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Saturday, November 24, 2012

there is some thing wrong with islam

how can people want to kill the whole world just so they is no life left but god oh sorry only they god allah why dont they learn that what they are doing is evil only evil will tell you to kill every one in the world god jesus would never tell any one to go out and kill the whole world just to bring about the end of the world

sorry you are filled with evil wake up ask jesus to help you for you wont go to heaven killing children women or men you will be judged for your sin wake up you are worshipping satan only the love of jesus  can save you come at me see i am one with god jesus is my lord  hurt me is like doing it on to god and he will make you pay for that

keep playing with israel see god come down and he will destore the nations that rise up against israel watch what god you  stand with jesus says if it didnt come at that time they will be no flesh left alive

Elijah, Enoch, and Moses


The Bible says that "Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven" (2 Kings 2:11), "Enoch was translated that he should not see death" (Hebrews 11:5), and "God took him" (Genesis 5:24), and Moses appeared in the transfiguration with Jesus (Matthew 17:3). Do these scriptures prove that the three were in heaven (the throne of God) before Jesus was sent to Earth in the flesh?
John 3:13, "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven."
These words were spoken by Jesus himself at a time when only Christ had seen God (John 1:18). And how did He know that no man had ascended up to heaven...the throne of God? Because he came from there! Therefore, what heaven did Elijah go to? What about Enoch and Moses?


Elijah

Elijah was taken up by a whirlwind "into heaven" (2 Kings 2:1) by "a chariot of fire, and horses of fire" (verse 11). Yet, over nine hundred years after this event, Jesus Himself said "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven" (John 3:13). Is this a bible contradiction? Did Elijah really ascend to heaven where God's throne is, even though Jesus said he didn't? If Elijah did not go to heaven, then where did he go?

Three Heavens

The Scripture mentions three heavens (2 Corinthians 12:2), not just one!
The first heaven is earth's atmosphere where birds fly (Genesis 1:20, Jeremiah 4:25; 34:20, Lamentations 4:19, Zephaniah 1:3). One of the Hebrew words for 'heaven' is shamayim. This same word is translated as 'sky' in the Scripture, as can be seen by comparing Genesis 7:3, "fowls also of the air," with Genesis 7:23, "fowl of the heaven." The word 'sky' and 'heaven' are used interchangeably from the same Hebrew word (Psalm 8:8). So the first heaven is synonymous with 'heights' or 'elevations.'

Here are other examples to illustrate the first heaven. Exodus 19:20 says the Lord was on top of Mount Sinai when he called Moses up there, and God describes Mount Sinai as 'heaven' (Exodus 20:22, Deuteronomy 4:36). Here, everything above the ground is called 'heaven'.
Another example of the first heaven is in Amos 9:1-3, where God states that at the time of this judgment, nobody will be able to flee away (verse 1), even "though they climb up to heaven" (verse 2). This "heaven" is defined in the next verse, verse 3, as climbing to the top of Mount Carmel.

Another example is where the Scripture speaks of the "dew of heaven" (Genesis 27:28,39, Deuteronomy 33:28, Daniel 4:15-33; 5:21). The first heaven, from which dew comes, means the atmosphere, where the clouds and the wind roam. Therefore, everything above the ground is called 'heaven."

Another Hebrew word for the first heaven is 'shachaq.' This same word for heaven (Psalm 89:6,37) is also translated as 'sky' or 'skies' (Deuteronomy 33:26; Job 37:18; Psalm 18:11), and as 'clouds' (Job 35:5; 36:28; Psalm 36:5; 68:34, Pro. 3:20; 8:28).

The second heaven is outer space where the planets and stars exist (Genesis 1:14-17; 15:5; 22:17; 26:4, Deuteronomy 1:10; 17:3; Psalm 8:3, Jeremiah 8:2; Matthew 24:29). Usually the term "host of heaven" or "firmament of the heaven" is used to describe this second heaven.

The third heaven is literally called "the third heaven" in 2 Corinthians 12:2. This third heaven is what Christ calls his "Father's house" (John 14:2), and both Christ and the Apostle Paul calls it "paradise" (Luke 23:43, 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, Revelation 2:7). This is where God and the heavenly sanctuary exist (1 Peter 3:22). This third heaven is also known as the "heaven of heavens" (Deuteronomy 10:14; 1 Kings 8:27, 2 Chronicles 2:6; 6:18, Nehemiah 9:6, Psalms 148:4), "The heavenly Jerusalem" (Galatians 4: 26; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 3:12), the "kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 25:1, James 2:5), the "eternal kingdom" (2 Peter 1:11), the "eternal inheritance" (1 Peter. 1:4, Hebrews 9:15), and the "better country" (Hebrews 11:14,16). The fact that there are more than one 'heaven' can be shown by Psalm 115:16, "The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD'S." There are obviously two different 'heavens' being addressed in this one verse.

Since Elijah could not have gone to the heaven of God's throne, then to which heaven did he go? He was not taken to God's heavenly throne (as some imagine). He was actually taken into this earth's atmosphere, the first heaven. There could be no whirlwind in any other place but in the atmosphere surrounding this earth.

Why Taken Up?

What was the reason for this unusual act of God? Why did he take Elijah up into the atmosphere? Was it to make him immortal? No! The Scripture says no word about that! In Hebrews 11:13,39, we read about the prophets who lived by faith and died without receiving the promises. So Elijah was not to be made Immortal, for that would give him pre-eminence above Jesus. But what does the Scripture reveal as the reason for this removal? 2 Kings 2:3 and 5 has the answer.

Notice what the sons of the prophets said to Elisha: "Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day?" (Kings 2:3). Elijah was the leader of the sons of the prophets in that day. God had sent Elijah as His prophet to wicked king Ahab and to his son Ahaziah. Now God wanted Elisha to direct His work, as Ahaziah the king had died and a new king was ruling. So what did God do?

He could not allow Elijah to be among the people with Elisha directing the work now. That would have been the same as disqualifying him. God never takes an office from a man when that man has been performing his duty well. The only thing God could do would have been to remove Elijah so that another would fulfill the office. This God did do. When he was taken up, Elijah's mantle dropped from him and Elisha picked it up (2 Kings 2:12-15). And what did the mantle mean? In Clarke's Commentary we note that it was "worn by prophets and priests as the simple insignia of their office" (Vol.2, p.484).

