A critique of a post entitled, How the end will come, By Pete Garcia.

This essay was, in a sense, a critique of a short post from Pete Garcia. You can view his page, education, and background on the Telegram app as REV310. 

Part two of at least three.

The numbered points are things that you may have heard in church, however, they are rarely clarified or understood. I happen to think that most of these items need definition, especially when it comes to the Revelation.

We pick this up a 2a.)

2a.) Bema Judgment of the raptured Church in heaven. (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10)

I have heard this for most of my life and it came across a lot like this, “You lousy sinners are going to stand before the throne of an angry God and get the punishment you finally deserve.” It turns out God did not say that, the speaker did, and they were probably expressing a tremendous amount of angst over some childhood abuse; I know I do.

Let's start with 2 Corinthians 5:10 because that is where we find a direct reference to the judgment seat of Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 has NO direct statements about the Bema seat, but, if you are willing to do the work, you will notice that the passage has everything to do with this nondescript and undefined time frame. If you think about the number of people going up in the rapture, and we all, allegedly, have to stand before Jesus in individual judgment, then how long should that take? In human terms, oh, say a thousand years. Well, the reality is that Jesus, just moments after the rapture has to begin opening the seven seals that begin the judgment and wrath of God. So, He is just a little busy.

Doesn't seem feasible that this “judgment” happens to all of us at the same; and that all of us going through this transformation understand immediately that He has just stripped away all of the earthly things that we thought made us important? Allow me to enforce what I just said with a scripture passage or two. Don't panic over what these passages include, just pay attention to the idea that the things of this earth, like status and money, will pass away.

2 Peter 3:10 NASB But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

Everything burns with God's fire, including your ego. But on the positive side, I am speaking to Believers, who have their hope based on heaven and a life of acceptance and peace in Jesus.

James 4:4 CJB  You unfaithful wives! Don't you know that loving the world is hating God? Whoever chooses to be the world's friend makes himself God's enemy!

Some translations open with “You adulteresses.” I hope you realize that adultery happens in both sexes, so don't go getting haughty with your wife. We, are the bride of Christ, whether you like that idea is of no consequence, it is, however, something you need to work out in your head and spirit.

Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, explains adulterous in this manner:

“...in Israel the breach of their relationship with God through their idolatry, was described as "adultery" or "harlotry" so believers who cultivate friendship with the world, thus breaking their spiritual union with Christ, are spiritual "adulteresses," having been spiritually united to Him as wife to husband.”

Keep in mind that we are still talking about the Bema seat of Christ.

Were you aware that all judgment has been given to Jesus, the Son?

In the gospel of John, we find this.

John 5:22 ERV  "Also, the Father judges no one. He has given the Son power to do all the judging.

I immediately heard these words inside my head.

“Why then, have I heard church leaders talk as though God is angry and judging me now, leaving me little hope of a confident future in heaven?”

I recently attempted to have this conversation with a friend of mine, but he can be judgmental at times and did not wish to understand the question.

I will tell you why people will throw such manipulative condemnation at you; it is because they do not trust themselves to wholeheartedly follow after Christ. Therefore, whether consciously or unconsciously, they feel the need to control you by pushing you toward a sin driven mentality that constantly has you repenting before God, as though He was incapable of forgiving your sins, even though Jesus, took them on Himself, on the cross.

One last shot at the Bema and then we can move on.

In 2 Corinthians 5, where we see the Bema seat of judgment, the Greek word implies that is primarily a raised place mounted by steps. The verse continues but you rarely this next part, “so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

Recompensed is the Greek word kolumbaō and means to care for, take care of, provide for, and to carry away – as if we had been in some danger. To receive, the promised blessing.

Many have equated this to the platform at the Olympics, where the victors stand to receive their rewards for accomplishments. Even if you do not see an allusion to the Olympics, the idea is certainly there once we look at the meanings behind the Recompensed.

There is a moral to this story and it is NEVER take simple words for granted.

3. Seven year tribulation (Daniel 9:24-27; Matthew 24:5-28, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12; Revelation 6-18)

   Mr. Garcia makes no mention of an interesting fact that Jesus informs us of. That our life, in this world, will always have tribulations associated with it.

   "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 NASB)

   So our thinking, about the things that will transpire during the seven-years, should be such that you understand that the first half will be brutal and bloody, beyond your imagination, and yet the second half gets worse.

   Daniel 9 does not use the word tribulation, but the majority of the translations refer to a prince that is coming. Why does Pete Garcia mention that? That prince, acknowledged here as “he,” makes a seven-year covenant with many; it is this time frame that defines the “tribulation” as far as the length of time. We know from Jesus' explanation that the second half of this period will be worse than the first.

   "For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. "Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short. (Matthew 24:21-22 NASB)

   Note: The passages of Daniel 9, say NOTHING about Israel being included in this covenant, a fact that tends to change the dynamics of the covenant as most think that the peace is being made with Israel.

   Daniel 9:27 NASB "And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate."

   The Hebrew word from which they decided should be prince is nâgı̂yd or nâgid, in either case, it means a commander, whether it be civil, military, or religious; it can also mean a governor, a leader, a noble, prince, or (chief) ruler.

   The terminology supports a wide variety of characters, but the thing that demands our attention is those seven years.

   Matthew 24:5-28 is where you find the phrase a great tribulation. I find it interesting how the phrase great tribulation is a single Greek word thlipsis. The Strong's concordance tells us that this word has a primary meaning of pressure. Pressure can be an everyday event for many of us. The word carries additional meaning such as afflicted, (-tion), anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, trouble.

