He Shall Reign Over All!

What the prophet said was true!

The Messiah came as promised!

The King Who was born is the King Who is Coming!

And He will Reign Over All!

Hallelujah!!!

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isa 9:6 KJV

Good Tidings of great joy

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:7 KJV

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the Angel of the Lord came upon them, and the Glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2:8-14 KJV

The Presentation of Jesus Christ in the 66 Books of the Bible - Part 44

In Ephesians He is “GOD’s Unsearchable Riches.”

In Ephesians we see the incomparable riches of Jesus.

Anyone born of God is a type of Christ, for we are blessed with “all spiritual blessings in Heavenly Places in Christ” Who is “God’s Unsearchable Riches.”

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Heavenly Places in Christ.

Eph. 1:3 KJV                         

We were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world (v.4). In accordance with the Father’s Will, we are predestined to be adopted as sons of God through Jesus Christ (v.5).

God’s glorious Grace has been freely given to us in the Beloved—namely Christ (v.6).

Our Redemption is through His precious Blood.

In Whom we have Redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His Grace; Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all Wisdom and Prudence; (vv. 7-8 KJV)

He made known to us the Mystery of His Will according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself (v.9).  In Him we have obtained an inheritance (v.11). Our hope is in Him; for we have been appointed to live for the praise of His Glory (v.12).

We are sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of Promise (v.13); by Whom we were quickened [raised to Life] together with Christ (2:5), and taken-up in Glory with Him, and jointly-seated with Him in Heavenly Places (2:6).

We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which He prepared in advance for us to do (2:10). We are made in His own image, brought near by His Blood (2:13).

In Him we are framed like a building; joined together to become a holy temple in the Lord (2:21). Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one Body, and sharers together in the Promise in Christ Jesus. We are jointly partakers of the Promise in Christ (3:6).

We are given access through faith in Him (3:12).

The Book of Revelation God's Message to Two Churches

The Book of Revelation

God's Message to Two Churches

Rick Joyner

The Church at Smyrna—“Myrrh”

(Approximately A.D. 100 – 325)

              “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:

              “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

              “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

              “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death”’ (Revelation 2:8-11 NKJV).

         The Lord begins addressing each church by noting a different characteristic of Himself. This is not arbitrary, as each church will experience some aspects of the Lord more than others. The church at Smyrna represents the period in which Christians will suffer almost continuous and widespread persecution—as did the Lord when He walked the earth.

         When we read the Gospels, it is hard to find a single thing the Lord said or did that did not stir up criticism and threats. We often think that if our critics would just witness a miracle, they would repent and become supporters. That did not work for Jesus and it rarely works for anyone. The more Power the Lord demonstrated in His ministry, the more the opposition rose up against Him. The Lord performed some miracles so that people would believe Him, but most were simply out of compassion for hurting people.

         If He had wanted to use power to convince people that He was sent from God, He could have done more dramatic, spectacular things, like stopping the sun as Joshua did. His miracles were not for that purpose. Rather His nature is to heal, deliver, and restore the afflicted and oppressed. Pursuing healing, miracles, and deliverance is good, but not if we do it to alleviate persecution. “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (see I John 5:19) John wrote, meaning most people are under the devil’s influence rather than God’s. The devil does not like seeing people he has afflicted healed and delivered. We need to pursue the power gifts for the sake of doing the work of the Lord, but understand that the more we grow in this power, the greater the opposition.

         The Lord also begins by reminding this church that He overcame death. He promised this for all who faithfully follow Him. This church needed to keep this in mind because of what they were facing. This church period would face the most brutal persecution that the most powerful empire in the world could mobilize against the church.

         Smyrna means “myrrh,” a primary ingredient in incense. In Scripture, incense typifies prayer and worship. Christians living through this period no doubt lived on prayer as much as on oxygen. The willingness of so many to lay down their lives for the sake of His Gospel was also a “sweet smelling fragrance” to the Lord. Those who do not know the Lord view death as the greatest catastrophe, but to those who live by faith in Him, it is the beginning of a far greater life to be embraced, not feared.

