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Greetings friends around the world! I welcome you Vienna, Austria, Singapore, Croatia, the Philippines, as well as the United States of America. Welcome to the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries! I’m your servant Leonard V. Johnson.
Now, friends, our view count for our website – www.owensborocojc.com – is a little lower this week. Please be sure to invite your friends or a neighbor to visit our webpage and help share this glorious news of Jesus Christ’s living word – this very Book, the glorious Holy Bible!
Friends, this year’s Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day is just behind us now – I was so very looking forward to it – spending some quality time with my sister as well as having a most joyous time at God’s holy Feast. As I’ve mentioned before - I was persecuted by a so-called leader of a group that claims he is obeying God! But he is far from obeying Him! But, let me move on and focus attention on Jesus Christ and His living Word, His Truth, and His Plan of redemption for all mankind. Almighty God and Jesus Christ will – in Their time – take care of this sycophant as well as his cronies. What he deserves he shall receive.
Friends, if you could know the future would you want to know!? And, what would you do with that information!? Well, most would probably try and exploit that information – much like Marty McFly in Back to the Future Part II was going to do in which he traveled into the future and purchased a sports almanac which contained the results of major sporting events from the year 1950 to the year 2000. Of course, his life became a catastrophe because of this knowledge that he had acquired. Now, there have been those who have claimed to know the future. To palm readers, the reading of tarot cards – which my friend Ron McCartney had tried doing with me once – to mind readers, to those who claim they can see the future with their crystal balls or even chicken bones. Now, these psychics or psychotics, these soothsayers, and even self-proclaimed prophets in the religious circles have tried to predict the future. And, I know of one which claims this very thing! He says that he is a prophet from Grover Beach, California and that his group is the remnant of the Philadelphia Church of God and be sure to send your seed of faith offering – in which he gives you his address. And, of course, we know what happens when you do that – you’ll be blessed and have a multiple of money, I say sarcastically. Or, the leader of the organization gets to live the jet-set lifestyle. And it truly saddens me that there are those out in the world claiming that they are a prophet of God – when indeed they are most definitely not.
Well, where would you go – and who would you believe to tell you the truth about the future!? How would you know if you were being told the truth!?
Friends – what about God’s living Word, the Holy Bible!? The Holy Scriptures as many call them!? What does God have to say about the future!? About your future!? The Bible is the inspired word of the Eternal. It was recorded and written down by men who were under the divine inspiration of Almighty God. And God has preserved His words for all of nearly four-thousand years! Now, you will notice that the four so-called “gospels” all have “Amen” at the end, as well as Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippines, Colossians, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, 1st and 2nd Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, 1st and 2nd Peter, 1st and 2nd John, Jude, as well as the Book of Revelation – and the very word “Amen” means ‘so be it’ sealed with the very confession of the Amen – Jesus Christ! I believe that in the future there may be more added to the Book of Acts. The story of true Christianity as it went forward down through the generations and the apostle John’s writing at the very end of the first century. God’s living word gives moral and ethical lessons for life, your family, your marriage, your business, and just how to treat others! It also shows us how to love, to forgive, to have compassion, to be faithful and honest, and to live a life of righteousness. The Bible describes the past and gives us a history lesson through the eyes of the nation of Israel. It also deals with the present – this 21st century! The very problems we are facing and the solutions – if we want to listen and see what God’s Spirit has to say and to respond.
The Holy Bible also speaks of the future – much of which is yet to be fulfilled. Now, we know that at least 1/3 of the Bible is prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled.
Now, the Book of Revelation – a book of revealing – is largely about the future. And, it gives us information as to what is about to transpire. And its Author is One in which we can truly trust.
Friends, let’s turn in our Bibles to the Book of Revelation the 1st chapter –
Here we read of the origin of this great message – and we know that in many Bibles it reads – as it does in the small King James Version I have had since I was twelve years old – “The Revelation of St. John the divine.” However, when you read the very first verse it says – “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” And we know that is where this revelation – or rather the Apocalypse – came from. The unveiling - Jesus Christ!
Verse 1 – “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants – things which must shortly take place. …”
Let’s turn briefly to the 22nd chapter of the Book of Revelation –
Verse 6 – some of the closing comments of the Book of Revelation – “Then he said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true.’ And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.”
