Exegesis Matters

Exegesis Matters

Author unknown

Yesterday a new video popped up on “recommended for you” YouTube. I thought, “Why not?” On came Ben and Jodie Hughes of “Pour it Out.” They have 114,000 subscribers, 26,225 people have viewed this particular video in 3 days, there are 1.3K up votes, and only 22 down votes. The video is entitled: What Really Occurs in the Spirit Realm When You Speak. It begins: 

Jodie: “You know, Job 22:28 says: You shall decree a thing and it will be established. And we are in a season where God is anointing our voice to new levels of authority that your voice and your faith is shifting the earth.”

Ben: “Are you ready to make decrees in your life, your circumstances, your church, [and] your family that are going to shift things? You are about to do that? We are excited about this show. Let’s do it “Pour it Out.”” 

Ben: “We are talking about one of our favorite things, what a surprise. Today we are talking about decrees: the power of decrees and the power that is in your mouth. I want to say this: I think we all know the verse – we may have heard it some time or another – where it says that there is the power of life and death in the tongue. The power of life and death is in the tongue. We, of course, want to focus on the life part today. But the important thing is that we have such power in the words that we speak…” 

I painfully listened to this 28 minute video, while the Ben and Jodie Hughes embarrassingly mishandled the Word of God. While preparing to write Confronting the Wind, I studied what the Bible says about the power of mankind’s words for well over a year. The two scriptures Ben and Jodie began with (Job 28:22 and Proverbs 18:21) were both taken out of context and therefore their meanings were changed from God’s intent. They further used these two opening scriptures as the backdrop for their entire message which, as stated above, receive 1.3K up votes and over 26K views!! Incredible that so many in body of Christ are so completely without a biblical knowledge. As God said about the Ninevites, so are Christians who buy into this doctrine, they are persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left. Believing things that aren’t true is not only counterproductive, but also destructive.  

Here is the truth about those two scriptures: 

First, Job 22:28 as Jodie accurately quoted, says: “You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; And light will shine on your ways.” Following is an excerpt from Confronting the Wind (Amazon): 

Eliphaz: An Exercise in Exegesis: Job 22:28

“You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; And light will shine on your ways.”  

“Decree a thing and it will be established for you” has become the emphasis of many Charismatic ministries. Since I first wrote this study I have seen whole conferences devoted to decreeing and declaring. To whom are they decreeing and declaring? That is a good question. For example, let’s say I need money to pay unexpected bills. If I believe there is creative power in my declaration and decree, then my actions will be to declare and decree into the heavens or into the atmosphere or to the devil or … to God. I would say, “Release money to me. I command that all my needs are met, in Jesus Name.” Now, of course, there are a great number of scriptures I can quote in my decree and declaration. But, is this the biblical pattern—to speak into the atmosphere? Is this what Jesus did? The apostles? If, however, my paradigm is that God is the keeper of all my answers, the One who hears all my prayers, and who meets all my needs, then I will, instead of declaring and decreeing, simply ask.

In a meeting I attended, a leader’s message was on decreeing and declaring. The point the leader was making was that we can decree a thing as the church or as an individual and it will be established for us. So, in the meeting people decreed things they wanted done. Maybe even things God wanted done? Consider if it is true that we can declare/decree a thing and it will be established, then something or someone is establishing it—for it will be established for you. Meaning again, there is a silent agent. We must conclude therefore that the silent agent is either God, the words themselves, man’s own resident supernatural power, some unseen unmentioned force, or the devil. Who or what is, in reality, empowering the words?

Think about it...

Getting back to the meeting… I already had reservations about declaring and decreeing things and the power of people’s words, so the sermon did not set well with me. I went home and looked in the Bible for “Decree a thing and it will be established for you.” There it is in Job 22:28, spoken by Eliphaz the Temanite… oops… Let’s look at God’s opinion of Eliphaz. God said to Eliphaz in Job 42:7, It came about after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.” Therefore, to use Job 22:28 in the way many do, is completely against sound Biblical exegesis. We cannot pull from Eliphaz’s words to establish a doctrinal position any more than we could Satan’s words. For example, why is it that we never see cards with “Therefore if you worship before me, it shall all be yours”? Because the source was Satan. He said this when tempting Jesus. We cannot build upon Eliphaz’s words any more than we can Satan’s. Both do not speak according to what is right.

