Wednesday, May 20, 2026

BEASTS OF DANIEL AND REVELATION #2

 

The Beasts of Daniel and Revelation #2

All about them!

THE MARK OF THE BEAST

He - this second beast causes a MARK to be given
to - (Rev. 13 I 16).

1. Small or great people, rich or poor people, free or bond
(slaves, servants).
This MARK knows no class distinction - it is upon kings or
slaves.

2. This MARK is received either in the HAND - what you do
physically or in the FOREHEAD - what you believe mentally.

3. (v.17) This MARK effects being able to BUY or SELL - it
effects your job, or livelihood.

4. This MARK belongs to the FIRST BEAST but is forced upon people
by the SECOND BEAST.

The FIRST BEAST is the civil military ROMAN EMPIRE. The SECOND
BLAST is the ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH with its head spokesman and
finally its greatest miracle working false prophet of all time.
What in history has the CATHOLIC CHURCH acquired from PAGAN ROME
to give and force people to accept - people of all walks of life
- that effect what they do physically (the hand) or what
they believe mentally (the forehead) - something that could very
well effect buying or selling. This MARK would be so worldwide
and so obvious to tell those who had it, and those who refused to
have it.
There is only ONE answer - SUNDAY observance - the first day of
the week as opposed to the seventh day. The keeping of Sunday as
the Sabbath of God has NO Biblical foundation whatever. The first
day of the week was observed by pagan Rome in B.C. times. The
Catholic Church adopted it from Rome and enforced it on the world
at the Council of Nicea in 321 A.D. See your history books.

Prophesying about the emergence of the CATHOLIC church, Daniel
was inspired to write,"And he shall speak words against the Most
High and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and THINK to
CHANGE the TIMES (of sacred feasts and holy days)and the LAW..."
(Dan.11:25, Amplified Bible).

The law of the SABBATH(4th point of the 10 commandments)was
CHANGED by the sanction of the Catholic church from SATURDAY to
SUNDAY.
The sacred feasts of God(as given in Lev.23) were CHANGED to
different dates and days or supplanted with other festivals of
PAGAN origin i.e. Easter in place of PASSOVER - ChristMass in
place of the FEAST OF TABERNACLES.
In a larger sense ALL of these false PAGAN days and festivals
constitute the MARK of the Roman empire, which the IMAGE of the
BEAST has caused ALL but the very elect of God to receive either
in their MIND (forehead) - what they mentally receive and honor
as truth AND/OR in their HAND - what they physically DO.
Those Who REFUSE to follow the 7th day Sabbath and festivals of
God have RECEIVED the MARK of the BEAST. He is a part of the
Pagan Roman empire - and unless REPENTANCE is forthcoming, will
suffer the WRATH of God (Rev.14:9,10).

THE NUMBER 666

(v. 17), The beast - this is the first beast - CIVIL MILITARY
ROMAN EMPIRE - has not only a MARK that brands people as
belonging to it, but also a NUMBER that identifies who this beast
is.
(v. 18), This number is also the number of a MAN - one SPECIFIC
individual.

The number of this MAN must also be the NAME of the BEAST. NOTE:
This number is NOT the number of a TITLE or OFFICE or RELIGIOUS
ORDER. It is the NUMBER of a MAN - a man that identifies the
beast - a man that gives his name to the beast, as it is also the
number of the beast's name.
If the beast (first beast of Rev.13) is the resurrected ROMAN
EMPIRE - can we find in history a man who gave his NAME to the
empire. Oh, indeed we can!

The founder of ROME and the ROMAN EMPIRE was a man - ROMULUS -
this is what the history books say on him:

Quote:

ROMULUS AND REMUS in Roman mythology, were twin brothers who
founded the city of Rome. The Romans considered Romulus their
first king.
According to tradition, Romulus and Remus were born in the
ancient Italian city of Alba Longa. King Numitor ruled Alba Longa
until Arnulius, his younger brother, deposed him. Amulius killed
Numitor's sons and forced Rhea Silvia, Numitor's daughter, to
become a Vestal Virgin. Vestal Virgins were priestesses who by
law had to remain virgins. Amulius hoped that Rhea Silvia's being
a Vestal Virgin would prevent her from bearing children who might
threaten his rule. But the god Mars seduced Rhea Silvia, and she
gave birth to Romulus and Remus. Amulius had Rhea Silvia executed
and ordered the babies placed in a basket and thrown into the
Tiber River.
After floating downstream, the twins were washed ashore. A female
wolf found the infants and nursed them. Romulus, Remus, and the
wolf became popular subjects for Roman artists. Several ancient
statues show the babies with their animal protector.
A shepherd named Faustulus discovered Romulus and Remus.
Faustulus and his wife raised the boys as their own children.
After the twins became young men, they learned their true
identity. They overthrew Amulius, killed him, and restored
Numitor to the throne.
Soon, Romulus and Remus set out to found their own city. However
the brothers quarrelled over the site where the city should be
built, so to settle the argument, they agreed that the one who
saw the largest number of vultures in flight should choose the
site. Romulus claimed he saw 12 vultures, which he declared was a
sign from the gods that his location was the proper one. Remus,
who saw only six vultures, thought his brother had cheated. After
Romulus began to build a wall around his chosen site, Remus
leaped over the ditch that was to hold the foundation of the
wall. As he did so, he mocked Romulus. For this act of
disloyalty, Remus was killed, either by Romulus himself or by one
of Romulus' followers. Romulus then became the sole ruler of the
city, which he named Rome, for himself.
Rome prospered, but only men lived there. To provide wives for
his subjects, Romulus had women kidnapped from the neighboring
Sabine tribe (see Sabine). Romulus was a wise and popular ruler
and a fine miliary leader. He expanded Rome until it became the
most powerful city in its region.
After reigning for 38 years, Romulus disappeared mysteriously
during a storm. According to a later Roman myth, he became the
god Quirinus. 
C. Scott Littleto
See also Mythology (Roman Mythology); QUIRINUS 

End Quote

The city of Rome was named after ROMULUS - the empire was named
after the capital city ROME - if you were part of that empire you
were a man of Rome - a ROMAN - a ROMULUS MAN. 

We are told to COUNT - add up - the man - it will come to 666.

The New Testament was written in Greek - the Greek for
          L is worth  30 
          A  "   "     1
          T  "   "   300 
          E  "   "     5      
          I  "   "    10 
          N  "   "    50 
          0  "   "    70 
          S  "   "   200 

A total of 666!!

LATEINOS in Greek means "Latin Man" - a man of Italy - a man of
Rome - a Roman - a Romulus man.

ROMULUS in HEBREW (which the Old Testament was written in) is
Romiith - this also totals 666.

There is no question - what John sees as the FIRST BEAST of
Revelation 13 is the RESURRECTED CIVIL ROMAN EMPIRE after 554 
A.D. - it is Daniel's fourth beast of Dan.7 after the first three
horns have gone.
The ten horns of John's beast of chapter 13 are the ten toes of
Daniel's image of Dan.2 and the ten kings of Rev.17 that will
fight Christ on His return.

The SECOND BEAST of John in Rev.13 is the LITTLE HORN of Daniel 7
- the PAPACY - the Roman Catholic Church - the IMAGE, the
spiritual image of the civil Roman empire - the Church that
caused people to be killed, that made war with the saints of God
if they did not worship it - the Church that has a man as its
eyes and mouth - a man that blasphemes the name of God, calling
himself "father". The Church - the beast that will finally bring
forth the greatest false prophet of all - the man of sin - the
antiChrist - the miracle worker - that Christ shall consume with
the spirit of His mouth upon returning to this earth.

The Catholic Church is the little horn that "thought" to CHANGE
THE LAW of God (Dan.7). It is the beast that caused the world to
receive a MARK - a mark derived from pagan Rome - SUNDAY
OBSERVANCE - it changed the FOURTH POINT of God's law, from the
SEVENTH DAY of the week to the FIRST DAY of the week. It CHANGED
the SACRED FEASTS and HOLY DAYS of God (as given in Lev.23) and
borrowed from PAGAN ROME the feasts of Easter, Christmas, Lent,
New Years, All Saints Day, Valentines Day, etc.

Rev.17 WOMAN SITTING UPON A BEAST

v. 1 
Great whore - a woman prostitute sitting on MANY WATERS - people,
multitudes, nations, v. 15. She rules, guides MANY nations and
tongues.

v. 2 
Kings have been part of her lewdness and the earth has been made
drunk - can't see straight, can't direct its path straight.

v. 3 
A WOMAN - chapter 12.1-5, tells us a woman in prophecy represents
a CHURCH - the Church of God brought forth Jesus who is to rule
all nations when He returns, but is now on God's right hand in
heaven. See v.5-17 of chap. 12. This Church - woman, is a fallen
woman, a prostitute. She sits on a beast that - is red and:
     1. blasphemes
     2. has seven heads 
     3. and ten horns
Compare this to Rev.12:3 (Satan - red and seven heads and ten
horns) and Rev.13:1-5 - the beast of John has:
     1. seven heads
     2. ten horns
     3. the dragon (Satan chap.12:3,9) controls 
     4: it blasphemes
The first beast of Rev.13 is the civil military power of the
resurrected Roman empire.
The beast that John sees here - the beast the woman or Church
rides and controls is the SAME BEAST - the Roman empire.

v. 4-6    
Is a description of this woman - this Church.
     1. Very rich and wealthy - serving abominations. 
     2. She is full of mystery derived from ancient Babylon - she
is the foremost proponent of great Babylon mysteries.
     3. She is a mother - other Churches came out of her.
     4. This Church is responsible for the killing of true
followers of God.

The second beast of Rev.13 also is responsible for killing anyone
who would not worship it.
This WOMAN and the SECOND BEAST of Rev.13 are the one and same -
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

1. There is no Church wealthier than the Roman Church.
2. Many of her doctrines and practices can not only be traced
back to Rome but can be found to ORIGINATE in Babylon - the first
world ruling empire (See The Two Babylons by Alexander Hislop).
3. Which Church has been responsible for the martyrdom of
thousands of individuals who refused to worship its way?
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH (see your history books).

The woman rode the entire beast with ALL of its seven heads and
ten horns.

What are these seven heads and ten horns? We shall see.

SEVEN HEADS AND TEN HORNS

v. 9 
Seven heads are seven mountains.
A mountain represents KINGDOM (comp. Mic.4:1; Dan.2:34-35). See
also v.10. Kings with Dan.2:37-39. The woman sits on all seven of
these kingdoms. Are these kingdoms simultaneous or consecutive? 
v.10 
The answer is given - FIVE have gone - ONE is, (the time that
John sees this vision is when the sixth kingdom is in existence)
and ONE more is yet to come.

These kingdoms are consecutive.

Can we find in history at least five, possibly six kingdoms or
empires that arose OUT OF the old Roman empire - in the same
geographical area - and controlled or sanctioned by a woman - a
Church? Yes, indeed:

A history book titled "Western Civilization" by Edward McNall
Burns, gives us six and SIX ONLY (so far in our history) civil
church empires.

I will quote from the aforementioned book.

                              ...............

TO BE CONTINUED
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Tuesday, May 19, 2026

SONG OF SONGS-- GOD'S MANUAL FOR SEX IN MARRIAGE #1, #2

 

Solomon on Sex #1

God's Manual on Sex in Marriage

SONG OF SONGS
Here I present to you (over a period of time) the wonderful old
book by Joseph Dillow "Solomon and Sex." It is in my view the
true understanding of the Song of Songs by King Solomon. Further,
and more important, in my view, it is GOD'S INSTRUCTION MANUAL on
the subject of sex in marriage. Mr.Dillow presents the Song of
Songs in a very up front and plain manner. God is the creator of
sex, so it is only fitting He should give us instructions on sex
in marriage.

The truly plain truth of the matter on Sexuality in marriage.
Thank you Mr.Dillow - Keith Hunt



                              SOLOMON ON SEX

                                CHAPTER ONE

     Amid the current deluge of marriage manuals and sensational
guides to liberated lovemaking, one small, beautiful book
deserves all the attention the others are clamoring for, but it
lies misunderstood and largely neglected. Few people realize the
One who created us male and female also provided us with specific
instructions as to how we best respond as men and women.

Who wrote the book?

     The author is Solomon, King of Israel. The Song was
apparently written during the early part of his reign when he was
still a young man.

What are we reading?

     Solomon's writing takes the form of a lyric idyll, a kind of
love song. In a lyric idyll, speeches and events don't
necessarily follow in chronological order. It's like a movie with
several flashbacks; the story remains temporarily suspended while
the audience views a scene from the past. This explains the lack
of chronological sequence in the song.
     Another feature of lyric idylls is the chorus. This is an
imaginary group that interrupts certain scenes to make brief
speeches or to give warnings. The writer uses the chorus as a
literary device to make transitions from one scene to another or
to emphasize a point.
     The book is a series of fifteen reflections of a married
woman, Solomon's queen, as she looks back at the events leading
to the marriage, the wedding night, and their early years
together. These "reflections" are expressed in fifteen short love
songs.

The story behind the Song

     King Solomon lives in the tenth century B.C. He is Israel's
richest king, and owns vineyards all over the nation - one of
them close to Baalhamon in the northernmost part of Galilee, near
the foothills of the Lebanon mountains. While visiting this
vineyard, Solomon meets a country girl, Shulamith. She captures
his heart. For some time he pursues her and makes periodic visits
to see her at her country home.
     Finally he asks her to marry him. Shulamith gives serious
consideration to whether she really loves him and can be happy in
the palace of a king, and finally accepts.
     Solomon sends a wedding procession to escort his new
bride-to-be to the palace in Jerusalem. The book opens as she is
getting ready for the wedding banquet and the wedding night. The
details of their first night together are erotically but
tastefully described, and the first half of the book closes.