          Christians at this time were not just killed in great numbers; they could not hold significant positions or jobs. In many places could not even be merchants. For this reason, to embrace Christ during this time meant almost certain poverty and deprivation. The Lord let them know He was aware of their plight and that they are not poor, but rich. How is that?

         Peter wrote that the testing of our faith was more precious than gold. Have you considered that any trial you face in life is like finding a big pot of gold? Those with true faith accept the trials, and even death, as treasure and for the sake of the Lord.

         Where is our treasure? As the Lord declared, where we put our treasure indicates where our heart truly lies (see Matthew 6:21). If we place our faith in the eternal purposes of God and we know we have eternal life, we will not be consumed by temporary things and our hearts will be toward the things that last forever. This life is “training for reigning.” The Fruit of the Spirit we grow in now will be a factor determining our eternal position and capacity in basic ways in the Kingdom. So the church of Smyrna was far wealthier than those flushed with the world’s treasures.

         The phrase in Revelation 2:8-11 about the blasphemy of those claiming to be Jews but instead were of the synagogue of Satan is obviously not about literal Jews. In those times, every Jew could prove their Jewish heritage through their genealogies. However, under the New Covenant, the Gentile followers of Christ were born again into the family of Abraham, “grafted in” as “spiritual Jews.” During this time of such persecution, some false teachers and ministries sought to take advantage of believers, pretending to have been sent by the Lord. In reality they were sent by the devil, and the Lord recognized that here.

         The “tribulation for ten days” likely referred to the Diocletian persecution—the most severe attempt yet to wipe out the church. It lasted ten years from 303 to 313 A.D. After the persecution, this church period ended more abruptly than the others as the Roman Emperor embraced and promoted the faith.

         The promise to the overcomers of this church assured that they would not be hurt by the second death—affirming their eternal reward in Christ.

         Even though this speaks of a period in history, churches all over the world right now live in this place spiritually, threatened every day with death for their faith. Some of the greatest spiritual treasures are also found in these churches—those rich in faith are truly rich.

Significance of Number 3

GOD’s NUMEROLOGY

“THREE"

Resurrection

The number three is associated with “RESURRECTION.” The evidence is so abundant that there is no excuse for Bible readers not to know this.

Jesus said to His critics, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19 KJV).

And in verse 22 is stated:

When therefore He was risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this unto them; and they believed the Scripture, and the Word which Jesus had said (KJV).

In Matthew 12:40 He said,

For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the Earth (KJV).

This verse tells us that Our Lord was raised up from the dead three days after He died, and this verse speaks in connection with number three “four times.”

  “…three days and

       …three nights in the whale's belly…

    …three days and

       …three nights in the heart of the earth…”

Four times three is 12. This is the Bible number for “Divine Authority,” “Power” and “Rule.” It was this Divine Power of the Spirit of God that brought forth Jesus from the dead.

During Jesus’ ministry on Earth, He raised ‘three’ from the dead. He raised the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:15); He raised the daughter of the ruler Jairus (Luke 8:41-55); and He raised Lazarus of Bethany (John 11:43-44).

When He called Lazarus forth from the grave He spoke three words, “Lazarus, come forth.” These are also three words in the Greek language.

Three times Jesus said of those who come to Him and believe on Him, “I will raise him up at the last day.” The first time He said this was in John 6:40, the second time in 6:44 and the third time in 6:54.

At the transfiguration in Luke 9:28-31, Jesus took with Him three of His disciples: Peter, James and John who were to be witnesses to this revelation. He said to the three, “Tell the vision to no man; until the Son of Man be risen from the dead” (Matthew 17:9).

In connection with His trial, death and resurrection, Jesus was denied by Peter three times. He was tried before three courts: Sanhedrin, Pilate and Herod (Matthew 26:57-75, 27:1-25, Luke 23:4-11). He was crucified with two others making three crosses (Matthew 27 to 38). There was an inscription placed on His cross and written in three languages which were Hebrew, Greek and Latin (John 19:20). The sun was darkened for three hours (Matt. 27:45).

