Worker's of Iniquity - Violator's of God's Law

Revelation 12-

VERSE 13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-chiId.  14.   And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.  15.   And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood

p 553 -- after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.   16.    And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.   17.    And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

But little comment is necessary on the verses last introduced. Suffice it to say that here we are again carried back to the time when Satan became fully aware that he had utterly failed in all his attempts against the Lord of glory in his earthly mission; and seeing this, be turned with tenfold fury, as already noticed, upon the church which Christ had established. Then we have again brought to view the church going into that condition here denominated being "in the wilderness." This must denote a state of seclusion from the public gaze, and of concealment from her foes. That church which during all the dark ages trumpeted her lordly commands into the ears of listening Christendom, and flaunted her ostentatious banners before gaping crowds, was not the church of Christ; it was the body of the mystery of iniquity. The "mystery of godliness" was God manifested here as a man; the "mystery of iniquity" was a man pretending to be God. This was the great apostasy, the mongrel produced by the union of heathenism and Christianity. The true church was out of sight; in secret places they worshiped God; the caves and the hidden recesses of the valleys of the Piedmont may be taken as representative places, where the truth of the gospel was sacredly cherished from the rage of its foes. Here God watched over his church, and by his providence protected and nourished her. 

The eagles' wings given her appropriately signify the haste with which the true church was obliged to provide for her own safety when the man of sin was installed in power, together with the assistance God provided her to this end. The like figure is used to describe God's dealings with ancient Israel. By Moses he said to them: "Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself." Ex. 19:4.

p 554 --

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p 555 -- The mention of the period during which the woman is nourished in the wilderness as "a time and times and half a time," the exact phraseology used in Dan. 7:25, furnishes a key for the explanation of the latter passage; for the very same period is called in verse 6 of Revelation 12, "a thousand two hundred and threescore days." This shows that a "time" is one year, 360 days; two "times," two years, or 720 days; and "half a time," half a year, or 180 days, making in all 1260 days; and this being symbolic, signifies 1260 literal years.

The serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood to carry away the church. By its false doctrines the papacy had so corrupted all nations as to have control absolutely, for long centuries, of the civil power. Through it Satan could hurl a mighty flood of persecution against the church in every direction; and this he was not slow to do. (See reference to the terrible persecutions of the church in remarks on Dan. 7:25.) From fifty to one hundred million were carried away by the flood; but the church was not entirely swallowed up; the days were shortened for the elect's sake. Matt. 24:22.

"The earth helped the woman" by opening its mouth and swallowing up the flood. The reformation of the sixteenth century began its work. God raised up the noble Luther and his colaboraters to expose the true character of the papacy, and break the power with which superstition had enslaved the minds of the people. Luther nailed his theses to the door of the church at Wittenberg; and the pen with which he wrote them, according to the symbolic dream of the good elector Frederick of Saxony, did indeed span the continent, and shake the triple crown on the pope's head. Princes began to espouse the cause of the Reformers. It was the dawning of religious light and liberty, and God would not suffer the darkness to swallow up its radiance. Tetzel, the indulgence-peddler, swelled and bellowed with wrath, and Pope Leo roared with rage; but all in vain. The spell was broken. Men found that the bulls and anathemas of the pope fell harmless at their feet, just as soon as they dared exercise their God-given right to regulate their consciences by his word alone. Defenders of the true

p 556 --

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p 557 --  faith multiplied. And soon there was enough Protestant soil found in Switzerland, Germany, Holland, England, Norway and Sweden, to swallow up the flood of papal fury, and rob it of its power to harm the church. Thus the earth helped the woman, and has continued to help to the present day, as the spirit of the Reformation and religious liberty has been fostered by the leading nations of Christendom.

But the dragon is not yet through with his work. Verse 17 brings to view another and a final outburst of his wrath, this time against the last generation of Christians to live on the earth. We say the last generation; for the war of the dragon is directed against the remnant of the woman's seed; that is, the remnant of the seed, or individuals, that constitute the true church; and no generation but the last can truthfully be represented by the remnant.

If the view is correct that we have already reached the generation which is to witness the closing up of earthly scenes, this warfare against the truth cannot be far in the future.

This remnant is characterized by the keeping of the commandments of God, and having the testimony of Jesus Christ. This points to a Sabbath reform to be accomplished in the last days; for on the Sabbath alone, as pertaining to the commandments, is there a difference of faith and practice among those who accept the Decalogue as the moral law. This is more particularly brought to view in the message of Rev. 14:9-12.

It may be proper to notice that according to the testimony of this chapter, three powers are made use of by the devil to carry out his work, and hence all are spoken of as the dragon, he being the inspiring agent in them all. These are,  (1)   pagan Rome;  (2)   papal Rome;  (3)   the two-horned beast, our own government under the control of apostate Protestantism, which is the chief agent, as will hereafter appear, in making war upon those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus.

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The remnant.

17.    And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The commandments of who?

So many wish to believe God's moral law was made void by Christ. Time and time again I have to cry out, that's a lie!

Let's do a quick study on this--

Taken from - Bible Study Guide  by  William Grotheer

Lesson #6 -- THE TWO LAWS

p 25 -- Introduction -- Whenever the question of the Sabbath is studied, a question is raised concerning the Law of God. Certain texts are cited (Ephesians 2:15; Colossians 2:14-17) with the suggestion that the Law of God has been revoked, and is therefore no longer binding on Christians.

 This teaching is the result of failing to distinguish between several groups of laws that are set forth in the Bible.

We, in this study, will confine ourselves to two laws mentioned in the New Testament.

Romans 7:12 -- The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just and good.

Hebrews 7:14-18 The law of a carnal commandment ... weakness and unprofitableness thereof. Hebrews 10:1 The law having a shadow of good things to come ... can never with those sacrifices which they offered.

Note - By comparing these verses it is evident that ONE LAW cannot be holy AND carnal.

A holy law being good in itself would not be a shadow of "good things to come."

By illustration, one cannot have a fully ripe apple and a "green" apple all in one apple. It requires two. So also in the matter concerning the law. TWO LAWS are required to meet the description of these texts.