Now let’s look at Proverbs 18:21. Following is another excerpt from Confronting the Wind:

Concerning Proverbs 18:21

 

Now let’s tackle Proverbs 18:21, Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

 

I cannot remember a time when I heard this scripture quoted in its entirety, and therefore presented accurately. To surmise that people have power to command life and death with their words is not what this scripture is saying. First of all it is a proverb. We cannot form a doctrine on a proverb. Furthermore, the focus of Proverbs 18:21 is on “those who love the power of the tongue.” It is pointing to the speaker—the speaker is the reaper of the words. “Those who love it” is the speaker; “will eat its fruit,” meaning those who love to wag their tongue will reap the consequences of their own words. The New Living Translation (NLT) provides clarity, The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. Of the eight commentaries I looked at, all agree with the NLT’s translation. Additionally, Proverbs 18:21 aligns perfectly with Matthew 12:34-37.

 

In Matthew, Jesus also said it was the speaker who would receive the ramifications of what they say.

 

“You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. 35 The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. 36 But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:34-37

 

Words are the window into the heart. In the Garden, Satan told Eve she could be like God if she ate the fruit. Could it be some Christians are falling for the same lie Eve believed in the Garden? God’s words are creative. He can create something out of nothing just by speaking. Can a man do that? Can the devil? Or is this a uniqueness belonging only to God? Some have purported procreation proves mankind has creative ability within himself. Is procreation creating? God said the seed was within itself (Genesis 1:11-12). So do plants have creative power? Do cows or horses or cats or dogs have creative power? This, then, would be the logical conclusion, would it not?

Usually—almost always—clarity of scripture comes from its context. My two excerpts above are only small samples of my book and therefore only glance at the subject. Speaking things into existence is a characteristic that belongs only to God. Many people quote Romans 4:17 to justify speaking things into existence. But what does Romans 4:17 say? …(as it is written, “I have made you [Abraham] a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed — God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did. So we see from this scripture that it is not mankind who calls things into existence, rather it is God! 

Please study your Bible. 

Please don’t buy into false doctrines. 

Please don’t believe what Ben and Jodie are feeding people. 

So many believe this doctrine. It is dangerous and tips into a heresy that began in the Garden between the serpent and mankind. Seems he hasn’t changed his strategy much.

 

The Seed of Satan: Part 3

The Seed of Satan: Part 3

Now let’s look at Daniel 8. Daniel 8 is divided into 4 Acts, if you will. Act one is the vision (8:1-14); In Act 2 Gabriel speaks to Daniel and is told to give him understanding of the vision (8:15-19); Act 3 (8:20-26) Gabriel interprets the vision; and finally, Act 4 is Daniel’s response to the above vision and encounter with Gabriel (8:27). 

Daniel 8:10-12 is my primary text. If the antichrist is a Nephilim, a mingled seed of Satan and a woman (see The Seed of Satan: Part 1), then this view point seems to bring light to these otherwise difficult scriptures:

9 Out of one of them [the kingdom represented by Alexander the Great’s four generals] came forth a rather small horn [the antichrist: compare with Revelation 13 and 17] which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land. 10 It grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it trampled them down. 11 It even magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down. 12 And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, "How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes horror [aka the abomination of desolation (see Matthew 24:15)], so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?" 14 He said to me, "For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored."

Setting the stage is Daniel 8:19: He [Gabriel] said, "Behold, I am going to let you [Daniel] know what will occur at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end.” Daniel 8:26 sandwiches the timing: “The vision of the evenings and mornings Which has been told is true; But keep the vision secret, For it pertains to many days in the future.” And Jesus Himself ties the Abomination of Desolation into future end-time events:

“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

 

Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand)…” Matthew 24:14-15 

We must, therefore, keep the time of the end in view as we discuss this part of Daniel. 

