Gems of Scripture
A Famine For The Word of
God
Amos 8:11-12 -- "The days are coming," declares the
Sovereign Lord, "when I will send a famine through the land -- not a famine of food
or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.
Men will stagger from sea to sea and
wander from, north to east searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find
it."
The two witnesses of Revelation 11 are listed as the two olive trees and the two
lampstands. The olive trees were the source of the oil which kept the lamps burning
in the Sanctuary. The lampstands represent the light, or the Word of God. The
oil represents the Holy Spirit which keeps the light burning and is the author of the
Word. The Holy Spirit and the Word of God are the two witnesses, but these must
be received by the people of the earth by way of human messengers who preach the
Everlasting Gospel and are empowered by the Holy Spirit. These human agents are
144,000 individuals whom God personally selects and seals with His Holy Spirit
(Rev.7:3,4).
Rev. 11:3 -- "And I will give power to my two witnesses and
they will prophesy for 1260 days.
Vs. 6 -- "These men
have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are
prophesying." (These are men and they are prophets.)
Now for 1260 days they will carry out the most intensive and extensive evangelistic
series the earth has ever witnessed. They will reveal Christ just prior to His
coming, to every nation, kindred, tongue and people.
Vs. 7 -- "When they have finished their
testimony." This is at the end of the 1260 days of their witnessing. The
beast from the Abyss (The Lamb-like beast) will attack them, and overpower them and
kill them.
Vss. 11,12 -- "But after
3-l/2 days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet. . .
Then they heard a loud voice from heaven
saying to them, ‘Come up here.’ And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while
their enemies looked on."
Now the two witnesses -- the Holy Spirit and the Word of God -- have lost
their human agents to preach the words of Jesus and the Everlasting Gospel to the nations
of the earth. There is no back-up team to carry on their work because their
testimony (of the 144,000) was not completed until every one had been sufficiently
informed to make their decision for Christ.
When the agents who have been chosen to propagate this message have all been martyred,
wouldn't the witnesses themselves be killed -- in effect? The Holy Spirit
and the Word of God would end their work of evangelizing the nations of the earth.
This would not end their work in the lives of the saved.
Though selected from the Christ-promoting churches at the end-time, the 144,000 will
not be representing any denomination or putting a denominational spin on their
message. They will be preaching the Word of God -- the Everlasting Gospel,
and the testimony of Jesus, which is the Spirit of Prophecy (Rev.19:10). Remember
what the work of the Holy Spirit is:
John 16:13,14 -- "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes,
he will guide you into all truth.
He will not speak on his own; he will
speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring
glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.
Vs. 15 -- All
that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from
what is mine and make it known to you."
Can you imagine when 144,000 Elijah-like witnesses, being directed in their witnessing
by the daily communication with Jesus, as mediated by the Holy Spirit, all coming abruptly
to an end at the time the 144,000 witnesses are martyred.
Immediately following this martyrdom the Seventh Trumpet sounds, and the Seven Last
Plagues commence to fall. It is during this time that this famine exists for the
Word of God. This must give the unsaved a terrified feeling when the Seven Last
Plagues are falling and it is obvious that they are the judgments of God.
At that time the Holy Spirit will no longer be drawing them and no longer will any of
those great preachers be expounding from the Word of God. This is the time, I
believe, when this prophecy will be fulfilled. "Men will stagger from sea to
sea and wander from North to East searching for the Word of the Lord, but they will not
find it (Amos 8:12).
Two Shepherds
Zech. 11:4-16 -- This is what the Lord my God says: (God the
Father) "Pasture the flock marked for slaughter. Their buyers
slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Praise the Lord, I
am rich!’ Their own shepherds do not spare them.
For I will no longer have pity on the
people of the land," declares the Lord. "I will hand everyone over to his
neighbor and his king. They will oppress the land, and I will not rescue them from
their hands.
