The Difference between Tribulation and Wrath

The most important thing to understand when attempting to interpret the tribulation period is the fact that most Biblical prophecies are dual in nature. They were actual events that occurred in history AND they foretell coming future events.

Such an example is found in 1 Maccabees when Antiochus Epiphanes captured the Holy Land, desecrated the temple, and persecuted the Jews. This started the war of Jewish of Independence which led to the recapture and re-dedication of the temple.

This is the event Daniel is describing in his Book. It was an actual historical event. It is also a future prophecy confirmed by both Yeshua (Matt 24) and the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation. Bible prophecy has dual meanings.

If we understand this we begin to understand the second coming of Yeshua as described in the New Testament writings.

These are the most difficult prophecies to understand and there are countless interpretations. Some say the tribulation is 3.5 years while others say 7 years. Some believe Yeshua raptures out the Christians and this only happens to the Jews, others say we go through the entire seven years. It is a difficult issue to comprehend.

My position is that it is a seven year event broken down into two 3.5 year periods, we go through just about 7 years of tribulation, as we wait for salvation when the Master returns to save us. I’ve come to this conclusion after much prayer and reading of many scriptures describing this time. Many of the scriptures I use are Yeshua’s own words.

What is the difference between tribulation and the wrath of God? This is a key question to consider.

Tribulation and wrath are two different things:

Tribulation – Greek - #2347 Strong’s – trouble, distress, oppression, affliction, persecution. Same word in Matt 5.11, Matt 5.24, 29, 44.

Yeshua warned his disciples and us that we would experience persecution, oppression, distress, and affliction:

Yeshua warns us we will go through tribulation- Matt 24.9-12: Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Yeshua is warning us of tribulations. He is warning his disciples and all of us in the future to be prepared for this tribulation and persecution.  We will ultimately be saved but the wicked will experience the wrath of Yahweh.

MOSES WARNS US

Moses warned us we would experience tribulation: Deuteronomy 4.30-31 - When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he swore unto them.

Is the servant greater than his master? Yeshua was persecuted and put to death.

Wrath – Greek - #3709 Strong’s – righteous anger of God toward sinful disobedience. Some verses on wrath:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Romans 1.18

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Romans 5.9

Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Ephesians 5.6

 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. 1 Thessalonians 2.15-16

Wrath is God’s righteous anger poured out upon the wicked for their sinful disobedience and ungodly behavior.

My position is that during the tribulation period the righteous will be persecuted by the ungodly. We can already see this developing in our society now. Good is called evil and evil is called good just as Isaiah 5.20 states.

During the tribulation period a remnant of God’s people will be hidden in a place of safety, which many actually be captivity. Some of God’s people will choose to be martyrs. Some will be martyrs for their testimony. It will be a time of purification of God’s people.

All the Apostles except John were killed for their testimony. Yeshua was crucified for His testimony. The tribulation will be a terrible time but many will shine for God:  And he said, Go thy way, Daniel, for these words are closed up and sealed until the time of the fulfillment. Many shall be purified and made white and purged, but the wicked shall get worse; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. Daniel 12.9-10

Yeshua said His end time bride would be pure and spotless. Those who go through this time will be purified through trials and tribulations. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage I have overcome the world. John 16.33

This is a difficult saying but this is how it shall be in that time. We see tribulation is not the wrath of God.

Amos 5.18-20: Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD shall be darkness, and not light. As if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

He will come to save us and judge the wicked: Matt 24.9-13 - Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

There are many other scriptures to support this view. Each reader must decide for themselves. It will be a difficult time. Please do not think the Christians are raptured out and all this happens to the Jews.

 

THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Matthew 24.14

In our day the church has done a fine job of preaching the Gospel of Salvation from sin and redemption in Jesus Christ. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God, in reality, is very seldom preached or taught! Some churches preach a salvation message each and every Sunday never touching on the deeper issues of what Yeshua taught.

The disciples were commanded to preach the Kingdom of God. A kingdom is a nation. A kingdom has laws. A kingdom has citizens and a kingdom has a king. How much do we really understand the Gospel of the Kingdom?

When I was first led into understanding the Hebraic roots of the Christian faith one of the first things the set apart Spirit of God led me to study was the Biblical Calendar.

I had a desire to understand the end of the age and the Book of Revelation. I was confused with all of the prophetic teachings on the end times. It wasn’t making sense to me. Why should I study the calendar?

For two weeks I resisted studying the calendar because I knew that the Biblical calendar would require I study the Jewish calendar. I soon felt compelled to visit Israel. I signed up to go on a tour to Israel with a recommended guide and I began to study the Biblical calendar.

I had always been stuck on Daniel 7.25: And he (Antichrist) shall speak great words against the most High and shall break down the saints of the most High and think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the half or dividing of a time.

