Stop Casting Pearls and Start Shaking The Dust Off Your Feet Christians!!!

As Christians, we know how subtle the enemy (Satan) can be. He often dissuades us from pursuing a relationship with God and tries to convince us to take a break from Christianity for a while, hoping to separate us from Him and lead us to that wide and easy path that leads to death. What we don't expect from the enemy is encouragement to continue witnessing to the lost.

What???  Satan convinces us to continue witnessing? I believe that he does, and here is why I say that. He convinces us to continue witnessing to a resistant soul, someone who is so entangled in the enemy's web that the enemy is convinced he/she will never submit to God. Why would he do this? Think about it. If the enemy can get you to spend your time constantly witnessing to a resistant individual who does nothing but reject God and mock you, then those unsaved individuals out there who are truly seeking the truth will be, for the most part, ignored.  Great plan, don't you think?

There are those who eagerly accept the word of God, and there are those who reject it outright. The problem I used to have (and many Christians still have) is that I used to spend a lot of time trying to use the word of God to show people that God is real and that they need to repent of their sin. Unfortunately, the more resistant a person was to receiving the word of God, the more time was taken away from those who were urgently seeking someone to answer their questions about salvation.

Look, Jesus gave us the perfect example on how to deal with non-believers who totally reject who God is.

• Don’t cast your pearls before them (they’re just going to trash the word of God). 
  • “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." Matthew 7:6
• Shake the dust off your feet and walk away (if they’re not going to accept the salvation message, move on).  
  • "Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet."  Matthew 10:14
• Let the blind lead the blind (if they’re intent on continuing in the same direction, let them go).  
  • “Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Matthew 15:14
    

We can’t neglect the rest of the harvest just because of one person. The consequences of that are just too great.  

Jesus taught those who wanted to listen.  I don’t recall any recorded incident in the bible where Jesus purposely sat down with those who rejected Him and tried to convince them otherwise. Everyone makes that personal decision whether to believe and repent or to deny and remain blissfully ignorant. Who were those who followed Jesus out into the fields and hills? While some were there to mock Him or test Him, the majority were those who wanted to hear what He had to say, to sit under this Prophet's teaching. They were those who thirsted after God.

We must understand that having a human nature means that we take on much more responsibility than God wants us to have.  We constantly have to battle that way of thinking.  It’s the Holy Spirit’s responsibility to convict the sinner, to open his eyes and to change his heart.  It’s His responsibility to convince the sinner of who God is.  Our job is to share the word of God with those who will listen and to point people to Jesus.  If they truly don't have any desire to give their life to God, then we’re to move on, NOT double down and put a more concerted effort and increased time into trying to convince them otherwise.

"That's not loving... we need to fight for them until the very end... how can you call yourself a Christian if you're willing to give up on them so easily? Surely God didn't say..."  Can you hear the enemy's voice?  He's trying to make us feel guilty for abandoning someone to hell.  Don't listen to him.  The enemy uses this flaw in Christians to delay them from reaching those who the enemy knows are on the verge of repentance or who have opened their heart enough to begin seeking the truth.  He has convinced Christians that we can’t love the sinner if we’re willing to walk away, but that’s a lie.  We've been instructed by God to do just that.  

For those who have hardened their heart against God, our personal walk with the Lord is our witness.  That doesn't mean that we don't pray for all of those who have rejected Him.  Our prayers for lost souls is powerful, but let's us not be deceived into believing that our one-on-one witnessing is the only way to witness to these individuals who have a heart of stone.

So what do I suggest?  If someone doesn't accept the salvation message, offer to give them some information (tracts) or point them to a specific Christian web site.  If they won’t accept the information, then let them know that you’re there for them if they have any questions or if they need prayer.  Always share the love of Christ with them through selfless acts and a warm smile.   That is a wonderful witness.  

The most important thing is to allow God to place you in the harvest field to reap as much fruit as possible before your time here on earth is over.  We're called to plant, sow and reap the harvest.  We're not called to pull up the tares.  We need to leave that to God.  Continue to pray for those who have rejected the message of Jesus Christ, but continue even more in pursuing those who are hungry for Him.

