The Mystery

A mystery or secret doctrine of which initiation is necessary; in the New Testament. The counsels of God, once hidden but now revealed in the Gospel or some fact thereof; the Christian revelation generally; particular truths or details of the Christian revelation.

The Revelation

An uncovering, an unveiling, revealing, revelation, disclosure. The book of the Revelation begins with John the Revelator addressing the seven churches in Asia.

What follows is an amazing prophetic insight of God’s plan and purpose for His creation from Genesis to the End of the Age.

Revelation 1:1, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, verse 2, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw. Verse 3. Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Verse 4. “John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, verse 5, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— Verse 6, and He made us into a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Verse 7. BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.”

Verse 8. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

I have color-coded certain words and phrases in these verses to draw attention to the Mystery of the Apocalypse.  Others are color-coded in red to draw attention to their obvious and transcendent truth.

THE WORD OF GOD – THE ONLY WAY TO SAFETY AND SUCCESS

The cosmos and this world and everything in them, which God created from the beginning, were ‘Good’.  God called all of His creation ‘Good’, and all things were ‘good’ because the process and the outcome of creation was perfectly in accordance to God’s Will, His Plan and His Purpose.

It may sound odd to say, but the scriptures about creation, particularly the creation of Adam and Eve, found in the Book of Genesis, seem to contain several contradictions.

THE FIRST ‘CONTRADICTION’

Revelation 1:1, says, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place…”  These words were written sometime around A.D. 90. Over 1,900 years have passed since this prophecy was written, and according to the God-breathed and Holy Spirit inspired Word of God. The first ‘contradiction’, if that is possible, is if these were ‘to soon take place’, why haven’t they? But that is the wrong question to ask.

The right question to ask is, “Is this is more rock-solid evidence that the breaking of the first tribulation seals began at the birth of Christ and ‘the things which must soon take place’ began to appear around the time John the Apostle wrote his Apocalypse?”

This prophetic statement, “the things which must soon take plac” fits perfectly with the words of Jesus and the Apostles Paul, Peter and Timothy, written around A.D. 30. They illustrate, by the use of the TENSE of the words, the timing of certain events (I.e., when they began). Please read and study this carefully. These statements are found in :

• Hebrews 1:2,
  • • “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.“
    • “Last (days): from Strong’s concordance #2078: ésxatos (from esxaton, “end, last”) – properly, last, final (the furthest, extreme-end). #2078/esxatos , (“future things”), the root of “eschatology” is “the study of last things.” This includes future Bible prophecy, the end-times, and life after death (“the after-life”).

• Hebrews 9:26,
  • • “for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”
      
    • “End of the ages”: from Strong’s concordance #4930, syntéleia (from 4862 /sýn, “close together with” and 5055 /teléō, “complete, consummate”) – culmination (completion), i.e. when the parts come together into a whole (“consummation“) – “an end involving many parts” (B. F. Westcott). See 4931 (synteléō). that ushers in a new time-era/age (Mt 13:39,40,49,24:3, 28:20).

• Acts 2:14-17,

  • • But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

      “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
      that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh”

    • “Last (days): from Strong’s concordance #2078: ésxatos (from esxaton, “end, last”) – properly, last, final (the furthest, extreme-end). #2078/esxatos , (“future things”), the root of “eschatology” is “the study of last things.” This includes future Bible prophecy, the end-times, and life after death (“the after-life”).

• 2 Timothy 3:1,

• • • “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.”
    • “Last (days): from Strong’s concordance #2078: ésxatos (from esxaton, “end, last”) – properly, last, final (the furthest, extreme-end). #2078/esxatos , (“future things”), the root of “eschatology” is “the study of last things.” This includes future Bible prophecy, the end-times, and life after death (“the after-life”).

• 1 Peter 1:20,

• • • “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.”
      
    • “Last (days): from Strong’s concordance #2078: ésxatos (from esxaton, “end, last”) – properly, last, final (the furthest, extreme-end). #2078/esxatos , (“future things”), the root of “eschatology” is “the study of last things.” This includes future Bible prophecy, the end-times, and life after death (“the after-life”).

• 1 Peter 4:7,
  • • “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.”
      

    • End (of all things): from Strong’s concordance #5056: télos (a neuter noun) – properly, consummation (the end-goal, purpose), such as closure with all its results. [This root (tel-) means “reaching the end (aim).” It is well-illustrated with the old pirate’s telescope, unfolding (extending out) one stage at a time to function at full-strength (capacity effectiveness).]

• 2 Peter 3:3.
  • • “knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.”

• • • “Last (days): from Strong’s concordance #2078: ésxatos (from esxaton, “end, last”) – properly, last, final (the furthest, extreme-end). #2078/esxatos , (“future things”), the root of “eschatology” is “the study of last things.” This includes future Bible prophecy, the end-times, and life after death (“the after-life”).

• 1 John 2:18. 
  • • “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.”
      
    • “Last (hour): from Strong’s concordance #2078: ésxatos (from esxaton, “end, last”) – properly, last, final (the furthest, extreme-end). #2078/esxatos , (“future things”), the root of “eschatology” is “the study of last things.” This includes future Bible prophecy, the end-times, and life after death (“the after-life”).

All of the cited verses were spoken and written sometime as early as A.D. 30 as late as A.D. 69. This illustrates and informs us that these are the times of the “beginning of sorrows”, a.k.a,  the early days of tribulation (small ‘t’) – Seals ONE through FIVE are distinct from the SIXTH and SEVENTH Tribulation Seals which are the beginning of the final 7 years of Great Tribulation, and include the 7 Trumpet Judgements and the 7 Bowl Judgements – also known as “Daniel’s 70th Week”, “The Great Tribulation”, “The Days of Wrath” or “The Day of The Lord”.

Here is the Tribulation Timeline, in summary:

The opening of Tribulation Seal ONE began between A.D. 30 and A.D. 69, and perhaps as early as 2 B.C.   Seals ONE through FIVE have been broken, progressively, up until this day.

So, in this case there is no contradiction. It is a clear and positive explanation of the timing of ‘the beginning of the End of all Things’ – The tribulation had begun.  We are now standing at the precipice of the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal – which is the beginning of the final 7 years!

THE SECOND ‘CONTRADICTION’ – BACK TO THE BEGINNING

So, what does Genesis and the creation of man and woman have to do with the tribulation, the Revelation and the End of all Things? It shows that God planned all things to occur just has they have occurred from the very beginning. He planned it all.

Man and woman were created ‘in His image’ but as crazy as it sounds, the Hebrew language reveals, they were created with a flaw. They were created with a ‘as a mere image or a shadowed reflection of the Perfect God; an illusion with a dubious character’; but they were created with the potential of perfection.

This is shown as Adam and Eve sinned and doomed all humankind to live under the curse of sin. But, this was God’s plan all along, so He provided a solution, a Savior, His Son, Jesus. And the plan of Perfecting began.

Genesis 1:1, says, “In the beginning God, (Elohim), created the heavens and the earth. Verse 2. And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Verse 3. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. Verse 4. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. Verse 5. God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening and there was morning, one day.” And, God saw that it was good. (etcetera).

THE MAJOR EVENT

Then, in Genesis 1:26, “God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness.”

This is a major event. The seminal event in all creation. God is making a creature He calls ‘mankind’ in His, (Their), own image and according to Their likeness.

AN ODD THING

In the midst of His creation work, an odd thing occurs.  This is an event, an occurrence in the creation of mankind, which is completely overlooked by the vast majority, if not all, Bible teachers. This is a bit technical, but please pay particular attention, as this is a game-changer.

Genesis 1, Verse 27. “So, God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

It may seem tedious to look at the wording of this verse, as it was written in the original Hebrew language, but it is vitally important for our understanding of God’s Design, plan and purpose:

Verse 27. “So created God, man in His own image, in the image of God, He created him, male and female, He created them.”

man =adam, from ‘adam’; man, mankind. ruddy, i.e. A human being (an individual or the species, mankind.

 In Him own image = tselem = an image; a mere, empty, image, semblance; image, vain show, from an unused root meaning to shade; a phantom, i.e., an illusion, a resemblance; hence, a representative figure, especially an idol, an image, a vain shew, of dubious character.

 In the image = tselem = an image; a mere, empty, image, semblance; image, vain show, from an unused root meaning to shade; a phantom, i.e., an illusion, a resemblance; hence, a representative figure, especially an idol, an image, a vain shew, of dubious character.

 Male = zakar = A male

 Female = naqab = female, from the sexual form.

 Genesis 1, Verse 27 , in other words, says, “So, God, signifying that this is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, created, shaped through a formative process to make man, that is, mankind, ruddy, i.e., a human being, an individual of the species of mankind, in His own image, in the image; a mere, empty, image, semblance; image, vain show, from an unused root meaning to shade; a phantom, i.e., an illusion, a resemblance; hence, a representative figure, especially an idol, an image, a vain shew, of dubious character, of God, yet having potential of being very great, mighty, and consisting as a plural in the ordinary sense, He created him, shaped, created, through a formative process; male and female He created them.”

RECAP:

1. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, created, shaped and formed mankind.
2. God created mankind ‘in His Own image’, which initially was a mere faint image of Himself; a vain representation, a shadow of the Original; an icon, a phantom pattern, an illusion, a mere resemblance; a being of dubious nature.
3. God has deliberately made man and woman with a flaw, and destined them to fail.
4. God would, through a formative process which would take a millennium, provide a way for man and woman to be redeemed and recreated into His perfect image through a Savior, His Son, Jesus.

 Once again, there is no contradiction. God created man and woman with a flaw – He created you and me with a flaw – and destined us to fail WITH A PURPOSE. He also provided a Savior to redeem you from failure. Through all time, God is perfecting His creation, man and woman, into the very image of Jesus the Christ,

The Purpose of God’s Eternal Plan is “Perfection”.  He is maturing and perfecting you into His image, ultimately to live in Perfect harmony with Him and with one another, in a New and Perfect heaven and earth.

“Because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:14

Each and every chapter, verse and word in the Bible, when viewed within this context of God’s Eternal Plan of Perfection, begins to make perfect sense.

Read it. Know it. Believe it. Live it.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PS:  This description of the Apocalypse comes from a careful and painstaking, decades-long study. I did not come to these conclusions easily; it was done through much prayer, study, labor and criticism.

Why does it matter “when” the tribulation starts or “when” Christians are to be raptured into heavens?

It matters because being ready for His Return is proof of True Christianity and only a True Believer in Christ will be guaranteed to join Christ at the sound of His Great Trumpet call and escape the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.

It matters because being ready requires believing and doing what He has instructed us to do in preparation for His return.

It matters because He has warned that “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

It matters because many Christians are sitting idly waiting for an event that has already begun and they are not DOING what He told them to do and therefore are in grave danger.

It matters because some of our family, friends and neighbors are completely unaware or just don’t believe that Christ will return and God’s final judgments will sentence them to outer darkness.

Because, as Christians, our faith, our convictions and our behavior
Are speaking louder than our words.

Now I am certain – no, make that ‘I am galvanized’ in my certainty, and I believe you may come to the same conclusions given the same dedication to uncovering the truth.

THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 65

“What are you seeking?”

“The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them,

“What are you seeking?”

“And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them,

 “Come and you will see.”

The Words of Jesus, John 1:35-39

The most provocative and probing question to be considered, and the greatest of invitations. Follow this narrative between Jesus and these disciples, and you may better find your way, as well as learning how to witness the Living Christ more effectively.

Jesus sees two men following Him and asks, “What are you seeking?” He does not launch into an explanation of who He is or ‘hand out a witness track’ (tongues-in-cheek here). Asking what they are seeking does two things: (1). It informs the person asking. (2). It commits the one answering the question.

Remembering that the words of Jesus are creative, causative, prophetic and instructional, (and yes, they are all of these things, all at the same time), Jesus’ question is creating and causing a prophetic sequence which becomes instructional in the lives of these two men.

When you do the same, in the name and according to the will of God, the same thing will occur!

Oddly enough, these men do not answer with question about the mission or nature of Jesus. They just want to know where He is staying. Could it be that they want to observe and learn from Him by staying in His presence?  Jesus replies, simply, “Come and you will see”.

“What are you seeking (in life)” is the most asked and the greatest of all questions. It is the premier question to ask someone before leading them to Jesus. And, the concluding remarks, “Come and you will see“ are all that need be said. “Come and you will see”.

And, shouldn’t it be the same, even for us as disciples of Jesus? Shouldn’t we still consider that Jesus is asking us what we are seeking?”.  In other words, why exactly are you following Him?

And, shouldn’t we be asking, “where are you staying, Jesus?”, with the intention of staying on with Him?

In reality, He is still saying, to us who would follow Him, “Come and you will see”.

Selah – think on this.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PREVIOUS:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them?, “But, Some Doubted”, Part 64

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ALWAYS LEARNING AND NEVER ABLE TO ARRIVE AT A KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH

The U.S. Education System is rife with Pagan teachings, ideologies and practices and has been effectively indoctrinating our children – your children – over the last seventy-five years. So effective has been the indoctrination that, according to the Arizona Christian University (and George Barna research), the percentage of Americans holding a Biblical worldview has dropped to an abysmal four percent. Correspondingly, we have seen a rise in wars and rumors of war, new diseases, plagues, famines and earthquakes, persecutions of Christians and a love lost for one another.

In proportion to the decline in people possessing a Biblical worldview, there is a sharp rise to 82% of American who hold a worldview other than a Biblical worldview. (Refer to the Christian Research Center).

(A Biblical worldview is defined as a means of experiencing, interpreting, and responding to reality in light of biblical perspectives. This view provides… (click this link for a full description of this term.  Additionally, there are seven principles that form the cornerstones of a Biblical worldview: Please click here for those principles and cornerstones.)

“When you put the data in perspective, the Biblical worldview is shuffling toward the edge of the cliff”, says George Barna. “As things stand today, Biblical theism is much closer to extinction in America than it is influencing the soul of the nation. The current incidence of adults with a Biblical worldview is the lowest since I began measuring it in the early 1990s.”