And, look what the very next verse says! Verse 7 – “’ Behold, I AM coming quickly! …’” – on three occasions here in this last chapter He says, ‘I AM coming quickly!’ “ … ‘Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.’”
Verse 8 – “Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.”
Now, he had gotten this revelation from an angel, and he fell down to worship the angel, and the angel said – verse 9 – “Then he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.’”
This is why it is blasphemous that within Catholicism they pray to angels. True Christians are to obey God’s holy and righteous Law – including the first commandment: “’ You shall have no other gods before Me” – Exodus 20:3 NKJV. Some people will make the blasphemous excuse, “You could go to Jesus alone, but if you pray to Mary, you and the Virgin Mary can go directly to Jesus!” The apostle Paul addresses this very thing around AD 62 – “Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, …” – Colossians 2:18 NKJV. Jesus Christ alone is our Mediator with God the Father! – “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” – 1 Timothy 2:5 NKJV.
Verse 10 – “And he said to me, ‘Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.’”
So, do you recall that Almighty God had revealed to the prophet Daniel some amazing dreams!?
At the very end of the Book of Daniel he writes, “Although I heard, I did not understand.” And the angel said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” And he told him to seal up the prophecies of this book because they are for the time of the end. They are going to be revealed at the time of the end. There was no way that the prophet Daniel would understand the rise and fall of kingdoms and empires which he recorded in the Book of Daniel. He was living – basically – as a prisoner inside the Babylonian Empire. He would have known nothing of the future Roman Empire – that would be brought together centuries later. Yet, he spoke of events that spoke of this great empire.
Turning back to the 1st chapter of the Book of Revelation –
Verse 1 – “ … And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John. 2) who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.”
The apostle John saw this whole Book of Revelation unfold to him in a vision, seeing these events he recorded them. And obviously from these chapters from the Book of Revelation the events didn’t happen exactly in the same order in which he recorded them – because there are flashbacks.
Now, listen up! Verse 3 – “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; FOR THE TIME IS NEAR.”
So it tells us to “read” and to “hear” and to “obey.” This indeed is a great challenge to anyone who opens up the Book of Revelation and to see just what Jesus Christ has to say! And friends, let us always remember what the apostle Peter told us not to forget – “But, beloved, DO NOT FORGET THIS ONE THING, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” – 2 Peter 3:8 NKJV. Meaning, our Lord Jesus Christ has – basically – only been gone almost two-days!
I am reminded of Isaiah the 6th chapter – in which the prophet Isaiah wrote, “’ Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.” Just a few weeks ago now my wife and I had some friends come down from Michigan. And there was one who is a member of a “1% Motorcycle Club” – the Outlaws – who wore a large silver cross around his neck and every other word from his mouth was profane. Now, he was a nice enough guy, entertaining, and a bit braggadocio – a lot like cherry cheesecake, a little bit goes a long way. Saying, “Don’t mistake me for the way I look.”
But here, one of the seraphim flew to prophet Isaiah, “having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.” And, he touched his mouth with it, and said – “’ Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.” The seraphim telling him, “’ Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive. Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.’
Here the LORD of hosts is telling the prophet Isaiah, that the majority of the people are going to reject the message. They are not going to “read” or “hear” or “obey.” It is unfortunate – yet is part of the very Plan of the Eternal One.
So here in chapter 1 of the Book of Revelation, we read the origin of this message, and of why it was written, and how it was received – by an angel to the apostle John – and of who recorded it.
Verse 4 – “John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: …” – so, he’s addressing here the seven churches which he will be instructed to write to. Could he have sat down and made seven different copies of this letter!? “ … Grace to you and peace from Him who is and was and who is to come, …” – referring to God the Father! “ … and from the seven spirits [angels] who are before His throne, 5) and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.” – God the Father who is, and who was even before the universe was created – the Ancient of Days – and who is to come! Another proof that God the Father is coming with Jesus Christ. Indeed, we read in chapter 21 in which there will come down from heaven (the atmosphere) a ‘new heaven and a new earth’ and that ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God (Theos – God the Father) is with men, and He will dwell with them.’ And this is what is being described here!
