The Scripture Battle - God Versus Gog and Magog by Iron Sky Design

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“For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles [vultures] be gathered together.” (Matthew 24:28)

“The The

Scriptural Battle: God Verses Gog and Magog (Ezekiel Chapters Thirty-eight and Thirty-nine) “…come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel…” (Ezekiel 39:17)

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Introduction There is no easy way to begin this series of studies on chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine of the Book of Ezekiel. This is THE battle of Scripture of which God spoke of through His ancient prophets: “Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?” Ezekiel 38:17. This battle is a battle spoken of and prophesied of throughout the Holy Scriptures and not merely in these two chapters of Ezekiel. Any believer that keeps an open mind and has shed the “traditions of men” in favor of allowing the Holy Spirit to speak from Scripture, should conclude - once he or she has diligently studied these two chapters and everything that branches out from them - that this is indeed the Battle of Armageddon. Before we begin this series on what has been termed by many as “The Gog/Magog War,” let us first give a brief summary from Scripture of who precisely is the target of this Gog/Magog battle. We will do this by looking at the first ten verses of Revelation Chapter Twenty:

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Revelation 20:1-10 1 - ¶And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2 - And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, <Satan of course was cast out of heaven at the Cross of Christ, Revelation 12:9-10.> Revelation 12:9-10 9 - And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 - And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. [Absolute proof that the kingdom of God came down to man as a result of the crucifixion of Christ, and thus Satan was cast out of heaven at that time and cast down into the earth. That is why God states “NOW is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ.” As Christ states in Mark 3:27 “No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.” Christ first had to bind Satan (the strong man) in order to spoil his house and He certainly did that by His death, burial, and resurrection. The kingdom of our God and the power of His Christ were out of reach for most of humanity until Christ spoiled Satan’s house at the Cross of Calvary. The victory is won but not completed as yet: “¶Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time,” Revelation 12:12. Satan is bound for this relatively “short time” known as the New Testament Church Age, which is a symbolical one-thousand year period. Excerpt from “The Numbers in the Scriptures” by Tony Warren; highlighting added. Psalms 105:8 "He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations." 2

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This is a thousand used figuratively to illustrate the fullness of time, not literally a thousand generations. His Word is commanded to all generations, not just literally one thousand. But God is using the number thousand here to show spiritual consistency in representing the fullness. Likewise, in Revelation chapter 20, where it speaks of the one thousand year millennial reign of Christ. It is the perfect example of this numerical symbology. It signifies the fullness of time of the reign of Christ, the binding of Satan, and the rest of the dead live not again, before the second Resurrection. Not the totality of time from the beginning, and not literally one thousand years, but the fullness of time between events spoken of there.” Yes, the thousand years in which Satan is bound until he is temporally loosed is symbolical only, representing the fullness of the New Testament Church Age.]

3 - And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. <After the Church Age ends (symbolical one thousand years) Satan will then be loosed for a little season (the great tribulation) in which he will attempt his final and most aggressive attack upon the true Church of Jesus Christ, known in sections of the Old Testament and the Book of Revelation as the Third Part. Please see “The Church: The Third Part” at spiritualbiblestudies.com.> 4 - And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5 - But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6 - Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

7 - And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

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8 - And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

<When the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations! This has been Satan’s age-old plan from the beginning - to silence and stop the truth of the Gospel of Christ from reaping souls into God’s eternal kingdom. NOTICE carefully that the above verse most definitely identifies who Gog and Magog are. Satan is loosed for the purpose of deceiving the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth - Gog and Magog! When studying Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine we need not ponder or wonder who Gog and Magog might represent, for God 4

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has just shown us! God reveals their identity here in Revelation Chapter Twenty. Gog and Magog do not specifically represent the country of Russia, or any political entity as the multitudes are teaching in the global churches of today. They love to detach and separate God’s teachings of Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine and isolate them from Revelation Chapter Twenty as though this chapter of the Book of Revelation were the Black Plague! They fear it because it would destroy their ideology, and it certainly does. Gog and Magog represent not merely the unsaved masses of the world, but much more deceptive than that, Gog and Magog represent Satan and the “religious” Christian appearing masses of the unsaved throughout the four quarters of the world. This is why Christ warned us in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew Chapter Twenty-four) “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect,” Mathew 24:24. We of course have much more on this later in the study.> 9 - And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. <Satan and his religious army (and we say “religious army” because Scripture shows us that Satan is the imitator of God); therefore Satan and his army of imposters encircle the camp of the saints, the beloved city. This is the Abomination of Desolation without question! The beloved city is none other than the true Church of Jesus Christ, otherwise known as the “camp of the saints.” That beloved city is the spiritual Jerusalem. “But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all,” Galatians 4:26. These first nine verses that we have just quoted from Revelation Chapter Twenty is a miniature view of the Gog/Magog War that is taught in Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine. As we mentioned earlier, there are many other passages in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament that speak of this great spiritual battle.> 10 - And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Shed the Traditions of Men! Before one can truly understand the key to correct biblical interpretation one must depart from the “traditions of men” at any cost! Before we can think about attempting to understand these chapters in Ezekiel we must first understand one key element which is a requirement in order to grasp how God speaks and teaches throughout Scripture. We must study Scripture in the light and knowledge of who the true believer is. God, much of the time, speaks through the use of parables containing symbols, allegories, metaphors, etc., all in picturesque language. It is imperative to understand that we are NOT dismissing the literal and historical events of the Old Testament as mythical or fables in any way. God forbid! No, but rather we know without doubt that God moved the events of ancient Israel as examples, 1 Corinthians 10:11, and as our 5

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schoolmaster, Galatians 3:24, for the purpose of instructing His Church, the then future Bride of Christ, including both Jews and Gentiles. Today God’s Church is identified as the Elect of God, Colossians 3:12; the Bride of Christ, Revelation 21:9; The Church, Matthew 16:18; Christians, Acts 11:26; The Holy City, Revelation 2:11; The New Jerusalem, Revelation 21:2; Mount Zion, Joel 2:32; The Whole House of Israel, Ezekiel 37:11, and The Israel of God, Galatians 6:16. There are certainly more titles that God places upon His Church, no doubt. The one main ingredient or key to understanding the symbolism of Old Testament Scripture is in understanding the fact that Old Testament Israel was a prefigure or foreshadow of the New Testament Church - the Israel of God, Galatians 6:16. Once we come to truth on this matter Scripture will then open up to us with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and many more marvelous truths will then begin to fall into place. The true worshipper of Christ must know and understand who we really are! One cannot truly understand the Gog/Magog Battle apart from realizing that the true believer in Christ is a New Testament spiritual Jew. Our eternal kingdom, our eternal life resides within and upon the spiritual “mountains” (kingdom) of Israel. Why? Because Jesus Christ is the Israel of Scripture! Exodus 4:22 - And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: Matthew 2:14-15 14 - When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15 - And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Hosea 11:1 - ¶When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. Isaiah 49:1-3 1 - ¶Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. <Jesus Christ is the long awaited Messiah. He is God incarnate. From the bowels of His earthly mother (the Virgin Mary) God has made mention of Him - The Christ.> 2 - And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; <Revelation 19:15 confirms verse 2, for it speaks of Christ having a mouth like a sharp sword: “… and out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword …” > 3 - And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. <Jesus Christ the Messiah is indeed the Israel of Scripture. Mountains many times throughout Scripture represent kingdoms, thus the Mountains of Israel is a term denoting the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. This is where the real and invisible battle in the latter days will be raged and not some literal war upon the mountains of the nation of Israel. Christ warned us in Matthew Chapter Twenty-four that when we see Satan residing in the church (holy place), then we who are in spiritual Judaea (a term for the true Church) 6

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are to depart out of the church and flee to the mountains or in other words we are to depart and flee to the kingdom (mountains) of Christ. If this were to be understood in a literal manner, then we would be forced to admit that Christ is speaking only to those people who are living in the nation of Israel, that is the ancient land of Judaea, and that certainly cannot be the case. Matthew 24:15 -16 15 - When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16- Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: We who are true worshippers of Christ must flee from this abomination of desolation that is turning the global church of Jesus Christ into an abominable desolation. Satan and his host - Gog and Magog - are bombarding the earthly church of Jesus Christ (the mountains of Israel) to such an apostate extent that true believers must flee from this apostasy. > Let it be known that we are not taking anything away from the literal nation of Israel; all nations are under the curse of God and therefore led by Satan, the prince of this world, John 12:31; 14:30; and 16:11. God’s righteous view of our worldly nations is this: Isaiah 40:15 - Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. I don’t suppose we as “nations” can fall much lower than this, can we? The nations of the earth are counted less than dust in God’s eyes. How dare the apostate congregations to exalt the U.S. (or any other heathen nation for that matter) upon the altar of Christ! On the other hand there is one nation that God blesses tremendously and it isn’t the physical nation of Israel, for it is a spiritual nation and yes, you guessed it - it is the true Church of Jesus Christ, the spiritual Israel: 1 Peter 2:9 - But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Everything about the true child of God has spiritual ramifications in place of the physical. Again the true worshipper of God must know who he is in God’s eyes. For more information on this essential topic please see “God’s Spiritual Israel” at spiritualbiblestudies.com. We will now briefly cover an overview of the New Testament believer - the true spiritual Jew: Romans 2:28-29 28 - For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 - But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

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Romans 9:6-8 6 - ¶Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 - Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 - That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. We must understand these basic facts of Scripture in order to begin to understand the truth of God’s Word. We, as God’s ELECT are without question the true Jews and the true Israel of Scripture. All true believers in Christ (Christ who is Israel) are indeed spiritual Jews in God’s view, just as His completed and invisible Church is indeed God’s bride, the ISRAEL OF GOD. Once we come to a full understanding of this truth we can then read and study Scripture in a new light as it opens up to us as never before and the pieces begin to fall into place. Hebrews 9:13-14 13 - For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 - How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 24 - For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: We must realize that in order to come to the real truth of God’s Word, our interpretations must have a spiritual outcome rather than resulting once again back to the carnal and earthly figures. Therefore the battle of Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine appear in all probability to be the battle mentioned in Scripture as Armageddon. This of course is spiritual in nature as opposed to what the corporate church is teaching - a great and literal war upon the physical mountains of the Middle Eastern nation of Israel.

“And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” (Revelation 16:16)

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CHAPTER ONE

Chapter One (Ezekiel 38:1-3)

1 - ÂśAnd the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 - Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 - And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:

The Carcase and the Eagles (How Are We To Understand This Prophecy?) Matthew 24:28 - For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Luke 17:35-37 35 - Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 36 - Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 37 - And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together. In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus states that a carcase, which is a dead body, will attract eagles. In order to understand what Christ was referring to one must study the Olivet Discourse of Matthew chapters twenty-four and twenty-five. Matthew 24:23-28 23 - Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 - For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 - Behold, I have told you before. 9

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CHAPTER ONE 26 - Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27 - For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28 - For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Christ was most certainly warning His disciples and all of true Christendom of a dreadful time to come, after Satan has been loosed at the Abomination of Desolation, wherein the masses of professing followers of Him (false Christians) would claim, and many with signs and wonders, that Christ is in their assembly or congregation. Christ says believe it not. The most potent warning in Scripture: Do not follow false Christs or false prophets (false doctrines disguised as true Christian doctrines), whether they carry with them great signs and wonders makes no difference. Christ was comparing all the multitudes of the world who would seek after many various deceptive doctrines as buzzards who feed upon dead carcases! A carcase is a dead body with no life in it. That is what the corporate end-time global church has become or is becoming at a rapid pace. Revelation 18:2 - And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. [For an in-depth study on this subject, please see “Mystery Babylon: The Abomination of Desolation?” at http://spiritualbiblestudies.com] Even though we will always use the old King James Bible as our standard, it is nonetheless important to note that other New Testament translations such as The New International Version, as well as The Zondervan Parallel New Testament in Greek and English translate the word “eagles” as vultures. Thayer’s definition of the Greek “aetos” (eagles) notes “Since eagles do not usually go in quest of carrion, this probably refers to a vulture which resembled an eagle.” A vulture or a buzzard is of course a fowl that preys upon a carcase, that is to say a corpse. What then was Christ warning of or alluding to when He stated that the eagles or vultures gather wherever the carcase is? Remember He is speaking of false christs (false doctrines) that would prevail in the church turned apostate during the last days. He warns us not to believe them or not to follow them because they are dead doctrines and therefore have no spiritual life in them. They cannot bring about eternal life and thus Christ warns us to flee from these assemblies because it is the abomination that causes desolation within the outer shell “court which is without” (Revelation 11:2) of the global church of Jesus Christ, Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14. Revelation 11:1-2 1 - ¶And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 - But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. 10

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CHAPTER ONE [Measure the temple of God, the altar, and them that worship therein but the court which is without (meaning outside of God’s temple), measure it not because it has been given over to the Gentiles! This word “Gentiles” carries the meaning of pagan or heathen. In Old Testament days all non-Jewish people were considered pagans or Gentiles. In today’s New Testament Era many Jews and Gentiles are true Christians. Therefore since this reference clearly applies to the Church Age or latter days, we know then that this “outer court” or “court that is without” is in reference to the post Abomination of Desolation church. By that we mean this is in reference to the apostate global church that Satan ravishes after he has been loosed from his spiritual prison. It was once the faithful earthly global Church of Jesus Christ, but has fallen into judgment near the end of time and the tool with which God chooses to use for this judgment upon this unfaithful church is Satan’s release and his gathering together the nations of the world (Gog and Magog) as spiritual weapons against this corporate church - this court that is without - this outer court that is not a part of Christ’s true, invisible, and eternal Church. God has given it over to the gentiles or to the pagans! When we see this happening in the churches of today, we are to flee or depart out.] We must realize that there are three types of people in this life; first there are the unsaved souls that have no religious affiliation; these are the multitudes that come from the symbolical sea, Revelation 13:1-10. Secondly, there are the multitudes of unsaved (tares) within the organized global church which call themselves “Christian” but are not. These are those who come from the symbolical earth (the desecrated harlot church), Revelation 13:11-18, who are disguised as Christians. Thirdly, there is the multitude which no man could number, Revelation 7:9, which indeed represent all of God’s elect past, present, and future, and are termed The Third Part along with many other titles. For an in-depth study please see “The Church: The Third Part” at http://spiritualbiblestudies.com. Why is the corporate church said by many to be apostate at this time in history? Some say it is, others say it isn’t, and many say it is in the process of becoming diluted. Scripture teaches that the New Testament global church will become the target of God’s wrath and judgment during this New Testament Era and that is a certainty! Many people look at the condition of today’s corporate church and ask the question “what really is the problem?” Why do we say she is apostate? No church or congregation is perfect, nor ever has been, so why don’t we simply ease off in our condemnation of today’s corporate or organized church? It takes a true believer to fully understand - as much as we can in this life - the nature of God’s wrath toward us. In looking at Isaiah Chapter Thirty-four let us quote the first two verses: Isaiah 34:1-2 1 - ¶Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. 2 - For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter. In these first two verses God is pleading for the world to hearken to His words in which He informs us that His indignation (WRATH) is upon all nations and His fury is upon all their armies or those who war against God, which would be all inhabitants of the earth apart from God’s elect. God has stated in verse two that “…He hath utterly destroyed them; he hath 11

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CHAPTER ONE delivered them to the slaughter.” This is in the past tense; it has already been sanctioned in heaven upon the throne of God! Most people do not realize this. They believe that they can live as they want and God (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) is such a loving God that He will somehow forgive them for not truly believing in Him. God is not really in the forefront of their lives, He is simply a good-luck charm to them when times get tough. Unsaved man’s perception of God is totally distorted and far from how Scripture portrays God’s relationship to man. Isaiah 24:6 -Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. The few that remain are the elect of God - The Third Part, “For many are called, but few are chosen,” Matthew 22:14. There are many more such passages in the Old Testament that speak to us of our fallen destiny. This is precisely WHY Christ warns us in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24, 25; Mark 13, Luke 17, 21) that the time would come after the Abomination of Desolation has occurred within the organized churches of the world (“court which is without,” Revelation 11:2) that we who have the truth in Christ are not to believe that He is in any particular congregation. If Christ and His Holy Spirit remained in the outer court (corporate church) after the Abomination of Desolation, why then would He command us to depart out? Mark 13:21-22 21 - And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: 22 - For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:23-26 23 - Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 - For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 - Behold, I have told you before. 26 - Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. It is at this particular time after Satan has taken his seat in the global church of Jesus Christ, known as the Abomination of Desolation, that Christ and His Holy Spirit will presumably no longer be found within the congregations of the world. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 3 - ¶Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

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CHAPTER ONE 4 - Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. As the early Church of the first century was expecting Christ to return during their lifetimes, God clarifies the matter in the second chapter of the Book of Thessalonians. His tells them not to be deceived by any means, for the Day of the LORD would not come until after a great falling away from the faith of Christ takes place first, which would lead to that “man of sin” being revealed, who is Satan, the son of perdition. This is the loosing of Satan at the time of the end as he is released from his prison of the bottomless pit. This is but a short time of vengeance upon the earth but is prophesied much of throughout Scripture.

2 Thessalonians 2:6-12 6 - And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. [It is God’s sovereignty and God’s Holy Spirit that has withheld Satan from his final attempt at destroying Christ’s church. But in time (and we believe that time has come) God will allow Satan to attack the corporate church, “court which is without” (Revelation 11:2), as God’s punishment and wrath upon this church turned harlot (Revelation Chapter Eighteen), and also his judgment upon the unbelieving world.] 7 - For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. [The “he” of course is in reference to God’s Holy Spirit. Many times God’s spirit is referenced in the pronoun as “he.” Once the Holy Spirit is “taken out of the way” Satan will be loosed from his prison (Revelation 20:3; 7-8) and allowed to go forth to ravage the corporate church of Jesus Christ. Satan will never be allowed to destroy the true Church of Christ, which is the Bride of Christ, the Elect of God, the New Jerusalem, etc. God gives us many titles for His true Church. God releases Satan as a tool or a means for the purpose of judging this global apostate church and turning her into the harlot that she becomes. Once Satan is released or loosed from the bottomless pit he then invades not the world, but he discreetly invades and deceives the organized global churches as he takes his seat within them. As we have stated over and over again, this is the Abomination of Desolation that Christ warns us of! It is at this time that Christ issues the command to flee to the mountains, (Matthew 24:16; Mark 13:14 and Luke 21:21.). We will deal with the “mountains” in another study in this series.] Matthew 24:15-16 15 - When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 - Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Mark 13:14 - ¶But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: 13

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CHAPTER ONE Luke 21:20-21 20 - ¶And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 - Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. Revelation 20:7-9 7 - And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 - And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 - And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. [We realize that we are being repetitious at this point, and probably throughout this study, however it is done for the purpose of building a solid foundation and to clarify any confusion. Satan is loosed for the purpose of silencing the true Word of God, and he accomplishes this by means of spiritually ravishing the Christ preaching congregations of the world. He deceives and dilutes the Gospel message within the global corporate church to such an extent that it is finally termed a harlot in Revelation chapters seventeen and eighteen. In doing so, Revelation 20:9 tells us that Satan encircles or encompasses the “camp of the saints” and the “beloved city,” which are both terms for Christ’s church. Satan can silence the Gospel within the corporate church or outer court, but he certainly cannot silence the Gospel within the true Church of Christ, God’s true temple.] Please note: Christ warned us in the Olivet Discourse that when we see the Abomination of Desolation - the loosing of Satan and the attacking and silencing of the true Word of God - we are to depart out or flee from the corporate church. This is the time when the Gog/Magog battle commences, or is going forth in full fury, simply because the Gog/Magog Battle is Satan’s final act of rebellion; at attempting to bring the world under his fullest control and to be like the most high: Isaiah 14:13-15 13 - For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 - I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 - Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. The God/Magog War occurs after the Abomination of Desolation has commenced. This Gog/Magog battle is the act of God putting hooks into Satan’s jaws (Ezekiel 38:4) 14

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CHAPTER ONE metaphorically speaking, and allowing Satan to come forth to spiritually destroy the corporate church of Jesus Christ. Again we reiterate that no true Christians will or can be deceived by this final act of Satan, for it is God’s judgment upon the unfaithful congregations of the world.]

Returning back to 2 Thessalonians 2:6-12 8 - And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: [Cross Reference: Revelation 20:7-9 7 - And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 - And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 - And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. [Back to Cross Reference: 2 Thessalonians 2:8 - And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:] 9 - Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 - And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 - And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: [The strong delusion appears most probably to be the deception within the corporate church that Christ warns of. “If it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect,” Matthew 24:24.] 12 - That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

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CHAPTER ONE

Can We See the Strong Delusion Within the Global Corporate Church of Today? Seeing the delusion is precisely the problem. If one doesn’t study the Word of God but nonetheless chooses to stay in the corporate church of today it is a foregone conclusion that they will not have the spiritual sensitivity to determine what is truth and what isn’t. They will simply go along with whatever sounds “religious” to them regardless of whether it is sound biblical doctrine. We teach Christ in our church, so where is this deception they ask. But for the very elect to be nearly deceived during this time would require a great amount of spiritual insight. How can the hundreds of thousands of church members recognize this deception if they do not study the Word of God for themselves? They can’t! They are simply feeding upon the spiritually dead congregational carcases that they choose to attend. What are some of the red flags that should be noticed in these congregations? There are many to say the least, none of which is more important than recognizing a congregation that plays games with the triune nature of God. We are speaking of the trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are taught as our God throughout Scripture and yet many congregations and denominations want to deny the Holy Trinity because they do not read the word “trinity” in Scripture nor can comprehend its presence. However, there are far more deceptive ideologies than this in the organized churches of today. Even the deceptive ways in which the masses are deceived by means of manufactured miracles (great signs and wonders, Matthew 24:24) is still not the most deceptive tactic used by Satan. What about the doctrine of eternal darkness; the abyss, hell, outer darkness, where the worm dieth not? Can you walk into a carcase church and hear this truth being proclaimed? This doctrine is a pertinent part of the narrow way to eternal salvation and it is very doubtful that you would be able to find a congregation willing to preach the real truth regarding this subject. Christ taught it fervently and passionately in the Gospels! We can also say with certainly that the masses within the harlot or carcase congregations are forbidding their members to believe in the precious doctrine of predestination in exchange for a free-will blasphemous notion that man has the spiritual ability to literally save himself. This appears to be one of the most deceptive falsities in the organized church today. By being born from above and knowing the scriptures, one will always recognize the truth of Scripture in that God Almighty does it all and man cannot add one iota in order to save himself. From Genesis to Revelation we read that it is God the Creator who accomplishes everything that is good and fallen man cannot possibly become eternally saved apart from God first calling him into salvation. Another troubling trend that we see today in virtually all apostate congregations is the strong teaching of love and love alone. What could possibly be wrong with this scenario you may ask? The love that they are propagating is not the love that Christ wants us to have. Christ desires for us to be filled with the love of His Gospel (Good News) for mankind, and not the watered down murky “love everyone” theme that is so overwhelming in the dead churches of today. Matthew 22:37-39 37 - Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 - This is the first and great commandment. 39 -And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 16

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CHAPTER ONE 1 John 4:8 - He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 1 John 4:16 - And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. These commandments must be understood in conjunction with the overall teachings of Scripture. The above phrase “…he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him” must be applied to the conditions based upon the teachings of Scripture and not merely based upon one’s emotions. There are millions of unsaved people throughout the world who hold dearly to some sort of a love doctrine and yet abhor the teachings of Christ. As far as is noticeable within the apostate congregations of today, the dangers of this so-called love at any cost doctrine may well be one of the most dangerous. There are many church slogans floating around today to promote one church or another; slogans such as “Loving People to Christ,” and so forth. Now what in the world could be wrong with such a slogan as this, many may ask. Churches may have the desire to “love people to Christ,” however in doing so many will never adhere to the true doctrines of Christ. In addition it is specific doctrines or biblical passages that seem to cause a self-righteous despising or hatred of the true Gospel. Perhaps passages such as these: Luke 14:26 - If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. [We know that Christ wasn’t telling us to literally hate our mother, father, wife, husband, children, etc. For this is contrary to Christ. The hatred that He certainly must have been speaking of is in the manner or spiritual condition in which a disciple of Christ’s unregenerate family remained in. For surely Christ speaks highly of love when it is solidly based upon all of Scripture: Luke 6:27 - ¶But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Matthew 5:44 - But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;] Another set of passages turns multitudes against the true and narrow Gospel: Matthew 10:34-38 34 - Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 - For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 - And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 37 - He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 17

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CHAPTER ONE 38 - And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. Be honest with yourselves, can you go to a local congregation down the street and hear these truths being proclaimed from the pulpit? Christ did not come to bring peace on earth in the same way that most people perceive this phrase “peace on earth.” No, Christ came to bring us the peace that surpasses all understanding and this is altogether a different type of peace than what the world knows of or desires. Philippians 4:7 - And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. The only way to accomplish this super natural peace is through the sword of Christ which is the Word of God! And this is the sword of which few men desire: Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Might we hear this doctrine preached in the many congregations of the world? Or how about love not the world? 1 John 2:15-17 15 - Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 - For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 - And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Many who attend the thousands of churches throughout the world are madly in love with this life and with this present world. They are certainly not willing to pick up their cross and follow the narrow way of Christ. This is the boundary that separates the carcase from the true and living body of believers in Christ Jesus. Those in the carcase congregations are there for many reasons, mostly social, but certainly they are not there because they want to follow Christ in all truth and doctrine. For in conjunction with the loosing of Satan we see the depravity of man in its worse state. As Christ was tempted in the wilderness, Satan offered Him the glory of this world in return for His worship. Satan's ability to bequeath the glory of this world upon another has been limited, but we are told that in the end Satan will bestow this world into the hands of an entity called the "beast". The loosing of the beast upon mankind is accomplished by man's rejection of the truths of God, and their embracing of the lies of Satan. It is extremely interesting that many Hebrew scholars insist that in the original language, Gog means: "under the roof" while Magog means "out from under the roof." Gog apparently refers to Satan as he is captive, bound, and kept as it were: under a roof. Magog, they say, refers to Satan being unloosed. As Magog, he bursts forth from where he had been bound, under the roof. The scriptural references to Gog 18

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CHAPTER ONE and Magog symbolize the full rage of Satan as he is loosed or unchained in these final years of the New Testament Era. Satan is once again being loosed, this time to gather the nations of the world to Armageddon, which is the long-awaited or long-dreaded Judgment Day. Revelation 16:16-17 16 -And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. 17 - ¶And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. Revelation 20:8-9 8 - And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 - And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. As more and more people in the world cleave to the great falling away and the revolt against the once accepted things of God, there is now a major shift toward downgrading and humiliating Christian teachings in favor of upgrading the philosophies of those who oppose God. The world has grown so far away from the principles of the Bible in recent years that the Bible is now viewed with hostility and contempt and is considered by many to be, "hate literature,” or nothing more than an ancient book of myths.

_____________ 1 -¶And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 - Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 - And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: (Ezekiel 38:1-3) Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, and prophesy against him! God is speaking to the prophet Ezekiel and thus to all humanity down through the centuries who read his God inspired word. 2 Peter 1:21 - For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 19

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CHAPTER ONE As stated in our Introduction, Gog and Magog represent all peoples of the earth, but there is more: Revelation 20:7-9 7 - And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 - And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 - And they [Gog and Magog] went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. NOTE: Some say that the above phrase “Gog and Magog” may be more accurately translated as “Gog of Magog” simply because in the Ezekiel account Gog is spoken of as being from the land of Magog; and this appears to be without question a discussion of both the Revelation and the Ezekiel prophecies. They also say that the Revelation account refers to Gog and his land of followers (Magog). Gog then would represent Satan who was bound, but now is loosed and leads Magog (all the unsaved of the world) to their final destruction. However, it is easy to become confused when reading of Satan being loosed and going out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them to battle, etc. How can Gog represent Satan if Satan is loosed in order to deceive the nations of the earth - Gog and Magog? How is it that Satan will deceive Gog if indeed Gog is Satan? At this point it is safest to discard the many opinions and influences of others in regard to “Gog of Magog” versus “Gog and Magog” and simply go with what we read in the old King James Bible along with a great many other translations, which nearly all translate as “Gog and Magog.” Simply put, God is stating that at the end of the symbolical thousand years, which is a reference to the New Testament Church Age, Satan will then be released from his prison and shall then go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth - Gog and Magog. It appears quite clear then that Gog and Magog are two names that represent the peoples of the world even if Gog represents Satan before being loosed (under the roof) and Magog represents Satan after being loosed (out from under the roof). These are the multitudes that are under Satan’s influence and are fighting his battles for him. Satan is Satan and cannot be Gog and Magog but rather Gog and Magog appear to be the armies of Satan; the armies of the world; the armies from the four quarters of the earth. Before we can actually begin this study we must fully understand the biblical fact that Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, does not represent the country of Russia today, nor does it represent any single or specific country of today in any way whatsoever. Magog clearly represents all the nations of today who are being drawn (hooks in thy jaws, Ezekiel 38:4) to this final spiritual battle for the souls of men. Throughout Scripture and in so many of our studies at spiritualbiblestudies.com we have seen biblical lesson after lesson that teaches the unleashing of Satan’s emissaries via the loosing of Satan at the end of the New Testament Era. The purpose of this unleashing is not to attack, deceive, or even to kill the masses of humanity in the world. Why? Because the masses of the world ARE the emissaries of Satan! So then the loosing of Satan is accomplished for the sole purpose of spiritually killing or let us say silencing the true Gospel of Salvation through Christ Jesus. To 20

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CHAPTER ONE silence the true Gospel of Christ is to pronounce judgment upon the apostate world and how does God accomplish this other than loosing Satan and allowing him to destroy the true doctrines of Christ within - AND ONLY WITHIN - the global corporate church; i.e. the outer court but not within the true and invisible (temple) Church of Jesus Christ. While the true believers will bewail and lament for the corporate church (Revelation 18) because they see her truths being destroyed, yet it is of course not the true believers who are being judged, but rather it is God’s stamp of completion in that the world is being spiritually judged through the destruction and silencing of the true Word of God. Again, how is this accomplished? God will or has already released Satan from his prison abode for the purpose of deceiving all nations (Gog and Magog) and to gather them (Gog and Magog) for this great spiritual battle. Let it be known that this Gog/Magog battle fulfills many ancient prophecies, two of which are as follows: 1) The loosing of Satan brings about the wrath of the nations (Gog and Magog) down upon the corporate church of Jesus Christ, which is indeed the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Christ as He alluded to it and referenced it from the Book of Daniel. Revelation Chapter Eighteen also speaks of the Abomination of Desolation from the standpoint of how the truth of God’s Word is no longer heard in the corporate church. 2) The loosing of Satan brings about and hastens the return of Christ. For Christ’s return cannot take place until first there comes the great falling away, and that man of sin [Satan] be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God [Gog and Magog invading and installing Satan’s doctrines of devils within the global corporate church], shewing himself that he is God, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4.

Ezekiel 38:2-3 2 - Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 - And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: There will certainly be a great multitude of biblical understanding that we will surely miss in this study of Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine. However, on the other hand there have been many truths revealed concerning this prophecy during the past few decades. It is certain that these two chapters and the Revelation Chapter Twenty account are indeed teaching the same prophecy. Of course the Revelation Chapter Twenty account is a greatly condensed version of Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine and therefore the many nations of Gog and Magog that we read of in the Ezekiel account are condensed into the phrase “… the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog …” Revelation 20:8. The Ezekiel study gives us many names to ponder. Many of today’s teachers attempt to correlate, associate, or link these ancient names and geographical places that we read of in these two chapters of Ezekiel to modern nations of today. They are filled with a false sense of exhilaration and enthusiasm simply because these ancient nations that are mentioned in our study of Ezekiel are all located in the Middle East! They now see a grand literal battle forming in and around the mountains of Israel. In regard to what they believe they are seeing, we need to proclaim to them 21

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CHAPTER ONE that Ezekiel is simply listing the nations and/or geographical areas of that ancient time that would represent Gog and Magog, the nations that are in the four corners of the earth, Revelation 20:8. It is quite evident that the time when Ezekiel penned this prophecy the known world to him could be only these Middle Eastern territories that he speaks of, believing that he is speaking of the nations of the world. These nations, territories, or geographical areas were indeed the known corners of the earth at the time that God inspired Ezekiel to write the prophecies. The many literalists today who are teaching that this is an end-time battle in the Middle East are reading of the nations mentioned by Ezekiel and are shouting - “You see! See there! It’s all coming down to war in the Middle East! It’s all coming down to a grand invasion of national Israel just like Ezekiel said it would!” The areas mentioned in Ezekiel’s prophecy are not focusing in on the Middle East, but as we have stated these territories mentioned by Ezekiel are lime lighting the nations of the entire world - Gog and Magog - and not specific Middle Eastern nations. Again, it is simply because the Middle Eastern nations during Ezekiel’s life represented all of the nations of the earth. Therefore at the onset of this study we must realize that the many nations or territories mentioned in Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine are representative of the entire world and may hold spiritual implications as well. End of Chapter One

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CHAPTER TWO

Chapter Two (Ezekiel 38:4) 4 - And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:

God Will Bring Gog and Magog Forth to Battle In the first three verses of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight we see the calling out of Gog and Magog. Ezekiel 38:1-3 1 - ¶And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 - Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 - And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: It is highly unlikely that we are to look for a literal modern day chief prince of a modern day city or territory that was once referenced in the Old Testament as Meshech and/or Tubal. The term “chief prince” is found in only three verses in Scripture, and all are located in Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine (Ezekiel 38:2-3; 39:1). The only true Prince of Scripture is the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ (Isaiah 9:6). Those who are true followers or Disciples of Christ are indeed princes to Him: Isaiah 32:1 - ¶Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. All others who call themselves princes are imposters and thus Satan is the chief imposter or Chief Prince. Let us understand that Gog and Magog represent the peoples of the world (Revelation 20:8) and Satan can still be perceived as Gog and Magog in representation, thus he would be the chief prince of Gog and Magog to include all of the peoples of the world that are mentioned in these two chapters of Ezekiel. Satan’s armies in the latter days are not the general unsaved population of the world, but are indeed the Christian appearing masses that are under his spell. 23

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CHAPTER TWO

As we work our way through Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine we should see and learn that the many nations mentioned throughout these chapters were highly symbolized in the Old Testament as being “partakers” of those who proclaim the Gospel of God and of His Christ (God incarnate). One example is as follows: “Javan, Tubal, and Meshach, they were thy merchants: they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market.” (Ezekiel 27:13) God opens both chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine of Ezekiel with a lamentation against Meshach and Tubal: Ezekiel 38:2 - Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, Ezekiel 39:1 - ¶Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: Meshech and Tubal are viewed in Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven as being partakers (spiritual merchants) of those who traffic or bring the Gospel of Christ. The phrase “vessels of brass” can be seen to relate to those who worship Christ and they also ultimately held this meaning or prefigure as these vessels of brass were utensils utilized in the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and again in the physical temple in Jerusalem. They were, as all tools and utensils represented, foreshadows in one way or another of Christ the Messiah and those who worship Christ in His spiritual and eternal temple. Joshua 6:19 - But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD. This is merely the “tip of the iceberg” sort to speak in what we intend to teach in this study. All of us will be learning and discovering hidden truths as we compare different aspects of God’s Word. Meshech and Tubal are spiritual merchants in God’s church that will, in these end days, be given over to Satan and his Christ appealing counterfeit corporate and global church. If you have read our study “Mystery Babylon: the Abomination of Desolation?” then you are familiar with the following verses: Revelation 18:11-12 11 - And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: [This merchandise is spiritual only and is the precious true doctrines of the Gospel of Christ. This is the merchandise that is under attack and will disappear from the corporate 24

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CHAPTER TWO churches of the world as Satan and his spiritual armies (Gog and Magog) move in for the kill.] 12 - The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, [We see vessels of brass being clearly spoken of in this verse. They are a part of God’s spiritual merchandise and at one time Meshech and Tubal were merchandising (carrying forth) this Gospel, Ezekiel 27:13.] Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven might be said to be the Revelation Chapter Eighteen of the Old Testament. It is a lamentation against the city of Tyrus which is the same as the Old Testament Tyre and is defined in the Hebrew as “a rock.” Christ Jesus and His Church is the only true Rock, and this Rock is to be attacked at the “loosing” or the releasing of Satan for the purpose of silencing the true Gospel and judging the world of both the secular and the religious masses. Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven, along with Revelation Chapter Eighteen, give us many details in highly spiritual fashion for those who have ears to hear. At this time it is necessary to take a detour and examine the twenty-seventh chapter of the Book of Ezekiel.

Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-Seven Tyrus and Tyre: A Look at Today’s Apostate Church We could easily write a lengthy book as we look at what Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven offers us in relation to our study of the Gog/Magog War. At this time we will try to skim over these verses as briefly as we can in order to get back to our original study. As we read from Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven we are doing so in order to determine what nations or territories are mentioned here that are also mentioned in our Ezekiel study. In addition, we want to make comparisons to our Revelation Eighteen study of Mystery Babylon, which is also a lamentation against the spiritual city (Babylon) that was once the earthly representation of the heavenly city - the church of Christ. Tyrus (Tyre) in Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven appears to be the same heavenly city (church of Christ) turned apostate at the end of time. Both of these cities, in their studies, are teaching the same spiritual truth. The once faithful earthly church of Christ (Tyrus or Trye) has finally become the harlot and is the same city that we read of in Revelation Chapter Eighteen. It is under attack from the spiritual north (Satan’s realm); God has loosed Satan for this purpose and is gathering the nations (Gog and Magog) to come down upon the earthly or corporate church in order to take its true Gospel from the earth. God’s judgment is first poured out upon the unfaithful church and then alas upon the world in general. 1 Peter 4:17 - For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? As we begin reading through Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven it should be emphasized that all ancient Old Testament history indeed transpired precisely as God declares. Many of these 25

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CHAPTER TWO historic occurrences hold heavenly meanings for us today. Again, every Old Testament occurrence that took place did so literally in the physical realm. Having said that, we also must realize that there are portions of Scripture, such as Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven (the lamentation against Tyrus) that do not record ancient Jewish history, but rather puts forth or displays heavenly truths through the use of metaphoric portraits, which are not ancient Jewish history. It is wrong for a person who reads specific ancient Old Testament Scripture and then changes or distorts its literal outcome by claiming that it wasn’t fulfilled in the physical realm. Much of Scripture carries a physical fulfillment as well as a spiritual one, or even a double or triple meaning in the physical and the spiritual, etc. Old Testament history is precisely just that, events and occurrences that literally unfolded during that time. Metaphorical teachings within the Old Testament are not necessarily ancient Jewish history, but again they are spiritual teachings and truths that God lays down for us in the form of picturesque language that hold their own terms of truth hidden within specific wording or terms that God uses. God’s Word, as we’ve stated over and over, is His own dictionary. His words are not always in line with our words and understanding and this is the challenge one must begin to seek if we are truly going to advance in our understanding of God’s truth to us. We will now review a portion of Chapter Sixteen and all of Chapter Seventeen of “Mystery Babylon: The Abomination of Desolation?” to refresh out memories as to precisely what Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven is all about and how many of the players in the Gog/Magog battle are mentioned within this chapter.

Excerpts From Chapters Sixteen and Seventeen of “Mystery Babylon: The Abomination of Desolation?” When we examine the word mariners in the Old Testament we find that almost all of these references are found in Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven. This chapter is the Revelation Eighteen of the Old Testament. It deals with a city of merchants; a city that trades with the world; a city that has finally fallen. This city is symbolically portrayed by the ancient city of Tyrus. The parallels of this chapter to Revelation Chapter Eighteen are staggering. Tyrus has arrogantly declared: "I of perfect beauty," Ezekiel 27:4. The harlot church of Revelation Eighteen has declared the same thing: "... I sit a queen, and am no widow ..." Rev. 18:7. Tyrus was adorned in fine linen, blue and purple (Ezekiel 27:7). The wise men of Tyrus were her pilots (shipmen in Hebrew, v. 8). She traded in vessels of brass (v. 13), and with horsemen and horses and mules (v. 14). Tyrus also traded in wheat, oil, honey, balm (v. 17), and ivory (v. 15), and wine and white wool (v. 18). Tyrus traded for iron, cassia, calamus (v. 19), and precious clothes for chariots (v. 20). Verse twenty-one tells us that she traded in lambs and rams and goats, along with spices, and gold, and all precious stones (vs. 21-22). Tyrus was rich in blue clothes, broidered work, and rich apparel bound with cords (signifying the Tabernacle in the wilderness). Cedar was among her (v. 24). All of her merchandise indeed was real and physical. However, the ultimate teaching of these parabolic passages is spiritual in nature, figuratively picturing the Gospel of salvation through Christ Jesus. "The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas." (Ezekiel 27:25) 26

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CHAPTER TWO This great spiritual city once heard the voices of believers singing praises to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the congregations - i.e. "thy market." The word "market" in this Hebrew text denotes - among other things - to undertake, to engage, or to occupy. In Luke 19:13 Christ states "...occupy till I come ..." "Occupy" is translated as trade in the following: Greek/Hebrew Interlinear Bible (Hendrickson); The Interlinear Greek-English New Testament (Berry); The Zondervan Parallel New Testament in Greek and English. Unfortunately, the King James translation should have been a more precise rendering. The Revised Standard also translates "occupy" as "trade." The New King James translates it as "do business till I come." This is actually more accurate than "occupy," however the business that Christ would have us conduct is to "... be about my Father's business," Luke 2:49. This "business" is the spiritual task of proclaiming the good news of salvation through Christ Jesus. And so Tyrus was said to be very glorious in the earth, which denotes possessing glory and honour. She was glorious as the bride of Christ. Finally, she falls (cf. Babylon is fallen, is fallen) into spiritual decay, (Ezekiel 27:27). This seems to be yet another entire chapter depicting the fall of the corporate church and the abomination of desolation at the end of time. Her mariners (merchants) are bitterly crying and casting dust upon their heads. They are girding themselves with sackcloth, while weeping and wailing (vs. 30-31). Why are they crying? Because no one buys her merchandise anymore! The spiritual merchandise of salvation through Jesus Christ is no longer being preached. Everything in this chapter confirms and identifies with Revelation Chapter Eighteen. Tyrus enriched the kings of the earth with her merchandise of the Gospel. "...thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise." (Ezekiel 27:33) Cross reference: "...and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies." (Revelation 18:3) Cross reference: "The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing." (Revelation 18:15) When we read of mariners in Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven we find that two different Hebrew words are used. In verse eight mariners is also defined as "rowers." This is translated in Strong's Hebrew as "to push forth (figuratively) to lash, i.e. (the sea with oars) to row; by implication, to travel." â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mariners" has absolutely everything to do with searching for and carrying forth the true Gospel of Christ. Scripture teaches that Christ is the true manna which came down from heaven. As the children of Israel wondered in the wilderness, God rained down upon them literal food called manna, which was a picture or symbol of Christ, our spiritual food from heaven. In Exodus 11:8 we read of the people seeking and gathering this manna: "And the people went about [same Hebrew word as "mariner"] and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil." (Exodus 11:8) "Went about" is the same Hebrew word used for "mariners." What is the mission of the mariners and their ships of Scripture? To travel to and fro with the Gospel. The children of Israel daily "went about" (mariner) gathering the manna which spiritually typified traveling to and fro for the Gospel. 27

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CHAPTER TWO In II Samuel 24:2 God commands David to go through all the tribes of Israel and number them. The words "go through" also come from the Hebrew word translated as "MARINER. Could this signify running back and forth or to and fro? II Chronicles 16:9 begins with "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth ..." Yes, "run" and "fro" are again the Hebrew word for "mariner." We find the phrase "to and fro" mainly in reference to God; however in Job it is God who allows Satan to roam the earth to and fro. This phrase means to travel back and forth. In Jeremiah 5:1 we read the following: "Run [mariners] ye to and fro [mariners] through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it." This chapter ultimately speaks of the spiritual harlotry of the church at the end of time. However, the great commission is to take the Gospel into all nations. That is precisely what the mariners of Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven are doing. They traded with all nations; they traveled to and fro (as spiritual mariners) with their spiritual merchandise. When the merchants traded fine linen, they presented the Gospel, spiritually speaking. When they took the wine and the bread into other nations, they took the blood of Christ to the unsaved. Tyrus commissioned mariners to take her precious wood and precious stones to the heathen nations as well as to the civilized nations. She presented scarlet and thyine wood abroad for the souls of men. She offered rams, lambs, and goats, which pictured God's perfect sacrifice - His only Begotten Son - that many would spiritually trade with her. The mariners of Tyrus traveled to and fro that many would buy this truth and sell it not (Proverbs 23:23). As God begins to judge His corporate church for its unfaithfulness, we expect to see much of the true Gospel silenced. Amos 8:12 says: "And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run [mariners] to and fro [mariners] to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it." Notice that the above verse says they wander from sea to sea seeking God's Word. Does scripture not teach that it is the mariners who travel in the seas? Are they not merchandising in God's Word? When we say merchandising in God's Word, we do not mean that they are physically merchandising or making money by marketing God's Word. No, the merchandising that Scripture focuses on is the taking of the Gospel of Christ to the unsaved world. FOOTNOTES: 49* "koo-ber-nay'-tace" [kubernetes] #2942 Strong's Greek. Helmsman, i.e. (by implication) captain. From #2941 "koo-ber'-nay-sis" [kubernao] of Latin origin, to steer; pilotage, etc. (figuratively directorship (in the church). "The pilot or steersman of a ship," or, metaphorically, "a guide or government." 50* "nautes" [now'-tace] #3492 Strong's Greek. From #3491; a boatman, i.e. seaman: - sailor, shipman.

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CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Praise No Longer Heard: Tyrus Too "And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee ..." (Revelation 18:22) "And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps shall be heard no more." (Ezekiel 26:13) [In reference to Tyrus] As stated in our last chapter, Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-Seven is very similar to Revelation Chapter Eighteen. This would include Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-six and a portion of Chapter Twenty-eight as well. Much of what is taught pertaining to Mystery Babylon is also taught concerning Tyrus. These sections of scripture seem to be describing the same dreadful event at the end of time. While it is true that they had partial fulfillments in Old Testament history, nonetheless they appear to ultimately be focusing in on the Church of Christ as God brings judgment upon its corporate and outward body. When Revelation Chapter Eighteen states that the voice of harpers shall be heard no more at all in thee, we see in the Greek that the word "voice" is also translated as noise or sound. The harpers will be heard no more at all in this religious harlot. But don't we see a vast number of churches today singing and praising God with many instruments and huge choirs? True, but we must realize that music of praise brought forth from a congregation that is no longer faithful to God's Word will not be praiseworthy to God. Therefore, the sound or voice of harpers shall be heard no more at all in thee. We also read in Revelation 18:23 that the voice of the bride and the voice of the bridegroom shall be heard no more at all in this harlot. The bride being Christâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s elect and the bridegroom being Christ Himself. We need to fully understand that the Word of God which is the "voice of the bridegroom" is not being faithfully declared any longer from most congregations. Therefore, it has become another gospel in most cases. When God declares that the voice of the bride and the voice of the bridegroom is no longer heard, it is because God has taken the truth of His Word from these unfaithful congregations. The word "harper" simply means one who plays the harp. Whenever scripture mentions the playing of a harp, we can rest assured that this music is - in most instances - played for the worshiping of the God of creation. In other words scripture does not speak of the playing of the harp in any worldly sense, or for one's own glory. Therefore, we know beyond any doubt that the harpers which are no longer heard in Tyrus and/or Mystery Babylon are depicting the harpers of the true Church which, in most cases, are no longer found in the unfaithful congregations. They are the true worshipers of God. They have fled because Satan has taken his seat in the Temple of God, showing himself that he is God, II Thessalonians 2:4. All that remain, for the most part, are harpers harping to the music of defiled gospels. Isaiah 24:8 confirms this: "The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth." Isaiah Chapter Twenty-four goes on to say that there is crying for wine in the streets. There is no Gospel to be found. The city is left in desolation (cf. the abomination of desolation), and the gate is smitten with destruction, Isaiah 24:11,12. 29

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CHAPTER TWO The true meaning of harp playing in scripture is for the worshiping of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: "And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals." (2 Samuel 6:5) "Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps." (2 Chronicles 15:28) "Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with psaltery and on instrument of ten strings." (Psalm 33:2) "I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel." (Psalm 71:22) "Sing unto the LORD with the harp; and the voice of a psalm," (Psalm 98:5) "Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God," (Psalm 147:7) "Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp," (Psalm 150:3) We also read in Revelation 18:22 that the voice of the musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters shall be heard no more in thee. "Musicians" is defined as minstrels: the playing of musical instruments in praise to the Lord; or to sing to the harp. A "piper" is defined in the Greek as a flute player. Naturally, it is this true musical praise that, along with the spiritual merchandise, is no longer to be found in this great city. How must we interpret the remainder of verse twenty-two? "... and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft, shall be found any more in thee ..." At first glance it would appear that God is speaking of the craftsmen of the world. This, however, will not harmonize with the rest of the chapter. The word 51*"craftsman" in the Greek denotes an artisan, or figuratively symbolizes a founder or the Creator. It is translated also as "builder," specifically a trade or skill. We see this word used in Acts 19:24 & 38 which signifies a worldly trade in the historical setting: "For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen [tekh-nee'-tace]," (Acts 19:24). "Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen [tekh'-nee'-tace] which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another," (Acts 19:38) In addition to its usage in signifying a trade, we find it's usage in Hebrews 11:10 to mean something much more than a mortal craftsman: 30

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CHAPTER TWO "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose BUILDER [tekh-nee'-tace: craftsman] and maker is God." (Hebrews 11:10) As "builder" or "craftsman" are no doubt in reference to the Creator, this verse also designates God as "maker." In the Greek the word "maker" means a worker for the people, i.e. mechanic (spoken of the Creator). We do not have to limit ourselves to literal or worldly interpretations simply because a certain Greek or Hebrew word will be used in many literal ways. Let us not forget that Christ speaks in parables, and a parable will always leave a heavenly and spiritual meaning to be interpreted. In Revelation 18:22 we find that the pipers, harpers, trumpeters, and musicians are symbolizing the worship of the one true God through music. The word "craftsman" and "builder" (same Greek word) carries a highly spiritual and symbolical connotation to God Himself, and to all of His elect who are partaking of the body (Temple) of Christ. In verse twenty-two we see that all of the craftsmen "of whatsoever craft he be" are found no more in thee (Mystery Babylon). Could these "craftsmen" be a reference to the spiritual builders, makers, or craftsmen of the New Testament Temple? We know that Christ Himself is the chief cornerstone of His Church, the Temple, and all true believers are spiritual stones and builders of this Temple. "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." (I Peter 3:5) In 1 Corinthians 3:10-14 we read: "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." "Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;" "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." "If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward." From the above verses we see that all believers in Christ are to be spiritual builders of the Temple of God. We are to build upon Jesus Christ, who is our only foundation. The above usages of the word "build" and "buildeth" carries the strict meaning of building thereupon, as does the following references: "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God." "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;" 31

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CHAPTER TWO "In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:" "In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:19-22) All true believers make up a portion of Christ's house, Hebrews 3:6. Jesus Christ is our Apostle and High Priest, Hebrews 3:2, and it was He who built our spiritual house, Hebrews 3:4. We are to continue to build upon Christ's' foundation; that is we are to continue to build upon the Word of God and the works of Christ as spiritual sacrifices to God, our heavenly Father. Going back to Revelation 18:22 we now should have a clearer picture of what is meant when we read that no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in this harlot woman of the wilderness. Those who are spiritually building a spiritual house, and whose foundation was laid by Christ Jesus, are exercising their spiritual craft by building upon the foundation of Christ. This is the true born-again Christian. They have left the corporate church and have fled to Christ! FOOTNOTES: 51* "tekh-nee’tace" #5079 Strong’s Greek From #5078; an artisan; fig. A founder (Creator): builder, craftsman End of Excerpts from “Mystery Babylon: The Abomination of Desolation?”

Lamentation for Tyrus; A Brief Look (Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven) 1 - ¶The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 2 - Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus; 3 - And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty. Verse three states that Tyrus was situated or dwelt at the “entry of the sea.” Tyrus is the Greek version of the Hebrew name Tyre, a city on the Mediterranean seacoast of what is today Lebanon. It was one of the most ancient major trading cities of the world. What spiritual profit or benefit do we gain by knowing this fact of ancient Tyrus? This is why we know for certain that God teaches us spiritual truths that are hidden within the physical history of the Old Testament. Tyrus was a great merchant city and this chapter clearly indicates that she also represents the great spiritual merchant city (spiritual Jerusalem) that was once God’s earthly representation (the church) but has turned apostate in these end times and has become the spiritual Jerusalem turned harlot and apostate.

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CHAPTER TWO Revelation 11:8 - And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. This city is also referenced as “Mystery Babylon the Great, Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth,” Revelation 17:5. The whole of Revelation Chapter Eighteen details all of her spiritual merchandise which indeed was at one time the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. You can read the Babylon study on our site at http://spiritualbiblestudies.com. In metaphorical terms, Tyrus was that great spiritual merchant city (as was Babylon the Great turned harlot) , overcome with pride and degradation, for both Tyrus and Babylon the Great are representative of the fallen corporate church of Jesus Christ near the end of the New Testament Age. Ezekiel 27:3 - “… Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty.” Revelation 18:7 - “… for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 4 - Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty. Tyrus’ borders or boundaries are in the midst of the seas. That is to say her platform in which to operate is limitless! She is able to traffic the Gospel to the midst of the seas and therefore to the entire world. “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. Revelation 18:17 - For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, The sea or troubled sea as it were is representative of the fallen and unsaved world, Isaiah 57:20. Thus it is the sea or “world” in which God sends forth His messengers of the Gospel of good news. These messengers are the Christians or spiritual merchants who are the builders [Strong’s Hebrew #1129] of this spiritual city, the Temple of God. Christ is the builder of His Church and in addition it is the task of every true Christian to assist in this building of God’s Temple - to perfect thy beauty as the above verse four declares. The Hebrew word “perfect” carries the meaning of completion. Psalms 118:22 - The stone which the builders [Strong’s Hebrew #1129] refused is become the head stone [Christ Jesus] of the corner. Luke 20:17 - And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? Acts 4:11 - This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

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CHAPTER TWO 1 Peter 2:7 - Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, As you can see, the true builders of Scripture are not those who labor with hammer and nails, but the true builders of Scripture are the spiritual builders of Christ’s Church - all worshippers of Christ. There are true builders (true believers) and there are false builders (tares, non-believers) within the earthly church. The task of Tyrus’ builders were to perfect or complete its beauty (Strong’s Hebrew #3302 - to be bright), that is to complete the church and thus its beauty as Ezekiel 27:4 states. Psalms 45:11 - So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty [Strong’s Hebrew #3302 - to be bright]: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. Psalms 50:2 - Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined [to shine or give light; to be bright.] Cross reference: Ezekiel 27:4 - Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty. [Absolutely amazing!! We have just seen how we are to interpret Scripture if we truly desire the deeper riches that God has stored up for us. This alone should prove to us that Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven is not merely an earthly history lesson of the ancient and earthly city of Tyrus! God has much more for us than that! But wait, there is more to this specific thought.] Lamentations 2:15 - All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth? [Tyrus, as we have seen, is referenced as the “perfection of beauty.” Her builders have perfected thy beauty, verse four of Ezekiel Twenty-seven states. Yes, that is certainly true because Tyrus is a metaphorical term for the church of Christ, just as Jerusalem and/or the daughter of Jerusalem is a metaphorical term also depicting the church of Christ.] Psalms 48:2 - Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. [Even the term Mount Zion is a metaphorical term denoting the church of Jesus Christ. We must remember that near the end of time the earthly portion (outer court) of the church of Jesus Christ will turn apostate and be judged, thereby becoming the great spiritual harlot. True Christians will not be a part of this outer court, this corporate church. This perfection of the church’s beauty does not last forever within the corporate church; it is only within the inner court or within the true and eternal Church of Christ that this beauty of perfection is eternal. And how is this beauty of perfection ended or taken from the corporate church? At the loosing of Satan God will then allow Satan’s armies (Gog and 34

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CHAPTER TWO Magog) to come against the corporate church as judgment upon her and the world in general. Yes, figuratively its perfection of beauty will be taken from her at that time: Ezekiel 28:7 - Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations [Gog and Magog]: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.] We do not have the space to write a lengthy commentary on Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven; therefore from this point forward we will simply examine pertinent verses of that chapter as they correlate to our study of the battle of God versus Gog and Magog. From Ezekiel 38:5 we read of some of the armies that will be with Gog and Magog as they attack “compass the camp of the saints,” Revelation 20:8. Ezekiel 38:5 - Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: [God shows us these nations that will be with Gog and Magog and utilizes literal armament (shield and helmet) to mimic her weaponry metaphorically. Yes, metaphorically! For in Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven Persia’s army (a part of Tyrus’ army, the spiritual merchant city), was said to be complete with shield and helmet, which is to say they were equipped with spiritual armament:] Ezekiel 27:10 - They of Persia and of Lud and of Phut were in thine army, thy men of war: they hanged the shield and helmet in thee; they set forth thy comeliness. [Persia, a part of Satan’s last religious army at the end of time, was at one time (in metaphorical language only) a part of God’s earthly church (merchant city), in which she helped to set forth Tyrus’ comeliness, Ezekiel 27:10. By that we mean before she fell into apostasy and into the hands of Satan’s emissaries, she was an asset to the Church of Jesus Christ. Comeliness in the Hebrew is defined as follows: Strong’s Hebrew - From H1921; magnificence, that is, ornament or splendor: - beauty, comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory, goodly, honour, majesty. Ezekiel 27:25 - The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas. Ezekiel 38:13 - Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? [During this last great spiritual battle between God and Satan we see that the merchants of Tarshish will ask or wonder “Have you Satan (Gog and Magog) come to take a great spoil?” Tarshish was, while a part of the corporate and global church, a strong member of Christ’s church, for Ezekiel Twenty-seven states that she was replenished and made very 35

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CHAPTER TWO glorious in the world; that is in the midst of the seas. Why does Tarshish and all the young lions thereof ask the question “Art thou come to take a spoil?” Without the Spirit of God, how does one who resides within the fallen corporate church (merchant city) have the spiritual insight to know or to wonder if indeed Satan has entered into the city to take a great prey or spoil? Actually Ezekiel Thirty-eight does not state that Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish are aligned with Gog and Magog, in fact it states just the opposite! They appear to be on the outside looking in. Perhaps Tarshish and the young lions thereof, along with Sheba and Dedan represent the true believers who are lamenting the fall of the church and its judgment, the Abomination of Desolation? Remember, these chapters are displaying picturesque language along with the true fact that Tyrus was indeed a great and literal port city in its time.]

Ezekiel 27:14 - They of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules. Ezekiel 38:6 - Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. [The house of Togarmah of the north quarters will be symbolically aligned with Gog and Magog as they go up “on the breadth of the earth” Revelation 20:9, to “compass the camp of the saints about,” Revelation 20:9, and “the beloved city,” Revelation 20:9. The “beloved city” or the “camp of the saints” are terms that God uses in speaking of His global and earthly church - those who represent Him on this earth. Satan (Gog and Magog) will succeed at ravishing the outer court of the “beloved city” or the “camp of the saints.” As we have stated, the inner court or the true and eternal Temple of God is where the true worshippers of God are and can never be ravished or destroyed. All those associated with the “camp of the saints” or the “beloved city” who will be deceived are the tares within the corporate church turned apostate Tyrus; apostate Mystery Babylon; apostate spiritual Jerusalem, “which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt,” Revelation 11:8. Ezekiel 27:14 - They of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules.] Tyrus’s armies, including Togarmah, carried forth the Gospel in her (Tyrus’) fairs with horses and horsemen. They did spiritual battle for our God and Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. But now, as Gog and Magog and the nations of the world attack spiritual Tyrus, she is assaulted with the same horses and horsemen that once carried the true Gospel.

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CHAPTER TWO

Horses and Horsemen! We apologize for returning to some of our previous studies, however other than rewriting a new section on “horses and horsemen,” we can simply review what we have already learned from our study of Joel Chapter Two and verse four. As we reread this section keep in mind that horses and/or horsemen are depicted many times in the Old Testament as armies that attack ancient Israel, the physical and literal “foreshadow” of Christ’s New Testament church - the spiritual Israel of God. Horses and horsemen are also viewed, as we are now seeing, among Gog and Magog’s end-time spiritual army. And now let us review our Joel Chapter Two study:

Joel Chapter Two (Verse Four) “The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.” Detour to Revelation 9:7 As we look at verse four we shall detour to Revelation 9:7 of our study “The Fifth Trumpet Judgment.” By examining a section of Chapter Seven of “The Fifth Trumpet Judgment,” we will see that it addresses Joel 2:4.

The Fifth Trumpet Judgment Chapter Seven - Verse Seven “And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.” (Revelation 9:7) [Note: Let us recall that our overall study of Joel Chapter One and up to verse twelve of chapter two deals with the invading locusts. Revelation Chapter Nine is a great parallel section of scripture.]

