THE SON OF PERDITION REVEALED

by Pastor Mike Taylor

“I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 

2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. ." (Revelation 6:1-2)

Many people are fixed on the end time’s prophecies that we are observing right now in our time. With that focus many are looking for someone to rise up and fulfill the prophecy of the end time ruler, called the Anti-christ. We see the so-called “pandemic” of the Coronovirus and mandated “Stay at Home” orders, many arrested for not doing so, those who gather at church and given tickets even if they drive up on the parking lot and listen to the service on their radios. It seems that of our Constitutional rights are being thrown into the trash.
When I pondered this question, I remembered many emails coming from a fellow across the big pond who thoroughly disbelieves that there will be an actual Anti-christ, This European fellow believes that this is all fictional nonsense, (as he calls it) and there will be no one who will head the end time government that is prophesied to be in place just before the return of Jesus Christ to set up His kingdom. But is he right, or is he just a scoffer? Let’s see what the bible says and who is called the “Anti-christ”.

The term "antichrist" is found only in I and II John. Notice 1st John: 

18 “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 

19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.

21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 

22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 

23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.” (1^st John 2:18-23)

In John’s day, there were many people who could be classified as Anti-Christ. They were those that denied that Jesus Christ had come in the flesh and was from God, and was God. Notice above in v. 22 “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.” So even in John’s day there were many people who had the spirit of anti-christ, but is that where it ends?

PROTO-TYPE OF THE ANTI-CHRIST

Daniel speaks of the king that would come, in Daniel chapter 11,  Let’s look at verse 15 and start reading. 

“ Then the king of the North will come and build up siege ramps and will capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand.

 16 The invader will do as he pleases; no one will be able to stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have the power to destroy it.  .” (Daniel 11:15-17)

Reading on down we see this verse depicting a ruler to come of when Daniel wrote it. In verse28 

“Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.” (Daniel 11:28)

If you read this chapter, you will learn from historical documents and your own history books, of a ruler from Syria called Antiochus Epiphanes. History shows us that he lost a battle to the king of the south, Egypt and as he was making his way back home he came against Jerusalem and defiled the temple in his wrath and hatred of the Jews.

From a book of history we read, “Daniel's prophecy describes the reign of one of the later Syrian kings, Antiochus IV, surnamed Epiphanies ("the manifest" or "the illustrious"). With tragic wit, the Jews named him Epimanes, or "the madman," when it became apparent that his policies were violently anti-Jewish. Determined to "civilize" (i.e., Hellenize) the Jews, this Syrian king systematically forbade, under penalty of death, circumcision, Sabbath and holy day observance, and the reading or possession of the scrolls of the Torah. He executed some for refusing to eat swine's flesh and butchered others who would not bow to a pagan image.

Additionally, he had a statue of Zeus erected in the Temple. Swine were sacrificed on God's altar, and pagan rites, orgies, and festivals were performed in the Temple grounds. In his pride, he decreed that he should be worshiped as Zeus; his coins were struck with the inscription theos epiphanes ("God manifest"), a horrible counterfeit of the true "God with us."

This man lived many years before the ministry of Jesus Christ and was known to all who were Jewish by birth at the time of Jesus being on earth. His defiling of the temple led to the Maccabean War that defeated Antiochus and restored the Temple after being cleansed and they are observed in the Days of Hanukkah.

JESUS PROPHECIES ANOTHER ANTI-CHRIST TO COME

When Jesus was approached by His disciples on the Mount of Olives, after His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said this in Matthew chapter 24:

15  "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16  Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17  Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18  Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19  And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be
22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."(Matthew 24:15-22)

Obviously, Jesus was speaking to Jewish people who will see this come about and are told beforehand to “get out of dodge” so to speak. This does not speak of the church, as some postulate, but directed at the nation of Israel in the latter days of the revealing of the Anti-Christ upon the earth. I believe those who are saved alive will run to the Jordanian fortress of Petra, even as their ancestors did when Rome destroyed Jerusalem, where God will supernaturally protect them.

