John 18:36 ~ And Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is My kingdom not from hence.The Amplified text reads this way ~ Jesus answered, My Kingdom (kingship, royal power) belongs not to this world. If My Kingdom were of this world, My followers would have been fighting to keep Me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, My Kingdom is not from here (this world); [it has no such origin or source]. Please bear with me as I lay a foundation for the understanding of this most crucial and hotly debated subject. To start to understand just about everything in the Kingdom of God we have only to look at these things in the eyes of the spirit. Or as Paul said, the eyes of our understanding. In man's carnal nature, those of us in the church today are continually trying to physicalize everything about His Kingdom. We forever have to prove or have a sign to convince us things are indeed as God says. This doctrine of a secret, hidden or dual rapture is no different. We search and search the Scriptures for the signs of the times and just what these signs are to be confident God is telling us the truth. Attempting to see in the physical that which God only meant to be seen in the Spirit. But Jesus faced this very same form of unbelief when He dealt with the church of His day.
Luke 11: 29 ~ And when the people were gathered thick together, He began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonah the prophet. What is the sign of Jonah? The sign of Jonah was a shout or a call to the people of Nineveh to repent of their wicked ways. Likewise, the same holds true today. God is sending His Spirit forth again to the world and especially this entity that calls itself the modern day church. In particular those that claim to be His. He is sending the spirits of Ezekiel, Jonah and John the Baptist forth into these places that have the lambs and the sheep ensnared and bound.
There is no possible way we can understand the principles of the Kingdom of God fully in our natural mind. Some things will always remain foggy. Many, many things will have to be trusted to our faith walk. It's the nature of our carnality. But this is indeed a good thing. Without Faith we cannot please Father. To fully understand our Father and His Kingdom we have to meet Him as He is. Only in Spirit. The Kingdom of God has its origin from the Spirit and no where else as Jesus just said above. It will take the mind of Christ to comprehend these wonderful, glorious things. But, this should be no problem as we do have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:12-16 ~ Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13) Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with Spiritual.
14) But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15) But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16) For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.This is the express reason why Jesus taught in parables. He taught the spiritual using the natural to describe it in terms we can grasp. He taught this way because He knew we couldn't understand many things unless He likened them to the natural. Also because teaching this way is timeless. How better to teach infants and children? In Mark 4: 11 & 12 Jesus said to His desciples that there are many who willfully reject the Truth. His desciples asked the meaning of the parable of the Sower. And He said to the, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of God; But unto them that are without, all things are done in parables.
12) That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understnd; lest anytime they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.We all start out in this way as the desciples. Not being fully able to grasp some of these wonderful teachings of Christ. But this is indeed the purpose and plan of our wonderful Father. He taught in parables to the masses but explained all things or the inner secrets and mysteries of God to the ones who sat excitedly at His feet. The mature in their understanding. The obedient that have laid all else aside to be with Him and have a close relationship with Him. This is the place those of us who claim allegiance to Him should desire to sit today. We should have that earnest excited desire to sit at the feet of the Master and be taught by Him alone.
This whole chapter in 1 Corinthians 2 above is Paul laying the foundation of Kingdom things to the church in Corinth. Which he considered to be a foolish fellowship at times. They weren't that far removed from paganism and many sought to return to it. As He says in this chapter and on into chapter 3; He's delineating spiritual things from the things of the natural. He says clearly in chapter 3, and we can see this to be true, we are two men or two persons. We are a spiritual man, and we are also a carnal man. Both made up in one creation. Both living and abiding on the same plane.
But he is ever trying to get them to understand the principles of the Kingdom of God can only be witnessed and proved through the spiritual eyes. And in this, the carnal man will have to back off so the spirit man can live and grasp these things. Both cannot exist in a complete walk down the narrow way and both do not have the same understanding. One understands to believe you have to see. The other says in order to see you have to believe. Complete opposites. In the beginning, at our initial salvation; Both do exist together with very little conflict. But as our walk continues on, one or the other will be forced to give way. A war will surely ensue.
This is borne by Peter's words in 1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. Only one can live in the end. Now again this isn't a physical death of the body while we're here on earth lest we couldn't be of service to our Lord. It is a conscious, willful act on our part in the putting to death or the putting off of the carnal deeds, works and nature of the flesh.
What did Paul say about it? Romans 8: 11 - 13 ~ But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.
This quickening is a resurrection of our flesh from the dead works of carnality and an energizing of our body for service to the Kingdom of God by the exercising of the good works in the Spirit by and through our Faith. And these are not the works that we think they are today in the church like tithing, church attendance, door to door evangelization, etc.... But we are here on earth, to be of service to Him and only Him. This is the first resurrection or the better resurrection spoken of in Hebrews 11:35. This is the same resurrection spoken of in Revelation 21:4-6.
The quickening of our mortality to remain faithful to Christ unto death, if need be. The ones who stand on the Gospel of Christ which is the Gospel of denying ones self and being prepared to suffer for His sake. Notice I said being prepared. Because God makes the decisions in these things. For some of us death in defense of the Gospel will be our lot in life. But this better resurrection can only come about by the salvation of our soul and the walk of sanctification of our spirit man. Or the refinement by fire of our fleshly man through His Spirit that dwells in us. This is the salvation and sanctification for His duty unto death. The first step in this journey has to start with us saying---Yes, Lord. I will do anything you ask me to do.
The only way we can be counted worthy of this Gospel is the same way the disciples were counted worthy. And that is through the trial and testing of our flesh in the teaching and preaching of this Gospel. We all have this same calling whether we know it and accept it or not. If not just our own immediate family. There is no other way. There is nothing different or special about us that we are somehow excluded from this same walk. If Jesus physically walked into our life today; He would say the same thing to us that He told Peter and Andrew ~ Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men. I wonder if we could throw our nets and livelyhood down and follow Him?