So, what does the mean?

1. For today? It would be easy to conjecture that, according to the idea of a coming Great Apostasy, that is foretold in apocalyptic scriptures, that the day of Apostasy has already arrived.

(Apostasy is the rejection of Christianity by someone who formerly was a Christian. The term apostasy comes from the Greek word apostasia, meaning defection, departure, revolt or rebellion. It has been described as “a willful falling away from, or rebellion against, Christianity. Also see GotQuestions.Org.)

The Apostasy is referenced in Matthew 24:9-12, Revelation 6:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4.  It is important to note that these verses, these warnings, were written to the people in approximately A.D. 30 to A.D. 60, and were meant for all Christians leading up to the ‘End of This Age’, beginning with the breaking of the 6^th Tribulation Seal (a future event). In other words, like the other first four tribulation seals,

The 1st Tribulation Seal  –  Global conquest and political intrigue,
The 2nd Tribulation Seal –  Wars and Rumors of War,
The 3rd Tribulation Seal  –  Famine,
The 4th Tribulation Seal  –  Death,

The 5th Tribulation Seal  –  Martyrs, persecution, Anti-Christ, falling away, had been broken sometime between the birth of Jesus and A.D. 90. These seals have overlapped and have been increasing in intensity.

2. For the future? The 6^th tribulation seal is the next seal to be broken, which marks the beginning of the final 7 years of a great tribulation which has not been since the beginning of time and never will again. This is also known as the beginning of The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord and the End of the Age.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet-call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

3. For now? “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.”

4. The conclusion? We are standing at the precipice of the End of this Age and the beginning of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, when God will pour out His finals judgments on this world.

For those who fall into the 96% of those who do not believe that the Bible is accurate to the point of being totally without any error, please reconsider what you have been taught. Ask God to show you the Truth. Your time is short, and your fate need not be seals. Please don’t be that person who ‘wails in an outer darkness and gnashes his or her teeth‘ and laments, ‘I wish I had listened’.

For the remaining FOUR PERCENT, take heart, “God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel: “Lord, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE.”

“But what is the divine response to him? “I HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL.”

“In the same way, then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice.”  Romans 11:1-6

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PS: The Bible is written to every man, woman and child. It is written for you to understand. But, you cannot “hear” the Word of God if you are not His disciple. “It is foolishness (only) to those who are perishing”.

 THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 64

“But Some Doubted.”

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them,

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  

The Words of Jesus, Matthew 28:16-20

“They worshiped Him, but some doubted”. These words should both confound and amaze. It is confounding to think that any of these men, Peter, James, John, Andrew, Bartholomew or Nathanael, James, the Lesser or Younger, Jude or Thaddeus, Matthew or Levi, Philip, Simon the Zealot and Thomas, after spending so much time with Jesus and after seeing the miracles, including seeing Him resurrected, doubt?

Doubted: Distázō, “two, double” and Stásis, “stance, standing” – properly, going two ways, shifting between positions; choosing “a double-stance” and hence vacillate (waver); (figuratively) uncertain at a crossroad because refusing to choose one way over the other – “wanting to have our cake and eat it too”; to halt between two opinions (views, beliefs).

And, it is amazing, that despite some of the disciples doubting, Jesus still gives them (and us) the great commission and sends them ALL!

If the Jewish high priest, the Pharisees and the Sadducees had been present to hear this greatest of Jesus’ proclamations, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”, they may have shredded their clothing and pulled out every last strand of hair from their heads (as they were in the habit of doing when hearing the words of Jesus).

Jesus has not only been given (and assumed) all authority in heaven and on earth, He informs us that He will be exercising that complete authority over the heavens and the earth through his disciples until the end of the age with these words: “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  (The word Jesus uses, “always’, is the Greek word, ‘pas’, which signifies ‘the highest degree, the maximum’ and means ‘before all things, above all things, in respect to all things, in all things and in all ways.’)

Note: It is always Jesus doing His Works through his disciples – which includes you and me!

When Jesus tells us that “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father”, we can now understand that it is Jesus who is doing His works through a yielded, obedient and submitted disciple, and not us, of and by ourselves.

These are the final words in the book of Matthew. But nothing has changed regarding God’s Word. These words are breathed by God and written by a man through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They continue to be creative, causative, prophetic and instructional. IT SHALL COME TO PASS.

There may be times when you or I have doubt. But it is in the obedient ‘going and doing’ that we overcome our doubts and build and strengthen our faith.

Read it. Meditate on it. Pray about it. Receive it. Embrace it. Allow Him To Do it!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them?, “What Are You Seeking?”, Part 65

PREVIOUS:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them?, “But Some Doubted”, Part 63

(Or are you – really thinking?)

There are strains of thought in science, philosophy and in pseudo-science (science fiction) being taught to our younger generations, which advances the idea that human beings “are not just external observers of (the world and) the universe around us, but are part of something spectacular that can teach us a kind of humility and gratefulness that can inform us how to live today”.  This ideology purports to teach us ‘how to live’ in contradiction to the Bible. It says that we are but one more part of the universe. This worldview is that we are no better and no worse than any living organism; and every living thing (bacteria, single cells, plants, animals, etc., even inert matter).

One of these ‘ideologies’ is named ‘biocentrism’ which encompasses all environmental ethics that “extend the status of moral object from human beings to all living things in nature”. Biocentric ethics calls for a rethinking of the relationship between humans and nature. It states that nature does not exist simply to be used or consumed by humans, but that humans are simply one species amongst many, and that because we are part of an ecosystem, any actions which negatively affect the living systems of which we are a part adversely affect us as well, whether or not we maintain a biocentric worldview. ‘Biocentrists’ observe that all species have inherent value, and that humans are not “superior” to other species in a moral or ethical sense.

Advocates of ‘biocentrism’ often promote the preservation of biodiversity, animal rights, and environmental protection. The term has also been employed by advocates of “left biocentrism”, which combines deep ecology with an “anti-industrial and anti-capitalist” position (according to David Orton et al.).

The four main pillars of a biocentric outlook are:

1. Humans and all other species are members of Earth’s community.
2. All species are part of a system of interdependence.
3. All living organisms pursue their own “good” in their own ways.
4. Human beings are not inherently superior to other living things.^[8]

This is nothing basically new, it just has a new ‘scientific’ twist. Alleging that ‘there is no God’ and that all living things ‘evolved into us’ or just magically appeared is as old as time itself.

However, the ‘militant scientific atheist left’ is teaching this in our schools and colleges as ‘scientific and philosophical fact’, successfully convincing our young men and women that God is either dead, irrelevant or has no place beyond the mystical realms of fantasy.

This kind of thinking reduces the idea that “we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and in the very image of God, our creator”, to the idea that we are no better and no worse than a flesh eating bacteria, a deadly virus lurking about in a cesspool or the carbon elements being scattered across the cosmos by an asteroid drifting in space.

Contrary to a mindless philosophical approach to life, we have evidence that “God said, “Let us make man^[h] in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

^“So, God created man in his own image,
in the image of God, he created him;
male and female he created them.

 ^“And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

So, the war rages on. Good versus evil, lies and deception versus The Truth, God over Satan and his desire to steal, kill and destroy.

It is our job to engage this war and to do our part by teaching and preaching and living the Truth of the Bible and the Gospel of Jesus to the best of our abilities every chance we get, especially in our own homes.

(When our sons would come home from college for the summers, I would ask them what they had learned in class that year. I would then begin the process of ‘deprogramming’ them and realigning their thought with God’s Word. And ironically, our sons attended a “Christian” college).

Dear friends, let’s not be deceived. Let’s be Berean, indeed.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 63

“You will see the Son of Man.”

“But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”

Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”

The Words of Jesus, Matthew 26:63-68.

The challenge by the high-minded high priest, made blindly and carelessly in the name of ‘the living God, is for Jesus to tell him if Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God!

Jesus, as only He can do, cuts straight to the point and says “you have said so”, entrapping the high priest by his own words. Although he may have said the right words, it is only by chance, and he is completely ignorant of the truth in what he has just said.

Jesus, next make this prophetic statement and literally sets His Royal Seal on these remarks by announcing the coming 6^th Seal of the Great Tribulation period, ”But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Jesus is warning this high priest and all people of the coming judgment. He is repeating to the high priest what He has already revealed to His disciples, “The powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Read Matthew 24:29-31 for the entire answer.)

These Jews did not believe Him, although they had the prophecies in their Torah. They accused Jesus of blasphemy, said He deserved death for His words. They spit in his face and struck him. Some slapped him, mocking His Prophecy, and mocking Him as the Christ.

There are those in our day who deny a literal tribulation period and a literal 7 years of a Great Tribulation Judgment (also known as Daniel’s 70^th Week, or The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord). They also deny a literal rapture of the Church, in spite of Jesus plain warnings.

A recent survey shows the majority of evangelical Christian leaders worldwide, believe in the Rapture, the teaching that as the end of the world draws near, Christians will be instantly taken up to heaven, leaving non-believers behind to suffer on earth. Six in 10 evangelical leaders, or 61 percent, say they believe in the Rapture of the Church.

However, only around 40 percent of the people calling themselves Christians believe they will be raptured or ‘snatch away’ from the earth which will then be thrown into a fiery chaos and then taken to the safety of heaven.

Yet here we read the literal words of Jesus, which have revealed this truth, first to His disciples and as a warning to the Jews and their high priest – judgment is coming; but they did not believe. Many others in our day do not believe, and they will be caught unprepared and will suffer greatly.

Do not be lulled into complacency. Do not listen to the naysayers. If you are to err, err on the side of caution. Take Jesus at His Word – and live!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Further reading on the beginning of the end, The Sixth Tribulation Seal, and The Sixth Tribulation Seal, part 2.

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THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 62

“Do what you came to do.”

While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.”

Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”

 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

 The Words of Jesus, Matthew 26:47-56.

This is event reveals several things about Jesus, His disciples and His detractors; things we must know, understand and follow.

#1. Although Judas, one of Jesus’ disciples, publicly betrays Him, Jesus still calls him ‘Friend”.

(In relation to retaliation, Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:38, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ Verse 39. But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. Verse 40. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. Verse 41. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Verse 42. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Love Your Enemies

Verse 43. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ Verse 44. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Verse 45, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Verse 46. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? Verse 47. And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Verse 48. You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.)

#2. Jesus rebukes Peter for violently attacking the enemy of Jesus, reminding Peter that violence or murder is not the way of the faithful, and that His mission must be completed, and the scriptures must be fulfilled.

#3. Jesus has willingly submitted to the authorities, even though the charges are contrived, false, unjust, and without merit, so that the scriptures might be fulfilled.

These are powerful examples of Jesus teachings of “the Way, the Truth and the Life”. This is how the enemy is ultimately subdued, defeated and some are converted. These are the methods we are to follow as His disciples.

There is only one way to God the Father and only one way to be saved and to live eternally in the Kingdom of Heaven – only One way.

We can say everything ‘just right’ by memorizing and quoting scriptures. But our actions, our behavior, reveals what we truly believe.

It is one thing to believe IN Jesus – and quite another to BELIEVE Him.

This is ‘the rub’, so to speak. The litmus test. One day He will declare to you, either, “Well done good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master”, or He will say to you, “Why do you call me Lord and do not what I command? Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!”

(Please don’t misunderstand. We, the called of Christ, are not ‘doormats’, but we are His ‘doormen’ – leading others to The Door. There are times when we must forcefully speak the truth, speak out against evil and evildoers. Times when we are called upon to resist the enemy and to pull down strongholds of darkness. And it is incumbent upon us to know the difference.)

The day is drawing near. Remain vigilant, active and faithful. Pray for one another until that day arrives.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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Christianity – The Last Battlefront – audio link

What has occurred – What is occurring – What is to come

What your response is to be

(Please note: The links on this page are used in lieu of footnotes, citations and references; they contain vital detailed information regarding the teachings and the commentaries. Please read each linked page and video as you are able.)

Is the war on Christianity coming to a close? Her enemies are dancing in the streets over their latest apparent victories: The invasion, neutering and perversion of the Church. And, please believe me when I say, “as goes the Church, so goes the nation”.

This should not a surprise. The Bible foretells the corruption of the Church which is to occur in the Last Days. To wit:

2 Thessalonians2:1- 4, “Now we request you, brethren,

(#1) with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you,

(#2) not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.,

(#3) Let no one in any way deceive you, for,

(#4) it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and,

(#5) the man of lawlessness is revealed,

(#6) the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that,

(#7) he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

WHAT IS THE APOSTASY?: In Christianity, Apostasy is the rejection of Christianity by someone who formerly was a Christian. The term apostasy comes from the Greek word apostasia  means defection, departure, revolt or rebellion. It has been described as “a willful falling away from, or rebellion against, Christianity.

Furthermore, the Apostle Paul, in, 2 Timothy 3:1, warns, “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. Verse 2. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, verse 3, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, verse 4, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, verse 5, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.” This was written Around AD 60.

The Apostle Peter, in 2 Peter 3:3, warns, “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, verse 4, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?” This was written Around AD 60.

The Apostle John, in 1 John 2:18, tells us, “Children, it is the last hour [the end of this age]; and just as you heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists (false teachers) have appeared, which confirms our belief that it is the last hour.” This was written around AD 90.

(Confirmation of the onset of The Last Days, according to specific and numerous testimonies by Jesus and His disciples.)

The pagan, hostile and unbelieving world has been warring against the Church and working on her steady decline, moving her toward apostasy since her earliest days.

Restating what the media and government is already telling us about the moral, civil, mental and spiritual decay in America seems redundant. But here are a few glaring issues: Parents are discouraged from disciplining their children and spanking is practically forbidden as ‘corporal punishment’; Children are allowed to sue parents for disciplining; there is an assertion by the ‘liberal pagan left’ that men can have babies; many believe it is permissible to kill a baby at birth for the convenience of the parents; homosexual marriage is legal; ‘transgenderism’ is practiced and enforced – the belief that a person is ‘born into the wrong biological body’.