(Verses mentioned above)

Eph 2:15 - Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace

Col 2:14  - Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Col 2:15  And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Col 2:16  Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

Col 2:17  Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Rom 7:12  Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

Heb 7:14  For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

Heb 7:15  And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

Heb 7:16  Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.

Heb 7:17  For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Heb 7:18  For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

Heb 10:1  For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

Section #2 --THE HOLY LAW

Romans 7:7, 12 -- I had not known sin, but by the, law, the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. Wherefore the law is holy.

Note - The law that contains the commandment - "Thou shalt not covet" - is the Ten Commandment law. This law Paul declares to be holy.

Exodus 24:12; 31:18; 32:16 -- And the Lord said ... I will give thee ... a law, and commandments which I have written. And He gave to Moses ... two ... tables of stone, written with the finger of God. And the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

Exodus 25:16, 21 -- And thou shalt put into the ark, the testimony which I shall give thee ... in the ark thou shalt put the testimony.

Note - Twice repeated was the injunction to put the law in the ark, the most sacred object of the Hebrew sanctuary.

Of no other portion of the entire Bible, did God manifest such care for an accurate transmission, and preservation as the Ten Commandments.

He wrote them with His own finger upon stone, spoke them with His own lips from Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:1). and had it placed in the most holy object on earth, which in turn was housed in what was designated as "the most holy place, " the center of His earthly dwelling. (Exodus 25:8-9)

Exodus 20:1-17 -- The Ten Commandments

Note - This law forbids, idolatry, profanation, stealing, killing, lying, adultery, and covetousness. It requires respect of children for their parents, and sets for the seventh day of every week

p 26 -- as the "sabbath of the Lord thy God."

Section #3 -- THE CODE OF MOSES

Exodus 20:22 -- The Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say . . .

Exodus 24:3-4 -- And Moses wrote all the words.

Deuteronomy 31: 24-26 -- Moses commanded ... Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark ... for a witness.

Note - In the giving, writing, and disposition of this book of the law of Moses, the contrast is clear and distinct between it and the Ten Commandments. Let us note some of the regulations this lesser code contained.

Exodus 23:14, 17 -- Three times thou Shalt keep a feast unto Me in a year. Three times in a year all thy males shall appear before the Lord God. Leviticus 23:6, 14 (Observe the eating regulations connected with the time of the annual feasts.) Leviticus 23:24, 32 In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath. It shall be unto you a Sabbath of rest ... in the ninth day of the month.

Note - The Mosaic code regulated aspects of worship involved in the special feast days, as to time, and what could and what could not be eaten at those times. Some of these appointed days were called sabbaths. These were, however, the Sabbaths of the people in contrast with the seventh day which was the Sabbath of the Lord. The summary of the contrast is given by Moses in Leviticus 23:37, 38. Note carefully the words - "These are the feasts of the Lord ... everything upon his day: BESIDE the Sabbaths of the Lord."

Section #4 -- THE CONTRAST

Nehemiah 9:12-14 -- Thou camest down ... upon Mt. Sinai ... and gavest them ... Thy holy Sabbath, AND commandest them laws, by the hand of Moses.

Note - Nehemiah in reporting this priestly chant classifies the sabbath of the Lord with the law given by God directly, and not with the code of Moses.

II Kings 21:8 -- All that I have commanded ... and all that my servant Moses commanded.

Deuteronomy 4:12-14 -- The Lord spake unto you, and He declared unto you ... ten commandments. And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes ... that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.

Note - The Mosaic code was a statute of limitations to be done only in the land of their possessions, while the Ten commandments as given by God were not limited to any locality, but were worldwide in application.

p 27 -- Summary - The laws and ordinances which Paul stated were nailed to the cross were the codes given to Israel to be done only in the land of Canaan. In Christ, the gospel message would go to all the world, and the center of worship would no longer be a tent or a temple built by men's hands, but the most holy place would be a man's heart surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ. Note carefully Hebrews 10:16-17.

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We have to comprehend that the REMNANT of the woman's seed- the REMNANT of God's true church, God's true people, those who will be alive and sealed in Him when Jesus return's- WILL KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD AND…     yes, not only will they keep the commandments of God, they will also HAVE the testimony of JESUS. 

Go ahead and believe that the MORAL TEN COMMANDMENTS are on none effect, it's your right, but it's a lie.  I just read something recently about why the Sabbath commandment was done away with, why it was changed upon Christ's death and resurrection, that the Sabbath commandment was ONLY for the Israelites given to them on Mount Sinai.  That the Sabbath was NOT for Christ followers. That the apostles kept a NEW day, Sunday, a day they call the Lord's day as if all days weren't His.  Don't people realize that IF the Sabbath commandment was going to be CHANGED or abolished, that a HUGE deal would have been made over it?  Just as if the commandment to NOT commit adultery was going to be changed, or the commandment to NOT worship idols, or the commandment to NOT kill… etc.  These were GOD'S commandments, NOT MOSES' commandments, GOD'S!  If Jesus were going to do away with or change a commandment that GOD gave, wouldn't He have let us know in no uncertain terms?  He wouldn't have told people they were doing good by keeping a law He was going to do away with or change.  

Read the following- also from the Study Guide-

Section 4 -- THE LAWGIVER

Nehemiah 9:12-15 -- Thou camest down also upon Mount Sinai.

Note - Who is this - "THOU"? Who is the One that led the children of Israel from Egypt to the promised land? Who is the One who appeared to Moses in Mount Sinai? Again, we must use the Bible method of interpretation as outlined by the Holy Spirit - comparing one Scripture with another.

I Corinthians 10:1-4 -- That Rock was Christ.

1Co 10:1  Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

1Co 10:2  And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

1Co 10:3  And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

1Co 10:4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

Note - It was Jesus Christ Himself, who amid the glory and flame of Sinai, proclaimed the Law of the Council of God - even the Ten Commandments. Thus Jesus is OUR Creator, Lawgiver, and Redeemer. In future lessons we shall note Him as our High Priest, and Coming King. The Bible from beginning to end is the revelation of Jesus Christ, the Alpha and the Omega, the one and only true way to the Father.

