PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD - VOL. I   

 

 

 

GOD'S UNFOLDING PURPOSE

[Ed. Note: This teaching is not to be confused with the commentary by the same name published in the third volume of The Manifested Sons of God almost 3 years later. There is no relationship between the two articles.]

 

 

It is very thrilling, but also very sobering to realize that God is moving by His Spirit in this very day in which we live to REVEAL to His servants that which is shortly to come to pass. Truly the Lord is FAITHFUL in that which He has promised. For we read in Amos 3:7, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he reveals his secret to his servants the pro­phets," Dare we believe that this scripture is TRUE? Is God revealing Himself and His plan? Judge for yourself as you read the following prophecy which was given on the night of August 4, l964. Surely God's unfolding purpose for the consummation of this age is being made known to us more clearly as we are able to receive it. "The secret things belong to the Lord our God: but those things which are REVEALED belong to us and to our children forever… “(Deut. 29:29). Praise His Name!

 

 

[prophecy]

 

"Many things shall come on this land says the Lord. For I have decreed it and it shall come to pass. Do you think that man can thwart My Word which declares my plan that all na­tions shall engage in mortal combat in a day of judgment and retribution? Yes, and I say that much confusion shall come on my people in the days that are ahead. For three times will I bring terror on this nation.

 

"From the east will I cause consternation. For out of the east will arise a plague, a scourge, which will cause great lam­entation and woe, and it shall bring peril on the nation. But the end is not yet.

 

"After this, says the Lord, will come a peril from the south. For in mighty terror and anguish will nations rise up under the banner of the sickle to scourge this land with consternation and fear. For out of the south will come the terror of revolution, as nations rise up to overthrow the yokes that have bound them, But they know not the truth, neither do they know which way to go, but in ignorance will acclaim leadership which will lead them astray. And they will fashion weapons of destruction to gnash at those they believe to have been their tormentors, and great shall be the cry of anguish which shall come from the peo­ple of this land as they behold the consternation and fear that comes from the south.

 

"And then comes great hope from the west. For out of the westernmost part of this land will I begin a great movement to bring revival to my people. For I have chosen this place, even this city (Portland, Oregon) to be one of the key places for this revival to be given, Dare you to believe that this is true? I say, if you shall believe, you shall see, says the Lord, And from this west coast I shall spread this revival until it shall en­compass the land to bring rest and hope and comfort to my peo­ple, says the Lord.

 

"For this is a preparation, says the Lord; a preparation for the third and last time of great consternation which shall come on my people. For this shall be a time of great darkness and tearfulness; yes, and great destruction. For great destruction shall come from the north, says the Lord, as the enemy shall come in like a flood. For from the north will I bring great destruction on this land and on its people, says the Lord „ And many shall perish in that day. For it shall be a quick work and a time swiftly encompassed, for verily none would escape if my grace had not decreed a time of shortening, says the Lord Al­mighty who made heaven and earth and all that [is in it]. For I have decreed it and none can stay my hand. For my people have become lamentably wicked, says the Lord, and my sword of judgment shall come to purge and cleanse and sweep clean the land so that I may begin anew to build and to plant and to bring forth a people who shall honor me and who shall become the nucleus of a world confederacy of my people; which shall become peoples and nations of righteousness for all the world to see.  For truly righteousness shall spring forth as out of dry ground; as the budding and blossoming forth of that which com­es from a rod which I shall plant in truth and in holiness.

 

"Therefore shall you (vessels prepared by God) go forth in this day which I have appointed, says the Lord, to be a rod in my hand, a rod of truth and divine appointment to spring forth by my miraculous power and grace, to warn my people and to bring forth to fruition a remnant in righteousness and holiness; to take my truth across the breadth of this land, says the Lord, so that when the revival begins a people will be prepared to receive and to rise up as a mighty army to go forth in this last day to declare my soon coming; to ready a people for my ap­pearing.

 

"For truly I will have a people in the land, says the Lord. First, a remnant which shall do exploits in my Name and pre­pare in abundance for a great harvest in the land and for a time appointed.  For the sickle which I will put in their hand is the sickle of truth—truth for the present—for this time appointed; as faithful stewards to bring forth my wine of truth and right­eousness for this day.  For new wine indeed I have prepared, and vessels to receive the wine of preparation; a wine too po­tent to be received but by a remnant prepared, says the Lord. But you (the vessels prepared) shall be used to prepare a harvest in abundance, says the Lord; for in a time of travail I will bring forth (Isa. 66:7-9), and in a time of grief will I be sought, and then it shall spring forth, and from sea to sea it shall en­compass, says the Lord.  From the east to the west shall it spring forth in truth and holiness (all across the land).

 

"But the time is not yet, for a remnant must first be prepar­ed and this I am doing now, says the Lord. Be not affrighted at that which shall shortly come on you, for it is my prepara­tion, says the Lord.* And I will send you forth to trumpet this message of preparation; for a remnant must first be prepared, and then, and only then, shall a great harvest come.  For out of the north and east shall a scourge arise and many shall fall in that day, but out of the west shall hope arise, even as out of the south shall come bewilderment and fear, says the Lord.

 

*This refers to a personal trial I went through, but it also indi­cates that God will test all those He is preparing.

 

"Beginning in you (the vessels prepared) shall be a whirlwind and it shall encompass many, for I shall blow on you says the Lord, and mighty things shall be wrought m my name and for my sake. For those I have prepared shall go forth as a mighty whirlwind to shake and uproot and plant again, and many shall come and behold the mighty hand of my truth.   Be not afraid, therefore, for I shall encompass you by my Spirit, and make you a strong tower and as a fenced and walled city which shall be compassed by the enemy, but they shall not be able to penetrate, says the Lord.

 

"For some of my prepared ones shall remain through the trib­ulation plagues that shall come on the earth, and shall not be partakers of the first-fruits which shall be taken out.  Even so shall they be a partaker of the first ripe of my harvest which shall be left in the earth to act as a ferment of righteousness and truth till all lumps are fully prepared, says the Lord. For there shall be three lumps prepared (Mt. 13:33). A lump of prepared ones to fully partake of all that I have (100-fold); a lump of second ones (60-fold) who shall see my glory but shall not en­ter into the glories of the celestial Kingdom; and a lump of third ones (30-fold) who shall be cast out into tribulation conditions without the fulness of my protection (the "many stripes" of Lk. 12:45-47), for they will have to endure much hardship and suf­fering, and there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

"But those fully trusting in me, and prepared by me, need not be fearful in that day, says the Lord. For those I have tak­en out (the Firstfruits—Rev. 14:1-5) shall encompass my people and protect and speak to them in the day of trouble.  And they shall be to those who remain a protecting shield in the wilderness of testing, says the Lord. (Rev. 12:6).

