When I was a little girl, my favorite thing was the smell of the earth and the air after a rain

I remember the joy of running outside to play, and taking in that amazing aroma. Even back then, I was searching for God. I wanted to know who Jesus was.

Whenever I would smell the air after a rain, I would think of God. I would think about Jesus, although bringing up His name at Synagogue was frowned upon. I was asked to never mention Him again by my teacher. That only served to increase my desire to know the truth about Him.

Have you ever noticed that smells can trigger memories? It’s true. Could it be that Jesus was using the ‘smell of rain’ to draw me to Him? I believe He was.

The Aroma of Prayer

What are the prayers of the saints in Revelation 5:8? 

From gotquestions.org

The scene in Revelation 5 is John’s vision of heaven’s throne room. When the Lamb had taken the scroll of God’s judgment into His own hand, “the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people” (verse 8). Revelation is the most symbolic book in the Bible, and in this passage the “prayers of the saints” are symbolized as golden bowls of incense, held by twenty-four elders. Of course, the more symbolic something is, the more its interpretations can vary, but it’s important to understand what these prayers of the saints are—and what they are not.

God established incense as a part of the sacerdotal system (and therefore as symbolism) in Exodus 30:1–10when Moses was told to build the altar of incense. The prayers of the saints in Revelation 5:8, especially as represented by incense in the context of temple imagery, should be understood to take the role of incense in the temple, which was to offer up a sweet aroma to God and to symbolize prayer. The prayers of the righteous are pleasing to Him. Psalm 141:2 describes this aspect of prayer perfectly: “May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice” (Psalm 141:2).

Prayer is linked to the incense in the temple in other passages, as well. When Gabriel appears to Zechariah in the temple and tells him that his prayers have been answered, Gabriel is “standing at the right side of the altar of incense” (Luke 1:11). This happened when “the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense” (verse 10).

There are certainly different types of prayers. Prayers of supplication are the type most people are familiar with, because that’s the type where we ask God for help! But there are other types, too, like the prayers of imprecation (Psalm 55:1:15) and prayers of intercession (Luke 23:34). The fact that the “prayers of the saints” in Revelation 5:8are not identified by type or in detail—and that they are together in an incense bowl—indicates that we should consider them collectively. God considers prayer-at-large as incense—a sweet aroma to Him.

The fact that these are prayers “of the saints” in Revelation 5:8 indicates that God hears the prayers of His people. Psalm 65:2 addresses God as “You who answer prayer.” Our Lord “hears the prayer of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29), which is another way of saying that He listens to the prayers of the saints. The “saints” in Revelation 5:8 are not an elite class of people who are more holy than the rest; they are not mediators of our prayers (see 1 Timothy 2:5), and they do not ask us to pray to them. The term saint in Scripture implies parity, not hierarchy. We are all one in Christ (Galatians 3:28). The saints are all believers in Jesus, living or dead, saved by grace through faith. The church is “loved by God and called to be saints” (Romans 1:7, ESV), and, when we pray, it’s as if a golden bowl of incense is being carried to the very throne of God in heaven.

Whom are these prayers of the saints for in Revelation 5:8? Since these prayers are the aggregate of all believers’ prayers through all time, they are about everybody and about everything that is consistent with God’s will. If you pray for somebody’s salvation, that prayer is in the bowl. If you pray for the safety and relief of people after a natural disaster, that prayer is in the bowl. If you pray that God would conform you into the image of Jesus Christ, that prayer is in the bowl. Such prayers are well-pleasing to Him.

Does Revelation 5:8 lend credence to the tradition of praying for the dead? Not at all. The dead have already sealed their fate, for good or for evil (see Luke 16:19–31). There is no post-mortem plan of salvation. Now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). After death, a person faces judgment, not further opportunity (Hebrews 9:27). So, if you pray that God would save or relieve someone who has already died, that prayer would not be in the bowl. Such prayers are futile.

