As the Days of Noe Were – Part ii

‘As the Days of Noe Were’

Part ii

(Matthew 24:37)

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:36 – 37)

   The hinge is a marvelous invention: one end is stationary and the other end swivels. We have two distinct parts held together with a hinge pin. This verse in Matthew Chapter 24 is the hinge pin of the Lord’s prophecy. We can see that the prophecy is specific to world judgment, and the elements of that judgment is to the world for judgment surrounds the prophecy of Matthew Chapters 24 ad 25.

   Man tries to limit the power of God. Man uses his government, his religion, his culture, his philosophy, and his science to deny the power of God. The thoughts of mankind, however, (in Adam) are continually evil because of Adam’s enmity against God. God is the Creator of all things. This puts God outside of the realm of His very creation including mankind. God is not moved by man against His counsels or against His will. God is always in control even when mankind and the world are out of control. It is man who is moved by God for man is God’s creation and subject. And God can move man in various ways. One example is found in Haggai 1:14, And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnants of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God. God dealt with His people in building the temple that Ezra was commissioned to build. The Almighty God did not work through power, or through His eternal might, He worked through His Spirit to change the hearts of men to complete His counsels and to complete His will. The Lord had (and has) the capability to stir up the spirits of men to accomplish His will and His purpose. If left up to mankind, in his realm of evil, all would be out of control as was in the days of Noah, and will be in the end time; however, God had an ear to listen to Noah, and thus, Noah found grace in the sight of God for Noah was a preacher of righteousness and truth. Consequently, humanity was brought through the flood by the grace that Noah found in God’s sight. God also listens to man — even an evil world is listened to by God; therein God’s judgments are determined by the evil will of mankind, and his hard speeches against the Almighty God. God also listens to the prayers of His own. God heard Joshua and Elijah, and answered their voices from heaven. And in our day God listens to the righteous prayers of all His saints.

The Three Questions

And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. (Matthew 24:2)

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (Matthew 24:3)

   In Matthew 24:3 the disciples asked the Lord three questions: the first referred to the temple, and its destruction, Tell us, when shall these things be? The second question would be to the signs of the coming of the Lord, and what shall be the sign of thy coming? The last question is most profound, for now they asked the Lord the Creator of all things, When shall the end of the world come? and of the end of the world? In previous scriptures the Lord Jesus had already condemned both Judah and Jerusalem. He had condemned their house, or temple, and His name would no longer be used in relationship to it for their house, not God’s house, would be left unto them desolate.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! (Matthew 23:37)

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. (Matthew 23:38)

The Judgments to Israel

   These judgments against Israel seem to reverberate throughout their history. For God had sent Judah into captivity because of their sin. He had sent many prophets to the nation of Israel, both to the northern and the southern kingdom, but there was no remedy for their evil spirit had preeminence over their actions by their evil hearts. And God could do nothing more to bring them to Himself, so judgment came upon the whole nation.

And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: (2 Chronicles 36:15)

But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. (2 Chronicles 36:16)

Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand. (2 Chronicles 36:17)

   It was the Almighty God who stirred up the heart of Nebuchadnezzar and brought the Chaldean’s to take away the nation of Israel. It was Nebuchadnezzar who destroyed the temple of Solomon. This was all part of Israel’s history, yet, history could not teach the ungodly the lessons of the past in the Lord’s day when He was manifested before Israel. In Matthew Chapter 23 the Lord chastened the Jewish leadership with the most harsh words ever spoken to religious leaders, and every one of His words of condemnation were from the very heart of the Creator of all things. Every rebuke was true.