The behavioral outcomes are they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these.

All the aforementioned perversions and evil deeds are in direct contravention to what is taught in the Bible and have affected, influenced and in misleading millions who call themselves Christians.

Depending on who you are hearing, the Church seems to be growing and gaining strength. But on close inspection, you will discover that the Actual Church, the Bride of Christ, is but a remnant of her early days:

“I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? “

“May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

“God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel: “Lord, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE.”

“But what is the divine response to him? “I HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL.”

“In the same way, then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice.”  Romans 11:1-6

 

The Bride of Christ is being prepared for the coming Groom – Jesus. This too is foretold.

Now, hear the word of God: “You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.v9 “But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” (Peter 2:5).

Listen carefully and you will hear the trumpet-call.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

A Holy Remnant Is Born

THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 61

“Watch and pray that you many not enter into temptation”

“And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again, he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

The Words of Jesus, Matthew 26:40-46.

Watch and Pray With Him So You and I May Not Enter Into Temptation.

A face-value reading of these verses in the proper context to include the previous three verses, is self-explanatory.

Jesus is entering what some might call a ‘crisis moment’ and is praying to God His Father. He asks Peter, James and John to watch and pray with Him, so they may not enter into temptation. They are tired and keep falling asleep. But there is much more at work here.

It is urgent for our understanding, our safety and the completion of our mission as Jesus’ disciples to see the motivations driving His command to watch and pray with Him so you (and I) may not enter into temptation.

The ‘long picture’ is that beyond His prayer to the Father, Jesus in entering into an act, into a period, that will change everything humanity has known. He will change how we have understood the Torah and Judaism, He will change the purpose and our understanding of our existence; He will clarify our understanding of God’s intention and purpose for creation, where all the world and cosmos are headed and how we can be redeemed from our sick and fallen nature, made safe, whole and healed from our sins and depravity, ultimately being made into the very image of Jesus, given the right and privilege, as joint-heirs with Christ to exist eternally with God in His new heaven and new earth.

IMPORTANT:  We must remember that every word from Jesus is THE WORD OF GOD. Jesus never uttered a misspoken word or haphazard words. Each and every word and intention express the very will of God.

Therefore, when Jesus instructs His disciples to watch and pray, He is speaking eternal, prophetic, causative and creative words. I do not believe this can be overstated.

His words, His instructions to watch and pray, initially, are in the present tense; watch and pray, now.

After finding His disciples asleep, He repeats His words, but this time in the Greek aorist tense, which without regard for past, present or future time – it is continuous. Again, remember that these are prophetic, causative and creative words for all His disciples for all times to hear and act upon.

(I am aware that there are those Bible teachers who would argue that some things in the Bible were exclusively written to and solely for the audience at hand at that moment. This type of thinking and teaching is short-sighted, simple-minded and harmful. The Bible is NOT a religious story book or an historical document intended to recount events that were not eternally relevant – it is the Word of God, breathed into the hearts and minds of God’s chosen authors, written down for us and for all the ages.)

We are to continue to watch and pray that we do not enter into temptation as God’s plan of redemption works Itself out, throughout the rest of time until He returns and completes His Work.

Repeating Jesus’ words of instruction: We can sleep and take our rest later on. We must see that the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is continuing to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. We must rise, and be going; His betrayer is still coming and is now at hand.”

(To be clear, Jesus died only once, for all. But this act is being repeated through the lives of people throughout the rest of the allotted time of existence, until His final return. We, too, must ‘deny ourselves’ and ‘crucify our flesh with its passions and desires’ and follow Jesus in this example)

Let’s be encouraged and be emboldened, remembering, We will overcome “by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of our testimony; and we love not our lives unto the death”. (see Revelation 12:11.)

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PREVIOUS: THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? “Remain Here and Watch With Me”, Part 60.

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Depending on who you are listening to, church membership and attendance is either in decline or is on the rise. It seems that those with no apparent immediate ‘stake in the game’ are reporting a decline while many denominations are saying they are spreading and growing, just not necessarily in America and not from ‘new converts’; it seems that theirs isn’t real growth. It is people leaving other churches and coming to their church – for a while.

A Gallup poll reports, “U.S. Church Membership Falls Below Majority for First Time” (March 29, 2021). Gallup reported that “Americans’ membership in houses of worship continued to decline last year, dropping below 50% for the first time in Gallup’s eight-decade trend. In 2020, 47% of Americans said they belonged to a church, synagogue or mosque, down from 50% in 2018 and 70% in 1999.”

They report that the change primarily due to rise in Americans with no religious preference. But that does not tell the whole story. Most of these studies are about the results but fail to delve into the reasons for the decline except to say things like, ‘There are fascinating explanations, theories and hypotheses for these trends — why we continue to see predictable variations in religiosity across the age spectrum, decade after decade”.

Research and polling organization are not predicting the demise of religion in America anytime soon. But it is evident there is a restructuring taking place and a major shift, a reformulating of belief systems is occurring, particularly away from fundamental beliefs in traditional Biblical doctrines to a more ‘user-friendly’ version. These changes are now being played out in the lives of these individual Christians and Christian religious organizations – and it overlooks the mandates and practices of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I.e., it ‘ain’t your Momma’s Gospel no more’.

One of the cornerstones of Christian thought and belief is based on the doctrine of Biblical Inerrancy, and Biblical inerrancy is under attack, both inside and outside the Church. Liberal ideologies and Marxist thought has invaded the Church and is rewriting The Book. (E. J. Young, in his classic work on the inspiration of the Bible, gives us a good definition of inerrancy: “By this word we mean that the Scriptures possess the quality of freedom from error. They are exempt from the liability to mistake, incapable of error. In all their teachings, they are in perfect accord with the truth.”)

The doctrine of biblical inerrancy is extremely important because the truth matters. This issue reflects on the character of God and is foundational to our understanding of everything the Bible teaches and influences how people conduct their lives.

One outspoken defender of traditional Biblical conservatism and proponent of Biblical Inerrancy, Pastor Tom Ascol, pastor of Grace Baptist Church and president of the Founders Ministries, Cape Coral, Florida contends that “we have been blessed with ready access to the Bible for so long and have seen reaffirmation of its full authority so boldly declared by many of our pastors, churches, and institutions that we have made the affirmation of its inerrancy almost meaningless.

When a Church’s practices veer away from its proclamations (what it says it believes), the people attending that Church take notice. Some will blindly follow a church teaching no matter the circumstance, but many more will question contradictions in faith and practice. When those differences become harmful, untenable or blatantly hypocritical, people will either leave the church for good or will start searching for a new church. And it seems that if that or a similar experience is repeated at another church or not, it seems many of the ‘rightly offended’ leave church membership and church attendance for good – or at least find an alternative to a ‘brick and mortar church’.

According to Pew Research, here are some of the main things people say they are looking for and why they would attend church:

– To become closer to God

– To find forgiveness

– To grow spiritually

– To give my children a good moral foundation

– To make me a better person

– To comfort me in times of sorrow

– Find the sermons valuable

– To be part of a community of faith

– To continue a family’s religious traditions

– Feeling a religious obligation to go

– To meet new people

– To please my family, spouse or partner

However, when these offerings are not found in a church or the expectations are not met, people usually leave that church – and many decide to just stay away from the traditional Church setting.

On the flip side of this coin are reasons why people leave church. But there are as many reasons people leave the church as there are people who actually leave church, so I won’t attempt to list all the reasons. But here are a few from credible sources:

According to ChurchLeaders.com:

1. You (the members) aren’t the problem – it’s the church.
2. Your Sunday ‘production’ is wearing thin.
3. You speak a religious language I don’t understand.
4. Church buildings, your programs and staff are your higher priorities than the members, and are the only apparent vision for the future.
5. You are fighting the wrong battles; the externals ones. We, the people, need help, first.
6. Your love doesn’t feel like love.
7. You seem to be blaming me and the other members for your failures.

Lifeway Research adds this:

1. I was hurt at church and nobody is helping us to reconcile.
2. I had a need and the church did not come to my aid.
3. I tried, but couldn’t connect.
4. You are trying to control every aspect of my life and faith for your own objectives, and without good reason.

So, where is the church headed, and what should I do about it?

Review your own attitude and efforts within your church, and if you still suspect that your church or church experience is leading you away from God and the Gospel of Jesus, then perhaps it’s time for a change.

1. If you have been trying to ‘fit in’ for several years and are still feeling left out, talk to your pastor and ask him for advice. (If he fails to help you, then maybe it’s time to change churches.)
2. Does your preacher, church staff and leadership teach and practice what is clearly taught in the Bible? (If you need help here, at the very least compare the teaching, attitudes and behavior of your church leadership to Galatians 5:22-24. If theirs is different, it may be time for a change.)
3. The teaching is Biblically sound but the pastor and staff operative under a shroud of secrecy. (I.e., you don’t know exact salaries of staff, where the church money goes, why the pastor and staff avoid socializing with the membership.) Then maybe it’s time for a change.
4. If your church is too political, too polarized, has too many cliques or it is obvious the pastors has his favorites, then it is time for a change. (This is becoming cult-like).
5. If most of your long-held and respected friends keep leaving, there must be a reason. Ask them.

You don’t have to be a sociologist or a psychologist to figure this out. If your church is ‘above you’ they may simply be ruling over you and that is not right.

The pastor and staff are to be servants of the Lord and are to care for those in their charge. Their vision for the church, their ambitions, goals and personal agenda should never rise to the level of ‘caring for the flock’.

Your church leadership may say they are spreading the Gospel and reaching the lost, but their primary responsibility while performing the Great Commission is the Great Commandment: “To Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Finally, once you find your place, remember, you are not to be a ward or a dependent of the Church – you are a member of God’s Church; and members of God’s Church are ‘A chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

Set your sights and your efforts on becoming a disciple of Jesus. Join with others to support your church to reach the lost with the Good News of Jesus; to help gather the straying sheep of God; become what God has called you to become, such as a pastor, a teacher, an evangelist. Recognize and employ the Spiritual Gift God has given you.

Refuse to be a victim of Church drift, apostasy, scandal or abuse. Become the Victor in Christ! Find your place and thrive in Jesus name!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

More on this subject: FRACTURED CHURCH?

GOLD FEVER

Gold miners, during the American Gold Rush of the 1800s, comprised mainly of inexperienced fortune seekers and amateur miners such as farmers, tried unsuccessfully to compete with well-financed businessmen, experienced miners and mining operations.

Many people and corporations found great wealth through their gold mining efforts. Many more went broke and died in their failed efforts.

Some succeeded and others failed for various reasons which ranged from careful planning, diligence and hard work. But there were three primary reasons between success and failure in this great treasure hunt.

The first and main difference between those who were successful and those who failed was knowing WHERE to mine.

The second difference was knowing HOW to mine.

And finally, knowing WHAT to mine (referring to the grade of the gold ore).

“Don’t be stupid: Look for gold where there is gold. Dig for it. Dig it up. Forget all the other shiny stuff – Gold is the Goal.”

BLACK GOLD FEVER

The same was could be said of those seeking to strike it rich in the great American Oil Rush of the mid-to-late 1800s. Some knew WHERE to drill, but did not know HOW to effectively and efficiently drill, so they failed and many died in the rough and tumble rush to find the elusive ‘black gold’. There were a few who knew both WHERE to drill and HOW to drill and would come close to success. But those who knew HOW and WHERE to drill coupled with knowing WHAT to drill for  (referring to the grade of the pol), became enormously successful and very rich.

John D. Rockefeller is the premier example of someone who could do it all. He knew WHERE, HOW and WHAT, and as a result He founded the world’s largest oil company, Standard Oil, and became incredibly wealthy, (although he was not one the most loved man to ever live).

Conversely, a dramatic example of someone who would fail in spectacular fashion during the Black Gold (oil) Rush a man named Edwin Drake who was hired by Bissell and Townsend in 1857 to travel to Titusville, Pennsylvania and drill for crude oil. Drake was an unemployed railroad conductor whose sole qualification for this job seems to have been a free railroad pass that allowed travel to Titusville. Drake secured some land and reported back that he believed the land was oil rich and the oil industry could be extremely profitable. In 1858, the Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company became the Seneca Oil Company with Drake as president.

Soon Drake began drilling for oil in Titusville, near the shores of Oil Creek, but at first met with little success. He used an old steam engine to drill. Many of his drilling sites only yielded trace amounts of oil. He and his assistant, blacksmith Billy Smith, endured fires, financial setbacks, and the ridicule of the local inhabitants. When the Seneca Oil Company gave up and decided to withdraw its funding, Drake obtained a personal line of credit to continue digging. On August 27, 1859, Drake struck oil at 69 feet (21 m) below ground, just before his funds ran out. This marked the beginning of drastic change for the people of Western Pennsylvania. His drilling is considered the “first large-scale commercial extraction of petroleum”.

Unfortunately for Drake, his success would not last. He had not purchased much land in the region, and the oil industry exploded around him outside of his control. His first well yielded only modest returns and he was fired by Seneca. He never patented the drilling method he pioneered, and lost his modest earnings from the oil business speculating on Wall Street. He would eventually die a poor pensioner in 1880.

“Don’t be stupid: Look for oil where there is oil. Drill for it. Pump it out. Forget all the other wet stuff – Oil is the Goal.”

 

There are discoverable rules against failure and for success. The foregoing examples are from this temporal world. Men and women live and then die and soon enough, are forgotten. Their successes fade from memory and their wealth is divided and spent among the living.

The Book of Ecclesiastes puts it this way, ‘For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6)

GOD FEVER

There is another realm which is largely ignored by the majority of the world, and even its adherents considered it mysterious. It is the Spiritual Realm. The Realm of God.

The Bible, which is accounted as have being written by human hands under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, gives great detail and instruction on this realm – the Kingdom of God. So popular is the Bible and its perceived secrets of ‘living a successful life’ that In fact, The Guinness Book of World Records reveals that the Christian Bible is the best-selling book of all time. It is impossible to know exactly how many copies have been printed in the roughly 1500 years since its contents were standardized, but research conducted by the British and Foreign Bible Society in 2021 suggests that the total number probably lies between 5 and 7 billion copies.

