The 7 Churches and
the 2 Witnesses
Relevant Verses & Comments...
| Authenticity: If you
doubt that Bible history and prophecy is true, and that the Bible speaks with God's
authority, this link may also help. Identity: To understand the true history of the true church you need to realise that most church organisations that call themselves Christian are NOT followers of Christ in many doctrines, and therefore are NOT really God's organisations! Mark 9:38,39 indicates God often works through people who DON'T follow Christ in some ways. One reason may be that, with God, it's a matter of spiritual priorities, and God may choose to work with those who have love above those who have doctrinal accuracy, but not love. (1Cor. 13:2,13) |
The history of God's true church is awesome!
The Bible calls the 'children of Israel' whom Moses led out of Egypt, the 'church in the wilderness' (Acts 7:38 - KJV). But in Matthew 16:18 Christ explained to Peter that he would build a spiritual church, built on himself as the rock (not built on Peter - see Deut. 32:4, & 1 Cor. 10:4), and the gates of hell would not prevail against it.
Then, in the book of Revelation, Christ prophesied all church history in advance, describing SEVEN CHURCHES that would complete, by the time of his second coming after 2,000 years, his one true church. The Bible says that there are people right now who belong to Christ, by they are not currently in the correct church, or fold --"And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (John 10:14,15,16).
At the end of the age all those who do belong to Christ will be resurrected, ready to marry him, as the bride of Christ (Rev. 19:7). The following prophecy to the 7 churches is dual. All seven church characteristics exist in every era throughout history, and all exist at the end of the age. Christ is coming soon. So when he returns he will come to all of the 7 churches.
The true Church of God is a spiritual, not a corporate body. It is always unified, as it consists of those who follow God (not men) to the best of their understanding, and it consists of those who have and USE God's holy spirit, seeking to follow the laws and standards of God, no matter which organisation they're in.
The churches of God I'm mainly referring to in this end time have now split into hundreds of groups. But I believe many members belong spiritually to one of the "seven" churches in Revelation.What follows is an explanation of the LINEAR history, and PROPHECY, of the seven churches of Revelation, covering thousands of years.
Bible quotes hereafter are in RED.
In Rev 1:20 Christ said:
...the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand and the seven golden lampstands is this. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw ARE the seven churches. (You'll understand why I've highlighted & bolded this later on)Rev 2:1 To the angel of the church of Ephesus (CHURCH #1) - (The Ephesus era began with powerful miracles. Acts 5:15 says they laid the sick in the streets so that even the shadow of Peter might pass over them and heal them! This church era lasted up to about AD 135. Before that, the apostle John died peacefully about AD 98-100. However even before that, about AD 53 the apostle Paul wrote to the churches, in Galatians 1:6, that they had already turned to ANOTHER Gospel. The clear history of the true church became lost soon after this. The Apostle Paul was martyred, and the Apostle Peter was crucified upside down in the mid 60's CE. Most other apostles, and those who were strongest and closest to God, were also martyred! How bad was it? - Even this video link doesn't list all the martyrs.
Rev 2:2 I know your works and your labor and your patience, and how you cannot bear those who are evil. And you tried those pretending to be apostles, and are not, and have found them liars. Rev 2:3 And you have borne, and have patience, and for My name's sake you have labored and have not fainted. Rev 2:4 But I have against you that you left your first love. Rev 2:5 Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and will remove your lampstand out of its place unless you repent. Rev 2:6 But you have this, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Rev 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Rev 2:8 And to the angel of the church in Smyrna (CHURCH #2) write: The First and the Last, who became dead and lived, says these things: Rev 2:9 I know your works and tribulation and poverty (but you are rich), and I know the blasphemy of those saying themselves to be Jews (i.e. Spiritual Christians), and are not, but are the synagogue (church) of Satan. Rev 2:10 Do not at all fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the Devil will cast some of you into prison, so that you may be tried. And you will have tribulation ten days. (Using the Bible principle of a day for a year, as in Numbers 14:34, it's still possible to trace this event in history. This prophecy was fulfilled exactly, for ten years, in AD 303 - 313. See Fox's Book of Martyrs, Chapter 2, The Tenth Persecution.) Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Toward the end of this ten years, the Roman emperor Constantine converted to a counterfeit Christianity, and a little later, beginning the next church era, he established Sunday keeping in place of the Sabbath. Counterfeit Christianity believes many non-Biblical concepts, such as Sunday keeping, or going to heaven immediately after you die. But the Bible teaches us no such thing. The Bible teaches that all people will be in a resurrection, at a time that is yet to come, yet in the future. Even the next verse confirms this.) Rev 2:11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death. (That is, in a future resurrection to life, some will then be thrown into a lake of fire and be destroyed forever in the second death - they will not live forever in hell. People who die do NOT go straight to heaven. If people simply went to heaven immediately after they died, there would be no such thing as the second death, to be hurt by! Literal word-by-word Bible translations show that this verse does not say those who overcome will not be hurt by 'a' second death. It says they will not be hurt by 'the' second death. ['The' is word number G3588 in Strong's concordance, if you want to look it up.] Of course this is not the only scripture proving this doctrine --it's just a minor example. For more proof read 1Cor.15:21-23, Dan.12:2, Rev. 20:5,6) Rev 2:12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos (CHURCH #3) ca. AD 