23—The Shadow of Death

And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

Genesis 23:2

The Bible is clearly an intricately woven work sharing God’s ultimate plan of redemption which is found only in Jesus Christ.  His fingerprints are clearly seen from the beginning to the end of this Holy Spirit inspired masterpiece.  Not only does the plain text give us a consistent message about the work and person of Jesus Christ, but the types and shadows throughout the Word also consistently share the same plan of salvation found in Jesus.  The Bible truly is an amazing revelation of the infinite mind of the loving Creator.  (Fingerprints--The Number 22)

Looking at the symbolic meaning of the number 22, the product of 2 and 11, it was noted that there is an essence of Christ’s fellowship with the suffering caused by our sin.  The Word says it best when it comes to the suffering of Jesus for our benefit, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21).”  In short, 22 points to the ministry of Christ, God’s ultimate prophet, who would share the plan of salvation while shedding His blood as a propitiatory sacrifice for all humanity to purchase salvation.  If 22 shares about His death, then 23 takes us through the shadow of death as it seems that 23 has a shadow of death to it. 

Take a few moments and read Genesis 23.  Who is conspicuously missing from the narrative of Sarah’s death?  There is much there about the grief of Abraham and his arrangements for the funeral of his beloved wife, but where is Isaac?  He was the joy of her heart and the center of God’s promise.  Yet, he suddenly disappears mysteriously from the account.  Given the years she longed for a child, he certainly would have been mama's baby always! A real close reading of chapter 22 will reveal that he was last seen on the altar, but it never mentioned him leaving Mt. Moriah.  Only Abraham is mentioned coming down the mountain.  “So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba (Genesis 22:19).”  What happened to Isaac?

Seeing that Isaac is a type of the ministry of Jesus, he purposefully disappeared from the storyline by the LORD’s inspiration.  Just like Genesis 22 had a counterpart in the Genesis book of Psalms (Psalms 1-42), so does Genesis 23.  It is this pair that reveals why Isaac mysteriously vanished.  Everyone seems to know Psalm 23 and its precious message about the LORD our Shepherd.  Many verses in the Old Testament openly reveal that the priests of the LORD are often called shepherds, so Psalm 23 would be the Psalm of Christ our Priest.  In Psalm 22 He is Christ the Prophet, but in Psalm 23 He is Christ the Priest.

What a beautiful pair of Psalms.  In Psalm 22 we see the shame of the cross, but Psalm 23 is the care of the crook.  In Psalm 22 Jesus dies for His people, but in Psalm 23 Jesus lives to intercede for them.  In Psalm 22 we see Christ made low, but in Psalm 23 we see Christ mighty to save.  In Psalm 22 we see our Savior’s yesterday of suffering, but in Psalm 23 we see His today of grace.  In Psalm 22 we see Jesus dying for our sin, but in Psalm 23 we see Christ hidden from the world at the right hand of the father making intercession for His saints. What a beautiful pair of Psalms.

Did you catch that last comparative sentence above?  Jesus is hidden from the world and the overwhelming majority of humans think He is dead.  The last place the world saw Jesus was on the cross lifted high between heaven and earth, but the church knows better as they see the risen Christ.  He is momentarily hidden in the Holy Place of Heaven serving as our Great High Priest.  This is why Isaac was hidden in His role as a type of the ministry of Christ.  Jesus is in the heavenly tabernacle guiding us through “the valley of the shadow of death” while an unsuspecting world goes on with its vanity fair.   He is still on duty for you and for me who will take time in prayer to speak to Him and who read His words of comfort endearingly.  While there is a Revelation 22, there is no Revelation 23 as God recreates all and there will be no more shadow of death. Of course we also know that He is Soon2Come for us too.  More on this with a look at 24. 

Fingerprints--The Number 22

And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

Genesis 22:14

Fingerprints.  For decades they have been used to prove the presence of an individual at a certain location.  Fingerprint evidence has foiled many criminals over the years.   Since the ridge patterns on fingers are unique to the individual and they remain the same over a lifetime, they are perfect for identification.  So, has the Almighty God left any fingerprints anywhere?  Could we possibly ascertain that He touched something leaving divine evidence of His involvement in human affairs?  It is certain that He has and the most obvious place to look is in the 66 books of the Bible that claim to be His work.

