TEXT: HAGGAI 2:1-7, HEBREWS 12:25-29
I want to deal with a thought we shall entitle, “The Shaking of All Things”. Only a few people realize that God is actually going to shake everything. In this message I want to deal on everything being shaken that can be, and it is important you realize in what degree, or in what sense everything is to be shaken.
Sometime ago it was my privilege to view a civil defense film on the destruction of the Alaskan earthquake back in 1964. An earthquake which did an estimated damage to the state equivalent to 100,000 atomic bombs. In this film stood a young man on board ship filming the surroundings at the very moment the earthquake hit. This camera showed how sturdy and lovely everything was standing only moments before the quake. The sailor’s camera continued grinding, shooting the landscape when suddenly the earth beneath him began to shake. What was happening? In one moment of time there stood all the beautiful buildings, re-enforced with the best of concrete, the best of steel that industry today could possibly refine through the modern smelting furnaces, man’s best in his initiative to build a material environment, and yet in seconds of time what you saw with your eyes you could hardly believe. Suddenly everything came tumbling to the ground under this powerful shaking. In this film was a railroad track. Many, many wheels of freight cars, tons of freight etc. have been carried over that railroad; man labored untold hours to construct something to carry such tonnage etc., and in just a little moment of time as the shaking took pace, railroad tracks, all of a perfect grade running along a highway, lay twisted out of shape! Nothing was left, only a huge crevice and rails suspended in space, why? Because it could not endure the mighty SHAKING IT FACED! Something had happened to shake it. Bear this earthquake shaking in mind as we examine to what extent everything will be shaken. We must understand the shaking of all things will not be some minor tap on our shoulder or nudge, but a powerful earthquake shaking.
“THIS HOUSE” – NO SECOND TEMPLE V-7
My thought is based on Haggai 2:1-7, and was prophesied thousands of years ago that it would be in this manner. Haggai was one of the restoration prophets to the returning children of Israel from Babylon’s 70 year captivity to rebuild their ruined city and temple. We are familiar with the historical fact how this temple was rebuilt through the inspiration of Zerubbabel, Haggai, Nehemiah, Ezra, those restoration prophets and scribes. However, that temple was never restored in its original Solomon beauty nor splendor. The house referred to in these verses is none other than the House of the Lord which they are in the process of rebuilding. God, at no time had put distinction between that first house and this one which was now in the restoration process, so it is called the house. In other words, even though the first house was torn down and 70 years later they had begun building another one back, we do know this was a house (temple) altogether different than the first, yet God still calls it His house and the question is asked, “Who is left among you that saw this house in its original splendor”. Very aged men no doubt stood there who had made their way back to Jerusalem who could remember when as a child they were all carried away, and the (1st) temple of Solomon stood. God is saying, “Who is there among you that saw this house in its original splendor?” Oh yes, this house had been restored, yet not in its original beauty. They simply hadn’t taken the great pains in rebuilding and restoring the temple into its magnificent original splendor as it had been before. “Now is it not in your eyes in comparison with it (the former one) as nothing, yet now be strong Zerubbabel, saith the Lord and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts. Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations. (Note, not only does he shake the heavens, the earth, the sea and the dry land) But note: I will shake all nations and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house (not this immediate restored house (2nd temple) yet it also would still be His house). However, the house to be filled with Glory – will be the restored one for the millennium which will bring to fulfillment the statement where once He has fulfilled – the great shaking, of all things (nations) the desire of all nations (remnant of what remains) shall come and I will fill this house (Ezekiel 43 and 44) (See Contender Vol. 2, No. 6). Remember up until 1970, the desire of all nations had not been consummated, or arrived at any position or condition leading up to consummating of all things, nor has that temple been built.
Only a small trickling of the two southern tribes actually remained in the land to witness and worship God in that Second temple which was later to be beautified by Herod (in Christ period) and later destroyed by the Roman army in 70 A.D. All nations had not turned to that temple or house, on the contrary, the Roman army never turned to that house, they destroyed it. This shaking in Haggai had no connection with this second present house, but the one constructed for the millennium, though the wording is this house. That great shaking was actually to occur at the climax of all the ages (law and grace age), when God would be ready to restore that house in its original beauty, and in its original purpose when all nations will go there and see the Glory of God. However, before this house would finally reach that restored state, God announced He would shake the heavens, the earth, the seas, the dry land, and all nations; then and only then shall the desire of all nations be moved to come up to Jerusalem where the House of the Lord will be located, “And I will fill this house with Glory, saith the Lord of Hosts.” The Glory of this latter house (not the one they were presently building) shall be greater than of the former. (Solomon’s), saith the Lord of Hosts; and in this place will I give peace, (not the U.N. or some other world organization) saith the Lord of hosts.” Humanity has struggled on 2500 years past this prophecy and still there is no peace. Matthew 24, shows this age of grace ends with war and strife not peace. Nevertheless, God has promised to fill that house with Glory and the desire of all nations will be to come there to see Him, and in this place will I give peace, not peace to a mere city or one nation of people, no, but he’ll give peace to the entire earth and also peace to the people accounted worthy of enjoying that great age under His personal reign.
EVIL HAS ALWAYS EXISTED
Once we see these scriptures properly applied in their chronological order of application in regards to time, a marvelous overall picture begins to form within our minds, as far as evil is concerned, there has always been a certain amount of evil in the world. In every respect there’s always been a certain percentage of an expression of evil but you must realize the shaking referred to in Haggai is no minor disturbance of events which has occurred in nations or in society or even within religious circles. That particular shaking mentioned has never transpired, this will be a world shaking of events not only in the heavens, earth, sea, but also within the nations on this earth leading right up to the very day of the Lord.
