My Rapture Dream By Julie
My Rapture Dream
By Julie
27th October 2009
I wanted to write to share my Rapture dream.
Ironically, the next night, my husband had a similar dream, and I had never
told him about my original dream. On Friday, October 23rd 2009 my dream went
like this:
I
was in my house with my husband's grandparents and my son, Nathaniel. All of a
sudden, the clouds rolled in and thunder clapped.
"A
storm is coming," our grandmother said, and we all stepped out on the
porch to look. Suddenly, there were tornadoes, and they whipped around. We
didn't have a basement (in the dream anyway, in reality there is one), and we
started to panic. People were running all over, screaming and crying. Out of
nowhere, a trumpet sounded. We all looked to the sky and the clouds formed into
a figure. The figured was verbalizing names of the saved, and my name was on
the list. I was ushered into an elevator (which seemed to come from nowhere). I
said, "But I can't leave without my husband!" I had Nathaniel in my
arms, as he is only 6 months old. My husband was 'left behind' as the saying
goes. I woke up very disturbed. I was afraid to tell my husband about the dream
for fear that he would take offense to it. So I shrugged it off.
Last night, October 24th, 2009, my husband woke me
to tell me about a dream he had. It was about the Rapture. In his dream, we
went to visit my brother. It started to rain horribly, and our son was with us.
We left, and in the car ride on the way home, we heard a loud, thundering voice
saying that he was ready to call on his people and sound the trumpet. On the
way home, we picked up two kids, a boy and a girl. My husband was trying to
explain to them about the Salvation and the Coming of Christ, when for whatever
reason the car we were in crashed. The crash killed the two people. The storms
had everyone in a panic, and we went into a store and were trying to talk to
people, but it was like we weren't even there. Somehow, we made it back to our
house and we all read the Bible together. Looking out the window, my husband
saw three tornadoes, resembling fingers inflicting destruction upon their
paths. Flying around were malicious figures. These demon figures began to fly
everywhere, outside our windows. The best way he could describe them was
people-like, except they were snow white, ghostly looking with wide mouths,
like a black ring around their mouths. They had rows of teeth like razors. We
needed screws to fasten the windows shut, so my husband ran out to the garage
(we have a detached garage) and one came crawling into the garage and grabbed
him. He saw the figure before it got to him, and he reached for his Bible. He
screamed for us to help him, but he said that we ignored him like we couldn't
hear him and that is when he woke up.
Needless to say, it seems obvious God's Message to
us. Ironically, both of our dreams occurred in the early hours, about 4am. This
seems to be the common time, after reading other people's dreams.
"Amen! Come,
Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:17, 20).
RAPTURE DREAM EXPERIENCE
RAPTURE DREAM/EXPERIENCE
By Teresa
Fri.
Nov.13th 2009
RAPTURE DREAM/EXPERIENCE (tangible)!
I had a DREAM in which I was sitting on my couch in
this apartment that I am currently in, just worshiping The Lord &
fellowshipping with HIM late in the evening. Suddenly, I saw a bright light
outside that was getting ready to come inside, then felt my whole being begin
to VIBRATE! It was so powerful, I was concerned for Levi and said, OK Levi,
JESUS is here! He was totally at peace!
It was such a powerful vibration inside of me that I
felt as if the apartment & everything else would be shaking! I looked
towards the ceiling as I sat there on my couch, then lifted my arms upward. It
felt as if a very powerful vacuum was about ready to suck me up out of this
apartment! About that moment when I sensed in my spirit that it was finally
time to go HOME to HEAVEN with my BELOVED BRIDEGROOM, this experience ended
& my eyes opened WIDE as I lay in bed. With my eyes wide open, I still felt
that vibration in my being only the power of it was getting less & less
until it just left. I lay there just starring at the ceiling & thanking and
praising The Lord for that sign that I had asked HIM for!
Then saying over & over, 'WOW! WOW! WOW! I was
so overwhelmed by what just happened that I did not want to move! It was 2am
when I looked at the clock just after this DREAM/EXPERIENCE!!! It was SO REAL, I really thought I was leaving the Earth!!!
