Most all churches and movements have made laws and rules for the governing of their church machinery. This calls for a hierarchy of officers with offers to the lust of the flesh. It is contrary to the flesh to obey God’s call and walk out. A LOVE for the truth is the only thing that will prompt such action. Many do not wish to “retain a love for the truth” and seek some excuse to remain in the rocks and hills of Babylon with a damnation resting on their souls.
The
truth of the true church and Babylon is the sounding of “the great trumpet”
spoken of in Isaiah 27 by which God said He would gather the outcasts of Israel
and assemble them. This message concerning the true Church of God and Babylon
is a part of the gospel and must go to all the world. Only those who are
completely consecrated to the whole will of God, fully redeemed from all sin,
and with the great LOVE OF GOD SHED ABROAD IN THEIR HEARTS BY THE HOLY GHOST,
will be willing to be outcasts from the allurements of Babylon. “Lukewarm”
people have lost their love for God and truth.
This
great trumpet, the seventh and last in the gospel day, is clarifying truth as
never before. We are urged to get back to the standards of the truth made clear
in the past. Emphasis is laid on the language of the poem, “Back to the Blessed
Old Bible.” BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, is clearly identified and
her fornications are made clear before our eyes. The enticement of HER wine is
clearly defined. The true brand of her merchandise is being stamped on her
religious wares. Her institutions are being clarified as “Cages of unclean and
hateful birds” and “a hold of foul spirits” working in its leadership.
Multitudes upon multitudes have been spiritually martyred and lost their souls
by accepting HER wares and drinking of the “wine of ,fornications.” In the
sounding of “the great trumpet” Babylon is being completely exposed. This is
part of the gospel of God’s great salvation that must reach all the world.
Every one must be brought face to face with his OWN sin and deception. The
responsibility of decision rests upon every individual. Groups may influence
you, but the decision is an individual matter. Some will try to evade the
responsibility through excuses and alibis, but God’s justice demands that
“Truth revealed must be answered to.” Light rates responsibility! The greater
the light the greater the responsibility. “At evening time it shall be light.”
Individual
responsibility is not to be pushed aside as though it was optional with the
same reward. Of course, we have the privilege of accepting or refusing, but the
eternal reward will be different.
In
the sounding of this great and last trumpet the light of the gospel must go to
all the world. All nations must hear God’s full and complete message of gospel
truth. This will bring the multitudes of the earth into the “Valley of
Decision.” Let us turn to the book of Joel, chapter 3, and see what he has to
say about his valley.
“For
behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring AGAIN the captivity
of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations and will bring them down
into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will’ plead with them for my people and for
my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations and parted my
land.” We have already made it plain that we are living in that time when God
is “bringing AGAIN” his people. In Isaiah 11:11 it makes it clear that God is
setting His hand AGAIN the second time to gather a remnant of his people. The
fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy is in this present age. At this time God is
bringing all nations through the valley of decision, which the prophet Joel
calls Jehoshaphat. The reason this valley is used is because of its location.
It is nearby the City of Jerusalem. The gospel message when sounded out will
bring the multitudes of the nations today into the valley of decision, drawing
them near to the “heavenly Jerusalem.” This is the valley of decision through
which every one must come who hears God’s message of truth. It is here that God
PLEADS with those who are scattered in Babylon to return and be His people.
In
verse 3, the prophet tells us what was done. “And they have cast lots for my
people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and given a girl for wine, that
they might drink.” This shows us how the kings and captains in Babylon have
traded and commercialized on the souls of boys and girls, selling them for the
wine of Babylon’s fornication.
In
verse 4 we read, “Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and
all the coasts of Palestine?” Some people try to run and get away from God, but
this is one VALLEY all must come through. God said He would gather all nations
into this place and plead with them. Wherever the full gospel message of God’s
truth is preached, people are forced through this valley. God pleads with
people to return ‘and recompense Him, that he may recompense them.
