“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Ps. 133:1).

“Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3).

“Till we all come in the unity of the Faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13).

The Bible admonishes Believers to strive for the unity of the Faith, and to do so continually and diligently.  “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common Salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints” (Jude Vs. 3).  The meaning of the word “unity” as it is brought forth throughout Scripture clearly speaks of spiritual unity, a unity of belief.  If Believers are to work together successfully to further the cause of Christ, they must be of like-spirit, of like-faith.  Believers must first be in agreement regarding essential Biblical Doctrine because it is the doctrine a person believes which will influence his spirit. 

Different spirits are uncomfortable together, but like-spirits bond effortlessly.  Let’s look at it this way.  The doctrine one believes essentially determines which god he worships.  Thus, his spirit will be influenced by the very nature of that deity.  The Christian comes to know the true Lord through the Doctrines of Scripture.  Jesus Christ Himself was the Word made flesh.  If the church does not have unity in Biblical Doctrine, it cannot have unity in the Spirit.  And, let it be known, there is only one Holy Spirit.  “God is a Spirit: and they who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:24).  Unfortunately today, many are trying to change the spiritual unity of the church to a social unity, which will not be able to maintain the divine fortitude needed to withstand the coming evil days.  Lord, help us to be unified in your Holy Spirit rather than in our humanity.

NEOORTHODOX LANGUAGE

Insisting upon the true spiritual unity of the Faith is among the greatest of every Believer’s responsibilities until Christ’s return.  God’s Word tells us that this Truth will constantly come under attack.  False teachings will attempt to change the simple Gospel message and destroy the Salvation of many.  “Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the Faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (I Tim. 4:1).  But in the church today, the unity we are striving for has been subtly redefined, and this false community-based social unity actually ends up working directly against the true unity of the Faith. 

The strategy of using neoorthodox language to deceive the public is actually quite common among those who wish to further liberalize the church and the world.  It takes terminology whose definitions were accepted in the past because of their accuracy, and begins misapplying these traditional terms to new ideas.  People end up accepting the new idea based on familiar language before they realize it is being used completely out of context.  The idea that there can be unity in the church despite differences of belief regarding the essential Doctrines of Salvation is perhaps the biggest farce being perpetuated in the modern church.  The Lord plainly rebukes such an attitude.  “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3).  However, what we are hearing espoused from pulpits across America today is a siren call to lay down our differences and labor toward common goals.

THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS IS THE CURE

This enchanting love song promises us refuge from the crashing waves of the persecution we endure for the cause of Christ, persecution which comes from both the world and our apostate brethren.  It promises that we no longer have to separate ourselves from those who are teaching false doctrine and from those who insist that their lifestyle of sin is accepted by God.  Come, they say, and let us work together to end the world’s hunger, fight incurable diseases, and provide counseling for victims of natural disasters.  Let’s show the world how much Christians really care.  But, this will not really cause anyone to recognize the true value of the Christian Faith.  Many other social institutions, religious organizations, and celebrity charities provide aid for those in need.  Besides, it is at this point that the labor of the church has ceased from being categorized as “Christian.”  Remember, the real work of Christianity is the preservation and evangelization of the correct Biblical Doctrine, the Message of Christ and Him Crucified! 

Our work is to lift up the Name of Jesus and tear down the useless ideas of men.  “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the Knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Cor. 10:5).  Humanity cannot be adequately helped if the cause of its problems has not been addressed, and this is where the church was meant to shine as a genuine Light of Hope for the world.  The true church is the only establishment on earth capable of identifying the real problem and proclaiming the real solution!  Christians are to joyfully proclaim this pure and undefiled message:  Sin is the cause for humanity’s ills, but the Message of the Cross is the Cure!  But, we have turned our back on this work and instead adopted a false unity which can accomplish nothing more than humanistic social service.  Truly our labor is in vain!  “For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain” (I Thess. 3:5).

SOCIAL UNITY?

Recently, Rick Warren made this statement in issue #337 of his Ministry Tool Box:  “As pastors, as shepherds of God’s people, it’s our job to protect our congregations from Satan’s greatest weapon – disunity.  It’s not always easy, but it’s what we’ve been called to do.”  At first glance, most Christians would agree.  As we have already explained, disunity of Faith is indeed a work of evil; it is the same as being disunified with Christ.  However, Rick Warren has tricked his followers because he is not speaking of spiritual unity here, but rather social unity.  Disunity of faith is not the kind which threatens Rick Warren.  His real concern is that the Believers who are striving for spiritual unity will discover that many of his programs and plans do not line up with the Word.  So, he must silence the mouths of these who would attempt to point out these errors. 

These people must be labeled as “bad guys” or “troublemakers.”  Watch how Warren twists Scripture to work against these who are taking seriously their Call to maintain the purity of the Faith.  He quotes Titus 3:10 from the NIV version of the Bible which states, “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time.  After that, have nothing to do with him.”  Warren says this means that after two warnings, a pastor may have to remove a divisive person from his church.  But, what is meant by “divisive?”  Of course, Rick Warren is referring to those who refuse to comply with his established church programs, even if they are unscriptural.  However, if we look at the King James Version of the Bible, we can clearly see what the Lord really meant by a “divisive” person.  The KJV says, “A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject.”  A heretic speaks of one who is out of unity spiritually-speaking, not socially-speaking.  This is another reason many of the modern translations of the Bible can be very dangerous.  False prophets can use their wording to further deceive the people and continue in their ungodly directions.

THE BLIND LEAD THE BLIND!

The Bible’s definition of unity and Rick Warren’s definition of unity are not the same.  Warren’s definition means the elimination of all questioning regarding the methods and/or leadership of the church, even if such would ultimately work to preserve true Faith.  Therefore, he has also eliminated from his congregation any sense of individualism or the ability to think for oneself.  He has placed a false social unity above the Truth of God’s Word, and made people like the Bereans the ultimate sinners in the eyes of the people.  The Believers in Berea were commended in the Bible for their insistence that any teaching brought to them be Biblically accurate (Acts 17:11).  Warren’s Purpose-Driven church, which does not allow room for Believers to strive for the unity of Faith, instead functions on manipulative consensus-thinking.  This is not unity; it is brainwashing!  It uses peer pressure as a guiding force to keep inquisitive individuals in line.  But, Jesus said, “. . . And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Mat. 15:14).

THE WRONG KIND OF UNITY

Pope Benedict also believes in the wrong kind of unity as he made clear in his Angelus address in St. Peter’s Square on January 20, 2008.  Speaking to a crowd of approximately 200,000 people, the Pope spoke concerning this special “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.”  He encouraged Believers to “never grow tired of praying for unity among Christians!”  But look, this next statement shows that the unity he speaks of is social, not spiritual, because it excludes doctrinal agreement.  An on-line article in the Catholic News Agency states:  “During this week of prayer, Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans, and Protestants, ‘implore the Lord together, in a more intense way, for the gift of communion,’ the Pontiff reminded the faithful. . . . ‘The evangelical mission of the Church is thus an ecumenical walk, a journey of unity in faith, in evangelical witness and authentic fraternity’” (http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=11509). 

The term “ecumenical” speaks of a worldwide scope or applicability.  Members of differing faiths strive to find possible commonalities among them and agree to respect one another’s spiritual journeys.  But, true Christians cannot do this when they know another’s belief will send him to Hell; Christians are compelled to speak the truth in love.  On October 27, 1986, in Assisi, Italy, Pope John Paul II began one of the greatest ecumenical movements in history.  He gathered the leaders of the world’s most prominent religions to pray for peace, espousing that they were all praying to the same god despite their differences of belief.  Remember, though, that this is impossible because it is doctrine that will determine which god you worship.  John Paul II later allowed the Dali Lama to place a Buddha on the altar for a Buddhist worship ceremony to take place there at a Catholic church (Hunt, Dave. A Woman Rides the Beast. Internet video.http://video.aol.com/video-detail/a-woman-rides-the-beast-dave-hunt/1482438308).

RE-THOUGHT AND REINVENTED?

Even more religious leaders are promoting this false social unity, which is void of Spiritual Truth.  On January 17-19, 2008, a large conference took place at Robert Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral and was attended by many well-known “pastors” and other secular leaders such as Erwin McManus, Chuck Colson, Rupert Murdoch, Kay Warren, Gary Smalley, Henry Cloud, George Barna, Bishop Charles E. Blake, Jim Burns, Pres. George H. W. Bush, Dr. Ben Carson, Dr. Tim Clinton, Phil Cooke, George Foreman, Jon Gordon, Dr. Michael Guillen, Lou Holtz, Dan Kimball, Larry King, H.B. London, Jr., Jay Sekulow, Ben Stein, Lee Strobel, and many others.  The conference was entitled “Rethink”, where the obvious goal of the meeting would be to find unity among religions, even if it means finding it outside of Biblical teaching and Truth. 

One observer of the conference wrote:  “For nearly two thousand years, most professing Christians have seen the Bible as the foundation for the Christian faith.  The overall view at the Rethink Conference, however, is that Christianity, as we have known it, has run its course and must be replaced. . . . Speakers insisted that Christianity must be re-thought and reinvented if the name of Jesus Christ is going to survive here on planet earth now that we are in the twenty-first century” (Oakland, Roger. My Trip to the Rethink Conference, 2007 – http://www.understandthetimes.org/commentary/c73.shtml).

UNITY OUTSIDE OF TRUTH?

This is a horrifying example of forsaking spiritual unity for social unity!  What could be more dangerous or have any greater eternal consequence than to re-think the Truth?  God’s Word is the Eternal, Absolute Truth, which has never changed and never will change.  Any conference worth having would further clarify, celebrate, and reaffirm the Truth, not reinvent it!  Unity outside of the Truth will ultimately unify people in the one place none of them wish to go. 

No words can describe the hatred they will feel toward one another, when they realize it was this fellowship which put them in the eternal torment of Hell.  The sacrifice of spiritual unity was not worth their temporary social benefits on Earth.  They fought the wrong battle!  If they had only heeded the clear admonitions of Scripture rather than accepting various spiritual paths they might have saved their souls:  “Fight the good fight of Faith, lay hold on Eternal Life, whereunto you are also Called, and have professed a good profession before many witnesses” (I Tim. 6:12).  “And that from a child you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus” (II Tim. 3:15).

I Peter 5:8-9 – “Be sober (mentally self-controlled), be vigilant (awake and watchful); because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour (we are faced with a very powerful adversary):
    
“Whom (the Devil) resist stedfast in the Faith (‘the Faith’ always refers to what Jesus did at the Cross; our Faith must be ever anchored in that Finished Work), knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren who are in the world.  (Every true Christian faces the onslaught of the Evil One.)”

Every Christian Must Learn How To Fight Principalities And Powers

Every Believer will face the powers of darkness.  Ephesians 6:12 makes it clear that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces.  What the Believer needs to know and believe is that this battle is won by Faith.  If we attempt to fight depending upon willpower, mental gymnastics, personal strength, or some man-made method of religion, we will surely lose.  We must approach this battle with Faith that Christ’s Redemptive Work on the Cross was sufficient to defeat the powers of darkness.  We must appropriate Christ’s Victory as our own.  We must appropriate Christ’s completed Work by Faith.  Then the powers of darkness will be pushed back by the Power of the Holy Spirit, God Himself, on our behalf.  The same way and means by which sin has been defeated is the same way and means by which we are to walk in Victory over every attempt of Satan to steal, kill, or destroy.

The Prophecy

At the time of the Fall of Adam and Eve, during the confrontation where God addressed the woman, the man, and the serpent (the Devil) a Promise was made that spelled out Satan’s doom.  This Prophecy of a coming Redeemer said that the Seed of the woman would have His Heel bruised by the Serpent, but that the serpent’s head would be bruised by the Seed of the woman.  (Gen. 3:15 – “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His Heel.”)  God’s Answer to man’s Fall was the Seed of the woman, a reference to Christ Who would be born of a Virgin and thus become “the Seed of the woman.”  God promised that although the Redeemer would have His Heel “bruised” the serpent would have his head “crushed” by the Seed of the woman.  This Prophecy was fulfilled in part by the events of Calvary.  Jesus had His Heel “bruised” but in the same event “bruised” or crushed the head of the serpent.

The Prophecy Fulfilled

In I John 3:8b, the Bible states, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the Devil.”  In Hebrews 2:14, the Bible says, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the Devil.”  Finally, in Colossians 2:14-15, Paul writes, “Blotting out the handwriting of Ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His Cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” 

No one can deny that the Seed of the woman, the Christ, the promised Redeemer was manifested in the Person of Jesus Christ.  His Work (I Jn. 3:8) was to “destroy (to loose men from) the works of the Devil.”  Hebrews teaches us that “through death (what Jesus did at the Cross)” Jesus would “destroy (to render entirely idle or useless)” the person known as the Devil.  And Colossians declares that at the Cross Jesus actually “spoiled (disarmed, stripped of power) principalities and powers.”  Based on these Scriptures, both the work and the person of the Devil, along with all the cohorts of Hellwere defeated at Calvary.

