Yeshua Prophecy: Abraham

End-Time Warning! SYRIA IN CRISIS: POLITICAL UPHEAVAL

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The Eternal God prophesied the modern condition of loss of empire, loss of power, loss of the ability to effectively govern nations which is the present sad lot of the nations of biblical Israel.<br />
In a powerful chastisement of biblical Israel, and primarily Britain and America (Ephraim) with their former dominions and possessions, <br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">God declares: “Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned. Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">upon him, yet he knoweth not. And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this. Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart:</span></div>
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they call to Egypt,<b> they go to Assyria. When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them;</b> I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard”(Hos. 7:8-12).</h3>
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The Eternal God prophesied the modern condition of loss of empire, loss of power, loss of the ability to effectively govern nations whic...

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The Revelation of God's will for man - Part 3

07 November Sheeple 0

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Adventist_1863_chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="Seventh-day Adventist prophetic time chart fro..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted zemanta-img-configured" height="486" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/Adventist_1863_chart.jpg/350px-Adventist_1863_chart.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="350" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 350px;">Seventh-day Adventist prophetic time chart from 1863, about the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Adventist_1863_chart.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">All true prophecy is from God for His glory and the sake of the "elect". Yet, in our day it is common, even among people of faith, to pay little or no regard to any prophecy and to consider one who does pay attention, a conspiracy theorist.</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">A third of the Holy Bible is devoted to basic education revealing to man the necessary <b><i>foundational knowledge</i></b> otherwise undiscoverable and unknowable: knowledge of what man is, why he is, where his destiny may lead, how to reach it and live happily along the way.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">Another approximate third of that Book is devoted to <i><b>history</b></i>. A history dominated by what is written in the first five Books of your Bible, that most people have been taught not to read and to shun and denigrate, by scientists; religions; their peers and others.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">About a third of the Holy Bible is devoted to <i><b>Prophecy</b></i>—One finds the Hand of Almighty God always present, surely guiding His people towards their destiny, according to His Will, through all the errors made by these rebellious people out of own choice. The Book has real knowledge of the true values as opposed to the false. A spiritual ripening process, that are appropriately compared to the harvest or the process of food production throughout the 4 seasons.</span></li>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;"></span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">As the author of this page I do not proclaim to possess the gift of prophecy, nor will I profess certainty for my own interpretations or the views of other regarding these prophecies and their correlations. I furnish these texts to the reader and reminds all that where we cannot understand we may draw our conclusions provided we do this with caution, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The prophetic texts recorded are of certain divine origin and only in the instances where they form parts of Sacred Scripture or Specific traditions, should we accept them as a message from God. The interpretations of these are matters of faith and as our Messiah reminded us, not everything will be fully understood until the day we are exalted and only then will we have complete understanding.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"></span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">What follows here is a number of prophecies that by comparative studies, bears striking resemblances and although not all in equal detail, gives us an outline of their respective messages from different points of view. Many can only be confirmed once they actually occur, yet we are given a small window of time to be aware and recognise them before or mostly, while, they occur. Thus a prophecy may be in process of fulfilment before one's eyes and he may not be aware of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">The purpose of this site is to document various prophecies and determine the respective similarities in their messages.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1K2-4p46.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="English: close-up of P46 reading of textual va..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted zemanta-img-configured" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/1K2-4p46.JPG/350px-1K2-4p46.JPG" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 350px;">English: close-up of P46 reading of textual variant in 1 Co 2:4 (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1K2-4p46.JPG" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
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Because <a href="https://yeshuaprophecy.blogspot.co.za/2016/09/i-will-fight-by-pastor-steven.html">spiritual warfare</a> is just that  –spiritual–  it must be understood with a spiritual mind. In our natural, sinful state, we can not understand spiritual things:<br />
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But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (I Corinthians 2:14)</blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">This knowledge of the way to inner peace, happiness, abundant well being can only be understood through the study of scripture in its full context and with the guidance and interpretation of the Supernatural Holy Spirit. <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">It is known, that some items, which at their face value and in their context seem of little importance, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">contains something of intrinsic value to the "spiritually aware". There are hidden depths which </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">superficial reading will not reveal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "constantia" , serif; font-size: 11pt;">As Paul preached to Rome, He had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit was right when He spoke to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” Acts 28:26<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "constantia" , serif; font-size: 11pt;">Jesus Himself also explained “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside, everything is expressed in parables, so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.’” Mark 4:12<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">Interpretations that does not depend upon the Holy Spirit for revelation is nothing but man’s opinion. The Word of God was given to men by God to write it down in “books”. That is called “inspiration.” Notice that it came from God to man, not from man to man. This is always the order of interpretation. Peter said the Word of God is not the private interpretation of man, meaning that the Word of God did not originate from man no matter how great an intellect he may be (II Peter 1:20-21).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">Therefore, it is not enough to believe in the inspiration of the Scriptures apart from Holy Spirit revelation. Unless the Holy Spirit imparts the revelation or understanding, it is nothing but a literary book. This is the meaning of Paul’s comments in I Corinthians 2:10-16.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "constantia" , serif; font-size: 11pt;">…” And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">and in Corinthians 14:36, Paul sarcastically asked the Corinthians if the Word of God originated from them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "constantia" , serif; font-size: 11pt;">…” Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” 2 Timothy 4:3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Holy Spirit revelation is a lost learning in the body of Christ today and is largely replaced by intellectual education. Men on a lower level of understanding, when brought into contact with phenomena of a higher order, instead of making efforts to understand them, raise themselves up to the point of view from which they must look at the subject, judge it from their limited understanding (mostly limited scientific “knowledge”), and apparently, the less they understand what they are talking about, the more confidently and unhesitatingly they pass judgment on it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Instead of judging human experiences by the Word of God, this false idea suggests that we judge the Word of God by human experiences.  We attempt to prove God by our understanding of science while Science is merely what we know or some of it, about God. Yes, this is the opposite of the psychological base of humanistic teaching, but God's Word has always stood opposite the ideas of flesh and human rationale. When we base interpretation of truth on our experiences we totally lose the basis of truth.  Man is taught throughout Scripture to never trust himself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The majority of academics then, use a very crooked ruler in the form of incomplete, scientific assumptions (which changes daily). Bacon, who is often called the Father of Science, said the same thing and applied it to the influence of a knowledge of science upon the conception of God :<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">" A little philosophy inclineth a man's mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion." One hundred years later we find the greatest human intellect, possibly, Sir Isaac Newton devoutly unfolding the secrets of Daniel's mysterious prophecies and visions with a simple childlike faith that has never been excelled. And even most professing “Christians” refuse utterly to do that. No wonder they can’t understand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "constantia" , serif; font-size: 11pt;">“The fear of the Eternal is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments” (Ps. 111:10).