Let us continue looking at chapter nine of the book of Daniel. Gabriel was sent by God to Daniel to bring clarity to the prayer that he was offering unto the Lord. Daniel had seen in visions the end of time and he realized the importance for mankind, especially God's chosen people Israel, to be in a right relationship with God when that time comes.
Verse 24 contains enough information to deserve its own chapter in this study. Gabriel states, "70 weeks are determined." Daniel had been praying about the 70 years of captivity that Israel found itself captured in. When Gabriel says 70 weeks he means that there are 7x70 years yet to be fulfilled. Daniel was praying for Jerusalem, the Temple and his people. Gabriel is giving him the assurance that these would be restored due to the fact that all of the end-time events that Daniel had seen were to take place in Jerusalem.
70 weeks does not mean 70 weeks consisting of seven days per week. The Hebrew word for seven is "shabua" which means a "unit of measure" much like the word "dozen" means 12 items of one unit of measure. As Daniel was focusing on the 70 years of captivity that Jeremiah had prophesied and written letters about, Gabriel uses this opportunity to explain the time "measured out" for the history of mankind to be complete.
One may ask the question, how do we come up with 70 years from the stated 70 weeks and according to biblical scholars this then equals 490 years? We must understand the Jewish tradition of measuring units of time. Traditionally, the Jews observed sabbatic years by which their years were divided into weeks of years with each week containing seven years. Leviticus 25:8, which is where we see this measure of time instituted states, "And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, 7x7 years and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee 40 and nine years." The Sabbath was the seventh day of the week thus when using the sabbatic system of measure a day equaled a week. The 70 weeks of verse 24 would then be multiplied by seven years (Lev.25:8) which would equal 490 years. Are you confused yet? Space does not permit me to give a detailed explanation of the sabbatic years of measure. May I suggest that you research this for yourselves if it is confusing to you.
During this "70 weeks," or 490 years, six things are listed here in verse 24 that shall take place. The first of these is, "to finish the transgression." Meaning to put an end to sin, or to finish offerings for sin. Daniel had been praying over the sins of Israel and Gabriel is saying here that in time One was coming Who, when He comes, will be the final offering for sin and will thus put an end to sin's dominion. As we will see in the next verse the 70 weeks is a timetable of future events which includes the coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
Another interpretation of "to finish the transgression" is to restrain transgression. This applies to the end of the age when the anti-Christ rises to power. We see this meaning "to restrain transgression" in II Thes.2:1-8, in particular, verse seven. "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only "he" who now "restrains" it will do so until "he" is out of the way." (RVS, emphasis added) who is this "he" who "restrains transgression," the one who is restraining the rise of the lawless one, the anti-Christ, from coming to power until it is time for it to happen according to God's timetable? Pre-tribulationists say that it is the church and the Holy Spirit that restrains. They hold that once the church is raptured, taking with it the presence of the Holy Spirit, then the anti-Christ will be free to have his reign of terror. But this begs the question, where is this found in Scripture? Though this is a traditional view held by many in the church, it cannot be substantiated by Scripture. Note that the thing that restrains is referred to as "he" in II Thes.2:7. The church is generally referred to as "she," the bride. Although this "he" who restrains isn't identified anywhere in Scripture. There is only one place in Scripture that shows Satan being restrained and who does it. Since the anti-Christ is the personification of Satan, then "he" who is restraining him is the one with the power to do so. The Scripture is Rev.20:1-3 and it is here that we find that it is an angel that has the power to restrain Satan. Satan, through the anti-Christ, cannot rise to power until the angel given power to "restrain" is told to get out of the way, at the midway point of the tribulation period.
Summed up in this statement, "to finish the transgression," is the prophesied events of the end time. The 70 weeks (7x70 years=490 years) will be fulfilled at which time sin offerings will all cease, the anti-Christ will be free to reign, Jesus will return followed by the wrath of God being poured out to put a "finish," or to say an end, to sin and all unrighteousness.
The next thing to take place during this 70 weeks found in verse 24 is, "To make an end of all sin." All sin will be judged and sin's work will be finished. No more evil, unrighteousness, wickedness, no more satanic influence.
The next thing to occur after the fulfillment of the 70 weeks is, "To make reconciliation for iniquity." During the 70 weeks God will provide reconciliation to all of humanity through Jesus Christ. By the sacrifice of Jesus mankind can be reconciled, bought back, into a father/child relationship with Jehovah.
Then we see at the fulfillment of the 70 weeks there will be, "Everlasting righteousness." The sacrifice of animals under the Old Testament law only brought a temporary righteousness. But through the final sacrifice of sin, Jesus, we have an everlasting righteousness, that is, we are right before God.
Next we read that the 70 weeks places a seal up on "The vision and prophecy." All visions and prophecies will be "sealed," or to say, concluded, fulfilled. There is nothing left to be done that was purposed by God for his creation and prophesied or seen in visions by man to be fulfilled.
And finally, after the 70 weeks, there will be the anointing of "The most Holy." Jesus anointed King of Kings, Lord of Lords, High Priest, etc., for all eternity.
There have been volumes written pertaining to this one verse about the 70 weeks. There is so much information contained in verse 24 alone that we could spend weeks discussing it. But for the subject matter of this study we will let this brief look at verse 24 suffice.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
END-TIME STUDY--Pt.18
The next portion of Scripture that we will be looking at is chapter nine of the book of Daniel. It is in this chapter that we are introduced to one of the most discussed prophecies of Daniel's book, that being, the 70 weeks of Daniel. The chapter begins with Daniel interceding for the Jewish people. He sets the stage for this dialogue by giving us the time in which he was living when he received the vision of the 70 weeks. The Babylonians had taken the first captives from Jerusalem in 605 B.C. when Daniel was but a young teenager. He is now over 80 years of age and he realizes that he will never leave captivity. The Babylonian empire had fallen to the Medes and Persians in 539 and 538 B.C. Darius was then made king over the Chaldeans (Babylonians). It was in 535 B.C. that some of the Jews would begin their journey back to their homeland.
In verse two Daniel acknowledges that he was aware that when he was taken captive, along with his fellow countrymen, that the duration of that captivity would be 70 years. He would have been aware of the words of Jeremiah who had prophesied not only that captivity but also its duration of 70 years. Although Jeremiah was not taken to Babylon, he sent letters to the captives. It was from these letters that Daniel began to fully understand the 70 years of captivity. As he pondered in his heart the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of his people he begins to pray.
Verse three tells us that Daniel assumed the position of humility and sorrow as he sought the Lord. He fasted. He place sackcloth (a burlap type cloth) upon his body; he also placed ashes on his head, both of which were signs of great sorrow and grief.
If only time and space would permit we could expound upon Daniel's prayer for within it lies a pattern for prayer. But I will only lift out those words pertinent to our subject matter. He starts with his own confession of sin then acknowledges the attributes of God. Since he will be pursuing the mercy of God for his people in captivity, he alludes to the fact that God's mercy is extended to those who "love Him" and "keep His commandments" (a lesson we should all learn). Then in verse five he confesses that the people of Israel were undeserving of His mercy because they had failed to keep His precepts and that they had sinned against Him by their rebellion against His word. They had even gone so far as to reject His prophets as they tried to warn the people. Are we not guilty of the same things as professing Christians today? We want only those prophets, preachers, who tell us what we want to hear not what we need to hear. Rest assured that God is raising up preachers after His own heart who will be declaring, "thus saith the Lord," in these the last days and the vast majority of "professing Christians" will not hearken to their words because they may be harsh, uncomfortable or calling us out of sin. As we reject these words of God, He will be given no other choice but to send judgment upon His church.
Some "professing Christians" will be taken into captivity. Captivity to porn, lust, drugs, alcohol, poverty, etc. Some will watch their children be taken into the captivity of darkness and sin. Until we, like Daniel, come to God in brokenness and humility and confess our sins and rebellion, we too shall remain in captivity until the day of his appearing at which time we then will transfer from our earthly captivity to our eternal captivity.
Daniel states that the Jewish people have "confusion of faces" (v. 7). This means that they were shamefaced, embarrassed by their current existence of captivity and their rebellion to God's word that placed them there. Their homeland lay in ruin. They were captives in a distant land. All they had taken pride in was gone. Daniel not only acknowledges the embarrassment (shamefaced), but also the fact that they deserved it because of their sin (v.8-10).
Verse eleven deserves our attention for in it lies a principle of God's word that is often overlooked or just plain rejected, yet it has a profound effect on the lives of Christians and their families today and for ever. Daniel states, "all Israel have transgressed Your law, even by departing, that they might not obey Your voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us." He is referring to the law of Moses which addresses those who enter into a covenant with God. There are blessings for keeping the covenant and curses for not keeping it. Please take the time to read Deuteronomy chapter 28, especially versus 1-2, 15-26, 32, 36, 41, 45-52. When we accept Jesus as our Savior we enter into a covenant with God. God offers us His eternal benefits and we offer Him our lives and our obedience to His will. When we enter into a covenant with God we are committing ourselves to obey His word. To obey brings blessings. To disobey brings curses.
For this reason many Christians today struggle with understanding why it seems they can never receive God's blessings and favor. It may well be that they have broken their covenant with God by their disobedience to a known law of God or their rejection of His words declared. Many feel that as long as they feel goosebumps occasionally or are still praying in tongues that all is well between them and God, yet they can't seem to receive the much sought after blessings of God. Maybe we need to seek God's face and allow Him to reveal our sins that we, like Daniel, may repent, thus qualifying us for the blessings of God that accompany the keeping of covenant with God.
Beginning with verse twelve Daniel declares the justice of God's judgments upon the people of Israel. He concludes his prayer with a plea for mercy that once again God would cause his face to shine upon his sanctuary.
It's in this setting of prayer that God reveals to Daniel His timetable for the arrival of His Messiah. The One who would take away all sin. Daniel shows us our need for repentance and forgiveness and then he shows us the coming of the One who would forgive us our sins and take away the curse of sin--the Messiah!
In verse two Daniel acknowledges that he was aware that when he was taken captive, along with his fellow countrymen, that the duration of that captivity would be 70 years. He would have been aware of the words of Jeremiah who had prophesied not only that captivity but also its duration of 70 years. Although Jeremiah was not taken to Babylon, he sent letters to the captives. It was from these letters that Daniel began to fully understand the 70 years of captivity. As he pondered in his heart the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of his people he begins to pray.
Verse three tells us that Daniel assumed the position of humility and sorrow as he sought the Lord. He fasted. He place sackcloth (a burlap type cloth) upon his body; he also placed ashes on his head, both of which were signs of great sorrow and grief.
If only time and space would permit we could expound upon Daniel's prayer for within it lies a pattern for prayer. But I will only lift out those words pertinent to our subject matter. He starts with his own confession of sin then acknowledges the attributes of God. Since he will be pursuing the mercy of God for his people in captivity, he alludes to the fact that God's mercy is extended to those who "love Him" and "keep His commandments" (a lesson we should all learn). Then in verse five he confesses that the people of Israel were undeserving of His mercy because they had failed to keep His precepts and that they had sinned against Him by their rebellion against His word. They had even gone so far as to reject His prophets as they tried to warn the people. Are we not guilty of the same things as professing Christians today? We want only those prophets, preachers, who tell us what we want to hear not what we need to hear. Rest assured that God is raising up preachers after His own heart who will be declaring, "thus saith the Lord," in these the last days and the vast majority of "professing Christians" will not hearken to their words because they may be harsh, uncomfortable or calling us out of sin. As we reject these words of God, He will be given no other choice but to send judgment upon His church.
Some "professing Christians" will be taken into captivity. Captivity to porn, lust, drugs, alcohol, poverty, etc. Some will watch their children be taken into the captivity of darkness and sin. Until we, like Daniel, come to God in brokenness and humility and confess our sins and rebellion, we too shall remain in captivity until the day of his appearing at which time we then will transfer from our earthly captivity to our eternal captivity.
Daniel states that the Jewish people have "confusion of faces" (v. 7). This means that they were shamefaced, embarrassed by their current existence of captivity and their rebellion to God's word that placed them there. Their homeland lay in ruin. They were captives in a distant land. All they had taken pride in was gone. Daniel not only acknowledges the embarrassment (shamefaced), but also the fact that they deserved it because of their sin (v.8-10).
Verse eleven deserves our attention for in it lies a principle of God's word that is often overlooked or just plain rejected, yet it has a profound effect on the lives of Christians and their families today and for ever. Daniel states, "all Israel have transgressed Your law, even by departing, that they might not obey Your voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us." He is referring to the law of Moses which addresses those who enter into a covenant with God. There are blessings for keeping the covenant and curses for not keeping it. Please take the time to read Deuteronomy chapter 28, especially versus 1-2, 15-26, 32, 36, 41, 45-52. When we accept Jesus as our Savior we enter into a covenant with God. God offers us His eternal benefits and we offer Him our lives and our obedience to His will. When we enter into a covenant with God we are committing ourselves to obey His word. To obey brings blessings. To disobey brings curses.
For this reason many Christians today struggle with understanding why it seems they can never receive God's blessings and favor. It may well be that they have broken their covenant with God by their disobedience to a known law of God or their rejection of His words declared. Many feel that as long as they feel goosebumps occasionally or are still praying in tongues that all is well between them and God, yet they can't seem to receive the much sought after blessings of God. Maybe we need to seek God's face and allow Him to reveal our sins that we, like Daniel, may repent, thus qualifying us for the blessings of God that accompany the keeping of covenant with God.
Beginning with verse twelve Daniel declares the justice of God's judgments upon the people of Israel. He concludes his prayer with a plea for mercy that once again God would cause his face to shine upon his sanctuary.
It's in this setting of prayer that God reveals to Daniel His timetable for the arrival of His Messiah. The One who would take away all sin. Daniel shows us our need for repentance and forgiveness and then he shows us the coming of the One who would forgive us our sins and take away the curse of sin--the Messiah!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
END-TIME STUDY--Pt.17
Now we come to the most exciting part of Daniel chapter eight. It is now that Gabriel makes it very clear to Daniel that what he has seen is the end of the history of mankind and of all time. He states in verse 19, "I will make you know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be." He is saying here that he had just revealed to Daniel when the Anti-Christ's indignation and defilement will end which will be at the end of the church age when all the saints shall be gathered from the Earth--2300 days from the rise of the Anti-Christ.
Daniel has now seen the head of gold (Babylonian Empire) come and go. He has seen the chest and arms of silver (Medo-Persian Empire) come and go. He has seen the belly and thighs of bronze (Macedonian-Grecian Empire) come and go. He has seen the legs of iron (Roman Empire) come and go. Finally, he sees the future when the feet of iron and clay will rise up as an Empire made up of the old Roman Empire along with the middle eastern countries.
Gabriel sums up the vision of Daniel by stating, "And in the latter times of their kingdom (the time of the Gentiles is over and the time of the wicked has run out), when the transgressors are come to full, a king of fierce countenance, (vehemently harsh, fierceness with greed) and understanding dark sentences, (literally, a puzzle or trick. He will work his ways to power by his strong looks and smooth speech) shall stand up." (v.23) I believe today's politicians are preparing us to receive the Anti-Christ. They use a strong appearance when speaking of crime, injustice or other current events. They use skilled words of persuasion to get our votes and support. Yet, very few are truthful. They are only serving their own agendas and political futures.
Gabriel states that the power of the Anti-Christ shall be mighty but the power that he possesses will not be his own. Of course we know that his power shall come from none other than Satan. Gabriel says that the Anti-Christ shall destroy wonderfully, he will try to destroy all that is good and godly. He will prosper greatly as he comes to power. He will destroy mighty armies and great leaders as well as some of God's holy people, the Saints. He will use talk of peace to gain control of nations. He will become so full of himself that he will make the biggest mistake of his life, he will stand against Jesus Christ Himself. He will be so arrogant that he will believe that he can overthrow the government of God and heaven itself. "But he shall be broken without hand." (v.25) John saw the fulfillment of this and recorded it in Revelation 19:15 which reads, "And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, with it He should smite the nations." And then in verse 21, "And the remnant were slain with the sword of Him that set upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of His mouth." The very words of Jesus will be "sharper than any two edged sword" (Heb.4:12). There will be no armies, no weapons of modern warfare, no human involvement, no physical strength exerted, only a word from Jesus's mouth and all His enemies are defeated! Remember, His words are what created the universe. If Jesus says it--it's done!
