Finish Strong With Fearless Faith
Finish Strong With Fearless Faith
Prophesy in Today’s Headlines with John Hope #90
Bible scholar John Hope joins us to discuss the ways in which Biblical prophecies are being fulfilled in today’s news. Every day we read about things that we never thought we would see in America. From drag queens performing for small children to a corrupt media to wars and rumors of wars the stage is being set for the soon return of Jesus Christ.
John Hope breaks it all down from a biblical perspective and tells us what to expect in the next few years. You don’t want to miss this installment of Finish Strong!
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Well, the news seems to get more bizarre and scarier by the day. Mass shootings are commonplace wars and rumors of wars are constantly in the headlines. Lying seems to be the norm among our political leaders and now, major product brands are using transgender people as their spokespersons. Everything seems to be upside down and inside out, we're seeing things in America that we never thought we'd live to see, like teachers who somehow think it's okay for young children to be entertained by drag queens. What does the future hold for our country and the world? This is a live edition of finished strong. I'm Dan Wheeler. I'm here with Terry Steen and Brian Rowland guys, we're watching biblical prophecy unfold before our eyes. And because of that, we've brought back one of our favorite guests.
Terry Steen:Yes. And it's probably he sent in a record being with us because he does such a great job. Once again, he's making me look bad as far as the family goes, if you have not met him if you're new to finish strong. This is my brother in law, John Hope he's been a pastor for many years been a prison chaplain and has always had an affinity and interest and has studied in times and prophecy and revelations in Israel. And he has a plethora of knowledge. And Dan, I'll explain that word to you later after we're done.
Dan Wheeler:Yeah, I think I know, but I'm not sure
Brian Roland:what you just learned a new word.
Dan Wheeler:I taught Terry that in college.
Terry Steen:Welcome once again, it's always a pleasure. Yeah.
John Hope:Thanks. Great to be here with you.
Terry Steen:And you know, John, we were talking a little bit earlier, the culture wars, the attack on Christians. It is so real. And it's no more real to anyone than you. Is it because I know that you have you've taught more than once have had the fight that in your position as the chaplain in the prison. And you literally felt like you had to walk away from your job because of that pressures. Can you just touch on that for a minute?
John Hope:Yeah, sure, Terry. Thanks. Thanks, guys, for having me here tonight. And, you know, I was a chaplain in the state prison system in Florida Department of Corrections for 21 years. And towards the end of my tenure as a chaplain, serving in an institution where of course, many of our inmates were had homosexual tendencies and were living homeless, were living homosexual lifestyles. And of course, they would infiltrate into the chapel where they certainly were always welcome. We welcome them in we pray that God would, through His Holy Spirit, ministered to them, minister to their lifestyles, and do creative changes, dramatic changes, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation, old things passed away, behold, all things become new. So we welcome them into our chapel. But in our worship services, I had always wanted drawn a line of demarcation that said, if they were professing to being a homosexual, they were living that lifestyle, that we would not allow them to take leadership roles, we would not allow them to be in ministry, in our choir in our teaching ministry in our prayer ministry. And so having drawn that line with one particular inmate, he took obviously offense to that, personally, a filed a lawsuit didn't show litigation. And so I was confronted by my administration at the prison. As to this choice, either I could allow him to take whatever role he chose, or I would have to step down and resign as chaplain. So to make a long story short, that's how my tenure actually concluded and ended. So the culture wars are alive and well,
Terry Steen:they are Yeah. Where, and that's what we're talking about. In this episode is the spiritual battle that's taking place, how that relates to the revelations and the end times and the headlines we're seeing. What's your just a quick general overview before we get into some of the specifics and as far as what are you observing, what are you reading? What are you sensing with where we are today?
John Hope:Well, I think as you look at the signs that are enumerated, especially like in the apocalyptic literature in Matthew 24, and Mark 13, Luke 21 When When the disciples asked Jesus as I sat on the Mount of Olives, what would be the sign of His coming are of the end of the world? The very first sign that Jesus gave them was Take heed that no man deceive you, for many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ, and shall deceive many. Not I don't think it was an accident that Jesus chose that as the first signal event that would give a sign of His coming or of the End Times. Many will come in My name saying I am Christ, obviously not going to come and say I'm Jesus, but they're going to represent his body, the church.
