For His Glory TX

Mike Balloun teaches today. 03-02-24 🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 16) REVELATION 21:1-7 🔥

Mike Balloun teaches today. 02/24/24 🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 15) THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT [REV 20:11-15] 🔥 VERSES: DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: Link to today's illustration: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/dqprmecn9bic1kj5s9jlk/h?rlkey=h1kpsc41h5zvvoos4a0cxc8za&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9

Mike Balloun teaches today. 01/27/24 🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 11) 🔥 VERSES: Revelation 19:11; John 5:43; Daniel 9:24-27; Zechariah 13:8-9 DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/sxfkplu6y8i9aaahl5fb7/h?rlkey=m481t4mvfoeymn1lq41nv7oa9&dl=0 Link to today's illustration: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/dqprmecn9bic1kj5s9jlk/h?rlkey=h1kpsc41h5zvvoos4a0cxc8za&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9

Mike Balloun teaches today. 02/03/24 🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 12) REVELATION 19:11-21 🔥 VERSES: Daniel 3; Zechariah 13:8-9, 14:12; Ruth 4; Isaiah 54:5-8 DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/nzpsdfqiyppfs90d45jmr/h?rlkey=834cxoceki5zxilxlezml9e7y&dl=0 Link to today's illustration: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/dqprmecn9bic1kj5s9jlk/h?rlkey=h1kpsc41h5zvvoos4a0cxc8za&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9

Mike Balloun teaches today. 02/10/24 🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 13) 🔥 VERSES: Psalm 2; Zechariah 14:16-19; 2nd Peter 3:5-7; Hebrews 2:5; Revelation 1:6, 20:1-6 DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/to05twcyt6s0q3y98ll17/h?rlkey=e93oyt151pbtnckwi9wn0t0rh&dl=0 Link to today's illustration: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/dqprmecn9bic1kj5s9jlk/h?rlkey=h1kpsc41h5zvvoos4a0cxc8za&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9

Mike Balloun teaches today. 02/17/24 🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 14) 🔥 VERSES: DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: Link to today's illustration: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/dqprmecn9bic1kj5s9jlk/h?rlkey=h1kpsc41h5zvvoos4a0cxc8za&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9

Mike Balloun teaches today. 09/30/23 🔥 THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (PART 2) 🔥 VERSES: 1st Thessalonians 5:23; Acts 5:3-4; 1st Corinthians 2:11; Romans 1-8 STUDY NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/1lrtijtvlqto0e3zbh826/h?rlkey=t5n448vhbieh4331iyq81e7tw&dl=0 AUDIO: Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9 THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT PART 2 The Greek word ‘pneuma’ means spirit. Scripture teaches that Eternal God is spirit/pneuma (John 4:24) which speaks to His Divine Nature in Divine Life And God is Triune The Father is spirit/pneuma, and is Divine in Nature and Life The Son of God, Jesus, is a quickening spirit/pneuma (1st Corinthians 15:45), and is Divine in Nature and Life And the Holy Spirit/pneuma is Divine in Nature and Life The Angels were created by God as pneuma/spirit beings, and granted His Divine nature with life. Adam and Eve (Man) was created a “living soul”, with a spirit/pneuma given by God with His Divine nature and life incorporated into Adam. (Genesis 2:7… “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” 1st Thessalonians 5:23… “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”; the spirit being that part of man that goes back to God who gave it, when he dies Ecclesiastes 12:7… “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”) The fall of Man effected a change in his makeup called ‘death’; that being loss of Divine nature and life within the pneuma, which resulted in his body being doomed to die, however, the soul/man does not lose his existence. (In that God created the Intermediate place of the dead as the place men go to when they die.) The Old Testament blood sacrifice, graciously given by God, was atonement for a change in the repentant offerer, in that his spirit/pneuma was born again/anew with God’s nature having eternal life, thereby free from the curse’s eternal damnation. This change being effected by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Note that Regeneration still falls short of Reconciliation as seen in the fact that although they received the blood covering/atonement, Adam and Eve were not allowed back into the Garden, losing the intimacy they once had.) Yet the Old Nature remained within, and being stronger than the spirit’s/pneuma’s New Nature within, this made it impossible for the New Nature to overcome. In that the blood of animals had not the power/efficacy of atonement necessary to procure strength/power in the New Nature, in order that the soul might be delivered from the grip of the Old Man/old nature. God’s intent was for a greater work of salvation that would empower the seeking soul, and in answer, He sent His Son, Whose Blood Atonement and Resurrection Power not only atones for that New Nature and eternal life, but also atones for additional power that will extend to overcoming the Old Nature unto the salvation of the soul. What has been set forth in outline (last week and this week) is the necessity for Christ’s Atonement Blood in the need of two separate works of the Holy Spirit… 1) rebirth of the spirit in the unregenerate by the measured power of the Holy Spirit (similar if not the same to the Old Testament re-birth). 2) upon certain conditions being met, as appraised by God, there is a second and empowering within that spirit/the New Nature/New Man, by the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the Old Nature/Old Man. Without which we, like the vast majority of the Old Testament born-again would be eternally ‘saved’ but ineffective in battling the flesh/Old Man for supremacy in the soul with promise of inheritance. (Consider these things in the light of Hebrews 8&9.) The Greek word; ‘pneuma’ is used 385 times in the New Testament in various ways by (in that the Holy Spirit is the Author that inspired the writers of Scripture) the Holy Spirit to refer to God, to refer to Christ, or to refer to the Holy Spirit. Another way is to mean one part of three that make up a man, another way is to mean the man himself, another sometimes to mean the emotional condition of the man, another use of ‘pneuma’ is to refer to an angel, another to relate to the resurrection ‘body’, and another to mean the new nature or new man. All these are various ways portrayed in His Written Word of use and usage to express and reveal the nuances of Truth in God’s Salvation Plan. In other words, the various usages of ‘pneuma’ in the Greek were given by the Holy Spirit for different reasons. Two ways ‘pneuma’ is used are: alone “pneuma”; or with the ‘article’ “the pneuma”. Pneuma is sometimes joined with another Greek word ‘hagion’; meaning ‘holy’, numerous times (90+) in 4 different ways: pneuma hagion (holy spirit) (Matthew 1:18-19; 3:11 etc… for a total of 50 times, but it is never used, as we will see, of the THE Holy Spirit, but of His operations (or what He does, i.e. His gifts). And 19 out of the 50 times is used in the Book of Acts and are peculiar to the Nation of Israel at the time. As Pentecost had everything to do with Israel and the Kingdom, and nothing to do with the ‘Church’ or the Nation of the One New Man. hagion pneuma (spirit holy) (It is reversed like this, for example, in 1st Corinthians 6:19, etc) the hagion pneuma (the spirit holy) (Matthew 28:19, etc) the pneuma the hagion (the spirit the holy) (Matthew 12:32, etc) The question we ask is; when in Scripture does the word refer to the Holy Spirit and when does the word refer to our spirit? When in the English should there be a little ’s’ and when should there be a big ’S’? In that, it should be well known, that the thousands of Original Greek Manuscripts relating to the New Testament are written in one of two styles; either all CAPITAL LETTERS or all small letters. So it is that the many translators over 1700 years have had no guide beyond the presence of the ‘definitive article’ and the ‘context’… and that in the light of their knowledge of the Greek language and how it was used in Christ’s day, and being naturally influenced by their Biblical understanding. And the popular translations, rather than just translate the various uses of the word ‘pneuma’ as it is in the original text, and let it speak for itself, the translator became interpreter and endeavored to interpret or improve on the inspired text for readability or maybe what they suppose is understandability, often according to their own theology. And the translator or translators, having finished their translation of Greek into English (or whatever other language), then the novice readers and even students of the Bible mistakenly assume that what has been translated in that Version they are reading is as inspired as the original text. They see the definite ‘article’ THE added, and capital letter S added in the English translation and naturally take it as “the Holy Spirit”. The earnest reader then begins to formulate his thoughts, beliefs, understandings, and doctrines and teachings based upon what he thought was the inspired Word of God. He becomes very dogmatic in what “the Bible says”, little realizing the history of the written Word of God. He doesn’t consider that which he has become so religiously engrained in is sometimes based on nothing more than opinions of men representing the text as that ‘given’ by the Holy Spirit, when in fact, it is a ‘critical’ opinion of what was originally inspired text (as it was written in the Greek). How does all this effect our theology (and correct understanding of our personal experience) when we reconsider this in light of the doctrines surrounding “the indwelling of the Holy Spirit”? First, if it is the case, we should note that we personally have not taken care to look as deep as we could or should, in that it is easier and more comfortable to have let others do the work. And besides, it might ‘make waves’. So it is, that we hold onto denominational traditional beliefs and terminologies. Secondly, we must be prepared to reconsider and change our theology when we unwind all the confusion that has been caused. And be assured that a good deal of what you now believe on this subject is from leavened theology. While it’s admittedly difficult ‘unlearn’ and to adjust our theology, there is no excuse not to look deeper considering all the tools that are accessible for us in this day and age. So let us look deeper and see if a great deal of our confusion is not based then upon on our poor homework, which resulted in our acquiring wrong theology and terminology from poor translations and interpretations and applications that have manifested into poor perceptions of the Holy Spirit and His work. We are Trinitarians, and therefore believe that The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit are One. But let us also perceive from Scripture that Jesus, the Eternal Son of God, Who manifest in the flesh 2000 years ago, was crucified in that body, was resurrected in that body, and ascended in that body (although we contend that Scripture shows He now has a glorified spiritual body) and can therefore be individualized as a ‘Person’, now and forever. He can also be localized, in that He was once here and now is in Heaven and will “Bodily” again be here in this Realm and take His Kingdom as the Son of Man sitting on His Throne with His like ‘Bodied’ Bride. And He will be thereafter, in like manner, reside in New Jerusalem. But the Holy Spirit is not in that way individualized as a Person or localized in Scripture. When the Holy Spirit is referred to in Scripture, He is God and He is the power of God extended to us (Acts 5:3-4 compares the Holy Spirit to God/representative of God… “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.”) seen typically in the Old Testament as the ‘shekinah/divine presence’ glory that manifested in the Tabernacle, as God dwelling among His people). God the Father and God the Holy Spirit are spirit… not ‘spirits’ and not ‘souls’… not personalized like the Christ; not individualized or localized… but they are omnipresent. Paul describes the correlation of the Spirit of God to God as similar to the spirit of man to man… One; inseparable, but yet distinct. (1st Corinthians 2:11… “For what man knoweth the (deep) things of a man, save the (article ‘the’ added) spirit (pneuma) of man which is in him? even so the (deep) things of God knoweth no man, but the (article ‘the’ rightly added pneuma spirit capital S rightly added) Spirit of God.”) That being said; the Divine nature/Life within the redeemed child of God is not an impersonal power, but the mysterious way that God indwells and works upon the soul. (Philippians 2:13) The reality then is the sincere Bible student should not entirely rely on his favorite Version alone for accuracy in Biblical Truth understanding. But as in the case of this very important topic of the use and usage of the word ‘pneuma’ that runs throughout the New Testament, the sincere student should examine every Verse where the word ‘spirit’ is used by those Apostles inspired by the Holy Spirit. Looking at the right translation, the right interpretation, and the right application. 1) right translation in this case is one translated directly from the original Greek text (without being Latinized). 2) And for right interpretation, we compare multiple renown Greek translators (like Alford, Darby, Vincent, Lenski, Souter, and Tregelles) and endeavor to look at every time the word is used in the New Testament, comparing Scripture with Scripture, noting its various employments in context… 3) And for right application, we will then endeavor to allow Scripture to speak for itself and stand on its own. Greek Bible Scholars like Alford and Darby have noted the difficulty in some instances, of translating ‘pneuma’ as to whether the Author (the Holy Spirit) meant little ’s’ or big ’S’. In that it is easy enough to translate big ’S’ when it is obvious as in Acts 5:3, but when it is not clear, when the usage of the word ‘pneuma’ is blended in text with our spirit and the Holy Spirit, it becomes difficult. There are just a few examples in Romans 8 starting in Verse 2 (note that in the Book of Romans, the dominant theme is contrasting the one-time gift of ‘justification’ imputed to the redeemed in the righteousness of Christ with the prize of a personal and increasing ‘righteousness’ attained through acts from faith to faith’/our responsibility in ‘sanctification’). Romans 8:2… “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” The Greek reads “for the law of the pneuma of life…” So the translator/interpreter was challenged; ‘should this be a little ’s’ or a big ’S’ in English?’ The word ‘pneuma’ is accompanied here by the ‘article’, but there is no accompanying hagion/holy. And if you are a Greek translator/interpreter, and for whatever reason (including the wrong theology of ‘Grace Only”) you believe the Author (THE HOLY SPIRIT) must have been referring to the big ’S’ then you, as the translator, add the English word ‘Holy’ alongside the article ‘the’ (as in some Bible translations so as to say “….the Holy Spirit of life….”). While most translations leave out ‘Holy’, and use big ’S’ as in “….the Spirit of life…”. The issue being… to put/or leave a little ’s’ is to rightly put the focus on the new law and work in accountability that accompanies the regenerated spirit’s ongoing living a righteous life in Christ Jesus, practically speaking, which is the theme of the preceding Chapters 1-7, which is brought to its marvelous conclusion in the 8th Chapter. Whereas, to put the big ’S' is to put the emphasis wrongly on the Holy Spirit and at the very least, confuse the closing remarks of Paul, on this vital subject. The main doctrinal thrust of the entire Passage is the Atonement of Christ and being no longer under the Law of death in Adam or Moses. And in the great light of that deliverance, we are to see how through Christ’s Atonement we redeemed are to live practical holy lives empowered in the pneuma of life by the Holy Spirit (as we exercise our wills, in obedient service to Christ, we are empowered in the spirit of life as our spirit is infused/enlivened by the Holy Spirit). Making life and death choices as the redeemed, walking and minding the things of the pneuma of life, unto glorious resurrection life as opposed to minding the things of the flesh, and continuing to live in a state of death or as the ‘living dead” to Christ’ who “…hold the truth in unrighteousness…” (meaning… being regenerated, yet living as ‘spiritually’ dead - Romans 1:18). Persisting to live in unrighteousness in a false sense of security means, at the end of their lives, dying in their sins, and experiencing those consequences that include remaining in the state and place of death during the Millennial Kingdom of Christ. The two possibilities presented by the Holy Spirit here of the born-again are to be minding the things of the spirit or minding the things of the flesh. This Truth is what is being contrasted. Skipping past much to Verse 9 of Romans 8… “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you… (though we redeemed have the flesh/old man in us, we are not reckoned or to reckon to be in the flesh, having been crucified and buried with Christ according to God’s gift - Romans 5:1,15,16). Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” The Greek reads “Ye are not (no longer dead) in flesh but (alive as the new man - Ephesians 2:10) in pneuma; if so be that, pneuma Theou (God's character or Divine nature - which we will speak more in depth about in a moment when we look at 2nd Peter 1:4) dwelleth in you. But if any man have not pneuma Christou (Christ’s spirit of character - Romans 6:6; 11-14, Galatians 2:20) he is not his (this Alford says is too wide of a statement; in that even the merely redeemed who have not His spirit/character cannot be completely disassociated from Him and thus should be translated; none of His… meaning not of His ‘entourage’ or intimate ‘inner circle’. This is similar to when Jesus told Peter that if He didn’t wash his feet, Peter would have no part with Him- by this, He meant that Peter needed to allow the ‘dirt’ of the World to be washed off, symbolizing that being once ‘washed’/regenerated alone is not enough in itself to be found worthy to have a part of His Millennial Kingdom inheritance. But under the law of the spirit of life in Him, it would also be necessary to mind the things of the spirit to overcome the flesh and spiritually mature in worthiness and repent of any following after the flesh in unworthiness to rule with Him in His Coming Kingdom). It is not until the 16th Verse that the Holy Spirit is specifically mentioned and that this interpretation is unmistakable in that ‘pneuma’ is twice stated… “The Pneuma (Holy Spirit) Himself beareth witness with our pneuma (that part of our being that communes with God), that we are God’s children.” We could spend a good while looking at ‘pneuma’ in just the 8th Chapter of Romans, but we’ll move on… in hope of bringing more light on the subject; of the Work of the Holy Spirit. Upon faith in the Blood Sacrifice, the Holy Spirit ‘extends a measure of reconciliatory life’, to bring the ‘dead’/unregenerate man in the state of fallen Adam to ‘life’… and make him a “living soul”. In a sense, like as to what he was in the Garden as it relates to his pneuma before the Fall. And although the ‘life’ now in him naturally will have a positive effect on his entire being, soul and body, nevertheless it is ordained by God that he yet will retain the nature of the Old Man within, where, now the regenerated pneuma of man with enlivened conscience will always be at enmity with the flesh. And in that the merely born-again man has little perception as to the sinfulness of sin… so it is that God’s character is revealed steadily by the Holy Spirit. In that He regenerated Enoch and anointed him to preach, and Noah, and Abraham and an entire Nation of his seed. And to them was given statutes and commands in which God’s Character is contrasted with the ‘flesh’ by the Law. After which two monumental things follow; that through the Law that the Old Nature is shown to be exceedingly ‘sinful’, and also that regenerate man is inescapably doomed under the Law to attain unto the inheritance worthiness. (Romans 7:1-24, Galatians 3:18-29) Thus the necessity of another, greater, Blood propitiation and which is then followed by a further work of the Holy Spirit. 2nd Peter 1:3… “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue…” the divine nature of God that Peter refers to is defined for us in the Greek as; divine/Theíos, that which denotes an attribute of God that proceeds from Him, such as His power and not His character in its essence and totality, in that His character cannot be imputed. “….power” is dunamis; which means to be able to achieve. (2nd Peter 1:1-11) This divine power is imparted to the already regenerated pneuma, and is the direct result of the operations of the Holy Spirit in answer to the pneuma’s cry of “O wretched man that I am!”… and is the power to achieve and overcome the flesh/Old Nature within. Flesh in contradistinction from the ‘spirit’… flesh cannot do anything but sin. The two ‘natures’ are contrary one to the other; “the (regenerated) pneuma is willing…” but the flesh is stronger. The pneuma is willing, but the Man cannot do the will of his New Man with renewing mind to the Word… who always wills to do God’s will… but thankfully, on the other hand, neither can the Old Man do that evil which he would always do (which speaks to the latent but weak power of regeneration life). This is the battle; the conflict for the soul, that God has ordained that every born-again child of His should enter into and emerge victorious. It stops when the pneuma leaves the body. There are various Scriptural terms used to refer to the Divine Nature… “God’s spirit”, “Divine spirit”, “the spirit of God” and Christ’s spirit” as we are of the same Divine pneuma. As possessors of the divine nature, all are then the Children of God born from above. No man born of a woman naturally had this nature. All born-again men now have this nature within our spirit/pneuma. “That which is born of the pneuma (the Holy Spirit) is pneuma (His gift)… John 3:6. First we have the source Divine, and then that which comes from that source. THE BAPTIZER WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT IS CHRIST … John 1:33… “And I (John) knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit (Greek ‘the pneuma’ with the definite article and in context) descending, and remaining on him, the same is he (Jesus) which baptizeth (Greek: immerse, saturate) with the Holy Ghost (Greek: pneuma hagion with no definite article… this is the ‘gift’ as opposed to the ‘Giver’. The ‘medium’ being the pneuma power of the Holy Spirit in contrast with material water by which Jesus would baptize). Jesus, 40 days after resurrection at His ascension, proclaims in Acts 1:4… “…wait for the promise of the Father, which ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with pneuma hagion/holy spirit not many days hence.” WHEN HAD THEY HEARD?… Jesus, on the day of His resurrection, instructs His disciples in Luke 24:49… “Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued (Greek: endúō to sink, go in or under, to put on) with Power (dunamis for capability) from on High. So it is shown in the two Passages that the Lord is speaking of the same thing as…“the promise of my Father”. How shall we take this? By letting Scripture interpret Scripture… the promise of the pneuma hagion and power from on high are equivalent to the same thing. The baptismal power that was first administered at Pentecost for witnessing to unbelieving Jews that Jesus was the promised Messiah, was shown to manifest in multiple ways (as seen later when Paul speaks to the Gentile Christ followers in Corinth in 1st Corinthians 12:7-11). (Note that originally, in Peter’s scriptural explanation of what was then occurring upon the Jewish Disciples of Christ at Pentecost, he said “…this is that…” which the Prophet Joel prophesied would happen in the End-Times concurrent with Israel’s restoration. {Acts 2:16 with Joel 2:28} That is to say, this is that, which if recognized by National Israel, would thereby have led them into repentance. It would have brought the fulfillment of the prophetically promised reconciliation to God and the establishing of the Kingdom of restored Israel, wherein the Jews, in the gift of the power of the Holy Spirit, would have become the preeminent Nation {and would have proselytzed the other nations as ‘lights unto the Gentiles’} as His Priests in the Earth {and in the heavens above the Earth, which is mostly unknown} as God had promised to Abraham and as related by His prophets. “But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.” [Isaiah 61:6] Thus, if they would have only received that which was occurring before their eyes as the experience and Word of Joel (through the Messiah Jesus) as their present need and promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, it would have been then fulfilled. And for the next 30 years, over which the entire Book of Acts was written, in documenting the continued extending of the offering of the Kingdom to the Jews until Acts 28:28 when the Nation of Israel was cut off and the Nation of the One New Man then emerged.) It is ‘pneuma hagion’’; the enduing power from on high… the grace/His Divine “power” influence upon the heart. “…they were all filled with (or Greek: of ) pneuma hagion (the gift), and began to speak with other tongues (one of the Holy Spirit’s gifts) as THE Pneuma (the Giver, the Holy Spirit) gave them utterance.” [Acts 2:4] This shows the distinction between the two. Luke 3:16 “…He (Jesus) shall baptize you with (no article) the (pneuma hagion/power from on high) Holy Ghost and with fire…” Luke 3:22 “And THE (pneuma the Holy) Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him…” Luke 4:1 “And Jesus being full of the (the gift pneuma hagion/Divine Power from on high) Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by THE Spirit into the wilderness…” Luke 4:14 “And Jesus returned in the power (the ‘gift’) of the Spirit (the Giver) into Galilee…” Luke 4:18 (Isaiah 61:1) “He found the place where it was written the Spirit (pneuma) of the Lord (Yahweh) is upon me (as Luke 4:1) because he hath anointed me to preach…” (See John 3:34… “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.”) The gift that He gave Christ was not Himself, but the fullness of spirit of wisdom and understanding in the knowledge of God and His Word that He would speak the words of God as the One sent by God. JESUS has become the Baptizer… immersing in the power of the Holy Spirit; pneuma hagion/power from on high… the pneuma hagion/power is the ‘spiritual water’ of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is then Giver of power to manifest His gifts. (1st Corinthians 12:11) Ephesians 5:18 says, “…be filled with (Greek: through or by) the Spirit…” (power from on high). It is not the Person ‘with’ whom they are to be filled… but the power from on high. He is the ‘filler’, and He fills with His power. This Verse, as others, shows the need of continuing to be filled with power/pneuma hagion, that which ultimately brings glory to Christ, in His Christlikeness being progressively formed within the soul. “Look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of (no article the) pneuma hagion, AND of wisdom whom we may appoint over this business.” [Acts 6:3] If they were full of the Holy Spirit, could they be then also in need of wisdom? They were looking for men who were full of Divine power, and spiritual wherewithal; men who had business acumen guided in wisdom by that power. “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts (or good things) unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give (no article) pneuma hagion (in answer to Christ’s Atonement, Christ’s Baptism, not the Holy Spirit per se, but immersed and endued with gifts of spiritual power by the Holy Spirit), to them that ask Him.” The power from on high is pneuma hagion …the gifts are apart/separate from the Giver. It is the Divine ‘power’, and not the Divine Giver of the power. “Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive (no article in the Greek) pneuma hagion. But Peter said unto him, thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that THE GIFT (the power) of God may be purchased with money.” We spoke about John 20:22 “…Receive ye pneuma hagion.” There is no article here either, so it is not the Holy Spirit Baptism/immersion in power that is meant as we know He had not yet been poured out. Possibly what is meant here is to receive power from on high… but not in the sense of immersion or filling with the gift of the power as on the Day of Pentecost, but it is Written that this power from on high was accompanied by power to remit or retain sins on others. See the next verse (John 20:23)… “Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” Possibly this power answered to His/Christ’s power… see Isaiah 11:2-3… “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears…” That then would have had something to do with their marvelous transformation of comprehension in the next 40 days, as seen in the brilliance of the Sermon Peter preached on that Day of Pentecost. The main point not to be missed in this is: that there is yet a work God is wanting to work in man beyond redemption in the rebirth of his spirit. It has to do with overcoming the flesh within. An overcoming Christ declares that without, we will not be a part of His Kingdom and the First Resurrection. It is up to each of us to evaluate where we are in the light of these words and Christ’s Commands and determine if we think this overcoming will be imputed to us or rather if we will be required to earnestly contend in the knowledge that we are not alone, but through faithful loving service to Christ, we draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit to attain unto the goal.

Mike Balloun teaches today. 10/07/23 🔥 THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (PART 3) 🔥 VERSES: Luke 24:44-49; Acts 2; 1st Corinthians 13; Joel 2:28 STUDY NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/la19trsg36mjirqeed78n/h?rlkey=7v8nwjwq8kysqafadtxogn3ro&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9

