SIGNS IN THE HEAVENS?

There has been some excitement recently about a star event which seems to be depicting a significant birth which is due to happen in September 2017. I have heard three different interpretations of what this birth is so far. Signs in the heavens were promised and they can confirm what the Word is saying though I hasten to say that truth is gleaned from the Word of God not primarily from astronomy. So I would give yet another interpretation of this Star birth as it seems to confirm what the Word has revealed to me as I have studied it for nearly half a century now.

Revelation 12 records signs in the heavens which show the birth of a Man Child who brings about the downfall of the devil. This is surely the fulfilment of the promise in Genesis 3:15 about a coming Deliverer who will crush the Serpent’s head. A lot of Christians quite naturally believed that this Child is Jesus, and some say that the Woman is Israel; but there are certain things about the  Revelation 12 Scripture that don’t fit this interpretation.  E.g. Revelation is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave Him to show His servants – things which must shortly take place.” So it depicts things which were future to the time it was given; and therefore, as Jesus is the One who is giving the revelation, it would not be depicting the birth of the Saviour.

So, who is the Child and who is the Woman? These are questions which Christians have wrestled with for a long time. It is a mistake to take Revelation too literally. It is too big for that. Mostly it depicts systems, companies of people or beings, and movements in the realm of the Spirit. I believe that both the Woman and the Child are companies of people.

This Woman has been travailing since the Fall to produce the Seed destined to crush the Serpent’s head and thus reverse the effects of the Fall.  No doubt Mother Eve hoped that Cain would be the promised deliverer. Is Israel the Woman? This is what Isaiah wrote of Judah [26:17,18]

“As a woman with child is in pain and cries out in her pangs, when she draws near the time of her delivery, so have we been in Your sight, O Lord. We have been with child, we have been in pain; we have, as it were, brought forth wind; we have not accomplished any deliverance in the earth, nor have the inhabitants of the world fallen.”

It goes on to promise that deliverance would come with a resurrection. The purpose of all the travail is to accomplish deliverance in the earth. Israel did not accomplish deliverance in the Earth but they did produce the Messiah, Who would make it all possible because of His death and resurrection.

So again we consider:- who is the Child of Revelation 12 who was to come at the time of its writing? Is this birth still to happen? Is that what is being depicted in the star sign that is causing a lot of speculation lately?

The key to unlocking the Book is in the types of the Old Testament. In His redemptive dealings with Israel, God has shown His plan for the redemption of the world.  What He has done in the physical in the natural descendants of Abraham, He does in the spiritual through the spiritual descendants of Abraham ‘who is the father of us all.’[Romans 4:16] As Isaac and all who came from him were considered to be the son of God; [Exodus 4:22] so Jesus and all who come from Him are God’s Son. [Galatians 3:16, 29] Christ and His Church are One; they cannot be separated. This is a vital truth and we need to understand all of its implications. We are the Seed of Abraham and the promised Seed of the woman in Genesis 3:15, destined to crush the head of the Serpent and end his devastation of the earth. This is a huge study and I have written about it in my books.[The Other Bible Code and End Time Insights]

The Bible is about much more than taking you to heaven when you die; it’s about reclaiming the earth for the Kingdom of God. The promise He made in Eden after the Fall, was that the Seed of the Woman would crush the Serpent’s head. Thus the Promised Seed would liberate the Earth from the Serpent’s influence. The Bible tells us that “the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” [1 John 5:19]. That is why this Earth is in such a mess.  During the temptation, Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and boasted that they belonged to him. Jesus did not dispute this claim but set about making a way to reclaim the Earth. Through His substitutionary death on the Cross, Jesus brought us out from under the control of the Serpent and gave us Kingdom authority. We are now of the promised Seed along with Jesus and every Christian of every age.

The Seed of the Woman was to come through the line of Abraham. God gave Abraham physical seed through Isaac;-  the Nation of Israel. The land of Canaan was their inheritance.  Likewise, Abraham’s spiritual Seed was Christ and all who came from Him – the Church. Their inheritance is the earth. [Romans 4:13] Most Christians know that Jesus is the fulfilment of the Passover Lamb which brought deliverance from bondage to Israel: Jesus the Lamb of God brought us out of bondage in the kingdom of darkness. Most Christians understand that. What they usually fail to do is to follow the Type through to its conclusion. The redeemed slaves became an army of conquerors who routed the inhabitants of the Promised Land and possessed it for the Kingdom. That is to be the destiny of the Church. As we follow the history of Israel through we find that it was a generation of Israel, the Joshua generation, that finally conquered the enemy and possessed their inheritance, -  the Promised Land. That sets the pattern for the Church. It is a generation of spiritual Israel [the Church] that will overcome the Serpent and possess the earth for God. This is the generation of Overcomers which God has been working towards since Eden. Jesus said ‘I will build My church and the gates of hell will not stand against it.’ [Matthew 16;18] The Church is destined to rise up and overthrow the reign of the Serpent and usher in the Kingdom of God. Anything less than total victory for the Church in the earth, comes short of that for which Jesus agonised on the Cross.