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">Yet in modern times, both Agnostics and Christians are mostly looking at the living, moral teaching of Christ from the lower standpoint of our own conception of life, this doctrine appears as nothing but a very indefinite and vague combination of self-denial, easy-going philosophy, and of shortsighted visions, which have no serious significance for our times. Its whole meaning is concentrated, in its religious manifestations in the conflict with the historical powers of Catholicism, Protestantism or in other dogmas. In a similar fashion, Heads of government are utterly unaware of the true significance of the very world-shaking events which they are actively participating in. The media reports, without any insight into the real meaning of the world news they report on every day and even our religious leaders fail to bring this into context with their teachings. We popularize the Gospel by being politically correct and style the Faith in a less disruptive way, an all-inclusive acceptance of various doctrines. Just because its soo much more convenient for everybody to explain scientifically. Similarly, "emotional" preaching and teaching (Making me feel good motivational teaching) wrongs revelation and many believers follow these highly paid speakers to find this Inner peace which we so desperately need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">A good example is that of the Council of Laodicea who was a regional synod of approximately thirty clerics from Asia Minor that assembled about 363–364 AD. Their 59th canon forbade the readings in church of uncanonical books. They determined that the New Testament will contain 26 books, omitting the Book of Revelation, and the Old Testament including the 22 books of the Hebrew Bible plus the Book of Baruch and the Epistle of Jeremy. It is also believed that they may have demonized "The Book of Enoch", which led to its degeneration. This counsel also decreed the following “Christians must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honouring the Lord's Day; and, if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found to be judaizers, let them be cursed from Christ.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">Truth is not based on either an intellectual or emotional presentation of the Word of God often changed to make it more acceptable to the audience, but on God's original purpose, which is to make us more holy and righteous in our character and behavior. The “makes me feel good message” comes from pulpits and seminars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls between 1947 and 1961, has caused quite a stir in all aspects of Biblical study and investigation. These works were the collections of ‘the Essenes, a Jewish religious community flourishing during the last two centuries of<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">the Second Temple era (150 BCE-70 CE). The archaeological evidence shows that they lived in Jerusalem at the time of Christ, and Bargil Pixner, who lived on Mount Zion in Dormition Abby, has shown that there was a significant Essene quarter of Jerusalem on Mount Zion. One of the principal characteristics of the Essenes was common ownership of property. New members handed over their belongings to the superiors, who collected also the wages earned by every sectary. Agriculture was the main Essene occupation. Having renounced private possessions, the members received all that they needed: food, clothes, care. There seems to be a striking resemblance to this practice and that of the Apostles described in<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "constantia" , serif; font-size: 11pt;">Acts 4:32 “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Further “peculiarities” included the wearing of white garments; ritual bathing before meals which were given only to initiates, and cooked and blessed by priests; the rejection of animal sacrifice and of oaths to support their statements, and, above all, of marriage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">The discovery of the Dead sea Scrolls, allowed for the understanding of the original meaning of issues with which we have become almost too familiar and which with the passing of the centuries have tended to become choked with inessentials. It has led not only to a renewed preoccupation with the primitive but fully developed expression of these issues in the Scriptures, but also to a desire for knowledge and understanding of their prehistory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Theologically, the Essenes showed extreme reverence for the Law and were famous for their strictest observance of the Sabbath. Their teachings were recorded in secret books. Amongs them the books banned by the Council of Laodicea. They preferred belief in Fate to freedom of the will and, rejecting the notion of bodily resurrection, envisaged a purely spiritual afterlife. Experts in the healing of body and soul, they also excelled in prophecy. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">It</a><span class="MsoCommentReference"><a class="msocomanchor" href="file:///C:/Users/Pieter/Desktop/New%20folder/Article21_8_2016.docx#_msocom_1" id="_anchor_1" language="JavaScript" name="_msoanchor_1">[P1]</a> </span> seems the Essenes had a better knowledge of the true faith than did the Priests at the Jerusalem Temple. They had every book of the Jewish Bible, with the exception of Esther. They had several additional books as well: they had much material in the original languages of what are called apocrypha and pseudepigrapha (i.e. non-canonical anonymous writings), as well as other, unknown literary works. The word “apocrypha” is from the Greek apocrypha and means “hidden,” and is used to refer to scripture that is considered to be on the fringes of the OT and the NT. The manuscripts most likely originated in Jerusalem libraries, the contents of which were concealed in desert caves when the capital was besieged between 67 and 70 CE.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">The Dead Sea literature have opened new avenues of exploration in the era of the life of Jesus, the rise of Christianity and the emergence of rabbinic Judaism. A key question for me has been the “sifting” of the books that were in the Essenes’ library. The fact is that we have inherited a world in which the truth has been suppressed and the people have been deceived about many matters. And no doubt, our supposed religious shepherds and teachers are involved in the whole process.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px;">It seems that God, for this reason, made use of prophets. As prophets were seen as the "Updates" from God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="IntenseQuoteChar"><span style="font-family: "constantia" , serif; font-size: 11pt;">“The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning; He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. The Lord GOD has opened My ear; And I was not disobedient nor did I turn back.” Isaiah 50:5</span></span><span style="font-family: "constantia" , serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Among the discoveries at the Dead Sea was One of the most important and most unknown books of Sacred Scripture: the Book of Enoch (also called 1 Enoch). It is still largely unknown and unappreciated in the West because of the false prohibitions that have been placed on it by people who deliberately suppressed the truths that it contains.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Enoch (also called Enos, Hanoch, and even Enochion by the Greeks) was the father<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">of Methuselah and the great grandfather of Noah. He was recognized as one of<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">the greatest of the prophets. He was the great antediluvian prophet who lived 365<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">years, “walked with God,” and was the first biblical character translated into heaven<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">without tasting death (Genesis 5: 22-24; Hebrews 11: 5-6). There is not a lot of information about Enoch in the Bible, and just about all of it is in the first part of Genesis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">In the follow up to this article, we will look at some insightful prophetic insight in the Essene scrolls and particular reverence will be made to the Books of Enoch.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">It is necessary to use “spiritual discernment” to understand spiritual things. Perhaps one of the best examples of natural and spiritual discernment is recorded in II Kings chapter 6. It records the story of a natural battle in which troops of the enemy nation of Syria had surrounded a small town called Dothan where the prophet Elisha was staying. When Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, saw the great host of the enemy he became fearful. Elisha prayed that</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">God would open Gehazi’s spiritual eyes so he could see the angelic hosts surrounding and protecting them. On this occasion, God actually opened the natural eyes of Gehazi and allowed him to visibly see the superior forces of God aligned for battle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">The story of this battle at Dothan is similar to present spiritual conditions in the Church. There are some, like Elisha, who see clearly into the realm of the spirit. They know there is a conflict occurring, have identified the enemy, and recognize the greater forces of God that assure victory.</span></div>
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The Revelation of God's will for man - Part 3

Abraham Abraham ben David Acts of the Apostles Adam and Eve Angel Armor of God Christian Donald Trump France during World War II God Gospel Hebrew Bible Israel Jesus Syrian opposition United States The Revelation of God's will for man - Part 3

Seventh-day Adventist prophetic time chart from 1863, about the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Al...