Mike Balloun teaches today. 10/14/23 🔥 THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (PART 4) (past, present, and in the future) 🔥 VERSES: Romans 11; Matthew 25:14; John 14-16; Jeremiah 31:31-33 STUDY NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/94uhmgrhbeajxhn2b0llb/h?rlkey=j3oxhh7zq936khx69ocu5egwo&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9 THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT PART 4 (past, present, and in the future) The present Work of the Holy Spirit in the Nation of the One New Man after redemption may be determined by the Written declared desire of Jesus Christ to be accomplished in His redeemed servants while He is in Heaven. Matthew and Luke give Christ’s typical/parabolical examples… “For the kingdom of heavens is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods… After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.” [Matthew 25:14] “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, an to return. And he called his ten servants and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. …And it came to pass, that when he returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.” (Luke 19:12,15) In each case, the redeemed are charged with faithfulness and fruitfulness for what they were given (given both at the time of redemption and after redemption), which include: the divine Nature, the agape of God, faith and hope, and any talents or gifts. It is important to note that they are assured they will be judged. Though a man may indeed be His redeemed servant, and have ‘gifts’, if he does not yet do the will of the Father in keeping Christ’s Commands/works, he will be rejected at the Judgement Seat of Christ from the heavenly Kingdom Inheritance. This is seen clearly from the entire Chapter of Matthew 7, especially Verses 22-23… “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you (intimately): depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Chapters 5-7 of Matthew are all about accountability to keeping Jesus’ commands. Throughout the Chapters, Jesus stated, “… you have heard Moses say… but I say…”. Accountabilty to Christ’s commands is also seen in what God said to Christ’s disciples at the Mount of Transfiguration, in that when Jesus was with both Moses and Elijah, God said, “This is my beloved Son: hear him.” Jesus’ commands are even more demanding than those of Moses, but correspondingly, we have a greater empowerment by the ‘helper’/Holy Spirit to walk in them. This accountability to love as Jesus commanded is additionally seen in 1st Corinthians 13:1-3… “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (agape love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” We are charged to exercise the agape love that was shed abroad in our hearts, and anything else we do, such as having faith to move mountains, casting devils out, etc, profits us nothing in regards to inheritance, if not done in that love. In Revelation Chapters 2 & 3, Christ charges the redeemed in the ‘Church’ to overcome and keep His works in patience, tribulation, and suffering, holding fast their faith, even unto martyrdom, resisting the lies of satan, hearing and heeding what the Holy Spirit saith and reaping the rewards. Do not be overcome and have to suffer the consequences at His Return. God has given gifts to the redeemed and we yield to the Holy Spirit to fulfill His will/Christ’s will in us. It’s one thing to know the fruits of the Spirit and another to exercise them and bear fruit. In John 14-16, Jesus is instructing His disciples to bear much fruit so that the Father would be glorified. He speaks of the “nobleman”/Jesus going to Heaven and promises to come again and charges His followers with keeping His Commands; a good many given in Matthew Chapters 5-7. He charges them to remain vitally connected to Him in order to be fruitful, purged/pruned, and more fruitful… “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned… my disciples… if ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love……Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit… I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” The present Work of the Holy Spirit beyond redemption is to assist the redeemed in being not overcome of evil but overcoming evil with good, in the transforming of the redeemed in character like unto Christ’s, to attain unto the First Resurrection out from among the dead in Hades, in worthiness for inheritance in His Coming Kingdom. (Romans 12:2, 21, Revelation 20:4-6) To this end, that of inheritance in the heavenly Kingdom of Christ… all the gifts of the Holy Spirit work. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are in vain if they don’t bring forth the fruit of Christ’s Character in His redeemed servants. The greatest evidence or sign of the Holy Spirit’s Work in the redeemed servant of Christ is the expression of selfless agape. This is the Work of the Holy Spirit in this Age. To accomplish this maturing work within the redeemed servant of Jesus is what the Holy Spirit’s present work is. The Holy Spirit’s purpose is to bring glory to Christ through the bringing of many worthy first-born sons unto the Father out of the family of redeemed. (Hebrews 2:10) Just as fruit has to ripen, Christlikeness needs to be developed in us. Our heeding the Holy Spirit as He brings us into the Revelation of the Kingdom promises in the Word and yielding our souls to Christlikeness in character is evidence of the Baptism of the power of the Holy Spirit. A true witness of Christ is not the merely redeemed, but a servant who knows and does the will of his Master in selfless love. Charity/agape suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come (from one point of view, inspired Paul is alluding to the coming discontinuance of the signs, wonders, and miracles that were intended for the offering of the Kingdom unto a repentant Nation of Israel; and the coming advancement in spirituality as a result of the Holy Spirit’s move to establish deeper faith, hope, and love in the heart of the redeemed Nation of the One New Man in believing without necessarily seeing the supernatural. And then from another point of view, he alludes to the complete doing away altogether with any supernatural means for spiritual maturity, in that the promise of the First Resurrection in glory into His heavenly Kingdom will have brought those found worthy into the maturing spiritual perfection, and that being nothing short of union with Christ. Until then, the ‘spirit’ of man is encased within the darkened world and soul, however, when it returns at the promised First Resurrection, it will be given its fullest glorious expression in eternal faith, hope, and love), …then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” [1st Corinthians 13:4-13] A Brief History… Here is the crux of the matter in understanding the Work of the Holy Spirit for the Christian today: First, there is the revelation in Scripture to its proclaimed Truth; that being that the Atonement Gospel of Christ purchased the Father’s Salvation Plan, which went beyond redemption unto the salvation of the soul of Man. It was/is a plan to bring the redeemed soul into glory and royalty to rule with Christ from the heavenly part of this Realm in His Millennial Kingdom. But the Christian Church (like the Jewish Church before) was leavened by religious tares and doctrines of demons that deceived the ‘Nation’ into unbelief. In that they believed that their redeemed state and forgiveness of sin by blood satisfied the Call of God on their lives… but their unbelief that a further work is needed tragically relegates them to that part of God’s Salvation Plan that has to do with redemption from the judgement of eternal death only. That greater part of the Salvation Plan of God, for which Christ propitiated, has been leavened out of the Church; that of the ‘the heavenly Kingdom Calling’. It is that part of the Gospel of Christ which the Church finally completely abandoned in the 4th Century by uniting itself with religious Paganism. The third and final measure of leaven (Matthew 13:33) is so leavening that ‘the heavenly Kingdom Calling of God’ has been unanimously refused and now is incomprehensible by all corporate Christendom. It has been impossible for them to see it for 1700 years, having been fully corrupted. Spiritually speaking, in a very real sense, it has been a vast Christian diaspora/dispersion from their homeland… disconnected from the true Vine. Out of the roughly 2 billion Christians in the world today, not many are having sanctification worked out in them. Having believed Traditionalism’s lie that says that the one-time event of redemption by Blood was enough, they believe that there is no need for the process of sanctification, or to overcome any besetting sins. Religion tells you to sign a membership card and then leads you to lethargically follow down the wide road which leads to destruction. Narrow is the path to fruitfulness, and thus the reward of Union with Christ as His Bride. The forsaking of Truth regarding the understanding of the Kingdom of heavens is what the Lord foresaw and predicted in the 13th Chapter of Matthew, Verses 31-33. The abandoning of the High Calling in Christ’s Kingdom by God’s redeemed was the target on which satan set his sights since Man’s creation. First his sights were on Adam’s Calling to take dominion and rule, and then on Israel’s Calling out of Egypt to take dominion and rule in the Earth as God’s representative, and later with the Messiah to Call again God’s Jewish People to be His Ruling Government in the Earth. This was then followed now by the New Testament Kingdom Calling to co-rule with Jesus when He Returns to take dominion in this Realm; both its unseen heavenly part and earthly part. This is why the Kingdom message has been and is still being attacked today. With the appearance of God’s promised Messiah to Israel, Satan’s concern (as the ruler of this Realm) was greatly heightened, that God would establish His people in the Earth to govern in the power of the Holy Spirit. That concern was greatly alleviated with the presumed success of conspiring with God’s people to Crucify their Messiah. But his concern was greatly heightened again by Christ’s Triumph in Hades and Resurrection out from among the dead and His re-offer to a repentant Israel the right to Rule with Him now over Earth and the heaven of this Earth. But Israel’s Leadership’s darkness in unbelief had set in too deep and satan was able to withstand the offer of repentance and re-offer in Calling for 30 years after that historical Day of Pentecost. Had the Nation repented, that could have led to the Nation’s restoration in the prophesied outpouring of the power of the Holy Spirit unto attaining the High Calling of being God’s Theocratic Government in this Realm. After God finally closed the door on re-offering that High Calling to the Nation of Israel, He turned to establish a New redeemed spiritual ‘Nation’, brought directly out of the kingdom of satan, who then being redeemed, would gladly receive the High Calling of glory and yield themselves to the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to overcome the flesh, World, and the devil. A ‘Nation’ that in loving obedient service, would do selfless ‘works’ in hope of being found worthy at the Judgement Seat of Christ for the First Resurrection glory out from among the dead in Hades, to rule with Him in this Realm at His Return, and to displace satan and the fallen spirits who now rule over the Earth from its heaven. The Work of the Holy Spirit today has to be understood in the Scriptural historical master plan of God, which is divided into at least 3 parts… Before Christ, and at the time of Christ… in that the Holy Spirit’s power and working was said to be power abiding with them/the Jew. (John 14:17… “for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”) 2) And then after the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ordination of Christ… it is Written that the Holy Spirit was to do a work within the Jew. And that in order to establish the promised New Covenant with God’s firstborn sons, and they would then become God’s promised Kingly/Priestly Government in the Earth. (Jeremiah 31:31-33… “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” See also Hebrews 8:7-13, which quotes these words from Jeremiah. (Note that had the Jews as a Nation, accepted Christ, both those passages would have been fulfilled. But since they didn’t, they are yet future.) 3) When Israel was ‘cut off’… and the ‘branch’ of the Nation of the One New Man was ‘grafted’ in (Romans 11), this new Work of the Holy Spirit grafting in another branch to be fruitful, was not to be understood from the prophetic Word of the Old Covenant Scriptures of Israel, who were to remain within the Tree and then be proselytize the Gentiles into their branch as their fruitfulness, but this ‘grafting’ in of a new branch was according to the ‘Mystery’ of God’s manifold Wisdom. (Ephesians 3:9-11) That Mystery was a new Work, outside the Jewish lineage, focused within the soul, to develop a more Christlike worthiness in character, in order to be adopted first-born sons from a stand-alone New Nation; that of the One New Man… (Ephesians 1:3-5) …an adoption with the offer of an inheritance in the greater part of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ at His Return; the heavenly ruling part. (Daniel 4:26b “…the heavens do rule.”) The Mystery was that the stubborn Nation of Israel was/is rejected from that portion of His Coming Kingdom. (Matthew 21:43, Hebrews 3:1) In that the Work of the Holy Spirit in the One New Man took on an additional step of sanctification from that of the Nation of Israel in that the second born must be found more worthy than the natural first-born. Signs, wonders, and miracles were set aside, fruits came to the forefront, believing without seeing and obedient selfless sufferings for Christ’s sake became the template for the Working of the Holy Spirit on the ‘soul’ unto the fullest of salvation afforded in the Atonement Work of Christ. It was no longer a work of election, but of selection according to worthiness of character worked out in the redeemed in the power of the Holy Spirit unto the inheritance of ruling with Christ in His yet-to-come Millennial Kingdom. When you take this greater salvation ‘Message’ away, what you are left with is the satanically-designed Catholic Church’s disqualifying religious paganism, and the equally demonically-inspired disqualifying Protestant Gospel of the Grace only Message. Leaving the merely redeemed servant not only presumptuously short of the High Calling and its promises (Philippians 3)… but open to threats and judgements from the Judgement Seat of Christ. 4) which actually just finishes point 2 above is… The Work of the Holy Spirit will pick up again with the Jews and the Nation of Israel with supernatural signs, wonders, and miracles in the Earth just as He left off in the last Chapter of the Book of Acts, to fulfill that which He began in Acts 2, which now answers to the prophecy of Joel 2:23b-32. That which also answers to the many Old Covenant promises yet to be fulfilled in the future restoration “grafting” back into the Earthly Millennial inheritance of that Nation at the Return of Christ Jesus to this Realm to then set up His Kingdom. So it is that Christendom in general, on the one hand, has rejected the Second Great Work of holiness (which is through works of personal righteousness) in not having received the fullness of God’s Son’s Atonement Plan for “so great salvation”. (Hebrews 2;3;31a) That so great a salvation (salvation of the soul) specifically being the Work of the Holy Spirit’s power manifesting holiness/wholeness whenever it can. The Holy Spirit is limited only to cooperation within the redeemed yielded soul, who is renewed in mind to the instructive Words of the Son of God, leading on in spiritual maturity unto the soul’s complete salvation. (1st Peter 1:9… “Receiving the end (goal) of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”) But Christendom rather chooses traditional leavened teaching which declares that when the One New man is redeemed, he receives the Holy Spirit Who then abides within him, and by imputation resting on Christ’s Atonement, receives all God’s promises unconditionally. Some even say that the supernatural workings of the Book of Acts have passed away… or they are greatly minimalized. On the other hand, another part of Christendom wrongly tries to misappropriate the Pentecost ‘gifts’ of the Holy Spirit as a continuing means to promote the message of ‘Grace Only’ in Christendom. Their perspective is that God intended the Church of the One New Man to use those ‘gifts’ of signs, miracles, and wonders to proof up the Word of His ‘Grace Only’ message. Those gifts are perceived to be a legitimate part of the Church past and present, to lead it, instruct it, exhort it, rebuke it, comfort it, deliver it, heal it physically… in that they think that since that was the Work of the Holy Spirit in the first century in the ‘Church’, so it should be and is now in the Church. Typically, this present 2000-year-old Age can be seen hidden in the Old Testament, as Abraham (who is typical of the Father) sends Eliezer back unto his family; which is typical of the sending of the Holy Spirit to search out and qualify and instruct a worthy Bride out of the redeemed of God for his son Isaac (typical of Jesus), who after the servant had completed his work, delivered the Bride to the son who came out “in the field to meet” them and to bring “…her into his mother’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her…” (Genesis 24:65-67) This is typical of being “…caught up to meet the Lord in the air: and shall we ever be with the Lord.” (1st Thessalonians 4:16-17, Revelation 19:7-8) The Holy Spirit inspires Men to preach the Gospel of Redemption to Lost souls and broods over mankind in order to bring the gift of the Divine Nature with eternal life into the receptive heart of the unregenerate and bring children into the Body of Christ… where He then takes up the greater Work of sanctifying the redeemed in worthiness in order to be a co-ruler with Christ in His Millennial Kingdom. After this Work of the Holy Spirit is complete, He will fulfill Old Testament prophecy and will anoint the Jew who will then take the Word of reconciliation out to the Gentiles. (Isaiah 53, Ezekiel 36) While most Christians resist the doctrine of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit coming after redemption for the additional Work upon the ‘soul’, for one reason or another, they also often point out Scriptures that warn those who do believe in the doctrine; of the dangers of ‘deception’ by evil spirits. And because of the blindness from their leavened doctrines, they see no error or deception in their own standing. It is a stance that finds them resisting the enduing power that they so desperately need to fulfill the command of Jesus to the redeemed to overcome the flesh in the soul, the influences of the World, and satan. They are themselves under the religious spell of the enemy, who would keep them bound to the ineffectiveness of mere regeneration without power in stopping their flesh from dominating in their souls unto a worthiness to rule in their stead. In that in being confronted with their sin after regeneration by the Word and their conscience, they then are instructed in ‘Grace Only’ doctrines; and fed the soothing lie that Christ bore their sin; past, present, and future. Thus, there is to be no fear of death nor fear of rejection at His Judgement Seat (if they are even aware that there is such a thing), since they are assured that they will go to Heaven when they die. One misinterpretation about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was written a good while ago by a prominent teacher of the Word… who, like most Christians, had completely leavened theological thinking about Kingdom inheritance… ‘The type (of the gift of the Holy Spirit) that foreshadows Pentecost is extraordinarily instructive.At the moment of the completion of the Temple, when all was ready for the habitation of God, the Shekinah Glory descended and rested on the Mercy Seat(2ndChronicles 7:1); a miraculous entrance of the Godhead, which to all appearances was meant to be permanent, and which remained for several centuries, until idolatry in the Temple compelled its withdrawal.(Ezekiel 8:10) (So far, the type being set forth holds up)Exactly so, the moment the Church, the Spiritual Temple (here confusing error is being set forth in this TYPE… as it is not the ‘Church’ of the One New Man but the Nation of Israel that should still be in view at Pentecost), opened in the upper room, the Holy Ghost descended with miraculous flames on the heads of men and women who immediately spoke in tongues and prophesied; and for one or two centuries (the Holy Spirit did not descend on a new spiritual “branch” but on the Jews of the Nation of Israel in accordance with the prophecy of Joel as Peter declares. The teacher who wrote this, being in leavened blindness to this Scriptural Truth, passes over the relevance of the Book of Acts and those 30 years of the Holy Spirit’s Work in the re-offer of the Kingdom inheritance to the Nation of Israel until the end of that offer terminating with the Book of Acts -in 28:28) these‘gifts’, the proofs of theHolySpirit’s miraculous presence, continued until, with gross corruption within the Church, they disappeared. This teacher takes the gifts of the Holy Spirit as a means of proofs to further the ‘Church’ of the One New Man, but correctly discerned, they are the prophesied signs and miracles that Peter connects to Israel’s promised Kingdom and Messiah. Signs and miracles that continued for 30 years in proof to Israel that Jesus was the Messiah until the Nation was finally rejected for continued unbelief. The teacher, without understanding, confused two separate Callings, one following the other. Wrongly taking the experience of the day of Pentecost as that intended for ‘the spiritual Church’ and passing over the Holy Spirit’s Work in the Kingdom re-offer to Israel, he wrongly proclaims through the type that the implication is… 1) the purpose of Pentecost in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts following was to promote the ‘spiritual Church’ in their evangelistic advance to spread the Gospel of Jesus to the World. These ‘proofs’ he says, of the Holy Spirit’s miraculous presence ‘being withdrawn from the ‘Church’ was because of ‘gross corruption’ after one or two centuries. The type above is misapplied in that the Holy Spirit’s Work starting on the Day of Pentecost was exclusively concentrated upon Israel for the Nation’s restoration unto Kingdom inheritance to rule in the Earth in answer to the prophecies in Joel’s Chapter 2, Daniel Chapter 9, Ezekiel Chapter 36, etc… The unprecedented maturing Work of the Holy Spirit was not ceasing on the ‘Church’ or Nation of the One New Man, but was just then to begin in answer to Israel’s apostacy. It was in Acts 28:28 in 62 AD when the Holy Spirit proclaimed His Kingdom Work on the Nation of Israel to have preeminence over the other Nations and rule in the Earth as God’s appointed theocratic government would no longer continue, and would be deferred to the Last Days. The tare-ish teaching, combining and defining the two different works of the Holy Spirit as one work, cleverly distorts the Kingdom Message of the two groups and the two parts; heavenly and earthly, involved in that Kingdom Message. The Holy Spirit’s Work having to do with the Nation of Israel’s inheritance of the Kingdom ceased along with the signs, wonders, and miracles related to Israel’s Pentecost, with their Kingdom purposes intent to show Israel Jesus was their Messiah/King. Their final rejection was followed by the Judgements of 70 AD and 135 AD. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit and gifts and indwelling power has never ceased, but they were/are administrated differently according to the designed purpose of the Higher heavenly Kingdom Calling on the Nation of the One New Man. The Holy Spirit’s Work shifted to the greater work only when it was officially formed as the New Nation of the One New Man after the rejection of Israel. The Work of the Holy Spirit dramatically changed from emphasis on the Nation of Israel’s repentance and receiving Christ as the Messiah/King and ruling in the Earthly Kingdom… with emphasis now on an inward work to bring forth a more worthy Nation to co-rule from the heaven of this Realm. A heavenly worthiness that could only be attained by selfless service for Christ in the practical overcoming walk of this life. Laying down one’s life in loving service to man, as opposed to ascending to take one’s God-given right as the seed of Abraham to rule over man. It is appointed that those who have been capacitated to be the least among us are to be the greatest and co-rule with Christ, in the heaven of this Realm. We then are not to rule in this life, but follow the Apostles in selfless capacitating service to Christ and Mankind. (1st Corinthians Chapter 4 ) Note that our focus is not on ‘ruling and reigning’ with Christ in the First Resurrection and beyond, but rather, on being in SPIRITUAL UNION with Him, joining together as one, as a bride with her husband, and thus in Union with God. (John 17:23) So that oneness unity is our prize, as seen in Genesis 15:1 which says that God is our “exceeding great reward.” The Holy spirit’s Baptismal Work in the gift of power is a spiritual Work from the inside out, with entire focus on the empowering unto maturing of the love/agape of God that He shed abroad in the heart of the redeemed, incorporating them into the New Nation Body of Christ. It is the more excellent way to manifest the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit when laid beside those 9 articulated ‘gifts’ of 1st Corinthians 12. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit that follows regeneration into the Nation of the One New Man is in power and spiritual gifts in order to bear spiritual fruit from the instructed soul worthy of the heavenly calling. A calling with more worthy Christlike character to be developed through faith without seeing supernatural signs while being under test and trial in practical life that is in view. (2nd Corinthians 3:18) A worthiness only obtained through the Work of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with power from on high drawn upon in answer to the redeemed and renewed mind to the Kingdom inheritance commands of Christ, with yielded will, power for “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…” A personal spiritual battle against the flesh, satan, and the World. This is the necessity of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, the Second Work of the Holy Spirit; the empowering influence upon the soul, our drawing by vigilant prayer and watchfulness unto His Word, God’s mercy and grace/divine influence upon our soul under the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, kept in the power of God, unto overcoming the sin nature within, to the glory of Christ. This Work was once on a national level in that the Nation of the One New Man’s leadership was wholly consecrated to follow Christ. They were lovingly obedient and led by example the individual members in consecrated loving obedience (as David typified in the Old and Paul and John fulfilled in the New). But just like the leadership of the Nation of Israel in 62 AD was rejected, so the Nation of the One New Man’s leadership, which over a period of time began to yield to religious leaven that was being sown by satan’s tares, and they eventually refused the High Calling and left the path of spiritual maturity to follow the road of least resistance. To be free of about 250 years of persecution from the trial and testing fires of sanctification, the Nation of the One New Man/the Body of Christ in the Earth, joined herself with Babylonian paganism early in the 4th Century and the fervent, loving, selfless suffering, empowered by the Holy Spirit unto Christlikeness in worthiness of the High Calling, became lukewarm. And that relatively small Nation was finally spewed from Christ’s mouth as ‘Christianized Paganism’ sprang forth in the Earth, and it has unnaturally become the largest Religion in the World. Lost to the ‘Romanized Church’ early in the 4th Century and thereafter until today was empowerment in Christian leadership by the Holy Spirit. Indwelling spiritual power anointing to overcome the flesh, inspiration to preach and write in the power of the Holy Spirit, and the discerning of spirits. Thereby the hedges came down, the wolves entered and devoured the inheritance of the High Calling of the sheep. In that, rather than the Nation of the One New Man fulfilling its calling through bearing the Gospel Message of redemption (first, of the gift of Grace in Christ to individuals lost in the World AND then secondly faithfully carrying Scripture’s highly esteemed reward of the ‘Gospel of Glory’ to the redeemed in the ‘Church’), instead, the leavening enemy tares, as predicted in Scripture by Christ and His Apostles, had sowed leavening messages in Christendom that had eliminated the Truths of the heavenly Kingdom inheritance to the overcomers upon His Return. That overcoming indwelling power being the true purpose of God in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit after redemption in the Nation of the One New Man. And thereby completely corrupting the Church doctrinally, although to God’s Praise and Eternal Glory, His Gospel Gift of eternal life remains in the Church. Yet the Church corporate will never recover to where she was in the 1st Century or even to where she was early in the 4th Century. The Holy Spirit’s Work has become a Work of calling certain spiritually unsatisfied seekers out of the redeemed leavened Church. These few seekers are those who would open their hearts to His power to become lovingly obedient to Christ and thereby overcome the flesh, World, and devil in practical life in answer to and testimony of Christ’s Higher Calling beyond merely being born again. The Babylonian hierarchy inspired by satan took over and led the so-called ‘Christian Church’ into mixed paganism for a thousand years, in what is called the ‘dark ages’, until some knowledgeable men versed in Scripture awakened in a glimmer of Gospel light. They were determined, even to the laying down of their lives, to free the ‘Church’ from its oppressors in the 14th and 15th Centuries. And although that light brought forth the hand for healing surgery, the knife did not cut near deep enough, and from the one stump of Babylonianism now sprang another tributary without Scripture’s Kingdom inheritance Truth and the necessity of the further Work of the Holy Spirit upon the soul. In the 1800’s, great spiritual awareness arose in some Christians who again chose to break away from the religious restraints of denominationalism, who came forth first in England, Scotland, and Wales in harmonious thinking in the reading of the Word and united desire to follow Christ in Truth only discovered beyond traditional boundaries. Their liberating teachings began to go Worldwide. And of course, the enemy took note, and by counter movements of deception; he offered Higher Criticism of the text in the Bible (“Hath God really said?”), by putting forth ideas of Evolution, Tractarianism, Modern Thought,denominationalism, formalism, and just plain worldliness in order to paralyze the awakening to eternal things. As a consequence of satan’s counter attacks in the 1800’s and early 1900’s, ‘Preachers’ today mostly just talk about modern religious themes; prosperity, health, being born-again, personal grooming, a Christian’s rights, Christmas, imputation, being raptured, tolerance and unqualified acceptance, hyper sensationalism, politics, denominations, and social reforms. But know little and therefore speak little about the Biblical more weighty eternal matters of the Atonement of Jesus Christ as it relates to the heavenly Kingdom inheritance, or the necessity of testing and trials of our faith in suffering. Or what will really happen to Christians when the King of kings comes to punish His enemies and claim His inheritance. Or the necessity of the dual work of the Holy Spirit in the redeemed, or sanctification unto the salvation of the soul of the redeemed, or the Scriptural meaning of the First Resurrection. Or for what will all Christians answer to at the Judgement Seat of Christ, resulting in reward or punishment and great loss, or the Truth of that one place that all men go when they die. Or the meaning of the Second Resurrection and the Second Death… all vital subjects of the Apostles, brought back to the forefront of Christian Theology and Eschatology by those 18th Century beacons of light. Their selfless Holy Spirit hard-earned doctrines of Truth came forth in His gifts of inspired speaking and writing. Those Truths generally and steadily were forsaken and denied and even ridiculed over the last 100 plus years, unto today. It will be noted by the observant that the timeframe of these well-documented spiritual awakening teachings in our Christian history coincides with the Industrial Revolution and drive for self-improvement, in technological advances, in commercial ambition and accumulation of wealth. All advancing worldly and materialistic mindedness ensnaring sincere seekers and pushing back eternal mindedness. If it was asked of the traditional Church, ‘What is the Work of the Holy Spirit today?’, it would be generally said: He abides within every believer, He is the Spirit of Truth, He is our helper, our teacher, our comforter to guide into all the truth, to bear witness of Christ…and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me. (John 14,15&16) But, what Truth? What witness of Christ? What things to come? What glory to Christ? All has been religiously paganized. Thus, there is the great need of the Baptism and empowering of the Holy Spirit. Particularly in a spirit of wisdom and understanding in the knowledge of God. This certainly is not an endorsement of Pentecostalism. Far be it, but an endorsement and awakening call for the Christian to recognize the Work of the Holy Spirit in the High Calling of the First Resurrection into Christ’s heavenly Kingdom, unto Union with Him in a glorious spiritual body and soul. (1st Corinthians 15) This is the additional precursor vital work beyond redemption that the redeemed must recognize, seek, and press forward and run the race for, to gain the prize. This is the Work of the Holy Spirit in which He is engaged within certain desiring individuals in spite of the hinderances from the leavened and presumptuous Laodicean ‘Church ‘of today. It is not the deception of being deceived by spirits into a counterfeit Baptism of the Holy Spirit that is at the root of Christendom’s apathy, but the perceived… “I have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked..” This most assuredly is the spiritual condition of the ‘Church’. There is great lack of perception and understanding of Scripture in the additional necessity of power from on high, for the heavenly Kingdom inheritance. There is, instead, a false sense of Churchy security, which is at the root of a regenerated Christian’s rejected lukewarmness. They are unwittingly, leavened and overcome rather than overcoming. There is a loud voice against the ‘deception’ of being Baptized in the Holy Spirit. There actually is a great contingent being deceived and receiving demons of deception instead of the power of the Holy Spirit. Interestingly, it should be observed that Scripture contends that in the Last Days the ‘Church’ will be generally darkened in the deceit of demons’ false doctrines. And being confident in their condition, they believe that they are blessedly above a misconception and free from demon deception, and believe that they are then qualified, or better said- appointed- to judge on demon deception. On a common sense level, if I were a demon, I would rather face the deceived religiously-minded merely regenerated Christian with a false sense of security in a theology void of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, than a Christian who sincerely bewails his sinful self in pursuit of the necessity of Christ’s character according to the commands of Christ who cries out “…who will deliver me from this body of death?” We have shown that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in power has moved on from the Nation of Israel to the Nation of the One New Man, for reasons set forth. From one literal Nation unworthy to another spiritual Nation called to worthiness. The empowerment from the Holy Spirit in either case is answer to the need within a saved man, and is the necessity to bring about that worthiness and will not be withdrawn until God has His people to rule with Christ, sanctified in His power. For when the power of the Holy Spirit departs, the power of the Anti-Christ enters the End-Time Scene. It was the promise of the Father through the Atonement of Christ extended for the great purpose of sanctifying of the soul of man unto salvation through his spirit and active will. That Gift of God, given to Man in answer to His Son’s Atonement, has lost none of its intent to bring a people capacitated to holiness to rule with Christ in His Coming Kingdom. None of Christ’s Atonement efficacy behind the Work of the Holy Spirit has been lost due to Israel’s refusal, and to another Nation of people He has turned the Work of the Holy Spirit. Would not the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the ‘Church’ be more likely to occur if our Theology and eschatology was more in harmony with the Truth of the Kingdom inheritance? The Holy Spirit’s gifts break forth in Words of encouragement in overcoming. Words for further conviction, in the understanding of the exceedingly sinfulness of sin, for the hope of glory attained by holy living… ect. Rather than the leavened error and the presumptuousness of our state and standing before God. Does not the pretense of the manifestation of the gifts bring a false sense of credibility to our undiscerned religious doctrinal darkness… making us even darker and less likely to see the Truth? Does not our lack of the gift of prophecy, the gift of a word of knowledge, of wisdom, speak to our great error in theological and eschatological understanding of God’s Coming Kingdom? Would a true supernatural word from the Spirit of God be recognizable in the Church today, where the Kingdom principles are refuted and rejected and scoffed at? Who would heed an inspired Word? IN CONCLUSION: Additionally, the Holy Spirit had imparted a gift of tongues, distinguished from that gift that was manifest on the Day of Pentecost; ‘an unknown tongue’ that had also manifest in the Gentile congregations as the gift of a ‘tongue and interpretation’. (1st Corinthians 14:5b-13,16,19,21,24-33,39) Paul referred to this gift as the prayer tongue in which he prayed more than them all put together. This prayer tongue may stand on its own. It answers not to Acts Chapter 2, but 1st Corinthians 14:2,4,5a,6-18,23,39, Romans 8:22-27, Jude 20, and Acts 8:17-20; 9:17; 10:46; 19:6. This is the spiritual gift of prayer in ‘new’ tongues (as opposed to known languages) in the power from on high/pneuma hagion. (Mark 16:17) The Church of today (and centuries past) has failed to see the difference in the Holy Spirit’s Work in a past dispensation (and now deferred future); that dispensation having to do with Israel and their Messiah’s Kingdom which included a perfecting Work in Israel on their hearts, a New Covenant, portended by signs, miracles, and wonders in the bringing forth of the Messiah and Kingdom of Israel in the Earth. This being rejected by Israel, they were cut off from the heavenly portion of Christ’s Coming Kingdom in this Realm, as the Nation of the One New Man was brought into clear focus. This is where the confusion comes in. The Holy Spirit is not doing the same work, for it is a different Calling. That Calling on Israel at Pentecost with signs, miracles, and wonders, in order that Israel would repent and receive Christ and be established as the preeminent Nation to rule in the Earth, has ceased. But this is not to say that the Baptism of Holy Spirit and indwelling power and His gifts have ceased. And the difference in application may be discerned by understanding the depth of the Work required in the greater Calling into a future heavenly spiritual Union with Christ.

