The Sword And The Gun

After waking up, getting dressed, taking the dog for a walk, and making myself a cup of tea, I got right into prayer. After prayer I opened my bible and finally settled on reading through a portion of Acts. As I read, I noticed that the Lord has given us examples of how the Apostles and disciples responded to their mistreatment by the authorities, both secular and religious. Time and time again, not once did any of the Apostles or disciples of Christ take up arms or resist in any way. Then I thought, “If it’s okay to fight against a tyrannical government, then where is the evidence of this in the New Testament? Where are the examples of the Apostles' physical resistance to government tyranny?” I couldn't seem to find any examples in the book of Acts, nor could I remember an instance in any other book of the New Testament.

Image: auctionpublicity.com

The founding fathers of our great nation had the foresight to set boundaries in which our government could operate. They also gave the people of this nation the authority to take up arms if our elected officials moved toward creating a tyrannical government. I used to think that coming against a tyrannical government was okay, but then my thoughts began to stir and I began wondering whether I was okay with this because I was walking in the flesh instead of walking in the spirit. Protecting our country from foreign and domestic enemies seems logical.  After all, attacks can come against the citizens of this country from outside our borders or from within. What I can’t seem to understand is where, in the New Testament, are the followers of Christ instructed to rise up against their own government by the use of force. Not even Jesus was concerned enough to speak out and rally against the Roman government during His time on earth. Jesus even went so far as to say that they should give to Caesar what belonged to Caesar and to God what belonged to God.

If we look at online news articles, we can see evidence that our nation is in a downward spiral. It seems as if decisions are being made by major organizations, judges and government officials (from the local level to the White House) that can only harm our nation and bring it to ruin economically, morally and spiritually; to bring us from a position of power in the world to one of submission to a one world authority. Gun confiscation, abortion, post-birth abortion, the Islamization of America, increased persecution of Christians, racial division, economic collapse, gay marriage, corrupt government, etc… In the face of what is happening in our nation, we have the responsibility to stand up and fight the corruption and sin, but we must proceed within the constraints of the law and, more importantly, the word of God. 

You may ask, “Didn't the Apostles and disciples operate in civil disobedience? Doesn't that make it okay for us to do the same?"

What kind of civil disobedience did the Apostles and disciples of Christ participate in? Their civil disobedience was limited to preaching God’s word, healing the sick and casting out demons, even when they were told not to do so upon threat of punishment or death. They certainly did not go beyond this level of civil disobedience to a more violent form by brandishing weapons or committing any form of physical violence.

All you have to do is look at the complete text of the New Testament and you will find only one instance where someone responded to authorities with force. It’s the recorded incident of when Jesus was betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26:50-54. Here Jesus rebukes Simon Peter for taking up the sword and striking the servant of the high priest. A few verses before this, we find that the "large crowd" who came to arrest Jesus were armed with clubs and swords. The modern equivalent would be to have the authorities show up brandishing their guns and tasers. Jesus rebuked them for showing up armed, but He did not resist them. An interesting note, though. In John 18:6 we see the power of God knocking the armed crowd to the ground as Jesus speaks to them. It's sort of a foretaste of what it will be like when Jesus returns and defeats His enemies with the sword from His mouth, which is the Word of God! Okay, getting back to the discussion at hand...

The same incident with Peter and the sword is recorded in the following portions of scripture:

Mark 14:46-48  Although this account doesn't mention Jesus’ rebuke, it does give us more details about the group that came to arrest Him… they appeared with weapons. So with this clarity, we can see that in Matthew 26:52, Jesus rebuked the use of weapons against the Roman and Jewish authorities, even though they approached Jesus and the disciples armed.

Luke 22:48-52  Again, the use of the sword against the servant of the high priest was mentioned, as were the weapons that the Romans (and possibly Jews???) were carrying.

John 18:10-12  Jesus had his hands bound before being led away.

