God's NEW Government, Lebanon

God’s central government in heaven is falling. The name given to His headquarters is Lebanon.

“See, the Lord, the LORD Almighty, will lop off the boughs with great power. The lofty trees will be felled; the tall ones will be brought low. He will cut down the forest thickets with an ax; LEBANON WILL FALL BEFORE THE MIGHTY ONE” (Isaiah 10:33-34).

No, Almighty God is not talking about the great cedar forests in Lebanon on earth. God uses imagery when He is referring to events, places, creation in heaven and His army. In Isaiah, God Almighty, Himself, will cut down the mighty trees in Lebanon and bring them low.

This Lebanon is in heaven. The lofty trees filling the positions in God’s Lebanon are also described as stars. God refers to these shining beings are stars when He was talking with Job. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundations? ...On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone—while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:6-7)

The starry host in heaven sparkles and shines like the stars in the night sky on earth. These stars are not an array of planets reflecting the light of the sun, rather a vast host of angels holding many positions and trained in spiritual warfare. Satan has his starry host as well as Almighty God.

THE STARS WILL FALL FROM THE SKY

Isaiah prophesied a dramatic event resting on our near horizon. All the stars in the sky will disappear. “All the stars in the sky will be dissolved and the heavens rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree” (Isaiah 34:4).

God Almighty is describing His destruction on the army of angels warring against Him. This vast starry host will gather the angry nations against Him and Jesus Christ. Against the Great Creator, they are powerless. Their eternal life will be taken from them and they will die like mere mortals—aged, crumpled, dried up to be crushed with one squeeze of the hand.

Matthew recorded Jesus prophesying the same event and exactly when it will take place—after the great tribulation. “Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.” (Matthew 24:29-30).

A great multitude from all tribes, nations and languages will repent during the great tribulation, but unfortunately, many will remain in rebellion.

“In that day the lord will punish the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below. They will be herded together like prisoners bound in a dungeon, they will be shut up in prison and be punished after many days” (Isaiah 24:21-22).

Joel also saw the vision of the Day of the Lord when all these cosmic events occur. God’s army moves unstoppable destroying everything in their tracks. “They storm the city; they run along the wall; they climb into houses, entering through windows like thieves. Before them the earth quakes; the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars lose their brightness. The LORD raises His voice in the presence of His army. Indeed, His camp is very large, for mighty are those who obey His command. For the Day of the LORD is great and very dreadful. Who can endure it?” (Joel 2:9-11).

“The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will no longer shine” (Joel 3:15). The rebel spiritual beings will lose their shining splendor; they will become mortalized and decay. This event will be mirrored in the night sky of earth.

The angels and the sons of God are not invincible. Through the power of God Almighty, everything was created. He gives and He can take away. The rebel angels and sons of God will be captured and overthrown. “Then the fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun and moon and stars were struck. A third of the stars were darkened, a third of the day was without light, and a third of the night as well” (Revelation 8:12). The one-third of the angels rebelled against God. They will be darkened; their shining glory—eternal life, will be taken away.

WHAT CAN WE KNOW ABOUT THESE FALLEN, REBEL ANGELS AND SONS OF GOD?

For time unknown sons of God ruled over vast dominions and heaven was at peace. God poured out His Holy Spirit and many grew in knowledge unsurpassed, spreading out to form many branches to assist in spiritual development and leadership for others. Nestled in the Bible in the book of Ezekiel is a story of a son of God who became a great leader in God’s headquarters. No one could rival him. God Almighty loved this son. He was full joy to see him succeed.

Nations on earth allied with this leader and received protection, resources and rest. Creation in heaven felt the comfort of his strength. Sons of God in heaven challenged him but none could match the height he had grown. Who was this great leader in heaven?

                               “3 Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon,
                            with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest;
                                                      it towered on high,
                                           its top above the thick foliage.

                                             4 The waters nourished it,
                                         deep springs made it grow tall;
                                                their streams flowed
                                                  all around its base
                                             and sent their channels
                                           to all the trees of the field.

                                              5 So it towered higher
                                        than all the trees of the field;
                                              its boughs increased
                                        and its branches grew long,
                                spreading because of abundant waters.

                                             6 All the birds of the sky
                                                nested in its boughs,
                                           all the animals of the wild
                                       gave birth under its branches;
                                              all the great nations
                                                lived in its shade.