     The second half of the book deals with the joys and problems
of their married life. She refuses his sexual advances one night,
and the king departs. She, realizing her foolishness, gets up and
tries to find him, eventually does, and they have a joyous time
embracing again.
     While she lives at the palace, the new queen often longs for
the mountains of Lebanon where she grew up. She finally asks
Solomon to take her there on a vacation. He agrees, and the book
closes with their return to her country home and their enjoyment
of sexual love there.

Symbolism of the Song

     God could have used medical terms or slang in speaking of
sex. But medical terms cause a sense of awkwardness, and we react
negatively to slang. So God avoided both by expressing these
delicate things in the language of poetry: symbols. Symbolism
says more than medical or slang ever could, but without creating
awkwardness or evoking negative reactions.
     When it comes to explaining the meaning of the symbols, we
will obviously have to use some medical synonyms. This problem
faces any tasteful interpreter of the Song.
     We will follow the oldest attested method of interpretation
- the normal approach. We will take the Song at face value and
see how it applies to us today.
     Some writers seem hesitant to believe sex was intended by
God for any purpose other than procreation. Therefore, they
refuse to accept a normal interpretation of the book. God, they
say, would never allow a book about sex (even in marriage) in the
canon of Scripture. So the normal meaning of the Song was covered
up ("It's a metaphor"), slid over ("Well, it does not really mean
that") and allegorized ("It's a picture of God and his people").
     The book is full of metaphors and other symbols, but was
never intended to be an allegory. Instead, it is simply a picture
of idealized married love as God intended it.
     As an example of how absurd our interpretations can become
when we reject the normal meaning of the symbols, some Jewish
rabbis argued the book was an allegory of Jehovah's love for
Israel. In this context the verse, "My beloved is to me a pouch
of myrrh which lies all night between my breasts" (1:13) was
interpreted to refer to the Shekinah Glory between the two
cherubim that stood over the Ark in the Tabernacle. Some
Christian scholars, following the same approach, concluded the
Song spoke, instead, of Christ's love for His church. They held
that the "pouch of myrrh ... between my breasts" referred to
Christ appearing between the Scriptures of the Old and New
Testament!
     We want to remove these metaphorical mists and take a clear
look at God's guidelines for sex, love and marriage. As we do, we
want to also point to the source of answers for all other areas
of problems in our lives: the Word of God. God has spoken
authoritatively on sex through Solomon, and those who try His
guidelines will find them workable and true.

Was Solomon qualified?

     Solomon had three hundred wives and seven hundred
concubines; how could he have anything to say about ideal
monogamistic love? If Solomon really believed monogamy was the
pattern God wanted men to follow, as he says in the Song, and if
he really was so ecstatic about his relationship with Shulamith,
his bride, why then did he continue in his lustful polygamy which
led to his downfall? Some possible answers.

(1) If Solomon wrote this book while practicing polygamy, It
would be a powerful argument against the fruitlessness and
emptiness of having many wives. It would be a poem emphasizing
the beauty of ideal love written by one who had experienced the
opposite. He could write from experience that polygamy is not
fulfilling as the way to find a maximum marriage.

(2) The fact that Solomon may have been a hypocrite doesn't
necessarily disqualify him from writing about how he should
behave. Solomon also wrote Ecclesiastes and Proverbs.
Ecclesiastes, written with the warning that life apart from a
relationship with God is like trying to catch the wind,
demonstrates Solomon knew from experience the truth about God.
In Proverbs, Solomon also stresses that ideal marriage consists
of one man with one woman. And he emphasizes again the abuses of
riches. In actuality Solomon violated just about every precept he
wrote about, is he therefore unqualified to write the book of
Proverbs? If you teach your children about the wrongness of lying
and anger, then catch yourself in a lie or a fit of anger, does
that mean your teaching was not sound? In the same way, the fact
that a polygamist wrote the Song of Solomon doesn't affect the
value of the book as a guide to sexual love in monogamistic
marriage.

(3) Because the Song describes Solomon when he was a young man,
in the early years of his reign, it is possible the wives he had
contracted at this time were taken in political marriages, and
that he had not yet degenerated into lustful polygamy.

Other views

     Insofar as the aim of this book is popular rather than
technical, digressions into discussions of other viewpoints will
not be undertaken. This in no way is intended as a slight to
these serious alternatives but is simply a concession to a more
practical aim.
 
     Hence the framework outlined above will be assumed
throughout the book and only defended at what seem to be
particularly important points.

FOOTNOTES
1 - Richard G. Moulton, "Lyric Idyl: Solomon's Song," The
Literary Study of the Bible (London Isbiter & Co., Limited,
1903), pp. 207-224.
2 - H.H. Rowley, "The Interpretation of the Song of Songs," The
Servant of the Lord and Other Essays (London: Lutterworth, 1952).
3 - For a good discussion of other views of the Song consult the
article by Rowley listed in the footnotes to this chapter....

                            ..................

To be continued with "THE WEDDING DAY"

 

Solomon's Song #2

 

The Wedding Day
Here we really start to get to the truth of the matter in
Solomon's Song. It is time the restoration of this little
understood book of the Bible was proclaimed to the world at
large. The Internet now makes it possible. The book by Mr.Dillow,
an old one (30 years back - 1977) - is the very best. Solomon's
Song is God's instruction book for sex in marriage. God created
sex, He should be able to teach it to us - Keith Hunt.


CHAPTER TWO 

THE WEDDING DAY

(Reflections #1, 2, Song 1:1-14)

WHATS HAPPENING?

     As Shulamith enters the splendid residence of the king, her
feelings are mixed: she is awed by the beautifully bedecked
ladies of the court, but is also joyously anticipating her first
night with Solomon as the bride he has chosen from all the ladies
in his realm.

1:1 SPEAKER: The Song of Songs which is Solomon's

     We are told this is the most beautiful and the best song of
Solomon, who wrote 1,005 songs (I Kings 4:32).

1:2 SHULAMITH: May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth

Shulamith is reflecting on how much she has desired Solomon's
caresses and how she anticipates them on her wedding night.

1:2b SHULAMITH: For your love is better than wine

     The Hebrew word translated "love" is "dodem," which often
refers to sexual love. [1] It speaks of caresses and kisses:
Shulamith is sexually aroused and eagerly looks forward to
feeling Solomon's body against hers.
     In the Hebrew culture every joyful banquet of celebration is
referred to as "wine." So when Shulamith mentions wine, she means
Solomon's love gives her more joy and pleasure than all the
celebrating.

1:3 SHULAMITH: Your oils have a pleasing fragrance

     In Solomon's time, it was the custom to rub the body with
oil after a bath in preparation for a festive occasion. Also, the
Egyptians placed small cones of perfumed ointment on the
foreheads of guests at their feasts; body heat would gradually
melt the ointment, which then trickled down the face onto the
clothing, producing a pleasant aroma. This practice was adopted
by the Hebrews (Ps.133:2).[2] Here Shulamith is reflecting on the
erotic sensation of Solomon's perfumed oils.


1:36 SHULAMTH: Your name is like purified oil

     Purified oil was highly prized. She Is saying she prizes
Solomon as highly, so that the very sound or thought of his name
creates in her heart a longing for him. Also, his name flows
smoothly over the tongue, just like flowing oil.

1:3c SHULAMITH: Therefore the maidens love you

     She views Solomon as the most eligible bachelor in
Jerusalem. Then too, a woman in love tends to imagine that
everyone else loves her beloved because he is so outstanding!

1:4 SHULAMITH: The king has brought me into his chambers

She anticipates the delights of being with her love in his inner
room.

1:4b CHORUS: We will rejoice and be glad; we will extol your love
more than wine. Rightly do they love you.

     At this point the chorus bursts into open song, rejoicing
with Shulamith. They agree with her that Solomon is worthy of
great love. (Remember the chorus is imaginary; here it serves to
bring out the bride's reflections on her wedding day.)

1:5 SHULAMITH: I am black but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem

     Now the chorus is personified as the daughters of Jerusalem
(the court ladies and the concubines of Solomon). Shulamith,
probably feeling them scrutinizing her unfavorably, compares her
gypsy coloring acquired from an open-air life to that of the
lighter complexions of the city maidens. Although she is
different from the ladles in her outward appearance, she is
confident that she is as beautiful as any of them.

1:5b SHULAMITH: Like the tents of Kedar

     This refers to the tents made of valuable black goat hair
that were used by the nomadic people of Kedar. [3] When bathed in
the flood of the evening's golden light, these tents were
strikingly beautiful.

1:5c SHULAMITH: Like the curtains of Solomon

     Solomon's palace was hung with precious tapestries also made
from the beautiful black goat hair. Shulamith intensifies the
description of her beauty by comparing herself to these
tapestries.

1:6 SHULAMITH: Do not stare at me because I am swarthy, for the
sun has burned me

     She explains to those who are staring at her that her dark
complexion has been caused by exposure to the sun.

1:6b SHULAMITH: My mother's sons were angry with me; they made me
caretaker of the vineyards

     The phrase "my mother's sons" would have been unusual if her
father were still living; she would have called them "my father's
sons" instead. So apparently her father died while she was still
young, and her strict brothers made her work in the vineyards all
day.
     Though we are not sure where she grew up, a strong
possibility is the mountains of Lebanon (Song 4:8). Solomon's
vineyard at Baal-hamon was not far from the town of Shunem.
Shulamith's name may have been taken from the name of this town,
indicating the possibility that this was her home. Since her name
could also be the feminine form of the proper name, "Solomon"
(indicating she is the "other part of" the king), it is possible
the poet wants the readerto see both ideas in the play on words.

1:6c SHUIAMITH: But I have not taken care of my own vineyard

     As caretaker of a vineyard, she was a real nature girl: she
was not able to primp and take special paths with her appearance
("my own vineyard"). No Maybelline eyes or Jean Nate skin for
her! But notice she was by no means unkempt, or Solomon would
never have paid attention to her in the first place. The point is
that her beauty was natural, not contrived.

1:7 SHULAMITH: Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, Where do you
pasture your flock, Where do you make it lie down at noon?

     Shulamith mentally addresses her love, who is not present.
She refers to him as a shepherd for three possible reasons.
First, being a country girl, she is familiar with shepherds
wending their way through the fields, carefully tending their
flocks.
     Also, when Solomon first saw her on a visit to his vineyard
at Baalhamon he may not have worn his regal robes but dressed
instead in a more casual style for his visit to the country; thus
he could have resembled a shepherd.
     And last, she thinks of him as the shepherd of Israel,
tending to the affairs of his flock, the people of Israel.
(Scripture often describes governing as "tending sheep." The
Messiah, of which Solomon is a type, is later represented in John
10 as the Good Shepherd. See also Ezek.34:12-15.)
     At this point in Shulamith's reflection, Solomon is absent,
occupied with governing his people. In contemplating marriage
Shulamith ponders the nature of her future husband's job (love
him, love his work). Will she be able to locate him when she
needs him after they are married? Will he be able to attend to
her needs as well as the needs of the nation? She gives this
serious consideration.

1:7b SHULAMITH: For why should I be like one who veils herself

     This refers to the practice of a harlot, passing through the
streets heavily veiled, seeking an invitation.

1:7c SHULAMITH: Beside the flocks of your companions?

     She gently warns Solomon that if she has to go out searching
for him she will violate local propriety and might encourage
overtures from other men including some of his companions. The
very thought of appearing immodest or of encouraging the
affections of other men is morally repulsive to her. She loves
only one man, and does not want to even suggest she could have an
interest in another.

1:8 CHORUS: If you do not know, most beautiful among women,
Goforth on the trail of the flock, And pasture your young goats
by the tents of the shepherds

     The chorus advises her that if she is going to marry
Solomon, she must realize he will often be about the affairs of
state and thus be inaccessible to her at these times. If she
can't accept this, she had better not marry him but return home
to live the life of a country girl among the shepherds.

Applications for Today

     The first section of the Song gives us a wealth of practical
information we can use in the Twentieth Century. For example, we
see that Shulamith, before her wedding, has pleasant thoughts of
her future husband, anticipating sexual intercourse with him on
the nuptial evening. She obviously was no afraid of sex nor did
she have any preconceived notions that sex was dirty, sinful, or
hurtful.
     This sets a key note of the Song: sexual love between a man
and his wife is proper and beautiful to the Father. Shulamith
reflects on how aroused she was and how she had looked forward to
making love with her husband on her wedding day. She had a "holy
desire" for her husband.

On counting the cost

     Shulamith was wise enough to comprehend a principle: before
you say "I do," be sure to count the cost. In contemplating
marriage to King Solomon, she probably had an imaginary
conversation with herself which in modem vernacular went
something like this:
     "Wow! Me married to Klng Solomon! Wait till the other Shunem
girls hear. 'Queen Shulamlth' has a nice ring to it!"
     "No, you wait a minute. This marriage you're about to jump
into is not an all-expense-paid vacation in Jerusalem! Solomon is
a king, not just one of the shepherds. He's the shepherd of all
Israel."
     "You mean he won't spend all his time gazing into my eyes
and composing love poems about me?"
     "You got it. He'll often be gone for hours, sometimes for
days. And who will look after you? You think those palace
pretties will take you under their wings?"
     "I get it. I'll be the queen, and it'll be my job to take
care of them." 
     "And everyone will be watching you, waiting to pounce on
your mistakes. The lovely ladies will be quick to help you see
where you might 'improve'."
     "Here in the mountains I can find comfort walking through
the forests, but I guess there won't be any cedars of Lebanon in
the palace, will there? Maybe I could learn to like the sound of
wind sighing through the marble columns...."
     "Your simple country life will be over, girl! From the
moment you finish the wedding banquet your life will take a new
turn, and you can never go back. You can bet your bottom shekel
it won't be easy."
     "Yeah, maybe I'd make a better wife to Gazer the goat
herder." 
     "But on the other hand Solomon treats you like a queen. You
know you're more than a political marriage to him. He's
thoughtful, gentle, kind, considerate, strong, wise, tender-
hearted - and he loves you." 
     "Gee, I almost forgot!"
     "Solomon knows you'll miss the mountains, and that you won't
be exactly at ease in the palace at first. But remember, he
promised you trips to the country. And he even hinted he's
planning a special place for you in the palace."
     "Well, it's pretty obvious I have to make a choice: the life
I'm used to or Solomon. I can't have both. Which one am I
committed to?"
     "Try asking which one you can't live without. Then commit
yourself completely to your choice. Just be sure to check the
loose ends before you tie the knot!"
     "Thanks - I needed that."

