What is Behind Door # 2?

Who doesn't love a vacation? In fact, most of us are counting down the number of days or hours until we leave for a vacation. You know what the best part of a vacation is? The anticipation! It is knowing all the planning, all the preparation is counting it down til the day you leave. That is the best part! That is how God wants you to be in anticipation of Jesus Christ's return.

He is coming soon! The more we think on that and the more real it becomes to us, we begin to prioritize what is really important and what isn't. We need to weed out those things that carry us far from what Jesus wants in our life and start digging in a bit more to what He wants us to know and do in these coming and final days.

In our study today, we will realize that Jesus doesn't say I am coming soon, but He says "I am coming quickly." As you look around the world today, doesn't it seem like things are becoming unhinged, a bit on the crazy side? When we see these things we know that they are signs that He will come quickly, when we least expect it.

We need to turn off those distractions and get some time alone with God. Pray that God will reveal those things in your life that are keeping us apart from God. To knowing who He really is. That is how we can prepare to get ready for His coming. We won't have time to look around when He does come back. He is coming quickly.

As we begin our study today, in these final lessons on the Book of Revelation, we see the last words of Jesus and they are found in the final book of the Bible. These are His last recorded words and the words, "Surely, I am coming quickly," answers any questions we might have regarding our Christian walk of faith. Why do we read our Bible? Why do we go to church? Why do we feed the poor? Why do we help the homeless? All because Jesus is coming quickly.

Now a days there are more theologies out there than you can shake a stick at. Everyone has their own theory, everyone has the right answer to get you into heaven, and to help you know God more fully. One thing is certain, that all roads lead to God!" The real meat of it is, however, that not everyone gets to stay. Every man and woman will stand before God one day regards of your religious beliefs or non religious beliefs. Every. Single. One. We need to be concerned however, about what lies behind door number 2. The first door gets us all into God's presence, it's what lies behind door number 2 that should really cause us to sit up and take notice.

Just like the television show, Let's Make a Deal. There were always three doors, and more than anything you wanted to ensure that you picked the right door to get the best prize. This is certainly the case here. It's what lies beyond door number 2 that matters. Is it heaven? Or is it hell? Those are our only two options, regardless of what your "religious" upbringing my have you to believe.

Revelation 22:18-21 ~ "For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plague that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He who testifies to these things says, Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

These final words of Jesus Christ demand an attentiveness to exhort the church to be ready and stay awake. But how do we get ready and how do we stay awake?

These are the questions that we must answer if we're going to be faithful until the end, if we're going to persevere in this life, if we're going to be effective Christians.

There are those who would tell you that the Bible does not contain the Word of God, and that is true! The Bible IS the Word of God. To say that it contains the Word of God implies that not all of it is the Word of God and other interpretations are represented in it. That is 100% false. Every. Single. Word. of the Bible is the Word of God. Not of man. Don't be confused.

Because Jesus is coming quickly, we need to know our wholly Bibles like never before. Yes, I said, "wholly" Bible.

Revelation 22: 18 ~ "For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plague that are written in this book;"

"Wholly" means complete in its fullness. There is nothing more to add or take away. It is done. Here in the consummation of the Bible, warnings are given that ring loud and true in our day. Who hasn't heard of numerous versions of the Bible or additional books claiming to contain the Words of God? There have never been more cults on earth than right now.

"If anyone adds..." In other words: (1) to tamper with what the Father has said, God has preserved the Bible throughout all these years. (2)To confuse what Jesus has said; people have always argued with the words of Jesus Christ, and what He really meant or who He was really. (3) To improved upon what the Holy Spirit has said; the Holy Spirit is the author of the Scriptures.

Galatians 1:8-9 ~ "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you that what you have received, let him be accursed."

This was written more than 2000 years ago and now there are numerous other resources out there other than the Bible.

Acts 17:11 ~ "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."

This is the standard on how we are to judge things today, from what our pastors have to say from the pulpit, and what other Christians say.

1 John 4:1 ~ "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

There have been and will continue to be...many false prophets in the world today, from Jim Jones, David Koresh, to even Dan Brown, author of the DaVinci Code, is a false prophet. In just one novel he has people second guessing what they know of the Bible to be true. He makes you doubt the Bible and only through a fictional novel.

Proverbs 30:5-6 ~ "Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to his words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar."

Even without the Bible as a resource, we know that in 1947, the Dead Sea scrolls have backed up the Bible, Word for Word, with the exclusion of the Book of Esther. So how can we know our wholly Bibles like never before? (1) stop pretending that you're a Christian, and become one. Put it into practice every single day, not just on Sunday's. Be a Christian every single day. (2) Determine now to put the Bible into practice daily. Don't just read it, live it out among your family and friends. (3) Go on a diet, eat up what it is saying to you!

