Jehovah's Miracle Working Prophet

 God's Prophet of Miracles

 

2 Kings 2:9-14, 4:1-7, 6:1-7

 What is making a commitment?

 The act of pledging yourself to God and entrusting yourself to God.

 Before Elisha became the powerful prophet that he was, he spent some time with the Prophet Elijah.

 Elijah was somewhat like a father to Elisha, and Elisha was a devoted servant to Elijah.

 We must have this relationship with our Heavenly Father, and we do this while trying to be more like the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

 Elisha made a commitment to Jehovah and Elijah.

 2Ki 2:5  And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. 

2Ki 2:6  And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.

 The Prophet Elisha refused to leave the side of Elijah.

 Now it was not Elijah who called Elisha to be a prophet of Jehovah, it was Jehovah who had called him through Elijah.

 1Ki 19:16  And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. 

 We can all love and cherish our pastor, but this will not make us preachers.

 We must be called of God!

 Elijah knew his time had come to leave this earth, and God did this in a special way.

 Elijah had used many ways to test the commitment of Elisha, and Elisha had passed every test.

 It was Elisha who would spend the final moments alone with his beloved prophet.

 For more than twenty years, the Prophet Elijah had witnessed to the nation of Israel.

 Elijah had the power of God upon him.

 *****2Ki 2:8  And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. 

2Ki 2:9  And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

2Ki 2:10  And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.  

 Somewhat like Moses at the Red Sea, Jehovah parted the waters of the River Jordan so his two prophets could cross on dry ground.

 On this very day, Elijah would be raptured out of this world in full view of Elisha.

 I say raptured because what does the word rapture mean?

 The word rapture means to be "caught up".

 1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

 Before the Tribulation, Jesus Christ will descend from Heaven, catching up the Church to be with Himself while the tribulation is unleashed on a world that refuses to repent and is full of unbelievers once the Church is gone.

 The seventh week of the prophet Daniel is an outpouring of the wrath of God!

 Dan 9:27  And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. 

 Rev 14:6  And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 

Rev 14:7  Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. 

 The Tribulation is described in the Book of Revelation from Chapter 6 through Chapter 16.

 Rev 19:2  For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. 

 That word “whore” means the false Church and those who reject our Creator, especially those who know the truth of God but have rejected Him.

 Elisha asked Elijah for a double portion of the Holy Spirit that powered Elijah.

 He knew he could not replace Elijah.

 Elijah did not have the power to grant such a request because his power came from the Spirit of Jehovah.

 In those days, the firstborn son in a Hebrew family was granted a double portion of any inheritance if they were found worthy.

 Then, without any warning, Jehovah claimed His servant, Elijah.

 *****2Ki 2:11  And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 

 We must know that our lives are in the hands of the Lord to do as He pleases!

 1) God knows when our work is done.

2) Death seems so low, but in fact, we are elevated to a higher service.

3) We are elevated, dignified, and glorified.

4) We do not enter into soul sleep or an intermediate state; we go to another world we call Heaven.

 Elijah was carried up by the power of God.

 When our Lord Jesus went back to Heaven, He went under His own power.

 Elijah was taken up as in the rapture.

 Jesus Christ just went back to Heaven, where He came from, to sit at the right hand of God.

 The Lord Jesus is coming again first to Rapture the Church into the clouds and then to this earth at the end of the tribulation period of seven years.

 Elisha saw with his own eyes that God’s people are all surrounded by angels.

 2Ki 6:17  And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. 

 *****2Ki 2:12  And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. 

2Ki 2:13  He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; 

2Ki 2:14  And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. 

 Jehovah had used the Prophet Elijah to demonstrate to Israel that it was Jehovah who had the true power over Israel.

 He will do the same with the Prophet Elisha, and it is these things that we must learn from the Old Testament.

 If we cannot commit ourselves to our God, how can we ever overcome the obstacles that Satan will put in our path of righteousness?

 1Co 4:1  Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 

1Co 4:2  Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 

 Faithful is another word for commitment!

 Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 

Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. 

 Elisha's first call was to pick up the fallen cloak of Elijah.

 Elisha was to replace the great Prophet Elijah.

 The next proof to Elisha was the parting of the River Jordan.

 This was an act of faith that he had received the power of God as he had desired.

 Elijah had promised the fulfillment of this request, and God had allowed it to take place.

 There were some eyewitnesses to this event, and they needed to see if Elisha truly had the power of God upon him.

 Elisha began his ministry, and we will see more miracles from this man of God than from any other prophet of God.

 *****2Ki 4:1  Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. 

2Ki 4:2  And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.

 Just as it is today, women who have lost their husbands or never had one to begin with will struggle to raise a family.

 Many of them are like this woman who was married to a preacher, and all of a sudden, he had died, and he died owing money to a ruthless man.

