But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
Genesis 15:16
When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
And in the morning, It will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
Matthew 16:2,3
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils
I Timothy 4:1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
II Timothy 3:1
It struck me the other night that what Jesus said above (in Matthew 16) was strikingly simple yet illuminating. Too many times I’ve read scriptures that deal in prophecy and/or prophetic events and found myself responding with a form of fear that underlies (more often than not) a sense that man’s interpretation of prophecy and application to present day events seems somewhat arbitrary. That is to say that when Jesus speaks of signs in the heavens, the powers of heaven being shaken etc…, there isn’t an automatic response to place that in the context of the prophecy. But Jesus Himself seems to say fairly clearly that “signs”, when from God, are very purposeful and have great context into which they can be placed.
So in dealing with prophecy, it is well to remember that all signs have more purpose than simply to be a marker. God’s dealings with Daniel’s people was marked out by the commandment to rebuild their city and temple on the one end (beginning the 70 weeks) and the ending of oblations and the making of desolate the temple on the other end (completing the 70 weeks). These are not just arbitrary markers but pertinent to Daniel, his people and God’s dealings with them. They are tied up with God’s dealings in a very intimate way. So to make the desolation of the temple a yet future event seems to me to be wrong because, partly, it is arbitrary. God has not permanently cast away the Jews, but the times determined upon them have been determined and completed (as I read it). The purpose of the times visited upon the Jews was made clear - and, with the completion of fulfillment of these purposes, the temple sacrifices are made redundant. Thus, the desolation. Now, with Christ ascended, God’s dealings with ALL men are based upon Christ and not sacrifices. Thus, to see the end of the 70 weeks as anything but already fulfilled nearly 2000 years ago is to make some future desolation more significant than the destruction and desolation upon Jerusalem of 70AD. And in so doing, it subtly legitimizes the continued animal sacrifices when it is obvious to all believers that God no longer deals that way. The Jews being a sign of that - partly in that they rejected the perfect sacrifice so that the world would know Him - only goes to support the interpretation that the completion of the 70 weeks was at a critical time with respect to the Jews and to ushering in righteousness etc…And that it happened in 70AD after 70 weeks of years on the heels of 70 years of captivity is only another mark that these things are all related.
But what significance is there of a future desolation?
Jesus wanted men to be sure that signs given are for the benefit of those who can receive them. Those that just look arbitrarily for signs that meet all the superficial criteria of prophecies are prone to either having an overabundance of possible “fits” to prophetic identifications or not finding anything and missing the sign that was intended. An example of overabundance of “fits” is the multiplicity of interpretations of the Mark of the Beast. People have speculated everything from VISA to Nero, to Ronald Reagan to Bill Gates to a computer in the EU - all of which fit superficially, but none (save possibly Nero) of which fit the context of the prophecy and fit the application of the sign. An example of not finding anything and (possibly) missing the sign(s) is the entire futurist scheme - notably with application to the last week of Daniel’s 70 weeks. Or even much of the book of Revelation. Arbitrary, superficial application of prophetic signs as mentioned in scripture are bound to lead into confusion unless the prophecy as a whole and its intention are considered.
When Abraham was told that his posterity would inherit the land of Canaan, he was also told that things would have to be accomplished before that could take place. Most notably, the iniquity of the Amorites would have to “come to the full”. That is, the Lord was telling Abraham that his descendants would have to find themselves in a spiritual position that enabled them to overcome their enemies in the land of Canaan. Until then, their iniquity would require much of them (400 years in bondage in Egypt, for one) before they could even approach the promised land.
So, too, are the end times spoken of. The time of the end is a time of great peril. It is a time that is characterized primarily by attributes of men rather than political, military and economic situations. Twice, in his letters to Timothy, Paul speaks of the end times as being highlighted by the accented evil of men come to FULL FRUITION. Just as the Israelites could not possess the promised land until the Amorites filled up their cup of iniquity to overflowing, so too are the people of God told that their possession of the land and fulfillment of many “wrapping up” prophecies are dependent upon the marked division between the faithful and the faithless. As one who sees the bodily return of Christ being referred to here, I find that it is a SIGNIFICANT SET OF SIGNS that Paul has shown to Timothy. The disciples already asked Jesus what the signs of His coming and of the end of the age/world were to be. Notice that Jesus spoke FIRST of earthquakes and famines and wars and said that the end was not yet. He, as I see it, was telling the disciples that natural disasters were to continue to happen and disasters would continue to occur. But when He gets into the REAL signs that lead up to Him saying “When you see all these things, know that it is near…”, it is overwhelmingly a list of the abundance of the appearance of iniquity. False Christ, false prophets, deceitful signs, tribulation, men mourning - all these things support Christ’s summation that one knows harvest is near when the fruit is on the trees (though notice that THE Great Tribulation is discussed in Matt 24:21,22 as NOT being at the end - for the VERY NEXT VERSE has Jesus saying “THEN, if any man shall say unto you Lo there He is…etc….” that it is NOT to be believed. His return is NOT YET. It even looks like it is AFTER the Great Tribulation - so called - that the prominence of AntiChrists is to take place.). In other words, the increase of iniquity is a sign - a direct consequence of something that brings about Christ’s return. This concept is so important, that Jesus - after speaking plainly - uses two parables. First of the fig tree. Then of the evil servant.
So what is Jesus saying is the importance of the fruit that brings about Christ’s return? We can look at all the fruit that is detailed in I Tim 4 and II Tim 3, but what do these things say? I believe we can investigate this to see what the purpose of Christ’s return - and the timing of it - is. Returning to Genesis, we find that Israel was refused entry into the Promised Land until after 400 years in Egypt AND THEN 40 years in the wilderness. We are told that they could not enter in because of their unbelief. So what did God do? He essentially waited around and tested Israel while an entire generation passed along and a new generation was prepared. One that would not grumble and complain, but realize the immensity of God’s provision and enter in gladly and in faith (okay…so that didn’t exactly work out immediately, either!). The Lord was using that time to separate to Himself a people that were faithful to Him. He is doing so today. He told the disciples to let the wheat and the tares grow up together and, in the end, He would separate them. He has a purpose for allowing iniquity to show up. Not because He desires iniquity but because there is something much deeper at work that man has little or no control over. He is showing up the sons of righteousness and the sons of iniquity. He is forming, vetting, reforming, honing, burning, testing, proving and reproving those that claim to be His. His return, then, is for the final separation - faithful from hypocrite. His purpose in delay, then is for formation, separation and strengthening. For beneath it all is a great spiritual activity that goes beyond all we can even conceive.
As such, the times of the end should be primarily concerned with spiritual activity rather than physical. Yes, there will be physical outworkings of things - signs in the earth. The powers of heaven will be shaken, but the importance of that is to be found in its significance, its context and its relevance to the signs it is foretelling. The powers of heaven are spiritual forces. They are great dominions and principalities that, no doubt, have physical extensions. The woman riding the beast, for example, is identified with the Catholic Church. Not so much for her externalities, but for the spiritual harlotry that characterizes her dealings. She has dealt in the traffic of men’s souls and has committed fornication with the kings of the earth. All primarily spiritual at heart - but with physical and doctrinal extensions that can be directly measured. Such great influence she has had over all nations - even today she has political clout in every nation even as a primarily religious entity! Revelation 18 reveals how her iniquity comes to the full and she is rewarded for her unbelievable evil. So it is that all are warned to stay as far away from her for then men become partakers in her sins and ultimately her judgment. Though we need to remember that things said of her were also said of Jerusalem - all the righteous blood from Abel to Zechariah was to be demanded of Jerusalem and all the blood of the prophets and saints and all that were slain upon the earth. Oh, such great harlotry to be responsible for all blood! This, surely, is a spiritual principal being found in some entity. For she had traffic with all kings - all nations - of the earth. If that be so, then it must be seen that the principle of the harlotry is important. Maybe even more significant than JUST the Roman Catholic church. While she may be the main extension of this in the natural world, it would be no exaggeration to say that the spirit that energizes the harlot church extends beyond denominational borders. But the main point is that it is all mainly spiritual in importance. I don’t say there isn’t physical realization of these things - nor that they may be the cause of great political, economic or military events, but if we are to get to the real importance of prophecy, it is to be found in the nature and detail of the sign.
