LAST DAYS OF THE CHURCH
Chapter 5
Last Half Week of Daniel
Just as the natural Israel in the Bible gives us examples to teach us
and gives us understanding about the spiritual Israel of God; God
also gave us the natural kingdoms of the Beast, and other nations in
the Bible, as examples to give us understanding of the spiritual
powers and principalities of Satan that is to be destroyed and cast
into the lake of fire. So in times past a natural Israel fought
natural enemies, today the spiritual Israel fights the spiritual
powers of Satan.
The
scripture also reveals that Satan’s beast system of seven
heads, ten crowns, false prophet and his people are allowed to swim
in God’s river. As Satan tries to defile or corrupt our life
through his devices of the: Carnal mind,
Lust of the flesh,
Lust of the eyes
and Pride of Life.
Seven Kingdoms of the Beast
Let’s
take a short overview of the Beast as seen in Revelation.
Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and
saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns,
and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of
blasphemy.
God’s
whole objective in showing us this natural picture of the Beast, is
to help us better understand what is going on in the spiritual aspect
of Satan’s dominion. This revealing of the Beast is shown to
us in the 7 different heads. Each head represents a power of Satan
and the manner of how he will work both naturally and spiritually.
We see this demonstrated in each head representing a great power or
dominion that has ruled the earth and during that time come against
God’s people in some way.
Rev 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou
sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and
nations, and tongues.
Seven
natural kingdoms have occurred in this
order: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon,
Medes-Persia, Greece, Rome and Catholicism.
Each one of these can be seen in the scriptures except for the final
part of Rome and the works of Catholicism which is available in
history to us today. Each one of these natural kingdoms is for the
purpose of: revealing the works of Satan, revealing its dominion
over mankind, revealing its attack or corruption toward God’s
people and revealing how God delivered his people from each one of
these spiritual dominions. How this happened can be seen in the
scriptures of the first six dominions while the 7th
dominion has to be seen from history.
The Beast Mixed with Israel and the Church
The
church is a spiritual kingdom and we are both spiritual and a natural
people within this kingdom. We still fight against each one of these
seven powers of the Beast in our life today. This Beast wants to
corrupt, defile, devour, oppress and pervert the kingdom of God in
our life. In summary, God has revealed to us the fullness of the
workings of Satan affecting the world and most importantly God’s
people.
We
see the Beast’s mixture of influence in Israel’s worship,
beginning when the Medes-Persia financed the rebuilding of the temple
in the days of Nehemiah. Then under the Roman Empire, in order to
please the people of Israel, Rome built them another temple of
worship. Rome appointed or demoted the high priest in that time, so
that this position was not one of God’s service anymore; but of
a political purpose for both Rome and Israel. One can even see the
natural illustration that once the Beast and Israel begin to be
joined one to another, the Ark of the Covenant no longer appears in
the Temples that were built. Later in the Catholic Church, we see it
grow even stronger, as it now incorporates the gospel of Jesus Christ
with the idolatry of paganism. This time the False Prophet and Satan
are among God’s people. There is no way to destroy or
completely stop it until the end of time. Jesus told us this when he
said, let the tares grow with the wheat till the time of harvest.
This
mixture of religion and worldly system in the beast has laid the
ground work for what we refer to in our days as Jewish and Christian
denominations and religious organizations. It is these very same
religious powers that we have today, that are referred to in the
scriptures as the ten horns or harlots of the great whore. These are
referred to by some as the daughters
Rev 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon
the beast…
Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written,
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF
THE EARTH.
We
see an example of this in the 6th
& 7th
dominion, in which Rome had ten distinct powers from which it ruled
as the Catholic Church was coming to power.
Dan 7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are
ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he
shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
These
horns or harlots became more evident in our religious society after
the Great Awakening revivals. We see all the trees and vines putting
forth there leaves during this period, starting in the 1500’s,
when the revivals broke out in every persuasion of doctrine within
almost every nation. And today we have these major denominations and
organizations that are; influencing our society and political arena,
along with the Catholic Church.