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All of this will be fulfilled in and by the Lord Jesus Christ.

16 October Sheeple 0

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<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jerusalem%2C_Mount_of_olives_3863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="English: Mount of Olives." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted zemanta-img-configured" height="263" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/Jerusalem%2C_Mount_of_olives_3863.JPG/350px-Jerusalem%2C_Mount_of_olives_3863.JPG" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="350" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 350px;">English: Mount of Olives. (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jerusalem%2C_Mount_of_olives_3863.JPG" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
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Zechariah Chapter 14 shows, in relation to Israel and the land there will be a restoration, before the second Advent of our Lord. The Jews will make a pact with a false messiah known as the foolish shepherd or Antichrist.The seven year covenant will be established. This is the time of the tribulation. In the middle of the covenant, Antichrist will break his treaty with Israel and require the worship of him alone. During this time, the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled.<br />
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When Israel refuses to worship of him alone, the armies of the world will gather to do battle, climaxing in a great siege of Jerusalem. As the nations gather against Israel there are only intensified hatred by these confederated hosts against this land and people. Jerusalem will be so overcome by the enemy that the spoil will be leisurely divided in the midst of the city. Half of the remaining population in the city will be dragged into captivity, and there will be but a small and wretched remnant left.<br />
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This atrocity then triggers the wrath of God against the world and the Battle of Armageddon.<br />
His majesty, “the Lord my God shall come”, suddenly and unexpectedly, in the person of their long rejected Messiah. Jesus will literally return to the Mt. of Olives, located east of the Kidron Valley. It was from this mountain that Jesus ascended and it will be the same place where “Jesus will return in the same manner as he was taken.” and He will return precisely to the same location he ascended from. Not only the Messiah, but the myriads of His holy angels, His saints, who are also called holy “ones”, and who shall have been caught up to meet the Lord in the air. When Jesus returns to earth the second time with all of His holy ones, that day shall be an extraordinary day beyond the normal course of nature that differs from the natural, the lights in the world will go out, and be replaced by the light of Christ’s glory. Even at evening time it shall be light.<br />
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Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations and overcome those that shall make war with him. The mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the East, shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west which will afford a haven of escape for God’s people, the remnant of the city. A valley running east and west will be created as the mountain is pulled northward and southward<br />
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Thy Kingdom Come</h2>
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Jerusalem during the millennial period shall emerge from the catastrophe. Living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half toward the Dead Sea (east) and the other half to the Mediterranean Sea (west): in summer and in winter shall it be. great physical changes will take place in Palestine and the whole land, but particularly the position of Jerusalem will be greatly altered and transformed. The very desert shall be transformed by them, and the stagnant waters of the Dead Sea healed. It will be the source whence the living waters of God’s grace and salvation are to issue in all directions, and therefore every obstacle which might hinder their flow shall be changed and turned into a plain.<br />
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There will be only one religion in the entire world during the millennial reign of Christ. This will be the ultimate fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant providing a Jewish people, the nation of Israel, and the land given to Abraham; the Davidic Covenant which promised a king from the tribe of Judah and the line of David; and the New Covenant which held out the hope of spiritual redemption for Jew and Gentile. All the kingdoms of this world shall then become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever.<br />
Isaiah and Micah, as well as Ezekiel announced that “it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted about the hills. The literal fact will at the same time be symbolic of a great spiritual truth. The entire land, from Geba 6 miles to the north to Rimmon in the south, would be leveled to become an Exalted plain upon her own rubble or mound, as Jeremiah expresses it. Like the well-watered and fertile lowlands of the Jordan Valley, causing Jerusalem to be will be exalted in both place and purpose, the prominent royal city containing the temple of God and the throne of Jesus Christ above the land. All nations shall look up to it for instruction and guidance, and therefore it must be lifted high. It must be literally understood, and that it is of Jerusalem and Palestine that the prophet Zechariah   primarily speaks.<br />
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<h3>
Detailed analysis:</h3>
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The chief importance of these local and topographical details in this great prophecy is the proof which they afford that it must be literally understood, and that it is of Jerusalem and Palestine that the prophet primarily speaks.<br />
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It seems from Scripture that in relation to Israel and the land there will be a restoration, before the second Advent of our Lord, but that restoration will be of very much the same state of things as those which existed at the time of His First Advent, when the threats of God’s dealing with them nationally were finally dropped, not to be taken up again “until the times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled.<br />
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Chapter 14 is an amplification of 13:8-9. Prior to Israel’s national conversion, seen in chapters 12:10-13:1, the Jews will make a pact with a false messiah known as the foolish shepherd or Antichrist. In the middle of the seven year covenant, Antichrist will break his treaty with Israel and require the worship of him alone (Dan. 9:24-27; Matt. 24:15; 2 Thess. 2:3-4).<br />
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When Israel refuses, the armies of the world will gather to do battle, climaxing in a great siege of Jerusalem and the Battle of Armageddon (Rev. 19:11-16), will come the full restoration of Israel as anticipated in Hos. 14:4-7, Joel 3:18-21, Amos 9:13-15, Mic. 4:1-3 and Zeph. 3:14-20.</div>
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Zechariah 14:1 “Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.”</blockquote>
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“A day of the Lord cometh”: The “Day of the Lord” is a technical term for God’s wrath unleashed against sinners. Here, Zechariah is looking at the Day of the Lord when His wrath is unleashed against the whole world of sinners, which results in the establishment of the Lord’s millennial reign on earth.<br />
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See note on Isa. 2:12 and introduction to Joel.<br />
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“Spoil … divided in the midst of thee”: Jerusalem will be so overcome by the enemy that the spoil will be leisurely divided in the midst of the city, illustrating how completely Jerusalem will be overthrown.<br />
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Israel’s enemies march in triumph through the land and they easily tread down all opposition. And then the enemy in overwhelming force and irresistible fury attacks Jerusalem, which is soon at his mercy.<br />
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The city is taken, and the “spoil” or booty leisurely “divided in the midst” of her, without any fear on the part of the enemy of interruption or molestation. This illustrates how completely Jerusalem will be overthrown. This atrocity then triggers the wrath of God against the world in the “Day of the Lord”.<br />
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Zechariah 14:2 “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.”</blockquote>
