How Are We To Understand Biblical Revival?

I have written on the subject of "revival in the land" many times, and I will admit it is always a struggle. It is a struggle because I want to pray for it and receive it from God's perspective and not man's. And therefore lies the challenge in my spirit. Because Revival often has the appearance of being one of the "buzzwords" among this generation of Christians, -- Kingdom and Ekklesia being others -- my spirit is unsettled as whether the proclamations of today's prophets that "revival is here" is true or not.

How, as Christians, do we define "revival"? If we say our self-proclaimed revival is real, does it meet God's standards, and is it Biblically verifiable? Please understand -- these are very real questions that I have. I am not coming from a "religious" spirit or mindset. I am highly sensitive to how man has corrupted the teachings of the Bible, and history has proven that we Christians can supplant [supersede and replace] God's meaning with our own self-serving interpretation. I want nothing more than to see the world revived and restored to their first love for Christ; to see a spiritual reawakening and evidence of the fruit of righteousness and God's ways in the lives of believers. But my questions include these ... Who is the Source for revival -- God or man? How does the Bible portray true revival?

I want to begin by saying I don't have the definitive answer; I just know that I am seeking God's perspective on revival, and in light of our modern Christian decrees for such, I am experiencing a conflict in my spirit that I have yet to resolve. You see, if I understand it correctly, what I hear today's most vocal and recognized pastors and "prophets" saying is this: Revival happens when "the Church" awakens from a spiritual dormancy to a new and revived love of God and His Word; we are convicted of our sin and come before the Lord in repentance and with a zeal to spread the Gospel of Salvation to the world. We become active in declaring our victory over the Enemy by our faith in the Blood and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. We preach and proclaim our hope in Eternal Life and our inheritance in Heaven, which will witness to the spiritually blind and deaf, creating a hunger for the joy and peace that are evidenced in our lives. The world will awaken to the truth of our testimony and Revival will sweep the land. Please forgive me if what I have described varies from your understanding, but this is what my spirit hears when Christian Revival is spoken about.

But what of Biblical Revival? Is it different? How does God define Revival? I want to be clear... much of what I describe above is also evidence of what the Bible shows as "revival" in the lives of God's people. The clearest example for me of Biblical restoration and revival is found in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah in the Bible. Both men -- Nehemiah, as Governor of the exiles returning from Babylon, and Ezra, the scribe of Moses's Law from God -- confessed the unfaithfulness of the leaders and people of Judah, and the breaking of their covenant with YHWH. They confessed the sins of the nation and repented of their rebellion and wickedness. They recognized God's patience and forbearing, and His many warnings until He handed them over to their captors. They prayed for forgiveness and restoration/revival of their love for God and obedience to His ways. And Nehemiah professed the truth that God was just and righteous in everything He brought against them; that He had dealt with them faithfully, while they had acted wickedly (Nehemiah 9:33). The people wept for their abandonment of the Law and their covenant with their God.

So the people rededicated themselves to a new covenant with YHWH, committing to a signed document detailing their return to the ways of God; His commandments and statutes. They dedicated the Wall of Jerusalem, cleansed the Temple, restored the tithes and the Sabbath. And they were reconciled with God. There are many today who are praying fervently for that same reconciliation with God and revival of faith in our nation. But are we taking the concrete [tangible and visible] steps that signal a return to the ways of the Lord? Or has Revival become more of an emotional and often-times temporary experience, failing to yield any lasting long-term evidence of God's involvement?

I ask this question because there was one thing I noticed in re-reading the accounts of Nehemiah and Ezra. In the first chapter of Ezra, the Bible states that "the Lord stirred up (put in motion) the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia", to write a proclamation that allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem, thereby launching the opportunity for the Jews to once more seek Him and His righteousness in how they lived their lives and conducted their government. In other words, the living God sovereignly and powerfully broke into human history with an action that resulted in people being convicted of their sin, and a recovery of Biblical truth that embraced His moral laws, and re-established His Word as the central and absolute authority over all of life's existence. Is that how we understand and promote Revival in the 21st Century? Or has that word become just another "feel good" general truth that we tell ourselves when we gather large groups of Christians together to praise and worship and speak "Revival" as a desired result of our fervor and zeal?

Are we demanding of our civil, as well as religious institutions, to establish the Word of God as the central tenet by which this nation will govern itself and our individual lives? Too many of our churches look like the world, instead of representing the holiness of God. It is also not enough to declare that America "made a covenant with God at the founding of this country", if like the ancient nation of Judah, we have torn that covenant asunder with our arrogance, wickedness, rebellion, and following after the desires of our own heart! God did not abandon us -- the nation of America abandoned God! We cannot expect our nation to be excused of the blasphemous and heinous corruption and abandonment of God's Word, if the same God did not excuse His chosen people, the nations of Israel and Judah. In fact, we resemble Babylon more than we do the repentant Jews who returned to Jerusalem from that adulterous nation. 

Believe me, I passionately desire Revival in the United States! But to be true and absolute Revival, it must be more than an emotional human response to the acknowledgement of our sin and rejection of God's authority in our lives. We cannot plan and orchestrate revival. It begins with an action from God! So, I will be praying for God to break into our world with a manifest [and physical] display of His Presence that convicts the hearts of people to genuine repentance; a turning away from their selfish ambition to show evidence that they are true and obedient followers of Christ. 

After all, the perfect example of God breaking into the world [and the greatest revival ever] was the coming of our Savior. And it happened in a manger in the backwater village of Bethlehem. It was also at a dark and hopeless time in history. I think we can agree that this time also qualifies for such an initiation of revival and God's sovereign action. Throughout the Bible's history, God has used a willing, righteous, and obedient remnant. I believe such a remnant exists today, and why I believe revival in the individual life is so important and necessary to defeat Evil in our day. Finally, I know this remnant has been set apart to God, filled with His Spirit, and preparing for the return of our Lord and Savior. Therefore, I am not expecting a raucous, explosive expression of worldwide revival, but rather a quiet, yet powerful fear of the Lord, experienced as the irresistible presence of God that sweeps through the faithful remnant, who will then carry it to the masses. May we all soon have that spiritual sense that God was in this place, and we have received a divine visitation!

Habakkuk 3:2     O Lord, I have heard the report of You, and Your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.

 

The Sea is Stirred Up, And The Waves Are Roaring!

 

I cannot imagine that there is anyone on earth who is not aware of how close the world is to the brink of a global war. Not only are all the talking heads spewing their propagandized versions of the Russia--Ukraine warfare, but for the first time, we have first-person accounts from ordinary citizens who are engaged in this conflict. Technology allows innocent citizens to share their testimony of the horrors of war. No longer will the reflections of heads-of-state be our only witness to this war. The human toll will be center stage as the terror, panic and atrocities of war are recorded by those personally experiencing it. 

Which makes it all that much more tragic. Who can turn away from the sights and sounds of men putting their families on trains, then turning back to pick up a weapon to defend their homeland? Or wives kissing husbands good-bye, not knowing whether it is the last time they will be together? And then there are the children, crying out for their fathers as they struggle to comprehend the heart-wrenching separation. You don't need to understand the language -- the human suffering is unmistakable; the pain understood by the language of our hearts... and it is the same as it has always been throughout the centuries of war on the earth. Only now we are eye-witnesses to it, and we share in that intimate pain and sorrow. 

