Now, it's not hard to see why this was able to happen. This all happened because Christ, is clearly not the head of the church at this time period. Because if it was Christ, the Bible passages that I just laid out, clearly should have shown people what they should do. Of course, that would be to defy the Pope's anti-Christ orders, but not only that show him why His orders are wrong (Because they are not in line with scripture) and hopefully he repents and does what is right. If not, well then they have to KICK HIM OUT! This proposition much more than an easy after the fact, but this order of what needs to be done, when someone in the church body is out of order can be found. (1 Corinthians 5:1-5) Jesus also explains how we are to handle people within the church who are at fault. Please note the Pope, pastor, bishop, apostle has no say so...but the very word of God, the words of Jesus. (Matthew 18:15-17)
So who is leader a church that isn't adhering to the word? It's not who you think it is. In fact if it's not God it's the enemy, more specifically the anti-Christ! So are you saying that the Pope Urban is the Anti-Christ? I don't care if they call themselves, Father or Rabbi, Peter or Paul, Apostle or Bishop, Saved or unsaved. Not only am I'm saying Pope Urban was inspired/possessed by the Anti-Christ but I'm saying that every man who props his own self and his own words over the very word of God, is most definitely the Anti-Christ or bears his mark. As I'm diving deeper into this blog, I can't help but touch up on a little eschatology or study of the end times. I am a firm believer that most Christians are completely LOST when it comes to understanding the end times. People talk about the Anti-Christ and his mark as if it's something that we are all awaiting. As the Biblical Apostle John would say, "this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." John is saying that the Anti-Christ is already here and at work! (1 John 2:18)
Not only does John ring the alarm, but in the very next verse, John goes on to say that this false Spirit at work actually came out from among the TRUE CHURCH! (1 John 2:19) The Anti-Christ came out of THE CHURCH! Imagine that! How do Christians not know this! This is a Spirit, it's something that we cannot fight a physical battle with, but the battle that must be waged is spiritual. The first step to waging this battle is to get people informed and caught up to date with this very verse of scripture!
This Spirit is behind MOST preachers in this country, MOST of the T.V. evangelists on T.V., and certainly EVERYONE who exults their own teachings over the word of God. (All other faiths) Ephesians 2:2 tells us that this Spirit, is in all of those who work in disobedience. Keep in mind that this ruling Spiritual authority has no power at all! In fact, his Kingdom and dominion lost all power on the very day Jesus was lifted up on the cross! (John 12:31) So why are so many people lost? Free will. It's the churches job to get the message out, to conform to Jesus image. To teach Jesus very own words and not our own. What on earth will it take for the church to stand up and be what it is called to be? I don't know if I have that answer, but we know that before anything good comes to be, anything true and lasting to come about, a struggle is inevitable. In fact the Bible often talks about a great travailing. (Labor, like when one bears a child) Could this intense adversity be what brings about Jesus second coming? I believe yes, but this is an entire different topic. Now back to my point about the church, in order for something to change there must be a need made evident to WANT a change. The Bible says that "My people die for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6) First and foremost, the correct knowledge and foundation is required. Let the word of God speak, and every man be a lair.
So going on this foundation being laid out, could it be possible that the church has already experienced the "GREAT FALLING AWAY" prophesied in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. Could his seat be the head of the church, which of course is the very body of Jesus. (All the true believers that make up the body of Jesus "Temple" on earth.) Could the greatest lie be the idea that the church has come to mean a particular denomination and or four walls? If there is only be one means of salvation into the very body of Jesus, how come the church is so divided? Well, that's because MOST churches don't go by the word of God and they push their own denominations means of salvation. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:5, that their is only one Lord (God) one faith, and one baptism. So why then to some churches baptize via sprinkling some by immersion? Why do some churches baptize in Jesus name and some in the titles of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? why is it then that some churches preach that baptism is just a sign, while others say it's the means on which the very blood of Jesus is applied to ones life, removing the stain of sin and continuing to be that means of forgiveness in continual repentance? They can't all be right, because we know that the Bible isn't relative. It isn't a pick and choose book that you can believe half of the time. In fact, it's to be our ONLY "doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." How do I know this...well it says word for word what the Bible is in 2 Timothy 3:16.
It must grieve God to know end to see this, but this whole process of the wheat and tares has to happen! A quick work is on the way and a great shaking is soon to occur. Everything that can be shook will be shook. (Hebrews 12:27) This is a New Testament idea, but like a glove it fits and illuminates the Old. Haggai 2:21, as well as all these books of the later prophets were extremely prophetic and our talking about this very day and age! You can line up these "end time" Jewish books with Revelation and it all fits like a glove! The woman in travailing is coming, and out of this adversity will be something so amazing that I don't even have words or the understanding to describe it. All I know is that this world, in it's current state is passing away. (1 Corinthians 7:31) (Is passing, present...it's still passing away)
Unity is on the way and a separation of the sold out vs the sell outs is here. In any case, Babylon is fallen and this has to go forth, so people can either sell out and get out of this confusion, or stay in it and be judged in it. As I'm writing this, I'm convicted and feel as if "where do I start?" I guess doing this is a start, but this message cannot end here. By Him ALL things are possible.
Since I've laid out a clearer picture on the anti-Christ, lets go over this mark. This idea of a mark goes back to the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 6:8. In this very chapter, the Jewish people (TO THIS VERY DAY) take this verse literal and warp a little prayer box or TEFFILIN around their forehead with this very verse (Deuteronomy 6:8) inside of it. Then they wrap their right hand with a cord. Hmm, where did I hear about this right and and forehead business? Revelation 13:16 The mark of the beast is forced on all people's right hands or foreheads! The Jewish people knew the significance of this. The Jewish people know that the forehead represents decision making and that the right hand represents actions. So in any case Messiah tells us that if we think about doing a sin, it's the same as if we are actively engaging in that sin. (Matthew 5:28) Keep in mind that of course if you act on it, you've already thought about it. Every action must first take place in the mind for it to be carried out. In fact, James points this out in James 1:15 when he writes "Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." So here it is, the progression of sin and how it starts in the mind! Whether you do it in mind or deed you are still guilty! This is why we need the constant renewing of the mind as stated in Romans 12:2.