   The lead word to these religious leaders was, Woe unto you. This came along with a direct stare from the eyes of the most holy God, Jesus Christ. In Matthew Chapter 23 and 24 the word ‘woe’ is recorded for a total of nine times. In Chapter 23, He exposes all their evil, and I exhort every servant of God to read these words very carefully. And in these nine verses, seven times the Spirit of God uses the word ‘hypocrite.’ But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! And to the hypocrite of man’s religion these exact words of the Lord Jesus Christ apply to you. For since the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ to the right hand of God, you have perverted the Word of God for your own gain, and for your own preeminence. The buildings of your kingdom are greater and more important to you than the many mansions that the Lord is preparing in heaven for His own. The words serpent and vipers apply to those leaders, and they are recognized as the children of the devil in John 8. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? (Matthew 23:33) And with the evil heart of man’s religion the Jewish leadership covenanted together to kill the Lord Jesus Christ; they would murder the Prince of Life. This was the greatest conspiracy of all time, and it came by the hand of the chief religious leaders of that day. The Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the very high priest gave consent to put to death the Prince of Life Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The serpents and the vipers came out in full force against the Lord and against His anointed (Psalm 2) to deny Him His rightful spot upon the throne of David. Their very denial of the Almighty God continues to ring through the history of the Jews to this present day.

And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, (Luke 19:41)

Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. (Luke 19:42)

   From that very day Jerusalem has not known the peace of God that only God can give. Their peace is hid from their eyes because they still (as a nation) reject the Son of God the Lord Jesus Christ. As then, and now, John 1:10 and 11 are recorded for the history of the Jews and the history of all mankind. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (John 1:10) He came unto his own, and his own received him not. (John 1:11)　

   It has been a long trail of darkness for the world and for the nation of Israel. Both the world and Israel have rejected the glory of God in Jesus Christ. Israel once beheld the glory of God descend into the temple of Solomon, and that glory departed because of their evil hearts. In the days of Ezekiel while the elders worshiped the sun in the sky looking toward the east, the glory of God departed because even then the darkness of their evil had blinded their eyes to the glory of God. Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims. (Ezekiel 10:18) In Matthew Chapter 24 once again we have the departure of the glory of God from their temple. And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. (Matthew 24:1) This last departure was the departure of the Lord Jesus Christ for truly, the glory of God is in the face of Jesus Christ. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)

   He had given them over to their own evil hearts, and there was no remedy for the Jews. In all the history of the Jew since their conspiracy against the Son of God to put Him to death, there has been no temporal or spiritual peace with God for them. The Lord departed from the temple, and went to the mount of Olives, a place of peace. From there He looked over Jerusalem, and His disciples came to Him and asked Him these three questions. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (Matthew 24:3)

Side Note: Andrew added to the scene by the Holy Spirit. It was Peter, James, and John, and Andrew. You see this in the gospel of Mark Chapter 13, verse 3. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, Why does the gospel of Mark add Andrew? Andrew takes us to the beginning of the Lord’s ministry. It was Andrew who brought his brother Simon (who was Peter) to the Lord. It is Andrew who is first recorded saying, We have found the Messiah. So it is fitting that the Spirit of God includes Andrews’ name to the prophecies that would come to pass. As Andrew was in the beginning of the Lord’s ministry, so we see Andrew at the close of the Lord’s ministry.

One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. (John 1:40)

He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. (John 1:41)

And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. (John 1:42)

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (Matthew 24:3)

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. (Matthew 24:4)

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (Matthew 24:5)

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. (Matthew 24:6)

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (Matthew 24:7)

All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:8)

Deceived and Being Deceived Still

   The questions from the disciples encompass their own future, the future of Jerusalem, and the future of the world. They had already realized (through the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ) that there would be an end to the world as we know it. However, the Lord did not go directly to prophecy. The first thing that the Lord dealt with was His statement, Take heed that no man deceive you. It has been a long history of deception by evil men. Deception has come from man in every way. We have the deception of man’s religion in denying the Son of God His rightful position in His Church: the Church of the Living God. All the names and cults that surround man’s religion in Adam have raised up false prophets, and all the evil serpents and vipers of the children of the devil are trying to destroy the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ from without and from within. The conspiracy, the lies, the deception, and (if it were possible) these deceivers and false prophets would deceive the very elect. Oh, serpent and you vipers ye do err not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. (Matthew 22:29)

