Is Jesus Returning Soon?

[Posted February 27, 2026]

Hi, question about eternal life and final redemption. What will life with eternal life be, and is Jesus returning soon?

Thanks, S____,

Hi S____,

Thank you for these questions. You ask… “What will life with eternal life be, and is Jesus returning soon?”

A few verses come to mind in response to the first question:

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Joh 17:4  I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
Joh 17:5  And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

If the Lord is in the process of dragging one to Himself, those will be very encouraging and exciting words. “Knowing God and Jesus Christ” means we will have their mind, and we will think as they think. We have the down payment of that mind even now if Christ is living His life within us. However, it is a daily struggle to keep that mind and destroy the carnal mind with which we are all born. That struggle will be over, and we will “be like Him”:

1Jn 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 

A believing Pharisee named Nicodemus asked Christ this same question, and this is Christ’s answer:

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:4  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Joh 3:7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Joh 3:8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Like Nicodemus our carnal mind cannot conceive of being “born again” and becoming as “the wind”, invisible yet clearly moving things around “after the counsel of His own will.”

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Notice, it says… “who first trusted in Christ.” The mention of being ‘first’ necessitates that there will be others who will trust in Christ after His “firstfruit” harvest at the first resurrection.

That brings us to all the blessings pronounced upon “he that overcometh” in the ‘seven churches’ of Revelation 2 and 3:

1) Rev 2:7  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. [Christ is ‘the tree of life’… (Joh 1:4)  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.]

2) Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.]

The reason we are not “hurt of the second death is that we are “the first to be judged, (1Pe 4:17) the “first to trust in Christ” (Eph 1:12) because we are the first to be “offered as a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1); the first to die daily (1Co 15:31). We as His “firstfruits unto God and the Lamb” are the first to be “crucified with Him” (Gal 2:20). Being the first to “be crucified with Him”, we therefore “shall not be hurt of the second death” at the second judgment at the “great white throne… judgment” (Rev 20:11-15).

3) Rev 2:17  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

The “hidden manna” is the “hidden words of wisdom” of Christ:

Joh 6:31  Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
Joh 6:32  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
Joh 6:33  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
Joh 6:34  Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
Joh 6:35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom [“hidden manna”, (Rev 2:17)], which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

4) Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
Rev 2:28  And I will give him the morning star.
Rev 2:29  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Being give eternal life in the “blessed and holy… first resurrection” necessitates being given power over the physical nations of this world for a thousand years. That rulership will be beyond the ability of the nations to resist and they will be ruled “with a rod of iron”. ‘The morning star’ is also Christ (Rev 22:16).

Rev 20:1  And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Rev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6  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.

Rev 22:16  I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

5) Rev 3:5  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Anyone whose name is not in “the book of life” is cast into the lake of fire at the great white throne judgment which follows the thousand-year reign. Therefore this verse is a promise to the overcomer to be given a part in the “blessed and holy first resurrection.”

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. [had their names in the book of life]
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6  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 first resurrection” is contrasted with “the second death”, because “the second death… is the lake of fire” which occurs only “when the thousand years is expired.”

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life [over a thousand years earlier] was cast into the lake of fire.

6)Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

All who enter the temple of God must pass through the five pillars at the door of the sanctuary, and all who enter into the holy of holies must pass through the four pillars which separate the holy place from the holy of holies. The Lord’s overcomers will be the channel through which all men of all time will be brought to God. They are the “saviors who come upon mount Zion to judge the house of Esau” [signifying all of the false doctrines of Babylon the great the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth].

7) Rev 3:21  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.

Wow! What a promise! What a reward! What glory! What an honor! Christ’s overcomers, will be given to rule with Him for a thousand years, after which they will be granted to “judge angels” and “the rest of the dead” who were not in the ‘blessed and holy first resurrection’.

There you have it! That is the meaning of “knowing God and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent.”

Here is hoping to see you in that “blessed and holy first resurrection”,

Here is the answer to your second question concerning when Christ will return:

Mat 24:32  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

No one knows the day or the hour of the return of Christ:

Mat 24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Mat 24:37  But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:38  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Mat 24:39  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Mark tells us that Christ Himself does not know the day or the hour of His return:

Mar 13:32  But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
Mar 13:33  Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Mar 13:34  For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
Mar 13:35  Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
Mar 13:36  Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
Mar 13:37  And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Peter repeats this admonition from Christ:

2Pe 3:1  This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: [of what Christ taught concerning the timing of His return]
2Pe 3:2  That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
2Pe 3:3  Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. [This is the spirit we must guard against]
2Pe 3:5  For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
2Pe 3:6  Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
2Pe 3:7  But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
2Pe 3:8  But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2Pe 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2Pe 3:11  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
2Pe 3:13  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

So, yes, definitely. Like Christ and Peter, I believe Christ will return soon. I believe He will return in my own lifetime, but that is NOT a prophecy. That is simply being obedient to these words from our Lord and His apostles.

Your ‘fellow servant’, Mike

Rev 9-13-16- Part 2- The Sixth Trumpet

[Study Aired Aug 25, 2024]

We said we would continue our next study by answering the question, What is the spiritual significance of “the great river Euphrates”?

What is “the great river Euphrates?”

The Euphrates is the river that fed and nourished Babylon. It was upon the waters of the Euphrates that the wealth of all the provinces of Babylon flowed and came into “that great city”. Babylon and the walls of Babylon actually spanned the entire width of the Euphrates River and it was to Babylon that God’s people were carried away as captives:

Psa 137:1  By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
Psa 137:2  We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
Psa 137:3  For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us [required of us] mirth, [saying], Sing us [one] of the songs of Zion.
Psa 137:4  How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?

Here is one of the “woes” placed upon God’s people by the prophet Jeremiah. In this ‘woe’ we see that God uses the Euphrates and Babylon to “mar” the girdle which should be used to cover our nakedness. The result is to make us “profitable for nothing”. We see that those who “sit on David’s throne” are caused by God to “stumble on dark mountains” and go into “gross darkness” and are carried away captive, and it is all the work of the Lord.