It is the manifestation of this generation of Overcomers which I believe is being depicted in the Heavens. John the Revelator, saw it played out in the heavens. In Revelation 12 we see the Woman travailing to give birth; the Dragon waiting to devour the Child; the Child caught up to the throne of God from thence to exercise power over the nations. God’s plan is ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory.’ This is ‘the mystery which has been hidden from ages and generations, but now is made manifest.’ [Colossians 1:26].

Our legal position in Christ is to be seated ‘together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.’ [Ephesians 2:6] It is a position which the Church has yet to take up. We have in our hands the spiritual authority which will bring down the Serpent’s rule and liberate the earth. Remember that Revelation 12 is not about a literal catching up to the throne, it is a spiritual rising up in the realm of the Spirit, into the Kingdom authority that Jesus died to give us.

 Israel’s victory was delayed because they did not really understand the greatness of their deliverance. The Church has yet to see just what the Cross has achieved. Everything necessary has been done and Christ is seated at the right hand of God waiting for His enemies to be made His footstool.  [Hebrews 10:12,13]The end time Church will come into a deeper revelation of the Cross which will cause them to rise up in victory over the enemy. It is a revelation shown in the Type of the Tabernacle, on the Day of Atonement. All Christians have Outer Court revelation of the Cross; some have an ongoing revelation available in the Holy Place: but on the Day of Atonement the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies. That is where God is taking those who will be Overcomers with ‘power over the nations’ into the fullness of truth and the Glory of God. The long travail is almost over and deliverance for the Earth will be accomplished.

The Woman is the people of faith of all ages travailing to bring forth deliverance to the Earth; the Child is the end time Overcomers who will cause Satan’s  fall from the place of authority which he has occupied illegally since the Cross and Resurrection. Jesus took authority over the earth from him and gave it to His Church. The birth of the Overcomers will take place ‘about 2,000’ years after Jesus emerged from the Wilderness and began His ministry, bringing down the strongholds of the devil. How I know that is another study.  Is this the Birth that is happening in the heavens in September 2017? Allowing that our calendar is not totally in line with the Jewish calendar, it could very well be so.

This is a very abbreviated sketch of what is a complex study; but it is an awesome truth and one which the Church will enter into shortly. I pray that you will seek the revelation of the Holy Spirit as you ponder these things. [Ephesians 1:15-19]

ABRAHAM

  Physical Seed:  Isaac and all in him – the Nation of Israel. Their inheritance [which they have to possess] The Land of Canaan  The hosts of Heaven waiting to do battle with them. Joshua 5:13-15

Spiritual Seed: Jesus and all in Him. [Galatians 3:16,29] Their inheritance [which they have to possess]– the Earth [Romans 4:13] The hosts of heaven waiting to do battle with them. Rev. 12:7-9

 

 

ELIJAH COMES FIRST

Jesus is Coming but....
ELIJAH COMES FIRST

 The time is coming, and very soon, when this sin-spoiled Earth will be cleansed, restored, and filled with the Glory of God. In Acts 3:19–21, we read that the heavens must retain Jesus, “until the time of the restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (emphasis added).

Some might say this means that when Jesus comes again He will restore all things. However, Jesus Himself said that the work of restoration involves the mysterious appearance of “Elijah.” The disciples Peter, James, and John had been on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus. They had seen Him talking to Moses and Elijah and heard the voice from Heaven. [Matthew 17:1-13].Their minds must have turned to the prophecy at the close of the Old Testament Scriptures:

Behold I send you Elijah the prophet

Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord

And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children

And the hearts of the children to their fathers,

Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse. (Malachi 4:6)

This prophecy was kept before Israel at the annual Passover celebration when a cup of wine was placed on the table for Elijah in anticipation of his return. There were four cups of wine which were drunk in conjunction with four promises of deliverance. They were:

1. “I will take you out.”

2. “I will save you.”

3. “I will redeem you.”