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Some Good News About The Tribulation

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Yeah, you read that right. I just finished an article for my blog and while searching the scriptures, I found a nugget… a big fat nugget. I thought you might want to know about it, so here we go!

I found this nugget while reading chapters 13 & 14 in the book of Revelation.  Here is the scripture for those of you who aren’t running to get your bible or clicking on your desktop icon to pull up your favorite bible software. I apologize in advance for copying chapter 13 in its entirety, but I wanted to put the underlined portion of scripture in context. You can just read the underlined portion if you prefer, because that’s the portion I’ll be referring to.

Chapter 13 (KJV)

¹And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. ²And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. ³And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. ⁴And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? ⁵And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. ⁶And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. ⁷And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. ⁸And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. ⁹If any man have an ear, let him hear. ¹⁰He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. ¹¹And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. ¹²And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. ¹³And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, ¹⁴And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. ¹⁵And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. ¹⁶And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: ¹⁷And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. ¹⁸Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

So we see here a picture of the Beast and the False Prophet in the last half of the Tribulation, which is known as the Great Tribulation. He orders an image of the Beast to be made. He then “gives life” to this image so that it speaks. This image demands to be worshiped, using death as a punishment for disobedience. Everyone is then commanded to receive the mark of the beast in their forehead or right hand. Anyone who refuses this mark will be prohibited from purchasing or selling anything.

You may be asking yourself where the good news is in all of this. Hold on, it’s coming. It’s found in Revelation 14.

Chapter 14 (KJV)

¹And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. ²And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: ³And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. ⁴These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. ⁵And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. ⁶And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, ⁷Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. ⁸And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. ⁹And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, ¹⁰The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: ¹¹And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. ¹²Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. ¹³And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them…

Did you see it? The good news? For those of you who missed it, here it is:

Our loved ones and friends who remain after the Rapture will be given absolute 100% proof that God exists, thus giving them another chance to repent! 

Chapter 13 describes what’s going to happen, but chapter 14 lets us know that God is going to send angels to shout with a loud voice warning the inhabitants of the earth to fear God and give Him glory! Read the underlined portion of chapter 14 again. These are the words that will be heard by everyone on the earth at this point and time in the Tribulation. They’re encouraged to give their lives to God and to reject the mark of the Beast and to refrain from worshiping the Beast. 

How do I know that what is written about in Chapter 14 will take place before, or just as, the mark of the Beast and the worship of his image is made mandatory as described in chapter 13? If that wasn't the case, then the warning would be moot.

Chapter 13 reveals to us what Satan’s plan will be, but chapter 14 shows us that God has a plan to warn everyone on the planet before these new laws can be instituted by the Beast.

So there it is. Take comfort in knowing that even when we’re gone, the Lord has prepared so much for those who remain here on the earth during that time of Tribulation. He has prepared the two Witnesses, the 144,000 Messianic Jews, and he will send angels to audibly warn the entire population of the planet against worshiping the Beast and taking his mark.

Thank you, Lord God, for tempering Your anger during the Tribulation and allowing those who are lost opportunity upon opportunity to repent during this time of Tribulation. May all glory and honor be to You Lord God, forever and ever!  Amen!

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Are Atheists And Agnostics Really Looking For Proof Of God's Existence?

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Are Atheists and Agnostics really looking for proof of the existence of God?  That’s a question that recently popped into my mind. I've had discussions with Atheists and Agnostics in the past and have found that no matter what answer I gave them, they seemed to twist the scripture shared with them or just balked at my response. It got to the point where I realized that I could not convince them of anything; that they needed to step out in faith or they would be lost forever. I left it at that and although I stopped “casting my pearls,” I was always available if they wanted to talk about the Lord.