Jer 13:1  Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.
Jer 13:2  So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put [it] on my loins.
Jer 13:3  And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,
Jer 13:4  Take the girdle that thou hast got, which [is] upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
Jer 13:5  So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.
Jer 13:6  And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.
Jer 13:7  Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.
Jer 13:8  Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Jer 13:9  Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
Jer 13:10  This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.
Jer 13:11  For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
Jer 13:12  Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?
Jer 13:13  Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David’s throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
Jer 13:14  And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.
Jer 13:15  Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.
Jer 13:16  Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, [and] make [it] gross darkness. [Smoke of the ‘abussos’ filled with locusts which dim the sun and the air, Rev 9:2-3]
Jer 13:17  But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for [your] pride [iniquity, Eze 33:13]; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD’S flock is carried away captive.
Jer 13:18  Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, [even] the crown of your glory.
Jer 13:19  The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open [them]: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.
Jer 13:20  Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where [is] the flock [that] was given thee, thy beautiful flock?
Jer 13:21  What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them [to be] captains, [and] as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?
Jer 13:22  And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, [and] thy heels made bare.
Jer 13:23  Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? [then] may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
Jer 13:24  Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.
Jer 13:25  This [is] thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.
Jer 13:26  Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.
Jer 13:27  I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, [and] thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when [shall it] once [be]?

Here God is telling His people that ‘He will cause’ the righteousness of His people to become “marred” then, “after many days”, He will cause them to abuse His wine and be drunk. He will then “dash father against son… will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but [will] destroy them…” He then causes darkness… makes it gross darkness… [and then He says] woe unto thee, O Jerusalem…” To which Isaiah adds:

Isa 1:21  How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

Isa 63:17  O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

As God’s people, we “lose our first love” and become the great harlot of the book of Revelation, who is revealed to be “the faithful city… the city wherein our Lord was crucified,” to which we all bear witness as we ‘look behind us’ to see all these details of the revelation of Jesus Christ, within us.

Rev 1:10  I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

Rev 2:4  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.[Isa 1:21]

We see “the Lord’s day” behind us. That is when we realize that we were “the great city… where our Lord was crucified.” These truths have no “ring of truth” to them until we have already lived and “kept the things which are written therein.”

Rom 4:25  Who was delivered for [Greek, dia, through] our offences, and was raised again for [dia, through] our justification.

Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

What does all of this have to do with the four angels being loosed from their bonds in the Euphrates River? It shows us that God’s own people who “believe on Christ” are the very people who are now Babylon itself, the great city wherein our Lord was crucified, and the very same people who want the christ of Christ, crucified to this very day (Joh 8:30-59).

Joh 8:30  As he spake these words, many believed on him.
Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those [many] Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:33  They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Joh 8:34  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Joh 8:37  I know that ye [“many Jews which believed on Him”] are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
Joh 8:38  I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
Joh 8:39  They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
Joh 8:40  But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
Joh 8:41  Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
Joh 8:42  Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44  Ye [“many Jew which believed on Him”] are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

As we “look behind us”, we see clearly “that great city” was each of us only yesterday, and this is what is being revealed in this trumpet woe to the inhabiters of the earth. This is what is seen by those who “keep the things which are written therein” (Rev 1:3). We have been the waters of Babylon, nourishing and sustaining her every desire with our doctrines and our substance.

What is “an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year”?

Rev 9:15  And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

Christ tells us “there are twelve hours in a day.”

Joh 11:9  Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

Of course, Christ is talking about walking in Him. He is “the light of this world”.

Joh 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

What does that make you and me if we follow in His footsteps?

Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

So for all who “walk in the day”, there are “twelve hours in the day”. But there are also twelve months in the year in which to “slay the third part of men”. What is this “year for to slay a third part of men” in the lives of God’s elect? Here is the only year in scripture that is given any special consideration.

Isa 61:2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

This ‘year’ was the topic of the very first sermon of Christ’s ministry. It was given in His own home town of Nazareth immediately after His temptation in the wilderness.

Luk 4:16  And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was [Notice that it does not say “according to the 4^th commandment], he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Luk 4:17  And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Luk 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Luk 4:20  And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
Luk 4:21  And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

The “acceptable year of the Lord” is the year in which the whole of the gospel [four angels] comes to “heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” But Christ made it clear that before these four angels would be released from the River Euphrates within us, we must first come to see ourselves as being in Babylon, being the sick who need a physician, and the blind who need “recovering of sight.”

Mat 9:12  But when Jesus heard that he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
Mat 9:13  But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

If we see ourselves as “whole”, then the words of this trumpet are not for us, and we do not need a physician. So it is with our sight. If, while we believe lies, we think we see, then we are yet blind and our sin remains:

Joh 9:39  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Joh 9:40  And [some] of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41  Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Until we see that we live by every word, that all things are ours, that we keep the things written therein, we are totally unaware of what God is doing. The “hour, day and month and year” of scripture are one and all parts of the process which comprises “the year of the Lord” spoken of by Isaiah and Christ in which ‘judgment is now on the house of God’:

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment [“The year of the Lord and the day of vengeance”] must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Isa 61:2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

Proclaiming the year of the Lord is to proclaim the destruction of the kingdom of our old man just as Israel and Judah were destroyed before they were made to “acknowledge [their] wickedness”:

Rev 9:15  And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

Jer 3:13  Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.
Jer 3:14  Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

What does “to slay the third part of men” mean?

We have already covered the spiritual significance of the number three when we did our studies on the various ‘thirds’ which are mentioned in chapter eight of this prophecy. Three in scripture signifies the process of being judged. If this trumpet is one third, then there must be two other thirds.

Rev 8:7  The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Rev 8:8  And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
Rev 8:9  And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

We are not counting thirds, but we are being told that the process of judgment is taking place within us. The third part of the trees was burnt up, the third part of the creatures which were in the sea and had life died, and now the third part of men are to be slain by the fire, smoke and brimstone which issue out of the mouths of the horses that come out of the smoke of the bottomless pit. Each seal adds to the previous seal, but it is all the revelation of Jesus Christ. Each trumpet of the seventh seal adds to the knowledge that was revealed in the previous trumpet, but it is all “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” the revelation of Jesus Christ who is persecuted by each of us when we are in Babylon. When all the thirds are realized in our life, we will begin to be “crucified with Christ”, and we will be “dying daily” with our Lord as we ‘fill up in our bodies what is behind’ of His afflictions, and we too, will be “perfected the third day.”

Luk 13:32  And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

Act 22:8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of [the] Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Rev 9:18  By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

When will we be given eyes that see that all of these thirds of dying are nothing less than the progression of the revelation of Jesus Christ within us as we “keep the things that are written therein,” and “keep the saying of the prophecy of this book” (Rev 1:3 and Rev 22:7).

Summary

We have seen the scriptures which tell us the meaning of 1) the four horns of the golden altar, 2) four angels which are 3) bound in the river Euphrates, 4) which angels are commissioned to be loosed, 5) which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, 6) for to slay the third part of men.

