The Battle Of Armageddon

Some references to this great battle: Daniel 7:21-27
Zechariah 12:9
Zechariah 14:1-15
Revelation 14:14-20
Revelation 16:12-16
Revelation 19:11-21

After the Rapture, the new world order shall arise, under the political leadership of the anti-christ (beast) and the false prophet. One of the beast’s first order of business will be to make a Mid-East peace treaty, binding upon Israel, Daniel 9:27. But shortly thereafter, the beast will break this treaty, and by force will enter into Jerusalem, to set up his international headquarters there.

The beast will profane and defile the newly rebuilt Jewish temple, thus creating what is called, “the abomination of desolation,” Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4.

This terrible tribulation period (Matthew 24:21-22) will climax with all nations joining together under the beast to seek the annihilation of the Jewish state and the Jewish people, Matthew 24:16-20, Zechariah 14:2, Revelation 16:14.

But this gathering and purpose will invoke the Lord’s return to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, Joel 3:2,9-17, unto the Lord destroying all these armies, with the beast and false prophet being cast alive into the lake of fire – Revelation 19:20-21.

Christ will then set up His Millennial kingdom, Revelation 20, with his first order of business in ruling with a rod of iron, being the judgment of the nations, Matthew 25:31-46, allowing only those sympathetic to Israel and Christianity to enter into this kingdom.

HAVE YOU NOTICED? That nations (including the U.S.A.) are posturing themselves in bringing blame upon Israel, while being openly sympathetic to those who seek to attack and destroy Israel? Have you also noticed that those who speak against Israel at every available opportunity, also speak critically of Biblical Christianity?

Truly, the “mystery of iniquity” doth already work, setting the world up for the coming anti-christ one world order.

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The Hands

Human beings are a fantastic and terrible mixture. It is difficult to separate and recognize each for what they are.

After a difficult encounter with one’s mother, the adult child turned away from the impasse unto beholding mother’s hands. Her hands showed the signs of hard work and the toll of her years, but they also were a testimonial for memory recall.

The child remembered: these are the hands that nurtured and cared for me in my infancy. These are the hands that fed and clothed me. These are the hands that did for me what I could not do for myself. These are the hands that cleaned up my messes. These are the hands that administered the needed discipline to cleanse my conduct. These are the hands that groomed me physically and mentally to go to God’s house to hear God’s Word. These are the hands that would respond to any call for help. And the list goes on, that reminds me of my indebtedness to these hands.

But this reflection on what her hands had done, was not finished without the realization that it was what was in her heart and mind that moved her to do these things.

Everyone is naturally afflicted with: “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” Romans 7:21. What a complex and terrible mixture. But remember, we will never have to forgive others more than God had to forgive us to save us, and yet He was willing!

So when the mixture of the moment seems to be overwhelmingly distressful, and the issues at hand unbearable, take a good look at your mother’s hands and let them speak volumes of what is in her heart and mind towards you.

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Generic Religion

“And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” Revelation 13:4

How Satan shall succeed in accomplishing this needs serious thought! This will be done through religious agreement and counsel, as our verse says. It will be considered a major breakthrough, all relevant to up to date interpretations. To allow for all religion to meet together in worshipping one common god, Satan must first eliminate the distinctions that identify the true “One Lord, One Faith, etc.” He must succeed in making all religions generic enough to where they can blend sufficiently enough with other religions, unto making the last move unto a one world religion.

So, little by little, bit by bit, Satan has succeeded in getting people to abandon sound doctrine that identifies God’s people in peculiarity with the authority of God’s word, unto substituting positions that are generic enough to fit in with other religious trends and agendas. The religious initiatives of our day are working to tear down everything constructed according to Biblical Christianity, as if it is no longer applicable to our times, and to rebuild everything according to modern day interpretations. This reconstructionism is generic enough in principle, to allow for the continued changes necessary that will allow for all religions of men (except those abiding in the true doctrines of God’s word) to eventually come together to achieve their goal of a one world religion.

The drive is on to cast off Biblical distinctions, for the generic positions approved of by men. God’s distinctions for His people in dress and appearance are being cast off for the generic unisex look. The New Testament distinctions of Baptist baptism, with the local New Testament Church being the only authorized agent to carry out the Lord’s work, have been rejected as dogma, as men have erected their universal towers of conventionalism, associations, and other para church organizations, in which they are trusting for success.