Mixture of Babylon and the Church
For
it is in this Babylon system that the True church has had to live and
work until the time that Babylon is destroyed. And even the wealth
of Babylon has been used to make the name of the Lord great
throughout all nations. See, the true child of God does not seek
after money and this hinders its ability to do as much. The false
seed goes after the money, so they can spread their gospel, which in
turn provides a benefit to the true.
This
network of religion that is full of abominations has been the same
network that God has had to use to build his kingdom in the earth,
while Babylon was continuing its mixture of religion and idolatry.
However, the true seed of God is like the four Hebrew children, which
were able to live in this mess and yet determine that they will not
partake of its idolatry. They would not let it defile them. They
held true to what God had taught them in his Word and determined to
not eat the king’s meat or worship his image. This is what is
supposed to be happening in the true church, which is in the midst of
Babylon today.
The
voice of Christ and of the bride has always been in the midst of
Babylon as can be seen in this scripture.
Rev 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no
more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride
shall be heard no more at all in thee…
And
it will be this way until he fully calls his people out and then
removes his voice or light from Babylon, no longer sharing his light
with the unclean.
This
is what I was explaining was happening at the end of the first 3 ½
years as it moved into the last 3 ½ years. That is the reason
the church has not been able to stop the dominion of the influence of
Babylon on a world-wide scale, but we are
able to stop its influence in an individual’s life or a body of
believers.
The Beast and False Prophet in the Last 3 1/2 Years
All
this overview has brought us to the subject at hand. It is important
to know how the Beast and False Prophet are affecting the church
during the last 3 ½ years.
As
stated earlier, at about the time the two witnesses are killed, there
is a shifting or closing out of the church ages. The Lord has been
calling for his people to come out of this
mixture in the church.
Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven,
saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her
sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
At
the same time the spirit of the Lord also
has been pulled back from the rebellious saints.
Rev 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no
more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride
shall be heard no more at all in thee...
Jesus
warned of those who where once in him, but left that place and must
be cut off.
Joh 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth
as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into
the fire, and they are burned.
At
this time also, Satan enters into his sons
of perdition, the rebellious of the Lord,
just as he did with Judas.
Joh 13:2 And supper being ended, the devil having
now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him.
Joh 13:27 And after the sop Satan entered into him…
This
pulling back of the Lord and revealing of Satan, causes the true
light of the gospel to stop shining, as is said in…
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those
days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her
light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the
heavens shall be shaken.
At
this time the church will enter into great
tribulation, a persecution arises which
will be similar to what happened by the hand of the Catholic Church,
in the dark ages.
Rev 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth
seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black
as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Seeing the Eighth Beast Rise Up
Rev 13:11-17 And I beheld another beast coming up out
of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a
dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before
him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship
the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great
wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in
the sight of men. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the
means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the
beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make
an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the
image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would
not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth
all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a
mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads. And that no man
might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the
beast, or the number of his name.
And
again in..
Rev 17:11-14 And the beast that was, and is not, even
he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And
the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no
kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the
beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall
overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they
that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
This
is when we see the spirit of the False
Prophet rise like never before. It will
not be just one individual, but the
religious powers and ministries that are
in existence today, who are not true to God’s Word. These are
not following God’s Spirit, and have already become the
synagogue of Satan, which at this time will now become the habitation
of Satan.
Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice,
saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the
habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage
of every unclean and hateful bird.
This
great ministry of the false prophet brings forth a doctrine, or
gospel during this time is also seen in…
Rev 9:13-19 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard
a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four
angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four
angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a
month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number
of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I
heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision,
and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of
jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads
of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and
brimstone. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the
fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of
their mouths. For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails:
for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them
they do hurt.
We
can see this spirit of the False Prophet
already working today. John said in 90AD,
that the antichrist is already working in the world and we see its:
corruption, perversion and false doctrine issuing out the mouths of
ministers all across the world. It is because they have sold out to
Satan and the fruit of it is bringing death to their followers. Yet,
during these last days, we see a life and power is given to this
false ministry in a greater way.
Some
have thought this great army to be China or Communism, but it is not.
