The Bible - Available and Banned.

 

The history of the Bible is an amazing one. God's truth. God inspired, Holy Spirit directed.

 

Today- September 19, 2020-

 

So what are some of the restrictions on the Bible around the world? Here are some of the most prominent examples:

• In North Korea, children sometimes are unaware of what their parents’ Bible is. Even having a Bible there is enough to be arrested or killed. An American was arrested and detained for five months, simply for leaving a Bible in a restaurant in the hopes a North Korean might find and read it.
• It is not illegal for a foreigner to have a single Bible in the Maldives in their own language, but there is not a complete translation of a Bible in the native language.
• In Malaysia, Bibles are allowed, but it’s not allowed to refer to God as “Allah” in Christian publications.
• In China, Bibles are allowed, but have been coming under increased scrutiny and regulation.
• In Saudi Arabia, it’s fine to bring in a Bible if you’re a foreigner—but if you do something like read it in public, or it’s suspected you have any intention with speaking publicly about your faith, that could mean prison.
• And in many places it’s permissible for traditional Christians and foreigners to worship in private or in their own ethnic groups, but if someone converts from Islam or is found with a Bible in their own language, it can lead to significant punishment.

 

From <https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/stories/where-is-the-bible-banned/>

 

Why ban or restrict a book unless there was a fear of what reading that book might do?

 

God's word is powerful, yet so many who have easy access to this powerful word neglect it completely and many despise it outright.  God's word is alive and well, even though throughout history many have tried to destroy it.

 

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Rev 11:11  And after three days and an 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.

Rev 11:12  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.

Rev 11:13  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.

 

 

The word of God.

God's holy word.

Love.

Despised.

Revered.

Trampled upon.

Honored.

 

The Bible has been through many, many phases- some where it has been openly honored and others where is has been openly despised. People have gone to great lengths to possess the written word of God, many have died in possession of mere snippets of the Scriptures because it has been illegal to have any part of God's written word. Even today in parts of the world this is still true. We don't like to believe it is because that would mean we live in a barbaric world and we do in many, many ways. To discount such a powerful prophecy geared towards the written word of God would be incredibly foolish and we would be allowing ourselves to be blind if we ignored the possibility.

 

The word of God was abandoned, burned, discarded, destroyed all as the age of reason was ushered in. Where did this take place? Over in part of the world which was once under the rule of the Roman Empire. When the Roman Empire was broken up into ten main parts this part of the world was one of those ten- France. Do you remember our Daniel study on this?  Let's have a tiny refresher.

 

'There were ten nations at some time in their history that were most important in bringing the Roman Empire to its knees, who as independent kingdoms held portions of the Roman empire as theirs. Huns, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Suevi, Burgundians, Heruli, Anglo-Saxons, and Lombards'

 

The Franks- France.

 

This wasn't a part of the world unknown, a part of the world that had no history in God's prophecies, this part of the world was 1/10th of those responsible for the Roman Empire falling apart. France- one of the ten toes in Daniel's prophetic interpretation of the great statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. We shouldn't be surprised at all whatsoever that this part of the world would play a part in more prophetic history. Politics and religion mingled- politics trying to shut out religion and succeeding in keeping the written word of God despised but the word of God could NOT be destroyed.

 

The written word of God was shoved into darkness, deep, deep darkness for many years and then in extreme darkness before it was revived.

 

Rev 11:11  And after three days and an 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.

Rev 11:12  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.

Rev 11:13  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.

 

The Bible! The glorious Bible was massed produced and began to be given to many, many, many people and it has NOT stopped being massed produced since and given to many. The Bible Societies in our world have gone to great lengths to see that God's written word has gone to people all over the world in many, many languages.

 

Read this--

 

Religious books, especially the Bible and the Qur'an, are probably the most-printed books, but it is nearly impossible to find reliable sales figures for them. Print figures are missing or unreliable since these books are produced by many different and unrelated publishers. Furthermore, many copies of the Bible and the Qur'an are printed and given away free, instead of being sold.

Pasted from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_books>

 

The MOST printed books and the Bible is among them! 

 

The Spirit of life from God entered into the written word being proclaimed.

Did great fear fall upon those which realized the Bible's power as it was being given to people everywhere? Yes. The very same people that did not want the Bible to be given to people but wanted to control what they knew of God's word- were NOT happy with this mass produced Bible going to everyone. These people even told their followers that the word of God could only properly be interpreted by them. It's true! I know I've mentioned it before in other studies.

 

'In particular, watch more carefully over those who are assigned to give public readings of holy scripture, so that they function diligently in their office within the comprehension of the audience; under no pretext whatsoever should they dare to explain and interpret the divine writings contrary to the tradition of the Fathers or the interpretation of the Catholic Church.' 

 

INTER PRAECIPUAS (On Biblical Societies) by Pope Gregory XVI, May 8, 1844

 

There is much a person can find on the history of the Bible, of the Bible being banned and so forth. God's witnesses were severely oppressed.  We have access to God's written word and we are so incredibly blessed by that access.

 

God's word directs us heavenward, yes?

