Tag Archives: Millennium

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!

Zechariah

Zechariah 3

1 Comment

In the first two chapters of Zechariah, we have learned about the last generation, and we’ve learned about the beginning of the Millennium. In this chapter, let’s look at what else Zechariah has to say about the end times.

(Zec 3:1) And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

The story of Joshua, in the history of the Israelites, was intended by God to be a parallel to what Jesus would do here on earth after the tribulation. Just as Joshua led God’s people into the Holy Land, Jesus will lead God’s people, after antichrist is defeated, into the Holy Land as well.

The name, Joshua, is actually the Anglicization of Jesus’ name in Hebrew. Joshua, in Hebrew, is Yeshua, as the Hebrew letter, yod, is often given a hard J sound when transliterated to English. The name, Yeshua, in Greek is Iesous–the Y, in Yeshua, is changed to an I, as that has the same sound in Greek, and Greek names generally end in as, es, or us. So, the ua ending, in Yeshua, is changed to ous. Thus, we have Yeshua changing to Iesous, when going from Hebrew to Greek. When the Greek name, Iesous, is changed to English, the I sound is also changed to a hard J, and the ous ending is changed simply to a us ending, and thus, we get the name Jesus.

You may hear lots of stories about how the name Jesus came about, but truly, the names were changed in each language because they didn’t have the ability either to pronounce the name or spell the name in the other languages (because the alphabets are different in each language), and therefore, they had to change, or be transliterated, to accommodate the speakers of different languages.

So, the story of Joshua was actually prophecy of Jesus Christ Himself, and He is our High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek, and He is standing in front of the angel of the Lord (which is the Lord Himself) to remind us of this parallel. And satan, as he always does, is opposing Him.

(Zec 3:2) And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?

God is chastising satan and, as we know, He chose Jerusalem as His city surrounding His favorite place on earth. This is mentioned just in case there is any question which God we are reading about here–it is the one and only true God.

Joshua is being referred to as a brand plucked out of the fire, which means he is one of God’s elect, as His elect are persecuted on earth, and they withstand the fire of this persecution and the tribulation itself, just to prod satan in the process.

(Zec 3:3) Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

These filthy garments used to clothe Joshua in this vision represent the sins of true Christians, which Jesus willingly bears. As He bears our sins, we are clothed in white linen robes that are washed clean with His blood. He will be wearing white linen robes too but, for the purposes of this vision, the fact that He bears our sins is being pointed out.

(Zec 3:4) And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

Now just as we have our sins taken from us, as Christians, and are given pure white robes, this is happening to Joshua, but also, Jesus will be wearing gleaming white clothing. So this sin, or iniquity, is being taken away as if it had never happened.

(Zec 3:5) And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.

A mitre is a head dress. In the Gospel Armor, given to us in Ephesians 6, the helmet is salvation through Jesus Christ. Salvation is not only represented by a helmet, but hair, or any other headwear. In this verse, it is called a mitre. So, Joshua receives this head dress or crown of salvation, and his pure white linens washed clean of sin.

(Zec 3:6) And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying,

(Zec 3:7) Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

We know the Lord sits on the Great White Throne of Judgment, at the end of the Millennium, but His elect are also given the role of judges during the Millennium, and they will live with Him in His inner sanctuary.

For more information, check out Ezekiel 44.

(Zec 3:8) Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

The world will be in awe over Jesus and His elect, during the Millennium, but that is what Jesus intended to provoke everyone else to be jealous and want to correct their ways. Those who are true and faithful to Him will be branches on His olive tree, so to speak, and those who have not been faithful will either be broken off, or will have never been branches at all (Romans 11).

(Zec 3:9) For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

The stone with seven eyes, before Joshua, represents Jesus’ 7000 watchmen, who are here on earth during the last generation, through the tribulation. And when Jesus returns, He will consume all sin and all that offends Him, immediately, with His consuming fire. It will all be burned up (2 Peter 3).

(Zec 3:10) In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.

On the Day of the Lord, we will be entering a new age, and everyone will be either in the presence of the Lord, with Him as His closest confidants, or they will be striving to earn that place for a thousand years. There will be one main purpose on earth and everyone will be living for the Lord, or they will perish in the lake of fire after the Great White Throne Judgment.

Do you want to be a good fig or a bad fig? Anyone can be a branch on Jesus’ olive tree, but you better make that choice very soon.

God bless!

Zechariah

Zechariah 2

1 Comment

We’ve already been given a lot of information about the end times in the first chapter of Zechariah, and now we are going to move right into many more vivid visions that Zechariah will be given.

(Zec 2:1) I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand.

Zechariah is being given another vision and he is opening his spiritual eyes to understand what he is about to see. Zechariah encounters another one of God’s scouts who is observing the condition of the world.

(Zec 2:2) Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.

Jerusalem encompasses the area that is God’s favorite place on earth, Zion. This is the place that God chose for His temple to be located, and though He hates for heathenism to exist anywhere in the world, it especially angers Him to see it in Jerusalem.

(Zec 2:3) And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him,

(Zec 2:4) And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein:

Traditionally, Jerusalem was surrounded by a wall to keep out anything that was not of God, but in these last days, the ways of Babylon have spilled out over the Euphrates (the traditional border between godlessness and God’s people), and right into God’s favorite place. The walls no longer have any functional effect, and the people and the ways of the world are free to come and go as if there were never any walls at all.

(Rev 16:12) And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

When the Euphrates is spiritually dried up, via the work of satan’s demons, the sin from Babylon will have spilled over into God’s city.

(Zec 2:5) For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

No matter how pervasive humanism becomes, God will still protect His faithful from succumbing to its effects. He will still dwell within the hearts of His elect, as they reside within His Ark of Truth.

(Zec 2:6) Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD.

God’s people have been scattered all over the earth since the days of the captivity, and they are no longer actually centered in the Holy Land. So, the land of the north (Strong’s # H6828) often, such as here, represents the dark ways of satan, that lie in wait to slay the souls of anyone who isn’t sealed with the knowledge of God.

H6828
צפן צפון
tsâphôn tsâphôn
tsaw-fone’, tsaw-fone’
From H6845; properly hidden, that is, dark; used only of the north as a quarter (gloomy and unknown): – north (-ern, side, -ward, wind).

And if we take that back to its root:

H6845
צפן
tsâphan
tsaw-fan’
A primitive root; to hide (by covering over); by implication to hoard or reserve; figuratively to deny; specifically (favorably) to protect, (unfavorably) to lurk: – esteem, hide (-den one, self), lay up, lurk (be set) privily, (keep) secret (-ly, place).

(Zec 2:7) Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.

God will keep His faithful elect, who spiritually live in Zion, safe from the ways of Babylon, though they are in the midst of the heathen who all will be whoring after antichrist. However, those who dwell in sin in the land of Zion, who spiritually live in Babylon (the Mystery Babylon system), will be trying to save themselves rather than turning to God.

(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.

This great city of God, Jerusalem, will turn into a filthy place of sin.

(Rev 17:3-6) So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

(Zec 2:8) For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

(Zec 2:9) For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me.

(Psa 17:6-9) I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.

God is protecting His pride and joy, those who will never stray from Him, with His angelic army, and anyone who wishes evil on them will receive swift destruction in the end.

(Zec 2:10) Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.

(Zec 2:11) And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee.

When Jesus returns, He will live in the Millennial Temple in the holiest place on earth, Bethel (the house of God), right on mount Zion. His beloved people will dwell with Him in the inner sanctuary, and those who went astray during the tribulation will not be allowed anywhere near Him.

All those of the nations of the world who accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior will be among those Israelites who were also faithful. If you are a true Christian, you are grafted into the olive tree of Christ, and spiritually you are an Israelite yourself. Those who were born as Israelite, but who did not accept Christ, are broken off from this olive tree. What is most important is whether or not you accepted Christ. God doesn’t any longer worry about the blood that flows through your veins, but the blood of Christ and who has that flowing within them.