   2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 does not directly address a great tribulation. It does, however, use a verse, that if read in a proper translation, tells you that the church must depart from this earth before the antichrist (he, the prince, the Assyrian, the insolent king, the beast,) will come; and yes, he has many names.

   The passages also help to define who the antichrist is, and inform us that we, the church, are the primary thing that is restraining this character from emerging on the scene, as yet.

   Again, while none of this speaks with precision to the great tribulation, it does help to define the events are contained within that time period.

   The last collection of passages that Mr. Garcia uses is Revelation chapters 6-18.

   I will say this, for the vast body we call the church, this is overwhelming as this is where God's wrath is defined and poured out upon the earth.

   First, you need to know that God's wrath was never meant for the church. Why? Because Jesus took all of the Father's wrath upon himself. He became the perfect and spotless, sacrificial lamb on our behalf. This is one of the reasons that we follow Him.

   Secondly, people will fight with you if you say that this is God's wrath. I did not say it, God did, so get over it. While the Revelation does mention tribulation, the word is never used to define what is coming during those seven-years. Alternate words might be judgment and punishment.

   Thirdly, you never see the church mentioned during any of the chapters addressed; this is only a problem as many within the church believe we are already in the time of God's wrath. Sure, what is going on is bad, but the bloody butchering that is coming will cause today's problems to take the back seat when it shows up

4.  Second Coming (Zechariah 14:1-4; Matt 24:27-31, 26:64; Rev 1:7, 19:11-21)

Whenever this conversation comes up you have to determine if the speaker is talking about Jesus coming to gather His bride, or He is coming to finish the judgment. The finality of judgment is what we see in Revelation 19:11-21. However, the final judgment takes place 1000 years later at the great white throne. 

  Paul, writing to the church in Thessalonica, reassured them that they had not missed the catching away of the church.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 KJV)

As I read this I am aware of the amount of celebratory noise as Jesus announces, it is time.

And where do we go?

To meet Him in the clouds.

Did I miss something?

Not really, but notice that He, in this case, did not come riding triumphantly in on a white horse, prepared for a decisive battle, with all the saints following Him, He came in the clouds.

Scripture tells us, that when He comes in this manner, the battle is quite likely over in seconds. He will stand upon the Mount of Olives and then the ground will split open and crack the old Jerusalem in two. This is the only place in the Bible where Jesus will physically come back to earth.

Does Zechariah 14:1-4 speak to the second coming? Let's see.

This is one of the specific places that it speaks about His feet touching the ground, which does NOT happen when He comes back for His church.

Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 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. (Zechariah 14:1-4 KJV)

One of the things you rarely hear about is the events that happening almost simultaneously, and leading up to Jesus' physical return.

"It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it. (Zechariah 12:3 NASB)

So as Jesus lands on the Mount, the nations will be represented there, most likely involved in an onslaught against Israel/Jerusalem. This speaks to a frequent question, how many wars will the world see between the catching away of the church and Christ's return?

• A massive one is Ezekiel 38-39, where Gog is killed upon the hills of Israel. The arguments lean toward both sides of the rapture of the church. So, be ready.

• Some feel strongly that Psalm 89 is indicative of another war, but when? Perhaps this is what we see in Zechariah 12:3.

Just know this, Israel, after the rapture, will be in constant turmoil.

Pete Garcia references Matt 24:27-31 as something that may speak to the second coming.

"For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. "Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. "But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. "And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. "And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. (Matthew 24:27-31 NASB)

A call in my Spirit to pray, that, and a word to the servants of the Lord.

Here it is, mid-July 2020, and if I were to try and analyze my emotions over the last few days, I would have to say, I am troubled by what I see coming.

Am I worried?

Not about my relationship with Abba, but I do have concerns about whether the violence we are experiencing will spill over into my home. You see, I have been dealing with rage issues for most of my adult life, and I do not believe that God is calling me to take a sword and cut these people in half. Thankfully I have a deeply inset relationship with Jesus Christ and a wee bit of maturity.

This morning, after hearing about more ugliness, such as New York now subpoenaing people who refuse to comply with the COVID tracers, I felt a tremendous call in my spirit to pray.

This is not just about me praying, but it is an attempt to get this dead entity we call Church to pray. Understand this, we, the church, dead as it is, are the very thing that is holding back this onslaught from going full frontal attack; now that will happen, but NOT on our watch. 

2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 NASB (6) And you know what restrains him now so that in his time he will be revealed. (7) For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. (8) Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;

Do you understand what this is saying to you? 

There is a man of lawlessness coming; we like to call him the Antichrist. He has many names scattered throughout the Bible. But lawless is an excellent description; and, he is being restrained or held back, but only until the Church is taken out of the way. 

Does that mean that we, the Church, will not have to suffer in any manner? 

Pansies, Jesus told us that tribulations would be a way of life for Christ-followers. He also said that we would be hated because of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Count yourself fortunate that you have been able to live in the United States for the better part of your life, because our brothers and sisters in the Lord, in other parts of the world, get dragged from their churches and shot or get firebombed, among other things. So, no, there is no guarantee of safety and security, especially now that fools are defunding the police.

Consider something, if lawlessness is a demonically driven attribute, is it possible that others could be infested with this demon of lawlessness? 

Look around you; what do you see? 