Dan Wheeler:You know, John, we see so much lawlessness. And it's interesting because the Antichrist is referred to as the man of lawlessness arriving on the scene.
John Hope:Yeah. Second Thessalonians chapter two says, you know, that they shall not come, except that man, that man be revealed, who was known as the man of sin, or lawlessness, or the son of perdition. And, you know, even him who's working is after the coming of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. It's an age of deception. It is it is so because Jesus is soon to return that was the primogeniture sign, so to speak, that he gave to his disciples of His coming. It's the one we need to be aware of, because we need to show real discernment have on the spiritual armor of God. You know, Paul said his second pistols means chapter four, verse two, he said, The spirits speak with expressly, that in the letter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving ie to sing spirits and doctrines of devils speaking, hypocrisy is in lies and having their conscience seared by a hot iron.
Brian Roland:We're seeing, we're seeing a lot of ministers today. It's amazing.
John Hope:It really is the the signs of our times the lies that are being exposed, the church standing for non biblical positions, taking roles, you know, for abortion, when obviously, the scriptures are always pro life and pro God procreation, taking positions on homosexuality, on gender identity on marriage, that are certainly non biblical, and shaking the foundations of God creating a man and a woman in His own image and even questioning their identities or genders.
Dan Wheeler:Brian, before you get into the our next topic, I just want to mention to you watching if you have questions for John, we can't promise we can get to many of them, but we'll try to get to some of them. So just write them in the comments below.
Brian Roland:And John, we're moving forward of the Bible also talks about wars and rumors of wars. And now of course, we saw Russia and Ukraine, we see what's going on there as continuing I don't know if that's sort of ever going to end Crimea is getting on the edge now. And on the right there. There's, they're, they're loading up. I think there's a couple of this became part of NATO too, which is Russia doesn't want. We see China doing more games, officially, we're attacking Taiwan are doing flyovers in that, and challenging us, the United States in the straight there. And then Israel, of course, the Palestinians, I Iraq and Iran. They're all trying to take Israel out. And it's just seems like all this is coming to a culmination of, of the wars and rumors of wars and I don't think is going to stop a continue to grow. That's what I want to ask you about.
John Hope:Isn't it interesting that that was the second sign that Jesus gave and in the apocalyptic literature after the deception sign, then he says, for you shall hear of wars and not just wars, but rumors of wars or the threat of wars, the saber rattling, so to speak, the nations are doing today look, look at all of the like, as you mentioned, Brian, the hotspots that are alive and well and thriving today, you have the war in Ukraine going on for over a year. The alliances form they're the same alliances that are mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and 39. In the war of Gog and may God you have Roche or Russia, you have Persia or Iran, you have them being active co partners in this war, Iranian drones are flying over the Ukrainian people and causing havoc and destruction and devastation and damage. And so you have those unholy alliances already being formed set up for Ezekiel 38 and 39. You have the shack and to both Turkey also supporting Russia now and going against Israel. So you have that war and that's that's a true war that's ongoing but the saber rattling the Chinese implication that they're going to block a Taiwan rattling in the distance you know, against America, sending a spy a surveillance balloon over our our bases in our country for five full days. Really Some deadly virus at killing over a million Americans. It's it's not just active warfare. It's it's also, you know cyber warfare, it's warfare, it's pandemic or fair. Yeah. And here and you look at the book of Revelation and Revelation chapter nine, what is it mentioned as the sixth trumpet is sounded, that the yellow army east of the Euphrates River measuring over 2 million foot soldiers shall cross the west with fire and smoke and brimstone proceeding out of the mouth and kill a third of the world's population. Well, if, if China is not a formidable yellow army, yeah, your friends, and one that we need to really keep an eye on and watch and already formidable. I mean, already a major thermonuclear power may be and then as you mentioned, of course, the Middle East, it's just a tinderbox.
Dan Wheeler:Do you see? Do you see anything in prophecy that refers to America?