Slowly I began to see that the “times and the law” that would be changed were the Biblical times and laws! The Bible time and laws are much different than the times and laws the world currently observes. We are observing the Roman Gregorian Calendar—not the Biblical calendar. https://burningbush647.blogspot.com/2017/11/gods-time-and-calendar-vs-roman.html

https://burningbush647.blogspot.com/2017/11/insightsinto-sabbath-and-calendar-our.html

I began to understand that the Kingdom of God has its own calendar and time. The world operates on other calendars and time which obscure the truth. God’s calendar contains many clues concerning the Kingdom of God and coming world events.

The feasts and holidays we are to be observing are listed in Leviticus 23, Numbers 23, and Deuteronomy 16. My calendar study led me into the study of the feasts of the Lord. Eventually I realized why we were to observe these feasts instead of the traditional Christian holidays.

These feasts contain instruction and prophetic information on the return of King Yeshua that traditional Christianity has missed by rejecting the importance of these Biblical feasts. These were exciting discoveries. The truth was setting me free! These were the Lord’s Feasts, not only the feasts the Jewish people observed.

The next phase led into understanding the importance of our being grafted into “The Commonwealth of Israel”. Ref: Ephesians 2-3.6; Romans 9-11.

This phase took years to understand and I’m still learning! Grafted into Israel is of major importance in understanding who we are, what the kingdom is, and where we are headed. It is about inheritance, identity, and the Millennial Kingdom to come.

The Church has not replaced Israel as many have been taught. It is not about being Jewish. It is about both Jew and Gentile being transformed into the image of Yeshua—it is about becoming Yeshua-ish if you will-one new man!

Abraham was not Jewish. Abraham was a Hebrew. There is a big difference. A Hebrew is one who has crossed over. Abram (A high father) crossed over (into Monotheism) and became Abraham (a father of a multitude). Abraham is never called a Jew in the Bible. He is specifically called a “Hebrew” in Genesis 14.13. This was prior to his name being changed to Abraham and his meeting with Melchizedek.

Abraham came out of idolatry and crossed over the Euphrates River. He was called out by Yahweh and became a believer in the one true God of the Universe. He is our Father, both Jew and Gentile. Essentially we both are Hebrews (until we cross over into Yeshua).

Hang in with me, there is more! We are allowing the Bible to interpret itself. Very important.

Moving unto Abraham’s descendants we arrive at Jacob who fathers the 12 tribes of Israel. Jacob’s name is changed by Yahweh to Israel. The official name of the twelve tribes is Israel = He will be a prince with God; contender with God, one that prevails with God. Note they are not yet referred to as “Jews”—we will address this later.

A careful examination will reveal that the 12 Tribes of Jacob/Israel do not include Ephraim and Manasseh, the two sons of Joseph. They are Jacob’s grandchildren. This gets very interesting.

In Genesis 48 Jacob blesses the two sons of Joseph and in verse 16 says: “Let my name be named on them and the names of my father’s Abraham and Isaac.” Israel/Jacob is adopting Ephraim and Manasseh, grafting them into the family. They are not Israel/Jacob’s sons—they are Joseph’s sons. They are being grafted into Israel the nation.

Later in Genesis 49 Jacob calls unto “his sons” in verse one. He proceeds to bless them and in verse 28 we read: “All these (his sons) are the tribes of Israel. These are in order: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Dan, Naphtali, JOSEPH, and Benjamin.

Ephraim and Manasseh are not mentioned because they have been grafted into Israel. Joseph was the first born of the wife Jacob loved—Rachel. In Jacob’s mind Joseph is the first born and through the blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh Joseph is receiving the double portion blessing of the first born son.

Now go to 1 Chronicles 5.1-2: Now the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel; and he was not counted as the firstborn.  For Judah prevailed above his brethren and was their prince, but the birthright was Joseph’s….

This is vital information. The birthright is given unto the sons of Joseph and the leadership is given to Judah (until Shiloh/Messiah) comes Gen 49.10). Judah, as we will see, is going to become “the Jews” as history progresses.

Joseph’s son’s mother was Asenath, the idolatrous daughter of the high priest of Egypt. Ephraim and Manasseh were most probably taught about the god’s of Egypt by their mother. Later, Ephraim will lead the northern tribes into Idolatry.

Ephraim and Manasseh represent the Gentiles or nations. They were grafted into the tribes of Israel. Later in Exodus we see Levi becoming the priests of the Lord (no land inheritance) and Ephraim and Manasseh receive land inheritance in place of Levi and their Father Joseph. Their grafting in is complete. Ephraim and Manasseh represent the gentile nations that will be grafted into ISRAEL. We are Ephraim and Manasseh.

The tribes go in and take the land of Canaan. Eventually David and Solomon become Kings. After Solomon’s death there was a rebellion. Solomon’s son Rehoboam wanted to raise taxes and the northern tribes rebelled and broke away under the Kingship of Jeroboam the Ephramite. Ref : 1 Kings 11-12.