Lawlessness permeates the very being of those we have entrusted with our money, lives, health, and safety. New York Mayor Bill De Blasio is an excellent example of this lawlessness as shootings have gone up 205% since he defunded the NYPD. The New York City Mayor, while helping to paint the words – black lives matter, on the street, in front of Trump Tower, has canceled all large gatherings in New York City, except for the Marxist BLM group. This is the same organization that wants to dismantle our society.

I might as well throw in my own Governor, Gavin Newsome, into the mix, who, while closing the parks and beaches, is annoying enough, but he crossed the line and the constitution when he closed our churches. Under threat from the President of the United States, he, and other Governors, allowed churches to reopen but then many of these same Governors decided that we can only hum while wearing our masks. This mandate occurred at the same time as bars and Wine tasting rooms were being re-closed. I did not know our self serving Governor owned a wine tasting room. Wouldn't you know it, the county in which his winery sits did not go back on restriction. Many noticed that he snickered when he pointed out in an interview that his winery was still open. I do not know if it was Christians standing against the tyrant, but a substantial crowd went to his winery and protested. Guess what; he shut the doors on his winery.

The morning that I heard this call to pray, the Holy Spirit said to me, amongst other things, tell them that you are to call confusion down upon them.

I run a lot of things through my wife, as I am trying to keep my gifting of rage out of the mix. She responded with, I never thought of that. I decided (as though I have original thoughts) that I would start looking at passages to find the word confusion and see if there was a precedent for its usage against an enemy. I also wanted to know what the effect would be when this was prayed over those who are choosing to riot, loot, and take six city blocks captive.

So I did a search for the word, and here is what I found. 

Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. Psalms 35:4 KJV

Confusion is the Hebrew word châphêr, pronounced khaw-fare' – and means to be: ashamed, disappointed, confounded, brought to confusion.

Confounded is also a great word. It is the Hebrew word bûsh, and much like confusion means to be ashamed, disappointed or delayed.

King David held back very little and said what his heart felt. I suppose that is one of the reasons that God seemed to love this man so much.

So I want you to also note that David wanted this particular enemy also to be put to shame. Strangely, confounded and confused should have covered that, but look the word shame up, and you find this.

Shame is the Hebrew word kâlam and means to wound. It also conveys the idea of taunt or insult, along with meanings comparable to what we see with confusion and confounded.

David was asking God to wound them.

Let them be turned – is the word sûg = to flinch, go back, retreat, or apostatize, go back, turn away, and turn back.

Apostatize is a bit of a church word, but take the religious bent out of it, and it becomes a powerful weapon. APOS'TATIZE, v.i. To abandon one's profession, to forsake principles which one has professed, or the party to which one has been attached.

We see this enemy that David is facing, devising his hurt. 

Devise is H2803 châshab and means to plait or interpenetrate that is, (literally) to weave or (generally) to fabricate; figuratively to plot or contrive. To plait is to braid or weave, and we see these words conveyed in the phrase devise. 

Hurt is the Hebrew word ra. In its purest form, the word means bad, or evil: - The implications of this action against you can lead to your defamation or death. The overall hope of the enemy is that you are destroyed and left ineffective.

Doesn't this imply that this enemy is trying to work their way into your life to convert you or kill you, slowly and intricately?

Peter, on the Day of Pentecost, spoke these words over the crowd of 3000. 

Acts 2:16-18 KJV But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; (17) And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: (18) And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy:

Why would they need to prophesy? 

Prophesy – prophēteuō means to foretell events, to speak under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Why would there be a need to do this, especially since we have the scriptures to tell us, with almost exacting precision, what will happen next? 

The answer is because MOST of you have no clue what is in that stack of Bibles you own.

To make myself clear, my wife got invited to go to a friend's Bible study. The friend rented a room out to a lady that is a proficient bible teacher and a bit of a prophet. The friend, who calls herself a Christian, lives like the devil, has no clue what the bible says, and had the audacity of telling the group how her father came back to her after his death, made her feel all peaceful, and moved some stuff around the room to prove he was there. The Bible teacher told her what I would have; you just told us that demons visited you. She argued for her point of view, even after the Bible teacher left the room.

Let's push this just a little bit further. Remember when Saul ordered all the mediums out of the kingdom and went searching for one himself later. At this point, Samuel, the only man that seemed to hear from God, was dead. Saul convinced the medium to call up Samuel. This was not the typical demonic adventure for the dear lady, as Samuel did come up, and she freaked out. Samuel, on the other hand, angry that he had been awakened, verbally lashed Saul and told him that his kingdom was now permanently stripped from him. [Read the story for yourself in 1 Samuel 28.]

So, the prophet Joel, many years before Jesus' death, declares “on my servants and on my handmaidens, I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.” Well, guess what, you and I, those that follow after Jesus, are his servants and handmaidens. 

That morning that the Holy Spirit said to me, pray confusion over them, He was telling me to prophesy to His people a directive on how to pray. 

Why?

Because it is time to draw up the battle lines. We are not fighting a conventional battle, and we are not doing it with useless, conventional weapons we have had our weapons upgraded thanks to the Holy Spirit, to more powerful spiritual weapons, we call them the Sword of the Spirit. 

(Why would I say that we are not fooling with conventional, useless weapons? Maybe it's because I watched a man in Salt Lake City, get out of his car with a compound bow and a limited amount of arrows. This poor guy made angry motions toward what could be equated to the walking dead, they swarmed him, took his weapons, turned his car over, and burned it.)

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 MKJV  For though walking about in flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. (4) For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, (5) pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ; (6) and having the readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Tell me you caught all that! 

• Yep, we walk about in the flesh, and there should not be a single person denying that fact.
• But we should all understand something about our circumstances; THIS WORLD IS NOT OUR HOME.
• But we cheat because we do not war according to the flesh.

