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PART II
THE FIRST STEP TO APPRECIATE THE NEED FOR PREPARATION
Let me pose a simple question. How would you feel if your present life-style and possessions were swept away in the span of a single day, as were Job's (Job 1:13-22), and, now homeless and hungry the LORD leads you and those you love to a refuge; and waiting for you and your family is a shelter, food, water, medical care, and all life-support provisions? Would not your anxiety be greatly minimized that a simple preparation was made to meet the needs of many, among whom, would include you and those you love (Gen.45:10)?
An essential component for the success of the closing work of the Gospel is to establish outpost centers: evangelistic/medical/retreats (EMRs) from which to work the cities. This is imperative, for the densely populated areas are most vulnerable to temptations, disease, and depleted provisions (Gen.11:4). They are not safe environments for GOD’S people in the closing days. And with today’s economic hardships forcing multitudes to the cities for work, the dangers that threaten city dwellers are increasing.
The reason this work to establish the EMR is so vital is due to the long history of religious tyranny hiding behind the Good Name of Jesus Christ, and its prophesied “revival” in our day (Rev.13:11,12). The tyranny of the Roman Catholic inquisition will be resurrected, but this time it will sweep the entire world into its ranks, leaving just two classes of men in the end of time (Rev.7:2,3, 16:2). The Bible is clear: the United States and the world will stand as one in their utter denial of Christ’s explicit command to His disciples on the night of the last supper: “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so.” Lu.22:25. This lies at the of heart of the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
But when the horrifying events begin to be unleashed (Isa.30:13), it should be understood that GOD’S patience for His wayward children must be given allowance, as Peter so aptly said, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” II Pet.3:9. Therefore, the blood of saints will once more be shed as in the early days of the Christian faith (Jn.15:20). But the testimony that the martyred saints will leave before the onlookers will garner a harvest that only in the judgment of heaven we will fully appreciate (Rev.6:9-11) when we see those who repented as a result of seeing Commandment-keeping Christians publicly forgive their murderers (Lu.23:34; Acts 7:60).—And as a result some will choose to stand with the saints to meet the LORD in Glory.
The call for GOD'S people to establish their residence in solitary retreats is vital to their future safety as it is prophesied: “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon [dictating to all its citizens to stand united in sin]…And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast [Unbiblical “miracle healing,” Unbiblical “tongues,” Unbiblical “slain in the Spirit,” the Unbiblical “word of knowledge,” Unbiblical “visions of the supposed Virgin Mary,” and the many Unbiblical answered prayers from the supposed “dead saints”]; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast [resurrect the tyranny of the Roman Catholic Inquisition], which had the wound by a sword [France’s decree removing papal authority (1798)], and did live [Italy’s decree restoring it (1929)]. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast [through the United States of America], that the image of the beast should both speak (II Th.2:3-12), and cause [by enacting civil laws of religious tyranny] that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand [accepting the religious apostasy through their actions (Ps.94:20,21)], or in their foreheads [accepting the apostasy through the reasoning powers of the mind (Jer.3:3; Eze.3:8)]: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” Rev.13:11-18.
Only one man throughout Christian history fulfills the Bible prophecies of religious apostasy: tyranny, murder, torture, incarceration and confiscation: “that man of sin…the son of perdition (II Thess.2:3):” Vicarius felii Dei: the pope of Rome. Every scholar of the Protestant Reformation upheld this simple Biblical deduction. The long-held official Latin title for the roman pontiff, adds up to 666 in each Biblical language of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin: the same three languages posted on the placard nailed to the cross, saying “THIS IS THE KING OF JEWS” (Lu.23:38). Only one man through A.D. history met the antithesis of the character of Jesus Christ. The Bible’s proclamation pointing to the pope as “the man of sin” is verified by his overthrowing two Commandments of the Sacred Law: the 2nd and the 4th Commandments of Jesus Christ (Jn.8:58), substituting his superiority over them, as it is written: “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months [1260 years as prophesied seven times (Eze.4:6; Nu.14:34). And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear.” Rev.13:5-9.
For centuries the pope of Rome was declared the great Antichrist of Scripture, and this was the fundamental teaching of every founder and scholar of the Reformation, from Lollard, Wycliffe, Huss, Luther, Tyndale, Baxter, Knox, Wesley, Calvin, Beza, Tausen, Olivetan, and Zwingli among many others. The Apostle James summed up the long history of religious tyranny this way: “For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” Ja.1:20. The reformers well understood that to stand against the roman pontiff was to face being tortured, imprisoned, and burned at the stake. An estimated fifty million+ men, women and children perished at the hands of conquering tyrants under papal instruction. This heritage extends back to Constantine who instituted the first civil penalties for violating the pagan tradition of Sunday sacredness: a day that has no affiliation with the Holy Bible.
For Christian leaders today to renounce the foundation of our religious liberty, whose impetus led to the religious and social freedoms of the United States of America and deny the Biblical fact that history always repeats itself shows how true are Solomon’s words, “there is no remembrance of former things” (Eccl.1:9-11).
The above prophetic passages from “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev.1:1) shows conclusively that faithful church members from all denominations who are unaware of the seriousness of the coming threat to their safety will be placed in a most vulnerable position. And this is precisely as Satan would have it. All through history GOD’S faithful servants have suffered through the deceptive ploys of evil angels and men as it is written: “By faith...Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” Heb.11:35-40.
To think that GOD’S people in the end of time will not suffer identical experiences to the above historical passage is naïve. Hence, the last purpose for the EMR is to supply a place of refuge, a safe haven for those who respond to GOD'S last call to repentance: “Come out of her my people”—when the earth is “lightened with His glory.” Rev.18:4,1.
Satan intends that this subjugation by sinful men (overthrowing religious freedom around the world) will lead Christ's followers to renounce their faith in His ultimate deliverance and submit to man's decree to compel the conscience and violate the Sacred Law of GOD, merely for a temporary reprieve from the grave. And when the affliction of hunger and misery doesn't convince the commandment keeping Christians to yield in submission to the pope (through his pawn, America's Apostate Protestantism), then comes the death decree: “The image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image to the beast should be killed.” Rev.13:15. When that doesn't work, Satan's fate is sealed. (Praise the LORD for the faithful souls among men who take that stand to the Glory of their LORD!) Nevertheless, there is a time of trouble approaching for GOD'S people (Jer.30:7), as it is written, “And at that time shall Michael stand up [in the Sanctuary of heaven, Who is none other than Christ (Isa.28:10; Jn.5:25; I Thess.4:16; Jude 9)], the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people [I Tim.2:5]: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” Dan.12:1
Those, in the religious right, who are now viewed with contempt and sarcasm, will soon be entrusted with preserving a fundamentally immoral society. Why? As Satan said so long ago: “All that a man hath, will he give for his life.” Job 2:4. It is at this time when these words of Christ shall meet their most profound fulfillment: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” Matt. 16:25. |