Appropriate This Truth By Faith

If the Word of God is true, then it tells us that Satan’s power has been crushed by Calvary.  Hebrews 11:6, tells us that, “without Faith it is impossible to please Him (God).”  We as Believers must accept the truth that both sin and Satan were defeated at Calvary based upon the evidence of Scripture.  God won’t force us to believe.  He offers to us the evidence of Scripture and asks us to appropriate it by Faith.  Therefore, just like Salvation must be received by Faith, so too must freedom from “your adversary” and “his workings” be accomplished by Faith.  Certainly he roars as a lion.  And never take Satan lightly.

I heard just recently a preacher who believed what I am saying but his attitude towards the powers of darkness was unwise.  He made fun of him, saying that he was a toothless lion with no bark to his bite.  However, the Scripture says that Satan looks to find those he may “devour (to drink down, to gulp entire; literally or figuratively).”  This word is the same Greek word that describes the drowning of the Egyptians in the Red Sea (Heb. 11:29).  Therefore, the potential of the Believer being consumed by evil is very real.  In all humility, with dependence upon Christ, and our Faith secure in the Cross by which Satan was defeated, we are to appropriate the benefits of Grace and “resist him in the Strength and the Power of the Holy Spirit.”  If we submit to God’s Process we will be resisting steadfast in the Faith the attempts of Satan to steal, kill, and destroy.  He is a strong adversary but He is no match for our Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Seed of the woman!  Amen!

“And I will smite your bow out of your left hand, and will cause your arrows to fall out of your right hand.  (The Antichrist, called ‘Gog,’ will think he is fighting Israel only, when, in truth, he is fighting the Lord, a battle he cannot hope to win)” (Ezek. 39:3).

In this Third Verse, the emphasis is on the pronoun “I.”  It is as if the Lord is saying, “This is enough,” with Him then unleashing all of His Mighty Power or, at least, enough Power to show the Antichrist and the world just Who the Lord is.

A COMPLETE VICTORY

“You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you, and all your bands, and the people that is with you:  I will give you unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.  (The idea is that the defeat of the Antichrist and his armies will be so severe that vultures and beasts will feed upon the multitudes of dead bodies littering the ‘mountains of Israel.’

“‘You shall fall,’ signifies not only the defeat of the ‘man of sin,’ but also the collapse of corrupt human society, which includes corrupt human government)” (Ezek. 39:4).

This will include most, if not all, of the world of that time.
    
The phrase, “You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel,” is a prediction that was given about 2,500 years ago, but, most assuredly, which will come to pass.
    
Man has ever attempted to rebuild the Garden of Eden but without the “Tree of Life,” symbolic of the Lord Jesus Christ.  His efforts have been in vain because it is impossible to do such; however, the grandest effort of all will be in the near future when the Antichrist will make his debut for world dominion.  It will be religious, economical, sociological, military, and governmental; hence, at this time, “. . . his number is six hundred three-score and six.”  It is “. . . the number of a man,” denoting man’s supreme effort (Rev. 13:18), but it will not succeed as it cannot succeed.
    
To portray as to exactly how the Lord will fight this battle, let’s go back to the previous Chapter, Verse 18.

GOG TO BE DESTROYED AT ARMAGEDDON

“And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, says the Lord GOD, that My Fury shall come up in My Face.  (Once again, this is the Battle of Armageddon.  ‘My Fury shall come up in My Face,’ corresponds to the statement of Zechariah, ‘Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle’ [Zech. 14:3])” (Ezek. 38:18).

This is anger at white-hot pitch, and anger from One Who is all-powerful; therefore, the world is going to see a magnitude of Judgment that it has never known before.  The “man of sin” will rue the day that he took on “God’s People and God’s Land.” 

THE FIRE OF MY WRATH

“For in My Jealousy and in the fire of My Wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel (the ‘great shaking in the land of Israel’ can only transpire in the Battle of Armageddon, and only by the Hand of the Lord)” (Ezek. 38:19).

The phrase of Verse 19, “For in My Jealousy and in the fire of My Wrath have I spoken,” is linked to His “Fury” and “Wrath.”  These are His People and His Land.  He is “jealous” over them as He is “jealous” over all who belong to Him, including the Church, and we speak of the true Church. 
    
True enough, there will be a great shaking in Israel that, in effect, will be felt all over the world.  The entirety of the world at that time will observe all of these happenings by television.  We will say more about this momentarily.

“So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men who are upon the face of the Earth, shall shake at My Presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.  (This Verse pertains to the Second Coming, which will be the most cataclysmic event in human history)” (Ezek. 38:20).

The Second Coming will present a display of Power such as the world has never known before. 
    
This tremendous conflict, and we continue to speak of the Second Coming, will affect plant life, animal life, plus all humans, and even the topography of the land.  All of this will in no way be caused by the Antichrist, but instead, by the Power of God.  Thusly, one can understand the magnitude of “My Fury that shall come up in My Face.”
    
Actually, the world has never seen, heard, or known of such Power being expended in such magnitude.  No wonder the Lord said, “The heathen may know Me.”  He was referring to much of the world seeing this spectacle over television, more than likely, as it transpires.  It will be brought into their very homes all over the world.

TELEVISION

Undoubtedly, there will be hundreds, if not thousands, of television cameras there, sponsored by the major networks of the world.  It will be insisted on by the Antichrist in his pomp and pride as he desires to record, for the entirety of the world, the tremendous victory he is about to win, or so he thinks!  However, there will be a Victory, the greatest the world has ever known, but it will not be his!
    
The tremendous television coverage, meant to impress the entirety of the world, will do just that but in the opposite direction.  The world at that time, and we continue to speak of the Second Coming, will see a demonstration of the Power of God as it has never seen before.  As well, the world undoubtedly will observe Christ with the Armies of Heaven coming back to Earth in a Glory that boggles the mind. 
    
Actually, outside of these Scriptures, there is no way for one to describe the magnitude of this Power because it is a Power far beyond the capabilities of man to even comprehend or understand. 
    
It may be argued that atomic energy falls into the same category; however, as powerful as that is, it is localized, whereas this will cover the entirety of the land of Israel and, no doubt, many other areas as well!
    
Some may argue that all the disturbance in the heavens that will take place at the Second Coming, which Jesus addressed in Matthew, Chapter 24, will knock out all television reception.  While that certainly could be, there is every evidence, however, that the Lord will protect the television coverage, for the Scripture says, concerning this event, and in the Words of the Lord:

“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” (Mat. 24:30).
    
If it is to be noticed, this Passage says, “All the tribes of the Earth shall mourn, and shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven with Power and great Glory.”
    
“And I will call for a sword against him throughout all My Mountains, says the Lord GOD:  every man’s sword shall be against his brother” (Ezek. 38:21).  The evidence here is that during this Battle, the Lord will cause the enemy to begin to fight among themselves.

For instance, when Jonathan was fighting the Philistines, the Scripture says, “The Earth quaked,” and, “they went on beating down one another,” meaning that the Philistines, for some reason, turned on each other (I Sam. 14:15-16).  This will happen, as well, at the Battle of Armageddon.

THE ARTILLERY OF THE LORD

“And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people who are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.  (This Verse proclaims the fact that the Lord will use the elements, over which neither the Antichrist nor any other man has any control)” (Ezek. 38:22).

This refers to destructive force of such magnitude that it will cause tremendous bloodshed.  In fact, the bloodshed will be so great in the Battle of Armageddon, and we speak of blood being shed by the forces of the Antichrist, that the Scripture says that it will flow to the horse’s bridles, at least, for a certain distance.  It will, no doubt, be mixed with water (Rev. 14:20).
    
The terminology of Verse 22 proclaims that which the Prophet Zechariah meant by the Lord doing battle as in the days of old.  As He had done so many times in the past, He will do so again at this momentous occasion, as well, and, no doubt, in a far greater way.
    
For instance, when Sisera, the Canaanite General, was defeated by Debra and Barak, the Scripture says, concerning his 900 chariots of iron, “. . . the Earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.”  It also said, “The stars in their courses fought against Sisera” (Judg. 5:4, 20-21).
    
The Lord will employ the same tactics as these but on a magnified scale.  He will use the elements as His Artillery and, to be sure, it will most definitely be effective.
    
Think about thousands, if not millions, of hailstones falling from the heavens, with many of these stones weighing a hundred pounds or more.  Think of the damage they will do.  Think about meteorites slashing into the army of the Antichrist and magnify all of that on a scale that’s beyond our comprehension.  One will then get, at least, somewhat of an idea as to what is going to take place at that time.

THEY SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD

“Thus will I magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.  (‘Thus will I magnify Myself,’ has reference to anger held in check for a long time and then exploding with a fury that defies description)” (Ezek. 38:23).

The Lord magnifying Himself proclaims this being done by the supernatural destruction of the Antichrist and even all the mighty armies, which are with him.  This will be destruction and death never before equaled.
    
The words, “magnify Myself,” and, “sanctify Myself,” have terrifying consequences if used in the negative.
    
We have already alluded to this, but it refers to anger exploding after being held in check for a long period of time.  It pertains to the honoring of the Name of the Lord, especially, after the Antichrist has blasphemed him for a period of some seven years.
    
The phrase, “I will be known in the eyes of many nations,” refers to this, which will be done as described, and which, no doubt, and as previously stated, will be portrayed all over the world by television as it is happening.
    
Therefore, not only will the Antichrist be defeated, but, due to these actions by the Lord, the entirety of the world will instantly know and recognize His Power, Glory, and Majesty.  The Scripture says that He will come back, “King of kings, and Lord of lords.”

I HAVE SPOKEN IT

“You shall fall upon the open field:  for I have spoken it, says the Lord GOD.  (‘Open field,’ refers to the time of the defeat of the Antichrist.  It will be in the very midst of the Battle, with the Antichrist bearing down on Jerusalem, thinking that victory is within his grasp.)
    
“And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them who dwell carelessly in the isles:  and they shall know that I am the LORD.  (‘Send a fire on Magog,’ simply means that the Lord will Personally use the elements of the heavens to destroy the vast Gentile armies following the Antichrist.

“‘And among them who dwell carelessly in the isles,’ pertains to other nations of the world, which, in their minds, are neutral and are simply turning a blind eye to this wholesale slaughter against Israel by the Antichrist)” (Ezek. 39:5-6).

THE PROPHET ZECHARIAH

Zechariah, who prophesied about 500 years before Christ, had the following to say as it regarded the Battle of Armageddon: 

“Behold, the Day of the LORD comes, and your spoil shall be divided in the midst of you.  (‘Behold, the Day of the LORD comes,’ presents this day as beginning with the Second Coming and lasting until the end of the Millennium.  At that time, the end of the Millennium, the ‘Day of God’ begins and will continue through eternity [I Cor. 15:24-28; Eph. 1:10; II Pet. 3:10-13].
    
“‘And your spoil shall be divided in the midst of you,’ concerns the Antichrist coming against Israel [Ezek. 38:11-12].)

“For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.  (The first phrase refers to the mobilization of the nations to Armageddon [Ezek., Chpts. 38-39; Joel, Chpt. 3; Rev. 16:13-16; 19:11-21].  ‘And the city shall be taken,’ actually means that the Antichrist will prepare to take Jerusalem, with actually half of it being taken.  The phrase, ‘And the houses rifled, and the women ravished,’ expresses extreme cruelty practiced by the army of the Antichrist.

“‘And half of the city shall go forth into captivity,’ means that half of Jerusalem will fall to the advances of the Antichrist, with the other half fighting furiously to save themselves, but with futility, other than the Coming of the Lord.  Actually, the phrasing of the sentence structure portrays Israel fighting with a ferocity that knows no bounds, but yet not able to stand against the powerful onslaught of the combined armies of the man of sin.

“‘And the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city,’ refers to the army of Israel already cut to pieces but determined to defend the city, even house to house, and, if necessary, to die to the last man.)”

THEN SHALL THE LORD GO FORTH . . .

“Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle.  (‘Then’ is the key word!

•    “‘Then’:  when Israel will begin to cry to God for Deliverance, knowing that He is their only hope.
•    “‘Then’:  when half of Jerusalem has fallen, and it looks like the other half is about to fall.
•    “‘Then’:  when it looks like every Jew will be annihilated, with two-thirds already killed.
•    “‘Then’:  when it looks like the Promises of God made to the Patriarchs and Prophets of old will fall down.
•    “‘Then’:  when it looks like the Antichrist will win this conflict, which will make Satan the lord of the Earth and, actually, the Universe.

“‘Then shall the LORD go forth,’ refers to the Second Coming, which will be the most cataclysmic event that the world has ever known.  ‘And fight against those nations,’ pertains to the nations under the banner of the Antichrist, which have set out to destroy Israel, and actually with annihilation in mind.

“‘As when He fought in the day of battle,’ probably refers to the time when the Lord led the Children of Israel out of Egypt by way of the Red Sea [Ex. 14:14; 15:3].  This was Israel’s first battle when Jehovah Messiah ‘went forth’ and fought for them.  Israel then passed through a valley between mountains of water; in this, their last battle, they will escape through a valley between mountains of rock, which will be caused by the Second Coming of the Lord)” (Zech. 14:1-3).