     Because she understands fully before marriage the life to
which she is committing herself, Shulamith is able to make a
decision of the will. She does not let her emotions blind her. So
when the hard times come, she is prepared. She knows exactly what
kind of life to expect because she has counted the cost.
     Love always involves a sober evaluation of the cost of
commitment to a relationship that may not always be easy. After
all, it's "for better or worse." Ask yourself, "Can 1 learn to
live with his or her lifestyle and vocation?"
     If he is a salesman and you can't stand to be left alone,
can you find ways to make use of this time? If you want your wife
to be home, but she loves her job at the bank, can you come to an
agreement as to what she should do? If he's a doctor, can you
cheerfully fix him coffee and kiss him good-bye when he gets an
emergency call at 3 a.m.? If he's a minister, will you learn to
smile in your goldfish bowl and thank people for their advice as
to your "proper" or "improper conduct?" If he wants to be a
missionary, to the jungle tribes of Brazil, can you leave your
home, family and country to follow him where God leads?
     Hudson Taylor, ninteenth-century missionary to China,
realized his fiancee wasn't willing to go to China where God had
called him. It was either follow his emotions, marry the girl,
and not go to China, or follow God's leading and go to China
without her. He chose the Lord. God honored his choice by giving
him a rich harvest on the mission field and by blessing him with
a wife who supported him and greatly helped his ministry.
     Christ put it this way, "For which of you when he wants to
build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to
see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid
a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin
to ridicule him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not
able to finish!'" (Luke 14:28-30). The tower to which He was
referring was very likely a vineyard tower. Shulamith, caretaker
of a vineyard, knew how to count the cost - and she did.
     But suppose you weigh all the factors concerning your future
mate's occupation, decide you can live with it and commit
yourself to him or her. Then after you're married he or she
changes his mind and decides to pursue another career. You didn't
expect it. You're mentally not prepared. And you can't see how
you'll ever be happy with the new job. What course do you follow?
     Here is where love's tire hits the road. A wife in this
situation can either nag and complain until her husband gives in,
or go along with him in dutiful resignation ("Oh, Millie Martyr
doesn't mind!"), or thank God for the situation and commit it to
Him.
     A husband can either announce to his wife what he is going
to do, dictator-style, or capitulate to her because he can't
stand to see her cry (or hear her nag), or commit the decision to
the Lord and then, taking into consideration his wife's feelings,
choose what he believes to be the best course.

Modest indeed

     Shulamith, knowing her husband will be away a great deal, is
concemed about what might happen should she have to search for
him. Only "one who veiled herself," a harlot, went out looking
for a man; respectable ladies stayed home and were sought after
by men. Shulamith is afraid if she has to look for Solomon, her
action might be misconstrued and will invite advances from other
men. Not that they would mistake her for a harlot - everyone
would recognize the queen, but they might realize she is alone
and lonely and be quick to take advantage of the situation.
     Shulamith wants to avoid every appearance of evil, and women
today would do well to follow her example. In Shulamith's day the
identifying mark of a lady of the night was her heavy veil. Today
men can still recognize a lady who is hustling by the way she
dresses. She may not go out actively looking for men, and she may
not be able to admit even to herself she is trying to provoke a
reaction by her manner of dress, but men still get the message. A
neckline too low, a hemline too high, or an over-all line a half
size too small are all noted by the male half of the population.
     In a recent letter to a newspaper column a shoe salesman
complained about what women wear - and don't wear - when they go
shopping. He cited a young girl going braless, in a see-through
blouse. And, he said, her father was with her.
     Even though dressing suggestively is becoming increasingly
common in our society, it is still suggestive. Men are still
aroused most strongly through visual intake, so women who provide
a lot for them to take in should not be surprised if men make
advances. If that's what you want, that's how you'll dress. If
you don't, you won't.

Attaching special value to our "imperfections"

     Most of us have something about us we don't like. Often
these things are insignificant from the standpoint of eternal
values, but their emotional impact can be devastating. Sometimes
these "imperfections" are not really imperfections, but simply
things which society considers to be "abnomral" or unacceptable.
     In Shulamith's society, for example, it was apparently not
in fashion with the court ladies to have a rough, dark complexion
tanned by the summer sun. Her response to this potential source
of social ostracism is instructive; she placed special value upon
it. To her, it symbolized true wealth. She makes her imperfection
analogous to something the society in which she lives values
highly, expensive curtains and beautiful black leather tents,
made of goatskin. Thus, that which is considered socially
unacceptable, she asserts is really of great value. It all
depends on one's point of view.
     There is a sense in which real imperfections, viewed in
divine perspective, can be a source of true wealth. Paul found
this to be true of his "thorn." Some have suggested this was a
disfiguring eye disease. But whatever it was, it caused him to
learn dependence upon the Lord, and Paul rejoiced in it (2 Cor.
12:7-30).
     Not long ago, I met a father whose son had a deformed hand
and foot. Some of the toes were joined together at birth - a
source of constant embarrassment to the boy. Naturally, his
friends were careful to point out this particular "imperfection"
whenever they got an opportunity.
     This father had a valuable way of dealing with this problem.
He helped the boy see this imperfection as something allowed by
God for loving purposes to help fashion him into a Christ-like
person (Rom.8:28-29). Thus, this particular imperfection was part
of a special plan by a loving God and hence became a symbol to
the young man of God's special care and ownership. It symbolized
the true wealth God desired to work into his life.
     From a slightly different perspective, an adopted little
Indian girl was called "princess" by her grandfather. In a day of
unfortunate racial prejudice, this little girl is being brought
up to regard her darker complexion as a sign she is a "princess"
- one of special rank and position.

     While working on the campus during the late sixties, I
observed a new dress fashion among black students. Taught for
years by white society that black is "imperfect," that kinky hair
is ugly, black females (and males) developed an intense
inferiority complex about their racial heritage. They finally
countered this in the same way Shulamith did - by ascribing
special value to the very things white society rejected. They
began to dress like their queenly African ancestors and stopped
straightening their hair. That kinky hair and black skin became
symbols of their ancestry, of which they had every right to be
proud.
     Has it ever occurred to you that some of the things you feel
the most uncomfortable about in your personality, heritage, body,
or intelligence, are really indicators of special purposes God
desires to work into your life? Can you view them as special
signs of His love?

     A wedding day in ancient Israel always included a wedding
banquet. We have just entered into Shulamith's inner thoughts on
the day of her marriage. The poet now directs our attention to
her private conversation with her beloved as they recline at the
banquet table.

AT THE BANQUET TABLE (Reflection #2, Song 1:9-14)

1:9 SOLOMON: To me, my dading, you are like my mare among the
chartots of Pharoah

     Solomon assures his bride that to him she is as beautiful as
his horses. To us this would hardly seem flattering, but it was
music to Shulamith's ears! At that time in the Orient the horse
was not a beast of burden, but the cherished companion of kings.
     Solomon loved horses and particularly Egyptian horses: he
had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen (I Kings 10:26). His mare
must have been the most outstanding of all his horses, so he is
telling Shulamith she is one in a million.
     He calls her "my darling" the Hebrew word is "vaghah." This
word has the two-fold idea of (1) "to guard, to care for" and (2)
"to take delight in having sexual intercourse with." [3] By
calling her this name, Solomon is indicating his desire to make
love with her and is, at the same time, affirming his protective
love and care for her.

1:10,11 SOLOMON: Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, your neck
with strings of beads. We will make for you orna-ments of gold
with beads of silver

     Solomon says the jewelry she is wearing is lovely, but he
will have made for her beads and ornaments even more valuable
than these, made of gold and silver. Notice he is promising that
little gifts and expressions of his love will continue after they
are married.

1:12 SHULAMITH: While the king was at his table, my perfume gave
forth its fragrance

     The table here is a divan, a kind of round table where meals
were eaten in a reclining Fashion. [4] The perfume is nard, a
very expensive fragrance with which Shulamith has anointed
herself. She sees the fragrance wafting from her to the king as
an expression of her love reaching out to him while they were
reclining at dinner.

1:13 SHULAMITH: My beloved is to me a pouch of myrrh which lies
all night between my breasts

     This refers to an Oriental custom in which a woman would
wear a small sack of myrrh, a kind of perfume, around her neck at
night. All the next day a lovely fragrance would linger there.
     She is likening Solomon to that sachet of myrrh: whatever
beauty and charm she has is brought out by him. His love brings
out her beauty (the "fragrance") all day long.

1:14 SHULAMITH: My beloved is to me a duster of henna blossoms in
the vineyard of En-gedi

     A duster of yellow-white henna blossoms was often used as an
ornament. She says that for her to have the privilege of calling
Solomon her beloved is to her an ornament that makes her
beautiful. En-gedi was the location of vine gardens Solomon
planted on the hill terraces west of the Dead Sea. It was an
oasis, in the midst of a desert. Solomon is similarly a
refreshment to Shulamith.

To cherish and protect

     Insight we can draw from this reflection deals with the
relationship of love and protection. When Solomon calls Shulamith
"my darling" he links his desire for her with his protective love
and care.
     Protection and love go hand in hand. A woman needs to feel
protected because protection gives her security, and the more
secure she is, the freer she is to love unreservedly. Very often
the woman who feels secure in her husband's love and protective
concern takes great delight in sex with her husband.

Little things mean a lot

     Solomon indicates he will be giving his beloved a little
"love gift" of silver beads and golden ornaments. Little things
mean a lot to most women, and they don't have to be gold or
silver (though they can be!) Gifts add to the romance of a
relationship. Whoever said romance has to die when the minister
says "I now pronounce you. . ."?
     Gifts might include anything from Arpege to a basket of
fresh fruit. Men, how about some scented soap for her bath,
bubble bath, or bath oil, scented candles for the bedroom, wild
asters you picked on the way home, a mushy card (go on, she'll
love it), two matched cups for the coffee you share, a negligee
you'd like to see her in, or a poem you wrote for her. Use your
imagination! The greatest gifts are those given for no other
reason except to say, "I love you."
     One February 3 my wife came home to find an envelope full of
money and a poem telling her I had saved the money so she could
buy the clock she wanted. She was very appreciative - and
particularly pleased there had been no "event" prompting the
gift. Why, Valentines Day (which I forgot) was eleven days away!

An ancient emphasis

     The ancients placed great emphasis on bringing all five
senses to bear on their lovemaking. As Shulamith's reflection
indicates, they had a particular emphasis on scent.
     If you or I walked into Solomon and Shulamith's bedroom, it
might have looked something like this: the wall would be lined
with beautiful linen and satin curtains which were coated with
scented powders to make the room smell erotic. The bedsheets were
dusted with scented powders as was the clothing. Furthermore,
their bodies were anointed with scented lotions. To top it all
off, they probably burned incense, and thus the whole room was
filled with smoke. (In fact, we would probably have choked!)
     While these procedures may seem extreme to Western tastes, a
watered-down version can be fun. Some night, men, send your wife
to a specially-drawn tub of water while you put the kids to bed
and do the dishes. Just let her soak and relax all those tired
muscles. Give her a copy of the Song of Solomon to read while she
relaxes. Put some essence oils in the bath water and a scented
candle in the bathroom. You might even try burning some mild
incense to give the bedroom a romantic atmosphere. I think it's
time we Christian brothers used some sanctified imagination
around our homes.

Preparation for the wedding night

     In the next reflection, Solomon and Shulamith leave the
banquet table and go to the bridal chamber for their first night
together. A newly married couple entering into their first
intercourse experience needs to be aware of certain things. Many
a honeymoon has ended in total disaster simply because there was
not an adequate understanding of sexual matters or because of
unrealistic expectations and psychological fears.
     I would suggest "Sexual Happiness In Marriage" by Herbert J.
Miles, Ph.D. (Zondervan, 1967, cf. pp. 82-101). Dr. Miles is a
sensitive and extremely practical Christian counselor who has an
excellent discussion of sexual technique as related to the
wedding night. Tim LaHaye in "The Act of Marriage" (Zondervan,
1976) has an excellent and detailed discussion of making love the
first fime. He gives numerous practical suggestions for the
wedding night that would be quite helpful to any newly married
couple (or even a couple that has been married several years!).