DEFINITION OF SHAKING
First, place in your mind what the word shaking means. (A) In a physical sense, an English definition describing SHAKE or SHAKING is: (1) SHAKE is to cause to tremble, (2) to vibrate, (3) to cause to totter, such as huge radio towers running 200-300 feet in the air would totter when suddenly they can’t stand any longer; the next minute they are laying upon the ground as an earthquake tears at the ground, (4) or become unsteady, (b) SHAKING of that which has life – (1) it is to unnerve, (2) to create a sensation of instability, (3) unadjusted, (4) can’t get a hold of yourself, (5) to unnerve as one who is shaken by bad news, (6) to cause to move up and down, as the effects of an earthquake, upon an ocean floor. As the earthquake film showed, the ocean water rushed out of the bay, ships in the area suddenly found themselves sitting on the bottom of the bay, the water rushed back forcing them up again moving up and down, back and forth or from side to side. (One ship found itself on the bottom side of the bay 3 times during the Alaskan earthquake in 1964). These definitions furnish us with a clearer understanding of the entire meaning of shaking, as we further investigate God’s phraseology when He said – He would shake everything.
SHAKING – UNDER 6TH SEAL
Recall, it was under that 6th seal, Revelation 6:12-17, that we see this fulfilled. That shaking, shaking of the heavens and the earth, continents, seas, and heavens all are classified under natural and celestial shakings. However, the shaking of all nations if classified more within a realm of humanity, or human beings. Nations referred to in this sense have always applied to people of territories rather than to a mere continent of land. Bear in mind the shaking of the heavens and the seas comes before the shaking of this literal planet Earth itself which is to be the very final thing to be shaken. God begins leading up to this final climax, which is the consummation of all this.
PEOPLE (NATIONS) FIRST TO BE SHAKEN
What is the very first thing God shakes? We note the first thing to be shaken is humanity, and in the remainder of this message we shall deal with the mighty shaking of humanity. There is no doubt in my mind that with the completion of World War II we saw the last war ever to be fought which expressed or displayed man in his different national and racial environments. In that war was expressed man’s highest military achievement or ingenuity, armies met not only on the continent of North Africa and territories of Western Europe, but also there was mass fighting in the islands of the Pacific and regions of the Far East. Everywhere there were military men trained to take their materialistic achievements and turn them into something to kill with. You saw fully expressed man’s highest endeavor of military ability to conquer, however, since World War II the jet airplane and every kind of a firing weapon with kill power possible has been perfected. Weapons and air power used today make that of 25 years ago almost obsolete. Yet with these very nations to which all this has been so much more exemplified there has been a terrific shaking going forth, and these same world powers who were skillful and powerful in that war, have become so unnerved if World War II was to be fought again, I would have to say man, no doubt, would prove himself to be a weakling. Evidence of this has been proven in Korea and Vietnam where in the two conflicts over 76,000 men have died! Today’s weapons of war are more deadly and powerful yet we do not have the military ability to use them successfully. Something is lacking; something has happened; we have been shaken to pieces. Seemingly we cannot win a thing!
HOOVER WARNS AGAINST MORAL COWARDICE
J. Edgar Hoover, Director of FBI, has for 45 years weathered the intrigues of politicians and rebuffed the slurs of assorted Communists Fascists and agitators bent on tearing our nation apart.
Pulling no punches in a speech a short time ago, Mr. Hoover said: “For the past several years our citizens have been barraged with unbridled vulgarity, obscenity, blasphemy, perversion and public desecration of our cherished ideals and symbols. For the most part, these degrading and debasing activities are increasing. Immorality is becoming more of the rule than the exception. In the face of these perplexing problems, many citizens are practically moral cowards. Afraid of being labeled puritanical or “square” they tolerate and condone acts which they know are morally wrong. Crumbling respect for law must be halted.”
May I say this, the great God of heavens has caused the spirit to come forth to deal with the gentile nations in this matter. Beloved, there is only one nation on earth who has any military ability who can use what they have wisely, and God is honoring that nation, it is ISRAEL.
Remember, this shaking I am referring to is no small shaking like the shaking of a door! This shaking referred to is a shaking of every aspect of human society-socially, principally, politically, economically and religiously.
Since World War II giant strides in education have prevailed attempting to lift man out of his illiteracy, especially in other regions. Yet beloved, as billions are being spent to build larger more effective universities in what ever nation you might travel, within these universities is a spirit of unrest unequaled to anything we have ever tried to cope with. Pick up any newspaper and you’ll find a continual story on the unrest within college campus’. Rock throwing, buildings damaged or destroyed, administration buildings overrun by mobs of unruly university students, police and national guards having to be called out to put down riots among the highest in the educational environment field! There is that spirit of evil because suddenly they have become a generation which declares things are different; it’s time for a change; we absolutely refuse to abide any longer by the old ways and paths which guided our forefathers, they say. It’s called a society of the generation gap. That generation gap can only lie within the realm of the individual’s thinking. The generation gap is in the mind not in the parent relationship, yes, it’s in the mind and that mind is thinking of rebelling against everything and every principle that has guided this country concerning God and fellow men. (1) This generation says we don’t want God any longer, (2) we are through with righteous morality, (3) we are through with self-discipline, (4) we are through with this kind of government, therefore, they say it is time for a change and they are doing everything in their power to see that everything comes about, if it means the destruction of the government and the human way of life.
Truly we can say since World War II society has been shaken and that shaking continues to grow more sever each year. What kind of far reaching effect is this having? Not merely is the social realm within America being severely shaken, it’s affecting the world over!! Wherever you go you witness a social unrest among nations. Because of all this unrest, tension and refusal of self-discipline within our own country, which now carries a population of some 60,000,000 more than the period of World War II, if we were forced into another all-out war, even though we do possess the highest ability and achievement in all our modern materialistic environment, I feel it would not benefit us at this time. Beloved, I get no pleasure out of this statement, but we are in every way exactly like the mighty Roman Empire before it crumbled! We’re like a gigantic icicle which has fallen upon a hot stove and cannot revive itself in time.
5 REASONS WHY ROME FELL
Edward Gibbon in THE RISE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE gave these five reasons why the Roman Empire fell:
(1) Rapid increase in divorce. (2) Higher and higher taxes and the spending of public monies for free bread and circuses. (3) The mad craze for pleasure. (4) The building of gigantic armaments when the real enemy, the decadence of the people, was within. (5) The decay of religion.