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“I will gather all nations”: God Himself will gather the nations, using them to purge, refine, and judge (Rev. 16:13-14, 16). Their presence results in an unprecedented time of national calamity. This is the climax of “the time of Jacob’s distress” (Jer. 30:5-7).<br />
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As the nations gather against Israel there are many scenes of cruel brutality, lust and horrors, which usually accompany the sack of cities by enraged enemies. In this case, they are only intensified by the accumulated hatred of these confederated hosts against this land and people.<br />
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Half of the remaining population in the city is dragged forth into captivity, and there is but a small and wretched remnant left, which probably, in the intention of the enemy, are also devoted to destruction.<br />
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Verses 3-4: “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives”: To prevent the eradication of His remnant, the Lord will personally intervene to fight against the gathered nations.</blockquote>
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Just as He fought for His people in the past, so He will do in the future as the ultimate Warrior-King. Jesus will literally return to the Mt. of Olives, located east of the Kidron Valley, just as the angels announced at His ascension (Acts 1:11).<br />
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Zechariah 14:3 “Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.”</blockquote>
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"Then shall the Lord go forth": Out of his place in heaven, either in person, or by the display of his power; that is, the Lord Jesus Christ. Whose name is called the Word of God, and is the King of kings, and Lord of lords, described as a mighty warrior (Rev. 19:11).</blockquote>
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"And fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle": The Targum adds, "at the Red Sea"; when the Lord fought for, Israel against the Egyptians (Exodus 14:25). </blockquote>
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Afterwards against the Canaanites, when they entered the land of Canaan under Joshua.<br />
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Thus Christ shall judge, and make war in righteousness, and overcome those that shall make war with him; and with the sharp sword that goeth out of his mouth shall smite nations, and with a rod of iron rule them, and cause them to tremble with fear (Rev. 14:14; see Ezek. 38:21).<br />
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Though it is a day which begins with calamity and judgment to Israel, this will be the day of Jehovah, the day set apart and appointed by Him.<br />
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Not only for the display of His majesty and the vindication of the righteousness of His character and way, but it is the day of the manifestation of His Divine might and glory in the destruction of Israel’s enemies, and the salvation of His own people.<br />
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To prevent the eradication of His remnant, the Lord will personally intervene to fight against the gathered nations. Just as He fought for His people in the past, so He will do in the future as the ultimate Warrior King.<br />
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The Jewish Targum and many commentators who regard the reference: “as when he fought in the day of battle” as being the conflict between Jehovah and the Egyptians at the Red Sea.”<br />
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Verses 4-5: The violent topographical changes predicted here will afford a haven of escape for God’s people. It the splitting of the mountain will be caused by an “earthquake,” it is interesting to note that a recent geological survey in the area has verified the presence of a prominent fault running “east” to “west” through the southern section of the “Mount of Olives.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Zechariah 14:4 “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which [is] before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, [and there shall be] a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.”</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“The Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst”: A valley running east and west will be created as the mountain is pulled northward and southward (Mica 1:2-4; Nahum 1:5; Rev. 16:18-19).</blockquote>
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Our Lord returned to heaven from “the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:11-12), and He will return precisely to the same location.<br />
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When the feet of Jesus touches the Mount of Olives, there will be a tremendous topographical upheaval, perhaps an earthquake. A phenomenon which is not uncommon when God announces His coming in judgment (Mica 1:2-4; Nahum 1:5; Rev. 16:18-21).<br />
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This mountain that has been so clearly defined and located in this prophecy is already associated with many events and crises in Israel’s history. It was from this mountain that Ezekiel saw the glory of Jehovah finally taking its departure. (Ezek. 11:23)<br />
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It was from this mountain that He, the living personal revelation of the glory of Jehovah, took His departure from the land, after He had been rejected by the nation of Israel.<br />
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And it was on the foot of this mountain at the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus shed tears of sorrow over Jerusalem. The mountain which witnessed His agony and bloody sweat as He talked with the Father and asked if "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will."<br />
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It was from this mountain that Jesus ascended and it will be the same place where “Jesus will return in the same manner as he was taken.”<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Zechariah 14:5 “And ye shall flee [to] the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, [and] all the saints with thee.”</blockquote>
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“Azal”: It is best understood as a place east of Jerusalem, marking the eastern end of the newly created valley. Though exact identification is unknown, it is possibly the Valley of Jehoshaphat or Valley of Decision (Joel 3:12, 14) which will be for judgment of the nations and for the escape of the half who were not captured (verse 2).<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“All the saints with thee”: This term could refer to angels, Jewish believers or Gentile Christians together (Rev. 19:14).</blockquote>
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This same mountain in verse 4 shall be split in two from east to west where half of it will move to the north and the other half to the south, thus forming “a very great valley”. This is done by an earthquake similar to the one found in the book of Amos more than two centuries before this prophecy and was still fresh in the minds of the people.<br />
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“Ye shall flee” (The Hebrew text reads: into My mountains). The lofty precipitous sides of this newly formed chasm or valley and are being called His mountains, because they were formed by an act of His power.<br />
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This may, in a sense be regarded as a parallel to the passage through the Red Sea after it was divided by the power of God. And “the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on the left.”<br />
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They flee partly because of the fear of the destroying enemy and the terror inspired by the earthquake, but most of all “for fear of Jehovah and the glory of His majesty, when suddenly and unexpectedly “the Lord my God shall come”, in the person of their long rejected Messiah, “and all the holy ones with thee”.<br />
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This means not only the myriads of His holy angels, but His saints, who are also called holy “ones”, and who shall have been caught up to meet the Lord in the air.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Zechariah 14:6-7 “And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the light shall not be clear, [nor] dark:” “But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, [that] at evening time it shall be light.”</blockquote>