That means these unsuspecting fools will not know what hit them, and there is little to nothing that they can do about it, because Jesus, our intercessor, pleads with the Father on our behalf.

Think of this as though you are about to knock down a hornet's nest. If you have ever done that, then you know that the hornets are going to come after you. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, WE WIN. 

Our weapons are not the kind you are used to; they are not fleshly weapons like knives and guns. They are, however, MIGHTY through God, for the purposes of pulling down strongholds.

Strongholds are the Greek word ochurōma and mean fortifications, a castle, a stronghold.

Since the Jewish council was the direct ruling authority over the Jews, they laid down the law to Peter and John; and in Acts 4:18, the disciples were threatened and commanded never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. Some would tell us that we are to obey the law of the land.

Look at what the disciples said. 

Acts 4:19-20 NASB But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; (20) for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard."

Once again, we have a precedent set in which we are to obey God rather than men. In my case, it's the Governor. 

Do you have the possibility of being put in jail? 

The short answer is yes.

When the disciples were released, they returned to their companions and told them what had happened. Their response – they worshiped God and prayed.

Acts 4:24 NASB And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, "O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM,

The disciples pointed out the situation.

Acts 4:25-28 NASB who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, 'WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE, AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS? (26) 'THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND, AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.' (27) "For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, (28) to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.

And then said: 

Acts 4:29-31 NASB "And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, (30) while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus." (31) And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

One of our weapons is the Angels. 

AND LIKE A MANTLE YOU WILL ROLL THEM UP; LIKE A GARMENT THEY WILL ALSO BE CHANGED. BUT YOU ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT COME TO AN END." But to which of the angels has He ever said, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET"? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:12-14 NASB)

So you have the right to dispatch angels against your enemies. Keep in mind, that God, through the action of an angel, killed the firstborn of Egypt in one night. 

Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, and he bowed all the way to the ground. The angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary because your way was contrary to me. "But the donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, I would surely have killed you just now, and let her live." (Numbers 22:31-33 NASB)

In 2 Samuel 24, we see an angel stretch out his hand, and 70,000 people died. 

Then David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Let us now fall into the hand of the LORD for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man." So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning until the appointed time, and seventy thousand men of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented from the calamity and said to the angel who destroyed the people, "It is enough! Now relax your hand!" And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. (2 Samuel 24:14-16 NASB)

For David's sake, 185,000 were killed by an angel.

'Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, "He will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield or throw up a siege ramp against it. "By the way that he came, by the same he will return, and he shall not come to this city,"' declares the LORD. 'For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David's sake.'" Then it happened that night that the angel of the LORD went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead. (2 Kings 19:32-35 NASB)

Are you beginning to understand that we have a variety of weapons at our disposal; use them all. 

Prayer, which is you talking to Abba, is priority one.

Acts 12:5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God. 

Romans 12:12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 

Ephesians 6:18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 

Philippians 4:6 NASB Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 

1 Peter 3:12 NASB "For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

It is fascinating how Peter could write these words all those years ago with the same enthusiasm as I feel now. The difference is, the end of the church on the earth is here. 

1 Peter 4:7 NASB The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.

Now, more than ever, it is time to stand in the face of the enemy. 

What you pray is not necessarily important; and, I am not trying to tell you how to pray.

If you feel the need to say poetry to God, then you go ahead and do that.

To me, prayer is more of a battle cry, something in which I restore my strength and faith. The idea behind all this is to fuel your fire.

We are not here to bow before an enemy.

In the days of the Philistines, if they took you captive, your male organs were removed, and they lopped off one ear.

This is a battle for our lives and the lives of others.

With that being said, say what you mean and mean what you say. Lives are on the line.

Consider these words: 

Father, the rulers of this world, and the people have gathered together against your people and Christ Jesus. Take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence. 

(More than anything else, at this time, we need strong words based in the Word of God. Contrary to what my mother believed, God is not asking us to just stand there and let the enemy slap our faces, or order us to bow. God never asked any of His people to do that, and I will never ask you to do that. I will tell you that if you choose to fight on their terms, you will die on their terms. Peter tried that trick, and Jesus told him to put his sword away. Those who live by physical weapons will die by physical weapons.)

Father, I ask that you bring confusion upon them and thwart every plan that they endeavor to do. 

Cause their plans to fail. 

Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after our souls: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise our hurt. 

Let our adversaries be clothed with shame, as with a mantle, and wound them.

Father, I ask that the ministering angels not only encamp about your people but go after those that would try to harm us.

Knock their teeth out. 

Bring upon them the plagues of Egypt, and Cause locusts to disrupt their actions by getting in their eyes and mouths. 

Put open sores and boils upon the flesh of those that mean us harm.

Cover them with a veil so that they cannot see and cause them to stumble as though they were in darkness. 

Open the windows of heaven and pour out torrents of rain upon them. Send hail and lightning. 

Cause the earth to open and swallow them. This action is not new to you, and you can do it again.

I pray these things in Jesus' name because you said I could, knowing that Jesus stands on my behalf before you Abba. You are the great God, and I know that you hear me when I call on you, Lord, because I belong to you, and I am calling on you now to save us. Do what you do best and save your people, the church. 

In Jesus precious name.

The Coming Antichrist and the rapture of the church. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10

Chapter one

I had recently written, once again, a study on 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10, and thought I did a fairly good job of making my point, that the rapture comes first and then Antichrist arrives, along with God's wrath, but things change.