   There are two things that we must behold: man has deceived and has been deceived by his own evil heart. He will not look upon himself as a sinner with a heart of enmity toward the Almighty God. He refuses to know the scriptures for he does not want the truth of his own nature to be revealed. He does not want the power of God in the new birth to change him from Adam to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. The enmity in the heart of mankind is so strong that only the miracle of faith given by God can change the heart, the soul, and the spirit of man in the new birth. For man is saved not by blood, nor by the will of the flesh, nor by the will of man, but by the miracle of God the Holy Spirit. The new birth is a totally new creation because one is set aside by the mercies of God and the work of the Lord Jesus upon the cross of Calvary for the glory of God. To those who are the children of God, do not let the deceivers (who are blind and void of faith) lead you into darkness. Remember the words of the Lord, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Take heed that no man deceive you, for many shall come in the Lord’s name using His name deceitfully. To test their religion — I ask you (that whenever one of their lies is exposed) does it make you more popular, or do they come out against you? Do they reject you, and do they conspire against you? In this evidence you have done your work well, for you have upheld the truth of God knowing the Scriptures and knowing the power of God.

Side Note: Victory Over the People: We are in the month of December. All the churches of Baal have been buying their Christmas trees so that they may worship them in this special month that they have set aside for the CHRISTmas tree, and for the teaching of Santa Claus (or Satan Claus/Klaus/Nicolas/victory over or of the people) and his mystical reindeer, and his benevolence to all the children of the world. This spirit like being comes in the middle of the night, and leaves gifts to the children of men, however, one gift is absent: that is the gift of God in Jesus Christ, our Lord. These churches will look to the CHRISTmas tree throughout the entire month, they will sing hymns to it, will laud it as they gather around it, and bring presents to it. Their hearts will be warmed as they think of their own benevolence one toward another because of this CHRISTmas tree. Their hearts will be warmed and this warmth will last until the end of the month. For as the darkness returns, their tree of life will die, and their faith in their tree of life will die with it. As December ends, and the warmth of the tree vanishes, the cold month of January will bring back the harshness of their hearts and their denial of faith in Jesus Christ, the true vine, and the true light of God’s grace. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. (Matthew 23:15) As the Pharisees, the deceivers of this day encompass the whole world to make one proselyte, one convert, and make that convert more a child of hell then themselves. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. (Jeremiah 10:3 -4) Some things never change, the idolatry of the Christmas tree, and the legend of Santa Claus and his benevolence to the children of men is all part of man’s big lie of religion to deny the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and Israel’s Messiah.

Be Aware of the Tactics of Our Enemy

   The religious leaders of the Lord’s day deceived the children of Israel, and today, we have our own crop of deceivers in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Initially they came in unawares deceptively to spy out the liberty of the sons of God, and to take away that liberty from God’s children and to put them into bondage to man’s religion.

And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: (Galatians 2:4) To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. (Galatians 2:5)

   The Spirit of God gives us some mighty instruction in these two verses. One, we should always be aware of false brethren; two, that they are the spies of the devil. They come in to take away the liberty we have in Jesus Christ, and the ministry of the Spirit of God both by Himself and through His chosen vessels. The key is knowing the Scriptures and knowing the power of God through His divine Spirit. We are to submit to the Spirit of God through the Scriptures. Each and every child of God has this responsibility. If you submit unto ungodly men you will be deceived because deception is their only message — we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour — prove all things by the Word of God — do not submit to the authority of false brethren, and resist self-proclaimed leaders in spiritual issues as did Paul in Galatians 2:4. They have come into the Church to rob you, to take away from your liberty in Christ as a child of the most holy God, possessor of heaven and earth.

   In our age of grace the devil roams to and fro throughout the whole earth seeking those whom he may devour. How does he devour them? He puts them into a system of bondage. And these systems are controlled by man in Adam. They are completely outside of the grace of God and give man NO relief from sin and eternal damnation. Their edifices are empty and hollow, and they have no glory of the Lord Jesus Christ within.

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:13) And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (2 Corinthians 11:14) Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.(2 Corinthians 11:15)

   The carnality of the Corinthians was well known to the apostle Paul. He had weighed the deception and the guile that had come into the church at Corinth by the adversary of the soul of mankind, that old serpent, the devil. They were walking after the flesh and this was to their shame, and being in the flesh they suffered fools gladly. For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. (2 Corinthians 11:19) How many so-called Bible conferences, or prophetic seminars are held by fools in the flesh to build knowledge in pride of the flesh, and not in the Spirit of God. These are the serpents who creep into houses and lead silly women captive. They take them captive to their carnal and material lusts.