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As these Jews are fleeing through this newly created valley, the lights in the world will go out (Isa. 13:9-10; 24:23; Joel 2:10; 3:14-16; Matt. 24:29-30; Rev. 6:12-14) and be replaced by the light of Christ’s glory (Isa. 60:19-20). Only the Lord knows the fullness of the plan for that day when the lights go out and are lit again in the millennial kingdom (Isa. 30:26; Mal. 4:2).<br />
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“In that day”, is when Jesus returns to earth the second time with all of His holy ones. That day shall be an extraordinary day beyond the normal course of nature that differs from the natural. This is the day spoken of as “no one knoweth the day nor the hour except the Father.”<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Joel 3:15 “The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.”</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Isa. 24:23 “Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.”</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
Isa.13:9-10 "Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it." "For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine."</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Mark 13:24-26 "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light," "And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken." "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory."</blockquote>
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It shall not be day, for the natural sources of light will be withdrawn; but it cannot be like the darkness of night, for there will be the light of the glory of the Lord, and the myriads of His holy angels, and of the glorified saints reflected on the earth.<br />
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The blessed issues of the solemn events of “that day,” as set forth in the first seven verses, are described in the verses that follow:<br />
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Zechariah 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.”<br />
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The highest elevation of the temple mount in Jerusalem is more than 300 feet lower that the Mt. of Olives, but the topographical alterations described in verses 4, and 10 will allow the spring to flow toward the Dead Sea (east) and the Mediterranean Sea (west), see notes on Ezek. 47:1-12.<br />
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It will not dry up in summer, as most Palestinian streams do, but will flow all year, making the desert “blossom like the crocus” (Isa. 35:1).<br />
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Because of the great earthquake spoken of in verses 4-5, and other convulsions of nature which are immediately to precede and accompany the visible appearing of the Messiah, when His feet shall stand in the day upon the Mount of Olives, great physical changes will take place in Palestine and the whole land, but particularly the position of Jerusalem will be greatly altered and transformed.<br />
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A stream of water flows up from underneath the temple (Joel 3:18), going East to the Jordan, then curving South through the Dead Sea area. Its origin coincides with Christ’s Second Advent arrival on the Mount of Olives, which will trigger a massive earthquake, thus creating a vast East to West valley running through Jerusalem and allowing for the water flow (see Ezekiel 47:1-12).<br />
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The former sea is the Dead Sea which shall then be healed by the streams of fresh or living water which will flow through it. The hinder sea is the Mediterranean Sea. These waters will never run dry as the streams in the south are apt to do now. Neither summer drought shall lessen them nor winter cold bind them, but they shall ceaselessly flow in both summer and winter.<br />
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To these perennial waters flowing from the “river of God”, see Psalm 46:4, primarily so called because it is formed as it were, by a direct act of His power.<br />
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There are many references in the prophetic Scriptures regarding this.<br />
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Isa. 30:25-26 “And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers [and] streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.” “Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.<br />
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Joel speaks of the time when Jehovah shall manifestly dwell in Zion, and “Jerusalem shall be holy,” into which nothing that defileth shall enter, says:<br />
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Joel 3:18 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.<br />
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In Numbers 25:1 Shittim was the last encampment of the Israelites before crossing the Jordan into Canaan, the barren valley of the Jordan above the Dead Sea. Shittim means acacias, which grow only in arid regions, and the words of the prophecy imply that even the arid desert shall be fertilized by the waters issuing from this fountain.<br />
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The Psalmist beholds in vision: Psalm 46:4: “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy [place] of the tabernacles of the most High.”<br />
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Jerusalem during the millennial period shall emerge from the catastrophe described in the first verses, when the earth shall “be removed”, or “changed,” and the “mountains shaken into the heart of the seas, and the waters roar and be troubled.<br />
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The allusion in all these scriptures, which speak of the river of living waters dividing themselves into streams flowing in different directions, is probably Genesis 2:10 which reads:<br />
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“And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.” Which are: Pison is in the land of Havilah; Gihon is in the land of Ethiopia; Hiddekel is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria and the fourth river is the Euphrates.<br />
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Since for beauty and fertility, and as the earthly center of God’s dwelling and worship, point to, as it were, to the garden of Eden, there is again the River, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, and flowing thence fertilize other parts of the earth.<br />
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Consider for a moment this “river of God”. Its source is God Himself. Isaiah 33:21 "But there the glorious LORD [will be] unto us a place of broad rivers [and] streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby."<br />
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And John puts it this way in Rev. 22:1 “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.”<br />
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Yes, and of the Lamb, for though God is the Source, the Eternal Fountain of this pure Water of Life, the Lamb slain is the channel through which it flows.<br />
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 As the “living water” is abundant in quantity, so also is the healing life giving of the living waters wonderful. The very desert shall be transformed by them, and the stagnant waters of the Dead Sea healed.<br />
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Zechariah 14:9 “And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.”<br />
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“There be one Lord … and his name one”: Rev. 11:15. There will be only one religion in the entire world during the millennial reign of Christ. Ruling with a rod of iron (Rev. 19:15), Christ will have done away with all false religions spawned by Satan.<br />
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This will be the ultimate fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant providing a Jewish people, the nation of Israel, and the land given to Abraham; the Davidic Covenant which promised a king from the tribe of Judah and the line of David; and the New Covenant which held out the hope of spiritual redemption for Jew and Gentile.<br />
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<h2>
All of this will be fulfilled in and by the Lord Jesus Christ.</h2>
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Here is the answer to the “Lord’s Prayer”, “Thy Kingdom Come”. The Lord here is referring to Jehovah. Jehovah shall be King, but according to the united and harmonious testimony of the prophetic scriptures it will be Jehovah in the person of the Messiah.<br />
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Jehovah-Jesus, Immanuel, He whose feet shall in that day stand on the Mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the East, who will thus set up His Kingdom and rule on this earth.<br />