325-1000. write: He who has the sharp sword with two edges says these things. Rev 2:13 I know your works, and where you live, even where Satan's seat is . And you hold fast My name and have not denied My faith, even in those days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, (Some say Antipas means 'In place of the father'. Others say it means 'against the pope') who was slain among you, where Satan dwells. (The true church continued to survive 'underground' in Catholic territory "where Satan dwells".) Rev 2:14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the teachings of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication. Rev 2:15 So you also have those who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. (Nicolaitan means 'conquer the people' - which is exactly what the Catholic church did.) Rev 2:16 Repent! But if not I will come to you quickly, and will fight with them by the sword of My mouth. Rev 2:17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give to him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows except he who receives it. Rev 2:18 And to the angel of the church in Thyatira (CHURCH #4)
Then, because of divine revelation, according to Josephus, over a million people fled from Jerusalem before the siege of Jerusalem in AD 70. The original Jerusalem Church of God fled to Pella. After this the Romans starved Jerusalem before overcoming the city, and it got so bad women turned to eating their own children. Later, in a second war in AD 135 the Romans completely destroyed Jerusalem, and no Jew was allowed in the city. Any Jew entering Jerusalem was killed. This is all grim historical fact.)
write: He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands, says these things.
Perhaps Thyatira knew they were church number four, as their emblem happens to show their star at the top of their candlestick! Thyatira began around AD 900 and was strengthened by the preaching of Peter Waldo, from around AD 1161. Thyatira struggled through the Medieval Inquisition and subsequent inquisitions, and was greatly weakened by persecutions of evil men such as Pope Innocent III who died in AD 1216. However Thyatira lasted for about 700 years. write: The Son of God, He who has His eyes like a flame of fire and His feet like burnished metal, says these things:
Rev 2:19 I know your works and love and service and faith and your patience, and your works; and the last to be more than the first.
Rev 2:20 But I have a few things against you because you allow that woman Jezebel to teach, she saying herself to be a prophetess, and to cause My servants to go astray, and to commit fornication, and to eat idol-sacrifices. Rev 2:21 And I gave her time that she might repent of her fornication, and she did not repent. Rev 2:22 Behold, I am throwing her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great affliction, unless they repent of their deeds. Rev 2:23 And I will kill her children with death. And all the churches will know that I am He who searches the reins and hearts, and I will give to every one of you according to your works. Rev 2:24 But to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak, I will put on you no other burden. Rev 2:25 But that which you have, hold fast until I come. (Because of persecution there were not many Bibles at this time. Also the printing press was not invented until about 1440... so ministers in this era often held fast by learning many whole books of the Bible off by heart! [Putting to shame many people today, who have a Bible, but don't bother to even read it.] By the way, the Catholic church also martyred the first man to translate the Bible to English from Hebrew and Greek -- see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tyndale ) Rev 2:26 And he who overcomes and keeps My works to the end, to him I will give power over the nations. (This is part of the reward all true Christians will share after the first resurrection - they will rule this world, as leaders in Christ's government, which will take over the governments of this world when Christ returns... Hence Christ's parable about this: Luke 19:17 "And he said unto him, Well done, thou good servant: because thou wast found faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.") Rev 2:27 And he will rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter they will be broken to pieces, even as I received from My Father. Rev 2:28 And I will give him the Morning Star. Rev 2:29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Rev 3:1 And to the angel of the church in Sardis (CHURCH #5) - (This era began when Queen Elizabeth I (-"Good Queen Bess") permanently threw off Catholic control over England [up until now], by signing a treaty with the Dutch to block the Spanish threat to England in 1585. Philip II took the treaty as a declaration of war against him by Elizabeth. Three years later he launched the Spanish Armada in an attempt to invade and conquer England. In 1588 the Spanish Armada - the Armada Invencible, or "Invincible Navy" was destroyed by God sending a miraculous storm upon them. Queen Elizabeth gave God the credit, as this video mentions in an aside comment - Additional improvements did come slowly. The King James Bible was printed in 1611. In 1684 Fox's Book of Martyrs was printed. A few Sabbath keepers colonised America in the 1600's. But God's true church continued on without any world shaking impact throughout the Sardis era. The modern Seventh-day Adventist church that chose their name in 1860 are a different group, that was influenced by events during the 1830's and 1840's in the Sardis era. The SDA group was mainly influenced by a Ellen G. White. She taught that during the millennium the earth will be desolate... which is the opposite to what the Bible actually teaches. Read Isaiah 2:24, 11:1-10, all of Isaiah chapter 35, Joel 3:16-21, Zech 8:3-8, 14:1-9, and Matt 5:5 and you will begin to understand that the millennium will actually be a time of great prosperity on earth. This Ellen White doctrine actually leads people away from the true gospel, which is the good news about Christ returning soon to set up his kingdom and government on earth during the millennium, and that we may participate in it!According to the next two verses, it is doubtful that there is now any life left in the old Sardis era people who held to the name 'Church of God'.) write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says these things. I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and are dead.
