What Are You Worshipping in This World?

 

For nearly two decades now there is a group in Israel known as the Temple Mount Faithful that run the Temple Mount Institute who have been making preparations to get ready for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. They have rebuilt many of the tools to be used in the Temple as well as the menorah, and have been researching the red heifer, which they have now discovered as well as those who fall in the lineage of the Levitical priests, from the gowns the priest will wear, this group is taking this extraordinarily serious. The have it all down to the finest minute details from the exact color dye for the priests gown derived from a sea snail. We know that at this time, there is no Temple Mount in Jerusalem but in our study today we are learning that there will be. God says that one day there will be.

There are those who refuse to believe in the New Testament but through their actions, they are working on efforts that one day they believe it will be built again. This is just another indicator of last days events. God's Word is always true. You can even use Google Earth to check this area out where the Temple will one day be built again. It is just to the left and north of the Dome of the Rock. It is a vacant lot where it will one day be rebuilt and prophecy to be fulfilled.

Remember in our study yesterday, we concluded that God is issuing a warning throughout the Book of Revelation and even during the Tribulation Period when it comes, that He loves us so much, He doesn't want us to have to go through these things we are reading about and studying today. Don't lose sight of that.

As we continue our study this morning, we know that the warning God is providing of a very specific event comes a temple to the city of Jerusalem. One day in the last days, the Bible is assuming that a Temple will be rebuilt in the city of Jerusalem. There is not a temple there today, but the Bible clearly states that one day one will come. Scholars will argue that this is not what this portion of scripture is referring to and it must be something else because a temple will never be rebuilt there. Israel as we know is making serious preparations for this to happen even though they refuse to read the New Testament portions of the Bible. The priestly gowns have already been made right down to the most minute detail. The menorah for the holy of holies is already made. The altar has already been created. They are teaching those of the Levite lineage how to perform the priestly duties. Israel is planning on building a Temple.

They can't build it at this time because of the Muslim/Palestinian world would go crazy. It would be the catalyst for the next world war. It won't happen today, but Israel is moving in that direction. We know that there is a coming Temple because Jesus said so.

Matthew 24:14-15 ~ "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. So when you see standing in the holy place, 'the abomination that cause desolation,' spoken through the prophet Daniel - let the reader understand - "

There will be a rebuilding of the Temple in what looks to be the area just north of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. I believe that the Dome of the Rock will still be there because Scripture talks about a wall being built that will separate this holy place away from a defiled area. Why would the Bible mention this Temple Mount area as being defiled? God says in the last days, a Temple will come to Jerusalem. However a lot of political things have to happen before that could ever be true. There are motions and work taking place to brings these things about when that day comes. There is a flat area just north of the Dome of the Rock that can easily allow for the Temple to be rebuilt right behind the Golden Gate, that the Tribulation Temple will be built.

When John was given this vision in 90 A.D., the Temple did not exist either. In 70 A.D. it was destroyed by Titus in the invading Roman Empire to sequester an uprising in Jerusalem during that time. Jesus predicted this would happen when He said not one stone would be left unturned when the Temple was destroyed. The Bible says a day is coming when a man, the Son of Perdition, some scholars refer to him as a Prince or a Western Prince, will arise out of the ancient borders of a once great Roman Empire.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 ~ "Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God."

Even though we have a conglomeration of nations within the Europe Union right now, the Bible says that 10 nations will rise out of the 25 nations that are within that group right now. Within that 10, there will be a predominate group of 4 leaders that will be the spokespersons for these nations. Out of the 4, the Bible says that 1 will rise up and that will be the "western prince" or Son of Perdition or Antichrist and he will speak convincing words to the world that the world will believe. He will turn around the world's economy so that it will be the most prosperous time that the world has ever known. This time period will last for about 3 1/2 years. He will cause the environment to be rejuvenated to some degree but he will not convince all the world. It appears that China and parts of the Asian world will come to war against him, and we will study more about that in greater detail in chapter 13. This man will be the greatest politician the world has ever seen.