A SICK SOCIETY
Lyndon Baine Johnson, when in the president’s office, worked for what he called his Great Society program, but truly we aren’t a great society we are a sick society, sick in mind, body and ideas; sick because the modern generation of this day is determined they will change everything which has ruled this people for almost 200 years, sick because we have lost our initiative to be respectable, upright, morally clean and honest, God-fearing citizens. Our people have lost their initiate to be proud Americans who if need be would die for the freedom that God has given to use to worship him in a free land. The flag and the national anthem goes unrespected in this sick society. God’s word teaches us to obey and respect the laws of the land. This, American people, because of the mighty shaking that we are receiving, has caused 33 out of every 100 adults more than ? of our population to suffer from the crippling disease of arthritis. The American Cancer Society reports 1 out of 4 Americans will be struck with cancer. Every 2 minutes throughout 1970 one American shall die with cancer, if present rate continues 50,000,000 Americans eventually will fall victims to cancer, 23 % of cancer death today are contributed to smoking. Approximately 500,000 persons in this country die yearly from heart disease, 87,000,000 Americans at present are suffering from no less than one chronicle disease or disability. Practically 30,000,000 Americans spend some time in the hospital each year. No we are not a great society we are a sick society and these figures prove how sick we are! 18 % of the 87,000,000 Americans who have one or more chronicle conditions are under the age of 17.
HEALTH PROBLEMS UNDER 20 YEARS OF AGE
Ages 5 to 17, 11 million Americans have eye problems; ages 5 through 20, 2.8 million suffer speech disorders; ages 1-20, 2.4 million suffer various types of mental retardation; ages 1-20, 2.1 million have hearing problems and feet problems; ages 5-19, 4.6 million suffer emotional disturbances, sedatives are being taken by 1 out of 4 Americans. This is the most pill-taking generation ever. Pills have become a part of the American way of life, adults take pills to speed up and to slow down, pills for diets, for pain, for control of birth. We seem to think everything can be settled with taking a pill. There is one pill that could really help us in our need, that would be gos-pill (Gospel) if we would only take it. 50% of all hospital beds in the U.S. and Britain are filled with mental patients. At this time over 800,000 Americans are hospitalized with mental disorders, Britain reports roughly 188,000. Truly I would have to disagree with the last administration and their great society, this is a very sick, emotional disturbed society ever to exist!
MORALS AND PRINCIPLES HELD SWAY OVER MULTITUDES
This shaking has absolutely crept in. Up until the period of World War II there were still certain principles of certain social ideal which were in effect that held sway over the mass of the population. Through these basic social ideals you could still control the masses, even though we have always had a small minority that was restless, yet today I want you to know in this population of now over 200,000,000 there is such a complete and total unrest that has settled in, not only here in America but the world over, South America, Europe, and Asia, it’s causing the gentile nations to become stronger socially, yet in every wise it has also weakened them. They have become so weakened by all this that we see the world in all this upheaval tossed backward and forth like that of a giant body of water being forced from one side to the other. This entire mass of humanity is just reeling. Recall one of those definitions of the world shaking meant a moving from side to side or an upheaval from ups and downs like that. Look at the entire social order of man-kind today!
YOUTH AND WORLD WAR II
Back around World War II leading up to our period of time, notice the two distinctions between the period concerning the youth. When World War II was declared do we realize that every young man who was able to breathe, walk and carry a weapon was to report to his draft board. In that day 25 years ago there was enough authority behind the law if young men dared burn their draft cards you could rest assured they’d be snatched up and placed behind bars where they would remain until they had learned a good lesson. Beloved, there must be a certain amount of law and authority, if man in his un-regenerated nature is ever to be kept from getting out of control. Strongly enforced laws are what can keep this thing from getting out of control, and believe me we had the law back then!
DISRESPECT FOR LAW AND ORDER CAUSES FURTHER SHAKING
However, this weakening of the law and courts has permitted that spirit of lawlessness to be turned loose ( a fulfillment of God’s word). Law the world over is to keep man in his proper balance socially, morally and principally. Under civil and judicial law man altered his ethics, this spirit has just been released upon the masses of humanity who cry out, no law! Note carefully, I didn’t say there wasn’t still that certain realm of people who do respect law and order and authority, did I? Although I want you to know that realm who does still respect law and order is of such a small minority their voices carry virtually no effect!
Remember certain pre-established concepts of man’s way of thinking has guided him down through time, this kept him stabilized in a realm of society, where he would at least conduct himself morally like a human being.
Only because there were certain respects within the realm of morals and respect for ones fellow man, has humanity been able to survive down through the centuries. True, you’ve always had a certain realm of lawlessness, yet the law could at least keep it corralled, however, once this disrespect for law and order began taking over, the law apparently began taking a back seat and evil took a holiday, seemingly the law was pushed back to give way to this spirit.
What do we find in our universities, right in the institutions of higher learning? Certain spirits which were placed well into the minds of people who will receive this philosophy, and as they receive this they will go out and react accordingly which only tends to set off more pressure. What causes an earthquake? Somewhere down in the lower structure of the earth there has been a giant pressure continually building up and that pressure can only rise up so far, or to such a magnitude, until after a while the different layers of rock that form the earth’s crust begins to slip, break and slide, once that process begins its only natures way of causing that pressure to be let off. So what do you think is going on in society today? Certain earthquake pressures which affect people morally, socially and mentally has built up such a pressure that beloved one is looking this-a-way and one is looking that-a-way, and after while this pressure must express itself. What do we have? A generation of people who have been turned over to a lawless disobedient spirit with no more respect, no more true concept or attitude towards God, no longer respect towards his fellow man – and because of that – this shaking is severely affecting the American home.