(Rom 11:16-25) For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

(Zec 2:12) And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.

God’s faithful will inherit Christ and everything that belongs to Him, and everything belongs to Him. They will inherit a place within His temple and a place by His side as His closest allies. God will once again choose to live in the land of Zion, but He will physically be here for all to observe.

(Zec 2:13) Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.

The flesh of this world will be silent at that time because it’ll be no more. All flesh will be done away with because flesh is sin and cannot exist where God is. God will come down from Heaven as Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, for the Millennium, and after the Millennium comes to an end, God will be here in His full Glory, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit all in one.

It will be a glorious time and I hope you’ll choose to be there to see it.

God bless!

Zechariah

Zechariah 1

2 Comments

The book of Zechariah, though he is considered a minor prophet, is a very major book with very major prophecy. The chapters of this book are focused on the last generation, especially the tribulation itself. With that in mind, let’s get started!

(Zec 1:1) In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,

The time period we are given for this first chapter is during the reign of Darius the Mede, of Persia. These visions given to the prophet Zechariah are roughly contemporary with the book of Daniel (just after Daniel 9 & 11, for this chapter, in the 5th century BC), which itself spans the reign of many foreign rulers over the land of Judah.

(Zec 1:2) The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers.

Since the early times of the people of Israel, there has been a strong history of idolatry and going astray from God. This is the whole reason that the people of Israel and Judah have gone into captivity–God has divorced them as His people. For more information on the history of the Israelites, read the books of Joshua through Nehemiah. God warned the people of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah long before that if they did not change their ways and come back to Him, that they would be taken captive. Now, in the book of Zechariah, we are in this captivity.

(Zec 1:3) Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

God wants Zechariah to speak to His people and implore them that they turn back to Him so that they can, once again, be His people.

(Zec 1:4) Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD.

No matter how much warning the prophets gave to these stubborn people, they refused to live according to God’s ways. They would much rather have done the things that felt good to them at that moment, instant gratification, than to do the things that would be better for them in the long run and that would please God. Does that sound familiar? Isn’t that the same thing that we see in the world today? You know it is. The message is the same and that’s why it applies to the end times just as well as history. Just as the God’s people were led into captivity before Christ, they are going into another captivity in the end times, but it is a captivity that encompasses the whole world, and only those who stay strong in Christ will be immune.

(Zec 1:5) Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?

The people throughout the history of Israel and Judah practiced these humanist ways, doing whatever pleased them, and how did they end up? Are they still enjoying it? Life on earth in these old flesh bodies doesn’t last long, and once it is done, then you have to answer to God. Do you want to have to explain to Him why you decided to rebel against Him, or do you want to hear that you were His good and faithful servant? If you are in constant rebellion to God, do you think you will live forever? If you do, you’ve got another thing coming.

(Zec 1:6) But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.

God’s Word always comes to pass exactly as written, without exception. If you doubt this, you are in for a rude awakening.

(2Pe 3:2-11) That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 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. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

(Zec 1:7) Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,

(Zec 1:8) I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.

This man is one of God’s scouts that roams the earth monitoring its condition. Notice that he is standing among myrtle trees, which is an indication that this vision is taking place during the festivities of the Feast of Tabernacles (which includes myrtle trees). Keep that in the back of your mind when considering what we will be told.

The man himself is on a red horse, which in Revelation 6 represents the political dynasty of the kenites, but it also represents mobilization for war (which is political in nature). He is on a war horse, and though he is not at war at the moment, he is prepared for battle at the right time. The scout also had with him other red horses, and speckled horses that are bay horses with speckles, and white horses, prepared for an army of scouts of God.

This vision takes place right at the end of the tribulation, just before the return of Jesus and the start of the Millennium. What is the significance of the myrtle trees and the Feast of Tabernacles? That is the time period in which Jesus will return, and the feast itself corresponds with the Supper of the Lamb. But before this feast will begin, Jesus is going to clean up the trash that has littered the world–of course, I mean the sin that runs rampant.

(Neh 8:13-17) And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law. And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month: And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written. So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

(Zec 1:9) Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.

(Zec 1:10) And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.

(Zec 1:11) And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.

At this point in the vision, we are at the end of the tribulation, which is the last segment of the captivity of the last generation, and the world is at rest because they believe they are living in a worldwide utopia. Antichrist is on earth and they believe him to be their savior, but very few know his true identity. They see the supposed peace brought to the world by antichrist and think they can take a break and rest because there is nothing to worry about, but in fact, there is a spiritual war brewing like none other ever seen.

(Zec 1:12) Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?

(Zec 1:13) And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.

It has been 70 (threescore [3×20] and ten) years since the captivity began, and this is the same as what will be during the captivity of the end times, the generation of the fig tree, which we are currently in. The scout comforted Zechariah because it was the end of the captivity–that’s the only thing that would comfort him. We are being told a major bit of information about the last generation.

(Zec 1:14) So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.

God is jealous for the people in Jerusalem because they are falling for the Mystery Babylon system, which has taken over and, in effect, replaced Him. They are worshiping satan instead of worshiping Him. That is a breach of the most important commandment. There should be no god before the one true God.

(Zec 1:15) And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.

Because they believe the world is the way it should be, and are following whom they believe to be God, the people are no longer following God Himself, except the few who have the Seal of God and know better. The rest of the world, without the Seal, He is disgusted with and they will get a huge surprise when they find out that the true Jesus has yet to return, and will be doing so with the wrath of God. Maybe they wouldn’t be so laid back if they did know.

(Zec 1:16) Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.

Though all of this sin is taking place worldwide, it will not stop God from having mercy on those who have remained faithful to Him. His faithful, upright elect will reside in His house, the Millennial Temple in Jerusalem, after the return of Jesus, from where Jesus will rule on earth, and everything will be made right and just.

(Zec 1:17) Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

Even though Jerusalem has become a place of sin and idolatry and heathenism, God will make it right and return to His favorite place on earth.

(Zec 1:18) Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.

Zechariah is opening up his eyes to see the deeper truth in God’s Word, and what he sees are four horns, which are the power wielded by the four hidden dynasties, religion,  politics, economy, and education, over the entire world. These four hidden dynasties paved the way for the one world government of the tribulation, and for its leader antichrist, satan himself.

(Zec 1:19) And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.

The four hidden dynasties have brainwashed the world into believing the lies that would lead people away from God. God’s people, the descendants of Israel, have no clue they are even of Israel, and they have mostly gone astray from Him, along with the rest of the world. Israel has mixed in with the world population and believe they themselves are gentiles. In the Millennium, God’s people will be rejoined once again and will be disciplined and taught how to live according to God’s ways, and will learn to revere Him one way or another.

(Eze 37:15-28) The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these? Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes. And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

(Zec 1:20) And the LORD shewed me four carpenters.

(Zec 1:21) Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it.

The four carpenters are those who put a stop to the one world system at the return of Jesus. They are the ones who are responsible for the reestablishment of God’s temple in Jerusalem, which we will read about later in Zechariah. Those who were not sealed by God did not have the desire or the ability to know what was going on in the world, and therefore could not lift up their heads to see because of what the four hidden dynasties did to scatter them among the heathen.

In this one chapter of Zechariah, we have actually been given a whole lot of information about the end times, however it is not apparent to most people. Do you have eyes to see?

God bless!

Reference Notes

Mark of the Beast

2 Comments

The Mark of the Beast is often misunderstood as a physical mark (or chip) placed on people, during the time antichrist is on earth, for those who worship antichrist and his system. However, that is an assumption based on misunderstanding of scripture.