1) The voice from the four horns of the golden altar, we saw signify both the whole and the strength of the words of the gospel of the revelation of Jesus Christ.

2) The four angels are the symbol of the whole of the gospel which has for so long been

3) bound in the river Euphrates, signifies the great river of deathly lies, which nourish and support Babylon and which are the subject of the two million horses and their riders in next week’s study.

4) The loosing of these four angels signify the release into our hearts and minds of the truths which necessitate that Babylon, with all of her smoke and horses and scorpions and lions and all of her lies begins to be judged within us.

5) It is the birth of this day of judgment within us that is the hour, day and month which make up the acceptable year of the Lord, also called the day of the Lord, within us.

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

Isa 61:2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

Luk 4:19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

2Co 6:2  (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now [is] the accepted time; behold, now [is] the day of salvation.)

6) “For to slay a third part of men” is the symbol of the three part process of the judgment of the old man and his kingdom, with all the armies and principalities with which he rules within us.

Next week, Lord willing, we will discover why the armies of the darkness of the smoke of the bottomless pit are said to number two hundred million and why their breast plates are “of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone.”

Rev 9:16  And the number of the army of the horsemen [were] two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

Rev 9:17  And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses [were] as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

Rev 9:18  By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

Zec 14:1-8  “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee”

[Study Aired August 31, 2023]

The “day of the LORD” is something that happens in stages, and this particular chapter of Zechariah makes that very clear. The terminology in verse one, “divided in the midst of you“, then the gathering process of the nations in the second verse, “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle“, then the LORD going forth to “fight against those nations” is another process that takes time of verse three (Zec 14:1-3). These are stages that will unfold during the thousand-year reign of the saints and that God’s elect are experiencing themselves in this life as Christ did (Rev 20:6 another process Luk 13:32, Heb 5:8).

Rev 20:6  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.

Luk 13:32  And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

After these first three verses, the moving of mountains is mentioned in verse four, which indicates a process of faith (Mat 17:20), followed by people reacting to the judgments of God that are in the earth in verse five as “ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains.“

Mat 17:20  And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Finally, in verse eight, we read of the process of judgment that is being executed in the earth by the elect with these words: “living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.“

It takes all these above mentioned processes unfolding in the life of God’s people to accomplish the day of the Lord within so that the body of Christ can execute God’s judgments without “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.”

The day of the Lord, or the day of God’s visitation (Luk 19:44) is realized when God determines it for every man, and because the elect are judged first (1Pe 4:17) we are then commissioned to execute those judgements on all God’s creation who are being reserved for that event  (2Pe 3:7, Jud 1:6, 1Co 6:3).

2Pe 3:7  But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

Jud 1:6  And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 

1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Here are the first eight verses for this study that will look at:

Zec 14:1  Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
Zec 14:2  For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 
Zec 14:3  Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 
Zec 14:4  And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
Zec 14:5  And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. 
Zec 14:6  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: 
Zec 14:7  But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.
Zec 14:8  And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

————–

Zec 14:1  Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
Zec 14:2  For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 

Dispensationally these opening verses are talking about Jerusalem below (Isa 1:21, Rev 11:8, Psa 137:6, Jerusalem above Gal 4:26, Luk 13:32) and demonstrate the increased spiritual warfare that will be taking place in the world prior to Christ’s return (2Ti 3:13, 2Ti 3:1). Jerusalem below represents the harlot system that the beast (“all nations“) are against (Rev 17:16). The inward application of these first two verses applies to God’s people in this dispensation of grace as these words of Christ unfold within us.

Isa 1:21  How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 

Rev 17:16  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. 

Luk 13:32  And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

What God will do against Jerusalem, that is likened unto a whore which connects her with Mystery Babylon and  the daughters of this harlot church (Rev 17:5),  is explained in these terms, “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.” These are the four verses in the book of Revelation that  talk about the “whore” being revealed for who she is and how God is going to punish her in stages “and half of the city shall go forth into captivity“: (Rev 17:1, Rev 17:15-16, Rev 19:2). 

Rev 17:1   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.

Rev 17:15   And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Rev 17:16 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.

Rev 19:2  For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand [spiritual fornication within the 40,000 plus divided churches of Babylon (1Co 1:13)].

Again, this is to be understood inwardly for God’s elect today as we ‘come out of her my people’ and strive, with the faith of Christ, to be of one mind (1Pe 4:17, 2Co 6:17, Php 1:27). Outwardly, it is speaking of the time leading up to when the saints will judge the world with a rod of iron, having endured His complete judgment (Rev 15:8) until the end of our lives in order to be saved (Rev 2:27, Rev 12:5, Rev 19:15, Mat 24:13).

Php 1:27  Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 

Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Rev 12:5  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.

Rev 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

This judgment is coming forth from the elect who are going to give her double [meaning the true witness [2] of God’s word that is going to burn as with fire (Jer 5:14, Rev 17:16)] and these verses (Rev 16:19, Rev 18:7, Rev 2:23) correlate with this verse: Zec 14:2 “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women [the churches of Babylon] ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.”  The church of Thyatira really captures the thought that we can do many wonderful works in Babylon and still be given a spirit that despises God’s goodness which is leading us to repentance (Rom 2:4). Thyatira’s spirit will be alive and well during the thousand-year reign of the saints, all to demonstrate that we cannot come out of that Babylonian mindset unless the Lord builds that spiritual house within us with God’s spirit (Psa 127:1, Rom 8:9).

Rev 16:19   And the great city was divided into three parts [process of judgment], and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. [Zechariah’s^H2148 name means “Jah has remembered“]

Rev 18:7  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

Rev 2:18  And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
Rev 2:19  I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
Rev 2:20  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
Rev 2:21  And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
Rev 2:22  Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
Rev 2:23  And I will kill her children with death [her children represent false doctrines]; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

Zec 14:3  Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 
Zec 14:4  And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 

The mount of Olives is typical of mount Zion where the elect are raised after having fulfilled their symbolic three-and-a-half-year ministry of witnessing to all “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” where the whore sits (Rev 11:3-4). Verse three tells us the Lord will go forth and do spiritual battle “against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.” Verse four reveals who He is going to use to engage in that battle (Oba 1:21). Christ’s feet standing on the mount of Olives is telling us Christ is our head and leader in the day of this great spiritual battle against all “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues“, first within ourselves and then against all nations throughout the symbolic period of time called the thousand-year reign (Eph 6:12, Rev 20:6). We read the expression “as when he fought in the day of battle” that refers to when we were God’s witnesses of these things battling against the powers and principalities at that time in our lives and becoming more than conquerors through Christ and His Christ (Rom 8:37-39, Rev 12:6-8).

