THE DAY OF THE LORD IS A BRIEF GLOBAL AFFAIR EXPRESSING GOD’S WRATH IN VARIOUS FORMS UPON SINNERS TO THEIR DESTRUCTION! IT IS A DAY WHEN SINNERS ARE SO FRIGHTENED BEG FOR ROCKS AND MOUNTAINS TO FALL UPON THEM IN ORDER TO HIDE THEM FROM GOD’S WRATH, Rev. 6:12-17. WHAT IS THIS DAY FOR? WHAT IS ITS PURPOSE AND WHAT SHALL BE ACCOMPLISHED IN THIS BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME?
70 PROPHETIC WEEKS
More than 2500 years ago, near the time of the overthrow of the mighty Babylonian Empire, the aged Prophet Daniel, who had survived the destruction of the Holy City and had been exiled in idolatrous Babylon on the Euphrates in the Middle East nearly 70 years (with Israeli, had been told by an angel from God about the worst time of trouble to ever befall his people in all human history. The angel instructed Daniel, who was seriously worried over the future of his people, that God had marked off 70 prophetic weeks of years or 490 years on his prophetic timetable wherein Israel would fit into his program.
69 PROPHETIC WEEKS FULFILLED
Sixty-nine prophetic weeks ended five days before the crucifixion of Jesus as he entered Jerusalem to present himself as Israel’s King, only to be totally rejected by the Jewish religious leaders! Previously Christ had told the religious leaders I come in my Father’s name and you rejected me. if another shall come in his own name him ye will receive (Jn. 5:43). Christ was rejected and crucified leaving Israel with one prophetic week called the 70th, yet to be fulfilled. How many realize Israel still has yet one prophetic week of her dramatic history which will culminate the full 70 weeks of Daniel? According to Dan. 9:27, during the middle of the last prophetic week the anti-Christ, or prince. (who could by no means possibly be the Lord Jesus Christ seeing he at no time ever made a seven year covenant with Israel and broke it as he only had a 3 1/2 year ministry.) will break that covenant with Israel. kill her two prophets, who have constantly plagued the Middle East with trumpet judgments and the anguish of the 3 1/2 years great tribulation begins for Israel, and the gentile foolish virgins of Matt. 25:1-13, who were caught in the persecution squeeze after the true church had been taken away to glory. This persecution will last a duration of the latter half of the 70th prophetic week. Dan. 12:11.
TRIBULATION BEGINS IN MIDDLE OF WEEK
According to Dan. 9:27, a covenant had been agreed upon involving Israel with the anti-christ some 3 1/2 years prior to the breaking of the covenant. Also according to Rev. 8:1-11, the first three judgment trumpets to be sounded were judgments and plagues which struck the Middle East, and had come from the judgment office of these two prophets in Israel! (Rev. 11:3-10).
THREE TRUMPET JUDGMENTS BEFORE PROPHETS DEATH
Definitely the first three judgment trumpets of Rev. 8 were restricted primarily to the plaguing of the Middle East by the word of these two prophets, much like Elijah who plagued Israel with a draught with no rain for 3 years in the days of Ahab; likewise do: these two prophets bring these first three great trumpet judgment plagues Rev. 8:6-11) against the Middle East mainly to rebuke Israel’s political leaders who had already signed this political, false peace covenant with the anti-christ system whose number is 666, a number long ago established even by denominational theologians to be equivalent to the Latin phrase VICARIUS FILII DEI a term attributed strictly to the papal office of Rome.
Not only do these two prophets cause the first three, trumpet judgments to fall on the Middle East as plagues are poured out before the beast kills them, (Rev. 11:6-7) but also their preaching seals in 144,000 Israelites who receive the revelation of who Jesus is! It is mainly this great stirring revival in Israel which causes the anti-christ to break his covenant and thus force upon Israel a period of time described in Matthew’s gospel as a great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world or to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except these days be shortened there should no flesh be saved (alive), but for the elect’s sake these days shall be shortened!
WHAT WE LEARNED THROUGH PHRASE “NOR SHALL EVER BE”
Now I would like to make a comment on that statement–no, nor ever shall be. Matt. 24:21. Anyone who would want to place this period in Matt. 24 of the tribulation as having been designated strictly to the day of Titus’ siege against Jerusalem in 70 A.D., should consider this one thing! You will have to say the tribulation coming at the end for the Jews as Rome once again comes against her, will not be nearly as severe as the great persecution in 70 A.D.!! The worst is over! Because Matthew plainly stated these days were the greatest days of tribulation there would ever be! Be not misled, the days known as Jacob’s trouble falling in that last half of Daniel’s 70th week will be the greatest anguish and persecution the Jewish race has ever suffered! And we can say this, from the time of the signing of that political peace covenant agreement between Israel and Rome you may well know there is wily seven years left until the millennium!
During that seven year period, the first 3 1/2 years Rome and Israel encounter no serious problems mentioned in scripture until that covenant is broken in the middle of the week cutting off the daily sacrifice, thus throwing the 3 1/2 year tribulation into effect wherein during the close of that period as the beast and his armies have gathered to make war against the kings of the East in that dreadful Battle of Armageddon where approx. 200 million men will die as their blood is pictured to run to the horses bridle. (Rev. 14:20) do we then see the sign of the Son of Man appearing (Matt. 24:29-30) in his judgment and wrath (which is the Day of the Lord) taking vengeance on them that know not God as he appears in flaming fire, II Thes. 1:7-10, And a sharp sword proceedeth out of his mouth, Rev. 19:11-16 and according to Rev. 17:14, the beast and his armies gather to make war with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them ( Rev. 19: 19)!
FROM DAILY SACRIFICE — Dan. 9:27
Now watch closely, according to Dan. 12:10-13 during the tribulation period many shall be purified and be white and tried: but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. Then Daniel reaches back into Dan. 9:27 as he says. From the time the daily sacrifice shall be taken away (remember that began the great tribulation) and the abomination which maketh desolate (spoken of by Jesus — Matt. 24:15-22) set up, (in the holy place) there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days!
APPROXIMATELY 45 DAYS
This ends the reign of terror by the anti-christ who was defeated by the King of Glory. Rev. 19:11-21; who, furthermore, had already begun to strike the earth with his wrath and judgment, the period known as THE DAY OF THE LORD. That judgment comes in the form of war, fire, destruction, earthquakes, tidal waves along with the reaction of the heavens giving vent also as the moon and sun refuses to give light and the stars fall (Matt. 24:29) All this has transpired roughly within a period of around forty-five days as God has used this time through his judgments of vengeance to cleanse the earth of evil as he prepares for his new reign. Daniel shows the anti-christ reign is over (Dan. 12:11) and from that time until the millennium reign is already in progress would be approximately forty-five days! This is the way Daniel expresses it, Dan. 12:12.—Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. (For then he will have already entered the glorious millennium reign of Christ and his Bride Church.)
ISRAEL AND ROME’S PROGRESS
Before actually going into our study of this terrible DAY OF THE LORD (taking place somewhere within this forty-five day period God uses for cleansing the earth of sin) we would first like to take a few moments and discuss Israel and her latest developments with the Vatican to see what progress is being made to set that final week in motion for, according to Dan. 9:27, it had been the signing of a covenant agreement between Israel and Rome which placed the final week in motion! We realize no agreement could ever be made before first Israel became a nation. Israel now is a nation of better than 3 million people having for the first time in well over 2500 years the ancient city of Jerusalem completely in her control as her flag alone flies over the city. Since 1967 we note new interest by the Vatican toward Israel in desiring to make the Holy City an international city mainly because of the numerous Catholic shrines they desire to protect against future uprisings-which are built over strategic spots throughout the Holy City and Israel as well, which pertain to the life and ministry of Christ.
HISTORICAL VISIT:
GOLDA MEIR VISITS ROME
For several years the news flashed bulletins that Israel’s ambassador to the U.N. Abba Eban would be seen making an unusual appearance at the Vatican. no doubt discussing relations between Rome and Israel behind closed doors. However, it was not until January 1973 that it was announced to the world for the first time in all history that a leading dignitary of Israel such as Premier Golda Meir would pay a visit to the Vatican! Perhaps the Jerusalem Post more than any newspaper brought out more in detail the true facts concerning Premier Golda Meir’s sixty-five minute meeting in the Library of the Vatican with the Pope. Golda Meir stated she did not appreciate the opening remarks made by the Pope concerning the state of Israel. Furthermore, throughout the meeting she felt she was standing before a man of the cross, who heads the church, whose symbol is the cross under which Jews were killed throughout the generations.
However, her main problem was, she didn’t realize when she called him and the system he represents christian, how wrong she actually was because it takes more than using the sign of the cross to be a christian: Furthermore, she should have been aware the same history which informed her of the death of so many of the Jewish race by this church during the Spanish Inquisition etc., also told her of the countless millions of protestors to the same system who were choked, slaughtered, fed to lions, and pulled in pieces alongside the Jews of that same period! These were the true christians of that hour and not those who tortured others under the sign of the cross! Someone should tell Golda Meir to get the record straight, that Roman Catholicism is to true Bible christianity what the Moslem religion is to their Judaism—simply a thorn in the flesh to aggravate, oppose and cause much grief. Nevertheless, it was the first historical meeting and it was paving a way toward Dan. 9:27 as we see the papal power’s interest growing in the Middle East. Recently the president of Cyprus decided to exchange relation ambassadors with the Vatican, the Vatican announced. (and get this) this Mediterranean island made the 74th nation of the world to have diplomatic relations with the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church who boasts a membership of 659 million souls! Things are nearer than you imagine to set in motion that final seven years for the world’s final death struggle before the millennium!
Not only are we faced today with that period of time in which world conditions will wax worse and worse until finally you have that complete sell-out to Satan’s man of sin shortly before Christ comes to rule, but also the great tribulation is that period described in Matt. 24:15-22 as a day whereby if God didn’t intervene and cut it short there would no flesh be saved (alive). Furthermore, we shall see this great day of the Lord’s wrath and vengeance following the tribulation period is somewhat an overlapping period with the tribulation itself in which God releases his wrath through nature and that of the atmospheric elements themselves (Rev. 8:12) and allows certain conditions to develop upon the earth whereby mankind finds himself in such a fearful turmoil and such unrest, instead of the world becoming a better place in which to live, as religious intellectuals would have us to believe, it goes just the opposite growing steadily worse until the end.
PART 2:
BETWEEN TRIBULATION & MILLENNIUM IS DAY OF LORD
The Bible alone, if we will accept it, shows the only true picture not only of the tribulation period, but of the great day of his wrath briefly before the millennium and no true picture can be painted until all the pieces given by various prophets are pill into their proper place. Then and only then will the true picture be seen as taught in the scripture.