I don’t want to ignore the scripture that so many people seem to quote to justify the taking up of arms against the government. That would be:

Luke 22:35-38  “And He said to them, ‘When I sent you without purse and wallet and sandals, did you lack anything?’ And they said, ‘Nothing.’ And He said to them, ‘But now, he who has a purse, let him take it, and likewise his wallet. And he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. For I say to you that this which is written must yet be accomplished in Me, "And he was reckoned among the transgressors"; for the things concerning Me have an end.’ And they said, ‘Lord, behold, here are two swords.’ And He said to them, 'It is enough.’”

Now why would Jesus instruct them to purchase swords and then tell them that the two swords that were already in their possession were enough? Obviously it wasn't meant for their present situation because Jesus rebuked Simon Peter for striking out with his weapon.

Were the swords to be used for protection from man or was it for another purpose? Look what Jesus said as recorded in Luke 22:35 “And He said to them, ‘When I sent you without purse and wallet and sandals, did you lack anything?’ And they said, ‘Nothing.’”

We see here that the Lord is making a comparison. Jesus had previously sent them out in pairs to the cities that He intended to visit. They were not to bring money, food or a change of clothing, yet they lacked nothing. Now, Jesus was about to be arrested and eventually crucified, so He would no longer physically be here on earth with them. It's now that Jesus is giving them instructions to take their purse and wallet and sandals. When you look at it that way, it makes sense. Things were about to get difficult for the disciples once Jesus was crucified. The Lord was no longer going to physically be here on earth. The Bridegroom was leaving and the disciples were going to be sent farther away than they had traveled when they were sent out in pairs by Jesus. Just as they didn't fast while the Bridegroom was with them, they didn't need to worry about their provisions while He was with them either.  

Again… why have swords? I believe it’s because Jesus knew that the gospel wouldn't be accepted by many and that the Apostles would need to fend for themselves, sort of like wilderness survival. They would be shaking the dust off their feet of more than one city and they would need to hunt and kill and prepare game for sustenance as they traveled. They would also need protection against any type of wild animal. Not once in the NT do we see anywhere (other than in the Garden of Gethsemane) that anyone actually used the sword or any other type of weapon against those who would come against them for spreading the message of salvation through Jesus. Nor did the Apostles instruct anyone to use a sword for defensive purposes. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

Act 9:22-25  Paul didn't have a showdown with those who were plotting to kill him. Instead, he left the city secretly. He avoided the confrontation. Some “Patriots” operating in the flesh might see this as being a coward, but if you recall, Jesus escaped death a few times by walking away.

Acts 12:1-17  Herod has James killed by the sword, but there is no evidence James used any weapon to defend himself or that Christians formed a militia to defend James. This portion of scripture also describes Herod’s order to arrest Peter with the intent to kill him as well. Peter didn't fight his own arrest. He was bound and led to prison. What happened? He was delivered by God through a miracle, not through the use of a weapon.

Act 13:49-51  This example shows that the Jews were upset with both Paul and Barnabas and had them thrown out of the city. Again, they didn't fight the forced eviction. How did they respond? The shook the dust off of their feet as a judgment against the inhabitants of the city and they moved on to Iconium.

Act 14:4-6  Here is another example of being attacked by a group of people who were planning on killing Barnabas and Paul. Was their response to defend themselves with their own weapons or to call for backup? No, they became aware of what the authorities and Jewish leadership were preparing for them and they fled from the city. They didn't call for Christian arms against this group… they fled. Again, in the flesh they could be considered cowards, but that’s man’s interpretation of their actions, not God’s.

Act 14:19-21  We have a group of people who have stoned Paul until they thought he was dead. They then drag him out of the city to dispose of his body.  Did he or any disciples fight to protect him? No. After his body was disposed of, the disciples surrounded his seemingly lifeless body and watched in wonderment as he raised himself up on his two feet. Was Paul’s immediate response to seek justice against those who attacked him? No. The word of God says that he went back into the city and then left the next day.

Here’s one more.