MODERN DAY ANTI-CHRIST REVEALED

Bible prophecy has been shown to have duality of fulfillment. Just as Daniel spoke of the “abomination that causeth desolation” and was fulfilled years later by Antiochus Epiphanes, so too, will it be fulfilled again in the last days. Years after Jesus spoke of this prophecy, the temple was destroyed by Roman legions and the prophecy was put on hold, as Jesus spoke of the end of days.

Since the temple has been destroyed and has never been rebuilt, YET, (as all parts of the construction of the 3^rd Temple are ready to be placed on the Temple Mount) then it would be safe to say that the prophecy is yet to be fulfilled. Many men who fit the concept of the
“Anti-christ” have come and gone. Some of them we know from our history books, from ancient times to our modern era. Some of the names you will recognize such as Nebuchadnezzar from the book of Daniel, Haman from book of Esther, the Pharaohs of Egypt, Judas Iscariot the disciple of Jesus, Emperor Nero, and even into modern days, such as Hitler, Pol Pot, and Jim Jones. But none of them have stood in the Temple in Jerusalem and claimed to be a “god” and defile the temple. That is a future event. This man is called further “the man of sin.”

Many people write me and wonder if this new ID2020 is the coming Mark of the Beast, and is Bill Gates the “Anti-Christ”...Is he? We won't know for sure, but the idea of putting a mark, or a tattoo on a person's right arm, gives a person pause that we are seeing the run-up to the coming Tribulation. People are writing about this right now. People are scared and many see this as a sign of the end of days. Many people are protesting the "stay at home" orders and have hard questions about this new "vaccine" Bill Gates is pushing...As a clip from the internet of people who are concerned:

“The Internet has exploded with accusations that Bill gates is preparing to administer the Mark of the Beast through his Coronavirus vaccine. Is this true?” (End of the Age, Endtime.com)

“Bill Gates is the Antichrist Ever since Microsoft was founded, Bill Gates has gained power over the people of the world by winning a monopoly in the computer-software industry. From the assistance Microsoft gave in the development of the personal computer, to the virtual monopoly that Windows now has on most computers all over the world; Microsoft has controlled a major portion of the computer industry. In his repeated conquests over his competitors, Gates has left an increasingly obvious amount of evidence that proves that he is the fourth and final antichrist.”(Bill Gates is the Anti-Christ Essay research. Works.doklad.ru)

“Why is Bill Gates involved in hyping the global Coronavirus fear? Answer: ID2020 The pandemic will be used to further the goals of the Devil and build up the antichrist Beast tracking and buying/selling system. “The ID2020 Alliance, as it’s being called, is a digital identity program that aims to “leverage immunization” as a means of inserting tiny microchips into people’s bodies." Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.( 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)” (blogtalkradio.com)

I'm not saying that Bill Gates is the Anti-Christ, as we will never know for sure this side of the rapture, but with this Coronavirus and his so-called "vaccine", it is making a lot of people suspicious of his intentions. It very well could be the beginning of watching every person on the planet that the Anti-Christ will use. Research shows us that Bill Gates has sold “Micro-soft” and is investing millions of dollars in factories to produce this so called 'vaccine” that will monitor every person on the planet with their personal information and that no one can buy or sell unless he has proof that he has been vaccinated. I read where if the law stops you, say the police, or highway patrol and you haven't papers, or a tattoo on your arm, they can arrest you and take you to a quarantine without charges or a court appearance.

I have also read that this untested vaccine has killed more people than any virus, as it comes from Bangladesh and could be being used as a de-population tool to rid the planet of undesirables...Reports are that it has killed many in Africa during testing of this "vaccine"..much like when Hitler tried the same plot in WW2...here, it might be conceivable that another attempt is in the making. As there are plans to reduce the population of the earth to a “manageable” level of 500 million people in the name of “Climate Change” and to save the “mother earth”. See the agenda of Sustainable Development and Agenda 2030 associated with this concept of marking people and depopulation to a "sustainable" level by going here:

https://globalpossibilities.org/112091-2/

Agenda 21? The Plan To Depopulate 95% Of The World By 2030

This to inform you of what may be coming not to scare but make you aware that the end of this age is close, and Jesus could come back at any moment.