SHAKING OF MORALS AND HOME LIFE
Shocking statistics reveals the breakdown within the American home and homes the world over. The following statistics are given to show the trend in which this country is headed in respect to old time morals. The staggering divorce rate in America is one in three marriages ends in divorce, with Los Angeles, California, reporting one out of two in their area ending in divorce. Each time the clock ticks off 56 seconds, a divorce is being granted in the courts of America, numbering 1350 per day. In a twelve months span 1,800,000 American couples join hands in holy wedlock. The U.S. divorce rate ranges 4 to 6 times higher than that of Belgium, Canada, Norway and the Netherlands, and ranges 3 times higher than France. Divorce and separation disrupts 1,750,000 American people each year, including men, women and children. Over the past 10 years nine million couples have received divorce in America. It is predicted that 1 out of 4 brides who are wed in 1970 will receive a divorce. Divorce among those under 21 years of age ranges 6 times higher than those above 21. Ages 15-18, 50% ends in divorce within 5 years. 40% of all brides in U.S. are between the ages 15-18. A large part of that number will live the balance of their life in misery, bringing the total of this class to 90% total failure for 40% of the above figure was forced into marriage as a result of pre-marital pregnancy. Divorce rate for teenage marriages before 18 range from 2 to 4 times higher than those who marry later in life. Seemingly, the number one problem contributed to the failure in marriage, according to marriage counselors, husbands and wives cannot converse with one another.
UNWED MOTHERS
Of the 250,000 unwed mothers in the U.S. last year, 75% of them were teenagers. The average age of unwed mothers in this country is now 16. According to Dr. Bernice C. Sachs, addressing a recent medical symposium in Augusta, Ga., of those teenagers 17 and younger who are lucky enough to find husbands, from 40% to 60% are pregnant on their wedding day. – Parade (1968)
ILLEGITIMATE BIRTHS
From high school age from 7th thru 12th grade in city schools were reported 2,487 pregnancies by unmarried girls. A figure which is almost double that of eight years ago. In New York schools emergency instructions on how to deliver a baby in school have been sent to all city school principals by the Department of Health. This is given in order to encourage expectant mothers to remain in school instead of dismissing them. Next we will probably hear of the schools being equipped with nurseries. Illegitimate births in 1967 ranged one out of twelve, but by 1970 the ratio had dropped to one out of ten. A survey report from Connecticut revealed that out of 100 teenage unwed mothers in 1956, that 95 of these mothers continued to produce up to four and five illegitimate children each, only nine out of the hundred ever married. Since 1943, illegitimate birth has risen sharply, totaling today over 300,000 births yearly, with some 47% of these babies mothers being under 20 years of age. England and Wales reported 70,000 unwed mothers yearly, a ratio of one in twelve illegitimate births. In regards to illegitimate births in pre-marital relations in Sweden rose from 11,500 in 1960 to 18,000 in 1966. Every 10th Swedish child is born out of wedlock, so we can see what 20 years of sex education has brought to the culture of Sweden. WHAT WILL THE RATIO BE IN AMERICA AFTER WE HAVE HAD 20 YEARS OF SEX EDUCATION IN OUR SCHOOLS?
The American Medical Association estimates 1500 teenagers per day are infected with venereal disease. 500,000 cases are reported yearly (no estimate of those not reported) and Britain reports roughly 160,000. It seems marriage is in such a poor condition around the world computers are being consulted to match couples. A recent college survey of 2,825 students from 25 colleges revealed that 60% of the male students and 53% of the female student answered NO to the question,“DO YOU THINK ONE SHOULD WAIT UNTIL MARRIAGE TO EXPERIENCE RELATIONSHIP”. 63% of the men and 71% of the women in England interviewed answered no also. All conditions point to a downhill trend. Surely, the morals of this country are being shaken to pieces. There was a time no matter which nation you journeyed to, there was always that certain moral concept and conviction which guided the normal man of his right mind that it was dreadfully wrong to drag in the dirt the human relationship between man and woman as it is being treated today. Up until the present there has at least been a general respect or sacredness for that union God established in the Garden of Eden, however, as we move closer to the day of the Lord and the time of His wrath when not only the heavens, the earth, the sea and the dry land will be shaken, the Eternal One must first shake the nations (which is none other than the people), because basically that is what God is dealing with. We are witnessing this pressure as it is being turned loose today within every nation on the face of the earth.
SEXUAL REVOLUTION
At the University of California at Berkeley, a conservative guess is that 1,000 couples sharing living quarters, but not marriage licenses. All over the country it became increasingly clear that coeducation has become almost synonymous with cohabitation.
It is impossible to estimate how many couples are living together. The number varies radically from campus to campus, and most administrations don’t take the trouble to keep count.
“TIMES HAVE CHANGED” SAYS THE YOUNGER GENERATION
There is an old saying people are what they have been taught and how true this is, naturally and spiritually. With such professors and teachers in the schools of higher learning, teaching our youth today, is there any wonder that the youth or younger generation is on the rampage it is today? That which a person believes naturally shall be instilled into the mind of every listener he is trying to convert to his line of thinking. Is our professors of higher education in sympathy with the strong teachings and moral code of the word of God? The following survey shows we are bound to produce a generation without true understanding of holy morals of Gods Word. Dr. C. Sumner Wemp, President of Southeastern Bible College in Birmingham, Alabama, writes this in his report: “An astounding fact was that, of the 1069 professors polled, the majority reported opposition to dress regulation, curfews in woman’s dormitories, restrictions on the use of alcohol and strong college rules against marijuana. Additionally, 65% of the respondents thought the college should not prohibit an unmarried couple from sharing the same apartment.” “Is there a need for the Bible College today? Not only is it true that Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, blessed is the college whose God is the Lord.” (Southeastern Bible College Bulletin, October 1969).
PREDICTED MORALS OF 1991
Today we are faced with the modern theory TIMES HAVE CHANGED, that which has been respected through the ages suddenly mankind finds has become out-dated – we don’t need these old moral precepts, concepts and convictions anymore TIMES HAVE CHANGED – Thinking has changed – Sometime ago an article appeared in the Louisville Courier Journal written by some university professor in Kentucky. This bold article showed a picture of a tiny baby girl recently born. The headline read, “What does the future hold for this little girl?” (Born 1970) What will be her future in 21 years? What will her generation be doing in 21 years according to this professor? Notice what is already in the scientific mind of men teaching in universities and colleges. This professor is among those educators who apparently hold no convictions concerning sacred marriage laws. Educators such as these are responsible for what is being taught to this younger generation. Already we see certain strong trends working within the educational systems of our universities etc. concerning morals that have always guided man’s thinking, but in respect to this article of the baby girl born in early 1970, by the time she has reached 21 becoming a young woman this article statedtime will so have changed – the old moral laws of marriage will be completely outdated! Personally, I can’t conceive of God allowing this present age to exist that long, however, if He did this is what one could expect. It’s such a concept or theory as this which is shaking society completely off its foundation today. It’s causing society to literally be shoved backward and forwards under this building pressure. This article continued by saying the old moral laws will have been abolished, marriage as it has been recognized by society for 6,000 years will in all due respects no doubt be completely done away with, and marriage as marriage has been known and respected where man and woman falls in love, marries and lives together in a husband and wife relationship – when 2 individuals of the opposite sex become so much in love with one another they’ll never have a desire for any other type of companionship, that type relationship will be out of society; thinking for man will be a complete free moral agent, (women also), no longer responsible to be disciplined and guided by any moral law that God has established through the mind of humanity down through time. Men and women can so live with any person they choose as often as they choose because that will be modern society by 1991.
