God has an agenda. “To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant (Luke 1:72).” The promises of end times must be fulfilled, wherefore God will perform the miraculous signs and wonders that will shake even the powers of heaven (Matthew 24:29). Great healings, as well as other tremendous signs took place in Jesus' day, but the signs and wonders which are prophesied for end times are likened to that of Moses’ days. In those days God revealed himself to Israel by sending great plagues upon Egypt, and he parted the Red Sea and brought his children safely through it, and then he allowed the sea to destroy their enemies. After Israel witnessed all of these miracles, God turned and wiped out those people among them that ungratefully refused to believe his prophet, and accept his word. However far removed these miracles may seem, they are relevant to end times. The historic portions of scripture are recorded for our edification, and they are patterns which help believers discern the future.
When Moses prophesied about the tribulation and the required obedience of end times, he encouraged Israel to prayerfully turn unto God, and think upon the steadfastness of God's mercy and forgiveness, as well as upon the promises that God gave unto the forefathers. “When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them (Deuteronomy 4:30-31)”
Moses prophesied that there would be day in which Israel would again see God taking a nation out of a nation by mighty signs and miracles, like the miracles that they saw in Egypt. When Israel saw these mighty signs and wonders, she was to perceive and know that God was speaking to her, and Moses encouraged her to follow the Lord's instructions. “Hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? Unto thee it was showed, that thou mightest know that the Lord he is God; there is none else beside him. Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee (from Deuteronomy 4:34-36).” The people of Israel are to take heed and obey God's instructions after they see God's mighty signs, and after they witness the terrors, and the wars.
God is going to bring about these mighty signs and wonders to establish the new covenant (Psalms 107:13). “In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and I will make them lie down safely. And I will even betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving kindness, and in mercies. I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord (Hosea 2:18-20).”
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me (Matthew 11:29).” These words were spoken by Jesus Christ, and they are our new covenant. The new covenant was a mystery that was kept hidden for the latter days, however, evidence of its mysterious elusiveness was prophesied by a psalmist: “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant (Psalms 25:14).” The new covenant works like a marriage covenant. Believers wishing to unite with the spirit of God must vow to learn of Jesus Christ, and if they that keep that vow, then the Holy Spirit of God will unite with their spirit, and the two of shall become one flesh. Christianity was unaware of its participation in this covenant, but all Christians who learned of Jesus, and who kept the commandments, were saved by it (Isaiah 42:6).
All of the old covenants are about to be dissolved. "In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away (Hebrews 8:13)." “If the first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah (Hebrews 8:7-8).”
God's new covenant will crown Jesus Christ, the great High Priest over all believers (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5:10). Under the old covenants, ordained priests were required to offer a sacrifice for their own sins, and then afterwards they were required to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people (Hebrews 5:1-3). According to that law, Christ, who had no sin, would still be required to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people. "For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer (Hebrews 8:3)." The offering that Christ offers for the sins of the people, is the works of his body, the church, for his people preformed righteous works which were done in order to make God known to the nations (1Corinthians 12:13; Hebrews 10:5). Their sacrifices were acceptable, and they were well pleasing unto God (Philippians 4:18).
The laws of sacrifice are changing under the new covenant: God is taking away the need for priests to offer sacrifices for their own sins, as well as for the sins for the people. "For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law (Hebrews 7:12)." In other words, priests won't have to sacrifice their lives in order to cause believers to know the Lord. The new covenant will teach all believers how to receive the holy Spirit, and it will insure that all believers are being taught by the Lord. "They shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest (Hebrews 8:11)."
“He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and obligation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate (Daniel 9:27).” We are already in the midst of the week in which God is confirming the covenant message, therefore God has already caused the sacrifices and the obligations to cease. Now which ceased, is the works that righteous believers were doing in order to strengthen religion. According to the afore mentioned verse, God has already brought spiritual death upon congregations whose leaders ignored the covenant message, and have continued to uphold religion's traditional teachings: they are desolate. Desolation will remain upon them until the prophesied pestilence of correction is poured upon these priests (Revelation 14:10).
“O Lord... have respect for thy covenant: for the dark places of earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name (Psalms 74:20-21).” By orchestrating end times in this way, God made it possible for the faithful believers of every religion to come and learn of Jesus Christ, without shame. Mercy and grace will be lavished upon believers of every faith when they acknowledge that Jesus' blood established all of God's covenants (Hebrews 8:12; 10:29). “Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little (Psalms 2:12).”
“Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto (Galatians 3:15).” This verse is implying that although the new covenant is a prophesied message, it will be confirmed by the certainty of God's verification. God will protect all believers who help to forward the covenant message, and through their faith the new covenant will be established. “Be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them (Jeremiah 10:2).” “He sent his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing (Psalms 107:20-22).” The forthcoming signs and wonders are something to be praised, for they mark the end of religion's reign on earth, and the beginning of God's peace among the nations (Psalms 37:11).
Call upon God and ask him to give you understanding for end times, for our God
is good, and he is powerful, and he is about to achieve the impossible! “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 (Revelation 11:17).”
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
Christmas and the Blessed Hope
Jesus Christ is the alpha and omega, the first and the last, the author and finisher of our faith. These expressions foreswear the inevitability of his return. God's people should not only be anticipating his return, but they should also be looking for the blessed hope. “Looking for that blessed hope, ‘and’ the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).”
The mystery of the blessed hope was prophesied by the apostle Paul (Colossians 1:23). “We are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? (Romans 8:24).” One clue into the mystery of our blessed hope, is that believers are to be hoping for something that they haven’t seen. “If we hope for that we see not, then we do with patience wait of it (Romans 8:25).” Our blessed hope is for the redemption of the body. “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh (Luke 21:28).” If you think redemption is passé, think again.
Christ is our redeemer, but the redemption hasn’t happened. “You were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of your inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession (Ephesians 1:13-14).” Redemption happens when the Islamic, Jewish and Christian faiths, unite their understandings and their hopes together as one. Paul put it this way, “Not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body (Romans 8:23).” Redemption is about Christ claiming his bride, and all believers are to be hoping for that day. "We through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness that is by faith (Galatians 5:5)."
Jesus' death was not only for Christianity, but his death was for the iniquities and the transgressions of all of Abraham's seed. “That by means of his death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15).” Christians are fellow-heirs with Jewish and Islamic believers (Ephesians 3:6). The Islamic and Jewish faiths are receiving their inheritance by promise, while Jesus' followers are receiving their inheritance by hope. “Ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who were sometimes far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:12-13).” The blood of Jesus' sufferings, cleanses Christianity. “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).” Jews and Muslims are cleansed by the blood of Christ's death. “Christ hath made of one blood all nations (Acts 17:26).” “He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 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 (Ephesians 2:14-16).” Jesus' second coming will forever abolish the laws of every religion, and it will unite believers together in one understanding, thus making peace within the elect.
There is one hope of the believer's calling. “There is one body, and one spirit, even as ye are called in the one hope of your calling (Ephesians 4:4).” Paul prophesied details of the believer's calling, and prayed that men everywhere might know the hope of their calling (Ephesians 1:18): “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Christ (Acts 26:18).” In other words, when believers are hoping for the redemption of the body, what is really hoping for is the salvation of religion's deceived people. There are believers within every religion that did believe God, and that have kept his ways, therefore God is fulfilling his promise to bring redemption. Redemption is about knowing how to lead others in truth, and the new covenant will cause believers to know how to acurately tell others how that they too can receive salvation, and inherit God's blessings. Receiving eternal life is marked by evidence: believers are to inherit a quickened spirit, which is the gift of God.“That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father (Romans 15:6).”
Teaching the covenant message before the day of salvation will take patience, because God is changing something that everyone deems unchangeable. “The servant of the Lord must be gentle unto all, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil (from 2Timothy 2:24-26)." Insulting and accusing one another, displeases God. "If a man strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully (2Timothy 2:5)." Share the mystery of salvation boldly and without fear (Romans 12:1). “You have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God… joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be glorified together (Romans 8:15-17).” The sufferings that believers suffer as they promote the covenant message will turn into blessings, because of their love for the Lord. "For as the sufferings of Christ abounded in us, so our consolation also abounded by Christ... As ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation (2Corinthians 1:7)."
The hope of our calling will overturn religion, and it will change the world. Fear not, consult the scriptures: every time that God moved to do a new thing, his followers were called to fearlessly go from faith, to faith, and their acts were recorded for our edification. The difference between their decisions and those of end times, is that end time conversions are not going to be optional. God prophesied promises of reward to strengthen believers, and just as his promises stood firm through the challenges of our forefathers, so they shall stand firm through the challenges of end times.
“Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light (Ephesians 5:14).” Help promote the covenant message and teach others how to receive the Holy Spirit. “So is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption… It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body (1Corinthians 15:42;15:44).” Then all God's people can receive God's gift of new life. “Neither can they die anymore: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being children of the resurrection (Luke 20:36).” “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God (1Peter 1:23).”
“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me... even the messenger of the covenant (Malachi 3:1)." The covenant message is the truth: Don't take it lightly. “It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they had known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them (2Peter 2:21).” “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done dispite to the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29).”
“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1Peter 1:13).”
The mystery of the blessed hope was prophesied by the apostle Paul (Colossians 1:23). “We are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? (Romans 8:24).” One clue into the mystery of our blessed hope, is that believers are to be hoping for something that they haven’t seen. “If we hope for that we see not, then we do with patience wait of it (Romans 8:25).” Our blessed hope is for the redemption of the body. “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh (Luke 21:28).” If you think redemption is passé, think again.
Christ is our redeemer, but the redemption hasn’t happened. “You were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of your inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession (Ephesians 1:13-14).” Redemption happens when the Islamic, Jewish and Christian faiths, unite their understandings and their hopes together as one. Paul put it this way, “Not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body (Romans 8:23).” Redemption is about Christ claiming his bride, and all believers are to be hoping for that day. "We through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness that is by faith (Galatians 5:5)."
Jesus' death was not only for Christianity, but his death was for the iniquities and the transgressions of all of Abraham's seed. “That by means of his death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15).” Christians are fellow-heirs with Jewish and Islamic believers (Ephesians 3:6). The Islamic and Jewish faiths are receiving their inheritance by promise, while Jesus' followers are receiving their inheritance by hope. “Ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who were sometimes far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:12-13).” The blood of Jesus' sufferings, cleanses Christianity. “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).” Jews and Muslims are cleansed by the blood of Christ's death. “Christ hath made of one blood all nations (Acts 17:26).” “He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 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 (Ephesians 2:14-16).” Jesus' second coming will forever abolish the laws of every religion, and it will unite believers together in one understanding, thus making peace within the elect.
There is one hope of the believer's calling. “There is one body, and one spirit, even as ye are called in the one hope of your calling (Ephesians 4:4).” Paul prophesied details of the believer's calling, and prayed that men everywhere might know the hope of their calling (Ephesians 1:18): “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Christ (Acts 26:18).” In other words, when believers are hoping for the redemption of the body, what is really hoping for is the salvation of religion's deceived people. There are believers within every religion that did believe God, and that have kept his ways, therefore God is fulfilling his promise to bring redemption. Redemption is about knowing how to lead others in truth, and the new covenant will cause believers to know how to acurately tell others how that they too can receive salvation, and inherit God's blessings. Receiving eternal life is marked by evidence: believers are to inherit a quickened spirit, which is the gift of God.“That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father (Romans 15:6).”
Teaching the covenant message before the day of salvation will take patience, because God is changing something that everyone deems unchangeable. “The servant of the Lord must be gentle unto all, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil (from 2Timothy 2:24-26)." Insulting and accusing one another, displeases God. "If a man strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully (2Timothy 2:5)." Share the mystery of salvation boldly and without fear (Romans 12:1). “You have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God… joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be glorified together (Romans 8:15-17).” The sufferings that believers suffer as they promote the covenant message will turn into blessings, because of their love for the Lord. "For as the sufferings of Christ abounded in us, so our consolation also abounded by Christ... As ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation (2Corinthians 1:7)."
The hope of our calling will overturn religion, and it will change the world. Fear not, consult the scriptures: every time that God moved to do a new thing, his followers were called to fearlessly go from faith, to faith, and their acts were recorded for our edification. The difference between their decisions and those of end times, is that end time conversions are not going to be optional. God prophesied promises of reward to strengthen believers, and just as his promises stood firm through the challenges of our forefathers, so they shall stand firm through the challenges of end times.
“Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light (Ephesians 5:14).” Help promote the covenant message and teach others how to receive the Holy Spirit. “So is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption… It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body (1Corinthians 15:42;15:44).” Then all God's people can receive God's gift of new life. “Neither can they die anymore: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being children of the resurrection (Luke 20:36).” “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God (1Peter 1:23).”
“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me... even the messenger of the covenant (Malachi 3:1)." The covenant message is the truth: Don't take it lightly. “It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they had known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them (2Peter 2:21).” “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done dispite to the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29).”
“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1Peter 1:13).”
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Death, Hell, and the Power of Satan
Satan's name in prophesy represents priests who are shown the truth of God's word, yet they continue to promote the teachings of their religion. Until God arises to punish and correct them, priests will have the power to decide what their congregation will be taught (Jeremiah 36:23). This is Satan's power: and it is his decision, which is why Satan's power will affect the congregation. “Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried; ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life (Revelation 2:10).”
“I beheld Satan as lightening fall from heaven (Luke 10:18).” According to the scriptures Satan will be cast out of heaven, so the question is, how will Satan be cast out of God's house? “How can Satan cast out Satan (Mark 3:23)?” As the Holy Spirit begins to spread the truth of the covenant message into the hearts of believing priests, they will perceive the truth, and they will rise up and promote it before their congregations. “If Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end (Mark 3:26).” By shining forth the truth of God's word, believing priests will cause religion's mistakes to have an end. “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works (2Corinthians 11:14-15).”
If priests choose to serve religion and disregard the covenant message, they will lose their right to eat at God's table (Romans 10:3). “We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle (Hebrews 13:10).” God will correct their rebellious ways. He will pour pestilence upon some of them, and others will cast out of his presence. Why are they rebelling against God's word, and why do they persist in provoking God to wrath? Was Christ's work in vain? God manifested Jesus and brought him forth a second time to cause believers to have victory over religion's mistakes. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil (1John 3:8).” “Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments (Ephesians 2:15).”
When Jesus walked the earth, he showed believers God's answer to the parable of Satan. "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there was no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:44)." In other words, Jesus allowed the rebuke of his words to verify that religious authorities and priests which walk in the lies and errs of religion, are those of whom the parable words, Satan, and the devil, apply. Think about it: many of the authorities and priests of Jesus' day were content with their common religious beliefs, therefore they set themselves against Jesus, and presumptuously believed that he was a false prophet who was misleading the people. Rather than studying God's word and listening to what Jesus had to say, these authorities sought to destroy Jesus' ability to persuade the people. “The scribes and chief priests sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people were astonished at his doctrine (Mark 11:18).” Jesus showed their hypocrisy before all people. “Ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham (John 8:40).” Through these occurrences Jesus prophesied that there are religious authorities and priests who do not know God, and they are so blinded by their religious beliefs that they do not fear disregarding the commandments of his word. “Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2:15).” Jesus revealed that Satan and his angles, fear change. “I forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast you into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him (Luke 12:5).”
The parable title, "the order of Melchisedec" applies to the mindset of priests which deem religion's laws to be unchangeable. So long as priests believe this way, and so long as they continue to promote religion's laws, there was no reason for God to change the name which applied to their ways (Hebrews 7:11-12). When priests do change their minds, and when they begin to persuade believers that salvation is based upon believing and doing God's covenant, then all the laws concerning salvation will melt away, and all believers will know that there is only one unchangeable law that is necessary for salvation. "For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law (Hebrews 7:12)." When we promote the new covenant, then Jesus Christ will assume his rightful role as our great High Priest. “It is evident that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, who is made, not after the law of carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life (Hebrews 7:15-16).” When salvation is based upon keeping covenant with God, it remains forever steadfast, endless and unchangeable: this victorious new law removes Satan's power to deceive, or to make mistakes. “There is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof, for the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did (Hebrews 7:18-19)."