If you are like me, you might find yourself lying in the early morning darkness, praying for God to step into this conflict before it draws the whole world into a conflagration from which no one survives. I repent for all the things mankind has done to grieve our Creator; for the selfishness and greed that leads powerful men to seek more power, no matter the cost. I lament that we have allowed our hearts to grow cold to the needs of others, and that we have become so short-sighted that we seek the temporary treasures of this world, rather than our inheritance in eternity. And I pray for God's justice towards the men who embrace the Anti-Christ spirit and have joined forces with Satan's kingdom of darkness. 

As I have been contemplating what our future might look like, I am reminded of a dream I had around 2008. It was so specific and disturbing that, at the time, I didn't know what to make of it. But I knew it came from God, and it's significance has become clearer in the intervening years. This dream was unlike any other;  it was so intense and so real, that I knew it was spiritual in purpose.  In this dream, I was on a beautiful beach with nearly pure white sand, and the beach was situated in a cove.  The best way I can describe it is if you took a map of the Gulf Coast of the United States, and flopped it, so that Florida was on your left. So, on one side of this cove, the land formed a peninsula that jutted out into the ocean, but I was protected from the roaring sea in this quiet cove. Then I became aware of a strange object in the water of this cove, and as only seems logical in dreams, I recognized it as a Ferris wheel. 

At this point, I must tell you that I am not really comfortable in deep water, so it is understandable that  as I approached the Ferris wheel in my dream, I was filled with some trepidation.  But I finally climbed into one of the buckets and it began its climb towards the sky, where I could see the beauty of the calm water before me.  But as it descended, I knew I was going to have to brace for an entrance into the deep water of the cove, before the rotation of the Ferris wheel continued its circular motion upward. So, I experienced several rounds of relaxed enjoyment, followed by the anticipation and fear of going underwater. Looking back at this dream, I believe this was representative of what I have faced over the last years as God has awakened me to the knowledge that we are in the Last Days... periods of calm, serenity, and confidence, followed by times of fear, anticipation and dread as He revealed more of how He wants me to spiritually prepare. It also could be symbolic of the ups and downs of our economy for the last decade-and-a-half -- periods of prosperity and growth, followed by shortages, recessions, and inflation. 

But then the dream took a different turn.  I exited the Ferris wheel, and ventured to walk from the cove and around to the other side of the peninsula. I felt drawn to the open sea, even though the sheer size and mass of the ocean frightened me. I stood looking at the ocean, mesmerized by its power, and then I noticed far-off in the distance, a small wave approaching. I stood there, almost hypnotized, watching this wave growing as it approached me until, shaken from my stupor, I realized that the swelling waves were going to swamp the shore on which I stood. 

Despite being fearful of the ocean and deep water, I knew that I had to try to escape and swim to safety. The next thing I became aware of in my dream was swimming as hard as I could and looking back over my shoulder to see that wave coming ever closer with such speed and height. At last it reached me and came crashing down on top of me, tumbling me over and over, and dragging me into the depths of the ocean. I was so scared, and fought to hold my breath, finally resigning myself to the fact that I was going to drown. 

Even in my dream state, I could feel my heart beating wildly and could sense my acceptance of death. Then I felt strong arms scooping me up in those deep waters, and of being cradled.  I heard a voice say, "It's all right.  There's no need to be afraid. I have you."  Then I had a fleeting moment of such profound peace, freedom from fear, and of being completely loved before waking up. I know, without a doubt, that this dream was confirming that, yes, there is a wave building across the globe, and it will come crashing down upon the world. There will be moments of panic and terror, but I am to rest in the knowledge that this fear will be fleeting. I will be secure in the arms of my Lord, who will literally save me from drowning in the chaos and evil of these days.

Nothing has changed in the intervening years, since I had the dream, to give me a different insight into the prophetic meaning of it.  Before our very eyes we are witnessing upheaval in our monetary systems, the erosion of independent sovereign nation states; and our social institutions and international relations are decaying.  The institution of marriage, that began in the Garden of Eden, has been redefined.  And the sanctity of life is sold for corporate profit.  As Paul McGuire, a prophecy expert, described the world in 2008, "It’s as if the world has been set on fire by chaos or crisis of every kind; financial crisis, terrorist crisis, racial crisis, moral crisis, religious crisis and even a crisis in our weather patterns." And we are 13 years further down that road!

So I know that many of you are feeling the effects of what we are witnessing in world events. But I'm here to tell you we don't have to succumb to fear or paranoia.  The love that I felt in that dream is real, and there is power and deliverance in it!  I can still feel the peace of being in the Presence of Jesus! We have been called by God, before the creation of the world, for a time such as this.  And the years since that dream have shown me that I have work to do in the spiritual war that is waging in, and around, and above this world. That's part of my purpose for being here, at this time and in this place. And I know for certain that God and Jesus will see us through whatever is coming, and we have been promised that the gates of Hell will not overcome us!  Just remember this: that wave may have come crashing down on me, but I landed in the strong arms of my Savior and He assured me that He would not let go. If you belong to Him, His promise is the same for you!

Luke 21:26-26   And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
  

 

For A Time Such As This: A Look At Biblical Prophecy

Sometimes, as I begin to write, the Holy Spirit reminds me that I am treading familiar ground -- that He has counseled me on a particular subject in the past, and suggests I revisit what I received to see if I need to renew my mind. I was amazed! I wrote in 2014-15 about the world in crisis and what I wrote seemed almost like déja vu.

Here is how the Holy Spirit informed me in 2014, and what I wrote.... "What appears to be happening before our very eyes is an alarming coalition between Russia and China.  In reaction to strong embargoes on the part of the U.S. against Russia, China appears to be positioning itself as Russia's new strategic partner.  In fact, over the last several months, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party have repeatedly exhorted the People’s Liberation Army to “be ready to win a war.” Xi has repeatedly called for greater military modernization, increased training, and enhanced overall readiness of the Chinese army, navy, and air force. And, if we think Russia and President Putin are just going to sit idly by while we attempt to destroy their economy, then we're more naive than I've thought".  

So, just as in 2014, we now see Russia's currency destabilizing, following the ruble's precipitous decline. And it is in China's best interest to prop up Russia because of their dependency on Russia's energy supply. In fact, if you will remember, Russia and China were communist allies throughout the Cultural Revolution and Cold War. And as neighbors, their financial and strategic interests overlap. China is a huge buyer of Russia's natural resources, and Russia is a great consumer of Chinese exports.  They are natural allies when it comes to destroying the power of the West, especially the U.S, and it's only logical that they would like nothing better than to crush our fragile financial system. There's so much in play right now, and it sure seems like it is aligning with Biblical prophecy. 

Which brings me to what I wrote in 2015 as I realized that oil (especially the oil reserves discovered in the Golan Heights of Israel) could certainly be the "hook" that draws the nations into the Biblically prophesied Gog-Magog war. Additionally, Christians, for centuries, have tried to make sense of Ezekiel 38:15....  And you [Gog] shall come from out of your place in the north parts...".  However, "the north" or "the north parts" has often been understood to be the heavens, and in this case, the second heaven, where satan and his fallen angels and demons live.  But that hasn't stopped people from trying to relate specific humans and geographic locations on the earth when dissecting Ezekiel 38.  But in taking counsel from the Holy Spirit in regards to the spiritual war in the heavens, I am beginning to see a different picture.  