Section #5 -- MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF CHRIST

Revelation 14:12 -- Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Note - We have heard the expression -"the communion of saints," or the fellowship of the household of God. Here in the book of Revelation we have revealed the characteristics of the saints who compose "the house of Christ" or His body. They keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. It was Jesus who proclaimed the Law of the Council of God from Mount Sinai. It was Jesus who came and lived the life of God before men. He manifested a living faith, that though He had accepted the weaknesses and nature of fallen humanity, God was able to keep Him from falling. This same allegiance to God, and faith in Him will be manifest by His "saints" as they partake of the Bread of Heaven sent forth to feed the needs of mankind.

2 John 9 -- Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

John 10:16 -- Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

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Christ our Savior was there at with the children of Israel as they were led from Egypt to Mount Sinai!  THEY drank of that SPIRITUAL ROCK that FOLLOWED THEM- AND THAT ROCK WAS CHRIST!

So HOW can people divorce Christ from the very law given by Him! He was there! He was a part of it all! He agreed with it all!  Those MORAL laws are forever binding! Yet people want to pick apart just ONE of those laws!  They want to accept all the others as binding, but take that ONE and either disannul it or altar it to something different. They DARE to believe they can take ONE of the ten and do whatever pleases them. Why? I don't comprehend the logic behind it. I do comprehend Satan's aim it in all, but not those who truly desire to be Christ's.  The REMNANT WILL KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.  Why bother making such a declaration if there weren't a moral law to keep in its entirety?  It doesn't say the remnant will keep some of the commandments of God. It doesn't say the remnant will keep nine of the commandments of God. It doesn't say the remnant will keep the commandments of their own devising.  Is there ANY wonder at all that there will be SO few who are truly Christ's?  Is there ANY wonder that many will say they knew Christ and He in turn will tell them to get away from Him, that He doesn't know them and never knew them! Why wouldn't He know them?! Why?

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

They are WORKING INIQUITY!  And what is iniquity?

Thayer Definition:

1) the condition of without law

1a) because ignorant of it

1b) because of violating it

2) contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness

They work WITHOUT the LAW! They violate the LAW! What law? God's LAW!

They think they are doing wonderful things in Jesus' name!!! They believe they are Jesus'!  But they REFUSE THE LAW of GOD!  

How incredibly terrifying to know there are millions and millions who believe they are Jesus' but in their hearts they are deceived because they CHOOSE to believe not in God's law, but in man's laws, man's traditions!

LOVE LIVES IN THE LAW! GOD'S LOVE IS REVEALED IN THE MORAL LAW!

The remnant spoken of in this book of prophecy, this Revelation of Jesus Christ, will KEEP the COMMANDMENTS of GOD- all of them and they'll do it THROUGH the HOLY SPIRIT, in the name of JESUS CHRIST their SAVIOR!

Please, Lord, we would be YOURS, known of YOU, not as violators of the law!

All in Your name!

Amen.

Wake up before it's too late... please!

Revelation 12-

VERSE 7.    And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,    8.    And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.   9.    And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.   10.    And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.   11.    And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.   12.    Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

The first six verses of this chapter, as has been seen, take us down to the close of the 1260 years, which marked the end of the papal supremacy in 1798. In the 7th verse it is equally plain that we are carried back into previous ages. How far? - To the time first introduced in the chapter, - the days of the first advent.

"And there was war in heaven," the same heaven where the woman and the dragon were seen at first; but they were actors in scenes that took place here upon the earth; hence we understand this war to be located in the same place. And to what point are we carried back? - Evidently to the commencement of Christ's ministry here upon earth. To prove that Michael is Christ, see Jude 9; 1 Thess. 4:16; John 5:28, 29; and that this was a special time of warfare between him and Satan need not be argued.

Another symbol is here introduced, and John hastens to tell us what this symbol represents. It is the devil and Satan. But this is not the same as the dragon of verses 3 and 4. That was a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. Though in a sense the dragon represents Satan, since he was the instigator of the work which this dragon did, it would be most grotesque to try to apply this symbol to Satan personally. Satan is not said anywhere in the Bible to be red, and he is not possessed of the

p 550 -- number of heads and horns there stated; and while he might, as the god of this world, have one crown, there would be no reason for his having seven. But all these features are very appropriate as applied to pagan Rome. 

When it is desired to set forth Satan by a symbol, no more appropriate one can be chosen than a great dragon, or serpent, unqualified. And why a similar symbol is also employed to represent Rome with some of its peculiar features, is evident. It was because Rome, as a universal empire, was then the only possible general agent to carry out Satan's will in the earth. But there is no occasion to confound the two symbols.

In reference to the war mentioned, Satan had looked forward to Christ's mission to this earth as his last chance of success in overthrowing the plan of salvation.

He came to Christ with specious temptations, in hope of overcoming him; he tried in various ways to destroy him during his ministry; and when he had succeeded in laying him in the tomb, he endeavored, in malignant triumph, to hold him there.

But in every encounter the Son of God came off triumphant; and he sends back this gracious promise to his faithful followers: "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." This shows us that Jesus while on earth waged a warfare, and obtained the victory.

Satan saw his last effort fail, his last scheme miscarry. He had boasted that he would overcome the Son of God in his mission to this world, and thus render the plan of salvation an ignominious failure; and well he knew that if he was foiled in this his last desperate effort to thwart the work of God, his last hope had perished, and all was lost.

But, in the language of verse 8, he "prevailed not;" and hence the song may well be sung, "Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them."

It is held by some that this war took place when Satan, then an angel of light and glory, rebelled in heaven; and that the "casting out" of which John speaks, was his expulsion from heaven at that time. But we are unable to harmonize

p 551 -- this view with the testimony before us. Thus, in verse 13 we read: "And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man-child."

This shows that just as soon as the devil saw that he was cast out, he turned his wrath against the woman, the church, which, not far from that time, fled into the wilderness. When Satan therefore found himself thus overthrown, the man-child had already been brought forth, or, in other words, the first advent of Christ had taken place. Hence this war and defeat of Satan, taking place this side of the Christian era, and not a great length of time before the church went into the wilderness in 538, cannot be his fall from heaven before the creation of the world; though that was a war in heaven.