So I (Christ) pastured the flock
marked for slaughter, particularly the oppressed of the flock. Then I took two
staffs and called one Favor and the other Union, and I pastured the flock. In one
month I got rid of the three shepherds (The civil authorities, the priests, and the
prophets -- Amplified Bible).
The flock detested me, and I grew weary
of them and said, ‘I will not be your shepherd. Let the dying die, and
the perishing perish. Let those who are left eat one another's flesh.’ (The
abandoning of the Israelites at the crucifixion.)
Then I took my staff called Favor and
broke it, revoking the covenant I had made with all the nations (Sinaitic covenant).
It was revoked on that day, and so the afflicted of the flock who were watching me
knew it was the Word of the Lord.
I told them, ‘If you think it best,
give me my pay; but if not, keep it.’ So they paid me 30 pieces of
silver. And the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’ -- the handsome
price at which they priced me! So I took the 30 pieces of silver and threw them into
the house of the Lord to the potter.
Then I broke my second staff called
Union, breaking the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
Then the Lord said to me, "Take
again the equipment of a foolish shepherd. For I am going to raise up a shepherd
over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured,
or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their
hoofs."
I believe most of this is so clear that no comment is needed. I would like to
comment on breaking the staff called Union -- breaking the brotherhood between
Judah and Israel. We know that the ten tribes of Israel were taken into captivity in
722 BC by Assyria. They became blended into the nations of the
earth and their identity completely lost. I believe this staff being broken at this
time of the cross is symbolic of the abandoning of the ten tribes of Israel forever and
their places to be filled by the wild olive branches (Gentile believers -- Rom.11:7).
The descendants from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin maintained their Jewish roots and
these will be rehabilitated at the second coming at which time they will be united with
their adopted brothers -- the Gentile believers.
I would like to comment on this hard-hearted shepherd that God is going to turn the
Israelites over to at a later time.
Christ is the good shepherd
This one is the Counterfeit shepherd.
Christ is the Lamb of God
This one is the Lamb-like beast.
Christ is the true prophet
This one is the False Prophet. (Rev.19:20)
In Ezekiel 38:39 he is called Gog and is the general directing the armies of the
nations of the earth (One World Order) in his final battle -- Armageddon.
In Revelation 13 he is the beast from the Abyss -- the lamb-like beast
that performs great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to
earth in full view of man, thus deceiving the inhabitants of the earth.
2 Thess.2:3,4 NEB -- Let no one deceive you in any way whatever.
That day (Day of The Lord) cannot come
before the final rebellion against God, when wickedness will be revealed in human form,
the Man doomed to perdition. He is the Enemy."
Fortunately his rule is brief. He is allotted 3-l/2 years during the time of the
great tribulation to carry out his infamous acts. He is the one who makes the word great
in the Great Tribulation applicable.
When Was The "Sabbath" abolished,
or was it?
Amos, who lived approximately 800 years before the crucifixion, penned a prophecy from
God, in response to the Israelites complaining of how the weekly Sabbaths and New Moon
Festivals were taking up their valuable time that could be better spent in the market
place.
Amos 8:4-9 -- Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away
with the poor of the land, saying "When will the new moon be over that we may sell
grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?" -- skimping the
measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales. . .
"In that day," declares
the Sovereign Lord, "I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth
in broad daylight. I will turn your religious feasts into mourning and all your
singing into weeping."
Not only would their Sabbaths and New Moon celebrations be ended, but all their
religious feasts would come to an end. Now we look to see when, if ever, in
subsequent time in their history is there any fulfillment of this confirmed.
Mark 15:33-37 -- At the sixth hour (Noon) darkness came
over the whole land until the ninth hour (3:00 PM). And at the ninth hour
Jesus cried out in a loud voice,. . . . "My God, My God, why have you forsaken
me?". . .
Vs. 37 -- With a loud cry, Jesus
breathed his last.