Since June of
this year, I have been interceding a lot by praying in the spirit (tongues),
yielding myself to HIS Holy Spirit so HE could pray the perfect will of THE
FATHER through me as I placed my hand on the world globe (1 hand on Israel
& the right hand on the US)! Interceding that the eyes & ears of the
people around the world would be opened to the TRUTH (JESUS CHRIST) & that
they would run to HIM while there is still time.
TIME IS QUICKLY RUNNING OUT!
The LORD HIMSELF is WARNING multitudes
that TIME IS QUICKLY RUNNING OUT & THE CHURCH AGE IS COMING TO AN END!!!
Sat.
Nov. 21st 2009
Though I went to bed around 4am, I woke up around
10am (6 hrs sleep) & feel totally rested! Had a DREAM this morning about a
WEDDING & I was the one getting married! I believe it was symbolic of my
soon betrothal to my BELOVED JESUS!!! It was so vivid! I had on my WEDDING
dress & was following a man in different segments of the dream, then the
scene SUDDENLY changes to me coming to an altar to meet a man & get
MARRIED.
That was when the DREAM ended! I was wide awake when
I awoke from it. Not groggy at all! I believe with everything within me that
HIS RETURN for HIS BRIDE is at THE VERY DOOR!!!
Even so, come LORD JESUS!!!
Even so, COME QUICKLY LORD JESUS!!!
Love you & praying for you all
THE BOOK OF REVELATION Part 36
THE BOOK OF REVELATION
Part 36
The Doom of Babylon the Great
~ ~ ~
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to
me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who
sits on many waters. With her the kings of the Earth committed adultery and the
inhabitants of the Earth were intoxicated with the wine of her
adulteries."
Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert.
There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with
blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in
purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls.
She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth
of her adulteries. This title was written on her forehead:
MYSTERY
BABYLON THE GREAT
THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the
blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. Then the angel said to
me: "Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the
woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. The
beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss
and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the Earth whose names have not
been written in the Book of Life from the creation of the world will be
astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet
will come.
"This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are
seven hills on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings. Five have
fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must
remain for a little while. The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth
king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
"The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet
received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along
with the beast. They have one purpose and will give their power and authority
to the beast.
They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome
them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings — and with Him will be His
called, chosen and faithful followers."
Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the
prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. The beast and
the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and
leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has
put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to give the
beast their power to rule, until God's words are fulfilled. The woman you saw
is the great city that rules over the kings of the Earth."
Rev. 17 NIV
"Mystery Babylon the Great" is composed of
"the great prostitute" and "the scarlet beast" which “the
woman” sits upon.
‘The woman is the great city that rules over the
kings of the Earth’ (v. 18)—the city with the most vibrant economy in the
world; the only city in which the occult statue of the symbol of “Mystery
Babylon the Great” (‘the statue of liberty’) is situated—New York.
The woman (city) sits on the scarlet beast covered
with blasphemous names having seven heads and ten horns (v.3).
In chapter 13, this “beast” is like a leopard with
seven heads and ten horns, feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion’s mouth.
Vatican in Rome was built to sit upon seven hills.
Rome is the religious seat of “the mystery of
iniquity” and New York is its economic capital.
In chapter 17 verse 9, a mind with wisdom is called
for. Only the mind with wisdom understands “the mystery of the woman and the
beast” – “and here is the mind which hath
wisdom”: “The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits.” They are also seven kings.
Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he
must remain for a little while. The beast who once was, and now is not, is an
eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction. "The
ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who
for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast (vv.9-12
NIV).
'The king that must continue a short time' (v.10 KJV)
is the Antichrist.
Verse 11 says, “And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the
eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition” KJV
“The beast that goeth into perdition” is the
Antichrist. He is “the beast that was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the
bottomless pit, and go into perdition” (v.8 KJV).
The five kings who have fallen ruled five empires.
These five empires had ruled the Middle East, and
each had fallen to another:
Egypt
Assyria
Babylon (of ancient time)
Persia
Macedonia / Greece
The “one” that is, during the time of John, was, of
course, Rome.
After those six, another is to come.
In any case, after the seventh, an eight empire must
come, and this empire will be the one that “was, and is not.”
Each of the defeated empires had a distinct
identity—Syria, Egypt, Persia and Greece. Each also has continued largely
unabated to this day. Even though their empires have collapsed, each has
imparted culture, to the world it left behind, and the people who inhabited it
continue to have a distinct identity.
