Most people, when they do something rotten, can come up with reasons why their circumstances justify their behavior. God seldom agrees.
Comparing Matthew 24 with Revelation 13 and 14, it is obvious that there are still things to come from an eschatological perspective. The first beast represents human government and the second a human religion that gives a spiritual imprimatur to the bestial government. The Scriptural purpose for telling us these things is to provide perspective on how we should be living as the end times approach.
During the 40 days before Yom Kippur, it would be wise to review Biblical wisdom on proper speech. Words are the basis for all creation and our ability to speak sets us apart from God's other creatures. If we use our voices well we become what He desires us to be; if not, we become agents of destruction. The talk refers to a book by Chofetz Chaim on the laws of proper speech. During the early part of the recording, we were having some tech problems, so there is some extraneous noise.
The end of the initial phase of the conquest of the Land. The Eastern tribes are released to return to their inheritance where they build a memorial altar. This is misunderstood by the Western tribes and causes them to threaten war. Joshua renews the covenant and gives his people a final charge.
In Ezekiel, God speaks against witchcraft and witches.
When God's two witnesses have been raised from the dead, those who are capable of giving Him glory do so. Then the seventh trumpet sounds and heaven's reoccupation of the earth begins. At some point Satan is expelled from heaven and embarks on a persecution, first of the Jews, and then of all believers.
The Torah instructs us to stay out of the occult. There's a difference of opinion as to why.
As David lay on his death bed, he gave his son instructions to kill Joab, the commander of the army. The events that made that advisable were set in motion years earlier by the sin of David himself. When David committed adultery with Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, he used Joab to cover up the crime by killing Uriah. That led to a sequence of events that almost cost David his throne and did result in the death of two of his sons. God forgave David, but He did not vacate the earthly consequences.
The month of Elul begins the 40 day count down to Yom Kippur. It is a time to take stock of ourselves and prepare for a meeting with the King. What have we accomplished during the past year? What are our hopes and plans for the coming year?
After driving the Canaanite kings off of the Saddle of Benjamin, Joshua conquered the southern half of the land. He then turned north where the enemy had a great advantage in chariots as well as terrain favorable to mounted warfare. Joshua negated that advantage by striking them in their mountain assembly area.