TELEVISION NETWORKS

We have already alluded to this, but please allow me to elaborate.  It is positive that every major television network in the world will be represented at the Battle of Armageddon.  The Antichrist, the egomaniac that he will be, will want the entirety of the world to see his great victory as he annihilates Israel.  No doubt, he has plans, which have already been formulated, for the greatest gala event the world has ever known, his enthronement as the king of kings and lord of lords.  To be sure, it will look like he is going to pull it off.
    
News reports will come in from the battlefield on a constant basis, with television coverage of his advance going into billions of homes around the world.  Steadily, his gigantic army crowds Jerusalem, with news reports going out constantly that victory is near.  In fact, half of the city will fall (Zech. 14:2). 
    
It will look like it’s all over, and the Antichrist will do what Haman, Herod, and Hitler could not do.  It will look like Satan is just about ready to administer the final blow, and these ancient people, Israel, are about to die, and to a man.  At that time, the following could very well happen.
    
There will be a strange phenomenon in the heavens.  Jesus Himself said:
    
“For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.”
    
He then said:
    
“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:
    
“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven . . .” (Mat. 24:27, 29-30).

IS IT JESUS CHRIST?

The television cameras record the screaming of jets, the powerful explosions of the artillery, and the screams of thousands who are giving their lives as the Jews fight from block to block, from house to house, even from room to room.  To be sure, it looks like it is all over for these ancient people.  Television is recording it all.  The Antichrist wants to make certain that everybody sees his great victory.
    
And then, thinking that the Antichrist is about to introduce a new type of weapon, thousands of television cameras will, no doubt, point toward the heavens because there, something is happening.  Thousands of newscasters will be trying to explain this great phenomenon to all the people of the world, probably stating that this, which the Antichrist is now introducing, will surely mean “finish” for Israel.
    
But then, the terminology will change.  It is quite possible that the newscasters and their attempts to explain this phenomenon to the world, even as all of it draws closer, will begin to exclaim, “Is it possible?”  “Can it be?”  Then they will possibly say:
“Ladies and gentlemen, see for yourselves.  There are millions of white horses, with every one containing a rider, with a startling Glory like we’ve never seen.”  But then, they will say, “There is One leading them, and with a Glory such as has never been witnessed before.  And yes, He has a banner stretched around His Body with the name written, ‘KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!’”
    
“Could it be?”, hundreds of announcers will say, “Is it Jesus Christ?”
    
And then, the Scripture says:

“Behold, He comes with clouds (clouds of Saints); and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him . . .” (Rev. 1:7).

The phrase, “Every eye shall see Him,” could refer to those in Israel and, especially, in the vicinity of Jerusalem.  However, due to modern communications, it probably has reference, and, no doubt does, to most of the world, which could only be carried out by television, to which we have alluded. 

THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD

When Jesus came the first time, He came as a lowly human being, raised in the home of peasant parents, which Isaiah prophesied: 

“. . . And when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isa. 53:2).
    
In fact, at the conclusion of His Life and Ministry, He was spit upon, laughed at, caricatured, beaten, ostracized, ridiculed, lampooned, and put on a Cross.  However, when He comes back the second time, it will be totally different than the first time.  He will then come back in such a Glory as the world has never known before, and as the Scripture has said, “Crowned King of kings and Lord of lords.”  In other words, the Second Coming will be the most cataclysmic event by far that the world has ever known.  There has been nothing in history that could even remotely compare with this of which the Bible proclaims. 
    
When it is considered that every Saint of God who has ever lived will come back with Christ, all with glorified bodies, such staggers the imagination.
    
Millions ask the question, “Will this really happen?”  The answer is simple.
    
If He came the first time, and He most definitely did, then for certain, He will come the Second Time (Rev., Chpt. 19).

THE HEATHEN SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD

“So will I make My Holy Name known in the midst of My People Israel; and I will not let them pollute My Holy Name anymore:  and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.  (This Verse captures all the Promises made by the Lord to the Patriarchs and Prophets of old!)” (Ezek. 39:7).

There has been no Moving or Operation of the Holy Spirit in Israel or among Jews for nearly 2,000 years.  This certainly does not mean that individual Jews have not been Saved because some have come to Christ down through the centuries.  However, this was all on an individual basis and had little to do with the great Promises given to the Patriarchs and Prophets of old. 
    
In that coming day, while many things will play a part in all that happens, still, it is the “Second Coming” that will open the eyes of Israel and, in fact, the entirety of the world.
    
The seven years of the Great Tribulation will see the Name of the Lord polluted, blasphemed, and lampooned all over the world as never before.  In fact, the Antichrist will actually, in a sense, declare war on the Lord Jesus Christ and do so by slaughtering everyone who names His Name.  He will, no doubt, confiscate every Bible where he has any power at all, demanding total allegiance to himself, plus hatred for Christ. 
    
The Scripture says about him:
    
“And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies. . . .”  It also says, “And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His Name, and His Tabernacle, and them who dwell in Heaven” (Rev. 13:5-6).
    
However, at the Second Coming of the Lord, the “pollution” will end once and for all!

THE HEATHEN

The last phrase of Verse 7 says, “And the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.”  This will proclaim, once and for all, that Jesus Christ is Lord, and everyone will understand that fact.
    
These very Prophecies in Ezekiel, plus the other Prophets, are little believed by the world.  Even much of the church no longer believes that Israel has any part in the great Plan of God; however, this Passage, plus many others, tells us differently!
    
At the Second Coming of the Lord, to which these Passages refer, so dramatic will be the Lord’s Rescue of Israel that the world will have absolutely no doubt as to Who Israel’s Saviour is, and neither will Israel!

THIS IS THE DAY WHEREOF I HAVE SPOKEN

“Behold, it is come, and it is done, says the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.  (Verse 8 pertains to the coming Great Tribulation, and more especially to these events at the very conclusion of that particular time, but, more than all, it pertains to the Battle of Armageddon [Zech. 14:7])” (Ezek. 39:8).

Even though these times are yet future, the very near future, and even though these words were uttered some 2,500 years ago, the Holy Spirit would say, “It is done.” 
    
The events leading up to this time, which, in effect, is the very time in which we are now living, are proclaimed in the Scriptures as being a time of spiritual declension.
    
Perhaps one could say that economically and numerically, the American church has never been stronger; however, in the spiritual sense, it is at its lowest ebb since the Reformation.  Churches are being filled with people clamoring to hear a “social message.”  In fact, the most popular of all is the self-improvement message, as if the old man can be improved.  The tragedy is, none of this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but rather a Band-Aid that is being placed over the cancer of sin, with the end result being, as always, acute destruction.  The real problem with mankind, as it has always been the real problem, is “sin.”  However, the modern church acts as if sin does not exist, with the subject little being broached, except in a nebulous way.  All the while, the bondages of darkness are taking their deadly toll, with this Band-Aid of the social gospel not only not helping the people, but rather severely harming them.

THE ONLY ANSWER IS THE CROSS OF CHRIST

As stated, man’s problem is sin, whether he is redeemed or otherwise.  The only solution for sin, and we mean the only solution, is the Cross of Christ. 
    
Tragedy of tragedies, the Cross is being preached not at all, with some few remote exceptions.  Satan does everything within his power to cover up or to sidetrack the true solution.  The sad fact is, he, by and large, succeeds with much of the church.

THE SONLIFE BROADCASTING NETWORK

The real reason that THE SONLIFE BROADCASTING NETWORK is being spread all over the world, and at a pace heretofore unheard of, is because of the Message that we preach and teach, THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS. 
    
If it is to be noticed, the Message that was proclaimed by the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul, just before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman army, was the Message of the Cross.  In fact, this is the Gospel.  It’s not merely a part of the Gospel or something added to the Gospel.  It is, pure and simple, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  In fact, the Apostle Paul defined what the Gospel is by saying:

“Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel:  not with wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect” (I Cor. 1:17).
    
Paul was one of the most educated men to write in the Sacred Text, and yet, when addressing the church at Corinth, he also said:

“For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified” (I Cor. 2:2).
    
The reason the Holy Spirit said this through him is simply because the only answer for sin, as stated, is the Cross of Christ, and, please believe me, sin is the problem.  The only thing that will set the captive free is the Message of “Jesus Christ and Him Crucified,” which must be taken to heart and believed.
    
Is the modern church preaching the Cross? 
    
No!
    
We must understand that the Cross brings home the full seriousness of sin, declares the powerlessness of fallen humanity to achieve Salvation, and exposes human delusions of self-righteousness.  Nothing else will do that!
    
In the 1970’s, the Pentecostal and Charismatic arms of the Church began to embrace humanistic psychology.  In fact, the old-line churches had long since embraced it.  We must understand, humanistic psychology is far more than a mere few hours of psychological counseling.  It embodies a complete way of life and a complete belief system, all of which is totally opposite of the Word of God.  In other words, humanistic psychology is antagonistic toward the Word of God in every capacity.  The Cross of Christ and humanistic psychology cannot coexist.  One or the other must go.  Tragically and sadly, the Cross of Christ has been thrown aside, in other words, abandoned, in the modern church in favor of humanistic psychology.  God help us, especially considering that there is no help whatsoever from that source, only destruction.  The Cross of Christ is God’s Way, and that Way does not need any help.  Humanistic psychology is Satan’s way, which is the solution for a world that has forgotten God days without number.  It is understandable as to how the unredeemed would embrace such, but not understandable at all as it regards the church. 
    
Peter wrote, “According as His Divine Power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him Who has called us to Glory and Virtue:  whereby are given unto us exceeding great and Precious Promises:  that by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (II Pet. 1:3-4).  Now, either Peter is correct, or Freud is correct.  You cannot have both!  As Joshua said a long time ago, “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
    
I personally believe that “the Message of the Cross,” which we preach and teach, is the Message that the Holy Spirit is presently giving to the church and the world.  It’s going to be given so powerfully that the church will either have to reject it or accept it.  It cannot be ignored!  It is the Holy Spirit Who will do that.  Let me quote again what the Lord said through the Prophet Ezekiel some 2,500 years ago:

“Behold, it is come, and it is done, says the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken” (Ezek. 39:8).

     To be continued next month.

     (This message was derived from the book by Jimmy Swaggart, “Armageddon”.)

There have been many streams of error that have flowed into the church over the last several decades:  “The Word of Faith Movement”, “The Shepherding Movement”, “The Purpose Driven Life Movement”, “The Government of Twelve Movement”, to name a few.  Along side and in relation to these movements comes one that has subtly gained influence recently, “The Hebraic Roots Movement” (HRM). 
    
Similar to the other movements “The Hebraic Roots Movement” goes beyond the revealed Word of God by claiming, “. . . the Scripture alone cannot show the meaning within.”  Herein we find the first error of this and all false teaching.  It always breeds doubt by claiming that its adherents need more than God’s Word to understand Him.  Satan used this lie with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and he still uses this same fallacious tactic today on mankind.  Genesis 3:5:

“For God does know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
    
The sources of revelation and wisdom in the HRM come from the Talmud, Midrash, Halakhah, and Haggadah.  It’s interesting to note that students of Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism, require an understanding of these resources prior to comprehending the deeper esoteric secret meanings of the universe and God, they claim.
    
What’s the danger with teaching Christian’s their foundation of faith is in their Hebraic Roots?  Actually that is a false question.  Before the Law was given to Israel and His Children, God gave a Promise to a Gentile man, Abraham.  Abraham was justified by Faith and the Seed of Abraham are they which exercise like Faith.  Galatians 3:7:

“Know you therefore that they which are of Faith, the same are the children of Abraham.”

THE SACRIFICE

The Sacrificial system was ordained by God before the foundation of the world, I Peter 1:20, and was shown to Adam and Eve and then given to Abraham and then onto Isaac and Jacob.  Israel was to honor the sacrifices because they represented the coming “One” Sacrifice that God would accept.  The Law could not be fulfilled by man’s works and was never intended to be.  It was always by Faith that God was to be apprehended with the sacrifice being the means that man could have fellowship with God.  The penalty of the Law required the sacrifice of a perfect offering.  Only Jesus Christ qualified to pay the debt and become the Sacrifice acceptable to God on man’s behalf.  When Christ died on the Cross He satisfied the righteous demands of the Law.  Romans 10:4 says,

     “For Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to everyone who believes.”

ISRAEL

Paul would share with us the remembrance of Israel of old as they “. . . drank of that Spiritual Rock that followed them:  and that Rock was Christ” (I Cor. 10:4).  No instruction was given by Paul or any of the other New Testament writers to follow Jewish customs or traditions.  The admonition to us in the next Verses should make it clear how we are to view Israel with regard to our Sanctification and unwillingness to follow God’s Prescribed Order and Way, Verses 5-12:  “But with many of them God was not well pleased:  for they were overthrown in the wilderness.  Now these things are our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.  Neither be you idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to drink and eat, and rose up to play.  Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.  Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents.  Neither murmur you, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.  Now all these things happened unto them for examples:  and they are written for our admonition. . . .”

