Like a chestnut tree

And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. (Revelation 19:14)

So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. (Ezekiel 37:10)

And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his cloak and buy one. (Luke 22:36)

Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword will perish by the sword. (Matthew 26:52)

In this chapter, God tells us that we were once like dry bones without life. Dry bones do not have the ability to think or make decisions. Dry bones testify that they cannot learn or know about God by themselves. But God talked to the breath to come from the four winds and enter them to make them live. And they are made to live for a purpose, a great army.

Many Christians do not read the Bible or understand God’s words. They think they have the Holy Spirit and yet, do not like reading the Bible. They do not like the Bible because they do not understand what they read. Their interpretations are strictly morality-based. They are satisfied with church activities. They shed tears when their preachers say that they can achieve something with their efforts at the pulpit. They believe in men, not God. Christianity has become the same as the other religions. They worship men-made idols in their hearts. God always judges by what is in one’s heart.

In this passage, the life that the dry bones receive is physical life. But it also demonstrates that the spiritually dead people come to life as the Spirit enters them. We often separate the OT from the NT, the ceremonial baptism from the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the conditional covenant from the unconditional covenant, and the visible church from the invisible church. As the knowledge develops, we find that two things do not contradict to each other. We come to understand that there is, in fact, one covenant, one Bible, one faith, one baptism, etc.

I’ve heard of the term, ‘the militant church’. This word does not mean that we must take up weapons and kill unbelievers like the crusaders did in the past. God has given much power and authority to visible churches. But anyone who misuses the power will be condemned at the end. The militant church is strictly spiritual until the coming of Christ. I do not know what will exactly happen when Christ comes. But we will see the complete destruction of the devil and his followers at the end as shown in the Book of Revelation. The letters to the seven churches also testify that churches do spiritual fights against all the temptations from the devil. And it is the Holy Spirit who makes us understand God’s words, persevere under trial, and be one with the Father and the Son. The reprobate people will never learn the works of the Spirit, and eventually blaspheme the Spirit. Therefore, all reprobate people commit the unforgivable sin.

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. (James 1:12)

I believe that God had built the two church systems and gave them the understanding of the Trinity, divine election, etc. for the sake of the elect people. They are the Roman Catholic and the Protestant church. However, many have abandoned the sound doctrines. Regardless of the evil shepherds within the two systems, God saves His elect people and makes them endure till the end. God will not save those in other religions who deny the sound doctrines and the authority of the Bible. Just because someone acknowledge that there is one God who created all things, he/she does not become a child of God. The Spirit makes us believe in God which the Bible testifies. Anyone who does not love God’s words (Christ) is not a reborn Christian. A reborn Christian cannot love idols. Although some with physical or mental disabilities may have the difficulty in understanding God, God judges justly and fairly, according to what is in their heart.

Saints must understand that true faith is not affected by circumstances. The earth is our training ground. The relationships on the earth are important for training. When the end comes, those relationships do not mean anything. At the end, you are not going to meet your dead parents or children as they were on the earth.  A new life starts when the end comes. A false religion keeps you strictly within the earthly life. All it focuses on is how to live a good life on the earth without pain or sufferings. For example, the Roman Catholic who turned away from truths, says that the dead can go to heaven if the living pays to the church. The Roman Catholic church (and some Protestant churches) sold indulgences in the past and also now to satisfy people on the earth. Their theories may sound convincing and comforting for those who live on the earth, but the Bible does not say what they say. If I had a child and the child died young before knowing God, I would be comforted by the words of God that He is just and faithful. My child may not have gone to heaven after death despite my prayers. In the end, all the knowledge becomes clear, and I come to know that the life on the earth has been only a training for the everlasting kingdom of God. My relationship with my child or anyone on the earth will become meaningless. And it will become meaningless because I will have a new family and see them face to face and live together forever. However, the life of the earth is meaningful because it is the shadow of the real one. If we cannot love anyone on the earth, then we are not a child of God because it is impossible not to love if the Holy Spirit dwells in us. Love is the foundation of the kingdom of God. However, love that comes from God is not what the world thinks.