But this is called entering the Kingdom of God self sacrifice and tribulation. It's the only way this Kingdom can be entered. Jesus says the same to us today. Leave it all and follow Me. Acts 14: 22 says ~ Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God. Please notice; He doesn't say ~ Confirming the souls of the pew warmers. This word above is the same Greek form of the word tribulation that's used in Matthew 24: 29. This is not the word---wrath--that is used by those of us who use it prove a secret rapture. Please remember this because this one word--wrath--is a crucial support of the understanding of these brethren that are misled.
Just as there are two bodies, one spiritual and the other carnal. There are two acts of God's grace that works upon our inner man to complete our whole person. Flesh and spirit ~ salvation and sanctification. Romans 8:12&13 says ~ Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13) For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye live through the Spirit and mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.2 Corinthians 5:1-8 also says ~ For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2) For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven.
3) If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4) For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.Listen what Paul is saying. We do not desire to put off this body but rather to put on the clothing of God's Spirit over this body to cover it from the shame of sin and carnality. He is saying, we don't desire to put off this flesh but further clothe it and cover it by consecration and sanctification through the Holy Spirit. It stands to good ole common sense that if he says we desire not to die, then he is saying that we do desire to live and be of service to God. This is the same spiritual clothing Adam and Eve lost when they rebelled and disobeyed the Father. This was God's protective cloud. The same cloud that is spoken of in Exodus 14:19 & 20. They didn't know they were naked until the rebellion to God's commands brought sin upon them. It's interesting too that this same nakedness is spoken of in Revelation 3:17 & 18.
2 Corinthians 5 - 8 ~ Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, Who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6) Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7) For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Put in Kingdom terms, we walk by the leading of the Spirit not by the dictates of the flesh.
8) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.What Paul is saying above in Romans 8: 13 means to completely crucify or put to death the way we physically operate in God's Kingdom. God's Spirit will direct us in all of the ways He desires us to go, if we trust Him to do this. If you look at the Kingdom of God and try to understand it through your carnal eyes you will not live at all. There is no life in our carnality whatsoever. And as a born again child of God there awaits a slow death of our spirit if we attempt to be led by the flesh. As long as the carnal man in us tries to take center stage, the spirit man in us will wane, or just simply back off. Our Spirit is fashioned after God and after all ~ He is Father. With practice; Our spirit learns to be a gentleman because God is. And this does take daily practice. Paul also says above in 2 Corinthians 5 - 8 that as long as we are spending time in the gratification of our flesh we are away from God's presence, which is His Spirit of Life. Truly, Life is in the Father's presence.
Paul understood the principle of the dividing wall or veil between our flesh and spirit. Again, He completely grasps that we are two men, one spiritual one fleshly. This is explained in 1 Corinthians 15: 33 - 44 ~ Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
34) Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
35) But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?
36) Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die
37) And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
38) But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him, and to every seed his own body.
39) All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
40) There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
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:
43) It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44) It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45) And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46) Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.He says clearly ~ There is a natural body and a spiritual body. The natural body was created first and the spiritual afterward. Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3: 5& 6 ~ Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Nowhere in God's Word ever does Jesus or Paul say we will revert or regress back to this physical realm again as some believe. For instance ~ He doesn't say the carnal first, then the spiritual, and then back to the carnal again. And to believe in the rapture doctrine as it's taught today in many sects, one would have to indeed stand on this.Please understand this. The ONLY physical body of flesh and blood that has ever and will ever walk in Heaven is Jesus. Do you know why? Because His body was and is sinless. Think about it.
1 Corinthians 15: 47 - 54 ~ The first man is of the earth, earthly: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48) As is the earthly, such are they also that are earthly: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49) And as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51) Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.Notice the two underlined phrases above. We have born past tense ~ We shall also bear future tense. We shall all be changed, in a moment, in the same moment, in the same twinkling of an eye, not separately. 53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54) So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. Praise His Holy Name!!!Notice Paul separating these two states of being. Mortal and corruptible. These are two different animals, Brethren. Mortal is referring to our flesh and corruptible is referring to our soul. Look what he says in verse 50 ~ Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. You will see as this subject progresses that I kinda over emphasize and explain much about our two natures. But I do this because we in the church of today do not fully understand this concept. The majority of us are forever continuing to walk around as a Jekyl and Hyde so to speak. Continually reverting from one to the other and back again. This is natural at first as a immature believer but to grow up in the things of the Kingdom of God that natural man in us must die daily. This has to be a conscious, willful choice on our part fueled and sustained only by the Grace of God.
Mortality is that part of our carnal man that is subject to physical death. Verse 53 says ~ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. Again, this that is corruptible is the other part of our carnal man our soulish man or that man that either responds to the Holy Spirit or the devil. That part of us that we do indeed have control over as to who he listens to. Mortality refers to our physical flesh.
Matthew 13: 24 - 30 ~ says in the parable of the Wheat and Tares that the elect will be here to overcome this world. ~ Another parable put Jesus forth unto them, saying, The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field
25) But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26) But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27) So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares?
28) He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29) But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30) Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
The wicked will be taken out or gathered up first to be burned and the righteous will be here to overcome and go through the coming refinement. Verse 43 says ~ Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their dear Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Five questions to ask yourself if you stand on a secret rapture doctrine.
1) If the saints are not to go through the tribulation, who are these elect spoken of in Matthew 24: 22 and Mark. 13: 20 ? His Word says these elect are here after Jesus tells of the coming woes that will come upon the whole earth and all that dwell upon it. God's Word says tribulation first Matthew 24: 21 & 29 ~ Rapture or the catching up is second.
2) If there is a rapture or we are caught up separately or secretly from that which occurs in Matthew 24: 31 ~ Mark 13: 27 and Luke 21: 27 or a dual rapture; Where in God's Word does He speak of a separate Trump of God to announce this event? God's Word says there will be only one shout or a last Trump. Only one more shout. Jesus will only come back one more time. To believe in this rapture you have to believe He will come back a third time to destroy evil once and for all. How are these that are secretly caught up called ? How will they be aware of the event? How will they know they are called?
