OUR FORGOTTEN STORY

Our story began with Abraham and Sarah during the reign of the gods. The gods received their inheritance and ruled all of the nations on earth and the people worshipped them, God—our Creator looked down on earth and began His rulership over His inheritance. “When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided all mankind, he set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number in His heavenly court. For the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance” (Deuteronomy 32:8-9).

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The gods ruling over the nations had turned against their Creator—the Giver of their inheritance, for they desired and battled to gain supreme control. Collectively, they thought they could win. The future on our near horizon will prove them wrong, for God, our Creator is all powerful. He too, has a plan—a strategic military plan, designed before time to overthrow the rebels in heaven and on earth and establish a new headquarters—a new holy court of eternally loyal, royal members. God’s plan cannot be thwarted; no power can overthrow Him and God is right on schedule.

Job knew God and said, ““I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2).

Daniel agreed and stated, “All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, 'What have You done?'” (Daniel 4:35)

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Our story began during violent storms of ignorance and falsehood during the reign of the gods. Truth was buried deep under the swept sands. There “in a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions. The LORD alone led him, no foreign god was with him” (Deuteronomy 32:10). GOD ALONE LED HIM. God Almighty chose Abram. He and Sarah left their place of birth—that place void of truth, filled with corruption from the ruling rogue gods, to journey into a new homeland—a promised land, like the promise of eternity for those who obey God. They “were looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10); they were “longing for a better country—a heavenly one” (Hebrews 11:16).

THEIR NAMES CHANGED TO REFLECT GOD’S BLESSING.
God taught Abram and Sarai His way of life. They put their trust in Him and their faith grew strong. God recognized their devotion and changed their names to reflect His promises to them. “No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations” (Genesis 17:5) and “and God said unto Abraham, as for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her, I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her” (Genesis 17:15-16).

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GOD’S PLAN OF REDEMPTION HAD NOW BEGUN.
Abraham and Sarah’s acts of faith opened the door for all of mankind, for now the Son of God would become the Seed of Abraham who would pay the penalty for the redemption of mankind. “Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: ‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, O God’” (Hebrews 10:5-7) and “by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10).

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THE BIRTH OF ISHMAEL.
Knowing the blessing of redemption, Abraham and Sarah put into action their solution to ensure the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation. Sarah was barren, so she gave her servant, Hagar to Abraham and Ishmael was born. Abraham was then 86 years old. Now, God was careful to identify His people as “Jacob his allotted inheritance” (Deuteronomy 32:9). The birth of Ishmael was not the birth of God’s people, but a people that God blessed never-the-less. “As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation” (Genesis 17:20).

ISAAC WAS ABRAHAM’S ONLY HEIR.
Ishmael would not be Abraham’s heir. Isaac, the miracle son born from Sarah at the ripe age of 99 years old, would be the sole recipient of Abraham’s inheritance. Isaac images in this chapter, the story of Jesus Christ—God’s only heir. Isaac, like Christ saw the power of Almighty God something mankind is yet to witness. When Jacob was defending his case to Laban, he identified his God through the eyes of Abraham and Isaac, “If the God of my father, the God Abraham and the Fear of Isaac…” (Genesis 31:42). Isaac feared God for he witnessed a sampling of the power of Almighty God. Jesus Christ has witnessed much more than a mere sampling.

God’s plan cannot be thwarted, but every addition, such as the birth of Ishmael who was the first-born but not the heir and Isaac not the first-born but the only heir, so Christ was not the spiritual first-born but the only heir among his companions. Every twist and turn in the story was anticipated as the greater story shimmers through the interactions of the people that God chose to be His own. No accidental threads or incidental knots affect the final outcome. Everything is part of the whole that is and was planned before time.

THE BIRTH OF ESAU AND JACOB.
Isaac married Rebekah and through them another miracle birth took place; Esau and Jacob were born. From inception, the twins jostled as if to acquire the right to be the first-born son. Rebekah cried, “‘Why is this happening to me?’ The LORD said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger’” (Genesis 25:22b-23).

But alas, the battle was not theirs to win or lose. God reigns supreme and His plan goes untouched by man or gods. “Before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls—she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ Just as it is written: ‘Jacob I loved but Esau I hated.’ What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy” (Romans 9:11-16). Apostle Paul revealed the dazzling threads so few can comprehend—the deeper story that cannot be understood without God’s Holy Spirit.

The story of redemption for all of mankind is not based on works or being a covenant people, but God’s gift of grace for all have sinned. God loves the repentant people who humbly accept His grace and dedicate their life to overcoming; they image the Jacobs that God loves. They image the Jacobs that God foreknew that He could say, “the older will serve the younger.” “Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan” (Ephesians 1:11).

GOD’S PLAN IS COMPRISED OF MANY STEPS IN A SPECIFIC ORDER.
Eventually, everything will be known and everyone will see where they were lovingly placed into the grand plan. In that time, the people who lived the key roles of God’s plan will be humbly honored and all they endured and enjoyed will be understood and appreciated; they will finally rest. Until then, God’s plan remains active and the story He writes is directly from His heart as He shares His pain, His sorrow, His distress, His longing, His joy and His love for all of His creation.

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THE BIRTH OF JACOB AND ESAU WAS A NOTABLE STEP IN GOD’S PLAN.
Both boys were born into the covenant family, but God would confirm the covenant with only one of them. The members of the covenant family had arrived at a fork in the road. Two boys would choose two different paths. God foreknew that not everyone in the covenant family would choose the way of God. He would confirm His covenant with Jacob, the one He loves—the one whose name was changed to Israel because he overcame. God foreknew Jacob’s choices. His stories are filled with symbolism and imagery, mirroring and parallels—a treasure for the Believers who are driven to discover the hidden things of God. “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out” (Proverbs 25:2).

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God gave Esau his own land in Seir and eventually, there Esau took his family. All future events of Esau’s life and his descendants are recorded only when they interact with his brother, Jacob and his descendants.

THE STORY OF GOD’S PEOPLE FILL THE BIBLE.
The story of Jacob and his descendants become the core series of events that ripple throughout the rest of the Bible. Jacob had obtained the birthright blessing by impersonating Esau and was forced to leave his father’s home because Esau threatened his life. This chapter in the story is rich in meaning leading Apostle Paul to write, “By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future” (Hebrews 11:20). What might be seen as trickery may be a series of events that mirror the life of the overcomers—all part of God’s plan to help the Judo-Christians to see a clearer reflection.

Regardless of the method used to obtain the first-born birthright, God still reaffirmed the covenant with Jacob. Immediately upon arriving in the place where his Uncle Laban lived, he met Rachel—daughter of Laban, a shepherdess.

RACHEL IS A SHEPHERDESS.
Jacob fell in love with Rachel. This event is one that marks a movement between dimensions in the form of a special chapter in God’s multi-dimensional, quantum layered book as He mirrors a heavenly story into the lives of His people on earth. Rachel plays a very important role. She is a shepherdess—one who cares for sheep—the image of God’s people—sheep who often go astray. This shepherdess loves those under her care. “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more” (Jeremiah 31:15). This scripture is not talking about Rachel who died giving birth to Benjamin, but the mirrored Rachel who images a church structure of methods and processes that birth righteous children. That is the structure that God fell in love with and brings comfort with the words, “Keep your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for the reward for your work will come, declares the LORD. Then your children will return from the land of the enemy” (Jeremiah 31:16). No one will destroy Rachel’s two sons: Joseph who images Christ and Benjamin who images the Saints. Matthew recognized the fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:15 and quoted it in Matthew 2:18.

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Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin. The church structure that God loves ended with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.. It was a structure that became corrupted for it was Rachel who had taken her father’s household gods (Genesis 31:34). On Pentecost after Christ died and was resurrected, God’s Holy Spirit became available to repentant people. The veil was rent and Believers through Christ can access God directly. The destruction of Jerusalem mirrors Rachel’s early death, leaving Jacob who mirrored God, our Creator in this chapter with direct care of Benjamin—the mirrored Saints. Every event is part of God’s grand plan, which has a time and a purpose to be fully understood yet in the future.