HORSES PREPARED UNTO BATTLE We have seen the unleashing of these locusts in verse three; their intentions and purposes in verse four, which is to deceive all those on the face of the earth that do not have the seal of God in their foreheads. Verse five taught that these locusts would torment those men who have not the seal of God in their foreheads; declaring that their torment would be five months. This was compared to a scorpion when he strikes a man. Verse seven gives us much more information and insight on these locusts. God begins by telling us that the shapes of these locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle. This word “shape” in the Greek carries the idea of resembling or appearance. These locusts, as is taught in Scripture, are symbolic depictions and 37

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CHAPTER TWO portrayals of those who bring false and damnable doctrines into the Church of Christ. They are knowingly or unknowingly under the influence of Satan to lead astray as many as they can from believing and obeying the true doctrines of God. Why are they now described and pictured as horses prepared unto battle? Will horses have a part in deceiving mankind during this time? Of course we know that is a frivolous thought, but there is a very important reason why God equates these false ministers and false teachers (who are depicted as locusts) to horses prepared unto battle. In illustrating the use of this analogy, let us briefly assess the parallels of the sixth trumpet judgment with regard to the use of horses. Recall that in the Preface of this study we mentioned the fact that the seventh trumpet judgment was the second coming of Christ. However, the first six trumpet judgments are all depicting the overtaking of the congregations of the world and the silencing of the Word of God by false teachers and false ministers. They are out to destroy the “third part” of the earth, which we said was representative of the true Word of God. Please see Section XII of this study entitled “The Church: The Third Part.” As we read from the sixth trumpet judgment, notice that horses symbolically play a major part in this judgment. It is imperative to understand that all six of these trumpet judgments are depicting the very same event, only each is using a slightly different approach. The start of the sixth trumpet judgment begins in Revelation chapter nine and verse thirteen: 13 - ¶And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 - Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. 15 - And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. [The original Greek rendering of this verse reads: “…which were prepared for THE hour and day and month and year…”] 16 - And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. 17 - And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. 18 - By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. 19 - For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt. Out of the mouths of horses issued fire, smoke, and brimstone; by these three were the third part of men killed. By these three was the “third part,” the corporate church of Jesus Christ silenced. From the mouths of these horses issued God’s judgment of fire, smoke, and brimstone upon the worldwide apostate church of Jesus Christ, which has fallen into spiritual adultery and 38

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CHAPTER TWO has become the great harlot. True believers within those congregations that have gone astray will be kept spiritually unharmed, as all true Christians are sealed and made ready to go through this great tribulation, Revelation 3:7. The weapon that these ministers, teachers, selfproclaimed prophets, and such possess is their mouths, as verse nineteen says. What is the job of ministers and teachers, but to declare God’s Word from their mouths? These end-time false prophets are bringing forth half truths, stimulating lies with trickery and chicanery; false signs and wonders for the purpose of leading astray God’s very own elect. God, however, says that His very elect will nearly be led astray by the end time false church - “…if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect,” Matthew 24:24. If it were possible, but it is not possible for any of God’s elect to be eternally damned due to the preaching of these false ministers. Contrary wise, all who do not know Christ as God and Savior, whether they are in the corporate church or in the world itself; all will be deceived and perish by the millions. Today’s world seems to be witnessing some of the full fury of these end-time events within the church of Jesus Christ. Just how far we have already gone into this period is difficult to say, but the condition of today’s apostate church appears to be unlike any time in its history. We see that the ability to deceive mankind has mushroomed with the use of the airwaves through television and radio. In the early days of television, a more pure Gospel was being proclaimed, but now it has been made a mockery of by many television evangelists. This in turn has led to new television comedies that mock the Gospel of Christ. Sadly, those who reject Christ, mainly because of the hypocrisy of television ministers and others, have unknowingly fallen victim to an unseen plan; a strategy deployed by the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), who dispatches his Christian counterfeiters; his imitators of Christ; his “ministers of righteousness” (II Corinthians 11:15). They are deployed to the front lines of this spiritual Armageddon; they are dispatched to the universal church congregations. This is where the spiritual action is. The congregations of the Church of Jesus Christ that are still proclaiming a reasonably true Gospel are the munitions factories of this warfare. At the onset of the final phase of this age-old war, Satan’s strategy is to deliver direct hits on these munitions plants; these rivers, streams, and fountains of living waters. Far worse are the results of these attacks than say the London blitz of World War II. There the damage could be readily observed with the naked eye. The pain from the blitz was only temporal and London’s citizenry knew who their enemy was. On the contrary, today’s church-goers cannot see the damage being inflicted by this spiritual blitz. Most are not only incapable of detecting the enemy, but they are not even aware that there is a battle raging! Finally, the results of this meaningful and momentous warfare are not temporal, but eternal. Therefore, those that spurn and condemn the precious Gospel, indicting the church hypocrisy as their reason, have been beguiled; outwitting themselves, having fallen precisely into the hands of God’s arch enemy - Satan. Many of these television ministers are on the air for this very purpose; whether they are aware of it or not makes no difference. To deceive those who have not the mark of God on their foreheads. This statement will seem for many to be very reckless and presumptuous. It is a mind boggling thought, nonetheless a sound fact based solely upon the overall context of Holy Scripture. These false teachers are, for the most part, unaware of the fact that they are indeed working for the kingdom of Satan and this world. They have many different reasons for doing what they do: a desire for fame and recognition; a lust and greed for a better and continuous wealth of worldly possessions; even a beguiled desire to propagate a false religion. Many other reasons could be given if the heart of unsaved man were revealed. However, we must go back further, past man’s wicked heart where we find the illegitimate root and motive behind the decline of today’s church. That force is Satan’s ongoing desire to “be like the most high,” Isaiah 14:14. On the 39

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CHAPTER TWO other hand, thank God that there are still some faithful ministers left at this late hour to preach an uncompromised Gospel. In returning to the Fifth Trumpet Judgment, Revelation 9:7, we are examining the phrase “horses prepared unto battle.” These false teachers, these locusts, all appear as horses prepared unto battle. It is no great mystery to the Christian that we are indeed in the midst of a great spiritual battle. Such is the life of a true and born-again believer. “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places,” (Ephesians 6:12). These locusts are prepared for this warfare, as horses prepared unto battle. The Old Testament gives us many examples of battles and warfare involving Israel, including the ten tribes of Judah that God used in Scripture, pointing us to the spiritual battle and our spiritual warfare. What is Satan’s purpose, but to make war with the saints (Daniel 7:21)? This verse not only teaches that Satan will make war with the saints, but it says that he will prevail against us. Revelation 13:4 asks the question concerning the end-time power and authority of Satan: “…who is able to make war with him?” Clearly indicating that Satan’s power during this time will be monumental. His power will be massive to the extent that all whom yet have not come under the saving blood of Christ will fall victim to the darkness of Satan’s kingdom, but of course God is still in full control. As the Israel of the Old Testament days battled with many enemies, we in today’s church can draw many parallels from these lessons. They were printed in Scripture, not only as biblical history or as some upright and moral lessons to be learned; but much more than that, they pointed us to God’s spiritual application to be fulfilled during the Church Age. As examples, we see in the Old Testament a vast number of battles being fought against Israel. These battles paralleled in the spiritual realm the battles that would be fought against the New Testament spiritual believers in spiritual Israel; that is…the Church of Christ. As we look in the Old Testament Book of Habakkuk Chapter One, we find the army of the Chaldeans warring against God’s people. Verse eight declares: “Their horses are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.” This army of Chaldeans would represent, in the latter days or the New Testament Era, the false teachers and false gospels doing battle against the church. They are more fierce than the evening wolves, verse eight says. Spiritually the time of great tribulation is said to be at night, when no man can work. That is to say when no man will believe or few will believe. “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent, John 6:29. The Great Tribulation or the events of the end of the age are signified by the night, due to the vast spiritual darkness that is engulfing the world. An evening wolf comes at dusk for the attack, so shall these armies of deceivers; they come at this earth’s time of dusk or evening, when the world is near its end. Christ has warned us to beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves, Matthew 7:15. The apostle Paul gives stern warning against these spiritual wolves, as we read from Acts 20:28-31: 28 - Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 40

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CHAPTER TWO 29 - For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 - Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 - Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. Paul gives the warning in verse twenty-nine that after his death, which occurred in the first century, that grievous wolves would enter the church, not sparing the flock. This has been befalling the church ever sine. Recall reading in the twelfth chapter of Revelation that Satan, the great dragon, stood before the woman to devour her child (Christ) as soon as He was born. This attempt at silencing Christ and the Gospel has continued down through the centuries by Satan sending spiritual wolves into the congregations. However, it is when - and only when - these wolves overtake the church as a whole that we will witness what Christ labeled The Abomination of Desolation. In assessing today’s worldwide church, it should be quite clear that we are witnessing the Abomination of Desolation. We must conclude by asking the question…where is God’s Law among them? Most congregations today have changed God’s laws to a certain degree in one area or another, as to compromise and accommodate the desires of an ever changing world. They have decided to keep pace with this world’s never ending crooked and perverse degradations. We are told of this very thing in Daniel Chapter Seven, in that Satan will seek to change God’s laws, precisely as today’s harlot church has done. As Satan attacks the truth worldwide, God portrays this attack by using many different descriptive metaphors. We are presently looking at the attack as coming from locusts that appear as horses prepared unto battle. As the prophet Jeremiah was sent of God to warn Jerusalem of its impending destruction from the “northern” kingdom of Babylon, God has embedded much parallelism correlating directly to, and specifically for, the events in the latter times of the Church Age. Old Testament history was used of God as shadows and prefigures pointing to their spiritual fulfillments in the New Testament Era that we may learn from them. Jeremiah spends much time warning Jerusalem of their impending doom. The name Jerusalem carries a very spiritual meaning, one of peaceful habitation. The literal city of Jerusalem has seen, to the contrary, very little peace in its history. What is the character of the spiritual peaceful habitation? It encompasses all true believers in Christ, as He is our rest and our peace. Christ assures us that His peace is unlike any that the world can offer: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you…,” (John 14:27). Believers in Christ are a part of the spiritual Israel…the Israel of God, (Galatians 6:16). Believers are also called the circumcision; not physically as the Old Testament Jews were called, but spiritually, as the New Testament Jews. “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,” (Philippians 3:3). Again in Romans 2:29 we read just who God’s true Jew really is: “But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” A true disciple of Christ is one whose heart has been spiritually circumcised, thus causing him to dwell in God’s peaceful habitation…i.e. the eternal Jerusalem. Going back to our study, we see Jeremiah the prophet warning Old Testament Jerusalem (an Old Testament portrait of today’s corporate church) to repent or suffer God’s judgment on them 41

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CHAPTER TWO at the hands of the Babylonians. And so it was that Jerusalem was destroyed by this great northern army, as we read from Jeremiah chapter five. Northern is spiritually representative in Scripture as Satan’s origin or domain, see Isaiah 14:13. God gives us plenty of pictures and warnings throughout the Old Testament in foretelling of a greater story to come. For example, let us consider Jeremiah 6:22-23 22 - Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth. 23 - They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion. Notice the similarities in verse twenty-three alone, as compared with our current chapter of this study, Revelation 9:7. The enemy comes against Old Testament Jerusalem on literal horses set in battle array. The false teachers (locusts) come against the spiritual New Testament Jerusalem like “horses prepared unto battle,” Revelation 9:7. Jeremiah 6:23 also underscores and emphasizes the voice of the enemy as especially loud…“their voice roareth like the sea.” Today’s harlot churches declare damnable heresies without shame from their very rooftops! Their voices dominate congregations on a massive and global scale.

Compare Joel Chapter Two: 1 - ¶Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 2 - A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. 3 - A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. 4 - The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. 5 - Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. The second chapter of the Book of Joel begins by commanding the blowing of the trumpet and the sounding of the alarm because the day of the Lord is nigh at hand; that is to say the second coming of Christ is near at hand. Verse three declares that the army of the enemy of God has devoured and left the land as a desolate wilderness. They come against the land of the Lord with great noise: “…a strong people set in battle array,” verse five. Joel 2:4 declares that their appearance is as “the appearance of HORSES.” Again and again throughout the Old Testament Israel battles her enemies who come against them with overwhelming odds, and they charge on horses in battle formation. Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight, among many other chapters, 42

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CHAPTER TWO speaks of the loosing of Satan and his attack upon the “Israel of God” or the body of believers at the time of the end. Verse eight and sixteen tell us that this attack will be in the latter days. Verse fifteen declares that the origin of this attack will come from the “north,” again telling us that it is Satan himself coming against the church. This same verse confirms again that the enemy’s army is a “mighty army” and “…all of them riding upon horses…” Israel’s attackers during those Old Testament days were literal armies, all riding upon horses. Spiritually, Israel’s attackers today still carry those biblical traits and attributes, in keeping with the Old Testament tradition, although in allegorical and figurative language only. In reality, those ravening wolves that are attacking the spiritual Israel of the latter days are spiritually charging upon horses; they are spiritually garbed in unseen battle array, but literally they are coming in dress suits as honorable and respectable men and women of the churches and seminaries. One excellent illustration found in the Old Testament that describes not only the whoredoms of physical Israel, but in turn depicts the spiritual whoredoms of the New Testament apostate church as well, is found in Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-three. There we read much concerning the adulteress nature of Aholibah, which is a symbolic name given in Ezekiel 23:4 for Jerusalem. The name Aholibah means: An Israelite; tent of his father; to shine; covering; dwelling place; home; tabernacle, and tent. Ezekiel 23:22-25 reads as follows: 22 - ¶Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I will bring them against thee on every side; 23 - The Babylonians, and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them: all of them desirable young men, captains and rulers, great lords and renowned, all of them riding upon horses. 24 - And they shall come against thee with chariots, wagons, and wheels, and with an assembly of people, which shall set against thee buckler and shield and helmet round about: and I will set judgment before them, and they shall judge thee according to their judgments. 25 - And I will set my jealousy against thee, and they shall deal furiously with thee: they shall take away thy nose and thine ears; and thy remnant shall fall by the sword: they shall take thy sons and thy daughters; and thy residue shall be devoured by the fire. This is God’s very own judgment against His earthly representation during those Old Testament days. Their enemies looked very appealing to these Israelites, “…all of them desirable young men, captains and rulers, great lords and renowned…,” (verse 23). Israel was, no doubt, infatuated by these foreigners and their worldliness. This was Israel’s demise, and these verses spiritually parallel the demise of the New Testament church - most assuredly. Keep in mind that Christ’s Words and His eternal Church will never fall to demise. The gates of hell shall not prevail against Christ’s true Church…but its outer shell, the outer temple where the tares worship can and most certainly will fall to judgment. God’s earthly representation during Old Testament days was of course the nation of Israel before Christ went to the cross. After the crucifixion and the commencement of the Church Age, God’s earthly representation transitioned into the spiritual Israel or the Israel of God (Galatians 6:6), 43

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CHAPTER TWO being the New Testament congregations. Notice carefully in these verses that Jerusalem is playing the harlot with the world in general, signified by the Babylonians, the Chaldeans, and the Assyrians…ALL OF THEM RIDING UPON HORSES, verse twenty-three. Today’s apostate church is not the true spiritual Israel, but inwardly she is the false church, the harlot of Revelation chapters seventeen and eighteen (see Section XV of this study entitled “The Mother of Harlots”). These verses in Ezekiel parallel the corporate church and can teach us much concerning the later end of the church age. As Israel of old played the harlot with the world, likewise the New Testament Israel is doing the exact same thing. God used these worldly nations as judgment upon Old Testament Jerusalem and Israel. Similarly, God will use the world to judge the church in these last days, as the church embraces and espouses herself without shame to the sins of this world, represented by, as we saw, the kingdoms of Babylon, Assyria, and the Chaldeans. God tells us in verse twenty-five of Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-three that He will set His jealousy against Jerusalem and will allow the worldly kingdoms to “deal furiously with thee.” God has much to say concerning the final assault upon the church in the New Testament Era. As we come to the very end of time, we find in Scripture that this assault becomes much more deceptive and more intense; gradually silencing the pure truth of the Gospel in the congregations of the organized church. Consider Daniel 11:40, an astonishing verse with regard to God’s Old Testament types and allegories in prophesying of this final assault upon God’s people: Verse 40 - And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. As we have stated before, the kingdom of Satan can be shown from Scripture to be represented as coming from the north. Christ’s kingdom is of course in direct opposition to Satan’s, therefore it is no great mystery to conclude that Christ’s kingdom is symbolized in many instances as that of the south. We may conclude that Satan comes against the church, but does not harm or spiritually destroy the true believers. Satan comes against the churches and congregations of the world as a whirlwind, depicted allegorically as coming with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships, typified by the literal assaults against Old Testament national Israel. At the time of the end Satan’s assault becomes spiritual in nature, although his target nevertheless is still God’s earthly representation, the spiritual Israel of God; the congregations of the world. Daniel 11:40 tells us that he shall enter into countries, and shall overflow and pass over. Verse forty-one says that he will enter into the glorious land. There is only one glorious land in Scripture and that is Israel, both Old Testament and New Testament spiritual Israel. Since the context of these verses deal with the time of the end, the glorious land that seems to be in view is the Israel of God or the New Testament church. (See Section XIII “God’s Spiritual Israel” in this study.) Note: It certainly may be within reason and within biblical context that this Glorious Land could also be the recipient of a secondary or second level of interpretation; a literal interpretation that might well parallel the transpiring of the spiritual fulfillments. Example: As Satan’s kingdom inters into and surrounds God’s kingdom on earth, i.e. the church, a parallel might be played out in the physical realm such as national Israel being surrounded by her enemies (as spiritual Israel, the true church, is surrounded by her enemies) and finally silenced both spiritually and once more physically. Possibly, but this whole “double exposure” 44

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CHAPTER TWO (end-time physical and spiritual fulfillments) will have to be examined in much detail before we can make any solid conclusions. Satan will, at the time of the end, enter into the spiritual glorious land of the Israel of God. We see this to be yet another picture of the abomination of desolation that takes place at the end of time when Satan enters directly into the church itself. The last verse of Daniel Eleven is verse forty-five which states that this king of the north will plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious HOLY MOUNTAIN; yet he will come to his end there, and none shall help him. The “holy mountain” is of course Jerusalem, the spiritual city of God and His bride, the Church. Isaiah 66:20 - And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. Jeremiah 31:23 - Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness. It is imperative for the true believer to realize and understand from Scripture the spirituality of belonging to God’s one true Church, the Bride of Christ. In being a part of this Church of Christ, we are looked upon in God’s eyes as all dwelling within the cities of Judah and Israel. No, we aren’t required to move to the land of Israel in order to receive these blessings; we have already been blessed immensely by being pardoned for our sins. We have been blessed immeasurably by being pulled out of our once eternal destiny of death and hell; now having been given the eternal promise of life everlasting in the presence of God and in His kingdom. As God states in the above verse, He has satisfied the weary soul, and has replenished every sorrowful soul. He has accomplished this by redeeming the lost soul through the shed blood of Christ. All of God’s remnant of believers are now truly dwelling in the carefree spiritual land of Judah and/or Israel. We dwell peacefully together in these cities; we dwell in safety in this spiritual land of unwalled villages, having neither bars nor gates (Ezekiel 38:11), since Christ is our safety forevermore. It is Satan who plants his house, the tabernacles of his palace, between the two seas in the glorious HOLY MONTAIN, the dwelling place for all born-again believes. It is portrayed physically by lying between the Dead Sea and the great Mediterranean Sea. This is again speaking of the Abomination of Desolation, which spells the final end and doom for Satan, once he enters into the Church of the living God. In our next study of Joel 2:5 we shall examine how these locusts can be likened to the noise of chariots and on the tops of mountains shall they leap. In addition we will discover they resemble in sound the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, and as a strong people set in battle array.

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CHAPTER TWO

Back To Our Gog Magog Study “And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:” (Ezekiel 38:4) Important Note: When we look at the word “Clothed” in the Old Testament we find that every occurrence relates to being clothed is a spiritual garment or being clothed in a garment that is symbolical of a spiritual state in God, such as the garments that the high priests wore. Isaiah 61:10 - ¶I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. 2 Chronicles 6:41 - Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness. Here in Ezekiel 38:4 do we really read of being clothed with physical armor? No, not at all, for the word “armour” is italicized which means that it is not found in the original Hebrew text. The phrase “clothed with all sorts of Armour” is actually written as “clothed with all sorts.” The words “of” and “armour” were added by the translators. Please check it out for yourselves, you will find that the closest Hebrew rending of this verse reads “clothed most perfectly.” (Literal Translation of the Holy Bible - LITV) And I will turn you back and put hooks into your jaws. And I will bring you and all your army out: horses and horsemen, all of them clothed most perfectly; a great assembly with buckler and shield, all of them swordsmen. (1898 Young’s Literal Translation - YLT) And I have turned thee back, And I have put hooks in thy jaws, And have brought thee out, and all thy force, Horses and horsemen, Clothed in perfection all of them, A numerous assembly, with buckler and shield, Handling swords--all of them. (Even The Interlinear Bible Hebrew and Greek states “…all of them clothed most perfectly; …” This “most perpectly” is defined from Strong’s Hebrew as follows: H4358

miklol mik-lole' 46

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CHAPTER TWO From H3634; perfection (that is, concretely adverbial splendidly): - most gorgeously, all sorts. “Perfectly” or “sorts” is translated only once in Scripture and that is in Ezekiel Chapter Twentythree where it speaks of Jerusalem’s Old Testament and literal whoredoms with the Assyrians: Ezekiel 23:11-12 Aholibah is a name for Jerusalem: “…Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah…Ezekiel 23:4. 11 - ¶And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her whoredoms more than her sister in her whoredoms. 12 - She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours, captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously [“sorts,” H 4358], horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men. You see, Ezekiel 38:4 states that God will draw the nations of the world (Gog and Magog) down upon Israel, all of them clothed most perfectly (not clothed with all sorts of armour) but clothed with all “Sorts,” meaning “most gorgeously” (Strong’s H4358). In other words they will be spiritually clothed with all sorts (Strong’s H4358) of religious apparel or again spiritually clothed most gorgeously (Strong’s H4358). And furthermore Scripture tells us that these false but confessing “Christian” institutions and congregations will actually be seen from the spiritual Christian eye as horsemen riding upon horses set in battle array!

And furthermore Scripture tells us that these false but confessing “Christian” institutions and congregations will actually be seen from the spiritual Christian eye as horsemen riding upon horses set in battle array! “And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:” (Ezekiel 38:4) When Scripture speaks of “bucklers and shields” we naturally think of the war armament used in Old Testament battles. Let us be reminded that our study of the battle of Gog and Magog is prophesied to transpire not in the Old Testament days where the physical was fulfilled in prophecy, but this great spiritual battle is prophesied in Ezekiel 38:16 to take place in the “latter days,” and “latter years” in Ezekiel 38:8. These terms are proven in Scripture to be representative of the entire New Testament Era. For a detailed study of this please see our study “End of the World and the Duration of Time” at http://spiritualbiblestudies.com/Studies. In this case the “latter days” or “latter years,” of which this battle begins, is at the closing of the New Testament Era. Thus we know that the weapons of war will be spiritual in nature, and not physical or literal as took place in the Old Testament Era. The absolute non-compromising weapons of warfare for true Christians in the New Testament Era are as follows: 47

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CHAPTER TWO 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 3 - For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 - (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 - Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; Ephesians 6:10-18 10 - ¶Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 - Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 - For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 - Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 - Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 - And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 - Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 - And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 - Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Our warfare is not after the flesh, as in physical wars, 2 Corinthians 10:3. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, 2 Corinthians 10:4. We are to put on the complete or whole armor of God, Ephesians 6:11 & 13. We are not to wrestle or fight against flesh and blood, Ephesians 6:12, but rather our warfare is against spiritual wickedness, Ephesians 6:12. We are to be covered with the truth of Christ; Ephesians 6:14 and our breastplate is certainly different from the Old Testament literal breastplates of war! The true Christian’s breastplate is to be his or hers breastplate of righteousness in Christ Jesus. Our New Testament shield may not protect us against literal stones or arrows, for it is our figurative shield of faith in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 6:16, whereby we may quench all of the symbolical fiery darts of the wicked. Finally, today’s battle helmet for the true Israel of God is indeed his or hers helmet of salvation accompanied with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, Ephesians 6:17. These then are today’s 48

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CHAPTER TWO true weapons that God has given to every true believer and worshipper in Christ Jesus! We are not to compromise this in any way! Now than, lets read once more from Ezekiel 38:4: “And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:” These are Satan’s armies, his emissaries from all nations (Gog and Magog) as they swoop down upon the global church of Jesus Christ that results in the Abomination of Desolation. This is a New Testament Era battle, is it not? Of course it is, for Ezekiel 38:8 states “After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years …” As we just read, our weapons are not carnal or physical in any sense of the imagination. Our weapons are totally and unequivocally spiritual in nature only, as is Satan’s weapons in these final years: 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 13 - For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 - And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 - Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. We have a wonderful confirmation in these verses that ensures us that Satan’s tactics will be spiritual in nature as well. Satan’s ministers or emissaries will mimic Christ and Christ’s true Church to such a convincing degree that “…if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect, Matthew 24:24. Knowing this, do we now disregard it all and yet look for literal armies: “… even a great company with [literal] bucklers and shields, all of them handling [literal] swords,” Ezekiel 38:4? No, these bucklers, shields, and swords are the spiritual weapons that Satan’s army possesses as well, but they are counterfeit in truth, yet they are posing as the true Gospel of Christ. Gog and Magog (those from among the nations of the world) are imposters of Christ (transformed into ministers of righteousness) and their weapons are false weapons that are designed to spiritually deceive the countless souls in the outer courts of the global church. We read of the true Christian weapons even in sections of the Old Testament. For example, God tells us what His true shield and buckler really represents. These highlighted words below come from the same Hebrew words that we highlighted in Ezekiel 38:4: Psalm 91:4 - He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Psalms 5:12 - For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. Psalms 119:114 - ¶Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. Psalms 47:9 - The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted. 49

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CHAPTER TWO Psalms 18:2 - The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Proverbs 2:7 - He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. Psalm 37:14-15 14 - The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. 15 - Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. Psalms 57:4 - My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. We could easily continue on citing Old Testament verses that define shield, buckler, and sword in spiritual terminology only. This of course is the true definition of these words as they relate to weapons of war. Let us conclude by reading two verses from Ezekiel Chapter Thirtytwo that speak to Meshech and Tubal. This chapter cites the multitudes of peoples (from nations) that go down to the depths of hell in eternity. Recall that Gog and Magog are said to be the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal and Ezekiel 32:26-27 shows them in eternity and cut off from the land of the living: Ezekiel 32:26-27 26 - There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, though they caused their terror in the land of the living. 27 - And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living. [Yes, Meshech and Tubal, and all her multitude have caused terror in the land of the living. They have laid their swords (meaning what they conceive as truth) under their heads (Under their heads; that is they die in the deception of that false knowledge), but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, (their sins will follow them in eternity)].

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CHAPTER TWO We have barely begun to study the battle of God versus Gog and Magog and already we see plenty of scriptural evidence that tells us that this great end-of-time battle is totally spiritual in nature and not at all a literal or physical war in the Middle East as the corporate church is proclaiming. These armies of counterfeit Christendom are clothed most perfectly as the bride of Christ. They are a great company whose bucklers and shields appear so close to the Christian truth that even God Himself warned us that if it were possible, they would also deceive the very elect. They are invading the global churches to such an extent that God likens them to horsemen charging upon horses. The inspired prophet Joel adds that the appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run, Joel 2:4. The land (which is a term for God’s Israel, i.e. corporate church) is as the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness (the Abomination of Desolation), Joel 2:3. This is the result of God’s judgment upon the church tares at the time of the end. Matthew 13:30 - 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. A final note to this chapter should be made concerning what many in the corporate church declare concerning the physical nature of swords, bucklers, shields, etc. mentioned in the Gog and Magog chapters of Ezekiel. Many ministers, teachers, and laymen alike tell us that these ancient weapons are in actuality foretelling of today’s modern weapons of war. Since Ezekiel and other Old Testament prophets had no way of knowing what they were seeing in their visions, they simply described what they saw in their own battle terminology of their day such as swarms of locusts being representative of perhaps today’s cobra helicopters! While this may sound reasonable, it is nonetheless untrue for a very good reason - it takes one totally outside of Scripture. With this type of reasoning the borders of Holy Scripture are then made limitless and that certainly is not the nature of God and His infallible Word of truth. With this type of reasoning one could certainly devise an endless array of false and erroneous schemes and scenarios that are totally outside of the Word of God. Thankfully God gives us His Holy Scripture alone and in its entirety in which to seek out answers. The true believer is not to seek out truth from among this wicked and evil world. The only spiritual truth upon this earth is found within Holy Scripture. In our next study, Chapter Three of “The Scriptural Battle: God Versus Gog and Magog” we will be looking at Ezekiel 38:5 and perhaps more: Ezekiel 38:5 - Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Please keep in mine that we will also be scanning Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven (the lamentation of Tyrus) as we draw spiritual insights and correlations from that important section of Scripture. END OF CHAPTER TWO

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Chapter Three (Ezekiel 38:5-7) 5 - Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 6 - Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. 7 - Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.

The God/Magog Participants: The Nations of the world “And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.” (Revelation 20:8) It is so easy and quite tempting to read of these former territories of Persia, Ethiopia, Libya, Gomer, and Togarman and simply decide that God’s Word is more literal than spiritual. It is effortless and uncomplicated to determine for oneself that God is speaking of these exact same territories and addressing them in today’s modern world. But this is NOT the case in all likelihood. As we have stated early on in this study, these nations or geographical areas were the known world at the time that the prophet Ezekiel, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, penned these passages. God is speaking to Ezekiel of a great spiritual conflict that is to come at the end of the New Testament Era and it appears quite clear that God is including the nations of the world as the aggressors. It would not be surprising to discover that perhaps all of Scripture, new and old testaments alike, speak strictly of the church in both Old Testament literal Israel and New Testament spiritual Israel, including the outer court and the inner court - the corporate earthly church and the invisible eternal church. It appears highly likely that is what we find in all of Scripture and no need to look for references to World War II for example, as many do, or references to the latter day United States in its supremacy. God’s total Word is wonderfully laid out for us in the New Testament in all its literalism. When we study in the Old Testament we find everything is relating to the then future New Testament Church Age, much of which is seen through parables, metaphors, allegories, along with consistent Jewish history. 52

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Pondering Some of the Nations Mentioned in Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight God mentions specific nations within the metaphoric church of Old Testament Tyrus and yet includes some of these same nations in the two chapters of Ezekiel Thirty- eight and Thirty-nine as well. Let us note that all of Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven is a lamentation for Tyrus. Ezekiel 27:2 - Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus; The word lamentation in the Hebrew is defined as chanting or wailing, as in mourning - To mourn for. It is factual history that Nebuchadrezzar and Alexander the Great both played a part in the literal fulfillments of the destruction of Tyrus in Scripture. That of course is far from being God’s final teaching for us today. There have been volumes of books written about the fulfillment of Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven in regard to the city of Tyrus. “The destiny of Tyre according to the prophet is a place where fishermen would spread their nets,” these writers in the literal declare. We are not surprised that Tyre or Tyrus is a place where fishermen would “spread their nets” because this “spreading of nets” (Ezekiel 26:5) is spiritual language denoting the preaching of the Gospel of Christ. Mark 1:17 - And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. These teachers who find nothing more in Tyrus’ fulfillment than being a fishing village with access to worldwide seaports are missing the point entirely! Tyrus was, along with her literal existence and fulfillments, a metaphorical merchant city that sent out the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations of the world. It appears most conclusive that ancient Tyrus was one of many symbolical cities mentioned in the Old Testament that represented the church of Jesus Christ in the New Testament Era. The entire chapter of Ezekiel Twenty-seven deals exclusively with God’s lamentation for Tyrus, and this lamentation is not for its literal destruction, but it is for Tyrus’ spiritual destruction first and foremost. Yes, its spiritual destruction because Tyrus, like other great Old Testament cities, are all symbols or “types” of the New Testament corporate church which was destined to fall at the end of time. The spiritual Jerusalem would appear to us to be a most holy city, would it not? Of course it would, but take notice how God speaks of it at the end of time: Revelation 11:8 - And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Where also our Lord was crucified! He was crucified in literal Jerusalem, outside of its walls. As representing God’s New Testament spiritual city, it now becomes Sodom and Egypt in God’s eyes because it has fallen into desolation and has become void of God’s truth at the end of time. The end-time corporate church (spiritual city) has become Sodom (filled to the heights of heaven with its abominations) and Egypt (remaining in bondage to Satan, the prince of this world). Tyrus is a depiction of this same spiritual city (global and corporate church) turned apostate. In fact other Old Testament cities prefigure this same truth and lamentation. 53

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Tyrus is a depiction of this same spiritual city (global and corporate church) turned apostate. In fact other Old Testament cities prefigure this same truth and lamentation. We see from Revelation Eleven the spiritual bodies of God’s elect (His two witnesses) as they lie in the streets of spiritual Jerusalem during the Great Tribulation. It is depicting the spiritual killing or silencing of God’s true testimony represented by His true Church - His two witnesses; the two anointed ones of Zechariah Chapter Four and the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth in Revelation Chapter Eleven. Tyrus, as a spiritual depiction of the New Testament church prior to its fall, has many spiritual warriors within its city. One of these is Persia, whose name means “pure,” (Smith’s Bible Dictionary) therefore when we read of Persia in verse ten of Ezekiel Twenty-seven we find that she is a Gospel warrior within the church: Ezekiel 27:10 - They of Persia and of Lud and of Phut were in thine army, thy men of war: they hanged the shield and helmet in thee; they set forth thy comeliness. We will not examine Lud and Phut since they are not mentioned in our studies of Ezekiel thirtyeight and thirty-nine. Persia however is mentioned in Ezekiel38:5 as one of the many who come against Israel with shield and helmet. On the other hand Persia is mentioned in Ezekiel 27:10 as being a Gospel warrior in Tyrus, who we see is a “type” of the New Testament corporate church prior to its fall. God tells us that Persia hanged its shield and helmet in Tyrus. God certainly doesn’t mention shield and helmet haphazardly in speaking of Persia’s defense. While shield and helmet were physical armaments used in literal battles, it appears evident in this particular metaphorical case that God is stating that Persia possessed the spiritual shield (Ephesians 6:16) and the spiritual helmet (Ephesians 6:17) - the faith and salvation that God requires in order to be a spiritual merchant. While Persia was a Gospel warrior with Tyrus, as we just said, she also had a shield and helmet in which she hung in Tyrus. God tells us in no uncertain terms that Persia was in Tyrus’ army, Ezekiel 27:10. This army, apart from its literal history, is out to make fishers of men. This spiritual army, whom Persia is a part of, has a mandate to help carry Tyrus’ precious cargo (the Gospel) to the far off nations of the world precisely as the church is commissioned to do. Ezekiel 27:10 tells us that Persia, along with Lud and Phut, were men of war with shield and helmet, and they all set forth (participated) in Tyrus’ comeliness. What is this telling us about Persia? She assisted in glorifying God. She set forth the church’s beauty (Tyrus’ comeliness) which was ultimately to glorify God. Strong’s Hebrew defines comeliness this way: H1926 hadar haw-dawr' From H1921; magnificence, that is, ornament or splendor: - beauty, comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory, goodly, honour, majesty.

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CHAPTER THREE Let us now discover how this same Hebrew word (#1926 - comeliness) is translated as different words that glorify God in the following verses: Isaiah 2:10 - ¶Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory (#1926 - comeliness) of his majesty. Psalms 29:4 - The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty (#1926 - comeliness). Psalms 145:5 - I will speak of the glorious honour (#1926 - comeliness) of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. Lamentations 1:6 - And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty (#1926 comeliness) is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer. Isaiah 35:2 - It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency (#1926 - comeliness) of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency (#1926 - comeliness) of our God. Psalms 110:3 - Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties (#1926 - comeliness) of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. Psalms 111:3 - His work is honourable and glorious (#1926 - comeliness): and his righteousness endureth for ever. Leviticus 23:40 - And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly (#1926 - comeliness) trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. Yes, symbolical Persia, with her spiritual shield and helmet, was a part of (in symbolical representation only) God’s corporate church (Tyrus). She (Tyrus) is all about an Old Testament story of God’s then future church played out in a literal role by the city of Tyrus as she traded literal merchandise across the seas. Everything that was said of Tyrus is of course true, however God has implanted many metaphors and symbols within this story of Tyrus that teaches the story of the New Testament church including God’s judgment upon His corporate church at the end of time. Persia was in Tyrus’ holy army and represented her men of spiritual warfare; they all contributed to Tyrus’ glorification or comeliness of God’s church. Ezekiel 27:10 - They of Persia and of Lud and of Phut were in thine army, thy men of war: they hanged the shield and helmet in thee; they set forth thy comeliness.

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Togarmah - Just One of Many Former Geographical Areas Mentioned With Gog and Magog Ezekiel 38:5-6 5 - Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 6 - Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. Ezekiel 27:4 - They of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules. We see that Togarmah is also mentioned as a Gospel preaching participant of the metaphorical church of Tyrus. Togarmah traded (Strong’s Hebrew #5414) in her fairs with horses and horsemen. The Hebrew word “traded” ultimately means “to give” as defined from the Strong’s Hebrew. Ezekiel 27:4 - They of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules. The word “fairs” as used in the above Ezekiel verse is defined as follows: H5801 ‛izzabon iz-zaw-bone' From H5800 in the sense of letting go (for a price, that is, selling); trade, that is, the palce (mart) or the payment (revenue): - fair, ware.

Fairs Let us now look at the passages that use this word “fairs.” This particular word is used only in Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven and no place else in all of Scripture. It is interesting that this word “fairs” is only seen in our study of Tyrus of Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven. Tyrus’ marketplace was the great fairs of the earth (the spiritual harvest fields) where the symbolical buying of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ takes place as we read in Proverbs 23:23:

“Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.” This is what we see the allegorical church of Tyrus fully engaged in. She is the church in parabolic form only; that great spiritual merchant city of the earth, engaged in the activities of taking the Gospel of Christ to the unsaved world.

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CHAPTER THREE Ezekiel 27:12 - Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs. Revelation 18:17 - For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, Notice that Tyrus and Babylon the Great are the same symbolical city that represents the corporate church. They both have their merchant ships and sailors that trade (take the Gospel) to the world. They were at one time filled with the spiritual riches of Christ and His Gospel. What happened to her? Satan was loosed at the end of the Church Age and encompassed the camp of the saints (corporate church) Revelation 20:9. He does this by means of recruiting all nations of the earth (Gog and Magog, Revelation 20:8) for their spiritual attack upon the once faithful corporate church of Jesus Christ. Ezekiel 27:14 - They of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules. Ezekiel 27:16 - Syria was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of the wares of thy making: they occupied in thy fairs with emeralds, purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and agate. A lengthy study could be written on these spiritual and symbolical attributes mentioned as emeralds, purple, broidered work, fine linen, coral, and agate. These are all synonyms that represent or point to perhaps different facets of the true Gospel. When we look at emeralds for example, we see that Aaron was the first High Priest and in his office of High Priest he was to wear the Breastplate of Judgment. “And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually,” Exodus 28:29. This Breastplate of Judgment contained many precious stones in representation of the Gospel of Christ. One such stone was the emerald: Exodus 28:18 - And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. Why does Ezekiel 27:16 state that Syria occupied in Tyrus’s fairs with emeralds? Simply because emeralds is one of a multitude of symbols denoting God and His greatness. Yes, metaphorical Syria is yet another player or participant in taking the Gospel of Christ out into the world. She occupied the fairs or trading grounds of the world with emeralds. This tells us that we are on the right tract. What else does Scripture tell us about emeralds? Ezekiel 28:13 - Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Satan, the great imitator of God, was at one time spiritually decked with these precious stones including the emerald. Satan’s objective has always been to overcome God and to rule upon His throne. 57

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CHAPTER THREE Revelation 4:2-3 2 - And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3 - And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. Revelation 21:19 - And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; These are all of the emeralds that we find mentioned in Scripture. Do these not have the Gospel of Christ in view? Yes, they are all spiritually affiliated with the Gospel; therefore we have confirmation that Syria (meaning the highland; to be elevated) was metaphorically a member of the church at one time. Ezekiel 27:16 tells us that Syria also occupied in Tyrus’ fairs with purple, broidered work, fine linen, coral, and agate. Space does not allow us to elaborate on these symbols other than to say that they indeed all speak of Christ and His Gospel. Search them out for yourself and you will find Christ once more. Ezekiel 27:19 - Dan also and Javan going to and fro occupied in thy fairs: bright iron, cassia, and calamus, were in thy market. Market is the same Hebrew word as is merchandise when read from Ezekiel Chapter Twentyseven. Dan and Javan occupied or conducted the Father’s business of taking the Gospel throughout the fairs or marketplace via Tyrus’ seaport, which was access to the entire world. Iron is yet another symbol of God’s greatness: Micah 4:13 - Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth. Perhaps in a future study the Lord willing, we will examine how the terms “daughter of Zion,” “daughter of Jerusalem,” or “daughter of my people” are most likely all representative of the New Testament corporate church. Ezekiel 27:19 tells us that Dan and Javan preached the Gospel from Tyrus as well. They occupied with bright iron, cassia, and calamus. Is cassia associated in any way with the Gospel? Yes, of course it is as we see from Psalm Chapter Fortyfive: Psalm 45: 6-8 6 - ¶Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. 7 -Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 8 - All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. 58

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CHAPTER THREE

And how about calamus, that is also mentioned in Ezekiel 27:19? Dan and Javan also occupied with this spiritual trait as well. “Dan also and Javan going to and fro occupied in thy fairs: bright iron, cassia, and calamus, were in thy market,” Ezekiel 27:19. We read below of God’s garden: Song of Songs 4:14-15 14 - Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: 15 - ¶A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. All of the décor mentioned in Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven, with regard to Tyrus’ Gospel merchants, appear to be tools, instruments, and supplies of their day that indeed pointed forward to God’s ultimate and spiritual temple, the Body of God’s elect. These temple items also symbolized God’s Old Testament Tabernacle in the Wilderness as well as God’s physical temple in Jerusalem. The merchants of Tyrus possessed these spiritual attributes to aid them in the taking or preaching of the Gospel, all in metaphorical terms, of course. That in itself does not diminish the claim that God most certainly had His Gospel of Jesus Christ preached in Old Testament days, even though Tyrus merely symbolized the New Testament corporate church, as does other Old Testament cites. Lord willing, we will examine these other cities at another time and will discover that they too possessed, at one time, many Gospel traits or synonyms. Ezekiel 27:22 - The merchants of Sheba and Raamah, they were thy merchants: they occupied in thy fairs with chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold. 1 Chronicles 29:2 - Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance. These literal temple ornamentations such as gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stones all carry a most highly symbolical prefigure of Christ and His eternal heavenly kingdom. It is of no surprise that Tyrus and her members possessed these spiritual assets. Revelation 21:19 - And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; Revelation 18:12 -The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,

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CHAPTER THREE Revelation 18:16 - And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! Ezekiel 27:27 - Thy riches, and thy fairs, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy pilots, thy calkers, and the occupiers of thy merchandise, and all thy men of war, that are in thee, and in all thy company which is in the midst of thee, shall fall into the midst of the seas in the day of thy ruin. As beautiful as the corporate church once was, yet it was destined to fall. Holy Scripture is full of passages that relate to the fall of the church. Among all of the passages that we could quote, let us quote the same calamity from the New Testament: Revelation 14:8 - And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Revelation 18:2 - And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Revelation 18:16-18 16 - And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 17 - For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 18 - And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! If this sounds quite bizarre or foreign to you, please see our study entitled “Mystery Babylon: The Abomination of Desolation?” Ezekiel 27:33 - When thy wares [same word as “fairs”] went forth out of the seas, thou filledst many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise. Revelation 18:3 - For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. Revelation 18:9 - ¶And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Revelation 18:15 - The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 60

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CHAPTER THREE Revelation 18:19 - And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

The Destruction of the Corporate Church Foretold Through Tyrus It is obvious that we do not have space or the time to diligently cover the theme of Tyrus in Scripture. At this point we will simply hit upon a few passages that speak of the spiritual fall of Tyrus and we shall compare these passages to others, including the passages of the fall of Mystery Babylon. As we stated earlier, there are other cities mentioned in the Old Testament that also symbolize the New Testament corporate church, such as Jerusalem and Nineveh, however at this point we will teach Tyrus only in this section of our study and its similarities to the fall of the New Testament corporate church. As we study these events, keep in mine that we are still teaching the greatest battle ever waged - the Battle of Armageddon. This battle is foretold throughout the scriptures, but especially in Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirtynine. The participants of this grand spiritual battle are God as He wages His final battle with Satan and the kingdoms of this world - Gog and Magog.

God’s Judgment of the Corporate Church: Tyrus as Seen in Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-six and Verses Seven Through Thirteen Ezekiel 26:7 - For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people. The Babylonian kingdom lay just to the north of Tyrus and thus they were literally attacked from the north. Some of these Old Testament cities that symbolize the New Testament corporate church were attacked from the North. This, in all likelihood is no mere coincidence, for they prefigure Satan’s end-time attack from the spiritual sides of the North, Isaiah 14:13. Knowing this, we may now have a better understanding as to why God calls for Satan’s attack at the end of days to come from the north: Ezekiel 38:15 - And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: Ezekiel 39:2 - And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: 61

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CHAPTER THREE The Battle of Armageddon is the final assault by Satan upon the church of Jesus Christ and this attack comes from the entire world, north, south, east, and west. However, it is Satan’s final hour in which he assembles his forces (unsaved religious man) from the spiritual North and not the literal north; the sides of the North where God’s kingdom is and where Satan desires to implant his fallen kingdom. Psalms 48:2 - Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. Isaiah 14:13 - For thou [Satan] hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: Notice in the above Ezekiel 26:7 verse that Tyrus (symbolized as the corporate church) is attacked from the North. Also notice that the attack is with horses and horsemen, the same as we read of here in Ezekiel 38:15. Tyrus’s attack comes from the north by much people. We also read in Ezekiel 38:15 that this final and spiritual attack comes from many people, all of them riding upon horses, a great company and a mighty army. The similarities are staggering when comparing Tyrus to the Ezekiel chapters and also to Revelation Chapter Eighteen.

A Short Detour to Jeremiah Chapter One As the prophet Jeremiah warns of impending doom from the Babylonian kingdom to their North, we see once more that there are plenty of spiritual hints or implications that would suggest that the Babylonian siege of the literal city of Jerusalem carries many hidden prefigures of the Battle of Armageddon- the battle for spiritual Jerusalem, which is the church. We will now look at three verses in the first chapter of the Book of Jeremiah: Jeremiah 1:13 - 15 13 - And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north. 14 - Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil [Cross Reference: “…thou shalt think an evil thought, Ezekiel 38:10] shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. The “land” of Israel and Judah carries a hidden meaning that is fulfilled within the corporate church of Jesus Christ. This word land can denote the spiritual land of salvation or the church in itself. A few random examples are as follows: Psalms 143:10 - Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Psalms 37:29 - The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. Proverbs 2:21 - For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. 62

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CHAPTER THREE Isaiah 26:1 ¶In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. We could continue on and write an entire book of the subject of the spiritual LAND of salvation. There you have a subject one could devote a huge amount of time to. When the prophet Jeremiah says “…Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land,” we know that in the first and literal interpretation Jeremiah is prophesying of the physical attack from the northern kingdom of Babylon. In the second level of interpretation we see the hidden spiritual foreshadows that allude to the final battle from Satan’s kingdom of the North. Since we are on the subject of the “North” let us quote from Joel as he speaks ultimately of the Gog/Magog army and its final resting place in eternity. As always, keep in mind that Joel’s prophecies were warnings against the literal invasion by the northern army of the Babylonians, but ultimately Joel pens God’s words to us and within these prophecies are hidden truths to be fulfilled in the spiritual at the end of time. Thus we see here that the prophet Joel is prophesying of the extinction of Satan’s army (Gog/Magog) at the end of the Gospel Age: Joel 2:20 - But I will remove far off from you the northern army [Gog/Magog ?], and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things. Now let us compare a most amazing cross reference to this event that is found in our Ezekiel study. Let us read how God describes this end to the forces of Satan, i.e. Gog/Magog: Ezekiel 39:11 - And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog. We have extreme similar language used here in Joel 2:20 and Ezekiel 39:11! It is highly spiritual language and we do not yet claim to understand it all but with God’s tender mercies He may allow us a glimpse or two of what perhaps man has never seen or understood before. Joel speaks of a northern army as does Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine. Joel says that in the end this enemy’s face will be left toward the east sea. Ezekiel also states that the place of Gog’s graves will be on the east of the sea. Joel states that this enemy’s stink and ill savour (stench) will come up (ascend or arise) because he has done great things, (in the negative of course). Ezekiel tells us that the graves of this northern army will stop the noses of the passengers. The word “noses” is italicized, but other translations tell us that the passengers or travelers will abruptly be stopped at this point due to the graves of Gog and his forces. It too seems to indicate a most noticeable stench. Again this is most highly spiritual language of which only God can correctly interpret. However, we do know that we are on the correct path in these interpretations because we see so much of Scripture all nicely fitting into place with regard to Gog and Magog and the Battle of Armageddon. 63

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CHAPTER THREE Jeremiah 1:15 - For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah. There is no question that we can see the destruction of the corporate church in this verse alone. This is the goal of Satan and his armies of Gog and Magog. The kingdoms of the north shall come and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem. What is this telling us? Satan and his multitudes will enter into the corporate and global church and place or implant their thrones (that is to say their ideologies and/or false doctrines); their doctrines of devils at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem - in other words they will plant their godless doctrines right in through the gates or entrance to the church, spiritual Jerusalem itself! This is the Abomination of Desolation that Christ warned of: Matthew 24:15-16 15 - When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 - Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 3 - ¶Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed [Satan], the son of perdition [Satan]; 4 - Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God [corporate church], shewing himself that he is God. Isaiah 14:13-14 13 - For thou [Satan] hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 - I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Let us also recall from Jeremiah 1:15 that this northern army implants their thrones at the very gates of Jerusalem and in addition to this, they attack the walls of Jerusalem and also all of the cities of Judah. Yes, Judah is yet and also a term that denotes the Church of Jesus Christ since we are indeed spiritual Jews and belong to the Israel of God, Galatians 6:16. The WALLS that are ultimately under attack are not the literal walls of ancient Jerusalem or the walls of the cities of Judah, but the spiritual WALLS of spiritual Jerusalem, which is the church of Jesus Christ. And what precisely do these WALLS represent? They are God’s doctrines of eternal salvation:

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CHAPTER THREE Isaiah 60:18 - Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. Isaiah 26:1 - ¶In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Psalms 51:18 - Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Proverbs 25:28 - ¶He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

Back to Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-six Ezekiel 26:8 - He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field: and he shall make a fort against thee, and cast a mount against thee, and lift up the buckler against thee. The fall of Tyrus is seen in both chapters twenty-six and twenty-seven of the Book of Ezekiel. Tyrus, as being a representation of the church of Christ has fallen into God’s judgment precisely as the corporate church of Jesus Christ is seen in Revelation Chapter Eighteen falling into God’s judgment. Ezekiel 26:2 - Son of man, because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken that was the gates of the people: she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste: Ezekiel 26:3 - Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up. If indeed Tyrus is a symbol or a representation of the corporate church of today, and all indications are that she is indeed, then we would, out of necessity, have to rightly conclude that Tyrus is also a representation of spiritual Israel, or to put it another way she is a representation of the Israel of God, Galatians 6:16. Yes, ancient Tyrus is a representation of the New Testament corporate church, therefore at her fall God begins to judge her and in all probable likelihood we are in the midst of this judgment at this very hour! Tyrus, Nineveh, Jerusalem, Mystery Babylon the Great, spiritual Jerusalem, Sodom and Egypt, the Israel of God, the Daughter of Zion, the Daughter of Jerusalem, the Daughter of Judah, and even the “Mountains of Israel” are all symbols of the New Testament corporate church of Jesus Christ before and after its fall in all likelihood. Therefore when we read in the above verse of Ezekiel 26:3 that God will cause many nations to come up against Tyrus - as the sea causeth his waves to come up - we must realize that this is speaking of much more than the literal assault from Babylon or from the Grecian Empire. God, as it most definitely appears, is speaking of the corporate church at its fall, and declaring that He will rise up many nations to come against her. Of course these “many nations” can only be alluding to God and Magog and the end of time once Satan is loosed from his spiritual prison. The many nations of Ezekiel 26:3 would represent “… the nations which 65

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CHAPTER THREE are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog… (Revelation 20:8). God tells us that these many nations will come up against the church (Tyrus) as the sea causeth his waves to come up. How do we understand this statement? Will literal water or waves play a part in the church’s judgment? No, but what do waves usually symbolize in Scripture? They denote unrest and spiritual strife or storms in ones life apart from the peace of Jesus Christ. This is why Christ calmed the storms and stilled the waves in the Gospels, to demonstrate the spiritual peace that would be found through His grace and through his Gospel of salvation. God judges the end-time corporate church “… as the sea causeth his waves to come up.” The implication of sea and waves suggests that these people are still outside of God’s grace and mercy. Isaiah 57:20 - But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. To the blessed follower of Christ, his spiritual waters cast up Jesus Christ and His eternal kingdom. We are at real rest in these fountains of living waters. The true believer is as a “sea of glass,” Revelation 15:2 tells us. We have no real waves to contend with neither in this life nor in the one to come! On the contrary, at the Abomination of Desolation Satan and his armies, Gog and Magog, will “… ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee,” Ezekiel 38:9. The nations which are in the four corners of the world, Gog and Magog, will ascend and come like a storm upon the corporate church of Jesus Christ. They will spiritually attack and deceive millions within the church and who are still without Christ in their hearts. They will invade the church “… as the sea causeth his waves to come up,” Ezekiel 26:3. Their doctrines will be without the solid foundations of Jesus Christ. There will be no real peace through Christ, for what they will teach will not stop the waves and the sea from rushing into the hearts of the masses. John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ezekiel 26:9 - And he shall set engines of war against thy walls, and with his axes he shall break down thy towers. Tyrus’ foes overcame the city by setting engines of war against their walls and axes against their towers. Is this what will be used or what is currently being used against Tyrus, the New Testament corporate church? Of course not, but can we find spiritual similarities in this verse with what is occurring within the church of today? Yes we can. The engines of war that were used against the literal walls of Tyrus were actually battering rams. The important thing here to notice is that Tyrus’ WALLS are what is being attacked. As we saw earlier, it is the doctrine of salvation through Christ Jesus alone that is actually the brunt of the enemy’s attack. WALLS, as we know are symbolic for God’s salvation plan. But what about towers? Does the corporate church of today still possess these towers? Proverbs 18:10 - ¶The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. Psalms 61:3 - For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. 66

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CHAPTER THREE Micah 4:8 - ¶And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem. Christ is the believers’ strong tower! Those who truly follow Christ as our Shepherd of the sheep, (John 10:2; Hebrews 13:20) are also a part of this great tower. It is no surprise that the walls and towers are targeted in the Gog/Magog attack upon Israel. Ezekiel 26:10 - By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach. It is ultimately Satan who enters into the gates of spiritual Jerusalem. Along with him are his armies from the four corners of the earth. By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover Tyrus! As the masses of Gog and Magog enter into the global churches, the attack will be swift and decisive. Their army is filled with abundance of the enemy, symbolized as horses and horsemen. The church is now as a city with a breach. As an example, when one notices a breach in say a earthen levee, it is not long before the waters come pouring through the breach, is it not? As the waters continue to pour in, the breach widens and yet more waters is allowed to enter. It is the same way in regard to the corporate church, once they allow the doctrines of Satan to enter in at their gates; it is just a matter of time before his entire army is moving in. Ezekiel 26:11 - With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets: he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong garrisons shall go down to the ground. We find many references to this terrible time of great tribulation in many sections of Scripture. Isaiah Chapter Twenty-four is yet another passage:

Isaiah 24:7-12 Isaiah 24:7 - The new wine mourneth [lament, to bewail], the vine languisheth [to be weak or feeble], all the merryhearted [joyful] do sigh. Joel 1:10 - The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth. Joel 1:12 - The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men. Everything we read here, the horrors, the wailing, the lamenting, the sorrows, etc. are due to the fact that the corporate church (Tyrus, City of Confusion, etc. etc.) has been judged by God and His instruments of judgment are the nations of the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog. This is the result of the Gog/Magog assault upon the “Mountains of Israel” shortly before God judges the unsaved world along with Satan and his forces of Gog and Magog. What we see in the above verses is the fact that the true Christian witness has been spiritually killed, leaving the corporate church without a salvation message, thus 67

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CHAPTER THREE creating a time of great spiritual tribulation such as the world has never seen before, Matthew 24:21. The joy of salvation has been withered away from mankind.

PLEASE NOTE: If there is yet any hope at all in this message it is the fact that even among congregations and at the height of the desolation of the global and corporate church we perhaps find some indicators of possible hope. For instance, in Isaiah 24:7 it states that the vine languisheth and in Joel 1:10 we read that the oil languisheth. We know that Christ is the true vine and the Holy Spirit is the true oil of Scripture. Joel and Isaiah both tell us that in these days the vine and the oil will languish. This word is defined as to be weak or feeble. Of course Christ and His Holy Spirit and His Gospel message can never be weakened or destroyed. However, it is withdrawn from the world during this time of great tribulation. No person truly knows positively if salvation will be cut off entirely before Christ returns. This is a matter of great debate. These verses seem to indicate that the strength of the Gospel will be nearly stifled but they simply do not positively indicate this. We really do not need to know this because it is totally in God’s hands. But let us look briefly at Isaiah 17:4-6 for another great clue that may lend light on this subject: Isaiah 17:4-6 7 - And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean. 5 - And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim. 6 - ¶Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel. This perhaps appears to indicate that God will not totally cut off salvation. Or perhaps it is showing us how the true Church will become quit lean or small in numbers during this time? Either way, it is God’s business and man’s duty is to fear God and keep His commandants to the very end of this life, Ecclesiastes 12:13. Isaiah 24:8 - The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth. Revelation 18:22 - And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; Isaiah 24:9 - They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. Isaiah 24:10 - The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in. The Hebrew translates “confusion” as follows: 68

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CHAPTER THREE tohu to'-hoo From an unused root meaning to lie waste; a desolation (of surface), that is, desert; figuratively a worthless thing; adverbially in vain: - confusion, empty place, without form, nothing, (thing of) nought, vain, vanity, waste, wilderness. This is the end result of the corporate church, she is said to be a city of confusion; a spiritual city that has been laid waste and turned to desolations. Isaiah 24:11 - There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. There is crying for the Gospel wine which brings salvation. Sadly or horribly this joy of salvation is darkened Isaiah 24:12 - In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction. Yes indeed, Scripture is filled with MANY prophesies that pertain to this great end-time battle between God and His elect and Satan and his ambassadors Gog and Magog.

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? (Ezekiel 38:17)

Concluding Our Brief Look at Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-six and Verses Seven Through Thirteen Ezekiel 26:12 - And they shall make a spoil of thy riches, and make a prey of thy merchandise: and they shall break down thy walls, and destroy thy pleasant houses: and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water. We have briefly been reviewing Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-six as it applies to the ancient city of Tyrus. Chapters twenty-six through twenty-eight speak of Tyrus in its glories, its judgment, and its lamentations. These chapters should be studied in depth, in doing so one will discover that Tyrus, as is Babylon the Great in Revelation Chapter Eighteen, represents the New Testament church of Christ. As we stated earlier, there are other Old Testament cities that represent the same as does Tyrus. God uses many Old Testament cities or terms to denote His Church. We are merely taking a peek at Tyrus and have only scratched the surface as far as what God is teaching us. From the above verse we see that the armies of Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, (verse seven) are attacking Tyrus and making a “spoil” of her “riches,” and also making a “prey” of her “merchandise.” This is nearly identical language that we find in the eighteenth chapter of the Book of Revelation! Are we surprised? We shouldn’t be, since both of these chapters are teaching the same event. Verse twelve above says that the Babylonian army, which 69

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CHAPTER THREE is from the North (verse 7), will make a spoil and a prey of Tyrus’ riches and merchandise. Let us cross reference this thought” Ezekiel 38:11-13 11 - And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, 12 - To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. 13 - Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? This is the final battle between God with His redeemed (the Elect) and Satan with his ambassadors (Gog and Magog). The spoil and the prey are quite obviously the riches of God’s Word as Gog and Magog come forth upon the global church to spiritually kill or to silence the true Word of Christ in the global churches. Whenever we speak about this it is necessary to say, as often as we can, that God’s true Word can NEVER be silenced from the hearts of His true Elect. God will and is allowing His Word to be silenced among the unbelievers within the corporate church as punishment and judgment upon the church for her unfaithfulness. This might seem to many as some kind of a new “idea” to them, but rest assured that this judgment of the corporate church runs as a thread throughout the scriptures and one cannot get away from it no matter what book of the Bible one reads. Ezekiel 26:13 - And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps shall be no more heard. Revelation 18:22 - And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; Revelation 18:23 - And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. Isn’t this remarkable! The same is being taught about Tyrus and is taught pertaining to Mystery Babylon. That is due to the fact that both Tyrus and Mystery Babylon represent the New Testament corporate church and its judgment. No longer will the true Gospel of Christ be heard within these global congregations. The harpers, musicians, pipers, trumpeters have always played to the true God, therefore when her plagues come these “craftmen” will no longer be heard within the harlot church because they represent the truth of Christ’s Gospel. Craftsman as defined by Strong’s Greek: 70

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CHAPTER THREE G5079 τεχνιτης technites tekh-nee'-tace From G5078; an artisan; figuratively a founder (Creator): - builder, craftsman. These spiritual craftsmen represent the builders of Christ’s true Church. Let us view a short excerpt from “Mystery Babylon: The Abomination of Desolation?” on this very subject: We also read in Revelation 18:22 that the voice of the musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters shall be heard no more in thee. "Musicians" is defined as minstrels: the playing of musical instruments in praise to the Lord; or to sing to the harp. A "piper" is defined in the Greek as a flute player. Naturally, it is this true musical praise that, along with the spiritual merchandise, is no longer to be found in this great city. How must we interpret the remainder of verse twenty-two? "... and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft , shall be found any more in thee ..." At first glance it would appear that God is speaking of the craftsmen of the world. This, however, will not harmonize with the rest of the chapter. The word 51*"craftsman" in the Greek denotes an artisan, or figuratively symbolizes a founder or the Creator. It is translated also as "builder," specifically a trade or skill. We see this word used in Acts 19:24,38 which signifies a worldly trade in the historical setting: "For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen [tekh-nee'-tace]," (Acts 19:24). "Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen [tekh'-nee'-tace] which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another," (Acts 19:38) In addition to its usage in signifying a trade, we find it's usage in Hebrews 11:10 to mean something much more than a mortal craftsman: "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose BUILDER [tekh-nee'-tace: craftsman] and maker is God." (Hebrews 11:10) As "builder" or "craftsman" are no doubt in reference to the Creator, this verse also designates God as "maker." In the Greek the word "maker" means a worker for the people, i.e. mechanic (spoken of the Creator). We do not have to limit ourselves to literal or worldly interpretations simply because a certain Greek or Hebrew word will be used in many literal ways. Let us not forget that Christ speaks in parables, and a parable will always leave a heavenly and spiritual meaning to be interpreted. In Revelation 18:22 we find that the pipers, harpers, trumpeters, and musicians are symbolizing the worship of the one true God through music. The word "craftsman" and "builder" (same Greek word) carries a highly spiritual and symbolical connotation to God Himself, and to all of His elect who are partaking of the body (Temple) of Christ. In verse twenty-two we see that all of the craftsmen "of whatsoever craft he be" are found no more in thee (Mystery Babylon). Could these "craftsmen" be a reference to the spiritual builders, makers, or craftsmen of the New Testament Temple? We know that Christ Himself is the chief cornerstone of His Church, the Temple, and all true believers are spiritual stones and builders of this Temple. "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." (I Peter 3:5) 71

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CHAPTER THREE In 1 Corinthians 3:10-14 we read: "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." "Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;" "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." "If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward." (I Corinthians 3:10-14) From the above verses we see that all believers in Christ are to be spiritual builders of the Temple of God. We are to build upon Jesus Christ, who is our only foundation. The above usages of the word "build" and "buildeth" carries the strict meaning of building thereupon, as does the following references: "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God." "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;" "In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:" "In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:19-22) All true believers make up a portion of Christ's house, Hebrews 3:6. Jesus Christ is our Apostle and High Priest, Hebrews 3:2, and it was He who built our spiritual house, Hebrews 3:4. We are to continue to build upon Christ's' foundation; that is we are to continue to build upon the Word of God and the works of Christ as spiritual sacrifices to God, our heavenly Father. Going back to Revelation 18:22 we now should have a clearer picture of what is meant when we read that no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in this harlot woman of the wilderness. Those who are spiritually building a spiritual house, and whose foundation was laid by Christ Jesus, are exercising their spiritual craft by building upon the foundation of Christ. This is the true born-again Christian. They have left the corporate church and have fled to Christ! FOOTNOTES: 51* "tekh-nee’tace" #5079 Strong’s Greek From #5078; an artisan; fig. A founder (Creator): - builder, craftsman End of excerpt.