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While the holy hill of Zion shall be the seat of His throne, and Palestine, with restored and converted Israel, the center of His blessed rule, “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth”.<br />
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All kings shall fall down before Him, all nations shall serve Him, for all the kingdoms of this world shall then become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever.<br />
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“In that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.” Jehovah will be recognized and acknowledged as the “God of the whole earth,” and the false gods of the nations, to whom even Israel was tempted in former days of apostasy to render worship, shall be “cut off”, and all idols utterly abolished (terminated with prejudice).<br />
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Zechariah 14:10 “All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and [from] the tower of Hananeel unto the king's wine presses.”<br />
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“All the land … turned as a plain”: The term “plain” pictures the Jordan Valley, extending from Mt. Hermon (elevation 9,100 feet) to the Gulf of Arabah.<br />
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Here the entire land, from Geba 6 miles to the north to Rimmon in the south, would be leveled to become like the well-watered and fertile lowlands of the Jordan Valley (Gen. 13:10), causing Jerusalem to be exalted above like a solitaire diamond on a ring.<br />
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Jerusalem, having been rebuilt according to these dimensions, will be exalted in both place and purpose, the prominent royal city containing the temple of God and the throne of Jesus Christ (Ezek. Chapters 40 – 48). The locations of these landmarks would be the equivalent of meaning “all Jerusalem, east to west and north to south.”<br />
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And the land shall be turned means the land shall be changed. This is the meaning of the announcement in the 10th verse: “All the land shall be turned” or “changed,” so that it shall become as or like the Arabah.”<br />
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The area to be transformed is more closely defined, namely, “from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem”.<br />
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This entire district “from Geba to Rimmon” is to be changed and become “as the Arabah”. This word, translated “plain” in the American Standard Version bible, is the proper name of the Jordan valley, that remarkable depression which runs from the slopes of Hermon to the Red Sea, known as the deepest depression in the surface of the globe.<br />
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The Sea of Galilee situated within it being 652 feet below the level of the Mediterranean, while the Dead Sea, which is also included in its course, is 1316 feet below that level, or the level of the Red Sea.<br />
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Parts of this valley were distinguished for their luxurious vegetation, but the reference here is not to its fertility nor to its deep depression, which probably will itself undergo modification in that day of great physical as well as moral upheavals, but to the fact of its being a plain.<br />
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The whole hill country specified shall be leveled or become a plain “and she” (meaning Jerusalem) “shall be lifted up” (or “exalted” “and shall dwell” (or “become settled”) “in her place,” literally, “upon that which was under her,” upon her own rubble or mound, as Jeremiah expresses it.<br />
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The prophet Zechariah gives us also, a terse summary of the longer predictions of the former prophets; for already Isaiah and Micah, as well as Ezekiel announced that “it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted about the hills.<br />
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Here, as in the case of the “living waters” in the 8th verse, the literal fact will at the same time be emblematic of a great spiritual truth.<br />
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Zion in the millennial age will be the city of truth, “the habitation of righteousness and mountain of holiness,” and therefore will be raised conspicuously aloft in the view of all the nations; it will be the source whence the living waters of God’s grace and salvation are to issue in all directions, and therefore every obstacle which might hinder their flow shall be changed and turned into a plain.<br />
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It will be the center of God’s governmental rule of the world, and the place to which “all nations shall flow” for instruction and guidance, and therefore it must be lifted high, and approach to it rendered easy.<br />
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The second half of verse 10 concerns the bounds of the restored and enlarged city, which shall thus be “lifted up” and settled down to dwell safely “in her own place.”<br />
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The gates and towers named here cannot with any certainty be identified. Benjamin’s gate is probably the same as “the gate of Ephraim” (mentioned in 2 Kings 14:13) was in the north wall of the city through which the road to Benjamin, and thence to Ephraim ran.<br />
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The first or “former” gate, which no longer existed in Zechariah’s time is supposed to have been at the north eastern corner, and the “corner gate” at the north western corner.<br />
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If these suppositions are correct, this line would describe the whole breadth of the city from east to west, while the town of Hananeel, which stood at the north or north east corner, and the king’s winepresses, which all are agreed were in the king’s gardens south of the city, would indicate the northern and southern boundaries.<br />
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<h4 class="zemanta-related-title">
Revelation chapter 18 - Commercial, Political Babylon is now in view </h4>
The destruction of religious Babylon described in Rev. 17 and commercial Babylon in chapter 18 will decisively rid the world of the major evils that have plagued the human race for about 5000 years. We have already seen the destruction to be unleashed on ecclesiastical or religious Babylon in the middle of the Tribulation period. But the destruction of the commercial and governmental systems will not take place, however, until the end of the Tribulation. Some Bible scholars do not distinguish between the destruction of chapter 17 and that of chapter 18, but mold them altogether. The following six reasons establish that they are not the same.<br />
"After these things" (Rev 18 v.1) This expression indicates that the events described in chapter 18 will not take place until after the events of chapter 17 have been fulfilled.<br />
"I saw another angel coming down from heaven" Events of chapter 17 were introduced by "one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls" (Rev 17 v.1). The angel referred to in chapter 18 is obviously not the same as the one who introduced the events of chapter 17. Therefore, we can expect the same sequence of events that have happened throughout the book of Revelation: When an angel fulfills his responsibility, another distinct judgment takes place on the earth.<br />
The names in the 2 chapters are different. The name in chapter 18 is simply "Babylon the Great". (Rev. 18 v.2) True, the Babylon destroyed in chapter 17 has the name, "Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and of the Abominations of the whole Earth", (Rev. 17 v.5) but the only similarity is the location, Babylon. When both titles are used fully, the contrast of these two Babylons is clearly seen. Babylon the prostitute of chapter 17 will be destroyed by the kings of the earth. (Rev. 17 v.16) The Babylon of chapter 18 will be destroyed by the cataclysmic judgments of God. The kings who destroy the Babylon of chapter 17 rejoice. In the Babylon of chapter 18, the kings and merchants lament and weep for her (Rev. 18 v.9-15). If chapter 17 and 18 take place during the last days of the Tribulation, there will be no place for the Antichrist and the False Prophet to do away with all religions and substitute the worship of the Antichrist's image as described in chapter 13.<br />
Chapter 18<br />
18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.<br />
