Tag Archives: Holy Spirit

Revelation

Revelation 11

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Now that we have seen the first half of the tribulation detailed somewhat, and then entered into the second half of the tribulation in chapter 9, and we were introduced to the seven thunders in chapter 10, we will now be told about antichrist and the two witnesses. We are still in the second half of the tribulation, as we were in the two previous chapters, but this will give us a clearer picture of the signs and prophecies we will want to know at that time.

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

John was given a scepter, or rod, to see how things measure up with the state of the “Temple of God,” and those on the Temple Mount who profess the name of Christ.

In these end days, just as it has been throughout Christian history, there are those who sincerely have accepted Christ, and there are those who claim to be Christians, but have not truly made that change in their hearts.

As we are in the second half of the tribulation, antichrist will sit on the throne and those around him will be worshiping him as if he was God. By this point, the Temple Mount will have been covertly put under the control of heathen, specifically the kenites, claiming to be the children of God and the children of Israel. Many Christians will therefore be led away from Christ, and they will unknowingly commit apostasy by following another christ, a false one.

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

The outer parts of the temple are given over to the gentiles, and just as they were allowed to enter into it, regardless of their faith, in the Old Testament times, this outer court is filled with people who are Christians in name only, but who are not sincere in their profession of faith. These people put other things before and above Christ. But the inner court is only for the spiritual children of Israel, who are wholly dedicated to serving Christ. However, in the second half of the tribulation, satan will take over this inner sanctuary as antichrist, claiming to be Christ, and many of those who had been dedicated to Christ will commit apostasy, or fall away from their professed faith, because they will be deceived. This is where we are told judgment will first occur, at the pulpit. And, this is where John is told to measure, observe, with this rod.

(2Th 2:2-4) That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Before the return of Jesus Christ, the son of perdition, satan, must take the supposed throne of God on the Temple Mount, claiming to be God. This must, and will, take place before we ever see the Second Coming of Jesus. Those who claim to be here on behalf of God, but lie, will be judged harshly.

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

Two of God’s most trusted servants will be given miraculous power right at the beginning of the second half of the tribulation, just after the 6th Trumpet, probably about 5-6 days before satan appears as antichrist (we will explain that calculation at a later time). They will be humbly, but boldly, preaching the truth of God, and of the deception of satan, day and night, to urge people to repent and refuse to bow to antichrist.

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

This is not the first we’ve been told of the two witnesses, but we will now be given much more clarification of their roles, in this chapter of Revelation.

(Zec 4:2-4) And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?

(Zec 4:11-14) Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

The two witnesses have stood with God unfailingly throughout time, and would never waiver in their service, which is why God trusts them to do this very vital and honorable job. In this vision, they are represented by two olive trees because of the oil they produce within their berries, and this golden oil is representative of God’s Holy Spirit. They will be charged with allowing the golden oil to flow to God’s elect, in the form of the deepest knowledge and understanding (gold) of what God wants His faithful servants to know.

The seven lamps held on the golden candlestick in the vision of Zechariah in chapter 4, are the 7000 elect (and anyone else who will continue to stand only with Christ), and they are fed the golden oil by the two olive trees, which also appear in John’s vision. These seven lamps are to let their light of God’s truth shine all over the earth. 

The disciples of Christ are instructed not to hide their light of God’s truth underneath a bushel, but to project it everywhere they can.

(Mat 5:14-16) Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Now, in the vision in Revelation 1, which also was given to John, there are seven candlesticks, and they each represent one of the seven churches (Rev 2 & 3) of Christianity in the end times.

(Rev 1:20) The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

The two witnesses lead two of these candlesticks, meaning that they represent the two churches approved by Jesus, Smyrna and Philadelphia. Smyrna and Philadelphia contain all of God’s elect, both the 7000 and the 144,000 (as well as the kings of the ethnos, who are those sealed, but that are not of the tribes of Israel). In other words, those two churches contain all of God’s faithful servants who will be sealed and will serve only Him. These two churches stand united as one under Christ (the single golden candlestick).