Verse
5, “Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your
temples (Babylon) my goodly pleasant things: (Verse 6) The children also of
Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye
might remove them far from their border. (Verse 7) Behold, I will raise them
out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompense
upon your own heads. (Verse 8) And I will sell your sons and daughters into the
hands of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them unto Sebeans, to a
people far off: for the Lord hath spoken it.”
The
spirit of Grecia conquered God’s people and carried them into Babylon during
the dark and cloudy day. They took the silver and gold and all the goodly
things down into their Babylonian temples. Then in verse 8, God said he would
sell their sons and daughters back to Judah. Judah represents the remnant, of
God’s people which he gathered out on Mt. Sion in the sixth seal. Then he says
they sold them back again into the hands of the Sebeans. At the close of the
sixth seal, those who had been the people of God, compromised and let down the
standards again. Selling themselves to the Sabeans means selling themselves
into the idol worship of Babylon. This brings us down to the time of the
seventh seal ,and the sounding of the great trumpet. We will read Joel 3:9 and
see what he says to do. “Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles: Proclaim war,
wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up.”
This brings us once more to the great battle of Armageddon. He said to proclaim
this among the Gentiles, or the Babylonian world. God is calling for every soldier
of the cross to step into the ranks of battle. It is time for the mighty men to
wake up and come up. Come out of the hills of Babylon and climb God’s Mt. Sion
of truth.
Joel
3: 10 tells’ us what to do: “Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning
hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.” In Isaiah 2:4 this scripture
is reversed. He says, “Beat your swords into plowshares and your spears into
pruning hooks.” Isaiah was speaking to the church in the morning time when the
hearts of men could be plowed and pruned and would bring forth fruit unto God.
But it is different today; people have become gospel hardened. There are those
in Babylon who will not hear God’s message of truth. God has promised vengeance
on Babylon. He is calling them into the valley of Jehoshaphat, pleading with
them to accept His last call back to his standards of truth. He offers life for
death, and truth for error. God’s’ message of truth against the sins of Babylon
no longer needs to be guessed at. It is a savor unto life or death. God’s
message is like the sword and spear—it kills. We must die to the sins of
Babylon or die in them. In this manner the message of God on the soul is
likened unto a sword and a spear on the body.
In
this great trumpet, which is being blown today, it sounds a message of
salvation to the heathen world. They, too, will be gathered into the valley of
decision. This great trumpet will be heard by all classes of people. It will
sound out the needs of every man with a pleading invitation for its acceptance.
The
picture of this great spiritual battle of Armageddon, fought in the valley of
Jehoshaphat near the heavenly Jerusalem, is changed into a HARVEST field. “Put
ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is
full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes
in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of
decision.” Joel 3:13, 14.
The
Word of God is the sickle. Its complete message is going to all nations,
bringing them into the valley of Jehoshaphat, showing them the glorious divine
Church of God on one side of the valley, and Babylon and the world on the other
side. The kind of decision made will determine the location of the multitudes,
as they go to the place of their choosing. Those who see God’s great salvation
and His glorious Church, and are WILLING TO WALK IN THE LIGHT, will ascend Mt.
Sion and enter THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM. The wheat is being gathered into the
garner, a place of safety and security inside the walls of truth. The chaff,
those who reject and refuse the truth, are gathered into the fire and burned
with the judgments of God’s eternal truth.
In
Matthew 13:3 Jesus gives us a parable of the sower. “Behold a sower went forth
to sow.” He gives us four kinds of soil, telling of four classes of people,
represented by the wayside, the stony places, the thorns, and thistles.
In
Matthew 13:24-30 Jesus gives us another parable of His kingdom, which extends
through the entire gospel day. “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying;
the king‘dom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his
field (the entire world): but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares
among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blades were sprung up, and
brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the
householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy
field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, an enemy hath done
this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root also the wheat
with them. Let them grow together until the harvest: and in the time of
harvest, I will say to the reapers, gather ye together first the tares, and
bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into ‘my barn.”
Now
in verses 37 to 41, Jesus gives us an explanation of this parable. “He that
soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed
are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked
one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the
world; and the reapers are the angels (ministers). The Son of man (Jesus) shall
send forth his angels (His ministers) and they shall gather out of his kingdom
all things (people) that offend, and them which do iniquity.”