For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind. (Isaiah 65:17)

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:26)

The one who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and the one who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. (Matthew 10:37)

For I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the lands; and I will bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and bring it about that you walk in My statutes, and are careful and follow My ordinances. And you will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will not bring a famine on you. Instead, I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations. Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your wrongdoings and your abominations. I am not doing this for your sake,” declares the Lord GOD; “let that be known to you. Be ashamed and humiliated for your ways, house of Israel!” (v. 24-32)

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.” (John 3:5-8)

God created the heavens and the earth for a purpose. And when the purpose is met, everything will pass away. Yet God and His words will remain. And everything that is united with God and His Son by the Holy Spirit will also remain. The purpose of the creation is His one and only kingdom, His people. When interpreting John 3, some ministers and theologians think “the spirit” is men’s spirit. It is wrong. It indicates the Holy Spirit as we read and understand Ezekiel 36:24-32.

Christ washed the disciples’ feet in John 13.

Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no place with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet; otherwise he is completely clean. And you are clean—but not all of you.” (John 13:8-10)

Earlier, I mentioned that Christ prepared for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Christ is often referred as water and bread. Christ is also the Word. Christ washes all filthiness, but a person does not become a child of God unless the Holy Spirit enters the person. Although John does not say anything about Judas Iscariot having his feet washed by Christ, there is no doubt that Judas’ feet were also washed by Christ. But he was not an elect child of God. In fact, Christ referred him as a devil. God chose him to be a devil. Judas killed himself before the Spirit came to God’s chosen people on the day of the Pentecost. On the top of all the sins Judas committed, he added the sin of rejecting the Holy Spirit by not believing what Christ had said in John 16:7 and killed himself. That was his destiny. Christ’s words were meaningless to him. This is the end of a reprobate. Other disciples did not do anything to deserve the Holy Spirit. God saved them from falling away and gave them the Holy Spirit. Sola Gratia.

It is the Holy Spirit who activates and applies the words of God to a chosen child of God. Even though someone reads and studies the Bible everyday, the words of God do not save the person until the Holy Spirit comes. Going to church and learning about God from youth may benefit a person who he or she receives the Spirit later. But faith and the knowledge of God cannot be possessed by human efforts. In my experience, I saw only the abominations and wrong teachings about God in churches in my youth.

We understand that God chose Judas to be a devil from the beginning. It is not that Christ chose the twelve and unfortunately one fell away. The Greek word “kai” means both “and” and “but”. It is not up an individual person to decide his/her own salvation. Saints do not choose to believe in God. We are chosen to believe in Him. In a church, we have a mixture of the elect and the reprobate. People want to think that all or most of them are children of God. But we do not know. By looking at how churches are doing around the world, it is clear that there are few who are chosen to be saved (Matthew 22:14). Still, it is God’s will that only a small number of people are saved and built into His kingdom. It is marvelous in our eyes.

Jesus answered them, Did not I choose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil? (John 6:70)

A stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This came about from the LORD; It is marvelous in our eyes. (Psalm 118:22-23)

Up until now, the understanding of the Holy Spirit has been little. During the Reformation, the focus was Jesus Christ. It was God’s will because there is a certain process we need to go through for learning. You would not teach your kids algebra before they learn numbers. In this new reformation, the understanding of the Holy Spirit will become clearer and deeper.

I feel sad because there are few ministers who really understand the works of the Holy Spirit. They think all truths were revealed during the Reformation and try to remain in the 16^th and 17^th century. They consider the Confessions more important than the Bible. They read many theology books and pretend to know God, but their own words deny that they have the knowledge of God. They like to speak about human ideas and philosophies about God. God did not give the knowledge to the learned. God trained Calvin and Luther, who had a high level of education. But they were useless until they received the Holy Spirit. God gave the Reformers a certain knowledge to make them separate from the Roman Catholic church. As God willed to separate the Northern Israel and the kingdom of Judah in the OT, He willed to separate the Protestant church from the Roman Catholic church. The two systems were used for spreading the good news to other nations outside the Europe. But most of those who boasted about having the knowledge of God did not receive the knowledge. God pities His chosen children outside the Europe who were enslaved by superstitions and idols for a long time. They believe in God because of the words of God and the Holy Spirit. But the rest regardless of their ethnic origin continue to do evil.

