Prophets Point to 2012 When the World Will End!

But Fail To Show Humanity How to Deal With Great Tribulation

Appollyon Rising 2012: The Lost Symbol Found and the Final Mystery. Review by Joe Ortiz, author of The End Times Passover (Etymological Challenges to Millenarian Doctrines) and Why Christians Will Suffer "Great Tribulation" (The Sequel to The End Times Passover)


     Tom Horn has written probably the most informative book to date about the diabolical machinations that have lurked behind the shadows of humanity since the beginning of time, concerning what we believe is cognitive reality.
     It is this author’s opinion (which has been proven by many other authors besides Horn) that there exists a dimension few are aware of, where Satan and his minions have been manipulating the human mind since the beginning of time, in an effort to thwart the perpetual mission of God to reunite with His creation. Obviously, this was accomplished by the glorious act of Jesus Christ, on the cross, who sacrificed His life for us in order that we can spend an eternity with Him in His soon to come Kingdom.

     After Satan rebelled against his own creator, he began the most clever plan ever to drive a wedge between Christ and His creation through a myriad of efforts, beginning first with altering the DNA of God’s creation, resulting in a spiritual hybrid many of us recognize as the present demonic forces we struggle with on a daily basis Ephesians 6:12.

     My interest in this subject matter that Horn so masterfully reveals to the reader goes back to the early 70’s, after first reading Erich von Daniken’s book Chariots of the Gods. This book and a subsequent one by Hal Lindsey, The Late Great Planet Earth, actually planted the seeds to my conversion from Catholicism to becoming a Born Again Christian in1975. While after my conversion I spent the majority of the time with extensive Bible studies, I concurrently stayed in touch with the subject matter Horn deals with in Appollyon Rising 2012, by reading thousands of books and articles on the Illuminati, Freemasons, Bielderbergs, Nephilim, UFOs and numerous cults, and recognized how they connected with Bible truth.

     About ten years after my conversion to Christianity, I began writing my two books in 1984 (originally one manuscript that has since been published into two volumes), dealing primarily with the subject of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture to Heaven theory. After 25 years of research, I finally published my manuscript in 2007, which in essence biblically refutes all premillennial and dispensationalism notions and its Left Behind progeny. Simply put, there will be no pre-tribulation escape to heaven!
     More importantly, after many years of studying and trying to connect all the dots together (theology with mysticism), I have to agree that Tom Horn’s book Appollyon Rising 2012 provides information that confirms (for me, at least) that we are one day closer to the return of Christ, but it doesn’t confirm for me whether his book provided the right solution to the crisis facing each person who claims to be a child of God and a disciple of Christ. While I stayed riveted to all the information that Horn’s book unveiled, as I came to the end of his book I was jolted by the reality that the percentage of writers who deal with this topic, more than often are seeking something else. Not necessarily how to get Christians closer to God, but to either sell more books (through fear tactics) as well as survival equipment to protect oneself from the impending horrors spoken of in the book of Revelations. 
     This was proven more so as Horn and his Raiders News Network (RNN) sent out an alert on March 12, 2011, immediately after media were reporting that a potential radio active fallout poses danger to the United States due to a possible nuclear power plant meltdown caused by the devastating 8.9 earthquake in Japan on March 11, 2011. As it turned out, the data that RNN hastily posted was a hoax (not perpetrated by Horn) that some idiot had created and was disseminating it throughout the Internet. RNN quickly removed the item from their bulletin.
     Seriously, I have no problem with people selling life-saving equipment. However, I do have some concerns when I see a minister of the Gospel taking advantage of the heightened fear resulting from the Japan catastrophe to sell emergency gear. Some will accuse me of attacking a fellow minister, but that is not the case here. 