I find myself pondering the question of whether they were really and truly looking for “proof,” or if their sole purpose was to deny Christ no matter what evidence they were given of His existence. I decided to refer back to the word of God and find examples of those who denied Jesus’ authority even though they were staring in the face of undeniable proof that He was indeed the Son of God.  Here is what I found.

The Good Shepherd and the hireling

“Truly, truly, I say to you, He who does not enter into the sheepfold by the door, but going up by another way, that one is a thief and a robber. ²But he who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ³The doorkeeper opens to him, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him. For they know his voice. ⁵And they will not follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. ⁶Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they did not understand what it was which He spoke to them. ⁷Then Jesus said to them again, Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. ⁹I am the door. If anyone enters in by Me, he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. ¹¹I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. ¹²But he who is a hireling and not the shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away. And the wolf catches them and scatters the sheep. ¹³The hireling flees, because he is a hireling and does not care for the sheep. ¹⁴I am the Good Shepherd, and I know those that are Mine, and I am known by those who are Mine. ¹⁵Even as the Father knows Me, I also know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep. ¹⁶And I have other sheep who are not of this fold. I must also lead those, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, one Shepherd. ¹⁷Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I might take it again. ¹⁸No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down from Myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it again. I have received this commandment from My Father.” ¹⁹Then a division occurred again among the Jews because of these words. ²⁰And many of them said, ‘He has a demon and is insane. Why do you hear him?’ ²¹Others said, ‘These are not words of one who has been possessed by a demon. A demon is not able to open the eyes of blind ones.’ (John 10:1-21 MKJV)

Here we have Jesus openly declaring that he’s the Good Shepherd, acknowledging that He lays down His life for His sheep and takes up His life by His own authority and that God is His Father. To some, these were just the words of a demon possessed man; to others they were words of truth because they knew that Jesus had healed the blind. Jesus’ mention of the “hirelings” must have infuriated the Pharisees. Jesus said, “But he who is a hireling and not the shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away. And the wolf catches them and scatters the sheep. ¹³The hireling flees, because he is a hireling and does not care for the sheep.” (John 10:12-13 MKJV)

Wow! Here is an example of what Jesus was talking about.

First, the miracle. 

“Then they took away the stone where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. ⁴²And I know that You hear Me always, but because of the people who stand by I said it, so that they may believe that You have sent Me.’ ⁴³And saying these things, He cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, Here! Outside!’ ⁴⁴And he who had died came out, bound hand and foot with sheets, and his face was bound with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Untie him and let him go!’ ⁴⁵Then many of the Jews who came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on Him. ⁴⁶But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. (John 11:41-46 NKJV)

As we see in this portion of scripture, while some who had witnessed this miracle repented and accepted Jesus as their Messiah, others refused to believe and went straight to the Pharisees to report what they had witnessed. 

Next, the hirelings and the wolf

Then the chief priests and Pharisees gathered a Sanhedrin, and said, ‘What can we do? For this man does many miracles. ⁴⁸If we let him alone this way, all will believe on him. And the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.’ ⁴⁹And one of them, Caiaphas, being the high priest of that year, said to them, ‘You do not know anything at all, ⁵⁰nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation perish.’ ⁵¹And he did not speak this of himself, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation; ⁵²and not for that nation only, but also that He should gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. ⁵³Then from that day they took counsel together that they might kill Him. (John 11:47-53)

Even the Pharisees, knowing what Jesus had done, refused to accept Him as their Messiah and, instead, worried more about what could possibly happen in the physical instead of realizing the blessing of witnessing prophecy being fulfilled right before their eyes. By operating in the physical, they rejected the power of God in favor of appeasing the wolf (the Romans). These “hirelings” were so concerned about their own lives that they were willing to run away from the Good Shepherd and the flock He was gathering. Their solution was to throw the Good Shepherd to the wolf and allow the Good Shepherd’s flock to be scattered.

Let’s look at some other examples of people rejecting the truth even when they were staring proof in the face.