THE DAY OF THE LORD—what is it? And what shall it be like? It: is exactly what it says, it is THE DAY OF THE LORD whereupon he has a free hand in striking the earth with his wrath as he brings evil to an end. It is a day (Following the Tribulation period) when God strictly takes over and pounds and shakes this earth with judgment and wrath! While he destroys sin from the earth he also will be reshaping the planet for the millennium.
BRIEF OVERLAPPING PERIOD
Although you may recognize brief overlapping periods with the DAY OF THE LORD and the Millennium. seeing the DAY OF THE LORD is between the tribulation and the millennium, we want to study strictly that terrible day of vengeance in which God through various prophets describes various segments of that brief period involving those approximate 15 days as he bombards this earth with wrath.
SPRINGBOARD TO FUTURE PROPHECY
Turn first to Isa. 13, where we shall begin to gather scriptures dealing with three thoughts or three main points concerning the day of wrath as we show how it is nothing but a day of vengeance from God as he is determined to wipe away sin by cutting off the ungodly from the earth. The three main points we wish to discuss concerning this brief period are (1). Why does the day of wrath occur? (2). What is its purpose?, and (3). What does it accomplish?
Furthermore the subject should answer a number of questions surrounding this period in which various people have written unto us in an attempt to find a true scriptural answer to many things which are in their minds.
700 years before Christ’s first advent, the Eternal Spirit had already prophesied through his prophet Isaiah a most terrifying picture of that hour and the reaction the day itself will have upon sinful mankind as he finds himself faced with it. Although it must be understood that which God is speaking of in the beginning of his prophecy is the great destruction and calamity which would in years to come-befall Israel and Jerusalem once Israel had been faced with her first siege brought about through Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian captivity. Though as I said, this prophecy was still yet many years in advance of the hour Nebuchadnezzar would come against the city. However, God continues on with the prophecy of judgment and calamity as he brings it down to the end of the age into THE DAY OF THE LORD.
God was using that incident soon to befall Israel as a springboard to proclaim still a future prophecy in Israel’s history as judgment and destruction would hit this entire world. And note, that future setting to which God was pointing would occur at a precise time when Israel had once again entered back into her homeland. This time never to be removed after she had completed her long dispersion among the gentiles. Israel would be back within the land and she along with the rest of the world would be forced into the climax and the consummation of all God had determined upon Israel as a people as prophetically she would be completing the final half of her 70th prophetic week spoken in Dan. 9:27, and so would the world as well!
Isa. 13:6 begins a description of man’s reaction to that hour of God’s judgment saying–HOWL YE!! Please note that frustrating word expressing man’s pitiful, helpless condition as he is now facing the onslaught of the judgment of God against him, since this 3 1/2 years great tribulation period of the beast is reaching its climax. Now what! HOWL YE (Sinners) FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD IS AT HAND, IT SHALL COME AS A DESTRUCTION FROM THE ALMIGHTY! Note the scripture declares it is a day of destruction and it comes from the Almighty (Not from the Beast) and there isn’t one thing anyone can do about it! Yes, the prophet is going to describe, as we shall see, a man who has totally become overcome with fear as some would say GONE BERSERK. Such scenes are not uncommon on battlefields or even in times of severe catastrophes such as storms or even accidents. During such crises men have been known to emotionally break down or simply lose control of their thinking; their nerves go to pieces: their mind goes berserk and they simply lose their strength. Their ability to think clearly vanishes.
WHY? Because their life has simply become overcome by such fear— that beloved is somewhat of the picture you have portrayed here of that living terrified generation who sees all these things come upon the earth. However, here God is portraying the people of the world as a man who has simply become terrified and overcome with fear! No wonder the men of earth cry and beg the rocks and mountains to fall upon them and hide them from the face of him on the throne! (See Rev. 6:12-17)
EARTHQUAKES AND FEAR
For that further explanation we continue to read this description of a fear struck man as Isaiah says, “Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt and they shall be afraid, pains and sorrow shall take hold of them. They shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth. They shall be amazed one at another. Their faces shall be as flames. To get a better understanding of what the prophet is saying, place that setting in a present day application such as the tragedy of the Alaskan earthquake which left untold thousands homeless and with an experience they will never outlive. Or even the more recent one in Nicaragua where literally the entire capital city was buried as thousands were injured and still other thousands destroyed as they were buried alive! Imagine the fear, pain and horror which must have filled the lives of those who survived that terrible ordeal? Perhaps some of you will know from firsthand experience what it is like to survive a severe earthquake. Earthquakes last only brief minutes, sometimes even less–perhaps seconds. But as the earth shook around that capital city full of tall beautiful buildings that morning, consider some man walking down the street, or perhaps one arising in his hotel room to begin his daily activity when suddenly without warning it seemed the entire world had caved in on top of him! That beloved is only a small example of fear. pain and frustration that shall one day hit, man’s heart as he witnesses firsthand the things in store for sinners. Remember Earthquakes are becoming more and more numerous each year. In that hour of vengeance the Lord will be using earthquakes as one means whereby he rids himself of sinful mankind!
As we witness conditions growing worse and worse the Word shows us man’s heart will continue to become hardened and his feelings and conscience will (become numb at the very hearing of these things. Furthermore, he will simply begin to treat all this as a common occurrence. Once we compare these events to the word of God; It aligns us up with the very end of the age!
Continuing to describe the very conditions and fears of man, during that period not only does it say their faces shall be as flames, but also BEHOLD THE DAY OF THE LORD COMETH—CRUEL, BOTH WITH WRATH AND FURIOUS ANGER. LAY THE LAND DESOLATE AND HE SHALL DESTROY THE SINNER THEREOF OUT OF IT! Beloved, this is God’s purpose for the day of vengeance or the dreadful day of the Lord. It is literally to destroy the wicked sinners from off the face of the earth! This would explain why certain catastrophes must happen all over the earth because God has chosen to now rid himself of all wicked sinners and those who pollute the earth. (Rev. 11:18) Yes through these catastrophes God rids himself of the very effects and the works of sin by destroying the sinner much in the order he did in the antediluvian age when all but eight souls were destroyed. These God used to repopulate his earth bringing us up to our present figure of some 3.4 billion.
DAY OF LORD ACCOMPLISHES TWO THINGS
Note further, through the flood and destruction of mankind God was accomplishing something else! He also was reshaping the earth for the next moo years of living, for recall when God brought the judgment flood upon the earth wherein it rained for 40 days and nights, not only was he destroying sinful mankind but as that water vanished from the earth, the earth had been shaped (boundrywise) for the future 4000 years of living. Likewise, at the end of this age when God again sends destruction upon this earth, not only will sinners be done away with but new boundary lines for nations will appear. Yes, God reshapes the planet for his millennium reign.
NOT FIRE ALONE
God spoke that the earth would be destroyed that time by water, he further declared through the Apostle Peter’s writing the next time he destroyed it, it would be with fire. However, fire alone won’t be the only means here God uses to bring in the full scope of his wrath once that day of vengeance is poured out upon humanity and Isa. 13:9 declares (the tribulation over) God now brings this day in to destroy all sinners (especially who received the mark of the beast).
ROLE OF HEAVENLY BODIES
Now watch the prophet speak of the heavenly bodies or constellations becoming involved or being brought into this picture, also, Here for the first time do we find any writer of scripture such as this prophet declaring the heavenly bodies will be affected in that day! Whatever happens (after the tribulation is over will affect the sun, stars, and moon as well.
Jesus verifies that in Matt. 24:29- 31. and John on the Isle of Patmos declared it all transpired under the sixth seal. Rev. 6:12-13. while the prophet Joel referred to it as going to be a terrible day! Bear in mind, not only does the earth belch forth flames, not only does earthquakes practically shake this earth to pieces, but something else enters into the picture. Scripture declares the heavens themselves will give vent in that day also. Verse 10 declares, “…for the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall he darkened in its going forth.” There is no need for us to attempt to elaborate on this spectacular and fearful sight out in space or the things which constitute such a phenomena. the important thing is -it is going to happen and once that hour has arrived, if man’s heart melts within him for fear over the earthquakes, war, etc. How can he possibly maintain his sanity when he looks up into the heavens and sees the sun turning black or the midnight hour of a cloudless night and sees the light of the moon suddenly become darkened — WHAT WILL HAPPEN? Man simply will become one terrified creature once the sun becomes darkened and the moon refuses to give her light (Rev. 6:15-16). The Lord God continues by saying, “I will punish the world for their evil and the wicked for their iniquity; I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.” Paul speaking to the church, says it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Heb. 10:31. The Psalmist declares God is angry at the wicked every day and here we see that anger of God kindled to its breaking point and his anger and fairy is released. I warn you that hour is just ahead for this old world. Other scriptures we shall bring in will also show certain world conditions are already on hand.
OUTSIDE CHRIST IS NO HOPE
Young people, I hope I can bring this out in such a way to help you as well as the older people to realize and understand there is simply no future in this world for you! That is what I said, NO FUTURE IN THIS WORLD FOR YOU!! If there is no future for me, what is the point of me living, someone may ask? The only future you have and can count on is if you gel your heart right with God. Even now man is living on borrowed time! And what am I supposed to do, sit down and do nothing? No, that is not the answer but if you can simply realize how close we are to the coming of the Lord it should cause everyone to want to get their hearts right with God and allow him to guide their lives in whatever time they have left!
RUSSIA AND WHEAT DEAL
Man should realize in the face of God’s Word already there are certain things building up and causing the pressure on nations to be reaching a high fervor. For instance. in this past year developments and conditions arose in this country which many, no doubt treat very lightly or just as a normal occurrence; Nevertheless, I say unto you, it was not normal! It was not normal that no sooner did our harvest season begin in the fall of 1972 that over a seven state area nothing but cloudy and rainy weather plagued us for weeks and as we shall see also set off another avalanche of serious problems. Sure, we have always had rain and drought, cloudy weather etc., but not just at the time when this country which in the past has boasted of being a nation built upon christian principles did we see from the political hierarchy of America a negotiation to sell a tremendous amount of wheat, dirt cheap, to a Communist country months preceding our spring and summer season), a country of some 240 million who would in a moment cut our throats and for the politicians of this country to undermine their own poor farmers by buying up their wheat at a ridiculous low, price before the farmer could discover why such an urgency was on to buy up his wheat. I am certainly not out of the bounds of this study to discuss such dealings with you seeing God has said one of the conditions prevailing at the end would he (political) evil in high places going from nation to nation!
POLITICAL EVIL
Yes, the scripture declares evil goes from nation to nation. What other evil is there but political evil which would affect governments of nations?