Again, there seem to be a number of instances in which Satan is spoken of as defeated, or cast down. One was his first rejection from heaven; another, when Christ overcame him at his first advent; and there will be another in the future, when he is cast into the bottomless pit, and shut up for a thousand years. And on each successive occasion, we behold a regularly increasing limitation of his power. He falls a degree lower in every succeeding combat. The first time, as we may plainly infer from certain scriptures, the contest was between him and God the Father (see 2 Peter 2:4); the second time between him and Christ the Son, as in the scripture before us; while the third time an angel suffices to accomplish the work of his humiliation. Rev. 20:1, 2. Since his first contest, he has not been permitted to rise to the dignity of contending with the Father; since the second, he has not had the privilege, if such it may be called, of a personal encounter with the Son. The war mentioned in the scripture now before us is between the devil and Michael, Christ. The great effort of the former against the latter, personally, was during his mission here on earth; and Christ's great personal victory over him was in that very contest. 

"Neither was their place found any more in heaven." Heaven, we have seen, does not mean, in this chapter, the place which is the abode of God and his celestial messengers.

p 552 -- It here doubtless denotes condition rather than place; and the expression would then signify that they were here humiliated, and never to regain their former position. They had suffered a terrible defeat, which Christ describes by saying, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." The hope which he had all along cherished, of overcoming the Son of man when he took upon himself our nature, had forever perished. His power was limited. He could no more aspire to a personal encounter with the Son of God, - a fact which hitherto had given, in a comparative degree, dignity and prestige to his position. Henceforth the church (the woman) is the object of his malice, and he resorts to all those nefarious means against her that would naturally characterize a baffled and hopeless rage.

But hereupon a song is sung in heaven, - "Now is come salvation," etc. How is this, if these scenes are in the past? Had salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of God, and the power of his Christ, then come? - Not at all; but this song was sung prospectively. Those things were made sure. The great victory had been won by Christ which put the question of their establishment forever at rest. Just as we read in other scriptures, "We have eternal life," "We have redemption through his blood," etc., as if we were now in actual possession of these blessings; whereas we only have them by faith, and the language is simply an assurance that they are forever sure to the final overcomers.

The prophet then glances rapidly over the working of Satan from that time to the end (verses 11, 12), during which time the faithful "brethren" overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony while his wrath increases as his time grows short. Though working through earthly powers, Satan, personally, is the chief agent from verses 9 to 17.

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It's important that we realize Satan, that old serpent, the devil, is REAL.

Satan was an angel in heaven- a ministering spirit in heaven, a covering angel for he was right next to God.

Eze 28:12…Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

Eze 28:13  Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

Eze 28:14  Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

Eze 28:15  Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

Eze 28:16  By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

Eze 28:17  Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

Eze 28:18  Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.

Eze 28:19  All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

Anointed cherub that covereth.

Exo 25:20  And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.

A covering cherub- SO CLOSE TO GOD!

Satan before sin was found in him, was a very blessed angel, a spirit being as angels are.  When he sinned and was eventually cast from heaven he retained his spirit form.  The father of lies, the being in whom sin was born, the first to disobey God - is REAL.  He was able to seduce Eve into disobeying God, wanting her to be his equivalent on a human level. He wanted the human race- these special beings God created with the ability to procreate to reject their creator in favor of following him. Banned from the Garden of Eden and cast out into a world that would need to be worked in suffering, cast out into a world unprotected by God's perfection and into a world filled with pain and death, man wasn't abandoned by Satan. Satan did NOT leave the humans alone, the first born of procreation became the first murderer who took the life of his younger brother. Satan did NOT hesitate to work his evil upon that first born son of procreation. And Satan continued to seduce, to tempt, to use all who would listen to his evil seductions.  Satan tempts us to evil, all of us! Satan does not withhold any opportunity to tempt in any way- big or small.

Here in the book of Revelation we are given the opportunity to witness the reality of Satan. It was Satan who wanted to devour Christ as soon as He was born upon earth.

Rev 12:4  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Satan tempted Herod, Satan used Him to kill innocent babes in an attempt to kill the prophesized Christ child.  SATAN is real and he can be overcome ONLY through the blood of the LAMB. 

Prophecy. We have to believe! Herod believed in prophecy and with good reason, it's real and it came to pass, what Herod feared HAPPENED.

Mat 2:1  Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

Mat 2:2  Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

Mat 2:3  When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Mat 2:4  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

Mat 2:5  And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

Mat 2:6  And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Mat 2:7  Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

Mat 2:8  And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

Mat 2:9  When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

Mat 2:10  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

Mat 2:11  And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Mat 2:12  And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

Mat 2:13  And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

Mat 2:14  When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

Mat 2:15  And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

Mat 2:16  Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Mat 2:17  Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,

Mat 2:18  In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

PROPHECY!  We have no trouble believing the unfolding of prophecy here. It was prophesized and it came to pass as ALL prophecy must come to pass!

We don't have any more Bible writers, they are gone.  Bible writers in the new testament looked back to the only Word of God they had - what we now call the old testament and they can SEE where the prophets of old spoke of things unfolding in their time! Believing in PROPHECY is a REAL thing! Our Savior believed in prophecy, He gave it to us! He blesses us with it! We can't allow ourselves to remain asleep, eyes closed, refusing to awake to the truth of prophetic blessings! We are living in the last days with only a few prophecies left to unfold. Quite a few of those will only unfold by the time it will be too late to repent and choose to believe in our Savior for our salvation! There are only a few left to take place, the warnings are sounding loudly and once those last few pre-plague prophecies take place then it's all over, those who are unjust will remain unjust and those who are just will remain just.  Why don't we want to see?!  Pulling a blanket over our heads will not keep us from being taken captive by Satan. Satan will let us live in a dream world as long as it's one of his own devising.  WAKE UP! SNAP OUT OF IT! STOP DREAMING! STOP SLEEPING BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!

We know that there are many false workers who claim to be on God's side, and they'll tell us all sorts of soothing words, familiar words, words that we know by rote and barely need to hear. 

2Pe 2:1  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2Pe 2:2  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

2Pe 2:3  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

False prophets, false teachers!

WAKE UP! SEEK TRUTH and ONLY TRUTH!

Please!

In the name of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, please, wake us up! Keep us awake to ONLY Your truth no matter how hard it is for us to hear! Please!

Keep us in YOU!

All by YOUR MERCY and GRACE, through Your endless LOVE!

Amen!

