The Coming Of God: The Destruction Of Evil

The second woe is past; and, behold, the third 

woe cometh quickly. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of the Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, saying, We give Thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, 

which art, and wast, and art to come; because 

Thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power, 

and hast reigned. And the nations were 

angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the time 

of the dead, that they should be judged,

 and that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy 

servants the prophets, and to the saints, and 

them that fear Thy name, small and great: 

and shouldest destroy them which destroy 

the earth. And the temple of God was opened 

in heaven, and there was seen in His temple 

the ark of His testament: and there were 

lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, 

and an earthquake, and great hail.

Revelation 11:14-19

     If there is any other verses in Scripture that can give as much joy, happiness, hope, and excitement, I do not of them,these verses bring us great joy. Yes, there will be great woe upon those on the earth that do not believe in the Savior Jesus Christ. Those who do believe live forever with the One who lives forever. This fallen world will meet its just rewards and the children of God will receive theirs for this world becomes the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ. Does this statement make two persons? No! Yes, in the Godhead there are three Persons but only One God so we must not become confused as some would attempt to confuse us. God sent forth into this world His Wisdom, Jesus Christ and His Wisdom clothed in flesh become the Savior. Only God can save and only an eternal Savior can ensure that salvation is eternal. John tells who created all things, and that One was Jesus Christ and in Proverbs we read: "The LORD (Jehovah, mine insertion) by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens" (Proverbs 3:19). Wisdom given personage: "I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions" (Proverbs 8:12). Jeremiah adds: "He hath made the earth by His power, He hath established he world by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by His discretion" (Jeremiah 10:12). Yes, wisdom, we must seek wisdom, not just any wisdom but the Wisdom of God for in this Wisdom is live eternal, salvation. Luke gives us more: "Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and s some of them the shall slay and persecute:" (Luke 11:49). Wisdom speaks we should listen, but if you need more, there is more: "But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God is wiser than men: and the weakness of God is stronger than men" (1Corinthians 1:24). This act of God to send into earth, to be incarnate, Himself, His Wisdom, the Son of God before time began and lives, reigns forever and ever and you, all who are Authentic Christians, not following every whim of some so-called Christian preacher, but following the simple and plain word of God will live forever in a new world. No wonder the elders fell down to worship, the saints, all who believe worship the Savior, the God who came to give to them all His promises for life eternal. God is is called Almighty, the One who was, is, and will be, the creator of all things and all who have received Him He does give power to become sons of God, those who believe on the name of Jesus Christ. Not the name as a name, but what the name stands for, the power, the Word, the One who brings light into the world. The Word was made flesh, the one who was in the beginning, the One who has no beginning, the One who was with God, for the Word is God, and the word was God, it was God, God, God, in all His power that comes and destroys this evil world and give reward to all who believe. 

     The world will hate this, just as those before the Great Flood when the rain began to fall and then they knew the words of Noah were true, but it was not to late for them, God judge and God carried out His judgment. This will be the same when He comes again for His bride. Are you one of His bride? If not, take a hard look at yourself and see that you are in need of a Savior for there is nothing good in you that can save you, you need a Savior who will have compassion and mercy, but that He give is given to only those who true repent and believe and follow Him.

    The temple of God is open in heaven and the ark, that is the true of His testament will be seen, lit for all to see and with great thundering, lightening, and voices all shouting praise and worship will be heard. Will you hear it? Will you see it? Only you can give an answer, and only God can save, the choice is yours. 

     We have completed half of the Book of Revelation and we have learned that we must be overcomers, and that God is bringing judgment upon evil. We have learned of the mercy of God and the requirements for a person to receive mercy. What a lesson we have learned and it is only a good lesson if that lesson changes us from the inside/out. Consider your faith.

And the LORD turned the captivity

    of Job, when he prayed for his

friends: 

               Job 42:10a

Become an intercessor

Richard L. Crumb

The Meaning Of The Two Witnesses

And I will give power unto my two witnesses,

 and they shall prophesy a thousand 

two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days  and an half the Spirit of life from God entered 