Our Lord Himself made it clear that during the time of His Visitation that the spiritual leadership of Israel was not following the Law of God but after their own traditions.  Mark 7:7-9:

“Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  For laying aside the Commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men . . . Full well you reject the Commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition.”

NOT SCRIPTURAL

The Mishnah and Talmud are not Biblical or Scriptural!  Much of the Midrashic teaching changed the object of Israel’s faith right before the time of Jesus Christ.  The leadership was broken into different sects.  The Pharisee’s and Sadducee’s and their interpretation of the Law functioned like the differences of today’s modern political parties.  The Mishnah precedes the Talmud and was/is considered to be comprised of oral tradition passed down throughout history since the time Moses received the Law from God.  According to tradition Moses gave to Israel the Written Law from God but used the oral Law to apply the Written Law upon Israel.  This unwritten oral tradition was said to have been passed down throughout Israel’s history.  After the death of Jesus Christ, Rabbinical commentaries, called the Gemara, were added to the Mishnah and together they later became the Talmud.

MODERN TEACHERS SO-CALLED

Today’s modern HRM teachers mostly refer to Talmudic teaching to explain the deeper truths of the Bible.  Hogwash!  The Midrash and Midrashic interpretation tend to devalue and pervert the literal, historical interpretation of Bible Scripture and replace it with private, hidden, and even mystical interpretations.
    
We must also recognize Judaism today has been altered and weakened by their so-called Sages, Rabbis, and Ravs that mixed oral traditional thought, the Pentateuch, and Greek philosophy together.
    
What’s really behind the HRM are occult principles and themes.  New Age concepts are found throughout the HRM teachings.  They’re also found in “The Word of Faith”, “Purpose Driven Life”, and “G12” Movements, which have desensitized the church making them palatable for HRM teachers to gain success.

OLD TESTAMENT

In the meantime, I want to point out that teaching and explaining the Old Testament with all its wonderful types and shadows does not indicate a preacher has embraced the HRM agenda.  However, if your church begins to see your Pastor wearing prayer shawls and yarmulkes that maybe a sign he/she may be going in the HRM direction.  If the Jewish calendar holidays and the Sabbath’s are all of a sudden being followed and are prescribed upon everyone, it’s time to leave your church.  In future articles I will explain the other dangers of the HRM and how they are harming the church.  If it’s not Jesus Christ and Him Crucified it’s not the Gospel.

Centralization of power is a pagan tendency.  Nowhere in Scripture is civil government said to have the responsibility to be the provider for or savior of men.  Yet, in the 2300s B.C., that is exactly what began to happen.  Men began to pervert the purposes of civil government.  At the Tower of Babel men began to congregate together rather than spread out and “fill the Earth” (Gen. 1:28) as God had instructed humanity to do.  They wanted to make a name for themselves and to save themselves, which required organized cooperation.  This fleshly effort automatically causes compromise and consensus-thinking.  So, this turned “the state” and a “collective consciousness” into a counterfeit messiah, in which there is absolutely no potential for success.  In so doing, it was also the first public expression of humanism because it placed sovereignty in a man or collection of men rather than in God (Gen. 11:1-8).  The government of the United States of America was deliberately designed by its founders to be a free and independent country, not only from the rest of the world but within our own borders.  We were not founded to be part of a global order.  When the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on December 21, 1620, the beginnings of a great Republic took place. 
    
As part of its formation, The Declaration of Independence was written, with these Christian ideas.

THE CONSTITUTION

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – that to secure these rights, governments are instituted by men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
    
Our Constitution solidified the mandate for “the consent of the governed” by carefully assigning responsibilities mostly to the local and state governments and giving only those of national interest to the federal government.  America would become the envy of the world because its citizens were allowed to enjoy these God-given rights.  Let’s look a little deeper at how God has dealt with this dilemma in the past.

NIMROD

Before the Flood and immediately after the Flood there was only one language on the face of the Earth.  Even though we have no way of knowing specifically, that language was probably Hebrew.  “And the whole Earth was of one language, and of one speech” (Gen. 11:1).  The Lord had told Noah and his sons to “Be fruitful, and multiply” and replenish the Earth (Gen. 9:1).  The Lord wanted mankind to be scattered over the Earth.  But, man had other ideas, as seen in the story of Nimrod and the rise of the first cities.  “And Cush begat Nimrod:  he began to be a mighty one in the Earth” (Gen. 10:8).  Nimrod founded Babylon and the city of Nineveh.  He may be assumed to have counseled and built the Tower of Babel, as described later in Genesis.  Nimrod and his city actually foreshadow the coming Antichrist and his city.  Nimrod led the first organized rebellion against God and His Ways and against those who followed the Lord.  He “hunted” them down, possibly even killing those who worshipped Jehovah. 

BABYLON

Nimrod was a mighty hunter, “. . . wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD” (Gen. 10:9), but this had little to do with animals.  Rather, it refers to his opposition to the Lord.  “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft . . .” (I Sam. 15:23).  Witchcraft seeks to control its own destiny or the destiny of others through manipulation of the spirit world.  It seeks its own will.  God asks the exact opposite from us.  He asks us to surrender to Him and live according to His Will for our lives.  Therefore, the simple refusal to follow God or His Ways is, in essence, a form of witchcraft.  The stronger a man exudes his own will above the Will of God, the deeper he delves into the realm of evil. Consequently, Babylon has always stood for every false religion, every false doctrine, and every false way.  That’s why it is also referred to as the “great whore” – “THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (Rev. 17:1, 5).  “Babylon” has been an iconic image in the hearts of the unredeemed for centuries as men believe they can achieve their own self-serving dreams apart from God.  And, because God has given man a free will this side of the grave, man is sometimes able to reach individual goals and successes in this life.  However, the desire of men to have a peaceful, utopian planet by their own organized rebellion apart from God will never happen.  It will appear the Antichrist and his government is going to come close, but know this, peace will only come to this Planet when the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, returns, and man will be under His Rule.

REBELLION AGAINST GOD

“And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there” (Gen. 11:2).  This verse refers to a great group of people; not every person, but a large number went in that direction, more than likely led by Nimrod.  This prince Nimrod, his city, Babylon, and the plain on which it was erected all represent Satan’s efforts, using man as his agent to oppose and destroy God’s Plans.  God has His Prince and His City, so has Satan.  These opposing princes and their cities occupy most of the pages of the Bible.  Continuing to Verse 4, “They said let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole Earth.”  The tower probably signifies the worship of the Zodiac, i.e., “the planetary bodies.”  “They said” in this Scripture demonstrates the undeniable evil of the human heart.  In this one Verse we find the seedbed of all rebellion against God, whether then or now.  As previously stated, the Lord had told Noah and his sons to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the Earth (Gen. 9:1).  Now we find the followers of Nimrod doing the very opposite of what the Lord had instructed.  The Lord wanted mankind to be scattered over the Earth, but these rebels were determined to defy what God had desired. 

SIN

Genesis 11:6 tells us that once God saw their rebellion against Him, nothing would be restrained from them, which they imagined to do, allowing their rebellion to intensify.  “The LORD said, ‘If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.’”  However, He dealt with them by confounding their speech, so they could not understand one another (Vss. 7-8).  At least a hundred or more languages were introduced, which made it impossible for these rebels to function together with any type of cohesion.  God scattered them abroad upon the face of all the Earth.  Those who spoke the same language banded together, but in order to prevent a centralized one-world government, God made diverse languages, which are an effective deterrent to this day.  “Babel” is the Hebrew name for Babylon which had its origin in deliberate, determined, enthusiastic, and exalting hostility to the Divine Purpose.  Herein lies the essence of all rebellion.  Whatever thought, counsel, or word derives its inspiration, be it only in an infinitesimal degree, from antagonism to the Mind of God, is sin.  It was the Will of God for the people to speak one language, but with the rebellion of man, God caused them to speak many languages.  God’s Will was carried out, the people were scattered over the face of the Earth.  Remember man rules, but God overrules.

ABRAHAM

The Tower of Babel was the world’s first global government which God judged and destroyed.  Israel’s form of government was formed by God.  God found a man, Abraham, who would surrender his own will to God’s Will.  God gave specific instructions to him and promised him in Genesis 12:2 that, “I will make of you a great Nation. . . .”  And indeed, the Nation Godmade of Abraham has changed the whole world.  It exists till this very hour.  In fact, Israel still holds the key role in future world events, continuing into the coming Kingdom Age.  When we let God have His Way, He will bring honor, not only to Himself, but to us as His Servants as well.  Israel was to be a theocracy, meaning they would be ruled by God.  Among the many pagan nations surrounding them, Israel was to be unique.  God had also said to Abraham, “. . . and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.”  According to Scripture, “to bless” means to increase.  The phrase, “And you shall be a blessing,” concerns itself with the greatest Blessing of all, which is really the glory of Abraham’s Faith.  You see, God would give Abraham the meaning of Salvation, the meaning of “Justification by Faith.”  Its fulfillment would come about through the Lord Jesus Christ and what Christ would do on the Cross.  Jesus said of Abraham, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day:  and he saw it and was glad” (Jn. 8:56).  Genesis 12:3 says, “I will bless them who bless you, and curse him who curses you and in you shall all families of the Earth be blessed.”  Again, this speaks of Israel, which sprang from the loins of Abraham and the womb of Sarah, giving the world the Word of God, and more particularly, bringing the Messiah into the world.  Through Christ, every family in the world who desires blessing from God can have that Blessing, i.e., “Justification by Faith.” 

GODLY PRINCIPLES

In the founding of the United States, careful consideration was given to the principles God used throughout history in dealing with government.  It was never the purpose of the United States to be a theocracy, but it was to be a nation that employed godly principles in its governing.  To facilitate this, careful attention was given to division of powers within the different levels of government – local, state, federal – and even power to individual citizens in such things as owning properties.  Remember, God required separation when establishing things with Abraham – separation from his country, separation from his kindred, and separation from his father’s house.  “. . . Unto a land that I will show you” (Gen. 12:1) states the fact that Abraham had no choice in this matter; he was to receive his orders from the Lord and go where these orders led him.  Phrases in both Verse 1, “unto a land that I will show you,” and Verse 7, “. . . Unto your seed will I give this land . . .” of this Twelfth Chapter of Genesis are important because they show ownership of land.  Notice that in the establishing of the United States, this same right was also given to its citizens by the founding fathers.  Every citizen was given the opportunity to own his own land.  This works because of the fundamental idea of equality of citizens.

THE PAGAN IDEA

Throughout history other nations have not been very successful because of their belief in the inequality of men.  Their ideas of democracy and freedom only extended to certain classes of people and all others were denied basic rights.  Such tyranny eventually produced conflicts in society that led to chaos and disorder.  Look at what is happening in Greece today.  The fundamental flaws of their attempts at democracy were rooted in their belief that man was naturally unequal or a privileged few were competent to govern the rest.  “The individual was regarded as of value only as he formed a part of the political fabric and was able to contribute to its uses, as though it was the end of his being to aggrandize the State.  This was the pagan idea of man.  The wisest philosophers of antiquity could not rise above it.  Its influence influenced the pagan world; especially the idea that man was made for the State, the Office of which, or a divine right rested in one or in a privileged few, was to fashion the thought and control the action of many” (Historian Richard Frothingham).  This pagan idea is becoming more and more noticeable in our United States Government today.

MAN SUPERIOR TO THE STATE

The truth is that man was created in God’s Image and destined for immortality, asserting that, in the Eyes of God, all men are created equal.  Man is superior to “the state,” and, therefore, the state should be fashioned for man’s use, not the opposite.  And, praise God, with the coming of Jesus Christ and His Death on the Cross for the sins of the world, man’s ability to govern self internally was restored from the Fall as well.  The Law of God was no longer an external thing written on stone, but now it was written in man’s heart.  Even more so now, man is no longer to be dominated by government.  The State should exist for man, and justice, protection, and liberty for all should be the aim of every government.  No, it is not God’s Will for man to have a government telling him everything to do, say, and think.  It is God’s Will for men to have a governing body which protects his individual rights and ability to serve the true God in freedom.  Anything else is organized rebellion.

We are given very little Scriptural information about Daniel, Chapter 11, Verse 44, where tidings out of the east and the north will cause the Antichrist great problems.  From what little we are told, it is obvious that something big will happen at that time.  Actually, it will take place at approximately the midpoint of the Great Tribulation, causing the man of sin to leave off of Israel and take care of these pressing problems.

We are not given the names of the countries that are giving him problems, only that they are “out of the east and out of the north.”  That means north of Israel and east of Israel.  It will not involve the countries in the Middle East because they are already under his domain at that time.  So, more than likely, it will be Russia and China, for these are the only two countries that have a military of any significance.  Irrespective, it said that these countries “shall trouble him.” 

