You Have the Chance to Know Truth.

 Do you believe that the dead communicate with us? Do you go through your day and perhaps see a symbol of something you shared with a dead loved one and believe they are communicating with you through that symbol. Perhaps you believe it's just their way of saying hello, or that they are there to comfort you, that they know what's going on in your life and they are there with you in some way?  I don't know about you but I've seen many memes online that are created with that very sentiment. The sentiment being that the dead loved one is still alive just in another realm. The realm of choice being - heaven, that better place most people seem to want to someday go to when they die. 

Did you know that spiritualism is basically considered communicating with the dead? I personally do not know of anyone who uses a Medium to call on the dead for them. I DO know a lot of people who believe they receive communications of sorts from their dead loved ones.  I say communication of some sort because I don't know anyone who says they talk to their dead loved ones in a literal sense. Sure, they may talk to them, but not with them as if having a real conversation with the dead loved one talking back to them. Still, they believe their dead loved one is listening, that their dead loved one knows this, that and the other thing about them and their life.

What's my point here? My point is, while spiritualism in the sense of people holding seances and trying to communicate with the dead through mediums isn't all the rage in our day and age, it still exists in many various forms, and in the many beliefs of the majority of people. 

Spiritualism- lies upon the foundation of the immortality of the soul- and the immortality of the soul is the concept of eternal life- that we go from losing our physical body to living in a spirit body INSTANTLY upon death.  Don't get me wrong here, I BELIEVE IN ETERNAL LIFE, just not in this sense.

While you may refuse to be called a Spiritualist based upon the fact you don't go to a medium to converse with the dead, you STILL believe as they believe- that the dead are alive, just not alive in their former bodies. You are by default, a Spiritualist, believing in the immortality of the soul, a concept not found in the Bible.

How can our Bible tell us plainly that the dead know nothing, and then people insist they do, that in fact, the dead know everything.  How can our Bible tell us death is a sleep and then people insist the dead are awake and very active in their new awake state most likely not needing any sleep whatsoever? How can our Bible tell us that when Jesus Christ returns the dead that are His will rise to meet Him in the air and people believe they are already with Jesus and have been since their deaths? How can our Bible tell us Jesus remained in the tomb - not rising in any spirit form instantly upon death and yet, people still believe death means instant spirit life- a life Jesus wasn't given instantly upon His death?  

People are deceived. Most are NOT deceived intentionally. They've been given this tradition of man through their churches, through the faith their parents have passed down, through stories on tv, and in books. They believe it because people have used near death (obviously NOT true death) experiences to convince them of this fallacy. Anyone who has ever had a truly horrifying nightmare of crazy convoluted things, or seeing their dead loved ones in the dreams and such can attest to their minds giving them these nightmares, these dream, and yes, some of those dreams have felt extremely real to us. The dreams don't convince anyone that dream images are real, yet people allow people who have NOT truly died to convince them by telling them things they've seen in the near death state.  

As a rule most people who believe in instant heaven upon death are good hearted, well intentioned, loving, kind, wonderful, sincere people. They simply want to imagine those they love who have died are in a better place. They simply want to feel connected to them still because it's so devastatingly heartbreaking to lose their presence in their life. 

The thing is, Satan's first lie to mankind was that they wouldn't die. And guess what, all those who believe in instant heaven after death are believing that lie. 

People can received immense comfort in the Biblical truth of death being a sleep. A sleep. Think about the last time you slept. What happened while you were sleeping? Were you aware of things going on while you slept? Sleep cuts us off from all knowledge, from all interaction. We don't know what's happening while we sleep. We aren't feeling in a conscious way of knowing, while we are sleeping. We have to wake up to become aware again. Death is the best, dreamless sleep ever and when Adam and Eve died and entered death's sleep they lost all knowledge of the thousands of years that have passed since then. The next thing they are going to know is Christ's Returning and calling them from their graves- their dead/sleeping state. Jesus waking them up! How glorious! There was no death awareness, they haven't spent thousands of years watching humanities horrors. For if dead loved ones can see us and comfort us and so on, they can also witness all the trials and tribulations we go through- what heartbreak! 

 Unfortunately people have their eyes glazed over by Satan and are spiritually blind unable to search out the truth of God's word, because they choose to believe the lies and traditions handed down by man. They refuse to listen to common sense, logical reasoning, sound exegesis, clinging instead to their misguided beliefs. These beliefs may very well keep them forever blind to the truth only to recognize it when it is too late to change, too late to accept truth. The scales will fall from their eyes too late when they hear the words of our Lord telling them to get away from Him, that He doesn't know them. He won't know them because they never chose to know the real Him from His word. They will have believed in a false messiah perpetrated by the churches they go to, encouraged by ministers and preachers likewise deluded. The Bible they claim to believe will have been falsely read, falsely interpreted, and they will have been deceived. God is reaching out to all who would truly be His! There will not be a single person lost who didn't turn their back on God's truth when it was offered to them. Not a single person will be able to refute Jesus' claim that He never knew them, they'll know in that moment where and when they rejected Him knowingly, willingly choosing not to follow Him and His truth. They might cry out they were deceived and not to blame, but they'll know they made the choice from their heart and that heart wasn't right with God. 

Don't follow Satan through deception, don't follow Satan unwittingly, you have a chance to know truth.

Please LORD, please, we would KNOW YOU and BE KNOWN BY YOU! PLEASE! Let all the scales on our eyes fall away and let us see Your truth and LIVE in Your truth- by You, for You! Please! We don't want to be deceived, please!  All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!!!!!!! Right NOW and FOREVER!!!!!!! AMEN!

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CHAPTER XIII. THE BEAST WITH TWO HORNS

continued… ((Note- when this was written in the late 1890's Spiritual Mediums and seances and the like were all the rage. Spiritualism since then has taken on a great disguise as noted in the section above))

The foundation of Spiritualism is the doctrine of the immortality of the soul. 

And as nearly all professed Christians regard that as one of the leading doctrines of Revelation, and inasmuch as they had no direct proof for it in the Scriptures, and Spiritualism proposed to demonstrate that it is true, it was easy to foresee that a compromise between the parties would not be difficult to effect. And the consequence is just what was anticipated. Tens and hundreds of thousands of members of all the leading denominations, who would yet be unwilling to be known as Spiritualists, are following it. 

Many hold social circles, where neighbors meet to converse with their supposed friends, and where mediums are developed. These parties suppose that their conduct is innocent; but they do not consult the word of God in regard to the nature of Spiritualism. They take it for granted that it is the spirits of

their lost friends with whom they hold converse, and are unwilling to be aroused from their delusion. If they would turn to the Bible they would learn better. This work is well characterized by the prophet of God, in these words:-- 

"And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. 8:19, 20. 

Shall men turn away from the word of God, to seek knowledge of the dead? Shall a living man go to inquire of the dead? That is done in these days, but the Scriptures utterly condemn the practice. 

Thus the Lord said to the children of Israel:--

"There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer." Deut. 18:10, 11.

A necromancer, literally, and as the original plainly reads, is one who inquires of the dead. The Lord said to his people that they should not learn to do after the abominations of the nations that dwell in the land of Canaan. He then enumerated the prohibited works, as here quoted, and added:--

"For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord; and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee." Verse 12.

The Lord declares that inquiring of the dead is an abomination in his sight; but this practice is the very life and front of Spiritualism. But it has been argued that this law was for Israel, and for no other people, and cannot bind us. But mark this: The Lord did not say that these things were the abominations of Israel. They were the abominable practices of the nations in Canaan, whom the Lord drove out before Israel. And he said it was because of these wicked practices that he destroyed them out of the land. "For," said he, "all that do these things are an abomination to the Lord." And the folly as well as the wickedness of this practice is shown in the Bible, which plainly declares that "the dead know not anything." Eccl. 9:5.

But one replies: If the dead know not anything, as, indeed, the Bible plainly says, what can be the harm of inquiring of them, seeing they cannot hear or know what is said? But the facts of Spiritualism abundantly prove that somebody or something hears and answers the inquiries. The scripture under investigation (Rev. 13:13, 14) says that these miracles are wrought to deceive; and one part of the deception is this, that the spirits consulted profess to be our dead friends, when they are not. God has stored the treasures of knowledge in his word--in the law and in the testimony. They who neglect this word, and seek knowledge from forbidden sources, must expect to be deceived. Jesus, speaking of the last days, the days preceding his second coming, says:--

"There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matt. 24:24.