Mr. Gates, I would liken him more than Anti-christ, but “Anti-God” as he has called for the closure of every church and business in the USA and the world. That would violate our religious freedom in the name of security and safety, where those who accept this, deserve neither. We may have suspicions of who the “man' is, but we will NOT see him revealed until after the True Church of the Living God is removed from this planet, as Paul writes of him in II Thessalonians starting in chapter 2: verse 6:

6 “ And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7  "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8  And THEN (my emphasis) 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:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,"(2^nd Thessalonians 2:6-9)

The above verses proclaim that the “HE” being the Holy Spirit will be taken out of the way, to allow evil and wickedness brought on by the Prince and power of the air, and his demon hordes through the Anti-Christ, will be unleashed. They will attempt to destroy all mankind, but receive worship during the time of the Tribulation.. If the Holy Spirit is removed, then every born again believer will be removed as well, as Jesus told us that He would never leave us alone. To be without God's Spirit to guide and direct us would make Jesus a liar, and we know God does not lie.

5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”(Hebrews 13:5-6)

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

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

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

To leave a born again, Spirit filled Christian alone during this coming time of horror when we desperately need Him, would go against what Jesus told us, and what Paul repeated in Hebrews.

THE MAN OF SIN REVEALED

So how will we know when the “man of sin”, the “lawless one”, the Anti-Christ has taken center stage? The prophet Daniel tells us:

"And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."(Daniel 9:27)

This is the very first sign and indication that the ruler who makes a peace treaty with Israel for a seven years of “peace”, then this is the man we have been speculating about. Daniel says that this man will allow sacrifices to resume, which will require a temple…either of stone, or a pitched tent, as was in Shiloh. During this time, he will be looked at as a peace keeper, a man of peace.

What’s going on right now in Israel? Leaders are trying to make a peace treaty between the Palestinians and Israel without much success. President Trump proposed the “Deal of the Century” to bring peace to Israel and the Palestinians, but without success as the PA rejected it before they even saw what it said. But this coming “lawless man, the Son of Perdition will accomplish what has only been attempts that failed. This man will succeed when he confirms a covenant that was proposed but not confirmed and established. Why? Jesus said and prophesied:

"I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.” (John 5:45)



Some have postulated that this man will come in his own name, and the Jewish people will accept him as their “messiah”, a peace keeper, a restorer of Israel’s right to exist and a political “friend” of Israel. I have to agree with this premise.  Then only too late, Israel will realize their mistake that he is an imposter, when he defiles the temple and proclaims himself to be god, and does the same idolatry as “Antiochus Ephiphanes’ did thousands of years ago. Because of their rejection of him, he will turn on the Jewish people with untold wrath and a vengeance that will surpass Antiochus.

We shift to the prophecy in Revelation chapter 13. Whole books have been written about this prophecy, but we’ll try and summarize the gist of the argument I am supporting.13:1  "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4  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?
5  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
6  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9  If any man have an ear, let him hear."(Revelation 13:1-9)

Notice the change in focus in this passage? It speaks of “the beast” as an organization, or a political power machine.  Then makes a decidedly shift to speak of “him, his” which are personal pronouns denoting an individual. He will be Antiochus Epiphanes arisen in spirit, empowered by Satan himself. Also notice that this system arises out of the sea, which in bible speak is a sign of the nations, or Gentiles. Then notice the next passages:

13:11  "And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12  And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13  And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men
14  And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15  And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18  Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." (666).(Revelation 13:11-18)

 This speaks of the “false prophet” who supports the beast and rises out of the “earth”, which is bible speak for a member of the nation of Israel. Will this false prophet be Jewish? Appears that it could be, but only time will tell. Many people believe that the Catholic Pope will be that false prophet, as he is promoting a one world religion right now, and calling for a one world government and socialism, noted here.
Pope Francis Calls for Urgent Attention to Our ‘Gravely Ill Planet’ (breitbart.com)