into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud: and their

 enemies beheld them. And the same hour was 

there a great earthquake, and the tenth part 

of the city fell, and in the earthquake were 

slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Revelation 11:3-13

     This is a long string of verses but very necessary to be kept together as they are all of one narrative. The temple of God now measured, man in toto is measured and then two witnesses come into this narrative, we must know who they are and how they apply to us. The Church of God is physically present in all of those who are Authentic Christians and the Church of God is also spiritual, the spiritual Church of Jesus Christ. The Church of Jesus Christ, that is you, are witnesses of Jesus Christ. You are His witness to testify the truth of His word, and the truth as to His worship, the excellency of His ways. The Church of Jesus Christ is clothed in sackcloth, a meaning of mourning and sadness but not forever, only for a short period of time, 31/2 days. You are testifying against the corruption, the false teaching, that which is heretical, not just of the secular world, no, but also within the Church. Paul gives to us a message about olive trees: "For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy, and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of th root and fatness of the olive tree"..."Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if then continue in His goodness: otherwise thou shall be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree" (Romans 11:16-17; 22-24)? All men and women, children are of the natural, and when one believes upon the Lord Jesus Christ they are grafted into the true olive tree, Jesus Christ, and this makes a person to be, even though unnatural, an olive tree, a branch of the true olive tree. These witnesses carry a candlestick and it is easy to know about this for we see, even in movies, men and women who are in the dark using a candle, a flame, to light their path. If you, and you do, have a candlestick, light it for it brings light to those in the dark. Remember, all men and women who are Authentic Christians stand before God. You are not to just be a witness to your own salvation and goodness, to be a light showing who godly you are, no, you are doing this as one who is doing this for God. It is God who gives power for this to be accomplished. If you do not plug into that power no matter how Authentic you are, you are not being used by God as He has intended to use you. Fire is cleansing, and the word of God is like a fire, it reaches down into the very belly of a person and ignites fire, a knowledge as to how sinful they are, and if they respond to this fire then they too will be grafted into the Church of Jesus Christ. Candlesticks use oil and in that day the oil was derived from olives. Oil was used for cleansing, as a salve, you have been anointed with oil, the oil of gladness (Hebrews 1:9). We are told in Revelation 6:6 not to hurt the oil. We must not be as those who ran out of oil, did not take enough oil to make it to the celebration: do not be as they were and then live in darkness. Be united with other Authentic Christians and bodily proclaim the Gospel. The world will, and they do now, hate you, and want to kill you, as to those who follow Islam, and others, but your words, the Gospel will turn their waters into blood, as it did when Moses confronted Pharaoh. The word of God will bring plagues, that is they will be tormented, plagued when they hear the truth and yet will not believe. Whenever you bring the Gospel this all will occur. 

     There will be, and there is now, a war between the evil, the antichrists that spew from their mouths heresy and for a time they seem to be able to kill the witnesess. The bodies of the faithful will be seen openly, cast out into the open, in the streets of Babylon, that is into this evil world as Babylon represents this evil world. This evil world, Babylon is represented by Sodom, a place of wickedness, a place were homosexuality and other sins were practiced openly and it is in this Babylon that Jesus Christ was crucified. Great joy will be had by all who oppose Authentic Christianity over what seems to them to be victory, they feel as though they will never again have to hear of the doctrine of Jesus Christ, a doctrine that torments them.

     Now comes a revelation as the Spirit of God again indwells them and they hear the voice calling them to "come up hither." Great earthquakes, a shaking of the earth begins and men and women, children were killed and they were frightened, even some so frightened that they gave glory to God of heaven. 

     As was mentioned in the last blog, some will come to heaven with smoke on them, as they came out of the fire. Do not wait to go through the fire, be an Authentic Christian now, be a witness, be one of the two witnesses, for God will empower you, and no man, no matter can keep you from being called to come up to God. 

Then answered I them, and said unto them,

     The god of heaven, He will prosper us;

therefore we His servants will arise and build:

                   Nehemiah 2:20a

God will never leave you: don't leave Him

Richard L. Crumb 

Measuring The Temple Of God

And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: 

and the angel stood, saying, Rise and measure 

the temple of God, and the altar, and them 

that worship therein. But the court which is 

without the temple leave out, and measure it not: 

for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city 

shall they tread under foot forty and two months. 

Revelation 11:1-2

     Well Thanksgiving is over and I do hope it was a good one for you, a time to just enjoy life, family, and friends. Now we are approaching Christmas, boy, these months go by fast and the need to give is never greater. Now, we continue in our study of Revelation.

     Chapter eleven represents the state of the Church by the figure of a temple. This chapter is a prophetical passage speaking of measuring the temple and there seems to be a reference to Ezekiel's vision (Ezekiel 40). Zechariah speaks of a man with a measuring line in his hand (Zechariah 2:1). This measuring of the temple has as it design the preservation of the temple in times of trouble, calamity. Jesus speaks of Himself as a temple: "Then Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up...but He spake of the temple of His body" (John 2:19,21). Paul gives this for us: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you" (1Corinthians 3:16)? Why measure this temple? There is an old saying: "Inspect what you expect." There is a need to ensure that the Church of God, the temple of God, that is you, are measuring up to the standard given to us by God. If there is need after measuring the temple and it does not meet the standards of God then a reformation is required so that what is deficient or has been changed may be brought back into conformity. This measuring is to be all the way to the altar, the place of worship, not necessarily a physical place but your worship towards God, and to determine those solemn acts as to whether or not they are truly worship of God or that it is simple self-righteousness. The Altar, the place where Jesus is, this is the place where Authentic Christians worship, and lay before Him all their offerings, whether or not you are worshiping in spirit and truth. The temple was laid out according to the specifications by God, to the very inch, the color, and the three places of worship, the Most Holy, the inner court and the outer court. God has laid out the specification for you, the temple of God. This measuring is not eternal, it is for a short period of 42 months, 3 1/2, half of seven, seven being the number referring to perfection, completion. During this measuring, doctrine, practices, behavior, will be measured according to the word of God where there is presented the specifications for all Authentic Christians. This measuring is to measure your heart.

     Now, then this outer court will not be measured. Why? they are Gentiles, that is non-believers and those who profess to be Christians but would make their worship to be formal, superstitious, idolatrous, Christians in name only. We have Churches that have succumbed to such practices that are not found to be in Scripture no matter how many "proof" Scriptures they forward in their defense. The outer court was for those who were seeking ceremonial, or some euphoric element in their worship, they even have annexed them into their Church, to the gospel that they preach. Jesus Christ is rarely mentioned and salvation is not the way Jesus taught, no, Jesus is abandoned to them, and they rely on the shirttails of Authentic Christians so that they feel godly. They make converts to their false form of religion and those who linger in their Christianity are often the dupes of this false and heretical teaching. 

