Notes Concerning the Day of Atonement (Prophetically the Day of the LORD) V

by Michael C Garrett

Owensboro Church of Jesus Christ

"Worship Not the Queen of Heaven!"

Now, I’ve been talking about the Fall Holy Days. The Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles, which goes for seven days, the eighth day being called the Last Great Day. And, historically, through the teachings of the Church of God – the Worldwide Church of God and other organizations that go by that name, or derivations of that name – they don’t do a very good job of explaining what the Day of Atonement is all about. They’re just stuck on a few stories and just grind them out year after year, the Azazel goat… “the Lord wants you to hurt!”… And they never have done a good job of explaining what the Day of Atonement is all about. And what I have been trying to say – the Day of Atonement is prophetically linked to the Day of the Lord. An event which is the most often prophesied event in the Bible. If you took all of the references and chapters to the Day of the Lord out of your Bible it would be more than half as thin as it is now. Old Testament. New Testament. Old Testament prophets, the “major” prophets, the “minor” prophets, Jesus Christ, the apostle Paul, the Book of Revelation, Peter talked about the Day of the Lord. Jude talks about the Day of the Lord. I mean it’s just covered everywhere! And yet, teachers, preachers, of the Worldwide Church of God and many of its descendants DO NOT EXPLAIN THIS even remotely well. The Day of the Lord – that moment, probably not too far into the future, whether it’s a year, five years, ten years, I don’t know. But it’s not going to be a hundred years from now I don’t think. It most likely will occur within the lifetime of many people who are reading this right now. The Day of the Lord is not that far away! And it’s the day when Jesus Christ directly interacts with human kind, and He does so in a very judgmental way, a very vindictive way – it is a day of retribution. It is a day of settling the score. Of “balancing the books.” Which is what atonement actually means.

Ezekiel chapter 8 – “And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me there.” – now that was a pretty powerful statement there! ‘the hand of the Lord fell upon me.’ Meaning, he was being taken in his mind through the power of God’s Spirit to see things which other people just wasn’t going to see. Verse 2 – “Then I looked, and there was a likeness, like the appearance of fire – from the appearance of His waist and downward, fire; and from His waist and upward, like the appearance of brightness, like the color of amber.” – Now this is very similar to a description we hear of Jesus Christ in the Book of Revelation. Revelation 1 – in which John is in Spirit, being taught by God in his mind by being allowed to see things that other people couldn’t see. As John said, Verse 10 – “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day [that means the Day of the Lord! John was saying, ‘I was in the Spirit and seeing the Day of the Lord.’ Now this is one of the Protestant proof texts they use to “prove” Sunday worship. 

This has absolutely nothing to do with Sunday worship. This is an explanation that the apostle John is seeing things through God’s Spirit about the DAY OF THE LORD! I am embarrassed when I hear them use this to mean Sunday worship. And I have heard them use this many times. Surely, they’re not that Biblically ignorant that they believe this, but they are! And they teach it, and they have to try hard, because there’s not that many places where they can stretch the Word of God to include Sunday worship. Verse 12 – and John said, “Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,” – referring to angelic beings. Verse 13 – “and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, …” – he is seeing Jesus Christ! “…clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14) His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15) His feet were like fine brass, …” – remember, Ezekiel used the description ‘like the appearance of brightness, like the color of amber.’ “…as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16) He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance [His over-all appearance] was like the Sun shining in its strength.” 

Well, what John saw in Revelation chapter 1 is the same thing that Ezekiel is seeing. They are seeing the same God and His name is JESUS CHRIST – that’s what we call Him now. 

Verse 3, Ezekiel chapter 8 – “He stretched out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my hair; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, …” – this is a remarkable story here. That he’s being allowed to see things that other people have not been allowed to see, or very few. When I think about places in the Bible of which I can remember where human beings were allowed to see the very throne of God. I think of a couple. I think about Acts chapter 7. It’s a remarkable story. It’s a story of courage, dedication, the story of a very young man, probably no more than 21, 22, who gives one of the most powerful testimonies for Jesus Christ and God Almighty anywhere in the Bible. Young Stephen went into a long litany of the history of Israel, and as he got closer to the end, and the intensity of his rhetoric increased, he says in chapter 7, verse 51 – speaking to the religious leaders of his day, remember, Jesus Christ had almost no use for the religious leaders of His day. And Stephen here has almost nothing good to say to the religious leaders of his day – “’You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. 52) Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? …’” – that’s quite a statement! Stephen is saying, ‘Every prophet God ever sent you persecuted and most of them you killed!’ Including JESUS CHRIST, the very Son of God! “…’And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One [Jesus Christ], of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, 53) who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.’ 54) When they heard these things [the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the religious leaders; the temple elite] they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 55) But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into Heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, …” – this young man, who is about to die, God the Father and Jesus Christ gave him the gift of allowing him to look up and actually see Them at the throne of God! That’s remarkable! It hasn’t happened too often in the pages of the Bible. And this is what young Stephen said, verse 56 – “’Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God!’” – and by making this statement, he was declaring to the ones who had just murdered Jesus Christ, is that Jesus Christ is indeed alive and at the throne of God! 