Fear of inhibition

     A marriage ceremony doesn't automatically remove twenty-one
years of emphasis on modesty from the minds of many new brides.
Miles reports one out of five new brides found it extremely
difficult to undress completely in front of their husbands on the
wedding night - and refused to do so.
     An excellent Christian counselor I know, a person who has
had a very appreciated pre-marital counseling ministry, makes
this suggestion to young couples for the wedding night: when they
get to the motel, they are to draw a deep, relaxing bubble
bath.[5] Let the new bride get into the bath first while the
husband is in the other room. A candle lit in the bathroom, being
the only light, will produce a warm, romantic atmosphere. As they
relax together in the bathtub, they can discuss the day, talk,
and even pray thanking the Lord for the gift of each other. As
they communicate and share, the warn water drains away the
tensions of the day, and the bubbles sufficiently hide the wife's
body so she is not immediately embarrassed
     They should then begin to gently stimulate each other under
the water, hidden by the bubble bath! As the sexual tension and
anticipation mounts, many of the initial inhibitions begin to
melt away and a transfer to the bedroom is more natural. This
particular counselor has had many young brides call him back
several weeks after the wedding and say, "Praise the Lord for
bubble bath! It was an excellent suggestion. Thank you."

     While we have no way of knowing what kind of instruction
Jewish mothers gave their daughters as preparation for their
first night with their new husbands, it seems dear Shulamith has
no serious inhibitions or negative attitudes. In the following
reflections, we find a mature and sensitive young woman who is
sure of herself and has a healthy and positive attitude toward
sexual love.

FOOTNOTES
1. Franz Delitzsch, "The Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes" (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, n.d), P.20.
2. The New Bible Dictionary, ed. J. D. Douglas (Greed Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1962). P.906.
3. Delitzsch, p.32.
4. Robert Gordis, "The Song of Songs" (New York: The Jewish
Theological Seminary of America, 1954, P.43.
5 Dan Meredith of Christian Family Life, Little Rock, Arkansas.

                          ......................

To be continued with "In The Bridal Chamber"

 

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Monday, May 18, 2026

BEASTS OF DANIEL AND REVELATION #1

 

The Beasts of Daniel and Revelation #1

How it all fits together

                                                      by

                                               Keith Hunt



KNOW THIS FIRST! "...THAT NO PROPHECY OF THE SCRIPTURE IS OF ANY
PRIVATE INTERPRETATION." 2 Peter 1:20.

ALL BIBLICAL SYMBOLS MUST BE INTERPRETED BY THE BIBLE - GOD GAVE
THE SYMBOLS ONLY HE CAN TELL US WHAT THEY MEAN.

THE GREAT IMAGE

Dan. 2:31,38
Head of Gold - Breast of Silver - Belly of Brass - Legs of Iron
v. 38
God tells us what this means - Nebuchadnezzar (v.28) and the
Babylonian empire is the head of gold.
v. 39.
Three more kingdoms to arise who would rule the earth--there have
only been four world ruling powers in history: 1. Babylon 
2. Persia 3. Greece 4. Rome.
v. 41     
The fourth kingdom was divided (two legs) - the Roman empire was
divided between Rome and Constantinople. See your history books.
v. 34     
A STONE was cut out "without hand" (no human power) and smote the
image on its FEET and it was gone forever. 
v. 35     
The stone becomes a mountain and fills the WHOLE EARTH.
STONE - MOUNTAIN - EARTH? Can we put it together? Christ is
referred to as a stone (Mt.21:42,44, Eph.2:20, Acts 4:10, 11).
Mountain - God's house, His kingdom is referred to as a mountain.
(Jn.14:1-3, Isa.2:1-4).
Filling the earth--upon Christ's return God's kingdom will be
established on this earth.
(Mic.4:1-4; Isa.11; Zach.14).
v. 42     
Also gives us the answer to v.34,35.
v. 44     
The stone (Christ) smashes the feet and toes and then the God of
heaven sets up a kingdom.
There are ten toes on a pair of feet - Christ smashes the
TOES - plural - not toe, or last toe or tenth toe. He smashes the
FEET NOT FOOT (v.34). The toes represent kings (v.42 with 44).
In the days of THESE (plural) KINGS (plural), more than one, God
sets up his kingdom.
These kingdoms or kings of ten are all existing at the same
time - they are not (consecutive) one after the other, but
simultaneous, one with, alongside the other.
Christ smashes them--all at the same time.

Does God give us another scripture to prove this? Yes!
Rev.17:12-14
Ten kings unite to fight the LAMB; Christ is referred to as the
Lamb (Jn.1:29), He overcomes them.
Rev.19:11-21
Also describes this same time and event. 
The toes on the feet of Daniel's image are the ten
kings - horns - of John's beast of Revelation 17.

Dan. 7:1-7     DANIEL'S FOUR BEASTS

v. 4 
Like a LION with eagles wings. 
v. 5
Like a BEAR - three ribs in its mouth. 
v. 6 
Like a LEOPARD - with four heads.
v. 7 
Fourth beast - INDESCRIBABLE - very terrible. God interprets for
us.
v. 17     
These beasts are four kings - they represent four kings.
v. 23     
The fourth beast IS the FOURTH KINGDOM upon earth to rule the
earth. King and kingdom then are used interchangeably.
What does history tell us?

There have been ONLY FOUR world ruling empires! BABYLON (625-538
B.C.). A man's heart given it - Nebuchadnezzar was converted to
God (Dan.4:28-37). PERSIA (558-330 B.G.). Three ribs in its mouth
- it came to power by conquering three empires, Media, Lidia,
Babylon.
GREECE (333-330 B.C.). Four heads - the great king of this
empire, Alexander only reigned a few years and died. His empire
was divided into FOUR PARTS by four of his generals.
ROME (46 B.C.-476 A.D.approx.). It truly was strong with iron
teeth - it ruled and conquered and stamped under foot more people
and lands than the other three empires.

Dan. 7:7-8, DANIEL'S FOURTH BEAST TEN HORNS - AND LITTLE HORN

v. 7 
The fourth beast was ROME as we have seen. Notice! IT the fourth
beast had ten horns.
v. 8 
A LITTLE HORN comes up - notice AMONG them (among the ten horns),
yes, ALONGSIDE the ten horns.
v. 9 
The expanse of TIME that the TOTAL HORNS endure
for (the ten horns and little horn) is until the ANCIENT OF DAY
DID SIT (cross ref. this with Rev. 1:13-18; 20:4, Dan.7:13-14;
Ps.90:2; 104:2), Christ sitting on His throne ruling this earth
(Lk.1:31-32; Zech.14:1-9; Rev.3:21; 2:26-27; Dan.7:13-14).
The horns represent kings or kingdoms - see Dan.8:20,21.
Ten kingdoms were to arise OUT OF the fourth beast and another
kingdom ALONGSIDE them - from the rising to fall was to last
until Christ returns to reign as king (see also v.20-22).

There is no history that states Rome was divided into ten pieces
upon its collapse, and the area of the old empire has NOT been
ruled by ten nations from its original fall until now. THESE ten
kingdoms are NOT SIMULTANEOUS BUT CONSECUTIVE. God makes it plain
in v.8.

Notice! It says three of the FIRST horns. If there is a first -
it is number one- second is number two- third is number three, etc:
If we say the FIRST THREE runners in a race have pulled out, we
mean runners number one, two and three, not runners seven, eight
and nine.
If the FIRST THREE HORNS are plucked up then there is a fourth,
fifth, sixth, etc. IN THAT ORDER.

Does history show us that there were three consecutive powers
that arose to bring down and at that same time continue the Roman
rule?
Yes indeed!

"In 378 THE VISIGOTHS, angered by the oppression of imperial
governors, raised the standard of revolt. They overwhelmed a
Roman army at Adrianople and then marched westward into Italy.
In 410 under Alaric they captured and plundered Rome, later
moving on into southern Gaul." Western Civilization p.261 "In 455
ROME WAS SACKED BY THE VANDALS ... other Germanic nations also
made their way into Italy, and before the end of the fifth
century the Roman empire in the west had passed completely under
the domination of the Barbarians." Western Civilization p.261
"But in 493 ITALY WAS CONQUERED BY THE OSTROGOTHS under
Theodoric....until nearly the end of his reign of thirty-three
years, Theodoric gave Italy a more enlightened rule than the
country had known under many of the caesars...not until 552 was
the power of the Ostrogoths finally broken." Western Civilization
p.263.

The Lombards then held most of the peninsula under the rule of
semi-independent dukes until the late 8th century. Western
Civilization p.263.

Rome it would seem had finally been wounded to death. THREE HORNS
(kingdoms) had come and gone by 552 A.D. There are still SEVEN
HORNS left, and they must extend over a period of time that ENDS
when Christ returns.

The LITTLE HORN - WHO IS IT?

Here is what Daniel tells us about it:

1. It comes up AMONG or ALONGSIDE the other ten horns. It is in
existence at the same time as all the other horns, v.8.
2. It plucks up the first three horns- indicating that it does
not come to great power and influence until AFTER 552 A. (After
the Visigoths, Vandals and Ostrogoths had fallen.), v. 8.
3. It is likened to a MAN who speaks great things - indicating
that it has a man as a spokesman for itself, v. 8.
4. It continues until Christ returns, v. 9.
5. It comes out of the fourth beast (Rome), v. 7,8. So it is part
of and exists in the geographic area of the original Roman
Empire. It is Roman.
6. It makes war with or against the saints of God, v. 21,25.
7. It speaks against the most high (God) - it is blasphemous,
   v.25.
8. It changes - it thinks "to change the times (of sacred feasts 
   and holy days) and the law..." Amplified Bible.
9. It continues in power and might for one specific length of    
   time, 1,260 years. (cross ref. v.25 with Rev.12:6,14 and Ezek.
   4:3-5), v.25.
10.It is a horn - so it is a government - kingdom type empire,   
v. 8
What in all history from Rome till now and beyond (for it must
exist at Christ's return) could answer to all of those ten
points. It must be something so large and powerful as to
be unmistakable in the history books. There HAS BEEN and IS only
ONE such power - THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH!!!

1. The Catholic Church itself and the Pope claims direct descent
from Peter (the apostle of Christ). It was therefore in existence
alongside the horns of v.8. It was already in existence before
the Visigoths, Vandals and Ostrogoths took power of Rome. See a
History of Christianity book.
2. The Catholic Church did not come to GREAT power and influence
until AFTER 552 A.D. after the first three horns had fallen.
3. It has a man - namely the Pope as its spokesman- he is the
voice of the Church - he claims to be God's representative on
earth- he claims infallibility at times.
4. The Catholic Church is still with us today with no sign of
dying out.
5. It is called Roman - its capital is Rome - the same city that
was the capital of the old pagan empire - it is living in the
same geographical location of the original Roman empire.
6. What Church or power has directly ordered or sanctioned other
people to death for being followers of Christ MORE THAN the
Catholic Church. See your history books.
7. The Priests are called "FATHER" Christ said nobody was to be
called in religious titles FATHER. It is God's name ONLY, 
(Mt.23:9.). Doing so is speaking against the most high.
8. The Roman Church has done MORE than anyone to CHANGE the
seasons - it introduced CHRISTMAS, EASTER, ALL SOULS DAY
(HALLOWEEN),THE NEW YEAR, the present calendar we use, and many
other saints days - all derived from PAGANISM not God.

It changed the LAW of God - namely the fourth point of the law -
it changed it from the SEVENTH to the FIRST DAY.
See a book called "Christian Feasts and Customs" by Francis
Weiser at your library - it will open your eyes as to the
paganism in our Christianity.
9. From 554 A.D. to 1814 A.D. the Catholic Church had its biggest
"field day" as they say today. It ruled with great power, might
and prestige. From the fall of the Ostrogoths to the fall of the
Napoleon empire was 1,260 years.
10. The Roman Catholic Church is a government - it has offices,
ambassadors, representatives in all nations- it is not only
ecclesiastical in power it is also political in power-ruling and
guiding and influencing many a nation on this earth. The Roman
Catholic Church has been in EXISTENCE and ALONGSIDE the rise and
fall of each of these consecutive ten horns of the fourth beast
of Daniel 7.

The REMAINING SEVEN HORNS of Daniel chapter 7 tie in directly
with the first beast of Revelation chapters 13 and 17. The LITTLE
HORN of Daniel chapter 7 ties in directly with the second beast
of Revelation chapter 13.

FIRST BEAST OF REVELATION 13

v. 1 
A beast rises out of the sea- Daniel sees his beasts rise out of
the sea (Dan.7:3.) These two chapters (Rev.13 and Dan.7) are
IMMEDIATELY CONNECTED.
v.2. 
John sees one beast - like a leopard, bear and lion - the SAME
ANIMALS that Daniel saw in chap.7:3-6. Again this is too similar
not to be connected. One beast comprising the strongest part of
each of Daniel's beasts.
The dragon - Rev.12:3,9 - is Satan - this Beast is Satan's tool.
This one beast has seven heads and ten horns, (v. 1).
v. 3 
We will come back to this later.
v. 4 This beast is a great war machine - the greatest war power
ever known.
Notice Dan.7:7 the fourth beast- dreadful and terrible - strong
exceedingly - iron teeth - devoured much. Dan.7:23- it devoured
the whole earth.
v. 5,6    
This beast of Rev.13 also speaks great things and blasphemies
(comp. to Dan 7:8,25). In Daniel chapter 7 the fourth beast
speaks great things and words against God AFTER three horns were
plucked up - when only seven horns remained. This beast of John
also continues for 42 months- 1,260 days or years (God's month
only has 30 days or 360 days a year) (see Dan.7:25). AFTER three
horns were destroyed, Dan. 7:24,25.
v. 7 
John's beast makes war with the saints - so does Daniel's. Dan
7:19-25. The similarities between John's beast (first one, and
Daniel's fourth beast) is striking.

It should be plain.

