Once again, I greet Bible Believers in the wonderful Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and encourage each one of you to "keep looking up—for the first Resurrection draws nigh." We're studying pretty deep into the Word today so you'd better fasten your prayer bonnets and ask Grace for faith.
All the signs are here. The Cold War is over, there is talk of a "new world order" of peace and co-operation between the nations of the world. Russia is receiving assistance from the US and UK military to destroy her nuclear stockpile, and the West has been invited to invest in the commercial future of the former Soviet republics. Paul told us to expect such things, "For when they shall say 'Peace and safety;' then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape" (I Thessalonians 5:3.)
But do you realize that along with these natural signs, God also promised a Supernatural sign? The Elect will not miss It.
Let's take two Scriptures for a text:
Firstly Amos 3:7, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, without FIRST revealing His secret unto His servants the prophets." A prophet is a SIGN, a Supernatural sign, from God to His people (Ezekiel 12:6.)
Secondly in Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever."
By God's grace we'll be prepared for that Day if we can recognize these are KEY Scriptures to understanding God's mind. He NEVER changes, and He either interprets His Word by bringing It to pass, or through ONE (1) man who is a vindicated prophet.
Every serious Christian knows the hour is desperately late; that soon our beloved Lord Jesus will meet His Bride in the air (l Thessalonians 4:l6-17.) What most people don't know is that even AS JOHN THE BAPTIST FORERAN THE FIRST COMING OF OUR LORD, A PROPHET HAVING THE SPIRIT OF ELIJAH WILL FORERUN CHRIST'S SECOND COMING. Of course even now there are false prophets it the world, leading many astray (Matthew 24:11,24.) But the same God who said there would be the false, said there would come a TRUE prophet.
Now those of us who are truly spiritual Bible Believers will realize that BEFORE the false prophets can arise, God's TRUE prophet must FIRST come on the scene. The false prophets are impersonators of the God's TRUE prophet, even as Jannes and Jambres impersonated Moses. Who came FIRST? Was it Moses or Jannes and Jambres? Moses was FIRST. As they withstood Moses' Message, impersonating the signs and wonders God performed through him, so do these resist the Truth God's prophet has ALREADY delivered: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. Paul was speaking of the last days, when he foretold this in II Timothy 3. The time of the end is AFTER Christ has opened and revealed the Seven Seals, and through His vindicated prophet, of course (Daniel 12:4; Revelation 10:7.)
A word of caution to all those so-called "committed Christians" on a witch hunt for false prophets and cults. In your self righteous zeal, have you missed the Holy Spirit and the TRUE prophet? Examine your own self first, whether you be in the faith, lest you are led of the spirit which inspired Saul of Tarsus. God's TRUE prophet must FIRST appear on the scene, BEFORE there can be false prophets to impersonate his Message. But do you believe God still sends prophets? Phew!! I bet that scorched a few ears.
Who ever heard of counterfeiters attempting to pass fifty or hundred dollar bills printed to their own original design? Boutique bills? Never! They follow AFTER and impersonate the legal tender. Did you ever hear a false prophet preaching a message entirely of his own invention? Never! His teaching will be Bible based, "so close to God's genuine interpretation as to deceive the very Elected, IF that were possible." But the Elect of God only receive HIS Voice, they CANNOT be deceived on the Word.
Forget about searching for false prophets, until AFTER you have found the TRUE prophet of God, proven his vindication, and received his Message by faith. As Jesus said to Peter, "After YOU are converted then you can serve God and your brethren."
Whilst we are on this tangent, may I admonish you to lay off the J W's, the Moonies, Adventists, Roman Catholics and so-forth—their teaching wouldn't fool a Baptist, let alone God's Elect. And don't go seeking false prophets among any of the Protestant denominations. False prophets "so close to the genuine revelation" are hardly going to teach Roman dogma like the trinity, the very Elect would never fall for that stuff in THIS day.
God said, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse" (Malachi 4:5-6.) This verse, having a compound meaning, is referring to TWO SEPARATE COMINGS OF ELIJAH. John the Baptist, and one at the end of the Gentile Age, and before Daniel's Seventieth Week when the present world is to be cleansed by fire for the Millennium (Malachi 4:1-3.)
An angel said concerning John the Baptist, "And he shall go before Messiah in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children." John's ministry fulfilled this much of Malachi 4:6 but that was all, for the angel went on, "and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17.) The angel said nothing about John turning "the heart of the children to their fathers," because that part of Malachi 4:5-6 did NOT pertain to John.
Jesus said John the Baptist was Elijah, that's true. "For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John" (Genesis 3:24; Malachi 3:1; Luke 1:13-17.) "And if you will receive it, John is the Elijah which was to come" (Matthew 11:7-14.) But now turn to John 1:19-23, "This is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him if he was Messiah, he confessed, I am not the Christ. So they asked him, 'Are you the Elijah (of Malachi 4:5-6?)' And he answered, 'NO! I am NOT the Elijah promised before the Tribulation, the great and dreadful day of the Lord. I am the Elijah of Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1, the voice of one crying in the wilderness—Make straight the way of the LORD."