3) How can the parable of the Wheat and Tares be explained in any other way other than the righteous will not be taken out or removed first? This parable expressly teaches of the harvesting of the fields that are white and ripe for harvest. This parable is very clear in that His Word specifically speaks of the evil being taken up and burned and the true wheat being left to be refined. Also in this parable---Notice that the tares will look almost exactly like the true wheat. So they are to be left until maturity. Hmmmmm. This kinda sounds like those of us who are playing church today.
4) In John 17: 15 ~ Did Jesus know what He was praying for in this prayer? And are His prayers ever answered by our Father in heaven? Some believe Jesus was just praying for those there with Him at the time. But verse 20 says He's praying for ALL who will believe in Christ through the teaching of God's Word.
5) Looking at Revelation 3:10 ~ Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Taking the view of those of us who believe that the faithful will be removed before the great tribulation- Question--What reason would God have to try those that dwell upon the earth, if all that is left are those who will be destroyed? This makes no sense whatsoever. Those that are set for destruction or God's wrath will have no need to be tried or tested. Some believe these are those spoken of in Revelation 7:14 which says ~ And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. But this can't be because this word tribulation isn't spoken of after this verse. Clearly there is a sealing of the 144,000 but also (separatly) a great multitude which no one could count and these are they which come out of the great tribulation. God's wrath starts in Revelation 8. Jesus returns in Revelation 11. Tribulation is to try the saints. Wrath is to punish the wicked.
In the past, there have been other trumps of God. But God speaks of a last trump to call the saints and complete this deal. Hebrews 12: 25 - 29 ~ 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.
Matthew 24: 29 ~ Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
Father says above only once more will He shake heaven and earth. Which signifies the removing of those things which can be shaken and to leave those things which cannot be moved. He will remove the faithless and leave the faithful. The faithful are those of us who cannot be moved by the terrible times that will come upon the whole world. This is just the opposite of what most of us stand on in the church today.
Jesus says in Mark 13: 23 - 27 ~ But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.
24) But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
25) And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
26) And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27) And then shall He send His angels, and shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
Do you see both of the and then's above?
Again in Matthew 24 ~Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30) And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31) And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Also in Mark 13 above ~ After the tribulation ~ God's Word says and then He comes. Also in Matthew ~ Immediately after the tribulation of those days and then He comes. Just taking these few witnesses here, I do not for the life of me see how this can be any clearer.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 & 17 ~ 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
17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together (at the same time) with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
There is only one more Trump of God and we all are caught up at the same time, together, not in any way separately. And please, please understand; This has nothing whatsoever to do with the days of tribulation. The days of tribulation will have come and gone by the time of the last Trump of God. These that are taken up will be the faithful that are still physically alive here after enduring through their faith the terrible times.
I said above in regard to us remembering the word wrath, because this word is continually used by these wayward brethren to bolster their misguided beliefs. Starting in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 ~ And to wait for His Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. I cannot tell you how many times I have debated this one word along with the word tribulation. Notice what Jesus says---Which delivered---(past tense) us from the wrath to come.
To explain this fully let me show you how the Amplified text says this ~ And [how you] look forward to and await the coming of His Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead---Jesus, Who personally rescues and delivers us out of and from the wrath [bringing punishment] which is coming [upon the impenitent] and draws us to Himself [investing with us all the priviledges and rewards of the new life in Christ, the Messiah. I know we all can agree that God would have no reason to punish the faithful.
Many say these two words wrath and tribulation mean the same thing. They reason this way because of the escapism mindset. I assure you all, God's wrath will be poured out upon the wicked and impenitent as you just read. But by this time the elect or His chosen those who have remained faithful during the great tribulation on earth will already have been delivered and safely sealed and protected before the seventh and final seal is opened. Revelation 7: 9 - 17. Then and only then will the wrath of God be poured forth.
Now I have to say this ~ even in this understanding that I put forth here, much is still very foggy as to the timelines concerning the book of Revelation and is still yet to be interpreted because the fullness of time hasn't come. Much of the book of Revelation is still sealed and cannot be interpreted to its fullest yet. As is much in the book of Daniel. God will make things clearer and clearer the closer we get to that day.
A few years back, I was in a pretty heated debate over the difference of the two and how they are used. Looking in Revelation 3:10 ~ Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Looking back at John 17: 15 ~ I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. The use of these two phrases in bold text ~ keep them from are exactly the same translation in the Greek lexicon. Looking from the pre-tribbers view---What reason would God have to try those that dwell upon the earth, if all that is left are those who will be destroyed?
This word---wrath---used by some in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 is understood by many to be the same word---tribulation---in Revelation 3: 10. For the very life and breath of me I cannot see this. I have to stress this again; These are clearly two different words not to even mention the translation in the Greek. But I understand how those that are fearful come to their beliefs. Tribulation and wrath are not the same words. There is no question nor debate about it. Tribulation is a testing of the faith. Wrath is the anger, judgment and vengeance of God. Tribulation is for the saints. Wrath is for the wicked.
Does this secret rapture have its origin in God's Word?
This doctrine is what I call a flesh edifying doctrine. A doctrine of escapism. It only gratifies that man in us that holds on so tightly to the things of this world. Can't we see that? Jesus made this point that He doesn't want to sound the retreat very clear in His prayer for all believers, dead, living then, and all that were to come. And I repeat it here. John 17: 15 ~ I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
This keeping from evil is not a physical evil but spiritual. This is not so much a protection of our flesh as it is a protection of our spirit and soul. If we are in need of our flesh to be protected to complete our work here; Then Jesus will do just that. But why would Jesus sound the retreat right when His work in the saints, His Holy Spirit of power would do the most good and show God's glory to all mankind? God will protect His elect physically the same way He always has, by going before them in a cloud of glory during the day and a pillar of fire at night. He never changes.