And there’s another incident, that happened to the former Saul – now the apostle Paul. 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 – “It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: 2) I know a man in Christ …” – now Paul is speaking in the third person. But he’s referring to himself. “…who fourteen years ago – whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, …” – he doesn’t know if he was there with his body, or there with just his mind. But it was so clear to him he’s not sure. But he says, “…God knows – such a one was caught up to the third heaven.” – and as I’ve stated before, the word heaven in the Bible can have about three different meanings. The most common meaning of the word heaven is referring to the atmosphere. In some few cases the word heaven refers to what we would call outer space. And the third heaven, as Paul describes it here, and it’s not referred to too often, just a few times, is the throne of God the Father and Jesus Christ. Verse 4 – “how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful [not proper] for a man to utter.” – but Paul witnessed it. Because Paul also had a point in his life where he needed encouragement and was allowed to hear this. And when I say he needed encouragement turn to chapter 11, verse 22– referring to false ministers, verse 13 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves [masquerading we might say] into apostles of Christ. 14) And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15) Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers [Satan’s ministers] also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, …” – and then Paul adds this very curdling phrase, “whose end will be according to their works.” And speaking of these and people who were so hard on him, he says in verse 22 – “Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23) Are they ministers of Christ? – I speak as a fool – I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.” – there was a bunch of times Paul thought he was going to die. Paul did not have an easy life. It was down and gritty and dirty and messy and very dangerous. And he says in Verse 24 – “From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25) Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26) in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren …” – now that is one apostle Paul, I think I can identify with. Because there has been a few times in my life when people who were masquerading as followers of Christ were indeed minions in the hands of Satan in order to hurt me, and attempt to destroy me. To do all they could to hurt me. Verses 27-31. Paul, at times, probably just got worn down. Discouraged. Overwhelmed with a sense of futility. Physical pain, mental pain. And it was on one of those moments, most likely, that we read about in chapter 12. In order to pick up his spirit, to resupply energy to his battery, God the Father and Jesus Christ allowed him to see the very throne of God. And to hear things which no human has ever heard. That’s a remarkable story. 

Again Ezekiel chapter 8 – “…to the door of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the image of jealousy was, which provokes of jealousy. 4) And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, …” – ‘the glory of the God of Israel was there.’ “…like the vision that I saw in the plain. 5) Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, lift your eyes now toward the north.’ So I lifted my eyes toward the north, and there, north of the altar gate was this image of jealousy in the entrance. 6) Furthermore He said to me, ‘Son of man, do you see what they are doing …” – now remember, he’s in a temple, a place of worship. In today’s language we would call it a church. He’s seeing a church service. “…’the great abominations that the house of Israel commits here, to make Me go far away from My sanctuary? Now turn again, you will see greater abominations.’” – this is Jesus Christ describing church services in the people of Israel. He says there are abominations and there are greater abominations! Verse 7 – “So He brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, there was a hole in the wall. 8) Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, dig into the wall’; and when I dug into the wall, there was a door. 9) And He said to me, ‘Go in, and see the wicked abominations which they are doing there – every sort of creeping thing, abominable beasts, and all of the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed all around on the walls.’” – I wonder if there were any Christmas trees!? 