They profess to be Christs, sent of God; but they are not. They profess to be prophets, commissioned of God to speak to the world, and to instruct mankind concerning the future, but they are not. They are living spirits, the angels of the adversary, Satan. Compare Matt. 25:41; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6.

Mat 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels

2Pe 2:4  For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment

Jud 1:6  And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

But again it is asked, How can we be deceived? We have heard the familiar tones of the voices of our friends, and some have beheld their very faces. They must be what they profess to be. But this reasoning is not good. All Spiritualists confess that spirits have not material forms nor visible faces. They say that these are materialized for the occasion. And if they have power to assume forms which do not properly belong to the nature of a spirit, they can certainly assume one form as readily as

another, and can personate whom they will. And that they do so we are well assured. The apostle says that Satan is transformed into an angel of light. And if he can assume the form and appearance of an angel of light, it is no marvel that his ministers profess to be the ministers of righteousness; that his angels assume to be Christs and prophets. 2 Cor. 11:14, 15.

2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 

2Co 11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

To be continued…

Truth or Lies- You Need to Decide Which You'll Believe.

 God would have us know His truth. He won't force feed truth to us. He's given us His word and has left it up to us to read, to study, to live its truth. Some of these truths are more complex than others, but there is nothing we can't comprehend that our Lord won't help us to know if we need to know it. To discard hard truths because they are just too confusing to us, without a diligent effort to study to know truth, is something we are accountable for. This study here has been and continues to be a long one. Why is it important? Because we need to comprehend what happens after we die- and to understand what happens we need to know Biblical facts. 1. The dead know nothing-they sleep death's sleep. 2. When Christ returns the dead in Christ will rise. 3. The dead who are not in Christ will live again after 1000 years (during that time the Dead in Christ will have become immortal and live in heaven with Christ). 4. After the 1000 years the dead not in Christ will rise and these are the unjust. 5. At their resurrection they will receive their sentence, then their punishment, and their ultimate second death which is when they are in existence no more in any form, never to be again.  All these are just bullet points that can be backed by extensive Biblical proofs if someone is willing to study. In knowing all this we cannot be deceived by Satan to believe in the immortality of the soul, that there is immediate life after death, that most people go to heaven, that we need not be concerned with facing any real punishment. When we consent to believe in immediately life after death we are in league with Satan who told our first parents they would not die if they ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Once we consent knowingly to believe that there is no true death where we no longer know anything at all, we aren't guiltless, we are liable and accountable to perpetuating lies. You see, our Savior needn't have died for us if we never die. Our Savior died so we could live again one day in the mansions He is preparing. He died knowing He would one day return for us, not so we could just live in heaven right after we die our first death. The Bible is so clear on this,God tells us that Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, none of those well-known Biblical figures are in heaven right now, none have received the promise as of yet and won't, not without all those who are going to be God's, and this takes place when our Savior returns!  So many people choose to turn a blind eye to this, thinking it just doesn't matter. They are deceived! 

God help us to keep studying for truth and only truth no matter how much it destroys our cherished beliefs!

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever! Amen!!!!!!!

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Resurrection of the Just and Unjust

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(EXCERPT)

The unjust will be resurrected, some object to this truth. The article we've been studying is vindicating the truth of the resurrection of the unjust- scripturally, logically. Pray for enlightenment through our Savior, by the Holy Spirit.

A Vindication of the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Unjust By J.H. Waggoner 

CONTINUING STUDY….Dan 12:2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

*******  (Note- the following excerpt shows so clearly that people can pervert scripture to mean what they desire it to mean without taking all scripture into consideration. People used by Satan will twist any Bible verse they can to meet their own ends which mean the everlasting destruction of any and all who fall under their delusions. Pray that you may perceive only truth, study deeply, let the Holy Spirit guide you in your search for nothing but God's truth, God's will, God's love. All through our Savior, Jesus Christ.)

Isa. 26:13, 14: "O Lord our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us; but by thee only will we make mention of thy name. They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise; therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish." 

There are at least two evident reasons why the claim put forth on this text is not warranted. It is not certain that it refers to the resurrection or non-resurrection of the dead at all; but that it only states that the "lords" who had dominion over them should not rise to exercise dominion over them any more. And, were it proved or admitted that it refers to the subject in question, it is yet far from appearing that it is already fulfilled. The same prophet, speaking of the destiny of the wicked, says: "The inhabitants of the earth are burned." Chap. 24:6. This is as definite, and the same in tense, as the text in question; but it remains to be fulfilled. See verses 1-5. The text says, "Thou hast visited and destroyed them." Chap. 24:22, says they shall be gathered as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and "visited after many days." Their visitation and destruction will be in the great day of wrath.

Many texts speak of the destruction of the wicked as already past, if we remove them from the page of prophecy and make history of them; but by so doing, they are perverted, and put in direct conflict with the plainest statements of the New Testament. If we take them as they are, as prophecies, they will harmonize with the words of the Saviour and his apostles, and with all the Scriptures on the subject of "the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." Isa. 43:16, 17: "Thus saith the Lord, . . . which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched as tow." 

Were the passages in John 5; Acts 24, etc., no more intimately related to the subject than this, we should no more be surprised that our opponents should set them aside as figurative or irrelevant. The chariot, the horse, the army, the power, lie down together, they shall not rise; therefore there will be no resurrection of the unjust! (((Lies!))))

Words cannot express our astonishment that such a text as this should be quoted as a plain, literal denial of the resurrection of evil-doers, and John 5:28, 29; Rev. 20:5, 6, and others, should be set aside as "figurative," as having no bearing on the subject of the resurrection! 

The power of an army, and the army itself, as an army, may be destroyed without destroying half the individuals composing it. Were they all cut off, so that the army could never again appear, they might all be raised "to the judgment of the great day" without conflicting with that fact. I pray that I may never be found advocating a doctrine which needs to be sustained by such a use of the Scriptures.

Jer. 51:39: "In their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, saith the Lord." Does this text forbid the idea, so plainly revealed in the Bible, of the "wicked suffering the second death?" or coming "forth from the graves to the resurrection of damnation," and to utter destruction? Does it even seem to contradict the plain testimonies of the word of God in favor of the resurrection of the unjust? If it does, I have not the ability to perceive it.

Hos. 8:14: "They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beersheba liveth; even they shall fall and never rise up again." Do the words "fall" and "rise up" refer to death and the resurrection? It certainly does not appear in the text or context. Or if the words do so refer, may it not refer to the second death in the lake of fire, from which there is no rising? And this is quoted to prove that the evildoers will not come forth from the graves, to a resurrection to judgment and the second death, by the very ones who affirm that John 5:28, 29, do not refer to the resurrection at all! Strange consistency, indeed! And these are the "positive proofs" on that side of the question. (((Such delusion, God preserve us from all untruth!))))

To be continued…

The Book of Daniel Chapter 2 Pt. 1

 The following is our continuing study of the Books of Daniel and Revelation - we are seeking only truth in prophecy, and a better understanding of the heavenly Sanctuary and its continued importance for all of us today. May God bless us richly and the Holy Spirit guide us only to truth!  *For those who don't have time (or desire) to search for the answers to filling in the blanks - the answers are at the end of this page.

READ Daniel 2:1 -- And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was (1)_________, and his sleep brake from him.

As we studied in chapter one, Daniel was taken into captivity in the first year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. For three years he along with his three friends were schooled extensively on things concerning Babylonian life, things that pleased Nebuchadnezzaer to realize when he tested them that they’d learned better than all those native to his realm.

A question comes to mind that if Daniel was being schooled those three years and didn’t see the king until the end of them, how he could go to the king in the second year stated here and help him. The answer lies in the fact for two year Nebuchanezzar reigned alongside his father Nabopolassar. By the second year of his reign without his father at his side it was a year after Daniel completed his studies.

Having clarified that it’s understandable Daniel at this point would be accounted among his people and not a boy studying to show himself worthy to the king.