The purpose of God in removing Elijah was to replace him with another man who would occupy Elijah's office in Israel for another fifty years. This work had to start under a new king, for Ahaziah had just died, and Elijah was already aging. So, as not to disqualify Elijah in the sight of the people, God took him away allowing the mantle which signified the office of Elijah to drop into the hands of Elisha. Thus, God preserves the name and office of His prophet.

Where did Elijah go?

This has been the perplexing problem to so many. He did not ascend to the throne of God, because Jesus said so! Also, notice in 2 Kings 3 and 5 that the sons of the prophets knew Elijah would be taken away by God in advance. They believed that Elijah was going to be taken to another location, which is why they were fearful that the Spirit of God might have dropped him "upon some mountain, or into some valley" (2 Kings 2:16). Elisha knew that God would preserve Elijah from falling, but at their insistence he permitted men to go in search for him, to no avail. And God did not say that Elijah was to die at that time. If he were, Elisha could have assumed his new office without the removal of Elijah, for we know that Elisha died in office after fulfilling his duty (2 Kings 13:14).

The new king of Israel was another son of Ahab, Jehoram, or Joram as he is sometimes called. The beginning of his reign marked the year of his removal of Elijah (2 Kings 1:18 and 3:1). During this king's reign, Elisha was the recognized prophet of God (2 Kings 3:11). In the fifth year of Joram king of Israel, the son of the king of Judah began to reign along with his father in Judah (2 Kings 8:16). His name also was Jehoram. The first thing he did to establish his kingdom rule was to put his relatives to the sword lest they should claim the throne from him (2 Chronicles 21:4). For nearly six years he followed the ways of the nations about him and did evil in the sight of God.

Almost ten years had now expired since Elijah was taken from the people. After this wicked rule by the Jewish king, God chose Elijah to write a letter and have it sent to the king! The contents of the letter are found in 2 Chronicles 21:12-15. From the wording of this letter, it is clear that Elijah wrote it after these events had occurred, for he speaks of them as past events, and of the diseases as future, Two years after the king became diseased the king died, having reigned only eight short years (2 Chronicles 21:18-20).

This proves that the letter was written about ten years after Elijah had been taken to another location by the whirlwind. God used Elijah to convey the message because he was the prophet of God in the days of the present king's father, and the son was not going in the ways of his obedient father, Jehosophat. This letter proves that he was alive someplace else. The Bible does not reveal how much longer Elijah lived after writing the letter, but it does say that it is appointed for all men to die once (Romans 5:12,14, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, Hebrews 9:27).

A similar incident to Elijah's took place in Acts 8:39,40. Phillip was caught up into the first heaven, as Elijah was, and was transported to another location approximately 30 miles away. Another similar incident happened to Ezekiel, in which the spirit took him away (Ezekiel 3:12). The spirit lifted him up "between the earth and the heaven" and brought him "to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate" (Ezekiel 8:3). Afterwards, the spirit took him up to Chaldea (Ezekiel 11:24).

Elijah may not have been found because he was transported further away than the fifty men searched (2 Kings 2:17). And, as far as being taken into heaven where God's throne is, we can know that neither Elijah nor Enoch nor Moses were taken into God's heavenly abode, because Jesus said, while he was on this earth, that "no man hath ascendeth to heaven" (John 3:13), and "No man hath seen God at any time" (John 1:18).


Enoch

Some people believe that Enoch did not die but was taken directly to heaven where God is. But, Enoch eventually died, as all humans die. How can we know? The apostle Paul mentioned the circumstances associated with Enoch in Hebrews 11:5, along with other men of faith, and then stated: "These all died in faith, not having received the promises" (Hebrews 11:13). Yes, Enoch died, and he did not receive the promise of heaven (verse 16) at the time the book of Hebrews was written.

Based on Hebrews 11:5,13 and Jesus’ statement in John.3:13, "no man hath ascended up to heaven", how are we to understand the account of Enoch? Genesis 5:21-24 says that Enoch's days, alive on Earth, ended at 365 years old. The question is, did he die, was he taken to heaven alive, or was he transported to another location on Earth?
Let us examine the bold phrase in Genesis 5:24, where it says, "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him" and compare the same Hebrew phrase in:

Psalms 37:36, "Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found." Psalms 39:13, "O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more."
The Hebrew for the phrases in bold are the same Hebrew as Genesis 5:24. As in the Psalms, the phrase means the person "passed away" or would eventually die. Let’s look at the same phrase in the book of Genesis:

Genesis 42:13, "And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not." This was spoken by his brothers of Joseph. What’d they mean by "is not"?
Genesis 44:20, "And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him." Here, the brothers recount their previous discussion about Joseph with Pharaoh. When they first said, "and one is not," they meant Joseph "is dead."

Matthew 2:18, "In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not." Where were Rachel's children? Dead.

Hebrews 11:5, "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him:" Does the phrase that says Enoch "should not see death" mean Enoch never died? Hebrews 11:13, "These all died [including Enoch] in faith." But not only that, verse 13 goes on to say that they did not receive the promises. One of the promises was a heavenly country (verse 16). If Enoch were in heaven, wouldn't he have received that promise?

Psalms 89:48, "What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah." Why would this Psalmist ask such a question concerning physical death if he believed Enoch did not see a physical death? The fact is, the Psalmist believed Enoch was in the grave and therefore asked this question.
So what does the phrase "should not see death" mean? Notice it is not in the present tense, that he "did not see" death, but that he "should not see death." John 8:51, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death" [see also John 11:26]. This phrase must mean "the second death," since all the Apostles kept Jesus’ sayings and yet died the first death.

Based on Hebrews 9:27, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" and Hebrews 11:13, "These all died in faith, not having received the promises," we must conclude that Enoch died the first death. To believe Enoch did not die is to deny the plain word of many other scriptures as well. For example, Romans 5:12, "...so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" and Romans 5:14, "...death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned." Are we to believe that Enoch did not sin? Are we to believe that a man who was not yet cleansed of sin by the blood of Jesus could enter heaven and dwell in God's presence?