 

"Shall not the leaven of truth be used to leaven these lumps, says the Lord. For as a woman (Rev. 12:1, Mt. 13:33) who de­sires to see come forth from the oven the fulness of that which she has kneaded and prepared, so shall I give my people the desire and the means to be a ferment in the earth in the last days. One lump shall be of the east, a lump of the south, and one of the west (symbolically speaking—the same as the 100, 60, & 30 fold). The eastern lump shall be cast out (into tribu­lation conditions—the "stripes" of Lk. 12:47), says the Lord, for they have sought their own desires first. Even so shall they partake of the scourge and not receive the completeness of pro­tection in that day. A lump shall be of the south. They shall speak forth my truth, but they will have come in too late to be partakers with the saints in light who shall know and be in the fulness in that day. Even so, they shall receive my complete protection, for they are sons of righteousness and sons of the kingdom, though it be but the earthly. For this shall be their lot: to enter that which is earthly in fulness of physical stature and perfection (immortality), being partakers in the first-fruits of the earthly inheritance (in preparation for the coming mil­lennial kingdom).

 

"But the western lump shall be greater than they, for they shall enter into that which is heavenly. For even as the first-fruits which are taken beforehand (at the beginning of the great tribulation), so shall they be taken in that day (at the close of the tribulation—the great multitude of Rev, 7:9-17) to be to me a helpmeet in the heavenlies as I seek to conform all things to my own realm.

 

"Shall I not rule, says the Lord? Shall I not seek to bring all things to myself? Indeed, I will! And many shall be used of me to carry out my purpose, says the Lord. For this is the westernmost lump which shall arise out of the Holy of Holies even to Me, says the Lord. (See Philippians 3:21).

 

"Partakers, partakers, partakers, says the Lord. All shall be partakers (the three "lumps"—30, 60, & 100 fold). The dif­ference is in time and in realm of glory. For the earthly glory is not the heavenly; neither is the heavenly the earthly (I Cor. l5:40-4l). But each in his own sphere shall show forth my glory.

 

"Are you willing to be a ferment, says the Lord? For a ferment will I require to bring this forth, says the Lord. For there is a ferment of truth as well as a ferment of evil. The ferment of truth works slowly, penetrating the fibers of the soul to bring forth that which I have prepared. Consider, consider, that which I say to you, my child, for my ways are not your ways, and I will cause you to seek the higher ways. "

 

 

 

[commentary]

 

 

The following comments were made at the time the prophetic word was first published. I reprint them here just as originally given. I will add some further comments later, emphasizing the prophetic aspects of the message.

 

In the prophecy God says, "Are you willing to be a ferment, . . for a ferment will I require to bring this forth." Accord­ing to the dictionary, a "ferment" is any substance whose pres­ence in another body produces the peculiar effervescence and decomposition called fermentation; commotion; heat; tumult; agitation. Fermentation is a chemical process which causes de­composition or conversion of an organic substance into new com­pounds in the presence of a ferment, generally indicated by a sensible internal motion, the development of heat, and the liberation of bubbles of gas; in common language, the process by which grape juice is converted into wine.

 

Jesus said, "No man puts new wine into old bottles (wineskins), " (Mark 2:22). This is because the "fermenting" action of the new wine is too much for the already stretched and "rigid" condition of the old wine skin. New wine is that which is still in the process of fermentation, not having yet become a "mature" wine. From one perspective new wine is a type of NEW TRUTH. In the prophecy God says: "For new wine indeed I have prepared and vessels to receive the wine of prep­aration, a wine too potent to be received but by a remnant pre­pared, says the Lord." This called-out remnant is being pre­pared as a NEW vessel or wineskin to receive the TRUTHS and WORKINGS OF THE SPIRIT too potent for the average Christ­ian and church group. Each one must become a NEW VESSEL to the Lord, completely flexible to what the Lord wants to reveal TO us or to do IN us.

 

What happens when the Lord begins to reveal new truth to you? It begins a process of "fermentation" within you. It causes a commotion, tumult and agitation, because it so often disrupts ideas or concepts that you had previously heId to. Like leaven it is a "substance" within which produces an efferves­cence and decomposition (of the old), breaking down, restruc­turing and elevating, readying for His Spirit-FIRE to do the fi­nal work. This "work" continues until that truth has become "mature" in us. Like "mature" wine it is then incorruptible, purifying and lasting.  New wine wilt either ferment property and become a mature wine, or it will sour and turn to vinegar, So with new truth in us; it will either do its proper fermentation in us and MATURE us or it will turn us SOUR, depending on our readiness or lack of it. The prophecy says: "The ferment of truth works slowly, penetrating the fibers of the soul to bring forth that which I have prepared." Most of us are SLOW to receive that which is new to us. It takes TIME for the new truth to do its "work" and to finally "mature" in us.   In the meantime we may experience a lot of "fermenting" action within.

 

And now for a few comments on the "firstfruits." Remember that according to the Bible PATTERN the firstfruits was that part of the harvest which ripened first and preceded the main har­vest. In the prophecy the "firstfruits "is divided into two group­ings: (1) the "firstfruits" which shall be taken out preceding the main harvest, and (2) "the first ripe of My harvest which shall be left in the earth to act as a ferment of righteousness and truth till all lumps are fully prepared" during the main harvest.

 

Again when we go to the Bible PATTERN we find that the "firstfruits " was especially dedicated to God and as it was faith­fully presented to Him, it was the guarantee of the rest of the harvest. In Lev, 23:10-12 we find instructions for a "sheaf" of the firstfruits to be presented to the Lord in a special ceremony at the Passover season at the beginning of the barley harvest. In this special presentation they did not pluck out all of the first ripe grain, but only a "sheaf" OF the firstfruits (Lev. 23:10) which was "cut OUT" of the harvest field and BROUGHT TO THE PRIEST to be "waved "before the Lord. Josephus, the great Jewish historian, says that this sheaf was of barley, and that until this ceremony had been performed, no harvest work was to be done.

 

I personally believe this "wave sheaf" is the "manchild" of Rev. 12:5 which is "caught up" to the throne of God preceding the 3 & 1/2 years of "wilderness" tribulation. It is also repre­sented by the 144,000 of Rev. 14:1-5 who are described as "the firstfruits to God and to the lamb." There is a very special reason why this "sheaf" of the firstfruits is taken out (translated and given glorified bodies) BEFORE the tribulation. In the pro­phecy the Lord says: "Those I have taken out shall encompass you and protect you and speak to you in the day of trouble. And they shall be to you and to My people a protecting shield in the wilderness of testing." Having received their glor­ified bodies, we can see how they could perform such "messen­ger service " just as our Lord did after He was raised from the dead as He continued to appear and speak to the disciples in His glorified body for a period of 40 days (Acts 1:3).  Rev. 12:6 says that this "firstfruits manchild" shall "feed" the church in the wilderness.