READ Daniel 2:2 -- Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to (2)____ the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

Men throughout the ages have pretended to foretell the future through the stars and it was no different then, and no surprise a king would have magicians, astrologers and sorcerers and the Chaldeans, at his beck and call.

Sorcerers feigned communication with the dead to guide the living, just something to show how long spiritualism has been alive and flourishing. The Chaldeans were a group of philosophers very much like the others who claimed extraordinary abilities to deal with the unknown. All these groups flourished in Babylon. 

Having his own group of these men the King having had his troublesome dream wanted them to help him out. What a dream it had to have been to weigh so heavily upon his mind.

READ Daniel 2:3,4 -- And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to (3)____ the dream. Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriac, O king, live forever; tell thy servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.

Obviously these men weren’t used to such a request. They wanted at least enough information so they could make a great show of pretending to know what it was all about and what it all meant, it was in fact how they’d always done their so called magic.

And Syriac was a learned language of intellectuals so addressing the king in that language was once more a show trying to impress the king with their intellectual prowess as they had in the past.

READ Daniel 2:5-13 – ‘he king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is (4)___ from me; if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honor; therefore show me the dream, and the interpretation thereof. They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation of it. The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you; for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed; therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can show me the interpretation thereof. The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is (5) ___ a man upon the earth that can show the king's matter; therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. And the decree went forth that the wise men should be (6)_____; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.’

Obviously the soothsayers and such are stalling and trying to convince the king what he asks for is impossible. Does the king just accept this? Does he let himself be convinced that no one in his realm of the brightest in all the land could help him with this troublesome dream? He wasn’t asking for just an interpretation, he was asking to be told what the dream was first. How could anyone give an interpretation without being told what they’re supposed to be interpreting? Even today we would call someone crazy if they came up to us and said, ‘Hey, what’d I dream last night?’ This is the impossible the king wanted surely he had to see reason.

Yes, Nebuchadnezzar is so bothered by this dream eluding him that he can’t accept the impossibility of what he’s asking. He refuses to believe that none of his supposed wise men can help him, if they can’t help him they’re useless to him. He was furious. Not just a little upset, he was furious and gave a command that all the wise men be killed. 

READ Daniel 2:14-18 -- Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the (7)____ men of Babylon. He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation. Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions; That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

God’s hand is seen here so vividly. This dream given to the king and yet withheld from his memory is something powerful as we’ve seen. This dream is exposing the falsity of those normally held in high esteem, the magicians, the sorcerers, the astrologers and the Chaldeans, all of them were being exposed as charlatans. They are unable to do that which they’ve claimed over and over the ability to do.

Just a short while before Daniel and his companions had been found by the king to be ten times better than all the other wise men and yet the king hadn’t asked to see them which proved to be even more valuable to exposing the false sects for what they were. God wanted to expose the false, He wanted the king himself to see their ineffectiveness so his divine purpose could be seen.

Being considered as one among the wise men- Daniel is going to be put to death and what does he do? He asks for an audience with the king. The king is furious with all wise men and he grants Daniel this request. God’s hand surely guiding matters. After Daniel went into the king he then went to his companions. He didn’t stay by himself, he went to those he knew could help him, to join with him in supplication to God. We know that were two or more are gathered God is there.

READ Matthew 18:19, 20 -- Again I say unto you, That if (8)___ of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.’

This was no less true back in Daniel’s day. He knew there was spiritual strength in numbers.

READ Daniel 2:19-23 -- ‘Then was the (9) ______ revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever; for wisdom and might are his; And he changeth the times and the seasons; he removeth kings, and setteth up kings; he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding; He revealeth the deep and secret things; he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee; for thou hast now made known unto us the king's (10)_____.’

Whether God revealed the dream to Daniel while he was asleep or awake is unknown. Night vision could have meant a dream of his own, or it could have been a vision given him while he was awake and his companions and he were praying. God did answer their prayers and Daniel immediately praised and thanked Him. How important is it that we acknowledge the source of all good and praise God. God is honored when we praise him and thank him for what He’s done in our lives. We need to use Daniel’s recorded behavior as an example to us. No blessing of God’s to us should go without acknowledgement. 

READ Luke 17:11-19 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up [their] voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw [them,] he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice GLORIFIED God, And fell down on [his] face at his feet, giving him THANKS: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where [are] the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

The one who returned to give thanks to Him, pleased Jesus. The man’s faith made him whole. We need to give thanks and remember to give thanks for God’s blessings in our lives.

Daniel didn’t receive an answer to their prayers and run off to tell the king what he wanted to know, the first thing he did was thank and praise God. He wasn’t going to take honor onto himself at all, he knew where the honor and glory belonged and that was to God. Including those praying with him, he didn’t even presume to give thanks in his own name, but as a group who offered up prayers to God, who desired of Him an answer of those prayers, he praised and thanked God who answered them.

To be continued…

(1) troubled Daniel 2:1

(2) shew Daniel 2:2

(3) know Daniel 2:3

(4) gone Daniel 2:5

(5) not Daniel 2:10

(6) slain Daniel 2:13

(7) wise Daniel 2:14

(8) two Matthew 18:19

(9) secret Daniel 2:19

(10) matter Daniel 2:23

The Book of Daniel Chapter 1 Pt 1

 I went to a series of Prophecy Lectures that were being given at a nearby church in 1982.  I don't have access to the actual material given back then, but there are other studies with a lot of the same information.  The study we are going to go through is more in-depth. We are living now, 42 years after the last known end time prophecy was fulfilled. There are more end time prophecies that have to be fulfilled and the majority of those it appears will happen very rapidly extremely close to our Lord returning. You read those words and what do you think about them? I hope they arouse your curiosity and don't dissuade you from seeking truth. The above facts can be proven, pray for God's guidance, God's grace, God's mercy, pray for the Holy Spirit to be your guide through all of these studies.  Please, open your Bible - whether an actual book of paper, or an online Bible, it doesn't matter- open your Bible and with a prayerful heart begin to study. 

Remember there are going to be blanks for you to fill in by reading from your Bibles- this is to reinforce what you are studying, giving you a real opportunity to look for yourself upon God's word, and not just read something I've put here for you to read.

Daniel Chapter 1

Let’s begin with a bit of historical background on the book of Daniel. The book of Daniel was written by Daniel Himself that cannot be disputed. Ezekiel, a prophet and a contemporary of Daniels has this to say--

READ Ezekiel 14:19, 20. "… though Noah, 1______, and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness."

Daniel is ranked up there with who? Noah and Job, two very important Biblical figures.

Ezekiel also has this to say of Daniel--

READ Ezekiel 28:3 "Behold, thou art wiser than 2______; there is no secret that they can hide from thee."

And even Jesus recognized Daniel and did so recognizing him as a prophet of God. 

READ Matthew 24:15, 16. "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by 3_______ ___ ________, stand in the holy place (whoso readeth, let him understand), then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains."

(The following may read as if you are a Bible scholar, or serious student who knows Biblical history- dates and whatnot. If you do not have this education, I don't, then you may have to pause and look up some facts if you don't want to just accept them as truth. Don't hesitate to do so now, or any time in the future of this study, research.) 

What we know of Daniel begins when he is taken captive in the first year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzer (Babylonian King). The first year that began the seventy years of enslavement, 606 BC when Habakkuk and Jeremiah were giving their prophecies. A short while after that Ezekiel began his prophesizing and then Obadiah, both finishing their prophetic work long before the end of Daniel’s prophesizing.

Three prophets went after Daniel—Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. Both Haggai and Zechariah briefly prophesized in 520-518 BC and then Malachi for a short while in 397 BC. All Biblical history, documented well.

Jeremiah wrote the following prediction--

READ Jeremiah 25:11 -And this whole land shall be a 4___________, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

70 years of captivity was predicted and 70 years of captivity there were.

Daniel was taken captive during that time and at his peak he saw the kingdom decline and even go into other hands. Daniel was given by God knowledge which surpasses any man could have given him. He was honored and loved of God and his words are available to us today to study and learn much from.

He reveals history many centuries into the future to the end of all time. He offers us an account of the timeline of the coming of the Messiah as well. The prophecies of Daniel are amazing as you’ll soon discover.