As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a dumb man, who had been demon-possessed. ³³And when the demon had been cast out, the dumb one spoke. And multitudes marveled, saying, Never was it seen like this in Israel! ³⁴But the Pharisees said, He throws out demons by the ruler of the demons. (Matthew 9:32-34 MKJV)

The Pharisees can’t deny that the healing took place because they themselves were witnesses of the miracle, but they chose to reject proof of Jesus’ authority on earth and instead said that he casts out demons with the power of Satan.  Proof rejected!

Cities denounced

Then He began to upbraid the cities in which most of His mighty works were done, because they did not repent. ^21’Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the powerful acts which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes! ²²But I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. ²³And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to the heaven, shall be brought down to hell. For if the mighty works which have been done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. ²⁴But I say to you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.’ (Matthew 11:20-24 MKJV)

Jesus performed miracles in Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum and although they witnessed these miracles, they still refused to accept Jesus as their Messiah.  Proof rejected!

Healing a man’s withered hand

And when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. ¹⁰And behold, a man having a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbaths? This so that they might accuse Him. ¹¹And He said to them, What man among you will be, who will have one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the sabbaths, will he not lay hold on it and lift it out? ¹²How much better is a man then than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. ¹³Then He said to the man, Stretch out your hand. And he stretched it out, and it was restored whole like the other. ¹⁴Then the Pharisees went out and held council against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.  (Matthew 12:9-14 MKJV)

Again, Jesus performs a miracle, but instead of throwing themselves at Jesus’ feet, the Pharisees rejected the Good Shepherd and plotted ways they would destroy Him and His ministry.  Proof rejected!

Just as He was rejected by those who witnessed these miracles first hand, so He has been rejected by the majority of people who have lived on this planet since that time. 

You may say, ‘This is a new generation. If Jesus were to create signs and wonders again, everyone will repent, right?’ Well, let’s look to the book of Revelation to see what God has to say about that.

God warns the remaining population of the planet

And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those dwelling on the earth, even to every nation and kindred and tongue and people, ⁷saying with a great voice, Fear God and give glory to Him! For the hour of His judgment has come. And worship Him who made the heaven and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. ⁸And another angel followed, saying, The great city, Babylon, has fallen, has fallen; because of the wine of the anger of her fornication; she has made all nations to drink. ⁹And a third angel followed them, saying with a great voice, If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives a mark in his forehead or in his hand, ¹⁰he also will drink of the wine of the anger of God, having been mixed undiluted in the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented by fire and brimstone before the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. And they have no rest day or night, those who worship the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.  (Rev. 14:6-11 MKJV)

There is now no doubt that God is who He says He is. Everyone on the planet hears the words of the angels of God and know that God truly exists. They’re told to repent and are warned not to take the mark of the beast or to worship the image of the beast. They can no longer deny God’s existence, so how does the population respond? We have to turn back to scripture.

Was the proof accepted? From what we read in the following portions of scripture, it was indeed accepted, but what will those living on the earth do with that “revelation?”

And the fourth angel poured out his vial onto the sun. And it was given to him to burn men with fire. ⁹And men were burned with great heat. And they blasphemed the name of God, He having authority over these plagues. And they did not repent in order to give Him glory.  (Rev. 16:8-8 MKJV)

They recognize that God has authority over the plagues and they blaspheme His name. Proof accepted… God rejected!

And the fifth angel poured out his vial on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom became darkened. And they gnawed their tongues from the pain. ¹¹And they blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their pains and their sores. And they did not repent of their deeds. (Rev. 16:10-11 MKJV)

Again, they blaspheme God and refuse to repent. Proof accepted… God rejected!

So my question remains. Are Atheists and Agnostics really looking for proof of God’s existence, and if offered that proof, are they willing to accept it? By looking at human behavior through scripture, we can see that visible proof of God’s existence doesn't lead to belief if someone has set their mind and heart against God. As we see through God’s word, many times the proof is rejected. So when dealing with an Atheist or Agnostic, the first question to be asked of them is, “Do you really seek proof or have you already set your heart and mind against accepting anything that God wants to show you?” I don’t know if they can honestly answer that question, but it’s a start.

