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Every nation that has come upon the stage of action has been permitted to occupy its place on earth, that the fact might be determined whether it would fulfil the purpose of the watcher and the Holy One. Prophecy has traced the rise and progress of the world's greatest empires, Babylonia, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. With each of these, as with the nations of less power, history has repeated its self. Each has had its period of test; each has failed, its glory faded, its power departed.
While nations have rejected God's principles, and in this rejection have wrought their own ruin, yet a divine overruling purpose has manifestly been at work through the ages. The history of the nations speaks to us today. To every nation and to every individual God has assigned a place in His great plan. Today men and nations are being tested by the plummet in the hand of Him who makes no mistake. All are by their own choice deciding their own destiny, and God is overruling all the accomplishments of His purpose.
The prophecies which are given in His word, uniting link after link in the chain of events, from eternity in the past to eternity in the future, tell us where we are today is the procession of the ages and what may be expected in the time to come. All that prophecy has foretold as coming to pass up to the present time, has been traced on the pages of history and we may be assured that all which is yet to come will be filled in its order. Today signs of the times declare that we are standing on the threshold of great and solemn events. Everything in our world is in agitation. The present is a time of overwhelming interest to all living rulers and statesmen, and those who occupy positions of trust and authority. Thinking men and women of all classes have their attention fixed upon the events taking place about us. They are watching the relations that exist among the nations. They observe the intensity that is taking possession of every earthly element and they recognize that something great and decisive is about to take place---that the world is on the verge of a stupendous crisis. This crisis will reveal the great final scenes in the history of our world. Events already are casting shadows before, and the sound of there approach causing the earth to tremble and men's hearts to fail them for fear.
Armageddon is the final climatic battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil, the final struggle of the great controversy. This battle preceded by the United States of America bringing the world under the umbrella of Rome. America will continue as a political power, but will be subservient to Rome, as were the nations of Europe in the dark ages. This conflict is as real as any war between nations. It is more continuous and more extensive than the material struggle between nations and requires from the Christian as much patience, perseverance and ceaseless struggle as in any international struggle. This is a very real, literal battle, but it is not a military conflict between the nations. Rather it is physical battle fought over spiritual issues.
QUESTION 1:
a) What time period is brought to view for the battle of Armageddon? Revelation
16:12a.
"And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates;
and the water thereof was dried up,"
b) What is the significance of the drying up of the of the River Euphrates?
Revelation 16:12b.
"that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared."
NOTE AND ANSWER: We are carried forward to a period of time known as the sixth
plague. This is a time of extreme persecution for those who refuse to become
part of the counterfeit system of religion mentioned in our previous study.
In this study two armies are described.
a) The Kings of the East. The Heavenly Armies.
b) The Kings of the Earth and the whole world. (referred to as Babylon).
Cyrus the Persian devised a plan whereby he could enter and conquer the ancient city of Babylon, which was built across the river Euphrates. As the river wound its way through the city it became its life support. Cyrus had his army dig a channel that allowed him to divert the river away from the city and his army entered under the city wall via the river bed to conquer the Babylonians. As the water is a symbol of multitudes of people, now under the sixth plague, the term the drying up of the river Euphrates has a distinct back to the overthrow of ancient Babylon by the strategy of Cyrus. So this gigantic system of false religion receives its support and power from the people of the nations of the earth. In the armageddon context, the drying up of the river Euphrates is the war that the armies of heaven will launch against the nations of the world that have joined the counterfeit persecuting system of religion of which Babylon is the symbolic name given. This drying up of the Euphrates or the taking away the support and power of Babylon prepares the way for the deliverance of the kings of the east (the Christian Church).
a) What are the names of the three divisions of Modern Babylon? Revelations
16:13b.
"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the
dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false
prophet."
b) What is said to come out of their mouths? Revelations 16:13a
"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the
dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false
prophet."
NOTE AND ANSWER: The name Babylon is an aggregate of names and symbols. Here
we have the three great systems of false religion. The "dragon" represents
the persecuting governments of the world. "The Beast" and "The
False Prophet" represent the Papal and Protestant divisions of professing
Christians. These three powers unite, and have a common goal, to persuade and
force the inhabitants of the earth into accepting the system of worship which
they proclaim will bring peace and safety to this war torn planet of ours.
Protestants (anywhere) that accept the Roman Catholic principles of the union of church and state, constitute the false prophet. Anciently, false prophets led people to trust in their false conceptions of worship and teachings. Thus those Protestant Churches that do this are the pictured as the false prophet fore the conform with the teaching of Rome, and by doing so, become the assistant to the Roman beast. Out of these three divisions of Babylon come "three unclean spirits like frogs". As frogs always catch there prey with there tongues, we have represented a phenomenon known as "spiritualism", or the New Age Movement. This movement is sponsored and promoted under the umbrella of the United Nations and is more commonly known as the Ecumenical Movement. This movement is designed to bring all churches together through laying aside their doctrinal differences and uniting on the great humanitarian issues facing the world today. Papists, Protestants and worldlings, will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium of peace. What a revelation, the three divisions of society getting together in a spiritualistic movement that leads the world to the battle of the "Great day of God almighty".
a) What does the Bible refer to these frogs as? Revelations 16:14.