Historical data tells us that Daniel is supposed to have died at Susa in Persia (today’s Iran), about the year 530 BC, at about 94 years old.

Let us begin--CHAPTER -- I

READ Daniel 1: 1 - In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto 5__________, and besieged it. 2. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure-house of his god.

Starting with an historical background, he states that Jehoiakim was the king of Judah at the time, that Nebuchadnezzer was king of Babylon and that Nebuchadnezzer besieged Jehoiakim’s reign. He also tells us that it was 3 years into the reign of Jehoiakim and that Jehoiakim was given into Nebuchadnezzar’s hands. Nebuchanezzer took some of the sacred vessels from the house of God into Shinar, the country of Babylon.

READ Genesis 10:10 ‘And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.’

Jerusalem’s capture was predicted by Jeremiah, and accomplished, in 606 BC.

READ Jeremiah 25:8-11-- Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words, Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations. Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle. And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

Jeremiah places this captivity in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, Daniel is in the third. This seeming discrepancy is explained by the fact that Nebuchadnezzar set out on his expedition near the close of the third year of Jehoiakim, from which point Daniel reckons. But he did not fully capture Jerusalem till about the ninth month of the year following; and from this year Jeremiah reckons. (Prideaux, Vol. I, pp. 99, 100 -https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Old_and_New_Testament_Connected_in_t/dvKBrDj1bnAC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22fourth%20year%20of%20Jehoiakim%22)

Jehoiakim humbled himself and was allowed to remain as ruler in Jerusalem, tributary to the king of Babylon. This was the first time Jerusalem was taken by Nebuchadnezzar. 

Twice after that because the people revolted, it had to be recaptured by the same king, being dealt with more harshly each succeeding time. Of these subsequent overthrows, the first was under Jehoiachin, son of Jehoiakim in 599 BC when all the sacred vessels were either taken or destroyed and the best of the people along with the king were led into captivity. The second was under Zedekiah, when the city fought the most formidable fight for control except that by Titus, in 70 AD. During the two year siege the city dwellers had to endure the horrors of extreme famine. The king attempting to escape from the city along with his garrison, were captured by the Chaldeans. The sons of the king were slain before him. His eyes were put out, and he was taken to Babylon; and fulfilled was the prediction of Ezekiel who declared that he should be carried to Babylon, and die there, but yet should not see the place.

READ Ezekiel 12:13 - ‘My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.’

The city and temple were at this time completely destroyed, the entire population of the city and country, with the exception of few, were carried captive to Babylon, 588 BC.

Had the Israelites been faithful to God and kept his Sabbath, Jerusalem would have stood forever. READ Jeremiah 17:24-27 And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently 6_______ unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the 7________ day, but 8_______ the sabbath day, to do no work therein; Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain forever. And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the 9 _____.  But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.

TO BE CONTINUED…

The Dead Are Dust.

 We all know people who have died. '… for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.' Gen. 3:19 (GOD SAYS THE DEAD ARE DUST because man was made from dust to begin with.) 'And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground…' Gen. 2:7 The Bible also tells us the following about those sleeping in the dust of the earth (the dead) -'And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.' Dan. 12:2 Everlasting life or everlasting contempt.

Obviously those who are sleeping in the dust are dead people, those who have returned to the dust they were created from. They sleep in the dust, sleep until they are awakened once more.  If you sleep, you wake from sleeping having only known the time before you fell asleep, not what has occurred while you were sleeping. Many people have woken up to amazing news of things that have happened while they slept. Good things and bad things occur while we sleep, but while we are sleeping we don't know they are occurring. 

When all our dead loved ones wake from their sleep in the dust they are waking up to the reality of eternal life or eternal death. They will have one or the other. This is truth. Until that moment they are woken up they know nothing. Thousands of years could have passed from the moment of one's death and they won't have known that, and it won't have mattered. It won't be as if they are waking up to live in our modern world -they are waking up to rise to meet their LORD in the air! They are rising to go to their heavenly home!  Some might think they rise to their heavenly home upon their death - a lie perpetrated by Satan to deceive. The truth is they are rising some of them thousands, some hundreds of years after they died.  The Bible tells us this- Heb 11:39  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:  Heb 11:40  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.   

They without us are not made perfect and this is talking even of Abraham! Abraham will rise on the same day as anyone else who has died in the Lord. They will rise together, they will be made perfect together, they will receive their heavenly home together! There will be no mourning not having gone to heaven right upon their death some thousand, hundred, ten, a single year ago, because to them they have… they fell into death's sleep and then woke to heaven's reward, unaware of all the time in between the two facts! They've had NO concept of time passing, none! What a wondrous mystery this all is. The revelation of what death is can bring us such comfort! Comfort knowing our loved ones are truly at peace! They aren't up in heaven looking down on us as we suffer their passing. How terrible that would be. A mother in heaven having to watch her children suffer emotional agony when she dies. Maybe having to watch them be separated and placed into foster care and not good foster homes- we know there are many horror stories of terrible foster homes. Yet, people want to imagine everyone just going on to heaven upon their death, able to witness all the agonies of life below on earth. That is monstrous! That is sadistic That is such a horrific imagining, not the comforting that people have lulled themselves into believing, as Satan has spun his death's lullaby to seduce millions and millions into believing lies not truth. So many say they are comforted knowing their loved one is in heaven, a better place, a peace, not suffering, and they are there with full knowledge of the loved ones below missing them, longing for them, still loving them. How could we ever wish that upon our loved ones?! How cruel are we to want them to know of our agonies here on earth living through all the many ups and downs life throws our way. How cruel to believe our loved ones watch every single moment of our lives below, that is NOT anyone's idea of heaven or rather is should not be anyone's idea of heaven. The sad truth is, that is millions of peoples idea of heaven. God please, open the hearts and minds to truth, Your amazing truth! Please! We want only Your truth to live by!

All through the name of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST now and forever!!!!!!! Amen! 

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Resurrection of the Just and Unjust

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(EXCERPT)

The unjust will be resurrected, some object to this truth. The article we've been studying is vindicating the truth of the resurrection of the unjust- scripturally, logically. Pray for enlightenment through our Savior, by the Holy Spirit.

A Vindication of the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Unjust

By J.H. Waggoner 

CONTINUING STUDY….

Dan 12:2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Rev. 1:7 says, "Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they which pierced him." I do not know of any construction of this text which  makes its fulfillment possible without a resurrection of them that pierced him. 

Other scriptures which speak of "all" in such relation are evaded with the declaration that they only refer to all then living. But this text clearly points to his crucifiers, who shall see him at a future time, and of course must have a resurrection. 

Another positive testimony on the resurrection of the unjust is found in Rev. 20; not in a single verse only, but in the harmony of the entire chapter. The first evidence is found in verse 5. After stating that they who had been beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, lived and reigned, it says: "But the rest of the dead lived not again till the thousand years were finished." This is equivalent to a direct statement that they shall live again after the thousand years are finished.

Again, it is said of the re-living of the righteous: "This is the first resurrection." This implies that there will be a second resurrection; and, taken in connection with the previous statement and others in the chapter, it amounts to a certain affirmation that there will be a second resurrection. Again, it not only speaks of a first resurrection, and of the rest of the dead who do not live again until after a certain period, but also of "the second death" that has no power over those who are raised in the first resurrection; therefore, there will be a second death which will have power on them who have their part in the second resurrection. And this is confirmed by verses 14 and 15: "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." This is declared to be the second death. And also by chap. 2:11: "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." Three points are proved by this text. 1. There will be a second death. 2. Some will be subject to its power. 3. They will be hurt of it. And thus it appears that if we set aside Rev. 20, on the

subject of the second death, we must set aside chap. 2, also. 