     On a personal note, I care much for both Tom and Nita Horn and recognize they have suffered much in their ministry, recently experiencing their home being burned completely to the ground. I include both in my prayers all the time. However, if I were not responding to the exactness of God's word, I would welcome similar suggestions from my fellow believers that we must trust God explicitly in all things. 
     One of the reasons we do not see any miracles today is because we choose to solve our own problems our way before turning to God. We have been told repeatedly in the Bible that we are to trust no one or anything but God Himself to rescue us from peril. This was the prevailing message by the Old Testament prophets to the nation of Israel. Rather than trusting in God to fight its battles, Israel trusted its military strength and their own man-made solutions to everyday problems. The Israelites paid a heavy price for not obeying God and they do so today.
     Nowhere in the Bible have I ever read about any suggestions as to how God’s children should protect themselves from tribulation. Paul never once told us to use our finances to purchase life-saving equipment. We are told to help the poor, but never to purchase equipment as "escape from tribulation" tools. If anything, Paul tells us to glory in the persecutions we are suffering, and that we (Jesus’ disciples) will be rewarded in ways we cannot even begin to fathom.
     After reading Horn’s book (and his recent alert bulletin), many Christians will rush to stores and will seek the latest survival gear and other accoutrement of some kind to protect themselves from these horrors. It is interesting to point out that since the earthquake occurred, there has been not one single report of looting; the Japanese instead reaching out to help their neighbors in whatever manner possible. And this by a people not known to be adherents of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Will American Christians respond in such a loving manner if they experience what Japan has?
     But, nevertheless, what Horn and other writers who see and brilliantly write about the diabolical schema that has been extant since (and even before) Christ was crucified, seldom or never warn the disciples of Christ what Paul told us in Acts 14:22 …… and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
     None of these writers ever provide the scriptures that the disciples need to be made aware of, which is to warn and encourage the flock to trust in God as we prepare to experience tribulation, as never before in history. They don't focus on this aspect of the Bible because they genuinely believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture to Heaven theory. They believe a select group of born again believers will be whisked away to Heaven to avoid any suffering. Their "escapism" solutions are the soothing gospel that Timothy warned us about in 2 Timothy 4:3-4. Yet, on the other hand, they still hawk their wares in the interim until Jesus (supposedly) catches them up to Heaven. You can't have it both ways; you either trust God to rescue you, or you depend on life-saving equipment. 

     Sadly, they don’t tell you about verses like Matthew 24:9-14 where it states they shall they deliver Christians up to be afflicted, and shall kill them; who shall be hated of all nations for Jesus' sake. They don’t mention scripture like Luke 21:12-19 which contain the fact that disciples will face anti-Christian tribunals on charges of Treason; that they shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinfolks, and friends; and some who shall be put to death. They don’t show you examples (such as Acts 7:1-60) where the first martyr Stephen was stoned to death for telling the Jewish church leaders of that day that they failed to recognize the true Gospel of Christ. The disciples of Christ are not being prepared to deal with this impending doom the way Christ would have it. The apostle Paul, whom many viewed (and still do) as a crack-pot, boasted how we should feel about Christ, and be willing to even die for Him as He did for us.
     As we read in Philippians 3:10-11 Paul was not concerned for His life nor was looking to a Rapture to Heaven scenario, but rather with knowing Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; and if, by any means, that he might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

     But, we (especially American) Christians are too skittish; we want no part in suffering for anyone. No one tells them that the only true way to survive the impending holocaust (if it be in the year 2012) it will not be with high tech survival gear, but by what we read in Revelation 12:8-11, a willingness to lay our lives on the line for Christ as millions did during the Crusades, the Inquisitions and throughout history.
     These true believers will not need survival gear or patriot protection camps; these forever grateful, will overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

     If anything, what these great 'end time prophecy' writers should do, as intellectually and gifted as they are in providing answers as to who the enemy is, they should encourage at the end of their books not for their readers to buy their wares, but to trust God in all things. But Most of all, to tell their readers to get over their fear of death, as we are advised in Hebrews 2:14-15, Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— ¹⁵ and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
     This fear of death aspect is best summed up towards the end of our book, Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation, of which an excerpt follows:

    No one wants to think about death or dying, primarily because no one really knows what death truly entails.  Ecclesiastes states that when a person dies, they remember or know nothing henceforth, until The Resurrection. There have been numerous recorded accounts of out-of-body experiences by those who came close to death.  And in each of those cases, those who came back have reported that after supposedly experiencing either a hellish encounter or seeing a wonderful white light (or even seeing Jesus) or departed family members, after being resuscitated back to life, have never reported or could remember the pain of death or dying.  Who really knows what death is like until it is experienced? There must be something about death that God knows needs not to be feared. 