Or bunny rabbits. Maybe there was a Santa Claus on the wall!? Again, you are free to keep any holy days you want, you’re an American. Or a member of the Western world. But are you doing what God wants you to do!? That’s the question you ask. You don’t say, “Well I want my family to like me. I want my buddies to like me!” No, you better ask the question, “Does God care for what I am doing!?” Does He look upon me and say, ‘OK, well done my   good and faithful servant!’ Or does He look upon what I’m doing, and He talks about the word abomination. ‘Greater abominations, wicked abominations,’ He says in Verse 9. Verse 11 – “And there stood before them seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel [these are the wise ones; again this is a church building. They’re talking about religion. The things God sees them do religiously], and in their midst stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan. Each man had a censer in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense went up.” – again, incense, religious. There are some churches that use incense. God doesn’t seem to be speaking very well of it here, it is true in the ancient Old Covenant that there were incense and the containers which contained the incense. But I don’t think that’s what He’s talking about. Verse 12 – “Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, have you seen what the elders [the ancients] of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the room of his idols [imagination]? For they say, ‘The LORD does not see us, the LORD has forsaken the land [the Earth].’” – they say, ‘He’s way off, far off. He doesn’t know what we’re doing!’ ‘So, we don’t really have to worry about Him, because He doesn’t worry about us!’ Verse 13 – “And He said to me, ‘Turn again, and you will see greater abominations that they are doing.’ 14) So He brought me to the door of the north gate of the LORD’S house [again, he’s probably being taken through the power of God’s Spirit, being lifted up and moved around]; and to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz.” – who is one of the ancient god’s of that world (Dumuzid, later known by the alternate form Tammuz, is an ancient Mesopotamian god associated with shepherds, who was also the primary consort of the goddess Inanna (later known as Ishtar; a name variation is Easter)). Often this very same phrase is used of the Queen of Heaven. How many have heard the phrase Queen of Heaven!? Lots of different names for this personality, including Queen Sammu-Ramat (Semiramis). I think the Egyptian world called her Isis,  which is interesting – the Islamic radicals have adopted this name. The people throughout the Middle East had different names for her. Diana, the Romans, the Greeks had a name for her, but often referred to as the Queen of Heaven. Let’s look at some of those references – Jeremiah 44 – sometimes, the Queen of Heaven is referred to as Ishtar, EASTER. The very same goddess. She was prevalent throughout many cultures. But they were all referring to the same being. Verse 15 – “…their wives had burned incense to other gods, …” Verse 17 – “…to burn incense to the queen of heaven …” Verse 18 – “But since we stopped burning incense [meaning ‘to worship’] to the queen of heaven …” Verse 19 – “…’And when we burned incense [‘we worshipped’] to the queen of heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, did we make cakes for her, …’” – I am told they made ‘hot cross buns.’ It’s a very common custom in a lot of Western cultures. They don’t know it but they are actually making an homage to the Queen of Heaven. Over in verse 25 – “…’We will surely keep our vows that we have made , to burn incense [to worship] to the queen of heaven …’” – so, the Queen of Heaven is a focus of the ancient religions. But guess what!? Her thing was being a part of the Sun god. So when you worship the Queen of Heaven you’re actually engaged in pagan Sun worship. Also, Jeremiah chapter 7, verse 18 – “’The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger.’” – I wonder if leaving cookies for Santa Claus has anything with making cakes!?

Again, go back to Ezekiel 8, verse 14 – Ezekiel, who’s being transported around by the Spirit of God – this great divine “taxicab.” “So He [God] brought me to the door of the north gate of the LORD’S house; and to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz.” Or, as it says in other places, the Queen of Heaven. Just above in the Book of Jeremiah, chapter 44, there’s four or five places where it talks about the Queen of Heaven. ‘They DO provoke Me to anger!’ says the Lord! Well, let’s turn back to the beginning of Jeremiah chapter 7. This is an interesting chapter! And, when I was studying this chapter and thinking of this chapter, some things just jumped off the page at me. 

Jeremiah 7:1 – “The Word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2) ‘Stand in the gate of the LORD’S house, and proclaim there this Word, and say, ‘Hear the Word of the LORD, all you of Judah, who enter in at these gates to worship the LORD!’ 3) Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Amend your ways and your doings, …’” Now, what does that mean!?

‘Amend your ways and your doings.’ It’s just another way of God saying, ‘Repent!’ And all the word repent means is be willing to change. When God shows you where there’s an area in your life that needs to be cleaned up, HEED what God is trying to tell you! Now, sometimes, He may just tell you that in your own quite time, or in your own Bible study, your own meditation, your own prayer. And sometimes He does this by delivering a message to you by somebody like me. Now the message is not mine, the message comes from God. I’m just the vessel that says it out loud in English. But He says here, and look with your own eyes, ‘Amend your ways!’ The Book of Acts, ‘Repent, and be baptized.’ Be willing to change. “…’and I will cause you to dwell in this place. 4) Do not trust in these lying words, saying, [and listen to this phraseology] ‘The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD are these.’” Now you’re saying, “What does that mean!?” Well, back then, there were people who looked upon the temple of God as being the ultimate place to have their religious attention. And what Jesus is saying – the One that we now know of as Jesus is the One inspiring this – is there were people back then that worshiped the temple more than worshiped the God that made the temple. Now is that possible!? Well, yeah! 

I know people today, of different religions, some Protestant, some within the churches of God who worship their religion, with more zeal, than they worship God!