     It is good to confront heresy and false teaching and this we should be doing in meekness and fear (1Peter 3:15). Yet many who profess Christianity do so because it is fashionable, to belong to a Church that teaches a gospel that is not Gospel. Those who are misled show zeal for the interest of their Church, talk and discuss controversies of the day, buy the lastest book, or CD, attend meetings, and subscribe to societies, discuss the merits of preachers, and speak of the sensational religion they adhere too, all easy Christianity. It is easy to see those who are falling short of the measurement, they speak of being spiritually minded but are not walking like strangers and pilgrims in this world. They are not distinct in their life from the world and they dress like the world, their conversations are more like the world, in their amusements they are just like the world, this does not mean that an Authentic Christian can enjoy that which is offered to you by the world, that is, if it does not conflict with God measurement for Authentic Christians. Yes, we will be measured and for some their entry into heaven will be just like coming through fire: "And of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh" (Jude 22,23). Paul adds: "If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire" (1Corinthians 3:15). 

     I do not relate this to you to make you sad or fearful and think that you are beyond recovery: you are not! I write this to give warning, to you, and to me. The goal is to change from the inside/out and this will bring you peace and comfort. The great Physician, Jesus Christ is merciful and has died for you, and will bring you to heaven, but do not go without being all that you can be: a witness for Jesus Christ. Others are looking at you and deciding whether or not you are really an Authentic Christian and if they do not see that, then they will not come to Jesus, or make the needed changes, to measure themselves according to Scripture. We have a responsibility to God, to our Savior Jesus Christ, our family and friends: Will you accept this responsibility? 

Better is the poor that walketh

   in his integrity, than he that is

perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

           Proverbs 19:1

You are the temple of God: Live as such!

Richard L. Crumb  

 

What Thanksgiving Means To An Authentic Christian

Mortify therefore your members which are 

upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, 

inordinate affection, evil concupiscence,

 and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which 

things sake the wrath of God cometh on 

the children of disobedience: in the which 

ye also walked some time, when ye lived 

in them. But now ye also put off all these; 

anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy 

communication out of your mouth. Lie not

 one to another, seeing that ye have put 

off the old man with his deeds; and have 

put on the new man, which is renewed in 

knowledge after the image of Him. Where 

there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision 

nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond 

nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

Colossian 3:5-11 

     Yes, I am taking this day, this blog to write about Thanksgiving a day set aside especially to remember all that we have to be thankful. Let us remember that this day is not a day commanded by God for us to celebrate. Anyone, both Christian and non-Christian can celebrate and be thankful. Do not make this a Christian religious festival! We all, that is, if we take the time, to be thankful for something. Maybe it is a job, family, friends, living in this country that has freedoms that no other country has, or for good health, even for the ability to go through terrible times, all things for which we can be thankful. As for Christians we can add the last three words written in the opening verses: CHRIST IS ALL.....!

     Now that is something to be thankful for for Christ is all, and in all, therefore we have something to be thankful for that non-Christians do not have: a living creator, who came to earth to die for sin, and by His death, and our belief in Him, we can have Christ who is in all, and is all, in our very being. No matter our circumstances we have Jesus Christ Who is all and in all, in us, and we through the Holy Spirit that resides in all Authentic Christians to lead us, guide, and give to us remembrance of all that God has done for all who He elects to have all the promises that He promised. Looking back, at least for some of us we can see how our old life was in opposition to God, but when we have come to that place where we know that we are sinners, deserving of death, eternal death, and know that Jesus Christ gives life, eternal life, not because of who we are now, or in the past, but because He came to earth to pay this debt of sin and we can be recipients of this vicarious death. What is there not to be thankful for, we have Christ Who is all, and in all? 

     Jesus Christ is God! Some will object, but they object what they will not believe. Jesus Christ created all things, and there is no place in Scripture that says that He was a created being. The Godhead, three Persons in One, the Father, the Son Who is the Wisdom of God, and the Holy Spirit, all of the same essence and all having a part in the workings of God. So when Jesus Christ is said to be all, He is all, God is all, but more, Jesus Christ is in all, not Pantheism, no, but through the Holy Spirit God resides in all who have put their faith and trust in Him. 

     God lives in no-time! God is eternal, and God did not sequentially create Jesus from Himself, nor the Holy Spirit from Himself, they all existed before time because they are God, the Godhead. God sees all, from the beginning to the end without the aid of time, so then, He knows who will believe in Him through their belief in the One He sent to earth to make it possible for those who believe to have what God intended for man: eternal life. In the Wisdom of God resides the eternal counsel of God. There was a time when nothing existed but God, no material thing, all did not exist. God created angels, and God created all material things and this by the Wisdom of God Who is known to us as the Word of God. By the Word of God all things were created and we know from the Bible that the Word of God is Jesus Christ (John 1:1) and that the Word of God created all things that were created (John 1:3-4). God knew that sin would enter the world and had prepared salvation before time began, God knows all things. Man then being a weak vessel needed to know this God who would save them, forgive them, redeem them, and give to them life, life eternal, so God reveals to man Himself through all who were to write those inspired words of God so that we, even though weak could know God. To make it better for us to know God, God sent His Wisdom, the Word of God, to earth to take on humanity, and by this Humanity we learn how to live for God and to come to know that God has kept His promise from the fall of Adam and Eve that through them salvation would come. 