Rev 12:6  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. 
Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
Rev 12:8  And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 

The mount of Olives is “before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” We have all directions being given to us for a reason [north, south, east and west], demonstrating the elect, represented by the mount of Olives, are in perfect subjection to our sovereign God as spirit beings going where we are led by God’s spirit (Rom 8:14, Joh 3:8). The elect have experienced judgment in our heavens already, likened to lightning as from the east to the west, which is how the man of perdition is destroyed within us in this age by the brightness of His coming from the east to the west (Mat 24:27, 2Th 2:8). The mount of Olives, which represents the elect, has been blessed to cleave to Christ in this life – “the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west” from the east unto the west (Psa 19:4-6), The great valley between Jerusalem below and the mount of Olives represents the great gulf there is between mankind and the body of Christ (Luk 16:26). Our mission with Christ can now be accomplished having had His life formed in us through the things we have suffered in this life (Col 1:24, 2Ti 2:12). 

Psa 19:4  Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, 
Psa 19:5  Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. 
Psa 19:6  His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

That mission is to be sent as Christ was sent (Joh 20:21, Joh 3:17) to fill the fleshly world, represented by the south, with His judgment which comes from the north (Isa 26:9). This dividing of the mountain (“half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south“) refers back to verse 1, “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee” (Zec 14:1). The most mountainous power that controls flesh is the law of sin in our members (Rom 7:23, 1Jn 2:16), and the carnal law of Moses or the Gentiles, who are a law unto themselves (Heb 7:16, 1Ti 1:8-10) deludes us into thinking that we can be righteous before God by adhering to those laws in the letter or by being a law unto ourselves. It is that massive self-righteous mountain that has to be divided by Christ in every man’s life, each man in his own order (Rom 7:6, Rom 2:14, 1Co 15:23-25). It is in the day of the Lord that God puts an end to that strong delusion, and our overcoming through Christ brings forth the spiritual spoils of war in our midst – “and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.” The spoils represent the nations at this time that are being ruled over with a rod of iron [inheritance of the saints], and the spoils of war are also experienced today as we become more than conquerors through Christ, being nourished by the giants in our land Christ slays in us (Num 14:9). In time the world will not just learn righteousness but adhere to the words of Christ and continue in them after they have become tried words in the lake of fire (1Pe 1:7).

Mat 24:27  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Zec 14:5  And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. 
Zec 14:6  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: 
Zec 14:7  But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.

God’s judgments in the earth will initially produce a healthy fear of God to which these verses are alluding (Rev 6:14-17). “And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal (Azal = “proximity: he has reserved” – from H680: to lay aside, reserve, withdraw, withhold” – 2Pe 3:7, Psa 37:28). When God’s elect are resurrected, there is going to be a great fear that will come over the earth (Rev 11:11, Luk 21:26). What the world is fleeing from is Christ and the elect “and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.” It is “like as ye fled from before the earthquake” to give another clue as to the condition of men’s hearts at this time when Babylon is about to fall, found in Revelation 11:13.

2Pe 3:7  But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

Psa 37:28  For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. 

Rev 6:14  And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 6:15  And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Rev 11:13  And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven [Rev 14:8].

This transition period when the world sees Christ and His bride will produce a mindset in humanity that is described in these terms by God, “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark.” God’s glory can be seen and understood with a veil over our eyes like the day Moses came down from mount Sinai (Exo 34:29-30), but not have any effect on the heart as the Israelites typified for our sakes (1Pe 1:12, 1Co 10:11). The elect have had the veil removed through Christ and saw the sun of righteousness in His full strength as resurrected saints during their reign under Christ, however the world still have a veil over their eyes (2Co 3:14). It is written this way  “and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.” It is “like as ye fled from before the earthquake” and “But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.” The “evening time” when there shall be light typifies the salvation of all mankind, when everyone will be enlightened (Eph 1:18-23) to know God and Jesus Christ in their hearts and minds (Joh 17:3).

Exo 34:30  And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. 

Rev 11:11  And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 

Luk 21:26  Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Rev 11:13  And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Zec 14:8  And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

The living waters going out from Jerusalem are going out from the church and represent the word of God which is going to fill the world as the oceans are filled with water (Hab 2:14). These living waters of (Hab 2:14) are contrasted with the wine of the harlot churches of this world who have caused spiritual drunkenness and nakedness in the next verse of Habakkuk (Hab 2:15). 

Hab 2:14  For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Hab 2:15  Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

The former^{H6931 [former, ancient, eastern, old]} sea that needs to be washed is all the false doctrines that have been propagated throughout the history of mankind, and the hinder^{H314 [behind, following, subsequent, western, hinder; generally late or last}] sea represents the current state of all the “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” with their various belief systems. Those waters go forth “in summer and in winter shall it be” is speaking of the effectiveness of that preaching of the word. There will be seasons of overcoming for the world of the wood, hay and stubble that would happen in the summer^{H7019=summer, summer-fruit}, but there will also be a resistance to the word going forth that falls on unconverted hearts that are likened unto winter^{H2779=cold, winter, winterhouse, youth} mentioned in other scriptures as well. As we are blessed to know, God’s word will ultimately not return void in the great white throne judgment, the latter rain (Mat 24:20, Isa 55:11, Jas 5:7). 

Pro 20:4  The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold^{H2779 winter}; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Mat 24:20  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

Isa 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Jas 5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

Next week, Lord willing, we will look at the last part of this chapter [Zec 14:9-21]:

Zec 14:9  And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. 
Zec 14:10  All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses. 
Zec 14:11  And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.
Zec 14:12  And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. 
Zec 14:13  And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.
Zec 14:14  And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance. 
Zec 14:15  And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague. 
Zec 14:16  And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
Zec 14:17  And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 
Zec 14:18  And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. 
Zec 14:19  This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. 
Zec 14:20  In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD’S house shall be like the bowls before the altar.
Zec 14:21  Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.

[I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory] Eph 3:13

Psa 90:6 In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
Psa 90:7 For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
Psa 90:8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
Psa 90:9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
Psa 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Psa 90:11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.