Christ is returning - in that I believe 100%. But the distress of nations is a secondary byproduct of that which Christ is now (and has always) been doing in the assemblage of His Kingdom throughout the ages. If we do not recognize that He is now making up His jewels, we will put it off till future and limit it mainly to an external event. But if we realize the importance of the signs, the significance of His return and the purpose of His Kingdom, it will be the spiritual aspect and its physical outworking that will form our greatest concern. In that is to be found the crux of the matter of the signs of the times. We are not looking for a physical happening - thought it be physical - but we are looking for a victory and a marked manifestation of the spiritual triumph that was completed in Christ 2000 years ago and continues to require something of men that name themself as His. The reformers recognized this and they, by their spiritual warfare and perseverance, helped deal Babylon a blow that will never be forgotten - and from which she may never fully recover. If we, today, were to worry less about what’s going to happen and more about what the spiritual state of the church, nation and world is, we would be far more in tune with the purposes of God and the progression of His Kingdom - even unto the return of Christ. Which return has great spiritual importance yet men look mainly to its physical outworking.
And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
Genesis 11:1
Moses penned those words to describe the situation in the wake of the flood and this particular chapter (dealing with the Tower of Babel) followed a specific people that were to form the Babylonian Empire. The descendants of Ham - specifically Nimrod - began a great empire that apparently attracted most of the other descendants of Noah. I say that because the division of speech and the unity of language prior to that was global. All the earth was (according to scripture) being repopulated by the descendants of Noah and his sons. So whatever they spoke, it seems logical to believe that that is what the great majority of the earth spoke. And it seems logical to believe that that is what was spoken in the plain of Shinar where many gathered to work together - towards a common goal of reaching heaven on their own and making a name for themselves. And God doesn’t seem to disabuse anyone of the notion that they were capable of doing so. Just what exactly that meant is not perfectly clear to me since we have today no fantasy about being able to reach heaven with a tower. Making a name for ourselves is another story…
Babylon made a name for herself and was allowed to perpetuate even in the scattering of peoples. In fact, it was to become a prominent foe to Israel after they were brought out of Egypt. One such example is the message of Jonah to Nineveh. It was a great city in the Babylonian Empire and would eventually take the Southern House of Israel captive. The Lord works in mysterious ways, doesn’t He? The very people that Jonah wanted wiped off the face of the earth would eventually carry Jonah’s people into captivity! From human perspective, it would have been better to allow them to be destroyed, but instead Jonah is a somewhat unwitting participant in the preservation of the people who would eventually conquer Judah! So the Lord’s plan is something that men cannot easily distinguish - especially in the time that it is being carried out. I don’t believe today is any different.Mention the word “Globalism” and a whole host of ideas spring to mind. I would venture to say that most people cringe at it to some degree. It elicits thoughts of massive, impersonal corporations that care only about profits, expanding their empires across the earth and care nothing about the individual. Nationally, it conjures up thoughts of unity, the diminishment of the individual in favor of the nation and national sovereignty being eroded to the point of nothing. Personally, I think the corporate side of things is overblown. Remembering that individuals are required to run corporations (and nations!) and that profit can only be earned when those other individuals (called consumers) actually buy from the global corporations should serve to put it into some perspective. That the companies and the nations often have ulterior motives and hidden agendas that wind up being funded by unsuspecting consumers and taxpayers is certainly a concern. And the erosion of individualism and national sovereignty is also something to be worried about. Communism, the tower of Babel and “unity” in a global, humanistic sense are very real dangers.Yet, while all these things loom large on the horizon, and while there are (no doubt) many diverse conspiracies to separate you from your money, your individual identity and your national sovereignty (as a citizen of country X), I think this gets overplayed in the media today. Everywhere you turn - especially in the circles of end time prophecy and its expositors - there is doom and gloom forecast. There are predictions of unbelievable nuclear wars, depressions that make 1930 look like an economic hiccup, big brother watching you, listening to you and making sure you can’t do so much as cross the street without asking permission. I’m not here to dispel the “fact” that these things are being perpetuated. The Mark of the Beast, while I believe it to be more metaphorical than a literal mark, is a very real danger for anyone to take. And I don’t see that this is a unique time such that someone 500 years ago was incapable of taking it. But whether it is literal or metaphorical, there is still no difference made in what I am trying to address. And I am not trying to say “The sky isn’t falling” or “Things are no worse than they have ever been” because, naturally speaking, I believe they ARE worse. But I believe far too many people - especially those that have large radio and/or tv audiences - are missing the point in a very dangerous way. The key is in one of the epistles - 2 Timothy 3, to be exact.
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 Timothy 3:1Okay. So you may be asking what the big deal is about this verse. After all, it’s exactly what you hear wherever you go. Wars, depressions, invasions, communism, no privacy, conspiracies….all these things serve to support this contention, don’t they? If they did, I wouldn’t be writing this little essay. Let’s read on.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2 Timothy 3:2-7
That first word in the passage is critical. “For…” indicates that the writer is expanding on his opening statement. Paul is telling Timothy, quickly and succinctly, that the times of the end (define them how you will) will be perilous. times. And the second verse through the seventh is a description of that peril. Not one mention of anything resembling a political ideology, nuclear war, global conspiracy or economic mandate. Not one warning against men’s ploys to enslave others in political, economic or legal bonds. Instead, a clear description of a type of man. A man in the sense that it is a set of qualities that will be found - to a greater or lesser degree - in “men” (the second word in verse 2) that will be around in “the last days”. And what will their existence mean? “Perilous times”. Read the list of qualities - they are fairly self-explanatory - and get a picture of society run and participated in by men that are like this. See what warnings the Lord is most concerned about as you peruse this passage. Paul, in his first letter to Timothy (4:1) says that the Spirit of God is very clear about what to expect in the “latter times”. Another clear warning from God. About what? Politics? RFID chips? Global agendas? No.
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
1 Timothy 4:1
Now, one could argue that things like Communism, Globalism etc… are doctrines of devils. And one might well point out that the men who form such doctrines or ideologies are likely under that demonic influence and, thus, are more proof that we need to avoid Globalism and other end times dangers. Were you to do that, you would be missing the point. You would be pointing at deceived, fallen men and pinning the doctrines of devils more on them than on the devils. You would be putting man as the main conspirator and placing God further in the background than He needs to be - especially in perilous times like these! To do so is not to heed the clear word given to Isaiah here :
Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.
For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,
Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.
Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
Isaiah 8:9-13
I’d underline select portions of this passage, but the whole thing is extremely appropriate to the topic at hand. First, God speaks through Isaiah saying that men that take counsel together will not succeed. Plain and simple. The end that they find will be one of dire judgment and none should desire their place. And God is with those that withstand evil. He is with those that simply refuse to conspire together. And the second verse (v.10) is the Lord’s clear word to Isaiah (and to us) that we are not to get caught up in conspiracies. They are dangerous. The Lord does not say they are nothing, but that they are to be avoided. But it appears He goes further when, in verse 11, He puts another context on verse 12. Verse 12 says (among other things, in context) that for one to fear a conspiracy (or a gathering of counsel against that which is revealed as good and Godly) is pretty much as bad as being an accomplice to that conspiracy because it lends credence to its operations. More importantly, it serves another vile purpose - for man to take his eyes off of God. And when he does that, he is just as likely to become a part of a conspiracy as he is to merely fear a conspiracy. We should, instead, let all our fear, reverence and concern be laid up to God Himself. Let Him be our fear, our dread, our focus. Not the conspiracies of men - though they seem to be hinted at in prophecy. We must be like David who wrote this :
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
Psalm 27:1-5
Remember, the warnings of perilous times are attached to characteristics of man and his behaviour, not on his conspiracies, agendas and ideas. While they may be evil, wicked and ill-advised, the real peril is in the nature of man. In the eyes of the Lord, a covetous boaster is a perilous thing. In the eyes of the Lord blasphemy, disobedience, lack of trust, not keeping one’s word and high-mindedness are all of greater danger than the global agendas of multinational corporations. Why? Because erosion of national sovereignty can, of itself, have little eternal effect - while continued depravity (which is described in Paul’s letter to Timothy) absolutely has great eternal effects. What is the picture of a man who is in perfect peace? What is the picture of a man who is not concerned about taking the mark of the beast - whether literal or metaphorical?