Let's consider Ezekiel 38:1-2, which says, And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face against Gog of the land of Magog, the chief ruler of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief ruler of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them magnificently clothed in full armor, a great horde with buckler (small shield) and [large] shield, all of them wielding swords; Persia (Iran), Cush (Ethiopia), and Put (Libya, N. Africa) with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer (modern Ukraine and Russia) and all its troops; Beth-togarmah (Turkey) from the remote parts of the north and all its troops—many peoples with you.

OK, now I'm going to ask you to follow my train of thought and perhaps connect the dots; try to consider this possible interpretation... Let's start with Genesis, Chapter 10, in which Magog is listed as a son of Japheth, who, himself, was a son of Noah.  Genesis 10:5 tells us that from these men, "the nations were separated and spread into their lands, every one according to his own language, according to their constituent groups (families), and into their nations"...  so the fact that Magog is usually understood to be a nation or country makes sense; having been named for the descendant of Noah who was given that land.  Just think of Washington, D.C. named for George Washington, or America, named for the explorer Amerigo Vespucci.  Naming a land after a specific person makes sense to me.

But then who is this Gog that our God is prophesying against?  In Ezekiel 38:3, he is called "the chief ruler of Meschech and Tubal".  In other versions of the Bible, this verse reads "O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal".  Before we try to identify Gog, let's clear up the discrepancy in the use (or lack of) the word Rosh in that verse.  Some versions of the Bible translate the Hebrew word ‘rosh’ in verse 3 as a noun referring to a place in Russia. The least credible support for this view is that Rosh sounds like the modern-day name Russia and Meshech sounds like Moscow. In this translation they treat rosh as a proper name. Other versions of the Bible translate ‘rosh’ as an adjective, a disjunctive form of grammar, that indicates a pause.  So, verse three would read: “Behold, I am against thee, o Gog, the prince, {pause} chief of Meshech and Tubal”, rather than “Behold, I am against thee, o Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal.”

It is not as important to me to understand where Gog is chief ruler or prince, as it is to know the identity of who Gog is.  I can accept that he rules over the nations of Meshech and Tubal, and I can agree, without any problem, that those nations may comprise parts of modern-day Turkey, southern Russia and Iran.  It is important to know who this Gog is, and why the Lord God is against him.  

So, now I'm going to finally tell you the understanding that I have come to, after much study and prayer.  I believe that Gog is one of the demonic rulers (or princes) that satan has assigned to particular nations to carry out his evil directives.  Once again, I feel that's why Paul made such an effort in Ephesians, Chapter 6, to spell out for us that we do not fight against flesh and blood!  (Could he have been telling us to not try to identify flesh and blood men as these enemies?) These rulers and princes are the spiritual commanders of the forces of spiritual wickedness that coordinate the game plan and align demonic forces on the battlefield of each nation. 

And I do not believe they are constrained by time or place.  Gog has obviously been assigned to govern and administer the nations of Meshech and Tubal at a time when they will be unleashing their armies on Israel [remember those all-important and valuable oil reserves in Israel that are tempting to today's world powers].  Since I often find that the Bible expresses overlapping and dual prophecies -- a word from the Lord that is specific to an ancient historic event, but that also applies to an End Times scenario.  In this case, the Old Testament prophet Amos says, Thus the Lord showed me, and behold a swarm of locusts were coming, and, behold, one of the young devastating locusts was Gog, the king.  

Then in the New Testament, in Revelation, Chapter 9, the Apostle John is given a vision of the Fifth trumpet being sounded, the bottomless pit opening, and the power of the locusts descending upon man to torture him.  In verse 11, John says, And [the locusts] had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.  It is well understood in the 21st Century that this king will be the Anti-Christ.  So, it is certainly possible, and it is my opinion, that the "devastating king of the locusts", that the prophet Amos saw is the same king of the locusts that John saw.  "Gog" could just be the designation of his title or position, [Prince]; and at the End Times he will be known by his proper name, Abaddon. 

Nonetheless, I think we must consider that Gog is a demonic spiritual king [chief ruler or prince] who isn’t limited in the length of time he lives or functions.  He can rule over many nations at different times; simultaneously or throughout the centuries.  But I think it is clear that he is an agent of the devil; with specific duties to battle against God's plan of reconciliation.  I believe that when God commanded Ezekiel to set his face against Gog and prophesy against him, the prophet was being instructed to battle in the spiritual realm against this demonic ruler, and to tell him the Lord God was against him and would defeat him.  That was in the Old Testament.  In this New Testament Age, I contend that we can do the same thing ... in our power and authority in Christ, we can declare to the demonic forces in the spiritual realm, in the Name of Jesus, that God is against them and they are defeated.  

I'm sure that this may be a new and very difficult concept for you to accept, since it is virtually never discussed in the Church today.  And maybe, you are one of those Christians who doesn't feel it is necessary to understand Old Testament prophecy.  But the God who spoke to, and instructed, Ezekiel is the same God who wants to speak to us today through His Word ... all of His Word!  For me, it is a matter of knowing that His character never changes.  So if God was against the demonic rulers in the spiritual realm in Ezekiel's time, He is against them today.  

And if He asked Ezekiel to set his face against that demonic ruler in that spiritual realm, I believe he wanted the prophet to take a stand, with God by his side, and announce the defeat of the evil entities.  I believe His command and His desire is for us to do the same. We need to change our focus from trying to identify a flesh and blood man as the source of power coming against Ukraine and the world, and instead, look up and partner with the Heavenly Host in a battle to conquer the Prince of Magog. Just as we understand that the prince of the kingdom of Persia [i.e., a high-level evil angel representing the interests of Satan in the nation Persia] was defeated by the Archangel Michael in Daniel, Chapter 10, we must understand that Gog is a prince of darkness, assigned by Satan to spiritually rule the land of Magog, which includes the nations of Meschach and Tubal (portions of modern Turkey, Russia, the "Stans", and Iran). He is bigger than any man, but his defeat is prophesied and certain! Hallelujah! May the God above all gods rule this time in history!Amen!

Habakkuk 2:3    For the vision is yet for the appointed [future] time. It hurries toward the goal [of fulfillment]; it will not fail. Even though it delays, wait [patiently] for it, because it will certainly come; it will not delay.

WANTED: Mature Christians!

 I'd like to change the title of this blog post ... from stating that mature Christians are WANTED to NEEDED! I am sincerely concerned that too many of the Body of Christ are lacking in the complete revelation of God's will and His ways; and without that knowledge and their self-identification as Sons and Daughters of the King of Heaven and Earth, the inhabitants of the world are in danger of soon descending into the lawlessness that is prophesied for the Last Days.

I know that many Christians will charge me with a "doomsday" attitude. They might agree with me that Jesus is coming soon, but they will express their opinion that He is coming with Victory and I only need to walk in the faith that He will deliver us who call ourselves His followers -- either by rapturing us out of here, or by sending a Holy Spirit-prompted revival that will sweep the land and delay lawlessness in our lifetime. Believe me, I would love to see either of those events take place! But neither possibility negates the fact that far too many Christians aren't mature enough in their faith to withstand what the Enemy has planned for the generation before Christ's return.