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CHAPTER THREE

Be Thou Prepared! Ezekiel 38:7 - Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. In all honesty it is unclear as to why God issues this declaration to Gog and Magog, telling them to be prepared, they and all of their company that are assembled with them, and be a guard unto them. This word “guard” is defined from the Hebrew as follows: H4929 mishmar mish-mawr' From H8104; a guard (the man, the post, or the prison); figuratively a deposit; also (as observed) a usage (abstractly), or an example (concretely): - diligence, guard, office, prison, ward, watch.

Briefly Looking Into the Book of Nahum Chapter 2:1-4 The Book of Nahum contains three short chapters on the “Burden of Nineveh,” Nahum 1:1. The word burden as applied in this verse is defined as follows: H4853

mas-saw' From H5375; a burden; specifically tribute, or (abstractly) porterage; figuratively an utterance, chiefly a doom, especially singing; mental, desire: - burden, carry away, prophecy, X they set, song, tribute. Chapter one deals with God’s righteous jealousy, revenge, and vengeance on his adversaries, Nahum 1:2. The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked, Nahum 1:3. The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him, Nahum 1:7. But with an overrunning flood the Lord will make an utter end, and darkness shall pursue his enemies, Nahum 1:8. This should remind us of a verse in Daniel Chapter Nine: Daniel 9:26 - And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the 73

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CHAPTER THREE sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. What precisely does this flood represent? By studying God’s Word one will discover that the end will come with a FLOOD of false doctrines and false gospels. This is the Lord’s doing; He will allow Satan to flood the congregations of the world with false doctrines of devils that - if it were possible - they would deceive the very elect, Matthew 24:24. We know that God’s Gospel is likened to water throughout Scripture; God’s fountains of living waters, ponds, springs, etc. Satan’s false doctrines are also mimicking Christ’s living waters of truth; therefore it is no surprise that God portrays Satan’s final attack of the New Testament Era (Gog and Magog) as a flood of false words, doctrines, etc. Look at the above verse once more! The people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The prince that shall come would absolutely be referring to Satan as he is loosed at the end of the Church Age. He is allowed by God t do the following: “And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords,” Ezekiel 38:4. Satan is allowed by God to destroy the spiritual city and the sanctuary as his forces, Gog and Magog, over-flood the congregations of the world with their false and deceptive doctrines of devils. This is the Abomination of Desolation and we are told to flee from the churches when we see this occurring. So it doesn’t appear that we are simply dreaming up “ideas” of our own fancy, let us examine Scripture for ourselves and determine if the word “flood” is used in describing Satan’s attack at the end of days. Revelation 12:15 - And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. Notice that the serpent, who is Satan, cast this water out of his mouth. These waters are not the true spiritual fountains of living waters that Christ promises, but these waters are Satan’s imitation false gospel waters that lead to the second death, eternal destruction. Satan’s words of destruction from his mouth are monumental - as a FLOOD! Revelation 12:16 - And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. Yes, during the duration of the New Testament Church Age the earth, which appears to be a synonym and/or symbol depicting the church, helps the woman (spiritual Israel; Christians) as she is pursued by the forces of Satan. The church (earth) opened her mouth and swallows up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. This is accomplished by the Spirit of Christ prior to the loosing of Satan and the Abomination of Desolation, therefore the church (earth) is fairly successful in disclaiming all of Satan’s doctrines of devils. The church in defense opens up her mouth as well, and swallows up the false doctrines of Satan to a great extent. What we see by the phrase “and the earth opened up her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon 74

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CHAPTER THREE cast out of his mouth” is the fact that the mouth of the church denotes true Christian doctrines, and thus it appears that this is how the earth helps the woman in the wilderness of this world during the New Testament Era.

Jeremiah 46:7-10 Jeremiah 46:7 - Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers? In the context of these verses we will find that this is speaking of Satan and the one who cometh up as a flood. Jeremiah 46:8 - Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof. Egypt was a metaphorical picture of the world in its day as was the empire of Babylon and Assyria as well. Egypt is symbolized in Scripture as a place where one is in bondage. As the literal Jews were in physical bondage to Egypt so too are the unsaved masses of the world of today; they remain in bondage to their sins and thus Egypt is symbolical of this world and its prison of spiritual captives. The above verse states that the waters of Egypt are moved like the rivers. When we examine this word moved, we find that it is defined as shook, shaken, toss, and troubled. These are troubled waters (doctrines) indeed, all symbolized by Christ calming the stormy seas, etc. When Christ calmed the storms in the Gospels, He was demonstrating His superiority over Satan’s doctrines of devils. Notice carefully in the above verse that Satan says “I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants.” This too appears ultimately to be speaking of Armageddon; the Battle of God versus Gog and Magog. Why do we say this? Please follow this reasoning very closely. “I will go up and cover the earth,” Jeremiah 46:8. The only other place in all of Scripture where we find this phrase “I will go up” in relation to an attack mode is … guess where? In our study Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine! Ezekiel 38:11 - And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, Jeremiah says of Satan: I will go up, and will cover the earth. Now, Gog and Magog will go up to attack as well. This is the same attack that God’s prophets spoke of throughout the Old Testament period. Jeremiah states that Satan (Gog and Magog) will go up to cover the earth. When we look at Revelation Chapter Twenty we see Gog and Magog once more going up to cover the earth. In this passage God states the same thing but only in different terms. He does not say that Satan goes up to “cover the land,” but instead states that Satan - “… shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog,” Revelation 20:8. The exact same thing is being said and taught, no doubt. The “four quarters of the earth” would indeed necessitate “covering the earth.” 75

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CHAPTER THREE Back to Jeremiah 46:8 God states that Satan will go up and cover the earth and will destroy the city and its inhabitants. Some translations read “destroy cities,” but this is quite incorrect. The original Hebrew along with many translations including the old King James Version states “…I will destroy “the city” and the inhabitants thereof.” The only city that Satan is destined to try and destroy is the spiritual city of Jerusalem; that is the global corporate church of Jesus Christ. Again Revelation Chapter Twenty confirms this truth very nicely. Revelation 20:9 - And they went up on the breadth of the earth [cover the earth, Jeremiah 46:8], and compassed the camp of the saints about, [“I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof, Jeremiah 46:8] and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. Jeremiah 46:9 - Come up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow. Jeremiah 46:10 - For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates. In the literal fulfillment of these verses perhaps the Lord did have a literal sacrifice in the North Country by the river Euphrates. The ultimate and spiritual fulfillment of these verses is yet God’s sacrifice in the North Country by the river Euphrates. In the spiritual realm Satan’s desire is to sit upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the North, where God’s seat is, Psalms 48:2 and Isaiah 14:13. The phrase “by the river Euphrates” is not without spiritual meaning. The name Euphrates carries the meaning of “the good river” and is also defined as to break forth; a rushing, Strong’s Hebrew. Such is the nature of the Holy Spirit; it is denoted as waters breaking forth upon the parched earth. It is also seen as a rushing mighty wind: Acts 2:1-4 1 - ¶And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 - And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 - And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 - And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

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Continuing On In The Book of Nahum Chapter 2:1-4 Continuing on in the Book of Nahum, we find it is important to note verse eleven of Chapter One: Nahum 1:11 - There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor. There is one that comes out of thee? Who is this “thee” that is mentioned? Is it Nahum himself? No, the Book of Nahum is the “burden of Nineveh,” Nahum 1:1. Therefore this wicked counselor is likely Satan himself as he is loosed to devour the world? No, the world has already been devoured by him. He is loosed at the end of time to devour the global church of Jesus Christ. Since true believers cannot be deceived by Satan, he is thus able to make war with the saints and devour their testimonies and all Christian appearing tares that reside within the corporate and global Church itself - the spiritual Jerusalem turned Sodom and Egypt, Revelation 11:8. Satan, as the “wicked counselor,” comes forth to imagine (to plot or to contrive) evil against the Lord. Is this not precisely what we read of in our study of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38:10? Ezekiel 38:10 - Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: To “imagine” evil (Nahum 1:11) is to “think” evil (Ezekiel 38:10), is it not? This is in full compliance with its Hebrew definition. Satan shall plot or contrive evil against Christ’s church, whereby in the end he will gather up the nations of the world, Gog and Magog (Revelation 20:8), for the purpose of deceiving the global church and causing it to become spiritually dead and desolate; that is causing it to become the Abomination of Desolation. The Book of Nahum is the burden or doom of Nineveh. We are using the Book of Nahum in our study of the battle between God and Gog and Magog simply because the city of Nineveh appears highly likely to be yet another representation of the New Testament Mystery Babylon; that is to say a representation of the fallen New Testament corporate church at the end of time. Nineveh, as with other Old Testament cities, as well as the New Testament symbolical city of Babylon the Great, all represent the fallen corporate church at the end of the Church Age. As we move into the second chapter of the Book of Nahum we see that God begins to focus in on His judgment upon the corporate church at the end of days.

Nahum 2:1-4 Nahum 2:1 - ¶He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily. God appears to be speaking of Satan as the wicked counselor (Nahum 1:11) as he enters into the corporate church symbolized by the city of Niveveh.

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CHAPTER THREE Nahum 2:2 - For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches. The emptiers have emptied the church of its true Gospel. This appears to be what this verse is teaching even if much of Christendom does not see this. The word “emptiers” carries the meaning of to empty or to depopulate. This is the goal of Satan and his army of Gog and Magog; to depopulate the global church of its truth and to empty it of its true citizens. The emptiers (Satan’s end-time army) have emptied the church of the excellency of Jacob and the excellency of Israel. They have marred (to ruin; to cause decay) their vine branches! John 15:5 - I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. The emptiers (Satan’s army of Gog and Magog) have ruined the vine branches! They have deceived the corporate church to such an extent that nothing is left of it but spiritual desolations and abominations. The true believers have fled while the masses remaining actually believe that God is still present in their congregations. Nahum 2:3 - The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken. Fir trees are just one of many trees that symbolize true believers in Christ. The fir trees shall be terribly shaken, verse three tells us. The attackers are in scarlet; for they are all imitators of God’s truth, represented by the scarlet color. Nahum 2:4 - The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings. We’ve addressed this verse before. The chariots (in this case they would be Satan’s cavalry; Satan’s army) shall rage (to foolishly boast; see Hebrew) in the streets (within the spiritual midst of the corporate church. For example, Lamentations 4:5 - They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.). The corporate church has fallen; those that fed in the streets of this once great spiritual city are now desolate. Satan’s ambassadors have overtaken the church; they run to and fro in the broad ways, the narrow way of the Cross is discarded. It would be easy to continue on in the Book of Nahum but it would also require volumes. Let us just say that Nahum is another of the Old Testament books that we find many hidden clues that point to the judgment of the end-time corporate church as we are seeing in these days. Some example passages are as follows: Nahum 2:13 - Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard. “Messengers” is defined as follows: 78

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mal'ak mal-awk' From an unused root meaning to despatch as a deputy; a messenger; specifically of God, that is, an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher): - ambassador, angel, king, messenger. The voice of Nineveh’s messengers shall no more be heard. It the voice of Nineveh’s true Gospel preachers that will be heard no more. Nineveh is yet (in all probability) another type or figure of the New Testament corporate church. Why are her messengers being heard no more? God is judging the corporate church by silencing the true Gospel. He is accomplishing this by sending forth Satan’s spiritual armies of Gog and Magog. The true messengers (their true Gospel witnessing) is being silenced or spiritually killed, Revelation Chapter Eleven. The voice of Nineveh’s messengers shall be heard no more, Nahum 2:13. Revelation 18:23 - And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. The voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride is the voice of Christ (the bridegroom), who is the true Word of God (John 1:14), and the voice of the bride (Christ’s true Church) ALL speak of Christ our God and His Gospel of eternal salvation. It is this VOICE that will no longer be heard in the corporate and global church. It is the voice of spiritual Nineveh’s messengers that will be heard no more, Nahum 2:13.

Nahum 3:1-7 Nahum 3:1 - ¶Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not; The word “bloody” represents death as we see from its definition: H1818 dam dawm From H1826 (compare H119); blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed (that is, drops of blood): - blood (-y, -guiltiness, [-thirsty]), + innocent.

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CHAPTER THREE After the transition to harlot, the corporate church is defined by many names and terms in Scripture. “Bloody city” is just one of many that portray her spiritual deceptiveness and attributes. She represent spiritual death! Nahum 3:2- The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots. Nahum 3:3 - The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses: Let us remember that these symbolical horsemen are the peoples, pastors, elders, deacons, teachers, etc. within the corporate church that has been overtaken by Satan via the armies of Gog and Magog. The bright sword and glittering spear again symbolizes their spiritual weapons and the ease at which they deceive. There is a multitude of slain within the Bloody City! They are slain in spiritual terms because they have been deceived into believing they are saved, but the Spirit of God is no longer there; He has been replaced by Satan’s Abomination of Desolation. The congregations are spiritually lifeless. What is left within these congregations? A multitude of slain and a great number of carcases, Nahum 3:3 tells us! Do you recall what we said in a past study concerning these carcasses?

“For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” (Matthew 24:28) Eagles are vultures or buzzards that feed upon a dead body - a carcass! These congregations that we read of here in Nahum 3:3 are precisely what Christ spoke of. The masses who attend these congregations are nothing but vultures feeding upon a spiritual carcass because their congregation is a DEAD BODY congregation. There is no spiritual life left. Nahum 3:3 continues: “…and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses.” Verse three uses the words slain, carcases, and corpses all in describing the inner workings of Nineveh, who is as we say, most likely an Old Testament metaphorical “type” of the New Testament corporate church at its fall. From verse three we see that there are only corpses and more corpses within this harlot church. There is none end of their corpses, this verse demands! Who are these people who are ravaging the once faithful church of Christ? They are the peoples from the four quarters of the earth - Gog and Magog, Revelation 20:8. Nahum 3:4 - Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts. The term “wellfavoured” describes Nineveh who was once a well favored lady but has now turned harlot. “Wellfavoured” in this verse is defined as a good or gracious lady. H2580 chen 80

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CHAPTER THREE khane From H2603; graciousness, that is, subjectively (kindness, favor) or objectively (beauty): favour, grace (-ious), pleasant, precious, [well-] favoured. Does this not sound like Mystery Babylon the Great? Revelation 18:7 - How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Nahum 3:5 - Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame. Nahum 3:6 - And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock. God indeed allows abominable filth to be cast upon this harlot church, for we read in Ezekiel 38:4 that God Himself will put hooks into the jaws of Gog and Magog (Satan’s end-time spiritual army) and God will “…bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:” This is the Abomination of Desolation. Nahum 3:7 - And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee? Nahum 3:19 - There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually? Revelation 18:21 - And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

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CHAPTER THREE

Be Thou Prepared! Conclusion: Jeremiah 6: 1-5 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. (Ezekiel 38:7) We are still uncertain as to why God commands Gog and Magog to be prepared and to prepare for themselves and all of their company or armies that will be assembled with them. God also commands Gog and Magog to be a guard unto those who are assembled with them. Perhaps we may find a hint in the following verses of Jeremiah Chapter Six.

Jeremiah 6:1-5 Jeremiah 6:1 - ¶O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction. Once more we see the Battle of Armageddon foreshadowed within these literal ancient prophesies. The Abomination of Desolation is evil from the North and a great spiritual destruction of the corporate church. Jeremiah 6:2 - I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman. The word “comely” is defined as suitable or beautiful. It is describing Christ’s church. Some uses are as follows: Psalms 147:1 - ¶Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. Song of Songs 2:14 - ¶O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. Song of Songs 6:3-4 3 - I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies. 4 - ¶Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners. When we look at the word “delicate” we also find that it holds attributes to God as well. Some examples: Psalms 37:4 - Delight [same Hebrew word as delicate] thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 82

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CHAPTER THREE Psalms 37:11 - But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight [same Hebrew word as delicate] themselves in the abundance of peace. Isaiah 55:2 - Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight [same Hebrew word as delicate] itself in fatness. Isaiah 58:14 - Then shalt thou delight [same Hebrew word as delicate] thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. So then Jeremiah 6:2 states “I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.” There is little doubt if any that this comely and delicate woman is a figure of the New Testament church. What is in store for her? Evil and a great destruction from the North, Jeremiah 6:1 told us. She is about to be judged of God and God will use His wherewithal to accomplish this judgment. Yes, God will loose Satan as “evil from the North” that he may harness Gog and Magog for the battle. Jeremiah 6:3 - The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place. These “shepherds with their flocks” are certainly not Godly shepherds. These are the false shepherds of Gog and Magog. They are Satan’s ambassadors! They are entering the church of Jesus Christ with orders from Satan to deceive, deceive, and deceive! They shall come unto her and they shall pitch their tents against her round about! Revelation 20:9 tells us that Satan (Gog and Magog) went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed (surrounded) the camp of the saints. Isn’t this the same as “pitching their tents against her round about”? Yes, of course it is and this appears to be the final teaching behind these verses here in Jeremiah Chapter Six. The phrase “they shall feed every one in his place” is certainly not without spiritual significance. It appears to indicate a separation or a division among these false shepherds. This of course is the nature of the false church. Jeremiah 6:4 - Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out. Prepare war against her, this once faithful city. This is ultimately the great war at the end of days that God speaks of throughout His entire word.

Revelation 13:6-8 Revelation 13:6 - And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. Revelation 13:7 - And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. The WAR that Satan wages upon the saints is the battle of destroying their true testimony. The saints mourn over the loss of God’s truth within the congregations; however the saints (true 83

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CHAPTER THREE Christians) are NOT the victims, it is the unsaved within the global and corporate church who are without the means of eternal salvation. Why are they victims? Their congregations have degraded to such a deplorable extent that the corporate church is ripe for God’s long prophesied judgment against it. Therefore Satan prepares WAR against them by silencing God’s truth in their midst. The above verse six shows us precisely how and what Satan utilizes in this war. He uses false words and doctrines! “And he opened his mouth in blaspheme against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.” This great spiritual battle (WAR) occurs after the Church’s testimony is finished: Revelation 11:7 - And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. To overcome and kill them is in the spiritual essence, but of course we can’t discount physical martyrdom as playing a part. Revelation 13:8 - And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Returning to Jeremiah 6:4 God is stating to the Babylonian army - “Prepare WAR against her.” All of the information we have in Old Testament history would indicate that this Babylonian army, which physically desecrated literal Jerusalem, holds yet a much larger prophecy set for the time of the end. Old Testament Babylon signified Satan’s end-time army that is now invading spiritual Jerusalem Jeremiah 6:4 - Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out. Jeremiah 6:5 - Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces. In the above two verses we read a rather perplexing statement. God is allowing Satan to prepare war against the corporate church. The enemy states “let us go up at noon.” Then we read “Woe unto us! For the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.” And finally in the next verse we read: “Arise, and let us go by NIGHT, and let us destroy her palaces.” These statements appear to indicate that Satan, even though he is in a spiritual prison during the New Testament Era, can still hinder and thwart the mission of the church: Revelation 12:13 - And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. Throughout the Church Age masses of humanity have lived and died in a state of unbelief toward Christ. Satan’s persecution of the church during this time does not prevent God’s salvation from going forth into the earth; nonetheless Satan still persecutes the saints during this time. Jeremiah 6:5 shows us that this WAR is ready to be waged even during the possible height of the New Testament’s salvation period - NOON. Then we read in the same verse that the DAY goes away and the shadows of the evening are stretched out. Even at this particular time in the New Testament Era, the time wherein the spiritual NIGHT is approaching, Satan’s 84

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CHAPTER THREE final WAR still has not yet been declared. Not until spiritual NIGHT arrives do we read of this declaration:

“Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces,” Jeremiah 6:5. This is the call to declare war on the saints at the end of time, to spiritually destroy the genuine holy places which would be all of the faithful preaching congregations of the world - the four corners of the earth, Revelation 20:8. The word “palaces” is simply another symbol for God’s congregations: Psalms 48:3 - God is known in her palaces for a refuge. Please read the following verses: Psalm 48:8-14 8 - ¶As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah. 9 - We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. 10 - According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness. 11 - Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. 12 - Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. 13 - Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. 14 - For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

“Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces,” Jeremiah 6:5. It is not until God’s true Church has finished their testimony that God will allow Satan to declare full-fledged WAR against the saints as God’s judgment upon the unfaithful global corporate church. Once this war is declared, God metaphorically puts hooks into Satan jaws and draws his army (Gog and Magog) down upon the worldwide congregations. This war can only be waged during the spiritual NIGHT. What precisely is meant by this spiritual night? It is spiritual darkness at its worse; a time “… such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be,” Matthew 24:21. This period of spiritual night upon the earth signifies the time of Great Tribulation whereby God’s saving grace is no longer a possibility. It is the time when no one can WORK.

“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” (John 9:4) But didn’t we just learn that this spiritual NIGHT is a time wherein God’s salvation is no longer available? Why then do we read here that this it is a time when no man can WORK? Will there be great unemployment during this time?

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CHAPTER THREE

“Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” (John 6:29) Thank God that He gives us so many crucial answers in his eternal Word of Life! We now understand clearly that Satan can only wage his final war (Armageddon) against the saints once spiritual NIGHT has fallen upon the earth. This spiritual night is a time wherein no one can perform the work of God which is to BELIEVE on His Son (God incarnate). Those who have believed in Christ prior to this spiritual night are of course eternally safe in the loving arms of their Savior. Let us all be warned! End of Chapter Three

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CHAPTER FOUR

Chapter Four (Ezekiel 38:8) Ezekiel 38:8 - After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.

Thou Shalt Be Visited! God is speaking directly to Gog and Magog when He states “thou shalt be visited.” The mountains of Israel will be visited by Gog and Magog, however it is Gog and Magog (the nations of the world, Revelation 20:8) that will be visited by God! And this “visit” is most certainly a visit of judgment. The following definition of “visited” is from Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary: H6485

paqad paw-kad' A primitive root; to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc.: - appoint, X at all, avenge, bestow, (appoint to have the, give a) charge, commit, count, deliver to keep, be empty, enjoin, go see, hurt, do judgment, lack, lay up look, make X by any means, miss, number, officer, (make) overseer have (the) oversight, punish, reckon, (call to) remember (-brance), set (over), sum, X surely, visit, want. Verse eight is actually teaching that after many days Gog and Magog (the unsaved world) will be visited by God’s judgment. Verse seventeen below also confirms this by saying that God will bring “thee” (God and Magog) against “them” (His mountains of Israel, verse 8). Ezekiel 38:17 - Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? Yes, God spoke through His Old Testament prophets that He (God) would - after many years (cross reference… after many days thou shalt be visited … [Ezekiel 38:8]) bring Gog and Magog against the mountains of Israel, Ezekiel 38:17. This is the “visit” that is spoken of 87

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CHAPTER FOUR here in verse eight. Thou shalt be visited! Let us examine this word “visited” in a few other settings as it is used in the context of God’s judgment: Proverbs 19:23 - ¶The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited [H 6485 - visited] with evil. Jeremiah 6:6 - For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited [H 6485 - visited]; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her. Isaiah 24:22 - And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited [H 6485 visited]. Isaiah 26:14 - They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited [H 6485 - visited] and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish. Deuteronomy 5:9 - Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting [H 6485 - same word as visited] the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, Numbers 14:18 - The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting [H 6485 - same word as visited] the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. Zechariah 10:3 - Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished [H 6485 - same word as visited] the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited [H 6485 same word as visited] his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle. [Notice that the same Hebrew word for “visited” is also translated here as “punished”.] Jeremiah 50:18 - Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish [H 6485 - same word as visited] the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished [H 6485 - same word as visited] the king of Assyria. Amos 3:14 - That in the day that I shall visit [H 6485 - same word as visited] the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground. Psalms 59:5 - Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit [H 6485 - same word as visited] all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah. These are just a few verses that use the word “visited” in speaking of God’s judgment. Of course there is the other side of this meaning which is the opposite of judgment: 88

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CHAPTER FOUR Psalms 106:4 - Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit [H 6485 - same word as visited] me with thy salvation;

In the Latter Years! God is addressing Gog and Magog as He states: “After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword…” Ezekiel 38:8. As we have learned in previous studies, the phrases such as end of the world, latter times, last time, last times, last days, and the end of all things all refer not specifically to the end of days, but these terms are references to the entire New Testament Church Age and Scripture most definitely proves this beyond any doubt. For a brief study of these phrases please see our lesson entitled “The end of the World and the Duration of Time” at: http://spiritualbiblestudies.com/Studies When we search out the term “latter years,” as read from Ezekiel 38:8 of our Gog/Magog study, we also realize that this term implies not merely the New Testament Era but more specifically it implies the latter end of years. It is not a whole era as is latter times, last times, last days, end of all things, etc. No, the term “latter years” is found only once in Scripture and that is right here in our study of Ezekiel 38:8. The Hebrew word that is translated as “latter” in this context actually means the end. H319

'achariyth akh-ar-eeth' From H310; the last or end, hence the future; also posterity: - (last, latter) end (time), hinder (utter) -most, length, posterity, remnant, residue, reward. This great spiritual battle has been foreshadowed or prefigured throughout the Old Testament in many places. It runs through the books of the Old Testament as a common thread but yet disguised or hidden within the many literal battles that God brought upon Israel and Judah and even upon Jerusalem itself. In addition to these physical foreshadows God also gives us yet more glimpses of this final battle hidden well within the passages that speak to specific Old Testament cities such as Tyrus, Nineveh, Babylon, etc. These ancient cities are portrayed by God as - perhaps in a second or third level interpretation - the once faithful city of God which would ultimately be the New Testament corporate church as it falls into God’s judgment. This is what the final battle of the ages is all about; the fight between the forces of Satan and the forces of God. WARNING - NOTE CAREFULLY: Do not be deceived by the common cliché “good versus evil” that we hear so often today whether it be in movies, books, newspapers, etc. It is most deceptive for one reason and that is the fact that this so-called good that is to battle the evil in these final years, seen through the eyes of this fallen world, is nonetheless total evil itself. Good versus evil is an ancient term referring to God versus Satan in the final battle for the souls 89

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CHAPTER FOUR of mankind. Today’s world has catered to that premise and in defining this term the world has interpreted it in accordance to their personal views. For example, the war in Iraq is seen by multitudes in the United States as being a war of good versus evil while the Iraqi government terms it also as a war of good versus evil. We could continue on citing case after case of virtually these same unchristian and ungodly mentalities. The Gog/Magog War is the final spiritual battle that Satan wages against the souls of men at the end (latter years) of this present age, and this good versus evil certainly has no room for the likes of the Darth Vaders, Luke Skywalkers, or any others of today’s so called blockbuster movies designed intentionally or unintentionally to lead many of its viewers farther away from Christ than they already are. The “good” people on the side of the “good versus evil” are not those who may exhibit a warmer heart or a deeper love for life itself. Neither are they the saviors of the whales of the sea or the animals of the earth. The “good” people on the side of the “good versus evil” are not those per se who feed the world’s hungry or mend the world’s wounded or sick. The “good” of the “good versus evil” are those who truly with all of their heart and soul seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, Matthew 6:33. Easy to say but these are indeed those who walk the narrow path of Jesus Christ first and foremost. Going back to our study we have stated that in addition to these physical foreshadows God also gives us yet more glimpses of this final battle between the forces of Satan and the forces of God. These glimpses or foreshadows are shown to us via the historical accounts of Israel and Judah under attack from various nations. These are actual literal occurrences and yet as told by God, through His Old Testament prophets, these historical events were penned in the Old Testament with many hidden clues that point us toward the final and spiritual battle of God versus Gog and Magog. This is Satan’s final attempt at gathering the unsaved world into Christ’s universal churches for the purpose of silencing the true Gospel of Jesus Christ that these churches once preached; for the purpose of spiritually killing God’s true and invisible church worldwide. This great battle of the latter years is the Battle of Armageddon which of course is synonymous with the Gog/Magog War.

… thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, … (Ezekiel 38:8)

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CHAPTER FOUR

BROUGHT BACK FROM THE SWORD Psalms 85:1 ¶<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.>> LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.

“Brought Back” is the Past Tense of “Bring Again" The term to bring again is salvation language altogether. God states in verse eight of our study that after many days He (God) will visit Gog and Magog, meaning He will bring judgment upon the nations of the world. In the latter years thou (Gog and Magog) shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword. To be “brought back” is past tense and can certainly be said of it that at one time prior to its fulfillment it would look forward to bringing again. Thus it is with our salvation. We were once lost and without Christ in the world and in our hearts. God, in His mercy, made a covenant that He would bring His chosen back into His fold as it was prior to our fall in the Garden of Eden. This is simple doctrine and needs no interpretation. After our fall we were eternally separated from God. We would one day be brought back (from the sword) or another way of stating this is that God would one day bring again that which was lost or driven away, which was our fellowship and covenant with the Living Creator!

“I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.” (Ezekiel 34:16) Let us now read the full context of the verse above:

Ezekiel Thirty-four and Verses Eleven Through Sixteen Ezekiel 34:11 - 16 Ezekiel 34:11 - For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. Christ is clearly referring to all of His elect, the lost sheep of the house of Israel; those who are to be brought back (bring again) from their spiritual captivity. Brief Detour to Matthew 15:21-28 21 - ¶Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 - And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 91

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CHAPTER FOUR 23 - But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 - But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. [Jesus was using spiritual terminology here, for He of course knew that all of His potential elect were the lost sheep of the house of Israel and He proves it in a few verses down.] 25 - Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 - But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. [Christ is making this statement because He is reiterating the fact that she is a Gentile and salvation had not yet been granted (as a whole) to the Gentile world. This was still the Old Testament Era.] 27 - And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. [In essence, this Canaanite woman was making a very spiritual statement here. She also recognized Him since she referred to Him in verse 22 as “O Lord, thou son of David.” “My daughter is grievously vexed with a devil,” she states and asks Christ for help. She knew that Christ was more than a mere man at this point. She now states “Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” She appears to be making reference to the Gentiles and Christ knew that the lost sheep of the house of Israel would not be limited to the literal nation of Israel.] 28 - Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. [O woman, great is thy faith! The great faith of the Canaanite woman caused her daughter to be made whole. Now the base of this faith was given to the Canaanite woman, but nonetheless great was her faith and Christ basically conceded that yes, salvation would go out to the Gentiles as well when He states in this verse, “be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” So then, this is just one of many illustrations that teach that the spiritual house of Israel is to be brought back at then some future point in history. Christ will bring again the captivity of Jacob, and this is not highlighting the physical rebirth of the nation of Israel. No indeed, this bringing again is in reference to Christ bringing His eternal Church back into fellowship with Him as it was before the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, for Christ knew us before the foundations of the world, Ephesians 1:4]

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CHAPTER FOUR

Back to Ezekiel Thirty-four and Verses Eleven Through Sixteen Ezekiel 34:11 - For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. Ezekiel 34:12 - As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. Ezekiel 34:13 - And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. [At first glance this may appear totally ludicrous to many in that we are stating that the mountains of Israel are not the literal mountains of a “latter days” rebirth of the nation of Israel. For a better understanding of this topic please see our study entitled “Spiritual Israel - Who is She?” at http://spiritualbiblestudies.com/Studies. Yes, God has told us that He would gather us from all countries and bring us into our own land. God spiritually identifies this “land” as the mountains of Israel. These are not literal mountains nor are they located in a literal nation or country called Israel. Old Testament Israel was a nation led of God to prefigure or foreshadow His New Testament spiritual nation of all believers, both Jews and Gentiles. This is a spiritual “land” - the land of salvation, the land of milk and honey, etc. Eternal salvation is God’s gift to those whom He has chosen and has given them an eternal home in an eternal land: Psalms 143:10 - Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. The land of uprightness is indeed the spiritual land of Israel - the mountains thereof. We have more to say concerning the mountains of Israel later in this study. For now, this land of uprightness is indeed a spiritual land, for it is the land in which our father Abraham sought after: Hebrews 11:9-10 9 - By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 - For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. [Yes, Abraham sojourned in the land of promise which is ultimately the spiritual and eternal land of Israel, NOT merely the literal Old Testament land or nation of Israel, for this earthly land held no salvation for Abraham, for he looked for that spiritual land, that spiritual city whose builder and maker is God our Creator! This spiritual

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CHAPTER FOUR city is represented here on earth by the Church of Jesus Christ. It too is symbolized in Scripture as a city and indeed is the target of Gog and Magog at the end of time.] Ezekiel 34:14 - I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. [God is speaking indisputably here of feeding His people not with literal good pastures, but with good pastures of spiritual food upon the high mountains of Israel. There they will lie down in a good fold, and in a fat pasture! The Gospel nourishment is what sustains spiritual life and this is found only within the kingdom of God which is symbolized as the mountains of Israel.] Ezekiel 34:15 - I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 34:16 - I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. [Here upon the mountains of Israel is where God will BRING AGAIN His people. This is where eternal salvation is to be found, in the mountains of Israel - the congregations of the world. These global congregations will, at the end of time, be attacked by Satan via Gog and Magog. They will attack the Mountains of Israel.]

“After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword…” (Ezekiel 38:8) Psalms 14:7 - Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. Psalms 68:22 - ¶The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea: Isaiah 52:8 - Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion. When Israel is brought back or to bring again is salvation terminology depicting Christ’s New Testament covenant as we see from the following verses: Jeremiah 31:31- 34 34 - 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:

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CHAPTER FOUR 32 - Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: [The new covenant is not according to the covenant that God made with ancient Israel when He led them out of the land of Egypt. This prior covenant was based upon outer ordinances in which unsaved man was incapable of fulfilling.] 33 - But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. [The new covenant that is spoken of here is absolutely the New Testament covenant of Christ which offers salvation unto the ends of the earth. Notice in the above verse that this covenant comes AFTER those days of the old covenant or Old Testament covenant. To come AFTER can only mean that is had been BROUGHT BACK or to BRING AGAIN. “After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword…” (Ezekiel 38:8) This second covenant or New Testament covenant appears very much to be the fulfillment in this particular verse of the phrase “the land that is brought back from the sword.” All believers in Christ are brought back into our spiritual land of salvation - the mountains of God.

“And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.” (Isaiah 49:11)] Jeremiah 31:34 - And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. [Who can forgive sin and remember it no more? Only Christ our King is able to do that through His sacrifice and atonement upon the Cross of Calvary. Only Jesus Christ and His New Testament covenant can bring again that which was lost! Christ came to save the lost sheep of the spiritual house of Israel. Christ came to put His elect into that spiritual land of salvation that is brought back from the sword. Christ came to bring His elect into the spiritual land of the mountains of Israel. Christ Himself, God incarnate, is called ISRAEL in Scripture. More on this later.]

“His foundation is in the holy mountains.” (Psalms 87:1) Psalms 72:1-3 1 - ¶<<A Psalm for Solomon.>> Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.

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CHAPTER FOUR [Psalm Chapter Seventy-two, like so many others in scripture, teach the going forth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These are beautiful psalms and should be read in their entirety, but space does not allow for that in this study. In the above three verses we see that it is God’s son the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who has been given the righteousness and judgments of God. One must understand this in the context of God’s full deity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and these three are one, 1 John 5:7. Christ, the second person of the Godhead is commissioned to receive God’s righteousness and God’s judgments. This word “judgments” is another word pertaining to God’s ordinances and laws. For God has ordained Christ in all things: Revelation 5:9 - And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;] Psalms 72:2 - ¶He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. Psalms 72:3 - The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. [Again we see the use of the word mountains in displaying God’s laws, ordinances, righteous judgments, etc. Those who forget the true God of Scripture are tantamount to those who forget God’s Holy Mountain: Isaiah 65:11 - ¶But ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number. God’s kingdom is symbolized as a holy MOUNTAIN, and thus it is that the mountains of Christ can and is termed by God Almighty as the MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL.]

Ezekiel 38:8 - After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.

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Continuing to Understand the “Mountains of Israel” and What They Represent Jeremiah 31:23 - Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness. God has redeemed (through the New Testament covenant, the shed blood of Jesus Christ) a remnant of mankind for Himself (His true Church) and has placed them in His eternal kingdom and upon the mountains of Christ or mountains of Israel. The following is an excerpt from Thomas K. Burk (http://mikeblume.com/main.htm) that confirms from Scripture the true and plain fact that Jesus Christ is indeed the Israel of God: _____________

JESUS CHRIST AND HIS BODY ARE THE TRUE ISRAEL OF GOD Many have trouble realizing the truth of Romans 9:1-8 in which Paul taught all the promises to ISRAEL are only to be understood in light of the fact that God considers ISRAEL to be the church, the children of promise. Faithful to the thought that there is no regard for natural Israel being in the forefront of biblical prophetic fulfillment ever again, here are some scriptures that indicate Jesus Christ is the true Israel. Mike Blume. John the Baptists' wilderness message was followed by the revelation that the “True Israel of God” is Jesus Christ. Jesus and Jesus alone lived up to the definition of the name "Israel," which is: “HE WILL RULE AS GOD.” (See Strong's H3478) Notice in the next scriptures how all the UPPERCASE areas equate out to the same opinion of Jesus being the True Israel of God: Matthew 2:14-15 (14) When he arose, he took THE YOUNG CHILD and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: (15) And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, OUT OF EGYPT HAVE I CALLED MY SON. 97

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CHAPTER FOUR Hosea 11:1 (1) WHEN ISRAEL WAS A CHILD, then I loved him, and CALLED MY SON OUT OF EGYPT. Exodus 4:22 (22) And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, ISRAEL IS MY SON, EVEN MY FIRSTBORN: John 3:16 (16) For God so loved the world, that HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Mark 12:6-9 (6) Having yet therefore ONE SON, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. (7) But those husbandmen said among themselves, THIS IS THE HEIR; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. (8 ) And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. (9) What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? HE WILL COME AND DESTROY THE HUSBANDMEN, AND WILL GIVE THE VINEYARD UNTO OTHERS. These verses interrelate one to another and show that the Promised Child was and is Jesus Christ! He is the same promise Paul allegorically referred to in Galatians 6 as the One promised SEED of Abraham. Through Jesus we become partakers of that same Promise. Here are some notable commentaries that concur with the “True Israel of God” being Jesus Christ: Isaiah 49:3—O Israel: As the name of David is sometimes given to his successors, so here THE NAME OF ISRAEL MAY NOT UNFITLY BE GIVEN TO CHRIST, not only because he descended from his loins; but also because HE WAS THE TRUE AND THE GREAT ISRAEL, WHO, IN A MORE EMINENT MANNER, PREVAILED WITH GOD, AS THAT NAME SIGNIFIES, of whom Jacob, who was first called Israel, was but a type. —John Wesley's Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible O Israel: A NAME OF CHRIST, AND WHICH PROPERLY BELONGS TO HIM, being the antitype of Jacob or Israel; the Head and REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WHOLE ISRAEL OF GOD; who was of Israel according to the flesh, and an Israelite indeed in a spiritual sense, and was only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ISRAEL IS A NAME OF THE CHURCH, often given to it in this prophecy; CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH, BY VIRTUE OF THE UNION BETWEEN THEM, HAVE THE SAME NAMES; as she is sometimes called by his names, Christ, and the Lord our righteousness, so he is here called by her name Israel, 1Corinthians 12:12, — John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Isaiah 49:3—Israel: APPLIED TO MESSIAH, according to the true import of the name, the Prince who had power with God in wrestling in behalf of man, and who prevails (Genesis 32:28; Hosea 12:3-4). HE IS ALSO THE IDEAL ISRAEL, THE REPRESENTATIVE MAN OF THE NATION (Compare Matthew 2:15 with Hosea 11:1). —Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Neither the ethnicity of the Jews nor their opportunity to receive salvation through Jesus ended because of the 70 AD destruction of Jerusalem and her Temple. But with this destruction came 98

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CHAPTER FOUR the elimination of the self-righteous system of Law to which the Jews had fallen prey. Jesus' coming in judgment during that generation—as prophesied—firmly established Him as the King of kings and the Lord of lords who does RULE AS GOD! (See Matthew 28:18) When we (Jew, Samaritan, or Gentile) are "born again," we become a member of Jesus' body and thereby a member of the true Israel of God. Many blessings, TK Burk _____________

God’s Kingdom is a Mountain Ezekiel 38:8 - After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. At the end of time, in the latter years, Satan is to be loosed (Revelation 20:7) to deceive the nations of the earth (Gog and Magog; Revelation 20:8) and to gather them together (Revelation 20:8) to the great battle. WHERE will God allow Satan and his emissaries to be gathered? They will be gathered upon the mountains of Israel! In other words Satan and his emissaries will be gathered against the true and eternal Church of Jesus Christ (the Israel of God) and Satan’s strategy and tactics are to deceive the nations of the world (Gog and Magog) by misleading (deceiving) them (Revelation 20:8) and thus recruiting them to enter into the very doorways of Christ’s Church with false doctrines and damnable heresies. This is NOT judgment against Christ’s true Church, but it is God’s end-time judgment against the unfaithfulness (unsaved; tares) within Christ’s church. 1 Peter 4:17- For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? Gog and Magog, the nations of the world, will be gathered together for that great spiritual battle at the end of time. Matthew 25:32 - And before him shall be gathered all nations [Gog and Magog, Revelation 20:8]: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: [This is the Battle of Armageddon! Revelation 20:8 - And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. Revelation 16:12 -14 12 - ¶And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. 99

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CHAPTER FOUR 13 - And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 - For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.] Yes, of course the gathering place for Satan’s final attack upon the Christ (Israel) is of course within His corporate church, the mountains of Israel! Where else would Satan need to attack in order to attempt to gain his age-old hidden agenda of receiving the praise and worship of the world? Would he really need to go to a valley in the Middle Eastern nation called Israel in order to accomplish this? With all due respect this is pure foolishness. Old Testament Israel was simply a forerunner and a “type” of the New Testament Church of Christ (spiritual Israel). Within the lessons of Old Testament literal Israel we can learn much pertaining to their rebellion, praise of God, and finally of their judgment. However, in looking to our Christian future, we certainly are not to revert back two thousand years to do so. Why is God’s Kingdom called a mountain or mountains? We have already shown a few passages that speak of this. Let us now continue to explore this truth. Zechariah 8:3 - Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain. _____________ Rather than attempting to explain God’s Holy Mountain, let us quote an extremely accurate and faithful excerpt from the following site: http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/kingdom/mountain.shtml Please take much care in reading this excerpt, for it relates to an important piece of our study of Ezekiel’s Gog and Magog - this is the “mountains (God’s Kingdom) of Israel (Christ)” that is the target of Gog and Magog.

The Mountain of the Lord "Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways" (Isaiah 2:3).

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Being the children of the grace-filled Kingdom of God, we have been taught since childhood to believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. However, few of us probably know that these precious properties of the Church had been revealed and explained by the Old Testament prophets long before the Christian era. During a divine service, when we hear, "Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem" ... "A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel" ... "Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion" and other similar words, we know that they are not about the exaltation of the Jewish nation, but about the glory of the Church to which we belong. Still, some are bewildered: why 'Zion', 'Jerusalem', 'Israel' and other such names cannot be replaced with the word 'Church'? The reason to retain these archaic names in our divine services is that for people from the most ancient times they have become sacred and dear symbols of the Kingdom of God. As we will see, these symbols do reveal the mysterious nature of the Church of Christ to us, and at the same time offer images of Her forthcoming glory. Long before Christianity, the Old Testament prophets prepared spiritual soil, and made a religious foundation for the Kingdom of God among people. In those far-away times when other nations deified various objects and elements of nature, the Jewish people worshipped the true God. After the Kings, David and Solomon, the city of Jerusalem and the Temple of God built on Mount Zion, became the only places in the world to glorify the Name of the Maker of Heaven and Earth. At times reality could be different, but the Old Testament temple, the city of Jerusalem and Mount Zion had to be the holy sites. It had been predicted that the Messiah, the Savior of mankind would manifest Himself here; it was here that atonement of people and descent of the Holy Ghost would take place, and the Kingdom of God would also start from here. The Israelites were called to be the first nation to join the Kingdom of God, and indeed, many of them became the first Christians and saints. It was nothing but natural that prophets, speaking about the forthcoming Kingdom of God, made use of names familiar and dear to their contemporaries — Zion, Jerusalem and others — as symbols of God's Kingdom-to-come. The King David was first of all prophets to call the Kingdom of God "the holy mount," "Zion" or "Jerusalem." Predicting enthronement of the Messiah and the defeat of His enemies in Psalm 2, David wrote: "Yet [says God the Father] have I set my king [God the Son] upon my holy hill of Zion" (Psalms 2:6). After David, prophets often likened the Kingdom of God to a MOUNT. Majesty of mount represents the grandeur of the Church, Her unity and oneness. King David was first to write about the holiness of the Church. After David, the prophet Isaiah often wrote about the Kingdom of God, calling it the Mount of Zion or the Mountain of the House of God. For example, in the following prophecies he spoke about the future glory of the Messianic Kingdom. "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:2-3). 101

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It is noteworthy that this prophecy clearly foretold that many nations would join the Church. This truth was then often repeated and reconfirmed by other prophets (see Psalm 22:28 and 72:10-17, Isaiah 42:1-12, 49:6, 54:12-14, Daniel 7:13-14, Haggai 2:6-7). A little later, the prophet Isaiah described the moral revival, which would occur to the members of grace-filled Messianic Kingdom, making people — even brutal and cruel as though wild beasts — turn meek and kind: "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb ... And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek" (Isaiah 11:6-10, see also Romans 15:12). In today's Church, inner renovation of man takes place, but complete security, tangible peace and welfare will occur only after the Last Judgment and renewal of entire nature. Chapters 25 through 27 of the Book of Isaiah further develop the leitmotif of the previous prophecy, and describe glory and bliss that will triumph on the mountain of God by the end of time. "And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth ... For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest ... Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee ... And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem" (Isaiah 25:68, 10; 26:2, 20; 27:13). Egypt and Assyria here are symbols of the kingdom of evil, as is Babylon in other prophecies. The prophet Daniel, who lived about 300 years after Isaiah, returned to the symbol of mountain in one of the visions he described. Below are the key features of that vision: "A stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth..." The prophet Daniel gave the following explanation to this vision: "In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever" (Daniel 2:34-35, 44). 102

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In this vision, as well as in other places in the Scriptures, stone is a symbol of the Messiah. The image, broken by the Stone, implies heathen kingdoms. The mountain, i.e. the Church, will spread through the whole earth. She will outlive all kingdoms of earth, and will exist forever. This vision is very close to the prediction Jesus Christ made to the Apostle Peter, "Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). It is noteworthy in the Old Testament prophecies about the Kingdom of God that — despite the extensive usage of names like Zion and Jerusalem — in them there is absolutely no narrowminded nationalism, which became a common disease of the Jews at the time of the Roman rule. The Old Testament prophecies about the Kingdom of God constantly emphasized universality and all-inclusiveness of the Church. After the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ, had come on the earth and the Kingdom of God had spread among the various nations of the Roman Empire, the Old Testament's symbols of the Church did not lose their meaning. On the contrary, the Apostles, and then saints and compilers of prayers for divine services, broadly used them when speaking about the Kingdom of God. For example, in his Epistle to the Hebrews the Holy Apostle Paul used the image of a mountain, well known to Christians, to speak about majesty and universality of the Church: "Ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant" (Hebrews 12:22-24). In the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John described the vision of the Church Triumphant, again with the image of the Holy Mountain: "And, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads" (Revelation 14:1; 144 thousand is, of course, a symbolic number, that is 12 by 12 by 1000, signifying a great multitude of the saved). The ancient image of Church as the Holy Mount Sion left so deep an imprint that it is reproduced in the Paschal hymn, "Shine, shine, new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord has shone upon thee. Rejoice now and merry, Sion." (Cf. Isaiah 60:1). Thus, we see the symbols of the Holy Mount Sion and Jerusalem thread throughout almost all of the Old and New Testaments. They speak for unity, holiness and catholicity of the Church. Yet in the Holy Scripture there are other images of the Kingdom of God: vine yard, tree, field, sheep yard, and so on. However, the symbol of a mountain — rather than any other symbol — emphasizes the main purpose of the Church, which is to lead people upward, toward God. As a mountain has its base on the ground but touches sky with its top, so the Church exists and operates in the world to guide people and draw them to God. The world does, in a way, lie at the foot of the mountain of God. Individual people and entire nations come up to this mountain and, having adopted the Christian faith, start climbing — or grow spiritually. As people come nearer to God, they become closer to each other at the same time: their cultural and national differences pull back to secondary positions, while their faith and grace come to the foreground. That is why, as the Apostle says, in the Church "there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all" (Colossians 3:11). 103

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Putting it bluntly, only the Orthodox faith does indeed lead man upward. Only this faith possesses the great treasure of spiritual experience of saints. Only this faith can revitalize man through Her grace-filled sacraments, transforming one into a 'new creature'. The heterodox world rejected sacraments and spiritual experience of saints, and by doing so it closed the road of its own spiritual revival. Despite the acclaim of heterodox preaching and sometimes-broad humanitarian activity, there is no real ascension to God, as though heterodox Christians just roam in circles at the foot of the holy mountain. _____________

To Dwell Safely: What Does It Really Mean? Ezekiel 38:8 - After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. When we look at the literal and common teachings of Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirtynine we hear a great many commentators teach that this phrase “dwell safely” is in reference to national Israel being back to their own land and as a result of their being armed to the fullest extent in weaponry, thus they are finally “dwelling safely.” There are no spiritual thoughts whatsoever with these people who insist upon understanding these two chapters in a most literal fashion. There is no such thing as to “search out the scriptures” or to “compare Scripture with Scripture.” They simply surface read these passages, understanding them at face value, and are most satisfied, never realizing how God desires them to treat Holy Scripture. After teaching this false and literal interpretation of the Gog/Magog Battle for decades, as hundreds or thousands of ministries have done, would it be an easy task to void all that they had taught in exchange for God’s truth if they were to truly have the veil lifted from their eyes? Sadly many would be as the enthusiastic young man who eagerly asked Christ, “…what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” Matthew 19:16. Christ answered him, saying “… if thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me,” Matthew 19:21. Verse twenty-two tells that that when this young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. This is of course teaching against the dangers of material riches. Nonetheless many ministries have been built around false and erroneous doctrines. Once or “if” these ministers discover their error, as this rich young man in Matthew Chapter Nineteen, it could be, and often is, most difficult to discard those heresies and the years or even decades of building upon those foundations of sand. But if one is truly in Christ he or she will do that which is good and acceptable to God, and of course that would be to discard all in exchange for God’s precious truth, that babes in Christ would not fall victim to false teachings regardless of what they are. Let us now look at how God defines this term “dwell safely:” Proverbs 1:33 - But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. 104

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CHAPTER FOUR [Can anyone deny the total spiritual emphasis that this passage teaches in regard to those who dwell safely? Of course it is God’s total peace that He bestows upon a person’s eternal soul through the blood of the New Covenant orchestrated by the Second Person of the Diety - the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In short, to be born again (John 3:3,7; 1 Peter 1:23) is to dwell safely. ] Jeremiah Chapter Twenty-three verses one through eight is a most impressive section of Scripture that teaches the physical ending in the spiritual. This is precisely what we read in Hebrews and other books of the New Testament. Old Testament Israel was committed with the oracles (truths) of God as a school master for all. Acts 7:38 - This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: Galatians 3:24 - Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:25 - But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For further understanding of the phrase “dwell salely” let us examine the first eight verses of Jeremiah Chapter Twenty-three:

Jeremiah Twenty-three Verses One Thru Eight Jeremiah 23:1-8 Jeremiah 23:1 - ¶Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. Jeremiah 23:2 - Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. [Yes, we are living in the precise time wherein much of God’s Old Testament prophesies are being fulfilled before our very spiritual eyes! God’s ultimate and final “VISIT” upon these masses of tares within His corporate church will come, and is now being fulfilled in all likelihood, via the use of Satan’s ambassadors of Gog and Magog” Ezekiel 38:8 - After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. ]

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CHAPTER FOUR Jeremiah 23:3 - And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. [Sound familiar? God will gather the remnant of His Flock out of all countries where He has driven them, and He (God) will bring them again (to bring again) to their folds! This verse of Jeremiah Twenty-three is touching upon the Bring Again or Brought Back doctrine that we spoke of earlier in this study.] Jeremiah 23:4 - And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD. [They shall fear no more! Why? Because they are dwelling safely! Proverbs 1:33 - But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. God’s Word is marvelously written! Not one jot or tittle is out of place, Matthew 5:18.] Jeremiah 23:5 - Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. [Of course this righteous Branch is the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All faithful bibles will have an asterisk next to this verse indicating that the Branch is Christ.] Jeremiah 23:6 - In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. [Only those who have spiritual eyes and ears to understand this verse will fully understand it. Within the context of these verses God is speaking of a then future time wherein His Son the Christ, the second Person of the Deity - God incarnate - would reign and bring in God’s laws and justice upon all the earth and not merely in the physical land of Israel as in Old Testament days, which was only a foreshadow of Christ and His Church. God declares here that when this time arrives Judah shall be saved. “Judah” can only be one of many names God appoints for His New Testament Church, which is also called “The Israel of God,” Galatians 6:16. In New Testament language Judah and Israel are the absolute same in meaning. Jeremiah 23:6 tells us that Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely! To be saved and to dwell safely are terms depicting nothing less than eternal salvation. This phrase “Israel shall dwell safely” encompasses the same Israel of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight whose members are dwelling safely upon the mountains of Israel.] Jeremiah 23:7 - Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

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CHAPTER FOUR Jeremiah 23:8 - But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land. [Two most remarkable verses; PLEASE understand what is being taught. “The days come” of verse seven is terminology alluding to the then future time when Christ (the true ISRAEL) would bring His salvation to all the earth. They shall no longer say the LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. WHY should they no longer cling to this great and grand historical event? This event is one in which the orthodox Jews celebrate every year, namely when Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and into their literal land of Israel. God is teaching the REPLACING of this grand event with a much more magnificent and spiritual event in which the exodus was merely a type or foreshadow of the replacement. And what is this replacement? In verse seven God tells us that the days or time is coming when this physical exodus would be replaced with a spiritual exodus, and this spiritual exodus is not from Egypt, but from the bondage of sin which would take place at the Cross of Calvary. In verse eight God enlightens us by stating we will now say the LORD liveth, which brought up (salvation language: to bring again or brought back) and led the seed of the house of Israel (the true spiritual seed) not from physical Egypt, but from the NORTH country! In other words this is stating that God’s true elect, His spiritual SEED, is brought back from eternal loss, which Scripture shows to be Satan’s domain - the NORTH country. Isaiah 14:13 - For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: Jeremiah 23:7 and 8 teaches that believers will no longer boast that God brought them out of the literal land of Egypt, because we have much more to boast about! We will sing about God bringing us out of the spiritual land of bondage (Egypt being a “type”); we will boast that God has brought us out of Satan’s domain - the NORTH country! Isn’t this north country from whence Gog and Magog come from? Of course it is! Ezekiel 38:15 - And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: Ezekiel 39:2 - And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: Once God brings His seed (God’s elect) out of the north country, we will then be at spiritual rest, dwelling in our own spiritual land of salvation or the land of Israel. We will most assuredly be dwelling safely. Jeremiah 23:8 - But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land. 107

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CHAPTER FOUR Up to this point let us paraphrase what has been taught in our study of Ezekiel 38:8. We are NOT rephrasing God’s Word; this is just our assumption of what this verse is teaching: After many days and even years Gog and Magog shall be visited by God in judgment. In the latter years or at the end of time Gog and Magog shall invade the spiritual land of Israel that is brought back from the sword, and is now gathered out of many people. They shall come against or invade the mountains of Israel, which have always been a spiritual wasteland; but is brought back out of the nations, and they shall dwell in spiritual safety. Now let us pinpoint this verse more precisely through what our studies have taught and of course precisely what Scriptures teaches; remembering that we certainly are not Changing God’s scriptures, we are simply stating and simplifying our opinion of what Ezekiel 38:8 is teaching: After many centuries Satan’s forces of Gog and Magog will be judged by God. At the time of the end Gog and Magog shall invade the corporate and global church of Jesus Christ that is brought back from the consequences of their fall, and is now gathered out of many nations. Satan, through Gog and Magog, shall invade those representing the mountain of God (mountains of Israel), which have always been a wasteland after their fall in the Garden of Eden; but is now brought back from all nations, and they are dwelling in spiritual safety.

Scripture clearly teaches that the term to “dwell safely” is in reference to one’s eternal salvation and thus it is one of several benchmarks in Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight that absolutely confirms the clear fact that today’s literal nation of Israel is without question NOT in view nor are they the subject of this attack upon on mountains of Israel.

To Dwell Safely: What Does It Really Mean? More Scriptural Identity Jeremiah 32:36-44 Here in the thirty-second chapter of the Book of Jeremiah God is disclosing to the prophet Jeremiah His total displeasure with Judah and Israel and the inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem. We read of God’s severe anger in verses thirty-one and thirty-two, among other verses: Jeremiah 32:31 - For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face, 32 - Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 108

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CHAPTER FOUR Yet among all of this evil that the children of Israel brought upon themselves, God states in verse twenty-eight that He will give the city over into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it. God continues in verse twenty-nine by saying: “And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.” Yes, God allowed or sent the Chaldeans of Babylon as judgment upon the literal city of Jerusalem. This of course carries many spiritual foreshadows of God’s judgment upon the spiritual Jerusalem at the end of time. That being said, God begins to speak in verse thirty-seven of a future time wherein He will bring His people back to Jerusalem that they may DWELL SAFELY. God is not speaking of a future time when He would bring the children of Israel back again to the literal city of Jerusalem, even though He did allow them to return to Jerusalem, however beginning in verse thirty-six God is most certainly, as it appears to be, focusing in on the spiritual city of Jerusalem which is the New Testament Church. There is no way that the literal children of Israel or Jerusalem could possibly dwell in safety by living in the physical city of Jerusalem. Even today the Jews of Jerusalem are constantly living in fear of a major attack from their Arab neighbors. God, seeing all of the rebellion of the children of Israel yet declares that He will bring them back to Jerusalem that they may dwell safely. We must understand that God is speaking of the eternal state of his spiritual seed of Israel or His spiritual Church of Jerusalem, the Israel of God, Galatians 6:16. Let us now read Jeremiah 32: 36-44: Jeremiah 32:36 - And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; Jeremiah 32:37 - Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: [Every true believer in Christ has been brought back from eternal destruction. God’s everlasting covenant of Grace was designed to bring again that which was lost; to bring us again back into God’s fold. God is not focusing His eternal Word on such a lost cause as bringing the physical lineage of Abraham back into a literal land so they can continue to die in their sins and trespasses. Of course not! God’s concern is in the fact that He has provided a way of escape and a way - through Jesus Christ the true Israel of God - in which we can finally enter into His eternal rest which is the one and only Israel of God being both Jesus Christ and His eternal Church forevermore.] Jeremiah 32:38 - And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: Jeremiah 32:39 - And I will give them (1) one heart, and (2) one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: [One heart and one way is salvation language in its total form without question. Notice carefully what Ezekiel says below about this one heart:

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CHAPTER FOUR (1) Ezekiel 11:19 - And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: (1) Acts 4:32 - ¶And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. (2) John 14:6 - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (2) Luke 3:4 - As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. (2) Acts 19:23 - And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.] Jeremiah 32:40 - And I will make an (1) everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their (2) hearts, that they shall not depart from me. [(1) Hebrews 13:20 - Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, (2) Ezekiel 36:26 -A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.] Jeremiah 32:41 - Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul. Jeremiah 32:42 - For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. Jeremiah 32:43 - And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. Jeremiah 32:44 - Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD. [This may appear as extremely difficult language in which to differentiate between a physical land as opposed to a spiritual land. The words “buy” and “sell” often refer to one’s salvation alone through Christ Jesus. As an example, look at the Proverbs verse below: 110

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CHAPTER FOUR Proverbs 23:23 - Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. Isaiah 55:1 - ¶Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. [The truth, waters, wine, and milk are symbolical terms depicting God’s Holy Spirit and His Gospel. In our spiritual essence we must buy this Gospel and sell it not. In the thirteenth chapter of the Book of Revelation we see the multitudes of unsaved humanity continuing to “buy and sell” which denotes their sacred affiliations with man-made religions rather than with the one and true Gospel of God. In order for them to continue buying and selling in false doctrines, they must be dwelling in a spiritual fallen state, precisely as Scripture declares: “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name,” Revelation 13:17. Only those masses of fallen humanity can spiritual buy and sell in the many false doctrines of the world. Thankfully Christ keeps His elect from buying and selling! In the parable of the wise and foolish virgins there was the midnight cry: “Behold the bridegroom cometh.” The foolish said unto the wise virgins “give us your oil; for our lamps are gone out.” Oil here clearly being a figure of the Holy Spirit, for the foolish virgins had not been born again. The wise virgins replied: “…go rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves …,” Matthew 25:9. “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut,” Matthew 25:10.] Going back to our verse in question: Jeremiah 32:44 - Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD. [This appears to be an earthly description of God’s salvation of the Jews; not the literal lineage but the spiritual lineage which includes ALL ISRAEL both Jew and Gentile. Space does not allow us to research this verse in-depth, however we naturally see in this verse the literal return of the Jews in their time as God has done in history. What we must see here is the real story of the eternal Israel with regard to their returning to their spiritual and eternal land of salvation. The phrases “cities of the mountains,” “land of Benjamin,” “places about Jerusalem,” “cities of Judah,” “cities of the valleys,” and “cities of the south” are not without their highly spiritual connotations. One such undertone is in the phrase “cities of the south.” God is not specifically speaking of literal cities in the south or the Negev of national Israel. A more majestic theme appears ultimately to be in view here, for unlike the sides of the north harboring Satan and his host Gog and Magog, Ezekiel 38:15 and Ezekiel 39:2, the south quarters often spiritually depict God’s dominion: Psalms 126:4 - ¶Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.] 111

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CHAPTER FOUR We have been examining the phrase to “dwell safely” and have discovered that it carries a most highly spiritual meaning if we allow Scripture to define its own words. Ezekiel 38:8 - After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. In conclusion to this study of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight and verse eight, we must see past the literalism that most teach concerning this great and spiritual battle at the end of days between God and Satan (Gog and Magog). The mountains of Israel that is prophesied to be invaded at the end of time are certainly not any literal mountains within the nation of Israel in today’s Middle East. This may sound heretical to many, but nonetheless it is what Holy Scripture teaches regardless of what the seminaries continue to espouse into the sphere of the “traditions of men.” No, the mountains of Israel are altogether the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who is the one and only true ISRAEL of Scripture. Those who dwell within Christ’s eternal kingdom are of course dwelling safely in the loving arms of Christ and His eternal security.