We then see Daniel instructed to shut up the vision for it was not for his generation but for a future generation. In fact, it appears that he attempted to tell others this vision but "none understood it." (V.7) It has only been in the last few years that God has made known the mysteries of Daniel's vision. I believe it is because we are the generation that shall see all these things come to pass. (Matt.4:34)
We don't need the Book of Revelation to know the end. In the book of Daniel we have been given the calendar of end time events, we have been given signs and descriptions of the Anti-Christ, as well is where he will rise to power. If one knows and understands the book of Daniel he will have no problem identifying the Anti-Christ as well as the signs of the times of the end.
The Middle East is where it's all at. All one has to do is look at all of the unrest in the nations surrounding Israel and you must come to the conclusion that we are witnessing the fulfillment of end time prophecies. The descendents of Ishmael are rising up to claim what they believe is rightfully theirs--all the land promised to their father, Abraham. Ishmael was the firstborn son of Abraham, thus the one to receive the inheritance of his father, Abraham, as his firstborn birthright. His twelve sons are viewed as the twelve tribes of promise. It was from their bloodline that Mohammed was born, thus the Muslims believe that they are the children of promise and, like Joshua, it's time to take the promised land. Joshua was to kill all the illegitimate inhabitants of the promised land and now the descendents of Ishmael feel compelled by their sacred writings to do the same, kill the illegitimate inhabitants of their "promised land" (the Jews and those who support them) the Christians.
The Middle East is where all the action is to take place. Stay informed about the events taking place in the Middle East. Read Daniel over and over again until you can evaluate the current events in the news about what's happening in the Middle East with the prophecies of Daniel. This way you will not be taken by surprise when the Anti-Christ rises to power and the end time events unfold before your very eyes (I Thes.5:4).
Daniel has now seen the head of gold (Babylonian Empire) come and go. He has seen the chest and arms of silver (Medo-Persian Empire) come and go. He has seen the belly and thighs of bronze (Macedonian-Grecian Empire) come and go. He has seen the legs of iron (Roman Empire) come and go. Finally, he sees the future when the feet of iron and clay will rise up as an Empire made up of the old Roman Empire along with the middle eastern countries.
Gabriel sums up the vision of Daniel by stating, "And in the latter times of their kingdom (the time of the Gentiles is over and the time of the wicked has run out), when the transgressors are come to full, a king of fierce countenance, (vehemently harsh, fierceness with greed) and understanding dark sentences, (literally, a puzzle or trick. He will work his ways to power by his strong looks and smooth speech) shall stand up." (v.23) I believe today's politicians are preparing us to receive the Anti-Christ. They use a strong appearance when speaking of crime, injustice or other current events. They use skilled words of persuasion to get our votes and support. Yet, very few are truthful. They are only serving their own agendas and political futures.
Gabriel states that the power of the Anti-Christ shall be mighty but the power that he possesses will not be his own. Of course we know that his power shall come from none other than Satan. Gabriel says that the Anti-Christ shall destroy wonderfully, he will try to destroy all that is good and godly. He will prosper greatly as he comes to power. He will destroy mighty armies and great leaders as well as some of God's holy people, the Saints. He will use talk of peace to gain control of nations. He will become so full of himself that he will make the biggest mistake of his life, he will stand against Jesus Christ Himself. He will be so arrogant that he will believe that he can overthrow the government of God and heaven itself. "But he shall be broken without hand." (v.25) John saw the fulfillment of this and recorded it in Revelation 19:15 which reads, "And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, with it He should smite the nations." And then in verse 21, "And the remnant were slain with the sword of Him that set upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of His mouth." The very words of Jesus will be "sharper than any two edged sword" (Heb.4:12). There will be no armies, no weapons of modern warfare, no human involvement, no physical strength exerted, only a word from Jesus's mouth and all His enemies are defeated! Remember, His words are what created the universe. If Jesus says it--it's done!
We then see Daniel instructed to shut up the vision for it was not for his generation but for a future generation. In fact, it appears that he attempted to tell others this vision but "none understood it." (V.7) It has only been in the last few years that God has made known the mysteries of Daniel's vision. I believe it is because we are the generation that shall see all these things come to pass. (Matt.4:34)
We don't need the Book of Revelation to know the end. In the book of Daniel we have been given the calendar of end time events, we have been given signs and descriptions of the Anti-Christ, as well is where he will rise to power. If one knows and understands the book of Daniel he will have no problem identifying the Anti-Christ as well as the signs of the times of the end.
The Middle East is where it's all at. All one has to do is look at all of the unrest in the nations surrounding Israel and you must come to the conclusion that we are witnessing the fulfillment of end time prophecies. The descendents of Ishmael are rising up to claim what they believe is rightfully theirs--all the land promised to their father, Abraham. Ishmael was the firstborn son of Abraham, thus the one to receive the inheritance of his father, Abraham, as his firstborn birthright. His twelve sons are viewed as the twelve tribes of promise. It was from their bloodline that Mohammed was born, thus the Muslims believe that they are the children of promise and, like Joshua, it's time to take the promised land. Joshua was to kill all the illegitimate inhabitants of the promised land and now the descendents of Ishmael feel compelled by their sacred writings to do the same, kill the illegitimate inhabitants of their "promised land" (the Jews and those who support them) the Christians.
The Middle East is where all the action is to take place. Stay informed about the events taking place in the Middle East. Read Daniel over and over again until you can evaluate the current events in the news about what's happening in the Middle East with the prophecies of Daniel. This way you will not be taken by surprise when the Anti-Christ rises to power and the end time events unfold before your very eyes (I Thes.5:4).
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
END-TIME STUDY--Pt.16
I want us now to return to our end-time Bible study. I want to continue our look at the book of Daniel. In our last study we were looking at chapter 8 of the book of Daniel. Here we see the vision of Daniel in verses one through ten and then beginning with verse 15 we see the interpretation of this vision. We now will pick up our study in verse nine.
The statements about the Antichrist found in verse nine are speaking of him going forth to conquer. It is at this time that verse eight of Chapter 7 is fulfilled. "I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots." (Daniel 7:8) The Antichrist will rise up from among the four kingdoms and he will destroy or conquer the other three, the one to the south, the one to the east and the one known as the Glorious or Beautiful Land, Israel. He will conquer these through peace treaties and diplomacy ("a mouth speaking pompous words." Daniel 7:8). This will help the believers to identify the Antichrist. He will seem insignificant and then suddenly he will subdue three kingdoms or rulers by diplomacy and tactfulness which will give him great bargaining power.
Let me pause here long enough to reveal what I believe to be the place that the Antichrist will either be born in or will come to power in. At the beginning of this vision we see that Daniel finds himself in Shushan, in a palace (v.2). We must understand that Daniel was in captivity in Babylon. He was brought there from Jerusalem when he was between the ages of 12 and 16. He most likely had never been to Shushan, yet he finds himself there in this vision. Not only is he in Shushan, but he is in a palace that wasn't even built yet. This palace would be built by Darius the Mede some 15 to 20 years later. It would cover some 123 acres. Shushan historically is known as Susa. It's modern-day name is Shushtar. The Ulai River is now called the Karun River.
Why is this important? Because there is no logical reason for this yet to be built palace to be mentioned here unless it is one of those hidden mysteries of scripture that only the Spirit can reveal its meaning (I Corinthians 2:10-14).
Shushan (Susa, Shushtar), the city of the Persian Empire, is none other than our modern-day Iran. Iran was known as Persia until 1935 when it underwent the name change. In medieval times Iran became one of the chief centers of Islamic civilation and extended its cultural influence into India (Daniel 8:9 "toward the East"). The Iranian people have inhabited the area since the early first millennium B. C. Iranians are believed to be direct descendents of Ishmael. The land of Ur where Abraham came from was in Elam (Iran). This was also the home of Ahasuerus and Queen Esther. Iran was part of the Roman empire from the time of the rule of Pompey. The kings of Iran called themselves "king of kings".
Could the hidden mystery here be that God was revealing the place of either the birth of the Antichrist or the place from which he would rise to power? After all it is a palace, home of a leader, that Daniel finds himself. It is also in a land ruled by Islamic radicals who follow the teachings of Mohammed and believe that as direct descendents of Ishmael, the firstborn of Abraham, they are the rightful heirs of the Promised Land.I believe that this may very well be the reason that Daniel's vision of the rise of the Antichrist begins with a location that is yet to be.
In verse 10 chapter 8 we find ourselves at the midway point of the seven-year tribulation period, now begins the Great Tribulation. Up to this point the world will have been experiencing a reasonable measure of peace brought about by the treaties brokered by the Antichrist. The Orthodox Jew, to a degree, has accepted the Antichrist as the long-awaited anointed Messiah or at best a great prophet from God. The Muslims will have accepted the Antichrist as the mahdi, the reappearing of the twelveth Inman. The professing Christian (not those in relationship with the Father), will see the Antichrist as a great prophet sent by God to bring world peace to prepare the way for the return of Jesus. The world will see the Antichrist as a great world leader with all the solutions to the world's problems. The true believer will see the Antichrist for who he really is, an agent of Satan. This mindset will cause the world to view the Christians as narrow-minded and hatemongers. I know, this is already happening but not to the degree that will take place in the tribulation. The true believers will be viewed as standing in the way of world peace and economic stability. To assault a Christian will make you a hero with little or no repercussions. It is in the midst of all of this false utopia that the Antichrist will play out his hand. He will enter the Temple and defile it showing himself to be as God.
Verse 10 chapter 8 takes place midway through the 70th week of Daniel. The first 3 1/2 years are a time of reasonable peace, especially in the Middle East. But at the midway point of the tribulation, the Antichrist reveals his true character, defiles the Temple and proclaims himself to be God. "And it was waxed great, even to the host of heaven." Isaiah had this to say about this event in Chapter 14 verse 13 of his book, "For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God." We know that from studying the first three chapters of the book of Revelation that the "stars" spoken of here ("It cast down some of the host and of the 'stars' to the ground, and stamped upon them,") are God's ministers to his church. The Antichrist will exalt himself above God (the host of heaven) and exercise great power over his host--the Saints.
Verse 11 tells us that the Antichrist will take away the daily sacrifices that are being offered up in the Temple. The only way this can happen is for there to be a new Temple built in Jerusalem. I believe the Antichrist will build this temple as part of his seven year peace treaty that he will broker with Israel. There has to be a Jewish Temple in order for it to be a place of daily sacrifices and to be defiled by the Antichrist triggering the Great Tribulation, the last 3 1/2 years of Daniel's 70th week. When you see the Temple being rebuilt, GET READY, we are closing in on the end of the history of mankind and the return of Jesus Christ.
Even with all the scriptural evidence identifying the Antichrist, many will still be drawn to him. When he defiles the Temple and tramples the truth (Judeo-Christian beliefs) under his feet, many will view this as a time of liberation from the dogmatic views of the Christian and Jewish faiths. With the Christian's scriptures and claims of the identity of the Antichrist seemingly destroyed, the people of the world will see him as a great world leader and a new improved religious figure who has come to destroy the "false" religions such as Christianity that are the stumbling blocks to world peace and harmony. The unsaved will pledge their support for the Antichrist and he will prosper in power and in wealth.
Then in verse 13 Daniel hears two saints conversing as one asked the question, "How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?" A similar conversation takes place in John's vision recorded in the book of Revelation chapter 6 verses 9-11. "And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, 'how long, old Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge an avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?' And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethern, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."
Daniel was given the answer in verse 14. "And he said unto me, 'Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.'" It is here that we are given the first hint as to when Jesus would return to the earth to bring to a conclusion the end of the history of mankind. Daniel was speaking of the 70th week, or to say, the seven-year tribulation period. But please take note he only refers to 2300 days, this would be six years, and 140 days based on the Jewish lunar calendar which is made up of 30 day months. Later in this study we shall see that these numbers, along with the ones of Daniel 12:11,12, give the believers a real good look at the time frame of Jesus's return for his bride toward the end of the tribulation period.
Verse 14 concludes with, "Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." The last time Jesus entered the sanctuary he "cleansed it" of the money changers (Matthew 21:12). He just made what we celebrate as his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem where he was welcomed as a King. The next time He enters Jerusalem it will be on a white steed as King of kings. He will make His true Triumphal Entry and He will cleanse the sanctuary that was defiled by the Antichrist. This puts goosebumps on me big enough to hang a hat on.
Verses 15 through 17 set the stage for the explanation of Daniel's vision by none other than Gabriel. He tells Daniel that, "For at the time of the end shall be this vision." We just witnessed the end of history and mankind!!
The statements about the Antichrist found in verse nine are speaking of him going forth to conquer. It is at this time that verse eight of Chapter 7 is fulfilled. "I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots." (Daniel 7:8) The Antichrist will rise up from among the four kingdoms and he will destroy or conquer the other three, the one to the south, the one to the east and the one known as the Glorious or Beautiful Land, Israel. He will conquer these through peace treaties and diplomacy ("a mouth speaking pompous words." Daniel 7:8). This will help the believers to identify the Antichrist. He will seem insignificant and then suddenly he will subdue three kingdoms or rulers by diplomacy and tactfulness which will give him great bargaining power.
Let me pause here long enough to reveal what I believe to be the place that the Antichrist will either be born in or will come to power in. At the beginning of this vision we see that Daniel finds himself in Shushan, in a palace (v.2). We must understand that Daniel was in captivity in Babylon. He was brought there from Jerusalem when he was between the ages of 12 and 16. He most likely had never been to Shushan, yet he finds himself there in this vision. Not only is he in Shushan, but he is in a palace that wasn't even built yet. This palace would be built by Darius the Mede some 15 to 20 years later. It would cover some 123 acres. Shushan historically is known as Susa. It's modern-day name is Shushtar. The Ulai River is now called the Karun River.
Why is this important? Because there is no logical reason for this yet to be built palace to be mentioned here unless it is one of those hidden mysteries of scripture that only the Spirit can reveal its meaning (I Corinthians 2:10-14).
Shushan (Susa, Shushtar), the city of the Persian Empire, is none other than our modern-day Iran. Iran was known as Persia until 1935 when it underwent the name change. In medieval times Iran became one of the chief centers of Islamic civilation and extended its cultural influence into India (Daniel 8:9 "toward the East"). The Iranian people have inhabited the area since the early first millennium B. C. Iranians are believed to be direct descendents of Ishmael. The land of Ur where Abraham came from was in Elam (Iran). This was also the home of Ahasuerus and Queen Esther. Iran was part of the Roman empire from the time of the rule of Pompey. The kings of Iran called themselves "king of kings".
Could the hidden mystery here be that God was revealing the place of either the birth of the Antichrist or the place from which he would rise to power? After all it is a palace, home of a leader, that Daniel finds himself. It is also in a land ruled by Islamic radicals who follow the teachings of Mohammed and believe that as direct descendents of Ishmael, the firstborn of Abraham, they are the rightful heirs of the Promised Land.I believe that this may very well be the reason that Daniel's vision of the rise of the Antichrist begins with a location that is yet to be.
In verse 10 chapter 8 we find ourselves at the midway point of the seven-year tribulation period, now begins the Great Tribulation. Up to this point the world will have been experiencing a reasonable measure of peace brought about by the treaties brokered by the Antichrist. The Orthodox Jew, to a degree, has accepted the Antichrist as the long-awaited anointed Messiah or at best a great prophet from God. The Muslims will have accepted the Antichrist as the mahdi, the reappearing of the twelveth Inman. The professing Christian (not those in relationship with the Father), will see the Antichrist as a great prophet sent by God to bring world peace to prepare the way for the return of Jesus. The world will see the Antichrist as a great world leader with all the solutions to the world's problems. The true believer will see the Antichrist for who he really is, an agent of Satan. This mindset will cause the world to view the Christians as narrow-minded and hatemongers. I know, this is already happening but not to the degree that will take place in the tribulation. The true believers will be viewed as standing in the way of world peace and economic stability. To assault a Christian will make you a hero with little or no repercussions. It is in the midst of all of this false utopia that the Antichrist will play out his hand. He will enter the Temple and defile it showing himself to be as God.
Verse 10 chapter 8 takes place midway through the 70th week of Daniel. The first 3 1/2 years are a time of reasonable peace, especially in the Middle East. But at the midway point of the tribulation, the Antichrist reveals his true character, defiles the Temple and proclaims himself to be God. "And it was waxed great, even to the host of heaven." Isaiah had this to say about this event in Chapter 14 verse 13 of his book, "For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God." We know that from studying the first three chapters of the book of Revelation that the "stars" spoken of here ("It cast down some of the host and of the 'stars' to the ground, and stamped upon them,") are God's ministers to his church. The Antichrist will exalt himself above God (the host of heaven) and exercise great power over his host--the Saints.