Please look in your Greek lexicon for these two words---keep and from—--in the context that they are used above in John 17: 15. Those that hold so tightly to this world say concerning Revelation 3: 10 that these same words--- keep and from---are different than the way it's used in John. But it isn't. It's the same use of the words. They are used to mean the same thing.
Please listen brethren---This is doctrine dreamed up from hell. This is a flesh gratifying doctrine. This is truly a doctrine of devils. This is exactly the kind of doctrine Satan would dream up to bolster our desire to satisfy and pacify our carnal nature. I can just hear the devil as he preaches this, "Well you know; You won't have to go through the terrible times of tribulation because God loves you too much to let you suffer. Don't worry, He's going to pull you out before it gets rough. I mean, you were predestined beforehand to automatically live with Him in glory, wern't you? You don't even have to be concerned with your walk. He does it all for you by His grace. Doesn't His Word say this?" ---Yeah, Yeah---And if I partake of the tree that God told me not to eat of I won't die either. This is a lie, brethren. And I'm not making fun of anyone either. This is serious and my heart breaks for all these that are deceived.
All through God's Word the faithful were never pulled out of the fire. They were delivered through the fire of trial and tribulation. Noah and his family were delivered through or by the flood. 1 Peter 1: 20 ~ Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were delivered in the fire. Daniel 3: 26 ~ Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
Paul said in Gal. 4: 13 ~ Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
The Israelites were delivered this same way. Hebrews 11: 29 ~ By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. There is no other way of divine deliverance except by going through or by. Notice these words I have underlined above---by---midst of ~ in and through. They all come from the same root word which in the Greek is EK.
Remember what happened to Eve when she chose to believe the father of lies spew the same kind of flesh edifying vomit. And she chose not to believe her Father? In reality she called God a liar. You shall not surely die. In other words---Did God really say that you would die? Notice neither God nor Satan said anything about this being a spiritual death. Eve was only looking at the natural. Don't we all? Now she had just heard her Father, tell her she would die if she disobeyed. He even used God's Word on Jesus in the wilderness.
Luke 4: 9 - 11 ~ And he brought Him to Jerusalem, and set Him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto Him, If thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down from hence
10) For it is written, He shall give His angels charge over Thee, to keep Thee:
11) And in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone.
As Solomon so wisely said ~ What goes around always comes back around again. The devil is still in the business of using God's Word to pervert our understanding.
God's Word tells us to do this or don't do that and instead, we listen to that loud confident, prideful voice that tells us, God is a liar, don't listen to Him. Revelation 3: 18 - 22 says just the opposite ~ 18) I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
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.
21) 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.
The witnesses above are more that have been misinterpreted to mean something or other about salvation, yet they do not have anything to do with salvation. What they do have to do with is the church repenting. But the church doesn't want to hear that it needs to repent. He speaks of nakedness and purchasing spiritual clothes. How do we purchase these spiritual garments? Verse 18 is clear---He advises us to buy white robes which are more valuable than gold that is 100% pure having been refined through the testing and trials of Holy fire. This testing produces God's protective cloud that covers our unrighteousness. His cloud of Glory is manifested as our faith joins with His Truth through His refinement process--Which is trial and tribulation.
The whole ball of wax---The whole shootin match---The whole and complete issue here brethren is the church is unwilling, unbelieving and fearful to go through tribulation. They are unwilling to accept the fact that God's Word says there is no other way to consecration, sanctification and glorification except by the trial and testing of our faith. There is no other issue here except the church cares more for this life than the Life into the Everlasting. Paul preached this continually. Romans 8: 16 & 17 is clear. ~ 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.
When Jesus comes to get us; What will we be transformed to look like?
Luke 20:34 - 38 This is very clear in these verses as to what we will be likened to. This is where the Sadducees denied that there was a resurrection and were questioning Jesus if a man's brother dies and he should marry his widow and then if he should die, who's wife would she be in the resurrection. God's Word says ~ And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage
35) But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
36) Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
37) Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
38) For He is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him.
He is not a God of the natural but the supernatural. I bring this to Light here because of the belief that some believe this carnal body is gonna fly away. These witnesses above completely shoot down the other form of false doctrine concerning the rapture that says the world will wonder where all the people have gone. Cars will all of a sudden be driverless. Airplanes will be pilotless. This is ludicrous, brethren. And please understand---I'm in no way poking fun at this.
This is serious. We have millions of people standing on just such nonsense that is IN NO WAY backed by His Holy Writ. The man that comes to my mind now that is very famous for spewing forth these lies is Jack Van Impe. This same man has every single dot of the I and cross of the T memorized in God's Word. This doesn't look right to me for some reason. How bout you? It just doesn't seem natural for a believer to be so meticulous. But he in no way holds the patent on preaching these lies. There are many, many others just like him and they all will face the music one day soon and have to give account for ALL that they have led astray. If a man can say that he has studied God's Word enough to memorize every single word and memorize exactly where in His Word these witnesses are; Then he can also know if he is indeed preaching the Truth ~ the whole Truth ~ and nothing BUT the Truth. There will be no excuse that will suffice. And those of us who do understand Truth it is our obligation and duty to tell these men and women. If we don't---The blood of them and all that they have led astray will be required at our hand. Ezekiel 3:20 & 18: 24, 26.
1 John 3: 2 says ~ 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. John says he has no idea of what we will look like but he's sure we will look like Jesus.