Most ardent students of the Word of God understand that numbers often play an important part in the text of scripture.  Some numbers, like 3 or 7 or 40, are so obviously repeated that it is nearly impossible not to realize that they play some significant symbolic role.  Other numbers take a little detective work to lift their meaning, work that must always be reliant on much prayer.  At other times, numbers are just numbers used to give an accurate count in a narrative and they have no typology attached to them at all. Again, much study and much prayer are needed to detect their message.

The number 22 is such a number.  The product of two primes, 2 x 11, it has a rich meaning revealing something wonderful about the work of Jesus Christ.  One should note that an accurate interpretation of the scriptural symbolism of numbers revolves around the purpose and person of Christ.  If He isn’t the centerpiece you are probably misdirected.  Jesus and His redemptive work are the master focus of the Bible from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22 (There’s that number again).  Considering the work of Christ, let’s investigate this number just a bit. 

As noted above, 2 and 11 are both factors of 22.  The number 2 has much significance.  First, it represents fellowship.  Did not the prophet Amos record, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”  In order to have a meaningful relationship with someone there needs to be mutual and beneficial fellowship.  How does a man or woman have fellowship with God?  Is it not through the person and work of Jesus (Again, the entire theme of the Bible)?  Why can we have a relationship with God in Him? It is because Christ is the 2^ndperson of the Godhead.  Jesus was the middle man (2) on the cross. He is the mediator of the New Covenant in His blood standing between God and Man.  We are fully bound to God in and through Him alone.

Eleven is not really a good number in the Bible.  It has to do with chaos, confusion, and disarray.  In what chapter of the Bible do we see mankind creating chaos that results in the confusion of language at a place called Babel?  Genesis 11, of course.  Its first use as a number is in Genesis 32:22 where 11 sons of Jacob with their mothers cross the Jabbok ford ahead of Jacob on their way to a rendezvous with Esau.  Why were there 11 sons only and not 12?  The confusion of splitting the people into small groups to evade destruction is upon them.  The nation is imcomplete as Benjamin has not yet been born. After the death of Judas Iscariot how many apostles were left?  Was it not sin’s chaos that left only 11?  Oh that I had the space here to tell why there were 11 panels of rams skins dyed red in the coverings of the holy place of the tabernacle.  6 panels were placed down first with the 6th folded back.  Then 5 were laid down on top of the 6.  The message: Man is covered by the grace of God.  This 11 would be a shadow of the cross in the tabernacle construction.

So what does the product of these two numbers, 22, represent?   It is certain that it has to do with multiplied sufferings of Christ and His fellowship with human sin. 

In Genesis 22 we see one of the first major shadows of the future suffering of Christ for our sin.  Remember, Jesus was foreordained to suffer at the cross before Adam ever willfully ate from the forbidden fruit.  In this chapter we see Isaac walking up Mt. Moriah destined to die.  Abraham was being tested with one of the greatest trials of his faith in God.  As Abraham lifted the knife, God spoke and spared Isaac.  In the bushes nearby was a ram that God had sent which would shadow the vicarious atonement of Jesus.  Abraham clearly saw Christ that day (John 8:56)!  Abraham was correct when He said that God would provide himself a sacrifice.  In the mountain called Calvary GOD’s sacrifice was seen—it was Jesus who would be substituted for us.  It was at the cross where Jesus brought us fellowship with God while He took our sin, chaos, and confusion.

In a Divine repeat that only the true author of scripture could plan, the Holy Spirit spoke through David giving us a clearer picture of the sufferings of Jesus on our behalf.  Want to guess where that is?  It is in the Genesis book of Psalms (Psalms 1-42).  It is Psalm 22. This song begins with the quote Jesus cried in agony from the cross, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”  Written 1000 years before the cross, it is the one of the most graphic prophecies about the suffering of Jesus for sin in the entire Old Testament.  There is no doubt that in this precious Psalm we see Jesus in fellowship with the confusion of man’s sin that we might be made whole in Him?  Coincidence?  Just who worked all of this out so precisely anyways?  Can you see the fingerprints of God on the plan of salvation?

When will Christ’s work for sinful man end?  Will it go on forever?  No!  The fellowship of man’s suffering and Christ’s mediation will end in a creation of a new earth.  The story that begins in Genesis 22 with grace extended to Isaac and continued through the prophetic Psalm 22 ends in Revelation 22. Christ’s work is completed there.  What a day that will be!  You can be there.  Accept the atoning sacrifice God provided for you in Christ by faith.  Call on Him today…He is mighty to save.  The evidence of God’s lover for you is proven by His fingerprint clearly on the Bible’s message of salvation.  It is all there to allow you to see Jesus and accept Him as your one and only Savior.  May you accept Him today as He is Soon2Come!