"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24)." Scripture refers to the act of abandoning personal comforts in order to serve the Lord, as death. "For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh (2Corinthians 4:11)." This type of death is sacrificial service, and it reaps the rewards of the Holy Spirit. Pastors will be delivered to this type of death as they assist others in understanding the covenant message. This is their service to God, and their service is sacrifice that is well pleasing to the Lord. "We are unto God a sweet savior of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish (2Corinthians 2:15)." Jesus Christ himself modeled this type of sacrificial behavior. “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life… No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again (John 10:17-18).”
"The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death (1Corinthians 15:26). Since the word, death, is associated with spiritual death, the interpretation of this verse could be that the last enemy to be destroyed is that of sacrificially working to declare Christ unto the nations. Whether it is destroying the lies which cause spiritual death, or whether it is destroying the need to declare God's word to the nations, end times is about obtaining victory over death! "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory (1Corinthians 15:54-55)?"
A good conclusion for this message is found in the book of Psalms. The setting of the second psalm depicts the times which surround the second coming of Christ. This is verified by the words, “God hath raised up Jesus again; as it is written in the second Psalm (Acts 13:33).” This psalm indicates that end times will be a time of confusion, wherein mighty leaders will be setting themselves against God, and against his word, and God will judge them for their mistake. "The kings of earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed... He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure (Psalms 2:4-5)." The psalmist concluded the psalm by insinuating that priests and their followers could avoid God's correction by receiving the instruction of his message. "Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him (Psalms 2:10-12)."
“I beheld Satan as lightening fall from heaven (Luke 10:18).” According to the scriptures Satan will be cast out of heaven, so the question is, how will Satan be cast out of God's house? “How can Satan cast out Satan (Mark 3:23)?” As the Holy Spirit begins to spread the truth of the covenant message into the hearts of believing priests, they will perceive the truth, and they will rise up and promote it before their congregations. “If Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end (Mark 3:26).” By shining forth the truth of God's word, believing priests will cause religion's mistakes to have an end. “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works (2Corinthians 11:14-15).”
If priests choose to serve religion and disregard the covenant message, they will lose their right to eat at God's table (Romans 10:3). “We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle (Hebrews 13:10).” God will correct their rebellious ways. He will pour pestilence upon some of them, and others will cast out of his presence. Why are they rebelling against God's word, and why do they persist in provoking God to wrath? Was Christ's work in vain? God manifested Jesus and brought him forth a second time to cause believers to have victory over religion's mistakes. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil (1John 3:8).” “Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments (Ephesians 2:15).”
When Jesus walked the earth, he showed believers God's answer to the parable of Satan. "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there was no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:44)." In other words, Jesus allowed the rebuke of his words to verify that religious authorities and priests which walk in the lies and errs of religion, are those of whom the parable words, Satan, and the devil, apply. Think about it: many of the authorities and priests of Jesus' day were content with their common religious beliefs, therefore they set themselves against Jesus, and presumptuously believed that he was a false prophet who was misleading the people. Rather than studying God's word and listening to what Jesus had to say, these authorities sought to destroy Jesus' ability to persuade the people. “The scribes and chief priests sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people were astonished at his doctrine (Mark 11:18).” Jesus showed their hypocrisy before all people. “Ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham (John 8:40).” Through these occurrences Jesus prophesied that there are religious authorities and priests who do not know God, and they are so blinded by their religious beliefs that they do not fear disregarding the commandments of his word. “Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2:15).” Jesus revealed that Satan and his angles, fear change. “I forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast you into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him (Luke 12:5).”
The parable title, "the order of Melchisedec" applies to the mindset of priests which deem religion's laws to be unchangeable. So long as priests believe this way, and so long as they continue to promote religion's laws, there was no reason for God to change the name which applied to their ways (Hebrews 7:11-12). When priests do change their minds, and when they begin to persuade believers that salvation is based upon believing and doing God's covenant, then all the laws concerning salvation will melt away, and all believers will know that there is only one unchangeable law that is necessary for salvation. "For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law (Hebrews 7:12)." When we promote the new covenant, then Jesus Christ will assume his rightful role as our great High Priest. “It is evident that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, who is made, not after the law of carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life (Hebrews 7:15-16).” When salvation is based upon keeping covenant with God, it remains forever steadfast, endless and unchangeable: this victorious new law removes Satan's power to deceive, or to make mistakes. “There is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof, for the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did (Hebrews 7:18-19)."
"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24)." Scripture refers to the act of abandoning personal comforts in order to serve the Lord, as death. "For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh (2Corinthians 4:11)." This type of death is sacrificial service, and it reaps the rewards of the Holy Spirit. Pastors will be delivered to this type of death as they assist others in understanding the covenant message. This is their service to God, and their service is sacrifice that is well pleasing to the Lord. "We are unto God a sweet savior of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish (2Corinthians 2:15)." Jesus Christ himself modeled this type of sacrificial behavior. “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life… No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again (John 10:17-18).”
"The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death (1Corinthians 15:26). Since the word, death, is associated with spiritual death, the interpretation of this verse could be that the last enemy to be destroyed is that of sacrificially working to declare Christ unto the nations. Whether it is destroying the lies which cause spiritual death, or whether it is destroying the need to declare God's word to the nations, end times is about obtaining victory over death! "Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory (1Corinthians 15:54-55)?"
A good conclusion for this message is found in the book of Psalms. The setting of the second psalm depicts the times which surround the second coming of Christ. This is verified by the words, “God hath raised up Jesus again; as it is written in the second Psalm (Acts 13:33).” This psalm indicates that end times will be a time of confusion, wherein mighty leaders will be setting themselves against God, and against his word, and God will judge them for their mistake. "The kings of earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed... He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure (Psalms 2:4-5)." The psalmist concluded the psalm by insinuating that priests and their followers could avoid God's correction by receiving the instruction of his message. "Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him (Psalms 2:10-12)."
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Discovering Michael
The archangel Michael was declared by Jesus Christ to be one of the chief princes in the kingdom of Persia (Daniel 10:13). We learn from scripture, especially from the book of Ester, that the laws of Media and Persia are inseparable, therefore, because scripture associates Media with the Ishmaelites, believers can conclude that the names of both Media and Persia are given to the forerunners of the Islamic faith (Genesis 37:28; Judges 7:12; Ester 10:2). Michael is the leader's name which represents the faithful believers of Islam, and he fights along with Christ, for Islam's inclusion in the everlasting kingdom (Daniel 10:21; 12:1; Revelation 12:7). Proof of this is eluded to in the verse, "There is none that holdeth with me on these things, but Michael your prince (Daniel 10:21)."
The battle of heaven, is a battle over position, and the question is, Who is right? What religion is going to inherit the eternal rewards of the heavenly kingdom? "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God (Romans 8:19)." The answer to this question is found in a parable. This parable requires both the old and new testaments to find out its solution. Part of the parable is told in the book of Jude, and a more in-depth account of the parable is told in the book of Zachariah. Each account is a depiction of a heavenly quorum, and this quorum is deliberating the question, Who is right?
When working with parables it is important to understand that God groups like-minded believers together as one body of believers. In the quorum of these two parables, there are four bodies of believers present: those of the Jewish faith are called by two different names, the body of Moses, and the name of Joshua (1Corinthians 10:2). Those of the Islamic faith are represented by their prince's name, which is Michael; the priesthood is represented by the name of Satan; and Christians are represented by the presence of Jesus. The portrayal of these four bodies challenges believers to identify the four carpenters which are building Zion. Just identifying that four bodies are standing in heaven already suggests the answer to our question, yet there are very comforting answers found by delving deeper into the parable. Jude's account of the parable, reads: “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, the Lord rebuke thee (Jude 9).” Michael, the prince of Islam, is contending with Satan, whose name represents the priesthood. At issue is whether or not believers of the Jewish faith should be allowed to enter into the kingdom of God. Satan is an accuser of the brethren, and he has accused the body of Moses, and Michael is arguing that Jesus should rebuke these priests.
Zechariah's account of this parable, reads: “He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. The Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee (Zechariah 3:1-2).” In this account, Joshua's name represents people of the Jewish faith, and Joshua is standing before Christ, clad in filthy garments (Zechariah 3:3). Satan, whose name represents the priesthood, is accusing Joshua of his errors. Michael, who is referred to in this account as Lord, defends Joshua, arguing that Jesus should intervene and rebuke these priests. Michael’s presence is hidden, but it is understood by considering the parable as it was written in the new testament account. It takes both testaments to clarify the matter.
To grasp God's perspective on the matter, believers are to hear the rebuke that Christ gave against Satan. The real question plaguing the priesthood is this, Should all three of the faiths of Abraham's seed be included in the kingdom of God? Jesus answered the people that stood before him. “Take away his filthy garments from him. Unto Joshua he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with a change of raiment… If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou will keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house (Zechariah 3:5-7).” This is a blow against every believer who has been falsely accusing people of other faiths. Jesus spoke and verified that the iniquities of men will be removed based upon their doing the will of the Father, rather than upon how they believed upon his name in this world (Zechariah 3:9). "Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name (Psalms 138:2)."
Michael and the faithful believers of Islam who kept God's covenant will triumph over the dictates of kings, and over the accusations of religion (Genesis 17:10-14). Satan, the false accuser, will be cast out of heaven, until he learns to understand judgment, in other words, until he understands how to discern whether or not a man is serving the Lord God. "Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? Are not your ways unequal (Ezekiel 18:25)." "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord (Isaiah 55:8)."
"At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time (Daniel 12:1)." Turning God's people away from their long standing religious beliefs isn't going to be easy. For this reason God will intervene, and his wrath will verify the words of his messengers; and the hearts of those who refused to believe the covenant message, will be changed.
"There was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon: and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not: neither was their place found any more in heaven. 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 (Revelation 12:7-9).” Michael's name, which is the name that God placed upon faithful Muslims, will prevail before the Lord, and all the accusers which are against them will be cast out of God's presence!
End times are about God cleaning up the mistakes of every religion, including Islam. "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee: Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. Thy children shall make hast; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee (Isaiah 49:15-17)."
The battle of heaven, is a battle over position, and the question is, Who is right? What religion is going to inherit the eternal rewards of the heavenly kingdom? "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God (Romans 8:19)." The answer to this question is found in a parable. This parable requires both the old and new testaments to find out its solution. Part of the parable is told in the book of Jude, and a more in-depth account of the parable is told in the book of Zachariah. Each account is a depiction of a heavenly quorum, and this quorum is deliberating the question, Who is right?
When working with parables it is important to understand that God groups like-minded believers together as one body of believers. In the quorum of these two parables, there are four bodies of believers present: those of the Jewish faith are called by two different names, the body of Moses, and the name of Joshua (1Corinthians 10:2). Those of the Islamic faith are represented by their prince's name, which is Michael; the priesthood is represented by the name of Satan; and Christians are represented by the presence of Jesus. The portrayal of these four bodies challenges believers to identify the four carpenters which are building Zion. Just identifying that four bodies are standing in heaven already suggests the answer to our question, yet there are very comforting answers found by delving deeper into the parable. Jude's account of the parable, reads: “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, the Lord rebuke thee (Jude 9).” Michael, the prince of Islam, is contending with Satan, whose name represents the priesthood. At issue is whether or not believers of the Jewish faith should be allowed to enter into the kingdom of God. Satan is an accuser of the brethren, and he has accused the body of Moses, and Michael is arguing that Jesus should rebuke these priests.
Zechariah's account of this parable, reads: “He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. The Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee (Zechariah 3:1-2).” In this account, Joshua's name represents people of the Jewish faith, and Joshua is standing before Christ, clad in filthy garments (Zechariah 3:3). Satan, whose name represents the priesthood, is accusing Joshua of his errors. Michael, who is referred to in this account as Lord, defends Joshua, arguing that Jesus should intervene and rebuke these priests. Michael’s presence is hidden, but it is understood by considering the parable as it was written in the new testament account. It takes both testaments to clarify the matter.
To grasp God's perspective on the matter, believers are to hear the rebuke that Christ gave against Satan. The real question plaguing the priesthood is this, Should all three of the faiths of Abraham's seed be included in the kingdom of God? Jesus answered the people that stood before him. “Take away his filthy garments from him. Unto Joshua he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with a change of raiment… If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou will keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house (Zechariah 3:5-7).” This is a blow against every believer who has been falsely accusing people of other faiths. Jesus spoke and verified that the iniquities of men will be removed based upon their doing the will of the Father, rather than upon how they believed upon his name in this world (Zechariah 3:9). "Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name (Psalms 138:2)."
Michael and the faithful believers of Islam who kept God's covenant will triumph over the dictates of kings, and over the accusations of religion (Genesis 17:10-14). Satan, the false accuser, will be cast out of heaven, until he learns to understand judgment, in other words, until he understands how to discern whether or not a man is serving the Lord God. "Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? Are not your ways unequal (Ezekiel 18:25)." "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord (Isaiah 55:8)."
"At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time (Daniel 12:1)." Turning God's people away from their long standing religious beliefs isn't going to be easy. For this reason God will intervene, and his wrath will verify the words of his messengers; and the hearts of those who refused to believe the covenant message, will be changed.
"There was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon: and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not: neither was their place found any more in heaven. 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 (Revelation 12:7-9).” Michael's name, which is the name that God placed upon faithful Muslims, will prevail before the Lord, and all the accusers which are against them will be cast out of God's presence!
End times are about God cleaning up the mistakes of every religion, including Islam. "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee: Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. Thy children shall make hast; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee (Isaiah 49:15-17)."
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
The Sign of His Coming
“Some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts (Luke 21:5).” While the men of Jesus' day were greatly admiring the beautifully adorned temple, Jesus seized an opportunity to prophesy a message about end times. “See ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down (Matthew 24:2).” Whereas Jesus used these words to introduce prophecy concerning end times, the insinuation is that today's believers are not to idolize their sanctuaries, but rather they are to remember their love for the Lord God, for God intends to destroy the mistaken teachings of every religion. “The disciples asked him, saying, master, but when shall these things be? And what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass? (Luke 21:7).” Jesus then began to prophesy the signs of his second coming, and at the conclusion of the message Jesus spoke a parable. This particular sign was a sign above all signs: it was the parable of the fig tree. “Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, you see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand (Luke 21:29-31).” The fig tree is the very sign that will tell believers everywhere that the kingdom of God is at the door.
Scripture gives clues that work to interpret the fig tree. “Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? Either the vine, figs? (James 3:12).” We all know that a fig tree is neither a vine nor an olive tree, therefore, the first clue that is pertinent to the fig is that it is unique and noticeably different from the vine and olive tree (John 15:5; Romans 11:17). “Jesus seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever (Mark11:13-14).” Jesus’ curse upon the fig tree gives believers yet another clue as to the identity of the fig tree: The fig tree withers before it can produce ripe fruit. The book of Revelation confirms this observation, “The stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she’s shaken of a mighty wind (Revelation 6:13).”
“Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground (Luke 13:7).” Another clue into the identity of the fig, is that it isn’t blessed with the strength of everlasting greatness, but God purposed the fig tree: "He answering said unto him, Let it alone this year also, till I dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down (Luke 13:8-9)." The Lord is cultivating the fig tree for his own glory, but despite his work, the fig tree will only be around for a few years.
The fig tree parable represents pastors who have perceived the truth of the covenant message, but they have determined within themselves to wait patiently for additional proof. In the mean time, their sermons are different from that of the vine or olive tree. They spend more time in God's word, and they are more passionate for the Lord. They begin making comments against religion and its mistakes. They may even say things like, “It doesn’t matter what church you attend.” Christ has loosened the bridles of their tongue (Isaiah 30:28). “If the son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed (John 8:36).” The fig tree is beginning to bring healing to the congregation. "The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations (Revelation 22:2)."
