Monday, March 4, 2019

Notes Concerning the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day

by Michael C. Garrett

The Spring Holy Days are a continuum. What happens in Passover and Unleavened Bread, and down as you get into the Feast of Pentecost – a continuous series of event's which are all interrelated and intertwined. And the same thing is true with the Fall Holy Days.

In my opinion – the best way to study these Holy Days in the fall is that they too are a continuum, intermixed, intertwined, interrelated. They’re NOT separate entities.

Leviticus 23; ‘the children of Israel’ – ISRAEL means “struggle with God” – And I think by extension the Old Testament and the New Testament refers to the people of God, as ISRAEL. God’s select people. Now, NO WHERE IN THE BIBLE does it say, “Stop keeping these days.” Their still meant, by God, to be kept!

Now, we have spiritual ISRAEL. People of the Body of Christ. The chosen people. And they come from all over the world and all different races and ethnicities. But they ARE the people of GOD, or they are the perspective people of GOD.

” …These are the feasts of the LORD, …” … Everyone of these feasts are CENTERED around Jesus Christ!

In the beginning days of Ambassador College, way back when, most in the 40s and 50s, the early pioneer student's, and most of these early student's had important positions in the Work of God, in the Church of God for many years and decade's. They got together, and Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA) had concluded that there was more than just the weekly Sabbath mentioned in the Bible, and then it was, sort-of, understood, that eventually, there are these annual Sabbath’s … “OK, we’ve got these annual Sabbath’s, what do we do with them?” “How do we keep them!?” And, they didn’t really know. And so, they began researching how the Jewish people kept them. NOW DO YOU SEE THE FLAW THERE!?

If you’re trying to keep the Holy Days, and you follow the example of the Jewish people, you have CUT YOURSELF OFF from understanding the role of Jesus Christ.

verse 36; of Leviticus 23 – Well, we don’t have offerings by fire anymore.

verse 42-43 – is bit of a conundrum. A head scratcher. A puzzle.  And why!? ‘That your generation may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: …’ Now what generation is to whom He is speaking!? He’s speaking to the generation that came out of Egypt with MOSES. That’s a long time ago.

Now, over the years minister's of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) have said, “Well, this means ‘temporary dwelling's.’” And, yes, a booth is a temporary dwelling. And then they say, “Well, when you go to a motel room, and you stay somewhere, that’s a ‘temporary dwelling.’” And, yeah, OK, the analogy fits. But I don’t think a motel room, where you’ve got a bathroom, a freezer, a sink, and a color television set and air conditioning or heater or a nice soft bed, I don’t think that’s anything like living in a booth!

I’ve heard so many people say, “Well, in order to keep the Feast of Tabernacles the way you’re supposed to, you’re supposed to build a little brush arbor in your front yard and sleep.” Is that REALLY what GOD is saying here!?

Now, I think the FIRST GENERATION after the children of Israel were rescued out of Egypt. I think that generation should have done it. So, they remembered what their parents went through. And I think the children of those children should have kept the celebration in booths to remember what their parents and grandparents went through. But after a while those events lose their meaning. Are you required to live in booths anymore!? No! But there is something to gain.

Exodus 2:22; Exodus 22:21; Exodus 23:9 “’I have been a stranger in a foreign land.’” – We are all strangers in a land that someday we’re going to inherit.  That is a part of the meaning of the Feast of Tabernacles, that in this present time we are strangers on the earth.

So, ONE MEANING of the Feast of Tabernacles is the LOOKING FORWARD TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD!

John 1:14; “…full of grace and truth.” – Yet, the WCG, they loved to talk about truth, “When did you know the truth!?” “When did God call you to the truth!?” But they never liked that word grace. I don’t know why. I keep saying, “Without that word grace, we’re all sunk!” If we don’t have the love and the forgiveness and the help and the kindness of Jesus Christ and God the Father, we don’t have a prayer of making it into the Kingdom of God. But with Their help, with Their guidance, IF we stay loyal to Them NOTHING can keep us from it. That’s grace. Mark Armstrong’s father, a man whom I respected and admired, distinctly did not like the song Amazing Grace. … ‘Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, which saved a wretch like me…’  … Worldwide would get all bug-eyed over that word [grace] because the Protestant’s would use it. The WCG advertised itself as the bearer of truth – they did the best they could. I give them credit for that. But I want all of you to understand, there was a lot of truth that they misinterpreted, especially when it came to END-TIME PROPHECY. They missed so much, so much convoluted.

2 Peter 1:2 – I have said many times, in the WCG you NEVER heard that word GRACE, it’s as if every Bible in the WCG had a black marker taken to it, and they just marked it out. It wasn’t talked about, it wasn’t read, minister's did not speak of it, because somehow, they were embarrassed or ashamed of it!? Normally the explanation you heard was, “Sounds too much like the Protestant’s.”

That TRUTH, someday, if we follow along, will lead us to glory. What does that mean!? That means ETERNAL EXISTENCE AS A SPIRITUAL BEING AS A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY OF GOD LIVING IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD FOR ALL ETERNITY! And, that is the TRUE GOSPEL!

The New Covenant has THREE PILLARS:

1) It has JESUS CHRIST, LORD, KING and MASTER. 
2) Because of His sacrifice we can have all our sins taken away, wiped away, wiped clean. 
3) We have the PROMISE of Eternal Life.

The Old Covenant had NO promise of the forgiveness of sin. The Old Covenant had NO promise of Eternal Life. And why there are people who want to embrace that and get close to that I do not understand. Because the farther you get into the Old Covenant and ‘Jewish tradition's’ the farther away you are from JESUS CHRIST, and from His sacrifice and the promise of Eternal Life.

And again, how somebody could get upset with a sermon titled, “Look to Jesus, Not Moses,” is beyond the capacity of my mind to understand. That’s what it’s all about – JESUS CHRIST! Look to Jesus! He is the answer to every problem or situation facing us!

verse 10; 2 Peter 1 – Give diligence, DEDICATION. Meaning IF you’re partakers of the divine nature, knowing that you have precious faith through the righteousness of God and Jesus Christ, that you have peace and grace through the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ, that you can be partakers of the divine knowledge through God the Father and Jesus Christ, that you need to grow and have diligence toward faith, virtue, and knowledge, and temperance, patience, and godliness, and brotherly kindness, and godly love – IF YOU DO THESE THINGS YOU WILL NEVER FAIL!

2 Corinthians 4:3b - If you can’t understand the phrase, ‘Look to Jesus, Not Moses,’ I say you’re fairly-well lost. You ARE blinded. You have been somehow – in your mind – you’ve had the wrong stuff placed in there.

Now, in its BROADEST sense, the Feast of Tabernacles, is related in prophecy to the soon-coming reign of Jesus Christ upon this Earth. What some people will call the Millennium. What some people in the past has referred to as the ‘World Tomorrow.’

Isaiah 65:15 – GOD does have special people, GOD does have favorites. You know we’re told, “Oh, you’re not supposed to have favorites!” Well, no one told that to GOD, He does have favorites. And they’re called ‘His chosen people.’ And, from a physical sense, He was talking about the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Known in the Bible as the ‘children of Israel,’ ‘the House of Israel.’ And, going beyond that, in a more expanded spiritual understanding, He’s talking about spiritual Israel. The Church. The Body of Christ.