Some may say that the Israelites continued with their feasts and sacrifices until the
city and the temple were completely destroyed by Titus in AD 70. This is true, but
type met antitype at the cross, at which time all these feasts and ceremonies met their
fulfillment in Christ.
The very fact of their rejection of Christ would reveal why they were blind to this
transfer of the covenants, a blindness which continues to this day, a blindness which is
not scheduled to be removed until the last Gentile is called in (Rom.11:25).
Then, with confession and repentance they will accept Christ as their Savior and will be
reinstated as God's special people. All who belong to Christ are Abraham's seed and
heirs according to the same promise (Gal.3:29).
Israel's Sacred Assemblies
Lev. 23:1,2 -- The Lord said to Moses, "Speak to the Israelites
and say to them: These are my appointed feasts, which you are to proclaim as sacred
assemblies.
Vss. 3-43 -- (He then lists
in order and describes each of these appointed feasts)
1. The Sabbath
2. The Passover & Unleaven Bread
3. First Fruits
4. Feast of Weeks
5. Feast of Trumpets
6. Day of Atonement
7. Feast of Tabernacles
Vs. 44 -- So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed
feasts of the Lord.
The Lord instructed Hosea, a contemporary of Isaiah, to marry an adulterous woman
(Gomer) so as to give him insight into God's relationship with Israel. Israel was in
a deep state of spiritual adultery in their relationship with the Lord. The Lord
tells Hosea of some of his future plans for Israel.
Hosea 2:11 -- "I will stop all her celebrations: her
yearly festivals, her New Moons, her Sabbath days -- all her appointed feasts."
This explicitly states that all her appointed feasts will be brought to an end.
Leviticus 23 names and describes all the appointed feasts of the Lord which they were
commanded to observe.
Col. 2:13,14 -- When you were dead in your sins
and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive in
Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with
its regu- lations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away,
nailing it to the cross. . .
Vss. 16,17 --
Therefore (for this reason) do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with
regard to a religious festival, a new moon celebration or a Sabbath day.
These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality however is found in
Christ.
In Hosea we are informed prophetically that all these appointed feasts will come to an
end -- some time in the future. In Colossians we are told that this has
happened at the cross; the time being when these shadows of things to come met the reality
which was Christ -- the very thing that all these feasts pointed forward to.
The reason not to let any one judge you in what you eat or drink or to any of the
appointed feast days was because Christ had canceled the written Code (10 commandments)
with its regulations . . . nailing it to the cross.
When is Daniel Scheduled
for Resurrection?
Dan. 12:13 -- As for you, (Daniel) go your way till the end.
You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your
allotted inheritance.
NRSV -- But you, go your way and rest; You shall rise for your
reward at the end of the days.
KJV -- But go thy way till the end be; for thou shalt rest, and
stand in thy lot at the end of the days.
Young's Literal Translation -- And thou, go on to the end, then
thou dost rest, and dost stand in thy lot at the end of the days.
Notice the consistency of interpretation. All identical. What time could
this be speaking of? The end of the days will not be at Christ's Second Coming for
there is yet to be 1000 years more of days -- that we have been promised for sure.
The last event mentioned in the Bible to occur, after the 1000 years, on this last
day is found in:
Rev. 20:11-15
Vs. 12 -- "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing
before the throne, and books were opened.
Vs. 13 -- The sea gave up the dead
that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person
was judged according to what he had done. . .
Vs. 15 -- If anyone's name was not
found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."
This is earth's last day as recorded in the Bible.
The very next words are:
Rev. 21:1 -- "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for
the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any
sea."
This new earth is where time will be no more. The days, as we know them, will be
ended and replaced by never-ending day.
Isn't it perfectly clear from what God told Daniel -- that this is that last day
at the end of the days when he will rise to accept his reward? His name will
be found in the Book of Life and his reward will be everlasting life in the
earth-made-new.
After Two Days -- Restoration
Hosea 6:1-3 -- "Come, let us return to the Lord. He
has torn us to pieces, but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up
our wounds.