Now
let us get a picture of the kingdom extending through the entire world or
gospel day, and the Son of man sowing the good seed through His servants. While
men slept spiritually through the dark and cloudy day, the devil sowed the seed
that developed the wickedness of Babylon. Through the middle ages and even
until yet, the good and the bad, the saved and the unsaved, have grown together
inside the walls of Babylon.
God
did not see fit to send judgment on Babylon during the dark and cloudy day, and
separate the good from the bad at that time. He said, “Let them grow together
until the harvest,” and the harvest is in the end of the world. Jesus said,
“Say not four months, then cometh the harvest,” but open your eyes, for the
harvest is already ripe. The harvesting of souls into the kingdom has always
been ripe since the kingdom was preached in the early ages of the church, but
the harvest at the end of the world is a separating time. This seventh trumpet
message, which Isaiah said was a great trumpet, is shaking the Babylonian
nations and the Church, with a message that brings them into the valley of
decision. If they decide against God’s message of truth, they are gathered out
of the kingdom. Some will offend at some minor point of truth and will be
guilty before God. Let us remember that it is our own decision that causes us
to be removed out of the kingdom. This responsibility is a personal and
individual matter. We are told that the results of preaching God’s message will
be as stated in verse 42. “And shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there
shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” The Holy Spirit fire burns the souls
of every one that rebels against truth. The wailing and gnashing of teeth will
begin now, but will last forever.
There
will only be a remnant left in the kingdom. Not many are willing to be freed
from Babylonian bondage. They would rather stay with the crowds. Many are
hunting hiding places in the holes and dens of the rocks and mountains of
Babylon, trying to shield themselves from the “furnace of fire.”
In
Matthew 13:43 Jesus shows us the visibility of the righteous: “Then shall the
righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” God still has
a few who are not hunting any holes or hiding places. With sword and spear in
hand they have ascended Mt. Sion. With the “great trumpet” to their lips they
are sounding a blast of truth that is shaking Babylon to pieces, and is testing
every man’s work.
“Now
if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stone, wood, hay,
stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it,
because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work
of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he
shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer
loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire.” 1st Corinthians
3:12-17.
It
is certain that Christ is the only foundation on which to build. Paul has just
told us that there are two kinds of works: the perishable and the unperishable
The gold, silver, and precious stones represent truth, and it will not burn.
The Holy Spirit fire will never affect it. All manmade theories and doctrines
are classed as wood, hay, and stubble. These are all combustible and are being
destroyed by the fires of God’s holiness and truth.
There
have been many saved people in the past who, without knowledge, built with
wood, hay, and stubble. With the blood of Christ having been applied to their
souls, and God having winked at their ignorance, they were saved by the fire of
God’s justice, but their works are all being burned in the judgment fires of
his truth. Honest souls, who love God and His truth with all their hearts, will
be sorry when they see their mistakes and will rejoice at its destruction by
the fire of truth.
If
the binding in bundles, spoken of by Jesus in His parable, has any spiritual
significance in spiritual things, it would mean that everything was bound in
its own class and kind, and burned by the fire and truth that destroyed it.
God
is clearing His kingdom of those who are seed on stony ground and, among thorns
and thistles. Every mans’ stability is tested and tried. His love, consecration
and endurance is tested. God is not pleased with those who cannot stand the
scorching fires of the Sun of righteousness which will only cleanse and
purify. It will be only a small part, a remnant, that will stand the test. With
God, quality is preferred before quantity and great numbers. God has a remnant
in the ministry, filled with love, power, and victory — “Redeemed from among
men” and “Not defiled with women,” man-made churches. They are kindling the fire
of Holy Spirit judgment and truth which will destroy everything that is wood,
hay, and stubble.