Enoch’s translation

But what about his translation in Hebrews 11:5? Does that mean he didn’t die? That’s what most people carelessly assume without proof. The Bible does not say that Enoch went to heaven when he was translated. Instead, it says he "was not found." According to Strong's, Thayer's and Bullinger's Greek Lexicons, "translate" means "to put or place in another place, to transport, to transfer." Nowhere in the Scripture does ‘translate’ mean to make immortal!

The same Greek word is rendered "carried over" in Acts 7:16 where Jacob's body was ‘translated’ or ‘transported’ to Sychem, where he was buried! The Scriptures say Jacob was translated to the place of burial! God took Enoch and buried him somewhere so as not to be found, just as he did with the body of Moses in Deuteronomy 34:6. No man knows where Moses' or Enoch’s grave is. God hid them for reasons known only to Him.

Notice another proof that ‘translate’ does not mean to make immortal. Paul wrote that the Father "hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Colossians 1:13). The apostle Paul says that he was already translated, even though he was still physically alive! Although he was once part of the darkness of this world, he was translated, removed from darkness, into the light of the kingdom of God while he was physically alive!

At the age of 65, Enoch had a son named Methuselah. But how long did Enoch walk with God?

Genesis 5:22, "And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters."
So, Enoch followed God’s ways for three hundred years. Notice that the Scripture does not record that Enoch is still walking with God. It says that Enoch WALKED with God for three hundred years, and not one year more. Why? Because "all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years" (Genesis 5:23). Paul says, in Colossians 1:10, "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord." Enoch walked with God and pleased God. This is what Genesis 5:22,24 means when it says "Enoch walked with God."

1 Corinthians 15:20-23 says that all die and all shall be resurrected, but Messiah must be first in the order. Enoch could not possibly have preceded him, especially if he were still flesh and blood as it says in verses 49-52.


The Transfiguration

The only remaining texts that puzzle people are those relative to the appearances of Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus (Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-10, Luke 9:28-36). After the Transfiguration, Jesus said, while leaving the mountain, "Tell the vision to no man" (Matthew 17:9). Jesus calls the transfiguration a vision! A vision is not a material reality, but a supernatural picture observed by the eyes. The same Greek word for "vision" was used of Peter's vision of the unclean beasts being made clean (Acts 10:3,17,19; 11:5). They were not real but a supernatural picture. In the case of the transfiguration it was a prophetic vision which would take place in the future. Peter, James and John saw the Son of Man glorified in the Kingdom through a prophetic vision. Here are other examples:

Acts 16:9, "And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us." This also is something that was to happen in the future.
Acts 18:9-10, "Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city." Jesus is telling Paul that, in the near future, no man shall hurt him.
Visions should not be interpreted as literal. For example, look at Genesis 37:5-10. When Joseph dreamed that his "sheaf arose, and stood upright," and his brother’s sheaves bowed down to Joseph’s sheaf (verse 7), Or when Joseph dreamed that "the sun and the moon and the eleven stars" bowed down to Joseph (verse 9), is this literal? No. This was a prophetic vision of something that was to occur in the future; when Joseph’s mother, father, and brothers would bow down to him as King.

Both Moses and Elijah were still in their graves, but in vision both they and Jesus were seen in glory of the resurrection, and event to which Moses and Elijah have not yet attained at that time (Hebrews 11:39). The vision was granted the disciples after Jesus had spoken of the glory of immortality in the coming Kingdom.


Moses

There cannot be any doubt that Moses died and was buried (Deuteronomy 34:5-6). Therefore, for him to have been in heaven while Jesus was still in the flesh, Moses had to be resurrected from the dead, receive eternal life, and "put on immortality" (1 Corinthians 15:53). But the Bible is clear that Jesus had to be the first one to be resurrected to eternal life. 1 Corinthians 15:20, "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept."

The Apostle Paul said Jesus had to be "the firstborn from the dead" and "have the preeminence" (Colossians 1:18). If anyone preceded Jesus, then he wasn't the firstborn from the dead. Since some people believe Enoch and Elijah did not die, but that Moses did die, then that would mean Moses had the preeminence over Jesus. Therefore, since Jesus had to be the first to be resurrected unto eternal life and the first to ascend into heaven and stand before God, Moses could not possibly have been in heaven while Jesus was on earth

Hebrews 11:23-28 talks about Moses living by faith. Now read verses 39-40, which say that Moses did not receive the promise of a resurrection unto eternal life and perfection. This should settle any disputes to the contrary. What about Michael and Satan disputing about Moses' body? Jude 9 does not say Michael won the dispute and then took Moses to heaven. Since there is no mention of heaven here, nor in the entire book of Jude, we should not assume he was taken there.


Your Questions Answered
  1. "It is obvious Elijah's going to Heaven was viewed as his death because the other prophets said the spirit of Elijah now rested on Elisha (2 Kings 2:15)." Answer: This refers to how the Spirit of prophecy was given to Elisha as it was previously given to Elijah.
  2. "It is obvious Elijah's going to Heaven was viewed as his death because Elisha rent his clothes (2 Kings 2:12)." Answer: Elisha rent his clothes as a sign of sorrow for having lost so good and glorious a master. Renting ones clothes is a sign of sorrow, which may include the death of someone. But it does not always mean a death is involved when one rents his clothes (Genesis 44:10-13, Leviticus 13:44-46, Judges 11:34-35, 1 Kings 21:25-29, 2 Kings 5:7-8; 18:37; 19:1; 22:11,19-20; Matthew 26:65, Acts 14:14; 16:22).