Act 16:20-40  Paul and Silas are grabbed, stripped, flogged and thrown into prison with their feet secured in stocks. They didn't draw any weapons and neither did any other born-again believer. They submitted to the authorities, and while in prison that night, they prayed and sang songs to the Lord. What happened next was a miracle. An earthquake… doors flung wide open… shackles removed! The power of God revealed! As we continue reading, we see that the imprisonment of Paul and Silas also led to the salvation of the jailer and his entire family. Paul and Silas had their wounds washed and the jailer brought them to his own house that night and set a table before them. They ate and rejoiced. They were then brought back to the prison before daybreak and word came down that they were to be released. It was only then that Paul mentioned that he was a Roman citizen. This caused the judges to fear because it was against Roman law to injure a Roman citizen. They actually begged Paul and Silis to leave the city. They did… eventually.

Why didn't Paul prevent his punishment by informing the Romans that he was a Roman citizen? Perhaps it was because God wanted them to go to prison so that the jailer and his family could hear the salvation message and repent. Sometimes the Holy Spirit tells us to be quiet, and that’s probably why Paul didn't say anything before he was flogged and put in prison.

This reminds me of the story in Daniel when King Nebuchadnezzar decreed that everyone was to worship his image. Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (also known by their Chaldean names of Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego) refused to worship the image and they were bound and thrown into the fiery furnace. They had their moment of civil disobedience, but that was because the word of God superseded the king’s law. Did Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah try to physically resist their captors? No. They allowed themselves to be led to the furnace and proclaimed their faith in God by saying, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to return a word to you on this matter. If it is so that our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, then He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods nor worship the golden image which you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16b-18 NKJV)

So here we have documented evidence of incidents that occurred where weapons could have been used for defense, but at no time was a weapon brandished or fists fly. What does that say to us in our current situation?

We need to be about the Lord’s work. If God’s word is in conflict with man’s law, God’s word supersedes the law. If the 2^nd Amendment is watered down or stripped from the US Constitution, we need to obey the law of the land. To form a group under our own authority in order to take up arms against a tyrannical government isn't scriptural.

As Christians, we must operate within the law unless it conflicts with scripture, no matter how unjust we believe the law to be. We must continue to pray that those in a position of power will have a change of heart and that the Lord will move them to back away from their attack on the 2^nd Amendment. If the attack continues and the 2^nd Amendment falls, we have to operate within the law and give up our weapons. That will be a difficult moment in any gun owner's life, whether Christian or not, but it would be necessary to follow the law of the land.

In my opinion, we've waited too long to correct the mistakes that the previous generations have made. The mistakes that this generation has made have compounded the problem. Unfortunately, I see this as an example of reaping what we've sown. As a nation we've supported countries where there are no civil rights or laws protecting the individual liberties of it’s citizens. We've condoned torture, murder and corruption. We've funded and armed rebels who have now become our enemy. Why should we expect our way of life to remain as it has been since the founding of this country? We're reaping the evil that this nation has sown across the face of the earth and within our own borders. God is lifting his hand of protection from our nation.

So what do we do in the meantime? We do what Jesus did, what the Apostles did, what the early church body did... we pray for God's protection and for His will to be done in our life and in our land while we strive to live our lives lead by the Holy Spirit. That’s what we should have been doing all along. By taking up arms, we have become our own protector instead of relying fully on God for our protection. If you still feel you need to arm yourself, you will need to find alternate methods of defending yourself in the eventuality that guns are outlawed or severely restricted. I, myself, don't feel the need to arm myself. I rely on God to be my Protector. I'd rather be injured or lose my life rather than take the life of someone who still has yet to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. But that's just me. Many people don't feel the same as I do.

One thing is for sure, the church age is coming to a close and a one world government lead by the Antichrist is quickly approaching, and no personally owned weapon can stop that from happening. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ (Yeshua) as your Lord and Savior, if you have not submitted your life to Him, please do so. Time is short. Here is a link to the salvation page of my blog.

If you like this article, or any of the other information on this web site, please consider following me. You'll be one of the first to be notified when I create new content! You'll find the section at the top of the right hand column on this page. It says, "Follow Tribulation Harvest by Email." After entering your email address, you may be prompted to sign in to your Google account. Thank you!!!