4. “I will take you as a nation.”

There was a fifth promise, “I will take you into the Land,” and a fifth cup which is never drunk. This is the cup of Elijah. (Is this the ‘fruit of the vine’ which He will drink when the kingdom comes that He spoke of at the Last Supper? Luke 22:18)

Even though Israel eventually possessed the Promised Land, they look for a greater deliverance which is yet to come. Elijah will herald the coming of the Messiah and they will possess the Land in peace. It was the promise of a golden age when Messiah would sit on the throne in Jerusalem and rule the Earth. When Elijah comes, they believe, he will explain fully the meaning of the fifth cup.

Seeing Elijah on the mountaintop and remembering the prophecy, the disciples must have thought that the day of the Messiah had come. When Jesus instructed them not to tell of the vision until after the resurrection, they asked, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

Jesus replied, “Elijah truly is coming first and will restore all things” (Matthew 17:10, 11; emphasis added). He went on to say that Elijah had already come, referring to John the Baptist who came “in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17).

John’s appearance on the stage of history was a partial fulfillment of the prophecy. It was a sign that restoration had begun. The ministry of Elijah is not yet complete. At the time Jesus spoke, John was dead. Yet Jesus said that Elijah was still to come and would restore all things. Elijah was the great prophet of the Spirit in the Old Testament. By the anointing of the Spirit upon him, Elijah challenged the Prophets of Baal―satanic powers of darkness of the day―and turned the nation back to God. Jesus’ reference to Elijah here is not the literal return of the Old Testament Prophet but the Spirit coming on human flesh to restore all things and prepare the way for the Second Coming of the Lord. Elijah will turn the world back to God.

The restoration of all things has already been accomplished in seed form at the Cross.

For it pleased the Father that in Him [Jesus] all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. (Colossians 1:19, 20; emphasis added)

When Jesus said “It is finished,” that work of reconciliation was completed. It is an accomplished fact in the realm of the Spirit. We can bind and loose on Earth that which is already bound and loosed in Heaven (or in the realm of the Spirit). Reconciliation becomes restoration in the Earth when it is claimed by faith, e.g., a sinner is born again by the Spirit of God when he believes that Jesus has died to reconcile him to God. That reconciliation was accomplished two thousand years ago but it has to be appropriated. So it is with all that was accomplished at the Cross.

God continues to bring restoration whenever and wherever faith is exercised. The greater the revelation of the reconciling work of the Cross that we have, the greater the measure of restoration will be. That’s why it is crucial to have an ongoing vision. The reconciliation of all things will be manifested as the restoration of all things when Elijah comes, Elijah being the Spirit of God coming in fullness upon the people of God in these last days. The Holy Spirit continues to lead and guide us into all truth and reveal things to come to all who are open to receive. When Elijah comes, the Church will enter into all that Jesus accomplished at His first coming. All things will be restored and Jesus will return to take up His throne on Earth. All of creation is waiting for that time.

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:19–21)

In Biblical history, we find that Creation reflects the spiritual state of man. The Fall corrupted all of nature. When wickedness increased on the Earth, it resulted in the Flood, which again radically changed the face of the Earth. It has been shown in the Transformations video series hosted by George Otis Jr. that when revival takes place, even the surrounding area is renewed, pollution and corruption recede and the Earth begins to flourish. The answer to the climate crisis the world faces is to change the spiritual climate of Planet Earth.

All of God’s dealings with Man have been toward the Restoration. It is the message “which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21). Restoration sometimes requires cleansing and chastening but the goal hasn’t changed. In the face of all the chaos on Earth caused by Man’s rebellion, God still wants the message of Restoration to be declared. In the following passage, we can sense something of the burden of God’s heart when His servants don’t deliver the message.

“Hear, you deaf; and look, you blind, that you may see.

Who is blind but My servant, or deaf as My messenger whom I send?

Who is blind as he who is perfect, and blind as the Lord’s servant?

Seeing many things, but you do not observe; opening the ears, but he does not hear.”

The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake;

He will magnify the law and make it honourable

But this is a people robbed and plundered; all of them are snared in holes,

And they are hidden in prison houses;

They are for prey, and no one delivers;

For plunder, and no one says “Restore!” (Isaiah 42:18–22; emphasis added)

We are living in a day in which, increasingly, the people are prey to all the snares and evil devices of our spiritual enemy. Captive of his deceit, plundered and robbed to build his anti-God kingdom, the world seems headed towards destruction. In the face of all this, God still wants the message of Restoration declared on Earth. The messengers see and hear many things, and there is much speculation, but there are not many saying “Restore.” Mostly the message is “Retreat” (or, “Rapture at any moment”). Most messengers are preparing to abandon the Earth to the ravages of the enemy.