Due to the clarity of the vision regarding Alexander the Great and the subsequent division of his kingdom to his four generals, some have accused Daniel’s vision as having been written following these events. They try to reason away its prophetic nature. And although this vision has a “down payment” fulfillment in Antiochus Epiphanes, for he is a prototype of the antichrist, the vision’s fulfillment does pertain to the antichrist at “the appointed time of the end.” 

Characteristics revealed for this time and person are thus:

1.    It will be in the later period of their kingdom (The four generals’ kingdom subsequent to that of Alexander. This kingdom stretched from Macedonia to Egypt and from Greece to part of India. See the map above.).

2.    Transgressors will have reached their fullness. (Have they yet?)

3.    A kings will arise at (“the appointed time of the end.”) He is:

a.    Insolent,

b.    Skilled in intrigue, and

c.     Mighty in power that is not his own.

4.    This king will:

a.    Destroy to an extraordinary degree,

b.    Do as he pleases,

c.     Destroy mighty men,

d.    Destroy the holy people,

e.     Through his shrewdness he will cause deceit to succeed by his influence,

f.      Magnify himself in his own heart,

g.    Destroy many while they are at ease,

h.    He will even oppose the Prince of princes, and

i.      Be broken without human agency. 

When juxtaposing the above description with 2 Thessalonians 2’s lawless one—the son of perdition, we find the two are nearly identical. 

Gabriel explains to Daniel the vision, except he doesn’t explain how this one, the antichrist, could possibly: 

1. Grow up to the host of heaven (hosts are warring angels: Hebrew Lexicon),
2. Cause some of the hosts (warring angels) and some of the stars (often meaning angels) to fall to the earth (see Revelation 12:4 and Isaiah 14:13),
3. Magnify itself to be equal with the Commander of the host (Jesus)
4. Remove sacrifice from Him,
5. Throw down His sanctuary,
6. Have the host given over to him along with the regular sacrifice,
7. Fling truth to the ground, and
8. Perform its will and prosper. 

In this blog (Part 3) we will discuss #1 and #2 in the above list. 

If we view this Assyrian (the little horn), as he is often called, as a Nephilim and not just a fallen angel’s seed mingled with a woman, but Satan himself, then this seems to bring some clarity to these hard-to-understand scriptures in Daniel 8. Reading through commentaries on Daniel 8:10-11, I found many who want to minimize their reach to Antiochus as the little horn and the stars and hosts as the leaders of the Jewish people and/or the Church. Revelation 12:4’s stars were swept from heaven by the dragon (Satan) and thrown to the earth. Revelation 12:9 brings further precision that these that were thrown down are fallen angels. This correlates with Daniel’s stars which also fall from heaven. Furthermore, Revelation’s beast—this horrific Satan empowered world ruler—is futuristic. (See Revelation 1:1, 1:3, 1:19, and 4:1 for further futuristic references.) 

Now let’s look specifically at 8:10: “It grew up to the host of heaven,” (NASB) what could this possibly mean? Daniel 8:10 could easily be translated that its influence reached into the warring angels’ realm. How could a man, even a very evil influential man, penetrate into the angelic realm? Seems absurd. However, what if this little horn whose reach was into the angelic realm was part angel—even part Satan himself? Then this seems to make more sense that he would have influence with angels. 

Revelation 12 says that there is coming a time when the dragon will be thrown to the earth and his angels along with him. He at this point will no longer have access to heaven or the Throne of God. When someone has a demon living inside of them, the demon can come and go at will (Matthew 12:43-45). If Satan was mingled with and inside a man, then he too could come and go at will. He could, even as Revelation 12:10 says, stand before the Throne of God and accuse us day and night—until he is cast out and thrown to the earth. 

There are 7 years left of Daniel’s 70 week prophecy. Revelation clearly reveals the tribulation is 3-1/2 years (1260 days; 42 weeks; time, times, and 1/2 a time). What do we do with the first half of the remaining week? This will be discussed in my next blog: Part 4.

 

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The Seed of Satan: Part 2

Seed of Satan: Part 2

By way of introduction, please read The Seed of Satan: Part 1 of Many.