And in worshiping their religion they have convinced themselves – they trust in themselves that they’re right – that they are worshiping God. And so there are people right now who worship Herbert Armstrong. He’s been in his grave since January 16, 1986. And yet, there’s this one outfit in the churches of God – I mean every time you see their materials it’s got plastered all over it images of Herbert Armstrong. They worry more about what Herbert Armstrong said, or what this little “red-headed guy” says about him than worrying about what God says! And for them it’s not the ‘temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord,’ to them it’s ‘Herbert Armstrong, Herbert Armstrong!’ Well there are other people who have sort-of the same romantic notion about Ted Armstrong. They spend more time worrying about ‘Ted Armstrong, Ted Armstrong, Ted Armstrong’ than they do about GOD! I’m trying to say to you that the Bible is plainly here showing us that you can make an idol out of your church. And yet the very first commandment and will always be the very first commandment, ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before Me!’ And that includes the concept you have of your church. And, Mr. Ted Armstrong has been in the grave for over a decade, and yet there are some people who act like he’s still alive. And there are people now within the ICG who believe – and it’s really hard to figure how you get here – that what the “little guy” says is the only thing I need to listen to.  Are you actually going to take a man, who’s not even ordained, and treat him like he’s more important than JESUS CHRIST!? ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO DO THAT!? And do you not realize than when you do you turn Jesus Christ away in order that you might adopt the “little guy.” My friends, please do not do this to yourselves. The only person I’m ever going to point you towards is Jesus Christ! It should be about explaining, correctly, the  Word of God, the Truth of God, the Plan of God, and our mission statement is to follow the commission of Jesus Christ when He said, ‘Feed My sheep!’ It is certainly not about me, never has been and never will be. It is about Jesus Christ. Don’t fall victim of this  idolization of a human being. And don’t allow a human being to tell you what you should and should not think. Allow the Bible to tell you what you should and should not think. And the Bible, right here, saying, ‘Don’t do it!’ Don’t fall down this road, ‘Amends you   ways,’ He says. Continuing, Verses 5-7 – “…’I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.” so, where will New Jerusalem be!? In Jerusalem! Where will the throne of God be!? In what we now call the nation state of Israel!

And IF you put God first, you will live in that city as a part of the Family of God, as a part of the Kingdom of God for ever and ever. Verse 8 – “’Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. 9) Will you steal. murder, burn incense to Baal [to other gods], and walk after other gods whom you do not know, 10) and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations’?” – did Jesus Christ and God the Father pull you out of the mire and the muck – which was your life – and cleaned you up, and granted you truth of God, which is the Truth of God, and then granted you repentance and baptism, granted you the Spirit of God!? Did He do that so that you can become captivated and held in bondage by a mean spirited, angry, emotionally unstable, human being!? That’s not what He did! Look to Jesus, not some human being. Look to Jesus, not Tyler. Look to Jesus, not the “little guy” and his buddy. LOOK TO JESUS! Verse 11 – “’Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,’ says the LORD. 12) ‘But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, …’” – Shiloh was once the center of God’s Ark – like His temple, although it was a canvas temple. “…where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel.’” – and we’re told that Shiloh is nothing but wilderness now. Well, when I came into the knowledge of the truth of God, the center of the Church of God of the universe was Pasadena, California, the Worldwide Church of God and Ambassador College. Hundred and fifty thousand members and growing, a huge budget and growing, a huge output in literature, television shows, radio shows, and in multiple languages, and growing! Now go to Pasadena and look at the campus, Ambassador College no longer exists! O’ some of the building may still remain, but the institution has long been gone. The Worldwide Church of God no longer exists! The printing presses aren’t rolling, the radio stations aren’t broadcasting, the television stations don’t carry the program anymore. It’s all dead, all gone! And why!? Because people forgot to put God the Father and Jesus Christ first. They made a religion of worshiping their religion. 

They forgot to keep the Word of God first and preeminent in their lives. And they got more concerned with worshiping human beings. Well, many of those human beings are now in the grave, and that institution is long since gone. Verse 13 – “’And now, because you have done all these works,’ says the LORD, ‘and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you, but you did not answer, …’” – now, think about me, I was told by the “little guy” down in Tyler, “I’m gonna do everything within my power to DESTROY YOU, and the church in Owensboro!” You’ve got to understand there’s a problem there! You’ve got to know that something is wrong! And yet some of you, you just sit on your thumbs and “Well, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD. Armstrong, Armstrong.” Well, I tell you what, when a person named Armstrong has the ability to grant you eternal life… OK… go get ‘em!” But the only being who can grant you eternal life is the One named Jesus Christ! Look to Jesus, not some human being! Verse 14 – “’therefore I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, [remember, the Church of God has the name God right in it] and to this place which I gave to you and your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.’” – wiped it out! Pasadena, wiped out! One day, Tyler, ICG, will get wiped out by God! You simply cannot walk contrary to the Way of God! The way those leaders have done and not pay a terrible penalty. Sooner or later the judgment of God will be executed. That’s what we have been talking about! The Day of the Lord! That time in future history when God will execute His judgment on sinful human beings and this sinful world. Verse 15 – “’And I will cast you out of My sight, as I have cast out all your brethren – the whole posterity of Ephraim.’” Verse 16 – this was a verse in which I referred to in December 2012. I delivered this sermon the same day, or rather the same weekend, as that horrible tragedy in Connecticut. Where these young children just five years of age were just gunned down by this crazy person. And I tried to point out that America, as wonderful as she has been, was destined – by the Word of God – to fall into nothingness. To be destroyed. And when that sermon was over, the “little guy” number two, walked over to me, with as much contempt that he could muster, reeking of self-righteousness, and said, “I’m so sorry that you’re so depressed. O’ you must be so depressed to deliver that type of sermon.” It was dripping with arrogance, hubris. And what did he disagree with!? Because I dared to quote the Word of God!