Verse 11 tells us that the Antichrist will take away the daily sacrifices that are being offered up in the Temple. The only way this can happen is for there to be a new Temple built in Jerusalem. I believe the Antichrist will build this temple as part of his seven year peace treaty that he will broker with Israel. There has to be a Jewish Temple in order for it to be a place of daily sacrifices and to be defiled by the Antichrist triggering the Great Tribulation, the last 3 1/2 years of Daniel's 70th week. When you see the Temple being rebuilt, GET READY, we are closing in on the end of the history of mankind and the return of Jesus Christ.
Even with all the scriptural evidence identifying the Antichrist, many will still be drawn to him. When he defiles the Temple and tramples the truth (Judeo-Christian beliefs) under his feet, many will view this as a time of liberation from the dogmatic views of the Christian and Jewish faiths. With the Christian's scriptures and claims of the identity of the Antichrist seemingly destroyed, the people of the world will see him as a great world leader and a new improved religious figure who has come to destroy the "false" religions such as Christianity that are the stumbling blocks to world peace and harmony. The unsaved will pledge their support for the Antichrist and he will prosper in power and in wealth.
Then in verse 13 Daniel hears two saints conversing as one asked the question, "How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?" A similar conversation takes place in John's vision recorded in the book of Revelation chapter 6 verses 9-11. "And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, 'how long, old Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge an avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?' And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethern, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."
Daniel was given the answer in verse 14. "And he said unto me, 'Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.'" It is here that we are given the first hint as to when Jesus would return to the earth to bring to a conclusion the end of the history of mankind. Daniel was speaking of the 70th week, or to say, the seven-year tribulation period. But please take note he only refers to 2300 days, this would be six years, and 140 days based on the Jewish lunar calendar which is made up of 30 day months. Later in this study we shall see that these numbers, along with the ones of Daniel 12:11,12, give the believers a real good look at the time frame of Jesus's return for his bride toward the end of the tribulation period.
Verse 14 concludes with, "Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." The last time Jesus entered the sanctuary he "cleansed it" of the money changers (Matthew 21:12). He just made what we celebrate as his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem where he was welcomed as a King. The next time He enters Jerusalem it will be on a white steed as King of kings. He will make His true Triumphal Entry and He will cleanse the sanctuary that was defiled by the Antichrist. This puts goosebumps on me big enough to hang a hat on.
Verses 15 through 17 set the stage for the explanation of Daniel's vision by none other than Gabriel. He tells Daniel that, "For at the time of the end shall be this vision." We just witnessed the end of history and mankind!!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
A TORNADO IS COMING TO YOUR CHURCH--Pt 3
So where does this message to the church from this dream leave us today? Maybe we need to ask ourselves a few questions. First of all are we seated comfortably on our religious bus seat? In other words are we among those who have a false sense of security believing that we are heaven bound as we sit on our comfortable pews Sunday in and Sunday out, complacent, compromised and having no burden for the lost? We should ask ourselves has God's Spirit tried moving in our lives only to be quenched? Maybe we should ask ourselves, do we, like Paul in Romans 7:24, find ourselves crying out, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" Like Paul do we find ourselves doing what we should not be doing and not doing the things that we should? In other words, we know what to do based on God's word, yet we don't do it. Could we be like the demoniac of Gadarenes who was tortured by contrary spirits? He had a "legion" of demons controlling his life.
What's the garbage or sin in our lives that is damming up the blessings of God for our lives? Do we have the contrary spirits of lust, adultery, or porn? Could it be that our contrary spirits are lying, deception, gossip, a murderous spirit in our hearts, envy, covetousness, complacency, lukewarm toward holy things, no burden for the lost? Or could it be that we simply have lost our first love for Christ? He is no longer occupying the first place in our hearts, our affections, our time or our love.
The demonic tried to get rid of his contrary spirits by cutting himself, by torturing his flesh. He wanted to be free but possessed not the human power to get free. It took Jesus Christ Himself to set this person free from his contrary spirits! So it is with us. To be free from our contrary spirits that keep us seated as the Spirit moves, we too must heed the words of Romans 12:2, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." To be free from the dross, garbage, sin, and contrary spirits in our lives we must renew our minds. We must make up our minds that we will not conform ourselves to this world and its way of thinking. By "coming out from among them and being separate" we prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
David put it this way in Psalms 51:10, "Create in me a clean heart oh God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." When David said, "Renew a steadfast spirit within me," he was asking God to give him a mindset that was determined to be pure, holy and righteous in God's sight. We too must set our minds on that which is holy, pure and righteous in God's sight if we ever wish to receive the fullness of God's blessings, revival, miracles, healings, signs and wonders, gifts, etc. As it was in the dream, don't you desire the Holy Ghost to spew out the white cloud of all that has been stored up for the church into your life? Then you must submit to the wind of God's judgment and allow him to remove all your dross, garbage, sin and contrary spirits.
As we face this tornadic wind of God's judgment that is coming to the church, we can face it without fear if we abide by the words found in second Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." As our minds become sound by setting them upon Christ, His words and the holy things of God and we make Jesus our first love, we then will experience the power of God to face anything that is coming in these last days--- and be victorious!
THERE IS A TORNADO COMING TO YOUR CHURCH! It will clean you up or mess you up! It will fire you up or burn you up! It will bless you or destroy you! YOUR CHOICE!! Surrender your garbage, contrary spirits and sin and receive all that God has for you or MISS THE GREATEST MOVE OF GOD EVER!!!!
What's the garbage or sin in our lives that is damming up the blessings of God for our lives? Do we have the contrary spirits of lust, adultery, or porn? Could it be that our contrary spirits are lying, deception, gossip, a murderous spirit in our hearts, envy, covetousness, complacency, lukewarm toward holy things, no burden for the lost? Or could it be that we simply have lost our first love for Christ? He is no longer occupying the first place in our hearts, our affections, our time or our love.
The demonic tried to get rid of his contrary spirits by cutting himself, by torturing his flesh. He wanted to be free but possessed not the human power to get free. It took Jesus Christ Himself to set this person free from his contrary spirits! So it is with us. To be free from our contrary spirits that keep us seated as the Spirit moves, we too must heed the words of Romans 12:2, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." To be free from the dross, garbage, sin, and contrary spirits in our lives we must renew our minds. We must make up our minds that we will not conform ourselves to this world and its way of thinking. By "coming out from among them and being separate" we prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
David put it this way in Psalms 51:10, "Create in me a clean heart oh God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." When David said, "Renew a steadfast spirit within me," he was asking God to give him a mindset that was determined to be pure, holy and righteous in God's sight. We too must set our minds on that which is holy, pure and righteous in God's sight if we ever wish to receive the fullness of God's blessings, revival, miracles, healings, signs and wonders, gifts, etc. As it was in the dream, don't you desire the Holy Ghost to spew out the white cloud of all that has been stored up for the church into your life? Then you must submit to the wind of God's judgment and allow him to remove all your dross, garbage, sin and contrary spirits.
As we face this tornadic wind of God's judgment that is coming to the church, we can face it without fear if we abide by the words found in second Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." As our minds become sound by setting them upon Christ, His words and the holy things of God and we make Jesus our first love, we then will experience the power of God to face anything that is coming in these last days--- and be victorious!
THERE IS A TORNADO COMING TO YOUR CHURCH! It will clean you up or mess you up! It will fire you up or burn you up! It will bless you or destroy you! YOUR CHOICE!! Surrender your garbage, contrary spirits and sin and receive all that God has for you or MISS THE GREATEST MOVE OF GOD EVER!!!!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
A TORNADO IS COMING TO YOUR CHURCH--Pt 2
Let's continue looking at the message for the church that God gave me in a dream. I believe the eeriest part of this dream is where "the people sit comfortably in their seats." The people were unmoved by this wind of God's Spirit. It's as though complacency ruled. How did the church get in this kind of a condition? Could it be our people friendly theology? You know, a theology that has no call to repentance, no confession of sin, and definitely no call to holiness. Remember, "God did not call us to uncleanliness, but unto holiness." (I Thessalonians 4:7) There's no hatred of sin. And there is very little evidence of a first love experience in the church today. Revelation chapter 2 speaks of the church at Ephesus having lost its first love, could this be an indictment against the church today? First love simply means Jesus is number one in our lives. We love him first and foremost above anyone or anything this earth has to offer. The church no longer fears God or reverences him. There's very little acceptance of the full counsel of God's word. And then last but definitely not least, there seems to be no submission to God's set authority. I do realize that with all of the scandals taking place in the pulpits of America it is easy to lose confidence and faith in the leadership of the church, but it was God Himself who has set ministers in their places of authority and has commanded us to submit to them.(Hebrews 13:17)
Amos 8:11-13 speaks of this by saying, "Behold, the days are coming; says the Lord, 'that I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro seeking the word of the Lord, but shall not find it. In that day our fair virgins and strong young men shall faint from thirst.'" Notice that it is God himself who is sending this famine upon the land. God has allowed churches to choose for themselves preachers who will tell them what they want to hear. Just as it was when Israel demanded a king he allowed them to have Saul. As a result of this there is a famine of the hearing of the word of God because our preachers, for the most part, no longer embrace nor preach the full counsel of God's word. People are wandering from church to church in search of truth yet there's none to be heard. Our young people are crying out for truth and yet it is not to be heard from the majority of the pulpits, especially in America. God has placed his ministers of truth on hold. He has them in a wilderness place, just like John the Baptist, being made ready for this last great move of God. They will come forth as one crying from a wilderness place, "repent for the kingdom of God is at hand." They will speak the absolute truths of God's word and they will also live by the truths of God's word!
Paul recognized that a time would come when people would not want to hear sound doctrine and preachers would accommodate their desires in order to build their numbers, monies, reputations, egos and pride. This is why he admonished Timothy, "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap to themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." I believe we have reached such a time as this. It's a time where people, those seated comfortably on the bus, do not want to endure or even hear sound doctrine. By not enduring sound doctrine I mean they will not stay in your church if you preach the full counsel of God's word, especially a call to holiness. These people are double minded, they want the best of both worlds and they want preachers who will pamper them with kind words of how great they are.
Even Jeremiah addresses this issue in his writings in chapter 22:21-22, "I spake unto you in your prosperity; but you said, I will not hear. This has been your manner from your youth, that you obey not my voice. The wind shall eat up your pastors, and your lovers shall go into captivity; surely then you should be ashamed and confounded for all your wickedness." When he says here that he spoke to us in our prosperity he's meaning when we had a wealth of the knowledge of the word of God presented to us. In times past, and not too long ago, preachers would preach the word in its fullness. They would give altar calls and the altars would be lined with seekers because of the conviction that the word of God brought into their souls. Today's church says I will not hear. This seems to be our attitude from the time we were young believers right on through to now--we will not obey the voice of God! But God is sending his tornadic wind to his church and those preachers who are not faithful to their call to preach sound doctrine shall be "eaten up" by the wind of God's judgment.
Ezekiel chapter 13 gives this warning to the modern-day prophets, those declaring the will, mind, plan and word of God, in verses 3, 6, and 10-15. "Thus says the Lord God: 'Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!'" (3) "They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, 'thus says the Lord!' But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed."(6) (My hand will be against the prophets)"Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, "Peace!" when there is no peace-- and one builds a wall and they plaster it with untempered mortar-- say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down. Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, 'Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?' Therefore thus says the Lord God: "I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it. So I will break down the wall you have plastered with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. Thus will I accomplish My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it with untempered mortar and I will say to you, 'the wall is no more, nor those who plastered it.'"(10-15)
The warning here to our modern-day prophets or preachers is that God is going to send a tornadic wind into their midst and expose them for what they are. He is speaking to those "who follow their own spirit and yet they have seen nothing." In other words those ministers who are following after their own flesh, lust, desires and agendas. Those who are speaking what itching ears want to hear in order to maintain their reputations, financial base and people in their churches. They are like those spoken of in verse six, God has not sent them and yet they're seeking the confirmation of their peers, congregations and leadership to confirm them as ministers of God while all along "the Lord has not sent them." Like the prophets that Ezekiel was speaking about, the ministers today speak a message of peace when there is no peace. They do all they can to make the people on the pew, "those comfortably seated on the bus", to feel safe, secure and heaven bound. They are building the walls, their churches, with untempered mortar, or to say a watered-down compromised word. But God is about to send his wind of judgment which will come as a flooding rain and a stormy wind to tear down what today's ministers are now building. God's wind of judgment is about to expose the false preachers, false doctrines, false Christians and false churches. The foundations upon which we have built our compromised churches will be revealed and they shall fall. Then the world shall know that God is Lord.
Finally, Malachi 2:2 offers this warning to those who are comfortable in their religious "bus seat" believing they are on their journey to heaven while all along they are consumed with contrary spirits, garbage, sin. "If you will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto My name, says the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already because you do not lay it to heart." Because we pick and choose the Scriptures that we want to adhere to we find ourselves under a curse. When God's wind of judgment comes to His house all that will remain are those who were walking in holiness, purity and righteousness. Those who would dare, by God's own strength, obey all the word of God. If you feel as though your life is not blessed by God you may be right. When we fail to walk in holiness we fail to be blessed of God.
Join us next time for the completion of this message.
Amos 8:11-13 speaks of this by saying, "Behold, the days are coming; says the Lord, 'that I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro seeking the word of the Lord, but shall not find it. In that day our fair virgins and strong young men shall faint from thirst.'" Notice that it is God himself who is sending this famine upon the land. God has allowed churches to choose for themselves preachers who will tell them what they want to hear. Just as it was when Israel demanded a king he allowed them to have Saul. As a result of this there is a famine of the hearing of the word of God because our preachers, for the most part, no longer embrace nor preach the full counsel of God's word. People are wandering from church to church in search of truth yet there's none to be heard. Our young people are crying out for truth and yet it is not to be heard from the majority of the pulpits, especially in America. God has placed his ministers of truth on hold. He has them in a wilderness place, just like John the Baptist, being made ready for this last great move of God. They will come forth as one crying from a wilderness place, "repent for the kingdom of God is at hand." They will speak the absolute truths of God's word and they will also live by the truths of God's word!
Paul recognized that a time would come when people would not want to hear sound doctrine and preachers would accommodate their desires in order to build their numbers, monies, reputations, egos and pride. This is why he admonished Timothy, "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap to themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." I believe we have reached such a time as this. It's a time where people, those seated comfortably on the bus, do not want to endure or even hear sound doctrine. By not enduring sound doctrine I mean they will not stay in your church if you preach the full counsel of God's word, especially a call to holiness. These people are double minded, they want the best of both worlds and they want preachers who will pamper them with kind words of how great they are.
Even Jeremiah addresses this issue in his writings in chapter 22:21-22, "I spake unto you in your prosperity; but you said, I will not hear. This has been your manner from your youth, that you obey not my voice. The wind shall eat up your pastors, and your lovers shall go into captivity; surely then you should be ashamed and confounded for all your wickedness." When he says here that he spoke to us in our prosperity he's meaning when we had a wealth of the knowledge of the word of God presented to us. In times past, and not too long ago, preachers would preach the word in its fullness. They would give altar calls and the altars would be lined with seekers because of the conviction that the word of God brought into their souls. Today's church says I will not hear. This seems to be our attitude from the time we were young believers right on through to now--we will not obey the voice of God! But God is sending his tornadic wind to his church and those preachers who are not faithful to their call to preach sound doctrine shall be "eaten up" by the wind of God's judgment.
Ezekiel chapter 13 gives this warning to the modern-day prophets, those declaring the will, mind, plan and word of God, in verses 3, 6, and 10-15. "Thus says the Lord God: 'Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!'" (3) "They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, 'thus says the Lord!' But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed."(6) (My hand will be against the prophets)"Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, "Peace!" when there is no peace-- and one builds a wall and they plaster it with untempered mortar-- say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down. Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, 'Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?' Therefore thus says the Lord God: "I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it. So I will break down the wall you have plastered with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. Thus will I accomplish My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it with untempered mortar and I will say to you, 'the wall is no more, nor those who plastered it.'"(10-15)
The warning here to our modern-day prophets or preachers is that God is going to send a tornadic wind into their midst and expose them for what they are. He is speaking to those "who follow their own spirit and yet they have seen nothing." In other words those ministers who are following after their own flesh, lust, desires and agendas. Those who are speaking what itching ears want to hear in order to maintain their reputations, financial base and people in their churches. They are like those spoken of in verse six, God has not sent them and yet they're seeking the confirmation of their peers, congregations and leadership to confirm them as ministers of God while all along "the Lord has not sent them." Like the prophets that Ezekiel was speaking about, the ministers today speak a message of peace when there is no peace. They do all they can to make the people on the pew, "those comfortably seated on the bus", to feel safe, secure and heaven bound. They are building the walls, their churches, with untempered mortar, or to say a watered-down compromised word. But God is about to send his wind of judgment which will come as a flooding rain and a stormy wind to tear down what today's ministers are now building. God's wind of judgment is about to expose the false preachers, false doctrines, false Christians and false churches. The foundations upon which we have built our compromised churches will be revealed and they shall fall. Then the world shall know that God is Lord.