I’m looking forward to spending the rest of my existence HELPING OTHER HUMAN BEINGS MAKE IT INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD! You see… the human family doesn’t stop – it doesn’t stop after a thousand years, which the WCG taught so incorrectly. The Kingdom of God is spoken of like a pyramid which continually grows.

Isaiah 65:17 - The Feast of Tabernacles is prophetically linked with the Kingdom of God.

verse 20 – The WCG taught as a doctrine, and I would imagine if they knew it, the descendants of that organization to this day still teach this as doctrine, that never change because the only thing they think they can believe is what was taught by HWA and Mr. Garner Ted Armstrong (GTA). Which means, in about 2003 they were not going to have one more ounce of knowledge because those men are now resting in their graves. Which meant at the time of the age when you needed to know stuff, where you’re very physical and spiritual life depended upon it, well… sorry folks… Herbert and Ted, their sleeping with their ancestor's, and you don’t have access. It’s all over! Book of knowledge is closed! That’s what some of these people think. Whether they realize it or not. Well, the Truth of GOD continues to be revealed! And they – I mean the WCG and its leader's – did not have a lock, nor a hold, on understanding the Truth. And in fact, many things in which they taught as doctrine DO NOT comport with the Word of GOD! Which means, they didn’t do it on purpose. They weren’t malicious about it, but there was a lot of things they simply DID NOT understand. … Isaiah 65 verse 20 was taught by the WCG that proclaimed the length of a human existence in the Great White Throne Judgment.  This verse here in Isaiah 65:20, it’s NOT talking about the White Throne Judgment. It’s not talking about that time when people come up out of their graves like Ezekiel 37 talks about. As Ezekiel was told, “These bones are the whole House of Israel!” Every Israeli, meaning descendant's of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who’s ever lived will live again.

So, who is this referring to!? This is referring to the people who live in and in the Kingdom of God AFTER it is established by Jesus Christ upon His return! Talking about the Millennium!

Yet, the WCG and its leader's would pick out this verse to say, “Oh, no, that’s a lifetime in the Great White Throne Judgment will be one-hundred years!” … I mean, how long does it take for someone to learn the Truth of GOD!?

Now think about it. If He’s contemplating a hundred years, how thick headed are you!!? If you’re living on the Earth, Jesus Christ and God the Father on the Earth, the very throne of GOD and New Jerusalem are on the Earth, the resurrected saints are on the Earth, all of the holy angels are on the Earth, and it takes you a hundred years to figure it out!!? You’re a pretty slow learner, or mighty thick headed. … This is speaking of the Millennium.

Isaiah 66:22 - Now I have learned over time when GOD inspires a certain thought – a certain phrase or an idea – and then He inspires it AGAIN, and sometimes again and again, He really is wanting to GET YOUR ATTENTION! He is saying, “This is IMPORTANT folks, I really want you to GET IT!” OK, ‘new heavens and new earth’ equates to Kingdom of God, equates to the Millennial reign of Christ, equates to the ‘World Tomorrow,’ they all sort-of mean the same. ‘So shall your descendants [your seed] and your name remain.’ The WCG taught as time goes on AFTER the Millennium, human beings would stop being produced. Why!? Well, they didn’t understand the Plan of GOD. Not really. The Truth of GOD is LIFE GOES ON FOREVER! And this E A R T H goes on forever!

One of the veiled – not so veiled – meanings of the Feast of Tabernacles is that God someday is going to TABERNACLE in His tabernacles on the Earth for all eternity! God the Father is going to tabernacle with men!  The WCG taught that God the Father couldn’t even be anywhere near human kind or even a vestige of human beings. They taught that the Earth was going to be melted down like liquid glass! An absolute perversion of the Word of God! It’s not the Way it’s going to happen! God the Father is returning with Jesus Christ! And He’s going to associate with human beings.

Many of you will be riding a horse into battle, once again, the WCG, I remember many minister’s, “Well, there will be no animals in the Kingdom of God!” Well, you forgot to consult with JESUS buddy when you said that! Because Jesus Himself says He returns riding… a horse! Well, there will be animals in the Kingdom of God.

Revelation 21:22 – Time out again, there you go, right in YOUR OWN BIBLE, two distinctly named personalities living in the city of New Jerusalem, stationed upon this earth, in the Millennium, God the Father and Jesus Christ! And yet the WCG and its descendant's have NEVER taught that or understood that!  This is the Millennium [verse 24], and these are people, and they come to this great edifice because they know that GOD resides there, and the people of God resides there.

Revelation 6:2; a white horse – I think has a DOUBLE MEANING. I think it may be partially referring to Jesus Christ in unleashing the end-time Great Tribulation upon the people of the world. I also think it talks about FALSE RELIGION. Revelation 6:9; refers to martyrdom – Now who’s being martyred and when are they getting martyred!? I know in the past I’ve heard people in the Church, sort of believe, “Well, everybody in the Church is going to be hunted down and persecuted and troubled.” No, that’s not true. That’s not what the Bible says. And later, the Book of Revelation is clear about some people being protected and taken to a place where they will be safe. So what is this referring to!? I think this is the martyrdom of a relatively few “end-time prophets.” TWELVE “end-time prophets.” In which all but two get killed off. Two live a little bit longer, known as the ‘Two Witnesses.’ And even they in the end are slain or martyred.

Matthew 24:14 “’And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.’” But that’s not how the WCG read it. And in truth, many descendant's of the WCG continue to practice the mistranslation, cause here’s what THEY say – “And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a WARNING and a WITNESS unto all nations, and THEN shall the end come.” Well, He just said the TRUTH OF GOD will be preached, but human beings incorrectly, I think, came up with the idea that THEY would be the ones doing the preaching! And in TRUTH – in the end-time – that Message will come from JESUS CHRIST and His very few [possibly 12] chosen “end-time prophets.”  It’s not referring to printing presses, and radio stations, and T.V. and all of that, which the WCG tried to convince its members, “Hey, we’ve got to pump out all this information. So send more money. Send more money. We’ve got to pump out more information.” “Because if we don’t do this job, Jesus Christ can’t return.” Well, Jesus Christ isn’t going to rely upon the sometimes-halfhearted efforts of human beings! He’s going to take care of that job Himself!

Matthew 24:16 – Well, the WCG took THAT verse and created out of that a theory that all of us were going to load up on buses and boats and airplanes and somehow end up in the deserts of Jordan!? In an old sandstone pagan temple, and somehow THAT was going to be our “Safety Place.” They call it a place of safety. Petra.

Revelation 8:1-12 – I think the first four [trumpet's] are in conjunction with the Two Witnesses. It’s the same type of situation, that we sort-of read about in the Book of Exodus. Where Moses was given power to affect the pharaoh and to affect Egypt and, in the end, finally, the children of God was allowed to leave their captivity. So, I think the Two Witnesses will have a hand in this.

