Prophecy 14 – www.TribulationPeriod101.com

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PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 180

July 9, 2004

What Will Church Members Do in the Millennium? Part 10

Heed the Warning, the Pre-Millennial Shaking is Near!

Prior to the beginning of the millennium there is to be a fantastic shaking of all the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land. It will be a worldwide shaking, which will resemble the local shaking experienced by Israel at mount Sinai, but will be manifested across the surface of the entire earth. The two prophets, Zechariah and Haggai, at the time of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, all five being associated with the return from the great Babylonian captivity, spoke of this great shaking, which was to be followed by Messiah’s millennial reign. But before I discuss what they wrote about it, let’s look at the shaking which occurred when Moses brought the Israelites to mount Sinai at Horeb to stand at the mount before God.

Exodus 19:16-21 – And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. [17] And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. [18] And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. [19] And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. [20] And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. [21] And the Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.

Moses reminded Israel of this great day of shaking in Deuteronomy 18:16-19, and how they had cried out, asking him to not hear God’s booming voice or see his great fire any more, because they feared dying from it. At this time Moses also tells them of a great Prophet to whose voice they had better listen when he comes, or they will be held accountable for not having done so. Of course, that Prophet is also the High Priest, and King, the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Deuteronomy 18:16-19 – According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. [17] And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. [18] I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. [19] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

And the writer of Hebrews reminds us today that if we, having heard this Prophet, his only begotten Son, do not respond to his tender words of grace, will be held to a greater accountability than those who heard his voice at mount Sinai and trembled.

Hebrews 12:18-21,25-29 – For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, [19] And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: [20] (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: [21] And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) [25] See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: [26] Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. [27] And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. [28] Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: [29] For our God is a consuming fire.

Both Haggai and Zechariah spoke of this great shaking that is to occur in judgment before this Prophet of God, his only begotten Son, finally appears at the end of the tribulation period, and both also speak of his millennial reign, which will follow his appearance in the heavens.

Haggai 2:6-9 – For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; [7] And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. [8] The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts. [9] The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts. (The “latter house” is the millennial temple)

Ezekiel 40:2 – In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south. (This is the millennial city of the temple)

Ezekiel 48:35 – It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there. (This is the parameter of the city)

Ezekiel describes the entrance of the Messiah in to the millennial temple in 43:4-7)

Ezekiel 43:4-7 – And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. [5] So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. [6] And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me. [7] And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.

Zechariah 14:4,5,9-11 – And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. [5] And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. [9] And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. [10] All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses. [11] And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. [16] And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

Hebrews 2:1-3 – Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. [2] For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; [3] How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

Acts 2:20,21 – The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: [21] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Revelation 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;

Romans 10:17 – So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. [10] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

(SEE PARTS 2 THROUGH 8 OF THIS SERIES FOR EXPOSITION OF THE SCRIPTURES THAT FOLLOW)

Revelation 3:11-13 – Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. [12] Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. [13] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Revelation 21:22,23 – And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. [23] And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

Revelation 2:25-29 – But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. [26] And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: [27] And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. [28] And I will give him the morning star. [29] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Revelation 19:7,8 – Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. [8] And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Revelation 3:4 – Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 181

July 16, 2004

What Will Church Members Do in the Millennium? Part 11

Associated Events When the Indignation Is Accomplished!

Prophecy Update 182, Part 12, is likely to be our last Update issued in this series on church members activities in the millennium. So, before I closed this series, I felt compelled to touch on the terrible time that will precede the millennium, the span of time from the opening of the sixth seal, through the seven trumpets, and finally ending on the pouring out of the seventh vial. Even if you do not agree with my position that the local churches are going to pass through part of this time, I hope you will be well versed on the things that will transpire during this period, in the event you might be wrong. If I am correct, then a good knowledge of the events you might have to experience would be of considerable value, for I am persuaded the local churches will go through most of the tribulation period. And, if this is the case, then it would help those local churches to endure the many trials they could face during that period, knowing they were acting as God’s faithful light in the midst of a great worldwide spiritual darkness of tribulation chaos. It is the unexpected that usually produces more fear than the unexpectedly possible. We are usually more afraid of the unknown than the known. Regardless of the position one holds on the rapture, one should know what follows their position in Scripture. I have always believed that many would be saved in the tribulation period before the seven vials of God’s wrath began to be poured out on unbelievers following the sounding of the seventh trumpet. I have always believed they would be saved by grace through faith when they called on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that the Holy Spirit would still be using saved men and women to witness to them prior to the sounding of the seventh trumpet.