Psalms 4:8 - I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. In our next study Lord willing, we shall attempt to discover the meanings of these following verses: Ezekiel 38: 9-11 9 - Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. 10 - Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: 11 - And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,

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CHAPTER FIVE

Chapter Five (Ezekiel 38:9) 9 - Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.

Before We Begin This Study At this point, before we begin this study, it is necessary to briefly go back to our last study to further cement more truth from Scripture. Our previous study was solely based upon Ezekiel 38:8, which reads: “After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.”

BROUGHT BACK FROM THE SWORD As we stated in our last study, to be “brought back” from the sword is scriptural terminology depicting God’s New Testament Covenant with spiritual Israel - Jews and Gentiles who worship Christ their King. God has brought forth a way in which mankind would once more have access to God and that way is the way of the Cross. This is God’s eternal New Testament or New Covenant in which He can bring us back to Himself. All who truly claim the name of Jesus Christ from a born again standpoint are wholly those who have been brought back from the sword. And to be brought back from the sword thoroughly implies that we have been brought back from our warfare with God. We no longer hold discord, rebellion, and hatred toward our Creator as the world does. One can only make this statement in truth and sincerity once he or she is truly born of the Spirit of God, John 3:6-8. Thus it is that Christ (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) has brought us out and back from our spiritual warfare with Him. Notice how the prophet Isaiah addresses this truth: Isaiah 40:1-2 1 - ¶Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 2 - Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins. Christ consummated this at the Cross. Our warfare with God has been accomplished or finished. The Spirit of Christ has accomplished this for us, something that fallen man is altogether and 113

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CHAPTER FIVE totally incapable of doing. In achieving this, Christ has given us eternal life in His Holy Mountain; the eternal Jerusalem, which is the Kingdom of God. Christ certainly is NOT speaking to the literal city of Jerusalem here when He states (through the prophet Isaiah) that her warfare is accomplished. No, the “Her” is His bride encompassing all of those whom He came to save, that is to say the true Church of Jesus Christ. He goes on to state that her iniquity is pardoned. That in itself tells us positively that Jerusalem, the “Her,” is in reference to Christ’s New Testament Church; those whose sins have been forgiven through the sacrifice of Christ the Messiah. Yes indeed all true Christians of all natural races have been brought back from the sword. We are no longer enemies with God! In Psalm Fifty-five, for example, we read of God’s enemies. Notice how God equates the enemy’s words and heart with war and a sword: Psalms 55:21 - The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. This is our existence before we have been brought back into God’s fold. We were as if having drawn swords toward God. Warfare against God was in our hearts. And what about this warfare, what has become of it after Christ went to the Cross? Read carefully: Isaiah 2:4 - And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Micah 4:3 - And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. When Christ freed us from our spiritual bondage to Satan we became a new creature and a part of God’s spiritual army, and thus a member of His Holy Nation. Those true believers among all nations of the earth are joined together as one spiritual nation. Scripture gives us this information via the literal nation of Israel, which was merely a “type” or “shadow” of Christ’s Kingdom or Christ’s nation. Exodus 19:6 - And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. The prophecy of this “Holy Nation” could not possibly come into fruition until Christ the Messiah fulfilled the everlasting covenant at the Cross, whereby His death, burial, and resurrection guaranteed an everlasting holy nation (Kingdom) called the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16), that would be with God for ever more. 1 Peter 2:9 - But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: It is only within this holy nation that man is spiritually able to beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks. In other words once we are eternally saved we are not at war with God and thus our old nature of the “sword” is converted into a new 114

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CHAPTER FIVE way and a new desire as a new creature in Christ. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new,” 2 Corinthians 5:17. Our new nature is one that has been transformed, through the shed blood of Christ, into pruning hooks and plowshares. What precisely are we speaking of? Once we are eternally saved, we begin working in Christ’s harvest fields and in God’s vineyard. Our spiritual weapons are no longer to be in swords and spears but in the spiritual tools that God gives us to be workers in His harvest fields. When Scripture says that “nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more,” we have to understand that God has never promised a time on earth wherein the nations of the world would cease from waging war with one another. This will only come to fruition at the closing of the New Testament Church Age once God has created the new heavens and the new earth: Isaiah 65:17 - ¶For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. Isaiah 66:22 - For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. 2 Peter 3:13 - Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Revelation 21:1 - ¶And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Even now the Elect of Christ dwells in a peaceful habitation (Isaiah 32:18) because Christ, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), has steered us into His heavenly home, the Holy City, in which He has prepared for us (John 14:3). The true and eternal Church of Jesus Christ is metaphorically depicted in many sections of scripture as housing the poor and needy. Christ has many symbols for His Church, and poor and needy being just one. The “poor and needy” are indeed those who have been brought back from the sword: Psalms 37:14 - The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. Romans 8:36 - As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. This is the true worshipper of Jesus Christ our Messiah! We are killed, spiritually speaking, all the day long! The swords of the enemy will stop at nothing to silence our testimony. Even the Christ, as He hung on the cross, declared “Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog,” Psalms 22:20. This sword was certainly the false witnessing and false testimonies (false words and lies) perpetrated by the enemies (dogs) of Christ at that time. Psalm Chapter Fifty-nine gives much light on this subject as well for it is a psalm asking for deliverance from our enemies (verse one) and from the workers of iniquity (verse 2). The theme of the chapter is deliverance from God’s enemies. The many insertions of the word “they” are in reference to the enemies of God. But let us focus in on three extremely pertinent verses here: 115

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CHAPTER FIVE Psalms 59:7 - Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear? The words of God’s enemies are their swords of warfare. They have never been brought back form the sword; they are not at peace with God. Psalms 59:6 - They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. Psalms 59:14-15 14 -And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. 15 - Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied. Evening is the spiritual time of history when Satan is loosed at the end of the New Testament Age. We are not stating that these verses are directly focusing in on the Great Tribulation, since eras of history have experienced spans of spiritual darkness, nonetheless the New Testament earth as a whole will globally experience spiritual darkness, as it is now, and of course it is the evening time of the New Testament Era and perhaps more than likely we are now at the point in time where we are in the state of night, spiritually speaking. Having said that, the evening essence of scripture is approaching night when no man can work as Jesus stated: “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work,” John 9:4. Satan, having been loosed from his prison at the end of time, begins to darken the light of Christ’s Gospel in accordance to Christ’s will. Day becomes evening and then turns to night in the spiritual realm. The evening era sees the great falling away from the true faith of Christ and gradually transitions into spiritual night when no man can work or possibly come into salvation. It is a dreadful time! These are the dogs of Scripture who wander up and down for meat round about the “city.” The city being that true spiritual city whose builder and maker is God, Hebrews 11:10. Who are these that make a noise like a dog, who wander up and down for meat as they go round about the city? Yes, they are the unbelievers within the church! They are the unsaved of the religious world and the enemies of the Cross of Christ. But more specifically they are Gog and Magog, are they not? Revelation 20:7-9 7 - And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 - And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 - And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. Gog and Magog, the enemies of God who have NOT been brought back from the sword, in the end will - AS DOGS GO ROUND ABOUT THE CITY (Psalm 59) - Gog and Magog will COMPASS THE BELOVED CITY, Revelation 20:9. To compass the city in the Greek language 116

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CHAPTER FIVE means to encircle or to surround it, precisely as Psalm 59 verses six and fourteen declare: “… and go round about the city.” The only city that could possibly be in view here is God’s spiritual city of Jerusalem; His Holy City, the city or Church of the Firstborn, Hebrew 12:23. To be “brought back from the sword” doesn’t necessitate or require one to be brought back from a literal sword or from literal warfare. Salvation is to have one’s heart brought back from enmity or warfare with God. In doing so we now work the work of Christ in all things we do. Psalms 42:10-11 10 - As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? 11 - Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Once more we see that God’s enemies are likened to a sword with which their words or tongues reproach the saints of God. Psalms 57:4 - My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. The tongues of our enemies are as a sword and their bitter words as arrows. These are those who remain at war with God: Psalms 64:3 - Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: Proverbs 25:18 - ¶A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow. Such is the nature of fallen man apart from being brought back into the fold of Christ.

The Final Battle of God Versus Satan: A Storm and a Cloud to Cover the Land “Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee,” (Ezekiel 38:9) As we come to Ezekiel Thirty-eight and verse nine God is speaking of Gog and Magog (the world of Satan’s forces, Revelation 20:8) being drawn to the great battle of Armageddon at the end of the New Testament Era. We realize that this is certainly not a light statement to make and we must not be reckless or hasty in making a statement of this magnitude. However, we feel that we are absolutely on the right track as we follow scripture to its proper conclusion and can see the 117

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CHAPTER FIVE abundant and unwavering scriptural proofs that this battle at the end of the age is certainly not a physical war in any sense of the imagination. This is the battle at the end of time for the souls of mankind. God tells us in Ezekiel 38:4 that He will metaphorically put hooks into the jaws of Gog and Magog and will bring them forth upon the mountains of Israel for this horrific battle against the evils that now reside within the fallen global corporate church. God’s judgment upon the once faithful house of God takes place directly within the global church of Jesus Christ that has now transcended into the great harlot dominated by today’s continual pagan world which is symbolized by the Old Testament world of Babylon. The fallen church is now the Mystery Babylon of Scripture (Revelation Chapter Eighteen) and as such she has certainly opened her doors and alters widely (the gates of Jerusalem) and has embraced with open arms our sinful world of Babylon. Lamentations 4:12 - The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem. This is the ONE HOUR of New Testament eschatology. Revelation 18:10 - Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. Revelation 18:17 - For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, Revelation 18:19 - And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate (Abomination of Desolation). Scripture tells us that Satan, having been cast down to earth at the cross (Revelation 12:10) will be released for a “little season” at the conclusion of the New Testament Era: Revelation 20:3 - And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. Keep in mind that this Little Season is indeed the time of judgment for the unfaithful corporate church worldwide. This is the purpose for God releasing Satan at the end of time, to allow him to deceive the nations of the world with his counterfeit Christianity, which is the Abomination of Desolation. Also note that this “little season” is a relatively short span of time wherein Satan’s forces (Gog and Magog) will at their height be given One Hour in which to conquer and totally reign as kings with Satan and to give their power and authority over to him: Revelation 17:12 - And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 118

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CHAPTER FIVE Revelation 17:13 - These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. Revelation 17:14 - ¶These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. Satan is loosed at the closing of the Church Age for the purpose of being a tool of God (hooks in his jaws) in which to judge the harlot corporate church worldwide. This constitutes the “making war with the Lamb” and as unfaithful as the global church has become, it nevertheless is still the outward representation of Christ here on earth. It is the visible church of Jesus Christ while the invisible true Church of Jesus Christ has fled to the mountains in obedience to God’s Word. Satan and his counterfeit Christian forces of Gog and Magog will reign together with one mind for this symbolical Hour in which to bring about or gather the nations of the world and to ascend “AS A STORM” and “AS A CLOUD” (Ezekiel 39:9) over the corporate church of Jesus Christ (the mountains of Israel) . There purpose? To wear out the saints of the Most High by silencing God’s Word to the world and thus spiritually slaying His two witnesses, the true and invisible Church of Christ. Revelation 17:16 - And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. These ten horns must, in all high probability, be a figure of Satan’s end-time army of Gog and Magog as they are given temporary and a short-lived power to fulfill God’s will. They accomplish this age-old task by discretely but rapidly coming into the global church of Jesus Christ for the purpose of diluting and polluting the true Word of God and thus turning the corporate church’s doctrines into false doctrines of wormwood. Gog and Magog approach the church as “angels of light,” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). They will make her (corporate church turned harlot) desolate and spiritually naked, Revelation 17:6 tells us. They will spiritually eat her flesh and burn her with fire, Revelation 17:6. Is this not the same language as what we read concerning the harlot in Revelation Chapter Eighteen? Of course it is! Revelation 18:8 - Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. Here we see again the Little Season in view as being a short span of time allowed to Satan for the purpose of desecrating or making desolate (Abomination of Desolation) the corporate harlot church. It is symbolized this time not as one hour but as one day. As we have seen in three other verses of Revelation Chapter Eighteen, her judgment comes in one symbolical hour as well as in one symbolical day. Gog and Magog will rule for One Hour with Satan and will hate the whore (the corporate church), and therefore shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire, all in perfect accordance with God’s will.

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CHAPTER FIVE Revelation 17:17 - For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. Yes, God has put hooks into the jaws of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38:4) for the purpose of carrying out His final judgment upon the house of God firstly, (1 Peter 4:17). Let us once more read the first ten verses of Revelation Chapter Twenty:

Revelation 20:1-10 Revelation 20:1 - ¶And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. Revelation 20:2 - And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, Cross Reference: Revelation 12:7 - And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, Revelation 12:8 - And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. Where did they go? God cast them out into the earth. Satan (the strong man) has been bound for the entire length of the Church Age (a thousand symbolical years) while Christ seeks His lost sheep, all those who will be brought into His Kingdom. Mark 3:27 - No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. Revelation 12:9 - And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelation 12:10 - And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. The above verse tells us in absolutely no uncertain terms, but positively that the time of Satan being cast out of heaven and down onto the earth is without question the same time that Jesus Christ was crucified and thus giving Satan his fatal spiritual wound, allowing the Gospel of Christ to go forth unto the ends of the earth. Once Satan was defeated at the Cross and cast out of heaven there was a loud voice in heaven that said NOW is come - salvation, strength, and the Kingdom of God! Didn’t John the Baptist preach “the Kingdom of God is at hand?” Yes, because Christ came and confirmed His everlasting new covenant with His blood, thereby assuring His elect of a way into His eternal kingdom. Satan, at that time was not completely destroyed, for God cast him into a spiritual prison to be loosed once more at the very end of time (Little Season) for the purpose of assembling his counterfeit Christian army (Gog and Magog) and launching their final assault upon the corporate church of Christ, thereby creating the 120

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CHAPTER FIVE Abomination of Desolation which in and of itself is God’s judgment upon His unfaithful global church. Revelation 20:3 - And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. Little season: the short span of time in which to launch his attack against the corporate church. Revelation 20:4 - And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Revelation 20:5 - But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Revelation 20:6 - Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Revelation 20:7 - And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, Revelation 20: 8 - And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. Revelation 20:9 - And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. Remember that the “beloved city” was only once the beloved city of God. God of course still loves those that were saved in her, for they are His eternal Bride and thus they will NEVER come into judgment, and the gates of hell shall never prevail against her, Matthew 16:18. The true residents of this “beloved city” have escaped her sins and have fled to the mountains of God (Matthew 24:16; Mark 13:14; Luke 21:21). She (that beloved city) has now spiritually become the Mystery Babylon, the great harlot (Revelation Chapter Eighteen). This beloved city of God is and always will remain in existence due to Christ’s faithfulness in us. However, her outer shell; the corporate church, the dead body (carcass) of apostate worshippers are no longer God’s “beloved city,” but they are now the spiritual city of Sodom and Egypt (spiritual adulterers and fornicators remaining in bondage to Satan.) The once faithful church (city) of spiritual Jerusalem has been turned (after the Abomination of Desolation) into the spiritual harlot or spiritual city of Sodom and Egypt: Revelation 11:8 - And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 121

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CHAPTER FIVE The dead bodies here are representative of the testimony of the true Church, God’s two witnesses, which have or are now being killed or silenced within this once faithful church, otherwise known as the spiritual city of Jerusalem. Satan and his counterfeit army of Christian imposters are those of the nations of the world (Gog and Magog) who have ascended upon this once faithful city (camp of the saints; the beloved city) as a “storm and as a cloud to cover the land (Ezekiel 38:9) of the “Israel of God,” (Galatians 6:16). Let us not become confused as to the true identity of God’s chosen elect and chosen “city.” At the end of time God will separate the tares from the wheat within His Church. Perhaps that is what we are witnessing at this present time; the desolation of the global churches and the fleeing of them by those who truly understand God’s warnings for these days, Daniel 12:10. Those masses of humanity who remain unsaved within the corporate global churches are in actuality merely worshipping Satan while being deceived into believing that they are actual true Christians. They are in the midst of the city of God, spiritually speaking, but yet they are not true members of God’s “city” and therefore they are simply residing or dwelling in the outer courts of God’s true city, but indeed the “outer court” or the “court which is without” is outside of God’s true temple, and therefore is given over to the Gentiles or unsaved world: Revelation 11:2 - But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. Revelation 12:10 - And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Continuing On - A Storm and a Cloud to Cover the Land (Ezekiel 38:9) “Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee,” (Ezekiel 38:9). The forces of Satan, once he is released from his spiritual prison, ascend upon the corporate church as a storm and as a cloud to cover the land. This gives the impression of not only speed at which Satan enters the congregations but completeness as well. The precise Hebrew word that is translated here as “storm” is defined as follows: H7722

sho' sho'ah sho'ah sho, sho-aw', sho-aw' 122

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CHAPTER FIVE From an unused root meaning to rush over; a tempest; by implication devastation: desolate (-ion), destroy, destruction, storm, wasteness.

The Difference Usages of “Storm” It is interesting that out of a total of only twelve usages of this word “storm” in the Old Testament, it is translated as “storm” only once, and that of course is here in Ezekiel 38:9. The remaining eleven translations or usages of this word are desolation, used four times; desolate, used twice; destruction, used twice; destroy, used once; destructions, used once; and finally wastenness, used once. Let us briefly examine the usages of these other words that are defined as “storm.” We will begin with the word “wastenness.” Zephaniah 1:14-18 14 - ¶The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. 15 - That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness [same word as “Storm” in Ezekiel 38:9] and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, Clouds and think darkness are signifying the time of Abomination of Desolation, which ushers in the return of Christ. For an in-depth study on this “thick darkness” please see the study “Smoke Arises From Bottomless Pit” at http://spiritualbiblestudies.com/5T 16 - A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. 17 - And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. 18 - Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land. We have preached many times in the past that God’s judgment upon the unfaithful corporate church will come most speedily. We have read Joel’s prophesies that spoke of this time in a most horrific way:

Joel 2:1-5 Joel 2:1- ¶Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 123

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CHAPTER FIVE The Lord willing, we will have a study on the term “Day of the Lord,” for it encompasses a longer period than one specific day. Joel, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, calls for the blowing of the trumpet (warning) in Zion which is the spiritual Mount Zion, for it is not a literal mountain neither has it ever been a literal mountain. God, through Joel, continues to warn “sound an alarm in my holy mountain.” This holy mountain is indeed Mount Zion, one of many representations of God’s people Israel. No, not the literal Old Testament nation of Israel, but the New Testament spiritual nation of Israel. Why does God have the warning trumpet sounding in His holy mountain? BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE THE FINAL BATTLE BETWEEN GOD AND SATAN WILL BE WAGED. It has been spoken of and prophesied in many ways throughout all of Scripture. For example: Ezekiel 6:2 - Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them, Ezekiel 6:3 - And say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. The mountains of Israel, as we saw in our last study, are indeed figurative language depicting God’s earthly corporate church, the Israel of God, Galatians 6:16. We do not rest solely upon this Galatians verse; for the entire New Testament firmly teaches that those who are in Christ are without question spiritual Israelites. God is bringing judgment down upon His corporate church - the mountains of Israel - in these last and final years of the New Testament Era precisely as He prophesied of throughout Scripture. Joel 2:2 - A day of darkness and of gloominess [darkness; dark] a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. The time of this fulfillment is the Little Season of Judgment that we just studied. It is the time wherein true believers have fled from the defiled worldly congregations; it is the time where Satan rules in the corporate church; for it is the time of the Abomination of Desolation spoken and warned of by Christ and His Old Testament Scripture. The above verse of Joel 2:2 mentions the enemy as a “great people and a strong; there hath not been EVER the like.” The cross reference to this is of course given in Revelation 20:7-8: Revelation 20:7-8 7 - And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 - And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

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CHAPTER FIVE Gog and Magog, the nations of the world, are gathered by Satan at the end of time for the sole purpose of making war with God. The unsaved of the world have always been at war with God, but this is a calling of Satan, a recruitment of souls for the final battle at attempting to capture the great CITY of God. The earthly CITY of God is that spiritual city called Jerusalem, Mount Zion, the Mountains of Israel, the Church, and so forth. Satan cannot touch the eternal CITY of God, for it is sealed and protected and totally out of his reach, and has been so since Christ sealed it with His blood on the Cross. It is by silencing the true Word of God within the earthly corporate church (outer court) that God, through the using of Satan and his forces of Gog and Magog, brings judgment upon the unfaithful corporate church. Joel 2:3 - A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them. The Abomination of Desolation will be complete, for nothing shall escape them, Joel says. Nothing will escape the invading armies of Gog and Magog. The land (church, land of Israel, mountains of Israel) is as the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them it is a desolate wilderness. Desolations! The Abomination of Desolation! There is no green life (true spiritual life) left within the harlot church. Joel 2:4 - The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. Gog and Magog are said to be as an army of horses and horsemen: Ezekiel 38:4 - And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Ezekiel 38:15 - And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: We have seen in many places throughout Scripture that Satan’s assault at the end of time is told in figurative language, and thus horses and horsemen are just one facet of this attacking army told in parabolic form. Joel 2:5 -Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. Joel is just one of the Old Testament books that teach the Day of the Lord. As we stated earlier, the word “Storm” is translated only once in the Old Testament as Storm. Let us continue looking at the other renderings of this word. 125

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CHAPTER FIVE In Job Chapter Thirty we find this same word translated “storm” used as “desolation.” Very remarkably the context is that of Job being surrounded by the worse of the heathen. Let us begin in verse eight” Job 30: 8-14 Job 30:8 - They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were viler than the earth. Job 30:9 - And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword [song]. As the world mocks true Christianity, we are the world’s song or byword for them to pleasure themselves with. Job 30:10 - They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face. This is the unsaved world’s true opinion of God’s truth. They abhor God’s Word. The word abhor is actually the worse of all hatred. It is defined as loathe or detest. It is no wonder that we read in Revelation Chapter Eleven the true feelings and opinions that the world harbors against God’s truth: Revelation 11:8-10 8 - And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9 - And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. This is speaking of the true attitude or feelings that the unsaved world has toward God’s people and God’s truth. This is highly figurative language that the pagan world cannot understand. God has given it to His people and it is His people who will truly understand it. The nations shall see the dead bodies of God’s true Church (His Two Witnesses) lying in the streets of Jerusalem. The world will care nothing about giving these bodies a proper burial! Yes, God is showing His People precisely how the world will react when God allows Satan to SILENCE the true Word of God within the global and corporate church at the end of time. Our testimony will be slain or killed within the church - the great city of Jerusalem now turned harlot and pronounced as the city of Sodom and Egypt, Revelation 11:8. This symbolical three and a half days is the time of judgment upon the unfaithful corporate church when the true Gospel of Christ is removed from her. To say that our bodies will not be put into graves is not literally teaching that Christians will die and not be buried. No, of course not. This is teaching what the world cannot see, and that is the fact that this verse is teaching the total disrespect that the unsaved world holds toward God’ people and God’s narrow path of salvation. It is held in total hatred, disregard, and disdain by the world, which remains today at war with the true God of Scripture. To not bury a body is language that illustrates a much lack of respect. So much so that the next verse tells us that the world will actually rejoice over the death of God’s true Word! 10 - And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. 126

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CHAPTER FIVE The unsaved world, having total disdain for God’s true Church, will rejoice over their death, that is to say they will rejoice over the silencing of Christ’s true Gospel within the churches of the world. To say that the world will actually send gifts one to another because of this silencing of God’s Word is yet another figurative way in stating that the world will and is rejoicing over the death of the true Gospel in the corporate churches of the world. Perhaps some will actually send gifts to others in celebrating the demise of - what they term as - biased opinions of “religion” or even as we hear true Christianity today being phrased as a type of “hate crime.” There are many ways in which the unsaved world will and are rejoicing over the terminating of the true Gospel in the churches. We may not truly realize this until we look into the midst of the carcass (spiritually dead) congregations of today and see how they are prospering. This is all due to the fact that God’s narrow way of salvation is not being preached within these churches and thus the members are now free to interpret their bibles (if indeed they even carry them to church) in any way they choose. Going back to Job Chapter Thirty we are examining this same word that is translated as “storm” in our Gog/Magog study and looking at it as it is used as “desolation.” Very remarkably the context is that of Job being surrounded by the worse of the heathen. Let us continue at verse eleven: Job 30:11 - Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me. Job 30:12 - Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction. Precisely as the unsaved world attempts to push their ways of destruction upon God’s children. Job 30:13 - They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper. The world attempts to mar the path of God. To mar means to tear up. Job 30:14 - They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters: in the desolation [same Hebrew word as storm] they rolled themselves upon me. The world comes upon the children of God (mountains of Israel) as a wide breaking, meaning as a breach or a large gap. They come as DESOLATION which is the same Hebrew word used as STORM in our study. It is a spiritual storm or desolation. Matthew 24:15-17 15 - When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 - Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 - Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: The holy place is the New Testament temple of God, the earthly church which is the representation of Christ’s eternal church. The Abomination of Desolation can only take place 127

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CHAPTER FIVE within the outer courts of this church, for within the true temple are God’s true Elect and thus they cannot be deceived by Satan. The attack, as we have stated numerous times, will take place within the corporate (outer court) church where true believers have fled. Let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains, Christ tells us. This absolutely cannot be speaking of only those people who live in the ancient geographical area once called Judaea. No, the New Testament Judaea is yet another symbol or type of Christ’s New Testament church, the Israel of God. Thus when we SEE the abomination of desolation standing in the corporate church of Christ, all true believers are to obey God and flee to the mountains, which is metaphorical language depicting the kingdom of God and where on this earth are the true mountains of God or the true kingdom of God may we ask? It is found within the pages of Holy Scripture - the Word of God itself. The kingdom of God is within you, Christ told us in Luke 17:21.] We also read in Ezekiel 38:16: And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.

Continuing on With the Difference Usages of the Word “Storm” Let us now continue on with the different usages of the Hebrew word for Storm. We are working from our text of Ezekiel 38:9 which declares that Gog and Magog shall invade the mountains of Israel at the end of time:

“Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.” Proverbs Chapter Three is teaching God’s laws and God’s wisdom Proverbs 3:21-25 21 - ¶My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: 22 - So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. 23 - Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. These verses might be self explanatory in that they are teaching God’s eternal wisdom is what leads to grace in the Lord and eternal safety. “Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely” is a phrase that assures us that living for God is to indeed dwell safely. 24 - When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. 25 - Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation [same Hebrew word as Storm] of the wicked, when it cometh. 128

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CHAPTER FIVE Once again we see that God likens the storm of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight to spiritual desolations and destruction. This is the hidden false gospels that are being delivered to the corporate congregations of the world today by the forces of Satan’s army, Gog and Magog. They are ascending upon the corporate congregations like a STORM of spiritual desolations to cover the entire land, that is to say they are ascending upon the mountains of Israel and covering the churches with their false doctrines and abominations and God equates this invasion to a STORM or to a covering of DESOLATIONS! We also find that “Storm” is translated in the Hebrew once as “destroy” Psalm 63: 8-9 8 - My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me. 9 - But those that seek my soul, to destroy [same word as Storm in Ezekiel 38:9] it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.. We see yet another usage of the Hebrew word “storm” translated as “destructions” in the following verse of Psalms: Psalm 35:17 - ¶Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions [same Hebrew word as Storm in Ezekiel 38:9], my darling from the lions. We are only looking at a few of the Old Testament passages that use different renderings for the word “Storm” that we find in our study of Ezekiel 38:9. Let us review this Hebrew word for storm: H7722

sho' sho'ah sho'ah sho, sho-aw', sho-aw' From an unused root meaning to rush over; a tempest; by implication devastation: desolate (-ion), destroy, destruction, storm, wasteness. In conclusion to our study of the storm of Ezekiel 38:9 let us quote from Zephaniah Chapter One as the Day of the Lord is in view here: Zephaniah 1:14-15 14 - ¶The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. 15 - That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness [same Hebrew word as Storm in Ezekiel 38:9] and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, We see then that God looses Satan from his spiritual prison at the onset of the Great Tribulation. It is the Abomination of Desolation, a time of great spiritual deception upon the corporate 129

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CHAPTER FIVE church, due to God’s Holy Spirit being removed and replaced with Satan taking control or standing in the holy place, Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14, Luke 21:20, 2 Thessalonians 2: 3-4. This is the One Hour of judgment upon the unbelieving church, the time wherein the harlot church gives her power and authority to Satan, Revelation 17:13. We realize that we are repeating, reiterating, and reemphasizing our thoughts in this study, and it is due to the urgency of the days in which we are now living. We are witnessing the long awaited and long ago prophesied events that will rapidly usher in judgment upon his world, including its global church, and then suddenly we will witness the return of the LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.

Thou Shalt Be Like a “Cloud” to Cover the Land (Ezekiel 38:9) The nations of the world, Gog and Magog, shall “… ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee,” Ezekiel 38:9. We certainly are not looking at a massive air assault upon the literal mountains of today’s nation of Israel. That erroneous theology has absolutely no place in the true Church of Jesus Christ. God tells us that Satan will gather the nations together for this assault upon the spiritual mountains of Israel. This is God’s imagery, His similes, His metaphors, and yes, this is God’s picturesque language in which He teaches eternal truths to His people. God uses this word “cloud” in both Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight, verses nine and sixteen: Ezekiel 38:9 - Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. Ezekiel 38:16 - And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes. Read carefully how Strong’s Hebrew defines this particular word “cloud” and its primitive root: H6051

‛anan aw-nawn' From H6049; a cloud (as covering the sky), that is, the nimbus or thunder cloud: - cloud (-y). Notice that the above Hebrew word (H6051: a cloud) is rooted from H6049, which is defined as follows: 130

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CHAPTER FIVE H6049

‛anan aw-nan' A primitive root; to cover; used only as denominative from H6051, to cloud over; figuratively to act covertly, that is, practise magic: - X bring, enchanter, Meonemin, observe (-r of) times, soothsayer, sorcerer. Strong’s Hebrew declares that the primitive root to the word “cloud” is defined in the figurative sense as to act covertly. To act in a covert fashion or to act covertly would necessitate concealment or disguise. God certainly defines this primitive root word in even much harsher terms, as we see from the verses that contain this word. Let us examine a few of these verses that contain the primitive root for the word “Cloud:” Isaiah 2:6 - ¶Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers [same word as H6049: to cover; figuratively to act covertly] like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers. Jeremiah 27:9 - Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters [same word as H6049: to cover; figuratively to act covertly], nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: Isaiah 57:3 - ¶But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress [same word as H6049: to cover; figuratively to act covertly] like, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. Deuteronomy 18:13-14 13 - Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. 14 - For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers [same word as H6049: to cover; figuratively to act covertly] of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do. From the Hebrew definitions of the word “Cloud,” as used in Ezekiel 38: 8 & 16, we now can grasp a better understanding of its usage. God is not simply showing us a figuratively stationary literal cloud (H6051) above the mountains of Israel, but God is showing us an active or moving cloud or covering (H6049) that He typifies as a cloud cover, and this cover is indeed an evil covering, as we saw from its Hebrew meaning, which is: A primitive root; to cover; used only as denominative from H6051, to cloud over; figuratively to act covertly, that is, practise magic: - X bring, enchanter, Meonemin, observe (-r of) times, soothsayer, sorcerer. 131

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CHAPTER FIVE These are the same but modern day practices cunningly used within today’s harlot and global churches. Do not think for a moment that churches do not exercise these hidden (to act covertly) satanic practices, they most certainly do and they are growing by leaps and bounds. This is the Abomination of Desolation standing where it “ought not,” Mark 13:14. In other words standing in the holy place, Matthew 24:15, which is the New Testament temple; the global churches of Jesus Christ. The cloud that God uses in which to judge His unfaithful, corporate, latter years’ church is indeed this colossus covering or spreading of abominations upon the church (the mountains of Israel). Today’s abominations within the church come in many forms, either readily recognized by true believers or most deceptive to the true believer, so much so that Christ warns us in Matthew 24:24 that if it were possible, they would deceive the very elect! That is how utterly deceptive these times are in which we are living. Gog and Magog (the nations of the world) have been enlisted by Satan (Revelation 20:7-8) to deceive the Christian “confessing” world (and only the Christian confessing world - but NOT the true elect of God) by means of their counterfeit gospel: Revelation 13:11-12 11 - ¶And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12 - And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. Satan’s deadly wound at the Cross is only temporarily healed in order for God to loose him (Revelation 20:3,7) at the end of time and allow him to recruit the unsaved among Christ’s worldwide corporate churches. This is Satan’s finest hour! This is the Gog/Magog War (Battle of Armageddon) at the end of time. Satan and his religious counterfeit church (Gog and Magog) will ascend and come like a storm, they will be like a cloud to cover the land, them, and all their bands, and many people with them. The usage of the word “cloud” throughout Scripture carries several contexts of meanings. God indeed uses it in the negative in reference to Gog and Magog invading the global church. One of the best examples found in regard to the negative aspect of the word “cloud” is in the Isaiah verse below:

Isaiah 44:22 - I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. This verse alone confirms beyond any doubt that God perceives the world’s sins or transgressions as a thick cloud. The Hebrew word for “cloud” in this verse is the exact Hebrew word used for “cloud” here in our Ezekiel study. The additional fact that God declares sins as a thick cloud shows the utter darkness of the sins of the unbelievers - as clouds thicken they naturally grow darker and this is indeed the meaning of the term thick cloud as we see from its Hebrew definition below: 132

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CHAPTER FIVE H5645 ‛ab awb Masculine and feminine; from H5743; properly an envelope, that is, darkness (or density, 2Ch_4:17); specifically a (scud) cloud; also a copse: - clay, (thick) cloud, X thick, thicket. Compare H5672. From the time (Little Season, Revelation 20:3) that Satan is temporarily loosed upon the earth in the latter years, abominations and apostasy will rapidly increase in the corporate congregations of the world until true believers see the Abomination of Desolation standing and ruling in the midst of the global church. They must then flee to the mountains of God (the Word of God) and not look back at any cost, (Matthew 24:17)! Why? Because Satan’s religious forces of counterfeit Christians (Gog and Magog) are thoroughly covering the congregations of the world with their THICK CLOUDS of spiritual darkness and apostasies! God gives us other sections of Scripture that allude to this same time frame. Keep in mind that the “day” of the Lord is not merely the literal “day” in which Christ returns. No, but scripture indicates rather plainly that this time element is a season wherein Satan’s forces invade the church of Christ. Two examples are as follows: Joel 2:2 -A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. Isn’t this precisely the description that we are reading of in our Ezekiel study? Yes, of course it is and we always want to make certain that we stay within the confines of Holy Scripture, comparing scripture with scripture alone. Having said that, we need to go even farther and exclaim that we must not only compare scripture with scripture, but we MUST NOT throw out verses for the sake of using them to our advantage. God forbid! We must ensure that our studies and verses all harmonize together. The prophet Joel has much to say concerning the time of Satan’s loosing. Joel uses the same imagery in describing the invasion from the north. Yes, Satan’s spiritual realm of the North ascending upon the congregations of the world with their thick clouds of sins, transgressions, abominations, etc. Indeed this “hour” of judgment is a time of clouds, thick spiritual darkness, gloominess (darkness and concealment), etc. Zephaniah 1:15 - That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, The prophet Zephaniah is speaking of the same event and in nearly exact terminology. For more in-depth study of this time, please see our study “The Fifth Trumpet Judgment” at http://spiritualbiblestudies.com/5T

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CHAPTER SIX

Chapter Six (Ezekiel 38:10) Ezekiel 38:10 10 - Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:

Think an Evil Thought! As we begin this chapter, notice that verse ten states that it shall come to pass that at the “same time” shall things come into thy mind, that is the mind of Satan and his Christian counterfeit cohorts of Gog and Magog. This “same time” refers to the previous verse which says “Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.” It is at this time that “things” shall come into thy mind, that is the mind of Gog and Magog, and they shall think an evil thought. Yes indeed, Satan has held these plans from ages past, as witnessed through Holy Scripture, but it is the nations of Gog and Magog that he suddenly recruits. And we use this word “suddenly” to suggest that Satan grasps the power and authority of Gog and Magog in a somewhat rapid fashion. Revelation 17:12 - And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. Space in this chapter does not allow us to examine in-depth the details or aspects of pertinent chapters or verses in the Book of Revelation that deal with the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. We will, however, suggest that these ten kings who sell out the true God in order to receive power as kings with the beast are indeed the counterfeit Christian forces within the corporate church of Jesus Christ at or near the end or time. The number ten is signifying the completeness of order and thus the completeness of Satan’s power within his end-time “religious” kingdom. The following excerpts are from Number in Scripture by E.W. Bullinger: Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything, is, therefore, the ever-present signification of the number ten. It implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete. ANTICHRIST'S WORLD-POWER is comprised in the ten kingdoms, symbolized by the ten toes on the feet of the image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Dan 2:41), and by the ten horns of the fourth beast of Daniel's vision (Dan 7:7,20,24, etc.; Rev 12:3, 13:1, 17:3,7,12). So then it is at this time, the time when Satan grasps the power of Gog and Magog that they (Gog and Magog) shall think an evil thought. “Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, 134

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CHAPTER SIX that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought,” Ezekiel 38:10. The word “think” is defined from Strong’s Hebrew as follows: H2803 (Think)

chashab khaw-shab' A primitive root; properly to plait or interpenetrate, that is, (literally) to weave or (generally) to fabricate; figuratively to plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense); hence (from the mental effort) to think, regard, value, compute: - (make) account (of), conceive, consider, count, cunning (man, work, workman), devise, esteem, find out, forecast, hold, imagine, impute, invent, be like, mean, purpose, reckon (-ing be made), regard, think. The word “thought” (to think an evil thought) is derived from the above word “think.” H4284 (Thought) machashabah machashebeth makh-ash-aw-baw', makh-ash-eh'-beth From H2803; a contrivance, that is, (concretely) a texture, machine, or (abstractly) intention, plan (whether bad, a plot; or good, advice): - cunning (work), curious work, device (-sed), imagination, invented, means, purpose, thought. Satan’s forces of Gog and Magog are not out to conquer the unsaved world, that task has already been accomplished by him, beginning at the fall of man back in the Garden of Eden. Satan’s objective now is to seal up or capture the souls within the global corporate church by replacing God’s Word with a counterfeit gospel. And so it is that God allows Satan to mass this great endtime spiritual army against the very gates of spiritual Jerusalem, which is the church. As we have stated over and ever again, this is all God’s workings, He is in total control of all things, has always been and always will remain in total control of the affairs of man. God is allowing Gog and Magog to “think an evil thought:” H7451 (Evil)

ra‛ ra‛ah rah, raw-aw' From H7489; bad or (as noun) evil (naturally or morally). This includes the second (feminine) form; as adjective or noun: - adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease (ure), distress, evil ([-favouredness], man, thing), + exceedingly, X great, grief (-vous), harm, heavy, hurt (-ful), ill (favoured), + mark, mischief, (-vous), misery, naught (-ty), 135

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CHAPTER SIX noisome, + not please, sad (-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked (-ly, -ness, one), worse (-st) wretchedness, wrong. [Including feminine ra’ah; as adjective or noun.] We see here in Strong’s Hebrew that this particular Hebrew word for “evil” is derived from H7489, which is as follows: H7489

ra‛a‛ raw-ah' A primitive root; properly to spoil (literally by breaking to pieces); figuratively to make (or be) good for nothing, that is, bad (physically, socially or morally). (associate selves and show self friendly are by mistake for H7462.): - afflict, associate selves [by mistake for H7462], break (down, in pieces), + displease, (be, bring, do) evil (doer, entreat, man), show self friendly [by mistake for H7462], do harm, (do) hurt, (behave self, deal) ill, X indeed, do mischief, punish, still vex, (do) wicked (doer, -ly), be (deal, do) worse. God is allowing Gog and Magog to “think an evil thought.” Again we ask, what precisely is this evil thought? Ezekiel 38:12-13 gives us the full answer: Ezekiel 38:12 - To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. Ezekiel 38:13 - Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? Yes of course! To take a spoil and to take a great prey. It is the end of all things (latter years, Ezekiel 38:8), Satan has been loosed (Revelation 20:3,7) for this very purpose - it is Satan’s finest hour. This is the great spiritual battle (Revelation 16:14; Revelation 20:8) at the end of time that scripture identifies as Armageddon (Revelation 16:16). Their purpose is to take a great spoil (Ezekiel 38:12-13) and a prey (Ezekiel 38:12-13). We shall see from scripture that Satan’s intent is to muster up the nations of the world (Gog and Magog, Revelation 20:8) to take this prey and great spoil. And what precisely does this prey and great spoil consist of? We just read in Ezekiel 38:13 that this prey and great spoil is silver, gold, cattle and goods. IS THAT WHAT SCRIPTURE FORTOLD THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ERA? Ezekiel 38:17 - Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? And now we discover that after all these centuries all Satan desires is to take or steal literal goods from the literal national Israel? Gold, silver, cattle, and goods. But wait! The corporate 136

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CHAPTER SIX churches are telling us that these goods (spoil and prey) are actually the prize that the major nations of the world are willing to go to war over. Yes, they tell us that the spoil is actually “oil,” simply drop the letters “sp” and there you have it - oil! National Israel will discover vast amounts of oil some experts tell us. The entire Middle Eastern region holds hidden reservoirs of oil, no doubt. It’s just a matter of finding them and with today’s vast technological means, it should really be no great surprise when more Middle Eastern nations discover oil. In fact there has been oil discoveries made within the Israeli borders. Let us quote some excerpts from an undisclosed online site concerning these discoveries:

Oil Discovery In Israel Sets Stage For War Posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Well, we knew this was coming. I'm just amazed that it happened so fast! Last week, we looked at an often ignored end times prophecy concerning the discovery of oil in Israel that would not only make her one of the wealthiest nations in the Middle East, but the entire world! Most importantly, we considered how that discovery would ultimately lead to war (the prophesied Psalm 83 War and/or Gog-Magog War). On January 17, 2009, Noble Energy announced a natural gas discovery on its Tamar prospect, offshore Israel. The Tamar #1 well, located in 5,500 feet of water, was drilled to 16,000 feet and testing identified more than 460 feet of net pay in three high-quality reservoirs. Zion Oil is also delighted. This discovery is very good for Israel and they believe it validates their belief that significant oil and gas reserves can be found in Israel. They believe that the market will be able to absorb any new gas finds and, as a result of this discovery, any natural gas that Zion may discover and produce could be worth more than estimated before this discovery.

Do you realize what this discovery means!?! Simply put, there are no other pieces that need to be in place for the prophesied Gog-Magog War (and Psalm 83 War) to take place because we now have the "carrot" (oil) that will draw Russia and her allies to attack Israel!

End of Excerpt _____________

National Israel has EVERY GOD GIVEN RIGHT to co-exist on this earth with the other nations of the world. To think otherwise would be pure evil and foolishness. The Old Testament nation of Israel was a type of the church and a foreshadow that pointed to the coming spiritual nation of Israel (the Church). We saw in an earlier Gog/Magog study (Chapter Four beginning at page 97) that one of Christ’s many names in Scripture is Israel. Scripture clearly teaches this with several references. The Old Testament ceremonial laws and sacrifices were ALL fulfilled in Christ Jesus. The Old Testament temple was a shadow of Christ 137

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CHAPTER SIX and His Elect, the New Testament Church and holy temple. The Old Testament feast days were celebrated as the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. These all were fulfilled in Christ Jesus as everything in Old Testament days pointed to the one and only true Messiah, Christ Jesus. Please see the study “The Feast Of Tabernacles (Fulfilling Prophesy)” by Tony Warren for an sincere and faithful scriptural analysis of the true meaning of these feast days. This study and many more excellent studies can be found at http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/ It is truly a sad affair when Bible teachers, pastors, elders, deacons, and congregations alike fall into this deception of putting national Israel on a spiritual pedestal simply because there are Jews living in a revived nation today called Israel. That is no reason to distort Scripture with turns and twists in order to invent a future literal thousand-year utopian reign on earth with Christ ruling from literal Eastern Jerusalem. A ridiculous and blasphemous thought since this idea easily reverts back to Old Testament theology and DENIES (whether they admit it or not) the fulfillment of Old Testament messianic prophesies. This idea will never transpire simply because Scripture does not teach this. Christ told the religious Jewish leaders of His day “Behold, your house (national Israel) is left unto you desolate,” Matthew 23:38. Desolate carries the meaning of empty, desert, waste, or wilderness. The nation of Israel today has no “holy” future as God’s nation on earth, neither have they been promised this. Israel, like all earthly nations as a whole, is a Christ rejecting entity at heart, plain and simple. Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection produced God’s real nation and the New Testament assures us that that nation is indeed a spiritual nation (1 Peter 2:9) called “the Israel of God,” Galatians 6:16. All peoples on the face of the earth (Jews and Gentiles) have access to the true spiritual Temple of God and that Temple is Christ Jesus, the one and ONLY Israel of God. All scriptural references that the literalists use in order to teach a literal one-thousand year future reign of Christ on earth are actually fulfilled within the New Testament Church Age. These are the Old Testament scriptures that speak in spiritual and picturesque language of the symbolical thousand-year reign of Christ in the New Testament Church Age. In truth, it appears that those masses of so-called “Christian” congregations that feed upon - and feed to - national Israel are in actuality mesmerized and spellbound by a (and perhaps THE) Strong Delusion of Scripture. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 9 - Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 - And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 - And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 - That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

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CHAPTER SIX Do not think that this is unfair judgment; we are certainly not judging this vast and ominous entity that has mislead church-goers by perhaps hundreds of thousands. We are simply pointing out misconceptions and lies of those who teach these unbiblical doctrines of a future utopia for yet another earthly nation of Israel. Let God be the judge of such a doctrine and of those who follow it. There are many “strong delusions” (doctrines of Satan) within today’s corporate and global church, for the true believer sees more and more clearly in these days the abomination of desolation standing in the Holy Temple (2 Thessalonians 2:4), yet the most spiritually damaging heresy appears to be the belief that God is working His end-time plan for the world through national Israel. This may not sound or appear to be blasphemy, but indeed it is blasphemous when all things considered of precious and Holy Scripture. For many decades I (the author of this series of studies) and countless other Christians have had to wonder in amazement just WHY it is that we have such a coincidence or “twist of fate” (for lack of a better term) when it comes to understanding God’s reasoning for placing or resurrecting national Israel today and especially in the forefront of today’s news? For many decades it appeared to me and others (for I was deceived into so-called “Christian” Zionism at one time) that God absolutely had to have good holy intentions for the future of national Israel; He was somehow sowing up the loose ends of Old Testament Scripture and consummating all of His prophesies for the end of time. How, I asked myself, could this miraculous (and masses of church goers considered it miraculous) event of Israel re-emerging out of the ashes of history not be God’s completion of scripture? How could it not be!? After all, the Bible tells us that at the end of time literal Jerusalem (or so I thought in literal terms) will be a burdensome stone for all people, Zechariah 12:3. I still catch myself at times wondering if I’ve missed something that would indicate yet a prophesied resurrection of national Israel. A flashing thought and of course my answer now is always a firm NO. The beautiful Old Testament scriptures that speak of a then future blessing for Israel (Isaiah Chapter Thirty-five for example) have been misinterpreted or twisted and are being taught as representing the end of time when a resurrected national Israel re-emerges upon the earth to its “said” God given literal land which will house the Messiah Christ and a thousand year utopian period. Isn’t that precisely what the Jews insisted when Christ appeared to Israel? They wanted a political Christ who would rule them and exhort power over the Roman Empire to free them from its clutch. There is nothing new under the sun, Ecclesiastes tells us and of course this same political idea is no different in today’s corporate church; it is just disguised differently. If Scripture firmly teaches a spiritual and symbolical thousand year reign of Christ upon this earth, which it most assuredly does via the New Testament Church Age, then we absolutely MUST ask ourselves honestly - what Godly doctrine or purpose could be behind the fact that God has resurrected national Israel after 2500 years and has brought it to the forefront of the world’s attention in these last days of the Church Age? The answer will be quite shocking to many but it is a great possibility and even probability. As the global church continues on in its wilderness journeys scripture tells us that it will become apostate near the end of time and there will be a great falling away from the true faith of Jesus Christ within the global and corporate church: 2 Thessalonians 2:3 - ¶Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; This falling away turns the corporate church into the prophesied New Testament harlot (as Old Testament Israel became), and leads to God’s judgment upon the corporate church as He (God) 139

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CHAPTER SIX allows Satan to gather the nations of the world (God and Magog) to desolate with abominations the corporate and global church of Jesus Christ at the end of time. Satan uses many cunning and deceptive tactics to deceive and dilute the pure and true Gospel of Christ within the corporate church. We often repeat, and for good reason, the warning that Christ gives us in Matthew 24:24 - “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Think about it, if God’s elect (chosen believers) would be nearly deceived by Satan’s end-time doctrinal tactics within the church, how could the masses of lukewarm church goers, who adhere to their pastors’ every word, escape such doctrinal errors? The answer is they CAN’T! And the many false doctrines of financial blessings, health blessings, on and on the lies continue in the name of Christ and within the holy temple of God. But these lies in essence may not hold a candle to the magnitude of the lie being propagated within the global church of today, and that sadly is the fact that national Israel is being taught in today’s church as God’s gathering together of His “chosen” people. How does or how can this false doctrine possibly merge with the Christian doctrine? It appears to be an extremely STRONG DELUSION that God has placed in front of our eyes as an end-time testing. Revelation 3:10 - Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Has there ever been what in Scripture is termed in symbolical language an “hour” of testing, trials, or tribulation that will come upon all the world? Of course the crucifixion of Christ was termed as the “hour,” but this occurred before the Book of Revelation was penned, therefore the question is rephrased, has there ever been a time after the crucifixion of Christ that is termed in symbolical language as an “hour” of testing, trials, or tribulation that will come upon all the world? The word “try” in the above Revelation 3:10 verse is defined as follows: G3985 (Try) πειραζω peirazo pi-rad'-zo From G3984; to test (objectively), that is, endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline: - assay, examine, go about, prove, tempt (-er), try. The “hour” of testing appears to be reserved for the end of time when Satan is loosed to rule in the corporate church and thus producing the Abomination of Desolation. This appears to be the hour of judgment upon the unbelieving corporate church. Revelation 14:7 - Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. Revelation 17:12 -And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

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CHAPTER SIX Revelation 18:10 - Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. Revelation 18:17 - For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, This is the time wherein the spiritual goods of the corporate church, i.e. their true doctrines of salvation are diluted, spoiled, and stomped to the ground, Daniel 8:10,12. Going back to the above news article entitled “Oil Discovery in Israel Sets Stage for War,” please be informed that this idea has absolutely no correlation with the true teaching of Holy Scripture. Again, let us reiterate the fact that Satan is after souls of men to worship him as God, Isaiah 14:13-14. When he gathers the nations of the world (Gog and Magog) his tactics will of course be spiritual, therefore he will have no use for material gains or specific geographical areas of the world in which to invade, namely the nation of Israel. No, as we have previously shown from Scripture, Satan’s Gog and Magog army are Christian imposters who mimic the true Gospel throughout the global congregations in which the masses of church members are deceived and cannot spiritually discern what is occurring. Satan comes to destroy or to spiritually silence the true Word of God. This true Word of God and those who proclaim it without compromise is indeed the prey and great spoil that Satan comes to destroy or to silence. There was mentioned of a “prophesied Psalm 83 War” in the oil discovery article that we excerpted. The article declared that the discovery of oil in Israel would lead to not only the Gog/Magog War but it would also lead to the Psalm 83 War. It is presumed that the authors of that article are suggesting that these two wars are one and the same literal event. We need to briefly look at Psalm Chapter Eighty-three to determine what and how they are misinterpreting this chapter and at the onset we can safely declare that those authors are interpreting God’s Word in a literal and wrong manner. Psalms 83:1-18 1 - ¶<<A Song or Psalm of Asaph.>> Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. 2 - For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. [Ancient Israel was hated of the nations just as God’s true Word today is hated of the nations. This is of no surprise to the true Christian, for it is a common thread throughout all of Holy Scripture.] 3 - They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. [Again, the world has always held God’s truth in contempt. It is nothing new to the believer.] 4 - They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. 141

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CHAPTER SIX [Yes, as far back as ancient Israel goes, the world has always desired to cut them off from being a nation simply because they represented the true God. But if this verse alone is the “prophesied Psalm 83 War” that those authors of the oil in Israel article are referencing, then they are most certainly on unstable ground to say the least.] 5 - For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: [The phrase “For they have consulted together with one consent” can be spiritual as easily as literal. Many nations in the old Testament era consulted together with other nations concerning the destruction of the Jews and their nation. So far there is no mention of a general time frame for this to occur as contrasted in our Ezekiel Study of the Gog/Magog War, for there scripture clearly states that it will occur in the latter years, Ezekiel 38:8.] 6 - The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; 7 - Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; 8 - Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah. 9 - ¶Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison: 10 - Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth. 11 - Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna: [Again we are reading of many of the kingdoms or nations that were known in that time period. This is NOT prophesying of an end-time literal battle against the nation of Israel, no, not in the slightest and we can rest assured of that, but please do not take our word for it, do your own study of Scripture.] 12 - Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession. [Of course! This is no shock to us. This is the desire of the unsaved world. “Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.” That has always been Satan’s desire and goal of which God will allow in the final years (latter years) of this present New Testament Age. To literally destroy the Old Testament Temple of God, made with man’s hands, does not destroy or silence God’s Word. Satan’s objective is to destroy the Word of God, not merely a physical temple as in the days of old.] 13 - O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. 14 - As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; 15 - So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. 16 - Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD. 142

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CHAPTER SIX 17 - Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: 18 - That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. [There is absolutely NOTHING in this chapter that would indicate a literal war against the nation of Israel at the end of time. These verses that we have just read are general verses with no real time frame in view, and these passages are speaking of the world’s hatred for God’s truth. The prominent verse that has provoked some to suggest this is prophesying of an end-time war with the nation of Israel appears to be verse four which states “… come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.” In all likelihood this phrase is speaking of the Old Testament nation of Israel which indeed was threatened with literal destruction at every turn, much like today’s nation of Israel is. However, one MUST realize that God does not use national Israel anywhere in the New Testament in speaking of His Word, His salvation, His people, His temple, etc. No, God has replaced the Old Testament “type” or “figure” (Old Testament Israel) of His true temple with his Church, the Israel of God, Galatians 6:16. Today, however we can certainly see more New Testament emphasis on this verse “… come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance,” simply because God’s Church is said to be a holy “nation,” 1 Peter 2:9. Psalm Chapter Eighty-three appears to be speaking of those Godly entities that represented (in the past) and represent (presently) God, and those entities were Old Testament Israel and the New Testament Church. These two corporate bodies have always been the source of hatred by the world.] Going back to our study of examining just what Satan’s prey and great spoil refers to as he invades the church (the mountains of Israel) , let us again read from Ezekiel: Ezekiel 38:13 - Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? Does Satan really desire national Israel’s silver and gold, and their cattle and goods? Will the forces of Satan really be hauling off Israel’s cattle?

Satan’s Real “Prey” and Great “Spoil” We are examining verses twelve and thirteen of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight even though we haven’t actually reached these verses as yet. Since verse ten, our present verse of study, speaks of Gog and Magog as “thinking an evil thought,” we should address this phrase now even though we are forced to leap ahead to verses twelve and thirteen.

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CHAPTER SIX

SATAN’S PREY AND GREAT SPOIL: ISRAEL’S GOLD, SILVER, CATTLE, AND GOODS It is no deep secret or mystery to the believer that this prey and great spoil that Satan (through Gog and Magog) will attempt to capture and destroy is indeed the true Word of God. Contrary to popular belief, it is not Russia leading some future attack upon the literal mountains of the nation of Israel in order to take a great spoil, i.e. capture their future oil fields. Some dispensationalists have actually turned the tide and are now teaching that Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine are actually teaching that it is the United States of America who is leading this invasion of the Middle East, and will ultimately turn against the nation of Israel and invade them as well. This “fits” the scenario of today’s events much better, but as Christ’s return tarries, the end-time scenarios change with the decades of those who invent these schemes. Let us now examine the prey and great spoil that is found in the mountains of Israel: Ezekiel 38:12 - To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. Ezekiel 38:13 - Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?

GOLD: It would require a lengthy study if we were to thoroughly examine how gold typifies the true believer in Scripture. Let us simply scan some of the pertinent verses that define this gold as God’s people. Zechariah 13:9 - And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. [God’s chosen are typified in scripture as the third part. Please see our study entitled “The Church, the Third Part” at http://spiritualbiblestudies.com. God’s elect are said to resemble gold as they are tried in the fires of tribulations. God indeed labels His elect as the Third Part. For whom else will God refer to as “…I will say, it is my people.”? 1 Peter 1:7 - That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:] 2 Timothy 2:20 - But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.

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CHAPTER SIX Revelation 3:18 - I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. Revelation 21:18 - And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. Revelation 21:21 - And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. Job 23:10 - But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Gold is of course a symbol of the purity of Christ as well as the faith of the true believer and we need not continue investigating gold in this study since it is a given that it indeed represents Christ and His bride.

SILVER: In defining silver, once more we begin by looking at Zechariah 13:9: Zechariah 13:9 - And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. [As we have just stated, God’s chosen are typified in scripture as the third part. God’s elect are said to be refined as silver is refined in the fires of tribulations. God indeed labels His elect as the Third Part. For whom else will God refer to as “…I will say, it is my people.”?] Proverbs 10:20 - ¶The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth. [The word “just” here is defined as lawful and righteous and of course that is describing God’s elect - “just” or “righteous” as choice silver. God’s bride is portrayed as choice silver as well as gold.] Jeremiah 6:30 - Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them. [God is speaking of those reprobates within today’s church as well as the Old Testament congregation of Israel and declares that they are reprobate silver. “Reprobate” is the same Hebrew word as is “rejected” here in this verse and thus God is stating that those unsaved masses within the church are not true silver, but they are rejected silver or rejected counterfeit believers.] Ezekiel 22:18 - Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver. 145

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CHAPTER SIX [The Hebrew word “dross” is rooted from Strong’s Hebrew H5472, meaning to apostatize, to back slide, or to turn away from. So we see again that the dross of silver in the house of Israel is referring to counterfeit believers, being completely opposite of true Christ believing silver.] Haggai 2:7-8 7 - And I will shake all nations, and the desire [precious, goodly, pleasant things] of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. 8 - The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts. [God states that within His house or temple the silver and the gold is His and of course God is speaking of His true Church, the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16).] 2 Timothy 2:20 - But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. Thus far we have found silver and gold to be representative of Christ and His righteousness that is bestowed upon every true believer in Him. Literal silver and gold that was brought into the Old Testament temple also prefigured the spiritual silver and gold in the New Testament temple, i.e. the Church. Additionally silver and gold represent the material riches of the unsaved world. As we sprung ahead to Ezekiel 38:12 and 13 we are defining the “evil thought” mentioned in Ezekiel 38:10. As Gog and Magog ascends and comes like a storm and a cloud to cover the land of Israel (the New Testament Israel of God, i.e. the church), they will at this same time “think an evil thought,” (Ezekiel38:10). That evil thought is once more shown to us in the following two verses: Ezekiel 38:12 - To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. Ezekiel 38:13 - Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? It is spiritual warfare that sees the loosing of Satan for this purpose; to invade God’s holy mountains, the mountains of Israel in a final attempt to slay the Word of God. He accomplishes this not by attacking the nation of Israel with literal armies as the masses of church goers are being told. No, Satan is not literally but spiritually attacking the global and corporate church of Jesus Christ (mountains of Israel) in an attempt to be worshipped in the corporate church as God, (2 Thessalonians 2:4). His “evil thought” is to take a spoil and to take a prey and we have seen thus far that gold and silver is his prey and spoil or booty. Satan does not need, neither does he desire material gold and silver. He is of course after the spiritual gold 146

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CHAPTER SIX and silver - the Word of Christ, the Bride of Christ, and all things of God - in order for him to plunder, stomp to the ground, and silence the true Word of God within the corporate church. But how do we discern the cattle and goods that we read of in the same verse and context with gold and silver? How might we understand cattle and goods to be spiritual prey for Satan along with the spiritual gold and silver?