Exactly what that means, we aren’t told.  However, it could very well mean that they now see what this man is all about, which is to take over the entirety of the world.  Ever how it is done, or ever what is done, they will oppose him.  Whatever it is that they do, it will cause him to respond “with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.”  Evidently, he sees them as attempting to stand in his way regarding his ambition as world conqueror. 

As well, the indication is that this is not something small due to the fact that, as far as we know, it is going to take all of the latter half of the Great Tribulation.  In other words, it will take about three and a half years for him to put down this opposition; however, he will put it down and will come out of the conflict stronger than ever.  But now, he must take care of Israel.

SATAN AND ISRAEL

We’ve already addressed this subject in this Volume, and I speak of the hatred for Israel, but allow me to repeat myself.  This hatred exists simply because of God’s Plan for these ancient people, His People, I might quickly add, as well as Satan’s plan.  The consuming effort to destroy Israel, which characterized the Holocaust and every other similar effort, stems from the fact that Satan knows that if he can annihilate every Jew and take over the Nation called “Israel,” this will abrogate the Word of God.  That means that it will fall to the ground and Satan wins.  The Word of God is sacrosanct in every capacity.  Considering that there are more Predictions, more Prophecies, and more Promises in the Word of God concerning the Restoration of Israel than anything else, this is why Satan has set out to destroy them.
    
The Jewish people, of course, understand the hatred simply because this thing didn’t start yesterday; it began thousands of years ago.  Read carefully what the great Prophet Jeremiah said as it regards this very thing:

“My Heritage is unto Me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come you, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour” (Jer. 12:9).
    
If it is to be noticed, the Holy Spirit through the Prophet said, “The birds round about are against her.”  This spoke of the nations around Israel that were opposed to her, actually, that opposition never ceased.  In fact, the same animosity is registered against true Christians.  It is because the God of the Bible is Real, Jesus Christ, God’s Only Son, is Real, the Word of God is Real, and those who follow the Lord are real as well.  At the same time, it means that every other religion in the world is not real, which means that they are of the Devil.  That is blunt but true.
    
When President Bush was in London, the English press asked him if he believed that Christians and Muslims pray to the same God, and he answered, “Yes.”  He could not have been more wrong.  Allah is not God.  As we’ve already stated in this Volume, Muhammad selected this name out of the scores of names of so-called Babylonian deities.  Regrettably, many Christians have the erroneous idea that Jehovah and Allah are one and the same.  To be frank, such is blasphemy!  So, the hatred that will fill the Antichrist against Israel will be placed there by Satan himself, and now comes Satan’s fell swoop, so to speak.  What Haman, Herod, and Hitler could not do, the man of sin will now accomplish.  He will totally and completely annihilate every Jew in Israel, and after that is done, and he confiscates their land, he will then demand the death of every other Jew on the face of the Earth.  Considering how strong that he will be, no one will be able to resist him.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ARMAGEDDON

As we’ve already stated, this Battle is designed to completely destroy Israel; however, it is also designed for a far more important reason.  It is for the Evil One, Satan himself, to become the god of the Universe.  Of course, this thing did not start yesterday, and neither will Armageddon be its beginning.  It started at the very beginning of time.  Let’s look for a few moments at the efforts made by Satan to destroy Israel, which were to destroy the Plan of God on this Earth.  These efforts will intensify, especially, in these last days. 
    
To be sure, Satan’s opposition against the Church is no less; however, because the Church of Jesus Christ is not a distinct state, as Israel, his opposition is somewhat different.  Now he seeks to corrupt the Gospel, which he has been very successful in doing.
    
Concerning this hatred, John the Beloved wrote, and we quote:

THE GREAT WHORE

“And there came one of the seven Angels which had the seven Vials, and talked with me (probably is the seventh Angel; however, we actually have no way of truly knowing), saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto you the Judgment of the great whore who sits upon many waters (the ‘great whore’ refers to all the religions of the world that ever have been, which are devised by men as a substitute for ‘Jesus Christ and Him Crucified’; God’s Way is Christ and Him Crucified Alone; as well, the ‘many waters’ are a symbol for multitudes of people [Vs. 15]):
    
“With whom (the great whore, i.e., all types of religions) the kings of the Earth (from the very beginning, most nations have been ruled by some type of religion) have committed fornication (all religions devised by men, and even the parts of Christianity that have been corrupted, are labeled by the Lord as ‘spiritual fornication,’ in other words, they look to something else other than the Lord [Rom. 7:1-4]), and the inhabitants of the Earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication (proclaims the addiction of religion; the doing of religion is the most powerful narcotic there is).”

THE WOMAN

“So he (the Angel) carried me (John) away in the spirit (a Vision) into the wilderness (every religious effort that attempts to take the place of the Cross is a spiritual wilderness):  and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast (the woman is organized religion; by that we mean any religion or form of religion claiming to have a way of Salvation or victory other than the Cross; the ‘scarlet color’ indicates blood and pertains to great persecution), full of names of blasphemy (refers to this ‘woman’ opposing the Plan of God in every capacity), having seven heads and ten horns.  (This pertains to the scarlet colored beast, not the woman.  The ‘seven heads’ represent seven empires that persecuted Israel in the past, with the last one yet future.  They are ‘Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome.’  The ‘ten horns’ represent ten nations that will arise out of the old Roman Empire territory and persecute Israel, and is yet future.  These ten nations make up the seventh head.  The Roman Empire, which made up the sixth head, was the last of the empires that persecuted Israel before her destruction as a Nation in A.D. 70.  When the ten-horned kingdom arises, which it will shortly, it will persecute Israel as well.)”

MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT

“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour (all of this pertains to Israel, but with a carry-over into the Church Age; the ‘purple’ represents the dominion of these religions over nations, with the ‘scarlet color’ representing the persecution of Israel), and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls (these religions have always been very rich; a case in point is Islam, which controls some sixty percent of the oil reserves of the world), having a golden cup in her hand (all of these religions have an allurement, symbolized by the cup being golden) full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication (proclaims what this cup holds, despite its outward attractiveness):
    
“And upon her forehead was a name written (the ‘forehead’ symbolizes the fact that all these religions are devised by man and not by God), MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT (the word ‘mystery’ separates spiritual Babylon from literal Babylon; it is ‘great in the eyes of the world, but not in the Eyes of God’), THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.  (This proclaims the actual content of this ‘golden cup,’ even though it looks wonderful on the outside.  If it’s not ‘Jesus Christ and Him Crucified,’ then it is labeled by the Lord as ‘harlots and abominations.’  Regrettably that includes much of modern Christianity as well.)”

THE BLOOD OF THE SAINTS

“And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the Saints (refers to these empires and their false religions, which persecuted Israel during Old Testament times, actually, up to the time of Christ), and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus (points to the millions in the Church Age who gave their lives for the Cause of Christ; the Roman Empire began these persecutions of Christians and was followed by the Catholic Church):  and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration (John is amazed at seeing all of this).
    
“And the Angel said unto me, Wherefore did you marvel? (The Angel knew John would marvel at the scene that unfolded before his eyes and would need an explanation.)  I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.”

THE BEAST

“The beast who you saw was (represents a fallen Angel who helped the leaders of these empires of the past in their efforts to destroy Israel), and is not (was not active during the time of John); and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit (this powerful, fallen Angel was confined to the bottomless pit about 2,300 years ago and remains there still, but will be released soon to help the Antichrist), and go into perdition (means that after his escapade of helping the Antichrist on Earth, he will be consigned to the Lake of Fire [Rev. 20:10]); and they who dwell on the Earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world (presents the fact that all the unsaved people on Earth during the time of the Great Tribulation will be startled and amazed as they observe the Antichrist, who will do things no other man has ever done; this will be because this fallen Angel is helping him, but of which he is not aware), when they behold the beast who was, and is not (was not functioning during John’s day), and yet is (will be released out of the bottomless pit to help the Antichrist).”

WISDOM

“And here is the mind which has wisdom (is the mind which knows and believes the Word of God).  The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits (represents these seven empires, which were controlled by false religions, i.e., ‘demon spirits’).
    
“And there are seven kings (actually refers to the ‘seven heads,’ speaking of the leaders of these empires, whomever they may have been):  five are fallen (five of the empires were fallen during John’s day; they are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece), and one is (refers to the Roman Empire, which was in existence during John’s day, and could, therefore, be spoken of in the present tense), and the other is not yet come (refers to the ten-nation confederation symbolized by the ten horns, which in John’s day had not yet come and, in fact, has not come even yet); and when he comes, he must continue a short space.  (The ‘ten horns’ will be the seventh head and refers to ten nations that will arise shortly and persecute Israel, which will probably take place in the first half of the Great Tribulation, a time span of about three and one half years.)”

THE FALLEN ANGEL

“And the beast (fallen Angel) that was, and is not, even he is the eighth (this fallen Angel will help the Antichrist and will head up the eighth empire to persecute Israel), and is of the seven (refers to the fact that he helped all the empires of the past, with the exception of Rome, in their efforts to persecute Israel; but this fallen Angel gave the greatest help to Alexander the Great, who headed up the Grecian Empire; we know this because John, in his Vision, said, ‘And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard,’ with that animal being one of the symbols of ancient Greece [Rev. 13:2; Dan. 7:6]), and goes into perdition (refers to the fact that irrespective of his power and plans, eternal Hell will be the due of this satanic prince; the same goes for Satan, the Antichrist, the False Prophet, every fallen Angel, every demon spirit, and, in fact, all the unredeemed who have ever lived).”

THE TEN-NATION CONFEDERATION

“And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings (Dan. 7:7), which have received no kingdom as yet (refers to John’s day); but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.  (These ten nations will come to power before the Antichrist, making up the seventh head.  Then they will be taken over by the Antichrist, who is referred to by Daniel as the ‘little horn’ [Dan. 7:8].  The ‘one hour’ refers to the ‘short space’ this confederation of the ten kings and the Antichrist will hold together.  It will last for approximately three and one half years and will be destroyed by the Second Coming of Christ [Dan. 2:34-35].)”

WHAT THE TEN NATIONS WILL DO, WHICH IS YET FUTURE

“These have one mind (this ten-nation confederation, making up the seventh head, will all be in agreement respecting their joining with the Antichrist because they don’t have the power to successfully oppose him.  Incidentally, these nations are in existence today but will probably not be revealed until the first part of the Great Tribulation), and shall give their power and strength unto the beast (refers to the Antichrist now coming to full power and making up the eighth kingdom as described in Rev. 17:11).

“These shall make war with the Lamb (has to do with the Antichrist attacking Israel as it regards the Battle of Armageddon; Satan hates Israel for many and varied reasons, but, above all, because of Jesus; so, to attack Israel is to attack the Lamb), and the Lamb shall overcome them (speaks of the Second Coming, but also speaks to the fact that Jesus is worthy to administer Judgment and Justice because of what He did at the Cross):  for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings (proclaims the fact that this ‘Lamb’ is ‘King’ of all and ‘Lord’ of all, and all because of the Cross):  and they who are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful.  (Every Saint of God who has ever lived, both Jews and Gentiles, will come back with Christ at the Second Coming.)
    
“And he (the Angel) said unto me (John), The waters which you saw (refers back to Verse 1, and presents the word ‘waters’ being used as a symbolism), where the whore sits (if it’s not Jesus Christ and Him Crucified [I Cor. 1:23; 2:2], then God refers to it as the ‘Great Whore’), are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.  (This covers the entirety of the world and tells us that billions have died and gone to Hell as a result of following false religions.)”

THE TEN NATIONS AND RELIGION

“And the ten horns which you saw upon the beast (pertains to the ten-nation confederation, which will make up the seventh head), these shall hate the whore (at least some, if not all, of the ten-nation confederation will come out of the Middle East; Islam rules this part of the world, and it is a rule which has all but destroyed these countries; the implication is the religion of Islam will be put down by this confederacy), and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.  (This proclaims the fact that the ten nations under the Antichrist will institute and carry out a campaign of elimination as it regards the religion of Islam and, in fact, any other religions in his domain.  All of these religions will be replaced by ‘beast worship.’)”

THE WILL OF GOD

“For God has put in their hearts to fulfill His Will (while the ten nations have their own agenda, God will use it to bring about His Will), and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast (the ten leaders of these nations will give their authority to the beast, i.e., ‘the Antichrist’), until the Words of God shall be fulfilled.  (This will last ‘until’ the Great Tribulation has ended, which will be at the Battle of Armageddon in which these nations will be totally destroyed [Dan. 2:34-35].)
    
“And the woman which you saw is that great city (refers to rebuilt Babylon portrayed in Revelation, Chapter 18), which reigns over the kings of the Earth.  (Rebuilt Babylon will not only be one of the commercial centers of the world but, as well, the religious center.  The Antichrist will have replaced Islam and other religions with himself as the one being worshiped.  It all began at Babylon, and it will all end there [Gen. 11:1-9; Rev. 18:10])” (Rev. 17:1-18).