(Rev 11:5) And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

Because they will be speaking against the church of the one world religion under satan, whom the world believes to be Christ, they will see only evil in the eyes of the two witnesses. They really don’t know that the two witnesses are true ambassadors of  God. But the people of the world will be so dedicated to their messiah that they will hate anyone who would dare speak a word against him.

To anyone who has the gumption to attack these two men in any way, the witnesses will project the consuming fire of God by the words of their mouths, and this would cause those people a spiritual death. Spiritual death means that a person is liable to die in the lake of fire at the end of the Millennium, unless he straightens up his act before that time. God is loving, but His patience can only go so far.

(Rev 11:6) These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

During this second half of the tribulation, there will be a famine for hearing the word of God.

(Amo 8:11-13) Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.

In the last days, understanding of the Word of God will be shut off for anyone who has not been sealed and who has not made the effort to know Christ through His Word. They will thirst because they will no longer be able to partake in the Water of Life that comes through salvation by the acceptance of Jesus Christ. Therefore, they will wander from person to person, group to group, trying to find this truth (Remember the 5 unwise virgins in the Parable of the Ten Virgins), and they will believe they have gotten it when antichrist arrives, but sadly they will not have anything of the sort. Because they will not be able to quench this thirst, they will fail.

Well, we are told of the latter rain in Joel, and this is the knowledge and understanding, through the Holy Spirit, that comes in the second half of the tribulation:

(Joe 2:23) Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

The true servants of God are given moderate understanding in the last generation leading into the tribulation, but the latter rain, which allows for the blossoming of the fruit of God, will come in the spring. This is when God’s elect will be at their best, and will be showing what they are made of. But, when the two witnesses are in place, they will be able to shut off God’s understanding from anyone who is not worthy of it, through their own doing, and ultimately for their own good.

(Rev 11:7) And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

As we will find our in chapter 13, this beast, which is the second beast of revelation (the fourth beast of Daniel 7), is none other than satan the antichrist. He is the one who comes out of the bottomless pit in Revelation 9, and unleashes all hell. He will finally have enough of God’s two right-hand men and will literally kill them, which tells us that the two witnesses are in flesh bodies at this time. This is a big no-no as satan and his angels have been instructed not to harm any of God’s servants, which includes the two witnesses.

(Rev 11:8) And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

They will lie there on the ground in the middle of Jerusalem, right where they are killed. This city, having been overrun by heathen serving satan, is spiritually equated with Sodom (of Sodom and Gomorrah fame) and Egypt, which has seen its share of heathenism as well, but is reminiscent of the oppressive system of ancient Egypt in which Moses lived. Just as most of the Hebrews fleeing Egypt in the Exodus wished to go back to their captors out of fear, the people of the world will wish to remain enslaved by the world system of antichrist because they don’t even realize how horrible it is.

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

No one will even bother to give these two bodies the respect normally associated with the corpses of the dead. They don’t even care, and they are even glad that the witnesses are dead. But, as most Christians are aware, their souls will no longer be within those broken clay vessels.

(Rev 11:10) And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

Not only is the world glad to hear of the deaths of these two, but they rejoice and even give gifts to one-another. The way they see it, these two horrible people would not leave them alone and constantly attacked the god that they love.

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

However, something unexpected is about to happen to these bodies as they lie in the streets, and it will throw the world for a loop. After all, God is all powerful and should have control over his enemies, and He does, but this false messiah, antichrist, is not truly God on earth yet. Suddenly, after three and a half days lying dead of flesh, the spirits of the two witnesses will re-enter into their flesh bodies and they will rise up, alive. This is going to be a shocking site. Is antichrist about to begin to lose control? Will people begin to doubt his power? They should, but at least most won’t.

(Rev 11:12) And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

Almost as soon as they are reanimated, the two witnesses are called up into Heaven, and are translated into the spirit just as Enoch and Elijah were, long before. The world can only watch in wonderment.