They don't understand that Satan, the fallen angel who was once called Lucifer, is insanely jealous of God's plan to ordain Adam as the Lord of the earth -- the domain that Satan claimed for himself when he was thrown down to the earth after his rebellion in Heaven. But Adam and Eve chose to become independent from God by using their free will to believe the lie of Satan that they could become "like God". That resulted in their fall, and mankind going down a different path than God intended for them. It resulted in a damaged and detached relationship from God until Jesus came with an offer [and the purpose] to restore the relationship that was intended from the beginning. But His sacrifice, and our salvation, has not ended the damage to mankind. Until the end of this age, Satan still holds authority on the earth, and his plan is to increase his lawlessness in an effort to corrupt the planet and mankind, with the ultimate reality that Jesus will put an end to this age and all the evil it holds. The purpose of this post is to point out that Jesus is waiting for us to re-identify ourselves as His creation -- made fully in His image -- to resume our status as kings and lords of the earth. Remember, He is the King of kings, and Lord of lords! Who do you think the Bible is talking about there? US!

But, we in Western civilization, with our Greek thinking, don't know who we are! I recently attended a one-day conference titled, The Kingdom and the End Times, taught by Dan Duval. I have a long history with Dan; my husband and I began listening to him when he first started his podcasts, and have received much wisdom from the revelations that the Father has downloaded to him, and trusted him to share with the Body of Christ. He made a statement during his teaching, that my spirit knew, but I recognized was a surprising fact to some in the room. He said, "If God decided to step down off his throne today, we [because we are Saved by Grace through Faith in Jesus] would be in line to sit on the throne". That's what it means to be a co-heir with Jesus! 

But are Christians even able to contemplate that? Do we know that we are qualified to do the things of Jesus, and even more, as He stated in John 14:12? The truth is that the Body of Christ is in dire danger of losing their identity when the fullness of Satan's lawlessness comes. And, yes, we win in the end; and yes, we will see pockets of revival in these End Times, but the truth of God's Word says we will see persecution and tribulation before that final victory, and if we don't self-identify as Sons and Daughters of God, then it will be easy for the devil to tempt us to "depart from our faith" as it says in 1 Timothy 4:1. If we don't "grow up", as the Apostle Paul effectually tells us to do -- and get off milk and start eating the meat of Biblical truth and prophecy -- we will never mature into understanding the reality of the Kingdom of God on earth. We will never step into our God-ordained purpose and assignment to be the generation that transitions this earth from Satan's kingdom to God's Kingdom. We have more purpose and power in our bodies and existence than the angels in Heaven! 

The Christian theological doctrine of Dispensationalism has blinded the Church to God's plan and who we are. Dispensationalism teaches that God has ordained specific "ages", or periods of time, to order the affairs of the world. I don't want to dwell on the roots or the author of Dispensationalism, so suffice it say that John Nelson Darby used a lot of Theosophist (occultic) and Freemasonry terms, such as "The Absolute" and "Divine Architect" to describe what he called God. And he maintained that the Bible describes seven ages for mankind: the Ages of Innocence, Conscience, Human Government, the Promise, the Law, the Age of Grace, and the Age of the Reign of Christ [or the Kingdom]. Those who believe in this theology will say we are in the Age of Grace [sometimes known as the Age of the Church]. But here's something that is vitally important that we understand: instead of trying to figure out where we are in the End Times, men and women of faith need to be aware that God is more interested in revealing His Sons and Daughters than He is in ordaining events and timelines! 

Because if we don't grow up and mature into the fullness of Christ [as God intends us to do], we will be defeated in this battle to be kings and lords of the earth, dethroning Satan from his counterfeit and false position as ruler and god. We must begin to receive the divine knowledge that Jesus had access to! We must walk in the power and authority assigned to us as rightful co-heirs to God's throne in Heaven! We have scrolls written in Heaven, detailing who we are and why we were sent in this time. We have a divinely-ordained and orchestrated rendezvous with the destiny of the world, and yet we barely know who we are. Please! Do not cower from the role you have been given since the foundation of the world was created! If you don't know who you were as your spirit in Heaven before Jesus knit you in your mother's womb -- ask Him to show you! Begin to identify the reality of who God wants you to be -- not the world, or your own flesh. You were created to be greater than the angels; to be here at this time in history. Learn who you are through the Word and the Spirit. You have been initiated into this mystery of who we were designed to be. So we all need to step into our true and spiritual identities -- all creation is groaning and eagerly waiting for us to stand up and say, "I know who I am!" ... and then to act like it!

1 Corinthians 2:6    However, there is a wisdom that we continually speak of when we are among the spiritually mature. It’s wisdom that didn’t originate in this present age, nor did it come from the rulers of this age who are in the process of being dethroned.

"Will We Stone Those Sent to Us?"

This is the title of an article written by Guy Cohen, founder of the Harvest of Asher Congregation and Ministry in Acco, Israel. He is affiliated with Tikkun International, a global family of ministries dedicated to the dual restoration of Israel and the Biblical Church. Tikkun means restoration, renewal, rehabilitation, and repair [in Hebrew]. It is the cry of the Hebrew prophets for the Messianic Age, and for about 10 years I have been blessed to see the dedication and the work of this organization for the Kingdom of God.

Mr. Cohen's title captured my attention and I wondered if there might be some common ground of understanding between a Messianic Jew in Israel, and a Christian woman in America. Furthermore, I found his religious background interesting, as well. He grew up in an orthodox Jewish religious environment in Israel, studying the Old Testament and rabbinical teachings. Then in 1997, the Lord opened Guy's eyes and he accepted Yeshua as his Messiah! His background and training in the Hebrew Scriptures gives him a unique perspective into the Word of God and the Jewish roots of faith in Yeshua. I am a serious lay student of those same roots in reference to the Christian Bible and my faith. 

The subject of Cohen's article was the prophet Elijah and the environment in which he lived. Elijah was one of the major prophets God sent to Israel to call His people back to Him. But Elijah ran into some formidable foes in King Ahab and his pagan queen Jezebel. According to Scripture, Ahab had done more evil in the sight of the Lord than all the kings who were before him. He built a house for the worship of his wife's false god, Baal, and there he built an altar to Baal and worshiped him. At his wife's instigation, he also built an Asherah pole, a sacred monument and tribute to the Canaanite goddess, Asherah, who was said to be "the mother" of a pantheon of gods with the other "creator god", El. The nation of Israel was tempted to follow these false gods, just as their king had. Elijah could not convince them to choose whom they would worship; their noncommittal attitude only served to greatly provoke the Lord God of Israel. 

But Elijah was anointed by God to confront the idolators, and he fulfilled his mission, gaining a fiery victory on Mount Carmel. As you will recall, the spiritual showdown occurred after Israel had suffered three years without rain, due to their unrepentant idolatry. All Israel gathered at Mount Carmel, where Elijah confronted the evil king and his false prophets. The challenge went like this: Elijah was the lone prophet of the God of Israel. Against him were 450 prophets of the false god, Baal, and 400 prophets of the false goddess Asherah. The challenge was to prepare a bull as an offering to their respective gods. But there was a condition that had to be met ... they could light no fire on their altar. The God who answered with fire from the sky would be declared the true God.  

The fire of the Lord fell and consumed Elijah's offering, after which the people of Israel fell on their faces, saying, "The Lord, He is God"! And after God provided evidence to the people of His sovereignty as the one true God, you have to believe Elijah would be thinking, "I've known why I was sent; to harken the people to the Lord's voice and His presence. How can they not repent and return to the Lord, now?" Instead of what he thought was irrefutable proof of God's supremacy and the truth, Elijah found himself the target of Jezebel's wrath and on the run for his life. The spirits of fear and doubt engulfed him and he ended up in a cave, ready to give up. How dispirited he must have been! He saw his beloved nation forsaking the covenant they had with their God. He witnessed the altars to God being destroyed, and the prophets were all killed. He was the only one left, and they were trying to kill him, too. 

