What Did Darby See?
As you may know, people who revile the doctrine of the pre-tribulation Rapture frequently resort to pinning what they view as a heretical doctrine on John Nelson Darby (1800–1882), an Anglo-Irish minister that they claim swiped the idea from the celebrated vision of a 15-year-old Scottish girl named Margaret MacDonald in 1830.
As I have discussed on various occasions over the years, however, this is simply not the case. Not true, never happened. End of story. And this can be readily established by historical writings of the period.
Not to mention the inconvenient fact that several statements Margaret MacDonald made in her vision blatantly contradict a pre-trib scenario.
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JUN '18: The Blood of Bulls and Goats
Ezekiel 40–48 describes worship at a future temple in the Millennial Kingdom that includes...uh, animal sacrifices?!
The Blood of Bulls and Goats
If you're anything like me, you are anxiously looking forward to the Rapture and the events that follow it, especially the Millennial Kingdom. That's when we will literally rule and reign with Christ right here on good old terra firma, which will have been restored to a veritable paradise.
It seems, however, that many people within the Church, even among the small and dwindling percentage that rightly understand that there will even be such a thing as a Millennial Kingdom, don't fully grasp certain things about the coming kingdom that are given to us in Scripture, and that's the reason for this article.
10/27/2026: 14Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, Thus said the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwells safely, shall you not know it? 15And you shall come from your place out of the north parts, you, and many people with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company, and a mighty army: 16And you shall come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring you against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in you, O Gog, before their eyes. [He will be sanctified by virtue of the fact that He will miraculousy wipe out five-sixths of the attacking forces and His people Israel will be untouched (Ezek. 39:1–8).]
(Ezekiel 38:14–16 AKJV / emphasis & [comments] added)
10/27/2026: From the "De-escalation" Department...
In a move that exudes a distinct Gog-Magogish aroma, high-ranking officials from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran the other day in talks reportedly aimed at "de-escalating Middle East tensions." Yes...de-escalation. That's what they're after.
Gosh, "de-escalation" has a sensibly diplomatic, almost peace-loving sound to it, doesn't it? In reality, however, these talks were the first high-level meeting between Iran and three other signatories of the Mecca mutual defense pact, which was formed in August. And the focus of the talks was their need to stand together against Israeli aggression (backed by America in the form of the Trump administration, of course).
Pezeshkian was forceful in urging not only the nations at the meeting, but all Islamic nations to forge a single, unified force to come against Israel and its American backers. Iran is framing the talks around the noble ideas of mutual defense and solidarity against the aggression of the U.S. and Israel.
And like I said: It's just got that Gog-Magog aroma to it.
Although Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are not specifically listed as players in Ezekiel 38, what that aroma calls to my mind is the fact that when it does come time for the attack of Gog-Magog, it won't necessarily be cast as a simple attempt to wipe Israel off the face of the earth...oh no.
It will more likely be cast as an act of self-defense by Islamic nations against an aggressive Zionist regime that—with the obscenely generous aid and misplaced support of its American enablers—has occupied the land of the poor, oppressed Palestinians and engaged in genocide against those same innocent people for far too long. And by Allah it's gotta stop.
Of course, most of you need no reminder of the following detail:
Iran and Turkey are two of the nations
listed in the Gog-Magog lineup in Ezekiel 38.
Numero Uno would be Russia, who is still busy with Ukraine at the moment. But I can't help but remind myself that their war with Ukraine will come to an end.
And when it does, their attention will turn to a different enemy.
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Header
1. Adapted from Sunset Over Grass Field © AOosthuizen (source defunct)
Feature Article
2. Photograph of John Nelson Darby in Geneva, 1840 (author unknown), marked as public domain [PD], more details on Wikimedia Commons
Articles Over the Past Year (3.–14.)
3. "Ultra Orthodox Jew looking down in surprise at unopened gift" prompt, image generated by DepositPhoto's Nano Banana, AUG 26, 2026
4. "Trophy for the best lie" prompt, image generated by DepositPhoto's Nano Banana, JUL 27, 2026
5. "Small graduating class in the clouds" prompt, image generated by DepositPhoto's Nano Banana, JUN 23, 2026
6. 4H Emblem by O.H. Benson, marked as public domain [PD], more details on Wikimedia Commons
7. Adapted from 7a–7c:
7a. Replica of Noah's Ark in Holland © erikdegraaf via DepositPhotos
7b. Unidentified Flying Object © ktsdesign via DepositPhotos
7c. Thought Cloud © ocal at clker.com
8. Adapted from 8a–8b:
8a. Hands Open Worshiping at Sunset © paulshuang via DepositPhotos
8b. Vintage UFO © sdecoret via DepositPhotos
9. Kings © cookelma via DepositPhotos
10. Man and Child Holding Hands © NewAfrica via DepositPhotos
11. Samson Standing Between the Pillars © tujuh17belas via DepositPhotos
12. Mountain Landscape Along Road in Italy © clodio via DepositPhotos
13. Adapted from Dc One 1 © Ntrno (resized, background and text added), [CC BY-SA 3.0]
14. Earthquake Fissure Line © jarous via DepositPhotos
A Blast From the Past
15. Goat © rostyle at Adobe Stock
Sidebar (16.–19.)
16. Adapted from 16a–16b:
16a. Click Icon Vector © avastudio via DepositPhotos
16b. "Magnifying glass looking at printed letters ALS" prompt, image generated by DepositPhoto's Nano Banana, JUL 3, 2026
17.–18. Adapted from "Arm holding blank sign on a stick" prompt, image generated by DepositPhoto's Nano Banana, AUG 2, 2026
19. Adapted from Flag of Israel © badboo01 (source defunct)
Scripture Quotations:
All Scripture is taken from the World English Bible, unless specifically annotated as the King James Version (KJV) or the American King James Version (AKJV).
Note: If the attribution for a picture on this site reads "source defunct," then the site where I got it is no longer in operation. See this for details.