To the present day Christian, those called by the Holy Spirit to repentance and acceptance of our Lord Jesus Christ, as their personal savior, this should bring no fear to you, or to me. Why? If you look up in the middle of the message is a verse that gives me great comfort.  II Thessalonians chapter 2:

 6"And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
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:"(2^nd Thessalonians 2:6-8)

Strongs Concordance reveals the meaning of the word “Wicked” in the previous verse as: #459 anomos, lawless, not subject to the Jewish law, (by implication, a Gentile) without law, lawless, transgressor, unlawful, wicked”

Let me repeat the obvious. There is only one thing that is holding back the revealing of the Anti-Christ , this lawless one in our present time. Who is “he who now letteth”…I believe along with many others, that the Holy Spirit is holding back all the evil power and Satanic forces that wish to destroy human kind. This passage says that “he” will be taken out of the way. I firmly believe this is the Holy Spirit who called each of us to repentance and provided the Salvation of God to each of us upon our acceptance of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, will be withdrawn at this time to allow evil to flourish and cause the wrath of God to fall upon a rebellious mankind.

We may see the run up to this Anti-christ being revealed. There will be hints and we might even have a pretty good idea of who that person will be, because of his position and the politics of its formation, but I believe we will not see its fulfillment, as we are not present on earth. God has removed His church out of the way, as He has done many times before when God’s people are in direct line of the horrors of an evil world and His coming wrath written in detail in the book of the apocalypse, Revelation.

And horrors they will be. All who do not take the mark of the beast, or his name will be marked for martyrdom. And all who take the mark will be doomed for all of eternity. Remember Revelation chapter 13?

15"And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."(Revelation 13:15-17)

During Roman times, each citizen had to take an oath of allegiance to the emperor and burn incense before his statue and profess these words “Caesar is god”. Then they were free to be a part of this economic system for another year.  I say this because all who knowingly take this mark of the beast will know exactly what they are doing. It will be a conscious decision to follow the way of this world, to partake of the forced economic system imposed by the beast power, and its leader, the Anti-Christ, the Prince to come. It will not be a decision of confusion over it’s meaning.

And what will be the punishment from God for all who take allegiance to the “god of this world”? God warned all who take the mark of the beast of this result. 

14:9  "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."(Revelation 14:9-11)


I have a brother in South America who has theorized with all the modern technology with the internet and communications, that a system of big brother watching you will be loaded into all TV's to witness whether you worship the “Anti-Christ” and his image or not. With many ways to monitor the world, even today, it will only get more complex and the ability to know what people are doing during this time will only get broader and privacy will be abolished in the name of a New World Order of government and religion.



WHAT WILL YOU DO?

There you have it, my reader. You have two choices at that time. You can either fight and resist the beast power and it’s leader and be a martyr, as many will….OR, you can take the mark of the beast and live another day and be doomed for all eternity per God’s warning noted above.

But wait, you have another choice today, right now.

8 “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.12  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."(Romans 10:8-13)

Then you can look forward to Paul when he writes:
4:15  "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18  Wherefore comfort one another with these words."(1^st Thessalonians 4:15-18)

Taking into consideration all the scripture that points to a coming Tribulation and a Prince to come spoken by Daniel and more so, in Revelation, and the surrounding historical context of his reappearing is a most dangerous position to not believe in.  The idea of there not being a literal man of sin, the son of perdition, “the ANTICHRIST” is to deny the Words of the book, your bible. Scoff if you will, but the word of God makes a most concrete argument to that error. Don’t waste another day as the Lord could come back any time in the future. There is nothing in prophecy that must be fulfilled before He breaks through the clouds with a loud trumpet sound and call His saints “COME UP HITHER” and calls us home. Do it today, while there is still time.