It was the news media that let the cat out of the bag, exposing how politicians had notified months ahead certain big grain dealers to buy up all this wheat, unbeknownst to the farmer why. Through the years we have always boasted of our surplus of wheat, soybeans, and other grains. Undermining the farmer who we depend upon for our bread, we sold 400 million tons of wheat to Russia to be collected over a 3 year period (1/4 of U.S. crop) for approx. $1.8 billion. Before these 3 years transpire. Beloved, we may desperately need this grain ourselves, instead now, we owe it to Russia!
No sooner had this transaction been made with a Communist country (who already since World War I is in debt to us for approx.; `$708 million of your tax dollars and who was responsible for the death of untold millions of Innocent people who did not want to be enslaved by this satanic power and furthermore, who declared publicly in the 60s their intentions to bury us in the ’70s, and celebrate their communist victory on our 200th birthday from Independence Hall) did the God of heaven look down and frown upon this country!! Sure, God has frowned upon other gentile nations, however now he is frowning upon this country because for the past two decades we have stood in the forefront giving world leadership and setting an example to the free world. Therefore, now God says because of what you have now done I will take away your large surplus. For remember beloved, it is God who controls the weather: it is God who promised to send rain upon crops in their needed season.
AND THE RAINS CAME
Therefore just as the American farmer was ready to harvest an abundant crop which had already been forecast to be a great harvest year, giving us a great surplus of wheat, soybean and other grain, suddenly the weather seemed to go berserk and rain continually hit seven states! Watch what this caused— this brought on another national emergency as farmers were forced to bring in gas dryers etc.. for these crops. It reminds you much of playing dominos–once you have them all set up, it takes only one to tip over all the others and with that one you have set up a chain reaction of them all falling down the line. Because of the rains came a butane gas shortage which led into a total national fuel shortage or crisis. America who is supposed to be rich in natural resources could literally have almost overnight been paralyzed with a fuel shortage. And when did it start? When GOD REFUSED TO LET THE SUN SHINE!
GAS AND OTHER CRISIS
One crisis led to another! How we ought to thank God we weren’t in a full scale war such as World War II when we had to ration gasoline to our 145 million Americans. Our economic system in that hour was not on the natural gas etc.. such as today and upon which our American population of 210 million so desperately depend. Eight major transport trucking companies notified Washington they only had enough fuel supply for 15 days East of the Rocky Mtns. Greyhound Bus Lines declared they had only enough diesel fuel East of the Mississippi to supply some states 11 days and some five and six. The Postal Service said for every city west of the Mississippi they only had enough diesel fuel for a few days of postal service. Where did it all begin? WHEN THE SUN REFUSED TO SHINE ON THE AMERICAN FARMERS!! God was showing this country– YOU CAN’T EXIST ON YOUR DOLLARS (Now devalued for 2nd time) YOU CAN’T BOAST OF YOUR GREAT SURPLUS You had better thank God he is the one who controls the surplus because beloved, any hour he chooses he can take our surplus. Remember this, when it reaches the place God can’t get the glory, why should he care who gets our surplus!
ANTI-CHRIST SPIRIT
I realize many modernists would say, Oh, we are a christian nation and should trade with the communist— that is antichrist talk! Only an antichrist spirit would speak that way. Israel was never to trade with those countries which were her enemies! I am by no means out of line of thought as we continue looking into this evil political in high places of government, for recall it is a sign to the end of the gentile age saith the scriptures! This political evil has become the order of the day! Nothing but corrupt, crookedness and every kind of scheming and plotting imaginable goes on in high places! I am not a politician, but I will have to say this entire pathetic situation of America’s role in Vietnam, where in over 11 years we lost nearly 50,000 American lives, will go down in American history as the lowest, political undermining, and conniving thing which has ever been known in the political field as well as military alike! It would require volumes to show the treachery as political strings were pulled in this war. If we had no intentions of fighting the thing as a war, we should never have gotten into it! It has done nothing but disrupt. bankrupt and split this entire country!!
Nevertheless in the eyes of God it had to be this way because this is the route the country politically chose to travel. The slogans to get a president elected seemed to be to build on the high hope of peace, and once he was elected they began to continue their bombing and finally laid Hanoi low— something which should have been done in the beginning of the war, not some years later! If you are going to fight a war, fight it: if not get out says the military and I agree. There has never been a war won yet which was fought on the political tables of Washington. Vietnam and Korea were neither won because of just such tactics and furthermore we wound up losing a great military general, Douglas MacArthur, who had to be dismissed for insubordination because he was about to win the Korean War but we were fearful of an all out war with China! However, by the time of Vietnam no general had courage to buck this political machinery and simply took their orders. They can never say one of our high ranking generals went to Vietnam except by orders from Washington! Those men only went because somewhere in Washington a bunch of politicians said go— the pathetic thing—, once they got there their hands were tied through political conniving directing them how they might shoot and where to drop their bombs, telling them–you do this or that and no more! Because of this conduct we have seen how our men remained prisoners of war longer than any war we have ever fought (some as long as 7-8 yrs!)
We sold ourself down the drain through political evil in high places! It reminds me so much of the prophet who instructed the King of Syria after the king learned he was to be attacked and the prophet had given him many reeds whereby he should strike the ground so many times. However, he did not follow instructions and even though he won the battle it all signified because he didn’t complete the work, in the end his enemy would rise up and overtake him! Therefore can’t you see this political evil of which God spoke that should go from nation to nation is only assuring us the day of the Lord is in the making! Just when it will reach its final consummation, I do not know. All I know according to scripture is things will get no better. On Jan. 20, 1973 an American President stood in Washington, the nation’s capital, to be inaugurated for another 4 year term which will keep him in office until Jan. 1977. Somewhere I feel within this next four years this country will run into more serious trouble than it ever has in all its history, as well as the entire world itself. In 1976 America will be 200 years old and did you know history revealed there has never been one form of government which existed over 200 years! Will ours be the first?
PART 3
DAY OF LORD NOT THE TRIBULATION
Turn now into Isa. 66 where we again will catch a few verses which also speak outstandingly concerning more of the great day of the Lord. Bear in mind THE DAY OF THE LORD is not the great tribulation of some 3 1/2 years (the last half of Daniel’s 70th prophetic week, Dan. 9:27) during which the beast (or prince) imposed much persecution upon the Jews and the gentile foolish virgins as well. Recall, once he breaks that covenant with Israel which he had previously made some 3,-2 years prior, THE TRIBULATION IS ON! Dan. 9:27. THE DAY OF THE LORD is that period following immediately this wrath the antichrist poured out against the Jew and the foolish virgins of Matt. 25. It is that day in which God empties his wrath out against the wicked (religious) sinners against whom his anger has been kindled as they amened what the anti-christ was doing! Finally God’s wrath has reached a consummation or boiling point and he destroys these evil sinners and their sin of unbelief from the earth. Moreover through this great wrath as it strikes the earth in various forms, it will be bringing about a reshaping of boundaries of the earth (nationwide) for Christ’s millennium reign.
FIRE AND SWORD
How it was done, Isaiah who spoke much concerning this day shows in Isa. 66:15-16, “For behold the Lord will come with fire (connect this also with II Thes. 1:8-9 ) and with his chariots like a whirlwind, TO RENDER HIS ANGER WITH FURY AND HIS REBUKE WITH FLAMES OF FIRE. Pay special attention to this phrase-for by fire and his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh (note the results) and the slain of the Lord shall be many.
WHAT IS HIS SWORD
The above passage refers to his sword being one of his methods of destruction. This is accomplished as he brings together certain nations, namely the beast and his European armies along with whatever other armies are united with him against the kings of the east for the great battle of Armageddon, which will be the last land based war ever fought. From this one onslaught 200 million men shall die! (Rev. 14:20 )
Therefore, the phrase —”his sword” is merely an expression, not intending to imply God will personally come himself with a sword in his hand and the results would be many are slain. No, but it is God placing his sword in the hand of the nations to fulfill his will. Recall how God spoke he had placed a sword in the hands of Nebuchadnezzar to perform his will against the Jew? In reality God is simply placing his sword of destruction in the hands of certain men or nations and announces to them — go execute any will! Therefore here he says by especially two means – by fire and by sword will the Lord deal with all flesh and The slain of the Lord shall be many. Glancing back into Isa. 24 one need only to remember all this takes place once God rises up terribly to shake the earth and destroy sin and the very works of evil by destroying the sinners.
ANSWERING TWO QUESTIONS
At this point we must face two very important questions – (1) Will all mankind be destroyed by fire and sword during this day of wrath? The answer in NO! Our second question could well be, could those spared during that hour be christians? And again the answer is NO! That is, they who are spared will not necessarily be Christians in the sense as we within this grace age have grown accustomed to the usage of the word CHRISTIAN! Meaning during the grace age, one who is saved or one who has become a believer in Christ — in that sense NO! Because remember the spirit of grace was given during the grace age, and the taking out of the bride completes that grace age. Therefore, how could you compare these ones spared with the true bride christians of the revelated grace age? From that standard they could by no means be termed righteous and could not measure up to the bride saint. However, like Noah and his family referred to by Christ. (Matt. 24: 37-39) these would be the perfect ones of their generation who were accounted worthy to escape with their lives the wrath of God after the wise virgins or the bride) had gone to glory and also after the foolish virgins left behind had been slaughtered during the tribulation.
Remember it is the God of heaven who looks upon this mass of humanity which is left and will decide who is worthy to be preserved physically and mortally as well as who is to die as a wretched sinner in the wrath of God. Those he finds worthy to escape his wrath shall be only a few compared to the great masses who die under the wrath of God.
WHY GOD SPARED REMNANT
For what purpose does God preserve or save alive certain ones — TO REGENERATE OR REPOPULATE THE EARTH ONCE THE MILLENNIUM OR 1000 year reign goes into effect. Remember this, no where does the Bible teach nor endorse total annihilation of this human race before the millennium begins as some short-sighted religious teachers who are suffering badly in need of eye-salve (Rev. 3:18) would have us to believe! Some look upon the 1000 years reign (Rev. 20:4) and can only see or envision immortal people living during the 1000 years (millennium) reign. However, we must never forget the Bible teaches there will also be some mortal, fleshly human beings living throughout that age also. Furthermore, out of the vast number to which they will have multiplied before the end of the millennium age, a great number; so vast it is simply referred to as the sands of the seas because there are so many, who will be deceived when Satan is loosed. I would certainly hate to think once the bride who had become immortal along with all the immortal Old Testament saints were the ones Satan deceives and leads astray — those who had already proven to be overcomers and received the promise they would ever be with the Lord. It was none other than a human element which was deceived, not the immortal saints!
NO APOLOGY FOR SCRIPTURAL TEACHING
This has been our staunch position on the subject and we have tieen criticized for this position, nevertheless, without any apology — for we make no apology for whatever is taught by the revelation of the prophets found in the scriptures — we have taught among people who claim to follow an endtime message delivered by a prophet to this age our scriptural convictions only to have some rise up and make this most unscriptural statement in denying something so plainly taught in the Bible by simply saying–the prophet didn’t say it was so or not! May I say, with all due respect to the prophet God sent to this age, if something is plainly taught in the Bible, the prophet didn’t have to endorse or say it was so in order to make it official or effective! God’s Word which is forever settled in heaven has already declared the thing to be so!