     You have all that there is to have to be thankful so that on that special set aside day called Thanksgiving you can be thankful to God that He saves.

     As the opening verses pointed out that we were once sinful, doing sinful things, so that we needed a Savior if we were to be saved. We cannot become perfect in this life, no, not until Jesus Christ comes again to end this world but we can know and I believe that we do know even if we refuse to admit it, we are guilty. When once you know that you are guilty, that is admit it to yourself then change your plan, learn to trust Jesus Christ, and to it more and more everyday. Learn to strive to do more, do not sit back and life on Jesus Christ, prove to yourself that Christ is all and is all to you, realize all that Jesus Christ is doing, and feel the peace, and you will grow in holiness, not for man, not for any other reason that Jesus Christ is all.... and if you do this you can be thankful, truly thankful for by your faith, your renewed life one day you will see Jesus Christ (Hebrews 12:14b). 

BE THANKFUL......YOU HAVE ETERNITY AHEAD OF YOU WITH GOD.

I cried with my whole heart;

    hear me, O LORD: I will keep

thy statutes. I cried unto thee;

    save me, and I shall keep

thy testimomies.

                 Psalm 119:145-146

Enjoy your Thanksgiving

Richard L. Crumb

 

What Is This "Little Book?

And the voice which I heard from heaven 

spake unto me again, and said, Go and take 

the little book which is open in the hand of 

the angel which standeth upon the sea and 

upon the earth. And I went unto the angel, 

and said unto him, Give me the little book. 

And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; 

and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall

 be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took 

the little book out of the angle's hand, and 

ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet 

as  honey: and as soon as I had eaten it,

 my belly was bitter. And he said unto me,

 Thou must prophesy again before many 

peoples, and nations, and tongues and kings.

Revelation 10:8-11

     This little book has caused great controversy and there is much lack of consensus.Those who hold to history say that this refers to the Reformation. Those who hold to the Preterist theolgy speak of this book, the eating of this book, to refer to Ezekiel's prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. by the Babylonians. Those who hold to a Futurist theology say that the eating of the "little book," was necessary for John before he brought the word of God to minister to others, and others of this view simply say that it is the word of God. Those holding to Spiritual theology say that this book is to be found throughout the entire Church age, messages of grace and judgment that give this "little book" its bittersweet taste. What we learn from all these various views is that there is not consensus as to the meaning of the "little book." So, not to be caught up in all this confusion and speculation I will try to only look simply at how this was to be understood by me, and you. 

     When John put this little book into his mouth it tasted sweet. I can see how this might apply to those things taken in from others who are proclaiming their form of Christianity. At first the words sound sweet to the taste. I think of the Mormons, the Jehovah Witnesses who go about attempting to feed the seekers, the unknowable sweet tasting and sounding words. I see this sweet tasting words misinforming those who are attending the School of the Supernatural by Bethel Church here in Redding. People love that which give to them pleasure, they like looking into future events (Star wars, ET, and in my time Buck Rodgers shows) and those speculations that sound to be true and possible and especially if those things are said to have warrant in Scripture. Oh! It is so sweet, so good, until....When a person begins to look critically into what they are being fed and find that those sweet things in their mouths are making them sick, their belly is sour and bitter. Some leave the Church altogether disillusioned, upset, mad, never to return or to attempt to find the truth. Some just go off to other Churches and many of them bring to that Church their bitterness. 

     Why did this "little book" cause bitterness? I suggest two reasons: 1. In the mouth, before digestion the words in this book, albeit they were about judgment and things to come, they were accepted as sweet. 2. John was told to take those words to the world and those words contain what God was going to do to the world when He comes to judge the world. An Authentic Christian must see that the words of God are sweet, sweet words of God for the faithful and as servants of God we are to take that sweetness to the world, first, before bringing to them the judgments of God. Ezekiel was told to eat the roll, a roll that contained lamentations, and mourning, and woe (Ezekiel 2:10) and when Ezekiel ate this roll it was sweet and he was told to speak those words to the house of Israel, John is telling us that this "little book" was also full of judgments, but also the mercy of God for He was forewarning all who will eat of this "little book" and be saved. The house of Israel would not listen to Ezekiel, will you listen to John? (Ezekiel 3). 

     It is good that people hear about what God is going to do to this evil world, but it is better for them to hear of the mercy of God through His Son Jesus Christ. No one will come to be saved by hearing that the world will be destroyed, if that is the only reason to would come to be saved is not to have accepted Jesus Christ, but just because they did not want to die. God warns, protects, and when a person comes to understand that there is a God, a just God who will bring judgment upon this world, it leaves a hole: that hole must not be left empty. We must fill that hole with the words of Jesus Christ, teach them Scripture, the words of Jesus Christ, and they must put their faith in Him, not judgments. Authentic Christians are those who build upon their relationship with Jesus Christ and this building of this relationship will not just happen, it must be a work in progress, not regress, but progress. Our faith is in Jesus Christ and what He has done, what He has fulfilled and that due to this, we, those who believe on Jesus Christ, they are the ones that no matter what this "little book" states, they are not moved into lamentation or mourning, but allow the sweetness to be sweet not only in their mouths, but in their belly's. To the shallow those sweet words in their mouths will become bitter, making anything that is told to them to be hard to swallow. We, those who are of the bride of Christ must bring to our world those sweet and truthful and non-bitter words that Jesus, Him alone, can save. We know about the judgments of God, but we know more: we know the One who saves: Jesus Christ. Bring to your world the Gospel, it is the Gospel that leads a person to put their faith in Jesus, then teach about the judgments of God so that they too will be of those that bring to their world the Gospel knowing that before the end they have the opportunity to aid others to believe in Jesus Christ.