The Mark of the Beast will be dealt to most of the people on earth (Mat 24:24, Rev 7:3-4, 12:9-15, 13:11-16) while antichrist is here because they will have been deceived into worshiping him and his system (Rev 14:9), and they will have served him because they will believe he is the Messiah. This mark is not a physical mark because it is based on what people feel in their hearts; and therefore it goes much deeper than a physical trait. No one can hold us down and force us to feel something in our hearts and therefore a physical mark cannot change our minds. God cares more about where our loyalties lie, than what someone has made us do to ourselves physically.

This mark is in one’s forehead and in one’s right hand (Rev 13:16), and these terms are symbolic. The mark that is in people’s foreheads is in their brains, and it is those people’s belief that antichrist is the Messiah or God, which he will claim to be. This is the mark of deception that is brought forth in the flood of lies from satan’s mouth (Rev 12:15). The mark in the right hand represents someone’s works in serving the system of antichrist, and doing his will. The right hand in biblical times was always symbolic of power or work.

The Mark of the Beast is mutually exclusive with the Seal of God, meaning that everyone on earth will have either the mark or the seal. The Seal of God is protection against the torment that those with the Mark of the Beast will suffer (Rev 7:3, 9:1-11, 14:9-11,16:1-4, 8-14, 17-21). Those with the Mark of the Beast will continue to be plagued through the tribulation unless they wake up and repent, and turn against antichrist (Mar 3:28-29, Luk 21-12-19, 1Jo 1:9, Rev 16:1-4, 8-14, 17-21) before Jesus returns.

Those without the Mark of the Beast will not be allowed to buy or sell (Rev 13:17), and that can be accomplished by many ways even though the mark is not a physical mark. One such way as there may be a card issued to those who have proven their loyalty to antichrist when they have worshipped him, but that card would not be the mark. God’s people will be provided-for none-the-less because they will remain faithful to Jesus Christ and not fall for antichrist.

The only way to avoid receiving the Mark of the Beast is to read, study, and understand the Bible (2Th 7-12, 2Ti 2:15, Rev 7:1-4), as even many professing Christians will be deceived, along with the rest of the world (Mat 24:22-24, Mar 13:20-23, Rev 12:9-15, 13:11-14), because they don’t care enough for Jesus to pick up God’s Word and read it. Those people who will be sealed by the Holy Spirit as protection are those who know and love Jesus Christ and His Word (2Ti 2:15, Rev 7:3-4), as He is the Living Word, and this sealing will be accomplished before antichrist arrives (Rev 7, 9:1-12).

The receiving of the Mark of the Beast does not condemn someone to die in the Lake of Fire, however, they will be in danger of this sentence (Rev 20:4-6, 11-15) if they do not repent and turn back to and serve Jesus Christ once they realize what they have done. Those who do not do so by the time Jesus Christ returns will have a chance in the Millennium Kingdom to be taught and disciplined to learn the ways of God and forsake their selfish ways (Eze 44, Rev 20:1-6). During this time, they will be considered spiritually dead (Eze 44:23:25, Rev 20:4-6, 12-13), and at the end of the Millennium, they will be tested one last time (Rev 20:7-9), and if they fail this test, after the Great White Throne Judgment, they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:11-15). If they instead pass and are found in the Book of Life, they will be granted eternal life at that time (Rev 20:5, 21, 22).

If someone is truly saved by Jesus Christ, though they may be deceived when antichrist is here, they will overcome in the Millennium, or perhaps before, because they love Jesus Christ and they will do what it takes to make it right (Rom 1:16, 11:23-27, 1Ti 2:10). The only way to salvation is to accept it through Jesus Christ (Joh 14:6-7, 1Th 5:9, 1Ti 2:10, 3:15), and our lives will reflect that salvation if we are truly saved (Tit 2:7-15, 3:1-8, 14-15, Jam 2:14-26, Rev 2:4-5, 20:11-13).

For more information check out the article, RFID Chips Short Circuit Salvation???

Reference Notes

Lord’s Day

6 Comments

The Lord’s Day begins the day that Jesus returns, and this entire time period is generally called the Lord’s Day (the Day of the Lord is mentioned throughout the major and minor prophets). However, as we are told, a day with the Lord is as a thousand years for man (2Pet 3:8), so not only does the Day of the Lord consist of the day He returns (Rev 1:4-11), but lasts for the entire Millennium. The Millennium is known as the Lord’s Day.

If we look at the time since Adam was made, which was approximately 6000 years ago, as a week symbolically, then what we see is that the Millennium, which will be a thousand years itself, would make of the 7th day of the week, the Lord’s Day. This is a 7000 year span lasting from the formation of Adam by God to the end of the Millennium, with each thousand-year period being as one day in the Lord’s eyes.

Now, 7 is a number, which in the Bible represents spiritual completion, so this tells us that at the end of the Millennium, we will finally reach a stage, after satan is released one last time, in which, those who have not been destroyed in the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:10-15) will be spiritually complete, and all evil will have been purged from God’s Kingdom. The number 1000 represents our Father’s Glory in the Bible, and this is because after the Millennium, a time period when the Son will reign on earth in person, God will come down to earth in His full glory to rule on earth in our midst (Rev 21-22). And the number 7000, in the Bible, represents the Zadok, as well as Final Judgment. There are 7000 predestinated elect on earth in this final generation (Rom 11:4), but aside from that, at the end of this 7000 year period, from the time of the formation of Adam, will be the Final Judgment (Rev 20:11-13), which is at the end of the Millennium.

If you extend the understanding that a day with the Lord is as a thousand years with man, and apply it to the creation of this earth age, then each day in Genesis 1 would be a one-thousand-year period, but to God it was one day each. The word translated as “day” in Genesis 1, yom, does not always mean a literal day. Yom can also mean a season, a time, or an age. The term translated as evening, ereb, can also be used in a symbolic sense. Therefore, we can surmise that what we are talking about here, in Genesis 1, is six 1000-year time periods. The reason that this is significant is that the recreation of the earth in this earth age given to us in Genesis 1, and including the 7th day, the Sabbath, in Genesis 2, a one week period in God’s eyes, is a 7000-year period as well.

If we understand that man (all races) was created as hunter/gatherers on the 6th day (Gen 1:26-30), the number 6 representing man in the Bible, and Adam was created after the 7th day as the first man to till the soil (Gen 2:5-9), or farmer, then we are talking about two 7000-year periods, or 14,000 years. The number 14 in the Bible represents deliverance and salvation, and remember that we said that 1000 represents our Father’s Glory. What this tells us is that, when the Final Judgment occurs at the end of the Millennium, the Great White Throne Judgment, it is 14,000 years after God began creating this present earth age. Those who are found written in the Book of Life at that time will not be destroyed in the Lake of Fire, and thus they will have salvation and deliverance.

Bearing all that in mind, the Lord will return and the Lord’s Day will begin after the Tribulation (Matt 24:29-31, Mark 13:24-27, Luke 21:20-28). Jesus will return for His Second Coming during what is called the Battle of Armageddon, and will wipe out all of antichrist‘s forces that will be surrounding God’s Elect desiring to destroy them (Zech 14, Rev 11, 16:12-21), and this will bring in the Millennium Kingdom (Eze 40-48, Rev 21).

Topic Discussions

The Lord’s Prayer

How many times have we said the Lord ’s Prayer since we were children? But have you ever thought about what its words actually mean? Let’s break it down so that we are able to say it sincerely and know what it is that we are praying.

The Lord’s Prayer was given to us by Jesus during what we call the Sermon on the Mount, which took place on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, and is written to us in Matthew 5-7.

 

(Mat 6:5-8) And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

From the start, Jesus is telling us not to show off when we pray. We aren’t to pray to God to give ourselves glory, or convince people of how pious we think we are. It is good to pray with fellow Christians, but it is even more intimate and personal when we pray to our Father privately, when it is just between us and Him. We are to truly think about and feel what we are saying, and not say empty vain words, that don’t mean anything to us. The simpler the better, because using many words causes our prayers to lose their meanings, because we are thinking more about the flowery language we want to use, rather than just being plain and direct with our Father, who is unimpressed by our high levels of education. He already knows what we need and is really just looking for us to be genuine and honest with Him. KISS—Keep It Simple S…and Solitary.