 

In contrast to the "firstfruits sheaf" to be taken out, note the prophecy speaks of the "first ripe" of My harvest which shall be left in the earth to act as a ferment of righteousness and truth till all lumps are fully prepared … for there shall be three lumps prepared." These three lumps are to be brought forth to final fruition during the 3 & 1/2 year tribulation period which is the time of the final great harvest of human souls on the earth. The "firstfruits remnant" which God is now calling and preparing (with the exception of the "sheaf" to be taken out) WILL BECOME the "ferment" left in the earth to do the work. Even now a measure of this work is being done, and we must be willing to become a "fermenting-effervescing" (bubbling, live­ly and sometimes even agitating) substance within the larger body of Christendom; not by some "fleshly "methods, but by the power of the Word of God and the working of His Spirit.

 

We are to be like the woman in the parable recorded in Mt. 13:33 who took and hid leaven (ferment) in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. In the prophecy God says: "Shall not the leaven be used to leaven these lumps, says the Lord? (the leaven in this instance represents the truth which becomes the "ferment" to do the work).   And as a woman who desires to see come forth from the oven the fulness of that which she has kneaded and prepared, so shall I give you the desire and the means to be a ferment among my people, to bring forth three lumps In these last days." The final and complete fulfillment will be by the "woman in the wilderness" of Rev. 12:6 AFTER the "manchild" is caught up to the throne of God." The woman is protected from the "face of the serpent" (Rev. 12:14) during the tribulation time, that she might accomplish  her work and be a "leavening" influence.

 

In the parable in Mt. 13:33 the woman "leavens" three measures, and in the prophecy there is mentioned three lumps, The "lumps" would represent the "measures" of meal AFTER the leaven of the Word of truth and the fire of God's Spirit had done the necessary work.  The three "lumps" to be brought forth in these last days represent the 30, 60, & 100 fold grouping of Christians. The 100-fold is spoken of in the prophecy as "the lump of prepared ones to fully partake of all that I have." They shall be "joint-heirs" with Christ to "rule and reign" within the glories of the celestial (heavenly) kingdom, and over the earth. OF them the prophecy also says: "For even as the firstfruits which were taken beforehand (the first of the 100-fold group), so shall you be taken in that day to be to me a helpmeet in the heavenlies as I seek to conform all things to my own realm… For this is the westernmost lump which shall arise out of the Holy of Holies even to me, says the Lord."

 

The 60-fold is the "lump of second ones, which shall see my glory but shall not enter into the glories of the celestial kingdom, " It will be their lot to enter that which is earthly in ful­ness of physical stature and perfection—deathless life or immor­tality in physlcal (terrestrial) bodies instead of glorified (celes­tial) bodies (I Cor. 15:40).  The 30-fold is the "lump of third class citizens who shall be cast out (into tribulation conditions) because of their folly and will have to endure much hardship and suffering, for there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." They shall "partake of the scourge and not receive the complete­ness of protection in that day." I believe, however, that if they "endure" in faith to the end of the tribulation period, (Mt. 24:13), God will save or preserve their lives from the vials of His wrath, and they along with the 60-fold, will inherit the earthly phase of the kingdom. But, unlike the 60-fold, they will not be immediate candidates for immortality for their physi­cal bodies, but will have to first prove themselves and move up to 60-fold status before their change can come. I believe that some time after the millennium (1000 years of peace) that those who are living in immortal physical bodies will be translated and receive their glorified bodies, for it is not God's purpose for any of His children to remain "clod-hoppers" and earth-bound forever. As the prophecy says, "Partakers, partakers, partakers, says the Lord. All (30-60-100-fold) shall be partak­ers. The difference is in TIME and in REALM of GLORY." All shall eventually be released from the earthly and put on the celestial and heavenly glory in God's time, each to enter that REALM God has chosen for them.

 

As we survey the past ten years since this prophetic word was first received, we can see that history has already con­firmed much of it. Many things have come on the land of America, and what we have seen is just the beginning of the judgmental "woes" that are coming. I will not presume to be able at this point to forecast all that the Lord has in mind in this prophetic message. But I will comment on a measure of fulfillment that we have seen. First, God says that out of the east would arise a plague and scourge which would bring great lamentation and woe, bringing peril on the nation.  I do not believe this "plague" refers primarily to some physical disease or scourge of epidemic proportions, although this could be a part of it in time, even as we have seen in a small measure what has been called "Asian flu "and other diseases from the east in­vade this country. But we have seen great "consternation" come on this land because of the Communist "scourge" which has increasingly raged in the east during the last 10 years, espec­ially in Viet Nam, In 1964 the Viet Nam issue affected very few Americans, but in the succeeding years it almost tore this country apart, bringing considerable "peril" to the very fabric of our nation,  I believe the agonizing Viet Nam war was a partial fulfillment of the scourge out of the east.

 

As we look to the future, it is not likely that the continuing Communist scourge can be held back in the east, even as we see countries such as Cambodia tottering on the brink of collapse, and South Viet Nam being increasingly weakened.   Inroads into other nations are also being made, such as Thailand, In­dia, etc. So that we can expect that the "cards" will be in­creasingly "stacked" against us as a nation in the far eastern countries.

 

But perhaps recent developments in the near east (or Middle East) are even more ominous for our nation than those in the Far East. Look what has happened in the last ten years since the prophetic word was given. There have been two wars between the Jews and Arabs (1967 & 1973), with the Russians increasing­ly aiding and abetting the Arab countries. Suddenly the Arabs awoke to the fact that they have the power to cut the jugular vein of the west in their great OIL reserves which the western nations (including America) need. Leaders of western nations, including our own secretary of state. Henry Kissinger, have re­cently warned of the great economic PERIL which the nations of the west are threatened with as the Arabs have chosen to use their oil weapon with astronomically increased prices. It takes little imagination to see how the Arabs (egged on, no doubt, by Russia) will increasingly try to BLACKmail the west into accep­ting their position against Israel. And without doubt the great­est "consternation "and "PERIL" are going to come to our nation out of the EAST when the final showdown comes in the Middle East. For I do not believe that America will abandon Israel to the destruction of the Russian armed and backed Arab countries,

 

The prophetic word mentions next the peril from the south. The prophecy is quite specific in stating that this relates to na­tions south of our border in central and south America rising up in revolution, increasingly espousing pro-leftist ideologies and lashing out at the USA.   The last ten years have seen the "rising tide" along this line. We have read in the papers of the increasing kidnapping of officials of American corporations in these countries and the demanding of money, food, etc. as ransom. This is the result of increased leftist guerilla activity that is threatening the tenuous stability of most South American nations.  I recently talked to missionaries of long-standing in South America, and their report is that the political situation in most S.A. nations is extremely volatile. We saw one nation (Chile) come under the domination of a communist government, only to overthrow it in bloody fighting, but it is quite evident that there is still much pro-leftist sentiment in the country and in time bloody conflict could erupt there again.  In time, the revolutionary tide of the south is going to greatly affect our na­tion and bring great consternation and fear. 