“The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree (Matthew 13:31-32).” Pastors need to remove themselves from the fig tree, and set their sights on the mustard seed. The mustard seed is about having the faith to believe the truth concerning the kingdom of heaven, and the covenant message. This tiny, least of all seeds, presents a greater purpose than that of John the Baptist, “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: not withstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he (Matthew 11:11).” The benefits of the kingdom message even exceed those of Christianity. “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection (Hebrews 6:1).” "If you have faith as a grain of a mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you (Matthew 17:20)."
“As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be (Matthew 24:37).” This is a perfect edification message for end times. Consider the attitudes of those that watched as Noah prepared the ark. Not only did they watch him build it, but they saw when he organized the food, and they saw him bringing in the animals. His onlookers were moved at the absolute absurdity of his work. They ridiculed, they mocked, and they may even have feared, as Noah pressed slowly onward: Ridiculous, God wouldn't send a flood. Compare those times to these times. The spirit has already caused certain pastors to rise up and start building their covenant understanding. Soon these pastors will be gathering together their congregations and bringing them into their understandings. Think about the shame and the regrets that will come upon those that have watched and ridiculed, when God begins sending the prophesied pestilences upon them, according to his word.
There are instances in scripture where God refers to his elect servants, as “angels.” An example of this is in the book of Revelation where Jesus writes letters to the angels of the seven churches. There are also instances in scripture where God refers to our places of worship, as heaven. A couple of verses that refer to it in this fashion, include, “He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens (Ephesians 4:10),” and again, “The heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store (2Peter 3:7).” A third example tells men the consequence of falling away from God's word, “I will make your heaven as iron (Leviticus 26:19).” If you can perceive the logic of the parable place called heaven, then you can understand how God can make our heavens iron. Pastors and their helpers, and their congregations, have made their own heavens. They stand ready to defend their heavens, and ready to cut off anyone that threatens their core beliefs. These are the heavens which we currently have, and these are the heavens which are going to pass away. “Looking for… the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being of fire shall be dissolved (2Peter 3:12).” “I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away (Revelation 21:1).”
Using the newly acquired understanding of the heavens and the angels, believers can get a fresh perspective on what is being implied in the following prophecies: “Then shall appear the sign of the Son man in heaven… And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect (Matthew 24:30-31).” “You who are troubled rest with us, when Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels (2Thessalonians 1:7).”
Besides the fig tree, Jesus gave us another parable revealing when the kingdom of God will come. This parable is of a certain nobleman who gave his servants instructions, and then he went into a far country to receive a kingdom. The parable goes on to say that the nobleman returned after having received the kingdom (Luke 19:11-15). This allows that Jesus has been waiting for over two thousand years to receive his kingdom. He will receive it at the time of his return. Christians rehearse proof of his pending kingdom every time they recite the Lord’s prayer, saying, “thy kingdom come.” Christ’s kingdom comes after Satan is revealed, and after the lies and mistakes of every religion are cast out of the heavens by the prayers, and by the works of the elect. “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of the brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night (Revelation 12:10).”
Will pastors willingly forgo religious doctrines that have held together for so long, and come, by faith, and declare the covenant message before their congregations? All the priests that are willing to follow the Lord in this fashion, will face uncertainty. “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; he went out, not knowing whither he went (Hebrews 11:8).” “Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it (Mark 8:35).”
“Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might (Isaiah 33:13).” God created the religions, and he did it by scripting hard to understand scripture verses, and by creating a variety of covenants. Now God intends to unite all believers into one one everlasting covenant, and thereby, he will destroy the enmity between the religions. “Thus saith the Lord God; remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same... I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him (Ezekiel 21:26-27).”
Scripture gives clues that work to interpret the fig tree. “Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? Either the vine, figs? (James 3:12).” We all know that a fig tree is neither a vine nor an olive tree, therefore, the first clue that is pertinent to the fig is that it is unique and noticeably different from the vine and olive tree (John 15:5; Romans 11:17). “Jesus seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever (Mark11:13-14).” Jesus’ curse upon the fig tree gives believers yet another clue as to the identity of the fig tree: The fig tree withers before it can produce ripe fruit. The book of Revelation confirms this observation, “The stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she’s shaken of a mighty wind (Revelation 6:13).”
“Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground (Luke 13:7).” Another clue into the identity of the fig, is that it isn’t blessed with the strength of everlasting greatness, but God purposed the fig tree: "He answering said unto him, Let it alone this year also, till I dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down (Luke 13:8-9)." The Lord is cultivating the fig tree for his own glory, but despite his work, the fig tree will only be around for a few years.
The fig tree parable represents pastors who have perceived the truth of the covenant message, but they have determined within themselves to wait patiently for additional proof. In the mean time, their sermons are different from that of the vine or olive tree. They spend more time in God's word, and they are more passionate for the Lord. They begin making comments against religion and its mistakes. They may even say things like, “It doesn’t matter what church you attend.” Christ has loosened the bridles of their tongue (Isaiah 30:28). “If the son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed (John 8:36).” The fig tree is beginning to bring healing to the congregation. "The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations (Revelation 22:2)."
“The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree (Matthew 13:31-32).” Pastors need to remove themselves from the fig tree, and set their sights on the mustard seed. The mustard seed is about having the faith to believe the truth concerning the kingdom of heaven, and the covenant message. This tiny, least of all seeds, presents a greater purpose than that of John the Baptist, “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: not withstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he (Matthew 11:11).” The benefits of the kingdom message even exceed those of Christianity. “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection (Hebrews 6:1).” "If you have faith as a grain of a mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you (Matthew 17:20)."
“As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be (Matthew 24:37).” This is a perfect edification message for end times. Consider the attitudes of those that watched as Noah prepared the ark. Not only did they watch him build it, but they saw when he organized the food, and they saw him bringing in the animals. His onlookers were moved at the absolute absurdity of his work. They ridiculed, they mocked, and they may even have feared, as Noah pressed slowly onward: Ridiculous, God wouldn't send a flood. Compare those times to these times. The spirit has already caused certain pastors to rise up and start building their covenant understanding. Soon these pastors will be gathering together their congregations and bringing them into their understandings. Think about the shame and the regrets that will come upon those that have watched and ridiculed, when God begins sending the prophesied pestilences upon them, according to his word.
There are instances in scripture where God refers to his elect servants, as “angels.” An example of this is in the book of Revelation where Jesus writes letters to the angels of the seven churches. There are also instances in scripture where God refers to our places of worship, as heaven. A couple of verses that refer to it in this fashion, include, “He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens (Ephesians 4:10),” and again, “The heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store (2Peter 3:7).” A third example tells men the consequence of falling away from God's word, “I will make your heaven as iron (Leviticus 26:19).” If you can perceive the logic of the parable place called heaven, then you can understand how God can make our heavens iron. Pastors and their helpers, and their congregations, have made their own heavens. They stand ready to defend their heavens, and ready to cut off anyone that threatens their core beliefs. These are the heavens which we currently have, and these are the heavens which are going to pass away. “Looking for… the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being of fire shall be dissolved (2Peter 3:12).” “I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away (Revelation 21:1).”
Using the newly acquired understanding of the heavens and the angels, believers can get a fresh perspective on what is being implied in the following prophecies: “Then shall appear the sign of the Son man in heaven… And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect (Matthew 24:30-31).” “You who are troubled rest with us, when Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels (2Thessalonians 1:7).”
Besides the fig tree, Jesus gave us another parable revealing when the kingdom of God will come. This parable is of a certain nobleman who gave his servants instructions, and then he went into a far country to receive a kingdom. The parable goes on to say that the nobleman returned after having received the kingdom (Luke 19:11-15). This allows that Jesus has been waiting for over two thousand years to receive his kingdom. He will receive it at the time of his return. Christians rehearse proof of his pending kingdom every time they recite the Lord’s prayer, saying, “thy kingdom come.” Christ’s kingdom comes after Satan is revealed, and after the lies and mistakes of every religion are cast out of the heavens by the prayers, and by the works of the elect. “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of the brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night (Revelation 12:10).”
Will pastors willingly forgo religious doctrines that have held together for so long, and come, by faith, and declare the covenant message before their congregations? All the priests that are willing to follow the Lord in this fashion, will face uncertainty. “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; he went out, not knowing whither he went (Hebrews 11:8).” “Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it (Mark 8:35).”
“Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might (Isaiah 33:13).” God created the religions, and he did it by scripting hard to understand scripture verses, and by creating a variety of covenants. Now God intends to unite all believers into one one everlasting covenant, and thereby, he will destroy the enmity between the religions. “Thus saith the Lord God; remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same... I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him (Ezekiel 21:26-27).”
Friday, August 31, 2012
Revealing the Night Visions of Daniel
“Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation (Daniel 8:19).” Daniel, along with Ezra, scribed a type of end time understanding which could be referred to as, night vision. “For at the time of the end shall be the vision (Daniel 8:17).” By the commandment of God, their work was sealed up and reserved for end times. “Shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days (Daniel 8:26).” Ezra recorded evidence of his participation, saying that, "He was a ready scribe in the law of Moses… even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord (Ezra 7:6; 7:11).”
“Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriac, O king, live forever (Daniel 2:4).” Mentioning the word ‘Syriac’ thwarted suspicions, and insured a perfect hiding place for their work. The bible is recorded in three languages. Taking note of the third language creates an awareness of some the early recipients of God’s covenants, even the Syrians, the forerunners of Islam; whose language is the foundation of night vision. “I saw in my vision by night (Daniel 7:2).”
Daniel and Ezra did their work in such a way as to insure the inseparability of the Syrian and Hebrew languages. There are even instances wherein a word was used twice in one sentence, and it was written in both languages (Ezra 7:22, the word ‘baths’; Ezra 7:12, the words ‘king’ and ‘kings’). Daniel and Ezra's work veiled and reserved messages for end times, and now it manifests support that is needed to alleviate doubts, and cause believers to receive the truth of end times.
Knowing where the Syrian scriptures were recorded makes the intentional misplacement of words, resourceful. In the book of Daniel, the Syrian language is written from chapter two, the middle of verse four, and it continues through the end of seventh chapter. In Ezra, the Syrian language begins in the fourth chapter, in verse eight, and it continues until the Jews keep Passover in the sixth chapter, concluding in verse eighteen. The Syriac language then reappears in the book of Ezra upon a decree that King Artaxerxes made wherein he indicated that he and the people of Babylon had given a freewill offering to the house of God at Jerusalem, and it officially gave the people of Israel permission return to Jerusalem with Ezra (Ezra 7:12-26).
Separating the two languages requires a concordance containing a Hebrew cross reference guide. Look up a word, find its text number, then look up the text number in the Hebrew dictionary section of the concordance; note the words of translation. To thoroughly investigate a word, everywhere that word was translated requires investigation. First priority is to establish a method of being able to tell whether a word is of the Hebrew, or the Syrian language. If the word is Hebrew (day vision) it is used throughout the old testament. The Syrian (night vision) words are restricted to those areas of Ezra's and Daniel's work that are mentioned above.
Once the languages are separated, then the few words which were intentionally misplaced, stand out. They work to either draw attention to the verse, or to utter the sentiments of the Lord, or to aid in the interpretation. There is one instance in the book of Jeremiah wherein an entire verse was written in the Syriac language, “Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens (Jeremiah 10:11).” Inserting a verse which was written in the Syriac language into a Hebrew text, draws attention to the verse. This verse utters the sentiments of the Lord for these times: Tell them that the lies of religion shall perish from the earth!
The portion of Ezra’s work which was written in the night vision language, successfully prophesied the setting of end times. Men were rising up from captivity in order to come and rebuild the Lord’s temple, and their adversaries were trying to stop their work. In the end, God had the victory and Israel's temple was built, and the children of Israel were blessed by their captors. This is a pattern for today: today's adversaries will try and stop those who are working to fulfill scripture, but in the end, God's people will have the victory, and Zion will be established. Daniel's contribution to the night vision language, was different. His work was a series of occurrences and dreams that are parables which reveal certain truths about end times.
In the third chapter of Daniel, all the people are bowing down to a great man-made image. Contrarily, there are three servants of the Lord which refuse to bow down, even at the risk of being cast into a burning fiery furnace. Throughout the ages, people, as well as their pastors, have desired to receive answers to the sealed up prophecies of Daniel. Wise men crafted together understandings for everyone. What happens when those highly regarded teachings are found to be faulty and inaccurate? God said that the book of Daniel was to be sealed up until the last days (Daniel 8:17; 8:26). Congregations, as well as their teachers, have been studying and accepting certain interpretations on the book of Daniel, for generations. Even people with good intentions have built additional mistakes upon some of these unproven foundations. When mistakes and errs are circulated long enough, they begin to have a type of power, which, in essence, causes people to bow down to them. Bowing down to the powerful mistaken religious beliefs of the majority, is what the parable of the graven image is all about.
In the fourth chapter of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar orates an experience which he suffered because he refused to accept the authority of God's word. God likened Nebuchadnezzar to a tree, saying that Nebuchadnezzar was strong, and that his rule was providing meat and fruit for the fowls of heaven, and that the beasts of earth had taken refuge under his shadow. Nebuchadnezzar was warned to break off his iniquities and his sins by showing mercy to the poor. He was told that, if, or when, he didn’t listen to these words, he would be cut off and driven from among men, and he would be made to eat grass like an ox until seven times passed over him. Twelve months later, God preformed the thing that was appointed for Nebuchadnezzar: Nebuchadnezzar was cut off and driven from among men.
Through the covenant message priests have been warned to break off their iniquities by showing mercy to the religiously oppressed. Priests are to teach the covenant message, and release every believer that has been held captive by religious fears (Jeremiah 21:12). When this truth is told to a priest, their trial begins: Who holds the priest's allegiance; is it truly God, and his word? “A sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed (Jeremiah 50:36).” Even priests that have faithfully served the Lord, will, like Nebuchadnezzar, be forced to decide whether or not they will obey the word of God. Choosing incorrectly will cause the prophesied punishments of correction to come upon believers.
God made covenants, and he saved his people based upon those covenants. If a teacher refuses to accept and teach this truth, then they, like a tree, will be cut off from the sons of God. “I will plead with you face to face... I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me (Ezekiel 20:35-38).” Fighting against God's word will cause priests to lose the Holy Spirit, until they know, as Nebuchadnezzar knew, that, “God doth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of earth, and none can stay his hand (Daniel 4:35).” There is much evidence of these things in scripture (James 3:1). “The Lord of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee (Jeremiah 11:17).” "And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If ye will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will send a curse upon you, and will curse your blessings (Malachi 2:1-2)."
“Oh king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, break off thy sins by righteousness, and thy iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility (Daniel 4:27).” The consequence for Nebuchadnezzar's negligence cost him seven years before his honor and his brightness was restored to him. Every priest will need to accept the truth of God's word before being restored to their former glory. “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to debase (Daniel 4:37).”
In the sixth chapter of Daniel, King Darius is victimized by his own words. He signed a decree into unchangeable law. When his servant, Daniel, broke that unchangeable law, Darius labored till the going down of the sun to rescue him, but in the end Darius delivered Daniel to the lion’s den. King Darius fasted all night and prayed, rising early in the morning, needing to know, Is God able to save you? In this parable, King Darius represents pastors who will not change their teachings before they witness the day of God's affliction. King Darius's heart was confused, and fear kept him from doing the thing that was right. Some priests will let pride keep them from correcting their teachings, but others will not change their teachings because they have fears: they fear the congregation's response, they fear being wrong, and they fear the religious authorities over them. In any case, these forewarned priests, will, like king Darius, be restlessly awaiting the evidence of the morning.