 We also see that these sons of the prophets did not separate themselves from society but had families and had family life.

So, this was something that God did not require. In fact, the Church is to be  a close-knit family, just as all families should be,

 This woman was left with a son and a small pot of olive oil and no money to pay the creditor.

 The Jewish law of that time demanded that debts be paid, but God had His demands.

 Lev 25:38  I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God. 

Lev 25:39  And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant: 

Lev 25:40  But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile: 

Lev 25:41  And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return. 

 No Jew could be made a slave by another Jew according to the Word of God because they all had been slaves in Egypt.

 We also know that the Word of God was abused then as it is today.

 The Prophet Elisha knew what was going on here, and so did Jehovah, who watches over us all.

 *****2Ki 4:3  Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. 

2Ki 4:4  And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. 

2Ki 4:5  So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. 

 There are times when we will have a heavy need, and the Lord Jesus reminds us of what to do.

 Joh 16:23  And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 

Joh 16:24  Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. 

 Elijah was now gone to Heaven, so this woman turned to Elisha and Elisha said: “Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few”.

God said: Go to your neighbors and get all the containers that they will let you have.

 This woman took her small vessel of olive oil and began pouring it into the borrowed buckets, pitchers, and any other containers until they were all full, and she still had her vessel of olive oil.

 When God offers His gifts, we must never be the reason that His gift falls short.

 As this oil is a type of the Holy Spirit, we must understand that it is never a question of the amount of oil; it is always a question of the empty vessels that need to be filled.

God has enough of His Spirit to fill every human being upon this earth and keep them full!

 2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 

2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair. 

2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 

2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 

2Co 4:11  For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

 God's oil can never run out!

 We must take advantage of His offer to help us.

 If this woman had a lack of faith and just gotten a few containers, her sons would have still had to serve the creditor, and she might not have ever seen them again.

 Notice also that this thing was to be done behind closed doors.

 This was a woman with a lot of faith.

 *****2Ki 4:6  And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. 

2Ki 4:7  Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest. 

 We must understand that being poor is not necessarily a disgrace.

 Being poor, we can sometimes better understand the gifts of God.

 We could say that the Bible is the poor man's book because God certainly remembers the poor.

 A poor woman with a devout heart can be the greatest prayer warrior in the Church and many are.

 Psa 68:5  A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

 Psa 10:14  Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless. 

 God's heart is full of compassion for those who cannot help themselves and who depend on Him to meet their needs.

 What did this poor woman do?

 1) She informed a true man of God of her situation and sought his counsel.

2) She sought the help of her neighbors, humbly asking for assistance.

3) She sought privacy, giving God all the glory.

4) She got involved in the remedy, pouring the oil herself.

5) She had faith that God would meet her need.

 Jesus said: Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

 We should understand that every circumstance we face in life could be a test and a means of Christian growth, whether they are good or bad.

 To be honest, we can grow more during our bad times than our good times if our faith stays rock solid.

 Indeed, we cannot have a testimony until we are tested.

 The Bible is a lot of things to a lot of people, but it is surely a testimony of God's power to help and to defend His people.

The Old Testament is full of things that God did for His people, and we know we serve this same God today.

 *****2Ki 6:1  And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. 

2Ki 6:2  Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye. 

2Ki 6:3  And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. 

 The place where these sons of the prophets gathered to study the Word of God had grown too small, and they wanted to build a bigger place on the shores of the River Jordan.

 Notice that every man was to join in the construction of this new building.

 Even Elisha would be with them.

 By building this new place to worship near the place where they gathered the lumber, they would not have to transport these materials to the other place.

 We can see that the Word of God was still working in the places of the Northern Tribes of Israel.

 *****2Ki 6:4  So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. 

2Ki 6:5  But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. 

2Ki 6:6  And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. 

2Ki 6:7  Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it. 

We may wonder why this story is in the Bible, but God has His reason for every word He gives to us.

We can understand Church growth.

We can understand the members of the Church helping with the construction.

We can understand the head prophet or the Pastor joining in with the work.

A united Church can accomplish so much more than a divided Church!

What is the purpose of a miracle of God?

We know that miracles did not happen at random throughout Scripture but occurred mainly in the days of Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, and Jesus Christ and the Apostles.

There are a select few that happened outside this time, but not many.

Miracles were given to authenticate God's message.

God enabled His messengers to perform miracles to substantiate the new message they were given.

The word "miracle" means "power" or “work of power".

Today, God does not work through a person for miracles to happen.

God may answer a prayer of a believer that requires a miracle, or He may perform a miracle in the life of a believer again as an answer to prayer.

So, a believer's prayer is the most powerful gift we have today.

Here in our passage, we see that an axe-head called “the iron” came off the ax handle and fell into the River Jordan.

This man had borrowed this ax from his neighbor, and by Jewish Law, he was responsible for it.