TWO CHURCH STRUCTURES: ONE BROAD AND WAYWARD, THE OTHER PRECISE AND RIGHTEOUS.
After Jacob’s wedding night, he discovered that he was tricked into marrying Rachel’s older sister, Leah. He was shocked! This twist of events could hardly be part of the same chapter, yet the reality was all too true. Leah was described as having “weak eyes” (Genesis 29:17). She mirrors a church structure with poor eye-sight, poor direction, often losing their way. This chapter of Jacob’s story mirrored the trickery that forced God into a relationship not of His choosing. The continual disobedience and perpetual wayward wanderings of the ancient Israelites were the fruit of the structure of Leah. To this day, many Judo-Christians continue to wander swaying off balance onto the wayward path that moves away from God.

While the mirrored images of Jacob’s two wives picture two church structures, it is common knowledge that Jesus Christ was born from the tribe of Judah, a son born from Leah. Does the mirroring collapse under scrutiny? Welcome into the deep things of God. In the physical realm, Christ was born out of Leah. His spent his ministry correcting the misguided Jewish religious leaders and teaching the Gentiles the way back to God. In the spiritual realm, he was born out of Rachel—the perfect structure that produces true righteousness. The “eye sight” of the church structure that represents Leah, will be healed during Christ’s reign in the Millennium. There will only be one—perfect church structure in the Millennium and it will produce a righteous, God-fearing, God-serving congregation.

In addition to two wives, Jacob entered into marital relationships with the handmaidens of Leah and Rachel due to their perpetual competition. It can be surmised that these two servants represent Gentile churches who worship the Creator God likely imperfectly, but still produce a small congregation that recognize the Supreme God. The competition between Leah and Rachel mirrors the story of two church structures that have for many years been at odds. While Jacob was tricked into marrying Leah, she never-the-less felt entitled. She said to Rachel, “Wasn’t it enough that you took away my husband?” (Genesis 30:15). It mirrors the mindset of the many different Judo-Christian congregations who believe they are the rightful church and the others are thieves taking from them. Yet, clearly, God loves only one church structure and He will re-establish it in the Millennium. Despite their competition, God blessed them all with children—a congregation. All of the children from these four women comprise of God’s chosen people.

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THE TWELVE SONS OF JACOB.
These four women birthed twelve sons. Leah’s daughter, Dinah was raped when she was young and never married. The twelve sons of Jacob are:

From Leah: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun
From Zilpah (Leah’s handmaid): Gad and Asher
From Bilhah (Rachel’s handmaid): Dan and Naphtali
From Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.

A SIDE POINT ON RACHEL.
Rachel was the last to conceive and like Sarah and Rebekah, she needed help. This is significant because help from God signifies something spiritual can now occur. “God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son… Joseph” (Genesis 30:22). It was always part of God’s plan that Rachel who mirrors the church structure that God loves would have children after the other women. He is showing us that while He still blessed the other women—churches with congregations, His beloved church structure will give birth after the other churches are established. Christ was born approximately 2,000 years ago and the Saints after the Holy Spirit was given. There have always been a small number of righteous men and women from ancient times, but the mark that identifies the birth of the Saints is when God’s Holy Spirit became available to everyone who believes and repents. This could only happen after the sacrifice of Christ was accepted by God. The moment Christ was resurrected, the birth of mankind into sons of God became a reality. Rachel, the beloved church anticipated this grace of God and said at the birth of Joseph, “May the LORD add to me another son” (Genesis 30:24).

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JACOB’S LIFE IS COMPRISED OF MULTI-DIMENSIONAL CHAPTERS.
Living near Laban, his uncle caused increased hardship for Jacob, as the sons of Laban grew bitter towards him believing that he had taken their father’s wealth. God told Jacob to return home and so, “Jacob put his children and his wives on camels, and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated in Paddan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan” (Genesis 31:17).

Jacob’s journey back to Canaan showcases a man who learned to trust in and listen to God—a man who now had a purpose beyond the physical realm. Jacob had left Laban in secret, but it wasn’t long when Laban caught up to him. While Laban and his men rested that night at the mountains of Gilead, God warned him not to say anything to sway Jacob from his journey home “I'm warning you—leave Jacob alone!” (Genesis 31:24). God spoke to Laban in a dream and Laban listened to God. It was as simple as that. The direct interactions God has had with mankind in ancient times is white-washed by 21st century mankind because such interactions do not occur today. They reason because it does not happen today, it did not happen then. Such faulty logic allows Satan to slip in falsehood, deceit and keep mankind ignorant.

JACOB CONTENDS WITH LABAN.
Laban was angry with Jacob’s secret departure and said, “I have the power to harm you; but last night the God of your father warned me, 'Leave Jacob alone!'” (Genesis 31:29). Again, communication directly from God and the gods ruling over the different nations was like an every-day event. Laban confronts Jacob about his missing household gods, which Rachel had taken. Unable to find them after an extensive search, Jacob then confronts Laban concluding with his final rebuke, “If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you” (Genesis 31:42). Laban responded claiming that everything still belonged to him: my daughters, my children, my flocks. “All you see is mine” (Genesis 31:43). Despite the unreconciled views, Laban heeded the warning of Jacob’s God and proposed a covenant, which Jacob accepted. Laban’s final words in the covenant between them recognized the heavenly rulership over the nations, “May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us” (Genesis 31:53). 21st century Judo-Christians have forgotten this history. Jacob, in this chapter of the story experiences the difficulties of being the father of God’s covenant people. He fled his homeland to save his life to live among people worshipping gods who are not his God. Then, while returning home confronted the force he feared the most.

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JACOB WENT FROM ONE HEAVENLY INTERACTION TO ANOTHER LIKE IT WAS JUST ANOTHER DAY.
Laban returned home and Jacob left. On his way, the angels of God met him. “When Jacob saw them, he said, ‘This is the camp of God! So he named the place Mahanaim’’ (Genesis 32:1). Two groups camped together; Jacob was given divine protection and affirmation as he approached his brother, Esau.

While Esau was the first-born son, he did not value or respect the birthright blessing. He sold it for a bowl of soup and then, demanded it from his father, Isaac. “See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears” (Hebrews 12:16-17). “See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks… for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:25, 29).

Within the covenant family, one son—Esau was rejected because he was not repentant. “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:15).

JACOB PREPARES TO MEET ESAU.
Jacob greatly feared Esau.  He sent a humble message through his servants to Esau who was now living in the land of Seir—the land given to him by God. Esau left Seir to meet Jacob bringing with him 400 men. In great distress upon hearing the news, Jacob divided his family into two groups preparing for an attack and hoping that one group could escape. He also sent ahead of his company generous gifts to appease Esau.

Jacob then left his company to pray. In his desperation, he reminded God that it was He who told him to return home and promised him prosperity in wealth and numbers. After he sent his wives, handmaids and possessions across the river, he remained alone. There, the angel of God appeared in the form of a man and Jacob entered into a wrestling match seizing the angel of God with his request—a blessing. Troubled Jacob needed God’s guaranteed favor, which the angel of God could give. In addition, this angel of God could bestow him with a new name—a name that now reflected his tempered character—an overcomer.

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As God works to tell the greater story, Jacob is now known as the overcomer who would image all of the overcomers in the covenant family. Esau would image someone different and he would accept eventually what he originally had lost due to his godlessness.

JACOB MEETS ESAU
“Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his 400 men” (Genesis 33:1). Esau cannot help himself. He delighted in a display of power and might. He was likely the “stronger” one of Genesis 25:23 as the godless of this world relish in power, wealth and control. Jacob quickly went ahead of his family after placing Rachel and Joseph in the back. “But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept” (Genesis 33:4).