And again, "death and hades delivered up the dead which were in them;" "and whosoever"-of whom? Of them that were delivered up of death and hades-"was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." This is the second death. But it is objected, if death delivered up all the dead, there was then no dead. This has only a degree of technical plausibility; in fact, there is no reason in it. Death is not destroyed while there is a sinner in existence; for the wages of sin is death, and while a sinner exists, death is ever ready to claim its own. But, on the other hand, it is a fact that when death delivers up the dead which are in it, they are not thenceforth dead until death receives them again. Death cannot deliver them up and they still remain dead. But when death receives them again in the lake of fire, which is to them the second death, then it is said that death and hades are also cast therein. For, from that time onward, even to eternity, there are no more subjects for death to prey upon. The work of death ends with the utter destruction of the wicked in the lake of fire. Now in regard to the objection that this is the only scripture that speaks of the second death, I remark that one plain declaration of Scripture is sufficient for those that "tremble at the word;" and this is in perfect harmony with the general tenor of the Scriptures, which largely bring to view a future judgment of "indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, to every soul of man that doeth evil;" also there are numerous texts which plainly speak of the same things revealed in Rev. 20. A few I will notice.

John the Baptist compared the wicked to chaff, and said they should be burned up with unquenchable fire. Rev. 20 confirms this statement, and gives the time and order of the event. Mal. 4:1, 3, also speaks of the same day, when "all the proud and all that do wickedly shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up." There is nothing in Rev. 20 that is not taught here, either directly or indirectly. Directly, in that it says all the wicked shall be burned up in the day that cometh, that is in the coming or future judgment day. Indirectly, in that if all that do wickedly are burned up in that day they must have a resurrection to meet that fate. Many other declarations in the prophecies and Psalms are similar to this.  2 Pet. 3; 7-10 says the heavens and earth which are now are reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men; and in that day the fire shall melt the elements and the earth. This is not figurative language. It agrees with Malachi, and embraces all that is found in Rev. 20. The earth is melted-becomes a lake of fire; it is in "the day of judgment" unto which the unjust are "reserved;" it is the day of perdition of the ungodly, because in that day, and in that lake of fire, they shall be burned up, root and branch-devoured. This destruction in the lake of fire is the second death: the only death to which their probation related; and to fulfill all and any of these scriptures a resurrection of the unjust is necessary. Paul identifies this day of judgment as "the day of wrath," in which "every soul of man that doeth evil" shall suffer "indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish." Rom. 2:5-9. And Job, using the same language that Peter afterward used on the same subject, said, "The wicked is reserved to the day of destruction," and also, "they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath." Job 21:30. Language could not more forcibly express the doctrine of Rev. 20. 2 Thess. 1:9 says the wicked "shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power." Not, as it has been often quoted, "banished" from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, the possibility of which I cannot conceive; but punished with everlasting destruction, which destruction comes from the presence of the Lord. This destruction is by fire, as scores of texts clearly prove. Rev. 20:9, says the same thing. "Fire"-the agent of this destruction-"came down from God out of heaven and devoured them;" destroyed them; burned them up, root and branch. David says they shall consume away into smoke as the fat of lambs. Ps. 37:20. And thus from the glorious presence of the Lord their destruction comes down. And in regard to that class embraced in "the rest of the dead," Rev. 20:5, in distinction from the blessed and holy, verse 6, and on whom the second death is said to have power, the Saviour said of them, as evil-doers, they shall come forth from the graves to the resurrection of damnation. Paul said of them, there shall be a resurrection of the unjust; and the angel spoke to Daniel of them who sleep in the dust of the earth who shall awake to shame and everlasting contempt.

To Be Continued…

Not Hurt By the Second Death.

 Rev_2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the SECOND DEATH.

Rev_20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the SECOND DEATH hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Rev_20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the SECOND DEATH.

Rev_21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the SECOND DEATH.

I didn't make up the second death. The second death isn't some fantasy made up by man. The second death is a reality. We all grow up knowing we will die, this is a fact. As I get older this becomes more and more a reality. The knowledge you've lived long in comparison to a lot of people is something that brings you closer to the realization of your own eventual death. The first death. The first death won't be the last death for a lot of people. The second death means they'll be alive to die once again. The second death is the last death. When the very last of those die their second death, and when Satan and all the evil angels are punished and destroyed into nothingness, the death itself will never be again.

Oh what a glorious day, no more death! We MUST overcome and we will NOT be hurt of the second death! Oh by the grace of God, by the mercy of our LORD may we not be a part of the second death! Please, Lord, please, keep us from evil, all evil! Mercy.

All through Jesus Christ our LORD and SAVIOR now and forever!!!!!!! Amen!

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Resurrection of the Just and Unjust

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(EXCERPT)

The unjust will be resurrected, some object to this truth. The article we've been studying is vindicating the truth of the resurrection of the unjust- scripturally, logically. Pray for enlightenment through our Savior, by the Holy Spirit.

A Vindication of the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Unjust

By J.H. Waggoner 

CONTINUING STUDY….

Dan 12:2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

1Co 15:18  Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 

1Co 15:19  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 

1Co 15:20  But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 

1Co 15:21  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 

1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming

They further endeavor to sustain the claim they make on verse 22 by an argument on the word "perish," in verse 18, thus: If Christ were not raised there would be no resurrection, and all would perish; but it is taught in the Scriptures that they who reject Christ will yet perish; and the meaning of the word perish is illustrated by the fact that all would perish if there were no resurrection; and therefore they that perish will not have a resurrection.

This is an argument presented by them with a great deal of confidence, but I consider it a very feeble one. The word is not changed in signification though they might perish under certain circumstances without a resurrection, and under other circumstances after a resurrection. The wages of sin is death; granted that  the wicked will be raised to be punished for their personal sins, and die a second time, that would not in the least change the meaning of the word death. But the great fault of this argument, and which is, indeed, the great fault underlying that whole system, is that it leaves out of sight the whole subject of personal probation and its consequences.

 It is admitted that if Christ had not come at all there would have been no resurrection, nor would there have been any probation for any of Adam's posterity. They would all have died exactly as they all die now, and exactly for the same reason, but no resurrection would have been admissible as there would have been no probation, and, of course, no personal responsibility; no further reward could have reached them. It is for this cause that Paul makes the future judgment rest on the resurrection of Christ.

Acts 17:31. The promise of a Saviour placed Adam and all his posterity under a new probation, and this and its consequent penalty must be taken into account in determining the reason for the perishing of any thereafter. So the argument on the word perish is worthless because it loses sight of the responsibility attaching to our personal actions. This statement of the error of that argument was publicly met by an esteemed brother of that faith with the following illustration: A boat upset, and the men were in danger of drowning; why? because the boat upset. But another boat put out from the shore to rescue them. Then if they refused to get into that boat, and were drowned, for what would we say they were then drowned? because they refused to get into the boat that came to their rescue. They drowned all the same; but being brought into relation to a new order of circumstances, their death is attributed to the neglect or rejection of these new privileges.

This illustration is as good as anything that could be presented to sustain that view. But as it regards meeting the point, it amounts to just nothing at all. Let us carry it a little further and see. Suppose part of the company had accepted the offered assistance and yet drowned with the others; for what would you say they then drowned? You cannot say they drowned because they refused the proffered aid, for they accepted it. You cannot say they drowned because the first boat upset, for that will destroy all the force of your illustration, which is designed to remove the drowning from its original cause. The illustration does not meet nor remove the difficulty; nor can it be removed. The gospel is the life-boat to save from drowning, or death; but whether or not we accept it we all alike die; and therefore the conclusion is unavoidable that if it accomplishes its object, it saves from a death beyond the present one-the second death. To this the Lord evidently refers in his declaration and appeal. In his declaration that if a man die in his sins he also shall die for his sins; Eze. 18:26; in his appeal to them, thus: "Turn ye, for why will ye die?" Eze. 33:11. If there shall be but one death, seeing that all must die that, the answer to the above question or appeal is easily given, thus-because they cannot help it; they have been subjected to the necessity of dying, and there is no way to escape from that necessity. 

To be continued

Witness to Our Pain.

 Should you die before Christ returns will you need to be resurrected? Do you mistakenly believe you are resurrected the moment after you stop breathing never to breathe again? 

Being resurrected- Jesus was resurrected. Jesus' body disappeared from the tomb. If I open your grave the day after you're buried would you still be in that grave? Yes. You were not resurrected. But we know there will be a day of resurrection.

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 

Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. 

