Amazing Discoveries (3/1/2004)
Astronomers have recently discovered an amazing object in the heavens. Some have dubbed it a "celestial cross."
The most majestic and beautiful objects in the universe are the galaxies. Awe-inspiring photographs of them grace the pages of astronomical photo collections, boggling the mind with their endless variation. Around their edges, they usually feature an array of spiral arms, or a gaseous nebulosity that thins into a tenuous curtain that stretches across the vastness of space.
But at the center of virtually every galaxy is a brilliant spheroid of light, made up of hundreds of thousands of stars. At the galaxy’s core, they are so closely spaced that they produce a uniform, powerful light that has the appearance of being solid. In reality, these myriad stars are gathered around an organizing framework. What structures lie within the impenetrable glare?
For many years, astronomers have conjectured that these close congregations of stars may conceal a sort of cosmic whirlpool, which has been dubbed a "black hole." In theory, such a monster would be created when a super-massive star or star cluster collapses of its own weight into a super-dense mass with such enormous gravitational force that nothing — not even light — can escape its gravitational grip. Since the theory was developed, they have been looking for the telltale signs that would mark such an anomaly. But nothing of the sort has been visible.
However, the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope spotted a peculiar formation in the center of the Whirlpool galaxy some 20 million light-years from earth. A startling photo was released during the second week of June 1992 and published in TIME magazine, in the June 22 edition.
The Hubble telescope, taking advantage of the fact that it doesn’t have to peer through a distorting atmosphere, has been able to see farther with more clarity than any optical telescope ever built.
In this photograph a mammoth "X" is seen at the galaxy’s center. According to TIME editors, "The scientists think one arm of the X is a massive, doughnut-shaped cloud of dust swirling around the hole. The doughnut is seen edge on, hiding the black hole from view, but two cone-shaped beams of light emitted by hot gas closer in can be seen escaping out the sides. As for the second arm, no one knows what it is."
According to theory the escaping light is not from the black hole itself, but from energized particles of dust and gas that brighten as they approach the point of maximum acceleration on their spiraling, one-way trip into the maw of the black hole. Their great burst of light is a sort of final farewell to a universe that will never again witness their presence.
What is interesting is that the first time anyone has ever gotten a good, close look at a galactic center, it turns out to hold the sign that is of the greatest possible importance to humanity. In the Latin language, the word "crux" designates the cross. Planet earth came to the crossroads at the foot of the cross. Divine action designated this simple geometric shape as the symbol for decision.
Our words, "crucial," "crucible," and "excruciating," are all derived from the word "crux." These words speak of the fiery forces that lie at the very heart and core of important events. They imply the pain and testing of weighty decisions made under stress and testing.
In the days of our Lord, the cross was reserved for criminals and those thought to be accursed by God. It depicted the suffering, shame and humiliation that Christ endured for the sake of a fallen humanity in need of redemption. The cross symbolizes that mission, voluntarily undertaken in submission to a God whose love reached out to those in need.
The cross is a sign that beams a message of truth into the soul of humanity almost devoid of that commodity. The meaning is as clear as it is convicting. If one has not had an encounter with the cross, one has never dealt with the Truth.
Many refuse to accept that truth, but we are told that one day a "sign" will appear over the earth, signaling that the Lord is coming to make manifest the work that was completed at the cross. Matthew 24, verses 29 and 30 mention the return of the Lord, preceded by the greatest sign in the history of the planet.
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light ... then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven ... they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
Surely the sign mentioned here must be a reflection of that horrible instrument so essential in the final the work of Christ. It will hang suspended between heaven and earth, a harbinger of the justice that is about to be fall upon the world. Every man who sees it will instantly be reminded of the finished work of Christ. Guilt and conviction, like flames, will sear the heart and soul of every human being who ever rejected the cross as just another myth.
A curious cross has now been dimly perceived in the heavens. What it is, no one really knows. But like the cross of Christianity, it shines forth for those who will see it — who will still be brought to the point of decision about their eternal destiny. It shines dimly, sending forth a final message of hope — and warning.
It is a statement that there is still a little time — very little. And that is the crux of the matter.
Astronomers have recently discovered an amazing object in the heavens. Some have dubbed it a "celestial cross."
The most majestic and beautiful objects in the universe are the galaxies. Awe-inspiring photographs of them grace the pages of astronomical photo collections, boggling the mind with their endless variation. Around their edges, they usually feature an array of spiral arms, or a gaseous nebulosity that thins into a tenuous curtain that stretches across the vastness of space.
But at the center of virtually every galaxy is a brilliant spheroid of light, made up of hundreds of thousands of stars. At the galaxy’s core, they are so closely spaced that they produce a uniform, powerful light that has the appearance of being solid. In reality, these myriad stars are gathered around an organizing framework. What structures lie within the impenetrable glare?