There are numerous verses in the Bible which give careful and precise instruction on being successful. The key, however, is knowing and understanding the Bible’s unique and specific definition of success.

(The following is an excerpt from GotQuetions.Org),

“If you were to ask a random person on the street, how do you think he or she would define success? People would probably give lots of different answers. One might say success is being wealthy. Another might define success as having a good family and kids. Still another might say success is being healthy and enjoying a long life. For every ten people asked, you may find twenty different ideas of success!

“When it comes to understanding what the Bible says about success, it is helpful to see how the Bible addresses some of the definitions of success that people in our world have.

“When it comes to having lots of money, the Bible says that God is the one who makes someone wealthy. Proverbs 22:2 states, “Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.” Note that the writer doesn’t say, “Maker of both.” Rather, he says, “Maker of them all.” The declaration here is that God is the giver of all things to all people.

“When it comes to the skills and abilities that lead to success in various fields, we see the same emphasis in the Bible—God is the giver. Consider 1 Corinthians 4:7, “For who makes you to differ from anyone else? What do you have that you have not received?” The implication in these questions is that our abilities and skills come from God.

“How about the issue of influence and power? In John 19:11, after Pilate tells Jesus that he has the power to free Him or crucify Him, Jesus replies, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” So even earthly authority, by which some measure success, is a gift from God.

“These are just a few verses declaring that everything, every ability, and every position is God’s gift. John the Baptist summarizes in John 3:37, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.” If any person can do anything defined as “successful,” it is only because God has given him or her that ability.

“What is more, the things we may consider marks of success may not be what God views as valuable. In 1 John 2:15–17, things in this world are put in perspective:

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”

“This passage covers everything in this world that we might be tempted to think gives success. If we are loving these things and pursuing them, thinking joy and satisfaction are found in them, we will find them to be empty. The gain of this world is not a true mark of success.

“God defines success quite simply. In John 17:3, Jesus declares, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom who have sent.” Psalm 16:11 states, “You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” In Luke 10:20, Jesus says, “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in the book of life.” From these passages we can deduce that ultimate success is being saved and knowing God. “Eternal life” in John 17:3 isn’t just a length of time but a quality of life. Eternal life is awesome because we are known by God and are in His presence, where there is fullness of joy. We are not to rejoice because of our abilities, victories, and possessions in this world. True success in which we rejoice is overcoming this world, being saved, and going to be with Jesus in heaven.

“God measures success differently than the world does. Jesus said, “It is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest” (Luke 9:48; cf. Mark 9:35). Wealth, skill, and influence are irrelevant to true, eternal success. Biblical success that pleases and glorifies God is being known by Him and knowing and serving Him through faith in Jesus Christ and His gospel.” (End excerpt).

One example of the Bible instructing on and promising success is found in the first chapter of the book of Joshua. “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

Similar to the foregoing three primary reasons between success and failure, a parallel can be drawn in this, the greatest of all treasure hunts. Knowing WHERE to look, knowing HOW to search, and finally, knowing WHAT you are searching for. In this case,

Where you search is in The Book of The Law (The Torah, or the Bible).

How you search is with all diligence; what you learn you shall keep with you; you will meditate on it day and night; you will be careful to do everything in accordance with all that is written in it.

What you are searching for is to make your way prosperous and successful.

One of several places this instruction is confirmed, by Jesus, is in John 15:7-8, “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples.”

Where you remain is in Jesus and His words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart.

How you prosper and have success is that you ask and whatever you wish and it will be done for you.

What you ask is that The My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be Jesus’ [true] disciples.”

The most mysterious and interesting claim about this Kingdom is that all that has ever existed and everything that now exists, springs from the Spiritual Realm. And, if you possess the knowledge and wisdom of God, you can possess all this Kingdom has to offer.

John 1:1, tells us that “In the beginning [before all-time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. Verse 2. He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. Verse 3. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being.”

Jesus instructs us, in Matthew chapter 5:3, that, “Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those who are crushed in their soul, devoid of spiritual arrogance, stripped of all personal significance and possession; those who regard themselves as completely dependent], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].

“Don’t be stupid: Look for God where God is. Look for Truth and Wisdom. Dig for it. Dig it up. Forget all the other smart sounding stuff – God is the Goal.”

 

Finally, knowing WHAT you are looking for and staying focused on that, is paramount.

SUCCESS FEVER

Jesus spoke these oft misunderstood words in Matthew 11:12 “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violent assault, and the violent take it by force (as a precious prize). Jesus is talking about the greatest rush to find the greatest treasure ever known.

 No, It is not a gold rush, nor is it an oil rush. (These things fade away). This is all about The Rush to find the Kingdom of God; the search for the greatest gift and the greatest treasure, ever: God and His Son, Jesus.

 Now – know His purpose:

The Purpose of God’s Eternal Plan is Perfection.  Everything that occurs in your life, as a Christian, is all about God maturing and perfecting you into His image; ultimately to live in Perfect harmony with Him and with one another, in a New and Perfect heaven and earth.

“Because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:14

Each and every chapter, verse and word in the Bible, when viewed within this context of  God’s Eternal Plan of Perfection, begins to make perfect sense.

He began with the imperfect and created the Masterpiece, first in the heavens and then on the earth. His work completed in just seven days; He would allow His Masterpiece to mature for many a millennium until it became His Perfection.

Your life is a journey of discovery and revelation of God’s Grand Plan and Design, from creation through the End of the Age, then into a New Heaven and a New Earth.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

“THE JOURNEY TO PERFECTION”

 

PERFECTION.

Copyright 2023, By Michael J. Young, Sr.,  All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any way by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy or recording, or otherwise – without the prior written permission of the copyright holder except as provided by USA copyright laws, except for brief quotations or for critical reviews, with credit to this book.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, New American Standard Version.

Contact information: Michael J. Young, 10608 Jackson Square Drive, Estero, FL 33928.

Email:             whitestonefellowship 1 @ protonmail.com.

Web Site:       whitestone2020.com.

Web Site:      whitestone2014.com.

PERFECTION

 In the beginning, God created.

He began with the imperfect and created the Masterpiece, first in the heavens and then on the earth. His work completed in just seven days; He would allow His Masterpiece to mature for a millennium until it became His Perfection.

This is a journey of discovery and revelation of God’s Grand Plan and Design, from creation through the End of the Age, then into a New Heaven and a New Earth.

This is a non-academic, yet a serious thesis on the reasons for WHAT God is doing in these Last Days and WHY He is doing it this way. My prayer is that, after reading this, everything you may have wondered regarding the reasoning behind God’s Plan for the world and your life, will fall into place.

By: Michael J. Young, Sr., evangelist, pastor, teacher.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Romans 12:2.

PREFACE.

Our world is careening out of control. Everything we have known as good in recorded history is being called evil; and all things evil are being called good; The world substitutes darkness for light and light for darkness, bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

There is a large and growing worldwide faction, however, will tell you that all is well and that we have entered a New World Order, a Great World Reset is at hand.

A short video on this associated website will give you a glimpse of what is being sold as this New World, but in reality, it is the same tired old saga of the failed Marxists Utopia.  The claims are the outrageous imagination of the world’s Globalists-Socialists and Marxists.

Having and promoting unrealistic promises as reality is nothing new, except every single previous promise of a Socialist, Communist, Leninist, Marxist government or social structure, or any variant of the same, has always ended in tyranny, despotism, wars, loss of personal freedom, lack of basic needs, poverty and the death of millions.

If you will patiently walk with me, I will take you on an amazing journey. A journey from the beginning of time through recorded world and Biblical histories. We will identify important past Bible prophecies and correlate them to the actual past world events; then we will compare both prophecies and histories to one specific prophecy known as ‘Daniel’s Seventy Weeks’, which will bring us to current events and the final epoch of time known by various names, such as, “The Last Days”, “The End The Age” the “Latter Days” and “The Tribulation”, which are now unfolding with frightening accuracy.

I will not stop there, however. I will conclude by laying out a successful response to these events, a plan of action by which you can both survive and thrive in these final days.

Finally, there is an event coming which is so fantastic as to be unbelievable. But I will show the evidence leading to this event, known as the ‘Rapture’ and I will even help you calculate the odds of its occurrence.  You will then be faced with the most monumental decision you have ever faced. You don’t want to miss this.

We will take a journey assisted by a book aptly titled ‘The Journey to Perfection’.  Our travels will coordinate Bible Prophecy, Biblical and World Histories culminating with The End of Days’. You can read this book either as a digital ONLINE book or in a PDF format, (see both versions below).

 INTRODUCTION.

IN SEARCH OF PERFECTION.

“For we know in part and prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes,

the partial will be done away with.”

1 Corinthians 13:9-10.

I am presenting a very brief and a very simple overview of a biblical time line, from the Creation of the heavens and the earth, their destruction, and the creation of a New Heaven and a new earth, which will complete God’s Plan, as found in the Bible.  It will be an abbreviated history of how God has created the world, dealt with the people He created, and why the world has gone the way it has gone and how it will conclude.

This is not designed to please everyone, and it will not fit every different denominational doctrine. Instead, this book is meant to

• Inform,
• Inspire, and to
• Ignite people to move toward the One Living God and to join Him in what He is doing!

I hope that my Christian friends, and others who read this, don’t find it objectionable solely because I have omitted certain events. However, it is my intention to inform and inspire, NOT overwhelm the reader with volumes of information.

God’s plan is unfolding exactly as He purposed; from The Creation, through the Garden of Eden and the Fall of Man to the Great Flood, the Tower of Babel, the Exodus from Egypt, the possessing of The Promised Land, the Destruction of the First Temple and the Jewish Captivity in Babylon, the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus, the Destruction of the Second Temple, our steady march through time has been exactly as Bible prophecy has foretold.  We have entered an era leading to the destruction and, eventually, a rebirth of the heavens and the earth.

The Purpose of God’s Eternal Plan is “Perfection”.  He is maturing and perfecting His people into His image, ultimately to live in Perfect harmony with Him and with one another, in a New and Perfect heaven and earth.

“Because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:14.

Each and every chapter, verse and word in the Bible, when viewed within this context of  God’s Eternal Plan of Perfection, begins to make perfect sense.

The world has entered the final epoch of time, known by various names, such as, “The Last Days”, “The End The Age” the “Latter Days” and “The Tribulation Period”, which was marked by the birth of Jesus.  There are reportedly visible and observable signs and ancient writings to help you, if you believe in such things. However, most people either don’t recognize the signs or writings or don’t believe. Even among those who believe these prophecies are coming to pass and see the signs, few know what they are seeing, where they are leading or what to do in response.

The best description of the purpose, length and, outcome of this end time, variously known as the “times of distress”, the tribulation and the Great Tribulation, (see Matthew 24:21, Revelation 2:22 and Revelation 7:14) or the Wrath of the Lamb, (see Revelation 6:16), is found in Daniel 12:1,

Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. Verse 2. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Verse 3. And those who have insight will shine like the glow of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Verse 4. But as for you, Daniel, keep these words secret and seal up the book until the end of time; many will roam about, and knowledge will increase.”

Verse 5. Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the stream and the other on that bank of the stream. Verse 6. And someone said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?” Verse 7. And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish smashing the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed. Verse 8. But as for me, I heard but did not understand; so I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?”  Verse 9. And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words will be kept secret and sealed up until the end time. Verse 10. Many will be purged, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but  those who have insight will understand. Verse 11. And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Verse 12. Blessed is the one who is patient and attains to the 1,335 days! Verse 13. But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will rest and rise for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”

RECAP of Daniel 12:1-13 :

#1. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people,

#2. everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. Verse 2. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. 

#3. Verse 3. And those who have insight will shine like the glow of the expanse of heaven,

#4. and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. Verse 4. But as for you, Daniel, keep these words secret and seal up the book until the end of time; many will roam about, and knowledge will increase.” Verse 5. Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the stream and the other on that bank of the stream. Verse 6. And someone said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream,

#6. “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?” Verse 7. And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that

(5. a.)  it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish smashing the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.  Verse 8. But as for me, I heard but did not understand; so, I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?”  Verse 9. And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words will be kept secret and sealed up until the end time.

#6,. Verse 10. Many will be purged, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but  those who have insight will understand.

#7. Verse 11. And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Verse 12.

(7.a.)  Blessed is the one who is patient and attains to the 1,335 days! Verse 13. But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will rest and rise for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”

Not surprisingly, the main interest in this subject continues to be in the sensationalism of the matter; and sadly, both fictional and religious writers are profiteering and capitalizing on the subject financially.  All-the-while, assuming these things are true, they are grossly ignoring the urgency and the catastrophic ramifications which are being played out.

This subject is classified as “Eschatology”, which is the study of final events of history, or the ultimate destiny of humanity. The word comes from the Greek word, ἔσχατος, éschatos, meaning “last” and -logy meaning “the study of”.  Most of the major religious denominations which teach this doctrine believe it will come on the world suddenly, with an increasing intensity and will last for just seven years. This view is from a myopic view of the Bible’s history time line, and the Bible seems to tell a much different version of these events.

A study of the ‘long view’ of the Bible on this subject, will show that the End of This Age was  planned before creation. God, indeed “has a plan for your life” as He has had a plan for the entire world, but it is not the “Sunday school version” you heard about. This is real, dangerous and both deadly and life-giving.

It has taken many millennium for this travail to unfold, and we may still have many years to go.  But I suppose that when you are dealing with an Eternal God who has no beginning and no end, time is not a factor. God can take all the ‘time’ He wants to execute His plan. Please come with me and let’s explore God’s Plan for creation.

WATCHING FOR THE CLUE.

First, let’s consider the ‘Beginning of All Things’. Then, as we travel together, we will uncover clues to this mystery, this riddle of the ‘End of the Age’, evaluate the writings and assimilate the information to decide – How did we get here and where is all of this going?

