The Whore and her Mother: 9/11, Babylon and the Return of the King

by Raymond McCullough

  There is a type of theology rampant within churches today, generally referred to as Replacement Theology, which teaches that all of the promises to Israel in the Hebrew prophets now apply only to the church. The church has replaced Israel in the purposes of God. Paul says this is not so!

  If we have been guilty of this attitude towards the Jews and Israelites, we need to humbly repent and ask God to give us a new attitude towards His people.

  We also need to take practical steps to learn more about and to engage with God’s people. They may not be grateful for our interest. Please don’t expect that. They have suffered over 2,000 years of persecution from the Christian church.

  The cross to most Jews is a symbol of that persecution, death and destruction. This requires a lot of prayer, humility and perseverance on our part. If we expect an enthusiastic response from them, we will probably be disappointed.

  We need to be more aware of what is really going on in the Middle East. The State of Israel is no more the Kingdom of God upon earth than any other nation is. There is much corruption in government, the police, judiciary and business leadership. Regularly, such leaders are indicted and brought to trial in Israel. But, at least, there is a sense of justice being done, eventually.

  Abortion is rife in Israel. It is often treated by Israeli women as an alternative form of contraception! There is no real opposition there to abortion, as there would be elsewhere in the West. More Jewish children have now been murdered by their own people, than were killed by Hitler in the holocaust. God cannot bless this!

  Nevertheless, God has his hand of protection upon Israel. He has performed many miracles already in the creation of the nation and in its preservation to this day. “This race will not pass away.”

  To support Israel is not popular anywhere in the world – and this will become more and more the case.

  If Israel is attacked again, and secures an overwhelming victory over their enemies, so that the ten tribes are encouraged to make the trek overland to their homeland – the world will not look on this with favour. The US government may well take steps to hinder transfers of assets and personnel to Israel.

  Paganism

  Also, the church is seen by many Jews – including Messianic Jews – as steeped in paganism. There is a lot of truth in this accusation. Most churches have gone along with the rejection of the biblical feasts back at the Council of Nicaea, in 325 CE.

  Instead, we have substituted the celebration of the pagan feasts of Easter (Ishtar, Ashtoreth, Astarte) and Christmas (Yule, Winter Solstice). Most Christians seem to be totally unaware that these feasts were originally closely linked to child sacrifice, idol worship and worship of sun gods.

  How can we expect to be blessed and directed by God if we continue to participate in the very things which caused Him to reject Israel in the first place and remove them from His land?

  Back to our Hebrew roots

  There is already a growing movement within the church to return to our Hebrew roots – referring to Paul’s statement that the branches do not support the roots, but vice versa. We need to embrace this: firstly, to be free from inherited paganism and deception; secondly, in order that we may fully understand the biblical feasts and their prophetic nature.

  These feasts were given to us by God and we are commanded to celebrate them. This is where we get our English word ‘holidays’, from the celebration of biblical “holy days.” They are designed to be times of celebration, therefore not a chore to perform and, by doing so, we are also being obedient to the LORD!

  As we celebrate the biblical feasts, we are more able to forge new bonds between true Christians and Jews. After all, we are meant to “arouse them to envy” .(Romans 11:14 above). We will find it difficult to do that while continuing in pagan practices!

  Persecution

  This purification of the church will be accomplished by opposition – persecution:

  Matthew 24:9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

  John 15:20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

  2 Timothy 3:12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

  We have no God-given right to be free from persecution. For example, those who follow Yeshua in China, India, the Middle East and many other countries regularly experience persecution – some even being executed for their faith. Why should we in the West be spared this? Those believers count it part of their normal experience as a disciple of Yeshua to be persecuted, so why should we be exempt?

  Perhaps we are not really committed to following the Messiah in the same way that they are? Perhaps we are too willing to compromise, or to settle for an easy life?

  My family and I have experienced a little persecution here in Northern Ireland – often due to gossip, misunderstanding and lies being told about us – though we have nver been physically attacked. But we have also seen many new people come to know God, experience emotional and physical healing.