Revelation 10:7 – Now I’ve been saying this for a long time. And for many of the times I have said it, the people to whom I spoken to, simply did not understand what I was saying. Question is: When is the resurrection of the saints!? Now, I want you to understand that the WCG said that the resurrection of the saints would NOT occur until the SEVEN SEALS were over, and the SEVEN TRUMPETS were over, and the SEVEN PLAGUES were over, and sometime – they weren’t really sure - but sometime in there, the resurrection of the saints would occur. They actually said the seventh of the plagues was somehow the extension of the seventh trump. I don’t know, they really stretched the Scriptures on that one. “…the mystery of God would be finished, …” And that mystery is that mortal human beings would one day enter into FULL son ship and daughter ship into the Kingdom of God, into the Family of GOD. THE SEVENTH TRUMP IS THE MOMENT OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE SAINTS! The FIRST resurrection!

The Seven Seals – and they are roughly equivalent to the EARLY part of what some people call the GREAT TRIBULATION, the end-time ‘troubles,’ Ezekiel 30 refers to it as ‘Jacob’s trouble.’ Then, the TRUMPS. Where the angels sound their trumpets and some disturbing things happen! And then we’re told that the SEVENTH TRUMP in Revelation 10 and Revelation 11, that the Seventh Trump IS that time where the RESURRECTION OF THE SAINTS OCCURS!!! The last trump in which Paul spoke about. Jesus Christ talked about upon His return and hearing a great trump, that the people would be gathered together.

Revelation 11:18 – It announces AFTER the SEVENTH TRUMP [the resurrection of the saints]. Revelation 14:6 – Notice AFTER the SEVENTH TRUMP. AFTER the resurrection of the saints. There are no more godly human beings on the E A R T H. The time of potential salvation is momentarily closed. It will be opened again, down the road, but this time, whoever was going to be in the Kingdom of God is in the Kingdom of God.

Now, remember what Worldwide taught, remember Matthew 24:14!? Notice what the Bible says, an angelic being flies through the atmosphere at the commandment of Jesus Christ saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come” and verse 6, “having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth.” IT’S AN ANGELIC BEING THAT DOES IT!!! Not a collection of men.

Revelation 14:8 – Meaning FALSE DOCTRINE! And, who is ‘Babylon’? That is fallen, is fallen!? I’m actually beginning to think if it isn’t referring also to another ‘Babylon.’ Now, I’ve said before, many years ago, the questions always been ‘Who’s the king of the South’!? Have you ever heard of the name – BAGDAD!? Which would be roughly equivalent to modern-day Babylon.

verse 9 – “…the beast …” That’s the leader of the king of the North. “…and his image, and receives his mark …”  I will tell you what I think is the mark of the beast. For my two-cents-worth. Now, GTA tried to teach that the mark of the beast was Sunday worship. Well, if you look up the Greek word here, the word “mark” has a connotation that it’s an actual SOMETHING, an object, not an idea. Not a thought in your mind – go to church on Sunday. Not what is meant. But I do believe that the mark of the beast IS the sign of the cross. Because the sign of the cross has been the symbol for millennia, and all through the Crusades and all through time of the Western world and religions of the Western world. It is the sign of their version of Christianity. Not a chip under your hand.  It’s people who ADHERE TO FALSE DOCTRINE! verse 10; Revelation 14 – “he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God,” – Now, I don’t know exactly what that means. But I know that I don’t want to be the one to participate in it!

verse 13; Revelation 14 – “’Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” – So, all of those who have suffered persecution, trouble's and even death, because of their adherence to the faith of Jesus Christ THEY will be remembered, and THEY will be rewarded. And, verses 14-20 talks about a time in which you can call THE DAY OF THE LORD. The Day of the Lord prophetically linked with the Day of ATONEMENT.

Revelation 16:1-17 – These SEVEN LAST PLAGUES ARE EQUIVALENT TO THE DAY OF THE LORD. And they are associated prophetically with the Day of Atonement.

The Sixth Plague of the Seven Last Plagues IS the so-called ARMAGEDDON reference. Where the armies of the world, many armies – millions of men – come together. Initially to fight one another, and then they are stopped by the returning Jesus Christ, and they try and turn their armaments on Him, and He wipes them out!

Revelation 16: (21) – Again, it was popular in the WCG and other phases of the Church of God, to say that in the end-time people will repent. And yet, look what… all this that has taken place “and men blasphemed God …” They DON’T repent! The day of repentance has LONG ended at this point. The people of God HAS BEEN RESURRECTED. There is no repenting, there is only judgment! Justice! And the evil starts to be eradicated from the face of the Earth! “Are you saying that God is going to kill people!?” Blood six feet deep!!! (a reference to Rev. 14:20).

It’s NEVER been explained to the people of God what happens in the end times. They’ve NEVER had the right order. They’ve NEVER known the events correctly stated. They’ve NEVER known how it occurs, and then even AFTER Jesus returns they don’t know what happens.

Revelation 17:1 – “’Come, I will show you the judgment of the great [whore] who sits on many waters.’” – This is a religious institution which has had a massive effect on nations around the world. And, its teachings are contrary to the Word of God.

verse 2 - We read that Satan the devil and his demons are going to be put into a great spiritual prison. And the question is: where will it be!? It quite possibly will be beneath what once was the capital of this false church!!! (ROME). Think about all of the so-called “holidays” which we have, are in one way or another church related, many of them coming from this church, and how the merchants of the world count on these “holidays” to make sure they make a profit for the year.

The word atonement means: To satisfy. To “balance the books.” And the Day of the Lord prophetically is linked with the Day of Atonement in the Fall Holy Days.

Revelation 19:1 – Well who are these people!? Well they are the resurrected saints. As I keep trying to point out. And THIS differs the traditional classic teaching of the WCG and its descendants. Who taught that the resurrection occurs sometime AFTER the seven last plagues.

The resurrection of the saints occurs on what the Bible calls the Seventh Trump, the Last Trump. So, here the resurrected saints have already ascended into the clouds to be with Jesus Christ and what I call “low earth orbit.” The very throne of GOD, the future New Jerusalem waiting to come down to the EARTH.

verse 9 – “Then he said to me, ‘Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” – I point this out, because it does NOT say, ‘The Hebrew wedding ceremony.’ And yet, there are minister's, even within the organization of which I once attended, who came up with a theory which was off-the-wall, so obtuse in its approach, and so confusing to dozens and hundreds of people. And yet, he said this openly in the churches of a previous organization, and the leadership of that church – Mark and his associates down in Tyler – did absolutely NOTHING to stop him. It doesn’t have anything to do with ‘ancient Hebrew traditions.’ The more you go back to ancient Jewish ceremony, the closer you become allied with the Old Covenant, and the deeper you get into the teaching's of the Old Covenant, the farther away you become to having the Priesthood of Jesus Christ be apart of your life. And the PROMISES of the New Covenant being offered to you. That’s exactly what this very event here is symbolizing: A celebration of the resurrection of the saints at the first resurrection. A celebration of eternal life! This is a time early on. Jesus Christ has not yet returned to the E A R T H when this event occurs. But we will be gathered together – those who have been resurrected, those who have had their names written in the Book of Life – gathered together in some great assembly hall. But the Wife has made herself ready. We will come to that banquet, preparing to officially meet – as it were – our eternal Brother, and Servant and King, and we’re there to meet God the Father also. To understand the Plan of God you MUST understand some prophecy.

As hard as they tried, the generations of four and five decades ago, they simply got a lot of things W R O N G! Not because they were trying to get it wrong. They just didn’t know.