The beast that John sees coming up out of the sea IS the fourth
beast that Daniel sees coming out of the sea.
The Roman Empire swallowed up the empires of Babylon, Persia and
Greece - many of the pagan practices and customs or Rome can be
traced right back to Babylon, the first world empire.
John's beast is that of the Roman Empire mixed with the most
powerful aspects of the other three previous empires.
Daniel's fourth beast continues for 1,260 years after the first,
three horns are gone- when SEVEN HORNS were left.
John's beast continues 42 months or 1,260 years (a day for a year
Ezek.4:4) with seven heads and another ten horns.
Put it together:

Daniel's LAST SEVEN HORNS of the ROMAN EMPIRE are the SEVEN HEADS
of John's beast.

v. 3 
ONE HEAD WOUNDED TO DEATH - the original head of Rome was finally
put to death (so it seemed to the world) in 476 A.D. (as the
history books give the date, which is only approximately) with
the fall of the third horn - the Ostrogoths, IT WAS HEALED - Rome
was resurrected, by Justinian in 554 A.D. and continued for 1,260
years (42 months) until 1814 A.D., the end of Napoleon's reign.
v.1  
John's beast has ten horns (kingdoms) ten crowns (kings) -
compare this to Daniel 2:34,41-44. The iron part of Daniel's
image was the ROMAN EMPIRE - the ten toes are TOGETHER when
Christ destroys them at His return. Compare this with
Rev.17:12-14 - ten kings (kingdoms - crowns - horns) fight Christ
at return.
The ten horns or crowns of John's first beast of Rev.13 are the
ten nations, kings of Rev.17:12 and the ten toes of Daniel's
image.
John's beast of Rev.13 is the CIVIL part of the RESURRECTED ROMAN
EMPIRE AFTER 554 A.D. It is the last seven horns of Daniel's
fourth beast of Dan.7 and the FINAL ten kingdoms to join forces
to fight Christ upon His return.

Remember, John is MAINLY seeing the CIVIL-MILITARY power of the
continuing Roman empire in this first beast.
Notice v.4, who can make WAR with HIM- the Church of Rome never
went to war directly - the Church did not have an army of
soldiers- THIS BEAST DOES.
v. 7 
The beast - the civil military power was the one to DO the
KILLING of true Christians- not the Church - it only sanctioned
it.
v. 8 
Worship the beast - yes, many of the civil military rulers of
Rome were worshipped as gods by the people - the whole empire WAS and
WILL BE looked upon by the people as DIVINE- God's instrument in
dealing with mankind.

JOHN'S SECOND BEAST OF REVELATION 13

v. 11     
Two horns (a two fold government - Dan. 8:20-22). It LOOKS LIKE a
lamb (chap.14:1; Jn.1:29; Zech.14:3,4).
It looks like Christ, a representative of Christ, but it speaks
the things of a DRAGON (Rev.12:3,9). It is really a tool of Satan
the Devil.
v. 12     
This beast causes all to worship the first beast - the Roman
Empire and its rulers were worshipped as gods. 
v. 13     
This beast does GREAT WONDERS - Christ said in Mt.24:24 that JUST
BEFORE His coming "...false Christ's and FALSE PROPHETS..." would
arise "...and shew great signs and WONDERS..." Notice the similar
language used.
This beast can make fire come down from heaven - he can PERFORM
MIRACLES.
Notice Rev.16:13, three unclean spirits go out of the DRAGON
(Satan chap.12:3,9), the BEAST (we'll see this later) and the
FALSE PROPHET; v.14 these spirits are demons - working MIRACLES.
In 2 Thes.2:3-9, Paul describes an INDIVIDUAL - a single person
called "...THAT MAN of sin...so that HE as God (claiming he IS or
he is GOD'S REPRESENTATIVE) sitteth in the temple of God..." v. 9
this individual comes "...after the working of Satan with all
POWER and SIGNS and lying WONDERS."

John sees what Paul saw, in I Jn. 2:18. He tells us there must
come ONE supreme ANTI-CHRIST in the last days, before the return
of Christ.
So we have Christ's statement in Mt.24:24 of MANY false prophets
doing SIGNS and WONDERS narrowed down to ONE supreme individual -
the man of sin as Paul calls him in 2.Thes.2 - the ANTI-CHRIST as
John calls him in I Jn. 2:18 - and a FALSE PROPHET as John calls
him in Rev.16:13,14.
v. 14     
Let's let God nail it down for us - let's let the Bible interpret
itself.
Notice! This beast deceives people "...by the means of those
MIRACLES which he had power to do IN THE SIGHT OF THE BAST..."
Now, compare this with Rev.19:20, "and the beast was taken and
with him the FALSE PROPHET that wrought MIRACLE BEFORE HIM..."
And it goes on to say this false prophet DECEIVED people by those
MIRAGES - deceived those who received the MARK OF THE BEAST and
them who WORSHIPPED HIS IMAGE. The BEAST of Rev.13:11 also says
to those whom he deceives that they should make an IMAGE to the
beast and WORSHIP IT or be killed (v.14,15) AND he causes all to
receive a MARK OF THE BEAST (v.16,17).
The false prophet of Rev.19:20 is destroyed at Christ's return -
see v.11-20.
Paul's MAN OF SIN is also destroyed by Christ at His coming - 2
Thes,2:8.
Oh! Can we see! The beast of Rev.13:11, IS the FALSE PROPHET of
Rev.16:13,14 and Rev.19:20.
He is the SUPREME FALSE PROPHET of Christ's statement in 
Mt.24:24.
He is the MAN OF SIN in 2 Thes.2.
He is the ANTI-CHRIST of John in I Jn.2:18.

What about the IMAGE and TWO HORNS. We must answer these now.
IMAGE- the Greek is "ikone" (a likeness, i.e. literally, statute,
profile, or figuratively, representation, resemblance. Strong's
Con.). Christ was the image of God (2 Cor.4:4), the same Greek
word is used.
This second beast says to the world there should be an IMAGE, a
LIKENESS, a RESEMBLANCE made to the beast which was wounded by a
sword and yet lived, that is to the first beast of Rev.13 - see
v. 3.
The first beast is the CIVIL MILITARY ROMAN EMPIRE after 554 A.D.
and up to the return of Christ.
The image must also have existed from 554 A.D.
To create a LIKENESS it must come from the original.
What in history comes from- has its origin in - is patterned
after the ROMAN EMPIRE - and is LARGE enough to engulf the world.
And to make, force people to worship it or be killed (v.15)?
Why, only the Church that comes from the SAME CITY as the old
empire - that calls itself by the SAME NAME - the Church that is
UNIVERSAL - that RULED with the civil military power over the
same geographical area - the Church that during the Middle Ages
FORCED people to be killed if they did not worship its way.
That Church - that likeness of the civil power beast - is the
ROMAN CATHOLIC (universal - that's what Catholic means)
CHURCH.

THE TWO HORNS - TWOFOLD GOVERNMENT

Many do not realize that the Roman Catholic Church has a twofold
Governmental system.
It is both ECCLESIASTICAL and CIVIL.
The Roman Church has a religious order from its Pope, Cardinals,
Bishops down to its Priests - it has a Church government. But it
also has a civil political organization - the Vatican city is a
state unto itself. The Church of Rome partakes with the
governments of this world. Christ said His followers would come
out of this world (Jn.17:14,16; Rom.12:2). It has offices and
embassies in countries around the world, much like civil nations
of this world have. Its form of Church organization comes from
the civil Roman empire, (see The Two Babylon by Hislop and
Babylon Mystery Religion by Woodrow).

It is more than significant that on certain occasions the Pope
wears a TWO HORNED MITRE.     
The following is from the book Babylon Mystery Religion, p. 87.

"The mitre is seen in the accompanying sketch of Pope Paul 
(I have not included any pictures in this study)as he delivered
his sermon on "peace" during his historic visit to the United
States in 1965. (The photo on page 92 also shows the Pope wearing
a highly decorated mitre of the same shape.)
As the noted writer Hislop puts it concerning the Papal mitre:   
"...the two horned mitre, which the Pope wears when he sits on
the high altar at Rome and receives the adoration of the
Cardinals is the very mitre worn by Dagon, the fish-god, of the
Philistines and Babylonians."

                              ..............

TO BE CONTINUED

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Sunday, May 17, 2026

BOOK OF ZECHARIAH #5 - END

 

Zechariah For Today and Tomorrow

Chapters 12 to 14

From The New Living Translation


CHAPTER 12

Siege of Jerusalem



1 This* (Heb. "An Oracle") message concerning the fate of Israel came
from the LORD: This message is from the LORD, who stretched out
the heavens, laid the foundations of the earth, and formed the
spirit within humans. 2 "I will make Jerusalem and Judah like an
intoxicating drink to all the nearby nations that send their
armies to besiege Jerusalem. 3 On that day I will make Jerusalem
a heavy stone, a burden for the world. None of the nations who
try to lift it will escape unscathed."

......

     It is God who forms the "spirit within humans." Many do not
realize that God gives a special "spirit" to work with the
physical brain. It is a unique spirit that gives mankind the mind
he has to do all the things that humans can do. There is NOT ONE
animal on land, sea, or air, that can perform all the things that
mankind has and will yet do. As science continues to expand and
expand, it is just mind blowing what the human mind can master
and invent. It is the "spirit in man" together with the physical
brain that makes human kind so dominant over all other physical
creatures. The truth of the matter concerning this "spirit in
man" can be found in studies on this Website.

     These THREE chapters use the phrase "On that day" or "In
that day" quite a number of times. To understand the time that
this phrase is referring to, one must look to the CONTEXT.
     The context of the first use of this phrase, is the context
of Jerusalem being besieged by a number of nations, and it is the
time when Judah is to be like a burning torch among sheaves of
grain. 
     This CANNOT be the beginning of the last 42 months of this
age, as at that time Judah will go into CAPTIVITY, as we have
seen over and over again from all the prophets of the Lord. It
then must be referring to the very last day or days of this last
42 months, the time when Jesus the Messiah will come to deliver
Jerusalem from the Gentile nations, and also deliver Judah and
Israel from captivity.

     The Beast Babylon of Europe will have destroyed Jerusalem,
killed many in Judah, driven more out to flee for their lives,
and enslave any Jews left in the Holy Land. This happens at the
BEGINNING of the Great Tribulation. We are into the last 42
months or so (Daniel remember gives extra days - Daniel 12) of
the end of this age. The kings of the East will have also come
into the Holy Land to overrun some nations there. By the time the
end of this 42 months comes, Jerusalem will be the center of
world politics and dispute and down and out fighting over this
historic city, that is Jerusalem. God goes on to show in the rest
of this prophecy from Zechariah that indeed Jerusalem will be a
HEAVY STONE, A BURDEN FOR THE WORLD, NONE OF THE NATIONS WHO TRY
TO LIFT IT WILL ESCAPE UNSCATHED!
     
......  


4 "On that day, says the LORD, I will cause every horse to panic
and every rider to lose his nerve. I will watch over the people
of Judah, but I will blind the horses of her enemies. 5 And the
clans of Judah will say to themselves, 'The people of Jerusalem
have found strength in the LORD Almighty, their God.'
6 On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a brazier that
sets a woodpile ablaze or like a burning torch among sheaves of
grain. They will burn up all the neighboring nations right and
left, while the people living in Jerusalem remain secure." 7 The
LORD will give victory to the rest of Judah first, before
Jerusalem, so that the people of Jerusalem and the royal line of
David will not have greater honor than the rest of Judah. 8 On
that day the LORD will defend the people of Jerusalem; the
weakest among them will be as mighty as King David! And the royal
descendants will be like God, like the angel of the LORD who goes
before them! 9 For my plan is to destroy all the nations that
come against Jerusalem.

......

     From all the prophets (including Revelation) we know this: On
the day of Christ's coming to fight the nations, the armies of
those nations will gather at the plain of Megiddo, about 70 miles
north-west of Jerusalem. At the same time the Jews in and around
Jerusalem will be freed from captivity and will, with the
strength of the Lord with them, also fight their enemies. It will
truly be for Judah, "Let the force be with you." The force of God
will give mighty power to the Jews at that time.

......


10 "Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the
family of David and on all the people of Jerusalem. They will
look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an
only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn
son who has died. 11 The sorrow and mourning in Jerusalem on that
day will be like the grievous mourning of Hadad-rim-mon in the
valley of Megiddo.
12 All Israel will weep in profound sorrow, each family by
itself, with the husbands and wives in separate groups. The
family of David will mourn, along with the family of Nathan, 
13 the family of Levi, and the family of Shimei. 14 Each of the
surviving families from Judah will mourn separately, husbands and
wives apart."

......

     It is the time and day that Judah, the Jews, will KNOW that
the very Jesus Christ of 2,000 years ago, is the Son of man and
the Son of God, that He is the Messiah! They will weep and cry in
joy but also in repentance, for not accepting Jesus as THE SAVIOR
MESSIAH who came to them 2,000 years ago. They will weep an individuals
wherever they mat be, personal weeping as is personal repentance.

......


CHAPTER 13

A Fountain of Cleansing

1 "On that day a fountain will be opened for the dynasty of David
and for the people of Jerusalem, a fountain to cleanse them from
all their sins and defilement."
2 "And on that day," says the LORD Almighty, "I will get rid of
every trace of idol worship throughout the land, so that even the
names of the idols will be forgotten. I will remove from the land
all false prophets and the unclean spirits that inspire them." 

......

     Yes, what we read about in Revelation 16:12-21 and unclean
spirits will be VANQUISHED. Jesus will be the victor over all
evil, sins, deception, and all false religion. Truly after that
battle ends, no one will want to continue any of the Satanic
deceptions of the Devil. The Holy Land will be HOLY, and the
Christ will be King of kings and Lord of lords. Yes, the THREE
unclean spirits that came out of the mouth of the Dragon, the
mouth of the man "beast" and out of the mouth of the false
prophet (Rev.16) will be GONE!

......


