IS POPE FRANCIS THE FALSE PROPHET?

By Pastor Mike Taylor

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.”(Revelation 13:12-14)
 
In the past, I have explored one of three possibilities of the rise of the One World Church and the Anti-Christ, being a blend of Christianity, found in the Catholic Church and Islam called Chrislam. In this message,  I wish to explore one of three possible sources of the Beast power and the false prophet. First, I will deal with the false prophet, as this man will deceive the whole world present, to follow and worship the Anti-Christ. So without this man, the AC would unable to solidify his power base. 
As you may recall to those who follow my ministry, I hypothesized that the AC will come from three possible sources, the Roman Catholic Church, Islam and a Caliphate known as the 12th Imam, and the USA and/or it’s president with Babylon being either  Rome, Mecca, or New York City. Let us consider one of the other major religions and its leader as the false prophet, besides Islam, that being Roman Catholicism and it’s papacy. 

I have at other times, written about the history of the Catholic Church, mainly the Roman kind, but with current developments and the election of the  surprise candidate of this present pope, called Pope Francis, I felt I needed to readdress this "religion" once again based on recent developments.  In a message I did about the "Last Pope",  I marveled at how this man just didn't seem to fit the preconceived notions floating in my head and I spoke about it. But new developments and details have been brought to bear, and we need to look at this man once again, a little closer. In the last couple of years, this current Pope has attempted to redefine what the Catholic Church stands for, and what it does not stand for. He has departed from clear theological dogma that has been the foundation of the “Church” located in Rome. Even though they have been a powerful cult of major blend of syncretism of pagan and anti-Christian theology, they have become even more apostate.
Noting all the signs of the times around us, I've wondered when and how will a one world church prophesied in your bible come about?. For over a hundred years, one body has secretly and with stealth promoted a one world religion to draw all religions to the “mother church” and that is the Roman Catholic Church. In the past, they did it violently and with blood. Today, they do it with stealth, cunning, and persuasive words while  invading every part of society including education to promote the unity of the faith (sic). They will do it again spilling blood in the Tribulation. 

Understand that I have resisted the idea of shining the light on this movement of “another Christ” "instead of Christ" , “or anti-Christ"  AKA, the “vicar of Christ”  or god on earth known as the pope, in the distant past for personal reasons.  But I have a duty to God to call out heresy and evil within any religious organization who labels themselves "Christian". It is our duty and our calling according to Paul in 1st Corinthians chapter 6 as judging wisely. Any organization on earth that puts themselves above God's Word should NOT be tolerated by a born again, (Gospel believing with God’s Holy Spirit residing in his/her heart) Christian. We must realize that no man, no church, no organization can assure you of your redemption except through the blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Not the Catholic Church, not sacraments, not Mary, nor the dead saints, not any evangelical/Pentecostal denomination, or any other power on earth or the earth beneath will assure you of a place at the marriage supper of the Lamb.  Our Lord will not be replaced with any mere man or leader of a church on the face of the earth.  Paul spoke of our personal responsibility for assuring our own salvation, and it is through the acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior when he wrote in:
Philippians 2:9-12,
 “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

Did Paul write that your salvation is through any other means except through the blood of our Savior? Did the apostles of the Lord Jesus speak of it? Did they speak of sacraments, saints dead or alive, of the “virgin Mary” or oral traditions found in a religion that is man-made?…No, as it is not found in the Bible anywhere, accept Jesus saying "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man cometh to the Father, but by ME." (John 14:6).

So any other way that is professed is simply a LIE. But my brethren, what church organization has promoted these lies for over 1400 years plus, that the only way to God is through their church? Correct, the Roman Catholic Church is that antithesis of things that God ordained through His Son, Jesus Christ. Any aberrancy is of itself, Anti-Christ. The Church is NOT an organization, a denomination, a building, or a set of doctrines. No, the  Church is built one born again Christian at a time, into what Jesus said the “gates of Hell will not prevail” against. That is the Church, and it isn’t Catholic. Jesus is the head of the body, not the Pope.

ANTI-CHRIST THEOLOGY ABOUNDS
I spoke of stealth in the first part of this commentary message, that one organization has gone fairly silent in recent years directly, but has used deception and the resurgence of its goal of a “one world religion” drawing all religions including the Far East religions of mysticism and pagan worship. Don’t believe me? I ask that you read the following article sent to me by a dear brother of my online congregation through the link below, (copy and paste if the link doesn’t work)
http://www.understandthetimes.org/commentary/c97.shtml
It’s titled “The Jesuit Agenda and the Evangelical/Protestant Church”



In this article, you will see that the agenda of the Catholic church is well and alive through men such as Rick Warren and his cohorts, and the emerging church. Steeped with idolatry and mysticism, they do the bidding of the “mother church” and the secret Jesuit society. You see it on TV.."Come back to the Mother Church"...you mean like One World Church? No, thank you, I gave at the office. I reported in past messages, that the Pope is trying to woo the Protestant churches to come join the Catholic Church. I reported that false teachers such as Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Hagan, and Benny Hinn have gone totally GA-GA over the idea of joining up with the Catholic Church, as they preach prosperity, not Jesus and Him crucified, much like the Catholic Church preaching a different gospel.

We as Christians must understand that we are not to judge the world, as our Lord and Savior will judge according to His Word, but that does not apply to things that are heretical within our own “Christian” ranks and the preaching of the Kingdom of God by His true church.