[Ed. note: this commentary was produced in 1974. The prophecy of the southern scourge indeed saw a much greater fulfillment in the 1980’s through the communist revolutions in Grenada, El Salvador and Nicaragua under the Sandinistas, all creating great consternation for the Reagan administration leading to what became known as “Contra-gate.”]

 

The prophecy then mentions great hope coming from the west, and specifically mentions the western-most part of the USA as being the "spring-board" for a move of the Spirit, which will bring great hope to the nation. If this prophetic word con­cerning the west had come only through me, I would hesitate to publish it, but similar prophecies have come from a number of vessels of God through the past several years. However, the message is very clear that this will be a nationwide move of the Spirit, and where it comes from and what vessels God uses to give it impetus is not of great importance. We must all be ready to be used of God in whatever way He chooses, and for His glory alone. I believe that the promised move of the Spirit and the promised revival is for the most part yet in the future. However, we have seen in the last ten years an increasing preliminary move of the Spirit which has been coined by some as the "charismatic "movement, and which has affected large num­bers in all denominations. In harmony with the pattern that God has spoken, this movement received its primary initial impetus from the west coast. But what we have seen is only small and fragmentary in comparison to the mighty out-pouring which we know is coming. Praise the Lord! May He hasten the day. 

[Ed. note: in the 1990s-2000s, numerous prophecies also began declaring that revival in the United States would come from the east, specifically New England! This does not have to indicate contradiction, but can indicate different movements to come at different times. As Brother Earls elsewhere points out, the ways of God are manifold, i.e., “many-sided”]

 

The Lord states that the mighty revival He will send is to be a preparation for the final time of great consternation which shall come on this nation. The perils from the east and south bring great internal fear and no doubt some turmoil (mass unrest resulting in demonstrations and even riots and destruction as tensions increase), but the time of great destruction on our na­tion will come with the peril from the north. It seems evident that this is a reference to Russia being able to send missiles over the polar cap, descending on our large cities from the north. This will take place during the final phase of the all-out war called Armageddon, or "The battle of that great day of God Almighty" (Rev. 16:14-16).  The prophecy makes it clear that God will intervene to shorten the time of battle lest all would be destroyed, and this is in harmony with Jesus' statement in Mt. 24:22, I personally do not believe that there will be as much destruction in the United States as will take place in areas such as the Middle East and Europe. But certainly we will not escape atomic judgment, and it seems quite certain that many of our cities will suffer greatly, and great numbers killed.

 

I will make a few final comments on the thought expres­sed in the prophetic word that not all Christians will receive the same degree of protection in the tribulation days ahead; neither will all Christians enter into the same degree of glory and re­ward in the coming Kingdom.   Multitudes of Christians have been lulled into complacency by the sleep-inducing dogma that all Christians will be raptured before any great tribulation falls on the world. I won't take the time here to dispel the dark­ness of such unscriptural teaching, but simply state that the vast majority of Christians will go through the great tribulation. Since this is true, it becomes of paramount importance that we let the Lord PREPARE us for the coming days of trouble.

 

The need to prepare is clearly given by Jesus in Lk. 12:35-48. Read the whole passage and note that Jesus is dealing with conditions related to His second coming.  It is very clear that servants of His who get careless and are not making themselves ready will have different treatment than those who are keeping themselves in tune with the Lord and doing His will. Verse 47 states emphatically that the servant who knew the Lord's will but did not PREPARE himself, shall be "beaten" with many stripes. Remember, the whole passage deals with end-time con­ditions, and the "many stripes" are without doubt a symbolic description of the buffeting trials and circumstances of the tribulation without the completeness of the Lord's protection. Few­er stripes will be given those who had less understanding of the Lord's will, but they will STILL receive "stripes" in the tribula­tion conditions (vs. 48). I believe it will be primarily the 30-fold who will receive these more severe dealings of God rather than the 60 or 100 fold, as the prophecy seems to indicate.

 

In Rev. 11:1-2, we read that John was given a reed like to a rod to measure the temple and those that worship therein. The "temple" would refer to the Holy Place and Holy of Holies, which typify the 60 and 100 fold Christians respectively.  But John was told not to measure the outer court, for it would be giv­en to the Gentiles to be trodden down for forty two months (the tribulation period).  The outer court would typify the 30 fold Christian who is too far removed (spiritually) from what the Lord is doing to be measured by the rod (Word of God) and counted among those who will receive the completeness of His protec­tion.  The "treading down" by the Gentiles would symboli­cally correspond to the "many stripes" of Luke 12:47. Further indication of Christians to be "chastised" by tribulation con­ditions is found in Rev. 2:22 & 3:16. I won't take time to ex­plain in detail now, but in each of the last four of the letters to the seven churches of Asia, is a reference to either the com­ing of the Lord or to the great tribulation. This indicates that what arose within the Church during the historical periods repre­sented by these churches continues to the end. In this end time, every Christian will be partaking of or experiencing the spiritu­al conditions symbolically pictured in one of these churches: either the spiritual " idolatry "and "fornication" of the Thyatira church, the "deadness" of the Sardis church, the faithful­ness, purity and power of the Philadelphia church, or the pride, complacency and lukewarmness of the Laodicean church,

 

Look at Rev. 2:21-23, where Jesus commands those of Thyatira to repent or He will "cast them into great tribulation" (to receive "many stripes" or even to be killed by the tribulation conditions. Lest some think He is not talking about Christians here, He declares in vs. 23 that He will do these things that "all the churches shall know that I am he that searches the reins and hearts; and I will give to every one of you accord­ing to your works." In other words. He is not dealing with the question of eternal salvation, but of works (obedience or lack of it) and the necessity of "chastening" through tribulation con­ditions, because of unwillingness to repent. In the letter to the lukewarm Laodicean church Jesus emphasizes this with these words: "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore and repent" (Rev. 3:19). Remember, He is talking to the church and not to the world. To the same Laodicean church He declares: "Because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth (Rev. 3:16). Spit them out where? No doubt, into the great tribulation to receive the necessary "stripes", even as those in the outer court of Rev. 11: 2 are "cast out" (marginal reading) to be "trodden down." In light of these facts, it is no wonder that when teaching about His second coming and the related events in the world, Jesus admonished many times of the importance of "watching" and of being prepared.

