The First Trumpet Sounds
Revelation
So far in our study we have seen that the Seven Churches and the Seven Seals all follow a sort of parallel journey. We need to study the seven trumpets in the same light to keep consistent.
Before the Seven Angels with their trumpets sounded we were given a very solemn scene in heaven where there was silence and then the prayers of the saints in smoke from incense was sent up before God. The censer fire was then tossed to the earth drawing our attention once more back to the earthly and out of the heavenly.
We know factually that with these goings on representing history that we are being pointed to an eventual time when we will all be sealed and Christ will return for us. That same conclusion must be drawn in the seven trumpets as well.
Because history has played a key part in the others and the angels are sounding their trumpets from heaven not leaving heaven just as the angels to the churches revealed, and the seals were loosed in heaven, lets see if history doesn't coincide in some manner with the seven angels trumpets sounding.
The trumpets announce things- some good, some bad. They call to battle, they call to feasts, and even as they call to those things they are announcing them are they not?
Can it be that the announcing these trumpets represent are showing battle scenes?
Let's go to history and see if there isn't a time such as this would describe- political struggles, wars.
Please note- greater minds than mine have studied diligently to produce the facts related here. In fact many great minds have studied this and the consensus seems to be that it 'fits'. So if I point you to a number of things that I haven't personally dug up in the sense that I've become a historian overnight, please understand that I still believe what is being said based on the facts that history reveals so much and God will guide us as He needs to.
In the Seven Seals we were shown a parallel history with the Seven Churches that for the most part aligned with each other to review the Christian era throughout time- God's people throughout time. The Seven Trumpets seem to take on a different point of view and tell the history of the political structure through time.
Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Taken from the book Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith-
'The First Trumpet.--The blast of the first trumpet has it location about the close of the fourth century and onward, and refers to these desolating invasions of the Roman Empire under the Goths.'
'Alexander Keith has justly remarked on the subject of this prophecy:
"None could elucidate the texts more clearly, or expound them more fully, than the task has been accomplished by Gibbon. The chapters of the skeptical philosopher that treat directly of the matter, need but a text to be prefixed and a few unholy words to be blotted out, to form a series of expository lectures on the eighth and ninth chapters of the Revelation of Jesus Christ." [1] "Little or nothing is left for the professed interpreter to do but to point to the pages of Gibbon." [2]
The first sore and heavy judgment which fell on Western Rome in its downward course, was the war with the Goths under Alaric, who opened the way for later inroads. The death of Theodosius the Roman emperor, occurred in January, A.D. 395, and before the end of the winter the Goths under Alaric were in arms against the empire.
The first invasion under Alaric ravaged the Eastern Empire. He captured the famous cities and enslaved many of the inhabitants. Thrace, Macedonia, Attica, and the Peloponnesus, were conquered, but he did not reach the city of Rome. Later, the Gothic chieftain crossed the Alps and Apennines and appeared before the walls of the Eternal City, which fell a prey to the fury of the barbarians in A.D. 410.
"Hail and fire mingled with blood!" were cast upon the earth. The terrible effects of this Gothic invasion are represented as "hail," from the northern origin of the invaders; "fire," from the destruction by flame of both city and country; and "blood," from the terrible slaughter of the citizens of the empire by the bold and intrepid warriors.
After quoting at some length from Edward Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Chapters XXX-XXXIII, concerning the conquests of the Goths, Alexander Keith has presented an admirable summary of the historian's words emphasizing the fulfillment of prophecy:
"Large extracts clearly show how amply and well Gibbon has expounded his text in the history of the first trumpet, the first storm that pervaded the Roman earth, and the first fall of Rome. To use his words in more direct comment, we read thus the sum of the matter: The Gothic nation was in arms at the first sound of the trumpet, and in the uncommon severity of the winter, they rolled their ponderous wagons over the broad and icy back of the river. The fertile fields of Phocis and Boeotia were crowned [sic] with a deluge of barbarians: the males were massacred; the females and cattle of the flaming villages were driven away. The deep and bloody traces of the march of the Goths could easily be discovered after several years. The whole territory of Attica was blasted by the baneful presence of Alaric. The most fortunate of the inhabitants of Corinth, Argos, and Sparta were saved by death from beholding the conflagration of their cities. In a season of such extreme heat that the beds of the rivers were dry, Alaric invaded the dominion of the West. A secluded 'old man of Verona' [the poet Claudian], pathetically lamented the fate of his contemporary trees, which must blaze in the conflagration of the whole country [ note the words of the prophecy,--'The third part of the trees was burned up']; and the emperor of the Romans fled before the king of the Goths.
"A furious tempest was excited among the nations of Germany; from the northern extremity of which the barbarians marched almost to the gates of Rome. They achieved the destruction of the West. The dark cloud which was collected along the coasts of the Baltic, burst in thunder upon the banks of the upper Danube. The pastures of Gaul, in which flocks and herds grazed, and the banks of the Rhine, which were covered with elegant houses and well-cultivated farms, formed a scene of peace and plenty, which was suddenly changed into a desert, distinguished from the solitude of nature only be smoking ruins. Many cities were cruelly oppressed, or destroyed. Many thousands were inhumanly massacred. The consuming flames of war spread over the greatest part of the seventeen provinces of Gaul.
"Alaric again stretched his ravages over Italy. During four years the Goths ravaged and reigned over it without control. And in the pillage and fire of Rome, the streets of the city were filled with dead bodies; the flames consumed many public and private buildings; and the ruins of a palace remained, after a century and a half, a stately monument of the Gothic conflagration." [3]
After making this summary, Keith completes the picture by saying:
"The concluding sentence of the thirty-third chapter of Gibbon's History is of itself a clear and comprehensive commentary; for in winding up his own description of this brief but most eventful period, he concentrates, as in a parallel reading, the sum of the history and the substance of the prediction. But the words which precede it are not without their meaning: 'The public devotion of the age was impatient to exalt the saints and martyrs of the Catholic Church on the altars of Diana and Hercules. The union of the Roman empire was dissolved; its genius was humbled in the dust; and armies of unknown barbarians, issued from the frozen regions of the North, had established their victorious reign over the fairest provinces of Europe and Africa.'
"The last word--Africa--is the signal for the sounding of the second trumpet. The scene changes from the shores of the Baltic to the southern coast of the Mediterranean, or from the frozen regions of the North to the borders of burning Africa. And instead of a storm of hail being cast upon the earth, a burning mountain was cast into the sea." [4]
[1] Alexander Keith, Signs of the Times, Vol. I, p. 241.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid., pp. 251-253.
[4] Ibid., p. 253.
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History by a renown scholar uncontested by others for it's factual content.
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I'm no Bible scholar and certainly no historian, but I'm able to see when things seem to fit.
I could conclude that I'll never understand prophecy and stop looking, stop studying, stop reading, but I'm not going to do that. I'm going to continue to pray and hope that the Lord will guide me to all the truth I need to know so that I may be His when He returns. If, as some suppose, these prophecies have nothing to do with history, time will tell that too but for now as the pieces of the puzzle seem to be falling into place we have to trust that we are being guided in the right direction.
May the Lord bless and keep us in Him now and forever, may the Holy Spirit sent to guide us and keep us in truth do so now and forever, by the mercy and the grace of Jesus Chirst, our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Prophecy - 79 - Silence in heaven
Rev 8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
Silence.
Up until this point there had been a constant revealing of things, one after the other. John was shown so much and kept busy. Then pointedly Jesus opens the seventh seal- the final seal on the book that held such importance that it needed to be sealed by these amazing seals that could only be opened by Christ Himself.
The story of mankind since Christ was born was told in the seals. The story of mankind since Christ was born and until Christ returns. These seals are Christ's to open because this is His time, time since He came to earth and gave salvation unto us all. Time foretelling what His people would do with the time, what would transpire over time, what special temptations would come and what trying obstacles would exist. Each seal was broken just as each Church was admonished, each time period foretold and why? So we could look back and see and know. Of course those living during the first seal might not have been able to see themselves so clearly, as well as the second, third, fourth, fifth and so on. Do we- who live in the sixth seal- understand the time we are in? We should, having the clarity of time in the past and yet there are many who are blind and unseeing because they refuse the eye salve that Christ has to give, they refuse the blessing of the Holy Spirit in all truth.
The book of Daniel was pointedly shut up-
Daniel {12:9} And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
History had to take place before this book of prophecy could be understood.
If I took a book and read it then said this to you, what would you think- "I just ate that book right up!"
What would you assume from such a sentence? That I literally ate a book; paper, leather, ink, and glue? Even if it had no glue or leather and it was more of a scroll it's still paper I'm eating, right? People don't literally eat a book when they say they ate it all up. What they've done is 'read' the book. They've read it and did so in such away they devoured what was written inside for enjoyment or for educational purposes it doesn't matter really because they just read that book so fast it was noteworthy.
Why am I mentioning this at all? Because the little book of prophecy- Daniel's book which was sealed until the time of the end would be unsealed at the time of the end. And we find this in Revelation- a big book of prophecy compared to a book half its size such as the book of Daniel.
Revelation {10:9} And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. {10:10} And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. {10:11} And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
When the book of Daniel was finally opened to be understood it was as if a curtain had opened upon the Lord's word. Back in the early 1800's this understanding started to emerge. Such understanding of the book unfolded that many, many believed whole-heartedly in what was being told to them about this heretofore undiscovered wealth of prophetic knowledge.
The book of Daniel-another book of prophecy that clearly is understood in light of the history that took place before it could be fully comprehended.
In Daniel you find one revelation, that of the great statue with a Head of Gold, arms and breast of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, feet of iron mixed with clay. Daniel begins right in the prophecy to foretell what it means--
Daniel {2:31} Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. {2:32} This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, {2:33} His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. {2:34} Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. {2:35} Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
{2:36} This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. {2:37} Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. {2:38} And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. {2:39} And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. {2:40} And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. {2:41} And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. {2:42} Andas the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. {2:43} And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. {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. {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.