6:2  “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
6:4  If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.”(1^st Corinthians 6:2-4)


All one has to do is review the history of the Roman Catholic Church and how it has subverted the Gospel to its own enrichment, the sins of the clergy and the pope, and the continued practice of false doctrine and debauchery that is the modern Roman Catholic Church. Can anyone say “pedophile priest?” just to name one?  Some say, "Oh, that was the past, It's not happening today". Oh, really? So you give them a pass with their historical examples of debauchery and murder? How about the recent revelations of abuse of young boys by pedophile priest? Did you realize that pope Benedict  moved around pedophile priest to prevent the church paying out money in lawsuits amd the present pope continues that practice? He basically hid them out and they continued to be priest and child molesters. Is this Christ-like and this is from the supreme Poobah of the religion??? No,  you say? 

The history of the Catholic Church, from its Rome headquarters, has been one of blood and domination, much like Islam was in its heyday during the Middle Ages. We read of popes who were the most hideous of sinful men that claimed the authority of God Almighty and whosoever disagreed with their edicts were either excommunicated, or worse, slain from a thousand different methods of torture with a thousand knives and executed. Read about their extermination of any protestant religions who just wanted to worship God in their own way. I know that’s the past, or is it?
Did you ever wonder why that the Jewish people hate Christianity because of the anti-Semitic persecution/execution by this one denomination in the past 1500 years? But then I’m aghast when I read the modern recent position that the Catholic Church took against helpless Jewish people during WW2 and basically aligning itself with Nazi Germany and blessing their swastika symbol as a symbol to be revered, and/or, feared. The power and domination of the Church in Rome has dwindled in the last 200 years, but if any power arise that seeks domination of the earth, it’s a safe bet that the Church in Rome will do it’s bidding to be at the table of the power brokers. It’s their history and it’s their entire focus of a One World Religion headed by one religious authority, called the Vicar of Christ, their “god on earth”. In itself, the title is outright blasphemy. The Church in Rome will arise again, but only for a short few years, before she is destroyed in judgment. Mark my word. She is already jockeying for position in world politics over the Israeli/Palestinian question and being a peace maker in the Middle East. Stay tuned as Catholicism will rise again called Chrislam.



TRUE CHRISTIANS MUST BE WARNED
One of the greatest dangers to Christianity today is the deliberate suppression of biblical truth for the sake of unity. The danger intensifies as we see many highly visible and influential Christians are jumping on the Vatican’s ecumenical bandwagon. Instead of warning believers that this false unity is the emergence of the "last days" Laodecean apostate church, the evangelicals are embracing and applauding those who are engineering it. Everyday we see ministers, so called shepherds of the flock, misleading people away from the truths of the Bible. They are seldom exposed, except when their sins find them out to the glee of the secular media. Jesus warned of such charlatans that are wolves amongst the sheep.

15,  “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16,   Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17,  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.”(Matthew 7:15-17)
And Paul when the fledging church was just beginning warned the people in his ministry also, in Acts chapter 20:
29,  “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

30  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
31  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.”

(Both Jesus our Lord, and Paul the apostle warned us. )

It is indeed disturbing to see so many folks that are blinded by the deception that goes on in modern Protestant churches that do the bidding of this “mother church” to draw all religions into one common, all powerful religious state. They have been working steadily at bringing “departed brothers” back into the faith, or the “holy mother church”. In the recent past, when Pope John Paul II was alive, he promoted the following:


“In his 1995 encyclical Et Unum Sint, Pope John Paul II said he intends "to promote every suitable initiative...to increase the unity of all Christians until they reach full communion" and "to encourage the efforts of all who work for the cause of unity."

The pope’s stated desire is "to gather all people and all things into Christ, so as to be for all—an inseparable sacrament of unity... expressed in the common celebration of the Eucharist."

During a week of prayer for Christian unity Pope John Paul II said, "I gladly take this opportunity to call the attention of all believers to the ecumenical commitment that marked VC II. The council rightly defined the division among Christians as a scandal. The council Fathers felt the need to beg pardon of God and of their brethren for the sins committed against unity." He asked Catholics "to cultivate an authentic spiritual ecumenism" through the Virgin Mary” [What ? not through the Lord Jesus, oh heaven forbid].


I quote now from an article I read concerning the papacy’s sole intent of uniting all religions under one authority, the Church in Rome:


“As we watch the Vatican we can see a seductive strategy for uniting all Christians. They masterfully and deliberately redefine biblical terms to make them more vague, ambiguous and acceptable to both Catholics and Protestants. An example of this is the 1999 Lutheran-Roman Catholic "Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification." In the declaration, Rome uses equivocal and indefinite words to affirm the doctrine of "justification by faith alone" but, at the same time, continues to affirm the anathema’s that condemn all who believe this doctrine. We must not be misled. Rome has not changed its position on things that really matter! Instead they take advantage of professing Christians who lack discernment or who are unwilling to contend for "the faith." (The Pope's Push for a One-World Religion by Mike Gendron) 

I would go one step further other than making doctrine acceptable to Catholics and Protestants alike. They are wooing all major religions to their altar of servitude. Religions such as Islam (especially Islam), Hinduism, Shintoism,  every  false–ism and even  pagans out there that are a religion to its people and bring them under one big religious tent, with the power of the papacy in supreme control of religious affairs and doctrine.



ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT, ONE WORLD RELIGION

We now see a push for a One World government due to global economic upheaval. Many elites are planning the demise of the capitalistic model of free enterprise and promoting a “new world order.” How this new system shakes out and what will be the catalyst to making the kings of the earth to demand a one world system, is for prophecy in the near future. The stage is set, the actors are being put in place, and all we need is to light the fuse to send the world into utter chaos, even more so than it already is. We see the push for “Bit-Coin” as the new international currency that can be monitored world-wide. Is this the beginning of the push for a “One World Government” by controlling buying and selling?



John spoke of this period of time that we are fast drawing down to, known as the “end of days”.
“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
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.”(Revelation 17:1-2)
John speaks of a woman, when identified it stands for a religious entity upon the earth. In this case, the woman is a harlot, meaning that she does not serve the true God, but prostitutes herself to false gods and false doctrine and misleads the people into idolatry.