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!

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Locusts From The Pit: Revelation 9:1-12

There are creatures described in Revelation 9 that not only have a nasty look, but have a nasty sting as well. Various theories have been offered concerning the physical/spiritual make-up of these "locusts." Are they biological creatures? Are they weapons? Are they aircraft? Are they demons? Let's take a look at their physical appearance, their behavior and the results of their behavior so that we can try to figure this out.

Artwork: www.myspace.com/holyghostinthemachine#!

Rev 9:1-12 “And the fifth angel sounded. And I saw a star fall from the heaven to the earth, and it was given the key of the abyss.  ²And it opened the bottomless pit. And there arose a smoke out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace. And the sun and air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. ³And out of the smoke came forth locusts onto the earth. And authority was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have authority.  ⁴And they were commanded not to hurt the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God in their foreheads. ⁵And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months. And their torment was like a scorpion's torment when he stings a man. ⁶And in those days men will seek death and will not find it. And they will long to die, and death will flee from them. ⁷And the shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for battle. And on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. ⁸And they had hairs like the hairs of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. ⁹And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron. And the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. ¹⁰And they had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. And their authority was to hurt men five months. ¹¹And they had a king over them, the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in Greek his name is Apollyon. ¹²The first woe is past. Behold, after these things yet come two woes. 

Where did they come from?  

Rev. 9:1-3a "And the fifth angel sounded. And I saw a star fall from the heaven to the earth, and it was given the key of the abyss.  ²And it opened the bottomless pit. And there arose a smoke out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace. And the sun and air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. ³And out of the smoke came forth locusts onto the earth."

These entities come from the "abyss," the "bottomless pit" out of which arises smoke so great that the sun and air are darkened by it. Now the scripture reads that, "out of the smoke came forth locusts onto the earth." So, from this I can speculate that they must be coming out of the abyss, the bottomless pit, and onto the earth. So they weren't on the earth at the time, but in the earth... in the bottomless pit. 

If it were a military vehicle like a helicopter or armed drone, would an angel of the Lord be sent to release them from the spiritual realm of the bottomless pit? Physical machinery can't occupy the spiritual realm, and mankind, in the flesh, can't either, unless God so directs, so my question would be, how could a military force of men and machine emerge from the spiritual realm of the bottomless pit?

Who released them?

Rev. 9:1-2 “And the fifth angel sounded. And I saw a star fall from the heaven to the earth, and it was given the key of the abyss.  ²And it opened the bottomless pit."

An angel is sent from heaven who has the power and authority to release these "locusts" from their confinement. The scripture doesn't refer to an earthly military power being given the authority to begin a military operation. An angel actually descends from heaven to earth to unlock the bottomless pit, not unlock the military might of a particular nation or power block.

Who is in charge of these "locusts?"

Rev. 9:11 "And they had a king over them, the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in Greek his name is Apollyon."

So we see here that an angel named Abaddon/Apollyon has control over these "locusts." 

Scripture states that this angel who directs the actions of these "locusts" is their "king" and that he is "the angel of the bottomless pit," which means that Abaddon/Apollyon must also be imprisoned in the bottomless pit and ruling there as a high ranking demon (archdemon) just like Michael is a high ranking angel (archangel). Scripture isn't referring to an earthly military leader, but an archdemon.

What are the limitations of these locusts?

Rev. 9:3b-6 "And authority was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have authority. ⁴And they were commanded not to hurt the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God in their foreheads. ⁵And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months. And their torment was like a scorpion's torment when he stings a man. ⁶And in those days men will seek death and will not find it. And they will long to die, and death will flee from them."