A very common denominator that the body of Christ is experiencing today is judgment, the ‘One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day’, which is a parable that reveals that process of judgment that is on the house of God today and being used to perfect His love within us (1Pe 4:17, 1Jn 4:17).

2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that judgement (1 as 1000 or a 1000 as 1) is revealing the loving hand of our Father upon us who is receiving us, or perfecting us, or reconciling us through this process of judgment as we pray for and receive the kingdom of God day by day in earnest which kingdom is His good pleasure to give us.

1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Luk 13:32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

2Co 5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
2Co 5:12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.
2Co 5:13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
2Co 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
2Co 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
2Co 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Luk 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

“The word of reconciliation” of 2Co 5:19 and “having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself” of Col 1:20, is accomplished through the sanctification process that God’s people are experiencing in advance of the world (Joh 17:17) and is how we come to no longer know Christ after the flesh, but after the spirit. It is when we are called out of darkness and into His marvellous light that we can bring forth fruit, and your fruit should remain.

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Joh 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

As we contemplate the ongoing and needful judgment upon Christ’s body, we must remind each other to not be discouraged because of the suffering or the afflictions which we are all filling up which are your glory, as it is the means by which God enables us to cease from sinning as we go unto maturity little by little, glory to glory God willing, learning obedience by the things which we suffer.

Eph 3:13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

Deu 7:22 And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.

2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

God’s sovereign hand is intimately involved in every stage of our high calling of pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, and the verses we will look at are another witness that points to the wisdom of knowing that this is the day of the Lord for us, and as such we must look to Christ and “consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds”. God’s word admonishes us in our patience to possess our souls even as we’re given to bear each other’s burdens, knowing it is Christ in us who strengthens and enables us to do this.

Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Luk 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Psa 90:6 In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down^H4135, and withereth^H3001.

The verses we are looking at this week are, in large part, centered around God’s word in Luk 12:5, Ecc 12:1-14 and 2Pe 3:10-13) which remind us how we are suppose to spend our remaining days in these vessels of clay that are being “cut down^H4135, and withereth”.

The question is “what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness”, “seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved” — all these things being the judgment described in 2Pe 3:10 which is “the day of the Lord” for God’s people. Christ turned to the “daughters of Jerusalem” and said “weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children”, which is another way of admonishing us to “fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church”:

H4135 cut down
mûl mool
A primitive root; to cut short, that is, curtail (specifically the prepuce, that is, to circumcise); by implication to blunt; figuratively to destroy: – circumcise (-ing, selves), cut down (in pieces), destroy, X must needs.
Total KJV Occurrences: 36
circumcised, 24
Gen_17:10, Gen_17:12-14 (3), Gen_17:23-27 (5), Gen_21:4, Gen_34:15, Gen_34:17, Gen_34:22 (2), Gen_34:24, Exo_12:44, Exo_12:48, Jos_5:3 (2), Jos_5:5 (2), Jos_5:7 (2), Jer_9:25
circumcise, 5
Deu_10:16, Deu_30:6, Jos_5:2, Jer_4:4 (2)
destroy, 3
Psa_118:10-12 (3)
cut, 2
Psa_58:7, Psa_90:6
circumcising, 1
Jos_5:8
needs, 1
Gen_17:13

H3001 withereth
yâbêsh yaw-bashe’
A primitive root; to be ashamed, confused or disappointed; also (as failing) to dry up (as water) or wither (as herbage): – be ashamed, clean, be confounded, (make) dry (up), (do) shame (-fully), X utterly, wither (away).

Luk 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Ecc 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth [In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up], while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
Ecc 12:2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened [Mat 24:29], nor the clouds return after the rain [Amo 8:11]:
Ecc 12:3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few [Mat 22:14, within Mat 24:41], and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
Ecc 12:4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;
Ecc 12:5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: (Rev 11:9-12, Luk 23:28)
Ecc 12:6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Ecc 12:8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
Ecc 12:9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
Ecc 12:10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
Ecc 12:11 The words of the wise are as goads [Act 26:14], and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
Ecc 12:12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil (Eph 1:11, Isa 45:7).

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Both of these dire statements for the flesh found in (Luk 12:5, 2Pe 3:10) are accompanied right after with the hope filled message that, while we go through this process of judgement of grace and faith, there is witness of our being purchased by the blood of Christ and how valuable we are to God and how certain the work is to be accomplished that God is working in His people right now.

Luk 12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
Luk 12:7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
2Pe 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Psa 90:7 For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
Psa 90:8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
Psa 90:9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

It is God’s anger that is consuming our old man, or His righteous indignation. He is burning out of us our iniquities and our secret sins in the light of His countenance, and we turn to these verses in Exodus to witness that the law does not change our hearts, it is only when we our blessed to see “the light of thy countenance” that the heart of man can truly change.

Psa 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

Exo 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
Exo 33:22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
Exo 33:23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

1Co 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
1Co 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jas 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

Tit 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Judgment is on the house of God, and for that reason all of our days which are written in His book are “passed away in thy wrath”, to the end that He who has begun a good work in us will accomplish it through Christ.

Psa 139:16 Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was none of them.

Php 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Psa 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Psa 90:11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.

“The days of our years” are “threescore years and ten” is a parable describing the predestinated life that we live out as the sons of Adam: 70 years or 3X20 plus 10, reminds us that there is a process of judgment that all men are going through. It is not the same judgment that God’s elect are going through that is changing our hearts, however it could be thought of as a negative judgment in that sense, or more of a ‘whatever you sow you will reap’ judgment, which is true for us as well.

Regardless of what happens to us while we live and move and have our being in Christ (3×20+10=70), it is only when we by “reason of strength” which is speaking of the strength of Christ through whom we can endure all things (Php 4:13) that we can avoid being “soon cut off, and we fly away” or ‘die a common death’ because we are not being judged in this life. It is when we are granted to die daily, that we are being circumcised on the eighth day which symbolizes and witnesses that we are putting off the whole flesh in this life through Christ by not denying him but rather denying ourselves and taking up our cross and following Him (4X20).

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

Act 17:28 for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Lev 12:3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

These verses in Psalms tell us that life is not easy for anyone as we get old and put off the flesh, and the sparks spoken of in Job 5:7 are really the (3 x 20 + 10=70) part of this statement speaking of all flesh (Job 5:7), however the “yet is their strength labour and sorrow” part of verse 11 is speaking directly to God’s people who must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God (Act 14:22).

