Awaken Biblical Prophecy Commentary - Targeted U.S. Destruction of Israel
Since October 7, 2023 when Hamas terrorists brutally attacked Israel and killed hundreds of innocent civilians, one of the things I’ve been saying is that at some point the US will abandon Israel, and she will be on her own. Sadly, our American government, and far too many others in our country – including much of the church, which should know better – are against Israel. Antisemitism has reared its ugly head in every segment of our society and in every corner of the world. This shouldn’t surprise us, of course, because the Bible is clear that this is a spiritual battle. Satan’s last gasp effort to destroy the Jewish state so as to prove God a liar is on display. It will only get worse.
The transcript for this audio commentary is available at my website blog under the post with the same title:
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Biblical Audio Commentary – October 7 & Its Implications
One of The Israel Guys, who puts out regular updates, wrote an article that I want to share. Others in their group do video news on developments in Israel a couple times weekly. Since the Hamas atrocities committed on October 7, 2023, the world has turned on its head against all logic and reason to condemn Israel rather than Hamas for the current conflict. Worse yet, the world has taken the position that because Israel is so horrible – an apartheid state according to South Africa – that what this Palestinian terror group did to innocent civilians was totally justified. The world now considers the murder, torture, and rape of men, women, and children to be perfectly acceptable in its increasing moral depravity.
The transcript for this audio commentary is available at my website blog under the post with the same title: https://garyritter.com/biblical-audio-commentary-october-7-its-implications/
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Awaken Bible Prophecy Update 2-7-24 – Calvinism, Eternal Security, & Free Will
Is it any wonder we don’t, and cannot, have unity in the church this side of eternity? We have so many different interpretations of Scripture that are so far apart, it’s difficult to find anything about which we can all agree. How do we have common cause in the debate regarding pre-Tribulation Rapture versus post-Trib, or no Rapture, or no Tribulation? In the context of today’s Commentary, how do we who believe in free will (i.e. Arminianism of one stripe or another) and those who adhere to Calvin’s doctrine of election with no free will whatsoever on our part come together as one? Yes, presumably we all believe in the shed blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins and our eternal salvation, but even that has its major differences, as we’ll discuss later. We could probably all enjoy an ice cream social together as brothers and sisters in Christ as long as none of the conversation veers toward anything theological. Is it any wonder we have so many denominations and other schisms in the body of Christ?
Please note that the transcript is available on my website blog under the post with the same title.
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Biblical Audio Commentary – Tree of Life & Eternal Security
What did the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden offer? I would argue that it provided eternal security. The problem God had with Adam and Eve eating from that tree after their disastrous bite of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was what that meant. They would be immortal just like all the other heavenly beings, except that the first couple would have a sinful nature.
The transcript for this audio commentary is available at my website blog under the post with the same title:
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Awaken Biblical Prophecy Commentary – The Curse of Jesus’ Blood
In recent posts, I’ve addressed serious issues concerning Preterism and other non-pre-Tribulation Rapture doctrines. What I’ve dealt with is a somber reminder that when we don’t read the Word of God as it is literally written – except where it specifically tells us something is symbolic – then false belief systems generally arise from this error.
The transcript for this audio commentary is available at my website blog under the post with the same title: https://garyritter.com/awaken-biblical-prophecy-commentary-the-curse-of-jesus-blood-1-31-24/
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Biblical Audio Commentary – Spirit Suckers
Being as fervent of a pre-Tribulation Rapture adherent as I am, I’ve discussed numerous times in my various Commentaries the problems and inadequacies with other end-times positions. In my Awaken Bible Prophecy Update on January 24 titled Preterist Pretensions, I addressed this particular method of Biblical interpretation, and if you’ll recall, I pronounced it a false doctrine.