(Rev 11:13) And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Just as soon as the two witnesses are witnessed heading to Heaven, there is a massive earthquake, in which 7000 men, the evil counterpart to God’s 7000 predestinated elect, are killed. These are the satan’s most trusted confidants. Because of this destruction and death, suddenly those remaining ecstatic followers of antichrist have a change of tone. However, the Remnant of God may be startled, but their faith is affirmed with all these recent events, and they continue giving glory to God for it.

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

If you remember, we’ve already discussed the first two woes, the first half of the tribulation (5th trump) and the second half of the tribulation (6th trump). Each woe is progressively worse for those who do not reside in the Ark of Truth. We will now enter into the third, and final woe, the 7th Trumpet.

(Rev 11:15) And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

The reign of satan is coming to an end, and Jesus is about to return to earth to take His rightful place upon the throne of God on Mount Zion. He will never leave this place as our sovereign King.

As Jesus returns, He will send His consuming fire to burn away all that offends Him from the earth, and this fire of God will consume all the flesh that remains in order to cleanse the earth of evil imperfection.

(2Pe 3:5-7) For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

You can read a very detailed account of His return in the entire chapter of Zechariah 14.

(Rev 11:16) And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,

We see again the twenty four elders, mentioned earlier in Revelation, sitting on thrones before God as patriarchs. Just as all of God’s faithful do, they rejoice that the flesh age is finally at an end, and we can move into the final stage of the test to determine who is loyal to God and who is not, the Millennium.

(Rev 11:17) Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.

(Rev 11:18) And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

Everyone who has been faithful is praising God and His plan because it is for the good of everyone that it be completed, but there is still one more phase that will last one thousand years.

(Rev 11:19) And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

This is the final destruction of the flesh age on earth and the cleansing of the land, so that we can finally live according to God’s pure ways. The earth will be renewed and clean and purified and we will have complete memory of what happened before man was placed on earth in these flesh bodies.

Those who have passed the prior tests, which God has given us, will be safe for eternity, but those who failed both times will have one last chance, and will be in danger of being blotted out of the Book of Life in the lake of fire. Which category would you prefer?

God bless.

Zechariah

Zechariah 4

Chapter 4 of Zechariah takes place during the second half of the Great Tribulation, while satan is on earth posing as antichrist, the false messiah. This chapter runs parallel to Revelation 11, which teaches about the two witnesses and their role in the last days.

(Zec 4:1) And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,

Zechariah is being awoken from his sleep, but this sleep is a spiritual slumber that keeps us from understanding God’s deeper truths. Since he is no longer asleep, his eyes are being opened to another spiritual lesson that he is to share with us in the last generation.

(Rom 11:7-10) What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

(Zec 4:2) And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:

(Zec 4:3) And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.

(Zec 4:4) So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?

(Zec 4:5) Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

The angel will be explaining this vision shortly.

(Zec 4:6) Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

Zerubbabel is word #H2216 in the Hebrew  section of the Strong’s Concordance.

H2216
זרבּבל
zerûbbâbel
zer-oob-baw-bel’
From H2215 and H894; descended of (that is, from) Babylon, that is, born there; Zerubbabel, an Israelite: – Zerubbabel.

The word, Zerubbabel, comes from words H2215 and H894, in the Hebrew.

H2215
זרב
zârab
zaw-rab’
A primitive root; to flow away: – wax warm.

H894
בּבל
bâbel
baw-bel’
From H1101; confusion; Babel (that is, Babylon), including Babylonia and the Babylonian empire: – Babel, Babylon.

Therefore, when we look at the name Zerubbabel closely, it is Hebrew for, “Coming out of confusion.” This is what you do when you begin to understand the deeper lessons God has for you in the Bible. This is what happens when you begin to receive your spiritual eyes to see and ears to hear.

This verse is telling Zechariah to speak to those whose spiritual eyes and ears are open to understanding the knowledge of God. This understanding comes from God through His Holy Spirit, and no matter how intelligent you think you are, or how smart you are by man’s standards, if you are given the spirit of slumber, you’re just not going to get it. Do you have eyes to see and ears to hear?