Revelation 19:11 – “…a white horse.” – A white H O R S E! An animal. The WCG – somehow, I don’t know where they got this idea – “No, there will be no animals in the Kingdom of God!” “There will be no need for animals.” “Well, the sacrifices will be over, so there’s no need for any animal.” Really!? They know more than God!? Well it says here, “I saw heaven open, and behold, a WHITE HORSE.” And I can take you to passages in the Book of Joel and the Book of 2 Kings and show you that there will be animals in the Kingdom of God.

verse 14 – And what is the Great Wedding Supper!? Remember Jesus said, ‘I will not drink the fruit of the vine, … until I drink it with you anew in the Kingdom of God.’ Jesus Christ has been waiting for that Great Wedding Supper. And on that day, on that event, where all of His saints are gathered – His newly resurrected saints – He will toast to us and we will toast to Him. He will welcome us into the Family of God. And we will welcome one another. I have often thought of the people of God, the so-called churches of God, who after the WCG split into hundreds or more different factions, remember the old little nursery rhyme!? “Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All of the king’s horses, and all of the king’s men, could not put Humpty Dumpty together again.” That little nursey rhyme is almost prophetic. Because the WCG was once a pretty big egg. But it was pushed off the ledge, and its hit the pavement below, and it shattered into hundreds of pieces. And all of the king’s horses and all of the king’s men can’t put it back together again. And yet, many of them went their different way's and formed their different organization's, and many of these organization's will NOT even talk to their sister organization's. Will have NOTHING to do with them. And yet their all trying to get to the same place - to the KINGDOM OF GOD. And they all want to be apart of this Great Wedding Supper. Wait a minute, you mean, on one day when you’re a human you won’t even look at that person because they “belong” to another church, and your minister, your leader says, “Oh, stay away from them!”

Revelation 20:2-3 – Again, it quite possibly will be beneath what once was the capital of this false church!!! ROME!!! A suggestion that this spiritual prison into which Satan we now read about being cast might be underneath that city which was behind most of this religious institution and this political system. And I’ve asked Father on many occasions, that if He needs help in any way, if it’s only to hold the reigns of the horse's, may He grant me that request. Because I hate that bastard! I hate everything he’s ever done. And I hate the pain that he’s inflicted. The torture. The murder's and rape's and theft's.

Now we come to a section of Revelation which is equivalent to the meaning of the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles is equivalent to – prophetically speaking – to the establishment of the KINGDOM OF GOD!

Concerning WHY Satan the devil and his horde is released for a short season Revelation 20:3b … because immediately he goes out to the four corners of the world – to Gog and Magog (Siberia, China, Russia area) to gather them together to battle against the beloved city of God and of the saints. And will be DESTROYED. And dead bodies will be piled high when the “Great White Throne” resurrection occurs. 

Revelation 22:16 – So, who was supposed to understand the Book of Revelation!? Remember the Book of Revelation starts with 2 & 3. A MESSAGE TO THE CHURCHES. You can go back and read that.  You can see institutions on this earth right now who resemble some of those institutions. Some for the better and some for the worse. “’I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to YOU these things in the churches.’” – I know that some of this was spoken in a certain church, and they rejected it! Look to JESUS was more than they could handle. And He’s still testifying of it.

Zechariah 14 was OFTEN read back in the annals of the WCG and its descendants. But, even though they took a stab at it, I don’t think they quite got it. Keep in mind the WCG could NOT pin point the time sequence when Jesus Christ would return, when the resurrection would occur, and when He would enter Earth’s atmosphere. They got it W R O N G. They didn’t mean to, but they were confused.

And Jesus Christ enters and gets involved directly with human beings at the END of the Day of the Lord. However, the saints have ALREADY been resurrected. And we know from the Wedding Supper of the Lamb that the saints – the resurrected saints – and Jesus Christ, and God the Father, and the holy angels have ALREADY spent some time in New Jerusalem – the throne of GOD – in low earth orbit. And it’s hard to say HOW LONG that will occur.

cf. Revelation 19, Jesus Christ directly engages in the battle. Now, Zechariah 14:1 – “Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, …” Literature from the WCG, one time there was an article from the WCG in which the writer of the article said, “The Day of the Lord is a very minor event, very seldom mentioned.” Well, it’s EVERYWHERE!

Zechariah 14:4 – That phrase, ‘that day’ appears THROUGHOUT prophecy! And, most of the time that phrase, ‘that day’ is referring to the Day of the Lord. A quick vignette: Zechariah 12:3, 4 – these are all examples of prophecies talking about the Day of the Lord. Which is the ultimate meaning of the Day of Atonement. Verses 6, 8, 9, 11, 13:1, 2, 4.

NOTICE Zechariah 14:5b – “…Thus the LORD my God will come AND ALL THE SAINTS WITH YOU.” All the resurrected saints. This is AFTER the resurrection! Worldwide got that all screwed up. Well, IF you had that mind set you could NEVER understand these Scriptures. But IF you understand that the RESURRECTION is on the SEVENTH TRUMP the LAST TRUMP, and then you’ve got the SEVEN LAST PLAGUES which is another name for the Day of the Lord, now you understand that during the Day of the Lord the resurrected saints are ALREADY in the Kingdom of God. Already members of the Family of GOD.

                                                            
GOD’S Holy City – New Jerusalem will be roughly 1,377 miles in every direction; possibly a PYRAMID. (Revelation 21:16).

Revelation 21:1 – “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, …” A reference to the Kingdom of God, the New Jerusalem. “for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.” Meaning the way it once was is no longer.

The era of mankind and the era of Satan the devil is OVER! And it says a very strange little comment, “Also there was no more sea.” Now, I’ve heard people raised up in the WCG who attempted to state, “Well, in the Millennium,” Now think about it. When you’ve roughly 1.9 billion people that somehow, “all of the water on the Earth is gone.” Now, do you see a problem there!? It’s hard to have human life IF you don’t have water! And they say, “Well, there’s no more oceans, their all gone!” Well, in the Bible the only bodies of water which are referenced – to the best of my ability – are what we sometimes call the Sea of Galilee (the Dead Sea), and the Mediterranean Sea. Now, when he mentions “there was no more sea,” turn back to Zechariah 14:8 – “…in that day, that living waters shall go out from [New] Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea [the Sea of Galilee], and half of them toward the hinder sea [the Mediterranean Sea] …” Now, Scripture talking about the size of New Jerusalem – Revelation 21:16. “twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.” Quite possibly a PYRAMID. Roughly 1,377 miles in every direction!!! That’s why the prophecy said, “there was no more sea.”

Zechariah 14:11 – “The people shall dwell in it; …” The WCG tried to teach that this New Jerusalem would come AFTER the Millennium, AFTER the “Great White Throne Judgment,” and they would try to teach so erroneously that the whole E A R T H was going to be melted down into a gigantic marble. And nothing would ever be alive again. And yet you see with your own eyes, that with the establishment of a new heaven and a new earth, this New Jerusalem, on this earth, and it says, “and men shall dwell in it.” It’s not an Earth which has been roasted down into nothingness. It’s a very active and vital planet.

verse 12 – Here is one of the early things that happens upon the return of Jesus Christ. Now keep in mind, God the Father and Jesus Christ do not take kindly to heathens attempting to attack Their city and to destroy Them. Verse 14 – “JUDAH also will fight at [New] Jerusalem.” This is AFTER the Day of the Lord! Who are they fighting!? The physical people of the tribe of Judah of the House of Israel, those that live through the Great Tribulation– turn back to Chapter 13:8: “And it shall come to pass in all the land,’ Says the LORD, ‘That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-third shall be left in it: 9) I will bring the one-third THROUGH THE FIRE (through the end-time Great Tribulation; ‘Jacob’s trouble’), Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested (through the Millennium).”

