Today is “law school” for the future judges of the Kingdom, who will see Deuteronomic law administered in the Millennium as well as in the final White Throne judgment.
Imagine a celebration pointing to a time when everyone will have their chance to become a citizen in the Kingdom of
heaven. Where could one find a more joyful event to honor?
Believe it or not, many are already observing such a day. It comes at the end of the Biblical calendar, and is known as the Last Great Day. It immediately follows the Feast of Tabernacles in the Scriptural seventh month (autumn).
Man’s holidays all commemorate past events. But Yahweh’s appointed days (Heb. moedim) not only have a historic focus, but also foreshadow the future salvation of the people of Yahweh. No unrewarding, worldly celebration can even begin to compare with the significance of Yahweh’s days.
Return to the Country
To understand the Last Great Day is to understand Bible prophecy. All of Yahweh’s Feasts have a prophetic basis. That is one important characteristic that sets them far apart from the days the world observes. Man tries to give his own significance to the days he celebrates, while the Creator Yahweh Himself gives meaning to the appointed times He gives to His people.
The Feast of Tabernacles is a joyous, seven-day observance that pictures the millennial reign of Yahshua, who will govern with His saints on the earth (Rev 5:10). Notice:
“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness Yahshua, and for the word of Yahweh, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Messiah a thousand years” (Rev. 20:4).
The earth will return to an agrarian economy in a rural setting as people are scattered and cities are left desolate by the returning judgment of Yahshua. The prophet speaks of this: “Behold, Yahweh makes the earth empty, and makes it waste, and turns it upside down, and scatters abroad the inhabitants thereof” (Isa. 24:1).
The cities and their dwellings will be uninhabited: “The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that No man may come in” (Isa.24:10),
Just as Israel left the cities of Egypt, so will those remaining on earth in the Millennium leave the cities to dwell in the countryside, even as Yahweh’s faithful do at the Feast of Tabernacles each year. In fact, during the Millennium He says He will cause the people to dwell in tabernacles (ohalim, tents) “as in the days of the solemn feast,” Hosea 12:9. In the Millennium they will come up to Jerusalem to learn Yahweh’s laws and way of true happiness.
“But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of Yahweh shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, and to the house of the Elohim of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of Yahweh of hosts has spoken it” (Micah 4:1-4).
At last the world will learn the ways of peace and security. The rat race of today’s culture will be replaced by the serenity that comes with a return to the land as it was in Eden. Yahweh’s laws will be enforced worldwide, and wars will finally cease.
After the Millennium, What Then?
But what happens when this thousand-year reign of Yahshua and His saints is completed? To understand, we must go to the final Feast day, the Last Great Day.
In John 7:37-58, after observing the Feast of Tabernacles, Yahshua the Messiah made this statement on the Last Great Day: “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Yahshua stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
Judgment and the Throne
This concluding Last Great Day pictures the final judgment of man on earth, the Great White Throne judgment. It is the last opportunity for those who lived in ignorance of Yahweh’s Name, Sabbaths, Feasts, and laws the past 6,000 years to accept the ways of Yahweh before He completely cleanses and renews this earth and establishes His throne at New Jerusalem.
Having missed the first resurrection, the rest of the dead will come alive again for the Great White Throne judgment. If they are found guilty of unrepented sin and of having rejected the truth of their Savior, they will be destroyed in the lake of fire. If they never knew the truth, this is school time.
The prophet Isaiah tells us that those in the Millennium will be allowed a 100-year life span to learn of Yahweh and the laws He expects all to follow: “There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that has not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed” (Isa. 65:20).
Conceivably, the same opportunity will be given to those in the second resurrection under the White Throne Judgment. We note that in Revelation 20:13 that those in the second resurrection are judged “by their works.” They must be given time to prove themselves.
Hundreds of millions will be resurrected to learn Yahweh’s truth for the first time. True understanding was purposely withheld from them in this life (Matt. 13:11). Only a select few “firstfruits” have been allowed to understand Yahweh’s plan of salvation, and, if they accept Yahweh’s covenant terms and follow them now, will be in that preferred first resurrection to rulership.
Daniel explains more about this Great White Throne Judgment: “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened” (Dan. 7:9-10).
These “books” are mentioned in Revelation 20:12 as well, also speaking of this White Throne Judgment:
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before Elohim; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
These previously unsaved people who have never been given the opportunity to learn the true Good News and to keep the renewed Covenant originally made with Israel, will now have their chance. They will be taught and judged by Yahshua, helped by the saints who came up in the first resurrection.
But by what standard will their “works” be judged? It won’t be by pleasant feelings of their hearts, by the nice thoughts they had, or by an occasional kind deed. Both Daniel and Revelation say they will be judged out of what is written in the “books.” One of the books is identified as the Book of Life. The rest can be nothing other than the books of the Bible — and the books of the law therein (“books” is biblos in Greek, from which we get the word Bible, Strong’s No. 976).
This is the same standard of judgment by which Israel of old was judged. Notice that they are judged “according to their works” in conjunction with the standard of the law found in Yahweh’s Word: “For the word of Elohim is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).
Only those who were found written in the Book of Life will be in the first resurrection. So why would the Book of Life be opened if not for the purpose of entering new names into it of those found worthy?
Saints Are Judged Right Now
The criteria for righteousness and judgment are the same today. “That you might walk worthy of Yahweh unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of Yahweh” (Col. 1:10). Also, “For not the hearers of the law are just before Elohim, but the doers of the law shall be justified” (Rom. 2:13). The prophetic Psalm 96:13 says, “For He comes to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with His Truth.” The standards of the Bible were in force from the beginning and are the law by which humanity is and will be judged.
John wrote, “Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you have heard from the beginning” (John 2:7).
The law of Scripture, especially the Book of Deuteronomy, was the constitution of the ancient Israelites. Notice: “And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, When all Israel is come to appear before Yahweh your Elohim in the place which he shall choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing” (Deut. 31:10-11).
The year of release and the Feast of Tabernacles picture the Kingdom coming to earth. All the earth will comply with Yahweh’s laws — or else! “And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shines in his strength” (Rev. 1:16). “And many people shall go and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of Elohim of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem” (Isa. 2:3).
His laws will be Constitution of the coming Kingdom. What a wonderful thought to know that we can learn about His laws and obey them right now, for salvation’s sake.
In our day Bible prophecy has become irrelevant in the eyes of many. Man believes he already has all the answers through science and human intellect. Many think the Bible is just a book of old tales drummed up by bored old men who call themselves prophets, teachers, and apostles. Is this the case? Is the Bible just a book of old stories?
Agnostics and atheists today are ruled by an egotistical spirit and they will not believe in a supernatural being who created the universe. Many want to take the Bible out of all facets of modern life because they believe it is just “another book composed of tall tales.”
One has to wonder why there is such an animosity against the Bible by so-called “learned people” today. Could it be that many choose to believe science over Yahweh simply because they don’t want to evaluate themselves by the Word of Yahweh? Maybe they are afraid of what they might find. It’s like avoiding the doctor because it might mean an adverse prognosis of their health. By not going to the doctor they somehow think a potential illness will just go away.
Prophecy proves the Bible. The surety of prophecy gives one a sense of stability in an otherwise unstable world. Prophecy makes the Bible come alive, it makes one step back and say, “Wow, what I just saw on the 10:00 news is right here prophesied in the Book of Revelation!” How could men thousands of years ago write about the calamities we see today? How did they know Persia was going to fall to Greece? How did they know Jerusalem was going to be a hotbed in the latter days? How did they know men would journey to outer space? The prophet Obadiah tells us just that: “Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith Yahweh” 1:4.
How did these men know these prophecies? Did they just make some extremely good guesses? Or were they given divine inspiration? Why do many leading archaeologists today use the Bible to find hidden, ancient ruins? I’ll tell you why. The Bible is not just a book of stories, it is a book of knowledge about mankind by the Maker of man himself. It is a user’s manual for the human race. It is a shame more people don’t apply Scripture to their lives. We would live in a much better world if that were the case.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Vision
One of the most important prophecies for our time is found in the Book of Daniel, chapter 2. We see a Babylonian king who has some inspiration of his own. He dreams a very strange dream in which a statue of himself is before him when it suddenly is crushed by a rock. He is distressed because no man in Babylon is able to describe or interpret the dream. Very upset, the king orders all the wise men, astrologers, magicians and wise men of the land to die. Daniel hears this, tells his three companions Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah about the King’s decree. They all pray to Yahweh to intervene, so their lives would be spared. Yahweh blesses Daniel and his companions and gives Daniel the essence of the dream and it’s interpretation in a night vision. Daniel then confronts King Nebuchadnezzar.
Very eagerly the king asks Daniel to explain what he saw. He tells Nebuchadnezzar that there is a Mighty One in heaven Who reveals such secrets. Daniel 2:31 reads: “Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.
32: This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,33: His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.34: Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
35: Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
36: This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
37: Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the Elohim of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38: And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
39: And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40: And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41: And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42: And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43: And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44: And in the days of these kings shall the Mighty One of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
45: Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; Yahweh hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
46: Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odors unto him.”
In this article we are focusing specifically on verses 41-43 because everything before this point in the chapter has already been fulfilled.
Where are the Toes?
Verse 41 says, “And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.“
What do the 10 toes represent? The most popular belief held by Christians today is that these toes represent a Europeanconfederacy or EU. This belief is backed by Rome‘s historical possession of Jerusalem for 666 years starting from the battle of Actium in 31 B.C.E. until C.E. 636. The belief is that Rome (Europe) is the only country of the four mentioned by way of the statue that has trodden down Jerusalem utterly.
We find some problems with this belief, however.
Problem (1)
At last count there were14 nations in the EU with more planning to join. This statue does not have 14-plus toes!
Problem (2)
We see these toes do not adhere well, being made of an iron-clay mix. They do not get along, so to speak. Yet we do not see any vast problems among and between European nations today. In fact they get along quite well, and even have their own currency, the Euro dollar.
Problem (3)
The country of Israel is a power once again. Jerusalem is again a flourishing city, it has not been “utterly” destroyed.
So if not Europe, what do these toes represent?
Bible prophecy always centers on the Middle East, Israel and Jerusalem. Could these 10 toes be 10 nations surrounding Israel? Let’s let scripture answer that question. We need to find some cross- reference in the Bible dealing with this description in verse 41.
We can find that scripture in the 83rd chapter of Psalms. This important Psalm tells us that the enemies are confederate against “Thy People” and want to “cut them off from being a nation,” verse 4. The avowed purpose of many Arabs is to destroy Israel. Witness the many wars throughout history, and the recent wars in 60s and 70s that were attempts to do just that. Even in Desert Storm Iraq launched missiles against Israel.
“1: Keep not thou silence, O Elohim: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O El.
2: For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.
3: They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4: They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5: For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:
6: The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7: Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8: Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot.
9: Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:
10: Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.
11: Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:
12: Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of Yahweh in possession.
13: O my Elohim, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.
14: As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;
15: So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.
16: Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O YAHWEH.
17: Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:
18: That men may know that thou, whose name alone is YAHWEH, art the most high over all the earth.” (Psalm 83).
Verses 6-8 speak of 10 nations surrounding Israel. Some scholars have defined these territories this way:
Edom =southern Jordan
Ishmaelites=Arabs
Moab=central Jordan
Hagarenes=Egypt
Gebal=Lebanon
Ammon=northern Jordan
Amalek=Sinai Penninsula
Philistines=Gaza Strip
Tyre=Lebanon
Assur=Siria, Iraq
The “children of Lot” in verse 8 equates historically to the Jordanians and Yemenites. They Are Not Cohesive
“41. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.”