THE RESURGENCE OF ISLAM

Islam flexing its muscles at this present time is not without tremendous spiritual meaning.  As we’ve already stated in this Volume, it could well be that this religion will greatly help the Antichrist come to power.  What the Muslims will not realize is the man of sin has no intentions whatsoever of keeping any promises made to them, but what is one more lie among liars?  It must be understood, while the Antichrist will promise many things at the outset of the seven-year Great Tribulation, his promises will mean nothing.  He has a goal in mind, and it is to take over the entirety of the world and, as well, to completely annihilate Israel.  However, at the same time, he is not going to brook any religion whatsoever, even Islam, because he will set himself up as God and will demand worship.
    
Concerning this, the Scripture says:

“Who (this is the Antichrist) opposes (he will oppose every other religion of the world) and exalts himself above all (above all religions) that is called God (pertains to his declaration of himself as Deity), or that is worshipped (the Antichrist will put down all religions, at least, in the area which he controls, making himself alone the object of worship); so that he as God sits in the Temple of God (refers to the Jewish Temple, which will be rebuilt in Jerusalem; the Antichrist will take over the Temple, making it his religious headquarters), showing himself that he is God.  (This proclaims his announcement of Deity as it regards himself)” (II Thess. 2:4).

HATE THE WHORE

As we stated previously, the Holy Spirit refers to every religion in the world devised by man as “the great whore.”  It must be remembered, it is the Holy Spirit Who chose this designation.  The truth is, all religions have been devised by man; however, Bible Christianity is not a religion, but rather a relationship with a Man, the Man, Christ Jesus.  While parts of Christianity have been totally corrupted and are labeled, as well, as “the whore,” this applies only to the part of Christianity which looks to other than Christ and the Cross. 
    
John wrote the words, “And the ten horns which you saw upon the beast, these shall hate the whore.”  “The whore” refers to the religion of Islam. 
    
We know that some of these ten nations will be in the Middle East and, of course, it is obvious these nations presently are controlled by Islam.  However, when the man of sin consolidates his power, which he will with “the ten horns,” i.e., “the ten nations,” then he will be supreme.

THE TURBULENCE OF ISLAM AT PRESENT

As I dictate these notes on July 29, 2011, the whole world of Islam is in a state of flux.  The people in these countries have access to the Internet, and they know what other nations have and know that they do not desire the satanically inspired legalism of Islam.  What most of these poor people do not know is that when they overthrow one dictator, they are finding that the Muslim brotherhood is waiting in the wings to take his place.  I’m afraid they will find that they have just thrown over one dictator for another.  The Muslim world is basically a basket case, politically, economically, and, above all, spiritually.  Despite the hundreds of billions of dollars pouring into the Muslim coffers of these oil-rich nations, only a handful of people at the top get the money, with the balance ever going deeper and deeper into poverty.  These Muslim leaders are constantly telling these people that the reason they are poverty-stricken is because of America and Israel, etc. 
    
At any rate, when these nations have the upper hand, being controlled by the Antichrist and “hating the whore,” which refers in this case to Islam, they will exact their pound of flesh.  In other words, there will be no more Islam or any other religion, whatever it might be, in those parts of the world.  No doubt, at that time, multiple thousands of Christians will, as well, give their lives for the Cause of Christ.  The Antichrist will claim to be God, and untold millions, out of fear for their lives, will claim him as such as well.

NOW IT IS TIME FOR THE FINAL SOLUTION

Now it is time for the Battle to begin.  The Antichrist will marshal his forces, which quite possibly will be the greatest army the world has ever known.  It will come from the north, the invasion route of countless invaders of centuries past.  The Antichrist will be right about one thing, this will be the last invasion, but not like he thinks.

No doubt, the man of sin will have the finest weapons available at that time, with the greatest technological advancements.  What Israel will have at that time to defend herself, we aren’t told.  Presently, she has one of the finest Air Forces in the world, as well as one of the greatest Tank Armies.  It is said, as well, that she has approximately 100 atomic bombs, but there is no Scriptural record that atomic bombs will be used in this particular Battle.  No doubt, every other type of weaponry will most definitely be used.

THE PROPHECY AGAINST GOG

“Therefore, you son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal (Ezekiel, Chapter 39, proclaims Gog’s defeat by the Lord Jesus Christ.  Incidentally, the name ‘Gog’ is another name for the Antichrist.  As well, this is the Battle of Armageddon, even as described in Rev. 16:16)” (Ezek. 39:1).

As well, “Meshech and Tubal,” has no reference to any particular locality, as some have claimed, but, instead, refers to the great confederation of Gentile nations, which have thrown in their lot with the Antichrist in order to destroy Israel.
    
One of the reasons the phrase is used accordingly is because “Gog,” the Antichrist, is a Jew, and, at least, in these circumstances, it is somewhat strange for Gentile armies to follow a Jew, especially, as he attempts to destroy his own people.
    
Even though there is no particular Scripture that specifically states that the Antichrist will be Jewish, still, it is virtually impossible that the Jews would proclaim as Messiah anyone who is not Jewish, and, at the beginning, they will think this man is the Messiah (Jn. 5:43).

ALL BUT ONE-SIXTH OF THE ARMY OF THE ANTICHRIST WILL BE TOTALLY DESTROYED

“And I will turn you back, and leave but the sixth part of you, and will cause you to come up from the north parts, and will bring you upon the mountains of Israel (five-sixths of the army of the Antichrist will be killed by the Second Coming of the Lord.  ‘And will cause you to come up from the north parts,’ does not, as previously stated, refer to Russia.  It instead refers to the invasion route being the same as it was for the Assyrians, Babylonians, Grecians, and others in the past)” (Ezek. 39:2).

If it is to be noticed, the Lord emphatically states here through the Prophet Ezekiel, “I will turn you back.”  Later Verses will proclaim as to exactly how the Lord will do this.
    
While the Antichrist thinks this is his great moment, the moment when he will totally destroy Israel, he is to be in for a rude awakening.  In fact, he is being led by the Lord into a trap.  To show how much the Lord is orchestrating this event, please notice the Passages:

     •   “I will turn you back.”
     •   “I will leave but the sixth part of you.”
     •   “I will cause you to come up from the north parts.”
     •   “I will bring you upon the mountains of Israel.”

All of the time the man of sin will be thinking that he is orchestrating events when, all of the time, the Lord is orchestrating events.

I WILL SMITE YOU . . .

“And I will smite your bow out of your left hand, and will cause your arrows to fall out of your right hand.  (The Antichrist, called ‘Gog,’ will think he is fighting Israel only, when, in truth, he is fighting the Lord, a battle he cannot hope to win)” (Ezek. 39:3).

In this Third Verse, the emphasis is on the pronoun “I.”  It is as if the Lord is saying, “This is enough,” with Him then unleashing all of His Mighty Power or, at least, enough Power to show the Antichrist and the world just Who the Lord is.

To be continued next month.

 (This message was derived from the book by Jimmy Swaggart, “Armageddon”.)

The Atmosphere of WEBC

II Timothy 2:15 – “Study to show yourself approved unto God (refers to a workman who has been put to the test and, meeting these specifications, has won the approval of the one who has subjected him to the test), a workman who needs not to be ashamed (Faith placed exclusively in the Cross will never bring shame; faith placed elsewhere will, without fail, bring shame), rightly dividing the Word of Truth.  (If one doesn’t properly understand the Cross, one cannot rightly divide the Word of Truth.)”

When choosing a place to further your knowledge of the Bible, the atmosphere you surround yourself with must be considered.  WEBC is firmly and intrinsically linked to Jimmy Swaggart Ministries (JSM).  The atmosphere here is one that has a world Vision for souls.  Since the launch of the SonLife Broadcasting Network (SBN) in 2010, this Vision has quickly become more of a reality than at any other time in the Ministry’s history.  You can be a part of this as it happens.  We are distinctly Pentecostal in our beliefs.  By that I mean that we believe in the Gifts of the Spirit and preach and teach the need for the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, not for Salvation, but for personal growth and ministry.  We believe in true Biblical Holiness and set our standards by the Word of God.  We are not a “perfect” group as no such entity exists, but we have chosen to pursue Righteousness through the means of Faith and Grace, as outlined by the Scripture.

The Message of The Cross

Understanding what Jesus accomplished for us at Calvary is of paramount importance for both Saint and sinner.  We gear our classes and our teaching towards the comprehension of this Knowledge.  Not every Church, School of Ministry, or Bible College focuses on these truths.  Every institute that promises to teach the Bible should.  To fail to concentrate on these truths will produce a Believer who is not equipped to live the Christian life, much less be a consistent Minister of God’s Word!

The High School Graduate

This time of year, the senior in High School is making major decisions regarding their up-and-coming years.  Some are sure of their direction, while others are wavering, unsure of what action to take.  Whether you are a part of the first category or the second, let me suggest that there could be no better decision than to spend the first year away from home at WEBC.  The reasons abound!  First, you need the benefit of our one-year program to better understand and solidify your faith.  You will learn the Message of the Cross and will be better equipped to handle the temptations, attacks, and efforts of Satan that will hit you in an atmosphere such as a Technical School or secular College.  We have chosen what we feel is the best schedule of classes to best equip you in the Faith, give you a great overall understanding of the Bible, and give you a chance to express it with people of a variety of ages and backgrounds.  This is a unique opportunity to solidify yourself in the Faith!

All Ages Welcome

While most of our students tend to be under 30 years of age, there are some who have experienced a lot of life before coming to WEBC.  This invitation to attend the school extends to you as well.  Over the years we have had a goodly number of folk who feel the desire just to strengthen their knowledge of the Bible.  There is an outline of our degree plans in almost every Evangelist Magazine and you can see that the first two years offer a variety of core classes that establish the Believer in the basic knowledge of the Faith.  Give WEBC a chance to prepare you for the rest of your Christian life!  For more information please call us at 225-768-3890, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. CST, or visit www.WEBC.edu!

Galatians 6:1 – “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault (pertains to moral failure, and is brought about because one has ignorantly placed himself under Law; such a position guarantees failure), you who are Spiritual (refers to those who understand God’s Prescribed Order of Victory, which is the Cross), restore such an one (tell him he failed because of reverting to Law, and that Victory can be his by placing his Faith totally in the Cross, which then gives the Holy Spirit latitude to work, Who Alone can give the Victory) in the spirit of meekness (never with an overbearing, holier-than-thou attitude); considering yourself, lest you also be tempted (the implication is that if we do not handle such a case Scripturally we, thereby, open the door for Satan to attack us in the same manner as he did the failing brother).”

“Law” Versus “Grace”

The way a Believer chooses to approach his or her walk with God is the key to Victorious Christian Living.  If the Believer chooses to walk by Faith and Grace, trusting exclusively in the Finished Work of Christ as the means by which God furnishes us with a supernatural supply, then Victorious Living lies within their grasp.  If the Believer determines (this is a moral choice, and thus, if improperly made is seen by God as a moral failure) that there is another means outside of Faith in Christ and the Cross by which we are to experience Victorious Living, true Victory in Christ will not be realized.  Some form of fleshly indulgence, ranging from the physical sin of adultery to the spiritual sin of embracing heresy or apostasy, will grip the heart of this Saint.  If not corrected it could even lead to the loss of one’s Salvation.  Therefore, how we approach our walk with God, our daily relationship with God, is vital indeed.  If we choose to walk in the Spirit, which means that we are following the Leading of the Spirit to Faith in Calvary, we have embraced the Biblical means to Sanctification.  If we choose to walk in the flesh, that is, we choose to trust in any man-made plan, program, or religious routine, then we have rejected the Biblical Route, we have chosen Law as the means to victory, and sin (in varying expressions) will have dominion over us.  It is for these failing individuals in the Church that the Command to “restore” is to be applied.  Either through ignorance or unbelief, these Believers have failed to embrace the right way to live for God.  The consequence is that sin will have dominion over them in some form.

“Overtaken In A Fault”

The manifestation of sin in the life of a truly Born-Again Believer is not what the heart of that Believer longs for.  Every truly Born-Again Believer has the seed of God implanted into their heart at the point of Regeneration and no longer desires for sin to reign and rule them.  While all Believers will at times give in to temptation, it is not the norm for them.  The heart of the Believer has been changed by the Work of the Holy Spirit at Conversion and their base desire is to live righteously and holy before their God.  These are facts that must be embraced by those who seek to restore the Believer who has been “overtaken.”  Since we have found ourselves in similar situations (maybe not the same sin but sin just the same), we should understand the hurt, the agony, and the embarrassment of having to share the knowledge of our failure with others.  To be honest, even those who have embraced the right way to live for God, the Message of the Cross, will fail on occasion.  This is not stated to encourage or embrace sinful activity, but rather, these statements are made to eliminate unrealistic expectations that we might put upon ourselves or others.  We should evaluate our direction as we pursue perfection and maturity, knowing that either we or others will ever fully apprehend that desired goal until the Trump of God sounds and we are granted Glorified bodies!  Until then we fight the good fight of Faith and we pursue holiness by the means of Faith and Grace.  When a Believer is overtaken we must be kind and compassionate!  True Believers love mercy for they have a great need of it themselves and know it.