                                           It was majestic in beauty,
                                         with its spreading boughs,
                                            for its roots went down
                                              to abundant waters.

                                 8 The cedars in the garden of God
                                              could not rival it,
                                         nor could the junipers
                                             equal its boughs,
                                    nor could the plane trees
                                  compare with its branches—
                                  no tree in the garden of God
                                     could match its beauty.

                                        9 I made it beautiful
                                     with abundant branches,
                                the envy of all the trees of Eden
                                       in the garden of God.”

                                             (Ezekiel 31:3-9)

Uh! What is God saying?

What are the cedars? Where is this Lebanon? Branches? Forest? Waters and nourishing? Birds in the sky and animals of the wild? Garden of God? Trees of Eden?

Key to understanding why God uses imagery is when He is sharing details of life in heaven with mankind on earth. Heaven is very different to earth. It is vast and the angels and sons of God tower over mankind in strength and knowledge. God uses descriptors that paint a very clear picture of the magnitude of life in heaven.

Trees are the tallest life form on earth. They are the perfect descriptor when illustrating great leaders in heaven.

THE CEDAR TREE

Imagery of the great cedars bring an immediate rich visual of the most spectacular trees on earth. They have the unique qualities that mirror the great leaders in God’s headquarters. These tall and grand trees are dimensionally stable with a built-in thermal insulator. With oils that act as natural preservatives, these trees are resistant to bacteria and fungus. To top it off, they release a fresh aroma that deters pests.

By describing this type of leader as a cedar tree, God is providing additional details of their special qualities.

• Great height—They are rich in God’s knowledge and God’s plans.
• Grand—They are royal members of God’s family in heaven.
• Dimensionally stable—They are not easily swayed to make mistakes and sin.
• Built-in thermal insulator— They have a robust thermal shield, which significantly reduces the heat transfer in a space, thereby increasing insulation. It is an image of the how-to knowledge that sustains peace and harmony, settles disputes successfully in justice.
• Oils—They have the enduring qualities to ensure righteousness prevails showcasing the priestly qualities that is the critical companion to kingship.
• Resistant to bacteria and fungus—They oppose misinformation and disinformation. They will combat fallen ideas and beliefs. They will not listen to talk of self-reliance, self-direction and self-glory.
• Fresh aroma—They advocate for the righteousness. Their counsel is right and just.

The king of Assyria that God was referring to in Ezekiel 31, had all of these prized qualities. At the beginning of Ezekiel 31, God is talking to Pharaoh about the king of Assyria. Ezekiel is the son of man who recorded God’s warning.

“In the eleventh year, in the third month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:

“‘Who can be compared with you in majesty?” (Ezekiel 31:1-2)

Now, who is this Pharoah, king of Egypt? Is this the Pharoah on earth or in heaven? Can it be known?

THE BACKSTORY

Daniel recorded the angel Gabriel at war against the prince of Persia and of Greece (Daniel 10:13). “However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.”

There is a kingdom in heaven called Persia which has at least one prince who apprehended the angel Gabriel for twenty-one days. There are also kings ruling there. Fortunately, Gabriel was rescued by the chief prince, Michael who is one of many chief princes. These are all members of God’s ruling, royal family; they are kings, chief princes and princes.

God has sons ruling over vast dominions in heaven. “God presides in the great assembly; he gives judgment among the ‘gods’” (Psalm 82:1). God Almighty reigns supreme over these sons. “For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods” (Psalm 95:3).

Almighty God is invincible. Fortunately, He is also the author of love and righteousness. “For you, LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods” (Psalm 97:9). 

So, then what about the kingdom of Persia and Greece on earth. How are these kingdoms connected to the heavenly rulers of Persia, Greece, Assyria and Egypt?

THE FORGOTTEN INHERITANCE OF THE NATIONS

Moses reprimanded the people of ancient Israel who were bent of rebellion. “For I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Ascribe greatness to our God! He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness without injustice, righteous and upright is He. His people have acted corruptly toward Him; the spot on them is not that of His children, but of a perverse and crooked generation. Is this how you repay the LORD, O foolish and senseless people? Is He not your Father and Creator? Has He not made you and established you? Remember the days of old; consider the years long past. Ask your father, and he will tell you, your elders, and they will inform you. When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when He divided the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. But the LORD’s portion is His people, Jacob His allotted inheritance” (Deuteronomy 32: -9).