Choose
by: Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong
(Transcribed from audio tape)
 
Herbert W. Armstrong brings you the PLAIN TRUTH about today's world news and the prophecies of the
WORLD TOMORROW!
And greetings friends, this is Herbert W. Armstrong; with the GOOD NEWS of THE WORLD TOMORROW!
Your Bible does foretell World War III! Yes definitely, but it does not contain any prophecy of such a war now, in the immediate future between our Western world and Russia. Let me repeat that again—Bible prophecy does not contain any prophecy of any immediate war now between the United States and the Western world and Russia—it DOES contain a prophecy of another war that we're going to get into first and one that is going to come from the least expected quarters.
World trouble IS prophesied. Yes, the most colossal, the most catastrophic world trouble in the World War III which is coming that this world has ever lived through. World war and world trouble so cataclysmic, that unless God Almighty intervenes to stop it, all human life would be blasted off this planet.
The worlds greatest scientists tell us that. Jesus Christ told us that nineteen hundred years ago, and when He foretold this very time of trouble, into which we are now emerging, He said, "that unless those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be left alive… no human life left alive on this earth, but He said, for the elect sake those days shall be shortened." God Almighty will intervene, God will stop it. God will save us from ourselves. God will intervene and let me tell you my friends, the biggest news ever recorded in history or in future history—which is prophecy—IS the news, the GOOD NEWS of the WORLD TOMORROW. That's the purpose of this program, to bring to you that GOOD NEWS.
I wonder if you realize that was the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came from God, bearing a message from God Almighty to man. Men rejected Jesus Christ they crucified Him. But He did have His own followers, He did leave His disciples who became apostles. They did go about preaching the name of Jesus Christ and preaching His message. And there were converts and people by the hundreds, and the hundreds and even by the thousands were added to the church who believed that gospel and who believed ON Jesus Christ, but after one or two generations, ( I wonder if you know the history of what happened ), then they began to reject that message. But they did continue to accept the man and to accept His name, but gradually they even began to believe in a different Jesus Christ, that is, they represented Christ as a different kind of a man than He really was. They twisted His message. His message finally became buried under a rubbish heap of pagan superstition and tradition!
And so my friends, why is it when I come today with, the "good news" of the World Tomorrow—the Kingdom of God—which is the good news of coming world peace, the good news of prosperity for everybody, the good news of happiness in the human heart, the good news of joy, just radiating...from every human being. Everything that we want we're going to have it, and when I bring you that good news, people are absolutely stunned and they listen with absolute open astonishment.
Why? Because you haven't hear it. Just as the people were astonished at Jesus' doctrine when He came preaching it nineteen hundred years ago. Now Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of God and people were astonished at that doctrine.
I come preaching the Kingdom of God today, because Jesus Christ prophesied that even though men would reject that gospel and He said it is necessary to understand and BELIEVE that Gospel in order to be saved. And yet, even though every prophesy foretold apostasy—turning away from the truth—embracing fables, of the people who would have itching ears, that would assemble to themselves teachers that would say; "don't preach the truth, but preach soft and smooth things, preach deceits." People that would be turned to fables, people that would fall away from the truth; a GREAT falling away would come. That, my friends, is PROPHESY.
And yet Jesus foretold that even down in these last days, just before the end, when his apostles, that is, they were still disciples—students or learners—at that time and they came to Jesus privately, as you find recorded in Matthew 24, and they asked Him...when are these things you've been talking about going to happen? What will be the sign of your coming (the second coming of Christ) back to earth, because He had told them He was going to heaven, but He told them if He went He'd come again. And they said, what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the WORLD, that is the end of this age—the end of this SYSTEM that has been built up—this society by mankind… contrary to the laws and the revealed ways of God. The end of this way—the end of this world—this age, this time, not the end of the earth’s existence at all. When will these things be, when will, this end, this age, this time, this civilization come?
And Jesus Christ said, that there would first be many deceiving the many, and they would come in His name—proclaiming His name was Christ—they would come in His name; that means they would claim to be even Christian. And they would use His name, but the world would become deceived. And then He said, that getting down right at the very time of the end, He said, this gospel of the Kingdom, the same gospel He preached the Kingdom of God—shall be preached—and in Mark's version He said, "published"— into ALL the world as a witness to ALL nations and THEN, He said, the end would come.
Now, just before the end of the age then, this same gospel that Jesus preached—the gospel of the Kingdom of God—the gospel of the time when God intervenes, to save us from ourselves, when He cuts short these times that men with their terrible destructive weapons are bringing on themselves that God will intervene, and God will give us a government of peace.
Just before that time of the end of this world and the beginning of the happy, joyful, world tomorrow, this same "good news" about that Kingdom is going to be proclaimed in ALL THE WORLD as a witness unto ALL nations.
My friends, that prophecy is being fulfilled this moment in your ears, this program is now going around the world. It has not yet gone into all nations, it soon will. And the GOOD NEWS, of the Kingdom of God, is being heard, and so now you can hear this program and this good news of the coming wonderful time for all of us and you can hear it my friends, we're getting very close to the end and we need to know what is this gospel that Jesus preached, what IS the gospel of the Kingdom of God.
The word Gospel means; GOOD NEWS and it's good news of God's coming Kingdom. Well, a Kingdom is a government, and so it is the government of God, not government of and by man, it is government from God over man. The government of God. You know my friends that, that is what you find in the first chapter of Genesis. Do you know you find that all the way through your Bible clear to the very last chapter of Revelation? You find the government of God, that is the message of God. And that is the message that Jesus Christ brought. The rulership of God. The sovereignty of God Almighty. That IS the message my friends, that every prophet God ever sent carried to mankind. And that is the one message that mankind is bent on rejecting.
I wonder if you know that the reason they stoned the prophets of old is because they brought the message of the government of God. CRYING OUT TO MEN, to surrender their own ways, their HUMAN IDEAS and HUMAN WAYS and to return to the ways and to the laws of God Almighty. It seems that the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be. But on the other hand, there is a way that seemth right unto a man, the end thereof are the ways of death. I've quoted some scriptures there, one from back in Ezekiel's prophecy, and the other from the eighth chapter of Romans, if you know where these are in your Bible. Now the Kingdom of God is government of God, but it is more than mere government, it involves more than that, because after all a government in its main sense, (in the sense in which Jesus preached it) is actually a Kingdom; a nation. And in this case it is a family grown so great that it comes into a nation. Now all the way through there is a family relationship mentioned throughout all the preaching of the Kingdom of God. In all the preaching of Jesus, in the preaching of the apostles, in the preaching of the apostle Paul. And you don't have the Kingdom of God, and it's necessary to believe it to be saved and you don't have it unless you know the four things that constitute a Kingdom.