Jacob’s trouble was not with Laban or Esau but with his relationship with God. Overcoming was that critical piece that needed to be resolved before he could re-enter the Promised land. Christ urges the churches of Revelation to overcome. They too, will not re-enter the physical Promised land or the spiritual Promised land (eternity) without first overcoming. Those who rule with Christ in the Millennium will be the overcomers and their godless brethren will embrace them at that time, recognizing the inheritance that they will have been given. God has promised, “He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son” (Revelation 21:7).

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GOD’S PLAN FOR THE TWELVE SONS OF JACOB
It was God’s plan that His inheritance would become a royal kingdom of holy priests. Unfortunately, the 12 sons who became 12 tribes wanted to be like the nations around them. Regardless of their promise to God to obey and do all He has commanded at Mt. Sinai, they rebelled. The humble role of a priest was not attractive to them. They were drawn to the love of stardom and super-power status.

As they drifted away from the ways of God, their kingdom weakened. Under King Rehoboam (son of King Solomon) it split into two houses. They remain a divided kingdom to this day. The two tribes: Judah and Benjamin became knows as the Jews of the house of Judah. The remaining ten tribes became known as the house of Israel.

This division is part of the greater story. While the anger was intense at the time the kingdom of Israel split, God said that it was His doing. It will take two critical components to bring the kingdom together as one tightly bound union. It remains a future event to achieve this both physically and spiritually. The house of Judah embraced the law of God and preserved the books of the Old Testament, but it would be the house of Israel who would embrace grace and preserve the New Testament. Law and grace will come together as one union. Still in the future, the house of Judah and the house of Israel will re-unite into a one re-united royal kingdom of holy priests.

For many years, the history of the two houses became a long series of chapters filled with rebellion, pain, curses and more rebellion especially within the house of Israel. God eventually sent both houses into captivity for their sins. The house of Israel did not repent when their time was complete, instead they became angry and remained defiant. The house of Judah repented and God began to work with them to rebuild the temple and start again. They were given the honor of preserving the word of God.

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THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL ENTERED ONTO A LONG AND WINDING ROAD GOING NOWHERE.
The Old Testament provides a detailed history of the two houses until the house of Israel went into captivity. Because they remained defiant, their story faded in and out of the pages. The house of Judah—the Jews, took centre stage with historians preserving every detail all the way into the present, while their once proud and arrogant brothers in the house of Israel, though there were many of them, sunk into the forgotten shadows until redemption was given and they began to reappear as a people.

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The youngest son of Joseph, Ephraim was ordained the leader of the ten tribes of Israel. God often refers to the ten tribes under the name of their leader. Unfortunately, this house sunk so deep into sin that God cut them out of the covenant family.

“All their evil appears at Gilgal, for there I hated them. I will drive them from My house for the wickedness of their deeds. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are rebellious. Ephraim is stricken; their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit. Even though they give birth, I will put their beloved children to death. My God will reject them because they have not obeyed Him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations” (Hosea 9:15-17).

The Jews no longer associated with their brothers in the ten tribes, for they had become pagans worshipping the gods of the nations. The ten tribes lost their name, Israel and became known as Gentiles along with all the other people from the nations.

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God in his great mercy never forgot Ephraim—the people in the ten tribes. He is a gracious God and preserved their repentance in stories: Naaman the Syrian, the story of the woman at the well, the prodigal son, the feeding of the multitudes, the prophecy of Hosea, Jeremiah and Isaiah, the double blessing promised in Zechariah, and the refiner in Malachi.

GOD WILL TURN THE HOUSE OF JUDAH AND ISRAEL BACK TO HIM.
“I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning,” God said.

Ephraim replied, “You disciplined me like an unruly calf, and I have been disciplined. Restore me, and I will return, because you are the LORD my God. After I strayed, I repented, after I came to understand, I beat my breast. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth” (Jeremiah 31:18-19).

God comforts Ephraim and shares his deepest feelings, “Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore, my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him” (Jeremiah 31:20).

Christ died for the sins of all of mankind, but he was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 15:24). All steps within God’s plan will come to pass in their appointed order. “These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel’” (Matthew 10:5-6).

The house of Israel—the ten tribes who wandered far and away from God, returned and humbly and with much gratitude accepted God’s grace. They became the Christians who have taken the gospel to the world and brought in people from the nations around the world.

Still in the future, the house of Judah will come to recognize the one they pierced and accept God’s grace. God is filled with compassion for His people. “I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son” (Zechariah 12:10).

“In those days and in that time, the people of Israel and the people of Judah shall come TOGETHER, weeping as they come, and THEY SHALL SEEK THE LORD THEIR GOD” (Jeremiah 50:4), declares the LORD and “I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah” (Jeremiah 31:31).

All twelve tribes of Israel TOGETHER—at the same time, which has never occurred in our history will come to seek the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. “For the LORD will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob” (Isaiah 14:1).

God uses the name “Jacob” in Isaiah 14 to identify stiff-necked, rebellious people but uses the name “Israel” for the ones He will choose AGAIN for they are the OVERCOMERS. God will ONLY choose the OVERCOMERS.

There will be overcomers from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. “For ALL of Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26).

A time of trouble is coming for the 21st century descendants of Jacob—all twelve tribes. They have not been overcoming. Their leaders have caused them to stray again and many have forgotten their God. It is all too quiet, no voices from heaven or telling dreams; the people have drifted away.

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God is not talking to the Jews in Israel about Jacob's trouble, they already know. He is talking to their brothers of the ten tribes, the Christians into the 21st century.

Jacob’s trouble will be a time of great distress, like no other time before or any time after. It will take place during a time of strangeness. Inhabitants whose names have not been written in the book of life will walk on the earth. Powerful leaders with supernatural abilities will arise and the mythical will be the reality. The new rulers will demand worship. The non-religious will be forced to choose a side: the one who “will exalt and magnify himself above every god” (Daniel 11:36) or the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

21st century Israel, all twelve tribes will be the first to be brought to their knees. Their total population estimated around 900 million will be captured, dispersed and many will die, terrifying the world who will submit without question to the superior coalition of rogue heavenly entities. A humble cry will go up from the remaining one-third to their God and He will hear them. “Though I scatter them among the peoples, yet in distant lands they will remember me” (Zechariah 10:9). Their God who seemed to be a half reality will be brought in front of them and He will rescue them. This fantastical reality will ignite their faith into an eternal fire and they will feel the intense shame of their previous lack of interest and their wavering belief.

God will forgive their sins, as if they had not sinned at all and say, “I will strengthen the house of Judah and save the house of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them. They will be as though I had not cast them off, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them. The Ephraimites will become like mighty men, and their hearts will be glad as with wine” (Zechariah 10:6-7a).

Victory will be given to them. “Return to your fortress; O prisoners of hope” (Zechariah 9:12). One last great battle awaits these rescued people. “I will bend Judah as I bend my bow and fill it with Ephraim. I will rouse your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and make you like a warrior’s sword” (Zechariah 9:13). This remaining one-third are off to war against the earthly and heavenly coalition—the final Beast of Revelation who has captured the nations of the world, they will say, “Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?” (Revelation 13:4b)

A remnant people will put their trust in their God and make war against this enemy—and win, for their God is the Supreme God, the Creator of all—the ALL MIGHTY.  “And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps given them by God and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb” (Revelation 15:2-3).

Click onto the link for more on Aliens or Gods (Part 1), (Part 2), (Part 3), (Part 4), (Part 5), man's enemies are not human, they are those who go down to the pit, the civil war in heaven continues, take back the nations from their control, the trees of Eden in God's garden are leaders, what happened in Lebanon, God's government in heaven?