"For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto
the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle
of that great day of God Almighty."
b) What work do the unclean spirit like frogs do in preparation for the Battle
of Armageddon? Revelation 16:14.
"For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto
the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle
of that great day of God Almighty."
NOTE AND ANSWER: Here we see the manifestation of satan himself working through
the medium of spiritualism. For it is said, they are the spirits of devils working
miracles. Satan has long been planning for this final effort to deceive the
world. Little by little he has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception
in the development of spiritualism. He has not yet reached the full accomplishment
of his designs; but it will be reached as we near the battle of armageddon.
the whole world is in danger of being swept into the ranks of this delusion.
The people are fast being lulled into a fatal security. To many it may seem
incredible that the nations should be willing to engage in such an unequal warfare
as to go up to battle against the Lord of Hosts. However, it is one province
of these spirits of devils to deceive for they go forth working miracles and
thereby deceive the kings of the earth that they should believe a lie. In this
verse is described the manner in which the people and forces of Babylon are
influenced by unclean spirits to oppose the truth of God. It is this opposition
to the forces of Heaven that will bring about their destruction .world conditions
will become so desperate that with the aid of evil spirits, desperate measures
will be adopted in the endeavor to compel people to give their support to this
false system of worship as a means of bringing about world peace and prosperity.
a) In the battle of Armageddon, how is God said to come to the battle? Revelation
16:15a
"Behold, I come as a thief."
b) To remain true to God, what must be done? Revelation 16:15b
"Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked,
and they see his shame."
NOTE AND ANSWER: We are living at the end of time. The fast fulfilling signs
of the times, declare that the coming crisis is near at hand. The calamities
by land sea and air, the unsettled state of society; the alarms of war are potentious.
The forecast approaching events of the greatest multitudes. The agencies of
evil are combining their forces and consolidating. They are strengthening for
the last great crisis. Great changes are soon to take place in our world and
the final movements will be rapid ones. As a thief in the night unexpectedly
will the crisis come. When men look to and are hoping for many years of prosperity,
the crisis will come. However, right here in the middle of the battle, we are
admonished to "keep our garments, lest we walk naked and people see our
shame". What has clothing to do with this battle? It would be seen as though
fashion and style could offer little protection. If the battle of armageddon
is a literal physical war somewhere in Palestine, then with today's technology,
garments, clothing, fashion and style would offer no security whatsoever. On
the other hand if this battle is the last great battle between right and wrong,
truth and error, in which all the world is to take a stand, then garments and
clothing will be very important, for garments are a symbol of character, truth
and righteousness. The only way that we as citizens of the earth could possibly
be clothed in righteousness is through the way we worship. This is the battle,
this is the coming crisis, the hidden agenda, the issue of true worship.
To what place are the inhabitants of the world gathered? Revelations 16:16.
"And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue
Armageddon."
NOTE AND ANSWER: A place called in the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon. This gathering
of the people to the battle of the great day of God Almighty is not to be taken
as meaning to be a literal place in Palestine where some military conflict will
take place, that place being Meggido. But rather it is a gathering of the people
of earth to the valley of decision. To whom shall we give worship? There are
only two sides, two classes of people.
a) Those that follow God in true worship.
b) Those that gather under the banner of false worship.
There can be no in between, for this Armageddon does not literally mean to assemble them in one place, but to so unite them that it might be represented as an assembling of the hosts to battle. There will be a mustering of spiritual forces; there will be a combination and unity of opposition against the truth as if the forces of earth, marshaled by the kings and rulers, were assembled in some great battle field where the destiny of the world is to be decided. This gathering as it where, means to make a decision which would determine the question of the prevalence of true worship..
Armageddon is that war which Heaven will launch against the unregenerate people of the world when they untidily fight against God. From whatever angle of the Bible armageddon is considered, it is evident that it concerns the matter of worship. Those who place themselves under God's control to be led and controlled by Him, will catch the steady tread of events ordained by Him to take place. To all, the testing time will come and by this test the genuine Christian will be revealed. In the threefold union that is now beginning to take place, Papists, Protestants and worldlings will alike accept this false system of worship. They will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world and the ushering in of the long expected millennium. The people are dreaming of peace when there is no peace, for while they cry "peace and safety" sudden destruction is coming. When the scorner, the rejecter of truth has become presumptuous; when the routine of work in the various money making lines is carried on without regard to principle; when the reasoning of philosophy has banished the fear of God's judgments; when religious teachers are pointing forward to long ages of peace and prosperity, and the world is absorbed in its rounds of business and pleasure, planting and building, feasting and merrymaking, rejecting God's warnings and mocking His messengers---then it is that sudden destruction cometh upon them. When the student is eagerly seeking knowledge of everything but his Bible, the crisis of armageddon comes as unexpectedly as a thief.