In this blog I will shed more light on why I believe the antichrist will be or at least could be—a Nephilim—the seed of Satan mingled with a woman.

When it comes to end-time prophecy few would argue there are some very difficult and often misunderstood scriptures. Many of these difficult scriptures are contained in Daniel. If we look at the antichrist as a Nephilim—the seed of Satan and a woman—then it seems to bring some clarity to a few of these end-time scriptures. In this blog we will take a closer look at Daniel 2:42-45.

First dealing with Daniel 2:42-45 in the NASV, then on to the KJV. These scriptures must be looked at in order to first discuss them, then put them on their proper shelf. This was part of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream that Daniel revealed to him and then interpreted. The NASV reads:

“As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. 43 And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery. 44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.” 

Clearly we are reading about end-times, though most would agree this was a two-fold prophecy: both a nearer to Daniel future prophecy and an end-time prophecy. It must be declaring the end-times due to verse 44, where God states both the establishment of His Kingdom and the end of ALL other kingdoms. Verse 44 coincides with Revelation 11:15, which is during the sounding of the 7^th trumpet and nearing the 3^rd woe:

Then the seventh angel sounded [its trumpet]; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”  

When teachers exegete Daniel 2:43 using their primary translation as either the KJV or the NKJV they usually interpret it in a way that lends towards another influx of Nephilim in the end-times. Both the KJV and the NKJV translations lead one to the conclusion that the “they” within are fallen angels. In the KJV Daniel 2:42 reads:

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.  

I have heard prominent teachers exegete Daniel 2:43 as though it reads: 

And whereas thou sawest iron [fallen angels] mixed with miry clay [mankind], they [fallen angels] shall mingle [have intercourse] with the seed of men [women] and have Nephilim babies by them: but they [the seed of women mixed with the seed of fallen angels] shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

It appears that Nephilim could not reproduce Nephilim. Instead, their offspring were giants (Numbers 13:33; also called Rephaim, sons of Anak, and Emim) able to reproduce with other humans and each other. Nephilim were on the earth both before and after the flood. There are only two references to them in the Bible. Some commentators divide these two references into two different group: the first being a union between fallen angels and the second being their subsequent generations.  

Since there is tremendous reason to conclude that the “they” in Daniel 2:42 are not fallen angels and there is also tremendous reason to see how they could be, I’m going to leave it there—in tension. I'm persuaded that the "they" here are not fallen angels. But for the rest of this blog Daniel 2:43 isn’t a necessary scripture leading me to believe that the antichrist is, or at least is highly likely to be, a Nephilim.

To be continued.

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Under His Wings

 Under His Wings

Recently the Lord spoke to me. I saw a great number of people who had been waiting years for their God-given vision to come to pass. Instead of giving up they tucked themselves under the shadow of His wings. 

I see you, says the Lord. I know you. Do not lose heart and give up for at the proper time you will reap, if you do not become weary. Your faith is precious to Me. Keep believing Me even if you do not receive, in this age, what has been promised. For some promises and some of what I have shown you will be fulfilled in the next age – during the millennial reigning with My Son for 1000 years. Know assuredly that you will receive what has been promised. I see your faith in Me as already having receive what has been promised, for you see it afar off and embrace it as though it was already here. I have so much more for you, more than you can even imagine. Live with eternity in view. Again, do not lose heart. Keep believing Me and continue to stay close under the shadow of My wing.

For a doctrinal explanation see:

Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 

Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Psalm 91:1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty... 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge.

Caught by Surprise

Caught by Surprise

Ephesians 4:1 caught me by surprise. 

A lot happened at church yesterday. Our pastor gave a fantastic message on unity/disunity in the church concerning C-19: to mask or not to mask, to gather or not, social distancing, etc, and BLM. There were a couple prophecies, worship was good, and friends. All-in-all it was a fantastic service. 

But then there was that Ephesians 4:1 scripture that nailed my heart to the wall. It is still haunting—yes, that is an appropriate use of the word—me today. Here it is: 

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called… Ephesians 4:1

Get ready, here we go.