Rev 3:2 Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die. For I have not found your works being fulfilled before God.
Rev 3:3 Remember then how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. Rev 3:4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments. And they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. Rev 3:5 The one who overcomes, this one will be clothed in white clothing. And I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. Rev 3:6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Rev 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia (STARTING AS CHURCH #6) - (Despite a number of incorrect doctrines, this church fits into the time period occupied by the Worldwide Church of God under Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, who began preaching in 1928, and later may have taken the gospel personally to ONE THIRD of ALL heads of state in the entire WORLD! I know this statement is on track for one of the meetings at least, as I was there in person to witness one of those private meetings, where Mr. Armstrong DID discuss a Bible question with that leader. There is ongoing dispute over much about Herbert Armstrong. God knows the truth, but there is NO doubt that God used Mr. Armstrong to restore many things to the church. He restored more truth than error, and many of the members of the church in that time period were, and still are God's people.The prophecy in Revelation appears to include a CONTINUATION of Philadelphia, as an ongoing body of believers. Many members have now passed through church # 7 --Laodicea-- and continue as true Philadelphians, loyal to God's word, despite whatever is true or not about Herbert Armstrong, or any other mortal man...) write: He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David (ie. He --that is Christ-- has given us the Key of understanding who the descendants of Israel are in the modern world, -understanding that many of them are the British and American peoples today. This Key unlocks all Bible prophecy.), He who opens and no one shuts; and shuts and no one opens, says these things:
Controversial church leader,
Herbert W. Armstrong is shown on
the left during one of several meetings
with President Anwar Sadat.RIGHT CLICK on this link, and
choose 'Save Target As' for the
Herbert W. Armstrong pdf file
"Ambassador for World Peace"
free booklet download.Rev 3:8 I know your works. Behold, I have given before you an open door, and no one can shut it. (Christ is the open door: "Jesus therefore said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them." John 10:7-8.) For you have a little strength and have kept My Word and have not denied My name.
Rev 3:9 Behold, I give out of those of the synagogue of Satan, those saying themselves to be Jews and are not, but LIE; (Currently almost all of the groups, that have splintered from the original Worldwide Church of God SAY they are spiritual Jews because they keep God's annual Holy Days, but they actually keep SOME holy days on the WRONG dates, although they SHOULD be keeping all holy days on the dates the JEWS keep them -- THAT'S WHY THIS VERSE IS WORDED THIS WAY... MOST OF THE CHURCH IS CURRENTLY CLAIMING WHAT IS A LIE, AND IN EFFECT THEY SAY THEY ARE JEWS AND ARE NOT as proved at http://www.nicetiming.com/markofthebeast.htm) behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. (This verse is yet TO BE fulfilled in the very near future.) Rev 3:10 Because you have kept the Word of My patience (because you have remained faithful), I also will keep you from the hour of temptation (Philadelphians will go to a place of safety in the future, whereas Laodiceans may be martyred in the coming great tribulation -more about that below) which will come upon all the habitable world (...coming soon!), to try those who dwell upon the earth. Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly ( ! ). Hold fast (continue to remain faithful) to that which you have, so that no one may take your crown. Rev 3:12 Him who overcomes I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will go out no more. And I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of Heaven from My God, and My new name. Rev 3:13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.Coupling Bible prophecy with world events, and with actual recent church history, it can be proven that the Worldwide Church of God, under the leadership of Herbert W. Armstrong began church number six in Revelation Chapter 3. Herbert Armstrong is a VERY controversial figure, however the church he led did hold many sincere members. The WCG grew to over 100,000 members; many of them were and still are sincere. And get this, most of the original teachings can still be verified as being the truth when you see how they continue to match detailed prophecies found in the Bible.
