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Monday, April 19, 2010

"Jesus The Life Force"
When The Lamb Stands, series
by Sharon Clemens

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                       * All scriptures within this study are linked to BibleGateway.com using the "NIV".

    John's confrontation with the glorified Christ in The Revelation, chapter one, knocked him over, literally. "When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead" [Revelation 1:17]. The sudden shock renders him unconscious. Christ touches John, infusing him with the strength to stand. The prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel had similar reactions when encountering our Lord, up-close and personal... [Ezekiel 1:28-2:3; Daniel 10:7-9; Isaiah 6:5-6]. A close encounter with deity is no casual experience.

JESUS THE LIFE FORCE:

    As the Creator and sustainer of the universe, Jesus is the life creator--the life force. He is not only the glue that holds the universe together, He is the power that fuels it. In Christ's first advent, He performed many miracles to authenticate His claim to deity. John records, "And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." [John 20:30-31] Christ Jesus displayed His power through His miracles, and the masses flocked to Him for healing. "And the whole multitude sought to touch Him [Jesus], for power went out from Him and healed them all." [Luke 6:19] The Lord "knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, 'Who touched My clothes?' " [Mark 5:30]

We see from John, Ezekiel, Isaiah and Daniel's reactions during encounters with the Lord,
that His appearance drained them and terrified them.
In The Revelation, Christ is fully revealed, and John is the eye witness.
It may be that the power of deity so emanated from Christ's person,
the force of it knocked John, a mere human, unconscious.
His force was literally seen and physically felt...



    Would Christ have needed to actually reach out and touch John in order to strengthen him? He did not touch Lazarus, but merely spoke his name to infuse Lazarus' cold body with life. Christ, reaching out to John, demonstrates that the same awesome power of God that will deliver His creation from bondage and "make all things new" at His return is also personally available to believers. [Romans 8:22; Revelation 21:4-5] Supernatural power is transmitted from Christ for His sovereign purpose. In no place in scripture is the power of God ever separated from the power source. God's supernatural power cannot be appropriated at the whim of human beings. The manipulation of created things apart from God is NOT of God--it is the occult and inferior power of Satan for the purpose of deception.

    As Christ restored John physically, He also restored him emotionally with a compassionate but powerful command, "Do not be afraid..." When Christ appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, He also spoke words of emotional comfort--"Peace to you." Luke's gospel says His followers were terrified and frightened when Christ suddenly appeared in their midst [Luke 24:36] In John 10:19-26, we learn that when Jesus said "Peace be with you," He breathed on them and said "Receive the Holy Spirit." The touch of Christ's supernatural breath infused them with Holy Sprit power to quiet their fears. How appropriate! Christ's salutation is more than a simple word greeting. His very breath contains the power to actually grant physical and emotional "peace."

    Shalom, the Hebrew word for peace, continues as a common salutation among the Jews of present-day Israel, as it was in Old Testament times. Shalom means peace, quietness and rest are wished upon those to whom it is given. Originally, it was a verbal sign of coming in peace as opposed to warfare, but Shalom became a generic greeting.

    But when Christ speaks the words "Peace be to you," or "Do not be afraid," His words carry supernatural power to actually BESTOW physical and emotional rest and quietness of spirit. Our Lord uses the Greek word for peace in John 14:27, similar to the Hebrew Shalom, but He re-defines it when applied to Himself: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Our Lord was revealing to the disciples that His peace would actually come and permanently indwell them in the person of the Holy Spirit--granting them the power to do His purpose. [John 14:16-17] This same indwelling peace will be the hallmark of the Millennial Kingdom for the whole world when Christ returns. Only, in the Kingdom, the Holy Spirit will rest like an anointing peace over the land [Zephaniah 3:16-17] because the Prince of Peace dwells in the midst of His people. How blessed is the Body of Christ, the Church, to be given the indwelling Holy Spirit in this dispensation of His grace! But in the Kingdom, Christ will speak the same words of comfort to the remnant of believing Israel that He spoke to John, "Do not fear." His Shalom will bless the entire world in that day.

THE KEYS OF HELL AND DEATH

    In 1:18, Christ claims the authority over death and hell [hades] because He demonstrated power over death through His own resurrection. Satan does not rule in hell; soon his purpose will end and he will suffer in the final hell--the burning Lake of Fire--for all eternity [Revelation 20:10]. Satan also has no power to raise the dead. He and his demons may counterfeit the spirits of the dead through demonic delusions, but only Christ can raise the dead to life. "...and behold I am alive for ever and ever!" Christ raised Himself from the dead. See also Romans 8:11 where Paul reminds us that the same Holy Spirit that raised Christ also dwells in us! [Ref. MacDonald]

    How do we dwell in this power? By "abiding in Christ." [John 15:11] It is all about cultivating a relationship with the power source if we wish to walk with Him in His righteous power. Only as we practice obedience can we hope to experience Christ in our lives. Just as we diet and exercise to keep our bodies fit, so we must "eat" the Word of God and "exercise" the straight and narrow path walk of the true believer if we hope to grow in Him and bear fruit. [See Job 23:12]

WRITE, THEREFORE, WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN, WHAT IS NOW AND WHAT WILL TAKE PLACE LATER (here after, or after this)--1:19

    John is officially authorized to write the book in three parts--past, present and future--to visually represent and "reveal" Christ as the past, present and future God--the beginning and the end. Our Lord closes with the explanation of the lamps and stars to emphasize that the church is the vehicle He will use to impart His final word and He holds the church and its ministers close, dwelling in our midst. The church is important to His purpose, but the plan of the ages changes after the Rapture, the end of the church age. The next section of the book, the "PRESENT" section, will overview the church age in 7 letters in order to transport us through time up to the opening of the door to the future.

