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The lion in the Bible represents strength and power. How is this displayed in the Scriptures? This article expounds on the lion and the Bible.

The Lion and the Bible

We believe that the Scriptures are the Word of God, the inerrant, immutable, and infallible Word of God. On occasion, there is a Scripture that jumps off the page in a way that cannot be shaken.

One such Scripture that has jumped out lately is found in 1 Peter 5:8, which reads, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” We don’t have to look very far to see the application of this Scripture in force. However, far away, it is being enforced even more mightily that being in the Middle East. The devil is having a field day in the Middle East. Thousands have been killed and injured on both sides of the conflict; over two hundred Israelis have been taken as hostages, with it being unknown what their demises may be. Israelis have been raped, tortured, and burned alive, babies beheaded. Innocent citizens of Gaza are suffering from a lack of food, water, and medicine. All of this is at the hands of the terrorist group Hamas—an agent of Satan doing his bidding.

Israel is threatened on two fronts: Gaza and the northern border with Lebanon. Yes, the lion is walking and roaring in the Middle East, Israel in particular.

Israel suffered a surprise attack. With all of its sophisticated equipment and intelligence sources, they were attacked. Hamas had been stealthily planning this attack for two years, unbeknownst to Israel. How could this happen? How did the lion stay so quiet?

Another passage that jumps from its page is Matthew 24:6-8, which quotes Jesus as saying:

6. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Now, the Scripture says, “wars and rumors of wars,” “
and nation against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” So we have Israel against Palestine, more specifically Hamas, the terrorist group, Russia against Ukraine, China threatening Taiwan, and Afghanistan recently had four earthquakes in one week. Oh yes, the lion is roaring! Jesus said these are the “beginning“ of sorrows, “but the end is not yet.”

These words are to prepare us, the followers of Jesus, for a difficult passage of time before His return. A key phrase in this passage comforts us, which is: “see that ye be not troubled.” As political situations worsen, as wars ravage the world, let us, as Jesus’ disciples and followers, not be afraid that somehow God has lost control or that his promises will not come to fruition. Just as false messiahs and religious deceptions come and go, so do political and natural crises. Even when the world seems to be in chaos, God is in control. Such things must happen as part of God’s divine plan. However, the wars and rumors of wars do not signal the end (the end of the world). The nations at war and the earth’s turmoil, revealed in increased earthquakes and famines, would also not signal the end.

Responding to the Lion

While we must never trivialize suffering, all these troubles must not alarm us Christians. Because Jesus has warned us about them, we know that they must precede the arrival of God’s glorious kingdom.

Also, there is another passage that sheds wisdom we should behoove to follow, which is Ephesians 5:15-17, which reads:

15. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

16. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Walk circumspectly refers to how we live. Our responsibility is to live as children of light (5:8) and to expose darkness. Therefore, we must be very careful how we live. Our lives must please God (5:10), and we must conduct ourselves in the presence of unbelievers so as to shine with Christ and draw others to him. This passage encourages us to live not as unwise but as wise. In other words, we must take our knowledge of Christ and apply it to our everyday lives and be especially aware of our conduct with unbelievers. Paul wrote to the Colossians (Col. 4:5 NIV), “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders.”

The Ephesians passage further instructs us to “redeem the time.”
In other words, make the most of every opportunity. We must carefully use our time, making use of opportunities for doing good. This advocates that we should not allow ourselves to be controlled by our circumstances; instead, we should use time as the valuable commodity or resource it is. We must use every opportunity to help draw people from darkness to light. Because the days are evil and unbelievers desperately need help as time is moving swiftly.

We must be wise to what the Lord’s will is and apply it.

Returning to the opening Scripture, 1 Peter 5:8, Peter warned Christians to be alert for Satan, especially in times of suffering and persecution, for he walks up and down the earth seeking whom he or his demons can attack and defeat. We see this in the opening passages of Job (Job 1:7). This is  spiritual warfare.

When we Christians feel alone, weak, helpless, and cut off from other Christians, we can become so focused on our troubles that we forget to watch for danger. In those times, we are especially vulnerable to Satan’s attacks, which come in various forms, often at a person’s weakest spot — such as during temptation, fear, loneliness, worry, depression, and persecution. Therefore, Peter and Paul also urged the believers always to be alert for Satan’s tricks and attacks.

The lion roars mightily in the Middle East. But what we must be aware of is that just as the lion has seeked and roared in the Middle East, just as he sneak attacked Israel, he can do the same in the United States of America and any country in the world.

So we must be first “sober,” which means serious, clearheaded, and self-controlled. And we must be “vigilant,” which means watchful, alert, cautious, and aware. We must be sober and vigilant against what may befall us.

Bear in mind that lions attack sick, young, or straggling animals; they choose victims who are alone or not alert. Peter warns us to watch out for Satan when we are suffering or being persecuted. If you are feeling alone, weak, helpless, and cut off from other believers, or if you are so focused on your troubles that you forget to watch for danger, those are the times when you are especially vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. So, how do we mitigate our vulnerability?

One of the tools to help detect vulnerability is to heed the acronym H–A–L–T. We must not allow ourselves to get excessively:

H-hungry

A-angry

L-lonely

T- tired

When these conditions begin to increase—halt and take action to remedy them.

During times of suffering, seek other Christians for support. Keep your eyes on Christ, and then, as James says, “resist the devil, And he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

The last but not least, Scripture that jumps off the page these days is Eph. 6:13, which reads:

13. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Daily, we must put on, as the Scripture reads, “the whole armour of God.”
So, what is the whole armor of God? It consists of righteousness, the gospel, our faith, our salvation, and the sword, which is the Word of God.

Therefore, forget American Express! It’s the WHOLE armor of God we need—don’t leave home without it!

Another Lion

In closing, above all, the most important thing to remember is that there is another lion stronger than the devil. This lion will roar louder than the devil: the lion of Judah. Jesus is the lion of Judah. Prov 30:30 reads, “A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;”

The lion is the strongest of the animals and doesn’t turn away from anything. Jesus is the Lion that hasn’t turned away from anything. Jesus has overcome temptation, sin, pain and suffering, fear, death, and Satan, the devil himself.

For a quick background, Jacob had twelve sons who eventually headed the twelve tribes of Israel. Judah was the fourth of these sons by his wife, Leah. Judah was the most prominent and most substantial of the twelve tribes and the tribe from which Jesus, the Savior of the world, was born.Judah was the strongest of the twelve tribes and the tribe from which Jesus was born. When Jacob blessed his sons, he said to Judah, his fourth son in Genesis 49:8-10

8 “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you.

9 You are a lion’s cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness — who dares to rouse him?

10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs  and the obedience of the nations is his. NIV

“The Septer,” the kingship, the throne “will not depart from Judah.” Judah produced kings. This prophetic blessing was fulfilled with the birth of Christ. Jesus was a descendant of Judah, as was King David and King Solomon.

When Gabriel announced Christ’s birth to Mary, he said in Luke 1:31-33

31. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

32. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

In John’s prophetic vision of heaven, the perpetuity of Jesus’ kingdom is confirmed. In Rev 5:5, John wrote:

5. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” NIV

There is no end to Jesus’ kingdom. Jesus is the triumphant, conquering king descended from Judah’s lineage. He is indeed the lion of Judah!

Jesus made the one-time sacrifice that will destroy all enemies. Look at what it reads in Heb. 10:12-13

12. But this man, [Jesus] after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

13. From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

In the end, Jesus will destroy all his enemies, including Satan, the devil. Satan can roar, but not as loud as Jesus! Satan is mighty, but the Lord is almighty!

And when Jesus returns and roars, the devil’s roar will be a measly whimper.

So remember what Jesus said regarding His return in Luke 21:28, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”

Therefore, we must never forget that we have hope, not in ourselves or our circumstances but in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We only need to be sober and vigilant, carrying the whole armor of God, living according to His will, and waiting for His return.

Therefore, in the meantime, let us heed the Scripture 1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

Amen

Questions, comments, concerns, and witnessing of the lion may be left below.

Blessings!

The Beatitudes are well-known as part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. However, there are also beatitudes in the book of Revelation regarding the future. This article expounds on the Beatitudes of Revelation.

What are Beatitudes?

Beatitudes are sayings most notably of Jesus, specifically nine blessings in His famous Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew and four in the Sermon on the Plain in the Gospel of Luke. The beatitudes of Revelation contain even more blessings.

Let us look at the ones contained in the Sermon on the Mount. Matt 5:3-12

3. Blessed are the poor in Spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

5. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

7. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

9. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

10. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

These declarations show how we, as Christians, are to live for God. In other words, these statements represent what should be-our-attitude
(beatitude) as we live for God.

The Greek word used at the beginning of each beatitude is the word μακάριος (makarios), which means “blessed,” “happy,” or “prosperous. “Initially, this word did not have religious implications, but more accurately, it was used to denote any privileged individual as measured by material security and prosperity.

The Beatitudes of Revelation

The beatitudes of Revelation are not as famous as those in the Sermon on the Mount or The Sermon on the Plain, but they are just as important. There are seven of them. The first is contained in Rev 1:3, which reads,

3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

This verse closes John’s salutation. A special blessing is promised to those who read, hear, and keep the things written in Revelation. As it reads, “The time is at hand.” Now is the time for the completion of those things that are written. This beatitude is the first of seven blessings throughout the Book of Revelation. Just as there are nine blessings in the sermon Jesus gave in Matthew 5, these blessings are in effect from the time of John the Revelator until the end of time. We are living in a time when the study of Revelation is essential. Studying the beatitudes of Revelation gives us hope and encouragement for the future.