THEN when they finally get themselves straightened out; THEN when they truly are the people of God; physical people of God; this is not the resurrected saints; these are the human beings left on the earth who have the DNA of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in them in some way.

The Bible is the story of one man’s family. Basically, it’s talking about the lives, times, troubles and traumas, and the future of the descendants of ABRAHAM, ISAAC and JACOB – Israel, the House of Israel.

One of the FIRST things which Jesus does is to tell His resurrected King David, who is going to be king over all ISRAEL, with the help of the holy angels and the resurrected saints, “Go out onto the four corners of the earth, and find My people Israel and bring them back to the holy land, because I’m going to make them a nation.”

Exodus 23:16; 34:22 - The Feast of Tabernacles – what are the names of the Feast of Tabernacles!? The Feast of the INGATHERING. So who does God gather in!? 1) He gathers in His resurrected saints to New Jerusalem. 2) He gathers into and to Himself and to the environment around the holy land – He pulls His people ISRAEL, two-thirds of which have died, only one-third remaining, He brings them BACK to the land which He had promised from the beginning, to whom – ABRAHAM.

verse 15; Zechariah 14 – “…the wealth of all the surrounding nations Shall be gathered together: Gold, silver, and apparel in great abundance.” WHY!? Because the people which have been around them, trying to destroy them for thousands of years, will simply be GONE!

God and Jesus Christ DO NOT begin the Millennium trying to remake a bunch of knuckleheads!!! Who are dedicated to their god Allah. And dedicated to killing, beheading, raping eviscerating, crucifying, anybody that stands in their way. He is going to eradicate them. He is going to have a perfect world for a thousand years – and then… after the world has been running pretty well for a thousand years, then He brings them back out of their graves. And then most of them will look around at all those dead bodies and God will say, “You can be like them, or you can follow the true God.”

Daniel 9 gives us a clue: Contains what is often referred to as the SEVENTY WEEKS PROPHECY. Verse 27 – Remember, verse 25 we see the word “Messiah.” That’s who we’re talking about here in verse 27. The “he,” who – JESUS CHRIST – “he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;”

Which in Bible parlance, one day for a year – this is SEVEN YEARS. “But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.” Now, who was the ultimate sacrifice!? Jesus Christ. When did He die!? When was He executed!? He was executed on a WEDNESDAY, in the middle of the week. And, His human life ended after 3½ years of His public ministry. It was SEVEN YEARS He was supposed to have a very special dispensation. And He lived upon this earth for 3½ years, it begs the question: What became of the other 3½ years!? Well, the other 3½ years will be fulfilled in those events upon His return and for 3½ years the Millennium doesn’t really start, UNTIL AFTER 3½ years. Because Jesus Christ for 3½ years, is, as it were, remolding and reshaping the Earth – the people of the Earth. He’s getting the attitudes right. We are told “as a Rod of Iron.” And, Jesus Christ WILL wield that club, and we as members of the resurrected Family of GOD WILL in part wield that club, and here’s a part of the story – God uses the physical people of Israel as a part of His club. That’s a part of the story which has NEVER been told. 

The QUESTION: What does the Bible say will happen in the 3½ years – from the return of Jesus Christ till the official beginning of the Millennium!? Quite frankly, as I have hung out with different manifestation's of the Church of God, I have discovered THEY DID NOT HAVE AN ANSWER to that question. And their attempts at explaining it was badly bungled. Well, here’s the quick answer: The physical children of Israel, the relatively few, who have survived the end-time Great Tribulation, will be gathered together from around the world in order to form the new and the revised nation of Israel. This newly formed nation of Israel, people of God, under the leadership of the recently resurrected King David, and led by Jesus Christ, will become an army which will fight and destroy the ungodly nations and people of the region. Think Arab and Islamic nations.

Now, that is a concept which has never been out on the table before.

Exodus 23:16 – “’and the Feast of Harvest, the fruitfruits (the Feast of Pentecost)” … and then “the Feast of Ingathering.’” Today it’s a much more dynamic meaning, the Feast of Tabernacles represents the time when the resurrected saints will be gathered from the four corners of the Earth into New Jerusalem! Into the Kingdom of God. It also represents a time when a few, relatively few, survivors of the end-time Great Tribulation, of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, will also be brought back and GATHERED TOGETHER.

Exodus 34:22 – “’And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks (the Feast of Pentecost), … and the Feast of Ingathering at the years (or the era’s) end.’”

Isaiah 9:6 - 7 – “Of the increase of His government and peace THERE WILL BE NO END, …” Which begs the question: Why did the WCG teach that at the end of the Millennium and the “Great White Throne Judgment” that the Earth was going to be melted down like liquid glass and it’s all over, no more human kind!? Well, if you have no more human kind, you have no more godly kind. But the Bible says just the opposite: “Of the increase of His government and peace THERE WILL BE NO END!” “Even forever.”

You NEED to ask yourself: Why hasn’t those other minister’s been telling me about this!? What else have they NOT told me about!? What other thing's have they kept me in the dark!? You NEED to ask that question.

Jeremiah 23; these are the people of Israel – the physical people of Israel – and when I say I S R A E L I’m not just talking about the descendants of Judah, I’m talking about the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (whose name was later changed to Israel), and then his son Joseph, who had the son's Ephraim and Manasseh. And they will be at the end of this age, up to two thirds of all those people will die in these horrible tragedies. And one-third will remain.

And the Question is: Upon the return of Jesus Christ, the blowing of the Seventh Trump, the resurrection of the Saints of God – WHAT DOES GOD AND JESUS CHRIST DO!? What is Their Plan!?

verse 3, 4 – “’I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; …’” – who are the shepherds!? Well, the Chief Shepherds would be God the Father and Jesus Christ! And there would be the resurrected King David, and then there would be all the resurrected saints who are working under King David. It would be the resurrected saints, hopefully, people like you and me. We’re going to have active productive existence. We, as newly made members of the Family of GOD, we, will reach out and help human beings, and we will help them make it into the Kingdom of God, and then their children, and their children’s children and so on and so forth. Forever. There won’t be a cessation of human reproduction and human families, they will continue, and then at some point in their maturity, in their spiritual growth, at some point in their life, they also will be allowed to graduate – as it were – into the Family of GOD.

Jeremiah 32:36 – “’Now therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, ‘It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence:’” – talking about some of the thing's in that end-time ‘trouble.’ Verse 37 – And there is a point in time when God becomes totally and completely exasperated with the children of Israel. And He allows them to suffer greatly, allows them to go into captivity. And that’s coming down the road to our great nation the USA, and to other great nation's around this world. Verse 37b – “’I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely.’” This is when He gathers them together.

verse 38 – “’They shall be My people, and I will be their God;’” – in the beginning of the Millennium this will finally come true.