Mike Balloun teaches today. 10/21/23 EFFECTIVE PRAYER VERSES: Matthew 6:9-13; Romans 8:25-26; Hebrews 4:14-16, 7:25; Galatians 5:7-9 STUDY NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/igrsc7wsjaut18v7r2qam/h?rlkey=ne4xp79zac30do689dtgozbr8&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9 EFFECTIVE PRAYER… Fundamentally, prayer is directed towards the Father. Christ in the New Testament Mediates as the High Priest for redeemed man. Christ was called to this office by the Father; He did not appoint Himself. (Hebrews 5) For what purpose? The Father’s foremost revealed will, in the Old and New Testament, is in the first place, to establish His Son as King in this Realm, and to have sons of men to rule with Him in His theocratic government. Jesus the Christ was sent by the Father, as the incarnate Son of God and Son of Man, (Godhood and manhood together) so that He would be fit to cleanse the heavenly utensils of Worship with His Blood (Hebrews 9:23) and stand in the great gap between the Father and the redeemed. So Christ is at the right hand of God the Father; where He has, ever since His Ascension, been doing this marvelous work only He as Son of God and Son of Man could possibly do. He intercedes namely for those who would answer the High Calling of His future Kingdom inheritance as the Father’s adopted first-born sons out of His ‘Body’; the Nation of the One New Man. This is the purpose that He has been set in that office of High Priest. The High Priest prays for the redeemed that they might become one together - a spiritual New Creation in resurrection out from among the dead, wherein we are changed in a moment from an earthly being to a new spiritual being that is fit for union with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. “I pray for these… that as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, they also may be one in us.” (John 17:21) To that end, Christ said… “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth.” [John 14:16-17] If Christ’s intercession is ours, then so is the Holy Spirit’s… “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he (Christ) that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” [Romans 8:25-26] (Certain it is that there is ‘cause and effect’ here, in that Christ’s intercessions in Heaven stir the quickened hearts unto prayer). “I pray that thou wouldst keep them from the evil (one).” In this, the High Priest also answers as our Advocate to all satan’s accusations against us. In this Judicial setting in Heaven’s Throneroom, lies the present struggle for our soul’s salvation. This is the High Priest’s constant labor of love; constant petitions and pleadings and the exercising of pardons for His redeemed. It’s hard to paint the picture of His 24/7 intercession/advocacy, but Hebrews 7:25 is clear that “he ever liveth to make intercession for them (the redeemed).” This is the office He is in and it is non-stop. Being that Satan, our adversary, is not omnipresent, he has angels assigned to the redeemed who gather information and go and report to him that he may accuse the redeemed before the Throne. Our High Priest prays to the Father on our behalf… “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me…” Here He was speaking of the Disciples but in the same same Chapter He says, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word (us)…” Jesus’ heart was the will of the Father; that we may be united with Him in His glory. In answer to His prayer to the Father, we read His Word to His faithful… “I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.” (Where is our longing for this?) As redeemed, our names have been rejoicingly recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life in Heaven by the Angels of God (Luke 15:10). Jesus, having entered the Holiest Place, now carries our written name before God the Father, and that for the entire time we are alive on the Earth where He intercedes for the salvation of our souls (His purpose as High Priest being to make intercession for us that we may yield to the Holy Spirit in us that He may develop Christlikeness in us, that we may share in His glory. And this being only while we are alive whe we are walking through tests and trials by faith and not by sight, being that dying takes us out of the realm of faith and trust. Thus, those prayers of interceding for us to be overcomers cease when we die.) And that intercession being on the all-encompassing basis of His Atonement acts, beyond redemption, wherein He purchased the right to the “so great salvation”; that of the just right for the soul to enter into the union glory with the Godhead. We are forever sealed in redemption’s gift but by His Atonement and Intercession He intends to secure our eternal soul unto glory. At this very moment, while we, whose names are written in His Book of life, His redeemed, are yet alive in this Realm, He is interceding and advocating for us… that His death and resurrection life (Romans 6) might be comprehended and worked out in us, that when this life, like a vapor passes, it will not have been lived in vain, but to the Father’s and Son’s Glory. That is to say, that we being now redeemed and living in this Realm might to His praise overcome the flesh, devil, and World in the power of His Atonement. That at the Judgement Seat of Christ, we are then found worthy, and at the appointed time of the First Resurrection, we are raised up out from among the dead in Hades and instantly filled with His glory and joined with Him in the heavenly part of His Millennial Kingdom. If we would have this in view, it would change the whole dynamic of our prayers. Most of the time our prayers are misdirected. If we have God’s will for man in view, in particular for us, we would pray in unity with His will. This is the will of the Great Intercessor/Mediator… Father, thy will is My will, that this redeemed repentant seeking soul’s mind may be opened to all Your Kingdom’s salvation plan, privileges, and power flowing from My Death, Resurrection, and Ordination Glory; that You may give unto this one (you/me) the spirit of wisdom and understanding in the knowledge of You. That this one might know the hope of Your calling, and what the riches of the glory of Your Kingdom inheritance in the saints is. And what is the exceeding greatness of your power towards one who is being persuaded in Kingdom worthiness, according to the working of Your mighty power, which You wrought in Me, when You raised Me from among the dead, and set Me at Your right hand, far above all others. And have put all things under My feet, and gave Me to be the head over all things to the Church. That You would grant this humble seeker, according to the riches of Your Glory, to be strengthened with might by the Holy Spirit’s power in the new man, that My revealed nature of Agape may dwell and grow through this one’s renewed mind and spirit by faith, that this one may be empowered by the Holy Spirit, that this one might be rooted and grounded in that love, and comprehend with all the worthies, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of all the deep things related to their Kingdom inheritance; And to know My agape, which passeth knowledge, that this one may be then filled with all your fullness that answers to Your High Calling. Now let’s move from His prayer to our own personal prayer… It is communication with God. It is in answer to our need, not His. In that, God does not need us or our prayer, but we need Him and His Word. Generally in Christendom, our prayers are more earthly-minded as opposed to heavenly-minded (heavenly kingdom-minded). New Testament prayer answers to Christ’s Atonement Who purchased for the redeemed… access to the Holiest Place in Heaven enduing power from on high/the Baptism of the Holy Spirit on the Earth (power through Christ in Heaven and power through the Holy Spirit on the earth) in order to attain unto the purposes set forth in the New Testament. Christ’s instructive prayer to His Disciples on how and what to pray for begins and ends with the Father’s Will. “Our Father Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name (the Greek word hagiázō is to regard to venerate/highly respect). It also refers to the withdrawal from fellowship with the world and selfishness by gaining fellowship with God.) Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. (The thrust of the prayer is about the Kingdom and prayers for these earthly things are secondary. That’s why we are told that if we seek His Kingdom and His righteousness, these secondary things such as what we will we eat, wear, etc… will be added unto us). And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever Amen.” The foremost prayer of the redeemed in Christ is to be in communion (koinonia) with the Father. The prayers of the maturing redeemed soul should always have the Father’s Kingdom coming Will in view. Our soul is invited unto Heaven, in the power of the Spirit/spirit, to approach the Father in the Name of the LORD. As Christ has gone before as Forerunner into the Holy of Holies to intercede on our behalf… so also we, the redeemed, are invited in the freedom of Christ to follow Him “and enter into the holiest by the Blood of Jesus.” [Hebrews 10:19] “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly (in full assurance) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” [Hebrews 4:14-16] We the redeemed in Christ ought to know that it is from before the foundation of this world the Father’s great will that Christ and His redeemed be found worthy of His Kingdom glory. (Ephesians 1, Colossians 1:27) And to know that the Holy Spirit revealed the most excellent way of spiritual maturity unto worthiness in faithful service is by perfecting God’s agape within our heart; that which then must become our greatest of pursuits. (1st Corinthians 13) “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” “Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children: And walk in love (the command), as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor.” (Ephesians 5:1-2) “For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law (of Moses) is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love (the New Testament law to the redeemed unto spiritual maturity for required worthiness to attain unto the Father’s will) thy neighbour as thyself.” (Galatians 5:13) If we are under the New Testament Law, then what does this mean?… We are “called unto liberty” and “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” It means that the Galatians were running the race well (as Paul said in Galatians 5:7-9) under the New Testament law of love, and walking in the spirit/Spirit. Until that disqualifying religious leaven of ‘keeping the law of Moses’ as the means for overcoming the flesh and being found pleasing to God was introduced into their thinking, causing them to be “fallen from grace” (grace being that being the divine influence upon their hearts). This divine influence being the power from on high in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit; the necessity of spiritual maturity in trusting love. “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit/spirit (divine nature and power from on high) by the (keeping of the) works of the law (of Moses), or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun (the process of holiness/Christlikeness) in the Spirit/spirit, are you now (to be) made perfect (spiritually mature) by the flesh (works of the Law of Moses)?” (Galatians 3:2-3) It is critical for the effective prayers of the redeemed to understand walking in the ‘spirit/‘Spirit as “faith energized by love” (faith being inward trust that draws upon the virtue of Christ’s word and work).The power to run the race in the spirit for the Kingdom inheritance and overcome altogether are seperate from the religious works of the flesh. Paul is also contrasting the gift of the divine nature with the old nature within. In that you cannot renew the mind to the Words of Christ to perfect the soul (the objective of the ‘spirit/Spirit’), by following the religious flesh’s “foolish” carnal reasoning. Liberty from the law of Moses is not that the One New Man is without ‘law’, for he is under the more exacting ‘law of love’ unto Christlikeness. (See the standards laid out in Matthew 5-7.) The ‘liberty’ of which Paul speaks has to do with the new spiritual terms of those who are now called to walk according to the spirit/Spirit, who are then under the “law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus”… meaning without the disqualifying condemnation curse from the Kingdom inheritance that accompanied the breaking of the Law of Moses for ‘missing the mark’, and that being in but just one point. (“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” - James 2:10 and Galatians 3:10) This simply means that when the redeemed heart that is humble in walk and contrite and repentant over breaking the New Testament ‘law of love’, he is “kept by the power of God” outside the Law of Moses, in full accord with His Son’s propitiatory Atonement. He is not imputed righteousness, but he yet is able to maintain his state and standing in pursuit of the ‘High Calling’ of the Kingdom inheritance, that he might be “kept in the power of God” and continue in his quest for a personal righteousness unto Christlike worthiness, in loving service to Christ. To rightly divide the Word of God in this regard is vital (as it relates to liberty from the Law of Moses). We have to especially be on guard against critically appraising the goodness of God, walking in religious flesh, growing spiritually calloused in self-deceit, and being guilty of not rightly reckoning oneself ‘dead unto sin’/followed thereby with a ‘life alive unto God’ through Jesus Christ our Lord. Or letting sin rule in our mortal bodies, thereby again becoming the servant of satan while living this life. And upon death and the Judgement Seat of Christ, being judged unworthy of the High Calling and/or worthy of punishment for neglected or evil service to Christ the Lord. (Romans 6) HERE IS THE GREAT FOUNDATIONAL NEW TESTAMENT TRUTH IN THE ACCOMPLISHING OF THE WILL OF THE FATHER… That the ‘bringing unto perfection/progressing of spiritual maturity’ and the ‘running well’ the race in the battle of spirit and flesh, which Paul refers to here in the Book of Galatians (Galatians 5:7), is the development of Christlikeness within the soul of the redeemed, which answers to the attaining of the “prize of the high calling”. (Romans 8:9, Galatians 4:19, Colossians 1:27, Philippians 3:14) And that being in the power of the Holy Spirit, in answer to Christ’s Atonement given by the Father from on high. (Luke 24:49) This religious leaven (Galatians 5:1-9) implanted by the tares of satan have always circumvented/resisted the Holy Spirit’s Work of spiritual maturity in the soul of the redeemed man. (Acts 7:51) They’ve resisted with conflicting and confusing fleshly interjections of false religious doctrines. From the Protestant side, on one hand, they propose the necessity of the redeemed in keeping the law of Moses to be pleasing unto God and fulfill the will of the Father in the New Testament redeemed… or on the other hand, they offer half-truth doctrines of the law of Moses and its Curse having passed away for the redeemed in Christ; being ‘justified’ aside from the Law of Moses by Christ’s substitutionary offering to the Father, believing we redeemed now stand in an imputed righteousness. Which is true as far as our mere justification goes, but it deceivingly goes not nearly far enough, as we are not imputed righteousness concerning our sanctification. Theirs is a doctrine purposefully intended to take away from the redeemed the Higher Calling of the Father and to teach a lying, all-encompassing imputed ‘grace’ gifted to the redeemed for an immediate inheritance discovered at death. It is a thieving proposed ‘liberty’ effectively free from any qualifying law for the attainment of the Kingdom inheritance, and certainly free from any great eternal loss and punishment for unfaithful service. Or the religious leaven of keeping the paganized rituals of Catholicism that are centered around keeping the religious hierarchy intact, not doing the will of God. Protestant and Catholic religious traditional laws or rituals have no Truth basis in Scripture and allows the ‘works’ of flesh to come down off the cross and deter and shipwreck the redeemed one’s faith that was energized by their first love which was spread abroad in their heart by the Holy Spirit. Note the spiritual law that governs here in the redeemed soul is, “That which is born of THE SPIRIT is spirit and that which is born of the flesh is flesh” (and if what is born in the soul is flesh, it will produce the fruit of the flesh and always remain flesh and what is born in the soul is spirit will produce spiritual fruit). The one is Divine, and the other is but human. One is a futile exercise in time the other is eternal. You cannot improve the flesh, and you cannot overcome the flesh with flesh… you can only crucify the flesh by walking in the spirit/Spirit. The enemy’s wicked strategy, once one is redeemed, is to stop spiritual maturity by mixing the two natures in worship of God in the soul and thereby “frustrate the grace of God” (Galatians 2:21; the Book of Judges) Which means the foolish- minded (unable to hear Paul’s Galatian message of exhortation) is greatly hindered in reaping from the spirit/Spirit overcoming power unto victory over the carnal flesh while also sowing unwittingly to the religious flesh. (Hosea 8:7) As this is the condition of many sincere but deceived redeemed souls whose faith, hope, and love become shipwrecked, as they have not been taught how to “…be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might…” in the basics of Christian theology and eschatology founded upon the will of the Father in the redeemed capacitating for the Kingdom inheritance, what the rules of engagement are and what it is then to effectively pray and “..put on the whole armor of God… to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Galatians 5:13-26 ‘For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty (in walking in the spirit/Spirit that you might overcome the flesh); only use not liberty (from the condemnation of the law of Moses) for an occasion to the flesh, but by love (overcome the disqualifying flesh and) serve one another. For all the law (which has Christ’s Nature and the Father’s Kingdom inheritance in view) is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another (in blindness to your own corrupting flesh which you are charged to overcome), take heed that ye be not consumed (both disqualified as the result) -- one of another. This I say then, Walk in the spirit/Spirit (walk spiritually circumspectly in the divine nature endued with the power of the Holy Spirit in Christ’s resurrected life, acutely aware we are bound together in the law of love under the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, to accomplish the Father’s great salvation will), and ye shall not (in this Truth awareness) fulfill the lust of the flesh. (James 1:14-26) For the flesh lusteth against the (no article in the Greek) spirit, and the spirit (is set) against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other (the appointed state of internal conflict wherein only the redeemed with a new nature find themselves): so that ye cannot do the things that ye would (sinlessness is in no wise in view; neither here or in Romans 7, in that in the conflict, I, the newly redeemed, quickly discover that I cannot immediately do all the good things demanded in Christ’s Words which my new nature in spirit/Spirit desires that I would do {but also I do not do all the bad things which the flesh/Old Man would have me do. But this being of no great solace in the quest to be Christlike} I mournfully cry out in trepidation of disqualification for the High Calling “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death?” But if ye be led of the spirit/Spirit (the new man/the divine nature, but yet sin…), ye are not under the law (of Moses; Romans 8:1-10 - this Passage is no license to sin, but a great provision of Christ’s Blood-bought Atonement to approach in prayer the Throne of Grace, to obtain mercy and find grace, under the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The law of Moses from one point of view was educating the man of the flesh, with its provisions, for an earthly inheritance with its commensurate character; whereas the New Testament Law of love in the spirit/Spirit walk under the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus is liberating in the capacitating of the soul in its commensurate character for a greater heritage in the heavens). Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they (us who are redeemed) which do (and continue to do) such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (the excluding Judgement not being loss of redemption and eternal damnation, but exclusion from the heavenly Kingdom inheritance. Many in Christendom have thought and still think that these verses, and verses like these, are speaking to the lost who participate in these things and that as a result of this behavior, those participating in them would not be able to go to ‘Heaven’. When in reality, Paul is speaking to the redeemed and these scriptures have everything to do with redeemed believers who are standing in a position to gain or lose the Kingdom of God. That’s why in the Church, there is just as much an abundance of carnality as there is in the world, because they opened the door to religious thinking, believing these verses do not pertain to themselves. But you can’t sow in the flesh and reap in the spirit. But the (maturing spiritual) fruit (within the yielded repentant watchful and prayerful soul) of the spirit/Spirit is (first and chief) love, joy (in the assurance of anything that befalls the maturing one is ordered for our good unto an inheritance on high), peace (while in the strife of the inward natures), longsuffering (patiently enduring in the World and with babies in Christ), gentleness, goodness (exercising of Christlike kindness and benevolence to others), faith (faithfulness to others), Meekness (quietly bearing injury and insult), temperance (the spirit/Spirit ruling over the flesh’s self-indulgence): against such there is no law (the law was made, but not for the righteous… there is no law set against those who set their minds and hearts and prayers on walking after the spirit/Spirit, and with each mindful step, we are growing closer to the Kingdom of glory). …And they that are Christ’s (those minding the things of the spirit/Spirit are a part of His entourage/inner circle - Romans 8) have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (It is the spiritual reality that all redeemed Christians are a part of the High Calling, but not all Christians will choose to mind the things of the spirit/Spirit and crucify the flesh, but rather will walk as those in the World. Nevertheless, every redeemed soul may attain unto the power of overcoming the flesh experientially.) If we live in the spirit/Spirit, let us also walk in the spirit/Spirit (many are alive in the spirit, but walk as dead unto Christ, in spiritual suspended animation {although we are always moving one direction or the other; either more spiritual or more fleshly} let us be watchful and prayerful to be moving to the better - 1st Corinthians 3:1, Hebrews 5:12) Let us (Paul includes his own flesh) not be desirous of vain glory (vain glory of the flesh and from men as opposed to seeking the promised approval and glory of Christlikeness that answers to God’s will; in this we cannot be too ambitious), provoking one another, envying one another. As we read and meditate on Scripture, our minds must be renewed to its main disclosure of the Will of the Father; that of His Kingdom Calling set forth in the Atonement of His Son, and thereby we are able to be endued with the power of the Holy Spirit. We may now, with clearer mind, yield, and serve, and repent, and pray, and walk, and listen, and obey, and watch, and be fruitful in our daily walk, in living a maturing, loving, Christlike life with the hope of glory in His Kingdom. Learning from the Word what must be ‘put on’ and what must be ‘put off’ for qualifying Christlikeness. And praying and watching and wrestling to that end. Knowing we are being capacitated every day in many ways through test and trials and sufferings. (Romans 8) Having a renewed mind and heart like Paul, who once prayed for deliverance from hardship, but to him was revealed the capacitating benefits of hardships and the crucifying of the flesh. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Romans 5:1-5, 8:18, 12:12, 2nd Corinthians 12:9) The intent of this lesson was not to discuss actually praying something, but rather to show the backdrop that actually makes our prayers effective. And to show what we should approach Him for and with what heart attitude we should approach Him with as well. If we’re walking in love, then our prayers are effective. But if we are not walking in faith energized by love, or if we are praying in our carnal reasonings, we are stopping the flow of grace to effect Christlikeness in us. God knows we sin. He’s not looking for sinlessness, but He’s looking for purity of heart - a heart that is panting after Him, one that has the initiative and will and desire to use the provisions/tools given to us by God to overcome the flesh and accomplish the purposes of God. When we are convicted of sin, we aren’t to feel disheartenedly condemned, or maybe even think that we’re not even saved. Rather, when we sin, we are to humbly repent and then stay in the race by yielding to and walking in the spirit. This angers satan - that he can’t derail us. If we maintain our walk in the spirit, then we will overcome. And once we’ve understood the rules of engagement, and use the tools God has provided for us, we can run the race with peace and joy, and with a servant’s heart.

Mike Balloun teaches today. 11/11/23 🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 1) 🔥 VERSES: Psalm 2:1-4, 83:4-5; Zechariah 14:2-3; Revelation 1:3,19; Numbers 23:9, 35:11-34 DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/7ilqav1isab2xa6d3r582/h?rlkey=s73dmmcfplaumwacd4tliyftz&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION PART 1 “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” [Revelation 1:3] The intent of this prophetic word is to arouse hope in the redeemed and incentivize them in overcoming faith unto a heavenly Kingdom reward that God intends to give to His faithful. This hope, which is set on Christ, would thus purify us redeemed. (1st John 3:3… “And every man that hath this hope in him (hope of heavenly Kingdom reward/hope of glory) purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”) First, we need to set a solid foundation for what will be the superstructure of the series of lessons entitled, “An Overview of the Book of Revelation.” The understanding of this lesson is foundational and an integral component of grasping the content of future lessons. Let’s begin… Christianity is a religion. It is Jewish in origin. It is the religion based upon the hearing or reading of the recorded life and teachings of Jesus the Messiah of Israel, Savior of the World, and by subsequent faith in His First and prophesied Second Comings. As the redeemed, we are to be living in anticipation of the blessing of empowerment that we need in order to walk out our lives according to God’s will, keeping those things Written by the Christ-instructed Apostles. Christianity’s beginnings and future are inseparable but yet are distinct from that of the Jews. (Acts 15:14-17) The Nation of Israel and the Nation of the One New Man prophetically are destined to converge again as End-Times Kingdom prophecies of the Old and New Testament prophets (that are more fully expounded in the Book of Revelation) are fulfilled. Jesus’ words in Revelation 1:3 of “…for the time is a hand” refers to the fact that when those future prophetic things begin to unfold, there will be no more delay. It will happen suddenly and speedily. One week of years (the last 7 years referred to in the Book of Daniel before Israel is restored/Messiah comes) swiftly closes out this Age and will conclude with Christ’s Second Coming. Before we look at the prophetic future of these two inseparable Nations, it should be very helpful in understanding the Book of Revelation to look back on their histories. For Israel and the Jews’ history, we must go back to Genesis Chapter 9 and Noah and his 3 sons after the Great Flood. Every person on the face of the Earth comes from the lineage of one of these 3 sons; Shem, Ham, or Japheth. Only Shem is declared to have a God. (Verse 26) Ham and Japheth had to dwell in the tents of Shem to have a God and His blessings… for it was Shem who was given the firstborn’s preeminence and right to bless in the only God’s Name. So it was appointed by God from the beginning of man’s repopulating after the Flood and it will never ever change. Only Shem and his lineage then had God as their God and down through nine generations in direct line from Shem, came Abraham, and from him, his son Isaac and grandson Jacob and his 12 sons, from whom sprang the 12 tribes that became the Nation of Israel. They being the only Nation with God as their God. (Numbers 23:9 says they are to “not be reckoned among the nations.”) God has chosen Israel to represent Him in the Earth and will never repent of the idea. (Romans 11:29) Ishmael and Esau’s lineage is reckoned among the lineage of Ham and Japheth according to Scripture. And any god outside of Israel’s God is a useless vain attempt to circumvent God. The Gentile Nations’ gods are satanically inspired from Babel/Babylon for just that reason. (Psalm 96:5) The only way for the Gentile Nations to have a God is to go to that one Nation with a God. (Genesis 9:27) So as it is today, while Israel, the only Nation with standing before God on the Earth, is in unbelief, the Gentile Nations find themselves unable to dwell in the ‘tents of Shem’, and have God and His blessings (it is only in the restoration of Israel in the Millennial Kingdom of Christ that the Nations through Israel will have a God). Today, Israel is ungodly and ‘broken off’ from their heritage, and is surrounded by Babylonianish Nations, which is to say that their god is a mixed worldly governmental and religious system that finds its roots in Mystery Babylon. (Revelation 17:5; Psalm 96:5) This is the same state and god of the United States and every other Nation on the Earth today. The Nation of Israel remains God’s only first born son on the Earth. (Exodus 4:22-23) First born is a title given to them by God in relation to all the other Nations. Israel holds then God’s title and law of the first born; which is to say they alone have right to rule in the Earth and minister to the Gentile Nations. God, in Genesis 12:2-3 says… “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” What God started in Genesis, He will finish in Revelation. Currently the Gentile Nations rule in the Earth through their leaders in the power of satan. (Daniel 10, Ephesians 6… “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” - Verse 6) On this continuing, are all satan’s evil conniving schemes and supernatural resources focused. That is… to keep God’s first born from taking their anciently appointed kingly priestly position as God’s Nation in the Earth to rule over, guide, and bless all the Nations. (Ezekiel 36:23-28, Zechariah 8:21-23) To fail is to lose his kingdom. And ever since Moses brought Israel out of Egypt, satan has been intent on their destruction because they are God’s People whom God will, at the time of their restoration, be who God appointed them to be; a Ruling Nation and priests, ministering to the Nations. (Deuteronomy 7:6) The Last Days, which are expounded upon in the Book of Revelation, bring the intensity of satan and his unseen forces aligned with the Gentile Nations to pass. Psalm 83:4-5… “They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee…” See also Psalm 2… “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us…” Note that these verses are clearly reflective of what we see in modern-day news. (In Psalm 83, we have the 10-nation confederation and Daniel’s image with 10 toes (Daniel 2:41) and Beast with 10 horns (Daniel 7:7). We find in these the foreshadowing of the End-Time 10-Gentile Nation confederation with the Anti-Christ in Revelation 17:12, this future now-developing confederation being determined to Israel’s final and complete annihilation.) Historically, we see the Jews’ religious system destroyed in 70 AD, and later, the Jews were slaughtered and driven out of their God-granted country of Israel and scattered among the Gentile Nations in 135AD by the Romans. (In order to wipe the name of Israel from the map, Roman Emperor Hadrian renamed the Land of Judea as ‘Palaestina/Palestine’ in honor of Israel’s ancient enemies; the Philistines.) An important thing to note is that the driving out was by God Himself in answer to their unbelief to effect repentance. This is the way God has dealt with Israel over and over again. He uses the Nations to judge His People and then He judges those Nations. This is exactly what will happen in End-Times when He allows “Jacob’s Trouble”, and then Jesus comes to pour out God’s Wrath upon the Nations. Zechariah 14:2-3… “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. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.” The present Nation of Israel is a result of the Zionist movement of the end of the 19th Century… which eventually, through 2 wars, led to the Jews’ intensified efforts and England’s mandate and its assignment of the Land still named ‘Palestine’ to be granted to Israel in May 1948 after the greater part of 2000 years. The Jews had appealed to Man and made a pact with Great Britain to re-establish them back into the Land of Israel, which at the time, was basically desolate, full of swamps and barren deserts, and not inhabited by many people at all, mostly Nomads. The Jews who came battled malaria, and through much labor and sacrifice, planted vineyards and built it up. (The Arabs didn’t even care about the Land until the Jews came and brought life back to it. Then Yasser Arafat moved millions of Egyptians to the area and claimed to be Palestinians.) So while the so-called Palestinian Arabs do not deserve to be there because they are not God’s Chosen People, it is also true that the Israel’s ‘restoration’ was of their own efforts as opposed to God having decreed it. Their return was accomplished by Man and was ‘out of time’ (out of the appointed time). In that as long they, as a people, remain unrepentant in unbelief, they are to remain scattered. As prophecy declares, their Restoration in the Land is the aftereffect of receiving Jesus as their Messiah, and that according to Scripture, won’t be until the time of His Return. It also cannot happen while Christ remains in Heaven as the High Priest ministering for a heavenly Nation after a different order (not one of an Aaronic order). For Christ, our High Priest, has not yet come forth to receive His King’s investiture in order to establish His Kingdom on this Earth. Thus, the Jews are in the Land out of God’s appointed time of their return. All this, taken together, answers to the continuing conflict in the Middle East today. This return of a remnant of the Jews to Israel has wrongly been understood by the majority of Christendom as the Biblically-prophesied restoration orchestrated by God. (Ezekiel 36-37) The reality being they are there in the Land by the energy and power of Man’s hand. The Jews’ leadership had looked to Man for their help instead of their God, as was often the case in their Biblical history. The scattering of the Jews by God is to effect repentance after which He would supernaturally restore them all to the Land. But the case of this modern-day ‘Aliyah’ (immigration of Jews back to their homeland) of scattered Jews is in a state of a continued unrepentant disbelief in Jesus as the Christ, putting them still laden with their sins, and at odds with God’s declared purposes. Repentance must come before God’s prophesied Kingdom restoration of Israel can come. (Ezekiel 36-37 can only chronologically follow 38-39) This restoration of Israel can only come after Daniel’s prophesied 70th week of 7 years is unsuspended and completed, wherein is the Prophet Jeremiah’s Jacob’s Trouble/the Great Tribulation, when sorrow-filled repentance in seeing Jesus as Christ fills the hearts of the unbelieving remnant of Jews. (Zechariah 13 & 14) Israel’s restoration will not come until the ‘times of the Gentiles’ (Luke 21:24) and ‘fulness of the Gentiles’ (Romans 11:25) is fulfilled. Nevertheless, a portion of the Jews today back in the Land where they should not be was known and allowed in the foreknowledge of God. It is what sets the table for the End-Time prophecies of the Old and New Testaments, especially seen in the Book of Revelation, to be fulfilled. This remnant in the land today constitutes the re-gathered Nation of Israel which will make the seven-year covenant with Antichrist. (Daniel 9:27) And this remnant of Jews will later be uprooted from the land, that being for 3 ½ years. (Daniel 8:11-14, Matthew 24:15, Revelation 13:5, 11:2) Note that this can never occur after the Jewish people have been regathered to the land BY GOD in the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. - Isaiah 2:1-4, Jeremiah 32:37-44, Ezekiel 37:19-28; 39:25-29, Micah 4:1-7. The prophets have spoken, and we can count on them to give us the results of the End-Time great battle. The 10 Gentile Nations in confederation with the greater Pharaoh/Anti-Christ will more greatly persecute End-Time Israel. But Israel will finally be brought to an everlasting repentance, in the light of their Deliverer, and all Gentile power will be destroyed, which will result in a greater exodus than that of Israel out of Egypt. Satan will be chained in the Abyss of Hades, and the Nation of Israel will again receive God’s authority in the Earth. But presently, satan is doing his best to destroy Israel by using the surrounding Gentile Nations over which he has control. It is a supernatural battle with supernatural beings that man has little to no ability to affect. See the laws of the “avenger of the blood” in Numbers 35:11-34 in regards to the penalty for the person accused of murder. The laws state that the one guilty of shedding the blood of another man must have his blood shed in order to answer to that blood and its defiling effect upon the land. Those laws also speak of the ‘cities of refuge’ “…to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee. They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that anyone accused of murder may not die before they stand trial before the assembly.” Israel, having slain the Lord (Acts 3:17; Luke 23:34) albeit ignorantly (Father forgive them they know not what they do),was therefore not guilty of murder; but of manslaughter. According to the laws of Numbers 35, the guilty party is to be legally exiled from the land (their inheritance) and must remain outside it “…unto the death of the high priest." And if they enter back into their inheritance before such time, the Avenger may slay them. Being that the Jews have come back into the Land before their appointed time, legally, satan, in the role of the revenger of blood, is pursuing them. And so it continues until the ‘death/termination’ of Jesus’ current High Priest Ministry, where He steps out of that Ministry and descends into the Kingly/Priestly Ministry of Melchizedek. Israel then sees the One they have slain at His Coming, and turns to Christ, and then the Blood of the Passover Lamb is applied to the living Israelites, and the Exodus from all Gentile Nations occurs. All that being said, though Israel was set side for these 2000 years due to their rejection of Christ, God has not been left without a National Witness in the Earth. “Therefore say I unto you, The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” [Matthew 21:43] Christians had first been called to the “Commonwealth of Israel’, to come under the ‘tents of Shem’’… “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.” [Ephesians 2:12] That ‘coming under the tents of Shem’ (God’s anointed firstborn) answered to the great commission of Matthew 28:18-20… “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” So the Great Commission’s call to the Apostles was a repetition of the call from Genesis 12:3 to bless all of the familes/nations of the Earth. Had the Jews, as a Nation, accepted the Atonement of Christ, He would have set up His Kingdom and all Gentiles would have been prosyletized into the “Commonwealth of Israel”. What happens in the Millennium could have happened at Pentecost. That is the ancient order of Genesis 9 that will fully be realized in the Millennial Kingdom, that the Gentiles come into the blessings of God through the Nation of Israel. The Nation of the One New Man was formed not in this Earth (being in this World but not OF this World) and is not to be accounted among the Gentile Nations, being of the lineage of Shem through Jesus; the Seed of Abraham, but formed in the heavenly Realm, where the worthies of that Nation will eternally reside and rule in this Realm from its heaven. They are brought out of the lineage of Shem in that they are the spiritual Seed of Abraham. (Galatians 3:29) But just as Abraham had other sons who were found unworthy to share in the Glory of restored Israel, whose inheritance is then found among the Gentile Nations… so does Jesus have unworthy servants whose inheritance will not be in the Glory of the heavenly Realm, but be among the Gentile Nations eternally upon the New Earth. In that an accountability in overcoming has to be met in order to inherit the Promises He holds out. That Nation “more worthy” of the heavenly Kingdom inheritance, because of its overcoming fruits Christ prophesied of, was not officially formed until after Israel’s persistent rejection of Jesus as their Messiah. And in around 62 AD, Paul spoke the Holy Spirit-inspired Words of, “Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.” [Acts 28:28] These out of the Nation of the One New Man are now to be God’s/Christ’s Witnesses of the Kingdom coming by overcoming the gods of this world. They are not to rule in life, but to sacrifice a self-pleasing life here in faithful loving service of Jesus. They are called now to be that ADOPTED first born heavenly son to rule with THE First Born (Christ) in the heavens in His Coming Millennial Kingdom, as then God’s restored first born son Israel will rule on the Earth. (Let’s pause to consider something… What value will we place on being considered Firstborn sons? Will we be like Esau whom God hated for despising his firstborn rights, selling it for a mere pot of stew? For surely the Lukewarm Laodicean spiritual Esau who values the temporary pleasures of this life above his own inheritance, will be spewed out of Christ’s mouth and disinherited as a firstborn son, not having the right to a kingly and priestly ministry in the heavens.) And so it is that the Book of Revelation tracks God’s Three First-Born Sons (Jesus, Israel, and the worthies of the One New Man) in this Age, and beyond.