After two days he will revive us; on the third day he
will restore us, that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let
us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear."
"He has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. He has torn us to
pieces." This is speaking of this punishment that is brought on the Israelites
where they are trampled by the Gentiles for three and a half years. This trampling
to be terminated by Christ's Second Coming.
Isa. 30:25,26 -- "In the day of great slaughter (Second
Coming) when the towers fall, streams of water will flow on every high mountain and
every lofty hill. The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven
times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises
of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted."
"After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that
we may live in his presence." This prophecy is speaking of three days, or
3000 years. The Lord does not give any other yardstick that a day in his sight is as
any other period of time.
2 Peter 3:8 -- "But do not forget this one thing, dear
friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a
day."
The only way this prophecy fits is to apply 1000 years for each day. The
Israelites were abandoned at the cross because of their crucifixion of Christ. This
abandonment we know from Paul (Rom.11:25) is to last until the last Gentile is called
in. This prophecy says that God will revive them after the second day. We know
for sure that this has not happened, so literal days are impossible. We are in the
time-frame of the end of the second day (2000 years).
"On the third day he will restore us, so that we may live in his
presence." There is much evidence from scripture which describes that this
restoration occurs immediately post second coming.
Eze. 36:25,26 -- "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and
you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your
idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove
from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Vs. 33 -- On the day I cleanse you
from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt."
We know for certain that this has not happened yet. It is promised to happen
immediately following the second coming. Remember, the text says that this
restoration is to be accomplished so that we may dwell in his presence.
Zech. 2:10,11 -- "Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion.
For I am coming, and I will live among you," declares the Lord.
"Many nations will be joined with
the Lord in that day and will become my people. (Gentile believers from every
nation, kindred, tongue, and people.) I will live among you and you will know that the
Lord Almighty has sent me to you.
Do the Israelites finally acknowledge Christ as their Savior? We know that this
is a necessity if restoration is to be carried out. "Let us acknowledge the
Lord."
Zech. 12:10,11 -- "And I will pour out on the house of David
and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication.
They will look on me, the one they have pierced, (Christ)
and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him
as one grieves for a firstborn son. On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be
great."
This is something else that we know has not happened yet, but also know that this is
not scheduled until the Second Coming when this will take place.
The last part of this prophecy assures us, "As surely as the sun rises, he will
appear." With the same conviction that we believe this we can also believe the
other parts of this prophecy.
The Wedding Feast
In the first and second chapters of John's gospel we have, after the introduction to the
book, five successive events which are carefully noted to be segregated into five
successive days.
First Day -- John 1:19-20
John the Baptist denies being the Christ The Next Day -- (Vss. 29-34).
Jesus the Lamb of God -- John's
Testimony
______________________________________
The Next Day -- (Vss. 35-42).
Jesus' first disciples
The Next Day -- (Vss. 43-51).
Jesus calls Philip & Nathaniel
On Third Day -- (John 2:1-11).
Jesus changes water to wine
|
It is as if God drew a line, separating the last three days of those events, to show that
they were a part of a separate package.
John 2:1-11 -- On the third day a wedding took place at
Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been
invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him,
"They have no more wine."
"Dear woman, why do you involve
me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come."
His mother said to the servants, "Do
whatever he tells you."
Nearby stood six stone water jugs, the
kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from 20-30 gallons. Jesus
said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water;" so they filled them to the
brim.
Then he told them, "Now draw some
out and take it to the master of the banquet. They did so, and the master of the
banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it
had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew.
Then he called the bridegroom aside and
said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first, and then the cheaper wine after the
guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of
Galilee. When we study this three-day package, as it is so delineated, we find
Christ selecting His disciples on the first two days, and on the third day produces the
finest wine to present to the guests at the wedding feast.
2 Peter 3:6-8 -- By water also the world of that time was deluged
and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,
being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With
the Lord a day is like a 1000 years, and a 1000 years like a day.