-- Do you see? The kingdoms through time until the end of time. We can see clearly what these kingdoms were and are- having the history of time on our side to do so but in the time of the King of Babylon they could scarcely understand that feasibility that there would ever be even a single kingdom other than their own that would reign. Tell me what kingdom wants to believe they might no longer exist in time? Do we even want to believe that one day we would have no distinction of our own? Aren't people still fighting wars even today to possess their own countries to rule? Yet history reveals there was another kingdom just like Daniel's interpretation of the dream revealed and then another and another.
Without the comprehension of history we could not understand the things we understand today by the grace of God and mercy of Jesus Christ by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
So here we have John witnessing Jesus opening these seals that are so amazingly important no other but He could do so. Seals that depicted time from the time Jesus returned to heaven as a human conquering death by God.
Just as an owner of a diary owns the key to the lock of that diary, Jesus alone could open the seals and reveal the truth in His word for us in these last days.
Why reveal the truth to us? Because before He returns there will be a group of people alive when He returns and they will be living in Him having never tasted death at all. These people would be translate by Christ and changed to immortality in the air as they meet Him when He returns and these people will know Christ and be known of Christ. These people will understand and know all that has transpired beforehand and they'll be ready for Christ, prepared by the grace of God, enlightened through the Holy Spirit in comprehension of all that is needed to be understood before Christ returns.
As this seventh and final seal on this special book of Christ's is broken there is silence in heaven the space of a half an hour, certainly a notable length of time whether a literal half an hour or prophetic.
Silence.
Perhaps a calm before the storm.
The period of transition for God's people being made ready in Him to their being finally sealed and then the way for Christ's return is complete and the wrath to follow unfolds.
Silence.
No more pleading on the behalf of sinners. All testimony is at an end.
Silence.
No talking. No music. No singing. No sound at all.
Silence for mankind. No admonitions to give because the time is over to listen, to heed the warnings.
Some call silence ominous, a deathly quiet. What do they mean by a deathly quiet? They mean that the dead know nothing, to them the quiet is forever. This silence in heaven is only the space of a half an hour but what a noteworthy half an hour it is.
If at my birthday celebration I open all of my presents but one and each time I tell you what present is in the box I've opened you expect that when I get to the last present to do the same, right? Open it and look then tell you what I've received. If instead of doing that I open the last present then just simply stare at it for a half an hour saying nothing to you at all and you unable to say anything to me, unable to do anything but wait for time to pass and for me to reveal what is in that last present how long do you imagine that wait will feel like to you? Interminable, yes? Yet the wait is for John isn't it? He's the one being shown these revelations of Jesus Christ. And yet rather than just pick up after the wait without mentioning it, it was a wait that needed to be remarked upon and for a reason.
We were told about this silence a space of a half an hour for a reason. In history during the lulls not many realize they are in a lull. When the chaos and strife ends it's with the hope there will be no more chaos- no more strife, not with the hope that it will reoccur at some point in time. When the lull is over between strife's only then can you mark it as a lull. This silence in heaven after the seventh seal is broken is a period of time and the fact it is in heaven- seen to be in heaven not as an earthy symbol we can only suspect that the silence is that transitional period before God's wrath is loosed. Perhaps there is a slight reluctance to have the beginning of the wrath unfold. Think about it. While it means glory and pure inexplicable joy for many it means the destruction of many, many more. And while Christ will be able to say He's done all He could do and be completely worthy in that, the sadness that the next curtain to rise is the last for a world of un-repentent sinners- sinners that He died for and would have covered with His blood and made white in His righteousness if they would only have let him- that sadness has to be tremendous and beyond anything we could ever hope to truly comprehend. Even if we give analogies such as trying to convince people on a sinking ship, people you love with all your heart, to come into your boat which will take them to safety only to have them refuse, even such analogies fall short of the mark, far short. Christ would have us all and that same Christ wept at the grave of His friend Lazarus, even as he prepared to bring him back to life. The emotion of weeping is a heartfelt sorrow and if Christ wept then how great will be His sadness for the lost? Like the grief we know as humans it goes through stages and Christ's grief for the lost will be great but the victory to come will reign after the wrath of the Father is complete.
Silence.
And when he had opened the seventh seal,
there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
Rev 8:2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
The seven angels which stood before God- Remember...
Rev 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
Rev 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
These seven angels are standing before God- not in Christ's hand. Are they different angels? It's possible, yes? Then again the symbolic gesture could be that because they were in Christ's hand they were His- just as the seven churches are His people.
Regardless, seven angels stood before God and to them were given seven trumpets. These angels weren't in Christ's hand and they weren't standing before the Lamb that had been slain rather they were before God who was on sitting on His throne. God's angels.
Given trumpets. What is the symbolism of a trumpet in the Bible? It's used the most for making an announcement of a coming event of importance. The same word used here in Revelation is used in Matthew- 24:31 'And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.' And in Corinthians- 14:8 'For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?' 15:52 'In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.'
An announcing, and what an announcement these angels will be making. The silence is over.
Just a note here, the angels when John saw them didn't have the trumpets already, they weren't seven angels holding trumpets- the seven angels were given the seven trumpets. By God?
Rev 8:2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
Rev 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
The same altar where John saw the souls crying out under the fifth seal? The altar of incense- typifying the prayers of the saints.
Rev 8:3 ... having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
The angel stood before the altar with a golden censer- a censer was used to transport coals into the Holy Place of the temple where a special incense was placed upon the hot coals. The incense would make the offerings sweet to God. A golden censer was used on the Day of Atonement. This angel has a golden censer and he was given much incense, not just a tiny bit, or just incense of a normal amount, but MUCH incense- and he was to offer it with the prayers of ALL saints. All saints. People need to realize just how important prayer is, God hears our prayers we might not believe it to be so and find it hard to imagine someone listening when we seemingly never get a reply, but our prayers are heard. Here in this vision of John's he sees the seventh and last seal broken on the precious book only Christ could break the seals thereof and after a notable silence he watches an angel stand before the alter with a golden censer and sees him given much incense to offer it with the prayers of all saints on the golden altar before the throne of God. The prayers are made acceptable through Christ. The prayers- your prayers, my prayers are offered before God. Prayers offered - to be offered they must be made. Prayer is so important and must not be neglected. Our prayers can't be offered to God if they are not first prayed. Something to consider in these last days we live in.
Rev 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
Visualize it, the smoke of the incense rising up before God out of the angel's hand- your prayers, my prayers, the prayers of the saints given to God.
Rev 8:5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar…
Typically the censer is filled with coals from the altar of burnt offerings, but here it would be the fire burning on the altar of incense before the throne of God is where the fire is taken from. The prayers have ascended in the smoke, they are no longer there to be offered- they've already been offered and what's left is the fire. The fire which burned the incense which caused the smoke which held the prayers of the saints. The fire mingled with the incense making the prayers acceptable to God. The purifying fire. Christ's righteousness, Christ's sacrifice alone makes our prayers acceptable to God. After the prayers are offered only then is the censer- the carrying instrument- the transporting vessel used again and this time it is filled with fire- not the prayers of the saints but the purifying fire, the wrathful fire the can and will purge the earth.
Rev 8:5 ...and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
Rev 8:6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
Cast to earth the fire ignites the cleansing that is to start. Think about it...
The fire purified the prayers of the saints and made them acceptable to God and now the fire of purification is cast to earth, it's cast there for a purpose. The breaking of the seventh seal on that very special book caused a silence, a prayer offering, all before the beginning of the end. The final seal is broken, all of God's children, all of God's people still alive on earth at this time are sealed and under the protection of Christ, and now the wrath will begin for those who have chosen to shun God, to shun the truths found in Christ and Christ alone.
After the fire is cast to earth there were voices, thundering, lightning's, and an earthquake. Then and only then the seven angels with their seven trumpets lifted them to sound out.
Amazing! This vision, this prophecy. Nothing is hidden as so many suppose. There is no mystery, it's unveiled for us to see, to know, to understand. No wonder those who read are blessed. We are told this would happen and if we think for one moment that history which has proven the prophecies real will stop short of being fully fulfilled, we are in big trouble. Maybe this is a fairytale of nightmarish proportions to some, maybe it's laughable nonsense to others, but to those who truly believe in Jesus we could never toss aside something so important as this message of prophecy given to us to reveal to us what will be and what our part in it could be should we choose to believe.
Satan has done a number on people with the fantastical stories he's concocted making it so that any one who fancies themselves even a tidbit of an intellectual cannot believe in these words. He's done his job well but Christ did His job a million times better and the offer of salvation is real. The offer to live now for a better world to come, is real. The offer is there for all of us and we just have to grab hold of it and take Jesus into our hearts, minds, and spirit and ask for forgiveness, repenting of our sins and the gift of salvation is ours in Christ, through Christ now and forever.
May our hearts be open to Christ forever! May our prayers ascend to the Father! May we be sealed and accounted worthy only by the blood of the Lamb slain to save us. By His grace and His mercy, in His righteousness alone, by faith all through love.
Amen.
Silence.
Up until this point there had been a constant revealing of things, one after the other. John was shown so much and kept busy. Then pointedly Jesus opens the seventh seal- the final seal on the book that held such importance that it needed to be sealed by these amazing seals that could only be opened by Christ Himself.
The story of mankind since Christ was born was told in the seals. The story of mankind since Christ was born and until Christ returns. These seals are Christ's to open because this is His time, time since He came to earth and gave salvation unto us all. Time foretelling what His people would do with the time, what would transpire over time, what special temptations would come and what trying obstacles would exist. Each seal was broken just as each Church was admonished, each time period foretold and why? So we could look back and see and know. Of course those living during the first seal might not have been able to see themselves so clearly, as well as the second, third, fourth, fifth and so on. Do we- who live in the sixth seal- understand the time we are in? We should, having the clarity of time in the past and yet there are many who are blind and unseeing because they refuse the eye salve that Christ has to give, they refuse the blessing of the Holy Spirit in all truth.
The book of Daniel was pointedly shut up-
Daniel {12:9} And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
History had to take place before this book of prophecy could be understood.
If I took a book and read it then said this to you, what would you think- "I just ate that book right up!"
What would you assume from such a sentence? That I literally ate a book; paper, leather, ink, and glue? Even if it had no glue or leather and it was more of a scroll it's still paper I'm eating, right? People don't literally eat a book when they say they ate it all up. What they've done is 'read' the book. They've read it and did so in such away they devoured what was written inside for enjoyment or for educational purposes it doesn't matter really because they just read that book so fast it was noteworthy.