 

(Mat 6:9) After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

This is how Jesus is telling us to pray to our Father—yes to our Father—and give Him all the glory. Even Jesus prayed to the Father, not to Jesus. He is telling us who to pray to. Although Jesus is a form of God, the form that He fills, the Son, is a different office or role of God, and you are to pray to the office of the Father, in the name of the Son, Jesus Christ. Praying in the name of Jesus Christ, or in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, shows our credentials as Christians.

The Trinity, or Godhead (as it is called in the Bible), is God, 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, 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.

Wherever God is in His full Glory is Heaven. This is where the full Godhead resides. At this time, Heaven exists in a higher dimensional plane than that which we currently occupy, which is why flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. It simply isn’t possible for us to enter into that dimension of Heaven the way we are, physical, 3-dimensional beings. But this is where God is and it is more real than anything we can know while in these flesh bodies. Occasionally, God will take one of His children there, in the spirit, to give us a vision or a glimpse into the future for a particular reason to serve His purpose, and this is illustrated in the Bible at various time, such as when John was taken in the spirit (for the book of Revelation), but this can only happen when one is in the spirit and leaves his flesh behind.

The name of God, YHVH, pronounced Yahaveh, is a very holy name that we see throughout the Old Testament in the Hebrew script; however, when translated to English, His name is generally rendered as “LORD,” in most translations. This name is so sacred, that it should not be used lightly—it is hallowed, or holy, meaning that it so pure that it is to be set apart. We are to have the kind of relationship with our Father that we are told to have with our own parents, except in much more reverence. Would we ever address our own parents by their first names? Occasionally we see that, but it is unusual and generally shows a lack of respect to them. We call them father or mother, or something similar. The same goes for our Father in Heaven. I would not recommend that you address our Father by His name Yahaveh, as Jesus also did not address our Father as Yahaveh. Jesus is our example of how to be a good Chrsitian. The only time we should use His name is when we are speaking of Him on a third person level and when we have a good reason, in my humble opinion. Will you be punished for it if you do? I don’t think so, and God is the only one who truly knows your heart. To me this is just a good measure to avoid using His name in vain, as we are told not to do. When we use His name, we should not take it lightly.

 

(Mat 6:10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

God’s Kingdom of Heaven is with Him. It is wherever He is. The whole universe is His, but on the Lord’s Day, immediately following the tribulation, is the Second Coming, and Jesus will be returning, and His Millennial, thousand-year, Kingdom will be coming with Him, from which He will rule on earth. God will be here on earth in the form of the Son at that time, but after the Millennium, the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven will resume, in which God will be on earth in His full Glory. We are not going anywhere to experience the Kingdom of Heaven—it is coming to us. His Kingdom will come!

And His will will be done in His Kingdom on earth, just as it is in Heaven. There will not be any more rebellion or selfishness, we will all live in harmony and peace, which is His will.

 

(Mat 6:11) Give us this day our daily bread.

This line, as with all scripture, has more than one significance. Of course, it is asking for our Father to continue to provide us our nourishment physically, in the form of food to keep our bodies healthy. But, more deeply, this is asking Him to provide deeper, more meaningful understanding of His scriptures. His Word, is represented by bread throughout the Bible. Don’t we want to understand His Word more clearly and deeply? This is the reason we continually study His Word. Is it not? We should always be learning from it, as no one has complete understanding of the Bible—not until we understand each and every verse on all three levels to which they are written. And no one will ever have that perfect understanding while in the flesh.

 

(Mat 6:12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

This step is a very important one in every prayer we say, and we will find out a little more just after the prayer. But in order for God to forgive us of our sins and blot them out, we must also be willing and able to do the same for those who sin against us as we have against Him.

He will forgive us of all our sins if we do this and we ask for forgiveness in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. But we must first truly and sincerely accept Him as our Lord and Savior.

(Mat 6:13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

It is also a good idea to ask God to protect us from and lead us away from the temptations that cause us to want to go against Him and sin, as well as to keep us away those who would tempt us to sin, and those who would cause us harm. God knows what we need and He knows our hearts and how we don’t want to stray from Him, but He still likes a dialogue with us because that is why He created us, to keep Him company and to please Him. He likes us to ask Him for help to stay on His proper course, and He will help us if we sincerely ask Him.

His power and His glory will always exist and it will always be supreme, and this Kingdom will always be His. There is no power or glory that will surpass His and this will stand forever. We have read the book and we know how it ends. Satan loses and will ultimately perish in the Lake of Fire, along with all those who are not listed in the Book of Life. There is nothing for which to be afraid, as we are told to fear, or revere, not he who has the power to destroy our flesh, but He who has the power to destroy our soul. The kingdom is His and all we have to do is to sincerely seek His help to stay on the right track to enter into it.

 

(Mat 6:14-15) For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Jesus is emphasizing here just how important it is to forgive those who sin against, so that our Father will see that we are worthy of being forgiven for our own sins against Him. Jesus, at another spot, gave us the Parable of the King and His Indebted Servant, Matthew 18:22-35. This parable perfectly illustrates the attitude we are taught to have toward those who would sin against us or owe us any debt.

Many people have difficulty with this step, but it is an essential one, and I urge you to begin its practice as soon as possible if you would like God’s blessings in your life.

 

Jesus gave us this outline for a proper and effective prayer to our Father, but we don’t have to say it word-for-word. However we choose to pray to our Father, it is imperative that we are very sincere, honest, humble, and truly feel what we are saying to Him, otherwise these are all just vain babblings, and have no meaning at all, and are like smoke in His nose. Sincerely approach our Father’s throne—He is our heavenly Father, and is to be revered more than anyone on earth.

God bless.

 

Topic Discussions

He That Endures To The End…

1 Comment

Today it is a popular trend as Christians to believe in and teach a thing called rapture, however, is this really what the Bible says if you truly closely investigate the scriptures? The Rapture Theory says that one day, before the tribulation starts, that the church will suddenly disappear and go to meet Jesus in the sky and be taken to Heaven. It implies that once this happens, suddenly cars will become driverless, and aircraft will become pilotless and people will vanish from whatever they are doing, while complete chaos will ensue back on earth, as those who remain enter the tribulation. Does The Bible really teach this? Or is this simply a tradition that has been passed down over the past couple centuries unquestioned? Well, let us see what the inspired Word of God has to say about what the end times have in store for true Christians.

 

(2Th 2:1) Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

(2Th 2:2) 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.

This letter Paul is writing to clear up a few confusions in the church of Thessalonica. He is speaking here about the time of the return of Christ.

 

(2Th 2:3) 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;

This day, the Day of the Lord, the day Jesus returns, will not come until there first is a falling away of the church, which is an apostasy of most of the church , meaning that they will stray from their original beliefs. Well how can this happen? We will find this out very shortly.

After this falling away, but still before the return of Jesus, the man of sin, who is the son of perdition, the only one who had specifically been sentenced to perish in the Lake of Fire, will be revealed to those on earth. This son of perdition is none other than satan.

 

(2Th 2:4) 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.

Satan, Lucifer, as you will remember, is the cherub whom God appointed to cover the mercy seat. He wanted to rise himself above God and be worshipped. When he comes to earth as antichrist, before the Day of the Lord, he will sit himself in God’s temple claiming to be God so that he may be worshipped by all who don’t know better according to God’s Word.

 

(2Th 2:5) Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

(2Th 2:6) And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

Paul here is asking, “Haven’t you been paying attention? Don’t you remember what I’ve already told you?”