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
Isaiah 26:3,4
If a man has all the qualities of godliness, will having a microchip implanted beneath his skin change the Lord’s judgment of that man? If the Lord has told him to stay away from that chip, absolutely. Disobedience is one of the marks of peril Paul mentioned. Will the Lord judge a man harshly because he was a member - even the CEO - of a massive multinational global corporation? If that man, before the Lord, bore all the qualities of uprightness, does that count for nothing?
Let us return to Genesis 11 for a moment. Why did God confound the speech of man at the plain of Shinar? Was it simply because they built a huge tower (or were in process of it)? No. It was, primarily, because they wanted to make a name for themselves. Unity is a powerful force. If many act in unity, there is very little that can be done about it. But if that unity is enacted with a vision to self-rule, then it is very destructive. Yes, globalism seems to be rebuilding the tower of Babel brick by brick and it seems very close to completion. Yes, man’s exaltation of self and his innate power and (ugh) “godness” (as well as “goodness”) are nasty things. In fact, THAT is one of the marks of peril (lovers of themselves….having a form of godliness but denying its - that is, God’s - power). So why have men focused on the side issues instead of the heart of the matter? I’m not sure, but I think it’s because the conspiracies that tend to drive the numerous end time ministries would lose their teeth as men began to see the REAL conspiracy - the Satanic ploy to win men’s hearts - that many of those ministries unwittingly contribute to!
And if you understand what I am trying to get at in this message, you will understand when I say that even those end time ministries that take time to make a salvation appeal (because those that know Christ will either be kept from all the tribulation supposedly coming on the earth or that they will at least have an eternal home even if they have to endure economic and military calamity) are missing the point. They aren’t being deceptive, but their appeal for salvation (after warning about the mark of the beast, the coming war etc….) is based upon the conspiracies (or “confederacies”) of men and so they are not appealing to men based on GODLY fear (or creating Godly sorrow that leads men to repentance). Godly fear comes only when men realize their lives do not in any way come close to meeting God’s standard. When men fear the judgments of God because of their flouting of God’s laws and their rejection of Christ, then the fear of God has begun to tear away the unGodly foundations of those lives and build one that is fixed firm in Him and Him alone. But an appeal for man to come to God because of the calamities of politics, economics and war that are coming on the earth are usually more destructive than helpful. True Godly repentance comes from true Godly sorrow which is brought on by true Godly conviction about truly (and fully revealed) unGodly natures. Not from man’s threats.
Again, I’m not trying to say we should embrace globalism, ecumenical movements, the European Union etc… I don’t like Globalism primarily for its Babelish character and to become involved in it in any active way is to certainly run a risk of turning from God. But the scriptures are chock full of defining characteristics of men that please the Lord. And I am absolutely convinced that if a man were to find himself more worried about being Godly than avoiding becoming a Globalist, that he would, in the end, avoid all things (naturally) that displease the Lord. In closing, David has a chapter that I think finds 99.99% of the world guilty of ungodliness. Let’s concern ourselves more with how we appear in God’s eyes and less about how the plans of the heathen will affect us. If we trust in Him, we will be unmoved.
Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
Psalm 15
The New American Standard Bible has a good translation of this, too:
1O LORD, who may abide (A)in Your tent?
Who may dwell on Your (B)holy hill?
2He who (C)walks with integrity, and works righteousness,
And (D)speaks truth in his heart.
3He (E)does not slander with his tongue,
Nor (F)does evil to his neighbor,
Nor (G)takes up a reproach against his friend;
4In whose eyes a reprobate is despised,
But who (H)honors those who fear the LORD;
He (I)swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5He (J)does not put out his money [a]at interest,
Nor (K)does he take a bribe against the innocent
(L)He who does these things will never be shaken.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 15:5 I e to a fellow Israelite
Cross references:
- Psalm 15:1 : Ps 27:5, 6; 61:4
- Psalm 15:1 : Ps 24:3
- Psalm 15:2 : Ps 24:4; Is 33:15
- Psalm 15:2 : Zech 8:16; Eph 4:25
- Psalm 15:3 : Ps 50:20
- Psalm 15:3 : Ps 28:3
- Psalm 15:3 : Ex 23:1
- Psalm 15:4 : Acts 28:10
- Psalm 15:4 : Judg 11:35
- Psalm 15:5 : Ex 22:25; Lev 25:36; Deut 23:20; Ezek 18:8
- Psalm 15:5 : Ex 23:8; Deut 16:19
- Psalm 15:5 : 2 Pet 1:1
One more thought. The fear that is created by many of the futurist, end time scenarios - and, more specifically, their expositors - comes from unbelief. Such fear is not a mark of one who inherits the kingdom. Along with those that worship the beast or his image, both the FEARFUL and the UNBELIEVING are cast in to the lake of fire (Rev 21:8). This is contrasted with those that overcome and inherit all things. Upon this, Godly fear can be founded - for it is His judgment. Fear God, not man. For this is the beginning of wisdom.
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.
……
And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
Daniel 9:24, 12:8-10Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Revelation 1:3
And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
Revelation 22:10
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2 Peter 1:19-21
The intent of this writing is not, primarily, to convince the reader of historicism in any fashion, but rather, to express a belief in a form of historicism with many of its scriptural roots. This is not offered in the form of proof, but as an expression of the spirit of the letter as found in the scriptures regarding prophecy and eschatology. There is support provided, but nothing that could be considered rigorous “proof”. But then if we are to accept John’s words, the only “proof” of truth comes from the Holy Spirit (I John 2:27).
The Nature of Prophecy
It may be well to consider, first of all, some basic groundwork before entering into a discussion as to the specifics of particular interpretations of prophetic utterances in the bible. For without the proper foundation, the entire topic might as well be treated as a work of fiction - as that is exactly what it would be. Just as there were men called prophets in bible days who prophesied according to their own hearts, so it is that we can just as easily interpret according to our own hearts. That is the wrong ground for prophetic interpretation and it underscores the necessity of approaching prophecy with a reverence for its Giver.
And that is the main issue on the nature of prophecy. Prophecy is, first and foremost, the expression of God through a vessel regarding a certain matter - whether it be past, present, future or regarding the condition of one’s heart. It is simply God speaking. If we remember that, and continue to keep that as the basis for our understanding, we cannot stray far from the truth. And where we have missed the mark, it will be easy enough for us to find the truth because we have a solid foundation on which to build. Which leads to the second key to all prophecy….
The Focus of All Prophecy
While it may not be apparent from reading individual prophecies or parts of prophecies, the focal point of all that God spoke, speaks and will speak is in His Son - Jesus Christ. That was the theme of the entire Old Testament. That is the expression and fulfillment of the gospels. And that is the whole reason that there is a church to receive prophecy - Jesus Christ Himself. Not all prophecies mention Jesus. Not all prophecies even seem to refer to a person of Jesus, but all prophecy is given with Jesus Christ in mind. If He is the only Way to the Father, the uttered and expressed Truth of God (the Word) and the Life Abundant, then prophecy, without Jesus in mind, is a resounding gong to our ears. No man comes to the Father but by Jesus Christ, so any Words the Father has for us also come by Jesus. It is Jesus Christ and the same Spirit that raised Him from the dead that must be the medium of the prophetic. Not mere words on a page.