This prophetic key was given by Peter in the context to the time of Christ's return and
setting up His kingdom on this earth.,
In applying this key to this package, the Lord has arranged into three days; the first
two days Christ is selecting disciples to serve Him. This would represent 2000 years
for the selection of His church from the inhabitants of the earth until His return.
On the third day refers to the 1000 years of the Millennial Kingdom that He will
set up on this earth and rule. The wedding that he participated in in Cana is
pointing to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb, which will be held in Jerusalem at the
beginning of His reign there. The choice wine that He created and served at the
Wedding Supper in Cana, He will fulfill in antitype at the beginning of His reign in
Jerusalem. Note the following:
Isa. 25:6-8 -- On this mountain the Lord Almighty will
prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine -- the best of
meats and the finest wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up
death forever. (In the Holy Land there will be no more death.)
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the
tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.
I believe that these passages have been too skillfully outlined not to have special
meaning. Those who have eyes to see will have no difficulty seeing what God may want
them to see in this beautiful story. And that it might have implications besides
being Christ's' first miracle at a wedding feast 2000 years ago.
Healing and Casting Out
Demons
Notice the following remarkable dialogue between Jesus and some Pharisees:
Luke 13: 31,32 NSRV -- At that very hour some Pharisees came and
said to him, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you."
He said to them, "Go and tell that
fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow,
and on the third day I finish my work.
We know for certain he didn't stop casting out demons after two more days, or stop
healing the people. He didn't finish His work three days after making that
statement. This is an obvious statement of prophetic import. This is another
instance where He uses three days to express features of events to follow for the next
3000 years.
For the first two days would mean that for the following 2000 years He would be casting
out demons and healing the sick. Notice His "Gospel Commission" to His
disciples before His assention:
Mark 16:15-18 -- He said to them, "Go into all the world and
preach the good news to all creation...
And these signs will accompany those who
believe: In my name they will drive out demons;... They will place their hands on
sick people, and they will get well."
On the third day I finish my work -- No casting out demons or healing the sick
for the following 1000 years. Satan and his ministers will not be around. They
will either be in their grave or sealed off in an inaccessible place for this 1000
years. I believe it will be the grave.
No sick will be treated as no one will become ill during this period. In
prophetic vision, Isaiah describes the people in the Holy Land after the carnage
associated with the Battle of Armageddon.
Isa. 33:23,24 -- Then an abundance of spoils will be divided and
even the lame will carry off plunder.
No one living in Zion will say, "I
am ill;" and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.
This is definitely post Second Coming environment with Christ ruling from His sanctuary
in Jerusalem.
"On the third day I finish my work." He will perfect His work in His
people during this third day -- His Millennial Reign. God's purposes with
this earth do not come to an end with His Second Coming. This present earth will
continue to exist for another 1000 years. We are not coming to the end of the world,
but to the end of this present age, and to the beginning of the Kingdom Age.
I do not believe that this 1000 years will just be a holding pattern to take up
time. I believe God has a divine purpose for this extra day (1000 years) and will
perfect and complete His work with His people and with this earth during this time.
We need to see the key that unlocks this prophecy and in the context it was given.
2 Peter 3:6-8 -- By water also the world at that time was deluged
and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,
being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
But do not forget this one thing, dear
friends: With the Lord a day is like a 1000 years, and a 1000 years like a day.
This was given in the context of Christ's return to this earth and his reign on this
earth to follow.
Christ's Preview of His
Second Coming
I believe that Christ has left us with a preview of His Second Coming in miniature.
I believe there are important lessons to be found in the description of this event over
and above what one would see from a mere surface reading. Notice the account:
Matt. 16:28 RSV -- Truly, I say to you, there are some
standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his
kingdom.
Matt. 17:1-8 RSV -- And after six days Jesus took with him
Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart.
And he was transfigured before them, and
his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light.