God gave His beloved Son to the Earth to be the means of restoration. Speaking prophetically of the One Who was to come, God said “I will preserve You and give You as a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, to cause them to inherit the desolate heritages” (Isaiah 49:8). (emphasis mine).

Jesus came to reconcile ALL things to God (Colossians 1:20). The full effects of the Cross are yet to be manifested in the Earth. The restoration of all things will come to pass. Meanwhile, wherever the people of God lay hold of the reconciling work of the Cross, the process of restoration continues: broken lives, broken families, even broken communities can experience restoration.

So according to the Scriptures, Jesus will not come again until the times of the restoration of all things, which God has spoken of since the world began. Since the Fall, this is what God has been working towards. Jesus said that this work of restoration is to be accomplished by ‘Elijah” who will come first.

Before the first coming of the Lord, the spirit and power of Elijah came upon John the Baptist to prepare the way: Before the Lord comes again, the Spirit will come upon the Church to bring restoration and to prepare the way for His coming again to reign over the Earth. This is ‘Elijah’ who is to come – the Spirit of God upon the Redeemed to bring into manifestation the work of reconciliation accomplished at the Cross.

Most Christians are waiting for Jesus to come back and do all the work; however his work is finished. He is seated at the right hand of God waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool. (Hebrews 10:12 -14) Christ in you is the hope of God’s glory filling the Earth. (Colossians 1: 27) In the coming great revival, ‘Elijah’ will stand up in the Earth and scatter the powers of darkness He will usher in the Age of the Kingdom and reign of the King. Amen. Come Lord Jesus. 

 

 

ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH IN THE END TIME

There is a prophetic picture in the Old Testament showing what will happen in the time of the end.  In Israel at one time there were three places of worship representing the people of God: - The Tabernacle of David which housed the Ark [the Presence of God] accessible to all and with 24 hour worship and praise. It represents the Gentile Church. [Acts 15:13 – 18], Also the Tabernacle of Moses which was at Gibeon, It had lost the Ark but still continued to function. It represents God’s Old Covenant people. Then there was Solomon’s great golden Temple under construction. Solomon, son of David, is a type of the Lord Jesus. This Temple represents the Living Temple which Jesus is now building. ’a Habitation of God in the Spirit’ [Ephesians 2:29-22 and other Scriptures]

When the Temple was finished they brought up the Ark and placed it in the Holy of Holies; and they also brought up the old tabernacle of Moses. It was probably put in one of the store rooms. The Temple was dedicated and then filled with the Glory of God. [2 Chronicles 7:1,2]

At the time of the end, Jews and Christians will come together in Messiah Jesus and this Temple will be filled with God’s Glory. 

Speaking of Israel Paul said, “For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” The Resurrection life of Jesus will flow from this Temple. It will draw all people in.

“Arise, shine, for thy light has come and the Glory of the Lord has risen upon thee.  For behold, darkness shall cover the Earth and deep darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee and His Glory shall be seen upon thee.  The Gentiles shall come to thy light and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” Isaiah 60:1-3

Yes the darkness and deep darkness is closing in; but the future is brilliant.

UNSEATING SATAN

UNSEATING SATAN

First Read Revelation 12. It has been said that if you get Revelation 12 right, you will get the rest of it right. It is pivotal. When reading ‘in heaven,’ think ‘in the realm of the Spirit.’ This will give you a better understanding of what is happening. Revelation is a drama being played out in the spiritual realm. Remember that Revelation is symbolic. People make the mistake of trying to take it too literal. Symbols allow for a much larger interpretation.

                                                  ………………………………………………..

God is in control! So says just about every Christian preacher or teacher that I’ve heard.  It must follow then that everything that happens is the will of God – all the horrible tragedies that we witness day by day on our television screen, radio, and in our own lives; sicknesses of soul and body and mind rampant in the Earth. God lets these things happen to teach us patience and faith etc. so the story goes.

Jesus taught us to pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Are these things happening in heaven? The answer to that is ‘No.’ God’s will for Man is seen in Eden before the Fall –No sickness, no poverty, no wars, no death or any of the things that plague us now. The Earth was an extension of Heaven. The ultimate end of the Cross is that the Kingdom of God reigns in the earth again. THEN God’s will, will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. In the meantime we are to look for and pray for the Kingdom to come in its fullness; and yes, God does walk with us through all of life’s happenings and He does continue to mould us into Christ’s image.