The doctrine of election must be handled carefully. Otherwise, the church system produces many hypocrites who think they are chosen by God and superior to others. That tradition or brainwashing is still continued in their descendants. They think whatever they do is acceptable in the sight of God. They think God is pleased with their worship. They think they do enough good deeds to earn God’s favor. They speak proudly of their ancestors who murdered people in need. They are no different from their ancestors. When the Pharisees claimed that they were children of God, Christ said they were children of the devil, who was a murderer from the beginning. From my experience, most people in the Reformed churches have the Dutch and/or the English ancestors. Most of them think they have a better knowledge of God and are superior to others. They do not like people with different ethnic backgrounds coming to their churches. They do not give their children to non-Europeans for marriage. They think they inherit faith from their biological parents, and want to keep their bloodline. They live in their own world separate from the world and say that they are different from the world. They admit that God saves those from different nations. But they do not know that they have become the Pharisees.

You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)

“I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was Esau not Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob; (Malachi 1:2)

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE NAMED.” That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants. For this is the word of promise: “AT THIS TIME I WILL COME, AND SARAH WILL HAVE A SON.” And not only that, but there was also Rebekah, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, “THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER.” Just as it is written: “JACOB I HAVE LOVED, BUT ESAU I HAVE HATED.” (Romans 9:6-13)

This chapter tells us that God is against the descendants of Esau. It may seem that God is against a certain tribe or a nation living on the earth. But God is not against biological descendants of Esau. He is against the spiritual descendants of Esau. Paul wrote that not all biological descendants of Israel are true Israelites. Not all who have received the ceremonial baptism are true Christians although they are called Christians. Even before Jacob (Israel) and Esau were born, God had already decided their destiny. And this was explained by Apostle Paul in Romans 9. 

One may ask, “Then how can I love others in my church if they may not be a true Christian?” Love is interpreted in many ways in the world. Sharing food and laughter and helping business and/or housework is not love that the Bible talks about. You can do those to others regardless of their beliefs. You can be at peace with all people in the world. But the love the Bible teaches is about speaking truths of God and risking their own lives for God.

Those who are against Sola Gratia inevitably deny the divine election and reprobation. The Creator can make and destroy His creation as He likes. God created all things for the purpose of building His eternal dwelling, the kingdom of God. And the kingdom is His chosen people. Apostle Paul used the metaphor of a potter. Paul was not making up a new story. Jeremiah 18 tells us that God is like a potter.

Even in the Reformed churches, there are many ministers and theologians who deny Sola Gratia because many (including themselves) do not believe that they are born dead. They say they were born totally depraved but do not know what they are talking about. They still worship Adam in the garden of Eden. They are Adam-worshipers. Many have been trying to twist God’s words to suit their taste. They want to do works to earn salvation. When the Active Obedience of Christ was revived in the hands of the false Reformers, the Protestant churches turned away from God. What the false Reformers promoted in the 17^th century England was a merely moral living. They focused on the life on the earth while Christ came for the coming kingdom of God. Gradually, Christians became ignorant of the reason why Christ came. They were happy with the thought that their lives were approved by their church authorities. They became drunk with delusions that they would be saved because of their (church-approved) moral living. They call their church “Mother” and worship her. How are they different from the Roman Catholics who worship Mary, the mother of Jesus?

The fact is that they pursue a lawless living by rejecting Sola Gratia. And their falsely pious living has been exposed and proven false again and again throughout the history. Christians commit physical and spiritual adultery secretly and publicly. They steal from and murder others. They tell others God is merciful and would not punish them for their wrongdoings. They live just as the Israelites did in the OT. They boast of their bloodline saying they are the descendants of Christians. But they have nothing to do with Abraham or any saints spiritually. Although they call themselves Christians, they are no different than unbelievers.

Even true Christians sometimes follow the ways of false Christians because of the fear of people. They are confused and in agony, but they do not know why they are not happy in their churches. When God sends disasters, some of them will realize that this life on the earth is nothing by the power of the Holy Spirit. They are renewed by the words of God. They will realize that their churches have been telling them lies about God. God will save His chosen people as He promised in the OT because of His mercy and faithfulness. The remnant will be saved but they will go through a hard training. False Christians go to churches to entice true Christians. Those unbelievers may laugh at the demise of churches around the world. But the true church, the only bride of Christ, remains unharmed. The unbelievers will be punished and destroyed completely as the spiritual descendants of Esau.