Why am I mentioning this at all? Because the little book of prophecy- Daniel's book which was sealed until the time of the end would be unsealed at the time of the end. And we find this in Revelation- a big book of prophecy compared to a book half its size such as the book of Daniel.
Revelation {10:9} And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. {10:10} And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. {10:11} And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
When the book of Daniel was finally opened to be understood it was as if a curtain had opened upon the Lord's word. Back in the early 1800's this understanding started to emerge. Such understanding of the book unfolded that many, many believed whole-heartedly in what was being told to them about this heretofore undiscovered wealth of prophetic knowledge.
The book of Daniel-another book of prophecy that clearly is understood in light of the history that took place before it could be fully comprehended.
In Daniel you find one revelation, that of the great statue with a Head of Gold, arms and breast of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, feet of iron mixed with clay. Daniel begins right in the prophecy to foretell what it means--
Daniel {2:31} Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. {2:32} This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, {2:33} His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. {2:34} Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. {2:35} Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
{2:36} This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. {2:37} Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. {2:38} And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. {2:39} And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. {2:40} And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. {2:41} And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. {2:42} Andas the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. {2:43} And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. {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. {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.
-- Do you see? The kingdoms through time until the end of time. We can see clearly what these kingdoms were and are- having the history of time on our side to do so but in the time of the King of Babylon they could scarcely understand that feasibility that there would ever be even a single kingdom other than their own that would reign. Tell me what kingdom wants to believe they might no longer exist in time? Do we even want to believe that one day we would have no distinction of our own? Aren't people still fighting wars even today to possess their own countries to rule? Yet history reveals there was another kingdom just like Daniel's interpretation of the dream revealed and then another and another.
Without the comprehension of history we could not understand the things we understand today by the grace of God and mercy of Jesus Christ by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
So here we have John witnessing Jesus opening these seals that are so amazingly important no other but He could do so. Seals that depicted time from the time Jesus returned to heaven as a human conquering death by God.
Just as an owner of a diary owns the key to the lock of that diary, Jesus alone could open the seals and reveal the truth in His word for us in these last days.
Why reveal the truth to us? Because before He returns there will be a group of people alive when He returns and they will be living in Him having never tasted death at all. These people would be translate by Christ and changed to immortality in the air as they meet Him when He returns and these people will know Christ and be known of Christ. These people will understand and know all that has transpired beforehand and they'll be ready for Christ, prepared by the grace of God, enlightened through the Holy Spirit in comprehension of all that is needed to be understood before Christ returns.
As this seventh and final seal on this special book of Christ's is broken there is silence in heaven the space of a half an hour, certainly a notable length of time whether a literal half an hour or prophetic.
Silence.
Perhaps a calm before the storm.
The period of transition for God's people being made ready in Him to their being finally sealed and then the way for Christ's return is complete and the wrath to follow unfolds.
Silence.
No more pleading on the behalf of sinners. All testimony is at an end.
Silence.
No talking. No music. No singing. No sound at all.
Silence for mankind. No admonitions to give because the time is over to listen, to heed the warnings.
Some call silence ominous, a deathly quiet. What do they mean by a deathly quiet? They mean that the dead know nothing, to them the quiet is forever. This silence in heaven is only the space of a half an hour but what a noteworthy half an hour it is.
If at my birthday celebration I open all of my presents but one and each time I tell you what present is in the box I've opened you expect that when I get to the last present to do the same, right? Open it and look then tell you what I've received. If instead of doing that I open the last present then just simply stare at it for a half an hour saying nothing to you at all and you unable to say anything to me, unable to do anything but wait for time to pass and for me to reveal what is in that last present how long do you imagine that wait will feel like to you? Interminable, yes? Yet the wait is for John isn't it? He's the one being shown these revelations of Jesus Christ. And yet rather than just pick up after the wait without mentioning it, it was a wait that needed to be remarked upon and for a reason.
We were told about this silence a space of a half an hour for a reason. In history during the lulls not many realize they are in a lull. When the chaos and strife ends it's with the hope there will be no more chaos- no more strife, not with the hope that it will reoccur at some point in time. When the lull is over between strife's only then can you mark it as a lull. This silence in heaven after the seventh seal is broken is a period of time and the fact it is in heaven- seen to be in heaven not as an earthy symbol we can only suspect that the silence is that transitional period before God's wrath is loosed. Perhaps there is a slight reluctance to have the beginning of the wrath unfold. Think about it. While it means glory and pure inexplicable joy for many it means the destruction of many, many more. And while Christ will be able to say He's done all He could do and be completely worthy in that, the sadness that the next curtain to rise is the last for a world of un-repentent sinners- sinners that He died for and would have covered with His blood and made white in His righteousness if they would only have let him- that sadness has to be tremendous and beyond anything we could ever hope to truly comprehend. Even if we give analogies such as trying to convince people on a sinking ship, people you love with all your heart, to come into your boat which will take them to safety only to have them refuse, even such analogies fall short of the mark, far short. Christ would have us all and that same Christ wept at the grave of His friend Lazarus, even as he prepared to bring him back to life. The emotion of weeping is a heartfelt sorrow and if Christ wept then how great will be His sadness for the lost? Like the grief we know as humans it goes through stages and Christ's grief for the lost will be great but the victory to come will reign after the wrath of the Father is complete.
Silence.
And when he had opened the seventh seal,
there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
Rev 8:2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
The seven angels which stood before God- Remember...
Rev 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
Rev 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
These seven angels are standing before God- not in Christ's hand. Are they different angels? It's possible, yes? Then again the symbolic gesture could be that because they were in Christ's hand they were His- just as the seven churches are His people.
Regardless, seven angels stood before God and to them were given seven trumpets. These angels weren't in Christ's hand and they weren't standing before the Lamb that had been slain rather they were before God who was on sitting on His throne. God's angels.
Given trumpets. What is the symbolism of a trumpet in the Bible? It's used the most for making an announcement of a coming event of importance. The same word used here in Revelation is used in Matthew- 24:31 'And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.' And in Corinthians- 14:8 'For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?' 15:52 'In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.'
An announcing, and what an announcement these angels will be making. The silence is over.
Just a note here, the angels when John saw them didn't have the trumpets already, they weren't seven angels holding trumpets- the seven angels were given the seven trumpets. By God?
Rev 8:2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
Rev 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
The same altar where John saw the souls crying out under the fifth seal? The altar of incense- typifying the prayers of the saints.
Rev 8:3 ... having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
The angel stood before the altar with a golden censer- a censer was used to transport coals into the Holy Place of the temple where a special incense was placed upon the hot coals. The incense would make the offerings sweet to God. A golden censer was used on the Day of Atonement. This angel has a golden censer and he was given much incense, not just a tiny bit, or just incense of a normal amount, but MUCH incense- and he was to offer it with the prayers of ALL saints. All saints. People need to realize just how important prayer is, God hears our prayers we might not believe it to be so and find it hard to imagine someone listening when we seemingly never get a reply, but our prayers are heard. Here in this vision of John's he sees the seventh and last seal broken on the precious book only Christ could break the seals thereof and after a notable silence he watches an angel stand before the alter with a golden censer and sees him given much incense to offer it with the prayers of all saints on the golden altar before the throne of God. The prayers are made acceptable through Christ. The prayers- your prayers, my prayers are offered before God. Prayers offered - to be offered they must be made. Prayer is so important and must not be neglected. Our prayers can't be offered to God if they are not first prayed. Something to consider in these last days we live in.
Rev 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
Visualize it, the smoke of the incense rising up before God out of the angel's hand- your prayers, my prayers, the prayers of the saints given to God.
Rev 8:5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar…
Typically the censer is filled with coals from the altar of burnt offerings, but here it would be the fire burning on the altar of incense before the throne of God is where the fire is taken from. The prayers have ascended in the smoke, they are no longer there to be offered- they've already been offered and what's left is the fire. The fire which burned the incense which caused the smoke which held the prayers of the saints. The fire mingled with the incense making the prayers acceptable to God. The purifying fire. Christ's righteousness, Christ's sacrifice alone makes our prayers acceptable to God. After the prayers are offered only then is the censer- the carrying instrument- the transporting vessel used again and this time it is filled with fire- not the prayers of the saints but the purifying fire, the wrathful fire the can and will purge the earth.
Rev 8:5 ...and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
Rev 8:6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
Cast to earth the fire ignites the cleansing that is to start. Think about it...
The fire purified the prayers of the saints and made them acceptable to God and now the fire of purification is cast to earth, it's cast there for a purpose. The breaking of the seventh seal on that very special book caused a silence, a prayer offering, all before the beginning of the end. The final seal is broken, all of God's children, all of God's people still alive on earth at this time are sealed and under the protection of Christ, and now the wrath will begin for those who have chosen to shun God, to shun the truths found in Christ and Christ alone.
After the fire is cast to earth there were voices, thundering, lightning's, and an earthquake. Then and only then the seven angels with their seven trumpets lifted them to sound out.
Amazing! This vision, this prophecy. Nothing is hidden as so many suppose. There is no mystery, it's unveiled for us to see, to know, to understand. No wonder those who read are blessed. We are told this would happen and if we think for one moment that history which has proven the prophecies real will stop short of being fully fulfilled, we are in big trouble. Maybe this is a fairytale of nightmarish proportions to some, maybe it's laughable nonsense to others, but to those who truly believe in Jesus we could never toss aside something so important as this message of prophecy given to us to reveal to us what will be and what our part in it could be should we choose to believe.
Satan has done a number on people with the fantastical stories he's concocted making it so that any one who fancies themselves even a tidbit of an intellectual cannot believe in these words. He's done his job well but Christ did His job a million times better and the offer of salvation is real. The offer to live now for a better world to come, is real. The offer is there for all of us and we just have to grab hold of it and take Jesus into our hearts, minds, and spirit and ask for forgiveness, repenting of our sins and the gift of salvation is ours in Christ, through Christ now and forever.
May our hearts be open to Christ forever! May our prayers ascend to the Father! May we be sealed and accounted worthy only by the blood of the Lamb slain to save us. By His grace and His mercy, in His righteousness alone, by faith all through love.