You need to know how to enter that Kingdom, because as we were seeing in the preceding program yesterday, the Kingdom of God is something that is to be seen, but flesh and blood can't see it. A mortal human eye can never see it. The Kingdom of God is something that we can enter into. But no flesh and blood mortal that is born of the flesh can enter into it, you must be BORN AGAIN before you can get into it. This time BORN of God. You've been born of man and you are man. Now you must be born of God. You must be born of the SPIRIT, and when you're born of THE SPIRIT you'll be spirit, when you're born of man you're man, you're mortal, and you're flesh, you're not spirit. Man is flesh, but God is a spirit. And now you must be born of the spirit. And the apostle Paul said, it is something that we are to inherit, but he said, flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. Therefore I say to you my friends, on the authority of Jesus Christ, that while mankind is so mixed up as to what the Kingdom of God is today and I outline so many of the different things that people think the Kingdom of God is in the preceding program.
Some people think the Kingdom of God is actually one of the worlds empires today. Some people think the Kingdom of God is something in you, in your heart, just something set up in our hearts, yes nice wishful thinking and altruistic thoughts and some nice plateaus and things of that sort, and that's all right as far as it goes. And I want to tell you so far as that is concerned all of the right things embodied therein will have to be set up in your heart before YOU can enter into or inherent the Kingdom of God.
But some people think than that the Kingdom of God is a condition that will obtain on earth if and when the church—and by the church we mean of course, all the various kinds of churches and denomination and branches and segments and divisions and all that sort of thing—when they can bring about a condition on earth of what we regard in human eyes as being a condition of perfection and a sort of utopia, than that will be the Kingdom of God, some think. Well that's all material, that's something you can see.
No, the Kingdom of God, is something that mortal human eyes can't see. It's something that flesh and blood can never entered into, it's something that flesh and blood cannot inherent, you have to be MADE of the spirit until you ARE spirit, actually born of God...now when I speak about being born of God... that has something to do with salvation, hasn't it. That has something to do with grace, yes but, we have to understand it. And I want to tell you that there is nothing so misunderstood today.
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continuing with Mr. Armstrong:
Well...the Kingdom has to occupy a definite territory...because the Kingdom is ruled over by a King with laws and government. And any King's jurisdiction extends only as far as his territory extends. And pass the boundary line of that territory he has no authority, no jurisdiction. So you’ll have to know where IS the Kingdom going to be. Is it going to be on earth or up in heaven.
Who is the King of the Kingdom, well that's rather generally known. But what about the government? That's the thing that mankind seems to want to do away with, they DON'T want any of the laws of God, and they try to deceive themselves into believing that... Jesus did away with His Father's laws... or His Father's government. Oh...my friends, He said, "think not that I come to destroy the law or the prophets" He didn't come to destroy but to fulfill and he set us an example that we should follow His steps and James says, we have to FULFILL the law even as Jesus fulfill it...and if...we don't we commit sin. God is the sovereign ruler of this world, and God Himself has ruled; that we be made free moral agents and that we MUST choose. GOD, IS FORCING YOU, EVERY ONE OF YOU LISTENING TO MY VOICE ,TO CHOOSE; right or wrong, life or death. Obedience to God or disobedience and DEATH.!!
Let me read it to you it's back here in the very thirtieth chapter of Deuteronomy...oh yes...it was one of the very first books written in your Bible, by the very first man inspired to write some of the Bible; Moses. And here it is, God says in verse 15 Deuteronomy 30, see, I have set before thee this day life and good, death and evil in that I COMMAND thee, THERE is the great sovereign ruler commanding; God is giving the orders! God isn't leaving it to man to do as he pleases! God is giving the orders and God says in that I COMMAND THEE THIS DAY, to love the Eternal thy God; to walk in His ways, His commandments. Yes but, He allows us to do something. What does He allow us to do?...to disobey. But my friends, He forces you to choose; whether you will OBEY His COMMAND and love GOD and obey His commandments as He says here, I COMMAND thee this day to love the Eternal thy God to walk in His ways—which certainly are not the ways of human beings, and not the ways of this world as it is set up today—and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments that thou mayest live and multiply. Why does He wants us to obey Him? Is He a God like Herbert Spencer dreamed up? A egotistical God that wants us to flatter Him and please His vanity or else He's going to become angry like... the lowest of humanity...and huh, vent His temper on us and His anger and His hatred for us try to destroy us...OHhhh no, my friends, God wants us to obey Him and love Him because, my friends, when we do we're happy.
Because it goes well with us, because its an inexorable law and it works just like the laws of gravity, the laws of physics, the laws of chemistry. He said, I command thee to love God to walk in His ways, keep His commandments His statutes. Why?...that thou mayest live and multiply, and the Eternal thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it, but...He says, but, if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away...now if you turn away...that means He does allow us to do that, and He has made us chose. You know my friends...some people don't believe there is any real devil...well I will say this... regardless of what you believe about that, of course what you believe doesn't affect the truth. But nevertheless, I will tell you this; there is no devil with enough power to force you to either obey are disobey God.
I will tell you that there is no preacher that has power, there is no church on this earth that has the POWER to FORCE YOU to either to be saved or lost! There is no power, no organization; no man no devil. And there is no myriad of demons with enough power to force YOU to decide the wrong way or the right way. They cannot force you to obey God. God will not, and no power can, they can not force you to disobey. You yourself are a free moral agent and God has made you so! God has endowed you with free moral agency, Oh yes, God is the ruler, God is the one who is calling the tune...God is the one who has set it so and you're powerless to change it. The devil is powerless to change it, ALL the demons, and ALL the angels are powerless to change it. Every church and every power, and every pressure group and every organization of man and every preacher on the earth is POWERLESS to change it! God is the sovereign ruler.
Now, there are laws, you're going to have to choose every one of you. Now, if you neglect so great salvation, as God has offered you, you are choosing, you are choosing the wrong way and you are sentencing yourself to death!...the penalty of sin. YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE LIFE...and do it of your own will, voluntarily. Your own volition, your own FREE WILL, or you can never have salvation. No one can talk you into it, no salesman, no preacher... I don't care how much he loves you, or how much he desires to see you saved, he can't do it. You know long ago I learned that, and I've quit trying to talk people into it, I just preached the truth. I want to tell you, my friends, your whole relationship with God is a private personal relationship between you and God!! Now, I do not say for a minute that we are not influenced by circumstances, I fully understand that God can bring about circumstances that will bring us to a place where we look on things differently and where perhaps we're going to choose the right way and be willing to do it, but still God doesn't force you. No, He's going to force you one way and that's all and that is to make your own decision?.