So if we expect prophecy simply to be a way for us to know the future, we will fail and be worse off than if we knew nothing. We will fail because the Lord is a God who hides Himself and is revealed only to those that seek HIM. Sure, there may be hints at things to come that the keen mind can pick up on, but the mind that seeks to know things that only the omniscient God knows is building another tower of Babel - attempting to reach the heights of God’s knowledge and understanding in one’s own effort and ambition. That leads to nothing but confusion in the end. Knowledge of the things of God can never be divorced from relating to God - knowing Him personally - without entering into a form of spiritual adultery. The thrill of knowing things (possibly ahead of time) without being joined to the one who alone can reveal those things. These may be strong words, but they are cautionary in nature. For to enter unworthily into things that even the angels desire(d) to look into is to bring Christ down. It is a pathway to spiritual pride which leads to destruction.
We need not say any more about this except that prophecy is a wonderful thing to search out. It is the very thing God moved men of old to speak of - often without them understanding what they themselves were saying - and longs for us to hear with spiritual ears. Only let us approach it on His terms, in His way, for His glory. Then will we be pleasing in our approach. And it was said of very few men in the scriptures that they were beloved of God. But two very notable figures were called “beloved” or “loved” - Daniel and John. Both of whom received Revelation by the will of God for the edification of men to come after them. So if we approach Him as recognizing the proper place of prophecy, we have made a good start towards understanding the will of God and knowing more of His plan and purpose in both the nations and the lives of individuals.
With that said, it may be useful to say something briefly on….
Revelation and Time
This is a topic that can be taken to great depths and lengths - even becoming a book on its own. It can be dealt with spiritually and also very mathematically. It inspires the imagination and befuddles the greatest minds. It shows the immensity and grandeur of God and serves to make the dimension we dwell in seem so weak and insignificant. The apostle Paul did say we were made subject to vanity (or futility) by reason of God’s hope, so it seems as though the futility of corruption, decay and all that goes with fallen man living within the confines of time and space is just another testimony to God’s purposes. In other words, the futility we experience is linked to the corruption inherited at the fall. And the corruption we inherited at the fall is best understood as being inevitable change for the worse (i.e. death) that starts its process from the day we are conceived and doesn’t end until we draw our last breath - in other words, the entire span of our lifetime.
Without getting too technical, I hope to simply express what is meant by Revelation and how it “interacts with” or affects time (the way we see things) - and, thus, a dim reflection of how we can understand the way God sees things. He doesn’t reckon time like we do. A thousand years to us is like no time at all to Him - but then so is a single moment in time. In a “moment”, He can look through all of history and see all that has happened and all that will happen as a single whole. It doesn’t have to unfold before Him in time as it must with us. That is the basic idea of revelation.
Revelation is an unveiling. It is a revealing of something previously hidden. History is one long revelation. From the moment God said “Let there be light”, things started to unfold. Things started to happen. What was spoken into being in an instant took a day (if you take the bible’s Creation account literally) to be revealed. After a day, that which God spoke into existence was realized. But from God’s perspective, it was all fully realized before it was revealed. From our perspective, though, it had to be revealed before we could see it as a whole - as the “Creation event”. Whether the Creation took 7 days or millions of years doesn’t change this fact - that God spoke the world into existence and that it took time for it to be realized, seen, viewed, understood, grasped etc… here on earth.
When we can understand that all of history is a revelation of sorts, and that God is Lord of yesterday, today and tomorrow (eternity), it is no stretch to see that God has a plan for all of history and that it is all an unveiling of His purpose and plan being worked out on the earth. When we look at the book of Daniel, we will examine an image. That image is one figure. We can relate to a figure, a statue, a picture or some such thing and see it all in a short period of time. If it is small enough, we might even be able to see it all at once. That’s how God saw this image even though it is obvious, from the prophecy and vision that Daniel was given, that man needed several hundred (indeed more than 1000) years of history to see all that the image represented.
God is Lord of all history and all time. There is no time where the unfolding of history (whether prophesied or not) is simply a random event that has no importance in the grander scheme of things. All history is a further revelation, in time, of heavenly things that pertain directly (however minutely) to the outworking of God’s plans in our realm and our lives. Revelation, then, is easily seen to be God’s expression to man of heavenly things seen from a heavenly perspective, but expressed in a way man can relate to. Just as Jesus had to use parables to relate the Kingdom of Heaven to Israel while He was on earth, so does God use images, metaphors and things we can understand in visions and prophecies. This way, the message is conveyed to those who have ears to hear and hidden from those who cannot compare spiritual things with spiritual (I Corinthians 2:13).
If we look at Genesis 3:15, we see God declaring something powerful. Just as it would have been necessary to wait through a day to see a portion of the creation being manifested (yet God spoke it into existence instantaneously), Eve is told something by God that she won’t even live to see. God is talking to the serpent, but as we will soon see, Eve knew she was “the woman” :
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Genesis 3:15
God had in view something that we could probably only understand as a picture. If a picture is worth a thousand words, this prediction was worth several thousand years of history. Because that’s how long it took us to visibly see the fulfillment of what, to God, was already accomplished. Indeed, the very crucifixion of Christ was fixed from the foundations of the earth (Revelation 13:8). But again, here we have the prophetic in play. God saw it just as clearly as we could see a statue we had crafted with our hands - before showing it to the world. Not only would we be able to see the statue all at once, but we would know every detail of it because we had crafted it.
Eve even partook in the prophetic when she said “I have gotten a man from the Lord” (Genesis 4:1). Without realizing it, she confirmed God’s promise (above) as being true. She prophesied something marvelous! But, as with many prophecies, they don’t work out as man thinks they should. We read what God has said through His prophets and have ideas, but fail to see the bigger picture - the whole thing being unveiled - and thus miss the meaning and intent of prophecy many times. Eve could be forgiven her mistaking that prophecy because she was used to hearing from God directly. But, having fallen, she was in a realm where things were much darker to her. She was seeing through a glass darkly. While what she said was absolutely true, God’s fulfillment of it was far more complete and satisfying when His Son was revealed in the flesh 2000 years ago. Even the major prophets didn’t often know what they were saying. Of them it was said :
Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
I Peter 1:11,12
The importance of that passage is largely that the Spirit of Christ - the fulfillment of the Lord’s plan that was complete in Him from the beginning of the world - did not reveal even to His own prophets the fullness of what He was saying. These things were to be revealed by His Spirit, in His time and in His way.
Who {Jesus Christ} gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
I Timothy 2:6
This is all leading to the understanding that history is unveiled over time (as we all know). It is a revelation of God’s - but the details of the revelation that God has is only for those who have eyes to see. All the unfoldings of history are in the Lord’s hands. He sets up and puts down whomsoever He wills. Even the most powerful, notorious king of Babylon was brought low so that he proclaimed the Sovereignty of the Lord of the ages! Knowing that, it is foolish for us to think that history - especially the history of God’s elect - does not proclaim the revelation of God and of Jesus Christ. It is all the workings of spiritual powers and principalities in accordance with the Lord’s allowance and if we recognize His hand in all that occurs, it will be marvelous in our eyes! Indeed, the Revelation of Jesus Christ will be seen to be an (apparently) unending progression towards the consummation of all things in Him! It will be seen to be His victory as revealed in and through the annals of recorded events that are significant to His people!
God is the God of all history and His revelations bear that out.
And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.
For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.
Luke 17:20-25
There are many principles at work in this passage. Not the least of which is the nature of the Kingdom of God.
Jesus is asked by the Pharisees when God’s Kingdom should arrive. Jesus had already preached the Kingdom and they weren’t satisfied with His words. But why should they ask any further? At the very least, it should be said that they recognized His authority and a part of them was drawn to Him. But they would never outwardly acknowledge Him! All their focus was on the external. So their external rejection of Christ but their inward drawing to Him only served to underly the hypocrisy that ruled their lives. But if we are hasty to look down our noses at them, let us examine ourselves first. How ready are we to boldly proclaim Christ in public? How often could we answer with boldness and confidence and assurance the questions and accusations of those that do not believe? Are we always ready to give an reason for the hope that is within us? A lively hope is what it is supposed to be, but if not, what hope can we offer others? If our faith is merely internal and not worked out to become a visible faith, will it not be justly said that we have been ashamed of Christ? We are more like the Pharisees, very often, I think, than we care to admit or see.