The word ‘withholdeth’ means to retain in your memory. He is telling them and us not to forget what he has said and what is explaining once again in this letter.

 

(2Th 2:7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

This mystery of wickedness is already in the world, and only he who retains this knowledge in his mind will stand until satan, as antichrist, is taken out of the way by Jesus at His return.

 

(2Th 2:8) And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

When Jesus returns, as told in Zechariah 14, all those who are wicked and the things that offend Him will He destroy by God’s consuming fire.

 

(2Th 2:9) Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

(2Th 2:10) And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

Even antichrist will be destroyed at the time of Jesus’ return, both antichrist and his beast system, leaving satan in only his prime form to be locked away for the entire Millennium, until his final short release. Also those who were deceived into worshipping him will be destroyed in the flesh, and this will leave them only a mortal spiritual body, which is liable to die at the end of the Millennium in the Lake of Fire, if they do not receive the proper correction during the up-coming thousand-year reign of Christ on earth.

 

(2Th 2:11) And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

(2Th 2:12) That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

These people who did not have enough love of the truth to study the Bible will be sent strong delusion by God so that they will believe these lies of satan. The ultimate goal is not that they will be destroyed, but that they will learn from these mistakes during the Millennium, and pass the final test when satan is released one last time to deceive the world (per, Ezekiel 44 and Revelation 20).

 

 

(1Co 15:50) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

The spiritual kingdom of Heaven inhabits a different dimension than we do, and therefore we, in our physical flesh bodies, cannot possible enter that realm in a physical form. This kingdom is of a higher dimension than what we are currently aware as flesh people. These flesh bodies are corruptible, which means that they will all receive injuries and die and decay; and incorruptible bodies cannot receive injuries and decay. Although incorruptible bodies cannot rot as a dead body, they can be destroyed, but only by God and only at one time, after the Great White Throne Judgment. That spiritual death is called the second death and will be the end of the line for many. Recall this verse: (Mat 10:28) And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. This “Him” spoken of is of course God and we are to revere Him.

 

(1Co 15:51) Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

(1Co 15:52) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Paul is explaining this mystery to us and it is something that is not known by many Christians even today. He is saying that not everyone in the flesh will die, and this is because those of us who are true Christians and have not strayed from Jesus by worshipping antichrist will be changed in the twinkling of an eye into our spiritual, incorruptible bodies, which cannot die. As this is happening, those who have strayed and have received the mark of the beast and stood with antichrist will be destroyed in a physical sense.

When does this happen? It happens at the last trump, which is the 7th according to Revelation 11. Also According to Revelation 9 and 13 (666, the 6th seal, 6th trumpet, 6th vial), antichrist will be arriving at the 6th trump, which is not only not the last trump but comes before the 7th trump.

 

(1Co 15:53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

In order to inherit the kingdom of God, which is the final goal of all Christians, we have to put on this immortality. Those who have overcome by the time that Jesus returns, on the Lord’s Day, will receive immortality then. Those who overcome at the end of the Millennium will receive it at the end of that thousand years.

 

(1Co 15:54) So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

When everyone who has overcome at the end of the Millennium has received immortality, and those who were not found in the Book of Life are thrown into the Lake of Fire, then death will be swallowed up and there will never again be suffering or death because we will finally be entering God’s eternal Kingdom of Heaven (Revelation 21-22). Those who will be thrown in the Lake of Fire are only those whom God has given ample opportunity to straighten up their acts and follow the right path. Peter says that God is very patient because He does not want any one of His children to perish.

 

Let’s move on to 1 Thessalonians:

 

(1Th 4:15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

 

The word ‘prevent’ used here means to come before. What this verse is then saying is that those who are alive in the flesh body when Jesus returns will not rise before those who have already died. Those who have died have already risen to be with God (as illustrated in Luke 16).

 

(1Th 4:16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

 

At that trumpet, Jesus will return, and it will be with those Christians who came before as His army. Again, those who died as faithful Christians will have died first will have risen first.

 

(1Th 4:17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

 

Those of us who are still alive and have remained faithful to Jesus through the tribulation, as we are instantly changed into incorruptible eternal spiritual bodies, will be gathered together in one large group by Jesus.

 

(1Th 4:18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 

This is a very comforting thought to those who will be threatened by antichrist and those whom serve him.

 

Let’s now take a look at what Jesus says about the end of days:

(Mat 24:5) For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

There have been and will continue to be many who say they are the Savior, until antichrist arrives, whether they say they are Jesus, or various other messiahs of the religions. But as we have seen above, there are certain things that must take place before Jesus returns.

 

(Mat 24:6) And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

The reports of wars around the world will increase, especially in proximity to the city of Jerusalem.

 

(Mat 24:7) For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

The nations will continue to build animosity toward each other, and there will be starving people (as well as people starving for the, bread of life, the Word of God as told in Amos 8), and diseases (including the metaphorical diseases of false biblical teachings), and earthquakes all over the world, even where they are very unusual.

 

(Mat 24:8) All these are the beginning of sorrows.

These are many of the things that lead right into the time of the great tribulation.

 

(Mat 24:9) Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

Those who refuse to follow the world system described in Revelation 13, and who do not worship antichrist and his image because they know that he is not Jesus, but that he is antichrist, will be delivered up to testify why they will not do these things. Very few in the world will know better than to worship him. These people are called God’s elect—7000 of which have been chosen since before the foundation of the flesh age was laid, and 144,000 of which are chosen while in the flesh, and some gentiles as well who have been chosen by God.

 

(Mat 24:10) And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

Those who will not bow to satan/antichrist will be turned in as they are observed not following the edicts of antichrist. This will be very similar to the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3. This story is a direct ensample (or example) of what the faithful church (Smyrna and Philadelphia, Revelation 2 & 3), those who will not bow to antichrist, can expect to experience during the tribulation.

 

(Mat 24:11) And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

There will be people who will be prophesying for antichrist by the spirit, however, it won’t be by the Holy Spirit, but by satan’s unholy spirit. Yet because, as we are told, the whole world will be deceived, they will also follow these so-called prophets and be lead right to receiving the mark of the beast.

 

(Mat 24:12) And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

The love of most in the world has been growing colder and colder for years, but as sin begins to overflow, just like it did in Sodom and Gomorrah, people will become even more self-centered and dedicated to what makes them feel pleasure.

 

(Mat 24:13) But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Only those who endure this until the end of the tribulation, which we will soon read, is the time that Jesus will finally return, will be justified at the time of His return. The rest will have to go through the Millennium to learn the difference between the holy and the profane, Ezekiel 44.

 

Let’s take a look at what He said in the book of Mark:

(Mar 13:9) But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.

Again, those who will not worship antichrist will be delivered up before councils to testify why they will not bow; it will be a testimony for the sake of Jesus Christ.

 

(Mar 13:10) And the gospel must first be published among all nations.

Before that time, the Word of God will have been spread around the world, but if there is any question as to the authenticity of the Gospel anywhere in the world, it is about to be cleared up.

 

(Mar 13:11) But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

When God’s own elect are delivered up in front of these committees, the Holy Spirit will literally speak through the mouths of each one as they are questioned, and those delivered up are not to even think about what they would say beforehand. This testimony will be very similar to the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, and everyone in the world will be able to understand what is being said simultaneously though they all speak different languages. This speech by the Holy Spirit will be powerful enough to convince anyone who hears it, unless they are the most dedicated to antichrist, and no man could possibly do this under his own power.

 

(Mar 13:12) Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.

Those who are delivered up will even be turned in even by well-meaning friends and family who expect antichrist to treat them with leniency and to help them to see the error of their ways.

 

(Mar 13:13) And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

As we were told in Matthew, those who endure all of this and remain faithful to Jesus will be justified upon His return.

 

 

(Mat 24:21) For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

After this, the tribulation will intensify as antichrist is angered and as the vials, starting in Revelation 16, begin to be poured on those who are steadfast in worshipping him. This will be the toughest time for mankind.