John Hope:Well, you know, there's there's been a lot of suggestion that America is so meagerly mentioned in most of the prophetic and apocalyptic literature, that it will almost be weakened to a point that it's kind of non non tangential, it's just kind of non existent, or it's not a significant factor at all. And, and I think that generally, is what we're seeing. Right now, the weakening of America, in the standing in the world, our enemies certainly don't respect us, our allies really don't respect us. And I think our economy is in decline, our social mores are in decline. So I think we're going to just be a non factor.
Terry Steen:John, it's funny, you should mention that because I just read an article this last week. That said 77% of our young Americans do not qualify, right to go into the service, because of weight because of drugs. And because of mental or physical problems. 77 don't qualify. And out of those that do qualify, only 9% are interested. Wow. And here we hear where China I just read where China is broadening those that they're going to require to go into their service, the college students and younger, which they weren't doing before, so they're aggressively expanding in here. We only have 9% out of 23% even interested in ours yeah
Dan Wheeler:if you're watching and you're scared don't worry we're gonna give you hope you don't need to you don't need to fear
John Hope:Yeah, thanks. Look at the size of the army of China's 2 million plus Americans now stands fifth in the size farm is about 1,000,000.4. India's well ahead of us, North Korea is just just behind us the little rogue nation who over always saber rattles with their nuclear capability is behind us. And then Russia of course is fifth but a 2 million man army and growing
Dan Wheeler:vibe we've got we've got so much to cover. We're 15 minutes in already what about currency John that digital currency cryptocurrency and Terry and I were talking there day Panera bread's ton about a palm reader.
John Hope:Isn't that interesting? They're implementing know Panera Bread has over 2000 stores. And over over I think 59 million loyal customers in their loyalty program. And they've just implemented Amazon one which has already been used in the Amazon Go stores throughout the nation and Whole Foods stores throughout the nation. But now Panera Bread has decided to for a convenience for their customers, they're going to implement a biometric palm read, where the customer at a kiosk or when they pay or even online, if they have the capabilities can read their palm take the symmetry of their palm, put in a credit card and a phone number and agree to their terms of service. And anytime they go into Panera Bread, all they had to do was wave their palm across a palm reader with a biometric hand scan and they can make full payment through their credit card account. cashless society, you know is certainly upon us and what is the Bible say revelation 13 that no man can buy or sell unless he has the mark well, is a cashless means of producing or transacting commerce. It's you know, it's one of those key biblical signs that everybody seems to refer to kind of nonchalantly but you know, it started with our debit cards, you know, in the early 90s When MasterCard and Visa started. There's a company now called wallet more out of Great Britain. which produces a subcutaneous chip that they'll put between your thumb and your finger, it's about the size of a grain of rice weighs less than an ounce has a little antenna on it has a poly mirror coating around, it can be purchased for$199, you can, with your credit card, you can link it up with the key system in your house, all you have to do is waiting to be a little, little subcutaneous chip in front of the key reader. It'll let you into the house, it'll buy your groceries, it'll buy your restaurant foods, and 51% of the people in Europe are in favor of doing the subcutaneous chip man's planning the chip, it's available. It's you know, it's technology that's really neutral, but in the wrong hands, right? Tremendous control and old and surveillance capabilities. Every transaction, every financial transaction that we could make, and that's where the control comes in. We do some, some digital, they can control and surveil what you do.