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.
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:”(Revelation 17:3-4)

I submit to you, that through the ages since Jesus was ascended to the right hand of the Father, has no other religious body that calls themselves “Christian” perverted scripture to their own enrichment and their own lust for power. Any encyclopedia will affirm that there is one religious body of paramount whoredom has committed the sins John mentions here…yes, the Roman Catholic Church. They hold to their “traditions” and the edicts of the pope above clear commands of Holy Scripture to promote the power of the church, and debase the authority of God’s Holy Word as secondary to their authority. It is blasphemy against the Living  God of the most perverse and severe.



5  “And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
17:6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.”(Revelation 17:5-6)

Reader, how many people have been slain in the name of the Roman Catholic Church down through the last 2000 years? Can you say, millions, tens of millions of Jew and Gentile alike? The number and the atrocity of the sins of the Church in Rome must rise like a stench in the nostrils of God.  Read your history. They claim that this is the church that Jesus founded, but knowing that God is love, does God allow mass extinction of a whole host of people in the name of their religion? Answer...NO!!

In this chapter of Revelation, John goes onto describe the Beast power that arises during the last 7 years, called Daniel’s 70 week. You see how this harlot rides the beast and is joined to its power and uses her influence to support and defend the Beast power and its administration. Look at her attire and dress. She wears purple and scarlet. Could this be a clue to the identity of the whore, the Catholic Church? Finally, when the Beast is done with her, she is destroyed by fire.

15  “And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
16  And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17  For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.”(Revelation 17:15-17)



In Revelation 17, the Woman is controlling the Beast, bringing about its worship. But, she and the Beast are antagonists competing against each other. Furthermore, she is heavily involved in politics (influencing kings), manufacturing, shipping, craftsmanship, and merchandising

The woman indeed has a relationship with the Beast, but she is not part of the politics, economics, religion, or military of the Beast, at least, not directly. She and the Beast are separate entities, even though both are part of the overall One World system. The Catholic Church has always been part of the Beast, influencing it from within for the last 1700 years and more. Conversely, the woman is portrayed as an external influence, competing with, riding, and at some point exercising control of the Beast.
How this harlot will be destroyed by fire is conjecture on anybody’s part, but a nuclear blast would destroy all of Rome and the Vatican estate that resides there. Religion will be deferred to Jerusalem, the seat of the Anti-Christ and his short lived power.

WHAT TIME IS IT?

Many in the Catholic Church hierarchy and the leaders within have reported that after the last pope, Pope Benedict XVI finished his “reign” over the Catholic Church, that the next pope would be an apostate. From Wikipedia, we read about what is said about this last pope. I wrote a message about the prophecy of St. Malachy and was little puzzled about the selection of this pope...one called Francis....It was predicted it would be possibly several other men and that the new pope would take the name Pius....I wondered  "Is this the pope we were looking for, the False Prophet?” But in investigating this man further and settling down to who this man is, at first I thought, he looks so grandfatherly, so humble, and he's definitely OLD. How could he be the prophesied "false prophet".  That is until I had several members of the congregation online email me from all over the planet filling me in about this man and supplying information about his past. 
1. His given surname is Peitro "peter"
2. His family immigrated to Argentina from Italy, hence he's Roman
3. The most disturbing, he has long been a member of the Society of Jesus, Jesuits.
4. The author’s of Petrus Romanus that I read about this theory agrees that his pedigree fits, Peter the Roman.
From Wikipedia online:
“Bergoglio studied at the archdiocesan seminary Inmaculada Concepción in Villa Devoto,Buenos Aires City, and after three years entered the Society of Jesus on 11 March 1958.[12] 
Father Bergoglio completed his final stage of spiritual formation as a Jesuit, tertianship, atAlcalá de Henares, Spain, and took his perpetual vows in the Society of Jesus on 22 April 1973.[27] He was named Provincial Superior of the Society of Jesus in Argentina on 31 July 1973 and served until 1979.[28] After the completion of his term of office, in 1980 he was named the rector of the seminary in San Miguel (it is unclear which one), and served in that capacity until 1986. He spent several months at the Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology in Frankfurt, Germany, while considering possible dissertationtopics,[29] before returning to Argentina to serve as a confessor and spiritual director to the Jesuit community in Córdoba.[30] “
Now noting the above quote and their determination to make all religions bow to the pope, under any means at their disposal should give each of us pause. Again, I am reminded of the verse in Revelation 13, concerning his demeanor and first impression:

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.”(Revelation 13:11-12)
As mentioned in my previous messages, don't be fooled by the man's demeanor and his seemly grandfatherly demeanor while speaking words that soothe and even salting it with the name Jesus. No, look at his actions and if they are in line with scripture, because if he be the man, then he will say words you want to hear, but "metaphorically" crossing his fingers behind his back. Just review his latest homily messages on homosexuality and same sex marriage. Or how about when he says that there are many ways to get to heaven? Just be good, he says?? Meaning, he means nothing he says, but to deceive. Using his Jesuit upbringing in this church, he will demand conformity. He will deceive any and all who are primed for a one world religion.  I don’t believe as my mother believed, that the Pope will be the Anti-Christ, but I believe he may well be the false prophet, or a player in ruling of the one world religion during Daniel’s 70th week, called the Tribulation.

I warn every truly converted Christian man or woman, to make yourself familiar with the commands of scripture. Be an informed Berean. As mentioned in Acts,

17:10  “And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
17:11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

If a Christian takes it upon himself to read his bible, he will not be deceived with “traditions of the church” or any doctrine that is contrary to the Word of God. I beseech each and every one of you to put on the whole armor of God, as the spirit world is growing more active with each passing day.