The prophecy goes to great lengths to point out an important fact: These 10 toes (nations) are not cohesive. They do not get along. We know that the Middle Eastern nations are always fighting amongst themselves, they are indeed “broken” on most issues. The key here is iron. What is that iron? It is this iron that makes them “partly” strong. Let’s again refer back Psalm 83, verses 3-5.
“3. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee.
“The nations surrounding Israel have one thing in common with their Arab neighbors—their mutual hatred of Israel. Notice again verse 5: “They are consulted together with ONE consent: they are confederate against thee.” It is precisely this dislike for Israel that unites an otherwise weak and divided coalition.
Too similar
We can see that Daniel chapter 2 goes hand–in–hand with Psalm 83. As you watch and read world news, notice the problems surrounding Israel and Jerusalem. The Middle East nations are indeed confederate against her (Israel).
We cannot draw absolute conclusions about the identity of these nations, but what we are saying is, watch the Middle East and keep an open mind. Bible prophecy has many variables, and one can easily be deceived by falling in with popular interpretations. If we are looking in the wrong place for prophecy fulfillment…Satan may take us by surprise!
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Bible prophecy has become irrelevant in the eyes of many today. Man believes that he already holds the answers to the future through science and human intellect. For this reason many view the Bible as just a book of old tales drummed up by bored old men who called themselves prophets, teachers, and apostles. Is this the case? Is the Bible just a book of old stories? Or does the Bible accurately predict what will happen in your lifetime and your children’s future?
Past prophecies have repeatedly proven the inspiration of the Bible. Not one has ever failed. The surety of prophecy provides a sense of stability in an otherwise unstable world. Prophecy makes the Bible come alive; it makes a person step back and say, “Wow, what I just saw on the ten o’clock news is right here in the Book of Revelation!” How could men thousands of years ago precisely write about the events we see unfolding today?
How did they know that Persia would fall to Greece, or that Jerusalem and the Mideast were going to dominate our daily news? How did they know thousands of years before that men would journey to outer space? The prophet Obadiah tells us just that! “Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith Yahweh,” 1:4.
Were ancient predictions just extremely good guesses from active imaginations, or were they inspired from a Creator above? Why do many leading archaeologists today use the Bible to find hidden, ancient ruins? The Bible is not just a book of stories; it is a book of knowledge about man by the Maker of man. It’s a user’s manual for the human race, past, present and future.
One prophecy that is especially fascinating in light of today’s events is the Beast and the Ten Toes prophecies foretold by Daniel and in Revelation by John of Patmos. These shadowy figures will play a central role in end-time events.
Let’s begin by first examining the evidence for the Beast, also known as the Man of Sin or the Antimessiah (i.e., Antichrist). As we’ll find, this man will possess extraordinary power that will shake the very core of civilization.
Antimessiah’s Domination
One of the first references to the Beast is Daniel 8:23-25. It reads, “And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.”
Verse 23 is one of the most overlooked but critical end-time prophecies in the Word. The reference to “they” is the four generals who ruled the divided empire of Alexander the Great. They were: (1) Seleucus, who controlled Syria and Babylon, (2) Lysimachus, who ruled Asia Minor, (3) Ptolemy, who governed Egypt, and (4) Cassander, who maintained control over Macedonia and Greece. Alexander’s empire and later these four kingdoms never included Rome or northern Europe. Rome was insignificant at the time and the lands west of Greece never attracted Alexander’s attention.
Why is this important? According to Daniel’s prophecy, the Antimessiah will arise from the territory ruled by Alexander and passed on to his Seleucid generals. Many claim that the Antimessiah is the papacy. While there is more than one problem with this view, the greatest difficulty is found here.
We also see that this prophecy is for the latter days when the “transgressors will come to the full.” The word “transgressors” is from the Hebrew pasha and means, “…to break away (from just authority), i.e. trespass, apostatize, quarrel:–offend, rebel, revolt, transgress(-ion, -or)” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance). This word refers to the coming of the Antimessiah who will break away or revolt from Yahweh’s authority and cause unparalleled offense.
Daniel also prophesies that the Antimessiah will have great insight into dark sentences. In the Hebrew, the phrase “dark sentences” refers to a puzzle or riddle. He will receive astonishing insights from Satan, the father of lies. It’s important to remember that in the beginning Satan was full of wisdom (Ez. 28:12). It is never wise to underestimate the Adversary!
Through this unholy Beast-Satan alliance, this Man of Sin will deceive the entire world and in the process wreak worldwide chaos and mayhem. The word “wonderfully” comes from the Hebrew pala, a primitive root, meaning, “to separate or distinguish.” This individual will be the greatest adversary of Yahweh this world has ever seen!
While Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin mercilessly murdered millions of Jews and others, the persecution from this man will be even greater and without historical equal. He will be empowered by the Evil One himself and will possess an arsenal that will destroy millions, including some believers. According to Revelation chapter 6, some will die as a testimony to their faith.
In addition to persecution, Daniel prophesied that the “Beast” would cause “craft” to prosper. This word is derived from the Hebrewmirmah and means, “subtle deception.” While we learn from Revelation that he will maintain his power through war, he also achieves authority peacefully through deception and fraud.
Once he achieves power he will make war with those who oppose him and exalt himself above all mighty ones, including Yahweh, the Father and Creator of the universe. However, at the end of his reign, he will be broken or destroyed without hands by the Prince of Princes, i.e., Yahshua the Messiah. Paul writes that the brightness or manifestation of the Messiah’s coming will consume this demon-driven person, 2Thessalonians 2:8.
Seven-Year Covenant
Another sign that is connected with the Antimessiah is a seven-year covenant that he will establish with many nations. Daniel 9:27reads, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”
“Week” here represents the seven years of the Tribulation. During this time, he will confirm or pledge to a covenant, i.e., a league or agreement with many nations. In the middle of this covenant he will sever the earlier agreement and exalt himself as dictator.
This power grab starts the three-and-a-half years of the Great Tribulation, as also found in Daniel 7:25 and Revelation 12:14. When this occurs, he will cause the sacrifices and oblations to cease or end.
This action hints at a startling possibility that the Man of Sin may impose a Hebraic form of worship, or system of worship resembling the Old Testament. This could explain the great falling away mentioned by the Apostle Paul in 2Thessalonians 2:3: “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that Man of Sin be revealed the son of perdition….”
After he removes the sacrifices he will pollute the temple through an abomination of desolation. Yahshua warned of this idolatrous act in Matthew 24:15, “When ye therefore shall see THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand). Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains.”
The Jews interpret this abomination as the action of Antiochus Epiphanes IV, when he desecrated the holy place by erecting a statue of Jupiter there and sacrificing swine on the temple altar. While this was likely fulfilled once by Antiochus, from Yahshua’s prophecy it is clear that it will be fulfilled once more under the reign of the Antimessiah, showing that this prophecy is dual in scope. Many prophecies have two fulfillments, one anciently and another future one.
Speculation of what this “abomination” is varies greatly. Some claim that it might represent the statue that the false prophet gives life to, as we find later in Revelation 13. Whatever it is, the placement of this abomination in the holy place of the rebuilt temple will usher in three-and-a-half years of the Great Tribulation.
Power by Flatteries
Daniel 11 describes how this Man of Sin will come to power and what form of worship he may initiate.
“And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time,” vv. 21-24.
This ulta-slick con artist will come to power without conflict and deftly employ flattery. The word “flatteries” is from the Hebrewchalaqlaqqah and means, “something very smooth; i.e. a treacherous spot; figuratively, blandishment” (Strong’s). As we saw in chapter eight of this prophecy, he will come not by force, but by smooth speech. Undoubtedly, this man will profess peace, but his intent will be war.
Once he obtains his tyrannical position he will break the covenant he made with the nations (9:27). Let us reread verse 23, “And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully.” This man’s rulership will be built upon fraud and pretense.
Verse 24 suggests the Antimessiah’s geographic location. It says that he shall come from the “fattest places of the province.” The word “fattest” comes from the Hebrew mashman. The primitive root of this word is shaman and means, “to shine, i.e. (by analogy) be (causatively, make) oily or gross” (Strong’s). Shaman has been interpreted as a place that is rich in oil or petroleum, perhaps corresponding to the oil-rich Middle East.
Prophecy says the Antimessiah will become strong with collusion of only a few, referring possibly to the 10-toe nations of Daniel’s image. Significantly, the Islamic religion started with one man, Mohammed, and a few who followed him. This once fledgling faith today is second only to Christianity in numbers, and the fastest growing religion in the world. Once the Man of Sin achieves power, he will then collect and redistribute the wealth of this world to his adherents. The NIV reads, “He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers,” verse 24. After all this he will seek to destroy all who oppose him.
Starting in verse 36 of Daniel 11 we find: “And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every el, and shall speak marvelous things against the El of els, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.”
This man will usurp complete control over the world and will disregard and blaspheme all other mighty ones, including Almighty Yahweh. This will occur in the Great Tribulation when he removes the oblations and sacrifices and will intend to change times and laws, as found in Daniel 7:25. At this time, he will also begin persecuting the saints, the remnant of Yahweh.
We find a similar prophecy from the Apostle Paul in 2Thessalonians 2:4. It reads, “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called Elohim, or that is worshiped; so that he as Elohim sitteth in the temple of Elohim, shewing himself that he is Elohim.” This evil individual will force all flesh to worship him as the only true elohim or deity. All those who fail to comply will be persecuted. This is why it is important that as believers we understand and watch as the prophetic trends unfold.
His Mideastern Heritage
In Daniel 11:37 we find an indication of this man’s genealogy: “Neither shall he regard the Elohim of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any eloah: for he shall magnify himself above all.” The phrase “Elohim of his fathers” occurs five additional times in Scripture (2Kings 21:22; 2Chron. 21:10; 28:25; 30:19; 33:12). In each of these examples, this phrase refers to Yahweh. If this passage follows the same trend, then the Antimessiah’s genealogy will be Hebraic.
Some have speculated that the Man of Sin will be half Israelite and half Arab. Because the Jews trace ancestry from the mother and the Arabs trace from the father, this interpretation is possible. This would not only satisfy this passage, but possibly provide an association that would unify the Middle East.
He shall not desire women, the prophecy says. This has been viewed many ways. Perhaps the most logical interpretation is that he will be celibate, as Yahshua the Messiah was during His Ministry. We also find once more that the Man of Sin will elevate himself above all mighty ones and cause the earth to worship him alone, except for one, as we’ll see next. In the end, his lust for power will be his undoing, as is common with those who desire such positions.
To achieve this goal, he will turn to a false mighty one. In verses 38-39 we find a description of this deity: “But in his estate shall he honour the eloah of forces: and an eloah whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange eloah, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.”
The word “eloah” is the singular of the Hebrew elohim and refers to a mighty one or deity. In this instance, it’s the mighty one of forces. “Forces” is from the Hebrew ma’owz and means, “a fortified place; figuratively, a defence:–force, fort(-ress), rock, strength(-en), (X most) strong (hold) (Strong’s). Explaining this deity has proven difficult for biblical scholars throughout history. One thing is for certain, however, it’s not the mighty one of his forefathers, a possible reference to Yahweh, the Elohim of the Hebrews. It is something vastly different and almost certainly connected with strength or with war.