For many years, astronomers have conjectured that these close congregations of stars may conceal a sort of cosmic whirlpool, which has been dubbed a "black hole." In theory, such a monster would be created when a super-massive star or star cluster collapses of its own weight into a super-dense mass with such enormous gravitational force that nothing — not even light — can escape its gravitational grip. Since the theory was developed, they have been looking for the telltale signs that would mark such an anomaly. But nothing of the sort has been visible.
However, the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope spotted a peculiar formation in the center of the Whirlpool galaxy some 20 million light-years from earth. A startling photo was released during the second week of June 1992 and published in TIME magazine, in the June 22 edition.
The Hubble telescope, taking advantage of the fact that it doesn’t have to peer through a distorting atmosphere, has been able to see farther with more clarity than any optical telescope ever built.
In this photograph a mammoth "X" is seen at the galaxy’s center. According to TIME editors, "The scientists think one arm of the X is a massive, doughnut-shaped cloud of dust swirling around the hole. The doughnut is seen edge on, hiding the black hole from view, but two cone-shaped beams of light emitted by hot gas closer in can be seen escaping out the sides. As for the second arm, no one knows what it is."
According to theory the escaping light is not from the black hole itself, but from energized particles of dust and gas that brighten as they approach the point of maximum acceleration on their spiraling, one-way trip into the maw of the black hole. Their great burst of light is a sort of final farewell to a universe that will never again witness their presence.
What is interesting is that the first time anyone has ever gotten a good, close look at a galactic center, it turns out to hold the sign that is of the greatest possible importance to humanity. In the Latin language, the word "crux" designates the cross. Planet earth came to the crossroads at the foot of the cross. Divine action designated this simple geometric shape as the symbol for decision.
Our words, "crucial," "crucible," and "excruciating," are all derived from the word "crux." These words speak of the fiery forces that lie at the very heart and core of important events. They imply the pain and testing of weighty decisions made under stress and testing.
In the days of our Lord, the cross was reserved for criminals and those thought to be accursed by God. It depicted the suffering, shame and humiliation that Christ endured for the sake of a fallen humanity in need of redemption. The cross symbolizes that mission, voluntarily undertaken in submission to a God whose love reached out to those in need.
The cross is a sign that beams a message of truth into the soul of humanity almost devoid of that commodity. The meaning is as clear as it is convicting. If one has not had an encounter with the cross, one has never dealt with the Truth.
Many refuse to accept that truth, but we are told that one day a "sign" will appear over the earth, signaling that the Lord is coming to make manifest the work that was completed at the cross. Matthew 24, verses 29 and 30 mention the return of the Lord, preceded by the greatest sign in the history of the planet.
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light ... then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven ... they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
Surely the sign mentioned here must be a reflection of that horrible instrument so essential in the final the work of Christ. It will hang suspended between heaven and earth, a harbinger of the justice that is about to be fall upon the world. Every man who sees it will instantly be reminded of the finished work of Christ. Guilt and conviction, like flames, will sear the heart and soul of every human being who ever rejected the cross as just another myth.
A curious cross has now been dimly perceived in the heavens. What it is, no one really knows. But like the cross of Christianity, it shines forth for those who will see it — who will still be brought to the point of decision about their eternal destiny. It shines dimly, sending forth a final message of hope — and warning.
It is a statement that there is still a little time — very little. And that is the crux of the matter.
Peace by 2005?
Is the prophesied seven-year peace plan of
Antichrist about to be confirmed?
(3-10-04)
Ahmad Qurei, also known as Abu 'Alaa, the current Palestinian Prime Minister, is planning to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (perhaps as early as March 16th, 2004) to discuss peace in the Middle East. Could we be on the verge of a break-through in the quest for peace in the Middle East?
Qurei was one of the architects of a seven-year peace plan (The Oslo Accords) which promised to resolve the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict between 1993 and 2000.
The Bible tells us someone of Roman descent (Daniel 9:26) is going to confirm a covenant of peace in the Middle East seven years in duration (Daniel 9:27). Could The Oslo Accords yet be confirmed as this peace plan? Quite possibly.
According to Qurei, The Oslo Accords is still in good health, as reported in an article by the Jerusalem Post.
Excerpt from The Jerusalem Post article:
* Speaking later at a press conference in the Norwegian capital of Oslo, Qurei said the future of the road map was in the hands of the Quartet - the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations - and he called on them to do more to revive the diplomatic process. "They initiated this initiative. They stand behind it and I hope now they will revive the roadmap."
He believed it was still possible to reach a peace agreement by next year if Israel takes the negotiations seriously: "The Oslo Accord is still in good health and is still the basis of what remains from the relations between the Israelis and Palestinians."
Qurei insisted that the Palestinians remain committed to the accord and that Israel remains bound by it - "despite all the violations."