But the Lord did not abandon Elijah. He didn't appear in the grand manner that Elijah expected Him to, but rather as a still, small voice that encouraged him and then sent him back into the spiritual battle. Elijah followed the Lords commands to anoint Hazael as king over Syria; Jehu as king over Israel; and Elisha as a prophetic voice to take his [Elijah's] place. Sadly, both kings failed to do as God bid, and only Elisha carried out his assignment. 

So, why does this ancient situation spoken of in an article by a Messianic minister speak so much to my spirit today? Mr. Cohen fights the battle of speaking as a believer in Yeshua, the Messiah, to a nation of orthodox or unbelieving Jews. He identifies with Elijah in speaking to an unbelieving nation that bows the knee to political Zionism. For me, as a Christian in America, I see how much our governmental leadership and so-called prophetic voices have disappointed. The nation's leaders are as guilty of idolatry and abandoning the true God as King Ahab was. They worship at the altars of power and wealth, and the "voices" of so many prophets assault our ears! What is God's Truth in the midst of all this? Both government leaders and "prophets" battle for their messages to be heard, leading to deception and confusion among the brethren of believers. So what are we seeing? False prophets leading many astray, lawlessness increasing, and love for our fellow man growing cold. 

Did the Lord identify with Elijah, when He said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!"? Today, we often find that Christians don't want a message that interferes with their comfort zone, or troubles their spirit, or challenges their belief system. We need the spirit of Elijah today! We need the true prophets who are willing to call out the false gods this world is bowing down to.  We need an Elijah willing to challenge and confront the false prophets and their empty promises. We need an Elijah to call the Church to account for compromising with the culture and beast system. We all need the spirit of Elijah in us to be bold to declare, "The Lord, He is God"!

It may seem as if we are alone; like Elijah, we may feel like most around us have abandoned this nation's covenant with God; that all our foundations have been torn away. God is no longer welcome in government, our schools, or the public square. He and His statutes are openly mocked by what seems like a growing mob of haters. It may feel like we are facing overwhelming odds. That's how Elijah felt. But God reminded him that he was not serving the Lord alone. In fact, God told Elijah there were 7,000 left in Israel that "had not bowed their knee to Baal nor kissed his mouth". 

I believe God is doing the same in our generation! There is a faithful remnant that echoes the 7,000 in ancient Israel. And it is up to us to discern the ones God has sent, and listen to their words in truth and spirit. We will know them by their fruit! The challenge will be to accept the ones God sends and reject those with messages that draw us away from Him. It will be tempting to listen to those who only preach what makes us feel good. That's the lesson to be learned from the people of Israel, who followed the false prophets of Baal, and rejected the Lord's prophet, Elijah. If we are true followers of Christ, we know the whole agenda ... it includes troubles, hardship, and persecution, BUT concludes with victory, eternal life, and glory to God in the highest! Again, let us be diligent to accept the ones God sends to us and resist "stoning" them if the messages seem uncomfortable. And if the Lord calls us to be His voice, we can be the Elijah, Daniel, and Jeremiah of the generation that sees the return of Jesus! Remember, the Lord was with Elijah the whole way, encouraged him, and provided his successor. May we all receive the same favor from our faithful God!

Luke 1:17     It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous [which is to seek and submit to the will of God]—in order to make ready a people [perfectly] prepared [spiritually and morally] for the Lord.”

 

 

La Palma: Tied To U.S./Israeli Policies? A Look Back At History

Get ready to put your tin foil hat on today! There is an interesting natural phenomena happening off the northwest coast of Africa on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma. In case you have missed the news stories on this event, La Palma is best described as a "volcanic ocean island". According to geologists, La Palma is currently, along with its sister island, Tenerife, the most volcanically active of the Canary Islands. Formed three to four million years ago by submarine (under-sea) volcanic eruptions, the island has a landscape of hardened lava and scoria (porous cinder-like fragments of dark lava. 

So, why am I bringing this subject up? Because La Palma has long been the subject of scary scenarios that have predicted a future event where a volcanic eruption could cause the western flank of the 203 square mile island (roughly 1/6 the size of Rhode Island) to fall in to the ocean, generating a giant wave of nearly 3,000 feet, which would radiate out across the Atlantic Ocean and inundate the Eastern seaboard with waves potentially reaching 165 feet or more -- and it would only take 7 hours to reach its destination! So, again, why am I sharing this information? Because, since September 11th, there have been over 4,000 tremors on the tiny island, resulting in an earthquake swarm and multiple eruptions causing fissures in the rocky landscape and along the ridge of its highest volcanic mountain, fueling fears that the flank of the mountain could possibly break off and fulfill the prognostications of centuries-old prophecies. 

And what does all this have to do with U.S. and Israeli relations [hinted at in the title of this post]? Well, in 2012, I wrote a blog post noting the natural and political disasters that had assailed America in the last 20 years. You can read that complete list on the post by clicking here. Those events began on October 30, 1991, with what became known as "The Perfect Storm". President George H.W. Bush initiated the Madrid Peace Conference to consider Israel giving up "land for peace".  As this Conference opened, a freakish "perfect storm" developed in the North Atlantic, creating the largest waves ever recorded in that region. The storm traveled 1000 miles from “east to west” instead of the normal “west to east” pattern and crashed into the New England Coast. Thirty-five foot waves crashed into the Kennebunkport home of President Bush.

Today, I'd like to cite just a few of the other American policies that required Israel to compromise its land, and which seemed to "coincidentally" occur at the same time as natural disasters... the 1994 Northridge, CA earthquake (U.S. urges Israel to give up Golan Heights); Hurricane George in 1998 (when Secretary of State Madeleine Albright finalizes details of agreement between Israel and Palestine to give up 13% of Judah and Samaria); and culminating with Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when Israel carried out the evacuation of 9,500 residents from Gush Katif and four Samaria communities. Residents were forced from their homes by Israeli troops, some dragged away kicking and screaming and placed on buses that took them from the area.  The Gaza withdrawal was backed by the U.S. government. Some Middle East analysts and senior Israeli politicians entirely attributed the evacuation plan to pressure coming from the American establishment. These natural events, plus political and economic disasters all coincided with concessions Israel made with its Middle Eastern enemies. I think you will be astounded when you read the post in its entirety.

So, now we're facing the possibility of another natural disaster that could potentially dwarf all the others... the entire Eastern seaboard, including the economic center of the U.S. (New York City) and our political capitol (Washington D.C.) could suffer monumental loss of life and territory. So, is there anything going on in our national foreign policy with Israel that could possibly foretell such a disaster? Well, during negotiations in the House this past week, the Democratic leadership was forced to cut $1 billion for Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system, leaving Israel vulnerable to thousands of Hamas-launched rockets. Israeli officials have been quoted as saying that most of the 4,350 rockets fired from Gaza during the conflict in May were blown out of the sky by Iron Dome interceptors.  It is obvious, that failure to fund the effectiveness of this self-defense system could be catastrophic for Israel. Some are saying this is a "temporary" halt and only a "technical postponement" of eventual reinstatement of the funding. [Within 24 hours the House overcame the lobbying of their liberal faction to approve and pass the funding]. Now we will see if the Senate follows through. And in the meantime, La Palma continues to erupt and the world watches to see if the earth-changing event will occur. 