What changed you might ask?

First, there was the COVID 19 virus, that put the world in a panic. We, as a nation, also got put in quarantine. That quarantine turned into something of a joke as it got extended, first by the President, then by our California Governor multiple times, to the point that we were under quarantine for three months. During that quarantine, we were told that the church was non-essential, and churches were ordered closed. Surprisingly, our government, namely our California Governor, seems to have forgotten that we had a First Amendment to the constitution.

It reads:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

After a reasonable amount of time, many Pastors began to push back against the California Governor. Our own President Trump even got involved on behalf of the churches by demanding that the dictatorial Governors reopen churches because they are essential. In case you had not heard, here in California, by the end of the three months, we had more people die from suicide than from the COVID 19. My own church, did not take assertive action along with the others, but we did, in time, institute a drive-up/or sit in the parking lot church, and that was fine. All this initiated in early March of 2020.

As I look back, I am thankful that this seclusion led me to find other pastors on the internet. I found bold men, such as Pastor JD Farag, in Hawaii; Pastor Tom Hughes, from San Jacinto California; Pastor Jack Hibbs, of Chino Hills California, and James Kaddis, the Pastor of Signal Hill Church in Long Beach, California. These men preach a powerful, fearless gospel, and most opened their churches early. But the best of it was the messages that they brought and how they pulled no punches.

This time with these pastors, and the messages about the end times, was one of the biggest changes for me.

Here it is mid-June of 2020 and Pastor JD Farag recently stated,

after years of teaching, he still found himself struggling to sort out the timing of the rapture and Antichrist’s entrance into the end times scenario based upon 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3. (This struggle to understand the chronology of what is going to happen, is all to common in the church.)

But then, as he said, I settled it. (That means he got the facts straight in his thinking, applied some faith to the subject, and settled it; never to struggle with it again.)

It is my belief that settling the timing associated with the rapture and the Antichrist has become pivotal to me, since March of 2020; because, since the beginning of March, we, the church, have submitted to:

fear; quarantines; a voluntary loss of our rights; the loss of our ability to assemble at church; the mandatory wearing of face masks, and soon, a mandatory “vaccination,” which we have learned will do nothing outside of marking you with a scannable nanodot. Many of us, are alarmed at how rapidly these changes have altered not only our world but us. If it goes the way the globalists want, we will not be able to work, shop, or go anywhere without this “vaccination.” And, if you are not aware, this is all meant to show you your need for a centralized government under one leader – a one-world government.

Does anyone else see the biblical themes running through the current events we are dealing with here?

What does this all mean?

It means that the emergence of the Antichrist and a one-world government is right around the corner. Thus, I implore you to settle these details about the catching away of the church and the coming of the lawless one in your heart and mind as well. And no, this is not just about you, although you should be capable of expressing and explaining to others this hope that we rest upon.

Why did Paul write this letter to the church in Thessalonica?

Because a fraudulent letter had at minimum, been distributed, to the church in Thessalonica; the effect of which, disturbed their peace, and filled many in the church with fear, as they thought had been left behind.

How did Paul respond to this fraud?

By reestablishing truth with them. He wrote them a second time, in an effort to refresh their thinking, and by reexamining a vital truth without rehashing all the details he previously taught. An example was given of a college professor who gives a lecture, upon which the students will be tested. Several weeks later, days before the exam, he reexamines many of the vital points he made. Does he, once again, give the entire lecture? No, because they should have gone over those notes themselves. He is merely reestablishing in them, what is coming. And thus Paul begins to write, now, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 ESV  Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,  (2)  not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

“Now concerning the coming.” Coming is the Greek word parousía and means to be present. It also implies a coming to a place or an arrival. 

Eugene Peterson in his version of the Bible expresses this about verse one. “ ...the day when our Master, Jesus Christ, will come back and we assemble to welcome him.”

Other translations read like this: The CJB states- “in connection with”; the NASB reads - “in regard to,”; and the Amplified Bible declares, “But relative to the coming.” As long as the terminology conveys the association and immediacy of His coming, we should be good.

The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is interpreted in one of several ways:

Primarily, “The day of the Lord” is one of those interpretations and pertains to several events, all of which are associated with the seven-years of God's wrath. The Word of God also speaks of this in terms of a day. 

If you do a search for the phrase, “the day of the Lord” and it shows up over 22 times across the Bible. In the book of the Prophet Joel, we get this.

“Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near, And it will come as destruction from the Almighty.” (Joel 1:15 NASB)

And He also addresses it as a week of years. For example, in Daniel we see -

"Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. (Daniel 9:24 NASB)

If God were talking about actual weeks, to the Jews that would be about a year-and-a-half. It is actually 70, seven-year periods of time, and it took us up to Jesus' resurrection. However, that only covered 69 of those time periods. The seventieth has been on hold, waiting for its moment to arrive that is described as “when the fullness of the Gentiles has come.

Romans 11:25 NASB “... a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;

In the Revelation we see many martyred saints getting this answer from Jesus.

Revelation 6:11 NASB And there was given to each of them a white robe, and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

That seventieth, seven-year period is the time of God's wrath upon the earth, and you see that in Daniel 9:24 (which I have shown you above.) This time is what we refer to as the tribulation, however, the tribulation is a highly inappropriate term as tribulations are what Jesus described would be a daily aspect of our lives. There is, however, a segment of time, within the seven-years, which will become so deadly that Jesus calls it a time of great tribulation and points out how God has to bring it to an end or no one would survive. This scenario is associated with Matthew 24:15, however, Daniel 9 tells us, another one will cause the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION. At this point, if you are in Israel, run for your lives.