The transcript for this audio commentary is available at my website blog under the post with the same title: https://garyritter.com/biblical-audio-commentary-spirit-suckers/
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Awaken Bible Prophecy Update 1-24-24 – Preterist Pretensions
A friend sent me a link to an online message from about three months ago in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 atrocity of Hamas terrorists attacking Israel. She was a little confused by this pastor’s message and asked if I could comment on it. I had a pretty strong impression right off the bat by the title of the message that I’d find it problematic; as I listened and took five pages of notes, that sense was more than confirmed. In fact, what this man said really fired me up in righteous anger. As a result, I couldn’t let the opportunity pass to outline some of what was said and convey the dangers of this mode of thinking.
Please note that the transcript is available on my website blog under the post with the same title.
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Biblical Audio Commentary – Abram & Rephaim Logistics
The account in Genesis 14 of the ancient war between four kings and five kings has some fascinating aspects to it that I just saw myself and thought you might find the logistics of that conflict equally intriguing.
The transcript for this audio commentary is available at my website blog under the post with the same title: https://garyritter.com/biblical-audio-commentary-abram-rephaim-logistics/
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Awaken Biblical Prophecy Commentary - The Time of Joseph’s Troubling Control 1-17-24
When we read the account of Joseph, and how God turned what was meant for evil into good, we rightly see that his difficult circumstances led to the salvation of the Jewish people. What we seldom reflect on is the nature of what happened to the people in Egypt due to the terrible famine, and Joseph’s solutions to their dire problems. As beneficial as this situation ultimately turned out for the Jews, I wonder how the Egyptians eventually fared in the aftermath of this impossible time? More relevant to us today is how what we see played out then models what will happen as we close in on the fulfillment of the Agenda 2030 objectives.
The transcript for this audio commentary is available at my website blog under the post with the same title: https://garyritter.com/awaken-biblical-prophecy-commentary-the-time-of-josephs-troubling-control-1-17-24/
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Biblical Audio Commentary – U.S. Depopulation? Yes & No
There is a concerted effort to significantly reduce the population of the United States (as well as the world, of course), and I would say that it’s coming along quite nicely as far as the global elites are concerned. However, as our indigenous population is being decimated, the population of illegal aliens is increasing rapidly. What does this dynamic look like?
The transcript for this audio commentary is available at my website blog under the post with the same title: https://garyritter.com/biblical-audio-commentary-u-s-depopulation-yes-no/
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Awaken Biblical Prophecy Commentary – Food Control & Desperation 1-10-24
Here I am again on Wednesday. It’s difficult to refrain from putting these offerings out when the Lord keeps feeding me things to write about. You’ll note I’m not calling this a Prophecy Update; rather another form of my Commentaries, i.e. a Prophecy Commentary – with new color coding for the splash page to differentiate it.
Speaking of feeding that I mentioned earlier, that’s the theme of today’s discussion.
The transcript for this audio commentary is available at my website blog under the post with the same title: https://garyritter.com/awaken-biblical-prophecy-commentary-food-control-desperation-1-10-24/
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Biblical Audio Commentary – Israel’s Dependence on the U.S. & Why
Have you ever wondered why Israel seems to be so dependent on the United States for its military activities? If so, wonder no more, as I’ll tell why that’s the case, and who caused Israel to be a welfare queen to America.
The transcript for this audio commentary is available at my website blog under the post with the same title: https://garyritter.com/biblical-audio-commentary-israels-dependence-on-the-u-s-why/
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Awaken Bible Prophecy Update 1-3-24 – Hiatus
Here we are in the New Year of 2024 - a year that some have said could have a Black Swan event. This is what Britannica says concerning this:
Black swan event [is a] high-impact event that is difficult to predict under normal circumstances but that in retrospect appears to have been inevitable. A black swan event is unexpected and therefore difficult to prepare for but is often rationalized with the benefit of hindsight as having been unavoidable.
The description could almost be referring to the Rapture. Maybe – maybe not. I know that the majority of you listening to or reading this brief Commentary are certainly rooting for this above all other Black Swan events – as am I. Beyond that blessed event, there are bunches of other potential America or world disrupting crises that could happen.
Please note that the transcript is available on my website blog under the post with the same title.