The next blessing or beatitude is contained in Rev 14:13, which reads:

13. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

There is a special blessing for those who die in the Lord, as the scripture reads, “From henceforth,” or as the NKJV says, “From now on.” The timing of this blessing is evident. The prophetic era of this section of Scripture is recognized as ” the hour of God’s judgment”
(Revelation 14:7, the third angel’s message). It is known that the hour of God’s judgment began on October 22nd, 1844, when Jesus entered the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary. For more details on the year 1844, please read the article, What is 1844 About, on this website.

It is during the hour of God’s judgment that the third angel’s
message is proclaimed. Numerous religious Saints have rested in the virtues of Jesus and have died in the Lord from the beginning of time. However, the blessing described in this verse is for those who die in the Lord. “from now on,“ or from 1844 until the return of Jesus.

It is not just any righteous individual who dies after 1844 that this blessing is pronounced. This blessing is given explicitly to those who have endeavored in the heart of the third angel’s message from 1844 until Jesus’ second coming. Those individuals who have declared the Third Angel’s message since 1844 have the assurance that their works will follow them even after they have passed on and are laid in the grave. As the Scripture reads, “…that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”

The next beatitude in Revelation is found in Rev 16:15.

15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” NKJV

Here, we have Jesus Himself commenting regarding the character of His return. He says, “I am coming as a thief.” The arrival of Jesus is described as a thief in several passages of Scripture, such as Matt. 24:42-44, I Thess. 5:2-4, 2 Pet. 3:10, Rev. 3:3. Just as a thief arrives unexpectedly, Jesus will also arrive unexpectedly. He arrives twice as a thief: first at the close of probation and next, the second coming. The Scriptures give us ample time to avoid our being taken by surprise.

Next, we have the beatitude, “Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” This is the third of seven “blessed” or beatitudes in Revelation.

Jesus not only warns of how swiftly His Second Coming will be but encourages His people to watch for His arrival (cf. Matt. 24:42, 25:13). Those who do will be blessed. There is a particular blessing for those who watch and keep their garments.

So, how do we watch in order to avoid being surprised by Jesus’ second coming? When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:40-41), He told them to “watch and pray.” In order to watch and be ready, one must make a concerted effort to live righteously and maintain an effective prayer life.

While we do need to heed the signs of the Second Coming, we must additionally have a connection to God through prayer. Jesus said in Mark 13:33, “Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.” We keep our garments clean by watching, praying, and living righteously. Those who fail to repent of worldly living will find themselves naked and ashamed. Even those who have professed Christ but have not watched, prayed, and kept their garments of Christ’s righteousness by Faith will find that their nakedness has become apparent when Christ returns.

The next blessing or beatitude is contained in Rev 19:9, which reads: “And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”
This is the fourth blessing in Revelation. This announced blessing is the culmination of rejoicing over Babylon’s destruction. The call to rejoice on this occasion is found in Rev. 18:20. For more details on Babylon, please see the article Revelation 18:4 on this website.

The early verses (vss. 1-7) continue the rejoicing of Babylon’s demise. Verse 7 introduces the marriage of the Lamb. This is symbolic language. The Lamb is Jesus, and the bride is the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:9-27). After Babylon, the false church, is destroyed, the marriage supper of the Lamb will take place.

In this fourth blessing, the angel describes the special blessing of those who are called to “the marriage supper of the lamb.” In order to be invited to this marriage supper, we must have our clean garments, which is the righteousness of Christ by Faith. God has invited us to be at the marriage supper of the Lamb. The condition for being accepted as a guest at the wedding is to have the wedding garment (Matt. 22:1-14). There are many who believe that they have this garment already. Yet Christ says that we do not know that we are spiritually naked (Rev. 3:17). Christ sends a warning, in the previous beatitude (Rev. 16:15), to watch and keep our garments because the shame of the nakedness will become apparent during the last seven plagues. And it will prevent us from being sealed at the table of the marriage supper of the Lamb.

The angel affirmed that those invited to the wedding feast would be “blessed”
because they had accepted the invitation. They merely reacted to the invitation! From the angel, through John, to the written page, the invitation goes out to us. We must convey to others that there is still time to respond.

The next blessing or beatitude is contained in Rev 20:6, which reads, “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

The righteous resurrected in the first resurrection are said to be “blessed and holy.” In the second Beatitude (Rev. 14:6), those blessed are part of the special resurrection for those who died in the faith of the Third Angel’s message, which began to be proclaimed in 1844. The first resurrection is much broader and encompasses all of the righteous who have died. Those who are part of the first resurrection are blessed. They will live and reign with Christ during the Millennium
and have eternal life. They will never die again. The Saints who are part of the first resurrection are also called holy. 1 Peter 1:15-16 describes what it means to be holy, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

The word “conversation” means conduct And represents all aspects of our lives. We are to be holy as God is holy. Those who have been transferred by the power of God into holy men and women throughout the ages rest in their graves. However, they will be resurrected at the Second Coming. They have died in faith, but they will have a part in the first resurrection. They are “blessed and holy.”

 

The next blessing or beatitude is in Rev 22:7, which reads, “Behold, I come quickly: Here, we have the announcement of the manner of Jesus’ return. This promise is given in the last chapter of the book. The prophecies of the book must be fulfilled before Jesus returns. The assurance of his rapid return is dependent upon all of the prophecies of the first 21 chapters meeting their completion. The Three Angels’ messages of the Judgment Hour, which began in 1844, must do their work in producing the 144,000
of the last days. When God has generated His special people for the last days, He can justly say, “Behold, I come quickly.” We are now living in the time of the proclamation of the three angels’ messages and the development of the 144,000. This promise of the soon return of Jesus is more eminent and inevitable than it has ever been. This saying of Christ is faithful and true. He surely is coming soon.

The Scripture closes with “blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” Here, we have the 6th of the 7th beatitude in the Book of Revelation. Indeed, there is a blessing for the ones who adhere to what is written in this book.

This promised blessing is very similar to the first blessing or beatitude of Revelation 1:3. The context of the blessing in this verse is related to the soon return of Jesus because He is coming quickly. Those who will be ready for the second coming are those individuals who study the prophetic messages in the books of Revelation and Daniel. Only those who study diligently and are prepared for the Second Coming will be ready. The messages that lead to being ready for the Second Coming are found in the prophecies of the Book of Revelation and in harmony with the Book of Daniel. The beatitudes of Revelation are most applicable today.

The next and last blessing or beatitude is found in Rev 22:14, which reads, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” When Jesus says, “Blessed are they that do His commandments,” He is referring to all of the righteous who enter the new Jerusalem. All in the Kingdom of God are obedient to the light to the degree it was given to them. As the Christian Church fell into the great apostasy, the Sabbath was discarded for worship on the Pagan day of Sunday. God judges all of these individuals relevant to the light and opportunity for the knowledge they had.

However, those living at the world’s end will have full light. God raised the Second Advent movement to shed the light on all Ten Commandments. The faithfulness of those alive at the end of the world to all Ten Commandments represents what all the other righteous would have done if they had been given the same light and opportunities.

At the end of the world, God can decisively say that it is indeed possible to keep all Ten Commandments; that He has a people who have fully kept them. They demonstrate what all other righteous would have done if they’d been given the same opportunity. Those who do His commandments are a revelation of Him. This faithfulness is possible because Christ has finished His work as our High Priest, writing His law into our hearts and minds. Indeed, there is a blessing in allowing God to write His law into our hearts and minds so that He can be said of us. Blessed are they that do His commandments.

Next, we see in this verse that obedience is not optional. While it does not give us merit in our standing before God, it is the evidence that we have given our hearts to God. Obedience is like a passport required to partake of the Tree of Life and enter through the gates of the New Jerusalem. It is evidence that we have given consent to Christ to be the Lord of our lives so that he can live out his life within us.

The law is holy, just, and good (Romans 7:12). Jesus is Holy (Acts 3:14), just (Acts 7:52), and good (Luke 18:19). Those who do His Commandments, partake of the Tree of Life, and enter into the New Jerusalem are holy, just, and good by the grace and power of God. God ensures that there will be no further challenges to the authority and righteousness of his love. Those who keep the law by God’s grace are a demonstration that Lucifer’s charges against the law of God are false.

Having the “Right to the Tree of Life” will be a blessing, ensuring immortality and entering through the city’s gates.

The beatitudes of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, reveal the blessings that lie ahead for those who have the faith of Jesus Christ and obey all of the Commandments of God.

Amen

Any questions, comments, or concerns may be left below.

Blessings!

Revelation 18:4 contains an urgent cry to the people of God that we should heed today. But what is this urgent cry? Why should we consider it? This article will expound upon Revelation 18:4.

Revelation 18:4

The context of Revelation 18:4 is a scene out of the Apostle John’s prophetic vision that takes place in heaven. To get the complete picture, we must look at the verses before it. Rev. 18:1-4 reads:

1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

The phrase “after these things” is in reference to the seven last plagues of chapter 16 and the judgment of the great whore in chapter 17. Details of this whore are contained in the Article, The Two Churches of Revelation, on this website. It is “these things” that will bring down judgment upon Babylon.

Babylon the Great

Babylon was the city where false religion originated. It was founded by the great hunter Nimrod, son of Cush, who was the second generation from Noah after the flood. Nimrod built many cities; the first was Babylon, also known as Babylonia. As he grew in power, he turned away from God, formed his own beliefs and philosophies, and led his cities in those beliefs. These beliefs carried on through the centuries as the kingdom changed leadership. Over time, Babylon fell to Persia. It eventually became the Roman Empire.

Even through the centuries, the false doctrines initiated by Nimrod of Babylon remained strong in Rome. In 330 A.D.,  the Roman Emperor moved the capital from Rome. This move resulted in the Catholic Popes being in power in Rome. Thus, the Holy Roman Empire was formed. For more on this history, please see the article “The History of the Holy Roman Empire” on this website.