Terry Steen:So once that controls in place, and you know, I did read where the international central bank is creating a monetary unit on top of that, but that leads right into that one world government. And what can you tell us about where that's at with the World Economic Forum? And
John Hope:yeah, I mean, again, another, another biblical, prophetic principle, right out of revelation 13. You know, you see the beast coming up out of the sea of the restless mass of humanity having what is seven, seven heads and 10 horns, each horn has a crown. And it says that all they that dwell upon the earth shall worship the beast. Well, there's a world rulers so there has to be a precursor for the acceptance of that kind of autocratic rulership in the world. And then we're so used to being sovereign nations, and not wanting to violate that sovereignty, but the Bible yet depicts a time when there will be a global ruler, who will be worship, who will speak blasphemies against God who will have authority over all of the nations and make war with all of the believers. And and he will require that we take the mark on our right hand or in our forehead, the World Economic Forum, you know, Klaus Schwab, in 1971, founded this organization, this consortium, economic elites of the world, you know, if you look at that right now, there's 2700 leaders that were at the 2023 meeting in Davos, Switzerland, weary of this year, they wanted to formulate the fourth industrial revolution of the great reset. And reset Well, it's setting up a value based economic system, their values, called ESG, which is, you know, economics, social and corporate governance. They determine if you measure up to their score, you know, so if you measure but what does that mean? What, who sets the criteria? What if? What if you own a gun, and have ammunition in your home or your score goes down? Saline car, as opposed to an electric car? Well, unfortunately, your score goes down. What if you can affirm the transgender movement and affirm children having their identities changed and their genders through surgical means? What if you can affirm that? Well, your score goes down, so they're running around the world? How banks are group with you.
Dan Wheeler:I want to get our audience in Charlaine just made a comment that she turns off Alexa, because it's listening to everything and the other last night, Tucker had a interview on AI with Elon Musk, artificial intelligence.
John Hope:Yeah. So scary. Chat. GPT. And, you know, the program that came out, I had an article here that I was reading just just today, where identity Christian identity magazine, which is a magazine that just is an apologetic magazine for the Christian faith, but they actually use chap GBT to see what they thought of the image of the mark of the beast. And it's fascinating. It says here that the one way in which chatbots could potentially fulfill this prophecy, giving life to the image of the beast, it through their ability to manipulate and deceive people. chatbots are designed to be mimic human conversation can be programmed to present themselves as real people, leading some people to form emotional connections with them. This can be particularly dangerous in cases Where chat bots are used to impersonate real people or organizations in order to scam or manipulate that. Revelation 13 says, the power of life to the image of the beat and oh you and you will worship the image of the beast. You know, we're in transhumanism artificial intelligence creeping into the fabric of our society being more and more scary, but it's coming and it's here.
Dan Wheeler:Okay, guys, we keep moving because we want to give hope at the end right.
Brian Roland:Let's take the next one. John, this is we can just get right into this talk about education CRT that transgenderism drag queens, they want to put in the school now that for storytime, things like that,
John Hope:right? I mean, you know, you look at the world is saying that the public school system should educate our children, as opposed to parents who have biblically speaking have always been the ones responsible for the bringing up, Train up a child, and the way that he should go proverbs 22, six, when he's old, he shall not depart from it. Paul, when he wrote to the church of Colossi was so concerned about misinformation in their education, that he said, you know, in Colossians, two, eight, Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy, or vain deceit after the rudiments of men, after the traditions of the world and not after Christ. When Moses gave commandments to the children of Israel, he said, Teach your children well, you know, teach it to them over and over again, teach them in your house, teach them on the road, teach them when you go to bed, teach them when you get up, write it on your hands, write it on your forehead, write it on the doorposts of your home that you do. But parents you educate your children, Ron DeSantis, in Florida recently passed what was incorrectly called the don't say gay bill. Really? Right in education bill was the name of the bill. And all I'm saying was that for children, third grade, and under the parents should be the ones to teach them about sexual orientation and gender issues, not the teacher. It's just it's
Brian Roland:only eight years old, two
Dan Wheeler:sons,
John Hope:why would you not want the parent to be the one responsible to do that kind of teaching at that third grade and on?
Dan Wheeler:I just saw a comment from Jackie, she said, It's sad that parents aren't making their kids go to Sunday school. And you know, yeah, you got to see I see more and more people not taking their children to Sunday school. It's so sad parents we've got we've got to take control. This is out of control.
Terry Steen:You know, I just read that California just passed a law that 12 year olds can leave their parents and go to a state group home with just the signature of a mental health counselor.
Dan Wheeler:Yeah, the Navy's the Navy's pushing that too. They had a thing on last night, about
Terry Steen:12 years old, they can legally walk away from their parents
Brian Roland:without in between, you're responsible for you know,
Dan Wheeler:we've gone insane as a country and a world.