We will finish our study on the Book of Revelation tomorrow. 

Chapter 17 is Why Churches Avoid Teaching on the Book of Revelation!

Time to begin teaching our post-graduate training school as we open up our Bibles and begin a deep look into chapters 17 and 18 from the Book of Revelation. While it may seem futuristic in nature, it is not that far into the future. It is dealing with religion and government in light of world events we see happening today. Be aware because God is already setting up the world's stage for the culmination of the things we are going to study in Revelation 17 and 18. We are beginning to see things that should wake us up as we are seeing things we would have never imagined 20 years ago happening in nations around the world and even in our own nation. As we open up today's study, I would ask that you be intellectually honest with yourself and keep an open mind as we explore what the Bible has to say.

Revelation 17:1-18 ~ "Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on the earth have become drunk. And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: "Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations." And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. 

When I saw her, I marveled greatly. But the angel said to me, "Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her.

The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come. This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; they are also seven kings, five of who have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is the Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.

And the angel said to me, "The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth."

It is so clear what we are reading in chapters 17 and 18 that many churches today avoid teaching on it. Its infiltration is so clear into the religious systems of the world today. Satan's soul purpose is the destruction of souls, and he is using a religious system that he has engineered since the creation of the world. He has commandeered it.

Chapter 17 reveals things with such clarity, that we don't want to read it or entertain it out of fear. This is the very reason some churches refuse to study the Book of Revelation is based on chapter 17. They don't want to take the risk of dealing with what is in this chapter. The result of this is that many people are being led away by the dangerous system found in this chapter. The question you need to ask yourself before going any further is:

Are you going to believe in the truth of God's Word from the Bible or the traditions of man?

John was shocked or marveled at what he was seeing and hearing. The angel is replying to John's reaction is sarcastic with him. John has no problem understanding the symbolism being represented here. What he is marveling about is what the woman turns and does! She devours the martyrs and believers of Christ.

We need to hear this with eyes wide open and hearts prepared. Nearly every biblical author of the Bible from Abraham to John in Revelation, excluding a few, have warned against what is mentioned in Revelation 17. What we study and read about today is ancient! All but one book in the Bible from the Old Testament to the New Testament warns against a false religious system and all that it represents. It is dangerous and it is massive. The Bible warns that spiritual deception will occur and it will only get worse and increase in time. It will keep getting worse and worse as we move closer to this event being fulfilled.

2 Corinthians 11:26 ~ "on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers;"

2 John 1:7 ~ "For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist."

2 Peter 2:1 ~ "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction."

1 John 4:1-3 ~ "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming, and now is in the world already."

This last verse was written for believers in Christ, not non-believers.

Matthew 24:10-11 ~ "And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray."

Matthew 24:24 ~ "For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect."

We live in a dangerous world, where religious leaders even now are trying to impress the world. Satan deems every single soul valuable. He is a created fallen angel and Michael is his equal, not God. It is how he inflicts pain on the heart of God, when he deceives us to follow his lies over the truth of God's Word.

We are caught in this tug-o-war between God and Satan. There are more religious people in hell than there are atheists and evolutionists. It's religion that leads men away from God. The true definition of religion is man's attempt to reach God. But God came down to meet us, when Jesus Christ came from heaven to earth.

Satan deceives by diving the Word of truth, this is how cults form. Notice that they always have their own form of the Bible with them. That is why we need to understand and know that the Bible really says so we can't be deceived or led astray. These people will often quote a verse from the Bible and its meaning is twisted.

Didn't Satan use the Bible when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness?

That is precisely why we have to use the Sword of the Spirit!

The spirit of antichrist has always been. Those who don't see or deny the deity of Jesus Christ. If anyone you know, Jehovah's witnesses or Mormons, while they might be nice people, will deny the Spirit or deity of Jesus Christ. They're of the spirit of the antichrist.

It is an interesting time to believe and see what is happening in world today. Exciting times indeed!

A Warning about Miracles, Signs and Wonders!

So just how close are we to the rapture of the church and the Tribulation period? Definitely closer than we were yesterday. The one thing that has moved us that much closer is the creation of the nation of Israel for a second time, that occurred on May 14, 1948 and fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 66:8. That one event has set up a stop watch for the last days. How do we know that? Because the Bible says that there will come one who makes political promises. Notice that the Antichrist, the one we see in the Bible, riding a white horse, that we are going to be reading about today, don't mistake this for being Jesus. Read Revelation 6 carefully!