    When the church age ends in the Rapture, the next event is the Tribulation, that last 7 years of the prophecy of the 70 Weeks from Daniel 9. The church is not found in the book of The Revelation past chapter 3--until the Bride is mentioned as coming with Christ back to the earth to begin the Millennial Kingdom. The Tribulation is not a dispensation in which Christ uses the church as a focus; it is called the Time of Jacob's Trouble, referring to Israel. But Israel is saved through it, Jeremiah 30:7. Then, both the church age believers, the Tribulation believers and believers of all ages will share in the 1,000-year Kingdom of peace on earth.

NEXT TIME: The 7 Letters To The Churches, The Church Age--Better, Or Worse?

In Him We Wait, Work, and Watch,
[Luke 12:35-59]
Sharon

[Prophecy Chat is a weekly commentary of current events in light of Bible prophecy. Sharon L. Clemens is an evangelical, premillennial, dispensational teacher of eschatology. She can be reached for comment or questions by e-mail at farmgrove@frontier.com]




Keep an eye on the Sky
Posted by Phil Branch at Monday, April 19, 2010 0 comments
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Friday, October 30, 2009

Healthcare Bill - Medicare Advantage Plan Will Be Cut!

Many of whom I share emails with are either on, will be on, or have parents on Medicare. This morning I heard that the Medicare Advantage Plan would be "cut" should the current version of the Healthcare Bill pass. Yes, there is talk that the bill will not pass, however what if it does? We need to keep our lawmakers aware of our views on any proposed legislation. The current Healthcare Bill (H.R.3200) is likely one of the most important bills you will have seen in your lifetime. It will affect the seniors soonest and their children will follow. Reading a 1900 page bill with near 400,000 words by oneself is simply out of the question. So keep your eyes on the headlines then narrow and focus on the certain aspects of the bill that will have the largest impact on you and your family. Then, take the time to let your lawmakers know how you feel.

In a recent interview John Boehner told us that in and amongst the proposed "cuts" to H.R.3200, an attempt to meet the Presidents monetary goal, that Medicare Advantage Plan would be cut! "And remember, the president said no one will be forced from the insurance policy they have today. If they like it, they can keep it." (Boehner) How can you keep what the government takes away?
__________________________________

You may contact your lawmakers using the links below..
• Contact Your Representative
• Contact Your Senator
or call Congress @ (202) 224-3121 and ask for the lawmaker of your choice.

Keep an eye on the Sky





Posted by Phil Branch at Friday, October 30, 2009 0 comments
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Friday, November 7, 2008

U.S. Treasury and Islamic Sharia Finance Laws
by Phil Branch


Islamic "Sharia Law" is making in-roads to infiltrate the United States! Every "foreign" law instituted within our system can in one way or another deminish our Democracy. The more foreign laws incorporated within our system simply takes us a step closer to a one world government. The first link below is an article in protest of re-writing many United States laws to incorporate the Sharia finance system. The second link though lengthy is a definition of the system. With a new President and new law makers only months away it is more important than ever for you to take a stand and let your voice be heard. Do you want a "Universal States of America" or keep our "United States of America" in tact?

COALITION TO STOP SHARIA TO PROTEST U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT'S EFFORTS TO PROMOTE SEDITIOUS SHARIA-COMPLIANT FINANCE

Sharia-compliant Financial Products by definition

Please, look at the left side bar on this page for links to contact your Senators, Representatives and Governors.






Keep an eye on the Sky
Posted by Phil Branch at Friday, November 07, 2008 0 comments
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Monday, May 27, 2013

"Mystery Babylon"
REVELATION 17
From the Series: When The Lamb Stands.


Note: many scriptural passages are hyper-linked to Bible Gateway KJV of the Bible.. Now one click opens passage in a new window.

The Bowl Judgments closed with killing hail and blaspheming humanity, leaving us primed and ready to welcome our Lord coming with the clouds to rule and reign [Revelation 1:7]. The events of chapter 16 would seem a fitting end of wrath. But God’s purpose is more perfect and complete. There are yet two areas of profound judgment that demand particular attention in the next two chapters. They have been saved for the end of the narrative because they represent the final form of an ancient and historic rebellion against God’s rule and authority. The bottom line? God’s purpose in chapters 17 and 18 is to destroy rebellion where it began!

Chapter 17 details the destruction of Mystery Babylon, Antichrist’s religious system.
Chapter 18 details the destruction of Babylon, the capital of Antichrist’s economic/political system.

MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT—The One-World Religious System of Antichrist, Revelation 17:

In the year it has taken to reach this point in our series, heresy and apostacy in what identifies itself as the Christian church has increased exponentially. I took the time to review the Seven Letters to the Churches from Revelation chapters 2 and 3. Every error and false teaching found in these churches can be identified today—in post-modern Christianity. These errors have reinvented themselves under different labels, but they are basically the same liberal, humanistic, works-based, licentious lies Satan has always told and man believes. This error manifests itself in its accumulated apostacy in the final Church age known as Laodicea. I believe we are there—the final days of the Church. What comes next? The Rapture of those in Christ.