The gospel of Christ directs us heavenward. We cannot forget this, not for a moment. The Gospel of the kingdom! Salvation through our Savior!

 

As the fallout from the French Revolution, of the Biblical side of things was witnessed many were horrified, severely horrified by what they saw and yet those who are God's chosen knew still they must give all glory to God. God's remnant throughout time have been witness to the abuse of God's written word through those who have sought to follow God's truth.  Killed for the word of God, this is fact NOT fiction and yet so many today laugh off Christianity. So many laugh off conviction and believe it's all a bunch of foolishness.

 

Oh by the grace of God may we NEVER be among those fools, NEVER be among those deceived.  Please Lord continue to enlighten us, please! By Your grace, by Your mercy, by Your LOVE always!!!!!!!! Help us Lord, save us! Amen.

History - Prophecy

 

Rev 11:9  And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

Rev 11:10  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.

 

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There are a lot of people who believe even today that the Bible, that belief in God, that belief in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior- is an oppressive religion. This moment in history (PROPHECY)- if you will- reveals a time when religion was banned. This happened at tail end of the 1260 year prophecy which ended in 1798.

 

It is notable, very notable and recognized in many ways even today- if not significantly for the religious aspect.  The Reign of Terror- who hasn't learned of this in school history? This is a remarkable event and all that surrounds it is very telling. In 1798 Napoleon's general took the Pope out of power and this led up to that prophetically significant event. We can't ignore it, we shouldn't ignore it. We have to realize that there is quite  bit of prophecy specific to the very end times, but we have thousands of years of history that the prophecy has been set for. Periods of great events, and long lulls. We have to trust that our Savior will give us all the truth we need so that we are not deceived as all but the very elect will be.

 

So much to learn!  Does this fit the prophecy? Truly, does it? Could it? Putting things all together does it work? Are we forcing puzzle pieces into the puzzle or are they falling easily into place?  A lot of people would have us believe we are forcing those puzzle pieces.  And you know what, they'd say that no matter what theories we come up with.

 

Everyone has their own and this is the theory of people who came to the truth as God was opening the eyes of people to understand the messages in the little book of prophecy- Daniel.  Does this mean they can't be wrong? No, it doesn't mean that at all. We all are given light and seriously as God enlightens our understanding to things then we can build on truths that have been presented but only in such a way that we are not contradicting God's word, not contradicting truths that have been established beyond any doubt whatsoever. If we begin to believe in something that takes away that truth that has been given without any doubt at all then everything collapses and deception works its way in. We have to pray and pray hard to have understanding in God's truth.

Personally I do not subscribe to any religion at all that has been established as a religion today- unless I am joining the few who are coming out of Babylon and believing in God's truth and nothing but God's truth.

 

Do I have all the answers? No, and I never will.  We are ALL called to walk by FAITH and that means not having evidence for all things. We place our hope and faith in our Savior to lead us to all the truth we need to be His now and forever.

 

For now read the history excerpts below and realize that the two witnesses (the old and the new testaments) the Bible, was truly, historically, on a huge level denied entirely.

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History- 1793-1797

 

Oct. 5, 1793. The revolutionary calendar was established making weeks of 10 days.

(God created the seven day week)

The month is divided into three décades or "weeks" of ten days each, named simply…

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

 

Nov. 10, 1793 A statute of liberty as "godess of the French people" replaced the image of Mary. . -

The official nationwide Fête de la Raison, supervised by Hébert and Momoro on 20 Brumaire, Year II (10 November 1793) came to epitomize the new republican way of religion. In ceremonies devised and organised by Chaumette, churches across France were transformed into modern Temples of Reason. The largest ceremony of all was at the cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. The Christian altar was dismantled and an altar to Liberty was installed and the inscription "To Philosophy" was carved in stone over the cathedral's doors.[10] Festive girls in white Roman dress and tricolor sashes milled around a costumed Goddess of Reason who "impersonated Liberty

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

 

Nov. 24. Satute ordering the closing of all churches. (Aulard, p. 161)

 

Sept. 17, 1797. Catholicism had been generally restored.

 

Pasted from <http://www.bibleexplained.com/revelation/r-seg11-12/r11f-Fr-rev.htm>

 

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France guarantees freedom of religion as a constitutional right and the government generally respects this right in practice. A long history of violent conflict between groups led the state to break its ties to the Catholic Church early in the last century and adopt a strong commitment to maintaining a totally secular public sector.[1]

 

The Dechristianisation 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.[2]

 

The programme of dechristianization waged against Catholicism, and eventually against all forms of Christianity, included:[1][3][4]: confiscation of church lands, which were to be the security for the new Assignat currency  removal of statues, plates and other iconography from places of worship  destruction of crosses, bells and other external signs of worship  the institution of revolutionary and civic cults, including the Cult of Reason and subsequently the Cult of the Supreme Being,  the enactment of a law on October 21, 1793 making all nonjuring priests and all persons who harboured them liable to death on sight.

 

The climax was reached with the celebration of the Goddess "Reason" in Notre Dame Cathedral on 10 November 1793.