There is the impostor. The mock Messiah. He is the false Messiah. He is the Antichrist. He is going to come and Daniel 9 tells us, that he is the one that will come to make a peace treaty with the nation of Israel. The contract will be for 7 years and it will be for 7 years of peace. It will be anything but, and it will be deceptive. The nation of Israel and its leaders are going to go with that and follow that deception. So just how close are we?

Doesn't every politician seek to gain a peace treaty with Israel and its neighbors? Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, both President Bushes, and this is just God giving us a little heads up that there will be one who comes that will broker a peace treaty with Israel. To know where we are at, keep your eyes open, your Bible open, your mind on the news of what is happening in regards to the nation of Israel and the Middle East. A man will one day come that the Bible tells us that will pull off this peace treaty deal. Israel right now is so hated by most people.

There was a social experiment done on a college campus, where one man waved the ISIS flag in front of people and no one said anything. Then he did the same thing with the flag of Israel and he was mocked, spit on, made fun of, you name it. This is just a sign that what we are facing is a spiritual issue. (1) No one said anything about the ISIS flag, and what we need to understand is silence is agreement. If you don't speak up then you are agreeing with whatever is happening. No one out of fear says anything about the ISIS flag. That is just wrong. Yet when someone says something about the flag of Israel, they are immediately under attack and that is an indicator that something is out of balance. The reason is because this is spiritual. Why do you hate Israel? Why do you hate Jews? You are being lead demonically to that decision, and they hate the promises of God. I've included the link here just in a case you might be questioning whether this could honestly happen here in America. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOHJ06bsSow)

Revelation 6:1-2 ~ " I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest." 

The issues we really want to pay attention to here are the words "white horse," "bow," and "crown." A lot of people mistake this for Jesus Christ. You might argue that the description here is the same as it is in Revelation 19, but that is wrong. In Revelation 19. the Bible says that Jesus has many crowns, and the word for "crowns" in Revelation 19, is the Greek word meaning "diadem." The absolute crown of an absolute ruler. The rider in Revelation 6, has a "crown" and in the Greek it means "stephanos," given to anyone who wins a heat in a race, or wins a battle in a war. This is not Jesus Christ.

We see that he is riding a "white horse," and a white horse was given to those who won a battle in ancient history. This first rider is the Antichrist riding a white horse.

Matthew 24:24 ~ "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect - if that were possible."

That is referring to those  converted during the Tribulation period. Jesus is saying that Satan will be so prevalent in the last days that there will be miracles done that will having nothing to do with the power of God it will be the power of Antichrist. We should be extremely concerned even with the state of current believers even today, that when a "miracle" happens, they will sacrifice Bible doctrine, to embrace a tortilla shell that has image on it or they will leave to head to other parts of the world, by hook or by crook, to worship some sort of a building that has an insignia on it, and if you put someone in front of it, they are healed. You might say, "Well what is wrong with that?" It's the message that follows these things. If people are getting healed by some abhorrition that is taking place in Central America some place, who is doing it, if the message after the healing is, "Yes! Jesus is one of the Saviors!"

If you know someone who is blind or needs a miracle, you will be desperate enough to be tempted to go and seek that healing. Will you sacrifice biblical truth so that this person might be healed or see again? You know that the doctrine is different than what the Bible teaches in order to get this healing, but you go anyway. You have been deceived. You might ask, "Well are all miracles wrong?" It depends on the message that accompanies that miracle! Is the message done by Almighty God and is Jesus the only one who gets all the glory and  honor? Or is His glory shared with another? What does the Bible say about that? "My glory I will not share with another."

Jesus warns that in the last days, it will be so powerful, these miracles and powers, that are not of God, that if it were possible, even My very chosen people would be deceived. But if you read it in its original context, it means that even His people, will not be deceived by what they see. That is very comforting.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 ~ "While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' destruction will come upon them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."

The answer is simply this, don't be fooled by people riding on white horses! You might hear of a ministry, evangelical service or a healing service coming to town, the false always has the mask, just a little bit crooked. They will test your faith and ask you to give everything you own, money, wealth in order to show just how much faith you have in God. "Just trust in God and have faith! Take out that money and put that in the offering. It's okay if it all you have left, because God will bless your faith!"

Why don't those guys stop it, put a sock in it and exercise faith themselves? Be careful! Does God heal? Absolutely! But God has convicted the hearts of those that do it, to never parade that around in front of people. It is usually done quiet and away from others, when people are prayed for. The first century church had a guideline for people like that, if they asked for money or to stay in your house, throw them out!