John Hope:Amen. We really have I mean, and in the education issue, just to just just be common sense that the parents were the primary sources of the upbringing and the education of our children, not the indoctrination of the public system, which has always been to the culture has been, always will be. And the parents are that corrective force that gives the children that moral fiber to be able to stand and make the right decisions when they are responsible human adults.
Dan Wheeler:Thank you, Diane. She says she appreciates us doing this listens to us every morning on our podcast. John, what can we expect to happen in the next few years? I mean, I hear some people say, Oh, it's gonna get better, it's gonna get better. I'm not sure. And a lot of people wonder, well, will we be here through the tribulation?
John Hope:Well, I know there's various views, you know, on that particular question. You know, some say we're, we're pre trib, which I particularly I personally am. Some say we're mid trib, we'll have to go to the first three and a half years, because that's not really the judgments of God until the mid point period. Some say no, we're going to have to go through the entire period because Jesus said, in John 1633, in the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. positive note there, at least in the midst. Yes. Yes, I am pre trib, just because there's this distinct scripture, which I think just says it blatantly in Revelation 310 To the church of Philadelphia. You know, John, the Revelator writes that because that has kept the word of my patience. I also will keep the from the hour of tribulation, which Oh, on all the world to try them that well, they're in.
Dan Wheeler:So we may be getting out of here soon Hunter, will
John Hope:I wholeheartedly embrace the pre trib position, although I'm certainly friends with those that do not. And still remain.
Terry Steen:Yeah. Well, it's so important. I think as you know, we've talked so much that we could feel pressed with fears, pressed with where in the world are we going. But as you say, John, we can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that at some point, before it gets too bad in the tribulation, the Lord will draw us away in the rapture. And we have comfort in that, because we've accepted Christ. And we believe that that's going to happen, right? And so if someone's listening to this right now, and they don't know that for sure, they don't know what would happen if the rapture took place. You can be sure, just by accepting Christ, and believing that He died for you that he's your Savior and your Lord. And then you don't have to worry about that.
Dan Wheeler:Yeah, John can give our viewers some hope here. Yeah.
John Hope:I mean, she just said Jesus has taken the wrath of God upon himself. As he died the ignominious death on the cross, He stretched out his arms, they stretched around the world. Yes, he was elevated between heaven and earth. On a cross, He bridged the gap between sinful humanity and a holy God. And because he endured that wrath, which we just celebrated this Easter season, and will continue to celebrate, until he comes again. Jesus wants to have assurance in his finished work on Calvary, by signifying it by the resurrection from the dead, that he overcame death Hill and the grave that he is alive forevermore, and live also. And that's why he told his disciples, don't let your hearts be troubled. Right? God believe also in Me and My Father's house are many mansions if it were not, so I would have told I'd go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, view unto Myself, that where I am there, you may be all self mattes. That's our whole. I mean, that's
Dan Wheeler:an amen. Loretta just said, We've got to pray for those and they're crazy ways. And we do pray they get Jesus in their hearts, and they turn their thinking around, John, we could go hours with you have so much to share. But you know, as So how should we be usually we kind of wrap it up the three of us. But I'd like to wrap up tonight with John, if you guys don't mind. How should we as Christians be living? Knowing the times we're living in? Yeah, what can we do, John?
John Hope:Well, I think, you know, there's a number of scriptures that exhort us how we can live in light of the coming of Jesus. In Second Peter chapter three, you know, when he tells us that the day of the Lord will come, as a thief in the night, the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works there in shall be burned off, or dub what manner a person's ought we to be in all holy conversation, and godliness. So you know, it's time to sober up in a sense, and be serious about our relationship with God, because that's where our hope does lie with. So we need to, we need to kind of straighten up and sober up in lieu of that we need to, we need to kind of stand up, you know, all said, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. So not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. So it's, it's not time to lay down it's time to stand up and get up and stand up and, and then I think we need to link up, you know, Hebrews 1025 says, Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as what as you see the day approaching. Yeah, this time, you know, I know Well, as a result of COVID men, he just kind of fell away from the fellowship of the church. I mean, they may be streaming it. And that's great. I'm glad for that technology. But it's no substitute for linking up with the people of God exhorting one another encouraging one another, and so much the more he says, as you see that day approaching So, and I think it's time to speak up, you know, Let the redeemed of the Lord say so even from the hand of the enemy. So you know, there's a number of things, we need to kind of straighten up, we need to kind of stand up, we need to kind of link up and then we need to kind of speak up. And then we also need to serve up to occupy. So that's a little bit of a cliched ending, but you know, it really there's some scriptural basis to all of that, I think, and there's things we can do in lieu of the Second Coming of Jesus. We're looking for it. We're not laying down, we're not going off to a mountain. We're being active as believers. We're standing strong, right, or finishing well.