“’Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you.’” – there comes a time in the progression of the downfall of a society or a group or a nation, a time when God says, ‘I’m just done with it!’ ‘I’m done messing with them!’ At that point you’re wasting your time even praying for them. I mean when Noah was in that huge boat, and the rains fell and the waters rose, do you think Noah was on the top deck praying for the people!? The judgment of God had already been made! Do you think that Lot and his two daughters when they were struggling to get away from the plain of Sodom and Gomorrah, do you really think that God wanted them to turn around and go, “O’ these poor people”!? “O’ God help them!” His wife, actually had some sort-of empathy for them, disobeyed God and turned around and looked… boom… she was changed into a pillar of stone. There was no praying for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, it was over! God had rendered His judgment and He was  executing it. And so, the people of America, the people who say, ‘In God We Trust,’ but a society which is so mucked up now, it sometimes will get you in trouble if you even say the name Jesus Christ in public. There’s going to come a time when God Almighty and Jesus Christ say, ‘I’m just done with it!’ ‘It’s over!’ ‘Let the end-time trauma begin!’ Are we there yet!? No. Are we near!? Probably. Do I know for sure!? No, I don’t know the timetable. But when I look around, I just don’t see how this world keeps spinning the way it should. Verse 17 – “’Do you not see what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18) The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the Queen of Heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger.’” – a direct reference to the Day of the Lord! Verses 19, 20 – “’Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Behold, My anger and My fury will be poured out on this place [a direct reference to the Day of the Lord] – on man and on beast, on the trees of the field and on the fruit of the ground. And it will burn and not be quenched.’” – the Day of the Lord is often in connection with fire. Of things just being burned up! Verses 21-22, 23 – and listen how simple the Plan of God is, “…’Obey My voice, and I will be your God,’ …” – that’s the one condition God has wanted since the beginning of time! ‘Simply obey My voice, I will be your God and you will be My people.’ “…’And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’” – but… so sadly, Verse 24 – “’Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.’” – they trusted in themselves that they were right. Yet in the end they will be proved to be wrong. Verses 25-27, 28 – “’So you shall say to them, ‘This is a nation …’” – this is a family, this is a church, this is a congregation, this is a state, a county, a town, a village, you pick the organization you want. “…’that does not obey the voice of the LORD their God nor receive correction. Truth has perished and has been cut off from their mouth. 29) Cut off your hair [O’ Israel] and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on the desolate heights; …’” – remember Jeremiah wrote the Book of Lamentations!? What is he lamenting!? He’s lamenting what will happen on the Day of the Lord! People have never understood that. “…’for the LORD has rejected and forsaken the generation of His wrath.’” – a reference to the Day of the Lord! Verse 30 – “’For the children of Judah have done evil in My sight,’ says the LORD. ‘They have set their abominations in the house which is called by My name, to pollute it.’” – even some of the churches which have the name God in it! Verse 31 – “’And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, …’” – or as you might say Gehenna, this is a direct reference to that valley which was constantly burning Jerusalem’s garbage – a rubbish pit. That’s where the term Gehenna fire comes from. This is an offhand reference to eternal Gehenna fire. “…’to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, …’” – thankfully we don’t do that anymore, but, how many little babies in the year 2018 were slaughtered while they were inside their mother’s womb!? And what, pray-tell, could they ever have done wrong!? What sin could they ever have committed!? They are COMPLETELY INNOCENT!! But because they were alive and it was inconvenient for their mother, because she wanted to party more!? 

She wanted to worry about her figure, or her career, she just didn’t want to be bothered. O’ she liked what caused the baby, she just wasn’t responsible enough to take care of the baby God allowed her to have. How many thousands and thousands, hundreds of thousands of aborted babies will occur this year! In this country and in many others! Verse 32 – “’Therefore, behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘when it will no more be called Tophet, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter; …’” – Gehenna fire! Verse 33-34 – “’Then I will cause to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. For the land shall be desolate.’” – thus saith the LORD!