We are in search of His Perfection, and it could change your life and the way you live it.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2.

(Please find the link to the next Episode, Chapter 1, in the comments section below)

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

The Rapture Revealed by The Whitestone Fellowship.

 

BVENT(whitestonefellowship1@protonmail.com).

This is a presentation by The Whitestone Fellowship. We give permission for reprint, website linking and distribution, as long as this presentation is not used for profit nor can any fees of any kind be collected for its use. The user must give The Whitestone Fellowship full credit and all uses or references to this presentation list the websites of Whitestone Fellowship.

The Rapture Revealed.

 

As found in the Bible, is about actual events, hidden in plain sight.  Please ask yourself,

 

Has the Tribulation begun?

 

Are the SEALS of Revelation being broken?

 

Has the church finished fulfilling the great commission of Jesus Christ?

 

Will you make it to heaven in the Rapture?

 

Why does it matter?

 

 

 

 

 

HAVE WE ENTERED THE SEAL JUDGMENTS OF THE TRIBULATION?

 

 

I have been a Practicing Christian since 1977. I have heard the doctrine of the “Rapture” preached and discussed over the last 46 years. I have studied the subject while taking classes in Bible College. The entire matter is
confusing and difficult to understand. But, thanks to this very complexity, I have been able to ignore the controversies and the biblical inconsistencies. I had no choice. It was too complicated. So, I just accepted the prevalent teaching of my denomination: The rapture will happen at the sound of a heavenly trumpet and if I am a Christian I will be miraculously snatched up into heaven ‘in a twinkling of an eye’. Matter closed. Or is it closed?

In 1996 a pastor and friend asked me to co-teach a class about the ‘rapture’ and the biblical tribulation. I was instructed to teach from the position of ‘pre-tribulation rapture’ and my friend would teach on ‘post tribulation rapture’. It took me one year to prepare. That year was the genesis that fixed my view on the rapture, and it was different than I expected. Over the next 19 years my view matured and has galvanized into a certainty. And that certainty has developed into an “Urgency”. What if I were to say, “We may have already entered the Seal Judgments? Would you stop reading at this point? Let me challenge you to read on and you decide.
I am certain that we have already entered the Seal Judgments and most Christians are not ready for what is coming, and in fact, may be at hand.

 

 

 

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Why does it matter “when” the tribulation starts or “when” Christians are to be raptured into heavens?

 

It matters because being ready for His Return is proof of True Christianity and only a True Believer in Christ will be guaranteed to join Christ at the sound of His Great Trumpet call and escape the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.

It matters because being ready requires believing and doing what He has instructed us to do in preparation for His return.

It matters because He has warned that “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

It matters because many Christians are sitting idly waiting for an event that has already begun and they are not DOING what He told them to do and therefore are in grave danger.

It matters because some of our family, friends and neighbors are completely unaware or just don’t believe that Christ will return and God’s final judgments will sentence them to outer darkness.

Because, as Christians, our faith, our convictions and our behavior
Are speaking louder than our words.

 

 

 

The Seal Judgments of the book of Revelation.

 

Interestingly, the idea or doctrine of a biblical ‘Rapture’ was introduced and made popular in the early 1900’s. Since that time, most doctrines of eschatology (the study of Biblical End Times) have been constructed to fit particular denominational belief systems. So, it is no wonder that there are multiple views of the timing of the rapture and the tribulation period. The plain language of the bible has been rearranged to fit certain denominational belief systems, so, most views of the rapture have become impossibly confusing and irrational.

 

 

If we follow Biblical reason, then the facts, timing and warnings related to biblical eschatology sense.

 

If the subject of the Rapture and a seven-year Tribulation are kept in context of the entire Bible and, whenever possible, are taken at face-value, an amazingly clear picture emerges. The Bible teaches and warns about;

A “tribulation period”, also known as “Times of Distress” followed by;

“A GREAT TRUMPET sounding” and “GATHERING TOGETHER” of His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other”, followed by;

“A Great Tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.”, also known as the “Wrath of the Lamb” or the “Great and Terrible Day of the Lord”.

And, since the Bible is meant to address every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues the events addressed by the coming tribulation are global in scope. So, at first glance, instead of being a future event it would appear the first Seal of the tribulation could have been broken (as early as the early 1900’s; for example, regarding  Jesus’ warning of “wars and rumors of war”, the first Global war, World War One, began in 1914). If we follow the evidence, the facts, the timing and the warnings of the coming Rapture and Tribulation, this seems to make sense. But is it correct?

 

There is evidence, which I shall call ‘clues’ as to the timing of the beginning of the breaking of the first tribulation seal. These ‘clues’ come from direct testimonies of Jesus and His disciples:

 

• Hebrews 1:2, The Apostle Paul Says “For then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews was written around AD 60. This is a “timeline” clue.)
• Hebrews 9:26, The Apostle Paul says, “For then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews was written Around AD 60. This is a “timeline” clue.)
• Acts 2:14-17, “But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words. “For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; 16but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:

AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says,
‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND;
AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY,
AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS,
AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS; (Acts was written around AD 60. This is a “timeline” clue.)

• 2 Timothy 3:1-5, “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. (Acts was written around AD 60. This is a “timeline” clue.)
• 1 Peter 1:20, “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you”.
• 1 Peter 4:7, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. . (1 Peter was written Around AD 60. This is a “timeline” clue.
• 2 Peter 3:3,“Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?” (2 Peter was written Around AD 68. This is a “timeline” clue.)

 

• 1 John 2:18, “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore, we know that it is the last hour. (1 John was written Around AD 92. This is a “timeline” clue.)

There is ample ‘evidence’ (clues) that the breaking of the 1st Tribulation Seal could have occured as eary as the birth of Christ or as late as 92 A.D.  Once again, there is clear and compelling language and testitmoniesand evidence  that the first TRIBULATION SEAL may have begun to be broken in or around AD 30, and that SEALS two through five have been progressively opened, overlapped and are gaining in intensity.

 

Here is a short outline comparing Jesus’ account of the Tribulation period both in the Book of Revelation and in the Book of Matthew:

Revelation Ch. 6 – as corresponding to – Matthew Chapter 24

the 1st Tribulation Seal  –  Global conquest and political intrigue

the 2nd Tribulation Seal –  Wars and Rumors of War

the 3rd Tribulation Seal  –  Famine

the 4th Tribulation Seal  –  Death

the 5th Tribulation Seal  –  Martyrs, persecution, Anti-Christ, falling away

The Opening of the 6th Tribulation Seal is The BEGINNING OF the 7 years of “THE GREAT TRIBULATION” period.

 

The 6th Tribulation Seal  –  Cosmic disturbances, blood moon, darkened sun

Sealing of the 144,000

The Rapture

Multitude from the tribulation before the Throne of God

 

All of these things and this historic time had been recorded, in various books of the Bible and is foretold in great and frightening detail, particularly in the Book of Revelation. You simply need the “eyes to see” and “the ears to hear”.

 

Evangelical and Protestant Christians have been taught that they will be ‘Raptured’ from the earth before the tribulation begins with the breaking of the first Seal of the Book of Revelation.

Many churches teach that to become a Christian all one has to do is to make a simple statement of faith. Then, they may sit back, assured of being raptured and going to heaven before the first Seal of the Tribulation is broken thereby spared the discomfort of the tribulation.

 

But is that proof enough? What about repentance from the former life? What about being transformed in our thinking and practice and following the life of Jesus, now?

The tenth chapter of the book of Romans tells us “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness (right living), and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

That salvation reveals a transformation in attitude and behavior which is the same as Jesus Christ.

If our attitude and behavior are anything less than that of Christ, we must consider the consequences.

 

 

 

There are many apparent contradictions regarding the doctrine of the Rapture and the Tribulation and much debate.

So, what does the bible actually say about this End of Days?

More specifically, what did Jesus tell His disciples and the rest of the listening and believing world about what is coming?
What we can expect to happen? What are we to do in order to ‘get ready’ and ‘stay ready’ until He returns to claim His Church?

We must turn to the Bible to find our answers.

The Bible says it is “God Breathed” and useful. (All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 2 Timothy 3:16).

God did not write or ‘breathe’ His message to us in an unintelligible or useless language. God has spoken through His prophets and His written Word and He meant for us to be able to understand what He says.

If you can put aside doctrinal and theological constraints that have sprung from denominational differences, you may get a clearer understanding of this subject.

Jesus’ disciples were asking some of the very same questions we are asking today (Matthew 24:3) “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.” Matthew 24:4

I see two things here that give a starting point in our discussions and preparations and a way to adjust our “21st Century thinking” to Jesus’ intent.

 

 

1. We are to be careful about deception regarding these matters. There are many voices giving advice. Jesus is saying, “stay focused on My Word”. As we engage in this End Times warfare, the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. We do that by keeping a biblical view and keep the scriptures we are studying in context of the entire bible teaching.
2. It is easy to spot some nutcase saying “Hey, over here! I’m Jesus! I’m back! Listen and follow me!!” Very few Christians would fall for that. But institutional deception is a problem.

 

There is a brand of Christianity and church in this 21st century (a reemergence of Gnosticism and mysticism) that is far from the Truth and is not the body of Christ. It takes forms of commercialism or that of a narcissistic religion. It is a fake. It is not the “Christianity” of Jesus Christ. AND MANY ARE BEING MISLED. With this in mind, we must clear some of the non-biblical religious clutter of tradition, lore and attitudes of the 19th, 20th and 21st century the institutional church has invented.

The dominant teaching about the Rapture among Evangelical and Protestant Christians, is of a Pre-tribulation Rapture. I agree that Christians can expect God to rescue or ‘rapture’ the church away from earth before The Wrath of the Lamb or the Great Tribulation. The bible is also clear that the church is to be purged, cleansed, purified and redeemed before being ‘raptured’, (found in Daniel 12:1 – 10).

 

“THE questions” we should be asking is WHEN do the seven years of the tribulation actually begin? We have been taught and it has been generally accepted as ‘doctrine’ that the tribulation period starts with the breaking of the FIRST SEAL found in Revelation 5:1, which is a future and undetermined date. But is this correct?

 

We should look at the distinctions the bible makes regarding uses of the words “tribulation”, the “Great Tribulation”, the “Wrath of the Lamb”, the “times of distress”, and the “times of sorrow” to get an accurate picture and context. And I believe these distinctions are important for our understanding of the timing of these events and for our preparedness.

 

 

 

WHY COULD THIS DISTINCTION BE IMPORTANT – WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?

It is important because the context, the uses and meanings of these various words which refer to Tribulation affect our attitudes and our motivation for GETTING and STAYING READY for His return. They also affect our view of the timing of the coming Tribulation and the Great Tribulation.

Many Christians think that, by repeating a simple formulaic statement, they have done all that is necessary to GET READY for Christ’s return and will go to heaven or be “raptured” from the earth before the tribulation period because they…

Walked the aisle at church;

filled out a commitment card;
And, announced I AM A BELIEVER.

They believe they are saved and nothing more is necessary. In other words, they became a member of a local church, They tithe some small portion of their income, they get involved in the local church activities, going on a mission trip or any combination of good works.

But is this correct?

What does Jesus and the bible say? It is urgent that we understand what Jesus and the bible actually say about the coming Great Day of Wrath, The Great Tribulation and what it really means to GET READY and STAY READY and know WHY these things are urgent and important.

So, I will propose, for clarity, a chronological placement of the events of The Great Tribulation in relation to tribulation EVENTS described by Jesus and John the Revalator, and what Jesus and His Word says about getting ready!

The placement of the GREAT TRIBULATION event can be seen in other places in the bible, but I will focus on the books of Matthew and Revelation.

 

 

Our goal in this discussion is to discover

WHERE we are in relation to His Return,

WHY we are running out of time, and

WHAT we should be doing, as Christians, and

How to prepare for the End of Days Events and HIS Return.

 

The first step in preparation, if you have never taken it, is to be born again. That is, come to Jesus Christ in a humble surrender of your life to Him. He will, in turn, come into your life and lead you to leave your ‘old life’ behind, that is your old way of thinking and behaving. He will renew your Spirit that will allow you to transform your mind and that will empower you from the inside out. It will revolutionize everything about what you believe, how you think and how you live life. You will find forgiveness of every past deed and get a fresh new, and exciting, start in life.

 

#2. Pray. Search for Him in prayer. Start praying daily. Just go to Him and pray. He will guide you.

 

#3. Read the bible. Daily. He will guide you.

 

#4. Take this one step at a time, but, start.

 

If you are already a Christian, please carefully consider what is being presented. You are called, as a Christian to GO, TELL, TEACH, MAKE DISCIPLES, BAPTIZE BELIEVERS.

 

There is no doubt He is coming again, to get His Church. There is no doubt a time of Great Tribulation is coming. The real question is are you ready? Because every man, woman, boy and girl will have to make a choice: Go with Jesus or be condemned to the Lake of Fire for eternity.

 

Let’s proceed with Jesus’ discourse in Matthew 24 and compare the events in Matthew 24 and confirm them with the corresponding events in the book of Revelation.

 

Here is the Tribulation Timeline, in summary:

 

1. The ‘tribulation period of birth pangs’ (Matthew 24:8 & Revelation 6) begins with the breaking of the 1st Tribulation Seal and continues through the 5th Tribulation Seal, during which time we will see the Apostasy, the great persecution of Christians, the revealing of the man of perdition and the signing of a peace treaty between Israel and her enemies.

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The 1st Seal of the tribulation was being broken just after the death and resurrection of Christ and the succeeding seals (Seals 2 – 5) have been broken at various periods of time since AD 1 and that we have now entered the time of the breaking 5th Tribulation Seal.  Jesus refers to this period, the breaking of the tribulation Seals ONE through FIVE as “the beginning of the birth pangs”, and He points out that “this is not yet the end”.