Because this highly charismatic individual will exalt himself above all other mighty ones, it seems odd that he would worship any mighty one. According to the Companion Bible, while this man will exalt himself in public, he will worship this deity in private. This may explain the seeming contradiction.
We also find here that he will take land as he desires. It again says in verse 39, “…and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.” This may be a reference to the Ten Toes that will rule with the Antimessiah. As we’ll find later, these men will receive their power with the Antimessiah. This also corroborates that he will contain complete control and sovereignty over the earth.
The First Beast
Possibly the greatest prophecy regarding the Beast is found in Revelation. There we find detail that is missing in Daniel or other prophetic writings. Chapter 13 is dedicated to the Antimessiah and his False Prophet, which we will examine in due course.
Let’s begin in verse 1, “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a Beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.” The Beast rising from the sea here represents the Antimessiah. As we’ll see later, the sea represents nations and languages of this world. The heads and horns correspond to seven past and future kingdoms and ten kings, respectively. Both of these prophetic signs will be further described along with the Ten Toes.
For now, let’s continue with verse 2 as we begin to uncover the characteristics of the Beast and his global empire. “And the Beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.”
The leopard represents the third Beast in Daniel 7:6 or Alexander the Great and his kingdom, and refers to the swiftness of his conquest. By the age of 30 he controlled one of the largest empires known to man. His dominion stretched from the Ionian Sea to the Himalayas. In like manner the Man of Sin will swiftly achieve global domination!
The bear is found in the second Beast of Daniel’s prophecy, representing the Persian Empire and refers to its strength. In the chronicles of history, Persia was the largest empire the earth had ever seen. It successfully conquered and overthrew the Median confederation and the ancient empire of Babylon. It was a kingdom of great power. Similarly, the Antimessiah will control this world with unparalleled strength.
The last image, the mouth of a lion, is also found in Daniel’s prophecy; however, this time it is associated with the first Beast, symbolizing Babylon. It was this same Babylon that conquered Assyria and later, Judah. As with its successors, this ancient empire was a formidable superpower. The lion here further expands upon the Antimessiah’s strength or boldness.
Through these three Beasts we find the unrivaled strength and power that this man will possess in the years ahead of us.
We also see once more that the dragon gave him his power. The dragon corresponds to Satan the devil. Even though this man will control the world, it will not be by his own strength or intellect, but through the power of the Evil One. This is a point that must not go unnoticed. It will be this unholy relationship that will cause all the earth to worship the Beast.
“And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the Beast: and they worshiped the Beast, saying, Who is like unto the Beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against Yahweh, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:4-8).
Unlike Daniel’s description of the Antimessiah, here John of Patmos prophesies that he will be a man of war. Daniel’s prophecy speaks to his rise of power, while we find here the method by which he will maintain power. This fact again rules out the popular notion that the Man of Sin corresponds to the papacy. The pope is not a man of war, but a religious figure. Such an interpretation counters our Father’s prophetic Word.
In addition to being a man of war, we find that the Man of Sin will speak blasphemies against Yahweh for forty-two months. This number equates to three-and-a-half years, the time of the Great Tribulation. It will be during this time that he will be in complete control of the world with no opposition. Verse 7 refers to “all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”
The Second Beast
Starting with verse eleven, we find another Beast similar to the first: “And I beheld another Beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exercises all the power of the first Beast before him, and causes the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first Beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he does great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceives them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the Beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the Beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.”
This second Beast represents the false prophet in league with the Antimessiah. This man is depicted by two lamb’s horns, possibly indicating his attempt to counterfeit the Messiah. He also speaks like a dragon, symbolizing the demonic influence of Satan. He is able to exercise all the power of the first Beast. Like the Antimessiah, the false prophet will be able to show great signs and wonders, such that cannot be explained by human logic or reasoning.
Through these signs many will be deceived and led astray. It’s for this reason that Yahshua’s first warning in His Olivet prophecy was, “Take heed that no man deceive you.” Our Savior knew that the greatest danger to His saints during this latter time was deception. Because of these miracles all the earth will follow the first Beast. The purpose of the false prophet is to mislead the world into following the Antimessiah.
This man’s miracles will be like nothing seen before. To the shock of many, Scripture indicates that he will make a statue live and thereby “deceive them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the Beast.” He will “say to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the Beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the Beast, that the image of the Beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the Beast should be killed,” vv. 14-15.
Some claim that this statue will resemble Nebuchadnezzar’s image in Daniel and be used for the same purpose. Others say that it will be similar to the statue of Zeus (or known as Jupiter in Rome) that Antiochus placed in the holy place. Whatever the parallel, we find again that this man will perform a mind-boggling miracle that will deceive millions.
This miraculous image will be the catalyst leading the masses to worship the first Beast; those who refuse will be killed. While we are unsure of the details, we know that some will pay the ultimate price for refusing to compromise their beliefs. A great deal is at stake, and we must not neglect the Messiah’s warning about deception.
What is the Mark of the Beast?
We find another sign in this passage. In addition to the image, all those who worship the Beast will receive a mark. “And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the Beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of the Beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six,” vv. 16-18.
Like the image of the Beast, the meaning of his mark has been debated for centuries. Here’s what we know. The word “mark” derives from the Greek charagma and means, “a scratch or etching, i.e. stamp (as a badge of servitude), or scupltured figure (statue)” (Strong’s). Some believe that this mark corresponds to a barcode or some type of permanent mark, while others hold that it means a computer microchip. While the latter seems to fulfill this prophecy, the truth is we can only offer conjecture as to the nature of this mark. Perhaps the future will reveal another meaningful interpretation.
The purpose behind this mark is more important than what it is. Without this special identification, a person will not be able to buy or sell. If we’re ever told that we must receive a mark, whether it is a barcode, microchip, or something completely different, on our hand or forehead, we should proceed with extreme caution.
Imagine not being able to buy food for your family or being unable to purchase life-saving medication for your child. In this scenario, what would you do? Would you sacrifice your faith and agree to the mark to feed your children? This is a very real scenario that we may find ourselves up against in the near future. If this day comes upon us, how will we respond? In the Great Tribulation sacrifice will be required. In those times it is incumbent upon the elect to remain faithful without compromise!
In addition to the Antimessiah and his False Prophet, we find another critical prophecy involving Ten Toes. These shadowy figures are found in Daniel, Revelation, and Psalms. The Ten Toes will play a pivotal role with the Man of Sin at the end of this age.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Revealing Dream
Before delving into this prophecy, it’s important that we first take a step back. In Daniel chapter 2, the prophet provides insight into Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, through Daniel’s ability to interpret dreams.
“Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; But there is an Elah in heaven that reveals secrets, and makes known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that reveals secrets makes known to thee what shall come to pass. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou might know the thoughts of thy heart,” vv. 27-30.
In Daniel’s explanation to King Nebuchadnezzar, he affirms that the interpretation of dreams is not through man’s knowledge, but through the inspiration of Almighty Yahweh. This is a key point, as it reveals the source of wisdom and understanding and the basis of biblical prophecy.
Starting in verse 31, Daniel recounts the king’s dream; “Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth,” vv. 31-35.
The king had not told the dream to Daniel. Instead, Daniel provided the dream accurately as well as its interpretation. This further illustrates the miraculous work and the omniscience of Yahweh, our Father in heaven.
Many have wondered what this image represents. As is the case with many prophecies, our Father’s Word itself provides the interpretation. “Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the Elah of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the Beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. And in the days of these kings shall the Elah of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great Elah hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.”
Daniel says that the head of gold represents Nebuchadnezzar and the kingdom of Babylon. The second kingdom, which is represented by the arms of silver, symbolizes Medo-Persia. This second kingdom was inferior to the first. The Persian Empire was three times the size of its predecessor. How then was this kingdom inferior to Babylon? This may be referring to internal conflicts within the Persian Empire or possibly to the weakness of its leaders.
As depicted by the two arms, the Persian Empire was made up of two separate peoples, the Medes and the Persians. This is why scholars refer to this empire as “Medo-Persia.” Even though the Persians were able to absorb the Medes into their empire, they were unable to completely attain the same unity found in Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar.
The third Beast, represented by the belly and thighs of brass, refers to Greece. This third Beast seems to symbolize both unity and division through the symbolic belly and two thighs. Under Alexander the Great, Greece had one ruler renowned for his resilient leadership. After his death, however, his kingdom was divided among his four generals and it never experienced the same strength and unity.
The Legs of Iron
The fourth Beast with its two legs of iron is one of the most well-known kingdoms in the history of mankind. It is the Roman Empire, which incredibly ruled much of the world for 500 years. The iron symbolizes the strength of this kingdom, while the legs represent the eastern (also known as the Byzantine) empire with its capital at Constantinople and the western division of the empire with its capital at Rome. The Byzantine Empire at its peak controlled parts of southeastern Europe, southwestern Asia, the northeast corner of Africa, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Cyprus, Egypt, eastern Libya and Turkey. Constantinople was established by Constantine, from whom the name is derived, as the capital of the Roman Empire in 330 CE and is now Istanbul, Turkey. This grand empire would exist for 1,000 years until its overthrow by the Ottoman Turks in 1453 CE.
While many prophetic interpretations focus exclusively on Rome, it is more likely that the metal man prophecy is associated with the Byzantine Empire. Interestingly, we find that the feet of this image are made of both iron and clay and specifically Ten Toes. What do these toes signify? Many who study end-time prophecy have proposed that they correspond to 10 historic kings of the Eastern Roman Empire; others tie them to members of the European Union (EU).
As we’ll find in Revelation, these kings will coexist at the end of the age. Regarding the EU, there are currently twenty-seven member states that constitute this international organization. Based on this fact alone, such an interpretation seems to also defy Scripture.
As we read from Daniel 2:41, the clay and iron symbolize both division and strength. They somewhat cohere but at the same time are divided, just as iron and clay do not adhere well. Strength comes through the iron, weakness is in the clay.
What group of people is strong and unified yet divided? One possibility is that these Ten Toes represent 10 Arab or Middle Eastern nations, including the descendants of Ishmael (it should be noted that the Iranian people are descendants of Persia and are not considered Arabic). They are unified through their religion but have difficulty uniting politically. Prophetically we find that Ishmael and his ancestry, the Arabs, would be fractured: “And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren” (Gen. 16:12).
The Ten Kings Identified
The first passage providing evidence associating these toes to 10 Middle Eastern nations is Psalm 83:3-8. We read, “They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot.”
According to some scholars and historians, this prophecy has never been fulfilled. For example, we find this acknowledgement from the HarperCollins Study Bible: “There is no particular historical moment with which such a grouping of nations against Israel can be associated.” The Wycliffe Bible Commentary agrees, “The occasion cannot be identified with certainty, because at no period in Israel’s history has such a confederation of nations existed.”