Amen.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Prophecy - 78- Called to this spiritual war by our birth
Rev 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Rev 6:13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
Rev 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Again, there is no horse-no rider- no beast to portray this message to John - rather as soon as Jesus opens the sixth seal John experiences a number of different things all very physical in nature . He beheld instantly- there was no 'coming and seeing', no 'and I looked and saw', these strange sights were seen one after the other in quick succession.
A great earthquake
Sun black as a mourning symbol
Moon as blood
Numerous stars fell quickly to the earth
Heaven departs as a scroll
Every mountain and island moved
Tell me why this sudden departure from seemingly completely symbolic gestures to the physical signs in nature? Why the leap from following the time line of the Seven Churches to seemingly jumping in this time period straight to the end of all things? From the point in time after the sixth angel things would seem to happen very swiftly without slowing down right to the end of time, right?
Seriously, think about it. In about the mid-1800's the knowledge of people all over the world seemed to suddenly spring to life. By the early 1900's people had invented things that would keep the ball in motion right up until where we are today, after thousands of years of seeming stagnation with only little bouts of inspiration. For example, the horse for transportation and such existed for thousands of years- thousands, then suddenly we have cars. The increase in knowledge didn't slow down either after a short burst. We didn't suddenly have one startling change such as having the printing press or other noteworthy yet seemingly singular invents taking place. We had this sudden outpouring of knowledge and it hasn't ceased to this very day and it shows no sign of stopping- people are not getting dumber, or slowing down, the fount of knowledge hasn't been exhausted if anything it's increased exponentially and continues to do so. You take a person from the 1700, 1800's and drop them into the 1900's, or into the new millennium and there would be such shock it would be unbelievable.
The rapidity of events shown to John here in a very physical way are like markers in time. This will happen (when?), this will happen (when?), this will happen (when?), and so on right up to a point we haven't seen it happen and yet having markers along the way tell you something don't they? Think about it.
You're on a trail with markers along the path - will you expect the markers to remain true to form until you reach your destination? You would.
Here are markers in time that are so blatant that to ignore them is to risk ignoring the fact that Christ is returning and the world is as we know it is ending. Following markers is important even if there are varying lengths of time between them. If I'm journeying on a supposedly marked path, I keep on it and hope for the markers even if it seems like a long, long time since I've seen the last marker. That hope for the last marker has to remain and it's through faith that hope stays firm. The hope for the last marker is the hope for the end of the journey. Christ admonishes the Laodicean church to buy of Him gold tried in fire- faith. Through the early time period of these markers it's easy to follow, to believe, and the sixth church of Philadelphia has this remarkable renewal of faith, a clarity of these markers.
A GREAT EARTHQUAKE -
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon Earthquake, took place on 1 November 1755, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1755_Lisbon_earthquake)
SUN BLACK as the mourning symbol -
The Great Dark Day - New England's Dark Day refers to an event which occurred on 19 May 1780, when an unusual darkening of the day sky was observed over the New England states and parts of Canada. The primary cause of the event is believed to have been a combination of smoke from forest fires, a thick fog, and cloud cover. The darkness was so complete that candles were required from noon on. It did not disperse until the middle of the next night (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_England's_Dark_Day)
MOON AS BLOOD -
Moon Turned Into Blood - "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come." Joel 2:31 May 19, 1780, stands in history as "The Dark Day." Since the time of Moses, no period of darkness of equal density, extent, and duration has ever been recorded. "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come." Joel 2:31.
The moon became as red as blood on the night of the "dark day," May 19, 1780. Milo Bostick in Stone's History of Massachusetts says, "The moon which was at its full, had the appearance of blood."
(http://www.bibleuniverse.com/articles/second-coming-prophecies-fulfilled/moon-turned-into-blood.aspx
"New England's Dark Day" in The Weather Doctor Almanac 2004. Retrieved from http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/almanac/arc2004/alm04may.htm.
"An Account of a very uncommon Darkness, in the State of New England, May 19, 1780" in The Analytical Review, Or History of Literature, Domestic and Foreign, on an Enlarged Plan, p. 519.
^ Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, p. 193 )
Numerous STARS FELL Quickly to the Earth -
Silliman believed the meteor had a cosmic origin, but meteors did not attract much attention from astronomers until the spectacular meteor storm of November 1833.[23] People all across the Eastern US saw thousands of meteors, radiating from a single point in the sky. Astute observers noticed that the radiant, as the point is now called, moved with the stars, staying in the constellation Leo
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteoroid )
The meteor storm of 1833 was of truly superlative strength. One estimate is over one hundred thousand meteors an hour,[2] but another, done as the storm abated, estimated in excess of two hundred thousand meteors an hour[3] over the entire region of North America east of the Rocky Mountains. It was marked by the Native Americans, slaves and owners, and many others. That same 1833 shower, near Independence, Missouri, was taken as a sign to push the growing Mormon community out of the area.[3]
(http://www.answers.com/topic/leonids)
*******
Heaven Departs as a Scroll
Every Mountain and Island Moved
*******
Now we come to a time when the heaven departs as a scroll- how does a scroll depart when it's rolled together? If you have a scroll laid out on a table you put weights down on the corners to hold it open, don't you? It's hard to study otherwise, unless you are just going to stretch out your arms and put your hands on it to keep the two halves from closing. What happens when you lift the weights, or your hands? It snaps back into place doesn't it? And very quickly at that.
So the heavens departing in a snap - has this happened? We've breached the atmosphere sending shuttles into space and still the sky doesn't snap away does it? Surely we'd know. We've set off atomic bombs which have sent mushroom clouds billowing upwards spreading the poison it contains for miles, but have the heavens departed? No.
This is a marker in time that hasn't occurred- in fact the last marker would be in 1833 almost 176 years ago. Time indeed for the waters to become lukewarm.
This day is coming there is no doubt about it, and only those who are not lukewarm but found counseled by Christ will escape the dreadful coming of the end of times for those not found safe in the righteousness of Christ.
Rev 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
John saw this amazing trail of events and then it ended and he was seeing after those things - this:
Rev 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
The angels of God are holding in check the strife that would come upon the earth should they not hold it back. Why are they holding it back? Because of this...
Rev 7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
Rev 7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
Rev 7:5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
Rev 7:6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
Rev 7:7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
Rev 7:8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
Those that are God's in this time before the angels fully release the winds of strife will be sealed. Sealed how? If I give my seal of approval it means nothing unless say you are my child- my son or daughter. They do something and I approve, giving them my seal of approval and it means a lot to them, it shows my approval of them which they hold in high esteem. If God seals us we are sealed as being His. We are given a mark that reveals that we are His and He approves of us. God approves of our total reliance upon the Son of God for all things, for allowing Christ's righteousness to reign in us, for accepting fully the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
After the sealing John was allowed to see this:
Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
Rev 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Rev 7:11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
Rev 7:12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
Amazing! Such a glorious sight! John witnessed the saints throughout time gathered before the throne of God, the angels, the elders, the beasts all of them fell before the throne and worshipped God! Truly this was an amazing sight to behold. God reigns forever in all blessing, all glory, all wisdom, all thanksgiving, all honor, all power, all might to God! Forever and ever!
Was John through with this vision yet? No. One of those 24 elders before the throne spoke to John as he witnessed the wonder of things to come.
Rev 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
The elder wanted to know what John thought he was seeing. He asked- What are those in white robes and where did they come from? John answers--
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest.
He doesn't presume to know does he? He doesn't launch into some speech about who he thinks they are or where they come from but he tells the elder that the elder himself knows. He doesn't even ask that it be revealed to him, but lets the elder decide if that is something he wishes to reveal and he does...
Rev 7:14 ...And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Rev 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
Rev 7:16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
Rev 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
How amazing! How beautiful! John is told the truth of the whole matter.
Those who come through the great tribulation- for what other tribulation is there than to fight in the war of good and evil and prevail through Jesus Christ our Savior?
This is a battle we ALL fight in, we are all called to war in it by our very birth.
Those who take their own filthy garments of unrighteousness and wash them in the blood of the Lamb are truly making them white in His righteousness, pure in the only righteousness that exists anywhere- the righteousness found alone in Christ.
Those who do this, who claim Christ's righteousness will stand before the throne of God- they will serve him always in his temple and that is wherever He dwells. No more hunger of any type! No more thirst of any kind! No more sun and heat to burn us and we will be fed by Jesus! We will be taken to the living fountain of water! And GOD shall wipe the tears from our eyes! Tears that we know so well, so deeply, agonizingly felt for all that goes on around about us.
May God bless and keep us! May God accept us through the righteousness of His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, now and forever may we be found in Him forgiven by Him as we ask for forgiveness and repent of our sins.
By His grace!
Amen
Rev 6:13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
Rev 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Again, there is no horse-no rider- no beast to portray this message to John - rather as soon as Jesus opens the sixth seal John experiences a number of different things all very physical in nature . He beheld instantly- there was no 'coming and seeing', no 'and I looked and saw', these strange sights were seen one after the other in quick succession.
A great earthquake
Sun black as a mourning symbol
Moon as blood
Numerous stars fell quickly to the earth
Heaven departs as a scroll
Every mountain and island moved
Tell me why this sudden departure from seemingly completely symbolic gestures to the physical signs in nature? Why the leap from following the time line of the Seven Churches to seemingly jumping in this time period straight to the end of all things? From the point in time after the sixth angel things would seem to happen very swiftly without slowing down right to the end of time, right?
Seriously, think about it. In about the mid-1800's the knowledge of people all over the world seemed to suddenly spring to life. By the early 1900's people had invented things that would keep the ball in motion right up until where we are today, after thousands of years of seeming stagnation with only little bouts of inspiration. For example, the horse for transportation and such existed for thousands of years- thousands, then suddenly we have cars. The increase in knowledge didn't slow down either after a short burst. We didn't suddenly have one startling change such as having the printing press or other noteworthy yet seemingly singular invents taking place. We had this sudden outpouring of knowledge and it hasn't ceased to this very day and it shows no sign of stopping- people are not getting dumber, or slowing down, the fount of knowledge hasn't been exhausted if anything it's increased exponentially and continues to do so. You take a person from the 1700, 1800's and drop them into the 1900's, or into the new millennium and there would be such shock it would be unbelievable.