 

2. Then, with the breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal, THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD, THE GREAT TRIBULATION, BEGINS. (Matthew 24:29, & Revelation 6:12)

 

As witnessed by, Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Verse 30.  “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.  Verse 31.  “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”

 

3. The “7 years of Great Tribulation” (aka Daniels 70th week) begins with the breaking of the 6th tribulation seal, will reach the mid-point of the tribulation period, (after 3.5 years) with the sounding of the 6th Trumpet of the Great Tribulation.

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4. Then, the Great Tribulation will end with the pouring out of the  7 Bowls of Wrath.

 

 

 

 

Tribulation Judgments lead to the End of the Age

(Concern yourself with the first 6 Seals):

 

Revelation Chapter 6            as correlated to          Matthew Chapter 24

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The mention of International (Global) conquest and political intrigue in the 1st Tribulation Seal in Revelation 6,  is correlated with false Christ’s and Messiahs in Matthew 24.

 

The mention of wars and rumors of wars is mentioned in the 2nd Tribulation Seal in Revelation 6 and in Matthew 24:6.

 

The mention of death, scarcity of food is mentioned in the 3rd Tribulation Seal in Revelation chapter 6 and Matthew 24 tells of famines and earthquakes.

 

The 4th Tribulation Seal in Revelation chapter 6 tells of death, famine and murders and in Matthew 24:7, Jesus tells of nations rising against nations, famines and earthquakes.

 

the 5th Tribulation Seal  –    Martyrs, persecution, revealing of the Anti-Christ, the great falling away (apostasy).

 

The 5th Tribulation Seal in Revelation chapter 6 speaks of persecution and martyrdom of Christians and Matthew 24:9-10 tells of persecution, martyrdom, apostasy and lawlessness.

 

The start of the 7 years of “THE GREAT TRIBULATION”, also known as the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, coincides with the 6th Tribulation Seal which brings cosmic disturbances, blood moon, darkened sun, terror, calamity is described, both, in Matthew 24:29-31 and in Revelation 6:12-16.

 

During the period of the Breaking of the 6th Tribulation Seal these events will occur:

 

The Rapture of the Church;

Multitude from the tribulation before the Throne of God;

Sealing of the 144,000;

 

Now, let’s go into a little more detail regarding the End of Days by comparing and confirming Jesus’ account in the book of Revelation and the book of Matthew

 

 

 

 

 

 

FIRST EVENT from MATTHEW.

 

Jesus says “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars Matt 5:6 (also see Rev 5:1) . See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

We have been led to view these events from a nationalistic perspective. In other words, if it’s happening in the U.S.A., it must be true. But we should watch for world events with a focus in Israel.

Also, notice that Jesus instructed, ”but that is not yet the end”.

This FIRST EVENT as described by Jesus in Matthew 24:6 can be correlated to a sign offered by John in Revelation 5:1 as the FIRST SEAL being broken, incidentally, by the LAMB Himself (Jesus).

 

CORRESPONDING FIRST SEAL of REVELATION.

”Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come.” Revelation 5: 1,

 

 

verse 2.  “I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.”

It is interesting here that although a ‘bow’ is carried no arrows are present. (a coincidence?), and a crown (authority) is given. This has been described as a time of political intrigue and imperialistic nation-building on a world-wide scale. This event has been a dominant feature of the past century. This event is to be followed by another world-wide event related to the second seal in Matthew and Revelation (which would preclude regional or pre-Christ events).

There are world-wide movements to combine governments, financial institutions, religions, educational systems, societies, labor, technologies, militaries and more. The United Nations is what most point toward. Some were watching the European Union. But now, the G20 is the latest rebuilding of the “The tower of Babel”. But, do not doubt that the Globalist movement is real.

 

 

THE SECOND EVENT from MATTHEW.

Jesus says in Matthew 24:7  “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom (see Revelation 5:3).

There is now an intensifying of WORLD EVENTS also seen in the book of Revelation.

CORRESPONDING SECOND SEAL of REVELATION.
Revelation 5:3, “When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.” verse 4.  And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.

Interestingly, World War I is described as the Great War . It was the first war recognized a WORLD WAR. It began in 1914 and lasted until 1918. But this would hardly seem to fit neatly into a seven year tribulation period.

Then we had World War II which began in 1939 and lasted until 1945. Now we have two WORLD WARS that spanned a combined ten years. The entire Great Tribulation clearly will last only seven years.

So, how do these WORLD WAR events relate to prophecy or should they?

Jesus has already given us instruction that this is not yet the end and He will give further instruction about the timing of these events in Matthew 24 verse 8.

 

 

THIRD & FOURTH EVENTS from MATTHEW.

Jesus says in Matthew 24:7 and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes (see Revelation 5:5-8).

It is important that we see and understand what Jesus is TEACHING corresponds with the unfolding of the Tribulation period as recorded in Revelation. It will give us clear instruction, not only of what is coming but
HOW TO PREPARE for these days.

CORRESPONDING THIRD SEAL of REVELATION.

Revelation 5:5,  “When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.”

 

 

 

CORRESPONDING FOURTH SEAL of REVELATION.

Revelation 5:7,  “When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come”.  I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.

We continue to see a clear correlation between Jesus’ descriptions of the “coming troubles” in Matthew to John’s depiction of the actual breaking of the seals in the book of Revelation.

Please remember: We are seeing Jesus describe the ‘beginning’ of the tribulation in Matthew 24 and the corresponding ‘beginning’ of the tribulation as Jesus actually breaks the Seals of the Books in Revelation.

But the Rapture has not yet occurred. This will present clear evidence that we will endure the tribulation up to and until the breaking of the Sixth Seal. Jesus tells us, “Do not fear. This is not yet the end”. But we must prepare!

Next, we get some clarification on events and the time or placement of the events:

 

 

 

Interlude – Time Marker – Instruction.

 

Here, we are provided an interlude and a “time marker of instruction”. This is a good place to get our bearings.

Matthew 24: 8 “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
a. Jesus tells us this is NOT THE END but MERELY THE BEGINNING and remember there is no evidence the church has not been RAPTURED yet.
b. And He calls this the beginning of birth pangs. This is similar to tribulation in the idea of discomfort or suffering.
c. But the word describes a much different intensity of pressing or squeezing and pain than the GREAT Tribulation or the Wrath of the Lamb, which comes later.

There are several places in scriptures (in the books of Daniel, Matthew and Revelation) that use interchangeable words to describe ‘birth pangs’, ‘times of distress’, ‘times of sorrow’ and ‘tribulation’. However, there are other words such as ‘Great Tribulation’ and ‘Wrath of the Lamb’ that are a harbinger for a ‘time of trouble such as the world has never seen before and never will see again’. Is there a distinction between the uses of these words that will give us a WARNING useful to our salvation our preparation and our enduring to the end?

 

 

 

FIFTH EVENT from MATTHEW.

 

Jesus says, in Matthew 24:9, “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.”

Are we seeing a worldwide precursor to this prediction in our day? A return to the type of persecution the early church suffered? The book of Revelation puts it this way:

THE CORRESPONDING FIFTH SEAL of REVELATION.

 

Rev 5: 9, “When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud
voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?“ And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

We saw a great persecution of the early Christians and we have seen terrible persecution of Christians throughout our brief history and those Christians will be included in this SEAL.  Jesus is clearly referring to a ‘falling away’ or an apostasy in the latter days. We must remember to keep these scriptures and Jesus’ discussion in the context it was given.

 

 

These next verses give us an interlude or a recapitulation which we can use to define the chronology of these events. Jesus is describing terrible times, but they pale in comparison to what is getting ready to happen. The next EVENTS are so terrible that Jesus stops His discourse and emphasizes what is next and how to GET READY.

Interlude – Time Markers – Instruction, Matthew 24:11-20.

NOTE: Here is a ‘recap’ of the series of events and warning up to this point, plus another ‘time line marker’ in Matthew 24.

Matthew 24:11, “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.
Verse 12. “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.
Verse 13. “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
Verse 14. “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Verse 15. “Therefore, when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
Verse 16.  “then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.
Verse 17. “Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house.
Verse 18.  “Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak.
Verse 19. “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
Verse 20. “But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath.

 

 

IMPORTANT NOTES:

 

• The next verse begins with the words, “FOR THEN…”

Not “before then”,

Not “as it has been”.

In other words, now that the preceding events have been completed and the seals have been broken NOW there will be a GREAT TRIBLULATION.

(2) Many theologians, preachers and bible teachers, who subscribe to the doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture occurring before the First Seal event, consider verses 15 through 20 as having already occurred.

However, Jesus is clear that He is telling His disciples of a coming event. For an example, see this excerpt taken from a “pulpit commentary” on  Matthew 24 Verse 16. Then; i.e., when they shall see “the abomination of desolation,” etc. Them which be in Judaea. Not only in Jerusalem, but in its vicinity, as most exposed to danger from the invading army. Flee into (ἐπὶ, over) the mountains. The Christians seem to have taken this advice when the city was attacked by Costius Gallus, about A.D. , some three or more years
before the siege under Vespasian. Gallus had appeared before the walls, and apparently had every hope of taking the city, when, for some reason not certainly known (either owing to a supposed defeat, or ignorance of his own
success, or the advice of his generals), he suddenly withdrew his forces (Josephus, ‘Bell. Jud.,’ 2:19, 6, 7). The Christians, bearing Christ’s warning in mind, and having, as we may conjecture, seen the predicted sign, took the
opportunity of flight from the doomed city, and made their escape to Pella, a town of Decapotis, southeast of Bethshean, and the ruins of which are known now by the name of Fahil. Euschius probably refers to this, narrating that, owing to a certain revelation given to holy men among them, the whole body of the Church, before the war, removed across the Jordan to Pella, and dwelt there in safety during those troublous times.

Jesus is clear that He is telling His disciples what is yet to come.

BIBLE PROPHECY, FREQUENTLY, HAS HISTORICAL PRECURSORY EVENTS.

 

 

(Matthew 24 verses 21 and 29 describe this EVENT. Verses 22 through 28 give warnings and instructions for preparedness.)

Verse 21. “For then there will be a GREAT TRIBULTION, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.

 

Please pay special attention these words in verse 21:

FOR THEN,  the “times of distress” or “the birth pangs” are now finished;

GREAT Tribulation, The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord is beginning;

Such as not occurred since the beginning of the world until now;

nor ever will.

Something new is happening. The intensity is going up significantly. THERE IS A TIME MARKER AT THIS POINT!

Read verses 22 through 28 carefully and absorb these dire warnings and instructions.

This is the time the Lord will appear and take His Church from the earth.

 

 

THE SIXTH EVENT FROM MATTHEW.

 

Matthew 24:22, “Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
Verse 23. “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him.
Verse 24. “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.
Verse 25. “Behold, I have told you in advance.
Verse 26. “So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them.
Verse 27. “For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Verse 28. “Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
Verse 29. “But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

 

 

 

 

THE SIXTH SEAL of REVELATION BEGINS.

Revelation 6:12,  “I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; verse 13. and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.
Verse 14. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Verse 15. Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; verse 16 and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the
throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb”.

NOW IT IS BEGINNING. “THE GREAT TRIBULATION”. Matthew 24:21. “THE WRATH OF THE LAMB”.  Revelation 6:16 (The breaking of the 6th Seal continues through Revelation 7:17),

 

 

Now is one of greatest the events ever to be witnessed by man .

SEVENTH EVENT from MATTHEW.

Matthew 24:30, “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.

 

Then, during and immediately after the SIXTH SEAL of Revelation.

Revelation 7: 1, “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.“

Everything is coming to a crescendo.

 

 

God stops the events in progress and the breaking of the seals for a moment and all eyes are focused on the heavens.  All the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:20).

The winds stop blowing and an angel ascends from the rising of the sun with the seal of the living God, announcing the SEALING of the bond-servants of our God and the gathering of His Elect!

The winds have been stopped.

The events of the End of Days are paused.

God sends forth His angels with a great TRUMPET.

This is the “EVENT” We all anxiously and eagerly anticipate.

NOTE: Some bible teachers will say this is Jesus coming to exact judgment on the earth. But read the text from Matthew 24:31.

 

 

 

EIGHTH EVENT From MATTHEW.

“And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

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

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

How much clearer can this be?

Immediately following the breaking of the SIXTH SEAL they gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other!

Now, we go to the Book of Revelation for confirmation.

 

 

During and immediately after breaking THE SIXTH SEAL from REVELATION, we read in Revelation 7:9-17,  “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb. “Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?”

“I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “For this reason, they are before
the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. “They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

The Church has been removed from the earth.  The RAPTURE has occurred
immediately before the sounding of the FIRST TRUMPET JUDGMENT.

 

 

The Gathering of His Elect – A review.

Jesus finished breaking the first Six Seals of the Book of Revelation by sealing the 144,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel.

Then, a great multitude, which on one could count, from every nation and ALL TRIBES and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the LAMB, clothed in white robes, saying “SALVATION”!

Although the events recorded in the book of Revelation are not always in chronological order, chapters five, six and seven of Revelation (the breaking of the seals) appear to be in order.

Jesus’ description of the coming tribulation in the book of Matthew matches both description and order with John’s description of these same events contained in the book of Revelation.

We see Jesus gathering His elect at the sound of the trumpet (Matthew 24:31) and the “gathering of a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” as the same event?

This would mean that the church, (that is, Christians), may experience some extremely difficult times before the day of The Wrath of the Lamb and the Rapture of His church. Compare the troubles of the first six seals compared to the last seal, the seven bowls and the seven trumpets of judgment. Remembering that the Wrath of the Lamb will be a time of trouble such as the world has never seen before and never will see again.

So, even though a period of “distress” or “tribulation” begins with the breaking of the first seal of Revelation “intense trouble” or the Great Tribulation or The Wrath of the Lamb a series of events involving those who have been saved throughout the ages, begins with the breaking of the sixth seal as recorded in Revelation chapter seven, verse one. The angels hold back the four winds of the earth (an interlude for a series of events on earth and the tightening of the grip of travail upon the earth.

Jesus then uses the example of Noah to explain that Christians must prepare for His Return.