Does the Bible contradict itself? Not at all! Jesus said John was Elijah and John said he wasn't. John knew precisely who he was. God is known by faith—NOT learning—they were looking for the WRONG Elijah. When John quoted the Scripture, their Bible knowledge condemned them. He didn't try explaining it to those ministers who would only seek to justify what they'd learned in Bible school.
The Hebrews expected an Elijah to forerun a Messiah who would destroy Rome and establish the kingdom of Israel, which is the Millennium (Acts 1:6.) Knowledge without faith caused them to confuse the Lord's SECOND physical Coming with His FIRST, making the Word of no effect to them.
Jesus confirmed Isaiah's prophecy of Israel's spiritual blindness (Isaiah 6:9-10; Matthew 13:10-17.) How were they blinded? Bible learning aside from faith had made them unteachable, and they rejected God's vindicated PROPHETS for the educated guesses of THEOLOGIANS.
Although Jesus had told them plainly in Matthew 11 that John the Baptist was Elijah; some time later in Matthew 17, after showing them a vision of His Second Coming in glory for the Millenniel Reign, preceded by two prophets with the Anointings which were upon Moses and Elijah, they were still confused.
Questioned by His disciples, Christ Himself identified Malachi 4:5-6 as TWO comings of Elijah: "His disciples inquired, saying, 'The scribes say that Elijah must first come, what will he do?' Jesus answered, 'They're correct saying that Elijah truly WILL COME BEFORE the Millennium, (FUTURE tense,) and his ministry at that time will be to RESTORE ALL THINGS. But I say unto you that Elijah HAS COME ALREADY, (PAST tense,) and his ministry was to lay the ax and UPROOT ALL THINGS. But they knew him not and have done unto him whatsoever they chose.' Then the disciples understood that he spoke of John the Baptist" (Matthew 17:1-13.)
Can you see the TWO comings of Elijah identified by Jesus? He spoke of an Elijah who foreran His FIRST Coming as Son of man—the prophet and Kinsman Redeemer—to pay the price of redemption with His Own life. Moses, Ruth, Psalms, Hosea and Malachi taught, Israel would then reject Him and He would turn to the Gentiles to call out a Bride, a people for His NAME.
Jesus showed Peter, James and John a preview of "the Son of man coming in His Kingdom," as Son of David for the Millennium, preceded by the witnesses of Zechariah 4 and Revelation 11 who preach to Israel—AFTER the Gentile dispensation, and AFTER the first resurrection. God has not forsaken the nation of Israel; a remnant of 144,000 will receive the Spirit, 12,000 out of each tribe, when he reveals Himself to them by faith. The disciples understood all of this but they also knew Malachi 4:5-6 spoke of a SECOND coming of the Spirit which was upon Elijah, Elisha and John the Baptist, to RESTORE the Word to the Gentiles BEFORE Christ's Return to "build again the tabernacle of David" (Isaiah 11:10-12; 54:1-5; Daniel 9:24-27; Amos 9:11-15 and Acts 15:1-17.)
Like Abraham and believers in every age, the disciples were looking forward to the kingdom of God on earth. They knew Israel would become apostate and reject Messiah and that the Gentile church also would apostatize and reject Him. This was hardly "fresh revelation:" Paul explains it quite clearly in Romans 11, as do Peter and James in Acts 2 and 15.
Initially, the disciples expected the Millennium to be established in their lifetime (Acts 1:6,) so Jesus said, "Some of you won't see death before you see the Kingdom coming in power," and He showed them the vision. But they had been taught a prophet with the anointing of Elijah would first come and RESTORE "all things spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began"—the Word. They were confused because this SECOND Elijah did not appear in the vision. They were "fishing," and thought if Jesus could help them to place THIS Elijah, they might know "the day or hour" when the Kingdom would be restored. (He only comes for those who are LOOKING for Him, those who love His appearing). Jesus knew this was way in the future: at that time it wasn't even revealed to Him.
Both Elijah ministries of Malachi 4:5-6 were to God's CHILDREN, not to His SERVANTS. The FIRST was to turn the heart of the apostolic fathers to the CHILDREN. John's ministry began to accomplish this from the Day of Pentecost—three and a half years after his death!!! Israel is God's SERVANT nation while the Gentile Church is His placed CHILDREN. This FIRST Elijah ministry could NOT have been fulfilled before Calvary and Pentecost, as God was dealing EXCLUSIVELY with His servant Israel (Matthew 10:5-6; 15:24; John 1:11.) Jesus told Peter to wait until he was born-again before trying to turn the heart of all nations (Luke 22:32; 24:47-49; Acts 1:4.) Two thousand years later, the SECOND Elijah ministry would RESTORE the faith once delivered unto the saints of Pentecost, for the manifestation of the sons of God and the translation.