Jeroboam becomes king of the 10 northern tribes who retain the name Israel. The southern kingdom becomes known as Judah. They are now Jehudah or as we call them today—Jews. The first mention of this is in 2 Kings 16.5-6.

Jeroboam sets up idols in Bethel and Dan and changes the Biblical feasts in 1 Kings 12.25-33. This is a shadow and type of what the gentile Christian church would do in the far future times—reject the feasts of the Lord and make up their own holidays/feasts.

The nation is now split in two. The northern kingdom of Israel, which has turned to idolatry, and the southern kingdom of Judah who retain allegiance to Yahweh. They are the modern day Jewish people who have remained true to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They are the Jews.

Note: In 1948 the Jewish state was named Israel. This is prophetic. Ezekiel 37 says the two sticks of Judah and Joseph (Ephraim/Manasseh) will be joined together in the future. At that time they will once again become ISRAEL. Jew and Gentile reunited under Yahweh and Yeshua his son, the KING.

We know how Assyria conquered idolatrous Israel and relocated them to Assyria. There they lost their identities and mingled into the gentile nations (Hosea 7.8-9). Read the entire book of Hosea. It chronicles how the northern tribes of Israel become the “lost tribes” and assimilate into the Gentile culture.

Later Judah will be exiled to Babylon, but be allowed to return to Judah and rebuild the temple. They had not lost their identity.

SUMMARY

We all (Jew and Gentile) begin as Father Abraham--as Hebrews when we “cross-over” into Monotheism. We are named by God “Israel”. We had a civil war and divided into Israel (Idolatrous gentiles) and Judah (Jews). Israel assimilated into the nations, Judah kept Judaism alive throughout the centuries.

Yeshua came and called us both to cross-over into Him. This process is still in progress. At a future time, in Yahweh’s own time and way, we two sticks shall become one in His hand. We will once again become known as Israel.

Yeshua will return and establish the Millennial Kingdom for a thousand years to teach all the world (Isaiah 64-66, Zecariah 12-14, Rev 20).

There will be a final rebellion (Rev 20). Then there will be a New Jerusalem and peace.

This information is documented in the Bible. It is the first step in understanding the “Gospel of the Kingdom” and how Yahweh is going to reunite Jew and Gentile once again as the nation of Israel. This is a basic “big picture” view of the Kingdom and what Yahweh is doing in these last days. This is how Jew and Gentile will become one new man in Yeshua.

It took me many years to come to this understanding. It is not the Gospel which is widely adhered to by the world, the Christian church, or Judaism. It is the truth. It has set me free. It is a stumbling block to the world.

Unity comes only through division. That is counter intuitive. The world sees unity as being all inclusive—everyone is welcome with all of their various religious beliefs. Soon that leads to dead religion with no power and man becomes the god of this religion.

We arrive at truth through winnowing. The chaff must be winnowed away. We cannot be unified until we arrive at the truth. Has there ever been a time when the world stampeded towards the truth? Never. Have we ever really been in unity? Never. It shall come at the appointed time.

Knowing the truth can be a lonely path. Yeshua walked that lonely path. The Father will draw his own unto Himself--John 14 through 17 is much to understand. There is a remnant in God. It is not always a comfortable place in which to dwell but it is our calling. The world will never understand—but Yahweh has a magnificent plan.

Below is a link to a short treatise on the Gospel of the Kingdom of God by Tessa Beswick. It should be your manual and manifesto of the Kingdom. Please take the time to prayerfully read and heed it.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=YmVpdC1lbC5vcmd8d3d3fGd4OjM2ZDc4MjM0NWE3Yzk2NDY

 

 

THE BASIC BELIEFS OF IRENAEUS AND HIPPOLYTUS ON THE ANTICHRIST

 

Since we have been discussing the Tribulation period, I thought I’d post this short article concerning Irenaeus and Polycarp’s view on the subject.

 Irenaeus was a disciple of Polycarp, who had been a disciple of the Apostle John. Both he and Polycarp believed they had been accurately taught the apostolic tradition. Irenaeus wrote this of his teacher Polycarp:

 “But Polycarp also was not only instructed by apostles, and conversed with many who had seen Christ, but was also, by apostles in Asia, appointed bishop of the Church in Smyrna, whom I also saw in my early youth, for he tarried (on earth) a very long time, and when a very old man, gloriously and most nobly suffering martyrdom, departed this life, always taught the things which he had learned from the apostles, and which the Church has handed down, and which alone are true. (Against Heresies, III, 4)

 Hippolytus was a disciple of Irenaeus. He too believed he had been accurately taught those things the apostles received from Jesus Christ by revelation. Irenaeus and Hippolytus agree on all the basic points regarding the advent of Christ and the Antichrist, although Hippolytus provides more details. The beliefs they held in common can be briefly summarized as follows:

 1. Satan will appear as a man in the person of the Antichrist because he seeks to reign as king over mankind and desires to focus the worship of God on himself.