In Revelation 5, God’s plan is near to being accomplished. The judgment of the wicked world is about to commence, and the ultimate redemption of God’s people is about to be realized. The living creatures and elders sing a hymn of praise to the Lamb: “With your blood you purchased for God / persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. / You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, / and they will reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9–10). The golden vessels full of incense are proffered to God, whose word will stand, whose will is accomplished, and who will pronounce the final “Amen!” to the prayers of the saints. source

How fascinating it is to me that ‘aromas’ are important to God. Aromas are precious to Him! Our prayers – the prayers of the saints – create an aroma of incense that reaches the nostrils of the God of the Universe – Our Father!

I pray that the next time you venture out after a drenching rain, that you will remember this article, and that you would be reminded of the importance of Prayer to our God!

May Jesus come soon to gather us away to our real home.

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From raptureready.com

The prophet Isaiah wrote:

• “The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap” (Isa. 17:1).
• “And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.”

It is not hard to find commentators that say this prophecy has been fulfilled, but because Damascus has been destroyed so many times, there is much doubt about who fulfilled it and when it happened.

There are others who believe it has never been fulfilled because Damascus has always been rebuilt, and it has never ceased to exist as a city.

There may have been an initial partial fulfillment, but a greater, more complete fulfillment is yet to come.

Put another way, Damascus must be permanently destroyed at some point in the future.

This brings us to Dec. 4, 2025.

It was reported that Israeli security sources said terrorist elements are gathering in southern Syria, and they are plotting attacks against Israel.

Israeli officials said the consolidation of terrorist elements in southern Syria undermines the prospects of a security agreement between Israel and Syria and highlights the fact that al-Sharaa does not have effective control over all parts of the country.

Israel asked the U.S. to convey a stern message to the Syrian regime under Ahmad al-Sharaa that said Israel will not tolerate the establishment of terrorist organizations in southern Syria and that it is Damascus’s responsibility to stop such groups, or else Israel will act.

So, some prophecy teachers believe the Bible says Damascus will be permanently destroyed in one night, and Israel has warned Damascus to stop the terrorists in southern Syria from attacking Israel, or Israel will act.

(Update: Video of a Dec. 9, 2025 Syrian military parade shows Syrian soldiers marching and shouting, “We rise against you, [Israeli] enemy, we rise, from mountains of fire we make our way. From my blood I forge my ammunition, from your blood, rivers will flow.” Other video shows them marching and shouting, “Gaza, Gaza, we’re with you to the death. I’m marching towards you, my enemy.” An Israeli official responded by saying, “War with Syria is inevitable.” He added, “In Islam, there is no room for other religions. The faith divides the world into two spheres, Dar al-Islam (“Abode of Islam”) and Dar al-Harb (“Abode of War.”)

(Update: On Dec. 10, 2025, it was reported that Churches have had crosses knocked down, icons destroyed, and Christian cemeteries violated. Many Christian families now say they don’t feel safe.”)

Here are some more reasons to believe that the end of the age is close:

One, concerning the UN and Syria: on Dec. 5, 2025, William Koenig, White House Correspondent, said Trump’s 20-Point Plan (Gaza Stabilization Plan) has effectively re-elevated the United Nations into a central role in the administration of Gaza, and the consequences were immediate: This week, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling for Israel’s withdrawal from the Golan Heights.

Koenig continued:

• For decades, the Golan Heights has been Israel’s northern shield — the high ground preventing Syrian and Iranian forces from threatening Galilee. A UN-backed withdrawal demand signals that international campaigns to erode Israel’s territorial legitimacy are escalating again.
• Israel is entering a moment where the greatest threat may not be military — but diplomatic isolation combined with strategic ambiguity from its closest ally.

(My comment: Pres. Trump is trying to establish peace in the Middle East by restricting Israel – telling Israel not to wipe out Hamas, not to attack Hezbollah, not to attack Syria, not to annex Judea and Samaria, etc. and by trying to get all the Arab nations to sign the Abraham Accords – but the Bible teaches that we will have wars and rumors of wars – not real peace – until the Second Coming of Jesus at the end of the Tribulation Period. It teaches that there will be a false peace that will be confirmed – strengthened – by the Antichrist and begin the Tribulation Period, but not real peace.