Finally, Malachi 2:2 offers this warning to those who are comfortable in their religious "bus seat" believing they are on their journey to heaven while all along they are consumed with contrary spirits, garbage, sin. "If you will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto My name, says the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already because you do not lay it to heart." Because we pick and choose the Scriptures that we want to adhere to we find ourselves under a curse. When God's wind of judgment comes to His house all that will remain are those who were walking in holiness, purity and righteousness. Those who would dare, by God's own strength, obey all the word of God. If you feel as though your life is not blessed by God you may be right. When we fail to walk in holiness we fail to be blessed of God.
Join us next time for the completion of this message.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
A TORNADO IS COMING TO YOUR CHURCH--Pt 1
God gave me a dream on Saturday morning May 14, 2011, at 5:30AM. I feel that this dream is vitally important for what our nation is going through with the disasters that we have been experiencing as well as prophecy being fulfilled for these the last of the last days. This is a message directed to the church.
I was on a bus full of church people and the bus began to be tossed around like it was caught in a tornado. It spun around and was rocked side to side and to and fro. The people never moved from their seats as though they felt secure in them. As long as they stayed seated they were comfortable and safe--a false sense of security. The shaking of the bus became very violent, yet no one moved. There were sparks flying from the roof of the bus.
I stood and began to rebuke Satan and all his demons. I told the people that we were under demonic attack and for them to start praying and rebuking the demons. As I was talking I made my way to the rear of the bus. There was a small room there like a restroom or closet. I could dimly see through the door and there was a silhouetted figure behind the door. There was a bright light behind it causing it to be silhouetted. I opened the door and a creature came out--a demonic creature I thought. It was white and very fat and round. I was frozen with fear. I had no confidence in my position in Christ. I was so fearful that I could not speak. I tried to rebuke Satan but all I could do was stutter. Finally, I was able to utter one word repeatedly, Jesus.
Finally, I had what appeared to be garbage can lids in my hands. I tried to crush the creature between the two lids in my hands. As I brought the lids together, like cymbals, one on each side of the creature, the creature exhaled out a white cloud and it was no longer round and fat. I woke up. I tried to go back to sleep but scriptures began to pour into me, and I knew that this was a God-given dream.
I then asked God to give me the interpretation of the dream. This is what I felt the Holy Spirit was giving me. Church people are sitting comfortably on the church bus of life, seemingly on life's journey to heaven; but God is about to send the wind of His Spirit to His church. His design is to blow away the garbage, or to say sin,in our lives. The wind of God's Spirit has been attempting to blow through His church and the hearts of His people, but we're content to sit comfortably on our religious "bus seats" and ignore it. We're not even moved by His Holy Spirit when it is moving among us.
Acts chapter 2 verses one through three says, "And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all in one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty 'wind', and it filled all the house where they were 'sitting'. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as a fire, and it set up on each of them." Notice when the Holy Spirit is moving among God's people it comes as a wind that blows into our lives and sets us ablaze for His glory. This is what is coming to the church as we sit on our "bus seats," our pews. There is a mighty wind of God's Spirit that is about to blow into the church that will not only cleanse us of all our sin, but it will set us ablaze for His glory.
The sparks that I saw falling from the ceiling of the bus were indicating the fire of God falling on His people. As the fire of the Holy Ghost falls upon us it will expose our sin, the garbage in our lives, that hinders our witness for Christ and prevents us from living in victory.(Numbers 32:23) This coming wind will also set us ablaze for His glory by burning the dross out of our lives. Mal.3:2-3,"But who may abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness." When a refiner is purifing gold or silver, he boils it over fire in order for the dross to bubble to the surface. As it comes to the top he scoops it off. He does this until there is no more dross and when he looks upon the liquid he can see his own image reflected in it. So it is with the fire of God that is coming to the church. When it comes it will burn all the dross out of our lives until it is all gone, and when He looks upon us He will see a reflection of Himself. He said that He will purify "the sons of Levi," this is the saints. We are a royal priesthood; we are seated in heavenly places as kings and priests. This is speaking of us. Once He has sent us His fire of purifying and we have been cleansed of our sins and the dross in our lives, we then can offer up to Him an offering "in righteousness." We then are ready to face the coming judgments of God with the confidence that we are His and He will use us in these last days to bring glory to His name.
In the dream I stood and began to rebuke Satan and demons. I have always been able to rebuke Satan and his demons and was confident that I would win the battle--but not this time. My rebukes had no effect on the violent wind. God has shown me that it isn't Satan doing this but Himself. It is God bringing judgment to His church. "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God. And if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them (those in the church but not truly born-again. Remember he is speaking about the church and those in it receiving judgment.) that obey not the gospel of God? (The gospel that teaches us that to be born-again one must die to themselves [Romans 6]). And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly (the carnal "christians", the double-minded in the church)and the sinner (in the church) appear?"(I Peter 4:17,18)
We will think that the violent winds in our lives are of Satan, but it is God Himself come to clean house. When Jesus entered Jerusalem He went into the temple and cleansed it. He is coming again and He wants God's house clean--thus the tornado of God is blowing. He wants holy, pure, clean lives ready to impact our world and ready to harvest souls. A church ready to be like Jesus! Not the religious, self-fabricated Jesus that we claim is the real deal, but the Jesus of the Bible that changes lives! If your Jesus isn't changing you, who would want Him? The Jesus of the Bible changes the lives that He saves. This wind may take on the appearance of sickness, death of loved ones, financial chaos, lost jobs, homes going into foreclosure, false accusations, broken homes, disfunctional families, etc., but all of this is the wind of God designed to purify us--He wants our attention! He is preparing a bride for His Son. One without spot or wrinkle. One who reflects His image.
As I went to the rear of the bus and looked at the smoke glass door on the small room I saw the creature. I realize now that the bright light behind the creature is the presence of God. And in this dream the creature that I saw was solid white. The interpretation of this is the fact that this creature was pure. The creature was also fat and round this simply means that it was full of blessings, full of revival, full of miracles, full of healings, signs and wonders, all the things that God is wanting to give to his church. This creature is the Holy Ghost Himself. He is full of manifestation gifts, blessings, revivals, miracles, healings, signs, and wonders and he is just waiting for the church to be pure enough to receive them. The reason why the Holy Ghost was "fat" is because he has been dammed up as it were with all of these blessings of God not able to allow them to flow out to God's church because of the garbage in our lives. He will not cohabitate with contrary spirits.
In this dream when I first faced this creature I was full of fear. I thought it was because of the presence of evil but it was the presence of purity instead. I was unclean. I felt unworthy to be in the presence of such purity. All I could do was utter the name, Jesus. It seems as though we have enough religious knowledge to know to invoke the name of Jesus but not the lifestyles of Jesus that gives the use of His name its power. Only pure, holy, righteous lives will be victorious in the war between good and evil that is coming in these last days. Only pure lives can defeat the enemy of our souls.
Another thought that came to me as I was praying for the interpretation of this dream was another view of what the silhouette in the closet stood for. As I was praying for the interpretation of this I felt the Holy Spirit asking me, what are we hiding in the closets of our hearts and minds? What spirits are we hiding in the closets of our hearts?
In this dream I tried to use garbage can lids to crush this creature but we must realize that we cannot destroy the works of demons with garbage in our lives. As I brought these garbage can lids together on each side of the creature it exhaled out a white cloud. The cloud was the stored up blessings, revival, miracles, healings, signs, wonders, manifestation gifts, and the greater works that Jesus spoke of. As we take our garbage, or to say our contrary spirits, to God He will release blessings, revival, miracles, healings, signs, wonders, manifestation gifts. The Holy Ghost will breath out upon the church these things from God. Revelation 5:8 tells us as the four creatures and the 24 elders were before the throne John saw, "golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." We have been praying for blessings, revival, miracles, healings, signs, wonders, gifts, etc. Our prayers will be mixed with the power of the Holy Ghost and poured out upon us when we allow the Holy Ghost to expose and remove the dross, or to say the garbage, out of our lives.
Hebrews 12:26-27 reads, "Now He who promised, saying, 'Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.' Now this, 'Yet once more,' indicates the removal of all these things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain." God is shaking up the church as well as all the earth. We are experiencing record earthquakes, floods, droughts, wildfires, tsunamis, tornadoes, etc. We're witnessing nation against nation and kingdom against kingdom that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24 as never before. The terms for nation and kingdom means ethnic groups or religious groups, or simply groups of people. We are now seeing religious groups and ethnic groups as well as other groups of people really coming against one another in all parts of the world, especially in the Middle East. We're seeing famines as well as pestilence, the diseases that usually follow famines and earthquakes, like never before. And Jesus said in Matthew 24:8 "all these are the beginnings of sorrow." We are about to witness the last great move of God! The last great awakening! And it will be a call to holiness! God is shaking the earth and the church is not exempt from this shaking--His judgment has begun!
We will continue looking at this tornado that is coming to our churches in next week's blog.
I was on a bus full of church people and the bus began to be tossed around like it was caught in a tornado. It spun around and was rocked side to side and to and fro. The people never moved from their seats as though they felt secure in them. As long as they stayed seated they were comfortable and safe--a false sense of security. The shaking of the bus became very violent, yet no one moved. There were sparks flying from the roof of the bus.
I stood and began to rebuke Satan and all his demons. I told the people that we were under demonic attack and for them to start praying and rebuking the demons. As I was talking I made my way to the rear of the bus. There was a small room there like a restroom or closet. I could dimly see through the door and there was a silhouetted figure behind the door. There was a bright light behind it causing it to be silhouetted. I opened the door and a creature came out--a demonic creature I thought. It was white and very fat and round. I was frozen with fear. I had no confidence in my position in Christ. I was so fearful that I could not speak. I tried to rebuke Satan but all I could do was stutter. Finally, I was able to utter one word repeatedly, Jesus.
Finally, I had what appeared to be garbage can lids in my hands. I tried to crush the creature between the two lids in my hands. As I brought the lids together, like cymbals, one on each side of the creature, the creature exhaled out a white cloud and it was no longer round and fat. I woke up. I tried to go back to sleep but scriptures began to pour into me, and I knew that this was a God-given dream.
I then asked God to give me the interpretation of the dream. This is what I felt the Holy Spirit was giving me. Church people are sitting comfortably on the church bus of life, seemingly on life's journey to heaven; but God is about to send the wind of His Spirit to His church. His design is to blow away the garbage, or to say sin,in our lives. The wind of God's Spirit has been attempting to blow through His church and the hearts of His people, but we're content to sit comfortably on our religious "bus seats" and ignore it. We're not even moved by His Holy Spirit when it is moving among us.
Acts chapter 2 verses one through three says, "And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all in one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty 'wind', and it filled all the house where they were 'sitting'. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as a fire, and it set up on each of them." Notice when the Holy Spirit is moving among God's people it comes as a wind that blows into our lives and sets us ablaze for His glory. This is what is coming to the church as we sit on our "bus seats," our pews. There is a mighty wind of God's Spirit that is about to blow into the church that will not only cleanse us of all our sin, but it will set us ablaze for His glory.
The sparks that I saw falling from the ceiling of the bus were indicating the fire of God falling on His people. As the fire of the Holy Ghost falls upon us it will expose our sin, the garbage in our lives, that hinders our witness for Christ and prevents us from living in victory.(Numbers 32:23) This coming wind will also set us ablaze for His glory by burning the dross out of our lives. Mal.3:2-3,"But who may abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness." When a refiner is purifing gold or silver, he boils it over fire in order for the dross to bubble to the surface. As it comes to the top he scoops it off. He does this until there is no more dross and when he looks upon the liquid he can see his own image reflected in it. So it is with the fire of God that is coming to the church. When it comes it will burn all the dross out of our lives until it is all gone, and when He looks upon us He will see a reflection of Himself. He said that He will purify "the sons of Levi," this is the saints. We are a royal priesthood; we are seated in heavenly places as kings and priests. This is speaking of us. Once He has sent us His fire of purifying and we have been cleansed of our sins and the dross in our lives, we then can offer up to Him an offering "in righteousness." We then are ready to face the coming judgments of God with the confidence that we are His and He will use us in these last days to bring glory to His name.
In the dream I stood and began to rebuke Satan and demons. I have always been able to rebuke Satan and his demons and was confident that I would win the battle--but not this time. My rebukes had no effect on the violent wind. God has shown me that it isn't Satan doing this but Himself. It is God bringing judgment to His church. "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God. And if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them (those in the church but not truly born-again. Remember he is speaking about the church and those in it receiving judgment.) that obey not the gospel of God? (The gospel that teaches us that to be born-again one must die to themselves [Romans 6]). And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly (the carnal "christians", the double-minded in the church)and the sinner (in the church) appear?"(I Peter 4:17,18)
We will think that the violent winds in our lives are of Satan, but it is God Himself come to clean house. When Jesus entered Jerusalem He went into the temple and cleansed it. He is coming again and He wants God's house clean--thus the tornado of God is blowing. He wants holy, pure, clean lives ready to impact our world and ready to harvest souls. A church ready to be like Jesus! Not the religious, self-fabricated Jesus that we claim is the real deal, but the Jesus of the Bible that changes lives! If your Jesus isn't changing you, who would want Him? The Jesus of the Bible changes the lives that He saves. This wind may take on the appearance of sickness, death of loved ones, financial chaos, lost jobs, homes going into foreclosure, false accusations, broken homes, disfunctional families, etc., but all of this is the wind of God designed to purify us--He wants our attention! He is preparing a bride for His Son. One without spot or wrinkle. One who reflects His image.
As I went to the rear of the bus and looked at the smoke glass door on the small room I saw the creature. I realize now that the bright light behind the creature is the presence of God. And in this dream the creature that I saw was solid white. The interpretation of this is the fact that this creature was pure. The creature was also fat and round this simply means that it was full of blessings, full of revival, full of miracles, full of healings, signs and wonders, all the things that God is wanting to give to his church. This creature is the Holy Ghost Himself. He is full of manifestation gifts, blessings, revivals, miracles, healings, signs, and wonders and he is just waiting for the church to be pure enough to receive them. The reason why the Holy Ghost was "fat" is because he has been dammed up as it were with all of these blessings of God not able to allow them to flow out to God's church because of the garbage in our lives. He will not cohabitate with contrary spirits.
In this dream when I first faced this creature I was full of fear. I thought it was because of the presence of evil but it was the presence of purity instead. I was unclean. I felt unworthy to be in the presence of such purity. All I could do was utter the name, Jesus. It seems as though we have enough religious knowledge to know to invoke the name of Jesus but not the lifestyles of Jesus that gives the use of His name its power. Only pure, holy, righteous lives will be victorious in the war between good and evil that is coming in these last days. Only pure lives can defeat the enemy of our souls.
Another thought that came to me as I was praying for the interpretation of this dream was another view of what the silhouette in the closet stood for. As I was praying for the interpretation of this I felt the Holy Spirit asking me, what are we hiding in the closets of our hearts and minds? What spirits are we hiding in the closets of our hearts?
In this dream I tried to use garbage can lids to crush this creature but we must realize that we cannot destroy the works of demons with garbage in our lives. As I brought these garbage can lids together on each side of the creature it exhaled out a white cloud. The cloud was the stored up blessings, revival, miracles, healings, signs, wonders, manifestation gifts, and the greater works that Jesus spoke of. As we take our garbage, or to say our contrary spirits, to God He will release blessings, revival, miracles, healings, signs, wonders, manifestation gifts. The Holy Ghost will breath out upon the church these things from God. Revelation 5:8 tells us as the four creatures and the 24 elders were before the throne John saw, "golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." We have been praying for blessings, revival, miracles, healings, signs, wonders, gifts, etc. Our prayers will be mixed with the power of the Holy Ghost and poured out upon us when we allow the Holy Ghost to expose and remove the dross, or to say the garbage, out of our lives.