The Pharisees were only concerned with outward appearances. They wanted a physical kingdom, they wanted external rule without the heart being changed. They wanted the only measure of faith to be what is seen. Their external lives only served to show that their inward selves were rotting carcasses. So when Jesus told them that the Kingdom was not outward but inward, I wonder if they were incensed at this. Just more fuel for the fire that was kindled within the minds and hearts of the religious of the day.But it is also worthy of noting that, once again, Jesus spoke more clearly and directly to the disciples. The quest for knowledge that drove the Pharisees was one which Jesus would not cater to. He would always answer them, but never one that would satisfy them in the way they asked the question. The one time that they even came close to getting such a straight answer, Jesus told them why He
wouldn’t answer them (on the question of John’s baptism). From then on, I think they knew they were in for an uphill battle. But notice the difference in the depth of answers. Jesus tells the Pharisees basically that the Kingdom isn’t visible. Not much else. Those in the Kingdom, He says, will not point to it physically, but recognize it within. But to the disciples, He gives the same line “Lo here! Lo there!” - warning that this is exactly what men will say to them! The very men who would say that, He has already told not to - and the men who know what the Kingdom is (to some degree) He is telling that men like the Pharisees will tell them where the Kingdom is! Prophetic, in some sense, this picture goes even further to illustrate the fact that Jesus knew the hearts of men inside and out. Men who don’t know the Lord as disciples will ultimately decline to the point of being like the Pharisees. There really isn’t, in the final analysis, any middle ground. One either walks with God and continues to walk by faith or falls back to the life of sensual reliance - walking by sight.
With that in mind, Jesus went on to exhort the disciples to walk by faith. The Kingdom was not an outward thing, but the King would have His day. But before that, those who were to be His followers were to experience many things that would tempt them to walk by sight instead of by faith. They would be surrounded by those who would scoff or fall into the temptation of following their own lusts (as Paul would say “…whose God is their belly…”) and senses while holding to a farce of a relationship with God. Not that men shouldn’t anticipate the Lord’s coming, but that coming will be nothing good if we aren’t girded with faith and walking daily in it. It is required of men that follow God (as disciples) to forsake all (including their own sensual leadings) and obey Him. To walk in places of desolation, poverty, outward emptiness and danger is a sign of walking with God. This is an honor He gives His truest saints. They know that through much tribulation must the Kingdom be entered. And when one enters the Kingdom, it is a citizenship none other can take away. It is something that others may want to have, but will be refused because they refused to follow God on HIS terms and do what HE desires and endure things HE allows. That’s why Jesus didn’t approach His church in a “seeker-sensitive” manner. He knew the difficulties that a servant of the Most High would face and Christ’s call was really just a first screening. If men couldn’t handle His teaching and preaching, they CERTAINLY couldn’t handle a life of following Him!
In a day where Christianity is plagued by sensual men following their own lusts and making great promises of physical benefit, the church needs men who are willing to endure battle scars of the spirit, total humiliation of the flesh (by God’s hand) and walking in the power of God such that men don’t connect the power with the servants, but with those that the servants serve. We need to forsake all - otherwise, as Christ said, we cannot be His disciple. It is not an arbitrary requirement, but one made because anyone who has any claim on anything of himself or his own wants is incapable of fulfilling the role Christ has and, thus, entering the Kingdom. The cross is an offense and men want to make it secondary. But when that happens, the flesh is given a second chance. Such a deadly mistake! Unless we die daily and walk the difficult road that God has, we are only feeding flesh. The cross is a positive message, but to the flesh it is hateful. There is no having the cross and the flesh, too. You must make a choice. And if the cross is chosen, there will be times of seeming total abandonment by God. But in those times, if faith is clung to and God’s Word remembered and entrenched in the heart, it becomes possible to persevere through the “abandonment”. And at the other end one finds that God was allowing the senses to be tested. Do we trust them or Him? And if the answer, as evidenced by persevering through the desolation, is Him - then we find new strength for the journey. And, in the end, a reward in heaven that far outweighs ANY blessing we can receive here on earth.
Jesus was telling the disciples that this was part of their lives - and not to give in to the temptation to believe the senses over His Word.
Do not lay up treasure for yourselves here on earth, but let your treasure be unseen and promised by the Faithful and True. Seek a crown of glory that may be cast at His feet - not a life of ease that is of no use to Him or His Name. It is a costly life, but one that has great recompense of reward to him that perseveres to the end.
The thought just came to me in a somewhat logical progression :
“When it comes down to it, a man’s trust is either in God or in himself. There is no middle ground. Anyone who believes otherwise is still blind and does not know his own heart.”
It is startlingly true, I fear. Jesus told us as much when He said :
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
Matthew 6:24
The ground upon which our every decision is based leads back to a single source - not two sources. The basis upon which our lives are lived out is driven by one source. Influences may come, but the ultimate driving force behind or lives is ultimately either God or man. This should make us tremble. We should be sure of the foundation of our very being. For if out of the heart flow the issues of life, then the keeping of it should be entrusted to the only One who knows it inside and out. The only One who can see all the dangers that would imperil a life abundant in Christ. With Paul, we must be able to say - without hesitation and with absolute confidence in each and every word :
“For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”
2 Timothy 1:12
Do we know whom we have believed? Do we honestly know the Lord? Do we fellowship with Him more closely than our closest friend or relative? Are all things counted as dung when compared with the richness of a life lived in Christ or do we try to claim fleshly blessing as our right when God desires our spiritual enrichment? For those that would live GODLY in Christ Jesus WILL suffer persecution. It is not what we have that is important, but who do we know best? What do we read most? Where is our meditation day and night?
“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
Joshua 1:8
” Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”
Psalm 1:1,2
Joshua was given a ground for trust - absolute trust - in the Lord. It was to do His will. The following verse is God telling Joshua, after instructing him in the way he should go, that the result of obedience is one of courage in the face of apparent disaster and loss. Trust in the Lord Almighty when flesh fails and the visible declares defeat. For then, and then alone, can that man have delight day and night. In the face of enemies he can stand - having done all that the Lord has bid him do.
But even if we have believed, are we persuaded? Is our heart utterly devoted to God or is it divided between God and us? Do we reserve a little place of self-service that no man can discern but of which the Spirit of God would say “You have denied me my claim. You are not Mine alone.” And if not His alone, we are not His at all. We cannot serve both God and “me”. We may not be persuaded to trust. We may not trust, but not because we have reason to doubt. If any can say they have reason to doubt God, I say he not only does not know God but he knows nothing ABOUT God. He is an infidel and a blatant unbeliever. So why not trust God? The only reason is self-deceit. Yes, it may be the adversary Satan, and it may be external forces, but we are instructed to overcome. There is NO excuse. So why, again, do we not FULLY and UTTERLY trust God TOTALLY in ALL SITUATIONS and at ALL TIMES? Unbelief. Yes. The deceitful heart has said “I can acknowledge the Lord, I can accept His counsel and I can even follow His dictates.” but that same heart says “There must be allowance for me. After all God loves me.”. Oh, but this is an awful place. It is a place of complacency and acceptance of a partial faith. And what faith is a partial faith? It is none at all! It is the mingling of truth and error. It is Babylon erected in the heart - calling itself “of Christ” but playing the harlot.