For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, (2 Timothy 3:6)

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:13)

   In the teaching of the Lord, He taught that false Christ’s would come, and those who would use His name deceptively, and as the world descended deeper into darkness more and more of these deceivers would come. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (Matthew 24:5) If you, therefore, claim to be a Christian you are not saved to an organization, you are not saved to a building, you are not saved to a creed of men, you are saved to a Person, and this Person is the lord Jesus Christ. It is only in Him that you will understand the truth, it is only in Him that you will see the dregs of Adam in yourself because Christ is the brightness of God’s glory, and the express image of His Person. And in contrast, we have nothing to offer to God, for it is God who became the Offering for us that we might be free in Christ alone. And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:8)

   Only the truth can set you free, and the truth has to be in Jesus Christ, not imitations, or denominations, nothing can dominate the heart, the soul, and the spirit, but Christ. Only the corruptness of men such as Jambres and Jannes were showing a power, but denying the very power of God. We are instructed from the Spirit of God, from such we are to turn away. Now, to the one soul who is still with me: read the Scriptures for in them is found the counsels of God, and the power and glory of God. Use the Scriptures to prove me right or to prove me wrong. For I would like nothing better then for you to prove all things and gain the truth for your own heart, your own soul, and for your own spirit. Examine my words with the Word of God. Don’t ask man, ask the Holy Spirit, and He will reveal to you the right way, and then walk ye in it. Don’t let this ungodly world, or the ungodly religions of this world rob you of your liberty in Christ.

Wars Upon Wars and Rumors of Wars

   In verse 6 of Matthew Chapter 23, 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. In verse 6 we have the number of man, and what does man give us? conflict between men, and conflict against God. “It is good that war is so horrible, or we might grow to like it.” ~ Robert E. Lee. This quote from Robert E. Lee shows the glory of war that man holds in his heart that even in the rumors of war mankind finds a companionship with the glories of war (which are not real glory, but painful and harsh reality of man’s hatred for man and God). And the Lord Jesus said that all this must come to pass.

   In my lifetime, I was born in a war, and all my life I’ve seen nothing but the wars of men that even in the heart there is a sadness that man cannot find peace. For nations shall be against nations, and kingdoms against kingdoms and when there is no actual conflict man will incite the rumors of war. The Lord Jesus in giving all this to His disciples, then declared, but the end is not yet. This world will continue to be overrun by evil men who subvert nations, who conquer peoples, and who kill just to kill. For we are in a broad continuum of nation rising against nation, and kingdoms against kingdoms. Man (in Adam) will continue to walk hand in hand with the serpent, and play his evil part as the body count continues. What a sorrowful people the world has raised up. They abuse themselves, and their human flesh, whether it is adults or children, and they murder the helpless before they take their first breathe. Man has never been this prolific in killing their own children because they will not face their own lust and sin of lasciviousness, so they compound sin upon sin, and heap coals upon their heads by committing murder. They will experience the fires of the lake of fire, and these fires will never go out. The wailing of your voice, and the pain of the heart and soul will bring the gnashing of teeth with no escape.

Prophecy to the Elect about the Elect

   As we consider the scope of these two Chapters in the gospel of Matthew, we lose our focus on who is giving this prophecy. It is the highest Himself, the Creator of all things, the Omniscient One who has all knowledge, and all wisdom who inform us of things to come: the prophecies of the end time. Every question that was asked by His disciples was answered. First, the destruction of the wonder that was Herod’s temple, and knowing all things that many deceivers would come, and the final deception would be so powerful that God Himself would have to shorten the days to preserve the very elect.

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. (Matthew 24:6)

And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:22)

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. (Matthew 24:24)

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. (Matthew 24:31)

   Three times the Lord Jesus used the word ‘elect,’ each time it is in regard to His people Israel. This should give us a mind set of the entire prophecy of Matthew Chapters 24 and 25. He is dealing with the future of Israel as His elect. This is proven by the Old Testament Scriptures. We find His elect in Isaiah 45:4, and Isaiah 65:22.