And what of my friend across the Atlantic? Even though he is a scoffer at the idea of an Anti-Christ or even Jesus coming for His church, will he be taken as well? Yes, if he be found in Jesus Christ, then he will, along with the rest of us, rise to meet the Lord in the air. I can only imagine the grin on his face and the look of complete joy at being.......wrong!!

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

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

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18)

This is pastor Mike Taylor, wishing salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord, comes into your life. should you need prayer, counseling or just a listening ear, email me at pastormiketaylor@yahoo.com, .
God bless you all,  till we meet at Jesus' feet.

UNTIL THE FULLNESS OF THE GENTILES BE COME IN

                            

By pastor Mike Taylor

"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.

26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes." (Romans 11:25-28)

As the times, and the clouds of end of this Age grow and become dark and more ominous, people wonder if the Tribulation has already begun. Emails sent to me discuss  the coming Tribulation and their views.  With so many different variations of men’s beliefs and interpretations, based on the curious minds of human beings that “want to know”, as all variations can’t be true, as there is only one truth.  To understand the truth of God’s Word and know why it is what we believe, and why we believe it, I have encouraged people to not believe any tradition, denomination, or their favorite preacher or evangelist in church or on TV’s Christian based programs, but to believe their bible. It is a tendency for men to take a passage of scripture and try to line it up with current events, much like a newspaper reporter, and make a doctrinal thesis on that investigation. Now, I don’t believe God has a problem with men being curious and investigating what God’s Word means, as if they rely on the Holy Spirit to lead them, they will come to the knowledge of the Truth. He uses that time to make the belief of the Truth more solid within their spirit and in their minds.

So it has been as some question the following: “are we approaching the 6th seal judgment and 5 seals have already been opened?”  They postulate that is it possible that with the wars, famine, pestilence of old diseases coming back and new ones being formed, and the mess the world is in today with this “Coronavirus”, are those seal judgments being fulfilled right now as we speak? Are they? I look to the whole of God’s Word, not just one passage to deny their premise. We are not in the middle of the tribulation and here is why.

Dispensationalism, God dealing with Israel and the Church Separately.

What I feel  my brothers and sisters in Christ fail to recognize is that God is dealing with men as a plan of redemption by working with men in dispensations, called Dispensationalism.  What is Dispensationalism?  The short definition and you can find a full explanation in places such as Wikipedia or Google it, but Dispensationalism is an approach to biblical interpretation which states that God uses different means of working with people (Israel and the Church) during different periods of history, usually seven chronologically successive periods.  However, dispensational division of history varies among its adherents from three periods, to four, seven, and even eight dispensations.  For brevity, I’m going to cut that down a bit, as God has worked with two sets of people for nigh 4000 years, the nation of Israel and His body, His Bride, the True Church of the Living God..

From the Beginning...short version

From the time that God made Adam and Eve and their subsequent fall from grace, God has dealt with created mankind known as the Nations. Everyone knows the history from there to Noah, and beyond Noah and the flood until He called out a man called Abraham and made an everlasting covenant with him and his descendants. The nation of Israel was God’s focus to be a Holy Nation, a kingdom of priest until the coming of their Messiah and a fulfillment of righteousness. But as men are imperfect, Israel transgressed God’s law (given to Moses) and fell into idolatry, until God sent them into captivity to Babylon. There God made a promise to the prophet Daniel :

24  "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
25  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined."(Daniel 9:24-26)

The ark angel, Gabriel, as a messenger of God came to Daniel and told him what the future would hold for the nation of Israel. From the time of their captivity, as Gabriel spoke, there would be 490 years that would bring Israel to behold their Messiah and the Kingdom Age offered, thus righteousness restored and the end of transgressions against God's law. This promise was given to Israel and no one else of humanity. History shows that exactly 483 years transpired when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a foal of a donkey and the people proclaimed Him their Messiah King crying “Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.”