     Will you do your part?

Son of man, I have made thee 

    a watchman unto the house

of Israel: therefore hear the word

    at my mouth, and give them 

warning from me.

                   Ezekiel 3:17

It is a privilege to speak for God

Richard L. Crumb

Who Is This Strong And Mighty Angel?

And I saw another mighty angel come down 

from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: and he had in his hand a little book open: and he st his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth and when he had cried seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard 

a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up 

those things which the seven thunders uttered, 

and write them not. And the angel which I saw 

stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted 

up his hand to heaven, and sware by Him who

 liveth forever and ever, who created heaven, 

and the things that there in and the sea, 

and the earth, and the things that therein are, 

and the sea, and the things which are therein, 

that there should be time no longer; but 

in the  days of the voice of the seventh angel, 

when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of

 God should be finished, as He hath declared 

to His servants the prophets.

Revelation 10:1-7 

     John now sees another angel and this angel was a strong angel (there is another word for mighty but here the Greek word means strong), a small point not to be dwelt on, but this strong angel, or messenger, as this is the meaning of the Greek word translated "angel," and while it can often just mean a being in this case this strong angel has a message. There are differences of opinion as to who this angel is: is it a mighty angel, or is it Jesus Christ? It seems that this angel is a special envoy for God and we might just look at the Greek word that means another, that is this angel was another angel seen by John. The Greek word allon means "another of the same kind, as this refers back to the previous angels mentioned so it seem hardly to refer to Jesus Christ. We must remember that John did not worship angels as he did to Jesus Christ. We must also remember that throughout the Old Testament there are references to the "Angel of the Lord," and this angel was a reference to the Second Person of the Trinity who came when necessary to bring a message to man. So this angel could be Jesus Christ as another messenger. This angel was seen to be clothed in a cloud. Also this messenger, or angel was seen to have his feet both on the earth and on the sea which must refer to all of creation. The cloud that this angel is clothed with reminds of the cloud that hid the Israelites when they left Egypt, and the cloud that was seen when Moses went up to the mount to receive the ten commandments, and Jesus was received into heaven in a cloud. Therefore we must admit that this cloud represents something hidden. What was hidden was not now able to be shown until all things were finished. The angel had an rainbow upon his head. We again are reminded that the first rainbow that man could see was when Noah left the ark and by this rainbow God promised a promise. Therefore this rainbow must represent that this angel had a promise for man, for the Church. The angel's face shown like the sun, bright and the sun hides nothing as it shines and chases away darkeness, therefore this angel brings light and hides darkness that now engulfs man. The feet of this angle was like a pillar of fire, and again we are reminded how the Israelites were led by a pillar of fire when escaping Egypt. The Church of God will and it is now, led by Jesus Christ and so much more in eternity. This angel had with him a little book that was open and in this book were the names if I look at chapter 20 where the names of the faithful were recorded to either have those names, or some record of judgment(s). John heard thunder and we once again are reminded that when God speaks it is like the sound of thunder, the sound of a lion who when roars roars with his mouth towards the earth making his sound travel far and wide. Seven thunders, a complete number, there are to nothing added to the words of God that come to us as in a thunder. 

     John was about to write when told not to write. In fact John was told to seal up what the seven thunders thundered. Now this angel looked toward heaven swore to Him who sits on the throne, the One that created all things, and again we are reminded what John wrote: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. the same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness ; and the darkness comprehended it not" (John 1:1-5). 

     How can we understand eternity? We cannot fully understand that which never ends for in our life, our world all things have a beginning and an end. Eternity simply put is time without time. Confusing? Eternity cannot be eternity that is a period of time: it cannot and be eternity. Man though can live in this eternity even while living in sequential time. This sequential time has no end. What a promise of God, what a merciful loving God who will give to faithful believers in His Son, Jesus Christ, eternity, time without time. 

    The mystery of God will become no mystery as this mystery is unfolded when the seventh angel sounds, and all the promises of God for the faithful will be declared: It is finished!

    I am keeping away from speculation and attempting to just relay to you the simple truth: God will bring judgment to this earth. God hates sin! God will only do something about sin by means of the death, and resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. You cannot do anything worthwhile to cause God to love you: who do you think you are? So important, so faithful that God can do nothing else but save you? This is making you greater than God! God saves because of Jesus Christ and saves you through Him so if Jesus is not your Savior, not the One that you have put all your faith in, then you are not saved. You can, now, put all your faith in Him, by repentance, not because you are sorry for your sins, but because you know that you are so sinful and you cannot save yourself and are in need of One who can save you and that One is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came to earth to die and pay this debt owed by man to God: God paid His own debt owed to Him. As Thanksgiving approaches we must see that we have all the reason to be thankful. By the way: if you have not repented of your sins and have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior: DO IT NOW!

Ye have compassed  this mountain

    long enough: turn you northward.

                    Deuteronomy 2:3

Time is of the essence: Do not wait!

Richard L. Crumb 

.