Many of us, because we are unwilling to sanctify ourselves, will never fulfill our God-given call. That is the raw truth. We will live in spiritual frustration and dullness as we live out the carnal mixture of Kingdom and worldliness. Knowing there is more, for our hearts yearn for the more, but never attaining what could be. 

Who are you? Do you have a God-given vision that you haven’t yet walked in? Is it God’s timing that hasn’t yet made this vision a reality yet or is it your unwillingness to walk the worthy walk? That is a hard question. 

Can you imagine getting to the end of your life and realizing that you never paid the price to live the life God had for you? You could have changed lives. You could have saved the lost. You could have prophesied to those people. You could have had a healing ministry. You could have… Ouch, that is painful, but is it more painful than the worthy walk? 

That is the question. 

We only live once. 

 

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The Seed of Satan: Part 1

The Seed of Satan: Part 1 

When God was talking to the serpent in Genesis 3:15 He said, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

We probably all know the theology behind “her seed,” meaning Jesus Messiah. We acknowledge that Genesis prophesies concerning the seed of the woman (Mary) and not the seed of the man, as is typical of genealogies, for Jesus’ seed came from the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18-20). But have you ever considered what God meant by “the seed of the serpent”?

Could the antichrist, the beast of Revelation, the man of sin in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, the lawless one of 2 Thessalonians 2:8, the Assyrian, the son of perdition, and many other titles, be a Nephilim?

Nephilim were both before and after the flood (Genesis 6:4). They are the giants of old. The Hebrew word translated as Nephilim is found only three times in the OT: Genesis 6:4 and Numbers 13:33, where it appears twice:

There were giants [Nephilim] on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

Genesis 6:4

“There we saw the giants [Nephilim] (the descendants of Anak came from the giants [Nephilim]); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

Numbers 13:33

More references to giants are in the OT. The Anakim (descendants of Anak), the Philistines (Goliath was a Philistine), Rephaim, and Og of Bashon were all giants. Deuteronomy says of Og:

For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the giants. Indeed his bedstead was an iron bedstead. (Is it not in Rabbah of the people of Ammon?) Nine cubits is its length and four cubits its width, according to the standard cubit.

Deuteronomy 3:11

Og’s bed measured 13.5’ x 6’!

The last reference to a giant is in 1 Chronicles 20:7. He was killed by David’s brother, Jonathan, the son of Shimea.

But, just who are the Nephilim? In order to answer this we must look at who the sons of God are in Genesis 6:4. First, to state the obvious, the distinction is the sons of God verses the daughters of men. Many people believe they (the sons of Seth) are the righteous of their day, as though Seth was uniquely righteous in his day. But is this a fair interpretation? Looking at this in context listed is what we know:

1.    Daughters were born to men.

2.    Sons of God took these daughters of men as their wives, any that they chose.

3.    This union, between the daughters of men and the sons of God, produced a unique offspring called Nephilim or giants—they were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

So could the sons of Seth be the sons of God, as some believe? Would righteous men take unrighteous women (daughters of men) as wives? Would they not then, subsequently, be unrighteous men? Furthermore, would human to human intercourse consistently produce a new type of human where all were men, all were giants, and all were mighty? The term “sons of God” everywhere else in the OT means angels—all in Job. Much more could be said about why the sons of God cannot be the offspring of Seth, but for this blog, this will suffice. Through logical exegesis, the sons of God cannot mean the sons of Seth, and the daughters of men cannot be concluded as merely unrighteous women. General giants (Strong’s 07497) seem to be the descendants of the Nephilim, whereas the Nephilim (Strong’s 05303) were the offspring of the sons of God (fallen angels) and the daughters of men (humans).