 Watch the cities of traders—video, the Assyrian and Gog of Magog, lessons in the wilderness, a NEW creation, the making of a holy people of royal priests, the good news of the gospel,

The last great battle will be won by God, the ALL MIGHTY GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and Jesus Christ who has been crowned King of kings, Lord of lords with the Saints and the one-third remaining of 21st century Israel. All of the rogue heavenly powers will then be over-thrown except for Gog of Magog who will remain in the far north deep in heaven until God calls him to war at the end of the Millennium. God alone will overthrow Gog with his hordes and wickedness will finally come to an end.

Resurrections of the dead will start to take place in the latter days. At Jesus’ trial, the high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus replied, “Yes, it is as you say. But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:63b-64). This high priest and all those present will be resurrected and see the return of Jesus Christ.

“And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4b). Those who die for their testimony of Jesus who did not worship the beast will be resurrected before the Millennium.

“We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from Heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first, after that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore, encourage each other with these words” (I Thessalonians 4:14-18). The Saints will be resurrected and fight with Christ during the last battle on earth.

A resurrection of the ancient people of Israel back into physical life will take place after 21st century Israel is re-united into one kingdom at the beginning of the Millennium. The world will witness this spectacular event and stand in awe to the rattling sound of a vast army of people who died hundreds of years ago. Their dry bones will echo around the world. Images of the resurrection will be aired and when breath is given, the world will hear their first words, “Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off” (Ezekiel 37:11b). These ancient peoples will be given hope; they have been redeemed and they will be re-grafted in. God is gracious.

Click onto the link for more on the resurrection of ancient Israel--the valley of dry bones and watch the video "Son of man, will these bones live? and read the study on the servant of the Prince of peace, 

Watch Jesus is the Son of God video.

More to read on the multifaceted face of denying Christ, Jews who are NOT Jews, Go back and tell John the Baptist the good news, the four living creatures surround God's throne room.

“Our conversation is in Heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself” (Philippians 3:20, 21). God has given power to Jesus Christ to resurrect mankind.

Click onto the link for more on about the good Samaritan, he who came riding on a donkey, the tree of good and evil, the key to the house of David, only one sign will be given, Christ came to bring a sword, the law which law is obsolete, the old and the new that unconditional covenant, why break the commandments of God? Follow the plan of salvation, obedience is better than sacrifice, tradition, just one great leader.

“When the thousand years are over… Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.  The sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works… If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:7-15). After the thousand years are over, the world is judged.

Click on the link to read more about  the better resurrection, the Books, a NEW creation, to the repentant of the nations of the world, prisoners of hope and run the race!

God has a plan. Trust his plan. Everything will come to pass; everyone will be lovingly brought into His royal, holy family in the order of His plan. When all is understood, nobody will feel left out or made to feel secondary. Everyone will come to see the extent of God’s love for all of mankind.

Our story is the world’s story; we all have sinned. We all have been redeemed. We all will be adopted into the royal, holy family of God as His children and ruling heirs—ALL OF REPENTANT MANKIND.

Click onto the link for more on God— I Am, Ask, Seek and Knock, Close to God in 40, He came riding on a donkey as a demonstration that the kingdom will be established through humility and servitude not military might, the day the sun stood still was the day God Almighty listened to man, His grace still amazes me, Samson's riddle is a prophecy, The silver cup will be given to the saints, I will be their God and they will be my people will come be fulfilled, the Sabbath a day when man stops fighting against their Creator.

There will be a time when God will create a new heaven and new earth and there will be no sea-no place for sin. Who can be compared to the God of Israel?

 The Gift, God asks all to make peace with Him. 

Our last enemy.

Click here to watch the video on law and grace: God's leadership.

Click here to watch the consolidated learning video of God's Righteous Leadership.

The purpose for the creation of mankind is explained between verse one and verse two of Genesis chapter one.

There was a time when created life began. It was in the beginning when Elohim—Gods: the Father and His Son, created both the heaven and the earth at the same time, that is, in the beginning.

By the power of the Father and through the Son, “all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-17).

After the earth was created, it was left formless and void for a later time. From the beginning, two realms were planned, designed and created. One realm would be finished before the other. Life began first in the heavenly realm. They are the first creation.

THE HEAVENLY CREATION—THE FIRST CREATION
All life in heaven was created eternal. These beings were created having knowledge of God and His ways the moment they were given life. They are given opportunities to grow beyond the initial starting point at their creation. One being in God’s headquarters in heaven grew to be the most knowledgeable in God’s word and ways of all of creation in heaven. God uses imagery of a tall cedar tree to describe him in Ezekiel 31:3-9. 

“It towered on high, its top above the thick foliage… The cedars in the garden of God could not rival it, nor could the pine trees equal its boughs, nor could the plane trees compare with its branches—no tree in the garden of God could match its beauty.I made it beautiful with abundant branches, the envy of all the trees of Eden in the garden of God” (verse 3, 8-9). 

The imagery of cedars is used to provide a succinct visual of giant, eternal leaders. God’s garden is His family full of different types of leaders described in Ezekiel as “plane trees” and “pine trees.” God often uses trees as descriptors for leaders. The olive trees image His ministry; the fig tree is descriptive of the nation of Israel, thistles and thorn bushes describe the low growing wicked.

God uses the descriptor of the myrtle tree for Jerusalem and the house of Judah in Zechariah 1:7. Keil and Delitzsch provide their analysis, “In the myrtle-bushes, or myrtle grove, we have no doubt a symbol of the theocracy, or of the land of Judah as a land that was dear and lovely in the estimation of the Lord(cf. Daniel 8:9; Daniel 11:16), for the myrtle is a lovely ornamental plant. Hence the hollow in which the myrtle grove was situated, can only be a figurative representation of the deep degradation into which the land and people of God had fallen at that time.” (https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/kdo/zechariah-1.html)

God has many trees in His garden [family], but one He commanded Adam and Eve not to eat of it (Genesis 2:17). “You may eat freely from every tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,for when you eat from it you will certainly die."

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is a leader in God’s government teaching his own theology, that is, Satan. God warned Adam and Eve not to listen and act on his word. Unfortunately, Eve, like all of mankind, was deceived into believing him and she, along with all of mankind, acted on his word and fell into sin.

Satan was not created ugly and wicked as he has become today. To the contrary, he was created beautiful and perfect. “You were the model of perfection, full of wisdomand perfect in beauty.You were in Eden [God’s vast family], the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.” This heavenly creation was given a magnificent covering of nine different precious stones set in gold imaging his eternal [gold settings] position of honor and the precious role of being a guardian angel for God Almighty.

“You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount [holy government] of God; you walked among the fiery stones [he walked freely in places few can step]. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were createdtill iniquity was found in you” (Ezekiel 28:12b-15).

This heavenly creation is one of countless. These eternal beings do not know time as an aging marker, but rather as a measure of spiritual growth, increasing in God’s knowledge, understanding and wisdom. This countless creation has established kingdoms that have framed God’s law into their foundation and God’s way of love into their every activity.

Life in the realm of heaven—God’s first creation, was for eons of time perfect in peace and in complete harmony with God Almighty, while the earth remained formless and void. This creation may have wondered about the purpose of little earth as it spun around the sun, lifeless in the vast universe that they could see from their heavenly abode. God has not shared His entire plan with the creation in heaven. “Even angels long to look into these things” (I Peter 1:12b).

Before the creation of heaven and earth in the beginning, God foresaw a time of great pain and loss within his first creation in heaven that would trigger the second creation—on earth.

Click here to watch a video on the seven churches of Revelation.

THE FALL OF ONE-THIRD OF CREATION IN HEAVEN
It all began when that once beautiful and perfect guardian angel began to think too highly of himself. His beauty was captivating and he felt the admiration. Instead of being humbled and giving glory to God for His ability to design, detail and make beauty, he glorified himself. Pride slowly took hold of him and his wisdom became corrupted. He devised his own theology and sold it far and wide to many in heaven (Ezekiel 28:16a, 17a).