God willing we are amongst those who are coming to “know the power of thine anger” and are understanding more and more that “even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath” is a good thing, and a necessary experience of evil that the Lord is causing so that we can mature in Him.

Ecc 1:13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

Eph 4:13 till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Next week, Lord willing, we will look at the last part of this Psalm 90 where the Psalmist cries out to God to finish the work that He has started, knowing that it will require wisdom and understanding and the ability to apply our hearts unto that wisdom even as He teaches us to number our days which are all written in His book:

Psa 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Psa 90:13 Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
Psa 90:14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Psa 90:15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
Psa 90:16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
Psa 90:17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

How The Kingdoms of This World Become The Kingdoms of Our Lord and His Christ

God’s Four Sore Judgments – Part 7 -The Pestilence

Eze 14:19 Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast:
Eze 14:20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
Eze 14:21 For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?

Introduction

We have now come to the last of the “four sore judgments” by which God is judging His elect and by which He will judge all the nations of the earth through the fiery words which proceed out of the mouth of His elect. It was Joseph, as a type of “the Lord’s Christ”, who judged Pharaoh’s senators and then also judged his own brothers (Psa 105:22). It was Daniel, Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego who, as types of the Lord’s Christ, judged Babylon (Dan 2:48-49). And it was Mordecai and Esther, who as the types of “our Lord and His Christ”, judged the Medo-Persian empire (Est 9:1).

It will be the same with God’s true elect before and after the first resurrection. It is the fiery words that proceed out of their mouths which “judge[s] the world” at this time and will continue to judge the nations after the first resurrection (1Co 6:2). It is God’s elect, “seated [with Him] in the heavens” (Eph 6:2) who will declare “with a loud voice”, by the same fiery words, that “the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ”.

Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Rev 11:16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
Rev 11:17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
Rev 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

“Destroy the earth” means there are very prominent people whose goal in this life is to reduce the population of mankind, and God will destroy those men who have such a goal.

Before we continue and before we conclude this series of studies, I want to clarify a point which I have noticed almost all the commentaries have missed when commenting on the phrase “…our Lord and… His Christ”. I could not find a single commentary that understood the meaning of those words. The commentaries mostly agree the phrase ‘our Lord’ refers to the Father, while the words ‘His Christ’ are said to refer to Christ Himself. This understanding of the phrase “His Christ” nullifies the message which the holy spirit has qualified as referring to those whom Christ has sent “as [His] Father… sent [Him]”. Christ has sent His anointed, His ‘Christ’, for the very same reason His Father sent Him. The holy spirit has made it clear that the phrase “the Lord” refers to Christ Himself when it is used in conjunction with the phrase “His Christ”. When the phrase “our Lord and His Christ” appears, it does not refer to the Father, who is called either ‘God’ or ‘Father’. Peter makes that clear with this inspired statement:

Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord [Kurios] and Christ [Christos].

The word ‘Christ’ means ‘anointed’. Christ is called ‘Christ’ because He was anointed of “God”, His Father, and was sent by His Father to be the sacrifice for the sins of all men. The Father and Christ have both anointed us to do the exact same thing. We have been anointed of God, and we have been sent to be “crucified with [Christ]… [to] fill up in [our] bodies what is behind of the afflictions of Christ for His body’s sake, which is the church” (Col 1:24) and to become the saviors of all men:

1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

2Co 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ [Greek: Christos], and hath anointed [Greek: chrio] us, is God;

So when we are told that the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord [Kurios] and His Christ [Christos], it is clear that the Father is speaking of Christ as our Lord and us as His Christ, whom Christ has sent just as His Father sent Him, not to condemn the world but to be the Saviors of this world, as Christ told Nicodemus:

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

That is exactly why Christ has sent His anointed into this world:

Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

So there it is. We too, are “anointed… of God” (2Co 1:21), and we too, are “sent into the world… that the world through [Christ and His Christ] might be saved” (Joh 3:17 and 20:21). Truly “as He is [the Savior] so are we in this world”:

Oba 1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Getting back to our final judgment of “the pestilence”, we have already demonstrated that these four judgments signify the whole of God’s judgment just as the seven seals signify the completion of that same judgment upon the great harlot. We have already demonstrated that the judgment of the great harlot is simultaneous with, and is the same thing as, the judgment of the nations of the whole earth, as Jeremiah makes clear:

Jer 25:17 Then took I the cup at the LORD’S hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me:
Jer 25:18 To wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof [The great harlot, Isa 1:21], to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as it is this day;
Jer 25:19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people;
Jer 25:20 And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod,

Jer 30:5 For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.
Jer 30:6 Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?
Jer 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

Isa 1:21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! [Rev 17] it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

What Jeremiah 25 and 30 tell us is that the “drink[ing] of the cup” of the Lord’s hand is the same as the “drink[ing] of the cup” in the hand of the great harlot, just as Satan’s hand is shown to be nothing less than the Lord’s hand in Job 1 and 2. What that means is that “the time of Jacob’s trouble… the great tribulation… [and] the day of the Lord” are all one and the same, “the judgment of the great whore”.

Rev 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials [God’s elect, you and me, Rev 19:10 and Rev 22:8-9], 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:
Rev 17:2 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.
Rev 17:3 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.
Rev 17:4 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:

Romans 1:20 reminds us that there is both an inward, spiritual, and an outward and dispensational application to all scripture:

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Ephesians 1 removes any doubt about whether there is a dispensational application to the prophecies of scripture:

Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

1 Corinthians informs us of the principle that dispensationally, the natural must always precede the spiritual:

1Co 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

Therefore God judges us outwardly first, destroying all which we treasure more than Him and His Word. It is through that pain of physical loss that our spiritual judgment begins. In the same way God will judge the world’s religions as the great harlot which they all are. It is through the judgment of this harlot that He will at the same time judge “all the nations” on whom she sits and whom she rules (Jer 25:17 and Rev 17:1-2), and He will do all this through His “four sore judgments… the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast”.

Jer 25:17 Then took I the cup at the LORD’S hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me:

Rev 17:1 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:
Rev 17:2 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.

Rev 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Rev 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city [religions of men], which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

These words have a “never pass away” character to them, which makes them applicable in every generation, past, present and future (Mat 24:25). But they also have a dispensational application through which “in the… fulness of times”, they will have an outward fulfillment, which will culminate in the kingdoms of this world becoming the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ (Rev 11:15):

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

What part will “the pestilence” play in giving the kingdoms of this world to our Lord and His Christ?