The Bible records the names of three women who went to Jesus’ grave the morning of His Resurrection. They were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome (Mark 16:1).

The third time Jesus manifested Himself to His disciples after His Resurrection there was a miraculous draught of fish (John 21:2-14).

All these reveal to us that the number 3 is the Bible’s number for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and His people-the Body of Christ.

There were three dead persons raised to life in the Old Testament. The first instance was when Prophet Elijah raised the dead child of the widow of Zarephath. When Elijah raised the child he stretched his body three times over the child’s body (I Kings 17:21-22).

The second was when Elisha raised the dead child of the Shunammite woman (II Kings 4:16-36). When he raised him he put his mouth on the child’s mouth, his eyes on the child’s eyes and his hand on the child’s hand (verses 34 & 35).

Thirdly, a young man was restored to life when his dead-body was let down into the grave of the prophet Elisha (II Kings 13:21).

Israel killed a Passover lamb, which points to Jesus the Holy Lamb of God (I Cor. 5:7). Three days after the Passover, they journeyed through the Red Sea which signifies death and resurrection (Exodus 8:7; 12:18-27, 14:1-31).

Acts 20:7-12 speaks of Paul raising a young man back to life who had fallen from the third floor of a building. This shows that the number 3 is associated with the Resurrection.

While speaking of the redemption of our bodies, Apostle Paul used the word “ourselves” three times.

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body (Romans 8:23 KJV).

Now, a lesson to learn from I Cor.15:35-37.

But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:

And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain (KJV).

The word “sow” is emphasized three times in connection with the Resurrection.

The NIV writes this passage this way:

But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else.

So, even nature itself bears testimony of ‘the Resurrection’ by numbers.

The first part of a kernel [corn] of wheat is the ‘husk’ from which the bran comes, the second part is the ‘main body’ from which flour comes and the third part is the ‘germ’ from which the vitamins comes. It is the third part of the grain that quickens the sown wheat and produces the new plant. 

From this, we know that Jesus is speaking of the necessity of His death and resurrection. He said,

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

John 12:24 KJV

So, the three parts to the grain of wheat are sown; the third part which quickens and brings forth new life is nature’s testimony to the Resurrection.

Let’s take a look at what the Scriptures says about “the Millennium” in connection with “the Resurrection.”

“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the First Resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.”

Rev 20:4-8 KJV

The Resurrection of Christ and His resurrection body, which are the redeemed by His Blood, is found in this passage.

Counting from the first verse of this chapter, the third time the 1000 years is mentioned is where John said, “They lived and reigned with Christ 1000 years.” Then John goes on to say, “This is the first resurrection.” This tie up the number three to “the Resurrection.”

In God's numerology, the number three is indeed the number of Resurrection!

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The FirstFruits of GOD’s Heart Desire

The FirstFruits of GOD’s Heart Desire

POWER to GET WEALTH!

POWER to GET  WEALTH!

But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is He that giveth thee Power to get wealth, that He may establish His Covenant which He sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

Deuteronomy 8:18 KJV

Significance of Number 2

GOD’s NUMEROLOGY

"TWO"

Division or Separation

The number two is the Bible number for "DIVISION" or "SEPARATION."

It might be a peaceful division or separation, but usually it isn't.

Some have made the grievous error of teaching that "two" is the number of "agreement" or "marriage" or "unity," but the Bible reveals that this is wrong. The fact of the matter is that the number "Two" rather speaks of the opposite—which is "Division" or "Separation."

Not "Two," but "One" is the number of "UNITY."

When 'two' are said to have a covenant, a treaty, or agreement, the separate parties become one entity, one organization, one enterprise, or a joint venture; they become 'one,' not ‘two.’

“Two cannot work together except they agree” (two cannot work together except they become one).