CATTLE: The word “cattle” is defined in Strong’s Hebrew as follows: H4735 (Cattle) miqneh mik-neh' From H7069; something bought, that is, property, but only live stock; abstractly acquisition: - cattle, flock, herd, possession, purchase, substance. H7069 (Rooted from “cattle” - Bought) qanah kaw-naw' A primitive root; to erect, that is, create; by extension to procure, especially by purchase (causatively sell); by implication to own: - attain, buy (-er), teach to keep cattle, get, provoke to jealousy, possess (-or), purchase, recover, redeem, X surely, X verily. Something bought; something that was created as a possession; something that was redeemed or recovered. We constantly MARVEL at God’s wisdom in the design of His Word - every jot and tittle, Matthew 5:18. Yes, cattle then is yet another symbol depicting God’s people. We were bought (purchased) with a price. Acts 20:28 - Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 1 Corinthians 6:20 - For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. We (true believers in Christ) are indeed God’s flock, God’s cattle, God’s stock and herd. Isaiah 30:23 - Then shall he give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures. [This is one of a great many Old Testament prophesies that looked forward to a then future time when Messiah would bring in everlasting righteousness upon the earth. This is “that day” or era wherein Christ fulfilled Scripture by confirming the New Testament or covenant of grace. Through the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ 147

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CHAPTER SIX this era was realized and eternal grace was brought to the sons of men. All those who are called out of this world and into the eternal light of our heavenly Father are portrayed by God as His cattle that spiritually feed in large pastures. In that day, that is the entire New Testament era or Church Age, we as God’s children (symbolical cattle) are nourished on this earth by God’s rain (His holy word) of which we as Christians are to work in God’s Vineyard tilling and sowing the spiritual seeds that others may come into God’s grace and kingdom. This is the Church Age at its finest, multitudes of souls being harvested because Satan has been bound, creating large pastures for God’s cattle to feed upon. NOTE: This is certainly not prophesying of a future and literal one-thousand year millennium on earth after Christ’s return as many are falsely led to believe.] Proverbs 23:23- Buy [The root word of “cattle,” meaning to purchase or to buy] the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. Proverbs 4:7 - Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get [The root word of “cattle,” meaning to purchase or to buy] wisdom: and with all thy getting get [The root word of “cattle,” meaning to purchase or to buy] understanding. [Proverbs 23:23 told us to “buy” the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, instruction, and understanding. Secondly Proverbs 4:7 is saying the exact same thing, only using the word “get” rather than the word “buy,” which are actually the same Hebrew word.] Psalms 74:2 - Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased [The root word of “cattle,” meaning to purchase or to buy] of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt. Proverbs 8:22 - ¶The LORD possessed [The root word of “cattle,” meaning to purchase or to buy] me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. We have seen that gold, silver, and cattle all represent God’s true Word of Scripture. This is the prey and spoil that Satan, via his forces of Gog and Magog, plunders and silences (spiritually slays or silences, Revelation Chapter Eleven) within the corporate church in these final years and days. In addition to the gold, silver, and the cattle, Ezekiel 38:13 tells us that Satan will carry away “goods” as well, that is cattle and “goods.” What type of goods might we discover in this particular word? Again let us define this word from Strong’s Hebrew: H7075 (Goods) qinyan kin-yawn' From H7069; creation, that is, (concretely) creatures; also acquisition, purchase, wealth: - getting, goods, X with money, riches, substance. Psalms 104:24 - O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches [same word as “goods.”]

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CHAPTER SIX NOTE: This Hebrew word “Goods” is rooted from the exact same Hebrew word that we saw was rooted from “Cattle:” H7069 (Bought) qanah kaw-naw' A primitive root; to erect, that is, create; by extension to procure, especially by purchase (causatively sell); by implication to own: - attain, buy (-er), teach to keep cattle, get, provoke to jealousy, possess (-or), purchase, recover, redeem, X surely, X verily. Again how amazing is God’s Word and His Scriptural design! Cattle and goods are words that have everything in association with the kingdom of God. It is then little wonder that God allows Satan’s Christian counterfeit armies of Gog and Magog to “carry away” gold, silver, cattle and goods. This truth has absolutely NOTHING in common with today’s overwhelmingly false teachings concerning the Gog/Magog War. Sadly the majority of pastors, ministers, priests, elders, deacons, and lay people alike have absolutely no inkling of what is meant or what is truthfully taught in these Ezekiel verses. What is essentially being taught here in Ezekiel is the sad fact that the church - in all probability (we do not say positively) - has past through the great tribulation and is now being judged of God by Satan’s gathering of the nations of the world (Gog and Magog) and has now invaded the corporate church of Jesus Christ to take a spoil and to take a prey.

To Take a Spoil and To Take a Prey (Ezekiel 38:12-13) “¶I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.” (Psalms 119:162) God’s Word is indeed a GREAT SPOIL to the true believer. The word “spoil” that is used in the above Psalm 119 verse is the same Hebrew word that is used as “spoil” in our Ezekiel study, and that of course is what Satan is after as he gathers the nations of the world together for that great day of God Almighty, Revelation 16:14. The word “spoil” as is used in Ezekiel Chapter Thirtyeight is defined as follows: H7998 (Spoil) shalal shaw-lawl' From H7997; booty: - prey, spoil. 149

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CHAPTER SIX Spoil is rooted from the following: H7997 (Primitive root of spoil) shalal shaw-lal' A primitive root; to drop or strip; by implication to plunder: - let fall, make self a prey, X of purpose, (make a, [take]) spoil. An example of the above is given below: Isaiah 59:15 - Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. Such is the world’s opinion of God’s Word. It is a great spoil to those who truly love God; however it is also a great prey (or spoil) in the negative sense to those who hate God. It is something that they desire to destroy. Matthew 13:44 - ¶Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. [God’s Word is indeed treasure (a great spoil) that is hid in a field (world).] We will examine Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight, verses twelve and thirteen in more detail as we arrive at it in a later study. For now we are seeing that Satan is loosed at the closing of the Church Age for the purpose of being God’s instrument of judgment upon the corporate church that has fallen away from the true faith of Christ, according to Scripture. God is allowing Satan to think an “evil thought,” which is to fulfill his age-old desire of polluting God’s temple of truth and ruling as God himself. In order to accomplish this task, he (Satan) must assemble his armies or masses of counterfeit Christians from the four corners of the earth, (Gog and Magog, Revelation 20:8) and then ascend upon the mountains of Israel, otherwise known as the Church of Jesus Christ. In order to clear God’s house of any true doctrines, Satan must “carry away” the great spoil and prey of God’s truth in order to come to fruition and to fulfill the Abomination of Desolation that Christ warned of. In ending this study we shall leave with you an excerpt from Tony Warren’s study entitled “What is the Abomination of Desolation?” which can be found at http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/

_____________ The end of the matter is that those who receive Satan's spiritual mark (signifying their servitude), are those who are polluting the sanctuary of God with abominations that make desolate. They are the disobedient who cause the gift and offering to cease. It is their unfaithfulness that brings the Holy Temple to desolation. This is what the scriptures are "signifying" in telling the reader to understand. When you see this abomination, be aware that it is apostasy in the Church that will bring it to desolation. It's not a caveat against slaughtered pigs in the physical Jewish Temple, it's not a caveat against Jewish women 150

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CHAPTER SIX who are with child, and it's not a caveat against Titus and the Romans. We are to understand this prophecy in accordance with sound Biblical hermeneutics. In their zeal for holding to Church tradition, so many Christians neglect these most basic of principles in proper interpretation. Sola Scriptura is simply the interpretation of God's word, by God's word, not by tradition. It's not an interpretation based on what appears to be right in my own observations of the world, nor of history. Its interpretation from comparing what is written in the Holy Bible, with what else is written in the Holy Bible. Because there is nothing new under the sun that we can't understand it in light of God's Word. The Bible is that which is profitable for doctrine, reproof, and instruction in righteousness. Popular books may titillate and intrigue, but they are neither authoritative, nor divinely inspired. And Church tradition is not the deciding factor, and neither are historians, no matter how faithful they may appear to be. The Word of God is the final authority on what the abomination of Desolation is, so let the reader both hear and understand what the Spirit says to the Churches concerning it. The signs of Church degradation will be there for faithful Christians to "see" this abomination in God's house, and know that its desolation is nigh. But as Christ said, we must be watching. Matthew 24:42-44 "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." There is nothing more sacred to an honest mind than truth. It's true Christ will come as a thief in the night, but "not" for the faithful who are watching (1st Thessalonians 5:2-4). If we are not (spiritually speaking) watching, then our house will be broken up and the Lord will come in judgment upon us when we think not. But if we watch and pray, we will be accounted worthy to escape all these things that will befall the house of God, and to stand undefiled and righteous before God. The signs Christ spoke of in Matthew 24 are the spiritual precursors of His return. They are not people physically starving, or predictions of physical wars, which things we have with us always, and thus could never be signs of anything but normality. The signs are of spiritual declension where the love of God grows cold and iniquity (sin or lawlessness) abounds. Unbiblical and extrabiblical interpretations about an alleged Holy Temple in A.D. 70 have no validation in scripture. It's validated by secular historians "as if" that is a legitimate replacement for authority of scripture. But we cannot let indolence, tradition and bias cloud our love of the truth. The opinions, interpretations and suppositions of men cannot be allowed to conceal the truth of scripture concerning things that were, are, and will be. Eschatology is simply the revelation of the gospel of the kingdom of Christ of the last things. It entails Christ's promises, death, resurrection, our assurance and endurance, our hope, and His coming again. And thus it should never be looked upon as a non-essential. Consequently, the abomination of desolation is not an unimportant side note, it is the declaration of Christ, which He obviously wants us to read and understand. The Abomination of Desolation is the 151

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CHAPTER SIX beginning of the end, and God does not give warning just to take up space in the Bible. For judgment must begin at the house of God. Are we really watching and ready? Will we be able to recognize abomination standing in the holy place, or will we chalk it up to a few weeds in the field? Do we really understand, or are we deceived into thinking Christ spoke of the relatively insignificant happenings in A.D. 70? Those are the questions that we need to be prepared to answer, and answer honestly and authoritatively. May the Lord who is Gracious above all, grant us the wisdom and knowledge in wide open eyes to see when abomination stands in the Holy place. May He bless us in the study of His Holy Word, and guide us into a clear understanding that His thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are your ways our ways (Isaiah 55:8). We pray that God will grant us sound judgment in the mind of Christ, by His Word, through His Holy Spirit. Peace, Copyright ÂŠ1998 Tony Warren For other studies free for the Receiving, Visit our web Site The Mountain Retreat! http://www.mountainretreatorg.net -------------------------*--------------------------Feel free to duplicate, display or distribute this publication to anyone who would like a copy, as long as the above copyright notice remains intact and there are no changes made to the article. This publication can be distributed only in it's original form, unedited, and without cost.

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CHAPTER SEVEN

Chapter Seven (Ezekiel 38:11) And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, (Ezekiel 38:11)

Israel: A Vulnerable Land? Those who teach that this chapter is speaking of a literal “latter years” attack upon the nation of Israel simply do not have a proper understanding of the scriptures. Volumes could be written of this misunderstanding, but then we would be speaking of a great many within the global and corporate churches. This is certainly man’s twisting of scripture at every turn in order to fix these verses into their scheme of doctrine. We understand that this is done unintentionally, for they follow the “traditions of men” rather than seeking the pure truth of God’s Word. Being labeled an “outcast” among the corporate church in exchange for real truth is a tremendous blessing. In order to align their teachings with Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine, they must remain steadfast with what Ezekiel teaches and yet they do not and cannot. For example, God tells us in Ezekiel 38: 11 that this attack will come against Israel when they are living in unwalled villages and at rest, having no need of walls, bars, or gates for protection. The question at hand – Is national Israel today truly a nation of unwalled villages; a nation that is at rest and dwelling safely? Are they truly dwelling without walls, having neither bars nor gates? Of course we all know the answer to this. To the contrary the land of Israel is dotted with security checkpoints throughout. They may not have the literal bars and gates as in ancient Old Testament days; however they are just as vulnerable today as they were in the days of old. To say that the nation is today dwelling in peace and security is a farfetched stretch of the imagination. They are on general alert twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. How then might the masses within the corporate church interpret the above verse? The fact is it makes no sense even if it were to be understood literally. Israel is in no way dwelling safely in their land. Not only are the multitudes of churches wrong in this issue, they have totally missed the point altogether since this verse and the entire chapters of Ezekiel thirty-eight and thirty-nine hold a spiritual teaching requiring to spiritual or non-literal interpretation that is in total harmony with all of Scripture. The Israel in view is certainly NOT the Christ rejecting 153

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CHAPTER SEVEN nation of Israel in the Middle East today. All nations as a whole are Christ rejecting, not merely the nation of Israel. The true identity of the Israel that Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine focus upon is of course the spiritual holy nation (I Peter 2:9) of the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16), the true and invisible Church of Jesus Christ. Once we come to a full understanding of this truth, the above verse (Ezekiel 38:11) then begins to shine in all of its full radiance. Yes, the true and eternal Church of Jesus Christ dwells in spiritual safety now that Christ has become our Redeemer. No nation on the face of the earth can say that they positively dwell in physical safety; it is an impossibility. Christ came to earth to grant us spiritual safety, spiritual assurance and spiritual deliverance from the dark clutches of Satan and his kingdom. All those who are truly in Christ Jesus are members of His Body and of his Kingdom. We are indeed invulnerable, invincible, impenetrable, indestructible, and unconquerable in the spiritual essence, not because of us, but because Christ (God incarnate) gave Himself as a ransom for us by passing through the depths of Hell on our behalf. Nothing can or will ever supersede that atonement, therefore those who are true members of Christ’s Church can now truly say that we indeed dwell in safety. Nothing can ever take us away from Christ and His eternal kingdom that He has prepared for us. John 14:2 - In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:3 - And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Matthew 16:18 - And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Christ’s true Church indeed dwells in total spiritual safety. God’s picturesque language portrays the true believer as dwelling safely in unwalled villages, having no need of bars nor gates because Christ is in the midst of us forevermore! For a more in-depth study on the term dwelling safely, please see the section entitled “To Dwell Safely: What Does It Really Mean?” at http://spiritualbiblestudies.com/GogMagogWar/GogMagogCh4.htm The following are excerpts from various publications that speak of Israel’s ancient but literal gates, walled villages, bars, etc.

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CHAPTER SEVEN This article is from http://www.bible-lands.net/

ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS: THE “GATE” Drawing of the reconstructed gate at Gezer, a city to the south of Lachish. It was a design common to the fortifications of many ancient cities.

The usual design of Judean and Israelite fortresses was squarish or rounded, with square protruding towers and crenellated battlements. The walls were strong, but there was one spot that could have proved weak: the city gate. Since it was the most vulnerable spot in the defense structure, designers used all their ingenuity to make it less so. The gate at Lachish was a work of art, in military and tactical terms. The ramp that formed the approach to the gates. It was too dangerous for enemy troops to approach the city by this route.

Firstly, roads leading up to the gates were planned so that the attacker had to wheel round. This made him lose impetus and expose his right side (unprotected by his shield and so doubly vulnerable to the defenders). In situations like this the ambidextrous Benjamites had an advantage: they could use their slings and still guard themselves from the right with a buckler. Secondly, the entrance to Lachish was guarded by a double set of gate towers. If an attacker penetrated the outer gate, he would find himself channeled into the passage between the gates, which had firing positions all along, exposing him to crossfire from two, three or four directions. 155

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CHAPTER SEVEN A reconstruction of the compartments in the gateway at Lachish

The gateway passage could also be blocked in an additional manner between the partition walls of the chambers flanking it, leaving an attacked trapped in the small space between the gates. In other cities, where the entrance was defended by a single gate tower, it was usually a very strong and deep structure with internal guard rooms and upper-floor firing apertures so as to harass the enemy inside the gate. In fortified towns where the walls followed the contours of the elevation they were built on, the gates were usually in the form of a strong tower with a narrow gateway that could be closed by two sets of doors and heavy bolts, and could also be secured in the passage between its internal units. The Bible sums these up: ‘and he built ... fenced cities, with double walls, gates and bars’.

_______________________ From http://www.lincolnchristian.edu/Documents/PE.Zorn.CityGates.pdf

“ANCIENT CITY GATES” Ancient city gates are mentioned many times in the Bible, particularly in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). But many Bible students do not understand their use or importance in terms of ancient culture and the history of Israel. The following is a short but significant review of the several usages of ancient city gates which will give us insight into the biblical text. In the Hebrew Bible the word “gate” (sha’ar) is used c. 375 times (for “gates” of cities, towns, palaces, temples, private houses, etc.). [A couple of synonyms are used rarely, “gate” or “opening” for petach and “gate” or “door” for deleth.] Thus, we have no lack of biblical references to help us understand the importance and usages of ancient city gates. Also, archaeological excavations of ancient city sites almost always find a “city gate or gates” with which to work (at least the foundations). Ancient cities protected themselves by means of strong, mammoth walls which included one or more gates. These city gates became the focus of enemies as the “weak spots” of a city’s defenses. Thus, city planners and builders created increasingly more and more complex gate systems to protect the city and its walls. But defense was only a small part of ancient city gate usages. As Ray Vander Laan summarized: The gate was the center of city life in biblical times. Originally designed to defend a city against attack, this massive structure soon became a combination of community center, city hall, and marketplace. People paid their taxes in the city gate, and officials settled legal matters there. Prophets prophesied and kings ruled in the gate. Shops and markets around the gate provided for the people’s daily needs. Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. In the gate, Boaz established his legal right to marry Ruth. Absalom won the affection of Israel in the gate. The Bible predicts the return of the Messiah for the Last Judgment in the symbolism 156

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CHAPTER SEVEN of the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem. When we understand these complex structures, we have a “window” on life in biblical times. (That The World May Know. Teacher’s Guide I, p. 14.)

Even if we agree with the false premise that Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine are speaking of a literal nation of Israel, we would still be wrong in our approach since national Israelis today has begun (to a certain extent) to revert back to the ancient idea of walled cities, therefore in the literal sense we can conclude that the nation of Israel today is certainly not a nation at rest and dwelling in un-walled villages or cities. This article is from the following website: http://focusonjerusalem.com/thelandofunwalledvillages.html

Israel Decided to Build A Security Wall So, in May of 2002, as the frequency of the Palestinian suicide attacks increased, the Israeli government decided to begin the construction a wall-fence barrier along the old green line borders (as shown on map) with the West Bank. As the Israeli-Palestinian peace process eroded, leaders of both Israeli political parties, having despaired of a political solution that would bring peace with the Palestinians, made several proposals for security fences to be built along the green line separating Israeli territory and the so-called Palestinian territory, or occupied territory. The green line is the old border of Israel as was established by the 1949 armistice agreements, before Israel conquered the West Bank and Gaza in the six day war in 1967. The old green line is crossed by numerous dirt roads and it is impossible to patrol it. Many Palestinians take advantage of these roads to travel to work illegally in Israel or to get between parts of the Palestinian administered territories without being subjected to the wearisome and degrading IDF checkpoints. (check-points set up to check or eliminate the threat of Palestinian terror) The checkpoints have been a dismal failure, thereby demonstrating the need for a security fence. Some also cross in order to carry out terror operations and car theft. Many Palestinians oppose the fences either because of the mentality they represent or because they constitute a recognition of the 1949 armistice green line as a final border. Israelis living along the green line favor the fence to prevent infiltration by suicide bomber, thieves and vandals. Since 1994, Palestinians, sometimes in cooperation with Israeli middlemen, have stolen thousands of automobiles as well as farm machinery, animals and other materials. Porous paths through the hills have made it relatively easy for suicide bombers to cross into Israel.

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CHAPTER SEVEN

Despite the many pictures being shown in the international media of a tall imposing concrete wall, more than 95% of the 500 miles of security fence and barriers will consist of a chain-link fence system. Less than 5% of the security fence will actually be constructed of concrete. (8 meters in height) The short concrete sections are intended not only to stop terrorists from infiltrating, but also to block them from sniper shooting at Israeli vehicles traveling on main highways. The point must be made that had there been no incessant Palestinian terrorism, Israel would not have been compelled to build a fence to protect its citizens. The PLO was pledged to confiscate weapons, arrest terror planners and perpetrators of terrorist acts, stop incitement and participate in security cooperation with Israeli police at the outset of the Oslo process. And yet all these basic steps still remain undone and still require being addressed by the PLO under the current Quartet sponsored Peace Roadmap. Israel’s security fence has only one purpose: to keep the terrorists out of Israel and thereby save the lives of Israel's citizens, Jews and Arabs alike, since it would reduce the so-called “cycle of violence.” About 1900 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the “al-Aqsa Intifada”, compared to almost 900 Israelis. But numbers like these are only used to create an image of lopsided slaughter, with Israel cast as the heavy handed villain. Arafat does not mind sacrificing his own people by the hundreds in order to portray to the world a propagandized image of Israeli oppressiveness. In 2003, 3,838 terrorist attacks were perpetrated against Israeli targets, in which 213 Israelis (50 members of the security forces and 163 civilians) were murdered. In 2002, 5,301 terrorist attacks were perpetrated against Israeli targets, in which 451 Israeli soldiers and civilians were murdered. Thus, there was an approximately 30% drop in the number of attacks and a drop of over 50% in the number of fatalities over the previous year. The drop in the number of attacks stems from the intensive counter-terrorist actions of the IDF. Since the IDF incursions proved so statistically effective, it is estimated that the security wall could save hundreds of lives on both sides, as it would serve to obstruct Arafat’s terror war machine which he wages through the tentacles of his multi-faceted organizations (Jihadists) that recruit, finance, train and indoctrinate suicide bombers.

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What Saith the Scriptures? (God’s Meaning of “Unwalled Villages”) “And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,” (Ezekiel 38:11) The world or the corporate church looks at the phrase “unwalled villages” and immediately assumes that it is speaking of towns or villages that have no need of defense. This of course is the implication since the Old Testament was the literal law of God that looked forward to God’s revealing of the spiritual. Therefore these verses in Ezekiel, that appear to give us a literal understanding or interpretation, are in actuality prophesying of a future time wherein the fulfillment will be with a spiritual culmination rather than a physical one. Read the following five verses of Zechariah Chapter Two carefully and you will discover precisely what God is speaking of when He uses the analogy of unwalled villages or towns without walls. Zechariah 2:1-5 – 1 - ¶I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand. (It is God Himself who only can hold and possess this measuring line. “Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom,” Isaiah 65:7. God’s measuring line appears to be the mind of God; His evaluation or assessment of matters.) 2 - Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof. (The literal city of Jerusalem appears most certainly NOT to be in view in this verse. God is speaking of and evaluating (measuring) His beloved and eternal Church, the spiritual Jerusalem.) 3 - And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, (We are not going to debate which figures in these verses represent God, whether one of the angels, the young man, or whomever. The point is that God is revealing an important truth in these verses. Let us continue on.) 4 - And said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein:

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CHAPTER SEVEN (God is measuring or assessing spiritual Jerusalem of which there is absolutely no need of walls since God is our protector! A multitude of men and cattle will inhabit spiritual Jerusalem. We know that heaven was made only for humans and of course there is no “animal heaven” as many erroneously believe. But why does this verse include cattle as being the inhabitants also? Perhaps it is speaking of physical Jerusalem after all? No, we are still on the correct course and Scripture employs many symbols or metaphors with which to portray God’s people as the inhabitants of spiritual Jerusalem, and cattle is just one of many. It is no surprise that God utilizes cattle in depicting believers; cattle by Hebrew definition suggest something that is purchased. All true residents of God’s eternal kingdom have been purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ - God incarnate.) 5 - For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her. (There we have it. God’s eternal Jerusalem has no need of protecting walls (“Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls …” Zechariah 2:4). It is God and God alone who is our WALL of protection as Zechariah 2:5 so sternly declares! God is in our midst as a WALL of fire here on earth within the true Church (spiritual Israel; spiritual Jerusalem, Judah, etc.) and God shall always be within our midst in eternity as our WALL of protection.) As we once again ponder Ezekiel 38:11 we should see more of what God is speaking of rather than what carnal minds want to believe in their surface study of these passages. “And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,” The true Israel is an invisible nation that has no need of protective walls, for they dwell safely in Christ and are completely at rest; dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates. Christ is in the midst of this Israel or this Jerusalem as our protecting WALL of FIRE. Here in Ezekiel 38:11 God is revealing the spiritual attacking of Christ’s true Church by Satan’s end of the age war machine known as Gog and Magog. Yes, of course this is all spiritual warfare at its highest level. It is the time of Satan’s short-lived release from his spiritual prison (Revelation 20:7) at which time he will amass the forces of evil (Gog and Magog) and gather all people to the great spiritual battle referred to in Scripture as Armageddon. Satan’s forces of evil appear in no way as evil to the average “church goer.” That in itself is where the cunning deception is to be found. “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect,” Matthew 24:24.

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God’s Rest is the Rest that Ezekiel Speaks Of “And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,” (Ezekiel 38:11) Jeremiah 30:10 - ¶Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet [peaceful, at east, at rest] , and none shall make him afraid. The above verse is total salvation language altogether. The ultimate return of Jacob is of course in reference to the transition of Old Testament literal Israel to its New Testament fulfillment in spiritual Israel. Jacob, whose name means supplanter, was the youngest. The word supplanter means "one who takes the place of another." We all know Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup, much like Old Testament Israel’s rejection of Christ the Messiah and being replaced by the gentiles. Of course Jews, Arabs, and all people make up the true and spiritual Israel of God, that is to say the true Church of Jesus Christ. This is the REST that Ezekiel 38:11 speaks of and not some temporary physical rest that the world may offer. Matthew 11:28- Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Hebrews 3:7-11 – 7 - ¶Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, 8 -Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 - When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10 - Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11 - So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Hebrews 4:9-10 – 9 - There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10 - For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Psalms 37:7 - ¶Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Psalms 16:9 - Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. Isaiah 11:10 - ¶And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

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CHAPTER SEVEN Isaiah 14:3 - And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, Isaiah 51:4 - ¶Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people. We could easily continue on and on in citing this truth from Scripture. The point is that the word “rest” in Scripture is representative of eternal salvation much of the time. The reference in Ezekiel 38:11 is no exception, for the “rest” it speaks of is precisely the eternal salvation given to God’s true Israel – His true Church. This is the Israel that Satan is attacking now as we draw ever so close to the end of the age and the return of Christ.

Those Who “Dwell Safely” Can Only Be God’s True People Not only does Satan’s end-time army of Gog and Magog attack those who are at rest, God also reiterates this same thought by stating that they attack those who dwell safely. Those who dwell safely can only be, and indeed are, those who are at spiritual rest. These are one and the same entity, of course. True spiritual rest can only be achieved through the rest of Jesus Christ, for He is our true Sabbath or our true REST. What does Scripture tell us concerning those who dwell safely or those who dwell in safety?

“But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33 The above verse in Proverbs is all one needs to know in order to accurately and spiritually interpret the phrase “dwell safely.” However, God gives us more evidence throughout Scripture showing that once we come into eternal salvation we are at true rest and we are undeniably dwelling safely in the spiritual essence. Therefore when Ezekiel 38:11 speaks of Gog and Magog going up to the land of unwalled villages and to those who are at rest and dwelling safely we can conclude, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that God is speaking of His true Church here on earth, the true Israel of God (Galatians 6:16), as being the target or recipient of this grand attack.

“In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Jeremiah 23:6 We see from the above verse that eternal salvation is phrased as “saved” and also it is phrased as “dwell safely.” There can be no differentiation among these two terms. Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely. Salvation is the salvation of the Lord and Old Testament Judah and Israel were two Hebrew kingdoms that God used as “types” in pointing forward to the eternal kingdom of spiritual Jews – The True Church of Jesus Christ.

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CHAPTER SEVEN Romans 2: 28-29 – 28 - For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 - But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. Many people within the corporate church do not understand the above declaration. They may think they do, but in actuality they have no real comprehension of it. To have a full understanding of this holy concept one would clearly see that God is no longer working specifically with an earthly kingdom or nation called Israel, nor is He specifically working with Jewish people as He did in ancient Old Testament days. Jesus Christ is the Israel of Scripture and thus Jesus Christ’s Church or bride is known as the Israel of God, Galatians 6:16. True members of Christ’s Church are those who are not circumcised in the flesh, but are spiritually circumcised in the heart as Romans 2:29 confesses. Christ’s Church is open to all peoples of the world, Jews and Gentiles. Returning to our study, we see that in addition to the phrase “dwell safely” it’s meaning or same truth can be summed up in the phrase “dwell in safety.”

“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.” Psalms 4:8 Those (and there are multitudes) who would deny this truth in exchange for a worldly nonbiblical interpretation of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight are in need of much prayer, for their conjecture and hearsay have led to unfounded intentions in the physical world against a potential enemy that is not there.

End of Study

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Chapter Eight (Ezekiel 38:12) To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. (Ezekiel 38:12) In briefly recapping our study thus far of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight we found in verses one and two that Ezekiel is told by God to set his face against Gog and the land of Magog. We found that Gog and Magog represent the peoples of the world (four corners of the earth, Revelation 20:8) in the latter years (Ezekiel 38:8) and latter days (Ezekiel 38:16). Gog and Magog are symbolical figures depicting the Christian imposter church or counterfeit church at the end of time and DOES NOT represent the general unsaved or non-christian world. This is the completion of Satan’s counterfeit church as they give their power and authority over to Satan for one symbolical hour, Revelation 17:12. Verses three and four taught us that God Himself will bring Satan forth (with Gog and Magog) for the purpose of gathering them together for battle (Revelation 20:8) and to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty (Revelation 16:14). Of course this is the Battle of Armageddon and it is altogether THE great and invisible spiritual battle that Scripture foretells throughout the Word of God. Revelation 16:13 -16 – 13 - And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 - For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world [Gog and Magog: four corners of the earth, Rev. 20:8], to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 - Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 16 - And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. Verses five and six of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight tell us that this army of Satan’s emissaries will be a very great army. God lists some of the ancient nations at that particular time that represented the then known world. God continues to list these nations throughout this chapter. As we come to verse seven God is issuing a warning, to be prepared. In verse eight God tells us that this great event will not occur until the latter years, which we saw did not represent any portion of the New Testament Church Age except, and only except the “latter years” of the New Testament era. Verse eight continues on in prophesying that Gog and Magog will visit or come into the “land” that is brought back from the sword and is gathered out of many people ... against the mountains of Israel. God explains in this verse that the mountains of Israel have 164

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always been waste; but is brought forth out of the nations and all of them are dwelling safely. We saw a vast amount of scriptural proofs that the “mountains of Israel” is a term here in this chapter that typifies the true invisible Church of Jesus Christ scattered throughout the world. Satan, through his host and emissaries (Gog and Magog) make up the false global Christian church at the end of time wherein the Abomination of Desolation stands (Satan) declaring himself to be God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). This is how the true members (God’s elect) are silenced or spiritually killed (Revelation 11:7) in the corporate church at the end of time. Verse nine exclaimed that Satan, through Gog and Magog, would come upon the land (church) like a storm and a cloud to cover the land of Israel; that is the true Church. Satan’s end-time counterfeit church would overtake the true believers as a vast and quick approaching storm to completely cover up the truth of God and replace God’s Word with demandable heresies. Verses ten and eleven told us that Satan would devise an evil thought or plan and go up to the land of unwalled villages; to go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates. This is ancient Old Testament terminology for the towns and villages within the land of physical Israel and this lack of literal defenses within these towns and villages most certainly signify a great spiritual protection within the true Church of Jesus Christ. Spiritually and physically we have no need of protection such as walls, gates, bar, etc. simply because we are at rest and we spiritually dwell in safety all because of the atonement of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ some two-thousand years ago! Our verse of study is Ezekiel 38:12 but let us include verses eleven and twelve together: 11 - And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, 12 - To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.

To take a spoil and to Take a Prey Satan’s forces of Gog and Magog are not out to conquer the unsaved world, that task has already been accomplished by him, beginning at the fall of man back in the Garden of Eden. Satan’s objective now is to seal up or capture the souls within the global corporate church by replacing God’s Word with a counterfeit gospel. And so it is that God allows Satan to mass this great endtime spiritual army against the very gates of spiritual Jerusalem, which is the church. As we have stated over and ever again, this is all God’s workings, He is in total control of all things, has always been and always will remain in total control of the affairs of man. God is allowing Satan via Gog and Magog to “think an evil thought (Ezekiel 38:10):” H7451 (Evil)

ra‛ ra‛ah rah, raw-aw' 165

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From H7489; bad or (as noun) evil (naturally or morally). This includes the second (feminine) form; as adjective or noun: - adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, + displease (ure), distress, evil ([-favouredness], man, thing), + exceedingly, X great, grief (-vous), harm, heavy, hurt (-ful), ill (favoured), + mark, mischief, (-vous), misery, naught (-ty), noisome, + not please, sad (-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked (-ly, -ness, one), worse (-st) wretchedness, wrong. [Including feminine ra’ah; as adjective or noun.] We see here in Strong’s Hebrew that this particular Hebrew word for “evil” is derived from H7489, which is as follows: H7489

ra‛a‛ raw-ah' A primitive root; properly to spoil (literally by breaking to pieces); figuratively to make (or be) good for nothing, that is, bad (physically, socially or morally). (associate selves and show self friendly are by mistake for H7462.): - afflict, associate selves [by mistake for H7462], break (down, in pieces), + displease, (be, bring, do) evil (doer, entreat, man), show self friendly [by mistake for H7462], do harm, (do) hurt, (behave self, deal) ill, X indeed, do mischief, punish, still vex, (do) wicked (doer, -ly), be (deal, do) worse. God is allowing Gog and Magog to “think an evil thought.” Again we ask, what precisely is this evil thought? Ezekiel 38:12-13 gives us the full answer: Ezekiel 38:12 - To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. Ezekiel 38:13 - Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? Yes of course! To take a spoil and to take a great prey. It is the end of all things (latter years, Ezekiel 38:8), Satan has been loosed (Revelation 20:3,7) for this very purpose - it is Satan’s finest hour. This is the great spiritual battle (Revelation 16:14; Revelation 20:8) at the end of time that scripture identifies as Armageddon (Revelation 16:16). Their purpose is to take a great spoil (Ezekiel 38:12-13) and a prey (Ezekiel 38:12-13). We shall see from Scripture that Satan’s intent is to muster up the nations of the world (Gog and Magog, Revelation 20:8) to take this prey and great spoil. And what precisely does this prey and great spoil consist of? We just read in Ezekiel 38:13 that this prey and great spoil is silver, gold, cattle and goods. IS THAT WHAT SCRIPTURE FORTOLD THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ERA?

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Ezekiel 38:17 - Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? And now we discover that after all of these centuries Satan’s only desire is to take or steal literal goods from the physical nation of Israel such as gold, silver, cattle, and goods? But wait! The corporate churches are telling us that these goods (spoil and prey) are actually the prize that the major nations of the world are willing to go to war over. Yes, they tell us that the spoil is actually “oil,” simply drop the letters “sp” and there you have it - oil! National Israel will discover vast amounts of oil some experts tell us. The entire Middle Eastern region holds hidden reservoirs of oil, no doubt. It’s just a matter of finding them and with today’s vast technological means; it should really be no great surprise when more Middle Eastern nations discover oil. Again, let us reiterate the fact that Satan is after souls of men to worship him as God, Isaiah 14:13-14. When he gathers the nations of the world (Gog and Magog) his tactics will of course be spiritual, therefore he will have no use for material gains or specific geographical areas of the world in which to invade, namely the nation of Israel. No, as we have previously shown from Scripture, Satan’s Gog and Magog army are Christian imposters who mimic the true Gospel throughout the global congregations in which the masses of church members are deceived and cannot spiritually discern what is occurring. Satan comes to destroy or to spiritually silence the true Word of God. This true Word of God and those who proclaim it without compromise is indeed the prey and great spoil that Satan comes to destroy or to silence. For further study on this taking of a great spoil and a great prey, we suggest you visit our Chapter Six study (pdf format) beginning at page 144 entitled “ SATAN’S PREY AND GREAT SPOIL: ISRAEL’S GOLD, SILVER, CATTLE, AND GOODS.”

The Desolate Places “The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” (Psalms 34:22) The above verse is cited in response to our study of Ezekiel 38:12: “To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.” Before one comes to a real relationship with Christ, his or her soul remained spiritually in a desolate place. Once God quickens us in the spirit we are a new creature in Christ, old things are passed away and all things are become new, 2 Corinthians 5:17. After we are given this new birth our “desolate place” is inhabited by God Himself; He is in our midst forever more. Thus it is that Satan’s final attempt at replacing God is to endeavor to take God’s spoil and God’s prey which are the once desolate places that are now inhabited; those who harbor the true Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our once desolate spiritual dwelling is now undeniably inhabited by the Lord Jesus Christ. The spiritual destruction of this habitation is precisely what Satan’s age-old plan has been since its inception. 167

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Strong’s Hebrew defines “inhabited” from Ezekiel 38:12 as follows: H3427 - Inhabited yashab yaw-shab' A primitive root; properly to sit down (specifically as judge, in ambush, in quiet); by implication to dwell, to remain; causatively to settle, to marry: - (make to) abide (ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell (-ing), ease self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit (-ant), make to keep [house], lurking, X marry (-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set (-tle), (down-) sit (-down, still, -ting down, -ting [place] -uate), take, tarry. As you can see the Gospel message is nearly written in this definition. By viewing and studying the many various words that are translated from this Hebrew word one will discover much of the Gospel message embedded within. This word inhabited also carries the meaning of dwell, dwelt, inhabitants, sat, sit, abode, abide, inhabitant, sitteth, dwelleth, dwelling, sitting, dwellest, set, tarry, remain, remained, inhabit, dwelled, sittest, tarried, placed, taken, abideth, continue, habitation, abiding, continue, endure, place, safest, situate, abodest, downsitting, ease, establish, haunt, inhabitest, inhabiteth, lurking, married, marrying, remainest, remaineth, return, setteth, settle, and tarrieth.

“Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;” (Isaiah 49:8) Yes of course! Those who inhabit the once desolate places (Ezekiel 38:12) or desolate heritages are indeed those who are true believers and true worshippers of Jesus Christ our Messiah and Savior! These former genuine but spiritual “desolate places” are not what the corporate church would have us to believe, namely that they are ancient wastelands in Palestine that are now inhabited (by Christ rejecting people; no disrespect to the Jewish people) in today’s national Israel. That is what much of today’s corporate church would like for you to believe. All who remain in their sins and trespasses outside of Christ are spiritually dead while they live; thereby remaining in their “desolate places:”

“We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.” (Isaiah 59:10) Only Christ can bring one out of his desolate place and that is by having Christ inhabit your desolate dwelling. Let us define this term “desolate places” as it is used here in Ezekiel 38:12:

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H2723 – desolate places chorbah khor-baw' Feminine of H2721; properly drought, that is, (by implication) a desolation: - decayed place, desolate (place, -tion), destruction, (laid) waste (place). From H2721 choreb kho'-reb A collateral form of H2719; drought or desolation: - desolation, drought, dry, heat, X utterly, waste.

“For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places [SAME Hebrew word as “desolate places”]; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.” (Isaiah 51:3) The above verse is not some isolated passage speaking of a false Millennial Age to be set up in national Israel after the return of Christ as a great many are deceived into believing. This verse and a host of others like it are NOT speaking of a millennial kingdom in national Israel, but these are beautiful passages that God has given us and Old Testament physical Israel in describing the spiritual reign of Christ upon this earth in the New Testament Era – The Church Age. This verse and others like it are being misunderstood to a great extent and therefore are being taught as a literal kingdom to come within national Israel. This is a false notion and a great misunderstanding of God’s New Testament teaching of His Church, the Israel of God, Galatians 6:16.

God’s Elect: Those Gathered Out of the Nations Ezekiel 38:12 - To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. We have learned that “to take a spoil” and “to take a prey” has everything to do with Satan attempting to plunder the house of God by stomping the truth to the ground in the latter years of the New Testament Church Age. In coming to a correct understanding of this we also realize that for Satan to turn upon “the desolate places that are now inhabited” is again similar language depicting the same thing; it is depicting the spiritual killing or silencing of God’s Word by attacking those who once inhabited desolate places but are now inhabited by Christ their King. Understanding this truth, we can now certainly expect to read more of the same typology in this highly spiritual language and we do, for the verse continues on by stating that Satan not only turns upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, but he likewise turns upon the people 169

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that are gathered out of the nations. We can expect this statement to follow the same pattern of teaching in that these “people” gathered from all nations are again spoken of as God’s people.

“At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.” (Jeremiah 3:17) Jeremiah 3:17 is specifically speaking of the eternal salvation we have in Christ Jesus. When Jeremiah (inspired by the Holy Spirit) declares that Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the LORD, note carefully that Jeremiah is certainly not speaking of the literal city of Jerusalem, but he is speaking of the spiritual and eternal Jerusalem consisting of Christ and His true Church. Neither shall those occupants walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. Why? Because Christ has given His people a new heart. Ezekiel 11:19 - And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: Ezekiel 18:31 - Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Ezekiel 36:26 - A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. Romans 2:29 - But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. To have a circumcised heart is to receive a new heart and a new spirit and only God can accomplish that miracle for us. It is referred to in Scripture as the new birth or to be born again, John 3:3,7 and 1 Peter 1:23. We also saw previously from our Ezekiel Thirty-eight study that God has already indicated in an earlier verse this same thought that those who are gathered out of the nations are God’s elect; not to be confused with the literal Jews (sons of Abraham), for the true and eternal sons of Abraham are the spiritual Jews that Old Testament Israel typified. Ezekiel 38:8 - After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people [nations], against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. Let us look to Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-nine which continues to deal with the battle of Gog and Magog and we will once more discover that God’s chosen people are again perceived by God as being gathered out of the nations: Ezekiel 39:27-28 – 27 - When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands [nations], and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations; 170

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28 - Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. God has left out none of His elect. He will gather all of them in and so it is that that “all Israel shall be saved,” Romans 11:26. Ezekiel 39:28 above declares that God will gather his people from among the heathen and into their own “land.” Do not think that God is speaking of the literal Jews being re-gathered into their ancient and literal land of Israel. This is surface reading of Scripture without the knowledge and this is how much of the organized corporate church treats the Holy Scriptures today. The word “land” can be shown in Scripture to be a figurative word depicting or portraying the land of salvation which is represented on this earth by God’s true Church and yes even the corporate church before its fall at the end of time. Let us examine in part some of what Scripture shows us of the word “land:” Psalms 85:9 - Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. Isaiah 26:1 - ¶In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Isaiah 60:18 - Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. Jeremiah 33:15 - In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. [God is clearly speaking of the New Testament Church Age in the above verse. In “those days” and at “that time” are terms or phrases that speak of the time beginning at Pentecost when Christ’s Gospel went forth throughout all the earth. God continues by stating that He (God) will cause the Branch of righteousness, who is Christ our God, to grow up unto David, or in other words Christ will inherit the spiritual throne of David, who was an Old Testament type of Christ. And finally God declares in this verse that He (the Christ) shall execute judgment and righteousness in the LAND. If we misunderstand this verse to be speaking of the literal land of Israel then we must admit that Christ will execute judgment and righteousness only in the literal land of Israel. Again that is surface reading of the Scriptures and is in totally disharmony with the rest of Scripture. Of course the “land” that is in view here is the Church itself; that is where Christ’s righteousness and judgments are placed.] Isaiah 60:21 - Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. [Once more we plainly see here that this “land” is the eternal Church of Jesus Christ as opposed to being a physical land called Israel in the Middle East. Do not forget that Christ Himself is named Israel in Scripture; therefore the true and scriptural “land of Israel” is without question all members of Christ’s Body - His Church. John the Baptists' wilderness message was followed by the revelation that the “True Israel of God” is Jesus Christ. Jesus and Jesus alone lived up to the definition of the name 171

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"Israel," which is: “HE WILL RULE AS GOD.” (See Strong's H3478) Notice in the next scriptures how all the UPPERCASE areas equate out to the same opinion of Jesus being the True Israel of God: Matthew 2:14-15 (14) When he arose, he took THE YOUNG CHILD and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: (15) And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, OUT OF EGYPT HAVE I CALLED MY SON. Hosea 11:1 (1) WHEN ISRAEL WAS A CHILD, then I loved him, and CALLED MY SON OUT OF EGYPT. Exodus 4:22 (22) And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, ISRAEL IS MY SON, EVEN MY FIRSTBORN: John 3:16 (16) For God so loved the world, that HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Mark 12:6-9 (6) Having yet therefore ONE SON, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. (7) But those husbandmen said among themselves, THIS IS THE HEIR; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. (8 ) And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. (9) What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? HE WILL COME AND DESTROY THE HUSBANDMEN, AND WILL GIVE THE VINEYARD UNTO OTHERS.]

Those Who Have Gotten Cattle and Goods in the Midst of the Land Ezekiel 38:12 - To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land. We continue to examine verse twelve of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight. This is the target that Satan and his forces of Gog and Magog will (and are) waging war against in the latter years of the New Testament Church Age. In all probability we are living in that time at the present and perhaps it is much later than we might expect. Verse twelve teaches that Gog and Magog’s goal is to take a spoil and a prey, which we saw are terms indicating God’s truth. Satan is attacking the desolate places that are now inhabited, which we found from Scripture to be a term that represents God’s true people, of both Old and New Testament eras. These same people, God’s 172

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elect, are mentioned here as those that are gathered out of the nations. The verse concludes by stating that God’s people (those that are gathered out of the nations and into spiritual Israel) have also gotten cattle and goods, and they dwell in the midst of the LAND. Masses within the corporate church are teaching, and have been for quite some time, that Gog and Magog are actually the modern day nation of Russia and her allies. They teach that Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine are prophesying of a great literal war in the literal mountains of the nation of Israel. Russia, they say, will come down upon national Israel to take a great spoil (perhaps sp…OIL they say) and a great prey (perhaps a foothold in the Middle East, they suggest.) We know this certainly is man’s imaginations and nothing more due to their literal method of biblical interpretation and of course the surface reading of Scripture. But what can we say of the cattle and goods that the unseen forces of Satan via Gog and Magog will attempt to plunder? Will Russia and her allies haul away literal cattle and other material goods from the land of Israel? No, of course the term “cattle and goods” is a phrase that Old Testament typology renders as God’s spiritual goods.

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We (true believers in Christ) are indeed God’s flock, God’s cattle, God’s stock and herd. Isaiah 30:23 - Then shall he give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures. [This is one of a great many Old Testament prophesies that looked forward to a then future time when Messiah would bring in everlasting righteousness upon the earth. This is “that day” or era wherein Christ fulfilled Scripture by confirming the New Testament or covenant of grace. Through the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ this era was realized and eternal grace was brought to the sons of men. All those who are called out of this world and into the eternal light of our heavenly Father are portrayed by God as His cattle that spiritually feed in large pastures. In that day, that is the entire New Testament era or Church Age, we as God’s children (symbolical cattle) are nourished on this earth by God’s rain (His holy Word) of which we as Christians are to work in God’s Vineyard tilling and sowing the spiritual seeds that others may come into God’s grace and kingdom. This is the Church Age at its finest, multitudes of souls being harvested because Satan has been bound, creating large pastures for God’s cattle to feed upon. NOTE: This is certainly not prophesying of a future and literal one-thousand year millennium on earth after Christ’s return as many are falsely led to believe.] Proverbs 23:23- Buy [The root word of “cattle,” meaning to purchase or to buy] the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. Proverbs 4:7 - Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get [The root word of “cattle,” meaning to purchase or to buy] wisdom: and with all thy getting get [The root word of “cattle,” meaning to purchase or to buy] understanding. [Proverbs 23:23 told us to “buy” the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, instruction, and understanding. Secondly Proverbs 4:7 is saying the exact same thing, only using the word “get” rather than the word “buy,” which are actually the same Hebrew word.] Psalms 74:2 - Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased [The root word of “cattle,” meaning to purchase or to buy] of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt. Proverbs 8:22 - ¶The LORD possessed [The root word of “cattle,” meaning to purchase or to buy] me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. We have seen that gold, silver, and cattle all represent God’s true Word of Scripture. This is the prey and spoil that Satan, via his forces of Gog and Magog, plunders and silences (spiritually slays or silences, Revelation Chapter Eleven) within the corporate church in these final years and days. In addition to the gold, silver, and the cattle, Ezekiel 38:13 tells us that Satan will carry away “goods” as well, that is cattle and “goods.” What type of goods might we discover in this particular word? Again let us define this word from Strong’s Hebrew: H7075 (Goods) qinyan 174

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kin-yawn' From H7069; creation, that is, (concretely) creatures; also acquisition, purchase, wealth: - getting, goods, X with money, riches, substance. Psalms 104:24 - O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches [same word as “goods.”] NOTE: This Hebrew word “Goods” is rooted from the exact same Hebrew word that we saw was rooted from “Cattle:” H7069 (Bought) qanah kaw-naw' A primitive root; to erect, that is, create; by extension to procure, especially by purchase (causatively sell); by implication to own: - attain, buy (-er), teach to keep cattle, get, provoke to jealousy, possess (-or), purchase, recover, redeem, X surely, X verily. Again how amazing is God’s Word and His Scriptural design! Cattle and goods are words that have everything in association with the kingdom of God. It is then little wonder that God allows Satan’s Christian counterfeit armies of Gog and Magog to “carry away” gold, silver, cattle and goods. This truth has absolutely NOTHING in common with today’s overwhelmingly false teachings concerning the Gog/Magog War. Sadly the majority of pastors, ministers, priests, elders, deacons, and lay people alike have absolutely no inkling of what is meant or what is truthfully taught in these Ezekiel verses. What is essentially being taught here in Ezekiel is the sad fact that the church - in all probability (we do not say positively) - has past through the great tribulation and is now being judged of God by Satan’s gathering of the nations of the world (Gog and Magog) and has now invaded the corporate church of Jesus Christ to take a spoil and to take a prey. END OF STUDY

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Chapter Nine (Ezekiel 38:13) Ezekiel 38:13 - Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?

Art Thou Come to Take a Spoil ? Who Really is Asking this Question? Those Who See the Abomination of Desolation Standing in the Holy Place: Sheba, Dedan, and the Merchants of Tarshish with All the Young Lions Thereof Matthew 24:15-16 15 - When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 - Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: It is important to understand just who it is that is asking the question: “Art thou come to take a spoil? Hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? To carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?” Some may say it doesn’t matter who it is that is asking this question. Of course it does, for everything in Scripture has a purpose and indeed matters to those who desire to know as much as we can from God’s Word. Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions are the ones who are asking this timely question. They are asking Gog and Magog, who are Satan’s emissaries that have been mustered from the four corners of the earth in preparation for this great spiritual battle called Armageddon. Yes, Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish with all their young lions are directing this long awaited and soul searching question to the forces of Satan: Have you come upon us to take a spoil? Have you gathered your armies to take a prey? Have you come to take away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? We will 176

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not analyze the biblical meanings of spoil, prey, silver, gold, cattle, or goods in this study since we have already done so in previous chapters of this study. Suffice it to say that they are all highly spiritual terms or symbols that absolutely depict Christ’s Gospel of the Good News of Eternal Salvation. These metaphorical terms would also include the true members of Christ’s Church. All of God’s children are figuratively portrayed in Scripture as silver, gold, cattle, goods, along with a host of other allegorical terms. The true Christian witness coupled with the pure Gospel of Christ (that all true believers cherish) are indeed the GREAT SPOIL and PREY that Satan is seeking out during this great end-of-time quest or battle. As already stated, we will not replicate what we have already seen and taught in previous chapters of this study, for we say it now; the great spoil and prey that Satan via Gog and Magog seek to destroy from among the corporate churches of the world is every true believer’s testimony and witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the silencing, the shutting down or spiritual killing of God’s true Church as seen from Revelation Chapter Eleven, to name but one reference. The whole of this particular study will now focus on the identity of those who are asking the question, namely Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish with all their young lions. For this question can only be asked by those who understand and truly comprehend what is occurring within the corporate churches of the world. The millions of global “church goers” or “pew warmers” have absolutely no spiritual insight to even fathom a question like this. For they applaud the increasing church apostasy as a means of modernizing today’s church and a way of keeping it up-to-date with the times, something God is totally against, for He declares in Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” The world’s church goers or “tares” as it were do not have the Godly ability to recognize church apostasy for what it truly is, and thus they cannot be the ones who are asking this timely question of Ezekiel 38:13. It is God’s elect, the true spiritual merchants of the world, who are asking this question.

Sheba, Dedan, and the Merchants of Tarshish As we begin to address Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish please expect a highly symbolized study as God has included much symbolism into the events of the Old Testament writings which all typify or prefigure Christ and His Church, consisting of both the wheat and the tares (saved and unsaved). As we study Ezekiel Chapter Thirtyeight we see most certainly that it is aligning with what Scripture teaches will occur within the corporate churches in the latter years once God commences judgment upon the unfaithful church by allowing Satan to ravage, devastate, and desolate the corporate and global church of Jesus Christ. This is the time wherein Christ commands the true believers, once we see the abomination of desolation in the churches, to flee to the mountains of Judaea, which is spiritual language telling us to depart out from among the abominations of the churches and flee solely to Christ and His Word, which in Scripture is shown to be the spiritual mountains of God – the Kingdom of God. Yes, Christ is bringing judgment upon the worldwide harlot church by means of Satan and his global host of Gog and Magog, i.e. the nations of the world. All of this information 177

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has thus far been covered in our previous chapters of our study of the Gog/Magog Battle. As we begin to look at Sheba, Dedan, and Tarshish we will be drawn into the Old Testament passages and it is imperative to realize that these three nations (Sheba, Dedan, and Tarshish) are not foretold here in Ezekiel as representing any modern-day nation of today that is protesting the invasion by asking the question “Have you come (Gog and Magog) to take a great spoil and a prey?” When we look to the multitudes of churches that teach Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight it is safe to say that an extremely high percentage of those churches will tell you that this is a physical battle involving a great many of the nations of the world today. The most common belief among the churches is that Gog and Magog are the armies of Russia as they come down into the Middle East, perhaps invading other nations along the way, but specifically they come down to attack the physical nation of Israel. The churches have accepted this false scenario from the traditions of men and from what certain seminaries have falsely taught them. Sadly they do not study and interpret Scripture from Scripture alone; thereby they cannot know the spiritual significance within the highly symbolic wording that God uses throughout the scriptures and especially the Old Testament. As we stated in an earlier study, the nations of the world that are mentioned in Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight were NOT meant to represent any specific modern-day nations of today. Why then were these nations mentioned in Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight if we are to ignore them or if we are not to interpret them as being nations of today that will be involved in this great battle? The prophet Ezekiel wrote or penned the scrolls by inspiration of God, Scripture makes this perfectly clear. Ezekiel wrote of specific nations that would align with Gog and Magog as well as other nations that would offer the protest – have you come to take a prey and a great spoil? God, through the prophet Ezekiel, appears to be showing us that this is the all-encompassing end-of-the-age global battle, therefore He lists the known nations of the world at the time Ezekiel penned this chapter or section of the scroll. The known nations of the world during Ezekiel’s day were OF COURSE the Middle Eastern nations only, thus these nations represent Gog and Magog, the nations of the world today or as Revelation 20:8 puts it – “… the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog ...” It is totally normal to expect only Middle Eastern nations to be listed back in Old Testament days when speaking of the nations of the world. But today’s corporate churches have taken Ezekiel’s listing of the nations of the world and have turned them into strictly modern-day Middle Eastern nations. They fail to understand that Ezekiel’s perspective of the nations of the world included only the then known world of what is today known as the Middle East. Therefore today’s churches have ran with this newly developed scheme to push their false theory that Ezekiel is speaking of a literal “latter years” battle against the modern-day nation of Israel by her Middle Eastern neighbors who have aligned themselves with the great Russian Bear. PLEASE! Ezekiel is speaking of a great end-of-days spiritual battle that encompasses ALL the nations of the world. Yes, all the nations of the world and again Ezekiel’s listing of the nations of the world sound to us as only the nations of the Middle East. God, however, tells us most clearly in Revelation Chapter Twenty that Gog and Magog are the nations of the world, therefore the nations of the world from Ezekiel’s viewpoint are likewise aligned with Gog and Magog with the exception of Sheba, Dedan, and the mechants of Tarshish with all the young lions. 178

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Revelation 20:7-9 – 7 - And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 - And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 - And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. It is difficult to put this thought into a couple short sentences but the nations that are mentioned in Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight are not meant to be interpreted strictly as literal modern-day Middle Eastern nations. Ezekiel’s nations are symbolical nations that now – at the end of time - signify all literal nations and peoples of the world as Revelation 20:8 shows us. We are not to look at an ancient map of Sheba and Dedan and say, oh, this is modern-day Saudi Arabia. Or “Togarmah of the north quarters” (Ezekiel 38:6) and say, yes, this is modern-day Turkey. Of course all of the geographical areas mentioned in Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight do indeed correspond to present-day Middle Eastern nations, we are not disputing this. However, Ezekiel’s outline, overview, or synopsis of God’s great spiritual battle at the end of days is told in highly symbolical, metaphorical, allegorical, and typological language of which today’s true child of God may merely be able to harness but a small portion of this truth. God’s usage of picturesque language so describes this horrific spiritual battle in common everyday language, but His real truth is hidden deep within the typology in which this event is told, of which the truth can only be revealed through Scripture, by comparing spiritual with spiritual. Ezekiel’s usage of nations or peoples (that are gathered from the four corners of the earth, Rev. 20:8) is believed to represent or typify the congregational battlefield (Armageddon) of both the wheat and tares from all nations of the four corners of the earth.

“And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” (Revelation 16:16)

God’s True People (the wheat) Will See the Abomination of Desolation “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matthew 24:24) 179

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Christ warns us in Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14 that when we shall see the abomination of desolation standing in the “holy place” or where it “ought not,” (global churches) then we who are in Judaea must flee to the mountains. As we have taught previously, the word Judaea ultimately represents Christ. The name “Judea” or “Judaea” is a Greek and Roman version of the name “Juda” or “Judah” which originally encompassed the territory of the Israelite tribe of that name and later of the ancient Kingdom of Judah. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of both Judaea and Israel. Matthew 2:6 - And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Mark 6:3 - Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. Hebrews 7:14 - For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. Revelation 5:5 - And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. When Christ gave the warning: “¶But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:” He was speaking to His followers who of course would be living in the earth at this particular time of the Abomination of Desolation. Christ was not speaking strictly to those who live in modern-day Israel, and telling them to flee to the mountains of Judaea. No, of course not since that would be excluding most of Christianity. Are we now to conclude that Christ is speaking only to the Jews who will be living in Israel during this time? No, of course not for that would disannul the New Testament’s teaching altogether. There is but one biblical sound answer to this question and it should be obvious to those who in earnest search the scriptures daily. Christ is telling those - who SEE and understand what the Abomination of Desolation is – to flee from the Abomination of Desolation and flee to the mountains of Judaea. We saw in earlier chapters that God’s Kingdom is typified in Scripture as mountains or a mountain. We also saw that one of many names for Christ is absolutely Israel. It is no surprise then that Christ symbolizes Judaea as well as Israel. Christ is thus telling us that we are to flee from the abominations of the apostate churches and flee directly to Him and His Kingdom and we can only accomplish this in our present form by fleeing directly to the Word of God. Revelation 18:4 - And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

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Multitudes of “church goers” believe it to be foolish to flee from your congregation. The church has always been our refuge from the world and our source of comfort. That of course was the nature of the global churches but only up to a specific time, and that is what most do not truly understand. What is better, to flee from the Abomination of Desolation or to remain in one’s congregation despite its growing trend away from the pure truth of Christ? Some will actually say it is better to remain in their church and perhaps resist the increasing heresies. Christ has a time and a purpose for bringing judgment upon His once faithful church that is now decaying at a rapid pace. Christ has told all believers to flee from the abomination of desolation when we see it standing or dominating in the “holy place” (Matthew 24:15) or “where it ought not” (Mark 13:14). This of course is speaking of the congregations of the world, the earthly representation of God’s eternal TEMPLE:

“Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:4 ) He as God sitteth in the “temple” of God shewing himself that he is God! This earthly temple can only be what Christ spoke of when He warned of Satan standing in the “holy place” or “where it ought not.” For Satan to stand (Matthew 24:15) or “sitteth” (2 Thessalonians 2:4) in today’s global churches represents his prevailing within the congregations of the world precisely as Scripture foretold. Today’s church (earthly temple) is representative of God’s eternal temple even though it is filled to a high degree with unbelievers; nonetheless it represents the same truths as did the Old Testament physical temple in Jerusalem. Of course Christ’s spiritual (non-literal) and eternal temple consists of every true born-again believer who make up the spiritual stones to this temple (1 Peter 2:5), however do not forget that God has an earthly representation of His heavenly temple and it is known as the church. The remaining truth within this global church is indeed precisely what Satan is after and it is precisely where Satan’s latter years attack or battle will rage. That and that alone is why Christ so urgently warns all believers to FLEE once we see this occurring; that is once we see the Abomination of Desolation within the global churches. This attack and battle is Satan’s final goal – ARMAGEDDON – as the forces of Satan (Gog and Magog from the four corners of the earth [Rev. 20:8]) move in on the earthly churches (mountains of Israel) to take their prey and to take a great spoil. All who see, and have fled this abomination of desolation occurring in the churches are those true Christians who mourn and wail for the sake of the true Gospel being silenced or lost in the world. Revelation 18:11-21 – 11 - And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 12 - The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner

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vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, Ezekiel 38:13 - Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? As we see, gold and silver are just some of the metaphorical merchandise that is no longer found within the congregations. That is because God and Magog have gone up to the mountains of Israel and have taken a great spoil. Those who flee from the Abomination of Desolation (the attacking “Christian appearing” army of Gog and Magog) are said in Revelation Chapter Eighteen to be the merchants of the earth. These are the true spiritual merchants who carry the true Gospel of Christ to the world. As a result of the Abomination of Desolation they weep and mourn because “no man buyeth their merchandise anymore,” Revelation 18:11. In other words they weep and mourn for the fact that there is no further Gospel left in the global churches, and thus people are not being saved … “for no man buyeth their merchandise anymore,” Revelation 18:11. Much of this has been covered in our book “Mystery Babylon: The Abomination of Desolation?” Scripture reveals to us, once again in highly symbolical terminology, that those who carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ are the spiritual merchants of the earth. Some have mistakenly accepted the false pretense that Mystery Babylon is the fulfillment of the United States of America due to the fact that the U.S. has influenced all nations with her materialistic merchandise. This is once again man’s imaginations looking to outside sources rather than to Scripture for God’s interpretation. But 2 Peter 1:20 tells us that “… no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” Yes, Scripture has much to say about the merchants of the earth taking the Word of God to and fro. It does not simply or flat-out tell us that these merchants carry the “Gospel,” and so we must search the scriptures to determine what this merchandise is. God desires for us to study His Word, for if we fail to we will find ourselves believing all sorts of unorthodox teachings based solely from the minds of man.