When we examine the Hebrew word translated as ‘pestilence’ this is what we find is Strong’s definition:
H1698
דּבר
deber
deh’-ber
From H1696 (in the sense of destroying); a pestilence: – murrain, pestilence, plague.

Here is where this Hebrew word first appears in the scriptures:

Exo 5:3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence [H1698: deber], or with the sword.

This word is in the Old Testament 49 times, and of those 49 entries it is translated as ‘pestilence’ 47 times:

H1698
דּבר
deber
Total KJV Occurrences: 49
pestilence, 47
Exo_5:3, Exo_9:15, Lev_26:25, Num_14:12, Deu_28:21, 2Sa_24:13, 2Sa_24:15, 1Ki_8:37, 1Ch_21:12, 1Ch_21:14, 2Ch_6:28, 2Ch_7:13, 2Ch_20:9, Psa_78:50, Psa_91:3, Psa_91:6, Jer_14:12, Jer_21:6-7 (2), Jer_24:9-10 (2), Jer_27:8, Jer_27:13, Jer_28:8, Jer_29:17-18 (2), Jer_32:24, Jer_32:36, Jer_34:17, Jer_38:2, Jer_42:17, Jer_42:22, Jer_44:13, Eze_5:12, Eze_5:17, Eze_6:11-12 (2), Eze_12:15-16 (3), Eze_14:19, Eze_14:21, Eze_28:23, Eze_33:27, Eze_38:22, Amo_4:10, Hab_3:5
murrain, 1
Exo_9:3
plagues, 1
Hos_13:14

The only other translations for this word are ‘murrain’ and ‘plagues’, and these two exceptions help us to understand what the holy spirit means by this Hebrew word ‘deber‘, “the pestilence”.

Its translation as murrain helps us to understand what ‘the pestilence’, ‘deber‘ does:

Exo 9:1 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exo 9:2 For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,
Exo 9:3 Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.
Exo 9:4 And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel.
Exo 9:5 And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land.
Exo 9:6 And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.

“A grievous murrain” [Hebrew: ‘deber‘, pestilence] overnight destroyed “all the cattle of Egypt”, and that will be the same fate for all who are the enemies of Christ’s elect, both prior to and after the thousand years. The resistance to the establishing of the kingdom of God over the kingdoms of this world will be destroyed in the same way the rebellion against that kingdom will be destroyed “when the thousand years are expired”. The first rebellion, just preceding the millennial reign of our Lord and His Christ, will be crushed by “the Lord’s four sore judgments [of] the sword… the famine… the noisome beast, and the pestilence”. Those judgments will bring about the decimation of the world’s population to the extent that there will be “few men left”. The judgment of the last rebellion, soon after the thousand years are expired, will be the total annihilation of all flesh to the point that we are informed “there was no more sea”. What “there is no more sea” means is there will be no more flesh out of which the beast arises (Rev 13:1):

Isa 24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

Since the subject of this series of studies concerns the establishing of Christ’s millennial kingdom, we will take the time to look at the context of that verse in Isaiah 24. Notice how the judgment of these verses differs from the “no more sea” judgment of Rev 21:1:

Isa 24:1 Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.
Isa 24:2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.
Isa 24:3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.
Isa 24:4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
Isa 24:5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
Isa 24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
Isa 24:7 The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh.
Isa 24:8 The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.
Isa 24:9 They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it.
Isa 24:10 The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in.
Isa 24:11 There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone.
Isa 24:12 In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction.
Isa 24:13 When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done.
Isa 24:14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea.
Isa 24:15 Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea. [Psa 107:20-21]
Isa 24:16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.
Isa 24:17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
Isa 24:18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
Isa 24:19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
Isa 24:20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
Isa 24:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
Isa 24:22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
Isa 24:23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

“They shall cry aloud from the sea” will not be possible when “there [is] no more sea” (Rev 21:1).

Now we will look at what the translation of this word ‘deber‘, ‘the pestilence, reveals to us when it is translated as ‘plagues’ in Hosea 13. This verse also makes the same point that ‘the pestilence’ brings about total destruction. But in this verse we have the positive application of ‘the pestilence’ because in this verse it is the grave itself which is totally destroyed. The only way the grave can be destroyed is to first destroy all flesh, which is exactly what is meant by the words “no more sea” in Rev 21:1:

Hos 13:14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues [Hebrew: ‘deber‘, “the pestilence”]; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

God will not repent of His destruction of “brute beasts, made to be…destroyed”:

2Pe 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

So this is the positive application of this Hebrew word ‘deber‘, pestilence. Here “the pestilence” is upon “the power of the grave”. Paul applies this verse concerning the “destruction [of] the grave [to] all [who are] in Adam”.

1Co 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written [Hos 13:14], Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

It is “the pestilence, [being spoken of when Christ says] I will be your plagues, O grave”. That plague upon the grave is what God will first send upon the graves of those “who first trusted in Christ”. When we are raised up from the grave, the grave is destroyed. It will be the resurrection itself which will be the greatest single instrument for striking the fear of God into the hearts of the leaders of this world causing them to give their kingdoms to our Lord and His Christ. Notice the words “great fear” in these verses describing for us the effect which that “blessed and holy… first resurrection” will have upon the enemies of the Lord and His Christ. This is what will befall the rulers of the kingdoms of this world at the time when this great transfer of power and authority takes place:

Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies [the rulers of the kingdoms of this world] beheld them.
Rev 11:13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Rev 11:14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Should we expect Christ to return before we die?

The words of Ezekiel 14:21 are an integral part of “the Word of God”. Christ is called “the Word” of God (Joh 1:1). That “Word” begins at Gen 1:1 and it continues through Rev 22:21. In Revelation one, God’s Word is called:

Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

The book of Revelation was written many years after the death and resurrection of Christ, at which time He was “the only begotten Son of God”. That was 2,000 years ago, but this is what we are told:

Rev 1:2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
Rev 1:3 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.

“The revelation of Jesus Christ” therefore includes His “four sore judgments”, which, as we have learned, are the same as the “seven seals” of the book of Revelation. The ‘seven seals’ contain within them the seven trumpets, and the seven vials, all of which we are told are “things that must shortly come to pass”.

The Greek word translated as “shortly”, is ‘tachos‘, G5034, and it is the same word translated as “quickly” in this verse:

Act 12:7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly [Greek: ‘tachos‘, G5034]. And his chains fell off from his hands.