Interestingly, we find ten specific nations mentioned in this passage, which were all anciently located in the Middle East. According to author Walid Shoebat in his book, God’s War on Terror, these nations represent:
Edom – Southern Jordan and Saudi Arabia
Ishmaelites and Hagarenes – Arabs (Hagarenes, also identified as Egypt)
Gebal – Lebanon
Ammon – Northern Jordan
Amalek – southwest of the Dead Sea (also indentified as the Sinai Peninsula)
Philistines – Gaza
Tyre – Lebanon
Assur – Syria, Iraq, and Turkey
Children of Lot – Jordan
From this passage we see that these ten will make a pact. According to The Pulpit Commentary, the phrase, “They are confederate against thee,” literally means that they “have entered into a covenant against thee.” Now keep in mind the purpose of this alliance. It is to remove Israel from being a nation. How often have we heard calls for Israel’s destruction from Arab and Middle Eastern leaders? Below is a partial list of the many calls for Israel’s obliteration from recent leaders.
“Since we cannot defeat Israel in war we do this in stages. We take any and every territory that we can of Palestine, and establish sovereignty there and we use it as a springboard to take more. When the time comes, we can get the Arab nations to join us for the final blow against Israel” (Former PLO Chairman, Yasser Arafat, 1993).
“Complete liberation of Palestine, and eradication of Zionist economic, political, military and cultural existence” (Article 12 of the Fatah Constitution, 1998).
“If a day comes when the world of Islam is duly equipped with the arms Israel has in possession, the strategy of colonialism would face a stalemate because application of an atomic bomb would not leave anything in Israel” (Former Iranian President, Hashemi Rafsanani, 2001).
“I declared that we will not recognize Israel which is an alien entity in the region. And we expect the demise of this cancer soon” (Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood leader, Muhammad Mehdi Akef, 2005).
This same desire for Israel’s annihilation, as found in Psalm 83, is well documented and should not be a surprise to anyone—the hatred for Israel is undeniable. If they could eliminate Israel as a nation, they would!
Biblical prophecy almost exclusively centers on the Middle East. This is true for the Ten Toes prophecy of Daniel as well as for the prophecies of our Savior. For example, Yahshua in Matthew 24:15-16 stated, “When ye therefore shall see THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:”
Those specifically in “Judea” were to flee upon seeing the Abomination of Desolation. This image is connected to the Antimessiah and by association, the Ten Toes. To have a proper understanding of eschatology we must grasp this key point.
Sea, Seven Heads, and Mountains
Prophecy states that this despot will persecute the saints (Dan. 8:24), blaspheme Yahweh (Rev. 13:6), resist Yahshua’s coming and oppose all those who are called a mighty one (Dan. 11:36-37; 2Thess. 2:1-9).
According to Revelation 17:15, the image of a sea in Revelation 13 symbolizes “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” Therefore, the sea here represents the Antimessiah’s vast empire, which will include people of different ethnic groups, nations and languages.
The seven heads represent seven past and future kingdoms from which this man’s empire will rise. This interpretation can be verified from Revelation 17:9-10: “…The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.”
The word “mountain” represents a kingdom. At the time of this prophecy, five of these kings or kingdoms were fallen. This may refer to Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. In reference to “and one is,” undoubtedly is Rome. This last kingdom likely comes from one of the previous ones. Based on the geography of the Grecian empire, from which the Antimessiah will arise (Dan. 8:23), and the many references to Babylon in Revelation (14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2), this last kingdom likely refers to Babylon, whose location was the modern country of Iraq.
Interpreting the Ten Horns
In addition to the seven heads, we also find ten horns. These ten horns correspond to the Ten Toes of Daniel. In Revelation 17:12-13we find the Bible’s interpretation: “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the Beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the Beast.”
These horns denote 10 kings that will rule with the Antimessiah. Notice that these kings have received no kingdom as of yet, but will with the Beast, i.e., the Antimessiah. From this prophecy it’s possible that the territory that these men will receive has not yet been established. We also see here the purpose and intent of these 10 kings. They will be united and will give their power and strength to the Antimessiah.
The word “power” comes from the Greek dynamis, meaning, “might or force,” while the word “strength” is derived from the Greekexousia, and refers to “force, authority, or delegated influence.”
It’s interesting that the Greek word for “power” means “delegated authority,” and the text indicates that their power is provided by the Antimessiah. From this we discover that the Ten Toes of Daniel likely represent ten vassal kings of Arab or Middle Eastern descent, which will give their allegiance and support to the Man of Sin, who will likely also be of Middle Eastern descent.
These despots will enslave the world to the Antimessiah. Those who defy them will be put to death. We read in Revelation 20:4, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Yahshua, and for the word of Yahweh, and which had not worshipped the Beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Messiah a thousand years.”
Notice here that the saints will be beheaded for not worshiping the Beast and his image. While not exclusive to a specific ethnic group or religion, beheading is common among Islamic extremists. This is one more indication that the Man of Sin along with his ten toed confederacy will arise from the Middle East.
It’s remarkable how the Bible not only interprets the identity and purpose of the Ten Toes, but also how this prophecy follows current events. The actions of today’s Islamic terrorists are likely a shadow of what is to come in the future.
We find yet one more prophecy in Revelation 17:16 that involves the Ten Toes: “And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the Beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.” The kings of the earth will commit fornication and will burn the whore with fire.
From Revelation 18:3, some speculate that this whore represents America, “For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.”
The word “fornication” here is from the Greek porneuo and means, “to act the harlot, i.e. (literally) indulge unlawful lust (of either sex), or (figuratively) practise idolatry” (Strong’s). As found here this word can denote idolatry, which is any worship that is not of Yahweh. This is likely the guilt spoken of by porneuo. It is possible that this “fornication” refers to America’s trend of evolving into a melting pot of diverse religions, including the promotion of secularism.
Possibly the greatest indication here of this referring to the United States is the statement, “…and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.” America was once an industrial nation; however, in the last several decades its trend to import goods has sharply increased over the producing of goods. This greed has made the nations of this world rich, including China. According to the U.S.-China Business Council, in 2011 U.S. exports to China were 103.9 billion. However, U.S. imports from China were 399.9 billion, a 9.4% increase from the previous year.
The parallels between this mysterious “woman” and America are fascinating. If this is indeed the case, today’s animosity between the Ten Toes nations, representing ten Arab nations, and the United States may very well be a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. The hostility toward America by today’s Middle Eastern nations is well known and documented, including the many anti-American demonstrations in 2012 in countries like Egypt and Libya, where Christopher Stevens, U.S. diplomat to Libya, and three other Americans were ruthlessly murdered. Regardless of the identity of this woman, we find that these ten kings will play a pivotal role in end-time prophecy.
Now What?
Understanding end-time prophecy is one thing, but what are we to do with this knowledge? Are we to use it simply to impress our fellow believers, or is prophecy for a greater purpose? Our Father in heaven tells us that understanding of prophecy is for a reason.
In Hebrews 10:22-25 we read, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
As Yahshua’s return draws closer, we are to prepare our minds and hearts for Almighty Yahweh, our Father in heaven. This is the calling of all believers. We must mold our lives to the example of Yahshua the Messiah, our Savior and soon-coming King. This includes obeying His commandments.
He said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments…He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him,” John 14:15, 21.
Further we read, “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of Elohim perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked,”1John 2:3-6.
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city,” Revelation 22:14.
Yahweh in heaven is calling out a special people unto Him. Those who respond will receive treasures beyond anything this transitory life can offer. Yahshua in Matthew 6:19-21, stated, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Where is your treasure? Is it in material belongings, earthly goals, aimless hobbies, endless entertainment or in the Kingdom to come? Our Father promises incomparable peace, happiness, and fulfillment in the life to come. All we must do is respond, repent and live according to His instruction. Don’t ignore this call! It’s never too late to repent. Commit your life now to Him and experience unparalleled fulfillment in this life, and more importantly, in the life to come!
Watch: “Countdown to Armageddon Starts from Here” below.
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Turn on the TV or browse the Internet and you will find many indications pointing to the fulfillment of end-time prophecy, whether in the continued conflicts in the Middle East, the economic woes of the United States and Europe or the decline of morality in general.
Yahshua in His parable of the fig tree explained how these signs will precede His coming. “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, you know that summer is nigh. So likewise you, when you shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors” (Matt 24:32-33). As nature reveals the coming of the seasons, Yahshua states that prophecy reveals the timing of His return.
Two specific forewarnings of the tribulation are found in the Olivet Prophecy and the vision of the Four Horsemen. These mirror and detail each another and foretell the events of the first three-and-a-half years of a seven-year covenant that the Antimessiah, commonly called the Antichrist, will establish (Dan. 7:25).
Deception
The first sign that stands out in both the Olivet Prophecy and the Four Horsemen narrative is deception. Yahshua in His Olivet Prophecy states, “…Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Messiah; and shall deceive many…For there shall arise false Messiahs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect,” Matthew 24:4-5, 24.
During this time there will be deception as never before. Many false prophets and false messiahs will surface and do astounding things. The word for “signs” is derived from the Greek semeion and refers to a miracle. Many will witness these great wonders and believe in the authenticity and power of these false men. Their signs will be so remarkable that even the most sincere may be deceived. Yahshua put it this way: “…if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect,” Matthew 24:24.
Because of these dangers, this time will require complete faith in and devotion to the One we worship. If we are deceived by a false prophet or false messiah we will forfeit our eternal salvation. “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of Elohim, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name,” Revelation 14:9-11.
Those who forsake Yahweh for the worship of the Beast or Antimessiah will pay with their eternal life. Scripture warns that they will drink of the wine of the wrath of Elohim. Our Father will destroy the Antimessiah and those who follow him. This includes those who receive the mark of the Beast on their right hand or forehead.
How will we avoid such deception? We must know the signs that our Savior gave in the Olivet prophecy and to John of Patmos in the book of Revelation. These serve as a roadmap of that which we’re to avoid as believers. As the end becomes closer these threats become more real and dangerous!
In fact, the Apostle Paul prophesied of a great falling away that would precede the revealing of the Man of the Sin. He wrote, “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Master Yahshua Messiah, and by our gathering together unto him, that you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Messiah is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition,” 2Thessalonians 2:1-3.
This same admonition is as relevant to us as it was to the people of Thessalonica. We are not to be soon shaken. In other words, we must hold firm to the promise and truth of Scripture. This is why it’s critical that we as believers prove all things, as Paul instructs in 1Thessalonians 5:21. An intense desire to learn the truth characterized the Bereans, “And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so,” Acts 17:10-11.
The consequence of not proving all things can lead to deception and even defection from the truth. Paul prophesied of a great falling away that would occur before the exposing of the Man of Sin. Will we be one of the deceived or one of the elect who was not quickly shaken in faith?
The answer lies in our willingness to study and prove what we believe from our Father’s Word. If we simply coast through life without confirming our core beliefs, then what makes us think that we will have the spiritual stamina and strength to hold firm to the end? If we are unsure why we believe as we do, that belief can be quickly snatched away by deception and error.
The life of a believer requires action and this was the message of our Savior in His Olivet Prophecy. This is why He again warned first about deception. He knew that this would be the most destructive. Obeying the commandments and holding to the faith of Yahshua the Messiah, our Savior, will strengthen our resolve and dedication. Any man claiming to be a prophet and trying to persuade that Yahshua is not the Messiah is to be avoided.
Now we might think that we could never be deceived by a man claiming to be a prophet or the Messiah. Then why did Yahshua say that false prophets and false messiahs would show great signs and wonders and if possible, deceive the very elect of Yahweh?
For this reason, it is incumbent to put on the whole armor of Yahweh: “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of Elohim, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the good news of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of Elohim,” Ephesians 6:16.