Hebrews 12:26-27 reads, "Now He who promised, saying, 'Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.' Now this, 'Yet once more,' indicates the removal of all these things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain." God is shaking up the church as well as all the earth. We are experiencing record earthquakes, floods, droughts, wildfires, tsunamis, tornadoes, etc. We're witnessing nation against nation and kingdom against kingdom that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24 as never before. The terms for nation and kingdom means ethnic groups or religious groups, or simply groups of people. We are now seeing religious groups and ethnic groups as well as other groups of people really coming against one another in all parts of the world, especially in the Middle East. We're seeing famines as well as pestilence, the diseases that usually follow famines and earthquakes, like never before. And Jesus said in Matthew 24:8 "all these are the beginnings of sorrow." We are about to witness the last great move of God! The last great awakening! And it will be a call to holiness! God is shaking the earth and the church is not exempt from this shaking--His judgment has begun!
We will continue looking at this tornado that is coming to our churches in next week's blog.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
ALL OF CREATION IS GROANING--Pt.2
Sin has and is defiling the earth! Genesis 4:10,11, "the voice of thy brother's blood cries out to me from the ground" (Leviticus 17:11 'the life of the flesh is in the blood.' I believe God could hear the life of Abel crying out from the ground as his blood defiled the earth) "and now art thou cursed from the earth which opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood." Sin got so bad that, "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart. And the Lord said,'I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repented Me that I have made them.'" God was actually sorry that he had made man. Because of his sin he had corrupted all of the earth and all that lived upon the earth to the point where God felt it necessary to destroy it.
Gen.6:11, "The earth (beast, man, ground) was also corrupt(in Hebrew the word is shawkhath-meaning decay, waste, ruin, mar, defiled) before God, and the earth was filled with violence."
Gen.6;12,"And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh (man,beast) had corrupted his way (their way was to be in harmony and at peace)upon the earth."
After the flood that purged the earth, Noah offered up a sacrifice to God. "The Lord smelled a sweet savour (Noah's worship stirred God's mercy) and the Lord said in His heart, 'I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite anymore everything living, as I have done.'"(Gen.8:21) Although God showed mercy to man, sin continued. "Behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people."(Is.60:2) "The earth is given into the hand of the wicked."(Job 9:24) Sin prevails! Man continues defiling the earth with his sin. This causes "all" of creation (earth, beast, man) to long for redemption.
"For we know that the whole creation (man, beast, earth) groans and travails in pain together until now."(Rom.8:22) Paul is stating that all of creation was looking for a redeemer to take sin away from man so that all of creation could return to the state of existance that it knew at the beginning, pure,clean,in harmony,at peace and undefiled. There is a general out cry of all creation against the sin of man. Sin is a burden to all of creation. When man fell he disrupted the balance of creation and thus all of creation began to act out of character from what they were created to be.
"The earth mourns (remember it is a living organism) and fades away. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws. changed the ordinances, broken the everlasting covenant (the laws of existance,what God originally planned for His creation). Therefore has the curse (of sin) devoured (destroyed, defiled) the earth and they that dwell therein are desolate(laid waste)." Is.24:4,5)
The end results of man defiling the earth are what we are experiencing in the world now. "The earth shook and trembled; the foundation of heaven moved and shook because He was wroth."(II Sam.22:8) The earth was pure, clean, made for eternal existence, but man sinned and brought upon all creation the curse of sin.
As stated earlier, the earth is a living organism created to praise its Creator. To illustrate this may I share the results of an experience that was conducted to prove the effects of music on humans. A group of scientists placed two indentical plants in front of two separate speakers. Through one speaker they played hard rock music while the other plant was exposed to easy listening music. This continued 24/7. Each plant was treated the same but over a period of time the plant in front of the speaker playing easy listening music grew toward the speaker and grew much faster than normal. On the other hand the plant in front of the speaker playing hard rock grew away from the speaker and died. This proves that the plants were living organisms capable of discerning what is in harmony with creation and what is not.
Animals are also living organisms created to praise their Creator. The same group of scientists that were using the plants to prove the effects of music on nature also used animals to test the effects of music. They took four hundred cows from a dairy farm and divided them into two groups. They placed two hundred in one barn with hard rock music playing in it. They then placed the other two hundred cows in a barn where they played easy listening music. The cows exposed to the easy listening music begin to produce twice the milk that they had before. The cows exposed to the hard rock music were uneasy and dried up. Again, the cows were responding to thier environment. That which was contrary to the original plan of creation, harmony and peace, brought about a negitive response. Those cows in a peaceable environment responded positively. Why do animals attack other animals as well as man? They are out of harmony with creation. What man once had dominion over now wants to kill him. Rev.6:8 tells us that the rider of the pale horse will have power to kill one-fourth of the earth's population. He will do this with the sword, hunger, death and by the beast of the field.
What causes animals to go against their created nature of harmony and peace? The SIN of man. What causes man to face sickness, disease, depression, heartbreak, unhappiness, unfulfillment, evil, wickedness,etc.,etc.? The SIN of man. What causes the earth to suffer earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, drought, tsunamies, floods, etc.,etc.? The SIN of man. The earth and creation are trying to rid itself of what caused the problem--man, in sin.
Isaiah had this to say about the end times. "The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression (original sin) thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall and not rise again."(Is.24:20)
"Thy wrath has come---(thou) should destroy them which destroy the earth." (Rev.11:18)
"And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomits out her inhabitants."(Lev.18:25) She is trying to cleanse herself.
Six thousand years of defilement, sin!! And as it was in the days of Noah, God is about to cleanse the earth of sin. The earth is sending out signals that the end is near. She is rejecting sin. She is attempting to cleanse herself, by shaking-earthquakes; by winds-tornadoes, hurricanes, damaging winds; by washing-floods, tsunamies; by burning-drought, wildfires. Yet, man still won't listen and repent but continues to defile the earth with sin.
There is an upside to this message. "When thy judgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn RIGHTOUSNESS." (Is.26:9) In the mist of all of the choas of today and its increasing effects, the church will experience a great revival! The world will experience a great awaking! We shall see a great harvest of souls! Then we shall see Jesus!!! The earth will melt away.(II Peter 3:7-13) Those who have accepted the Redeemer will put on new bodies and move to a new earth where there will no longer be any sin.
The end is near! All of creation is groaning! What should we do? (Read the answer in Ps.46:1-11.)
Gen.6:11, "The earth (beast, man, ground) was also corrupt(in Hebrew the word is shawkhath-meaning decay, waste, ruin, mar, defiled) before God, and the earth was filled with violence."
Gen.6;12,"And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh (man,beast) had corrupted his way (their way was to be in harmony and at peace)upon the earth."
After the flood that purged the earth, Noah offered up a sacrifice to God. "The Lord smelled a sweet savour (Noah's worship stirred God's mercy) and the Lord said in His heart, 'I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite anymore everything living, as I have done.'"(Gen.8:21) Although God showed mercy to man, sin continued. "Behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people."(Is.60:2) "The earth is given into the hand of the wicked."(Job 9:24) Sin prevails! Man continues defiling the earth with his sin. This causes "all" of creation (earth, beast, man) to long for redemption.
"For we know that the whole creation (man, beast, earth) groans and travails in pain together until now."(Rom.8:22) Paul is stating that all of creation was looking for a redeemer to take sin away from man so that all of creation could return to the state of existance that it knew at the beginning, pure,clean,in harmony,at peace and undefiled. There is a general out cry of all creation against the sin of man. Sin is a burden to all of creation. When man fell he disrupted the balance of creation and thus all of creation began to act out of character from what they were created to be.
"The earth mourns (remember it is a living organism) and fades away. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws. changed the ordinances, broken the everlasting covenant (the laws of existance,what God originally planned for His creation). Therefore has the curse (of sin) devoured (destroyed, defiled) the earth and they that dwell therein are desolate(laid waste)." Is.24:4,5)
The end results of man defiling the earth are what we are experiencing in the world now. "The earth shook and trembled; the foundation of heaven moved and shook because He was wroth."(II Sam.22:8) The earth was pure, clean, made for eternal existence, but man sinned and brought upon all creation the curse of sin.
As stated earlier, the earth is a living organism created to praise its Creator. To illustrate this may I share the results of an experience that was conducted to prove the effects of music on humans. A group of scientists placed two indentical plants in front of two separate speakers. Through one speaker they played hard rock music while the other plant was exposed to easy listening music. This continued 24/7. Each plant was treated the same but over a period of time the plant in front of the speaker playing easy listening music grew toward the speaker and grew much faster than normal. On the other hand the plant in front of the speaker playing hard rock grew away from the speaker and died. This proves that the plants were living organisms capable of discerning what is in harmony with creation and what is not.
Animals are also living organisms created to praise their Creator. The same group of scientists that were using the plants to prove the effects of music on nature also used animals to test the effects of music. They took four hundred cows from a dairy farm and divided them into two groups. They placed two hundred in one barn with hard rock music playing in it. They then placed the other two hundred cows in a barn where they played easy listening music. The cows exposed to the easy listening music begin to produce twice the milk that they had before. The cows exposed to the hard rock music were uneasy and dried up. Again, the cows were responding to thier environment. That which was contrary to the original plan of creation, harmony and peace, brought about a negitive response. Those cows in a peaceable environment responded positively. Why do animals attack other animals as well as man? They are out of harmony with creation. What man once had dominion over now wants to kill him. Rev.6:8 tells us that the rider of the pale horse will have power to kill one-fourth of the earth's population. He will do this with the sword, hunger, death and by the beast of the field.
What causes animals to go against their created nature of harmony and peace? The SIN of man. What causes man to face sickness, disease, depression, heartbreak, unhappiness, unfulfillment, evil, wickedness,etc.,etc.? The SIN of man. What causes the earth to suffer earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, drought, tsunamies, floods, etc.,etc.? The SIN of man. The earth and creation are trying to rid itself of what caused the problem--man, in sin.
Isaiah had this to say about the end times. "The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression (original sin) thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall and not rise again."(Is.24:20)
"Thy wrath has come---(thou) should destroy them which destroy the earth." (Rev.11:18)
"And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomits out her inhabitants."(Lev.18:25) She is trying to cleanse herself.
Six thousand years of defilement, sin!! And as it was in the days of Noah, God is about to cleanse the earth of sin. The earth is sending out signals that the end is near. She is rejecting sin. She is attempting to cleanse herself, by shaking-earthquakes; by winds-tornadoes, hurricanes, damaging winds; by washing-floods, tsunamies; by burning-drought, wildfires. Yet, man still won't listen and repent but continues to defile the earth with sin.
There is an upside to this message. "When thy judgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn RIGHTOUSNESS." (Is.26:9) In the mist of all of the choas of today and its increasing effects, the church will experience a great revival! The world will experience a great awaking! We shall see a great harvest of souls! Then we shall see Jesus!!! The earth will melt away.(II Peter 3:7-13) Those who have accepted the Redeemer will put on new bodies and move to a new earth where there will no longer be any sin.
The end is near! All of creation is groaning! What should we do? (Read the answer in Ps.46:1-11.)
Thursday, March 17, 2011
ALL OF CREATION IS GROANING--Pt.1
In light of the recent tragedies in Japan, I believe that it would behoove us to take a look at what's happening in our world through the eyes of Scripture. No matter what your preference is in cable news it seems as though all the news networks are asking experts why there is such an increase of natural disasters. We've been having history making snowstorms globally. History making droughts and wildfires globally. History making floods globally. History making number of volcanoes globally. History making tsunamis. History making earthquakes. History making tornadoes, which are no longer restricted to tornado alley. History making cyclones throughout Asia and the Pacific. History making low temperature. History making high temperatures. History making solar disturbances. Etc. etc. etc. Many of these experts are honest enough to simply say, "I don't know what's happening." "There is no logical answer." Even the Prime Minister of Japan stated that he believed the disasters are from heaven because of his nations greed. And of course the European "experts" who say the earthquake was caused by global warming.It is as tho all of creation is groaning.
Nearly all the prophetic voices, with an accurate track record, have had this to say about the year 2011. 2011 will be a year of unprecedented chaos, upheaval, tragedy, economic collapse, poverty, disease, and historical record making events. But all of these prophetic voices also seem to agree that in the midst of all this we shall see a great revival break loose in the church, a global spiritual awakening and the great harvest of souls for Christ. One such prophetic voice stated in December of 2010 on two different occasions that in March of 2011 there will be great tragedy and disaster coming to the world. This same person said on February 28 of this year, "An earthquake of a 9.0+ magnitude will hit Japan soon." Upon hearing this another prophetic voice who has prophesied many of the events of the past decade added that once "the big one" hits Japan, California will be next. In fact the same person said that they have seen in a vision the city of Los Angeles laying in ruins, soon. Geologists have even discovered new fault lines lying under the city of Los Angeles which would seem to indicate pending doom. And I myself believe that the city of Las Vegas will soon experience an earthquake that will leave the Stratosphere and many casinos collapsed.
Immediately following the earthquake in Japan I began to seek God as to why all these natural disasters are happening. The short answer God seemed to be saying to me was these things are happening because of the sin of man and that the end is near. He spoke into my heart that the earth is simply reacting to thousands of years of sin. To better understand this we need to look at Genesis chapter 1. God spent some five days of creation preparing a perfect place for a perfect creation. A creation that would be God's companion for eternity. A place of peace and harmony. There were no meat eaters at the time, thus animals could dwell among themselves, as well as with man, with no fear. Man was created perfect, sinless, to have dominion and authority, and to be eternally existent. God then created man from the dust of the earth. So the earth was for man and man was for the earth for they were made of the same substance. They were created to be pure, clean and supporting one another. Everything was created to bring praise to God.
Psalms 47:1 states, "O clap your hands, all you people; shout to God with the voice of triumph."
Psalms 98:9 states, "Let the floods clap their hands."
Isaiah 55:12 states, "For ye shall go out with joy, and be lead forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."
We can see from these verses of Scripture, as well as many others, that all of creation is to praise the Creator. In fact Jesus even said upon making his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, as the people were shouting and rejoicing as He came into town and the Pharisees ordered him to stop this outburst of fanaticism, "I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." (Luke 19:40). Then in Isaiah 49:13 we read, "Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; break forth into singing, O mountains." Just one more Scripture of many that we could share, Isaiah 44:23 states, "Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord has done it; shout, you lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest and every tree therein." The earth, man and all creation were created to live in harmony and bring glory to the creator. We know that man has the ability to offer up a hand-clap praise unto God, but what about the floods (the waters of the deep), trees and the mountians clapping and singing before God?
As Jesus was making His triumphal enter into Jersalem and the religious leaders begin to rebuke Him because of the fanical praise of the people, He said. "I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out."(Lk.19:40) Is.49:13 states, "Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; break forth into singing, O mountians." Is.44:23 says,"Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord has done it; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountians, O forest and every tree therein." If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there, does it still make a noise? Just because man can not hear the earth clapping and singing doesn't mean its not happining--God hears it! We would never say that we have heard animals talk, yet Balaam's donkey carried on a conversation with him in Numbers chapter 22. With God all things are possible!! He created everything to to praise Him! Why would Jesus say that the stones would cry out if they could not be heard in heaven? Why would God say that the floods, trees, mountians and all of creation would praise Him if it were not true? "God is not a man that He should lie." Just because our finite minds can not see or hear nature praising God doesn't mean its not happening. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts,"(Is.55:8,9) All of creation, man, earth and beast, were created to be a praise to their Creator.
Everything was going fine until Genesis chapter 3 where in verse 13 we see that Eve was deceived. Instead of accepting the absolute truth of God's word; that being, "That if you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you will surely die," she and Adam chose to believe a delusion, the deception of Satan. As always Satan twisted the words of God to mean something other than what God intended. They chose the deception because it appealed to their flesh and thus sin entered a perfect creation--man's heart. Then man began to defile the earth. God pronounces a curse on the earth because this is where man came from. "Cursed is the ground for thy sake." (Genesis 3:17). "Because of the ground which the Lord has cursed." (Genesis 5:29). What Adam once had dominion over, now turns on him. The beast become carnivorous, flesh eaters, thus it was unsafe for man or animal to cohabitate together. The earth now begins to produce thorns and thistles instead of fruitfulness for man. This is to continue until, "In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread, till you return unto the ground; for out of it were you taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shall you return." (Genesis 3:19).
The earth is reacting to a foreign substance--SIN! By earthquakes, it's trying to shake it off. By tornadoes and hurricanes and dangerous winds, it's trying to blow it off. By its floods, tsunamis and torrential rains, it's trying to wash it off. By drought and wildfires, it's trying to burn it off. Sin has and is defiling the earth!! As a dog with fleas or ticks attempts to scratch them off, so it is with the earth, she is tring to rid herself of sin.