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Biblical Audio Commentary – Cool Hand Luke – A Parable of Modern Man
If there was ever a movie depicting the philosophy of modern man, it’s Cool Hand Luke. Luke, played by Paul Newman, is a small-town drifter who has no purpose in life. He comes home from the war (WW2) and sometime thereafter is arrested, convicted, and incarcerated. His crime? Drinking heavily and cutting the heads off parking meters. Hilarious, but pathetic.
The transcript for this audio commentary is available at my website blog under the post with the same title:
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Awaken Bible Prophecy Update 12-27-23 – Mother Gaia & Aliens Believe in the Pre-Trib Rapture!
Have you ever wondered why it is that so many people deny the wondrous promise of the solid doctrine of the pre-Tribulation Rapture? I’ve attempted in prior Commentaries to outline a number of reasons. Among them are the fact that many continue to believe a flat-out lie that won’t die within this community of pre-Trib deniers. That untruth, of course, is the false notion that John Nelson Darby conceived of the pre-Trib Rapture in the 1800s because of his association with a mystic who had a demonic vision. This fiction has been thoroughly debunked time after time, but the post-Tribbers always come back to it – seemingly unable to shake off Satan’s deceit.
In a Prophecy Update I did in September 2023 titled NAR Post-Trib End-Times Beliefs, I noted how Mike Bickle, a well-known NAR Bible teacher associated with the International House of Prayer (IHOP), has based his beliefs, not only on the John Nelson Darby fairytale, but by reading into Scripture what he wants it to say. This is technically called eisegesis and is an absolutely incorrect method of Bible study. We must do what’s known as exegesis, whereby we read God’s Word and interpret the world through that lens. When we attempt to make the Bible adhere to our personal biases, nothing but false teaching can result.
Please note that the transcript is available on my website blog under the post with the same title.
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Biblical Audio Commentary – The Moses Conundrum
The identity of the Two Witnesses has an interesting twist that I don’t think has been discussed much. Three men are identified as possibilities for the Witnesses. Enoch and Elijah are strong candidates because both were Raptured, having never seen death. The other candidate is Moses, yet he died, which could be problematic.
The transcript for this audio commentary is available at my website blog under the post with the same title: https://garyritter.com/biblical-audio-commentary-the-moses-conundrum/
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Awaken Bible Prophecy Update 12-20-23: Will the Tribulation Temple Be Ezekiel’s Millennial Temple?
We’re going to have a little fun today. Well, it’s fun for me; I don’t know for all the rest of you. Because I’m a fiction author, I engage in a lot of “what if” speculations. That’s the only way to write fiction. You have to go down various rabbit trails at times to come up with something that hopefully works and ties all strands of the story together.
I do similar mental gymnastics in my Bible prophecy discussions. In order to try to put scenarios together that attempt to tie in all aspects of a prophetic situation, I think it’s necessary to do some thought experiments. That’s what we’ll do today in our “what if” discussion.
Please note that the transcript is available on my website blog under the post with the same title.
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Biblical Audio Commentary – Which Is It, Lord?
A couple months ago, two prominent pastors effectively presented two different scenarios regarding how the pre-Tribulation Rapture of the church might proceed. I follow both of them closely and respect them immensely. Yet the message that came forth from these astute men of God couldn’t differ more as to when the Rapture might happen.
The transcript for this audio commentary is available at my website blog under the post with the same title: https://garyritter.com/biblical-audio-commentary-which-is-it-lord/
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Awaken Bible Prophecy Update 12-13-23 – How Will the Israel-Hamas War Proceed?
One reliable source I recommend that you may want to follow regarding the Israel-Hamas War is Caroline Glick. She is an Israeli journalist with a sincere desire to tell the truth, and has been doing so for many years. A little-known fact about her is found on the About section of her website:
Glick was born in Houston, TX and grew up in Chicago, IL. She moved to Israel in 1991, two weeks after receiving her BA in Political Science from Columbia University. She joined the Israel Defense Forces that summer and served as an officer for five and a half years.