Notice that Paul defines the sword of the Spirit as Yahweh’s Word. The greatest defense against deception will be the knowledge of the truth found in the Scriptures. Without it, we will have no way of knowing whether something is true or false. It is for this reason that we must study and prove all things. This doesn’t only apply to prophecy, but to all aspects of our worship.
The First Horseman
In Revelation 6:2 we find the first horseman and manifestation of the Messiah’s warning about deception in the Olivet prophecy: “And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.”
There is debate among scholars as to what or who this horseman represents. Some say it is the Messiah, based on Revelation 19:10-15: “And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Yahshua: worship Elohim: for the testimony of Yahshua is the spirit of prophecy. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of Yahweh. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of El Shaddai.”
While similarities exist between Yahshua and the first horseman, there are also significant differences. First, the timing of these passages is different. While the first horseman appears at the beginning of the seven-year tribulation, Yahshua arrives at the end. Second, Yahshua has a different weapon. Unlike the first horseman holding a bow but no arrows, Yahshua holds a sharp sword.
For these reasons, a far more likely interpretation for the first beast is the Antimessiah and his campaign of deception. Another reason for this view is the parallel between Yahshua’s Olivet Prophecy and the four horsemen.
As Yahshua began His prophecy in Matthew 24 with a warning against deception through false messiahs and false prophets, we find here the same message. There is one last parallel to consider. While both Yahshua and the beast wear a crown, the crown of the beast indicates kingship through Satan the devil. The Antimessiah will go forth conquering (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 13:4) and will rule this earth as the ultimate despot (2Thess. 2:4; Rev. 17:12-13).
War and Rumors of War
Along with deception, Yahshua also warns against coming conflict. “And you shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that you be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (Matt. 24:6-7a).
As we near the end we will see an increase in war. The Messiah verified that nation would be against nation and kingdom against kingdom. The word “nation” comes from the Greek ethnos and means a race or tribe, referring to tribal conflict and civil wars. Since 1550, over 100 civil wars have been fought around the world. At present, we see such conflicts in Colombia, Afghanistan, Uganda, Somali, Yemen, Chad, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, and Syria.
Yahshua also said that kingdom would be against kingdom. This word is from the Greek basileia and means, “royalty, i.e. (abstractly) rule, or (concretely) a realm (literally or figuratively)” (Strong’s). The word “kingdom” then refers to sovereign nations. Are we seeing wars between nations today? Absolutely! As of early 2013, news of continued conflict was reported in the Middle East, including Afghanistan, where forces of the United States, Europe, and Australia were still fighting insurgents.
Besides active wars, our Savior also said there would be rumors of wars. It may be only a matter of time until Israel strikes a nuclear Iran, which according to some could begin a world war. From a Fox News article dated February 2, 2013, war with Iran may be imminent:
“Judging by its expanding nuclear program, harsh sanctions against Iran have done little but impose hardship on its people, while diplomacy has also failed to slow the Islamic Republic’s atomic progress. And while more talks are planned for later this month, there is a growing sense that the nuclear standoff between Iran and the international community is reaching a tipping point.”
The analysis continues, “But Iran shows no sign of budging, and Israel’s threat to hit Tehran’s nuclear targets if negotiations fail stands, as does the possibility that such a move would draw the United States into the conflict. Iran could enrich uranium to arm one weapon within half a year even though analysts say it would take years longer for it to actually create a full working nuclear weapon.”
Beyond Iran there is also the un-predictable North Korea. Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader of North Korea, has followed in the footsteps of his father, Kim Jong-il. Instead of pursuing peace with South Korea and its neighbors, he continues to take provocative steps that only amplify the current concerns of the international community. In a recent move, Kim Jong-un has threatened nuclear war with the United States. While some experts believe that their nuclear arsenal is not ready for such a bold move, the threat remains and will inevitably grow.
An article from the New York Daily News dated April 3, 2013, states, “Ratcheting up the rhetoric, North Korea warned early Thursday that its military has been cleared to wage an attack on the U.S. using ‘smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear’ weapons. The Pentagon, meanwhile, said Wednesday that it will deploy a missile defense system to the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam to strengthen the region’s protections against a possible attack.”
As our Savior prophesied, we continue to hear of threats of conflict. Instead of arrows and spears, however, it’s now nuclear war, which has the potential of wiping out hundreds of thousands, if not millions!
Warring Against the Saints
In addition to war in general, the Antimessiah will specifically target Yahweh’s saints, i.e., those who observe the commandments of Yahweh with the faith of Yahshua the Messiah, Revelation 14:12. In Revelation 13:7, John of Patmos provides this frightful warning, “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”
We also find a second warning in Daniel 7:25: “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”
Prophecies show that this time will be especially dangerous for those who follow Almighty Yahweh. The first Beast of Revelation 13, the Antimessiah, will murder some of the saints. He will do this in a time of transition for a space of three-and-a-half-years, as confirmed in Daniel’s prophecy. It will require incredible spiritual stamina to hold firm to the end.
Martyrdom is also seen in the fifth seal of Revelation, “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of Elohim, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Yahweh, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled,” 6:9-11.
Some will be called to sacrifice their lives as witnesses or a testimony to their faith. If that is our destiny will we have the boldness to remain faithful? Those who do will be given white robes. The white robes represent the salvation of the saints. Those who faithfully serve Almighty Yahweh unto death will be assured eternal life. Yahshua said, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it,” Luke 9:24.
Protection in the Wilderness
Even though some of the elect will be martyred, death is not certain for all. Scripture states that many of the faithful of the Father, symbolized by a woman, will be protected in the wilderness: “And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent,” Revelation 12:14.
The wilderness symbolizes a place of refuge on earth for the last three-and-a-half-years of the Great Tribulation. Here, the elect will find safety and provision (nourished). This word comes from the Greek trepho and means, “to stiffen, i.e. fatten (by implication, to cherish (with food, etc.), pamper, rear)” (Strong’s).
During this time, Yahweh promises that He will feed His assembly in the wilderness, as He did for Israel in the Old Testament during a similar time of escape. This will likely be done with manna, as the risen Messiah prophesied to the Pergamos assembly, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the assemblies; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it,” Revelation 2:12.
In addition to Revelation, we find two additional passages in the Prophets promising protection. The first is in Isaiah 26:20: “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.”
The word “chamber” is the Hebrew cheder and also means, “a room, parlor, an innermost (or inward) part, within” (Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon). This “chamber” or room represents a place of refuge for Yahweh’s elect.
The second example is in Zephaniah 2:3: “Seek you Yahweh, all you meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be you shall be hid in the day of Yahweh’s anger.”
The day of Yahweh’s anger here is a reference to the Great Tribulation. Although He will hide His people during this time, it is not a rapture. The Bible indicates that this protection will be a place on earth, in the same way He protected His people in the Old Testament. We also see that there is a prerequisite for those found worthy of this protection.
The prophet says to seek righteousness and meekness. The word righteousness derives from the Hebrew tsadaq and refers to doing what is right or just. Paul states, “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good,” Romans 7:12. In addition to obeying our Father’s Word, Zephaniah says that we are to be meek and humble. Yahweh will reject all who are proud.
The Second Horseman
In Revelation 6:3-4 we find a parallel to the horsemen prophecy: “And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.”
This second horseman rides a red horse, likely symbolizing the blood of war. According to Strong’s, the word “power” is not found in the ancient text; however, based on the context this can be assumed. This horseman is given authority to cause death through the act of war, which is symbolized by the great sword.
As we also found in the Olivet Prophecy, before Yahshua’s Second Coming this earth will suffer horrific conflict. It will begin in the first three-and-a-half years of the Tribulation, also known as Jacob’s trouble (Jer. 30:7). The Antimessiah will likely leverage these global wars to bring peace (Jer. 6:14) and unite all nations under him for the last three-and-a-half years of the Great Tribulation.
Armageddon – the Final Battle
Yahweh’s Word speaks of one last battle, which will occur at the end of this age. Many call it Armageddon. While this word appears in Revelation 16:16, it does not describe the place of the last battle. Instead, Armageddon is a staging location in southwest Jezreel (“El sows”) Valley on the plains of Esdraelon where the armies of the world will gather before the age-ending battle of the ages.
In that colossal conflict the world’s armies will attack Jerusalem. Zechariah 12:2-3 states, “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.”
For those who come against this holy city, Yahweh will make it a burdensome stone. As prophesied by Zechariah, He will defend and aid the people of Judah and Benjamin: “In that day, saith Yahweh, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in Yahweh of hosts their Elohim. In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. Yahweh also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. In that day shall Yahweh defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as Elohim, as the angel of Yahweh before them,” 12:4-8.
Those who attack Jerusalem will be stricken to the very core of their being. Yahweh will smite every horse with astonishment and rider with madness. The word “astonishment” is from the Hebrew timmahown and refers to a “bewilderment or confusion.” Horses, which are still used in modern warfare, especially in the Mideast, will become confused or disoriented when they come against Yahweh’s Holy Spirit. The riders will be rendered insane.
If this were not enough, Yahweh will empower and strengthen His people. The governors will be like a hearth of fire among the wood, consuming those who oppose them. Even the most feeble or weak will become strong like David the warrior. Possibly the greatest revelation here is that those of the house of David shall be as Elohim. There is only one other place where man is given such a position. In Exodus 4:16, Yahweh promises Moses that He would be to the people as Elohim. There is not an army in the world now or in the future that will be able to defeat Yahweh and those He empowers through the strength of His Spirit.
Famine
Widespread famine is in both the Olivet and the Four Horsemen prophecies. In Matthew 24:7 Yahshua prophesied, “…and there shall be famines…” Before the Great Tribulation occurs, there will be a shortage in foodstuffs in part because of war.
Famine is devastating wherever it occurs, and historically has been most difficult in the Middle East. Egypt was hit particularly hard both in the days of Joseph and in 1064-71 CE, both famines lasting seven years. When human beings are under a prolonged famine, they will do about anything to survive, even to the point of what McClintock and Strong call “indescribable enormities”: “Parents consumed their children; human flesh was, in fact, a very common article of food” (Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. 3, p.480).
As inconceivable as it is, Yahweh issues a famine prophecy against Jerusalem that has similar but more severe implications. He said of Jerusalem through Ezekiel, “A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.”
Now notice verse 10 and the consequences of this severe famine: “Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds.” Along with what Yahweh calls “the evil arrows of famine,” He promises even an increased famine severity, evil beasts, pestilence, and war, vv. 16-17.
Famine is one of the greatest threats to life today. According to Bread for the World, “a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad”: “[In] 2008, nearly 9 million children died before they reached their fifth birthday. One third of these deaths are due directly or indirectly to hunger and malnutrition. Malnutrition is not having enough nourishing food, with adequate amounts of protein, vitamins, minerals and calories to support physical and mental growth and development. Children who survive early childhood malnutrition suffer irreversible harm—including poor physical growth, compromised immune function, and impaired cognitive ability.”
As we approach our Savior’s Coming, famine will become more common, directly related to an increase in war and other plagues. Can you imagine a day when you are unable to provide food for your spouse and children? Even though hard to contemplate in this nation of plenty, the future possibility isn’t only probable but prophesied.
Reminders from the Great Depression
In the 1930s this nation underwent the Great Depression. Prior to the Crash was a time of great prosperity. It was unthinkable that such an economic calamity was imminent. But with the fall of the stock market in 1929, the unimaginable became real. Mothers were unable to provide for their families, fathers were unable to find work and food was either nonexistent or so expensive it was nearly out of reach for most families, and especially for those who did not farm.