Now, I had underlined ‘the firstborn from the dead,’ because this is indeed a great challenge to most people who read the Book of Revelation because it says in 1st Corinthians and the 15th chapter –
Verse 22 – “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”
Now, as I had told the story in “Does God Have Your Attention?” my sister-in-law had asked me why I didn’t believe in “the rapture.” And I began to slowly explain that God’s living word does not speak of a “rapture” – and I began to slowly discuss the truth about death and what happens after death. And within that short discussion, I told her and her girlfriend about the glorious hope of the gospel – the good news of the potentiality of eternal life, the great hope of the resurrection, and of the family of God. My sister-in-law’s best friend who was visiting with her – and who had indulged in a lifestyle which God finds abominable just rolled her eyes and laughed.
Verse 23 – “But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.”
I’m sure this gospel message was such a shock to her! And, I certainly know that it was a great challenge even for a good friend I had which has recently died – he believed and taught reincarnation. He believed that as soon as he died his spirit was going to be reincarnated back into another body. God’s living word does not teach this! Others believe and they teach that as soon as one of their loved ones dies – just like several I’ve recently read via Facebook’s News Feed – that they are “up in heaven” or “they are in a better place.” And the reason they say this is because they believe and teach – as far as they know – their loved one is up in heaven. But, we read such passages as these that Jesus Christ’s saints are going to become ‘firstfruits’ at His coming.
Now, we know that He is “the ruler over the kings of the earth” because Jesus Christ earned the right to be the King of kings and the Lord of lords over all – when He was victorious over Satan the devil having been led up into the wilderness by the Spirit of God, fasting forty days and forty nights having been tempted by the devil. Having been taken up by the devil to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed all the kingdoms of the world at that time and of their splendor – of the kingdoms of Aksum, the Toltec Empire, of Imperial China, of the Roman Empire, and the Persian Dynasty and all the others. And, it wasn’t unlike what we see in our rebellious societies today where people are trying to turn over someone who is trying to live a righteous life – Satan the devil will be there! As he was there this fall Feast with that sycophant so-called leader which became combative with me! But as our Lord Jesus Christ said towards the apostle Peter, “’ Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.’” – Matthew 16:23 NKJV.
Again back to the Book of Revelation chapter 1 –
“ … To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, …” – of course referring to the fact that sin does have with it a death penalty as well as “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” – Romans 3:23 NKJV. And, of course, “Whoever commits sin also commits LAWLESSNESS, and sin IS LAWLESSNESS” – 1st John 3:4 NKJV. As I have said before – a great many of these worldly churches are not teaching this – because most people don’t even know what sin is!
Verse 6 – “and [who will make us] kings [or rather, a kingdom] and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” – and, of course, chapter 5 says, “’ And [He will make us] kings [or rather a kingdom; even “He made us to be a kingdom”] and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.’”
Now, many people have a problem with these verses! Of course, this is contradictory to what most people have been taught about when they die, or when they supposedly “go to heaven.” The main problem is – that most people believe that a person has an immortal soul (see: Genesis 3:4) which we do not. King David wrote, “Like sheep they are laid in the grave; Death shall feed on them” – Psalm 49:14 NKJV. Even the prophet Job, in his hypophora question, “’ If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes’” – Job 14:14 NKJV. And, in the previous verse, “’ Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, That You would conceal me until Your wrath [of course speaking here of the great and terrible Day of the LORD] is past, That You would appoint me a set time, and remember me!” “You shall call, and I will answer You.” And, even our Lord and Savior says in the Book of John three separate times, “’ I will raise him up at the last day [on the resurrection day, the LAST TRUMP!].’” “ … For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven [the atmosphere] with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet [the SEVENTH TRUMPET CALL]. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds [in the atmosphere] to meet the Lord in the air.” Friends – of all the funerals that I have been to these past five decades where were these passages!? Instead, the most popular teaching amongst the churches of this world is – “[He/She] has found rest in heaven. [Name of deceased] was a child of God and now [he/she] is enjoying eternity in paradise with [his/her] Savior.”