How then could anyone who has any love for the scripture be ignorant enough to take the virtue and authority of one Godsent prophet and try to pivot that authority against (or shall we say try to use it) to annul the Bible in its entirety and true meaning which is full of nothing itself but prophetic writings by Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles!
SPIRIT OF TRUE PROPHET
Because remember, in order to be true prophets of God they all had to be motivated by the same true Spirit and speak the same revelation as well. I must confess it would have to be an ignorant person who certainly bore no fear of God’s Word who would dare pull off such an undermining trick. Don’t we realize all true prophets must walk in the same kind of spirit in order for God’s Word to have any true continuity of thought whatsoever? And never once can one prophet speak against what another prophet has ever said. God simply doesn’t work that way! ! This revelatory prophet to this age was careful to point out God didn’t work that way. (Seal Book Pg. 149)
That is why you will never find any contradiction (once you understand the true revelation) of what each prophet spoke. Any seemingly contradiction stems through the translation of words and not by the prophets themselves. Nevertheless, we must never forget this was a true Godsent prophet who stood in our midst and it fell his lot to say or speak certain things in the manner he did because there were other spirits who heard his message beside those of the true Word bride, and certain things had to be spoken in the manner they were in order to sweep away everything that was not part of God’s Word Bride, who had somehow attached themselves to that movement!
CONJURES UP REVELATION
And what are they swept away on—everyone of these are swept away on the wings of certain statements which tend to form for these people their own private revelation of what this prophet actually taught through revelation! For instance–one man who has taken a certain amount of statements and applied them to himself has now publicly declared and published as his own testimony that when the first man walked on the moon, at that very moment the Son of Man (Christ Himself) came upon earth and dwelt in fullness inside of him (a man) to live and is presently living, walking, and speaking through this one mortal himself! Where did such a thing originate? NOT PROM THE BIBLE, but from his private interpretation of certain statements made by the prophet! No, they do not gel their revelation from reading the Bible; it is simply because they take and pick certain statements which were spoken by the prophet to this age, Bro. Branham, and in turn, conjure up for themselves (somewhat like the Witch of Endor) some private unscriptural revelation –their private revelation stemmed from certain statements spoken in this prophet. God willed it to be this way!
ANOTHER WEIRD REVELATION
Another such weird revelation conjured up also through certain statements is — no one since the Council Nicea 325A.D. until the breaking of the seals in 1963 by Bro. Branham, WAS EVER BORN AGAIN OR HAD THE HOLY GHOST! Doesn’t such ignorance of the scripture boil your blood as a true christian? These and many other such interpretations which we do not have the space to mention are no more than personal revelations formed by misguided individuals from certain statements they have found made by the prophet! No, you can rest assured, they could never get one prophet in the Bible to back them up anymore than they could take the true revelation of what this prophet delivered to the Bride to back up their revelation either! Spiritually speaking, and as far as I am concerned, these poor souls are themselves (as they are leading others) out in no man’s land without even a compass to steer them in their journey.
POINT OF NO RETURN
Beloved, you had better believe there is a point you can reach, straying from truth, which is a point of no return. Once you get out so far in no man’s land you have reached a point you might as well go on believing and strewing your homemade ideas because to try and return to true scriptural teaching is simply impossible! Believe me when I say, the revealed scripture has been man’s only compass and guide to steer him in the course of human history. Beloved, it steered the course of every government until they turned themselves over to another spirit and once they did that the revealed scriptures became nobody’s compass. Therefore, can’t you see why it was of necessity God would send a true vindicated, inspired, revelatory prophet to stand at the end of this gentile grace age with THUS SAITH THE LORD, screaming out to a people–GET BACK TO THE WORK OF GOD FROM WHICH YOU HAVE STRAYED!
Why did God send a prophet at the hour he did? Note, he didn’t send this endtime prophet Inn years before he was ready to fulfill the scripture in Isa. 24. By no means, he sent him during the very hour when this religious generation before whom he would stand and speak would be the very generation which must face that hitter wrath of God written so clearly in Isa. 24. and other places in scripture also. No, I did not say nor imply the true Bride believer was going to feel, face or see any of the wrath of God, did I? However I want you to know, men and women who refuse to get right with God and return to revealed Bible scriptures, many of them will live to see that day.
EMPTIES EARTH OF WHAT?
By inspiration Isaiah picks up the pen once again and begins to describe for us this time from Isa. 24:1, the very condition of man on the earth during that hour of God’s wrath. It is because of what man has done to the earth which inspired the prophet to write, “Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty”. Before continuing on let us discover from the remaining passage what he empties the earth of. Some think he empties it of all human flesh. Let us see if that is what the scripture teaches. The word “empty” here must be tied in with the rest of the passage. Don’t ever take any one word out of context or out of the subject matter and build yourself a private revelation from mere!), ONE WORD OR PHRASE! Nor should you ever add any other words to the word lifted out of context — which might come to you from somewhere in outer space because each time you do allow this to happen you will never receive an understanding picture which would coincide with what the Bible actually teaches. And remember every word in this Bible will somewhere link up with other words within the scripture and it should not be forgotten there is also an end to the meaning of any word except the profound word—GOD—which has no ending!
NOT EVERYONE
Now to discover what God is truly going to empty the world of. Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty” of what do you think he is going to make the earth empty? OF SIN-AS HE EMPTIES IT OF SINNERS! However this by no means indicates he will empty it of every living soul. We will see this more as we continue on, “And maketh it waste and turneth it up side down.” One of these days this old earth is going to do a frantic dance (like a drunk man) as God turns it upside down. There is something about an earthquake where in man simply cannot retain his senses. Man is able to hold on to his reasoning through a severe storm or even in a foxhole where shells are bursting everywhere. However when that very ground underneath him on which he lives and from where he was taken begins to shake and bounce around, that is something entirely different. Thousands of people living today have experienced only a small taste of the reality of this scripture. Go down to Nicaragua, ask any of those frightened, bewildered souls fortunate enough by the grace of God to have been spared by fleeing the city–how did it feel? I don ‘t imagine you would see many smiles as they answer you. —Instead would be horrible expressions which indicate they had experienced something they had never before in their life. Or perhaps talk to those people who were driving calmly down a certain highway in Alaska in 1964, watching another car approaching only to have the oncoming car suddenly disappear as it seemed the highway danced up and down and became somewhat like a whip, A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE according to the driver’s testimony, who further said his car was suddenly in the ditch. See, there just isn’t anything you can do once an earthquake like that hits, yet beloved, these examples are nothing compared to what God will do when he turns this planet upside down and scatters abroad the inhabitants thereof. Notice, this time regardless to where people live. God won’t be exempting a single area where humanity dwells. During that hour God will be dealing with the high as well as the low, the rich, the poor, the sick, the healthy and as far as he is concerned they are all alike. “And it shall be as with the people, so with the priest: (Note- there will be many preachers and people around when that hour strikes who will be affected so with the servant so with his master: mistress as with maid: buyer as with seller: lender SO with the borrower… “The land shall he utterly emptied and utterly spoiled for the Lord hath spoken this word.” Oh, yes, out there just ahead of us lays that dark hour. Even though it was spoken 2700 years ago. Nevertheless, it is coming. God cannot forever look upon evil and one thing is sure. It won’t ever get any better. God’s Word declares in the end it would be just this way.
WHEN CRIME PARALYZES SOCIETY
When a country reaches a place that evil, crime and criminals can literally paralyze a society: when it reaches a place that criminals are more thought of and must be recognized in society on the same equal level of standard and character with that of respecting, law-abiding citizens and both must be recognized equally through the carnal eye, something is bound to happen! Because beloved, God has always placed a difference between evil and good: between that of good and evil characters and furthermore we have reached a day when it appears from their actions and rulings about law, the Supreme Court has absolutely turned a deaf ear to God’s Word and become nothing but a sick body of law officials who are completely sick into the pit of their souls. Who would have ever dreamed they would see the hour the highest court in America, the Supreme Court, would destroy their most effective means to control evil – the death penalty!
DEATH PENALTY AND ABORTION
Do you realize the criminal is the only person walking the streets today with a guarantee from his government regardless to what he does, he can be assured of this thing, his own personal life will not be taken: Now they have stepped into the picture to become God dealing with a subject in which they perhaps know as little about as any subject on earth. After having dissolved the death penalty for criminals; turn around and rule you may kill any unborn child until the sixth month of pregnancy! They have gone from one extreme to the other! It seems they no longer know what law and authority is! Because of that the America they govern is sick and going to pieces!
All such things will contribute to bringing about that great day of God’s wrath because God will not forever stand by and allow his people to be ruled and controlled under that type of spirit or society — only for a period will he suffer this. however when it has served its purpose he will reach out and cut it off!
Yes, the earth mourneth and fadeth away. the world languished and fadeth away: the haughty people of the earth do languish. God continues on in verse 5 speaking concerning what man has done which has caused the earth’s defilement. Defile in this hour is not a hard word to understand, seeing they have cried nothing else for nearly three years. It is pollution, right! Not only do they cry pollution on the one hand, but on the other they are crying we are running out of our natural resources, everything is polluted! The air, the water, yes and even the society-it all is polluted! Man has simply reached his end.
COLLISION COURSE
Sometime ago I heard a minister make the following remark—she is headed for a collision course! Yes, and she is going to hit head on! This world’s condition and God’s day of judgement is heading for a head-on collision course! God simply won’t allow society to live as it intends to do without somewhere calling a halt to it. We are much like a mad driver racing down a highway at breakneck speed we may get by for a while but watchout somewhere up there is a sharp curve in the road and at that terrific rate of speed you are sure to lose control. Yes, God says the earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof: because they have transgressed the laws.”
Look for a moment at what man has done! Every basic moral law of society he has changed! They are taking things which should be done right and throwing them in reverse. They have changed the laws; transgressed the laws; furthermore, they have changed the ordinances (broken the everlasting covenant). As a whole today people simply don’t believe they need an old fashioned God. You can only draw a religious crowd when you use Hollywood style personalities! All they need is a little more education and another one of those devalued dollars. To them they need lesser laws thereby allowing each man to run his own course and do his own thing whenever, however and wherever he pleases! Beloved, God never made a world to run on such a principle. We weren’t put here to simply do whatever, however, and whenever we choose! Not even the majestic angels exist on any such principle as that! Everything, regardless to what it is must be subject to a higher power and that higher power is none other than God himself. No wonder Isaiah exclaimed they have broken the everlasting covenant and therefore hath the curse devoured the earth. See, man through his own disobedience has brought his own curse and it is a curse God says which shall devour the earth!