6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”(Ephesians 6:11-18)



I pray for my brother, (a converted atheist to Catholicism) who puts his trust in an organization, and not his Lord and Savior to keep him on the straight and narrow path that leads to life. When this world approaches the tribulation, I would pray that each of you, including my brother, would take the Word of God in hand and search its pages to find if these things be true.

I spoke earlier of a catalyst, a fuse that would ignite the call for a One World Government, and a One World Religion. Everything is in place, as the actors are stage left and stage right and are ready to begin their short act of the last seven years of mankind’s attempt to govern himself. What might that catalyst be? If suddenly upwards of a billion people plus (a theoretical number) suddenly vanish off the surface of this planet, such an economic collapse that we only envision will happen at warp speed. The call for calm and a ruling body to restore order will be set in motion almost immediately to prevent anarchy and chaos. I believe that the removal of the church saints from this earth, to meet Jesus in the air, will be the most catastrophic event to come to this planet apart from the beginning of His actual 1000 year reign beginning with the War of Armegeddon. It will precipitate wars in the Middle East and the whole planet will be cast in utter darkness, as God’s Holy Spirit has been withdrawn right along with those billion people that suddenly vanish. Men will search for answers, reasons, and to be comforted that all is well. It is said that the one thing that would unite this world into one solid unit is an “ALIEN INVASION” from another planet.  Hence, they will explain it away.
Enter stage right, the One World Government, and enter stage left, the beginning of the One World Religion headed by the False Prophet and the Roman Catholic Church joining the nation of Islam to form Chrislam, in that order. Hold onto your seat, my brother, as the ride could get real bumpy before the Father says, “It is enough. Go get my children”.
The end is near, the world will implode into chaos and anarchy will rise in the Anti-Christ and his prophet, the False Prophet, but salvation is also near, if you believe these truths:
John chapter 3:
3:16  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.
3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
3:18  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.
 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)

Jesus will come soon, and He promised us that someday He will cry with a loud voice, “Come up here”. 

John 14:2  “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”




MARANATHA, SO COME LORD JESUS!!



This is Pastor Mike Taylor praying God’s love in your life. If there is anything I can help you with, pray with you about, or just listen, drop me a line to realteam1999@sbcglobal.net. Or visit me online at www.pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com for more biblical lessons from the Word of God...  God bless you all,

till we meet at Jesus feet.

LIFE AFTER DEATH. WHERE WILL YOU BE?

BY Pastor Mike Taylor


John 11: 25, "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:"


Hebrews 9:27 " And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"

Of all the trials of this life, when they are ended, there is nothing that gives the average man on the street more anxiety than thinking of his own death. Most don’t want to think about that time. The young never think about it, as they are full of life, and to them, they are virtually immortal. Sadly, many come to the realization too soon, that life is fleeting and very fragile and must be guarded with caution and utmost regards as to it’s safety. Every man and woman alive wants to put off that inevitable outcome of being alive, their death. That is the finality of death.

Men in their darkened hearts deny the existence of God. They are called atheist, as they see no need for God. They believe in themselves only, and deny a life after this one.

Psalms 14:1, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good."

Paul reprimanded such thinking in Romans chapter 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:"

So men seeing the world and it’s creation, and clearly see the wonders of an intelligent design that even many atheist have proven by science, could not have happened by chance, or by evolution as it has been proven impossible. Then there is no explanation for what we see with our own eyes, but a Supernatural Being in our universe that made the earth, heavens and all that exist in this world by One author, we call God Almighty., namely Jehovah, the God of the Bible. If we are honest with ourselves and acknowledge that we have been gloriously made, how do we discover this supernatural power that has it’s beginning with the God of creation? We begin with the only written revelation of His power and His authority, and that is found in your bible. It is God’s only communication with man during the times we live in that He has chosen to reveal Himself to a sinful creation that we have become. That Bible has survived 1000s of years to be revealed in the last days for one purpose, for God to reveal Himself to us, the generation of the last days of the Age of Grace.

The Bible is a collection of Holy Spirit inspired books that deals with One subject and is about One man, Jesus Christ. God’s creation was stolen because of the will of man to sin against the commands of God and believe the lie of Satan, “You will become as gods” as Satan breathed his lie.  But God had a plan from the very beginning, knowing all things, He put into action the plan to redeem His creation and draw men unto Himself. He knew that men could not save himself, it was impossible. There had to be a way to satisfy the requirements of pardoned sin. The True God of the Bible is Holy and without sin, and will not allow it into His presence so sin must be covered by a perfect sacrifice.  Paul speaks of this requirement for forgiveness of sin in Hebrews, 9:22:

"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."

But it had to be a sinless offering, not an offering of sheep and bulls, but a sinless offering, which required that God come and offer Himself, as a ransom for many. He was to be our Kinsman Redeemer, born of woman, born of God, sinless and undefiled to take our place. John 3:16,
"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.
v.17, For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."

So the greatest manifestation of eternal love  laid down His life willingly for the redemption of all who believe on the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in faith to cleanse them from their sins and lead them into a new life of becoming transformed into His image, His likeness, and model the way He lived while here on earth. This is the beginning of the greatest story ever told and believed by millions of people unto salvation, but the last part of the story is even greater. On the third day, Jesus was raised to life to receive a resurrection body, and became the first fruits of those “born of the dead”.  Let us now turn to the chapter in the bible that some call the “resurrection chapter” found in your bible in 1st Corinthians chapter 15.
RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD?

Paul tackles this question head on, as many had come to believe that there was no resurrection. Paul gives one of the clearest, most concise definitions of the “gospel” found anywhere in the Bible. He shows how a denial of the resurrection of the dead is a denial of the gospel itself, and how believing in the gospel gives one hope for the next world as well as for the present.
1st Corinthians 15:12,
12  "Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?"