 

 

Interlude – Time Markers – Instruction.
Matthew 24:32-36.
NOTE: Here is a ‘recap’ of the series of events and warning so far and another ‘time line marker’ in Matthew 24:32. “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; verse 33.  so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Verse 34. “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
Verse 35. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
Verse 36. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
Verse 37. “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.
Verse 38. “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
verse 39. and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

A simple ‘face value’ reading of these verses tell us all we need to know.

The time of His return is near;

His Words are enduring and unchanging;

No one knows the exact day or hour of His return.

It is time to prepare the storehouse, and enter our ark for the day of our salvation draws near.

So where do we go from here?

 

Except for a cursory reference, I have deliberately avoided relating current world events to the prophecies narrated by Jesus of Matthew 24 and those from the book of Revelation.

I am leaving it up to you, the reader, to look back over the past 100 years and consider what has occurred as related to biblical prophecy. It is up to you to consider the current condition of this world and compare it to prophecy in our day.

The bible says “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.  (Matthew 24:32).

Daily, newscasts, newspapers, television, magazines, the internet and every form of media is telling us of the deteriorating condition of our world. If we are not at “the end” of this age, we are in dire circumstances. At any rate, it
IS TIME TO GET READY for what is upon us.

Finally, this presentation is a capsulated and condensed version of Jesus’ narration of The End of the Age in response to the disciple’s question, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?“

It is possible to go much deeper and broader in this study. If that is your desire there are plenty of materials available.
In fact, as we establish bible study groups that may well be one of our studies. But, for now, it is time to prepare.

So, where do I go from here?

 

 

Matthew 24:42-45, “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you must be ready as well; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.” Our time on this earth is limited and temporary.  We must survive and serve while we await His return when He will gather us, His Elect, from the four corners of the earth, and take us to our eternal home.

 

Here is what we do:

ENTER INTO THE ark OF OUR SALVATION – JESUS CHRIST!

Prepare the Storehouse Of the Saints.
Come Together in Community.

Continue Making Disciples.
Find and connect with other Christians.
Plan and coordinate with family.
Organize “readiness” training classes.
Organize Action groups.
Organize service groups.
Store temporary food stuffs.
Build temporary currency reserves.
Store medical supplies.
Store water reserves.
Coordinate Bible Study Groups.
Coordinate Prayer Groups.
Commission Deacons and Ministers.
Designate Home Church sites.
Plan Worship Times and places.
Organize evangelistic meetings.
Send local missionaries.

Gird Up for Spiritual Warfare

In other words, do the work of the Church!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Be sure and check out the article, “The One World Government Emerges in 2022” on our website.

 

SIGNS THAT WE ARE NOW SEEING THE AGE OF

 

“BABYLON THE HARLOT”

As in all prophecies of the Bible there have been a foreshadowing, precursors or harbingers of their fulfillment. The same is true with the breaking of the Tribulation Seals, the future sounding of the Tribulation Trumpets and pouring out of the Tribulation Bowls.

This is a commentary and a reminder that we are now seeing harbingers of the coming Great and Fearful Day of God’s Judgement and His Wrath. These verses are dealing specifically with the two beasts, the false prophet, satan and both the faithful Church and the faithless church and thier fate.

“And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven bowls, came to me, and spoke with me, saying.” – Revelation 17:1

Verse 1. This and the following chapters (to Revelation 19:21) consist of visions which are really included under the seventh bowl, but which, on account of their length and elaboration, may be considered apart from the other judgments of that bowl. In the preceding chapters we have had placed before us

1. A synopsis of three classes of ungodly people, and

2. The three principles of evil in their abstract form,

(a) As they are represented, first, by the world (the first beast – the antichrist), the flesh

(b) And the second beast, (the false prophet), and

(c) The devil (the dragon).

The personal final overthrow of the devil is described in Revelation 20:10; Revelation 17. and 18, are devoted to the description of the judgments of the two former –

(a) the world, in its character of the openly hostile persecutor of the Church of God;

(b) and the other portion of the ungodly who, while still professing Christianity, find excuses for conforming to the worship of the image of the beast.

*The first beast is, therefore, identical with Babylon, and represents, as we have seen, the openly hostile and persecuting world power of all ages, of which, in St. John’s time, Rome was the foremost embodiment.

*The second beast is identical with the harlot, and represents faithless Christians, the apostate portion of the Church.

The very reason for the Apocalypse is to deal with these two forms of evil;

(a) to declare the overthrow of the one, and to warn and, if possible,

(b) to reclaim those under the influence of the other.

In the latter case, the warning consists in setting forth the judgment in store for faithless Christians; and as this is the course pursued with the former also, the two merge into one, and indeed are declared to be one.

The apostle in substance declares that, though there is a prima facie difference between the two forms of ungodliness, there is in reality no distinction to be made, but both are involved in one common final judgment. He thus twice solemnly asserts that the harlot is Babylon (verse. 5 and 18).

Revelation 17:2, “she with whom the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality, and the inhabitants of the earth have become intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”

Verse 2. – “Of the earth” is used here (as it frequently is) for the worldly as distinguished from the righteous; and the two classes mentioned indicate the universality of this faithlessness – it is not confined to any one grade of society.

As we have seen (see on verse 1 and Revelation 14:8), the figure of fornication is repeatedly used to describe faithlessness towards God. The verse, therefore, declares that

(a) this faithless portion of the Church has chosen rather to render to the world that love which is due to God, and

(b) to be connected rather with the powers of this world than to have its treasure in heaven.

The expression, “wine of her fornication,” is a repetition of that in Revelation 14:8, and is derived from Jeremiah 2:7 (cf. also Revelation 16:19 and Revelation 18:3). Revelation 17:2

Revelation 17:3, “And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was entirely covered with blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.

Verse 3. Some commentators have thought that the “wilderness” signifies the desolation which is the lot of the harlot (see verse 16; Revelation 18:2, 19; also Jeremiah 51:26). But we can hardly avoid the conclusion that the “wilderness” here is that spoken of in Revelation 12:6, 14, which is symbolical of this world, particularly when we remember that the “wilderness” in both cases is the abode of a woman, who moreover is representative of the Church; though in Revelation 12. She represents the Church of God as a whole, persecuted by Satan, and in this place the woman is representative of the faithless part of the Church (see also below on “beast”). Vitringa, referring to Isaiah 21:1, and Revelation 17:1, 15, and Ezekiel 20:35, arrives at a similar conclusion; it is a “wilderness of the people.” And I saw a woman. There is no article, but this vision, occurring immediately after the words of verse 1, “I will show thee… the great harlot,” identifies this woman with the harlot of verse 1. This woman represents the faithless portion of the Church (see on verse 1); that part which, following after worldly things, has thereby rendered to the beast the love and honor due to God alone.

 This woman is not identical with the woman of Revelation 12. The latter represents the faithful, the former the faithless, part of the Church. Sit upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. Here again, as in “wilderness” (vide supra), we have θηρίον, “beast,” without the article; but the identity of this “beast” with that of Revelation 13:1 is established by

(1) the same outward characteristics of names of blasphemy, seven heads and ten horns;

(2) its connection with “kings,” etc. (verse. 12-14 and Revelation 19:19, 20);

(3) its connection with the “false prophet” (Revelation 13. and Revelation 19:20);

(4) its connection with the harlot – the one representing the world power, the other the faithless, worldly portion of the Church. That the woman sits upon the beast denotes, not that she exercises control and guidance over it (as Alford), for comp. verse 16, but rather that the woman relies upon the beast for support and safety; thus presenting an accurate description of those who prefer to trust to the power and influence of the world rather than to God. Scarlet (whether the color of the beast itself or of its trappings is immaterial) may signify either

(a) the worldly pre-eminence and power of which it is the sign, and for which the woman allies herself with the beast; or

(b) the blood-stained persecution of which the beast is the author. The first interpretation coincides best with the words which immediately follow; the second one agrees with the description in verse 6 and Revelation 13:7. (On the “names of blasphemy,” as signifying opposition to and rivalry with God, see on Revelation 13:1.) The seven heads denote universality of (earthly) dominion, and the ten horns denote plenitude of power (see on Revelation 13:1). Revelation 17:3.

Revelation 17:4. “The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls, [and she was] holding in her hand a gold cup full of the abominations and the filth of her [sexual] immorality.”

Verse 4. – These words, taken in connection with those that follow, seem to signify the worldly magnificence which may be the portion of the faithless Christian.

Some writers see an allusion to the purple robe of Christ. (On the meaning of “scarlet,” see on verse 3.) And decked with gold and precious stones and pearls; gilded with, etc. Similar descriptions are given in Ezekiel 16:13 and Ezekiel 28:13. Compare the description in Revelation 21:11.

This account is sufficiently characteristic of the world’s attractions to need no comment, only to say that this is the adornment of the faithless and false church. Having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication; full of abominations, even the unclean things of, etc. Another reference to Jeremiah 51:7 (cf. also Revelation 14:10). Abominations are all things that are displeasing to God. (On “fornication,” see on Revelation 14:8 and Revelation 17:1, 2; it signifies unfaithfulness towards God.) Revelation 17:4

Revelation 17:5. “And on her forehead a name was written, a mystery: “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES (false religions, heresies) AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”

Verse 5. – This practice was customary with harlots. Also, in Revelation 14:1 and Revelation 7:3 the faithful members of God’s Church have his Name in their foreheads; here the faithless ones, represented by the harlot, exhibit a spurious imitation.

(a) As God’s Name marked the former as His,

(b) So, the name Babylon, etc., marks the latter as belonging to the world (see on Revelation 16:19; 17:5; 18:2).

The name consists of the words following, to the end of the verse. MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. The word “MYSTERY” may be

(1) part of the name, standing coordinately with “BABYLON” (Alford, Bleek, Hengstenberg, Vitringa, Wordsworth);
(2) a description of the following title, being thus in apposition with ὅνομα, “name” (Auberlin, De Wette, Dusterdieck, Ebrard);
(3) an adverb used in the same sense as in the last case (Stuart). Whichever view be taken, there can be no doubt that the purpose is to draw attention to the fact which is contained in the following words – a fact which might otherwise be exceedingly difficult to receive.

For the rest of the verse asserts that the harlot is Babylon; that is, that the worldly portion of the Church, though nominally Christian, *is in reality identical with the world, which is openly antagonistic to God.

Indeed, the latter portion of the verse goes even further than this. This faithless (though outwardly Christian) portion of Christ’s Church is the mother, that is, the cause of the existence of unfaithfulness to God.

It is the professing Christian who is worldly minded who does more to cause disobedience and unfaithfulness in others toward God, than he or she who openly declares themself in opposition to God, and even persecutes the faithful; see the words to the Church in Laodicea, “I would rather that you were cold or hot” (Revelation 3:15). (On “ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH,” see on verse 4.) Revelation 17:5

Revelation 17:6. “I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints (God’s people), and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus [who were martyred]. When I saw her, I wondered in amazement.”

Verse 6. – And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; of the witnesses (cf. Revelation 11:7).

Another point of contrast between this woman and the woman of Revelation 12; the former persecutes, the latter is persecuted.

It may be asked – How can these words be applied to professing Christians, as they must be, if such be the interpretation of the “harlot”?

The answer may be found in Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 2:33, 34 and Jeremiah 3:1-11 we find the origin of this passage. Judah is a harlot (Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 3:1, 8) with a sign upon her forehead (Jeremiah 3:3), who causes transgression in others (Jeremiah 2:33; and compare above, “Mother of harlots “), and in whose “skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents” (Jeremiah 2:34).

She is clothed in crimson (Jeremiah 4:30) and golden ornaments (cf. Revelation 17:4); her lovers will despise her (Jeremiah 4:30) and seek her life (cf. Revelation 17:16). Just as it was declared that in Judah was found the blood of the innocent poor, so here we are told that the faithless part of the Church is guilty of the blood of the saints.

The reason is found in the inscription. The harlot is absolutely identified with Babylon. No distinction in guilt can be allowed between the openly hostile world and the faithless Christian. “He that is not with me,” God declares, “is against me” (Matthew 12:20). The description “drunken with,” etc., is similar to that of Babylon in Revelation 18:2; and also in Jeremiah 51:7.

And when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration; with a great wonder (Revised Version). Probably because the seer can scarcely realize that some who are professing Christians must be held guilty of such enormities; that the harlot, representing a portion of the Church, faithless even though it be, should be classed with the world, as represented by Babylon and the beast. Perhaps the wonder is caused by the fact that such a thing should ever be permitted to be; this leading to the following explanation, which shows how the unfaithfulness is avenged. Revelation 17:6

Revelation 17:7. “But the angel said to me, “Why do you wonder? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.”

Verse 7. – Though the seer cannot fully comprehend the terrible significance of the sign he sees, viz. that a portion of the Church is one with the hostile world (see on verse 6), yet there are sufficient marks wherewith to identify it.

The woman, the wilderness, the reliance upon the world power, the inscription, the similar description of Judah in Jeremiah 2 and 3. (see on verse 6), might have made the interpretation plain.

“I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns; the ten horns” (cf. verse 5, which declares that this essential unity is a mystery).

Observe, too, that the “mystery of the woman and of the beast” is all one. (On the “beast,” “the seven heads,” and “the ten horns.” see on previous verses, especially Revelation 13:1.) In verse 1 the harlot is said to sit on the waters; here the beast carries her.

The two statements are really identical; both the beast and the waters represent the worldly power found among “peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues” (verse 14). Revelation 17:7

Revelation 17:8. “The beast that you saw was [once], but [now] is not, and he is about to come up out of the abyss (the bottomless pit, the dwelling place of demons) and go to destruction (perdition). And the inhabitants of the earth, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, will be astonished when they see the beast, because he was and is not and is yet to come [to earth].

Verse 8. – The latter part of this passage is related again in Revelation 19:20. The beast, as we have seen is the world power – Satan in his character of “prince of this world.” Three stages are marked out in the existence of this world power:

(a) first, it was;

(b) second, it is not now;

(c) thirdly, it reappears, to be cast into perdition.