Although Babylon was no longer in existence as a kingdom, its worship and spiritual beliefs remained, and this state is described in the Scriptures as Babylon the Great, also known as spiritual Babylon.

Verse 2 reads, “Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen…” This pronouncement is actually a repetition of the second angel’s message. [For more information, see the article “The Three Angels Message” on this website.]

The Angel “cried mightly with a strong voice.” The final fall of Babylon was so momentous that the angel ensured the proclamation would be heard worldwide. This message had to be heard as Revelation 13:3 and 17:8 state that all the world “wondered after the beast,” which is Babylon. [For more information on this symbolism, see the article “What is the Beast of Revelation” on this website.

Foreseeing the upcoming massive following of Babylon (the beast), God sends a final warning message that “Babylon is fallen.”

The verse continues by describing the state of Babylon, “…and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” At the time of this fall, Babylon’s state is as bad as it possibly could be. The loud cry of the angel discloses the complete fraud of the whole religious system of Babylon and divulges that it is empowered by the forces of Satan and his demons. It is an evil place!

Verse 3 describes the result of Babylon’s influence, “…For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication…” The Book of Revelation is prophetic and highly symbolic. In prophecy, wine represents doctrines (teachings). The wine of Babylon, the false doctrine which includes Sunday Worship and immorality of the soul as well as muddling the Scriptures, the adoration of images and relics, the use of force, persecution, works and penance, image worship, worship of saints and Mary, purgatory, indulgences, the mass, and the Inquisition. The church of Babylon is in complete contrast with God’s true church.

A further result is “…and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her,…” The fornication doesn’t only involve the “people” of the nations, but the kings of the earth” or the political leaders. This will be established with the passing of the Sunday Law. With the nations drinking “the wine” has bought them under the inducement of Sunday sacredness and the immortality of the soul.

Further, “…and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.” This loud cry doesn’t only reprove religious and political leaders but also the merchants. This part of the reproach refers to the financial leaders who control the world’s fiscal systems. When all the nations are intoxicated with the wine of Babylon, there will be a union of church and state, and Babylon will take control of the governments and financial systems of the world. At that time, the world’s economic leaders will line up with Babylon and give it financial control to create a system that restricts anyone who does not receive the mark of the beast to buy or sell (Rev. 13:7).

Verse 4 contains a most vital component of this loud pronouncement, “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people,”…
This is the crux of God’s message. The angel did not merely announce the fall of Babylon but called out God’s people from Babylon. This was the primary objective of this proclamation. This plea applies to the many Christians who believe wholeheartedly that Sunday is the actual day of worship. God accepts the sincerity of the individuals who worship Him on Sunday, therefore calling them “my people.” On the other hand, when all of the world’s nations have drunk the wine of Babylon’s fornication through a Sunday law, it will no longer be acceptable to claim Sunday as the day of worship. God’s people will have to make a choice.

Exodus 20:8-11 reads:

8. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

The mark of the beast is false worship. Once the Sunday law is passed, a choice has to be made, and God’s people must come out of the churches that honor Sunday as the day of worship, or they themselves will receive the mark of the beast.

Further, verse 4 continues, “that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” This close is a repeat of the third angel’s message warning God’s people to avoid receiving the mark of the beast so that they will not receive God’s wrath, which is the seven last plagues (Rev. 14:9-11; 15:1).

Come Out of Her My People

This cry from the angel in verse 4 is the culmination of God’s urging. The final choosing of which day is God’s holy day is on the horizon. In the meantime, we must come out of Babylon before this choice is placed before us; we must come out of the world.

Satan pumps into our minds various thoughts, attitudes, lust, greed, hatred, and the attitude of revenge. All of these things are pumped into our minds by Satan.

Who is the god of this world? Scripture makes it clear that it is Satan. In Eph 2:2 it reads,

2: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Here, Paul to the Ephesians reflects how they lived in the past. The spirit of the world was directing them, which led them to be disobedient to God. That directs to the spirit of Satan. They were instruments in his hands, and so are we without Christ.

Jesus said in John 14:30:

30. Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

2 Cor 4:3-4 reads:

3. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

The god of this world, Satan, blinds individuals from receiving the gospel of Jesus Christ, causing them to be lost.

Notice what Satan did when he tried to tempt Jesus to worship him. Matt 4:8-10 reads:

8. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

9. And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Notice what else Jesus didn’t do besides not worshipping Satan; He didn’t deny that Satan could deliver these things—“the kingdoms of the world”  because He is the prince directing the course of the world. 2 Tim 3:1-5 reads:

1. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3. Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4. Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Since Satan is directing the course of this world, we need to look at what is happening in our world and avoid getting caught up in it.

Prov 24:21-22 says, “Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with the rebellious,

(22) for those two will send sudden destruction upon them, and who knows what calamities they can bring?”
NIV

We are to honor the Lord and the king, civil authority, and not join those who rebel against them because they will bring sudden judgment on the rebellious.

We can get caught up in so much in the world. All of the events and movements taking place in the world (e.g., black lives matter, 1st amendment rights, civil rights) need to be looked at from God’s perspective. Otherwise, they can develop a spirit of hatred, dislike, and distrust that is not good for our souls. We may not agree with those in the world, but we don’t have to hate them. We are all struggling human beings, and they are trying to sort things out without God’s Spirit. We must be able to see beyond what’s happening and get the big picture of what is taking place.

Revelation 12:9-10 “deceives the whole world” and “the accuser of our brethren.” He is the author of confusion. We must understand who is in charge of this world, and if we fail to realize that, we will be tossed back and forth at his will, and he will beat us like a drum.

How do we know what is worldly? The Word of God tells us what is worldly. 1 John 2:15-16 reads:

15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Proverbs 1:7 reflects that having a deep abiding respect for the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom ( cf. Ps 111:10, John 17:14-17). The world will hate us because we, like Jesus, are not of the world. However, we can fall prey to the evil one if we do not remain close to God. The truth of God’s Word must guide us.

The conditions of the last days are explained in these Scriptures                         1 Timothy 3:1-6, Matt. 24:8-10.

This is not God’s world at this time that we are presently living in.

Jesus said, John 18:36, “my kingdom is not of this world.” If this were God’s world, we would try to change it. But we are preparing ourselves with self-control with the help of God’s Spirit, with love for one another, and with overcoming animosity and hatred to rule in the kingdom of God and rule with justice and fairness for everyone. This objective is the reason why God is calling us to [Rev. 18:4] come out of the Babylon of this world (spiritual Babylon). He is calling us out of this. [Romans 12:2]

Our citizenship is in heaven and not in this world (Philippians 3:20-21). We must understand this to have the correct perspective of our path in this world. Satan seeks to divide and conquer the church in any way he can.

John 17:14-23: May we have a true, genuine love for one another. We must come out of the world!

God is calling us to come out of Babylon, out of Satan’s influence, so that we can worship Him in Spirit and truth.

Amen

Questions, comments, and concerns may be left below.

Blessings!

 

The previous article, What is the Beast of Revelation, expounded upon the Apostle John’s vision of a beast arising from the sea. However, that wasn’t the only thing contained in his vision. His vision also comprised a second beast. Therefore, to complete this vital prophecy, we must look at the second beast of Revelation.

The Beast out of the Earth

Rev 13:11-17 reads:

11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14  And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

This beast represents a new kingdom that will play a vital role in the impending events leading to the world’s end.

This beast is unlike the first one described in John’s vision. As we saw in the first article, in Daniel 7 and Revelation 13:1-4, a beast represents a kingdom. This first beast represents the papacy and rose from the sea. In John’s vision, the first beast was a combination of the four beasts in Daniel’s vision, representing four kingdoms, namely Babylon, Med-Persia, Greece, and pagan Rome. All four of these kingdoms and the papacy in Revelation 13 rose from populated areas of the earth. In prophecy, seas represent populated areas. These nations rose through strife and conflict. Wind in prophecy represents strife (Daniel 7:2-3, Rev. 7:1-3).

The kingdom represented by the second beast differs from the kingdoms represented by the first beast in that it rises from the earth. Earth, in prophecy, represents sparsely populated land. Although kingdoms represented by the first beast, Greece, pagan Rome, and papal Rome rose from populated areas of Western Europe, known as the Old World, this new kingdom progressed from a comparatively unpopulated area of the world around the time that the papacy was wounded by the sword and taken into captivity (Rev. 13:10). A new power rose on the landscape of the world.

Secular history reveals that the United States is the only kingdom or nation corresponding to this description and timetable. It rose from the New World known as North America, sparsely populated in the late seventeen hundreds. This new nation had a comparatively peaceful rise to power compared to the prior kingdoms with a violent rise. Further, The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, and the United States Constitution was ratified in 1787. While the papacy was leaving the world scene, the United States became the new prophetic kingdom.

Two Horns

The Scripture says that “he had two horns like a lamb.” The two horns on this second beast represent a significant difference from the first. Horns represent power (Deut. 33:17, 1 Sam. 2:10, 1 Kings 22:11, Habakkuk 3:3-4). It is central to note that these horns do not have crowns upon them. These two lamblike horns on this second beast denote the power the United States functions through. It is not a monarchy or kingdom, which explains the lack of crowns on the horns as opposed to the first beast with ten crowns and ten horns depicting the monarchial kings that empowered the papacy during the 1260 years.

The United States, in comparison, is a constitutional republic enabled by its two lamblike horns. These lamblike horns are pivotal in defining this beast. The lamb is depicted as Jesus Christ (John 1:29, Rev. 5:6, 13:8, 14:1,4, 17:14). These two horns on this beast define it as a prophetic kingdom powered by two horns with Christian principles. While the first beast, the papacy, received its authority and power from Satan, the United States began as a republic with Christian principles. The two horns represent two principles, Republicanism and Protestantism, supporting civil and religious
liberty. These are the principles upon which the United States was founded. These are the principles of Christ.