The Man Child- Christ

(Daniel and revelation by Uriah Smith 1897)

Revelation-  CHAPTER -- XII

p 543 -- VERSE 1. And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:   2.   And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.  3.    And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

An elucidation of this portion of the chapter will involve little more than a mere definition of the symbols introduced. This may be given in few words, as follows: -

"A woman," the true church. A corrupt woman is used to represent an apostate or corrupt church. Eze.23:2-4; Rev.17:3-6, 15, 18. By parity of reasoning, a pure woman, as in this instance, would represent the true church.

"The sun," the light and glory of the gospel dispensation.

"The moon," the Mosaic dispensation. As the moon shines with a borrowed light derived from the sun, so the former dispensation shone with a light borrowed from the present. There they had the type and shadow; here we have the antitype and substance.

"A crown of twelve stars," the twelve apostles.

"'A great red dragon," pagan Rome. (See under verses 4 and 5.)

p 544 --

(picture omitted)

p 545 -- "Heaven," the space in which this representation was seen by the apostle. We are not to suppose that the scenes here represented to John took place in heaven where God resides; for they are events which transpired upon this earth, but this scenic representation which passed before the eye of the prophet, appeared as if in the region occupied by the sun, moon, and stars, which we speak of as heaven.

Verses 1 and 2 cover a period of time commencing just previous to the opening of the present dispensation, when the church was earnestly longing for and expecting the advent of the Messiah, and extending to the time of the full establishment of the gospel church with its crown of twelve apostles. Luke 2:25, 26, 38.

No symbols more fitting and impressive could be found than are here employed. The Mosaic dispensation shone with a light borrowed from the Christian dispensation, just as the moon shines with light borrowed from the sun. How appropriate, therefore, to represent the former by the moon, and the latter by the sun. The woman, the church, had the moon under her feet; that is, the Mosaic dispensation had just ended, and the woman was clothed with the light of the gospel sun, which had just risen. By the figure of prolepsis, the church is represented as fully organized, with its twelve apostles, before the man-child, Christ, appeared upon the scene. This is easily accounted for by the fact that it was to be thus constituted immediately after Christ should commence his ministry; and he is more especially connected with this church than with that of the former dispensation. There is no ground for any misunderstanding of the passage; and hence no violence is done to a correct system of interpretation by this representation. 

VERSE 4. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth; and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.   5.    And she brought forth a man-child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.   6.    And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

p 546 -- "The Third Part of the Stars of Heaven." - The dragon drew the third part of the stars from heaven. If the twelve stars with which the woman is crowned, here used symbolically, denote the twelve apostles, then the stars thrown down by the dragon before his attempt to destroy the man-child, or before the Christian era, may denote a portion of the rulers of the Jewish people. That the sun, moon, and stars are sometimes used in this symbolic sense, we have already had evidence in chapter 8:12. The dragon, being a symbol, could deal only with symbolic stars; and the chronology of the act here mentioned would confine it to the Jewish people. Judea became a Roman province sixty-three years before the birth of the Messiah. The Jews had three classes of rulers, - kings, priests, and the Sanhedrim. A third of these, the kings, were taken away by the Roman power. Philip Smith, History of the World, Vol. III, p. 181, after describing the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans and Herod, and its capitulation in the spring of B.C. 37, after an obstinate resistance of six months, says:       "Such was the end of the Asmonean dynasty, exactly 130 years after the first victories of Judas Maccabaeus, and in the seventieth year from the assumption of the diadem by Aristobulus I."

The dragon stood before the woman to devour her child. It now becomes necessary to identify the power symbolized by the dragon; and this can very easily be done. The testimony concerning the "man-child " which the dragon seeks to destroy, is applicable to only one being that has appeared in this world, and that is our Lord Jesus Christ.

No other one has been caught up to God and his throne; but he has been thus exalted. Eph. 1:20, 21; Heb. 8:1; Rev. 3:21. No other one has received from God the commission to rule all nations with a rod of iron; but he has been appointed to this work. Ps. 2:7-9.

There can certainly be no doubt that the man-child represents Jesus Christ. The time to which the prophecy refers is equally evident. It was the time when Christ appeared in this world, as a babe in Bethlehem.

Having now ascertained who the man-child was, namely,

p 547 --

(picture not included)

p 548 -- Christ; and having fixed the chronology of the prophecy at the time when he was born into this world, it will be easy to find the power symbolized by the dragon; for the dragon represents some power which did attempt to destroy him at his birth. Was any such attempt made? and who made it? No formal answer to this question need be given to any one who has read how Herod, in a fiendish effort to destroy the infant Jesus, sent forth and slew all the children in Bethlehem, from two years old and under. But who was Herod? - A Roman governor. From Rome Herod derived his power.

Rome ruled at that time over all the world (Luke 2:1), and was therefore the responsible party in this transaction. Moreover, Rome was the only earthly government which at that time could be symbolized in prophecy, for this very reason that its dominion was universal. It is not, therefore, without the most conclusive reason that the Roman empire is considered by Protestant commentators generally to be the power indicated by the great red dragon. And it may be a fact worth mentioning that during the second, third, fourth, and fifth centuries of the Christian era, next to the eagle the dragon was the principal standard of the Roman legions; and that dragon was painted red, as though, in faithful response to the picture held up by the seer of Patmos, they would exclaim to the world, We are the nation which that picture represents. 

As we have said, Rome, in the person of Herod, a tempted to destroy Jesus Christ, when he sent forth and destroyed all the children of Bethlehem from two years old and under. The child which was born to the expectant desires of a waiting and watching church, was our adorable Redeemer, who is soon to rule the nations with a rod of iron. Herod could not destroy him; the combined powers of earth and hell could not overcome him; and though held for a time under the dominion of the grave, he rent its cruel bands, opened a way of life for mankind, and was caught up to God and his throne. He ascended to heaven in the sight of his disciples, leaving to them and us the promise that he would come again.

And the church fled into the wilderness at the time the papacy was established, in 538, where it was nourished by the

p 549 -- word of God and the ministration of angels during the long, dark, and bloody rule of that power, 1260 years.

*******

More tomorrow by the grace of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.

All in HIS love!

Seventh Angel's Trumpet

Seventh Angel's Trumpet

(Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith 1897- Excerpts)

Revelation Chapter 11

VERSE 15. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever.   16.    And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshiped God,    17.     Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.