Iron tools were precious and scarce on that day.

This happened often with the axes of that day.

Deu 19:5  As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:

Elisha asked him in what part of the river it fell, and he showed him.

The River Jordan is not a clear river.

In this miracle, Elisha threw a stick down into the river and the axe-head did swim to that stick and that man reached down a picked up the axe-head.

For that man, this was quite a miracle.

Joh 3:27  John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 

This man had lost this axe-head while he was faithfully serving the Lord.

As servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, we must walk carefully before the Lord and take inventory of our tools lest we lose something that we need.

Without this axe-head, this man could only watch others' work, and there are far too many of these types in the Church already.

If we honestly lose something and own up to it while doing the work the Lord has given to us to do, then God can recover what we lost and get us back into the race, as the Apostle Paul would say.

Amen

There Is Coming A Time of Trouble The Antichrist

The Coming Time of Trouble, The Antichrist

Book of Daniel Chapters 11-12

As we continue in these lessons in the Book of Daniel, we have seen that the Holy Spirit gave Daniel a realistic view of world history, before it was history.

Next, let me say up front, I am not qualified to go this deep into prophesy so we will go as far as we can.

We have seen since the time of Nebuchadnezzar the accuracy of these Scriptures.

In these two Chapters in the Book of Daniel we will meet the Antichrist.

The term Antichrist is used in two ways in the Scriptures.

1) An antichrist is anyone is anyone who denies that Jesus has come in in the form of a human. In fact 100% human and 100% Jehovah God!

1Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is Antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

1Jn 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

1Jn 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

2) Then we have the antichrist, the man of Sin.

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

The Beast of the Book of Revelation:

Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Rev 13:5 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.

Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

Satan, who is the true Antichrist, will arise in the end times of our history and seek to become the supreme ruler of the world.

In the Book of Daniel Chapter 11, this King of the North, this evil man, is a type of the Antichrist!

*****Dan 11:36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.

As true Christians, we have very little doubt that the Antichrist will stick his evil head out in public soon, even though there are many Antichrist in the world today.

He is the little god of this world and he has only one purpose.

2Co 4:4 In whom "the god of this world" hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Now this does not mean he is sometime sort of god. He is just treated and worshiped like he is some sort of god when he is just a rebellious creation of Jehovah the true God, who Jehovah uses in the act of temptation!

When the Church is taken out of this world, he will get a brief opportunity to rule his supporters and all the world will see his evilness, his wickedness, and his deceitfulness, until, by the end of seven years, Jehovah will destroy all traces of those who give themselves to him and it will not be by water as in the days of Noah, but it will be by fire as in fire and brimstone similar to that which destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

He is so deceitful he will rise to power as the person who will bring peace to this world rather than destruction.

After given power by foolish people, he will then do as he pleases! He will be focused on his own ambitions! He will fulfill his own desires! He will be totally focused on his own works as all these things will finally go to his head!

He will be the last evil ruler to ever have been elected by the people of this earth!

The people will be convinced that this man has the answers to every problem upon this earth!

They believe he will have the answers to climate change.

They believe he will have the answers to lasting peace.

They believe he will have the answers to money problems.

They believe he will have the answers to religion.

They believe he is an intellectual genius.

2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

They will believe that he can explain why the Church is no longer upon this earth and all false, manmade religion will also endorse him.

The truth is, he is the man of sin!

Remember he is also a sign to the Church that the Lord is about to return to claim His creation.

2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Remember the Church has been removed and have met Jesus Christ in the clouds!

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

This evil man will show himself to be atheist, but he will exalt himself above all gods, even Jehovah, making himself out to be god himself!

He will curse God the Father.

He will curse and reject the Holy Spirit.

He will curse the Lord Jesus Christ.

This evil, wicked, deceitful man, who is only Satan in the flesh, will be used by Jehovah to bring judgment upon all those who have rebelled against the Lord Jesus Christ.

You see this wicked Lucifer, will be very successful, until the world sees the wrath of God upon all this wickedness!

This tyrant nor his followers will even realize that they are being used by the Lord to cleanse this earth of wickedness!

2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The man is so in love with himself, that he hates everyone else!

*****Dan 11:37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.

Because this is Satan in the flesh, the anti-god, he does not regard any god!

The word "regard" means to esteem, to hold in respect and affection.

Satan is so swelled up about himself, he has no regard for any human being, nor any of God's creation!

He has no desire for women and certainly not a female co-ruler!

Does this mean he is a homosexual? It could, but in reality, he has no desire to please anyone but himself!

He magnifies himself above all.

He has only one desire and that is the desire for power over all human beings and all things in Heaven.

He has no soul, so he has no regard for the things of God.

He totally rejects the things of God! What do the Scriptures say about this?

Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

He rejects that he is an instrument of Jehovah God, he is so full of delusion.