3 If anyone begins prophesying again, his own father and mother
will tell him, 'You must die, for you have prophesied lies in the
name of the LORD.' Then his own father and mother will stab him.
4 No one will be boasting then of a prophetic gift! No one will
wear prophet's clothes to try to fool the people. 5 No, he will
say. 'I'm not a prophet; I'm a farmer. The soil has been my means
of livelihood from my earliest youth.'"

......


     Most teachers of the Christian religion today SHOULD NOT BE
TEACHING, THEY SHOULD BE FARMING! Or doing other than saying they
are a teacher of the Word of God! Most today are FALSE teachers,
that do and have, deceived MANY! The prophets of fundamental
Christian theology (and many are out there with their books and
CDs and DVDs) SHOULD BE FARMING! They are not the prophets of
God, they are false prophets! 
     In that day, those still alive, will admit they should have
been farmers, or ranchers, or construction workers, ANYTHING but
trying to teach Bible prophecy!

......


6 "And if someone asks, 'Then what are those scars on your
chest*?' (Or "scars between your hands) he will say, 'I was
wounded at the home of friends!'"

......

     This is a verse that seems out of place, but it is not. It
is in the right place, the day of Christ's coming. IF (does not
say there will be) someone should look at Christ and should ask
Him why He has scars in His hands, He will tell them how they
came to be there - He will have to point out He was killed on a
stake of wood by His very natural blood-bound friends, His Jewish
family, but also, and more importantly, the very friends of His
human race of people, because of sins. This must always be
remembered as the number ONE reason why Christ has scars in His
body of flesh and bone. He was nailed to a piece of wood and died
for ALL sinners, which means he died for EVERY flesh and blood
person, for as the apostle Paul said, "ALL have sinned and come
short of the glory of God."

...... 


The Scattering of the Sheep

7 "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, the man who is my
partner," says the LORD Almighty. "Strike down the shepherd, and
the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn against the lambs." 
8 "Two-thirds of the people in the land will be cut off and die,"
says the Lord. "But a third will be left in the land. 9 I will
bring that group through the fire and make them pure, just as
gold and silver are refined and purified by fire. They will call
on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'These are my
people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'"

......

     Any shepherd knows how true verse 7 is. If there is NO
shepherd over the sheep, the sheep will soon become lost and
easily ready for the devouring enemy to kill and eat.
     In these few verses God gives an overall summery of the
detestation to come on the Jewish people living in the Holy Land
during the last 42 months of this age. TWO THIRDS will be slain.
ONE THIRD will be left in the land, but they must come through
some terrible trying fire as like gold and silver being purified.
In the end those still living WILL CALL OUT to God. The Lord will
answer that they are His people and they will acknowledge He is
their God. As I've stated a number of times, the Jewish people
today are in the MAIN: NOT RELIGIOUS! THE LARGEST part of those
Jews living in the Holy Land today are SECULAR!  The time and day
will come when all Jews will be deeply CONVERTED to God, which
will also mean they acknowledge and accept Jesus Christ as
Messiah, the Son of God!

......


CHAPTER 14


The LORD Will Rule the Earth


1 Watch, for the day of the LORD is coming when your possessions
will be plundered right in front of you! 2 On that day I will
gather all the nations to fight against Jerusalem. The city will
be taken, the houses plundered, and the women raped. Half the
population will be taken away into captivity, and half will be
left among the ruins of the city.

......

     Here we have the phrase "day of the Lord." Now it is
possible that it is talking about the somewhat common "day of the
Lord" in many of the prophets. Or it may simply here mean, a time
is coming that God allows such and such to take place.
     If the former, we are into the last part of the last 42
months of this age, when for whatever reasons not specified,
Jerusalem and its inhabitants, will face more destruction and
sorrow and pain. If the latter, then it is talking about the
Beast Babylon of Europe entering the Holy Land and desolating
Jerusalem and its people; the start of the Great Tribulation on
earth, the like of which has never before been seen nor ever will
be seen again.

......


3 Then the LORD will go out to fight against those nations, as he
has fought in times past. 4 On that day his feet will stand on
the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. 


......

     On what day, a literal day this time, will His feet stand on
the Mount of Olives? Well it is the literal day Jesus comes forth
to FIGHT the nations at Jerusalem. The day He fights the battle
is the day His feet land on the Mount of Olives. Nothing could be
more clear!

......


And the Mount of Olives will split apart, making a wide valley
running from east to west, for half the mountain will move toward
the north and half toward the south. 5 You will flee through this
valley, for it will reach across to Azal.* (The meaning of the
Hebrew is uncertain) Yes, you will flee as you did
from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then
the LORD my God will come, and all his holy ones with him.

......

     This earthquake has NEVER TAKEN PLACE in Jerusalem in any
age. It is a prophecy for the yet future. A KEY to knowing all
this is still to come to pass. Not until Jesus returns to fight
the nations will it be fulfilled.
     The holy ones with Christ will be both the angels and the
saints resurrected from the dead or "changed" as the apostle Paul
spoke about it in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15, at the 
LAST TRUMPET, THE 7TH AND FINAL TRUMPET. They will come with Christ
from the CLOUDS where they have been gathered together by the angels
to meet Jesus on the sea of glass. The saints will have met Christ 
in the air, in the clouds, on that sea of glass, and from there they 
will all descend to the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem, to destroy 
the armies of the nations in the "battle of Armageddon" (Revelation 16). 
	As I prove in many studies the saints are NOT NOW living, 
walking, talking, playing on harps, or looking down on us, from heaven.
They are asleep in death, waiting for the day of the resurrection, when 
they will be with Christ in the clouds and come down to the Mount of Olives
at Jerusalem.
 
......


6 On that day the sources of light will no longer shine,*
(Heb."there will be no light, no cold or frost") 7 yet
there will be continuous day! Only the LORD knows how this could
happen! There will be no normal day and night, for at evening
time it will still be light. 8 On that day life-giving waters
will flow out from Jerusalem, half toward the Dead Sea and half
toward the Mediterranean,*(Heb. "half towards the eastern sea and
half towards the western sea") flowing continuously both in
summer and in winter.

......

     It will be one of those strange days, one in a million we
might say. It will be the literal day, the 24 hour day, of the
return of Christ. It will be the day when the great earthquake of
the Mount of Olives splitting in two as we've read in verse 4;
the day of life giving waters flow to the seas, for much life has
been lost in the sea during all that is ti happen in the last 42
months of this age, as foretold in the book of Revelation.

......


9 And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day there
will be one LORD - his name alone will be worshipped. 10 All the
land from Geba, north of Judah, to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem,
will become one vast plain. But Jerusalem will be raised up in
its original place and will be inhabited all the way from the
Benjamin Gate over to the site of the old gate, then to the
Corner Gate, and from the lower of Hananel to the king's
winepresses. 11 And Jerusalem will be filled, safe at last, never
again to be cursed and destroyed.

......

     Once more this shows this prophecy is for the yet future;
Jerusalem is not a safe city today, it is still being cursed and
destroyed in various ways at various times.

......


12 And the LORD will send a plague on all the nations that fought
against Jerusalem. Their people will become like walking corpses,
their flesh rotting away. Their eyes will shrivel in their
sockets, and their tongues will decay in their mouths. 13 On that
day they will be terrified, stricken by the LORD with great
panic. They will fight against each other in hand-to-hand combat;
14 Judah, too, will be fighting at Jerusalem. The wealth of all
the neighboring nations will be captured - great quantities of
gold and silver and fine clothing.

......

     It is mind-bending to think that human being will try to
fight the very God who created them, but the demonic powers that
are ruled by Satan the Devil will have deceived the "beast man"
and the false prophet and the kings of the East (over to the East
and above the Euphrates river - Rev.16) to think they can fight 
and defeat this invasion from outer space. And we see again here, 
the people of Judah will also fight their enemies in that day. 
It will be no contest as Jesus with the saints and angels with Him, 
shall melt away the enemy.

......


15 This same plague will strike the horses, mules, camels,
donkeys, and all the other animals in the enemy camps.

......

     A way of saying even the space age implements of war will
melt away.

......


16 In the end, the enemies of Jerusalem who survive the plague
will go up to Jerusalem each year to worship the King, the LORD
Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Shelters. (Tabernacles
- KJV). 17 And any nation anywhere in the world that refuses to
come to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, will
have no rain. 18 And if the people of Egypt refuse to attend the
festival, the LORD will punish them with the same plague that he
sends on the other nations who refuse to go. 9 Egypt and the
other nations will all be punished if they don't go to celebrate
the festival.

......

     This does not mean every person in every nation on earth
will go to Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Tabernacles. A city
large enough to house all people from all nations of the world
during the 1,000 years, is hard and even silly to imagine. It
means "representatives" from all nations will go up to Jerusalem
to observe the Feast of Tabernacles. If nations refuse to send
representatives to the Holy City, then God will punish them by
sending no rain - drought will reign (pun intended) down on them.

...... 


20 On that day, 

......

     The context for the phrase "on that day" is the context of
the nations of the earth coming to Jerusalem to observe the Feast
of Tabernacles, hence a period of time (years perhaps) has taken
place.

......


even the harness bells of the horses will be inscribed with these
words: SET APART AS HOLY TO THE LORD. And the cooking pots in the
Temple of the LORD will be as sacred as the basins used beside
the altar. 21 In fact, every cooking pot in Jerusalem and Judah
will be set apart as holy to the LORD Almighty. All who come to
worship will be free to use any of these pots to boil their
sacrifices. And on that day there will no longer be traders*
(Heb. "Canaanites") in the Temple of the LORD Almighty.

......

     Yes, we have seen, the Ezekiel Temple will be built! The
priesthood and sacrificial system will be RESTORED! There is a
full in-depth study on "animal sacrifices in the Millennium" on
this Website.

     It will be an age unlike any other in the history of
mankind. An age of PEACE and SALVATION for all nations. An age
when the knowledge of God and His Word will cover the earth as
the waters cover the sea beds!

     PRAISE THE LORD, GIVE HONOR TO HIS NAME; FOR WHAT IS WRITTEN
CONCERNING THAT AGE WILL SURELY COME TO PASS. WHAT HE HAS
PROMISED FOR THAT AGE WILL COME TO FULFILMENT. ISRAEL AND JUDAH
WILL YET TO UNITED AS ONE PEOPLE AGAIN, AND WILL BLOSSOM AS A
ROSE GARDEN; THEY WILL YET BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD TO ALL
NATIONS. JERUSALEM WILL YET BE THE CAPITAL CITY OF THE WORLD, THE
HOLY CITY, WHERE DWELLS THE GOD OF ISRAEL. HE WILL INDEED THEN BE
THE LORD OF LORDS AND KING OF KINGS, RULING PLANET EARTH FROM THE
THRONE OF DAVID!

                           ....................

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ARMAGEDDON AND THE AGE TO COME

 Armageddon And The Age To Come

by Keith Hunt


     Armageddon has become a term associated with destruction.
World leaders and scientists use this term when speaking of the
inevitability of nuclear warfare and World War III.
     The word Armageddon IS found in the Bible! Yet few really
understand what Armageddon is all about. When World War I broke
out, many excitedly proclaimed: "This is the war of Armageddon."
Again the phrase was used at the onset of WWII,  during the
Korean War, after he was relieved from duty, General  Douglas
MacArthur in his farewell address to the United States Congress
stated very clearly that if we did not solve the problems of war
that OUR ARMAGEDDON is at our doorsteps.
     Today, over thirty years after General MacArthur's warning,
the entire world is faced with certain destruction. There have
been over 50 wars since WWII! People are tired of war and the
cost in terms of human lives, property damage and money are
absolutely staggering! There seems to be no end in sight.
     The daily threat of nuclear holocaust has given birth to a
tremendous grass-roofs "peace" movement around the world. Yet,
the Bible shows that mankind does not know the way to peace, nor
is he able to attain it. If God would not intervene and send
Jesus Christ back to the earth, all life on earth would be
destroyed.
     Jesus Christ Himself prophesied that this would be the
condition of the world. "For then shall be GREAT TRIBULATION,
such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no
nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened (by
God's intervention) there should be NO FLESH saved:but for the
elect's sake (the true Christians) those days shall be shortened"
(Mat. 24:21-22).

     Now it is commonly taught that Armageddon will be the last
battle between the Western Democracies and Communism, before the
return of Christ. Is this  really what Bible prophecy foretells?
Who will be fighting whom at Christ's second coming, and where?
     World War 3 is on the way! Most world leaders agree, it is
only a matter of when and not if. Right now the nations of the
world are attempting to prepare their citizens for survival of a
nuclear attack. Military leaders have hinted that nuclear war,
that is, a "small limited nuclear war," in Europe or the Middle
East could be survived!
     Only God has the power to stop mankind from committing
suicide!
     How will He do this and what lies beyond? Will the earth
remain a hulk of total destruction for a thousand years? Or, will
there be a NEW AGE?
     If so, what will that age be like? The Bible, the inspired
Word of God gives us the answers to these questions. In this
lesson we shall see what God tells us about ARMAGEDDON/AGE TO COME.


                         THE DAY OF THE LORD


     Most people have heard little about the DAY OF THE LORD, yet
the Day of the Lord is described in more than 30 different
prophecies in the Old and New Testaments.  In  this  lesson  we 
will cover many important  scriptures about the Day of the Lord. 
To  add  to  this  study, you are encouraged to use  a
concordance of the Bible as an aid. This will help you delve more
deeply into each topic. An excellent concordance is Strong's
Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (e.i. Then you will be able
to look up each reference for yourself).

     Rev. 6:16-17    
     What question is asked in verse 17? Is this the day of God's
     wrath?