All this may seem like a crazy Christian conspiracy ... and maybe nothing happens. But I'm not one to dismiss what history has shown us. Remember that old axiom, Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it? Maybe, we'd be wise to consider that. And to add fuel to the conspiracy flames, there is the quatrain from Nostradamus (1503-1566), the French astrologer, physician, and reputed seer who wrote, The great mountain, seven stadia round... after peace, war, famine, flooding... It will spread far, drowning great countries... even antiquities and their mighty foundations. Willing to dismiss this as superstitious conjecture or a false prophecy? Perhaps what Revelation 18 has to say might give you pause. 

Revelation, Chapter 18 is focused on the Fall of the great city Babylon. Now, Christians and commentators, alike, have long speculated about the identity of this great city, with Rome/Vatican City, Washington, D.C., and New York City being among the top candidates. Described as the city where "the the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living", and sitting as a queen among the kings of the earth, my vote [at this time in history] is leaning towards New York. To fan the flames of this possible scenario, Scripture says "her plagues will come in a single day; death and mourning and famine, for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her, and she will be burned up with fire. One cannot help but think of the thousands of needless deaths from the disastrous C-19 policies in  New York City.

Again, the Bible forewarns that the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn because no one buys their cargo (goods) anymore. Is it because our dollar is on the precipice of being abandoned as the world's reserve currency? Wall Street is in New York and its numbers lately could certainly be signaling that event. But why would that cause the "merchants of the earth" so much torment? Wall Street has such a significant impact on the global economy because it is the trading hub of the biggest financial markets in the world’s richest nation [according to the website Investopedia]. Making some connections now?

And again, the Bible says that in a single hour all her wealth will be laid waste. So perhaps there's another little clue that La Palma is tied to this Biblical prophecy ... Verse 21 says, Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more. 

I'm not claiming to be a prophetic voice or a seer of any kind ... I just find it interesting that there are some compelling connections between our history with Israel via our political policies and events, the  predictions of a 16th Century astrologer/seer, and the prophetic warnings of the ultimate End Times book in the Bible. This is what we know for sure ... a faction of the U.S. governing body was successful in their attempts to temporarily stop the funding of Israel's primary defense mechanism at the same time an ancient volcano in the Atlantic Ocean has the potential to throw off a devastating tsunami that could wipe out our Eastern seaboard and destroy millions of lives. Sounds Biblical to me! Our political history has given us a template to go by, and it's sure hard to ignore. 

So, I will end this post the same way I did in 2012 ... whether you see a connection between our government's policies, the treatment of Israel, and these forces of nature, you must surely see that the fortunes of America are slipping. Is it God's judgment? I am not qualified to answer for Him. And now, in 2021, I would add this caveat: I'm afraid that we resemble the great city of Babylon even more today than we did then. I invite you to read that sobering chapter in Revelation, and then join me and millions of other Christians as the Kingdom government on earth to change the idolatrous and evil forces that are destroying our country. And be sure and keep an eye on La Palma!

Revelation 18:4-5     Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities".

The Valley Of Decision

As I walked our property early this morning, I was praying so earnestly. There seemed so much to talk to God about. Just in the last two days, I have learned of far too many deaths, hospitalizations, and people in quarantine. Then there was the news coming out of Kabul, Afghanistan. It was early, and the reports were unconfirmed, but my soul and spirit knew it wasn't going to end well. The temptation with all this was to become overwhelmed with sadness, frustration, and yes, anger. But then I would focus on the beautiful creation all around me as I walked... bees pollinating the brilliantly-colored morning glories; the ripples of frogs in the tank; the complex patterns of the spider webs I passed; the lushness of the vegetation and undergrowth after the rain we received yesterday, and the playfulness of the three-week old kittens as they frolicked on the deck. All that re-focused my spirit back on God.

I poured out my heart to Him and prayed, asking for His will to be done in all the areas that I'd expressed dismay and anguish over. I knew He heard me, but then I decided it was time to listen to Him, so I asked Him for a word of knowledge. I asked Him to show me or tell me what He wanted me to know, or what He wanted me to share. And what popped into my head was "The Valley of Decision". I know what my immediate thoughts were, but I wanted to know what He meant by responding to my request. As it turned out, they are connected, yet separate truths.

First, what my heart and head thinks when I hear those words is not the context in which "The Valley of Decision" is mentioned in the Bible. And I will present that concept next, but I want to stress that my personal thoughts may not reflect the context of Scripture, but they are still Biblical and true. So, here is what I want you to know: Whether you believe in God, or not; or the Bible, or not, there is a Truth that  Good and Evil exist in the world, and every single person must make a decision which side he or she is going to be loyal to. There is a destination for everyone after they die, and your decision in this life determines where you will spend the rest of eternity.

It is no longer possible or productive to stick our heads in the sand and pretend that things will return or go on as normal; that what the world is experiencing is just "a bump in the road of history". If you choose to follow that path, then you will simply be swept up in the pressure to "go along to get along"; or to follow the masses. If you are not willing to take a good, hard look at the dividing line between Good and Evil, then you will be susceptible to false narratives, hoping things will level out, only to be led into destruction by the rebellious evil-doers. It's not enough to be a "good person" or be nice to everyone. You can't walk the middle line and hope to be counted as choosing one side or the other. It's not a question of being balanced. You must clearly define your position! To try to walk that line and make no decision for Good, is a decision. You will be counted among the apostate; one who refused to make a decision.

There is a Truth that there is a very real Book of Life in the possession of our Creator. Those who choose to follow the righteous Creator of the Universe will have their names written in that Book of Life. Those who choose to reject Him will decide to follow Satan, the once beautiful Angel [of the highest order] who used his free will to rebel because of pride and conceit. Right now it is becoming increasingly apparent who has chosen to believe his false promises of power, wealth, and immortality. And it will soon appear as if they and their evil ways will triumph and prevail over those who decided to choose God. They will persecute the God-choosers; perpetuating their evil and intolerance against our choice. We will soon be called upon to exhibit more courage, faith, perseverance, wisdom, and unwavering loyalty than ever before in history. It will be a time of sacrifice and martyrs. I know that's  not what you want to hear, but as a Watchman on the Wall, I am entrusted by God to warn you in Truth and Spirit. It is time for the people of the earth to make a decision!

Now, I mentioned that there is God's perspective on the Valley of Decision, and that is something that is equally important for us to discern. Here is what the Bible says about this perspective: Joel 3:14 says, Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision (judgment)! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision [when judgment is executed].  This verse is not describing the fate of humans whose lives are hanging in the balance because they are trying to decide if they are going to choose God or not. When you consider the context of this entire chapter of Joel, it becomes apparent that God is speaking about His decisions to judge the nations for their treatment of His chosen people, Israel. The decision is being made by God, not the people who are being judged. At this moment of time in Joel, the door has already closed for humans to make their decision, and it is God who is going to judge the peoples/nations who have not chosen Him. It is interesting that the translation of the Septuagint reads, the "valley of punishment" or the "valley of vengeance". Therefore, this time of God's decision is happening at the time of the future Judgment Day. 

Ultimately, we must rightly discern that, in Joel 3:14, the Valley of Decision is not about humans making a decision for God -- although that is a reality that must be executed -- but is rather about God making a decision about His judgement of people. The Son of Man will soon come in His glory, and all the holy angels, and He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him. And as the Good Shepherd, He will separate the nations, dividing His sheep from Satan's goats. You want to be counted among the sheep! So, here is an inescapable truth that cannot be denied ... the door for Decision [by both man and God] is closing. The ultimate plan of God to restore the earth to His Dominion is fast approaching. God will soon make His decision ... Have you made yours?