The fundamental Bible doctrine of not changing God’s Word, but keeping it sacred, has been cast aside, with the wholesale acceptance of new versions of the Bible that are gradually eliminating Divine distinctions, and are substituting a generic lord.

The move to generic religion is on with irreversible momentum. Man is seeking that which will unite him with his fellow man rather than that which will reconcile him with God. To unite sinners in a way that is agreeable with the ways of sinners, necessarily requires a religion of sin that has departed from faith in the righteousness of God, which requires that sinners first repent of sin.

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In God’s Eyes

“…to do that which is right in the eyes of the Lord…” Deuteronomy 13:18b
“…the Lord seeth not as man seeth…” 1 Samuel 16:7
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8
“These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself..” Psalm 50:21a
“…be ye reconciled to God” 2 Corinthians 5:20f

We have all heard the expression–“beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Perceptions are relative to the many variables that exist within the latitude of human passions and preferences. That is why things come in many different shapes and colors, with optional features. People are intrigued by differences. People distinguish themselves by being different. Opposites often attract each other.

In some cultures, certain disfigurement of the body is perceived to be beautiful. An appearance that would shock an outsider, is seen to be honorable to those raised up with that emphasis.

What we are pointing out is that the culture one is raised in, more often than not, determines what people’s perceptions of things are. And in every culture, there are standards that clash with God’s standards. For example, in some tropical cultures, tribal people wear little, if any clothes, some with the women going topless. But we all know these cultural standards clash with God’s standards of dress, thought they are not perceived to be wrong within that certain cultural frame of mind.

With these considerations in view, Christians need to examine just how much of their perceptions are from their culture, and just how much is from opening up their heart and mind to God’s Word.

Presently in our culture, to see a man dressed up in woman’s clothing, is looked upon by most as being perverse. Many parents would have second thoughts about taking their children into a restaurant to eat where they see men going in who are dressed like women. But at the same time in our culture, if a woman dresses in clothing that pertains to a man, she is considered to be chic. This is the way our culture slices it and the way most perceive it. But in God’s eyes, He doesn’t slice it this way. In God’s eyes, it is the same if a woman dresses as pertaineth to a man as it is if a man dresses up in a woman’s clothes: “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so (men or women) are abomination unto the Lord thy God.” Deuteronomy 22:5 WE HAVE A CHOICE! Reconcile with God, or perceive the issue through the eyes of our culture.

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The Emmaus Road

(Luke 24:13-35)
A Journey From Deep Despair To Exuberant Joy

The second group of people Jesus appeared to on His resurrection day, after having appeared to the women who had visited his empty tomb, were the two men going from Jerusalem to Emmaus.

They were discussing Christ’s crucifixion (Luke 24:14) and were very downcast and sad, Luke 24:17. While they were trying to figure out what it all meant and what was next, Christ joined them, though they recognized Him not, Luke 24:15-16.

He questioned them concerning what they were talking about that was accompanied by their low spirits, Luke 24:17. To them, however, it was unbelievable that he didn’t know the reason, considering the tumult there had been at Jerusalem over Christ’s crucifixion, Luke 24:18. But Christ continued to question them to tell him everything that was on their heart and mind, as if he knew nothing about their concerns, Luke 24:19a.

They opened up with him, declaring their concerns to be over Jesus of Nazareth, whom they declared to be “a prophet mighty in deed and word,” but to their despair, had been presented to the Romans for crucifixion by the Jewish chief priests and rulers. And to their consternation, they had been expecting him to deliver Israel out of her present troubles, Luke 24:19b-21a.

As for the teachings that, to them, alluded to Christ arising after 3 days, all they had were the unconfirmed reports of some women, which claimed to have seen “a vision of angels, which said that he was alive,” Luke 24:21-24.

Christ reproved them, “O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?” Luke 24:25-26. He then patiently took the time, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:27

As they arrived at Emmaus, they constrained him to abide with them and as they were eating with him, “their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.” Luke 24:31. After this fact, what was so outstanding to them was how their hearts had burned within them as he had opened up the scriptures to them on the way.

What can be said about all this is: they were sad and in despair because they knew only part of the story. AND they knew only part of the story, not because it wasn’t contained in the scriptures, nor because Christ hadn’t taught them, but because the part they knew was the only part they wanted to know. They wanted to know about Christ, the prophet mighty in deed and word, but they didn’t want to know about the sufferings of Christ.

But they found that the answers they needed to go from being overcome by despair, unto becoming more than a conqueror, existed with the acceptance of those things in God’s Word, that their own will and way didn’t really want to know. AMEN!

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