No one has any idea what our glorified bodies will look like, neither did John and He's the one who saw in the Spirit those wonders in Revelation. But I do believe my marvelous Father has something even more grandeur, more fantastic than my imagination can dream up. It will make what we see here on earth look like limp filthy rags. He will resurrect us in a new glorified body, sinless as He is sinless, glorified as He is Glory. A body that He fashions with the love that only Father God could fashion. A body that will be the temple for the Holy Ghost for eternity, never more to die. But in order for us to get to this glorified resurrection, God's Spirit will have to dwell in us and with us to complete the work of putting off this carnal body of death and the putting on of the Spirit of Life through suffering for the sake of the Gospel of Christ.
This walk in carnality is our training ground, our boot camp so to speak for us to be completed for glory. A soldier will tell you basic training or boot camp is hell on earth, especially while they're going through it. But that same soldier in Desert Storm will tell you he wouldn't trade that training or back step one bit for it saved his life. The basic training in this boot camp of carnality is what will keep us alive on the battlefield. This body has to die carnally and eventually physically. Just as Jesus had to walk in sanctification through obedience to His Father to put off all carnality. We have the very same walk. The sacrifice for the Gospel. The main reason why our headed for the dirt body won't live in the everlasting is because it was conceived in sin. The fleshly body of Jesus is the only fleshly body that could stand in the midst of God's Glory. His body was sinless unlike ours. Our body will never be able to stand in His presence. It would be consumed.
Paul understood this when he spoke to the church at Galatia in Galatians 4: 19 ~ My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, It's an ongoing work in progress, never to be completed until He comes to get us spiritually. This divine seed or Holy sperm that is implanted in us has to grow to full term. This is the Holy Spirit implanting Himself in us to grow a new man as Mary grew the new Adam. This is the very same Seed that impregnated Mary. This comes in the same way Jesus and His disciples grew this new man. By walking the walk of the Gospel.
Preaching, teaching and standing on and growing up in the Gospel of Christ. We all have this same calling. Jesus didn't say we would be persecuted like He was persecuted just for being saved in a pew somewhere in a building. I sure am glad the 120 didn't stay holed up in the upper room. We wouldn't have a full two-thirds of this Gospel. The persecution will only come as we preach and teach the same way He and the Apostles did. I pray that I myself would be counted worthy of this persecution.
Just as Peter, James and John were overshadowed by the cloud in Matthew 17: 1-7 but were struck with fear when they heard The Father speak, we too are overshadowed by this same Cloud, yet NOW we can boldly approach, with reverence, awe, trust, and peace in knowing He is our Heavenly Father, in Whom we have no fear.
How will we know when He will come?
By the love of the brethren, divine prophesy and spiritual interpretation. Understanding Kingdom principles so we can in turn teach others the same principles Paul told us about this in 1 Corinthians 14:1 & 3 9 (Amp) ~ Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire this love (make it your aim, your great quest); and earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual endowments (gifts), especially that you prophesy (interpret the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching).
3) But (on the other hand), the one who prophesies (who interprets the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching) speaks to men for their upbuilding and constructive spiritual progress and encouragement and consolation. I have to say this; Surely, We can never know the exact time but we can read the times and know it is very soon.
This spiritual catching up is the only way Satan can't get his hands on the operation and pervert it. All of his work will be done in the realm of the physical with many lying wonders. God's Word says the antichrist will be mortally wounded and miraculously be raised up from the dead. And sadly; because of the beliefs in some of the borderline cults---Some will even believe he is Jesus. The ones who are only looking in the eyes of carnality will be fooled by this. And there are many, many mainstream fellowships today that the only way their faith is strengthened is if they get to see some sign and wonder every Sunday. This is indeed tagic. Paul said we are to look in the eyes of the Spirit. Ephesians 1: 18 ~ The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.
If we are only looking with the eyes of our understanding we will know when he tries to deceive us with fake signs and lying wonders as 2 Thessalonians 2: 9 & 10 says. ~ And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth, (His Word) and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming
9) Even him,(the antichrist) whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10) And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the Truth,(The Gospel of Christ) that they might be saved.
Did you here that? Those that refuse to believe the Truth ~ The whole Truth ~ and Nothing but the Truth will be fooled. He's not talking about the world of the lost there. He's talking about the church! Figuratively speaking, many today that claim they have a mansion in eternity reserved, will find out the door has been padlocked when they get there all because they didn't embrace the Truth of the Gospel of Christ.
When Jesus comes to get us after we have fulfilled our work on earth, this carnal, fleshly, headed for the dirt, bodies, will do just that. It will fall to the earth and die and be food for the vultures. This is how we will know when He comes. The disciples asked the same thing in Luke 17:33-37 Jesus said ~ Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.(Whoever will lose his mortal life will gain immortality)
34) I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
35) Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
36) Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
37) And they answered and said unto Him, Where, Lord? And He said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.
He said whoever cares more for their flesh or this worldly life than they do their spirit life or eternity, will die. He says there will be two men in one bed, one spirit man, and his second nature, one carnal man. Same man---Two natures. One woman at the grinding stone, her spirit will be taken her flesh will be left. One man in the field, his spirit taken, his flesh is left. The disciples in their excitement say, When Lord, where Lord, What Lord, How will we know? Jesus said, When the vultures gather to feed on the flesh, then you will know". Isn't this clear? Doesn't this make more sense than what has been put forth? Praise His wonderful Spirit of Wisdom!!!!
Revelation 19:21 says ~ And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21) And the remnant were slain with the sword of Him that sat upon the horse, which Sword proceeded out of His mouth: (The Gospel of Christ) and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
I don't think it can get any clearer. But this feast of the buzzards is when He returns with His angelic troops to destroy the final remnant of the wicked.
Read ~ Matthew 13:19 & 41, 16:27, 24:31, 25:31 ~ Mark 8:38 ~ Luke 9:26. The whole of Revelation 18 & 19 are interesting to read. In Revelation 18 the Spirit of God says for His people to come out of her.The female that He speaks of is the adulterous harlot church of the latter days. I am inclined to believe that when He returns and we leave---He will just set us aside somewhere real safe whileHe takes care of business. Now don't hold me to that. That's just my own personal opinion. But---It makes as much sense as anything else I've heard.