Mike Balloun teaches today. 11-18-23 🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 2) 🔥 VERSES: Revelation 1:19, 13:2, 22:9-12; Daniel 9:24-27; Hosea 6:1-3 DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/et5oyoj8nveiwym8e6jk6/h?rlkey=wijrt9f9u09yo55cxw0z2avu0&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION PART 2 (Note that an overview is a summary, therefore for an in-depth understanding of the details chapter-by-chapter, please see our online series entitled “Revelation Revealed.”) In order to understand the Book of Revelation, it is important to know that it is divided up by the Lord into 3 distinct parts/times, as John is told to: “Write 1) the things which thou sawest, and 2) the things which are, and 3) the things which shall come to pass after these.” The first division being set forth as only that which is recorded in the first Chapter the “things which thou sawest”… That being of the Lord’s eternalness, of His announced purpose of showing His servants things which must come to pass before His Return, and of His appearance as the High Priest Administrator and Intercessor in relation with the heavenly Sanctuary’s ‘Holy Place’ where 7 golden “candlesticks” of the Body of Christ are displayed. (See Hebrews 8:2 where Jesus, our High Priest is described as… “A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true (heavenly) tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.”) But this scene in Revelation 1 in is uniquely distinct from the ancient Jewish Mosaic system, as this Holy of Holies in the heavens is without Ark, Table of Shew Bread, or Altar of incense… possibly because Christ embodies these, whereas the ‘golden candlesticks’ speak to the royal eternal heavenly calling, the wick speaks of Churches and its congregants, and the light of the candlesticks are initially sparked by the light of regeneration, but then obedience to the Word is what keeps the candles continuing to shine. Without obedience/yielding to the oil of the Holy Spirit, He will remove the lampstand.) The second distinct division in time Jesus defined is “the things which are” (right now), which was to say… that which would continue until a certain point in the future… then attention is brought to those moral and spiritual conditions Jesus revealed in those selected 7 Churches in Chapters 2 & 3. Jesus reveals Himself and speaks to John in this first vision relating to the things which thou sawest and the things which are, and after that, the Angels spoke to John in all his subsequent visions of the things which shall be hereafter, which are recorded by him in the Book of Revelation. Then in the 22nd Chapter, Jesus steps back into the scene and speaks the final words to John when His Return is imminent; that is to say, when those things begin to manifest that the Angels spoke of. Then there will not be time for the lax or lazy servant who is found asleep spiritually to recover himself when he does finally hear the Master Who had been knocking at his door, to escape the great hour of temptation that is coming on all the World. (Revelation 3:10) “And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward/wages is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be” either good or bad. (Revelation 22:10-12 with 11:18) No, the quickness of His return will not allow anyone living to have time to change. The Book of Revelation is a summary of Christ’s expectations to the Church to overcome. It is not an evangelistic message to the lost, but a warning to His servants to maintain faithfulness throughout His absence. Justification from eternal wrath is exclusively by faith and not reward for works. (Romans 4:4-5) But now the Justified are to be held accountable for works of service, as accounted by the Master. (See the parables in Matthew 25 & Luke 21 which parallel Jesus going away on a journey and returning to judge His servants based on their faithfulness/fruitfulness.) What constitutes a faithful servant/overcomer or one that is overcome by the Old Man within and the World and satan without, relative to gain or loss of reward and punishment, is somewhat characterized for us in the 7 letters to the Churches recorded in these first 3 Chapters of Revelation. Keep in mind that each of the following exhortations is applicable to any church or any redeemed individual, as His warnings are to the saved… Ephesus’ servants being gradually defeated was due to “works” without the comprehension and purpose of their first love. Paul’s doctrine of faith without love being meaningless is seen in 1st Corinthians 13 and also Galatians 5:6 which speaks of faith needing to work by love. See also 1st Thessalonians 1:3 and 2nd Thessalonians 1:3 where Paul encourages them in their walk of love… “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.” ….“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity (love) of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth…” These 4 verses are contrasted to the loss of love as the motive to serve. Reverential thankfulness and repentance brings the grace and mercy for renewal and fruitfulness of service. (Luke 3:8) Without this repentance, He will come and remove them from being one of His Churches. First the lamp grows dim, then it goes out. Smyrna had a mixture of pretentious believers and faithful believers doing the works of Christ even in the face of great persecution. Those who were faithful even unto loss of goods, He declares rich… to be manifest at His Return with the Crown of life. Those of Pergamum were being defeated by compromising in false doctrines, religious systems, and accompanying moral breakdowns. Hear the Spirit, repent in awakened fear, and overcome in the hope of reward. In Thyatira, they had become tolerant of the wickedness of the false prophetess that was seducing the faithful in adultery/fornication under the pretense of the benefits of understanding the depths of satan. But some had not succumbed, and are encouraged to hold fast until He Comes. And to those who overcome and do His works unto the end, they shall receive the authority of the heavenly Kingdom and rule over the nations. Sardis is the example of the danger of remaining ‘merely born again’ (James 1:22). They had heard the maturing Word of service to Christ by the Apostles, but were in need again to hear and repent of defiled garments on the verge of being found asleep. Altogether, they are a lethargic secularized Church. But there were a few who had not defiled garments, who at His Return will be found worthy of glory. Those of Philadelphia had heard and heeded the warning Words of the Apostles and were fighting the fight of faith, though they were few in number. Laodicea, being fully leavened in religious doctrines, were overcome, cold in agape, lukewarm in presumptuous character, and calloused to any spiritual sensitivity of Christ not being in their midst. In these various tests, trials, and temptations set forth in Scripture, the regenerate believer (now and over the many generations since the Master has ascended) is either overcoming with sure promise of reward of Kingdom inheritance or is being overcome by these or any of the other disqualifying sins unrepentantly committed. In that a Christian either overcomes or becomes enslaved to the sin he tolerates in himself. (Romans 6:16… “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” See also 1st Corinthians 6:9-10, Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 5:3-7 which list a good amount of the things that will disqualify the unrepentant redeemed from the kingdom of heaven reward. Today’s Church does not take to heart “that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” The Lord’s exhortations to the Churches were with the hope of attainment of reward in His Coming Kingdom and avoidance of its loss and any punishment due for unfaithful service. These ‘things which are’ then comparatively extend concurrently to all the Churches of the redeemed over the last 2000 years. That is to say, the moral and spiritual conditions of the ancient Churches in Chapters 2&3 are prophetically a picture of the last 2000 years of Churches. Today, we are yet a part of the things which are, although there are End-Time signs we cannot with Scriptural confidence say we have entered into the 3rd distinct part in time Christ prophesied of. That being said, “the things which are” have been given a certain discernable prophetic terminus point before “the things which shall come to pass after these” shall begin, which are then “those things” set forth in Revelation Chapters 4-22. ‘THE LAST DAYS’ The Last Days is a term that refers to the very last part of this current particular ‘Age’ that began at Christ’s Crucifixion and ends with His Return. The concept of an ‘age’ being the way God speaks to our finite minds, as Eternity is too hard to grasp. The Last Days is a term closely united, if not synonymous, with Christ’s distinct 3rd part of His revelation given to John of “the things which shall come to pass after these”. The prophesied 70 weeks of Daniel must be the first thing understood by the Bible student to fully understand the meaning of the prophetic Events in the End-Time chronology of the Book of Revelation Chapters 4 through Revelation 20:6. Within the Book of DANIEL are also PROPHETIC VISIONS all pointing towards the ‘Last Days’… which exactly correspond with John’s visions of the Book of Revelation and give us precisely the time of the ending of this Age and the beginning of the next Age. (See our series on “The Book of Daniel” for a further in-depth understanding, but here we will get a basic understanding.) Daniel 9:24-27 Note that Daniel had asked God the timing as to when Israel will be (permanently) restored. His response was… (Verse 24) “Seventy weeks (weeks of 7 years each, totaling 490 years) are determined upon thy people (Israel) and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression (of Israel), and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. (25) Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. (26) And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off (die), but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. (27) And he (the prince) 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.” So, 69 of those 7-year weeks were historically fulfilled, which brings our understanding precisely to blinded Israel’s rejecting and cutting off/crucifying their Messiah as predicted 2000 years ago, as Daniel prophesied in Verse 26. Leaving the 70th week of 7-year periods of Verse 27 yet-to-be fulfilled. Throughout the Bible, Scripture declares the Jews must receive Jesus as their Messiah in order for those restorative things enumerated in the prophecy in Verse 24 above to be fulfilled. So it was in the cutting off/crucifying of their Messiah that the 70th Week of 7 years was suspended until the end of this parenthetical Age (the parenthetical insertion of the 2000-year “age” of mercy and grace, wherein God is calling out a People out of the Gentiles, which is between the 69th week and the final 70th week of Daniel). And when the final 7 years run their course, prophecy assures us the Jews will then receive Jesus as their Messiah and all the things mentioned in Verse 24 will be fulfilled. (Said a different way: 69 Weeks out of the 70 (483 years out of the 490 years) track perfectly from the time Daniel was given that prophecy until the day Messiah was crucified (Daniel 9:26) which leaves the final 70th week of years/seven years unfulfilled.) Therefore the terminus point of “the things which are” and the Last Days (final 7 years) beginning/“the things which come to pass after these” is the starting of Daniel’s suspended 70th week of 7 years, the Last Days of this Age, before Christ’s Return. And what starts the 70th week of 7 years? Daniel 9 Verse 27 predicts Israel’s covenant with the prince, and that is precisely the catalyst that begins the 3rd distinct part of Christ’s prophecy, “…for the time is at hand…” for ‘the specific things which shall now come to pass’ that will end this Age. That short time of 7 years (plus a few more days Daniel 12:11-12) is exclusively what is detailed in the Book of Revelation Chapters 4 to Chapter 20 Verse 6. This 7-year covenant that begins the End of this Age/‘the Last Days’, which apostate Israel makes in the hope of avoiding desolation, is with the “…prince that shall come…” It is he that emerges as the leader of an End-Time 10-Nation confederation that is perceived to hold the End-Time Nation of Israel’s fate in their hands. (Daniel 7:7-8 with Revelation 17:16-17… Daniel 7:7-8 speaks of the Beast and the 10 nations/kingdoms that the Anti-Christ becomes confederated with. Revelation 17:16-17 are corresponding verses of the very same event.) The covenant is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy of Israel’s covenant with “Death and Hades.” (Isaiah 28:15) It is so named by the Holy Spirit as “a covenant with death, and with hell” in that the 7-year agreement is made with the satanically resurrected/resuscitated man/the Anti-Christ presently consigned to the Pit/Abyss of Hades. (Revelation 13:2-4; 17:8) Note that it is not absurd or fanciful to believe that the Anti-Christ comes out of literal Hades, considering the precedent that Jesus Christ went to the Pit/Abyss in Hades before and came out at His Resurrection. We thus should be able to believe that satan could offer a man the same authority and glory he had once offered to Jesus in the Wilderness. For it is satan who gives the Anti-Christ “his power, and his seat, and great authority.” (Revelation 13:2) There is a battle for supremacy in this realm, and when Satan is cast down, he goes to extreme measures which compel him to make a pact with a human to resuscitate him, that he may rule the Earth through a human. His objectives are stealth, but his true aim will be to destroy the Chosen People appointed to be God’s Theocratic Government in the Earth and further establish a satanic autocratic worship system on the Earth. Thus, the final 7 years of Daniel’s 70th week of this Age arrive with the covenant of “Death and Hades” with the prince/Anti-Christ. Biblically, this is the timeline of Daniel’s words that say that he will “…confirm the covenant with many for one week (7 years): 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 until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” Those with Biblical understanding will expect then the violation of that covenant in the midst or at the 3 ½ year point. (Matthew 24:15, Revelation 12:14, Isaiah 10:20-25; 26:20-21, Revelation 11:2) Both the desolated/Israel and the desolator/the Anti-Christ will be dealt with in terrifying judgements over that last 3 ½ years until finally the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS WILL APPEAR on the Great Battle scene for Israel and victoriously close out the 70th week of Daniel and this current Age. (Revelation 19:11-21, Matthew 13:30) IN THIS PRESENT AGE… So it should be seen that on the one hand, this suspended week of Daniel’s 7 years resulted in this present 2000-year-old Age that answers to the Nation of Israel’s cutting off/crucifying of their Messiah and on the other hand, it is God’s appointed time in bringing forth another Nation from which He will bring true witnesses on the Earth exercised in the unadulterated Gospel of Christ, from the Nation of the One New Man. (Matthew 21:43, Ephesians 2:15, Acts 15:14-17) (From another Scriptural perspective of the same timeline, is that which is set forth by the Prophet Hosea: the 7-year period unsuspended answers to the Tribulation Period after these 2000 years/ 2 ‘Days’ (2nd Peter 3:8… “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day”) in which Israel was broken off, after which He will bring Israel’s remnant to repentance in the beginning of the 3rd Day …which corresponds with the beginning of the 7th Day/Millennium from Re-Creation. (Hosea 6:1-3 & Zechariah 13:8-9… “Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days (2000 years after their rejection of Jesus and Israel’s being cut off) will he revive us: in the third day (bringing in the Millennium) he will raise us up (Israel will be restored), and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.”) And from another Scriptural perspective, in that 7-year Tribulation period, in the seals, trumpets, and vials judgements, in the closing out of this Age of Grace and Mercy and in establishing the coming Age of Justice, God then will revenge all the blood shed on the Earth. And in that bloody exacting justice, He will fulfill His ancient Covenant Words (seen in Genesis 9:5-6, Deuteronomy 32:41-43, Matthew 23:35 where God speaks of the principal of blood for blood and avenging the blood of His servants). He will avenge down to the last drop for every drop of spilled innocent blood that has accumulated since the time of Abel, which God takes into account. That 7-year period will end also with the prophetic convergence of 1) ‘the fulness of the Gentiles’ having come into the Nation of the One New Man (Romans 11:25) and 2) ‘the times of the Gentiles’ when the ruling scepter of God in the Earth that He took from rebellious Israel in the days of Jeremiah and granted to the Gentile rulers (beginning with Nebuchadnezzar), will finally terminate. (Daniel 2:37-38 with Luke 21:24) In that repentant Israel, at the end of the 7-year great tribulation, receives Jesus as God’s Messiah; their sins then forever put away, in that their souls will be saved (Jeremiah 31:31-35, Hebrews 10:38-39), and as a People and Nation will be established forever as God’s chosen Nation among all the Gentile Nations and take back the scepter of authority in the Earth, and rule over the Nations in Christ’s Millennial Kingdom as God’s long-awaited Theocratic Government Nation on the Earth. Wherein there will be no more Churches of the Nation of the One New Man on the Earth. THE LAMB OF GOD’S INVESTITURE AS KING FORETOLD Beginning with Revelation Chapters 4:2 through Revelation 5:14 we have the events depicting Jesus obtaining His investiture as King over this Realm’s Kingdom in the unseen heavenly Realm before He begins to open the Seals. And then, moving forward, we have the 7-year period in which the further prophesied fast-paced events of the middle Chapters happen until His Kingdom is fully obtained in Revelation 20:6. So it is that those prophetic events of the Book of Revelation exactly correspond with the prophetic events of Daniel’s 7th Chapter, beginning with 9th Verse in the ‘setting up’ of those same thrones and then moving over that same 7-year period until concluding at the same point with Christ’s Kingdom realization, Verses 7-28 of Daniel… “Hitherto is the end of the matter”. The accounts are the same in that they both deal with the same 7 years and events that End this current Age which bring forth the 3 “first born” Sons of God to Rule in this Realm in the next Age of His Millennial Kingdom: the Son of Man/Son of God, the First Born of physical Israel to rule on the Earth, and the adopted First Born/Bride out of the ‘Body’ of Christ to co-rule with Christ from the heaven of this Earthly Realm. In Daniel Chapter 7, these 3 firstborn sons are articulated as 1) the Son of Man takes the kingdom - Verses 13 & 14, “the saints of the most High (places) (the Bride of Christ) take the (heavenly part of the) Kingdom” (Verses 18,22,25), and 3) the Kingdom “under the whole heaven (on the Earth) shall be given to the people (the Jews who are subservient) of the saints of the most High (places)” (Verse 28). The same corresponding 3 “first born” Sons in the Book of Revelation are 1)“The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, the Lamb, Faithful and True, King of Kings and Lord of Lords” 2) “the overcomers, the man-child, the first fruits, the harvest, His Wife, the Blessed and holy… priests of God”; these being then the worthy heavenly ruling contingent ‘saints’ out of the Nation of the One New Man 3) the faithful non-Christian Jews referred to as “the woman” in Revelation 12:14 and “the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God” (in Revelation 12:17,14:12), and referred to as “the servants of our God” in Revelation 7:3-4. These End-of-this-Age events, recorded in Old and New Testament Prophecy, has God’s one main theme in view; the Son of Man’s replacement Theocratic Government for this Realm; in both its heavenly and Earthly parts. So Daniel and Revelation, taken together, fully expound the meaning of the Last Days of this Age, and that chiefly for Jesus’ investiture as King of this Realm (note that the word Investiture means “the ceremony of installing a new monarch; the ceremonial act of clothing someone in the insignia of an office; the formal promotion of a person to an office or rank”… therefore, the thrones being set up in the heavens associated with this Earth at the beginning of the last 7-year period, after which Jesus begins to open the seals spoken of in Revelation, He then will be moving into His Kingly office in addition to His priestly office of Intermediary). The climax of the events of the ‘Last Days’/Last 7 years brings forth Christ’s worthies to rule in His Millennial Theocratic Government out of two, distinct groups: Jews and Christians. Those who are to be finally realized and revealed out of the whole saved/redeemed household of God since Adam; which the ‘Woman and her seed’ of the 12th Chapter fully symbolizes. That is the Chapter that reveals how Jesus will reward His faithful in promised rescue “from (ek; out of) the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” (Revelation 3:10) And at the end of Daniel’s 70th week of 7 years answers also to that hour of temptation/Jacob’s Trouble/the great Tribulation/time of trouble. Then the faithful surviving remnant seed of Abraham, the servants of God, will repent and receive Christ as Israel’s Messiah who will join all God’s faithful Jews down through time, who are now waiting in Hades/Abrahams’ Bosom to be resurrected, unto the ruling/priestly inheritance of the promised Earthly portion of Jesus’ Kingdom in this Realm. (Daniel 12:1-3, Genesis 12:2-3) And when those Last Days set in, those living Christians who are religiously presumptuous (Laodicean) in nature and spiritually asleep/un-watching, will then be startled when the ‘overcoming’ are caught up as the “Manchild/First-fruits” offering (Revelation 3:10; 12:5), and they are being confronted with the great “hour of temptation.” They, then being awakened from their spiritual religious darkness, are exhorted to endure patiently, in that many will be martyred who will not succumb to the Anti-Christ, and will then at the last be found worthy be a part of the End-Time Great Harvest. (Revelation 14:14-16 with Revelation 16:15) That is to say, the Harvest catching up of the faithful living and dead in Christ in the First Resurrection, who will then be raised up to meet the Lord in the Air (the first heaven) just before the final and 7th vial of God’s Wrath is poured out on His enemies. The time of the marriage of the Lamb has come… those who had made garments of righteousness receive their inheritance in the heavenly portion of Christ’s Kingdom, where satan now rules from over the Earth. (1st Thessalonians 4:16-17, Revelation 19:7; 20:4-6) The majority of Old Testament and New Testament prophecies are yet to be fulfilled in this seven-year period. So it is necessary to understand this key End-Time prophetically revealing connection between the Book of Revelation and Daniel’s prophecies; particularly the Investiture of Christ in the 7th Chapter, and then the 9th Chapter’s suspended 70th Week of desolation, which is also Jeremiah’s prophesied “Jacob’s Trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7) and the Lord’s “great tribulation” (Matthew 24:21-22), that of prophesied severe Judgement that must come upon the Jews who will remain blinded in unbelief until the end of the Age, when a remnant is to be spared. (Zechariah 13-14, Revelation 12:6; 13-17) This runs concurrently with the chastening purging of the un-watching and un-ripened Christians. (Revelation 14:12-13, Luke 21:34-36) These Judgements on His two unfaithful groups coincide (unto to a declared point between the 6th and 7th of God’s Vial Judgements on His enemies reach a crescendo), but with God’s different ruling objectives in view, that of the Earthly and heavenly inheritances. These judgements proceed during the opening of the Seals... the 7th which includes the 7 Trumpets, and the last Trumpet which develops into the 7 Vials, completing God’s Wrath and chastening purgings.

Mike Balloun teaches today. 11/25/23 🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 3) 🔥 VERSES: Revelation 1:19,12:10-11; Genesis 3:15; Romans 11:25; 1st John 1:9 DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/l10y0z8fogzsk0zsvcj3n/h?rlkey=ntusfffboycwmjg2qt19sixon&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION part 3 The Book of Genesis defines for us Man’s beginning, purposes, and fall, and then his destiny, all prophetically declared in one Verse: Genesis 3:15. This one verse gives us the thrust of human history for the last 6000 years. That single retributive prophetic declaration of God to satan in the Garden of Eden was that he (satan) would bruise the heel of the woman’s Seed; fulfilled at the Cross, but ultimately that ‘Seed’ would ‘bruise’ his head. God’s few Words were, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel.” These Words prophetically jump over 4 millennia and mysteriously proclaim the Cross and then jump again over 2000 more years to today and the soon dawning of the ‘Last Days’ recorded in the Book of Revelation at Christ’s Second Coming as King of Kings when He will then fill up that one immortal Verse with its prophetic meaning. (Revelation 20 elaborating upon the full fulfillment of the crushing of satan’s head when Christ takes complete authority away from satan and his demonic spirits.) The Book of Revelation wonderfully details the fulfillment of God’s Word in Genesis 3:15, which was first briefly expounded upon by Enoch. (Jude 14-15) The Book of Revelation unveils the climax of the “so great salvation” mystery, (Hebrews 1:1-3:1, Ephesians 1:4) and the unveiling of many mysteries on both sides of Christ’s coming Millennial Kingdom, His triumph over His enemies, their fate, and His everlasting Rule. INCENTIVIZED TO OVERCOME STRESSES THE GAIN OF REWARD FOR A PART IN CHRIST’S HEAVENLY MILLENNIAL AND ETERNAL KINGDOM EXCLUSIVELY FOR OVERCOMING CHRISTIANS, the rewards being proclaimed by Christ in the first 3 Chapters of Revelation. AND HOLDS FORTH CHRIST’S PREMIER PROMISES OF RAPTURE FOR THE END-TIMES LIVING AND FOR THE FIRST RESURRECTION FROM AMONG THE DEAD FOR THOSE FAITHFUL TO THAT CALLING… as brought out throughout Revelation, especially in Chapters 12,14,19 & 20. BUT BESIDES THE PROMISES, SCRIPTURE ALSO HOLDS FORTH THE THREAT OF VARIOUS JUDGEMENTS, SOME MOST SEVERE, FOR CHRISTIANS WHO IGNORE THE HIGH CALLING. “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” [Hebrews 10:28-31] So it is in the first order of importance that the Book of Revelation in the first 3 Chapters gives the members of the Body of Christ, throughout this Age, the understanding of inheritance in His heavenly Kingdom when He comes back as being conditional in that it is attained by ‘overcoming’. After the 3rd Chapter, comes the elaboration of what the prophets of the Bible have pointed to; that of the ascended Son of Man/Son of God returning to this Realm to receive His investiture as the King of righteousness (Matthew 25:14, Luke 19:12, Daniel 7:9-14 & Revelation 4&5, Acts 3:21), followed by the Last Days’ campaign of confrontation and final climax of His taking His Kingdom, wherein He rewards His overcomers and violently judges His enemies in establishing His everlasting authority that begins in this earthly and heavenly Realm for a 1000 years. (Psalm 96:11-13, Daniel 7:22,27, Revelation 19:7-20:6) The timing of Christ’s investiture as King is wrongly supposed by many to have already occurred 2000 years ago when He ascended to the ‘Holy of Holies’ at the right hand of the Father in the 3rd Heaven. And then by ‘spiritualizing’ Scripture, they try to impose and spread the prophetic events of the “Last Days” revealed in the Book of Revelation as either already fulfilled or happening over the last 2000 years, that will finally result in His Second Coming. We have consistently shown this Spiritualizing view as false and one that cannot be maintained, even in the dimmest light of Scriptural understanding. In the first place, its inconsistent with the prophetic Passages set forth above and numerous other places in Scripture, in their timing and details. In that the visions given to John in the Book of Revelation were decades after Christ’s Ascension and yet John still referred to His investiture as a part of the “things which must come to pass hereafter.” In the second place, the Throne to which Christ ascended “far above all the heavens” can be seen that it is not the same Throne of Daniel’s or John’s visions of the future, yet to then be ‘set up’ for the Son of Man’s investiture as King of this Realm. And that it (and other thrones) are to be “set up” in the End-Times, specifically for a specified period and purpose. The Throne of Daniel’s and John’s visions are portable and are to be set up in the angelic regions, below the Heaven of heavens, in this Realm’s unseen heaven or heavens, where Scripture declares satan, then and now yet rules from, over Mankind. He Who now sits at the right hand of the Father’s Throne, now sits as the High Priest Intercessor for the redeemed (Hebrews 8:1), not as the King of Kings, Who will in the Last Days soon stand before that special Tribunal Judgement Throne as the Son of Man/Lamb of God and receive His investiture as rightful King of this Realm (its Earth and its heaven - Daniel 7:13, Revelation 5:6), granted by the Ancient of Days/God the Father, Who is seen as the Over-Ruler of this Realm, Who then will take His seat on His Tribunal Throne, having just then been set up, along with the other 24 administrative Thrones at the appointed End-Time of this Age. (Matthew 25:31-33, 1st Kings 22:19, Isaiah 6:1, Ezekiel 1:26, Job 1:6,2:1, Exodus 19:16,20, 24:10) Again, we have the order and timing of the events of the Book of Revelation as being separated into three categories by the Lord. In the Book of Revelation, in Verse 1:19, He says to John, “Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter…” THE THINGS WHICH THOU SAWEST (which are recorded in Revelation Chapter 1) Christ, in the First Chapter, was revealed as the High Priest in the heavenly Tabernacle’s ‘Holy Place’ moving among the ‘candlesticks’ in this Age of grace and mercy. The Old Testament Covenants and their laws, to the greatest degree, are in abeyance (temporary cessation or suspension) in this current Age, but offenses are yet accruing towards the lawless, and will again be exercised and in force in the closing of this Age and the next, when Christ takes His investiture as King, and establishes the New Covenant promised to Israel with its laws that will be maintained throughout the Millennial Reign of Jesus. (Ezekiel 40-48) Note the transference from the Age of Grace to the Age of Justice where the nations are under the re-shaped Law of Moses and Christ rules with a rod of iron. Typically (in type and shadow), the scene is Moses in exile from Egypt from the Pharaoh, he is shepherd of the sheep in the wilderness, before he is directed back to Egypt to rescue and bring his people out and judge the Pharaoh and Egypt. (Exodus 3) This being the perfect type for the anti-type of Christ who leaves, becomes our Shepherd, and then returns to bring His People out and judge the End-Time Pharaoh/Anti-Christ. THE THINGS WHICH ARE (Revelation Chapters 2-3) Christ’s current ministry of High Priest and Intercessor sitting at the right hand of the Father in the 3rd Heaven interceding on behalf of those who are redeemed. The Dispensation and disposition of the Church or “Body” of Christ (while the Nation of Israel is “broken off”). Jesus, in Chapters 2 & 3, as He has throughout the New Testament, gives Believers vital instruction in regard to the Kingdom of heavens’ inheritance and qualifying worthiness that must be owned to be a part of Christ’s future Millennial Kingdom in this World. It is clear from these first three Chapters that the promises are not rewarded to mere Believers in the Church, but to the Overcomers. The timeframe of this heavenly calling of “the things that are” is the last 2000 years and is now near closing. It represents the immediate relevancy of the threads of the 2 groups in the Book of Revelation (that being Jews and the One New Man/Christians) revealed in the Words of Paul. “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved…” [Romans 11:25,26a NKJV] Typically: the redeemed are at the foot of Mount Sinai. They are to be preparing for the Lord to come down to them on the Mount. They are to be washing their clothes and sanctifying themselves in watchfulness. Today the Intercessor intercedes for His redeemed that they themselves might overcome. The realities of the spiritual war for all believers to be overcomers is seen in Revelation 12:10-11… “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (This being the formula for overcoming.) That Jesus currently in this Age is the Intercessor for the redeemed to overcome is here in view and it is just as certain that satan is currently our accuser that he might see us be overcome. The pattern/precedent for God’s Theocratic government was set in Genesis of Adam and his bride having dominion in the Earth. That the Second Adam/the Son of Man’s Kingdom must have a worthy Bride to co-rule is as sure as the first Adam’s Kingdom was appointed a bride. Satan’s strategy, knowing that the Second Adam is untouchable, is to persue the Bride and disqualify her. His only chance is to keep the Bride from ruling. And as sure as Adam was to overcome, so was his bride, and that in their earthly bodies. Which means that the ‘members of their body’ are to be revitalized weapons in the renewing of the mind to the Word and are required to be wholly employed in service to Jesus in this world in order to be His Co-Ruling Bride in His Coming Kingdom. (Revelation 1-3, Romans 6:13, 2nd Timothy 2:3, 1st Corinthians 9:24-27) (For this, a certain amount of Scripturally-directed introspection is needed (1st Corinthians 11:28,31), and that for repentance and overcoming. (Hebrews 4:12-16) We are to judge ourselves, neither condemning ourselves nor ignoring or justifying our daily fleshly thoughts, words, and deeds. Rather, we are to be convicted and then repent, which answers to ‘lawfully” running the race and receiving the crown and throne of inheritance in Christ’s Kingdom. (2nd Timothy 2:5) An overcomer must be defeating satan, and that being in two spheres: 1) In a heavenly unseen Judicial Court setting (that being in a lower heaven, as satan has long since been cast down from access to that Holy Mountain of God in the 3rd Heaven - Ezekiel 28:16). And the other sphere in which we must be winning is 2) the practical daily walk in this earthly sphere. “….which (satan) accused them (and daily accuses us) before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” What this Passage means is that an overcoming Christian… A) rightly comprehends from the Word the ongoing daily unseen judicial side of the battle necessary to appropriate his God-granted provision of ‘mercy and grace’ in the Atonement of Christ, beyond justification, and that to obtain a required faithfulness for an inheritance in the coming Millennial Kingdom of Christ. That appropriation is in the continuing contrite plea/petition for the application of that Blood Atonement for sanctification of our soul before that unseen Judicial Throne in order “…that we (the redeemed) may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” B) must overcome in this seen world in our practical living works in Christlikeness, in being witnesses of Jesus our Lord and Intercessor, in word, thought, and deed in this life on the Earth. We must walk according to the Word of God in such a way that it warrants favorable rulings from the Judge against the Accuser, for our continuation in maturing fruitfulness unto an overcoming final assessment by the Master. (Titus 2:14, 2nd Corinthians 5:10) The overcomer will not be sinless, though he be ever on guard against sin. He is quick to repent. (See 1st John 1:9… “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”) And the overcomer is both aware of satan’s judicial rights, as the usurping god of this World in that unseen Courtroom (Luke 22:31-32, Romans 6:16, 1st Peter 5:8, 2nd Timothy 2:26) and also aware of Christ’s Blood Atonement for those who sin and repent after regeneration, who are under “the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:2), and are “kept by the power of God.” (1st Peter 1:5, Jude 24) These ‘spiritual laws’ founded on Christ’s Atonement being more or less effective based upon the redeemed person’s sincerity. Most effective are those spiritual laws exercised by those whose loving faith in Christ’s Kingdom inheritance do not hold their lives too dear on this Earth (giving diligence 2nd Peter 1:5-11). It is by these means that the Blood of Jesus defends those who are endeavoring to overcome the flesh, satan, and the world and defeats the Devil/Accuser in the heavenly Court. And on the Earth, it is the battle wherein the overcomer humbly, contritely, wins the victory over the “roaring lion” as he chooses to die to pleasing himself and living for Christ and others. One maturing step after another, unto a fruitful life. Typically/in type: The 7 Churches are greatly alluded to in the Book of Exodus. (Read Exodus 4, Revelation 2:25, Acts 1:9-11) Those of the heavenly calling are typed as the “elders” out of Israel, who were called with Moses up Mount Sinai. And having ascended only so far, then from there Moses was called up higher, even into the very Presence of God. Moses spoke to the “elders” and said “…tarry ye here…” (up on the mount) and wait for my return. So it is in the anti-type; as Christ the Mediator has been called up higher, so the 7 Churches (particularly the anointed leaders) are commanded to remain in their higher anointed heavenly calling, and not to descend again into Worldliness, and to be prayerfully alert and faithfully awaiting His Return. (Revelation 2:25, 2nd John 1:8, Hebrews 3, 1st Corinthians 10) The Book of Exodus holds forth the promises of inheritance to the fearless. Compare this with the promises of the redeemed for the heavenly Kingdom’s Overcoming conquerors. Theirs is a better land and place than one filled with milk and honey. (Read and compare Exodus 24 to Revelation 3:21) They will inherit fruit of a greater tree; from the Tree of Life. (Compare Numbers 13:23 to Revelation 2:7, 22:2) They will inherit a greater Manna treasured up above. (Compare Exodus 16:15 to Revelation 2:17a) To these Overcomers, a greater stone and name is inscribed than that on the Earthly High Priest’s holy vesture. (Read and compare Exodus 28:11-12 to Revelation 2:17a) And a better feast awaits the Bride of the heavenly Kingdom than that of the 74 upon Mount Sinai. (Compare Exodus 24:11 to Revelation 19:9) And a more brilliant splendor awaits them than that which shined over the tents of Israel. (Compare Exodus 13:21 to Revelation 21:10-11,23-25)