The rapidity of events shown to John here in a very physical way are like markers in time. This will happen (when?), this will happen (when?), this will happen (when?), and so on right up to a point we haven't seen it happen and yet having markers along the way tell you something don't they? Think about it.
You're on a trail with markers along the path - will you expect the markers to remain true to form until you reach your destination? You would.
Here are markers in time that are so blatant that to ignore them is to risk ignoring the fact that Christ is returning and the world is as we know it is ending. Following markers is important even if there are varying lengths of time between them. If I'm journeying on a supposedly marked path, I keep on it and hope for the markers even if it seems like a long, long time since I've seen the last marker. That hope for the last marker has to remain and it's through faith that hope stays firm. The hope for the last marker is the hope for the end of the journey. Christ admonishes the Laodicean church to buy of Him gold tried in fire- faith. Through the early time period of these markers it's easy to follow, to believe, and the sixth church of Philadelphia has this remarkable renewal of faith, a clarity of these markers.
A GREAT EARTHQUAKE -
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon Earthquake, took place on 1 November 1755, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1755_Lisbon_earthquake)
SUN BLACK as the mourning symbol -
The Great Dark Day - New England's Dark Day refers to an event which occurred on 19 May 1780, when an unusual darkening of the day sky was observed over the New England states and parts of Canada. The primary cause of the event is believed to have been a combination of smoke from forest fires, a thick fog, and cloud cover. The darkness was so complete that candles were required from noon on. It did not disperse until the middle of the next night (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_England's_Dark_Day)
MOON AS BLOOD -
Moon Turned Into Blood - "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come." Joel 2:31 May 19, 1780, stands in history as "The Dark Day." Since the time of Moses, no period of darkness of equal density, extent, and duration has ever been recorded. "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come." Joel 2:31.
The moon became as red as blood on the night of the "dark day," May 19, 1780. Milo Bostick in Stone's History of Massachusetts says, "The moon which was at its full, had the appearance of blood."
(http://www.bibleuniverse.com/articles/second-coming-prophecies-fulfilled/moon-turned-into-blood.aspx
"New England's Dark Day" in The Weather Doctor Almanac 2004. Retrieved from http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/almanac/arc2004/alm04may.htm.
"An Account of a very uncommon Darkness, in the State of New England, May 19, 1780" in The Analytical Review, Or History of Literature, Domestic and Foreign, on an Enlarged Plan, p. 519.
^ Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, p. 193 )
Numerous STARS FELL Quickly to the Earth -
Silliman believed the meteor had a cosmic origin, but meteors did not attract much attention from astronomers until the spectacular meteor storm of November 1833.[23] People all across the Eastern US saw thousands of meteors, radiating from a single point in the sky. Astute observers noticed that the radiant, as the point is now called, moved with the stars, staying in the constellation Leo
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteoroid )
The meteor storm of 1833 was of truly superlative strength. One estimate is over one hundred thousand meteors an hour,[2] but another, done as the storm abated, estimated in excess of two hundred thousand meteors an hour[3] over the entire region of North America east of the Rocky Mountains. It was marked by the Native Americans, slaves and owners, and many others. That same 1833 shower, near Independence, Missouri, was taken as a sign to push the growing Mormon community out of the area.[3]
(http://www.answers.com/topic/leonids)
*******
Heaven Departs as a Scroll
Every Mountain and Island Moved
*******
Now we come to a time when the heaven departs as a scroll- how does a scroll depart when it's rolled together? If you have a scroll laid out on a table you put weights down on the corners to hold it open, don't you? It's hard to study otherwise, unless you are just going to stretch out your arms and put your hands on it to keep the two halves from closing. What happens when you lift the weights, or your hands? It snaps back into place doesn't it? And very quickly at that.
So the heavens departing in a snap - has this happened? We've breached the atmosphere sending shuttles into space and still the sky doesn't snap away does it? Surely we'd know. We've set off atomic bombs which have sent mushroom clouds billowing upwards spreading the poison it contains for miles, but have the heavens departed? No.
This is a marker in time that hasn't occurred- in fact the last marker would be in 1833 almost 176 years ago. Time indeed for the waters to become lukewarm.
This day is coming there is no doubt about it, and only those who are not lukewarm but found counseled by Christ will escape the dreadful coming of the end of times for those not found safe in the righteousness of Christ.
Rev 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
John saw this amazing trail of events and then it ended and he was seeing after those things - this:
Rev 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
The angels of God are holding in check the strife that would come upon the earth should they not hold it back. Why are they holding it back? Because of this...
Rev 7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
Rev 7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
Rev 7:5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
Rev 7:6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
Rev 7:7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
Rev 7:8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
Those that are God's in this time before the angels fully release the winds of strife will be sealed. Sealed how? If I give my seal of approval it means nothing unless say you are my child- my son or daughter. They do something and I approve, giving them my seal of approval and it means a lot to them, it shows my approval of them which they hold in high esteem. If God seals us we are sealed as being His. We are given a mark that reveals that we are His and He approves of us. God approves of our total reliance upon the Son of God for all things, for allowing Christ's righteousness to reign in us, for accepting fully the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
After the sealing John was allowed to see this:
Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
Rev 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Rev 7:11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
Rev 7:12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
Amazing! Such a glorious sight! John witnessed the saints throughout time gathered before the throne of God, the angels, the elders, the beasts all of them fell before the throne and worshipped God! Truly this was an amazing sight to behold. God reigns forever in all blessing, all glory, all wisdom, all thanksgiving, all honor, all power, all might to God! Forever and ever!
Was John through with this vision yet? No. One of those 24 elders before the throne spoke to John as he witnessed the wonder of things to come.
Rev 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
The elder wanted to know what John thought he was seeing. He asked- What are those in white robes and where did they come from? John answers--
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest.
He doesn't presume to know does he? He doesn't launch into some speech about who he thinks they are or where they come from but he tells the elder that the elder himself knows. He doesn't even ask that it be revealed to him, but lets the elder decide if that is something he wishes to reveal and he does...
Rev 7:14 ...And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Rev 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
Rev 7:16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
Rev 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
How amazing! How beautiful! John is told the truth of the whole matter.
Those who come through the great tribulation- for what other tribulation is there than to fight in the war of good and evil and prevail through Jesus Christ our Savior?
This is a battle we ALL fight in, we are all called to war in it by our very birth.
Those who take their own filthy garments of unrighteousness and wash them in the blood of the Lamb are truly making them white in His righteousness, pure in the only righteousness that exists anywhere- the righteousness found alone in Christ.
Those who do this, who claim Christ's righteousness will stand before the throne of God- they will serve him always in his temple and that is wherever He dwells. No more hunger of any type! No more thirst of any kind! No more sun and heat to burn us and we will be fed by Jesus! We will be taken to the living fountain of water! And GOD shall wipe the tears from our eyes! Tears that we know so well, so deeply, agonizingly felt for all that goes on around about us.
May God bless and keep us! May God accept us through the righteousness of His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, now and forever may we be found in Him forgiven by Him as we ask for forgiveness and repent of our sins.
By His grace!
Amen
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Prophecy - 77 - Slain for the word of God
Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
The first thing of note is the fact when Jesus opens the fifth seal John isn't called by one of the four beasts and told to come see, also there was no horse and rider depicting a journey through time here.
John watches the fifth seal being opened by Jesus and then instantly sees the altar. Where does an altar usually dwell? In a temple, right. There John sees the altar and the vision of those who died for their faith in Jesus and the word of God. Where else would such a vision exist? Just as Abel's blood cried out from the ground, just as rock cried out of the wall, the beam out of the timber - (Habakkuk 2: 11.) Just as an ass was made to talk- these things happen depicting situations that are uncommon, not usual. Seeing the slain souls just like seeing the horses of the previous vision this is exactly what they are- visions of the unusual. Do you see red horses typically? No. Do you typically see riders holding balances? These are symbolic visions holding important messages and as John saw the souls under the altar do you really believe he could have seen ALL those slain for God, for Christ there? They would be innumerable and wouldn't fit under an altar. Symbolically it's realistic to understand that this vision in this time period is encompassing all those slain for God, for their beliefs in God. Those who when faced with the prospect of death if they do not deny Christ, those who would rather die than give up the truth in God, these are those people under the altar.
~
Are people today being slain for the word of God?
Go to this website-
http://www.persecution.com/
And here-
Christian Deaths Climb in Eritrean Prisons
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 (6:27 am)
By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent
ASMARA, ERITREA (Worthy News)– Three Christians imprisoned for the testimony of Christ have died during the past months in Eritrea, including a 42-year-old man in solitary confinement Friday, according to a Christian support organization.
Pasted from
The answer is- yes! People are being killed today for the Word of God! We might not experience it here in the United States so much, but it is happening and we can't turn a blind eye to it all, we just can't.
Up until the Lord's return there will be those dying for the Word of God.
~
The question of how long is a question people put to themselves even now. How long before Christ returns- because only after all that MUST come to pass has come to pass- can true vengeance belonging to the Lord be enacted.
This time period if as with the others coincides with the seven churches, would last approximately 200 years, between 1500 and 1700. During this time we know the reformation began and people began to sail to a new land where they could practice their religion out from under the thumb of the papacy where they would not be under religious persecution such as was going on in such a widespread manner elsewhere.
This little season of rest perhaps indicates the escape of many who otherwise would have perished under the on going papal persecutions as people began to move away from their staunch Catholic beliefs.
Being given white robes means what? They were being covered by Christ's righteousness, they were being given the assurance of their sacrifice; and where it says they should rest until their fellow servants and brethren should be killed as they were should be fulfilled- surely this means there would be more who would sacrifice themselves for Christ, for their faith. In truth this meant not all would be able to escape, not all the souls that would be sacrifice were there and only when all of them were there could Christ avenge them together.
True vengeance for those martyred in Christ is only complete when death is swallowed up in the victory and the last of death is destroyed once and for all.
May God bless us all as we continue to study His word to find truth and understanding through the Holy Spirit's guidance. By the grace of Jesus Christ may we all be found in Him, and if called to die for Him, for the truth and faith in Him, may we do so in His strength. His will be done now and forever.