Spake as a Dragon

Next, the Scripture says, “…and he spake as a dragon.” Even though the United States originated as a nation with Christian principles, eventually, it will commence to speak like a dragon. The dragon is Satan (Rev. 12:9). Therefore, the United States will ultimately abandon its Christian principles, speak like the dragon, and stand by its side.

Verse 12 again reads, “And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.”

Exercises All Power

It is crucial to note that a nation represents itself through the laws it passes. The papacy claims the authority to change the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. Therefore, the United States will speak as a dragon as the papacy did during the 1260 years. The United States will remove Americans’ freedom of religion and enforce Sunday
as the day of worship by passing a law to implement such worship. When this occurs, America will speak as a dragon.

The United States will “exerciseth all the power of the first beast.” The first beast is the papacy, powered by Satan. The US will join in union with the papacy and cause the world to worship this first beast by passing and enforcing the Sunday worship law. The mandate for Sunday won’t come from God but from Satan. There is no Scripture in God’s Word condoning, endorsing, or requiring Sunday worship. When the United States (or any other nation) passes a law against God, it will be operating and exercising the authority of Satan.

When the Sunday law is passed, it will cause the world to worship the papacy, as the Scripture reads, “and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.”

Verse 13 reads, “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,”

Throughout the Bible, miracles were used as evidence of God’s authority, power, and love. However, in this verse, Satan will use them to deceive.

We see that the first beast will make fire come down from heaven. To accomplish the goal of having the world worship the first beast, the papacy, Protestant America will choose to employ operations to deceive the world that God is involved and sanction the action. These uncanny actions will be for the sole purpose of supporting the ungodly false system of worship.

Verse 14 reads, “Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.” NIV

The second beast gains influence through the signs and wonders that he can perform for the first beast. The second beast orders the people to worship a statue to honor the first beast—directly defying the second commandment (Ex 20:4-6).

When the United States performs supernatural miracles under the masquerade of Christianity, the world will be deceived and follow America by accepting the false worship system it will be promoting.

Accepting Sunday worship will be easy for many as most of Protestant America already observe Sunday
as the day of worship even without any biblical evidence.

The Image and the Mark

The United States of America, Protestant America, heals the wound and resurrects the papacy by passing a Sunday law that unifies church and state. The passing of this law endorses the beast and forms an image of the beast, the papacy. This law will repeat the same unification that occurred during the 1260 years of papacy influence.

Verse 15 reads, “He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.”
NIV

A nation communicates through its laws. America is a nation of laws and will pass a Sunday law that will give power to the beast, thus providing the life and energy required. Ultimately, individuals who will not worship the beast by worshipping on Sunday will be killed. This action will be the result of a worldwide death decree. The United States will cause “all who refused to worship the image to be killed.”

Verse 16 reads, “He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead,” NIV  It is interesting to note that Satan has to “force”
worship of him. In contrast, God accepts those who worship Him willingly.

Everyone, wealthy or poor, famous or unknown, enslaved or free, will have to receive the mark on his hand or forehead to avoid death. The hand represents our actions; the forehead represents our minds, specifically our frontal lobes, where all thoughts and decisions are made.

Those who choose to receive the mark on their foreheads take on the beast’s character, disobedience to God. Acceptance of the Sunday law is willing disobedience to God and willing obedience to the beast power (Satan). There are only two choices (Matt. 6:24).

Those who accept the mark in their right hand go along with the worship of Satan and the beast by accepting Sunday worship, even if not in their minds. Any compliance with Sunday worship is acceptance of the mark of the beast. The mark of the beast is false worship.

Lastly, verse 17 reads, “so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.” NIV

Without the mark, no one can buy or sell anything. This mandate won’t be difficult to enforce in today’s digital world, where everything is increasingly being monitored. This directive will put overwhelming pressure on the world to accept the mark. Without the ability to buy or sell, it becomes an issue of self-preservation. It will be impossible for one to sustain oneself without the ability to purchase food and provide shelter.

Even so, those who receive the mark of the beast will receive the wrath of God poured out without mixture (Rev. 14:9-10).

Conclusion

This timetable of events is hard to fathom; how the great United States of America can partake in such damnable actions. But it is prophesied in the Word of God. Prophecy is history foretold, and history is prophecy fulfilled.

The arrival of the United States, speaking as a dragon, is futuristic. It will include intolerance, persecution, and ultimately, the worship of the papacy with the institution of Sunday holiness. It doesn’t take much observation to see that the process has already begun.

When this law is passed, it will be a clear indication that the end is imminent.

The issue has always been worship. Satan wants the world to worship him instead of God. This fact was clearly evident when he tried to tempt Jesus. In Matt 4:8-9 it reads, “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;  And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.”  Worship is Satan’s highest priority and is the catalyst for spiritual warfare.

Satan is tempting the world today to worship him instead of God. Christians must stand strong, obey God’s commandments, and practice righteousness because the time is coming when we or those after us will have to choose between worshipping God on the sixth day or worshipping Satan on the first day.

Amen

Questions, comments, and concerns may be left below.

Blessings

What is the Beast of Revelation? Is it a symbol, a fable, or an imminent reality? This article will answer this insightful question.

What is the Beast?

As mentioned in previous articles, the Book of Revelation is prophetic and highly symbolic. Therefore, a number of items mentioned represent something other than what we usually know them to be.

In prophecy, beasts represent religious or political powers. The Book of Daniel mentioned the beast of Revelation long before the Apostle John penned Revelation.

Scripture confirms itself, and the Book of Daniel is key to comprehending the Book of Revelation.

Daniel had a vision in Chapter 7 of his book. Let’s look at this vision in Dan 7:2-8

2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.

3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.

5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Let’s now look at John’s vision in Rev 13:1-3

1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

In Daniel’s vision, he saw four distinct creatures: a lion, a bear, a four-headed leopard, and a fourth dreadful creature with ten horns rise up out of a dark and stormy sea (vss. 1-7). These creatures in Daniel’s vision are clearly representative of the sequence of empires from Nebucadnezzar’s Babylon to the Roman Empire.

Secular history confirms that these empires not only came into existence but in the exact order as Daniel’s vision depicted. It is from the fourth creature, which represents The Roman Empire, that the “ten horns”
arose.

The two visions (Daniel’s and John’s in Revelation) are very similar. In each incident, there are seven heads. In Revelation 13, John saw one creature, not four distinct ones. Still, the characteristics were the same—seven heads and ten horns were portrayed. In each account, the prophets visioned the symbolism of a lion, a bear, and a leopard.

However, there were differences. In Daniel’s case, it was fundamentally all imminent when he saw his vision. Babylon, symbolized by a lion, was present on the scene, and the remaining ones were yet to come.

When John saw his vision more than 600 years later, Babylon, Persia, and Greece were history. John focused not on the different beasts to arise but on the details concerning the one beast whose history he recorded in advance. Prophecy is history in advance; history is prophecy fulfilled.

Whereas Daniel concentrated on four empires, John’s vision centered on the one system that sprung from Babylon. He observed the various empires as merely different heads of the same creature.

On the other hand, Daniel identified what he saw as beginning in his days and remaining until the return of Christ when the saved ones would acquire the kingdom (Daniel 7:18). The Roman Empire of John’s day was simply a perpetuation of what had begun in Babylon.

The Beast of Revelation

The Apostle John stood upon the beach on the shore of the Isle of Patmos in the Mediterranean Sea and noticed that a change began to form. As he stared, captivated to see what would happen, a strange creature rose out of the water.

Waters in prophecy represent peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. As mentioned earlier, a beast represents a religious or political power. This entity denotes a new world power arising from a densely inhabited area of the earth. Secular history verifies that this new power arises from the territory of its predecessor, pagan Rome. The description of the beast in the passage makes its identity crystal clear.

In verse one, “having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns.” Each head has a crown and represents a specific king or kingdom. The kingdoms denoted by the seven heads are Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, pagan Rome, papal Rome, The United States of America, and the One World Coalition. These seven kingdoms have persecuted Christians since the time of Babylon. They will continue to do so until the end of the world when Christ returns.

Since this beast has the names of blasphemy or words of blasphemy on each of its heads indicates that this is a religious power. Additionally, it is a political power with seven kingdoms empowering it throughout history.

These heads have the name of blasphemy written upon them. Blasphemy is described as claiming to be God or claiming the power to forgive sins. Jesus affirmed to be God, and He did forgive sins. This affirmation led the Jewish leaders to charge Him with blasphemy. To them, He was a man as they were instead of the Son of God. Since Jesus is God, it was not blasphemous for Him to forgive sins or to declare that He is God.

Revelation 17:10 define the seven heads as seven kings. It reads, “And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.” Daniel 7 (vss. 17, 23) illustrates that the words “kings” and “kingdoms” are interchangeable in prophecy. Thus the seven heads are kingdoms that supported and will continue to support the great red dragon in its persecution of God’s people, Christians, covered in chapter 12. Again, these heads represent the kingdoms of Babylon, Medo Persia, Greece, pagan Rome, papal Rome, the United States of America, and a One world coalition at the end of time. The two latter ones are present and future.

The phrase, “five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.” One of the seven heads received a deadly wound (vs. 3) in 1798. This deadly wound occurred with the capture and captivity of Pope Pius VI by Napoleon’s general Berthier. When this incident occurred, the beast lost its political power over the nations of the earth and over which it had dominance. As a result, a heavy blow was imposed upon the church powered by the beast—the false church. Notice in Revelation 17 that there are no crowns upon the beast’s ten horns. The loss of crowns denotes the loss of power over the political kingdoms of the earth.