What's more fascinating about all of this is that science is in complete agreement! Do you know that the frontal cortex is at the front of the brain? Did you also know that this part of the brain is what enables us to make decisions? Did you further know that when one renews their mind by speaking in the Spirit (tongues) that this entire area of the brain is not engaged at all!
So here it is, anyone who does not have the very Spirit of Messiah dwelling in them has the mark of the beast! In fact the mark is for those of the world who do not repent. Revelation 16:11 tells us that even after they experience chastisement from God, they do not repent! Isn't it odd that if one does not first repent and change his ways, that he cannot come to God? In fact, why else would we need to come to God if we were good anyhow? This clearly shows the need to repent and again, goes hand in hand with the Bible's only way to Salvation through Jesus, Acts 2:38.
Please note that I am not going to rule out a physical mark but I seriously believe that it's purely spiritual. It occupies your mind and or your actions. This leaves me at my last point, The Jewish Temple. Now why on earth would God care about a physical temple? In fact, the temple at Jerusalem was destroyed nearly 40 years after Jesus death and hasn't been rebuilt since! So why all of the sudden does it matter? Aren't true Christians really adopted, spiritual Jews and aren't we the Temple? (Romans 9:6) (1 Corinthians 3:16)
There would be no point to blood sacrifices of animals and Jesus sacrificed sealed the deal. I don't think our Messiah would give glory to another by allowing this to happen. In fact we know that everything in the old testament was a shadow that by the New Testament is illuminated. Everything fits like a glove and fits hand in hand. In fact the book of Hebrews 10:20 shows that Jesus body, is the very Temple veil that was torn to allow access to the very glory of God or Spirit of God. (Note that the glory of God in the Old Testament is interchangeable with the Spirit of God in the New.) Also keep in mind that the Spirit of God was not poured out until Jesus went up to heaven and poured out His very Spirit to the church (body of 120 true believers) on the day of Shavout, (Jewish feast of weeks) which most Christians know as Pentecost! If there is any doubt on this fact, just check out Deuteronomy 16:6-10 and see that it's 7 weeks after passover. Keep in mind that Jesus is EVERYTHING. He's not only the Temple, but the only one door/opening to the temple. He's not only the lamb, but also the executing priest. He's not only the Temple veil, but also the very Spirit behind the veil! JESUS IS EVERYTHING AND THE ONLY THING. Not only am I a "Jesus only." (As if this is a bad title to have) I am Jesus everything! Jesus is most certainly the Father, the Son, and The Holy Spirit! It's only His name that has been given to men, by which we must be saved! (Acts 4:12)
The church is the Temple in the book of Ezekiel, Zechariah, Joel, and Micah! In fact, all of these books talk about "Living Water" coming out of this Temple! Now where have we heard that before? John 7:38 and out of this temple comes what? "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." What will that water lead to? Eternal life! (John 4:14)
Now where in the Old Testament does it talk about this living water coming out of the Temple? Zechariah 14:8, Ezekiel 47:9, Isaiah 58:1, Joel 3:18, and Micah 4:2. Not only this, but have you read of the temple dimensions in Ezekiel? From what I've read, the temple would be bigger than the very city of Jerusalem in existence now!
It's time that like the Jews who got out of the Babylonian captivity during the days of the prophets Ezra, Haggai, and Zechariah, that we Christians get out of our Spiritual captivity. The Jews took on so many incorrect ideas out of Babylon and even took with them wives from the Babylonians who were not God fearing. We too are in Babylon! In fact the word Babylon was a Hebrew word that started came from the Hebrew root "Babel" or in English "confusion!" Just look at all the incorrect doctrine "Christianity is carrying." Why are we in such confusion? Just like the men who were to rebuild the Temple and city of Jerusalem, they went after their own way. (for what they thought would be gain). I myself was in this same boat, but like these Jewish men, I saw that I was getting absolutely NOWHERE. These Jewish men started building their own houses first, when they realized that they were getting NOWHERE! God himself, through the prophet Haggai had to tell His people that they were not seeing the blessings because they were not doing HIS work first. (Matthew 6:33) Now Haggai had special instructions to give to the men rebuilding Jerusalem. These men were to each live next to a wall of the city and build that wall so that invaders do not spoil their efforts. They had to build a foundation first. At the same time though, they were instructed to build the very Temple itself! It's interesting to note that in order to accomplish this, they had to build with a sword in hand. (On them at all times.) In fact read the entire book of Haggai, it's short and you will read exactly what I'm writing about!
This is a prophetic example of the Temple in the end times! God's men are to build His Temple by making disciples. We are to do this by building a foundation and this will only be possible with the sword of the Spirit, HIS WORD! The word of God gives us instructions how, just like the instructions the Jews followed from the book of Chronicles! There is a blue print and it is precise. In these last days, lets make sure that we have the word with us, so that we can cast down any imagination (foundation) that is not built upon the word of God, while we add to the Temple and build to it! Jesus very body on earth, in which the fullness of His very Spirit dwells in.
So I will ask you again, what is the significance of physical Jewish Temple? Theology and tradition, trumped yet again. It looks as if mans doctrine has been placed over the doctrine of God, foolish...Christ is the only head, and there is only ONE church or true body of believers. Let EVERY man be a lair. God bless!