What It Means To Be Free And How To Be Saved From The Coming Judgment

If the Son therefore shall make you free, 

ye shall be free indeed.

John 8:36

And one of the malefactors which were 

hanged railed on Him, saying, "if Thou be

 Christ, save Thyself and us." But the

 other answering rebuked him, saying, "Dost 

not thou fear God, seeing thou art in 

the same condemnation? And we indeed

 justly; for we receive the due reward of our 

deeds: but this Man hath done nothing amiss." 

And he said unto Jesus, "Lord, remember me 

when Thou comest into Thy kingdom." And Jesus

 said unto him, "Verily I say unto thee, today shalt 

thou be with Me in paradise"

Luke 23:39-43

     Yes, I am departing today from the study of Revelation and turning for the moment to do what this blog is all about: Changing from the inside/out. We have learned that Authentic Christians are overcomers and will not have to have the judgment of God that He gives to those who will not accept Him as their Savior. God, when making man from the dust of the ground did something to man that He did not do for any other living creature: Man was made in His image, (Genesis 1:27). Man, we, are designed to have a great capacity for God, but it is sin that keeps us from becoming all that God designed us to be and that for eternity. Our natural life must be transformed into a spiritual life by obedience: then you are changing from the inside/out. We must bring every thought and imagination into captivity: we must do it: God will not do it for you. Stop listening to yourself and listen to God. Yes, God will chastise us, but God will not discipline us: we have to discipline ourselves. We must be crucified with Jesus Christ and be energized into identification with Him. 

     This we must know and accept: Jesus Christ has the power, and not just the power, but the willingness to save sinners. The thieves on the cross with Jesus were wicked men and deserved to die and they were on their way to Gehenna. Were they too wicked to be saved? No! When the one thief ask of Jesus to be saved, to be taken with Him into His kingdom: Jesus saved him. You do not need to despair of all the bad you have done: no! Jesus is still the same today as He was on the cross and He has the keys of death and Gehenna in His hands. Those bad things we may have done are bad but Jesus can forgive and heal you and change you, but you must discipline yourself to be changed. Jesus can make you whiter than snow even though your sins be as scarlet. The call to the world is still sounding loud and clear today as when it was first sounded, come, come, and when you do and become an overcomer, you will have the blessing of eternal life with Him, and not Gehenna. As an Authentic Christian our glory is not in ourselves by in Him. Jesus is the merciful Savior and we exalt Him by our lives. 

     The one their believed in Jesus and the other did not even though apparently Who Jesus was and what He had done known by both, only one would see his need to be saved. The thief did not ask to be saved from death, no, he asked Jesus to take him to paradise with Jesus. Some are saved, some are not. This account is written for our warning. It is never too late to repent!

     The Spirit of God always leads saved souls in one way, but we must not despair even though we must, as all men do, have to go through this life and its experiences, and we see that faith, this strong faith of this thief who called Jesus "Lord," is a great example for us, no matte what Jesus saves.

    When our day comes to die will we leave behind the knowledge of a changed man, changed from the inside/out to be obedient to God, or not? Give solid proof of your repentance, your faith, and your holiness. You do this by your obedience to God's commands, the precepts left for us to follow, not a man's opinion, or speculation, or some anecdote, not proven, but to follow God as it is simply left for us to read in His word.  When that day comes, and it will, will you die in the Lord? Do you believe in the promise of God that when you die and leave this world that you will enter into a new world, and eternal world? You leave this earth to enter as did that thief on the cross who believed in Jesus, you enter paradise. As an Authentic Christian you are nearer to heaven than you may now think for you leave this earth and enter paradise. This all began, this journey began, when you put your faith in Him and believed that He saved you, now, not when He comes again, but NOW!

     If you have not accepted Jesus as Savior, do it now! Age does not matter, your past does not matter, repent NOW! and be saved. So not be satisfied with this world and it standards, be satisfied with Jesus, with our God, and allow Him Who resides in all Authentic Christians, the Holy Spirit and allow Him to guide you. He will! Are you mourning? Take comfort from this example, rejoice that you will be and are now, if you accept Jesus as Savior: FREE! FREE INDEED!

Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son

    bear the iniquity of the father?

When the son hath done that which 

    is lawful and right, and hath kept

all my statutes, and hath done them,

    he shall surely live.

                     Ezekiel 18:19

Have you repented of your sins? If not: do it now!

Richard L. Crumb

 

 

Breastplates Of Fire, Hyacinth And Brimstone: What Do These Mean?

And the number of the army of the horsemen 

were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the 

vision, and them that sat on them, having 

breastplates of fire, and of hyacinth and brimstone:

 and the heads of the horses were as the heads 

of lions;  and out of their mouths issued fire

 and smoke  and brimstone. By these three was

 the third part of men killed, by the fire, 

and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, 

which issued out of their mouths. For their power 

is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their 

tails were like unto serpents, and had heads 

and with them they do hurt. And the rest of

 the men which were not killed by these 

plagues yet repented not of the old works 

of their hands, that they should not worship 

devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, 

and stone, and of wood: nor hear, nor walk: 

they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, 

nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

Revelation 9:16-21

     Theologians are always looking for the meaning of Scripture and applying what they have come to believe to by correct according to their theological views. For instance: some will, and many do, always place the meaning on things that happened with and to Rome, or the Israelite nation. Some apply the symbols to things that they are familiar with: i.e., helicopters, thermonuclear war, etc., only to give their interpretation as though God has given to them some special "key." I have distanced myself from those opinion and have attempted to only look at the words and find definition and possible reasons why they were used to define the judgments and coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let us then look at the symbols used in these verses.