What “Merchants” Have Fled the Abomination of Desolation? Of course those who flee from this Abomination of Desolation are said to be those who obey Christ’s command and that would be the followers of Christ. We are not judging those who remain in their congregations, we are simply saying what Christ tells us to do – flee to the mountains! Those who flee are without doubt the spiritual merchants of the earth; those who teach the true Gospel of the Kingdom. It is these same believers who see, know, and understand what is happening. For Christ states within His warnings to understand: 182

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Matthew 24:15 - When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Mark 13:14 - ¶But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: This Greek word “understand” is defined in Strong’s Greek as follows: G3539 - Understand noieō noy-eh'-o From G3563; to exercise the mind (observe), that is, (figuratively) to comprehend, heed: - consider, perceive, think, understand. G3563 nous nooce Probably from the base of G1097; the intellect, that is, mind (divine or human; in thought, feeling, or will); by implication meaning: - mind, understanding. Compare G5590. Before one can truly and biblically flee from the Abomination of Desolation one will have spiritual and scriptural knowledge of what is taking place within the global churches (holy places). Many may flee for one reason or another, but not for the real biblical reason. Those true Christians who flee have to be the same merchants who ask the question in Ezekiel 38:13: Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? Another way of asking this question is to say: Has Satan come upon the churches (mountains of Israel) to capture his long awaited prey of the Gospel of Christ? Has he come to capture this great spoil - Christ’s Gospel? Those who are in the position to ask this question and to offer their protests appear to be the true merchants of the earth. Revelation 18:15-17 – 15 - The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 - And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 17 - For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, Notice carefully of these merchants, for they are all spiritual shipmasters, a great company of ships, and sailors, and they all trade by sea. This is another section that 183

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persuades many to teach this as being the literal merchants from the U.S.A. as they trade their goods throughout the world. Scripture has nothing to say about the world’s merchandise, it is only interested in God’s spiritual merchandise which brings about eternal salvation through Jesus Christ – God incarnate. True believers who spiritually SEE and UNDERSTAND what specifically the Abomination of Desolation really is are all those spiritual ships, sailors, and shipmasters who trade by sea. These are God’s Elect. We are those who moan and ask the question have you come to take a great spoil and a prey? We do that in many ways such as exclaim it through our Internet sites, and our books, studies, word of mouth, etc. The question or protest does not fall on deaf ears, for many people who have remained in these abominable congregations can hear our plea and the Spirit of God will continue to remove them to the mountains.

SHEBA Admittedly we do not have an abundance of scriptural proofs to elaborate on our hypothesis but then again we must state that these tidbits of truths are given throughout Scripture as hidden manna (Revelation 2:17) and therefore we cannot expect Scripture to simply pounce out these highly spiritual truths as if they were commonplace and there for all the world to see and understand, for God’s Word is not written that way. Psalm Chapter Seventy-two speaks unquestionably and undeniably of the then coming Savior and Messiah – the Christ. As we examine this chapter in brief, keep in mind that Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish appear most probably to represent true believes or true merchants who mourn as they see the Abomination of Desolation being fulfilled within the global churches. Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish do not appear to signify any literal nations of the earth at the end of time, but rather they appear to symbolize in Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight all true believers at the end of time. These are they who see and understand; who mourn for the loss of the true Gospel within the global churches, and who ask the question today – has Satan now invaded the congregations of the world to remove or silence the true Gospel of Christ; to take a great spoil and a great spiritual prey?

Psalm Chapter Seventy-two Psalm 72:1 - ¶<<A Psalm for Solomon.>> Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son. Psalm 72:2 - ¶He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.

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(The poor and needy represent Christ’s people in the spiritual essence. Only Christ can bring righteousness to the earth.) Psalm 72:3 - The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. (These mountains are the true doctrines of Christ that bring spiritual (not worldly) peace to the earth. These are the mountains that Christ commands us to flee to once we see the Abomination of Desolation in the churches. One might say we are already in these mountains while in the congregations but Christ is insisting that we flee solely and exclusively to His true doctrines which will and can only be found within the true scriptures. Christ’s true doctrines are seldom “tolerated” within the global churches, therefore He commands us to flee to His true doctrines and come out of the abominable churches that we be not judged with them.) Psalm 72:4 - He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. (Again the poor and needy depict the true believers of the world but perhaps not in every instance.) Psalm 72:5 - They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. Psalm 72:6 - He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. (God’s words and doctrines are liken to rain and showers that water the earth. Deuteronomy 32:2 - My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: God’s Word is extremely metaphorical in nature and much of it is not to be taken literally. True Christians are depicted as green grass and herbs in the above passage. Without this knowledge one would be at a loss in attempting to understand these heavenly things. Without the guidance of the Holy Spirit one would be forced to conclude that the above passages are speaking solely of the literal rain and dew that causes the earth to become green in its seasons.) Psalm 72:7 - In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. (Romans 3:10 states “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” But after Christ brought His eternal kingdom to man it suddenly became possible for man, being born in the spirit or “born again” to become righteous through and only through the blood of Christ. Thus in Christ’s days the righteous shall flourish 185

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along with the peace that surpasses all understanding, Philippians 4:7. These verses here in Psalm Chapter Seventy-two are speaking of the fulfillment of Jesus Christ as He brought total spiritual harmony and peace to the earth. And that peace can only be realized by Christ’s true Church, His elect.) Psalm 72:8 - He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. (The Gospel of Christ has traveled throughout the ends of the earth.) Psalm 72:9 - They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. (God has sustained His children as we sojourn through our wilderness journey here on earth. The true worshippers of Christ indeed bow before Him as we dwell in this wilderness.) Psalm 72:10 - The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. (Tarshish and Sheba – True believers are many times depicted as the “kings of the earth.” Psalms 138:4 - All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. God has made all true worshippers of Christ kings and priests with Him, Revelation 1:6 and 5:10. The kings of Tarshish and the kings of Sheba shall offer gifts to Christ. This indicates worship and praise to Christ but who exactly are Tarshish and Sheba? They appear to represent true worshippers or God’s elect in allegorical form and we may not look for a literal Tarshish and Sheba to play a physical part in the Gog/Magog Battle. Remember Sheba and Tarshish are in part those who offer a protest when Gog and Magog invade the mountains of Israel or in other words when Satan launches his final and greatest attack upon the global church of Jesus Christ.) Psalm 72:11 - Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. (Of course this goes without saying. All spiritual kings of Christ from all nations will fall down before Him.) Psalm 72:12 - For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. (Once more God depicts the poor and needy as His children. These poor and needy do not represent the world’s physically poor and needy, but this verse does 186

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embrace all who are spiritually poor and in need of a Savior and that includes the entire mass of humanity. Of course the true poor and needy can only be God’s elect. We read in Matthew 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.” It is the same principle with regard to God’s poor and needy. All peoples of the world are spiritually poor and in need of a Savior but all people will not come into eternal salvation, only the true poor and needy.) Psalm 72:13 - He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. Psalm 72:14 - He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight. Psalm 72:15 - And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised. (And daily shall He be praised! Who is this that is praised daily if not Jesus Christ? Only the true elect of God will praise Him daily throughout their lives. Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish! Oh yes, let us not miss this passage: “… and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: …” the remainder of this verse (Psalm 72:15) tells us what the “gold of Sheba” really is; for it is prayer and praise. True worship can only come from God’s true children and the Sheba and Tarshish of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight appear most certainly to represent God’s true children, those who have fled from the Abomination of Desolation and are mourning the spiritual wretchedness within the global churches.) Psalm 72:16 - There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. Psalm 72:17 - His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed. Psalm 72:18 - ¶Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. Psalm 72:19 - And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen. Psalm 72:20 - The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended. This beautiful prayer and psalm is of course part of the inspired Word of God and as such it is altogether a true testimony of the greatness of the LORD and Savior of all creation. We must take notice that within this prayer Sheba and Tarshish are singled out as those who offer true worship and reverence to God. At this point Sheba and Tarshish appear as representing God’s elect. 187

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Looking at Isaiah Chapter Sixty, Verses One Through Nine Isaiah Chapter Sixty speaks of Jesus Christ (the light) as He brings the Kingdom of God to the world. We know that John the Baptist announced the coming of Christ as the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven: Matthew 3:1-2 – 1 - ¶In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 - And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Mark 1:14-15 – 14 - ¶Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 - And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. Christ confirms Isaiah 9:2 (the great light) as He quotes from it: Matthew 4:12-17 – 12 - ¶Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; 13 - And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: 14 - That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 15 - The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 16 - The people which sat in darkness saw great light [Isaiah 9:2]; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. 17 - From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. This great light is what Isaiah Chapter Sixty is speaking of:

Isaiah 60:1-9 Isaiah 60:1 - ¶Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. (Isaiah is speaking of the coming of the kingdom of God here in verse one.)

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Isaiah 60:2 - For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. Isaiah 60:3 - And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. (This light of course is the good news (Gospel) of eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. It is the prize and prey that Satan has pursued Christ for down through the centuries. Revelation 12:17 - And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Isaiah 60:4 - Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. (All those who truly come to this light are metaphorically discerned in many various terms, figures, and symbols such as sons and daughters.) Isaiah 60:5 - Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. (Yes, this Gospel of salvation was destined to go out to the entire world (sea) which includes all peoples, Jew and Gentile alike.) Isaiah 60:6 - The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD. (We see once more that Sheba is referenced as one of those who show praises to the LORD. Matthew 2:1-2 – 1 - ¶Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 - Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Matthew 2:11 - And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when 189

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they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. Song of Songs 3:6 - ¶Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of Song of Songs, no doubt. Perhaps the wise men came from Sheba which is in modern-day Saudi Arabia? If so, we know that the literal gifts that were offered to the Christ child had much meaning to them and perhaps prophesied of Christ and His Church in its meaning? We know certainly that the gold brought from Sheba has much meaning as relating to the faith of Christ and His Church. Song of Songs 4:6-7 – 6 - Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense. 7 - Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee. God’s kingdom is referenced as the mountain of myrrh and the hill of frankincense. Not surprising to discover the gifts from the wise men as holding much spiritual significance. We see and should understand that this same usage of spiritual terms is also seen in Sheba’s protest to Satan: Ezekiel 38:13 - Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?) Isaiah 60:7 - All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory. Isaiah 60:8 - Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? Isaiah 60:9 - ¶Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. (We saw in a past study how isles can indeed signify believers or congregations. In the above verse the ships of Tarshish are mentioned as partaking in the true worshiping of God by bringing their gold and silver unto God. These isles and 190

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these ships of Tarshish will WAIT for God to bring His elect into His fold. That is what every true believer in Christ is doing on this earth; we are living in obedience to God while we are waiting for Him to complete His salvation program. God is bringing in His sons (those that are His) from the four corners of the earth (from afar). While we wait we are to occupy till He returns (Luke 19:13). The word “occupy” here in Luke is defined as follows: G4231 - Occupy pragmateuomai prag-mat-yoo'-om-ahee From G4229; to busy oneself with, that is, to trade: - occupy. To trade! Isn’t that what we are to be doing as spiritual merchants of the Gospel? Yes indeed Scripture allegorically teaches that each and every true believer in Christ is metaphorically trading in the seas of the world and this trading is a one-way street. As merchant ships we are to take our Gospel cargo to the far corners of the earth. We are to occupy or spiritually trade until Christ returns as we continue to fear God and keep His commandments, for this is our lifelong duty: Ecclesiastes 12:13 - ¶Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Those who say life is meaningless and has no purpose are blindly leading the blind, for life holds a grand purpose. Psalms 37:34 - ¶Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. Isaiah 40:31 - But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Matthew 15:24 - But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Our purpose in life it to wait for God to gather His lost sheep of the spiritual house of Israel – all of God’s elect; those who are to be saved. As Sheba and the isles along with all of the ships of Tarshish wait for God to complete His salvation plan we also look into the global churches and see the Abomination of Desolation and are forced to ask the same rhetorical question (knowing the answer) that God asks in Ezekiel 38:17 – “Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?” The true Church aligns itself with Tarshish, Dedan, Sheba, and the isles with the same rhetorical question and protest: Art thou come to take a great spoil?)

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The “Queen of Sheba” King Solomon appears, at one particular stage, to be a “type” or representation of the corporate church and we say corporate church because King Solomon turned his heart toward abominations in his older years of life.

I Kings 11:4-6 4 - For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5 - For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 - And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. Verse six tells us that Solomon went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. This strongly indicates a lukewarm attitude of which God hates. Revelation 3:16 - So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. This is the condition of the corporate church today of which King Solomon most likely typified. But why is the Queen of Sheba so highly respected by Christ Himself? Matthew 12:42 - The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. (The following quote is taken from “The Allegorical Interpretation of the Scriptures” at http://www.copticchurch.net/: “The words of our Lord in Matt. 12:42 concerning the queen of the south reveals that our Lord uses allegory to speak of the Song of Solomon in terms of the mutual love of Christ and the Church. Solomon is a type of Christ, the Queen of Sheba represents the Church, as well as the New Testament authority for the interpretation is to be found in Matthew 12:42.”) King Solomon may or may not have been a type of Christ. Perhaps he was a type or symbol of the corporate church, which figures more likely considering, as we stated, his spiritual fall in his elder years. Nonetheless Christ appears highly impressed (if we may use this word) at the ancient Queen of Sheba. Let us quote the verse once more:

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Matthew 12:42 - The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. Christ is clearly making reference to the story of the Queen of Sheba that is told in 1 Kings Chapter Ten and in 2 Chronicles Chapter Nine. The generation that Christ is referring to is the generation of evil. It is also translated as age, generations, time, and nation and He appears to be including the history of fallen man as encompassing the generation he is speaking of. When Christ speaks here of the “queen of the south” we know beyond any doubt that He is speaking of the ancient Queen of Sheba, since He makes the reference that she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. King Solomon was an Old Testament representative or “type” of the Word of God, whether he represented the church, Christ’s doctrines, or Christ Himself, King Solomon did prefigure the Gospel of Salvation. It is fascinating that Christ speaks of the Queen of the South (Queen of Sheba) as coming from the uttermost parts (notice “parts” is in the plural) of the earth to hear the wisdom of King Solomon. This – in all probability – tells us that the Queen of Sheba or the Queen of the South is a figure or analogy, metaphor, allegory, etc. of the Church which dwells in the uttermost parts of the earth and comes to Christ to hear the WISDOM of the Gospel of the Good News of Eternal Salvation. Why did Christ say that the Queen of the south (Queen of Sheba) shall rise up in the judgment with this generation (mankind) and shall condemn it? Simply because Christ knew that the Queen of the South was an Old Testament picture or portrait of his true Church (the elect of God) who would someday partake in the judgment of the earth with Him, precisely as 1 Corinthians 6:2 tells us: 1 Corinthians 6:2 - Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? We know we are on the correct path of interpretation, for we have Matthew 12:41 to help confirm and parallel what we just read in Matthew 12:42 concerning the saints being partakers with Christ in the judgment of the earth: Matthew 12:41 - The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The “men of Nineveh” are not simply residents of the Old Testament city who for one reason or another will partake also in the judgment of the world (the generation that Christ speaks of). No, certainly not! Nineveh was a city that God utilized, much like the city of Babylon and Tyrus, in depicting His corporate church before and during its fall. The specific “men of Nineveh” that Christ mentions must also be a symbolic reference to God’s elect if they too will partake in the judging the world.

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The North Versus the South Let us now make one more analysis. Why did Christ refer to the Queen of Sheba as the “Queen of the South?” Yes, the geographical area of ancient Sheba was located south of Jerusalem but is that why Christ used the word “south” instead of the proper Old Testament term “Queen of Sheba?” Why didn’t He simply say “Queen of Sheba?” Christ spoke in parables Scripture tells us, and it is very possible that Christ used the word “SOUTH” as hidden manna in spiritually identifying the Queen of Sheba as a type of His true Church representing His Elect of God. Why do we say this? Because Scripture appears to indicate that God’s kingdom is metaphorically of the south while Satan’s kingdom resides in the spiritual north. It appears rather contradictory to make this statement when we read in the following verse that mount Zion, the spiritual city of our great King Christ, is on the sides of the north: Psalms 48:2 - Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. Satan’s fallen ambition and age-old desire has always been to replace the God of Creation with his own substitute plan for the fallen human race. The following passage gives us a short but all-encompassing view of Satan’s goal for mankind: Isaiah 14:13 - For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: Notice carefully that Satan’s plan is to “also” sit in God’s throne which means nothing short of Satan attempting to occupy God’s throne for himself. At the end of time, near the second coming of Christ, Satan will finally be allowed to temporarily occupy the throne of God in an earthly sense: 2 Thessalonians 2:4 - Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. God will allow Satan to occupy the global churches (for a little season; Rev. 20:3) in his attempt to be worshipped as God. As long as God allows Satan to wage war against Christ and His saints here on earth, and especially to occupy the corporate churches of the world, we can expect to read throughout Scripture of Satan’s emissaries waging this spiritual warfare from the NORTH. God is the rightful owner of the heavenly “sides of the north” as Scripture shows us. Satan will and is now attempting to finalize his occupancy of God’s “the sides of the north” in his concluding effort to control the human race, Revelation 20:3. This final attempt or battle as it were is revealed to us in scripture as Armageddon or the battle of God versus Gog and Magog. This battle has been foretold throughout the scriptures. This is the great end of days battle of Satan’s occupied north swooping down upon the congregations of the world. 194

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The Old Testament is filled with incidents of Israel and Judah being physically attacked from various earthly kingdoms of the NORTH. As these kingdoms from the north invade physical Israel and Judah they are doing so as genuine historical history, but biblical history is far different from man’s secular history books. Old Testament Jewish history had a purpose when God allowed Israel and Judah to come under attack from the northern kingdoms. It was of course judgment for their rebellion toward God. All other nations would have come under judgment as well, if given the chance. Israel was a special nation solely because God created them and utilized them as His chosen people of Old Testament days. The wars and invasions that they endured held hidden meaning and all ultimately and secretly foretold a spiritual picture or depiction of the true and final earthly Israel of God (the church: Christ is Israel) sojourning through earth’s metaphorical wilderness while being under attack from Satan’s temporarily occupied kingdom of the NORTH. As we stated, God is the rightful owner of the “sides of the north.” Satan has merely occupied the “sides of the north” for a little season in which to wage full warfare against the churches of the world. It is important to understand that while God’s salvation plan remains in progress and life continues as it is upon this earth, God’s “sides of the north” is now occupied by Satan in theory, and God is seen as occupying from the SOUTH until Satan is finally and eternally put under Christ’s foot. We cannot be totally dogmatic concerning this view, but we saw for ourselves in no uncertain terms that God’s spiritual kingdom resides in the sides of the north. However, having made this statement we can now merely theorize as to WHY Scripture now appears to show Christ’s kingdom as being in the south. Is it laid out this way due to the fact that it is in total opposition (south) of Satan’s imposter kingdom (north) of which he is attempting to take? Scripture gives us plenty of evidence that God’s enemies come from the spiritual north even as many of physical Israel’s Old Testament enemies invaded from northern territories. We must understand what is actually occurring in the spiritual world. God’s eternal kingdom (in the sides of the north) can never to overtaken by Satan; that is an impossibility. During the span of the human race, as it runs its course, God is at enmity with Satan and is therefore in opposition to everything he represents including God’s dwelling - the sides of the north. Until God completely annihilates Satan God’s spiritual essence or standard throughout Scripture will be in opposition to Satan and therefore His dominion or supremacy can be seen as coming from the SOUTH. We say this with much caution since it is merely a theory that is put forth; however there seems to be much scriptural evidence to support it. Let us look at a few relevant passages that may shed light on this subject: Ezekiel 38:15 - And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: Ezekiel 39:2 - And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:

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The above Ezekiel verses tell us from where this attack originates; from Satan’s fallaciously and fleeting occupancy of God’s dwelling in the sides of the NORTH. Zechariah 2:6 - ¶Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD. All true followers of Christ (Born Again Christians) have been delivered out of the kingdom of Satan and his kingdom of darkness. Jeremiah 23:7-8 – 7 - Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; 8 - But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land. It is true that Old Testament physical Israel was led of God out of the land of Egypt and into their literal promised land. The land of Egypt symbolizes bondage and it is the true body of believers (the Israel of God) who have been led out of this spiritual land of bondage and into the eternal promised land of salvation. There are many passages in scripture which speak of Satan’s kingdom as being in the north. Many are in reference to the literal northern kingdoms during Old Testament days. We must understand that these references are historic fact; however, in addition to being fact they also indicates a spiritual truth in that even in today’s modern world Satan remains as our enemy of the NORTH. The Battle of Armageddon or Gog/Magog War appears to be the same spiritual battle at the end of time. It begins at the Abomination of Desolation when Satan and his emissaries take a foothold in the churches of the world: Jeremiah 1:14-15 – 14 - Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. 15 - For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah. The families and kingdoms of the north are called out and gathered together for this final conflict between the true forces of God and the armies of Satan. These families and kingdoms of the north is spiritual language depicting the forces of Satan whom are amassed from the four quarters of the earth – Gog and Magog (Rev. 20:8). Notice carefully in the above Jeremiah verse that families of the northern kingdom shall come 196

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and establish their “thrones” (meaning their seat, stool, or judgment) at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem! This is telling us that Satan’s army (emissaries; families) who are normal everyday people (without horns, pitchforks, or flames billowing from their mouths) will establish their thrones (false gospels) at the very doors or gates of the Jerusalem … the once Christian congregations of the world! To be at the doors or gates carries the meaning of entrance! This is the Battle of Armageddon, the Gog/Magog War, the separating of the wheat from the tares. Lamentations 4:12 - The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem. We have barely touched on Satan’s northern kingdom and we urge all readers to exam this topic in detail. God will be victorious in the end but we must continue to warn the sleeping church of this fast approaching deception for the prophecy appears most certainly to be occurring at this present time. While the apostate church continues to preach these fulfillments of scripture as transpiring in a literal manner and at a future time in the Middle East, they have caused a slumber and a stagnation to overtake the church with deception and a casual attitude towards God’s imminent judgment of first and foremost the apostate church. Many will believe that they will have time to become “religious” once they see northern armies attacking the modern-day nation of Israel. This is spiritual foolishness in its highest form and these church goers will be caught unaware as scripture indicates, for they themselves will be a part of this northern army in its removal. Jeremiah 13:19-20 – 19 - The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive. 20 - Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock? This ancient Old Testament prophecy had its literal fulfillment of course, but its ultimate and spiritual fulfillment appears to be transpiring at this very time in history. The cities of the south are those earthly representations of Christ, that is to say the congregations of the world that are in opposition to Satan’s northern kingdom. To be “shut up” would indicate to be silenced in their true Christian doctrines. The literal meaning being to be surrounded by enemies. And why are these once Christian congregations to be shut up or silenced? Read on: Jeremiah 13:22 - ¶And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare. The greatness of the church’s iniquity is the reason that she is in the end judged by God Himself. 197

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Jeremiah 13:25 - This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood. Again we say this is spiritual foolishness and these apostate church goers will be caught unaware and will be a part of this northern army in its removal: Joel 2:20- But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things. Ezekiel 20:47 - And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein. God indeed includes the apostate church, the great end-time harlot (cities of the south) with the northern army in His judgment at the end of time. There is but one way for man to come out of this northern army and that is to cling to the true and pure doctrines of Jesus Christ and His Gospel. Psalms 126:4 - ¶Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. Zechariah 9:14 - And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south. Let us briefly look at a passage relating to the end of days in the Book of Daniel: Daniel 11:40 - And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. This passage clearly displays the battle between the north and the south. It commences at the time of the end precisely as does the Gog/Magog War. They appear to be one and the same battle. The king of the south in spiritual terms may represent Christ and His true church at it continues its spiritual warfare against Satan and his kingdom, the king of the north. The passage states that at the time of the end the king of the south shall “push” at him, that is push at Satan. The Hebrew word “push” means “to war against” as we see in Psalm 44:5: “Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.” At the end of time, in the latter years (Ezekiel 38) God’s kingdom (king of the south) will continue to war (push) against the kingdom of Satan (king of the north). However, this is the time wherein God allows Satan to be loosed for the purpose of bringing judgment upon the rapidly “falling away” congregations of the world. God is permitting Satan to fulfill the Abomination of Desolation, which is to take possession of the earthy churches. The true remnant of God 198

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(the king of the south) continues its spiritual battle against the kingdom of Satan, however it is at this particular time that God unleashes the forces of Satan (God and Magog) against the congregations of the world. Thus we read in Daniel 11:40 what Satan will now do: Daniel 11:40 – “… and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. We ask, doesn’t this language parallel similar language that we find in Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight and Thirty-nine, the battle of Gog and Magog? Yes, of course it does! Let us look at the apparent cross references: Ezekiel 38:4 - And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Ezekiel 38:15 - And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: Ezekiel 39:3 - And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. Ezekiel 39:20 - Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD. The remaining verses of Daniel 11:41–45 will not be examined simply because they are extremely difficult passages and at this time there is no further thought on them except to say that perhaps these ending verses carry both a literal and spiritual interpretation. We can only rightly divide the Word of God as the Spirit of God reveals this hidden manna to us.

“Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” (Isaiah 43:7)

For those who are interested in discovering more spiritual truth concerning the Queen of Sheba (Queen of the South) and how she typifies the Church of Jesus Christ we encourage you to study Old Testament Scripture and the accounts where the Queen of Sheba goes to King Solomon to hear and receive his God given wisdom.

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Continuing On With Sheba, Dedan, and the Merchants of Tarshish Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? (Ezekiel 38:13) We cannot look at Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish throughout all of Scripture and expect them to be types of the church jumping out at us at every turn. It is not that easy, in fact far from it. There is a reason why God uses these three names as a representation of those who are spiritually awake and can see and understand what is taking place as Satanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kingdom invades and overtakes the global churches. These are the spiritual merchants (it appears) who have fled the apostate churches and the Abomination of Desolation that is overtaking them as we read in the Revelation verse below: Revelation 18:15 - The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven is a lamentation against the ancient city of Tyrus. As we have seen in earlier studies, Tyrus was an Old Testament type of the New Testament corporate church. Tyrus was a merchant city and its similarities to that of Mystery Babylon in the Book of Revelation are astounding. Tyrus, like Mystery Babylon, were both destined to fall due to their pride: Ezekiel 25:3 - And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty. Revelation 18:7- How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. God tells us that within His church the wheat and the tares will grow together until God separates them at the end of time. We see many nations trading with Tyrus in Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven and we can certainly make no distinction as to which ones represent the tares or the wheat. These are highly symbolical figures and in the spiritual essence it appears that all nations are trading with Tyrus; or in other words metaphorically speaking - all nations at one time were hearing and carrying forth the Gospel out of the church (Tyrus). Not only is Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of 200

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Tarshish mentioned, but many of the opposing forces of God spoken of in Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight are also mentioned in the Tyrus chapter of Ezekiel Twenty-seven. Tyrus, like Mystery Babylon, are figures and types of the global church before, during, and after their fall. Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight tells us that Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish are the opposing forces of Satan and it is they who ask the question: Art thou come to take a spoil; hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? These all show Christian characteristics in the Tyrus passages: Ezekiel 27:15 - The men of Dedan were thy merchants; many isles were the merchandise of thine hand: they brought thee for a present horns of ivory and ebony. Ezekiel 27:20 - Dedan was thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots. Ezekiel 27:12 - Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs. Ezekiel 27:25 - The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas. Ezekiel 27:22 - The merchants of Sheba and Raamah, they were thy merchants: they occupied in thy fairs with chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold. Ezekiel 27:23 - Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad, were thy merchants. Much of the spiritual merchandise spoken of in the above chapter is paralleled in Mystery Babylon’s merchandise of Revelation Chapter Eighteen. These are all materials, foods, and ointments used in Old Testament worship services and all ultimately point to our spiritual worship of the Lord Jesus Christ

Ships of Tarshish Ships and merchants can be seen in Scripture to hold similar meanings in the spiritual essence. Merchants are those who travel the world and traffic in merchandise and ships are what the ancient merchants utilized in order to make these far journeys. All of this is symbolizing the church’s mission to take the Gospel of Christ to the four corners of the world. We read a very interesting verse concerning the ships of Tarshish in Psalm 48:7:

“Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.” It is necessary to know the overall context of this chapter before we can make any conclusions. This chapter has fourteen verses in it and from beginning to end it speaks 201

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of the LORD’s greatness in His temple – Mount Zion. If we are going to find any truth in this difficult and highly figurative passage it is necessary to review the entire chapter.

Psalms 48:1-14 Psalm 48:1 -¶<<A Song and Psalm for the sons of Korah.>> Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Psalm 48:2 - Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. Here we are reminded again that God’s dwelling is in Mount Zion – on the sides of the North. Psalm 48:3 - God is known in her palaces for a refuge. God is our refuge and our strength. The word “palaces” carries the meaning of being elevated. In the world of today the physical churches are where the outward expression of worship to Christ is elevated. God is known in “her” palaces, Psalm 48:3 tells us. God is neither a woman nor man; however His church is often referenced as His” bride” and as the gender “her.” It is in “her” palaces or congregations that Christ is elevated. The word “palaces” strongly suggest congregations of the world. Isaiah 34:13 - And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons, and a court for owls. Cross Reference: Revelation 18:2 - And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Lamentations 2:7 - The Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanctuary, he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; they have made a noise in the house of the LORD, as in the day of a solemn feast. Here in the above verse we have confirmation that the Lord’s sanctuary is indeed His palaces. Today’s corporate church is presently falling into degradation, destitution, and desolations. God is giving it over to the hands of the enemy, i.e. Satan via the armies of Gog and Magog. Psalm 48:4 - For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. True worshippers (the spiritual kings of the earth) once assembled within these sanctuaries, verse four. 202

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Psalm 48:5 - They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away. They marveled at God’s Word, verse five. “Marveled” carries the meaning of being in consternation; to be amazed and astonished. They were troubled or “trembled” in the sanctuary at God’s Word. Verse five also tells us they “hasted away.” This term also indicates a fear and a “trembling.” Cross Reference: Psalm 104:7 - A thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. There is such a thing as a holy fear of God as well as an earthly but unholy fear of God. Here in Psalm Chapter Forty-eight it appears that God is showing forth His greatness in Mount Zion as well as those who worship there in His earthly palaces or sanctuaries. Psalm 48:6 - Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail. While examining many commentaries on these fourteen verses no one has truly chosen to address the following verse. The great majority of these commentaries see mainly Jewish history for the most part. Some will acknowledge that the chapter is ultimately speaking of God’s magnificent glory. The difficult verses are skipped over or smoothly merged into the overall theme. Much of Old Testament symbolism is difficult to understand, but God does have these verses inserted for a reason. We cannot insist that this study is totally accurate simply because of the difficult language we are attempting to interpret. All we can say at times like this is that “it appears” to be teaching this or that and we certainly dare not be insistent of our interpretations of specific verses as these. Having said that, it should be stated that scriptural passages will many times have the opposite in view of what it appears to be saying with regard to the ways the natural man may “surface” read the Word of God. Let us now examine the verse that brought us to this chapter:

Psalm 48:7 - Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. Let’s not forget that this entire chapter is speaking of God’s glory and majesty and those who worship in His sanctuaries. The ships of Tarshish are singled out in this chapter; there is no mention of other merchants, ships, etc. It is all about God’s glory and praise and those who worship Him. THOU BREAKEST THE SHIPS OF TARSHISH WITH AN EST WIND! Why among all of this chapter’s glory would God suddenly speak about destroying strictly the ships of Tarshish? Once we break down this verse from God’s dictionary (His Word) we may find the opposite to be the case. This word “breakest” is defined from Strong’s Hebrew as H7665 - Breakest shâbar shaw-bar' 203

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A primitive root; to burst (literally or figuratively): - break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken ([-hearted]), bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt, quench, X quite, tear, view [by mistake for H7663]. The word “breakest” is used in Scripture with at least two opposite meanings. It is used in reference to breaking or destroying as well as being used to display a broken or contrite heart; a person who has been broken in spirit to His God. It conveys one’s destruction (spiritually or physically) as well as conveying one’s humility and meekness to Christ. Jeremiah 23:9 - ¶Mine heart within me is broken [H 7665 – same word as breakest] because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because of the words of his holiness. This Jeremiah verse seems to cross reference most nicely what we saw here in the beginning of Psalm Chapter Forty-eight. Those who truly hear God’s Word are overtaken with holy fear (all my bones shake); the true worshippers in God’s sanctuaries tremble at God’s Word: Psalm 48:5 -6 – 5 - They saw it, and so they marveled [to wonder; to be astonished; to marvel]; they were troubled [to tremble; to be afraid], and hasted away. 6 - Fear [a shudder; a trembling] took hold upon them there, and pain [pangs and sorrow], as of a woman in travail. Yes, one’s soul or spirit (inner being) can be broken by the vastness or limitlessness of our Creator. Those who can spiritually hear and see can also tremble in awe at His sovereign power and authority. Isaiah 66:9 - Shall I bring to the birth [H 7665 – same word as breakest], and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God. Isaiah 61:1 - ¶The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted [H 7665 – same word as breakest], to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; Psalms 34:18 - The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken [H 7665 – same word as breakest] heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Psalm 51:17 - The sacrifices of God are a broken [H 7665 – same word as breakest] spirit: a broken [H 7665 – same word as breakest] and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 204

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Psalm 147:3 - He healeth the broken [H 7665 – same word as breakest] in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. Psalm 104:10-11 – 10 - ¶He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. 11 - They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench [H 7665 – same word as breakest] their thirst. God’s springs in the valleys are His living waters that bring forth eternal salvation. The animal world cannot obtain eternal salvation so these beasts are not what God is speaking of. The beneficiaries of these Gospel springs are indeed the beasts of the field. The field is the world (Matthew 13:38) and the beasts of the field are humanity in its totality before salvation. Those whom God draws to these Gospel springs will have their thirst quenched or broken. This word quench is the same word in our study as is “breakest” – God will breakest the ships of Tarshish with His east wind. Yes, before we are eternally saved we are as the beasts of the field in need of having our spiritual thirst quenched by the Gospel streams of living waters: John 7:37 - ¶In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. John 6:35 - And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. John 4:14 - But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. If indeed the ships of Tarshish are figures of true believers, will God in the end break or destroy them with His east wind or does God purge and spiritually break their pride with His east wind?

Psalm 48:7 - Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. When we look at the phrase “east wind” we see that it is mostly used as God’s judgment, but not always in the negative. An east wind is metaphorically used by God to depict the enemies of God as they come forth to dry up the fruitful Gospel. One example is as follows: Exodus 10:13 - And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. Scripture teaches that locusts are figures of false teachers, false doctrines, false prophets, etc. Their purpose is to spiritually eat away at God’s vineyard (God’s truth). 205

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In the case of Jonah however, it appears that God used an east wind to set him back on the course of which God had planned for him: Jonah 4:8 - And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. Please read the entire fourth chapter of the Book of Jonah to get a fuller understanding of its overall context. We can surmise at this point that as God’s east wind set Jonah back on his proper spiritual course with God, likewise when we read of God “breaking” the ships of Tarshish with His east wind we also wonder if this might indeed be language portraying God’s sanctifying of those who are called: 1 Peter 2:9 - But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Let us emphasize that what we have taught here concerning the ships of Tarshish and the east wind is merely speculation and is not meant to be taught in any authoritarian way. More study is required on this topic. The remaining verses of Psalm Chapter Forty-five are given below and a conclusion of the chapter by Matthew Henry. Psalm 48:8 - ¶As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah. Psalm 48:9 - We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple. Psalm 48:10 - According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness. Psalm 48:11 - Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments. Psalm 48:12 - Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Psalm 48:13 - Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. Psalm 48:14 - For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. As for the remaining verses 8 through 14 we shall quote from Matthew Henry: Verse 8-14 - We have here the improvement which the people of God are to make of his glorious and gracious appearances for them. Let our faith in the word of God be hereby confirmed. Let our hope of the stability of the church be encouraged. Let our minds be filled with good thoughts of God. All the streams of mercy that flow down to us, must be traced to the fountain of His loving-kindness. Let us give to God the glory of the great things he has done for us. Let all the members of the church take comfort from what the Lord does for his church. Let us observe the beauty, strength, and safety of the church. Consider its strength; see it founded on Christ the Rock, fortified by the Divine power, guarded by Him who neither 206

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slumbers nor sleeps. See what precious ordinances are its palaces, what precious promises are its bulwarks, that you may be encouraged to join yourselves to it: and tell this to others. This God, who has now done such great things for us, is unchangeable in his love to us, and his care for us. If he is our God, he will lead and keep us even to the last. He will so guide us, as to set us above the reach of death, so that it shall not do us any real hurt. He will lead us to a life in which there shall be no more death.

More Scripture Concerning Tarshish “Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?” (Ezekiel 38:13) Why is it that among all of the peoples or nations that God mentions in Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight that He singles out Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish as being the ones who ask this question or offer this protest to Gog and Magog? What does this question really tell us? Do we simply dismiss it as irrelevant? Within the context of this question it may appear that God is revealing His true elect; those who see the Abomination of Desolation and flee from the apostate churches of Mystery Babylon. God’s elect would of course be the only ones who have the spiritual eyes and ears to depart from the harlot churches via God’s way and we would essentially be forced to ask this same age-old question to ourselves: has Satan entered and overtaken God’s earthly temple, the church? Sheba, Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish may be types of God’s elect as they see and witness the Abomination of Desolation. Let us look at further passages that speak of Tarshish: Psalms 72:10 - The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. [We have already examined this chapter in part. It speaks of Christ who is worshipped by the kings of Tarshish and Sheba.] Isaiah 23:1 - ¶The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.

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[Who are those within the church who howl or wail because of the sins and abominations they see in God’s House? They can only be God’s elect, the true Christians and worshippers of Christ. Ezekiel 9:4 - And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. We see here in Ezekiel 9:4 that God puts a spiritual mark upon His people within the church. These are those who wholly worship Christ and do not worship the religious system of Satan and his counterfeit church. These truly lament over the abominations that are done in the name of Christ within the earthly congregations. God states that they sigh and cry over the abominations. This Hebrew word “sigh” is defined from Strong’s Hebrew as follows: H584 'ânach aw-nakh' A primitive root; to sigh: - groan, mourn, sigh. Isn’t this wailing, lamenting, or sighing the same as we read in the above Isaiah 23:1 verse? Yes, it is. Isaiah chapter Twenty-three begins with “The burden of Tyre.” It can be cross referenced with Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-seven, which is a lamentation for Tyrus. Tyre and Tyrus are said to be one and the same territories. They are a type of the corporate church, as is Mystery Babylon. Here in Isaiah 23:1 we read again: “¶The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.” Staying in Chapter Twenty-three we read the following in verse 14: Isaiah 23:14 - Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste. In both Isaiah verses the word “howl” is defined as follows: H3213 yâlal yaw-lal' A primitive root; to howl (with a wailing tone) or yell (with a boisterous one): - (make to) howl, be howling. Howl ye ships of Tarshish; for your strength is laid waste! This indeed is strong evidence that Tarshish may certainly be (at least in specific verses) a type or figure of the true Church of Christ. Unbelievers do not lament over the fallen church and the Abomination of Desolation that they see standing in the holy place. It is only 208

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God’s elect that will truly mourn and lament over the fallen corporate church. Consider these following passages that give strong confirmation to what we are saying: Revelation 18:9 - ¶And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Revelation 18:11 - And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: Revelation 18:15 - The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, Revelation 18:17-19 – 17 - For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea [Tyrus], stood afar off, 18 - And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! 19 - And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.] Isaiah 23:6 - Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle. Isaiah 23:10 - Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength. There is but one biblical reason for the ships of Tarshish to howl and wail; for their strength is laid waste! The power of their Gospel is under attack and silenced within the global corporates churches. No one can spiritually buy their merchandise anymore! In other words salvation cannot be found within the corporate church and the true Gospel (spiritual merchandise) is no longer being preached. Howl and weep for good reason! For at one time the earthly church, during the New Testament Church-Age, prospered as we read from Isaiah below: Isaiah 60:9 - ¶Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.

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Tarshish With All Her Young Lions “Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?” (Ezekiel 38:13) When we study the word lion in Scripture we must understand from the start that a scriptural lion can represent two kingdoms; the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of God. CHRIST AS A LION - Revelation 5:5 - And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

SATAN AS A ROARING LION - 1 Peter 5:8 - ¶Be sober, be vigilant;

because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: There are different categories of lions in Scripture and the term roaring lion is used in four passages while the term roaring lions is used in just one verse, but all five of these passages depict a roaring lion or roaring lions in reference to Satan or to his emissaries. When we look at the terms lion, lions, young lion, or young lions it may be speaking or either God’s people or the messengers of Satan. There are twelve references to young lions in Scripture while there are fourteen references to young lion. There are eighty-one references to lion and thirty-nine to lions. We will not be addressing each of these passages, but we will take a brief look at a few verses in which these terms differ in meaning and in interpretation. When we read of the faith of the Old Testament saints in the eleventh chapter of the Book of Hebrews we read a peculiar statement in verse thirty-three: Hebrews 11:33 - Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Old Testament believers are credited by the writer of the New Testament Book of Hebrews (inspired by God of course), and these believers are credited for stopping the mouths of lions. For those of us who have ever attended a circus and watched the lions being led to perform tricks or specific maneuvers in the main cage we know that they are led by their trainers who keep them in control so that they perform well and do not maul 210

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or bite their trainers in any way. This is the amazement and wonder of their performances and is itself what attracts the spectators. These lion trainers are actually able to physically stop the mouths of the lions while performing in their enclosed areas. Is this something similar to what Hebrew 11:33 is speaking of? Of course not, for the early Christians in the first few centuries A.D. had no luck in literally “stopping the mouths of the lions” once they were thrown into the arenas of the coliseums! Do we dare say that Hebrews 11:33 might just be spiritualizing or speaking in parabolic fashion? Of course it is and Hebrews confirms this. The point is simple; throughout Holy Scripture God utilizes parables, allegories, metaphors, etc. as picturesque language in which to speak to his people from His Word. The Hebrew passage is telling us that God’s true Old Testament people died in faith while obtaining the promises of God; subjecting themselves to foreign kingdoms with the Word and righteousness of God, and overall they held fast as they fought against the words of their enemies. That is the true spiritual meaning of the phrase “stopped the mouths of lions.” A lion is shown to be a very vicious animal in the Old Testament and the majority of usage for the word “lion” is in referenced to the kingdom of Satan and those who would lie and discredit the true Word of God. They are as spiritually vicious and deadly as roaring lions and God uses unregenerate or unsaved man as a type of a roaring lion; one who rips and tears at the true Gospel with their vicious words of falsehood, and of course these words come from their mouths. In addition we say that the enemies of God are portrayed as lions since Christ is the LION of Scripture, Revelation 5:5, and thus the counterfeit church would be imposters of the true biblical LION. The word “stopped” in Hebrews 11:33 as in “stopped the mouths of lions” is defined as follows: G5420 - Stopped phrassō fras'-so Apparently a strengthened form of the base of G5424; to fence or inclose, that is, (specifically) to block up (figuratively to silence): - stop. To silence! This is of course precisely what Satan’s goal has always been toward God’s Word. Let us look at this same Greek word (G 5420) “stopped” in Romans 3:19: Romans 3:19 - ¶Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. This is nearly exact language that we read in Hebrews 11:33, only Hebrews gives us a symbolic taste of who these lions are.

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A Further Look at Lions in Scripture “The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.” (Psalms 104:21) Let us preview some of the context that we read in Psalm 104. It is a psalm of thanksgiving to the Creator. Intertwined in this chapter is God’s creation of the earth mingled with highly symbolical language of God’s salvation message. In the opening verses God speaks literally of His creation having waters to cover the earth including all mountains (verse 6). Verses seven through ten God speaks of setting a boundary for the waters (oceans) that they never cover the earth again (verse 9). These verses of course may have hidden manna within. As we look to verse ten God tells us that He sends springs of water down (from the mountains) into the valleys and the hills. Continuing on, God states in verse fourteen that He causes the grass to grow for the cattle. This of course can be seen in a two-fold manner, both literally and spiritually. In verse fifteen we read “And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.” God’s creation does produce wine, oil, and bread which physically sustained the ancients of that period but that is far from God’s total message here. There is eternal life in this message as there is in all of Scripture. The literal wine, oil, and bread are all physical symbols and types of Jesus Christ and His means to eternal life; His blood (the wine), His spirit (the oil), and His body (the bread). Yes, Psalm Chapter One-Hundred- and-Four is highly spiritual in nature as is all of Scripture. Having seen this let us again quote verse Twenty-one: Psalm 104:21 - The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. This is not speaking solely of literal young lions who seek their food from God’s natural earth. These young lions appear to be God’s people (described in yet another metaphoric manner) who seek their spiritual food (meat) from the one true God and nowhere else. Strong’s Hebrew defines this “meat” as follows: H400 - Meat 'ôkel o'-kel From H398; food: - eating, food, meal [-time], meat, prey, victuals. Habakkuk 3:17-18 – 17 - Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat [H400]; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

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18 - Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Many in today’s corporate church view the above Habakkuk passages as speaking of modern-day Israel. It is in no wise speaking of modern-day national Israel – God will never revert back to Old Testament worship and sacrifices along with a rebuilt literal temple in East Jerusalem. That would be a grand denial of the true appearing of the Messiah and the bringing in of His spiritual kingdom of Israel – the true Church. No, rather this passage speaks ultimately of the end of days and the great tribulation. The “fig tree shall not blossom” is describing a time where the Gospel message is stifled from the global churches. “Neither shall fruit be in the vines” speaks of the same spiritual famine in the church. “The labour of the olive shall fail” is again speaking of the power of the Gospel being silenced throughout the global churches as Satan is loosed for a little season. “The fields shall yield no meat [H 400]” is the same spiritual “meat” [H 400] (the Gospel) that the young lions in Psalm 104:21 seek after! All of this is being mentioned to show that the term “young lions,” spoken of in our study of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight, is used of God to depict them as God’s elect who see the Abomination of Desolation and mourn for the Gospel that is being silenced throughout the global churches. Their spiritual merchandise is not being traded anymore. Recall what we read in our study of Joel Chapter One, verses fifteen and sixteen: Joel 1:15-16 – 15 - Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. 16 - Is not the meat [H 400] cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God? (Yes, this word meat is the same as we just discussed in Psalm and in Habakkuk, and it is representative of Christ’s Gospel of Salvation of which the young lions seek after.) This is what God says of the unsaved world: Psalm 107:18 - Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat [H440]; and they draw near unto the gates of death. How accurate God’s Word is and always will be! The true Gospel food (meat H400) is the Gospel of Salvation through Jesus Christ that is rained upon the earth. This Gospel is abhorred (detested, hated, despised) among all of unregenerate or unsaved mankind. The western so-called “Christian” world professes to love the Christian faith but do they really? Most do not even know what the true Christian faith really is. Christian faith to the Western World is nothing more than “churchy” acknowledgment or church tolerance but when and if they are confronted with the true narrow Gospel of Jesus Christ, they are abhorred by the prospect of living for Christ. They detest the doctrine of eternal separation from God. They truly abhorreth all manner of meat. We see many news commentators adhering to what they have invented as the “far right,” and thus exclaiming to be Christians while at the same time displaying all manner of unchristian 213

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ethics. What a sham. They are simply giving word service to some unknown Christian faith that they know nothing of, but pretend they are true Christians. In some cases they are the mouths of Mystery Babylon. The so-called Western Christian World is certainly not those who SEE the Abomination of Desolation, but rather it is the “called-out ones” (true followers of Christ) who can truly see with spiritual eyes what is transpiring with the global churches of today. The kingdom of darkness, as foretold throughout Holy Scripture, has finally risen to take a spoil and to take a prey from the once faithful earthly church of Jesus Christ. End of Chapter Nine Ezekiel 38:13

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Chapter Ten (Ezekiel 38:14-17)

14 - ¶Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it? 15 - And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: 16 - And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.

17 - Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? The gist of verses fourteen through sixteen has essentially been covered in our previous studies and therefore this study will focus solely upon verse seventeen:

“Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those day many years that I would bring thee against them?” (Ezekiel 38:17)

God is speaking directly to Satan here and asking a rhetorical type question for our benefit – are you (Satan; Gog/Magog) he of whom I have spoken of in Old Testament times by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied for many years (centuries) that I would bring you against the mountains of Israel? This study cannot possibly cover all of the occurrences within the Old Testament writings wherein God’s prophets spoke of this great and final battle to be waged in the latter years and at the end of the New Testament Era. It is the great Battle of 215

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Armageddon of which Satan gathers the nations (Gog and Magog) from the four corners of the earth (Rev. 20:8-9) for the purpose of bringing them upon the global church of Jesus Christ, which has fallen away and into apostasy (2 Thess. 2:3). It is at this time that the forces of Satan “surround the camp of the saints” (Rev. 20:9). To surround the camp of the saints implies dominance and supremacy within. This is precisely what the apostle Paul speaks of in 2 Thessalonians 2:4: Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Satan sits or rules within the temple of God to accredit or ascribe himself as God! The earthly temple of God in these New Testament days can only be the global and corporate church of Jesus Christ, the camp of the saints. This is the loosing of Satan at the end of time (Rev. 20:7) for God’s purpose and tool in judging the apostate and/or harlot church. As we have taught throughout these studies, the forces of which Satan musters are his emissaries known as Gog and Magog, which come from the four corners of the earth. These emissaries or ambassadors of Satan are the world of Christian imposters. They may believe they are serving the one and only true God, but in reality they are slaves of Satan. For the most part, they do not come appearing as anything different than wonderful people from all walks of life who desire to serve in the church of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 13 - For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 - And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 - Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. We can’t emphasize enough that this is the Abomination of Desolation of which Christ so urgently warned of (Mt. 24:15; Mark 13:14; Luke 21:20)! It is NOT as multitudes of churches falsely teach – saying that a literal person called the anti-Christ will enter a rebuilt temple in East Jerusalem and declare to the world that he is God. No, never will this occur and it is NOT taught anywhere in God’s Holy Scriptures. Ladies and gentlemen this literal teaching is part of the deception and overall delusion of the last days that will lure its audience into a spiritual stupor and a false sense of security, believing all is well with their souls. Having as yet to see a rebuilt temple in East Jerusalem and a world leader of anti-Christ, the millions of church attendees worldwide will - and at this very hour – become unaware that the temple that their socalled anti-Christ will rule from are the very church buildings they themselves are sitting comfortably in! Satan, as the beast of Revelation Chapter Thirteen, has risen and his hold on apostate Christianity has risen as well, which is the second beast of Revelation Chapter Thirteen, having two horns as a lamb but spoke as a dragon (Rev. 13:11)! Yes, his “two horns as a 216

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lamb” tells us that this second beast is the fallen harlot church masquerading as the true Church of Christ. Its leader is Satan, hence the phrase “but spoke as a dragon.” Much of the Old Testament alludes to this event directly or indirectly and it cannot go unnoticed among those with spiritual eyes and ears, for God’s prophets of old spoke of the judgment of the earthly apostate church at the end of days wherein God separates the sheep from the goats within the congregations of fallen Christianity. Amidst the Old Testament writings that God penned through His prophets (2 Peter 1:21) who spoke in simple everyday language, there is yet a mystery within this language that carries much symbolism and metaphorical interpretations which overlaid the earthly interpretations with highly spiritual renderings that would not be understood until the time appointed, which in all indications appears to be now. Daniel 12:8-9 – 8 - And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? 9 - And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up [to keep secret] and sealed till the time of the end. 10 - Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. Let us now examine but a few scriptural passages from God’s prophets who prophesied in those days many centuries ago that God would bring Gog and Magog in judgment against His rebellious church at the time of the end. It is absolutely staggering as well as astonishing to discover how much of Old Testament Scripture is devoted to speaking and prophesying of this specific time in which we now find ourselves living in. As we look back at Old Testament writings that speak of this particular time, we will only scratch the surface, and yet it may require several lengthy chapters in this book to even “scratch the surface.”

Some of What the Prophets Saw Concerning Gog and Magog and the End of Days Battle of Armageddon The following is from: http://www.bible-history.com/biblestudy/nineveh.html

Nineveh and the Assyrian Empire -

The Assyrian empire became extremely great and powerful with NINEVEH as its center, all the way until its final destruction by the Chaldeans and the Medes. Nineveh was located in a very desirable place, east of the Tigris River in a very fertile plain. Today the ancient ruins are located 217

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just opposite of the present day city of Mosul. NINEVEH was also famous in the ancient world because it was a center for the worship of Ishtar (Astarte) the fertility goddess. The size of NINEVEH is revealed in the Bible, in Jonah 3:3 and 4:11 (A 3 days journey in breadth with over 120,000 people). The classical writers describe NINEVEH as being over 60 miles wide. The city of Nineveh is described in Genesis 10:11 as having been founded by Nimrod, the hunter who built the tower of Babel and led the world into a rebellion against God. The Old Testament also mentions NINEVEH in relation to the prophet Jonah who preached judgment against NINEVEH, and afterward the city repented. The prophet Nahum predicted NINEVEH's destruction which came in 612 BC, and the famous city was never rebuilt. In the New Testament Jesus commended the inhabitants of NINEVEH for repenting at the preaching of Jonah, while condemning the Jewish leaders for resisting His own message. From: http://www.bible-history.com/biblestudy/nineveh.html

The Prophet Nahum – Who Prophesied in Those Days Many Years Ago “So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.” (Jonah 3:3) The writer in the above article we just quoted states: “The prophet Nahum predicted NINEVEH's destruction which came in 612 BC.” The foretelling of Nineveh’s destruction holds a great amount of “hidden manna” in foretelling the end of the Church Age and the destruction of spiritual Nineveh, which mirrored or typified the corporate church of today. As we being to search out end-time 218

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prophecies that ultimately speak of the Battle of Armageddon and the end-of-days judgment upon the global harlot church, we will first go to the Book of Nahum. Our focus will be upon the ancient city of Nineveh, which Scripture declares to be an exceeding great city, (Jonah 3:3). Scripture’s one and only true Great City is the eternal Holy Jerusalem, (Revelation 21:10) – “And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.” All other “great cities” in Scripture may possibly be symbolical depictions of Christ’s Bride, His Great and Holy City – the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16). These earthly “great cities” are types of Christ’s church, which in the end will come under God’s judgment as did Old Testament Israel, which was also a type of the New Testament church, i.e. a type of the spiritual Israel. All others that God declares to be “great cities” are Resen (Genesis 10:12); Gibeon (Joshua 10:2); Gilead (Jeremiah 22:80); Nineveh (Jonah 1:2; 3:2,3; 4:11), and Babylon or Mystery Babylon (Revelation 14:8; 16:19; 17:18; 18:10,16,18,19, and 21). Special attention is given to Revelation 11:8 where God speaks of the spiritual Jerusalem – the apostate harlot church - and also likens it as a once great city, but is fallen into judgment and thus Christ depicts its end result by stating “ … which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.” These earthly “great cities” may all be figures of the New Testament corporate church that will, in the end, (as we see today) fall into irreversible apostasy and ultimate judgment of God. However, the ones that we have studied in detail indeed appear to depict the global church at the end of time. Tyrus, which is Tyre, is yet another astounding depiction of the New Testament corporate church of Jesus Christ. For now, let us look further into the study of the great city Nineveh, which was the ancient capital of Assyria. The country was also called the land of Nimrod in Micah 5:6.

Nineveh that Great City is Under Siege! There is much information in these three short chapters of Nahum that teaches both its historical events as well as its then future spiritual prophetic fulfillments at the end of the New Testament Age. Let us briefly skim through some of the most applicable verses that parallel the teachings of the fall of the New Testament corporate church and its judgment, by God’s permissive will, through the forces of Gog and Magog.

“There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor.” (Nahum 1:11) We will not spend time discussing who fulfilled this wicked counselor prophecy in the flesh back in Old Testament days. The pertinent question to ask is who shall fulfill this at the end of time? Many will say it is to be realized by an actual person known as the anti-Christ. Let us reiterate once again that the passages that many perceive to be teaching of a literal person of anti-Christ 219

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are actually all of the prophesies pertaining to the emergence of the most powerful anti-Christ in all of history, and that anti-Christ is none other than Satan himself as he is loosed from the bottomless pit as judgment upon the global apostate church of Jesus Christ. What does our study of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight say about this wicked counselor who imagines evil against the LORD? Ezekiel 38:10 - Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: This evil is most certainly directed at our Lord (“There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD …) [Nahum 1:11] and His earthly church (the holy place) and this word “evil” is the same Hebrew word of course that is used in the Ezekiel 38:10 passage. If Nineveh is an Old Testament picture or “type” of the New Testament church, and this definitely appears to be the case; who else then could fulfill this verse of being a wicked counselor that arises within the global corporate church? Let’s not forget that Christ warned us of this in Matthew 24:15 by stating that when we see the Abomination of Desolation standing in the “holy place” then we who are true believers are to flee to the spiritual mountains of God. The Abomination of Desolation is when Satan’s Christian appearing army of Gog and Magog enters into the gates of spiritual Jerusalem; that is to say they enter into the corporate church of Jesus Christ – the earthly holy place which represents in appearance only Christ’s Bride, the true and eternal Church of Christ. Let us be reminded that the opening verse of the Book of Nahum declares: “The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.” The word “burden” is also translated as “prophecy” and the entire Book of Nahum is a prophecy of the city of Nineveh. As Satan is being described as the wicked counselor, it is not surprising that he is the great impostor or imitator of Christ who is our true Wonderful Counselor in Isaiah 9:6. By the way, this Hebrew word for “wonderful” carries the meaning of a miracle, a wonder, a marvelous thing.

“¶He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.” (Nahum 2:1) (LITV) “The one scattering is coming up against your face. Guard the rampart; watch the way; make the loins strong, firm up your power exceedingly.” (Nahum 2:1) God is exclaiming to the dwellers of the church that “he that dasheth in pieces” has come up before their face! One is correct to presume that the “he” that dasheth in pieces is the same being as is the wicked counselor. They both appear to be figures of the loosed Satan as he ravages the global churches during the time of Great Tribulation. The phrase “dasheth in pieces” is mainly interpreted as “to scatter” and is the numbered word H 6327 in the Strong’s Hebrew. Jeremiah 23:1 - ¶Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter [H 6327 – dasheth in pieces] the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. 220

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God’s warning in Nahum 2:1 is one of a great many that have been hidden within Holy Scripture down through the centuries. He that scatters or “dasheth in pieces” has come right up into the face or entrance of the corporate church and has thus entered in! And what will this wicked counselor do? He will gather the deceived nations from the four corners of the earth and surround the camp of the saints – the church. Again this is Satan standing in the holy place (Matthew 24:15); standing where it ought not (Mark 13:14); Jerusalem compassed with armies (Luke 21:20); and is also “he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God,” (2 Thessalonians 2:4). Satan via his host of unregenerate but Christian appearing mankind will enter in and dash in pieces (scatter) the true Gospel and those true Christian witnesses. God continues in Nahum 2:1 by stating: keep the munition, meaning to preserve, protect, to guard, or maintain the stronghold. Only the power of God can preserve His Word and Church and that is why we flee in obedience to God from these abominable congregations; we flee that we are not a part of its eternal judgment. Nahum 2:1 continues by stating “… watch the way, make thy loins strong, and fortify thy power mightily.” To watch carries the meaning of to observe while the phrase “the way” is one particular Hebrew word: H1870 – The Way Derek; deh'-rek From H1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively a course of life or mode of action, often adverbially: - along, away, because of, + by, conversation, custom, [east-] ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, [high-] [path-] way [-side], whither [-soever]. It is defined figuratively as a course of life or mode of action. Is not the term “the way” a Gospel expression in the New Testament? John 14:6 - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Acts 19:23 - And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. Nahum 2:1 commands us to “watch the way.” The Hebrew word watch (H 6822) carries mainly the meaning of a watchman or watchmen. That is the job of the true believers, to be watchmen over the treasures of our eternal Gospel. Nahum 2:1 concludes with these words: “make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.” Of course this is a part of the calling of God’s army, but in today’s world all the more as we not only see the day approaching, but as we currently witness the terrible and abominable events being carried out right in the midst of Christ’s earthly church! Ephesians 6:14 - Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 1 Peter 1:13 - ¶Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

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Continuing On in Nahum Chapter Two “For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.” (Nahum 2:2)

The Lord has turned away the excellency of Jacob and Israel and has allowed the Chaldeans to overtake the city of Nineveh. The country of Chadea was an ancient land in southern Babylonia, on the Persian Gulf near the delta of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. In biblical times the name was applied to all of Babylonia. As far as can be traced, the Chaldeans themselves descend from Shem's son, Arphaxad, who is also an ancestor of Abraham and Israel.

Chaldeans are associated with Babylon and the city of Ur because they settled near Babylon and in Shinar. In fact, the most powerful Babylonian dynasty (Neo-Babylonia, c. 625-539 BC) was Chaldean, as was its most powerful and most famous king, Nebuchadnezzar (reigned c. 604-561

BC, see II Kings 24:1 — 25:21; II Chronicles 36:5-21; Jeremiah 39:1-14; Daniel 1:1 — 4:37).