Genesis 10:25 records:

Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan (NIV).

Here, the word “divided” is used in connection with number two.

In Genesis 1:4, it is stated:

"...and God divided the light from the darkness" (KJV).

Here we find two things, "light and darkness" and the word "divided" connected with them.

In verse 14, God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night…"

Here also are two things, "day and night," and the word “divided” connected with them.

Genesis 1:16 states, “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night...” (KJV).

Then, the two great lights divided the day and the night.

Other perfect examples on this lesson in the Bible are as follow:

When Paul and his companions were caught by the storm at the sea, the ship approached a crosscurrent—where two seas met, then struck a sandbar and ran aground. It remained unmovable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves, before they arrived safe at Malta (see Acts 27:41).

The division of Israel into two Kingdoms known as the house of Israel and the house of Judah, under the reigns of Jereboam and Rehoboam.

Sometime later, the Lord God Almighty reunited Israel and Judah as one nation. Here is the word of prophecy He gave to prophet Ezekiel regarding this:

And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:

And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.

Ezek 37:21-22 KJV

In verses 16 to 20, the two nations ‘shew forth’ a divided condition. The ‘two sticks’ pictured this division, and when the ‘two sticks’ became one in the hand of the prophet, the picture of the abolishment of that "Division" was seen, and a condition of "UNITY" was brought again.

Hebrews 8:7-10 talks about God’s promise of a “New Covenant” with His people—Jewish and Gentile believers of all generations.

For if there had been nothing wrong with that first Covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said:

"The time is coming, declares the Lord,

when I will make a New Covenant

with the house of Israel

and with the house of Judah.

It will not be like the Covenant

I made with their forefathers

when I took them by the hand

to lead them out of Egypt,

because they did not remain faithful to My Covenant,

and I turned away from them,

      declares the Lord.

This is the Covenant I will make with the house of Israel

after that time, declares the Lord.

I will put My Laws in their minds

and write them on their hearts.

I will be their God,

and they will be My people.

Heb 8:7-10 NIV

“The New Covenant” is separate from “the Old Covenant.” In “the new” “the old” is fulfilled. “The new” takes away the veil of “the old.”

But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the Old Covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

2 Cor 3:14-16 NIV

By “the New Covenant” freedom comes; by God’s solemn Agreement with us, we are transformed, and the Glory of the Lord is revealed in us.

Another good lesson on this subject, which we can learn from the Bible is in King Solomon’s wise judgment regarding two babies by two prostitutes in First Kings 3:16-27. By wisdom, King Solomon made a clear distinction between the destinies of the two parties— and the legal parent of the living son was known.

The king’s wisdom commanded ‘compassion’ of the rightful mother for her living son (vv. 24-26).

Verse 28 records: When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice (NIV).

In Acts 13:2, two names, the name Barnabas and the name Saul are connected with the word "separate."

In the Parable of “the Prodigal Son” in Luke 15, Jesus said, "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them (vv.11-12 NIV).

Here again, we find the number “two” connected with the word “divided.”

In verse 13, we find the younger son separating himself from his father and going into a far country.

In John 10:17-18, Jesus said,

Therefore doth My Father Love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again.

No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have Power to lay it down, and I have Power to take it again. This Commandment have I received of My Father (KJV).

In this passage the word “Power” is used twice and there is a distinction between the ‘laying down’ and the ‘taking up’ of the Savior’s life of His own accord.

 Again, we find separation connected with the number “two.”

Rebecca’s nurse is mentioned twice in the Bible. She was mentioned first in Genesis 24:59 and the second time in 35:17, 18 where we read about her death.

In Genesis 46:12 is recorded, the death of the two sons of Judah.

In Leviticus 10:1-2, we read about the death of two of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu. In Judges 7:25, also two are connected with the death of two princes of the Midianites.

Ruth 1:5 records:

“…both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.”

In II Samuel 3:30 we read that Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel.