God Almighty gave the members in His heavenly court—sons of God rulership over the nations as their inheritance at the time of Babel. The Good News version states that God assigned to each nation a heavenly being. The New Living Translation states, “When the Most High assigned lands to the nations, when he divided up the human race, he established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number in his heavenly court.”

They were to teach the people, who were going astray, God’s law and His way. It wasn’t long and one-by-one the fell into sin and allied with Satan against God.

ASSYRIA, ONCE A CEDAR IN LEBANON

Ezekiel 31 is the story of the heavenly ruler over Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon. He was a revered ruler in God’s heavenly court, located in Lebanon. This Lebanon is not the location on earth. Lebanon on earth, however, had at one time the finest forests of cedar trees. The cedars of God is a specific area of the Bsharri Mountain in the North Governorate of the Lebanese Republic. Their flag is a remembrance of their pride for the great cedar trees that were so abundant in Lebanon.

GOD’S IMAGERY OF TREES, BRANCHES, WATER, BIRDS OF THE AIR, ANIMALS OF THE WILD

The cedar tree is an image of a leader specializing in God’s law and His way. A forest is an assembly of leaders. The waters and streams nourishing these leaders is the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit. They expanded their rule branching out to establish supports for justice and the teaching of every facet of God’s law and His way. The birds of the air and the animals of the wild nestled under the canopy of peace that these great leaders of God’s courts established. The birds of the air and the animals of the wild are descriptors for other kingdoms in heaven.

The great nations lived in the shade of the revered leader of Assyria who reigned from heaven and inherited the nation of Assyria on earth. The nations likely grew into greatness from learning and applying the knowledge of God’s law and His ways taught to them through the extensive resources established by this leader, as well as, science and technology available on earth.

The leader of Assyria set his roots down deep to fill himself with God’s Holy Spirit. God desires that all of creation acquire knowledge, understanding and wisdom through the in-flowing of His Holy Spirit. It gives Him great joy to see creation mature and this leader grew above and beyond all of the members in God’s courts. No one could rival him. God’s garden is the imagery of His family and the family name is Eden.

PHAROAH KING OF EGYPT

Many places on earth have the same name as kingdoms in heaven. Persia, Greece, Assyria, Egypt, Babylon, Meshech, Tubal and Lebanon are a few. The king of Egypt has rulership over a kingdom in heaven and at the time of Babel, God also gave him rulership over Egypt on earth. As God watched him rule, He saw him wandering off the righteous path onto the same path of the king of Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon. The earthly pharaohs knew their heavenly king was falling away from the Almighty God. This revelation is known through the ten plagues of Egypt.

God sent Egypt ten plagues. Ten because it is God’s number for His law. A legal judgement was brought against the heavenly ruler of Egypt at that time by Almighty God. It took eight plagues, a violent storm of hail to strike all of Egypt, except for Goshen, before Pharaoh on earth admitted, “This time I have sinned. The LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong” (Exodus 9:26-27).

Egypt in all their majesty surpassing all of the kingdoms on earth was lured into rebellion against God by the pride of their king in heaven. The plague of frogs that mirror the evil spirits that are prophesied to come out of the dragon, the false prophet and the beast (Revelation 16:13) came out of the Nile. This very river, Pharaoh king of Egypt claimed to have created became the cesspool of wickedness. “Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. Speak to him and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster who lies among his rivers, who says, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it myself’” (Ezekiel 29:2-3). God is clearly referring to a spirit being, not the mortal pharaoh on earth.

THE KING OF ASSYRIA AND EGYPT

The king of Assyria was proud of the height he rose to in his acquisition of knowledge, vast expansion of his kingdom in heaven and the strength of his kingdom on earth. “Because it towered on high, lifting its top above the thick foliage, and because it was proud of its height, I handed it over to the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness, I cast it aside, and the most ruthless of foreign nations cut it down and left it” (Ezekiel 31:10-11). Assyria on earth and in heaven was brought down.

“Its boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys; its branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land” (Ezekiel 31:12a). This kingdom had grown taller than any kingdom on earth. When it fell, its branches collapsed onto “mountains” and “valleys.” These “mountains and valleys” are other governments and small civic centres crushing them in the process. God continued, “All the nations of the earth came out from under its shade and left it” (Ezekiel 12b).