After 1798, the beast transitioned from was to is not. Concerning the seven heads, in Revelation 17:10, “five are fallen.”
When the deadly wound occurred to one of the heads in Revelation 13:3, this is synonymous with five of the heads being fallen. It was the fifth of the seven heads that received the deadly wound. When the fifth head received the deadly wound in 1798, it is accurate to say that “five are fallen”
and that the beast “was” and “is not.”

It is the papacy that received the deadly wound in 1798. To comprehend the timing of this deadly wound, it is essential to note that this beast had power for 42 prophetic months (vs.5).

That’s 1,260 years of papal supremacy from AD 538—1798. For more on this time period, please see the article, What is 1844 about on this website.

Although the deadly wound will not heal completely pending the passing of the Sunday law, the healing process commenced in 1929 with the treaty between Mussolini and the Vatican, which began restoring the papacy’s political power. Since then, the pontiffs have become significant players in the political scenes of the world.

The association concerning the popes and the United States presidents, particularly from the period of Pope John Paul the Second and President Reagan to the present, indicates that the wound is healing progressively for the provision to fulfill the prophecy of the complete healing of the wound.

The deadly wound is healing effectively and will heal completely with the passing of the Sunday law.

The deadly wound takes place at the end of the 1,260 years of papal supremacy. Nonetheless, the deadly wound will be healed sometime in the future after 1798. When this wound is healed, “all the world” will wonder “after the beast.”

All the false forms of the religion of the pagan nations from Babylon to Rome have been integrated into the papacy. The papacy is the fundamental system of false religion. It combines church and state, and many forms of paganism continue under the façade of Christianity.

Whereas five of the heads were fallen by 1798, another head or kingdom currently exists, as the Scripture reads, “and one is.” This kingdom is the sixth head which is current, and is the prophetic kingdom between the deadly wound of 1798 and the complete healing of the deadly wound when the Sunday law is passed.

As for the sixth kingdom, from a historic standpoint, there are two views: Atheistic France and the Protestant United States. It was France that delivered the deadly wound in 1798. This beast arose in 1793 with the French Revolution, just before the deadly wound, and has been responsible for secularism and a godless worldview ever since. Atheism has been at war with the papacy since 1798. However, atheism is not a kingdom but a movement, making it a less likely prospect.

As for the Protestant United States, historically, it became autonomous after the War of Independence in the late 1700s, about the time of the papacy receiving the deadly wound.

Both atheism and Protestantism in America have flourished worldwide as the papacy has been in its wounded state. However, only one power can characterize the sixth head. Protestant America became part of Babylon, as seen in Revelation 14:8. The message from the second angel
is that “Babylon is fallen.” For more on the Three Angels Messages, see the article, The Three Angels Message, on this website.

There are two falls. The Roman Catholic Church fell centuries past. Through a system, it merged pagan idolatry into the Christian church. It changed the Sabbath to Sunday and the confession of sins to the priests rather than Christ, the High Priest. It additionally claims the pope as the voice of God on earth. These and other erroneous doctrines have continued perpetually for centuries.

The protestant churches in America have to a substantial degree, accepted the Babylonian theology of Sunday as the Sabbath along with others and are paving the way for the comeback of the wounded head in the future. At this time, the union of church and state will take place.

Consequently, the sixth “now is” head of the beast represents the Protestant United States of America. [Also, the second beast of Revelation 13] This sixth head endures from 1798 to the passing of the Sunday law. Throughout this period from 1798 and the passing of the Sunday law, the papacy will not have power over the world’s nations as it did from AD 538-1798.

As for the seventh head, this head or kingdom is the future. As the Scripture reads, “and other is not yet come;” This kingdom will succeed the Protestant United States of America after the Sunday law is passed and involves the second beast in Revelation 13, which will be covered in a future article.

This seventh kingdom will arise in the future when the beast that received the deadly wound rises from the bottomless pit (Rev. 17:8). This kingdom’s power is only necessary for a brief time, As the Scripture reads, “and when he cometh he must continue a short space.”

The seven heads of this beast are the same heads or kingdoms in chapters 12 and 17.

Regarding the seven crowns, crowns denote rulership. Since there is a crown on each head, this indicates the rulership and dominion of each kingdom.

Back to Revelation 13, our key passage, in verse 2, we see that this creature had a leopard’s body, a lion’s mouth, and a bear’s feet. It, therefore, characterized the principal characteristics of the first three creatures Daniel had seen in his vision recorded in Daniel 7. The beast that John saw likewise had seven heads and ten horns. We are also told that “the dragon” gave this creature “his power, and his seat, and great authority.” The dragon represents Satan, the devil (Rev 12:9).

We see here that this beast, this political and religious power, is powered by Satan, the devil. The fact of the matter is that Satan has power on earth with whom he has invested his authority. After all, in Scripture, he is called “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2), “the prince of this world” (John 12:31), “prince of devils” (Matt. 9:34), and “the enemy” (Matt. 13:39).

Conclusion

It is intensely calamitous, considering this entity, the beast, is a professed Christian power. Therefore, this beast, known as spiritual Babylon, is a satanic power while Christian in appearance. This spiritual Babylon established itself in Rome and persecuted Christ and the Christian church. When Rome fell in AD 476, the dragon endowed the beast with great power and authority to be his agent of government on the earth.

The dragon in this prophecy is Satan, who persecutes Christ and the Christian church. He then gives his power, seat, and authority to the papacy. The seat of the papacy is in Rome. And it established its power where Pagan Rome had its seat. The papacy continued this work of persecution for 42 prophetic months, or 1260 literal years.

It is essential to realize that Satan, the father of lies; a murder from the beginning (John 8:44), is behind the power behind this beast. Satan is ultimately behind every act of evil on the earth. He inspired the nationalistic monarchies and empires to harass, torture, and kill the people of God (Christians) during the dark ages. He is the power behind the 1260 years of torture and the death of millions of Christians.

The fact of the matter is Satan works through the papacy to gain the worship of the earth. The vision illuminates this in verses 4-8 (Rev. 13:4-8).

The ongoing battle from the beginning is over worship. Satan has always wanted to be worshipped, to take worship from God to himself; he wants to be like God. This state of affairs is most evident during his temptation of Christ in the wilderness. Luke 4:5-8 reads:

5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

6 And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.

7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” NKJV

In his final attempt to seduce Jesus to worship him, he offered Him “all the kingdoms of the world…, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”

However, in verse 8, “And Jesus answered and said to him,  “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.” NKJV

Jesus made the choice and is an example of the choice we should make—to serve God only. Because in the end, we will have to choose who we will worship. There is no middle ground in the struggle between God and Satan.

Prophecy is history foretold, history and prophecy fulfilled. The prophecies in this article illustrate the ongoing battle of spiritual warfare. For more on spiritual warfare, please see the article, All about Spiritual Warfare, on this website.

Amen

Questions, comments, and concerns may be left below.

Blessings

Deep in the book of Revelation, two churches are presented. They are somewhat hidden because of the symbolism used. This article will reveal these two churches: The Two Churches of Revelation.

The Problem of the Church

In 1882, philosopher Frederick Nietzsche declared that God is dead. Some may argue the church is dead or at least dying. It isn’t challenging to understand the reason for such pronouncements. In the West, extensive tumbling in church attendance is taking place. Societies are changing, biblical morality is being mocked, and a sense of sharing value is practically non-existent. In cities and towns all over the Western world, church attendance is on a downward trend. In the US, more churches are closing than opening each year. In Canada, one-third of churches may close in the future.

As secularism makes colossal advances in society, it is clear that churches are in decline. In October 2019, The Pew Research Center
ran an article that noted that in 2018, and 2019, 65 percent of American adults professed themselves to be Christians regarding their religious affiliation. That is down 12 percent over the past decade. [search for charts] In the meantime, the unaffiliated segment of the population that declared themselves atheist, agnostic, or non-religious is currently 26%, up from 17% in 2009. These percentages represent tens of millions who have shifted their religious priorities. This shift illustrates an enormously significant change in the American religious scene in just ten years.

The question becomes, what will the nation look like in a few more decades? The Pew Research Center estimates that in 2020, about 64% of Americans, including children, were Christian. Unaffiliated individuals accounted for 30% of the US population. Other affiliations, including Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists, totaled roughly 6%. The projections show Christians of all ages declining from 64% to slightly more than half and a little above one-third of all Americans by 2070.

This trajectory is the same in other Western nations as well. For example, only 44% of Australians currently characterize themselves as Christians, down from 52% in 2016—the same for England and Wales. Canada has been on the border of woke culture in recent years. As a result, the number of church attendees has considerably declined. In 2001, 77% of the population professed Christianity. However, in 2021, the percentage dropped to 53%.

The question now becomes, why the shift? Why is this happening? For sure, the COVID-19 pandemic is a particular culprit. It was the cause of everything, including churches, to shut down. The marvels of technology stepped in and allowed churches to stream their services online.

Nevertheless, it has become a permanent solution instead of a temporary adjustment. It was easier for those on the border of church versus non-church to simply drift away altogether. Others are taking advantage of worshipping in the comfort of their homes. The advent of online worship has profoundly changed how individuals approach church worship. Choosing to worship online can be a trend that may be disturbing.

Jesus’ Answer?

So, where is this heading? What lies in the future of churches in the Western world? More significantly, what does Jesus, the head of the church, think about this? Will the church eventually disappear?

In Matthew 16:18, He said, … “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” This statement means that His church will never die. The grave will not consume His church. There will always be someone(s), somewhere, who is a faithful disciple(s) of Christ up until His return.

Further, in Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus said, in Matt 28:18-20:

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

This passage tells us that Jesus will personally direct His church until his return.

In Matthew 24 14, Jesus also said, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

It doesn’t appear that Christ’s church will disappear.

The Two Churches of Revelation

Christ’s church will not die! Therefore, there is no need to be concerned about the church ending.

However, there is one thing that we should be concerned about.