Repent and be forgiven! Believe and be saved!

TribulationHarvest.net

What Can We Expect From Martial Law?

Although I previously wrote an article about potential scenarios that Christians could relate to if we ever found ourselves in a state of Martial Law.  I'd like to take a more secular view on Martial Law to show that it would not just affect the born again believer in Christ (even though it will curtail our worship).  Let me begin once again by briefly defining what Martial Law is.

Image: beforeitsnews.com

Typically, the imposition of Martial Law accompanies curfews, the suspension of civil law, civil rights, habeas corpus, and the application or extension of military law or military justice to civilians. In other words, say goodbye to the United States as you've known it and embrace an extremely altered future.

So, what exactly does that mean? Well, it means that every aspect of life as we know it here in the United States would be under the control of the government.  That doesn't sound too bad, until you begin dissecting what that entails.

Mandatory curfews

• In the case of extreme emergency, no one would be allowed on the streets at all 24/7. 
• As things improved, citizens would be ordered to be in their home by a certain time and not allowed out again until the curfew was lifted. In this instance, curfew would probably be from sunset to sunrise, ensuring that no one would be out on the streets during nighttime hours.

Transportation curtailed (shipping, aviation, ground transport, railways, etc…)  Note: Executive Order 11005 allows the government to take over railroads, inland waterways, and public storage facilities.  Executive Order 11003 allows the government to take over all airports and aircraft, including commercial aircraft.

• Only military and government personnel allowed on highways.
• All airlines and other aviation traffic will be grounded.
• Military checkpoints will be set up, restricting transportation to local areas only.
• Transportation of goods nationwide will be curtailed. All goods will be obtained through government run distribution centers. These goods include: medical supplies, prescriptions, food, clothing, fuel, cigarettes  liquor, water, baby formula, diapers/incontinence items, pain reliever, personal hygiene items, pet food, etc…
• Railroads will be drafted for use by the government for the transportation of supplies and weapons.

Communications monitored

• Landlines and cell phones
• All forms of online communication

Control of all media  Note: Executive Order 10995 allows the government to seize and control the communication media.

• Television and radio stations will be controlled by the government and will only be allowed to transmit government approved messages and news (expect quite a bit of propaganda).  
• The same will hold true for printed media.

Suspension of civil law, civil rights, habeas corpus, and will replace this with military law or military justice.

• The Constitution will no longer be valid.
• All laws will be based on military law.
• Civil rights will no longer be applicable.
• Habeas corpus will be nonexistent.
• They can arrest you for whatever reason they want.
• They can imprison you without charging you with a crime.
• They can imprison you indefinitely (10, 20, 50 years).
• They are not obligated to provide you with a lawyer.
• You are never guaranteed to see a judge or to enter a courtroom during your entire incarceration.
• No hesitation… If you're out on the street during curfew or if you're deemed a threat for any reason, you can be shot without warning.  It doesn't matter if you're elderly, pregnant or a child.  If you think that can't happen, click here.
• Your home may be searched for any reason and at any time without a warrant.
• Eventually, you will not be allowed to grow your own food (even in a backyard garden) or to raise your own livestock for food.

Identification  Note: Executive Order 11002 designates the Postmaster General to operate a national registration of all persons.

• As Martial Law becomes the norm, everyone will be ordered to obtain a national identification card.
• You will be required to produce the proper identification upon request by any peace officer, US military personnel, UN peacekeeping forces and DHS/TSA personnel.

Relocation  Note: Executive Order 11004 allows the Housing and Finance Authority to relocate and establish new locations for populations.

• Individuals in rural areas of the community will be relocated to a more densely populated area or to a FEMA camp for their own “safety.”
• Individuals resisting Martial Law will be sent to a FEMA camp for “re-education.”
• Christians, who will refuse to sin against the Lord, and will have to disobey orders that would cause emotional or physical harm to others
• Patriots, who will defend the now defunct Constitution.

Slave to the System  Note: Executive Order 11000 allows the government to mobilize civilians into work brigades under government supervision.