Within just a few short days, Jesus would be falsely charged with religious crimes, tried in a kangaroo court, and sentenced to death on a cross. At that moment when Jesus died that clock of that dispensation, the Age of the Law, stopped. After His resurrection, Jesus would be with them 40 days and tell them to tarry in Jerusalem until the Comforter would come, God's Holy Spirit. The Feast of Pentecost, 10 days later,  is when the Church was born, and God’s focus turned to building His church, to take a people who were not His people of the nations, the Gentiles and a few believing Jews, and build the Body of Christ. He has been doing that now, for near 2000 years. Thus was the beginning of the Age of Grace found in Jesus. But in the Age of Grace that we are in is fast approaching completion, God still has made a promise to Israel for a complete 70 weeks, or 490 years to complete and make an end to transgressions. God does not change and He does not go back on His Word.

WHEN THE RAPTURE?

As we approach the coming end of the Age of Grace, and the Tribulation draws closer to beginning, the matter of God focusing on His church will abruptly stop and His Bride will be removed. That will leave the final seven years promised to Israel to be carried out. Understand one thing, my reader, God has never focused on Israel and the Church at the same time. When His work is complete and that last soul is safely aboard the ark of salvation, known as Jesus Christ, that ark will leave port of this earth, and we will forever be with the Lord Jesus....Then and only then, will God turn His focus back to Israel. To include the church in the first half, or any part of the first 3.5 years is to change the way God has been dealing with the redemption of mankind in dispensations and is not what God promised to Israel. Further understand, that the coming Tribulation is designed for 2 things, and 2 things only and that is God will refine Israel as silver is refined in the furnace until purified, and to destroy completely, all rebellion against His Holy Name and His Son, Jesus Christ.

2 “But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:

3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.”(Malachi 3:2-4)

God has previously worked with Israel solely, or with the church exclusively, but NEVER at the same time. When the first seal is broken in Chapter 6 of Revelation, God the Son begins to open the title deed to what He has bought with His own precious blood, redemption of the earth and His creation of mankind. Some try to state that the first 5 seals are the wrath of man and  Satan, and the  that God’s Wrath does not start until the 6th seal. But notice that it is God that is causing these events to come to pass by each seal He opens. It is not man or Satan who is causing these events, but Jesus, the Son of God Himself. It is the beginning of His righteous wrath upon a rebellious human kind against His laws, and against His only payment for that rebellion, Jesus Christ. It is a time of famine and wars that God will use men to enact His righteous judgment, just like He used Assyria and Babylon to bring judgment on Israel when they were driven into exile. The doctrine is completely pre-tribulation in it’s view and the ONLY one that makes sense, as we will see as we go along.
ISRAEL AND THE COMING TRIBULATION


Of all the books of the Bible, Revelation gives the Christian the most problems with it's symbols, word pictures, and prophetic messages of the time we are fast approaching. One must divide the books into two distinct populations. I believe that God is speaking of the Church at the beginning of the book, and then makes a dramatic shift of focus to the rebellious Gentile nations and the nation of Israel. I see a common thread that flows through the whole of Revelation and that is God putting down all rebellion during this period of 7 years and the refining of Israel and making her ready to accept her Messiah, at long last.

After chapter 4, the churches and those redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ during the Age of Grace, are not mentioned again till chapter 19, not one time. Suddenly, the focus is turned to judgment of a world devoid of God and violating willfully His commandments. Then in chapter 7, God by His Holy Spirit reveals to John the main characters of this book. Let us take a look at a common thread that follows in the coming chapters that point to only one set of people....the nation of Israel or God's elect.

144,000 EVANGELIST ORDAINED BY GOD

In chapter 7, God names the tribes of Israel that are symbolically 12,000 coming from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. In the bible, numbers are used as signs of perfection. Three is the sign of Divine perfection, seven is spiritual perfection, ten is the sign of ordinal perfection, and the number 12 is the sign of government perfection and is used throughout the bible as that sign of perfection. The number 144,000 from 12 tribes is 12x12 or 144 and thousand is given as a great number. Will it be just 144,000 when Israel and the scattered Jewish people amount to approximately 13 million people? I think that the symbolism points to Israel a nation as a whole. This symbolism is carried out numerous times within your bible, to emphasize that the focus of this book is on Israel. Apart from Israel, the rest of the nations are in divine judgment and we read horrific descriptions of the devastation brought on by this Divine wrath. Notice in the latter parts of chapter 7, we  see a vast number of saints innumerable standing before the throne of God.