In the United States right now, our own independence is an affront to the entire global community. Did you know that? It is not liked and is jealously disdained in Europe. The independent spirit in Americans is not well received in the world. We are labeled as "free thinkers," "independents,"  and are marked as renegades in the global community. Ronald Reagan even received flack for being labeled as a "rogue cowboy." The world is getting a mind set of globalism. The United States is an affront to that and it doesn't easily bow to the whims of the United Nations. But something greater than the U.N. is coming. The European Union is gaining strength, even their dollar is worth more than our currency now. There will a continued decrease in the dollar and the yen, and you'll see more countries embracing the Euro as the European Union continues to grow in power and influence in the world.

The European Union is taking its cue from the United States and is following suit. There is one huge difference, God is being left out of their constitution, their flags, and their currency whereas the United States at this time has God in the midst of it all when He founded this nation. He is in the middle of our Constitution, the Bill of Rights, our Declaration of Independence. What comes out of Europe must have a vacancy of God for this man to rise to power. The Bible says that he will stand in the Temple of God during the Tribulation Period and declare himself to be God. The Bible says that the people of the world will fall under the deception and believe him. He will sign a 7-year peace treaty with Israel and its warring neighbors in Daniel 9.

They will vote with their pocketbooks because they want prosperity in their lives and they want the environment to be restored, all the environmental groups will love him. Don't mistake the belief that Christians should be the greatest custodians of God's creations. But look around you and you can see the extremes people are taking these activities now. The difference is we don't worship creation, they do. The world is being groomed for this time to come.

Revelation 11:1 ~ "I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there."

I can understand measuring the Temple of God, the altar but counting the worshipers? We know that Jesus Christ is our High Priest, Jesus Christ died on the cross once and for all, and Jesus ascended to heaven to present His blood upon the altar in heaven. The temple was destroyed because it wasn't needed anymore. God is not into earthly temples. God is no longer into earthly altars. Jesus is now resurrected and is now enthroned in heaven. When we pray do we face a temple? We don't do this because as Christians, we have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, and our God is enthroned in heaven. We can pray any way we want to, any time we want to, any where we want to. Our salvation is not connected to an earthly temple.

When John is asked to measure the temple, this is the temple the Antichrist will use. Even though it says it is the Temple of God, that is how the Jewish people reference it. God has not declared it to be His temple. The Bible says that won't happen until Jesus returns to earth and He establishes His own temple in Jerusalem. This is the temple to be commandeered or stolen by the Antichrist. It's a false temple and needless altar.

Now it comes to measuring the worshipers and in the Greek it is metreo which means: to measure, to ascertain in size, to make note of detail. To determine size, scope and influence. The word here is both figuratively and actual it just depends on the application. How do you measure people? John is told to measure their hearts. Who are they? What do they know? In what form are they worshiping? Where are they with God? God measures the worshiper right now! God is always measuring our desire or passion for worship.

If you read your Bible carefully, Christians are prone to worship! If you want to find a Christian who is worth anything to hang around with, find one who is a worshiper! Christians should be worshiping and praising God! It's what we are going to be doing in Heaven! It's good practice. God might not count the physical number of people worshiping in church but He measures each one of us. Do you ever notice that sometimes when you are singing worship songs, you might be mouthing the words, but your mind is someplace else. Sometimes if you are like me, you have to close your eyes to get rid of all distractions. When you worship alone, do you do that? We should understand that when we worship corporately in church, what a blessing that is. The music in church has nothing to do with us. As a Christian, we need to make worship a priority, not something you show up just after its almost over or leave just as it begins at the conclusion of service and you head out so you don't have to be stuck trying to get out of the parking lot. God measures His worshipers.

Distraction is an easy thing, especially in worship. Every Christian has experienced this. It is attacked with distractions. Anytime we try to do something for God or spend time with God, our minds have a tendency to wander. While we are involved in a spiritual devotion with God, it is foreign to this world. It is foreign to our nature. It is foreign to our life in this world. It is all about us worshiping the Lord and that is why it is so difficult. When we worship God, there is a beautiful death that takes place to us, our self, our demands, our wants, and we lose track of us, which is always a good thing. Worship causes us to see God bigger.

If you remember in the movie, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Lucy tells Aslan that every year he gets bigger. Aslan is the picture of Jesus in C.S. Lewis' classic novel. He doesn't get any bigger, its that Lucy worships him more. When we worship God, He gets bigger to us and that is why we need to do that. We lose ourselves in His presence. In the worship of God.

Fallen Angels Bound Under the Euphrates River!