      Horses were used in and as weapons of war by those nations that had horses such as Egypt, Syria, Persians, Romans, and others and the riders wore special equipment to protect them from harm. So we know that this symbol of a horse means war. The riders wore a breastplate of fire (the Greek means fiery) and throughout Scripture fire was used in several ways, one such way was to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Fire was used to burn the sacrifice by Elijah. Fire is used in the Lake of Fire, Gehenna where all thrown into it are burned up. The breastplate then worn by this army had the power to destroy and cleanse the earth of, as stated, a third of the population. This breastplate was of hyacinth. A flower? Yes! That is if one does not know something of the word Hyacinth. The word Hyacinth is derived from Hyacinthus who was believed to be a handsome young Spartan prince who the gods Apollon and Zephyros loved, Hyacinthus was killed by Apollon when he threw a discus and hitting Hyacinthus in the head. Apollon was grieved and transformed the dying Hyacinthus into a larkspur flower. In Thessalonica they had their version of Hyacinthus who they also named Hymenaios (Of the Hymns) and as with Apollon love, Daphne who is associated with temples among the Lacedemonians. It is interesting to not that we have fascinating correspondence between the Jewish high priest and the king of the Spartans (Lacedemonians) of Greece. The evidence of those early inhabitants (330-309 B.C.) were in fact Israelites. We find this information in the Apocraphal book: First Maccabees, chapter 12, verses 5-23. We have passage from Flavious Josephus relating to this kinship of he Jews of the Maccbean age with the Spartans, and includes a letter of Areus king of the Lacedemonians to Onias the high priest.
(An exerpt from Antiquities xiii.5 by Flavius Josephus). Daphne had her own sacred laurel trees. There is a Temple of Apollo Daphnephoros, Eretria a 7th to 6th century temple excavated a place where citizens were to take the oath, as seen on inscriptions. We can find the temple to Apollon between and near Corinth, and towards and with Thessalonic, Ephesus, the cult of Apollon. It would seem that to use this flower, a hyacinth that is supposed to have sprung from the blood of Hyacinthus, a blue flower, has significance to false worship.Brimstone a word translated form the Hebrew and is an idiomatic expression of signs of God's wrath in the Hebrew Bible and in the New Testament. This word often appears in reference to the fate of the unfaithful. Brimstone is yellow in color and is known as sulphur, a chemical that burns. As a young boy working in the drying yards for drying fruit we used sulphur to cook the fruit so they would not blacken when laid out in the sun to dry. When you opened the tent of room where this cooking took place your eyes would burn and water, it is powerful. Notice this: the fire, the smoke, the brimstone issued out of the mouth. Those who teach heresy, false teaching are spurting out of their mouths that which God hates and will destroy. There were tails that stung and spurred poison and had heads, heads where designs are formulated and in this case to do harm to men. 

    All this comes to those who will not repent of their sins. Those works of their hands that are not governed by the commands of God. It is those who worship idols, devils, , those who will not hear, nor walk in the will of God, murderers, sorcery, and fornication, thieves. These men of this type will be destroyed. It is clear that the final words to us is that we who are alive must not fall into sinful works. We must come to know the reality of God, at any cost. You must come face to face with Him and be obedient to Him. All the promises of God are of no avail to us until obedience, then we can understand the nature of God. We must be "born again," of obedience and then by our obedient life we can say "Amen" to a promise, then that promise is yours. 

LORD, who shall abide in they tabernacle?

     Who shall dwell in Thy holy hill? 

He that walketh uprightly, speaketh the

     truth in his heart.

                  Psalm 15:1-2

Do not chase fables

Richard L. Crumb

Who Are Those Four Angels Loosed From The Euphrates River?

One woe is past; and, behold, there come 

two woes more hereafter. And the sixth 

angel sounded, and I heard a voice from 

the four horns of the golden altar which 

is before God, saying to the sixth angel 

which had the trumpet, Loose the four 

angels which are bound in the great river 

Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, 

which were prepared for an hour, and a day, 

and a month, and a year, for to slay the 

third part of men. And the number of the 

army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.  

Revelation 9:12-16

     It is understandable if you get confused about all this symbolism, and references to the earth, or the Euphrates River, the winds, trumpets, and such, but do not despair you need only to go slow, think, read, pray, and do not read more into this than what Scripture allows. We do no that woes will come upon the earth. What is a woe? It is a grievous distress, affliction, or trouble. A woe is grief. There is not one woe but three and this denotes much sorrow, grief, despair, and trouble, not for all but for some, those who will not repent and be saved by Jesus Christ. 