John was sent to God's SERVANT nation: he could not possibly have fulfilled Malachi 4:5-6. In his life-time, John could only point to the Patriarchal fathers, denying Calvary and the Lamb of God he introduced! NO, the FIRST Elijah ministry of Malachi 4:5-6 was the RESULT of John's ministry AFTER his death. It's two thousand years since John's death, and the tribulation has not begun. The earth has not burnt up, and Christ and the saints have not stepped out on the ashes of the wicked for a thousand years of peace. John clearly was NOT the SECOND Elijah of Malachi, sent with the Message of restoration, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord (Malachi 4:1-3.)
Whereas John came to Israel, the Elijah ministry of RESTORATION comes to the Gentile church BEFORE the Tribulation—before the plagues of judgment smite the earth. As he and Jesus well knew, John was the Elijah of Malachi 3, who restored nothing (Luke 1:17; John 1:23.)
Many other Scriptures are like Malachi 4:6, where the history of thousands of years is suspended on a comma. Take for instance, Isaiah 11:4; 61:1-2; Daniel 9:24-27; Zechariah 13:7 and Malachi 3:1-4.
Now read Acts 3:l9-21, where Peter talks about Jesus Christ, "Whom the heaven must receive until the times of RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS." We see the Lord Whom we love must REMAIN IN HEAVEN, until all the Word is restored and manifested in His Bride on earth. Then He'll catch Her away for the Wedding Supper, in the twinkle of an eye. The Elijah of Malachi 4, whose ministry RESTORES ALL THINGS therefore was not John, but another who comes at the end of the Gentile dispensation BEFORE our Lord's return.
In Matthew 24:37-39 Jesus invites us to review Genesis 6, "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Intermixing, lust and sexual immorality were rife: it grieved God He had ever put man in flesh so he could be tempted. God NEVER FORGAVE THEM and destroyed all life save Enoch and those who were in the ark. Jesus, Peter and Jude said these conditions would repeat in the end time: intermarriage between races, promiscuous living to satisfy the lust of the flesh, great advances in science and engineering and . . . a prophet.
Now Enoch was a prophet, ONE man out of the seventh generation from the first Adam, with a perfect understanding of the mind of God: such agreement or oneness, he was translated without death. Enoch typed the Elect Church, the Bride of Christ in the end days, who will fulfill Jesus' prayer, "That they may all be one in the agreement of faith, as You and I are One, and therefore have no need of a mediator" (John 17:21-26.)
Christ's Bride, insignificant in number, will be called out of Laodicea, the seventh generation from the Second Adam. Under preeminence to the Word by perfect faith, what She says God will do during the manifestation of the sons of God (Matthew 4:4; Ephesians 5:24; John 5:19.) After this short and powerful demonstration of the Spirit, this little hunted and persecuted group will be translated.
Noah types the foolish virgin who are saved, but having missed the full Atonement or new birth, will go into the Great Tribulation where they will be martyred.
Those who kept not their first estate of holiness and separation, but left their own habitation to intermingle with the descendants of Cain during the long-suffering of God in the days before the Flood, are LOST. They type the wicked majority of today who share the same destiny (II Timothy 3 & 4; Jude 3-7; Revelation 17:8; 20:19-21.)
Can you see the conditions of the "days of Noah" reproduced today? Is there an unashamed corruption of morals? Is the church apostate, wholly absorbed in worldly matters? Despite God's condemnation, they actually endorse and encourage intermarriage between the races (Genesis 1:11; 6:1-4; Daniel 2:43.) Look at the great advances in science and learning: in this century we've advanced from the horse and cart to space travel. Jesus foretold these conditions for the end of the Gentile dispensation, but He also promised a "gathering together unto the Word," through perfect faith like Enoch's (Genesis 49:10; II Thessalonians 2:1; Hebrews 11:5-6; Revelation 18:4.)
In the gospels, we read of two grinding in the mill, one is taken, another one left; again, two are working in the field, one is taken, and the other one left, and so-on. The disciples ask Jesus, "Where are they taken to, Lord?" He replies, "Wheresoever the Carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together." This is not the translation of the living saints as so many men teach. They are gathered around the restored Word Luke 17:37.)
The Message of the end-time Elijah will RESTORE the hearts of the children to the Bible faith understood by the apostolic fathers. This ministry, described in Revelation 10:7 and 18:1-4, will separate Christ's Bride from the apostate church, which is nothing more than the world with God's Name.
Let us identify this Elijah through the last Book of the Bible, called the REVELATION OR UNVEILING OF CHRIST, THE WORD. In chapters 2 and 3, Jesus Christ is dictating seven letters to seven Gentile churches in Asia Minor. The conditions portray the whole period of Christ's ministry as Mediator, through the seven dispensations of Grace, or Church Ages, since Pentecost where the faith was pure. These symbols were SEALED from our understanding "until the time of the end" when God promised to reveal the mystery through a prophet, the "angel" or Messenger to the last Church Age.