Nearly all the prophetic voices, with an accurate track record, have had this to say about the year 2011. 2011 will be a year of unprecedented chaos, upheaval, tragedy, economic collapse, poverty, disease, and historical record making events. But all of these prophetic voices also seem to agree that in the midst of all this we shall see a great revival break loose in the church, a global spiritual awakening and the great harvest of souls for Christ. One such prophetic voice stated in December of 2010 on two different occasions that in March of 2011 there will be great tragedy and disaster coming to the world. This same person said on February 28 of this year, "An earthquake of a 9.0+ magnitude will hit Japan soon." Upon hearing this another prophetic voice who has prophesied many of the events of the past decade added that once "the big one" hits Japan, California will be next. In fact the same person said that they have seen in a vision the city of Los Angeles laying in ruins, soon. Geologists have even discovered new fault lines lying under the city of Los Angeles which would seem to indicate pending doom. And I myself believe that the city of Las Vegas will soon experience an earthquake that will leave the Stratosphere and many casinos collapsed.
Immediately following the earthquake in Japan I began to seek God as to why all these natural disasters are happening. The short answer God seemed to be saying to me was these things are happening because of the sin of man and that the end is near. He spoke into my heart that the earth is simply reacting to thousands of years of sin. To better understand this we need to look at Genesis chapter 1. God spent some five days of creation preparing a perfect place for a perfect creation. A creation that would be God's companion for eternity. A place of peace and harmony. There were no meat eaters at the time, thus animals could dwell among themselves, as well as with man, with no fear. Man was created perfect, sinless, to have dominion and authority, and to be eternally existent. God then created man from the dust of the earth. So the earth was for man and man was for the earth for they were made of the same substance. They were created to be pure, clean and supporting one another. Everything was created to bring praise to God.
Psalms 47:1 states, "O clap your hands, all you people; shout to God with the voice of triumph."
Psalms 98:9 states, "Let the floods clap their hands."
Isaiah 55:12 states, "For ye shall go out with joy, and be lead forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."
We can see from these verses of Scripture, as well as many others, that all of creation is to praise the Creator. In fact Jesus even said upon making his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, as the people were shouting and rejoicing as He came into town and the Pharisees ordered him to stop this outburst of fanaticism, "I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." (Luke 19:40). Then in Isaiah 49:13 we read, "Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; break forth into singing, O mountains." Just one more Scripture of many that we could share, Isaiah 44:23 states, "Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord has done it; shout, you lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest and every tree therein." The earth, man and all creation were created to live in harmony and bring glory to the creator. We know that man has the ability to offer up a hand-clap praise unto God, but what about the floods (the waters of the deep), trees and the mountians clapping and singing before God?
As Jesus was making His triumphal enter into Jersalem and the religious leaders begin to rebuke Him because of the fanical praise of the people, He said. "I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out."(Lk.19:40) Is.49:13 states, "Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; break forth into singing, O mountians." Is.44:23 says,"Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord has done it; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountians, O forest and every tree therein." If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there, does it still make a noise? Just because man can not hear the earth clapping and singing doesn't mean its not happining--God hears it! We would never say that we have heard animals talk, yet Balaam's donkey carried on a conversation with him in Numbers chapter 22. With God all things are possible!! He created everything to to praise Him! Why would Jesus say that the stones would cry out if they could not be heard in heaven? Why would God say that the floods, trees, mountians and all of creation would praise Him if it were not true? "God is not a man that He should lie." Just because our finite minds can not see or hear nature praising God doesn't mean its not happening. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts,"(Is.55:8,9) All of creation, man, earth and beast, were created to be a praise to their Creator.
Everything was going fine until Genesis chapter 3 where in verse 13 we see that Eve was deceived. Instead of accepting the absolute truth of God's word; that being, "That if you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you will surely die," she and Adam chose to believe a delusion, the deception of Satan. As always Satan twisted the words of God to mean something other than what God intended. They chose the deception because it appealed to their flesh and thus sin entered a perfect creation--man's heart. Then man began to defile the earth. God pronounces a curse on the earth because this is where man came from. "Cursed is the ground for thy sake." (Genesis 3:17). "Because of the ground which the Lord has cursed." (Genesis 5:29). What Adam once had dominion over, now turns on him. The beast become carnivorous, flesh eaters, thus it was unsafe for man or animal to cohabitate together. The earth now begins to produce thorns and thistles instead of fruitfulness for man. This is to continue until, "In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread, till you return unto the ground; for out of it were you taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shall you return." (Genesis 3:19).
The earth is reacting to a foreign substance--SIN! By earthquakes, it's trying to shake it off. By tornadoes and hurricanes and dangerous winds, it's trying to blow it off. By its floods, tsunamis and torrential rains, it's trying to wash it off. By drought and wildfires, it's trying to burn it off. Sin has and is defiling the earth!! As a dog with fleas or ticks attempts to scratch them off, so it is with the earth, she is tring to rid herself of sin.
Monday, March 7, 2011
THE GREAT DELUSION--Pt.2
Let us continue looking at the great delusion or the strong delusion that God said that he would send among His people. God is allowing leaders to be tested to receive a delusion or that which is not lining up with absolute truth. Then they, (believing to have revelation knowledge) begin to tell others a delusion, a diluted, compromise word, because they are receiving a lying spirit. The word diluted means to make weaker by mixing, such as mixing absolute truth with half truths. This can be illustrated by taking a small bottle of grape juice and pouring it into a pitcher and then filling the pitcher all the way to the top with water. Though it may still look like grape juice it has been diluted, meaning it will no longer taste like the original. This is what we do with the Word of God, the absolute truth. We began to mix with it our own opinions, biases, doctrinal understanding,etc., and thus, we stray from the original intent of the Word.
Another definition of the word diluted, is to reduce the purity of. This is what's happening with a majority of our modern translations of the Bible. The translators paraphrase the absolute truths to fit their own personal biases, doctrines, or opinions. It's as though today you can find a Bible translation that will fit almost any opinion of the believers. This has all been designed to dilute the Word in order for God to send this strong delusion to test the hearts of his people to see if we still know absolute truths and will defend them. If we do not know the truths of God's Word, then we are easily misled by the inaccuracies of many of our new translations. Without studying to show ourselves approved then we will also miss the inaccuracies in sermons, tapes, CDs, DVDs, etc.
Allow me to illustrate exactly what this strong delusion, this spirit of religion, looks like. First we must understand that there is a fine line between a professing Christian and a true Christian, a true follower of Jesus. A professing Christian may very well be one who started out as a born again believer in Jesus Christ. But through exposure to a compromised Word or diluted messages they find themselves in a place of complacency. They develop an attitude that not all of the Word of God applys to their lives. They find themselves in a position of compromise where now they begin to surrender biblical principles such as holiness, purity and righteousness. Soon there develops a "form of godliness but denying the power thereof", or to say there's a profession of faith but the power to change one's life is not evident. The Word of God admonishes us in Philippians 2:12, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." I must confess I always wondered what this "fear" is. Proverbs 8:13 states, "the fear of God is to hate evil." This is what's missing in a professing Christian's life, there is no hatred of evil.
Professing Christians began to place their faith and their eternal security in their churches, denominations, pastors, or other's opinions. We become more focused on performance than on relationship with God. We may know the Bible yet we don't obey it. Professing Christians show no regard for the Word of God when it comes to current sins plagueing the church, like divorce. It doesn't matter that in Malachi chapter 3 God says that he hates putting away, or to say divorce, or that Jesus told us that the only grounds for divorce is that of unfaithfulness, as believers if we want to get a divorce we just do it. We seem to believe that we can do what ever we want, and once we've enjoyed sin's pleasures, then we confess our sins to God and rely on His mercy and His love to just look over it. We have those in the pulpit as well as those in the pew living in adultery,fornication, lieing,etc., and yet professing to be Christians relying on God's mercy and love to just simply "overlook" our sins. This is a "strong delusion!!" This is what I mean by the Word of God being diluted over the years. With the shift to God's mercy and his love being the predominant message of the church we no longer fear his judgment, wrath or his hatred of sin.
We may be able to pray like no other. We can even quote Scriptures. We can be faithful and loyal to the local church, Bible studies, book groups, prayer groups as well as other church activities and still be deceived if we do not apply the absolute truth of all of God's Word to our lives. If we refuse truths because it doesn't fit our understanding or doctrine or if it interferes with our lifestyles, our recreational pleasures, etc., then we our deceived. It is this mindset that Paul addresses in II Thessalonians 2:12, which reads, "that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteous."
Paul is stating here that all who do not love, accept and believe the absolute truth of God's Word are the ones who are receiving this delusion and that they are also going to be condemned. Paul is not necessarily saying that these people are practicing unrighteousness but that they take pleasure in unrighteousness. In other words we may not commit adultery, fornication, gay acts, murder, violence, use foul language, or other forms of worldliness, but we take pleasure in them by supporting them. Whenever we view TV shows, movies, things that we watch on the computer, even the books and magazines that we read or look at we are saying that we approve of those things. So if we're watching a movie, a TV program or other forms of entertainment that is showing people committing adultery or fornication or committing gay acts or violence, murder or just the use of foul language, if we're watching these then we are saying we approve of these things as a Christian and that this is proper entertainment and lifestyles for those who love God.
Again Paul addresses this issue by stating in Romans 1:32, "who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them." Paul had been speaking about homosexuality as well as numerous other sins in this chapter when he made this statement. Again, we may not participate in the sins that he had just listed but if we watched them, search the Internet for them, or read about them for entertainment value, then we are, by our actions, approving of them. The book of Psalms 102:2,3 states, "I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set nothing wicked before my eyes." Are we walking within our houses with a perfect heart before God and our families? If we are permitting things into our home that do not glorify God then we are not walking within our houses with a perfect heart. " I will set nothing wicked before my eyes" should be our motto of life. We should not watch movies, television programs, anything on the computer, etc., if it defiles us. If it causes us to meditate upon sinfulness or unrighteousness then we should not set it before our eyes.
Isaiah speaks of this delusion being a religious spirit in Isaiah 66:1-4. "'Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,' says the Lord.'But on this one will I look: on him who is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word. He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog's neck; he who offers a grain offering, as if he offer swine's blood; he who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations, so I will choose their delusion, and bring their fears on them; because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke they did not hear; but they did evil before my eyes, and chose that in which I do not delight.'"
God is saying here that he does not take pleasure in those who flaunt their "liberty". Who "feel no conviction" when living in sin or "approving" of it. But he delights in the one who grieves over sin, not just their own sin but the sins of the world as well. When we offer up the sacrifice of praise unto God without the true spirit of sacrifice this becomes an abomination. We may offer up great prayers, worship and praise, we may lift up our hands, we may even speak in tongues, but without abiding in the absolute truth of God's Word and being in relationship with Him and being of a contrite spirit then these things are an abomination to God-- this is a spirit of religion. All the things that are listed in verse three were forms of religious observances offered to God. What He is saying here is that He is not pleased with religious ritual but with an obedient heart. God is saying here, through Isaiah, that the guilt of the people he was addressing lay in their insincerity. Their heart was far from God when their feet were in His house. Notice in verse four that Isaiah is prophesying what Paul would speak of in second Thessalonians, that being, God choosing a delusion for His people. That delusion is when people offer up their sacrifices of praise, thithes, gifts, etc., but not from a loyal heart and believing that religious rituals please God. II Chronicles 25:2 states when Amaziah become king,"and he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a loyal heart." We practice our religion well but our hearts aren't set on holiness and righteousness, this is a spirit of religion. God said in verse four that when he spoke they did not hear, this is all so true today. God is speaking through preachers and prophets, calling his people to holiness and righteousness, and yet they do not want to hear it. Instead "they did evil before my eyes, and chose that in which I do not delight."
With the absolute truths of God's Word having been diluted, mankind now decides what is right for them. We now conform the Word to fit us not conforming our lives to fit the Word. We want preachers who tickle our ears. "Who say to seers,' do not see,' and to the prophets,'do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits.'"(Is.30:10) This is the strong delusion! This is the spirit of religion!
A spirit of religion, a strong delusion, has captivated a large portion of our churches. Truth is now being mixed with half-truths or man's understanding of truths. The delusion that God has chosen is a diluted Word, a straying from absolute truth. Remember the definition of a delusion is a false, fixed belief, held in spite of evidence to the contrary. God is testing us to see if we not only know absolute truth but are we obeying it. Do we study to show ourselves approved so that we may recognize half-truths and even unscriptural prophecies and messages? What do our actions and lifestyles tell the world that we are approving of? Is our worship from a loyal heart or just religious ritual? Absolute truth or delusion which one are we following?
Another definition of the word diluted, is to reduce the purity of. This is what's happening with a majority of our modern translations of the Bible. The translators paraphrase the absolute truths to fit their own personal biases, doctrines, or opinions. It's as though today you can find a Bible translation that will fit almost any opinion of the believers. This has all been designed to dilute the Word in order for God to send this strong delusion to test the hearts of his people to see if we still know absolute truths and will defend them. If we do not know the truths of God's Word, then we are easily misled by the inaccuracies of many of our new translations. Without studying to show ourselves approved then we will also miss the inaccuracies in sermons, tapes, CDs, DVDs, etc.
Allow me to illustrate exactly what this strong delusion, this spirit of religion, looks like. First we must understand that there is a fine line between a professing Christian and a true Christian, a true follower of Jesus. A professing Christian may very well be one who started out as a born again believer in Jesus Christ. But through exposure to a compromised Word or diluted messages they find themselves in a place of complacency. They develop an attitude that not all of the Word of God applys to their lives. They find themselves in a position of compromise where now they begin to surrender biblical principles such as holiness, purity and righteousness. Soon there develops a "form of godliness but denying the power thereof", or to say there's a profession of faith but the power to change one's life is not evident. The Word of God admonishes us in Philippians 2:12, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." I must confess I always wondered what this "fear" is. Proverbs 8:13 states, "the fear of God is to hate evil." This is what's missing in a professing Christian's life, there is no hatred of evil.
Professing Christians began to place their faith and their eternal security in their churches, denominations, pastors, or other's opinions. We become more focused on performance than on relationship with God. We may know the Bible yet we don't obey it. Professing Christians show no regard for the Word of God when it comes to current sins plagueing the church, like divorce. It doesn't matter that in Malachi chapter 3 God says that he hates putting away, or to say divorce, or that Jesus told us that the only grounds for divorce is that of unfaithfulness, as believers if we want to get a divorce we just do it. We seem to believe that we can do what ever we want, and once we've enjoyed sin's pleasures, then we confess our sins to God and rely on His mercy and His love to just look over it. We have those in the pulpit as well as those in the pew living in adultery,fornication, lieing,etc., and yet professing to be Christians relying on God's mercy and love to just simply "overlook" our sins. This is a "strong delusion!!" This is what I mean by the Word of God being diluted over the years. With the shift to God's mercy and his love being the predominant message of the church we no longer fear his judgment, wrath or his hatred of sin.
We may be able to pray like no other. We can even quote Scriptures. We can be faithful and loyal to the local church, Bible studies, book groups, prayer groups as well as other church activities and still be deceived if we do not apply the absolute truth of all of God's Word to our lives. If we refuse truths because it doesn't fit our understanding or doctrine or if it interferes with our lifestyles, our recreational pleasures, etc., then we our deceived. It is this mindset that Paul addresses in II Thessalonians 2:12, which reads, "that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteous."
Paul is stating here that all who do not love, accept and believe the absolute truth of God's Word are the ones who are receiving this delusion and that they are also going to be condemned. Paul is not necessarily saying that these people are practicing unrighteousness but that they take pleasure in unrighteousness. In other words we may not commit adultery, fornication, gay acts, murder, violence, use foul language, or other forms of worldliness, but we take pleasure in them by supporting them. Whenever we view TV shows, movies, things that we watch on the computer, even the books and magazines that we read or look at we are saying that we approve of those things. So if we're watching a movie, a TV program or other forms of entertainment that is showing people committing adultery or fornication or committing gay acts or violence, murder or just the use of foul language, if we're watching these then we are saying we approve of these things as a Christian and that this is proper entertainment and lifestyles for those who love God.