  I have also driven through the still troubled area of north Belfast for two whole years – areas where riots were taking place weekly, without ever being hindered, or even witnessing the trouble – only hearing about it on the radio, a few streets from where I had been!

  I don’t think we can truly follow the Messiah and NOT expect people to misunderstand, oppose and even hate us. Yeshua said it would be this way, so is our way of life somehow making him out to be a liar?

  The time is coming fast when our freedoms will be greatly restricted and there will be tremendous pressure on Christians to conform. As Daniel says:

  Daniel 11:32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him. 33 “Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. 34 When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. 35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

  The church must change!

  1 Colossians 1, Ephesians 5 and 2 Peter 3 state that the church will be presented to the Messiah “pure and spotless, without blemish or wrinkle,” which is not an accurate description of the church at present!

  2 The church has a very poor reputation among the Jews. We need to seek God for His love for Israel to be released in us – it does NOT come naturally.

  3 We are meant to provoke the Jews to jealousy by how we live, which is not likely if we are still steeped in paganism and pagan celebrations.

  4 We need to search the scriptures and get back to our biblical Hebrew roots. It is US who have been grafted in to Israel, NOT the other way around.

  5 If we are not willing to buckle down to this, I believe the Lord, in His graciousness, will allow us to experience persecution to accomplish it – “everyone who wants to live a godly life in the Messiah Yeshua WILL be persecuted.”

  Back to Contents

  21 What do we do now?

  When will these events take place? How soon? Questions that I’m sure I will be asked over and over after publishing this book. Well, I don’t claim to be any sort of prophet myself. This book is about interpreting those things that are already clearly written down by the Hebrew prophets. I can’t tell you WHEN the USA will fall, for instance.

  Everything points to it being soon, though – probably
a matter of years, rather than decades! I DO know that several people whose prophetic ministry I have some regard for, are also getting a sense of urgency about the future of the USA.

  And I CAN tell you that we can hasten that day – and the day of the Messiah’s return, by our actions! (2 Peter 3:12) The ‘fulness of the Gentiles,’ mentioned by Yeshua and Paul (Luke 21:24), is being accomplished as you read this!

  The warnings we’ve referred to in Chapter 7 apply to all of God’s people, but perhaps even more so to those of you who are of Jewish, or Israelite, origin. You should seriously be making some plans to make aliyah to Israel, now!

  Jeremiah 50:8 "Flee out of Babylon; leave the land of the Babylonians, and be like the goats that lead the flock.

  For those who already trust in Yeshua as the Jewish Messiah, things are not so easy at the moment. You will not be allowed permanent residence in Israel under the current rules. Pray for this restriction to be lifted, for it applies to many Israelites who want to make aliyah. We should be praying anyway for the restrictions on the ten tribes to be removed – “Judah, [will not be] hostile toward Ephraim.”

  For Christians, if you have not already done so, it’s way past time to get back to your Hebrew roots. Repent for past failures and for the replacement theology and paganism in the church – and find ways to start blessing the Jews. This may not make you popular with your present congregation, therefore you may have some tough decisions to make.

  You also have the same responsibility that I have felt for some time – to warn others of what is to come. Like myself, you will probably find that many of your friends and colleagues are not at all aware of what the scriptures actually say about the days we are living in.

  If we warn them, they may not respond positively right away, but the onus is now on their own shoulders. As they see things come to pass they may well remember things you shared with them and seek to find out more. Keep praying for your friends.

  As I said above, we can ‘hasten the coming of the Lord’ by our prayers and by our witness. You don’t have to stand on a soapbox at the street corner to be a witness. You can start simply with the people you know already.

  Make a list of those in your family, your neighbours, people you work with, or study with – particularly those whom you would have some interaction with on a weekly basis. Pray over that list on a regular basis and ask the Lord to lead you to three people that he specifically wants you to focus on. (This does not mean you ignore the others!)

  If you can, (and I highly recommend this), get together with a small group of 6-10 people who are like-minded – fellowship together, and share and pray for your VIP list. The first disciples became ‘fishers of men’, but they were not anglers, they fished with nets, working together as a community.