This heresy had come into the congregations in Corinth, as the pagans surrounding this church of the Greek citizenry did not believe in a physical resurrection. Paul reminds them of the many witnesses that saw the Lord Jesus in the flesh after His resurrection in that same chapter


v.3 "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
v4. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
v.5, And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
v,6, After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
v. 7, After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
v. 8,  And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time."

Paul goes onto affirm by witness accounts the bodily resurrection of our Lord and  Savior Jesus Christ, but He makes an even more astounding pronouncement in this chapter.

v. 12, "Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
v. 13, But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
v. 14, And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
v. 15, Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
v. 16, For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
v. 17, And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
v. 18, Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished."

Paul is testifying that if Jesus was not resurrected, and by extention, we will also not be resurrected, then His sacrifice meant nothing. For if Christ is not raised, we are not raised, if He be still dead, then we are dead as well. The resurrection of Jesus Christ to life, a well documented historical fact seen by hundreds of witnesses who actually touched Him, ate with Him, and listened to His Words and untold hundreds into the thousands in this near time period that went to their death with the knowledge of His resurrection and their own future resurrection to eternal life as well.

Paul goes onto explain that there is an order of those born of the dead. Jesus Christ, the first of the first fruits and the 1st resurrection at Jesus Coming for His church. 1st Corinthians 15:20-23,

"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.
-For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
-For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
-But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming."

Paul goes onto explain that we will be same as Jesus is, in the same resurrection that He experienced.

"But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
"There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” (I Corinthians 15:38-44)

John wrote about what we can expect, when we finally see Him in our glorified bodies. 1 John 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."

This is the final fulfillment of our eternal lives that begin right then. But some say, what about the dead in Christ now? What are they and where are they?THE DEAD IN JESUS CHRIST.

Of one aspect of the life hereafter, many interpretation have been made of what our dear departed love ones are enjoying, or not enjoying right now...All of us have seen the popular depictions of winged spirits floating on clouds playing a harp, or walking around on streets of gold, or of people alive contacting long dead relatives in a forbidden act called “necromancy”. The plane of existence between spirit world and the world of flesh is a parallel existence from what I can gather from reading our bibles. There is a war that goes on in the spirit world that is played out in a mirror image of the fleshly and material world we live in. Paul warned us of this spiritual warfare when in Ephesians he encouraged each of us who call on the name of the Lord, to take on the whole armor of God, Ephesians chapter 6:
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

I read a very good analogy of this spirit world that surrounds us and is populated with the power and the prince of the air. To speak to souls departed, is most likely speaking with demons and is forbidden. The dead cannot reach us and we cannot reach them. From scripture we can learn several things and that is, people go one place or another, one is good, the other is bad. One is with God, the other is devoid of everything that is God. In the Old Testament, it was called Paradise and the souls that departed this life dying in faith believing the coming of the Messiah, found peace in the “bosom of Abraham” as noted in the lesson spoken by Jesus about the rich man and Lazarus. Some try to make this just a parable that Jesus spoke of to make a point, but Jesus used real life examples to state a spiritual truth. In this we see Lazarus who died a poor man in the bosom of Abraham comforted, and the rich man who had everything enduring torment in Sheol, called hell. Jesus mentions flames that torment and the rich man needing only a drop of water to quench his thirst. In picturesque terms a very graphic picture of lost hope. Note Lazarus is mentioned by name, but the rich man is faceless, as he could be anybody that dies in their sins and is forgotten.

In Ecclesiastes chapter 9, Solomon speaks of the grave.
v. 5,  "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten."

If you speak of that material body, that is correct. That flesh turns back to dust and knows nothing...but what of the spiritual part that man is made of? v. 7 of the same chapter,

"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."
II Corinthians 5:8, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

So according to scripture, the body which is flesh goes to dust, but the spirit that God gave goes back to Him. In what form? That is when the bible goes silent. We are not told, but glimpses of the glory we will share. We are told of the City of God, but that is after Jesus Christ comes back and God lives with us. There are many testimonies of experiences of seeing a glimpse of the life on the other side. I have in my library, the book by Terry James, who I believe experienced glory in an all too brief encounter that he wrote about in his book, “Heaven Vision” and It will bring a sense of awe that a person can experience just a taste of what we can expect when we are with the Lord for all eternity.


 I go back to the explanation that Jesus gave of those who are found in Jesus Christ, when He spoke to the thief on the cross. “Today thou shalt be with me in paradise”.  We cannot fully comprehend, apart from what the bible describes of the glory that will be found in us at the end of this age, to understand what transpires at the last breath we take, and the angels of God usher us, those that be found in Jesus Christ, to be with God.

Yes, I can hear the naysayers quoting scripture, and I am aware of those as well. Jesus made mention of that,
 John, 3:13, “No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man."

But does that limit God? Who are we to say what God does with the spirit that belongs to Him?
Ephesian 4
v. 8, "Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
v.9, (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
v. 10, He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)"

If manifestations were mentioned in the story of Lazarus and the rich man, would it not make sense that when Jesus rose from the dead, that He released captives who were captive and brought them with Him? Brought them where? Scripture does not say definitively, but we are left wondering about life after death. For one thing we know for sure, life does not end with physical death. But let us make an assumption, just for the sake of argument for your naysayers of the concept of the resurrection of the dead, and life after death....
BELIEF VS.  UNBELIEF IN GOD (two examples)

Scenario one....."Billy” is an atheist and has lived like the devil for most of his natural life. He relies on no one, but Billy  proclaims no god but the god of his flesh, which he satisfies in any ungodly manner he can think of....when he dies, he is like the cock roach, or the animal who dies in the wilderness. He goes to nothing, nobody remembers him, and his time of glory is over. Then there is the Christian who dies, “Joe”  about the same time, believed and followed a God of the Bible most of his life. He has attempted to live a life that was taught by Jesus Christ his whole life. He also dies, but as the atheist, there is nothing out there and he goes to be as the animals...to the dust. Both have lived their life of their own free will, and both have received the same reward....NOTHING.