Then John saw another angel coming down from heaven. Whether "another angel" is one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls we are not told. But it seems doubtful, for this angel is distinctive, with such "great authority" that he lights the earth with his glory.<br />
In the last lesson we saw that the beast, and his system, and the great whore were revealed.  Here in chapter 18, we will see the judgment that comes from God poured out on them. This "angel" in V-1 was sent from heaven.  This "power" spoken of here is power that God has endowed on this angel for the execution of this punishment. This "angel" has been in close association with the Light. We see here that this powerful Light of Jesus, even though second hand through the angel, still lightens the earth.<br />
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.<br />
The message of this angel who cries with a "mighty voice" is this: "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!" Since chapter 18 seems to describe the destruction of a literal commercial city, the governmental capital of the world during the Tribulation, we naturally ask ourselves the question, "Where is that city?" Again, Bible prophecy students are not in agreement. Some suggest the city of Rome, and some years ago suggested New York City because he felt it was the commercial center of the world. Some who believe we should take the Scriptures literally whenever possible are inclined to believe that the city of Babylon will be rebuilt.<br />
In chapter 18 verses 10, 16, 18, 19, and 21 you find reference to this Babylon being a city. In verse 2 the angel cried mightily and said "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen". The literal interpretation would dictate that indeed this Babylon is a city.<br />
I do not believe this is so! If you read Rev. 17 v.18 you see: "And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the Kings of the earth." In reality the "woman" was the corrupt religious system and not a city. The same applies here. Commercial Babylon is a corrupt commercial, social and political system that will be destroyed at the end of the Tribulation.<br />
18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.<br />
Remember in chapter 16 we saw the actual destruction of commercial Babylon. At the end of this chapter I will show it  to you again so you can make sense of what is taking place. The corruption may have had its beginnings at the city of Babylon, but believe me it has spread to every corner of the earth. It will not be until the earth is totally destroyed that this evil will be no more. Those who mourn are those who are loosing their ability to deceive the nations any longer. Looking ahead at what it says in chapter 18 verse 23: "for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived", so you see this is not a city but a very corrupt system that is being destroyed by God by his Judgment to prepare for the coming Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.<br />
18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.<br />
Come out of her, my people. This is a call for God's people to disentangle themselves from the world system. It may also be an evangelistic call to God's elect to come to faith in Christ and come out of Satan's kingdom. In both cases, the message is to abandon the system.<br />
Read 2 Cor. 6 v-14-17 for a good example of this<br />
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, you see, even though you are not committing sin, as such. You are committing sin by association. The Bible tells us over and over not to be unequally yoked with those of unbelief. If you do not remove yourself, you are guilty of her sin. In this verse, we read that her plagues will come to those people as well. The righteous God of the universe has not overlooked the sins of the elite power brokers who have used commerce and government for centuries to live luxuriously at the expense of others. The commercial, social and political systems of the Antichrist will receive double judgment for their sins.<br />
18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.<br />
Babylon's sins will pile up like a new Tower of Babel, but unlike the ancient tower, her sins will reach as high as heaven. Then an angel states that God has remembered her sins. He will take note of them as He did that earlier monument to man's sinful, arrogant, prideful rebellion at Babel.<br />
18:6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.<br />
This reward her simple means will recompense or repay commercial Babylon according to her works. All of those who are involved and are guilty will suffer double judgment as the cup is filled twice for her for what she has done to the Saints.<br />
She will reap what she sowed.<br />
18:7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.<br />
This is describing 3 sins she is guilty of.<br />
(1)   "She has glorified herself" meaning she was proud.<br />
(2)   "She lived Deliciously" meaning she pursued self gratification, and<br />
(3)   "I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow" meaning she was not only proud but boastful.<br />
That proud boast echoes that of ancient Babylon who said "I will be a queen forever" and I will not sit as a widow, nor know loss of children. Now read that boast in Isaiah 47 verses 7-8:<br />
"And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: [so] that thou didst not lay these [things] to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it." "Therefore hear now this, [thou that art] given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I [am], and none else beside me; I shall not sit [as] a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children."<br />
18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong [is] the Lord God who judgeth her.<br />
But these two [things] shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, [and] for the great abundance of thine enchantments. (Isaiah 47 v.9) This is saying that Babylon's destruction will not be progressive. The wicked city (system) will be instantly destroyed. Daniel 5 records a similar fate that befell ancient Babylon; the city fell the very night that God wrote its doom on the wall of the king's palace. Babylon's doom is certain and cannot be avoided. No one can change God's plans or keep Him from accomplishing what He purposed to do as Nebuchadnezzar discovered above in Daniel. Or in this case his grandson.<br />
18:9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,<br />
This will no doubt include the 10 kings of the earth who rule Antichrist's kingdom under his authority as well as the rest of the world's leaders. The destruction of the Antichrist's political and economic power will strike a fatal blow to his empire. The fall of Babylon will be a symbol of the fall of the entire evil world system. And again Babylon is pictured as a harlot whose death causes her lovers to weep and lament over her.<br />
18:10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.<br />
This "standing afar off", could mean those who heeded and came out of her. It really doesn't matter where. It may be all of these cities and many more, or it might not be a literal city at all.  I really believe this is both an evil system and many evil cities, as well, being destroyed.<br />
The one hour simply means the judgment will happen rapidly just as verse 8 predicted.<br />
18:11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:<br />
These mourners are the merchants of the earth who will weep and mourn over Babylon because no one will be able to buy their goods anymore. Whatever economy there had been will end and so will any semblance of normalcy on this devastated planet that was already in serious trouble brought on by the divine judgments of God.<br />
18:12-13 "The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble," "And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men".<br />
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It appears that these are classed in several types:<br />
  1.  Personal items of jewelry<br />
  2.  Articles used for furniture<br />
  3.  Nice smelling and tasting things<br />
  4.  Food<br />
  5.  Animals<br />
  6.  Souls of men<br />
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What significance this has, I do not know; unless, it means worldly things. Most of these are things a person could do without if hard times came and you had to, even maybe the food for awhile. This "souls of men", is one of the more interesting. In the days of the old Roman Empire, they sold people as you would animals. Perhaps that is what is meant there.  They thought no more about selling a person than they did a pair of shoes. It appears to me, in all of this that trade has just about ceased, period. Probably, all the plagues and wars have just about stopped everything.<br />
18:14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.<br />