Again Paul addresses this issue by stating in Romans 1:32, "who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them." Paul had been speaking about homosexuality as well as numerous other sins in this chapter when he made this statement. Again, we may not participate in the sins that he had just listed but if we watched them, search the Internet for them, or read about them for entertainment value, then we are, by our actions, approving of them. The book of Psalms 102:2,3 states, "I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set nothing wicked before my eyes." Are we walking within our houses with a perfect heart before God and our families? If we are permitting things into our home that do not glorify God then we are not walking within our houses with a perfect heart. " I will set nothing wicked before my eyes" should be our motto of life. We should not watch movies, television programs, anything on the computer, etc., if it defiles us. If it causes us to meditate upon sinfulness or unrighteousness then we should not set it before our eyes.
Isaiah speaks of this delusion being a religious spirit in Isaiah 66:1-4. "'Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,' says the Lord.'But on this one will I look: on him who is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word. He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog's neck; he who offers a grain offering, as if he offer swine's blood; he who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations, so I will choose their delusion, and bring their fears on them; because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke they did not hear; but they did evil before my eyes, and chose that in which I do not delight.'"
God is saying here that he does not take pleasure in those who flaunt their "liberty". Who "feel no conviction" when living in sin or "approving" of it. But he delights in the one who grieves over sin, not just their own sin but the sins of the world as well. When we offer up the sacrifice of praise unto God without the true spirit of sacrifice this becomes an abomination. We may offer up great prayers, worship and praise, we may lift up our hands, we may even speak in tongues, but without abiding in the absolute truth of God's Word and being in relationship with Him and being of a contrite spirit then these things are an abomination to God-- this is a spirit of religion. All the things that are listed in verse three were forms of religious observances offered to God. What He is saying here is that He is not pleased with religious ritual but with an obedient heart. God is saying here, through Isaiah, that the guilt of the people he was addressing lay in their insincerity. Their heart was far from God when their feet were in His house. Notice in verse four that Isaiah is prophesying what Paul would speak of in second Thessalonians, that being, God choosing a delusion for His people. That delusion is when people offer up their sacrifices of praise, thithes, gifts, etc., but not from a loyal heart and believing that religious rituals please God. II Chronicles 25:2 states when Amaziah become king,"and he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a loyal heart." We practice our religion well but our hearts aren't set on holiness and righteousness, this is a spirit of religion. God said in verse four that when he spoke they did not hear, this is all so true today. God is speaking through preachers and prophets, calling his people to holiness and righteousness, and yet they do not want to hear it. Instead "they did evil before my eyes, and chose that in which I do not delight."
With the absolute truths of God's Word having been diluted, mankind now decides what is right for them. We now conform the Word to fit us not conforming our lives to fit the Word. We want preachers who tickle our ears. "Who say to seers,' do not see,' and to the prophets,'do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits.'"(Is.30:10) This is the strong delusion! This is the spirit of religion!
A spirit of religion, a strong delusion, has captivated a large portion of our churches. Truth is now being mixed with half-truths or man's understanding of truths. The delusion that God has chosen is a diluted Word, a straying from absolute truth. Remember the definition of a delusion is a false, fixed belief, held in spite of evidence to the contrary. God is testing us to see if we not only know absolute truth but are we obeying it. Do we study to show ourselves approved so that we may recognize half-truths and even unscriptural prophecies and messages? What do our actions and lifestyles tell the world that we are approving of? Is our worship from a loyal heart or just religious ritual? Absolute truth or delusion which one are we following?
Monday, February 28, 2011
THE GREAT DELUSION--Pt.1
I would like to deviate from our study of the book of Daniel in order that I may share with you what the Lord put in my heart about the strong delusion that He will send upon us in the last days. I believe we are in the last of the last days and that God has already released this strong delusion and that it is growing rapidly among us. I also believe that this is one of the most important words I've ever been given. It is for sure one of the heaviest words of revelation knowledge I have ever proclaimed. I personally believe that its revelation knowledge for the body of Christ to be given in these last days
Jesus warns us in Matthew 24:24, "For false Christ and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." Jesus began this discourse of the signs of the end times in Matthew 24:4 by saying, "Take heed that no one deceives you." Jesus would not have warned his followers about being deceived if it wasn't possible for them to be deceived. So in verse 24 when he says that these false prophets and false Christ are going to show up with great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect, those in the book of life, then it is possible for them to be deceived; and we must remember that even the saints of God can be deceived by this delusion. I personally believe it is happening right now.
Paul speaks of this great delusion that God is going to send among us in II Thessalonians 2:1-4,and 9-12. "Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him,(this of course is speaking of the rapture of the saints)we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." Please note here that the day of the Lord will not come until there is first a falling away, which is occurring right now, and the antichrist, the son of perdition, sets in the temple of God. There's no temple in Jerusalem yet so how can Jesus' return be at hand. We know from Daniel and Matthew 24 that Jesus is not going to return until after the temple has been defiled by the antichrist which does not occur until midway through the tribulation. Since there's no temple in Jerusalem at this time, even if the antichrist were here now he would be hard-pressed to take his seat in a temple that does not exist.
Then beginning with verse nine Paul states, "The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who parish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie." Here we see the ones who were going to receive this delusion or deception in the last of the last days are those who do not receive the "love" of the truth. The Scriptures do not say those who didn't receive truth, it says those who did not receive the "love" of the truth. In other words, you may have heard the word of God, whether preached, or by what ever means you received it, you heard it, you accepted it, you may have even agreed with it but you did not "love" the absolute truth found in God's word. We can read the word of God or hear a message from the word of God that moves us, by conviction of the Holy Spirit, to respond to that word. We may be born again. We may begin to attend church regularly. We learn how to pray, how to have personal devotions, how to pay our tithes, we may even get to the place of teaching Sunday School, serving on church boards and committees or even preaching in the pulpit. And yet all the while, we do not love the truth. We get to where we pick and choose Scriptures or we abide by some and cast-off others indicating that we lack love for the truth. When we love the absolute truths of God's word we accept it all and we abide by it all.
The word delusion used here from the Greek means, straying from orthodoxy or straying from absolute truths; deceit; to deceive; delusion; and error. From a secular dictionary it means, to mislead the mind or judgment; to deceive; the act of deluding; led astray; a false belief; something false but taken to be true; a false, fixed belief, held in spite of evidence to the contrary. This is the delusion chosen by God. It is a religious spirit. It is a form of religion. It is a people who have developed a false, fixed belief, held in spite of evidence to the contrary. You know you've accepted the delusion or have been deceived when people attempt to correct your doctrines or your theology or your mindset or your opinions of Scripture with the Word of God, which proves what you're holding to is wrong, it's in error or false and you are still fixed in that belief no matter what they say or know matter what they show you. This happens to me constantly. When God has me go to people with nothing but the word to correct their erroneous understanding of Scripture or doctrine and I show them what the word of God says their response is, "That's just your opinion." This is a result of people receiving the deluted word of God over the years that leads to the great delusion. Decades ago God began to send this delusion among His people. It's when man began to take the absolute truth of God's word and mix it with part truth for their own understanding or their own designs and desires for the word.
The word dilute means to make weaker by mixing, such as mixing part truth with part half-truths or our own understanding, to weaken or reduce the intensity, strength, or purity of, as by introducing another element. Diluted truth is what leads to deception, or to say the great delusion.
God has sent a strong delusion. It's not demonic. It's not evil looking. But it is very religious in its appearance. It is a religious system built on diluted truth full of compromise. The word compromise means an adjustment usually involving a particular surrender of claims (such as absolute truth), purposes (such as fulfilling the Great Commission), or principles (such as holiness and righteousness of living), something lying between, or combining the qualities of, two different things (such as taking the middle road). With this definition of compromise in mind, this is what the strong delusion looks like. It is practiced where people surrender particular claims, such as the absolute truth of God's word. We have diluted the Word with man's understanding and man's doctrine and denominational theologies to the point where the absolute truth is no longer recognizable. We have been deceived and have accepted a diluted truth in place of absolute truth. The delusion is present where people have surrendered the purposes of God's word such as the Great Commission. In most of our churches today, and in the lives of most professing Christians, we can take the Great Commission or leave it, it doesn't matter. We're no longer concerned about making disciples, only building up our man-made churches and religious systems. The strong delusion is practiced in the lives of people and churches where biblical principles, such as holiness and righteousness of living, are no longer followed. We determine for ourselves what's right and what is wrong and no one should dare to try to tell us any different. In today's church most are left to determine their own plans of salvation. After all what preacher has the right to tell you what's right or what's wrong for you. We seem to have the mindset in the church today that if we believe it's right for us then it's right and no one, or the word of God, can tell us any different. Remember the definition of delusion? A false, fixed belief, held in spite of evidence to the contrary. People today in the church have accepted the strong delusion, sent by God, that has us walking with a double mindset. Remember that is a definition of compromise, something lying between, or combining the qualities of, two different things. In other words we take a middle of the road approach to Christianity. We try to walk the fence with one foot in the world and one in heaven. The book of James warns us about being double minded.
You may ask the question, why would God send a strong delusion that would possibly deceive even the elect? He has sent it in order to test the church to see whether we are going to live by his absolute truths, love his absolute truths, obey his absolute or are we going to accept the delusion, a diluted, compromised word of God.
I believe that First Kings chapter 22 is probably the best biblical illustration to prove that this strong delusion from God is religious. In this chapter we see where King Ahab and Jehoshaphat were contemplating going to battle against Ramoth in Gilead and Jehoshaphat wanted to hear from God as to whether God would have them to go up to this battle are not. Jehoshaphat asked if there were any prophets that they could ask a word from God as to whether or not they should go to this battle. So Ahab brought in his own personal prophets, some 400, to prophesy for Jehoshaphat. Each of these prophesied prosperity and great victory for Ahab and Jehoshaphat. They were told that they would conquer their enemies and that God was with them and that they should go up and fight this battle. Yet this did not pacify Jehoshaphat. He asked if there were any other prophets, and Ahab said that there was one remaining prophet of God whose name is Micaiah, but he never prophesied anything good for him. But Jehoshaphat insisted on sending for Micaiah. So a servant was sent to bring Micaiah to Ahab and Jehoshaphat. When the servant arrived with Micaiah,and he had told him what all the other prophets had prophesied to the king, he told Micaiah that he needed to do the same. When Micaiah came before Ahab and Jehoshaphat they asked him whether they should go to this battle or not,he answered and said what the other prophets had said. He prophesied only good things toward Ahab and Jehoshaphat. But when they had asked him,"How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?," he spoke the word from God. Micaiah says that if they go up they would surely die and of course Ahab responded by saying,"Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me but evil?" At this point Micaiah tells Ahab and Jehoshaphat what he had seen when God came to him. The story begins in verse 19 of chapter 22.
"Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne and all the host of heaven standing by, and on His right hand and on His left. And the Lord said,'Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?' So one spoke in this manner and another spoke in that manner. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, 'I will persuade him.'" It's important for us to note here that this spirit mentioned in this verse is not the Holy Spirit but a fallen spirit. If you look in the book of Job you see where the sons of God were around the throne and this included Satan as a son of God. We see here that Satan and the fallen angels are constantly going before God around the throne. They're involved in a lot of the decisions as it were as to what's happening with mankind. They are also there constantly accusing the brother. We know that Satan had permission to sift Peter as well as Job. So this spirit that we see here in verse 21 is a fallen spirit, a contrary spirit that was speaking before God in this vision that Micaiah saw.
Then continuing with verse 22, "The Lord said to him, 'In what way?' So he said, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And the Lord said, 'You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.'" It is here in this verse that we see the lesson to be learned about the delusion. When this contrary spirit said that he would go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of his prophets, speaking of Ahab's prophets, he is saying here that he will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of those who are speaking for God. It's important also to see here that Ahab had his trust in his 400 prophets more than he had his trust in God. He had surrounded himself with prophets, who supposedly were to be prophets of God, who always told him good things, the things he wanted to hear. And so this contrary spirit is saying here that with God's permission, he would go and put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of God. In so doing, they would persuade Ahab to go up to Ramoth Gilead and fight the battle where he would be killed. It's in this verse that we see the groundwork laid for the strong delusion.
In order to test the hearts of his people, God has sent a lying spirit into the mouth of some of his prophets and preachers, those who have accepted the diluted, compromised word of God. Just as Ahab had put his trust in his prophets more than in God so it is today, people trust the ministers of the Word to do their reading and studying of the Word for them instead of trusting God to open the Word to themselves. The church today, for the most part, surrounds itself with ministers and prophets who tell the people what they want to hear. All of this being done in the name of the Lord and those proclaiming the Word believing that they're hearing from God while all the long it's a lying spirit sent by God. It is God himself who has given permission to the contrary spirits to try his church.
Verse 23 says, "Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours and the Lord has declared disaster against you." God had prophesied,through Elijah, that Ahab would perish and now to fulfill that prophecy he must persuade Ahab to go into this battle. God is using the delusion of a diluted and compromised Word that looks very real, sounds very real, appears to be right from heaven, in order to test the hearts of his people. He wants to see if we can recognize the delusion. He wants to see if we have studied to show ourselves approved.
We will conclude our look at this strong delusion next week.
Jesus warns us in Matthew 24:24, "For false Christ and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." Jesus began this discourse of the signs of the end times in Matthew 24:4 by saying, "Take heed that no one deceives you." Jesus would not have warned his followers about being deceived if it wasn't possible for them to be deceived. So in verse 24 when he says that these false prophets and false Christ are going to show up with great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect, those in the book of life, then it is possible for them to be deceived; and we must remember that even the saints of God can be deceived by this delusion. I personally believe it is happening right now.
Paul speaks of this great delusion that God is going to send among us in II Thessalonians 2:1-4,and 9-12. "Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him,(this of course is speaking of the rapture of the saints)we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." Please note here that the day of the Lord will not come until there is first a falling away, which is occurring right now, and the antichrist, the son of perdition, sets in the temple of God. There's no temple in Jerusalem yet so how can Jesus' return be at hand. We know from Daniel and Matthew 24 that Jesus is not going to return until after the temple has been defiled by the antichrist which does not occur until midway through the tribulation. Since there's no temple in Jerusalem at this time, even if the antichrist were here now he would be hard-pressed to take his seat in a temple that does not exist.
Then beginning with verse nine Paul states, "The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who parish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie." Here we see the ones who were going to receive this delusion or deception in the last of the last days are those who do not receive the "love" of the truth. The Scriptures do not say those who didn't receive truth, it says those who did not receive the "love" of the truth. In other words, you may have heard the word of God, whether preached, or by what ever means you received it, you heard it, you accepted it, you may have even agreed with it but you did not "love" the absolute truth found in God's word. We can read the word of God or hear a message from the word of God that moves us, by conviction of the Holy Spirit, to respond to that word. We may be born again. We may begin to attend church regularly. We learn how to pray, how to have personal devotions, how to pay our tithes, we may even get to the place of teaching Sunday School, serving on church boards and committees or even preaching in the pulpit. And yet all the while, we do not love the truth. We get to where we pick and choose Scriptures or we abide by some and cast-off others indicating that we lack love for the truth. When we love the absolute truths of God's word we accept it all and we abide by it all.
The word delusion used here from the Greek means, straying from orthodoxy or straying from absolute truths; deceit; to deceive; delusion; and error. From a secular dictionary it means, to mislead the mind or judgment; to deceive; the act of deluding; led astray; a false belief; something false but taken to be true; a false, fixed belief, held in spite of evidence to the contrary. This is the delusion chosen by God. It is a religious spirit. It is a form of religion. It is a people who have developed a false, fixed belief, held in spite of evidence to the contrary. You know you've accepted the delusion or have been deceived when people attempt to correct your doctrines or your theology or your mindset or your opinions of Scripture with the Word of God, which proves what you're holding to is wrong, it's in error or false and you are still fixed in that belief no matter what they say or know matter what they show you. This happens to me constantly. When God has me go to people with nothing but the word to correct their erroneous understanding of Scripture or doctrine and I show them what the word of God says their response is, "That's just your opinion." This is a result of people receiving the deluted word of God over the years that leads to the great delusion. Decades ago God began to send this delusion among His people. It's when man began to take the absolute truth of God's word and mix it with part truth for their own understanding or their own designs and desires for the word.
The word dilute means to make weaker by mixing, such as mixing part truth with part half-truths or our own understanding, to weaken or reduce the intensity, strength, or purity of, as by introducing another element. Diluted truth is what leads to deception, or to say the great delusion.