Acts 2:19-21 – And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: [20] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: [21] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

In Israel’s Negev wilderness, God will provide the Jewish remnant with both physical and spiritual food. The physical is found in Revelation 12:6 and 14, and the spiritual in Revelation 12:17. The 144,000 sealed Jews, of Revelation 7:4, will testify the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to the one-third of the Jewish nation that survives in the midst of the Negev wilderness, and many of the Jews that make up the “woman” will believe and be saved during the tribulation period.

Zechariah 13:8 – And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.

Revelation 12:6,14,17 – And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. [14] And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. [17] And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (See Prophecy Updates 5 to 11 in our Archives).

Revelation 7:4 – And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

I ended Prophecy Update 180B with the following verse from Isaiah, which is a capsule description of the events associated with that great “determined indignation,” which shall most surely “be accomplished” on this earth and upon its inhabitants. Isaiah 64:1,2 also describes these same events.

Isaiah 29:6 – Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.

Isaiah 64:1,2 – Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, [2] As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!

In Prophecy Updates 180, 180A, and 180B in our Update Archives, I discussed this great shaking of heaven and earth, which will precede the millennium. Update 181 continues that theme.

Micah 1:3,4 and Isaiah 26:1 describe the time when the Lord will come out of his place in judgment. Micah is very descriptive of the tectonic chaos that will develop along all plate boundaries as volcanoes erupt. Isaiah describes the disclosing of the blood of the earth in the form of blood red lava flowing around the peripheries of the tectonic plates, and gives indications of the rising of the bodies of the dead in Christ, who will be cast out of their earthen graves. This is all a part of the tectonic plate movement described in 180B.

Micah 1:3,4 – For, behold, the Lord COMETH FORTH OUT OF HIS PLACE, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. [4] And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.

Isaiah 26:21 – For, behold, the Lord COMETH OUT OF HIS PLACE to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

The “slain” of 26:21 are the dead in Christ, who will be raised from the dead at the first resurrection, such that the earth will no longer cover the graves where they rested, for their bodies had been “cast out,” as disclosed from the chronological context of 26:19.

Isaiah 26:19 – Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

These are the times of the willful antichrist king of the north. He will persecute Israel during the latter part of the tribulation period, which is only a moment in God’s timetable of eternity. But God will punish mankind when THE INDIGNATION IS ACCOMPLISHED, and hide himself a remnant in Israel, which will reign in his physical kingdom of flesh and blood for a thousand years. They represent the “elect,” whose “flesh” shall be brought through this time of tribulation, which will be greater than previously known by man.

Daniel 11:36 – And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper TILL THE INDIGNATION BE ACCOMPLISHED: for that that is determined SHALL BE DONE.

This is the same time of indignation that follows the rapture in Isaiah 26:19, which I covered previously. And it is the same indignation that is described in Isaiah 26:20, Matthew 24:21,22, and Daniel 12:1.

Isaiah 26:20 – Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for A LITTLE MOMENT, UNTIL THE INDIGNATION BE OVERPAST (“my people” is Israel).

Matthew 24:21,22 – For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. [22] And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

At some point in time, during the last 1260 days of the tribulation period, the seventh angel will sound, which will unleash a time of trouble like mankind has never known. It will be the time when: Michael stands up, the first resurrection occurs, all those whose names are in the book are delivered, and when God’s wrath is about to come on the earth in seven vials of wrath following the seventh trumpet. And it is the time when, for the first time, all the children of God will be in heaven to be judged for rewards, and the kingdom of God is all in one place. It will also be the time when all the saved are taken up out of all the nations, becoming the one perfect kingdom among all the kingdoms of the earth, and the time when the mystery of God is finished.

Daniel 12:1 – And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

Revelation 10:1,7 – And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: [7] But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

Paul first announced the mystery in I Corinthians 11:51 and John announced when it would be finished in Revelation 10:7.