Each Church Age had its own angel (Revelation 2:1,8,12; 3:1, 7,14.) The word "angel" is Greek for Messenger, not necessarily a supernatural Being—more often a man (Galations 1:8-9; 4:14; Hebrews 13:2; Revelation 22:8-9.) Although Peter had the faith keys which unlocked the kingdom or new birth to the Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles in Pentecost; Paul was the angel to the first or Ephesian Church Age which commenced in about AD 53 and lasted until 170 (Acts 9:15; 19; Romans 11:13; 15:15-16; Galatians 1:11-12; 2:6-8; Ephesians 3:1-8; II Timothy 1:11; Revelations 2:1.) Paul established the Church that was in Ephesus.
Paul set the Church in order and wrote the New Testament. The Gospels are actually four witnesses to the life of Jesus Christ under the OLD TESTAMENT and record many of His prophecies. The Book of Acts testifies how the Holy Spirit acted in the lives of the early saints, and how He'll behave in all who are born again and under preeminence. Although many are not aware of it, Paul was a prophet (Acts 13:1; 20:27; I Corinthians 14:37-38; Galatians 1:8-12; I Thessalonians 2:13.)
According to Revelations 1-3 and Acts 19, the faith once delivered to the Pentecostal saints began to be compromised just twenty years later in the Ephesian Age which "left its first Love"—Christ, the Word. As the voice of "the majority" overcame the Voice of inspiration, spiritual discernment and vigilance against false apostles were in decline. Soon Jewish fables and pagan rites began to pollute the faith. In the Pergamean Age, the Roman Catholic church organized at the First Nicaea Council of 325 and eventually submerged the world in almost a thousand years of Dark Ages. The Protestants made great progress in the attempted reforms to the Roman system of worship, until about the time of World War II, when they began their rapid decline to apostasy.
The Messenger or major apostle to each Age comes at the END of the age. Peter came at the end of the Jewish Dispensation and turned the key, Paul carried the Fire from the end of Pentecost to Ephesus; Irenaeus carried It over to Smyrna and so-on. The last three Ages were the Reformation, whose messengers were Martin Luther, John Wesley, and William Branham. The last came at the end of Laodicea and RESTORED "Light in the evening time."
The whole of the Gentile dispensation is typed by Israel's Pentecostal Feast which commenced on the sixteenth day of Nisan, with the waving of the sheaf of the first fruits of the wheat harvest. The noblest grain, wheat speaks of Christ and His Church, which will be "gathered into the Garner" for the Wedding Supper before the Great Tribulation, when God turns to Israel, then "burns up the chaff with unquenchable Fire" (Matthew 3:12.)
The Pentecostal Feast commenced on the third of seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Leaven which represents the senses and sin, became mixed with pure faith in the Word . . . AFTER the remaining four days of unleavened bread, or the pure faith of Pentecost. We have already traced its course through the Church Ages. Bread, the staff of natural life, types faith in the Word, which brings eternal Life. Jesus called Himself the Bread from heaven which, if a man eat, he will never die (Matthew 4:4; John 6; 12:24.)
The seven Sabbaths or rests through the Pentecostal Feast, represented the Seven Church Ages. Each Church Age was a separate "rest," Sabbath, or "Mercy Seat" for the elected of God. The saints' ONLY entrance to that Rest or new birth, was by "hearing what the angel was saying to the Church in THAT Age," as Jesus admonished at the conclusion of the Message to each Age (Romans 10:17; I John 1:7; Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 36, 13, 22.)
God does not receive a second-hand religion and has no grandchildren; His children are the manifestation of the Word for THEIR AGE. Jesus said "It is ONLY by walking in the revealed Light I am manifesting in YOUR day that you can be under the Blood, or born again" (I John 1:7.)
There were seven distinct and separate Church Ages or Rests and seven major apostles; each brought a separate and distinct Message. By faith in which the saints became written epistles of the Word for their Age. Without the Message for YOUR DAY it is IMPOSSIBLE to be born again. The Messages of Sardis, Philadelphia, or Laodicea produced the new birth IN THEIR DAYS but they will not work today. We must have them, but God said in Isaiah 28 He would build the Body, line upon line, precept upon precept, ADDING Word upon Word as the faith was restored?
He also prophesied the nominal church would "fall BACKWARD, and be broken, and snared and taken." At any of the so-called Holy Ghost meetings today you will see people falling backwards—supposedly "slain in the Spirit." In Bible accounts, with the exception of John 18:6, men ALWAYS FELL ON THEIR FACE in reverence, and were uninjured. "Naked, and wretched, and blind, and miserable—they're apostate AND THEY DON'T KNOW IT." Like Israel, they think they have It all but they've rejected the Word and don't know Laodicea is over and He's without the camp (Revelation 3:14-22.)