 

 

A Remnant Prepared

 

Because the previous reprinted prophecy mentions God's purpose in the "remnant prepared," it would be well to take a look at the principle of the "remnant" in the Bible. The word "rem­nant" simply means a part of the whole: literally the remainder, a few in comparison to the whole. When God was telling Isaiah of the judgment coming on Israel because of their sins, Isaiah asked the Lord "how long?" The answer came back: "until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate. And the Lord have re­moved men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land. But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose sub­stance is in them, when they cast their leaves; so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof (Isa. 6:11-13). God assured Isaiah that though most of the people would forsake Him and be destroyed or led away captive in judgment, that yet in the land there would be "a tenth" of the people who would return to the Lord, and it would be as a "holy seed" or remnant, and God would consider this remnant as the "substance" of the whole through which He could continue to work out His purpose in His chosen people. We read in Isa. 10:20-22, "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again rely on him that struck them; but shall rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return. "

 

This principle is repeated again and again in the scriptures. No matter how far most of His people strayed from Him, God always had His faithful remnant. God even told Isaiah to name one of his sons, "Shearjashub", which means "a remnant shall return" (Isa. 7:3), and this was to be a SIGN to him and to the people. During the years that Isaiah prophesied, a righteous king arose by the name of Hezekiah, and during his reign, un­der the tutorship of the great prophet Isaiah, a remnant of the people did return wholeheartedly to the Lord, and as a result one of the greatest spiritual awakenings and revivals recorded in the scriptures took place. You can read about it in II Chron. chaps. 29-33. But Isaiah's son's name had even a more far-reaching significance. For after Hezekiah's righteous reign, the people of God went into their final decline and apostasy, lead­ing to their captivity by the Babylonians. But God gave the sign that eventually (after 70 years) a remnant of the captive Jews would return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple and city and prepare for the coming Messiah.

 

The remnant principle was repeated when the time approached for the Messiah to arrive. Only a small spiritual remnant was eagerly anticipating and preparing their hearts for His corn­ing, such as Anna the prophetess (Lk. 2:36), and Simeon, a de­vout man (Lk. 2:25-35). Others were prepared by the ministry of John the Baptist, and then responded to Jesus' call to follow Him. But though multitudes heard Him teach and crowded Him because of His miracle working power, John 6:66-68 shows that most were willing to follow Him only so far and then turned away; only a remnant wanted to give themselves totally to Him, and become instruments of God's purpose in the nation. By the time Jesus' ministry had ended, and His death and resurrection had taken place, a small remnant of 120 had sufficiently com­mitted themselves to gather in the upper room in obedience to Jesus' command to wait for the promise of the Father. Paul re­fers to such faithful ones in Rom. 11:5 as "a remnant according to the election of grace." He then goes on to say that "Israel has not obtained that which he seeks for; but the election obtained it, and the rest were blinded" (Rom. 11:7). But look what was accomplished after the Holy Spirit was poured out on that waiting remnant. A great harvest of souls was brought forth to God, beginning with the Jews and then reaching to the Gentiles, as is vividly portrayed in the book of Acts.

 

Can we not see that the Lord is again preparing to fully pour out of His Spirit on a prepared remnant in a second Pen­tecost, or "latter rain"? God is moving by His Spirit now, to be sure, but this is only a foretaste and forerunner of that which is to come. We are presently seeing the restoration of the early rain, with a few preliminary drops of the latter rain, as a means of gathering, teaching, and disciplining God's worldwide rem­nant in preparation for the great harvest time to come. God is raising up local Churches in these times of refreshing and restoration which are coming into submission to the Headship of Christ, and in submission to one another as members of the Body of Christ, and who are seeking to be disciplined in the ways of God, to function in His divine order in unity and love. Many thousands throughout the world are feeling the effects of this present move of the Spirit and are responding to the call of the Master to take up their crosses and follow Him all the way. But still this is but a "remnant" in comparison to the vast multitudes of nominal, lukewarm Christendom. However, the Lord must call and prepare this totally committed remnant before the great and mighty outpouring and harvest can come.

 

It would take a volume to show how God has worked down through history through chosen remnants, but this is not the time or place for such a study. A couple of illustrations will suffice to further demonstrate this principle in the Old Testament. Eli­jah prophesied during a time of great wickedness and apostasy when the weak king Ahab was on the throne and his foreign wife Jezebel was destroying all the true prophets and demanding the worship of Baal. Elijah felt he alone was being true to God when God spoke to him and said, "I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal" (1 Kings 19:18). Yes, God had His faithful remnant in the midst of all that wickedness. We could show in much detail the time of crises in the days of Gideon, when judgment was coming on God's people from the Midianites and Amalekites (see Judges chaps. 6-7). When the people cried to Him, God wrought a great deliverance through Gideon and his 300 men. This small company was the "remnant"— that which remained devoted and faithful—willing to be prepared, after almost 32,000 had turn­ed back from the battle. As a final illustration, take the ex­ample of Joseph, the "remnant" of the sons of Jacob; he who ended up in Egypt because of the betrayal of his brothers. Yet he was willing to trust God, and through great testings and dis­ciplines, he was prepared to be used to be the instrument which saved the lives of his brethren and brought forth a great deliverance (Gen. 45:5-7).  Surely, Joseph is a type of that rem­nant that God is preparing in this day.

 

What portion of His people in terms of numbers God consid­ers as sufficient as His "remnant" and which He sees as the "sub­stance" of the whole through which He can work, we cannot say for sure. This would vary in any given situation, as we have seen in the examples given: 7,000 were mentioned in Elijah's day, Gideon's 300 were sufficient in his day, and one man—Joseph—became the means of God's deliverance for the house of Israel in his day; but of course, he was a type of a remnant company or group which God is preparing so his life is sym­bolic. But all through the scriptures, the one portion which God declares is always HIS in a special way is the holy TENTH. We cannot limit God, and we have noted how his remnant is often less than a tenth. But looking again at the scripture with which we began, we note these words: "and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land. But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall RETURN (Isa. 6:12-13). One wonders if in the day in which we live, as God is preparing for a great outpouring of His Spirit and a great harvest, that He is waiting for ONE-TENTH of those who call themselves Christians, to FULLY RETURN their whole lives over to Him in complete dedication and without reservation, making Him Lord of ALL.