When the Church is taken out [1 Corinthians 15:50-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; John 14:1-3], those left who profess to be “Christian” will easily assimilate into the false, one-world religion of Antichrist and his False Prophet. Their understanding of truth is quickly transferred to the religious unity the world believes will solve all humanity’s problems. The “world” will embrace syncretism—the lie that there are many paths to heaven/God. Because they reject Christ, who limits truth to His narrow way [John 14:6], they are doomed to destruction, and so is the self-righteous system they follow. [Revelation 13]

The global religious system will quickly take shape in the void left by true believers. Corruption spreads when salt and light are absent.

In chapter 17, our Lord describes this unified religious structure as Mystery Babylon, pictured as God sees false religion. He presents her as a lewd but successful prostitute, dressed to seduce and impress. She sits on many waters, a symbol of her power over the nations of the world. The angel says to John, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot…” She is not just a harlot, just another Jezebel. She is a GREAT harlot—the epitome of her profession. She represents not only the last apparition; she is the embodiment of the accumulated lies of all the ages. Mystery Babylon is the ROOT of all false religion, the beginning and the end; and the Lord determines it is time to destroy the tree at the root.

THE ROOT OF ALL FALSE RELIGION
The key to understanding why God summarizes false end-time religion in this image is the name of the woman riding the Beast in Revelation 17—
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
The woman represents Mystery Babylon, a pagan, occult religion that surfaces throughout history and can be traced back to Babel in Genesis 11. Tim LaHaye notes that the religion began at the Tower of Babel under the leadership of Nimrod who rebelled against God. In defiance of God’s command to spread out and repopulate the earth after the great flood, Nimrod led a spiritual rebellion to make a name for himself and his people by rooting himself to the plane of Shinar and growing great in numbers and power. He built a ziggurat or pyramid to reach heaven without looking to the one true God. This tower was possibly a temple for worship of the stars accord to Mark Hitchcock. What irony that the European Union uses the Tower of Babel as a POSITIVE symbol in their publications. A search of internet sources will even reveal another popular symbol of a woman representing Europe, riding a beast. The globalists see unity as positive and pragmatic—not as something that received the judgment of God at Babel.

After the death of Nimrod, his queen, Semiramis, secured for herself a place with the people by creating a mother-child cult. She claimed her child, Tammuz, was conceived miraculously and that the child was raised from the dead after a wild animal attack. The legend of Semiramis and Tammuz spread from Babel throughout the world, possibly when God dispersed the people by creating multiple languages. Their names were changed in different cultures, but the roots of the religion were the same. In Assyria, the mother was Ishtar and the son was Tammuz. In Phoenicia, she was Astarte and he was Baal. In Egypt, she was Isis and he was Osirus or Horus. In Greece, she was Aphrodite and he was Eros. In Rome, she was Venus and he was Cupid [Hitchcock, p. 42]. In this way Babel and its queen, which evolved into ancient Babylon, became the “mother of harlots”—the root of all the religions that followed. This infectious occult religion began because one man defied God’s command and unified civilization against Him.

UNITY IS SATAN’S PLAN—NOT GOD’S
Satan continually seeks to unify mankind against God through false religion. At Babel, the Lord scattered men by confusing language. Population then naturally migrated into regions or nations. God orders mankind by national boundaries to establish a kind of checks and balances system against syncretism, universalism, and the abuse of power through the domination of empires [Deut. 32:8; Acts 17:26]. When man unites, he quickly thinks himself greater than God. Satan’s purpose is to bring the world together globally so that mankind can be controlled through one man, Satan’s man, Antichrist [Hitchcock, p. 43].

ROME AND THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE
Daniel 2 reveals that the final empire in place at Christ’s return will be a revived form of the Roman Empire with the world divided into ten regions. Rome was the empire that existed at the time of Christ’s first coming. It is elegantly satisfying to God’s perfect plan that many of the conditions of Christ’s first coming will come around again at His second coming, including a revived form of the Roman Empire.

Just as the Babylonian Mystery Religion took hold in ancient Rome, so it will be manifested again in the Revived Roman Empire of Antichrist. Clarence Larkin in his book The Book of Revelation, p. 151-152, describes just how prominent Mystery Babylon was in ancient Rome: “Julius Caesar was made Pontiff of the Etruscan Order in BC 74. In BC 63 he was made ‘Supreme Pontiff’ of the ‘Babylonian Order,’…Thus the first Roman Emperor became the Head of the ‘Babylonian Priesthood,” and Rome became the successor of Babylon.” The plot thickened in the early days of the Christian church, when Caesar Constantine introduced Christianity into popularity. The spread of Christianity threatened the pagan Babylonian practices of Rome. In order to UNIFY the empire, a system was created to infiltrate Christian religion with pagan rites and symbols, including the worship of the Virgin Mary as a type of Semiramis, the Queen of Heaven, whose worship is forbidden in Jeremiah 44:17. Many see parallels in chapter 17 with the Roman Catholic Church as the foundation of Antichrist’s religious system, or a strong contributing element. Larkin also believes the symbolism of the “city” in 17: 17-18 is evidence the prominent city central to the religion in the Tribulation is present-day Rome because the city is built on seven hills.