Amen
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
The first thing of note is the fact when Jesus opens the fifth seal John isn't called by one of the four beasts and told to come see, also there was no horse and rider depicting a journey through time here.
John watches the fifth seal being opened by Jesus and then instantly sees the altar. Where does an altar usually dwell? In a temple, right. There John sees the altar and the vision of those who died for their faith in Jesus and the word of God. Where else would such a vision exist? Just as Abel's blood cried out from the ground, just as rock cried out of the wall, the beam out of the timber - (Habakkuk 2: 11.) Just as an ass was made to talk- these things happen depicting situations that are uncommon, not usual. Seeing the slain souls just like seeing the horses of the previous vision this is exactly what they are- visions of the unusual. Do you see red horses typically? No. Do you typically see riders holding balances? These are symbolic visions holding important messages and as John saw the souls under the altar do you really believe he could have seen ALL those slain for God, for Christ there? They would be innumerable and wouldn't fit under an altar. Symbolically it's realistic to understand that this vision in this time period is encompassing all those slain for God, for their beliefs in God. Those who when faced with the prospect of death if they do not deny Christ, those who would rather die than give up the truth in God, these are those people under the altar.
~
Are people today being slain for the word of God?
Go to this website-
http://www.persecution.com/
And here-
Christian Deaths Climb in Eritrean Prisons
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 (6:27 am)
By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent
ASMARA, ERITREA (Worthy News)– Three Christians imprisoned for the testimony of Christ have died during the past months in Eritrea, including a 42-year-old man in solitary confinement Friday, according to a Christian support organization.
Pasted from
The answer is- yes! People are being killed today for the Word of God! We might not experience it here in the United States so much, but it is happening and we can't turn a blind eye to it all, we just can't.
Up until the Lord's return there will be those dying for the Word of God.
~
The question of how long is a question people put to themselves even now. How long before Christ returns- because only after all that MUST come to pass has come to pass- can true vengeance belonging to the Lord be enacted.
This time period if as with the others coincides with the seven churches, would last approximately 200 years, between 1500 and 1700. During this time we know the reformation began and people began to sail to a new land where they could practice their religion out from under the thumb of the papacy where they would not be under religious persecution such as was going on in such a widespread manner elsewhere.
This little season of rest perhaps indicates the escape of many who otherwise would have perished under the on going papal persecutions as people began to move away from their staunch Catholic beliefs.
Being given white robes means what? They were being covered by Christ's righteousness, they were being given the assurance of their sacrifice; and where it says they should rest until their fellow servants and brethren should be killed as they were should be fulfilled- surely this means there would be more who would sacrifice themselves for Christ, for their faith. In truth this meant not all would be able to escape, not all the souls that would be sacrifice were there and only when all of them were there could Christ avenge them together.
True vengeance for those martyred in Christ is only complete when death is swallowed up in the victory and the last of death is destroyed once and for all.
May God bless us all as we continue to study His word to find truth and understanding through the Holy Spirit's guidance. By the grace of Jesus Christ may we all be found in Him, and if called to die for Him, for the truth and faith in Him, may we do so in His strength. His will be done now and forever.
Amen
Monday, September 12, 2011
Prophecy - 76
Rev 6:7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
Rev 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Jesus opened the fourth seal of the very special book and the fourth beast - the beast like a flying eagle with six wings and covered in eyes back and front- told John to come and see.
John looked and saw another horse and this one was the color of pale, not white, but pale. There is no purity here but rather something off color.
Recently a doctor saw a friend of mine and immediately noticed how 'pale' he was. To the doctor's trained eye he knew something was wrong instantly where I only partially suspected something was off color. Why was my friend so pale? Because he was extremely sick. When we see someone who is off color- or pale we suspect that there is something wrong. Sometimes it's as simple as having a fright, but more oft than not it's because there is sickness involved.
This horse John can see is pale and the rider was named Death. Death!
Aren't the majority of sickly people laying upon their deathbeds on the pale side? Seriously. The very ill have that look about them don't they? If you've no first hand experience such as working in a nursing home, or a hospital, or even nursed someone at home who was dying you might not know for yourself personally but surely most people have seen movies with such scenes in them where an actor is made up to be dying and one of the first things happening when applying that camera makeup is working on making that person's complexion pale- sickly. The same with the tortured and wounded, rarely will they simply just look fine other than their wounds. Those who are horribly abused and near death, those who are awfully sick, they LOOK sick and when we say they look sick we instantly mean off color- pale. Is it any wonder Death is the rider of this time period shown? That Hell(in the margin of the Bible is the word 'the grave'), that the Grave followed Death?
During this period of time the false church is fully entrenched in peoples lives and reigning with an unbelievable power over people. The papacy with its religious/political dual purpose in existing corrupted the purity of any that would be truly God's people. Mingling the pure message of Christ's love and redemption with so much that is worldly clearly shouts falsehood. The papacy during this period had great authority in many, many ways and during that time just as it says- ' And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth,' surely this papal power held such authority, and they were able to kill with the sword, with torture such as hunger and yes, the beasts of the earth. For when the civilized powers are gone what remains but beasts to rule? And in another note- during this time the Black Death came into play killing millions and millions of people and what brought the black death but black rats -carrying the diseased fleas.
Yes, during the middle ages the papacy reached the height of its power and wield its awful authority by order of inquisitions and it also suffered it s eventual downfall as the end of this time period drew nigh in the 1500's and the birth of Protestantism began.
To read a bit more on the subject go here- http://www.heijira.com/em_lecture_4.html
No, Protestantism didn't immediately squash the papacy but it had it's beginning there in the 1500's after a terrible reign of rulership for over a thousand years. That the papacy wasn't fully squash until 1798 its downfall can be noted as beginning in the 1500's.
This fourth horse truly did bring with it the rider called Death and the Grave most certainly followed.
May the Lord bless and keep us as we continue our study, realizing how truly separate God's way is from man's. Jesus did not wield power and authority by any force whatsoever, in fact He acted the part of the Lamb being led to the slaughter only unlike our animal lambs, Jesus was fully aware of the death that awaited Him and He didn't offer any protest at all. He didn't cause an uprising of followers to wage war on the corruption around them, He encouraged love of enemies, doing good to those who misuse you- hate you- despise you- and all His followers were to follow that example of His and where can you find that in any way with the things the papacy has done under the guise of being Christ's church? May we today recognize the truth of Jesus' love and call to us to follow Him and know that all else even with it's disguise of purity and goodness is filled with evil and there will be those who cry out to Jesus about knowing him but in truth He will call back to them that He knows them not. May we not be among those, but be safely in the kingdom as true followers of Jesus' love, covered in His righteousness by His mercy, His grace towards us sinners who beg forgiveness and repent of all that would keep us from His love, from His knowing us.
Amen!
Rev 6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Jesus opened the fourth seal of the very special book and the fourth beast - the beast like a flying eagle with six wings and covered in eyes back and front- told John to come and see.
John looked and saw another horse and this one was the color of pale, not white, but pale. There is no purity here but rather something off color.
Recently a doctor saw a friend of mine and immediately noticed how 'pale' he was. To the doctor's trained eye he knew something was wrong instantly where I only partially suspected something was off color. Why was my friend so pale? Because he was extremely sick. When we see someone who is off color- or pale we suspect that there is something wrong. Sometimes it's as simple as having a fright, but more oft than not it's because there is sickness involved.
This horse John can see is pale and the rider was named Death. Death!
Aren't the majority of sickly people laying upon their deathbeds on the pale side? Seriously. The very ill have that look about them don't they? If you've no first hand experience such as working in a nursing home, or a hospital, or even nursed someone at home who was dying you might not know for yourself personally but surely most people have seen movies with such scenes in them where an actor is made up to be dying and one of the first things happening when applying that camera makeup is working on making that person's complexion pale- sickly. The same with the tortured and wounded, rarely will they simply just look fine other than their wounds. Those who are horribly abused and near death, those who are awfully sick, they LOOK sick and when we say they look sick we instantly mean off color- pale. Is it any wonder Death is the rider of this time period shown? That Hell(in the margin of the Bible is the word 'the grave'), that the Grave followed Death?
During this period of time the false church is fully entrenched in peoples lives and reigning with an unbelievable power over people. The papacy with its religious/political dual purpose in existing corrupted the purity of any that would be truly God's people. Mingling the pure message of Christ's love and redemption with so much that is worldly clearly shouts falsehood. The papacy during this period had great authority in many, many ways and during that time just as it says- ' And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth,' surely this papal power held such authority, and they were able to kill with the sword, with torture such as hunger and yes, the beasts of the earth. For when the civilized powers are gone what remains but beasts to rule? And in another note- during this time the Black Death came into play killing millions and millions of people and what brought the black death but black rats -carrying the diseased fleas.
Yes, during the middle ages the papacy reached the height of its power and wield its awful authority by order of inquisitions and it also suffered it s eventual downfall as the end of this time period drew nigh in the 1500's and the birth of Protestantism began.
To read a bit more on the subject go here- http://www.heijira.com/em_lecture_4.html
No, Protestantism didn't immediately squash the papacy but it had it's beginning there in the 1500's after a terrible reign of rulership for over a thousand years. That the papacy wasn't fully squash until 1798 its downfall can be noted as beginning in the 1500's.
This fourth horse truly did bring with it the rider called Death and the Grave most certainly followed.
May the Lord bless and keep us as we continue our study, realizing how truly separate God's way is from man's. Jesus did not wield power and authority by any force whatsoever, in fact He acted the part of the Lamb being led to the slaughter only unlike our animal lambs, Jesus was fully aware of the death that awaited Him and He didn't offer any protest at all. He didn't cause an uprising of followers to wage war on the corruption around them, He encouraged love of enemies, doing good to those who misuse you- hate you- despise you- and all His followers were to follow that example of His and where can you find that in any way with the things the papacy has done under the guise of being Christ's church? May we today recognize the truth of Jesus' love and call to us to follow Him and know that all else even with it's disguise of purity and goodness is filled with evil and there will be those who cry out to Jesus about knowing him but in truth He will call back to them that He knows them not. May we not be among those, but be safely in the kingdom as true followers of Jesus' love, covered in His righteousness by His mercy, His grace towards us sinners who beg forgiveness and repent of all that would keep us from His love, from His knowing us.