They cannot:

1. Hurt the grass of the earth
2. Hurt any green thing
3. Hurt any tree
4. Hurt anyone who has the seal of God in their foreheads
5. Kill anyone

They can (through their sting):

1. Hurt all those who do not have the seal of God in their foreheads
2. Cause mankind to experience torturous pain for 5 months

These "locusts" are given authority to attack those who do NOT have the seal of God in their forehead. If we're looking at it in the physical, that would mean the military would need to selectively target individuals, but if they're using some sort of biological weapon, then it's going to affect everyone. There is no possible way that an attack on billions of people worldwide can accurately target only those individuals who do not have the mark of God in their foreheads. And why would they attack everyone who is not an enemy of the state? Wouldn't they be targeting born again believers in Christ? 

In the spiritual, God actually has set limits on these "locusts," and gives the command NOT to attack those individuals who have His seal in their forehead, so believers aren't even targeted by the enemy. Since God won't be commanding a hostile military force on earth, then He must be directing the actions of spiritual entities and commanding them concerning who they are and are NOT allowed to attack.

Now, the result of this attack is that those individuals who are affected will suffer for 5 months and will seek death, but death will flee from them. So those affected will try to take their own lives to end the pain, but death will not have the authority to take their lives during this time. Can you imagine someone experiencing torturous pain to the point where they want to take their own life and then not having the ability to do so? No matter how many times or how many ways they try, they just won't be able to die, because death will be restrained for a period of time. 

Again, if we look at this in the physical and argue that this event was a military action utilizing biological weapons, these bio-toxins would need to cause pain for exactly 5 months, and it would need to incapacitate these individuals so that they wouldn't have the strength to kill themselves. We then need to ask ourselves... "Who could live for five months without food and water?" It just doesn't add up, but if you look at this from a spiritual aspect, those suffering this immense torture will not be allowed to die because God will give the command that none shall be able to take their own life during this period. So death will basically have his hands tied.

What do the strange locusts look like?

Rev. 9:7-10 "And the shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for battle. And on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. ⁸And they had hairs like the hairs of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. ⁹And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron. And the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. ¹⁰And they had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails."

Strange description indeed. They have the face of a man, long hair like women and teeth like a lion. They have wings and they have tails like scorpions.  They have breastplates like iron and they have gold "crowns" (Stephanos - to twine or wreath). What could this be?

If we look at just the physical description of the locusts, our first thought may be that it must be something mechanical, like a military helicopter or an armed drone. The physical description of the locusts is so beyond our comprehension of what a living entity could look like, that the logical assumption would be to say that this entity is indeed a mechanized weapon of some sort, a vehicle that would have been nearly impossible to describe in suitable terms in the first century AD.

Then again, there are many creatures in our world that look "alien" to us.  Just look at these few examples:

   

Tardigrades
www.bbc.co.uk

Blob Fish
www.eatnineghost.com

Star-Nosed Mole
www.eatnineghost.com

Flea
www.thesun.co.uk

Pretty strange looking creatures, right? After looking at these pictures, I can't help but begin to believe that it IS possible for the Lord to have already created a hoard of stranger looking creatures that can be used to pour out His judgment on the world during this part of the Tribulation. After all, if these judgments are going to be worse than any other in the history of mankind, it's probably safe to say that the creatures created by God to exact His judgment will be the most hideous creatures that have ever been created as well.

If, on the other hand, we consider these locusts to be biological, then we must believe that they have already been created and are being contained until that particular point in time when God will command them to be released from the abyss/bottomless pit. Is there any other portion of scripture that describes a creature being contained until a time of judgment? Yes, there is.

Rev 9:13-15  And the sixth angel sounded his trumpet. And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, ¹⁴saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, Loose the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates. ¹⁵And the four angels were loosed, who were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, in order to slay the third part of men.

So God does, indeed, bind up spiritual entities in preparation for their release during His time of judgment. So these locusts could be, in my humble opinion, most likely actual living spiritual entities that the Lord has prepared for "an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, in order to bring" pain to men.  

Could these locusts be demons? Yes. Could they be actual biological creatures, since they all look the same? I'd say there is a very low possibility, but they could be. Could they be weapons/military vehicles? I highly doubt it, but I am willing to consider any thoughts from readers who would like to respond to this blog.