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Revelation 22:21

Stay the Course!

And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest. So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel. Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father...He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water…And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him:…”  

1 Kings 13:8-11, 18-19, 24a

The message was delivered with great anointing and power!  No more had the unnamed prophet decried the evil altar built by Jeroboam son of Nebat than a sign of impending judgment fell.  Jeroboam had split the nation of Israel into the northern tribes and Judah.  While he held civil power, his “religious” power was weakened because the temple of the LORD was in Jerusalem in the midst of Judah.  The Bible tells us of his reasoning and the awful plan he devised. “If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.  Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves ofgold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. (1 Kings 12:27-30).” 

God needed a prophet with a backbone to stand against the snare that had been set for the souls of the ten tribes by their very own king.  It is the same thing that God is looking for today, men and women of God who will stand firm in the scriptures and not be swayed.  The eternal souls of many are at stake, so God wants a sure and certain witness of His only means of salvation in Jesus Christ.  In a time of pluralism and syncretistic thinking, God wants a people who will bow to no other gods—which are not gods at all. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time (1 Timothy 2:5-6).”

The day the prophet spoke was similar to the future day when Elijah would challenge the priests of Baal on Mt. Carmel.  GOD gave an immediate answer.  The message was so specific that it mentions the ultimate destruction of the temple brought about by the young King Josiah some 350 years in the future.  Jeroboam was not happy when he heard that his false altar would be destroyed after being defiled by the burning of men’s bones.  He immediately stretched out his arm to give the command to arrest the prophet and have him killed.  God struck Jeroboam and caused his arm to shrivel like a prune.  Simultaneously, the altar cracked and ashes poured to the ground as the prophet had spoken. God was speaking a clear message that day!

Jeroboam begged the seer that he would pray for the restoration of his arm.  It was done—God healed the wicked king in an act of mercy.  After this, Jeroboam asks the prophet to come to his palace for some refreshments and then we learn of the further instructions he was given directly from God.  God's messenger was not to stay in the land to eat or drink nor was he to return by the way he came.  After starting home another way, an older man stopped him and that is when we read the words above: “an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water.”

Why didn’t the valiant prophet correctly discern the word of the LORD?  Did the pride of being used so mightily of God in the past make him believe he could defy the word of God now?  Can a man alter the Word of the LORD?  Why would you listen to a man or an angel when you had been spoken to directly from God without challenging the message?  Do you know how many cults have been started on the word of men and angels in defiance of the Word of God?

God truly does need men and women in this day who sanctify the Word of God in their hearts and seek to follow what He has said.  Like Paul, we can’t rely on past victories and rest on our laurels as if we are the most special thing God has sent to the world.  No!  That is called pride, and it has been the undoing of many.  We cannot afford to reinterpret God’s word for Him in a culture that is swaying in rebellion, chaos, and dangling over the moral abyss.  When we leave being servants of the word to becomes its editor, can we not see how utterly blasphemous that is?  It doesn’t matter if a flaming band of angels, Clyde the space alien, or the United Nations asks you to deviate from the truth found only in Jesus Christ and the Bible, don’t follow them! Ask the unnamed prophet what happens when you deviate from the word of the LORD and do your own thing.  Stay true to the Word of God and deviate not because Jesus Christ is certainly Soon2Come!

  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Galatians 1:6-9

ConCERN - A New Babel?

And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 

 Genesis 11:5

Genesis 11:1-9 shares the ill fated attempt of humanity to reach God by building the tower of Babel.  The story and structure found in this passage gives much insight into the thinking of mankind as they try to reach God through a means other than the cross of Jesus Christ.  Their unified effort, though valiant, was an utter failure.  Could there be a strange parallel to what took place then and to what is now taking place in Saint-Genis-Pouilly, France at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) facility ran by CERN?  If so, will it end with in much the same manner as above?  Will the LORD again come down?