God IS in control; but that statement needs to be qualified or at least explained. God is the just Judge and all the legals have to be settled. The Cross was a legal transaction which legally changed everything, but that change has yet to be brought into manifestation.

 In the beginning God gave Man dominion over the Earth.

“The heavens, even the heavens, are the Lord’s, but the earth He has given to the children of men.” Psalm 115:16

When God gives something, he doesn’t take it back; that is unless it is a conditional gift or promise.

“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” Romans 11:29

It is like “the law of the Medes and the Persians, which does not alter.” [Daniel 6:8] It cannot be changed.

So the deeds of the earth were given to Man.  Satan gained authority over the Earth when mankind yielded allegiance to him. Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and boasted, “All this authority I will give you, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.” Luke 4:6. Jesus didn’t argue with that; He knew it was true; but He came to change things.

The sin of Man gave Satan the authority he exercises over the Earth. At the Cross Jesus paid for the sins of all Mankind. The trial of Jesus was much more than an earthly trial; the Courts of Heaven were in session. God was the Judge, Satan [the Accuser], was the Prosecutor; Jesus was the Accused; He stood in the dock on behalf of all Mankind.  The verdict was ‘Guilty’ and the punishment carried out. The Cross removed Satan’s legal hold on the earth. Satan had no legal right to accuse us anymore. However man has to come into the knowledge of this in order to be really free.  Jesus rose as the new Man, head of all the redeemed, and as the representative Man, He regained the authority Man had lost. He said,

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on the earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations….” Matthew 28: 18, 19

Authority over the earth has been restored to redeemed Man, to exercise in Jesus’ name. Satan no longer has any legal hold over the Earth, however he retains his grip on the Earth by the only two powers he has left; - deceit and accusation. [See Revelation 12:9, 10]. By these two powers he continues to operate in the Earth and still ‘the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.’ 1 John 5:19

That is why the world continues to be in such a mess. The Cross is about much more than going to Heaven when we die; it’s about removing Satan’s grip on the Earth and restoring the Kingdom of God on Earth as it is in Heaven. The Earth has been given to redeemed Man [Romans 4:13] but Man has to possess it. The Types of the Old Testament are there to show us how it can be done. The principle of Typology is ‘First the natural, then the spiritual.’ God did in Israel in the physical, what He intended to do in the spiritual through the Church. You might say He did a ‘dry run’ to show us how to reclaim the Earth and bring in the Kingdom. As Israel was set free from bondage by the blood of the Passover Lamb, to repossess their lost inheritance; so we are set free from bondage by the Blood of the Lamb of God in order to reclaim ours. Our Promised Land is the Earth – a good Land flowing with milk and honey, but spoilt because it is overrun by ‘giants’ of evil with their demonic strongholds. Moreover the spiritual dimension which Creation had, has to be restored. All Creation is waiting for this. [Romans :19-21]

The Bible says that unredeemed Man is in a state of spiritual blindness. The Church moves forward by Truth. We are a people still coming out of blindness. [2 Corinthians 4:3,4]. God leads His people on into the fullness of Truth, building ‘precept upon precept, line upon line’ by the Holy Spirit who leads and guides us into all truth. The Holy Spirit is symbolised by the Pillar of Cloud and Fire which led Israel to the Promised Land. The end result of this journey into Truth, will be a Church which has come into the revelation of the finished work of Christ, i.e. they will have come into the knowledge of all that the Cross has purchased. They are not deceived anymore by the lies of the Devil and they cannot be intimidated by the ‘Accuser of the brethren,’ because they know that all grounds of accusation have been removed. They will have come into the fullness of Grace. Those who do not have this revelation will oppose, calling it ‘hyper-Grace’ but Truth will prevail. Satan has been dreading the rise of this End Time Army, ever since the promise in Eden that the Seed of the Woman would cause his demise.