For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. (Isaiah 45:4)

They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. (Isaiah 65:22)

   In Isaiah 45:4 we have the call of Jacob in regard to God’s elect. We have the changing of his name Jacob (the supplanter) to Israel (a prince with God). We should consider God’s election, not in a negative way, but a positive proof of God’s sovereignty. There were many nations in the world, however, when God took the people of Israel out of Egypt they were made the people of God through election. Everyone who came out of Egypt were partakers of the promises and the election that we find in the covenant made with Abraham. This is why God always uses Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to show the continuance of the election of God. However, according to Hebrews Chapter 3 not all who came out of Egypt were saved, not all experienced the grace of God, but ALL were part of the election which was in Jacob.

Time — Place — Purpose for Jacob

   Take these three words: time, place, and purpose then apply them to the meeting of Jacob with the God of glory, for God was in this place. Jacob was brought to that moment in time, in that distinct place where heaven was opened to him for God’s divine purpose in the election of a future people as a nation for Himself.

And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.(Genesis 28:12)

And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; (Genesis 28:13)

And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 28:14)

And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. (Genesis 28:15)

And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. (Genesis 28:16)

   To conclude and finalize this transaction Jacob’s name was changed to ‘Israel.’ And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. (Genesis 32:28) Therefore, in Isaiah 45:4, we have the uniting of Jacob and Israel as a nation and as the elect of God. For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name (Jacob): I have surnamed thee (Israel), though thou (Israel the nation) hast not known me. In Abraham, Isaac and Jacob we see the continuation of God’s promises, and the building of a nation in three distinct personalities that would one day become a nation conceived and brought forth by God Himself. In Jacob we see a wonderful truth, as Jacob faced many trials in his bondage to Laban, and his servitude outside of the promised land. However, in a moment of time Jacob, the supplanter, received from the mouth of God a new name, the name ‘Israel’ (a prince with God); therefore, out of the prince came an elect nation.

   The Lord of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, is referred to by the Spirit of God as God’s elect servant. Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. (Isaiah 42:1) As God’s elect servant the Lord Jesus would not only save a remnant of Israel, He will also save a remnant of the Gentiles.

The Elect in Time

   The time period of the tribulation must come to an end before the divine kingdom, the millennial kingdom, can be established. This kingdom will be established in God’s righteousness, and the Lord Jesus will be the righteousness and glorious King over all the earth. Both Jew and Gentile who have come through the tribulation will be swept into this divine kingdom by the divine power of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the prophecy in Matthew Chapter 24 and 25 the Lord mentions the elect three times. In the first mention of elect, we have time, And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:22) This is time being held in place and not allowed to progress. God stops time to save His elect, and if this was not done we would see no flesh saved or come through the great tribulation. And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: (Revelation 10:6) Remember the world during the tribulation has never seen the sorrow that will prevail through this time period. The world, the earth itself will be in convulsions, this will be at the hand of God because of the evil of mankind. Only God in His divine power will be able to preserve Israel, His elect. For the whole populace of mankind, the Gentile world, will be engaged in the total destruction of Israel and all God’s people, His elect. We see the flood of evil against Israel in the prophecy of Zechariah, and the deliverance of the nation of Israel by the highest Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ.

   As He departed from the temple, and took His glory with Him in His Person He will return to Jerusalem in the fullness of His glory. This will be in the Man Jesus Christ who ascended up to God’s right hand. He will be seen as the Lord of lords, and King of kings. He will sit on the throne of His glory and Christ Himself used this designation that His throne would be a throne of glory. He will reign as both Priest and King: A Priest in total righteousness, and a King in sovereign power. His nation Israel will be His delight, and truly a prince with God, and they will be at rest.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 8:6)

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; (Zechariah 8:7)

And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. (Zechariah 8:8)

And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong. (Zechariah 8:13)

   This will be a future glory that Israel and the world have never seen before, even in the days of Solomon for now the true Prince will sit in His throne of glory with His scepter of righteousness and peace. To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; (Hebrews 7:2) This will confirm the elect servant as Isaiah 42:1.