This great tragedy marked an end to God allowing such growth and power; it leads only to spiritual death. “Therefore, no other trees by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high, lifting their tops above the thick foliage. No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined for death, for the earth below, among mortal man, with those who go down to the pit” (Ezekiel 31:14). God is still using the imagery of “trees” because He is referring to the once, so very great leaders in His headquarters in heaven. They were all exceptional, yet all of them collapsed into rebellion against Almighty God.

It was a painfully dark time for Almighty God who loved them all. “On that day it was brought down to the grave I covered the deep springs with mourning for it; I held back its streams, and its abundant waters were restrained. Because of it, I clothed Lebanon with gloom, and all the trees of the field withered way. I made the nations tremble at the sound of its fall when I brought it down to the grave with those who go down to the pit” (Ezekiel 31:15-16a).

God wept. He had to draw back His Holy Spirit from this once revered great son of God and watch him begin to die. Words cannot describe the weight He felt, the pain when a parent watches their child die. It wasn’t only this great leader who turned against their Creator but all of those in His headquarters. “Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon, all the trees that were well-watered, were consoled in the earth below. Those who lived in its shade, its allies among the nations, had also gone down to the grave with it, joining those killed by the sword” (Ezekiel 31:16b-17).

The great sons of God in His family, the choicest and best filled with His Holy Spirit in His headquarters, ALL rebelled. They were once the judges and masters of God’s law, now they are judged and found guilty, killed by the sword of God’s word, and imprisoned in the pit in inner earth. From the far north where they were honoured and revered, they were all brought down south, the opposite direction of north where God’s law courts are located, to the most southernly parts of all creation, deep in inner earth where all the lawless-wicked and the shamed are imprisoned.

God’s final warning to the king of Pharaoh were, “Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendor and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his hordes,’ declares the Sovereign LORD” (Ezekiel 31:18).

In English, God said to the king of Pharaoh in heaven. Who, of all the leaders in the God-family of Eden, can be compared with you in splendor and majesty? Yet you, too, will be crushed with all the leaders in headquarters, Lebanon, and lie with the wicked who have been judged by God’s law and His word and found guilty. Pharaoh will die, like mere men.

Spirit beings can be destroyed. God said, “You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High. But you will die like mere men; you will fall like every other ruler” (Psalm 82:6).

Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely. God gave the first creation in heaven a chance, but all of the choicest and best failed. The door is now shut for them.

GOD WILL REBUILD

One final great battle remains where these fallen rebels will attempt to take control. They will not succeed, but God Almighty will. He will use these deeply darkened rebels to purify and cleanse the winners. God knew the outcome all along. He said to the raging king of Assyria, “Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it; in days of old I planned it. Now I have brought it to pass, that you should crush fortified cities into piles of rubble” (Isaiah 37:26).

God took down rebel nations, inferior to Assyria, through his barbarous war machine.

God has already started to rebuild. Now, He will do what He had planned before creation. He said, “I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on the high and lofty mountain. On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar” (Ezekiel 17:23a).

In English, God will choose a leader who is at the highest level in His law courts and he will establish his leadership on the highest levels of government. He will be king over all Israel and this king will establish courts and churches. He will fill these offices with righteous people. God’s law will be enforced and His word will be practised. Love will abound and peace will be achieved. He will become a splendid, great leader. This leader is Jesus Christ, King over all kings and Lord over all lords.

“Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. All the trees of the field will know that I the LORD bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it” (Ezekiel 17:23b-24).

In English, all kingdoms of all kinds will be cared for by this leader. All the leaders in other kingdoms and nations will know that the LORD Almighty can remove power from the wealthy whose families appear to be untouchable. Also, the great rebel angelic sons of God are not invincible. God Almighty assures us that the poor people who have no opportunity to lead, who have been oppressed and robbed of all their wealth reducing them to nothing more than a pawn on the board will rise to power. Because only Almighty God is invincible. He only reigns supreme. When God Almighty speaks, it is done!

Daniel recorded, “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).

The kingdom of God has already been given to Yahshuah HaMashiach. His kingdom will never be destroyed. The rebel sons of God will try to take God’s kingdom by force during the great tribulation. They will war against the saints because they know if they lose this war, all of the most prestigious positions they hold will be given to the repentant, humble and righteous people from earth serving God. Almighty God knows the future. The court will sit and this final rebel coalition of Wickedness will be instantly made powerless. “Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship him (Jesus Christ)" (Daniel 7:27).

God said, “This is the end of the matter!” (Daniel 7:28).