The unseating of Satan from his position of authority is pictured in Revelation 12 when the Manchild is ‘caught up to God and to His throne.’ To be ‘raised up and made to sit in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus’ has been legally his since the Resurrection, it is his birthright. Now finally a generation is birthed into the Earth which will take up that position. This is the catalyst for warfare in the heavenlies, with Michael and his angels defeating Satan and his angels and casting them to the Earth. Why did Michael and his angels have to wait for the Manchild to rise? Because in matters to do with the Earth, angels do not have the authority; Man does. The Old Testament type of this is when Joshua and his army crossed Jordan to be met by the Captain of the hosts of heaven. They had to wait for Israel to come in order to do battle.

ast

That the Manchild of Revelation 12 is the End Time Overcomers is confirmed by vs 11:-

1.        The Manchild is a ‘they.’ They overcame. Galatians 3 vs 16 and 29 show that the promised Seed is one but many. Vs16 says that Jesus is the promised Seed and vs 29 says that if we are Christ’s then WE are Abraham’s Seed and heirs according to the promise. The promised Seed is One but many.

2.       ‘They’ overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb, the Word of their testimony and they loved not their lives to the death. This could only be said of the Redeemed; certainly not of the angels.

The Manchild is destined to rule all nations with a rod of iron [Revelation 12:5] c/f Rev 2:26,27 –

“And he who overcomes and keeps my works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations –‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;…’ “                                      

The Woman in Revelation 12 is the people of faith of all ages. Since the fall she has been travailing to bring forth the Seed that will cause Satan’s downfall. Now the great moment has come. The glad cry goes up:-

“Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. Revelation 12:10

An incident in the history of Israel gives a strong clue that this event is about to happen very soon. The Manchild is about to be born!  

[Watch for the next exciting instalment of this drama of the ages!]

 

THE SEED OF THE WOMAN

THE SEED OF THE WOMAN.  [Genesis 3:15]

In this blog I shall endeavour to throw light on:-

1.       Why there is an unprecedented number of abortions in this day and age.

2.       Who is the ‘Seed of the Woman’ who will crush the Serpent’s head.

These two subjects may seem to have nothing in common; yet there is a very definite link.

The ‘right’ to abortion is accepted as part of our modern day ‘civilized’ society. A lot of people don’t like it; Christians fight it; proponents consider it ‘progressive’ to allow a woman to have control over her reproductive system all in the interests of ‘choice.’

An unplanned pregnancy can be devastating to some women who may need a lot of support to continue with the pregnancy and may be tempted to think of abortion as the easy way out. Most are unprepared for the life time after effects that abortion can bring. Some States allow for late term abortion, which is just too horrible to describe.

There is choice in these days when contraception is readily available. Those who grieve over a miscarriage or a regretted abortion may find comfort in knowing that that little life is not lost to God. Many accounts of experiences in the afterlife reveal that the baby is cared for and brought up in heaven and will be reunited to family.

The grief of bereaved mothers is captured in a prophecy by Jeremiah

“A voice was heard in Ramah,

Rachel weeping for her children

Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,                                                                           

Rachel weeping for her children,

Refusing to be comforted,

Because they were no more.” Jeremiah 31:15.

This Scripture is quoted in Matthew and refers there to what is called ‘The slaughter of the innocents’ about the time of the birth of Jesus.  Roman soldiers were ordered by King Herod to kill all the male children in and around Bethlehem when he heard that a new king was about to be born there. Matthew 2:16,17. This event has an Old Testament counterpart in Exodus 1. About the time when Moses the Deliverer of Israel was to be born there was another ‘slaughter of the innocents’ as there is in this day at the end of this Age.

The Serpent has never forgotten that there is a Child to be born – a Deliverer, who is destined to crush his head. He knows when such a deliverer is about to be born and moves to slaughter the innocents and thus put off his demise.  Since the event known as ‘The Fall,’ he has been ‘the god of this age’ [2 Cor. 4:4] and the whole world lies under his influence. [1 John 5:19]. He is jealous over his control of this world and its inhabitants; no potential Deliverer can be allowed to live. He knows that another Child is about to be born destined to end his rule, - the Child of Revelation 12, The Seed of the Woman, and so he moves to slaughter the innocents again.

In Revelation 12 we see the woman travailing to give birth with the Dragon waiting to devour the Child, as he always has been. But isn’t this Child Jesus?  you will no doubt ask. This is what has always been taught. Actually it is not the complete answer. It is certainly true that without Jesus there is no redemption possible. Without Him we are eternally lost. It is also true that ‘the whole world [still] lies under the sway of the wicked one.’ 1 John 5:19. We shall have to look further for the full answer as to the identity of the Child. It is undoubtedly is the Seed of the Woman promised in Genesis 3:15.                                                                         

The promised Seed was to come through Abraham. Abraham had physical Seed through Isaac and spiritual Seed through Jesus. Israel, the physical Seed, God calls ‘My son, My firstborn’. [Exodus 4:22]. This many-membered nation, all who were born of Isaac, were considered to be the Son of God. They were redeemed from bondage in Egypt under Pharaoh, to bring down the enemy and possess the Land of their inheritance – the Promised Land. It remained for one generation of this Son, a generation of Overcomers under Joshua, to come out of the wilderness and conquer the enemy.  Likewise, the spiritual Seed -  Jesus and His Church- are considered to be One Seed.,

Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, bur as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:16

And if you are Christ’s then you are Abraham’s Seed and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:29

Note, the Seed is One though many. This Seed is the Son of God. Christ and His Church cannot be separated.