Mike Balloun teaches today. 12/02/23 🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 4) 🔥 THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE HEREAFTER (Chapters 4-22) VERSES: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Daniel 9:24-27,12:1; Exodus 32:1,26 DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/nttfno4hi9laq9rj5fphu/h?rlkey=9hn04xg1pk1qhq7jwa7qxlfpt&dl=0 Link to today's illustration: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/fap4l2yv12qbamt6alaqh/IMG_0342.jpg?rlkey=styfche9fgtkycaetl4zwtsof&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION PART 4 THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE HEREAFTER (Chapters 4-22) 1) Chapters 4 & 5 The Sealed Scroll of the Last Days’ Judgement, now in the hand of the Father, fulfills His Word… “Sit thou on my right hand until I make thou foes thy footstool.” And answers to God the Father’s timing in fulfilling His ‘Salvation Plan in the Restoration of all things’. (Note that we are in the End-Times, but the “Last Days” refers to the last 7 years before Christ Returns to set up His Millennial Kingdom. Though we may experience birth pangs, wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, pestilences, and famines, “the end is not yet”. The Last Days or last 7 years are triggered by the signing of a 7-year covenant with Israel.) Adam had governmental authority and he and his bride were the God-appointed rulers over the world. At their fall, satan became the ruling king/god of this World, but God has always maintained overruling power over the satanic forces. He suffers/allows them to rule in this World with regulated authority since Adam’s betrayal of governing trust. And that limiting regulation, through direction and instruction, was given to His powerful administrative Angels in this Realm. See the following verses which show that all that happens has to be allowed by God first and that He uses His Angels to accomplish His purposes. Joshua 5:13-14… “And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay (neither); but as captain of the host of the Lord (captain of the Angels of the Lord) am I now come (meaning He is on neither side and is only doing the will of God who sent him). And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?”…… Daniel 10:13… “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia (a reference to satan) withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes (Archangels), came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.” (Here we see satan and Michael as adversaries, but the victory being God’s)….. Daniel 12:1“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” ….. Psalm 24:1-4… “The earth is the Lord’s (He is Ruler with all Authority), and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” …. Hebrews 1:13-14… “But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they (Angels) not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”) 1st Corinthians 10:13… “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” While satan does not have access to the Holy Mountain of God anymore, he does go to some kind of Judicial setting (probably in the 1st heaven) where he accuses us day and night. But there are rules of engagement wherein satan can only do what God allows, so he can’t tempt you beyond what you are able to withstand, which is something that God assesses and allows for His purposes. He can’t sift us without permssion as seen in satan needing to ask permission to sift Peter. When the God-appointed “things which are” have run their course, the time of Christ’s formal Investiture as the King and restoration of this lost Kingdom will be reached. Jesus’ investiture (ceremonial installing of a new monarch/ the act of clothing someone in the insignia of an office) is after the order of Melchisedek, who held the office of both king and priest. Christ’s investiture signals the soon coming end of satan ruling. Note that since Jesus’ Resurrection, satan is an already defeated incumbant ruler, but when Jesus takes His investiture, satan will be on the verge of being replaced. At His investiture in the 1st heavens, Jesus then takes the Scroll with the Father’s 7 Seals of Judgements, Trumpets, and Bowls that symbolize the length and nature of the determined Just (reflective of His Justice) events of the End-Times restitution unto restoration. The opening of the 7 Seals fulfills the “consummation” of Daniel 9:24-27 “…to finish (put an end to) the transgression (Israel’s disobedience, rebellion, apostasy), and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity (in that restitution has to be made before there can be restoration), and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” The Scroll which the Father hands to Jesus has seven Seals. It is the Scroll of the New Covenant with Israel. (Note that Christians are under the New Testament, but the New Covenant was exclusively made with the House of Israel, as clearly stated in Jeremiah 31:31-34.) When all has been fulfilled in the Scroll, then Israel will come into the New Covenant, and the Holy Spirit will come upon them, and they will rule and reign as God’s representatives over the Earth. But it is no longer the age of Grace and Mercy when the Jews are grafted back in. It is now the Law of Justice under a new modified Mosaic covenant which will come into effect until the passing away of it when the earth and its heavens pass away. As we are not under that Mosaic law in eternity.) The Just fulfillment of the Last Days’ prophetic events bringing Jesus the Christ into His Kingdom. All its just judgements encompass and recompense both allies and enemies, humans and spirits, living and dead. (The last 7-year period brings all these things into play.) These proceedings of Chapter 4 & 5 now begin as the Age of grace and mercy is closing and the Last Days’ Age of Justice commences in the breaking of the Judgement Seals. The corporate Church has been long since corrupted and ineffective in their appointed place of living and teaching in testimony of God’s Grace and Mercy. They have failed in regards to overcoming the flesh, world, and satan after their redemption from satan’s kingdom and have failed unto attaining the prize of the heavenly kingdom inheritance with Christ. They are broken off, as Israel before, because of unbelief. (Corporate Christianity is broken off because they did not fulfill their mission in the earth to give testimony unto Him, just as Israel was also broken off for unbelief. Unbelief being ‘not doing what God has shown you to do’.) The Age of God’s Justice is commencing, and the People of the Millennial earthly Kingdom (Israel) with the ancient testimony of God’s Justice are again to be recognized and grafted back in. Now the prophet in Daniel 7:9-14, then on to the end of the Chapter, also describes this ‘Last Days’ commencing scene of the investiture of the Son of Man. This great unseen holy assembly at the Tribunal Throne is set up in the lower heavens above the Earth, which precedes the opening of the Seals, Trumpets, and Vials judgements, which climaxes with the King and His saints of the most high places taking dominion in the first heaven and the restored people of the saints of the most high places (Israel) being granted dominion in the Earth. It is the beginning of the end of the Anti-Christ’s rule and Gentile rule. (Daniel 7:15-28) This investiture is what the prophet John echoes in Revelation 4 & 5. Then it is followed by Revelation 6:1-20:6 which gives greater revealing detail of Daniel 7:15-18. Those progressive End-Times judgements beginning in Revelation 6 with the opening of Seals on the Scroll proceeding onward to the last judgement vials (Revelation 15 & 16) of God’s concluding Vintage winepress of Wrath upon His enemies and Israel’s enemies. And then comes the end of the Great Tribulation/Jacob’s Trouble and we have Israel’s great restoration, as seen in Joel 3, Zechariah 14, and Acts 15:15-17, as He now will rebuild “the tabernacle of David.” Typically (in type and shadow), what is seen in Revelation Chapters 4 & 5, in the “things which must be hereafter”, was seen before by Daniel in Daniel 7:9-14. John and Daniel both see “…a throne (of Justice being) set in heaven (associated with this Earth), and one sat on the throne.” That ‘one’ being “the Ancient of days” and it speaks of when the Father, in the things which must be hereafter, will comes down to this lower heaven (typically that can be seen as ‘Mount Zion or Mount Sinai’) and sit in glory upon the administrative Tribunal Throne of Justice and Judgement. Being surrounded by the Elder Angels of renown and Cherubim, there before Him are the torches of fire and the sea of glass, typed in Moses’ tabernacle by the Menorah and the laver of brass full of water. The scene is similarly pictured for us in God’s like purposeful descending upon Mount Sinai. (Exodus 19:12&16) Daniel 7:9-14 and Exodus 19:12 & 16 being descriptive examples of what was seen by Ezekiel in Chapter 1:26… “And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.” These visions are of the same movable administrative Judgement throne, encircled by a rainbow with the One Who had the likeness of God in the form of a Man sitting upon the Throne surrounded by 4 living Creatures. It represents to us the Creator’s future momentous and also foreboding descension again in the near future unto this lower unseen heaven related to judgements associated with this Realm, its Earth, and its heaven. So, God, having typically previously descended to Mount Sinai and called Moses up before Him, is portrayed in type by Christ in the scene of the last days. (Exodus 19:20) The theme of Revelation 4 & 5 is seen in the types before us in Exodus. Mount Sinai figuratively answers to the descending of the administrative Judgement Throne to these the unseen lower heavens. In the type, mercy and grace had ruled in Israel up until Mount Sinai, when the Law was given. (Exodus 15:13) Now, with mercy and grace having been exhausted by Israel’s persistent stubbornness, the new principle of the law of justice descends upon the ‘Mount’. The anti-type is that Christendom has failed, and has exhausted God’s Grace and Mercy (Hebrews 4:16), and they are cut off from being God’s witnesses in the Earth as that principle of Justice returns to this Realm. And that happens as the Seals are broken off the Scroll… which also answers to the ratifying of the New Covenant with Israel (Jeremiah 31:31-34) and re-grafting in of Israel (Romans 11:15,23) as God’s returning witnesses in the Earth. They will be witnesses to the Gentiles in the Millennial Age of Justice and Righteousness (under the New and modified Mosaic Covenant {Ezekiel 40-48} which remains in effect on the Earth until it passes away in the passing away of the Earth. Matthew 5:17-18) Now having descended to the ‘Mount’ as before in Israel, God determines to separate the faithful from the unfaithful, and the World at large. Exodus 32:1… “And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.” See also Verse 26… “Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.” This types those who are set-apart by Redemption Blood who then choose to be set-apart (sanctified) and stay on the Lord’s side faithfully unto the attainment of the ‘Promised Land’… as opposed to those who grow impatient for Christ’s Return and resorted to worshiping the golden calf of worldly things. And like the pattern of the type, those Christians who did not separate themselves from the world and looked to worldly idols will be left behind to have to “drink of the cup” of their own making, just as those in Israel who participated in the golden calf were made to drink of the ashes of it. Typically (in type), Revelation Chapters 4&5, from another point of view, looks back typically to Exodus 3 & 4. “And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.” But Revelation 4 & 5 shows a greater intermediary than Moses before the “burning bush” of God. The differences are clearly seen in that Christ’s feet may remain shod as He approaches the Throne, for He is worthy to stand on holy ground. He is the victorious Passover Lamb, slain and risen as the great Atonement propitiation. He is the only One found worthy to unseal the New and better Covenant, and has no need to baulk at the appointment and proclaim His unworthiness. Nor need He intercede for more knowledge, wisdom, or power, for He is already the fully Anointed One Who has the Holy Spirit without measure. He now receives the King’s supreme authority and right of holy judgement in this/His Realm. The 4 Creatures and “elders” who are gathered before Him, having fallen down before Him in worship, are keen to do His bidding. (“Elder” being the term for Angels with long administrative tenure in this Realm of Earth and its heavens. There being 24 elder angels out of the original 36; 1/3 having rebelled alongside Lucifer.) They are then in no need of explanation to His intent of restoration, particularly that of the laying down of their crowns and thrones, and to be set aside in the Son of Man’s investiture. In that, they understand that it was God’s original intent to have Man (Adam and his bride) rule in this realm, but they failed and so now it is Second Adam (Son of Man/Son of God) that rules together with His Bride in this Realm. His Last Days’ investiture then answers, from this point of view, to Moses’ calling at the Flaming Bush; but Christ’s mission is far greater as it is to deliver His two saintly peoples from a worldwide and greater tyrant in greater plagues and eternal retributive punishment, and bring them into their respective Promised Land’s inheritance (one being an earthly inheritance, and the other being heavenly). So it is in the “…things which must be hereafter” that there is the return to equity, that which is just and righteous. Strict sowing and reaping recompense is the theme in the Last Days before the Second Coming. Equity meaning that which is in harmony with His ancient Covenant’s Laws revealed in His Word is now to be fully executed and established. (That, in the first place, being the principle of blood for blood/life for life.) 2) Chapters 6-9 The Seals and Trumpet Judgments bring wars, famine, pestilence, earthquakes, and incredible natural and unnatural phenomenon occurring with wholesale destruction and death on the planet. Billions of people will die while a remnant of Jews will be supernaturally protected on the Earth during the 3 ½ years of Great Tribulation. Chapter 7 documents the two different groups of first-born that the Lamb is delivering in the Last Days of this Age, and what will transpire with the two groups of God. The earthly group (the Jews) is seen as yet-to-be-dealt-with in order to receive their inheritance. (Verses 1-8) The Lord is about to completely sever between the ‘Egyptians’ and His people, the Jews… but the seal is upon the forehead, not the mark on the doorposts. That being towards the last of the campaign of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah after the 6th Seal is opened, when the earth and heaven are shaken and all mankind is terrified, and His Kingdom is now imminent. Whereas in the last of Chapter 7 (Verses 9-17), we are given a glimpse of the heavenly group who are pictured as having passed through the Tribulation, one way or another, and have reached their inheritance. They are the ripened First Fruits living caught up to the throne and Lamb before the last 3 ½ years, the Christian martyrs that died during the Great Tribulation, and the remnant of living Christians that will have been patiently and faithfully enduring in that Great Tribulation. This last group being caught up alive at the Harvest of the dead and living. (1st Thessalonians 4:16-17) That being just prior to the pouring out of the last of the Vials when they are caught up in the “air” into the unseen first heaven to join the First Fruits with the Lamb before the throne of God. (Revelation 7:9-17) Chapter 8 The silence in the first heaven answers to the effect of the opening of the 6th seal’s great trauma upon the beholders. In that it equates to God’s appeal to the Nations as His Words to Egypt before… “let my people go.” The result is the same… refusal due to inordinate hardness of heart. And so it is, the final Judgments proceed unto the End. The prayers of the Saints that come up to the Throne of Justice are for God’s Vengeance upon His and their enemies. Thus, the Angel casts down his fiery censor. The 7 Trumpets begin to sound in their judgements; the first 4 very similar to the plagues of Egypt, the last 3 of Chapter 9 are exponential in severity to Egypt. The Bottomless Pit of Hades is opened and demonic forces are unleashed upon the Earth to torment men as all the Nations are in view (not just Egypt). 1/3 of mankind are slain and many more tortured… but “the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not…” (Revelation 9:20) Two of three woes has occurred. Typically: It is Moses’ having received his investiture at the Burning Bush that now answers to the murderous spirit oppressing his people and thus he goes and confronts the Pharaoh and his Nation. Now in the anti-type, it becomes the Greater Deliverer confronting the murderous Anti-Christ (Pharaoh of the whole World) and all the Nations of the Earth. (Exodus 2:24) And again from that point of view mentioned before… after having interceded on His peoples’ behalf on high, it is Moses descending from the Mount and confronting the redeemed idolatrous transgressors and making them drink of the calf’s ashes, as he sets about to separate those who are for God from those who are not. (Exodus 32:26) We will continue in two weeks and begin in Revelation Chapter 9. _____________ SUMMARY OF REVELATION 1-22 At the beginning of the video for this lesson, there is a chart. The following is a summary of the events on that chart, Chapter by Chapter. In Revelation Chapter 1, we have the introduction of Jesus, the glorified Son of Man. In Revelation Chapters 2-3, we have Jesus’ exhortative words relative to the 7 churches. He also makes promises to believers, (to “he who overcomes”) to rule with Him in the Millennial Kingdom and beyond. In Revelation Chapters 4-5, we have the scene of Christ’s Investiture which takes place in the 1st heavens/the unseen heavens related to this Earth. Revelation 6 is Jesus opening the Seals that are on the Scroll of the New Covenant with Israel. For when all the things that must come to pass concerning “Jacob’s Trouble” (synonymous with the last seven years) are fulfilled, God will enact the New Covenant with Israel and place His Laws on their hearts. In Revelation 7, we have the scene of the 144,000. This is 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel on the earth. The second part of that Chapter focuses on a different group, referred to as “a great multitude, which no man could number of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues”. These had been caught up and “stood before the throne, and before the Lamb (in the first heaven), clothed with white robes.” In Revelation 8-9, we have this seventh *Seal being opened, and then Trumpets 1-4 are blown. Then Trumpets 5 & 6 are blown (the 1st and 2nd Woes), and in Revelation 10, the seven thunders utter their voices, but John was told to not write it down and to seal up and keep secret the things that were said. There is a reference to the 7th Trumpet which is about to begin to be blown (3rd Woe). Trumpets 5-7 are the same thing as the three Woes. Trumpet 5 = 1st Woe/Trumpet 6 = 2nd Woe/Trumpet 7= 3rd and final Woe (Note that Trumpet #7 is a series of short trumpet sounds that end with one long trumpet blast. This great trumpet blast is called the “Tekiah Gedolah”.) This 7th Trumpet blast begins to sound in Revelation 11 and sounds continually until the Coming of the Lord in Revelation 19. In Revelation 11, the Two Witnesses, who were here for the first three and a half years of the Last Days, are killed by the Anti-Christ. Revelation 11 flashes back and also projects forward to the Millennial Kingdom celebration of all the mysteries of God being completed. It is very important to note that Revelation 11:15-19 and all of Revelation Chapters 12, 13, and 14 are parenthetically inserted. This means that they are interposed/interjected between two points of reference (Revelation 11:14 and Revelation 15:1). So in other words, if you want to read the events in chronological order, you would skip Revelation 11:15-19 and Chapters 12-14, and start reading again at Revelation 15:1 which picks up with the 3rd Woe of the seven Angels pouring out the seven vials. (Revelation 11:1-14 being where we had the 2 Woes.)The parenthetically inserted verses of Revelation 11:15 through the last verse of Revelation 14 give detailed clarification of the events that transpire during the Tribulation. In Chapter 12, we see those of the First fruits (those of the qualified Bride of Christ, who are watching and ready and faithful and fruitful) being caught up to the heavens with Christ as seen in the symbolism of the “manchild” being taken up to heaven. (See Revelation 12:5) Note that His Bride also rules with Him with a rod of iron as seen in Revelation 2:26-27 where Jesus says, “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he (the one who overcomes) shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.”) In Revelation Chapter 13, the Anti-Christ (who is described as being brought up out of the pit/Abyss from Hades), then persecutes the remaining seed of the Woman described in Revelation Chapter 12. The Woman is emblematic of the entire Church of God (or “the household of God” - Ephesians 2:19). She had “brought forth the manchild” and now the rest of her seed (the Jews and the remaining Christians) are whom the Anti-Christ persecutes. In Chapter 14, we see those “firstfruits unto God” standing on Mount Zion and we see Babylon (religious Mystery Babylon) destroyed as the Anti-Christ becomes the supreme ruler of the Earth. Mankind is commanded to worship the image of the Beast. Here, a ‘Gospel of fear’ is proclaimed by Angels, who tell those who dwell on the Earth to… “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”… as opposed to fearing man and taking the mark of the Beast. “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture (without mercy) into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” (Revelation 14:7, 9-11) Later in Chapter 14, we have the Harvest, which is the great catching up of those remaining on the earth who endured and were faithful to Christ. They are caught up along with the faithful dead (those Christians who were overcomers in life) and those who were martyred for Christ unto the first heaven to join those of the First fruits Rapture. (1st Thessalonians 4:16-17… “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 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.”) Then the Vintage is described where Jesus pours out the vengeance and wrath of God upon all of God’s enemies. Revelation 15-16 picks back up after the catching up of God’s remaining faithful, and we have the 3rd Woe/vials 1-6 being poured out and the three unclean spirits like frogs coming forth to gather all of the nations to Armageddon to defeat Christ. Jesus comes as a thief to those who are alive and remain and catches up those who have faithfully endured to remove them before He pours out God‘s wrath which will not be mixed with mercy. In Chapter 17, Mystery Babylon is destroyed. In Revelation 18, the literal restored city of Babylon (headquarters of the Anti-Christ) is destroyed. In Revelation 19, we have the Marriage Supper of the Lamb between the 6th and 7th vial. The King of kings descends with His armies, the Beast is destroyed, and he and the false prophet are cast into the Lake of Fire. In Revelation 20, satan is chained and cast into the pit/Abyss and the Millennial Kingdom begins. He is loosed for a short time towards the end of the Millennium and then is cast into the Lake of Fire. Then we have the Great White Throne Judgement where the living and all the dead are raised and judged. In Revelation 21, we have the New heavens and New Earth (Earth and the heavens related to it). And in Revelation 22, we have the glories of the Bride and the New Jerusalem that comes down from the third Heaven. The key to understanding theBook of Revelationis properly interpreting the things that are emblematic/symbolic by using the Bible itself to interpret the Bible, and by seeing that parts of the Book are parenthetically inserted in order to expound on the details of some of the events. The 7th Seal is the beginning of the 7 trumpets, and then likewise, the 7th trumpet signals the 7 vials to be poured out.

Mike Balloun teaches today. 12/16/23 🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 5)🔥 VERSES: Matthew 24:15,21,22; Joel 2; Zechariah 13:8-9; Revelation 18:4 DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/c1buwou3q6iiev2sp9yxf/h?rlkey=11nwit4468w5jt6myffmoe2v5&dl=0 Link to today's illustration: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/fap4l2yv12qbamt6alaqh/IMG_0342.jpg?rlkey=styfche9fgtkycaetl4zwtsof&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION PART 5 CHAPTERS 9-11 Keep in mind that as we go through the judgements of God that must take place, God is not discompassionate. It grieves His heart (as also seen throughout the Bible when God had to bring judgement to satisfy His holy Justice). The Book of Revelation can be read discompassionately or perceived as harsh because we have been so blinded to God’s Holiness and Justice. There’s a religious veil over our eyes and it takes the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to see the seriousness of this side of God and to comprehend the horrors of what is going to transpire upon the earth. Being that there is no break up of chapters and verses in the original manuscript, we will begin with the last verse of Revelation Chapter 8… “And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe (the word ‘woe’ has a grief connotation that is directly tied to the Creator’s compassion; albeit it is impossible to circumvent His Justice and Holiness that demand the sentence), to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!” Chapter 9, Verse 1… “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from (the lower) heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.” (Note: stars can be typical of heavenly beings and angels - Job 38:7, Revelation 22:16) The ‘star’ falling here is satan, to whom is given, by Christ, the key to the place of the “Bottomless Pit”, also referred to as the place called “Death.” (Revelation 1:18… “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” With John 3:27… “John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.”) This 5th Trumpet sounds and signals in the time of the 3 judgement ‘woes’ which will bring us to the end of God’s Wrath. It is the beginning time of the Great Tribulation/Jacob’s Trouble. (Jeremiah 30:7… “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.” See also Matthew 24:15,21,22… “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand)… For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.”) It is half-way or 3 ½ years since Israel’s 7-year Covenant of Death and Hades was entered into and is now broken by the ‘prince’. (Isaiah 28:15,18… “Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves…” … “And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.” Daniel 9:27… “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week (middle of the last 7 years) 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.”) Compare this opening verse of Revelation 9 of satan falling from heaven to Earth and receiving the key to the Bottomless Pit (the place called Death in Hades) with Revelation 12:7-9,12 when satan is cast out of the first heaven down to this Earth. “And there was war in (this Earth’s) heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him….. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea, because the devil has come down to you (Luke 10:18), having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time (3 ½ years). [Revelation 12:7-9,12] These verses, and Daniel 12:1, are the same event. “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” Note that Luke 10:18 also refers to the same event… “And he (Jesus) said unto them, I (prophetically) beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” The time of satan/that star being expelled from this Realm’s unseen heaven corresponds with and ignites the first of these 3 ‘woes’. (Revelation 9:12) In that satan, having acquired the key, is now opening up the Bottomless Pit and releasing the Anti-Christ Beast of Revelation 13:1,4 who supernaturally rises up to the Earth into the flesh of man with all the power and authority of satan and shortly kills the Two Witnesses half way through the 7-year ‘Last Days’. (Revelation 11:3,7) The Anti-Christ is likely Apollyon (meaning the Destroyer) of Revelation 9:11… “And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.” (Note that the word “angel” in Revelation 9:11 is the same Greek word ἄγγελόν {angelon} used in Matthew 11:10, Galatians 4:14, and elsewhere which speak of human “messengers.”) He is the king over the forces released from the underworld. Abaddon is also the Hebrew name for the ‘Bottomless Pit’… and so it is from there, that the Last Days’ king over the Earth seemingly takes his name. (See Daniel 8:24-25) The Holy Spirit had instructed the Apostles to write the Gospel of Christ in Greek as opposed to Hebrew to appeal unto the Gentiles, but here He puts forth the name in both Greek and Hebrew. As now, in Jacob’s Trouble, He is showing Himself in the Book of Revelation in “THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE HEREAFTER” as turning now (after 2000 years) to address Israel again, as well as continuing His appeal to the remaining Church and Gentiles on the Earth. The “Bottomless Pit”/“Death” in Hades is a place for some of the departed souls of men to be imprisoned, before and now. It is one Place where Christ had descended to after dying on the Cross (Acts 2:31, Ephesians 4:9) and from where the man/the Anti-Christ and the man/False Prophet ascend. (See 2nd Thessalonians 2:3-4 and Revelation 13:1,11 which describe the Beast rising up out of the sea and the False prophet coming up out of the earth. Both these being men who have lived once and are resurrected/resuscitated out from the pit where they have had a long time to get into the state of being wholly set against God.) As the Father opened the Heaven and the Christ descended, satan opens the Bottomless Pit of Hades and the Anti-Christ ascends. It is that same dreadful Place wherein the demons were afraid that Jesus would send them. (Luke 8:28,31… “When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not… And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.”) It is the prison Place where satan is to be chained and cast at the end of the Great Tribulation/Jacob’s Trouble and will be loosed from for a “little season” at the end of the Millennial Age. (Revelation 20:1-3) Both prisoners and tormentors are now to be loosed from the Bottomless Pit, as many as are allowed by God’s declared Justice judgements. To their being literal ‘creatures’ it can be said that it is so, without absurdity, given we have their type as precedent in the Old Testament. (Exodus 10:4; 23:28, Deuteronomy 7:20, and Joshua 24:12) But their stings are far worse than those of the hornets which God had sent in droves as invading tormentors in the Old Testament, they are like the painful stings of scorpions. They torment any unsealed of mankind relentlessly for 5 months. (Revelation 9:4… “And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.”) The demonic characteristics of the invading ‘locust’ creatures are frightening. They are directed by the king of the Abyss and are as mighty as battle horses, and protected by iron breast plates, like kingly steeds. They are restricted in their assignment… they are therefore not without intelligence, as they also are likened unto man, but with women’s hair… they are ferocious of heart as depicted by the teeth like that of a lion, and can easily kill, but will only be allowed to inflict tormenting pain like scorpions. In several respects, they are reminiscent of the Joel 2 hosts. Revelation 9:12 “One -- woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. Verse 13… And the sixth angel sounded (and the events from this Verse until Revelation 11:14 are during the 6th Trumpet and are the 2nd woe), and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose (in the Wrath of God) the four (wicked and murderous) angels which are bound (mercifully now) in (at in the Greek) the great river Euphrates.” The Altar before God, then in the Last Days, is without the shielding Veil. There is no New Covenant blood on the Altar Horns to cry out for mercy. Even the murderer is to be pulled from the Altar Horn in this merging day of Justice. (1st Kings 1:50-53; 2:29-32) The entire Earth has become like unto the underworld’s Bottomless Pit and falls under the Justice of God. And for the year and a month and a day and an hour the 200,000,000 will kill. (Regarding the killing by the 2,000,000,000 - Jeremiah 4:16-31 comes to mind.) 3) Revelation 10 “…another mighty angel” lays claim to Land and Sea. That which speaks to the “mystery of God” that will be fully finished during the sounding of the voice of the 7th Angel. (Verse 7) To what may we say answers to all the preceding and following destruction and death? Chiefly it answers to the Creator’s ancient determination and mysterious Plan… “That in the dispensation (arrangement of a household) of the fulness of times (seasons) he might gather together in one (government) all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined (predetermined) according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” (Ephesians 1:10-11) With… “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord…” (Ephesians 3:9-11) And having fully accomplished the Mystery of His Will, His eternal purpose, through His Christ/the Son of God Son of Man (that of His foreseen designed means of the progressive fabrication of a new creature into His Son’s image, ultimately bringing many faithful overcoming ruling sons unto resurrection glory… Hebrews 2:10), He now turns to His victorious Son to reclaim this fallen Realm again, as now He is to be joined by His victorious Bride. It needs to be understood that God, before the foundation of this present World (Ephesians 1:4) desired to create a living being/a new creature, that would have the inherent ability, through the power of choice, to develop character. (Every one of us redeemed and empowered have the potential through choosing to deny and crucify the character of the Old Man and willingly yielding our souls in obedient service in faith to His Written Word). This character development of Christlikeness being God’s predetermined condition necessary unto co-ruling firstborn sonship/Brideship in the future Theocratic Government to be established in the Kingdom of Christ in the Earth and its related heaven. These overcomers are to be the firstborn sons of God and Bride of Christ who will be filled in resurrection with His glory, and will worthily replace the wicked and rebellious angels now ruling in the heaven associated with this Earth, and on this Earth. In that understanding of what God has done, we can further apprehend the deep hatred satan has for Man. The Mystery of God’s Will (to bring all under Christ) is accomplished in accordance with His predetermined timeline… which is to say in the fulness of times/prophetically revealed seasons that encompasses this current Age of Grace and Mercy, to be followed soon by the short season or time of Judgements in the ‘Last Days’/the 7-year 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy, followed by the season of the Millennial Reign of the King of kings, followed by satan’s short release, and then his eternal incarceration, the Great White Throne, and finally this Earth and heavens pass away. This competes the fulness of times/seasons that God has set to accomplish the fullness of the Mystery of His Will; it will have finally traveled over 7000 years of seasons in which the Earth, in its recreated state, and since the creation of man, will have been in existence. The “Last Days” setting in represents God’s Mercy and Grace having finally been exhausted in the Earth. God’s purpose for extending mercy and grace to Mankind through Christ was for every willing man to secure by faith (justification for eternal life) AND faithfulness (sanctification) unto a glorious eternal inheritance with Christ. But now His grace and mercy has been exhausted in the Earth, by Israel, the Church, and the Gentiles. Said another corresponding way, the Mystery of God’s times/seasons encompassed the prophesied increasingly wicked environment on Earth. The Mystery of Lawlessness has brought to the conclusion God’s pre-designed purposes. The Mystery of Lawlessness (which began in Babel and is that which the Book of Revelation calls “Mystery Babylon”) is what God predicted would exponentially grow worse and worse until when in the fullness of time/His season of mercy and grace in the Earth would be exhausted. It is a system designed by Satan to thwart God’s will that runs concurrently with and counter to the extending of God’s mercy and grace. That which is foretold, promised, and threatened in Scripture, God will now, in these appointed Last Days, bring to pass. With His now inescapable Justice and Holiness, He will avenge in order to balance the scales of His extended Grace and Mercy (for these 1000’s of years), and fulfill His mysterious Salvation Plan. God will purposefully and exponentially balance His mercy and grace quickly with his Holiness and Justice during the last 3 ½ years. The similar ‘days of Noah’ have come into view. The blood shed by man and beast since the Covenant of Noah must now be accounted for in these Last Days’ Judgements. The scales will be balanced as all the unavenged blood that was spilled, from Noah’s day to today, will require vengeance/recompense. However, the ‘Rainbow’ promises of God to Noah and his seed offsets the comparable total destruction. (Genesis 9:6-17) These Last Days’ judgements will also serve to answer to Israel’s breaking of their Covenant with its threatened exponential wrath. (See Leviticus 25:8-26:28, where in the last verse, they are warned if they continue to walk contrarily to Him, God says, “Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times (7-fold) for your sins.”) Nevertheless, as with the Covenant with Noah, in the Last Days, God will also remember His Covenant with Abraham, and a remnant of his seed shall survive. (See Genesis 22:15-18 where God promised Abraham unconditionally that all the nations of the Earth will be blessed through his seed due to his merit of being willing to sacrifice his son Isaac. See also Zechariah 13:8-9, which is an awful indictment/sentence on Israel, but where God speaks of sparing a remnant of his seed… “And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third (a remnant) shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.”). So God keeps His irrevocable Covenant Promises to Noah and to Abraham. Those Covenants are what offsets His Wrath from total destruction, and not God’s mercy and grace anymore (which answers to Mark 13:22 and Matthew 24:22). For example, the sealing of the 12,000 from each tribe is the result of God keeping His Covenant Promise to Abraham in order to preserve a remnant of his seed and bless the peoples of the earth through them. These last close to 3 ½ years (the Great Tribulation) also answer to the Lord’s New Testament declaration of the “hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” (Revelation 3:10) Those remaining living redeemed of the Nation of the One New Man who did not escape that “hour”, who did not keep His Word of patience, and were not a part of the living caught up First Fruits, have now fallen under the Judgements of God for living unfaithfully and presumptuously. “For if we sin willfully (with an attitude of apathy towards sinning) after that we have received the knowledge of the truth (of the Atonement of Christ), there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries (these lukewarm will receive judgement alongside God’s adversaries). He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant (Testament in Greek), wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the (judgement) hands of the living God.” [Hebrews 10:26-31] (Is our fearfulness of God enough to offset our apathy or lethargy? Are we fighting? Are we wrestling in a spiritual battle?) Revelation 3:16… “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Though a person who is redeemed is not condemned eternally, it does not save them from God’s fiery indignation that He judges His people with. Their failure to run the race in developing holy character like Christ and to not heed the call to “Come out” of spiritual Babylon with its religious deceptive doctrines, and choosing to follow the character of the flesh, the world, and satan, disqualifies them from escaping the hour of temptation as a part of those caught up to the first heaven in the “manchild/first fruits”, making them hypocrites, false witnesses, and worthy subjects of the stings of the scorpion creatures or worthy subjects to be killed by the 2,000,000,000 horsemen with the rest of the then living people upon the Earth. These Christians will have presumptuously and critically appraised the mercy and grace of God’s Christ and did not heed the many New Testament warnings to spiritual maturity and grew cold in love and lukwearm service, and so will now fall under the judgements of God’s Holiness and Justice. We can’t come to the Throne of grace critically appraising God’s goodness extended in the Atonement of Christ and still obtain mercy and grace to cover our sins. A right heart is needed to approach the Throne; an an appreciative contrite heart desiring to be Christlike and actively fighting the World, the flesh, and the devil. By presumptuously trodding underfoot and shunning the sanctifying Blood of Jesus, there is nothing to offset your sins after having been redeemed, thus we disqualify ourselves for not running the race in holiness unto the prize of resurrection glory lawfully. Again, during this period, which is a transition back to the Justice of the Mosaic Covenant; mercy and grace has been exhausted. Revelation 18:4 says, “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.” These Days also answer to the living unredeemed Gentiles who refused the Grace and Mercy of God extended to them in Christ, and who then are justly dealt with. (Revelation 11:18b) And last but definitely not least, these Last Days answer to the unseen spirit powers on high cast down to the Earth to be judged like men. (Speaking to angels, God said in Psalm 82:6-7… “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.” Isaiah 24:21-23… “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. 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.” Revelation 12:9… “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”) All these declared Justice judgements, administrated to no greater or lesser degree, but exactly measured, transpire in the shortest time possible, in that they shall now continue without interruption unto completely satisfying God’s Justice and Holiness. All is committed unto Christ alone. When Justice according to God’s Holiness has been met, the “Mystery of God” will have been finished. Christ’s Millennial Kingdom with His co-ruling heirs is then to be established upon that foundation of Justice, which will be the Millennial Kingdom standard. (Revelation 2:26-27; 12:5) The Cries of the Seven Thunders spoke things that are secret to God but are yet to be uttered and fulfilled in the last 3 ½ years. That comes forth before the 3rd woe as a part of the 2nd Woe and between the 6th and 7th Trumpet, that prepares for the final 3rd woe. That 3rd woe, from one point of view, corresponds with the great liberating last plague upon Egypt that just precedes the Greater ‘Passover’ of Israel out of all the Nations of the Earth. Revelation 10:7 (with Revelation 11:15) “…in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound (during or within that time), the MYSTERY of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” What is this Mystery of God revealed by the Old and New Testament prophets to God’s redeemed Children, yet hidden from the undiscerning paganized Church? The Mystery of God is most fully revealed in Paul’s gospel, but few in the New Testament Church for 17 centuries have understood or proclaimed it. (Romans 16:25-27) As stated above, the mysteries having to do with God’s purposes for creating Man to rule in this Realm, set out 6 Millenniums ago in the Book of Genesis, mysteriously have the ‘7th Millennial Kingdom Sabbath’ rule and rest of Christ in view. (Genesis 2:2-3, Matthew 13:11, Luke 8:10, Ephesians 1, Hebrews 3&4) That mystery (of the Kingdom of God) includes ‘Eve’/the Bride of Christ ruling in and from the first heaven of this Earth as well as on the Earth. That Gospel Mystery includes the 2000-year-old high calling for “overcomers” out of the living redeemed ‘Body of Christ,’ in generation after generation. They, having received the gift of eternal redemption by faith, were then called to be faithful servants, to develop the character of Christ, and to be victorious over the flesh, devil, and the world. If they grasped the hope for promised glory, allowing it to purify them, they would be found worthy to be caught up to that heavenly Tribunal Throne as that glory-filled New Creature. It is the Bride clothed in her righteousness through service that is to wed the Bridegroom and Co-rule in His Millennial Kingdom from this Realm’s unseen heaven. (1st Corinthians 15:48-49, Revelation 19:7… “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.”) That present hardly-known Gospel Calling is in conjunction with the mystery of the present hardening but future glorious restoration of Israel to rule on the Earth. (Romans 11:25-32… “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance (irrevocable). For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.” See also Jeremiah 31:31-34) The End-Times “mystery of God’ to then be finished and fully known is being contrasted in the Book of Revelation with “Mystery Babylon”, depicted in Revelation Chapters 17&18, which answers to “the mystery of Lawlessness” that is at work. It is the ancient satanically designed system to thwart God’s intent for a Theocratic Kingdom in this Realm. It is currently and more and more effectively at work. (2nd Thessalonians 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.”) That mystery of iniquity from ancient Babel also will then be fully exposed and eliminated, to the awakening sorrow of many merely redeemed Christians now presumptuously asleep. (Revelation 3:16-17) Chapter 10 Verse 7 occurs during the 6th trump and 2nd woe, when the narrative pauses and foretells that it is not now at this point that the Mysteries of God, declared by His prophets should be finished… (in that even more of that Mystery to be manifested in the Last Days’ 7th Trumpet judgements should by necessity now be set forth by His prophet John given to him in the “little book”… sweet it was in supernatural apprehension of God’s Salvation Plan, but bitter the thought of its Judgement application. Knowledge of prophecy, and purifying oneself, can be the means of escape from the woe). But it is not until the sounding of the 7th Trumpet and the 3rd woe that the wonderous mysteries of God’s ‘reconciliation of all things’ should be finished. So it is not until after the 2nd woe is completed in Revelation 11:14 (that began in Revelation 9:13-14 with the loosing of the 4 wicked angels and 200,000,000 horsemen that covered 1yr, 1month, 1day, and one hour), that the 3rd woe in the 7th trump (that was referred to in Revelation 10:7 to finish the mystery of God)… now begins in Revelation 11:15 as the 7th trump then begins to sound… “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” Then the narrative gives us a quick glimpse into the first heaven in the next 4 Verses, (Revelation 11:16-19… “And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” So the 7th trumpet begins to sound in 11:14, and then Verses 15-19 reveal what may be anticipated as the consequences that will be fully discovered throughout the 7th Trumpet sounding (which is concurrent with the 3rd woe), before now pausing in the chronological narrative with the first Verse of Chapter 12. Remember that Chapters 12-14 are parenthetically inserted to expound on the details, and are parenthetically redirecting our mind back to previous events that set the stage or caused what is about to occur following the sounding of the 7th Trumpet. The narrative in Chapters 12-14 turns and begins to backfill with detail beginning with describing the Last Days’ event leading to the Middle of the Tribulation War in the first heaven that preceded satan/the star having been cast down. And then it details the further events following his being cast down. That being, namely, his immediate ‘raising’ up of the Anti-Christ and the False Prophet from the Bottomless Pit. Note that up until this mid-point of the 7-year covenant by the ‘Prince/Beast’ with apostate Israel, Israel has been making reinstituted Old Testament sacrifices upon the reconstructed altar. It is then that the risen Beast turns on Israel, kills the Two Witnesses of God, commits the “abomination of desolation”, and begins the murderous pursuit of the Woman’s (the symbolic ‘Woman’ of Revelation 12) remaining seed. This is followed by the narrative of events during the Anti-Christ’s and False Prophet’s “short time” careers (of 3 ½ years) after the First-Fruits were caught up to God in the first heaven, when the remaining seed of God’s two peoples on the Earth (Jews and remaining Christians) must patiently endure until the Harvest (which occurs between the 6th and 7th Vial), after which the Vintage of God’s Wrath will be completed upon His enemies. This ends the parenthetical overview of Chapters 12-14. Now John picks up again chronologically in Revelation Chapters 15 & 16 with what was paused in Chapter 11 Verse 15, and he describes the pouring out of Judgement Vials by which God crushes the head of His adversary and recovers this Realm (in fulfillment of Genesis 3:15 and also sets the stage for the fulfillment of Matthew 6:10… “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”) The Wrath of God is completed in the pouring out of the Vial judgements and the mysteries declared to His Old and New Testament prophets are completely unveiled and fully discernable in His Written Word. Going back to Revelation 11:15-19… (which first gave an overview of what will be the reaction of the sounding of the 7th Trump in the first heaven as God begins to exhibit His great power and also the proclamation of what will have been accomplished in the time of the swift and overpowering judgements of the Vials, all the way up to Christ’s Second Coming down to Earth.) The 3rd woe will take us to the Second Coming of Christ and the Millennial Kingdom. The sounding of the 7th Trumpet’s long blast continues to sound all the way until the fullness of God’s Restoration Plan is manifest, until the vanishing away of the present Earth. It will take us to the End of all pertaining to this present Earth, the End of the Millennial Kingdom of Christ’s reign, the judging of all the remaining dead, and even unto the New Heavens and Earth. Those things being spoken of in Revelation 11:15-19 are… 1) the Harvest, which includes the faithful surviving Christians living along with the faithful among the dead found worthy in “the heavenly calling”, brought up from among the dead to the first heaven in the “First Resurrection” in reward of faithfulness of service. (Luke 20:34-36, Luke 14:14, Matthew 5:11-12) 2) the enemies of God rage, incited by satan (Psalm 2); to which God answers in His Wrath, and the destructive spirits and rebellious of mankind and their strongholds on Earth are destroyed 3) His rewarding of prophets, saints, God-fearers, small and great, in the actual Return of Christ to the Earth (Revelation 22:12… “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 19:9… “…Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.”) 4) Jews receive Jesus as their Messiah and the restoration of Israel and Jerusalem quickly follows. 5) The goat and sheep Nations are judged by the Lord Who then is found sitting on His Millennial Throne of Glory. (Matthew 25:31-32) It is then that the Jews and Israel’s afflictions will cease forever. (Isaiah 13&14, Jeremiah 50&51) It is then that the City of Jerusalem is to be established as the world’s Center. There are no more wars on the Earth, and peace and plenty will prevail in restored Nature. Israel and Jerusalem will have supremacy on the Earth forever, according to the Covenant of Abraham. 4) Last comments that summarize Chapter 11… The Two Last Days’ Prophets of God have re-appeared in the judgement power of the Old Testament in the first half or 3 ½ years of Israel’s Covenant with Death (probably Elijah and Enoch, neither of them having died - Malachi 4:5-6, Mark 9:11-13). The Gentiles had been permitted in the Outer Court as a part of the 7-year treaty, as it was in the days of old. (Revelation 11:2) The deceptive and pretentious Anti-Christ emerges among those Gentile worshipers, kills the Two Witnesses, and takes unto himself the ‘Temple’ worship and declares his universal religion, taking the City and ravaging its Jewish inhabitants and pursuing those who flee. (Matthew 24:15-22, Zechariah 13:8-9) Mystic Babylon is unleashed. 3 ½ days pass when the Two Witnesses’ bodies are restored to life and raised up into the air/first heaven and the Judicial Throne. Revelation 11:13-14… “And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and a remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.” It is then quickly/shortly that the 7th Angel begins to sound the 7th Trumpet (Verse 15) in which the 3rd woe judgements encompass the destruction of the Anti-Christ. The Age of Mercy and Grace is seen to be closing in His Last Days’ Two Witnesses who come in the power and authority of the Old Testament, evidenced by the kinds of judgements being exhibited and is sure testimony that a transition has occurred from the Age of Grace and Mercy to the Age of Justice and Righteousness wherein Christ and His Co-Rulers will soon rule with a rod of iron (where there is no qualifying command as in the New Testament of turning of the other cheek, or taking no thought of a suffered wrong). The Two Witnesses’ gospel is one of promoting God‘s Kingdom and Righteousness on Earth. Their ministry is associated with the ‘Jewish’ God of the Old Testament. The Tribunal Throne of Judgement is in place and the new Age of Justice in His Law is dawning. The Two Jewish Witnesses, dressed in sackcloth, preach a God of Righteousness (and of coming judgement, demanding Israel/people to turn from sin, as all prophets did before God sent His judgement) and they cause the rain to cease, waters to be turned to blood, and more… even devouring their enemies with fire. (Revelation 11:3-6) The 3 ½ yearlong Message of the Two Jewish Witnesses is of God’s Messianic Kingdom in Justice to be re-established on the Earth, but it ends in their murder by the ‘resurrected’ Anti-Christ. The Two Witnesses’ message was not of a Father in Heaven looking for a Bride for His Son; for that Age has all but passed, but of the imminent coming of the Jewish Messiah to Rule over the Earth. Grace and Mercy has failed upon the World, and now Justice is to be administrated as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah intends to smite. His vesture will be dipped in the blood of His foes. The World rejoices when the Anti-Christ kills the Two Ministers demanding righteousness. (Note that it is not surprising that Scripture paints the picture of the Anti-Christ being joyously celebrated and even worshipped when he kills the Two Witnesses. First, because no one else was able to kill them, and secondly, because the World saw them as the cause of all the judgements that came on the Earth during those first 3 ½ years. Their Ministry doesn’t speak to a “good God” in the World’s eyes, which in practicality is the god of this World that allows them to do whatever they like, and therefore, they hardened their hearts to their prophesying.) But the Two dead Witnesses are caught up alive to the lower heaven unto Christ and the Administrative Throne of Justice. Followed by a great earthquake, 7000 men are slain (not necessarily a literal number), and a small remnant wondrously affrighted, gives glory to God. Typically: Moses and Aaron were God’s ‘two witnesses’ before Egypt and its Pharaoh, manifesting the judgement power of God. Here, their counterparts are Elijah and Enoch that preach the justice of the Law and the coming of the Messiah to Rule in exacting Justice. Israel is viewed as ‘unclean’ as a result of the dead body of Jesus (Whose righteous Blood also cries out against them), yet a Second Passover is prescribed in the Law by God for those who were defiled in the first Passover. (Numbers 9:6-14) The blood of the Two Witnesses answers in a way to the Passover blood to the sincere wannabe lawkeepers of Israel (not in atonement per se, but effective towards these remnant Jews who give glory to God, who heed their message, repent, and flee). Many are slain in the streets of Jerusalem by the Anti-Christ who ascends out of the Bottomless Pit. The great earthquake and 7000 men slain in Jerusalem answers to the shed blood of the Two Witnesses in the same hour of their resurrection, as the sealed are untouched, and is typical to the Egyptians’ first born dead. (Revelation 11:13a) And the announcement of the 3rd and final woe to follow begins, which will answer to the pursuing persecutors of Egypt drowning in the Red Sea. (Revelation 12:16 with 19:20-21) It will be God’s means in destroying the Beast and False Prophet personally, as well as the destruction of the confederated Beast Nations, freeing the Earth from satanic-inspired tyranny.

