when you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, then know that her desolation has drawn near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those within her go out, and let not those in the countries come into her; for these are the days of vengeance, so that all things that have been written may be accomplished. But woe to those who are with child and those who are giving suck in those days!

“For there shall be great distress upon the land and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And there shall be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress and anxiety among the nations, the seas roaring with rolling surges; men dying of heart attacks from fear and dread of the things that are coming on the whole world; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with great power and glory. But when these things begin to take place, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:20-28).

Jesus continued with this parable: “Observe the fig tree, and all the trees. When they have already begun to bud, and you look at them, then you know of yourselves that summer is near. In the same way also, when you see these things coming to pass, know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I say to you, there is no way that this generation shall pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall never pass away.

“Watch yourselves, lest your hearts be preoccupied with high living and drinking and the cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly. For as a snare it shall come upon all those who dwell on the face of the earth. Watch therefore, and pray at all times that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (verses 29-36).

This current conflict is far from the last war that will be fought by the Jews against terrorists or the surrounding Arab nations. Prophetically speaking, there are many things that must yet take place before the end comes. Daniel 11 tells us that there must first be a “king of the north” and a “king of the south” before the conflict can take place that begins the great tribulation. Exactly how and when they will come on the world scene we don’t know. This is why we are to heed Jesus’ warning to not get caught up in the cares of this life and this world. We must always be ready by continually praying and watching on a daily basis.

Was Jesus Really Married? Our new editor, Philip Neal (who edited our latest book, Occult Holidays or God’s Holy Days—Which?) has written a paper called, “Was Jesus Really Married?” (I asked him to write the paper because I simply did not have the time to write it.) The paper—which wraps up our short series on “Gnosticism and Attacks on Jesus”—clearly shows from Scripture why Jesus could not have married Mary Magdalene as portrayed in the book and movie, The Da Vinci Code. We have enclosed it with this mailing.

We have been getting more and more requests from brethren who would like to receive our sermons on CDs. We are close to making this a reality. In my next letter, I will bring you up-to-date on how soon we will be able to replace the audio cassettes with CDs. I will also give you a report on the Bible project—the Old Testament in its original order.

Brethren, thank you for reaching out to other brethren—and to new people—by giving them our books. You are helping many people by sharing these publications. I am sure that you will be careful to give our publications to those who really desire them and who will actually use them. Remember, we have a good supply of all our books and publications—so we can send you any number of books that you need. By reaching out to others, you are personally helping to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Once again, thank you for your love, prayers and support through your tithes and offerings—together we are making a difference. May God the Father and Jesus Christ be with you with love, grace and blessings in everything.

Correct information for North Myrtle Beach SC

Bay Watch Resort and Conference Center

2701 S Ocean Beach Blvd

North Myrtle Beach SC 29582

1-800-845-9700

With love in Christ Jesus,

Fred R. Coulter

FRC