I Corinthians 15:51 – Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Revelation 11:15 – And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Revelation 11:18 – And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

1. “And the nations were angry,” – Armageddon is still seven vials of wrath in the future when the seventh trump sounds.

2. “Thy wrath is come,” – It comes in the seven vials of God’s wrath following the seventh trump.

3. “And the time of the dead,” – You must resurrect a dead man to judge him.

4. “That they should be judged,” – This cannot be the lost for their judgment is 1000 plus years away when the seventh trumpet sounds.

5. “And that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great;” – This has to be the judgment of all the saved for rewards.

6. “And shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” – This refers to a physical destruction of the lost men and women left on the earth, who, by their immoral acts have, and are, morally destroying the earth, even at this time of the sounding of the seventh trumpet. Their immoral condition after the blowing of the sixth trump, but before the seventh trump sounds, is declared plainly in Revelation 9:21.

Revelation 9:21 – Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

John’s cry at the closing of the book of Revelation is surely akin to that of Isaiah in chapter 64 of his great prophetic book.

Revelation 22:20 – He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Isaiah 64:1-4 – Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, [2] As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! [3] When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence. [4] For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

The ones “waiting” for him are those who are watching and serving him while they wait, knowing they will be filled with joy for having faithfully served him, and will be allowed to serve him even more during his eternal reign.

Matthew 24:42-47 – Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. [43] But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. [44] Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. [45] Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? [46] Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. [47] Verily I say unto you, he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

The “overcomer” is a son who will have a close personal relationship in the immediate presence of God’s Son in both the millennial and heaven ages.

Revelation 21:7 – He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Even the creation of God itself is anxiously waiting for his appearance when his sons will be manifested to it in their glorified bodies.

Romans 8:16-19 – The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: [17] And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. [18] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. [19] For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

I John 3:2 – Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Believers will have bodies glorified in direct proportion to the work their souls did for him while in their earthly bodies. Some will be more glorious than others.

I Corinthians 15:38,41,42 – But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. [41] There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. [42] So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

Galatians 6:7 – Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

II Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Hebrews 11:35 – Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

Revelation 22:12 – And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Revelation 11:18B – That thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest DESTROY THEM which destroy the earth.

While the saved, of I Corinthians 5:10 and Revelation 11:18, are being judged for rewards in heaven, no one on earth will be able to enter into the presence of God in heaven. His wrath will be poured out on the earth while the saved are being judged in heaven.

Revelation 15:8 to 16:1 – And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. [1] And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

The saved will not be present on this earth when the seven vials of God’s wrath are poured out on this earth.

I Thessalonians 5:9 – For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

When the security barrier is completed, and Israel leans back and hugs it as a security blanket, then look out.

I Thessalonians 5:3,4 – For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. [4] But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 182

July 23, 2004

What Will Church Members Do in the Millennium? Part 12

Lord willing, this will be the last article on this subject. The following is taken from Part 1 of the series. (Begin Quote)

“I recently received a query from a Pastor and his wife asking the question, what will WE be doing in the 1000 year reign of Christ on the present earth, and in the age of the New Jerusalem, which continues eternally. I am very glad they said WE, because that will allow me to answer the question in a narrow, more defined, manner. Why? Because I do not feel qualified to address the broad subject of how Christ intends to use the much, much, much greater number who will be there, that were never members of one of the Lord’s local New Testament Churches. That vast throng of believers will make the local church members look like one pearl among the sands of an ocean. I was not born in the days of Enoch, or Abraham, or the tabernacle, or the temple. I became a part of a huge family, the family of God, when I was saved at age 12. I united with one of the Lord’s local New Testament Churches by baptism at age 23, and have been the pastor of the church at Dardanelle for 30 years. As you read this Update, please bear one thing in mind constantly – I WILL BE REPLYING ONLY TO THIS QUESTION: “WHAT WILL THE MEMBERS OF THE LORD’S NEW TESTAMENT CHURCHES BE DOING IN THE MILLENNIAL AND HEAVEN AGES?” I WILL BE DISCUSSING ONLY CHURCH MEMBERS ACTIVITIES IN THESE TWO PERIODS (End Quote).”