And, continuing – verse 7 – “Behold, He is coming with clouds, …” – another problem with many people! Jesus Christ is going to descend from ‘low earth orbit’ where there are clouds! “ … and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him [meaning the seventh resurrection of the “Holy” Roman Empire] …” – and in the Book of Zechariah the 14th chapter it says, “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east.” – v. 4 NKJV. And as we know the Book of Acts the first chapter says, “ …’ This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven [the atmosphere], will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven [the atmosphere].’” Jesus Christ’s very feet are going to stand on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem! “ … And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.” – and we read in Jeremiah chapter 30 – “’ Ask now, and see, Whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins Like a woman in labor, And all faces turned pale?” – v. 6 NKJV. Because the people just can’t believe what their eyes are seeing – and as we’ve said many times, that when the throne of God, when New Jerusalem, begins to return to this earth, at some point it will be a little small light in the night sky. And the next night it will be a little brighter – like the star Sirius. And then, it becomes more and more obvious – and people will look up and go, “What is that!?” Now, most of the people of the world will think it’s –and they truly will – an invading alien force.
Verse 8 – “’ I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,’ says the Lord, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’”
So friends, here we see that this Book – this revelation – is from Almighty God and from our Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ is indeed the Almighty! The awesome prophecy in the Book of Isaiah the 9th chapter says that He would inherit the throne! Let’s turn there to the Book of Isaiah and read this very thing!
The Book of Isaiah the 9th chapter –
Verse 6 – “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7) Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even FOREVER. …”
Now, when the angel Gabriel was sent by God to Mary, he told her that she was going to ‘bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great,’ and that Kýrios Theos – meaning the Master God; God the Father – will give Him the throne of His father David.’ Again, there are so many people who take issue with that! Now, of course, we know that King David was from the tribe of JUDAH. God’s living word clearly shows us who He is, who He was, and how He came to be through the promises which God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel – and Jacob’s sons, one of which was Judah. As it says in the Book of Genesis chapter 49 – “The scepter shall not depart from Judah” – v. 10 NKJV. I speak more of this in the article “Prophecy – According to Jesus Christ.” Telling us that there was going to be a line of kings down through the generations and that eventually the Savior would be born.
So, keep in mind that the Book of Revelation indeed speaks of what was, what is, and what will be in the future.
Let’s turn and look at what was – first. In the Book of Daniel the 2nd chapter – and in fact, we have a series of free no-obligation online booklets written by Minister Michael C. Garrett which covers the Book of Daniel in great detail. Be sure to check those three booklets out! But, here, I just want to briefly go over this. I want to cover what an incredible dream that King Nebuchadnezzar II had – and the prophet Daniel was invited to come and interpret it. King Nebuchadnezzar II saw in his dream this great image – with ‘a head of gold, the breast and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.’
Hand-colored engraving, possibly 19th century, after the first excavations in the Assyrian capitals – the Hanging Gardens of Babylon with the Tower of Babel in the background.
Verse 37 – “’ You, O king, are a king of kings. …’” – the prophet Daniel speaking to King Nebuchadnezzar II. “ … ‘For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory.’” – and he was indeed the longest-reigning and most powerful monarch of the Neo-Babylonian Empire!
Verse 38 – “’ and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all – you are this head of gold.’” – so notice that the prophet Daniel tells King Nebuchadnezzar II that it was God that made him ruler over the earth – He allowed him to be a ruler. So, this gold head upon this ‘great image’ represented the great Babylonian Empire or the Babylonian-Assyrian civilization.
Verse 39 – “’ But after you shall arise another kingdom …’”
And we know from our history books that after the fall of the Babylonian Empire in 539 BC the Persians - or rather the Achaemenid Empire - came in and subjugated the Babylonians – and according to the book World Civilizations – “The first of the real conquests of Cyrus was the kingdom of Lydia, which occupied the western half of Asia Minor and was separated from the lands of the Medes only by the Halys River, in what is now northern Turkey. Perceiving the ambitions of the Persians, Croesus, the famous Lydian king, determined to wage a preventive war to preserve his own nation from conquest. He formed alliances with Egypt and Sparta and then consulted the Greek oracle at Delphi as to the advisability of an immediate attack. According to Herodotus, the oracle replied that if he would cross the Halys and assume the offensive he would destroy a great army. He did, but that army was his own. His forces were completely overwhelmed, and his prosperous little kingdom was annexed as a province of the Persian state. Seven years later, in 539 BC, Cyrus took advantage of discontent and conspiracies in the Chaldean empire to capture the city of Babylon.” 1 So, in June of that year the Babylonian army was completely defeated at Opis, and immediately afterward Sippara opened its gates. The governor of Media was sent to Babylon, which surrendered “without fighting.” In October, King Cyrus the Great of Persia arrived. So, the historians understand – it’s a fact of our history – the great kingdom to follow was the Persian Empire. So, within the very pages of God’s living word, we have the history of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and the Medo-Persian Empire.