 

The dechristianization campaign can be seen as the logical extension of the materialist philosophies of some leaders of the enlightenment, while for others with more prosaic concerns it was an opportunity to unleash resentments against the Church and clergy.[5]

 

In Paris, over a forty-eight hour period beginning on September 2, 1792, as the Legislative Assembly (successor to the National Constituent Assembly) dissolved into chaos, three Church bishops and more than two hundred priests were massacred by angry mobs; this constituted part of what would become known as the September Massacres. Priests were among those drowned in the Noyades for treason under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Carrier; priests and nuns were among the mass executions at Lyon, for separatism, on the orders of Joseph Fouché and Collot d'Herbois. Hundreds more priests were imprisoned and made to suffer in abominable conditions in the port of Rochefort.

 

Anti-church laws were passed by the Legislative Assembly and its successor, the National Convention, as well as by département councils throughout the country. Many of the acts of dechristianization in 1793 were motivated by the seizure of church gold and silver to finance the war effort,[6] though exceptions weren't uncommon. In November 1793, the département council of Indre-et-Loire abolished the word dimanche (English: Sunday).[citation needed] The Gregorian calendar, an instrument decreed by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, was replaced by the French Republican Calendar which abolished the sabbath, Saints' days and any references to the Church.

 

Anti-clerical parades were held, and the Archbishop of Paris was forced to resign his duties and made to replace his mitre with the red "Cap of Liberty." Street and place names with any sort of religious connotation were changed, such as the town of St. Tropez which became Héraclée. Religious holidays were banned and replaced with holidays to celebrate the harvest and other non-religious symbols. Robespierre and his colleagues decided to supplant both Catholicism and the rival, atheistic Cult of Reason with the Cult of the Supreme Being. Just six weeks before his arrest, on June 8, 1794 the still-powerful Robespierre personally led a vast procession through Paris to the Tuileries garden in a ceremony to inaugurate the new faith.

 

The dechristianisation of France reached its zenith around the middle of 1794 with the fall of Robespierre. By early 1795 a return to some form of religion-based faith was beginning to take shape and a law passed on February 21, 1795 legalised public worship, albeit with strict limitations. The ringing of church bells, religious processions and displays of the Christian cross were still forbidden.

 

As late as 1799, priests were still being imprisoned or deported to penal colonies and persecution only worsened after the French army led by General Louis Alexandre Berthier captured Rome and imprisoned Pope Pius VI, who would die in captivity in Valence, France in August of 1799. Ultimately, with Napoleon now in ascendancy in France, year-long negotiations between government officials and the new Pope, Pius VII, led to the Concordat of 1801, formally ending the dechristianisation period and establishing the rules for a relationship between the Roman Church and the French State.

 

Victims of the Reign of Terror totaled somewhere between 20,000 and 40,000. According to one estimate, among those condemned by the revolutionary tribunals, about 8 percent were aristocrats, 6 percent clergy, 14 percent middle class, and 70 percent were workers or peasants accused of hoarding, evading the draft, desertion, rebellion, and other purported crimes.[7] Of these social groupings, the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church suffered proportionately the greatest loss.[7]

 

Main articles: Dechristianisation of France during the French Revolution and Revolt in the Vendée

 

The Dechristianisation of France during the French Revolution is a conventional description of a campaign, conducted by various Robespierre-era governments of France beginning with the start of the French Revolution in 1789, in order to eliminate any symbol that might be associated with the past, especially the monarchy.

 

The program included the following policies:[44][45][46]  the deportation of clergy and the condemnation of many of them to death,  the closing, desecration and pilaging of churches, removal of the word "saint" from street names and other acts to banish Christian culture from the public sphere  removal of statues, plates and other iconography from places of worship  destruction of crosses, bells and other external signs of worship  the institution of revolutionary and civic cults, including the Cult of Reason and subsequently the Cult of the Supreme Being,  the large scale destruction of religious monuments,  the outlawing of public and private worship and religious education,  forced marriages of the clergy,  forced abjurement of priesthood, and

 the enactment of a law on 21 October 1793 making all nonjuring priests and all persons who harbored them liable to death on sight.

 

The climax was reached with the celebration of the Goddess "Reason" in Notre Dame Cathedral on 10 November.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians#French_Revolution

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dechristianisation_of_France_during_the_French_Revolution

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Roman Catholicism, the religion of a majority of French people, is no longer considered a state religion, as it was before the 1789 Revolution and throughout the various, non-republican regimes of the 19th century (the Restoration, the July Monarchy and the Second French Empire).