Hosea 1:10-11; 3:5 – “…in the latter days” – In a yet future time when this was written. But those ‘latter days’ are now approaching us because we’re on the cusp. Micah 2:12; Now think about the number of references we’ve read in these Old Testament prophecies that talk about this INGATHERING – the very Feast of Tabernacles is given that name.

When He gather’s them together their going to be highly influenced by what the Bible often calls an ensign – a sign or someone to follow. Isaiah 5:6 – “’I will lay it waste; …’” – He says, “’Woe to those …’” – this is talking about the end-time Great Tribulation. “’Therefore,’” verse 13, “’My people have gone into captivity, because they have NO KNOWLEDGE; …’” – they don’t have the knowledge of God. And there’s a DOUBLE MEANING there. When He says, ‘My people,’ He is – in a lot of respect – referring to the physical people of Israel. But I also must believe that He is saying also to the spiritual House of Israel – of people who are ‘sort-of’ in the Church of God, and ‘sort-of’ have some of God’s Spirit, and yet have very little knowledge, very little Truth, and very confused. Notice that He implies that they too could go into captivity. Something that all of you should think about.

verse 18, 20-21 – “’Woe …’” – And in this country, we have physical leaders, often they hang out in Washington, DC, that are ‘wise in their own eyes,’ and yet, also, within the churches of God there are leader's who are only impressed by what THEY have to say. And they want all the people to follow them and them only. And they take the attention from God and try and put it on themselves. And there are people within the churches of God who actually ‘call evil good.’ There are people in the churches of God that are teaching things which are irrelevant or unnecessary or very unfruitful or low nutrition – a very un-nutritional spiritual diet. And yet they call that ‘good.’ And then some of them –like Mark down in Texas, who completely ignored me. Well, ‘Woe unto them,’ thus says God. verse 24 – Or  - the sermon “Look To Jesus, Not Moses”, which is based upon the Words of the Bible, inspired by Jesus Christ, is called ‘evil,’ and ‘terrible,’ and ‘shouldn’t be listened to,’ and ‘we’re never going to send it out, we’re going to censor it.’ When you do that, you have ‘despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel.’ verse 25 – “’Therefore,’” because people have cast-away the Word of the Holy One of Israel and have no respect for it. Notice what He says to both the physical people of Israel, and the people who were supposed to be a part of the spiritual House of Israel. These are VERY DIRE WARNING’S about the end-time Great Tribulation, including the Day of the Lord!!! But notice verse 26 AFTER THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST! AFTER THE RESURRECTION OF THE SAINTS! When Jesus Christ begins to restore order. verse 28 – “’Whose arrows are sharp, …’” – Why would these people NEED arrows!? “’And all their bows bent;’” – their bent because they’re ready for WARFARE! verse 29 – “’…And lay hold of the prey; …’” – who’s the prey!? The prey will be those Gentile ungodly nations which surrounded the holy land of Israel, and the people who attempted to destroy some of the physical people of God. This, again, is what I’m alluding to:

The physical people of Israel, AFTER the return of Jesus Christ, will be brought back to their homes, their ancestral home – the land PROMISED to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – and there they will be assembled into a new nation, the new nation of ISRAEL. And there they will have an army, and those physical human beings guided by their Ensign Jesus Christ, guided by their ensign the resurrected King David, will go forth and will destroy the heathen, which are around them. THIS IS A PART OF THE WORD OF GOD AND THE PLAN OF GOD!

Isaiah 11:10 – “’And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, [JESUS CHRIST; also a reference to King David], who shall stand as [an ensign] to the people; …’” -  A signal to them, a BEACON. “For the Gentiles shall seek Him,’” – because in the end, the Gentiles will want to come to Jerusalem to learn the Truth of God. Also, verse 12.

Isaiah 18:3 – Well, I got a Question to ask; and I don’t know the answer for sure. But I’m willing to postulate, to theorize, to call into question: Is it possible that this GATHERING of the outcast of Israel begins very near the time of the blowing of the Seventh Trump!? And I think from this verse, and a couple of others, this might be true!? I can’t say for sure. But I have a feeling upon the return of Jesus Christ… remember, the return of Jesus Christ IS THE SEVENTH TRUMP and in the Book of Revelation we’re given that outline. Following that, ARE THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES.

I don’t think God is going to make the people of Israel – when many have already died in the Great Tribulation, two-thirds, only one-third remaining. They will have suffered a long time by now many years. I don’t think God is going to continue to punish them and break them down, because, quite frankly, they probably couldn’t live through it. I have a feeling that with the blowing of the Seventh Trump, the resurrection of the saints, the resurrection of King David, that this INGATHERING happens very soon. Because God NEEDS to save those people.

Matthew 24:22 – “’…but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.’” I’ve always wondered about that. I’ve always thought: Well, IF God resurrects His people – His spiritual people; the spiritual House of Israel – on the Seventh Trump, and we know that the Battle of Armageddon is about the Sixth of the Seven Last Plagues – the Day of the Lord, theoretically, everyone who should have been resurrected has already been resurrected, and it says here in Matthew 24: “’but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.’” To whom was He referring!? I think most of the decades I’ve been around the Church, it was sort-of assumed, and I think incorrectly, that those ‘elect’s’ was somehow the Church member’s. But keep in mind, IF you properly understand the order of events, the Church member’s – the people who have God’s Spirit – will at that time have been resurrected already. So, who are the ‘elect’? Well, notice what it says in Isaiah 45:4 – “’For Jacob My servant’s sake, And Israel My elect,’ Who’s He saving the earth for!? … He’s saving the elect as in physical Israel. For the sake of the physical people of Israel those days will be shortened.

Isaiah 31:7-8 - “For in that day …” – the end-time Day of the Lord … “Then Assyria shall fall by a sword not of man …” Who’s sword!? Well, to a certain extent Jesus Christ, the resurrected saints of God, but on another level, the physical people of Israel – the outcast of Israel, the physical people of Israel and Judah – the ones who are GATHERED back in together, reformed and reshaped. To a certain extent THEY will be handling these ‘swords.’ verse 9 – “…And his princes shall be afraid of the [ensign].”

Revelation 1:6 – “and has made us [the resurrected saints] kings and priests to His God and Father, …” Verse 7, “Behold, He is coming with clouds [He is coming in the clouds; low earth orbit], and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him [meaning the modern-day equivalent of the Roman authorities]. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.” The princes shall be afraid of this Ensign (this Banner).

The Bible, a couple of times, talks about a great highway …

Isaiah 11:16 – So there will be a road, a path, made and provided and protected so that the people can come from the north country, where many of them had been held captive.

~King David~ Acts 2:29, 34; 13:36. And yet, we read in Ezekiel chapter 34:11 – the idea of GATHERING in the physical people of Israel from the far-flung corners of the Earth. And I believe that it’s very possible, we, the resurrected saints, will be a part of that ‘hunting party.’ … verse 12 – “’…so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day.’ Often a reference to the idea of the Day of the Lord – the end-time trauma. verse 13 – keep in mind He keeps mentioning a ‘shepherd.’ What was King David’s training as a young man!? He was a shepherd. verses 17-18 – In different chapters of this Book, God is very upset with the so-called ‘holy men.’ Go back to verse 2 – “’Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, … Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?’” He’s referring to the false religion and the leaders of false religion. Verse 10: “’Behold, I am against the shepherds, …’” He’s very upset, He’s very angry with the so-called religious people of this land. … So God lays a whole big portion of the reason that the people of Israel have to go into slavery – many of them die – because they ARE MISLED by their so-called religious leaders. verse 23 – “’I will establish one shepherd over them, …” Here we go again, ‘one shepherd.’ “’and he shall feed them – My servant David.’” King David will be the one overlooking the people of God. He will be resurrected. And he will be king over all Israel, and he will be to Israel as a ‘shepherd’ over his flock. He once again will regain his title as the shepherd of the sheep.