From the 15th verse to the end of the chapter, we seem to be carried over the ground, from the sounding of the seventh angel to the end, three distinct times.

 In the verses last quoted, the prophet glances forward to the full establishment of the kingdom of God. Although the seventh trumpet has begun to sound, it may not yet be a fact that the great voices in heaven have proclaimed that the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, except it be in anticipation of the speedy accomplishment of this event; but the seventh trumpet, like the preceding six, covers a period of time: and the transfer of the kingdoms from earthly powers to Him whose right it is to reign, is the principal event to occur in the early years of its sounding; hence this event, to the exclusion of all else, here engages the

p 539 -- mind of the prophet. (See remarks on verse 19.) In the next verse John goes back and takes up intervening events as follows:

VERSE 18. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldst give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldst destroy them which destroy the earth.

"The Nations Were Angry." - Commencing with the wonderful revolution in Europe in 1848, that spontaneous outburst of violence among the nations, their anger toward one another, their jealousy and envy, have been constantly increasing. Almost every paper shows the fearful degree to which they are now excited, and how tense has become the strain on the relations between them.

"And Thy Wrath Is Come." - The wrath of God for the present generation is filled up in the seven last plagues (chapter 15:1), which consequently must here be referred to, and which are soon to be poured out upon the earth.

The Judgment of the Dead. - "And the time of the dead, that they should be judged." The great majority of the dead, that is, the wicked, are still in their graves after the visitation of the plagues, and the close of this dispensation. A work of judgment, of allotting to each one the punishment due to his sins, is carried on in reference to them by the saints, in conjunction with Christ, during the one thousand years following the first resurrection. I Cor. 6:2; Rev. 20:4. Inasmuch as this judgment of the dead follows the wrath of God, or the seven last plagues, it would seem necessary to refer it to the one thousand years of judgment upon the wicked, above mentioned; for the investigative judgment takes place before the plagues are poured out.

The Reward of the Righteous. - "And that thou shouldst give reward unto thy servants the prophets." These will enter upon their reward at the coming of Christ, for he brings their reward with him. Matt. 16:27; Rev. 22:12. The full reward of the saints however is not reached till they enter upon the possession of the new earth. Matt. 25:34.

p 540 --

(picture omitted) 

p 541 -- The Punishment of the Wicked. - "And shoudst destroy them which destroy the earth," referring to the time when all the wicked will be forever devoured by those purifying fires which come down from God out of heaven upon them, and which melt and renovate the earth. 2 Peter 3:7; Rev. 20:9. By this we learn that the seventh trumpet reaches over to the end of the one thousand years. Momentous, startling, but yet joyous thought! that the trumpet is now sounding which is to see the final destruction of the wicked, and to behold the saints, clothed in a glorious immortality, safely located on the earth made new.

Once more the prophet carries us back to the commencement of the trumpet, in the following language:

VERSE 19. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

Having introduced the seventh trumpet in verse 15, the first great event that strikes the mind of the seer is the transfer of the kingdom from earthly to heavenly rule. God takes to him his great power, and forever crushes the rebellion of this revolted earth, establishes Christ upon his own throne, and remains himself supreme over all. This picture being completed, we are pointed back, in verse 18, to the state of the nations, the judgment to fall upon them, and the final destiny of both saints and sinners. This field of vision having been scanned, we are taken back once more in the verse now under notice, and our attention is called to the close of the priesthood of Christ, the last scene in the work of mercy for a guilty world. The temple is opened; the second apartment of the sanctuary is entered. We know it is the holy of holies that is here opened, for the ark is seen; and in that apartment alone the ark was deposited. This took place at the end of the 2300 days, when the sanctuary was to be cleansed, the time when the prophetic periods expired, and the seventh angel commenced to sound. Since that time, the people of God have seen by faith the open door in heaven, and

p 542 -- the ark of God's testament there. They are endeavoring to keep every precept of the holy law written upon the tables therein deposited. And that the tables of the law are there, just as in the ark in the sanctuary erected by Moses, is evident from the terms which John uses in describing the ark. He calls it the "ark of his testament." The ark was called the ark of the covenant, or testament, because it was made for the express purpose of containing the tables of the testimony, or ten commandments. Ex. 25:16; 31:18; Deut. 10 2, 5. It was put to no other use, and owed its name solely to the fact that it contained the tables of the law. If the tables were not therein, it would not be the ark of his (God's) testament, and could not truthfully be so called. Yet John, beholding the ark in heaven under the sounding of the seventh trumpet, still calls it the "ark of his testament," affording unanswerable proof that the law is still there, unaltered in one jot or tittle from the copy which for a time was committed to the care of men in the typical ark of the tabernacle during the Mosaic dispensation.

The followers of the prophetic word have also received the reed, and are measuring the temple, the altar, and them that worship therein. Verse 1. They are uttering their last prophecy before nations, peoples, and tongues. Chapter 10:11. And the drama will soon close with the lightnings, thunderings, voices, the earthquake, and great hail, which will constitute nature's last convulsion before all things are made new at the close of the thousand years. Rev. 21:5. (See on chapter 16:17-21.) 

*******

More tomorrow on this, by the grace and mercy of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST!

Amen.

Truth for the Time

(Excerpts from Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith 1897)

Revelation Chapter 11 -

VERSE 9. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half, and shalt not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

The language of this verse describes the feelings of other nations besides the one committing the outrage on the witnesses. They would see what war infidel France had made on the Bible, but would not be led nationally to engage in the wicked work, nor suffer the murdered witnesses to be buried, or put out of sight among themselves, though they lay dead three days and a half, that is, three years and a half, in France. No; this very attempt on the part of France served to arouse Christians everywhere to put forth new exertions in behalf of the Bible, as we shall presently see.

VERSE 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

This denotes the joy those felt who hated the Bible, or were tormented by it. Great was the joy of infidels everywhere for awhile. But the "triumphing of the wicked is short;" so was it in France, for their war on the Bible and Christianity well-nigh swallowed them all up. They set out to destroy Christ's "two witnesses," but they filled France with blood and terror, so that they were horror-struck at the result of their own wicked deeds, and were soon glad to remove their impious hands from the Bible.