John MacArthur cautions that the Tribulation one-world religion should not be limited to the Roman Catholic Church. All religions, including all Protestant Christian denominations, will be apostate existing structures—devoid of true believers—after the Rapture because all true believers within their walls will be gone. However, the colors and wealth of the woman of chapter 17 do parallel the color of the vestments of Catholic ritual; and the city of Rome, the seat of the Roman church, does sit on seven hills. Because the Catholic church is the largest denomination in the world and is growing rapidly in the Latin American countries, and because the Roman church has great wealth and infrastructure in place, it likely will have great influence in the final system. Pope John Paul exerted much effort during his papacy to unite Europe under the banner of peace—and the Holy Roman Church. He saw the church as the most logical means to bind diverse peoples of Europe together. Constantine identified the same logical approach. The result was the Holy Roman Empire where the church and the government became one and the same.

HISTORY WILL REPEAT ITSELF WHEN ANTICHRIST’S ONE-WORLD GOVERNMENT, ONE-WORLD ECONOMY AND ONE-WORLD RELIGION BECOME ONE BEAST SYSTEM.

MYSTERY BABYLON DEFEATED:
  • Revelation 17:1—“one of the seven angels”: The reference in verse one to these angels links chapters 17 and 18 to the Bowl Judgments. Just as the Bowls extend to the Second Coming of Christ, so these final judgments will finish wrath. The judgment of Babylon, both the economy and the religion it represents, is previewed in 16:19 and also in 14:8 as a key purpose of God. Babylon is significant as a symbol of man’s rebellion against God. God’s wrath CANNOT BE RESOLVED without attention in particular to Babylon.
  • Babylon’s judgment, especially the city of Babylon in Iraq [Rev. 18], is linked to the “great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth” in Revelation 16:18. “And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.” [16:19]
  • We will look at Babylon as both a historic root of false religion and as Antichrist’s Tribulation capital city. But both are part of a greater Beast system that is not limited to any one spot on earth. Chapter 17 is also referred to as Religious Babylon and chapter 18 is called Commercial Babylon.
  • “the great harlot who sits on many waters”: A prostitute is used to symbolize the false religion. She is not just a harlot; she is a great harlot. The Greek word for “great” is also translated “exceeding great.” In our Western culture, we tack the word “great” onto anything we want to emulate. What does it mean to be a great harlot? We can only imagine she represents the highest pinnacle of her profession, debase as it may be, and the wealth she drapes on her body is proof of success at what she does [vs. 4]. Prostitution symbolizes idolatry or religious apostasy [Jer. 3:6-9; Ez. 16:30ff; 20:30; Hos. 4:15; 5:3; 6:10; 9:1]. Therefore, she is exceedingly successful at converting followers. She sits on many waters, symbolizing she has authority/influence over the nations of the world. This is a global system of religion. Syncretism will blend all religions, which would seem impossible except for the level of compromise we now witness. For the sake of peace and unity, belief systems are centering on what they DO agree on rather than what they do not. Only true Christianity will be too dogmatic and narrow to “fit,” because truth cannot accept compromise. The persecution of true believers will be a logical progression because our truth will threaten world unity. Believers will be guilty of hate crimes, divisiveness and treason.
  • 17:2—“kings…committed adultery”: The great harlot will align herself with the world’s political leaders by skillfully seducing them with her wealth and ability to put mankind into spiritual bondage. The kings will use her to further their own hold on power. Every great world leader seeks a spiritual hold on his people to put their hearts in bondage as well as their lives through military and government control. Adultery is a spiritual image of idolatry. The world rulers will be captivated with an ideology that furthers their political ambitions. Truth will be inverted [Isaiah 5:20], as the prophet foretold, replaced with pragmatism and relativism. As it was in Noah’s day, everyone will do what is right in their own eyes because religion will be based on whatever works and truth will be whatever man wants it to be [Matthew 24:37; Genesis 6:5].
  • 17:3—“in the Spirit”: The Holy Spirit transports John into a wilderness place, a deserted, lonely wasteland, perhaps to give him perspective regarding the vision. She is presented on a backdrop of desolation, a reflection of her true nature, rather than the splendor she attributes to herself.
  1. a woman—As we have seen, organized false religion had its roots in Babel/Babylon of Genesis 11 through the devices of Semiramis, a pagan ancient queen. Because of her institution of goddess worship, the woman has become a symbol of paganism. Fallen women such as Jezebel reinforce the symbolism.
  2. scarlet beast covered with blasphemous names—She rides Antichrist and his global system [Revelation 13:14], which is a picture of dominance by the harlot. The religion will ride for a time, enjoying Antichrist’s support, but only for the first half of the Tribulation, or until the world’s masses are enslaved. Religion has been used historically to influence peoples; the False Prophet will orchestrate this deception and turn it into Antichrist worship after his false resurrection [Rev. 13]. The Beast is a beast, a horrible monster, because he cannot be identified with any one animal; he is a composite of many animal body parts, like Frankenstein’s monster [Revelation 13:2]. Past Gentile empires, identified as a lion, bear, or panther, contribute to Antichrist’s final form, along with Satan, the red dragon. He is a composite of all the best and all the worst of man’s power.
  3. names of blasphemy—His pride manifests itself in names of blasphemy he flaunts arrogantly, names he takes for himself and wears to promote his self-deification [Revelation 13:1; Daniel 7:25; 11:36; 2 Thess. 2:4]. Will he call himself Pope, Christ, Messiah, Caesar, Czar, President of the New World Order, Buddha, Madhi, God—or all of the above? His blatant heresy seals his condemnation. Antichrist’s blasphemy is destroyed at Christ’s return when Christ Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, returns to take His rightful place, Revelation 19:16. The brightness of His holiness will annihilate the Beast’s claim to any authority.