“ … ‘a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over the earth.’”
Well, what happened to the Medo-Persian Empire!? Again, from history, we know that along came the Greco-Macedonian Empire under King Alexander the Great. He conquered almost all of the known world of his day! In the winter of 330 BC, at the Battle of the Persian Gate – today’s city of Yasuj in Iran – Aribarzanes led a last stand against the forces of King Alexander the Great. He then hurried to Persepolis before its garrison could loot the treasury. Alexander III of Macedon and his kingdom within God’s living word is called a leopard – because the king would attack with blitzkrieg precision.
Verse 40 – “’ And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, …’”
And once again, from our world history, we know that King Alexander the Great died in 323 BC at the age of 32. And after some 40-years of war between “the successors,” the Hellenistic world settled into four separate power blocs: Ptolemaic, Seleucid Mesopotamia and Central Asia, Attalid Anatolia, and Antigonid Macedon (recall – Daniel 7:6; “’ After this I looked and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back FOUR WINGS of a bird. …”). But notice what comes next – “’ the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron.’” – legs of iron. The Roman Empire.
“ … ‘inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything’ …”
Verse 41 – “’ Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; …’”
And again we know that the Roman Empire would come to be ruled by multiple emperors who shared rule over the Western Roman Empire (based in Milan, later Ravenna) and over the Eastern Roman Empire (also called the Byzantine Empire based in Constantinople).
“ … ‘yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay.’”
Verse 42 – “’ And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.’” - so, this kingdom does stick together, but it’s not very strong.
Verse 43 – “’ As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.’”
Verse 44 – “’ And in the days of these kings …’” – so now we’re being transported into time all the way down to the very last kingdom. “ … ‘the God of heaven will set up a kingdom …’”
This is a prophecy here that spans from roughly c. 562 BC with King Nebuchadnezzar II all the way to the glorious second coming of Jesus Christ! An incredible amount of time is covered in only a few verses.
“ … ‘which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.’”
King Nebuchadnezzar II saw in his dream a ‘stone cut out of the mountain without hands, and broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold’ – smashing this great image on its feet and the whole image came crashing down! “And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth” – Daniel 2:35 NKJV. What was that representing!?
Verse 45 – “’ Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold – the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.’”
Friends, God’s word is pure – cf. Proverbs 30:5. God’s word is truth – cf. John 17:17. And, I had asked: where would you go – and who would you believe to tell you the truth about the future!? This portion of the Book of Daniel is talking about the future! Talking about the second coming of Jesus Christ! Talking about that His kingdom will destroy and consume all of this world’s kingdoms – including the final beast power.
So, if we turn over a few pages to the 7th chapter of the Book of Daniel – this prophecy here concerns the history of mankind and the emergence of a dominant end-time beast power that will be extant at the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Now, friends, it would be remiss for me not to say – I couldn’t possibly cover everything that needs to be said in this short article. Because what truly needs to be taught would take hours to read – there is a lot of information here. There’s a lot of IMPORTANT information that needs to be told and portrayed. Friends, the whole of our peoples – the United States of America, the United Kingdom and the Common Wealth nations, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa as well as all the Western democracies of Europe! They need to hear this message from Jesus Christ! This is a message of the past, the present, and the future.
Here the prophet Daniel in a dream and in visions saw these four world-ruling empires portrayed as beasts.
Now, contrary to some – the first beast was the great Babylonian Empire which was ‘like a lion, and had eagle’s wings.’ The second beast was the Medo-Persian Empire which was ‘like a bear.’ The third beast was the Greco-Macedonian Empire under King Alexander the Great which was ‘like a leopard.’
And then – verse 7 – “’ After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; …’” – the same description we just read back in the 2nd chapter of Daniel.
Verse 8 – “’ I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, …’”
Now, this ‘little horn’ is a tremendous world power – of which just here recently endorsed same-sex civil “marriage.” Its effect has been upon Europe since roughly AD 500. This is the papacy. The very heart and core of that “MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
“ … ‘before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.’”