     Note: 
        Jesus Christ came the first time as a meek lamb to  be 
slain  for  the sins  of  the  world. (Isa. 53:1-12; John 1:29;
Rev. 13:8). But, when He comes again, He will be  wrathful,
angry, and against all evil!

     Do these scriptures also tell us about the DAY OF GOD'S
WRATH? Isa. 2:10-21; Jer. 30:6-7; Joel 2:1,11; Zeph. 1:14-18;
2:2-3.

     The wrath of the Day of the Lord  will be manifested 
through the seven   trumpet  plagues which will  occur 
consecutively  over  a  period of months. Rev. 8:1-13; 9:1-  21.
This will culminate with the seventh trumpet.  When  it  is 
sounded  the  dead  in  Christ are resurrected to eternal life.

     Rev.11:15-11
     1.  Is this the seventh trumpet sound?
     2.  Who is to take over the kingdoms of the world and reign
         and rule?
     3.  Is God wrathful?
     4.  Are the nations angry?
     5.  Will God destroy many people?

     Note: 
         The Day of  the  Lord  and  the  wrath  of  God  will 
not  be finished with   the  sounding  of  the  seventh  trumpet 
plague.  Revelation  15:1-16:21  shows  that there  will be an 
outpouring  of the  SEVEN  LAST PLAGUES,  WHICH  WILL  END  IN 
THE RETURN OF JESUS  CHRIST!

     Rev.19:11-16; 17:14; John 1:29.
     1.  Will Jesus Christ make war?
     2.  What are some of His titles?
     3.  Is this the same one who is called the Lamb of God?

     Note:
         These  verses  show  plainly  that  Christ  will come
with  the  armies of  resurrected  saints and will conquer the
rebellious nations.

     Zeph. 1:17; Rev. 11:18; 9:20-21; 16:11.
     Why will God have to punish the rebellious?

     Note:
         God will be angry because of the sins  of  mankind.  
Jesus  Christ will have to come to save the human race alive
(Mat. 24:22). But, because God is love,  He will punish in love!
It might seem like a contradiction to some, that God, who is 
love, will punish so severely.
         But  the  nations  and   people of  the  world  will 
have  reached  a  point  that  they will listen to nothing else. 
God   will   have  to   punish   this   world  to   bring   it 
to repentance.     

     Rev. 11:18.
     When Jesus returns will the nations of the world be
cooperative and accept Him as Savior, or will they be angry and
determined to fight Christ?

     Note:
         The people and nations of the earth want peace.  The
Americans want peace, the Russians want peace, the Jews want
peace, the  Arabs want peace, the Chinese want peace, the
Europeans want peace. But they all want peace their way!
     However, the history of the world has conclusively proven
that mankind does not know the way to world peace - man's peace
always leads to war.
     When Jesus Christ comes the nations will be angry and at war
with each other, but on seeing Christ and His armies, they will
stop fighting among themselves. They will all see the coming of
Jesus Christ  and  convince the rest of the world that the earth
is being invaded  by  aliens from outer space. Then they will
join forces together to fight against Christ. In turn Jesus will
deal with them in the only language that these rebellious nations
will understand - THE POWER AND FORCE  OF GOD ALMIGHTY!

     Rev. 15:1,6-7.
     In what is the wrath of God filled up?

     Note:
         The seventh or last trumpet, Rev. 11:15, completes the
trumpet plagues and announces the SEVEN LAST PLAGUES. THIS IS THE
WRATH OF GOD!


     Rev.16:1-Il.
     I.  Upon what and whom will these seven last plagues be      
         poured out?
     2.  Will there be great suffering upon the rebellious?
     3.  Will the people repent of their sins, of their Satan     
         worship? Or will they continue to be deceived?


                         ARMAGEDDON


     Rev.16:12.
     1.  What will happen when the sixth vial of God's wrath is   
         poured out?
     2.  From which direction do the kings come? 

     Note:
         Look at any map of the world and notice what nations -  
kings and kingdoms - lie east of the Euphrates River.

     Rev.17:14.
     Who will the nations of the earth fight against? 

     Note:
         Verse 14 shows that it is the Lamb of God.  Jesus       
Christ, as we have seen, is the Lamb of God.

     Rev. 16:13-16.
     1.  Who incites the nations to fight against Christ?
     2.  Will the kingdoms that war against God only come from   
         the east? Or, will it be all nations?
     3.  WHAT IS THIS GREAT BATTLE CALLED?
     4.  What is the place called where the armies of the world  
         are gathered?

     Note: 
         The Bible interprets for us who the dragon is. It is
Satan (Rev.12:9). The spirits are Satan's angels or demons. The
word devils in the KJV ought to be translated demons. There is
one fallen archangel (Isa.14:12-14; Ezk. 28:12-17) called the
Devil, but there are many fallen angels (Jude 6; Rev. 12:7) now
called demons in the Bible.
     These demons are responsible for gathering the armies of all
nations together to  fight against the returning Jesus Christ.
The proper translation of the Greek in verse 16 should be "...and
they gathered them together..." See other translations  such as:
RSV, Living Bible, Phillips, etc. Additionally, verse 14 proves
it is many evil spirits that gather these armies together.
     The Bible shows that these demon spirits directly control
the world now by influencing the leaders of the nations. 
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but 
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the 
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
(Eph.6:12).
     Just before the final battle of the nations against the
returning Christ, these demons will deceive the nations again
with miracles and they will be gathered into one place.
     The nations will assemble their armies at a place called    
Armageddon.
     The word Armageddon is the Greek rendering of the Hebrew
name Har Megiddo, meaning, hill or mountain of Megiddo. Megiddo
was a strong fortification dating from ancient times, situated
approximately 60 miles Northwest of Jerusalem. The mound that
remains is a few miles south east of Haifa, a natural port which
is ideal for landing troops. The Plain of Megiddo is an oval
shaped valley once called the Plain of Esdraelon, but now is
often called the Valley of Jezreel. It is a large flat area ideal
for the gathering together of large armies.


                       THE BATTLE OF THE GREAT
                         DAY OF GOD ALMIGHTY


     Rev.16:14; 19:11-21.
     1.  What is the name of this climactic battle?
     2.  Who will fight whom?
     3.  Will it be a battle between the Western Democracies and 
         Communism? Will it be between the Arabs and Jews?

     Joel 3:1-2, 9-14; Zech. 14:2; Rev. 14:18-20.
     In what exact areas of Palestine does this battle take      
     place?

     Note:
         The word Jehoshaphat means Judgment of Jehovah. The
focal point of the battle will be in this valley at Jerusalem.
This valley is  also called in the Bible The  Valley of Decision.
It borders the city of Jerusalem on the east. The Pictorial Bible
Dictionary states that this valley situated between Jerusalem and
the Mount of Olives is now called the Kidron Valley (P.408).
This battle is likened to the "great winepress of the wrath of
God"(Rev. 14:19) which is trodden without the city. God says in
Zechariah 14 that He will fight against the nations of the world
at Jerusalem. The blood of these enemies, represented by the
juice of grapes being pressed out in a winepress, will flow, 
"without (outside) the city."       
    There will be so much blood flowing that it will rise, in
some areas, as high as the horses bridles.
    The river of blood will flow for 1,600 furlongs. According to
E.Leslie Carlson, under money, weights, and measures in the
Teachers'Heritage Edition of the Bible published by World
Publishing, a furlong is 606.5 English feet. 1,600 furlongs would
be approximately 183 miles.
     There is a land depression running from the plain of Megiddo
down passed  Jerusalem and continuing south to the ancient land
area of Edom. The distance of this depression from Megiddo to
where it ends, south of Jerusalem, is approximately 180-200
miles.


     Rev.16:17-21.
     1.  How will the battle of Armageddon end?
     2.  What are the "natural" forces God uses against the      
         armies?
     3.  Will the surface of the earth be changed?

     Note: 
         The hail stones will weigh one talent, which is
approximately 180 lbs.


                    WILL THE EARTH BE DESOLATE
                      DURING THE MILLENNIUM?


     We have seen some important passages of the  Bible  that 
tell  us what  Jesus  Christ and the saints will do after His
return to the earth. As we shall see there are literally dozens
of passages in God's Word which clearly show that God will 
restore the earth for human beings and have a glorious reign of
1,000 years here on earth. During this time all people will be
blessed and prosper. There will be peace and love.
     But we need to stop and consider the teachings of some, who
say that the earth will be completely desolate during the 1,000
year period. Christ and the saints. it is alleged, are
transported to be in heaven and are not on the earth. The
teaching of a desolate uninhabited earth during the 1,000 years
is based on a few scriptures.
     We shall examine these scriptures and read their setting in
the context of the meaning of the passages in which they are
found. As we shall see, the Bible reveals that the earth will not
be desolate and uninhabited.
     We are admonished by God's Word, "...To prove ALL THINGS and
hold fast to that which is good!" (I Thes. 5:21). To prove means
to test and try, and in this case by SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES
(Acts 7:11).
     To help clarify the misunderstanding about the earth being
desolate for 1,000 years, we will see that there are two renewals
of the earth and heavens. The first one is when Jesus Christ
returns to the earth and the second one is when God the Father
comes to the earth.

     Just to review: When Jesus Christ returns, the saints will
be resurrected. They will be given eternal life (1 Cor. 15:51-54;
1 Jn.3: l-3; Jn. 3:16-17; 6:51-58; Rom.6:23). They will reign as
kings and priests  under Christ, who will be king over all the
earth (Rev.1:6,5:10,20:6).

     As we have already seen there will also be human beings, who
will survive these horrible end time events. So what we find is
this: There will be two types of people on earth. 1) The spirit
beings, Jesus Christ and the resurrected saints, who will be
those in God's government.        
     They will rule the world. 2) Human beings, who have lived on
over into the New Age and carry on as the beginning generation of
people at the start of the Millennium.

     There will be two renewings of the earth and heaven. 

     1). When Christ returns it will be renewed for human life.
This  means that the atmosphere will have to also be cleansed - a
new heaven.  This is the new heaven and earth in which there are
human  beings,  who are under the government of God. Those in the
positions of the government of God will be spirit beings.
     2). The renewal of the earth and heaven when human life has 
ceased to exist. All who have qualified for eternal life will be
spirit beings. All who have rejected God's salvation will be
burned up in a lake of fire (Rev. 20:14-15). This is at the end
of the Millennium and   God's final judgment. This final lake of
fire will consume the entire surface of the earth and atmosphere
(II Pet. 3:10- 14). Then will come the second new heaven and
earth. In this setting it is apparent that it is for spirit life
only, not human life. "And I saw a new heaven and new earth: for
the first heaven and first earth were passed away: and there was
no more sea" (Rev. 21:1). Human life could not exist without 
oceans. This is where the confusion has come in the minds of
some, because they could not distinguish between the renewing of
the earth  at the return of Jesus Christ, and the renewing of the
earth in preparation for the habitation for spirit beings and the
coming of God the Father to the earth.

     As we go through these scriptures it will become clear that
where there are references to human, flesh and blood beings, it
is talking about the restoration at the return of Jesus, and not
the restoration at the end of the Millennium, which will be for
spirit beings.

     Isa.24:1-6

     Note: 
         Is this a prophecy for the end time? Yes. Please read
chapters 25,26 and 27, and you will see that these also talk
about the end time. Does verse 1 of Isa. 24 show that the
inhabitants are scattered? Does verse 6 show that the earth will
be desolate? But does it also show that a curse has devoured the
earth, the inhabitants are burned, and show that there will be
few men (human beings) left?

     NOWHERE IN THE ENTIRETY OF THESE SCRIPTURES DOES IT SAY THAT
all human life is destroyed and the earth is uninhabited and left
desolate for 1,000 years!

     Isa. 26:21

     Note:
         This verse nowhere says that every last single soul will
be slain, the entire context before and after disprove any such
idea.

     Isa. 31:1-10.
     Does this not show that there will be human life? 
     Also, animal life?

     Isa. 11:1-12.

     Note:
         This shows a world of peaceful human and animal life,
not desolation. Please study the rest of the chapter and the next
chapter,12, as well. These clearly show this is a time when
Christ is on the earth just after His return.

     Isa. 65:21,22.

     Note:
         This clearly shows that there will be human life at the
restoration at the return of Jesus Christ. The new heaven and
earth spoken of in verse 17 is the restoration for human flesh
and blood life. There will be birth and death. The second
restoration, or the new heavens and earth, for spirit beings will
usher in a time when there will be no more death (Rev. 21:4-7).

     Jer. 4:23-26.

     Note:
         This is not a prophecy against the entire earth, but
against Judah and Jerusalem. See the preceding verses: 5-6, 10,
14, 16, 22. Verse 20 says: "the whole land," yes, the land of
Judah. Verse 23 where the Hebrew is translated "earth," can also
be translated "land." The Amplified Bible renders it "land" as in
verse 20. Verse 27 shows that there will not be total
destruction, "...yet I will not make a full end."

     Jer. 25:33.

     Note:
         This verse nowhere says every single soul will be stain
- only that there will be slain people all over the earth.

     Jer. 25:30-32.

     Note:
         God will plead with all nations, many will repent, (Jer.
23:3-6; 16:14-21;  Isa. 25:7-9; 29:18-24). The wicked are the
ones whom God will slay - verse 31.

     Ezk.9:1-11

     Note:
         When this entire chapter is read it shows that it
applies only to the house of Israel and Judah, including the city
of Jerusalem, not the entire world.
     Other references are used by those who believe that the
earth will be desolate and uninhabited during the Millennium such
as: Mat.24:36-44; II Thes. 1:7-9; 2:8. But in everyone of these
instances when the entire context of the verses and chapters are
closely examined it is apparent that it is a misunderstanding of
the Bible. So it is apparent from the Bible that the earth will
not be a desolate wilderness and uninhabited during the
Millennium, the 1,000 year  reign of Christ. Let us now look at
more scriptures that show us what  the conditions of this earth
will be like during the New Age of the Kingdom of God.