“You Who Are Spiritual”

In Paul’s mind, those in the Galatia region who would be counted as spiritual were those who had not been detoured from the Gospel he taught them by the influential teaching of the men we now know as “Judaizers.”  These were men that taught that even though they had accepted Jesus as their Saviour, the Galatian converts must now follow faith up by becoming obedient to all the tenants of the Mosaic Law.  This would include feast days, circumcisions, new moon festivals, etc.  While these once gave man a Symbol of Who Christ would be and what He would do, the Death of Christ on Calvary fulfilled completely the righteous demands of the Law and those who accept Him are no longer “under” the Law (see Col. 2:14; Rom. 7:4).  Those who would embrace the false direction of the Judaizers, this “other gospel,” would soon find themselves being dominated again by the sin nature and carrying out different forms of sin.  Knowing this to be true, Paul exhorted those who had not faltered from his teachings centered upon Christ and Him Crucified to be aware of the outcome of “walking in the flesh.”  He exhorted those who were properly “walking in the Spirit” and commanded that they should take it upon themselves to come to the aid of those who were faltering.

“Restore”

For those of us who know the Message of the Cross, the mandate is clear.  We are not to be those who hold the knowledge of these truths as badges of exaltation to the flesh.  We are they who walk humbly, do justly, and love mercy.  We are the ones who climb into the pit to help our brother and sister out of the mire that sin has created for them.  We are not afraid to get our hands dirty or our clothes bloody.  We are to travel to where they lie, broken and wounded by the deceiver, and release them from the bondages of hopelessness, of shame, of frustration, and doubt.  We are to offer to the fallen the hand of consolation instead of bringing the crush of condemnation.  We are chosen, we are commanded, and we are critically positioned to bring them to the knowledge of the Cross.  Exhorting them to depart from faith in any other means outside of the Cross we are to wait patiently for their eyes and heart to be focused upon the truths of what Jesus did for us.  Then the manifestation of sin that abounded around them will be destroyed, their hope will be restored, their Faith engrossed in the Cross, and their souls will be subdued by the Power and Presence of the Holy Spirit.  “You who are Spiritual, restore!”

WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT FOR BELIEVERS TO PLACE THEIR FAITH EXCLUSIVELY IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST?

It is difficult for Believers to place their Faith exclusively in the Cross of Christ because it goes against the flesh. In other words, it belittles our human effort, human ability, human strength, etc., which doesn’t sit well with most of us.

As well, we as Believers are very proficient at loading up the flesh with Scriptures, which makes us think it’s of the Spirit, when it isn’t. It’s very hard for us to admit to ourselves that what needs to be done, we cannot do. In fact, that’s probably the most difficult thing that the Holy Spirit has to do in order for us to understand this great Truth.

For instance, this Sunday morning, preachers will stand before television cameras and tell their audience that if they will take the Lord’s Supper every day, or some such time frame, they’ll have Victory within their lives and prosperity, etc. Another one tells their listeners that if they will memorize three Scriptures a day, as it regards their particular problem, whatever it might be, and quote them over and over again, this will bring God on the scene, for God has to abide by His Word.

While the Lord’s Supper is most definitely Scriptural, that is, if carried out in the right way, and while memorizing Scriptures is very profitable as well, which I do constantly, still, that is taking something that wasn’t meant to be, at least as we’re trying to make it, which the Lord will never accept. In fact, all of these religious efforts present themselves as the greatest fault of the Child of God.

While the Lord’s Supper is definitely not a work of the flesh, we most definitely turn it into one when we try to make it into something it was never intended to be. When we do this, it is an insult to Christ, and as well, to the Holy Spirit.

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SPIRITUAL ADULTERY

Whenever our faith is placed in anything other than the Cross of Christ exclusively, we as Believers, in a sense, are living in a state of spiritual adultery. Listen again to Paul. While the following is quite voluminous, still, I think it is profitable for the Believer for us to copy it word for word from THE EXPOSITOR’S STUDY BIBLE.

“Know ye not, Brethren (Paul is speaking to Believers), (for I speak to them who know the Law,) (he is speaking of the Law of Moses, but it could refer to any type of religious Law) how that the Law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? (The Law has dominion as long as he tries to live by Law. Regrettably, not understanding the Cross regarding Sanctification, virtually the entirety of the Church is presently trying to live for God by means of the Law. Let the Believer understand that there are only two places he can be, Grace or Law. If he doesn’t understand the Cross as it refers to Sanctification, which is the only means of Victory, he will automatically be under Law, which guarantees failure.)”

AN ADULTERESS

“For the woman which has an husband is bound by the Law to her husband so long as he lives (presents Paul using the analogy of the marriage bond); but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the Law of her husband (meaning that she is free to marry again).

“So then if, while herhusband lives, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress (in effect, the woman now has two husbands, at least in the Eyes of God; following this analogy, the Holy Spirit through Paul will give us a great truth; many Christians are living a life of spiritual adultery; they are married to Christ, but they are, in effect, serving another husband, ‘the Law’; it is quite an analogy!): but if her husband be dead (the Law is dead by virtue of Christ having fulfilled the Law in every respect), she is free from that Law (if the husband dies, the woman is free to marry and serve another; the Law of Moses, being satisfied in Christ, is now dead to the Believer and the Believer is free to serve Christ without the Law having any part or parcel in his life or living); so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man (presents the Believer as now married to Christ, and no longer under obligation to the Law).”

MARRIED TO CHRIST

“Wherefore, my Brethren, you also are become dead to the Law (the Law is not dead per se, but we are dead to the Law because we are dead to its effects; this means that we are not to try to live for God by means of ‘Law,’ whether the Law of Moses, or religious Laws made up by other men or of ourselves; we are to be dead to all religious Law) by the Body of Christ (this refers to the Crucifixion of Christ, which satisfied the demands of the broken Law, which we could not satisfy; but Christ did it for us; having fulfilled the Mosaic Law in every respect, the Christian is not obligated to Law in any fashion, only to Christ and what He did at the Cross); that you should be married to another (speaking of Christ), even to Him Who is raised from the dead (we are raised with Him in Newness of Life, and we should ever understand that Christ has met, does meet, and shall meet our every need; we look to Him exclusively, referring to what He did for us at the Cross), that we should bring forth fruit unto God (proper fruit can only be brought forth by the Believer constantly looking to the Cross; in fact, Christ must never be separated from the Work of the Cross; to do so is to produce ‘another Jesus’ [II Cor. 11:4])” (Rom. 7:1-4).

THAT WHICH GREATLY HINDERS THE HOLY SPIRIT

All of this tells us that any Believer, who places his or her faith in anything except the Cross of Christ exclusively, is being unfaithful to Christ, which means that such a person is living in a state of spiritual adultery. To be sure, that will greatly hinder the Holy Spirit. Thank God, He doesn’t leave us in such situations, for all of us have ventured into these areas, but it does hurt greatly.

As Believers, and as stated in the notes, we are married to Christ. We are to be faithful to Him in every respect; however, when we place our faith in anything other than the Cross of Christ, and no matter how good the other thing may be in its own right, the Lord looks at us as having committed and continuing to commit spiritual adultery. In other words, in the Mind and Eyes of God, it is the same thing as a husband being unfaithful to his wife or a wife being unfaithful to her husband. As anyone should understand, adultery is a most serious thing. In fact, most marriages in the natural sense do not survive such. But, we must also understand that in the spiritual sense, it is just as telling and just as debilitating.

Thank God that the Holy Spirit isn’t human. Were He, He would have abandoned us a long time before; however, He is God. As such, He will stay with us as long as He can and will, in fact, do everything He can for us, despite the fact that we are living in a state of spiritual adultery. Let us say it again:

Any Believer, who places his or her faith in anything except the Cross of Christ exclusively, is living in a state of spiritual adultery, which greatly hinders the Holy Spirit, and which is the cause of virtually all failure in the lives of Believers.

Regrettably, the modern Church, for all practical purposes, is Cross illiterate. In other words, we have strayed so far from the Gospel that anymore the modern church hardly knows what the Gospel actually is. In short, the Gospel is, “Jesus Christ and Him Crucified” (I Cor. 1:17).

THE CROSS PROVIDES THE LEGAL RIGHT FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO WORK

What do we mean by that statement?

The Work of Christ on the Cross was and is a legal work. Man had sinned against God, which means he owed a debt to God that he simply could not pay. It was a legal debt, and because the Law of God had been broken. Man is a lawbreaker.

For the account to be settled, in other words, for the thing to be made right, the debt would have to be paid. It was legally owed, and as a result, the debt must be legally satisfied. However, in this regard, man finds himself in an acute dilemma. In other words, it’s a debt he cannot hope to pay, no matter how hard he tries, but if man is to be salvaged, the debt has got to be paid.

It was paid, and by the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Only Son, Who gave Himself as a perfect Sacrifice, which God accepted as payment in full.

With the sin debt lifted, thereby paid, at least for all who will believe (Jn. 3:16), this made it possible, and makes it possible, for the Holy Spirit to come into the heart and life of the Believer and there to abide forever (Jn. 14:16-17).

Before the Cross, and because the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins, the Holy Spirit was limited as to what He could do with, for, and upon Believers. But since the Cross, the way has been opened for Him to function in our hearts and lives in a totally different way. All of this is not because of the great and good things we have done, but because of the great and good thing that the Lord did at the Cross of Calvary. Again, we go back to the Cross!

Now, unequivocally, we are told in the Word of God as to exactly how the Holy Spirit works. In fact, it is labeled a “Law,” referring to its legality. It’s the way that He works, and the only way that He works, meaning that He will work no other way. Let’s see what the Word of God says:

LIFE IN THE SPIRIT

“There is therefore now no condemnation (guilt) to them which are in Christ Jesus (refers back to Rom. 6:3-5 and our being baptized into His Death, which speaks of the Crucifixion), who walk not after the flesh (depending on one’s personal strength and ability or great religious efforts in order to overcome sin), but after the Spirit (the Holy Spirit works exclusively within the legal confines of the Finished Work of Christ; our Faith in that Finished Work, i.e., ‘the Cross,’ guarantees the help of the Holy Spirit, which guarantees Victory).”

THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT

Now we come to the manner and way in which the Holy Spirit works and, in fact, meaning that He will work in no other fashion. This is a “Law.”

Paul said:

“For the Law (that which we are about to give is a Law of God, devised by the Godhead in eternity past [I Pet. 1:18-20]; this Law, in fact, is ‘God’s Prescribed Order of Victory’) of the Spirit (Holy Spirit, i.e., ‘the way the Spirit works’) of Life (all life comes from Christ, but through the Holy Spirit [Jn. 16:13-14]) in Christ Jesus (any time Paul uses this term or one of its derivatives, he is, without fail, referring to what Christ did at the Cross, which makes this ‘life’ possible) has made me free (given me total Victory) from the Law of Sin and Death (these are the two most powerful Laws in the Universe; the ‘Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus’ alone is stronger than the ‘Law of Sin and Death’; this means that if the Believer attempts to live for God by any manner other than Faith in Christ and the Cross, he is doomed to failure)” (Rom. 8:1-2).

In closing this Chapter, hopefully, we have given you the manner in which the Holy Spirit works, which is at least one of the single most important factors in the belief system of the Child of God. Understanding this, and we pray that we have made it easily understandable, such a Believer has now learned God’s provision of life and living, in other words, how to live a victorious life, victorious over the world, the flesh, and the Devil.

THE REVELATION

The promise of this Revelation was some nine years before it was possessed. As we often say, there is a great distance between the Promise and the Possession.

The year was 1988. It was the month of March, and my whole world had crashed, and I was left with little understanding. How could it happen? Why did it happen? How was such possible?

The day in question, both Frances and I had stayed home from the office for the purpose of spending the day in prayer. To be sure, we had much to pray about.

Our house is outside the city limits and sits on some twenty acres of land. In those days, whenever I prayed each day, I would walk around the perimeter. At that particular time I was at the back of the property.

Never in all of my life have I experienced such demonic oppression as I did that particular morning. Satan can be very convincing in his accusations. He began to tell me how I had disgraced my family, disgraced my Church, disgraced myself, and above all, had disgraced the Work of God.

If I remember correctly, I had eight hundred dollars in the bank. He suggested to me, “Take that money and just disappear.” He went on to say, “You’ll be doing the Work of God a service, if you are out of the picture.”

In fact, his oppression became so powerful that I remonstrated to the Lord, “Lord, You promised that You would not allow anything to come upon us any harder than we could bear, but with every temptation, that You would make a way of escape.”

I then said, “Lord, I think that You are allowing more than a human being can stand.” I then sobbed out, “Please help me!”

THE MOVING OF THE SPIRIT

In all of my life I don’t think that I’ve ever experienced something such as that which happened that particular day. One moment it seemed like there were a thousand pounds on my shoulders, and growing heavier by the moment. And then, all of a sudden, it happened.

The next moment, the Spirit of the Lord covered me. The weight instantly lifted, and it was like I was floating in air. One moment it was impossible, and the next moment, anything was possible. It was like the Lord said, “That’s enough,” and Satan immediately left.