     Humans fear death for many reasons.  Fear of leaving loved ones behind uncared for, fear of leaving their earthly possessions to others, fear of not being able to finish a work. However, as the Bible clearly states, the biggest fear is in not knowing what death holds in store. The biblical reality is that we have this fear because we don’t know true love, the love that one can only know and experience from God. Those who don’t know the love of God have fear of punishment, because there is punishment for sin, our daily sinful actions. Those who know true love have experienced the forgiveness God provided when Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins. If we have not accepted this grace and forgiveness, we will always fear death because the only judgment for those who do not accept this forgiveness is eternal punishment. In the book of 1 John 4:10-21, the author clearly explains this profound truth:

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.  13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.  14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.  16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in Him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the Day of Judgment, because in this world we are like him.  18 There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  19 We love because he first loved us.  20 If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar.  For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.  21 And he has given us this command:  Whoever loves God must also love his brother, (1 John 4:10-21, NIV). [Bold, italics and underline is by the author, solely for emphasis]

    Based on our understanding of this group of scriptures, an important question begs to be asked. If Christians have already been caught up to heaven for safety reasons, seven or three and a half years before Christ returns to pour out His wrath on the unrepentant, why would John be giving Christians a warning about love being complete among them so that they should have confidence on the Day of Judgment?  If the Christian Church has already been Raptured (before this great onslaught of tribulation), obviously it has already made it to heaven and needs not fear death or judgment.  The answer is that we fear death because fear has to do with punishment.  If the Christian Church is already in heaven, God’s love for it is made complete and, at this point in time, there is no punishment due to the church because living in God is love and whoever lives in love lives in God and, if we live in God, we need not have the want for confidence on the Day of Judgment. Therefore this exhortation would not be necessary. However John does warn the called out ones about this aspect, because the ecclesia will be here on earth when Christ returns to pour out His wrath on the unrepentant. While many fear this aspect, they fail to understand that experiencing martyrdom so others can obtain salvation is the zenith of the human experience. Jesus Christ showed mankind this great love, and conquered sin and Satan by giving His life so others may live, and called out ones, during this most horrific period in history, will also have an opportunity to be conquerors themselves:

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends, (John 15:13, KJV).

~

For more information concerning the author's two books, click on The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation. To access his web sites and blogs, click on Joe Ortiz.

Ethno Culture: The Driving Force Behind the Demise of American Christianity

     As we enter into another day of what we call the Great Apostasy, that period described in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 that speaks of many Christians will depart from the faith in Jesus Christ, we ponder and wonder about what could very well be one of the main contributing reasons for this apostasy. We are convinced that besides the diabolical attacks (Ephesians 6:12) we are constantly exposed to, one of our major character flaws is pride, especially as it relates to a culture we have been indoctrinated by. To be more specific, we speak of parochialism, ethnicity and or tribalism.

     Throughout this particular post, we have embedded several articles previously posted on our blog, plus links to other pertinent material, that will provide the reader with additional and corroborating information that one can explore for a more in depth explanation to any specific points we present.
     One of the first items includes links to a couple of definitions of the phrase Ethno Culture and the Difference between Culture and Ethno Culture in order to best understand the topic at hand. If you care to read these two items now, feel free to do so and then return to the remainder of this blog.

     This ethno culture topic is rather complex and obviously has been examined by far more intelligent and knowledgeable scholars than us, dating as far back as the days of the Tower of Babel (Genesis11:9), where a once united people were cursed by God as He devised a plan to confuse His creation, by restructuring humanity with a new status of diversity of races and languages that would haunt it throughout history. Therefore we won’t rehash this here. But, we will state that “ethno culture” and how we view ourselves, plays more into how we practice our Christian faith than we realize, or are even willing to admit.