Another source, Israpundit.com, shows Qurei (Abu 'Alaa) is yet committed to seeing The Oslo Accords confirmed as the peace plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Excerpt from Israpundit.com's political profile of Qurei:
* "Oslo is not dead and it is not ended, because if it were dead or ended, all trace of it would have disappeared. It is true that Israel is trying, and has already tried in the past, to evade all its obligations, but it [Oslo] still is a source of authority and a basis, and still exists and influences Palestinian-Israeli relations, despite Israel's aggression and violations."
Will the Antichrist be the author of the peace plan or the enforcer of it?
Many people believe the prophesied Antichrist will be the author of the seven-year peace plan the Middle East will ultimately accept to end the Arab/Palestinian-Israeli conflict, but will that be the case? Only time will tell, but I find the language of Daniel 9:27 interesting as it doesn't necessarily suggest the Antichrist will write the peace plan. It says he will confirm it/enforce it with many! Could the 'many' of Daniel 9:27 be the Quartet of the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union?
Daniel 9:27: And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:
As stated at the beginning of this commentary, Ariel Sharon and Ahmad Qurei are planning to meet, potentially as early as March 16, 2004, according to a Fox News story, to discuss peace in the Middle East.
If this meeting takes place, will The Oslo Accords be revisited as a possible resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and, if so, will a leader from the revived Roman empire (today's European Union) agree to confirm the plan, perhaps through the placement of European peacekeepers?
With the many twists and turns of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it's hard to know what is going to happen from one moment to the next, but it seems the possibility exists peace may indeed come to the Middle East by 2005.
If so, the Rapture of the Church is right around the prophetic corner.
Keep your eyes on the skies! Jesus Christ is coming soon!
Is the prophesied seven-year peace plan of
Antichrist about to be confirmed?
(3-10-04)
Ahmad Qurei, also known as Abu 'Alaa, the current Palestinian Prime Minister, is planning to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (perhaps as early as March 16th, 2004) to discuss peace in the Middle East. Could we be on the verge of a break-through in the quest for peace in the Middle East?
Qurei was one of the architects of a seven-year peace plan (The Oslo Accords) which promised to resolve the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict between 1993 and 2000.
The Bible tells us someone of Roman descent (Daniel 9:26) is going to confirm a covenant of peace in the Middle East seven years in duration (Daniel 9:27). Could The Oslo Accords yet be confirmed as this peace plan? Quite possibly.
According to Qurei, The Oslo Accords is still in good health, as reported in an article by the Jerusalem Post.
Excerpt from The Jerusalem Post article:
* Speaking later at a press conference in the Norwegian capital of Oslo, Qurei said the future of the road map was in the hands of the Quartet - the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations - and he called on them to do more to revive the diplomatic process. "They initiated this initiative. They stand behind it and I hope now they will revive the roadmap."
He believed it was still possible to reach a peace agreement by next year if Israel takes the negotiations seriously: "The Oslo Accord is still in good health and is still the basis of what remains from the relations between the Israelis and Palestinians."
Qurei insisted that the Palestinians remain committed to the accord and that Israel remains bound by it - "despite all the violations."
Another source, Israpundit.com, shows Qurei (Abu 'Alaa) is yet committed to seeing The Oslo Accords confirmed as the peace plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Excerpt from Israpundit.com's political profile of Qurei:
* "Oslo is not dead and it is not ended, because if it were dead or ended, all trace of it would have disappeared. It is true that Israel is trying, and has already tried in the past, to evade all its obligations, but it [Oslo] still is a source of authority and a basis, and still exists and influences Palestinian-Israeli relations, despite Israel's aggression and violations."
Will the Antichrist be the author of the peace plan or the enforcer of it?
Many people believe the prophesied Antichrist will be the author of the seven-year peace plan the Middle East will ultimately accept to end the Arab/Palestinian-Israeli conflict, but will that be the case? Only time will tell, but I find the language of Daniel 9:27 interesting as it doesn't necessarily suggest the Antichrist will write the peace plan. It says he will confirm it/enforce it with many! Could the 'many' of Daniel 9:27 be the Quartet of the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union?
Daniel 9:27: And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:
As stated at the beginning of this commentary, Ariel Sharon and Ahmad Qurei are planning to meet, potentially as early as March 16, 2004, according to a Fox News story, to discuss peace in the Middle East.
If this meeting takes place, will The Oslo Accords be revisited as a possible resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and, if so, will a leader from the revived Roman empire (today's European Union) agree to confirm the plan, perhaps through the placement of European peacekeepers?
With the many twists and turns of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it's hard to know what is going to happen from one moment to the next, but it seems the possibility exists peace may indeed come to the Middle East by 2005.
If so, the Rapture of the Church is right around the prophetic corner.
Keep your eyes on the skies! Jesus Christ is coming soon!
Get or get saved. It's your choice.
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