ALL Seven Church Ages are over as spiritual moves of God, and there is no salvation in any denominational message today. Like Israel, they're impersonating a genuine move of God which is already fulfilled.
After the seven Sabbaths or Church Ages, "when the Day of Pentecost was fully come," there was an Holy Convocation, A REST JUST LIKE THE FIRST DAY. But the Rest at the BEGINNING came from the unleavened Bread of Christ, the Word. If we are to enter an identical Holy Convocation at the ENDING, the unleavened Perfect Word must be RESTORED. He is Alpha and Omega, the Word at the BEGINNING and the Word at the END, NOT the creeds and partial Word of the Church Ages in between. The angel to the last Church Age was to be a prophet whose ministry finishes "the mystery of God," and RESTORES the faith of the children to the faith of Paul and the Pentecostal fathers. This is the faith by which Christ and His Bride of all Ages will judge the world.
During the Church Ages, when the Book was sealed, Christ was a Mediator on account of the saint's ignorance of the Word. But when Revelations 4 and 5 are fulfilled, Christ takes the Book, opens the Seals and reveals their secret through His prophet, to call a Bride out of every denomination, into the unity of the faith, for the manifestation of the sons of God. ANOTHER SHEAF WAVING—for the resurrection and translation (I Corinthians 13:10; II Thessalonians 2:1; Revelations 10:1-7; 18:4.) Now the Bride has "the true sayings of God," she can't be deceived by creed and denominational leaven (Revelations 19:7-9; 22:10-21.)
The Seventh Age is the last Church Age. It is the Age of apostasy, but also the Age in which Elijah's Message will restore a "little Flock" to perfect understanding of the Word. The man with the spirit of Elijah will also be the angel to the Seventh Church Age. As John the Baptist foreran the Lord's First Coming, his Message will introduce the Second Coming. His Message condemns the perverted religious systems, and calls God's people to repent and return to the Word, or perish with the world (Revelation 3:14-22; 10:1-7; 14:9-11; 18:1-4.) When the Pentecostal Feast or Gentile dispensation ends, God "thoroughly purges His footstool, and gathers the New Testament Wheat Bride into the Garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable Fire" (Matthew 3:12.)
Daniel was told to "Shut up the words, and seal the Book, even to the time of the end"—"But in days of the Voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished as He hath declared to His servants the prophets" (Daniel 12:4; Revelation 10:7.) The vision revealed in symbols to Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah and John will be revealed in our day to the Seventh Church Age messenger—"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret to His servants the prophets (Amos 3:7.)
God always sends a prophet with warning before judgment. Before the Gentile dispensation ends and the Seventh Trumpet Angel calls Israel to the Atonement through the Message of the "two witnesses," the "mystery of God" must be revealed to perfect the Gentile Church. The Bride must be restored to the unity of the Pentecostal faith for the manifestation of the sons of God, glorification of the Church Age saints, and their body change without death (Hebrews, 11:40.) The last "angel" is also the prophet of Malachi 4. Bishop, pope, pastor, evangelist, deacon—no matter who we are, or imagine ourselves to be—unless we receive the Message of God's prophet, there is no way we can be restored to the Word in this day and accounted worthy for the translation. Jesus promised to send a prophet and there is no way one can be born again without receiving his Message—the Word for the hour.
When the last saint predestinated to the Church Age part of the Body has been born again at the end of Laodicea, Christ's ministry of intercession is complete. Next, Revelation four and five are fulfilled. Christ takes the Book or Title Deed to His redeemed, breaks the Seals and reveals the mystery under the symbols to the messenger to Laodicea. He then gathers the threads of revelation, only partially understood through the ages, and by applying the revealed symbols, is able to unlock the mysteries hidden in the Bible through the centuries, and place them in the context of history.
This is crucial to our faith at this time. Once the Church Ages have ended, Christ is no longer a Mediator. Scriptural ignorance is no longer excused for "the mystery of God is finished." The only way into the Body is by perfect faith (I Corinthians 13:10.) Jesus said that unless we are walking in the revealed Word AS He unfolds the revelation, we cannot be born again (I John 1:7.) So if we are relying on our denominational understanding and creeds there is no way we can be born again today: He is no longer interceding for ignorance.
If we can place the history of the past 2,000 years in the Bible, we will know what part of the Word was fulfilled by the saints in each age. We will see the Age of Sardis and recognize Luther's Message of Justification by faith formed that part of the Body represented by the Anglican, Lutheran and Presbyterians of so long ago. John Wesley came along next and ADDED Sanctification: Methodist, Baptist, Nazarine, and Pilgrim Holiness saints were written epistles of this Message forming the Philadelphian Age part of the Body. In Laodicea, God ADDED the restoration of the Gifts and today we still have the Assemblies of God, Elim or Four Square, Church of God, and United Pentecostal churches as memorials of what the saints believed in that Age. According to Revelation 3:20, Laodicea reject their messenger and his Message. This puts God outside the denominational camp; it's time to call His Bride out, and bring judgment on the Christ-rejecting Gentiles. The Seventh Seal brings Christ back to earth. The Message of the Seventh Angel IS the Coming of Christ, for It's the Fullness of the Word.