FEW MEN LEFT
Speaking of the end he says, “…therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned and FEW MEN LEFT!! Understand, this is at the end and God at last has obtained the objective he has been pointing to. Now, do you see here the answer to that word “empty”, what was it God is going to empty the earth of? He is going to empty the earth of evil and sinners. However, did you notice, Isaiah said there would be A FEW LEFT, showing all mankind would not be annihilated during the dreadful day of God’s wrath?
AMERICA’S RECKONING DAY MAY BE SOON
There is a day of reckoning coming for all boastful minded politicians and law officials and it is not long off!! For America it could possibly come in less than four years, that is, providing history runs true to course and also for our country to fall in perfect line with what Bro. Branham said many times in references concerning his seven visions involving America which he had in 1933 as he often stated from history how no one form of world government ever stood to be 209 years old. The year 1976 brings this country to its 200th birthday and in Philadelphia for some time now they have been making preparations for our 200th birthday. We can’t help but be reminded of the pledge made by Communist of their intentions to bury us and be in power themselves in 1976! Nevertheless, whether we are in power or they are in power, one thing is sure, there is a God in heaven who is about ready to fulfill His Word.
AN OLD UNCLE
Whether (for America ) it be something like the Nicaraguan earthquake or a short nuclear war or whatever, one thing is sure Uncle Sam is getting older, his hair much greyer, arthritis is taking over his joints, his legs aren’t as strong as they once were — oh yes, he is just as tall but politically because of the weight of such corruption in government he is getting awful stooped shoulders. No longer can he seem to point that strong finger straight at you with that firmness and with an alert, watchful eye today saying, I WANT YOU! The poor old fellow should be repainted with sunken eyes, shoulders humped, wrinkled face, hair totally grey, vitality and spirituality gone, along with everything else that made him the great Uncle Sam which the world once knew and respected. It seems they might as well build him a box and get ready to bury him because once 210 million people reach a point they can’t govern themselves under God’s leadership they are nothing but a frail, sick, lawless society, and recall, once ancient Rome in all her glory reached that point, she fell!
Population Wise, like America, she had more men than ever, however, political wise, spiritual wise, and leadership wise like America she was sick to the core! Therefore beloved, ancient Rome could do nothing but fall down and die! Is this to be our fate?
PART 4
IS MAL. 4 THE ONLY PICTURE?
Already we have seen how Isaiah spoke of “a few being saved” during that hour (to replenish the earth for the millennium). This is so plainly taught in the scripture, yet I can never forget being approached once by a minister who had disagreed with a statement I made while preaching a sermon on the millennium. In the course of the message I simply made a passing statement concerning there being some few people, as Isaiah spoke, being left alive who would pass out of the tribulation period, through the brief but dreadful day of the Lord’s wrath, over into the millennium to be ruled and reigned over by Christ and his Bride once they returned to earth. Wouldn’t you know it, this minister could not accept this Bible truth simply because, as he said, Bro. Branham said the righteous would walk out on the ashes of the wicked. Bro. Branham of course had quoted from Mal. 4:3, and because of that one statement which is an absolutely true statement, that man disregarded every other verse spoken by prophets as recorded in the Bible concerning that same period of which Malachi referred and he could by no means see where there could possibly be anything left here mortally or physically to cross over into the millennium.
May I say, if you had no other scripture than Mal. 4 to look to in dealing with this subject, there possibly could be no other conclusion you could reach! However you can’t form a true overall picture of an overall setting until all the revealed scriptures are in their rightful place. You may never form a true picture of anything that affects the world such as this with only one scripture, allowing it to be the total and final answer to everything. No, not until you have brought into account what all the other inspired prophets had to say concerning that certain given period! And don’t forget, Isaiah had stated during that time the inhabitants of the earth would be burned but sonic few men would be left! Now, just because Malachi didn’t mention the few men left. that doesn’t deny or undo Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the hour when he said a few would be left.
ZECHARIAH SEES WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE LEFT
Zechariah, another prophet, also spake of the remnant left (Zech. 14:16) Therefore you can see there are more prophets who mention the few who are to be left than those who simply didn’t mention anything about them! However that doesn’t imply the prophets are contradicting each other. No, because all their statements must be taken into consideration before a positive position in the overall picture can be seen. It is time certain people begin to reshape their thinking and realize this Bible carries a message, although for it to clearly be understood each scripture on the subject must be given its rightful place.
May I say this, what Malachi was saying had no hearing in the slightest as determining whether there would or wouldn’t be a small physical realm left. He is speaking in conjunction as to what God is going to do to the wicked and how the righteous would walk upon them, that is, walk upon their ashes. In these scriptures God simply didn’t intend for Malachi to prophecy concerning the few men left, and because he didn’t, doesn’t annul the fact there are to be a few men left! It was mainly the prophet Isaiah who was given this vision and told to prophesy concerning the few men left after the rest of the world had been destroyed. Now watch, it is these few men (or people) which Zechariah picks up and shows what they shall be doing throughout the millennium! (Zech. 14:16-21).
DISSOLVING THE EARTH
We have yet another passage which carries right over to the latter verses of the same chapter. Isa. 24:19-23—the earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved (yet bear in mind the word dissolved like the word empty doesn’t mean the earth is totally annihilated. It is that figurative language showing how God is literally going to shake this old earth to pieces to get rid of this evil. Recall Peter (II Pet. 3:7) spake of how also the heaven and the earth would melt with fervent heat and then he stated nevertheless we look for new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. However the new earth is not going to be another planet found somewhere out in space. The new earth is still this same old ball of clay, simply undergone major changes! God simply shakes it all to pieces, however it is still the same place.
All God does is rid himself of all these evil spirits sickness etc. Therefore the earth is literally broken down and clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. Deliver me beloved from being here when that horrible day arrives. Let’s walk right and live right, however if you feel it is 100 years off, go on eat, drink and be merry. However, if you should suddenly find yourself shook out of your bed of complacency one day, don’t come running to me or anyone else for help. God’s word warns you now to flee the wrath to come.
EARTH REELS LIKE DRUNKARD
Isaiah says the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard. Imagine if you were out in space on some other planet when that hour of judgement struck, what would this old planet look like (from there) as it weaved through the heavens like a drunkard. Aren’t we thankful the earth travels on a true straight ordained course in space around the sun? How else could scientists set their timepieces, why, because this earth is on a true course however, one of these days God says he is going to shake it and for a while it will simply bounce around in space. And it shall appear, God says, like a drunk man reeling too and fro. Oh, beloved this planet is truly headed for one terrible shaking. Otherwise the language used here would not be written in such strong terms. The transgression on this planet has become so heavy, and the sin so evil both shall surely fall never to rise again. Evil is finished, it will never rise and live ever again as it has through this 6000 years of man’s journey.
SOULS IN HELL
Furthermore it says. it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones. Beloved I want you to know every evil or demon which has been permitted to frolic through space also has his hour coming, yet here it is that every crooked politician, king, dictator along with every crook etc. God t will do something with. Listen to him as he says the host of the high ones that are on high and the kings of the earth upon the earth shall all be gathered together as prisoners — meaning physically God literally to destroys their human existence but shuts their souls or spirits up in his prison house called hell (while his millennium is on). Yes, God says he will shut them up in the prison –his prison house in this sense is the heart of the earth, none other than hell itself. And notice what he says he will do after many days—-he will visit these who are in prison. Sure, after the 1000 years reign has expired the dead will be resurrected (Rev. 20:12-13) as hell gives up the dead in it and the dead shall stand before God at the great White Throne judgement (Rev. 20:11-15). that judgement wherein all sinners will be dragged out of hell to appear before him! Notice verse 23 relates back to Chap. 13 and also Rev. 6 under the 6th seal.
The moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign (1000 years) in Mt. Zion and in Jerusalem and before his ancients gloriously.”
ASHES OF THE WICKED
We certainly don’t want to miss the prophet Malachi seeing what he prophesied has set off an avalanche of unbelief toward there being any human flesh in the millennium when he also prophesied concerning THE GREAT DAY OF THE LORD’S WRATH. Yes, Malachi also saw how terrible it was going to be and how it would even burn the wicked to stubble, Mal. 4:1 says, “Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud, yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble and shall leave them neither root nor branch.” Now unto what group was the prophet addressing his statement—THE WICKED OF COURSE! Misinformed people want to take this and say everyone (in that hour) who isn’t a christian is certainly considered wicked!
NOT IN THAT HOUR! No, beloved, those terms can’t apply here briefly before the end as recorded in Mal. 4:1. Recall, God throughout the grace age of some 2000 years used those terms christian etc., while giving the gospel to us gentiles in order to take out of the gentiles a people for his name who would later be married to the Christ, that King of Glory. Therefore, when the age of grace is finished, another age right here on earth shall begin which we call the millennium age (1000 year reign of righteousness). That age will be for an altogether different purpose! Basically, that age will be to renew the earth because remember redemption wasn’t only for the human race, it was for the polluted, defiled earth as well! The earth is what God gave man to live upon! Oh, I realize the old time denominational people often testified to how they all looked forward to not having to live forever here on earth instead they looked forward to living forever in heaven. Heaven is where people once thought their eternal home would be after death! IT ISN’T THEIR ETERNAL HOME, EARTH IS!! The devil was the one who fouled up this beautiful earth, however it was Christ as a man (second Adam ) who came to undo what the devil did and beloved, when he finishes undoing it during the millennium (1000 year reign), this earth will be a beautiful place to live — it will simply be another Garden of Eden here on earth!
POSITIVELY TWO PICTURES OF THAT DAY
Mal. 4:1 clearly shows God will leave neither root nor branch for the wicked, therefore, the wicked will certainly have no place here on earth to reproduce themselves bringing in more wicked people for the millennium. However, notice Malachi has also a second objective in mind as he prophecies, “But unto you that fear my name shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings: and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” Now, who is he talking to? THE RIGHTEOUS who would be redeemed and one day shall also stand in immortality. We see the language portraying the liberty in which the child of God will experience in that new day. Have you ever watched a calf turned loose after having been penned up for a long time? He simply runs circles around the pasture because he is so full of vitality, he takes his liberty and will dance all over the place. That is the Bible language used in Mal. 4:1 concerning the righteous, once they are in the millennium, they are like stall-fed calves — once their King (Jesus) says unto them, THIS IS YOUR KINGDOM PREPARED FOR YOU FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD NOW ENTER IN AND ENJOY IT. (Matt. 25:34)
Continuing on in Mal. 4:3 — “And ye shall tread down the wicked: for they shall be ashes (the wicked shall be ashes—was that not also what Isaiah prophesied about transgressors of the wicked being cut -off? ) However nowhere did God ever say he would cut off every living soul! You can’t find a scripture in this Bible which declares God would annihilate the entire human race, although what has been thoroughly established by the various prophets is, he would do away with the evil and the wicked and the wicked should be as ashes under your feet in the day that shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.