This Antichrist comes giving everything that the world wants. Why? He's fooling people and he's riding a white horse.

2 Thessalonians 2:8-10 ~ "And then the lawless one will be revealed, who the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy it by the splendor of his coming.The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonder, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing."

John 5:43 ~ "I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him."

Jesus was speaking in both of these cases of the Antichrist. Another thing we learn in verse 2 of Revelation, don't be intimidated by the powers of evil.

Revelation 6:2 ~ "I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest."

This is really interesting, notice, he had a bow, but no arrows! Jesus doesn't carry a bow does He? Jesus comes forth out of heaven in Revelation 19 with a sword in His hand. The ancient scholars believe and Daniel backs it up, that he will first conquer through peace. He doesn't need arrows. He conquers through peace and treaties and that is exactly what Daniel says. For the first 3 1/2 years, he brings such peace and prosperity into the world that the people fall into a stupor.

" he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest," means he starts out winning small battles but they increase in size as he goes on, until he has won the world and that of popular opinion as well. This is the reason why this verse uses the word or form of conquer or conquest, twice.

Daniel 9:27 ~ "He (the Antichrist) will confirm (that is succeed where others have failed) a covenant (a league or agreement made with blood) with many (not only Israel, but their neighbors) for one 'seven' (years). In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to the sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple, he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."

2 Thessalonians 2:10 ~ "and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved." 

It means when they had opportunity, they didn't give their hearts to Christ when they had the chance.

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 ~ " For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie, and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness." 

How does this happen? It talks about the coming of the Antichrist, and those people who had the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, now perhaps even as you find yourselves reading this, they heard the gospel and willfully rejected it and then the rapture takes place. Some of you might be banking on this. You look at stuff and think to yourself when I see this stuff starting to take place, then I'll make the choice to get right or accept Jesus during the Tribulation Period.  But you won't have that chance according to 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 that we just looked at. You won't get the chance and not only that, you are worse off for waiting to do so. Why? Because you stood your ground while the opportunities came around and now you will won't be able to do so. That's frightening enough in the life of a believer. What about an unbeliever?

The ones that sit on church and hear about Jesus and the way to get to heaven through the acceptance of Jesus Christ and don't do anything about it. They blow it off and go play it off in the world for a while. They might even come to church on Sundays just to cover all their bases too! If that is you or you know someone like that, you better pray for them and tell them the truth. That they need to accept Jesus Christ today.

2 Corinthians 6:2 ~ "For he says, 'In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."

But the choice must be yours. Jesus wants your life. He doesn't want it dead, but alive for Him. If that rapture takes place, and you've said, "No, no, no, no, no, no..." you will become like Pharoah and harden your heart and God will send you strong delusions and you believe the lie. What is that lie? That the Antichrist is God and will set himself up in the temple in Jerusalem. You will believe he is who he says he is.

The Antichrist that is coming as the rider on the white horse, comes with the opening of the first seal. The first rider and those that ride behind him bring havoc and mayhem to the world. Man's government, man's rule, man's control, left without the intervention of God, is destroyed by self. Think about this, Satan is deceiving and he's been attempting to ride into your life, and attempts to do so every day of your life on a white horse. Before we were Christians, he rode in quite willfully and freely, you could sin without thought. There was no difference in our lives. We schemed on how not to get caught. At some point in time, we began to have different thoughts and then we find Jesus and accept the gift of His salvation. We became converted and for some of us, those sins stopped immediately! Maybe you cussed like a sailor and now you don't. There are some people who don't work that quickly, but He does keep working in your life.

We can't even sin right anymore. When you have the Holy Spirit working in your life, you can't even sin right. We lose our joy or our light. When we backslide, and you can just tell by looking at them that something isn't right anymore. God will turn your back and it's time for you to get right with God again.

Are you feeling a little bit of pressure right now? Praise God, that is Him putting a calling on your life right now. Make that decision today while there is time, make that decision to accept Jesus before the delusion comes.

Acts 17:11 ~ " Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."

This is how we should live our lives, not with an open mind but with an open Bible. Especially in these days that we are facing now. The deceiving and deceptive signs, wonder and miracles is already at work. The Scriptures warn us that these things are coming. Remember the battle of spiritual powers between Moses and Pharoah's staff. One origin was from God and one was from a false demonic origin. We have to be careful what miracles we accept. We follow the miracles to accept the false doctrine. It will increase and we need to make sure our faith is rooted in the Word of God.

Monday, we will take a look at the other riders that follow this one! You won't want to miss it. Hope you found this interesting and feel free to share with those that might need to hear it.