As I stood there weeping before the Lord, He then spoke to my heart. It was very short and to the point. He said:

“I’m going to show you things about the Holy Spirit you do not now know.”

As I stood there thinking about that for a moment, I realized instantly that there were all kinds of things about the Holy Spirit I did not know. He is God, so, how much do we really know? Yet, I realized that the Lord was addressing the situation at hand.

TIME WHICH FOLLOWED

I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Lord had spoken these words to my heart, but there was nothing that happened. Days went into weeks and weeks into months, and still nothing. Oftentimes I thought about it, knowing that the Lord had spoken to me, yet there was nothing I could put my finger on that I knew was the fulfillment of that Promise. In fact, nine years passed. As I’ve stated, there is a great distance between the Promise and the Possession.

THE REVELATION OF THE CROSS

To fast-forward to 1997, the Revelation that changed my life was to take place at that particular time. Without going into detail, first of all, the Lord showed me the meaning of the sin nature, taking me to Romans, Chapter 6.

A few days later, while in one of the morning prayer meetings, He showed me the solution to the sin nature, saying to me three things, but all very similar. They are:

• The answer for which you seek is found in the Cross.
• The solution for which you seek is found in the Cross.
• The answer for which you seek is found only in the Cross.

Nothing about the Holy Spirit was said, and yet, I knew that whatever the Lord did, the Holy Spirit was very much involved.

However, the Lord did not mention to me the Holy Spirit at that time, only the Cross. While I was literally ecstatic with joy, so much so that it was like I was in another world, at least for a short period of time, still, there was the nagging question about the Holy Spirit.

If the Cross of Christ were the answer and, in fact, the only answer, where did this leave the Holy Spirit?

I knew that the Holy Spirit had helped me to touch a great portion of the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, seeing literally hundreds of thousands brought to a saving knowledge of our Lord. As well, I had seen tens of thousands baptized with the Holy Spirit, for which we give the Lord all the Praise and all the Glory.

I prayed about it very much, but all I could do was leave it with the Lord.

HOW THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKS

Several weeks passed, and rejoicing night and day, I began to teach the Cross over our very small radio network. Then it was only two or three stations, where now it is seventy-eight stations.

At any rate, as we were nearing the conclusion to the program that morning, all of a sudden, I made a statement that shocked me. I had not studied the statement, had not heard the statement, had not read it anywhere, yet, I knew it was true. I have never had anything like this to happen to me before or since.

I made the statement, “The Holy Spirit works exclusively within the parameters of the Finished Work of Christ, and will not work outside of those parameters.”

As stated, I had never read such a statement, had never heard such a statement, and had not thought about it previously to this moment. I just made the statement and then sat there stunned at what I had said, yet I knew that it was right.

As I paused, Loren Larson, who was seated across the table from me, spoke up, saying, “Can you give me Scripture for that?”

Once again, how could I give a Scripture when I didn’t even really know what I had said! But then, the Spirit of God began to move upon me exactly as He had a few moments before. He drew my attention to Romans 8:2. I then quoted it:

“The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, has made me free from the Law of Sin and Death.” And, once again, I knew it was right.

The program was coming to a conclusion and when it ended, I sat there for a few moments literally stunned at what had taken place.

I then arose and turned to my right to walk out the door in order to leave the Studio, but then, the Spirit of the Lord came on me again, and I stopped.

The Lord spoke to me, saying, “Do you remember what I told you that day in March, 1988, that I would show you things about the Holy Spirit that you did not then know?”

I stood there a moment with tears running down my face and said, “Yes Lord, I remember!”

He said, “I have just fulfilled My Promise to you. That which I have given you, you have not previously known.”

In fact, that which the Lord gave to me that morning in 1997 has completely revolutionized my thinking in every respect. I now know how the Holy Spirit works in our hearts and lives. He works exclusively by and through the Cross of Christ. That means, as I have repeatedly stated, that the Cross of Christ must ever be the Object of our Faith.

A NEW TRUTH?

No, it’s not a new Truth! It’s that which the Lord gave to the Apostle Paul nearly two thousand years ago; however, having said that, it must as well be recognized that this is a Truth that the modern church knows little or nothing about. Considering how important that it is, how all-encompassing it is, it’s a great Truth that the Holy Spirit intends, even demands, that all of us know.

“We would see Jesus, for the shadows lengthen,
“Across this little landscape of our life;
“We would see Jesus, our weak Faith to strengthen,
“For the last weariness, the final strife.”

“We would see Jesus, the great Rock Foundation,
“Whereon our feet were set with sovereign Grace;
“Not life, nor death, with all their agitation,
“Can thence remove us, if we see His Face.”

“We would see Jesus, other lights are paling,
“Which for long years we have rejoiced to see;
“The blessings of our pilgrimage are falling,
“We would not mourn them, for we go to Thee.”

(This message was derived from the book, “Brother Swaggart, Here Is My Question About The Holy Spirit”.)

Abraham was called out of the land of Ur to be the Father of a new and separate race of people.  Years later the Lord established the Nation of Israel under the Mosaic Covenant.  At that time, God actually gave the Nation detailed laws and regulations on how it was to be governed, how poverty was to be dealt with, how widows were to be helped, and how injustices were to be corrected.  Isn’t that interesting?  God even dealt with the economy!  These matters were addressed almost exclusively within the context of the Nation of Israel, showing little dealings concerning surrounding nations (this did change somewhat in the New Testament, which we will discuss later on).

THE LAW

In Leviticus 19:9-10, we read about the “Law of Gleanings.”  Under this Law, the Israelites were to leave the corner of their fields and not glean/gather from them, but rather, they were to leave it for the poor to glean.  This was to promote a general spirit of mercy to others who are suffering and in need.  This Law even included the vineyards.  The owners of the vineyards were not to gather all of the grapes in the vineyards.  Some was to be left for the poor or the stranger that might wander into their lands.  You see, the Lord provided several means to help the poor in Israel.  There was also the concept of a “Kinsman Redeemer” (who was actually a Type of Christ).  A “Kinsman Redeemer” was a close relative designated to alleviate their relatives’ troubles, including poverty.  Leviticus 25:25 explains it that if a fellow countryman becomes so poor that he has to sell part of his property, then his nearest kinsmen is to come and buy back the portion his relative had to sell.  In the Book of Ruth, we see a perfect example of how this worked.  In Deuteronomy 15:11, the Lord tells Israel, “. . . the poor will never cease to be in the land:  therefore I command you, saying, You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and poor in your land.”  In Isaiah 10:1-2, the Lord tells His People, “Woe to those who enact evil statutes, and to those who constantly record unjust decisions, so as to deprive the needy of justice and rob the poor of My People of their rights, so that widows may be their spoil and that they may plunder the orphans.”  The poor, needy, and destitute were cared for, but notice, it was not an entitlement program or a system that allowed the lazy to avoid working that God instituted.  Rather, it was a system that taught mercy and love.  It was simply designed to help those that were unable to help themselves.  Laziness was not rewarded. 

GOD’S WAY

Proverbs 10:4 says, “He becomes poor who deals with a slack hand:  but the hand of the diligent makes rich.”  Proverbs 10:5:  “He who gathers in summer is a wise son:  but he who sleeps in harvest is a son that causes shame.”  Proverbs 12:24:  “The hand of the diligent shall bear rule:  but the slothful shall be under tribute.”  Proverbs 14:23:  “In all labor there is profit:  but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.”  Proverbs 18:9:  “He also who is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.”  Proverbs 19:15:  “Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.”  Proverbs 20:4:  “The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.”  Proverbs 21:25:  “The desire of the slothful kills him; for his hands refuse to labor.”  Proverbs 23:21:  “For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty:  and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.”  Ecclesiastes 10:18:  “By much slothfulness the building decays; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.”  II Thessalonians 3:10-11:  “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.  For we hear that there are some who walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.”  This last verse was particularly interesting because it points out that God puts refusal to work in the category of disorder.  Remember the true Blessings of God come as we walk in His Will.  If we are out of order, it will limit what God can do for us.  Welfare programs were not put in place to benefit the poor, and food stamps were not given away in Israel, but rather, grain was left in the field for the poor to glean, grapes were left in the vineyards, and a “Kinsman Redeemer” helped the orphaned and widowed.  What I want the reader to understand is that each person had to provide for himself and his family to the best of his ability. 

COMMERCE

There was also commerce in Israel.  I Kings 10:28-29 says, “And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn:  the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.  And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty:  and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.”  II Chronicles 9:21:  “For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram:  every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.”  Proverbs 31:14-18:  “She is like the merchants’ ships; she brings her food from afar.  She rises also while it is yet night, and gives meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.  She considers a field, and buys it:  with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.  She girds her loins with strength, and strengthens her arms.  She perceiveth that her merchandise is good:  her candle goes not out by night.”  Proverbs 11:26:  “He who withholds corn, the people shall curse him:  but blessing shall be upon the head of him who sells it.”  Isaiah 23:3:  “And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.”  Mark 11:15-17:  “And they come to Jerusalem:  and Jesus went into the Temple, and began to cast out them who sold and bought in the Temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them who sold doves; And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the Temple.  And He taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My House shall be called of all nations the House of Prayer? but you have made it a den of thieves.”

TRADE

Acts 19:23-28:  “And the same time there arose no small stir about that Way, For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, you know that by this craft we have our wealth.  Moreover you see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:  So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships.  And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.”  Revelation 18:11-13:  “And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buys their merchandise any more:  The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.”  Trade is spoken of in I Kings 10:28-29:  “And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn:  the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.  And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty:  and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.”  Ezekiel 27:12:  “Tarshish was your merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in your fairs.”

ECONOMY

    
There was also bartering.  Genesis 47:15-17:  “And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread:  for why should we die in your presence? for the money fails.  And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail.  And they brought their cattle unto Joseph:  and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses:  and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.”  I Kings 5:10-11:  “So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.  And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil:  thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.”  The Bible also speaks of payment.  Genesis 14:22-24:  “And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up my hand unto the LORD, the Most High God, the Possessor of heaven and Earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is yours, lest you should say, I have made Abram rich:  Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”  Ezra 3:7:  “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.”  Romans 4:4:  “Now to him who works is the reward not reckoned of Grace, but of debt.”  Ephesians 1:14:  “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His Glory.”

WORK AND LABOR

Work and labor are actually mentioned in many Scriptures.  Genesis 2:15:  “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”  Genesis 3:17-19:  “And unto Adam He said, Because you have hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat of it:  cursed is the ground for your sake; in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days of your life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to you; and you shall eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread, till you return unto the ground; for out of it were you taken:  for dust you art, and unto dust shall you return.”  Jeremiah 22:13:  “Woe unto him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that uses his neighbour’s service without wages, and gives him not for his work.”  Leviticus 19:13:  “You shall not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him:  the wages of him who is hired shall not abide with you all night until the morning.”  Deuteronomy 24:14:  “You shall not oppress an hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he be of your brethren, or of your strangers who are in your land within your gates.”  Exodus 20:9:  “Six days shall you labour, and do all your work.”  Psalms 104:23:  “Man goes forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.” 

FREE ENTERPRISE

I could give many more Scriptures, but for lack of space, I will mention only a few more to show what the Bible teaches about laborers being worthy of their hire.  Luke 10:7:  “And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give:  for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.”  I Timothy 5:18:  “For the Scripture says, You shall not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn.  And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.”  In the Old Testament, we see that ownership of land was taught.  In II Samuel 24:18-24, we see David going to Araunah the Jebusite to purchase a threshingfloor to build an Altar unto the Lord.  Araunah tells David he will give it to him, along with the oxen, the wood, and the threshing instruments.  But, in Verse 24, King David replies, “No; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price.”  In the Old Testament, a person’s wealth was determined by how much land and by how many sheep, oxen, goats, camels, etc. he had.  God gave land to His Nation, and they were to take and divide it among the Tribes of Israel.  Along with laws and a system of Government, every man and woman was given their inherited land, land to work, buy, sell, farm and grow their crops, and feed their cattle.  But, of course, first and foremost was their worship of God.
    
Today this free enterprise is called capitalism.  Our forefathers took great pains to make sure our nation was founded upon economic freedoms, as well as other freedoms, for every man, woman, and child!  The United States was established upon liberating, constitutional principles and steeped in free-market capitalism.  It is a proud heritage, and because of the opportunities that it offered, America was populated by an industrious people, individuals which labored diligently to build the most historically powerful nation on Earth!  Unfortunately today, many citizens are failing to understand its value.  It used to be a nation whose people were people of worth and dignity, a nation of which the people were embedded with a work ethic that excelled that of any other nation, and a nation in which it was considered immoral and shameful to accept unearned handouts or to live off the sweat of another man’s brow, but we have been infested by a bunch of socialist/communist crusaders (most of whom have never worked an honest day’s work in their lives), that promote the Communist Manifesto over our U.S. Constitution and harbor disdain of the free-market system to which they actually owe their lofty existence and high stations.  God help us come back to our foundations or this country will not remain the same!