Women will be completely free to live with whosoever she pleases at any time she pleases, it will not be considered degrading to live in this fashion, but will be well accepted by modern society. Because of mass population, birth control not only will be a natural thing, but a compulsory thing, controlled by each individual nation. Today scientists cry something must be done to prevent this over population of the earth. Truly that is a sign the commission given to Adam and Eve by the creator in the garden has just about run its course. The article continued by saying because of advanced scientific discoveries within the realm of genetics which shall be made, life that is produced in 1991 will not be a regular birth process, but will be that which is not only regulated by state laws controlling birth, but birth itself will be produced scientifically, ministered and supervised, in laboratories. Genes in that hour will solely be for the production of an intellectual being that doesn’t know God. Furthermore, he would only be a thing to fulfill a position here in a modern society. Such things are being taught today, although they could not function in our particular hour because we still have an older generation who adheres in some ways to the old beliefs, but this spirit rising up now to produce such things is creating a strong pressure against these old convictions, about love and sacredness within marriage. Beloved, because man at large has refused God’s provided way, God has turned him over to a reprobate mind and once God turns a people over to a reprobate mind he becomes an open candidate for every kind of a devil spirit to take possession not only of his mind, but body and spirit as well. Some go crazy, some go education crazy, some go materialistic crazy. Being crazy or insane can include more than someone being locked in a padded cell clawing their hair out. This insane attitude is greatly affecting man in all of his social make-up. Because of this moral unrest, certain moral laws were changed within our legislature courts, now what do we find?
AMERICAN HOME ON ROCKS
The American home life absolutely is on the rocks. In the shortest time ever the divorce rate has risen to an all time high. No one could read his daily newspapers and not know something is sincerely wrong. If time lasted until 1975, very few young people who actually were married in 1970 would still be living together by 1975. The sadness of it all is to see a young man and woman declaring their love each to the other and 6 months after marriage the devil tears them apart, throwing one this way and the other one in the opposite direction. You have this terrible moral social unrest going on and the pressure continues to mount to explosive heights, what do you have? Actually humanity is crying for HELP, HELP, HELP, because man has forsaken God’s way of help; he now cries for HELP to have the moral laws changed to fit his own regenerated nature; he cries for laws to be changed to fit the condition of the hour and I want you to know the condition is absolutely a cancerous thing which continues to worsen.
WEAKENING OF THE LAW PRODUCES SKYROCKETING CRIME WAVE
True, there has always been killing; there has always been moon-shining, bank robbers and burglars, but certain laws down through the generations of humanity have always been able to control, to a certain extent, the tide of situations. For some reason a modern philosophy has crept into our society saying we no longer have any need for those old rigorous laws! By taking a few examples of cases where certain men have been wrongly judged in certain courts, they use this to support their argument saying we need to change our laws, they are too strict. I am sure you are aware of what this philosophy has produced! They began producing laws that were much less severe on the criminals and it has produced the greatest crime wave ever! Once a man would be hanged for horse stealing, terrible you say, true, but you didn’t find many horse thieves! However, today in America it appears as though evil has taken a holiday and society has become the innocent victim of a mad beast turned loose, like you would release without warning a man eating tiger upon your town. If you did not do something to control that vicious thing everyone in your city would be subject to attack at any time, anywhere and without any security whatsoever.
A recent national survey reveals that half of the women and one fifth of the men in the large cities are afraid to walk outdoors at night, even near to where they live. One third of American householders keep guns to provide protection against intruders. Fear is widespread. In some city neighborhoods, nearly one-third of the residents desire to move because of the high rates of crime, and many have already moved for that reason. Bus and cab drivers in many cities no longer carry change. Vigilante groups have sprung up in some areas. Fear of crime is transforming life in America’s big cities and suburbs. Some of the basic freedoms are being destroyed, such as freedom of movement, freedom from harm, freedom from fear.
During the period from 1960 through 1968, the national murder rate per 100,000 population increased 36%, the rate of forcible rape 65%, of aggravated assault 67%, and of robbery 119%. These figures come from the “Uniform Crime Reports”, published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. About 17% of our total population lives in the 26 cities with 500,000 or more residents. These cities contribute 45% of the total major crimes. Six cities with one million or more residents have 10% of our total population and contribute 30% of the total major violent crimes.
1969 VIOLENT CRIME SOARS
According to figures recently released by the FBI, the increase in violent crime in the United States continues to rise even faster than the overall crime rate. In the first six months of 1969, violent crime increased 15%, while the overall rise was 9% during the same period of 1968. Combined with the dramatic increase in 1968 and 1969, crime rate stands at a staggering 32 percent over the same period of 1967. The breakdown is as follows:
Property 8 percent Murder 8 percent
Forcible Rape 15 percent Robbery 17 percent
Aggravated assault 10 percent Burglary 3 percent
Larceny $50 & over 17 percent Auto theft 9 percent
Beloved, this situation does not dwell in America alone, it is the world over! This is the trend of the day, it is the shaking, think of it! Watch this, our country cries out, MORE MONEY TO FIGHT CRIME, while it continues to make crime easier to commit, by weakening our laws! It reminds me much of a man taking strychnine and for some reason he becomes addicted to it so he continues taking more and more until sooner or later that strychnine is going to build up a poison within his system. So, with the other hand he gets an antidote to counteract the continuous buildup of the strychnine poison in order he may continue taking it. With one hand he takes the poison and with the other hand he takes an antidote. He can just go on for days and days like that, but is he not aware sooner or later it is going to build up a side effect? And when it does, it is going to be the side effect that will kill him because the antidote cannot control it any longer. That is exactly what is going on today, by weakening our laws we are saying to organized crime, go ahead, rob banks, kill and steal from our citizens, go ahead raise cane and we shall raise taxes to fight more crime. Friends, it is like going around your elbow to get to your thumb, what is it? Man’s society is being shaken while poor defenseless humanity sits back awestruck saying, WHY CAN’T SOMETHING BE DONE? The reason something isn’t done is because GOD SAID HE WOULD SHAKE ALL NATIONS and this is part of the great shaking!