(Zec 4:7) Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

In biblical symbology, a mountain is a nation, so this is a great nation. In the end times, the great nation is the one world government system. However great it may be, when Jesus returns, He is going to destroy the whole entire thing and anything else He doesn’t like. He will slay the first and second beasts of the tribulation, and He’ll bury them. Satan will be able to operate in the last days only under the authority of God, and when God says his time is up, it’ll end in the blink of an eye.

(Zec 4:8) Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

(Zec 4:9) The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.

In the book of Ezra, Zerubbabel was one of the men who help lay the foundation of the second temple in Jerusalem, at the House of God, Bethel, when some of the Israelites were allowed to return there.

(Ezr 3:1-10) And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God. And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening. They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required; And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the LORD. From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid. They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia. Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD. Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites. And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.

The original Zerubbabel began building this temple, and with the help of those who have come out of confusion in this last generation, who have or will receive the Seal of God, Jesus’ Millennial temple will be built as well (read Ezekiel 40-48). And, once Jesus Christ has returned and rules from earth in His new temple, the entire world will know who He is and will bow to Him.

(Zec 4:10) For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

God’s elect may be individual people, but with God’s support, anything can be accomplished. The elect will rejoice when they see this temple built, and they will be the ones who help to make it upright and keep it righteous. The plummet is a tool known today as a plumb bob, and it is used to make sure that what you are constructing is perfectly vertical, and that is a symbol for doing things God’s way. These elect watchmen, the eyes of the Lord, are the same eyes in the last chapter when we were told about the stone with seven eyes. Jesus is the stone and the seven eyes are His 7000 predestinated elect, who are people placed all over the earth that know and understand God’s plan, and who see that it comes to pass the way it was written.

A few of you reading this may be God’s watchmen.

(Zec 4:11) Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?

Now back to the first part of the vision. These two olive trees are the same two men we read about in Revelation 11, the two witnesses. They stand by the body of Christ, the true Christians on earth, represented here by a golden candle stick. Gold, in the Bible, represents the pure truth of God, by which the body of Christ lives.

(Zec 4:12) And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?

Each of these olive trees had a branch, from which the golden [olive] oil, representing the Holy Spirit carrying God’s truth and knowledge, flows to God’s elect, which themselves are represented in this vision by the seven lamps on top of the golden candlestick, and in-turn shine their light through the darkness of the tribulation.

For more information on this golden oil, check out this article: The Parable of the Ten Virgins.

(Zec 4:13) And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

(Zec 4:14) Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

The two witnesses are two of God’s most trusted servants, who, since the time of satan’s rebellion (and ever before), have been completely faithful to Him.

How about you? Do you feel God can count on you to help carry out his plan? Well, prove it to Him! He can’t use you unless you understand His plan. And how do you learn His plan? You must study His Word in the Bible deeply. Otherwise you will receive the spirit of slumber and strong delusion, and there will be a long road ahead for you.

God bless!

Reference Notes

Godhead

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The Godhead (as it is called in the Bible, Romans 1:18-21, Colossians 2:9), or Trinity (as many Christians refer to it), is our one and only God (Exodus 20:1-3, Deuteronomy 5:6-7, 6:4-5), but He has three forms that He takes depending on the situation, and He always is in all three forms simultaneously. For example, take H2O: H2O can take the form of ice, water and steam, and it can take all three forms at the same time, in different places. They are all H2O, and they can even change from one form to another in any given place, but all three have their own unique properties. The same is true with the Godhead.

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all God (Matthew 28:18-20), and God is one, as there is only one true God, but God is such that He can be anywhere and everywhere at the same time, and perform different roles and take different forms depending on the situation.

The Godhead of God has always existed in all three parts together, since the beginning (John 1:1-14). The Father is effectively the Brains of this operation–He is the part of God that is the creative mind. We see the Son mentioned throughout the Bible, even in the Old Testament, as He is the part of God that interacts with man in a form that is able to be comprehended by man. He was in the fire with Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego in Daniel 3. He visited Ezekiel in numerous occasions. Abraham paid tithe to Him, as He was known as Melchizedek, the King of Righteousness (Genesis 14:18-20, Hebrews 7). He wrestled with Jacob before He renamed him Israel (Genesis 32:24-32). And so on. It was even this form of God, the Son, that created the world (Genesis 1, John 1:3-4, Ephesians 3:8-12). The Son sits at the right hand of the Father, and this is a euphemism meaning that the Son performs the actions of the Father–the right hand signifies power and work and completion of actions.