  4. The seven heads and ten horns are explained beginning in verse 7.
  • 17:4—she is arrayed in purple and scarlet, the colors worn by royalty and high-ranking clergy—expensive clothing because of the rarity and expense of the purple and red dyes in John’s day. The gold, precious stones, pearls and golden cup are also trappings of great wealth and evidence of her power and success. But the cup is “full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.” Whatever is in the cup is abhorrent to the Lord because it represents the intoxication of her idolatrous system. What is sweet in the cup to the world is putrid to God.
  • 17:5—Mystery Babylon—We know she is the end-times equivalent of all other Mother Goddess religions, but her exact final form is a New Testament “mystery,” or truth once hidden in scripture that will be revealed. Although we can only speculate, this final Goddess religion of the Tribulation will surpass all others [2 Thess. 2:9-10]. Mariology, the worship of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, is already gaining popularity in religions that have little else in common. Mary may be emulated and promoted to Goddess status by modern Mystery Babylon worshippers.
  • 17:6—drunk with the blood of the saints: The harlot religion finds the blood of innocent martyrs, probably Tribulation believers, to be as intoxicating as wine. She celebrates her corruption, completely without remorse. John is amazed at a religion that thrives on the murder of the righteous. He is shocked that man could sink so low after the Jesus he knew so well paid the ultimate price for man’s eternal redemption. Compare with verse 8 where the lost marvel in adoration and worship for the so-called “risen” Antichrist [Revelation 13:8]. In both 17:8 and 13:8, those who are deceived by Satan’s whores and Antichrist’s lies are called those whose names are NOT written in the Book of Life. The point is clear. ONLY those elected to salvation, whose names ARE written in the Book of Life, will be able to resist the Antichrist’s deception—it will be that intoxicating.
THE ANGEL EXPLAINS:
The Lord does not leave the reader without an explanation of something so significant as the relationship between Mystery Babylon and Antichrist [17:7-15].
· 17:8, 11—“The beast that you saw WAS, AND IS NOT, AND WILL ASCEND OUT OF THE BOTTOMLESS PIT [THE ABYSS] AND GO TO PERDITION [DESTRUCTION].” MacArthur sees this as a reference to the Antichrist’s false resurrection [13:3,4, 12-14]. After his resurrection, the Antichrist will become possessed by a great demon from the abyss, which changes him into Satan’s demon-possessed man, destined for eternal damnation. The Beast is also the Beast system. MacArthur: “The Antichrist’s kingdom is said to be both the seventh and eighth kingdoms because of his supposed demise and resurrection. He is the seventh king before and the eighth king after his resurrection when he destroys the harlot’s religious empire and demands exclusive worship of himself.” In verse 10, as the eighth king, Antichrist and his empire will “continue a short time,” the last half of the Tribulation, before he and his system are destroyed by Christ at His return.
· 17:9-11: seven heads/seven hills/seven kings—[also vs. 7]: The seven heads of the Beast are the seven hills on which the woman sits while on the Beast, and they represent seven kings. This multiple meaning is to present a composite of the history of the Babylonian Mystery Religion. Just as the Beast system is composed of parts of the Daniel 2 empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome, so Mystery Babylon is composed of a heritage from seven historic empires dominated by the Mystery Religion from its origins. Seven is the number of completeness. The seven empires are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and the final stage—the Revived Roman Empire of Antichrist. This explains verse 10: “five have fallen” which are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece, because they were PAST in John’s day. “One is,” would be the Roman Empire of John’s first century; “the other has not yet come” refers to the Revived Roman Empire of the Tribulation that is yet future. [Ref. MacArthur].
· 17:12—ten horns/ten kings: The ten horns on the head of the Beast represent the division of power under Antichrist in the Tribulation when the Revived Roman Empire will exist. The kings of these global regions will receive their authority for “one hour,” which represents a short time for such authority [12:12; 13:5]. The key to the swift rise of Antichrist is that he assembles a base of men who “are of one mind” with him. They are unified in their purpose and their worldview, and in their devotion to Antichrist as their leader. This “one mind” is global unity. They declare war on the Lamb, Christ, which means they are already defeated.
· 17:15-17—Although the “harlot” religion now controls peoples from all nations, when the Antichrist demands worship of himself, his minions are eager to destroy the religious system of Mystery Babylon and turn all attention to Antichrist. Eating her flesh may refer to plundering the wealth of the system in order to finance Antichrist’s global aspirations.
· 17:18—“the woman whom you saw is that great city…” Mystery Babylon is also a city, but not the city of Babylon in Iraq. LaHaye, Froese and Dyer believe Babylon is the candidate for Antichrist’s commercial capital because of the description in chapter 18 and Old Testament passages of the final destruction of Babylon yet to be fulfilled [Isaiah 21:9; Jer. 51:64]. As mentioned earlier, the descriptions of the religious system make the city of Rome a logical choice for the religious headquarters of the end-time religion. There are two cities that serve as headquarters for global operations. The city in chapter 17 is destroyed by the beast and his ten kings [17:16], but the city in chapter 18 is destroyed as a direct result of the judgment of God [18:5-7].
· In Beth Moore’s study of Esther, she points out the use of a literary device known as a reversal of fortunes. As our Lord reconciles all things to His original purpose and intention in The Revelation, we witness many reversals of fortunes as an elegant method of judgment:

The harlot, so accustomed to luxury and importance,
is reduced to shame—desolate, naked and burned with fire.
The very leaders who elevated her, depose her.
The Lord uses those closest to her perversion as pawns to judge her.
The old evil is cut off at the root.