Mike Balloun teaches today. 12/23/23 🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 6) 🔥 VERSES: Revelation 13:7,13:15,14:1-4, 14:9-13, 17:6, 20:4; 1st Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1st Corinthians 15:51-52 DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ua8wl2rnje707obsyypho/h?rlkey=pjx4t8bxphlzp8m7dkvr4obqq&dl=0 Link to today's illustration: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/dqprmecn9bic1kj5s9jlk/h?rlkey=h1kpsc41h5zvvoos4a0cxc8za&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION PART 6 CHAPTERS 12-14 The Eleventh Chapter of Revelation brought satan’s descent into the Bottomless Pit; the result being the kingly investiture of the Beast (the action of formally investing a person with honors or rank). This is the mimicking or copycatting of the Kingly investiture of Christ. The Beast then ascends from the Bottomless Pit in the resurrection power of his ‘god’, and he then directly kills the Two Witnesses of God in Jerusalem, bringing to conclusion their predicted 3 ½ year powerful prophetic ministry, which prophetically covers the first half of the 7-year Last Days’ period. 5) Revelation Chapters 12-14 are parenthetical in that the narrative leaves off at Revelation 11:19 and does not pick up again until the first of Chapter 15. Chapters 12-14 are abbreviated allegorical enlightening insights into the unseen spiritual realm that correspond with the remaining seen earthly/material events briefly highlighted in these three Chapters. The timeframe covered in these three Chapters begins with the events that bring about the Beast/Anti-Christ being brought up from the Bottomless Pit and passes quickly over the Anti-Christ’s prophesied 3 ½ years reign of terror running all the way to the end of the Tribulation, covering the opening of the remaining Seals, the sounding of the Trumpets, and the pouring out of the judgement Vials, which brings us to Christ’s actual appearance on the Earth. (See Revelation 14:20 which answers to Revelation 19:21… “And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.” ……. “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.”) The main thrust/purpose of these three parenthetical Chapters is critical prophetic enlightenment and instruction for the living redeemed throughout the generations from John writing unto today. That is to say, the purpose is to comprehend the importance of overcoming/to grasp the great reward for living faithfully and the great consequences of living unfaithfully. And that beginning with astonishing behind the scenes detail in Chapter 12 into the unseen spiritual Realm on exactly how Christ will fulfill His promise to keep the Last Days’ living faithful redeemed from the “hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” (Revelation 3:10) So, it is revealed that the faithful redeemed on the Earth are to be caught up alive and brought into the unseen first heaven to the Judgement/Tribunal Throne of God, as reward for faithfulness. And, war ‘arose’/arises in the first heaven (the catching up of the ‘Manchild’/firstfruits being the cause of that war), and satan is cast down out of that first heaven to the Earth, followed by the Anti-Christ Beast being brought up from the Bottomless Pit as the last 3 ½ years of the great tribulation sets in. And then in the closing out of Chapter 12, Verse 12 through the last Verse of Chapter 14 reveals exactly what the remaining two groups of God’s family (Jews and Christians) left on the Earth will be faced with up until Christ’s actual coming forth climactically from the unseen first heaven to the Earth when He will personally smite the Nations then gathered in Israel against Him, judge, and eternally sentence the Anti-Christ and False prophet to the Lake of Fire. (See Zechariah 14:3… “Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.” With Joel 2:15-18……… “Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people.” These two Verses point to Revelation 19:19-20… “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. 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.”) The 12th Chapter players in the allegorical scene are: the emblematic Woman (representative of all God’s ‘saved’/redeemed children/seed over the last 6000 years’… including Old Testament Jews and New Testament Christians), the Red Dragon (satan), the Man-Child (Christ’s seed living faithfully), the Angels of God and angels of satan, and the remaining seed of the Woman (who are the remaining deceived presumptuous Christians and sincere Jews attempting to keep the Laws of Moses). The setting of these three Chapters is in the last 3 ½ years of the unsuspended 7-year period prophesied by Daniel to take place before the Son of Man takes His Kingdom. (See Daniel 9:24-27 which is a foundational understanding in order to properly interpret End-Times prophetic Scripture, as it is the hingepin upon which all End-Time revelation is hung… “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.”) The fight for ‘faith’ is intense, the love of God in the New Testament church for many has waxed cold, and iniquity abounds. (Matthew 24:12-13… “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” See also Luke 18:8… “I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”) At the Last Days’ point, the Wicked One is now manifest, and the strong delusion has set in. (2nd Thessalonians 2:6-12… “And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 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: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”) The travail of the Woman before giving birth speaks to the heightened days of persecution aimed at God’s family, that some Christians in the End-Times must then be awake and prevailing to escape. (Luke 21:36… “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape (that ye may prevail to escape) all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”) Noteworthy are the words travailing and prevailing to escape …which do not speak to a sudden unexpected removal in times of ease without testing and trying for the redeemed of Christ. How religiously deceived and vain are Christians who do not for themselves study and heed the End-Time prophecy of Scripture. The prophetic Scriptures clearly foretell the awful persecution and putting to death of God’s two peoples ere before the Messiah/Christ shall come. And with that in mind, it should be understood that there are to be two End-Time persecutors of God’s peoples who are set forth in the Book of Revelation. First, we have Babylon the Harlot (Revelation 17:6… “And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.”) The Harlot of Babylon, in one form or another, has always persecuted and killed God’s children, but things are set to change for the worst with Mystery Babylon’s destruction by the Beast and 10-Nation confederation. This opens the door for the Anti-Christ who then in the abomination of desolation, declares himself as god, and now sets up his openly blasphemous systemunrestrained in the power of satan, and compels all to take the mark of the Beast. Worship him or be killed… this becomes the great Temptation. (Revelation 13:7,15… “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints (children/people of God), and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”…… “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”) The “manchild” is those formed of the Last Days’ living Christ followers who are overcoming the flesh, the World, and satan. They have patiently endured trials, temptations, and persecution inflicted upon them in one form or fashion by ancient Mystery Babylon for longer or shorter periods of time, and in the time of her destruction, they will be rewarded by being caught up into the first heaven for their faithfulness and be kept from the Anti-Christ’s hour of temptation as the Beast begins to reign (the Anti-Christ rises up out of that 10-nation confederation and manifests as a result of the firsfruits/salt of the earth being caught up). Revelation 14:8-9… “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand…” With Revelation 17:16-17… “And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.” Revelation 12:11… “And they (the manchild) overcame him (satan and his Mystery Babylon system) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” These of the man-child who had been caught up are those whom Christ spoke of in Revelation 3:10… “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”) The manchild caught up in Revelation 12 being confirmed as those to whom Jesus promised to ‘keep’ from that hour of temptation, which can be seen by comparing Revelation 2:26-27 with those of Revelation 12:5… “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he (the overcomer) shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.”…… “And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron (as co-rulers with Christ): and her child was caught up (raptured) unto God, and to his throne.” The Last Days’ man-child of the Woman has been safely caught away in glory to the first heaven Tabernacle and administrative Throne of Justice. They are emblematically named the “first-fruits” of the Lamb caught up from the Earth presented to the Father. The agricultural depiction of the firstfruits, the harvest, and the vintage winepress is seen in type in the Old Testament. The anti-type is the firstfruits who were spiritually ripened/matured before the rest of the harvest (the rest of the field being the majority of Christendom who will have to be ripened during the ‘long, hot summer under the heat of the tribulation) and were thus offered unto God (caught up unto God) before the rest of the field. (See Exodus 22:29 for the type… “Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.”…… Leviticus 23:9-11… “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.”)… The firstfruits are shown as having the Father’s name written in their forehead in Revelation 14:1-4… “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed (taken up) from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.” They are emblematically viewed as being on mount Sion… now rejoicing in the first heaven, that part of this Realm now cleansed and free forever from satan and his angels. These are the firstfruits in that they were faithfully overcoming satan, in no need of further spiritual ripening/maturing, and are thus rewarded deliverance, as promised by Christ, from the Anti-Christ and the time of Great Temptation that will tempt, test, try, and kill many then-awakening Christians from their spiritual slumber on the Earth, by hearing the Gospel of Fear sent forth by God to His earthbound children in that day. (Revelation 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.”) Now they, and the faithful Jewish keepers of the commandments of God, are warned to choose death rather than take the mark of the Beast. (Revelation 14:9-13… “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the (remnant of the) saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”) Those who now are under the supreme heat of in the “valley of decision” (Joel 3:14… “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision”) must mature/ripen quickly in ‘enduring or dying faithfully in the Lord henceforth’ if they are to be assured of being in the “Harvest” catching up of the ‘living’ in the First Resurrection. (Revelation 14:15-16… “And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.” This End-Time reaping of the “Harvest” of both the faithful dead and now-ripened living Christians is seen in 1st Thessalonians 4:16-17… “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ (who are found faithful and worthy) shall rise first: 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.” And see also 1st Corinthians 15:51-52… “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep (the mystery being that some will not experience death and thus will be caught up alive into the first heaven), but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump (7th trump): for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”) These faithful dead will join the Firstfruits/manchild as now the fulness of the glorified overcomers are to be completely gathered up in the “Harvest” into the first heaven’s Tabernacle, before the 7th Vial of God’s Wrath is poured out on the enemies of God on the Earth. So what is the timing of the Harvest (and 2nd) Rapture? The warning to be awake and ready so that Jesus doesn’t come as a thief in the night is seen in the next verses. The context shows that the ‘Harvest rapture’ is right before the 7th vial is poured out. (Revelation 16:14-17… “For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. 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.”) They who are caught up are to be clothed in regality and wed to the Lamb… “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” (Revelation 19:6-8) These come forth from the first heaven with the Bridegroom and King of Kings, as Wife and Queen as the Last Days of 7 years closes to destroy the enemies of God and Israel, to set up His Kingdom and rule the Nations with a rod of iron. (Revelation 19:11,14… “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… …And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.”) Chapter 12’s signal event (the ‘catching up of the manchild’) is when War “arose” and the first heaven of the Earth became a battleground of opposing forces, those of satan and his angels set against Michael’s Angels. The ‘catching up of the manchild’ and the beginning of that War may answer to the opening of the 5th Seal when a clear transition from this Gospel Age of Mercy and Grace unto the next Age of recompense in Justice is perceived. This can be seen in the martyred souls under the Altar/in Hades being made aware of the catching up into the first heaven of the faithful living “manchild” off the Earth up to the Lamb and Throne and so they now cry out from the underworld to the that Judgement Throne their desire to see that which must justly precede their being brought up into the first heaven in resurrection glory, that being the administrated justice that must take place, which answers to the long-suspended Covenant of Noah in the avenging of all blood shed. (Genesis 9:5… “…at the hand of every BEAST will I require it, and at the hand of man”.) God’s pending Just Vengeance is to be fully dispensed upon those in the Last Days who then “dwell on the Earth” (descriptive of lives completely darkened and saturated with earthly matters, without any sustained thought of their Creator). See Romans 1:18-26a which is an indictment against unrighteousness… “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections…” With 2nd Thessalonians 2:10-12… “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”) And that avenging justice must be extracted before those worthies in Hades, and those yet to join them, may receive their deserving first resurrection out from among the dead and Millennial Kingdom inheritance. (Revelation 14:13;20:4… “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”… “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus (Christians), and for the word of God (Jews), and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” Note that during the Millennial Kingdom of Christ, the faithful Jews reign from the earthly sphere and the faithful Christians rule from the heavenly sphere in the first heaven.) And then the breaking of the 6th seal and its events include the heaven of this Earth, whereas the first 4 seals were exclusive to the Earth… (the 5th seal being the catching up of the manchild) and now the 6th Seal breaking includes the shaking of the ‘first heaven,’ that heaven of this Realm. Its physical convulsions may correspond with its spiritual convulsions. (Revelation 6:12-14… “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” Isaiah 24:21… “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.” Hebrews 12:26… “Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.” Note that this shaking of the heaven may then correspond with the war in the 1st heaven wherein satan and his angels are cast down to the earth between the 5th and 6th seals.) The 6th Seal (possibly through the 4th Trumpet of Revelation 8:12) and its predicted awful events are not the end of the world as many experiencing them shall fearfully suppose… (Revelation 6:15-16… “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb…”) But a foretaste and warning of this World’s kingdom’s pending doom, after which these disasters subside, all seemingly will have been considered only natural phenomenon or considered to have been the work of the Two Jewish Radicals who had openly and forcefully resisted the unrighteous in the first half of the 7-year period. (Again, the 5th Trumpet being when satan and his angels are finally cast out of the first heaven. See Revelation 9:1… “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.” Which corresponds with Revelation 12:9… “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Followed by Revelation 13:1… “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.”) The inhabitants of the Earth joyfully rejoice as the Beast Anti-Christ from the Bottomless Pit then kills the Two Witnesses at the 3 ½ year transition point. (Revelation 11:3,7… “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth… … And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.”) Typically: Here, we will lay a type/shadow beside the reality in order to bring more light… In the theme of the Book of Exodus, the Woman of Revelation 12 answers to that earthly part of God’s Church, Israel. And the Pharaoh in the days of Moses’ birth, is a type for the Red Dragon, and the details surrounding Moses’ birth is a type for the Last Days’ birth of the heavenly manchild. Pharaoh is typically set to “devour the mother’s child” at birth, in that the Pharaoh, being shrewd and in fear of being overcome and de-throned by the man-children of Israel, acted shrewdly and deviously sought to kill all the newborn males of Israel. So it is likewise in the anti-type, that satan fears his dethroning by birth of the Woman’s heavenly manchild. (Exodus 1:10;16… “Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.”… “And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.” Compare that to Revelation 12:4… “And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.”) Then typically, Moses is born, and by divine orchestration, he is delivered up in protection to the royal household in a way unforeseen by the murderous Pharaoh. (Exodus 2:2-9… “And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the women took the child, and nursed it.”) Moses later comes back and smites Egypt with his rod of wood. This is comparable to the Manchild ruling the nations with a rod of iron. The great Red Dragon, satan, is in anticipation of the Last Days’ birth of this Man-Child who would replace him in this Realm. He is poised even more shrewdly to devour the manchild as soon as it is born. But as in the type, so will it be in the anti-type; the manchild will miraculously escape by being caught up alive and being adopted into royalty in the heavenly part of this Realm. The enemy is thwarted in his attempt to devour the manchild and cast down to Earth. And the heavenly Nation shall come again, in the power of the Lord, face to face with His enemy, and he, this time, shall smite his enemies and rule all nations with a rod of iron in the Millennial Kingdom. (Revelation 2:27… “And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.” With Revelation 12:5… “And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” and 19:14… “And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.”) In the ancient foreshadowing example type, it was the Pharaoh of Egypt in the power of a mere man alone that persecuted God’s people; but in the Last Days’ outlined in Revelation Chapters 12-14; it will be the Anti-Christ rising as World Ruler in the supernatural great power and throne and great authority of satan over the unleashed underworld and spirits and all the Nations. He then and all his worldwide resources and hoardes will relentlessly persecute both God’s peoples in the lastditch effort to hold authority in the earthly part of this Realm. And so, it will be in the last 3 ½ years that all the nations, to one degree or another, will suffer the wrath-filled Vial plagues of God and then shortly come under the rod of iron rule of the heavenly and earthly seed of the Woman. In the emblematic anti-type, the Angel Michael takes the place of Moses’ guardians (his mother, sister, and daughter of Pharaoh) and prevails. (Compare Exodus 2:3-5,15 with Revelation 12:7… “And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it… …Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.” …… “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels…”) “….and her child (the overcomers from the Nation of the One New Man) was caught up (in the Millennial Sukkoth/temporary Tabernacle on their way to the promised eternal inheritance/New Jerusalem’s permanent structure) unto God” … “And the great dragon was cast out… into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”) (Exodus 12:12… “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.”) And as the dragon is ousted from the lower heaven by Michael for those who were overcoming in the heavenly calling and caught up, the Woman’s other seed (the law-keeping Jews) ‘flees’ to the wilderness. In type, this is seen as Moses bringing that great judgement upon Pharaoh’s house. (Exodus 14:5… “And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?” Compare this with Revelation 12:13… “And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.”) Now the Anti-Christ (in the power of satan), as did the Pharaoh before, pursues the Jewish seed, and in a miraculous like manner the earth opens and swallows their pursuers as typed in the armies of Egypt swallowed up in the Red Sea. Revelation 12:16… “And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.” Likely with Revelation 11:13… “And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.”) The Jewish seed are delivered and kept in the wilderness until the 3 ½ year reign of terror has passed. (Revelation 12:14… “And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” See also Hosea 2:14… “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.” And see also Isaiah 26:20-21… “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” And then the word will come “…Go return… all the men are dead which sought thy life.” (Exodus 4:19b) With Matthew 24:31… “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”)

Mike Balloun teaches today. 12/30/23 🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 7) 🔥 VERSES: Daniel 9:24-27; Zechariah 14; Luke 19:15-19; 1st Corinthians 15:42-42 DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/s7hkbq5xgc2734vu5tzgz/h?rlkey=1q3xj1y1yqv5bada1o2g20muo&dl=0 Link to today's illustration: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/dqprmecn9bic1kj5s9jlk/h?rlkey=h1kpsc41h5zvvoos4a0cxc8za&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9 A SUMMARY REVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION PART 7 Lucifer had brought forth chaos in this Realm, and although man followed after him, God was not without an answer that would bring a just and glorious restorative finality. He had a plan formed in His own mind from before Adam was created. (Ephesians 1:4,11; 3:11… “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love…. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated (preordained) according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will…. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord…”) Which, in the revealing, advances the knowledge of the Greatness of God in His intelligent beings as the vastness of His plans are unfolding in these Last Days/Latter Days’ Judgements. (Daniel 10:14) The realization of God’s Plan is rejoicingly perceived first by the unseen Angel beings, to be followed by the enlightened of mankind, who shall then share in His Son’s Glory. 8) Now leaving our summary of the 3 preceding parenthetical chapters of the Book of Revelation (Chapters 12-14), and going now to a summary teaching on the 15th and 16th Chapters, there is now the opening up of another vision to John in Revelation 15:1. A vision specifically given as an expansion on the events to follow that were only briefly mentioned previously, beginning with the sounding of the 7th Trumpet in Revelation 11:15 in which great voices in the first heaven cried out “…the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord”, as the 24 ruling Elder Angels fall on their faces and worship God. The prophetic words of the 24 thankful and now enlightened Angel elders are exclaiming glory in their anticipation of the Lord conquering and beginning to Reign in this Realm within the timeframe of the sounding of the Last Trumpet. (Revelation 11:16-17) Then the Elder Angels in Revelation 11 Verse 18 foresee and declare the great power of God Almighty to be exercised in the 7th Trumpet: the rewarding of the God-fearing on the Earth, and the rewarding of those faithful living in the Harvest catching up, and the rewarding of those faithful among the dead in the First Resurrection… all to have their part in Christ’s Millennial Kingdom. the destruction of the destroyers of the Earth. And in Verse 19, in the beginning of the sounding of the 7th Trump, a description is set forth of what then is happening in the unseen first heaven. Revelation 11:19… “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” So here, as was noted, and commented on in the previous lesson, there is a pausing of the narrative of the further events which follow the sounding of the 7th Trumpet, in order to give the necessary informative understandings of Revelation Chapters 12-14, which are parenthetical. Said another way, chronologically speaking, you would read from Revelation 11:15, skip verses 16-19 and also skip Chapters 12-14, and then pick up again/continue at Revelation 15:1. So the 7th Trumpet narrative picks up again with Revelation 15:1 as the new vision then continues through the end of Chapter 16. That sounding of the 7th Trump in Revelation 11:15 we now learn in 15:1 brings the accompanying sign of the last plagues; the 7 Vials of God’s Vintage Wrath, now to be poured out. They compile the third and Last Woe that comes quickly. (Revelation 11:14… “The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. And the seventh angel sounded…”) The 7 Vial plagues are described as completing (bringing to an end) the Wrath of God, in that they reach all the way to the glorious now foreseen conclusion pronounced in Revelation 11:15 by the Elders, “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever.” That which the words “…it is done” encompasses, in the judgement cry from the temple in the first heaven after the 7th Vial is poured out in Revelation 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.” (Although the judgements of that 7th Vial are just commencing and are yet to be fully executed). Revelation 15:2-4 & 7:9-17 are parenthetical in the sense that these two sets of verses speak to the reality that manifests in Revelation 19:1-9 and Revelation 20:4-6. See Revelation 15:2-4… “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.” Revelation 7:9-17… “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” Again, those verses above in Revelation 15:2-4 & 7:9-17 describe what will manifest in the following verses in Revelation 19:1-9 and 20:4-6… “And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven (the first heaven), saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: 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. And again they said, Alleluia And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” [Revelation 19:1-9] “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” [Revelation 20:4-6] There are a number of different distinct groups from the ranks of the redeemed who are seen here after being caught up into the first heaven; some who stood with the Lamb, others before the throne, and before the throne and sea of glass. These are: Christ’s first fruits from the living overcomers those later raised from among the dead in the First Resurrection, who had conquered the Old Man/flesh, the World, and satan and that being while they were alive before the Last Days’/final 3 ½ years (including prophets and saints since Adam) others then who were martyrs before the Last Days’ final 3 ½ yrs then other Last Days’ martyrs who lived in the final 3 ½ yrs, being especially challenged and having thereby gotten victory over the Beast, who are therefore especially mentioned and honored other redeemed who had come through the “hour of temptation” living and now purified and caught up also in the “Harvest” (* It should be understood that they all are caught up pre-millennially into the first heaven, as promised reward for faithfulness, and will then be in immortal bodies and will rule. (Luke 20:36… “Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.” See also 1st Corinthians 15:50-58… “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the (righteous) dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” Yet, these all will have differed in degrees of faithfulness and therefore will differ in ruling priestly and kingly authority. (Luke 19:15-19… “And it came to pass, that when he (the anti-type being Christ) was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.”) So it is that not all who were caught up into the first heaven will have the same glorious body and same regal authority, although all redeemed in Christ have it in possibility, having been given its promise and acquirement tools as a part of redemption, but all will not have answered the high calling in the same degrees of obedient service, suffering, fruitfulness, and development in holy character in Christlikeness while living on the Earth. (1st Corinthians 15:41-42… “There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption…”) Revelation 11:19a… “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament…” This is the same time and event of Revelation 15:5… “the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened…” …(which shows Chapters 12-14 are parenthetical). Revelation 11:19b says, “….and there were lightings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” This is the same event which picks up again with Revelation 16:18… “And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake…” (this is amplified through Verse 21… “…a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 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. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 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.”) So it is shown that the 7 Vials come between 11:19a and 11:19b. The heavenly ark (Revelation 11:19a) with Christ’s Blood upon it testified to God’s goodness in Christ’s Atonement and mercy and grace, God’s just Wrath being contained behind the Veil while those of faith are being called on the Earth. The opening up of the Tabernacle to the Earth (Revelation 15:5) signifies the end of the Age of faith and mercy for mankind and the end of forbearance in restraint towards the wicked spirits and destroyers of the Earth; it is the wisdom and greatness in the severity of God now to be displayed in the just coming Vial Judgements. The “destroyers” of the Earth are to be purged from its surface, during which time the Ark with its mercy and grace is no longer accessible to man, “And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.” (Revelation 15:8) The 15th and 16th Chapters of Revelation are the beginning and ending of the pouring out of the 7 Vials of the Vintage Wrath of God, which is a continuation/an expounding of/amplification of what was previously set forth in the 14th Chapter in 3 agricultural types (the firstfruits, the Harvest, and the Vintage). This third one, which corresponds with the pouring out of the Vials, is given in Revelation 14:19-20… “And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.” The results of the 7 Vials/last plagues have the destroyers/defilers of the Earth and their co-conspirators in view, and particularly in the 7th Vial being poured out on apostate Israel, and the Anti-Christ and his Armies who are encamped, having had one intent up to this point; that to exterminate the Jews. When the Lord and His Armies descend from the first heaven… “Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives” (Zechariah 14:3-4), and the greatest earthquake of all time shall split the City of Jerusalem in 3 parts and cause a great valley. There also shall be a “plague” sent by God in the total instant destruction of the armies gathered at Armageddon, which will be effected as “their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their sockets, and their tongues shall consume away in their mouth” (see Zechariah 14:12), as their souls are dragged down into the Place of Torment in Hades. And the Anti-Christ and the False Prophet will then be cast into the Lake of Fire. (Revelation 19:20) As the 7th Vial judgment is concluding, the 16th Chapter of Revelation ends as the narrative pauses and in Revelation Chapters 17 & 18, our attention is brought back to Babel and the ancient beginnings of the Biblically-traced source of this World’s religious and secular satanically inspired system (founded and expanded on the wicked principals exercised in the Garden temptation: the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life) and incessantly, increasingly, and exponentially continue in the defiling of mankind in general, but specifically aimed at God’s redeemed peoples over the last 6000 years. In answer to these “destroyers” of the Earth, these seperate Judgements on two related entities are expanded upon for our understanding: 1) the destruction of religious and politically controlling Mystery Babylon towards the middle of the 7- year period just before the ascension in power of the Anti-Christ, as described in Revelation 17:16-17. This destruction judgement having been accomplished in the early career of the Anti-Christ, just after the catching up of the Manchild, and briefly described in Revelation 14:7-8 is now amplified. 2) And then in the 18th Chapter, we are given the further detail of that which is but briefly mentioned as a part of the pouring out of the 7th Vial, in Revelation 16:19b, which results in the destruction of the Last Days’ City of the Anti-Christ, the City of Babylon, and is expanded in the 18th Chapter, which happens towards the very end of the Anti-Christ’s earthly Reign. The 7 Vials are Judgements determined and aimed at the enemies of God. They are the final plagues that lead to the conclusion of the 70th week of Daniel, and fulfill the prophetic declaration of Daniel 9:24-27, particularily for the Jews. Again, they occur under the continuing sounding of the 7th and last Trump. (Biblically and traditionally, the LastTrumpwas the trumpet blast that closed theFeastof Trumpetseach year. (Leviticus 23:23-27) The Feast of Trumpets was the warning call to repentance as the Day of Yom Kippur/Day of Judgement/and Atonement approached, which is typical of the 3 ½ years of Jacob’s Trouble, and the last ½ of the 7-year Covenant of Death with the Anti-Christ by the Jews. To be followed by the Feast of Tabernacles, typical of the Millennial Kingdom of Christ. The long Trumpet blast iscalled the“Teki’ah Gedolah” in Hebrew. It is the 100th blast and is a very long-sustained note – as long as the trumpeter has breath to hold it, and this is known as “the last trump.” It is the typical Trump to which Paul was referring to in 1st Thessalonians 4:16, where at the trump of God… the dead in Christ shall rise first…” And in 1st Corinthians 15:52… “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”) In type, the judgements that God inflicted upon Pharaoh, his servants, and Egypt’s land to refute their gods are now exponential in the anti-type… Vial 1 targets those who have taken the mark of the Beast and worship the image and afflicts them with grievous sores. Vial 2 of blood targets the Mediterranean Sea that surrounds the kingdom of the Anti-Christ and deprives many peoples of a food source from which they had turned to, seeing that much of the lands lay desolate because of wars and plagues. Vial 3 the Egyptians were given blood to drink in answer to shedding the blood of Israel’s infants. In the Last Days, God makes a great accounting for the blood shed of His saints and prophets in the lands of their murderers and gives them blood to drink. Vial 4 “these plagues” being administrated by God as retribution at the very end of the Last Days on the destroyers of the Earth are recognized as such, “…and they repented not to give Him glory.” Vial 5 reveals the extent of the “strong delusion” set in the infatuation of the Anti-Christ (2nd Thessalonians 2:11), that their hearts remained unbendable in spite of God’s targeting the forces and followers of the Anti-Christ, specifically at the center of where they were operating in supposed superiority. Suddenly in total darkness, unable to see, festering with sores, they yet unrepentantly raise their voices in blasphemy against God. Vial 6 reveals clearly the Last Days’ plagues’ epicenter at the close of the career of the Anti-Christ: the great river Euphrates (where literal restored Babylon is located). In that its waters were dried up to make way for the opposing invading forces of the kings from the east against the City of Babylon, the stronghold of the Anti-Christ. A crisis is coming upon Babylon, while the Anti-Christ is away on a military campaign, that enrages him. “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. 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 (specifically, the continuing determined extermination of Jews while on the way back to his besieged City of Babylon). And he (the Red Dragon, the Beast, and False prophet are arrested in their progress in realization of the final battle pending) …shall plant the tabernacles of his palace (having had a base of operations in Israel since at least the middle of the Tribulation) between the seas in the glorious holy mountain (see Revelation 16:13-16 and 1st Kings 22:23 which speak of unclean, lying spirits of devils in regards to the mustering of forces for Armageddon) yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. [Daniel 11:45] The battle of Armageddon is in view, the fate of the unholy trinity is at stake, so is their continuation of authority in the Earth or damnation in the Lake of Fire). At which time, 2nd Thessalonians 2:8 says, “…the Lord shall consume (the Anti-Christ) with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming”. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time (of “Jacob’s Trouble - Jeremiah 30:7): and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” [Daniel 12:1] The context of Vial 6 answers to Daniel’s prophecy of when Israel’s captivity shall finally end. Between Vial 6 and Vial 7, Christ’s followers, who are found now late in the great “hour of temptation,” (this timeframe seen in Revelation 3:10), are warned in Revelation 16:15 to stay awake and alert in order to be caught up in the Last Trump “harvest.” (Matthew 24:11-13, Revelation 14:12;15, 1st Thessalonians 4:16-17) For if the Lord’s coming as a thief is not intended as a warning at this very point in the Last Days (between the Vials), its mentioning here is totally out of place, without purpose, and unexplainable. Thus, the Lord will come/call from the first heaven to remove His proven living faithful overcomers of the Beast before His Return and the Beast’s destruction. The Biblical truth of the redeemed faithful ‘awake’ being caught up in the “first fruits/manchild” before the “hour of temptation” and then those redeemed who were not a part of those awake and faithful living who had to bear up then faithfully and patiently endure the “hour of temptation” to attain unto the “Harvest” catching up to the first heaven, and that sometime shortly before He returns to the Earth in the 7th Vial at the Mount of Olives…. connects all Scripture and solves the theological problems and the polarizing and contrary beliefs of a singular pre-tribulation or post-tribulation view of the Rapture. Vial 7 concludes with the great hail storm, which prophetically connects this final judgement to Isaiah 28:17-18… “Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place (wherever the conspirators might be hiding). And your covenant with death (Daniel 9:27’s 7-year peace treaty/covenant of death) shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.” The Anti-Christ and his hordes are joined by the faithless Jews who made the treaty with the Anti-Christ as God sends His final retributive judgement “…consummation, and that determined (destruction) shall be poured upon the desolate.” (Daniel 9:27) Revelation 16:21… “And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent (over 100 pounds): and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.” (Note that this is exponential to the 7th plague of Egpyt which was “a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.”) The 6th 1000-year Age of God’s redemptive work closes, and the 7th Day Rest of 1000 years awaits. In summary, before the great narrative on Christ’s first heaven’s Wedding, after the pouring out of Vial 6 and before notice is given to His personal intervention and Return to the Earth is described in the 19th Chapter’s concluding of the 7th Vial… first we have the 2 parenthetical Chapters 17 & 18 of Revelation on Ancient Babylon.