THE OLD LEBANON IS BEING DESTROYED

“Sheol beneath is eager to meet you upon your arrival. It stirs the spirits of the dead to greet you—all the rulers of the earth. It makes all the kings of the nations rise from their thrones. They will all respond to you, saying, “You too have become weak, as we are; you have become like us!” (Isaiah 14:9-10).

“Open your doors, O LEBANON, that the fire may devour your cedars! Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, because the glorious trees have been destroyed; Wail, O oaks of Bashan, for the impenetrable forest has come down” (Zechariah 11:2).

“See, the Lord, the LORD Almighty, will lop off the boughs with great power. The lofty trees will be felled; the tall ones will be brought low. He will cut down the forest thickets with an ax; LEBANON WILL FALL BEFORE THE MIGHTY ONE” (Isaiah 10:33-34).

“For the LORD of hosts will have a day of reckoning against everyone who is proud and lofty and against everyone who is lifted up, that he may be abased. He will cut down the tall cedars of Lebanon and all the mighty oaks of Bashan. Against all the lofty mountains, against all the hills that are lifted up” (Isaiah 2:12-14).

Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, if you are not converted and become as the little children, you shall never enter into the kingdom of the heaven” (Matthew 18:3).

Follow Jesus and live as he lives. While angels and sons of God grew tall and powerful holding top leadership roles in God’s courts, the Son of God stood back watching them. He was not envious. Like His Father, he loved them and was joyous of their success and like His Father, mourned their failure. Humility is key to righteous success. Worship only the Almighty God.

The angel trumpeted that message to the Apostle John. “And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown me these things. But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!” (Revelation 22:8-9)

God Almighty will purge the heaven of rebellious angels. They will lose their position in heaven and the stars filling earth’s sky will fall. “Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken” (Matthew 24:29).

“All the stars in the sky will be dissolved and the heavens rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like shriveled figs from the fig tree” (Isaiah 34:4).

THE BUILDING OF THE NEW LEBANON HAS ALREADY BEGUN

“In a very short time, will not Lebanon be turned into a fertile field and the fertile field seem like a forest?” (Isaiah 29:17).

In the driest of places, palm trees find water. The stately leader imaged as the cedar tree will again be an eternal haven for righteousness.

“The righteous people will flourish like the palm tree; they will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. PLANTED IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, they will flourish in the COURTS OF OUR GOD. They will still yield fruit in old age; They shall be full of sap and very green” (Psalm 92:12-15).

God’s people, both houses of Israel: Judah and Israel, have a full history of disobedience and senselessness. It is often those who have sinned the most, when they repent will love the deepest.

Jesus taught that important lesson. “Then one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume.  As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume. When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner! Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, Teacher,” he said. 

“Two men were debtors to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?” 

“I suppose the one who was forgiven more,” Simon replied.

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I arrived. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume. Therefore, I say to you this: Her many sins have been forgiven, for she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, he loves little" (Luke 7:36-47).

God’s people have sinned to their great shame. However, many will love deeply because of the intense sorrow they will feel. “I [God] will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily, and he will take root like the cedars of Lebanon. His shoots will sprout, and his beauty will be like the olive tree and his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon” (Hosea 14:5-6).

The 144,000 men and women from the twelve tribes of Israel will form God’s new government. This number may likely be symbolic as the number twelve represents government times twelve forms a three-dimensional cube—the shape imaged as the bride of Christ who is comprised of layers, one upon another, of strength, times one thousand meaning eternal. They are blameless, that is, totally loyal to Almighty God. They will never turn against Him like their predecessors. They have suffered, some even to their death, from the hands of the rebel angels and sons of God who once filled God’s courts in heaven. These 144,000 people love righteousness and hate wickedness. They know God and will never forsake Him.

God’s new Lebanon is sprouting and it will grow into a thick forest full of faithful and loyal leaders with many beautiful gifts, special talents and wonderful qualities. Together, they will rule with Yahshuah HaMashiach, King over all kings and Lord over all lords.

The Millennial reign of Jesus Christ will bring justice and righteous leadership that will heal broken people who are lost, angry and confused. With him, his queen will work as one, in complete unity to bring all creation in heaven and on earth under Almighty God, our Great and Awesome Creator.

The great flood destroyed all but eight people. Mankind began again, but wickedness did not disappear. All the past sins began to reappear at the time of Babel. Vowed never to cause a flood again and destroy mankind, God decided to divide the nations and give rulership over the nations to His divine council—His sons who were to teach mankind to worship God and live His way.