Scenario two- “Billy” finds out one second after his death, that his belief in their being no resurrection, no life, no nothing after death, finds out he was terribly, and horribly mistaken. He finds himself in a black pit. There is no light, no laughter, no joy, sounds of anguish fill his ears. He is bumped once in a while by someone or something in the dark that he can’t see, but feels. He senses total loss, total hopelessness, total despair and wonders, is this real? His throat is dry and parched. His mind is in a whirl of what is happening and he screams out in emotional pain of total loss. At the same time, the Christian “Joe”  opens his eyes and  peers back at loving eyes holding his  hands pulling him up, standing him on his feet. Light is all around, people are laughing. Children are running and playing. the sights and smells are most intense than he ever experienced in the life he just left. He feels joy, everlasting hope, and an intense emotions of gratitude washes over Him, as the loving eyes, are his Lord and Savior welcoming him home. Where is this place? He doesn’t know, but doesn’t care, as he knows he will be taken care of, as His Lord is by his side.

Tell me reader, in the conjecture of each scenario starting with number one...what has each lost? Nothing, if there be no resurrection, and no life after death. They are both equal. They lived their life and the result is blackness...nothing...void...

But what of scenario #2? If the Christian “Joe” who believed on the Only Begotten Son of God is correct, what has he gained...? Answer....everything!! And conversely, what  has the atheist lost.....again......EVERYTHING!!

Jesus rightly said in Matthew 16: 26
"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

You who are reading this, you don’t like to think of yourself as a “fool”, nobody does. But the bible says those who do not believe in God, or His Son, are just that. Concerning those two scenarios,  I’m not a gambling man. Never did well at betting on an unseen or unknown quantity. I sure am not so foolish to play Russian Roulette with my eternal destination for all the tea in China, let alone fleeting pleasures of this world. That is an over simplification of what I have spoken of. Who amongst you are so SURE in your belief that there is no God, that you would risk your very soul for all eternity, when this life is but a vapor in the wind, and gone so quickly? If you knew that if I am right, and I have testimony of countless millions outside the bible, and thousands insides of it’s pages that say I’m right, that eternity is forever either with God, are apart from Him forever, would you go one more day denying your need for putting your faith in the Only Begotten Son of God? . One is pure joy and the other is pure ...well, for a lack of a better word...HELL and all that it implies.

Ladies and gentleman, citizens of this fast dying world, where will you spend eternity? If the grim reaper came calling tomorrow, would you be “Billy” or “Joe” in my scenarios? Will you bet your soul on it? So my question to you, "Are you ready to die?" What will be your life after death? Think about it, and then seek my Jesus for rewards in that life that is coming.

This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying the salvation of Jesus Christ find it’s way into your life. If you need prayer, counseling, or just a listening ear, email me at realteam1999@sbcglobal.net or visit me online at www.pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com for more biblical lessons from the Word of God.....  God bless you all. 

TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET.

ABOMINATION THAT CAUSETH DESOLATION

by Pastor Mike Taylor

“Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.” (Daniel 3:1)

One of the most familiar stories found in your Bible of an event that happened during the Babylonian captivity of the children of Israel, when Nebuchadnezzar decided to make a statue of gold and erect it to stand for all people to worship. The story focuses on three Hebrew children of the captivity who had been elevated in the government of the king of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Obednego so named in the Babylonian culture, but known as Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah in the Hebrew tongue. I find this amazing, as just in previous chapters, the King of Babylon had proclaimed the God of Daniel, the God of the Bible as the only God of gods and all must worship Daniel's God....I don't get this King...did he just fall back into his old ways, or is the story pointing to something deeper and prophetic?

Knowing that Daniel's book was written during the Babylonian captivity and is full of prophecy and future events given to Daniel in dreams and visions, was the story of what happened to these three men just a story of obedience and faith? These three men who would not deny the God of their fathers, even if they had to go against the most powerful man during this time in history stood firm in their conviction of worshiping no one but the True God of Heaven.


The king commanded that when the sound of musical instruments were sounded that all the people that he had gathered, which was all the high officials in his government, would fall down in a sign of worship and loyalty to the king. Those who did not were warned that those who did not comply would be immediately executed.

“ And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 
Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.”(Daniel 3:6-7)


As the story progresses, and the Hebrew children mentioned would not bow down and worship this pagan idol, the knowledge of their failure to yield to the king's command reached Nebuchadnezzar's ears from those of the Chaldeans that were jealous of anyone of the captivity being elevated to high office and they watched them and reported it to the king. But the three Hebrew men stood firm on this obedience to God. Of course, being a king who had power over all the land and his subjects, this made Nebuchadnezzar furious, and he confronted the Hebrew men and gave them a chance to submit to his decree, but the Hebrews' in his government answered thus:


“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18)

Not needing to go through the whole chapter for space, as anyone who wishes to read the chapter in Daniel will read where these men were thrown bound down into a furnace heated seven times hotter than normal to make an example of those who failed to obey the king in all matters. But what happened? Knowing the story, I may not have to tell you, but scripture says that God protected them from the flames by being with them in the flaming fire.


King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished when he looked into the open door of the furnace, and saw four men walking around in the flames.

“Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. “ (Daniel 24-25)

ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION


When finished reading this passage in your bible, where else can we find a similar event that happened in history and mentioned in other places of your Bible? Yes, several places, such as pagan idol is set up in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem during the last dictator on earth, known as the final Anti-Christ and one must wonder, is there a connection? I believe there is. In this passage the King of Babylon is a symbol of the coming Anti-Christ, and those that proclaim by music and crying aloud that they fall down and worship are a symbol of the false prophet, but it is a prophecy of the coming future of the last Anti-Christ of our modern era. The idol is made of gold, or a false representation of divinity.  Each will be a sign of loyalty, as well as worship of the image set up in Daniel's day, and also in the last days during the Tribulation. I believe Daniel prophesies just as John did. Note the similarities of each passage:


“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. 