Biblical prophecy tells us that on the horizon, not one but two churches will exist in the end times. This prophecy breaks down all the dominations that have existed over time into two groups. This prophecy exists in the book of Revelation.

The First Church

Keep in mind that Revelation is highly symbolic. Floods represent armies, horns represent kings or kingdoms, and women represent churches. It is important to note that two different women are documented in Revelation.

To look at one, Rev 17:1-6 contains a description.

 1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

 

This description is one of the women in Revelation: a harlot committing fornication, making “the inhabitants of the earth…” “…drunk” with spiritual error. She is also riding on a beast. Beasts in prophecy represent political or religious power. Therefore this harlot is a politically powerful church directing the actions of a corrupt government or kingdom.

In verse 4, we see this woman, or church, as enormously wealthy. And in verse 5, she is “the mother of harlots.” Meaning she also has harlot daughters, other churches that teach the same thing spun from her.

In verse 6, we see that she has killed the true and faithful followers, “the martyrs of Jesus.”

Revelation shows us that this church will carry on and operate with great power for some time, but its downfall will be sudden, as we see in verses Rev 17:15-18

15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

In verse 16, we see that this all-powerful church, represented by a woman, in the end, will be overwhelmed by the beast power she rode upon.

There is a warning not to ride this beast. Rev 18:4-5 says,

4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”

5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

Therefore, there isn’t an urgent need to be concerned about falling church attendance. The need for concern is not to fall prey to the false church that promotes false doctrine and leads to destruction, no matter how enticing it may be.

More detail is given about this woman—this church in Rev 13:11-15

11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Notice the two horns of a lamb. Jesus is portrayed as a lamb. Therefore, this leader will appear to be like Christ, a Christian and a man of God, but he speaks like a dragon. What does the dragon represent? None other than Satan the devil (Rev. 12:9). Therefore, this leader will not speak the words of Jesus, but the words of Satan, the devil deceiving copious amounts of the world’s population into thinking that they are following Christ.

12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

So that’s the first church.

The Second Church

There is another woman represented in Revelation. She is acknowledged as the faithful and obedient church that follows Christ. Rev 12:1-2, 5 reads:

1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

This woman represents the true church, the saints of the Old Testament that grew into a nation

2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

The child was Jesus Christ, whose destiny is to rule all nations on the earth when He returns.

6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

This verse speaks of what happened to the faithful followers of Christ. Early in the church’s history, there was a branch that didn’t follow Christ’s teachings, which grew into a powerful entity that outnumbered the faithful followers of Christ.

These true and faithful followers had to go into hiding during these “thousand two hundred and threescore days” to escape persecution. Days in prophecy represent years. Therefore, the actual time of this period was 1260 years. For more information on this period, read the article, What is 1844 about, on this website.

Although millions of Christians were persecuted during this time, there were others who survived in “a place prepared of God.”

But the war wasn’t over; Rev 12:17 says, “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

The dragon is highly upset with the true church. Meanwhile, Satan has continued to deceive the whole world (Rev. 12:9 ).

There will be a mass deception by a false church in the last days. This deception will culminate in the operation of this church that has been operating for centuries.

Most individuals who profess Christianity are merely following the traditions of man, not the Christianity of Christ. Mark 7:9 quotes Jesus on this matter: “And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.”

Those of the true church “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

God offers protection for His true church. Rev 12:13-16 says:

13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood the dragon cast out of his mouth.

After Christ ascended to heaven, Satan turned his attention to the woman to persecute her.

She is given two great wings to fly into the wilderness. This wilderness describes the place God prepared for the church to flee during the 1260 years of papal persecution from AD 538—1798, described as “a time, and times, and half a time.“

The flood waters in verse 15 represent persecution. He intended to destroy the woman or church, having it carried away by the flood and destroyed.

However, “the earth…swallowed up the flood” which “the dragon”
the devil “cast out of his mouth.” The earth represents the unpopulated areas of the world. The low-population areas were ideal for swallowing up the flood of persecution. The earth kept the woman from annihilation by Satan and the papacy during the 1260 years.

Conclusion

This false church is ongoing and will ultimately be destroyed (Revelation 18:1-8) just as the harlot (Rev. 17:16) that perpetuates it, and Christ’s true church will prevail. But tribulation must precede this act of Justice by God.

If we are indeed followers of Christ, if we obey all Ten of His Commandments, we are covered with the blood of His cross, being led by His Holy Spirit, He will protect us in the coming colossal tribulation.

Let us not be deceived by the harlot of the false Church!

Amen

Questions, comments, and concerns are welcomed below.

Blessings!

What is the faith of Jesus? There is the faith in Jesus and the faith of
Jesus. What’s the difference? The difference is…significant.

In the King James translation, there are four Scriptures that address the faith of Jesus (Rom3:22, Gal 2:16, 3:22, Rev. 14:12). The Scripture this article will focus on is Rev 14:12

12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

However, before we address this Scripture, we must take a look at precisely who it addresses.

Those Who Follow the Lamb

Those who follow the lamb (Jesus) will receive the Seal of God and be saved. [Rev. 7:3,14:1]

Rev 14:4 describe the ones that follow the lamb. Keep in mind that Revelation is highly symbolic, which will be explained as we move through.

4 These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.

The “ones” mentioned in this verse are in reference to the 144,000. This symbolic number represents the saints that follow the Lamb in spite of all they have gone through. They have lived through the experience of overcoming the beast, his image, and the mark of the beast. They have been victorious. The Scripture says that these are the ones who are “not defiled with women.”

In prophecy, a woman represents the church. However, the church depicted here is not God’s church. Rather, the women mentioned represent the false, apostate churches. These women are the daughters of the harlot mentioned in Revelation 17 (Rev.17:4). This harlot rides the beast powered by Satan, the dragon, and these women, her daughters, defile all who partake of her wine or false teachings.

These “ones” are not defiled by the false teachings of the apostate churches of Catholicism or apostate Protestantism.

The Scripture describes these “ones” as virgins. They are pure because they come from a pure church and have not allowed themselves to be defiled by the women that commit fornication. Fornication in Revelation represents worship that is not true worship or false doctrine.

The Scripture says that these “ones” follow the Lamb wherever He goes” This Lamb represents Jesus Christ. This is how these “ones” kept themselves from being defiled by the “women”
of the apostate churches: by following Christ.

The Scripture says these “ones” “were redeemed from among men.”
When all the world wonders after the beast, as it states in Revelation 13:3, and receives his mark, these “ones” are “redeemed”
from the earth, from among men.”

The Scripture says these “ones” “are the firstfruits to God and to the lamb.” First fruits represent the best of the harvest. These “ones” are separate from the multitudes of the harvest mentioned in Revelation 7. They are the best of the harvest. They keep the Sabbath along with all of the other Commandments. They have followed Jesus into The Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary. They have survived the most difficult time in Earth’s history.

What does this mean for us? I’m sure all of us would like to be included in the group with these “ones.” Therefore, we must study and follow the Scriptures carefully.

The Faith of Jesus

So what is the faith of Jesus? Rev 14:12 reads:

12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

This is our primary text that was introduced at the beginning.

This Scripture is from the third angel of the Three Angels Messages and the conclusion of the third angel’s message. This is a pronouncement of the integrity of the 144,000.

The Greek word translated as “patience” is hupone which means endurance. Not only will they have patience, but they will be of those who will “keep the commandments of God.” They will steadfastly keep all ten of the Commandments, including the fourth one, by keeping the seventh-day Sabbath. In spite of the fury of the dragon (the devil), these saints will prevail for keeping the Commandments through the power of God.

Heb 12:1-2 Reads:

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

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.

The most poignant point made in this verse is that Jesus “endured the cross.” The Geek word translated endured is hupomeno which means to strive or undergo. It refers to having patience, endurance, and steadfastness under trials. This endurance is what Jesus exhibited on the cross. Jesus totally submitted Himself to the will of the Father when He suffered the cross.

Because the 144,000 will have the faith of Jesus, they will be empowered to keep the commandments of God and have the patience necessary to live through the last and trying days on earth.

In Revelation 14:12, we are called to run with patience, or endurance, the race that is set before us. To have victory over sin and run the race before us with patience, we must keep our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus.

As we personally experience the redemption of the cross, we must run with endurance the race set before us. Looking to Jesus, the “author and finisher of our faith.”

At the beginning of the race, we need faith in Jesus as our savior. But to finish the race, we need the faith of Jesus. There is a difference between faith in Jesus and faith of Jesus. We need the same faith Jesus had when He was on earth as He endured the temptations of this world and then the agony and shame of the cross. It is this
faith that allowed Him to sit at the right hand of the throne of God, the faith He had in His Father.

How do we develop the faith of Jesus?

Since Jesus fully submitted Himself to the will of the Father, we must fully submit ourselves to Christ. Romans 6:1-8 reads:

1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?

2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.

6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—

7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. NIV

In the previous chapter, Paul addressed grace; that no matter how sinful we may be, there is enough grace to free us from sin and to sin. However, he makes it clear in this passage that when we accept Christ Jesus and are baptized, we are dead to sin.

When immersed in the waters of baptism, it publicly symbolizes the burial of our sins and Christ’s death. When we are raised from the water, it publicly symbolizes a newness of life and Christ’s resurrection. This action is exercising faith in Jesus. Faith in Jesus gets us there (salvation); the faith of Jesus keeps us there – through it all.

This action represents death to self. Just as Jesus totally submitted Himself to God, His Father, on the cross, when we are crucified with Christ, we totally submit ourselves to Him. He then lives out His life through us. The faith that is exercised in a life that is crucified with Christ is the faith of Jesus.

So the first step to achieving the faith of Jesus is the remission of sins—to stop sinning. The second step is to allow our faith to grow through the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ promised the Holy Spirit upon His departure for this purpose.

