Trumpet Ministries, Revelation 12:17
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And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:17)
The dragon failed in his attempt to devour Christ as Christ was being formed in the saints through the travail of the ministries of the Church.
The "seed" of the woman refers to the Lord’s saints, His witnesses. They keep God’s commandments. This means they are living the true Christian life. The Laodicean believers do not keep God’s commandments but choose instead to "marry" the world and behave according to world opinion.
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (I John 2:3,4)
The Laodicean believers of today do not keep God’s commandments, for several reasons:
They have been taught that being "saved by grace" means we do not have to live in strict righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God; that being changed into the moral image of Christ and being in union with Him are not essential to salvation.
This may be the greatest deception in all Church history. As a direct result of this teaching the Christian churches are full of sin and disobedience to God.
They are under the impression that all persons who have given mental assent to the New Testament doctrine of redemption will be caught up to Heaven in a "rapture" before they can be exposed to tribulation. The result of this doctrine is a multitude of deceived believers who in fact are worldlings—not at all of the caliber of saints ready for an Enoch-type translation.
They are not preparing themselves to stand in the evil day because they believe God will take them out of the world in the evil day (Ephesians 6:13).
They have been taught that God loves them so much they have no reason to fear the wrath of God. As a result they are lacking in wisdom. They are almost completely ignorant of God’s true Character as the Consuming Fire of Israel.
They have been taught that God’s saints are supposed to be prosperous and at home in the comforts and security of this present age, possessing every material advantage. The promises of Scripture are thought to be the route to prosperity and success in the world.
The Scriptures contain an interesting contrast to this last point. Speaking of the heroes of faith:
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Hebrews 11:37)
The Laodicean believers have never repented. They have made a profession of belief concerning the Lord Jesus but they have never turned away from the world. In order to be saved, a human being must repent, receive Christ as his Lord and Savior, and be baptized in water. Water baptism is the sign of repentance, showing we have died to this world, to unrighteousness, to sin, to disobedience to God.
Can a person be saved apart from sincere, diligent, continuing repentance? Can a person be saved without receiving Christ as his or her personalLord ?
The saints against whom Antichrist wages war are those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Christ. Antichrist does not wage war against the Laodicean believers, who are characterized by the five points listed above. He already holds them in the power of delusion. They already believe a lie.
Satan has little fear of human activities. A church can conduct many varied programs, including lectures on the Scriptures, musical productions, and charitable efforts. While these expressions of human goodness may annoy Satan they are of no source of dread to him—even though the doctrine contained therein may be faultless.
What Satan fears greatly is the Godhead—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. If Satan can keep the churches on a human level, encouraging them to maintain some forms of righteousness, holiness, and recognition of the existence of God, he can afford to allow them to continue with their Sunday school programs, Bible studies, prayer meetings, and missionary enterprises.
What Satan will resist viciously will be any move to turn away from human wisdom and strength in order to seek the Presence of God. Whenever any person turns his life over to Christ and waits on Him for His wisdom and strength, Satan’s kingdom is seriously jeopardized.
Satan will endeavor to keep Christian believers active in their current beliefs and practices. He understands that his kingdom cannot be weakened appreciably except by a body of people who through Christ are living in righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God.
The "testimony of Jesus" is the Spirit of prophecy. When the Spirit of prophecy speaks it tells of the Person and will of Jesus Christ. The Divine testimony consists of repentance from sinful practices, of righteous and holy behavior, and also of works of supernatural understanding, power, and utterance—all pointing toward the atoning death, triumphant resurrection, and soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
When a saint does not keep God’s commandments he cannot possibly present the testimony of the Kingdom of God; he cannot possibly overcome the accuser of the brothers. The Kingdom of God is first, righteousness, then peace, then joy—all in the Holy Spirit of God (Romans 14:17).
Apart from righteous behavior there is no Kingdom of God.
Because of the lack of emphasis on righteous and holy living, the Christian testimony of today is weak. There is much ministry throughout the world but the flame of the lampstand of the Divine Testimony is burning low.
In some instances the Christian ministers, as well as the believers, are practicing horrid abominations: adultery, fornication, lewdness, thievery, lying, occult practices, self-seeking, hatred, self-glorification, covetousness, deviousness, drunkenness.
And there is little repentance!
It is time now for God’s elect to drive the spear of judgment through the deeds that are destroying the testimony of the Kingdom of God.
And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. (Numbers 25:7,8)
The man was of Israel but the woman was of Midian. This "marriage," or "fornication," between Israel and Midian is symbolic of the Laodicean church. The church of Laodicea represents the uniting of the churches of Christ and the world. Laodicea was one of the seven golden lampstands (Revelation 1:12). Babylon (the Catholic Church and its Protestant daughters), never was of the Lord. It is possible that God never commanded anyone to organize a Christian denomination. But Laodicea, unlike Babylon, represents that which was of the Lord’s Spirit, of God’s Israel, but then grew prosperous in the world.
Satan will continue to make war with God’s elect, His remnant. These saints keep God’s commandments and the Spirit of prophecy is in them. The warfare will continue until the Lord returns from Heaven.
At the coming of the Lord the remnant will be transformed in body and raised to meet Christ in the air. When they return again to earth it will be on white horses, following the Commander in Chief whose robe has been dipped in blood. This invincible army will crush Antichrist in the Battle of Armageddon and the war will be over.
Let us stand fast in the Lord and in the power of His might. We shall prevail in the end. The victory shall go to Christ and to every person who is found in Him.
The time is short. The Kingdom of God is at hand. The Son is ready to take dominion over the kingdoms of the world. He shall rule through His saints with the rod of iron.
God has promised: there shall be delay no longer!
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