Daniel represents priests who fearlessly do the will of the Lord. He was unapologetic and unafraid to continue to worship God, in righteousness. The den represents public mocking. “They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and roaring lion (Psalms 22:13).” “My God sent an angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths (Daniel 6:22).” Daniel was protected because he believed God, and his story illustrates to everyone, that during the end times God will protect those believers who put their trust and confidence in him.
The terrible image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream is recorded in the second chapter of Daniel. This image represents the mistakes of religion. “Every founder is confounded by the graven image… they are vanity, the work of errors (Jeremiah 10:14-15).” God knows the gold of Islam, the silver of Judaism, and the brass of Christianity. He fashioned each of them, along with the priesthood, depicted by those legs of iron (Psalms 2:9). God even insured Islam's inclusion in the iron legs, by attaching the Syriac word for ‘iron’ unto king Cyrus’s name. ‘Iron’ was translated ‘Persian’ in the words, Cyrus the Persian (Daniel 6:28).
"This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible (Daniel 2:31)." The words, terrible, form and excellent, are all words which portray the attributes of God. "Excellent" describes Daniel’s spirit (Daniel 5:12). The book of Psalms describes God as being, "terrible" (Psalm 47:2), and it was no accident that the Syriac word which was translated "form" was the same word that was used to represent Christ in the fiery furnace, “The form of the fourth is like the son of God (Daniel 3:25).” Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a great image was recorded is scripture to verify that God fashioned those religious practices which currently stand before the eyes of all people, as an idol. They benefited the Lord, but nevertheless, religion has made its mistakes, and those mistakes are destined to be broken into pieces as chaff upon the summer threshing floor.
In the fifth chapter of Daniel, Belshazzar saw fingers writing on the wall of his palace. He was greatly troubled and wanted answers. Hopefully, like Belshazzar, when you see the handwriting on the wall, God will send someone to you that will counsel you with good instruction from his word. “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings (Isaiah 3:10).”
The Syriac word which was translated ‘fingers’ in the fifth chapter, is the same word that was translated toes in chapter two, in the ten toes upon the image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Daniel 2:41; 5:5). This implies that being able to interpret the ten toes of this great image, is the handwriting of our emancipation. Start to discern the interpretation of the ten toes by acknowledging that four carpenters are building Zion (Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and the priesthood). Then, as God said, add the fifth part (Leviticus 5:16; 22:14; 27:13; 27:15; 27:19; 27:27; 27:31; Numbers 5:7). Abraham’s brother, the descendants of Lot: Moab, is the fifth part! “The dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them (Exodus 15:15).” Islam is currently comprised of two faiths, both of which are helping to build Zion. This observation is confirmed by the handwriting on the wall, in a verse testifing that Islam's kingdom is divided: "Thy kingdom is divided (Daniel 5:28)."
Further proof of Islam's divided kingdom is found in the eighth chapter of Daniel where an angel gave this prophecy: “The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia (Daniel 8:20).” The Hebrew word for ‘ram’ was translated ‘mighty’ in the words “mighty men of Moab (Exodus 15:15).” Therefore Moab has his portion within the ram that has two horns representing the divided kingdom of Islam. Furthermore, the same Hebrew word which was translated "ram" was also translated "lintel" and "posts," and it was used in a verse depicting materials that make up a fifth part of the wall of the temple (1Kings 6:31). Put all this information together, and Moab is the fifth part of the believers that are helping to build Zion.
These are the five toes; and soon each toe will be divided based upon whether or not believers are supporting the covenant message. “Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set (Ezekiel 21:16).” In essence, the message of the covenant divides believers who are sharing the covenant message, from those who are serving religion. “His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west (Zechariah 14:4).” Half of the believers will argue for the covenants, and the remainder will stay upon their religious beliefs. Saved, as well as unsaved persons will be on both sides of the argument. Absolutely no doctrine will save you: trusting in God and his covenants, along with doing God's will, is the recipe for salvation. “In the days of these kings (ten toes) shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed… it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever (Daniel 2:44).”
A dream that Daniel saw is recorded in the seventh chapter of the book of Daniel. In it, four beasts rise up from the sea. These beasts represent believers from the nations of Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and the priesthood, and they rise up from being spiritually dead at the hearing of the covenant message. The third beast that rose up from the sea was given a dominion: this beast represents Christianity. Compare the dominion of the third beast to that of the third kingdom of brass in Nebuchadnezzar's dream which was given rule; for dominion means that they are given rule (Daniel 2:39; 7:6). Yet even Christianity needs to be submissive to the prophesied truths of end times: “They had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged (Daniel 7:12).”
The fourth beast which rose up from the sea in the vision, is the priesthood. They are unmistakably identified by their ten horns, and their iron teeth. The priesthood is God’s threshing instrument, purposed to destroy the lies of religion. “The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces (Daniel 7:23).” The priesthood has access to the pulpit, which logically makes these leaders the perfect treaders of earth. "The Lord of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them his goodly horse in the battle... They shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle (Zechariah 10:3-5)." Religious deception is the beast that is to be slain. “I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame (Daniel 7:11).”
Also included in the seventh chapter of Daniel, is information concerning a little horn. “The ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise ‘after’ them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings (Daniel 7:24).” The word ‘after’ affirms that the little horn makes his debut after the ten kingdoms are evident. He represents the final voice of religion, but more concisely, the little horn represents the last great teacher that rises up and teaches inaccuracies, and makes mistakes which are against God's word. Contrary to the teachings of the little horn, when God arises to shake the earth, Christ will take his rightful place as head over all covenants. Then, and in those times, learning of Jesus and receiving his teachings will be God's requirement for salvation.
“I saw in my night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. There was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed (Daniel 7:13-14).” The believer's hope should be in that glorious day when Christ takes his rightful place, under God. “When he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power… and when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself, be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all (1Corinthians 15:2; 15:28).”
This concludes a summarization of the night vision parables, but there are countless other discoveries which are still waiting to be discovered within the Syriac words of scripture. Here is just a small sampling:
A Syriac word was translated "stream" in the verse, “A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him (Daniel 7:10).” The same Syriac word was translated "rivers" in the book of Isaiah. By placing this Syriac word within Hebrew dialogue, God brought attention to Isaiah's inspirational prophesies concerning new understandings of end times. “I will open rivers in the high places (Isaiah 41:18).” and, “There the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams (Isaiah 33:21).” When Daniel prophesied the words "fiery stream," he prophesied evidence that the passions of believers will be fired up for the Lord during end times.
The Hebrew word ‘Cassia’ was written within the Syriac dialogue. This spice was one of the four spices which were used in making the holy anointing oil that consecrated the temple, as well as the priesthood. In essence, this spice placed the blessing of separation to the Lord upon its recipients (Exodus 30:24). The word ‘cassia’ was translated ‘night’ in the verse “I saw in the night visions (Daniel 7:13).” Merging these facts causes believers to perceive that night vision is the cassia; the missing ingredient which is necessary for the cleansing and consecration of new Jerusalem.
Another Syriac word which was translated ‘sought,’ was placed within the Hebrew scriptures of Obadiah: “How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up! (Obadiah 6).” This misplaced word implies that Islam will be amazed to learn of those things which are prophesied about them, and which are being revealed from the scriptures.
Lastly, another Syriac word was translated into the word "set" and it was used in the verse, “How shall I set thee as Zeboim? (Hosea 11:8).” Zeboim was a city which Abraham once rescued (Genesis 14:8; 14:15). Afterwards Zeboim was overthrown by God in his wrath, and it became a land of sickness, and of plagues (Deuteronomy 29:23). These facts verify God's plan to rescue his people, and afterwards he will turn and show mighty signs upon every believer who still refuses to receive instruction, even upon those that were rescued (1Samuel 13:18).
“Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriac, O king, live forever (Daniel 2:4).” Mentioning the word ‘Syriac’ thwarted suspicions, and insured a perfect hiding place for their work. The bible is recorded in three languages. Taking note of the third language creates an awareness of some the early recipients of God’s covenants, even the Syrians, the forerunners of Islam; whose language is the foundation of night vision. “I saw in my vision by night (Daniel 7:2).”
Daniel and Ezra did their work in such a way as to insure the inseparability of the Syrian and Hebrew languages. There are even instances wherein a word was used twice in one sentence, and it was written in both languages (Ezra 7:22, the word ‘baths’; Ezra 7:12, the words ‘king’ and ‘kings’). Daniel and Ezra's work veiled and reserved messages for end times, and now it manifests support that is needed to alleviate doubts, and cause believers to receive the truth of end times.
Knowing where the Syrian scriptures were recorded makes the intentional misplacement of words, resourceful. In the book of Daniel, the Syrian language is written from chapter two, the middle of verse four, and it continues through the end of seventh chapter. In Ezra, the Syrian language begins in the fourth chapter, in verse eight, and it continues until the Jews keep Passover in the sixth chapter, concluding in verse eighteen. The Syriac language then reappears in the book of Ezra upon a decree that King Artaxerxes made wherein he indicated that he and the people of Babylon had given a freewill offering to the house of God at Jerusalem, and it officially gave the people of Israel permission return to Jerusalem with Ezra (Ezra 7:12-26).
Separating the two languages requires a concordance containing a Hebrew cross reference guide. Look up a word, find its text number, then look up the text number in the Hebrew dictionary section of the concordance; note the words of translation. To thoroughly investigate a word, everywhere that word was translated requires investigation. First priority is to establish a method of being able to tell whether a word is of the Hebrew, or the Syrian language. If the word is Hebrew (day vision) it is used throughout the old testament. The Syrian (night vision) words are restricted to those areas of Ezra's and Daniel's work that are mentioned above.
Once the languages are separated, then the few words which were intentionally misplaced, stand out. They work to either draw attention to the verse, or to utter the sentiments of the Lord, or to aid in the interpretation. There is one instance in the book of Jeremiah wherein an entire verse was written in the Syriac language, “Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens (Jeremiah 10:11).” Inserting a verse which was written in the Syriac language into a Hebrew text, draws attention to the verse. This verse utters the sentiments of the Lord for these times: Tell them that the lies of religion shall perish from the earth!
The portion of Ezra’s work which was written in the night vision language, successfully prophesied the setting of end times. Men were rising up from captivity in order to come and rebuild the Lord’s temple, and their adversaries were trying to stop their work. In the end, God had the victory and Israel's temple was built, and the children of Israel were blessed by their captors. This is a pattern for today: today's adversaries will try and stop those who are working to fulfill scripture, but in the end, God's people will have the victory, and Zion will be established. Daniel's contribution to the night vision language, was different. His work was a series of occurrences and dreams that are parables which reveal certain truths about end times.
In the third chapter of Daniel, all the people are bowing down to a great man-made image. Contrarily, there are three servants of the Lord which refuse to bow down, even at the risk of being cast into a burning fiery furnace. Throughout the ages, people, as well as their pastors, have desired to receive answers to the sealed up prophecies of Daniel. Wise men crafted together understandings for everyone. What happens when those highly regarded teachings are found to be faulty and inaccurate? God said that the book of Daniel was to be sealed up until the last days (Daniel 8:17; 8:26). Congregations, as well as their teachers, have been studying and accepting certain interpretations on the book of Daniel, for generations. Even people with good intentions have built additional mistakes upon some of these unproven foundations. When mistakes and errs are circulated long enough, they begin to have a type of power, which, in essence, causes people to bow down to them. Bowing down to the powerful mistaken religious beliefs of the majority, is what the parable of the graven image is all about.
In the fourth chapter of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar orates an experience which he suffered because he refused to accept the authority of God's word. God likened Nebuchadnezzar to a tree, saying that Nebuchadnezzar was strong, and that his rule was providing meat and fruit for the fowls of heaven, and that the beasts of earth had taken refuge under his shadow. Nebuchadnezzar was warned to break off his iniquities and his sins by showing mercy to the poor. He was told that, if, or when, he didn’t listen to these words, he would be cut off and driven from among men, and he would be made to eat grass like an ox until seven times passed over him. Twelve months later, God preformed the thing that was appointed for Nebuchadnezzar: Nebuchadnezzar was cut off and driven from among men.
Through the covenant message priests have been warned to break off their iniquities by showing mercy to the religiously oppressed. Priests are to teach the covenant message, and release every believer that has been held captive by religious fears (Jeremiah 21:12). When this truth is told to a priest, their trial begins: Who holds the priest's allegiance; is it truly God, and his word? “A sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed (Jeremiah 50:36).” Even priests that have faithfully served the Lord, will, like Nebuchadnezzar, be forced to decide whether or not they will obey the word of God. Choosing incorrectly will cause the prophesied punishments of correction to come upon believers.
God made covenants, and he saved his people based upon those covenants. If a teacher refuses to accept and teach this truth, then they, like a tree, will be cut off from the sons of God. “I will plead with you face to face... I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me (Ezekiel 20:35-38).” Fighting against God's word will cause priests to lose the Holy Spirit, until they know, as Nebuchadnezzar knew, that, “God doth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of earth, and none can stay his hand (Daniel 4:35).” There is much evidence of these things in scripture (James 3:1). “The Lord of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee (Jeremiah 11:17).” "And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If ye will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will send a curse upon you, and will curse your blessings (Malachi 2:1-2)."
“Oh king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, break off thy sins by righteousness, and thy iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility (Daniel 4:27).” The consequence for Nebuchadnezzar's negligence cost him seven years before his honor and his brightness was restored to him. Every priest will need to accept the truth of God's word before being restored to their former glory. “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to debase (Daniel 4:37).”
In the sixth chapter of Daniel, King Darius is victimized by his own words. He signed a decree into unchangeable law. When his servant, Daniel, broke that unchangeable law, Darius labored till the going down of the sun to rescue him, but in the end Darius delivered Daniel to the lion’s den. King Darius fasted all night and prayed, rising early in the morning, needing to know, Is God able to save you? In this parable, King Darius represents pastors who will not change their teachings before they witness the day of God's affliction. King Darius's heart was confused, and fear kept him from doing the thing that was right. Some priests will let pride keep them from correcting their teachings, but others will not change their teachings because they have fears: they fear the congregation's response, they fear being wrong, and they fear the religious authorities over them. In any case, these forewarned priests, will, like king Darius, be restlessly awaiting the evidence of the morning.
Daniel represents priests who fearlessly do the will of the Lord. He was unapologetic and unafraid to continue to worship God, in righteousness. The den represents public mocking. “They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and roaring lion (Psalms 22:13).” “My God sent an angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths (Daniel 6:22).” Daniel was protected because he believed God, and his story illustrates to everyone, that during the end times God will protect those believers who put their trust and confidence in him.
The terrible image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream is recorded in the second chapter of Daniel. This image represents the mistakes of religion. “Every founder is confounded by the graven image… they are vanity, the work of errors (Jeremiah 10:14-15).” God knows the gold of Islam, the silver of Judaism, and the brass of Christianity. He fashioned each of them, along with the priesthood, depicted by those legs of iron (Psalms 2:9). God even insured Islam's inclusion in the iron legs, by attaching the Syriac word for ‘iron’ unto king Cyrus’s name. ‘Iron’ was translated ‘Persian’ in the words, Cyrus the Persian (Daniel 6:28).
"This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible (Daniel 2:31)." The words, terrible, form and excellent, are all words which portray the attributes of God. "Excellent" describes Daniel’s spirit (Daniel 5:12). The book of Psalms describes God as being, "terrible" (Psalm 47:2), and it was no accident that the Syriac word which was translated "form" was the same word that was used to represent Christ in the fiery furnace, “The form of the fourth is like the son of God (Daniel 3:25).” Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a great image was recorded is scripture to verify that God fashioned those religious practices which currently stand before the eyes of all people, as an idol. They benefited the Lord, but nevertheless, religion has made its mistakes, and those mistakes are destined to be broken into pieces as chaff upon the summer threshing floor.
In the fifth chapter of Daniel, Belshazzar saw fingers writing on the wall of his palace. He was greatly troubled and wanted answers. Hopefully, like Belshazzar, when you see the handwriting on the wall, God will send someone to you that will counsel you with good instruction from his word. “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings (Isaiah 3:10).”