It is the same word translated as “speedily” in this verse:

Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily [Greek: ‘tachos‘, G5034]. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

The fact we are told “though He bear long with them”, gives us the sense in which we are to understand how the holy spirit is using this word. God’s work requires that we “bear long”, yet we are being told that when the time comes to bring His work to a consummation it will be done “shortly… quickly… [and] speedily”, in the same sense that this life is “but a vapor which appears for a moment, and then vanishes away”.

Jas 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

It is in this “little time” of “[our] life”, that we are commanded to “read… hear, [and] keep [all] the things written [in] the revelation of Jesus Christ”. It is by reading, hearing and keeping the revelation of Jesus Christ, that we are judged, and that judgment includes ‘bearing record of the Word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ’. The “judgment… beginning at the house of God” is the revelation of Jesus Christ and the reading, hearing, and keeping of the things written in the revelation of Jesus Christ:

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Know and understand that the “judgment of God” and “the wrath of God” are one and the same thing, and “it [must] first begin” at God’s elect.

Job 19:29 Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.

Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

“The pestilence” is the last of God’s “four sore judgments” which He sends first upon His own house and then upon “the nations [and] all flesh”.

Jer 25:31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.

God’s judgments, like the flesh they judge, are but a necessary evil to bring us to know God and His Son.

Psa 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
Psa 2:2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, [Acts 4:26] saying,
Psa 2:3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
Psa 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
Psa 2:5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
Psa 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion [Oba 21].
Psa 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
Psa 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Psa 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron [God’s elect, Rev 2:26-27]; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Psa 2:10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth [God’s elect, 1Co 6:2].
Psa 2:11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Psa 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

This concludes this series of studies. I hope you are aware that you are living in perilous times, and it is my hope that you will avoid the natural tendency to feel complacent, even in the face of the signs of the times in which we live. I pray these studies have served to give you a sense of urgency in your service to our Lord, and that you will not have this mindset:

2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
2Pe 3:6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

All things are not continuing as they were from the beginning of creation, and I hope these studies have inspired you to realize:

Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Hi,

I know you are always striving for truth. It seems that something is not right in the young earth theory.

From here: http:// www. iswasandwillbe. com/ Earth_ age_ and_ astrology. php

I won’t repeat what you said, but will simply say that it doesn’t seem to me that the concept of time started until after the sun and moon and they weren’t created until the fourth day. So the concluding statements about “evening and morning” may not be literal or may have some other significance. One thing to also keep in mind is that we now know that our universe is ever expanding and it expands exponentially. When God first created this universe, the size was much smaller than presently, so the expansion at that point would have been much more rapid. I’m not an astronomer or physicist, but simply searching and praying for understanding, knowledge, wisdom, love, forgiveness, obedience and more that only He gives.

Gen 1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
Gen 1:15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
Gen 1:16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
Gen 1:17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
Gen 1:18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
Gen 1:19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

God is good. I’m thankful he has sent you.

J____

Hi J____,

Thank you for taking the time to communicate your concern to me.
You make this statement:

“I won’t repeat what you said, but will simply say that it doesn’t seem to me that the concept of time started until after the sun and moon and they weren’t created until the fourth day. “

I hope you will not mind reading this URL to get the answer to your concerns. If after reading that you still have a question, then please feel free to let me know.
I make no claim of being a scientist. I do claim to have been granted faith in the Word of God. That does not mean that I check my brain at the door when I open my Bible, but neither do I check my brain at the door when I read about scientific conclusions, which are often based upon false premises, as has been proven over and over again in my 64 years on this earth.
When I was in grade school, scientists were concerned that we were headed into another ice age. Today they are just as certain that the earth is on the verge of becoming too hot.
It was not long ago that scientists explained fruit flies with something they called spontaneous generation. So I am not overly impressed with “what we know now” whenever what we know now contradicts the clear statements of scripture like “In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and all that in them is…”
I first look for the spiritual meaning behind the words of scripture, but even I have to accept that when a word like the word ‘day’ is qualified with the statement “the evening and the morning were the 1st day, 2nd day, etc., or “are there not twelve hours in the day”, then maybe it means “evening and morning”, and that the spiritual lesson is to be understood through accepting that God made this earth “suddenly”, which is better translated ‘instantly’. That is how He plainly states He accomplished the Creation, and that is what our vast interdependent creation demands.
Every part of God’s creation demands a food source without which it could not survive one month. Every part of God’s creation demands the skills and means for requiring that food be in place instantly, not through completely unverifiable evolutionary theories of millions of years, which completely contradict the laws of science and of logic.
Here is what the scriptures say, and this is what God has given me the faith and the logic to believe:

Exo 20:11 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.

It was neither a mental challenge nor a physical challenge. God was not tired. The word ‘sabbath’ means ‘to cease’. It has nothing to do with God being tired. Here is Strong’s definition of the word:

shabba th
shab- bawth’
Intensive from H7673; intermission, that is, (specifically) the Sabbath: – (+ every) sabbath.

When we look at #7673, from which the word ‘shabbath’ comes, this is what we learn:

H7673
sha bath
shaw- bath’
A primitive root; to repose, that is, desist from exertion; used in many implied relations (causatively, figuratively or specifically): – (cause to, let, make to) cease, celebrate, cause (make) to fail, keep (sabbath), suffer to be lacking, leave, put away (down), (make to) rest, rid, still, take away.

So the Creator did not even break a sweat when ‘instantly’ speaking this universe into existence. He just told His spirit to manifest itself as such, and there it is.

Isa 48:3 I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass.

God has declared everything “from the beginning”. I have no problem believing that. He did it all “suddenly”, not over long eons of time. Now here is what the Hebrew word translated ‘suddenly’ means:

H6597
pith’o m pith’o m
pith- ome’, pith- ome’
From H6621; instantly: – straightway, sudden (- ly).

Here is how this same word is used elsewhere in scripture:

Jos 11:6 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.
Jos 11:7 So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them.

Successful battles take place ‘suddenly’. They do not drag out for millions of years.
Two thousand years ago Christ said there were 12 hours in a day, and there are still 12 hours in a day, even as “the universe expands exponentially”, according to science. I for one will simply believe God and let every man be a liar. If I am to be chastened for being foolish then so be it, but I suspect that by “becoming a fool” I will be proven to be very wise indeed.

Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
1Co 3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

You conclude by saying:

“God is good. I’m thankful he has sent you.”

I pray that you still feel that way. I must stand on the only Truth there really is.
Your brother in Christ who is that Truth.

Mike