This
gospel MUST be preached to all the world; all MUST come through the great
valley of truth, with a decision to make. This TRUTH becomes a sickle in the
hands ‘of the angels, the ministry, whom God said he would send. The decision
each individual MUST make determines whether they are to become “wheat for the
garner” or “chaff for the furnace of fire.”
Let
us notice the blessed condition of those gathered into this garner of SOUL
REST, SAFETY, AND SECURITY. In Revelation 14:10-11 we are shown the torments of
those who worshipped the beast and his image with the smoke of their torment
ascending up for ever and ever. These torments begin as people come out on the
wrong side of the valley of decision, and will never end. In verse 12 we are
told that this is a time when the saints will have need of patience, but verse
13 tells us of the blessedness of their condition. “And I heard a voice from
heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from
henceforth (or from now on); yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from
their labors, and their works do follow them.”
This
is trying to teach us a spiritual lesson. This dying in the Lord is spiritual.
It will take a complete dying to ALL THINGS to get out on the right side of
this valley of decision. This is called dying in the Lord. From this time on,
they may rest from their carnal labors of perishable things. But their works of
righteousness do follow them. Those who can walk out on the side of God’s
heavenly Jerusalem, and claim God’s Mt. Sion of light and truth, refusing to
obey the voice of the enemy and those who make the wrong decisions, certainly
are blessed of God. It takes dead people to do this.
At
the sounding of this seventh trumpet and last message ALL immediately emerge
into the valley of DECISION. The great Holy Spirit firmly fixes the TRUTH to be
decided upon on the heart and soul of the listener, forcing them into the
valley of decision. There is no alternative. All must face the issue. Only a
few came out on God’s side.
In
Revelation 14:14-16, John tells us of a white cloud and the Son of man sitting
on it with a sharp sickle in his hand. This once more points us to the harvest
Jesus said would be in the end of the world. In these verses we are told that
the earth was reaped, which has reference to the earthly originated doctrines
of men.
In
verse 17 we see this sickle in the hands of an angel coming out of the temple,
which would mean the ministry of the church now has the message. This message
is the sounding of the seventh or last trumpet to the nations. In verse 18 we
see another angel or ministry which has power over fire. It says that they came
out from the altar. There are a few ministers who linger at the altar until
they are endowed with fire that will burn up the chaff while the wheat is being
gathered into the garner. The message of this angel was, “Thrust in thy sharp
sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are
fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the
vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the
winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six
hundred furlongs.” Revelation 14:18-20.
Here
we have the’ harvesting of the cluster of the vine of the earth. In St. John
15, Jesus said, “I am the TRUE vine.” This is the harvesting of the false vine,
which is the cluster of Babylonian doctrines and institutions. This is that
harvest that Jesus said would be “in the end of the world.” The fullnes of the
cluster of the vine of all manmade institutions is being cast into the
“winepress of the wrath of God.” This winepress was “trodden without” the city
or beyond the city limits of Babylon. Even there, judgment was laid to the
line, so that all may understand it. The last part of verse 20 seems to imply a
battlefield which alludes to the battle of “Armageddon.” This is taken from
ancient warfare when they rode horses into battle. The rider is responsible for
the use of the reins or bits of the bridle, and his “blood” is upon his own
shoulders.
In
the “valley of Jehoshaphat” we have a combination of TYPES, SHADOWS and
SYMBOLS, having their spiritual fulfillment in the time in which we are living.
The old prophet told us in Joel 3:1 that it would be “In those days, and in
that time, WHEN I SHALL BRING AGAIN THE CAPTIVITY OF JUDAH AND JERUSALEM, I
will also gather all nations . . into the valley of Jehoshaphat.” This is the
age in which God is setting His hand again the second time to gather a remnant
of his people. Isaiah 11:11.
Three
things are happening in this symbolical valley of “evening light” and truth.
The first thing to be done on entering this valley is to make a DECISION. On
one side is the city of Babylon, scattered on the hills of confusion. Her
kings and captains with vain promises and fair speeches are offering her
religious wares. Much of her merchandise offers to the satisfying of the lust
of the flesh,, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. She has much to
offer to the “lovers of pleasure.” The upper seats in the synagogues have their
appeal to those who love the praise and applause of men. No one is required to
be spiritual; that is old-fashioned and out of date. The minister is offered
many opportunities with chance for promotion if he can sell the goods. For
success in this, the preacher invokes God’s blessings upon them, with a bogus
promise that they will have an abundant entrance into the celestial city at the
end. These things can be plainly seen by every one, who enters the valley of
God’s glorious truth.
As
we enter this valley, the glorious light and, truth illuminates our souls ,as
never before. Prophetic and symbolic mysteries dazzle our spiritual ,eyes with
a seven-fold-brightness. The hungry, sincere, honest souls will begin to feast
on food they did not know existed. Before us is God’s glorious Mt. Sion, His
heavenly Jerusalem, THE GLORIOUS CHURCH OF GOD, free from all sin, sectarianism
and man-rule. Jesus Christ is her Head, Governor, and Ruler. In all things He is
given “preeminence.” God’s people know their needs. God’s promises are plain
before them that He will supply them. They are standing on the faith line of
victory with signs and miracles following their ministry.
As
we step into this valley of light and truth, and look at the results of
decision, we see a great harvest time. Many who see light on God’s Word and do
not retain a love for truth, are offended and turn to the hills of Babylon,
believing a delusion with damnation resting on their souls.. If they were saved
they were in the kingdom, but when they are offended at even one point of
truth, they are gathered out of His kingdom. Jesus wants a clean church and
only those on clean soil. He wants those among ,thorns and thistles and’ on
stony ground put to a test and gathered out of His kingdom, that those on good
ground “May shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” You do not have
to know all the Word of God to become responsible before God. Each one is
responsible for what he knows, let it be much or little. Some dump the whole
thing overboard because they do not understand some parts of it. This will not
excuse you for that part you understand when you stand at the final judgment.
Those
on good ground love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and
“nothing offends them.” They accept all the truth they understand, and are
ready for the rest when it comes. Their eyes are set toward the top of Mt.
Sion. They hunger and ,thirst for the fullness of God’s truth. They are dead to
Babylon and her allurements, and are never satisfied until they reach the top
of glorious Mt. Sion, and there pitch their tent in “the camp of the saints,”
and launch their little barks on the great river which Isaiah said “would flow
in the top of the mountain.”
This
is the time of harvest at the end of the world. If you cannot pass the one
hundred percent test of purity, holiness, and goodness according to your own
decision, you will be numbered with the tares and burned as chaff in the
furnace of Holy Spirit fire.
Now
let us change this scene in this valley of Jehoshaphat and view it as the great
battle of Armageddon. This is not a literal battle as some would have us
believe. Most all of the prophecies of the prophets pointing to the gospel day,
the parable of Jesus, and the symbolic language of the book of Revelation must
be given a spiritual interpretation. To literalize them would destroy the
kingdom that Jesus came to set up, which is a kingdom of righteousness, joy and
peace in the Holy Ghost.
In
this valley of decision is where soldiers enlist for the battle. You will never
be drafted, but you will be forced to say, yes or no. The devil will tell you
not to do it, that you can’t make it, and if you do, it will not pay. The devil
will further magnify the hardships of a soldier of the cross. He will send his
angels with flowery speeches of discouragement. He will tell you that you can
never accomplish anything with those few outcasts.
But
the voice of the Holy Spirit can be heard in this valley, for here is where He
talks. This is where He pleads with the nations. He, too, will show you the
hardships of a soldier of the cross. He will lay before you standards and
requirements which you must meet. The plain, unmistakable word will be heard,
“Follow thou Me.” He will further tell us not to be ashamed of Him or His
words, and take up our cross and follow Him. It will be made very clear that we
will be criticized, persecuted, and reviled for the stand we take concerning
this full gospel message of evening light truth. The final test is—He brings us
to a LIFE and DEATH consecration. He died for us. We must be willing to die for
the sake of His truth.