Gal 3:13-14 says:

13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

In summary, God’s Spirit takes up residence in a person who has trusted Christ and is now living by faith.

The power of the Holy Spirit enables us to obtain the faith of Jesus.

In Rev 3:21, Jesus said”

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. KJV

This statement of Jesus represents the faith He had while on earth.

We need this faith, brothers and sisters to “overcometh” because the time is coming when we must; when we will have to endure our own, ultimate, attack of the beast. We must allow the crucibles of life to prepare us for having the endurance required to make it through the final crisis.

James advises us in James 1:2-4

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. NKJV

If we are going to finish the race, if we are going to be included with these “ones,” we need patience and the faith of Jesus and “follow the lamb whithersoever he Goeth.”

Amen

Questions, comments, and concerns may be left below.

Blessings!

The Brook Cherith (pronounced ke’rith) is a highly significant location in the Bible. Why? What is the Brook Cherith about? It is the intention of this article to answer these questions.

What is the Brook Cherith?

A brook is a natural freshwater stream; it is smaller than a river. The Brook Cherith was located in western Jodan in the Jordan Valley and flowed into the Jordan River. Cherith means cutting or separation, which probably refers to the geological nature of the stream. It has been described as one of the wildest ravines of this rugged region.

What is the Brook Cherith About?

So, what is the Brook Cherith about? What is its significance? The location of the Brook of Cherith is where one of the most significant of biblical events occurred.

Enter Elijah

Known as Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah was born around 900 BCE in the village of Tishbe in Gilead in ancient Palestine. Not much is known concerning his birthplace other than it is likely the ancient city of Listib, which is present-day Jordan. He was the son of Savah, but nothing is recorded about his background.

However, Elijah was indeed a prophet and is portrayed as having lived during the reigns of Israelite Kings Ahab, Ahaziah, and Jehoram, during the first half of the 9th century BC. He was known as the prophet of confrontation. In the Scriptures, Elijah appears suddenly to promote traditional orthodox Jewish beliefs. His first appearance places him about midway through the reign of King Ahab, son of Omri, who founded the northern kingdom of Samaria. This period would place Elijah somewhere around 864 BC.

Elijah was a dynamic prophet during a tumultuous time in Israel’s history. The nation had betrayed the Lord by worshipping Baal, and King Ahab had allied with Sidon by marrying their princess, Jezebel. Elijah was sent to show Israel the evil of their ways and encourage them to return to the Lord.

This mission is described in the Scriptures in 1 Kings 17:1

17 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” NKJV

The entrance of Elijah in the Scriptures is abrupt, bold, and dramatic. Like a bolt of lightning from heaven, Elijah suddenly appears on the scene. He confronts King Ahab, the wicked king of Israel, about the future weather conditions. Conversing about the weather is a typical conversation with people. But there was nothing typical about the weather talk of Elijah before Ahab, which we see in our text. An uncompromising Elijah stated that it was judgment time for Israel. He declared that a severe drought was coming to the land and would remain until he decided to stop it. No rain, no dew, no moisture, nothing. Only the burning, searing, wilting sun day after day until Elijah called a halt to the torment.

The Brook

It was a bold and severe prediction about the weather that did not go well with Ahab. Imagine declaring judgment before a wicked king! He stood the chance of being beheaded. Therefore, he wasted no time leaving the presence of King Ahab, as we see in verses 2 and 3

2 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying,

3 “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. NKJV

Evidently, while Ahab was in a state of shock and unbelief from the appearance and pronouncement by the rugged and brazen prophet, Elijah abruptly walked out before he could be arrested. Immediately or soon after, the Lord instructed Elijah to flee and hide from the king in the event Ahab sought retaliation or revenge, especially after the drought commenced. Furthermore, the prophet needed to be out of Ahab’s reach, for the king would undoubtedly place undue pressure upon Elijah to stop the drought.

Next, we see that Scripture dramatically describes how God protected and provided for His beloved prophet. Verses: 4-6 reads:

4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

5 So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

Here we see the provision of the Lord—supernatural provision. Imagine birds delivering food!

Elijah was obedient to God, and God provided for His beloved servant in the wilderness. Elijah witnessed God’s power as the ravens brought him bread and meat twice daily, morning and evening. And he drank fresh water from the flowing brook.

Despite being totally alone and being hunted down by the king, Elijah’s needs were met by the Lord Himself. God’s dear servant was being protected and provided for day by day.

Although protected and provided for during the drought, imagine being all alone, unable to go anywhere, with nowhere to turn. Research yields that Elijah was sustained at the brook for about three years. Now, isolated from society and deprived of luxuries, he couldn’t go out to eat or even to the store. What do you suppose he did for three years?

He had no TV, radio, cell phone, or tablet; he couldn’t go and visit with friends. He had to wait—by the brook.

Have you ever been in a major life situation when you couldn’t do anything about it? A time when you have done all that you could have done, all you could do was wait? We’ve all been faced with a situation such as this. I call them brookside experiences.

These situations can involve life-changing and life-sustaining conditions, including career and spouse choices, where to live, and financial decisions, to name a few. It can be any situation in which we cannot solve ourselves. When we seek an answer through prayer, and we don’t receive it, we have to wait—by the brook.

The brook is where God places us sometimes for reasons that only He, in His wisdom, knows. It can be for timing. Perhaps the time may not be suitable for what we are seeking.

A time for preparation: Perhaps we aren’t prepared for what we are seeking, or what we are seeking isn’t ready for us.

A time of reflection: Perhaps what we seek isn’t suitable for us at all, and during this time, God can minister to us so that we will realize how unsuitable it really is.

A time of opportunity: Perhaps, God places us in this situation to bond with us. This time can be an opportunity to get closer to Him. Even if for one of the reasons above, it can be an opening to get closer to God.

God provided for Elijah’s nutritional needs in a most supernatural way; birds bought him “bread and flesh.”

We can be assured that Elijah, being the servant of God he was, used this time to solidify his relationship with his Lord.

Sometimes, as with Elijah, the brook is the only solution. He could have been captured and killed had he not obeyed the Lord. But aside from safety, there can be much gained from a brookside experience.

However, brookside experiences can be daunting. Verse 7 reads:

And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

Brookside experiences are temporary to varying degrees, and the temporary provision can begin to wane. This temporary provision can be unemployment insurance, temporary housing, a temp job, or even counseling that pulled us through the experience. Nevertheless, these things come to an end.

In Elijah’s case, his provision, the brook—dried up. What on earth was he to do with no water?

Verses 8-9 tell us:

8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,

9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

God is faithful!

While experiencing a brookside experience, we may feel that we are all alone. However, we are never alone; the Lord steps in just when the brook dries up. In Elijah’s case, the ordeal wasn’t over, but God made further provision for him; a widow would sustain him.

In this passage, we see that when one door closes, the Lord opens another one. God has promised, “for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” This promise is why, as difficult as it may be, we must maintain our faith during our brookside experiences. God provided for Elijah supernaturally; can He not do it for us?

Rom 1:17 reads, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Faith and unconditional trust is the chosen way of receiving God’s righteousness and blessings. Because of God’s faithfulness to his promises, they move on in our response to faith. It is a perpetual progression throughout life. “the just shall live by faith.” Therefore, it is by faith, “faith to faith,” in other words, from first to last—from the beginning to the end. We need faith in Jesus at the beginning of our journey with the Lord, but we need the faith of
Jesus, the faith He had to endure the cross, to carry us through—to make it through our brookside experiences.

An observation of current events will yield to us that an extensive brookside experience is coming our way, a situation that we will be able to do nothing about—but wait and pray for the return of the Lord.

We need the faith of Jesus to carry us through life and into the presence of the Lord. Rev 14:12 says, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

Amen

Covetousness—one of the sins we don’t hear much about these days. Yet, it is among the most dangerous ones we can commit. So, what is covetousness about? This article will expound on this insidious state of mind.

What is Covetousness?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it is “marked by inordinate desire for wealth or possessions or for another’s possessions.”

In other words, it is an intense desire to possess something (or someone) that belongs to another person.

Even though we may not hear much about it, it is a severe offense. It is, in a word, sin. After all, it is addressed in God’s moral Law, the tenth Commandment of the Ten Commandments (last but not least). Ex 20:17 reads:

17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

What Does the Bible say?

What does the Bible say about covetousness? We’ve already seen that God’s base moral  Law forbids covetousness. However, other Scriptures take the point home. One poignant Scripture that touches upon the harm of covetousness is 1 Cor 6:9-10

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,

10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. NKJV

Notice that the “covetous” is included with the unrighteous that “will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Therefore, if an individual is not guilty of any of the other listed behaviors yet desires something of their neighbor (covetousness), they will not inherit the kingdom; they will not go to heaven.

Take note of what  James 2:10 says: “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” NIV

We may not be as conscious of the sin of covetousness as we are about other sins, but it carries a heavy penalty if we yield to it. We must keep all of the Commandments of God.

The Consequence of Covetousness

God said to the Israelites through Moses in Numbers 15:40-41
40 That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.
41 I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.

This passage was God’s will for Israel; He was to be their leader, their God. To transgress the will of God and His Commandments is sin (1 John 3:4).

Sin has consequences. Rom 6:23 says: “For the wages of sin is death.”
There is no more straightforward example of this than with the nation of Israel. 1 Sam 8:4-20 unfolds the account. This passage is rather lengthy, but it is necessary to view it entirely to grasp the impact.

4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”

Up to this point, Israel was a theocracy, meaning it was under a government led by God. But they no longer wanted to be governed by God; they wanted to be governed by a king like the other sinful nations around them.

6 But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.

It was God’s will to lead His people. However, since they rejected Him and desired a king instead, He allowed it, and it became His permissive will. But it came with a stern warning.