Amen!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Prophecy - 75
Rev 6:5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
Jesus opened the third seal of this very important book and the third beast (the one with a face of a man, with six wings and full of eyes like all four beasts had in common) spoke and told John to come and see, to come look. And John was shown a black horse. What is the opposite of white? Black. If white is purity and light, black is impurity and darkness isn't it? White raiment is known as being the righteousness of Christ, if there were black raiment it would be the unrighteousness portray- filthy garments. The white horse traveling through a period of time when the early church prospered without gross persecution. The red horse traveling through a period of time where there was much blood shed for God's people, in fact the bloodiest period of time in 303AD to 313AD before Christianity was finally accepted by the mainstream. Now this black horse and a rider with a pair of balances enters the picture.
Balances- even today we use them to denote what? Justice.
Symbolism-
The scales (specifically, a two pan, beam balance) are one of the traditional symbols of justice, as wielded by statues of Lady Justice. This corresponds to the use in metaphor of matters being "held in the balance". It has its origins in ancient Egypt.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weighing_scale
*******
When you have two forces in play a balance can be tipped in favor of one or the other- or remain in it's non-tipped state symbolizing equality.
You have two forces good and evil, Christ's way or Satan's way.
The church of good and the church of evil perhaps are represented in the balances.
With the balance held as such in this time could it denote the birth of the corrupt church that would counter the pure church? It was historically a time when paganisn began to mingle with Christianity making it impure while retaining the title pure. Corruption, deception, darkness winds its way into the church and a corrupt church suits the purposes of Satan rather well. When you add the commerce of goods and payments to the picture we're adding what to the mix? A government, yes? An economy and every economy is ruled by a government. With the balances in the picture we have can imagine that symbol of civil power, of governmental power because once more meting out justice is government function. The involvement of government with religion - the beginning of the very corrupted pure Christianity began. Christ would have His disciples render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's, He did NOT promote a Christian government or a time when the church would work as any type of civil power, but rather claimed this was not His world, not our world. Yet during this period of time- church and state entwined ever further as our study in Daniel revealed. The political sway of the apostate pagan infused Papacy grew stronger and stronger. Jesus NEVER intended that His followers would hold powerful sway over worldly matters- never. Jesus came to preach the gospel of the kingdom and instructed His followers to spread that word- NOT to join with the world in any way.
Rev 6:6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
This time it's not saying where the voice is exactly coming from rather from the midst of the four beasts. It's not pinpointing the One Worthy who is opening the seals either. This voice is in the midst of the beasts and thus far 3 of the beasts have spoken as the seals were broken. This additional voice makes it stand out- makes us take notice.
A measure of wheat for a penny. Food /money.
Three measures of barley for a penny. Food /money.
Buying and selling. The great concern here isn't the purity of Christ but rather money, goods.
Yet there's an admonition- see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
Could it be that the wheat and the barley were being hurt? How could such commodities be hurt? For that matter how could you hurt oil and wine? Corruption can hurt it all.
Here there is pointed mention of the wheat and the barley being sold and the admonition not to hurt the oil and wine. Nothing about selling the oil and wine but the fact the oil and wine could be hurt. If I tell you not to hurt something then the possibility exists that it can be hurt or else there need be no mention of it, right?
Throughout the Bible oil has had it's special place as well as wine in the service of God. Even Jesus in the parable of the Samaritan helping the wounded man had the man tending him with oil and wine- healing him, soothing him. If the oil and wine are hurt there can be no healing perhaps?
Also consider the parable of the virgins and the oil in their lamps- those who brought extra were commended and welcomed to the feast while those who did not bring extra were shut out. Already in the vision of the seven churches the last church was admonished to buy eye salve to see, oil, so that their eyes would be open to the truth's of Jesus that there would be Spiritual guidance. Wine, as we know, Jesus used to symbolize the blood He spilled for mankind. If there is a hurting of the oil an the wine there is a lack of spirit and blood both necessary to be in Christ fully.
Those true to Christ while the corruption began in earnest during the time of the third seal needed to guard the truth of the oil and wine, the spirit and blood and hold fast to that truth as it was being corrupted and brought into ruin so easily, so deceptively.
May God keep our eyes and hearts open to Him. May we remember these words and understand that during great famines of a spiritual nature we can hold fast to Christ and His sacrifice for us through the Holy Spirit's comforting, guiding, admonishing.
As the end approaches the Spirit of God is withdrawn from the earth and we who long to be His and stand fast in Him need to protect the spiritually precious gifts that cannot be bought but need to be given to us by Christ, who counsels us to buy of Him- Him who has paid the highest price so that we may have the gift of eternal life in Him, now and forever He reigns! All glory to God in the Highest! All praise, all honor, all majesty heavenward.
By His grace and mercy. Amen.
Jesus opened the third seal of this very important book and the third beast (the one with a face of a man, with six wings and full of eyes like all four beasts had in common) spoke and told John to come and see, to come look. And John was shown a black horse. What is the opposite of white? Black. If white is purity and light, black is impurity and darkness isn't it? White raiment is known as being the righteousness of Christ, if there were black raiment it would be the unrighteousness portray- filthy garments. The white horse traveling through a period of time when the early church prospered without gross persecution. The red horse traveling through a period of time where there was much blood shed for God's people, in fact the bloodiest period of time in 303AD to 313AD before Christianity was finally accepted by the mainstream. Now this black horse and a rider with a pair of balances enters the picture.
Balances- even today we use them to denote what? Justice.
Symbolism-
The scales (specifically, a two pan, beam balance) are one of the traditional symbols of justice, as wielded by statues of Lady Justice. This corresponds to the use in metaphor of matters being "held in the balance". It has its origins in ancient Egypt.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weighing_scale
*******
When you have two forces in play a balance can be tipped in favor of one or the other- or remain in it's non-tipped state symbolizing equality.
You have two forces good and evil, Christ's way or Satan's way.
The church of good and the church of evil perhaps are represented in the balances.
With the balance held as such in this time could it denote the birth of the corrupt church that would counter the pure church? It was historically a time when paganisn began to mingle with Christianity making it impure while retaining the title pure. Corruption, deception, darkness winds its way into the church and a corrupt church suits the purposes of Satan rather well. When you add the commerce of goods and payments to the picture we're adding what to the mix? A government, yes? An economy and every economy is ruled by a government. With the balances in the picture we have can imagine that symbol of civil power, of governmental power because once more meting out justice is government function. The involvement of government with religion - the beginning of the very corrupted pure Christianity began. Christ would have His disciples render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's, He did NOT promote a Christian government or a time when the church would work as any type of civil power, but rather claimed this was not His world, not our world. Yet during this period of time- church and state entwined ever further as our study in Daniel revealed. The political sway of the apostate pagan infused Papacy grew stronger and stronger. Jesus NEVER intended that His followers would hold powerful sway over worldly matters- never. Jesus came to preach the gospel of the kingdom and instructed His followers to spread that word- NOT to join with the world in any way.
Rev 6:6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
This time it's not saying where the voice is exactly coming from rather from the midst of the four beasts. It's not pinpointing the One Worthy who is opening the seals either. This voice is in the midst of the beasts and thus far 3 of the beasts have spoken as the seals were broken. This additional voice makes it stand out- makes us take notice.
A measure of wheat for a penny. Food /money.
Three measures of barley for a penny. Food /money.
Buying and selling. The great concern here isn't the purity of Christ but rather money, goods.
Yet there's an admonition- see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
Could it be that the wheat and the barley were being hurt? How could such commodities be hurt? For that matter how could you hurt oil and wine? Corruption can hurt it all.
Here there is pointed mention of the wheat and the barley being sold and the admonition not to hurt the oil and wine. Nothing about selling the oil and wine but the fact the oil and wine could be hurt. If I tell you not to hurt something then the possibility exists that it can be hurt or else there need be no mention of it, right?
Throughout the Bible oil has had it's special place as well as wine in the service of God. Even Jesus in the parable of the Samaritan helping the wounded man had the man tending him with oil and wine- healing him, soothing him. If the oil and wine are hurt there can be no healing perhaps?
Also consider the parable of the virgins and the oil in their lamps- those who brought extra were commended and welcomed to the feast while those who did not bring extra were shut out. Already in the vision of the seven churches the last church was admonished to buy eye salve to see, oil, so that their eyes would be open to the truth's of Jesus that there would be Spiritual guidance. Wine, as we know, Jesus used to symbolize the blood He spilled for mankind. If there is a hurting of the oil an the wine there is a lack of spirit and blood both necessary to be in Christ fully.
Those true to Christ while the corruption began in earnest during the time of the third seal needed to guard the truth of the oil and wine, the spirit and blood and hold fast to that truth as it was being corrupted and brought into ruin so easily, so deceptively.
May God keep our eyes and hearts open to Him. May we remember these words and understand that during great famines of a spiritual nature we can hold fast to Christ and His sacrifice for us through the Holy Spirit's comforting, guiding, admonishing.
As the end approaches the Spirit of God is withdrawn from the earth and we who long to be His and stand fast in Him need to protect the spiritually precious gifts that cannot be bought but need to be given to us by Christ, who counsels us to buy of Him- Him who has paid the highest price so that we may have the gift of eternal life in Him, now and forever He reigns! All glory to God in the Highest! All praise, all honor, all majesty heavenward.
By His grace and mercy. Amen.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
2 Corinthians 11 - The simplicity that is in Christ
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.
This was spoken by Paul to God's people in Corinth, and all God's people in Achaia.
2Co 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia
Think about this for a moment- Jesus hadn't been gone for long. It has been determined that Paul wrote this book of the Bible somewhere between 53 and 57 AD. As we've discussed before- Satan got right to work on God's people wasting no time at all stepping in and trying to pervert the truth. Setting up His counterfeit, Satan from the beginning has done all He can to thwart God's truth and deceive people into believing in his truth, not God's.