The great empire that ‘was not’ during the time of
Rome (and only recently has re-emerged as an identity) is “Babylon the Great.
For all intents and purposes it was gone. A revived Roman empire is coming on
the world stage.
The eight empire is the empire of “the Antichrist.”
As we learnt in the book of Daniel, the Antichrist
will attain power through intrigues, politics and diplomacy.
The ten kings have not yet received power, but they
will flow into power with the ascendancy of the Antichrist. They will, in turn
cede their power to him, and they will with one mind work to accomplish all his
goals.
The ten kings (represented by ten horns) in
"one prophetic hour" received authority as kings along with the beast
(17:12).
In verse 13, they have one purpose and will give
their power and authority to the beast. The ultimate fulfillment of their prophesied
doom, and that of Babylon and the beast and the false prophet shall be on the
great Day of God Almighty— when they shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb
shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings (16:14; 17:14).
Prophet Daniel inquired and studied closely to know
about the "ten horns" and "the little horn" that came up.
I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about
the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell — the horn that
looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke
boastfully.
Dan. 7:20
In verse 19, he described “the little horn” that
blasphemes, as a “fourth beast,” which was different from all the others and
most terrifying. Daniel also wanted to know its true meaning.
At the end of the determined time of the reign of
terror of the beast, God Almighty will vindicate His people, giving them
worldwide Powers of government (Dan 7:21-22).
Presently, Babylon sits over peoples, multitudes,
and nations; described in prophecy as "waters." She even sits over
languages (Rev 17:15).
How does she do this?
Babylon presides over many waters; and these waters
are so many multitudes of people, and nations, and languages. Just as naturally
occurring water picks up color and taste from substances in its environment,
so, vast multitudes of divers languages and tongues in the Earth pay obedience
and subjection to “the beast” and to “Babylon.”
Second Thessalonians 2 reveals that ‘God sends them a powerful delusion’
(vv.11-12).
Babylon controls a large fraction of the world’s
educational and learning systems; including the several systems of
communication. Presently, there are over 6 thousand
languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.
Babylon reigns not only over kingdoms, but over
kings that are her tributaries and vassals. Most rulers and leaders of nations,
kingdoms, and territories pay tribute to Babylon. She
rules over cultures and empires.
"The beast" will be given authority over
every tribe and kindred, people and nations, languages and dialects (Rev.13:7).
Remember that in Revelation 10:11, Apostle John was
instructed, “…Thou
must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings” (KJV).
There is a connection between Revelation 17:8 and
13:3.
In 17:8 the inhabitants of the Earth whose names are
not written in the Lambs Book of Life from the Creation of the world will be
astonished when they see “the beast,” because he once was, now is not, and yet
will come.”
In 13:3, one of the heads of “the beast” had a fatal
wound, but its fatal wound was diabolically healed. The ‘whole world’ was
astonished and followed the beast.
Here is something to note from the two separate
verses:
In Apostle John's time "the beast" “was
not”; thus recorded in (17:8) with the phrase: "now is not."
The beast ‘that once was, and now is not,’ is an
eighth king (17:11).
The ungodly inhabitants of the Earth will wonder
after "the beast"—and follow "the beast" which is ‘an eight
king.’ They will wonder after the diabolical healing of the wound of "the
beast" 'that once was.'
The “beast” that once was, and is not, and yet will
come—shall ascend out of the Abyss; this same beast will finally go into
perdition.
Babylon the Great is a city. It is “the mother of
prostitutes”—the center of idolatry and of the abominations of the Earth—the
domain of sin and wickedness. It is ‘the woman drunk with the blood of the
saints’ (17:6). She will be judged for her multitude of harlotries (Hab.3:4);
and for her sins against Israel (Jer.51:13).
The Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and
whose feet are like burnished bronze says, “Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit
adultery with her into Great Tribulation, except they repent of their deeds” (Rev
2:22 KJV).
The ten kings under the Mystery Babylon emperor will
“make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them.” The armies of the
triumphant Christ will be ready and faithful in the battle of that great Day of
God Almighty.
The kings who lent their power to the beast will hate
“the whore” and shall make her desolate and naked—they shall burn down the
kingdom of Babylon—they will make Babylon desolate. In this, they will fulfill
GOD’s Divine Purpose.