From National Public Radio come two personal accounts of the Great Depression:
“Unfortunately, we lost the house. I can remember to this day — and I become emotional when I think of it — literally being placed on the sidewalk [with] every last possession that my poor mother had because she wasn’t able to supposedly pay the mortgage. And an incredible number of people came to my mothers’ aid, literally wheeling wheelbarrows of coal to help warm the house.”
“It was always a challenge to keep warm — we hugged each other on the floor. We had little beds that open and close. When I think about it, it was horrible. It was horrible. And then the sanitation of the community — garbage was just put in the alley — and did that create a condition? Yes it did: TB [tuberculosis].”
These are just two accounts from the millions who suffered during the Great Depression. It was a blessing to simply have food for your family during those difficult days. Those old enough to remember this time still tremble at the thought of these challenges. Could a time such as this one occur again?
A Second Great Depression
With the national debt increasing rapidly, coupled with a lethargic economy, such a scenario does indeed exist. Wayne Root, former Presidential candidate and the 2008 Libertarian Vice Presidential nominee, explains why such a situation is not only possible, but also why today’s economic disaster might be much worse:
“….This time the results are going to be dramatically worse than 1929. This time we are facing The Greatest Depression ever. Why? Because The Great Depression had NONE of the structural, economic, and social problems, nor the massive obligations we are now facing. Read the facts:
In 1929 America was not $16 trillion in debt, and facing over $100 trillion in unfunded liabilities. That’s over $360,000 in debt per citizen.
In 1929 most states were not bankrupt, insolvent and dependent on federal government handouts to survive….
In 1929 we did not have 21 million government employees with bloated salaries, huge pensions, and free health care for life. Today 1 out of 5 federal employees earns over $100,000.
Today, 77,000 federal employees earn more than the governors of their states.
Staggering numbers of federal government employees retire at a young age with $100,000 pensions for life.
Unfortunately on the state and local levels it’s even worse. There is now nearly $4 trillion in unfunded pension liabilities for state government employees.
Protected by their unions and the politicians they elect, government employees are bankrupting America. In Illinois there are retired government employees making over $425,000 per year.
In 1929, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid didn’t exist. The federal government had no such obligations threatening to consume the entire federal budget within a few years.”
With all these uncertainties, this nation and much of the world are teetering on crises. If this day ever arrives, such a disaster would usher in famine and other prophetic signs that our Savior predicted would come to pass before His coming.
The Third Horseman
The plague of famine is also seen in the third horseman of Revelation 6: “And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine” (vv. 5-6).
“Balances” is key here. According to Barnes’ Notes, “This word properly means a yoke, serving to couple anything together, as a yoke for cattle. Hence it is used to denote the beam of a balance, or of a pair of scales—and is evidently so used here.” These balances indicate the shortage and scarcity of food. The word “penny” refers to the denarius, a Roman coin that was worth about one day’s wages. A quart of wheat or three quarts of barley is considered the rations for one man, specifically a soldier. The prophesied famine will be so severe that it will require an entire day’s wage to purchase the rations for one man. Where will this leave millions of families with children and those tending to the needs of others? It is not hard to envision a population that will do just about anything to obtain for themselves whatever food is available.
Now, why is this horseman told not to hurt the oil and wine? This passage has led to several interpretations. Some scholars point out that these represent discretionary items typically reserved for the rich and will be abundant. Key food staples like wheat, corn and barley, on the other hand, will be extremely scarce.
Death from Disease
The last plague is death from pestilence. In Luke 21:11, a parallel to Matthew 24, Yahshua prophesied, “…and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.” The word “pestilence” comes from the Greek loimos and means a plague or disease. Before Yahshua’s coming, diseases will increase.
Some of the most common diseases today include: cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. In addition to these, there are several more ominous maladies such as the bird flu and mad cow disease.
One of the worst plagues in our modern age is the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the leading cause of transmission is homosexuality and drug use. From CDC’s Fact Sheets, “Gay, bisexual, and other men who have [relations] with men (MSM) represent approximately 2% of the US population, yet are the population most severely affected by HIV. In 2009, MSM accounted for 61% of all new HIV infections, and MSM with a history of injection drug use (MSM-IDU) accounted for an additional 3% of new infections. That same year, young MSM accounted for 69% of new HIV infections among persons aged 13–29 and 44% of infections among all MSM. At the end of 2009, an estimated 441,669 (56%) persons living with an HIV diagnosis in the US were MSM or MSM-IDU.”
Homosexuality and drug use are diametrically opposed to Yahweh’s Word; homosexuality being called an abomination (Lev. 18:22; Rom. 1:27; 1Cor. 6:9). Is this simply a coincidence or a curse for not following our Father in heaven?
Ironically, we find that those who worship the Beast’s image will also suffer from a horrific plague, “And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image,” Revelation 16:2. The word “sore” is derived from the Greek helkos and refers to an ulcer or to an open wound. We also find a similar curse in the Old Testament: “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of Yahweh thy Elohim, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee…Yahweh will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed,” Deuteronomy 28:15, 27.
The Fourth Horseman
The parallel account to this sign is found in the final of the four horsemen. “And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth” (Rev 6:7-8).
The word “pale” is from the Greek chloros and means, “greenish” (Strong’s). Some scholars attribute this pale-greenish color to sickness and disease. The rider on the horse is called Death, being derived from this Greek hades, symbolizing its purpose. The word “hades” simply refers to the grave. In addition to representing pestilence, the fourth horseman likely represents the cumulative death that will befall mankind during the Tribulation. He is given power to bring death by sword, by famine and by disease. In essence, he is the cumulative impact of the previous three.
Holding Firm
As Israel had to endure the first four plagues of Egypt, it appears that the saints will suffer from these Four Horsemen. Consequently, it is imperative that His people remain strong in Almighty Yahweh and Yahshua the Messiah. We must place our trust in the One we worship. If we falter in faith, we may lose the very hope that we treasure.
John in Revelation 2:10 wrote: “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried; and you shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”
Even though this was written historically to the assembly in Smyrna, the message is also prophetic for the last days. Yahshua says here to not fear death. Those who overcome and are faithful to death will receive a crown of life. There is not a greater promise in Yahweh’s Word. No matter what we may suffer in this life, it is inconsequential when compared to the promise of Yahweh’s Kingdom.
As believers what must we do to be saved? We must obey the commandments and have faith in Yahshua the Messiah. We find this in several passages in the book of Revelation: “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of Yahweh, and have the testimony of Yahshua Messiah,” 12:17.
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of Yahweh, and the faith of Yahshua,” 14:12.
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city,” 22:14.
From these three key passages we find that we must obey our Father in heaven and believe or have faith in the testimony of Yahshua the Messiah. They go hand-in-hand and are not mutually exclusive. Contrary to popular belief, obedience and faith are not at odds with each other. James explains that faith and obedience work in concert. “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works,” James 2:17-18. We show our faith by our life actions, including obedience to our Father in heaven.
Those who obey the commandments and have faith in Yahshua the Messiah will be tested as never before. For this reason it’s incumbent that we stand strong and hold firm unto the end! Those who do will be blessed immeasurably.
As Yahshua prophesied in His Olivet Prophecy, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory,” Luke 21:25-27.
Even though the Great Tribulation will bring unparalleled deception, war, famine, and disease, for the faithful the end will be one of great blessings. As Yahshua with His angels descend from heaven, those who stand firm unto the end will look up and see their redemption or salvation drawing near. At this time, those who died in Messiah will arise and those alive will be caught up together with them to meet Yahshua the Messiah in the clouds as He descends to the earth, 1Thessalonians 4:16-17.
If you yearn for the blessings of our Father in heaven and Savior, then the time is now for us to fully dedicate our lives to them. Salvation comes not through passiveness, but through an earnest desire to wholly commit our lives to Almighty Yahweh and our Savior, Yahshua the Messiah!
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In His Olivet Prophecy in Matthew 24, Yahshua shows us that besides worldwide famine, planet-engulfing disease epidemics and one devastating earthquake after another, which are only the “Beginning of sorrows,” much more will happen before He wrests control of this planet from rebellious mankind.
He reveals that True Worshipers must first be afflicted and killed for His Name’s sake. His two witnesses will perform miracles in Jerusalem for three and a half years, be killed, and come back to life three and a half days later,Revelation 11:11. The Antimessiah and his religious lieutenant will have virtual control of the planet for several years. False prophets will be performing miracles and deceiving millions. Jerusalem will ultimately be attacked by a vast army horde involving 200 million soldiers (Rev. 9:16).
Finally, after all of this, the sun will go dark and meteors will fall to earth. Only then will Yahshua’s return be imminent. Clearly, none of these things has yet happened.
Besides all the specifics that Yahshua gave us, a key connection exists between the little-taught Sabbatical/Jubilee cycle and Yahshua’s return.
Yahweh gave Israel the Sabbaticals for a special reason. In the law, Yahweh’s people were to observe a Sabbatical year every seven years and a Jubilee year every 50 years (Lev. 25:1-13; Ex. 21:2-6; 23:10).
On the Sabbatical the land was to rest. No tilling, planting or harvesting could occur, all debts were canceled and slaves let go. During the Jubilee year the land was to rest as well, all slaves were freed and the land was to revert to the original owner.
Three particular stipulations for the Sabbaticals and Jubilees especially have prophetic implications:
•land rest
•land returned to the original owner, and
•slaves freed
When Yahweh sets up His millennial Kingdom on earth, the land will once again be allowed to rest every seven years as it goes from human ownership back to Himself as the original Owner, and people will be released from bondage of sin.
Right after He started His ministry, Yahshua stood up in the temple at Nazareth and quoted Isaiah 61:1-2, which speaks prophetically of Himself. In doing so He not only tied His ministry to the Sabbaticals and Jubilees, but He also provided us a time reference for His Second Coming.
Here is what He read, “The Spirit of Yahweh is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the Good News to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of Yahweh. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him,” Luke 4:18-19.
Notice that He stopped reading just before Isaiah foretold of Yahweh’s vengeance at the day of Yahshua’s Second Coming. The exact quote from Isaiah 61:2 reads: “To proclaim the acceptable year Yahweh AND the day of vengeance of our Elohim…” The prophet links Yahshua’s coming with the Sabbatical-Jubilee.
The focus of the first part of this prophecy was that Yahshua would come to preach the Good News and to offer salvation and understanding of Truth to the world. The latter part emphasized His role of freeing those who were downtrodden and preaching the “acceptable year.” Tied to these was a day of judgment, which Yahshua would fulfill at His Second Coming.
So now we have key elements of Yahshua’s first coming and His Second Coming bound into one prophecy—occurring on either a Sabbatical year or Jubilee year.
The Sabbaticals and Jubilees come every seven and 50 years respectively. Israel’s slaves were freed and the land reverted to the original owners, Ezekiel 46:16-17. That benefit insured that the land inheritance remained with each tribe of Israel that it was designated to. Apportionment of land given to them was a key element of the promise that Yahweh gave His people (Gen. 12:7,17:8-9; Ex. 23:30, Lev. 20:24, Num. 33:54, Ezek. 47).