VERSE 11. And after three days and a half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

In 1793, a decree passed the French Assembly suppressing the Bible. Just three years after, a resolution was introduced into the Assembly superseding the decree, and giving toleration to the Scriptures. That resolution lay on the table six months,

p 536 -- when it was taken up, and passed without a dissenting vote. Thus, in just three years and a half, the witnesses "stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them which saw them." Nothing but the appalling results of the rejection of the Bible could have induced France to take her hands off these witnesses.

VERSE 12. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

"Ascended up to Heaven." - To understand this expression, see Dan. 4:22: "Thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven." Here we see that the expression signifies great exaltation. Have the Scriptures attained to such a state of exaltation as here indicated, since France made war upon them? - They have.

Shortly after, the British Bible Society was organized (1804); then followed the American Bible Society (1817); and these, with their almost innumerable auxiliaries, are scattering the Bible everywhere. Since that period, the Bible has been translated into nearly two hundred different languages that it was never in before; and the improvements in paper-making and printing within the last seventy-five years have given an impetus to the work of scattering Bibles which is without a parallel. 

The Bible has been sent to the destitute, literally by ship-loads. One vessel carried out from England fifty-nine tons of Bibles for the emancipated slaves in the West Indies. The Bible has risen to be respected by almost every one, whether saint or sinner. Within the last century, translations of the Scriptures have increased fivefold, and the circulation of the Scriptures thirtyfold.  1   No other book approaches it in cheapness or number of copies sold. According to the Missionary Review of September, 1896, it has been translated into languages embracing nine tenths of the human race. And the American Bible Society, in its eightieth annual report, dated May, 1896, gives the number of Bibles and parts of Bibles issued by that society alone, as 61,705,841. Add the issues by the British Bible Society and other publishers,

1 -- Increase of Crime, by D. T. Taylor, p. 5.

p 537 -- and how vastly would the number be increased! What other book has the world ever seen which approaches the Bible in this respect? It is exalted as above all price, as, next to his Son, the most invaluable blessing of God to man, and as the glorious testimony concerning that Son. Yes; the Scriptures may truly be said to be exalted "to heaven in a cloud," a cloud being an emblem of heavenly elevation.

VERSE 13. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

What city? (See chapter 17:18: "And the woman which thou sawest is that great city which reigneth over the kings [kingdoms] of the earth.") That city is the papal Roman power. France is one of the "ten horns" that gave "their power and strength unto the [papal] beast;" or is one of the ten kingdoms that arose out of the Western Empire of Rome, as indicated by the ten toes of Nebuchadnezzar's image, the ten horns of Daniel's beast (Dan. 7:24), and John's dragon. Rev. 12:3. France, then, was "a tenth part of the city," and was one of the strongest ministers of papal vengeance; but in this revolution it "fell," and with it fell the last civil messenger of papal fury. "And in the earthquake were slain of men [margin, names of men, or TITLES of men] seven thousand." France made war, in her revolution of 1789-98 and onward, on all titles of nobility. It is said by those who have examined the French records, that just seven thousand titles of men were abolished in that revolution. "And the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven." Their God-dishonoring and Heaven-defying work filled France with such scenes of blood, carnage, and horror, as made even the infidels themselves tremble, and stand aghast; and the "remnant" that escaped the horrors of that hour "gave glory to God" - not willingly, but the God of heaven caused this "wrath of man to praise him," by causing all the world to see that those who make war on heaven make graves for themselves; thus glory redounded to God by the very means that wicked men employed to tarnish that glory.

p 538 -- For the statistics and many of the foregoing thoughts on the two witnesses, we are indebted to an exposition of the subject of The Two Witnesses, by the late George Storrs.

VERSE 14. The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

The series of seven trumpets is here again resumed. The second woe ended with the sixth trumpet, Aug. 11, 1840; and the third woe occurs under the sounding of the seventh trumpet, which commenced in 1844.

Then where are we? "Behold!" that is to say, mark it well, "the third woe cometh quickly." The fearful scenes of the second woe are past, and we are now under the sounding of the trumpet that brings the third and last woe. And shall we now look for peace and safety, a temporal millennium, a thousand years of righteousness and prosperity? Rather let us earnestly pray the Lord to awaken a slumbering world.

*******

From Wikipedia-

The French Republican Calendar (French: calendrier républicain français), also commonly called the French Revolutionary Calendar(calendrier révolutionnaire français) was a calendar created and implemented during the French Revolution, and used by the French government for about 12 years from late 1793 to 1805, and for 18 days by the Paris Commune in 1871. The revolutionary system was designed in part to remove all religious and royalist influences from the calendar, and was part of a larger attempt at decimalisation in France (which also included decimal time of day, decimalisation of currency, and metrication).

From <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Republican_Calendar>

The dechristianization of France during the French Revolution is a conventional description of the results of a number of separate policies conducted by various governments of France between the start of the French Revolution in 1789 and the Concordat of 1801, forming the basis of the later and less radical Laïcité movement. The goal of the campaign was the destruction of Catholic religious practice and of the religion itself.[1] There has been much scholarly debate over whether the movement was popularly motivated or something forced upon the people by those in power.[1]

From <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dechristianization_of_France_during_the_French_Revolution>

This is HISTORY!

The National Convention (French: Convention nationale) was a single-chamber assembly in France from 20 September 1792 to 26 October 1795 (4 Brumaire IV under the Convention's adopted calendar) during the French Revolution. It succeeded theLegislative Assembly and founded the First Republic after the insurrection of 10 August 1792. The Legislative Assembly decreed the provisional suspension of King Louis XVI and the convocation of a National Convention which was to draw up a constitution. At the same time it was decided that deputies to that convention should be elected by all Frenchmen twenty-five years old or more, domiciled for a year and living by the product of their labor. The National Convention was therefore the first French assembly elected by universal male suffrage, without distinctions of class.

From <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Convention>

So many want to destroy history's truths. Seriously. Uriah Smith wasn't writing fiction. Other men of the time weren't speaking fiction. Scholars weren't making up fables to fool people. The history of the TIME of knowledge being increased was the TRUTH of the time, NOT LIES! 