The part of the Godhead, called the Son, was born into the flesh as Jesus Christ (John 1:14, 2 Corinthians 4:11, 1 Colossians 2:6-12, Timothy 3:16), and went through this flesh life in order to gain first hand experience, and because He would not put us through something that He is not also willing to go through. This is the sign of the ultimate Leader. Through this experience in the flesh, He would better be able to relieve all our suffering and temptation we go through in these flesh bodies (Hebrews 2). Because of all this, Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior.

The Holy Spirit is the Comforter (John 14:16-31) that Jesus sent to the world after His crucifixion, and it is this part of the Godhead that fills us when we truly accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. It is the Holy Spirit that guides us as Christians to keep us on the right path to please God. And it is the Holy Spirit that will speak through the mouths of His elect during the Tribulation to fulfill God’s plan.

Reference Notes

Seal of God

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The Sealing is the placing of the Seal of God, by the Holy Spirit, in one’s forehead, or mind. This seal is given as a guard against deception by satan and a protection from receiving the mark of the beast. Once a person is sealed, they cannot be led astray from God and cannot be deceived into worshipping antichrist and his system (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21). This sealing is a part of the Gospel Armor, the belt of truth, and all sealing will be complete before the arrival of antichrist (Revelation 7).

In the end times, this seal is not only given to ensure someone does not receive the mark of the beast, but also it protects them from being tormented by the fallen angels who will be returning to earth with satan during the tribulation (Rev 7:1-3, 9:1-5).

When God seals one of His elect with the Holy Spirit, He reveals His mysteries to that servant of God so that the person’s understanding of His Word can be complete (Matthew 4:10-12, 13:10-17, Luke 8:9-10, Romans 16:25-27, 1 Corinthians 4:1, 13:2, Ephesians 1:3-9, 3:1-6, 6:18-20, Colossians 1:23-29). Once someone has this understanding, and his spiritual eyes are opened, it is his responsibility to share this light of truth with others and not hide it from view. He must plant seeds of truth so that it may benefit others and allow them to be sealed if they are meant to have this truth as well.

With this sealing, and refusing to bow to antichrist, comes also a risk of being delivered up to testify as to why you refuse (Matthew 10:17-24, Mark 13:9-13, Luke 21:12-15, Revelation 2:10), and God knows that not everyone can handle this pressure because of how they performed in the first earth age (Romans 8:28-34, 11:1-14). For this reason, most people of the world are blinded from this deeper understanding of His truth, and God will not allow them to understand no matter how intelligent they may be. This is meant as a protection for them, because if they were allowed to see these truths and were delivered up to testify, they would buckle under the pressure and would cave in and bow to antichrist knowing full well that he is not Jesus, the true Messiah. This would be a grave sin. Because God loves them, and because they are not dedicated enough to studying the Bible, and standing against satan, and his power and deception, He allows them to be deceived (Romans 11:7-14, 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12) so they may learn a lesson they can take with them into the Millennium, with hopes they will make the right decisions at that time.

This sealing is an awesome blessing and an awesome responsibility at the same time.

Reference Notes

One World Government

13 Comments

The One World Government, or First Beast, outlined in Revelation 13,  is a political system that will be in place over the entire world during the Tribulation. This governing body will have 7 world nations roughly based on continental boundaries, and there will be 10 officials (10 kings) that head this system (Rev 13:1). This system has been in the process of being set up for centuries, but a big step was taken in 1945 with the establishment of the United Nations.

The One World Government, or New World Order, will be a communistic system that controls its citizens through the Four Hidden Dynasties (religion, politics, economy and education) which have been gaining strength in the world over centuries (Daniel 7:6, 8:8, Zech 1:18-19).