TRYING TO FORM PICTURE THE BIBLE WON’T PAINT
Nevertheless some people want to take this one scene alone in Mal. 4 and tie it into the millennium trying to form a picture the Bible simply doesn’t paint! The millennium begins once all the wicked have been destroyed in the day of his wrath and the righteous immortal saints who returned with Christ are ruling over the nations (Rev. 2:26-27 ) who are none other than this mortal realm of people who at first were few in number as the millennium begins, nevertheless, in order to fulfill such scripture as — it shall come to pass that from one new moon to the other and from one sabbath to the other that all nations shall come to Zion-the number will be increased. Reading this, I thought to myself, how gentiles today enjoy going to Jerusalem on tour trips, but you haven’t seen anything yet, wait until the millennium! Beloved the entire length of the millennium will be made up of gentiles going to the. holy-land! Today if you ever want to go sightseeing, go to Zion. However according to Zech. 19:16- 19 in that day the man, woman, nation, tribe etc., who will not go up, God says there will be no rain on his garden and no blessings for them because all people, all nations are required once each year to go up to Zion and Jerusalem to worship the Lord of hosts to adore and praise.
Surely there will be some faster form of transportation than we possess today to care for the masses traveling! Sometime ago I read where along the Mediterreanean Sea at Camera. Israel intended to erect 20 or more hotels to accomodate the overflow coming to Israel. Well, what about in the millennium when everyone will be required to go up once each year!!
WHAT JEREMIAH SAW
Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, like many others spoke also of the fire that swept the earth during the DAY OF THE LORD. Watch, this is where people get off track trying to make such statements supporting their theory that everything on the earth will be totally burned up. when the Bible teaches no such thing! Jer. 25:30-33, “Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, the Lord shall rear from on high and utter his voice (loudly) from his holy habitation: as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth, (not just a few but ALL inhabitants of the earth) a noise shall come even to the ends of the earth…”
A NOISE HEARD OVER THE EARTH
We live in an hour if a catastrophe strikes this earth in some manner in only minutes the news is flashed around the world. However, here will be one global event the news will not need to send seeing the world will already know about it. “For the Lord hath a controversy with the nations”…remember when you have a controversy with someone you have an issue to discuss or iron out, don’t you. And God plainly says he has a controversy with this world! Although, he will allow this controversy to reach a certain point before he calls a halt to it. He will plead with all flesh and note further, he gives the wicked to the sword (that is the wicked, not everyone!)”Thus saith the Lord of host (political) evil shall go forth from nation to nation”. Recall, we brought out this political evil while discussing Isaiah’s prophecy. Political evil – it is the day of blackmail; the day of distrust; of treason; and most of all wholesale political sellout. It is a day when nations can work six years to get an agreement signed and six months later it means nothing! Evil, distrust, unrest is on hand going from nation to nation.
WHIRLWIND OF CONFUSION
Note, God said it would even form a mighty whirlwind of confusion. Whirlwind reveals that normal air currents are in confusion and something foreign has entered into them causing them to respond in this manner. Normally, air currents don’t react that way, thus causing the air current to be in confusion. However, the whirlwind spoken of here is a spirit of confusion going forth into the world today developing itself into a whirlwind of confusion which has become the order of the day. That is why today in government you find much political underhandedness. Can you think of anything sillier than two countries who met in Paris, France trying for the past three years to negotiate a peace settlement in Vietnam, and for months all they did was wrangle and hassle over how they were to be seated at a table! Note, in World War II, after two atomic bombs had been dropped on Japanese cities, Japan notified Washington they were ready to talk surrender. Washington instructed Japan to paint an airplane white with a green cross on its wings and sides and fly their representatives of the surrender team to Okinawa, where they would be flown to the Philippines to meet Gen. MacArthur. I have the pictures to prove this as I was stationed on Okinawa at the time. The photographs taken of the plane carrying Japanese officers which landed in Okinawa was painted in such a hurry, the paint brush marks showed visibly all over the plane! No they didn’t spend months wrangling over how they would paint the plane: they painted as they were instructed and in haste! How pathetic for the U.S. to play around like children with an enemy who we were supposed to have been fighting for eleven years. All you have today among the gentiles is confusion.
GOD’S OBLIGATION TO ISRAEL
Israel is the only nation that doesn’t behave like that. God’s day of blessing gentile nations in their endeavorments, whether it is politically, economically, or whatever is over! Any nation that gets blessed today will be Israel. No thing but unrest, chaos and destruction lays ahead in the pathway of every gentile nation who has turned their back on God. Although Israel hasn’t as yet known the true revelation of God, Israel is being blessed because she is now in alignment for her final prophetic week to begin! Furthermore, it has been prophesied that during the first half of her final week she is in line for a spiritual awakening by two prophets (Rev. 11).
God is obligated by his Word to preserve and bless her because this same Bible which stated he would bring her back into the land further stated he would open her eyes spiritually. But for the gentile nations all you will see in them is a whirlwind of confusion; confusion in world leadership; confusion in social structure etc.. There is no hope other than the coming of the Lord.
SLAIN OF LORD LAY OVER EARTH
Continuing on in Jer. 25 God I says, “As a whirlwind shall be raised up from the coast of the earth.” Verse 33, “And the slain of c the Lord shall be at that day from s one end of the earth to the other.”
Recall, Isa. 66 stated destruction ‘ would be by fire and by sword as the Lord pleaded with all flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many. However, note Jeremiah picks this picture up and dwells more on the many who were slain saying the slain will lay from one end of the earth to the other. Pay particular attention to the language of these prophets as they give you their various descriptions of that dreadful day of the Lord. The slain of the Lord, Jeremiah says, will lay from one end of the earth even to the other and note this–they shall not be lamented (wept over): neither gathered nor buried as they shall become dung upon the earth! ..
When God finishes with his wrath the dead everywhere will receive no decent burial, instead will lay in the open because note, the global conditions during that hour shall be of such a nature the living shall not weep over any of the slain bodies. It was all such a tragedy and worldwide that man who is left will be so shaken beyond his feelings that he couldn’t even weep over this. God says not one of them are to be buried nor wept over. No, their bodies won’t even be stacked in piles, instead they will lay on the earth to stink, bloat, rot and finally decay, similar to an old cows carcas on a western plain which lay there bloated until it burst and after the vultures, coyotes and rats had gotten their portion, the remains lay there to decay and return back to dust.
Now can’t you see why Mal. 4:3 revealed that certain portion of the DAY OF THE LORD as he saw it, how the wicked would become ashes under the feet of the righteous. However, Jeremiah, another prophet saw still another picture. He saw the wicked as they were slain and their bodies lay all over the earth to become dung on the face of the earth. If fire had been the only means by which God would have chosen to destroy wicked man, that is, burn him to a crisp leaving only ashes, then the prophet Jeremiah could not have written what he did—how the wicked would be as dung over the earth!
JOHN’S VISION
And we must certainly not overlook John the Revelator, the last writer of this book who recorded in Rev. 19 what he saw. John saw Christ and the Bride leave heaven on white horses as a two-edged sword was seen protruding out of the mouth of Christ with which he would smite the nations in judgement and wrath to destroy the wicked. John also said he saw Christ rule these nations with a rod of iron but also he heard an angel fly through the midst of heavens while Christ was t descending to earth, (striking the earth with wrath and judgement) declaring come ye fowls of the heaven, come ye beasts of the earth, gather yourselves together it for the supper of the great God. Come and eat flesh (note, this flesh had not been reduced to ashes) till it ye be filled and drink blood until you be drunk for this is the supper of the great God.
NOW WHAT DO WE SEE
Once you begin to place all these anointed men’s writings together concerning what they all saw dealing with the same period of time, what do you have? (1). In some places on this earth you will have bodies burned and scorched and reduced to ashes, and in those areas there would be few men’s flesh saved, or preserved because in these areas most everyone would be reduced to ashes (2). By the same token elsewhere on this planet there will be that part of God’s wrath extended which literally shakes this planet practically to pieces, destroying and killing wicked men whose dead bodies will be left unburied to bloat while vultures, coyotes, wolves and rats gnaw them. It is God’s cleaning up process. Therefore it is only when you place all these verses together that you see the overall picture of the earth. The slain of the Lord will be many, Isa. 66., and lay from one end of the earth to the other, Jer. 25. Some places will be literally burned to ashes, Mal. 4, yet still in other s places bodies which were not reduced to ashes were left to lie upon the earth and Rev. 19 says God invites the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field to come and eat and drink unto their fill.
COMMON SENSE
For a moment let us use some logical sense, anyone who wants to make this day of the Lord a total annihilation picture will have to do one thing—reach into this Bible and cast aside scriptures because there is no other possible way: those scriptures could ever be fulfilled! If you accept only the picture portrayed in Mal. 4:1-3 and apply it strictly unto a worldwide scope wherein all wicked men are burned, charred and reduced to ashes to be walked upon by the righteous, don’t you realize that such a worldwide catastrophe of fire and judgement would kill off all the birds and animal kingdom wherein they could not fulfill their role of Rev. 19 to come and devour the flesh of dead men! See, how could Rev. 19 fit in the picture? The same environment and oxygen breathed by man is the same breathed by birds and animals.
Once you get a fire going all over the world like that recorded in Mal. 4:1-3, all the oxygen would be burned from the atmosphere and there would be none for the animal kingdom to exist upon. And don’t forget, according to scripture, there will be an animal kingdom to pass out of this age over into the millennium. Therefore if the God of heaven is going to permit certain conditions to prevail up to a point where by he gives protection in their behalf bringing the judgement to a halt in time to preserve a portion of the animal kingdom; likewise, will he bring certain thing to a halt just in time to preserve a certain group of mortal, physical humanity in order to keep him in his physical existence as well!
Things must be stated in this manner to allow certain people to know how childish they have been to treat the precious Word of God in such a way. Some who have acted so foolish in this respect have been people who claim to have followed a message of this last day prophet messenger and it seems the further they go the more foolish many of them will treat the scriptures, when actually according to the scriptures revealed to them by this prophet as he instructed them to slay with the Word, they should be the wisest people on earth. They boast that God sent a prophet, yet walk so blindly and misinformed to the scripture. Not that he, by any means, misinformed them, NO, that person who treats the word so lightly simply has within himself a spirit that does not reverence the Word of God! The reason many do and act as they do is because while they were in Babylon they had this spirit on them as they simply accepted what Babylon taught. Although when they were awakened to the reality that God had sent a prophet, they came and sat at his feet; however once God removed his prophet from the scene that same old spirit returned and is causing them to err from the truth. It goes to show whatever kind of spirit man has on him guiding and leading him, the same spirit absolutely sooner or later will manifest itself in even a greater way!