But trust in God, real trust, is utter. It penetrates beyond the mind, beyond the heart - deep into the inner recesses of the man that needs complete regeneration! The deeper into the depths of man that the Spirit examines, the clearer it becomes that the throne of the heart is not a single seat with self dethroned, but many levels with many “small” idols that, in themselves, appear insignificant, but together comprise all those things that the heart cannot or will not relinquish. But trust in God allows the idols to be smashed and the high places cut down. Even amidst the shattering, breaking, smashing and rending that the heart needs to be prepared to be devoted to the One True God - even then the man submits. It is a mystery to the flesh, but the spiritual man knows and treasures the times God has overturned his idols and upset his plans. For he knows by experience and seeking that the Lord has a plan far beyond and above his own and that this plan will not only glorify God but it will satisfy himself beyond anything that this world can even conceive. But the temple must be cleansed. Anything short of perfect cleansing is unacceptable to God.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me
This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.”
John 6:53
Jesus spoke these things in the synagogue. He taught. These were not offhand remarks spoken informally, but plainly spoken so as to have their full effect. None could confuse his speech for anything but authoritative words. But He advocated cannibalism! As He was in the synagogue in the flesh, His presence was an affront to the polytheistic temples of the hearts of the Pharisees. The letter of the covenant had only served to harden their hearts and elevate their pride. Their rough places were rougher and their high places exalted to the heavens. So the appearance of the One to whom they should have been led only offended them even more. They could not tolerate even a threat to one of their idols. They had not bowed to the Law but had imagined it bowed to them. It had been given a place of submission to their wills and hearts when Jesus testified to what they should have already known - that it would lead them to He who could fulfill it perfectly. Sure, the words Jesus used were strong and hard to understand, but see what He told His disciples :
” Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?”
John 6:60-70
He would not tell the Pharisees of the inconsequence of the flesh. He would not tell them of the Spirit that led Him. He knew their hearts and He knew their idols. It was not that the disciples were perfect, but nothing mattered but the Lord. Their trust was fully in Him. They literally left homes, families, jobs - everything that the natural man rests in - and followed Jesus. Would we? Are we not then Pharisees? Do we take comfort in the hindsight that the scriptures afford us and say “We will not make the same error?” and yet miss the division Christ makes between full disciples and those who have not been called? Those who try to do so of their own accord on their own strength? Notice, it wasn’t the supposedly cannibalistic claim that drove many supposed disciples away, it was the necessity of the Father’s call that drove them away. The call must echo in the heart and One voice must be heard - not the clamour of many voices vying for supremacy, but the temple must be indwelt by One alone so that the voice is single and Supreme. The Father must be All. It must be sought in the Father. There can be nothing of the strength, will, or plan of man left. The supposed disciples could not match up. They had some claim on their own hearts and could not offer themselves as dead before God. They knew the judgment on their hearts. They knew the wickedness of their deeds - no matter how “good” - and the waywardness of their beings. And Jesus’ words placed the judgment upon them in no uncertain terms. And since their righteousness, their works their plans, their very hearts (!) could not play a part, could not lead them to Jesus, they could not submit to death even as Isaac did.
That death is one of lonliness and total emptying. There must be a place of awareness of the heart and the deeds and a full-faced stare into the wretched evil of man’s heart. It is in all of us. There is no exception. But to the one who can submit to all the just judgments of God on his ungodliness, perversity, waywardness and hatred of all that is truly good - to him who can lay open before a pure, holy God and share in the sufferings of Christ - to him comes the call. This is not a place of expiation or atonement. This is a place of the action of the cross on the life of a man. The sinful man must be crucified and that requires something of us. Not to “do”, but to die a death of confrontation, judgment, submission and lonely following of the Lamb of God outside the camp. Confronting the utter lack of ability and inclination to follow or please God in the heart. Judgment being the judgment of God on such a condition. Submission being the submission of a vessel to fall upon the rock and be broken. The cross being applied to the flesh. That lonely following must ever be to the death of the flesh and an awareness that is increasingly outside the realm of the senses. This Jesus made clear in verse 63 when He said that the flesh profits nothing, but it is the spirit that quickens. That same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead MUST dwell in you for you to be alive in Him. There is no other way. And if it is, then you will know it. You will know the warring of the flesh and the spirit. You will know the longing for spiritual bread and meat that allows self NO glory in any way. Oh…such a lonely way.
But many cannot face that lonely way. They see the demands and try to meet them all at once. The flesh has risen up again. They have looked away from the Master and allowed the enemy a foothold instead of taking no thought for the morrow. The Lord provides bread and wine with His own body. Our meat and drink more and more should become being beholden to Him - to do His will and speak His words. Our every moment should be lived in anticipation of His next word. The disciples recognized this. Beyond any influence of the flesh and any desire to work their own works came something inside that dispelled all that and brought them to trust entirely on the One who came to seek and to save that which is lost :
“Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.”
John 6:68
Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away.
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
I Corinthians 13:8-10
These are words that are very familiar to anyone who has even a passing familiarity with his bible. The church proclaims them clearly and the world naturally ascribes to a humanistic version of love. But this portion of the passage is not often addressed. It undergirds the nature of love in a way that makes it uniquely Divine. It emphasizes something about God and His imparted nature that is necessarily foreign to the natural man. We may see and recognize it in part, but the full understanding of God’s love can only come after a man becomes a new creation in Christ Jesus. This charity (love in the Greek word agape) is God’s love and it can only come from Him. So it is that it is intertwined with prophecy and knowledge. Knowledge (gnosis) is what is known to man and prophecy (propheteia) reveals that which is known only to God. Tongues (glossa) are expressions of that knowledge and of prophecy. But it is said by Paul that all these pass away.
Paul says prophecy “faileth” (katargeo). The meaning of this word is clearly “to cease”. It has the innuendo of “inneffectualness” but broadly means that its object will simply cease to have any force and thus, for all intents and purposes, stop existing. So it is that God’s revelation, as it progresses, brings prophecy one step closer to being a thing of the past. Once an event occurs, once something is revealed, it becomes a matter of knowledge and is no longer a matter of prophecy.
It is also said that knowledge will pass away (also katargeo). It is not that things will no longer be known - that would indicate a state of nothingness. Instead, we begin to glimpse the existence of one who “knows even as he is known”. Knowledge implies something known and often something known that must be sought out. But when God reveals all - when the revelation of His purpose is complete - then it will no longer be a matter of seeking out the truth of a thing. All things will be open to see without any veil. All things are already open to God, but there are many hidden things, mysteries and secrets that the Lord will, in due time, reveal. Knowledge, then, will not be a factor. Truth - the very essence of all things - will be exposed and nothing will any more be a matter of knowledge. Knowledge, by its very nature, only tells us about something. Revelation of Truth shows us the thing itself. That will be a great and terrible day. Marvelous and frightening at the same time.
Tongues, also, will cease (pauo). When tongues cease - both those of men and angels - it will be because there will be no need for imperfect communication. While I cannot speculate as to the mode of communication in the heavenlies, it will, no doubt, surpass that of the earthly. Even tongues of angels are earthly expressions of things that can only be understood with a spiritual understanding. So they, too, must pass away when the perfect is revealed. No more words are necessary as the thing expressed about on earth will be made perfectly manifest to all. Tongues imply partial knowledge.
I was listening to the testimony of a former Roman Catholic priest as he expressed matters that were on his heart. While going into great detail about what his former religion taught, and how it was in direct contradiction to the dictates of God, he also emphasized the spiritual nature of all that was at stake. His deep love for those who are deceived into idolatry and blasphemy was evident. While listening, I found myself convicted. The scripture speaks of the love of many growing cold in the “last days”. Irrespective of the time, this is something that all men of God need to be on their guard against. While headiness, high-minded theology and intellectual understanding often carry the day, and while the things expressed by a man possessed of great knowledge and even wisdom may be true - the traits warned against render such great knowledge and wisdom ineffectual and often counter-productive. We can know so much and have great understanding about our history, doctrine and even spiritual men who came before us. But those things must go deeper than mere knowledge. And just being aware of the fact that it must be of the heart isn’t enough, either. “Ye must be born again.”.