ABRAHAM

     Physical Seed                                                         Spiritual Seed

           ISAAC                                                                      JESUS

   The Nation of Israel                                                 The   Church

 

As in Israel, one generation of Abraham’s Seed finally came out of the wilderness and conquered the enemy; even so one generation of the Church is destined to break the enemy’s hold on planet Earth –a generation of Overcomers under Jesus. This end time generation enters into all that the Cross has achieved. This is the Child of Revelation 12. Since the Fall, the ‘Woman’ – the people of faith of all ages, has been travailing to bring forth the promised Seed. Sarah is a type of this Woman. She was made beautiful and fruitful in her old age. After many years of waiting, when it all seemed impossible, she brought forth the promised Seed. Likewise the coming great revival will renew the Church and enable her to produce the Overcomers.

Israel brought forth Messiah Who accomplished all the work of Redemption and Commissioned His Church to make all the Nations His disciples.  It remains for this redemption to be manifested in the Earth. All of creation is waiting for this. [Romans 8:19-21]

Back to Revelation 12. The Child is ‘caught up to the throne;’ - the Overcomers rise up in Kingdom authority. Thus begins a war in the heavenlies or spiritual realm. The Old Testament type of this is Joshua and the army of Israel with the hosts of heaven at Jericho[Joshua 6]. The war in the heavenlies results in satan being cast down from the place of authority which he has been occupying illegally since the Cross. He has kept his position only through deceit and accusation. [Note, it is a ‘they’ who overcomes the Dragon -One but many] The Child is the end time Overcomers – the long awaited Seed. That is why the devil is conducting an end time slaughter of innocents, endeavouring to avoid the battle. However, the Seed of the Woman. backed by the hosts of Heaven. is victorious and the cry goes up –

“Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of the brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”  Revelation 12:10,11

“…the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations but now has been revealed….which is CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY.” Colossians 1:26,27

DANIEL'S 70TH WEEK

 

 

We have been told that God has yet a special period of seven years of dealings with the Jews.  At the beginning of this period, the Antichrist will make a covenant with the Jews, which he will subsequently break in the middle of the seven year period by causing the sacrifices at the temple to cease. Then will follow a time of great tribulation. However Christians won’t have to worry because they will be taken to Heaven in the event known as ‘the Rapture.’ This much anticipated happening is ‘the next great event on God’s calendar.’ Meanwhile there is much debate about whether this will happen ‘pre-trib,’ mid-trib,’ or ‘post-trib.’

All this comes from one verse in Daniel – chapter 9 verse 27.

“Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering, and on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate.”

[The whole passage of vs 20-27 is relevant but for the sake of space I am quoting just vs 27]

The futurists teach that the ‘he’ mentioned in vs 27 is the Antichrist who makes a covenant with the Jews for one week [seven years]. He then brings an end to the sacrifices; which means that the Jews will have built their third temple.

God had sent a message to Daniel in captivity in Babylon that seventy weeks [weeks of years] were determined for the Jews and their holy city Jerusalem – from the command to restore and build Jerusalem; -seven weeks [49 years], then 62 ‘weeks’ till Messiah the Prince. The first period of seven weeks is the period up to the dedication of the second temple; then another period of 62 weeks till Messiah the prince would come. [483 years in all]

That much is clear, what is under debate is the remaining period of one ‘week.’ Futurists teach that it is yet to come, thus the scenario as above in the first paragraph.  However the historicists view [and mine] is that the 70^th week has been fulfilled. During the 70^th week the Gospel was preached only to the Jews.   Jesus said “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”[Matthew 15:24] When He sent out the disciples to preach He told them not to go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans “But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” [Matthew 10:6] This time period was still in the 70 ‘weeks’ determined on Israel. The pattern of redemption had to be fully completed in Israel – the pattern nation, before it went to the world.

  Looking at vs 27 again –

Then he shall confirm a covenant [i.e.  make a firm covenant ’ or cause a covenant to prevail’] with many for one week. But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering."