For example, Herbert W, Armstrong died January 16, 1986. After his death the Worldwide Church of God (the WCG) corporate body abandoned all doctrines he established, and also abandoned truth, instead of continuing to grow in it, and correct errors. Exactly four years later, from mid December 1989 to mid January 1990, the WCG "tree' was cut down when a new lampstand, or candlestick (Revelation 1:20) was given to the seventh church, and faithful members began an exodus, leaving the WCG and transferring to the next church. This exact 4 year period of time was prophesied by Christ in the parable of the fig tree in Luke 13:6-9! Even the evil WCG leader, who followed immediatly after Mr. Armstrong died, went on to fulfill Bible prophecy. (Check that prophecy here.) After that, prophecy was again fulfilled exactly as the Bible predicted, with the coming of the Laodicean age. Right now, church members who are spiritually Philadelphian may still be passing through, or still be in the corporate body of the seventh church - Laodicea. Rev 3:14 And to the angel of the church of the Laodicea (Starting well, in December 1989, as CHURCH #7, the prophecy describes their miserable condition at the END)
(Please remember that the 7 Churches are seven lampstands, as highlighted near the top of this page... The churches represent light. Currently, the leader of the Laodicean church, denies that he is Laodicea. He has promoted the idea that the Worldwide Church of God became Laodicea after Mr. Armstrong died and it's subsequent leader, Joseph Tkach, came on the scene (fulfilling the 2 Thes. 2:1-4 prophecy) and the WCG changed doctrines. However a little logic disproves this. God would not attribute LIGHT to the Worldwide Church of God after Mr. Armstrong died, as they went into darkness. This indicates that the first enlightened (en-LIGHT-ened) church, --the first church to protest the darkness and leave the WCG,-- holds the crown of Laodicea. Other splits that separated later could easily be Laodicean also, because the church is technically a spiritual, not a corporate body, and also because Laodicea means "the people rule" - God does not rule their churches, people do. However technically, although God's church is NOT a corporate body, I believe one church primarily now holds the crown of Laodicea, and the Laodicean lampstand, or candlestick, and in the beginning they had the template of God's government [a government of love], which they later totally misused and lost!) write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Head of the creation of God, says these things: Rev 3:15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. (This is not primarily referring to lack of zeal or hard work, it's referring to being neither hot nor cold in keeping the works of God's law. -- God's law [and God's government] is also called a lamp and a light in Proverbs 6:23. (Copy & paste scripture references into the search box below.) The Laodiceans should have kept the lamp of God's law hot, instead of lukewarm. God's law is a law of LOVE - Matt. 22:39, John 15:10, Galations 5:14, 2 John 1:6 etc.)
I would that you were cold or hot.Rev 3:16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am ABOUT TO vomit you out of My mouth. (God would not keep a corrupted law in His mouth. See Psalm 119:72. The Laodiceans will be spewed into the furnace of the great tribulation where they will be purified by God and persecuted by Satan - see next 3 verses, and Rev. 12:17. The timing of this verse is NOW.)
Rev 3:17 Because you say, I am rich (again, this can still be referring to God's law -- see Psalm 119.72 again) and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,Rev 3:18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified by fire, so that you may be rich; and white clothing, so that you may be clothed, and so that the shame of your nakedness does not appear. And anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see.
Laodicea, and the People's Temple
Shockingly, there are parallels between the Church of God in the Laodicean configuration, and Jim Jones People's Temple cult. Here's just a few...
Jim Jones also ran a busy and thriving community of devotees within the United States before he took it to Guyana.
That community also had it's good points. Here's a direct quote from one of the members after they moved to Guyana. "It was a vibrant community. I would never have imagined that 24 hours later they would all be dead."
Jim Jones became increasingly paranoid over time. One church split leader recently hit the panic button when TV news aired a fairly innocuous piece about their church. It was innocuous in comparison to what they could have shown if their reporters had done a little more research.
Both organisations were /are churches with a controlling leader who called all the shots.
The names of both churches are also interesting. Jim Jones called his church the Peoples Temple (a temple is meant to be a place where God dwells)-- On the other hand, God calls this church age Laodicea which means "the people rule"! -- The church in the Bible is called Laodicea because the people rule instead of God. In other words the church authority has become what men think**, rather than what the Bible actually says. So there's another parallel. With both the Peoples Temple, and with the modern Laodicean church: the people have ruled instead of the true God. How about that?
Jim Jones had a number of buses that his group travelled around on, and Jim Jones travelled in the number 7 bus. Interestingly Laodicea is the number 7 church in the book of Revelation.
Here's a thought - Satan was clearly behind the cult leader Jim Jones when he took his people's church to Guyana and had them commit mass suicide in Jonestown 30 years ago. Satan was behind it, but God allowed it. I think it was allowed as a lesson to all. The lesson is that corrupt government is the RESULT, when people follow people, instead of God. In fact I believe that's one of the main lessons God has been teaching this whole world for the last 6000 years.
When will Church leaders learn this lesson?