The Syriac word which was translated ‘fingers’ in the fifth chapter, is the same word that was translated toes in chapter two, in the ten toes upon the image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Daniel 2:41; 5:5). This implies that being able to interpret the ten toes of this great image, is the handwriting of our emancipation. Start to discern the interpretation of the ten toes by acknowledging that four carpenters are building Zion (Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and the priesthood). Then, as God said, add the fifth part (Leviticus 5:16; 22:14; 27:13; 27:15; 27:19; 27:27; 27:31; Numbers 5:7). Abraham’s brother, the descendants of Lot: Moab, is the fifth part! “The dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them (Exodus 15:15).” Islam is currently comprised of two faiths, both of which are helping to build Zion. This observation is confirmed by the handwriting on the wall, in a verse testifing that Islam's kingdom is divided: "Thy kingdom is divided (Daniel 5:28)."
Further proof of Islam's divided kingdom is found in the eighth chapter of Daniel where an angel gave this prophecy: “The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia (Daniel 8:20).” The Hebrew word for ‘ram’ was translated ‘mighty’ in the words “mighty men of Moab (Exodus 15:15).” Therefore Moab has his portion within the ram that has two horns representing the divided kingdom of Islam. Furthermore, the same Hebrew word which was translated "ram" was also translated "lintel" and "posts," and it was used in a verse depicting materials that make up a fifth part of the wall of the temple (1Kings 6:31). Put all this information together, and Moab is the fifth part of the believers that are helping to build Zion.
These are the five toes; and soon each toe will be divided based upon whether or not believers are supporting the covenant message. “Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set (Ezekiel 21:16).” In essence, the message of the covenant divides believers who are sharing the covenant message, from those who are serving religion. “His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west (Zechariah 14:4).” Half of the believers will argue for the covenants, and the remainder will stay upon their religious beliefs. Saved, as well as unsaved persons will be on both sides of the argument. Absolutely no doctrine will save you: trusting in God and his covenants, along with doing God's will, is the recipe for salvation. “In the days of these kings (ten toes) shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed… it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever (Daniel 2:44).”
A dream that Daniel saw is recorded in the seventh chapter of the book of Daniel. In it, four beasts rise up from the sea. These beasts represent believers from the nations of Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and the priesthood, and they rise up from being spiritually dead at the hearing of the covenant message. The third beast that rose up from the sea was given a dominion: this beast represents Christianity. Compare the dominion of the third beast to that of the third kingdom of brass in Nebuchadnezzar's dream which was given rule; for dominion means that they are given rule (Daniel 2:39; 7:6). Yet even Christianity needs to be submissive to the prophesied truths of end times: “They had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged (Daniel 7:12).”
The fourth beast which rose up from the sea in the vision, is the priesthood. They are unmistakably identified by their ten horns, and their iron teeth. The priesthood is God’s threshing instrument, purposed to destroy the lies of religion. “The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces (Daniel 7:23).” The priesthood has access to the pulpit, which logically makes these leaders the perfect treaders of earth. "The Lord of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them his goodly horse in the battle... They shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle (Zechariah 10:3-5)." Religious deception is the beast that is to be slain. “I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame (Daniel 7:11).”
Also included in the seventh chapter of Daniel, is information concerning a little horn. “The ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise ‘after’ them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings (Daniel 7:24).” The word ‘after’ affirms that the little horn makes his debut after the ten kingdoms are evident. He represents the final voice of religion, but more concisely, the little horn represents the last great teacher that rises up and teaches inaccuracies, and makes mistakes which are against God's word. Contrary to the teachings of the little horn, when God arises to shake the earth, Christ will take his rightful place as head over all covenants. Then, and in those times, learning of Jesus and receiving his teachings will be God's requirement for salvation.
“I saw in my night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. There was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed (Daniel 7:13-14).” The believer's hope should be in that glorious day when Christ takes his rightful place, under God. “When he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power… and when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself, be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all (1Corinthians 15:2; 15:28).”
This concludes a summarization of the night vision parables, but there are countless other discoveries which are still waiting to be discovered within the Syriac words of scripture. Here is just a small sampling:
A Syriac word was translated "stream" in the verse, “A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him (Daniel 7:10).” The same Syriac word was translated "rivers" in the book of Isaiah. By placing this Syriac word within Hebrew dialogue, God brought attention to Isaiah's inspirational prophesies concerning new understandings of end times. “I will open rivers in the high places (Isaiah 41:18).” and, “There the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams (Isaiah 33:21).” When Daniel prophesied the words "fiery stream," he prophesied evidence that the passions of believers will be fired up for the Lord during end times.
The Hebrew word ‘Cassia’ was written within the Syriac dialogue. This spice was one of the four spices which were used in making the holy anointing oil that consecrated the temple, as well as the priesthood. In essence, this spice placed the blessing of separation to the Lord upon its recipients (Exodus 30:24). The word ‘cassia’ was translated ‘night’ in the verse “I saw in the night visions (Daniel 7:13).” Merging these facts causes believers to perceive that night vision is the cassia; the missing ingredient which is necessary for the cleansing and consecration of new Jerusalem.
Another Syriac word which was translated ‘sought,’ was placed within the Hebrew scriptures of Obadiah: “How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up! (Obadiah 6).” This misplaced word implies that Islam will be amazed to learn of those things which are prophesied about them, and which are being revealed from the scriptures.
Lastly, another Syriac word was translated into the word "set" and it was used in the verse, “How shall I set thee as Zeboim? (Hosea 11:8).” Zeboim was a city which Abraham once rescued (Genesis 14:8; 14:15). Afterwards Zeboim was overthrown by God in his wrath, and it became a land of sickness, and of plagues (Deuteronomy 29:23). These facts verify God's plan to rescue his people, and afterwards he will turn and show mighty signs upon every believer who still refuses to receive instruction, even upon those that were rescued (1Samuel 13:18).
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Josiah and the Prophet
Zephaniah delivered prophecy during the days of Josiah, king of Judah. During those days Israel was under the Assyrian captivity, and their worship had deteriorated into a hodgepodge of fearing the Lord, and of serving the gods of other nations (2Kings 17:23-41). As Zephaniah prophesied end time prophecies, Josiah's life struggles agreed together with Zephaniah's prophecies: the record of Josiah's life lent interpretation to Zephaniah's prophecies, and it helped create end time understanding. Lessons learned from their works include: impressing upon believers the importance of God's covenant, and noting that zealous works are required to clean up religion.
During the twelfth year of Josiah, king of Judah, Josiah and the elders of Judah went out to purge Judah and Jerusalem of perversion within the high places of Israel. They broke down their altars, cut down their images, and destroyed their groves. They even burned the bones of Israel's priests upon their altars before they returned to Jerusalem (2Chronicles 34:3-7).
Zephaniah prophesied that indignation and reproach would come against our places of worship in the latter days. "It is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wastedness. and desolation... a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers... because they have sinned against the Lord... the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy (Zephaniah 1:15-18)."
Six years after the cleansing Israel's temples, Josiah sent his servants to collect money and make repairs to the temples that he and the elders of Judah had destroyed (2Chronicles 34:8-11).
Zephaniah prophesied that there would be a regathering of the faithful, during the latter days. “I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden… and gather her that was driven out (Zephaniah 3:18-19).”
When the repairers came to Hilkiah the high priest, he gave them a book to give to Josiah. This book was the book of the law which God had given Israel through the prophet Moses. It had been silently stored and left forgotten in the ark of the covenant (Deuteronomy 31:26; 2Chronicles 35:3). This book was more than just a book of the law, but it was a covenant which God had given unto the people for the purpose of administering understanding. Within the words of the covenant God declared how he had chosen and washed Israel, and how he had made them his people. The covenant revealed that God would be jealous over his children (Deuteronomy 5:9; 27:9). This covenant promised blessings upon the people if they would remember to keep the words of it, and do them; but it also warned that cursings would increasingly plague the people if they failed God, and forsook the covenant. Ultimately, the words of the covenant prophesied that when Israel provoked God to jealousy by not keeping her covenant, she would be delivered into the hands of her enemies (Deuteronomy chapters 27-32). King Josiah knew that both Israel and Judah had failed to keep the words of the covenant. He rent his clothes and wept before the Lord. He commanded his servants, “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that which is written in this book (2Chronicles 34:21).”
Zephaniah prophesied that God's jealousy would burn against his people in the latter days. “My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms to pour upon them mine indignation, even my fierce anger: for the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy (Zephaniah 3:8).” It is implied by these things, that once again God's people have forsaken and broken their covenant, which is why God's jealousy will burn against them in the latter days.
Through a prophetess' message to Josiah, God confirmed that his determination was to fulfill his word: “I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah: Because they have forsaken me… therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched (2Chronicels 34:24-25).”
Zephaniah prophesied the inevitably of God fulfilling his word, and pouring his wrath of upon men in the latter days. “I will utterly consume all from off the land… I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling blocks of the wicked (Zephaniah 1:2-3).”
Through the afore mentioned prophetess, God spoke grace and peace to Josiah: “Because thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord when thou heardest what I spake against this place… I also have heard thee… I will gather thee to thy fathers, thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace (2Kings 22:19-20).”
Zephaniah prophesied that grace would shelter the obedient in the latter days. “Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger (Zephaniah 2:3).”
Josiah made a decision to read and profess the covenant before the people in order to sanctify them, and cause them to do God's will. “Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. The king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests, the Levites, all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord. Then the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord… and he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it (2Chronicels 34:29-32).”
Zephaniah prophesied that God's people would be corrected and turned to a pure language in the latter days. “All the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent (Zephaniah 3:9).”
Josiah went out again to cleanse the temple, except this time he cleansed Judah first. He put down Judah's idolatrous priests, and commanded the high priest to bring out the vessels which they had made for Baal. Josiah burned those vessels without Jerusalem, and carried their ashes with him unto Bethel. In Bethel he slew their priests upon their altars (2Kings 23:20): he then turned and spied the sepulchers in the mount. He took the bones of the kings of Israel out of their sepulchres, and he burned their bones upon Bethel’s altars. Josiah did all these things in Judah and in the houses of Samaria for the purpose of cleansing the land, because he wanted to bring God's people back unto the Lord (Leviticus 26:30-32; 2Kings chapter 23).
The actions of Josiah were a spontaneous response to the love and conviction that he had for God's people. During his passion, Josiah must have rehearsed the prophet’s words which were prophesied in the ears of Israel so many years before he was even born: “There came a man of God… unto Bethel, and stood by the altar to burn incense. He cried against the altar in the word of the Lord, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee (1Kings 13:1-2).”
God had purposed that the altar of incense would be an altar most holy, requiring that whosoever touched it must be holy (Exodus 30:28-29). He impressed this fact upon the priesthood by requiring them to physically wash their hands before even approaching the altar, lest they die (Leviticus 22:3; 22:9). God even made an example for the edification of priests on the day that he slew Aaron’s sons which were forgetting God and proceeding to do their own works upon the altar (Exodus 30:21; Leviticus 10:3). The prophet which prophesied of Josiah's burning bones upon the altar of incense, was delivering God's warning against every priest which stood before Bethel's altar. The altar was God's witness against Bethel's priests, because they had polluted his name (2Chronicles 11:15). As Josiah was defiling the altar by burning men's bones upon it, his actions were not only a fulfillment of prophesy, but they were divulging evidence that God, has, and will, watch over every corrupt and perverted word that any priest utters before his people. God is the avenger, and he will never forget any of their works (Leviticus 26:25; Jeremiah chapter 8; Revelation 1:6).
Zephaniah prophesied that punishments would come upon priests and elders in the latter days. “It shall come to pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed in strange apparel (Zephaniah 1:8).”
Josiah worked to encourage all of the people to do God's will. “The king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the Passover unto the Lord your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant (2Kings 23:21).” “Sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses (2Chronicels 35:6).”
Zephaniah prophesied that believers would encourage one another to do God's will in the latter days.“In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thy hands be slack. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, and will joy over thee with singing (Zephaniah 3:16-17).”
Josiah coordinated a Passover feast to sanctify and prepare the people, and he caused priests to prepare themselves for that day. “The service was prepared, the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king’s commandment. They killed the Passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands (2Chronicels 35:10-11).”
Zephaniah eluded to the need for priests to rise up in the latter days to sanctify themselves as well as the people, and to cause many to be ready against that day. “It shall come to pass at that time, I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil (Zephaniah 1:12).” "Gather yourselves together... before the decree to bring forth, before the day pass as chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you (Zephaniah 2:1-2)."
Josiah defiled Topheth in the valley of the children of Hinnom (2Kings 23:10). Hinnom was Judah’s inheritance, whose name represents the priesthood (Joshua 15:8; Psalm 60:7). Topheth is a parable city name which represents the mindset of rebellious persons that God intends to punish with his wrath. “Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood (Isaiah 30:33).” So, by confessing that Josiah had defiled Topheth, the implication is that Josiah had disrupted the inheritance of the rebellious. In other words, because Josiah had caused many priests to cleanse themselves, there were many believers that escaped the prophesied punishments of God's wrath.
Zephaniah warned that the day of God's wrath is against the worship leaders, as well as those persons within their congregations, who refuse to be corrected. “Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! She obeyed not the voice, she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God (Zephaniah 3:1-3).”
Josiah worked feverishly to cut off the false religious practices which had caused Israel and Judah to stumble in their walk with the Lord. “The high places… Solomon the king of Israel built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the Abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile (2Kings 23:13).”
Zephaniah prophesied that false religious practices would be cut off in the latter days. “The Lord will be terrible unto them, for he will famish all the gods of earth; and men shall worship him (Zephaniah 2:11).” "I will consume... the stumbling blocks with the wicked... and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place (Zephaniah 1:3-4)."
Tragically, Josiah’s life ended because he meddled in a battle that wasn't his. Egypt fought against Assyria in the valley of Megiddo, and Josiah went out to battle against them (2Kings 23:29). The king of Egypt warned Josiah: “Forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not (2Chronicels 35:21),” but Josiah choose to disregard his warning. Could Josiah's fate have been Christianity's warning against meddling in the religious affairs of Islam (Proverbs 26:17; Nehemiah 9:11)?
During the twelfth year of Josiah, king of Judah, Josiah and the elders of Judah went out to purge Judah and Jerusalem of perversion within the high places of Israel. They broke down their altars, cut down their images, and destroyed their groves. They even burned the bones of Israel's priests upon their altars before they returned to Jerusalem (2Chronicles 34:3-7).
Zephaniah prophesied that indignation and reproach would come against our places of worship in the latter days. "It is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wastedness. and desolation... a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers... because they have sinned against the Lord... the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy (Zephaniah 1:15-18)."
Six years after the cleansing Israel's temples, Josiah sent his servants to collect money and make repairs to the temples that he and the elders of Judah had destroyed (2Chronicles 34:8-11).
Zephaniah prophesied that there would be a regathering of the faithful, during the latter days. “I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden… and gather her that was driven out (Zephaniah 3:18-19).”
When the repairers came to Hilkiah the high priest, he gave them a book to give to Josiah. This book was the book of the law which God had given Israel through the prophet Moses. It had been silently stored and left forgotten in the ark of the covenant (Deuteronomy 31:26; 2Chronicles 35:3). This book was more than just a book of the law, but it was a covenant which God had given unto the people for the purpose of administering understanding. Within the words of the covenant God declared how he had chosen and washed Israel, and how he had made them his people. The covenant revealed that God would be jealous over his children (Deuteronomy 5:9; 27:9). This covenant promised blessings upon the people if they would remember to keep the words of it, and do them; but it also warned that cursings would increasingly plague the people if they failed God, and forsook the covenant. Ultimately, the words of the covenant prophesied that when Israel provoked God to jealousy by not keeping her covenant, she would be delivered into the hands of her enemies (Deuteronomy chapters 27-32). King Josiah knew that both Israel and Judah had failed to keep the words of the covenant. He rent his clothes and wept before the Lord. He commanded his servants, “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that which is written in this book (2Chronicles 34:21).”