Pasted from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_France>

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In September 1793 a period known as the Reign of Terror ensued for approximately 12 months

Pasted from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_France>

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The climax was reached with the celebration of the goddess "Reason" in Notre Dame Cathedral on 10 November. Because dissent was now regarded as counterrevolutionary, extremist enragés such as Hébert and moderate Montagnard indulgents such as Danton were guillotined in the Spring of 1794.[citation needed] On 7 June Robespierre, who favoured deism over Hébert's atheism and had previously condemned the Cult of Reason, recommended that the Convention acknowledge the existence of God. On the next day, the worship of the deistic Supreme Being was inaugurated as an official aspect of the Revolution. Compared with Hébert's somewhat popular festivals, this austere new religion of Virtue was received with signs of hostility by the Parisian public

Pasted from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reign_of_Terror>

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The days of the French Revolution and Republic saw many efforts to sweep away various trappings of the ancien régime; some of these were more successful than others. The new Republican government sought to institute, among other reforms, a new social and legal system, a new system of weights and measures (which became the metric system), and a new calendar. Amid nostalgia for the ancient Roman Republic, the theories of the Enlightenment were at their peak, and the devisors of the new systems looked to nature for their inspiration. Natural constants, multiples of ten, and Latin derivations formed the fundamental blocks from which the new systems were built.

 

The new calendar was created by a commission under the direction of the politician Charles Gilbert Romme seconded by Claude Joseph Ferry and Charles-François Dupuis. They associated with their work the chemist Louis-Bernard Guyton de Morveau, the mathematician and astronomer Joseph-Louis Lagrange, the astronomer Joseph Jérôme Lefrançois de Lalande, the mathematician Gaspard Monge, the astronomer and naval geographer Alexandre Guy Pingré, and the poet, actor and playwright Fabre d'Églantine, who invented the names of the months, with the help of André Thouin, gardener at the Jardin des Plantes of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris. As the rapporteur of the commission, Charles-Gilbert Romme presented the new calendar to the Jacobin-controlled National Convention on 23 September 1793

Pasted from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Republican_Calendar>

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Fire Will Destroy Those Who Hurt the Witnesses-The Word of God.

 

The Old and the New Testaments- The Word Of God- Two Witnesses to God. Jesus tells us, that He is the Word of God, He is the light.

 

Joh_8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

 

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God. 

Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

Joh 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 

Joh 1:5  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 

 

Jesus the light, Jesus the Word. Jesus of the Old Testament, and New.

 

Jesus in the beginning of the world -

 

Col 1:13  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 

Col 1:14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 

Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him

 

Jesus of the Old Testament-

 

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. 

 

Jesus.  The Word. And the Word will have His way.

 

Rev 11:5  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

Does God use fire to destroy unrepentant sinners?

Gen 19:24  Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven.

Yes.

Will God use fire to destroy unrepentant sinners?

Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Yes.

The word of God.

The Word of God.

Is God hurt by our sins? Seriously, do our sins grieve God?

Luk 19:40  And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

Luk 19:41  And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

Luk 19:42  Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

 

Jesus wept.

Fact or fiction?

Most unfortunately believe it's all fiction, but it is fact, praise God.

 

Our Lord and Savior will return and though His heart breaks for those who will be lost, they will be lost and in the very, very end they will be burned to ash, to nothing.

 

Those who hurt the Word of God, those who disobey the Word of God, those who do not heed His commandments, those who do not believe in His gospel of the kingdom- they will be destroyed unless they repent! And many, very sadly will NOT repent. Many will be lost and so many do not believe this is true. It is true that those who hurt God's two witnesses will be destroyed by fire as the word of God has promised. The witnesses have given their testimony and by that testimony  - by the word of the mouth of those witnesses, people- many people will be destroyed because they believe not and they live against those witnesses of God's love and truth, they hurt the love and truth of God. We can't escape this on our own, only through our Savior's mercy and grace can we live in hope of eternal life in His kingdom with Him, through His righteousness. We cannot shun the word of God, we cannot shun the witnesses He has left with us, we cannot hurt the Word of God and yet so many do. 

 

Please God, please keep us in You and Your truth now and always! In Your love!

Amen.

Not The Signs You'd Expect.

 

 Rev 11:1  And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

Rev 11:2  But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

 

The temple of God.

The altar.

Them that worship therein.

 

We understand the measuring of a building, right? We can even understand the measuring of an altar, because it's an object. How do we measure the people that are worshipping inside that temple? You can take the measure of a man certainly, we measure each other all the time, don't we? We size each other up to what end? There are various reasons for sizing a person up. A boss may size a potential employee up to note their worthiness of the position being offered. A potential friend might be taking the measure of a person to see if they would make a good friend. We might even take the measure of a stranger trying to understand whether or not we should even make a gesture of a smile at them.

Here, John is told to measure the temple there is an importance to the temple but it's NOT the earthly temple. The heavenly temple is where our Savior went when he rose from earth and He is still there. We through Him are there with Him when we accept Him as our Savior. The measure of our worth is found in Him, in Christ our Lord and Savior.

 

John is also told this… 'But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months'

 

42 months  Rev. 13:5

 

1260 days  Revelation 12: 6.

 

3 1/2 times in Daniel 7: 25 and 12: 7, and Revelation 12: 14.

 

This time period is amazingly special and a marked period that God has given to us to realize how amazing prophecy is and how the plan He has is real and NOT to be denied, not to be ignored, not to be taken lightly.  We've studied this time period a few times now and we know that it ends in 1798- we know that the little book was opened about the same time and the understanding of people towards these prophecies was begun. 

 

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

 

During these 42 months, during the 1260 days there were TWO witnesses that would prophesize, only they would be covered in sackcloth. 