Now,...God says in verse nineteen?...well, let's go back to verse seventeen just a moment first, but if thine heart turn away so that thou wilt not hear—you see God allows us to turn away, He allows us to rebel, when He says, "IF",—if He was forcing us to be saved, if He was forcing us to obey Him—He couldn't say, " if " you do the other, so that wilt not hear but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely PERISH!
THERE IT IS. You are going to decide what is the outcome of YOUR life and your destiny. Are you going to inherit eternal life as God's gift? Or are you going to perish? Are you going to die: the wages of sin is death, it isn't eternal life, the wages of sin is death!
Now God says again in verse nineteen: I CALL HEAVEN AND EARTH TO RECORD THIS DAY AGAINST YOU, THAT I, GOD ALMIGHTY, THE RULER, HAVE SET BEFORE YOU LIFE AND DEATH, BLESSING AND CURSING, THEREFORE CHOOSE...God says, we have to choose and that's an order. And God's going to make you choose, and even if you try not to choose and neglect, you are choosing automatically. You're choosing DEATH, you’re choosing to PERISH. You're choosing the penalty. But you can choose life, it's up to you.
Now, God is the great ruler; He said here, I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore CHOOSE life. What does He want us to choose.. life. He even commands you to choose life, but He allows you to disobey. Now, He forces you to choose, He allows you to disobey. I think we better get these words between what God forces and what He allows straighten out—I really had to get it straighten out in my own mind here a little bit, and I want to make it plain to all of you listening in.
Now He wants you to choose life that thou and thy seed may live: that thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest OBEY his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life. Ohhh, I tell you that's wonderful when you come to see it. You know I'm glad that God has made us, free moral agents, and that God has decreed, with his SOVEREIGN rulership, that we have to make the decision. God will not make it for you, you must make it for yourself.
Now the Kingdom of God is a family, if you choose life my friends, you'll first be begotten of God and later your going to be born of God. And it is THOSE that are BORN of God that become His family SO great that...at first it's going to fill the land of Palestine, now the territory is given in your Bible. And the boundary limits at first going to be from the Euphrates River on over to the Nile river in Africa and in the land of Palestine but it's going to expand from there— because the Kingdom of God as Jesus said, is like the grain of mustard seed it starts out very small, the smallest of all, actually the Kingdom of God has started out with one man, the first born of many brethren. The first begotten, the first BORN of the dead, Jesus Christ. Oh, one man the smallest you can start with. And, its going to expand from the territory I just outlined, because if we're Christ’s, we're Abraham's children and heirs according to the promise and the promise given to Abraham was that exact territory and boundary line, but other prophesies show its going to expand from there. It's going to grow until it fills the WHOLE EARTH! That's going to be the territory. And nowhere in your Bible does it say the territory will be heaven, it says it will be this earth. Now that's one thing you have to know, if you're going to believe the Kingdom of God—and you have to believe that good news in order to be saved.
Oh there's so much we need to know. Now I’ve shown you that the apostle Paul said, if you preach any other gospel than that, that he preached you're under a curse and it's a double curse. What gospel did Paul preach, did he say anything about grace? People say today, well, you preach the gospel of the Kingdom—the Kingdom of God-what about the gospel of grace? Well listen my friends, grace is not a gospel in itself, it's part of the good news of the Kingdom of God. It's only through grace you can ever enter into that Kingdom. You know; it includes grace, grace is included, that's part of it. What about salvation? Well, what is grace, it leads to salvation doesn't it? When you learn what salvation is, actually salvation is YOUR being BORN INTO the Kingdom of God. That's what it is, and you have to know what the Kingdom is to understand salvation. Why certainly it includes salvation, why certainly it includes grace, but if you just preach what you think is grace alone and you leave out a lot of the things of the Kingdom you’re not preaching the full WHOLE GOSPEL!! You’re only preaching a part of it! That my friends, is what a lot of you have been believing.
Yes, I tell you my friends, salvation is the very process by which we become actually literally now begotten and later BORN INTO the Kingdom of God. Certainly than the GOOD NEWS of the Kingdom of God includes salvation, it includes grace, and it is the very GOSPEL of Jesus Christ. It's the gospel he preached, it's so much more than the gospel of man "about" Jesus Christ. We hear so much today a gospel merely ABOUT Christ ABOUT his person. Of course He was the greatest man who ever lived... but my friends,... He brought a message. And you have to believe that message…
Now Isaiah tells ya how you can be born into that Kingdom. In Isaiah 55:6-7...seek ye the Eternal...oh, you have to seek, now do you know, that Jesus said, "I tell you that many shall seek to enter into the Kingdom of God, many will STRIVE to enter into the Kingdom of God and shall not be able. Have you ever read another scripture in your bible in the New Testament where we are told to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling? Now, listen does that mean that YOU do it? Does that mean you don't need any grace? Not at all. I tell you my friends, you have to put your own seeking you have to put your own HUNGERING and THIRSTING and your desire and your surrender and your obedience and some of those things along with what God gives you. Now, everything that is going to save you comes from God. Jesus Christ paid the penalty of your sins, you can't and you didn't. You can't lift yourself up by your own bootstraps. God sends you His Holy Spirit that impregnates you with His life you can't give it to yourself, there is NO eternal immortal life within you, you have no life inherent within you except an existence that comes by the breath of the air you breathe... and by the blood that circulates in your veins that is nourished by the food and the water you eat and drink. You cannot give yourself any life beyond that, that comes from God, but the thing is there are terms and conditions and God WILL NOT give you His grace, He WILL NOT give you His Spirit, He WILL NOT give you eternal life, He WILL NOT SAVE YOU, and He saves you. He will not do it by faith through grace, UNLESS and UNTIL YOU surrender. Unless and until you perform the conditions which are: repentance and obedience and faith. And you'll have to supply those things as terms and conditions. Yes, Isaiah says, "SEEK the Eternal WHILE He may be found,...how?...let the wicked forsake his, his own way, and the unrighteous man HIS THOUGHTS and let him return unto God and find God's ways, God's thoughts and walk in His paths and keep HIS commandments.
It is the government of God, my friends. God will not save any soul He does not govern. Is He governing YOU? Or are you governing yourself? Are you going the way that seems right in your eyes or are you yielding to your own impulses your own will or have you surrendered and let God govern you, are you SEARCHING the Bible, to live by every word of it. Do YOU realize it is the authority SUPREME over your life; there's the question.
Listen my friends, write in for our booklet on; SAVING FAITH. The booklet on SAVING FAITH. What kind of faith is necessary for salvation. No there's no charge. Send your request…
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So this is Herbert W. Armstrong saying, good-bye friends.