Though he was created eternal, he will die—a time still in the future. “I expelled you, O guardian cherub… So, I threw you to the earth [also mentioned in Revelation 12:9]. By your many sins and dishonest trade, you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So, I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All the nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more” (Ezekiel 28:16b, 17b-19).

He was not alone. God’s greatest leader in His headquarters—His holy council also fell. “Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon…It towered on high, lifting its top above the thick foliage, and 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…” (Ezekiel 31:3a, 10b-11).

This heavenly leader inherited at the time God divided the nations on earth, rulership over the earthly kingdom of Assyria. He was a member of God’s headquarters. He was the most skilled and highly trained leader in God’s headquarters in the realm of heaven, outside of the Son—Co-creator. God made this leader beautiful with the outpouring of His Holy Spirit, this leader grew taller than all of the created in heaven. “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” (Ezekiel 31:4). He became a great teacher spreading God’s knowledge, expertise and wisdom through channels to all leaders everywhere in the heavenly realm. God loved this heavenly leader—a son in His royal family.

But, he too purchased the wares from Satan and when his corruption became known, the pain and shock was like a tsunami affecting all the nations on earth and kingdoms in heaven. God felt the unbearable pain of losing a beloved son. On the day this leader was brought down, God wept; He “covered the deep springs with mourning for it” (Ezekiel 31:15). God held back His Holy Spirit and watched this beloved creation wither, yet to be sentenced in the future (Ezekiel 31:15). The fall of this leader brought intense sadness to “Lebanon”—God’s headquarters—the place where all of His cedars presided. “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 31:15b-16a).

This leader influenced ever leader in God’s headquarters to follow him, hence, they all “withered away”—they lost God’s Holy Spirit and shrunk into darkness. Much of this story is lost in mankind’s ancient history. Researchers and archeologists study the ruins in the sand failing to understand the past because they don’t understand the story preserved in the Holy Scriptures.

“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” (Ezekiel 31:16). This was a major blow for God, the all-powerful Creator. His complete headquarters in heaven fell into rebellion against Him. These heavenly leaders were highly respected by all of the other heavenly beings in the realm of heaven. One-third of this realm became corrupted. That one-third number in the billions upon billions.

These fallen have formed a coalition in heaven. They are unredeemable; there is no saving plan for them. God describes their coalition as a “beast” a fitly descriptor for the unredeemable. Ezekiel’s book of judgment describes the headquarters of this “beast” in heaven. O Tyre, “situated at the gateway to the sea, merchant of peoples on many coasts” (Ezekiel 27:2). The sea is imagery for the place of wickedness and merchants is the descriptor of those selling lies and deceit—Satan’s theology to those willing to buy it. Christ counsels the naked [no righteousness], poor [little knowledge of God’s word], blind [unable to walk on the narrow path of righteousness] Laodicean church to buy from him “gold refined in the fire [God’s tested word of truth], so you can become rich [obtain God’s word]; and white clothes to wear [righteous behavior] to cover your nakedness [wrong behavior]; salve to put on your eyes, so you can see [understand the word of God and walk in it] (Revelation 3:18).

Daniel describes four beasts and Revelation addresses the final beast that will come out of that place of wickedness [the sea] in the last days and a second beast [out of the earth] that will appear again on earth as it did in ancient times—Mystery Babylon, Mother of Harlots.

Revelation 13:1 describes a beast coming out of the sea with ten horns each with a crown and seven heads with a blasphemous name. “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast” (Revelation 17:12). These ten kings are not earthly kings because the nations cannot make war against the beast because it is too powerful for them. They say, “Who can make war against the him?” (Revelation 13:4b) They are heavenly leaders who were promised a kingdom possibly when God gave the nations their inheritance, that is, rulers from the heavenly realm (Deuteronomy 32:8) at the time of Babel. God, himself, participated in this project and He took the descendants of Jacob as His inheritance (Deuteronomy 32:9), that is, He ruled as King over them.

These ten kings rebelled against God at the time His headquarters in heaven fell. “All the trees [leaders] of Eden, the choicest and best of Lebanon [God’s headquarters], all the trees that were well-waters [leaders filled with God’s Holy Spirit], were consoled to the earth below [imprisoned in the “pit” also known as the “Abyss”] (Ezekiel 31:16b).

God promised these ten kings a kingdom and He will fulfill His agreement, but they will rule for only “one hour”. They despise their Creator. Their ten horns protrude from seven heads and each head vomits out blasphemy (Revelation 13:1).

This wicked heavenly coalition is determined to overthrow Almighty God. They have established a maritime military domain in the “high seas” (Ezekiel 27:4). Their coalition comprises of Satan as their supreme leader and “a cedar from Lebanon” (Ezekiel 27:5), that is, a member from God’s headquarters used as a “mast” for he was trained in all of God’s plans and can anticipate how God thinks, what strategies He applies and tactics He uses—so, this rogue member thinks. This coalition is comprised of many heavenly rulers, powers and authorities (Ephesians 6:12), tradesmen and soldiers, all working to sustain itself under any condition. God uses the imagery of merchants and seamen to describe the players involved in the selling of their theology of lies and deception in heaven and on earth.

The great rebellion began with the created in heaven, when Satan planned his ascension above the realm in heaven into God’s throne room—the Holy of Holies. He said, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14). Christ is our great high priest and only member of the family to enter through heaven, where he sits with God at his right hand (Hebrews 4:14).

By carefully crafted arguments, Satan swayed one-third of creation in heaven. The remaining two-thirds feared this Satan-led corrupt coalition which includes the heavenly ruler over Babylon. The faithful among the heavenly rulers in the realm of heaven will rejoice over the destruction of Babylon, yet in the future. To the 21stcentury nations of Israel, Isaiah wrote, “On the day the LORD gives you relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: ‘How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended! The LORD has broken the rod of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers, which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with relentless aggression… Even the pine trees and the cedars of Lebanon exult over you and say, ‘Now that you have been laid low, no woodsman comes to cut us down’” (Isaiah 14:3-6, 8). The pine trees and cedars of Lebanon are the loyal and righteous leaders in heaven who, along with the nations on earth, felt the relentless attacks from this wicked heavenly ruler.

In the heavenly realm, many kingdoms exist. One rebellious kingdom quietly sits on the outskirts watching the outcome of the heavenly battles. This kingdom will witness the destruction of the boastful and lumbering fourth beast of Revelation. This rebellious kingdom is led by Gog of Magog. God is aware of him and He has plans for the destruction of this rogue heavenly kingdom. He will use them as a witness to the nations on earth at the end of the Millennium.

“When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea” (Revelation 20:7-8).

Ezekiel recorded, “After many days you [Gog] will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate… You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you… O Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I show myself holy through you before their eyes” (Ezekiel 38:8, 15, 16b).

This is a heavenly kingdom located in the “far north”. Satan will be released as God tests the nations one final time. Satan meets with Gog of Magog in heaven and together they spread Satan’s theology to the nations on earth. Many will listen and join them in an attempt to totally destroy from the face of the earth, God’s covenant people—the 31stcentury nations of Israel.

“When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused… there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel… and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence… I will summon my sword against Gog on all my mountains… every man’s sword will be against his brother. I will execute judgment upon him [Gog] with plague and bloodshed; I will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on him and his troops and on the many nations with him. And so, I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD” (Ezekiel 38:18-23).

Finally, all of the rebellious kingdoms in heaven will be overthrown and destroyed.

It was the foreknowledge of the fall within the creation in the heavenly realm that gave rise to a different creation on earth.

THE CREATION ON EARTH—THE SECOND CREATION
In the beginning, God the Father and His Son created the heaven and the earth. They filled the realm in heaven with countless wonders, kingdoms, rulers, powers and authorities. “All things, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things were created by him [the Son] and for him [the Son]” (Colossians 1:15b).