And in Isaiah 37:37, 38 we read where Sennacherib was killed by two of his sons.

When Jesus received the news of the sickness of Lazarus, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.

Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days.

John 11:5-6 NIV

Lazarus and her sisters were Jesus' dear friends, and He held them in loving esteem, yet after receiving the news that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days—this was for a purpose.

Number “two” stands for Separation or Division. Death is a separation.

In I Timothy 5:6, in the King James Version, the word “liveth” is used twice with the word “dead.”

But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

She who lives in pleasure and self-gratification [giving herself up to luxury and self-indulgence] is spiritually dead even while she still naturally lives. Her ‘spiritual death’ is a separation of her spirit from God.

Falling to Heaven

Falling to Heaven

By Mickey Robinson

For the past 25 years, Mickey has had a public ministry speaking in churches and to various groups of people. He shares the reality of God's power to change people's lives. The story of his testimony imparts hope and encouragement for any person to be an overcomer.

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3 PROPHETIC Signs OF GREAT SIGNIFICANCE

3 PROPHETIC Signs OF GREAT SIGNIFICANCE

The Sign of the Son of Man, Sign of the Prophet & Sign of the End of the Age

Three Prophetic Signs of Great Significance.

The Sign of the Son of Man

Regarding “the Sign of the Son of Man,” Jesus said, “Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth: behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the Coming of the Son of Man be” (Mt.24:25-27 KJV).

The ‘Sign of His Appearing’ at “the Rapture” will consummate the Church Age.

But, after the Great Tribulation, shall appear "the Sign of the Son of Man."

The ‘Sign of His Second Coming’ will consummate the age of His divine program for Israel.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory.

And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His Elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other (vv.29-31 KJV)

According to Revelation 1:7, every eye shall see the Son of Man when He Returns.

Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen (KJV).

Like lightning flashes out of the east and fills the sky to the western horizon, so will be the Coming of the Son of Man.

"The Sign of the Son of Man" will be at His Second Coming.

It will be ‘the Sign of Christ's Coming’ as “the Messiah.”

Prior to this, the Appearing of the Son of Man at “the Rapture” will be “as the days of Noah.”

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of Heaven, but My Father only.

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the Coming of the Son of Man be.

For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the Coming of the Son of Man be.

Matt 24:36-39 KJV

Jesus said to His disciples, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own Power” (Acts 1:7 KJV)

So, what day shall "the Sign of the Son of Man" be?

But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.

Zech 14:7 KJV

Earlier in verse 5 was reckoned:

“…and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee” (KJV)

This was written because the prophecy points to Christ’s Return as “King of kings and Lord of lords.”

Regarding ‘the Rapture’ no man knows “the hour” when the Son of Man will be revealed.

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh (Matt 24:44 KJV)

His ‘Day’ “comes like a thief in the night.”

Jesus Himself spoke of the only sign given in the New Covenant—that sign is ‘His death and resurrection.’ This He referred to as: “the sign of the prophet Jonah” (see Matthew 12:39).

He taught His disciples that He must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days would rise again.

Why is this only sign given to this generation?

Because it is God’s Redemption Plan for man.

Our Redemption is by the precious Blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:7 says: “In Whom we have redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His Grace” (KJV)

Colossians 1:14 also declares: “In Whom we have redemption through His Blood, even the forgiveness of sins…” (KJV)

If His Blood was not shed for us, then, there would have been no Redemption.

Hebrews 9:22 declares, "…without shedding of blood is no remission" (KJV)

There cannot be Redemption without remission.

No Redemption means no Salvation!

Without Salvation, there is no Eternal Life—which is “the gift of God.”

When the Pharisees came to Jesus and said to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.” He said to them, “Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected” (Luke 13:32 KJV)

The “third day” represents the day of Jesus’ Resurrection after His crucifixion.

Only at ‘the hour’ of “the Second Coming” will the world see “the Sign of the Son of Man” again—at such time “the Church Age” would already have been over; then God’s Master Plan for the redemption of Israel begins.