     A sixth angel blows his trumpet. A trumpet is not an article of war but a message and this message was a voice from the golden altar that is before God. Some, depending on their theological view say that this is prayer from those around the throne, and it may be such that bring punishment to the earth but the Greek word is singular, accusative, not plural so only a voice was heard. Does man have the power to instruct angels? No! but in this case the voice, singularly, some will say that this is just as a choir sings as one voice, be as that may, this voice, this sound of the trumpet was saying to loose the four angels that were bound in the river Euphrates. What does this mean? Rather than get caught up in some historical, preterest, or futurist theological view I will simply look at this from what is known. The river Euphrates was a traditional boundary for the land of the Israelites and of the Roman Empire. The Euphrates river ran east of Israel and met with the Tigris river at Babylon. This river arises in Turkey and is 1,740 miles long, it flows across Syria and through Iraq and with the Tigris, it defines and area known historically as Mesopotamia (means land between two rivers). The Euphrates river defines the north and the east while the desert and the Red Sea, with the Sinai define the border to the south and west. These natural barriers served as a barrier to invaders from the east so then it would be good to simply say that the Euphrates river is a restraint upon the forces of evil. The loosing of angels that were bound, restrained from doing harm to God's children were evil angels and were to be used by God, not forever but for a time, an hour and a day, and a month, and a year. What this means simply is that not a minute, an hour, a day, or month for a year will this woe be stopped. This evil angels will slay a third part of man. Not all men will die only a part. These evil angels have an army, riding horses and were and if my calculations are correct this means 200 million, but the Greek simply means myriads a great indefinite number so do not get all caught up on numbers, they are many too many to count. 

     I will continue this tomorrow, Lord willing, so as not to get to bogged down in these verses. What we do know, once again, we must not be of those that are inflicted by the woes sent to them from the golden altar, by God. Build your life on the Rock (Jesus Christ) and you will not be moved by any trial that may come your way. Oh, you may feel the heat but not the final outcome. God will take you through all that come your way, that is, if you let Him.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts,

    the God of Israel, Amend your

ways and your doings, and I will

    cause you to dwell in this place.

                         Jeremiah 7:3

Stay close to God: He is your protection

Richard L. Crumb

Judgment So Bad Man Desires To Die: But Cannot

And in those days shall men seek death, and 

shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. And the  shapes of the locusts

 were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, 

and their faces were as the faces of men. And 

they had hair as the hair of women, and their

 teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; 

and the sound of their wings was as the sound 

of chariots of many horses running to battle. 

And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there 

were stings in their tails: and their power was 

to hurt men five months. And they had a king 

over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, 

whose name in Hebrew tongs is Abaddon, but in 

the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

Revelation 9:6-11

     Over the years much has been attempted to give present day interpretation such words as penned in these verses. In the days of these plagues brought upon the earth, upon man causes man to suffer and desire death because they are so horrible, but they cannot die due to them, they seek death in vain. There is a difference in the wording from the Critical Text (NIV, ESV, ASV, etc. where the word "not" is a double negative meaning never, not, nothing, οὺ μὲ: the Textus Receptus, the Geneva Bible, the King James Bible uses Ούκ), now, this difference may not seem to be too much but it is for when a person is preaching or determining their interpretation then they will preach one thing which the one preaching from the Textus Receptus will preach 

another. The words used in the Critical Text is to be rendered literally: not, but, or but not and the word used in the Textus Receptus means simply, not. Some will preach that due to the double negative man cannot die, but if God wanted to ensure that we understand this that way would He not have John use οὺ ε̃τι that means "no more," "no longer," "not now." What is better to say is that man will suffer so badly that they would rather die but death alludes them, they suffer so much but this suffering does not lead to death. Some allude that God is not allowing them to die, even causing them to endure much suffering, but this seems that God cause this pain to the point of wanting to die and would go against God making Him and evil god. Man causes their own pain and suffering, but God in His Providence will allow this so that man who will not come to Him and be saved will by their own hand cause this pain. God chastises but man must learn from this chastizement and turn from the sinful ways. In this case, man will not do this so they suffer. 

     John sees images of shapes, shaped in the form of a locust. What is this locust? First, a locust is an insect and can be eaten as with John the Baptist, and they appear as monsters being let loose by divine judgment to inflict man five months, the life of a locust. Now we have information about this time  of five months as will as understanding that these locusts represent divine judgment. Many interpretations are allegorical, or some other foolish interpretation. The Golden Rule of interpretation is to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture and when we see darkly to not fall into false interpretation due to our presuppositions. If we do not do this and interpret symbolism through allegory we embark upon a sea of conjecture. We do not want to jettison literal interpretation by using critical and simple thinking.

      The fact that these scorpions had crowns on their head insinuates power, authority and that they were shaped like horses gives credence to this but their faces were like men. We have men today in authority, in Christian Churches who are like a scorpion misusing Scripture, their authority and many follow after them, they had hair like a woman, possibly alluding to the long wispy hair on a lion for they had teeth like a lion. Teeth of a lion tears apart their prey to devour they prey. Strong they were, and are for they had breastplates of iron for protection and they make loud noise as in a rushing chariot or horses going to battle. Thing of those "preachers," who shout and dance about trying their very best to cause emotion, not good emotion, but emotion for people to be so afraid of them that they will do what they ask. But, they have tails like a scorpion that sting and had this power to hurt. How long? Five months, so it is not forever for God will end this Himself when He comes back on the Last Day. 

     The name of the leader of all this suffering is Apollyon that means in Greek: Destroyer. Satan is the great destroyer of man and he does not care if he has to cause great suffering so that in his way he attempts to get man to give to him authority as if he was God.

     Practical application: You, me, if we do not want this or any other plague brought upon man by Satan, then you must repent and be saved. There is no other way.

Keep silence before Me, O Islands;

     and let the people renew their 

strength: let them come near;

     then let them speak: let us

come near together to judgment.

                    Isaiah 41:1

Christ The Solid Rock: Stand On It

Richard L. Crumb