 

What does it mean to be covered in sackcloth?

 

sackcloth [ˈsækˌklɒθ]

n

1. (Clothing, Personal Arts & Crafts / Textiles) coarse cloth such as sacking

2. (Clothing & Fashion) garments made of such cloth, worn formerly to indicate mourning or penitence

sackcloth and ashes a public display of extreme grief, remorse, or repentance

 

Pasted from <http://www.thefreedictionary.com/sackcloth>

 

Worn to indicate mourning or penitence- display extreme grief, remorse, repentance.

 

For 1260 years the witnesses of God would be down trodden, they would be mourning, and when someone is in mourning, when there is a period of mourning people generally are NOT themselves, they are not alive as they should be in a manner of speaking. They don't shine as they normally would. We can think of mourning people and maybe today a lot of people don't mourn like they used to but mourning people used to be given a lot more respect than they are given today- at least in our country.  We've all had a reason to grieve, to mourn in our lives and we know what it means. The depression, the darkness, the feeling of being out of touch with the rest of the world which goes on and on not feeling the pain at all. We want others to understand our pain to know why things aren't alright in our world, why we feel like crying, why we feel as if things will never be good again.  When the mourning is over and time is a great healer of emotions, we do begin to look up again and start to live again.  This is something that happens over and over in our lives on various levels.

 

These two witnesses of God would mourn for 1260 years, but then they would live again.

 

Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

 

Two olive trees.

Two candlesticks.

All standing before God, the Creator.

The witnesses-  trees that produce oil.

The witnesses- candles that produce light.

 

Oil and light.  Representatives of God. How do oil and light associated with the temple represent God?

 

Exo 25:6  Oil for the light…

Exo 27:20  And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.

Exo 35:14  The candlestick also for the light, and his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light

 

The thing these two items have in common are they both can be used to produce light. 

Light in the Bible represents what? 

 

Psa 119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Psa 19:8  The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

Pro 6:23  For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life

Eph 5:13  But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts

Psa 18:28  For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

Psa 119:130  The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

 

Can we honestly believe that God's word could be representative by oil and light, by candlesticks? Jesus had this to say--

 

Joh 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Mat 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 

Jesus is the LIGHT of the world! The light of life! Jesus told us we are the light of the world! And what does that mean really? That our light would shine before men and they would see our good works and they would GLORIFY the Father in heaven!  We would be witnesses of our faith.

 

God's word is His witness. 

 

We have God's word, His written word. We have the scriptures- scriptures JESUS referred to and read from and expounded on and we have the words of Jesus. We have TWO sections- an old and a new testament- TWO witnesses to God. Two amazing witnesses! And we KNOW that the word of God was great oppressed for many, many, many years. Even when the printing press was invented and the Bible could go to the mainstream it was still oppressed. The Catholic Church wanted full control over the word of God, they wanted only learned men of their church to have the Bible and give their interpretation to the people. You can study all this on the web, the history of the Bible being oppressed, the interference of the Catholic church it's all proven history.  Now WHEN did the Bible begin to be given to people without interference?

 

'The British and Foreign Bible Society, often known in England and Wales as simply as Bible Society, is a non-denominational Christian Bible society with charity status whose purpose is to make the Bible available throughout the world.[1]

The Society was formed on 7 March 1804.[2]'

 

Pasted from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_and_Foreign_Bible_Society>

 

The witnesses were in sackcloth! The witnesses were oppressed! The witnesses were covered in darkness for so long. And now… God's word was brought out of mourning and into the light of new life gone out to the world and soon Biblical prophecy was opened to the understanding of the world just as GOD PREDICTED!

This makes sense!  Perfect sense!

Do we want to believe this makes sense? Seriously, do we? Or are we looking for fantastical happenings?

The Bible tells us this--

 

Mat 24:37  But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Mat 24:38  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark

 

Eating. Drinking. Marrying. Giving in marriage.

 

This is a normal every day happenstance around the world.  We eat, we drink, we marry, we give in marriage. This is such normalcy and it tells us that when our Savior comes A LOT of people will be going about their everyday lives as if nothing is different.

 

So many people want to believe that they will have some amazing warning, some television movie -like event , some epic special effects that will allow them to prepare, but they will be totally lost just as they were in the days of Noah.  There isn't going to be any OBVIOUS sign that will alert people, there will be signs for those who are watching and are looking for Christ's return and are truly His, known by Him. For all those who are waiting for two witnesses- two men of God- as portrayed in the fictional movies they could very well be waiting in vain. How sad it would be, how horribly sad for those who watch for signs that aren't going to come to pass. May God keep our hearts and minds open to His truth and ONLY His truth. May we NOT be deceived as so many will be. Please God help us! Please Lord, please! We want to be ready, we want to be Yours, wholly Yours! All through the grace and mercy of Your Son, our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ and HIS righteousness.

Amen.

Little Book - Opened.

 

Rev 10:1  And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire

BRILLIANT!