 

(Mat 24:22) And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

The tribulation will be so tough that God’s elect will be the only ones who can withstand the temptation of satan (which is why God chose them to live at this time), but if Jesus had not shortened the length of this time, which was originally 7 years, even the elect would fall to the temptation. God knows everything and He never changes from the beginning to the end, but I believe that the original period of the tribulation was given as 7 years as an illustration to us that this 7 years would conclude spiritual completion of the flesh period. Seven, in biblical numerics, means spiritual completion.

 

(Mat 24:23) Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

(Mat 24:24) For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

These false prophets and false saviors and false teachers will be so convincing that even God’s own elect (the cream of the crop, his elite warriors in the flesh) could be deceived if the time remained 7 years.

 

(Mat 24:25) Behold, I have told you before.

This should be nothing new to someone who is familiar with God’s Word.

 

(Mat 24:26) Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

If someone needs to tell you that Jesus has returned, then it isn’t Jesus at all.

 

(Mat 24:27) For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Just like we can see lightning from many, many miles away, the whole world will know when Jesus returns at that 7th trump.

 

(Mat 24:28) For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

Just like when there is a dead body in the desert, and you can see the buzzards swirling around overhead from miles away, you will know Jesus has returned, even if you are on the other side of the earth.

 

(Mat 24:29) Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

(Mat 24:30) And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

As the world is going through its toughest trials it has ever seen and the tribulation is coming to a close, suddenly, at that last trump, Jesus will be seen full of glory in the sky by everyone on earth. As this happens, the supernatural powers of the earth, satan and his fallen angels, will be shaken from power, and his 7 world nations of the one world government will fall.

 

(Mat 24:31) And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

At this time Jesus will gather His elect from anywhere in the world unto Him.

 

Now that we are getting the picture of God’s timetable for the end times, let’s shift gears and look at God’s elect to determine if there is any question as to these being anyone other than God’s most faithful children.

 

(Rom 8:29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Those who God chose from before the foundation of this earth (in other words, from the time of satan’s rebellion in the first earth age), or the katabole, in the Greek (in which satan was deposed from his position), because of how they made a stand against satan, were predestinated for a particular role in this flesh age. This is their destiny. These people are the chosen vessels to spread God’s Word and His deeper mysteries. These predestinated ones are those who will most closely conform to the image of Jesus, though no flesh man is perfect or will ever meet the bar that Jesus has set.

 

(Rom 8:30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

These predestinated ones are those whom God calls to do His will on earth. These same people are the only ones who have already been justified before they were ever born in the flesh because God knows where they stand. He knows they are the only ones He can trust because they have already been battle hardened and proven.

 

(1Pe 1:1) Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

(1Pe 1:2) Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

The elect are chosen because of God’s foreknowledge of them, meaning that He knew them well by how they had served Him. Their spirits were sanctified or made holy or special in His eyes at that time. He knew that they would remain faithful to Him in their lives, except for a few special cases, we will discuss at a future date.

 

(Rom 11:4) But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

In this chapter of Romans, Paul was reviewing an instance in which Elijah was worried about those who were against him as a prophet of God and against God Himself. God reassures him that He has 7000 of His most loyal children who have not bowed a knee to Baal, which refers to and represents satan, during his rebellion, as these 7000 are reserved until the end. They were to be born in the last generation as a part of God’s plan.

 

(Rom 11:5) Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

However, even before the last generation, God also has servants He has chosen and predestinated to serve His purpose as part of His election.

 

(Rom 11:6) And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

(Rom 11:7) What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

(Rom 11:8) (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.

These elect are guaranteed grace because God already knows that they will choose Him, which they always do, and therefore He may intercede automatically in their lives to make sure that everything goes as planned for them according to His plan. Although the elect are God’s most faithful and have already been justified, they still need grace and to repent when they sin, because their works in the flesh cannot cover their sins, just as they cannot for any other person–but God knows that they always will repent.

The Israelites of the modern day, which have been scattered all over the earth, to be reunited once and for all when Jesus returns (per Ezekiel 37), do not automatically have grace as a whole. If those of the descendants of Israel want salvation, they cannot do it simply by following the law perfectly because that is impossible. This is why we have Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, because it is no one can live perfectly. Thus, we have grace through Jesus and forgiveness of sins upon repentance. The election, however, automatically receives salvation because they have already been justified by God as He knows their hearts, and therefore He can trust them to do His will and can trust them with the truth of His mysteries (discussed in the article Study to Show Yourself Approved). The rest are blinded from these truths because they haven’t proven they can handle the responsibility that comes with it.

Romans 11 goes on to explain the purpose for which these others are blinded. This will provoke them to learn their lesson in the Millennium. However, many can come out of this spiritual blindness to receive eyes to see if God finds they are able to bear it.

 

Now we can see that these elect mentioned throughout the Bible are God’s most faithful and have been faithful since before this flesh age began. This should make it clear that God’s elect, His faithful Christians, will be here throughout the entire tribulation. Now let’s discuss the two witnesses through whom God’s Holy Spirit of truth will flow to God’s elect during the tribulation.

 

(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,

 

(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:

These seven lamps are God’s 7000 predestinated elect, and these lamps shine the light of God’s truth to the world. These differ from the 7 candlesticks in Revelation 1 as these are not the candlestick, but are seven candles themselves which all set on one golden candlestick. This means that these 7000 are all united in one mind, agreement on the truth, as gold represents the truth. These lamps are fed by pipes leading to one bowl, again one truth.

 

(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.

On each side of this bowl are two olive trees which feed these seven lamps the golden oil which represents the Holy Spirit and the fact that it is golden means that it is God’s truth.

 

(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.

 

 

(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?

(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?

(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.

These two anointed ones are two servants of God, the two most trusted through whom all truth will come during the second half of the tribulation. For further detail, we will travel to the book of Revelation, chapter 11.

 

 

(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.

This chapter takes place during the 6th trumpet, which is the time of antichrist, and the temple of God is being measured to see where it stands as far as the ways of God.

 

(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 court without represents those who are not circumcised of the heart, meaning they are not true Christians. These are those who are gentiles in their hearts, even if they are descendants of Israel. True Christians are the temple of Christ as their bodies are temples. Though antichrist will literally occupy a temple, this is a vision and this is what it means symbolically. Satan and his fallen angels and these spiritual gentiles (many of whom are made up of the false jews mentioned in Revelation 2 & 3) will be desecrating the temple where antichrist dwells, as well as those whose hearts of those who are not dedicated to Jesus. The time period mentioned is equivalent to the 3 and a half years of the pre-shortened tribulation time period.

 

(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.

The two witnesses will be here the entire time in which antichrist is here and will witness for Christ roughly the same amount of time, however they will precede him by about 6 days, based on the difference between the lunar month of 29.5 days (evil side of prophecy) and the solar month of 30 days given here in days (the good side of prophecy), plus the fact that they will be killed 3 and a half days before Jesus returns as we will shortly learn.

 

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

In this verse, John confirms that these are the same olive trees mentioned in Zechariah 4 and they are two candlesticks each representing the two good churches of Revelation 2 & 3 (Smyrna and Philadelphia) using the candlestick symbology of Revelation 1.

 

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

(Rev 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.

Aside from their literal meaning, the two witnesses will have the ability two spiritually slay, by God’s consuming fire, those who would seek to kill them either physically or spiritually, by the swords of their mouths which are the Word of God. And they will also have the power to shut the rain from heaven which is the spiritual growth in understanding that takes place in our minds as God grows seeds of truth into understanding of the mysteries of God.

 

(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.

(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.

Once their time is up, the beast which came from out of the bottomless pit in Revelation 9, satan as antichrist, will kill the two witnesses, and their dead bodies will lie rotting in the streets of the city of Jerusalem, which by then is a city of sin no better than the historical city of Sodom.