 

To illustrate the principle of the holy tenth in relation to the remnant principle, let's take a look at a significant inci­dent that took place in Jesus' ministry as recorded in Luke 17: 11-19.  The cleansing of the ten lepers in this narrative took place while Jesus was on His last journey to Jerusalem. In 17:11 we read, "and it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee." His go­ing to Jerusalem for the LAST time, the city of the great King, the center of Israel's government, where the multitudes hailed him and shouted his kingship, is a TYPE of His return to this earth when He shall take up His power to reign. On His way to Jerusalem, it says He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. "Samaria" comes from a Hebrew word which means a "watchtower." Without taking time to demonstrate this truth from other scriptures, "Samaria" thus becomes a type of the Heaven-world, which is the "high watchtower" over the earth. "Galilee" is derived from the fairly circular or heart-shaped sea by that name; thus its meaning is that of a circle or ring, and is a type of the "circle" or circuitous area of the whole earth. The statement that Jesus passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee, together with the fact that it was his LAST journey sets the stage for a prophetic picture of the LAST days of our age, We shall see more clearly the significance of this shortly,

 

While passing along the border of Samaria & Galilee, Jesus meets ten lepers. All were cleansed by Him, Ten is the num­ber of the Gentiles, and leprosy is a type of sin. Thus we see the symbolic picture of the vast numbers of the Gentiles who have and are being cleansed by the provision made by Jesus through His sacrifice for our sins. The fact that they were all cleansed, shows by type that they all represent saved people, made clean through the blood of Christ.  But Luke 17:15 says, "And ONE of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. "We need to see that there is a dif­ference between being cleansed of our leprosy of sin through the blood of Christ, and letting our lives RETURN FULLY to Him to GLORIFY Him in everything, "falling down" at His feet to worship Him with our whole being. Only one out of ten was willing to do this.  The rest of the "cleansed" went their own way without letting their lives fully glorify Him.

 

We notice in Lk. 17:11 that this miracle-drama took place as Jesus was "passing along between (or along the borders of) Samaria and Galilee." (NAS version). We saw that Samaria represents the heaven-world and Galilee the whole earth to which Jesus shall return. So the fulfillment of this prophetic miracle-drama was to take place in the end-time when the church would be on the BORDER between the end of this age and the coming of Christ—the over-lapping of dispensations, We might say that the prophetic picture shows that when Jesus passes through the heaven-world (Samaria) taking care of the final details of preparation for His return to this earth, giving instructions to the angelic hosts, etc., and His work is almost completed throughout the whole earth (Galilee), THEN it is time for the final fulfillment of this prophetic type of the leper's re­turn to glorify Jesus; just before the Lord's return to this earth, Thus, before Christ returns to this earth, a chosen remnant must RETURN with their whole heart to Him to GLORIFY Him in an end-time ministry of love and devotion. Whether this final remnant will be a literal ten percent of all Christians I do not know, but the principle of the "holy tenth" is there, and God is determined in His purpose that what truly belongs to Him in a special way, will become an instrument in His hand.

 

Let's look at this principle from a different perspective from a passage in Mal. 3:8-11. The prophet rebukes the people be­cause they have robbed God of His holy tenth; they had not given their tithes and offerings. In its primary application we can rightly apply this to their failure to give of their material substance to the Lord. But let's look at it a different way, in light of that which I have been presenting—a people as a holy tenth.  In Mal. 3:10 the prophet states God's promise that if He receives the tithes (tenth) that belongs to Him, He will sure­ly "open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Has not God promised to pour out of His Spirit (and a great blessing) on His church in these last days? Are we not waiting for the "latter rain" when God shall open the "windows" of heaven and send refreshing to His people as never before? Looking at scripture in Malachi from this perspective, we can see how the promised outpouring is WAITING on the TENTH to return to God: a tenth of His people to fully give themselves to Him as His own "special portion" in this end time. THEN He will open the windows of heaven and pour out the "latter rain" on us,

 

There's a passage in Ezekiel that illustrates this same prin­ciple. God spoke through Ezekiel to the people of Israel con­cerning His purpose to bring them out of their scattered condi­tion and back to the Promised Land. But He would deal with them until a "remnant" would be willing to respond; the rest being left in their rebellious condition. We read in Ezek. 20:33-38: "As I live, says the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, will I rule over you. And I will bring you out from the people and will gather you out of the countries wherein you are scattered.  And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.   Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, says the Lord God. And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and will bring you Into the bond of the covenant: and I will purge out from among you the rebels: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and you shall know that I am the Lord."

 

Notice the expression in the above passage, "I will cause you to pass under the rod." This is an allusion to the practice of numbering the animals as they passed under the shepherd's rod or staff so that every TENTH one could be separated for the Lord, for His portion (the tithe). God's instructions concerning this are given in Lev. 27:32-33: "And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to the Lord. He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed." Thus we can see that this pat­tern was used by Ezekiel to indicate God's dealing with His people to bring a willing remnant back INTO the Promised Land (the fulness of their inheritance), and the same pattern applies in God's dealings with his people TODAY, that a prepared remnant might be brought into the fulness of their SPIRITUAL IN­HERITANCE, and as His special portion (the holy tenth). To "pass under the rod" means that God is marking or selecting out those who are willing to fully give themselves to Him in this day.

 

But we need to see further just what the ROD symbolizes. Without taking time to fully develop this thought, let me just simply state that I believe the "rod" represents God's WORD. We can see this in Isa. 11:4 where the Messiah is pictured as smiting the earth (the carnal nature) with the rod of His MOUTH. Moses did mighty signs with the rod or shepherd's staff (see Ex. 4:1-5, 7:17-20, etc.). This speaks to us of God's Word, which is the authority for performing His works.  To "pass under the rod" means that God purposes to bring us under the RULE and AUTHORITY of His Word. The "remnant" that God is going to anoint with power must increasingly hear the admonition: "let the WORD of Christ dwell (tabernacle) in you richly in all wis­dom" (Col. 3:16). We must be willing to hear and declare "all the counsel of God" (Acts 20:27).   "Passing under the rod" also speaks of God's disciplines and corrections (even chastise­ments if necessary), that He might truly "rule over us" as the KING who not only holds the royal scepter (rod) of rulership over the earth, but is also preparing a people to share that rul­ing scepter with Him (Rev. 1:5, 5:10). Finally, "passing under the rod" speaks of His providential care and protection for those who are fully trusting Him, for we know that the promised ex­perience of the Psalmist is also ours: "yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for you are with me; your ROD and your STAFF they comfort me" (Ps. 23:4). This is the "heritage" of the Lord's chosen.

 

 

WARNING PROPHECY

 

The following prophecy came forth on Monday, Oct 22, 1973.  If you will check the date with what was happening in the Middle East, you will find that the nation of Israel was on the way to another victory over the combined forces of the Arabs. Jewish troops had forced their way deep into Syrian territory in the north, and had broken through the Egyptian for­ces in the south, and were on the road to Cairo. But the fol­lowing prophetic word that came forth at that very time warned in advance that Israel would be forced into a compromise cease­fire, and then pressured to compromise further and surrender the fruits of battle, and that without any permanent peace settle­ment and assurance of secure borders against Arab inroads and claims. Recent developments indicate that Israel will not be able to hold out much longer before submitting to further Arab demands (backed by the super-powers) to give up more of the territories taken in the last war, or in the 1967 war.