From: http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm//fuseaction/library.sr/ct/bqa/k/167/ _________________ In Nahum 2:2 we read that God has turned away the excellency of Jacob and Israel. That is precisely what is occurring in today’s worldwide church. Christ’s earthly church is the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16), and we cannot emphasize that enough. We are the spiritual Israel; the spiritual Jacob, God’s true Jews. However, in the end God will and is judging the global church or the global Israel of God. The true and eternal Israel of God consists of all true believers past and present, physically alive or dead, it makes no difference. The true Israel of God that is alive on this earth today has, in great numbers, fled from the apostasies and abominations of the worldly Israel of God (the church) in fear of her judgment. When Nahum 2:2 states that the LORD has turned away the excellency of Jacob and Israel it is speaking ultimately of the church’s pride and arrogance – the church’s pomp that God (it appears) is now judging. For this Hebrew word “excellency” (H 1347) in this particular context is defined this way: H1347 - Excellency gâ'ôn; gaw-ohn' From H1342; the same as H1346: - arrogancy, excellency (-lent), majesty, pomp, pride, proud, swelling. 222

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Revelation 18:7 - How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Jonah 1:2 - Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. Nahum 2:2 continues by stating that the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches! How might we understand this word “EMPTIERS”? Strong’s - H1238 - Emptiers bâqaq; baw-kah' A primitive root; to pour out, that is, to empty, figuratively to depopulate; by analogy to spread out (as a fruitful vine): - (make) empty (out), fail, X utterly, make void. These “emptiers” are those who come into the church in Christ’s name, yet they preach not the true Gospel of our Lord, and therefore they have marred the vine branches! How do we understand the word “marred” in this context? Strong’s - H7843 - Marred shâchath; shaw-khath' A primitive root; to decay, that is, (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively): - batter, cast off, corrupt (-er, thing), destroy (-er, -uction), lose, mar, perish, spill, spoiler, X utterly, waste (-r). For “the emptiers have emptied (made void, scattered) the true Gospel witness within the global church, and have marred (decayed, corrupted, and destroyed) their vine branches” Nahum 2:2. Satan’s ambassadors, these emptiers (ultimately Gog and Magog) will and presently are, at the end of days, successful for a little season (Revelation 20:3) in corrupting and destroying the true Word of God within the global churches. They will mar (corrupt, destroy, lay waste) God’s true witnesses – the VINE branches! Such as we see in today’s churches! John 15:5 - I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. Revelation 14:18-19 – 18 - And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 19 - And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

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“The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.” (Nahum 2:3) The shield of “his” mighty men is made red! Again the word “his” appears nearly certain to typify Satan as the wicked counsel. The phrase “shield of his mighty men is made red” should be realized as displaying a symbolical battle that was literally demonstrated by Old Testament armament and battle weapons. Satan’s mighty men (Gog and Magog) are conquering their prey within the fallen church, that is to say they are conquering their prey upon the mountains of Israel (Ezekiel 38 and 39), or within the figurative great city of Nineveh (Nahum), and again within the figurative city of Tyrus or Tyre, and even within the figurative great city of Babylon. The shields of the armies of Gog and Magog’s mighty men are RED with the blood of their enemy! No, this is no physical battle or literal blood, but God’s terminology use portrays Old Testament battles in New Testament realities. Our weapons are spiritual in these New Testaments times, of course, but nonetheless God uses Old Testament battles to display this spiritual truth. The Hebrew word “red” is defined as follows: H119 - Red 'âdam; aw-dam' To show blood (in the face), that is, flush or turn rosy: - be (dyed, made) red (ruddy). This spiritual picture of our enemies’ shields being “red” (H 119) not only depicts the spiritual death that these soldiers (false teachers, etc.) bring about, but it also depicts the sins of our enemy who have never been born of the Spirit of God. Consider the following verse: Isaiah 1:18 - Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red [H 119] like crimson, they shall be as wool. Once again, the phrase “The shield of his mighty men is made red” can depict at least two realities. First, as stated, their bloodied shields indicate that they kill (spiritually) with their weapons. The shield however is used as a defense. It is defined from Strong’s Hebrew as follows: H4043 - Shield mâgên meginnâh maw-gane', meg-in-naw' 224

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From H1598; a shield (that is, the small one or buckler); figuratively a protector; also the scaly hide of the crocodile: - X armed, buckler, defence, ruler, + scale, shield. The word “Shield” is employed many times in Scripture as representing Christ as the believer’s shield, buckler, and defense. Thus we see that the shield of Satan’s mighty men (Gog and Magog) being made “red” shows us that our enemy’s spiritual reliance, their spiritual defense, their spiritual strength is of course not the same shield as the believer’s shield. For theirs is made “red” (sins: Is. 1:18) from their abominations and desolations within the harlot church. These mighty men from the kingdom of darkness have bloodied their shields with the blood of the saints in a figurative sense. Not to imply that true Christians have never been physically killed, for indeed multitudes have and still are in many areas of the world. But the spiritual implications show that the true shield (shield of faith; Ephesians 6:16) is masqueraded as true faith by the enemy, but not so since our enemies’ shields (spiritual defenses) are foreign to the true shield and covered in sins (blood). This blood also pertains to the blood of the saints in a figurative way in that those who silence the truth of Christ are guilty of spiritually killing the saints of God (Revelation 11:7) by allegorically shedding the blood of the saints: Revelation 17:6 - And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. Revelation 18:24 - And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

“And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.” (Daniel 11:31) It is our prayer that whoever reads this study will have already had their sins (red) cleansed by our Lord. Today’s worldwide church continues on in their downward spiral of abominations and desecrations. In most cases today’s organized church is nothing more than a social club led by 225

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the blind business minded self-appointed “ministers” of their gospel who have little real knowledge of God’s truth. They continue to lust for the financial support of their followers and appease them in any way and at every turn to keep them in their midst! They do not dare insult them with God’s truth, after all what kind of a business man would bite the hand that feeds them? They take out muli-million dollar loans for their building projects, youth minister programs, etc., and everything else that is contrary to Holy Scripture. Where may we ask does it say in Scripture to make a financial career out of being a minister of the Gospel? Once you find the biblical answer, please send it to us at http:spiritualbiblestudies.com. Once those career minded ministers of the gospel realize, by the grace of God, that they are to come out of the harlot church, having already made a career out of it, will certainly have a most painful and agonizing decision to make!

ON CHRIST’S PULPIT: Anointing SUVs with oil in Detroit and praying for economic recovery. (Picture deleted for various reasons)

“Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?” (Psalm 94:8) “O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.” (Psalm 4:2)

Nahum 2: 3 - The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken. Romans 1:27 - And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

God’s answer to this picture is simple: “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.” (Jeremiah 23:16) 226

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Let us also be reminded of what God states concerning this matter within the apostate and rebellious congregations: Isaiah 3:9 - ¶The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. In these days after the church has “fallen away” as prophesied in 2 Thessalonians Chapter Two, they will begin to fall under the judgment of God. This falling away has certainly been running its course for many decades. A great many congregations throughout not only the United States but throughout the world declare a gay and lesbian life style as normal to even God! They declare their perversion from the very pulpits of the churches, precisely as Isaiah 3:9 told us! “They declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not!” Who are these “emptiers” (Nahum 2:2) who come into the midst of the global congregations and feed upon Christ’s vine branches? They are mentioned throughout all of Holy Scripture and with varying symbolical descriptions. These great tribulation deceivers (Gog and Magog) are Christian appearing men and women who are pleasantly accepted by their congregations as people of prominence and good standing within their communities. These wonderful men and women enter into the gates of Jerusalem (the heart of the congregations) through the allegorical “windows” as a spiritual thief (Joel 2:9) rather than coming through the door, which is Christ (Jn. 10:1,2,7,9). Jesus Himself proclaimed in parabolic language:

John 10:1 - ¶Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

God gives us many figurative descriptions of these pleasant appearing ministers for what they truly are in the spiritual realm. Revelation 9: 7-11 – 7 - And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

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8 - And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9 – And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10 - And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.

11 - And they had a king [Satan, the Wicked Counselor of Nahum 1:1?] 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. Please see our study entitled “The Fifth Trumpet Judgment.” This study details much of the meanings of the symbolical characteristics of Satan’s end-time army. Continuing in Nahum 2:3 we read:

“The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.” (Nahum 2:3) As the word “valiant” signifies strength, a great army and powerful force, we see this same Hebrew word used as “army” in describing the warriors of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38:4 and 15. The valiant men of the wicked counselor’s army are spiritually robed in scarlet. This once more tells us, and not surprisingly, that this massive and global spiritual army is masquerading as Christians! The color scarlet signifies our Lord’s atonement and much of the scarlet color throughout Scripture will attest to this fact. Lamentations 4:5 - They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. Lamentations Chapter Four is yet another area of Scripture that ultimately speaks of the Abomination of Desolation which leads up to the congregational Battle of Armageddon. Those that did feed delicately in the streets of that Great City Jerusalem now embrace dunghills, meaning filth and rubbish! They that were brought up in scarlet now embrace dunghills! God is telling us that those who were once spiritually fed in the allegorical streets of Jerusalem (corporate church) are the same as those that were “brought up” in scarlet. In other words 228

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they were brought up and raised in the faith of Jesus Christ (scarlet). The term “brought up” is defined in Strong’s Hebrew as follows: H539 – Brought up 'âman aw-man' A primitive root; properly to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet; morally to be true or certain; once (in Isa_30:21; by interchange for H541) to go to the right hand: - hence assurance, believe, bring up, establish, + fail, be faithful (of long continuance, stedfast, sure, surely, trusty, verified), nurse, (-ing father), (put), trust, turn to the right. The global church was destined to become a spiritual wasteland and a dunghill. The Book of Lamentations lends much spiritual insight to these days in which we live. Nahum 2:3 continues by stating “…the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation…” this particular Hebrew word “chariots” (H 7393) is defined as follows; H7393 - Chariots rekeb reh'-keb From H7392; a vehicle; by implication a team; by extension cavalry; by analogy a rider, that is, the upper millstone: - chariot, (upper) millstone, multitude [from the margin], wagon. The prophet Isaiah in Chapter Twenty-two speaks of a “day of trouble” in the Valley of Vision. This is the metaphorical Valley of Armageddon spoken of here but we want to focus specifically on verse seven: Isaiah 22:7 - And it shall come to pass, that thy choicest valleys shall be full of chariots, [H 7393] and the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate. The Lord includes the use of chariots many times throughout Scripture as He uses these Old Testament portraits of the enemies of God in depicting the spiritual warfare against the church in the latter years. Chariots are also used in illustrating the enemies of God (Satan’s forces of Gog and Magog) in the fall of Tyrus, which, as we have stated, is a type of the New Testament church: Ezekiel 26:10 - By reason of the abundance of his horses their

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dust shall cover thee: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach. When he shall enter into thy gates! We read of God’s enemies “entering in at the gates” many times in Scripture and we know that this term signifies, ultimately and in the end - the forces of Gog and Magog entering into the gates of the corporate and global apostate churches; that is the gates of the once spiritual Jerusalem, which is now fallen and referenced by Christ as the city of Sodom and Egypt (abominations and bondage), Revelation 11:8. Continuing in Nahum 2:3 we read: “…the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation …” The word “torches” here appears to be an isolated word from an unused root (H 6393), figuratively meaning to divide. This is precisely what Gog and Magog are commissioned to do in the church during these final days – in the day of the Lord’s preparation, that is to say what the Lord will establish, prepare, ordain, or what the Lord has made ready. Finally we read in the conclusion of Nahum 2:3 “… and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.” In studying fir trees one will discover an overwhelming support suggesting that the fir tree is symbolic for God’s true elect. Read the verses for yourself and you will also confirm this truth. One particular passage that relates to our study is found in Isaiah Chapter Thirty-seven: Isaiah 37:21-24 – 21 - ¶Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria: (This king of Assyria was their ruler or dictator during this time and as such he was a type of Satan who represented their worldly king.) 22 - This is the word which the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. 23 - Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel. 24 - By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel. Lengthy studies could be made on each and every term we read here. God develops a spiritual pattern on everything in Scripture and this final Battle of Armageddon can be seen and read of throughout Scripture. By the multitude of Satan’s chariots “servants” has he entered into the height of the mountains (the top of God’s earthly congregations; the mountains of Israel), and has cut down the trees (including fir trees) of God’s forest, thus “… and the 230

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fir trees shall be terribly shaken, Nahum 2:3. Satan uses any means possible to divert attention away from the pure truth of God’s Word, and thus the locusts are eating away at God’s Vine as prophesied throughout Scripture.

Nahum Chapter Three – The Bloody City “¶Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;” (Nahum 3:1)

The chasing of merchants from Jerusalem’s temple greatly typified the spiritual merchants in today’s fallen church.

Why does Nahum 3:1 declare Nineveh to be a “bloody” city? It is, as we showed, referenced as a great city and therefore a “type” of the fallen great harlot city of Christendom. Let us look at how the Hebrew defines this word “bloody”: H1818 - Bloody dâm dawm From H1826 (compare H119); blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed (that is, drops of blood): - blood (-y, -guiltiness, [-thirsty]), + innocent. The question is, how should we understand this term “bloody city?” The definition states: that which when shed causes death. The bloody city is guilty of causing spiritual death. This same word is also translated as “blood.” When we look at the different usages of this word we see that it is used in various ways: 231

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Note: The Biblical references to the following six suppositions are in no way meant to be exhaustive. They are only random samples. 1. Blood is used to signify a person’s literal blood or shedding of blood. (Apparent) 2. Blood is used in signify a literal animal sacrifice. (Apparent) 3. Blood is used figuratively to symbolize God’s judgment. (Is. 63:3; Jer. 46:10; Ez. 38:22;39:17-19; Rev. 14:20) 4. Blood is used figuratively to represent salvation through the blood of Christ. (Ex. 12:13; Is. 4:4, Zech. 9:11; John6:54) 5. Blood is used figuratively to denote the false preaching or poisoning of God’s Word. (Ex. 7:19; Joel 2:31; Rev. 6:12;8:8;16:3,4;) 6. Blood can be used figuratively in speaking of persecution. (Rev. 17:6;18:24;19:2) As we begin to look at Nahum 3:1 we can know immediately that the term “bloody city” is in the negative simply due to the fact that God pronounced a woe upon it in verse one. Secondly, why is it a “bloody” city figuratively speaking? The same verse gives us this answer as well. “¶Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;” The word “lies” carries the meaning of hypocrisy; lies, or lying. The Interlinear Bible of Hebrew, Greek, and English states: “Woe to the city of blood! All of it is a lie.” In reviewing this passage among other translations one will discover that it appears to speak of the bloody city in the sense that it has already reached its fullness in sins and transgressions and its prey departeth not! What does this prey represent? Let us once more define it from one of the best sources around and that is the Strong’s Hebrew: H2964 - Prey ṭereph teh'-ref From H2963; something torn, that is, a fragment, for example a fresh leaf, prey, food: leaf, meat, prey, spoil. This Hebrew word is translated mainly as “prey” [H 2964 – Prey]. Nineveh, a type of the New Testament corporate church is said to, in its end, to be a bloody city [H 1818 - bloody] which is full of lies and robbery. We see a parallel to this bloody city in Ezekiel Chapter Twentytwo. Ezekiel 22:1-2 – 1 - ¶Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 - Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody [H 1818 - bloody] city? yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations. Ezekiel 22:18 - Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver.

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This bloody city, as Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-two confirms, was the fulfillment of the Old Testament house of Israel at its demise. Likewise it is the fulfillment of the New Testament spiritual house of Israel at its demise. Both become bloody cities; one in the physical which prefigured the demise of the spiritual bloody city – the earthly outer representation of the church of Christ. Ezekiel 22:25 - There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey [H 2964 – Prey]; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Ezekiel 22:27 - Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey [H 2964 – Prey], to shed blood [H 1818 - bloody], and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. Yes there is plenty of prey for the troops of Gog and Magog because their prey departeth not, Nahum 3:1. Christ gives us a stern warning concerning this Abomination of Desolation, not only in the Gospels but in Revelation Chapter Eighteen and throughout the Old Testament Scriptures:

“… Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?” (Ezekiel 38:17)

¶Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not; Nahum 3:1. God indicates very strongly here that Nineveh is likened to a bloody city due to its lies and robbery. One who lies and steals of God’s Word is a spiritual thief and a robber. The inhabitants of the bloody city are indeed spiritual thieves and robbers precisely as Christ warned us to beware of! John 10:8 - All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. John 10:1 - ¶Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

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John 10:10 - The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. In our Nahum 3:1 passage it is evident that God utilizes the term “bloody” [H 1818 - bloody] city in illustrating spiritual death; those whose souls are killed with the false words, lies, and thievery. Matthew 10:28 - And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. In relating bloody or blood to lies and spiritual thievery let us look at the following passages: Isaiah 59:3 - For your hands are defiled with blood [H 1818 - bloody], and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. God is certainly not speaking of a cold-blooded heathen who murders in the flesh while speaking lies and perverseness [wickedness, evil, or unrighteousness]. No, God’s Word deals in spiritual matters which only His sheep can hear. The above verse confirms the fact that in this particular text, as well as in Nahum 3:1, the word bloody or blood entails all who speak lies in the name of Christ. As we stated in our 5th supposition of the word bloody or blood, it is used figuratively to denote the false preaching or poisoning of God’s Word. First Egyptian plague: God turns all waters of Egypt into blood. A foreshadow of the Gospel waters within the end-time corporate church (Sodom and Egypt; Rev. 11) being poisoned and figuratively turned to blood, meaning spiritual death (Revelation).

Once more we quote from Scripture a passage that defines the bloody and deceitful man as being those who speak lies in the name of Christ: Psalm 5:5-6 – 5 - The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. 6 - Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing [falsehood]: the LORD will abhor the bloody [H 1818 - bloody] and deceitful man. Think not that this verse is speaking in general of those in the outside world apart from the church of Jesus Christ. God’s Scriptural focal point is upon His church - Old Testament Israel and the New Testament spiritual Israel. Those who preach lies in the name of Christ are depicted as bloody men and their gospel is the gospel of dead men and thus their false gospel is nothing but death, for the true Gospel is turned to blood within the apostate global congregations. Contrary wise, let us hear what God says to those who are faithful within his church: 234

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Isaiah 33:15-16 –

15 - He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood [H 1818 - bloody], and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; 16 - He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. How does one “stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood”? The only way to “hear” blood is to know how God is using the term in a particular sense. To stop one’s ears from hearing of blood [H 1818 – bloody] implies closing one’s heart to the hearing of false gospels. In so doing one will dwell on high, having his spiritual bread given to him, and his waters (Gospel) shall be sure. Ezekiel 22:2 - Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody [H 1818 - bloody] city? yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations. This chapter speaks to Jerusalem of old and imbedded within these prophecies are unquestionably figurative language, as we find throughout Scripture, prophesying of the desolation of spiritual Jerusalem – that bloody city! Proverbs 12:6 - ¶The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood [H 1818 bloody]: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them. Much of Holy Scripture speaks to the tongue of righteousness versus the tongue of wickedness. The words of unregenerate man are blood to God, for there is no spiritual life in them and that is how our God describes the global churches in these final years – the Bloody City! God is judging the world’s church with a symbolical fire! Revelation 18:8 - Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

“There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm: make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts.” (Nahum 3:15) God continues in His rebuke and judgment of that great city Nineveh. Here in verse fifteen we read of the fire that God metaphorically uses in bringing the Bloody City into judgment. God states that the fire will devour thee, that is to say the fire will devour Nineveh, the subject of this chapter. This fire depicts God’s judgment and it is not to be understood as a literal fire. The fire of judgment is taught to be judgment through invading armies. In the case of the modern corporate church, the fire of God’s judgment is realized via the Christian appearing armies of 235

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Gog and Magog. Verse fifteen goes on to say that the sword shall eat thee up like a cankerworm! Let us ask the question, how might a sword eat up a person like a cankerworm (young locust)? Read on: Psalms 59:2 & 7 2 - Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men. 7 - Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear? Thanks to God that His Word is His own dictionary! In the above verse God reveals his real truth behind these verses and they are in the spirit and not in the letter (2 Corinthians 3:6). The swords of the enemies of God are actually the lips (words!) of all who trust not in Holy Scripture. Ezekiel 38:4 - And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Psalms 55:21 - The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. The words of our enemy are smoother than butter! Isn’t that the way it is nowadays within the great city of Christendom. If it were possible, even God’s elect would be deceived by these words, Matthew 24:24. Their words are smoother than butter, yet God views their words as DRAWN SWORDS! Isaiah 30:9-10 – [The Sword of the Enemy] 9 - That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: 10 - Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Proverbs 30:14 - There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor [elect] from off the earth, and the needy [elect] from among men. Psalms 42:10 - As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say [words!] daily unto me, Where is thy God? UNFAITHFUL AND DECEITFUL WORDS ARE THE ENEMIES’ SWORDS. 236

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Psalm 57:4 - My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Psalms 64:3 - Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: Proverbs 25:18 - ¶A man that beareth false witness [WORDS!] against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow. A false witness implies words, does it not? He that bears false witness is as a sword, Proverbs 25:18 plainly tells us! Ezekiel 32:23 - Whose graves are set in the sides of the pit, and her company is round about her grave: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror in the land of the living. There are only two ways to go in this world; to be saved by the Sword of Chris’s Gospel of eternal salvation or to be slain by Satan’s sword of flatteries, smooth words, false doctrines, and deceit.

“There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm: make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts.” (Nahum 3:15)

A cankerworm is defined from Fausset's Bible Dictionary 1878: Cankerworm “yeleq” - "the licking locust"; the locust when it emerges from the caterpillar state, and takes wing. Nahum 3:16; "spoileth," rather "the cankerworm puts off (the envelope of its wings) and fleeth away," so shall thy merchants flee. The small wings enable them to leap better, but not to fly; so, until their wings are matured, they continue devouring all vegetation in front of them. Locusts begin life as a Cankerworm. Both cankerworms and locusts are detrimental to green vegetation and that is why God uses this locust analogy throughout Scripture in describing and depicting, in simple picturesque language, the spiritual eating away of His Holy Word, which

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is pictured in many analogies as green vegetation, that which has abundant life. Green represents spiritual life in Scripture and thus the enemies of God are symbolized as locusts. Joel 1:4 - That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten. The following excerpt is from http://www.huntsvillebible.com/2011/02/joel-chapter-1-thecoming-destruction/ Comment: The Revised Standard shows that verse 4 is referring to all stages of the locust. “What the cutting locust left, the swarming locust has eaten. What the swarming locust left, the hopping locust has eaten, and what the hopping locust left, the destroying locust has eaten.” Reply: Laying waste all vegetation pictures total destruction. The locust is very destructive in its various stages of transformation. The four stages include cutting, swarming, hopping, and destroying. In this particular plague, the locust was resident in the same area for all of its stages. Stated another way, the locust plague was simultaneous in that all four insect groups ate immediately, one after the other. When they were done, nothing was left. Normally, as each stage of locust development takes place, the insects move to another area to cause destruction; that is, the different stages of development do not all take place in the same area. However, here a fourfold destruction occurred. A locust plague denudes the normal green material, but with all four stages occurring in the same place, Joel was describing something unprecedented. This plague was unusual in that all four varieties of locust were together. Hence, as a prophecy, the plague pictured a confederate army with individual, separate, vicious qualities. What damage one group would not do, the others accomplished. The complete devastation resulted in the people being taken captive and the land being left desolate. While the above excerpt explains the power of the locust, palmerworm, cankerworm, and caterpillar it does an excellent job in relating just how destructive these locusts are to any green vegetation. Of course the article speaks more of the historical fulfillment of this literal destruction in ancient Israel, nonetheless it does state: “As a whole, the Book of Joel pertains to the last days of the present age, with a partial fulfillment in the past as a type.” 238

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Nahum 3:15 in review: “There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm: make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts.” 1 – Fire – God’s judgment is often symbolized as fire. As God judges the unfaithful Great City of Christendom there are many references to this city being burned with fire. Again it is important to note that Old Testament cities that were sieged and burned often prefigured the spiritual burning or judgment of the fallen New Testament church at the end of days. 2 – Sword - The sword that is mentioned in Nahum 3:15 is the sword of the enemy which is the tool in which God utilizes in bringing judgment upon the fallen church. As we saw, this sword is the enemies’ deadly weapon that brings about spiritual death; for it symbolizes the deceitful lies and hypocrisies and half-truths proclaimed by the enemy of God in the name of Christ. 3 – Locusts – The various stages or species of locusts show forth the severity of this end-time army as they leave nothing green (true spiritual life) remaining in the Great City of Christendom.

Barely Scratching the Surface of the Gog/Magog Battle As we conclude this brief study on the Book of Nahum we will now backtrack on two pertinent verses in Chapter Three.

“The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots.” (Nahum 3:2)

Horses and Their Bridles In verse two God is opening up the door or the entrance to Nineveh, this great Christendom city of apostasy, and revealing some of what can be seen through spiritual eyes. It begins by stating “The noise of the whip.” The word “noise” is translated two other places in Nahum as voice (Nahum 2:7,13). God is revealing the voice or noise within this apostate harlot and He begins by giving an analogy of an invading army of horses, horsemen, and chariots. In the beginning statement we read “the noise of the whip.” Whip can also carry the meaning of “scourge” in the spiritual or figurative sense. Since this verse is detailing an invasion by horses and chariots we assume that the whip (H 7752) would be associated with horses, as we see in the verse below:

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Proverbs 26:3 - ¶A whip [H 7752] for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back. God continues by stating “and the noise of the rattling of the wheels.” The Hebrew word for wheels is translated as wheels only and nothing further, therefore we know that it is speaking of literal wheels and the gist of the verse will prove to demonstrate a picture of Old Testament warfare. The remainder of the verse speaks of pransing horses and jumping chariots. These are what the enemies of Christ ride in on. The Hebrew word for “jumping” (H 7540) is used nine times in the Old Testament and is also translated as dance, dancing, skip, and leap. The prophet Joel gives us a highly spiritual portrait of the end of days Battle of Armageddon as Satan’s armies of Gog and Magog invade the global churches. Let us look at the similarities between Nahum 3:2 (jumping [H 7540]) and Joel 2:5 (leap [H 7540]): Joel 2:5 - Like the noise [same word as noise of the whip {Nahum 3:2}] of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap [same word as jumping, H 7540] like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. God’s prophets were all synchronized in spirit as they penned the Word of God from God Himself. This is why we see the beautiful harmony in all of Holy Scripture. When we see books or various articles claiming to disclose some of the errors of Scripture, rest assured that those authors are simply not speaking from the Spirit of God, for God’s Word is infallible. Nahum appears to be describing the same final battle between God and Satan that is being waged for the souls of men and women within today’s global churches of Jesus Christ. They are invading the fallen Great City in Old Testament style! Their pransing horses, the rattling of the wheels of their jumping chariots are all depicting spiritual warfare against Christ and His church. It is interesting to note that in Psalm Chapter Thirty-two there are eleven verses and every verse, with the exception of verse nine, speaks of the blessings that the true believer has in Christ. Verse Nine makes an interesting analogy:

Psalms 32:9 - Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Of course in the normal realm of things horses are to be led about with a bit and bridle in their mouth in order to guide them. But God uses this comparison to also depict unsaved man as horses with no Godly understanding. The mouths of unregenerate man are led about with a bit and a bridle! Isn’t this what scripture is all about? Yes, of course it is! The tongue is the most wicked part of the body long with the heart (James 3:5,6,8; 1 Peter 3:10). Until we have experienced the new birth in Christ Jesus, we are of our father the devil and that means we are spiritual liars, our words are false and deceptive, and we are slaves led about with bits and bridles by the dark forces of Satan’s kingdom. It is once again our WORDS that slay us. John 8:44 - Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth [words], because there is no truth [words] in him. When he speaketh a lie [words], he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar [words], and the father of it. 240

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Yes, unsaved man is as a horse with no understanding and being led about with a bit and a bridle. That is to say unsaved man is led about in life with a spiritual bit and bridle that come directly from Satan himself - the father of lies! It is no wonder that God uses the analogy of invading horses so often in portraying the nature of the words of unsaved man. God’s Word is His own dictionary and how marvelous are His ways! Psalm 76:2,3 & 6 – 2 - In Salem [an early name for Jerusalem] also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion [another name for Jerusalem]. 3 - There [in Jerusalem] brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah. (It is within Salem, within Zion, or within Jerusalem – the spiritual Jerusalem of Christ’s church – that God breaks the arrows of the bow, the shield, the sword, and the battle! These are spiritual figures and harmonize perfectly with the New Testament. It is only by Christ’s Gospel that His enemies can be defeated; i.e. their unregenerate heart and words, their spiritual bows, arrows, swords, and their entire battle that they wage against God and His Christ - the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.) 6 - At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep. Psalms 33:17 - An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. As stated, God utilizes figures of invading horses in showing forth the enemies of Christ and His Church. Not only did ancient men trust in their literal horses and chariots for their physical salvation, but God foreshadowed these horses and chariots also as unsaved men trusting in themselves. Isaiah 30:28 - And his breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err.

Again, this is what we are stating. God is allowing Satan, in these final years, to lead the world as never before in New Testament history, with a spiritual bridle in the mouths or jaws of the people, which will cause them to err in word and doctrine. James 3:2 - For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. We, through Christ Jesus, must conquer our words if we are to bridle our bodies as well. As horses led about by bits and bridles, it is our words that defile us: 241

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Matthew 15:11 - Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, [words] this defileth a man. Revelation 14:19-20 – 19 - And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 - And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. As a babe in Christ many years ago I recall hearing sermons on this very verse. Man’s conclusion always seemed to be the same; Armageddon would end in the Middle East with the literal blood of the people rising up as high as a horse’s bridle and reaching a space of roughly two hundred miles in all directions. I wondered how this could be possible, yet I kept it hidden in my heart and mind. I do believe that God has revealed some of this truth to me in these verses: For blood (the unfaithful words of unsaved man) came out of God’s winepress as the subject of His eternal judgment – even unto the horse bridles – unto ALL who continued with bits and bridles in their mouths.

John 12:48 - He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. Let us look at a few more random verses that describe the Abomination of Desolation in Old Testament battle language. God is speaking to Jerusalem in the following Jeremiah verses and we have cross referenced it with two similar Ezekiel 38 verses: Jeremiah 4:13-14 – 13 - Behold, he shall come up as clouds [H6051], and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled. 14 - O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?

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Ezekiel 38:9 - Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud [H6051] to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. Ezekiel 38:16 - And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud [H6051] to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes. Jeremiah 6:23 - They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion. Jeremiah 50:42 - They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not shew mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon. PLEASE NOTICE the nearly identical language that we see in the above Jeremiah 6:23 verse as opposed to the Jeremiah 50:42 verse. The “daughter of Zion” appears to represent the New Testament corporate church, the Israel of God. The word “daughter” perhaps designates its younger or New Testament offspring. The same appears to hold true for the term “daughter of Babylon” as she is the New Testament spiritual offspring of the fallen and harlot church. Psalms 20:7 - Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. Isaiah 31:1 - ¶Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD! Ezekiel 26:7 - For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people. Ezekiel 23:12 - She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours, captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men. As the enemy charges into the midst of Christ’s church, true believers will begin to leave, or are leaving, or have left already – to flee from these abominations. Ezekiel Chapter Twenty-three is yet another chapter that speaks of those who claim to be God’s people, yet committing horrible abominations against the Lord by playing the harlot. These literal sins were sins indeed; however they do show forth a spiritual portrait of today’s harlot city of Christendom as its citizens likewise commit whoredom in the midst of the city. One will notice that the symbolic 243

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language is identical to what we have been teaching in this study, that the horsemen and invading army are figures of Christ’s counterfeit church, for they are said to be clothed most gorgeously, which can be defined as perfection. The invader’s apparel (clothing) carries a great spiritual significance within, for it signifies the spiritual clothing of Christ’s true Church. These are all men and women confessing to be true Christians (clothed in gorgeous apparel) and charging into the global congregations as horses and horsemen (the great spiritual army as they are), yet their apparel is counterfeit, for they continue to be led about in their bits and bridles of unfaithful words.

“And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:” “And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:” (Ezekiel 38:4 & 15)

“The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:” (Nahum 3:3)

Psalms 57:4 - My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Gog and Magog are invading the congregations of the world as God’s judgment upon the unfaithful church which has fallen away from God’s pure truth. The deceitful words of their bright swords and glittering spears are slaying the masses who attend these congregations and their blood (spiritual death) is running to the horse’s bridle! Their carcasses are so great in 244

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number that there is no end to their corpses. This is the Scriptural Battle of Armageddon when God brings forth the nations of the world, as Gog and Magog, to fulfill His almighty will. We as Christians are to occupy until our Lord returns (Luke 19:13). In occupying we are to continue on in preaching the Gospel of Eternal Life through Christ Jesus. In occupying we are to continue on as spiritual merchants of the Gospel just as Tyrus of old typified the church in portraying the occupying (trading) of its literal merchants: Ezekiel 27:9 - The ancients of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy calkers: all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee to occupy thy merchandise. In conclusion we are to continue to occupy and rejoice in the God of our salvation! The condition of today’s true Church appears to be fulfilled in the following verses of Habakkuk:

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.” (Habakkuk 3:17–19)

End of Study

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The Tongue of Gog Magog “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.” (James 3:6)

he unregenerate tongue is man’s vehicle which launches the evil intents of the heart. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it,” (Jeremiah 17:9). God has saturated His Scriptures over and over again with warnings to us concerning our evil tongue. It is truly a fire, as James states, and a world of iniquity that defiles the entire body. This is no small matter, in fact it is one of the greatest urgencies in all of Scripture, since a disciplined tongue, coupled with FAITH in Scripture, is the true and narrow road toward eternal salvation. “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” (Matthew 12:34)

t is not our policy to single out any specific apostate congregation to be an object of ridicule, since we are living in the era of great apostasy and thus congregations throughout the world have sunk deeply into abominations and desolations. However as stewards of Christ’s Word it is necessary to bring to light, in any way we can, the spiritual atrocities of the Westboro

Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas. Truly they may qualify as one of the most shameful COUNTERFEIT churches that Mystery Babylon could ever produce in these last days. Currently there is a nationwide firestorm over the abominable words brought on by this congregation that claims to speak in the name of God. In short, it is not worth the time and effort of this study to detail the abominations committed by this cultist congregation in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are bringing it to the forefront of our study strictly because it relates wholly to our study on the evils of man’s tongue. Having said that, please read the article beginning on the following page. The images and highlighting below did not come from the author of this fine article, but were added by Spiritual Bible Studies. 246

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April 25, 2010

Evil at Westboro Baptist Church By John Leonard

In the odd chance that there might a dozen or so people still unfamiliar with the Westboro Baptist church, it might be useful to know the church is probably the only one of its size that has its own Wikipedia page. Recently the church has received a good bit of notoriety on shows like "The O'Reilly Factor" because of a court case involving their claim of freedom of speech to defend a suit charging invasion of privacy that will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. Pastor Fred Phelps and his church have been busy making news for themselves by protesting at the funerals of our military heroes returning from the battlefield after suffering mortal wounds. Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder was killed on March 3, 2006 in a traffic accident in Iraq while on duty and serving our country. He was only twenty years old. One of the protesters from Westboro Baptist Church who showed up at Matthew's funeral carried a sign that read "Thank God for dead soldiers." What possible connection is there between the funeral of a twenty-year-old soldier and God's alleged wrath specifically toward gay people? According to the people of Westboro, God is punishing America because the Texas sodomy law was struck down in 2003. The connection is hard to comprehend, especially when it is suggested that our dead soldiers will burn in hell for the sins of others and when God is thanked for IEDs. Mr. Snyder is very forgiving. He said, "I pray for their children. Their children need help. To be brought up with that kind of hatred...my God is a loving God. I don't look for hatred in the Bible." The people of Westboro Baptist Church care not one iota for reaching out to sinners or leading people to salvation. They care only about publicity. Mr. Snyder won the suit but lost the appeal. The appeals court ordered the family to pay more than $16,000 in court costs to the church, adding insult to injury. Bill O'Reilly has said on his show that he intends to pay those legal fees on behalf of the family. 247

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Before looking closer into Westboro Baptist, one might suspect that they twist the meaning of cherry-picked Bible passages to suit their purposes. But Westboro doesn't just pick and choose passages like Leviticus 18:22, which says, "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable" (NIV). They hold signs which say "Fags Die, God Laughs," curiously attributed as Psalms 2:4. None of the several versions of the Bible in our home phrase that verse anything like the Westboro Baptist interpretation. The NIV version of Psalms 2:4 reads, "The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the LORD scoffs at them." The name of the Westboro homepage says it all: godhatesfags.com. Apparently Pastor Phelps isn't very interested in the salvation of gay sinners; Phelps appears homophobic to the point that in a video produced by Michael Moore, he warned protesters in his anti-gay protest they were not to touch him. None appeared to be trying to, but that was beside the point. The pastor demonstrated no interest in leading these sinners to salvation. Not only was there no indication that the people in Westboro prayed for (or with) their opposition, but remarkably and inexplicably, one protester even refused to sing "Amazing Grace" with her gay counterparts, and finally, she changed her lyrics in another attempted sing-along to "God hates fags." Clearly Phelps and his congregation see homosexuality as the bane of our existence, but their goal is not to lead the sinner to redemption, but to preach hellfire, damnation, and the end of the world. Their message is that Armageddon is imminent because of modern society's tolerance of homosexuality. This position presupposes that sodomy is the worst of all evils and responsible for our pending destruction. Most Christians adhere to the philosophy of "love the sinner but hate the sin." As the verse says in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" (NIV). The Bible has not been rewritten to proclaim that a sin is no longer a sin. Conversely, we should not try to rewrite the Bible and elevate certain sins above others to "earn" damnation. 248

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According to John 8:7, when the crowd wanted to stone a prostitute for adultery, Jesus said, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her" (NIV). Surely the members of Westboro would do well also to heed the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:5: "You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye" (NIV). Or if the apostle Paul were still alive today, he might remind them of his own words from Romans 3:10, which read, "There is no one righteous, not even one" (NIV). Bizarrely, Phelps contends that the coming end of the world is due to the 2003 Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas. By what convoluted logic does this connect to soldiers killed in the line of duty because of a war that would never have started without the 9/11 attack in 2001? Reading "information" from the church's website, one wonders why homosexuality is considered a worse sin than adultery or atheism, which seems to be the logical conclusion to be drawn from Phelps's rhetoric. It is true that the Bible says that there is one unforgivable sin. Matthew 12:31 reads, "And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven" (NIV). The point is this: If Phelps and his ilk really cared about redemption or salvation of sinners, then they would preach the gospel of Christ, not this perversion of hate. If their goal were to confront their "adversary" in the form of the gay community, then they should picket Barney Frank's house, not the funeral of a dead American soldier. John Leonard can be reached at john@southernprose.com.

To Be ‘Set on Fire’ Signifies the Words of the Ungodly

n studying what God has to say about man’s evil tongue, let us compare the simalaries of the following two verses:

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James 3:6 - And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. Psalms 57:4- My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue [their words] a sharp sword.

he Psalmist is clearly defining the term “set on fire” as signifying all the sons of men, that is to say the unbelieving and non-Christian world of the unrgenerate in spirit. The Psalmist, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, declares that he is among lions, and goes on to spiritually clarify this idea by stating that he is among them that are set on fire! We need not wonder what this term may represent, for the writer of the Psalms exclaims forthright precisely what it means to be “set on fire.”

Those who are spiritual lions, whose teeth are as spears and arrows and their tongues as sharp swords are the recipients of a metaphorical interpretation describing all people who speak false words against Christ and the true Israel of Scripture. These are those who are set on fire.

ome randum examples of the word “lion” being symbolic of those who attack the true flock of God are as follows:

THE LION “¶Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1 Peter 5:8) Psalms 22:13 - They gaped upon me with their mouths [their words, their tongue], as a ravening and a roaring lion. 250

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(The above Psalm 22 is a prophesy of Christ as He hung on the Cross of Calvary. His enemies gaped upon Him with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion! Clearly this speaks of Christ’s enemies attacking Him verbally and these verbal enemies are symbolically depicted as lions. “Gaped” here means to open the mouth or utter with the mouth. Luke 23:35 - And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided [to sneer or mock] him, saying [with words, the tongue], He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. Matthew 27:23 - And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying [with words, the tongue], Let him be crucified. Matthew 27:41-44 – 41 - Likewise also the chief priests mocking him [with words, the tongue], with the scribes and elders, said [with words, the tongue], 42 - He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. 43 - He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. 44 - The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth [they cast {with words, the tongue} upon Christ the same reproach].

ost all who were there at the crucifixion gaped upon Christ with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. The biblical analogy of a lion with shart teeth depicts all who attempt to destroy the true Word of God, which is Christ Jesus (Jn. 1:14). Psalms 35:17 - ¶Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. Psalms 58:6 - ¶Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD. (The teeth and mouth of God’s enemies often depicts one’s words (tongue) as they attempt to discredit the Word of God as a lion who’s sharp teeth tears and slashes its prey. The false teachers at the loosing of Satan (Rev. 20:7) are said to possess the teeth of lions (Rev. 9:8). It appears safe to say that Holy Scripture deals exclusively with faith in the

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Word of God versus the tongue or words of unregenerate man in rebellion to God’s Word of Life – Christ Jesus.) Isaiah 31:4 - For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice [words, tongues], nor abase himself for the noise [words, tongues] of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof. Isaiah 35:8-10 – 8 - And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 9 - No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 10 - And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (The spiritually defiled or unclean such as the lion (verse 9) or ravenous beast shall not inherit the eternal Jerusalem.) Jeremiah 50:17 - Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones. (The Assyrian Empire invaded the ten tribes of Israel and most of the cities of the southern kingdom of Judah between the years 762 and 676 B.C. The Jewish people were exiled or deported by the hundreds of thousands to the land of Mesopotamia. The above verse in Jeremiah 50:17 states that it was lions that actually drove them off and scattered them. Therefore we have a great metaphor being rendered for this horrific and literal event that took place many centuries ago in ancient Jewish history. God likens the Assyrian Army the enemies of God and the enemies of Israel – to LIONS in symbolical terms. This analogy holds true today and even more so since much of Old Testament literalism is transformed into New Testament spiritual facts. Today’s church-filled enemies of God and enemies of the true spiritual Israel of God (Gal. 6:16) are indeed referenced by God in spiritual terms as “LIONS.”) Ezekiel 22:25 - There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring LION ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. 252

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(To “raven the prey” depicts the attacking and killing of literal animals by lions in order to feed their stomachs. We see this on many National Gegraphic shows, and it is quite common in the animal world. Because it is common God uses this normal analogy in displaying the truth concerning the spiritual beasts of the world (the unregenerate in spirit) as they are figuratively ravening the prey of lambs, or of cities or congregations of spiritual Israel, etc. Their prey is altogether spiritual in nature. These lions also devour souls; they take the treasure and precious things, which both represent God’s treasure of the Word of Life. Lastly Ezekiel 22:25 states that these prophets – as roaring lions make HER many widows in the midst thereof. The “her’ refers to the house of Israel in this chapter who has fallen and become as dross or wasted material (Ez. 22:18). God, it appears, is showing us a great metaphor that is drawn from literal Old Testament history to be fulfilled allegorically within the midst of spiritual Israel, which is the global and corporal church. She has made many widows in her midst! A scriptural “widow” is one who is without a husband, signifying one who is without Christ in his or her heart. They who are widows are spiritually dead while they live. This verse tells us that within her (the apostate church) are many widows! Yes, we see that the global congregations of the world are for the most part nothing more that carcasses, spiritual corpses, or widows! “For

wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles [vultures; unclean, widows] be gathered together,” Matthew 24:28.) Joel 1:6 - For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion. Zephaniah 3:3 - Her princes within [head person, chief, captain,] her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow. (Zephaniah Chapter Three begins as “Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city! This Oppressing City is the same as the Bloody City (Ez. 22:2, 24:6,9; Nahum 3:1) and has far reaching effects for us today who have once attended the corporate church that is now under God’s judgment. Her princes (rulers ) within are roaring lions and her judges (those who govern within the church) are evening wolves! Once again we reiterate that this great spiritual battle of the end of days was foretold throughout the Old Testament Scriptures in symbols, types, parables, metaphors, and allegories.)

“Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?” (Ezekiel 38:17) Revelation 9:8 - And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 253

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Revelation 9:17 - And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths [tongue; words] issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

To Set on Fire – Continuing On in Our Study of Man’s Wicked Tongue “¶An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips [tongue, words] there is as a burning fire.” (Proverbs 16:27)

s we examine the term “set on fire” as it is applied to the James 3:6 verse we have seen that it is altogether in reference to the tongue of unregenerate man and his wicked words. We also discovered that this was confirmed in Psalms 57:4 where God likens those who are “set on fire” to all of the sons of men (unregenerate in spirit) whose tongues are a sharp sword and whose teeth are spears and arrows. There is no question about it, these metaphorical terms indeed represent the false words of God’s enemies. Now let us take a look at the reverse side of this analogy; for Scripture many times gives us two sides of the story, that is to say God often times reveals to us both sides of one theme – God versus the enemies of God. We know that God’s throne sits in the heavens on the sides of the north (Is. 14:13), and this is also Satan’s ageold goal, to sit in God’s throne on the sides of the north and to be like the most High (Is. 14:1314). We also know from Scripture that the religious forces of Satan are counterfeit Christians masquerading as true believers (2 Corinthians 11:13-15) but in reality they are the servants of Satan, and thus they will wear the same spiritual apparel as the true Christian – having two horns like a lamb, and speaking as a dragon, (Rev. 13:11). The majority of today’s world are opposed to the true Christ of Scripture, although multitudes love to be called Christians (Is. 4:1) while demanding to eat their own bread and wear their own apparel. This is why we read of the furnishings of the Old Testament Temple having such lavish décor, for every literal piece of the décor symbolically pointed to some spiritual aspects of the true Messiah and God - The Christ. In understanding this plane of Scripture it should be no surprise to discover that the forces of darkness, that is the emissaries of Satan, will apply these spiritual temple furnishings to themselves in impersonating the true Church (Rev. 18). With this understanding, we should be able to comprehend a reversal in terms (which is normal in Scripture) with regard to God’s judgment upon the tongues of the wicked. Earth’s masses of humanity (those who are set on fire) by their wicked tongues are certainly due for a reverse judgment, and especially at the end of days. We read of the Christian righteous mouth (tongue) likewise being portrayed as a fire:

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Revelation 11:4-5 – 4 - These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 5 - And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth [the tongue of the righteous], and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. The tongues of Christ’s righteous are symbolized as fire as well as the tongues of the wicked. Acts 2:1-4 – 1 - ¶And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 - And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 - And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 - And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

he spirit of God is typified as FIRE in much of Scripture and therefore it might not be too surprising to learn that God typifies the words of His enemies as fire as well! “For our God is a consuming fire,” Hebrews 12:29 tells us. Deuteronomy 4:12 - And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. Deuteronomy 4:36 - Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire. Jeremiah 5:14 - Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them. (This same terminology is seen in Revelation 11:5 and in both passages we see that the words of God’s people are symbolized as fire that devours their enemies.)

“¶Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire” (Isaiah 30:27) 255

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ow that we have briefly examined both sides of the fiery tongue; the fiery tongue of the righteous versus the fiery tongue of the wicked, let us look to the conclusion of the matter. God’s victory will be finalized at the Battle of Armageddon when Christ silences the words of His enemies – Gog and Magog from the four corners of the earth.

“And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years:” (Ezekiel 39:9)

od’s Word is indescribable in its magnificence! We have been teaching in our study of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight that the weapons of war utilized by the enemies of God (Gog and Magog; Christian counterfeits) at the end of time and during the Battle of Armageddon are all spiritual in nature, nevertheless they are pictured as literal Old Testament Era weapons of war. Now we see in Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-nine that God’s servants (those of the cities of Israel; that is the saints of the eternal city of God) will go forth and shall SET ON FIRE and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears. They shall burn these weapons for seven years! What is this telling us? This appears to be Judgment Day indeed! Christ and His elect will judge the enemies of God: 1 Corinthians 6:2 - Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

hrist and His saints shall judge the world according to Scripture and this appears to be the time wherein the citizens of the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16), the cities of Israel (Ez. 39:9) will go forth and SET ON FIRE the weapons of God’s enemies. What are the enemies’ weapons? We have seen in our studies of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight that the weapons of Gog and Magog (God’s enemies) are precisely what Ezekiel 39:9 has just stated. These bows, arrows, spears, etc. all represent the WORDS, TONGUES, LIPS, of Satan’s kingdom as it opposed the true Word of God. This is the truth behind understanding the true nature of the Battle of Armageddon. Christ defeats the kingdom of Satan with WORDS because He is the Word of God. The following two verses are fulfilled simultaneously at the Second Coming of Christ along with Ezekiel39:9: Revelation 19:15 - And out of his mouth [words] goeth a sharp sword [Word of God], 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.

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Revelation 19:21 - And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword [words] proceeded out of his mouth [words]: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

God’s Word is truly amazing and we see reverse pattens throughout Scripture that reveal the masquerading or duplicating by the kingdom of Satan in nearly everything that is taught and performed by the kingdom of Christ.

The Weapons of Gog and Magog

he weapons to be used at the Battle of Armageddon are as follows: Bucklers, shields, swords, (Ez. 38:3); bow, arrows, (Ez. 39:3); shields, bucklers, bows, arrows, hand staves, and spears, (Ez. 39:9).

“Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:” (Romans 3:13)

LIPS – Psalms 59:7 - Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear? Psalms 12:2 - They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. Proverbs 6:24 - To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Isaiah 30:10 - Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth [flatteries] things, prophesy deceits: Psalms 12:3-4 – 3 - The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: 257

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4 - Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? Psalms 17:4 - Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.

WHO IS THE DESTROYER? Exodus 12:23 - For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

he overall view or explanation for identifying the Destroyer is most probably found in the above verse, since it depicts the Gospel Age; that is those who are truly in Christ Jesus will be covered by the shed BLOOD of Christ (represented by the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts) and thus saved from the Destroyer, for Christ’s judgment will pass over all who truly have the blood of Christ applied to their lives. We see that the Destroyer may not be Satan, but rather God’s eternal judgment to those who are not robbed in the blood of Christ.

“¶The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.” (Proverbs 12:19) Ezekiel 38:4 - And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of [spiritual] armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Ezekiel 6:3 - And say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places.

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The Weapons of Old Testament Warfare Are Today’s Spiritual Weapons: Words of the TONGUE

esus Christ, true Messiah and God incarnate, is the true Israel of Scripture and His eternal elect are the true Israel of God. Scripture makes this absolutely clear with no room for doubt. The first use of spiritual weapons recorded in Scripture was the beginning use of God’s adversary’s sword of death; and his sword of death (WORDS) are recorded in the following verse: Genesis 2:17 - But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Genesis 3:4 - And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: From this point onward Scripture shows us how man has fallen from the grace of God and has followed these lying words of Satan down through the Old Testament period and throughout the New Testament Age. God bound Satan at the Cross of Calvary so that he could establish His salvation plan unabated (Mark 3:27). However, Satan is not conquered in total until Christ defeats him and his kingdom of darkness at the Battle of Armageddon which is shown in more detail as the Gog/Magog War of Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine. In this study we are attempting to exhibit just how Old Testament Scripture enlightens us as to the true heavenly or spiritual meanings of ancient weaponry. We have stated and shown from Scripture in many past studies that Old Testament armaments are taught by God to be symbols or pictures (types) of 259

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spiritual warfare, and especially in the New Testament Age as Old Testament literalism transforms into New Testament spiritualism. As a true believer and follower in Christ, we are to consider ourselves among lions and among them that are set on fire, that is the sons of men who are unregenerate in spirit, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword, Psalm 57:4. Ephesians 6:10-18 – 10 - ¶Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 - Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 - For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 - Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 - Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the

breastplate of righteousness; 15 - And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 - Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 - And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 260

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18 - Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; “After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.” (Ezekiel 38:8) “And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:” (Ezekiel 38:4)

= The Abomination of Desolation “The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem.” (Lamentations 4:12) “And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother.” (Ezekiel 38:21) “¶And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.: (Ezekiel 39:23) 261

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od speaks throughout Scripture of the words of His enemies being equated to swords, arrows, darts, spears, etc.; all being symbolical of warfare. God’s true and eternal Jerusalem (His elect) are the only people on earth who are no longer at war with God: Isaiah 40:2 - Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins. All others remain at war with the true triune God whether they realize it or not.

t is necessary to comprehend that God’s Spirit demands us to bridle our tongue not only within the church community or among the brethren, but of course this applies to our everyday life in the secular world as we are to be examples of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no greater urgency than for the true Christian tongue to bridle itself in obidence and discipline to our Lord’s commands. There is nothing that destroys a person more than hurtful words of the tongue, be it in your home, among the brethren, or in the secular world. It appears that God’s commands to bridle the tongue is in relation to everything that we have just mentioned, however first and foremost God speaks of the tongue as being good or evil and directs this situation to the congregations of Israel. In today’s world God speaks of the evils of the tongue in the very midst of His earthly congregation – the Church. In the following verses we want to demonstrate how God uses specific terms or symbols to depict man’s words both of the Christians and of the nonChristians. Let us acknowledge that these passages display the actual warfare that is waging between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan and these verses are not simply speaking of one specific individual per sa, but in most cases it is meant to be directed to the congregations of Israel both Old Testament Israel and New Testament spiritual Israel – the Church. Psalms 64:3 Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: Psalms 55:21 - The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. Jeremiah 9:8 - Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.

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Psalms 5:9 - For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. Psalms 52:4 - Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. Psalms 73:9 - They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

ne might say that these verses are taken out of context for they are speaking of the evils of the world outside of the church. That assumption is absolutely false for God’s totality of Scripture is directed not to the outside world but His Word is for the Church of Old Testament and New Testament ages. Psalms 109:2 - For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. And now let us look at a few verses that give the reverse side of the wicked tongue and we shall see that it is altogether the Word of God that man’s tongue should be fashioned after. Proverbs 10:31 - ¶The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. Proverbs 31:26 - She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. (Proverbs Chapter Thirty-one is altogether focused upon the true bride of Christ, the true Church. God’s wisdom is in her mouth and her tongue speaks of the law of kindness which is and can only be the law of God. Proverbs 31:14 - She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. We saw in our past studies that merchant ships are depictions of believers as they carry the Gospel of Salvation to the ends of the earth. This chapter of Proverbs is a highly spiritual chapter, as is much of God’s Word, and it portrays very beautifully the spiritual attributes of the true Church.)

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Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Isaiah 49:2 - And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; Revelation 1:16 - And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. Psalms 119:172 - ¶My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness. Psalms 139:4 - For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Psalms 37:30 - The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. Psalms 39:1 - ¶<<To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.>> I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. Proverbs 21:23 - ¶Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. Psalms 119:114 - ¶Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. Proverbs 30:5 - Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Revelation 2:16 - Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Revelation 19:15 - And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 264

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Revelation 19:21 - And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Conclusion

s we read in James 3:6, the tongue is a fire and a world of iniquity which can defile the entire body and sets on fire the course of nature. The Strong’s Greek defines this word “course” this way: G5164 ς trochos trokh-os' From G5143; a wheel (as a runner), that is, (figuratively) a circuit of physical effects: course. This is the only usage in the New Testament of this specific Greek word; however the meaning of this verse should be clear. Man’s tongue itself has the ability to change long-term effects from good to bad. Our words can and do set on fire the course of nature of which God intended for our own lives. They modified and even destroyed what we should have done with our lives but foolishly altered it because we ourselves, or someone else, spoke words of spiritual falsities to us and we received them wholeheartedly. These false words are set on fire of hell, as James tells us. The course of mankind has been set of fire from our very beginnings as the serpent beguiled Eve with the words “ye shall not surely die” and thus set on fire the course of nature.

his same serpent (Satan and his fallen kingdom of darkness) has, it appears, been loosed from his prison to gather the religious world into the Battle of Armageddon. They are within the congregations of the world as locusts, scorpions, horses and horsemen, great armies of deceit charging forth into the midst of Jerusalem for the final conquest of God’s Word upon the spiritual mountains of Israel.

Jeremiah 9:3 - And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD. End of Study

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Chapter Twelve (Ezekiel 38:17)

A Brief Listing of What the Prophets Saw Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them? (Ezekiel 38:17) In this study we will briefly list some of what the Old Testament prophets saw in regard to Gog and Magog and the Battle of Armageddon as referenced by the prophet Ezekiel. This study is based upon the Ezekiel 38:17 verse, however we may include the words of the prophets that prophesied after Ezekiel as well. It is important to state that of the people who actually study their Bibles a vast majority haven’t truly identified the major themes because these themes are so spiritual in nature and hidden within the symbolism of Old Testament writings. Yes, most of us realize that the Old Testament teaches the coming of the Anointed Messiah who is to be The Christ, the son of God among the Triune God; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Therefore Christ was the incarnation of God Himself (God in man) as He walked this earth in the flesh. The Old Testament laws and sacrifices were merely figures and types of Christ, who would be the New Testament sacrificial lamb (Joh. 1:29). Christ alone fulfilled all of the Messianic prophesies of Old Testament days (Mat. 5:17). This is the overall theme of the entire Bible, yet there are so many seemingly unrelated Old Testament stories and historical events that many read of with bewilderment and uncertainty, wondering what they have in relation to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God. Some believe they are there simply for Jewish historical preservation while others may claim that these stories hold moral lessons that we in today’s modern world can learn from. One would have to be extremely careful if taken the latter approach since man’s laws, for the most part, are nowhere as barbaric as they were back in those days. The Old Testament gives us guidelines as to how we are to obey God, but this too is fulfilled differently in the New Testament: 266

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Matthew 5:17 - ¶Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. Matthew 22:36-40 – 36 - Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 - Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 - This is the first and great commandment. 39 - And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 - On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. [On these two commandments all the Law and the Prophets hang, LITV]

In light of New Testament revelations how may we understand the Old Testament or more importantly how may we interpret the stories we read in the Old Testament and especially of its many battles? It seems that as we study the Old Testament Scripture we are reading often of battles, violence, and bloodshed. Of course there are many exceptions such as the wonderful Book of Psalms and others that speak of the majestic nature of God, but yet we may still be perplexed as to why there is so much violence in Old Testament Scripture. We need to fully understand that the Old Testament Era was the time wherein Satan had not yet been restrained and his attack upon God’s people was to a great extent physical in nature. This meant that physical Israel, as God’s Old Testament church, would be fully involved in both battles against its enemies as well as rebellion to God within its church ranks. Both hold far reaching consequences and implications for the New Testament church, the spiritual Israel of God (Gal. 6:16), for these conditions of Israel of old are duplicated in the ranks of the New Testament church, once again the spiritual Israel of God. We now see that the overall theme of Scripture in both Old and New Testaments is not only Messiah to come and Messiah has come, but Old Testament Israel battles its enemies due to rebellion within, which is to be replicated within the New Testament church. Yes, Old Testament battles and bloodshed were “types” of New Testament warfare and this lends credence to the themes of Scripture, in that Holy Scripture teaches that the Old Testament church rebelled and battled its enemies as it looked for the coming of their Messiah. The New Testament church recognizes the fact that their Messiah has come, yet they also rebel as they too battle their enemy, not flesh and blood as in the days of old, but we battle against principalities, powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, Ephesians 6:12. Like Israel of old, the New Testament Israel of God (the outward global church) in the end has fallen into apostasy as did ancient Israel. The conclusion of the general and overall theme of Scripture is once more seen as (1) Old Testament Israel battles and rebels against the commands of God as they wait for their Messiah and (2) New Testament spiritual Israel battles and rebels against the commands of God as we wait for Messiah’s return. Old Testament Scripture is duplicated in the spiritual realm for the New Testament Church. The general theme of the Book of Revelation is not chaotic or all that confusing as many are led to believe. It is one cohesive whole and is not to be interpreted as outlandish events transpiring 267

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upon the earth such as a world figure called the anti-Christ declaring himself to be God in a rebuilt Jewish temple in East Jerusalem. Neither does the Book of Revelation teach physical wars in the Middle East, a super power nation of anti-Christ, meteorites slamming into the earth, a third of the oceans turning to blood, a third of the earth’s trees being burned, etc. and so forth. No, the theme of the Book of Revelation is altogether simple for those with spiritual eyes and ears to perceive what God is teaching. This theme in short is that Satan has been loosed (Rev. 20:7-8) as God’s judgment upon the apostate fallen church and thus God allows Satan to silence or to spiritually kill (Rev. 11:7) the true Word of God within the corporate churches of the world, but NOT within the true Church of Christ. It is that simple and God speaks of this time in many various ways and uses many different angles or allegorical perspectives in which to illustrate this one solid and unified theme. Nearly all of the plagues we read of in the Book of Revelation are speaking of, or playing out in picturesque language, this final spiritual battle called Armageddon as Satan is allowed to muster the forces of the world, Gog and Magog (Rev. 20:8), as his great Northern Army (Joe. 2:20; Is. 14:3; Jer. 1:15, 4:6, 6:1,22, 10:22, 13:20, 40:10, Ez. 38:15; 39:2), and invades the congregations of the world for the souls of men. The forces of Gog and Magog are without question masquerading as true Christians but in God’s view they are all evening wolves released by the kingdom of darkness to take a great spiritual prey (Eze. 38:12-13).

Some of What the Prophet Isaiah Saw The Message of Isaiah by Bible.org Excerpt of Introduction _____________________________ The Book of Isaiah is one of the most important books of the Old Testament. While little is known of the personal life of the prophet, he is considered to be one of the greatest of them all. The book is a collection of oracles, prophecies, and reports; but the common theme is the message of salvation. There was, according to these writings, no hope in anything that was made by people. The northern kingdom of Israel had been carried into captivity (722 B.C.), and the kingdom of Judah was in the middle of idolatry and evil. The kingdom of Assyria had dominated the Fertile Crescent and posed a major threat to both kingdoms; and the kingdom of Babylon was gaining power and would replace Assyria as the dominant threat. In view of the fast-changing international scene, the people of Israel would be concerned about their lot in life—what would become of the promises of God? How could the chosen people survive, let alone be a theocracy again? And must the remnant of the righteous also suffer with the nation that for all purposes was pagan? To these and many other questions the book addresses itself. _________________ 268

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Isaiah Chapter Five God’s Vineyard: Briers and Thorns God’s true vineyard is his invisible eternal Church and CANNOT go apostate. However Scripture tells us that the outward visible global church, which is still God’s vineyard in theory, can and will turn apostate and therefore be to God only as briers and thorns – a desolation of abominations. The Book of Isaiah gives us a tremendous amount of spiritual information concerning Israel and Judah and of course Jerusalem. There continues to be a most disturbing trend in today’s Christian world when we read commentaries and studies of Isaiah and other God inspired Old Testament books, and that disturbing trend is that these teachers of the Word pass over much of what really is important in exchange for concentrating upon such non-ending worldly observations that they feel a need to write volumes on. Please do not misunderstand, much of these seemingly worldly observations hold great spiritual truth in what they represent symbolically speaking, however it is distressing and painful to see these Old Testament “types” of truth fall by the wayside because many of the teachers of these things could not see the spiritual relevance of such observations. If we are going to cover just a small portion of what the prophets saw in relation to Ezekiel 38:7, which is the topic of this study, we will have to briefly skim through some of the Old Testament books while leaving a great amount untouched in this series for lack of time and space. When teachers in their studies throw out specific verses or “solo” verses it is easy to accuse them of picking and choosing out of context for the purpose of making it fit their interpretations. God forbid that any true Christian would act in this manner as the masses within the corporate church do. In our studies we may not include necessary context before or after specific verses simply as stated, due to lack of space and time. However, the overall context is always looked at and studied before publishing any studies. And now let us take a brief look of what the prophet Isaiah saw and wrote of in what is termed today as Chapter Five. In the general context of this chapter Isaiah is speaking of God’s beloved vineyard (vs. 1). This is Judah and the city of Jerusalem (vs. 3). Of course the many towns in Judah and Israel would be included but the city of Jerusalem is exclusive since it is symbolic of the future new and eternal Jerusalem (the eternal Bride of Christ) as ultimately are Judah and Israel. Isaiah 5:7 - For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

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We must read and understand that this general historic account has its spiritual fulfillments in the New Testament Era and especially at the time of the end. The vineyard, being the house of Israel, is the Word of God and or the kingdom of God. For Christ is the Vine and we as His elect are the branches (Joh. 15:5). We also read New Testament parables of this same vineyard in Matthew chapters twenty and twenty-one; Mark Chapter Twelve, and in Luke chapters thirteen and twenty. In Isaiah Chapter Five God pronounces six woes (verses 8, 11, 18, 20, 21, & 22) upon the ungodly before declaring of them: Isaiah 5:24 - Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. This applies to both the world and those within the congregations of Israel as well as to all in the New Testament era. However, God in the following verse (verse 25) makes it perfectly clear that He cannot have this wickedness within His congregations. Isaiah 5:25 - Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. We must remember that the term “His people” can and often does refer to the outward church or outward congregations of Israel. While true believers dwelt within these congregations they will not always remain there. At the time of the end when God begins to judge His earthly church, He will separate His Elect as wheat being separated from the chaff. This is what we believe is called Armageddon; the great end of time spiritual battle within the global churches for the souls of men. It is when God releases Satan for a short period of time in order to accomplish His task of judging the outward church and separating the true wheat from the tares or chaff. God is allowing Satan to gather the forces of Gog and Magog (the entire world; the four quarters of the earth [Rev. 20:8]) for the purpose of bringing them down upon the congregations of the earth (the mountains of Israel) in opposition to the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. This appears to be occurring at this present time and has been in progress for some time now. IT IS MUCH LATER THAN MOST “CONFESSING” CHRISTIANS BELIEVE! Nothing else in Scripture needs to be fulfilled before Christ returns in judgment.