Now, going back to the 7th verse the prophet Daniel says, “’ It was different from all the beasts that were before it and it had ten horns.’”
Well, friends, those ‘ten horns’ – this seventh revival of the “Holy” Roman Empire, which hasn’t occurred yet – it’s on the horizon, it’s near, but it has not yet occurred – would consist of ten kings or ten kingdoms. Kingdoms in which God sees kingdoms.
As Minister Michael C. Garrett writes:
“The next revival has not yet occurred, but folks it’s not too far down the road! And the question comes, What will cause this empire to come about!? What coalesces Europe to become this United Europe!? You think about Europe right now as a secular state, they’re Socialistic in their tendencies, leftist in their policies. They really aren’t that united, they squabble a lot. And yet something is going to happen that will cause all of Europe to gravitate around a great “holy” man and a great religious leader.”(Garrett, M.C. “Prophecy Series – the Final Empire!” 2019, pp. 20).
Now, I feel that it’s IMPORTANT to point out here – many believe and teach of an end-time “one-world government.” This is not what this is teaching us. That is a part of that Left Behind - Far-Right evangelical conservative garbage! God’s living word DOES NOT DESCRIBE THAT! This is referring to a reorganized and revitalized concept of the “Holy” Roman Empire. Countries in Europe unifying in the end times. The ‘kings from the east’ or rather ‘kingdoms from the east’ also called ‘the king of the South’ (see Daniel 11:9, 11; Rev. 16:12) will be united under a totally different religion. The religion of Islam. And that means North Africa, the Middle East, and over in areas like Iraq and Afghanistan, Iran. There will not be a “one-world government”! Because these two groups of people hate each other so badly they’re trying to kill each other!
So, this ‘little horn’ – who will be in charge of this end-time final European 'beast power' – “who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself (as this 'little horn' performs “great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men”- see Rev. 13:11-17 NKJV) that he is God” – this 'little lamb' becomes, basically, like a rock star! A little man, very timid in appearance and stature, and even in his physical ability. This end-time final European 'beast power,' with pompous words, speaks “against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven” – see Rev. 13:6 NKJV.
But then friends, the prophet Daniel flashes forward in time.
Verse 9 – “’ I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire.’”
Verse 10 – “’ A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court [the judgment] was seated, And the books were opened.’” –now, this word “books” is biblion. And the word, “Bible” is derived from the Greek word, “biblion”, which means book. Now, at this juncture, I had called Minister Garrett over the phone and spoke with him at length - just to double-check that what I would teach here is correct. Mr. Garrett is not only a great spiritual teacher, but he’s a great mentor.
This great ten thousand times ten thousand (what the apostle John called ‘the dead, small and great, standing before God’ – speaking of a number so great it is impossible to count) which were dead and have now been brought back to life – one of the first things which they will be given are Holy Bibles. And, friends, we’re speaking of a massive group of people – practically everyone who has ever lived – who never knew the TRUTH OF GOD. Or rather, never had enough knowledge or understanding to be responsible. All these people, after living their life and dying – at this time of the conclusion of the millennial reign of Christ – are brought back to life. As human beings. All these people will have a second chance to live, they will have their Holy Bible – and then they will be judged according to their works and how they lived their life. Their humility or their resistance to Almighty God and Jesus Christ.
Then, returning to this ‘little horn.’
Verse 11 – “’ I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast [this end-time European leader] was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame.’”
Now, the apostle John – in the Book of Revelation – says that one of the very first things which Jesus Christ is going to do upon His return is to take the beast and the false prophet and cast them alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone – cf. Revelation 19:20-21.
Verse 13 – “’ I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! …’” – well friends here it is! Just like we just read in our Lord and Savior’s own words – “’ Behold, I AM coming quickly! …’”
“ … ‘He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.’”
Now, notice this! Verse 14 – “’ Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. …’”
Now, are there languages and people and nations in the upper heavenly realms – what the Bible calls the ‘third heaven’!? This is talking about – on this very EARTH! He is going to rule this earth ‘with a rod of iron’ it tells us!