 

The significance of this is seen in the declaration of the prophetic word that natural Israel is a type of spiritual Israel. God had given the church victory over her enemies through the vicarious work of Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection. And in these last days the church is increasingly going to ex­perience the fruits of that victory through the increased out­pouring of the Holy Spirit. But great pressure is going to be put on the church to compromise with the Satanic forces working through the organized political, religious and economic sys­tems, and through increased persecutions from various sources. Because natural Israel WILL compromise, she will find herself in great straights, and sorely tried to almost complete des­truction. Even so shall the same danger face the church. But read the prophecy and then "watch and pray" that you may re­main steadfast to the end.

 

"You shall behold, says your God, that which is transpir­ing in the Middle East.   For there the ancient people that your God did choose, are in a battle for their lives.  For the Lord says, you have seen in the last few days that people go from victory to victory in one battle after another. Yes, and is not this a type and a pattern for my people? For surely the natural is a type of the spiritual. And that which transpires in natural Israel is a type and a pattern for that which I purpose in spiritual Israel. And even as you have seen natural Israel defeat their enemies, even so shall this be the pattern for my church in this last day. For surely I will have my people go from victory to victory. I will have them overcome all of their enemies. I will have them go in triumph into that which I purpose for them in this last day. And none shall be able to stand before them as they triumph in every situation that the Lord your God shall put them in.

 

"Yes, my people, you are seeing the pattern transpire in natural Israel. And you shall surely see it come to pass in the spiritual church of the living God. But you shall notice says your God; there shall be great pressures on natural Israel to compromise. There shall be great pressure put on Israel even from her so-called friends to compromise and to pull back and to give away the fruits of victory. Even so shall this same temp­tation come to the church of the living God. Yes, great pressure shall come on the people of God in this last day, to compromise and to give away the fruits of their victory and to retrench before the enemy. But the Lord says, if you will put your trust in Me and if you shall stand steadfast in that which I purpose and in the power of your God, surely you shall not com­promise. And you shall not go down to defeat before your enemies. But if you hear not the voice of your God, and if you do not give yourself wholly to His word to stand in His truth and His righteousness, surely you shall be tempted  to compromise, and even those who seem to be friends to you in the religious world will put pressure on you to compromise saying, 'you are going too far out in the things of God; surely you dost need to be more temperate in your ways; surely you dost need to come down to the earth in a more temperate realm.' And great pressures shall be put on you by those around you to turn back and not to go on into the things that the Lord your God both purposed for you.

 

"But the Lord says, turn [ ] not back. Be [ ] strengthened in your God.  Surely you shall go into many things that shall be awesome; yes they shall be fearful to you if you dost not put your trust wholly in your God. For surely the consuming fire of your God shall be in the midst of His people and all flesh shall bow before the Living God. For surely your God seeks to purge and to cleanse and refine you that you may come up into that high and holy and noble place which He has pur­posed for you.  Therefore be [ ] willing says your God, and surely you shall know triumph and victory in your God that you never dreamed was possible.  But beware [ ] of compromise in this day, for surely natural Israel will compromise in a measure, and they will find themselves returning some of the land which was given to them by the fruits of victory. And through this compromise the disfavor of their God shall be on them and they shall find themselves cast down even to death. Yes, and they shall seek and call on the name of their God for survival, for surely their enemies shall come on them in great force. And were it not for the purpose of their God, they could not survive.

 

"And even so shall it be to the church in this day. Great, great persecution shall come on the Church of the Living God. Yes, and many shall fall back; many shall compromise. Many shall come down even to defeat, even to death, be­cause they did not stand in the strength of their God. And many, yes shall come down to the point of calling on their God for their very survival. But yes my people, it shall not be so for you if you shall put your trust in the Living God and stand fast in the victory that He has won for you. Surely you shall find thyself going from one triumph to another; from one joy to another; one victory to another. And you shall see the full glory of your God descend on you in power."

 

 

DISCERNING TRUTH

 

God is moving by His Spirit to bring LIGHT and REVE­LATION from His Word as never before. Surely we are living in the time spoken of by Daniel the prophet: "But you, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." (Daniel 12:4). The "time of the end" of this age is on us. Therefore we are witnessing the "unsealing" of mysteries unknown to past generations, and "knowledge is increasing" both in the natural and physical realms of man and in the realm of the spiritual things of God.

 

This does not mean that we should be gullible and acc­ept everything we hear and read, but rather weigh it with a discerning mind seeking to "prove all things" and to "hold fast that which is good, " (I Thess. 1:21). Above all we should heed the admonition found in Isa. 8:20 "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." The WORD OF GOD is always our standard. However, we must continually be willing to re-study and re-examine what we THINK the Bible teaches, realizing that MANY of our past concepts have been the result of our LIMITED capacity to understand as well as the GROSSNESS of our hearts in not being able to "look beyond" the VEIL to view the full GLORY of the Lord. As the Jews had a "veil" (of unbelief) on their hearts (I Cor. 3:13-15) not being able to "LOOK" to the end of that which is abolished (the Old Covenant), so we have had a "veil" on our hearts not being able to fully "LOOK" to the end (consummation) of that which is now be­ing fulfilled (the New Covenant).

 

When Moses came down from the mount after spending 40 days with God, he had to put a VEIL over his face be­cause the people were unable to view the shining "glory" of his face (Ex. 34:29-35). Thus has it been through many generations. Christ has been speaking to men through His Word, but MUCH HAS BEEN VEILED because of our inability to comprehend and receive. But NOW the "veil" is being lif­ted. More and More glorious light is coming forth from the Lord as He REVEALS (unveils) "HIMSELF to us in these last days.

 

God must deal with us as we ARE. Much depends on our heart-WILLINGNESS to receive and OBEY truth. Jesus said, "If. any man will do his will he shall know of the doc­trine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself (John 7:17). We must be willing to re-study and re-think all that we have ever believed. And if our hearts are TOO GROSS for us to admit that we have made mistakes and have been in error in many things AND CHANGE OUR THINK­ING AND ACTING ACCORDINGLY, then the Lord will have to leave us where we are and continue to VEIL much of His truth to us.