And here I thought she was Israel-born and just spoke English well. Her resume is solid, conservative, and shows her to be an avid Israel supporter seeking to bring real news rather than globalist pablum. FYI – she is not a Christian.
Caroline has been reporting in depth lately about the Israel-Hamas War. As you might expect, she has been very concerned about the faux support coming from the Biden Administration. Biden and others in the Regime have been speaking out of both sides of their mouths. They express undying support for Israel while at the same time tying Israel’s hands and helping Hamas in numerous ways. We all know that words are simply that. It’s what people do – their actions – that tell us their true intentions. That is definitely the case with our American government.
Please note that the transcript is available on my website blog under the post with the same title.
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Biblical Audio Commentary – When You Have Doubts, Who Will You Believe?
We all have doubts at one time or another – right? We who believe fervently in the pre-Tribulation Rapture of the church – just because God hasn’t pulled the trigger yet and made it happen – don’t we sometimes despair a little in our weariness and wonder if we’re riding a dead horse? It’s not an overwhelming doubt; just a trickle that threatens our anticipation. But then, we pull ourselves together and realize that we’re either idiots for jumping into this mirey pit or that Satan is trying his best to discourage us.
To that end in this Commentary, I want to ask and answer the question: When You Have Doubts About the pre-Trib Rapture, Who Will You Believe? I got thinking about this, and in so doing, realized that those who dismiss this sound Biblical doctrine are all highly suspect in their own beliefs.
The transcript for this audio commentary is available at my website blog under the post with the same title: https://garyritter.com/biblical-audio-commentary-when-you-have-doubts-who-will-you-believe/
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Awaken Bible Prophecy Update 12-6-23 – A Reminder of Deadly Hospital COVID Protocols
Every now and then we need a reminder of things past. The reason is that the world is moving so swiftly, it’s very easy to forget what happened yesterday, let alone over the last three years, and specifically about how our medical system betrayed us during the COVID scare.
I don’t even like to use the word pandemic concerning COVID. It was a flu that affected people worldwide; however, it was manufactured with deadly intent as a bio-weapon against the citizens of the world. There was nothing naturally occurring about this illness. The evidence that COVID resulted from gain-of-function manipulation is overwhelming. If you have to ask for proof of this as this point of our dealing with COVID and its aftereffects, I’m not sure I can help you. It’s time to take your head out of the sand and do a little independent research, rather than listening to the mainstream talking heads.
Please note that the transcript is available on my website blog under the post with the same title.
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Biblical Audio Commentary – Israel & the Church – Joined at the Hip in Apostasy
Although many believers today who ascribe to Replacement Theology want to pretend that the church should essentially be the entity referred to in the Old Testament whenever Israel is mentioned, perhaps they shouldn’t be so eager to make that substitution. Although I doubt that few of the pastors and people in this very large segment of the church have actually read the Bible with any real understanding – because they wouldn’t have this belief if they did; in fact, they couldn’t have it - they probably wouldn’t put themselves in this position if they truly comprehended the issues surrounding Israel. After all, if you’re going to take the glorious promises made for Israel and ascribe them to the church, then you should also be required to accept God’s condemnation of His Chosen People for their rebellion and disobedience, along with the extreme punishment that Israel endured for those actions and has going forward. Do you think the church would agree to that if it really knew what it was getting into?
The transcript for this audio commentary is available at my website blog under the post with the same title: https://garyritter.com/biblical-audio-commentary-israel-the-church-joined-at-the-hip-in-apostasy/
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Awaken Bible Prophecy Update 11-29-23: Revelation 12 – Past or Future Interpretation?
About a year and a half ago I spent some time thinking about the coming Antichrist. In so doing, I considered thoughts from various Bible prophecy teachers who wrote books on the subject. My Prophecy Update titled Antichrist Ruminations was the result of my survey.
From that effort, because my article was posted on Rapture Ready, that attracted the attention of Charles (Ken) Bassett who wrote the book: Can We Know? Subsequently, Ken changed the book’s title to: God Says Count the Number 666 – Why the Church Can Discover the Identity of the Antichrist, which can be found on Amazon by that name. He then wrote a subsequent book titled: Empire of the Antichrist – Why the Antichrist Will Come from Rome, which expands his thesis.