 2. The Antichrist will be a Jew, and will achieve his stated objectives by being accepted as the Christ, the messianic king of the Jews, taking his seat in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, pretending to be God Himself, and thereby becoming the “abomination of desolation” spoken of by the prophet Daniel and also by Jesus. Dan 12.11, Matt 24.15

 3. The Antichrist is the “little horn” of the fourth beast mentioned in Daniel 7. He will slay three of the other horns and reign as an eighth with the remaining seven. (Hippolytus explains the three horns are Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia.)

 4. The Antichrist will achieve his objectives in the middle of the final seven year period of this age. At that time he will be proclaimed the messianic king of the Jews, and will take his seat as God in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. He will reign for three and one-half years.

 5. The Antichrist, during his reign, will deceive the majority of people living on the Earth at the time into believing he is God. However, he will persecute those who refuse to worship him because they are able to see through his delusion.

 6. Jesus Christ will return to Earth at the end of the three and one-half year reign of the Antichrist, destroying Satan’s kingdom. The resurrection of the just will occur at that time.

The conviction of these two early fathers came from the knowledge that they had received an accurate explanation of the Apostle’s understanding of the message of Scripture which had been handed down by the Apostle John to Polycarp. We should all seriously consider the basis for our own beliefs, rather than hastily discarding these sources.

 Sources:

 http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/hippolytus-christ.html

 http://www.gnosis.org/library/advh5.htm - start at chapter XXV

Seven Years through the Tribulation

The following scriptures have been compiled to prove that the tribulation is a seven year event with no pre-trib rapture. These scriptures as a whole explain the events to come. Yeshua comes to save us and Israel at the sound of the last trumpet (shofar). 

Our approach in this study is to allow the Bible, the WORD of God to interpret itself through many scriptures in both Old and New Testaments. It takes time to digest all these scriptures. It may take several readings to understand.

Many of these scriptures are in Yeshua's own words explaining to His disciples the events to come. Allow them to interpret themselves.

Tribulation and wrath are two different things:

Tribulation – Greek - #2347 Strong’s – trouble, distress, oppression, affliction, persecution. Same word in Matt 5.11, Matt 5.24, 29, 44.

Yeshua warned his disciples and us that we would experience persecution, oppression, distress, and affliction:

Yeshua warns us we will go through tribulation- Matt 24.9-12: Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Yeshua is warning us of tribulations. We will ultimately be saved but the wicked will experience the wrath of Yahweh.

Mark 13.19-23 - For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

Yeshua is warning his disciples and all of us in the future to be prepared for this tribulation and persecution.

MOSES WARNS US

Moses warned us we would experience tribulation: Deuteronomy 4.30-31 - When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he swore unto them.

Tribulation in this verse = Strong’s #6862 – sar – trouble, distress, enemy, foe, adversaries, affliction, anguish

Wrath – Greek - #3709 Strong’s – righteous anger of God toward sinful disobedience. Some verses on wrath:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Romans 1.18

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Romans 5.9

Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Ephesians 5.6

 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. 1 Thessalonians 2.15-16

Is the servant greater than his master? Yeshua was persecuted and put to death.

We see that the wrath of God is righteous and toward all ungodliness, unrighteousness, and sinful disobedience. In the verse above from 1 Thessalonians we also see that the righteous are persecuted during the same time.

Matthew 13.24-30 is most powerful: Yeshua describes the end time in a parable: Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From where then hath it tares? 

He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, No; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Pretty self-explanatory. This is the fall harvest during the Fall Feasts of the Lord. This really got my attention when trying to understand the difference between tribulation and wrath.  Yeshua interprets:

Interpretation – Matthew 13.37-42 He answered and said unto them, He that sows the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

This is the harvest at the end of the world at His second coming! He did not remove the righteous, only the wicked!

Proverbs 10:30 - The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.

We should now begin to understand the difference between tribulation and the wrath of God. As followers of Yeshua we will be persecuted during the 7 year tribulation. At His second coming He will save us and we will meet Him in the air at the sound of the last shofar.

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ….1 Thessalonians 5.9 

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4.15-18

Two things are happening during the tribulation. God’s people are being persecuted and wrath is being poured out upon the wicked. These things are happening together during the tribulation. When Yeshua returns for the final harvest (Matthew 13.37-42) at the end of the world, we meet in the air and the wicked are destroyed by fire. That’s what Yeshua said and He is the WORD.

Additional confirmation by Yeshua:

Days of Noah – Matthew 24.37-41 - But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, (His coming) and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

The ark was a place of safety; Ref: Isaiah 63.1-6 and Micha 2.12-13 – Bozrah means “sheep pen” and is located in Edom/Esau an arch enemy of Israel. Bozrah is a type of a place of captivity but yet a place of safety for Elohim’s people. https://burningbush647.blogspot.com/2020/04/bozrah-sheep-pen-place-of-safety-i-will.html

During the time of persecution some saints will be hidden in a place of safety. The above scriptures indicate this. However, some saints will be martyrs. Most of the Apostles were martyrs. They were persecuted and killed just as Yeshua told them:

Matt 24.9-13 - Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Yeshua speaking to the Apostles and to our generation. It cannot be any clearer!

Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Matt 24.40-42

The wicked taken out, the righteous remain just as Yeshua said in the parable. His one and only second coming. No rapture. We meet Him when he comes for us at the harvest, as Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4.

Mark 13.19-23 - For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

Yeshua is telling us of much tribulation/affliction but the days will be shortened. Seven years of affliction is a week. Does this not fit in with Daniel’s final week?

Then later Yeshua prays at the Last Supper: John 17.15-16 - I pray not that thou should take them out of the world, but that thou should keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Read again, sorry to repeat, but let this sink deep into your soul:

Paul the Apostle writes: 1 Thess 4.13-18 - But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Paul never mentions a pre-tribulation rapture and neither does Yeshua. Paul says in 1 Thess 5.9-11: For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Wrath – Greek - #3709 Strong’s – righteous anger of God toward sinful disobedience

Tribulation – Greek - #2347 Strong’s – trouble, distress, oppression, affliction, persecution. Same word in Matt 5.11, Matt 5.24, 29, 44.

Yeshua warns us we will go through tribulation- Matt 24.9-12: Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

This is warning us of tribulation. The servant is not greater than his Lord. We will ultimately be saved but the wicked will experience the wrath of Yahweh.

Revelation 13.7-9: And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.  If any man have an ear, let him hear.

Another warning. If the saints are raptured out how is the beast making war with them? We are temporarily overcome, but Yeshua is coming to save us!

Then look at Rev 13.15: And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

If only the wicked are left who are those not worshipping the Beast? Look again at Matt 13.40: Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Seems pretty clear we go through tribulation. All who live in perilous times are persecuted and afflicted. We are not destined to wrath, but salvation when He returns for us. Thus says the WORD.

 

THE ARGENTINE REVIVAL OF 1954 REVEALS GOD’S PRINCIPLES WE SHOULD FOLLOW

Back in the early 1970’s I came across a small staple bound booklet containing about 70 pages. It was about the Argentine revival which took place in 1954 in Argentina.

This small booklet set my heart on fire when I read it. It brought tears to my eyes. It was an amazing account that has all but been forgotten today.

About 5 years ago I began an internet search for this small booklet which name I did not remember. I never found this booklet but I did find Dr. Edward Miller’s book “Secrets of the Argentine Revival” and purchased it. https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Argentine-Revival-Edward-Miller/dp/0945818181

Dr. Miller was an evangelist who was serving in Argentina and was used by God as the catalyst to begin this national revival.

He began to question God on why his service for the Lord had produced so little true and lasting results. He felt perhaps he should quit and get a regular job. He decided before he took that radical step he would seek the Lord diligently for direction.

He then began to earnestly seek God through prayer and fasting. Weeks and then months went by without much of an answer. He continued. Then suddenly one day he heard the voice of God in his spirit and was catapulted into unknown realms of glory and power. He said, “The windows of heaven were opened and in the spirit I saw things unlawful to be uttered”. He was never the same again.

He waited on God for six more weeks. Then he was told to ask the people of the small village church he was ministering in to meet for a prayer meeting that Monday night. They were to come at eight o’clock and be prepared to meet until midnight. If they were not prepared to stay until midnight he was to tell them not to come.

Three people showed up! He prayed and sang for four hours. None of them said a word.                                                                                                                                   

After four hours he asked them if they had anything to say or if anything had come to them. Only one woman had anything to say. She said she felt as though she was supposed to hit the table in the room with her hand but she refused to because she thought it preposterous. The meeting ended.

This went on for the next three meetings. On the fourth evening the woman obeyed God and hit the table with her hand. Immediately the wind of the spirit rushed through the room and this timid woman was praising and worshipping with her hands in the air. The other two people were also hit by the spirit praising and worshipping God.

This happened in Mendoza, Argentina. That small meeting of three people turned into a one year revival of people coming from all over the area, night after night.

Eventually it quieted but took place, months later, at a Bible School in City Bell, Argentina where Dr. Miller was teaching. A boy began praying in a field and had an angelic visitor. He ran to the school and the spirit hit the school for weeks as the students began to weep and repent with tears.

Great prophecies were spoken concerning the nations of the world and cities that would be visited prior to the return of Jesus. Some of the young people prophesying were not highly educated but spoke in refined language as they were given words.

The most incredible prophecy was directed at Evita Peron the idolatrous, adulterous, and spiritualist wife of President Peron. This is the same Evita that was glorified back in the 1980’s in the play “EVITA”.

She was heavily into the occult and was virtually running the country. She would rent boxing arenas for spiritualist conventions. She was turning the people towards this.

The prophecy for her was that God was going to end her life soon and that she would tremble at His presence. She would see the thunder of His Presence fall upon her face and die. All of her men would be removed from government.