     Many do not realize that our Christian ideology was formed and inculcated not into a world view mindset, but an American version that in reality is opposed to what the Gospel of Jesus Christ truly calls for. Regardless of whether we were raised in a religious setting early on or recently decided to follow Jesus Christ, our environmental and ethno culture experiences actually dictate how we practice biblical Christianity. We have always sensed that the religious practices of many people varied not necessarily from the ‘church’ doctrine they have been exposed to, but rather by their cultural standards and values. This has become more evident not by various people’s theological and doctrinal standards, but by their previous ethno culture and political realities. 

     This is most evident by the large chasm that exists between those who call themselves “Conservative Christians,” and by those who basically have lived an apolitical life but yet treasure their spiritual and religious journey. Fellow believers in Christ, for example, who have been raised in a remote desert in Mexico, who have lived for the most part as farm laborers, picking fruit and vegetables throughout their entire lives, but yet were raised by strong Christian principles, have no idea of the differences in what we in America call “Conservative” or “Liberal.” But, yet, they may be more loyal and responsive to the Gospel than is being practiced by say a Southern Baptist woman in Norman, Oklahoma. I will venture to say that this young lady has been raised mostly by an “Anglo American” culture whose forefathers could go back to the Puritans who established their beachhead on America’s shores in 1628. 

     Supposedly they left their European homeland because they were unhappy with the Church of England. They were deeply religious people, though they had an immense desire for independence and freedom. They put much emphasis on education and literacy. Their main source of literature, other than the Bible, was sermons, which were preached in front of congregations.

     In the spirit of getting down to the specific issue being addressed here, as quickly as possible, we won’t rehash what really caused the ‘ethno culture’ problem that currently permeates much of the negativity prevalent amid modern day Christianity, other than to say that America’s Version of Christianity Has Been Skewed from the Very Beginning. Much of this problem originated from what many scholars have written about in the past, which stems (and has been practiced by the predominate Anglo American culture) from an ungodly premise that has nothing to do with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This driving force is mostly an attitude that was ingrained early on as Americans searched for their own and specific identity, which has been dominated by a superiority view of themselves, inculcated by their belief they are God's chosen people. This thought process has been called "Manifest Destiny," which basically deals with an emperical philosophy that has more to do with an “Anti-Christian” culture that has dominated the American church throughout its history... more than it's willing to admit. 

     Without going deeply into this phenomenon, America's current agenda is churned more by intertwining political and religious zealotry into empire building rather than practicing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This mindset is not endemic solely to Anglo American Christians, this is also prevalent in many of today's African American church's who interpret the Bible from a 'liberation theology' perspective rather than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One can understand how this phenomenon exploded onto the poltiical arena in the mid 1960's, and has now (according to many pundits) resulted in the election of President Barack Obama. It is obvious that his election has polarized much of white and black America as never before in U.S. history.

     Many of you know that I am outspoken critic about how negatively immigrants are portrayed (and treated) in this country and, for the most part, many folks believe I place my loyalty to my ethnic roots rather than in Christ. Those who know me well recognize that is not the case and I have publicly written where my loyalties lie. Over and over again I have reiterated that my loyalty and commitment is to Jesus Christ rather than nation or nationality. So much so, even many of my former Chicano activists friends have dropped me like a hot potato. I have not only written about this, publicly, but I also discussed my former political and ethnic orientation before committing my entire life to Jesus Christ and His Gospel on the Derek Gilbert radio show, where we discussed the topic of whether Christians should devote their life to the (click here to listen to the broadcast>)Flag or the Cross?

     If any fail to understand why I actively support immigrants and defend them, it is solely because God has told us in over 250 scripture verses that in reality we are to consider aliens as Naturalized Citizens. One of the reasons why I conclude that our ethno culture many times overshadows our Christian faith is that while many agree with my biblical overview, whenever I even broach the subject of ‘immigrants’ or my support for fair and just immigration reform legislation, most of these folks go ballistic! 