Trump’s efforts to tie Israel’s hands and cater to the Arabs may lead to that false peace, and they will probably get America in trouble with God, but they will not stop Islam’s efforts to destroy Israel and establish an Islamic world government and religion. Islam will not abandon its radical religious beliefs because Trump wants peace in the Middle East.)

Two, on Dec. 2, 2025, allisraelnews posted an excellent opinion piece titled “The War is Over – or Not?”

The writer said:

• The Peace Plan, brokered by the President of the U.S. Donald Trump, is predicated on the surrender of Hamas in Gaza, its disarmament and its displacement as a governing power. Hamas agreed only to the first phase of this plan, the return of the 20 remaining hostages in exchange for around 2,000 Hamas prisoners held by Israel.
• Hamas has not signed on to the second or following phases of the Plan, which require it to disarm. Hamas has neither surrendered nor disarmed and has made it clear that it has no intention of doing so. And why would it? Its whole raison d’etreis the destruction of Israel. Without its weapons, Hamas is nothing.

Here is a link to the entire article:

https://allisraelnews.com/blog/the-war-is-over-or-not

Three, concerning Trump’s peace plan: on Dec. 7, 2025, Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal said:

• Hamas will not disarm, give up its weapons, rule of the Gaza Strip, or permit external oversight in Gaza, including the International Stabilization Force (ISF).

Israel’s Foreign Ministry called it a direct contradiction of the core terms of Trump’s peace plan.

(Reminder: Israel has said, “It’s either they agree to disarm, or we will disarm them. We will not leave any threat to the State of Israel in Gaza.”)

(More: On Dec. 7, 2025, the U.S. State Dept. responded to Mashaal’s comments: “Hamas has agreed to all 20 points of President Trump’s 20-Point Plan. That means Gaza will be fully demilitarized for the sake of Gazans.”)

Four, concerning the tracking of people: following Israel’s recent assassination of a Hezbollah leader in Lebanon, Hamas decided to tighten its security measures.

A Hamas official said:

• Turning off phones does not prevent tracking, as any device operating through WiFi can be hacked.
• Smart watches and similar devices can be used to count the number of people in any room.
• Leaders must keep cell phones at least 70 meters away from meeting sites, as well as medical and electronic devices, including watches.

Five, on Dec. 5, 2025, it was reported that Pres. Trump expects to announce the move to Phase II (appointment of a Board of Peace, Israel out of Gaza, Hamas out of power, and more) of his 20-Point Peace Plan before Christmas, but Phase I (the release of all hostages, dead or alive) is not complete yet.

Hamas still has the body of one hostage, and they seem to be deliberately slow walking its release to delay Phase II.

(Update: On Dec. 6, 2025, it was reported that Pres. Trump will announce the composition of his new Board of Peace – BoP – on Dec. 15, 2025.)

Six, on Dec. 4, 2025, Pres. Trump lit the U.S. National Christmas Tree and shared the gospel on live TV.

Trump said:

• During this holy season, Christians everywhere rejoice at the miracle in Bethlehem, more than 2,000 years ago, when the Son of God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, came down from heaven to be with us.
• Full of grace and truth, He brought the gift of God’s love into the world and the promise of salvation for every person and every nation.
• Tonight, this beautiful evergreen tree glows bright on the dark and cold winter night and reminds us of the words of the Gospel of John: “In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”
• With the birth of Jesus, human history turned from night to day. His Word and His example call us to love one another, to serve one another, and to honor the sacred truth that every child is specially made in the image of God.
• America has stood tall, in part, because millions of our citizens have heeded that call in their faith—and the service of Christians has been an essential part of America’s strength from the very, very beginning.

(My opinion: I assume someone wrote this for Trump, but I give him credit for sharing the gospel with our nation.)