First, let’s take a brief look at the literary structure of this passage, a structure called a chiasm:

Genesis 11:1-9  The LORD comes down!

a.  Introduction-all the earth has one language(11:1)

     b.  People settle in Shinar (11:2)

          c.  Resolution of the people  (11:3-4)  “come let us”

               d.  Center :  God comes down  (11:5)

          c.  Resolution of God (11:6-7)  “come let us”

     b.  People dispersed from Shinar  (11:8)

a.  Conclusion:  All of the earth now has many languages (11:9)

As you can see, a chiastic structure contains a symmetric pattern embedded in the writing that revolves around a main point with many parallel and supporting points surrounding it.  In this case, the actions of mankind are met one-on-one by the actions of the LORD.  Notice how humans join together in rebellion to the Lord’s command to spread throughout the earth.  It is this unity that leads the LORD to declare, “And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do (Genesis 11:6).”  It is the almost laughable attempt to gain access to heaven that makes the story seem silly, but was is really a laughable attempt? Could it be a prophetic pattern of the very thing we are seeing today in the name of science?  One thing is certain, the stress in the passage is not one man's actions but on the LORD coming down.

Large Hadron Collider

Notice this article entitled “Something May Come Through ‘Dimensional Doors’ atthe LHC” which shares a bit of what some hope to achieve with the LHC.  “A top boffin at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) says that the titanic machine may possibly create or discover previously unimagined scientific phenomena, or "unknown unknowns" - for instance "an extra dimension. Out of this door might come something, or we might send something through it," said Sergio Bertolucci, who is Director for Research and Scientific Computing at CERN, briefing reporters including the Reg at CERN HQ earlier this week.” 

A recent *Wall Street Journal article included this information on the nearness of “other dimensions”, ““These extra dimensions might exist at very small distances,” said Dr. Hinchliffe. “But now, at higher and higher energies of the collider, I can probe shorter and shorter distance scales.” In other words, they are applying even more energy to come closer to these “metaverses” that they hope to find.  What if they unwittingly unlock the abyss as Revelation 9 seems to portend?  What if that which comes through is nothing more than the demonic powers warned of in the Bible?  Could they even join humanity’s collective brain power to open a portal to heaven, itself?  Ironically, this is exactly what mankind attempted in Genesis.  *Physicists Restart Souped-Up Hadron Collider

Such parallels!  Scientists from 21 member states and from numerous non-member states gathered at a central location from around the world speaking the universal languages of mathematics and science hoping, by their own admission, to reach alternate realities.  What could go wrong?  Ironically, this comes at a time when all humanity is expecting a “savior” similar to the tower’s founder, Nimrod.  This superman will undoubtedly be the antichrist.  However, their joint effort may have an unexpected consequence they were not hoping for.  It is a consequence that every blood bought saint knows is near on the prophetic horizon.  The LORD is about to come down. Yes! Jesus Christ is Soon2Come! Surely He will come and confound their metaphysical foolishness.

 CERN Member States

Interesting articles:
CERN Restarts Large Hadron Collider with the Mission To Make Scientific History

"Dark Universe" Beckons As Research Target After Higgs Boson Wins Nobel Prize

 CERN Scientists Lauded over "God Particle"

CERN Opening the Abyss -- Video

ConCERN

And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.  One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. 

Revelation 9:11-12

“The Large Hadron Collider could open a doorway to an extra dimension and ‘out of this door might come something, or we might send something through it.”  ~Sergio Bertolucci, Director for Research and Scientific Computing at CERN

The region of Saint-Genis-Pouilly, France, near the Jura Mountains along the Swiss border is a pretty place that separates the Rhine River system from that of the Rhone River watershed.  It also may be a place where an ancient prophecy could be fulfilled.  This is the locale where scientists from around the globe join together at the world’s largest physics laboratory in the world to work with the largest machine in the world.  Here is the home to the large hadron collider (LHC) ran by CERN— the European Organization for Nuclear Research.  The LHC, buried underground around 330 feet, was recently started again to conduct high energy research experiments on the interaction of sub-atomic particles.  Yet, many of the world’s top minds think that the research done here could cause major problems for our universe.  Let’s take a look at how this might be a place where a very scary prophecy could come to fruition.

What Stephen Hawking Really Said About Destroying the Universe

First, let’s look at the name of the communities where the LHC is housed.  The highlighted name in the first paragraph is an attachment with a brief history of Saint-Genis-Pouilly.  Notice that the name Pouilly is related to the Latin (Roman) word, apolliacum.  This means that the town was more than likely a site of worship dedicated to the god Apollo or Apollon where an ancient temple once stood.   Also notice the picture below of the statue found outside of the CERN headquarters.  It is the god, Shiva, who is well known to Hindus as the god of destruction.   A Hindu site(attached below) explains how that Shiva’s ability to destroy allows an open pathway for a new creation—order  from chaos. It is the Hegelian Dialectic played out at a universal level!