And behold, there appeared to them Moses
and Elijah, talking with him...
Vss. 5-8 -- He was
still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud
said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."
When the disciples heard this, they fell
on their faces, and were filled with awe.
But Jesus came and touched them saying,
"Rise and have no fear."
And when they lifted up their eyes, they
saw no one but Jesus only.
This is a beautiful representation of the Second Coming in miniature. I believe
that Christ planned it with meaning and prophetic insight. After telling them that
some standing there would live to see Him coming in His kingdom, "And after six
days" He took them up into a high mountain. Do you believe it just happened
to be six days, or was it by careful orchestrated design? Remember Peter's words:
2 Peter 3:7,8 RSV -- But by the same word the heavens and
the earth that now exist have been stored up for fire, being kept until the day of
judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not ignore this one fact, beloved,
that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.
I believe Christ was showing us that, after six days (6000 years) of living in turmoil,
danger and uncertainties of this life, we will complete the week (seventh day) by
entering into a thousand years of living in His presence at His Coming. I also
believe it was no coincidence that Elijah and Moses were chosen to participate in this
miniature presentation. Let us see if the Scriptures shed light on this matter.
Before Christ is presented to the world in all His glory at His Second Coming, He will
first be revealed to the world through a group of people whom He will personally select
and seal with the seal of the living God in their foreheads. We know from Ephesians
1:13 that this seal is the Holy Spirit and these who are so especially designated are the
144,000 (Rev.7:3).
Revelation 11:3 reveals that the two witnesses will prophesy for 1260 days (3-l/2
years). These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands.
The olive trees produced the oil used in the temple to keep the lamps burning.
The oil represents the Holy Spirit who is the author of the light.
The Two Trees represent the early and the latter rain.
The Two Lampstands represent the light, or the Word of God -- Old and New
Testaments.
The Two Witnesses are the Holy Spirit and the Word of God (Everlasting Gospel).
The Message that is promoted by these two witnesses is through specially selected,
chosen and sealed channels;—
The 144,000, filled and sealed with the Holy Spirit and preaching the Everlasting
Gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue and people.
Rev. 11:6 -- These men have power to shut up the
sky so it will not rain during the time they are prophesying. (They are
prophets and they prophesy for 1260 days, or 3-l/2 years).
Elijah also prophesied that it would not rain for three and a half years.
James 5:17 -- Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed
earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half
years.
This shows that these men came in the Spirit and power of Elijah.
Rev. 11:6 (2nd half) -- And they have power to turn the waters
into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
This shows that they, also, come in the spirit and power of Moses.
At this preview presentation of the Second Coming, Moses and Elijah came as
representatives of those witnesses who are to reveal Christ to the world prior to His
coming in person. This witnessing will be for 1260 days after which they all will be
martyred. After three and a half days they will be brought to life and a loud voice
from heaven calls them up and they ascend to heaven in a cloud (Rev. 11:11,12).
If this scenario, as listed, is correct, we are at the end of the sixth day (6000
years). The next thing that we should be expecting is the presence of the 144,000 to
be demonstrated in their witnessing the Everlasting Gospel to every nation, kindred,
tongue and people. This is to occur during the time of the great tribulation.
This group is one in which man has no vote in their selection. These are
personally selected by God. They are sealed in their foreheads with the seal of the
living God -- the Holy Spirit. This explains how they are able to come in
the spirit and power of Elijah and Moses. Also, like these two prophets of God, the
144,000 are also prophets. They are called "servants the prophets."
After their testimony is completed (after 1260 days of prophesying) the beast from the
Abyss makes war on them and kills them. After three and a half days a breath of life
from God entered them and they are called up to heaven by a loud voice. Immediately
thereafter the seventh trumpet sounds announcing, among other things:
(1) The seven last plagues
(2) Time for rewarding your servants the prophets (Revelation 11:18).
This indicates that they are in heaven at the time the plagues are distributed.