The HOUR is coming … ALL that are in the graves…

This plainly teaches that there will be a time when ALL that are in the graves will be resurrected. ALL who have died will be resurrected! You aren't resurrected upon dying, yet ask most people and they'll immediately reassure you that your loved ones are in heaven right now, as if they'd already been resurrected! It's not true! 

Our benevolent God has designed this part of our lives so perfectly as the God of LOVE He is! God would NOT want our loved ones in heaven instantly upon dying, to remain there for thousands and thousands of years while others are born and die, born and die, born and die and they get to watch from their heavenly perch ALL the evil forced upon their loved ones. Tell me SERIOUSLY, could your loved ones be happy watching you in and out every day with every single thing you have ever done since their death? They watch every time you are sick, every time you face heart break, every time you tell a lie, every time you do anything at all whatsoever- that is embarrassing, or heart wrenching to them. They get to watch you die, and this is something you believe is a good thing, a loving thing? When you stop and truly examine the word of God, more than at a cursory glance, you realize a loving God would NOT allow such horrors to be witnessed since the first death till now by those who are His in heaven. God designed death to be an end of all cognitive thinking, and calls it a sleep. Why, because when we sleep we know nothing but the next time we wake up. In this case, after we wake up from death's sleep we WILL wake up and rise to meet our LORD in the air, if we are His! We will be resurrected!  Such perfection. We have the reassurance our loved ones are sleeping peacefully, truly sleeping without any worries! We aren't disappointing them in any way, we aren't worrying them in any way, because they aren't watching us now. They won't see us die, they won't see any suffering at all that we must go through. They won't watch us make mistakes, they won't see any of it. You protest that you want them to witness the joys, but ask yourself this… does your idea of heaven contain heartaches or only joy? To imagine that our loved ones witness our lives here on earth is to comprehend they see it all, every moment, you can't have them just witnessing our happy times and not the bad if they are a witness to all the things in our lives. 

I'm extremely grateful to know my loved ones are sleeping death's sleep peacefully, extremely grateful. It fills my heart with joy to know they are in a peaceful sleep knowing nothing. There will be a time for a reunion when our Savior calls us to meet Him in the air to forever more be with Him, and that reunion with Him and our loved ones will be amazing! Our dead loved ones will not know they missed our lives, they will only know they have us with them now and forever with Christ Jesus, and there will be NO pain, NO heartache, NO tears, NO death.. Just joy in celebrating all. Just think of the generations of family members meeting for the first time all in the love of GOD! 

All through the love of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST now and forever! AMEN!!!!!!!

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Act 24:15  And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. 

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(EXCERPT)

The unjust will be resurrected, though some object to this truth. The article we've been studying is vindicating the truth of the resurrection of the unjust- scripturally, logically. 

A Vindication of the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Unjust

By J.H. Waggoner 

CONTINUING STUDY….

In examining the Scriptures, I will arrange the texts under certain propositions,

to give a better view of my objections to the non-resurrection theory; giving,

however, as my first serious objection, that--

IV. It contradicts the plain teaching of the Bible in regard to the resurrection of 

the unjust.

First, I appeal to the words of the Saviour in John 5:28, 29. "The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation." In the verse preceding, he said the Father had "given him authority to execute judgment," and we have already seen when the judgment will be executed,-in that great day of wrath unto which the unjust are now "reserved," and unto which they are eventually to be "brought forth." Every attempt to avoid the force of this plain, positive testimony of the Son of God, so far as I have seen, is only an evasion. It is contended that the prophets declare they shall not rise, and of course the Saviour does not contradict them, so he cannot mean what we claim on his language. Suppose we turn it in this manner. 

The prophets testified of Christ, who came into the world to bear witness to the truth; and of course they could not contradict his testimony; and therefore, inasmuch as he says the unjust shall come forth from the graves to a resurrection, any construction of their language which would make them contradict him is inadmissible. And two important considerations sustain me in this position. 

1. It is a just principle of criticism that the words of the prophets are to be explained by the declarations of the New Testament, for, in many respects, the New Testament is a commentary on the Old

2. There is not so clear evidence in the prophets against the resurrection of the unjust as there is in the New Testament in its favor. The strength of evidence lies on this side of the question. The truth of this statement will be seen, I trust, when we carefully examine the texts. 

In the Saviour's words in John 5:28, 29, we notice:

1. There can be no reasonable dispute in regard to the nature of the resurrection in this passage, as it is introduced by his authority to execute judgment. 

2. Before he divides them into two classes he speaks of them collectively as being in one place, thus, "all that are in the graves." 

3. He affirms of them all alike that they "shall come forth." 

4. The words immediately following explain that this coming forth is the resurrection; that is, they shall come forth from the graves. The same expression the Saviour used when he raised Lazarus from the dead. Chap. 11:43. 

5. Having fixed the fact that they shall all, come forth from the graves, he next divides them that come forth into two classes. 

6. He says that they that have done good [shall come forth] unto the resurrection of life. That this is a literal, actual resurrection, cannot, with any show of reason, be denied; for if the coming forth from the graves to the resurrection of life, is not the literal resurrection of the just, what can it mean? or what language can describe that event? 

7. He also says they that have done evil [shall come forth] unto the resurrection of damnation. The statement concerning the evil-doers, is identical with that concerning the welldoers, except as to the object of their respective resurrections. 

Both classes are in the graves; both come forth from the graves; both have a resurrection. I pity the person who attempts to array the Scriptures against these words of the Son of God. But plain as are these words, there are objections urged against them. These I must notice. It is objected that the term resurrection has sometimes a figurative meaning, and therefore this resurrection of evil-doers is not a literal resurrection. We admit that the term is sometimes used figuratively, and so are most all other words.

"Life" and "rise" are also used figuratively; why may we not apply their remark to their proof texts, and so remove their objection to the Saviour's words? Surely the word is not always used figuratively, and if I were left to select a text where it is not so used, John 5:29 would be that one. The objection is an unreasonable one. If this text does not refer to a literal resurrection of the saints, how shall that doctrine be proved? But the same facts are predicated of both classes. They are all in the graves. Does this mean that the righteous are in literal graves, and the wicked in figurative graves? And they shall all come forth. Can this mean that a part come forth literally, and a part figuratively? Such interpretations are no less than trifling with the plainest declarations of the Scriptures. Prove that this means

a figurative resurrection and you easily prove that there is no literal resurrection taught in the New Testament. In proof that it is a figurative resurrection, reference is made to Eze. 37, the vision of the valley of bones, which, it is said, is a figurative resurrection. But this claim I deny. That the vision itself embraces figures, I admit. But the Lord gave an explanation of the vision; if the explanation is also figurative, it amounts to no explanation at all, as another explanation of its figures would be necessary to an understanding of it. See the parable of the wheat and tares in Matt. 13. The parable itself is in figurative language, but the Saviour's explanation is in literal terms, otherwise it is no explanation When the Lord explained the vision to Ezekiel he said; "These dry bones are [represent in figure] the whole house of Israel." Is the "house of Israel" a figure of speech? If so, what does it represent? Away with such pretended expositions of the word of God. But what shall take place as represented by the vision? "Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel." Will the promise to Abraham ever be fulfilled that he shall possess that land? See Acts 7:4, 5. It will.

How? Just as is here promised to all the Israel of God, by opening his grave, and bringing him up out of his grave. They who make the Lord's words in Eze. 37:11-14, figurative, destroy all of God's promises to Israel. It is again objected that Eze. 37 proves that it is not necessary that the wicked shall be made alive to fulfill these scriptures, as the dry bones heard and were moved before there was any life in them. That was in the vision; but how is it in the actual resurrection? Do they come forth from the graves dead? Yes, replies the objector, Rev. 20 says the dead stand before God. What will men not do to sustain a theory!

Listen to the words of Jesus: "Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and

see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up." The deaf heard, not in their deafness, but by being cured thereof. The lame walked when their lameness was removed; and the dead were no longer dead when they were raised up. Yet it plainly says, "The deaf hear," "the lame walk," and "the dead are raised up." Let our Saviour's words explain Rev. 20, and there is no difficulty. And again, this criticism is shown to be invalid by 1 Cor. 15:15, etc.: "Whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not." Do "the dead" rise up as dead bodies? "How are the dead raised up?" This shows what the Scriptures mean by the dead being raised up. Why force a

construction on Rev. 20 which they know is not justified by common sense, nor admissible in any other part of the Bible? There will be no necessity for making the Bible teach absurdities if we keep absurd theories out of its way. But when these plain statements of Christ are referred to, we are met, as a last resort, with the declaration that "established principles" do not admit of such a construction of his language as we claim. If any are yet shaken by this declaration, I invite them to turn back, and read again the examination of the

so-called "principles" laid down by that class of expositors, and then say if there is any necessity for turning aside the plain testimony of the Lord, or making it teach that which in its obvious import it never can teach.