This
great battle of Armageddon is fought between the forces of God’s saints
gathered out on Mt. Sion and the forces of Babylon. In this great valley of
decision is where people choose which side they are on. It is folly for one to
believe he can work for God and remain on the devil’s side, but to walk out is
wisdom’s way. This valley of evening light and truth makes it clear and you
make the choice as to what side you are on. When light comes to a saved person
in Babylon, and they see the glorious Church- of God, they CANNOT remain in
Babylon and stay saved. While some feel that they can do some good by staying
there, how can a person be worth anything to the cause of God, or any one else,
in a backslidden condition? God’s message is: “Come out of her, my people, that
ye be not partakers of her sins,” and the message bearers should practice what
they preach.
It
is true that Babylon has some good hung on the outside. She has taken some of
the “precious things” and decked the outside, but inwardly she is full of
adulterous abominations. All saved people have some truth, but when you come
out of Babylon, bring what truth you have, but be sure you do not bring with
you some of your old Babylon clothes and practices.
This
great battle is fought with a loss and gain on both sides. When one side gains
or captures a man, of course the other side loses him. While some are being disfellowshipped
and turned out of Babylon for preaching the truth of God’s Word, there are
others who see the abominations of Babylon, and the glorious Church of God, and
come out of their own accord. There are some who seem to run well for a time,
but after a while selfish motives revive, they make a compromise deal with the
devil, and are captured by his forces. All it takes to be a part of Babylon is
to adopt Babylonian practices. What it takes to be the real Mt. Sion Church of
God is to be governed by the Word and the Spirit. The Word and the Spirit
always agree. The wrong spirit will not agree with the right interpretation,
and the wrong interpretation will not agree with the Holy Spirit.
There
are some who see all the abominations of Babylon. They visualize her
unscriptural foundations and operations. They see her sins, deceptions, graft,
and hypocrisies. Discouraged, cast down and soul sick, they decide to get out
of religion and quit professing to be anything. Such a one is standing in the
valley of decision, but he sees only the abominations of Babylon. They need to
hear the gospel which will make plain God’s great plan of complete’ redemption
for a lost world. Then they need to see God’s redeemed host walking in the
light, and climbing God’s Mt. Sion of truth, coming to the unity of the faith.
They need to see a group of people of which Jesus is the head, and whom the
Holy Spirit is leading and directing, because He is dwelling in their hearts.
In such a group they can see holiness, victory, power, and glory with signs
following, because they believe and practice ALL the Word of God. In such a
group can’ be ‘seen a sweet spirit, and a love for all men, but no love for
Babylonian practices. Surely a vision of the privilege of becoming a particular
member in that church which Jesus owns and recognizes as His Bride, with His
great loving arms of protection ,and care thrown around her, is sufficient to
win the affections of the soul of those who want the real love and affection of
the Master.
Some
come out of Babylon and start, or enter, another part of Babylon. as bad or
worse than ,the one they came out of, hoping to be the head of it. To come out
of Babylon is not enough. God has something for us to come to. “But ye are come
unto Mt. Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem and
to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the
“first born, which are written in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and ‘to
the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new
covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that
of Abel.” Hebrews 12:22-24.
It
will not be hard to identify the true church of God when we see a people on the
Bible foundations, preaching and practicing all the Bible, bearing the fruits
of the Spirit, manifesting all the gifts of the Spirit, and with the signs
following that Jesus said would follow them that believe. God is not satisfied
with less than this, and we should not be satisfied until we have reached that
goal. Only those who live under the drippings of God’s sanctuary of holiness,
power, and wisdom will be able to discern the devil’s substitutes and imitations.
The devil has power to perform miracles. In Moses’ time, Aaron’s rod was turned
to a serpent in the presence of Pharoah. He sent for the wise men and their
rods also were turned into serpents. We notice that ‘Aaron’s serpent swallowed
theirs. This shows us that God is the greater power.
The
devil is working his miracles in modern Babylon today. He has his substitutes
for the gifts of the Spirit and the signs that Jesus said would follow them
that believe. Through these false manifestations and demonstrations he is
deceiving many, who are looking for something more than dead, lifeless
formality. These demonstrations carry a close resemblance of the real Bible
signs and gifts. Some times it takes discernment, a close examination and
testing with Bible truth. I am persuaded that all the serpents in Aaron’s time
looked alike, but the final test showed which one was of God.
The
devil has his false holy ghost, with his false evidence of speaking in tongues,
which makes people powerless and helpless, but causes them to do things which
are not decent nor becoming. The power that God gives causes people to stand
upright, bear the fruit of the Spirit, and testify intelligently to what God
has done.
If
there are those present who cannot understand the speaker’s language, God may
give the gift of “tongues” or speaking in other languages, so that the speaker
may speak and testify in their own language the great things of God. This is
not a sign to the one speaking that he has the Holy Ghost, but a sign to the
unbeliever, when he hears the wonderful message of God. 1st Corinthians 14:22.
When the wrong spirit gets hold of people, it makes them demonstrate and do
things they would not do otherwise. I have seen them shake, quiver and fall,
kick and roll, and act very unbecoming with their face drawn into a Satanic
look, slobber and make noises. This, they said, was speaking in tongues. The
most of this noise was not any language at all. Usually it consists of a lingo
of a few different sounds repeated Over and over. Some times the devil has his
interpreter there, who would interpret these certain sounds to mean many
different things.
The
devil has his miracles and healings. If the devil could make a serpent out of a
rod, he can heal a sick person in order to deceive them. I have seen those who
said they had the gift of healing, but only had the devil’s deception. When
they prayed for one sick, they would fall powerless On the floor. Sometimes
they get up and walk in a miraculous way, but with some peculiar look on their
face or some actions that are foreign to the Spirit of God. Some of these great
healers have peculiar actions while performing these miracles. They roll their
eyes and look wild. It is plain to see that some power gets hold of them.
Sometimes they treat the sick person very rough, shake them unmercifully, and
slap them with their hand. When the power strikes the one being prayed for,
there is a peculiar Satanic look on their face. I have seen the false and I
have seen the real. The contrast is outstanding. They act different, look
different and manifest a different spirit.
I
have talked with individuals who aacknowledged they were not even saved, were
immoral characters, yet they could speak this false tongue. I have seen those
who were convinced that they had a false spirit, acknowledged it as unscriptural,
wanted to get rid of it, and have, the devils cast out.
The
devil is using these signs and wonders to deceive people and get them away from
the real thing. God gets no glory out of the devil’s work, even though it is
done in His name. Some honest people are led into this deception because they
do not examine it close enough to detect the source from which it comes. If
saved people would earnestly pray for God to keep them from going into anything
displeasing to Him, and would reject every appearance of deception as fast as
it comes, they would not be led into the devil’s traps. God says to try the
spirits. We must put them to a Biblical test. If they are wrong, we must take a
firm stand in our hearts against them and rebuke them in the name of the Lord.
In
this little book I have tried to show what Babylon is and what it is not. I am
acknowledging that she has carried some of the good things of God down into her
domain, but God said, “Your silver and your gold will not save you in the day
of His wrath and judgment,” and His message is, “Come out of her, my people, be
not partakers of her sins.” It seems clear to me that any honest and
fair-minded person can see what Babylon is, and what God says to do about it.
I
have tried to describe Babylon in plain language, backed by the Word of God. I
have not intended to say harsh things about any person or group of people, but
I have done my best to expose things and conditions that surround them. I
carry no ill will or malice against any religious people, even those of the
lowest type and kind. I have a love that would reach for the lowest and lift
them to the highest, if they would only let God do it. I have felt the
presence, power, and approval of God as I write. Many times I have lifted my
heart to the God of all creation, and asked Him somehow to awake and bless the
fallen and sleeping nations.
I
send this little book out with a prayer from the depth of my soul that its
readers will not only see Babylon, but also see the great, grand, and glorious
New Testament Mt. Sion Church of God, the heavenly Jerusalem, in her splendor
and glory as John saw her adorned as a bride for her husband.” AMEN AND AMEN.