As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel because it was desolate, so I will do to you. You will be a desolation, Mount Seir, and all Edom, all of it. Then they will know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 35:15)

Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: “Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should the shepherds not feed the flock? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. (v.2-3)

I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken, and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will eliminate. I will feed them with judgment. (v.16)

God curses false teachers, prophets, and apostles in this age who exploit His chosen people and speak lies about Him. In this chapter, God does not talk only to the Israelite leaders in the OT time but also to Christians in this age. I think the dream I had in 2016 is connected to this chapter and also Romans 3:11-18.

The common misunderstanding of Christians is that everyone in their churches will go to heaven. And most of them think the office bearers will receive more glory than others in the coming kingdom of God. It is wrong. What churches and their leaders are doing is evil. There is not a single minister or theologian who speaks truths of God. Many elders support people who do evil and they themselves do evil deeds. All have gone astray because ministers, theologians, and their followers love the ways of Aquinas and likewise theologians of the Roman Catholic church. They hate Sola Gratia. If God wanted a minister to do this job of proclaiming the start of the third reformation, He would not have made me start this blog. I looked very hard to find a minister but could not.

There are few who speak truths of God. True Christians are threatened and dominated by false Christians. False Christians promote pious living, but they do not live such life. Most importantly, they have no knowledge of God. They are satisfied with their life on the earth. And they think they do all the works to earn salvation.

True Christians know how they are saved. They know the triune God and the works of the Holy Spirit. They put all their hope in God and His kingdom. When they read the Bible, they share the same knowledge because of the Son and the Holy Spirit.

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and began praying this in regard to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, crooked, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to raise his eyes toward heaven, but was beating his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other one; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:10-14)

Ezekiel 34 clearly tells us that God does not love everyone. God loves only His chosen sheep. And He gives them to His Son.

Then I will appoint over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I the LORD have spoken. (v.23-24)

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters the flock. He flees because he is a hired hand and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it back. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it back. This commandment I received from My Father.” (John 10:11-18)

Ministers and theologians must have a good understanding of the kingdom of God and the works of the Holy Spirit. Sadly, most of them are drunk with the madness of human philosophies. They follow lies like the Covenant Theology and the Active Obedience of Christ. They think they have the knowledge of God because they have the PhD in theology and/or read many theology books. When they speak or write “the kingdom” or “the Holy Spirit”, their own words and writings show that they have no knowledge. They are merely repeating what others have written. What they are interested in is their reputation and wealth on the earth.

We must remember God sends false shepherds so that the reprobate will follow them. And the elect people of God will suffer. Through the suffering, the elect are trained in truths by the words of God and the Holy Spirit, and eagerly wait for the second coming of Christ. On the judgment day of God, God punishes both false shepherds and their followers for eternity.

For behold, I am going to raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for the perishing, seek the scattered, heal the broken, or provide for the one who is exhausted, but will devour the flesh of the fat sheep and tear off their hoofs. “Woe to the worthless shepherd who abandons the flock! A sword will be on his arm and on his right eye! His arm will be totally withered, And his right eye will be blind.” (Zechariah 11:16-17)

When I saw the white horse in 2019, I only thought of the coming of Christ. Now I know that the white horse, the first seal, has announced that Christ’s ruling of the earth.

Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)

The earthly shadows of the kingdom of God will be destroyed as the real one is approaching.

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” (John 2:19)

Does the LORD take pleasure in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give Him my firstborn for my wrongdoings, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, mortal one, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:7-8)

In this chapter, the refugees from Jerusalem come to Ezekiel and tell him that Jerusalem has been destroyed. Then Ezekiel’s muteness finally stops.

In the book of Nehemiah and of Ezra, the Israelites confess that they have been wicked and appear to have repented of their sins. But the book of Malachi shows that their repentance was only in appearance. God was still displeased with them. Many Christians interpret that all we need is devotion, will, and efforts to keep the Law. But it is wrong. No one, even Adam and Eve, can keep God’s commands inside and out. It may appear that our salvation depends on our works, but good works are the results of the union with Christ through the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches us that the everlasting father-son relationship exists only between the Father and the Son. And we can become the adopted children of God only through the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Son keeps the Father’s commands inside and out because He has the Spirit and is one with the Father. It is the Holy Spirit that enables us to know God, love Him, and keep His commands. And God gives the Holy Spirit whomever He wishes to according to the plans He made before the time began. Everyone is dead because of Adam’s rebellion. None of us can earn grace by works. God made the world to build His Kingdom, His chosen people. Righteousness does not come from works. Rather, the works show our righteousness that comes from God. Christ’s righteousness is the Father’s righteousness. We are clothed with such righteousness that cannot be removed. The only righteous God can make us righteous through what the Son did by the Holy Spirit. And the Son sent the Holy Spirit to us and made us believe in Him. This is not a hard teaching. God wants us to have faith in Him. Faith is a gift from God. It is a free gift. No one can earn it.