In the next chapter, Antichrist’s cosmopolitan capital of Babylon is described as it is being destroyed. All the material promises of the Beast system are burned up in “one hour.” Antichrist’s grandiose plans last a very short time when overcome by the Lamb.


In Him We Wait, Work, and Watch,
Sharon Clemens

[Prophecy Chat is a commentary of current events in light of Bible prophecy. Sharon L. Clemens is an evangelical, premillennial, pre-trib teacher of eschatology. She can be reached for comment or questions by e-mail at farmgrove@frontier.com]
Posted by Phil Branch at Monday, May 27, 2013 0 comments
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Tuesday, July 13, 2010

"Philadelphia, The Church With a Mission"
When The Lamb Stands, series
by Sharon Clemens

^^^^^^^* To see all postings from, When The Lamb Stands Series Click here only
                       * All scriptures within this study are linked to BibleGateway.com using the "NIV".

PHILADELPHIA [Revelation 3:7-14]--THE FAITHFUL CHURCH, AD 1750 to AD 1900, The Evangelistic Era of the Church:

    Every church is faced with opportunity--and limitations. Woodrow Kroll describes our next church, Philadelphia, as a body of believers that managed to be obedient even within the obstacles their time presented. Because of their love and commitment to the Lord and to the lost, Christ promises them "an open door" of effectiveness and His personal protection in difficult times. When the same promise is applied to the Age, it spawned a period of evangelistic fervor unrivaled in church history. Any Christian would desire such a promise. All believers aspire to their example.

    Philadelphia means "love of the brethren" or "brotherly love." MacArthur notes that the ancient city of John's day acquired its name because it was founded around 190 BC by Attalus II, king of Pergamum, to honor his brother. A pagan king's example of brotherly devotion became a virtual reality as the Philadelphia church persevered in their devotion to the lost. The church embodied the name of the city and the spirit of the church characterized the Age of Philadelphia. The Quaker's, an early founding element in America, were know for their teaching of brotherly love and named their city, Philadelphia, after its New Testament namesake.

    Warren Wiersby describes the ancient Philadelphia as a city on the main route of the Imperial Post road from Rome to the East; therefore, it was known as the gateway to the East. It was also called little Athens because of the many temples in the city. The city was particularly prone to earthquakes as the area sat on a geological fault. It was destroyed by a severe earthquake in 17 BC that also destroyed Sardis and ten other cities, but was eventually rebuilt. As the Lord demonstrated with the first five letters, characteristics of this city lend themselves to characteristics of the church age it represents.

THE SALUTATION, Verse 7:

    These things say He who is HOLY... Christ, testifies of Himself, repeating descriptions from chapter one of The Revelation. The title of "holy" is a declaration of His Godhood. He shares the holy, sinless, pure nature of His Father [Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 6:3; 40:25; 43:15; Hab. 3:3; Mark 1:11, 24; John 6:69; Acts 3:14].
    He who is TRUE... True refers to His genuine claim to being God. He is the only One who is true, the original, NOT A COPY--as are the pagan gods of Philadelphia. In Isaiah 42:8, the Lord defends His deity passionately: "I am the LORD, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images." Our LORD is justifiably offended by the pompous claims of false religion.
    He who has THE KEY OF DAVID... Only the true Messiah of Israel is the son of David--heir of the royal blood of Israel's kings--with the authority--the key--to sit upon the throne of David in the Millennial Kingdom. This KEY grants Him the authority to control entrance into the Kingdom by unlocking the door... Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me," John 14:6.

This KEY is His authority to OPEN and CLOSE the door to the Kingdom as the Prophet Isaiah said: "The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open," Isaiah 22:22.

REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY--An Affront To The King

    Those who espouse Replacement Theology overlook the significance of Christ's ownership of The Key of David. Those who claim Israel has been replaced with the Church have distorted the Kingdom blueprint as it is clearly revealed in the Old Testament. THE COMING KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH IS THE SAME KINGDOM PROMISED TO ISRAEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. IT IS A KINGDOM BASED ON JEWISH ROOTS. IT IS A KINGDOM RULED BY A JEWISH KING.

    When Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, the Christ, returns, He will rule the earth from Israel. His capital city will be Jerusalem. All the nations of the earth will come to Jerusalem to worship Christ on the Throne of David [Zechariah 14:16; Ezekiel 36 and 37 and chapters 40 to 48]. To remove the Jewish element from the Kingdom is to confuse and misrepresent the literal interpretation of the Millennial Kingdom in scripture.

Jesus the Messiah does not own just the keys to a city--
HE OWNS THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM.
Believers would do well to understand the nature of that Kingdom to which we aspire!
How can we hope to enter if we dishonor the King and His heritage.

Just as Christ holds the keys to death and hell, He also holds the keys to salvation and blessing.
"...He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens." [Revelation 3:7]


    As Isaiah said, the Lord determines when the door of the Kingdom is open and when it is shut.; the Son of David will use Israel as a vehicle of mercy and judgment again, when He returns. As Paul said, Israel will be spiritually blind until "the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved..." Romans 11:25b-26. Israel cannot be "replaced." God isn't finished with them yet. The Lord will use the Tribulation to refine Israel and save them [Jeremiah 30:7; Zechariah 13]. He will cleanse them, redeem them, and bring them under His rule. His Kingdom is a Jewish Kingdom through which all believers, both Jew and Gentile, are blessed. [Romans 11; Zechariah 12:10 and following; Genesis 12:3]

Zechariah 2:10-13 -- "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst," says the LORD.
"Many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and they shall become My people.
And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you.
And the LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem.
Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!"