We must recognize OUR day and it's Message. God is only writing epistles of the Word He is fulfilling NOW, not impersonating an age gone by. How can we be in the rapture if we are STILL trying to fulfill the Commission Christ gave the Church in the BEGINNING? "Go and make disciples in all the world, baptizing them in the Name of the LORD JESUS CHRIST which is the NAME (singular) of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:19.) The days of great revivals and missionary moves are OVER. Christ said the END TIME evangelism and final shout is: "Come out of Babylon and be filled with the Spirit" (Matthew 25:1-13; I Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 18:4.)
Jesus said, "ALL those virgins—wise AND foolish—heard the midnight cry, "trimmed" their revelation, and separated from Babylon and her Protestant daughters. These apostate churches are called denominational harlots because they believe not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness and will be stoned and burned with Fire at the end of the Age." Strong words, you say. Yes! But they're His Words, not mine (Matthew 25:1-13; Revelation 2:21-24; 17:5; 19:20.)
That's the mystery of iniquity working in the children of disobedience. Iniquity is doing what you KNOW to be wrong. After the faith was lost, Christ "winked" at the ignorance of the saints, but to continue following error after Truth had been revealed became iniquity. We must walk in the Light AS Christ reveals It. Organized religion is NOT of God and cannot follow the Spirit, because it's led by man-made statements of `faith' which compromise the Word and limit God to the Light of a previous day. Jesus acknowledged the genuine gifts of the Holy Spirit in their ministry. They spoke with other tongues, raised the dead, healed the sick and prophesied things which actually came to pass. But when they REFUSED further Light, their folly was made manifest: they were NOT children Light but "workers of iniquity" (Matthew; 7:21-23; Ephesians 2:1-2; II Thessalonians 2:7-12; Revelations 22:18-19.)
But what about "the mystery of God?" Christ is the mystery of God revealed in the flesh of one Man—born of a virgin less than two thousand years ago—"the beginning of the creation of God" (Revelation 3:14.) In God's foreknowledge, "crucified before the foundation of the world." His Bride, the Elect or true Church, always "in" Him—was crucified in Him on Calvary. Resurrected in Him, raised up together with Him, and is now seated together in heavenly places "in" Him (Ephesians 2:6.)
The Church is the mystery of Christ revealed in the CONTINUATION of the creation of God—the many membered Body—Jesus Christ, His Brothers and Sisters (Ephesians 1.) When glorified at the first Resurrection, It is ALL God. In the new heavens and new earth, the various groups of "the saved"—the foolish virgin, those who have been good and kind to the Bride, those who don't worship the beast or his image, the Fifth Seal Jews, and so-on—will worship God through Eternity in the Form of His Family: Jesus Christ and the New Testament Church.
The Book of Redemption contains the NAMES of the redeemed. And the Seven Seals reveal HOW they were redeemed, and WHO is written in the Book. If we know what part of the Word was revealed to each Age, then those who manifested it in their Age are the ones whose names are recorded. The messengers to each Age were the men whose ministry matched the pattern God established in Paul's ministry. The keystone of the Bible is the revelation "that God never changes," and His ways are as unchangeable as He is. Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." "I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever, nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before Him. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past" (Ecclesiates 3:14-15.) Here it is: an unchanging God with unchanging ways. What He did at the FIRST He will have to keep on doing until it is done for the LAST time. There will never be a change. Apply that to the Church Ages. The kind of man that God chose for the first Age, and how God manifested in that man's ministry would be the example for all other Ages. What God did in the first Church Age is what He wants to do in all other Ages.
The Bible is the story of God unfolding HIMSELF. Let me repeat that, the Bible is the story of God unfolding HIMSELF from a Spirit alone with His thoughts, through the Word, (and a Word is a thought expressed,) to the manifestation of those thoughts in the glorified Flesh of His Family.
God is perfect, there is no shadow of change in Him and the attributes of His nature and character are perfect. But character is a VICTORY, not a gift. No one is born with character, not even in the new birth. The very character of Jesus was perfected by suffering. And according to Paul, He has left His Church a measure of suffering that they, too, by their faith in God while suffering for Him, would come to a place of perfection. Why did He want this? "My Brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing" (James 1:2-4.)
Why does He stand by? The reason is in Romans 8:17-18, "And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Unless we suffer with Him we cannot reign with Him. You have to suffer to reign. The reason for this is that character simply is never made without suffering. Character is a VICTORY, not a gift. A man without character can't reign because power apart from character is Satanic. But power with character is fit to rule. And since He wants us to share even His throne on the same basis that He overcame and is set down in His Father's throne, then we have to overcome to sit with Him. And the little temporary suffering we go through now is not worthy to be compared to the tremendous glory that will be revealed in us when He comes.