 

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

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

As the two witnesses’ bodies lie lifeless on the ground in Jerusalem, the world will celebrate because these two men have tormented everyone who has been dedicated to antichrist and come against them in anyway. The world will view them like a plague, and they will believe this plague is over.

 

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

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

But, suddenly, after 3 and a half days, life will be restored to these two dead bodies and they will rise up, to the dismay of the world, and they will be called into heaven.

 

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

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

As the witnesses are called up to heaven, the earth will begin to enter into chaos as we are about to hear the 7th, and final, trump—the trump at which Jesus returns and those who have remained faithful will receive their incorruptible eternal bodies, and the rest will be destroyed physically as told in Zechariah 14.

The first woe was the 5th trump, in which the first half of the tribulation takes place, and the second woe was the 6th trump, in which the second half of the tribulation takes place. At the end of this second woe, antichrist will gather his armies and surround God’s elect desiring to destroy them (the battle of Armageddon), but at this very time, the third woe will come, and Jesus will return with His army to wipe out the evil forces on earth, and the 7000 of satan’s fallen angels who are here at that time will be physically destroyed. These 7000 in this verse are synonymous to satan’s own predestinated elect.

 

(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.

It is at this point that the 7th trump sounds and the tribulation ends and Jesus returns for His second coming. It is at this time that His Millennial reign will begin, from which time He will rule on earth forever, from the Millennium and continuing into the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven in third earth age, Revelation 20-22.

 

As we have read, nowhere in the scriptures of the Bible is there any time for a secret rapture of God’s most obedient. They will be here on earth in the time leading into the tribulation, through the tribulation, and forever as Jesus returns to rule on earth. It is essential, especially at this time, that all Christians investigate thoroughly God’s Word to divide the traditions of man from the truth in God’s Word. We should never take any man’s word for anything. We will all be held responsible for what we know, and if we never really search the scriptures, we cannot truly know what is written therein. I pray that all Christians will dive into the scriptures to know the truth for themselves.

God bless.

 

 

 

Reference Notes

Lake of Fire

5 Comments

The Lake of Fire is the final destination of anyone whose name is not found written in the Book of Life  at the end of the Millennium (Rev 20:15). The fire in this lake is God’s Consuming Fire that burns up everything that offends Him. Once thrown in the Lake of Fire, the soul of that person will cease to exist and will be blotted out from all memory and all records. It will be as if those souls had never existed.

At the return of Jesus, at the 7th trump, the false prophet (antichrist, satan’s physical form) and his beast system (satan’s spiritual influence) will be thrown into the Lake of Fire (Rev 19:20), and this will leave only the last part of satan’s trinity, satan in his basic form, which will be bound and locked away in the pit until he is released one last time at the end of the Millennium (Rev 20:2-3).

The beast and the false prophet are all that will perish in the Lake of Fire until the end of the Millennium, at which time anyone who is not found in the Book of Life will also be destroyed in the fire (Rev 20:15). This is known as the Second Death (Rev 20:14). The First Death is the death of the flesh body, and for those who have not yet overcome, it is the spiritual death of those people, which means that the spiritual body becomes spiritually dead, or liable to die (in verses about the Millennium, these people are often referred to as the dead, such as Eze 44:25) and therefore they become mortal souls. This is as opposed to the First Resurrection, which is experienced by those who have overcome by the time of the return of Jesus (Rev 20:4-5). Those who go through the First Resurrection receive immortal souls from the beginning of the Millennium (Rev 20:4) and will be guaranteed eternal life and will not have to worry about the Second Death (Rev 20:6).

Those who pass the test at the end of the Millennium will experience the Second Resurrection. These will then also have immortal souls and will enter into the Eternal Kingdom of God, or Third Earth Age (Rev 21-22).

At the end of the Millennium, death and hell will be thrown into the Lake of Fire (Rev 20:14) and these negative things will no longer be remembered entering the Third Earth Age (Rev 21:4). Though most believe that those who are sentenced to the Lake of Fire will suffer forever, this is actually a mistranslation from the Greek ‘eis aion aion’, which means ‘until the end of the age’, loosely translated. In the Eternal Kingdom, no one will know death, or pain, or sorrow, or suffering. There will only be love and happiness.

 

Topic Discussions

Three World Ages

2 Comments

The heaven and earth are divided into three earth ages, 3 being the number of divine completion. There was an age before the one we are in, and there will be an age after the Millennium ends. The first and third earth ages are eternal. The first was eternity past and the last will be eternity future. Let’s investigate what the Bible tells us of the origins of the world we live in.

The First Earth Age

(Gen 1:1) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

(Gen 1:2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

We see here is the first verse that God created the heaven and the earth. Whenever God creates something, He always does so in a complete and proper manner–He never does things halfway. In fact, in this first verse, the creation of the earth and the heaven (including everything we see in the sky such as the universe) was complete. In most Sunday school classes they teach that the next verse shows that it wasn’t yet completely formed, but if you look at the Hebrew, you will see that this isn’t exactly what is going on.

Let’s take a closer look at this verse:

(Gen 1:2) And the earthH776 wasH1961 without form,H8414 and void;H922 and darknessH2822 was uponH5921 the faceH6440 of the deep.H8415 And the SpiritH7307 of GodH430 movedH7363 uponH5921 the faceH6440 of the waters.H4325

We see this word ‘was’ (H1961) which would indicate that at the time God created the earth it was ‘without form’ (H8414) and ‘void’ (H922). So, if we take a look at the Hebrew, we have a clearer view of what is happening:

H8414

תּהוּ

tôhû

to’-hoo

From an unused root meaning to lie waste; a desolation (of surface), that is, desert; figuratively a worthless thing; adverbially in vain: – confusion, empty place, without form, nothing, (thing of) nought, vain, vanity, waste, wilderness.

H922

בּהוּ

bôhû

bo’-hoo

From an unused root (meaning to be empty); a vacuity, that is, (superficially) an undistinguishable ruin: – emptiness, void.

We can see from the Hebrew, which says ‘tohoo va bohoo’, that it is saying the earth at that time was ‘vain and empty’. But Isaiah tells us this:

(Isa 45:18) For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vainH8414, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

Isaiah, tells us that the earth was not created in vain, and he uses the same word we find in verse 1:2. So, if we are to believe God’s messenger, then we must take into account what he said here. But how do we reconcile this seeming contradiction?

Let us take a look at the word ‘was’ in our Genesis verse.

H1961 היה hâyâh

haw-yaw’

A primitive root (compare H1933); to exist, that is, be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary): – beacon, X altogether, be (-come, accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), continue, do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, X use.

The word that is translated as ‘was’, should have said ‘became’, if translated properly in context. If we are to replace the words in the King James version (and most other versions) with what we have found in the Strong’s Concordance, we will get a dramatically different picture.

(Gen 1:1) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Gen 1:2) And the earth became vain, and empty; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Well, then you might ask, “Why did the earth become vain and empty?” For this, we must first understand how the world was in Gen 1:1. In these next verses, when God was questioning Job, we see how we all were when He first laid the foundations of the earth:

(Job 38:4) Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

(Job 38:5) Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

(Job 38:6) Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

(Job 38:7) When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

The sons of God, the angels, we in the world that was, were all singing and shouting in joy. And why should we not have been? We were in the presence of God, our Creator, and He loves us. Even Satan was there, and this was before he had turned against God. He was created the most beautiful and wisest of God’s sons (excluding Jesus, Who is part of God). In the following verses, God is dictating to Ezekiel, whom He calls son of man, what he is to prophesy of satan, the king of Tyrus:

(Eze 28:12) Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

These verses confirm that it was satan who was later in the Garden of Eden tempting Eve, in order to solidify the identity of the king of Tyrus in these verses. We also find that satan was created by God, ‘full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty’. Satan was also the ‘anointed cherub that covereth’, meaning he was the one who guarded the mercy seat. But, then something happened–something that would shake the foundations of the heaven and earth. Satan became prideful of all the blessings and gifts God had given him.