Through The Tribulation


by Doug Batchelor

The Great Basin bristlecone pine can live more than 4,000 years and is believed to be one of the oldest living trees on the planet. Found on lonely mountain tops, some of these ancient evergreens have weathered thousands of years of intense freezing wind, pounding rain, scorching sun, and violent electrical storms. How do they manage to survive such harsh, adverse conditions? They send their roots deep, wrap them tenaciously around a solid rock, and hang on.
God's people will need to practice those same survival skills in the days just ahead. Jesus said that a terrible time of trouble would come upon the world just before His return and that it would be more intense than any other in the history of this world. "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved." Matthew 24:21, 22.
As Jesus spoke these words to His disciples, no doubt He was referring to a similar prophecy made by the prophet Daniel. "At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." Daniel 12:1.
The good news is that God's children will survive the coming tribulation. Like the bristlecone pine, the saints will have to sink their roots of faith deep into the Word of God and cling tenaciously to the mighty Rock of Ages.
What Is the Tribulation?
As we discuss the great tribulation to take place just before Jesus returns, keep in mind that there have been several other "times of trouble" for God's people in the past.
For example, the children of Israel endured 400 years of tribulation just before the Exodus (Acts 7:6). The early Christians also passed through a time of trouble immediately after the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1). From A.D. 303-313, during the era represented by the Smyrna church (Revelation 2:10), God's people suffered a 10-year period of tribulation. But perhaps the most notable time of trouble was the 1,260 years of intense persecution waged against true Christians during the Dark Ages. "And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and threescore days." "And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman." Revelation 12:6, 13.
As dark as each of these times were for God's people, none can compare with the final, great tribulation that is yet to take place. The great tribulation corresponds with the time during which the seven last plagues of Revelation chapter 16 will fall. "And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God." Revelation 15:1.
God's wrath will be directed against the ones who disobey His law, distort His truth, and oppress His people. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness." Romans 1:18.
The great tribulation also coincides with the Battle of Armageddon. Both take place immediately before Christ's second coming. "And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. 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."
It is my belief that the great time of trouble will last only a month or two. Here are a few Scriptures that show it will be a short period of time.
Revelation 18:8 tells us, "Therefore shall her plagues come in one day." A "day" in Bible prophecy represents one literal year (Ezekiel 4:6, Numbers 14:34, Luke 13:32). So when Revelation says that "her plagues come in one day," it means within, or less than, one year's time. The very nature of the seven last plagues-the rivers and seas turning to blood and the planet being scorched with great heat-would render it impossible for the human race to survive more than a month or two. This is why Jesus said, "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened." Matthew 24:22, NKJV.
The Dragon's Fury
The experience of the children of Israel just before the plagues fell on Egypt is a type, or symbol, of what will happen to God's people before the seven last plagues described in Revelation 16.
After 400 years of slavery, the Israelites had become influenced by the religion of Egypt and had lost sight of God's law. So before Moses and Aaron met with the Pharaoh, they first met with the leaders of Israel to encourage a revival of commitment to God's law-including the Sabbath of creation (Exodus 4:29-31). The people responded wholeheartedly, which is why the Pharaoh got angry and said to Moses and Aaron, "You make them rest from their labor!" Exodus 5:5, NKJV. Remember that the children of Israel knew the Sabbath was part of God's law before they ever came to Mount Sinai (Exodus 16:22-28).
Before the onset of the great tribulation, special attention is once again called to the subject of worship and the Sabbath commandment. In Revelation 14:7, an angel calls God's people to "worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." Revelation 14:7. The angel is clearly quoting from the Sabbath commandment, which says, "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day." Exodus 20:11.
A rediscovery of the law of God, including the Sabbath truth, will be the alarm that wakes the dragon to fury. The devil hates the Sabbath because he knows that all love relationships are built upon time. If he can destroy the day that was set apart for God's people to spend quality time with their Creator, he can destroy the relationship. We see this happen over and over again between husband and wife as well as father and son. If you stop spending quality time together, soon the relationship will fall apart.
When the children of Israel responded to God's call to keep the seventh-day Sabbath holy, the Pharaoh became furious. He knew that as long as the people focused only on work, work, work, they would have no time to think about freedom. The devil is using the very same strategy today. His goal is to keep people so busy with work and so preoccupied with the cares of this life that they have no time to worship their Creator. He knows that if he can cause people to neglect the Sabbath rest, they will never have time to think seriously of salvation.
Looking down through history to the end of time, the Lord knew His faithful people would keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. That is why, in connection with the tribulation, Jesus advises His followers to "pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day." Matthew 24:20.
The time of trouble begins with the wrath of the devil against God's obedient children (Revelation 12:17) and ends with the wrath of God against the ones who obey the beast (Revelation 14:9, 10).
No Second Chance
Before the great tribulation begins, God's people will experience a small time of trouble. During this time the saints will have to share their faith in the face of stiff social, political, and religious opposition. "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.
This small time of trouble will resemble the period of time just before the plagues fell on Egypt. The angry Pharaoh tried to turn the hearts of his Israelite slaves against their God by forcing them to produce the usual quota of bricks without providing the necessary straw. In the same way, before the tribulation the government will use political and economic sanctions to pressure God's end-time people into receiving the mark of the beast. When this fails to deter the people of God from obedience, there will be a final death decree. "And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed." Revelation 13:15. At this time, the great tribulation begins and the seven last plagues start to fall.