 

Another factor is heart-READINESS. The SOIL of our heart must be "broken up" and prepared to RECEIVE the "good seed" of His Word (Mark 4:20-28). The Lord many times has to CONDITION us by experience before we are READY to receive more light and understanding. The Lord's word to us is "Break up the fallow ground. . . and circum­cise yourselves to the Lord." (Jer. 4:3-4). As Jesus spoke to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus he perceived their lack of readiness to receive and spoke thus: O FOOLS and SLOW OF HEART to believe ALL that the prophets have spo­ken." (Luke 24:25). And thus has it been ever since: WE ARE FOOLS, and WE HAVE BEEN SO SLOW TO BELIEVE ALL. Do I hear a gasp? Too harsh, you say! Are you will­ing to be honest with yourself? Are you willing to let the Lord deal with your heart until you ARE CONDITIONED to "behold with unveiled face the glory of the Lord?"

 

Jesus said "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (Matt.5:8). Our "seeing" of God (comprehending His reality and truth) is in direct proportion to the "circumcising" of our hearts. The CROSSNESS of our hearts has to be "cut away" lest it be fulfilled in us as it was in the Jews of Jesus' day; "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed." (Matt. 13:15). God said to Moses who wanted to SEE the Lord: "You cannot see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. " (Ex. 33:20). What is true in this statement PHYSI­CALLY is also true SPIRITUALLY. We (the carnal self-life) CANNOT LIVE if we are to "see" God. The more we "see" of God the more of our SELF LIFE has to DIE.

 

There is no occasion of BOASTING when we realize that God has had to hide us in the cliff of the rock (JESUS) and has had to COVER US with his HAND OF MERCY, while He has passed by and we have "seen" but A LITTLE PORTION of His Being (Ex. 33:21-23). But the more we are willing to DIE (to self) the more of His Glory (light—truth) shall be re­vealed to us. Increasingly we shall "see" the "light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. " (I I Cor. 4:6).                                   .

 

What is presented herein is with the realization that as yet we "know in part" and "see through a glass darkly" (I Cor. 13:1-12). All of us are still walking in some error, but we should DESIRE above everything to KNOW THE TRUTH, for "The truth shall make you free." (John 8:32). One truth which we must all be willing to confess is that found in I Cor. 8:2: "If any man think that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. " In regard to many things that may be new to us we have to follow the example of Mary who "kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart." (Luke 2:19).

 

I believe one more thought should be added. What ab­out our heart-MOTIVES? Jesus said, "He who speaks from himself seeks his own honor; but he who seeks his sender's hon­or is sincere and in him there is no deceit." (John 7:18, Ber­keley). If we are seeking our own honor in one way or another then we can be sure that what we speak tends to come "from (out of) ourselves." But if we have no ambition or de­sire but to seek the honor and glory of the One who "sent" us, then out of a "sincere" heart will come that which is without "deceit" (falsehood).

 

But WHO can honestly say that he knows his own heart perfectly, and that his motives are completely without any "taint" of self? We can only PRAY that God will keep us free from the beguiling influences of our own deceitful hearts, and from the corrupting desire to "please" others. None of us are immune from the "wiles" of the evil one in his attempt to inflate our ego and Infuse us with the "spirit" of those at Babel: "Let us build a city and a tower. . . let us make a name (for ourselves). " (Gen. 11:4).

 

If we want to keep hearing from God, and speak only that which He would have us speak, then IN US must be fulfilled the words of Isa. 66:2: "I will look favorably on that man who is humble, feels crushed in spirit, and trembles at My word. " (Berkeley).

 

 

MAN'S ORBIT-lN-VIOLATION

 

"Is not this the day that iniquity shall come to its full, says the Lord? Is not this the day when man's vanity and pride shall reach its full measure? For I say to you that the wickedness of man is great in the earth, and an over­flowing scourge shall wipe it away, says the Lord. For have I not visited the earth in the past with visitations of judg­ment because Man's iniquity had reached the measure allowable in my wisdom and providence? And I had to make an end, lest man's iniquity would go so far as to endanger the very balance which I have placed in the universe. For I say to you, there is a delicate balance in both the physical and moral spheres of existence, which balance is dependent on numerous factors which must be kept in constant surveil­lance. For do you think that I am not constantly on duty seeing that each sphere in the physical universe is properly balanced and properly adjusted to all other spheres, so that one cannot endanger the other, and so that all work together in precision fashion to accomplish that which I have pre­determined? I say, I must keep constant watch over the uni­verse to see that not one sphere begins to swerve in any way from the proper orbit in which I have placed it. For were its orbit to extend too far beyond that which I have decreed it would not only endanger itself but also many other spheres, and the resultant chaos would be incalculable. Even so do I keep a constant watch, that the proper orbits are main­tained.

 

A certain amount of variableness is allowed within each family of spheres, and from time to time adjustments have to be made. Even as the planet earth has been allowed to veer slightly in its orbit because of factors which are in­volved in its destiny. So shall I adjust the earth's orbit slightly in the near future because of the great changes that are to come on it. For I say to you that the present orbit of the earth is a result of the manifestation of sin on it. Many years ago, before the manifestation of sin, the earth was in a slightly different orbit than it is in now. For sin brought a factor-in-chaos on the earth which had its effect on the very earth itself. I say, all creation is in travail because of man's sin, and the very sphere on which sin has manifested has been affected by that sin. The orbit of the earth at the present time represents, in type, man's orbit-in-violation which I have allowed; but just as I cannot allow the earth's orbit to deviate too far from its original course, even so I cannot allow man's orbit-in-violation to extend beyond that which has been decreed and determined as the bound of safety in light of that which I have purposed. For were I to allow man's orbit-in-violation to extend too far, it would be very difficult to mitigate the results, and the resultant chaos would be unredeemable for many millen­niums to come.

 

So my people, realize that man's iniquity has almost reached the allowable degree to which it can go without intervention on my part. Therefore know for a surety that judgment is even now on its way. And man's iniquity which has come to the full will soon be cut off, and that orbit-in-violation which I have allowed will not be permitted to go any further. For a fierce wrath and indignation is soon to fall on the earth, and all nations shall drink of the wrath of my indignation. Sinners shall be cut off, and iniquity shall be put down in the day of my wrath, says the Lord.

 

Shall the pride of man continue to vaunt itself? Shall the wickedness of man which is great go unnoticed until it has corrupted beyond that which I have calculated for the safety of other spheres and for the purpose which I have determined? I say not! So even now all things are being made ready. Even now the heavenly hosts are preparing for the day of retribution and judgment which is coming, says the Lord. For once again will I visit the earth. Once more will I come down to confound the imaginations of the proud and put a stop to the vain delusions of those blinded by the deceitfulness of sin. The time is short, and the earth is heavy with its iniquity. For surely it shall reel to and fro in that day as its iniquity is judged and its wickedness comes to its full in the day of wrath and judgment, says the Lord." (end of prophecy.)

 

TOP

RETURN TO INDEX