Rev 10:2  And he had in his hand a little book open

 

Dan 12:4  But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

 

Little book open. (Book of Revelation)

Seal the book. (Book of Daniel)

 

One book was written LONG before the other.  Daniel was written long before Revelation. In Daniel we have a sealed book, a book that would remain sealed until the time of the end when many would be running to and fro and knowledge would increase. The book would be opened and in Revelation we read of an open book.   A MIGHTY angel has this little open book in his hand.

 

Rev 10:2 ...and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth

 

One foot of the might angel was put upon the sea the other on the earth.

If the sea represents - multitudes, nations, tongues, people

 

Rev 17:15  And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

 

Then the earth it stands to reason would represent a without multitudes. 

Remember this- Dan 7:3  And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

 

We KNOW where those four beasts came up don't we? The land of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome. 

 

We know where the sea is… in a very populated area, hence we know where the earth is. A land that was largely unpopulated and becoming newly populated, the United States. A vast land founded hugely unpopulated except for the small population of Native Americans. I say small because compared to the highly populated lands of Europe, Middle East, and Asia- America was practically empty.

 

This mighty angel planted a foot on the sea and on the earth and the little open book rested upon his hand.  The time would come when this open book would go to the people, the same time would see a great increase in knowledge- biblical and secular. 

 

'The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the socioeconomic and cultural conditions of the times. It began in the United Kingdom, then subsequently spread throughout Europe, North America, and eventually the world.

The Industrial Revolution marks a major turning point in human history; almost every aspect of daily life was influenced in some way.'

 

'The First Industrial Revolution, which began in the 18th century, merged into the Second Industrial Revolution around 1850, when technological and economic progress gained momentum with the development of steam-powered ships, railways, and later in the 19th century with the internal combustion engine and electrical power generation. The period of time covered by the Industrial Revolution varies with different historians. Eric Hobsbawm held that it 'broke out' in Britain in the 1780s and was not fully felt until the 1830s or 1840s,[7] while T. S. Ashton held that it occurred roughly between 1760 and 1830.[8]'

 

Pasted from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Revolution>

 

We've established a bit of a time frame for this little book open appearing, haven't we?  Late 1700's right on through …well, we are still advancing aren't we? I don't think we've ever stopped not since it was started.  If fully felt in the 1830's - 40's we can most assuredly understand the amazing Biblical advancement in the understanding of prophecy- can't we? 

 

For the moment - back to Revelation.

 

With one foot on the sea and another on the earth this mighty angel CRIED out with a loud voice- as a LION ROARING!

 

Rev 10:3  And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth

 

You know what a lion's roar sounds like, don't you? Surely you've heard one on television if not in person. If you've never heard a lion's roar check it out on youtube

 

http://youtu.be/aUfDxRelPHg

 

Do a search for lion's roaring and listen to them.  One video caption mentioned the lion's roar being heard throughout the entire zoo they were in.  There is no doubt that the lion's roar is deep and ferocious, loud and worthy of great notice.  This mighty angel, this brilliant, striking angel cried out in that manner- loud, strong, commanding.  What was his cry? It doesn't say. In fact immediately after the cry seven thunders spoke.  Thunders spoke! An angel cries out like a lion and then thunders speak! 

 

Rev 10:3 ...and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

Rev 10:4  And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.         

 

Amazing! Thunders utter their voices and they are not to be heard! Thunder! So loud, so commanding, we all have been known to jump a bit when we've been surprised by a particularly loud clap of thunder haven't we? Just imagine what John must have heard. He wanted to write it down but he was stopped. The utterances of the seven thunders were stifled, they were sealed. Amazing too is the fact that just as an open book appears the message of the seven thunders were sealed. There are things we CANNOT know. We are way too arrogant if we believe we should have all access to everything of God and that He should have nothing hid from us. All that is necessary to our salvation is revealed to us and not hidden, but God's ways are not our ways.

 

Isa 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isa 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 

Rev 10:5  And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,

Rev 10:6  And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer

 

Who did this angel sware by?

 

Our Savior! Our God! Our Creator!  The Creator of the heaven and all in them, the Creator of earth and all in them, the Creator of the sea and all in them. 

 

What did he sware?  That there should be time no longer!

 

Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

 

BUT before there would be time no longer the voice of the SEVENTH angel would sound, the mystery of God finished.

 

Rev 10:8  And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.

 

The voice from heaven spoke to John again- the voice told John to TAKE the little book which is open in the hand of angel standing upon the sea and earth.   The mighty, brilliant angel held a book which you KNOW has to be very important, there's nothing about this angel that doesn't scream important.

 

Rev 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.

 

John didn't ask for the little book. John commanded the mighty angel to GIVE him the little book. John TOLD the angel to GIVE him the little book. But the mighty angel did NOT give the book to John, did he? No, he did not. He told John to TAKE IT, just as the other voice told John told john to TAKE the book. This book was willingly taken as directed, as commanded. And the mighty angel added something else after telling John to take the little book. He told John to eat the little book. Eat the book and your stomach is going to ache, but oh will it taste sweet!