“for then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days should be shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened.” (Matthew 24:21-22 MKJV)

I wish I could tell you that this ugliness will be confined to Israel, but I cannot.

Secondarily, there is another advent associated with Christ, which is frequently thought of as the day of the Lord, and that is when Jesus returns to earth as the warring Messiah.

Revelation 19:11-15 NASB (11) And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, He judges and wages war. (12) His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. (13) He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. (14) And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. (15) From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the winepress of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.

His coming back in this manner is at the end of the seven-years.

If you were one of the survivors I would think you would be screaming Hallelujah because all sufferings are about to end, as we enter the thousand years of peace that takes place right before eternity and the total elimination of Satan.

3. The third and most vital interpretation, as concerns the church in relationship to God's wrath, is what we call the rapture.

When it comes to the catching away of the church, we, the church, are looking for Him to come in the clouds, but He, at this point, will NOT physically return to earth and will merely gather us back to Himself. Scripturally, we have this:

They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11 NASB)

This was not said to the disciples to clarify the day of the Lord; this was said to strengthen and encourage hope in the disciples who saw the most amazing man, die, come back to life, and leave them. They had a hope that He was the one who would save them, but standing there watching Him ascend into the clouds must have stripped the hope right out of them. They needed more hope – a hope that He would return for us.

Another passage that speaks of this time is 1 Thessalonians 1:10.

“and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:10 NASB)

Since we know that the wrath, according to 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10, comes almost immediately after the church has been removed, then what we see in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 is indicative of His gathering of His church; and, the church is not included in “the day of the Lord,” which includes His wrath.

Having a clear understanding that this “day of the Lord” and what so many call The Tribulation, are the same thing, is essential.

Continued: See chapter two. omharris.com

A short course in Isaiah, chapter 14 verse 3-23. A taunt against the king of Babylon.

If you recall, this all started with a video I reposted on Facebook. In that video, the Pope was portrayed as having used this passage about someone. I realize this is very vague, but so is my memory, and I don't feel like looking up the video to be precise. I, as usual, had re-posted that video without fact checking. But, here is the clincher as far as I am concerned. A response came, from an acquaintance who has a Masters degree in Theology, and he attempted to excoriate me,by telling me that the Prophet Isaiah was quoting a mythological tale about a mythological Babylonian king, and therefore has no reference to Lucifer/Satan the enemy of God, Jesus, and the church.

So what did I do? I looked at the 45 commentaries I have collected to see what they say, and many agree with what the acquaintance said. However, they added something he failed to mention; there is no factual, or written evidence to validate their claims, and the boldest, like IVPBBC, will tell you that.

There is another problem with this twisted interpretation that the subject is someone other than Lucifer/Satan. In pitching your case, you are asking me to believe that the Prophet Isaiah would stoop so low as to quote mythology, effectively adapting the worship of the gods of the Gentiles, and pass it off as from the Lord. I don't think so!

Maybe we would have more respect for Isaiah and his words if we knew a little more about him. Much of the following comes from the IVPBBC.

• Isaiah, the son of Amoz, ministered in and around Jerusalem as a prophet to Judah during the reigns of four kings of Judah: Uzziah (called "Azariah" in 2 Kin.), Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (Isa_1:1), from c. 739-686 B.C.
• He evidently came from a family of some rank, because he had easy access to the king (Isa_7:3)
• His writing style has no rival in its versatility of expression, brilliance of imagery, and richness of vocabulary. The early church father Jerome likened him to Demosthenes, the legendary Greek orator. His writing features a range of 2,186 different words, compared to 1,535 in Ezekiel, 1,653 in Jeremiah, and 2,170 in the Psalms.
• Second Chronicles 2Ch_32:32 records that he wrote a biography of King Hezekiah
• The prophet lived until at least 681 B.C. when he penned the account of Sennacherib's death (cf. Isa_37:38).
• Tradition has it that he met his death under King Manasseh (c. 695-642 B.C.) by being cut in two with a wooden saw (cf. Heb_11:37).
• Isaiah is quoted directly in the NT over sixty-five times, far more than any other OT prophet, and mentioned by name over twenty times.
• According to Gill's commentary, “it stands first of all the prophets; though the order of the prophets, according to the Jews (a), is, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and the twelve. But it is here placed first, not because Isaiah prophesied before the other prophets; for Joel, Jonah, Hosea, and Amos, begun before him, namely, in or before the days of Jeroboam the Second; but because of the excellency of the matter contained in it.”Last

That is quite the resume, and, it could have included much more. There isn't a single thing here that promotes the idea that Isaiah would have pursued such a foolish idea, one that slaps God in the face by using an undefined mythological character.

So, that being said, let's dissect this thoughtfully. Sorry if I repeat things previously covered in posts, but that was several months ago. I will try to be concise (like that is going to happen.)

Isaiah 14:3-23 MKJV

3) And it shall be in the day that Jehovah shall give you rest from your sorrow, and from your fear, and from the hard bondage which was pressed on you,

• “Jehovah shall give you rest from your sorrow, and from your fear, and from the hard bondage which was pressed on you,”

Has that day come? Some might say, looking at the narrow view and saying, sure, when Israel was released from Babylonian captivity. Sadly, that was not the end of it, and, as you know, Israel was not a nation again until when, “On May 14, 1948, in Tel Aviv, Jewish Agency Chairman David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the State of Israel, establishing the first Jewish state in 2,000 years.”