Shiva-Lord of Destruction 

 Now stop a moment and read the attached verses above again.  Notice the mention of Apollyon.  Here is an interesting quote on this name—one that means Destroyer. “But the name Apollo (Gk Apollon) was often linked in ancient Greekwritings with the verb apollymi or apollyo, "destroy." From this timeof Grotius, "Apollyon" has often been taken here to be a play on thename Apollo. The locust was an emblem of this god, who poisoned his victims,and the name "Apollyon" may be used allusively in Revelation toattack the pagan god and so indirectly the Roman emperor Domitian, who liked tobe regarded as Apollo incarnate(1).” 

Starting to get the picture yet?  Here is a facility that has been labeled as dangerous science by some of the top minds in the world.  This research facility is sitting on ground dedicated to an ancient deity clearly associated with destruction.  In front of the site is a statue of a Hindu deity that dances the dance of destruction to bring order from chaos.  As seen in the quote above, many of the scientists associated with the research are hoping to prove meta-verse/multi-verse theory by opening a portal to an alternate universe creating a wormhole or star gate. This just happens to be similar to what takes place during the second woe of Revelation 9 where a gate to the bottomless pit is opened by the Lord’s permission.  Once opened, demons flood the earth causing untold suffering on earth to the point that death flees.  Since man has rejected Christ, the only means of salvation, God, in mercy, is giving humanity a taste of hell on earth in the hopes that some repent.  The demons from the pit which look like locusts have a leader over them who may be coming from the portal opened on the site dedicated to him in ancient times, and his name in Hebrew and Greek agree—his name is destruction. 

Did I mention that the logo for CERN is an esoteric 666 design?

Did I also mention that the site has ancient texts under high technology guard that contains strange writing in ancient Sanskrit, Mandarin Chinese, and ancient Arabic?

Hmmmm….  The is some serious concern about CERN! 

Interestingly enough, CERN is also known as the Celtic horned god, Herne the Hunter, Cernowain, or Cernunnos the green man.  Maybe you already guessed that this Celtic deity is also related to destruction and reincarnation?  Perilous times ahead!  The only refuge of safety is Jesus Christ, the only begotten of the Father filled with grace and truth.  Call on Him today as He is mighty to save.  Do it quickly as Jesus is Soon2Come.  Unfortunately for those who don’t repent, so is the soon coming of a locust demon named Destruction! 

More another day…

Related
CERN: Year of Light ~ Door to Darkness?
There is Some Very Strange Things About CERN
Are You Ready For The Zombie Apocalypse

(1) Bible Prophecy Research
Title: Abaddon / Apollyon / Apollo
Submitted by: research-bpr@philologos.org
Date: November 12, 1998
Update: April 06, 2001
URL: http://philologos.org/bpr/files/a009.htm

Wow! What a Worship Service!!

The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.

Proverbs 19:3

There is a great example in the Bible of those who greatly prepared for worship involving the children of Israel and it can speak volumes to us today.  The worship service was to be unmatched and unparalleled.  There were several key things they did to get ready that all should consider:

1. There was special preparation for worship.  No expense was spared and only the best would do.  The place had to be perfect for the worship that was to commence the next day.  The entire town was involved with the preparations!  What might happen if God’s people prepared in advance to meet him in worship?

2.  They greatly advertised the event.  The Bible literally says that they made a proclamation of worship.  They called everyone and made many invitations.  Guest speakers may even have been named and placed on the announcements.

3.  The people all gathered together at a central location of worship.  It almost reads like the scripture in Acts 2 that says the people were all in one place and one accord.  What could possibly be any better?

4.  Their offerings were the best they could give.  There was no prodding or promising of better things by the priest if they would give until it hurt.  No!  The people gave in abundance. They gave gold, the best of their calves, and much, much more.  Their giving was so extravagant that there was plenty left over for another day of worship. 

5.  Their emotional outbursts of praise were legendary!  The worship was so loud that it could be heard for miles.  Group after group broke out in spontaneous praise.  They danced, and sang, and shouted with no sense of shame.  What a service! 