Two cities in the book of Revelation stand out in bold relief as centuries of two opposing powers: Jerusalem and Babylon. The two opposing powers represent the powers of good and evil. A failure to understand these important facts will automatically determine the position taken as to the messages of Armageddon. In the prophecies we see depicted the same everlasting gospel and the same counterfeit system of false religion. The state of corruption and error that in the last days would exist in the religious world was presented to the prophet in the vision of Babylon "that great city" which reighneth over the kings of the earth. There can be no compromise between the two styles of worship. The departure from truth among the churches of Christendom is specifically referred to as Babylon. But in its broadest sense, all in rebellion against God are included in Babylon, Satan's kingdom.
This prophecy is written to outline the climax of the great conflict taking place behind the scenes, and to give a graphic description of the meteoric rise to power of the papacy in the closing scenes of earths history. A terrible struggle is before us, we are nearing the battle of the great day of God Almighty, the angel of mercy is folding her wings preparing to step down from the throne and leave the world to the control of satan. The principalities and powers of earth are in bitter revolt against the God of Heaven. They are filled with hatred against those that uphold the truth and soon, very soon, will be fought the last great battle between good and evil. The earth is to be the battlefield, the scene of the final contest and the final victory. Here where for so long satan has lead men against God, rebellion is to be forever suppressed. The powers of evil will not yield up the conflict without a struggle. But providence has a part to play in the battle of armageddon, the religious elements good and evil will awake out of slumber and the armies of the living God will take the field.
1. The dragon that represents the governments of the world.
2. The beast, the Papacy.
3. The false prophet, the apostate protestant churches.
These will have joined hands with the papacy in persecuting those who refuse
to go along with the confederacy of evil. Under the banner of the United Nations,
the governments of the world have united, with the United States of America
to be there voice, she speaks as a dragon. In this three fold union America
will lead the way to persuade and force if necessary the nations of the world
to accept the system of the "NEW WORLD ORDER". Silently and under
cover are the religious elements working. Satan is assembling his forces under
the banner of secret societies, and soon the call will go out for a religious
leader of the world in order for unity among the nations to be achieved. Nothing
will be left to chance. Spiritualism will have a tremendous influence upon the
people as is depicted by the three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of
the mouths of the three representatives of evil. These spirits through their
supernatural power will deceive the nations into accepting this false system
of worship. Satan has long been preparing for this final effort to deceive the
world. He has not yet reached the full accomplishment of his designs, but it
will be reached in the last moments of time. The enmity of satan against good,
will be manifest more and more as he brings his forces into activity in his
last work of rebellion and if we are not fully aware of his designs every person
will form an alliance with the powers of evil and join in battle against the
ruler of the universe. It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation
that in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid
presentations cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal. The scenes to be enacted
in our world are not yet even dreamed of. The coming struggle will be marked
with a terrible intensity such has the world has never witnessed. This programme
for world unity is the design of the New World Order, introduced to the nations
of the earth under the banner of the United Nations and sold to the people through
the media and parliamentary edicts. This will bring about a gathering of the
nations to the battle of the great day of God Almighty.
God abhors indifference and disloyalty in a time of crisis. His special blessing accompanies the labours of men in action, men who will not swerve from the strait line of duty, but with divine energy will inquire "who is on the Lords side?" men who will not stop merely with the inquiry, but who will demand that those who choose to identify themselves with the truth shall step forward and reveal unmistakably their allegiance to the King of Kings. Their work is to catch the light of truth and let it shine forth to the world in clear steady rays. Fidelity to God is their motto. God cannot use men who in time of peril, when the strength, courage and influence of all are needed, are afraid to take a firm stand for the right. He calls for those that will do faithful battle against wrong, warring against principalities and powers, against spiritual wickedness in high places. It is to such as these that He will speak the words "well done thou good and faithful servant." Those that have not had their attention drawn to the message of Armageddon, may find it a surprise that the Bible does not depict a military conflict, but portrays the termination of the great conflict that has raged through the ages. The prophet describes the great controversy between God and Satan, from the time they warred in Heaven until the consumption of all things. Soon all the inhabitants of the earth will have taken sides, either for or against the government of Heaven. The last great conflict between truth and error is but the final struggle of the ages upon this battle we are now entering, the battle between the religion of the Bible, and the religion of fable and tradition. The agencies which will unite against the truth in this contest are now actively at work. The wicked have fully united with the powers of evil in there warfare against God. Now the conflict is not alone with satan but with men. As the conflict draws to a close, the sixth plague will be pored out upon the Great River Euphrates. This is symbolic reference to those support and uphold the system of false worship known as Babylon. Thus the people are destroyed making way for the deliverance of those who have stood firmly for truth. Why will these plagues fall? Because the people led on by the spiritual leaders and governments of the world have rebelled against the government of Heaven. They fall upon those who worship, a spiritual act, the beast and his image.
Dear reader, on whose side will you be found? Will you stand for truth?
God is calling for people to take a stand and escape the wrath that is to come.