God wants us to develop a Christlike character that comes through suffering. "Think it not strange concerning the fiery trials that are to try you" (I Peter 1:7; 4:12.) We are all tried and chastened as sons. Not one but goes through that. The church that is not suffering, and is not being tried, hasn't got it—it isn't of God. "For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. But if ye be without chastisement, whereof we are all partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons" (Hebrews 12:6.) That is HOW God imparts His character in His children, the New Testament Church as foretold in the first three chapters of Revelation, Matthew twenty four and so-on.
In revealing the "mystery of God"—WHO made up the Body in each Age and HOW they were baptized into the Body or born-again, the work of the Adversary and anti-Christ is also exposed. The Devil seeks to be worshipped as God. Christ is building His "little Flock" by faith in the Word; Satan is building a massive church by Bible learning WITHOUT faith—the mark of the beast (Isaiah 14; II Thessalonians 2:1-7.) One is worshipping God in spirit and truth, the other is worshipping Satan AS God "for to be carnally minded is enmity against God" (Romans 8:7.)
Some of the mysteries revealed by this Elijah are: original sin—the seed of the Serpent and the Seed of God; the separate covenants God established between men and women (Genesis 3:1-21,) the Godhead (I Timothy 3:16,) Redemption (Ruth,) Mystery Babylon and her daughters (Revelation 17,) iniquity (II Thessalonians 2,) and the translation of the living saints (I Corinthians 15:51-54.)
Jesus promised REST unto our souls, "the peace of God which is beyond the understanding of the natural man keeps our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Matthew 11:25-30; Philippians 4:7.) We can only possess this peace through the assurance of faith which forewarns and forearms the saints by a clear understanding of future events which will come to pass in their generation (John 16:13.) The new birth casts out fear (Romans 8:28-39; I John 4:18.) KNOWING THE FUTURE we have no fear but peace, and can prepare ourselves for the challenges of Satan.
Terrible events are about to shake this earth and also the heavens. Great catastrophes of nature—earthquakes, tidal waves and political upheaval. At that SEASON "they shall say, 'Peace and safety;' THEN sudden destruction cometh upon them" but fear not little Flock, you are not in darkness like the worldly church, for I have chosen you and I will show you things that are to come. Just when the Antichrist church is about to accomplish her cowardly plot, the Wheat Bride is gathered into the garner. No longer will the wheat and tares grow side by side. No longer will the tares receive of the blessing of God because of the presence of the wheat for the wheat will be gone, and the wrath of God will be poured out in the Sixth Seal, which will end in the utter destruction of the wicked.
Can you begin to see the NECESSITY of receiving this end time Elijah and His Message? "He that receiveth a prophet in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ shall receive a prophet's reward"—to be a friend of God. And again, "He that receiveth whomsoever I send, receiveth Me" (Matthew 10:4; John 13:20.)
How can we say we love Jesus, then reject a prophet whom Jesus sends? We're standing on shaky ground. Be careful, lest we have a religious spirit like the Pharisees, who believed what God did IN THE PAST, but couldn't accept what God was doing RIGHT BEFORE THEIR EYES! They reviled the blind man whom Jesus had healed, saying, "Thou art his disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not whence he is"—John 9:28-29.
Jesus said of these hypocrites, "For had you believed Moses (by faith) you would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me"—John 5:46. Likewise, if we really believe Jesus, we will believe His end-time Elijah, for Jesus spoke of him. Christ also said to the Pharisees, "You have not the Father's Word abiding in you: for whom He hath sent, Him ye believe not" (John 5:38.) Do not you reject your Message!
Jesus warned us, "As it was in the days of Noah." All who rejected Noah's message perished. To reject God's prophet is to reject God, (Exodus 16:2; I Samuel 8:4-7.) However, most people WILL reject our prophet-messenger. It's always been that way. Few prophets were received by the majority of people in their day (Matthew 5:11-12; Acts 7:51.)
Out of many billions, only seven listened to Noah. The children of IsraeI continually murmured and rebelled against Moses; they rejected Samuel; Elijah was so hated he thought he was the only one left who loved God; the people scoffed at Jeremiah. Jesus said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee . . ." (Matthew 23:34-37.)
All the Scriptures concerning this end time Elijah must be fulfilled, yet simply and humbly, as Isaiah's spectacular prophecy concerning John the Baptist was fulfilled; most will miss it (Isaiah 40:4-5; Matthew 3:1-12.)