It is both Gentile and Jewish religious denominations and religious
organizations of all faiths that we have in the world today. All
Gentile and Jewish faiths which have rejected the Word of God, and
replaced Christ’s leadership with the leadership of man’s
traditions, false doctrine and false spirits.
These people during this time have given themselves over to do the
work of Satan just as was said of Judas in…
Psa 41:9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I
trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against
me.
This
people made this choice, previously when they knew the power and
knowledge of Jesus Christ, rather than at this last time, when Satan
is cast down. The choice was made earlier by not obeying Jesus
Christ and this allowed the evil to enter in their heart and remain.
Now they have no power to resist Satan’s
working in their life, just like it happened to Judas
after the last supper.
God Pulling Back His Spirit
At
this time the Lord warns us when he pulls
back his Spirit (the river Euphrates) from the Church,
that he will allow a flood of uncleanness,
false doctrine and false spirits to rise up and try to drown the
church. Again, there is no doubt, that we
have seen this spirit working already today. But, today we are able
to keep it pushed back by the power of the Holy Ghost in our life and
faith in the Word of God. During this time God pulls back his Spirit
and seals his elect from the flood from
Satan. That does not change or affect the
life of Christ that is in us, it always remains with us.
Rev
16:12 -14 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great
river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of
the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean
spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of
the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth
unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to
the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
As
we have said earlier, this False Prophet is
not one individual, but rather the
ministers that are in our pulpits today in spirit filled and non
spirit filled churches that are pushing Christ leadership out, and
let Satan’s leadership in their life and pulpits.
Because, of the abominations and the flood being issued from the
dragon, the beast and the false prophet during this time. God has
prepared a place for his people to abide
and to be nourished from this flood. But
he does give a warning to all his saints.
Rev 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he
that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they
see his shame.
He
is saying we can lose our crown of righteousness, if we do not heed
to God’s warnings and spiritually prepare for this time to
come. While God is gathering the false and
wicked unto the great battle referred to as Armageddon.
He
instructs his people during this time to not trust in anyone’s
anointing, spirits, dreams, or other manifestations, which have been
used in time past for direction and leadership of the Lord. But at
this time he is making a strong warning of following false preachers
and false anointing, bringing forth manifestations that are to lead
you from the Word of God.
Mat 24:21-26 For then shall be great tribulation,
such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no,
nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there
should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall
be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ,
or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and
false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch
that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto
you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the
secret chambers; believe it not.
Mat 24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will
the eagles be gathered together.
Saw This Pattern During Elijah's Time
Let’s
look at the example of Elijah. He prophesied
and there was no rain for 3 ½ years.
During this time it brought pressure
upon the church, causing Jezebel to slay the prophets of the Lord.
However, God had reserved
7,000 that did not bow to Baal, even as this false
worship grew stronger in Israel. At the
end of this period God sent his fire to consume the sacrifice, and
Elijah was given power over the false prophets. Then the anointing
lifted off of Elijah and he ran from Jezebel, which was the power
behind the false prophets. Baal worship continued to get stronger in
Israel and Judah, after Elijah fled into the wilderness from Jezebel.
God provided food for him and told him to go 40 days into the
wilderness to the Mount of God, the place where God had spoken to
Moses and delivered his laws to his people. God provided a cave as a
place of refuge, when he flees into the wilderness. It was then that
God showed Elijah that He was no longer in the wind, no longer in the
earthquake, no longer in the fire but that he was in the still small
voice.
Now
all this is a shadow and a type of the two
witnesses, who go forth in power and
demonstration while false worship continues getting stronger. When
the anointing has finished the work through the two witnesses, the
beast is able to kill them. Just as when Elijah had finished his
purpose, the anointing left him and he no longer had power against
the Beast. We see this same example when Jesus had finished his
ministry, the religious and political system of the 6th
beast killed him. Similarly, the religious and political system of
the 8th
beast will kill the two witnesses in Jerusalem.