Ezekiel 8:15 – “Then He said to me, ‘Have you seen this, O son of man? Turn again, you will see greater abominations than these.’ 16) So He brought me into the inner court of the LORD’S house; …” – this is a church building. A cathedral. A temple, whatever word you want to use. “…and there, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the Sun toward the east.” – In the old days, in previous civilizations, going back to the Egyptians and the Syrians and Babylonians, their religion was based upon - in one form or another – the worship of the Sun. The Bible says that the SEVENTH DAY of the week is God’s holy day, weekly day. It’s not a SUN-day. Why do most of the churches of the world choose the FIRST DAY of the week!? Have you ever asked yourself that question!? How, if God gave the Sabbath to be the day upon which people were to convene, worship, and think about God and talk about God, then where did the first day of the week come from!? A lot of you who are keepers of Sunday don’t even know where it came from! You’re just doing it because your family members before you were doing it. And you just, “Well, we all just go to church on Sunday, that’s what we’ve always done, that’s what I’m always going to do!” Where did Sunday come from!? And don’t say Jesus Christ instituted it, because He didn’t! “Well He was resurrected on Sunday.” No, He wasn’t! He was resurrected on a late Saturday. “Ah well, the Bible talks about ‘the Lord’s day’.” No, the Book of Revelation talks about – John – was in a vision, was having a vision revealed to him ON THE LORD’S DAY, that was talking about the DAY OF THE LORD! The Book of Revelation sums up the climatic events of the Day of the Lord! It’s not the ‘Lord’s day,’ Sunday worship had nothing to do with it! And anybody who uses that as an excuse to attempt to prove the validity of Sunday worship, it’s just a terribly ridiculous infantile argument. Have you ever heard of a guy named Constantine I, he was a Roman Emperor who reigned in the 300s A.D. 

He, as the Roman Emperor, one day woke up and said, “You know what!? We’re not going to meet on Saturday anymore. We’re going to be different than the Jewish people, I’m going to now institute – and demand at the point of death – that everyone keep Sunday.” And so, in the 300s A.D., the Roman world started keeping Sunday – that’s where it came from! It didn’t come from God, it didn’t come from Jesus, it didn’t come from the apostle Paul. It came from the Roman Emperor Constantine I. And to this day, as the prophecy of Ezekiel reveal, that within church buildings, people – whether they know it or not – are worshiping the Sun. It’s S-U-N day. And why do people on Easter, which is not in the Bible – one place it appears in Acts is a mistranslation, and it should be the word Passover – so many people of the Western world get the urge and need to go forth and have Easter Sunrise services!? Where they face the east and watch the rising Sun!? Have you ever wondered about that!? Please, have the intellectual honesty to start doing some research. These things did not come from the Bible. They are the traditions of men. Jesus Christ said, ‘Be careful that you don’t follow traditions, but rather follow the truth of God!’ Verses 17, 18 – and this is a mission statement of the DAY OF THE LORD! – “’Therefore I also will act in fury. My eye will not spare nor will I have pity; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them.’” – if you wait until the Day of the Lord, you probably have waited too long! If you wait until these horrible catastrophes – horrible things, plagues, droughts, famine, diseases – some horrible things are stated in your Bible! If you wait until that Day, and then go, “O’ I wish I would have listened to Him!” You will have waited too long! You have a chance now to still find the truth of God! I beg you, I challenge you, I implore you, I importune you – any word you want to put out there – prove me right or prove me wrong! But don’t sit on your rear-end and do nothing! 

Ezekiel chapter 9 – Verse 3, 4 – “and the LORD said to him, ‘Go through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.’” – the Bible talks about two different groups of people having a mark put upon their head. If you’re familiar with the Bible you know that I’m referring to the Book of Revelation. 

Now, this is not the only place – Revelation 13:16 – and notice verse 11 – “Then I saw another beast …” – and notice what the purpose of these two great powers are – verse 7 – “It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them …” – this is war against the true people of God. Implemented by these two very false and diabolical leaders. “Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb [he looked innocent like a little lamb] and spoke like a dragon. 12) And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed [talking about the Roman Empire, and then subsequent reinstitutions of the “Holy” Roman Empire; and you come down to the end-days where you have the seventh resurrection of the “Holy” Roman Empire, which is just right around the corner]. 13) He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire [or lightning] come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men [O’ an impressive show, but it means absolutely nothing!]. 14) And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast [and who will be behind those signs!? Satan the devil!], ... 15) … and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.” – that’s why they go to make war against the saints. Because the saints don’t believe the religion they’re trying to peddle. Verse 16 – “He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and [bond; again, this false leader], to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads.” – alright, ‘a mark’!? Verse 17 – “and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18) Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666.” – and you’ve probably heard references to that, and even some movies refer to that. Also Chapter 14, verse 9 – “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10) he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God [a reference to the DAY OF THE LORD!] …’” – once again, this reference to a mark on your right hand and your forehead. 