“When the Most High assigned lands to the nations, when he divided up the human race, he established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God” (Deuteronomy 32:8).

Standing tall above them all, the Most High God spoke of him [the heavenly ruler given authority over Assyria], “Of all the cedars in the garden of God; no other cedar could rival him; no pine tree could equal his branches that spread out giving protection and support to all of the nations. He was magnificent. God made him beautiful with many leadership qualities, knowledge, and wisdom. He was the envy of all the sons in God’s government (Ezekiel 31:8-9). God said, “Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendor and majesty?” (Ezekiel 31:18). The people of Assyria were very fortunate to have such a great heavenly prince ruling over them. 

The northern house of Israel looked admiringly upon Assyria, for their prince had gathered the people into a nation, and forged them into a world power with a mighty army. So much glory was given to them that it overshadowed the glory of the regal nation, Egypt. God reminded Egypt, “Who can be compared with you in majesty? Consider Assyria…” (Ezekiel 31:3).

This cedar tree in the garden of God stood high with beautiful branches that were covered with a thick foliage, rooted deep by waters that flowed all around its base and springs that nourished its growth into a height beyond all others (Ezekiel 31:3-9). This great prince gave God much joy and He loved him.

Proud of the height that he thought he had achieved by himself and the display of glory in the nation given to him as an inheritance, he decided to change his focus. His rulership shifted from teaching the people to worship the Almighty God to worshiping him. The princes of the other nations watched the shift take place and followed his leadership. Now, the nations worshiped the gods ruling over them, instead of the Almighty, Supreme—Creator God.

Mankind was taught to take a different road. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). God was forced to act. He “handed it over to the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness” (Ezekiel 31:11). He cast the tall cedar, his prized prince aside, along with all of the princes who taught the nations to worship them.

Intense sadness fell like a heavy weight as God held back the streams and abundant waters, watching His tallest cedar die spiritually. “On the day it was brought down to the grave, I covered the deep springs with mourning for it” (Ezekiel 31:15).

“No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined for death, for the earth below, among mortal man, with those who go down to the pit” (Ezekiel 31:14).

God lamented, “I clothed Lebanon with gloom, and all the trees of the field withered away. I made the nations tremble at the sound of its fall when I brought it down to the grave with those who go down to the pit” (Ezekiel 31:15).  Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon—His heavenly counsel, His sons that were most educated on the matters of God—were consoled in the earth below. “Those who lived in its shade, its allies among the nations, had also gone down to the grave with it, joining those killed by the sword” (Ezekiel 31:15-17).

God will not tolerate rebellion. Even His prized prince was not above His law. “Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendor and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword” (Ezekiel 31:18).

God can no longer trust all of His creation. Iniquity runs rampant both in heaven and on earth.  

“Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones, And the heavens are not pure in His sight. How much less one who is detestable and corrupt, Man, who drinks iniquity like water!” (Job 15:15-16).

“Can mankind be just before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker? He puts no trust even in His servants; and against His angels, He charges error. How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!” (Job 4:17-19).

Two hundred years after the sons of God began ruling over the nations, God began working with His inheritance—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

God’s portion are the descendants of Jacob/Israel: “For the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance” (Deuteronomy 32:9).

In light of the recent rebellion of His sons ruling over the nations, God taught the nation of Israel that they are to worship only ONE God—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He only is the Almighty God despite the teachings of the gods ruling the surrounding nations.

“You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:2).
“Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold” (Exodus 20:23). 

Jonah was sent by God to warn the people of Nineveh, Assyria’s capital, to repent of their evil ways. They knew the God of the Israelites—the God of gods and in great humility every man, woman, child and beast fasted in sackcloth. “Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish. When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened” (Jonah 3:10). That was a time in mankind’s history when they knew the difference between the Almighty God and the gods ruling over them.

21st century Christians are well acquainted with the scriptures of worshiping only ONE God—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but they have mythicized the ancient gods, allowing their dark plan to continue in the shadows, as they devise their surprise attack in our very near future. Daniel wrote, “The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed” (Daniel 11:36) and “I saw a beast coming out of the sea, he had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name… The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. One of the heads of the beast seems to have a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed” (Revelation 13:1-3).

This final beast has blasphemous names on each head; one head was healed from a fatal wound—the Assyrian will be revived.