 At the last supper Jesus said, “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” [Matthew 26:28] This, I believe, is the covenant which is referred to; not some future covenant that the Antichrist makes with the Jews. After 3 and a half years ministry ’in the middle of the week’ Jesus was ‘cut off, but not for Himself’ vs 26. He thus made an end to the need for sacrifices as far as God was concerned as was signified by the rending the veil in the Temple. The Jews may or may not build a third Temple, but it is not part of God’s plan. The third temple is the Living Temple of all believers.

After the Resurrection and the coming of the Spirit, the Gospel continued to be preached to the Jews. Some believed but mostly it was rejected until finally the first Christian martyr, Stephen, was stoned. Then God raised up Paul to be an apostle to the Gentiles. The time had come the Gospel to go out to the whole world. God sent Peter to Cornelius, a Roman centurion, whose household received the good news gladly, and were subsequently filled with the Spirit. The seventy ‘weeks’ that God had ‘determined’ for Israel were over! This time period was given:-

To finish the transgression

To make an end of sins,
To make reconciliation for iniquity
To bring in everlasting righteousness
To seal up vision and prophecy
And to anoint the Most Holy.  Daniel 9:1, 2

 

This was all accomplished at the Cross. True, it has not yet been manifested; but the work was done at the Cross. It was a finished work and the end time truth which will cause the Church to rise up in victory is ‘The Finished Work of Christ.’ We have yet to lay hold of all that Christ accomplished for us. Creation waits for that day.

 

‘For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.’ Romans 8:19

Those who insert a large gap between the 69^th and the 70^th ‘week,’ probably believe that these things won’t be finished until the Second Coming. They are waiting to see the manifestation of them.

 

Continuing with Daniel 9 vs 27. “on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate.” In 70 AD after much persecution and tribulation, Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman prince Titus.  Some believe that the ‘wing of abominations’ refers to the Roman’s Eagle standard that fluttered over the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. So let us compare the conservative interpretation of Daniel 9 which was taught for over 1800 years, with the futurists’ interpretation. We will see that they are very different.

The second part marked * is the futurists interpretation.

PRE 70^TH ‘WEEK’ [SEVEN YEARS] [From the command to rebuild Jerusalem Daniel 9:25].

The temple and city rebuilt ‘in troublesome times’ during first 7 ‘weeks’ [49years].  [Ezra and Nehemiah]. Then 62 ‘weeks’ till Messiah.

69 ‘weeks’ [483 years completed].

*Same as above. Then there is a gap of about 2,000 years between the 69^th and 70^th week.

 

FIRST 3 ½ YRS

Messiah preaches the Gospel of the Kingdom.  Announces the New Covenant at the Last Supper. [‘confirms a covenant’]

*The Antichrist makes a covenant [pact] with the Jews.  ‘Rapture’ of the Church. 3½ years of peace.

‘MIDDLE OF THE WEEK’

Messiah ‘cut off’ for the sins of the world, bringing an end to the need for temple sacrifices. ‘It is finished.’

*The Antichrist breaks the covenant with the Jews and stops all sacrifices at the temple. He proclaims himself as God. [Some place the ‘Rapture’ here].

LAST 3½ YEARS

The New Covenant Gospel preached to the Jews. Some received but the nation as a whole rejected their Messiah. Stephen, the first Christian martyr stoned. 70^th ‘week’ finished.

*3½ years of Great Tribulation. 2^nd Coming.

 

POST 70^TH ‘WEEK’ [SEVEN YEARS]

The Gospel preached to the Gentiles. Paul converted and becomes the apostle to the Gentiles. The Gospel to be preached to all nations.

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14

2^nd Coming.

 

There has always been persecution and tribulation but no doubt it will be accelerated in the end times, but there is no specific 7 year period of tribulation. In 70AD Jerusalem with its temple was destroyed by the Roman army under Titus and the nation scattered among all the nations of the earth. The return of the Jews and the re-establishment of Israel as a nation as prophesied, is one of the signs of the last days of this age.

God hasn’t finished with the nation of Israel yet. Though the Glory has departed for now, they can come to God the same way as Gentiles do – by faith in the Messiah Jesus; and the Bible indicates that one day the time will come when ‘all Israel shall be saved.” [Romans 11:26] There will be a coming together of Jews and Gentiles at the end time and it will be a time of great blessing for the whole earth. [see Romans 11:15]

 
      
 
 
 

                                                                                          futurists view
 

traditional or conservative view.