Zephaniah prophesied that God's jealousy would burn against his people in the latter days. “My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms to pour upon them mine indignation, even my fierce anger: for the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy (Zephaniah 3:8).” It is implied by these things, that once again God's people have forsaken and broken their covenant, which is why God's jealousy will burn against them in the latter days.
Through a prophetess' message to Josiah, God confirmed that his determination was to fulfill his word: “I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah: Because they have forsaken me… therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched (2Chronicels 34:24-25).”
Zephaniah prophesied the inevitably of God fulfilling his word, and pouring his wrath of upon men in the latter days. “I will utterly consume all from off the land… I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling blocks of the wicked (Zephaniah 1:2-3).”
Through the afore mentioned prophetess, God spoke grace and peace to Josiah: “Because thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord when thou heardest what I spake against this place… I also have heard thee… I will gather thee to thy fathers, thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace (2Kings 22:19-20).”
Zephaniah prophesied that grace would shelter the obedient in the latter days. “Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger (Zephaniah 2:3).”
Josiah made a decision to read and profess the covenant before the people in order to sanctify them, and cause them to do God's will. “Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. The king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests, the Levites, all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord. Then the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord… and he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it (2Chronicels 34:29-32).”
Zephaniah prophesied that God's people would be corrected and turned to a pure language in the latter days. “All the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent (Zephaniah 3:9).”
Josiah went out again to cleanse the temple, except this time he cleansed Judah first. He put down Judah's idolatrous priests, and commanded the high priest to bring out the vessels which they had made for Baal. Josiah burned those vessels without Jerusalem, and carried their ashes with him unto Bethel. In Bethel he slew their priests upon their altars (2Kings 23:20): he then turned and spied the sepulchers in the mount. He took the bones of the kings of Israel out of their sepulchres, and he burned their bones upon Bethel’s altars. Josiah did all these things in Judah and in the houses of Samaria for the purpose of cleansing the land, because he wanted to bring God's people back unto the Lord (Leviticus 26:30-32; 2Kings chapter 23).
The actions of Josiah were a spontaneous response to the love and conviction that he had for God's people. During his passion, Josiah must have rehearsed the prophet’s words which were prophesied in the ears of Israel so many years before he was even born: “There came a man of God… unto Bethel, and stood by the altar to burn incense. He cried against the altar in the word of the Lord, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee (1Kings 13:1-2).”
God had purposed that the altar of incense would be an altar most holy, requiring that whosoever touched it must be holy (Exodus 30:28-29). He impressed this fact upon the priesthood by requiring them to physically wash their hands before even approaching the altar, lest they die (Leviticus 22:3; 22:9). God even made an example for the edification of priests on the day that he slew Aaron’s sons which were forgetting God and proceeding to do their own works upon the altar (Exodus 30:21; Leviticus 10:3). The prophet which prophesied of Josiah's burning bones upon the altar of incense, was delivering God's warning against every priest which stood before Bethel's altar. The altar was God's witness against Bethel's priests, because they had polluted his name (2Chronicles 11:15). As Josiah was defiling the altar by burning men's bones upon it, his actions were not only a fulfillment of prophesy, but they were divulging evidence that God, has, and will, watch over every corrupt and perverted word that any priest utters before his people. God is the avenger, and he will never forget any of their works (Leviticus 26:25; Jeremiah chapter 8; Revelation 1:6).
Zephaniah prophesied that punishments would come upon priests and elders in the latter days. “It shall come to pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed in strange apparel (Zephaniah 1:8).”
Josiah worked to encourage all of the people to do God's will. “The king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the Passover unto the Lord your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant (2Kings 23:21).” “Sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses (2Chronicels 35:6).”
Zephaniah prophesied that believers would encourage one another to do God's will in the latter days.“In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thy hands be slack. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, and will joy over thee with singing (Zephaniah 3:16-17).”
Josiah coordinated a Passover feast to sanctify and prepare the people, and he caused priests to prepare themselves for that day. “The service was prepared, the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king’s commandment. They killed the Passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands (2Chronicels 35:10-11).”
Zephaniah eluded to the need for priests to rise up in the latter days to sanctify themselves as well as the people, and to cause many to be ready against that day. “It shall come to pass at that time, I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil (Zephaniah 1:12).” "Gather yourselves together... before the decree to bring forth, before the day pass as chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you (Zephaniah 2:1-2)."
Josiah defiled Topheth in the valley of the children of Hinnom (2Kings 23:10). Hinnom was Judah’s inheritance, whose name represents the priesthood (Joshua 15:8; Psalm 60:7). Topheth is a parable city name which represents the mindset of rebellious persons that God intends to punish with his wrath. “Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood (Isaiah 30:33).” So, by confessing that Josiah had defiled Topheth, the implication is that Josiah had disrupted the inheritance of the rebellious. In other words, because Josiah had caused many priests to cleanse themselves, there were many believers that escaped the prophesied punishments of God's wrath.
Zephaniah warned that the day of God's wrath is against the worship leaders, as well as those persons within their congregations, who refuse to be corrected. “Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! She obeyed not the voice, she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God (Zephaniah 3:1-3).”
Josiah worked feverishly to cut off the false religious practices which had caused Israel and Judah to stumble in their walk with the Lord. “The high places… Solomon the king of Israel built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the Abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile (2Kings 23:13).”
Zephaniah prophesied that false religious practices would be cut off in the latter days. “The Lord will be terrible unto them, for he will famish all the gods of earth; and men shall worship him (Zephaniah 2:11).” "I will consume... the stumbling blocks with the wicked... and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place (Zephaniah 1:3-4)."
Tragically, Josiah’s life ended because he meddled in a battle that wasn't his. Egypt fought against Assyria in the valley of Megiddo, and Josiah went out to battle against them (2Kings 23:29). The king of Egypt warned Josiah: “Forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not (2Chronicels 35:21),” but Josiah choose to disregard his warning. Could Josiah's fate have been Christianity's warning against meddling in the religious affairs of Islam (Proverbs 26:17; Nehemiah 9:11)?
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Zedekiah; Judah's Final King
“That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requires that which is past (Ecclesiastes 3:15).” God required and recorded the realities of yesteryear to serve as patterns to help believers comprehend the present, and materialize the future. He also used recorded biblical history in another clever way: he allowed certain names in scripture to serve as parables in prophesy, and he spoke of the future through these parables: “Give ear, O my people, to my law… I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old (Psalms 78:1-2).”
Zedekiah's name was used in this fashion. Zedekiah was Judah’s final king before her Babylonian captivity: God used his name, his decisions, and his doings, to generate messages for today's believers. From details of Zedekiah's life, believers can learn such things as the enormous confusion which takes place when God begins to do a new thing. Believers can also learn lessons about God’s long forbearance with those who refuse to listen. Ultimately, the lessons of Zedekiah can cause God's people to discover the good reasons for obeying God's voice, and thereby they can avoid the consequences of not listening.
Even before Zedekiah was ever crowned king, God began doing a new thing in the earth. God had Jeremiah don a yoke to warrant an impact, and when the princes of the other nations came to Jerusalem to see Prince Zedekiah, they were given a yoke, and they left Jerusalem with that yoke and with a message for their masters (Jeremiah 27:1-4). To paraphrase God's message: I made earth, and now I give all lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. “The nation and kingdom which will not serve Nebuchadnezzar… will I punish, with the sword, and with famine, and with pestilence; until I have consumed them by his hand… But the nations that serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land.” God's commandment was not open for debate, for he had determined that Nebuchadnezzar would reign over all nations, and that word "all" included Judah (Jeremiah 27:5-11). Notice that God promised rewards for obedience. All these things were done as a pattern for today's believers, and one important lesson which this pattern demonstrates is that God will send his messengers to prepare the way of his coming.
Jeremiah continued to faithfully prophesy God's message for years, but Judah’s priests rejected his message, for they refused to believe that God would expect his chosen people to serve Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 25:3). Zedekiah respected the priesthood, and even after he swore before God to serve Nebuchadnezzar, Zedekiah conferred with them, and turned and rebelled against serving Nebuchadnezzar (2Chronicles 36:13). Jeremiah tried to convince Zedekiah to hear the the truth, saying, Serve Nebuchadnezzar and live. Why will you die? (Jeremiah 27:12-13). But Zedekiah was confused, “I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and my elders (Lamentations 1:19).”
Many priests weighed in with their opinions, “You shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place (Jeremiah 14:13).” They ostracized Jeremiah, “Come, let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words (Jeremiah 18:18).” These priests walked in pride and envy, the same pride and envy which once plagued Aaron and Miriam: “Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath he not spoken also by us? (Numbers 12:2).” Remember that these things were written as a pattern: they allow that the priesthood's greatest hinderance is their very own envy and pride. They also reveal the undependability of the priesthood during a time when God is doing a new thing.
At the beginning of Zedekiah's reign there was an incident that should have authenticated Jeremiah as a prophet. A prophet named Hananiah came Jeremiah and audaciously broke his yoke, and prophesied peace to Judah. “They… going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God (Romans 10:3).” God then rebuked all the prophets by sending Jeremiah back before them to condemn the lies of Hananiah. Jeremiah prophesied the consequence of Hananiah's mistake: death within the year. “Hananiah the prophet died the same year (Jeremiah 28:17).”
This sobering occurrence should have authenticated Jeremiah as a prophet, but Judah's leaders still “made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return (Jeremiah 5:3).” They were deceived. They were rebelling against God by refusing to hear Jeremiah, and their rebellion was creating confusion. God will not show mercy unto today's leaders if they refuse to listen, for they too create confusion: for all these things were given as a pattern which bears witness against them (Jeremiah 7:25-26, 14:12). Scripture also testifies that God sends messages through ordinary people, so priests are without excuse. “God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty (1Corinthians 1:27).”
When God does a new thing, if priests are not willing to hear his messengers, and if they are not willing to pray and consult his word, then false divinations will occupy the pulpits (Jeremiah 5:13). “At that time shall it be said to this people… a dry wind of the high places… not to fan, nor to cleanse (Jeremiah 4:11)." The priests of Zedekiah's day were trusting in their own ways, and they were not interested in receiving God's word. “The wrath of God arose against his people, till there was no remedy (2Chronicals 36:16).”
Zedekiah chose to believe the counsel of the priesthood. “Know ye not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom you obey (Romans 6:16).” He suffered the consequences of his mistake. Zedekiah witnessed as his own sons, as well as the priests and princes of Judah, were slain before his eyes, and then his eyes were put out, and he was imprisoned until the day of his death (Jeremiah 52:9-11, 52:24,27). Tragically, because of his defiance, the city of Jerusalem was burned (Jeremiah 38:23). These horrific consequences are written and recorded for our edification.
Another lesson that is discerned from the parable of Zedekiah, happened early in Zedekiah’s reign, when Jeremiah had Zedekiah and Seraiah deliver a message to Babylon. They were told to read this message in the ears of everyone listening. Then they were to bind that message unto a stone and cast it into Euphrates, saying: “Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her (Jeremiah 51:64).” Their actions depict prophesy: they prophesied a message about the day of God's wrath. This truth is discovered by noticing the cooperation of their actions with the verse: “A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all (Revelation 18:21).”
The message which Zedekiah read in the ears of all listeners, and which he cast into Euphrates, was miraculously preserved in the book of Jeremiah, in the thirty ninth chapter, beginning in the thirty fourth verse. Zedekiah and Seraiah stood there together in the Babylonian province of Elam, reading a message against Elam (Jeremiah 49:34; Daniel 8:2). When they took that message and bound it to a stone and cast it into the Euphrates, their actions physically depicted the afore mentioned prophecy which prophesy's of religion's demise under the name of Babylon, so why was the content of their message prophesying truths against Elam? Because their actions forever linked the physical location of Elam, to the judgment of Babylon, which was the purpose for binding that message to the stone. “I will set my throne in Elam (Jeremiah 49:38).” Discovering more about the mystery of their actions requires finding out where God has sat his throne.
After Jerusalem’s burning, the fugitives of Judah went down into Egypt against God’s warnings. They came to Tahpanhes, where God issued yet another warning, “I will… send Nebuchadnezzar… and will set his throne upon these stones (Jeremiah 43:7-10).” In other words, Jeremiah prophesied that the Babylonian throne would soon be situated in Egypt, where Tahpanhes had once stood. Referring to Egypt in making reference to where this throne would be set up, created confusion, and kept the location discrete. This land did once belong to Egypt, but it had been taken by Babylon in the forth year of Jehoiakim’s reign (Jeremiah 46:13-14; 2Ki 24:7).
Zedekiah and Seraiah had read their message and prophesied against Elam and against Babylon at the place of God's throne: in the province of Elam, at Tahpanhes. Afterwards, Jeremiah prophesied once again saying that Babylon's throne would be there: Jeremiah's second prophesy was fulfilled when Shushan the palace was built in the province of Elam (Daniel 8:2). In other words, Babylon's throne, and Elam's throne, and God's throne, are inseparable. “I will set my throne in Elam (Jeremiah 49:38).” Zedekiah’s actions were done deliberately in that specific place to testify and verify, that Elam’s people, as well as the place of its throne, is attached to the prophecies of Babylon.
Egypt’s army once occupied Carchemish, the spot that most likely discloses the location of Elam. Jeremiah prophesied, “against the army… of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar… smote in the forth year of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 46:2).” Carchemish was located in the valley of Megiddo (2Chronicals 35:20-22). Same Megiddo Joshua conquered, Manasseh inherited, Solomon built, and the Canaanites influenced (Joshua 12:21; Judges 1:27; 1Kings 9:15). In this valley stood a rock named Rimmon (Zechariah 12:11). Rimmon was a holy site large enough to house six hundred Benjaminites for four months, and this holy site taught a non Jewish doctrine of religion (Judges 20:47; 2Kings 5:18). The rock of Rimmon was located south of Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:10).
Evidence is suggesting that the former province of Elam, where God situated his throne, is in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. God prophesied a significant message through Zedekiah's actions, one that makes great promises for the shake up of Islam! “I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might… I will bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them towards all those winds… I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies… I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger… and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them (Jeremiah 49:35-37).”
The prophecy which Zedekiah read in Babylon in the province of Elam, reveals truths about the confusion of religion, and it testifies that judgment will come upon Islam as well as upon Christianity and Judaism. Therefore the truth of Zedekiah's message agrees with the truths of the covenant message.
Zedekiah's name was used in this fashion. Zedekiah was Judah’s final king before her Babylonian captivity: God used his name, his decisions, and his doings, to generate messages for today's believers. From details of Zedekiah's life, believers can learn such things as the enormous confusion which takes place when God begins to do a new thing. Believers can also learn lessons about God’s long forbearance with those who refuse to listen. Ultimately, the lessons of Zedekiah can cause God's people to discover the good reasons for obeying God's voice, and thereby they can avoid the consequences of not listening.
Even before Zedekiah was ever crowned king, God began doing a new thing in the earth. God had Jeremiah don a yoke to warrant an impact, and when the princes of the other nations came to Jerusalem to see Prince Zedekiah, they were given a yoke, and they left Jerusalem with that yoke and with a message for their masters (Jeremiah 27:1-4). To paraphrase God's message: I made earth, and now I give all lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. “The nation and kingdom which will not serve Nebuchadnezzar… will I punish, with the sword, and with famine, and with pestilence; until I have consumed them by his hand… But the nations that serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land.” God's commandment was not open for debate, for he had determined that Nebuchadnezzar would reign over all nations, and that word "all" included Judah (Jeremiah 27:5-11). Notice that God promised rewards for obedience. All these things were done as a pattern for today's believers, and one important lesson which this pattern demonstrates is that God will send his messengers to prepare the way of his coming.