Zechariah 12:7-8 – “’In that day the LORD will defend …’” – See He starts defending them BEFORE the Day of the Lord is completely over. That’s why I think that trumpet sound – the help that comes to them – happens pretty close together. King David leading the House of Israel and the House of Judah, making them into one nation!

Now again we’ve talked about that trumpet…

That’s why I think this INGATHERING happens very close to the blowing of the Seventh Trump. I can’t state it with absolute authority, but every indication indicates that to me and is my instinct. Isaiah 27:12 – “And it shall come to pass in that day,” that’s the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord in part is the Seven Last Plagues. It occurs AFTER the blowing of the Seventh Trump. “...And you will be gathered one by one, O you children of Israel.” Once again talking about this INGATHERING.

verse 13 – “So it will be in that day: The great trumpet will be blown; They will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, …” Zechariah 9 – If any trumpet was going to be called ‘the great trumpet’ it would be the blowing of the Seventh Trump!? (Zechariah 9:10-17).

The physical people of the House of Judah and the House of Israel – now combined under King David – will be used as those who attack the heathen (the Gentile nations).

Isaiah 11:11-14 – It tells us right here that the House of Judah and the House of Israel swoop down engage in warfare and overcome the Palestinians, the Turks, the Iraqis, the Jordanians.

Isaiah 41:8-11 – He says to the nations who have tormented the people of Israel and the people of Judah, that YOU will perish. verses 12-16 – the physical people of the House of Israel and the physical people of the House of Judah will be an awesome fighting machine and will rid the earth with this curse – and to a great extent, that curse, is the fanatical religion of Islam.

And, notice I DID NOT say Islam is a religion of peace. Because from my newspaper's and from my television, and from my computer screen, they are anything but a religion of peace.

Jeremiah 4:5 – Once again a reference to a great trumpet call. ‘Gather together,’ once again this idea of gathering together. verses 6-7 – the Gentiles who have fortified themselves, they think, in fortified positions will be eliminated. Jeremiah 30:7 – “Alas! For that day is great, …” The Day of the Lord. That end-part of man’s existence. And, it’s also about the time that Jesus Christ set’s forth to directly engage with human kind. So we have that 3½ year period when Jesus Christ must remold and reshape the world. And one of the initial things in which He does is He ELIMINATES the people who are incorrigible. The people who would NOT listen, would NOT pay attention, will NOT follow Jesus Christ. People, who in their heart, hate Jesus Christ. Now, He’ll bring them back to life much, much later – on a celebration which we call the Last Great Day.

But at this beginning of the New Millennium, the only solution to the problem is to ELIMINATE THEM.

Jeremiah 30:7 – “…that day is great, So that NONE is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, …” the end-time age, the so-called GREAT TRIBULATION or days of affliction, end-time ‘troubles,’ and traumas. Verse 9; another reference to King David.

Ezekiel 25:12 – “’…Edom’” – Esau/Turkey. Verse 13 – “’I will also stretch out My hand against Edom [modern-day Turkey], cut off man and beast from it, …’” – God is going to ELIMINATE TURKEY! Verse 14 – “’I will lay My vengeance on Edom BY THE HAND OF MY PEOPLE ISRAEL, …’” There’s no equivocation against that comment. Obadiah 1:8-9 – “’Will I not in that day.’” – the end-time trauma. The Day of the Lord. God eradicates all of TURKEY! In the end-time when you see the ‘abomination of desolation’ get out of Judah, flee, and when a lot of the Jewish people see their torment coming, are going to attempt to leave what we call ‘Israel’ today. Many are going to head north and try and cross Turkey over into Europe. And the Turks will NOT allow them. The Turks will round them up and sell them or kill them. Horrible end-time trauma comes upon the nation of Judah; modern-day Israel. Verse 15 – The Day of the Lord is the single MOST PROPHESIED event in all of the Bible! … The WCG never talked about the Day of the Lord; never understood! Verse 18 – Pretty powerful Words! T U R K E Y is simply eliminated from the face of the earth and its people!

Zephaniah 2:1-3 – Now if you are a resurrected saint, you don’t have to worry about the day of God’s anger. Because you will be a spirit being. Verses 4-5 – Is that about as final and absolute as it can get!? “’I will destroy you; So there shall be no inhabitant.’” Verse 8 – “’…Moab, …’” think Iraq. “’…of Ammon, …’” think Jordan.

If you realize in the peace and the quite of your own home that your religious leaders have NOT taught you this, they don’t even know enough to be confused by it, because they are ignorant of it, you have to ask the question: What else do they not know!? What else have I not been taught!? What else has been hidden from my eyes and my ears!?

So, not only have we read what the prophecy directly says, and that the children of Israel – the physical human being's – will be instrument's in God’s hand – like that giant threshing machine with teeth. But WARNING’S are in the Bible to these different people!

~Highlights~ Isaiah 13:1, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21; 14:25; 15:1 – “’The burden against Moab. …’” think of Iraq. Chapter 16:2, 4, 7, 12, 13 – kind of the chapter dedicated to Moab, or rather I R A Q. Chapter 17:1 – “’The burden against Damascus.’” – modern-day S Y R I A. Verse 4; 18:1; 19:1, 17 – why will Judah be a terror to Egypt!? Because some of the Jewish people will invade Egypt and destroy it under the direction of God! Chapter 20; 21:1, 2; 23:1 – “’…Tyre.’” – on the seacoast, what is today called Lebanon.

ALL THESE WARNING’S ARE GIVEN. God says He won’t do anything unless it is declared from His prophet's! Not only has He declared it through His prophet's, He’s also declared it through His WORD!

Amos 5:18-20 – Very heavy and trying time – the Day of the Lord. Amos 1:3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13; 2:1, 2, 4, 6, - So, the Bible is FULL OF WARNING’S! There’s a great Plan being worked out. And that’s what the Fall Holy Days speak about! The Fall Holy Days: Trumpets, Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles – which does talk about the Kingdom of God but also talks about the INGATHERING of the House of Israel.