The earth was left formless and void, until the time came and the Father and the Son created again with a different plan in motion. They set about to create again a creation in their image; male and female he made them. Mankind would be without excuse as they wove within the genders the mirroring of the heavenly realm and the earthly realm.

Mankind’s story began with the violation of God’s law and order. It was inevitable in some ways, for it takes a mature and disciplined Christian to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:14). Satan knows that. He knew Eve and all of mankind would believe his lie, as if they were spiritually mature to be able to distinguish between good and evil when they are mere babes in Christ.

Mankind was made mortal, designed to reproduce themselves and grow from conception into the full knowledge of God. During this time, their growth would come through suffering and they would learn to either shun evil and embrace God’s ways or cling to evil and die.

The fall of mankind was foreknown, so, a saving plan was designed and readied. It was part of the grand plan that mankind would need a Savior and suffering would become part of the perfecting process. “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life ofthe Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8).

One-third of the creation in the heavenly realm fell, despite the knowledge they were given immediately upon receiving their first breath. God is moulding mortal man into humble, righteous beings. Paul wrote, “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons… Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:7-8, 11b).

Even Christ—the Co-creator, perfect and living in righteousness suffered to become a perfect Savior, a perfect mediator, a perfect companion and a perfect leader for a people born in suffering and he is not ashamed to consider mere mortals his brothers and sisters though we are entrenched in sin.

“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason, he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:14-18).

God knows the end from the beginning. He worked within His plan of salvation for mankind, their fall and out of their great failure, a people are rising who through suffering forge an unbreakable relationship with God Almighty and a strength of loyalty and determination in righteous living that will never be destroyed. Like their Savior, these people have suffered and today they suffer and into the future the faithful people of God will suffer to stand by Christ and their Father in heaven.

The rogue heavenly rulers, powers and authorities of Ephesians 6:12 simply have not suffered. They are both the originators and instruments of suffering and they cannot anticipate the greatness, the strength and the power that comes from squelching the way of man to allow Christ in you and live as he lives to rise up into a new creation. Paul understood this mystery.

“Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Corinthians 5:17).

“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

THE RISE OF THE CREATION ON EARTH
The rogue heavenly rulers, powers and authorities thought that mankind was doomed, never to have eternal life, never to fill the positions now open due to one-third of the heavenly creation falling into rebellion, never to fill all of the positions in God’s headquartersonce occupied by the great “cedars” [great leaders] of Lebanon [God’s headquarters]. God and His Son planned long ago, a second creation that would complement the first creation in heaven. They planned for mortals with weak bodies needing sleep and continual care—all to suffer and forge through distress and hardship an eternal relationship with God—a relationship that will be truly treasured and protected. That is what the rogue heavenly rulers, powers and authorities did not anticipate or consider possible.

The heavenly creation will witness the rise of a humble and righteous creation on earth. “All the trees [leaders] of the field [in heaven] will know that I the LORD will bring down the tall tree [the heavenly leaders created eternal and strong] and make the low tree [the righteous earthly leaders] grow tall [take high positions in God’s government]. I dry up the green tree [those eternal heavenly leaders who rebelled] and make the dry tree [the righteous earthly leaders] flourish” (Ezekiel 17:24). Do not doubt these words because God Almighty seals his statement by declaring, “I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it” (Ezekiel 17:24b).

God will bring down all of the rogue heavenly rulers that were once His holy council headquarter members. “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). God’s headquarters in heaven overrun by rogue heavenly leaders will fall and become subject to Him. The use of the word “before” indicates their subjection under Him when “Lebanon” falls.

After a time of great distress, a people on earth will rise. In humility and with a genuine desire to love God and one another. “And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (II Corinthians 12:9).

Suffering tests, purifies, strengthens, and develops character. “And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not” (Deuteronomy 8:2).

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us… But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:3-5, 8).

THE SAINTS FROM THE REALM ON EARTH WILL BE THE NEW LEADERS IN GOD’S NEW HEADQUARTERS, “LEBANON”.
The saints, God’s “preserved” throughout the ages have suffered persecution and martyrdom. On our near horizon rests the final great battle, God and Jesus Christ against Satan, the rogue heavenly leaders and their coalition. During this time of great distress, the saints will suffer and put their lives on the line for their God. They will remain faithful and grow to become the pillars of God’s temple; people spiritually strong and ever-enduring.

“The righteous man will flourish like the PALM TREE; he 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 bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him” (Psalm 92:12-15).

The leaders that God establishes flourish because they are humble, faithful and they put their trust in God, not in themselves. “The trees of the Lord flourish, the CEDARS of Lebanon that He planted” (Psalm 104:16).

GOD’S PEOPLE WILL RETURN TO HIM. THEY WILL BECOME POPLARS, OAKS, FIR, PINE, CYPRESS, OLIVE AND CEDARS—LEADERS OF ALL TYPES.
After hundreds of years, finally the house of Israel will return to their God in total sincerity. They will fill many positions once held by the great “cedars of Lebanon”.

“I will signal for them and gather them in. Surely, I will redeem them; they will be as numerousas before, though I scattered them among the peoples, yet in distant lands they will remember me.They and their children will survive, and they will return… there will not be room enough for them. ‘They will pass through the sea of trouble; the surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up. Assyria’s pride will be brought down and Egypt’s scepter will pass away. I will strengthen them in the LORD and in his name, they will walk,’ declares the LORD” (Zechariah 10:11-12).

“I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like POPLAR TREES by flowing streams. One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD,’ another will call himself by the name of Jacob; still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and will take the name Israel” (Isaiah 44:3-5).

“He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release for the prisoners… to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called OAKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor” (Isaiah 61:1-3).

“I will be like the dew to Israel, he will blossom like a lily. Like a CEDAR of Lebanon, he will send down his roots, his young shoots will grow, His splendor will be like an OLIVE TREE, his fragrance like a CEDAR OF LEBANON. Men will dwell again in his shade. He will flourish like the grain… blossom like a vine and his fame will be like the wine from Lebanon” (Hosea 14:5-7).

“How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel!‘Like valleys that stretch out, like GARDENS beside the river, like ALOES planted by the LORD, like CEDARS beside the waters” (Numbers 24:5-6).

JERUSALEM WILL BE ADORNED WITH THE GLORY OF LEBANON.
“‘The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,’ declares the LORD… Though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion… THE GLORY OF LEBANON WILL COME TO YOU, the PINE, the FIR and the CYPRESS together, to adorn the place of my sanctuary and I will glorify the place of my feet… all who despise you will bow down at your feet and will call you The City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 59:20, 60:10, 60:13, 14).

“I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs. I will put in the desert the CEDAR and the ACACIA, the MYRTLE and the OLIVE. I will set PINES in the wasteland, the FIR and the CYPRESS together, so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it” (Isaiah 41:19-20).

THE SAINTS WILL JUDGE ANGELS.
“Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So, you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life” (I Corinthians 6:3). The righteous creation in heaven will not come under judgment, but the fallen angels, the rebellious rulers, powers and principalities of Ephesians 6:12 will certainly be served, judged and sentenced by the righteous saints from the realm of earth.

Some have already been served and they await to be judged and sentenced in prison. 

There are “spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built” (I Peter 3:19) and “God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment” (II Peter 2:4). Jude also wrote, “The angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day” (Jude 1:6). These heavenly rulers held important positions, yet they left their honorable positions to rebel against God and join the wicked heavenly coalition attempting to overthrow their Creator.

THE SON OF GOD BECAME THE LAST ADAM.
Christ has been working with God to restore things to how they were before iniquity was found. His death on the cross brought salvation to mankind; it also brought down the remaining rogue heavenly rulers over the nations. Christ’s perfect sacrifice gave him victory and they lost their inheritance. If these rogue heavenly rulers understood the multifaceted victories of Christ’s sacrifice, they would not have allowed Christ to die on the cross. “None of the rulers [heavenly rulers, powers and principalities] of this age understood it, for if they had, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE CRUCIFIED THE LORD OF GLORY” (I Corinthians 2:8).