Go back to the Book of Ezekiel, you’ll find as you study the Bible – and the Way of God and the way of Satan, and even the holy days and holidays – you’ll see that Satan often duplicates the TRUE WAY OF GOD! 

The Bible says keep SATURDAY. But now you have the majority of the world, the Western world, keeping Sunday. The Bible says keep THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES and people want to keep Christmas. The Bible says keep THE PASSOVER and yet we have this Easter thing. Here, as we saw in the Book of Revelation, that the leaders who are working for Satan the devil have a mark. Sometimes referred to as ‘the mark of the beast.’ And yet, here back in the Book of Ezekiel, WE HAVE GOD’S VERSION, and what does He say here, verse 4 – He said with the being with the inkhorn, “‘Go through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.’ 5) To the others He said in my hearing, ‘Go after him through the city and KILL …’” – so you either have God’s mark, or you have Satan’s mark! It’s one or the other! Now, some of you might want to say, “Well, I don’t want to get involved!” If you don’t get involved you guarantee yourself to be a part from God’s blessing and protection. The only way you can assure yourself of safety – to preserve your life both physically and spiritually – is to actively pursue the Way of God and the Way of Jesus Christ! If you don’t you automatically fall into the mark of Satan. Verses 6-11 – the DAY OF THE LORD. 

The single most prophesied event in the Bible and nothing comes close to it. Not even the establishment of the Kingdom of God, which is a most wonderful future event. The predictions of the establishment of the Kingdom of God are woefully small compared to the predictions of the Day of the Lord. And yet most of the people who study the Bible do not understand the significance of the Day of the Lord. 

Ezekiel 12 – notice right off that ‘the Word of the LORD came to me [came to Ezekiel], saying: 2) ‘Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, which has eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; for they are a rebellious house.’” – now, if you would, turn to the Book of Revelation. In chapters 2 & 3 Jesus Christ gave a Message to seven different church groups, which all existed at the same time. It wasn’t ‘church era’s,’ which some people have feloniously and incorrectly taught over the years and some of them STILL DO! And God, Jesus Christ, gave a Message to each of these groups. But what I want to point in on is like the first group in Ephesus. Verse 7, chapter 2 – “’He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. …’” – and I contend the only way you’re really going to hear what the Spirit of God is saying is IF you have God’s Spirit.

If you don’t have God’s Spirit you’ll probably never get this Message. And then, verse 11 – to another church group, out of Smyrna – “’He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. …’” – and to another group out of Pergamos, He says in verse 17 – “’He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. …’” – and notice right before then, the word REPENT! And that means change. Repent is not some fancy theological term. Repent means you come to a point in your life where you say, “I have done something that I should not have done!” “I have walked down a path, down which I should not have walked.” “I have engaged in practices, thinking, or works, or actions, which are contrary to the mind of God. And I’ve come to a point where I want to change.” Now, as a human being, if you have a lot of will power, you might muster up enough will power to do some things better. But in the end, the only way that you can overcome is to cry out to God, to cry out to Jesus Christ, and say, “Come into my life, forgive me, help me to change, help me to grow, grant me Your Spirit, grant me Your forgiveness and Your eternal grace.” Well, to a group in Thyatira, notice there in verse 21 He says, ‘to repent.’ And, in verse 29 He says, “’He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” In chapter 3 He talks to a group called Sardis. He says in verse 3 – “’Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and REPENT. …’” – once again, you’ve got to change. And in verse 6 – “’He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” And then to a group in Philadelphia. He says in verse 13 – “’He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” And to the last group in Laodicea. He says, verse 19 – “’As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and REPENT.’” I’ve heard people say, “Well God will never enter your life and cause problems for you.” Really!? ‘As many as I love I rebuke and chasten.’ ‘Be zealous therefore, and repent.’ Change. Change the direction of your life. Notice verse 20 – “’Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him [or her] and dine with him [or her], and he with Me.’” – TURN TO GOD! TURN TO JESUS CHRIST! Verse 21 – “’To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”  - a rather consistent Message from God!