The Book of Isaiah tells us – “’ For as the new heavens and the new earth Which I [the LORD God] will make shall remain before Me,’ says the LORD, ‘So shall your descendants and your name remain.’” And our LORD God goes on to say, and you can find this in the Book of Isaiah the 66th chapter – “’ And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another [meaning, from one annual feast season to another feast season], And from one Sabbath to another, ALL FLESH shall come to worship before Me,’ says the LORD.”
Turning back to Isaiah the 11th chapter, beginning in verse 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.
Verse 11 – “’ It shall come to pass in that day [meaning, the dreadful and terrible Day of the LORD] That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, ….”
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 – all of the tribes of Israel, except the tribe of Dan – 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!
Now, is it possible that this GATHERING begins very near the time of the blowing of the Seventh Trump!?
Turn with me again to the Book of Daniel chapter 12, verse 5 –
“Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. 6) And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, ‘How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?’”
And the answer – Verse 7 – “ Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished”
And something to think about – and I had mentioned this very thing in the article “‘Tell My People Their Sins’” - just before the blowing of the SEVENTH TRUMP very few saints of God will be left. There will come a time when the LORD our God cannot find ten righteous people! As ‘this generation’ continues many of these cities the cup of their iniquity becomes full. And the LORD God has no choice but to exact judgment upon that nation. It is something to ponder.
This final end-time beast power will be at his pinnacle at the time of the Return of Jesus Christ.
In the Book of Daniel the 10th chapter – this kingdom will be holding sway over the nations of the world – especially a United States of Europe and the subjugated Western nations at the Return of Jesus Christ. Let’s read of this here in verse 12 –
“Then he [this mighty angel of the LORD] said to me, ‘Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before God, your words were heard; … 14) Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people IN THE LATTER DAYS, …’”
And then he proceeds, of course, to tell the prophet Daniel what was going to happen after the Neo-Babylonian Empire, after the Persian Empire, after the Greco-Macedonian Empire along with its division into fourths.
Now, as I had mentioned earlier briefly – when King Alexander the Great died his four generals split the kingdom up into four quarters. One was to the north – Assyria. One was to the east – Iran, and Iraq. Another was to the south – Egypt. And one toward the west – Rome. Now, as history would report, two kings sort of faded away. However, the kings which were in the north and the south became predominate and warred against each other down through the decades – of the Seleucid line and the other a lesser line of pharaohs called the Ptolemies of Egypt. These two fought, and Daniel’s prophecy goes back and forth how they fought with one another – and eventually, the ‘king of the north’ actually went down and attacked Egypt. And if you know – his name was Antiochus IV Epiphanes. He tried invading Egypt, but he failed. The Roman Empire had emerged as a great empire at that time and they encountered him and stopped him from invading Egypt. He returned from Egypt defeated in 168 BC, enraged; he attacked Jerusalem and executed many Jews – something like 40,000 people lost their lives! He also entered the temple and sacrificed a swine – which was a desecration.
Now, we read of this in the Book of Daniel chapter 11 –
Verse 29 – “’ At the appointed time he [speaking here of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, and later a secondary fulfillment] shall return and go toward the south; but it shall not be like the former or the latter. 30) For ships from Cyprus shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage. … 31) And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, …’” – he, indeed, did do that! “ … ‘and place there the abomination of desolation.’” – which was a monument to this Jupiter Olympus or maybe Zeus.
Verse 32 – “’ Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people [and a secondary fulfillment - the end-time prophets] who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.’”
‘great exploits’ – see Revelation 11:1-12.
Verse 33 – “’ And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; …’”
Now, this indeed happened anciently – approximately 168 or 167 BC. But the Book of Daniel as well as the Book of Revelation also speaks of the future. Recall, the angel of the LORD said, “’ I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people IN THE LATTER DAYS.’” So, there is a secondary fulfillment of this very prophecy. So, this very thing actually did take place – as did the utter destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 led by the future emperor of Rome – Titus. But, there will be a future fulfillment of this prophecy, in which a “man of sin” as the apostle Paul says in 2nd Thessalonians who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God sitting himself in the temple of God, claiming that he is God! He is going to set himself up in a newly built third temple, desecrate the temple, and will call himself God.
Verse 36 – “’ Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath [meaning, the Day of the LORD] has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. 37) He shall regard neither the God of his fathers …’” – he will possibly be an atheist. “ …’ nor the desire of women, …’” – could this be a reference to the fact that he will be a homosexual!? “ …’ nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all.’”