The Lord continued.

9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.” 10 Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the Lord will not answer you in that day.” 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” NIV

Israel was warned in detail of the consequences of having a king over them. Yet, because of their covetousness, they insisted on having a king. They were deaf to reason and blind to the evil of their craving desire, their covetousness. They desired a king who could unite the nation, establish an army, and lead them to triumph over their enemies. In other words, they wanted a king who could be their savior, deliverer, protector, and provider.

Covetousness and jealousy are first cousins. While invisible, they can manifest emotions that influence all senses of reasoning, causing blindness to the consequences. So, God gave them a king and many kings thereafter. What were the results? All of the above, and then some.

By rejecting God as their Savior and Deliverer, their Protector and Provider, the Israelites were ready to put their destiny into the hands of a human being rather than into the hands of God. They decided to make a covenant, an agreement with a man, and to forget their covenant with God. What a fatal mistake.

According to verse 8, Israel was already out of favor with God because of their idolatry. So He gave them what they wanted. History has proven that their stubborn resistance to God was catastrophic. Down through the centuries, Israel had suffered terribly for their continued stubbornness against God.

As a result, the kings that Israel coveted so strongly led them further into idolatry, causing the kingdom to be divided. Two of the twelve tribes, Judah  and Benjamin, became the southern kingdom, and the remaining ten fashioned the northern kingdom of Israel.

All of Israel’s kings were evil and practiced idolatry; Judah had a few good kings. Overall, God was angry with both kingdoms for their idolatry and warned them repeatedly about it through the prophets. Eventually, God sent the Babylonians to attack both kingdoms and carried them away into exile.

Imagine, an entire nation destroyed because of covetousness. Prov 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” NIV

The trials, the heartaches, the death, and the destruction all because they coveted a king like the other nations. Israel turned entirely away from God and paid a dear price. Over time the nation became a disgrace and was annihilated.

As mentioned earlier, this wasn’t God’s will for Israel, but since they wanted a king instead of Him, He gave them what they wanted. This scenario brings to memory the well-known quote from the Irish poet Oscar Wilde: “When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers.” Therefore, we must be careful what we ask for; we just might get it.

Covetousness is idolatry because it diverts attention away from God and onto what is coveted. As the US continues along its unrighteous, idolatrous path, it, too, will pay the price. This is an undeniable principle of God.

This principle also applies to us individually; we pay a dear price when we covet what or who others have. Eph 5:5 states: “For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person — such a man is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” NIV

God provides what we should have.

Conclusion

There is a vital lesson for us in this experience of the Israelites. As 1 Cor 10:11 informs, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.” NIV

1 Cor 10:6 also states, “Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.” NKJV

To covet or desire to be led by man instead of God, as Israel did, is included in “evil things.”

The lesson also to learn is that we must not covet what others have. It is the tenth Commandment of God’s moral Law. With this transgression of the Law, we never know what it will bring upon us.

Covetousness also involves an inordinate desire to be rich. Scripture warns against this as well. 1 Tim 6:9-10 warns:

9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,…NKJV

Coveting riches only drives us into destruction, and as Jesus warns in Luke 12:15, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” NKJV

Lastly, we must not be stubborn, stiff-necked, and hard-hearted against God; He knows best.

Questions, comments, and concerns are welcomed and may be left below.

Blessings!

 

The Cross—a prominent symbol of Christianity. However, what does it mean? What is the Cross? What is the Cross about? This article will shed light on the Cross.

What is the Cross?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “a structure consisting of an upright with a transverse beam used especially by the ancient Romans for execution.” It is known as a symbol of death, the cruelest form of execution. But to the Christian, there is one special Cross: the Cross on which Jesus was crucified. Therefore, to the Christian, the Cross means so many things.

Love

It all begins with love. John 3:16-17 reads:

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

God so loved us that He provided a way to save humanity from their sins by offering His only Son to pay for our sins. Jesus accepted our punishment and paid the price for our sins so we would not perish. This act is truly an act of love.

Rom 5:8-9

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

The death of Christ is the uppermost expression of God’s love for us. While we were rebellious and dreadful, Christ died for us so that we could go to God, find peace with him, and become recipients of his promises. Christ did not die because we were lovable; Christ died because God already loved us and wanted to bring us close to Him. No matter how lonely or alienated we feel, we have the unchangeable fact that Christ died for us. Every time we celebrate communion, we hear the words from Jesus, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 1 Cor 11:25

A Display of Humility

Phil 2:6-8 reads:

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death —  even death on a cross! NIV

The Incarnation of Christ was the act of the pre-existent Son of God, who voluntarily assumed a human body and human nature. He became a human being; the man called Jesus. While he did not give up his deity to become human, He set aside the right to his glory and power. In submission to the Father’s will, Christ limited his power and knowledge. This act is humility personified.

A Confirmation of Prophecy

The Scriptures have many prophecies of the Cross, from Genesis to Revelation. From the beginning of time, God has been planning to rescue humanity from the clutches of evil through horrific death on the Cross.

Isa 53:4-5 reads:

4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. NKJV

This prophecy was written some 700 years prior to Christ’s birth. He was marred beyond recognition, tortured, and thoroughly abused. But not only was his punishment prophesied, but so was our atonement. The redemption was prophesied.

A Symbol of Freedom

The Cross is a symbol of the Christian’s freedom. Heb 9:14-15 reads:

14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance — now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. NIV

The blood of Christ cleansed His followers from “dead works.” Before individuals follow Christ, they are filled with sinful thoughts, actions, and behavior. These “dead works” pollute people, putting them in need of repentance.

“For this reason,” in other words, because Christ offered himself to God, He can mediate a new covenant. He mediates based on his self-sacrifice and shed blood. As our High Priest, Christ is the mediator or advocate between us and God. He intervenes for all who believe, looking after their interests and presenting their requests to God. Christ died as a ransom, the price paid to release an enslaved person.

It is the blood of Christ shed on the Cross that has freed us from sin! Look at how Paul addressed this fact in Rom 6:17-18

17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.

18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. NIV

We all have a master and pattern themselves after him. Without Jesus, we would have no choice; we would be enslaved to sin, resulting in guilt, suffering, and separation from God. However, because of what Jesus did on the Cross, we can now choose God as our Master. Following him, we can enjoy new life and learn how to work for him. We no longer have to serve our first master. We can be free from him.

A Symbol of Suffering

The Cross represents suffering and pain. It is where Jesus suffered and died. Prior to His crucifixion, He had to carry His own Cross with much anguish.

Likewise, the freedom that Christians enjoy is not without problems. The Scripture says in 2 Tim 3:12

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

If we stand up for Christian values to live godly lives, we can expect opposition and hostility from the world. Based upon the testimony of many, we can anticipate facing some form of persecution or resistance if we persist in living in obedience to Christ. Absence of persecution may not mean unfaithfulness, but if our lives as Christians never affect the world, we may have to question the seriousness of our commitment.

Jesus said in John 15:18-20:

18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

Jesus was hated from the beginning (when Jesus was a young child, King Herod sought him out to kill him — Matt 2:13-16). He was hated at the end when the people of His time rejected him as the Savior and called for his crucifixion. Therefore with certainty, the same world will surely hate those who declare faithfulness to the crucified Lord.

To persecute Christians is to persecute Christ because Christians are an expansion of Christ, as branches are an expansion of the vine (John 15:5). Yet despite inevitable persecution, Christians are called to share the gospel — this includes not just telling the story but extending the invitation to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord.

The Cross not only represents suffering through persecution but, through life itself. The Scriptures inform us in Ps 34:18-19 NLT

18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

19 The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

We often wish we could escape troubles—the pain of grief, loss, sorrow, failure, or even the minor daily aggravations that relentlessly wear us down. But God promises to be “close to the brokenhearted” and our root of power, courage, and wisdom, aiding us through our trials and tribulations. Sometimes He chooses to deliver us from those problems.

All of us, Christian and non-Christian, have trials and tribulations. The difference is the response. The non-Christians, the worldly ones, rely on themselves. Christians rely on Jesus through faith. It is a requirement, as Jesus said in Luke 9:23,  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

Jesus made it clear that following Him would not be easy. To deny ourselves means letting go of selfish desires and earthly security. “Self” is no longer in charge; Christ is. We need this attitude for the days ahead. We must be willing to set aside our desires to fulfill God’s will.

Christians follow the Lord by imitating His life and obeying his commands. Imitating His life involves partaking in His suffering. 1 Peter 4:12-13 reads:

12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.

13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
NIV

Christians are not to be surprised at the trials they face as unbelievers do; we have to expect them. God’s plan for our lives often but not always includes pain and hardship. But as the previous Scripture reveals (Ps. 34:19), the Lord delivers us from them all.

This situation is why Jesus said we must take up our crosses: our trials and tribulations, and follow Him. Notice when Jesus said we are to take up our crosses: “daily.”  Following Christ is not a one-shot deal; one must be in it for the long haul. Otherwise, don’t bother. For Jesus also said in Matt 10:38: “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”

Christ’s followers must deny selfish ambitions and selfish desires. Following Christ is costly now, but it is well worth the pain and effort in the long run. Individuals are willing to shell out a high price for something they value. Therefore, is it any surprise that Jesus would demand this much commitment from his followers? At least three conditions must be met by individuals who want to follow Jesus. They must be willing to deny themselves, to take up the cross, and to follow him. Anything less is superficial.

Consequently, when trouble strikes, we must not get frustrated with God. Instead, we must admit that we need God’s help and thank him for being by our side.

This carrying of our crosses is a daily struggle that yields everlasting results.

Summary

As you can see, the cross symbolizes much in the life of a Christian. May we take note, understand its significance, and hold it dear to our hearts.

Amen

Questions, comments, and concerns are welcomed below.

Blessings!