Ezekiel 12, verse 9 – “’Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’” – and verse 10 speaks of the ‘prince in Jerusalem,’ and He talks about the house of Israel. Keep in mind, some of you know this - some of you are not aware yet, the Bible talks about the house of Israel a lot and it talks about the Jewish people a lot. Those are not the same thing. All Jewish people are descendants from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel. However, there were twelve brothers, not all twelve brothers were Jewish. Just one brother, Judah. And there are two groups of people out there both of whom God loves and cares about and has spent a lot of time over the years – thousands of years – attempting to guide, lead, and direct. Although not very successfully, because they are, as He says, ‘a rebellious house.’ Verse 11 – “Say, ‘I am a sign to you. As I have done, so shall it be done to them; they shall be carried away into captivity.’” – talking about the DAY OF THE LORD! This FALL HOLY DAYS SERIES – directly talking about the meaning of the Day of Atonement, which is prophetically linked with the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord is that moment in time – not yet here, but not far away – where Jesus Christ directly intervenes in the affairs of human kind and He sets things right. He ATONES. He ‘balances the books.’ He throws away the old and brings forth the new. The Day of the Lord, the single most prophesied event in the Bible – nothing comes close to it. Verse 14 – this is a prophecy of the Day of the Lord or what will happen. – “’I will scatter to every wind all who are around him to help him and all his troops; and I will draw out the sword after them.’” – a common refrain. Verse 15 – directly talking about the Day of the Lord! – Verse 16 – the Day of the Lord! A remnant, as He sometimes says, will live through it all. And they will declare to that present generation and far down the road “We left our God, and we were sorely punished for it!” “And now we know that there is a God, and we know that He is a rewarder of them that do good, He is also a rewarder of them that do evil.” Verse 17 – directly from the mouth of God. Verse 19 – “’And say to the people of the land, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the LAND OF ISRAEL …’” – both the tribe of Judah and the house of Israel. Verse 20 – “’Then the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall become desolate; and you shall know that I am the LORD.’” – because on the Day of the Lord there will be DIRECT CONTACT with human kind! 

Verse 22 – again talking about the Day of the Lord – “’Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’?’” – you know there are people – sometimes in our society they’re political people – historically they have tended to be religious people, and there are some religious people who follow this philosophy to this day, “O’ don’t worry, everything’s going to be alright!” “Don’t worry about God punishing you, He’s far away.” Well, Verse 23 – “’Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘I will lay this proverb to rest, …’” – because there will be a God, there will be a very angry Jesus Christ, and there will be punishment and judgment! Verse 24 – the stupid simplistic little idealistic sayings that ministers so often say, it won’t exist anymore. Yet, this type of empty rhetoric will simply no longer be meaningful. It won’t even exist. Verse 25 – “…’the Word which I speak will come to pass [there comes a time when we simply run out of time!] …’” – there will come a time when God the Father and Jesus Christ say, ‘Let it begin!’ ‘Let the end-time trauma begin!’ Now we’re not there yet. And there’s things going on in this world which is horrible and terrible, but we’re not yet to God’s end-time days. Verses 26, 27 – “’Son of man, look, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’” – they say, “O’ don’t worry about that stuff you read in the Bible, that’s just Old Testament stuff!” And yet, everything we’re covering here is talking about what will soon take place in the future! Verse 28 – “’Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘None of My Words will be postponed any more, [IT WILL HAPPEN! And it’s going to happen not very far down the road!] …’” 

Ezekiel 13 – 2) “’Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel [prophesy against the religious leaders of Israel] who prophesy and say to those who prophesy out of their own hearts, ‘Hear the Word of the LORD!’ 3) Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit [that follow their own mind, that follow their own traditions] and have seen nothing!’” – religious leaders which do not speak the truth of God! Now, it’s not my job to point out who’s speaking the truth and who isn’t. But it’s YOUR JOB to make sure that you’re not stuck in one of those institutions in which your religious leaders are not telling you the truth. Be careful what you believe. Don’t just except it, because it’s family tradition. Don’t just except it because your wife or your husband said, “Well this is where we’re going to go to church.” “This is what we’re going to believe.” 

I challenge you to go to God in prayer, ask for His help, and then study your Bible with meaning and with purpose. Read the things I have said. Tell me if I have misquoted them! Tell me if I have misrepresented what God is saying! Show me! But if you cannot disprove what I am saying, then it becomes imperative to you that you start to study your Bible with a new way of thinking. Being led by God, not by human beings. Verse 4 – “’O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts. 5) You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle ON THE DAY OF THE LORD.’” – they have not protected Israel – the house of Israel – I’m talking about America, the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand – that’s to whom I speak now. Now many might say, “Where do you get this ‘Day of the Lord’ stuff!?” Well, because every-so-often even in the Bible it says it just as plain as day. This is all been talking about the Day of the Lord! Which is prophetically linked with the holy day celebration the Day of Atonement. Again, these are things which have never been said to you before. You’ve never heard them before, because they haven’t been said, because they haven’t been known, because they haven’t been understood. And graciously God is allowing us, now, here, to start to understand these things!