JESUS, THE DOOR

    To emphasize His authority, Jesus revealed that not only does He control entrance into the Kingdom, He is literally the door through which we enter. Jesus is the door of the sheep fold, John 10:1-10.

THE COMMENDATION, Verse 8:
    I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength...
    When the Church operates out of obedience to God's will and purpose, our Lord puts the full support of the Holy Spirit behind their efforts. To Philadelphia He gave a door wide open to preach the Gospel, and He promises to keep it open. They face two major obstacles--the pagan population of the city and the unredeemed Jewish population. These troublesome Jews are not believers. They held to the Old Testament laws but rejected Jesus as Messiah. The Church in Smyrna was troubled by a similar group [2:9]. Those who justify their religion by their own self-righteousness are threatened by those who trust in Christ alone. These unsaved Jews were hostile to the church in Philadelphia, and yet the church treated them as lost brothers, worthy of the Gospel. The Lord commends the church because they saw this opposition as an opportunity to witness for Christ.

    There is no CONDEMNATION [complaint] for this church as they have a heart for the lost.

THE PROMISE, Verses 9 and 10: Christ rewards this church abundantly for their perseverance. They are not rewarded for the number of converts, but for their diligence and obedience to the task, even under persecution. Their reward is especially appropriate. The very Jews who belittle them for their faith will one day bow before them. How satisfying that the truth believers teach will one day be openly recognized and acknowledged by our persecutors.

    Christ is our example of grace under rejection. He is also our example of ultimate vindication! Romans 14:11--"As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God." When Christ returns, He will put all rebellion away. All those who rejected Him shall bow before Him, the conquering King.

A Glimpse Of The Rapture:
    Christ also promises the church of Philadelphia deliverance from "the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth." This promise likely had an immediate fulfillment for Philadelphia in Asia Minor. The church was possibly spared from serious persecution from the Roman Empire. Ultimately, it refers to an event still future according to John MacArthur. Only one event in scripture fits the description of a global world test. [Matthew 24:21] Christ is describing the Tribulation, the seven-year period before Christ's earthly kingdom is consummated. "The verb 'to keep' is followed by a preposition whose normal meaning is 'from' or 'out of'--this phrase, 'keep...from' supports the pretribulational rapture of the church." (emphasis Phil) [See John 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51, 52; 1 Thess. 4:13-17 for descriptions of the Rapture event.]

THE WARNING, Verse 11: Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

    When Christ comes, He will come quickly! Just as the Church was born in a day--on the day of Pentecost--so the door of the Kingdom will slam shut at the sudden return of Christ to the earth and those on the outside will not get in. His Kingdom will not come gradually through the efforts of the Church; the 1,000 years will begin suddenly and Christ will build His Millennial Temple instantly, by speaking it into existence. It will not be built by human hands; the Kingdom will come supernaturally with the return of the King. [Daniel 2:44]

Zechariah 6:12-13-- "Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! [The Messiah]
From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the LORD;
yes, He shall build the temple of the LORD.
He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne;
so He shall be a priest on His throne,
and the counsel of peace shall be between them both."


    Christ will defend His own glory, but He cautions the believer to hold fast to what we have, that no one may take our crown of reward. Believers will receive crowns at The Judgment of Rewards, 2 Corinthians 5:10; (a href = "http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%205:10&version=NIV">1 Cor. 3:11-15. 2 Cor. 5:10--"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." These rewards are valid only on the foundation of salvation through Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 3:11-15. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not of works, Eph. 2:8-10, but we are created in Christ Jesus for good works to follow salvation. These are the works recognized at the Judgment of Rewards.


    One crown in particular is to "those who love His appearing," 2 Timothy 4:8, which has particular application for this Church. Their promise is deliverance from the hour of trial that will test the earth, a reference to the pre-tribulation Rapture. Those who love His appearing live in expectation and constant watchfulness for His appearing at the Rapture. Christ reminds Philadelphia to hold fast to their faith and not lose sight of His return, even when perseverance is difficult. Ages of Church believers have already earned this crown because they lived a life of waiting, working, and watching for that blessed hope [Titus 2:13]--even though the Rapture is still imminent.

THE PRAISE, Verse 12: He who overcomes I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God...I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem...and My new name.

    Being a pillar in the temple of God may not sound like a praise, but to citizens living on a geological fault, they could appreciate the metaphor! The Lord was praising them for their unshakable devotion, strong enough to be a temple foundation. He also praises them by promising to brand them--with His Father's name, His eternal capital city, and His personal name. This will identify them as eternally His. Christ's "new name" means we will be on a first-name basis with Him in heaven. At that time, we will be able to relate to Him in a way that is only possible when we see Him as He is, in His fully revealed deity.


APPLICATION TO THE CHURCH--The Evangelistic Age--Age of Revival--AD 1750 to AD 1900

    This was the age of the great revivals. As the new world opened up to trade and travel, missionaries with a heart for the lost--a love of lost brothers--journeyed to the far reaches of the earth to preach the Gospel of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Philadelphia was called the gateway to the East because it lay on the Imperial Post road of Rome. The Age of Philadelphia took the Gospel through the gateway of the open door of evangelism. This was the time in history when "the sun didn't set on the British Empire." As British rule extended to foreign lands, so the Gospel followed.