Where all of the heavenly rulers, powers and principalities failed, Christ succeeded. He is the last Adam. As the adjective implies, those given the opportunity from the first all the way to the last, but not including the last, failed. The mirroring of the genders remains true to the story in heaven and on earth. As the heavenly rulers, powers and authorities sinned knowingly, so the first man, Adam sinned knowingly.

The rogue heavenly rulers must have been horrified when they learned that Christ’s perfect sacrifice won him victory over them. Upon his resurrection, Christ gathered them together and imprisoned them with the others who are waiting judgment. “This is why it says: ‘When He ascended on high, He led captives away, and gave gifts to men.’ Whatdoes‘He ascended’ mean,exceptthatHe also descendedtothelowerpartsof theearth?He who descended is the very one who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things" (Ephesians 4:8-9).

The “gifts” Christ gave to men was the authority these heavenly rulers had over the nations, which was to teach them to obey God and live His way of life. Christ gave the “gifts” to his church, “…some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of services, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we ALL reach unity in the Fatherand in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13).

These rogue heavenly beings lavished in self-worship and those given their inheritance to rule over the nations when God divided the people at the time of Babel, taught the nations to worship them. The people set up large statues, shrines and crafted idols for worship. They gave the people on earth their theology and celebrations among of which is Saturnalia—Christianized into Christmas, Easter, and Halloween. They instructed the people to build great temples to honor themselves and they built vast armies for battle as they worked to expand their earthly domains. At the cost of human lives, they battled for supremacy among themselves, then supremacy over Almighty God.

To keep mankind under their control, they keep them distracted and deceived. They spread corruption and the spirit of hatred so mankind is tricked into believing that their enemy is the nations around them. Yet, the Apostle Paul clearly warned Christians that they are “not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies,but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Some in the ministry contribute to their deception by teaching that the beast from out of the sea is a coalition of earthly nations and the beast from out of the earth is an earthly church. Certainly, these rogue heavenly coalitions have entangled the nations and churches of the world into following them. In fact, they will gather the nations together to battle against God and His faithful people when Christ is given the green light to return.

Many Judo-Christians have accepted the lie that the gods the nations on earth worshiped in ancient times are a myth. Prophesy is rarely interpreted to acknowledge these rogue heavenly rulers, powers and principalities. Satan is recognized, but the one-third of the heavenly creation appear insignificant and powerless. And yet, they are our onlyenemy, not the nations on earth, rather countless powerful, wicked beings from the heavenly creation lumbering in the unseen world, lurking in the shadows on earth and ruling over their domains in the heavenly places.

After Satan and one-third of the angels are thrown down to earth, they will perform supernatural wonders that will dazzle the whole world. “I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery—but the fatal wound was healed!The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance to the beast”(Revelation 13:3). They will appear to be able to resurrect from the dead. The nations on earth will be swept up by their technologies, science and magic and their exuberant, invincible-like power will bring all the nations down to their knees.

They cannot overpower the beast and they will say, “Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?” (Revelation 13:4) So, the nations on earth, except for the people who are loyal to Almighty God, will worship Satan—the commander and chief of the beast from out of the sea and the beast from out of the earth. The beast from out of the sea will be the future alien arrival. Initially, they may appear like saviors, but truly they are the rogue heavenly rulers, powers and principalities (Ephesians 6:12) that the Apostle Paul warned Judo-Christians about hundreds of years ago.

GOD WILL MOVE HIS THRONE TO EARTH AND LIVE WITH MANKIND—HIS SECOND CREATION.
God has a plan. The first-born nation to come into the full knowledge of the LORD are His people, Israel who today have grown into twelve nations. God’s plan was for Israel to be a model nation of God’s way, but ancient Israel failed. Ancient Israel acted treasonously by worshiping the rebellious heavenly rulers. They were enticed by the superpower status of the leading kingdoms on earth; they craved power and glory.

God cannot be thwarted nor will He break His vow to Abraham “to be a God to him and his descendants forever.” God will bring His people into judgment for their sins.

“As I live," declares the Lord GOD, "surely with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I shall be king over you. I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out; and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face” (Ezekiel 20:33-35).

Despite their shameful behavior, God never rejected them. “I have chosen you and have not rejected you” (Isaiah 41:9b). The 21st century people of the nations of Israel will say, “I will praise you, O LORD. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me” (Isaiah 12:1). 

The repentance of the people of God is on the near horizon. “In that day, men will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 17:7).

After the destruction of the leaders of the two beasts and the imprisonment of the rogue heavenly rulers, powers and principalities, the world will come to rest and learn about the Great God of Israel. They will see twelves nations of people settled in the land of their forefathers and the great resurrection of ancient Israel living among them. It will be a wonderous time. The raw power of God will be witnessed and marvelled. The rattling of very dry bones forming a body, tendons and flesh appearing out of nowhere and life breathed into these mortals. The world will see a vast army stand up. These ancient Israelites are imaged as a vast army because they fought against God and lost. They feel hopeless, ashamed and fearful. “Our hope is gone; we are cut off” (Ezekiel 37:11b).

Greater still, these resurrected will see among them their 21stcentury descendants obeying God, willingly and in genuine sincerity. “When they see among them their children, the work of my hands, they will keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. Those who are wayward in spirit will gain understanding; those who complain will accept instruction” (Isaiah 29:22b-24).

After the Great Tribulation, many nations of the world will say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:3).

As the nations turn to God, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

Mankind will learn the way of God and become perfect, imaging their Father in heaven. "Therefore, you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Then, the Father and the Son will move their headquarters to earth.

Mankind, though born in sin, suffered to forge an eternal desire for righteousness. Never again will they enter into the painful and cruel ways of wickedness. Mankind will be brought intimately close to the Great Creator God. They will be honored and exalted by His Presence. The mortal creation on earth was taken down into the mires by sin, yet it will be raised up into a glorious place sharing their realm with the greatest: the Father and His Son.

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God’” (Revelation 21:2-3).

The story between Genesis chapter one verse one and verse two is the story of a life-time. Yet, it remains hidden from most of mankind. Mankind’s potential and the honor God desires to bestow on them is intentionally clouded and veiled by the rogue heavenly rulers, powers and authorities who know their heavenly positions will be awarded to mere mortals—righteous, humble, insignificant God-fearing and God-serving men and women.

While the earth remained formless and void, life in the heavenly realm blossomed for eons of time. Dominions formed: rulership awarded, law and order enforced: holy council members anointed, levels of government established: leaders appointed, harmony and unity with God Almighty sang throughout the realm in heaven until iniquity was found. Then, the Father and the Son looked to the earth and completed creation with mankind. A complementary creation was made that would grow into righteousness.

From heaven a King will take his throne, from earth a Queen will sit by his side. “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride [of the Lamb—Christ] beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2).

Together, they will rule over both realms: in heaven and on earth. That is the summation of the story between verse one and verse two of Genesis one. When mankind learns of this, the rogue heavenly powers will become instantly powerless for mankind will not submit to their destroyer. They will rise up and stand by their Creator appalled at the extent these wicked heavenly rulers, powers and authorities were willing go to forward their agenda.

“All the nations who knew you are appalled at you [Satan]; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more” (Ezekiel 28:19).

God loves His creation on earth. Jesus said, “There is more than enough room in my Father’s home.If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:2)

 Every man and woman on earth has a position prepared for them. God’s government will be replenished—with repentant, righteous, transformed mortals from earth. They will image the beautiful trees God once walked among in the heavenly realm. Earth will become God’s sanctuary and He will again walk in peace with His creation—in His garden of Eden.

“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So, you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach… EVERYTHING THEY DO IS DONE FOR PEOPLE TO SEE: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others” (Matthew 23:2-3, 5).

“For they [the Pharisees] loved human praise more than the praise of God” (John 12:43).