Both 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6 discuss angels who are already bound in chains awaiting judgment. Both references are in the context of Sodom and Gomorrah, both of which are known for and were destroyed for their sexual perversion. Jude puts it this way:

And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Jude 6-7

Major points to take away from Jude:

1.    Some angels left their proper domain.

2.    They are already in chains.

3.    [These angels] as did Sodom and Gomorrah… in a similar manner…

a.    gave themselves over to sexual immorality

b.    went after strange flesh

Interesting flow of thought in these scriptures. It cannot go unnoticed that these chained angels gave themselves to sexual immorality and went after strange flesh. Sodom and Gomorrah were completely destroyed, as was all flesh (except those in the Ark) during the Flood. We must conclude, though none of us understand how, that angels (fallen ones, in such cases) can produce offspring with humans; although it appears only with women, and only can produce male offspring.

Now to tie all this back to the seed of Satan from Genesis 3.

1 Thessalonians 2 is a startling section of scripture. It discusses the lawless one who deceives the whole world. The Holy Spirit currently restrains Satan from manifesting his lawless son of perdition. Which means, if the Holy Spirit was not restraining the end-time affairs, Satan would already have it all wrapped up. But the Holy Spirit is restraining him, hence the man of sin (the beast; the antichrist) will be instated when God allows. At that time he will take a seat in the Temple of God—this is the abomination of desolation. Who is this one, the antichrist? I believe he is a Nephilim, due to Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”

We know that the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and she conceived Jesus (And the angel answered and said to her [Mary], “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35)). The Holy Spirit is a spirit. The angels who left their abode and are currently in chains are spirits. Satan is a spirit. It appears that spirits can, in some circumstances, impregnate women, bizarre as it sounds. I believe this is why the Nephilim were giants and mighty men—they were a mixed-breeds: fallen angels and human.

And, I believe that the beast, the son of perdition, the lawless one, the abomination of desolation, the Assyrian—that one—will also be a Nephilim: the seed of Satan mixed with a woman.

Your thought?

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Why I Love the Prophetic: A Personal Testimony

Why I Love the Prophetic

On July 3, while shopping, a family walked past me in the parking lot. As they did, I heard the Holy Spirit speak to me about the son. He is a tall 6’9,” as I came to find out. The Holy Spirit, in a nut shell, said that He was going to give the son a platform and a microphone and make him His mouthpiece. And when He did—when that day came that Jesus elevated him—the son was to remember it was the Lord Jesus Christ who opened that door for him. And when that day came, he was to lift up Jesus even as Jesus is the One who lifted him up.

As I shopped in our local Walmart I didn’t see them even one time. After 40 minutes, I was ready to leave. As I talked to the Lord about what to do, they passed right in front of me. I nonchalantly followed them to the back of the store. When I approached them, I told them that I was a Christian and that when they passed me in the parking lot I heard the Holy Spirit speak to me about their son. I then asked if it was ok to talk to him. They were elated and gave their permission.

The son (I cannot remember his name—terrible, I know) is 17, and as stated above, is 6’9” tall. I asked if they knew who Jesus is, and they assured me they did. So I told them the above message. They were all so thankful and explained that they were from SF and were in the area to see a specialist for their son’s eye, which was a bit bloodshot. They welcomed prayer for their son’s eye. We had a great time hugging and laughing together right there in Walmart. And I left.

When I was in line, checking out, the mom and son came in behind me. “Oh there she is right in front of us.” They explained they’d wanted to see me again. The father came up and tried to pay for my groceries—thankfully I’d already put my card in the little machine. When I was done checking out the father and I chatted while the mom and son were checking out. He kept trying to give me money and I kept saying “please don’t make me take your money.” Both of us had tears streaming as he kept trying to give me money and I kept telling him that isn’t the way it works and that I could not take it. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him stuff some money in my purse. I grabbed the wadded up money and asked him to please, if he wanted to do something with the money, to ask Jesus what to do with it, then do it. He just was so thankful that he wanted to do something.

We hugged and loved on each other then went our separate ways. None of us were even thinking about our race (they are African-American and me, white) or political views—right there in the midst of Walmart, we were experiencing the Kingdom of God where we are family.

Are Enoch and Elijah the Two Witnesses?

Are Enoch and Elijah the Two Witnesses?

Could the two witnesses in Revelation 11 be Enoch and Elijah?