     Part II

                    THE KINGDOM OF GOD
                                  on Earth


The NEW AGE of the Kingdom of God will be headed by Jesus Christ
who will be King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Bible shows
that there will be survivors of this final holocaust who will
live and begin the new generation of human beings under the rule
and government of the Kingdom of God. What happens after this
final battle of Armageddon?

         THE FOLLOWING  is taken from a old Bible Course, by the one time

         Ambassador College, Pasadena, California.     


     Zech.14:1-21.
     1.  After the great battle of the wrath of God, as it is    
         popularly called the Battle of Armageddon, where will    
         Christ go?
     2.  Who will come with Christ?
     3.  Will it be one literal day?
     4.  Who will be king over all the earth?
     5.  Will the physical land be reclaimed?
     6.  Will the city of Jerusalem be inhabited in safety again?
         See Zech.8:1-5.
     7.  How will God deal with those who will still be          
         rebellious?

     Note: 
         The Bible shows in Zech. 14, that He is going to require
all nations to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This is one of the
Feasts of God, which the true Church of God should be keeping
today. (For a complete listing of the sacred feasts of God please
study Lev. 23). Here God is showing how He will deal with those
nations which refuse to keep the Feast of Tabernacles during the
I ,000 year rule of Jesus Christ.

     Isa.66:15-24.
     1.  Is this passage referring to the battle of the great    
         day of God's wrath and what shall occur there and       
         afterwards?
     2.  Will some be sent out to tell others about God?
     3.  Will gifts be sent up from all nations to the Lord God  
         at Jerusalem?
     4.  Will all people who live through the end time holocaust 
         into the millennium (the 1,000 years rule), called flesh 
         in verse 23, come to worship the Lord?
     5.  Will they worship God on His designated days? The New   
         Moon days and the Sabbath days are even today, part of  
         God's sacred calendar. If all people will  worship God  
         on those days at that time in the future, should not    
         True Christians  be worshipping God on those days now?
     6.  Will God continue to punish the rebellious?

     Micah 4:1-5; Isa. 2:1-4.
     1.  Will most people and nations want to learn about the    
         True God and His laws after Christ has returned?
     2.  Will there be any more wars?

     Habakkuk 2:14; Isa. 11:9.
     1.  Will the glory of God eventually cover the whole world?
     2.  Will the knowledge of God be readily available? To what 
         extent will it be known?

     Rev. 20:1-6. This setting is at the beginning of the        
     Millennium.
     1.  What will happen to Satan the Devil, the author of all  
         evil, and for how long?
     2.  Are the saints, now resurrected spirit beings, given    
         thrones of authority and judgment and co-rule with Jesus
         Christ?
     3.  Does all this occur after the first resurrection?
     4.  How long do they reign with Christ?
     5.  In what capacity will they function?

     Note:
         This I ,000 year reign of Jesus Christ and the saints is
commonly known as the Millennium. The word millennium does not
appear in the KJV Bible. But the word millennium means "a
thousand." The Bible reveals that the resurrected saints of God,
who are raised to eternal spirit life at the first resurrection,
have the promise of being kings and priests to reign and rule
with Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:6; 5:10).
     True Christians today are qualifying for these positions,
see Rev.2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:26-29; 3:5; 3:10-13; 3:21.
     What does Jesus Christ promise the overcoming Christians?
     The rewards are tremendous! This is why God demands that
Christians keep the commandments of God! The rebellious who
refuse to keep the commandments of God will never inherit the
Kingdom of God! Read Rev. 22:14. What does commandment keeping
insure?  I John 2:3-6; 5:1-3; 3:4 and 22; Mat. 19:17.
     Are there blessings of knowing God's love, and eternal life
at the resurrection because we keep the commandments of God and
do those things that are pleasing in His sight?
     What will happen to those who will not obey God and keep His
commandments? Will they suffer the second death in a lake of
fire? (Rev. 20:13-14; 21:8,27; 22:15).


                    THE LAND RECLAIMED


     Isa.27:6; Ezek.36; Jer.23:1-6; 30:1-9; 31:1-14.
     1.  Will God gather the descendants of Israel and Judah?
     2.  To where will He bring them?
     3.  Will the land again blossom and produce?
     4.  Will the cities be rebuilt?

     Note:
         When this gathering and rebuilding occurs, Israel and
Judah will never again practice heathen ways or go into war or
captivity. This has not happened yet.

     Jer.33:1-13; Zech.8:1-8.
     Will there be peace and safety and happiness in the cities  
     of the New Age?

     Jer.3:17; Zech.8:3; Isa.62:1-7.
     1.  Will Jerusalem be the capital city of the whole earth?
     2.  Will it be a fine example to the rest of the world?

     Isa.41:8-20; 35:1-2, 7-10.
     Will the desert lands become productive and forests reappear
     and spread during the Millennium?

     Isa.51:3.
     Will God transform Zion and the land of Palestine into a    
     veritable garden of Eden?


                    A TIME OF MIRACLES


     Isa. 11:1-9; 35:l-7.
     1.  Will the nature of the animals be changed so even wild  
         flesh-eating beasts will eat grass and be household pets
         for children?
     2.  Will those who have great physical handicaps, such as   
         blindness, deafness and lameness be healed by God?

     Note: 
         There will be no need for hospitals in the New Age of
God.


     Isa. 33:20-24; 61:1-3; Jer. 30:10-22.
     Will God also free mankind from sickness and disease?

     Note: 
         There will be no need for health insurance in the New
Age of the Kingdom of God.


                    A PERFECT CLIMATE

     Ezk. 34:26; Isa. 30:23; Jer. 31:12; Amos 9:13.
     1.  Will God cause the rains to come at the right time?
     2.  Will there be rejoicing over the abundance of crops that
         God will bestow during  the Millennium?
     3.  Will there be a super abundance of food?

     Note: 
         Most of the land surface of the earth is unproductive,
today only about 7% of the land is actually tillable. The exact
opposite will be true in the utopia of the New Age of God as He
begins to bless the entire world.

     Micah 4:l-4; Isa 2:1-5.
     1.  Will there be economic reform from a war based economy  
         to a peaceful agricultural economy?
     2.  Will there be land reform so every one will have his own
         land and produce his own food?

     Note: 
         Farmers will no longer have to gamble with the weather;
their work will always be successful, as long as they obey God.


                    THE GREATEST RIVERS


     Zech. 14:l-8; Ezk.47:1-12.
     1.  What happens when Christ's feet touch the Mount of      
         Olives?
     2.  Will a mighty river flow through this new channel?
     3.  Will one half of this water flow east to the Dead Sea   
         and the other half flow west into the Mediterranean Sea?
     4.  Does this living water produce life, fish and health to 
         the barren places of the earth?
     5.  Does this living water proceed from the very sanctuary  
         of God - from the spot where God's temple will stand?   
         (Joel 3:18).

     Note: 
         The Dead Sea is 1286 feet below sea level. It is the
lowest spot on earth. The Jordan River constantly empties into
the northern extremity of the Dead Sea. It has no natural outlet,
but the level of the water remains fairly constant, because the
hot weather causes the water to evaporate at about the same rate
as the inflow of water. Because of this, the water is extremely
salty. So much so, that no plant or marine life can live in it
today. But when this new river begins to flow into it, its waters
will rise until they overflow southward through the desert
regions. There is an indication that the Dead Sea Valley as it is
known today, will actually be raised. Then the pure healing
waters from God's throne will flow out into this area and south
to what is now the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea and on into the
Indian Ocean and circulate towards the east. It will heal every
thing as it goes. The waters which flow out towards the west will
do the same thing in that direction, until the entire earth is
healed. This is how God will heal the entire world from the
pollution and destruction described in the book of Revelation.


                    A PURE LANGUAGE AND
                     PROPER EDUCATION


     A major barrier to mutual understanding and cooperation
between peoples of the world has been the barrier of language.
This was caused by God at the tower of Babel, right after the
Flood, as a result of the sins of mankind. God will remove that
curse and restore the entire world to one pure language.


     Zech. 3:9.
     Will God institute one pure language for the whole world?

     Note: 
         As well as one common language for all people, the
language of the New Age will be free from any pagan ungodly
words. There are many words we use everyday that are derived from
heathenistic sources - the days of the week and months of the
year are mainly of pagan origin- derived from the names of false
gods.


                         EDUCATION


     Proper God-oriented education will be one of the top
priorities during the Millennium. During the New Age of the
Kingdom of God people will be taught the laws that will produce
peace, happiness, safety, productivity and blessings. God will
still give each person the choice of whether to obey Him or not.
The majority will want to obey God's way, but mankind will have
to be re-educated out of the false deceptive harmful ways as
inspired by Satan the Devil. Mankind will learn that there is a
way that seems right to him, which only lead to death, misery and
suffering.


     Isa. 11:9.
     In this re-education, how much knowledge of the Lord will be
     known?

     Isa. 25:7.
     Is wrong education like a veil that hides the truth from the
     mind receiving it?

     Note: 
         Rev. 12:9 shows that Satan the Devil is the one who has
deceived the world and is the author of the false education of
the world today.

     Rev. 20:1-3.
     Will the Devil be allowed to do his work during the age to  
     come?

     Hosea 4:6.
     What knowledge and education is most lacking today?

     I Cor. 3:19.
     What does God think of the wisdom of the world?

     John 17:17; Ps. 119:142,151,172. 
     What is God's truth?

     Note: 
         God's truth is a way of life based on love. Jesus Christ
said that all the law and prophets were based on love (Mat
22:37-41). In the Book of Acts 19:9, 23 it is called That Way.
Most of the world today does not approve and rejects God's way,
just as they did in the early apostolic days (Acts 24:14). God's
way is based on His divinely revealed will and laws, based on
love. He has given to us His foundation of right knowledge and
education. It is found in His inspired Word - the Bible.

     Jer. 16:19.
     After the climax at the close of this age of mankind's rule 
     under the sway of  Satan the Devil, what will people         
     acknowledge?

     Note: 
         By the time Christ has finished His intervention to save
mankind from complete annihilation, they will, for the most part,
be willing to confess their false ways and ignorance of God's
Truth. At that time humanity will be teachable and will be taking
the first step to repentance and reconciliation to God through
Jesus Christ.

     Isa. 55:6-9; 30:21-26.
     Will mankind be receptive? Will they listen to their        
     teachers as they are shown the right way to live?

     Jer. 30:7-9; Ezk. 34:23-24; Luke 22:29-30; Mat 28:19-20.
     1.  Will the resurrected King David rule over all Israel?
     2.  What were the 12 apostles promised in the New Age of the
         Kingdom of God?
     3.  What will they teach?

     Rev. 2:26; 5:10.
     Who else will help teach the nations of the world in the New
     Age?

     Note: 
         Then the resurrected immortal saints will be priests as
well as kings. The function of a priest is to teach (Mal. 2:7).
The glorified children of God will teach people the Word and the
ways of God, His laws, commandments, statutes and judgments. They
will be able to appear in visible form at will (Isa. 30:20-21).
They will be ever present to teach or to stop any open crime or
rebellion. Because they will be like Christ is now, they will be
able to come and go as necessary, pass through walls or instantly
disappear, such as Christ was able to do after His resurrection
(John 20:17, 19,25-27; Luke 24:31).

     Eventually through God's system of proper education and true
worship of the True God, the world will be full of the knowledge
of God as the waters cover the oceans. There will be peace, joy,
happiness and a truly abundant life for all people.

     Zech. 14:16-19; Isa. 66:19-23.
     Will the nations of the world keep the appointed feasts and 
     holy days of God?

     Note: 
       The world today, including most of professing Christianity
are following the pagan Babylonian mystery religion
customs, festivals, celebrations, which were derived from the
pagan philosophies, customs and beliefs of Babylon, Egypt and
Rome. In the New Age of the Kingdom of God all people will be
taught the right and proper way to worship God and what are the
right and proper days of worship.


                    MANKIND'S NEW NATURE


     Mat 12:35.
     Is the heart and nature of mankind a mixture of good and    
     evil, with the evil dominating?

     Note: 
        Mark 7:21- 23  Shows that sin originates from within the minds of human beings
     Jer. 17:9; Mat 15:19.
     Does the nature of man lean towards being deceitful and     
     wicked?

     Rom. 8:5-7.
     Is the natural mind of man enmity and hostile to the law of 
     God? Is it possible for it to be subject to it?

     Note:
         This way of mankind seems right and natural but it
     results in death (Pro. 14:12; 16:25).

     Ezk. 36:22-27; Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:10; 10:16.
     1.  Will God change the hearts of people during the         
         Millennium age?
     2.  What will God add to the minds of people that will      
         enable them to be at peace and reap the blessings of    
         serving God?

     WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE ETERNAL FILLING THE EARTH,
     AS IT IS UNITED WITH THE MINDS AND HEARTS OF THE
     PHYSICAL PEOPLE UPON EARTH, AS JESUS AND ALL THE
     SAINTS RULE WITH THE POWER AND THE WORD OF THE
     LORD, THEN THE WORLD WILL HAVE THE UTOPIA IT HAS
     DREAMED ABOUT FOR CENTURIES. THEN WE SHALL HAVE
     THE KINGDOM OF GOD UPON THE EARTH.

     AS JESUS TAUGHT US, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PRAY,
     "THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH, AS IT
     IS IN HEAVEN."

          ....................................

Written in 1982
by Keith Hunt


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