Ken and I started talking and became friends. Recently I asked him a question that niggled at me when I read his books. Here’s that question:
In reading your books, you spoke of the Jews fleeing to Pella, if I recall correctly, after the A/C temple desecration. From what I can determine, the Jews might have gone there during their 70AD flight, but why did you choose Pella over Petra for the Tribulation run for the hills?
His response, and my reaction to it, are the focus of the Prophecy Update today. As you’ll see, the issue becomes one of timing for Revelation 12 regarding the era to which it refers. Does that chapter describe past events or future ones?
Maybe this topic is only one that interests prophecy geeks like Ken and me. On the other hand, because there’s so much focus on Israel today – rightly so – it may be that this is more pertinent than any of us realize.
Please note that the transcript is available on my website blog under the post with the same title.
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Biblical Audio Commentary – Psalm 83 as Future Prophecy; The Uncertainty Continues
The question came up to me in comments to something I’d written: What is it that makes Psalm 83 a potential prophecy that may predict a future war? A recent Rapture Ready article argued that it’s not prophetic in nature; rather it’s simply a lament by the musician Asaph.
Since I got canceled from Rapture Ready a while back, I can’t respond in that forum in order to provide my views, but I thought the issue pertinent enough that I should revisit it here and dispute – in a brotherly manner – with the author of that article titled: Why Do Some People Promote Psalm 83 In These Days?
The transcript for this audio commentary is available at my website blog under the post with the same title: https://garyritter.com/biblical-audio-commentary-psalm-83-as-future-prophecy-the-uncertainty-continues/
Gary Ritter website: books & blog
http://garyritter.com/
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Awaken Bible Prophecy Update 11-22-23 – The Warning of Israel’s Broken Glass
Those who read or listen to my preaching on this topic today are probably going to be the choir. As you might imagine, people gravitate to Bible teachers they tend to agree with. For instance, I’ll only listen to somebody spouting Replacement Theology nonsense if I’m researching that person; certainly not as a regular diet. I’ve got better things to do than ingest someone’s heresy on a routine basis.
The bottom line for what I say today isn’t a popular position with much of the church, as we’ve seen in recent weeks since the savage, demonic attack by Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023. In fact, by either its blatant support for the so-called Palestinian cause or by its deafening silence, the church as a whole has outed itself regarding its dislike, and even hatred for, Israel and the Jews. Although I haven’t specifically heard Andy Stanley’s position on Israel or “Palestine” – considering his encouragement that Christians should unhitch from the Old Testament since it isn’t relevant to our faith - I can only imagine where this apostate pastor stands in this crucial matter of our times. If a presumed man of God wants to deep-six the Old Testament, you can know for certain that he isn’t a pastor actually preaching the Word of God. In this case, whatever happened to the “entire Word of God?” Apparently, it's just a dusty old tome that has no meaning to enlightened Christians these days.
I have plenty more ranting and criticism coming in this Commentary because I feel very strongly that God wants some few of us to speak boldly. A little later I’ll also suggest that He may want even more from some of us concerning His Chosen People, the Jews.
This is a critical moment for the church. It’s even more important for individual believers. I’ve said it before and will keep repeating it unless God has me stop: How Christians – and I’m referring here to those who are truly saved – respond to Israel in her need for support from God’s people will determine their fate concerning the soon-to-come Tribulation. This isn’t even a topic the choir likes to hear. You may disagree with my conclusions at the end of this Commentary. However, I urge you to hear what I say by considering it through the lens of Scripture. Don’t believe something just because you heard it from another pastor – even a trusted one. Do your own deep dive so that you fully understand the issue that you’re embracing. Maybe you’ll arrive at the same place you started – but maybe you won’t. Just make sure you have the Biblical basis for what you believe.
Please note that the transcript is available on my website blog under the post with the same title.
Gary Ritter books & blog
https://garyritter.com/
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