The first period describes the condition of things before the sacrifice of Christ. Then it was that Satan ruled supreme in the world; that the power of the world – the beast – was. But Christ overcame the world (John 16:33); henceforth to all true believers there is “peace,” although they may “have tribulation” in the world (John 16:33); for the faithful Christian the power of the world – the beast – is not. Yet, though for the true servant of God there is a sense in which it may be said that this power has no existence, it nevertheless exists in the abyss, that is, in its natural abiding place in the world, among the worldly minded, and thus may cause “tribulation” to the faithful.

***A further downfall is, therefore, prepared for it – that which will take place at the last day, when it “will ascend from the abyss to go into perdition.” This nonexistence, contemporaneously with existence and subsequent reappearance, is exactly what is described in the wound healed (Revelation 13:3; see also the remainder of this verse).

The period, therefore, embraced in these words is that of the whole existence of this world. It coincides with the period referred to in Revelation 12:14 and 17, and in Revelation 20:3. Throughout the Apocalypse the word translated “bottomless pit” (Authorized Version) and “abyss” (Revised Version), is used to describe the dwelling place of Satan (see Revelation 9:1, 2, 11; Revelation 11:7; Revelation 20:1, 3) while working in the world. “Perdition” is described in Revelation 19:20 as the “lake of fire burning with brimstone.”

 “And the inhabitants of the earth, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, will be astonished when they see the beast, *because he was and **is not and ***is yet to come [to earth]”, how that the beast was, and is not, and shall be present. The last words show exactly what is meant in the first part of the verse (which see). The first words are a repetition of words in Revelation 13:8 (which see). Revelation 17:8.

Revelation 17:9. “Here is the mind which has wisdom [and this is what it knows about the vision]. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits;

Verse 9. – And here is the mind which hath wisdom. Omit “and.” Read, Here is the mind (or, meaning), etc. These words (as in Revelation 13:18) draw attention to the explanation which follows – or else that which precedes (cf. Revelation 13:18).

They also make it appear that the explanation which the angel offers of the “mystery” is not one to be understood without some difficulty.

1. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. The diversity of opinions on the interpretation of this passage is mainly owing to the fact that writers are not consistent in their application of symbols and numbers; in one place interpreting figuratively, in another literally. We have repeatedly seen that the language of the Apocalypse and its numbers are symbolical.
2. The seals are not literal seals, the Lamb is not a literal Lamb, the beast is not a literal beast, etc.
   1. So here, the mountains are not literal mountains. A mountain is a symbol of power (see on Revelation 8:8);
   2. seven is the number significant of universality (see on Revelation 1:4; 5:1, etc.).

The plain meaning of the passage, therefore, is that the woman relies upon a visibly universal power. This is precisely the idea contained in verse 3, which describes the faithless part of the Church (the harlot) trusting to the power of the world (the beast).

Of course, the most prominent form of this world power in St. John’s time was heathen Rome, hence some writers believe that “the seven-hilled city,” Rome, is referred to here – either pagan or papal Rome. And, indeed, this may be a partial fulfilment of the vision; but it is not the whole signification. To understand seven mountains literally in this place renders it necessary to interpret forty-two weeks, etc., literally in another. Revelation 17:9.

MY COMMENT:  Many commentators – especially those who see all of Revelation fulfilled in history – regard the seven mountains as an irrefutable connection with Rome. Clarke is a good example of this when he writes, “This verse has been almost universally considered to allude to the seven hills upon which Rome originally stood.”

1. 1. But in the Bible mountains are sometimes a figure of governments (such as in Daniel 2:35) and the city of Rome is built on hills, not mountains.
   2. The seven heads are seven mountains: It is probably better to see the seven mountains as representing the seven kings and kingdoms described in Revelation 17:10. Many people find the connection between religious Babylon and Roman Catholicism irresistible, yet it is flawed in the sense that there is no doubt that religious Babylon will incorporate a strong Roman Catholic element, but it will be much bigger than Roman Catholicism.
   3. Tendencies for Roman Catholicism’s ultimate partnership with a one-world religion were evident in Pope John Paul II’s bizarre involvement with and approval of other anti-Christian religions.
   4. In addressing a “prayer gathering” of Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists and others, Pope John Paul II told participants that their efforts were “unleashing profound spiritual energies in the world and bringing about a new climate of peace.” The Pope pledged that “the Catholic Church intends to ‘share in and promote’ such ecumenical and inter-religious cooperation.”

iii. The Catholic Review commented on this and said, “The unity of religion promoted by the Holy Father Pope John Paul II and approved by His Holiness the Dalai Lama is not a goal to be achieved immediately, but a day may come when the love and compassion which both Buddha and Christ preached so eloquently will unite the world in a common effort to save humanity from senseless destruction, and lead toward the light in which we all believe.”

Revelation 17:10. “and they are seven kings: five of whom have fallen, one exists and is reigning; the other [the seventh] has not yet come, and when he does come, he must remain a little while.

Verse 10. – Here we have the same idea (cf. verse 9), with a somewhat different aspect. The phrase in verse 9, “seven mountains,” regarded the world power as one universal indivisible whole, without respect to particular times or modes in which it might be exhibited. In this phrase, “seven kings,” we have the same world power viewed in its successive exhibitions by different nations; though here again we must be on our guard not to interpret the number seven literally of seven nations.

The kings represent Worldly states or kingdoms; seven, again, betokens universality. We are thus told that this world power on which the woman relies is exhibited in the manifestation of power by successive nations, e.g., Egyptian, Assyrian, Roman, etc., as many as have ever existed or shall exist; for this is the meaning of seven.

• • • Five are fallen, and
    • one is, and
    • the other is not yet come;
    • The five; the one; the other. Omit “and.” Here, again, not literally The seer divides the whole series of anti-theistic world powers into three groups, and he would say, some, probably the majority, of these are passed away.
    • The second group embraces the world power as it is exhibited now, whether Roman, Jewish, or any other; in the third group are included those yet to come.

Thus, those writers who enumerate Egypt, Nineveh, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Syria, etc., in the first group, are partially correct, and only wrong in so far as they attempt to limit and define the kingdoms; and similarly, also those who in the third group place the Roman empire after the barbarian invasions, or imperial Germany, etc. And when he cometh, he must continue a short space; a little while (Revised Version). This “short space” describes the remainder of the time of the world’s existence. Such is its meaning in Revelation 6:11 and Revelation 12:12, and again in Revelation 20:3. In a similar manner, also, “shortly come to pass,” etc. (Revelation 1:1, 3; Revelation 2:5, 16, etc.; cf also John 16:17, 28). Revelation 17:10

Revelation 17:11. “And the beast that [once] was but is not, is himself also an eighth king and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction (perdition).

Verse 11. – We may note that “eighth” refers to “king” in verse 10, being masculine gender;

• the absence of the article before ὄγδος, “eighth,” shows that this is not the eighth in a successive series, in which the kings already mentioned form the first seven.

The Revised Version probably gives the correct meaning, “is of the seven;” that is, the beast himself consists of, and is formed by, what has been denoted by the seven kings. We have already interpreted the beast as the worldly power – Satan in his capacity of “prince of this world.” We have also shown that the “seven kings” describes this worldly power as it exists throughout all ages. This verse, therefore, sums up and reasserts briefly what has been already virtually intimated in the symbolism employed, viz. that the beast is the sum total of what has been described under the form of five kings, then one king, and then one king again (verse 10). His final doom is also reasserted, “he goeth into perdition” (cf. verse 8 and Revelation 19:20) Revelation 17:11

Revelation 17:12. “The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but [together] they receive authority as kings for a single hour [for a common purpose] along with the beast.

Verse 12. – The horns, as we have seen, are symbolical of power (see on Revelation 13:1), and ten signifies completeness and sufficiency (Revelation 13:1). By the ten horns, therefore, is expressed widespread, complete power. But this power, says the seer, has not come into existence as yet. He thus points to a coming power, hostile to God, such as is described in that part of the account of the seven kings which states “the other is not yet come” (verse 10).

It seems probable, therefore, that in describing the forces opposed to God – those past, those present, and those yet to come – St. John foresees that the hostile world power will not be always pre-eminently wielded by one nation, as in his own time; but will be divided into many parts, here represented by the number ten, though not necessarily exactly ten in number.

This, indeed, exactly describes what has really been the case since St. John’s time, and what, humanly speaking, seems likely to continue to the end of the world.

These ten horns seem thus to be identical with the seventh king of verse 10. Compare the account given of the horns in Daniel 7. But receive power as kings one hour with the beast; authority (Revised Version). One hour denotes “a short time,” in which way the Bible constantly describes the period of the world’s existence, and especially that period which intervenes between the time of the writer and the judgment day (cf. Romans 16:20; 1 Corinthians 7:29; Revelation 6:11; Revelation 12:12; Revelation 22:20, etc.).

This sentence thus declares that, though in the future divided into many parts, and thus not being visibly as potential as former single united kingdoms, nevertheless this hostile world power will be still formidable, having ranged itself on the side of the beast, acting for and with him, and receiving power from him. Verse 13. – These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast; they give (present tense) their power and authority, etc. That is, though apparently split up into many sections, they form practically one, acting by and for the beast on whose side they range themselves (see on verse 32). Revelation 17:12

Revelation 17:13. “These [kings] have one purpose [one mind, one common goal], and they give their power and authority to the beast.

Revelation 17:14. “They will wage war against the Lamb (Christ), and the Lamb will triumph and conquer them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him and on His side are the called and chosen (elect) and faithful.”

Verse 14. – This connects the description with Revelation 16:34 and with Revelation 19:11-21. This war between the Lamb and the powers of evil is that which extends throughout the history of the world (see below); it occupies the “one hour” of verse 12, which is equivalent to the period of the world’s existence. But the seer in this verse looks forward also to the termination of the conflict, the result of which, here briefly indicated, is soon to be narrated more fully. For he is Lord of lords, and King of kings.

This is the reason given to the Israelites (Deuteronomy 10:17) for obedience to God (cf. also Daniel 2:47; 1 Timothy 6:15; and Revelation 19:16). Though the beast may exercise m this world dominion and power as “prince of this world,” yet the Lamb is King still greater, to whom the beast must finally succumb. He is thus King above the kings of Revelation 17:2, 10. And they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. The Revised Version is more correct, And they that are with him, called and chosen and faithful [shall also overcome].

Another evidence of the lifelong nature of this war. Not only Christ wars and overcomes, but those associated with him are permitted to share in the battle and the victory.

  1.  Christ’s saints are called here to battle; in Revelation 19:9

  2.  they are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, also

  3.  the exhortation to faithfulness in Revelation 2:10).

 

The three epithets describe the progressive life of those who share Christ’s victory They are called – as all men are – to serve him; having heard the call, they dedicate their lives to his service, and become his chosen servants; finally, having remained faithful to him, they share in his victory.

Revelation 17:15. “Then the angel said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.

Verse 15. – As in verse 7, these words form the preface to a particular description. Having explained the mystery of the beast, to whom the woman looks for support, the angel now proceeds to unfold the mystery of the harlot herself. “The waters which thou saw, where the whore sits”; those mentioned in verse 1. In verse 7 we are told that the beast carries the woman. Both statements are correct. The beast is the world power, which is found among the “peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.” Are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues, The fourfold description of the human race (cf. Revelation 5:9, etc.), which, as a whole, serves the beast (Revelation 13:3, 8, 12, 16), and out of which are selected the redeemed (Revelation 5:9; Revelation 9:9).

Revelation 17:16. “And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her desolate and naked [stripped of her power and influence], and will eat her flesh and completely consume her with fire.

Verse 16. – The two are spoken of separately, on account of the separate jurisdiction wielded according to verse 32 and 13. These shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire; and shall burn her utterly with fire (Revised Version).

These words describe the fate in store for the faithless portion of the Church. That world, to which she trusts, shall turn and rend her – a fitting sequel to her want of faith in the power of Christ. This is exactly the description given of the harlot in Ezekiel 16:37 (cf. also Ezekiel 23:22). “Eat her flesh” and “burn with fire” both describe similar results; possibly the one is thought of in connection with the symbol of “harlot,” the other with the symbol of “city,” with which the harlot is identical (see on ver. 5; but see Genesis 38:24; Leviticus 21:9; cf. also the judgment upon the wicked in James 5:3, “shall eat your flesh as it were fire”).

Revelation 17:17. “For God has put it in their hearts to carry out His purpose by [f]agreeing together to surrender their kingdom to the beast, until the [prophetic] words of God will be fulfilled.

Verse 17. – God did put, to do his mind, and to come to one mind (Revised Version). “His mind” is thought to signify the beast’s mind. Others understand God’s mind. In either ease the general sense is plain. While the world power is apparently performing the will of the beast, God is working above all; only by His permission can anything be done (the “it was given” of Revelation 13.). The “words of God” are his denunciations against those who trust to the world (cf. Ezekiel 16:37, quoted on ver. 16).

Revelation 17:18. “The woman whom you saw is the [g]great city, which reigns over and dominates and controls the kings and the political leaders of the earth.”

Verse 18. – A repetition of the assertion made in verse 5, that the harlot and Babylon are identical (see on verse 5). Many writers have been led by this verse to believe that Rome, either pagan or papal, is thus pointed out as the antitype of the harlot. That this is one fulfilment of the vision need hardly be doubted. Rome was in St. John’s time the foremost embodiment of the hostile forces of the world. But this is not the whole fulfilment, which is in all time (see above, especially on verse 1 of this chapter).
(All commentary is from The Pulpit Commentary, unless otherwise noted).

As in all prophecies of the Bible there have been a foreshadoing, precursors or harbingers of thier fulfillment. The same is true with the breaking of the Tribuilation Seals, the future sounding of the Tribulation Trumpets and pouring out of the Tribulation Bowls.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PS: Click here for a more detailed look and study of

1. THE MYSTERY OF BABYLON.
2. THE DRAGON, THE BEAST AND THE LAMB