• Those who have been receiving assistance from the government through food stamps, welfare, etc.. will be required to work for the system in order to continue receiving this assistance. 
• Those who have become unemployed due to travel restrictions will also be required to work for the government.
• Refuse collection and roadside cleanup
• Rebuilding and repairing roads
• Volunteering as clerks at government distribution centers
• Participate in community beautifying programs
• Work in menial government support positions
• Planting, maintaining and harvesting GMO crops

Where's My Money!  Note: Executive Order 11921 allows the Federal Emergency Preparedness Agency to develop plans to establish control over the mechanisms of production and distribution of energy sources, wages, salaries, credit, and the flow of money in U.S. financial institutions in any undefined national emergency.

• Bank accounts will be seized
• Employee pay rates will be regulated
• The flow of money, including all credit, will be controlled

Resources  Note: Executive Order 10997 allows the government to take over all electrical power, gas, petroleum, fuels, and minerals.

• Rolling blackouts will become the norm.
• Those showing any resistance will have their resources discontinued (water, electricity, gas, propane, cable/satellite television).

Health and Education  Note: Executive Order 11001 allows the government to take over all health, education, and welfare functions.

• Medical and dental care will be rationed.
• Those needing psychiatric care will be sent to a facility for their "personal safety."
• Schools will managed directly by the government. They will will receive instructions and government approved materials to be taught to students from K-College levels.

Redistricting and Elections

• Eventually, counties, regions and states will be redistricted as Martial Law maintains its grip on the nation. The country will be broken up into large regions instead of individual states. This will void individual state sovereignty and consolidate resources.
• Elections will become a thing of the past. The president will work closely with his advisers to seek representatives who he can trust to enforce his decrees.  Those individuals will be placed in the seats of power in each region.

These are just a few examples of what awaits us when our economy implodes or if the US is hit with a huge false flag event (possibly something that affects major areas of the nation).  It could only be a few weeks or a few months away.  How much of what I described will we have to endure before the Lord returns?  We just don't know.  Martial law doesn't even compare to what’s ahead for those who will go through the seven-year Tribulation. It’s just the beginning of a world system that will affect everyone living on the planet, believers and nonbelievers alike.

During the Tribulation, there will be only one hope, and that hope is Jesus Christ.  It's the hope of salvation through the blood of Jesus, a hope sealed by the Holy Spirit, a hope to be realized by our physical death or by the glorious appearance of Jesus Christ at the end of the Tribulation. As we watch the signs of the times, prepare for the worst but hope for the best. Prepare for martial law, but hope that the Rapture precedes it.

God bless and may the peace that passes all understanding fill your heart as we wait for the return of the Bridegroom!

If you like this article, or any of the other information on this web site, please consider following me. You'll be one of the first to be notified when I create new content! You'll find the section at the top of the right hand column on this page. It says, "Follow Tribulation Harvest by Email." After entering your email address, you may be prompted to sign in to your Google account. Thank you!!!

Repent and be forgiven! Believe and be saved!

TribulationHarvest.net

Eschatology And Misinterpreting Current Events - Enough Already!

As we get closer and closer to the Rapture, I find that many of my brothers and sisters in the Lord seem to be allowing current events to send them off on wild goose chases. There are many brothers and sisters who are so caught up in eschatology that they are looking for any bit of information, no matter how small, that they can use to confirm their own personal theories of where we are in end time events.

Here are the things I'm hearing online:

• "Obama is the Antichrist"
• "Obama is the clone of pharaoh Akhenaten"
• "We are currently in the middle of the Tribulation"
• "The 7-year peace treaty was signed a couple of years ago in secret"
• "North Korea is going to trigger the events that will bring on the Rapture"
• "The Abomination of Desolation has already happened with Obama's recent visit to Israel"
• "The man who showed up in St. Peter's Square in sackcloth may be one of the two witnesses"

Are you serious, people? Have you thrown wisdom out of the window? Are you now ready to misquote and misinterpret scripture? You look left and you look right as you take in world events, but are you filtering all of this information through the Holy Spirit? Some of you think you are, but you are just deceiving yourself.