 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.” (Revelation 13:14-15)


It is going to happen in the end of days, much like what happened in Daniel's account of Nebuchadnezzar's golden idol. Also, let's look at another time when an Anti-Christ type individual made a golden image and set it up in the Holy of Holies in honor of the pagan god, Zeus with the face of one we now know as Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian ruler who caused the Maccabean revolt that defeated this standing army and drove them from Israel. To the nation of Israel, this was an abomination. Our Lord Jesus spoke also of a coming “abomination that causeth desolation” and prophesied concerning again, the children of Israel.

 “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.” (Matthew 24:15-2)

So what am I driving at? Notice in each passage of Daniel and Matthew, even in historical accounts concerning Antiochus Epiphanes, that each example deals with the Jewish people exclusively. Notice in the account found in Daniel that all of the Gentiles of the Babylonian culture fell down and worshiped the pagan image that Nebuchadnezzar set up...then see from history that Antiochus Epiphanes targeted only the Jewish people to worship a false golden idol that he had set up in his attempt to eradicate anything Jewish and Hellenize the area with pagan customs. That is an historical fact.

When Jesus spoke in Matthew, who was He talking about? He was talking about the Jews. He was talking about the Nation of Israel reborn in the end times and another coming pagan idol that would target them for idolatry and worshiping the beast of Revelation. So why is that important today? Most of the nation of Israel today are secular, or non believers in the God of the Bible, let alone Jesus the Messiah. It's important because God will turn His attention to the nation of Israel exclusively for the bringing of repentance and realizing their Messiah whom they had rejected. The Tribulation is all about Israel's salvation.

THE 144, 000 JEWISH EVANGELIST COME UPON THE SCENE


“And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.” (Revelation 7:4)

 This is the start of the events that lead to Israel turning back to God. When God ordains these men and sets up His two witnesses that prophecy for 3.5 years on the Temple Mount, then God will begin dealing with Israel as a nation, and the focus will have shifted from the Church and the Age of Grace, back to Daniel's 70th week that deals only with Israel and their purification by fire.

 “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.”( Revelation 11:3-4)

It is believed that these two witnesses will supernaturally protect Israel the first 3.5 years, but after they are slain, resurrected, and translated into heaven, then the abomination that causes desolation will be set up in the Temple in Jerusalem, and the persecution of the Jewish people will spring forth as a flood, as prophesied.


I must emphasize my belief that the Tribulation is designed for two things as being exclusively refining Israel as silver is refined in the furnace, and to extinguish all rebellion. Malachi prophesied of this coming refinement in fire.


“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)

DANIEL PROPHESIES ISRAEL'S COMING PERSECUTION

Returning to Daniel and the three Hebrew men, note that they were cast into the fire, but not a hair was singed, not a wrinkle in their clothes, and not a smell of smoke on their person. As God saved these men from the fire, so will God save those who come to faith and belief in the Messiah at long last during the Tribulation. In 70 AD, when the Romans were set to sack the city and burn it to the ground, a minority group of those who believed God escaped into Petra and they were saved. Those who stood to face the Romans were destroyed by the hundreds of thousands. As it was then, so it will be when God protects a remnant of the Jewish people from Satan, the Red Dragon who is wroth with the seed of the woman and goes to make war with them. 

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

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

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

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

17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ”.(Revelation 12:14-17)

So when Jesus spoke of the “abomination that causes desolation” He spoke of those who believed the Word of God would flee into the mountains, maybe even to Petra to be protected by God. Satan will be thwarted in his attempt to destroy those who have embraced their Messiah and in his rage will wage war and overcome those of her seed who will not repent.


As it was in 70 AD, history will repeat itself and a remnant of the nation of Israel will be saved, those who believe the witness of the 144, 000 Jewish Evangelist. It will be a greater holocaust than during World War 2, as the Anti-Christ will make Hitler seem like elementary school.

SO WHAT'S THE POINT?

 Glad you asked. The point of this whole study, is that the end times are for the bringing Israel to the knowledge of their Messiah, and everyone else, by majority will be in rebellion and destroyed by God. Now not all the saved in the Tribulation will be only Jewish, as I don't want to make the mistake to say that salvation during the Tribulation is only given to the Jewish people. Some will believe (a minority number), just as Israel believes, but it will cost many of these people their lives. In each example that I've mentioned here, do you notice someone, or a group of people that are not mentioned?

THE PROPHECIES ARE ALL ABOUT ISRAEL

 In the first example, the Hebrew children that refused to bow down and worship the image, and went through the fire of judgment of men. All Gentiles surrounding them were obedient to the wishes of the powers that be, namely Nebuchadnezzar and his command.

 In the second example, who was the focus of the rage of Antiochus Epiphanes? Again, the Jewish people were the target of obedience to a pagan god. A Gentile king persecutes the God's “elect” as Israel is the only groups of people who are called “God's elect”....we are called His church, His children, and His saints, but when the Gospels speak of gathering the “elect” from the four winds, as in the Gospel of Mark, this is a sign about gathering the saved and persecuted Jewish people, in their martyrdom. It is another sign that the church is not present for the Tribulation.


“And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.” (Mark 13:27)


How do I know the elect are the nation of Israel? Because the very next verse speaks of the fig tree budding and in context, both verses speak of Israel...NOT the church...as the church is already gone.

 “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 
29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.
30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.” (Mark 13:28-30)

This is again spoken of Matthew chapter 24 by our Lord again. 

“Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect [chosen people] from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:30-31) 

Israel is God's chosen people. If those who see Christ are mourning, it can't be the Ekklesia, as we would be rejoicing...so Jesus is not speaking of the “called out ones” the Ekklesia, but the nations of Gentiles in rebellion who will know that judgment has come and they have taken up battle plans to wage war against a Living God, but realize it to their horror that they are going to be destroyed. 


In the third example in Matthew 24 that we have hit upon, Jesus was speaking to the Jewish people, and them exclusively. He did not mention anyone else, not Gentiles, not Tribulation saints, and especially not the Church of the Age of Grace, as the church had not been born yet.


Each of these examples were prophetic in the coming Tribulation, known as Jacob's Troubles. They deal with Israel and they make no mention of any other group. They are prophetic that the coming Tribulation will be near totally about Israel being cast into the fire of Tribulation and being refined as silver and gold is refined in the fire. Israel has been a wayward child for nearly 4000 years. God has not abandoned her, but has put her aside until the fullness of the Gentiles come in. 

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 fulness 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.

29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.” (Romans 11:25-31)

ANTI-SEMITISM GROWS

 With this knowledge, can you see that any God fearing member of the Church of the Living God, why would they be against God by coming against Israel, the apple of God's eye?

“For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.” (Zechariah 2:8)

 I am sometimes aghast when I hear of any church group, so called “Christians” that take a stand against Israel and side with the Palestinians with the so called BDS movement “boycott, divestment, and sanctions” against God's chosen people, His elect. They are playing with fire and judgment from a Holy God. Some deny that the Nation of Israel are actually part of the 12 tribes of Israel and that God has abandoned Israel. How foolish can one group be?

 “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 

32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

Our God further proclaims that Israel will always be His people...they will always be before Him:

“Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name: 
35 If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever.” (Jeremiah 31:35-36)

If you look at any day with the sun shining, the moon giving her light at night, and the stars still twinkling in the heavens, then God says, when these pass away, then and only then will Israel be anything but His chosen people. Check it out folks, ...even in this time of their unbelief God will redeem Israel, not loosing one..It will not always be so that they will be in unbelief. Those who are an enemy of Israel, make themselves an enemy of God. God says that He will bring in Israel when they cry out aloud, through much Tribulation, just what Jesus spoke of:

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 
38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 
39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”(Matthew 23:37-39)

When Israel is refined in the fire of Tribulation, they will finally recognize their Messiah that they had killed 2000 years ago and they will mourn:



 “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”(Zechariah 12:19)
When Christ comes to set up His Kingdom on earth, He will come to fight for the children of Israel:

"Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
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.
3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (Zechariah 14:1-3)


Repeating what Paul emphasized in Romans when speaking of his brethren, the nation of Israel....
“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins." Concerning the gospel  they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”(Romans 11:25-29) 

Our great God will show them mercy because of the promises He made, not because they deserve it. Ezekiel 36 shows this clearly. God repeats several times that He is bringing Israel back for His Holy name's sake, and not for Israel's sake.

Am I making a case for the support of national Israel? You bet I am!! No, Israel does not deserve this kind of mercy, but my reader, neither do you or I. We are saved by grace and God has been dealing with this Ekklesia (or called out ones) the Church for 2000 years,. The Age of Grace and the Church of the Living God is composed of all who believe, which is vastly a Gentile church saved by the mercy and the love of God. It's not a denomination, or church building, or some evangelist on your TV screen. No, it's a blood washed, baptized, turned around 180 degrees, repentant, and forgiven sinner that is the church. It is every individual that has the Holy Spirit as a deposit of a future glorification and salvation of their soul. No denomination has a lock on the gates of Heaven. It is free for the asking. God deals with each of us on His time schedule. Each of us were born to decide what to do with this God/Man, Jesus Christ. Israel will get their turn when God turns His undivided attention to the national salvation of Israel.
 So, if your denomination, your church, or your pastor/priest makes a case in error for abandoning Israel as a people, and who spouts the nonsense that we are modern day Israel or somehow replaced Israel, you need to either straighten them out, or leave and find a church that actually believes the Word of God. 

THE TRIBULATION HOUR LOOMS STRAIGHT AHEAD
 When God turns that focus upon Israel for their salvation, then we are in the Tribulation for 7 years. And if you see what I'm talking about above come to pass, then you just missed the greatest event in all of history, next to the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ...you just missed the “translation”, the snatching away, the “Harpazo” of the forceful removal of God's Church as the rapture and the mystery will be the removal of the Church in the twinkling of an eye. 

 “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1st Corinthians 15:51-54)

Don't let this hour catch you by surprise. If you are playing church, have no relationship with Jesus Christ, now is the time to make that decision you've been putting off...When Jesus comes to take His saints home, the Age of grace will have ended and the Tribulation will come like a whirlwind and many will be swept away in death and destruction. Don't make that mistake and think you can do that “tomorrow”....you're not promised tomorrow...God has been patient with Israel and will bring her into the Kingdom of God. If you be a gentile, then you have no such promise...Only a fearful prospect of a wrathful God.
22 “But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 
23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 
24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 
25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 
26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”
27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 
28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 
29 for our “God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:22-29) (my emphasis)
“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. ” (2nd Peter 3:8)


“ 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)

Then confess with your mouth your accepting Jesus as personal Savior to everyone around when the opportunity presents itself:

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)

Don't be like Israel has been in their blindness. They won't always be blind, but if you miss the event of the coming of Jesus Christ, then heaven help you...you're gonna need it.

 This is pastor Mike Taylor, praying for your salvation. If you need counseling, prayer, or just a listening ear, then drop me a line at realteam1999@sbcglobal.net, or visit me online for more studies in Biblical lessons from God's Word at www.pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com. God bless you all, 

TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET