Meditation 19

In response to my thoughts on the Import of the 70 Sevens, friend Raybob remarked on the "global System" resulting from the apostasy of Democratic powers. It is yet to be fulfilled by Babylon the Great. I had written that the restraint against evil, yet to be compromised by Babylon (Rome) in order to bring peace to the Mid-East, will be the reason for God's judgment that "must begin with the Church." I Pet.4:17. This judgment must occur before Antichrist can be revealed and then persecute Saints all over the world.

Raybob wondered about the Beast system that comes out of a "Democratic" system. He should have added that it emerges only after God judges Babylon so that the System and its Laws are then taken over by the Beast. He addresses only half of the picture. God sets up governments to carry out His purpose. He will allow Ten Kings to remove the present restraint against Lawless Government. Then God will inspire them to support the Beast.

That purpose involves His judgment on the mixture of all religions, rulers and regimes. The compromise of Democracy with Autocratic forms of government mixes “iron and clay” so that God will allow Ten Kings to destroy the City of Babylon (Rome) before Christ destroys both City and System. They will confiscate and employ the System under a lawless despotism that God will also judge after He accomplishes His purpose. It is God’s purpose because He inspires them to give their power and authority to the Beast! Rev.17:17.

For 1260 Days the Power of God's Kingdom through the plagues of Two Prophets will restrain the unbridled exercise of lawlessness and show that He is still in control. The open conflict between God's Two Prophets and Satan's two Beasts (proving that Satan is not bound as claimed by Covenentalists and A-Millenialists) will directly affect the lives of all humanity. The Cross did not put an end to sin nor bring in everlasting righteousness nor did it bind Satan.

The extent of God's kingdom rule today is demonstrated in the hearts of men through the acceptance of Christ and our freedom to affect the laws and live victoriously over evil as the Savior frees us from sin’s power. Christ did not "destroy sin" at His first coming. He destroyed its power. To bring out the difference, I will rephrase one paragraph on the "Import of 70 Sevens." In Heb.9:26, the “completion of the ages” looks to His 2nd Coming.

God’s purpose was to “put away sin at the completion of the ages through the sacrifice of Christ.” But this requires His 2nd coming. The Cross removed sin’s penalty for us and thwarted sin’s power over us. Note the use of the plural, ages, to show that this and the age to come look forward to the 2nd Coming to complete the work of redeeming all creation as in Rom.8:19-21.

Until God “binds Satan for 1000 years,” the ages are not yet completed, unrighteousness is still unsubdued, and not ALL the Martyrs have yet begun to "serve God in heaven's Temple day and night for 1000 years." Rev.3:12; Rev.7:15; Rev.20:4. This must occur prior to the New Heaven in which there will be no more night and no more Temple. Satan is not bound. He still has access to heaven and continues to accuse the Saints just as he accused Job.

Preterists and A-Millenarians are not realistic or practical. The NOW of God’s Kingdom Power is synchronous with a future 1260 days, 42 months and 3½ times of Rev.11:3; Rev.12:6,10,14; Rev.13:5. The question of IMPORT is whether all six things of Dan.9:24 were fulfilled as a direct and immediate result of the Cross. I believe Christ must come the 2nd time to “destroy sin, bring in everlasting righteousness and anoint the most holy!” Dan.9:24.

God will allow the Antichrist to take over the world to begin judgment on the Apostasy in the Church and on the apostasy of mixing “iron and clay.” Dan.2:41-44. The use of the masculine and neuter in 2 Thess.2 refers to the 7th Head of the Beast under Babylon the Great and to the failed restraint of Democracy which must be removed before Antichrist can be revealed.

This will happen at the appointed “kairos-time” of the 1260-day conflict between the NOW of God’s Kingdom Power and Satan’s Two Beasts. In 2 Thess.2:6 the word Kairos is used to begin the 3½ appointed times that follow the casting of Satan from heaven and removal of the restrainer on earth. This is when Believers overcome Satan and love not their life, corporately, even unto death.” Rev.12:10,11,14. That overcoming spirit is not yet true of Believers corporately!!

Ten Kings destroy Babylon. Because of her sins, God inspires them to support the Beast for 1260 days with their combined “power and authority until the words of God are fulfilled.” The words of God include the fact that "some martyrs will not taste death until after they have seen" (Mark 9:1) the Two Prophets demonstrate God's sovereign power to prepare Believers and Israel for Messiah's 2nd advent. Rev.17:17; Rev.12:10; Rev.11:3-7.

So Israel's hope, addressed in Luke 21:28,31, anticipates the "hour of trial that comes as a snare upon all the inhabitants of all the earth"... a reference to the Lastday that occurs only in Luke 21:35 and Rev.3:10. This explains why Jesus urges Jews to "pray to escape all these things and to stand before the Son of Man" while these things occur on the Day He appears. Believers don't need to pray this prayer. The word actually means to "beg to escape."

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