Freeing the Hebrew bondservant foreshadowed Yahshua’s freeing of those enslaved by the death penalty of sin. He will do precisely that when He returns and resurrects the faithful (1Thess. 4:16): “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how say you, You shall be made free? Yahshua answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin. If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed,” John 8:32-34, 36.
Turning the land back to its original ownership also has monumental importance in the grand salvation plan. At creation, Yahweh made the earth. He put man in Eden and gave him charge over it. For 6,000 years man has spoiled this planet through sin and evil under the influence of the Adversary. As in the Jubilee when land parcels reverted to their original owner, Yahweh will take back this earth from the rulership of man (and Satan), and Yahshua will assume control of it again with a rod of iron.
It was because of Yahweh’s promise to Israel that they would inherit the land that the Promised Land of Israel became known as the “Holy Land.” It was a land set apart—made holy—for Yahweh, and it is a land that was to be kept holy through the Sabbatical and Jubilee land rests.
Note that Isaiah’s prophecy, which Yahshua quoted, speaks of the “acceptable year.” The Companion Bible equates this term to both the Jubilee year of Leviticus 25 and the start of Yahshua’s ministry. Other translations call it the “welcome year,” the “favorable year” or the “year of [Yahweh’s] favor.”
Yahweh expected His people to keep the Sabbatical and Jubilee years, as is clear by His detailed instructions on how to observe them. Israel, however, was not faithful in their observance of the Sabbaticals and Jubilees (Lev. 26:35).
Because of their disobedience, they were taken into Babylonian captivity for 490 years so the land could finally rest.Leviticus 26:34-35tells us, “Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lies desolate, and you be in your enemies’ land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths. As long as it lies desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.”
For 70 Sabbatical years (70×7=490 years) Israel suffered in captivity because of her rebellion.
Yahweh has established His weekly, annual, and land Sabbaths to be observed by His people as object lessons. May we not make the same mistake and ignore what He commands in His Word.
Yahshua will likely return on a Sabbatical or Jubilee because of the following similarities between His prophesied return and the Sabbaticals/Jubilees:
At various times in the history of Israel the work of Yahweh’s true ministry reached a point where drastic changes needed to be made. These changes were necessary for the preservation of truth and righteousness. Corrupt influences rooted deep in man-made worship stretching back to Babylon crept in and threatened to destroy Yahweh’s true work.
Men such as Noah, EliYah, Jeremiah and even our Savior Yahshua the Messiah were called upon to oppose the corrupt forces at work in the organized ministry and take a stand for what is true and right. As this degeneration has occurred repeatedly in the past, there should be no wonder that it occurs now in these end-times as well. As such, this is an important issue that needs to be addressed and understood by all True Worshipers.
Come Out of Babylon
Yahshua the Messiah has warned us to come out of the corruption of this world by coming out of Babylon. Realize that Babylon encompasses all of corrupt religion. It includes all religious groups that are not keeping the Truth in accordance with the Sacred Scriptures no matter how great or small their defection is from the Truth.
Consider this fact in light of the prophetic plea that Yahshua makes to his people in the Book of Revelation.
“After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory. And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.’ I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and Yahweh has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her’” (Rev. 18:1-6).
Yahweh will severely judge Babylon and those associated with it. Babylon the Great represents grossly corrupted religion. But it applies also to groups like the Pharisees of Yahshua’s day. As the caretakers of the sacred Scriptures within the confines of synagogue worship, the Pharisees were part of the corruption of Babylon. Being a close counterfeit of the Truth made them the greatest threat to True Worship.
Yahshua chastised them for fol-lowing the traditions of men (which were derived from Babylon) rather than keeping the true commandments of Yahweh.
Notice what Yahshua says in Mark 7:5-10. “The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, ‘Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?’ And He said to them, ‘Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrine the precepts of men. Neglecting the commandment of Yahweh, you hold to the tradition of men.’”
He was also saying to them, You are experts at setting aside the commandment of Yahweh in order to keep your tradition.
We must especially beware of those modern-day Pharisees who pay lip service to the Truth while they teach the doctrines of a man or men while they neglect the commandments of Yahweh. Any association with them will bring judgment from Yahweh. The time for separation is now!
Breaking from Corruption
Those of us who have been involved with Truth-oriented organizations need to thoroughly examine the workings of those groups to see if indeed they are “True Worship.” Just because they keep the Sabbath and feast days, just because they use the Sacred Names, just because they eat clean foods, and just because they even keep the sabbatical year, does not in and of itself mean that these groups are in fact True Worship. As the saying goes “The proof of the pudding is in the eating,” and the proof of doctrine is in the doing.
“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Master, Master, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness,’” Matthew 7:22-23.
It is an incredible thought that Yahshua will reject many who practice lawlessness even though they use His Name. There are modern-day Pharisees who outwardly are totally circumspect with keeping the law. Inwardly, they lack the true love of Yahweh. They therefore are guilty of practicing lawlessness. “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all,” James 2:10.
The brethren involved with this ministry have made a break from the corruption of former religious affiliations. Some tried their best (without success) to remove what polluted those bodies. It therefore be-came necessary to follow the precept of Revelation 18:4 and come out of the corruption of Babylon.
This ministry is in fact not some-thing new. It is a continuation of Yahweh’s True Worship. Just as Yahshua separated himself from the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees of his time so we have separated ourselves from their modern equivalents.
End-time Prophetic Fulfillment
We have seen the fulfillment of various prophetic passages of Scripture. This has caused us to join as a body of believers for the purpose of preserving Yahweh’s True Worship in these end-times. It is our intention to warn others of the corruption that they face in their religious affiliations and to offer those who heed that warning a place in which to go.
The Apostle Paul cautioned his disciple Timothy of this subversive corruption today. “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron” (1Tim 4:1-2).
We are living in the latter days spoken of here. It is important to our salvation that we be aware of how this prophecy applies to us as Yahweh’s end-time believers. Yes, the fallen ones are at work as they follow deceitful spirits instead of the Holy Spirit. They teach their own ideas rather than sound Biblical doctrine.
A corrupt leadership makes void the Law of Yahweh with oppressive doctrines of demons. They forbid marriage of some and advocate abstaining from food which Torah legislates as being clean. Consequently, they are guilty of transgressing the covenant by adding to and diminishing from Yahweh’s Word, Deuteronomy 4:2.
What the Apostle Paul writes here ties in with what we have already learned. These hypocrites teach counterfeit and confusing doctrines that come from the paganism of ancient Babylon. The doctrines of demons are in effect the teachings or policies of any man that take precedence over the Word of Almighty Yahweh. Yahweh will always further His Truth by bringing forth His true people from the spiritual Babylon of the modern-day Pharisees.
In Spirit and Truth
During His ministry, Yahshua was continually being confronted by the religious establishment of his day. For the most part that was the Sadducees and the Pharisees. The Sadducees were of the priestly Aaronic aristocracy. They controlled Temple worship and were strongly associated with King Herod and his governmental control.
On the other hand, the Pharisees functioned on the local level, as they were the ones who controlled the synagogues. Yahshua’s ministry was totally separate from these groups. He recognized that it was impossible to reform them because of their corruption. He chose rather to bring forth a continuation of the Truth from the various followers of those groups who chose to join his ministry.
This is key. Yahshua did not start something new. He brought forth purity from that which was corrupt. “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear results. No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins” (Mark 2:21-22).
Yahshua is proposing here the continuation of the Truth by putting new wine in fresh skins. The religion of the Pharisees would have represented one aspect of the old wine skins that cannot hold the new wine. Mainstream Judaism for the most part had the Truth, but they obviously lacked important spiritual aspects.
Yahweh seeks out people who will worship him in a specific way. They must be new wine skins if they are to hold the new wine. They must worship Him in both spirit and truth. “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. “Yahweh is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24). We see from this passage two main components of True Worship. They are the Holy Spirit of Yahweh and the Truth of the Word. There are many truth oriented religious groups. But, having the Truth alone is not enough. The true body of the Messiah must have the Holy Spirit along with that Truth. Bear in mind that it is possible to have the Truth and not have the Holy Spirit. The Apostle John has warned us that there is the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error. Once again, we must beware! “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from Yahweh, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of Yahweh: every spirit that confesses that Yahshua Messiah has come in the flesh is from Yahweh; and every spirit that does not confess Yahshua is not from Yahweh; this is the spirit of the anti-messiah, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. You are from Yahweh, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from Yahweh; he who knows Yahweh listens to us; he who is not from Yahweh does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1John 4:1-6).
The Word of Yahweh shows repeatedly that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. See John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13 and 1John 4:6. Each of these verses refers to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Truth! True Worshipers will always have the Holy Spirit of Yahweh along with the Truth.
The Fruit of the Spirit
Those who have the Holy Spirit of Yahweh are keeping Almighty Yahweh’s commandments, Acts 5:32. Along with that, they are bearing the fruit of the Spirit. Love is at the forefront of the fruit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Messiah Yahshua have impaled the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another” (Gal. 5:22-26).
It is our desire to possess the Spirit of Truth along with the fruit of the Spirit. For this reason we have separated ourselves from former religious affiliations. Ironically we have seen firsthand how the corruption of the Pharisees is still at work.
Outwardly, what many of these groups teach is very close to the Truth. Inwardly, these organizations are corrupt. We would not argue against teaching that the leaders of these groups are the ones who presently sit in Moses seat. We totally agree with Yahshua’s assessment of them, their position, and their corruptness due to hypocrisy. People in this category are not bearing the fruit of the Spirit.
“Then Yahshua spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying: The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men. But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Messiah. But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted” (Matt 23:1-12).
Sadly, we have had to face the fact that those like this and the organizations that they control are not reformable. They lack the humility to admit that they are making mistakes and to correct those mistakes. Outwardly, as they pay lip service to the Truth, they appear to be perfect. Inwardly they are something quite different, hypocrites who refuse correction.
Woe to Hypocrisy
Salvation is not to be found with these people. They obviously lack the Holy Spirit in their lives. Yahshua strongly denounces them for their hypocritical leadership.
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.’ You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? And, Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.’ You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering? Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it. And whoever swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it. And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of Yahweh and by Him who sits upon it.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets. So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?
Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and impale, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation” (Matt 23:13-36).
Considering what Yahshua brings out against the Pharisees, it is no wonder that He choose not to reform them. Instead, he rose up a continuation of the Truth from the perverseness the Pharisees had created. By having the fruit of the Spirit and most importantly by having true love, Yahshua and his disciples were in opposition to the Pharisees and all that they stood for. He showed the distinction by His life.
Yahshua’s life was a living testimony to what the Apostle Paul wrote in 1Corinthians 13.
He teaches that regardless of the greatness of a person, if he doesn’t have love, he doesn’t have anything. Love is the great barrier between Truth and error. Obviously ancient and modern Pharisees still lack the important fruit of love.
At times in the history of Israel the work of Yahweh’s true ministry reached a point where course corrections were necessary for the preservation of truth and righteousness. Corrupt influences crept in and threatened to destroy Yahweh’s true work. Men such as Noah, EliYah, Jeremiah and even our Savior Yahshua stood in the gap to choke off the occasional evil threatenings.
Yahshua the Messiah has warned us to come out of the corruption of Truth represented by Babylon. Babylon encompasses all of corrupt religion, including all religious groups that are not keeping the Truth in accordance with the Sacred Scriptures no matter how great or small their defection is from the Truth.
Consider the following in light of the prophetic plea that Yahshua makes to his people in the Book of Revelation:
“After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory. And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.’ I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and Yahweh has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her’” (Rev. 18:1-6).