Now, just because they became a nation, did all fear and sorrow end? Hardly. Even though Israel has only grown stronger since their inception, they have been in a continuous state of flux, violence, and threats. One of the most recent has come from Iran.

I am surprised, but I shouldn't be, as Pastor John MacArthur succinctly states, The future earthly kingdom of Messiah is in view. Cf. Act_3:19-21.

“and send you the Messiah he prepared for you, namely, Jesus. For the time being, he must remain out of sight in heaven until everything is restored to order again just the way God, through the preaching of his holy prophets of old, said it would be.” Acts 3:20-21 MSG)

4) you shall take up this song against the king of Babylon and say, How the exacter, the gold gatherer has ceased!

If that day is the day that Jesus returns physically to earth, it will be at the end of horrendous tumult and death, not only at God's hands but from the violence of man as well. When Jesus comes, he comes conquering. If we could assume that the enemy is Islam with ISIS as its front man, then it would easy to see Jesus slaughtering all of them, but that is not the case, as He only kills off those who choose to fight against him.

Anyone who watches the less than prime time news, knows that Islam happily trains children as young as age seven to handle an AK47. Fortunately for us, Jesus is the judge, and He judges in a perfect way.

All that being said, there will be peace and those established by God will be the peacekeepers. With the advent of the Messiah, judges set up to rule, and the end of wars for a thousand years, this would be the point at which Israel, at least the remnant thereof, will take up this song against the king of Babylon.

Apply a little logic here. Has there been a king of Babylon lately? NO, unless you want claim Saddam Hussein might have been held this title.

5) Jehovah has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers 6) who struck peoples in wrath, a blow without turning away, ruling the nations in anger, a persecution without restraint.

Jeremiah 25:33 "Those slain by the LORD on that day will be from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be lamented, gathered or buried; they will be like dung on the face of the ground.

Jeremiah 39:17 "But I will deliver you on that day," declares the LORD, "and you will not be given into the hand of the men whom you dread.

7) All the earth is at rest and is quiet; they break out into singing.

There is only one point in time in which this can happen. We see an example of that in Revelation 19 where Jesus comes riding back to earth upon a white horse. The land will be ruled by judges that God sets up, and there will be peace for a thousand years.

Verse 8 is where is the passage gets personal.

8) Yea, the fir trees rejoice at you, the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since you have fallen, no woodcutter will come up against us.

• "the fir trees rejoice at you,"

  To whom are the fir trees speaking? That will become apparent momentarily, and since we have no known written references to this mythological character we will have to go with what we can ascertain, perceive, and understand by letting scripture interpret scripture.

• "Since you have fallen,"

  In Luke 10:18 Jesus told the disciples that He beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

  There is another, somewhat cryptic description, in Revelation 9:1, as it describes a star falling from heaven. “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.” Since we understand that Jesus stripped the keys to death, hell, and the grave, from Satan, then it is possible that Satan and this star are one in the same. Since a star gives light, and verse 12 of Isaiah 45 also speaks of the "shining star of the morning," then we are probably on the right track.

9) Hell from below is moved for you, to meet you at your coming. It stirs up the dead for you, all the he-goats of the earth. It has raised from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

The statements I made concerning verse 8 can also apply here.

10) All of them shall speak and say to you, Are you also as weak as we? Are you like us?

• "all the kings of the nations."

  These are the ones doing the talking here. They do not make these comments until Jesus returns to earth as the Messiah and shows Satan for who he is. (As a side note; the angels are enormous and powerful, so I do not think we are talking about size here. Consider how we love to portray Satan as a red horned monster when he is probably just the opposite.)

• "Are you also as weak as we? Are you like us?"

  Since they - "the kings of the the nations," are allowed to see what happens to Satan and how he is taken captive and made a prisoner, then perhaps this speaks to their fate.

11) Your pride is brought down to the grave, and the noise of your harps. The maggot is spread under you, and the worms cover you.

• Pride – runs the gamut of expression: exaltation: - arrogance (3), eminence (1), excellence (1), glory (1), majestic (1), majesty.

How could it be that Satan could be both arrogant and filled with an excellence and majesty? It can't, unless at one time he held a position of supremacy once, but no longer.

12) How you are fallen from the heavens, O shining star, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!

We gained a little more clarity when we use another translation. Isaiah 14:12 KJV “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!”

• “O Lucifer, son of the morning!”
  Lucifer is from the Hebrew word helel and means a shining one: - star of the morning. Based on this alone I can understand verse 11 better. However, the word helel is a derivative of the word, hâlal / pronounced haw-lal', meaning to be clear (originally of sound, but usually of color)
  • hâlal is where we get our word hallelujah.
  • So, Lucifer was not only the shining one but the angel of praise.

13) For you have said in your heart, I will go up to the heavens; I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north.

If you were to have doubts as to what caused Satan's fall, here it is.

14) I will go up above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.

It was Satan's intent to assert himself above God. How would you do that without first stripping God of his authority? You don't, however, this is what you see in the fall of man, deception with the intent of stripping the man of his dominion over the earth, as well as the rights to the earth. If this sounds far-fetched, then consider the how and why of Satan offering Jesus all the power, riches, and kingdoms of the earth. Satan seized control of them all through deception, for God had given it all over to the man and told him so.

15 ) "Yet you shall be brought down to hell, to the sides of the Pit."

I believe we have established that this is Lucifer, thrown down from heaven, but we have some problems that may affect our understanding.