SHAKING IN POLITICS
Look at it from the realm of politics, do you recall it wasn’t long after World War II, because we had our two political party system which had governed this nation down from its beginning, yes, because one wants to play both parties, the two ends against the middle, what do they do? This country has always had a certain amount of racial environment within itself, but look what happens? Both political parties want to play the two ends against the middle, and I’ll say instead of having made the situation one bit better they have made it worse, until now, within our country we have the greatest racial unrest of pressure being built up this country has ever witnessed! Beloved, if the Lord tarries His coming a few years longer no doubt in my mind that one day we will have one of the worst chaotic revolutions of some nature we have ever had, why? Because if this pressure continues to build somewhere it will be forced to express itself, like a pressure being built up for a terrible shaking earthquake, so is society being prepared for its worst shaking. Politicians sit in Washington in their governmental positions trying to bring up laws or some kind of legislature whereby we may be able to bear with the situation somehow or control it wondering, how can we do this or that? Because all these things are shaking things, politics sways back and forth, each blaming the other party for the difficulties we are faced with; all social instability tottering back and forth, all of that together has built into our society a terrible pressure of unrest, politically. Again, because we have always had a certain realm of poverty in different places, politicians today take advantage of the situation hoping it will lead to a few more votes. Coming out of those depression days shortly before World War II, I can remember in order to help the poor the government formed certain relief groups, monetary bodies. Recall how they had such systems as WPA and the C.C.C. Camps etc. At least it put a people to work who lived in poverty stricken areas, people who couldn’t really help themselves. They would get their meager allowance, but at least the government made them work for it. If the job was no more than picking up trash along the highway, they worked for their earnings! The government didn’t just hand it out to them. However, today we have become exactly like the Roman Empire before she fell, we are entering into a welfare state, society is in the poverty. We have screamed poverty until all those who feel their country owes them a living got on the bandwagon and came under the poverty program, doing absolutely nothing to earn this government checks.
NO NEED TO WORK
Christian Economics reports that the Tulare County (California) Legal Services Association circulated an eight-page booklet entitled, “Know Your Welfare Rights.” One paragraph encourages welfare recipients to live a life of slothfulness. It reads: “If you don’t want to work, there is no good reason why Welfare can force you to work, no matter what your (Social Welfare) worker says.” Our government is endeavoring to correct many of the causes in the administration of welfare recipients that they don’t need to work is a sure way to destroy our nation. Scripture teaches, “If any would not work, neither should he eat.”, (II Thessalonians 3:10). Through investigations of some 1,213 families, 191 cases of fraud was discovered. Unreported income was the most common fraud and undisclosed presence of employed men was second. There are 270,000 families receiving aid in California and it is believed cheaters take an estimated $59 million a year from California’s welfare program for needy children. If this happens in California then what would the total be in the entire country.
Poverty is creating an explosive pressure similar to feeding gasoline into a fire, feeding fuel into the fire. You have groups or elements in there building it up. And you have another group or element that is going to cause it to burn longer, right? That is the explosive situation you have not only in America but the world over, this way each gentile nation has their own particular problem. Did not God say it would be this way? Oh, I want you to know there is one little spot on this planet which is not faced with this explosive problem! While it is true many Jews returned to Israel with their own ideas, it was the pressure he endured from the enemy which caused a handful of Jewish people to be so pressed together they realized their only hope of survival was to work together, and because of their military ability, it has caused their economy to be hard pressed, yet for some reason it continues to hold up, and though there is somewhat of a moral issue there, for some reason God continues to keep them there. However, it is just the opposite within the other nations – because of all this mounting unrest, let’s take a look at this economical-wise. Every nation on earth is at the very verge of bankruptcy all because its economy has been so shaken again and again until it has raised its indebtedness level far above its income. Only time will tell just how much longer they can continue, before throwing up their hands saying there is no more, we can’t go any further. Leadership, where is it?
It seems today leadership within each country is so much like the latter days of the Roman Empire before it fell. The leadership bracket is being shaken so badly that they’re continually at one another’s throats. When the president wants to do one thing for example in Vietnam, all the senators will rush over saying, no, we aren’t going to do that and the congressmen will run over saying, no we aren’t going to let the money go forth, leadership is being greatly shaken. Seemingly the political parties have a desperate time trying to pick men with great leadership quality. Why? Because all of this must be enforced and set in motion right up to the very day of the Lord’s wrath, The day of His wrath precedes the hour of His glorious appearing to rule and reign over all nations, but first what did the Eternal One say He would do? Shake all nations – then the desire of all nations would be to come to Jerusalem and to see the Glory of the Lord.