Painiting by Van Dyck

A few years ago I was chatting with a very devout student of the Bible. He had written a book on the end-times and was convinced that the two witnesses in Revelation 11 are Enoch and Elijah. Could he, and many others who also believe they are, in fact, Enoch and Elijah, be right? Here are some known details:

1.   Both Enoch and Elijah were translated into Heaven without dying. (Enoch: Genesis 5:24; Elijah: 2 Kings 2:11).

2.   Moses and Elijah met with Jesus in Matthew 17. Elijah had been translated; Moses had died (Joshua 1:2/Jude 1:9).

3.   The two witnesses in Revelation 11 are directly related to the two olive trees in Zechariah 4 (Rev 11:4/Zechariah 4).

4.   These two prophesy during the 2nd woe (Revelation 11:14), which is in the midst of the seventh seal (8:1) and the sixth trumpet (9:13-14 which continues through to 11:15); a few scriptures later, during the 7th (and last) trumpet the mystery of God is complete (10:7, 11:15).

5.   The two witnesses prophesy for 1260 days. There are still 30 days at the end of these 1260 days (Daniel 12:11) and then 45 more (Daniel 12:12).

Revelation 11:4, in view of Zechariah 4, is a strange and fascinating part of scripture. And although reasons exist why some believe these two are Enoch and Elijah prophesying, I do not believe the two witnesses could possibly be Enoch and Elijah. They are forerunners, however, to the rapture of God’s people. The rapture takes place at Jesus’ 2nd coming (1 Corinthians 15:52). Following is my reasoning.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 states the chronological events:

1.   Jesus descends (:16)

2.   The dead in Christ rise first (:16).

3.   Those who are still alive on earth, together with the resurrected saints, meet the Lord in the air (:15-:17).

4.   God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus (:14).

5.   We are all forever with the Lord (:17).

And 1 Corinthians 15 states at Jesus’ 2nd coming two things must take place:

1.   The dead in Christ are raised from their graves (1 Corinthians 15:23).

2.   And we will be changed (15:51-52); both, whether living or dead, become immortal, if they are in Christ (:53).

This is in context of these prominent Scriptures:

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.

51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.* For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

(1 Corinthians 15:50-54)

No one can see God and live, with a natural body that is. Job said: And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God… Job 11:26 (Also see Exodus 33:20.)

At present the bodies of those who are dead in Christ are separated from their soul and spirit. Their souls and spirits are now with God in Heaven (Revelation 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 5:8), while their bodies are given to death and decay (Daniel 12:2). When Jesus returns, each soul and spirit will be reunited with its immortal resurrected body. (See Revelation 6:9-11.)

Now to get back to Enoch and Elijah. How does all this support that Elijah and Enoch cannot be the two witnesses?

The beast who comes out of the abyss (the antichrist) kills the two witnesses (Revelation 11:7). Their bodies lie in the street for 3 days. Then God first resurrects them and then He raptures them. Since flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 15:50 above) and no one can see God and live (Exodus 33:20), Enoch and Elijah must have been changed (new bodies) before they went to heaven and met God face-to-face. Consider that we who are alive and remain, who are caught up to meet the Lord in the air, are changed—into what? A body that is immortal and which cannot die (1 Corinthians 15:54-55, Luke 20:34-36). Hence, Elijah and Enoch, who were translated (raptured) without dying were taken up, as Hebrews 11:5 says of Enoch. This means they would have new bodies—immortal and incorruptible, and therefore they could not die, as Luke 20:36 states. The two witnesses in Revelation 11, however, die at the hands of the beast.

So there you have it: the two witnesses cannot be Enoch and Elijah, nor Moses. 

*Interesting to note that this is at the last trumpet, which is the 7th trumpet, according to Revelation 11. There is not another reference to trumpets sounding after the 7th. It is at this point that the return of Jesus, the 1st resurrection, and the rapture all take place. And although Jesus returns to the earth at the 7th trumpet's sounding, it's another 30 days before He enters Jerusalem. During these 30 days (Isaiah 63:1-6, Daniel 12:11) He marches up from Bozrah to Jerusalem slaughtering His enemies along the way.