    A series of great revivals began with George Whitefield in 1739, followed by John Wesley, Charles G. Finney and D. L. Moody. In 1793, William Carey sailed for India, where he found an open door, and since then the Lord has opened the door to China, Japan, Korea, India, Africa and the isles of the sea. Although the Philadelphia Age of Evangelism extends in many ways into present day, we will see in the next letter that the open door is swiftly closing. We live in a time when culture and morality are getting worse and worse, in spite of global access to the Gospel in many forms. But, there is nothing that will prevent the Lord from taking His Kingdom in the fullness of time. Prophecy must be fulfilled. He has promised He will do it [Ezekiel 36:33-36] and the glory is His, but every believer is to be obedient to His will, while we wait, in order to protect our crown of reward.

    Until Christ comes for His church, we are to go through all the doors He opens. Then we will not be ashamed before Him when He comes [1 John 2:28]. The comfort of the promise to Philadelphia is comfort to all believers: He will keep us from the hour of testing. "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation [deliverance] through our Lord Jesus Christ." [1 Thess. 5:9] The Church Age will end with the Rapture before the Tribulation begins.

NEXT TIME: The Last Church Age, Laodicea. How close are we?

In Him We Wait, Work, and Watch,
[Luke 12:35-59]
Sharon

[Prophecy Chat is a weekly commentary of current events in light of Bible prophecy. Sharon L. Clemens is an evangelical, premillennial, dispensational teacher of eschatology. She can be reached for comment or questions by e-mail at farmgrove@frontier.com]




Keep an eye on the Sky
Posted by Phil Branch at Tuesday, July 13, 2010 0 comments
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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Many Are Called, Few Are Chosen
by Phil Branch

Special note: All specific scriptures noted within the study below are linked to BibleGateway.com for easy reference.

Matthew 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.” One of my favorite scriptures. This hectic world keeps us in a constant state of flux. Economy, Jobs, Housing, Wars, Finances, Catastrophe, all have our heads spinning. Yet, eternal peace can be obtained if we simply recognize it. Discernment is key as there are many deceivers all offering their solution to our problems. Yet there is only one place to find the real answer, there is only one source where you should present your question/s. God, the God of the Holy Bible can give you eternal peace. All you have to do is accept him. He offers the answers we seek to everything. No prejudice, no profiling, no vetting! Simply recognize His Son as the savior of our souls. To be chosen, you have to choose God over all and this choice is presented to us perpetually.

Read below for John MacArthurs full study of Matthew 22:14. Also, check out my blog tomorrow for, "Judging God", a study from Sharon L. Clemens, where she will share with us a further understanding of God's Mysterious ways.

Matthew 22:14 many are called, but few are chosen. The call spoken of here is sometimes referred to as the “general call” (or the “external” call)—a summons to repentance and faith that is inherent in the gospel message. This call extends to all who hear the gospel. “Many” hear it; “few” respond (see the many-few comparison in "7:13, 14"). Those who respond are the “chosen,” the elect. In the Pauline writings, the word “call” usually refers to God’s irresistible calling extended to the elect alone (Rom. 8:30)—known as the “effectual call” (or the “internal” call). The effectual call is the supernatural drawing of God which Jesus speaks of in John 6:44. Here a general call is in view, and this call extends to all who hear the gospel—this call is the great “whosoever will” of the gospel (cf. Rev. 22:17). Here, then, is the proper balance between human responsibility and divine sovereignty: the “called” who reject the invitation do so willingly, and therefore their exclusion from the kingdom is perfectly just. The “chosen” enter the kingdom only because of the grace of God in choosing and drawing them. MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (Mt 22:14). Nashville: Word Pub.




Keep an eye on the Sky
Posted by Phil Branch at Tuesday, January 26, 2010 4 comments
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Monday, July 1, 2013

"The Ten Commandments, Our Need For A Savior"
By Phil Branch 


“Ten Commandments”.  Yes, they were given to the Jews to first, then all after Christ .  However, God knew we would be incapable of such perfection.  Please understand, that is why He sent His One and Only Son to die on the cross for you and me.  Jesus paid the price for sins of the past, present and future. His ascension proved his power over death.  Jesus’s offer to us provides the same power.  Give up the ideologies “man” has created and will create in an attempt to save us.  Repent from worldly ways and follow Him (Jesus Christ). God knew forevermore human kind would be in need of a Savior.  Read below and remind yourself of all the commandments you have broken.  Know that without a Savior there is no way you can live on in eternity.  

 

So this is my prayer: 

 

Gracious Heavenly Father, there are many down here on earth that have yet to accept your gift of eternal life.  As You know there are those that can not see the truth.  There are those that can not hear the truth.  Lord in this petition I beseech You, the Creator and Sustainer of all things send Your Holy Spirit and have this simple note and prayer reach those that do not know, what they do not know.  Lord have Him speak to them in words and thoughts that I can not, so that as you will all can be saved from the evil one.

 

In Your Son’s precious name,

Amen

 

Exodus 20

King James Version (KJV)
20 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.  4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.  5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;  6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.  7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.  8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.  9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:  10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:  11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.  12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.  13 Thou shalt not kill.  14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.  15 Thou shalt not steal.  16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.  17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.


Posted by Phil Branch at Monday, July 01, 2013 0 comments
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