Some of the Laodicean Churches ARE cults. A cult is defined more than anything else as a group with a strong leader who isolates his people from other members of their family, and then brainwashes them into not thinking for themselves. A cult will not tolerate so-called dissidents. Some groups routinely disfellowship anyone who disagrees in any way with the leaders (their leaders are the authority, NOT the Bible)... A cult does this until only those who are left are those who don't think anymore. That's because they fear to be rejected by other members of their close knit group. The end result is they just BLINDLY follow their leader. This is another reason why the Bible calls a Laodicean 'blind'. Some have consistently gone down this path in recent years.
At least one cult leader claims to be able to understand the book of Malachi. But he needs to re-read Malachi 1:10 and apply it to his church--
"Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you," says the LORD Almighty, "and I will accept no offering from your hands...How much of the book of Malachi actually SEEMS to be SPECIFICALLY talking about the actions of HIS group, even more than the WCG? This group even has a book called Raising the Ruins. NOW READ THE FOLLOWING PROPHECY IN YOUR OWN BIBLE:
Edom may SAY, "Though we have been crushed, We will REBUILD THE RUINS" But this is what the Lord Almighty says: They shall build up, and I will throw down. (Malachi 1:4) HERE IS A WEBSITE THAT MAY PERTAIN SPECIFICALLY TO THIS PROPHECY >>> Raising the Ruins .com
** Some say they follow God's standards, but actually they don't. This can be proved with many examples. Here's just one. Please show me anywhere in the Bible where it says a minister can take a dislike to a man (who is in his 60's), forbid him to get married, and then disfellowship anyone who goes to his wedding? Rather than condone this, the Bible condemns it. The Bible says in 1 Timothy 4:1-3 that forbidding to marry is a doctrine of demons.
I wonder if some ministers have ever been taught the Latin phrase- Spectamur Agendo. It means, we are proved and judged, not by what we claim, but by our actions. In front of his congregation JIM JONES once threw a Bible across the room, waited till it fell to the ground, and then said it had no power because he had not been struck dead on the spot. By their ACTIONS against lay members, SOME ministers in Laodicea now do the same thing.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; therefore be zealous and repent. (In Rev. 20:4 it talks about some who are beheaded who will not worship the beast. If Laodiceans are beheaded, it is symbolic of them losing their head, Jesus Christ now, and it is in consequence of them having waited too long to repent!)
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him and he with Me. Rev 3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame and have sat down with My Father in His throne.Rev 3:22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
We are now in the prophecied end time 'Laodicean' age. The sinking of the Titanic is an analogy that can be applied not only to this world sinking very soon. It also applies to the modern day 'Churches of God' referred to in the history above, in this age... With perfect timing, the first "lifeboat" left the sinking 'WCG' "Titanic" ship EXACTLY 4 YEARS after HWA's death, and thereby EXACTLY FULFILLED the Luke 13:6-9 prophecy. Other groups followed over the years. The Church that left FIRST should have acted in love to help all survivors reach safety -- Instead, that church began to cast the passengers in their own boat over the side, disfellowshipping many faithful brethren! This is one reason Christ says in Revelation 3:16 that he will spew them out of his mouth into imminent Great Tribulation - the worst time of trouble in the history of the world.
Laodicea is number seven church, in prophecy, in the book of Revelation... so wouldn't the first church to leave the WCG (the number six church) after the apostasy be the number seven church in the book of Revelation, and reveal the identity of who Laodicea is today? ---Interestingly, lifeboat number 7 was the FIRST to leave from the real Titanic, when it sank. (To check this, watch the rather poignant video below.)
Sermons in various split groups, or churches that came from the original WCG, have occasionally used the analogy of the April, 1912 Titanic disaster and the subsequent rescue by the Carpathia to picture their church group rescuing survivors. I believe that after the apostasy the WCG became the Synagogue of Satan. Most other split churches may fall into the category of Lost Sheep. If that's correct, we now have the ludicrous situation of lost sheep wandering around, believing that they are out there rescuing other lost sheep!
But there is even more to consider as prophecy advances.
When the old Sardis church (church number five in Revelation chapter 3) would not accept proven new truth brought to them by HWA, that church died spiritually. Now that we are in the Laodicean church age, there is soon to be another replay of the churches Titanic-like disaster that is prophesied to occur.
Everyone in the near future who does not accept Biblically proven new truth, accompanied by miracles given by God, will soon be sailing on exactly the same type of doomed boat the Sardis church members had, which either sank, or got left behind in the dark after HWA began to carry God's lamp in the age of Philadelphia.
Very soon two witnesses will carry the lamp of both Philadelphia and Laodicea - see Revelation 11:4. ----Will you abandon your ship of false beliefs and support them?