Ezekiel was made a watchman as we read Ezekiel 3:17-19. His job is not to persuade people to repent. His job is to blow the trumpet. Is it possible that God’s people refuse to become watchmen? It is impossible to refuse the task because of the Holy Spirit.

Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brothers and sisters who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10)

The Holy Spirit is given to God’s elect people so that we believe in Him and are saved. In other words, we are chosen to become the kingdom of God, which God planned before creation. God is faithful and will fulfill everything He planned and spoke.

God tells Ezekiel that many people do not understand God’s words. The people consider the words of God like a sensual song and enjoy listening to them. Yet, they do not practice them. Many Christians go to church on Sundays because they feel holy in the church building. They feel satisfied with music played during worship services. Many people think music is very important. It is because it gives them a sense of holiness or assurance that they are with God. But God knows everyone’s heart. God does not care what kind of music they like because He sees everyone’s heart and judges by what is in their heart. It is better not to use music at all during a worship service. Reading the Psalms or Bible verses is sufficient. God does not care about men-made songs. If you like music more than God’s words, you are not a true Christian. Only the true elect people of God can learn the song that God composed.

And behold, you are to them like a love song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not practice them. So when it comes—as it certainly will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.” (Ezekiel 33:32-33)

And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to learn the song except the 144,000 who had been purchased from the earth. (Revelation 14:3)

On the day of God’s final judgement, those people who did not bear fruit of the Holy Spirit will have no excuse because they did not repent of their sins even though they heard the word of God through the mouths of the prophets. They are proud of their own works and want God to judge them according to their works. So God judges them according to their evil works. The Bible will be the witness because people read them but do not understand God. They do not ask for the Holy Spirit because they think they have Him. They refuse to believe that the Son did everything for them to be the adopted children of God. And they do not understand the works of the Holy Spirit. They mock and kill God’s prophets who tell them truths of God. Therefore, they will have no excuse.

‘This is what the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster that lies in the midst of his canals, that has said, ‘My Nile is mine, and I myself have made it.’ (Ezekiel 29:3)

God announces judgements on two Israel nations and their neighboring countries/cities in the book of the prophets. But we must understand the prophecies are not about a nation in a certain geographical location although they appear so related to the Israel’s history in the OT. They are all enemies of God. Egypt was mentioned many times in the OT. It is a symbol of prosperity and worldly wisdom. But it is the very opposite of God’s kingdom. After the fall of Jerusalem, we read that the Israelites head to Egypt against God’s words spoken by the prophet Jeremiah (Read Jeremiah 42-44). God announced their demise in Egypt, but they still went. God freed the Israelites from the hands of the devil and made them into a great nation. But they loved to be slaves again. Christians are doing the exact same things as the Israelites did.

There are two important theological questions that I’d like to address. One is: Are saints freed from sin or the devil? The other is: Did God create the devil?

My answer to the first question is that sin and the devil are the same thing because sin and the devil is what God is not.

My answer to the second question is: Yes, God created the devil for a purpose just as God created those nations that serve idols such as Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, etc in the OT era. I know that many theologians are against this idea. They think that God is pure and righteous that He cannot have anything to do with the devil. But with that hypothesis, they make the devil exist by itself. This means that the devil is equal to God in power. God says that He is “I am Who I am (Exodus 3:14)”. The theologians make the devil be also “I am”. Their idea is evil. Many cults came out of this idea. God can create anything without compromising His righteousness. The more important questions is why God created the devil. And I’ve already explained that the devil is a necessary tool to train God’s people to make them into the everlasting kingdom of God. How God controls the devil is written in Job chapter 41. God does not compete with the devil. God was pleased to create the devil and made him everything that He is not. The devil is evil, opposite to who God is. As I go through other books of the Bible, I will answer to these questions in detail.