How better could the "servants the prophets" be rewarded?
To complete the analogy with Christ's preview and His actual Second Coming, it might be
helpful to show Scriptural evidence that they also come with Christ at His Second
Coming. His first official act at His Second Coming is the Battle of Armageddon.
Rev. 16:16 -- Then they gathered the kings (10) together
to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
Rev. 17:12-14 -- The ten horns you saw are ten kings...
They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.
They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb
will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings -- and with him will be
his called, chosen and faithful followers.
One of the major identifying characteristics of the 144,000 is noted in Rev. 14:4,
"They follow the Lamb wherever he goes" -- (faithful followers).
As I review in my mind the scenario that unfolded on that mountain top, I am convinced
that perhaps the major reason for the presence of Elijah and Moses is to reveal that the
144,000 come with Christ at His Second Coming. Beyond question the prophets Moses
and Elijah are the prototypes of the 144,000 "servants the prophets" who are so
prominent in the events surrounding the Second Coming.
We Want Christ
With Reservations, of Course
Isa. 4:1 -- In that day seven women will take hold of one man and
say, "We will eat our own food and provide our own clothes; only let us be called by
your name. Take away our disgrace.
Here is a one verse prophecy, setting alone, with no apparent connection with adjacent
material except for one statement,
"In that day;" -- this, in the midst of material describing the
Day of The Lord associated with Christ's Second Coming. Vss. 2-6, which immediately
follow, give a beautiful description of Jerusalem and the Holy Land with its inhabitants
following the Second Coming.
"We will eat our own food;"
"We will not limit ourselves to Your book alone for our spiritual guidance.
Councils from our founding fathers we feel safe to accept on the same parity as the
Bible." (Some readily admit it, while some deny it but carry it out in
practice.)
"We also believe there is saving truth in many of the Non-Christian persuasions
and we insist on picking and choosing what is logical to our own needs."
"Seven women;"
In a spiritual setting, a women in Scripture is used as a symbol of the church.
Seven women would represent completeness to represent all of the churches that
claim Christ as their leader -- all Christian churches. Just like the seven
churches of Revelation 2&3 represent the same all-inclusive Christian churches in this
same time period.
"They will take hold of one man,"
This represents them taking hold of Christ -- but only with specified
reservations.
"And provide our own clothes;"
"This robe of Your righteousness needs to be enhanced to reflect all the good
deeds we did in your name. It just doesn't make sense that anyone who has done less
should get the same robe. Also we feel it necessary to continue to wear our
fabulously expensive and magnificent attire for our liturgy as it has been handed down for
centuries by our ancestors and church fathers and we feel it is important.
"We are totally out of harmony with your example of simple attire.
Certainly you can understand our position in this matter in these changing times."
"Only let us be called by your name;"
"This is the only part they want -- to give them respectability. They
all want to claim that they follow You faithfully as You instruct them in your Book.
And some go so far as to claim that they are the only ones who rely totally on Your book
for their spiritual guidance."
I believe they are all guilty of spiritual evasion when they come across
material in any of the Biblical books which is contrary to one of their cherished beliefs;
regardless of whether that belief is clearly unscriptural or not. At least in the
prophetic illustration above there are no exceptions to this problem. Not one is set
aside as having it all right and everyone else wrong.
"Take away our disgrace;"
"We want your backing to substantiate our claim that we are a notch above the
others, who feel the same way. We understand the necessity of being Your children,
but times and customs have changed. I'm sure you understand."
What I see happening among Christian churches is a drawing together of different
denominations to enfold all religions in one fold, and this to be accomplished by
stretching our credulity to accept most any unscriptural tenant for the sake of unity.
I believe God's cure for this abomination is the Great Tribulation which will refine
the church and unify it -- not to accommodate all beliefs, but to return to the
Bible and the Bible only. This is something most claim now, but none carry
out in practice. I also believe that this refining process is at the door.