 

How many times have you eaten something that tasted wonderful only to have it cause you a stomach ache afterwards? It's happened, yes?  Now what if I baked you a treat and told you it was going to taste great but afterwards it was going to upset your stomach, what would you think? Seriously? Take a moment to consider such a situation. Would you WANT to eat that sweet knowing what the end result would be? I'm sure you'd have to really think about it, I know I would. Because who likes having a bitter stomach? No one I know that's for sure. We avoid stomach aches for the most part, don't we? We take lots of antacids and bloating/gas relief products just to keep ourselves feeling comfortable, don't we? How many people take heartburn medicine? It's so common, so incredibly common for people to take medicine so they can continue to eat foods that would upset their digestion without that medicine. They don't want an upset digestive system because it's very unpleasant. 

 

Here John is told to take a book- eat the book- it will taste wonderful but it's going to upset his stomach.

 

Prophecy! The little book is the prophecy book of Daniel which had been sealed and would be unsealed at the time of the end. When people became enlightened to what the prophecies were, when they connected history so completely, so wonderfully to prophecy and saw the hand of God working undeniably in it all they were thrilled! How sweet, how wondrous the amazing insights unfolding before their eyes, their understanding was opened. Only… it didn't last. Why didn't it last? Because that sweet book was going to cause a lot of stomach misery later on. The disappointment was huge when the prophecies which so clearly seemed to point to the end of the world in their day, did NOT come to pass! Did that mean all the prophecies were wrong, that all the history proved prophecy was not what it seemed to be?  So many questions, so much heartache, such incredible dismay was felt. The bitter belly was awful!

 

Rev 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.

 

Rev 10:11  And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

 

John heard the mighty angel tell him what would have to come to pass. Those who ate this little book and received a bitter belly would have to PROPHESIZE AGAIN and not in a small measure but in a huge one!  The time of the very end wasn't there yet, but it was on its way and people needed to be warned. Those who newly discovered the wonderful truth in these prophecies so long hidden needed to go and take the truth of them to the entire world! Yes, it was a bitter disappointment to have to stay on earth after having such great expectation of Jesus' second coming, but it was for a purpose - God is long suffering towards us not willing that any of us should perish.

 

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

PRAISE GOD!

Prophecy-

 

(From a previous prophecy study- By the grace of God let us forever seek to read, know, and keep what we learn- even if that means rereading it over and over.)

 

Let's slowly read through the same verses we historically dissected previously before we start to  delve deeply into them again.

 

Rev 10:1  And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

Rev 10:2  And he had in his hand a little book open and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth

Rev 10:3  And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

Rev 10:4  And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.         

 

Rev 10:5  And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,

Rev 10:6  And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer

Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

Rev 10:8  And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.

Rev 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.

Rev 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.

Rev 10:11  And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

 

Rev 11:1  And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

Rev 11:2  But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

Rev 11:5  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

 

Rev 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

 

Rev 11:9  And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

Rev 11:10  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.

Rev 11:11  And after three days and an 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.

Rev 11:12  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.

Rev 11:13  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.

Rev 11:14  The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

 

*******

It sounds amazing! So incredibly amazing! It is PROPHECY.

 

A beast is not always simply a beast. A crown is not always simply a crown. A star is not always simply a star. Waters are not always simply waters. Earth is not always simply earth.

 

Remember in the book of Daniel how grieved Daniel was because he couldn't understand the things he was being shown? He'd see these INCREDIBLE visions given him by God and he'd be just as confused as we are when we read them, more so really because He didn't have the wealth of Biblical knowledge we have at our fingertips. We have such a fantasic source of information available to us as we study prophecy. As Daniel wrote what he saw and lived in a state of confusion from what he witness we can only imagine his thoughts, his passion to understand. He prayed hard and sacrificed much just to hopefully, prayerfully, get answers. An angel was sent to him and opened Daniel's understanding at least to a degree. The angel also told Daniel that the book would be closed up- that it wouldn't be understood not until it was the proper time.

 

We have this amazing book- the Bible - and it's filled with prophecy starting right in the beginning and going all the way unto the end, no matter what order you believe the Bible should be read in. The Bible is not only filled with prophecy but history that in and of itself reveals God's plans for mankind over and over again - which become historical prophecy. We can look back at history- actual history - actual lives of people who lived just assuredly as you and I are alive, as our parents are or were alive and our grandparents and their parents and so on. No one can dispute our historical facts, no one. Do you dispute your own existence or the existence of your parents and so on? We can't. Our amazing God guided the lives of people who loved Him and those lives that were guided so amazing have been recorded for our learning, for our understanding of how wondrous our God is! We can look at so much in the Bible and see a guiding force beyond anything that we can fully comprehend and yet people refuse to believe! People still doubt! People would rather believe in false gods that have nothing to show them, nothing at all. People would rather worship the sun and moon than a living God, the Creator of the sun and moon!

 

This book of Revelation  is filled with cryptic imagery that is given to us for a reason.  Our Savior instructed us to WATCH and to PRAY.  Our Savior gave us PROPHECY, prophecy came from the lips of our Savior. Our Savior mentioned the prophet Daniel.