*****Dan 11:38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.

In his estate means, this evil man will only give his allegiance to his own government and his own financial platform. He trusts in no one but himself and money and the power he thinks he has over the world!

He worships the state that he has created by force and deceitfulness.

Remember those who do not follow him, during those 7 years, will be murdered.

Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

He will rob and plunder all nations, to purchase more military and police power. Those will give their allegiance to him!

This will be a vast change from his first, 3 1/2 years, when he gave the appearance of being the Messiah.

Trying to do good, eats at him like a deadly cancer, he hates it so much. We see this in his followers today!

Everything this man does is full of deceit! He will use every method available in that evil world to gain more power.

*****Dan 11:39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.

What is the truth? Every place of worship where the Saints have gone home to be with the Lord, many of those same places will still be having worship services.

By deceit this Antichrist will cause worship to continue. In other words the Luciferian congregations will grow at a rapid pace and this Antichrist will cause worship to Satan.

There will be the great false church where worship will continue and the Saints that are gone will be quickly forgotten with the help of some lie.

There will be the great worldly system in place for all others and the land divided according to the power given toward the rule of the Antichrist.

Rev 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

And all these things will fall according to the wrath of God!

Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

There will be great battles fought before the Kingdom of Christ Jesus becomes a reality!

What did Jesus say?

Mat 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Mar 13:7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.

Luk 21:9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

*****Dan 11:40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

These are some things that will take place just before the return of Jesus Christ (at the time of the end). We know it is Jehovah God who appoints all time to fulfill His own plan.

The Antichrist will declare himself to be the supreme ruler of all the world but even many who are also wicked will take sides against him. Near the end, evil will turn on itself.

Rev 9:15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

Rev 9:16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

Rev 9:17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

Rev 9:18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

Upon victory the Antichrist, he will enter into the promised land and it may be at this time he will rebuild the Temple on the temple mount that exist today, not the Temple as described by Ezekiel during the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ, the true Messiah.

*****Dan 11:41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

Dan 11:42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.

Dan 11:43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.

This maybe the time that all the disputes of territory of the Middle East are solved and the Antichrist will give Israel all lands in question today and at the same time make peace with the Muslim world allowing the third Temple to be built, possibly alongside the Mosques that are already there.

Many things are written about Antiochus being this king of the North. What we realize is that Satan has had his Beast, His Antichrist in place in every generation.

He does not know when the Lord will fulfill the Words, He has given to us by His prophets.

Many thought he was Antiochus during his day. Some have said it was some of the Caesars, we know that Hitler also fit the profile of the Antichrist, so we can take these historical things with a grain of salt, and just pay attention to what "Thus sayeth the Lord".

1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

All these things will take place during the 7 year Tribulation Period and King Jesus will put a stop to these things at the end of those seven years.

What do we know for certain?

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

When the third Temple is built and the Antichrist enters that temple to sit on the throne of David claiming to be God, those will be some of his last words or maybe even his last words.

He may have control of all the money in this entire world. He will have to murder many a fool who have been trying to get control of all the money before him.

All this money will not be able to save him.

He cannot by enough power to overcome the power of King Jesus.

What did Jesus say?

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

If King Jesus has all the power of the earth and of Heaven, then the Antichrist will certainly not have enough power to defeat King Jesus and His Saints and all the Angelic Hosts of Heaven.

Satan has already offered Jesus that puny power he may have, because in reality the thing he wants the most is for Jesus to fall down upon his face and worship him and this will never happen.

Mat 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

Mat 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Just when the Antichrist has reached his peak in power and control, he will be swayed by rumors just like every other foolish man who has tried to rule the world.

This will be the beginning of his ending!

*****Dan 11:44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.

Dan 11:45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

With all the places in the world he could try to rule this world, why in the world would he choose Jerusalem, other than his hatred for the things of Jehovah mentioned in the Scriptures?

We know Satan reads the Bible and he may know more than the greatest Bible Scholars but he cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit so he cannot understand the Spiritual things of the Bible, but he can certainly read the historical parts of the Scriptures.

We know from our lessons that this is the same place that King Jesus will rule this world!

Zec 14:8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

Zec 14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

Maybe he read the Book of Psalms.

Psa 48:1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.

Psa 48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

Psa 48:3 God is known in her palaces for a refuge.

We know that this is the reason!

Satan can no longer go into Heaven, but we know he has set his sights on Jerusalem.

Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Satan(dragon), the Antichrist (beast) and the (false prophet) will all come to an end when King Jesus shows up with His Saints!

Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

Rev 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Rev 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;

Rev 19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

Rev 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.

Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Rev 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar that all these things would come to be the truth.

John the Apostle saw all these things come an end just has Heaven revealed them to him.

We can rest assured that all those who have place their faith in the truth of Jesus Christ, will be on the winning side!

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Amen

Let's Pray!