The books of the prophets in the OT talked about the immediate or near future at that time when they were written. And they are also telling about the end. As we read about the end of Egypt, we also understand the end of the great leviathan that appears in the Book of Revelation.

“Son of man, lament for the hordes of Egypt and bring it down, her and the daughters of the mighty nations, to the netherworld, with those who go down to the pit; ‘Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and make your bed with the uncircumcised.’ ‘Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and make your bed with the uncircumcised.’ (Ezekiel 32:18-19)

And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. (Revelation 12:9)

Concerning the two witnesses that appear in Revelation 11, the Bible says this:

When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie on the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. (Rev 11:7-8)

Our Lord was crucified in Jerusalem. But God sees that He was crucified in the city called Sodom and Egypt. Jerusalem became Sodom and Egypt. This tells us about the end of the false Christians who reject Truth. Only the elect people of God will be saved.

If the LORD of armies had not left us a few survivors, we would be like Sodom, we would be like Gomorrah. (Isaiah 1:9)

And if those days had not been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. (Matthew 24:22)

But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation; and the river burst against it and it immediately collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great. (Luke 6:49)

These three  chapters talk about the demise of Tyre and her king. There are many cities and nations mentioned in the Bible. Like I said before, God is not against a city in a certain geographical location. The demise of cities and nations in the OT symbolizes the fall of idol worshippers who deny God. A city or a nation is a symbol of a centre of idolatry. Those cities or nations that God is against share similarities with Babylon mentioned in Revelation 17-19. Although Tyre was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in the OT (Ezekiel 26:7-14), Babylon herself is not different from Tyre. They are identical as we read Ezekiel 27:25-36 and Revelation 18:9-24. I’d advise you to read the chapters carefully instead of reading only my interpretations. God’s words give you much richer understandings given by the Holy Spirit.

Moreover, in their wailing they will take up a song of mourning for you And sing a song of mourning over you: ‘Who is like Tyre, Like her who is silent in the midst of the sea? (Ezekiel 27:32)

and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What city is like the great city? (Revelation 18:18)

The King of Tyre is believed to be Adam in the garden of Eden or the satan.

You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. (Ezekiel 28:13)

And Ezekiel 28:17 explains that pride is the beginning of rebellion:

Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. (Ezekiel 28:17)

He was blameless (tamim, Strong 8549) but was not like God. He was not united with Christ. He did not have the Holy Spirit.

Will you then say, “I am a god,” in the presence of those who kill you? You will be but a mortal, not a god, in the hands of those who slay you. (Ezekiel 28:9)

As I’ve mentioned before, I believe Adam did not receive the Holy Spirit. Adam was created blameless. But he did not have God’s wisdom to overcome the satan’s temptation. He trusted his own wisdom and decided to believe in the satan. This happened before he ate the forbidden fruit. The fruit itself did not have the poison to kill Adam. The fruit made Adam’s sin known to God. Because of the change in his heart, Adam became spiritually dead. So did all his physical descendants. All men are dead to God. There are people chosen by grace before the time began. God saves them from death and trains His people through sufferings. God does not make His people live in material prosperity. It is because the rich in the eyes of the world are always proud.  Apostle Paul warns us that loving money is the beginning of eternal demise like Tyre and Babylon. Money will perish as the world perishes. Nothing in the world will remain at the end.

For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10)

I will cause you sudden terrors and you will no longer exist; though you will be sought, you will never be found again,” declares the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 26:21)

Then a strong angel picked up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will never be found again. (Revelation 18:21)

I know there are many Christian leaders who lure us with material things like a huge church building, an orchestra, a musical band, nice clothes, flowers, big screens, etc. They all live in material prosperity but not in spiritual prosperity. They want to please people to gain popularity and wealth. And God says that what they build will fall with a great crash, never to rise again.

There are many good things that we are allowed to enjoy if we use them moderately. For example, we thank God for delicious food that nourish our body. But we must remember that food symbolizes the only true food, Jesus Christ. God knows our physical and spiritual needs. At the end, only God’s words will remain.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35)

In regard to loving money, no one is free from worries that come from the lack of money. We need to pay for rents/mortgages. We need to buy food and clothes. We often forget that God knows our needs. That is why Christ tells us not to worry from the early days of His ministry.