Self-glory is a poisonous fruit tempting all of God’s creation both in heaven and on earth. The desire to be above others: more important, more intelligent, more beauty, more wealth, more power, more… everything and anything is an addictive sweetener. When the Israelites said to God, “We want to be like the nations all around us, who serve idols of wood and stone” (Ezekiel 20:32), they were desiring to live like the nations around them whose gods encouraged human-praise opposed to praising the Creator, God. These gods ruling over the nations were themselves, self-glorifying rulers that is why idols of wood and stone were made by the people.

Assyria: “Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon… the cedars in the garden of God could not rival it… ‘I made it beautiful with abundant branches, the envy of all the trees of Eden in the garden of God,’ says the Creator… 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 the wickedness. I cast it aside” (Ezekiel 31:3-15).

God uses His coded language of imagery to describe this heavenly ruler over Assyria who was once a great leader [cedar] in God’s headquarters [Lebanon]. Imagery of cedars bring an immediate rich visual of the most spectacular trees on earth. Cedars are known for their exceptional qualities: durability, dimensionally stable, a thermal insulator, bacterial and fungal resistant, oils that act as natural preservatives, and a fresh aroma that deters pests.

The heavenly ruler over Assyria became proud of his height and slipped into the coma of self-glory. He was not alone. The ruler of Egypt fell sick, too.

Pharaoh: “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, you great monster lying among your streams. You say, ‘The Nile belongs to me; I MADE IT for myself’” (Ezekiel 29:3).

This heavenly ruler claimed to be a creator—the creator of the Nile. God, the Almighty and ONLY Creator judged this self-glorifying ruler. “Which of the trees [leaders] of Eden [God’s government] can be compared with you in splendor and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees [leaders] of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised [wicked], with those killed by the sword. ‘This is Pharaoh and all his hordes,’ declares the Sovereign LORD” (Ezekiel 31:18).

There are rulers and beings with great power and authority in the heavens. The sky that prevents mankind from seeing into the heavens has not yet been rolled back. These rogue heavenly beings deceive mankind; they are our true enemies (Ephesians 6:12). Their oldest and most powerful leader of these rogue heavenly beings is like a roaring lion prowling in the dark, seeking to destroy mankind and prevent God’s newest creation from coming to the knowledge of their true calling as eternal, ruling sons of God in His kingdom (I Peter 5:8).

Lucifer: God Almighty has prophesied the fate of the leader of wickedness. “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart:

• I will ascend to heaven; 
• I will raise my throne above the stars of God; 
  
• I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 
  
• I will ascend above the tops of the clouds, 
  
• I will make myself like the Most High.’ 
  

But you are brought down to the grave to the depths of thepit” (Isaiah 14:12-15).

The temptation to be worshiped comes from a proud spirit and a self-glorying desire as Satan knows well. He just won’t give up. He 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).

Jesus Christ is a humble servant of God, and Son. He set for us an example. “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)

The example Jesus set for all of mankind is that God, the Father is supreme. All achievements of the created can be attributed as gifts from this Creator. So, put aside boastings and desires of grandeur. Search for the things that please God: humility, teachability, servitude to God and others, love one another, love God.

Pious leaders seek recognition and take pride in human achievements, ignoring the gifts from God that preserve humility and promote gratitude.

Jesus said, “Your approval means nothing to me” (John 5:41).

Pious leaders gather around each other, praising each other.

“How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” (John 5:44)

Pious leaders do not speak the words of God; they put their own spin on scriptures to promote their own ideas. They are not open to reason or understanding nor are they teachable.

“He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is a man of truth; in Him there is no falsehood” (John 7:18).

Pious leaders talk often of their achievements to lather themselves with the glory from men.

“Therefore, when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward” (Matthew 6:2).

There is only One whose praise is of any worth. Jesus, our only teacher said, "If I want glory for myself, it doesn't count. But it is my Father who will glorify me” (John 8:54).

So, those who follow Jesus live as he lived, seeking praise and glory from God alone.

“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be:if any man serve me, him will my Father honour” (John 12:26).

The Pharisees, Sadducees and Jewish elders all sought praise and self-glory elevating themselves to the position of ‘Rabbi.’ But Jesus said, “you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters” (Matthew 23:8 NLT). The body of Christ has no interior layers placing its members one over the other. Rather, the greatest of these leaders within the body is the servant of all (Matthew 23:11). Being titled an apostle, prophet or prophetess, pastor or teacher is not a license for glory; it is an office of humble servitude to fearfully obey God and set a righteous example for all of mankind.

When the time comes for the resurrection of Christ’s humble Bride, she will be positioned by God accordingly. “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). Together finally, Christ—the head and his wife—the body, will be unified as one whole creation who gives glory to their Creator, God.

*****

The Playbook of Wickedness

The plays of Wickedness have not changed since iniquity was found. In this evil age, every play is used by those who serve Wickedness. Raise the red flag when they are seen, be alert and careful for Wickedness flourishes in these latter days. Love the truth; it will keep from deception.

“The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signsand wonders,and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because THEY REFUSED TO LOVE THE TRUTH AND SO BE SAVED” (II Thessalonians 2:9-10).

Question the narrative of the news reporters and people who claim to know the story. Search for the truth, test your findings by the word of God and do not lean on your own understanding, but press God earnestly for His guidance into truth, so that you may be saved.

Wickedness does not hide his plays. Jesus was a perpetual victim of the ruthless, malicious plays of Wickedness.

 Liars:

“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

 Deceivers, twisting good works into evil:

“And when the demon had been driven out, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel! But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that He drives out demons.” Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness” (Matthew 9:33-35).

Accusers, falsely accusing in order to bring a charge:

​
“On another Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching; and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. But He knew what they were thinking, and He said to the man with the withered hand, "Get up and come forward!" And he got up and came forward. And Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?” (Luke 6:6-11).

“The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death” (Matthew 26:59).

Character assassins, blackening and slandering every good action:

​
Jesus said, “John [the Baptist] came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard a friend of tax collectors and ‘sinners’” (Matthew 11:18-19).

Tricksters, weaving malicious arguments to entrap:

​
“What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. Haven’t you read this scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes’?’ Then they looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them… Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Him in order to trap Him in a statement” (Mark 12:9-12).

“So, they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, in order that they might catch Him in some statement, so that they could deliver Him to the rule and the authority of the governor” (Luke 20:20).

“When He left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile and to question Him closely on many subjects, plotting against Him to catch Him in something He might say” (Luke 11:53-54).

          Haters, filled with rage and angst:

​
"Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words… ‘Tell us then, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?’ But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, "Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? "Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax." And they brought Him a denarius” (Matthew 22:15-22).

“But they themselves were filled with rage, and discussed together what they might do to Jesus” (Luke 6:11).

  Mockers, emotionally hindered following the mob:

​
“Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!’ In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross, and will believe in him’… In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him” (Matthew 27:39-42, 44).

 Bribers and enticers, paying-off informants:

​
“And after the chief priests had met with the elders and formed a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money telling them, “You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep’”” (Matthew 28:12-13).

 Conspirators, plotting the death of those in their way:

​
Jesus saw into their perpetual conspiracy against him. He spoke a parable. “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance.' So, they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him… When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. (Matthew 21:38-39, 45).

“But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus” (Matthew 12:14).

Outlaws, despisers of God:

​
“So, you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them” (Matthew 23:3-4).

Jesus said, “Be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” “Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:11b-12).

“So, the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, ‘Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with ‘unclean’ hands?’ He replied, ‘Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men” (Mark 7:5-8).

God has called believers back into His word to live honestly, care for and love one another. Find ways to support each other and resolve conflicts peacefully. “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (II Timothy 2:23-26).

Recognize the red flags and avoid them. There is no place for Wickedness in the lives of those who serve the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Click here for pdf copy of the article, The Playbook of Wickedness doesn't change.

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