Yes! Every key element of worship was considered.  Every available means necessary to a successful service was incorporated.  It was a service for the ages.  Yet, God was strangely disappointed. 

There is not a pastor nor worship leader who would not like for all of the above listed things to take place each week as church members anticipate joining together to bless the LORD.  So why was God angry?  The service above is outlined in Exodus 32 and each of the items mentioned can be found in the text.  They prepared in the first four verses.  Verse five mentions their proclamation of worship.  They all met at the foot of the golden calf, a calf built entirely of their freewill offerings.  The cacophony of worship was so loud that Moses and Joshua could hear it miles away.  Yet, it was all devoted to a self styled idol.  All of the outer things of worship can be in place but unless God truly is the focus all is in vain.  Worship for the sake of experiencing worship is unacceptable!

Just because the offering plate overflows with funds doesn’t mean that God was pleased.  One can sing with the voice of an angel and yet not impress his Maker.  All the preparation in the world for an experience cannot replace issues of the heart.  It is the heart of man that God wants, not self directed, self infected worship meant to make the worshipper feel good.  God wants all of the above, but it is vain if He is not the centerpiece.  God wants more than a big noise—He wants us wholly! 

The verse above reminds us that flesh stained worship is unacceptable.  Ask Cain.  Did he not fret against the LORD in anger when his expression of worship was rejected?  God sees passed the placation that takes place in houses bearing His name.  His grace should both remind us of how unworthy we truly are while simultaneously causing us to break forth in heart felt, thunderous adoration as we consider what great price was paid for us in Christ and His cross.  

 Honor Him truly!  Jesus Christ is Soon2Come…

The Spirit of Antichrist--Destroy Israel

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

1 John 2:18

A key sign of the working of the antichrist spirit is the ongoing and continual persecution of the Israelites.  Moses had barely left Egypt with the people when they were attacked along the way to the land of promise by the tribe of Amalek.  This was but the first of many nations to persecute the Jewish people.  Their hatred earned them a promise from the LORD, “For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation (Exodus 17:16).”  Amalek has all but disappeared from the lists of nations today; however, the vehement hatred of the Jews lives on.

Understanding that satan is the instigator of an antichrist spirit, one might ask what his twisted endgame is.  First, the old serpent knew clearly that God would send a deliverer through the tribes of Israel.  This verdict was spoken clearly at the fall of Adam.  “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).”  If the liar could but stop the promise of the Coming One he could prove that God is not omnipotent.  Time and time again Israel would be attacked and persecuted.  Even when Jesus was born, he tried one last time to kill him as an infant.  The spirit of antichrist came upon Herod.  “Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men (Matthew 2:16).”  (We have also considered another demonic attempt to destroy Israel through leading the nation into idolatry.  The enemy wanted to cause Israel to be punished by God, Himself. See “ The Spirit of Antichrist—Unbridled Lust.”)

Defeated with the cross and Christ’s resurrection, the adversary’s reasoning for killing the Jew has changed.  His hatred for the people through whom the Messiah came, however, has not abated. Satan knows that God has covenant promises dealing with the restoration of Israel to their ancient homeland and now he is trying to annihilate them.  He understands that Jerusalem will be the capital city of Jesus upon His glorious return, so destroying the Jewish people and the city of Jerusalem would again prove that God cannot keep His promises.

The apocalyptic prophet saw this development in the last days.  “And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it (Zechariah 12:3).”  The last 150 years have been years of constant persecution for the children of Israel even while they’ve returned to their ancient  home land in fulfillment of prophecy.  This is but a sure sign that the end of days is upon us.  One who wants to see can see that the nations of the world are ever more hostile to the Jews.  They are literally surrounded by godless hate.  The spirit of antichrist seems to be stronger every day as governments around the world led by the UN, itself, condemn the Jews.  But this is not the end of the story—just the beginning!

When it seems things could not get much worse, it does.  The person of the antichrist will show up and the blood of millions will flow.  However, when it gets as bad as it can get, Christ returns. Let’s let the Word remind us that Jesus Christ is Soon2Come! 

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”  Revelation 19:11-16

The question is, whose side are you on?  Will you give in to this antichrist spirit of hatred and suffer the fate of the great deceiver, or will you turn wholly to Christ and receive the pardon that only His precious blood can give?  The choice is yours…choose quickly as He is surely waiting in the wings!