Within a year she became ill with a disease that was incurable in the 1950’s—Leukemia a terrible cancer of the blood. This young beautiful but evil and wicked person died—tearing out her hair in rage!

Have we ever seen such a thing? The fear of God was coming upon a nation. We live in a time where there is no longer a fear of God. Argentina’s wicked Eva Peron experienced it.

Later, after this move of God upon the Bible School, it was two years before the Lord moved again in Buenos Aires the capital city. The faith of those at the prior event at the school waited for two years. Their faith was tested.

A little known evangelist named Tommy Hicks was sent by God to Buenos Aires and through miraculous events was allowed to preach for 50 days in large stadiums to over 8 million people during those 50 days.

We have yet to see such true power of God in the United States for more than 75 years.

The basis for the beginning of this revival was the obedience of those who served the Lord and the deep spirit of repentance upon all who prayed and received visitation.

The following are the principles Dr. Miller said were ordained by God for them to follow:

1.     God desired small private and group prayer where the Holy Spirit is allowed freedom to move in and through them as He wills.

2.     God through Jesus is the Head and functions in a practical way through the Word and leading of the Holy Spirit.

3.     The Spirit worked through divinely given ministries, rather than men trying to establish ministries that God has not ordained.

4.     God desires repentance to be a state—rather than an isolated event or experience. He desires freedom for people to express that repentance—whether in private contrition or public—if the Spirit leads.

5.     God desires development of the fruit of the Spirit to balance the manifestation of spiritual gifts and real transformation of individuals.

6.     God desires to provide financially through faith and prayer rather than through operation of programs, appeals, raffles, and such.

7.     God desires full and free expression of praise and worship. He wants the spirit of prophecy to rest upon His people. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. God does not want to be rushed nor required to do His work in an hour. The church must wait upon HIM and spend much time in His presence.

8.     Move into His presence through praise and worship with continued cleansing of their hearts so that this worship and praise does not become empty entertainment or religious emptiness.

If we desire to see true revival and spiritual repentance we must individually approach God alone. We must truly seek Him out. We have not as yet sought Him diligently in this manner. I include myself in this.

Our country is facing a most serious time in its history. As individuals we must seek Him and seek His cleansing power in our lives. Then perhaps we will see things unlawful to utter in the spirit.

https://romans1015.com/1954-argentina-revival/

                                            GOD’S WAY IS WAY ABOVE OUR WAY

Sometimes things just have to germinate for a while. I would love to post everyday but that would not be realistic. Sometimes I can post every other day and sometimes there must be solitude before posting—that is reality. Posting and sharing is not a technique—it is waiting and ruminating—then we post.

I’ve been ruminating on how Elohim’s ways are so above our ways. The church has packaged everything and perfected all the techniques learned in the colleges of the world. As Daniel said, there is an increase in knowledge today (Dan 12.4) and many running to and fro.

Much of this knowledge is the knowledge of the Mystery Babylonian world we live in today. We go to church for an hour and a half each week. Forty-five minutes of the service is rock n roll worship, fifteen minutes is announcements, and a half hour message on “how to become all you can be”, and that’s all for the week. Maybe an hour Bible study on Wednesday night?

Doesn’t everything just seemed totally packaged with technique laden platitudes, shallow as an ash tray? Does everyone have to be ON all the time? Could our leaders dial it down a bit? Turn off the switch, be real and really talk to us?

The Father doesn’t work this way. He is much more deliberate and patient with us. His ways are beyond our comprehension. He would like to slow it down and make it real. This is not always easy on our action addicted personalities. We want to become—He desires us to be.

Walking in the spirit is walking in the Law/Torah of Yahweh. The fruits of the spirit in our lives are everything which the Torah commands us. Look at the works of the flesh:

 “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5.19-21

Note that all the works of the flesh are against the Law as written in the Torah. Look at Acts 15 on the question of whether new believers had to be physically circumcised. They were told to avoid idols, fornication, and eating of blood. Then they were told to go to the synagogue where the Law of Moses was read and studied each Sabbath--all day (Acts 15.19-21), not 1 1/2 hours--to learn the rest of the Law.

The fruit of the spirit is walking in the “spirit” of God’s Royal Law:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law, and those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5.22-25

Therefore we are not under the curse of the law—but we walk in the spirit of God’s law. Therefore we must meditate on and love God’s law. We are justified by our faith in God’s operation of circumcising our hearts (Ezekiel 20.18-32; Romans 2.28-29) and Yeshua’s sacrifice.

That is surely above how any technique of man would attempt to do this. This is a spiritual operation and walked out in the Spirit. We obey our “Code of Conduct” which is the Torah. This produces the fruits of the Spirit in our lives.

Three men come to mind when thinking of God’s ways being above our ways: The three are Moses, David, and Paul the Apostle. They learned to yield to God and walk in the spirit—not some formula or technique.