2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2Co 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
Corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ… HOW incredibly beautiful is that? The simplicity that is in Christ. It is no secret that people have made following Christ anything but simple. The complex set ups that make up our churches could never be termed simple. It wasn't Jesus' plan that we make huge organizations and call them churches- call them God's people. Over and over people point out that the larger the following grew the more organization was necessary, but in the simplicity of Christ- is that true? When did following God mean taking oaths to follow beliefs of an organization? Isn't it true that MANY people followed Jesus and it wasn't Jesus' desire to keep out the weeds? He let all follow Him. He did not set up His apostles to keep watch and make sure no Pharisees came near to Him. Jesus didn't raise up an army of guards to keep out all those who did not truly believe. Jesus fed 5000 people and a day later those 5000 followers who had been eager to crown Him their king- left Him because He began to preach things they didn't want to comprehend. At that point Jesus asked His apostles if they too were going to leave, but they didn't. The point here being- Jesus ministered to 5000 people! And Jesus knew that as soon as He began to speak hard truths these same people would turn away.
I'm not against organizations- Jesus had His Apostles, His Apostles appointed Elders and such but with ONE goal in mind- to live for Christ and help those around them who chose to live for believing in the truth of Christ, to minister to the poor, to do that which Jesus would have them do and that was to always be a SERVANT first, never a master. Taking in ANY riches for selfish reasons was NEVER God's plan, NEVER. Yet how quickly selfish gain infiltrated God's true church- God's people.
Let's read those two verses again-
'But I fear lest by ANY means-
AS the serpent beguiled Eve through his SUBTILTY
So YOUR minds should be corrupted from the SIMPLICITY that is in CHRIST.
For if he that cometh preacheth ANOTHER Jesus whom we have NOT preached
Or if ye receive ANOTHER spirit which ye have not received,
Or ANOTHER gospel which ye have not accepted ye might well bear with him.'
By any means.
Through His subtilty.
Corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Preaching another Jesus, another spirit, another gospel.
And then this…
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.
Satan himself is TRANSFORMED into an angel of light.
Satan's MINISTERS are also TRANSFORMED as ministers of righteousness.
Why do so many people follow others blindly!!! Why?! Why do people follow others without putting them to the 'law and to the testimony?'
Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Why?! When Satan infiltrated God's people- the church of God right from the start! Shouldn't being wary rather than foolishly following be the order of the day? Shouldn't this be a duty of all who would follow Christ? Making sure that the simplicity of Christ, making sure that the gospel our Savior charged His disciples to preach is what we are truly following. So many have traded in truth for religious trappings. They have a picture in their minds of how a 'church' should be and they join that 'church' rather than truly joining Christ and preaching His true gospel. Shouldn't people be extremely wary when they read these words of Christ Himself?
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Entering in the wide gates is NOT the guaranteed path to salvation so many believe it to be. Entering in those church doors thrown wide open and inviting is NOT necessarily entering into the truth at all. Yet so incredibly many believe that as long as there is a following of those who claim to know Christ, as long as outwardly there are all the signs and wonders we've come to associate with being true followers of Christ- then they have to be in the right place.
Then you get those who might suspect things are all on the up and up but they quickly shush that voice because hey- what they are doing is better than doing nothing. What they are doing is better than standing outside the organizations without any formal church setting, without any appointed minister, without any who can guide them. They would rather have a guide that could be deluded than step away from that sense of organized religion. Satan has duped people so incredibly well they refuse to see, they don't want to see and the Bible tells us- God tells us - that those who wish to be blind will be allowed to be blind.
Right from the start of churches corruption entered in, false churches were created and they weren't the blatant false churches of idolatry, these were churches so subtly, so close to the truth that it would be extremely hard to distinguish between the true and false.
It's NO great thing for Satan's ministers to be transformed into ministers of seeming righteousness. THESE are God's WORDS! This is God's TRUTH!
Satan's ministers.
2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
The simplicity that is in Christ.
Belonging to an organization that claims to be God's true followers is truly dangerous. When we join ourselves to an organization we are attaching ourselves to that organization's beliefs, we are grouping ourselves with them. If we are part of a corporate body- if that corporate body is corrupt then we have joined ourselves with corruption. I fully believe that God has sincere followers in all churches- but I fully believe that God will call those followers OUT of those corrupt churches before our Savior returns.
Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
When we join ourselves to lovely, seemingly sincere churches we are accountable for knowing what we are joining right down to all their beliefs and the heads of their corporations- we have that responsibility it doesn't disappear just because we can't be bothered to care whether or not there is any untruth in the main beliefs. Asking ourselves if a church is following the SIMPLICITY that is in CHRIST is something we are accountable for, and whether or not we LIKE what we find we are accountable for searching for TRUTH, not searching for wonderful, convincing lies that appear to be truth just because we don't want to be shaken loose from the deception we are so incredibly comfortable following.
2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Please God, please, this is our prayer, keep us from the evil one's subtle deception, don't let us be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ!
Keep us from evil.
Deliver us from evil.
May Your will be done now and always!
In the love of Jesus Christ our Savior!
Amen.
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.
This was spoken by Paul to God's people in Corinth, and all God's people in Achaia.
2Co 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia
Think about this for a moment- Jesus hadn't been gone for long. It has been determined that Paul wrote this book of the Bible somewhere between 53 and 57 AD. As we've discussed before- Satan got right to work on God's people wasting no time at all stepping in and trying to pervert the truth. Setting up His counterfeit, Satan from the beginning has done all He can to thwart God's truth and deceive people into believing in his truth, not God's.
2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2Co 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
Corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ… HOW incredibly beautiful is that? The simplicity that is in Christ. It is no secret that people have made following Christ anything but simple. The complex set ups that make up our churches could never be termed simple. It wasn't Jesus' plan that we make huge organizations and call them churches- call them God's people. Over and over people point out that the larger the following grew the more organization was necessary, but in the simplicity of Christ- is that true? When did following God mean taking oaths to follow beliefs of an organization? Isn't it true that MANY people followed Jesus and it wasn't Jesus' desire to keep out the weeds? He let all follow Him. He did not set up His apostles to keep watch and make sure no Pharisees came near to Him. Jesus didn't raise up an army of guards to keep out all those who did not truly believe. Jesus fed 5000 people and a day later those 5000 followers who had been eager to crown Him their king- left Him because He began to preach things they didn't want to comprehend. At that point Jesus asked His apostles if they too were going to leave, but they didn't. The point here being- Jesus ministered to 5000 people! And Jesus knew that as soon as He began to speak hard truths these same people would turn away.
I'm not against organizations- Jesus had His Apostles, His Apostles appointed Elders and such but with ONE goal in mind- to live for Christ and help those around them who chose to live for believing in the truth of Christ, to minister to the poor, to do that which Jesus would have them do and that was to always be a SERVANT first, never a master. Taking in ANY riches for selfish reasons was NEVER God's plan, NEVER. Yet how quickly selfish gain infiltrated God's true church- God's people.
Let's read those two verses again-
'But I fear lest by ANY means-
AS the serpent beguiled Eve through his SUBTILTY
So YOUR minds should be corrupted from the SIMPLICITY that is in CHRIST.
For if he that cometh preacheth ANOTHER Jesus whom we have NOT preached
Or if ye receive ANOTHER spirit which ye have not received,
Or ANOTHER gospel which ye have not accepted ye might well bear with him.'
By any means.
Through His subtilty.
Corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Preaching another Jesus, another spirit, another gospel.
And then this…
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.
Satan himself is TRANSFORMED into an angel of light.
Satan's MINISTERS are also TRANSFORMED as ministers of righteousness.
Why do so many people follow others blindly!!! Why?! Why do people follow others without putting them to the 'law and to the testimony?'
Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Why?! When Satan infiltrated God's people- the church of God right from the start! Shouldn't being wary rather than foolishly following be the order of the day? Shouldn't this be a duty of all who would follow Christ? Making sure that the simplicity of Christ, making sure that the gospel our Savior charged His disciples to preach is what we are truly following. So many have traded in truth for religious trappings. They have a picture in their minds of how a 'church' should be and they join that 'church' rather than truly joining Christ and preaching His true gospel. Shouldn't people be extremely wary when they read these words of Christ Himself?
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Entering in the wide gates is NOT the guaranteed path to salvation so many believe it to be. Entering in those church doors thrown wide open and inviting is NOT necessarily entering into the truth at all. Yet so incredibly many believe that as long as there is a following of those who claim to know Christ, as long as outwardly there are all the signs and wonders we've come to associate with being true followers of Christ- then they have to be in the right place.
Then you get those who might suspect things are all on the up and up but they quickly shush that voice because hey- what they are doing is better than doing nothing. What they are doing is better than standing outside the organizations without any formal church setting, without any appointed minister, without any who can guide them. They would rather have a guide that could be deluded than step away from that sense of organized religion. Satan has duped people so incredibly well they refuse to see, they don't want to see and the Bible tells us- God tells us - that those who wish to be blind will be allowed to be blind.
Right from the start of churches corruption entered in, false churches were created and they weren't the blatant false churches of idolatry, these were churches so subtly, so close to the truth that it would be extremely hard to distinguish between the true and false.
It's NO great thing for Satan's ministers to be transformed into ministers of seeming righteousness. THESE are God's WORDS! This is God's TRUTH!
Satan's ministers.
2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
The simplicity that is in Christ.
Belonging to an organization that claims to be God's true followers is truly dangerous. When we join ourselves to an organization we are attaching ourselves to that organization's beliefs, we are grouping ourselves with them. If we are part of a corporate body- if that corporate body is corrupt then we have joined ourselves with corruption. I fully believe that God has sincere followers in all churches- but I fully believe that God will call those followers OUT of those corrupt churches before our Savior returns.
Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
When we join ourselves to lovely, seemingly sincere churches we are accountable for knowing what we are joining right down to all their beliefs and the heads of their corporations- we have that responsibility it doesn't disappear just because we can't be bothered to care whether or not there is any untruth in the main beliefs. Asking ourselves if a church is following the SIMPLICITY that is in CHRIST is something we are accountable for, and whether or not we LIKE what we find we are accountable for searching for TRUTH, not searching for wonderful, convincing lies that appear to be truth just because we don't want to be shaken loose from the deception we are so incredibly comfortable following.
2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Please God, please, this is our prayer, keep us from the evil one's subtle deception, don't let us be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ!
Keep us from evil.
Deliver us from evil.
May Your will be done now and always!
In the love of Jesus Christ our Savior!
Amen.
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