Seven, concerning an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters: on Dec. 4-5, 2025, at least 40 record-breaking low temperatures were set in the Midwestern U.S.

According to the forecast, more records will be set in early December.

Eight, concerning the False Prophet building a robot that can speak (Rev. 13:15): on Dec. 6, 2025, I read that Elon Musk said robots will soon be working on assembly lines, and they will be building other robots (in 2026).

Nine, concerning the growing influence of Islam in America: on Dec. 6, 2025, RAIR Foundation U.S.A. reported that New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has started appointing members to key committees in the city, and “It would appear that most of them are Muslim, and religion evidently tops morality and criminal behavior in his selection process.”

Ten, concerning illegal immigration: Pres. Trump announced that the U.S. is going to start charging every illegal immigrant 14 years or older a $5,000 apprehension fee for entering the U.S. illegally.

The fee will apply to all illegal aliens—regardless of where they entered, how long they’ve been in the U.S., their current location, or any ongoing immigration proceeding.

Eleven, concerning the controversy over Jerusalem and peace and safety in the Middle East: on Dec. 6, 2025, Pres. Trump said:

• His 2017 decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to begin the process of moving the U.S. embassy there was a transformative step forward in the pursuit of peace in the Middle East.
• Today, eight years later, my administration renews its commitment to ushering in a new era of peace, prosperity and stability in the region and all around the world.
• Now we stand on the doorstep of one of the greatest diplomatic achievements in history, as a strong, durable and everlasting peace is emerging across the Middle East.
• The significant peace agreement that he has led between Israel and Hamas is a monumental agreement, which is a massive leap toward an enduring peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people—one that ensures security, brings stability, and offers hope for generations to come.

(My comment: Notice that Pres. Trump said that his 20-Point Peace Plan is a massive leap toward peace and security – peace and safety – in the Middle East. Many prophecy teachers believe Trump’s 20-Point Peace Plan may lead to the covenant that is confirmed – strengthened – by the Antichrist.)

Twelve, concerning the expansion of Israel’s borders at the end of the age and Pres. Trump’s 20-Point Peace Plan: as of now, Israel controls about 53% of Gaza.

On Dec. 7, 2025, Israel’s Chief of Staff said:

• The Gaza ceasefire line known as the “Yellow Line,” demarcating the Israeli military withdrawal, is “a new border line.”
• We have operational control over extensive parts of the Gaza Strip, and we will remain on those defense lines.

Thirteen, concerning slaves at the end of the age (Rev. 18:13): on Dec. 7, 2025, White House border czar Tom Homan said more than 60,000 children who were illegally smuggled into the U.S. have been located by the Trump administration and that some were rescued from dire situations, including sex trafficking and forced labor.

Fourteen, concerning Islam and wars and rumors of wars: Muslim terrorists are threatening to overrun the West African nation of Mali.

The U.S. State Department has warned American citizens to leave or not travel there.

Fifteen, concerning wars and rumors of wars: on Dec. 10, 2025, the U.S. seized a large crude tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from both Venezuela and Iran.

Venezuela accused the U.S. of blatant theft.

Sixteen, concerning Pres. Trump’s Board of Peace (BoP) to supervise a new Gaza government and the reconstruction of Gaza: on Dec. 10, 2025, Trump changed his announcement date from before Christmas to early in 2026.

Trump also said his BoP will be one of the most legendary councils ever – kings, heads of state, presidents, instead of seasoned diplomats and specialists as originally announced.

(My question: Will this transition into the Ten Kings? Who knows?)

Seventeen, concerning globalism’s attempt to create a borderless world: on Dec. 10, 2025, the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security signed a $140M contract to purchase six Boeing 737 planes to use for the deportation of illegal immigrants.

FYI: God does not send anyone to Hell (all of us are born with a sin nature and destined to go to Hell because we sin), but God has provided a way (Jesus) for everyone to go to Heaven (and He is the only way to get there; John 14:6).

Finally, are you Rapture Ready?

If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God, who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.

duck_daymond@yahoo.com