The leader of this One World Government is known as the Raiser of Taxes (Dan 11:20), and he will give way to the antichrist halfway through the tribulation (Dan 7:7-8, 8:13-14, 9:27, 11:21-45, 12:6-7, Rev 11:1-2, 13:11-18). When the antichrist arrives on earth in that midpoint, the One World Political System (Dan 7:7, Rev 13:1-10) will become a One World Religious System with the antichrist himself as its leader (Dan 7:8, Rev 13:11-18). Antichrist and his system, in the second half of the Tribulation, is known as the Second Beast, and it will force everyone of the world to worship the beast (Rev 12:9, 13:13-14), and everyone who does will receive the Mark of the Beast (Rev 14:9-11). The world will want to worship him because he will seem to be a benevolent messianic figure (2 Thess 2-3). Most Christians will believe he is Jesus. Those of other religions will believe he is also their respective messiahs, and he will claim that really all messiahs are actually one being, and it is he who is that being.

There will, however, be a small group of people, God’s elect, who will recognize antichrist and the beast and will refuse to bow to him (Matt 24:24). These people are the only ones in the world who will not be deceived by this system because they are sealed by the Holy Spirit with the Seal of God (Romans 11:4, Rev 7). Because the elect will not bow to antichrist, they will be delivered up to testify as to why they will not (Matt 10:17-24, Mark 13:9-13, Luke 12:11-12, 21:12-15, Rev 2:10). At this time, the Holy Spirit will speak through their  mouths and say things that no one will be able to deny (Luke 12:12, 21:14-15).

It is imperative to know and be able to recognize the First and Second Beasts before we enter the tribulation.

Reference Notes

Elect

21 Comments

The predestinated elect are people who have been chosen by God for a specific purpose to serve Him here on earth and ensure that His plan is carried out exactly as written (Jer 1:4-5, Rom 8:28-30). These sanctified, or set aside, ones have been selected because of their performance and loyalty to God during the rebellion of satan in the first earth age (Rom 11:4-5).

God knows He can count on His saints to remain loyal and never be deceived by satan (Matt 24:24, Rev 20:4-5). For this reason, this flesh age is not a test for these people–because they have already proven themselves and been justified (Rom 8:28-39) –and this means that they do not need to be allowed complete free will (Rom 8:26-27). God often will place His elect in the right place at the right time so that His will is fulfilled.

Elect have been born throughout the ages and called by God to be His prophets and apostles and any other roles that needed to be filled. But also, in the end times, there are currently 7000 of these servants that are predestinated (Rom 11:4-5), and He uses His elect as teachers who will share the pure, unadulterated truth with the rest of His children with the hopes that many of them, 144,000, will wake up and become dedicated enough to be chosen to have a role in the end times as well (Rev 7).

The 7000 (the predestination), as well as the 144,000, will be sealed with the knowledge of the Holy Spirit, and this will guarantee that they will not bow down and worship antichrist and receive his mark of the beast (Rev 14:1-5). They will not be deceived by him, nor believe that he is Jesus returned, as Jesus will return after the tribulation (Matt 24:29-31, Mark 13:24-27).

In the second half of the tribulation, the elect will be delivered up to councils to testify as to why they will not bow to antichrist. When delivered up, they should not premeditate what they will say at that time, but instead the Holy Spirit will literally speak through their mouths (Matt 10:17-24, Mark 13:9-13, Luke 12:11-12, 21:12-15, Rev 2:10).

The predestinated elect and the 144,000 are the only people in the world (Matt 24:24), aside from some of God’s servants that are dispersed throughout the gentile population, who will not be deceived by antichrist and his one world religious system (Rev 12:9, 13:13-14).

During the Millennium, the elect, called the zadok levites, will serve Jesus as teachers (Eze 44:23), priests (Eze 44:15, 44:27-31), kings (Rev 20:4) and judges (Eze 44:24), as well as they will directly serve Jesus in His inner court (Eze 44:15-16, 44:27). These are the people that God knows He can always count on.