And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall
hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh,
and burn her with fire.
For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil His Will, and to
agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the Words of God shall be
fulfilled.
Rev 17:16-17 KJV
When the Seventh Bowl of God's Wrath is poured upon
the Earth, the great city (New York) will be terribly devastated by a great and
mighty earthquake—this great city will split into three parts.
The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of
the Temple came a loud Voice from the Throne, saying, "It is done!" Then
there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe
earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on Earth,
so tremendous was the quake. The great city split into three parts, and the
cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her
the cup filled with the wine of the fury of His Wrath.
Rev 16:17-20 NIV
Babylon’s plague as
described in Revelation 18:8 will overtake her in “one prophetic day.”
Christ will be sure
to meet with many enemies, and much opposition, but He with His redeemed saints
and His angelic armies of Heaven will also be sure to gain the Victory.
The Presentation of Jesus Christ in the 66 Books of the Bible
The Presentation
of Jesus Christ
in the
66 Books of the Bible
Christ is seen in people and events that serve as
types. A “type” is a historical fact that illustrates a spiritual truth. Adam
is “a type of Him Who was to come” (see Rom. 5:14). Both entered the world
through a special act of God as sinless men. Adam is the head of the old
creation; Christ is the Head of the new creation.
Christ is revealed in the 66 Books of the Bible.
Melchizedek (“King of Righteousness”) is “made like
unto the Son of God” (Heb.7:3). He is the King of Salem (“King of Peace”) Who
brings forth bread and wine and is the Priest of the Most High God. In
Abraham’s day, He came to the Earth as the pre-incarnate Son of God—Who was
seen in bodily form.
The Presentation of Jesus Christ in the 66 Books of the Bible - Part 1
GENESIS
In Genesis JESUS is “the Seed of the woman.”
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between
thy seed and her Seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His
heel.
Gen 3:15KJV
Galatians 4:4 says:
But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a
woman, born under law (NIV)
He came as “the Seed of the woman” from the line of
Seth (Gen.4:25); through the descent of Shem (9:27), and of Abraham (12:3), of
Isaac (21:12), of Jacob (25:23) who became “Israel,” and of the Tribe of Judah
(49:10).
REVEALED IN 2012
REVEALED IN 2012
The
Terrible Scar of the Man of Sin
And I saw one of his
heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the
world wondered after the beast.
Rev. 13:3
Vision
SOMETIME IN 2012, THE LORD SHOWED ME A HORRIBLE AND
TERRIBLE DISTURBING IMAGE OF THE DEEP SCAR ON THE BACK OF THE HEAD OF “THE MAN
OF SIN.”
The LORD revealed to me in this vision; the US
President [Barack Obama] with a terrible scar on the back side of his head.
He sat on a chair next to a desk in a room befitting
for an office.
I walked into the room unnoticed, and was able to
get behind him. Suddenly, the white long-sleeved shirt and tie which he was
putting on was taken off; he was unaware of this, then as I stood at his back, invisible
to him, I saw on the back side of his head, by his left shoulder: a deep scar—“a
diabolical scar.”
Revealed in God’s Word
The Bible prophetically reveals in Revelation 13:3 that
“the beast” (the antichrist) has a fatal diabolical wound. Reading this verse
from the King James Version reveals “the beast” as a certain man, as it uses
the phrases:
“…one of his heads…”
“…and his deadly wound…”
Note again how the KJV states this:
And I saw one of his
heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the
world wondered after the beast.
This ‘diabolical scar’ of “the beast” will astonish
the inhabitants of the world who are destined for damnation.
Take note, the verse says:
“And I saw one of his
heads as it were wounded to death…”
The next line reads: “…and
his deadly wound was healed…”
And the last line of same verse states: “and all the world wondered after the beast.”
“The beast” revealed in this passage is “the beast out of the sea”—a
political leader that will emerge out of the European Union—“the Antichrist.”
He will be revealed soon just before the Rapture!
The EU is a political and economic unification setup
by “ten-horn dictators” out of a continent of people of divers languages and
cultures—Europe (represented by ‘the sea’ out of which this beast emerges). Its
ten founding member-nations are part of the old Roman bloc—an empire which was
terribly inflicted (wounded) in a great war.