  You will be a much more effective witness, if you are able to share this task with others. In a group of, say, eight people you will have a combined ‘mission field’ of 24 people. Among those will be some who are nearer to the kingdom of God than others.

  As you pray together, and witness to these people, some of them will make a commitment to the Lord in a fairly short time. When they do, invite them along to your group straight away and make them feel welcome, that they belong there.

  Ignore their lack of understanding of spiritual things and allow the Holy Spirit to teach them. Wait for them to ask you questions, before you provide answers! And NEVER give advice, especially if it’s something you are not demonstrating in your own life, yet! I do not believe we are called to give advice, but instead to live in demonstration of the Holy Spirit moving in our own lives. If you’ve got it, teach it by example – others will soon catch it!

  2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.

  What kind of people?

  We need to re-evaluate how we are presently living our lives in the light of these words of the prophets.

  When should believers consider moving out? And where should they go to? I know there are some who are advocating you start to make plans to leave the USA right away. I simply don’t have the answer to that one. I am not saying they are wrong to do that. This is where we need to be walking in the Spirit and in prayer, tuned in to the Father’s will for you and your family.

  If you are Moslem – devout, or otherwise – and you have read this book through to this point, then I am honoured and impressed. I would suggest that the Spirit of God is already at work in your life and that you ought to consider the possibility that Isa (Jesus) is much more than just a prophet.

  If he was a prophet and a ‘good’ man, then His words are true? And it is his own words which claim that He is the son of God. He made it clear that he came to lay down his life as “the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” Without that, not a single one of us can stand before the Father!

  To anyone who does not presently claim to be a disciple of Yeshua, but you would like to know what is the truth – there is a very simple way of being sure. God is not hiding himself away from us, or making it difficult to know the truth.

  If we ask Him directly and in sincerity to reveal himself to us, then wait to see what He does, we will begin to find answers and He will begin to bring people into your life to help you along the way. Reading the words of the Hebrew prophets and asking God for His guidance as you read, will allow Him to reveal himself to you more easily.

  Yeshua (Jesus, Isa) stated, “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man can come to the Father except through me!” (John 14:6) That could be construed as a very exclusive statement. But, if we think about it, why would a logical and loving God create MANY ways to Himself?

  Surely only ONE way is required? Anything more would only bring confusion. And we read in 1 Corinthians 14:33 that “God is NOT the author of confusion!”

  In ancient times this same God chose one man – Avram, or Abraham – and made him into a nation through his grandson, Jacob, (later renamed, Israel). In the fulness of time – exactly as foretold by Daniel – out of that same nation, He brought Yeshua, who fulfilled many of the prophecies about the Messiah, including his death and resurrection.

  Yeshua will come again to fulfil the other prophecies, several of which we have been considering here.

  Phillipians 2:9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus [Yeshua] every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ [Yeshua, the Messiah] is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

  One day, “Every knee will bow” to Yeshua. Why not bow yours to him now, voluntarily?

  For those of you who already have a relationship with Yeshua, perhaps your paradigm (world-view) needs to be adjusted a little to see things more from God’s perspective?

  We need to be aware, on the lookout, prepared, equipped, informed and ready, for all the things shortly to happen on the earth. We have a great role to play.

  Daniel says, “The people who know their God will firmly resist.” (Daniel 11:32) And also, “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” (Daniel 12:3)

  There is a lot to be done, but first we need to be fully informed. In all the study and research I have carried out for this book – off and on over a period of forty years! – one thing has become very clear to me, that I do not know these prophecies well enough.

  The more I read and study them, the more little pieces I find which fit together, giving a clearer and fuller picture. We need to be like the Bereans:

  Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they receive
d the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

  Please, do not take my word for anything you read in this book. I urge you to go to the source and study it for yourself. You will probably discover things I have yet to discover. If you approach the scriptures in a prayerful way, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you and to reveal His word to you, then this will become a very exciting voyage of discovery!

  You can also follow the news of world events and be able to line them up with the revelation of the prophets – again an exciting experience. News events can be a great opportunity to share your faith with others.

  As I’ve said already, you can be a witness by sharing what you know, by standing alongside those in need, offering to pray for them – even by passing on a copy of this book.