Yahweh will severely judge Babylon and those associated with it. Babylon the Great is usually understood to represent grossly corrupted religion. It also applies to groups like the Pharisees of Yahshua’s day.
As caretakers of the sacred Scriptures within the confines of synagogue worship, the Pharisees were part of the iniquity of Babylon. Being a close counterfeit of the Truth made them the greatest threat to True Worship. Yahshua chastised them for following the traditions of men (which were derived from Babylon) rather than keeping the true commandments of Yahweh.
Notice what He says in Mark 7:5-10. “The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, ‘Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?’ And He said to them, ‘Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men. Neglecting the commandment of Yahweh, you hold to the tradition of men.’”
He was saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of Yahweh in order to follow your tradition.”
We must especially be aware of modern-day Pharisees who pay lip service to the Truth while they teach man-made traditions and neglect the commandments of Yahweh. Any association with them will bring judgment from Yahweh.
Breaking From Corruption
Those seeking truth must thoroughly examine the workings of groups to see if indeed they are “True Worship.” Just because they keep the Sabbath and feast days, just because they use the Sacred Names, just because they eat clean foods, and just because they keep the sabbatical year, does not in and of itself mean that these groups are in fact True Worship. As the saying goes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and the proof of doctrine is in the doing.
“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Master, Master, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness’” (Matt 7:22-23).
It is an astounding thought that Yahshua will reject many who use his Name because they practice law-lessness. Again, be advised that there are also modern-day Pharisees who outwardly are circumspect about keeping the law. Inwardly, they lack the true love of Yahweh. They therefore are guilty of practicing lawlessness. “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all,” James 2:10.
The brethren who are involved with this ministry have made a break from the error they found in former religious affiliations. It became necessary to follow the precept of Revelation 18:4 and come out of the sins of Babylon.
This ministry is in fact not something new. It is a continuance of Yahweh’s True Worship. Just as Yahshua separated Himself from the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees of His time so we have separated ourselves from modern equivalents.
Prophecy Being Fulfilled
We have seen the fulfillment of various prophetic passages of scripture. This has caused us to join as a body of believers for the purpose of preserving Yahweh’s True Worship in these end-times. It is our intention to warn others of the falsification that most face in their religious affiliations and to offer those who heed that warning a place in which to go.
The Apostle Paul warned his disciple Timothy of this subversive corruption. “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which Yahweh has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth” (1 Tim 4:1-3).
We are living in the latter times spoken of here. It is important to our salvation that we be aware of how this prophecy applies to us as Yahweh’s end-time believers. The fallen ones are busy following deceitful spirits instead of the Holy Spirit. They teach their own ideas rather than sound Biblical doctrine.
Corrupt leadership on a massive scale makes void the law of Yahweh with doctrines of demons. They are guilty of violating the covenant by adding to and diminishing from Yahweh’s Word, Deuteronomy 4:2.
What the Apostle Paul writes here ties in with what we have already learned. These charlatans are at work teaching counterfeit and confusing doctrines that come from the paganism of ancient Babylon.
The doctrines of demons are in effect the teachings or policies of any man that take precedence over the Word of Almighty Yahweh.
Yahweh will always continue His Truth by bringing forth His true people from the spiritual Babylon of modern-day Pharisees.
New Wine, New Wineskins
During his ministry, Yahshua was continually being confronted by the religious establishment of his day, typically the Sadducees and the Pharisees.
The Sadducees were of the priestly Aaronic aristocracy. They controlled Temple worship and were strongly associated with King Herod and his governmental control. The Pharisees functioned on the local level, being in control of the synagogues.
Yahshua’s ministry was totally separate from these groups. He recognized that it was impossible to reform them because of their corruption. He chose rather to call out the various followers of those groups to join His ministry.
Yahshua did not start something brand new. He brought forth purity from that which was corrupt. “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear results. No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins” (Mark 2:21-22).
Yahshua is proposing here the continuation of the Truth by putting renewed teachings in a fresh structure. The religion of the Pharisee’s would have represented one aspect of the old wine skins that cannot hold the new wine of His teachings.
Mainstream Judaism for the most part had Truth, but they obviously lacked important spiritual aspects. Yahweh seeks out those who will worship him in a specific way. They must be new wine skins if they are to hold the new wine. They must worship Him in both spirit and truth. But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. Yahweh is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24).
We see from this passage that there are two main components of True Worship, the Holy Spirit of Yahweh and the Truth of the Word. There are many Truth-oriented religious groups.
But, having the truth alone is not enough. The true Body of Messiah must have the Holy Spirit along with that Truth. Bear in mind that it is possible to have the Truth and not have the Holy Spirit. Yahweh grants His Spirit to those who obey His Truth, Acts 5:32.
The Apostle John has warned us that there is the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error. Once again, we must beware!
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from Yahweh, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of Yahweh: every spirit that confesses that Yahshua the Messiah has come in the flesh is from Yahweh; and every spirit that does not confess Yahshua is not from Yahweh; this is the spirit of the anti-messiah, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. You are from Yahweh, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from Yahweh; he who knows Yahweh listens to us; he who is not from Yahweh does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1John 4:1-6).
The Word of Yahweh shows repeatedly that the Holy Spirit is the spirit of Truth (see John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13, and 1John 4:6). Each of theses verses refers to the Holy Spirit as the spirit of Truth! True Worshipers will always have the Holy Spirit of Yahweh along with the Truth.
The Fruit of the Spirit
Those who have the Holy Spirit of Yahweh are keeping Yahweh’s commandments, Acts 5:32. Along with that, they are bearing the fruit of the Spirit.
Love is at the forefront of that fruit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Messiah Yahshua have impaled the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another” (Gal. 5:22-26).
We want to possess the Spirit of Truth along with the fruit of the Spirit and thereby worship Yahweh in Spirit and in Truth. For this reason we have separated from former religious affiliations.
Considering what Yahshua brings out against the Pharisees, it is no wonder that He chose not to reform them. Instead, He rose up a continuation of the Truth out of the perverseness the Pharisees had created. By having the fruit of the Spirit and most importantly by having true love, Yahshua and his disciples were in opposition to the Pharisees and all that they stood for. Yahshua’s life was a living testimony to what the Apostle Paul taught in 1Corinthians 13. He teaches that re-gardless of the greatness of a person, if they don’t have love, they don’t have anything. Love is the great barrier between truth and error. Obviously ancient and modern Pharisees lack that important fruit, love.
Persecution Energizes True Worship
The corruptness of these hypocrites, then and now, is such that they are the ones who do in fact persecute Yahweh’s true people. Literally and figuratively, the forefathers of these people persecuted the prophets of Yahweh in ancient times. They themselves persecuted Yahshua and the apostolic assembly. And, in these end-times, the modern-day Scribes and Pharisees persecute the saints.
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:10-12).
Don’t be discouraged by oppression from false worshipers. Yahshua revealed them for what they are so that his true people could be encouraged and raised up from the depths of depression. Yahweh has made a way for his people to go whereby they can find safety in a spiritual body of believers, who are the continuance of Truth. Yahweh brings them out of the corruption of the modern-day Pharisees.
The emergence of the spiritual Body of the Messiah at the end of the age is the direct result of persecution.
Although it is difficult to deal with, persecution is the fire that purifies Yahweh’s true spiritual people. It is the force that brings forth the true end-time members of Yahweh’s ministry.
“Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire” (1Cor 3:12-15).
Those who keep His Word will be persecuted but Yahshua shall keep them safe during the tribulation that is to come on all the earth. “And to the angel of the [congregation] in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: “I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
“Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie. I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. “I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown” (Rev 3:7-11).
The persecution of the saints at the end of the age will most certainly have the effect of separating the spiritual body of the Messiah from those of the synagogue of Satan (those who have defected from the truth). Remember that those whom He and his disciples separated themselves from were the ones who persecuted Yahshua to death. Yahshua, the Apostles and disciples remained separate from the religious corruption around them.
Devotion Causes Separation
Many times Almighty Yahweh has allowed divisions to occur within the physical body of believers to separate the good who possess a spiritual attitude from the evil who are motivated by the flesh. That was the case in the Corinthian congregation. “For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you” (1Cor. 11:19).
Spiritual hardships that some of Yahweh’s people face are difficult to bear. Yet, these things are happening for good reason, the revealing of the true Assembly of believers in these last days. They are known by their good fruits. They are contradicted and opposed by wicked counterfeits of whom they must beware.
Yahshua tells us to watch out for false prophets. “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” (Matt 7:15).
The fruit that comes forth must determine our religious affiliation. Those who associate with corrupt people will ultimately be corrupted!
We must be willing to separate from evil and corruption. The Truth will continue and Yahshua will return regardless of the stand we take or our position on Truth. Yahweh does not need us, we need Yahweh. The choice is ours.
A sleeping giant has awakened. The Name of our Heavenly Father Yahweh is under ramped-up attacks from various WWCG “Worldwide Church of God” breakaway groups. Because of its unquestionable proof and rock-solid, historical fact, their members in large numbers are questioning why their leaders refuse to honor and teach the personal Name of their Creator Yahweh.
Herbert Armstrong Used the name Yahweh?
Herbert Armstrong himself used the Name Yahweh for about six months in his early Radio Church of God (before it became the Worldwide Church of God) broadcasts, according to an elderly former member.
In attempts to stop the bleeding, nervous leaders are amping up their efforts to discount their Creator’s Name Yahweh. Regardless, His revealed Name is going out in power and in unprecedented ways. Any attempts to squelch it will prove futile, according to Yahweh Himself.
Yahweh’s Name in Prophecy
The Book of Revelation tells us that His Name will be honored by the true Philadelphia Church (Assembly). “…(for thou) hast … kept my Word, and hast not denied my name,” Revelation 3:8. Scripture even issues this warning for those who refuse His Name: “If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith Yahweh of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart,” Malachi 2:2.
Come Join Us
We are a ministry on the vanguard of “contending for the faith once delivered unto the saints,” Jude 3. Rather than resurrecting a defunct parent ministry that had stopped short of all the Truth, our goal at Yahweh’s Restoration Ministry is earnestly to contend accurately for every right teaching in Scripture. Truth is our concern, not numbers, prestige, funds, or founders. Our focus is also on common error. Most churches and organizations rest on their traditions or point to their founder and swallow everything he taught without solid verification in the Word. When someone says theirs is the only true church on the face of the earth, we must ask, have you really investigated every other one in existence?
We invite you to get acquainted with us. We are a family-friendly, commandment-keeping ministry for all ages. We honor the Third Commandment, which is not to allow His personal Name Yahweh to be abandoned through the use of substitute titles. (God is not a name but just a label that was never used in true, biblical worship.) We also honor and call on His Son’s Name Yahshua. The name Jesus is Latinized Greek. He was neither Roman nor Greek but was born a Hebrew with a Hebrew name that means “Yahweh’s Salvation.” With this reality as a launch point, the sincere seeker will discover a whole panorama of amazing understanding built on the fact that his Christian faith should be Hebraic based, not steeped in the Roman church.
You have learned much truth from the Worldwide Church of God and it’s splinter groups, now discover what you are missing. [pdf-lite]
We find another sign in this passage. In addition to the image, all those who worship the Beast will receive a mark. “And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the Beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of the Beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six,” vv. 16-18.