And the merchandise that was available before are now gone and will never ever be available again. The commercial system is completely shut down and that reality is about to be made manifest. It will probably be a time when it will be next to impossible to even find enough to feed your family. Even if you did find enough for them to eat, it would probably take all you could possibly make just to have even bread for your family. This is probably the time when a loaf of bread would cost a whole day's wages.  There will be no money at all left for niceties.<br />
Even if you have a tremendous amount of money, there will be great shortages of real items necessary to live on not to mention the things the rich consume will be entirely unavailable.<br />
18:15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,<br />
Here, we see such great fear from these merchants who used to sell their merchandise at tremendous, outrageous profits. Like today when many get rich from oil by taking advantage of those who can't afford the inflated prices. And that includes the government who adds very high taxes to every gallon of gas. When this horrible punishment comes, it will put the fear of God on those looking on. It is about time that someone begins to fear.<br />
These merchants weep because their materialistic passions can no longer be fulfilled. The weeping that begins then will last for eternity in hell.<br />
These greedy merchants are a classic illustration of those in all times who gain the whole world only to end up forfeiting their own souls.<br />
18:16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!<br />
These items were common commodities in the ancient world and were the source of great immense financial gain. Those materialistic, unrepentant people mourn as God brings His judgment against Babylon, knowing these items will never be found again.<br />
18:17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,<br />
In one Hour: The destruction will come suddenly and quickly. The world's pagan economic system will collapse. They cast dust on their heads as a sign of mourning and sorrow (v.19; Job. 2:12; lam. 2:10; Ezek. 27:30). God hath avenged you on her: God at last judges the Babylonian system for its treatment of God's people, particularly those who are martyred during the Tribulation (Rev. 6:9-11).<br />
18:18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What [city is] like unto this great city!<br />
The people cry and are amazed as they see this destruction taking place before their eyes.<br />
18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.<br />
Casting dust on their heads is a typical ancient expression of grief. These last few scriptures state sailors, but could mean any system of transportation and delivery systems of today such as planes, trains, trucks ect. All of these services would be immediately shut down if the commercial system was destroyed including banking and computers.<br />
Consider what would happen if there was no more electrical system available.<br />
18:20 Rejoice over her, [thou] heaven, and [ye] holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.<br />
God has taken vengeance on the ones who killed his prophets and apostles and even his blessed Son.  Finally, all of those martyred by these have been avenged.<br />
The long awaited moment of vindication, retribution and vengeance for which the martyred tribulation believers had prayed for in chapter 6 verses 9 -10 and for which all the redeemed have hoped, that time has arrived.<br />
These final verses picture from within the results of the collapse of the Babylonian system. The finality of its destruction is shown by the six fold repetition of the phrase "no more at all". The stone cast into the sea depicts the violence and permanence of the destruction. The Babylonian system began in Genesis 10, and has continued uninterrupted in one form or another to the present day. But one day it will suddenly "sink," never to return.<br />
In verses 23b, 24, three reasons are given for the destruction of Babylon: <br />
(1) its arrogance,<br />
(2) Its deception of the nations, and<br />
(3) its persecution and martyrdom of God's people.<br />
18:21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast [it] into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. "sea" sometimes means masses of people but I do not believe that is the meaning here. Whether this is only a real city, (rebuilt Babylon) or a sinful commercial, social and political system that corrupts the entire world which is being destroyed here, this is speaking of total destruction. More than likely both this is speaking of both as the two can be easily associated. This millstone here is similar to the one spoken of as being around a neck and thrown into the sea.<br />
In the light of this Scripture, this is a really bad punishment. I believe this illustration is to show the finality of this judgment of God. We must remember Babylon is destroyed by God Himself, not by the devil.<br />
18:22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft [he be], shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;<br />
Literally everything grinds to a halt everywhere.<br />
Babylon will be completely and so thoroughly destroyed that it will never rise again as predicted by the Old Testament prophets. Isaiah in Chapter 13 verses 19-21: "And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah." "It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there." "But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there."The Prophecies of Jeremiah and Isaiah Indicate That Babylon Will be Suddenly and Totally Obliterated - "Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed" says the prophet in Jeremiah 51 v.8. And Isaiah 13 v.19 states, - And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans' Excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom & Gomorrah.<br />
18:23-24 "And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived." "And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth."<br />
Three final reasons are given for Babylon's judgment.<br />
Notice that the merchants are mentioned as the great men of the earth. That's why this is talking of a commercial system as well as a political system. They are not from the city of Babylon, but from all parts of the earth.<br />
First, they use their wealth to ascent to positions of power, prominence and influence. The abuses of the proud, arrogant rich are well documented in scripture. James, Isaiah and Amos condemned the rich for their self aggrandizement and maltreatment of the poor.<br />
Second is all the nations were deceived by her sorcery. Sorcery is from pharmakeia, the root word of the English words "pharmacy" and "pharmaceuticals". The word is used in the New Testament to refer to magic and occult practices. (Gal. 5 v.20)<br />
Babylon's hold on the world will not be entirely due to her military and economic power, but also to her occult influence.<br />
A final reason given for Babylon's judgment is her murderous slaughter of God's people.<br />
Now let's go back and read the end of chapter 16 starting with verse 17 through verse 21.<br />
This is starting when the Angel pours our the seventh vial or bowl judgment which is the last of the 21 plaques of Revelation right before the second coming of Jesus and the battle of Armageddon.<br />
16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.<br />
16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, [and] so great.<br />
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.<br />
16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.<br />
16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, [every stone] about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.<br />
Notice that not only Babylon fell, but also the cities of the nations as well, v.19.<br />
Also don't forget the earth is already reeling from the thunders and lightnings not to mention the biggest earthquake the world has even know.<br />
Then the great hail that weight about a talent each (100 pounds each). This hail is totally capable of destroying cities with no problem at all.<br />
And verse 20 tells us that every island fled away and the mountains were no longer found. This is the worst plague of the 21 by far as it completely destroys the political, commercial system called Babylon the Great from off the earth. Not to mention that this is the end of the earth as we have known it as it now has been completely leveled and is ready for the renewal process that's coming.<br />
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All of this will be fulfilled in and by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Abraham Christ God God the Father Holy Spirit (Christianity) Jerusalem Jesus John 3:16 Mount of Olives All of this will be fulfilled in and by the Lord Jesus Christ.

English: Mount of Olives. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Zechariah Chapter 14 shows, in relation to Israel and the land there will be a ...

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