Mike Balloun teaches today. 01/06/24 🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 8) REVELATION CHAPTER 17 🔥 VERSES: Hosea 1:10; Jeremiah 51:7; Genesis 11:4; Isaiah 1:21-2:4; Matthew 24:40-41 DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/nxgxe3muzm6du3g41r68u/h?rlkey=58e5w5rogohcc4y9upibkwibh&dl=0 Link to today's illustration: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/dqprmecn9bic1kj5s9jlk/h?rlkey=h1kpsc41h5zvvoos4a0cxc8za&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9 A SUMMARY OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION PART 8 CHAPTER 17 In Revelation Lo Ammi,Not My People,Chapters 16-20, we have the revelation of the great change of ruling governments in this Realm; its Earth and its heaven, which is about to be affected. That is to say, the realities of the coming Kingdom of the Messiah are set forth throughout the Old Testament and made more comprehensible in the New Testament in the victory of Jesus the Christ; the ‘First-Born’ Son of God and Son of Man, which are about to be manifest. One of those realities being that Israel (God’s wife and firstborn son) will come forth and rule in the Earth, as prophesied in Genesis 22:17-18… “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” See also Ezekiel 37:21-28… “And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols (idolatry being the chief sin of End-Time Israel and Christendom), nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.” (Note that in the Millennial Kingdom, Christ’s Bride and heavenly Kingdom first-born are to come forth and rule from the Earth’s first heaven (replacing satan and his angels there) in Christ’s Millennial Theocratic Government of righteousness, to be administrated with a rod of iron, as seen in Genesis 22:17-18’s reference to the spiritual seed of Abraham being as the “stars of the heaven”, while the reference to the “sand of the sea” referring to the Jewish part of Abraham’s seed ruling on the earthly part of the Millennial Kingdom. See Ephesians 1:3-14; 3:9-11; 6:10-24 in regards to God’s mysterious plan from before the foundation of this current world to have a theocratic government of ruling first-born sons to replace the satanic forces now ruling. And see also Matthew 13:11, where in answer to Israel hardening their hearts to the kingdom of heavens, Jesus spoke to them in parables. When the disciples asked why… “He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” Hosea 1:10 says what will ultimately happen to Israel in the End-Times… “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass (in the Millennial Kingdom), that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people (“Loammi”), there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.” That Millennial Kingdom is to be only after God’s Last Days’ purging and purifying judgements, on the “Lo-Ammi” Nation of Israel, on the presumptuous Nation of the One New Man, on the wicked Nations of the Gentiles, and on the diabolical fallen Spirits and their supernatural co-conspirators (those others that come from the Bottomless Pit). All of which culminates and concludes in Revelation Chapters 16-20. God’s desired Theocratic Government in this Realm over the Nations of mankind is now on the horizon. The center of which on the Earth shall be the great city Jerusalem. Where in the 19th Chapter of Revelation the Messiah, King of Kings, Returns to take the authority Scepter and Throne in the Earth from the last Gentile ruling Beast and then restore it to Israel, God’s firstborn, unto the Abrahamic Covenant of preeminence in the Earth. CHAPTER 17… MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Previously, we read in Revelation 14:8 that a second Angel in a successive series of Angels is recorded as “…saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” (That fornication being idolatrous harlotry - see Jeremiah 51:7, which ties together Old Testament Babylon with New Testament “Mystery Babylon” in that she has caused all nations to drink of the wine of her fornication. This is the same entity in Jeremiah as in Revelation… “Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.”). And the third angel of Revelation 14:9 following gave fearful warning against taking the mark and worshiping the Beast. After which it is added… “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” This verse speaks to those two groups of God (Jews and Christians) who would be rewarded in their resistance even unto death. What can be readily seen is that this Babylon/city would fall prior to the setting up of the image and worship of the Anti-Christ Beast (the city seen in Revelation 17:15-18, which spiritually opitimizes mystery Babylon, and is contrasted with the Babylon that comes to the forefront in Chapter 18 in the last judgment Vial). Revelation Chapter 17 gives the further explanation to Revelation 14:8-9 as to who this Babylon is: “Mystery, Babylon the Great”… she is ancient Babylon in mystery. In the first part of Chapter 17, she is shown to dominate in the Beast Empire of the Last Days, but later in the Chapter, she is destroyed by the Last Days’ Beast and the 10-Nation confederation. The mystery of Babylon the Great and Daniel Chapter 7’s Last Days’ Beast Empire (who is also personified as the Anti-Christ as seen in Revelation Chapters 13 & 17) can only be discovered in the Old Testament in the light of the New Testament. (Or in other words, we need to let the Word of God in the Old Testament interpret the Word of God in the New Testament.) By going back to the Old Testament, we can discover the history of Babylon, as what John saw was not the entire history of this harlotrous “Woman.” What John saw in Revelation is but a glance at her origin, with only a view to expounding her Last Days’ Judgement of complete destruction. The rest is left to be discovered and understood from the Old Testament. Genesis 11:4… “And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto the heavens; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” Ancient Babel’s origin as a collaboration with the fallen spirits of the ‘heavens’ in pursuit of governing themselves outside the restraints of God is the beginning of understanding the Mystery. (This is repeated in the End-Times as man is currently working together with fallen spirits to bring about a system that appeals to man and that is contrary to everything God is. As we get closer to the Last Days, the system will no longer be hiding in the shadows.) The building of the city Babel was then the center of the original Beast Nation with both a designed pagan religious/spiritual and political/secular makeup. Nimrod, contrary to God’s commands, was its founder and supreme ruling king, who ruled with force, and is typical of the king Beast/Antichrist who will also rule supreme as the City of Babylon’s last king who will rule by force over the entire World. At times in history, the religious arm and political arm of the ruling empires worked either together or independently in exerting control and directing power, whichever suited the Dragon’s World purpose in facilitating man in making a ‘name’ for himself independent of God. In the time of John, the Mystery of Babylon the Great had long been in existence, although Babylon the Empire was not (having been superceded), but its mystery was manifesting as the Roman Empire centered in Rome situated on 7 hills, whose political arm (being through the Emperors) took the dominant lead as the religious pagan worship arm (the mystery Woman, who is the Mother of all false religions and idolatry) thrived in those Roman Emperors’ political wake. But in the 3rd Century, as the political arm became more fractured and grew weaker, the religious arm took ascendancy and exercised her satanic-driven power for deception and control more effectively over a larger area and populace than her numerous individual political arms could. The ‘Woman’, being the mother of harlots in mystery, evolved and manifested as Paganism, then in ‘Paganized Christianity’ (Romanism and Protestantism), and also into Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism etc, exercising her authority over the vast majority of mankind in the World… along with ancient and End-Times’ religious Judaism. (Note that apostate Christianity consists of churches who love not the Truth, who have, by a spirit of deception, abandoned Biblical doctrine for non-Biblical Babylonian-permeated flesh-appealing ideologies.) The Last Beast and Kingdom discards all mysterious pretense and unites the Babylonian Religious arm with the Secular/Political arm in declaring himself (in the power and authority of satan) as both Ruler of the entire Earth and sole object of worship in the pronounced destruction of all other opposing religions. (Revelation 17:15-17) Thus, the gods of the Mother of Harlots (all satanically inspired as a part of the “Mystery” of Babel; man-made pretentious religious names independent of God, from God’s point of view) are called to account as their adherents (followers) worldwide are slaughtered. As their followers are thereby demanded (like the gods of Egypt were demanded at Israel’s Passover, at the time of the slaughter of defiant Egypt) that their gods rise up and resist and defy, if they be capable… not to resist the one true God, but this time… the self-proclaimed Destroyer god/the Anti-Christ, who will have unrestricted supreme power in the Earth (the result being Revelation 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?” Nebuchadnezzar was the King of Babylon in the days of Daniel the prophet when Israel’s apostacy caused God to take away their regal/royal ruling authority as His Theocratic Government in the Earth and give up ruling authority in the entire Earth to King Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon, whom God used to punish and dislocate the last Jews in the Land for a predetermined time, starting at what Scripture calls this current state in the Earth… the “times of the Gentiles.” The last of the Last Days will bring about the end of the “times of the Gentiles” in the last ruling Beast of Babylon/the Anti-Christ who God will use, but once more, in final punishment and dislocation of the Jews for their idolatry and harlotry. But then, the remaining Jews will finally see and receive Jesus as their Messiah, ending the “times of the Gentiles” in the re-establishing of Israel and the Jews, then to be given a New Covenant, and take their anciently appointed place as His Theocratic Government and rule in the Earth from Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 31:31-33… “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” This Covenant with Israel being seen also in Hebrews 8) Three ancient Scriptural principals are to be working in the Last Days: 1) Judicial judgments of ‘sowing and reaping’, there no longer being grace and mercy to fall upon 2) God using certain kings and nations to judge His people (as He has always done) to bring about their repentance and 3) God then afterwards judging the kings and nations according to Word given Abram… “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Nearly all of the Book of the prophet Zechariah parallels the Last Days revealed in the Book of Revelation. Both have Israel in a state of ‘Lo-Ammi’ (not His people) under judgement and the Gentile nations being used to bring Israel into repentance during the “times of the Gentiles.” Revelation 17 
“And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. (Jeremiah 51:7 speaks of the same golden cup that made all the Earth drunk. See also Romans 1 about men’s hearts being darkened) So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration… …And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” [Revelation 17:1-6; 15-18] (A parallel passage of Babylon and its future Judgement is seen through the eyes of the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah Chapter 47… “Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate. Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers. Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man. As for our redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel. Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms. I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke. 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: 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 (fullness) of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments. For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me. Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it. Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.”) From one point of view in Scripture, the city/state of ancient Babel or Babylon is cast as literally being reconstructed and is to be the End-Times headquarters of the Anti-Christ. That ancient city’s dual regal system is kingly and priestly, designed for fallen man’s flesh, which desires a government outside the restraints set by God. That is to say, which desires to have his own independent royalty, which was satanically inspired and designed by his knowledge of God’s hierarchy. That Babel-based World system, having reached Rome, and having been perpetuated and thriving through its offspring of Empires/Nations and Emperors/rulers, continues yet to exercise its authority, in one or both its designed fashions, as it has encompassed mankind down through the millenniums. Today she is exercising her increasingly darkening wicked authority over the Nations, bringing the prophesied days of Noah closer and closer. (Matthew 24:37) “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind…” [Romans 1:28] See also 2nd Thessalonians 2:3-12… “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; 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 ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 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: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”) These days which are as the “days of Noah” encompass not only the collaboration with, but intercourse with fallen angels. See Revelation 9:20-21, which is an indictment against the Last Days’ people who had been suffering judgements of God but who yet did not repent… “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.”) Mankind being particularly enticed to evil in these latter days of the “times of the Gentiles” (of which more will be said momentarily). It is that Harlot “Mystery” system into which Israel was enticed/seduced…. as well as idolatrous and fornicating Christianity, who is hopelessly enmeshed/entangled. The ultimate Last Days’ goal of that ancient system is to exterminate off the Earth all people who resist the Babel system. The objective of the unholy trinity (of satan, the Beast, and False Prophet) being to establish the god of this World (satan), with the son of ‘god’, the resurrected conqueror, who would be manifesting the right hand of his god’s power, he then also being worthy of worship as god, as is his father, who is now to be established as king of this his earthly kingdom, ruling from ancient Babylon, the city of the great god. (Ezekiel 28:2… “Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord God; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God…”) It is this Last Days’ literal city and its system to which the prophetic word of Daniel spoke… “Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces…” “Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold (all the Gentile Beast Empires/Nations), broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” (Daniel 2:44-45) Smashed and ground to dust is the Last Beast Gentile confederate Empire. See Revelation 18 and Jeremiah Chapters 50 and 51. From another point of view, ISRAEL IS REPRESENTATIVE OF SPIRITUAL BABYLON in that she was/is called to be now God’s only regal authority as Firstborn Sons (a term meant to give understanding in contrast with those other Sons who are His Angels) in the Earth but is disqualifyingly entrenched within Babylon’s idolatrous religious harlot system (designed by the Son/angel of Perdition/satan) and in the Last Days, she greatly personifies her (as does Romanism today). She has played the Harlot. God divorced her, judged her, and cast her out of the Land into the Gentile Nations, where she is today to effect/bring about (definitively and eternally) her repentance. (Isaiah 1:21-2:4… “How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed. For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen. For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.” [Isaiah 1:2-31] Isaiah 2:1-4 then speaks of the results of God’s judgements upon Israel that take place in the Millennial Kingdom… “The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (See also Jeremiah 3 and Ezekiel 16 shown at the end of the lesson, being that those are long chapters.) It is a vital understanding that historically in Scripture, according to God’s Abrahamic Covenant and Mosaic Covenant, it would be an exceeding determinant to the Gentile Nations of the Earth for Israel to be judged by God and delivered up and scattered into the Gentile Nations. As it is only through Israel that the Gentile Nations could receive the spiritual blessings for deliverance from satan and his Babylonian World system and hope of a greater salvation. (This explains why much of satan’s energies and focus is upon Israel.) The Israelites’ continued persistence to choose the fleshly religious idolatries of Babel/Babylon and refusing their Messiah and spiritual high calling 2000 years ago, resulted in their house being then left desolate, and also resulted in God calling out of another Nation, to form another Nation more worthy of the high calling (not of an earthly type, but a heavenly type) to ‘bless’ the Gentiles during the times of the Gentiles. The Nation of the One New Man needed be formed from the Seed of Abraham. Which then brought about God’s judgement on Israel by the Roman Empire in 70 & 135 AD and scattered the Jews among the Nations until such time she repents. So it should be seen by the Scriptural literate that today Israel is banned from the Land and out of her regal calling, being steeped in idolatry, wholly unrepentant, but yet she is determined to return and not to be cast out of the Land. This is contrary to God’s revealed ways and means according to Scripture to affect their repentance and return to Him for restoration. Today Israel, being unwarranted occupiers of the Land (in that it is not God who brought them into their Land, but Zionism/the hand of man), and thereby are neither in a Scriptural position to repent nor in a Scriptural position to bless the Gentile Nations and bring them out of their ever-increasing darkness. (Psalm 147:19-20) And so it has been since May 1948 that they have been proceeding upon that course unto the height of her great apostasy in her Latter days’ idolatrous and adulterous affair predicted by the Prophets of Israel; in their refusing the One Who came in the name of God, and receiving the one who comes in his own name (John 5:43), having entered into their Last Days’ Covenant with Death and Hades, having a dependence upon the Anti-Christ to stop the madness, but he only prepares the way for his own madness. (Isaiah 28:14-15, Daniel 9:27) For this final blatantly shameless union of harlotry, she will experience God’s Judgements of Last Days’ Babylon. For the Jew, this time is described by the prophet Jeremiah as Jacob’s Trouble, as millions of Jews will be killed in the Land as a remnant will flee the Land, and He uses that wicked man of sin and son of perdition to bring judgements worse than the Holocaust upon Israel and Jews Worldwide. (Matthew 24:21… “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”) As Scripture has recorded, God historically has driven the unrepentant Jews from the Land, where He then will deal with a remnant of them… and they will repent and receive Jesus as the Christ of God. (These things are set forth typically in Exodus 32, which is a summary of End-Times Israel. The rest of Exodus sets forth the type for the Millennial inheritance. And Deuteronomy 29 sets forth Israel during Jacob’s Trouble. (The judgement Israel suffers being a result of God being true to His Word, and satan is well aware that God would have to hold Israel accountable for what He said would happen to them if they don’t walk in His ways, bringing upon them “all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law.” - Verse 21) And then God will turn His Wrath entirely upon the destroyers who sought to exterminate His firstborn sons. (Read Psalm 2 and Revelation 19:15-20:3) And then He will establish His First Born’s (Christ’s) Kingdom on the Earth and in the first heaven. (Revelation 2:26-27; 12:1,2,5; 14:15-16; 19:7-8; 20:4-6) Thus, the stage is set for the events of Revelation Chapters 17 and 18. So again, then in Chapter 17, the Last Days’ Harlot’s religious part of Babylonian system is seen first dominating the Beast, which is the secular empire/corporate political side, up until the religious Harlot system (which is to say… the Mother of harlots who destroys her offspring) is destroyed by the Beast (of Revelation Chapter 13, now spoken of as personal in Verses 11-13, having emerged as the Last Days’ leader) and his 10-Nation confederation. When John saw the vision and wrote of it, the Beast and its 7 heads belonged to his period. In that the 7 heads are explained as 7 kings of which 5 had already fallen, one was then reigning and the 7th was yet future. And an 8th would follow and that would be the Beast person emerging from the Bottomless Pit in Revelation 13:1… “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy…” and in Revelation 11:7… “And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.” So he is declared to be one of the previous 7… as one formerly slain will be brought back to life. (Revelation 13:3… “And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.”) In Luke 21:19, the Lord warned there would be a flight (fleeing) of His followers in the Last Days… “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land (Israel), and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (3 ½ more years). Just up to sometime before this mid-point of the 7-year Covenant of Death, the religious Harlot, (pictured in Revelation 17:6) had run her drunken murderous course and is destroyed as Revelation 17:16-18 and Luke 21:19 are in view as the Beast/Anti-Christ begins to manifest in his full resurrection power in Jerusalem. As the abomination of desolation, his image is set up to be worshiped in the Holy Place. The time arrives for the seed of the Woman to flee from the Anti-Christ. These are those two groups of God, “which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 12:13-17) A Jewish remnant contingent will remain along with those who are “left” of the Christian contingent (see Matthew 24:40-41… “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left…”). The “manchild” (of the “Woman in Revelation 12) being supernaturally “taken” or caught up to the first heaven. (Revelation 3:10… “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”) The Dragon has been cast down to the Earth out of the first heaven. He is angry and knows his time is short. The Anti-Christ Beast is raised up from the Bottomless Pit in satanic power and kills the Two Witnesses of God in Jerusalem and Religious Jews in general who would resist him. (It is the time of Matthew 24:21-22… “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.”) The Beast and His 10-Nation confederation plunder and devour the religious pretentious in Israel as far as their arm shall then reach. The Beast and His confederation’s reign of terror begins and runs for 3 ½ years, which correspond with the 3 ½ years the remnant seed of the Woman is fleeing Israel, and are supernaturally nourished in the ‘wilderness’. (Revelation 12:13-17, Daniel 7:25) The work of Mystery Babylon’s Woman is finished, as the great “whore” Israel is exposed and vulnerable, and the great city of Jerusalem is ransacked, ravished, and burned with fire. (Idolatry and spiritualism being the religious order of that day - also see Jeremiah 3 at the end of the lesson where Israel is referred to as a whore and as “playing the Harlot.”) But in that same discourse in Luke 21, the Lord speaks to the End-Times birth pangs that would occur over the years preceding these events and the Last Days’ judgements on the Harlot… “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 (not right away). Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom…” [Luke 21:9-10] It is then, in those End-Times birth pangs’ wars and commotions, that the Babylonian religious murdering Harlot arm uses its wealth and End-Times spiritual insidiousness for political influence to reshape the World’s religious landscape. That is described in Revelation 17:1-2 as she “…that sitteth upon many waters (many people and Nations) With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” She is then at her worst in Verse 6… “And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints (of the Old Testament godly), and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus (the New Testament godly): and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration” (wonder/amazement/astonishment). Below is Jeremiah 3 where Israel, called the “wife of God”, plays the harlot with many lovers - yet she is told by God to “Return again to me…” Jeremiah 3… “They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the Lord. Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness. Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed. Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth? Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest. The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks. And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the Lord. And the Lord said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah. Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more. At that time (the Millennium) they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers. But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me. Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord. A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the Lord their God. Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God. Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel. For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.” Read Ezekiel 16, and see Israel being judged by the Beast and 10-Nation confederation when reading this… Ezekiel 16… “Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, And say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live. I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare. Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine. Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God. But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was. And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so. Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them, And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them. My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord God. Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them? And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood. And it came to pass after all thy wickedness, (woe, woe unto thee! saith the Lord God;) That thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street. Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms. Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to provoke me to anger. Behold, therefore I have stretched out my hand over thee, and have diminished thine ordinary food, and delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philistines, which are ashamed of thy lewd way. Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied. Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied therewith. How weak is thine heart, saith the Lord God, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman; In that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire; But as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband! They give gifts to all whores: but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom. And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms, whereas none followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art contrary. Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the Lord: Thus saith the Lord God; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them; Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness. And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy. And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare. They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords. And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give no hire any more. So will I make my fury toward thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry. Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things; behold, therefore I also will recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord God: and thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations. Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter. Thou art thy mother's daughter, that lotheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which lothed their husbands and their children: your mother was an Hittite, and your father an Amorite. And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters. Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations: but, as if that were a very little thing, thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy ways. As I live, saith the Lord God, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done. Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters. When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them: That thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them. When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate. For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride, Before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time of thy reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, which despise thee round about. Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the Lord. For thus saith the Lord God; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God.” You can’t help but have a sobering fear of God after reading how God held Israel to their Covenant. We should likewise and even moreso learn from their unfaithfulness which should motivate us to a higher walk. For Romans 11:22 tells us… “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Hebrews 2:2-3 says… “For if the word (the Law) spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we (Christians) escape, if we neglect so great salvation…?” If we ignore the leading of the Holy Spirit, we will experience a sorer punishment than did Israel. There is much more accountability for us who are under the Covenant of Grace. Christians need to not push the severity of God under the rug… Hebrews 10:26-31… “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment (here on Earth or on the other side), suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” May we recognize the seriousness of our daily walk. May it be in humble service and reverential fear, that we may be among the worthy referred to in Luke 21:36… “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”

Mike Balloun teaches today. 01/13/24 🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 9) REVELATION CHAPTER 18 🔥 VERSES: Zechariah 5:5-11; Genesis 11:6; 2nd Thessalonians 2:3,4,9; 1st Corinthians 10:14-21; Matthew 24:24 DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/hde86cw0ac9mlb7dm0am6/h?rlkey=bsvt6pxba8sw4h5bk81fs9dwr&dl=0 Link to today's illustration: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/dqprmecn9bic1kj5s9jlk/h?rlkey=h1kpsc41h5zvvoos4a0cxc8za&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 9) CHAPTER 18 The purpose of our studying of the Book of Revelation has less to do with being controversial or adversarial, or even to put my 2 cents into it; it has to do with finding the heart of God (whose main focus is on Israel, and in the Last Days, replacing the Gentile rule with Israel ruling in God’s Theocratic government in the Millennium, in answer to God’s Covenant Promise to Abraham and in fulfillment of the many Old and New Testament prophecies). Reading the Book of Revelation should bring us into a state of repentance, and of looking to understand it as a guide to prepare us for the events that will take place. It’s easy to see these things as far off, or easy to view it from a theological view and feel comfortable about our stances, but if we saw the events happening right in front of us, these things would take on a new importance. While the Book of Revelation has a lot of moving parts, especially from Chapters 4-19, Chapters 17 & 18 may be the most controversial due to the differing viewpoints concerning it (mainly within Catholicism and Protestantism, as much of their doctrine and theology rests on these Chapters; much of the confusion caused by spiritualizing things that should be taken literally). But we can all agree that the Book of Revelation was written for the edification of Christ’s Church, and that there should be a sense of awe and reverence while studying it, and sense of a future accounting, where God will hold both humans and spirits accountable. The mystery Babylon/the woman harlot of Chapter 17 is not nominal Christianity, but a religious system formed around commercialism and spiritualism in idol worship since post- Noah’s flood, in Babel/Babylon… where there was the establishing of a sovereignty by Nimrod without God. Then in the time of John’s writing of the Book of Revelation, that woman was seen as having been, at some point, mystically re-located to Rome, the City of 7 hills and associated with 7 kings. She is there in Verse 1 revealed as “the great whore that sitteth upon (has authority over) many waters” (many waters being symbolic for peoples and nations), aptly describing her previous home Babel/Babylon and then her home of John’s day, seen in Verse 9, which was Rome, the Empire’s ruling city; it also being a port city through which she was also able to influence many peoples and Nations. (John being the one that takes Babylon and then associates it with Rome, bringing this comparison out in Revelation 17:9… “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.”) Such were two ruling harbor Cities in Biblical times that answer to the description of the City of Babylon during and following Daniel’s days… and later the City of Rome in New Testament days. She, being located in Rome in John’s day, did not in any way change her origin, which Scripture clearly ties to Babel, nor her wicked nature and spiritual power, in that no matter what guise or place she is in, she is still that Babylonian religious harlot and mother of harlots and mother of abominations of the Earth (Leviticus 18:27, Deuteronomy 32:16-17), then as much as now. She is the religious system tied to commercialism (it being hard to separate commercialism from worldliness) by which its ‘priests’ lord or glean favor to rule over people. She causes all kings and kingdoms to be drunk with the wine of her religious and commercial fornication. And after her great work throughout this entire Dispensation in the “times of the Gentiles,” in the religious intoxicating of all the kings and peoples throughout the entire Earth, she will return to her origin for permanent residency in the great City of Babylon and avail herself to the Beast/Anti-Christ, fulfilling Zechariah 5:5-11… “Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth (Zechariah was in the Promised Land). And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah (a container of measure in commercialism) that goeth forth (from Israel/Jerusalem). He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth. And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman (a religious system wickedly commercial at heart that will bring present Israel/Jerusalem to its destruction. So it is that Mystery Babylon has always been able to array herself in purple and scarlet color, and deck herself with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication) that sitteth in the midst of the ephah. And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof. Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women (2 similar harlots), and the wind was in their wings (the wind being demonic help); for they had wings like the wings of a stork: (a stork being an unclean bird noted for going back to the same nest) and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven. Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? And he said unto me, To build it a house (a temple) in the land of Shinar (future restored City of Babylon): and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base” (where she originated). So it is at the End of the “Times of the Gentiles” upon the return of Christ, that the literal City of Babylon on the river Euphrates will again be the seat of power and from where the religious worldwide outflow of wicked influence shall be directed by the king of kings, the Anti-Christ/son of man and ‘son’ of ‘god’, with all his father’s (Matthew 4:8-9) supernatural flesh-pleasing power in his ‘spirit’, who shall rule over the Nations of the Earth. As Babel’s defiant proclamation will be then victoriously realized “… and nothing (in their lustful imagination) will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do” (ultimately fulfilling Genesis 11:6b). In the End-Times, this woman rides the political 4th ‘Beast’ made up of a prophesied 10- Nation confederation. It is seen that her power over these Nations rests solely on her commercially luxurious and idolatrous religious appeal and she uses them and their political power for a time in the shedding of the blood of many saints and the blood of many martyrs of Jesus. (Revelation 17:6) The mystery woman from her conception at Babel was to be a great morally luxurious drunken Harlot (never married), formed to cause her wanton and lustful paramours to drink of her cup of moral drunkenness. This mystery woman, having never been married, should be distinguished from Israel, in that Israel was a married woman who fell deeper in degradation from adultery into harlotry, and whose alliances brought forth idolatrous abominations (Ezekiel 16, Jeremiah 2, and Jeremiah 44:4)… and she is also distinct from Christians in like manner, who are betrothed to Christ, who now also are drunken with the cup of her idolatrous fornication. (2nd Corinthians 11:2-4) Mystery Babylon is not Israel/Jerusalem per se, nor is she Rome per se, but the system into which they are thoroughly drunkenly enmeshed, defiled, and corrupted. And in that they would not “come out of her” (Mystery Babylon), they epitomize her in the Earth, and they are judged as her. (See Revelation 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.”) But in the burning cleansing fires of the End-Times and Last Days’ hatred and persecution of Israel and the lukewarm Church, first by the woman and then by the Anti-Christ, they are sobered, repentant, and finally separated from her clutches. (Revelation 16:19-19:3) But the mystery Babylon system survives until the end. By End-Time idolatry, and as the Days of Noah, it is meant that there will be a growing knowledge and familiarity with the Queen of Harlotry, in the political and religious circles increasingly more being ‘adept’ (very skilled or proficient) in the supernatural, in her different forms of spiritualism, witchcraft, sorceries, drug use in connecting with the supernatural, astrology, and reading of horoscopes, divining, conjuring, spell casting, black magic, etc… (Now as Jannes and Jambres (the two magicians who copied God’s miracle by turning their staffs into snakes) withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth - 2nd Timothy 3:8). Paul tells us that idols are nothing… but man is not moved to worship nothing; only that to which there is some real power to be found behind the object of worship. There are those who make offerings of one kind or another, to that which seemingly are a representation of Deity… but their offerings and worship are unto demons Paul goes on to say. (1st Corinthians 10:14-21… “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.”) And by a man’s fellowship, through one form of idolatry or another, he may establish relationship with fallen spirits or demons of different sorts (Matthew 17:21, Acts 16:16), who in vast numbers, far exceed humans. They occupy the unseen parts of this Realm with this objective. That relationship, once being developed, is designed to be similar to that relationship between Jesus and His followers. (Most people not even realizing that they have idols in their lives, or an open door to the demonic through the things they allow into their mind or body.) The fruit of inspired darkness is the humans’ belief in the supernatural, and that to be the source of guiding supernatural light. These End-Times are featuring more and more familiarity with the supernatural… a growing awareness of the unseen forces, in the lowering of the restrictive veil of God. Increasing communication is the result of salt and light diminishing as men increasingly love the dark and hate the light. It is Romans 1:18-32 in the indictment of the antediluvian (pre-Flood) period again most applicable to the End-Times and Last Days, where the atmosphere/environment is ripe for the embracing of communication with ancient demons and participation in forbidden practices by the masses. The enemy having the redeemed in view, any participation in this will thereby disqualify them from Kingdom inheritance and will open them up to severe judgements. Seriously consider that satan is not looking to make skeptics of the supernatural out of man… but to make ‘believers’ out of them, using the supernatural to bring man under the influence and dominion of his and his unseen minions’ flesh-appealing powers. Be it ‘miracles’ on a secular, political front, or a religious pagan or nominal Christian front. It is through these means that the Anti-Christ will deceive those in the Last Days (“whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders” - 2nd Thessalonians 2:9) The Christian is to realize we are in the Age of faith, where Jesus said it is more blessed to believe without seeing. Christians beware lest you be swayed by signs, miracles, and wonders and be deceived. Matthew 24:24… “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first (the falling away from the faith by the apostate church is seen here) , and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 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.” The End-Times and Last Days’ end goal for the unholy trinity is for the ‘resurrected’ ‘son of god’ to sit in the Temple of God in Jerusalem as God, destroy Jerusalem and kill all Jews and Christians and to sit in the Temple of his god in the City of Babylon and be worshiped as god by man. The scheme has always been to subjugate man to the organized satanic system; religion mixed with commercialism set forth after the Deluge, in Babel/Babylon… that cup from which every Nation has drank from and has become drunk. In Chapter 17, Deuteronomy 32:36-38 and Isaiah 2:6-21 are coming into view. One of the angels having the 7 Vials comes unto John to show him the judgement on the mystery woman/the great whore that sitteth upon many waters, who is mystery Babylon, or mystic Babylon (meaning unseen by the Old Testament prophets). The ‘fall’ is announced of the mystery woman… which is to say the harlot Israel and the City of Jerusalem, who epitomizes the mystery Babylon whore, who rode upon/exercised power over the beast (the 10 Nation’s kings and the Anti-Christ) and who is hated by the 10 horns/Nations who desolate and make her naked, and eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. This ‘fall” occurs after those of the ‘manchild’ (of Revelation 12:5) are caught up to the first heaven (in answer to Revelation 3:10), and just at the time of the great hour of temptation and Jacob’s Trouble begin, and the Abomination of Desolation of the Anti-Christ now sets in with his demand for worship of himself in the Holy Place in Jerusalem. (Matthew 24:15, Daniel 9:27; 11:40-45; 12:7, 2nd Thessalonians 2:3-4, Revelation 11:1-2;13:1-18) Placing then the great City of Jerusalem/the mystery Babylon’s destruction around 3 ½ years before the literal City of Babylon is utterly destroyed in the 7th Vial judgement of Chapter 18. (The Word says that at the time of the seventh Angel pouring out his final vial, the City of Babylon is brought to God’s remembrance as it is the origin of mystery Babylon “…and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.” Satan recalls/relocates the mystical religious and commercial woman of Babylon from the scene at Jerusalem (in that her work from his point of view is accomplished) as she is now to take her place in the promoting of his ‘sons’ kingdom glory as the Anti-Christ’s Great literal ruling City Babylon comes into full view. (Zechariah 5:5-11) (Mystery Babylon is like a chameleon who changes her form throughout the centuries to attract a different clientele/devotees. Just as the religious system of Babylon was subservient to the ruler, Nimrod, the system was relocated to Rome as seen in John’s vision, and in the End-Times, she is seen by Zechariah as in the Promised Land, but then relocated back to Babel/Babylon, coming full circle. The events at the tower of Babel also coming full circle back to the plains of Shinar in the future restored City of Babylon where the Anti-Christ intends to accomplish what Nimrod began, which was to make for themselves a unified alliance of men with fallen spirits to rule in the Earth to spite God and make a name for themselves building “…a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven.”) See Revelation 18:1-24… “And after these things (after the events of Chapter 17’s Vision which makes it parenthetical. Now comes the continuation and completion of the 7th Vial and its destruction of literal Babylon. 3 ½ years now have gone by and the scene is that of Revelation 16:19) I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen…” It is not the same Angel, in that this Angel is more splendid in glory, suggesting a greater and more encompassing judgement, as this Angel’s great pronouncement answers to the events of literal Babylon’s destruction, and the end of the “times of the Gentiles” ruling in the Earth. It is not mystery Babylon of Chapter 17 and Chapter 14, but is an amplification, it is now both mystery and literal together, in that both have committed fornication with kings and nations. Both shed the blood of saints. Both have cups of corruption. Both are called Babylon the great. Both are clothed in scarlet and purple and precious stones. But It has been made clear they are not the same as seen by the many contrasting differences: one is a mystery the other is not. John wondered greatly at one, but not the other. One rides the Beast; the other does not. One is called ‘the woman’/the great whore; the other is not. One has names written on her; the other does not. One was known by the prophets; the other was not. One made herself wealthy; the other made others wealthy. One is destroyed by man; the other by God. The same men rejoice as they enrich themselves in the fall of one and lament over the fall of the other as they suffer financial loss. One is destroyed in 1 hour and is left uninhabitable forever; the other is burned with fire but left habitable. Babylon’s destruction is twice proclaimed “…is fallen, is fallen…” which is an allusion to ancient Babel’s judgements coming upon it in two distinct places; the City of Jerusalem and the City of Babylon and on two distinct levels… spirits and the spiritual part of this Realm, and humans and the material part of this Realm.