9 “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?

14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”(Revelation 7:9-17)

John is introduced to the nation of Israel and the evangelist that were being sealed with the seal of God, 12,000 from each of the twelves tribes. He then sees a great multitude that are standing in white robes and “palm fronds” in their hands. They speak different languages and come from all portions of the earth. These are the martyred saints of God from all the people of Israel or of Jewish birth that have believed in their Messiah through these seven terrible years, called the Tribulation. As I have identified in past sermons, palms fronds in the hands of these saints are a sign noted of Israel exclusively. Not the church, but saints of God or Tribulation saints, nonetheless.

But also notice that they will serve in the Temple of God, night and day, and He that sits on the throne shall dwell among them. They are not kings and priests unto God as noted in chapter 4 and the 24 elders pictured as the glorified Church saints are, but are to serve God in His temple unlike what John then writes in chapter 5 about the church saints ruling and reigning on the earth,

5:9  "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."(Revelation 5:9-10)

Notice the difference?

But let’s us jump to Revelation, chapter 14, where this same group of people are examined again and John describes them.


14:1  "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
14:2  And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
14:3  And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth."(Revelation 14:1-3)

Only these people can sing this song. They are the tribulation saints, the elect of God or the nation of Israel who have embraced their Messiah at long last and have died for that belief, much like the 12 apostles before them. They died preaching the Gospel to all who would listen. The church cannot sing this song, as we are not Israel. We are not of the 144,000 saints as a symbol of the martyred nation of Israel. Some will say, in error I might add, that we are Israel. That is Replacement Theology and Israel has never been cast away. God has not replaced Israel, just set them aside, as noted in the opening verses of this  message, till this time in history to turn His attention to them solely, as the church has been completed. God has promised that He would save ALL of Israel, not losing one!

As the Apostle Paul wrote in Hebrews:

15  "Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
16  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
17  And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."(Hebrews 10:15-17)


Again in Romans a sole promise to Israel,

25  "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.
26  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28  As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sake: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sake."(Romans 11:25-28) (the promise God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.)

Returning to Revelation:

4  "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.
5  And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God."(Revelation 14:4-5)

Some say, ahah, see? It says being first fruits to God and to the Lamb. It can't mean that we arrived prior to them, as they came as first fruits. What they fail to understand, is that I believe and there is good evidence to support this, that God works in  what I proposed at the beginning of this message, in dispensations. The church age has ended 7 years before. This is the time of Jacob's trouble and God turning His focus on Israel, as the time of the Gentiles has ended...We are the Gentiles that have been saved out of the earth. We are a people that were not His people, but because of Israel's unbelief and rejection of their Messiah, the Kingdom was given to another. We are the people of the Kingdom of God, or the children of the living God.....,

42  "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43  Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."(Matthew 21:42-43)

Paul makes a startling statement by the power of the Holy Spirit in Romans,

24  "Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
25  As he saith also in Osee, (Hosea), I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
26  And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God."(Romans 9:24-26)

We are the first fruits at the coming of the Lord for the Gentile Age, or the age of the Church, a dispensation also called the Age of Grace. When these who stand on Mt. Sion are considered first fruits of the Trials of Jacob, also known as Jacob's troubles and will be called Tribulation Saints during the end of the Age of the Law. This is re-emphasized in chapter 15 in the following:

2  "And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
3  And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints."(Revelation 15:2-3)

Now this is not to say that some besides only Jewish people will heed the call of the 144,000 evangelist, but the likelihood of that fact grows smaller and less likely, as the focus is on Israel, not on the Gentile nations. God will save many left behind Gentiles, but this time is not His focus...it is Israel and the extinguishing of all rebellion on this earth and to reclaim His creation. Both Jew and Gentile will be saved out of this period of the Age of the Law, but many will die a martyrs death.