There have been other generation who thought that they were going to experience the Rapture, but they were misinterpreting the signs of the time. They weren't filtering that information through the Holy Spirit and they were leaning unto their own understanding of the situations around them. The same can be said for Christians today. Yes, the Rapture and Tribulation is closer than ever. Yes, I believe that the Rapture will happen soon. What I don't believe is that every news item out there is linked to biblical prophecy.

There is a brother online that I follow on YouTube. He's a great brother in the Lord and he has been used by God in healing the sick at church and encouraging his brothers and sisters through his YouTube videos. He happens to be 100% positive, by his own admission, that President Obama is the Antichrist. I don't believe this to be true, as you can see HERE in a separate article I wrote on the subject.

Since this brother believes that President Obama is the Antichrist, he now believes that we are already in the Tribulation. This is only one example how misinterpreting the signs of the time can alter your perception of scripture. Scripture says that the Antichrist will be revealed when he brokers a peace agreement between Israel and her enemies. To believe that Obama is the Antichrist would thus lead you to believe that some secret peace treaty was signed a few years ago and that we're about to reach the midway point of the 7-year Tribulation. Of course, scripture refutes that idea, but wisdom seems to be tossed out the window when worldly understanding takes over our mind.

Why is this happening? It's the work of the Enemy, of course. He is the creator of confusion and will use anything to send the elect spinning in different directions, using their valuable time on this earth to chase after false ideas, which result in conclusions that can in no way be supported by scripture. These brothers and sisters are falling down rabbit hole after rabbit hole, always looking for those precious pieces of information that will support their theory, but which, in the end, lead only to altering the word of God to fit their own desires for confirmation.

I'm writing this article out of love for you, my brothers and sisters. Please... PLEASE... think about what you're doing! You're being used by the Enemy to bring confusion to your own lives and to the rest of the body of Christ and you don't even realize it. Many of you have predicted that certain events would happen and they haven't come to pass. You admit you were wrong, but then go right on predicting what you believe will occur in the near future. Can't you see that the information you're using to predict future events is itself corrupt?  

• Obama is not the Antichrist!  The Antichrist will come as a man of peace, not a man who uses armed drones to kill innocent men, women and children overseas. He is a type of anti-Christ but isn't the true Antichrist.  Nor is he a clone of the pharaoh Akhenaten.
• We can't be almost at the midpoint of the Tribulation for many reasons, one of which is that the Jews haven't even begun construction of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount.
• If Israel is not currently at peace with her neighbors, then how could the 7-year peace treaty have already been signed?
• The man who showed up at St. Peter's Square can't possibly be one of the two witnesses because he recognizes the Pope's authority over him and he is a believer in Catholicism.

I could go on and on. Please, brothers and sisters, think about what you're putting out there, in real life and online. You're passing off lies as truths, you're using scripture improperly to substantiate your claims and you're allowing yourselves to be deceived by the Enemy who only wants to cause confusion among the brethren and keep you off balance. Even common sense is being ignored.

When an event happens, take a step back and compare it to scripture. Don't make scripture fit the event, check to see if the event fits scripture. The Enemy will continue to put information out there that he wants us to chase after in our vain attempt to somehow figure everything out. Don't be deceived! If you continue on, you'll be leading others astray just as Harold Camping did, who by-the-way was thoroughly convinced that he was correct in what he was teaching as well.

One final note.  In the past, I was guilty of this very thing that I'm writing about today, but the Lord corrected me. Will you give Him the opportunity to speak to you as well?

May the Lord guide your thoughts through His Holy Spirit. God bless!!!

If you like this article, or any of the other information on this web site, please consider following me. You'll be one of the first to be notified when I create new content! You'll find the section at the top of the right hand column on this page. It says, "Follow Tribulation Harvest by Email." After entering your email address, you may be prompted to sign in to your Google account. Thank you!!!

Repent and be forgiven! Believe and be saved!

TribulationHarvest.net