Take a look at your military establishment how it is being shaken to pieces, instead of giving the military the freedom to fight and perhaps winning in a short time, the administration determines military strategy while we have spent over $100 billion and sacrificed 44,000 American lives in Vietnam alone. We see the social environment how it is shaken to pieces, the political realm, the economical realm all have been shaken! All wars up through World War II, our position showed our power. Beloved were you aware that in this very year of 1970 our economists were so frightened that we were on the verge of a complete total economic collapse like that of black Friday in 1929 (the day the stock market collapsed)! No doubt had they actually released the real information how shaken things actually were, multitudes of people would have committed suicide, as they did in 1929. President Nixon made an urgent appeal for the country to have faith in their economy while the democrats seized an opportunity to blast the Republican administration. But for some reason behind the scene because they didn’t ever want that to happen again, they were able to pop in a little something similar to give a sick victim another shot. They fail to remember that this present administration inherited all these headaches from them, without a doubt another shot only to prolong death for a short season. One of these days that lost shot will go into the arm yet still that last breathe will follow, and brother she’ll lay there DEAD! The Eternal One won’t stop now until He has shaken all things, beginning with these nations. Society around the world, especially within this country, is being literally shaken to pieces. Take another good look within our country, again I repeat we have always had moon-shining, bank robbers, burglars, boot-legers, rum-runners, dope peddlers, etc., but it was kept to a minimum because of strict laws, never reaching a wholesale scale. Look at it today! Once when you heard of someone being connected with dope you just knew they came from the slums or across the railroad tracks, or down near the sea-port along the boat docks, right? It’s not so today! No, this thing has left the slums and walks in broad daylight along Main St., up on Broadway and even in king’s palaces, and the homes of high officials. Do you know where the trend of long hair came from? Out of the slums of London, from that bunch of ungodly atheistic Beatles. Years ago many poor families couldn’t afford to send their children to a barber shop, but when they walked the streets with their hair flowing in every direction, no one said my that’s cute! I want my children to wear their hair like that or I’m going to allow my hair to grow like that! But today it’s reached into Buckingham Palace. Think of it, what a spirit takes and starts a fad and now it’s the world over, right? Look at dope, we’ve always heard of our opium dens in the Orient; we’ve always heard of Marijuana and such things, brother, I want you to know there was a time when it was not allowed in schools, in hospitals and certainly not allowed in governmental circles. There was a time when the average American citizen could look proudly and with respect toward the realm of the social elite class in Washington or in London. I’m not speaking of this from a Christian standpoint either, I’m strictly referring to the social morals and principals. Oh, yes, there was a time when the citizenry of America could look proudly to its leadership and the public could see an example ship to a certain extent, because they were supposed to set an example to society and society looked up to them. However, today I want you to know among the officials representing this country every evil under the sun is found, from the high officials to the boat dock workers there is not difference. Evil has taken a holiday and all this has created a most shaky society not knowing which way they are going.
Humanity doesn’t know which way it is being moved yet every mortal being knows something terrible is going on or something terrible is about to develop as this earth shaking pressure continues to build. Within every gentile nation a mighty shaking is taking place as this explosive pressure continues to mount.
EVIL ALWAYS PRESENT ONLY NOT ALLOWED TO EXPRESS ITSELF
In the light of these astounding, startling facts and figures allow me to ask one question, WHY HAS THIS PRESSURE WITHIN GENTILE NATIONS BEEN ALLOWED TO BUILD? Because the Spirit of God who has been brooding over this earth during this grace dispensation for roughly 2000 years offering these gentile nations an opportunity to accept His grace and become reconciled back to his has kept these spirits suppressed. To a great extent the Spirit of God Himself has withheld these evils from getting out of control, but brother, as time draws closer for the dreadful day of His wrath the Spirit of God begins to let up. As the Spirit of God withdraws these evil spirits, who have always been present, move in unopposed and fills the vacuum. The same was true within the religious realm while Bro. William Branham, the prophet messenger to the age, was on the scene delivering this message, those opposing spirits which had always been present lay quiet realizing their day would come, they would have an opportunity to express themselves. Remember, the devils (legions of them) in that poor tormented man of Gadarene. As long as they remained within that man they were not hurting anything else, however, once the Lord came along and commanded them to depart they requested to enter into the swine and a thousand swine ran violently down the slope and committed suicide. WHY? Because these demon spirits had been driven out of one environment and begged permission to invade another.
Beloved, we can see a mighty shaking taking place within our (1) society, (2) economics and, (3) military, but WHAT ABOUT RELIGION?
A RELIGIOUS SHAKING
Let us ask ourselves the question, is there a shaking within the religious realm? In this religious realm as the messenger came to the age to deliver a message and call out of all these organized systems a people to make up the bride of Christ, once that message became established in the hearts of people God allowed the ecumenical spirit to follow behind that bride message pulling together and uniting these organizational systems. As God’s Spirit (the revelation of this message) began to pull the people out, spiritual death begins to move in on these systems and they begin to move closer together. Every devil out of hell comes up and begins to manifest itself within these systems, and as that is accomplished there is within the realm of organized gentile religion today the expression of every religious demon under the sun going forth encouraging religious leaders, who hold great sway over the multitudes, to begin leaning favorably toward ecumenicalism and uniting with them.
I have never been able to understand why religious people who at one time held such deep conviction concerning, HAIR, BEARDS, ETC. would now give way to it. In Pennsylvania and the northern part of Indiana we have some religious orders as Mennonite and Amish. Their belief toward God and His true revelated plan of salvation is just as blind as the denominational organizations, but did you know they have a moral concept that you cannot touch! They do not participate with society; they have never brought a reproach upon society. The men wore their beards, the women wore their long dresses and black stockings, etc. Every since the 15th Century this has been their style because their convictions are “Be not conformed to the world.” They did not want to be classified with modern society. Now we are aware there was absolutely no salvation in this, however, it was their religious conviction. Isn’t it strange, beloved, for 400 years society looked down their nose at these people saying, those poor ignorant nitwits. Though they were outcasts in society because of their manner of life they never bothered or disturbed anyone; they tended to their own affairs, never creating dissension; never demonstrating on campus. In their colonies they built their homes and schools, made their clothes and taught their children. I have head many of these modern society people make fun of their black hose, but Notice when the mini-skirt style came, modern society began wearing black hose as well as other colors. If it was wrong for the Amish to wear them, certainly it was wrong for the modernist to begin wearing them. BUT YOU SEE, IT IS FOR WHAT PURPOSE THEY USE IT. Men also began wearing beards and letting their hair grow long, but this was not done until the devil came along with it. I cannot understand why some leading ministers want to wear long hair and pattern after this worldly, ungodly, atheistic crown, why didn’t they pattern after the Amish 20 or 30 years ago? Why did they have to wait until the DEVIL came along and brought his special style, which was copied from these religious people who once society frowned upon and away they go after it. What does it signify? Women today will wear long hair, not because the Bible says long hair is a woman’s glory, but because the worldly crowd accepts it as a fad (not because of God, but because of the Devil). This realm of modern religion is being shaken because the Spirit of God has withdrawn itself and the devil is now moving in to make his ONE WORLD CHURCH, and from that we can go into every kind of devilish cult in existence today, from sun worship to a Satanic worship in the state of California, even to a homosexual preacher pastoring a church out in California who has a regular congregation of 300-400 who also testify to being homosexual perverts. Friends, this is not a Baptist or Presbyterian church, NO SIR, IT IS A PENTECOSTAL CHURCH right in the very state where God so greatly moved around 1906, with one of the greatest spiritual floods of the century. Notice, the devil now has moved in and has taken over, WHAT IS IT? The realm of religion is being shaken to pieces!