God has sent a strong delusion. It's not demonic. It's not evil looking. But it is very religious in its appearance. It is a religious system built on diluted truth full of compromise. The word compromise means an adjustment usually involving a particular surrender of claims (such as absolute truth), purposes (such as fulfilling the Great Commission), or principles (such as holiness and righteousness of living), something lying between, or combining the qualities of, two different things (such as taking the middle road). With this definition of compromise in mind, this is what the strong delusion looks like. It is practiced where people surrender particular claims, such as the absolute truth of God's word. We have diluted the Word with man's understanding and man's doctrine and denominational theologies to the point where the absolute truth is no longer recognizable. We have been deceived and have accepted a diluted truth in place of absolute truth. The delusion is present where people have surrendered the purposes of God's word such as the Great Commission. In most of our churches today, and in the lives of most professing Christians, we can take the Great Commission or leave it, it doesn't matter. We're no longer concerned about making disciples, only building up our man-made churches and religious systems. The strong delusion is practiced in the lives of people and churches where biblical principles, such as holiness and righteousness of living, are no longer followed. We determine for ourselves what's right and what is wrong and no one should dare to try to tell us any different. In today's church most are left to determine their own plans of salvation. After all what preacher has the right to tell you what's right or what's wrong for you. We seem to have the mindset in the church today that if we believe it's right for us then it's right and no one, or the word of God, can tell us any different. Remember the definition of delusion? A false, fixed belief, held in spite of evidence to the contrary. People today in the church have accepted the strong delusion, sent by God, that has us walking with a double mindset. Remember that is a definition of compromise, something lying between, or combining the qualities of, two different things. In other words we take a middle of the road approach to Christianity. We try to walk the fence with one foot in the world and one in heaven. The book of James warns us about being double minded.
You may ask the question, why would God send a strong delusion that would possibly deceive even the elect? He has sent it in order to test the church to see whether we are going to live by his absolute truths, love his absolute truths, obey his absolute or are we going to accept the delusion, a diluted, compromised word of God.
I believe that First Kings chapter 22 is probably the best biblical illustration to prove that this strong delusion from God is religious. In this chapter we see where King Ahab and Jehoshaphat were contemplating going to battle against Ramoth in Gilead and Jehoshaphat wanted to hear from God as to whether God would have them to go up to this battle are not. Jehoshaphat asked if there were any prophets that they could ask a word from God as to whether or not they should go to this battle. So Ahab brought in his own personal prophets, some 400, to prophesy for Jehoshaphat. Each of these prophesied prosperity and great victory for Ahab and Jehoshaphat. They were told that they would conquer their enemies and that God was with them and that they should go up and fight this battle. Yet this did not pacify Jehoshaphat. He asked if there were any other prophets, and Ahab said that there was one remaining prophet of God whose name is Micaiah, but he never prophesied anything good for him. But Jehoshaphat insisted on sending for Micaiah. So a servant was sent to bring Micaiah to Ahab and Jehoshaphat. When the servant arrived with Micaiah,and he had told him what all the other prophets had prophesied to the king, he told Micaiah that he needed to do the same. When Micaiah came before Ahab and Jehoshaphat they asked him whether they should go to this battle or not,he answered and said what the other prophets had said. He prophesied only good things toward Ahab and Jehoshaphat. But when they had asked him,"How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?," he spoke the word from God. Micaiah says that if they go up they would surely die and of course Ahab responded by saying,"Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me but evil?" At this point Micaiah tells Ahab and Jehoshaphat what he had seen when God came to him. The story begins in verse 19 of chapter 22.
"Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne and all the host of heaven standing by, and on His right hand and on His left. And the Lord said,'Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?' So one spoke in this manner and another spoke in that manner. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, 'I will persuade him.'" It's important for us to note here that this spirit mentioned in this verse is not the Holy Spirit but a fallen spirit. If you look in the book of Job you see where the sons of God were around the throne and this included Satan as a son of God. We see here that Satan and the fallen angels are constantly going before God around the throne. They're involved in a lot of the decisions as it were as to what's happening with mankind. They are also there constantly accusing the brother. We know that Satan had permission to sift Peter as well as Job. So this spirit that we see here in verse 21 is a fallen spirit, a contrary spirit that was speaking before God in this vision that Micaiah saw.
Then continuing with verse 22, "The Lord said to him, 'In what way?' So he said, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And the Lord said, 'You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.'" It is here in this verse that we see the lesson to be learned about the delusion. When this contrary spirit said that he would go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of his prophets, speaking of Ahab's prophets, he is saying here that he will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of those who are speaking for God. It's important also to see here that Ahab had his trust in his 400 prophets more than he had his trust in God. He had surrounded himself with prophets, who supposedly were to be prophets of God, who always told him good things, the things he wanted to hear. And so this contrary spirit is saying here that with God's permission, he would go and put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of God. In so doing, they would persuade Ahab to go up to Ramoth Gilead and fight the battle where he would be killed. It's in this verse that we see the groundwork laid for the strong delusion.
In order to test the hearts of his people, God has sent a lying spirit into the mouth of some of his prophets and preachers, those who have accepted the diluted, compromised word of God. Just as Ahab had put his trust in his prophets more than in God so it is today, people trust the ministers of the Word to do their reading and studying of the Word for them instead of trusting God to open the Word to themselves. The church today, for the most part, surrounds itself with ministers and prophets who tell the people what they want to hear. All of this being done in the name of the Lord and those proclaiming the Word believing that they're hearing from God while all the long it's a lying spirit sent by God. It is God himself who has given permission to the contrary spirits to try his church.
Verse 23 says, "Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours and the Lord has declared disaster against you." God had prophesied,through Elijah, that Ahab would perish and now to fulfill that prophecy he must persuade Ahab to go into this battle. God is using the delusion of a diluted and compromised Word that looks very real, sounds very real, appears to be right from heaven, in order to test the hearts of his people. He wants to see if we can recognize the delusion. He wants to see if we have studied to show ourselves approved.
We will conclude our look at this strong delusion next week.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
END-TIME STUDY--Pt.15
Let me start by saying I am truly sorry for not updating this blog site but we have had extensive computer problems, and we're just now getting back online and are just now reprogramming our computer. Hopefully we will not have any other interruptions in our study in the near future.
Now to continue our Bible study. Two years after Daniel received his vision of chapter 7 he receives another vision found in Chapter 8. He is now some 67 years of age when he receives this vision of a ram and a goat. Daniel here is receiving more detail and confirmation of the things that he received in his vision recorded in chapter 7 of his writings. In his vision he finds himself at Shushan in the Palace. Shushan was in Persia some 150 miles north of the Persian Gulf (modern day Iran). Shushan or Susa is set in between two rivers, the Shapur and the Ulai. Both of these rivers join the Euphrates River just below the confluence with the Tigris River which then flows into the Persian Gulf.
In his vision Daniel sees a ram with two high horns standing by the river. One of its horns was higher than the other meaning that one was more predominant than the other. This ram represents a kingdom that we have already seen, the Medo-Persian Empire. Like the lopsided bear with three ribs in its mouth of chapter 7, this ram with the lopsided horns represents the silver chest and arms of Nebuchadnezzar's statue. This empire was mighty and conquered all the lands about them. They prevailed until a greater empire emerged, the goat of verse five.
The goat was the the national symbol of the Grecian (Macedonian) people. They were known as the goat people for some 200 years. This goat appears to not touch the ground, as though it were flying much like the leopard of chapter 7 with four wings. Both of these animals represented the bronze belly and thighs of Nebuchadnezzar's statue, the Grecian Empire. This goat had a notable horn between his eyes meaning one great leader, which was Alexander the Great. Alexander's conquest of the Medo- Persian Empire introduced the known world to the Greek language which would be the predominant language for centuries.
Verse eight tells us that the great horn was broken and four notable horns arose in its place. At age thirty-three Alexander the Great died of a great fever while at the zenith of his empire and pride. His brother Philip Aridaeous and his two sons, Alexander Aegus and Hercules, ruled the Macedonian Empire until they were murdered fifteen years later. Thus the great horn, the Macedonian empire, was broken and cut-off.
Out of the Macedonian empire came four notable ones, or to say, four kingdoms. One to the west, one to the north, one to the east and one to the south, the open "four winds of heaven." The Western Kingdom ruled by Cassandra. The Northern Kingdom was ruled by Lysimachus and known as the Macedonian Kingdom. The Eastern Kingdom was the old Persian Kingdom, Syria and Babylon ruled by Selucus. The Southern Kingdom, Egypt, was ruled by Ptolemy. What Daniel just saw was the next 200 years of mankind.
Daniel's vision now fast forwards in verse nine to the end of the age. Here in this verse we see the "little horn," that was revealed to us in Daniel 7:8, which is none other than the Antichrist rising up from the area of the old Roman empire. This "little horn" will come from one of the four kingdoms or great horns as recorded in verse eight. We are told here that this "little horn" grew southward, eastward and towards Israel the "glorious land." Although the Scriptures do not indicate that this "little horn" or Antichrist would be born in the North or West, it is from here that he began his reign as a world leader. This would include all of Europe.
Just what will be the thing that will cause such countries as Egypt, Libya, Turkey, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Germany, Russia, France, as well as other European countries, to unite? Religion! Namely the Muslim religion. A religion that has a great hatred for Israel. A people who desire to control the oil rich middle east.
I will elaborate more on the Muslim religion later in this study when we look at the world religion of the tribulation period. Suffice i tto say the Muslim religion is the fastest growing religion in the world and as they grow their influence on world peace and politics is growing as well. With their disregard for life, the world leaders fear them, thus they give in to their demands. Who better to spearhead an all-out push to rid the world of Jews and Christians alike than a people sworn to eradicate these infidels from the earth. The rise of the Muslim faith is a sure sign that the end time events are unfolding before our eyes. Don't be surprised if the Antichrist is a Jew who converted to Islam. His appearing is very, very near.
Because so many do not fully understand the description of the Antichrist found in Scripture they tend to erroneously label certain people as the Antichrist. People like Nero Caesar, whose numerical name was calculated 666, and because he would not allow anyone to buy or sale without first pledging allegiance to Rome, many thought him to be the Antichrist. Then in 202 A.D. Hippalytus Romanus believed the Antichrist would come from the Jewish tribe of Daniel. This led to the Crusades to kill Jews, thus eliminating the seed of the Antichrist.
In 1099 A.D. Muslims and Jews killed one another in Jerusalem believing that the Antichrist would arise from Jerusalem. In the 1600s the belief in the Antichrist caused Christians to break away from the Catholic Church claiming that the Pope was the Antichrist. Also in the 1600s the Puritans, who came to the New World to evangelize the Indians, soon found themselves starving and began to raid the Indians food supply. When the Indians began to fight back savagely the Puritans thought them to be demon possessed, and thus agents of the Antichrist. This caused the Puritans to determine that the Indians had to be eliminated.
During the Revolutionary War the American clergy thought that King George III was the Antichrist, thus Americans must fight for their freedom from England and the rule of the Antichrist. In the early 1900s many believed Mussolini was the Antichrist. Then Hitler was thought to be the Antichrist because of his smooth use of words to persuade the masses to follow him in annihilating the Jews.
In the 1980s some pointed to Ronald Reagan as the Antichrist because each of his names had six letters in them, 666. All through the ages many have been declared the Antichrist, including Barack Obama. Were any of these correct? No! We must understand all the Scriptures pertaining to the Antichrist so that we, as believers, may be able to factually identify him so that we may warn others.
We, as believers, should welcome the appearing of the Antichrist because that will signal that the return of Jesus is near. (Luke 21:28)
Now to continue our Bible study. Two years after Daniel received his vision of chapter 7 he receives another vision found in Chapter 8. He is now some 67 years of age when he receives this vision of a ram and a goat. Daniel here is receiving more detail and confirmation of the things that he received in his vision recorded in chapter 7 of his writings. In his vision he finds himself at Shushan in the Palace. Shushan was in Persia some 150 miles north of the Persian Gulf (modern day Iran). Shushan or Susa is set in between two rivers, the Shapur and the Ulai. Both of these rivers join the Euphrates River just below the confluence with the Tigris River which then flows into the Persian Gulf.
In his vision Daniel sees a ram with two high horns standing by the river. One of its horns was higher than the other meaning that one was more predominant than the other. This ram represents a kingdom that we have already seen, the Medo-Persian Empire. Like the lopsided bear with three ribs in its mouth of chapter 7, this ram with the lopsided horns represents the silver chest and arms of Nebuchadnezzar's statue. This empire was mighty and conquered all the lands about them. They prevailed until a greater empire emerged, the goat of verse five.
The goat was the the national symbol of the Grecian (Macedonian) people. They were known as the goat people for some 200 years. This goat appears to not touch the ground, as though it were flying much like the leopard of chapter 7 with four wings. Both of these animals represented the bronze belly and thighs of Nebuchadnezzar's statue, the Grecian Empire. This goat had a notable horn between his eyes meaning one great leader, which was Alexander the Great. Alexander's conquest of the Medo- Persian Empire introduced the known world to the Greek language which would be the predominant language for centuries.
Verse eight tells us that the great horn was broken and four notable horns arose in its place. At age thirty-three Alexander the Great died of a great fever while at the zenith of his empire and pride. His brother Philip Aridaeous and his two sons, Alexander Aegus and Hercules, ruled the Macedonian Empire until they were murdered fifteen years later. Thus the great horn, the Macedonian empire, was broken and cut-off.
Out of the Macedonian empire came four notable ones, or to say, four kingdoms. One to the west, one to the north, one to the east and one to the south, the open "four winds of heaven." The Western Kingdom ruled by Cassandra. The Northern Kingdom was ruled by Lysimachus and known as the Macedonian Kingdom. The Eastern Kingdom was the old Persian Kingdom, Syria and Babylon ruled by Selucus. The Southern Kingdom, Egypt, was ruled by Ptolemy. What Daniel just saw was the next 200 years of mankind.
Daniel's vision now fast forwards in verse nine to the end of the age. Here in this verse we see the "little horn," that was revealed to us in Daniel 7:8, which is none other than the Antichrist rising up from the area of the old Roman empire. This "little horn" will come from one of the four kingdoms or great horns as recorded in verse eight. We are told here that this "little horn" grew southward, eastward and towards Israel the "glorious land." Although the Scriptures do not indicate that this "little horn" or Antichrist would be born in the North or West, it is from here that he began his reign as a world leader. This would include all of Europe.
Just what will be the thing that will cause such countries as Egypt, Libya, Turkey, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Germany, Russia, France, as well as other European countries, to unite? Religion! Namely the Muslim religion. A religion that has a great hatred for Israel. A people who desire to control the oil rich middle east.
I will elaborate more on the Muslim religion later in this study when we look at the world religion of the tribulation period. Suffice i tto say the Muslim religion is the fastest growing religion in the world and as they grow their influence on world peace and politics is growing as well. With their disregard for life, the world leaders fear them, thus they give in to their demands. Who better to spearhead an all-out push to rid the world of Jews and Christians alike than a people sworn to eradicate these infidels from the earth. The rise of the Muslim faith is a sure sign that the end time events are unfolding before our eyes. Don't be surprised if the Antichrist is a Jew who converted to Islam. His appearing is very, very near.
Because so many do not fully understand the description of the Antichrist found in Scripture they tend to erroneously label certain people as the Antichrist. People like Nero Caesar, whose numerical name was calculated 666, and because he would not allow anyone to buy or sale without first pledging allegiance to Rome, many thought him to be the Antichrist. Then in 202 A.D. Hippalytus Romanus believed the Antichrist would come from the Jewish tribe of Daniel. This led to the Crusades to kill Jews, thus eliminating the seed of the Antichrist.
In 1099 A.D. Muslims and Jews killed one another in Jerusalem believing that the Antichrist would arise from Jerusalem. In the 1600s the belief in the Antichrist caused Christians to break away from the Catholic Church claiming that the Pope was the Antichrist. Also in the 1600s the Puritans, who came to the New World to evangelize the Indians, soon found themselves starving and began to raid the Indians food supply. When the Indians began to fight back savagely the Puritans thought them to be demon possessed, and thus agents of the Antichrist. This caused the Puritans to determine that the Indians had to be eliminated.
During the Revolutionary War the American clergy thought that King George III was the Antichrist, thus Americans must fight for their freedom from England and the rule of the Antichrist. In the early 1900s many believed Mussolini was the Antichrist. Then Hitler was thought to be the Antichrist because of his smooth use of words to persuade the masses to follow him in annihilating the Jews.
In the 1980s some pointed to Ronald Reagan as the Antichrist because each of his names had six letters in them, 666. All through the ages many have been declared the Antichrist, including Barack Obama. Were any of these correct? No! We must understand all the Scriptures pertaining to the Antichrist so that we, as believers, may be able to factually identify him so that we may warn others.
We, as believers, should welcome the appearing of the Antichrist because that will signal that the return of Jesus is near. (Luke 21:28)
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