The main reason this time will be so intense is because it will come after probation closes for the lost. "At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." Daniel 12:1. Notice that when the tribulation begins, the cases of all people have been forever decided.
The door of salvation and grace will close for the world-just as the door on the ark closed seven days before the Flood began. At that time Jesus will declare, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be." Revelation 22:11, 12.
For the first time in the world's history, God's Spirit will be completely withdrawn from the lost. The unsaved will be given wholly over to demonic control. The saved will be sealed and the lost forever lost. No more changing teams!
God on Trial
If no one is converted by the plagues, then why does the Lord allow it?
For thousands of years God's Spirit has worked in the hearts of men. But He has warned that this would not always be so (Genesis 6:3). Satan must have an opportunity to demonstrate what a world that is completely under his power would be like. And so God will finally allow the winds of strife to blow unhindered-but not before His servants are sealed (Revelation 7:1-3).
The great tribulation will prove to the universe that nothing-not even the worst conditions in the history of the world-would change the characters of those still alive upon the earth. God's people will trust Him no matter what, and His enemies will rebel against Him no matter what.
Sometimes adversity brings a lost soul to repentance, but as the seven last plagues are being poured out, the wicked will reveal that there are no longer any redeemable threads in their fabric.
"The fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues; and they repented not to give him glory." Revelation 16:9.
"They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds." Revelation 16:11, NKJV.
"Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great." Revelation 16:21.
Through the Tribulation With Christ
Many Christians believe that the righteous will all be raptured out of the world just before the time of trouble and that the wicked will be left behind to endure seven years of tribulation. Because it sounds appealing, this doctrine has gained widespread acceptance. But the fact remains that the Bible clearly teaches otherwise.
Here are but a few of the many Scriptures which teach that God's end-time people will go through the tribulation:
The Bible describes the 144,000 as "they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." Revelation 7:14.
In His great prophetic discourse on the mount of Olives, Jesus made the following statement immediately after mentioning the tribulation: "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." Matthew 24:22. If the elect were not in the world during the great tribulation, they would not need the days to be shortened!
All throughout Scripture we see examples of the Lord saving His people through tribulation, not from it.
Noah was not saved from the Flood, but through it.
Daniel was not saved from the lions' den, but through it.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were not saved from the fiery furnace, but through it. In fact, Jesus went through it with them, and He will go through the great tribulation with us as well!
The children of Israel were not saved from Egypt before the plagues fell, but afterward. God demonstrated His love and power by preserving them in Egypt through the ten plagues. In the same way, the righteous will be in the world when the seven last plagues fall (Revelation 16), but God will preserve them.
God never promises that our lives will always be easy. Christ prayed to His Father for His disciples, "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil [one]." John 17:15. Likewise, in 2 Timothy 3:12 Paul states, "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Paul also told a group of disciples that "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22.
Although God does not always provide an escape from tribulation, He does promise to give us the power and strength to get through it. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13.
In His parable of the two home builders, Jesus taught that the storm comes to the wise man who builds on the rock just like surely as it comes to the fool who builds upon the sand (Matthew 7:24-27). The storm will come to all.
No Need to Fear
Picture, if you dare, this terrifying recipe. First, pour the entire contents of Armageddon into a pressure cooker, then slowly mix in the seven last plagues with one full bottle of Jacob's trouble and one whole crushed Babylon. Next, evenly stir in two full boxes of wrath-one from God and one from Satan. Cover securely and cook on high.
Sound appetizing?
We all seem to conjure up these frightening images when we think of the tribulation. Now try this instead. Picture Jesus in a fragile little boat on a dark sea, with the waves mounting and wind roaring. Mark 4:38-40 records the scene. "He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm."
Then Christ said to them, "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" Jesus rested with the peace of a baby because He lived by faith in His heavenly Father. One message He delivered repeatedly throughout His ministry was "Fear not."
In John 16:33, Jesus said, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
God does not want us to live by fear, but rather by faith. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." 1 John 4:18.
During the world's darkest hour and greatest trial, God will supply the greatest peace and faith. We need only to remember that Jesus is in the boat with us. Though the furnace be heated seven times over, we can pass safely through it if Jesus is at our side.
The ninety-first Psalm contains special promises for those living during the last great tribulation. It says, "You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked." Psalm 91:5-8, NKJV.
The Psalmist makes it clear we will be in the midst of the world during the plagues yet remain untouched if God is our refuge. "No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling." Psalm 91:10, NKJV.
Rescue from the Skies
On Friday June 2, 1995, Captain Scott O'Grady was flying his F-16 over Bosnia when his plane was cut in two by Serbian anti-aircraft fire. He quickly ejected and parachuted to the ground. Suddenly he found himself in a different, hostile world with the entire Serbian army combing every inch of ground in search of him. For six days he prayed, often hiding with his face in the dirt to avoid being seen by enemy soldiers passing within a few feet. For six long days he survived-cold, wet, tired, hungry, eating bugs and drinking dirty water, calling every night on his little radio for help from above, running from enemies, and hiding under bushes. Then came a daring rescue from the skies. Forty airships, hundreds of soldiers, satellites, and the combined technology of all NATO were all engaged to rescue one hunted soldier.
Will God do less for His people?
When Captain Scott O'Grady returned to the United States, he was hailed as a hero. Why? Because he had come out of great tribulation. We too may have to endure a brief time of trouble, but it will fade into insignificance when compared with the glorious moment when Jesus comes crashing through the skies with his angelic armies to rescue His children.
"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." Romans 8:18.

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