BRIDE MOVE BEING SHAKEN
Let us bring it in a little closer. Once God removed his prophet messenger from the scene, as it has already been stated, these spirits just lay quietly within the movement. Recall, God in His WORD had already declared it was to be so in the latter days. The minute that man went off the scene these spirits began to rise and manifest themselves and you can take within the realm of this people who were so awe struck, so spellbound hearing the wonderful words of God as they flowed forth and saw the manifestation, these spirits began to reach out and take their toll, one will go this way, another says no we will go this way. What does that create among the people who actually are in an overall sense believers of what the man said? Beloved, it shows nothing shall be exempt from this shaking. We find inside the movement nothing more than a mighty shaking is taking place. Spirits attempting to shake believers off the world.
Watch this statement of Paul found in Hebrews 12:25-29. Where did his inspiration come from? Out of the Book of Haggai! He now brings that verse in Haggai over into the book of Hebrews and compares the shaking as to when God spoke from Mt. Sinai shaking the mountain, then bringing it on down to the time God spoke on earth in the voice of His Son. In that sense Paul still goes further. Notice how Paul begins to apply this verse and where he applies it too. Already he has finished speaking concerning how terrible the shaking was on Mt. Sinai, how black the heavens became as the mountain shook; how the children of Israel stood at the foot of the mountain so frightened that they turned their back toward the mountain. Paul continues speaking to believers, and remember he is taking his statement from somewhere. As stated before, he goes back to the book of Haggai. Paul begins now to apply the revelation of this shaking to what it actually means. I want you to understand that everything which does not have a good solid footing when earthquakes hit, (for example the Alaskan earthquake) it comes tumbling down. Yet, isn’t it strange, some few things can always survive such a mighty shaking!
This kingdom is none other than a spiritual kingdom which was dumped inside each believer on the day of Pentecost which the devil tried desperately to destroy through the Dark Ages, but thanks be to God it was in His plan to re-establish that spiritual kingdom in the hearts of men and women and sent a prophet in the end-time to clear up the enforcement, to let the people who are to be benefitted by this kingdom get their footing anchored keep. POUR YOUR CONCRETE DEEP, GET YOUR RE-ENFORCEMENTS IN THE RIGHT PLACES AND GET YOURSELF FLEXIBLE FOR GOD IS GOING TO SHAKE EVERYTHING! This shaking means God will shake everything that can be moved; then if you can be moved you are certainly going to be shaken; if you can be deceived then you are certainly going to get deceived! This end-time message when it has fully established its purpose shall establish a people with an unshakeable, unchangeable faith in the Word of God though all hell shall rise against them, though the heavens be moved and the planet tossed to and fro with the seas roaring. Beloved, there will be a people that will stand with their souls anchored in this unshakable WORD OF GOD. All because they have an unshakeable kingdom anchored in their soul, AMEN! It is far more than joining some people who looks like they have the initiative to be progressive. You can’t hide behind that, you will have to hide behind something unmoveable then get your spiritual feet anchored on something. No matter how much you might be shaken you can be thoroughly convinced, I KNOW IN WHOM I BELIEVE, I KNOW WHAT I BELIEVE AND I’M GOING TO STAND THERE AND WHEN THE SHAKING TAKES PLACE we will find out if you stood in the right place. Once more this signified the removing of everything that can be shaken. I want you to know society is being shaken, homes are being shaken – government, politics, economy, military, everything, even the bride itself is being shaken, not because the earth is shaking; not because more are being killed, but because every devil has been turned loose to take its toll. Remember, if you aren’t anchored on that WORD somewhere those demons and devils will harass you. One will come saying, did you hear this or don’t you believe this or come go this way, and in your mind you will wonder, should I go this way? SEE, the shaking is going back and forth, it could be a vibration; it can be a tremor, but recall, all of it builds up a pressure!
The shaking must be first in society and that of humanity. When He shakes everything away from those people they can’t be shaken anymore. Though everything else is lying in a spiritual state of desolation and ruins He is almost ready to take that little Bride unto Himself. Once He takes His bride He is then ready to begin dealing with the earth, the sea and nature. I’m so thankful there is going to be a people who is going to be in glory looking down when this old planet begins to reel and rock, when the oceans begin to belch and heave and vomit and expel; islands will flee away; mountains will go into the sea and the stars all begin to be shaken from their orbit. For the day of the Lord is at hand and He is rising up like a mighty whirlwind to hew and tear down everything! WHY? Because this shaking will take place after He has shaken everything away. Sinful man will have been shaken into oblivion, then the glory of the Lord will fill a house in Jerusalem and what is left that couldn’t be destroyed, couldn’t be shaken, will come to Zion and Jerusalem to worship the Lord of Hosts. ‘Then I will establish peace in this place.’
I may have acted strangely, but I can see a sensational shaking. I feel a vibration of a tremor moving. Human souls are going to be affected, but it is the time, brothers and sisters, to get your soul anchored in something. Be sure you don’t get over a fault somewhere, one of these days that fault will break down and you will plunge into it.
As Paul said, I KNOW IN WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED AND I’M FULLY PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE TO KEEP THAT WHICH I HAVE COMMITTED UNTO HIM AGAINST THAT DAY. When the shaking has fully taken effect you will look and see the desolations and ruins all about you, but you will see that human soul standing there that has an unshakable kingdom in their heart as you see society gone through, as you see everything else lying in ruins waiting then finally for destruction and the doing away of all things. Amen.