Joshua 24:15    And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. 

 

Will We Christians Recognize God's Strong Delusion?

 

Those of us who are Christians with discerning hearts and spirits are aware that lawlessness is on growing/ There are spirits of anarchy, chaos, and rebellion that seem to have been given free reign over the land. And we are all aware that it won't be long before the Man of Lawlessness, as prophesied in the Bible, appears on the scene and is revealed. In 2 Thessalonians 2, we learn that this son of destruction will oppose the worship of any other god besides himself; and indeed, will exalt himself above the One True God, seating himself in the temple of God [in Jerusalem], and proclaiming himself to be God. We can take courage, though, because the Bible tells us that the appearance of this imposter is a sign that the Lord Jesus will soon appear and kill him with the breath of His mouth! 

But how has this blasphemous and profane man found his way upon the world stage? Again, the Bible gives us the answer ... "by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved." As Christians, we know that Satan has the ability to fool and deceive many into rejecting the salvation that Jesus offers. But surely that warning to "those who are perishing" can't apply to us who call ourselves saved and believers! Or can it? Remember, that Jesus, Himself, in Matthew, Chapter 24, refers to the prophecy of Daniel that there will be an abomination in the House of the Lord when a usurper stands in the Holy Place. This will be a future Man of Lawlessness who perverts the sanctity of God's House. Jesus goes on to warn that there will be great persecution against His followers, and "false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect." But how can that happen? How could people who consider themselves strong believers possibly be so deceived? We find the answer in 2 Thessalonians 2 ... "Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

Surely, that only refers to those who persistently reject Jesus as the Son of God, denying His redemptive death on the Cross for our sins and denying His resurrection to eternal life. But I would ask you to consider this ... again, I want to emphasize God's Immutable (Never-Changing) Nature. As tired as you may be of hearing it, He truly is the same as He was yesterday, is today, and will be tomorrow. So, we must recognize that God lets us know throughout the Bible that Judgment is part of His character and nature. The Book of Psalms is full of descriptors of His Judgment:  It is true; it is in all the earth; He has established His throne for Judgment; and He will most assuredly execute His Judgment.

But there is another topic that surrounds this theme of "Judgment", and it can be found in both the Old and New Testaments.  In Ezekiel, Chapter 9, God shows the prophet a vision of an effectual slaughter of the people of Israel for the abominations they have committed against Him.  Ezekiel sees God commanding an angel to put a mark on the foreheads of those who mourned over the sinfulness and kept themselves apart from it.  Then come the devastating words of the Lord: Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary. It is quite apparent that God's Judgment is swift and terrible, and His Judgment begins with His sanctuary. We, my friends, are His sanctuary today! We, as individuals and the corporate "Church" are His dwelling place on the earth. But soon, there will be a man who will arise, and being full of deception, he will perform great signs and wonders, so that he will be able to deceive even the elect -- if it is possible. 

How can it be possible to deceive the elect? Let's start with 1 Peter 4:17, which says, For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? Note that Peter says "for those who do not obey the gospel of God". Not "believe" but "obey" the gospel of God! First of all, the gospel of God includes all the good news of His nature, His character, His mercy, His love, and His laws. Can today's Church honestly say that they have obeyed His statues and His instruction to us? Have we followed His strict mandates for how He desires we worship, honor, and obey Him? Or have we followed our own hearts and compromised with the world so His House looks less like Him and more like what pleases us?

And has the modern church considered which gospel Peter is talking about? Is it the gospel of Salvation or the gospel of the Kingdom? Oh, we understand the gospel of Salvation pretty well and most of us will say we have obeyed its tenets. But remember, there are strong warnings to those who refused to "love the truth", thereby allowing themselves to be deceived and deluded. What is the truth? Yes, Jesus came to die for our sins, but He came for so much more! 

He came to re-establish His Father's kingdom on earth and to share the good news that the dominion of the earth could be ours again. Yes, His death gives us the choice to choose eternal life through faith in Him, but that salvation is just the first step. We cannot even see [or understand] what the Kingdom of God on earth is to be until we've been saved, and we cannot enter [or be a part of] the Kingdom [as citizens of heaven on earth] until we've been saved. Jesus, Himself, states that in John 3:1-5. Yet so much of "the Church" hasn't embraced and "loved this truth". Furthermore, we are commanded to take back dominion of the earth by healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead, and spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom to all earth's inhabitants. Those actions can [and should] be done by every Christian in order to defeat Satan's kingdom. 

We are not to simply receive our salvation and live out the rest of our lives waiting to die and go to Heaven! I believe our refusal to obey these commandments, once we have acknowledged their truth, are grounds for condemnation at the throne of God... "each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire" (1 Corinthians 3:13-15). God desires more FOR us than our salvation. And He desires more FROM us -- that we enter His Kingdom, do all that He commands us on earth, and receive our inheritance in Heaven. That is the "bigger truth" of our faith.

So, back to this "strong delusion" from God. What might it look like? First, let's establish what the ancient writers would have meant by using that word delusion. It's interesting that in the Hebrew, the word can describe "a tyrant", which would certainly be indicative of the Man of Lawlessness. In the Greek, the word means fraudulent; a straying from orthodoxy or piety; wrong opinion; a forsaking of the right path (whether in doctrine or in morals); a wrong opinion or error in morals or religion. So, does the Bible give us any clues as to what this delusion could look like and how people could [and will] fall for it?  We just need to look to the Book of Revelation to see the vision...

This important and last Book of the Bible holds the key to answering our questions. It speaks in Chapters 12 and13 of several "players" in this great delusion. We have a dragon, who is Satan. And we see a beast, who was given the dragon's power, throne and authority. This is the Anti-Christ. We have another beast with two horns "like a lamb", who is the False Prophet. Hopefully, you are seeing that Satan is counterfeiting God's true hierarchy. Jesus, is of course the True Lamb, who shares in the Father's power, throne and authority. He was considered a great prophet in His day and proven to be the true Messiah. The beast, who is "like a lamb", will be a False Prophet [in the manner of John the Baptist}, who will be declared to be "like Elijah" [just as John was] and who is commissioned to make way for the appearance of the False Messiah [just as John made way for the true Messiah]. It is the False Prophet who will do great and miraculous signs and wonders [counterfeiting those of Jesus] and who will establish a one-world religion, with the objective of bringing about the crowning of the False Messiah. His call for a "universal church", blending all religions into one, will be a tempting message to those in the world who are tired of the persecution, strife and chaos that will be rife in the world. He will speak of "love" and "peace", which will be comforting words to ears that are desperate to hear them... especially Christians!

But we must not be deceived! We must hold fast to Jesus' warning that "false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect."  In fact, He tells us that many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another.  And again, Satan will counterfeit God's moves. In Ezekiel 9, God placed a mark on the foreheads of those who remained righteous and followed His precepts, keeping themselves separate from those who followed evil. Satan will cause a mark to be placed on the right hand or the forehead of those willing to go along with the False Prophet's enticing agenda. And just like God, Satan will destroy those who do not have the mark.

