Thoughts Concerning the Future.

There can be no question that we are in the last days. The return of the Jews to Israel from all over the world is one indication that the prophetic clock is ticking again. Daniel's seventieth week is about to begin.

The witness empowered by the latter-rain revival will be given to the nations of the earth. There will be unprecedented signs and wonders. It is our point of view that in the near future, because of the outpouring of the power of God, a majority of earth's population will profess Christ.

Meanwhile the firstfruits of the Bride of the Lamb will hear the voice of the Bridegroom and commence the long, tortuous route from worldliness, the lusts of the flesh, and self-will, to the state of perfect conformity to Christ's image and complete union in the Father and the Son.

The Antichrist, democratic system of encouraging each person to be his own god, to nourish his own will until it becomes the most important factor of the universe, already has made substantial progress in the world.

The Communist system of dictatorship may prove to be the last effort of an individual, or a small group of people, to rule the masses by physically crushing the resistance. We think it is possible, in spite of the current demise of the traditional control of the Soviet Union by the Communist Party, that the Communists will deal the democratic governments a deadly blow in the near future. After that, Russia, the leader of the Communist war machine, will be destroyed by the Lord on the mountains of Israel.

Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. (Ezekiel 39:4)

(Since <MI>Spiritual Forces of the Last Days<D> was first written (1991), Russia has ceased to be a threat to the democratic nations. Today the danger is from Islamic terrorists. The Islamic terrorists did succeed in dealing the United States a serious blow by attacking the World Trade Center. It is our opinion that this attack was only a prelude to a far more serious blow that may substantially affect world commerce. However, it remains our viewpoint that the philosophy of democracy ultimately shall prevail, because it benefits the most people in a material sense. It appeals to the normal, universal desire of people to acquire physical security and comfort.)

Then the False Prophet, whom we believe to be Christians living in the soul who have learned to operate supernatural power, will lend their support to the concept of man-centered government. Thus the wound of the Beast, who represents the democratic philosophy of government in conjunction with free-enterprise capitalism, will be healed and the concept of libertarian democracy will prevail in the major nations of the earth.

There will be pressure from a seemingly benevolent democratic government on all Christian groups to join together to work for the common good of mankind. This will appear to be a righteous effort and many Christian leaders will accept positions of influence in the civil government, thinking they will be able to exert a godly influence. They will not understand the depth of Satan's wisdom.

The result of the joining together of the Christian groups will be Babylon the Great. We think the gigantic Christian organization of the future will be located at the site of ancient Babylon, near the Euphrates River in present-day Iraq. We believe that Israel will refuse to join the worldwide Babylon. Christ Himself will reveal His redemption to His own people and not permit them to be corrupted by the influence of Western Christendom.

Eventually Antichrist, in his rage, will go up against Israel and sit between the wings of the Cherubim of Glory in the rebuilt Temple.

The godly remnant, including the elect of the Gentiles and the elect of the Jews, will become one stick in Christ's hand. They will be forced into the wilderness, there to await the return of Christ.

Anyone who goes out to them can be delivered from the guilt and bondage of sin, although many will join them who are not sincere. The Glory of God will protect the remnant from Antichrist.

There will be salvation in the remnant. Apart from them there will be no way of receiving the salvation of Christ. The evil of Antichrist will reach into the heavens and bring down some of the host of the Lord. We do not understand this in detail but are persuaded that people no longer will be able to reach God in prayer. Antichrist will have the power to prevent prayer. From this point forward, men will be able to reach God only through the members of the Bride of the Lamb. The darkness is coming in which no man can work.

And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. (Daniel 8:10)

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:27)

And a man [the King and His princes] shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. (Isaiah 32:2)

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. (Joel 2:32)

"Peace and safety" will be the cry throughout the civilized nations. The one rebel will be Israel, and the nations of the earth will gather their forces in an attempt to put an end to this obstacle to world brotherhood.

When the spiritual darkness has reached its greatest intensity the Holy Spirit of God will clothe the remnant. Then the heavens will open and the Lamb of God will be visible.

The wicked will watch in horror as the graves burst open with explosive power and the saints of all ages come forth in eternal life to join the living remnant. The remnant will be clothed in incorruption and the great hour of fellowship will begin. God will have set a table before His elect in the presence of their enemies.

A soon as the saints have enjoyed the first wonder of the eternal fellowship, the entire group—perhaps outnumbering the inhabitants of the earth at that time—will rise to meet the Lord in the air. The wrath of God will be poured out, under the direction of the saints, upon the wicked of the earth. Then the Lord and His army of righteous ones will descend in thunderous fury upon earth's armies, ready to deliver Israel from the surrounding armies.

Antichrist and his armies will be boxed in on the East and North by the Lord's armies riding through the dried-up bed of the Euphrates River. The Mediterranean Sea, now turned to blood, will cut them off on the West.

Perhaps Christ and His chief officers will leave the Mount of Olives and ride through the valley opened by the great earthquake, enabling them to confront Antichrist on the south.

And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. (Zechariah 14:4)

The blood will run for 200 miles to the height of a horse's bridle.

Antichrist and the False Prophet will be hurled in their bodies into the Lake of Fire (the physical and spirit realms will have converged by that time). One angel will bind Satan and cast him into the bottomless pit.

Christ will proceed to the Temple Mount, there to be crowned King of all the earth. Multitudes of His faithful saints will attend the coronation. Jesus now will face His own people, Israel, and they will realize that He whom they crucified is the true Son of David, Christ of God.

Meanwhile, the clamor of wickedness will be stilled and a mantle of quietness will cover the earth. The singing of birds will be heard as the morning of the Day of the Lord begins. The nations left on the earth will come to Jerusalem to learn the righteous ways of the Lord. There they will find members of the royal priesthood who are ready to return with them and help them to live peacefully in the new world of righteousness.

The Spirit and the Bride say to all nations, "Come, and drink of the water of life freely." Whosoever desires to may come and partake of the Life of God.

A few more patient steps of obedience, and then a new world of glory and beauty beyond the mind of man to imagine. Maranatha!