If we don’t care about those in need, how can we relate to Christ and His love for others? But by the same token, if we are simply looking to fulfill physical needs, we misrepresent the gospel and make it a carnal thing. That is often worse than having no compassion at all as it can lull the object of help into a false sense of security. Both the flesh and the things of this world will fail. They will both pass away, but that which is eternal is the Word of God and the Life which He desires to impart. So if we provide for physical needs but not spiritual, we are simply catering to that which fails - which passes away, dies etc…. And that, according to Paul, is NOT love (agape). Rather, it is filthy rags - works of self-righteousness, of the flesh. But mingled with the words of life, physical provision becomes a work of God. Why? Because we are working in the realm of faith. We are believing on Jesus Christ - which He calls a work (John 6:29).
We are also told that love (agape) is the fulfilling of the Law (Romans 13:10) because it works no ill to its neighbour. And it goes without saying that if we have this love, as it is a Divine quality, we love the brethren and are obeying God (”If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”).
So what is this all working towards? What is it that is being perfected? What is the perfect that is to be revealed? Has it already come? It seems that one of the eternal essences is that of love (agape) and if we have this love, we will display the characteristics that Paul lists in this famous chapter of love. And if we look at all the characteristics, we can get a picture (if somewhat dim) of that which is being sought after - that which is perfect.
There are some who say that this “perfect” that does away with tongues is the written word as we have it in the bible. We have the sum of all revelation that God has given and it remains only for it to be walked out. But we can see that this doesn’t line up with scripture itself! The pharisees had scripture. They had the law and the prophets and rejected Jesus. The “perfect” must be that which is perfectly internalized. Knowledge, tongues and prophecies (all of which refer to that which is external) will pass away on that perfect day (Prov. 4:18; 2 Peter 1:19). And why is the day called perfect? Because all unknowing, questioning, revealing and mystery will come to an end and God will reveal ALL that is hidden - both in the nations and the hearts of men as well as those things in His Kingdom that are to be eternally established. That perfect day is one which is the most “sure” word of prophecy points towards. When Christ is fully revealed, then (and only then) will we know the perfect. Thus, when Peter speaks about the light shining in a dark place UNTIL the day dawns and the daystar arises in your heart, we are given a foretaste of the expression of the perfect in men. While I believe there is to be a day of perfection that covers the earth in as real and physical a way as waters of the ocean cover the earth, this is also a pointing to the perfection of Christ being expressed in us.
Nothing good can dwell in our flesh (sarx - Romans 7:18), but in our innermost being there is the possibility of Christ dwelling by the Holy Spirit. His Word and His Spirit (which coexist so closely that Revelation speaks of the sword of His mouth) can dwell in us and can be expressed through us. But the flesh battles against the spirit constantly and is, among other things, a veil that prevents the light from fully revealing us and our lack, the word from being fully effective (flesh representing the influence of man and, among other things, tradition), and the Spirit from having total sway. The flesh must be crucified. Its influence must be nil before that perfection is realized in us. Until then it is only partial (which precludes the perfect).
The expression of that perfect day, the perfection made manifest, is also well described by Paul in his letter to the Ephesians :
He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Ephesians 4:10-16
This is an overwhelming description of the coming of the “perfect”. It cannot be expressed or contained in human language. But it is the outworking of ALL the aspects of the Love of Christ in the man and the body of His chosen. What need is there of prophecy, tongues or knowledge if all that he describes in the above passage is made fully manifest? None. Oh glorious day!
There is no time now, but I would like to go through the individual aspects of love (agape) in a future post.
This blog has turned into something a bit longer than it seemed to be originally. The entire thought takes about 3 seconds to complete in my mind, but as I write, it just seems to develop and more scriptures apply in ways I never realized. So I do apologize for the length.
On to Ezekiel 9.
I hope no one is going to be too disappointed when I don’t have a grand unveiling or big thought that no one ever thought of before. It’s really just all in scripture. And it’s not a single thought. It’s a whole host of ideas and principles and prophecies that intersect to make the modern conception of the mark of the beast (as I see it) to be far too superficial. Ezekiel 9 is really just the icing on the cake - showing the application of a mark in the forehead to be an allegorical thing rather than a very physical thing. It is entirely possible that there may be a physical outworking of such a mark, but the mark itself is, I believe, far greater than any tattoo, card or microchip.
I see chapter 9 as being where the rubber hits the road. This is where the action happens and all that leads up to it (revealing of idolatry, visions of abomination and prophecy of judgment) is culminated in something immense. Surely that description fits the scene in Revelation 13. We have the idolatry (beast and false prophet forcing worship of beast and/or image), we have the actual abominations being carried out (all the world worshipping the beast - v12) and we have the mark being placed in the foreheads (vv15-18). The actual carrying out of judgment doesn’t take place until the next chapter or two. But it is all in place for the judgment to be carried out. And so it is in Ezekiel 9. I’m going to treat this chapter a little differently and just step through it making comments along the way - instead of selecting key verses.
He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.
And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.
And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side;
Ezekiel 9:1-3
Wow! A vision of six men doing a work. Obviously a heavenly vision of things taking place in an unseen manner, but with (as we will see) very visible after effects. The Lord is preparing for judgment. Terrifying, really. When the presence of the Lord draws back, it is something of which no good can be immediately seen. Though judgment may be unto correction, that correction in which the Lord withdraws is awful and not in any way to be sought. The urgency is such that even the LORD is yelling (v 1)! Those that have charge over the city - the guardian angels, so to speak, of the city are being called to do a work that will lead to great destruction. If Israel had seen the things going on in the heavenlies and the preparation for slaughter, would they have gone to other gods? Would they, knowing the terror of disobeying God have done the things they had done? Let us consider our own relationship to God and where He dwells. Is He dwelling in our hearts? Is He withdrawing? Are the conditions being prepared for awful judgment or can we yet turn back and maintain the covering He has over us? Or, can we with confidence say that “The Lord is my refuge.”. As a nation, that seems hard to assert. But if individuals turn that way, then it can be so again. If we were to see what rebellion does, would we be so quick to allow it? To embrace it? To forget God? This preparation is so much like the calm before the storm. There is no turning back now and only disaster lies ahead. Oh, such an awful portending! All six men that have charge over the city are now prepared with weapons of slaughter - to use UPON the city. And one of them was clothed in linen - with an inkhorn in his hand. His job was to be very important. A matter of life and death for many - very literally. Linen, apparently, connoted a priestly office. And Daniel (10:5; 12:6,7) identifies it with Michael the Archangel specifically. Yet this one in linen who had a pen also had a weapon of slaughter. It is somewhat reminiscent of the scene in Egypt when all those that had the blood of the Lamb on their doorposts were passed over by the Angel of the Lord. There is something here in separation. There is something here in an invisible realm that HAS TO go beyond a physical card or mark. And so, let us go on to the verse that probably is the key - if there is one - in showing the spiritual nature of the mark.