The beast from out of the sea in Revelation comprises of seven heads and ten crowns. This coalition has an ancient well-kept hidden plan. God’s plan will not be thwarted; He continues without interruption. God will replace every rogue heavenly ruler with repentant mankind. God will rebuild His headquarters beginning with Christ as King of Israel, His new ruling government. 

“I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from the topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. On the mountain heights of Israel, I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar… All the trees of the field will know that I the Lord bring down the tall tree [those leaders in the heavenly creation] and make the low tree [mortal man resurrected immortal] grow tall. I dry up the green tree [the eternal leaders] and make the dry tree [mortal leaders] flourish” (Ezekiel 17:22-24).

God chose His trusted Son through whom heaven and earth was created. That Son of God did not fail. He proved to be again the trusted and sure leader. “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken’” (Isaiah 28:16).

God’s plan cannot be thwarted. What He says will happen. God has secret plans. “None of the rulers of this age [the principalities and power in high places] understood it, for if they had, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE CRUCIFIED THE LORD OF GLORY” (I Corinthians 2:8).

The prophecy of the overthrow of the world’s empires and the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth was given to Daniel. “O king, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them… it became like chaff... the wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth” (Daniel 2:31-35).

“And the Assyrian will fall by a sword not of man, and a sword not of man will devour him so he will not escape the sword, and his young men will become forced labourers. ‘His rock will pass away because of panic, and his princes will be terrified at the standard,’ declares the LORD, whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem” (Isaiah 31:8-9).

“For at the voice of the LORD Assyria will be terrified, when He strikes with the rod. And every blow of the rod of punishment, which the LORD will lay on him, will be with the music of tambourines and lyres; and in battles, brandishing weapons, He will fight them” (Isaiah 30:31-32).

In the garden of God [God’s government] there was a tall cedar tree—the tallest of all the trees and God loved him. But—he became proud of his position, stature and the glory that came from being at the top of the heavenly creation caused him to fall into iniquity. He became proud and arrogant; he will die like a mere man. “I said, ‘You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High. But you will die like mere men; you will fall like every other ruler” (Psalm 82:6); such a big loss for the desire to be worshiped—by mere men.

God loves a meek and humble spirit. The desire for self-glory and worship is the core problem of these rogue heavenly rulers and authorities and wicked mankind.

“Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And he performed great and miraculous signs even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed” (Revelation 13:11-15). 

The temptation to be worshiped comes from a proud spirit and a self-glorying desire as Satan knows well. Satan tempted Jesus, "All this I will give you, if you will bow down and worship me" (Matthew 4:9).

Jesus replied, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only’” (Matthew 4:10). As much as Jesus wanted to rescue mankind from the grips of Satan, he chose to continue serving God. He would have to wait, suffer on the cross before what he wanted dearly could come into fruition.

Christ is the shoot that God took from the very top of a cedar in His garden [government] and planted it; it became a splendid cedar. He does not desire worship. He does only the will of his Father in heaven.

Christ is a humble servant of God, His beloved Son and himself—a God. “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used TO HIS OWN ADVANTAGE; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8)

Christ does not speak from his own words, but directs mankind to listen to the words of his Father. “I don't speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it” (John 12:49).

“Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own. Instead, it is the Father dwelling in Me, carrying out His work” (John 14:10).

Christ is loved by God. “After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!” (Matthew 3:16-17).

“For to which of the angels did God ever say: ‘You are my Son; today I have become Your Father’? Or again: ‘I will be His Father, and He will be My Son’? And again, when he brings supreme Son into the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship him’” (Hebrews 1:5-6).

Christ has been given all authority to overthrow wickedness. “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me’” (Mathew 28:18).

“And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God, the Almighty. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords” (Revelation 19:15-16).

“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him [Christ], and through him [Christ] to reconcile to himself ALL things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:19-20).

Christ will reign until all enemies are destroyed. “For He [Christ] must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death” (I Corinthians 15:26).

“He [Christ] will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken” (Isaiah 25:8).

The final task for Christ will be to hand back all authority and become subject to his Father in heaven who will rule over all and through all. “When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all” (I Corinthians 15:25).

Christ, the splendid cedar tree [the greatest leader in God’s holy council] does not seek self-glory. He is the humble tested stone, Son of the Mighty One of Jacob, the Rock of Israel, the servant angel of God and loyal co-creator of heaven and earth and all things in them.