Mike Balloun teaches today. 01/20/24 🔥 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION (PART 10) 🔥 VERSES: Revelation 14:14-20, 16:15, 20:4-6; Luke 19:17-19, 21:34-36; 1st Thessalonians 4:16-7 DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/hde86cw0ac9mlb7dm0am6/h?rlkey=bsvt6pxba8sw4h5bk81fs9dwr&dl=0 Link to today's illustration: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/dqprmecn9bic1kj5s9jlk/h?rlkey=h1kpsc41h5zvvoos4a0cxc8za&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9 AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION PART 10 CHAPTER 19 VERSES 1-10 Revelation 17:1 through 19:10 is one vision with 3 distinct parts (the destruction of mystery Babylon, the destruction of the City of Babylon, and the events happening in the first heaven at the time of the destruction of the City of Babylon.) Revelation 16:17 has the Angel pouring out the last Vial which includes on Babylon the literal City, and gives us four verses of its judgements before pausing, and then giving us the parenthetical narrative of Chapter 17 which gives the history of the Last Days’ Judgements; first on mystery Babylon/the mystical part of Babylon. (Revelation 14:8) This first destructive judgement on Mystery/mystical Babylon (being 3 ½ years earlier and at the middle of the 7-year judgement period) is the entire subject matter of the 17th Chapter. Then, since Chapter 17 was parenthetical, the 18th Chapter’s narrative picks up and expounds from where Revelation 16:19 left off; the 2nd Judgement on Babylon, the literal City. This is towards the end of the 7-year period, as the entire 18th Chapter gives us the further detail of its destruction which the last four verses of Chapter 16 only began. Chapter 19 is just during/after the destruction of that city of Babylon. Revelation 19:1’s “after these things” goes on to describe what was/is happening in the first heaven at the time of the City of Babylon’s destruction toward the very end of the 7-year period. “I heard, as it were, a great voice of a numerous multitude (better translation than “much people” as noted by Greek scholar Lenski) in the (first) heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God.” The first heaven is but one of at least 3 heavens of God’s Creation. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth.” (Most translations having Genesis 1:1 as plural.) And that there are at least 3 heavens is seen in that Paul was caught away to the 3rd heaven. (2nd Corinthians 12:2… “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.”) It is the unseen first heaven of this Earth and its rulers that the Book of Revelation has much to do with. The “numerous multitude” (including those of the Full Harvest) in the unseen first heaven (at the time of the destruction of the restored City of Babylon) consists of varied and different orders of inhabitants. Just as in the material/earthly part of this Realm, the inhabitants of Earth are varied and of different orders, likewise, the inhabitants of that future unseen part of this Realm are distinguished (this earth’s Realm being a copy, patterned after the Heavenly Realm). The first heavens consisting of the Angels, the 24 Elders, the four living beings, and much people… those being Wedding guests, and all servants (smaller and greater) of God, of which the Bride of Christ will gloriously stand out among, as the Bride cannot be the Bride and guests at the Wedding at the same time. (The Wedding of Christ and His Bride is in the first heavens associated with this Earth, and not in the Third Heaven.) The prayer of the ‘saved’… “Thy Kingdom come” has arrived. The Father has poured out His judgements on this Realm, and He has crowned His King; the selfless Lamb and the victorious Lion, Whose desire for a loving Consort is now to be realized. This is the “so great salvation”. (Hebrews 2:3; 1:14) It is the formal adoption of first-born sons which is now to be manifest in the first heaven! To which all God’s servants in the first heaven cry Hallelujah! (See Hebrews 2:10; 12:23… “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”… “To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect…” … Romans 8:19,23,29… “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.”… “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”… “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate (foreordain) to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”) The opening of Chapter 19 looks back on the sheave Harvest Resurrection. (1st Thessalonians 4:16-17… For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 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.”) They, having been gathered and delivered up, are now proclaiming the righteous judgements on the City of Babylon and the Vintage harvest wrath of God that follows. (Revelation 14:14-20… “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. (These are those caught up in the sheave Harvest.) And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. (This is the Vintage harvest that will now follow.) And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.”) The one who came as a “thief” has descended and taken unto Himself those who were awake and looking for Him. (Revelation 3:3… “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” Revelation 16:15… “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” Hebrews 9:28… “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Luke 21:34-36… “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”) The Vengeance of God on Babylon has just occurred (Chapter 18) and the great Vintage Wrath battle of Christ against the Anti-Christ in Israel a few weeks or months is yet before Him at Jerusalem and Armageddon (2nd part of Chapter 19), where the enemy has been gathering his forces. (Revelation 16:14-16… “For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” Revelation 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.” The newly wed Bride being among those who come back with Christ at Armageddon. Read also Zechariah 14) All God’s Last Days’ Vengeance will have answered to the conclusion of the Age of mercy and grace in “the fullness of the Gentiles come in” and “the times of the Gentiles” ruling in the Earth, as seen in the appeal for vengeance from those under the Altar. (Revelation 6:10-11… “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? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”) Among this multitude, are those who had followed them in the Tribulation martyrdom… they are dressed in white, as previously seen in Chapter 7. Now, together, having been gathered up from below the Altar, which is to say; out of Hades/the intermediate place of the dead, and they are in the first heaven. Revelation 7:14… “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation 14:12-13… “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” (Revelation 7 parenthetically looking ahead 3 plus years, giving a view to the same numerous multitude of Revelation 19 which includes all martyrs having been caught up towards the end of the 7-year period, before the destruction of Literal Babylon and before the last battle of Armageddon in the heavenly Harvest of all remaining worthies, both dead and alive, emblematically pictured in Chapter 14.) Revelation 20:4… “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” The Harvest multitude would include, not only those represented above, but all the Old Testament saints judged as worthies of the heavenly kingdom inheritance as well, from Adam onwards. Out then from the raised of the First Resurrection shall come the Bride of Christ, which is in complete accord with Eve coming out of the body of Adam (in that Eve came from a small portion of Adam’s body, and the Bride is a small portion of the “Body” of Christ). Those others who were not a part of the Bride, yet who were counted worthy to be a part of the Harvest will be part of the Wedding party, such as the friends of the Bridegroom, and the others are the Wedding guests. The Bride is raised up unto the Millennial Tabernacle/Tent and its Throne and sea of fiery glass set up in the first heaven of this Realm. This temporary Tabernacle Temple and its transition period of a Millennium unto the coming of New Jerusalem is typed by David’s Tabernacle transition period unto Solomon’s Temple, which pictures the Temple of New Jerusalem. The heirarchy of David and his followers while he was in exile types Christ and His followers while He is “in exile”/not yet receiving His Kingdom. Christians are not in a position to rule until after the First Resurrection up into the first heaven when Christ is about to take the Throne as satan’s kingdom is to be taken from him (just as David’s followers could not take their positions until King Sauls’ throne was taken from him in the timing of God). Christ’s Kingdom is not of this World (the Babylonian system of satan), if it was, “then would his servants fight.” (John 18:36, Luke 19:11-12) Christians have a choice of 2 Cups to drink from: the cup of the religious harlot or the Lord’s cup of suffering, which results in a yielded, laid down life. For if we don’t enter into His suffering, we won’t enter with Him into His Kingdom. David’s mighty men and followers didn’t try to overcome or politically change Saul’s kingdom while he was in exile; neither should Christ’s followers. Rather, they stood in rejection with him and remained separated, aloof from Saul’s kingdom. (1st John 2:17, Matthew 12:20) They were willing to suffer in the wilderness with David, faithfully waiting until Saul and his kingdom, in His timing, were put down by God. God’s time to destroy satan’s kingdom has come, and that finally is through the actions of the One Heir of the coming Kingdom without end. Then many of Christ’s Bride and Christ’s brethren shall rule over the Nations and their cities (Luke 19:17-19… “And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.”), and the 12 apostles will rule over Israel (Matthew 19:28), all from the first heaven during the 7th Millennium Rest (Daniel 4:26), with many rulers under their authority. In Revelation 19:1, the Hebrew word transliterated as Hallelujah, meaning “Praise you Yahweh”, is proclaimed in the spirt of Psalm 104:35… “Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord.” It speaks in part to the Old Testament faithful resurrected Jews brought up into the heavenly Realm. The object of the praise is directed at God’s just judgements on His enemies. As Scripture reveals, the heavenly Kingdom is not limited to the New Testament believer, as some of the Old Testament had gotten a glimpse of the heavenly Kingdom and looked through the eye of faith for their portion. (Hebrews 11:13-16… “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”) The vengeance of God threatened, and now exercised in justice and righteousness, ends the Age of Mercy and Grace as a new dispensation starts. (Deuteronomy 32:43… “Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.”) That New Age being the Millennial Age of Justice. The ‘Day’ of vengeance that started at the beginning of the 7-year Tribulation will take us to the day the Earth itself is destroyed. (Revelation 21:1… “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.”) The Harlot is judged, and the Bride now comes forth to wed. Babylon and its destruction had long thrived in the “times of the Gentiles.” She has corrupted all Nations of the Earth with false doctrines and false worship. The destroyers of the Earth are now being destroyed below (on the Earth). And above (in the first heaven of this Earth)… as Esther typically set forth the Jew in Royal matrimony, Ruth typically sets forth the Gentile in this Royal matrimony, but hers is in the heavenly sphere. (Ruth 2:1; 3:11; 4:10) Which together will complete the plan of God for the order of the eternal Universe. The glory of the “Bride of Christ” answers to God’s “salvation of the soul” of man, as worthy to adopt as first-born sons of God and ready to rule and reign as kings and priests as the consort of Jesus. (Colossians 1:26-27… “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” 1st John 3:2-3… “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” 1st Peter 1:9,22… “Receiving the end (goal) of your faith, even the salvation (purification) of your souls.” … “Seeing YE HAVE PURIFIED YOUR SOULS in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.”) The 4 Living Creatures and 24 Elder Angels are representative of the past and present unseen overruling government of this Realm at the time of the setting of the Tribunal and Investiture Throne of Revelation Chapters 4&5, up until here in Revelation 19:5. When that Tribunal Throne and their work this side of the Millennium is complete, and from this verse on, they are not heard from again. As God’s long-desired Theocratic Government is now set in the first heaven. From that Tribunal Throne, the blood of Noah’s Covenant has been avenged (Genesis 9:6… “Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.”). And from that Throne was appointed this Realm’s new King. And from that Throne came the setting of the clock for the Last and 7th Millennium since Re-Creation. And it is from before that Throne the Angels and the Living Creatures praise and their ruling service concludes. (Hebrews 2:5… “For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.”) Christ and His glory-filled Bride, a gift from the Father uniquely purchased by His Atonement Blood, come forth and are set apart from among the multitude and are wed in holy matrimony. Titus 2:14… “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (See also John 17:6 and Ephesians 5:25, typed in the Old Covenant in Genesis 2:18-25 and Genesis 24) The Elders and living Creatures are not mentioned again because the High Calling unto the heavenly kingdom is answered. (Hebrews 3:1… “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus…” Philippians 3:14… “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God (the First Resurrection unto glory) in Christ Jesus.”) The 2nd Adam’s heavenly Bride being arrayed is presented and wed to Him… now being bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh. (John 17:22-23… “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one (what a wondrous mystery is the union/one-ness of Christ and His Bride and thus with God, as They are One): I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.”) He is comforted (Isaiah 53:11, Genesis 24:67) The King and His Queen takes His own Great (White?) Throne. (Revelation 3:21… “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Revelation 20:4,11… “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them…” … “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.”) After His Millennial reign, this Earth and heavens will have “passed away”, the Throne of God and Lamb is set in the Temple City of the New Jerusalem, and the Bride takes up eternal residence there. (1st Corinthians 15:28… “And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.” Revelation 21:22… “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.”) Until this time of the 19th Chapter of Revelation, New Testament saints are not to pray for, nor praise God for, His Vengeance. It is the Age of His Grace and Mercy to be testified to by the followers of Christ all the days of their lives unto the dawn of the next Age. We are to be salt and light and intercessors. (The Sermon on the Mount’s Words in Matthew 5:10,12 are fulfilled… “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven… Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” His followers are rewarded for lives lived in accordance to 1st Corinthians 13:1-13, which was by “faith energized by love.”) So here and in the 19th Chapter of Revelation, all His servants gathered together in the first heaven, are called upon to rejoice and give glory to God, as they own God’s judgements in this Realm as both His and Just. “The marriage of the Lamb has come.” Revelation 19:7-8 is the presentation to Christ of His Bride; “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready, And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white for the fine linen is the righteousness (the Greek literal says the “righteous acts”/works) of saints (those who actively responded to the Bridegroom’s voice in the power of the Holy Spirit - 2nd Corinthians 3:18). She is not the entire regenerated ‘Church’, as many have been falsely taught, although the heavenly Calling from the Father is unto all who are born-again from above. (1st Thessalonians 2:12… “That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.” 1st Peter 5:10… “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”) The Consort Bride is but one of the King’s many subjects, exalted to the highest rank among them all. It is one thing to be an eternally saved ‘child’ of God, but it is quite a different thing to be an adopted first-born son of God and ascend in glory to His Son’s Throne and rule with Him. The requirements are far greater than merely being born-again children of God, having received freely the grace and mercy gift of justification before God through Christ, having been given God’s divine nature in regeneration. The call to wed is faithful loving service unto worthiness that must be worked out, which depends upon the free will of the regenerated servant to willingly share in Christ’s sufferings, with hope to share in His glory, in the saving their souls. This is done by crucifying the carnal flesh while living out their lives in testimony of Christ’s Lordship over them in this World and daily purposefully drawing upon the Throne of grace and mercy by faith in Christ’s Atonement, for grace/power to overcome the flesh, the World, and the devil unto a fitness for final union with Him. (Hebrews 12:15, 2nd Corinthians 6:1, 1st Peter 1:9-11) To those who answer the wedding call, it is then accounted to them in that day as “…his wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed (arrayed in clothes spun herself - Exodus 35:25) in fine linen, clean and white, for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” (Leviticus 16:4, Philippians 2:12-16, and 1st Corinthians 6:11… “And such were some of you: but ye are washed…” - the literal being “ye washed yourselves.”) Christ’s Bride must not only be robed in His righteousness, but in ‘Her’ own righteous attire spun by her own hand. Although the material (grace) is provided, she must spin it and put it on, as expressed by His Life-changing power of grace yielded to within (by way of that mirroring reflection of Him, which she is always keeping before her) through faithful loving obedience, and thereby being increasingly formed into the image of Christ. This equates to “…the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints”. This righteousness then is not the gift of imputed righteousness, that righteousness put on you by God in Christ, rather, this is the righteous acts of saints. Yes, it is God who works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure, which is to say His desired will, which He does not always get, as He will not use His sovereign will to perform it. His will is “that we might be partakers of his holiness.” (See Hebrews 12:10 which speaks of God chastening us, like a loving earthly father does with his children, in order to mature/perfect us, that we would be partakers of His glory.) Again, it is us who must then act according to His desired will and work out our own salvation in fear and trembling. Certainly, this exhortation of warning, as many others like it in the New Testament, obviously has in view, for those who have eyes to see, a greater accountability for a greater salvation than being just merely born-again and justified by Christ and escaping from eternal damnation in the Lake of Fire. (1st Corinthians 3:15… “If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”) But these, whom we see being caught up to the first heaven, have expressed the like-nature of Christ; it having been worked out in their internal souls by the sum of their external works of righteousness (symbolized by gold, silver, and precious stones). God gave Christ, who was willing to purchase the slave who was bound to satan, the flesh, and the World, that He might sanctify her, and make her fit for union as a Queen, by washing her in the water of His Word. (Ephesians 5:26, John 13:8, Exodus 30:17-21) This being typical of Esther’s life of going from a slave to a Queen. (Esther 5:1) The process unto this high calling of Brideship is also illustrated by Paul as a race for the prize, which required one to buffet their body, and run according to God’s rules that they might attain. (1st Corinthians 9:24, Philippians 3:12-16) God has given all mankind the provision to be saved, but not all mankind will choose to be. God has given all saved mankind the provision to be a part of the Bride, but not all have or will choose to be. The Nation of Israel being merely saved is the great example of exhortation/warning before us who are saved in the New Testament. (1st Corinthians 10:10-11, Hebrews 6:9-12; 10:32-36) These caught up in the first heaven are the separated conquerors out from among the conquered. They are the wise virgins. (Revelation 1-3, Matthew 25) The marriage is set to come before the Return of Christ to the Earth. The Wedding is a very brief time. Then is the first heaven opened to the Earth, and He comes - Revelation 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.” If Scripture is rightly divided, we shall have the “hope of glory” (hope; not guarantee). Let us embrace these words and those many similar exhorting words, for they in no wise interfere or contradict Ephesians 2:5 or 2:8, which say that our having been saved by grace through faith is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God. Saints saved are preconceived and foreordained in God’s Wisdom to be conformed by His Power into the image of His Son. (Romans 8:28-30… “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate (foreordain) to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate (foreordain), them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” (God had foreordained before the creation of Man that Man, through the Son of Man, and the exercising of his own free will of choice for Him, would then ascend and take authority in this Realm and replace fallen Lucifer. And although God, in His foreknowledge, knew not all men would choose, yet all men were called to be ‘saved’ and to be conformed to the image of His Son and be glorified. To believe God arbitrarily appointed some to glory and some to eternal damnation is to do away with man’s personal accountability for reward or damnation, and leaves the whole matter to predestination, for which, there then would be no need for God’s appeals, and warnings of judgement. And for that matter, makes the whole salvation plan of God, including His Son’s death, totally unnecessary). These of the Bride who are spinning/weaving the righteous robes come out of the “Body”; these are they who wrestle and are diligent to work out their salvation unto glory with fear and trembling, and don’t fall short of His abundant grace provision that goes far beyond His merciful free gift of eternal life in Christ’s Atonement. (Hebrews 12:15) The lazy, apathetic Christian with no righteousness weaved will be found naked when the Bride is called. Verses 9-10 “And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” “These are the true sayings of God.” (Verse 9) These words of God are true. With Psalm 12:6… “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” The Angel forbids John’s worship… it is in great part the sin of the End-Times. He declares himself a fellow servant for them. (Hebrews 1:14… “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”) The very spirit that animates all true prophecy bears witness to Jesus. In other words, the one who gives heed and holds fast these prophetic words as truth to the end will be found to be an overcomer, worthy of the heavenly Resurrection.

Mike Balloun teaches today. 09/23/23 🔥 THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (PART 1) 🔥 VERSES: Acts 2:16-21; Leviticus 14:24-29; Jeremiah 31:31-33; John 15:26-27 STUDY NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ph0ahcsr9jyxpslm22a7o/h?rlkey=21abuk6r9pwdalwdg8so1evxn&dl=0 Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9 Points to ponder: Restoration of the ruined Creation depicted in Genesis 1 was a collaboration of God/Elohim the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This restorative work of God is typical of the Restoration of fallen Man. The Holy Spirit did His part in Re-Creation…. “And the Spirit of God moved (brooded) over the face of the waters…” It is the Holy Spirit who re-births the spirit of man effectively achieving the desire of the Father and Son. It is the Holy Spirit Who also empowers the redeemed person unto the Father’s and Son’s glory. The Scriptures reveal the work of the Son, Who came from Heaven to Earth and fulfilled His pivotal part in Man’s salvation. His death fully atoned for sinful Man, and He ascended back unto Heaven. The Holy Spirit has come to the Earth, sent by the Father, not to atone but to work in accord with the Son’s atonement, to anoint the Word of faith, to activate the repentant Man’s spirit with the eternal divine nature and then come and dwell in the redeemed body and grant by warrant degrees of holiness by His Divine influence upon the soul unto its salvation, which is determined at the Judgment Seat of Christ, to be manifest at the First Resurrection. That sequence of the Old Testament Believer being born again in their spirit by the Power of the Holy Spirit, and then additionally the Holy Spirit then might rest upon the redeemed (or indwell as is the case of the New Testament redeemed) is easily determined from Scripture. (Numbers 11:25) THE FIRST WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT God had shown the first Man and Woman, and all their seed to follow, His loving mercy by making provision for propitiation for redemption from the penalty of sin and death; that provision being the substitutionary soul/blood of an appointed animal for the one who would exercise faith/trust in Him. (Genesis 3:21) So it was with Adam, so Eve, and Abel (Genesis 4:4), Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, the newly formed entire Nation of Israel, David, etc… all were blood-bought and ‘born again’… right on down to the Disciples of Christ, having received the gracious eternal life provision in the sacrificial blood offerings… and that being before the Death and Resurrection of Christ (this does not mean every Jew was born-again, in that the blood Sacrifices always required a contrite heart). So it was that the Holy Spirit’s work of rebirth of a man’s spirit with the gift of eternal life was an Old Testament Truth. And it is a New Testament Truth based upon the same Old Testament established principle of meeting God’s justice requirement for redemption; that being soul for soul, blood for blood. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” [Leviticus 17:11] THE SECOND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Seen typically in Leviticus 14:24-29… in that it is first the blood that must be applied, and then the oil upon the blood. “And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot: And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand: And the priest shall dip -- his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD: And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering.” Typically what is seen is that in the New Testament, there is to be a greater provision and application work of the Oil/Holy Spirit, that first must answer to God’s Justice beyond redemption blood, and the greater work of the Holy Spirit upon the redeemed soul. This rests unalterably and unquestionably upon the far greater propitiation efficacy of the Blood of Christ. The additional Work of the Holy Spirit upon the redeemed of Christ in the New Testament is first seen in Acts 2:4… “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” To be filled or the “Baptism in the Holy Spirit” means the Holy Spirit, by way of His power, takes up residence within the redeemed, there poised ready to change the redeemed soul into Christlikeness based upon the redeemed person’s yieldedness. His indwelling Presence ready to comfort, lead, instruct in the Word of God, reprove, cleanse, and in all ways made possible by the Atonement of Christ to empower him; in the overcoming of the sin nature within, the devil, and world without, into spiritual maturity, unto the goal of God and our faith; “the salvation of our soul”. (1st Peter 1:9) This gift of the power of the Holy Spirit could only come and abide in a redeemed child of God after the greater Soul/Blood propitiation of the Son of Man was offered and accepted by God; that which was His Sinless life and Death, Victorious Resurrection and Ascension unto Glory and the office of Heaven’s High Priest Mediator for His redeemed. (John 7:37-39, Acts 1:5,8 with 1st Corinthians 3:16; 6:19) But this Baptism/infilling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4) answers to an inward indwelling that was not the immediate experience of every redeemed/born-again person. This is made clear from Scripture, as was the case of Christ’s disciples, who were Jewish believers in God, and then also believers in His manifest Messiah, and His disciples, and were no doubt born-again. Yet they did not receive the Baptism/indwelling of the Holy Spirit until Pentecost. (John 14:17) So also, was the case of those redeemed believers in Acts 8 and those 12 redeemed men of Acts 19, and Paul some 7 years after Pentecost receiving Christ as His Messiah on the road to Damascus, yet it was 3 days later that he received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The types in the Old Testament, which we shall look at, and the realities seen in the New Testament, show clearly that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a separate and 2nd blessing, that may not come for shorter or longer periods of time on the redeemed, or may come immediately after regeneration on the redeemed in Christ, as it appears to be the case with Cornelius’s family and close friends. (Acts 10:44-46) It first should be understood that the original “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4) was the appointed empowerment for the Nation of Jews, in that they were the progeny of Abraham. And was granted in order to fill them with power to proselytize the Gentiles and rule in the Earth in holiness as God’s chosen people, and had nothing to do with the ‘Church’ at all. (Acts 2:16-21) “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And -- on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” This pre-Crucifixion offer of Christ was in answer to God’s irrevocable promises to Abraham. (Genesis 22:16-18) “And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done -- this thing, and hast not withheld -- thy son, -- thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply -- thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess -- the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” And now at Pentecost, after the Jews having Crucified Christ their Messiah, the Lamb of God, He then being Resurrected and having ascended to Heaven, the Nation was called to repentance and again was offered the promises of Abraham and the fulfillment of the prophetic word of the Prophets. These being supernaturally on display on the Day of Pentecost in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Jewish disciples of Christ. Note that if the Jewish leaders of the Nation had repented and accepted Jesus as their Messiah, then on the Day of Pentecost, or at any point over the next 30-year time period documented in the Book of Acts, the redeemed Nation would have received this empowering Baptism of the Holy Spirit, thereby being the supernaturally empowered witnesses of God and would have ruled in the multiple displays of gifts and power, over the Nations of the Earth. Willing, obedient Holiness in order to be His Theocratic Government in the Earth has always been the desired goal of God for the redeemed Jews. (Isaiah 1:-2:5)… “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it…… And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” This promise, which was deferred for 2000 years or more, will be fully and eternally realized upon Christ’s Second Coming and then Israel’s glad reception of Him will come to pass, followed by the New Covenant sealed in the second and greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Nation of Jews will take their rightful preeminence in the Earth over the Gentile Nations in the Millennial Kingdom of Christ. The “rain” of the Holy Spirit shall come again upon Israel, in that Millennial period which answers to the festival of Tabernacles. They will be God’s witnesses, and live in the Earth with supernatural gifts, peace, provision, and healing with long life, and abundant prosperity in the power of the Holy Spirit. All this shall be the norm in Israel in the Millennial Kingdom of Christ. “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you -- the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month…” [Joel 2:23,27-29] “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which -- my covenant they broke, although I was a husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put -- my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:31-33 and Hebrews 8) See also Acts 1:8; 2:4, John 1:33-34, and Zechariah Chapters 12-14. But such is not the case with the calling out of another Nation more worthy than Israel to rule with Christ. Theirs is not to rule on the Earth, but to co-rule in the first heaven with Christ at His Return. “He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” (Matthew 13:11) See also Matthew 21:43… “Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” That Nation of the One New Man would follow on the heels of the Nation of Israel’s rejection. This happened in 62 AD when Paul said, “Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.” [Acts 28:28] These of the nation of the One New Man would gladly receive the Redeemer and the greater work of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit upon the soul. This Nation being one wherein there would no longer be the emphasis on the ‘seen’ or in having preeminence in the Earth, with outward displays of power in signs and wonders to the Jews (for “Jews require a sign” - 1st Corinthian 1:22). Rather, the redeemed in Christ with rebirth of spirit and the gift of eternal life, being then no longer among the “Commonwealth of Israel”, but citizens of the New Nation of the One New Man. They, having been made aware of the battle for their soul by the Apostles of Christ, and the necessity of overcoming their sinful nature, are to be also Baptized in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s work becomes redefined appropriate to the heavenly calling and Bride of Christ. The Work on the Nation of Israel and the Jews now deferred. The emphasis being a greater internal work in the redeemed, to be based upon contrite yielded service in loving faithful service to Christ only. Without any necessity in seeing outward signs, wonders and miracles… “because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed”. (John 20:29) And that in the Holy Spirit’s indwelling power fight an appointed spiritual battle that would require suffering under test and trial while alive on the Earth in the overcoming the flesh, devil, and world. They are to be thereby always subservient to Christ and to his brethren and fellow man, not by ruling over them, while in this World. (2nd Timothy 2:12… “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us .” See also Romans 8:17… “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Luke 22:24-27… “And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.”) Again, in TYPE, the event of redemption and the further process of holiness is to be understood by the New Testament redeemed as two different experiences; the first in the bringing the Jews out of Egypt by the blood of the lamb; but the 2nd being the glorious dwelling of God in their midst, which came later, and came only after wholehearted preparation and dedication. (Exodus 36:3-5; “And they received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning. And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made; And they spoke unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.” Exodus 40:34-35… “Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.”) This type speaks to the New Testament first work of the Holy Spirit followed by the 2nd the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with indwelling power unto faithful witnesses. “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me: and ye also bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.” [John 15:26-27] (See also Acts 1:8) Continuing with the type; Israel having desired and sought after God’s dwelling Presence among them, obtained it, but yet His dwelling Presence was later lost by their persistence in sin. (Jeremiah 7:12) But in Old Testament type, the dwelling Presence is also shown to be remediable, as His Presence was later regained, but only by repentance and wholehearted consecration. (1st Kings 8:10-11) 400 years later, that glorious Presence in Israel was lost again through rebellious unbelief, and was offered again in its reality in Christ… but unbelief persisted, and the Presence was lost, even as it is unto today. So again, what may be typically understood from the Old Testament which were realities presented in Christ and the New Testament, are that 1) the redeemed did not automatically experience His glorious indwelling at the same time of His redemption work. 2) that His glorious Presence was an additional experience for a greater work of holiness after redemption to be His witnesses in the Earth. 3) that His Presence, having been granted, must be wholeheartedly desired to remain, in that His Presence may be withdrawn due to persistence in unrepented sin 4) that His Presence may return upon heartfelt repentance. (Next week, in Part 2, we will get more in-depth as we look at the Greek usage in regard to the Baptism/infilling of the Holy Spirit, the Divine Nature/Divine Life, and the power of the Holy Spirit.) Scripture shows that not all the Gentile redeemed in Christ were Baptized in the Holy Spirit. Although in the vast majority of Christendom today it is declared that if one is redeemed, he must be by necessity also “Baptized in the Holy Spirit”. This false doctrine coupled with the false doctrine of ‘Grace Only’ is promoted by the enemy and is extremely injurious to the redeemed. In that it is falsely declared unto the redeemed soul, whose practical living belies the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (or at least His continuing indwelling power unto holiness is still there), that he already has inside him that which he actually is in vital need of… and encourage him to go on as he is (religiously blind and spiritually unequipped) in the assurance of God’s unearned and unconditional loving grace. It would be hard to imagine that Israel could have been overcome by any other Nation while the Glorious Spirit of God yet resided in their midst. (1st Samuel 4:21 with Revelation 3:20; 2:5) So then a Christian must have this vital perspective, and must open the Laodicean religious door, and invite the power of the Holy Spirit within his body (or fill him again), and maintain that union through willing obedience, watchfulness, prayer and quick repentance, this is the assurance of overcoming victory… unto the declared worthiness at the Judgement Seat of Christ, for the First Resurrection at Christ’s Return, to rule with Him in this Realm’s heaven over the Earth. In the first Verses of 1st Corinthians, there are 9 distinct gifts or manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Immediately followed by the Holy Spirit’s declaration of “the more excellent way” of manifesting the Holy Spirit, and that as the redeemed witnesses of Christ; that of Agape/Love…in the growing maturity in that which He Himself had in measure “…shed abroad in the heart”. (Romans 5:5, 2nd Thessalonians 3:2) The Holy Spirit, in Baptizing the redeemed Gentiles and manifesting Himself through them in signs, wonders, and miracles in a short period of time between about 33AD to 62AD answers to Old Testament prophesy (Deuteronomy 32:21… “They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation”) in order to “…to provoke them (the Jews with right of ruling inheritance Romans 9:4) to jealousy”. Nevertheless, the leaders of Israel would not repent and receive the promised Messiah and the prophesied outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon them as the Nation chosen by God. (Romans 10:19; 11:11) Now the Holy Spirit, with a view to the cutting off of the Jew (Romans 11:17 with Acts 28:28), a people who must have a ‘sign’ (1st Corinthians 1:21-22), the declarations of the last of Corinthians Chapter 13 doctrinally lays the groundwork for the Nation of the One New Man in their heavenly call; who soon will become the exclusive witnesses of God in the World. A witness not to be based upon the manifesting of the outward supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit on Man, but manifesting the power of selfless love, the internal work of the Holy Spirit on the yielded redeemed soul in the Nation of the One New Man. This advanced objective of the Holy Spirit developing selflessness in Christlikeness in His redeemed brings greater glory to Christ. Loving selflessness is the greatest evidence of the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit inside the body of a redeemed soul. (2nd Corinthians 3:18) Author G. H. Lang wrote: “The chief present work of the Spirit of God is to glorify Christ, even as the Lord said, ‘He shall glorify Me’(John 16:14) Man glorifies himself, the Spirit glorifies Christ.“Whoever, therefore, desires the fulness of the Spirit let him devote himself unreservedlyto the work the Spirit is here to do, for then the effective co-operation of the Spirit is assured; that is, let him dedicate his body, mind, and spirit, his whole personality,to the single all-inclusive end of living to the glory of Christ.This will carry with it the watchful use of time, the thoughtful use of words, the unrestricted dedication of all possessions, the ordering of business, of home, of children, the concentration of life entireto the honour of the Son of God.”

Mike Balloun teaches today. 09/16/23 🔥 THE CORRUPTED ESCHATOLOGY OF THE CHURCH (PART 8) 🔥 VERSES: DOWNLOAD FULL NOTES: Subscribe to Receive Updates from For His Glory TX: http://eepurl.com/o7-J9

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