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Isaiah 5:26 - And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly:

FROM THE END OF THE EARTH In the above verse, verse twenty-six, God begins telling Isaiah how He will bring the nations down upon Israel and Judah. Much of this was fulfilled in the literal and historical application, but more importantly God is inserting hidden spiritual manna into His words that would stay hidden until the time of the end (Dan. 12:4). This hidden manna also speaks of the ultimate attack upon Israel from a northern kingdom. It is the spiritual battle of Armageddon when God will bring Gog and Magog, the nations of the world, down upon the global congregations (the mountains of Israel) and this northern enemy is the kingdom of darkness which presently dwells in the non-earthly or allegorical NORTH (Isa. 14:13). Isaiah pens God’s words according to the Holy Spirit. God states that He will “HISS” (meaning to call or to scorn); in this case it is to call. God will call for the nations from the “end of the earth” to come upon the physical Jewish kingdoms and overtake them. This is precisely what occurred when Jerusalem was captured by the kingdom of Babylon. Was Jerusalem attacked from the ends of the earth? No, but perhaps the Jewish people considered the Babylonian Kingdom as being the outside kingdom of the earth. God often inserts highly symbolical language within the context of literal prophecies which underlines the historical proof as well as the future but spiritual conclusions. So when Isaiah 5:26 states that the enemy will come upon them from the end of the earth we see a great spiritual parallel in this verse to the Battle of Armageddon: Revelation 20:7-8 –7 - And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 - And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth [the ends of the earth], Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. Joel 3:2 - I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. Zephaniah 3:8 - ¶Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the 271

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kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. Zechariah 14:2 - For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. The Old Testament literal capture and destruction of the city of Jerusalem by the northern kingdom of Babylon is a great metaphor to the Abomination of Desolation that Christ warned of! The target or goal that’s been Satan’s ambition from the beginning is to keep the masses from entering into God’s true light. He can only attempt to win this prize or spoil (Eze. 38:12-13) by deceitfully entering into the congregations of the world (spiritual Jerusalem) where the true Gospel is. This is the Abomination of Desolation (Mat. 24; Mar. 13; Luk 21.) when God allows Satan a short period of time (little season; Rev. 20:3) to desecrate the outward holy temple (congregations of the world; 2 Th. 2:4). Satan is already defeated and cannot affect the outcome of God’s true elect. The subject of Isaiah Chapter Five is Jerusalem, God’s beloved vineyard. Old Testament literal Jerusalem was a mere metaphor or TYPE of God’s true beloved eternal Jerusalem. Going back to Isaiah 5:26 God states that He will summon “hiss” the nations of the world and they will come down upon Jerusalem with speed swiftly! Scripture speaks in many passages of the swiftness of Satan’s end-time attack upon the church.

Joel 2:10 - The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:

The withdrawing of light from the sun, moon, and stars is in reference to God’s withdrawing of His Holy Spirit from the congregations of the world (2 Th.2). Christ being depicted in Scripture as the SUN (Mal. 4:2); the church reflects the light of Christ as the moon (Psalms 89:37,148:3, Ecc. 12:2) and the stars can be references to believers (Gen. 26:4; Ex. 32:13; Deu. 1:10, 10:22; Neh. 9:23; Rev. 12:4).

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The attack from Satan’s great northern army of Gog and Magog will be with much speed and swiftness. Joel 2:3, in speaking of this final spiritual battle, says that a fire devours before them (the enemies of God) and behind them a flame burns. It goes on to say that the land is as the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them they leave a desolate wilderness! Satan’s forces – Gog and Magog – will ravage the global churches most swiftly! In front of them the church (mountains of Israel) was once as the Garden of Eden in fruitfulness but behind them (after Gog and Magog enters in) the church is a desolate wilderness in a SPIRITUAL sense. This is precisely what we are witnessing today throughout the world and this indeed is the time wherein Christ tells us to flee to the mountains. Jeremiah 4:13 - Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled. Gog and Magog come upon the congregations as a cloud to cover the land (Eze. 38:9,16). This cloud is the spiritual deception which covers the mountains of Israel (the worldwide churches) to such an extent that it causes the sun, moon, and star (the true Gospel, true church, and true witnesses) to grow dim as preordained by God Himself! Jeremiah 6:22-23 – 22 - Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north [Gog and Magog from the north; Eze. 38:6,15; 39:2] country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth [Gog and Magog; four quarters of the earth, Rev. 20:8]. 23 - They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.

Their voice roareth like the sea! God typifies non-believers as troubled or stormy seas (Is. 57:20). Christ is the only one who can calm the spiritual storms of the sea and this is accomplished through the new birth and being born again (Joh. 3:3,7; 1 Pe. 1:23). We see once more that the enemy’s weapon is their voice or words of deception as the troubled sea.

God mentions horses as part of the invading army of Gog and Magog (Eze. 38:4,15; 39:20). Of course these are not literal horses, but they are people symbolized as horses. They represent the multitudes of the world who walk in their own course or in their own ways … as the horse rushes to the battle! These horses represent the enemies of Christ who walk in the flesh and not in the Spirit of Christ.

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Jeremiah 8:6 - I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his

course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.

Habakkuk 1:8 - Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.

Joel 2:4 - The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. Psalms 20:7 - Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. Proverbs 21:31 - The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. Psalms 32:9 - Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Psalms 33:17 - An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

“He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.” (Psalms 147:10)

Do you understand what God is showing us here through these verses and especially the above Psalms 147:10? The preceding verse (verse 11) states: “The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.” The Lord takes no pleasure in the strength of the horse, that is to say the Lord takes no pleasure in man’s own pursuits, man’s course (Jer. 8:6). Hence the above Psalms 147:10 speaks of the “legs of man” which is man’s own desired pursuits as being the same as the strength of the horse. That is why we read in so many passages throughout Scripture of horses and horsemen attacking Old Testament Israel. It is all wonderfully constructed hidden manna from God Himself as He speaks this treasure to those who hear Him. The battle horse in Scripture signifies man’s own pursuits and desires being at 274

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odds with God’s truth and desire for the human race which was once found within Israel, both physical and spiritual Israel. Returning to God’s vineyard and Isaiah Chapter Five, we have glanced over a verse in Joel that speaks of the northern army as they attack God’s vineyard. These Christian imposters (Gog and Magog) will run to the battle with speed as horses and horsemen – so shall they run! These religious figures who masquerade as true Christians are again symbolized as horses and horsemen not only due to their speed, but they are walking after their own course, which is tantamount to walking in the flesh. Let us recall what the prophet Joel says in relation to their walking after their own course: Joel 2:8 - Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. Their agendas are plenty and they do not have God’s narrow path in view nor do they care to teach it – they shall walk every one in his path!

Isaiah 5:27 - None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken: Joel 2:7 - They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: We again see the swiftness with which Satan’s counterfeit Christian army moves into the congregations for the kill. Every false sermon preached from today’s pulpits of fallen liberated congregations is a rejection and a crucifixion of Christ – for they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, (Heb. 6:6). The gospel being preached from a high majority of today’s churches is not the narrow path that leads to eternal life. No, it is peace, peace, and more peace. God loves you just the way you are. God wants to multiply your finances! God desires this and this and that for you! Everything under the sun is preached and claimed for you except the truth, and that truth is what Satan’s kingdom of darkness does not want you to hear. They will roll out the red carpet for you and flatter you with words of love rather than words of truth. Today’s harlot church will not preach on our sins and our need for repentance and receive Christ as Lord and Savior. They will not tell you that if you do not live a repentant life you are on your way to an eternal darkness. All true Christians sin, but the difference is that the true Christian will always be remorseful with a repentant heart to the whole counsel of God. The harlot church desires her own “spiritual” ways and will keep them and preach them regardless of whether or not Scripture forbids it. And they will tell you it is of God and will demand that it is taught in Scripture. They will preach and practice all of these detestable things and yet will demand that they are true believers in Christ!

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“¶And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.” (Isaiah 4:1)

Isaiah 5:30 - And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.

We must remember that God’s Word is highly spiritual in nature and when we read in the above passage that the enemies of God will roar against them (those in God’s vineyard) it is, in the final analysis, speaking of lying words and false doctrines that Satan’s kingdom takes with them at the end of time into the congregations of the “Israel of God.” We saw this confirmed in Jeremiah 6:23 – “their voice roareth as the seas! Luke 21:25 - And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; The above Luke verse appears to be speaking in a literal manner. However, as we spend more time studying God’s Word the Holy Spirit will bare witness that so much of what we read carries highly spiritual connotations. There are indeed signs today in the sun, moon, and stars. Christ and His Gospel of eternal light are as strong as ever in heaven, but has been dimmed and darkened from the world as God is withdrawing His Holy Spirit upon the earth and recruiting the kingdom of darkness (the forces of Satan – Gog and Magog) as judgment upon first the outward church followed by His literal judgment upon the unbelieving world. Yes, Christ, the Sun, has been darkened and the moon (the church which reflects Christ’s light) has also been darkened or turned to blood (spiritual death). The witness of the believers (stars) has also been strongly diminished as a result of the forces of Satan spiritually darkening the true light of Christ’s Gospel.

DISTRESS OF NATIONS Luke 21:25 continues by stating there shall be distress upon the nations of the earth. This does not appear to be speaking of the physical wars and literal problems of the nations of the world. Neither is this teaching that the nations are distressed or scared over seeing literal signs in the physical sun, moon, and stars. Let us look at how the Greek defines this word “distress.” G4928 - Distress sunoche soon-okh'-ay From G4912; restraint, that is, (figuratively) anxiety: - anguish, distress. 276

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Distress in this occurrence is anxiety or anguish. We find this same Greek word used only one other time in the New Testament, and that is in the following verse: 2 Corinthians 2:4 - For out of much affliction and anguish [distress] of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. The distress or anguish of nations appears to be in relation to or in cohesion with the sun, moon, and stars along with the sea and the waves roaring. In other words the perplexities of nations may well be the witnessing of spiritual uprisings (storms) that are now in the global news. The seas and the waves roaring depict the false proclamations of God’s enemies, and these are where the masses outside of the church dwell and they are many man-made religions in general. At the time of the end these false religions including false Christianity will distress and perplex the nations. Let us look at the word “perplexity” as used in Luke 21:25 – “… and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.” G640 – Perplexity aporia ap-or-ee'-a From the same as G639; a (state of) quandary: - perplexity. Quandary carries the meaning of: a state of perplexity or uncertainty, especially as to what to do; dilemma. There are no further translations of the word “perplexity” other than in the Luke account but it is rooted from Strong’s Greek # 639: G639 aporeo ap-or-eh'-o From a compound of G1 (as a negative particle) and the base of G4198; to have no way out, that is, be at a loss (mentally): - (stand in) doubt, be perplexed. The spiritual perplexity and anguish of the world today (at this very hour) appears to be – and we can be confident of this – bewilderment, puzzlement, bafflement, and perplexity over witnessing the many religious storms and the decline of true Christianity (sun, moon, and stars). We see this in the rise of many false religions, some increasing in numbers and territories at lightning speed who want to physically kill anyone with a “Christian” affiliation. These may well be today’s “strange gods” that scripture speaks of and the harlot church (although they call themselves “Christian”) is a portion of these strange gods as well. They are ROARING, as the roaring of the sea! Yes, Christ is about to appear for He is a jealous God and will not share His glory with the heathen.

Exodus 34:14 - For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

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Jeremiah Chapter Four - Some of What the Prophet Saw

Jeremian 4:5 - ¶Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defenced cities. The trumpet of warning has been blown in Jerusalem. The Babylonian Army from the north is on its way. Our focus will of course be upon the then futuristic spiritual aspects of these verses; for we know they are mixed with literal Old Testament prophecies and fulfillments. What did Christ tell us to do once we “see” the Abomination of Desolation overtaking the congregations of the world? He told us to flee to the mountains of Judah (Mat. 24:16; Mar. 13:14; Luk. 21:21). True Christians along with non-Christians (wheat and tares) together dwell in the earthly spiritual Jerusalem, the spiritual Judah, and the spiritual mountains of Israel. But what does it really mean for us to flee to the mountains of Judah? God’s kingdom is depicted throughout Scripture as a mountain or mountains of God; therefore we know that the statement “flee to the mountains of Judah” is telling us in some way to flee to the true God or to flee to the truth of God, hence the “mountains” of God. Nevertheless this may still sound a bit vague to many as we ask ourselves where are these mountains of Judah? Are they strictly the Bible or is there more to this command? We must understand fully that the reason Christ tells us to flee to these mountains is due to the fact that Satan and his kingdom of darkness (Gog and Magog) are entering into the congregations, the very gates of spiritual Jerusalem for the purpose of spiritually destroying the true Gospel doctrines within these once faithful congregations. Therefore we are not leaving the faithful church, but we are fleeing its abominations that are bringing the global church of Christ to desolations. So where do we go or where do we flee to besides strictly to our Bibles? Is there something else we have been missing? Look again at the above Jeremiah 4:5 verse. We are to go into the defensed cities. Before we elaborate on this thought, let us look at the very next verse after this statement:

Jeremiah 4:6 - Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

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FLEEING TO THE DEFENSED CITIES – RETIRE, STAY NOT! We will elaborate on the above Jeremiah 4:6 verse later in this study. We are not going to be dogmatic or declare “thus saith the Lord” with regard to what we have found here. Simply put, we will submit this hypothesis as “food for thought” and open to further research. For at least twenty years now the true Church has been waking up to the fact that when we see Satan’s overtaking - through abominations and desolations - of the outward congregations of the world, we are to simply flee or “come out of her my people,” (Rev. 18:4). But we must address the fact that if we conclude that we are to flee directly to the Word of God (the Bible) as being the “mountains of Judah,” haven’t true Christians been in their Bibles all along? Of course that would be the logical conclusion. But is there something more to this command that we have missed? A great many Christians have concluded that we are now not to step foot into any confessing Christian congregation whatsoever, since we are to come out of her, that is to say we are to come out of Babylon, the end-time harlot church. We obviously do NOT want to stay in any of the harlot churches, but to avoid every congregation on earth may be a huge misunderstanding since God does tell us NOT to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, and especially since we see the day approaching, Heb. 10:25. The Old Testament destruction of Jerusalem was a “type” of the end-time Abomination of Desolation; the destruction or silencing of the Gospel of Christ within spiritual Jerusalem – the global outward churches. Having heard the blowing of the trumpet, Old Testament Judah and Jerusalem fled from the attacking Babylonian kingdom, which undoubtedly represented the kingdom of Satan. Did they simply flee into thin air or into the literal mountains of Judaea? Was there something more tangible or concrete for them to flee to? Yes, Jeremiah tells us that they fled to the defensed cities.

DEFENSED CITIES – Jesus told us that we are to flee to the mountains of Judaea. Jeremiah, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tells us from the Old Testament literal and “typological” accounts that we are to flee to the defensed cities of Judah. Judaea, Judah, Juda, and Judea are speaking of the same thing. Our hypothesis is that these two phrases “flee to the mountains of Judaea” and “go into the defenced cities” may actually be one and the same in meaning, but used in different allegorical 279

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fashion. If the same spiritual teaching is in view, then we must define “defensed cities” as it is used in the spiritual application. Before we look at the Hebrew word that is translated “defenced,” let us quote another very important passage that adds to our premise that “defenced cites” may well be where believers are to flee to once we see the Abomination of Desolation in the global congregations.

Jeremiah 34:7 - When the king of Babylon's army fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish, and against Azekah: for these defenced cities remained of the cities of Judah.

When the Babylonian Kingdom attacked Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, it was the defensed cities that survived or remained. The cities that remained in Judah were the defensed cites! Is God showing us a spiritual picture of where we are to flee to once the global churches (spiritual Jerusalem, spiritual Judah, and spiritual Israel) come under attack from Satan’s forces of Gog and Magog? Again we emphasize that the ancient Babylonian Empire and its king were a strong type of Satan at the end of time and his false Christian masquerading kingdom of Babylon. Do we have literal defensed cites today in which to flee to? Of course we do not because our warfare is spiritual, but what does the Old Testament defenced city mean for us today in light of the New Testament? Let us search the Scriptures. The Hebrew word “Defenced” as in defenced cities is defined from Strong’s Hebrew as follows: H4013 - Defenced mibtsar mibtsarah mib-tsawr', mib-tsaw-raw' From H1219; a fortification, castle, or fortified city; figuratively a defender: - (de-, most) fenced, fortress, (most) strong (hold). “Defenced” is rooted from the following Hebrew word: H1219 ‫ּבצר‬ batsar baw-tsar' A primitive root; to clip off; specifically (as denominative from H1210) to gather grapes; also to be isolated (that is, inaccessible by height or fortification): - cut off, (de-) fenced, fortify, (grape) gather (-er), mighty things, restrain, strong, wall (up), withhold. It would appear from these definitions that the word “defenced” must hold highly figurative language, and ultimately salvation language at that! There are only nine verses in the Old 280

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Testament that directly use this word # H4013 “defenced,” and out of those nine verses we have one that will certainly put an affirmative cap on our hypothesis. God speaks directly to His prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:17-19. There God espouses and encourages the prophet as Jeremiah prepares to preach to his people and nation. In Jeremiah 1:5 God tells him “… I have ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” And in verse 6 Jeremiah declares to God: “…Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.” In the verses that follow God admonishes and encourages the prophet but it is the final three verses of that chapter (Chapter One) that we want to quote here for its utter importance: Jeremiah 1:17-19 – 17 - Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.

18 - For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

19 - And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee. It is really not even necessary to look at any other possible verses of “defenced cites” since this one verse ALONE gives us much insight on God’s true and heavenly meaning of His “defensed cities.” God made Jeremiah a SPIRITUAL DEFENSED CITY and that is the totality and sum of the message. The entire Book of Jeremiah, all fifty-two chapters deal in one way or another with Jeremiah warning his people of the impending invasion from the NORTH, from the kingdom of Babylon. For this reason God made him as a defensed city. God put His words in Jeremiah’s mouth, (Jer. 1:9). During the midst of God’s encouragement to the prophet, God immediately addresses the imminent invasion from the north: Jeremiah 1:14-16 – 14 - Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. [This parallels precisely what God said to Ezekiel in Eze. 38:17 that Gog and Magog were spoken of through many of God’s other prophets of old.] 15 - For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north [type of Gog and Magog], saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of 281

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Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah. [To set their throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem is not only a reference to the physical attack and destruction of Old Testament Jerusalem, but it is a much larger reference to the great spiritual attack at the end of time from Satan’s northern kingdom – Gog and Magog – from the four corners of the earth. This is one of many great spiritual references to the Abomination of Desolation.] 16 - And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands. God has put His words in Jeremiah’s mouth; a type of God’s Holy Spirit within the hearts of his chosen, thus making all true believers DEFENSED CITIES in theory. We see that Jeremiah is made a defensed city to the inhabitants of Judah. Not merely against the Babylonian army, which was a figure or type of Satan’s counterfeit Christian army of Gog and Magog, but Jeremiah was also made a defensed city against those religious figures of his own nation.

Jeremiah 1:18 - For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.

God says that he has made the prophet Jeremiah not only a defensed city, but also an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land and against the kings of Judah, and against the princes thereof, and also against the priests thereof and finally against the people of the land (Judah). Jeremiah represented the true Gospel in the midst of a falling church, for ancient and rebellious Judah was surely a foreshadow of the New Testament church. The Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem and Judah appears most strongly to be an Old Testament portrait of Satan being loosed at the end of time and gathering his forces of Gog and Magog for this final spiritual invasion of God’s people, the Israel of God, (Gal.6:16).

CITIES OF JUDAH – THE CONGREGATIONS OF THE WORLD? Before we continue discussing the “defensed cities” let us first gather a foundation on what “cities’ may represent in the spiritual realm of Scripture. Psalms 69:35 - For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. [The phrase save Zion is salvation language altogether. Zion is an old term or metaphor for Jerusalem and this prophecy most certainly has its ultimate fulfillment in the New 282

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Testament Era. God will SAVE Zion and will BUILD the cities of Judah! In other words Christ came to SAVE all those who are His (ZION), and in accomplishing this He came to BUILD His Church. Yes indeed, Christ came to BUILD the CITIES of Judah which would be all of the congregations of the world that would be a part of His earthly Church.] Let us look at only one of many prophecies concerning the coming of Christ and the building of His Church: Zechariah 6:12 - And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH [Christ]; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: Christ came to build NOT a literal temple in physical Jerusalem, which was merely a “type” of Christ’s spiritual and eternal temple, but He came to build His spiritual temple (His Church) which consists of all true believers. We are the spiritual stones (1 Pe. 2:5) to Christ’s eternal temple even now as we dwell in our sinful bodies. God’s outward temple (earthly temple) consists of believers and non-believers alike, but Christ’s inner Temple is made up of true Christians only. The congregations of the world, though they be merely the earthly or outward temple, nevertheless is counted as Christ’s physical church, or as we clearly see – these churches or congregations are today’s spiritual CITIES of Judah. Isaiah 44:23 & 26 – 23 -Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel. [Sing ye mountains, forest, and every tree! Why? Because the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and glorified Himself in Israel! Has physical Israel or the land of Jacob been redeemed? That is silliness. God is speaking of His redemption through CHRIST JESUS, and this redemption is forgiveness of sins which ONLY Christ can bring. He has brought salvation to Jacob and to Israel, which are both metaphors for Christ’s New Testament Church.] 26 - That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: [Once more this language is not speaking of building literal cities over in the Middle East. It is speaking of a then future time when Christ would bring spiritual redemption (eternal salvation) to the totality and whole of His Church; ALL who are called unto salvation – “… and all Israel shall be saved,” Romans 11:26.” It again is speaking of Christ building His Church … “and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built.”] Isaiah 42:11 - Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock [Christians are the inhabitants of the rock, for Christ is that ROCK, 1 Co.10:4] sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. 283

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[We, as the inhabitants of Christ our ROCK are to sing, shout, and praise God from our congregations; that is from the cities, villages, and mountain tops of spiritual Judah and Israel. This is WHY Satan’s final attack is launched against the mountains of Israel and against those villages that are at rest and dwelling without bars nor gates. Satan’s attack does not focus upon the literal mountains of national Israel in the Middle East, but rather it is launched against the congregations of Jesus Christ worldwide. “And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,” Ezekiel 38:11.] Ezekiel 36:33 - Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. [Once more we see the building of the “cities” in view. This “CLEANSING” can only be in reference to the spiritual cleansing that Christ brought at the cross, the new birth. Because of Christ’s atonement for His Church the eternal temple is being built through each true believer (the stones). Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection has made it possible for the building of His Church, whose outward appearance is in the congregations or (cities, villages, etc.) of the world.] Isaiah 40:9 - ¶O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! [Zion and Jerusalem are the same entity, the Church. They both bring “good tidings” which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ: “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people,” (Luke 2:10). These “good tidings” are preached within … (look again at Is. 40:9) … these “good tidings” are preached among the cities of Judah! The Old Testament literal cities of Judah appear most probably to represent the New Testament congregations of the world.] Isaiah 42:11 - Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. [Christ’s New Testament Church dwells in the wilderness (Rev. 12) and Christ’s congregations are the cities thereof. It is from these wilderness cities that God’s people will lift up their voices in praises to our God! We are the inhabitants of Christ our ROCK and we will sing and shout from the top of the mountains – the mountains of Israel! Much 284

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of these congregations and mountains have fallen in these final years whereunto God will judge via Satan and his army of God and Magog. This appears strongly to be occurring at this very hour and has been in progress, it would seem, for some time now as we see from the following verses:] Jeremiah 1:15 - For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah. Jeremiah 4:26 - I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. Jeremiah 7:34 - Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate. Cross Reference: Revelation 18:23 - And the light of a candle [Christ’s Gospel] shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

Christ is judging His fallen church. God’s good news of eternal salvation is fading from the earth. This is contrary to what the harlot congregations want you to believe. They are preaching peace, peace, when there is no peace, Jer. 8:11. They want you to believe that there is and will continue to be a grand revival of the Gospel when Christ returns, but that grand revival is the harlot church, not the true, narrow, and invisible church of Jesus Christ. Christ says “…when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luk. 18:8) The obvious answer is no in the context of the parable. THIS IS A MOST SERIOUS MATTER AND YOU NEED TO SEEK CHRIST NOW.

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Jeremiah 4:5-6 – 5 - ¶Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defenced cities. 6 - Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

Going back to our study of Jeremiah Chapter Six we have seen highly spiritual references depicting defensed cities as congregations that hold to the pure truth of Christ’s Gospel. In this particular chapter God warns Judah to go into the defensed cities once the warning is blown and their enemy from the north is on the move attacking Jerusalem and the cities of Judah. As we move into verse six God once more tells the inhabitants of Zion to retire! Stay not! Why? God is about to bring evil and a great destruction upon them from the north and God is telling His people to flee. This is the same message that true Christians are hearing today with regard to Satan’s attack upon the cities of Judah (the mountains of Israel), but our message is spiritual in nature as opposed to this Old Testament foreshadow. Nonetheless the message is still as potent and convincing as ever since it is God’s hidden manna to us revealed through Old Testament prophecies, thus it is very powerful. Let us look at this Hebrew word “retire” as defined in Strong’s Hebrew dictionary: H5756 - Retire ooz A primitive root; to be strong; causatively to strengthen, that is, (figuratively) to save (by flight): - gather (self, self to flee), retire. This same Hebrew word is used alone in only two other places in the Old Testament, which are as follows: Isaiah 10:31 - Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee [H 5756 same word as “retire”]. Jeremiah 6:1 - ¶O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee [H 5756 same word as “retire”] out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction. [The very same end-of-time battle can be seen in this verse also. It is spoken of throughout the Old Testament in many different types or metaphors of hidden manna.] 286

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This appears to be the time in which we are witnessing at this very hour but the world and the backslidden church sees nothing amiss while God’s hidden prophecies continue to run their course, slaying in droves the multitudes within the harlot churches. Jeremiah 4:13 - Behold, he shall come up as clouds [clouds of deceit that darken the true Sun, Moon, and Stars – God’s truth], and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled. Jeremiah 4;16 - 17 – 16 - Make ye mention to the nations; behold, publish against Jerusalem, that watchers come from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Judah. 17 - As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because she hath been rebellious against me, saith the LORD. The above two verses are extremely interesting as they hint of God’s purpose in sending Satan’s forces of Gog and Magog into the congregations of the world, and that purpose is stated in verse seventeen: “… because she hath been rebellious against me, saith the LORD.” We have stated over and over again in these studies that Satan’s forces of Gog and Magog are in actuality Christian imposters; multitudes who have overtaken the congregations of the world as masquerading Christians. In the above two verses it seems that God is stating this same fact. The enemies from the north, even though in the literal and historic context they were the armies of the Babylonian Kingdom, yet as this prophecy finds its final fulfillment at the end of time God inserts hidden manna which in a sense overlays the ancient and physical fulfillments with symbolical and spiritual truth for us to learn with and teach others. It would appear that the enemies from the north in these final years and days of the New Testament Era are “watchers’’ (verse 16) and “keepers of a field” (verse 17). These watches and keepers of the field must absolutely be the forces of Satan posing as true Christians! The watchers come upon the cities of Judah for one purpose, to: “… give out their voice AGAINST the cities of Judah.” They are taking over the global churches! They are entering into the gates of the city (the very heart of the church) with their VOICE; in other words with their own WORDS of deceptions and false doctrines (as the roaring of the sea!). The true “watchers” of God are His keepers of His Word, but these are false watchers who come with their own false gospels disguised as true believers in Christ, but are evening wolves in reality. These deceivers of Gog and Magog also come upon the mountains of Israel as “keepers of a field.” This word “field” can also be translated as ground, land, soil, country, etc. It is the land or the church (land of Judah) that is ultimately in view here, of course. Jeremiah 4:17 states that the “keepers of a field” are against her (Judah; the Church) round about. Revelation 20:9 cross references this by stating that Gog and Magog will compass the camp of the saints about, which is stating the precise same thing. The true “keepers” are those who keep God’s Word and those who preserve God’s Word, but these enemies of God come AS keepers of a field. That is merely their appearance; they come disguised AS keepers of a field; they come masquerading as keepers of a field, or masquerading as true believers in Christ. This is the nature of Satan’s endtime false church, it has two horns like a lamb (appears to be Christ worshipping) but in reality it speaks from Satan, (but speaks as a dragon), Revelation 13:11. 287

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Revelation 13:11 - ¶And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth [world, LAND soil, ground, country]; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. H8104 - Keeper shaw-mar' A primitive root; properly to hedge about (as with thorns), that is, guard; generally to protect, attend to, etc.: - beware, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep (-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch (-man). . We have merely touched on a couple of references in this study of what the prophets saw in relation to the end-of-days Battle of Armageddon (Gog/Magog War). The Old Testament is loaded with hidden manna that references this great spiritual battle that God warns of throughout Scripture in many varying ways and methods. This is the theme of Scripture; Messiah to come, Messiah has come, and finally judgment at the last day. Which side of that judgment will you be on? NOW is the time to sincerely seek out your answer. End of Chapter Twelve Study

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Chapter Thirteen (Ezekiel 38:18-19)

God’s Fury: A Great Shaking in the Land of Israel

Ezekiel 38:18-20 – 18 - And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. 19 - For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20 - So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

As we near the conclusion of our study of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight we begin to see just how God’s wrath is played out. The earthly, outward, and visible church of Jesus Christ long ago began its infant steps toward a discreet and subtle “falling away” from the truth of Christ and into apostasy (2 Th 2:3). It grew and matured into something that eventually became the norm in church life throughout the world. No one can say with any amount of certainty precisely when this global falling away actually began, but it did and since has grown into a global body of spiritual harlotry. At some point, as the church turned largely to spiritual adultery, God begins His foreordained righteous judgment upon her (Rev. 17-18). In judging the unfaithful corporate ______________________________________________________________________________ July 2011 Page 289

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and visible Church of Jesus Christ, God awakens those whom He has preordained for the purpose of carrying out His judgment upon these physical churches throughout the world: Revelation 20:7-9 – 7 - And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 - And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 - And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. Let us cross reference the above verses with the following, for it appears to be speaking of the same event: Revelation 16:12-16 – 12 - ¶And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates [symbolical river of salvation? Euphrates: The good river; Smith Bible Diction. To break forth or rushing; Strong’s Hebrew]; and the water thereof was dried up [the silencing of the true Gospel waters], that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared [in preparation for the return of Christ and His Army.] 13 - And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs [Please see frogs at our “Ancient Egyptian Plagues” study] come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. [Satan - the Dragon - has been released; he is the father of LIES, John 8:44. Lies come first from the heart and then travel through the mouth. The secular world – the Beast is now sold out in its totality to the father of lies. The once faithful and visible earthly church has become – the False Prophet – and now speaks lies in unison to Satan and his earthly beastly kingdom. As Satan has been loosed from his spiritual prison in these latter days, likewise his kingdom is renewed as it was during Old Testament days. These three, the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet all spew deadly spiritual poison from their MOUTHS.] As for this False Prophet, the harlot church, we have more scriptural proofs that she is in unison with the dragon: Revelation 13:11-12 - ¶And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. [The once faithful visible and earthly church is now Christlike in APPEARANCE only, but in reality is sold out to Satan, thus its appearance is as two horns like Christ the ______________________________________________________________________________ July 2011 Page 290

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true LAMB of God, but in reality she speaks for the dragon which is Satan.] Revelation 13:12 - And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. [The False Prophet (harlot church) discreetly, inconspicuously, and unnoticeably to most, causes her congregations to worship the dragon (Satan) and his earthly kingdom (the Beast), all the while thinking that they are worshipping the God of Scripture!] Revelation 16:14 - For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world [whole world: Satan assembles the nations from the four quarters of the earth – GOG AND MAGOG - Rev. 20:8] to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Revelation 16:15 - Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. Revelation 16:16 - And he gathered them [It can only be Gog and Magog] together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. [This word “place” can only be the battlefield of Armageddon as is confirmed in Revelation 20:9: Revelation 20:8 - And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.  The location of the Battle of Armageddon:  Revelation 20:9 - And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.] The word Armageddon is a mysterious word and is symbolical altogether. Armageddon appears to signify the spiritual battlefield – the global congregations - from which Satan and his False Prophet (Christian appearing church [two horns like a lamb, Rev. 13:11; Gog and Magog, Rev. 20:8-9]) launch their attack toward any remaining truth left within the fallen church turned spiritual harlot (Rev. 18). This is the great end of time ______________________________________________________________________________ July 2011 Page 291

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spiritual slaughter within the confines of the global apostate congregations. This APPEARS GREATLY to be the BATTLEGROUND of ARMAGEDDON. If you are in one of these congregations you need to FLEE to a “defensed city” (a Godly and faithful Bible study group or congregation) immediately, if you can find one. For more on “defensed city” please see: http://spiritualbiblestudies.com/GogMagogWar/GogMagogCh12.pdf The Greek word for Armageddon is G717 - Armageddon Α ν Armageddon ar-mag-ed-dohn' Of Hebrew origin [H2022] and [H4023]; Armageddon (or Har-Megiddon), a symbolical name: - Armageddon. The origin of the Hebrew Armageddon is as follows: H2022 ‫הר‬ har har A shortened form of H2042; a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively): - hill (country), mount (-ain), X promotion. H2042 ‫הרר‬ harar haw-rawr' From an unused root meaning to loom up; a mountain: - hill, mount (-ain). Please see our study of Armageddon at: http://spiritualbiblestudies.com/ARMAGEDDON2BU.pdf OR http://spiritualbiblestudies.com/ARMAGEDDON2BU.htm Who are those who are used of God to carry out His righteous judgment against His earthly physical church? To repeat, at the end of the Church Age (New Testament Era) Satan is loosed from his spiritual prison as Revelation 20:7 clearly tells us. God is releasing Satan for the very purpose of carrying out God’s Divine judgment upon the unfaithful congregations of the world; that is to say the global harlot of Revelation Chapter Eighteen. Does Satan carry out this order exclusively on his own? Of course not since Satan is a kingdom of darkness and Scripture tells us that those who are not of Christ are indeed slaves to their father the devil, John 8:44. Therefore those who are mustered up by Satan for the purpose of carrying out God’s judgment upon His once faithful corporate and global congregations are indeed - and none other than - the masses of “religious” humanity throughout the entire world. How can we be certain? Read again the above verses of Revelation 20:7-9. Once Satan is temporally released from his spiritual prison or confinement he immediately summons his emissaries for this final great ______________________________________________________________________________ July 2011 Page 292

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spiritual battle in which Scripture labels as Armageddon. Revelation 20:8 (to repeat ourselves) speaks of this event: “And [Satan] shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, [all the world] Gog and Magog, and to gather them [them? Gog and Magog – the unsaved “tares” of the world; the Second Beast of Rev. 13] together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.” Upon Satan’s release (Rev. 13:1) he summons Gog and Magog (Rev. 13:11; 20:8) for preparation for that great day of God Almighty. The next verse, Revelation 20:9, is an overview of the ENTIRE so-called Gog-Magog Battle or Armageddon as it were. “And they [Satan along with the Second Beast or the unsaved “tares” of the world, i.e. Gog and Magog] went up on the breadth of the earth [Gog and Magog covers the entire earth where the spiritual LAND of Israel dwells] [Cross reference - Ezekiel 38:16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land [LAND: the congregations of the entire world; the spiritual Israel]; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.], and compassed the camp of the saints about [Gog and Magog encircle the global harlot church], and the beloved city [Same thing! God’s beloved city; His once faithful church]: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” As we stated, this is a short overview of the conclusion in Ezekiel chapters thirty-eight and thirtynine and perhaps it is the same metaphorical fire that we read of in Ezekiel’s account: Ezekiel 38:19 - For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; Ezekiel 38:22 - And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Ezekiel 39:6 - And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD. This LAND, though it be a “habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird,” (Rev. 18:2) nonetheless is still God’s once faithful earthly church and as such once Gog and Magog begin their assault upon the unfaithful city (spiritual Jerusalem turned Sodom and Egypt, Rev. 11:8) God will at that time avenge His HOLY Name through both the unfaithful church and those forces of Gog and Magog who seek to totally destroy any truth left in it. How will God avenge His Holy Name at this time? Ezekiel 38:19-20 – 19 - For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20- So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

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Understand that the term “that day” is not referring to one single twenty-four hour period just as the term “the day of the Lord” does not refer to one single twenty-four hour period. Scripture provides much evidence that the time frame known as the “day of the Lord” is in actuality a specific span of time rather than a single day. Therefore when God says that in “that day” there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel (Eze. 38:19) we must look to the global congregations of the world (the spiritual land of Israel) for this fulfillment of God’s consummation. This will be seen not only in the fallen congregations of the world but will be seen in general from the secular world as well (Eze. 38:20). Yes, there shall be a great SHAKING in the land of Israel. Those who teach that the Battle of Armageddon is a physical and literal battle between the nations of the world and the literal city of Jerusalem sadly have little concept of God’s truth. Yes, their hypothesis is correct but they must reach down far deeper into Holy Scripture to extract the real truth. The accuracy behind the attack on Jerusalem from the nations of the world is in its spiritual understanding. Yes the city of Jerusalem is and will be greatly assaulted by the world according to Scripture, but this siege of Jerusalem is the earthly spiritual Jerusalem, which is the spiritual/symbolical city of the visible and global church of Jesus Christ. The climax (Armageddon) of the final attack will certainly come from the nations of the world (Gog and Magog), but again it will not come from a literal host of military armies of the world, but from a cloud of spiritual Christian appearing armies who overtake the apostate global church as God’s own judgment upon the fallen earthly church. It is during Armageddon, that is to say it is during this final assault upon God’s once faithful church that God’s fury will come up in His face and will result in the closing of the New Testament Era and the return of Christ. PLEASE NOTE: The “religious” world or even the secular world speaks of Armageddon as occurring in the literal land of Israel and have no real concern about it occurring elsewhere since the global church teaches that it will take place in the valley of Megiddo in Northeastern Israel. An absurd notion no doubt, however in reality it does take place in the land of Israel and throughout the globe as well. How is this possible? The battleground for which Armageddon is fought upon is the global and spiritual land of Israel – the fallen and apostate congregations of Jesus Christ throughout the world. Therefore in a metaphorical sense this battle does take place in the land of Israel as the prophet Ezekiel states.

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A Great Shaking in the Land of Israel! The Hebrew word translated as “shaking” is defined from Strong’s Hebrew as follows: H7494 - shaking rah'-ash From H7493; vibration, bounding, uproar: - commotion, confused noise, earthquake, fierceness, quaking, rattling, rushing, shaking.

“And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;” (Ezekiel38:18-19)

H7493 – Shaking. Rooted from H7494 ‫רעׁש‬ ra‛ash raw-ash A primitive root; to undulate (as the earth, the sky, etc.; also a field of grain), particularly through fear; specifically to spring (as a locust): - make afraid, (re-) move, quake, (make to) shake, (make to) tremble. The word “shaking” should not be understood in a literal manner simply because these verses are highly spiritual in nature and God speaks much of the time, if not all the time, in parables when future prophetic scripture is being taught. To interpret these verses in a literal manner is the fatal mistake so many make in attempting to teach what God is showing us. When we define “shaking” from the Hebrew we arrive at two nearly identical words which we have shown above. These words define for us the spiritual uproar or undulation (to cause to move in waves) of God’s purpose in specific instances. Let us understand that God Omnipotent is the ultimate power that assembles the forces of Gog and Magog as His (God’s) instruments to carry out His righteous judgment upon the fallen church. Satan, through Gog and Magog, is the force of ______________________________________________________________________________ July 2011 Page 295

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darkness sent to the fallen congregations of the world to seal their fate in a sense. They come to take a prey and a great spoil (Eze. 38:12,13). They are sent to judge the apostate global church by extinguishing any remaining truth left in her, and by exalting a disguised Satan as their Christ. This is God’s judgment upon the harlot church at the end of time. However, and we emphasize the word HOWEVER, God indeed remains faithful to His Name regardless of the fact that the earthly church has gone into irreversible apostasy. For they are the outer court (Rev. 11:2) and were as such merely pew-warmers and tares and never a part of God’s true and eternal Bride (Church) of Christ. God nonetheless is still jealous for His Holy Name (Eze. 39:7 & 25) and thus at the conclusion of the New Testament Era God comes to the rescue of His Holy Name by condemning those of Gog and Magog who would pollute the true and Holy God of Scripture. Gog and Magog are the nations of the world (Rev. 20:8), and their demise (both secular and religious) is the conclusion to the Battle of Armageddon. Joel 3:16 - The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake [H 7493]: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. [Notice in the above verse that the LORD shall roar out of Zion and utter His voice from Jerusalem. In other words the LORD shall roar from on high since Zion in not a literal place that one can travel to upon this earth. It is a term depicting God’s invisible heavenly dwelling just as the word Jerusalem signifies God’s heavenly dwelling in this particular verse. God’s utterances in these final years of the Church Age are certainly NOT broadcast from a literal and physical city (Old Testament type) in the Middle East called Jerusalem. No, that is not what God is saying here. Let us consider two additional references: Jeremiah 25:30 - ¶Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. Amos 1:2 - And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither. We see here the same theme or idea being used in two distinct ways: Zion is “On High” and Jerusalem is God’s “Holy Habitation” and all four; Zion, On High, Jerusalem, and Holy Habitation are one and the same to God – they are God’s dwelling place in the heavens.] Returning to Joel 3:16 let us read it once more: Joel 3:16 - The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake [H 7493]: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

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The heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of His people, and the strength of the children of Israel. Once again this passage proves beyond a shadow of a doubt and along with a vast number of other references - that the true children of Israel are the Christ worshippers who are the invisible and spiritual Israel of God (Gal. 6:16). This shaking and utterance of God’s voice from On High appears to be in sync with what we are reading in regard to Armageddon and the Gog/Magog Battle: Ezekiel 38: 18-20 – 18 - And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. 19 - For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking [H 7494] in the land of Israel; 20 - So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake [H 7493] at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. In Ezekiel 38:19 God states that there will be a great shaking in the land of Israel and in verse 20 God states that this shaking will be upon ALL men (people) that are upon the face of the earth. Which is it? Will the shaking be upon the land of Israel or will this shaking be upon all people of the earth? As we have stated earlier in this study it is both simply because the spiritual land of Israel encompasses the congregations throughout the entire world. The word shaking (H-7494) as stated is translated as shaking, earthquake, fierceness, noise, commotion, rushing, quaking, and rattling. This great shaking appears to occur throughout the world since the global church (the land of Israel) exists throughout the four corners of the earth. It is extremely difficult to say precisely what type of shaking God is speaking of here. Will it be a spiritual shaking of some type (which is the norm) or does this shaking represent the literal and physical destruction of the earth at the end of time when God creates a new heaven and a new earth? 2 Peter 3:10 - But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. In all likelihood the great shaking will be spiritual in nature prior to the literal and physical destruction of the earth. But is the above Day of the Lord destruction the same event as when God will rain down fire on Gog and Magog? ______________________________________________________________________________ July 2011 Page 297

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Ezekiel 38:22 - And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Ezekiel 39:6 - And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD. As we said, it is very difficult to know, with any degree of certainty, just what this shaking entails. In Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-seven God gives us a giant metaphor in describing how He will bring spiritual life into the whole house of Israel, Ezekiel 37:1-14. In verse seven God uses the same Hebrew word (H-7494) “shaking” as we find in our study of Ezekiel 38:19. Ezekiel 37:7 - So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking (H-7494), and the bones came together, bone to his bone. As the shaking in Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-seven clearly depicts a great spiritual awakening (the coming of the Gospel) some may wonder if perhaps this great shaking in the land of Israel may somehow be symbolic for a great spiritual awakening for those of the global house of Israel (the fallen church)? We must answer a regretfully NO to this question for God assures us that this end-of-days shaking is in relation to God’s wrath as we read in the verse below: Ezekiel 38:19 - For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; It appears to be safe to rule out anything positive about this great shaking within the global churches except to say that God’s way will indeed be accomplished. Let us remember that this “shaking” is also a commotion, confused noise, earthquake, fierceness, quaking, rattling, or rushing according to Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary. Out of the sixteen Old Testament verses using this precise word we find that it is translated as earthquake five times, shaking three times, rushing three times, fierceness one time, confused noise one time, commotion one time, quaking one time, and rattling one time. Most often it is translated as earthquake, shaking, or rushing. Knowing that, let us look at the root word for this particular word “shaking.” H7493 – Root word for “shaking” raw-ash A primitive root; to undulate (as the earth, the sky, etc.; also a field of grain), particularly through fear; specifically to spring (as a locust): - make afraid, (re-) move, quake, (make to) shake, (make to) tremble. Perhaps we can gain some insight if we review the sixth vial as it transcends into the seventh and final Vial Judgment. Revelation 16:12-19 – Rev. 16:12 - ¶And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. ______________________________________________________________________________ July 2011 Page 298

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[We have already seen that this great river Euphrates in all probability is representative of the Gospel waters of eternal life. This Sixth Vial Judgment is showing and reiterating from a different angle what the seals and trumpets have already shown. It appears that they are all showing the same story but from different perspectives or from different picturesque views. In this Sixth Vial the Gospel waters are dried up in fulfillment of prophecy in order to prepare for the return of Christ and His heavenly army – His saints.] Rev. 16:13 - And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. [We have discussed this verse as well. At the silencing of the true Word of God in the global congregations (spiritual land of Israel) Satan takes his seat in the corporate church of Jesus Christ and sets up the Abomination of Desolation. This time frame appears to be the Day of the Lord; a specific span of time when the symbolical sun, moon, and stars have stopped giving their light. In other words it is when the corporate and global church no longer preaches the true and pure Gospel message. During this period God’s true and invisible Church (the Two Witnesses of Rev. 11) have fled from the harlot church and are now in mourning over her judgment. This Day of the Lord also appears to be the “one hour” of judgment that God pours out upon her, that is upon the global apostate and harlot church (Rev. 18). ] Rev. 16:14 - For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. [The three unclean spirits like frogs (verse 13) can only be the spiritual lies that come out of the mouth of Satan the Dragon; his kingdom of darkness, the Beast; and the second beast the False Prophet, which is the harlot of Revelation Chapter Eighteen, the visible and global earthly church.] Rev. 16:15 - Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. Rev. 16:16 - And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. [Satan gathers the nations of the world against the global congregations. This is Armageddon when Satan gathers his religious or Christian imposters for the great battle of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight. Please excuse the repeating nature of this study, but it is necessary to be repetitious in these important matters.] Rev. 16:17 - ¶And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. [Is this the point in time where God’s fury will come up in His face as we saw in Ezekiel 38: 18 -19? ______________________________________________________________________________ July 2011 Page 299

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Ezekiel 38:18-19 18 - And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel [Battle of ARMAGEDDON], saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. 19 - For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day [the Day of the Lord; a specific length of time] there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; Notice carefully that this shaking (H-7494) is a negative and not a positive shaking as it was in Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-seven. This shaking is due to God’s righteous jealousy and wrath, Ezekiel 38:19.] Rev. 16:18 - And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. [Is this great earthquake the great shaking in the land of Israel that Ezekiel 38:19 speaks of? If so it is worldwide for the purpose of judging Gog and Magog who are within the confines and attacking the global apostate congregations. This earthquake is indeed a great earthquake or shaking at the end of time and we naturally wonder if this is literal or spiritual in nature?] Rev. 16:19 - And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. (Revelation 16:19) Christ’s eternal Church - the true Third Part - at the judgment at the last day will have finally been brought through the fire and into completion; refined as silver is refined and purged and tried as gold is tried in the fire (Zec. 13:9). In recalling II Samuel 8:2 of our study of the “Third Part,” we read that David smote Moab and then cast judgment upon them. The Moabites were, in all likelihood, a picture of the whole world at large. “And he [David; typifying Christ] smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive.” Notice that David had the power and authority to judge the Moabites, as Christ will judge the world at the last day. Two thirds or two parts of them were put to death, and this is ultimately speaking of spiritual death. Also notice carefully that while the two thirds received death, represented by the two lines, there is a third part that is represented by the one full line, and these are they that are kept alive (spiritual life, eternal ______________________________________________________________________________ July 2011 Page 300

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salvation). This is the remnant chosen by grace; the saved, typified by the phrase “third part.” The end of this verse says: “…and so the Moabites became David’s servants and brought gifts.” All of the Moabites that were within this third part - that were kept alive became David’s servants and brought gifts. In this historic parable we see that all of those who were chosen from the third part received eternal life and became David’s servants, and brought gifts. In New Testament language the saved from among this third part become servants of Christ, who was typified by David in II Samuel Chapter Eight. If the third part is representative of the true Church, and it most certainly looks that way, then would they not be the inhabitants of the spiritual Jerusalem? Of course they would be. It appears that the beginning phrase in Revelation 16:19 “And the great city was divided into three parts” might well be speaking of the conclusion to the separation of the wheat and tares within the corporate global church at the last day. The remaining two parts of the great city fall under spiritual and physical judgment with the rest of the unsaved world in the following section of Revelation 16:19: “. . . and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. The great city may indeed be the outward shell of Christ’s earthly church, Mystery Babylon and/or Holy Jerusalem wherein its true and chosen inhabitants are depicted as the Third Part: the wheat (true believers) of Christ’s true and eternal Church. “And the great city was divided into three parts,

and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.” (Revelation 16:19) Verse 19 now appears to switch from spiritual to the physical judgment of the earth. The phrase “the cities of the nations fell” if in context with 2 Peter Chapter Three can mean only one thing the cities of the earth are destroyed. 2 Peter 3:10 - 12 10 - But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 - ¶Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 - Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? When Christ returns there will certainly be no so-called one-thousand-year earthly millennial kingdom. This is totally unscriptural and the misunderstanding of Holy Scripture. All biblical ______________________________________________________________________________ July 2011 Page 301

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passages that have been misinterpreted to represent a future earthly millennial kingdom can be shown to be prophesying of an earthly age wherein Christ our God is revealed through His Gospel message. Yes, the New Testament Church Age is what so many misinterpret from the Old Testament as passages foretelling of an earthly one-thousand-year millennial kingdom. These Old Testament passages are beautiful and metaphoric teachings of the Gospel Age upon the earth and not some mysterious earthly kingdom after Christ returns. As you can see, there is no way of getting around 2 Peter 2: 10-12. The Day of the Lord that Peter speaks of will see the cities of the nations fall as the Seventh Vial judgment affirms in Revelation 16:19. Babylon the great, the apostate harlot church comes into remembrance before God. Babylon the Great appears to be that once great and faithful earthly City of God (the corporate church), but now at the Day of the Lord is divided into three parts: two parts (metaphorical, not a literal measurement) are destined for eternal death and the THIRD PART is the eternal Holy Jerusalem, the true wheat (Christians) of the ages.

Who Are The Recipients Of This Great Shaking ? Ezekiel 38:19-20 – 19 - For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20- So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

God equates MANKIND AS the fishes of the sea and AS creeping things. God is referencing his creation of fallen man to fishes of the sea and as all creeping things simply because the nature of fallen and rebellious man does not desire to have anyone or any god to rule over them, just as these creatures have no rule over them; thus God typifies rebellious and ungodly mankind as creatures having no rule over them. Consider carefully the following verse on the next page:

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Habakkuk 1:14 - And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

This thought brings us into our study of those who are the recipients of this great shaking at the end of time and during the great spiritual battle of Armageddon when Satan and his forces of Gog and Magog are sent by God to bring the final (post falling away) destruction upon the global church via the Abomination of Desolation. This destruction, after the falling away has occurred within the worldwide church of Jesus Christ (2 Th. 2), will come from the nations of the world (Gog and Magog; Rev. 20:8). Once this is accomplished or at least in the process, God’s fury will come up in His face (Eze. 38:18), which in turn will set off a great shaking in the spiritual land of Israel (Eze. 38:19-23). When we speak of the “spiritual” land we are speaking of the literal global congregations. Events that occur within this spiritual land of Israel (global church) occur physically of course. But God’s moving of spiritual matters within the worldwide church are also spiritual in nature. When does God’s fury come up in His face? That appears to be the pivotal point which sets off the events of the Day of the Lord.

When does God’s fury come up in His face? That appears to be the pivotal point which sets off the events of the Day of the Lord. We appear to be extremely close to that time or even at the very threshold! Some may think it ludicrous to suggest that God equates fallen man to creeping things upon the earth, fowls of the heavens, fishes of the sea, etc. but what true Christian will argue with the above verse of Habakkuk 1:14? Some may say it is an isolated verse. It is not an isolated verse and if it were it wouldn’t change the interpretation. Below are more passages that convey this same message:

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Hosea 2:18 - And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. The term “In that day” is in reference to the Cross of Christ no doubt, when God became man for us in the form of His Only Begotten Son, Christ the Savior. “That day” brought forth God’s New Covenant to mankind at the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jeremiah 31:31 - 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: Hebrews 12:24 - And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. Jeremiah 31:33 - But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. The New Testament is this New Covenant. The Old Testament Law has been done away with and fulfilled by this New Covenant. Matthew 5:17 - ¶Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. As we look at the above passage in Hosea 2:18 we must realize that God speaks in parables, metaphors, allegories, symbols, and in beautiful picturesque language. His Word proves that fact beyond any doubt. If we read Hosea 2:18 from a solely literal view we would conclude that God at some point in time has made a covenant with all of the animals or beasts of the field, along with all of the literal birds or fowls of the air and even with all the insects or creeping things of the ground. This is God’s eternal New Testament COVENANT that we are speaking of here which was foretold and foreshadowed throughout the Old Testament Scriptures. It is God’s grace and provision for fallen man and clearly was NOT meant for animals, insects, birds, fishes, etc. No one would dare say otherwise and yet why is it that most people will call this “spiritualizing” when we seek this deeper truth from God’s Word? Of course it is “spiritualizing” when we compare Scripture to Scripture. Our conclusion must stand in the fact that the fishes of the sea, the beasts of the field and all creeping things have a two-fold level of meaning and the one prominent interpretation that we must embrace is the fact that these animals, birds, fishes, and creeping things are indeed symbolical of God’s created but fallen man. Apart from the New Covenant of salvation we would be as the fishes of the sea and all creeping things, having no desire to be ruled by anyone, anything, or any god, Habakkuk 1:14. We know beyond a shadow of doubt that this covenant that Hosea 2:18 speaks of is the covenant of eternal salvation accomplished by the sacrifice of Christ our Savior. Hosea says that this covenant will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth. This is speaking of Christ’s Gospel being indwelt in the souls of His elect that would in turn result in the END of spiritual warfare with God. Only those who have been born again by this covenant are free from hating and ______________________________________________________________________________ July 2011 Page 304

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warring with God. We also know that Hosea 2:18 is speaking of Christ’s covenant because Hosea says this covenant will make them (those whom the covenant embraces) to lie down safely. This term “lie down safely” is speaking of the covenant’s ability (Christ’s ability) to cause us to be at eternal peace and rest in Christ. Those who are eternally saved are those who can spiritually “dwell in safety” and “lie down safely.” Knowing and affirming all of these precious truths of God, we still read in Hosea 2:18 that Christ’s New Testament was made with the beasts of the field, the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground. Yes indeed it was! Christ’s covenant was made to spiritually redeem fallen man away from his destruction of SELF RULE and into an eternal bliss of spiritual and eternal security purchased by the Creator who alone is able to give everlasting life. Who else would Christ have come for if not for those who desire no rule in their lives? Yes, Christ came and paid our penalty in order that we would be rescued from our animal instincts of having no rule over us. Thus Christ’s atonement on the Cross of Cavalry was purchased for the fishes of the sea, all creeping things, the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the heavens – ALL PEOPLES who are as the animals and creatures of the earth, having no rule over them. Habakkuk 1:14 - And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them? Hosea 2:18 - And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. Ezekiel 38:19-20 – 19 - For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20 - So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

Let Us Also Consider Hosea Chapter Four: Hosea 4:1-10 – 1 – ¶Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. [God is speaking to the children of Israel. We will focus on the New Testament spiritual aspect of these verses and not the literal Old Testament prophecy. God has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land; these are the inhabitants of Israel. In today’s world it would be the inhabitants of the corporate church, the earthly but spiritual Israel. There is ______________________________________________________________________________ July 2011 Page 305

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no longer any truth in Israel, God says. There is no longer any mercy nor knowledge of God’s Word within Israel. This certainly became true of Old Testament Israel in many instances and it is certainly true of today’s apostate global church.] Hosea 4:2 - By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. [These sins are all reoccurring in today’s church no doubt.] Hosea 4:3 - Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away. [The true land (Israel; church) does mourn (bewail, lament) in today’s world no doubt due to the overflowing of abominations. However, everyone who dwells within the corporate church will languish, in other words they will be spiritually sick, weak, and feeble. See the Hebrew’s definition for “languish.” Everyone will languish along with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the fishes of the sea. When we look at the desolations of God’s Holy Word today within the global church do we see that this dreadful apostate condition has spread to the birds, fish, and animals of the world as well? We fail to see birds mourning over the Abomination of Desolation. That is because they are just that – birds, fish, and animals with no eternal souls! This is once again God’s way of using picturesque language in portraying His actions. These fish, birds, and beasts are all symbolic of the masses of humanity within the desolate and fallen worldwide apostate churches. Satan has taken his seat within the outer court – the corporate church worldwide! The fishes of the sea, the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field are ALL under a strong delusion from the forces of darkness and have therefore been made sick and weak (to languish) in spiritual matters with little or no salvation remaining in the once faithful earthly House of God.] Hosea 4:4 - Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest. [“No man strive” meaning defend or contend for the truth. They are led by false rulers within the church.] Hosea 4:5 - Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. [God appears to be prophesying of the great falling away and judgment of the global church that would come. Jerusalem, the church, which is the mother of us all (Gal. 4:26) is destroyed and made desolate via the Abomination of Desolation. NOTE: Do not misunderstand, for the Jerusalem which will be destroyed is the fallen and physical earthly church and certainly not God’s true and eternal Church of Jerusalem.]

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Hosea 4:6 - ¶My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. [Those who have remained within an apostate congregation do so at their own peril. God plainly states that He will reject them! Yes, there have always been unbelievers within the earthly church however when specific congregations are given over to the lies of the enemy it is clearly time to flee from that congregation.] Hosea 4:7 - As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. Hosea 4:8 - They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. Hosea 4:9 - And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. Hosea 4:10 - For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD. [The sins of the earthly church will only continue to worsen once the Abomination of Desolation has set in and it appears today most obvious that the Abomination of Desolation has indeed taken its seat within the global congregations (Mat. 24:15; Mar. 13:14; Luk. 21:10).] Those who worship within the global, visible, and outward earthly representation of God’s true Church are symbolized by God as the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the heavens, the beasts of the field, and all creeping things. They worship within the congregations that have fallen prey to the Abomination of Desolation - religious man’s dead carcasses – (“For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together” Mat. 24:28) and they love it there since they do not really desire to have anyone, anything, or any god to rule over them. Thus it is the result of their desires when God inflicts His judgment upon them. By further study one will learn much concerning how “beasts of the field” and other animal, bird, and fish metaphors are used by God in displaying His created but fallen man. All true believers were once in this same category.

God’s Fury, Shaking, and Judgment In Ezekiel 38:19 God states that there will be a great shaking in the land of Israel and in verse 20 God states that this shaking will be upon ALL men (people) that are upon the face of the earth. Which is it, Israel or all men upon the earth? As we have stated earlier in this study it is both simply because the spiritual land of Israel encompasses the congregations throughout the entire world. The word shaking (H-7494) as stated is translated as shaking, earthquake, fierceness, noise, commotion, rushing, quaking, and rattling. ______________________________________________________________________________ July 2011 Page 307

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In today’s world the land of Israel in prophecy is the congregation of Israel fulfilled in the global and corporate church. Even now there is great unseen shaking transpiring throughout the congregations of the world. There is much travail: spiritual famine, spiritual warfare, spiritual harlotry coupled with the smooth lies coming out of the pulpits. The true Gospel message of Jesus Christ says nothing about one’s finances nor does it teach that we can “name and claim” material possessions in the name of Christ. There is no room for homosexuality in the church; you must not hate them for they are sinners like everyone else. There is no room for fornicators or alcoholics; for all these and more are sin to God. Christ’s one and only Gospel message that Christ so eager proclaimed was to flee the wrath of hell which is to come. Come and follow Christ and flee the wrath of God’s judgment. This in today’s harlot church is a politically incorrect message to proclaim. Therefore who are you going to follow, the wide path of today’s False Prophet Church or the narrow way of the Savior’s Gospel of Good News. Humanity is surely being shaken in today’s global church and there is much more to this shaking. We haven’t seen anything yet as the saying goes! We are on the verge of an imminent and colossal change as God’s fury is being displayed and yet there will be much more of His fury to come of the likes no one has ever witnessed or will witness again. The Lord willing we will conclude our study of Ezekiel Chapter Thirty-eight in our next session. We will take up at the second half of Ezekiel 38:20 Ezekiel 38:20 - So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be

thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. End of Study

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