Verse 40 – “’ At the time of the end the king of the South …’” – and as I’ve said, a combination of nations under Islam, such as North Africa, the Middle East, and over in areas like Iraq and Afghanistan, Iran. “ …’ shall attack him; and the king of the North …’” – this reorganized and revitalized concept of the “Holy” Roman Empire. The king of the North vs the king of the South. The European combine and the Islamic confederation – whatever they will call themselves in the future. “ …’ shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through.’”
Notice that all of Daniel 11 is a constant flow of conflict between the king of the North and the king of the South! And I think that we understand those Scriptures to mean the king of the North (a future European combine; Catholic Europe) – which is taking shape right now! And yet, receiving very little notice on the world stage. And, the king of the South (a yet future Islamic confederation). Now, friends, we have a free no-obligation online booklet entitled “Prophecy Series – The Last Crusade” in which Minister Michael C. Garrett discusses the Crusades. And most of the Crusades of the Middle Ages went over the land – like over Greece into Turkey – a few came by ship. But it seems to indicate here that most of the invasion into the Middle East will be across the Mediterranean Sea.
Verse 41 – “’ He shall also enter the Glorious Land [Palestine], and many countries shall be overthrown; …’”
So, we know that this end-time ‘king of the South’ is going to push against the end-time ‘king of the North.’ Now, the question can be asked – what could this end-time ‘king of the South’ do to antagonize this end-time ‘king of the North’ so much that it would cause him to move into the land of Palestine!?
Well, look what it says, verse 41 – “ …’ but [initially] these shall escape from his hand: Edom [Turkey], Moab [Iraq], and the prominent people of Ammon [Jordan].’” – these he will not invade. At least not initially.
Verse 42 – “’ He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape.’” – so that northern/eastern section of Africa.
So, we have this northern European military invading Palestine and he is going to include Egypt. Why!? Well, because of oil. And if those Islamic nations collectively would have a common power, and they decide to control the oil, or the price of oil – which did occur, remember the 1973 Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries!? – would this end-time final ‘king of the South’ try and keep oil from Europe!? Would not this end-time final European ‘beast power’ not invade into those Islamic lands and take over the oil – fulfilling this very prophecy!?
I noticed this today in the news and shared it on our Twitter -
#SaudiArabia #OilPrice #SaudiAramco - https://t.co/3LfzcwCU1t
— A Servant of ONE GOD! (@aservant1God) November 16, 2020
Verse 43 – “’ He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians [speaking of North Africa, possible India, and Pakistan] shall follow at his heels.’”
Verse 44 – “’ But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; …’” – and so let’s set the scene – this vast armada crosses the ocean, lands in Egypt, comes up from the south, enter into the Palestinian area of Jerusalem (Judea), and then it says, ‘news from the east and the north shall trouble him.’ Well, to the north you have countries like Syria, Turkey. And to the east, you have like Saudi Arabia and Iraq. What if Europe comes in, sets up control in Jerusalem, and then those other Islamic states counter attack!? “… he [this European combine] shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many.’” – to just ‘sweep them away.’ So, they come in over the ocean and they set-up in Israel, they set-up the ‘abomination of desolation’ – these northern and eastern Arab countries say, “We’re not gonna put up with that!” They try and force an invasion and cause trouble, and they’re wiped out! And as it says here, they’re just simply ‘annihilated.’
Verse 45 – “’ And he [the king of the North – the false prophet and the beast power] shall plant the [tabernacle] of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain [Jerusalem]; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.’”
So, if you could read the future – would you want to know it!?
Friends, today, you have looked into the living Word of the Eternal God and read what He has revealed to us about the immediate future.
There is a question which remains – what are you going to do with this valuable information which you now possess!? I pray that you will HEED THIS WARNING, LISTEN, and UNDERSTAND the final outcome of ‘this generation.’ And to know that we do have a glorious Savior – Jesus Christ of Nazareth – that is coming to this E A R T H to rule forever and ever!
And I pray that you will be a part of this great Plan of God! May God be with you always.
Until next time, goodbye. ■
Bibliography:
1) Burns M. E. and Ralph P., World Civilizations Fifth Edition, Vol. I, The Mesopotamian and Persian Civilizations, W.W. Norton & Co., New York, © 1974, pp. 69.
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