TO BE CONTINUED…

State of the Dead

Do you have questions about the state of the dead, or are you sure on your position, so sure you would risk your eternal life upon your belief? Before you answer a quick yes, tell me one thing… can you back your beliefs by irrefutable Biblical fact? Or are your beliefs simply the beliefs of your religion, the beliefs of your father and mother, beliefs inherited. Have you taken your beliefs and had them reinforced by Biblical truth? Not just a verse here and there, but several verses. Not just a parable twisted to mimic a desired reality, a cherished tradition. But a deep dive into proper translations, into the semantics of it all. Not taking the easy way out by believing what you are told. You might not know Hebrew, or Greek, you may not be familiar with the many translations of the Bible, but this shouldn't stop you from being able and willing to learn from others who know- who have made this kind of studying their life's work. Not just a single Biblical scholar but use several. Go to the many Bible commentaries, dictionaries, histories. You have the resources at your fingertips. Most importantly, if you should chose to undergo this sort of study- one that may impact your eternal life, PRAY! Pray that truth and truth only is revealed to you! Pray that any misconceptions no matter how deep rooted are done away with. Let the Holy Spirit be your guide, your only guide. If you want a superficial walk with Christ, that's what you'll have. If you want truth then go beneath the surface - be willing to take something you believe and hold it up to the scrutiny of the word of God!

May the Lord Jesus Christ guide you in all ways, in all things, giving you forgiveness, salvation, eternal life in Him! 

(The following excerpt isn't the beginning of a study on the state of the dead…it's a continuing study on Angels- if you truly desire to study the state of the dead go here… )

https://sites.google.com/site/whostosaywereright2/Home/immortality-of-the-soul-is-it-a-scriptural-doctrine

(Excerpt)

THE JUDGMENT OF THE WICKED

We have seen that the righteous dead are raised from the grave, and the righteous living changed, and all taken to heaven, when Jesus comes. The wicked are slain upon the earth at that time. In Rev. 19:1-10 the saints are seen in heaven, just delivered, singing songs of praise, and partaking of the marriage supper of the Lamb. Verses 11-21 relate the destruction of the nations. The first three verses of chapter 20 say that an angel comes down from heaven, binds Satan, and casts him into the abyss, there to remain one thousand years. Having thus disposed of the wicked and of the devil for a thousand years, John again turns his attention to the saints, and reveals their occupation during this thousand years: 

"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them; and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived

not again until the thousand years were finished." 

Then there are two resurrections, and they are one thousand years apart. Verse 6 says they are blessed and holy that have part in the first resurrection, and of course they who have part in the second resurrection are the wicked. They are dead and in their graves during the thousand years, but they will live again when the thousand years are finished. Thus we see that the first resurrection, that of the righteous, takes place at the beginning of the thousand years, and the second, that of the wicked, at the end of that time. Rev. 20:1-6.

Of the righteous John says that judgment was given unto them, and that they reigned with Christ a thousand years. What judgment is to be given to them?-It is the judgment of the wicked, an examination of their cases, for the saints are to judge the wicked, and also the fallen angels. Says Paul: "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?" 1 Cor. 6:2, 3. This testimony is very plain and direct, and proves that the judgment of which he speaks is not a judgment in this life. Again he says: "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts." 1 Cor. 4:5.

When the Lord comes, all secrets will be laid open, and the saints will unite in judging the world; for then they will be perfected and will know as they are now known. 1 Cor. 13:9-12. Daniel speaks to the same effect. He says: "I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High." Dan. 7:21, 22. By all this we see that the saints are in heaven during the thousand years, judging the wicked who have not had a resurrection. All the deeds of the wicked are written in books; these books are opened before God, and they are judged by what is found written in the books. Rev. 20:12. During the thousand years the saints will have access to these records, from which they can see and know what is the just desert of each one of the lost. They will unite with Christ in the judgment and condemnation of the wicked. At the end of this time, Christ and all

the saints will come down to the earth. Jesus will stand upon the Mount of Olives, from which he ascended, and the mountain will part asunder and become a great plain. Zech. 14:4, 5. The holy city comes down and rests upon this plain. The wicked, being raised, are gathered by Satan around the city. Seeing what he has lost, and seeing those over whom he has often triumphed enjoying that glory with the Son of God, rage inflames his heart, and he leads his deceived ones up to the city in battle array. Vain effort! Then the judgment written will be executed upon Satan and all his hosts. Says Jude: "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that

are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." Verses 14, 15.

Angels: Their Nature and Ministry-  (Excerpt - for continuing study) Revised by J.H. Waggoner.  1891 by Pacific Press Publishing Co.)

Hear Our Prayer!

 In the year 2022, many years after Jesus pronounced that He would return for His saints, I am setting my face to the Lord God, I am far, far, infinitely far from being chosen of God as Daniel was chosen so wondrously so many years ago to do God's will. But I am using Daniel's prayer as an example. Daniel prayed as the prophecy of Jeremiah was being completed. Daniel understood that the 70 years of desolation in Jerusalem was soon to be up. I don't have a set time prophecy to begin my prayer with, I only know that one day my Lord and Savior will return and I can only hope and pray it is very, very soon. 

I set my face unto the Lord God- to seek by prayer and supplication, with a bit of fasting, in my ordinary clothes, and no ashes- just a painfully furrowed brow. I pray unto the LORD my GOD, I make my confession- 

O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love You and to them that keep Your commandments- WE have sinned. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly. We have rebelled. We have departed from Your precepts. We have departed from Your judgments. Neither have we hearkened unto Your servants the prophets which speak in Your name through Your Holy Word. O Lord, righteousness belongs to You! But to us CONFUSION of faces. This day the men of God wherever they may be- YOUR people, those CALLED to be YOUR people - those who believe in Your Son Jesus Christ- to all of those who are near, or far - wherever they are because of their trespass that they (we) have trespassed against You. O Lord, to us belongs confusion of face, to all of us, because we have sinned against thee over and over, and over again. To you, Lord our God, belongs MERCIES and FORGIVENESSES though we have rebelled against You!  We haven't obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in Your laws, which You set before us by Your servants the prophets. Yes, all of YOUR people have transgressed Your law, even by departing that they might not obey Your voice, therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against You! And You have confirmed Your words which You spoke against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing us a great evil, for under the whole heaven has not been done as has been done in the land of Your people worldwide! As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand Your truth! Therefore You have watched the evil and what it brought upon us, for You LORD our God are righteous in all YOUR works which YOU do, for we obeyed not Your voice. And now, O Lord our God, that brought us YOUR people throughout all the many, many ages, from Egypt You freed Your people miraculously with a mighty hand, and You have gotten renown to this day! We have sinned, we have done wickedly. O Lord, according to ALL Your righteousness, I beseech You, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from the land of Your people, from the people who are waiting the NEW Jerusalem, because of our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, All Your people are a reproach to all that are about us. Now therefore, O our God, HEAR THE PRAYER OF YOUR SERVANT, and my supplications, and cause YOUR face to shine upon Your people who are desolate,  for the LORD'S sake. O my God, incline Your ear and hear, open thine eyes and behold our desolations, all that is called by Your name, for we do not present our supplications before You for our righteousnesses but for YOUR great mercies! O Lord, hear, O Lord, forgive, O Lord, hearken and do, defer not for Your own sake, O my God, for Your city, and Your people are called by Your name! 

O my God, forgive! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear! O Lord, for Your great mercies! O Lord, hear! O Lord, HEARKEN AND DO, DO NOT DEFER FOR YOUR OWN SAKE, O my God! FOR NEW JERUSALEM, O my God! FOR YOUR PEOPLE CALLED BY YOUR NAME!  Please, God! O Lord, please come soon! Let Daniel's prophecy spoken so many years ago be completely and utterly fulfilled down to the last bit! 