   This is in comparison with the false Christs in Matthew 24:24, and we have a double witness to the world. We have 2 + 2, and 4 + 4, giving us the double witness of God both Son and Holy Ghost in the time period of the rejection of Christ. Rejected by a world of deceivers and evil men to the point that they would declare themselves as Christs. Once again in the prophecy in Matthew, the Lord is directing us to the time of tribulation: a time of great deception. And it will be a time when signs and wonders will return to this world. 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. (Matthew 24:24) However, these signs and wonders will be in the hands of evil deceivers like Jannes and Jambres.

   In the book of Hebrews, Chapter 2, it is God the Holy Spirit performing signs and wonders to confirm the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit reminds us of how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation. In Matthew’s gospel the false prophets of Baal return in the tribulation period. It will be a time of the open occult. God will be denied in every possible way giving the world an ungodly society; therefore, God separates a chosen people for Himself, a hundred and forty-four thousand (out of the tribes of Israel) to preach and teach the gospel of the kingdom. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. (Revelation 7:4) Preparing a people for the Lord of lords and King of kings. There is no possibility to deceive the hundred and forty-four thousand for they have the mark of God upon them, and are moved and powered by the Spirit of God. We could include them with the elect of God. Why? Because the power of God is established upon them, and by their actions. These one hundred and forty-four thousand will come into the kingdom through much tribulation, and their message will be rebuked, slandered, and denied by their present evil world.

   The world will take a beast and make him king over their evil, and their unrighteousness. The world will give this beast the number of unrighteousness, and Satanic power in the number 6 – 6 – 6 which is the number of his name, and the expression of the triune evil that he possesses. As the Spirit of God empowers the hundred and forty-four thousand, the spirit of Antichrist will empower the beast of sin, and the false prophet. They will be energized by Satan himself as their dark sovereign of destruction. They will have a time, a place, and a purpose. God will use them to reveal the final wickedness of Satan himself. The hundred and forty-four thousand will be specifically manifested to proclaim the King of glory, and His coming kingdom. They will expound the Old Testament prophecies, and the Psalms that speak of God’s dear Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

Time — Place — Purpose for God’s Elect

   A time, a place, and a purpose, consequently we cannot forget the wonderful prophecies found in the book of Isaiah, especially Chapter 53.  There was a time, there was a place, and there was a purpose: an Ethiopian eunuch reading from the book of Isaiah was troubled in his soul. He was in a unique place both physically and spiritually, and thus, the Spirit of God whisked Philip to that particular place for a divine purpose. God’s sovereign hand, the hand that received the wounds in the house of His friends, sent His servant Philip to the Ethiopian eunuch to a sovereign place, to a sovereign time for a sovereign purpose. It was at this time, this place that this Ethiopian eunuch (and for this purpose) received the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, and became a servant of God with the greatest message that has ever been told. Therefore, the first time that the Lord mentioned the elect, time is shortened, and the days are shortened. This is to preserve them, the very elect.

Israel His Elect Preserved in Power for a Purpose

   The second time that the Lord mentioned His elect, He is preserving them by His power and purpose. The third time that He mentioned His elect He will gather His very elect to a place, and He will gather them, Israel, from the four winds (speaking of the world). From one end of heaven to the other (speaking of the resurrection of His people Israel both living and dead) will be brought forth by the breath of His Spirit. The whole nation of Israel will be made alive and will behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)

The Day of Jubilee for His Elect Israel

Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. (Isaiah 42:1) This Scripture ties the strings of prophecy together, as Israel hears the trumpets of jubilee, for their day of jubilee has come. After seven long nights of suffering under the hand of Gentile power ALL Israel will be able to say with the Church of God, If the Son shall set you free ye shall be free indeed. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:36) Israel will be quickened by the Spirit of God. The Lord Jesus will make a new covenant with His people. They will receive a new heart, a new soul, and a new spirit, and they will enter into God’s rest.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: (Hebrews 8:10)

And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.(Hebrews 8:11)

And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. (Zechariah 8:8)

And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. (Zechariah 13:9)

And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. (Hosea 2:18)

And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. (Hosea 2:19)

I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD. (Hosea 2:20)

And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; (Hosea 2:21)

And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. (Hosea 2:22)

And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God. (Hosea 2:23)