These words about the eagles and vultures gathering in Matthew 24:28 can't be explained any other way. There's no other reason for this what seems to be an out of place verse about the eagles and vultures. Matthew 24:27 - 31 says, all these things are to be taken together, not separately. They will happen all at once with a final shout of the archangel.
Some believe Matthew 24:27 is speaking of the lightening being a sign. But His Word doesn't say this. Again I say, there will be no sure physical signs of His coming until the day He actually comes. There will only be shadows or whispers of the times. There will be signals leading up to His coming. Luke 21:28 says, And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. These are only signs leading up to, not signs of. Just as the people were given a sign of their impending doom by Noah building an ark for 120 years. I'm sure they would pass by and see him building this big ship daily and wonder and jest. Little did they know it but this was their sign, yet they didn't heed it. I believe God would have honored anyone else following Noah's lead and start to build their own ark. My Father is like that. He honors faithfulness and righteousness.
Before we even have the time to acknowledge the sign that we seek, it will be all said and done. He will come quicker than a thief in the night. His actual coming will be as quick as the lightening can flash from one end of the sky to the other, and then it's done, over, Fini'. He will come, gather together His elect from one end of heaven (spiritual realm) to the other and the ones that are alive here on earth when He comes, their body will just drop dead. He will gather all the faithful that have died in the Faith together, and we will all be transformed in the blink of an eye.
God's Word in no way says He will gather His elect physically from this earth. He doesn't say we will fly away in our natural bodies like some teach. Matthew 24: 31 says ~ And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.This can in no way mean a physical catching away. Mark 13: 27 says And then shall He send His angels, and shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
To believe in a secret rapture, there would have to be a secret trump. Who are these secret saints that will be taken? How will we know if we are one? How will we know if we aren't? God doesn't keep secrets from His chosen. The ones who sit at His feet. The ones who have asked Him to know the mysteries and secrets of the Kingdom of God. He has promised to tell us all things pertaining to His Kingdom. Anything He chooses not to tell, we don't need to know and shouldn't dwell on and that's that. All of the answers are in His Word. Because HE IS that Word that sits in front of us on our desk. LITERALLY.
Just as He has said in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 ~ But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3) 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 day should overtake you as a thief.
5) Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6) Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
He's telling us to wake up from our spiritual stupor. He is saying we are not the children of unbelief or darkness. We are the children of Light created to know and believe the things of God.
Acts 1:7 also says ~ And He said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power. And in this God is saying some of these things none of our business right now.
This is also witnessed to in Matthew 24:43 & 44 ~ 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.
In verse 44 ~ He will come at an time when you do not expect Him. When you couldn't expect Him. It will be completely a surprise entry on the scene. As I said, I say again, there will be no warning. It will happen as quick as death comes upon someone that isn't expecting to die. As quick as lightning can flash across the sky.
In this parable of the thief breaking into the goodman's house, He says, If the goodman would have known what hour the thief was coming. He didn't say if the goodman had known if a thief was coming. This implies the man knew a thief was coming but he didn't know when. Otherwise He would have said ~ If the goodman would've known that a thief was going to break into his house, he would have watched. This man's house was going to get broken into no matter what he did. And so will ours.
Another Truth and this is important ~ Don't we know Satan knows the scriptures very well and if he knows what we're looking for and expecting a physical sign, wouldn't it be in his best interest to fool us a few times with false comings and false christs? God's Word definitely warns us of this deception in the last days. I mean, I believe at least we can see this.
What will cause this separation of the Sheep from the Goats?
What is most important to see is this; Something very bad and very deceptive is going to cause the church to fall away and apostatize and mistrust the Lord God in Whom they ought to keep their trust. God's Word says some believers will deny Christ by failing to love and understand the Gospel of Christ. If we don't stand on the one true Gospel of Christ, this Gospel that says we are to be willing to suffer for this Gospel, we are to lay all else aside for this Gospel, we are to forsake this carnal life for this Gospel. If we fail to do any of these things, we deny Him. And if we deny God's Word, the Gospel of Christ which Jesus is, He will deny us.
2 Timothy 2: 10 - 12 ~ Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
11) It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him
12) If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny us:
Satan has his cross hairs trained on the pastors, teachers and expounders of His Word in these last days to deceive them so they will in turn bring many down with them. And he especially has eyes on the youth. He is totally manipulating the pastors and teachers that shepherd the sheep and lambs. These men and women who compromise and preach false or corrupt doctrine, or another Jesus, weak spirited, spurious men, who know not the Gospel of Christ and preach it. These weak spirited men and women that preach to keep the offering buckets full of coin.
Darkness knows he has the world of the lost. He's working overtime in the church to deceive and lead into perdition the spiritually challenged and immature in Christ, they that have not the knowledge of the Kingdom of Heaven. This has been this way all through time. Anyone that Satan sees is getting attention from God, he confronts with lies and comes against the truth of God. Notice how he accused Job.
My personal opinion is the coming terrible times that we will all have to go through and overcome if we want to reign in glory with Him, will cause this separation. Many will be bewildered that they are still here, going through the worst times the earth has yet to see or ever will see. Many believers will be in complete confusion at the loss of all their worldly possessions and at the total unrelenting persecution of the saints, even some unto death. Many will be astonished that they are still here to see the terrible sights in the heavens spoken of in Luke.
Mainly because they have stood on this false gospel. Their parents have stood on it. Even down to the grandparents. Those of us that are weak spirited will curse God for the day we were born. When we discover the doctrine that their great grand parents, their grand parents, their parents and they themselves have believed was false and they are going through tribulation, sadly most of these brethren won't have the spiritual stamina to stand. How will they have gotten it? How can they be strong in the Faith? How can you be strong in Holy Spirit Faith if you haven't tribulated?