If further truth has been unfolded to add upon what is already there, then that is a truth for a new time. Seriously!  Someone isn't LYING when they have the truth of their time! Thinking the world FLAT wasn't a LIE! It was the truth of the time. Do you imagine the numerous people purposely lied? They did not! The truth became known, a new truth and you can well believe that many did not accept the new truth right off, they fought it until they could fight it no more. We have truth's relevant for times, and truth's that are eternal.  You can be honestly speaking one year saying one thing you believe and the next year believe the total opposite and still be honest.  This is truth.

We have to study to believe the truths we need.

We are told to read, to keep, to understand and we will according to the will of God through the Holy Spirit, by the love, grace, and mercy of our SAVIOR Jesus Christ!

Amen.

The Two Witnesses- The Word of Truth

(Excerpts from Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith 1897)

Revelation Chapter 11-  

VERSE 3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

These days are the same as the forty-two months of the preceding verse, and refer to the period of papal triumph. During this time, the witnesses are in a state of sackcloth, or obscurity, and God gives them power to endure and maintain their testimony through that dark and dismal period. But who or what are these witnesses?

VERSE 4. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

Evident allusion is here made to Zech. 4:11-14, where it is explained that the two olive trees are taken to represent the word of God; and David testifies, "The entrance of thy words giveth light;" and, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

Written testimony is stronger than oral. Jesus declared of the Old Testament Scriptures, "They are they which testify of me." In this dispensation, he says that his works bear witness of him. By what means do they bear witness of him? Ever since those disciples who were personally associated with him while on earth passed off the stage of life, his works have borne witness of him only through the medium of the New Testament, where alone we find them recorded. This gospel of the kingdom, it was once declared, shall be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations, etc.

These declarations and considerations are sufficient to sustain the conclusion that the Old and New Testaments, one given

p 532 -- in one dispensation, and the other in the other, are Christ's two witnesses.

VERSE 5. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

To hurt the word of God is to oppose, corrupt, or pervert its testimony, and turn people away from it. Against those who do this work, fire proceedeth out of their mouth to devour them; that is, judgment of fire is denounced in that word against such. It declares that they will have their portion at last in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. Mal. 4:1; Rev. 20:15; 22:18, 19, etc.

VERSE 6. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

In what sense have these witnesses power to shut heaven, turn waters to blood, and bring plagues on the earth? Elijah shut heaven that it rained not for three years and a half; but he did it by the word of the Lord. Moses, by the word of the Lord, turned the waters of Egypt to blood. And just as these judgments, recorded in their testimony, have been fulfilled, so will every threatening and judgment denounced by them against any people surely be accomplished. "As often as they will." As often as judgments are recorded on their pages to take place, so often they will come to pass. An instance of this the world is yet to experience in the infliction of the seven last plagues.

VERSE 7. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.   8.   And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

"When they shall have finished their testimony," that is, "in sackcloth."The sackcloth state ended, or, as elsewhere expressed, the days of persecution were shortened (Matt. 24:22), before the period itself expired. A "beast" in prophecy, denotes a kingdom, or power. (See Dan. 7:17, 23.) The

p 533 -- question now arises, When did the 1260-year period of the witnesses close? and did such a kingdom as described make war on them at the time spoken of? If we are correct in fixing upon A. D. 538 as the time of the commencement of the papal supremacy, the forty-two months being 1260 prophetic days, or years, would bring us down to A. D. 1798. About this time, then, did such a kingdom as described appear, and make war on them, etc? Mark! this beast, or kingdom, is out of the bottomless pit; it has no foundation, is an atheistical power, is "spiritually Egypt." (See Ex. 5:2: "And Pharoah said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.") Here is atheism. Did any kingdom, about 1798 manifest the same spirit? - Yes, France; in her national capacity she denied the being of God, and made war on the "Monarchy of heaven."

"Spiritually" this power "is called Sodom." What was the characteristic sin of Sodom? - Licentiousness. Did France have this character? - She did; fornication was established by law during the period spoken of. "Spiritually" the place was "where our Lord was crucified." Was this true in France? - It was, in more senses than one. A plot was laid in France to destroy all the pious Huguenots; and the awful St. Bartholomew massacre, with its seventy thousand victims, stands as an indelible blot upon the history of that country. Thus our Lord was "spiritually crucified" in his members. Again, the watchword and motto of the French infidels was, "CRUSH THE WRETCH," meaning Christ. Thus it may be truly said, "Where our Lord was crucified." The very spirit of the "bottomless pit" was poured out in that wicked nation.

But did France "make war" on the Bible? - She did; and in 1793 a decree passed the French Assembly forbidding the Bible; and under that decree, the Bibles were gathered and burned, every possible mark of contempt was heaped upon them, and all the institutions of the Bible were abolished; the weekly rest-day was blotted out, and every tenth day substituted for mirth and profanity. Baptism and the communion

p 534 --

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p 535 -- were abolished. The being of God was denied, and death pronounced an eternal sleep. The Goddess of Reason, in the person of a vile woman, was set up, and publicly worshiped. Surely here is a power that exactly answers the prophecy. But let us examine this point still further.

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We tend to FORGET the past, don't we? Seriously. We talk history's horrors and let them slip away. Sometimes we even deny them when we have proof of them.  We call things staged, made up, smoke and mirrors for political reasons. We choose to forget and yet, we know the history was REALITY for millions and millions of people who have died since the world began.

Reading about France in the excerpt above it seems hard to imagine such a world, yet it is our history.  God's word, God's witnesses truly remained and while some would have us believe that it's not even God's word that man manipulated it according to his own designs, that's a lie.

God, for those who have faith, God's hand is in all things. We lack comprehension especially when things are horrific and I MEAN horrific! We can't see God's hand in the horror, yet for reasons we CANNOT fathom, we are called to walk through the horrors of life with God's promises our HOPE.  God worked through the Holy Spirit in arranging His word for the world to have, to keep, to twist and turn as they will according to HIS design, giving knowledge to all those who seek it, knowledge of truth necessary to belong to HIM should they choose.

We are reading these prophecies and the revelation of their truth, and by God's grace we will understand and keep all we are called to keep. 

We know His word is truth, in Him may we find all truth!

In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, our Savior now and forever, in His love, His grace, His mercy, always.

Amen.