• Does what Jesus said in Luke's gospel, indicate that Satan was thrown into the pit, where he is incapable of moving about or causing us any trouble?

  At this point, NO! I believe that what Jesus expressed either represents Satan being removed from his place, or it is speaking of a time to come.

  Because Satan was trying to offer Jesus the kingdoms of this world, then it proves that Satan had control over them. Was there a time when Satan was stripped of his authority? YES, and that happened during the time Jesus body was in the tomb. We see God, in Hebrews chapter 1, restoring all power to the Son, and more. Since Jesus stripped Satan of the keys to death, hell, and the grave, then we can safely conclude that ALL power has been restored.

• The other point of contention arises when we see Satan, before the seat of God, mixed in among the other sons of God.

  This is only a problem because we have improperly taught that Satan was exposed of immediately. His day will come soon, but not yet.

16) "Those who see you shall stare and closely watch you, saying, Is this the man who made the earth to tremble; who shook kingdoms; 17) who made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed its cities; who did not open the house for his prisoners?"

Again, tradition and expectation, cause us to think that Satan looks like this.

In reality, he stills retains his original form and quite probably his beauty. Considering that the damage (our propensity to miss the mark that we love to call sin,) seems to be built into us likes to center itself upon lustful, selfish desires. And, how the majority of those wants are extremely attractive, wouldn't it make sense if Satan, formerly Lucifer, the bearer of light and the song leader of heaven, was beautiful also?

Another reason we might be surprised is the overwhelming destruction he has caused.

Isaiah 14:16-17 MSG People will stare and muse: "Can this be the one Who terrorized earth and its kingdoms, 17) turned earth to a moonscape, Wasted its cities, shut up his prisoners to a living death?"

18. All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, everyone in his own house. 19) But you are cast out of your grave like a hateful branch, and like the clothing of those who are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; like a dead body trampled under foot. 20) You shall not be joined with them in burial, because you ruined your land and killed your people; the seed of evildoers shall never be famous.

    Eugene Peterson's, "The Message" translates this segment in this manner: "Other kings get a decent burial, honored with eulogies and placed in a tomb. But you're dumped in a ditch unburied, like a stray dog or cat, Covered with rotting bodies, murdered and indigent corpses. Your dead body desecrated, mutilated-- no state funeral for you! You've left your land in ruins, left a legacy of massacre. The progeny of your evil life will never be named. Oblivion!”

At this point it appears that Christ has forcefully taken Satan captive and apparently held him up for all to see.

21) Prepare slaughter for his sons, because of the iniquity of their fathers, so that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.

• " Prepare slaughter for his sons,"

  Why are we the children of God? Because we engrafted ourselves through acceptance of Jesus Christ, the Son. In contrast to our being accepted into the kingdom and life with the Father, Satan's followers have a slaughter prepared for them. In a strange way, this can be equated to the Walking Dead, and these are the zombies that cannot die. Humans are all created/born with an eternal spirit. One can attach that spirit to God, or to Satan. God, on the one hand, says He will never leave you nor forsake, while Satan, it seems, could care less. I suppose some would choose not to believe that, but there is nothing he will do to save you or protect you from what is to come. Since you will not die, then you will spend eternity following the leader of your choosing.

22) For I will rise up against them, says Jehovah of Hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name and remnant, and son, and grandson, says Jehovah. 23) I will also make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water; and I will sweep it with the broom of ruin, says Jehovah of Hosts.

• "For I will rise up against them, says Jehovah of Hosts,"
  • Whom will Christ rise up against?
    The sons of iniquity, otherwise known as followers of Satan.
• " and cut off from Babylon the name and remnant, and son, and grandson, says Jehovah."
  • What does that mean?
    Perhaps another translation will help.

Isaiah 14:22-23 MSG "I will confront them"--Decree of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies-- "and strip Babylon of name and survivors, children and grandchildren. 23) " GOD's Decree. "I'll make it a worthless swamp and give it as a prize to the hedgehog. And then I'll bulldoze it out of existence." Decree of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies.

• “I will also make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water; and I will sweep it with the broom of ruin, says Jehovah of Hosts."

  Again, another translation and another passage bring clarity.

Jeremiah 51:37 NET. Babylon will become a heap of ruins. Jackals will make their home there. It will become an object of horror and of hissing scorn, a place where no one lives.

Let's end this here. We are not talking about a mythological person who has no written evidence to validate using him as an argument, but a fallen angel who had his name changed. It is evident that Lucifer/Satan has had an adverse impact on the world. Something that caught my attention, and I have never heard a teaching that includes this detail, is that this descriptive of Satan transitions into Babylon. Isaiah 14:21 tells us that God considers the followers of Satan to be his sons and they will be punished along with Satan. While Babylon carries a number of meanings, the one that impacts us, the church, is the “spiritual” one that overshadows all the ruling bodies of the world. In the book of Daniel, it is referred to as a fourth kingdom, different from all the rest. See Daniel 7:23. As my girlfriend stated, there must be a shadow government that runs our government, that, and all the other governments of the world.

As my girlfriend stated, there must be a shadow government that runs our government, that, and all the other governments of the world. Theory/assumption was proven today 10/21/2016, as WikiLeaks published President Obama's personal email, which talked about former President Bush speaking to now President Obama, establishing that he would become the current President. This has nothing to do with a single man, but an organized, upper echelon group of people who actually are trying to run the world. Scripture describes these people and their modes of operation as Babylon and the Harlot that rides the beast, in the book of Revelation. 

It is time to wake, but it may be to late for many.

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