I have a subject coming up in the near future that will address and I pray will clarify fully our Lords' words concerning the ~ The Abomination of Desolation. This has been taught as a temple in Jerusalem that is to be built---It isn't. It is this temple of His Spirit that we corporately and individually are.
This has always puzzled me. We will have gratified our flesh for so many generations that our spiritual muscles will be like warm pudding. There is only one way to have the kind of faith to stand in the face of what is ahead this is Holy Spirit Faith. The only way faith can grow is through the trials and tests of life. Jesus and the apostles knew this and taught nothing else.
What part of our man does this doctrine edify and lift up?
What part of our man does this doctrine protect? This is a lie spawned of hell to foster our carnal desires to cater to and gratify and save our own skin. This lie of a secret rapture has been taught for 170 years. Great, great grand parents have learned this and passed it on down to this day. This corrupt doctrine has had many generations to indwell in the soul, conscience and thoughts of mankind. It will be a task to unlearn. They that believe this lie and find out later, will not be able to understand that they were supposed to go through this time to refine their clothing to cover their nakedness and repent for their not loving and embracing the Truth of the Gospel of Christ. Because they have changed the Truth of God for a lie and have worshiped and trusted the creation, or the natural instead of the Creator. They have gotten into bed with a false gospel of health, wealth, peace and safety. They will be given over to their pleasures like Sodom and Gomorrah to be destroyed by fire. Ezekiel 13 is clear on this.
Romans 1:28 ~ And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Any doctrine that doesn't edify our spirit by putting to the death the deeds and desires of the flesh is corrupt doctrine.
What is this temple that will be left desolate spoken of in Daniel and Matthew 24:15?
It is vital that we grasp and understand this Truth. We are individually and corporately God's temple. What ever this falling away event will be, it will be orchestrated by God in that He allows darkness to accomplish whatever deception he has to do to lead the church astray. And this is so all will be judged. God will do this Himself, people! I submit, this is already beginning with the total pervasion of this other gospel in the church.
God says in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 ~ Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10) And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the Truth, that they might be saved.
11) And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie
12) That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
God says that they all might go to perdition because they refused to believe the one True Gospel of Christ, and followed after another gospel and got in bed with it.
Don't we all agree that wherever the Holy Spirit dwells is in fact a Holy place? If He lives and abides in us, and we in Him, or in our heart and in our soul, then we are considered a Holy temple. The tabernacle Moses was instructed to meticulously build is patterned after our body, yet this temple is not made by human hands.
This word patterned comes from the word paternal or fatherly. Moses was instructed to build the Tabernacle exactly as God instructed. In fact our heart and mind is likened unto the Holy of Holies or the Throne Room. The veil or dividing wall as Paul called it has been rent and removed to give Jesus, our High Priest, entry in the form of God's Word into our hearts and minds. This is where God's Word or the New Covenant is understood and rests.
In the original tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant with the tablets of stone, and the golden jar of manna and the rod of Aaron rested there. In the Old Covenant, God had to take the Israelites by the hand and lead them around like a child. The New Covenant says we are the sons of God.
Today--- He says a New Covenant is in force. A covenant of freedom and grace to be called the Sons and Daughters of the most High God! Hebrews 8:10 & 11 says ~ 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 (teachings) 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:
11) And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest.
12) For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
The manna is God's Word. The Bread of Life spoken of by Jesus in John 6: 31 - 35. In these last days He said He will give us the manna that was hidden or secret manna. Revelation 2: 17 says ~ He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
This hidden manna is the answers to the final secrets and mysteries that God has always desired His children to know. This is the same hidden manna that was given to the disciples when they sat alone with Yashua away from the masses. This is the meanings to the parables. This is the inner truths that a believer can only receive if they have devoted their life to Him. This is a place of maturity in Christ, a father in Christ. These are truths not all believers will be able to grasp. Only ones who as I've said, have laid down all else to follow Him. Even if these truths were explained word for word to an immature believer, or someone who hasn't sold out to God, they wouldn't be able to grasp it, it wouldn't be time. Babes require the milk of God's Word. They don't have the spiritual teeth to cut this meat. But one thing is for certain; We can all attain this. And we should all pray daily that He grows us up to do just that.
Something else that we need to notice in His Word. In Revelation, In the letters to the 7 churches given to John through the Spirit there is one word that rings true in all of them. Well, actually there is another but the words or phrase I'm talking about is–--He that overcomes. Overcoming doesn't come by us retreating. Overcoming doesn't come by us cowardly wanting to be kept from His refining fires.
God's Word says in Hebrews 12: 2 ~ Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God.
He has taken His seat at the right hand of the Throne of God. This throne is our soul. Jesus sits at the right of this Throne in our heart. Jesus said the Kingdom of God is within us and around us. This is the temple not made with human hands spoken of in Hebrews and 2 Corinthians. Our soul is where God has always desired to set up His Throne and rule and reign as King. And Jesus was destined to sit down at His right hand. This makes very much sense and more than that, it is true.
In 2 Thessalonians; Paul is warning of the great falling away of the so called faithful unto death. in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-7 he says ~ Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Notice he gives the same warning in Matthew 24: 4 ~ And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 goes on to say ~ Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. This is what is spoken of in Matthew 24: 15 ~ When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand)
Please listen ~ This is the devil taking his place in the throne that is our soul, where God once sat. This will happen when the void is filled when God's Spirit is taken out of the way of those of us who become reprobates. He will sit upon the throne in our soul and declare himself to be god. Doing the works and things that will appear to be God's; but in reality lying wonders. This will just tickle many to pieces. Signs and wonders are what gets many in the church today excited. God will remove the lampstand from many fellowships, in which the lampstand signifies church status.