We are studying a difficult portion of Scripture today. More difficult than the study itself is the context! Those who experience this chapter in the future will be those who, when the opportunity was before them to respond to the gospel invitation, refused, neglected or mocked the chance to be rescued from hell. Like Felix in the Book of Acts.

Acts 24:24-25 ~ "After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. And as he reasoned about the righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, "Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you."

Guess what? Felix never called for Paul.

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 ~ "Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

Those of you who think you can put off making a decision to accept Jesus may come too late and God may harden your heart so that you can't make that choice because you simply pushed it off for too long just like He did for Pharoah.

The readers of Revelation are being exposed to what God says are demons, fallen angels, these demonic powers, that are bound right now in the spirit realm and they have a geographical location, the Bible says under the riverbed of the Euphrates River, somewhere buried beneath in the spirit realm there are a specific geographical spot where these demons are being held until they are released. The Bible says that they are so bad, that they are currently confined until they are released at an appointed time during the Tribulation Period.

The Euphrates is referred to as the cradle of civilization because on the human side we can trace languages and our human DNA to the location but it appears that God in Genesis is describing creation mentioning the Euphrates River. It may have as well hosted the location of the Garden of Eden.

We see that judgment is God's resource. It's a tool of His. We don't like the term judgment but when it applies to God, He is the ultimate Judge and is Holy and Righteous when He applies it.

Revelation 9:14 ~ "Saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates."

We know that the Euphrates River is very much a real location. These four creatures are not something you would see. They are not swimming around in the Euphrates River. You can't take dive gear and attempt to locate them. They are bound under the river. You can't take sonar equipment and attempt to locate them. They are there. The Bible tells us they are even if we can't see them. We can't see radio waves, but we know they exist. We know angels exist but we can't see them right now. As a Christian, based on the book of Matthew and Hebrews, we have at least one angel that is assigned to our life right now, regarding the heirs of salvation, and that is us according to the Bible.

There is spiritual for the good and spiritual for the bad entities around us at all times. So much so as what is talking about here in Revelation, when the spiritual world meets the physical world, two worlds in collision.

The Euphrates River is 1780 miles long and is considered to be the most important river in the Bible. It is located in the heart of the cradle of civilization and in the middle of the most oil rich nations in the world. After God created the heavens and the earth, that area in particular was known as the Garden of God. It was so beautiful.  Adam and Eve used to live in that region. Between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers today it doesn't look like much and the environment is horrible. It's amazing to look at what happened when the fall of man occurred and sin entered the world. That region looks like it has been devastated and is a horrible place to be right now. You would think with all the abundance of water that flows from both the Euphrates and Tigris River, that area would be blessed but it is not. Have you ever thought about that before?

Some people have wondered if its not the demonic effervescence or the demonic influence of these four fallen angels that reside under the Euphrates River has an influence over the very topography and climates of that region. It is a stretch but it is interesting to consider. What was actually one of the most beautiful places on the planet is the most horrible place today.

If you are a skeptic, you will have a hard time dealing with the fact that the Euphrates River is mentioned in the Bible from the Book of Genesis all the way through the Book of Revelation. The Book of the Bible deals with facts. The Bible says that there are four terrible, horrible, evil angels that have fallen. They are bound and held under the great Euphrates River until a day of judgment appointed by God. Who are these fallen angels?

Jude 1:5-7 ~ "Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day - just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire."

This is referring to the final 3 1/2 years of the 7 year Tribulation period. The pieces are beginning to fit together. We have angels who once lived in heaven, that sinned and rebelled and were cast out of heaven. We know that four of them are bound in chains under the Euphrates River, and disobeyed and did something that went against their natural habitat. They went somewhere that was not authorized. For this reason, God has bound them up and they are held in chains, they are not free to run around like Satan is. These four are not.

What was the sin of these fallen angels?

Genesis 6:1-5 ~ "When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. Then the LORD said, "My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh, his days shall be 120 years." The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. The LORD saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

He mentioned Sodom and Gomorrah because they were famous for their sin in the Book of Jude. There were angels who disobeyed God and were booted out of heaven. These angels went after strange flesh. In the Greek it was heteros, which is where we get the word 'heterosexual.' What does that mean? It means when two people of opposite genders of the same kind to procreate. The procreation of the same race but different genders. That is a good thing. That is the reason God designed it that way, a man and a women shall become one flesh!