In our Western world, the religions of this world have been captivated by the concept that when you die your so-called immortal soul goes off to Heaven – as Billy Graham said over and over, “I’m going to Heaven!” – or, it plunges down into fiery pits and you B U R N like a piece of barbeque chicken for all eternity! Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10; Psalm 6:5. A lot of people fear death. In our culture we fear death. In our culture we have a “holiday” in which we glorify death, called Halloween. Well, there’s nothing to fear about death. Because death you won’t know your dead. You won’t know anything. What you have to fear is, once God brings you back to life, what condition will you be in!? And what are you facing!? But what about all of those people – millions and millions and billions and trillions of people – throughout the course of human kind, who have NEVER known the Truth of God and in fact many of them have never heard the name JESUS CHRIST – the one name we’re told by which salvation and through which salvation is granted. IF you’ve never heard the name Jesus Christ, then HOW can you be granted access to the Kingdom of God, if that access can ONLY be through Jesus Christ!? What does GOD do with those people!? … 

Revelation 20:4 – this is the Millennial reign of Christ. Now, life continues far beyond that, because it continues forever. But the Millennium is just one very specific period of time, and then AFTER that there are more things that happen. Verse 5 – Now, I don’t mean to correct the Bible, but quite frankly, there have been MANY resurrections in the history of mankind. Physical resurrections, and a spiritual resurrection. The only spiritual resurrection which has occurred thus far is Jesus Christ, the FIRST of the firstfruits. But many people have been brought back to life when they were physically dead. And, in this period of time AFTER the Millennium, billions and billions of people who were once dead will be brought back to life, brought back to human life, to live upon this earth, to learn the Truth of God, with God the Father and Jesus Christ residing upon this Earth with Satan and his demons put away into a great spiritual prison, with the resurrected member’s of the Family of GOD helping God, to monitor, to counsel, to direct, to guide and to protect those fellow human beings. And with the angels of God always ever-present. Verse 6 – the second death is when you have proved to GOD that you will simply NOT submit to His will, or having once know His will, you just in effect spit in His face and walk away. At that point you are subject to the second death. Which is simply – EXTERMINATION. Being thrown into the ‘lake of fire’ – meaning, so hot you will be instantaneous death. The people who are thrown into the ‘lake of fire’ won’t suffer as they hit the ‘lake of fire.’ Because you will just be instantly G O N E! But, when they will suffer is realizing their fate. And knowing that they soon will be totally out of options. Verse 7-8 – to Gog and Magog (Siberia, China, Russia area) to gather them together to battle against the beloved city of God and of the saints. A THOUSAND YEARS OF PEACE WILL BE INSTANTLY SHATTERED WHEN SATAN IS LOOSED! It will demonstrate… people AFTER a thousand years, multiple generations (possibly 25 generations), they may hear people like you and me resurrected, many hundreds of years before, they may hear us say, “Well, you know when Satan lived upon this Earth, it was very difficult for people to obey God, because he caused so many troubles.” And after a while some of those people are going to say, “O’ come on! That’s like saying grandpa said he had to walk 6 miles to school through the snow. I don’t believe he had to walk 6 miles through the snow. It wasn’t that tough. It really wasn’t that bad!” Well, people will have become a little immune, or thick headed in their skull about that Message. And then at the end of the Millennium, when this horrible monster called Satan and his associates called demons are let loose, they INSTANTLY plunge the world into crisis again! It will be like, “See what I mean!?” … Verse 9 – About this time is when people are resurrected. Verse 10 – Now, the beast and the false prophet were physical human beings. But Satan and his demons are spiritual beings, they are eternal, they can’t burn up, they’re not going to be tortured because their hurting, because they won’t feel the pain of the fire. They will be tortured because of their torment – because they have had their last hurrah! Satan will be thrown into that great spiritual prison with nothing else to do and nowhere else to go, than to realize that he was once an archangel (“a guardian cherub.” Cherubs are angelic creatures, the highest order of angels) charged of preparing the Earth for God’s children, and now he is stuck there, and he will NEVER be set free. NEVER AGAIN! And well may it be so! Verse 11 – And then John starts talking about this resurrection. Remember, verse 5. And so in our vocabulary, our Church vocabulary, we often refer to this event as the “Great White Throne Judgment.” Verse 12 – “…and books were opened.” The Βίβλους. The word bible in Greek is biblos. Meaning the Holy BIBLE was opened!!! These people are presented for the FISRT TIME in their life an understanding of the Word of God. “And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life.” – And if your name is written in the Book of Life because God has called you, chosen you, elected you, selected you, and you’ve gone through the process of gaining in knowledge, coming to repentance, going through baptism, receiving God’s Spirit, and at that point your name is written in the Book of Life. And, at that point you are absolutely assured a “ticket” to the Kingdom of God! And no one can take it away from you! Except you yourself. If you fail to appreciate what God has given to you. The dead who are now alive will be given a chance to live their life again and they will be judged by the principles and the Words of the Holy Bible as they live… 20 years, 50 years, 70 years, 120 years!? It will be what so ever God deems proper. That’s just what we’re going through NOW!

We’re being judged every man every woman by their works. Revelation 22:12. The same principle which applies to us now will apply to them at a future time. Verse 14 – Those people who had a chance to know the Truth of God, those people who in that “White Throne Judgment” were shown from the member’s of the Family of GOD the Truth of God and yet some of them simply refused to obey, it says ‘those people were cast into the ‘lake of fire.’ THIS IS THE SECOND DEATH!

Now the WCG taught as doctrine that the judging of the all the saints would occur – not at the return of Jesus Christ, not during the Millennium, but at the end of the “White Throne Judgment.” What we just read in verses 14 & 15, that is referring to the individuals who were brought up out of their graves, brought back to life – “the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished.” IF at some point in your life, in this age, you were given the Truth of God, you were shown the Truth of God, you were led down that path towards salvation, you learned enough that you knew you needed to be baptized and you repented and you were given God’s Spirit, and at some point you had your name written in the Book of Life, but… you can drive the Spirit of God out of you. And IF we do we have committed that unpardonable sin. The blasphemy against God’s Spirit. Because having once had it and then rejecting it, and at that moment we are without hope. We would have no hope. No future salvation. No future repentance. And, so for people, in this age, who has gone through that, when Jesus Christ returns… Matthew 25:24-30 – “’…cast the unprofitable servant …’” those who have turned their back’s on God, have driven the Spirit of God out of them, “’into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” There will be that eternal punishment of death in the ‘lake of fire.’ … Verse 41 – the fire is everlasting, the execution is the second death, it’s almost instantaneous.

How do you prove that you love GOD!? How do you demonstrate that you love GOD!? You love and help the people of God. In the here-and-the-now. That’s how you do it. IF you want to prove that you love GOD, then serve His people. Help His people. And help the people He’s calling by helping be apart of this Work. Verse 46. The execution of the wayward former saints upon the return of Jesus Christ takes place at or near the return of Jesus Christ. He separates them with his left hand and His right. The RIGHT HAND the righteous go into the Kingdom of God. Those who have forgotten, driven away God’s Spirit, forgotten God and His Truth, even though they once had it, they are taken and thrown into the ‘lake of fire’ the second death. And then they are simply NO MORE! And this is NOT what the WCG use to teach!

GOD in His Plan often approaches the people of Israel first. And then, when the timings right, where it won’t be so confusing and upside down, then He includes the Gentiles. To the Jew first (to the Israelite first) and then the Gentile. That’s a consistent theme.

WHEN the re-creation of the Earth, WHEN the re-creation of us from mortal to immortal, when that takes place, I am sure that all of the pain will soon just drift away. Because we will have full knowledge and appreciation that we are in the Kingdom of God and we are going to be able to help our fellow human beings and the people we have always loved. How truly righteous and wonderful are His ways, and He’s given us access to understanding them.

God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ FOREVER BE PRAISED!                                  

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