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they? And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span? And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you. (Matthew 6:24-34)

In this chapter, God announces judgements on Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia. These neighboring nations of Israel have enmity towards Judah and their city, Jerusalem. Now they are overjoyed because Judah fell. However, their ends are coming soon.

For this is what the Lord God says: “Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet, and have rejoiced with all the malice in your soul against the land of Israel, therefore, behold, I have reached out with My hand against you and I will give you as plunder to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and eliminate you from the lands. I will exterminate you. So you will know that I am the Lord.” (v.6-7)

Remember, LORD, against the sons of Edom The day of Jerusalem, Those who said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare To its foundation!” (Psalm 137:7)

These nations enticed the Israelites with their idols and were glad when the Israelites were punished by God. All nations that follow idols and all other religions will also perish just as written in the prophetic books in OT. Amos 1 and 2 tells us that no nation will escape God’s judgements.

The words of Amos, who was among the sheepherders from Tekoa, which he saw in visions concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake. And he said,
“The Lord roars from Zion,
And from Jerusalem He utters His voice;
And the shepherds’ pasture grounds mourn,
And the summit of Carmel dries up.” (Amos 1:1-2)

Other nations did not receive God’s words like Israel did. However, they are punished by the eternal law of God, love. All people regardless of their backgrounds are to know and love God and their neighbors. The Israelites were to show the glory of God and teach others about Him and love the strangers. But they actively rebelled against God. So did and do Christians in the world. Instead of teaching strangers about God and His mercy, they became strangers to God, serving idols and denying their Master.

The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God. (Leviticus 19:34)

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible mankind, of birds, four-footed animals, and crawling creatures. (Roman 1:18-22)

The false church, Babylon, will be destroyed by other nations. But they will also be destroyed as we read Revelation 17-19.

And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.” (Revelation 19:17-18)

Prophets keep proclaiming God’s words until the coming of Christ. Those without the Holy Spirit will have no excuse. No one escapes God’s judgements.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” And He said, “Go, and tell this people:

‘Keep on listening, but do not understand;
And keep on looking, but do not gain knowledge.’
Make the hearts of this people insensitive,
Their ears dull,
And their eyes blind,
So that they will not see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their hearts,
And return and be healed.”

Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered,

“Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant,
Houses are without people
And the land is utterly desolate,
The Lord has completely removed people,
And there are many forsaken places in the midst of the land.
Yet there will still be a tenth portion in it,
And it will again be subject to burning,
Like a terebinth or an oak
Whose stump remains when it is cut down.
The holy seed is its stump.” (Isaiah 6:8-13)

There is no hope for the visible church unless she acknowledges the good news brought by Christ. She must proclaim Sola Gratia.

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who have been sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’” (Matthew 23:37-39)

Ezekiel 24 tells us that Ezekiel’s wife dies as a symbol of Jerusalem’s fall. In the past, I wrote about the coming of “the year of the great earthquake” that I heard in my dream. I do not know if this year will be the year. Earlier, I said everything is connected. Not all knowledge is revealed to us but sometimes God reveals His plans to us.

I heard the news that there was a big earthquake in Turkey and Syria after I posted the last article on the fall of Jerusalem. I read that Antioch is in rubble. Antioch is the birthplace of Christianity. This is not a coincidence (in fact, there is no such thing as coincidence from God’s point of view).

And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers of people; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. (Acts 11:25-27)

I googled “Antakya” and the Wikipedia says, “…Antakya is a place of pilgrimage for Christians.” and “It has a reputation in Turkey as a place for spells, fortune telling, miracles and spirits.”

And he (Manasseh) made his son pass through the fire, interpreted signs, practiced divination, and used mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. (2 Kings 21:6)

I will make them an object of terror among all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 15:4)

God was not against Manasseh only but also all people who followed his evil practices. God is not against a city in a certain geographical location. The earthquake in Antakya is a symbol of the fall of Christianity. The year of the great earthquake will come. God is against not only Jerusalem but also other nations that serve idols as we will read in the rest of the chapters of the Book of Ezekiel.