Most, as usual, are looking at this new temple in the physical in believing this is a temple to be built in the city of Jerusalem. This most Holy place has nothing to do with stones and bricks, this is our heart as I mentioned before. And notice, Satan taking his place in this temple that we are comes after the falling away as Jesus says in Matthew 24:10 ~ And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
The Amplified translation of this verse goes ~ And then many will be offended and repelled and will begin to distrust and desert (Him Whom they ought to trust and obey) and will stumble away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred. This is speaking to the church, not the world of the lost. Backup to 2 Thessalonians 2: 5-7 ~ Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6) And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only He who now letteth will let, until He be taken out of the way.
Verse 7 He Who now letteth will let, until He be taken out of the way. God's Spirit Who restrains the antichrist's coming will restrain him until His Spirit is taken out of the way. Some believe that this is the church being raptured out. This can't be so because Paul says the apostasy comes first or the falling away of those that claim to be the faithful. When God's Spirit is taken out of the way, Satan will move right in to the disobedient and rebellious, and unbelievers soul and it will become his throne. This taking out of the way is when God's Spirit is removed from this earth from all that usurp His grace and misuse His faith, their house or their temple will be left desolate and forsaken. He will remove His Spirit or the lampstand from many individuals and corporately as church fellowships. Those of us that claim to be His but fail to preach and understand the Truth. Revelation 2:5.
Remember Jesus tearing up one side and down the other of the Pharisees, or in other words; The pastors, preachers and ministers of His day in Matthew 23:34-39? This speaks of this abandonement of the temple, Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city
35) That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36) Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
37) 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. Doesn't this sound like this latter day church?
This is clear. Jerusalem will not see Him until He comes back in all His glory. What goes around ALWAYS comes back around again. Jesus is speaking these same words of warning to the rebellious church of today, brethren.
The New Covenant faithful or the bride of Christ, is what will make up the New Jerusalem. Revelation 21:1-3 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2) And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband.
3) And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Notice what He says, that the tabernacle of God is with men. This is speaking of what I just said about us being the new temple. Jesus says behold I send you prophets and you kill them. This is going on today. God is sending His called out ones into the fortresses of religion, as He did before. And those that have chosen to stand only on His Truth are being cast outs and rejects. We had better listen.
We will be known by our fruits.
This New Jerusalem clearly is a spiritual city. Darkness will strengthen his stand by working many signs and wonders. This will appear to be the works of God. But as Paul said, they will be lying wonders. Most in the church won't even know this changing of the guard has taken place because their faith lies in these signs and wonders, They won't stop. They'll just be accomplished by another spirit. The spirit of darkness. The only way they will know is by the eventual hardening of their heart and the love of the brethren waxing cold. This is already happening today brethren.
I get a lot of flak for this message. Because it comes against all the sacred cows and fortresses daubed with whitewash that have been set up for the church to hide behind. Please, please read Ezekiel 13. Most don't believe what I say here to be true, and they will not even take the time to read and hear. All that matters is I am trying to tear down their white washed walls that gives them comfort and their sense of security. The pastors and teachers are shouting PEACE PEACE, when there is no peace. And they attack like a demon possessed person. I have been attacked, called an antichrist, been cursed by "Christians", and have been rebuked as a demon and all of this done in the name of Jesus. This ought to not be so. This only strengthens my resolve. If the Pharisees of this day hate this message, and in turn hate me for teaching it, then something must be right about it. Praise His Name!!!
God's Word says in Matthew 24: 37 ~ But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Genesis 6: 3 also confirms this. Then the Lord said, My Spirit shall not forever dwell and strive with man, for he also is flesh; but his days shall yet be 120 years. So it was in the days of Noah so shall it be at the coming of Jesus. God will remove His Spirit from this earth, no doubt about brethren. If we haven't drawn close enough to Him or if we aren't walking in His light, our lifeless body will drop dead, and we never more will be remembered. Just as the days before in the Old Covenant, Those that are left will be likened unto the two witnesses Joshua & Zerubbabel in Revelation 11.
Many in the church today claim that they are Spirit filled believers but their fruits tell otherwise. Jesus said this is how we are to be known, by what we produce. These disobedient that mocked Noah and pursued evil continuously were put into prison and were preached to by Jesus when He went into hell. 1 Peter 3: 18 ~ God's Word doesn't say they were ever let out. He says He preached to them. This I believe was done strictly for judgement. If they accepted the Gospel of Christ, then they were counted as the children of God. If not, the children of the devil. The same wickedness and preocupation with evil is prevalent today as before when he destroyed mankind. Jesus still enters these spiritual prisons called sanctuaries today and still preaches His Gospel and most are not listening. But what is so wonderful about this day is if we turn from our wicked ways, seek His face and pray, He will go before us to Father as our Advocate, our Counselor, our Comforter, the only Mediator between God and man, The Man Jesus Christ!
I say again. He is in the process of removing the authority (lampstand) that gives a church status to represent Him as His church. His Holy Spirit. If you are in one of these fellowships that stand on this doctrine of a secret rapture; I urge you to flee from it. Get out of her!!!. His Holy Spirit is shouting to us all—Come out of her!!! Praise His Name!
We must remember brethren, these end time prophesies are only shadows or whispers of what the whole picture is. This is the reason why many of us, myself included, can't fully see these spiritual things. We are looking with the eyes of their mind. God says it's not for us to concern ourselves with the day and hour of His coming. He says just keep on keepin on and I'll let you know when it happens.
1 Corinthians 13:9-12 ~ For we know inpart, and we prophesy in part.
10) But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11) When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12) For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. It's all simply a matter of growing up and maturing in the Kingdom of our wonderful Father!
I BID HEART PEACE AND ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSING UNTO YOU FROM HIS THRONE OF GRACE!