I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee. (Psalm 144:9)

It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword. (Psalm 144:10)

Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood: (Psalm 144:11)

That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace: (Psalm 144:12)

That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets: (Psalm 144:13)

That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets. (Psalm 144:14)

Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD. (Psalm 144:15)

  The Word of God will be written on the table of their hearts, and everyone will know the Lord. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. (Psalm 51:12) The Lord Jesus will appear as the Priest of righteousness, the true Priest, and the true King of peace. He will restore the spirit of grace to the nation of Israel. The King of kings will loose Jacob from his bondage, and make the whole nation a prince with God, and all of Israel will dwell under the glory of God as the Lord Jesus Christ reigns over His house. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. (Zechariah 13:9) Israel will be dancing and not limping. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. (Genesis 32:25) And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. (Genesis 32:31) The joy of the Lord will fill their hearts. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. (Matthew 23:39) Israel with a true heart will cry out, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. And the entire nation once again will be the apple of God’s eye: a phrase of endearment.

Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. (Psalm 17:7)

Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,(Psalm 17:8)

For the LORD’S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. (Deuteronomy 32:9)

He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. (Deuteronomy 32:10)

As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: (Deuteronomy 32:11)

So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him. (Deuteronomy 32:12)

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. (Zechariah 2:8)

For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me. (Zechariah 2:9)

Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. (Zechariah 2:10)

Abraham — Isaac — Jacob: The Three Stage of Israel’s History

    You might ask, Why does God mention in the Scriptures Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob together many times? In these three personalities, we have the three stages of Israel’s history. In Abraham we have the call and the promises. In Isaac we have the seed of that continual promise. And in Jacob we have the trials and tribulations of Israel. However, remember Jacob finished his life leaning upon the top of his staff blessing the children of Joseph, and worshiping God leaning upon the top of his staff. In the book of Hebrews Chapter 11 verse 21 we read, By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. In Hebrews Chapter 11 verse 21, we have the last mention of the word ‘staff.’ This is found in the Chapter of faith, and our faith is in Jesus Christ, the Staff of our life. Jacob represents man leaning upon the Lord of glory and worshiping God. Jacob is the only one in the whole Bible that is worshiping leaning upon his staff. For only the power of the Holy Ghost can give us the spirit of worship in our Staff, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jacob will sit at the King’s table in the glory of the kingdom. The Lord Jesus said concerning Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that God is a God of the living in reference to these three men, and they will sit down with Christ in His kingdom, the kingdom of the Son of God.

And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? (Mark 12:26)

He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err. (Mark 12:27)

  Until that glorious moment when the Son of righteousness will come with healing in His wings, nations will rise against nations, and kingdoms against kingdoms. In all this we have just the beginning of sorrows. For from the throne in heaven He will send out His angels to judge the world as we see a new day of judgment begin in Revelation Chapter 6 (the number of man.) It is also the number of the judgment of man as in the days of Noah, Genesis Chapter 6. How the Holy Spirit of God links two chapters together written thousands of years apart, and then combines them so that our hearts might see the wickedness of mankind, and the judgment of God against that wickedness.

The Hinge Pin of Prophecy

   The hinge pin of this prophecy is in Matthew 24:37. In Noah and the flood we have the stationary part of the hinge for that judgment has been completed. In Revelation Chapter 6 we have the moveable part of the hinge which is still in progress. We can compare that with Revelation Chapter 6. In Matthew 24:37 we have the hinge pin, the Lord Jesus directing us and explaining to us the future of this present evil world and the judgment to come. In the fulfillment of the Lord’s prophecy we see elements of the deception of man, the magnitude of all evil, and the judgment to come. The Lord deliberately spends His time on the mount of Olives proclaiming to His disciples what will come upon the earth in the history of mankind. We will deal with the fulfillment of these prophecies in part iii of ‘As the Days of Noe Were.’ Till then, may the Lord bless you in your walk with Him, and let us finish as Jacob worshiping leaning on our Staff, the Lord Jesus Christ. In Psalm 23 the rod in judgment and the staff in grace is shown to us as it applies to Israel. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4) Amen.

© Copyright 2018, Michael Haigh

Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.

All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)