From Abraham, the Israel nation came. From Christ, Christianity came. But God is not pleased with Christians just as He was not pleased with the Israelites in the OT. And this is what I have been telling all along. The OT tells us about our sins, the judgements, and restoration. There are many similarities between the prophetic books of the OT and the Book of Revelation. Therefore, the Book of Revelation is not a strange book as some theologians claim. The Israelites in the OT are Christians in the NT era. The Israel nation in the OT is the visible church in the NT. The twelve tribes of Israel are the seven churches in the NT. I can’t say I have all the knowledge. I am still learning. At least, I can see that everything is carefully woven by God.

I am not calling for an earthly reform. Those who are given the Holy Spirit by grace will repent and believe in God. Others will never repent. Even if they try to repent, their repentance will not be accepted. In the rubble, God will save His chosen people for His kingdom. Even though their bodies may perish, they will never die because they are bought with the price of Christ’s blood.

“Tolle lege”. Read the Bible. And study orthodox Christian doctrines. The Reformation was God’s will. But Christians left truths. They now believe in work-based salvation. God is against false Christians. It is God’s will that we know Him, repent of our sins, and believe in Him.

“I will completely remove all things
From the face of the earth,” declares the Lord.

 “I will remove human and animal life;
I will remove the birds of the sky
And the fish of the sea,
And the ruins along with the wicked;
And I will eliminate mankind from the face of the earth,” declares the Lord. (Zephaniah 1:2-3)

Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (Matthew 25:34)

Now the word of the Lord came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, saying, Son of man, write the name of the day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. (v.1-2)

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, behold, I am about to take from you what is precious to your eyes with a fatal blow; but you shall not mourn and you shall not weep, and your tears shall not come. Groan silently; do no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban and put your sandals on your feet, and do not cover your mustache, and do not eat the bread of other people.” So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And in the morning I did as I was commanded. (v.15-18)

So Ezekiel will be a sign to you; according to all that he has done, you will do. When it comes, then you will know that I am the Lord God. (v.24)

As for you, son of man, will it not be on the day when I take from them their stronghold, the joy of their splendor, that which is precious in their eyes and their heart’s longing, their sons and their daughters, that on that day the one who escapes will come to you with information for your ears? On that day your mouth will be opened to him who escaped, and you will speak and no longer be silenced. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord. (v.25-27)

As we read the book of the prophets in the OT, we realize that God made them signs to other Israelites. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, and Ezekiel had to do the things that seemed strange to others. Those chosen by grace understood the signs. Others did not understand them, and ignored and ridiculed the prophets.

We do not know anything about Ezekiel’s wife. Many Christians interpret the Bible from a moral point of view. But there is no reason mentioned why God put her to death. God took away Ezekiel’s pride, desire and delight as Jerusalem fell. God did not want Ezekiel to rebuke people so made him mute earlier (Ezekiel 3:26). And now that the Jerusalem is destroyed, Ezekiel’s muteness stops as written in Ezekiel 33:22.

Jerusalem is the visible church. In earlier days, she was crowned with glory because her husband, God, was with her. But she went and served other gods. It was not that she completely left God. The temple was still there. People still mentioned of God. But she was no longer loyal to her husband. She broke the covenant with her husband. She brought her lovers to their house. He saw all her adulterous acts. And she was proud. That does not mean Ezekiel’s wife was the same. Ezekiel’s wife was a symbol. God killed what the Israelites considered delightful, desirable, and precious.

The fall of Jerusalem that happened in 587 BC and in 70 AD tells us that God’s Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. God’s temple is not a building that we can see.

I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. (Revelation 21:22)

There are many Christians who think they should build a temple on the earth or a Christian nation. Many ministers and theologians promote such ideas. They often focus on politics and law-making. What they really desire is political power. John Owen was a politician. Even though the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) explains the role of the civil governments, he and his followers did not take the WCF and wrote their own confession called the Savoy Declaration. They also wrote on the active obedience of Christ in their confession, which the king forbid them to do. Thus, he rebelled against God. Owen influenced Cromwell greatly. And what Cromwell built was not God’s kingdom. But God let them do what they were destined to do. They lured people to believe in false assurance.  People like Abraham Kuyper desired to become like John Owen. And what we now call the Reformed faith is not orthodox. It is derived from ideas of John Owen and his friends, who chose people over God. They chose political power over God. Therefore, the Protestant church (Jerusalem) we see is a harlot. God will not look kindly on those who try to go back to Egypt. God is against those who try to build an earthly kingdom.