Jeremiah continued to faithfully prophesy God's message for years, but Judah’s priests rejected his message, for they refused to believe that God would expect his chosen people to serve Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 25:3). Zedekiah respected the priesthood, and even after he swore before God to serve Nebuchadnezzar, Zedekiah conferred with them, and turned and rebelled against serving Nebuchadnezzar (2Chronicles 36:13). Jeremiah tried to convince Zedekiah to hear the the truth, saying, Serve Nebuchadnezzar and live. Why will you die? (Jeremiah 27:12-13). But Zedekiah was confused, “I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and my elders (Lamentations 1:19).”
Many priests weighed in with their opinions, “You shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place (Jeremiah 14:13).” They ostracized Jeremiah, “Come, let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words (Jeremiah 18:18).” These priests walked in pride and envy, the same pride and envy which once plagued Aaron and Miriam: “Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath he not spoken also by us? (Numbers 12:2).” Remember that these things were written as a pattern: they allow that the priesthood's greatest hinderance is their very own envy and pride. They also reveal the undependability of the priesthood during a time when God is doing a new thing.
At the beginning of Zedekiah's reign there was an incident that should have authenticated Jeremiah as a prophet. A prophet named Hananiah came Jeremiah and audaciously broke his yoke, and prophesied peace to Judah. “They… going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God (Romans 10:3).” God then rebuked all the prophets by sending Jeremiah back before them to condemn the lies of Hananiah. Jeremiah prophesied the consequence of Hananiah's mistake: death within the year. “Hananiah the prophet died the same year (Jeremiah 28:17).”
This sobering occurrence should have authenticated Jeremiah as a prophet, but Judah's leaders still “made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return (Jeremiah 5:3).” They were deceived. They were rebelling against God by refusing to hear Jeremiah, and their rebellion was creating confusion. God will not show mercy unto today's leaders if they refuse to listen, for they too create confusion: for all these things were given as a pattern which bears witness against them (Jeremiah 7:25-26, 14:12). Scripture also testifies that God sends messages through ordinary people, so priests are without excuse. “God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty (1Corinthians 1:27).”
When God does a new thing, if priests are not willing to hear his messengers, and if they are not willing to pray and consult his word, then false divinations will occupy the pulpits (Jeremiah 5:13). “At that time shall it be said to this people… a dry wind of the high places… not to fan, nor to cleanse (Jeremiah 4:11)." The priests of Zedekiah's day were trusting in their own ways, and they were not interested in receiving God's word. “The wrath of God arose against his people, till there was no remedy (2Chronicals 36:16).”
Zedekiah chose to believe the counsel of the priesthood. “Know ye not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom you obey (Romans 6:16).” He suffered the consequences of his mistake. Zedekiah witnessed as his own sons, as well as the priests and princes of Judah, were slain before his eyes, and then his eyes were put out, and he was imprisoned until the day of his death (Jeremiah 52:9-11, 52:24,27). Tragically, because of his defiance, the city of Jerusalem was burned (Jeremiah 38:23). These horrific consequences are written and recorded for our edification.
Another lesson that is discerned from the parable of Zedekiah, happened early in Zedekiah’s reign, when Jeremiah had Zedekiah and Seraiah deliver a message to Babylon. They were told to read this message in the ears of everyone listening. Then they were to bind that message unto a stone and cast it into Euphrates, saying: “Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her (Jeremiah 51:64).” Their actions depict prophesy: they prophesied a message about the day of God's wrath. This truth is discovered by noticing the cooperation of their actions with the verse: “A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all (Revelation 18:21).”
The message which Zedekiah read in the ears of all listeners, and which he cast into Euphrates, was miraculously preserved in the book of Jeremiah, in the thirty ninth chapter, beginning in the thirty fourth verse. Zedekiah and Seraiah stood there together in the Babylonian province of Elam, reading a message against Elam (Jeremiah 49:34; Daniel 8:2). When they took that message and bound it to a stone and cast it into the Euphrates, their actions physically depicted the afore mentioned prophecy which prophesy's of religion's demise under the name of Babylon, so why was the content of their message prophesying truths against Elam? Because their actions forever linked the physical location of Elam, to the judgment of Babylon, which was the purpose for binding that message to the stone. “I will set my throne in Elam (Jeremiah 49:38).” Discovering more about the mystery of their actions requires finding out where God has sat his throne.
After Jerusalem’s burning, the fugitives of Judah went down into Egypt against God’s warnings. They came to Tahpanhes, where God issued yet another warning, “I will… send Nebuchadnezzar… and will set his throne upon these stones (Jeremiah 43:7-10).” In other words, Jeremiah prophesied that the Babylonian throne would soon be situated in Egypt, where Tahpanhes had once stood. Referring to Egypt in making reference to where this throne would be set up, created confusion, and kept the location discrete. This land did once belong to Egypt, but it had been taken by Babylon in the forth year of Jehoiakim’s reign (Jeremiah 46:13-14; 2Ki 24:7).
Zedekiah and Seraiah had read their message and prophesied against Elam and against Babylon at the place of God's throne: in the province of Elam, at Tahpanhes. Afterwards, Jeremiah prophesied once again saying that Babylon's throne would be there: Jeremiah's second prophesy was fulfilled when Shushan the palace was built in the province of Elam (Daniel 8:2). In other words, Babylon's throne, and Elam's throne, and God's throne, are inseparable. “I will set my throne in Elam (Jeremiah 49:38).” Zedekiah’s actions were done deliberately in that specific place to testify and verify, that Elam’s people, as well as the place of its throne, is attached to the prophecies of Babylon.
Egypt’s army once occupied Carchemish, the spot that most likely discloses the location of Elam. Jeremiah prophesied, “against the army… of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar… smote in the forth year of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 46:2).” Carchemish was located in the valley of Megiddo (2Chronicals 35:20-22). Same Megiddo Joshua conquered, Manasseh inherited, Solomon built, and the Canaanites influenced (Joshua 12:21; Judges 1:27; 1Kings 9:15). In this valley stood a rock named Rimmon (Zechariah 12:11). Rimmon was a holy site large enough to house six hundred Benjaminites for four months, and this holy site taught a non Jewish doctrine of religion (Judges 20:47; 2Kings 5:18). The rock of Rimmon was located south of Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:10).
Evidence is suggesting that the former province of Elam, where God situated his throne, is in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. God prophesied a significant message through Zedekiah's actions, one that makes great promises for the shake up of Islam! “I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might… I will bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them towards all those winds… I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies… I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger… and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them (Jeremiah 49:35-37).”
The prophecy which Zedekiah read in Babylon in the province of Elam, reveals truths about the confusion of religion, and it testifies that judgment will come upon Islam as well as upon Christianity and Judaism. Therefore the truth of Zedekiah's message agrees with the truths of the covenant message.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
The Relevance of Zerubabbel
“The hands of Zerubabbel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands also shall finish it (Zechariah 4:9).” From the name of a devout Hebrew who participated in the building of the temple, God fashioned a parable which is meant to help counsel his lawgivers, the priesthood. “Judah is my lawgiver (Psalms 60:7).” “Who hath despised the day of small things? For they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubabbel (Zechariah 4:10).” Zerubabbel's name will help usher in New Jerusalem. “It shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow into it (Isaiah 2:2).”
"The Lord hath a controversy (Jeremiah 25:31)." Zerubabbel's name was used in prophesy to help identify what the Lord's controversy is all about: “Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste? (Haggai 1:4).” God's primary concern is not so much about the in house festivities of his people, but rather, it is that all the descendants of Abraham are not dwelling in peace and unity: religion has defiled God's call for peace and unity (Ephesians 4:13; Psalm 133:1-3).
“Ye have sown much, and bring in little… He that earns wages, earns wages to put it into a bag with holes (Haggai 1:6).” “Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; when you brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? Because my house is waste, and ye run every man to his own house. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. I called for the drought upon the land, and upon the mountains… and upon all labor of the hands (from Haggai 1:6-11).”
Consider a mystery: In the book of Ezra, Cyrus made a proclamation: Sheshbazzar, the then governor of Judah, was to take the Jews from Babylon and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem (Ezra chapter one through 2:2). Zerubabbel went with them. They set up the walls, and joined the foundation of the Lord’s temple (Ezra 4:12). Then skirmishes erupted and letters were sent, and a new king caused their work to cease (Ezra 4:24; 5:16). This information was published to verify that the temple's construction had begun, and that the foundation of the temple had been laid.
Several kings and some years later, Zerubabbel was now governor (Haggai 1:1) and work on the temple was being resumed, when suddenly prophecy erupted: “Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all the nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory… the glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former… and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord (from Haggai 2:6-9).” These words are prophetic words, for they corroborate the immense shaking that is prophesied to take place when the sixth seal of the Revelation is opened: in that day every mountain and island shall be moved out of its place as an earthquake shakes even the heavens (Revelation 6:12-14).
The mysterious prophecy that erupted before Zerubabbel was intended to make an announcement that something really big is destined to occur on the twenty fourth day of the ninth month (Haggai 2:10). God stressed Zion's need to pay attention to this date by reiterating the word, consider. “Consider from this day upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord… Consider now from this day upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider (Haggai 2:15-18).”
Consider: The temple’s foundation had already been laid, and stones had already been laid upon it, so why was God saying, “before a stone was laid upon a stone?” This message was coming forth on the twenty forth day of the ninth month (Haggai 2:10; 2:20), so why was God deferring to a future date, saying, “Speak to Zerubabbel, governor of Judah, I will shake the heavens and the earth; I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, everyone by the sword of his brother. In that day, I will take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant… and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts (Haggai 2:21-23).”
Has there ever been any relevance ascribed to this signet? Or was our omniscient God eluding to a future day, and to the building of Zion? Could the declaration of this date, combined with the setting Zerubabbel’s times, and the prophesied shaking of the heavens, earth, and the nations, as well as God's promise to set Zerubabbel's name on high, divulge a secret yet future?
“Is the seed yet in the barn? Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day I will bless you (Haggai 2:19).” Remember this date: the twenty fourth day of the ninth month; a date which was prepared by the foresight of God, a date prophesied by the prophet Haggai. Could this be the day that God rips open the sixth seal? Will this date prove to be the day in which God decisively divides his sheep from the goats? Will knowing this date help infuse strength into the building of Zion?
God’s people must acknowledge and affirm that salvation is granted through covenants (Isaiah 42:16; Romans 8:19). Changing the way that every believer worships God is the solution to the controversy. “Mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people (from Isaiah 56:7).” “Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubabbel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, grace, grace unto it (Zechariah 4:7).” Zerubabbel’s name is chosen to mark change.
“My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people (Judges 5:9).” God will protect those priests that willingly sacrifice themselves in order to help him build the truth of end times. "The Lord shall save the tents of Judah first (Zechariah 12:7)." “I will make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left (Zechariah 12:6).”
“Be strong, O Zerubabbel” “All the remnant of people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of the prophet.” “I am with you.” “They came and did the work in the house of the Lord.” (quotes from Haggai 1:12 through 2:4). The building of covenant understanding is God's will, and it is our Mount Zion, therefore it will be built! “This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, not by might, not by power, but by my spirit (Zechariah 4:6).”
“This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built… Thus saith the Lord of hosts… Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified (Haggai 1:2,7-8).”
“Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth (Micah 4:13).”
Covenant understanding is the kingdom message that will consume all the deceptive practices of religion, and it shall stand forever! “In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever (Daniel 2:44).”
God is with us so long as we work together in agreement with his word. “According to the word that I covenanted with you… so my spirit remains among you: fear ye not (Haggai 2:5).”
"The Lord hath a controversy (Jeremiah 25:31)." Zerubabbel's name was used in prophesy to help identify what the Lord's controversy is all about: “Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste? (Haggai 1:4).” God's primary concern is not so much about the in house festivities of his people, but rather, it is that all the descendants of Abraham are not dwelling in peace and unity: religion has defiled God's call for peace and unity (Ephesians 4:13; Psalm 133:1-3).
“Ye have sown much, and bring in little… He that earns wages, earns wages to put it into a bag with holes (Haggai 1:6).” “Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; when you brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? Because my house is waste, and ye run every man to his own house. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. I called for the drought upon the land, and upon the mountains… and upon all labor of the hands (from Haggai 1:6-11).”
Consider a mystery: In the book of Ezra, Cyrus made a proclamation: Sheshbazzar, the then governor of Judah, was to take the Jews from Babylon and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem (Ezra chapter one through 2:2). Zerubabbel went with them. They set up the walls, and joined the foundation of the Lord’s temple (Ezra 4:12). Then skirmishes erupted and letters were sent, and a new king caused their work to cease (Ezra 4:24; 5:16). This information was published to verify that the temple's construction had begun, and that the foundation of the temple had been laid.
Several kings and some years later, Zerubabbel was now governor (Haggai 1:1) and work on the temple was being resumed, when suddenly prophecy erupted: “Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all the nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory… the glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former… and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord (from Haggai 2:6-9).” These words are prophetic words, for they corroborate the immense shaking that is prophesied to take place when the sixth seal of the Revelation is opened: in that day every mountain and island shall be moved out of its place as an earthquake shakes even the heavens (Revelation 6:12-14).
The mysterious prophecy that erupted before Zerubabbel was intended to make an announcement that something really big is destined to occur on the twenty fourth day of the ninth month (Haggai 2:10). God stressed Zion's need to pay attention to this date by reiterating the word, consider. “Consider from this day upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord… Consider now from this day upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider (Haggai 2:15-18).”
Consider: The temple’s foundation had already been laid, and stones had already been laid upon it, so why was God saying, “before a stone was laid upon a stone?” This message was coming forth on the twenty forth day of the ninth month (Haggai 2:10; 2:20), so why was God deferring to a future date, saying, “Speak to Zerubabbel, governor of Judah, I will shake the heavens and the earth; I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, everyone by the sword of his brother. In that day, I will take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant… and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts (Haggai 2:21-23).”
Has there ever been any relevance ascribed to this signet? Or was our omniscient God eluding to a future day, and to the building of Zion? Could the declaration of this date, combined with the setting Zerubabbel’s times, and the prophesied shaking of the heavens, earth, and the nations, as well as God's promise to set Zerubabbel's name on high, divulge a secret yet future?
“Is the seed yet in the barn? Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day I will bless you (Haggai 2:19).” Remember this date: the twenty fourth day of the ninth month; a date which was prepared by the foresight of God, a date prophesied by the prophet Haggai. Could this be the day that God rips open the sixth seal? Will this date prove to be the day in which God decisively divides his sheep from the goats? Will knowing this date help infuse strength into the building of Zion?
God’s people must acknowledge and affirm that salvation is granted through covenants (Isaiah 42:16; Romans 8:19). Changing the way that every believer worships God is the solution to the controversy. “Mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people (from Isaiah 56:7).” “Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubabbel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, grace, grace unto it (Zechariah 4:7).” Zerubabbel’s name is chosen to mark change.
“My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people (Judges 5:9).” God will protect those priests that willingly sacrifice themselves in order to help him build the truth of end times. "The Lord shall save the tents of Judah first (Zechariah 12:7)." “I will make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left (Zechariah 12:6).”
“Be strong, O Zerubabbel” “All the remnant of people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of the prophet.” “I am with you.” “They came and did the work in the house of the Lord.” (quotes from Haggai 1:12 through 2:4). The building of covenant understanding is God's will, and it is our Mount Zion, therefore it will be built! “This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, not by might, not by power, but by my spirit (Zechariah 4:6).”
“This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built… Thus saith the Lord of hosts… Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified (Haggai 1:2,7-8).”
“Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth (Micah 4:13).”
Covenant understanding is the kingdom message that will consume all the deceptive practices of religion, and it shall stand forever! “In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever (Daniel 2:44).”