The angels that did not keep their proper domain they got engaged in some sort of sexual deviation and went after strange or hetero flesh. They went after flesh that was not authorized for them. They went after something that was of a different kind. They are who comes out of the ground that is bound and chained in Revelation 9. The sons of God are reserved exclusively for angels if you want to do a further study on just the term "sons of God."

Notice that they "took," in Hebrew means that they mingled with humanity, with the intent to rape, capture or steal them. These women were wives of men and they were taken by these fallen angels for sexual encounters with them. You don't have to go far with Satanism and those who have been a part of it to understand the terms sucubus and incubus which goes back thousands and thousands of years. These are drug induced sexual encounters where a human waits on a demonic entity to have relations with them leaving behind physical manifestations on their body that even psychologists can't explain. These has been going on for at least 6000 years. This is a real dark sinister world.

We know that 120 years later a flood came and washed them all away. If you read about these offspring in Samuel, we know that they had six fingers and six toes on each hand and foot. They were men who stood 9 feet high and plus in height. They were absolute freaks of nature. But they were supernatural of nature. This will happen again during the Tribulation Period.

Daniel 2:40-44 ~ "And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron beaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, not shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, an it shall stand forever."

No wonder that this chapter is skipped over more than any other chapter in Revelation. Divine judgment is God's reward for all of humanity that is without the covering of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 9:15 ~ "So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind."

If you do the math, at this point in the Tribulation, half of the world's population is dead. Remember that this is a very specific day, month, hour and year that have been appointed that during the Tribulation Period this will happen and it is known only to God. God has appointments and God keeps His appointments. These creatures have been waiting for a very long time, to be released to do their mischief, and these fallen angels will stir up an army of demonic combatants with a great hatred for humanity. There's a scene of devastation when a demon army will come to earth.

Revelation 9:16 ~ "The number of mounted troops was two hundred million; I heard their number."  

Don't be mislead by some of the books out there that say that China has an army of more than two hundred million. They do and that's fine. This has nothing to do with an earthly army. This is a demon force. When these four angels will bring with them hordes of demons in an army upon the earth. I still don't believe we will be able to see these things. Remember John was shown them so he might be able to write about them. Imagine being attacked by things you can't see?

We learned that one set of demons will be released to attack and torment mankind for 5 months and then these four will be released along with a demon horde army to kill a 1/3 of mankind. Doesn't that make you glad you're a Christian today? There are those that if you're not a Christian will respond in a number of ways, there are those that will want to know how they can escape this judgment and turn to Jesus, there will be those that reject what is going to happen and say, "What a bunch of fairy tales."  You better watch out. Technology has taken on the look of a fairy tale and if that can happen, can't God through the physical and spiritual world take His apostle John, and try to communicate to us some 2000 years later what its going to be like for those Christ rejectors? For those who remain solidified in their concrete what they will see during this time?

We would hail Spielberg if he was able to portray this on the big screen! God's going to do it for real! He won't get an Oscar for it, instead He is going to get rejected for it.

A demon army is coming and they have supernatural powers.

Revelation 9:17-19 ~ "The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury."

Ephesians 6 tells us that as Christians we are not fighting fleshly battles but spiritual battles. We are all in the battle but if you're getting beat up, something is wrong. You may have ran out of the house without your armor on. Your spiritual armor. How do you do that? Read your Bible, pray, fellowship with God's people, attend church. If you are a Christian today, you may or may not be detecting spiritual battle. If you are coasting and cruising in your spiritual walk and you might be saved and going to heaven, but if you are not a threat to the kingdom of darkness, you're probably not experiencing much spiritual battle. You are not a threat to the enemy.

I guarantee you this, start praying more, witnessing to your friends, get more committed at your church, do something that honors and glorifies the name of Jesus, and the enemy is going to push back. If you don't have spiritual push back in your life, I'd be concerned if I was a Christian. I'd wonder why are things so peaceful and calm. What am I doing wrong? We are supposed to be in a war. We need to put our armor on. When we do that, we might be surprised that our marriage gets a whole lot better, or your kids start understanding more about God. If your Christianity is very calm and peaceful, you want to be out there putting a dent in Satan's door. Stand for righteousness. Do the Bible. Love God with all of your heart, soul, strength and mind. It's a wonderful thing to be battling for the Lord's cause!