Moses killed a man when trying to break up an argument (Exodus 2.11-15) and fled into the wilderness.

David committed adultery with Uriah’s wife and had him sent to the front of battle to be killed (2 Sam 11).

Paul severely persecuted the early believers and condoned their stoning (Acts 7.57-8.3).

How would these men be so favored of God? Why did He choose them? He even said David was a man after His heart (1 Sam 13.14, Acts 13.22)! How would man’s justice system deal with these men? What did God see in them? Where would they be if given over to the judgment of men?

Elohim first looked at their hearts. These were zealous men who truly believed in what they were doing, or in David’s case, he got caught up in lust, but he was overall zealous for his Elohim. You or I would most likely not look to these men to accomplish God’s purpose. They wouldn’t fit the formula.

The key factor, in the hearts of these men, was that when confronted with the truth they did not deny, but accepted truth, and REPENTED. They had repentant hearts. Hearts that could be changed and molded by Yahweh. A humble and repentant heart is key. These men were A type personalities—but when confronted by the Living God—they fell on their faces before Him.

They also paid for their sins. Moses in the wilderness for 40 years waiting for God to fulfill His promise. So long in the wilderness that Moses almost forgot how to speak (Ex 4.10)!

David lost his first child with Bathsheba and his family caused him great pain.

Paul was blinded for three days and gave up all his worldly positions.

They paid for their sins without complaint. They “manned up” so to speak and God used them to fulfill His purposes. They turned from their ways and all the techniques they had been taught in the world.

Then there is another great man of scripture that is rarely spoken of—Obadiah. Here is a true example of God’s ways being way above our ways. Obadiah was the governor of King Ahab’s house. Ahab is the most evil king of the Northern Tribes of Israel. Jezebel was his wicked wife.

Obadiah was a man of God working for the wickedest king in Israel! Most Christians I know, including myself, would have said, “No way am I working for that wicked man, much less step foot into his house!” Yeah, we would quit that job in a minute!

Not Obadiah. He knew his God in a deep way. He knew he was placed there for a Divine purpose. Obadiah saved the lives of a hundred prophets, hiding them in caves, when Jezebel went after them (1 Kings 18.4).

We all need to slow down…quiet ourselves…wait. The techniques of the world, the formulas to increase the numbers of congregations, the entertainment in music ministry, and preaching need to be re-examined. God’s way is way above our way. God wants to place us in some strange places and positions of service.

Slow down and hear what God is saying. This is not about your “best destiny” or how to prosper in the Lord. It is about walking righteously in Him each day. It is about a higher obedience and walk. It is about HE not ME! The world is all about ME.

Life is not a pep rally. It is one day at a time, slugging it out. It has wonderful moments and experiences, but we shouldn’t have to be pumped up once a week. Walk it out a day at a time and hear God for yourself—not what somebody else tells you. Hear Him. Wait on Him.

Yeshua’s disciples will move at His pace. We will accomplish His will in His time. Seek and wait for it!

 

BIBLICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR KING MESSIAH

Source: Biltz, Mark. Decoding the Antichrist and the End Times (p. 54). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Keeping true to the Scriptures, what verses do the Jews use to describe their Messiah and what will be accomplished?

1. Messiah will be a military leader. We see from Zechariah 14: 3– 4 that “the LORD [shall] go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” We sure know that has not happened yet! Zechariah goes on to say in verse 9 that “the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.” We know the LORD is definitely not physically king over all the earth at this time.

2. Messiah gathers the outcasts of Israel and Judah back to their land. According to Isaiah 11: 12, the Messiah will gather all the Jewish exiles from around the world. “He shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth” (emphasis added). This concept is reiterated in Jeremiah 30:

Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. —JEREMIAH 30: 2– 7, EMPHASIS ADDED

3. Messiah will bring redemption to the Israelites and restore their fortunes, and they will all be righteous. At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD. —ZEPHANIAH 3: 20

We also see from Zechariah 14: 14 that “Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.” And get a load of this! Isaiah 60 mentions the gates of Jerusalem will be open continually day and night because the wealth of the nations will be brought to them. Every nation that doesn’t serve Israel will perish, and all those who afflicted and despised the Jewish people will bow down before them. Jerusalem will be called the city of the Lord. This is beyond imagination!

4. Messiah will reestablish the feasts of the Lord. It shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. —ZECHARIAH 14: 16– 17

We are definitely talking a whole new world here! Can you imagine every nation having to send representatives to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles in order for their countries not to experience drought and plague? There will be human survivors after Armageddon who will have to come every year to the temple in Jerusalem that Messiah builds. So the Jewish people are expecting a messiah who will be a great military leader, conquering the entire world and bringing it under the submission of a Jewish messiah who teaches God’s Torah to the nations.