This political leader revealed to me in this vision
in 2012 is “the
beast out of the earth” which is given power to perform
diabolical signs on behalf of the first beast [the beast out of the sea].
Because of the signs
he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the
inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the
beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
Rev 13:14 NIV
This “beast” [political leader] emerged out of the current
most powerful nation of the world (the earth).
“And I beheld another
beast coming up out of the earth…”
Rev 13:11 KJV
Since he was elected to political office, his course
of action reveals to the people with ‘spiritual sight’ who study and understand
revelation and prophecy, that he is ‘the harbinger’ of the intergovernmental
monstrous occult diplomacy, which is about to usurp the world.
A Warning to America! A
Warning to People Everywhere!
“The Man of Sin” has been REVEALED!!!
YOU MUST KNOW WHO “THE MAN OF SIN” IS!
THIS DREAM WAS VERY REAL, AND VERY SCARY INDEED!
GOD GAVE ME A CLOSE PICTURE OF THE SCAR OF THE
BEAST—IT WAS A VERY UGLY SCAR!
IT WAS A HORRIBLE AND TERRIBLE DISTURBING IMAGE!
IT WAS A DEEP DIABOLICAL SCAR!
AMERICA, THE ENEMY IS IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD
NOW!!!
THE WORLD’S OLDEST CONSTITUTIONAL
DEMOCRACY HAS ELECTED “THE FORERUNNER OF THE BEAST”—“THE FALSE PROPHET OF THE
ANTICHRIST.”
HE IS THE MESSENGER OF THE ANTICHRIST!
THE ANTICHRIST WILL CARRY OUT HIS EVIL WORK THROUGH
HIS “FALSE PROPHET.” AND HIS “FALSE PROPHET” IS ALREADY ELECTED TO POLITICAL
OFFICE IN THE PRESENT MOST POWERFUL NATION IN THE WORLD!
REMEMBER THAT
IN REVELATION 13, “THE BEAST OUT OF THE SEA” WAS WOUNDED BY THE SWORD AND YET
LIVED. “THE BEAST OUT OF THE EARTH” BEARS THIS DIABOLICAL SIGN!
“THE BEAST
OUT OF THE EARTH” (REVELATION 13:11-17) IS PREDECESSOR TO “THE BEAST OUT OF THE
SEA” (13:1-8).
Imitating God’s Nature
Imitating God’s Nature
All God’s
prosperous people recorded in the Bible were obedient in giving! All were
givers!
Study the
lives of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and all the rest. They were
obedient to the Lord in giving. David gave tons of gold to God. So did Solomon.
They knew that one of the most powerful keys in life itself is giving!
They
understood that the minute we give, we bring God on our side. God joins hands
with the givers, not the takers.
They
realized that we display God’s nature by giving, and every time we give we
glorify Him, because we are imitating Him.
God is an
extravagant Giver. Look at what He provided for us—the glory of creation, life
itself, the beauty of the Earth, sunshine, and so much more.
The Importance of Seeds
Walk through
the fruit and vegetable aisles at any grocery store. What beautiful variety He
has provided—a reflection of His imagination. They all grew in the ground, on
vines, or in trees with colorful, remarkable variety.
And here is
the best part: God has provided all this incredible provision, His gifts, to
us, from seeds.
Think about
it, God has placed seed in every fruit and vegetable to produce unlimited
amounts of food. One single kernel of corn can produce a plant that potentially
yields 600 kernels or more from each ear. One orange can become a grove.
There is an
old saying: “You can count the apples on a tree, but who can count the apples
in a seed?” God has designed the seed’s potential to be far beyond the
understanding of our human thinking.
He gave that
to us. He is the ultimate Giver! And as we imitate Him with obedient giving,
the potential of the harvest from our seed is truly limitless.
God gives
seed to the sower—not to the taker—and as you sow seed, you receive more seed.
That is God’s law of prosperity, an actual divine law that is activated only
when we sow seed.
Jerusalem
Jerusalem
Jerusalem
(possession of peace or the habitation of peace) – sacred city and well-known
capital of Israel during Bible times.
Salem, of
which Melchizedek was king (Gen 14:18), was a natural abbreviation for
Jerusalem. Thus, Jerusalem appears in the Bible as early as the time of
Abraham, although the city had been inhabited before that time.