Dan 2:44  And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 

Dan 2:45  Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. 

O my God of heaven! O my God, set up YOUR kingdom! Set up Your kingdom which shall NEVER be destroyed! O my God, set up Your kingdom which shall not be left to any others. O my Lord, set up Your kingdom which will break in pieces and consume ALL these kingdoms! O my God, set up Your kingdom which will stand FOREVER!

O my God, LET the stone cut out of the mountain without hands, let it break in piece the iron, the brass, the clay, the sliver and the gold! O my God, that all MUST come to pass, LET it come to pass! O my Lord, forgive us our iniquities, forgive us…forgive us… forgive us…forgive us…forgive us…forgive us…for give us! O my Lord, it SHALL come to pass, please fulfill it ALL please! O my God, that dream was certain, that interpretation was certain, please finish it. Not for our righteousness, we have none! But for the righteousness of YOUR SON, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who sacrificed Himself for us, please, GOD, please hear our cry, hear our supplications, please hear us! Please, Just as Daniel prayed for understanding, we pray for understanding, please, Lord. THANK YOU! All thanksgiving, all honor, all glory unto YOU LORD GOD, ALL GLORY TO YOU!!!!!!!

Evil Reality.

 We don't believe it's real. We don't  know anyone who is affected in this way, not personally. We see sensationalized, fictional movies, and read fiction best sellers with this content- but they are just made up stories meant to excite your imagination with something that is harmless, not reality at all. We glorified the subject and make it into weekly tv series, or mini-series on our streaming networks, and we just don't think too much of it all because it's  just not real. Plain and simple it doesn't really exist so we can toy with the subject all we want, in any way we want to. A long running television series pitted demons, angels-good and bad, men and woman affected by them, those fighting against all the evil and this series lasted for a long, long, very long fifteen years. That show ended but there are still many new show out there with the same type of premise- different names, different actors, different scenarios but same bottom line theme underneath all the glitter and makeup. 

Evil in the form of demons, in the form of a real presence of Satan- just doesn't truly exist for the majority of people. The reality has been fictionalized away so very much the truth of it all is lost. We'd sooner sit down and watch these stories of make believe than contemplate any truth of evil. We'd be laughed at if we suggested anything remotely portrayed in these shows could be real. It's harmless so long as we know it's not real, or so that's what we've been made to believe. 

How do we imagine the REAL Satan looks at all these evil themed shows. You say as long as the good has defeated the evil that they are okay, so he can't like the shows because he doesn't want evil defeated? That's possible. Good vs evil… with good winning- this is what we desire.

A Christian wants this very thing in REALITY. God has defeated Satan, only Satan isn't done filling his coffers with followers, and God isn't done preparing places for his saints.  THERE will come a day- we don't know when- but there will come a day when God will declared the cup filled and it cannot be filled any further- evil has gone as far as it will ever go. All those that are God's are sealed as such, and all those that are Satan's are marked as such- and all that remains is for the last horrors of evil's reality to arise and God's sealed will suffer greatly and then….Our Savior Jesus Christ Our LORD will return, calling all His saints, all the sealed to Him.

Reality. There is a lot of reality mixed up with fiction and Satan wants us to be desensitized to the evil and he's done a very good job of that. Do you ever find yourself rooting for the demon side over good? Do you ever just love the supposed good, moral upstanding demons fighting against bad ones? Are you ever happy watching monsters wreak havoc because, they are good monsters? Desensitized to evil, so that we call evil good- and mean evil is harmless when it is anything but.

What a world we live in. What tragic times. Will God find faith on earth when He returns?

Luk_18:8  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Mat 24:9  Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 

Mat 24:10  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 

Mat 24:11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 

Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 

To ENDURE means having something you need to endure.  This world is corrupted and the disguises once worn by evil have been removed so that they are believed to be good, accepted as good, believe to be good, and truly appear to be good to all who look upon them. Enduring to the end, enduring the deception that overcomes all but the very elect. Praying to be among those who endure, to be one of the very elect this is what we must do.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 

2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 

2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 

2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 

2Th 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 

May we believe ONLY TRUTH!

May we ENDURE to the END!

All through the power of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST! 

Please Father in Heaven, please almighty God to whom we give all glory and honor, all praise and thanksgiving, please, keep us from all the evil of this world, let us belong to our Savior now and always! Please, this is our prayer, this is our plea!  All in the name of Jesus Christ, now and forever! AMEN!

(Excerpt)

POSSESSED WITH DEMONS

We use the term "demons" because it is the language of the Scriptures; to conform to the language and the facts of the Bible we keep up the distinction between the devil, or Satan, and the demons, the fallen angels, who are under his control. Those who were possessed with demons acted strangely. Sometimes they were exceeding fierce (Matt. 8:28); no man could bind them, no, not with chains; they dwelt among the tombs (Mark 5:3, 4); they would cry out and cut themselves

(verse 5); they would throw themselves into the fire and into the water (Matt. 17:15); they knew Jesus and cried out that he was the Son of God (Luke 8:28, etc.). It is expressly said that these persons were possessed with demons; that the demons had entered into them. And it is manifest that the devil had in some way gained possession, or control, of these persons, so that he and his angels acted through them, and made them act just as he pleased. All their actions were attributed directly to the devil, or to demons, and not to themselves. Mark 9:17-26.

It is well known that there is such a thing as mesmerism, or hypnotism, by which one person of strong nerves and a strong will can so control another of weaker nerves and will as to gain entire possession of him, body and mind. Then the mesmerizer can put his own thoughts into the mind of his victim, and make him speak and act just as he pleases. In short, the person so mesmerized

becomes the passive agent, or medium, of the person who has mesmerized him. And so it is with persons possessed with demons. They have allowed Satan to mesmerize them until he has gained complete control over them, mind and body. Then he and the demons use them as mediums through whom to speak and act.

Modern Spiritualism, the work of spirit mediums, is nothing more nor less than this. The spirits magnetize the mediums, and thus gain control of their organs, and then speak through them.

Judge Edmonds, a noted believer in Spiritualism, speaking of a manifestation through Dr. Dexter, medium, said:- "It was conducted throughout with unusual, and, indeed, unknown violence. He [the spirit] took entire possession of the doctor, not merely his arm."

Professor Brittan, another Spiritualist, says:- "We may further add, in this connection, that the trance mediums for spirit intercourse are equally irresponsible. Many of them are totally unable to resist the powers which come to them from the invisible and unknown realms."-  Telegraph's Answer to Mahan, p. 10. In many cases the spirits treat their mediums just as they did those possessed in the days of Jesus. Here is an example given by Dr. Gridly. Of a Medium he says:-

"These spirits would pinch and pound him, twitch him up and throw him down, yell and blaspheme. They forbade his eating, to the very point of starvation. He was a perfect skeleton; they compelled him to walk day and night, with intermissions, to be sure, as their avowed object was to torment him as much and as long as possible."-Astounding Facts from the Spirit World, pp. 253, 254. Compare this with Luke 8:26-30, and it will be seen that the possessions are identical in nature. There is not a particle of difference between the Satanic possessions in the days of Christ and the spirit control of the present time. When once the demons got control of them, the persons possessed had no power to free themselves from their influence. But Jesus had power over these spirits, and He gave the same power to His disciples, through faith in His name. And at the

present time, the mediums become helpless in the hands of the demons. But they can get no control over those who resist them steadfast in the faith of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 5:8, 9; James

4:7, 8; Eph. 6:10, 11.

Spiritualists themselves assure us that each medium has an attendant spirit, which appears at every call, and can personate any for whom inquiry is made. This gives opportunity for any amount of deception, and it is identical with the doctrine of familiar spirits, so often mentioned in the Scriptures. But consulting familiar spirits was strictly forbidden, the Lord declaring that it was an

abomination to Him. The spirits are demons of darkness, and consulting them leads away from God and from His revealed truth.

Angels: Their Nature and Ministry-  (Excerpt - for continuing study) Revised by J.H. Waggoner.  1891 by Pacific Press Publishing Co.)