These next verses in Isaiah will give us a closer look as to what happened to this king of Babylon:

(Isa 14:3) And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,

(Isa 14:4) That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

(Isa 14:5) The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.

(Isa 14:6) He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.

(Isa 14:7) The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.

(Isa 14:8) Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.

(Isa 14:9) Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

(Isa 14:10) All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?

(Isa 14:11) Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

(Isa 14:12) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

(Isa 14:13) For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

(Isa 14:14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

(Isa 14:15) Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

(Isa 14:16) They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

(Isa 14:17)That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? (

Isa 14:18) All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.

(Isa 14:19) But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.

(Isa 14:20) Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.

Isaiah tells us that satan, here also referred to as Lucifer, became so prideful that he wanted to be raised up above all the angels and God Himself, and thus be worshipped. This was a very bad thing to do and we can see God’s anger over these sins of satan in the above verses. So what did satan then do?:

(Rev 12:3) And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

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

Satan then began to form an army and established a hierarchy to rebel against God. This great red dragon somewhat resembles the beast that he will again influence to be formed at the beginning of the tribulation. So then using this dragon system, he would attempt to lead as many sons of God away from God as he could, and he ended up drawing a very large group from God, and established rebellious cites for them of earth, and consequently, they were cast down to earth in an event called the katabole, in the Greek scriptures, and the cities were destroyed. Often, katabole is translated as ‘foundation of the world’, but this actually means ‘a casting down’, or ‘depostion’.

(Eph 1:4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundationG2602 of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

(Eph 1:5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

(Eph 1:6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

G2602

καταβολή

katabolē

kat-ab-ol-ay’

From G2598; a deposition, that is, founding; figuratively conception: – conceive, foundation.

This foundation was at the deposition of satan, such as when a tyrant bully is deposed and a new government is established. This casting down of satan marked the beginning of a new system that God had planned for this very event. In this system, God would cause every one of His children to be born in the flesh, without memory of the first earth age, to see who they would choose to follow, God or satan.

To choose to follow anyone or anything other than God would by default be a choice to follow satan, even if the person was well-intentioned. However, many people are deceived by the ways of the world, which is heavily influenced by satan, and God knows this, so He has a plan in place to make sure that none of His children perish needlessly. We will get into that later.

We can also tell from the verses above that, before this deposition of satan and foundation of a new system, God chose certain of His children to be predestinated to carry out His plan. These would be called His elect, and He has already found them without blame and justified them, as told in Romans 8.

In order to have a world that was ideal for us in the flesh God wanted a clear template, and He chose His favorite region and His favorite planet to place us. God first cleared the existing life–prehistoric life, such as dinosaurs–off of the planet with a flood, and then continued with the creation detailed from Gen 1:2 on.

(Psa 104:5)Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

(Psa 104:6) Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.

(Psa 104:7) At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.

(Psa 104:8) They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.

(Psa 104:9) Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.

(Psa 104:10) He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.

(Psa 104:11) They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.

(Psa 104:12) By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.

(Psa 104:13) He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.

(Psa 104:14) He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

…and so on.

(Jer 4:22) For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

(Jer 4:23) I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.

(Jer 4:24) I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.

(Jer 4:25) I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.

(Jer 4:26) I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.

(Jer 4:27) For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.

(Jer 4:28) For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.

(Jer 4:29) The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.

Often when people read this, they just read over it and assume this was referring to Noah’s flood, however, we will find inconsistencies, because this was in fact a different event. Jeremiah tells us that once God made the earth without form and void, and destroyed the cities of the earth, He looked and there was no man and all the birds were gone away, and the earth was desolate. One thing that we know very clearly from the account of Noah, is that in that event, 8 people were saved aboard the ark as well as there were birds. We also know that after the flood of Noah, the earth was not without form and void. God had already formed it and made it fruitful (and then recreated it afterward).  This, therefore, is not Noah’s flood. This was actually the flood that God used to clear the path for us to live here in our flesh bodies as a test to see what we would do without knowledge of the first earth age and satan’s rebellion, though God would clearly speak of these things in His Word.

So then, once we read of this destruction of the world that was, we can move to the recreation which began the second earth age.

The Second Earth Age

(2Pe 3:2) That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

(2Pe 3:3) Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

(2Pe 3:4) And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

(2Pe 3:5) 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:

(2Pe 3:6) Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

(2Pe 3:7) 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.

Here, we read that the old world was flooded with water and perished, and that the current heaven and earth will be destroyed by fire, which will lead to the next, and final, earth age. This current, second, earth age is a temporary one, in which God separated the eternity past from the eternity future, to place us in a temporal (time-based) world, temporarily innocent of memories of the world that was.

When we receive the account of the recreation of earth, of course, it begins with the earth having been flooded with water.

(Gen 1:2) And the earth was (became) without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep (surging mass of water). And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

(Gen 1:3) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

(Gen 1:4) And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

…and so on.

Now we begin to have a more complete picture of what has happened and how old the earth really is–and how old we really are.

We all have this opportunity to go through these flesh bodies and make choices under free will (for the most part), but we are given a letter from God, the Bible to learn about Him and make the right choices and live the way He would have us live. When we learn from the Bible, and are taught by the Holy Spirit, we are to share these truths to others–this is the work of God. And this is what we form our lives around as we go day by day, but this world will not go on forever. In fact, there isn’t that much time left.

Every soul is to get a chance to be born in the flesh, unless they refuse it, and there is a finite number of souls that God created. Once every soul has had a chance to be born on earth, there is no more reason to continue in these bodies. Thus, we will soon have the tribulation, in which we will be put to the test as far as how well we know God/Jesus.

After this Great Tribulation, Jesus will return and bring in a new era on this earth, the Millennium. At the return of Jesus, at the 7th trumpet, everything on earth that offends, and all flesh, will be done away with and we will be changed into our our spiritual bodies in the twinkling of an eye. All those who have overcome will be translated and receive immortal bodies without having to die. Those who have not yet overcome will still have mortal spiritual bodies, that are liable to die in the Lake of Fire, if they don’t shape up by the end of the Millennium.

 (1Co 15:52) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

(1Co 15:53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

(1Co 15:54) So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

In this period, which is heavily detailed in Ezekiel 40-48 and Revelation 20, Jesus will rule on earth, and His elect will serve Him personally and be his kings, priests, teachers, and judges over those who have not yet overcome.

Satan will be bound throughout the Millennium and his fallen angels will not be around to influence people negatively or deceive them while they learn and are disciplined. At the end of the Millennium, satan will be loosed and allowed to attempt to deceive the whole world one last time. This will be followed by the Great White Throne Judgement, and the Lake of Fire will be the sentence for all those who are not found in the Book of Life. Satan and everyone who enters the Lake of Fire will be blotted out of existence and will cease to exist permanently.

Following these events, we will then enter the final stage, the Third Earth Age, and this one is eternal.

The Third Earth Age

We aren’t given much about the Third Earth Age, but most of what we are given can be found in Revelation 21-22.  These are two whole chapters, so I won’t bother to put it all here, as you can read it on your own.

In the Third Earth Age, God will dwell here on earth in His full glory, or Godhead, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This will be a time of peace and love like no other and we will not know pain or sorrow or evil, or any negativity at all. Only those who have overcome will ever get a chance to see this Eternal Kingdom of God. If you are a Christian, it is obvious that you would hope to make it to this Kingdom, and I honestly believe you will, but you must submit to God and truly accept Jesus Christ and make a commitment to have a personal relationship with Him through His Word. If you are not a Christian, I would strongly urge you to search out God’s Word and find out what will await you if you accept Jesus and make a decision to live your life for Him.