Sign of the Prophet

Jesus is “the Greater Prophet.”

He is the climax of the prophets.

When the scribes and the Pharisees demanded a sign from Jesus, He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign. And there shall no sign be given to it, but "the sign of the prophet Jonah" (see verse 39).

When the people asked Him for a sign He referred them to “the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Jonah was the only prophet who went down the belly of a fish. Therefore, “the sign of the prophet Jonah” was the only Old Testament prophetic sign which has direct reference to the number of nights and days in which “the Son of Man” would be in “the heart of the earth.”

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (v.40 KJV).

“The sign of the prophet Jonah” points to the death and resurrection of Christ. So, Jesus’ death and His resurrection from the dead is the only New Testament ‘sign’ given to this generation.

A special sign accompanies the life of a true prophet. “The sign of the prophet Jonah” was supernaturally predetermined to occur in his life; pointing directly to the Son of Man—by Whom we have Redemption.

In the course of redemption, the Son of Man—“the Greater Prophet” went into the heart of the earth. Jonah went into the belly of the fish, designating “the sign of the prophet Jonah,” but the Son of Man—“the Greater Prophet,” went right into the heart of the earth, fulfilling this prophetic sign.

“The Greater Prophet” spoke ‘in parables,’ uttering “things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world” (Psa.78:2; Matt 13:34-35).

Prophet Isaiah prophesied of Him saying:

Behold My Servant, Whom I have chosen; My Beloved, in Whom My soul is well pleased: I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall shew Judgment to the Gentiles.

He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets.

A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth Judgment unto Victory.

And in His Name shall the Gentiles trust.

Matt 12:18-21 KJV

He was approved and attested by God to Israel by miracles, wonders and signs (Acts 2:22). The prophets of old times spoke of His day.

Moses said to the people:

“The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken…” (Deut 18:15 KJV).

In the next verse, Moses said, “For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, "Let us not hear the Voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die" (v.16 NIV).

Continuing from verse 17:

And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.

I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put My Words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him.

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto My Words which He shall speak in My Name, I will require it of him (vv.17-19 KJV)

‘Every soul which will not hear “that Prophet,” shall be cut off’ (from among the people).

At the point of the Triumphal Entry, the people only acknowledged Jesus as a Prophet.

And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee (Matt.21:11 KJV)

The Samaritan woman at the well perceived that He was a Prophet (read Jn. 4:19).

The chief priests and the Pharisees looked for a way to arrest Jesus, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that He was a Prophet (see Matt 21:46).

The people of Jesus’ day often mistook Him to be ‘Prophet Elijah’.

Jesus said, “He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward” (Matt 10:41 KJV)

In chapter 13 verse 57 He said, "A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house" (Matt 13:57 KJV)

John the Baptist, messenger (forerunner) of Christ, came in “the spirit of Elijah”. He came to "prepare the way for the Lord" (Mt.3:3). Jesus declared him to be more than a prophet (11:9).

In Zechariah's prophecy in Luke 1, he wrote concerning his son John:

"And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways…” (v.76 KJV)

John the Baptist became “the prophet of the Highest.”

Jesus, in the time of His Ministry, declared of him:

“Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist” (Matt 11:11 KJV)

In verse 14, Jesus said that John was Elijah (he came in the spirit of Elijah).

John was ‘Elijah that came.’

Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they counted him as a prophet (Matt 14:5).

Jesus is “the Greater Prophet.”

He is greater than “the greatest of the prophets” (Elijah).

He is superior to Moses who was ‘the Law giver’ (Hebrews 3:1-4)

Matthew’s account of the Transfiguration records:

After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters — one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah."

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a Voice from the cloud said, "This is My Son, Whom I Love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!"

Matt 17:1-5 NIV

Verse 8 states that when the three disciples looked up, they saw no one but Jesus.

Figuratively, both Elijah and Moses ‘handed over their batons’ to Jesus. The Law and the prophets had to give way for “the Son of Man.”