Why didn't many more passengers fill the Titanic's lifeboats? The answer, in part, is because it took a long time to realise the true seriousness of the situation; that their great ship was actually sinking!
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This brings us up to where we are now in prophecy. Future events are foretold in the following verses... |
Rev 11:3 And I will give power to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy a thousand, two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth (ie. This means clothed in humility - it is also a symbol of mourning. It does NOT need to be literal sackcloth. You can read another example of symbolic clothing in Zechariah 3. At the end of this age the two witnesses will preside over the death of all civilisation built by men cut off from God. Rev. 6:12 ["and the sun became black as sackcloth"] shows Biblical sackcloth is black -- therefore the two witnesses may wear black clothing, which also is worn at a funeral as a sign of mourning and death.) Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees (see Zechariah Chapter 4) and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.Rev 11:6 These have authority to shut up the heaven, that it may not rain in the days of their prophecy. And they have authority over waters to turn them to blood,
Rev 11:5 And if anyone will hurt them, fire proceeds out of their mouth (Probably this is symbolic - however the expression is used both ways in the Bible. It is close to literal where it describes the armies in Rev. 9:17) and devours their enemies. And if anyone will hurt them, so it is right for him to be killed.
(Again this could be symbolic, with the waters turned to blood representing peoples and nations being set against each other in bloody war, but I believe it's also quite possible for this to be literal... If it is, the two witnesses will have no hesitation in turning the water into blood, because our water has already been polluted so much by man that it may as well be blood, right now! The following videos I found on YouTube illustrate this, addressing only two out of many serious issues on the subject of water pollution.) Video 1 - Link to tap water pollution video Video 2 - Synthetic Sea - Plastic in the Ocean:and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire. (Finally, the church will have a REAL impact on this world. But the world, as a whole, will continue to prefer ignorance to truth!) Rev 11:7 And when they complete their testimony, the beast coming up out of the abyss will make war against them (The beast is a combine of nations ruled by the Catholic church... which may at some stage bomb large cities out of existence! Ezekiel 6:6 says "Wherever you live, the towns will be laid waste and the high places demolished... ...and what you have made wiped out." In fact, read the whole of Ezekiel Chapter 6 and Chapter 7. It's talking about the end time, or the last days, as in Genesis 49:1. Today those nations include many of the English speaking nations of the world. It says they will be destroyed, and in Ezekiel Chapter 7 verse 14 it indicates that, for whatever reason, they are destroyed before they can respond. This is the same beast that, in Revelation 13:16-18, has the number 666, and enforces the 'mark of the beast' on everyone to allow them to buy and sell, or not. ie. The mark of the beast has to do with buying and selling. The beast power will put a stop to buying and selling on Sunday, and enforce buying and selling on Saturday - on God's Sabbath - on the Sabbath that God never did away with...
Therefore people who keep a Sunday "sabbath" under the beast power will have this mark as a badge of servitude, showing that they serve the beast power, not God. In direct contrast, those who serve God and keep the seventh day Sabbath and God's annual Holy Days holy, will refuse this mark and keep God's days as a sign [instead of a mark] which shows that they belong to God. [The Bible says the true sabbath is a sign in Exodus 31:17, and includes other holy days as a sign in Exodus 13:7,8,9, and they are still to be kept in the New Testament... 1 Cor 5:7,8 This is not merely spiritual... read my article here])
Here's proof we should keep the 7th. Day Sabbath today... One of the most basic identifying signs of God's true church is
1 John 2:4 "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." This immediately eliminates nearly all large popular churches in this world from being God's true church. ONLY those who keep ALL the ten commandments including the Saturday Sabbath, and trust God for miracles in their life, will go to the Revelation 12:14 place of safety. Christ knew that the 1st. century church flight from Jerusalem to Pella, and the end time church flight to the place of safety would BOTH occur AFTER the crucifixion -- AFTER the law was supposedly nailed to the cross. Yet Matthew 24:20 "But pray that your flight be not in the winter or on the sabbath." talks about concerns of keeping the SABBATH (not Sunday) in this Place of Safety PROPHECY. So the seventh day Sabbath COMMANDMENT is PLAINLY still in force today. Why is there not one Scripture where Jesus ever spoke the words 'first day' in his ministry on earth? Why is there not one verse where it says we are not to labour on that day? How come the first day is NEVER called the Lord's day? How come there not one text where we are commanded to meet together on that day? There is NO text where it says it was the custom of Christ or the apostles to meet on Sunday. But the Bible does say the Apostle Paul participated in offerings in the temple: Acts 21:26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering [ISV- sacrifice] should be offered for every one of them. Please note this was 30 YEARS AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION. The temple still existed, and it was Paul's CUSTOM to keep the SABBATH... When you offer sacrifices in the temple you DON'T keep Sunday as well... Read the following three Scriptures in the following order: 1) Luke 4:16 And he (Christ) came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 2) 1 Cor. 11:1 Be ye followers of me (Paul), as I also am of Christ. (Paul followed the same customs Christ did.) 3) Acts 17:2 And Paul, as his custom was, went in unto them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures Does Christ telling Christians to pray that their flight is not on the SABBATH fit with the Sabbath being nailed to the cross? I DON'T THINK SO!
and will overcome them and kill them.Rev 11:8 And their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9 And many of the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will see their dead bodies three days and a half, and they will not allow their dead bodies to be put in tombs.
Rev 11:10 And the ones who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, and will make merry, and will send one another gifts, because these two prophets tormented those living on the earth.
Rev 11:11 And after three days and a half, a spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet. And great fear fell on those seeing them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from Heaven saying to them, Come up here. And they went up to Heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them....
(This is on Pentecost, the 'Feast of Firstfruits' - which is the day of the first resurrection --it's NOT on Trumpets as many believe.)WHERE THE PLACE OF SAFETY IS! Revelation Chapter 12 gives us another complete summary of church history Rev 12:1 And there appeared a great sign in the heavens, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head, Rev 12:2 and having a babe in womb, she cries, being in travail, having been distressed to bear. Rev 12:3 And another sign was seen in the heavens. And behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads! Rev 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them onto the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman being about to bear, so that when she bears he might devour her child. Rev 12:5 And she bore a son, a male, (Jesus Christ) who is going to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up to God and to His throne. Rev 12:6 And the woman (the Church) fled into the wilderness (To avoid torture and death, those who stayed in Catholic territory carried on Church affairs in secret. Others migrated to the far North and East regional boundaries of the Roman empire), where she had a place prepared by God, so that they might nourish her there a thousand, two hundred and sixty days. (ie. Using the day for a year principle, this 1,260 year period covered two church eras, from AD 325 up until AD 1585: exactly 1260 years. In other words, this period lasted from the beginning of the Pergamos era, when the Council of Nicea [the first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church] prohibited observing the Passover. The Council of Nicea was convoked by the Roman Emperor Constantine in AD 325, and approved a state religion, with doctrines contrary to original teachings of the true church. The Council instituted Catholic customs such as Easter, etc. This began the 1260 period which lasted until the beginning of the Sardis era in 1585, when England gained a degree of freedom from that evil church that has so many crimes against humanity, for which it has yet to pay! ...In saying this, I mean no disrespect to any Catholics reading this, as I'm condemning past persecutions, not sincere people who may not yet fully understand some things. At least Catholics today believe in a Creator, which is better than some, who, no matter how much science they know, remain spiritually ignorant.
See Catholic Encyclopedia here for more details on the Council of Nicea. Also, to be fair, click the Sundays link in Canon 20 to read their spin on Sunday. You can see the beginning of the enforcement of the Mark of the Beast in the last sentence of the Sunday entry! Viz: “On the continent of Europe in recent years there have been several laws passed in direction of enforcing the observance of Sunday rest for the benefit of workmen.”Seventh Day Adventists believe the 1260 days lasted from AD 538 to 1798. Actually both time periods fit, as the Catholic church dominated during both periods depending on if you are talking about the dates ending in Britian, or in France.
Rev 12:7 And there was war in Heaven. Michael and his angels warring against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels warred,
It's obvious the 1260 days here, and the 1260 days of the two witnesses ministry in Rev. 11:3 can NOT be one and the same, although this prophecy does have a limited duality. Both periods DO involve the true Church being hidden, and also having conflict with the Catholic church, BUT in the latter case the Church will actually be carried by "eagles wings" (see verse 14) to a place of safety for 1150 days, not 1260 days.)Rev 12:8 but did not prevail. Nor was place found for them in Heaven any more.
Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, the old serpent called Devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world. (This means EVERY large or popular religion, and every TV station, and every newspaper, and every government IS currently deceived, which means, whatever they say, --EVERY one of them is absolutely WRONG, according to the Bible - according to what you've just read in the previous five words of this verse! [Yes, I know you may think any deception can include this web site too! But being honest, doesn't it seem like this verse is saying the majority of people are deceived and wrong in regard to religion, if they hold to the opinion of the majority in this world? If you are currently involved in one of the popular churches of this world, isn't this verse telling you to get out of that involvement? --in a hurry!]) He was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Rev 12:10 And I heard a great voice saying in Heaven, Now has come the salvation and power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night. Rev 12:11 And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony. And they did not love their soul until death. Rev 12:12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and those tabernacling in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and in the sea! For the Devil came down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a little time. Rev 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who bore the man child. Rev 12:14 And two wings of a great eagle were given to the woman, so that she might fly (This prophecy is meant to be understood NOW. Previously verse 6 says the women fled into the wilderness. That's history. But in this verse the Analytical-Literal Translation says "And two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she should be flying". That's in the near future.) into the wilderness, (The Place of Safety MIGHT well be in the wilderness of SINAI where the original church [Israel] worshipped God - IF so, the church would have come full circle to where it began - see my opening comments at the top of this page. LUDICROUS ideas about the so-called 'rapture' are based on 1st. Thess. 4:17. I'm sorry to disappoint Tim LaHaye, John Hagee, and others, but when you study the context you should understand 1st. Thess. 4:17 is talking about those caught up in the air to meet Christ at the time of the first resurrection - and that doesn't happen until AFTER the tribulation. As for Matthew 24 verses 40 and 41 where it says one will be taken, the word 'taken' is better translated as RECEIVED, i.e. received in a familiar or intimate association or relationship. Verses 17 and 18 earlier in the chapter show clearly that people are not just 'taken'.) into her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the serpent's face. (In plain language this is saying there is a group of true Christians that go to a place of safety for protection which is located somewhere in the desert. Currently this is a SECRET PLACE - God says so. His people will be hidden and concealed there; read all of Psalm 91 and Zeph. 2:3 -I would expect some more direct indication from GOD, rather than just a man saying say it, to reveal the location of the place of safety to true Christians just before the three and a half years of the tribulation, just as happened when the 1st. century Jerusalem church was given miraculous guidance, and fled to Pella. If the Literal Translation of the Bible is correct, and if Luke 21:23 is a metaphor about the church being our mother, it is NOT the physical church leaders or ministers you should be trusting in at this time to provide you with your ticket to the place of safety, because Luke 21:23 says: "But woe to the pregnant women, and the ones suckling [those relying on church leaders] in those days; for great distress will be on the earth and wrath on this people." which backs up Isaiah 28:9 which says: "Whom shall He teach knowledge? And whom shall He make to understand doctrine? Those weaned from the milk and removed from the breasts.")
Exodus 2:16 and 17 says the Priest of Midian had seven daughters.
Look up the details of this section of Scripture for yourself. I believe it has duel meaning and is also referring to the seven churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, and it is also PROPHECY for the end time. If so, it gives us a strong clue about God's planned location for the place of safety.
This video shows the area of Midian and the location of the real Mt. Sinai as it is today. (Although some of Ron Wyatt's other discoveries are controversial, the location of Mt. Sinai can easily be proved to be 100% correct.)(Another clue to where the place of safety is, is given in The Song of Solomon. This book is about Christ and the church, and in it, Solomon represents Christ, and the girl is the church.
In Chapter 1:6 she is sunburned from bearing the heat of the day, as in Matthew 20:12.
The setting for the last half of chapter 2 is just after the nuclear winter Christ prophecied in Matthew 24:20,21. Song 2:11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
In Song 2 verse 13, the fig tree of Matthew 24:32 has progressed in it's season.
In Song 2, verse 14 it says the girl [the church] is hidden in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs... Therefore, if you find those stairs, you will find the place of safety!)Rev 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water like a flood after the woman, so that he might cause her to be carried away by the river. (This might symbolise an army pursuing the members of the church that still have a Philadelphian attitude to the place of safety.)
Rev 12:16 And the earth helped the woman. (In contrast to Genesis 3:17-19, where the earth cursed the man, which shows the contrasting results of disobedience versus obedience to God.) And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth. Rev 12:17 And the dragon was enraged over the woman, and went to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Terrifying events are prophecied to occur during the Great Tribulation and continuing into the Day of the Lord's Wrath. This video is about the ACTIVE Super Volcano scientists have discovered below Yellowstone National Park... which, at 1000 times LARGER than the largest volcano mankind has EVER experienced, would have volcanic ash blanketing the whole world, not just the U.S.A.
Rev 6:12 "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake;" (In Strong's Concordance earthquake is word #4578 ... It also means commotion of the air, so it could also mean volcano, or in this case the Yellowstone Super Volcano!) "and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair." (Other parts of the world could also erupt. For example, there is another super volcano located at Lake Toba, Indonesia.) BUT HERE'S THE FINAL RESULT OF ALL CHURCH HISTORY: Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice and we will give glory to Him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has prepared herself. Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white. For the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. Rev 19:9 And he said to me, Write, Blessed are those who have been called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These are the true sayings of God. Rev 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared, and the sea was gone. (Perhaps this also has dual meaning. If the sea is a metaphor that represents the idealogies of the nations, this is saying those idealogies and religions will be replaced by complete unity with God.) Rev 22:14 Blessed are they who do His commandments, that their authority will be over the Tree of Life, and they may enter in by the gates into the city. Rev 22:15 But outside are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and makes a lie.Rev 22:16 I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify these things to you over the churches....