The city of Jerusalem is mentioned in Joshua 10:1-4 during
the struggle of Joshua and the Israelites to take the land of Canaan.
After the death of Saul, the first human king of Israel,
David was named the new king of Israel.
One of his first efforts was to unite the tribes of
the north and south by capturing Jerusalem from the Jebusites, making the city
the political and religious capital of the Kingdom (1 Chron 11:4-9). Jerusalem came under the
administration of David. It was David who gave the city the name “Jerusalem.”
Because it was captured during his reign, Jerusalem also came to be known as
the "City of David." The city is often referred to by this title in
the Bible.
David built a palace in the section of Jerusalem
that served previously as the Jebusite stronghold. This section, situated in
the highest section of the city, frequently is referred to as Mount Zion.
Jerusalem has little to recommend it as a capital
city, when compared to other major cities of the ancient world. It was an
inland city not situated near a seaport. Moreover, it was not near the major
trade routes used during that time. Why, then, did David select Jerusalem as
the capital of his nation? The reasons are threefold.
First,
Jerusalem is the natural city of God’s sovereign choice. It has been the only
city in the world directly pivotal to God’s divine Covenant, Kingdom and
Government with His people on the Earth. David knew this, and therefore he moved
the Ark of the Covenant, which had been kept at Kirjath-jearim (Josh 15:9) to
Jerusalem. Then he proceeded to build a tabernacle, in which the ark was
placed. One of his desires was to build a temple in the capital city, but he
was prevented from completing this task. The prophet Nathan instructed him that
God did not want him to build the temple because his hands had been involved in
so much bloodshed (1 Chron. 17). David did make preparation for the building of
the temple, however, leaving the actual building task to Solomon, his son and
successor.
Secondly,
Jerusalem was centrally located between the northern and southern tribes. Thus,
it was geographically convenient for the nation. The central location of the
capital city tended to unite the people into one kingdom.
Thirdly,
the topography of the city made it easy to defend. Jerusalem was situated on a
hill. The eastern and western sides of the city consisted of valleys that made
invasion by opposing forces difficult. The southern portion consisted of
ravines that made an attack from this position unwise. The best point from
which to attack Jerusalem was the north, which had the highest elevation of any
portion of the city. It was from this position that attacks on the city were
made in the years following the establishment of Jerusalem as the capital.
During the reign of David, Jerusalem was firmly
established politically and spiritually as the capital city of the Hebrew
nations. The selection of this site resulted in the unification of the nation
as David had hoped. But the selection of Jerusalem as the capital was more than
a choice by a human king. Divine providence was also involved. Jerusalem was
referred to as "the place which the
Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put His Name there"
(Deut 12:5, 11, 14, 18, 21).
The Glory of
Jerusalem, which God bestowed upon His chosen tribe (Judah) under David,
reached its greatest heights under Solomon. Solomon proceeded to construct the
Temple about which David had dreamed (2 Chron. 3; 4). He also extended the
borders of the city to new limits. Because surrounding nations were engaged in
internal strife, Jerusalem was spared from invasions from opposing forces
during Solomon's administration.
After completing the Temple, Solomon built the
palace complex, a series of five structures.
These other buildings were:
1.) "House of the Forest of Lebanon," an
assembly hall and a storage place for arms.
2.) An anteroom for the throne, where distinguished
guests were received.
3.) “The Throne Room,” an ornately carved enclosure
that contained the throne, which was made of carved ivory inlaid with gold.
4.) “The King's Palace,” which was very large so as
to hold the king's family.
5.) The residence for Solomon's Egyptian wives,
which adjoined the king's palace.
Solomon also planted vineyards, orchards, and
gardens that contained all types of trees and shrubs. These were watered by
streams and pools that flowed through the complex. Unfortunately, this splendor
came to an end with the death of Solomon about 922 B.C. The division of the
Hebrew kingdom into two separate nations after Solomon's reign resulted in the
relapse of Jerusalem to the status of a minor city.
After the death of Solomon, the division that
occurred in the kingdom resulted in the ten northern tribes establishing their
own capital, first at Shechem and later at Samaria. The southern tribes,
consisting of Judah and Benjamin, retained Jerusalem as the capital. Although
separated politically from Jerusalem, the northern tribes continued their
allegiance to the "holy city" by occasionally coming there for
worship.