Therefore, it was necessary for one in “the spirit of Elijah” to come and prepare “the Way of the Lord.”  Isaiah prophesied, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (Isa 40:3 KJV).

This is the prophecy of the coming of John the Baptist in “the spirit of Elijah.”

This was fulfilled after over 400 years, in the AD (Anno Domini)—the Year of our Lord.

At “the Transfiguration,” Moses represented “the Law” and Elijah represented the prophets.

Jesus is “He Who comes in the Name of the Lord,” and so He is “the Greater Prophet.”

Peter, James, and John who witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration up on the mountain, soon as they came down, asked Him, "Why do the teachers of the Law say that Elijah must come first?"  (Matt 17:10)

Jesus replied, “Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of Man suffer of them (vv.11-12 KJV)

This confirmed Malachi 4:5-6 (Prophecy of the coming of Elijah the prophet).

Prophet Malachi's prophecies ended with ‘Prophecy of the coming of Elijah the prophet,’ which will be fulfilled in the latter times.

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the Great and dreadful Day of the Lord:

And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Mal 4:5-6 KJV

God Almighty Himself gave the guarantee:

“Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord, Whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple…” (Mal 3:1 KJV)

In these last days, one in "the spirit of Elijah" 'truly shall come first,' and 'restore all things.' He will come as God's "messenger," who shall prepare the way before the Lord.

After this, shall be the Lord’s Return.

The sign of the prophet points directly to Christ.

A true prophet sees what no one sees but GOD.

‘The spirit of a prophet’ is subject to the prophet (I Cor.14:32).

Christ is superior over the prophets; superior by His deity; superior in His humanity; superior in His work and ministry; superior in His personality; and superior in His position.

Sign of the End of the Age

The Lord Jesus revealed “signs of the end of the age” to His disciples.

In Matthew 16, He referred to them as “the signs of the times”.

In Luke 21, He said:

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” (vv. 25-26 KJV)

In Matthew’s Gospel, in the 24^th chapter, is recorded:

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

For many shall come in My Name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for My Name's sake.

And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the Elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very Elect.

Behold, I have told you before.

Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth: behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

Matt 24:4-26 KJV

“Signs of the end of the age” began with signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and then, the ‘distress of nations’ upon the earth, the seas and the waves roaring.

Next, to these were the appearances of false-messiahs, and then, wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes, and persecutions.

Jesus referred to these occurrences as “the beginning of sorrows.”

‘The end is not yet’ while “the beginning of sorrows” persist.

All the signs listed above, are still in occurrence, presently!

Within these events is the emergence of false prophets, who deceive multitudes.

At the climax of these events, ‘the antichrist’ will emerge on the world scene—note that his ‘false prophet’ is already on the world scene.

The false prophet of the antichrist will demonstrate lying signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very Elect.

In ‘the fullness of times’ of the dispensation, the Great Tribulation will occur in the earth. Then, the antichrist will setup “the abomination of desolation,” spoken of by Daniel the Prophet. This, he will do through his false prophet.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

‘He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.’

But, before the very end, when Jesus Christ—Who is “the Word of God,” comes to take over the reins of this earth with His saints, in the Millennium; one last sign shall occur in the earth.

‘This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world.’

And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come (Mt.24:14)

All ‘signs of the end of the age’ shall take place before the Lord's Return.

Jesus said, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh (Luke 21:28 KJV)

When the Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign from Heaven, He answered and said to them, “When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times”? (Matt 16:2-3 KJV)

The Pharisees and Sadducees only understood the pattern of the weather, but could not discern “the signs of the times.”

The times of these occurrences is already upon us; they are “the signs of the times” (end times).

The event between these occurrences and the Great Tribulation is “the Rapture.”

Creation awaits the manifestation of the sons of God (Rom 8:19, 22), and we look forward to the home of Glory prepared for us in Heaven.

Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

2 Peter 3:13 KJV