And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:
Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
Ezekiel 9:4-6
How utterly awful. Swift, terrible justice. Brutal and unyielding. The holiness of God erupting in vengeance for prolonged and stiffnecked idolatry. And what is the dividing? There is a MARK put in the FOREHEADS of those that are to be spared. Yes, inverted from the Revelation “mark”, but the principle is transparently the same. We would expect that. The mark is one of identification - thus the identification with God is one of ultimate preservation whereas the identification with the beast in Revelation is one of ultimate judgment by God. But should we be surprised at this? Not at all. The mark and the seal are closely connected. A letter, in days gone by, was sealed with a mark. It was sealed in wax (or some such sealant) and stamped with a mark that was unique to the owner. Kings used it in sending messages to show who was sending the message such that the messenger bore the same authority of the King. This is nearly the identical meaning of the word “apostle”. An ambassador with the full authority of the King. So the seal and the mark, together, show ownership and identity. Though it may not be necessary, I include here a couple examples of the ownership of God being shown in the form of seals :
If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
I Corinthians 9:1
Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
2 Corinthians 1:21,22
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption
Ephesians 4:30
All this is just to belabor the point of sealing, marking and identification. It is a matter of allegiance and servitude and lining up with. In short, it is a matter of worship. And it is clear what sets these marked in Ezekiel apart from the rest. They sigh and cry for the abominations done in Jerusalem. These are they that are so aligned with God that all that is done of idolatry grieves them as it grieves God. They have not gone after strange gods and have not gone into idolatry. They are not perfect, but the heart of their worship is pure and single - it is God Himself. So when examining the mark of the beast, to put it to a very superficial thing is missing the point. For without the worship, what does a piece of paper, a card or a microchip mean? The closest physical analog I can see is found in ancient Rome (surprise!). The Caesar demanded worship. He had set himself up as a god. Granted, he wasn’t in the church, so he could not be considered antichrist in a technical sense, but he certainly did demand worship. And anyone who wanted the ability to literally buy or sell had to simply say that he was their lord. No more no less and a paper was given them that allowed them to buy and sell. Needless to say, many Christians refused to do so and they were not only not allowed to buy or sell, but often killed in horrendous ways. The name of the paper escapes me, but I can certainly find the reference if needs be. All that is to say that there is a physical analog, but in that case one can see the spiritual connection. So to assert that, for example, VISA or some National ID card is worshipping the beast (ignoring the identity of the beast with a specific ruling agency) is to omit the spiritual aspect - or at least risk doing that. If, by taking some such card or identity etc… I am worshipping anything but God then, yes, absolutely. It is NOT to be taken. But too many identities of the mark are taken too lightly or too superficially and without any sort of thought and understanding. Again, there may be things that would identify one with a work reminiscent of Babel. This, too, is to be avoided. My personal feeling is that the United Nations is a Babylonish entity and any notable allegiance with it carries serious consequences. Certainly giving national sovereignty away in favor of UN action is wrong. So I don’t say that end-times people are off and should simply preach spiritual principles. But we must also be careful that what is being preached and taught about prophecy is spiritual - no matter how much the means may SEEM to serve scriptural ends.
One other remark about that passage. Notice in verse 6 the phrase “…begin at my sanctuary…”. How clearly this is echoed by Peter in his letter :
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
I Peter 4:17
If the parallel with the scene in Ezekiel 6-9 is not apparent, it is because one still cannot see the spiritual principle undergirding the mark, idolatry and subsequent judgment.
And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.
And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?
Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.
And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.
And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.
Ezekiel 9:7-11
As the short chapter closes, not even the pleas of the prophet can stay the Hand of God any. The command has gone forth, the Lord has removed Himself, the decree issued, the preparations made and the slaughter completed without any reserve. It is not something that pleases the Lord to do, but it is a necessary thing. It is something that is required of an obstinantly perverse and wicked (because idolatrous) people to answer for their spiritual harlotry. Again notice that verse 8 is speaking of blood in the land and perverseness. But the heart of it is not that, the heart of it is very spiritual. It is idolatry set up in the very place where God should be. So we should expect that any such like prophecy of someone setting themselves up in the temple of God showing themselves to be God would not be simply a politician or philanthropist demanding tribute, but such a deep, penetrating deception that what and who is worshipped is replacing God even to being evidenced in the very inner circles of faithful men. It is not, in its time, a blatant contradiction of the truths of God, but a seemingly good movement or belief that gradually shows the true fruit of its existence. Over time, gradually, by flatteries, signs and wonders is the temple corrupted as wolves in sheep’s clothing enter and beguile the simple. And the strong man is bound while those with smooth tongues pervert the gospel ever so slightly. And years later, when the iniquity of such perversion has come to the full, the blood of martyrs is evidenced as proof of the treachery of what once seemed so innocent. The beast has deceived many along with the false prophet and because of the powers of deception continues to blind the eyes, hearts and minds of far too many. Her name is Mystery Babylon and she is false religion riding in the guise, alternately and often at the same time, of national and spiritual authority. When false religion in any form creeps into the church it immediately begins its work. And not until it is too late is it recognized by many. Those that would point out its cancerous influence are quickly and harshly (like the prophets of old) ignored and persecuted. When it comes to the full, God must deal with her swiftly and harshly. So in one day is she dealt a crushing blow that wipes her out and staggers the dwellers on the earth. Those that partake of her harlotries are devastated and will find judgment for their idolatry. But those that come out of her, I believe, are those of whom it is said :
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.
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.
Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
Rev 15:2-4
Is this not manifestly the identical character of those that sigh and cry for the abominations done in the midst of the temple of God?
Having put this up, I anticipate the possible need for a 4th part - focusing entirely on that last passage. But that’ll have to wait a bit.
I suppose the setting up, which I’ve already done, is the hardest part. Really, the rest sort of flows from that setup. Realizing that the Lord’s judments come upon Israel mainly for their backsliding at heart, and that the result of that is all the external things (unfair practices, partial judgments etc…). So when we read of God’s “complaints” through His prophets of what is wrong with Israel, and there are things that seem very external, this series of chapters, I think, gives a hint to the literalist that one needs to be careful just how restrictive and literal they are. God’s complaint is clearly with Israel’s idolatry (Chapter 6) and the indictment in chapter 7 speaks of a universal (all Israel) application. The buyer, the seller - all sorts of transactions (monetary, spiritual, emotional etc…) are covered. All men are gone to other gods and so all their dealings in life are affected (read 7:12,13 again). So what has chapter 8 to add?Ezekiel now has a vision of what is going on. What is at the root and what idolatries does God see and what does He say is the source of all Israel’s backslidings? Not only that, but can we see that God uses some very natural, “every day” terms to speak of Israel’s spiritual harlotry? I am going to all this trouble to show that
a) God’s anger is primarily directed at man’s spiritual wandering because all other things in his life flow from that (not “are separate dealings”) and
b) With something of the magnitude of the Mark of the Beast, set as it is in the context of eschatology and THE beast and THE False Prophet (note the further “religious” setting - a prophet is first of all the mouthpiece of God, not an economist) we must be aware of God’s dealings and their basis. So when we find some rather worldly terms (”buy and sell” for example) set in the backdrop of a beast and false prophet, we need to know how literal to be.
So what is God angry at? This requires very little of my commentary to convey what I am trying to convey. Read the following verses in chapter 8 and see if it isn’t clear.
First, and maybe most important, is verse 3:
And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.
Ezekiel 8:3
Recall what is said in Revelation regarding the beast :
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.
Rev 13:15
The beast had an IMAGE. Without the hype of end-times speculation, an image could easily be seen for what it is - an image of idolatry (as confirmed in Ezekiel 
. I speak of hype because I’ve heard men speculate that the image is only possible now because of television. But recall what happened in Daniel - Nebuchadnezzar made an image :
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.
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
Dan 3:1-6
Note a few things. ALL men (rich, poor, great, small - see v 2 of this passage) were required to worship this image.
Nebuchadnezzar had ALREADY had his dream about the image - of which he was the head of gold (Dan 2).
Daniel, in a later vision (Dan 7) has a vision about beasts - which are analogous to the image that Nebuchadnezzar saw.
So we actually have a beast (Dan. 7) and the image (Dan 2).
THIS IS SPECULATION, BUT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT NEBUCHADNEZZAR MADE AN IMAGE OF THE IMAGE HE SAW IN HIS DREAM. AFTER ALL, HE WAS THE HEAD OF GOLD AND HADN’T HAD HIS HUMBLING EXPERIENCE OF MADNESS YET (Dan 4).
Taken together, we have the beast, the image and the forcing of all to bow down to the image (of the beast?) on pain of death (Dan 3:6).
I’m not about to speculate on specifics, but read again Rev 15:15-18. Consider the comparisons and see what Nebuchadnezzar was doing and see if there isn’t comparison there. See, then, what was going on in Ezekiel 8.
And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.
And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.
Ezekiel 8:3,4
So the seat of the image of jealousy is where God was supposed to dwell. This was why God executed judgment. That which was supposed to be HIS place was taken by other gods. Remember Paul’s declaration in his letter to the Thessalonians ?
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.
II Thess 2:4
That which is of interest is that which takes the place of God. That which is an impostor (otherwise, what does it mean that men were dec