Every child ever born into this world is here because God gave man the ability to reproduce physical life and the spark of life, generated in a woman’s womb, is the process by which men and women come into the world by physical birth. The Son, the Light, was a part of the Godhead present when man was made, and it is only by receiving the light of his Spirit that we are restored to God by spiritual rebirth in him and him in us. We are born physically as incomplete human beings, spiritually separated from God, and can only be made complete by receiving his Son as the total sacrifice for all our sins.

Colossians 2:9,10 – For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. [10] And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

I Corinthians 15:45 – And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

We become eternal spiritual children of God when we receive him as our savior. We are instantly made sons of the living God through faith in his Son’s complete atoning work for the salvation of our souls, and we then wait for the changing of our bodies at his coming. The salvation of the soul by the Spirit of God is his answer in response to his convicting power when we exercise repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. It is our response to that Light by which we receive Christ to forever become a son of God by grace through faith. It is from that instant forward that the soul of the new born son of God begins its walk for the Lord, in the light of the Light.

Acts 20:21 – Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:26 – For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:1,2 – There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

John 8:36 – If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

John 5:24 – Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 1:9-14 – That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. [10] He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. [11] He came unto his own, and his own received him not. [12] But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: [13] Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. [14] And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

A person cannot walk in the Spirit of God as a son of God unless he or she has received the Spirit by the new birth from above. One MUST be born from above to be able to follow the Spirit.

John 3:7 – Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Romans 8:14-18 – For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. [15] For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. [16] The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: [17] And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. [18] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

If we are not sons of God NOW, in this life, then we are lost. Sons of God go to heaven, but their walk here will be reflected forever in the glory of the reward they receive for faithfulness.

I John 3:2 – Beloved, NOW are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

This entire series has been directed toward convincing God’s sons and daughters that while salvation is totally by grace through faith, it does matter whether we are obedient or disobedient sons and daughters after we are saved. All of his sons and daughters will go to heaven, but those who were obedient to his Spirit, in submitting to baptism by the proper authority, will experience greater joy in heaven than those who did not.

Galatians 6:7 – Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Those sons and daughters who submitted to baptism, and continued in one of his local churches faithful to the end of life, will be given positions of responsibility and authority in the millennial and final heaven ages.

Acts 2:41,42 – Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. [42] And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Faithful church members are those who are seeking the things of the kingdom of God. They do not worry about the things for tomorrow and the days which follow. They fight the evil in the world and in their flesh day by day until death or Christ’s coming. They fail in many of their battles with the flesh and the world, but they keep on fighting until the end. Their daily fight with evil and sin is more than sufficient to keep them fully occupied without worrying about the things of tomorrow.

Matthew 6:33,34 – But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. [34] Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Paul speaks of this daily battle in Romans 7:14-25, then asks a question in verse 24, which he answers in the first sentence of verse 25.

Romans 7:21-25 – I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. [22] For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: [23] But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. [24] O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? [25] I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

The “overcomer” in Revelation is a church member who has fought the fight to his last breath, and such a son of God will inherit ALL things in the millennial and final heaven ages, being allowed close, personal, daily fellowship with Christ.

Revelation 21:7 – He that overcometh shall inherit ALL things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Paul was such a church member. A son of God cannot live a sinless life in the flesh, but he can submit in obedience to baptism by the proper authority, and he can keep on running, fighting against sin, and keeping the faith once delivered to the saints. Paul did it, and so can any son or daughter of God.

II Timothy 4:7-10 – I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: [8] Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

The sons of God, who are attempting to serve God in obedience, are the ones who love the time he will appear to reward them for their lives of obedience to him. Those sons of God, who are not willing to let God’s Spirit raise them as a son or daughter, are not looking forward to his coming. They are not willing to pay the price that comes by living a life of faithfulness before the world. The Greek word translated in Hebrews 12 as “chasten” is “paideuo,” and it means “the complete upbringing of a child, its feeding, clothing, instruction, and yes, spanking if deemed to be necessary.” Most children of God just don’t want to let him rear them as sons and daughters, but, if a son or daughter will let him raise them, then he treats them as sons or daughters, but most will not. And if God doesn’t ever make an attempt to raise you, then you are not a son or daughter. You can only become his son or daughter when you have been born again. He is my heavenly Father by the new birth.

Hebrews 12:4-8 – Ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin. [5] And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening (raising) of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: [6] For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth (raises), and scourgeth (spanks) every son whom he receiveth. [7] If ye endure chastening (raising), God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is he whom the father chasteneth (raises) not? [8] But if ye be without chastisement (raising), whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

The message of Revelation is to church members and, if you are saved, you are advised repeatedly to become a member of one of his local New Testament churches. The following close of God’s message to a local church at Laodicea is valid for all churches today. The same Greek word for “paideuo” in Hebrews 12 is also found in Revelation 3:19.

Revelation 3:19 – As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten (raise): be zealous therefore, and repent.

The life of a faithful church member is to be one of daily repentance and seeking of God’s forgiveness of sins, moment by moment, as the Spirit of God convicts of them. If you have not let God raise you, then the word “repent” simply means “to turn to God” as your Father, and let him start raising you. God would not rebuke you, or try to raise you if he did not love you.

Revelation 3:20 – Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

This is not the door of a lost soul’s heart. This is the Lord standing at the door of a saved church member’s heart, seeking a warm, close, very personal relationship with that person on a day to day basis. It is an invitation to that church member to stay in fellowship with him day by day until the end of his physical life or this age. This is the life of an overcoming church member, and this relationship of nearness to Christ here will continue in both the millennial and heaven ages. That person will reign with Christ in his immediate presence forever.

Revelation 3:21,22 – To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. [22] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith UNTO THE CHURCHES.

Revelation 3:4 – Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

The overcoming church member is someone who makes ready for his coming by a life of faith lived in one of his local churches, which gives glory to God through the coming husband, who is the foundation and head of the local church.

Ephesians 3:21 – Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Ephesians 1:22,23 – And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, [23] Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Ephesians 2:22 – In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 183

July 29, 2004

Servant Israel Glorifies God by Jesus, Israel’s Seed! Part 2

ISAIAH 49:3 – And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

Most of the physical descendants of the servant Israel, known today as the nation of Israel, have certainly not given God glory by failing to believe God’s Son is their Messiah. So Israel, as a nation, has not given God glory since Christ, the Seed of Israel, was crucified, and their unbelief, as a nation, will continue until the fullness of the iniquity of this present Gentile age “be come in.”

Romans 11:32 – For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

Romans 11:25 – For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

However, the Scriptures state that Christ is the Seed of the man Israel, of whom Mary was a direct descendant, and, as such, he has, is, and continues to give glory to God, which validates verse 3, because Messiah is the Seed of Israel. Therefore, God is still being glorified in his servant Israel, but only through the work of Israel’s Seed, the Messiah.

ISAIAH 49:4 – Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God.

The first half of this verse echoes the sadness of the Seed of Israel when, after he had labored for more than three years following his baptism, he saw Israel’s rejection of his labors. They simply would not hear his message to repent, and believe his Gospel.

Mark 1:14,15 – Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, [15] And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Luke 13:5-9 – I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. [6] He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. [7] Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? [8] And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: [9] And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

Messiah, as the dresser of his Father’s world vineyard, tried to get the fig tree nation of Israel, in the midst of it, to produce fruit in God’s kingdom by receiving him as the King who had brought the Kingdom, but after three years they had not received him as King Messiah. So he asked his Father for another year to work on them to accept him and produce fruit, but about 1185 days after he was baptized, in the fourth year of his ministry, they cut him off, and then God cut them off in their condition of unbelief.

ISAIAH 49:4A – Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain.

Although Christ knew his work was about to be finished on the cross, this phrase parallels the disappointment he felt because of his rejection, as reported by Matthew.

Matthew 23:37,38 – O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! [38] Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

ISAIAH 49:4B – Yet surely my judgment is with the Lord,

Matthew 3:16,17 – And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: [17] And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

John 12:47,48 – And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. [48] He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Revelation 20:13-15 – And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. [14] And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. [15] And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

John 12:49,50 – For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. [50] And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

ISAIAH 49:4C – And my work with my God.

John 4:34 – Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

John 17:1-5 – These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: [2] As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. [3] And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. [4] I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. [5] And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

John 19:30 – When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Hebrews 7:25 – Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Ephesians 2:7 – That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 4:14-16 – Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. [15] For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. [16] Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 184

August 6, 2004

Servant Israel Glorifies God by Jesus, Israel’s Seed – Part 3

ISAIAH 49:5 – And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.

Jesus Christ, as the direct descendant of the man Israel through the lineage of Heli, the father of Mary, took upon himself the role of a servant to God, that he might glorify his heavenly Father as Israel’s promised Seed. It is only through him that individual Israelites are now being gathered to God, but the nation of Israel will not be gathered to him as a whole until the end of the battle of Armageddon.

“That formed me from the womb to be his SERVANT”

Luke 1:35 – And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Galatians 3:16 – Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to THY SEED, which is Christ.

Genesis 28:14 – And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in THY SEED shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Genesis 35:10 – And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.

Philippians 2:7,8 – But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of A SERVANT, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

“To bring Jacob again unto him”

Christ came to being the promised kingdom to the descendants of the man Israel, but the nation would not receive his message, John’s message, or the message of the disciples. He could not gather Israel as a nation during his First Advent, because they refused to be brought to God through him as their Messiah.

Matthew 10:5-7 – These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: [6] But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. [7] And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

John 1:11-13 – He came unto his own, and his own received him not. [12] But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: [13] Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

“Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.”

Even though Israel refused to be gathered to him as its Messiah, his crucifixion and resurrection is the most glorious event that has ever occurred on this earth, and he will restore Israel to greatness following the battle of Armageddon, which ends with his Second Advent. At this time they will receive him as their Messiah, crying out, “Blessed is that that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

Matthew 23:37-39 – O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! [38] Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. [39] For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

John 17:4,5 – I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. [5] And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Colossians 2:9 – For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Luke 21:27 – And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

ISAIAH 49:6 – And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

Romans 2:28,29 – For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: [29] But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Isaiah 42:6 – I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

Luke 2:25-32 – And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. [26] And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. [27] And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, [28] Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, [29] Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: [30] For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, [31] Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; [32] A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

Micah 5:3,4 – Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.

Zechariah 13:9 – And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.

Hebrews 8:10 – For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 185

August 13, 2004

Servant Israel Glorifies God by Jesus, Israel’s Seed – Part 4

ISAIAH 49:7A – Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers,

He was, and still is, rejected by his own nation, but this act of hatred and rejection has not been limited to the descendants of the man Israel. The overwhelming majority of the world’s population shares this rejection of him as the savior of the world, and also the nation to whom he was sent at his First Advent. Most of the men and women of the world today still choose to hide from him in their spiritual darkness. There is little esteem for him among those labeled as the wise of this world.

Isaiah 53:3 – He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

The king was sent to be the ruler of all mankind from Israel, but he came as a servant to all. He should have been elevated to kingship, but both Jew and Gentile rejected him.

Micah 5:2 – But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Mark 15:12-14 – And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? [13] And they cried out again, Crucify him. [14] Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.

Matthew 27:24,25 – When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. [25] Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

His blood has been on them for almost 2000 years by their own choice as a nation. During that long time period many rulers of nations have been saved from their sins by faith in him and his promises.

Isaiah 49:7B – Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.

Soon he will return, not as the sacrificial Lamb, but as the Lion of Judah, and he will rule from Israel over all the nations of the earth.

Psalm 2:6-12 – Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. [7] I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. [8] Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. [9] Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. [10] Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. [11] Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. [12] Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

To kiss the eldest Son of the Host on both cheeks was a sign of showing respect for his Father, and for him. It was an acknowledgment of accepting him as the heir of his Father. If you did not honor the Son, then you did not honor the Father.

John 5:21-24 – For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. [22] For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: [23] That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. [24] Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, HATH everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Soon the Son will return, and those who have put their trust in him, by believing that the Father sent him to take away their sins, will be spared from his wrath.

Isaiah 66:15,16 – For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. [16] For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.

Revelation 16:1 – And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

I Thessalonians 5:9 – For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

Ephesians 1:12-14 – That we should be to the praise of his glory, who FIRST trusted in Christ. [13] In whom ye also TRUSTED, AFTER that YE HEARD the word of truth, the gospel of YOUR SALVATION: in whom also AFTER that YE BELIEVED, ye WERE SEALED with that holy Spirit of promise, (They heard, they believed, and their souls were eternally sealed – That is TRUST)

PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 186

August 20, 2004

Servant Israel Glorifies God by Jesus, Israel’s Seed – Part 5

ISAIAH 49:8 – Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

John the Baptist was the messenger of the Messiah, and Jesus was the Messiah, the messenger of the covenant.

Malachi 3:1 – Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

He came suddenly to his temple immediately after his baptism and temptation by the Devil, which marked the start of his ministry as Messiah of Israel, then departed into Galilee, and later returned to cleanse the temple for the first time on the first Passover of his ministry.

The event described, while Jesus was in Galilee, in the following verses from Luke, is the announcement of the fulfillment of the plan laid out in ISAIAH 49:8.

Luke 4:14-21 – And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. [15] And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. [16] And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. [17] And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, [18] The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, [19] To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. [20] And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. [21] And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

ISAIAH 49:9A – That THOU mayest SAY TO THE prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves.

According to Matthew 4:12-17, Jesus also fulfilled ISAIAH 49:9 while he was in upper Galilee. They were to come out of spiritual darkness to him as the light of God’s truth. He called to them to come out and show themselves – not to hide as Adam tried to hide from God.

Genesis 3:9,10 – And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? [10] And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Matthew 4:12-17 – Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; [13] And leaving Nazareth he came and dwelt in Capernaum which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: [14] That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, [15] The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; [16] The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. [17] From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

ISAIAH 49:9B – They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.

After they had come to him as the light that shinned into their hearts by the power of God, then he would do what he promised in 49:9B, as described in John 10.

John 10:7-11 – Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. [8] All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. [9] I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. [10] The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. [11] I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

John 10:17,18 – Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. [18] No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

John 11:25,26 – Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: [26] And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

John 10:27-30 – My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: [28] And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. [29] My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. [30] I and my Father are one.

PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 187

August 26, 2004

Servant Israel Glorifies God by Jesus, Israel’s Seed – Part 6

Isaiah 49:10 – They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.

I am well aware that this Scripture is normally applied to the millennial reign of Christ and, if it stood alone I would so interpret it but, in the context of the verses in which it is placed, I believe it to apply to the little group of men that followed him for more than three years, his first New Testament Church. Please read the previous Prophecy Update 186 for an exposition of why I believe this to be the case. Their spiritual hunger and thirst for his word was satisfied by him. He protected them from the harmful elements of nature while with them. He had mercy on them and led them. He guided them to the living springs of spiritual water. One can sense a fulfillment of 49:10 by him while he led his first church by breaking it down into its component phrases.

“They shall not hunger nor thirst” [49:10A]

John 4:31-34 – In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. [32] But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. [33] Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? [34] Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

John 6:26-29 – Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. [27] Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. [28] Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? [29] Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

John 4:10-14 – Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. [11] The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? [12] Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? [13] Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: [14] But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 6:32-36 –Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. [33] For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. [34] Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. [35] And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. [36] But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

“Neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them” [49:10B]

Psalm 121:5-8 – The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. [6] The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. [7] The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. [8] The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

“For he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them” [49:10C]

Psalm 23:1-6 – The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. [2] He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. [3] He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. [4] Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. [5] Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. [6] Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. (The Tabernacle and the Temple were the house of God where his Spirit dwelled, as is each one of his local churches today.)

Ephesians 2:22 – In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

I Timothy 3:14,15 – These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: [15] But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Ephesians 5:26-27 – That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, [27] That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Ephesians 1:22,23 – And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, [23] Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

I Corinthians 3:9 – For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

I Peter 2:2-5 – As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby: [3] If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. [4] To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, [5] Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God BY Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 3:21 – Unto him be glory in the church BY Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.

Each local church is to be “a spiritual house, an holy priesthood,” where spiritual hunger and thirst are to be satisfied by the truths of God’s Word, and where all spiritual sacrifices are offered up through Jesus Christ, according to the truths of the New Testament.

John 1:17 – For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

John 4:23,24 – But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. [24] God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Ephesians 2:22 – In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:30 – For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 188

September 2, 2004

Servant Israel Glorifies God by Jesus – Part 7

Isaiah 49:3,10,11 – And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. [10] They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. [11] I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.

I have already fully exposited on verse 3 in Part 1 of this series on Isaiah 49, and verse 10 in Part 6. It would be helpful to review Parts 1 & 6 before reading Part 7.

Verse 11 is well defined by Isaiah himself nine chapters earlier. It means that he will level the way to salvation to all men by making valleys through any mountains that might act as obstructions to those others than Jews, and will lift up the depths of any valleys that block light from the Gentiles, who could not see the glorious light of Messiah shinning from over the steep rims of the valley walls.

Isaiah 40:3-5 – The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. [4] Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: [5] And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and ALL FLESH shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

John 1:11-17 – He came unto his own, and his own received him not. [12] But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: [13] Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. [14] And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. [15] John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. [16] And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. [17] For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

John the Baptist was the messenger who came announcing Messiah had arrived to fulfill the Abrahamic covenant, and to bring in the promised kingdom. And Jesus Christ was the Messenger of that covenant, who came to his temple to set on its throne as David, but both the messenger and the messenger of the covenant were rejected.

ISAIAH 49:11 – And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.

Isaiah 40:3-5 – The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. [4] Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: [5] And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

The messenger John announced him, and Christ came to remove all obstructions that might block the way of salvation to God by faith in him as the Christ, the Messiah. Luke confirms this in the following Scriptures by quoting from Isaiah 40:3-5.

Luke 3:4-9 – As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. [5] Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; [6] And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. [7] Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? [8] Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. [9] And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

What a tragedy that Israel still rejects him today, and the vast majority of Gentiles, ever growing in number, are doing the same in these twilight days of the age of the Gentiles. What a tragedy that this last generation of the Gentile age is an even worse generation of vipers than was Israel when they rejected their Messiah. They are rejecting the repeated warning of the wrath that is to come for their rejection of the same Messiah that Israel rejected. Israel, as a nation, continues in unbelief, and the Gentiles are fast approaching that same condition.

Romans 11:32,25 – For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. [25] For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

I Thessalonians 5:4 – But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 189

September 10, 2004

Servant Israel Glorifies God by Jesus, Israel’s Seed – Part 8

Isaiah 49:11,12 – And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. [12] Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.

Sinim – A remote people, from whose land the people could come to the light of Israel (Unger’s Dictionary).

I fully exposed on verse 11 in Part 7 of this series, but I will at least briefly mention it before covering verse 12.

It meant that God would level the way to salvation to all men by making valleys through mountains that might be obstructions to those other than Jews, and would lift up the depths of any valleys that could block light from Gentiles who could not see the glorious light of Messiah shinning atop the steep rims of the valley walls. John the Baptist announced the Messiah that God sent to make the way of salvation plain to Jew and to Gentile.

Isaiah 40:3-5 – The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. [4] Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: [5] And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

This prophecy was fulfilled when John came as the one chosen of God as the messenger who was to announce the messenger of the covenant, the Messiah, the man who is the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Luke 3:4-6 – As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. [5] Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; [6] And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Simeon had been promised by God that he would live to see the arrival of the Messiah who would give salvation to Israel and Simeon, as a very old man, actually held him in his arms, and gazed upon the Messiah with eyes of flesh, seeing the Christ who would be a light to the Gentiles, and the Glory of Israel.

Luke 2:28-32 – Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, [29] Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: [30] For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, [31] Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; [32] A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

Jesus the Messiah has broken down the outer barrier, which did not allow the Gentiles to worship God in the court of the Israelites in the inner Temple complex.

Acts 15:7-9 – And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. [8] And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; [9] And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

Ephesians 2:13-18 – But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. [14] For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; [15] Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; [16] And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: [17] And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. [18] For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

ISAIAH 49:12 – Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. (See Sinim definition above).

John 10:14-16 – I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. [15] As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. [16] And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Ephesians 2:19 – Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

Galatians 3:24-26 – Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. [25] But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. [26] For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

All who receive Christ as the eternal one time offering for ALL sins are set free from the condemnation of God eternally to serve him, without fear of ever being placed back under his condemnation to hell. All such believers are placed in Christ by God, and Christ comes into them by their faith in him. They are of “the household of God.”