In 722 B.C., the northern tribes were conquered by
the Assyrians. Many of the citizens of the northern kingdom of Israel were
deported to the Assyrian nation, never to return to the "promised
land." But the Southern Kingdom, with Jerusalem as its capital, continued
to exist as an independent nation. Although occasionally threatened and plundered
by surrounding nations, Jerusalem remained intact until 587 B.C. At that time,
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, ravaged the city and carried the inhabitants
into captivity. During the siege of the city, Jerusalem's beautiful Temple was
destroyed and the walls around the city were torn down. While a few inhabitants
remained in the city, the glory of Jerusalem was gone.
The memory of Jerusalem among the Jewish people,
however, would not die. They continued to grieve and to remember the City of
David with affection. Psalm 137 is a good example of their expression of grief:
"By the
rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We
hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that
carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required
of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the
Lord's song in a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand
forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof
of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy."
For more than half a century the Hebrews remained
captives in Babylon, and their beloved Jerusalem lay in ruins. But this changed
when Cyrus, king of Persia, defeated the Babylonians. He allowed the Jewish
captives to return to Jerusalem to restore the city. Zerubbabel was the leader
of a group that left Babylon in 537 B.C. to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the
Temple. After a period of about 20 years, the Temple was restored, although it
was not as lavish as Solomon's original Temple had been.
Under the leadership of Nehemiah, a second group of
Jewish exiles returned to the holy city to restore the wall around the city.
Through a masterful strategy of organization and determination, the wall was
restored in 52 days (Neh. 6:15).
The wise men
who sought Jesus after His birth came to Jerusalem because this was considered
“the City of the King” (Matt 2:1-2). Although Jesus was born in Bethlehem,
Jerusalem played a significant role in His life and ministry. It was to
Jerusalem that He went when He was 12 years old. Here He amazed the temple
leaders with His knowledge and wisdom (Luke 2:47). In Jerusalem He cleansed the
temple, chasing away the moneychangers who desecrated the holy place with their
selfish practices. And, finally, it was Jerusalem where He was crucified,
buried, and resurrected.
On one occasion, while Jesus was eating with His
disciples, He gave them this Command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift My Father
promised, which you have heard Me speak about. For John baptized with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:4-5).
The disciples were to wait in Jerusalem for the
Coming of the Holy Spirit—they quite understood that they needed not step out
of “Jerusalem” (the city of peace) as the Lord commanded.
Verse 6 to 8 says:
So when they met together, they asked Him, "Lord, are you
at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has
set by His own Authority. But you will receive Power when the Holy Spirit comes
on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (NIV).
The record of the New Testament church indicates
that Jerusalem continued to play a significant role in the early spread of
Christianity. After the martyrdom of Stephen, the early believers scattered
from Jerusalem to various parts of the Mediterranean world (Acts 8:1). But
Jerusalem always was the place to which they returned for significant events.
For example, Acts 15 records that when the early church leaders sought to
reconcile their differences about the acceptance of Gentile believers, they met
in Jerusalem. Thus, the city became a holy city for Christians as well as Jews.
During the time of Paul's trials, the Lord's divine
Presence came to Him and encouraged Him to witness of Him in Rome just like he
did in Jerusalem.
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, "Take courage! As
you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome"
(Acts
23:11 NIV).
One of the end-times prophecies concerning Jerusalem
in the New Testament is found in Luke 21:20 and this was prophesied by Christ:
“…And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know
that the desolation thereof is nigh” (KJV).
Another one is in Luke 21:24
“…And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led
away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the
Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (KJV).
Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until
the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
The earthly Jerusalem which is natural is a
representation of the New Jerusalem which is above. The
New Jerusalem is a Kingdom that cannot be shaken—it is the Heavenly Mount Zion—the
City of the Living God.
“But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the City of the
Living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels…” (Heb
12:22 KJV).
Apostle John saw this holy City, and he wrote:
“And I John saw the holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down from
God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
Rev 21:2 KJV
“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and
high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from
God.
It shone with the Glory of God, and its brilliance was like that
of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high
wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were
written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the
east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of
the City had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve
apostles of the Lamb.”
Rev 21:10-14 NIV
Our risen Lord made an amazing promise to us:
“Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the Temple of My God.
Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the Name of My God and the
Name of the City of My God, the New Jerusalem, which is coming down out of
Heaven from My God; and I will also write on him My new Name.”
Rev 3:12-13 NIV
Vision 37: The Little Book
Vision
37: The Little Book
The vision shows a called away Overcomer with a
little book in his hand. He is joined by another Overcomer who has been killed
in the Great Tribulation. This latter one is informed to also get such a little
book from the Lord, Who is depicted as being inside a nearby castle. These
little books need to be handed in when the time for that comes, which is right
at the end and when Satan is imprisoned. When handing in the little book a new
heavenly body will be received as well as the allotted number of cities over
which he will rule. He will also receive a book roll concerning the projects he
will be / may be involved in. These projects include an undersea railway
through a glass tunnel, showing the beauty of marine life. It also includes a
railroad through the Amazon, from South to North America. Also a space station
showing the beauty of Earth from above. Also a 777km long cavern beautified
with gold, silver and precious stones.
Interpretation note:
We believe the little book represents your ID and by
giving your self-life/soul (ID) to Jesus you will find true life from Him.
Vision 36: More about the Two Witnesses
Vision
36: More about the Two Witnesses
The scene: The two witnesses are called to God's Throne
and informed that their time to go to Earth has arrived. Each of them are given
7 fruits from the Tree of Life (to give them life), and a budding staff from
the Tree of Life (with which to impart Life). Each is also presented with a
book roll which they are instructed to study, and having done so they can speak
and understand every language on Earth.
They then go down to Earth where they witness for
Jesus Christ and His Kingdom and against the Antichrist. They also help
Christians in different ways - releasing them from prison, healing them, etc.
By their witness they encourage the Christians and aggravate the world. This
carries on for 3½ years and only then is Antichrist allowed to capture them. He
delivers them to the Jews who stone them to death. The world is so overjoyed by
their death that an international feast day is declared to be commemorated
every year, and people send one another presents. For 3½ days their bodies lie in
the streets of Jerusalem and world television is focused on them. Then suddenly
a Voice from Heaven calls: "Come up here!" Whereupon they both come
back to life and ascend up to Heaven. And so also do all the remaining
Christians on Earth.
Vision 35: Dream: Harvest Plus Cattle
Vision
35: Dream: Harvest Plus Cattle
The dream shows a harvest in process. Quite a number
of harvesters are busy in the fields. The Leader indicates that some more
harvesting needs to be done at a different location. The person receiving the
dream finds himself on a harvester following the Leader. As the sun is setting
in the west he realizes that they would not find the opportunity to tend the
cattle that evening, but fortunately the calves are big enough to drink by
themselves.
Interpretation notes:
• The cattle = Christians left behind after the
calling away.
• The harvest = the final great harvest brought in
by the called away Overcomers.
• This implies that the Overcomers, when they come
to bring in the great harvest will not at that stage attend to the Christians
on earth, but will busy themselves with bringing in the harvest.
Vision 34: The Cattle
Vision
34: The Cattle
The vision shows cattle, all of them drawing heavily
loaded carts along. They all follow one human leader. The instruction comes
from Heaven that only their Leader is able to lighten their loads.
Interpretation notes:
• The cattle = Christians left behind after the
calling away.
• The Leader = Jesus Christ.
Vision 33: The Rebels
Vision
33: The Rebels
The Rebels
The following scene is shortly after the calling
away has occurred. Some of the Christian remaining behind (26 000) say:
"The Overcomers are gone, let us now build a fortress and prove Revelation
prophecies to be wrong." (They actually thought it was a good thing to
do.) Being quite rich they build the first fortress on an island, walls 6m
wide, 66m high, with 6mm steel re-enforcement every meter. They build 13 of
these fortresses in 13 different countries, one per country. The Lord considers
their action totally wrong and sends down a number of the Messenger Overcomers.
These go in the guise of old people and are therefore easily accepted into the
fortresses. These then warn the rebels that their actions are wrong and that
they run the risk of becoming traitors unto Jesus.
The rebels do not listen, still believing that they
are doing the right thing. Three times the Lord sends down Messengers to go and
warn them, but they do not listen. The Lord then assembles the Heavenly army, including
the Warrior Overcomers, saying: "Three times have I warned these rebels concerning
their actions and attitude, but they would not listen. Go and destroy
them."
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