No, beloved, you cannot take one passage of scripture, describing an event and build the entire picture around this one passage. All the scripture dealing with the overall subject must dovetail together before you can see the true picture. May God help those people before it is too late!
PART 5
GLIMPSE OF THOSE LEFT
Now to study Zechariah, a prophet who looked into the millennium after the dreadful day of the Lord had passed as we get a glimpse of those who were left. Zechariah was a prophet speaking shortly before Malachi’s period and it was he who saw the Lord coming with all his saints, Zech. 14:5. And the remaining world had pushed its way on into the millennium. Concerning all those left Zech. 19:16 says, “And it shall come to pass that everyone left out of all the nations which came up against Jerusalem (a scene pointing to the closing of the battle of Armageddon and also leads up to the angry return of the Lord Jesus Christ in corporal body who Paul said, was revealed from heaven in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, 11 Thess. 1:7-10, Zechariah the prophet speaks concerning those People who are left as to what they are required to do in the millennium–they are required to go up year after year to worship the King the Lord of hosts and keep the feast of tabernacles. Lev. 23 recorded seven great feasts Israel was required to observe throughout their calendar year.
FEAST OF TABERNACLES
One such feast was the feast of the tabernacles which occurred in Israel’s seventh month and lasted a period of eight days. It was Israel’s final feast of the year which prophetically spoke as a memorial and according to Zechariah it is the only one of the original seven to still be observed by the nations during the millennium. Why this one? In that glorious hour the feast of tabernacles will be speaking in effect of what God has constituted or accomplished through his great redemptive plan, throughout both the law and grace age as well and from the fact the Eternal Spirit has fulfilled his word in setting Christ, the God man, in Jerusalem throughout the millennium.
In reality the feast of tabernacles during that hour is what the feast of passover was to the Jew under the law age and furthermore what the Lord Supper is to the church age. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial pointing you back to Christ’s finished work of redemption while the passover supper to the Jew pointed them back as a reminder of what God had done for them in bringing them out of Egyptian bondage after over 400 years of slavery, though it bore also a spiritual foreshadowing which pointed to the great passover–Christ himself.
Therefore the feast of tabernacles spoke of the fact that God had preserved through the Law Age a certain people which he now had with him over in the millennium; and furthermore, he had reserved through the grace age a certain people which he also had with him both Old and New Testaments saints in glorified bodies. In both cases for the Old and New Testament saints it was a memorial of looking back as well as being the last feast of the seven recorded in Leviticus. Prophetically, it spoke of the time God would complete his ingathering of all his Saints and in Zech. 14, it states that all nations throughout the millennium must go up to Jerusalem yearly to worship the king, the Lord of Host and to keep the feast of tabernacles. Any of the families of the earth who refuse to go up shall receive no rain!
Unto the people who simply cannot vision any of the mortal realm of people in the new age along with the immortal revelated bride and Old Testaments saints, as well–If this is not a mortal realm which must go up to Jerusalem yearly, you would have to say it is none other than the immortal bride people who could be disobedient to the Word of God in refusing to go to Jerusalem to worship the Lord who must fulfill this scripture! HOGWASH! I could never picture such a thing as a disobedient bride refusing to go up to worship the Lord. I see nothing in their hearts, but a deep yearning to worship the Lord! I cannot picture God saving and preserving the spirits of certain ones throughout the law and grace age, giving to them glorified bodies and then somewhere they go contrary to what he requires: No beloved, I believe God keeps things better in line than that.
DISCIPLINARY ACTION
Zechariah says any of the families of the earth who refuse to go up to Jerusalem to worship the King and keep the feast of tabernacles, a disciplinary action is taken against them—no rain is to be given unto them! Beloved, the prophet didn’t say this simply because he could see only an immortal realm present. On the contrary, Zechariah saw a realm of mortal people who would require discipline! It is these people who cross over into the millennium through the day of wrath, living and existing in their physical bodies who gave birth to others as the process is today. The scripture shows in Zechariah 14, they who are left (or preserved) physically for the millennium age is as mortal as the people are today. No, these had not been born again nor had they had their spirits renewed such as you would expect under the grace age. Nevertheless, humanly speaking they were a people who at least had lived closer to the basic principles of decent human conduct as the wicked age closed out. And it was these God saw fit to preserve and choose to be his subject people to be ruled over during the millennium.
Don’t forget, sin, which is an hereditary thing. still indwells that mortal flesh which would necessarily require to be ruled over with that rod of iron or rod of authority (Rev. 2:26-27). Therefore his disciplinary action would come much in the order as spoken of in Zechariah 14:17-18. That nation, tribe or people who refuse to come to Jerusalem yearly received no rain. Zechariah continued by saying if a family of Egypt would not go up they had no rain: this shall be the plague (plague whereby he smites the nation) that will not come up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
When you begin to understand the way countless tribes of natives especially within the South Pacific lived and conducted themselves before W.W. II, before Japan moved out into the Pacific grabbing up these little chains of islands., establishing airfields, submarine bases and supply depots: islands where thousands of natives were hardly aware of the existence of a modern civilization. As these natives were pushed back further into the interior as their areas were required to build airstrips etc., they suddenly found themselves harrassed by an outside society! Up until that grim hour the natives had lived peaceably with other fellow tribesmen. In many areas do you know they actually had a higher code of morals than modern educated man of today! For instance the Gilbert Islands–we were told during the war before the white man began influencing their lives, their code of law and conduct was high. If a man or woman was found guilty of living immoral they were ostracized from the tribe, never being allowed to associate with anyone. They were marked and wherever they went no tribe allowed them to associate, therefore they were forced to live alone. Anyone found guilty of murder was immediately brought before the chief and the tribe where a court was held and if the party was found guilty he was executed immediately. Now, concerning these people, the question has often been asked–what about heathen tribes, what is in store for them? All I can say is if for some reason God has not seen fit that they should hear the gospel of grace as you and I have heard; then somewhere out of those people will be a remnant who will be left physically alive to live here in the millennium. As a heathen God knows whether that man or woman will be fit to be preserved. If God sees fit, he will preserve them, if he determines they are unfit he will destroy them. However if they are left alive throughout the day of the Lord, then from the interiors of the Philippines, New Guinea, Quadacanal, or from the heart of Africa: out of the jungles; out of the interiors once that millennium begins those people who make up those tribes left will be required to go to Jerusalem yearly for the Bible says all living nations, must go up. I care not whether they first come up wearing a grass skirt or not, one trip to Jerusalem to see the King and keep the feast of tabernacles will change them and they will return to their homes acting different. The point is, the millennium is not only God’s plan and way of redeeming the earth, it is also God’s way of regenerating or repopulating the earth.
Recall when God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden the two had already been given a commission. be fruitful. multiply and replenish the earth. And we know before any of that commission could be fulfilled Satan entered the picture and disrupted the whole program For 6000 years the devil, through man’s disobedience, has corrupted and polluted the earth but praise God through Christ the second Adam and his wife they will be the second Adam and second Eve. Because of failure of the first Adam and Eve and what they should have accomplished, this will surely be accomplished by the second Adam and his immortal wife whom he gathered through the seven gentile church ages of grace.
These will not fail: Christ and his wife shall rule over a physical people spared from the day of the Lord and it shall be through this physical realm of people the earth will be replenished and multiplied in an hour when nothing but righteousness, devine law, and authority is present to execute these laws ministering that which is right.
No, I hope no one jumps to conclusion in thinking the multiplication of the planet or reproduction of humanity during the millennium came about physically through the immortal Bride? By no means, it came through the mortal realm of humanity as always. The authority and kingship over this world is ruled through Christ and his righteous immortal saints who occupy the office of kings and priests and not that of the reproduction of human life in the millennium.
DISCIPLINED BY DEATH
For 1000 years this world will be ruled in righteousness. Never will there be neea for morticians although death will not be completely abolished for some shall surely die as a form of punishment. No need for doctors or hospitals, houses of corrections, or jails. Any man in that hour found guilty of breaking the law of God, God himself becomes his executioner. In such cases death will he the punishment; Therefore there shall be no riots as we have grown accustomed to in this hour. If a Man is judged unfit to live in that new society throughout the entire millennium age, that rod of iron which is the sceptre is none other than that authority of righteousness in the hand of the great Eternal King, as it shall be he who will administer it. Remember this, death in the millennium never comes from heart trouble, cancer, T.B., or any crippling disease. On the contrary, death will be much in the same as when Annainas and Sapphira lied against the Holy Ghost and dropped dead! Acts 5:1-10. No one could say heart trouble caused their death, could they? No, sheer disobedience was the cause. The Lord simply allowed their hearts to cease. Remember, that is the only type of death (death-for punishment) that will be ministered or experienced throughout the 1000 years reign. Recall, the millennium is not the perfect age, that age will follow – However it is the righteous age.
Zech. 14:19 declares punishment shall be upon Egypt and punishment of all nations that will not come up and keep the feast of tabernacles.” Look for a moment beloved, at the importance God places upon the feast of tabernacles. My! it will be a wonderful time. Continuing on he says, bells shall be upon the horses with the phrase, “Holiness Unto The Lord.” Yes, it seems there will be horses in the millennium. Oh yes, there will be much of the animal kingdom left alive. “And the pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar.” (full and running over)
SCOPE OF MILLENNIUM SEEN BY ISAIAH
Isa. 11 gives still a closer look into this age as Isaiah saw the millennium in its beautiful scope. Isaiah shows once the age is set in motion (Isa. 11:1) “and there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse; a branch shall grow out of his roots; and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him (referring to Christ) the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and Might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge the poor and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth”; (notice this) and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay (kill or put to death) the wicked.” Here we are shown the wicked has no hope.
Young people can you now see why at the beginning of the message I stated unless you are in God there no future for you! Our God is the only hope in such an hour as this. Yes, by the breath of His lips he shall slay the wicked in that hour and righteousness shall it be the girdle of his loins and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
ANIMAL KINGDOM AT PEACE
Isaiah also shows us a scene in the animal kingdom during that glorious reign, a scene I am sure every true saint longs to see. That which has plagued the sheep raisers in the western states will never be a problem in the millennium for the wolf in that hour shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard, one of the fastest moving creatures on four feet, shall lie down with the kid or baby goat–won’t that be a sight to behold! Today that leopard would have that kid goat for supper however in the millennium the two will lie down together – along with the calf and young lion which shall play together; And just think, a little child shall lead them. Remember a little child isn’t someone six feet tall. No, a little child is from 1 1/2 or 2 up to about 5. And it is a little child around this age pictured here leading what we know today as vicious animals.