     One example includes a discussion with a person whom I met on Facebook who agreed 100% with my polemic that refutes a pre-tribulation Rapture to Heaven, as well as renouncing the politically originated Zionism philosophy. However, he exploded on me and began cursing me when I told him that the negative attitude many Americans (including thousands upon thousands of self-proclaimed Christians) have towards Mexican immigrants is similar to the oppressive actions taken by the State of Israel against Palestinians, who have basically been dispossessed of the land they have lived in for thousands of years. My friend began citing the incessant verbiage of anti-immigrant talking points we see expressed on thousands of web sites. When I quoted him some of the 250 scriptures where God declares we are to treat aliens as natural American citizens, he said, “I don’t give a damn about those scriptures, we need to round up those Mexicans and send them back where they came from.” 

     This is only one example of hundreds and hundreds of conversations I have had with "fellow" Christians. Many of them (believe it or not) have called me a traitor, accused me of being unpatriotic, even though I served in the US Air Force, was once a registered Republican and who has cried on numerous occasions while singing our national anthem. I have even been called a racist because I point out the difference between an ethnic Jew and a member of the faith-believing remnant of Israel, who are in reality God's children of promise. They have accused me of being  an "anti-semite" (a word that has been coined by Pharisaic cabalists to put on the defense any one who even questions the political activities by the government leaders of the State of Israel), even though my daughter's ethnicity is half Jewish and half Mexican. All of these remarks and accusations simply because I point out specific scripture to validate my theological contentions. 

     This is only one of hundreds or reactions I have received from those who claim they are Christians, but yet they would rather follow (or allow) their ethno culture to override the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One of the first arguments they spew forth is that ‘aliens’ are law-breakers therefore they need to be punished and kicked out of the country. When I mentioned that this nation has enacted thousands of laws that protect more so the interests of the already rich and wealthy, rather than laws that protect all human beings (if not at least be sensitive to the plight of farm and other laborers) they play the we have to obey the 'laws of the land' card. When I presented them scripture proof that lawmakers cannot enact unjust laws, plus tons of corroborating scripture, they again went ballistics and yelled “To hell with those verses, America’s laws prevail.”

     So, I ask them (as I have asked so many others who have erased my name from their buddy list), “Where is your true heart; is it based on God’s word or in your ethno culture?”

     I understand and sense more than they realized their fears and concerns regarding the impact immigrants are having on what they once perceived as a stable community. It is obvious that the migration factor has changed the historically cultural and political landscape they grew up with. America is no longer personified by the image that was projected fifty or even sixty years ago, emblazoned in our minds by Norman Rockwell paintings. These changes are happening throughout the world, and no one country is immune whether it likes it or not. I also feel a certain degree of sadness when I visit my hometown and see how different it has changed (and grown) for the better or for the worse. But, does this have to alter my Christian world view? Of course not! Change causes everyone certain anxieties which we all have to adjust and live with. But the Gospel of Jesus Christ never changes; God is the same today, yesterday and forever. We have to adapt our ethno culture to His standards.

     Throughout the Gospels, we are told that God is no respecter of any man, that His promises are to the faithful, those who are prepared to sever all ties between family and race, to become one of those who have a pure heart, and those who are prepared to surrender everything; family, friends, co-workers, political parties, social clubs, fraternities and even their loyalty to their respective ethno culture, solely to pick up their cross to follow and serve Jesus Christ.

     In conclusion, a couple of friends of mine (I believe one is of Irish descent, and the other English), wrote two beautiful articles that paint a picture of what all American Christians should practice. One article deals with what our attitude should be toward all immigrants, and the other wrote what he believes Christians should encourage at all times, which calls for us to pray for the return of a once great country, which was called, America: A House for all people.

For more information about the author’s two books, click here on The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation. To access his web sites and blogs, click on Joe Ortiz.