I cannot stress enough how important it is that the Household of God be aware of what is coming! We cannot bury out heads in the sand and pretend that what the Bible prophesies will not happen. What is spoken of in Ezekiel, 1 Corinthians, 2 Thessalonians, and the Book of Revelation will take place! There will be a fiery test of the quality of one's faith.  In other words, there will be a process of judgment that leads to a decision [by God], resulting from His investigation.  Those who are sealed with the mark of true faith will be exempt from the Judgment. Make no mistake ... there is a Man of Lawlessness waiting in the wings, and there is a strong delusion coming from God to separate the truly righteous from the pretenders. I pray the foundation of your life has been laid with the fullness of Jesus's truth and Gospels. May the true Church expose the deception of the Enemy and guide the faithful through the delusion that will cause many to fall away from their faith. To God be the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever and ever! Amen! 

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1 Samuel 15:23    For rebellion is as [serious as] the sin of divination (fortune-telling), And disobedience is as [serious as] false religion and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you as king.”

 

"Stop The Singing and Listen" -- The Words of The Prophet - Part 2

I often find myself wondering what it must have been like for the prophets of the Bible to receive the word of the Lord concerning His judgments upon their nations. They knew that what He instructed them to say would not be popular, and would be difficult to receive. Yet, they were obedient, often at great personal cost, to forewarn their countrymen of the coming justice from God's holy temple in Heaven.

Such was the experience of the prophet Micah, who lived from 740 BC - 670 BC. He was the first prophet to predict the destruction of Jerusalem, which was the capital of the ancient nation of Israel before its fragmentation into separate northern and southern kingdoms. Jerusalem then became the capital of the southern kingdom, Judah. 

Micah was an equal opportunity prophet, rebuking the northern kingdom of Israel [as well as Judah] of dishonesty in the marketplace and corruption in government. He announced impending doom and judgment from God for enriching themselves while impoverishing their citizens. He announced, on behalf of God, their transgressions, rebellion, and idolatry... something common to nearly all the prophets of the Bible. So, why am I focusing on this minor prophet? Because, as I said in the previous post, the Holy Spirit unexpectedly brought this short book of seven chapters to my attention. As I read it, I could not deny that Micah's messages to the princes/leaders and people of Jerusalem could just as easily be given to us. Let me share with you what my spirit heard...

Micah begins his message with the earnest appeal for the people -- all of them -- to pay attention because the Lord God is going to be a witness against them. He is going to be "coming out of His place" because of the transgressions [rebellion] of the house of Israel and Samaria. Now for a little history ... the direct transgression he is referring to is the division of the nation of Israel into the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah. But this was all set in motion years before by King Solomon when he built two houses: the house of the Lord and his own palace, the king's house. He then prostituted himself with Hiram, the king of Tyre, to receive gold to build the houses and multiple his wealth. As if that wasn't enough, he took foreign wives from Egypt, Moab, Ammon and other pagan nations. It was an alliance not countenanced by God.

Solomon sold the king of Tyre cities in the land of Galilee, virtually selling the birthright of the nation of Israel. And because of this corrupt alliance, the taxes were raised to fund all that Solomon owned, resulting (after his death) in the conflict between the ten northern tribes, under the rulership of Jeroboam, and the two southern tribes, under the rulership of Rehoboam. Solomon's slide into idolatrous worship [against the manner of worship God had prescribed] eventually led to Jeroboam's own fall from grace. He had been Solomon's superintendent over the taxes and labor of the citizens to maintain Solomon's extravagant lifestyle. He was effective in that role; enough so, that the prophet Abijah revealed to Jeroboam God's intention to make him a ruler of a new kingdom. When, after Solomon's death, Jeroboam attempted to explain to Rehoboam, the heir to Solomon's throne, that the northern tribes were too burdened by the taxation and labor, their demands were rejected and the nation of Israel split in two. 

Both Israel and Judah would see their once prosperous and God-blessed nations slide into degeneracy and destruction. Jeroboam would altar the methods of worship that God had established by worshiping at the altars of pagan gods, appointing his own priests [from other than the tribe of Levi]; and changing the times of the Lord's Feasts. Rehoboam's leadership served the nation of Judah just as grievously. Using the trappings of power and wealth, he continued to burden his people with heavy taxes, and engaged in worshiping false gods, even to the point of giving a home in the Temple of Jehovah to heathen deities. The falling away from the ways of YHWH to worshiping false gods cost the people of ancient Israel dearly. God would use foreign kings and nations to discipline both kingdoms. The northern kingdom of Israel would be conquered by Assyria. From 740 BC to 722 BC the inhabitants were deported and taken into captivity; never to return to their homeland. Likewise, in 589 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem, and in 586 BC he destroyed the Temple and took the inhabitants of Judah into captivity for 70 years.

Both kingdoms traded their unique and blessed inheritance from the Lord for worldly wealth and power. In fact, they traded those blessings they had received from God and transferred them to foreign countries. All this is prophesied by the prophet Micah ... All this is for the transgression of Jacob and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what is the high place [site of idol worship] of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem? Therefore I will make Samaria a heap in the open country ... All her carved images shall be beaten to pieces, all her wages shall be burned with fire, and all her idols I will lay waste, for from the fee of a prostitute she gathered them, and to the fee of a prostitute they shall return (Micah 1:5-7).

I can't help but see a similarity to the sins of our nation. Have our leaders prostituted us to foreign nations for their own wealth and power? Have we entered into ungodly alliances with our enemies? Do our leaders seek to yoke us to heavier taxes and break the backs of the laborers instead of easing our burden?  Have we, as a people, abandoned our God-ordained ways of worship for ways that feed our souls instead of our spirits? Are we falling for soothing and appealing words of false teachers who encourage us to embrace all religions as the same, worshiping the same God? 

Micah 2:4 says, On that day they shall take up a [taunting, deriding] parable against you and wail with a doleful and bitter song of mourning and say, ‘We are completely destroyed! God exchanges the inheritance of my people; How He removes it from me! He divides our fields to the rebellious [our captors].’ I can't help but wonder if our enemies are mocking and taunting us in the same way. Will our leaders soon bemoan the state of the yoke they have placed upon us [by their immoral alliances]? Will they realize too late that the land they have taken from our hard-working citizens will be given into the hands of an idolatrous king?

And I know there are those who do not think that God's word against the ancient nation of Israel could possibly pertain to us. I hear all the time, that we are under the blood of Jesus, so we are not under the same condemnation or discipline that they were. But I will remind everyone that our God is Immutable, unchanging. It is not that He could change, but chooses not to. It is that He will always respond to everything according to His unchanging character. He is unchanging in who He is, in His perfection, in His purposes, and in His promises. So, while it may seem I only speak of doom and destruction; and it may be hard to accept that we are following this same path, and are deserving of His discipline, I will never fail to remind us all that by repenting, asking for forgiveness, and seeking His face, we can also be deserving of His promises.  

In order to receive those promises, we must be honest with ourselves. Not one of Israel's ancient kings restored the true worship of God. And the result was unavoidable national captivity. I do not believe it was our destiny to repeat that heresy. But I cannot ignore that this nation does not honor and glorify -- yet alone, worship Him -- the way He desires. Yes, there is a remnant that is desperately seeking to restore that Biblical model. We must recognize that our God and His ways are eternal; they are unchanging. And the words He spoke through His messenger Micah, nearly 2800 years ago, still ring true. Let us pray together and endeavor with might and purpose to change the trajectory of our nation so that we can avoid the downfall that is looming. We do not have to repeat the sins of the past!

Next: Micah's message of hope to this generation!  

Micah 2:1-2   Woe (judgment is coming) to those who devise wickedness and plot evil on their beds! When morning comes, they practice evil because it is in the power of their hands. They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away. They oppress and rob a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.