 

Mat 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

 

We were pointed to Daniel by Jesus and in Revelation Jesus points us back to Daniel using John as His prophet to give us His message.  We are supposed to study prophecy. We are blessed when we study prophecy, so why do we neglect it so much? Why do we give up because we find it incomprehensible? Why do we not search it over and over again, praying all while for our eyes to be opened.  Jesus WANTS us to comprehend! Jesus wants us to be blessed! When we are given various meanings for prophecies given we HAVE a duty to search the Scriptures and find out where the truth exists in those meanings. We could be given a thousand different interpretations and it is our duty to examine those interpretations to see if they do fit into God's plan. Is my interpretation correct? Is my following the interpretations of another correct? God will guide me to know the truth I have to believe this just as every single one of us has to seek the truth for ourselves.

 

We are going to go through this section of prophecy slowly because so many people believe that the 'two witnesses' are supposed to be real men, real angels, real figures that show up and these people are waiting for them!  Is it possible there will be these special witnesses? I believe the devil can impersonate angels of light, my Bible tells me so. I firmly believe the prophecy fits so much more perfectly when we understand the witnesses to be figures of the Old and New Testament and how throughout our history the Bible has been abused over and over.  Like I said, I want to study this more, much more closely all by the grace of God! All by His love, through His righteousness, His mercy, His grace! 

 

 

Amen.

One Man's Obedience.

 

(Excerpt - Sermon On Righteousness #9)

 

Continued…

 

"As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous."

 

That settles the whole question, as to whether you and I can do works that will make us righteous. It is by the obedience of one man. Now which man shall that be? Can I do righteousness that will do you any good? No. Can you do righteousness that will do me any good? No. Suppose that one man could do righteous works that would be set to his account as making him righteous--who shall he be? I cannot do it for you and you cannot do it for me. Then who is the man? Jesus Christ of Nazareth!

 

(Rom_5:19  For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

 

Jesus, by the obedience of Jesus shall many be made righteous.)

 

This settles the question as to whether justification by faith comes by the law. By the obedience of Christ are many made righteous or obedient. Righteousness is obedience to the law. Did you ever read or hear of any human being who kept the law perfectly? Or did you ever hear of anyone, however high his standard was set, who did not find something beyond, that he had not attained to? Even worldly men often have an ideal of their own, but the nearer they can come to that ideal, the greater lack they see in themselves. Anyone who is sincere in trying to reach a high standard, when he gets there, will see something beyond it.

 

There is one spotless life. There is one man, the man Christ Jesus, who resisted successfully all the powers of sin when He was here upon earth.

 

He was the Word made flesh.

 

God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself.

 

He could stand before the world and challenge any to convict Him of sin. No guile was found in His mouth.

 

Heb_7:26  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens

 

He was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens," and by His obedience shall many be made righteous.

 

Then comes the question, how can this be? It is the same question that the Jews propounded to Christ, when He said, "Except ye eat my flesh and drink my blood, ye have no life in you." Said they, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" There are many today who may be found asking the same question when they say how can I have His life or His righteousness? Could Jesus explain to them how He could give them His flesh? He could not do it except by the words He spake unto them--they are spirit and they are life.

 

The plan of salvation cannot be explained to man. It was made by an infinite being, and we cannot understand it. As to how it takes place we are ignorant. Through all eternity we will not understand how it was done. It is only infinite power that can or could do it. It is only infinite wisdom that can understand it.

 

If we will eat the flesh of Christ and drink His blood, we will have the life of Christ. If we have His life, we have a righteous life; His obedience works in us and that makes us righteous.

 

(Joh_6:35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.)

 

This does not leave any room for the statement that Christ obeyed for us and that therefore we can do as we please, and His righteousness will be accounted unto us just the same. His obedience must be manifested in us day by day. It is not our obedience, but the obedience of Christ working in us. By those "exceeding great and precious promises," we take the divine life into us. The life we live is the life of the Son of God. He died for us, and loved us with a love that we cannot fathom. The righteousness that we have is His. Thanks be to God for the unspeakable gift. He lets us get all the benefit of that obedience, because we have shown our intense desire for obedience. That is why He gives it to us.

 

2Pe_1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

 

When you go to God, take these Scriptures on your lips, "We shall be saved by His life." "By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."

 

Take them to God in prayer. They are true, for the Lord Himself has said so. How can these blessings be obtained? By faith! Take it by faith, and it is yours, and no one can take it from you.

 

Then you will have it, although you do not understand how it can be done. When you have it, you have life. What life? The divine life. Then when you come up to the time of temptation, the time when you have usually fallen, you can tell Satan that he has no power to make you fall beneath that temptation, for it is not you, but Christ that dwelleth in you.

 

There never was a time in the life of any man when of himself he had power to resist temptation. We cannot do it. That proves that we must have a life different from our natural life in order to resist sin at all. That must be a life that sin has never touched and can never touch. Repeat the glorious words over and over again, "His life is mine, I cannot be touched by sin. His strength is my strength; His obedience is my obedience, and His life is my life. That was a sinless life, and by faith I have it, I hold to it, because it is mine, and sin cannot touch it." That is the only way to resist them, and that will be successful every time.

 

1891 General Conference Sermons- Study #9 A.T. Jones -to be continued.