Dan Wheeler:Yeah. That's our that's our philosophy. You know, I know we've gone longer, but I don't think anybody's complaining about it. It's fascinating stuff. And one thing, guys, I think we can learn from John that we can do better. This guy knows scripture. Like it just flows out of my I started laughing thinking, man, you know, he just you have the word you have truly hit it in your heart and recall it. So so well. It's very admirable. It's something we can all strive for. Right guys? No question. No, no, John did that transfer and other family members? I went to college with Tara, I
Terry Steen:think we're out of time.
Dan Wheeler:This short, that was one test. And I guess the good news is if you know Jesus, you got them in your heart. You don't have to fear he says fear though not from would they be not dismayed for I'm like God, I will strengthen the I will help thee I will uphold the right hand of my righteousness. We have to keep focused. Don't wait. We there's no time. As John said, this is a time to be sobered to be serious about what we're doing, guys. And I think in the way we share the gospel, we need to be bold. Yeah, that's right. Yeah. Final Thoughts Brian Terry.
Brian Roland:I'm just reading what Betty judges wrote here. Thank you for this conversation. We'd like more with John.
Dan Wheeler:John, man, we got to put him on the payroll. Making well worth making, which is I'll tell you the benefits are out of this world. John.
Terry Steen:Nadine made a nice comment about our morning cups. And so those who are listening to our podcast, if you want more encouragement, we do a morning cup of inspiration every morning except Sunday, eight o'clock in the morning, it posts on YouTube and on Facebook, and it's a three minute inspirational video. If you're not watching or listening to those, we encourage you to go do that, too.
Dan Wheeler:John, would you close us in prayer?
John Hope:Sure. Well, thank you guys. Lord God, we're so grateful for your presence that we felt here, through this podcast this evening, you said Where two or three are gathered together in your name, that you would be the eternally self existent, I am still. And Lord, we have felt that holy presence we have felt your power we we feel your comforting string, every day of our lives in spite of the chaos all around us. As we look at our world today and the tyranny and devastation and the immorality, God we know that you are still the God of Heavens, armies, that you are still El Shaddai, that you are the All sufficient one, that you are the All nurturing one, that you are the whole powerful one. And so Lord God, we just thank you for the relationship that we have with you through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We thank you for the presence, the power and the person of the Holy Spirit that comforts us and stands alongside of us day by day and is always willing to pick us up to speak a word of encouragement into our lives, and Lord to draw us closer and closer to you. So God, we thank you and praise you. We pray for our listeners out there tonight that they would find this comfort in you that we have experienced. And Lord God, we want to share that with all of the world until you come again. And we pray this in Jesus name. Amen.
Dan Wheeler:And amen. And John, thank you so much. You have a real servant's heart and we really appreciate you here at Fearless faith.
John Hope:Well, it's been a pleasure guys, thank you so much.
Dan Wheeler:And we'll have you back again. It's been fun hanging out with you guys and with all of you that are watching, let's do it again please share our podcasts with other people so more can hear John and the great words he had a lot of people need to hear this message. So share it. Send the link to other people. It's been a pleasure. God bless we'll see you next time for another edition of finish strong.
John Matarazzo:Thank you for listening to finish strong. For more information about finished strong and fearless faith. Check out their website ef faith.org. Make sure that you rate and review this podcast to help more people accomplish their God given purpose so that together we can finish strong