We
also see in Elijah a type of the church that flees
for their life after the anointing has
been taken from them and the Beast rises up. God provides for them a
place of refuge, telling them to go back
to the place, were the Word of God was delivered to them and listen
to that still small voice. That we should
not be looking for God anymore in the signs,
wonders or fire that is falling. I
believe we as ministers should be able to see how far the ministry
has drifted from the Word of God that was delivered to us by Jesus
Christ and confirmed by the Apostles. Ministers have now added their
interpretations; of the scriptures, of what is outside holiness and
what is inside holiness. But the basic doctrine that pertains to how
we are to live and serve the Lord Jesus in this body is so plain and
simple a child could understand it, until ministers complicate it by
adding their ideals and traditions to it.
Overcoming
During
this time, the saints that listen and obey the Lord and are watchful
of the things to come; they will overcome. But their overcoming may
be thru death as is said in...
Rev 12:10-11 And I heard a loud voice saying in
heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our
God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is
cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they
overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their
testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Again,
during this last 3 ½ years, it is
not the saint’s place to fight against
the false anointing, false gospel, false spirits or perverted
doctrine flowing from the false preachers. No more than it was for
Elijah to stand against Jezebel, after the Spirit had been taken from
him. Though the saints have not been given authority during this
time to stop the False Prophet and the Beast, the overcoming
saints do have power to keep themselves from
being defiled. It is the Lord that shall overcome False Prophet and
the Beast, as is said in…
Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and
the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of
kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and
faithful.
SUMMARY
The
summary of the message can be seen in the Song of Solomon.
Now
Solomon is not a type of Christ like David, but rather a type of the
operation of Christ thru the Holy Ghost; …who being full of
wisdom, takes the riches of David, builds the temple, brings peace to
Israel and makes silver as stones in Jerusalem.
Now
as the Spirit is speaking here in the scriptures, as both the
bridegroom and the bride. He says the church is his sister, which is
true for we are all born of the same father, the Word of God. He
speaks of the church as a garden that is closed up and not able to
let its fruit, spices, fountains and life to flow out of it.
Song 4:12-15 A garden inclosed is my sister, my
spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Thy plants are an
orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with
spikenard. Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all
trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices.
A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from
Lebanon.
He
calls for the winds (tribulation) to blow on the garden of the Lord,
his beloved, his sister, so that the riches and beauty that has been
placed in her may flow out. That he, the bridegroom, Jesus Christ
may come in to the garden and eat or dine.
Song 4:16 Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south;
blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my
beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.
He
now shows that he comes to his beloved, his sister, the church, which
was once clean and undefiled, but finds that she is in drunkenness,
slumbering and slothfulness. She makes excuses of why she can’t
let him into her life, into her bed chamber.
Song 5:1-3 I am come into my garden, my sister, my
spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my
honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O
friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved. I sleep, but my
heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying,
Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is
filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. I have
put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how
shall I defile them?
So
the Lord leaves her, withdrawing himself from her, so that when she
seeks him, she cannot find him, and when she calls for him, he will
not answer. She is then given over to the watchmen of the city and
the keeper of the wall, (the False Prophet and the Beast) to wound
her, smite her and take her veil away (that place in the Body of
Christ she once had) and she has now become that defiled group in the
church.
Song 5:6, 7 I opened to my beloved; but my beloved
had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I
sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no
answer. The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote
me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from
me.
While
this is going on, God lets us know that he has a people the he loves,
that are beautiful and fruitful (the firstfruits part of the church).
He refers to her as…
Song 6:9 My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the
only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her.
The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the
concubines, and they praised her.
But
wait! He does not forsake his sister, the church, even though she
failed to heed to his call, and was given to the men of the city to
chasten her. But look! This people, his sister have changed and
falling in love with him again (through much tribulation). And now
the floods from the Adversary cannot drown her love, nor can the
temptations of men cause her to lose her love again. Though she lost
her beauty and fruitfulness during this process, the beloved heals
and restores her. Yes, Jesus Christ still has a place for her in his
kingdom.
Song 8:5-10
Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her
beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother
brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee. Set
me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is
strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof
are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters
cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would
give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be
contemned. We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what
shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?
If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if
she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar. I am a wall,
and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found
favour.
Blessed
is he that has an ear to hear what the spirit has to say to the
church.