NOT CHILDREN IN GLORIFIED STATE
Some people have even gone so far as to believe those children mentioned here are little children who died in this life and shall remain as such throughout the millennium simply to fulfill such verses as this. I received just such a call from someone who was supposed to be a believer in the message delivered by the prophet of this age. The party rebuked me over the fact I stated I believed babies would be born during the millennium. How could anyone think God would permit a child to die in this life, remain a child for that 1000 years simply to fulfill those scriptures and yet some of these people in this message believe just that! Why beloved we can take Bro. Branham’s testimony of the death of his own child in ’37, after his wife had been taken, and correct this erroneous error of thinking! Recall, according to his testimony how in bitter remorse over the fact of his wife and baby being taken, he did not want to live and God permitted him to have a dream or vision wherein he saw himself riding out across something like the western plains when he heard an old familiar song ,”Wagon Wheels.” Then he saw an old broken down prairie schooner and a young lady standing there who spoke to him. He never recognized the young lady until she told him who she was.
WHO WAS SHE?
His own daughter who was no longer a little baby girl as when she died but a young lady! This alone should be sufficient for anyone connected with this movement to know God isn’t going to leave a baby who dies in this life to remain a baby throughout the ages simply to fulfill these scriptures! Some people never seem to gain their spiritual equilibrium. How pathetic it is some people who say they follow the prophet’s message, yet through it all never grasp the truth in the Bible in which this prophet sought as he endeavored to fulfill his God-given office in re-establishing them back in the true revelation of the Word. That Word in Babylon from which We strayed now the prophet was telling us to get back to it! And if we as gentiles don’t get back into the revelation of the Word, serious trouble lies ahead for us! In days gone by, in America, this Bible meant something to our founding fathers and it was from this book they wrote and formed the basis of their moral laws. The Supreme Court in those hours were men who studied and referred to the Bible as they were careful to allow the goodness of God to counsel them in their wisdom and in the writing of these laws. Our Constitution which guides us was born in a prayer meeting! However, today in order to honor the request of an Atheist woman the Bible (and prayer) was kicked out of the school room! Well why don’t they take it from the Inauguration service of the President also, why deface the book, if it isn’t good enough to be kept in the school room it certainly isn’t good enough to inaugurate a man to sit in the White House! If it doesn’t have virtue for one thing, it certainly doesn’t have virtue for another! To every man and woman who still regards this Bible to be God’s infallible Word, I would say if we keep our hearts true to him, he will keep our spiritual equilibrium straight.
Leaving this particular thought in Isa. 11:6 that a little child shall lead them and continue in verse 7 where it describes a peaceful animal kingdom–the cow and the bear shall feed: their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion (which is a meat-eater today shall in that day be a straw eater) shall eat straw like an ox. And the suckling child (doesn’t that sound like babies around) shall play on ! the hole of the asp, and the third order of children mentioned here is a weaned child shall put his hand on a cockatrice den. The prophet must have truly seen something great as he recorded these three stages of children, crawling, toddling, and walking going about among the animal kingdom. God declares nothing shall destroy or hurt in all my holy mount (his age of righteousness). Although not yet the perfect age, the age of righteousness shall see the earth full of the knowledge of the Lord as the water covers the sea.
WHAT MICAH SAW ABOUT THAT DAY
Micah the prophet has still more to say about that glorious day. It shall come to pass in that day that I will establish my mountain in the top of the mountain (meaning he will establish his kingdom in the headquarters of every kingdom throughout the earth) all nations shall flow to Zion and to Jerusalem in that day to worship the King of Kings and the Lord of Hosts and the law shall go forth from Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. That beloved, is why the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea because all true teaching will come from Jerusalem, as well as all divine laws. Everything the Constitution of the U.S. was supposed to have stood for we might as well get ready to dump it in the trash can because in that hour there will be a new Constitution by him who shall rule and reign in righteousness.
SUMMARY OF WHAT JOHN SAW
Rev. 19 & 20: Turn quickly to Rev. 19, as we see this picture still expanding. On earth mankind has faced his darkest hour in history as they have chosen to follow the man of sin, the world is experiencing the greatest darkness and tribulation of 3 1/2 years known to mankind. Matt. 24:21. Satanic powers are running rampant over the earth while sin and evil are present everywhere. Oh, but in glory the scene is quite different, something is happening there too. A bride people had suddenly been caught from the earth into glory and John hears a great a great number shouting Hallelujah, salvation and glory, and honor and power for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife ham made herself ready, Rev. 19:7, John witnessed the layout of the marriage supper. Next he saw the wife as she was dressed in fine linen, clean and white (fine linen is the righteousness of saints).
Seated at the head of the table John could not help but notice the husband or the groom, the second Adam himself, when suddenly the whole affair changed from that setting, and now the husband is seen clothed in a vesture much like a military cloak or that which a great general preparing to step forth in a dress parade, might wear. No, He did not see ribbons and clusters, medals, etc., as you might see on the uniform of a great general. Instead John saw this one robed or clothed in a vesture dipped in blood and on his head he saw many crowns. The husband’s role has now taken on a different appearance as-he is prepared to lead his armies upon white horses to this earth. Christ appears as a king going into battle and if you will permit me to dramatize it in this fashion for the sake of understanding; we would have to say the wife couldn’t sit there at the supper table forever, could she? No, that marriage supper having ended (whatever that means in its ceremonial description) the fact is it will have an ending. Yet unto those who sat there it will have an everlasting effect, as what transacted at that scene will be something which becomes invested in the redeemed.
It is something that will position and empower them wherein once Christ leaves the table and is clothed in the vesture dipped in blood and crowned with many crowns as he steps astride that white horse (so does his wife). A white horse was standing by for everyone (the horse is the power of the word).
Suddenly the condition in the world has reached its ripened condition as it is time for judgment and vengeance to be executed on earth by the Lord! It is time for God’s wrath to be poured out. Beloved, as heaven opens,the eyes of all nations will be caused to look up and they will see his descent from glory coining with his armies. The Bible says the beast and his armies are gathered together, the false prophet– it is the entire world system gathered together to make war against him and beloved once natural forces meet divine supernatural force, no one could describe the scene which would follow for during that period, God will use it to consummate his wrath, his judgment, and destruction upon this world and the results were seen by Isaiah, Jeremiah, Malachi, Zechariah and others as he pours out that wrath fulfilling all these various verses we have discussed written by these prophets. Rev. 19:18 declared the fowls of the earth and the beast of the fields were invited by God himself to eat of the flesh of kings. captains and mighty men, the flesh of horses and of them that sat upon them and the flesh of all men both free and bond, both small and great.
SATAN BOUND 1000 YRS.
As the chapter of human history closes. Chap. 20 begins to show forth the righteous millennium wills the devil himself being chained in the bottomless pit for the duration of 1000 years. John next saw thrones (which is none other than throne positions given to the righteous bride as she takes her position over the nations of the earth for the millennium). Notice you don’t see the white horses which descended from glory portrayed anymore once entering the millennium. Why? Because he will not be fighting through the millennium and therefore, in that respect, the bride takes up their throne position to rule and reign over the nations (Rev. 2:26-27, 3:21, 20:4).
Summing up this matter we would say, as the millennium begins if there wasn’t a mortal realm of mankind of some size for Christ to rule over how could all these scriptures he fulfilled which states he rules the nations with a rod of iron? Surely you can’t picture those immortal saints coining from glory, having to be ruled with a rod of iron themselves can you? I would certainly hate to think there would be in me a possibility of being that disobedient wherein I would have to be ruled for 1000 years with a rod of iron, wouldn’t you? The Bible declares it is over a carnal fleshly realm of mankind (of nations) that the rod of iron is applied. A small segment out of the human family passed through the day of the Lord over into the millennium whereby Christ and his wife would have people or nations to rule over, that this picture might be fulfilled.
Yes, we have seen a small remnant begin in the millennium, however by the close of the 1000 years the scene has changed. Now there is an untold number of human flesh in this earth which art represented from all nations. Recall millennium produced no heart trouble cases, no cancer, T.B. or any death crippling diseases to take people’s lives and knowing God has restored to this period longevity of life, by the time you reached 500 yrs., you could easily have millions and millions of people on the face of the earth! Our nation alone today carries a population of 210 million and scientists are screaming something has to be done to cut the population explosion. That figure, I remind you this, with death rate, wars, and the fact God has limited man to around 70 years on the earth. We are not yet 400 years old (speaking from the time the pilgrims came. What about a millennium where nothing but righteousness rules, where disease and tragedy on highways will not be taking lives, as only death in the millennium is administered in the means of justice and discipline.
Therefore can’t you see how the millennium or the age of righteousness could easily close out with untold millions or even billions living over the earth. This great number will have lived and known only the rule of a righteous king. The multitude was born in a total peaceful environment and never knew what it was to be faced by an open temptor as people in ages past. Therefore, God cannot allow this mass of humanity who were born during the millennium to pass out of the age without facing the temptor.
SATAN LOOSED
That is why Chap. 20 closes the millennium showing the devil has been loosed for a little season, to tempt and try the people and the Bible says he will succeed in deceiving a number as the sands of the sea. Now to anyone who feels our teaching is incorrect when we say children are born in the millennium, let him answer this scripture in Rev. 20:8, which states Satan is loosed at the close of the 1000 years reign, wherein he deceives a great number as the sands of the sea. I ask you, if mankind had not been permitted to propagate himself back upon the earth where did Satan ever find such a vast number to deceive, and recall that figure only refers to those who were deceived! I hate to think only the immortal people who had already passed their test for eternal life were the ones who lived out the thousand years only to have to face Satan again for the second time to be tested and tempted and to suddenly realize they could fall again— that would violate all scripture! I am thankful that is not the picture. It is written here that such a setting only applies to a mortal people of that age. It is God’s way of testing the masses of that hour. Recall, during the millennium. God had already destroyed the sinners or wicked with death who dared to defile the earth with unrighteousness in the millennium.
Furthermore, at the close of the age he has renewed the earth back to Its beautiful Adamic state, the air, the water is all pure; Streams flowing with trout and all kind of fish. You won’t hear of pollution readings in that hour as we are hearing at the close of this age. No, the millennium will be a wonderful age. It is not a myth, it is an age just before us: it is just as much a reality as the age in which you now live in which countless thousands have lived and died, going to their resting place to await that glorious resurrection for the new age. There was a time when the Old Testament saint looked forward to our age although he was unable to understand the grace age which lay before him, and now here we are coming to the close of it. It has been no problem or no mystery for us to understand. Why? Because we have lived in it and the next age is just around the corner. However between this age closing out and the next age comes in lays that period of days referred to as DREADFUL DAY OF THE LORD as he ministers his wrath to the world known throughout the scripture as, THE DREADFUL DAY OF THE LORD!
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