God is with us so long as we work together in agreement with his word. “According to the word that I covenanted with you… so my spirit remains among you: fear ye not (Haggai 2:5).”
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Message of the Covenants
“I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me… even the messenger of the covenant (Malachi 3:1,KJV).” By grace this is the long anticipated covenant message; a promised message preordained to overturn the practices of religion (Ezekiel 21:27,KJV); and brought forth to to turn the counsel of wise men backward, and to make their knowledge foolishness (Isaiah 44:25,KJV). This message also serves as a warning unto all of God's people: prepare the way for the pending judgment of our God.
God initiated worship. He gave believers a pattern for the sanctuary, and thereby God inspired the creation of gathering places for his people. The sanctuary was purposed to be a place for sanctifying God's elect, and for bringing glory unto God's name. Misunderstood and misrepresented teachings of God's word, instigated “religion.” Religion scripted rules for acquiring salvation, rules which have held in place for generations. These rules were founded upon God’s word, which is why they are nearly impossible to defeat. End times are about God defeating the rules of religion.
God scripted those verses which separated the religions. He allowed for certain verses to be like stumbling stones, and as stones which could be thrown at one another. These defiant verses produced a need to study his word, and to call upon him for answers. Then the fortitude of God granted salvation based upon covenants. He spoke covenants; knitting them together as one, calling them “the everlasting covenant.” God gave Christ’s flesh, his teachings, as a covenant (John 17:4; Isaiah 49:8,KJV), but equally as important, God poured Christ’s blood out upon all covenants (Zechariah 9:11,KJV). The blood of one spotless lamb, is, “the blood of the everlasting covenant (Hebrews 13:20,KJV).” That means that Jesus' blood is the promised establishment for all of God's covenants: his blood is the believer's assurance that everyone who makes, or has made, an obedient decision to know who God is, and to do his will, will reap eternal rewards. “I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a god unto thee, and to thy seed after thee (Genesis 17:7,KJV).”
Fear of making mistakes strengthened religion; but Christ’s blood triumphs over the power of man's mistakes by establishing salvation that is based upon covenants. The power of God's covenants is evidenced in verses, like, “I will give them one heart, and one way that they may fear me forever (Jeremiah 32:39,KJV),” and, “Cursed be the man that obeys not the words of his covenant (Jeremiah 11:3,KJV).” God allowed the power of his covenants to be misunderstood and to remain elusive until the day that he would release the surprise ending which would not only correct his flock, but it will most assuredly punish the hypocrites (Isaiah 33:14; Jeremiah 23:20,KJV).
Christ’s covenant is elusive. “He will show them his covenant (Psalms 25:14,KJV).” Believers are to accept Christ's yoke, and become his bride. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me (Matthew 11:29).” Christ's yoke has to do with his burden, which is to do the work of the Father and to demonstrate godliness to the world, and help others know and believe that God exists. Believers are to take Jesus' yoke upon themselves. This is initiated by vowing to learn of Jesus. Union happens when two of you agree together as one, wherefore believers must keep their vow, and continue to walk together and learn of Jesus, until the two of you become one flesh. Ultimately the words "one flesh" allow that the two of you will be in perfect agreement with the Lord God, and with his word.
Covenants began with Noah. God used an awe-inspiring rainbow to demonstrate that his covenants are forever (Genesis 9:13,KJV)! God gave his people covenants through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and ultimately Jesus Christ. He partitioned a separate covenant for the priesthood (Deuteronomy 17:19-20; Joshua 1:8; Malachi 2:8,KJV), and gave believers the promise of a new covenant (Hosea 2:18,KJV). Incidentally, an aloof covenant is revealed in the words “my covenant with them.” Are we privy to an Islamic covenant? (Isaiah 59:21,KJV).
A “perpetual covenant” was written in the ten commandments; Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it Holy (Exodus 31:16,KJV). Could the Sabbath day covenant be God's way of preserving a remnant in every religion? “I will make all my mountains a way (Isaiah 49:11,KJV).”
Let’s consider the massive Jewish crowds and priests which eye witnessed the power, doctrine, and miraculous healings of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ exemplified change, and rattled the Jews of his day by audaciously braking their covenant (John 5:16,KJV). Fear of making mistakes against God, held the Jews captive. Despite the miracles before them, many Jews hoped in the laws of their temple, and Christ was crucified.
Ironically, Jesus' death spared Judaism. The Jewish priests feared, “If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him (John 11:48,KJV).” Scripture says that the high priest prophesied: that means, God gave him a message for their nation: “One man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not (John 11:50,KJV).” God intentionally preserved Judaism to admonish His children: Religion contains powerful misunderstandings, but God foreordained its mission.
God designated four carpenters to build His house (Zechariah 1:20, KJV). Their assignment was to increase the knowledge of Him. An image in the book of Daniel is purposed to identify these four carpenters (Chapter two). The head of gold announces the first of Abraham’s nations, descendants of Ishmael and Esau that eventually culminated into Islam (Numbers 24:20; Genesis 36:12,KJV). Silver marks Judaism, and brass depicts Christianity (Christ’s feet; Revelation 1:15,KJV). The iron symbolizes God’s rod which was given to the priesthood, categorized separately, because they had no inheritance in the land (Ezekiel 44:28,KJV). God expressly inhabits all four aspects of the image, but is not bound by their practices (Psalms 82:1,KJV). Christ is poised to cast the stone preordained to thresh them all. This will leave one mountain, Mount Zion, wherein God’s house will be established; and all nations shall flow unto it (Isaiah 2:2,KJV).
“When you shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (Matthew 24:15,KJV).” There it stands, one statue, prepared expressly for you. The religious rules which are presently standing in our pulpits, are not God. God prepared covenants to safely lead his children home. Will you see the abomination of desolation, or choose to follow the dictates? Choosing incorrectly, is abomination. “Behold, ye are nothing, and your work is as nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you (Isaiah 41:24,KJV).”
“Time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God (1Peter 4:17,KJV).” Christians, God is preparing to pour pestilence upon those within the church that have forgotten him (Lamentations 2:6, Daniel 9:27, Ezekiel 7:15, James 5:3,KJV). This is the consequence for not listening to his word, and for not hearing his messengers (Job 31:3, Isaiah 28:21, Jeremiah 29:32,KJV). “Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps (Psalms 85:13,KJV).”
The strange act of pouring pestilence upon his people will verify God’s covenant message. Like the pestilence which was poured upon Job, pestilence will be poured upon men who deem themselves innocent. Like the trials of Job, on-lookers will cast cynical accusations upon the afflicted (Psalms 38,KJV). These accusations are a judgment of the Lord God. The accusations are referred to in scripture as the pestilence of the noisome beasts (Ezekiel 14:21,KJV). This pestilence is meant to open the ears of all believers (Job 36:15,KJV). The Lord does not afflict willingly, nor will he cast off forever. He will take the cup of trembling, and put it into the hand of the oppressors (Lamentations 1:21,KJV).
The pestilences will cause news of the covenant message to spread quickly throughout the nations (Revelation 18:10,KJV). They shall look upon the righteous son of God, and mourn for him (Zechariah 12:10,KJV). “He will gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad (John 11:52,KJV).”
“Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations (Psalms 82:8,KJV).” “Lift up thyself, thou judge of earth: render a reward to the proud (Psalms 94:2,KJV).”
God's word says that when God frames evil against a nation, “If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them (Jeremiah 18:8,KJV).” Our mission is to pray, and help believers turn from the mistakes of their religion and from their religious iniquities, unto the truth of God's word (Jeremiah 26:3,KJV). “Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord (Joel 1:14,KJV).”
“Fear not the reproach of men… for the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be forever (Isaiah 51:7-8,KJV).”
The mystery of Babylon pertains to Christian rebellion; it is about the leaders of God's house who have lost their focus. They have forgotten that God's people belong unto Lord God. They say, as Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon did, “I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty (Daniel 4:30,KJV).” Pestilence will overturn all the mistaken, iniquitous practices of Babylon.
“Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for it is the time of the Lord’s vengeance; He will render unto her a recompense… Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed. We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her… Her judgment reaches unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies. The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of our God (Jeremiah 51:6-10, KJV).”
This understanding was maintained in the King James Version of the bible. Call on the Father who will help to show you the way. To God be the glory, and the victory, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
“God made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies (Psalms 78:52-53,KJV).”
God initiated worship. He gave believers a pattern for the sanctuary, and thereby God inspired the creation of gathering places for his people. The sanctuary was purposed to be a place for sanctifying God's elect, and for bringing glory unto God's name. Misunderstood and misrepresented teachings of God's word, instigated “religion.” Religion scripted rules for acquiring salvation, rules which have held in place for generations. These rules were founded upon God’s word, which is why they are nearly impossible to defeat. End times are about God defeating the rules of religion.
God scripted those verses which separated the religions. He allowed for certain verses to be like stumbling stones, and as stones which could be thrown at one another. These defiant verses produced a need to study his word, and to call upon him for answers. Then the fortitude of God granted salvation based upon covenants. He spoke covenants; knitting them together as one, calling them “the everlasting covenant.” God gave Christ’s flesh, his teachings, as a covenant (John 17:4; Isaiah 49:8,KJV), but equally as important, God poured Christ’s blood out upon all covenants (Zechariah 9:11,KJV). The blood of one spotless lamb, is, “the blood of the everlasting covenant (Hebrews 13:20,KJV).” That means that Jesus' blood is the promised establishment for all of God's covenants: his blood is the believer's assurance that everyone who makes, or has made, an obedient decision to know who God is, and to do his will, will reap eternal rewards. “I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a god unto thee, and to thy seed after thee (Genesis 17:7,KJV).”
Fear of making mistakes strengthened religion; but Christ’s blood triumphs over the power of man's mistakes by establishing salvation that is based upon covenants. The power of God's covenants is evidenced in verses, like, “I will give them one heart, and one way that they may fear me forever (Jeremiah 32:39,KJV),” and, “Cursed be the man that obeys not the words of his covenant (Jeremiah 11:3,KJV).” God allowed the power of his covenants to be misunderstood and to remain elusive until the day that he would release the surprise ending which would not only correct his flock, but it will most assuredly punish the hypocrites (Isaiah 33:14; Jeremiah 23:20,KJV).
Christ’s covenant is elusive. “He will show them his covenant (Psalms 25:14,KJV).” Believers are to accept Christ's yoke, and become his bride. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me (Matthew 11:29).” Christ's yoke has to do with his burden, which is to do the work of the Father and to demonstrate godliness to the world, and help others know and believe that God exists. Believers are to take Jesus' yoke upon themselves. This is initiated by vowing to learn of Jesus. Union happens when two of you agree together as one, wherefore believers must keep their vow, and continue to walk together and learn of Jesus, until the two of you become one flesh. Ultimately the words "one flesh" allow that the two of you will be in perfect agreement with the Lord God, and with his word.
Covenants began with Noah. God used an awe-inspiring rainbow to demonstrate that his covenants are forever (Genesis 9:13,KJV)! God gave his people covenants through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and ultimately Jesus Christ. He partitioned a separate covenant for the priesthood (Deuteronomy 17:19-20; Joshua 1:8; Malachi 2:8,KJV), and gave believers the promise of a new covenant (Hosea 2:18,KJV). Incidentally, an aloof covenant is revealed in the words “my covenant with them.” Are we privy to an Islamic covenant? (Isaiah 59:21,KJV).
A “perpetual covenant” was written in the ten commandments; Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it Holy (Exodus 31:16,KJV). Could the Sabbath day covenant be God's way of preserving a remnant in every religion? “I will make all my mountains a way (Isaiah 49:11,KJV).”
Let’s consider the massive Jewish crowds and priests which eye witnessed the power, doctrine, and miraculous healings of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ exemplified change, and rattled the Jews of his day by audaciously braking their covenant (John 5:16,KJV). Fear of making mistakes against God, held the Jews captive. Despite the miracles before them, many Jews hoped in the laws of their temple, and Christ was crucified.
Ironically, Jesus' death spared Judaism. The Jewish priests feared, “If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him (John 11:48,KJV).” Scripture says that the high priest prophesied: that means, God gave him a message for their nation: “One man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not (John 11:50,KJV).” God intentionally preserved Judaism to admonish His children: Religion contains powerful misunderstandings, but God foreordained its mission.
God designated four carpenters to build His house (Zechariah 1:20, KJV). Their assignment was to increase the knowledge of Him. An image in the book of Daniel is purposed to identify these four carpenters (Chapter two). The head of gold announces the first of Abraham’s nations, descendants of Ishmael and Esau that eventually culminated into Islam (Numbers 24:20; Genesis 36:12,KJV). Silver marks Judaism, and brass depicts Christianity (Christ’s feet; Revelation 1:15,KJV). The iron symbolizes God’s rod which was given to the priesthood, categorized separately, because they had no inheritance in the land (Ezekiel 44:28,KJV). God expressly inhabits all four aspects of the image, but is not bound by their practices (Psalms 82:1,KJV). Christ is poised to cast the stone preordained to thresh them all. This will leave one mountain, Mount Zion, wherein God’s house will be established; and all nations shall flow unto it (Isaiah 2:2,KJV).
“When you shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (Matthew 24:15,KJV).” There it stands, one statue, prepared expressly for you. The religious rules which are presently standing in our pulpits, are not God. God prepared covenants to safely lead his children home. Will you see the abomination of desolation, or choose to follow the dictates? Choosing incorrectly, is abomination. “Behold, ye are nothing, and your work is as nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you (Isaiah 41:24,KJV).”
“Time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God (1Peter 4:17,KJV).” Christians, God is preparing to pour pestilence upon those within the church that have forgotten him (Lamentations 2:6, Daniel 9:27, Ezekiel 7:15, James 5:3,KJV). This is the consequence for not listening to his word, and for not hearing his messengers (Job 31:3, Isaiah 28:21, Jeremiah 29:32,KJV). “Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps (Psalms 85:13,KJV).”
The strange act of pouring pestilence upon his people will verify God’s covenant message. Like the pestilence which was poured upon Job, pestilence will be poured upon men who deem themselves innocent. Like the trials of Job, on-lookers will cast cynical accusations upon the afflicted (Psalms 38,KJV). These accusations are a judgment of the Lord God. The accusations are referred to in scripture as the pestilence of the noisome beasts (Ezekiel 14:21,KJV). This pestilence is meant to open the ears of all believers (Job 36:15,KJV). The Lord does not afflict willingly, nor will he cast off forever. He will take the cup of trembling, and put it into the hand of the oppressors (Lamentations 1:21,KJV).
The pestilences will cause news of the covenant message to spread quickly throughout the nations (Revelation 18:10,KJV). They shall look upon the righteous son of God, and mourn for him (Zechariah 12:10,KJV). “He will gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad (John 11:52,KJV).”
“Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations (Psalms 82:8,KJV).” “Lift up thyself, thou judge of earth: render a reward to the proud (Psalms 94:2,KJV).”
God's word says that when God frames evil against a nation, “If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them (Jeremiah 18:8,KJV).” Our mission is to pray, and help believers turn from the mistakes of their religion and from their religious iniquities, unto the truth of God's word (Jeremiah 26:3,KJV). “Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord (Joel 1:14,KJV).”
“Fear not the reproach of men… for the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be forever (Isaiah 51:7-8,KJV).”
The mystery of Babylon pertains to Christian rebellion; it is about the leaders of God's house who have lost their focus. They have forgotten that God's people belong unto Lord God. They say, as Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon did, “I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty (Daniel 4:30,KJV).” Pestilence will overturn all the mistaken, iniquitous practices of Babylon.
“Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for it is the time of the Lord’s vengeance; He will render unto her a recompense… Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed. We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her… Her judgment reaches unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies. The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of our God (Jeremiah 51:6-10, KJV).”
This understanding was maintained in the King James Version of the bible. Call on the Father who will help to show you the way. To God be the glory, and the victory, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
“God made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies (Psalms 78:52-53,KJV).”
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