5. The Torah will be magnified, have its honor restored, and be taught to all nations, as Jerusalem becomes the capital of the world.  But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. —MICAH 4: 1– 2, EMPHASIS ADDED

Wow! People from all nations will come to Jerusalem as not only the capital of Israel but the capital of the whole world, and the Torah will be magnified and taught to all nations. Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? Who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’s servant? Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not. The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honourable. But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. Who among you will give ear to this? Who will hearken and hear for the time to come? Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? Did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. —ISAIAH 42: 18– 24

The ones God refers to as being spiritually blind and deaf are not the heathen but His own people who refuse to hear and obey the Law. When it says “who will hearken and hear for the time to come,” the phrase “time to come” refers to the last generation! The Law, or the Torah, is to be magnified and made honorable. Yet we find the ones who are robbed and plundered are those who do not walk in God’s ways. Psalm 138: 2 states that God has exalted His Word even above His name! If He goes against His own Word, it would definitely dishonor His name.

6. Messiah Himself builds the temple and is both a priest and a king in Jerusalem. This comes from Zechariah 6: 12– 13: Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place; and he shall build the temple of the LORD: even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. We are seeing a messiah who will be both a priest and a king! Look at these verses in the Book of Ezekiel:

The glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house. I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me. And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, nor by the carcasses of their kings in their high places. —EZEKIEL 43: 4– 7, EMPHASIS ADDED

7. There will be a supernatural peace in the land of Israel. According to Isaiah 11: 6 and 9, there will be nothing but peace in Jerusalem: “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them . . . for the whole earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” And in Zephaniah we find the following:

The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. —ZEPHANIAH 3: 13

8. Strangers or non-Jews will also be welcome to live in the land of Israel and enjoy the temple. So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord GOD. —EZEKIEL 47: 21– 23, EMPHASIS ADDED

Ezekiel 48 mentions the gates of the city of Jerusalem being named after the tribes of Israel. There will not be any non-Jewish gates. The Jewish people very strongly believe in the new covenant! We read about it in Jeremiah 31: 31, which says, “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.” Did you see that! The new covenant is not with Gentiles. Gentiles are grafted into the covenant God made with the Jewish people. So just what kind of covenant is this new covenant? It says in verse 33 that “this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Oh my. The Torah will not be done away with but will be written on the heart instead of being written on stone. Some might think that because the Israelites have rejected Yeshua, God has forsaken them. But look at what the Scriptures say concerning Israel in regard to the new covenant:

If these ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever. Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD. —JEREMIAH 31: 36– 37

Not only that; some may argue that the land covenant made to Abraham four thousand years ago has expired and the land now belongs to the Palestinians. If a generation is sixty years, then from the creation of Adam until now it has only been one hundred generations, or six thousand years! In the Book of Psalms, God confirms the land covenant He made with Abraham for a thousand generations!

That’s sixty thousand years, or all the time of human existence up to now times ten! He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; and confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance. —PSALM 105: 8– 11

So the Jewish Messiah will come and confirm the land covenant. After all, it is His own inheritance, and He will not divide it or give any of it away. Now, this next one is very controversial! What else will the Jewish Messiah accomplish?

9. The Messiah restarts the priesthood and the sacrificial system. Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary: and the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it upon the posts of the house, and upon the four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate of the inner court. And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple: so shall ye reconcile the house. In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten. —EZEKIEL 45: 18– 21

The last several chapters of Ezekiel speak of the Messianic era when the Messiah builds the temple and the sacrifices are reinstituted. Ezekiel’s temple has not been built yet! Here is an unbelievable verse:

Thus saith the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel. And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity. Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them. —EZEKIEL 44: 9– 11, EMPHASIS ADDED

We know for a fact that only God Himself can determine if someone’s heart is uncircumcised. Many believers recoil at the thought of the sacrificial system being reinstituted, but that’s because they never really understood the sacrificial system. I realize there is much controversy about the sacrificial system after the cross in the future millennial temple, but I also believe in sticking to the plain meaning of the text rather than allegorizing everything away that does not fit our theology. If that were the case, then the wages of sin would no longer be death but just unhappy feelings, and the Ten Commandments would become ten suggestions. Even when we can derive other symbolism or meanings from the Scriptures, we are still to never do away with the plain meaning of the text.

We also need to realize that classifying all Jewish tradition as non-biblical is anti-Semitic. There are a lot of Christian traditions that are non-biblical as well. There is a lot of tradition on both sides that has nothing wrong with it; it’s just tradition. So we need to set aside our prejudices and simply read the Bible for what it says. The daily sacrifices were never for intentional sin. The Jews never believed the daily sacrifices atoned for intentional sins either. Yes, there were sacrifices for sin, but they were for sins of ignorance and not intentional sins. The only way the Jewish people ever felt they could find forgiveness for intentional sins was through confession of their sin, repentance, and making restitution as required in the Torah. The sacrifices were one way for them to draw near to God and sit at His table and have a meal together. Biltz, Mark. Decoding the Antichrist and the End Times (p. 54). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.