But how can we find this true prophet messenger amidst the multitude of false prophets that abound today? Jesus said, "by their fruit you shall know them," NOT the fruit of the Spirit, the teaching promised for the hour (Psalms 1:1-3; Matthew 7:15-20.) Not their gifts and miracles, for many will do signs and wonders in the Name of Jesus Christ, and be workers of iniquity. False prophets will look like the sheep, and be WIDELY ACCEPTED MEN, LIKED, ADMIRED AND WELL SPOKEN OF BY ALL (Matthew 7:22-23; Mark 13:22; Luke 6:26.) False prophets will mislead many because much of what they speak is true, yet they will really be after your money (II Peter 2:1-3.)
False Prophets will make people trust in a lie, speaking comfortable words like, "Be at peace, you'll be in the Rapture, whether your life lines up with the Word or not." False prophets will look and act so close to the real prophet, only the elect will not be deceived (Jeremiah 23:16-17; 28:15; Matthew 24:24.)
But there is one final test. God said, "And if thou say, in thine heart, How shall we know the Word Which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the Name of the LORD, and the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously . . . thou shalt not be afraid of him. "That is how to tell a true prophet, what he speaks in the Name of the Lord comes to pass" (Deuteronomy l8:21-22; Jeremiah 28:9.)
This end time Elijah will have "THUS SAITH THE LORD." When he says "THUS SAITH THE LORD" on doctrine, it will be in perfect accord with scripture. When he says, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, such and such will happen," the thing will come to pass exactly as spoken. If ever it failed to be perfect, he would prove not to be a prophet, for a prophet's words under the Anointing are not his own, they are God's Words and cannot fail (II Peter 1:20-21.)
Concerning John the Baptist Jesus said, "But I say unto you, that Elijah is come already, and they KNEW HIM NOT, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed" (Matthew 17:12-13.) All Israel were looking for Elijah yet he came and went and THEY MlSSED HIM! Would it come as any surprise if the end-time Elijah would come and go . . . and the majority of people miss him too? That ought to make us desperate before God in fervent prayer, for we know the hour is late and our Lord's Coming nigh.
Simply recognizing this prophet messenger won't save anyone; salvation comes only through faith: we must heed his MESSAGE. His MESSAGE restores perfect faith in Jesus Christ the pure Word—free from man-made creed and tradition, philosophy, psychology, program and form.
The Bride of Christ will have the mind of Christ, or She will remain silent (Revelation 22:17a.) For "Christ so loved the Church and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing but that it should be holy and without creed or dogma" (Ephesians 5:25:27.) Through this Elijah's message we will know exactly what does and what does not please our Lord Jesus. We will be restored.
One more thought. John the Baptist prepared a people for the Lord, even as the angel said he would. But did he prepare everyone? Though many heard him, but FEW received his MESSAGE by faith and were prepared for the Lord. Likewise this end time Elijah will "restore all things" but not all people. FEW will heed his MESSAGE, come into the fullness of Christ, and be ready for the translation. FEW? "Strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto Life, and FEW there be that find It." Though many are called, FEW are chosen (Matthew 7:13-14; 20:16; 22:14; Luke 13:23-24; l Corinthians 9:24.)
Of the billions on earth in the days of Noah, only ONE (1) man was taken—Enoch; Noah typed the foolish virgin who go into the tribulation, of eight souls saved by water, three were later lost. In the days of Lot, Abraham and Sarah typed the Bride; Lot and his family the foolish virgin, and one of them was lost. Jesus instructed us these typed the days when the son of Man would be revealed before the end of the Gentile dispensation (Luke 17:26-30.) Paul said the two and a half million delivered out of Egypt in the exodus, type the New Testament Church—ALL were justified and sanctified but the vast majority were ultimately LOST, only two entered the promised land which symbolized the new birth.
After the translation "there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation" (Daniel 12:1.) "For, behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven: and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD" (Malachi 4:1.)
"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and so stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:36; I Peter 4:7.) For what if you should miss that prophet? Or worse, what if you should find him and reject him because his teaching is contrary to what you have been taught as truth, like the Pharisees rejected John the Baptist? (Matthew 17:12-13; 21-23-25). What if he has already come and gone?
"Beware therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the prophets; Behold, you despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you" (Acts 13:40-41.) In other words, we must be careful lest we be so high-minded and set in our ways, we can't receive the prophet and his Message when it is presented (Romans 11:20-21.)
If the rapture should take place at this particular moment, ignorance would be no court of appeal from the judgment of God. It is a serious hour, and this is no trifling subject. Bible Believers should heed the example of those in Thessolonica and receive the Word with all readiness of mind, then search the Scripture daily, whether those things are so" (Acts 17:10-11; I Thessalonians 5:17-21.)
Jesus said, the generation that witnessed the restoration of Israel would not pass away until "the sign of His parousia Coming, and of the end of the age," are fulfilled, so "Look up for the first resurrection draweth nigh" (Matthew 24; Luke 21.)
God Bless you, Brethren. I've given you much to pray about and confirm in your Bibles. But it's worth it all just to be His child, and to feel the strength coming into your soul as He makes the revelation plain. When you have "the faith," pass It on. bb920219.htm
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