THE CHURCH RETURNS WITH OUR LORD IN VICTORY

As we progress into the prophecy and the events that will destroy upwards of 80% of all mankind by divine wrath, we come near to the end of God's judgment and John's vision of the marriage supper of the Lamb and the revealing of the bride of Christ. Until this time, the church and it's saints have not been mentioned, not one time since beginning chapter 6. Here John writes so of the bride by these words:

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.
8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."(Revelation 19:7-9)

Then at the culmination of the great feast in Heaven, where the bride is presented in linen white and clean, one final judgment is still in need of fulfillment. We, His chosen bride, the saints of the most High, come back to earth with our Husband, our King, our God which comes in full war cry and as a roaring Lion to avenge the earth for treatment of His people and to squash completely the rebellion on this earth. 

11 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

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.”

(Revelation 19:11-15).


Almighty God, our Savior and King, will make short work of rebellion on this earth of the final battle called Armageddon. Why is His vesture dipped in blood? It is not His blood, but the blood of those He has slain in divine wrath and beaten down in the wine press of His righteous wrath for the last 7 years is what I believe. Here He will finish the slaying of unrepentant, lawless mankind till blood rises to the bridles of the horses they ride in a valley that is 200 miles long by 30 miles wide. This is His final coming to rule and reign with a rod of iron. He will rescue His people Israel that have endured to the end.

19 “And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.”(Revelation 14:19-20)

Thus ends the Wrath of God when Jesus takes total control of this earth, and sets up His Millennial Kingdom to last for the next 1000 years, and a Sabbath rest  imposed for Satan and his evil and a rest for the earth.
Then all of Israel will be reconciled unto their King and Lord, Savior and Almighty God.
21 “And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.

23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.

25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.

27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

28 And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.” (Ezekiel 37:21-28)

TRIBULATION LOOMS ON THE HORIZON

Tribulation for Israel has ended. Jesus made a promise to Israel to loose not one, but save them all. If you are reading this, can you say the same? If you be Gentile, meaning not of Jewish heritage or birth, have you the same promise? No, you do not. The end of a dispensation of the church comes quickly. Tribulation is at our doorsteps. Jesus is right now still at the door knocking waiting for those who hear to open the door to His call. When that final call comes out, and He proclaims, “Come up here”, then time for the church will have stopped as we have entered eternity. Won't you join us? When Tribulation comes in earnest that makes these hard times pale in comparison, then hope of an eternal reward in Heaven to be with our Lord and Savior becomes less and less likely. I want to repeat this fact. Tribulation is designed to do two things, and two things only. That is to purify Israel to prepare them for their coming Messiah, and to destroy all aspects of lawlessness and rebellion of a sinful Gentile nation. Tribulation is coming, and the times are dark, but the coming time is a time beyond any of  our imaginations when God said that with His full wrath unleashed, that if it were not stopped, NO MAN would survive, but for the elect, it will be stopped short of total annihilation. The Church is NOT part of this wrath.

9  "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10  Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
11  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do." (1st Thessalonians 5:9-11)

Or when Jesus spoke:

36  "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (Luke chapter 21:36)

10 “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
11 Behold, I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” (Revelation 3:10)

9 “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1^st Corinthians 2:9)

Will you be in that number, the ones destroyed for eternity and thrown into a Lake of Fire burning with brimstone and sulfur? Don't let that happen. Make that decision for Jesus Christ to come into your life right now. Pray the Holy Spirit to guide you into believing on the Name that is above every name, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. The Tribulation hour is coming, as the salvation clock is seconds before Midnight and the end of the age, the Age of Grace will end. Wrath is coming.

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

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

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”(John 3:16-18)

8 “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:8-13)

This is pastor Mike Taylor, praying God's salvation come into you life today. If there be any need for prayer, counseling or just a listening ear, email me today at pastormiketaylor@yahoo.com. God bless you all,

        till we meet at Jesus Feet.