Please take the time to leave a comment and let me know what YOU think. I'm interested in your interpretation of what the locusts are.

REPENT, AND BE FORGIVEN!

BELIEVE, AND BE SAVED!

TRIBULATIONHARVEST.NET

Revelation 13:9-10

I was just reading a chapter in Hal Lindsey’s book, “Vanished Into Thin Air: The Hope Of Every Believer,” and I came upon a section in Chapter 12 that caused me to take pause.  Here is what I read:

“If anyone has an ear, let him hear.  If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed.  Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.  In 13:9 the formula is given to alert Tribulation believers to hear and take heed to the life and death instructions to them of 13:10.  In verse 10, believers of that period are instructed not to resist being taken captive for their faith by the Antichrist, nor are they to resist with weapons.  If they use weapons, God says that they will be killed by them.”

That caused me to stop and ponder what I had just read.  I decided to go to the word of God and read this portion of scripture in context.  When I did, it seemed to agree with Mr. Lindsey’s interpretation.  But then I searched for the scripture reference and headed over to Jeremiah.  Here is what I found:

Jeremiah 15:1-6 “Then the LORD said to me, “Even though Moses and Samuel were to stand before Me, My heart would not be with this people; send them away from My presence and let them go!

2“And it shall be that when they say to you, ‘Where should we go?’ then you are to tell them, ‘Thus says the LORD:

  “Those destined for death, to death;

  And those destined for the sword, to the sword;

  And those destined for famine, to famine;

  And those destined for captivity, to captivity.”’

3“I will appoint over them four kinds of doom,” declares the LORD: “the sword to slay, the dogs to drag off, and the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.4“I will make them an object of horror among all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.

5“Indeed, who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem,

  Or who will mourn for you,

  Or who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

6“You who have forsaken Me,” declares the LORD,

  “You keep going backward.

  So I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you;

  I am tired of relenting!”

The Lord continues, but I think you get the gist of what is going on here.  As you can see, God is about to punish the nation of Israel for her disobedience.  In Revelation 13:10, God refers back to this particular portion of scripture found in Jeremiah, although it's not verbatim.  Given the meaning of it’s original use in Jeremiah, how can the scripture reference in Revelation be interpreted to mean what Mr. Lindsey claims?  How can scripture that was applied as punishment of God’s chosen people be then used as an instruction to go peacefully into captivity and not to defend ourselves against the Antichrist?  I had to ask myself, who in this particular portion of Revelation 13 is being punished?  It must be the Antichrist and those who follow him.

Let’s look at this again:

“If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes;”

Those destined for captivity (Satan, the Antichrist, the False Prophet and those who are destined for hell for worshiping the beast and/or receiving his mark), will go into captivity.  (Or you could say that those who led others into captivity, will themselves go into captivity.)

“if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed.”

Those who go about murdering the saints and others during this time, will themselves receive their just reward by losing their own lives.

“Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.”

Until this happens, patience and faith of the saints must be tried.

So as I view this scripture, I see it NOT as being called to be submissive to the Antichrist and his authority, but as being an encouragement that no matter what Christians may go through during the Tribulation, those who are destined for captivity will go, and those who kill by the sword will themselves perish, and Tribulation saints need to persevere and keep their faith during this time of Tribulation.

I would really welcome your thoughts on this.  Please leave your comments below.  God bless. 

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Make An After Rapture Packet!

To those of us who feel the urgency building to increase our efforts in witnessing to our small part of a lost world, we can’t help but think about our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and others who will be left behind after the rapture. We know that not everyone we know will accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior before the Lord returns for His “bride.” So what do we do for those left behind… for those we know and love?

Just because we will be absent from this world for a while doesn't mean we can’t continue to witness to those who are left behind. Here are a couple of things that I believe we can do to help those who are seeking the truth in a world that is about to experience horror the likes that have never been experienced since the creation of the world.

1.  We have the God-given responsibility to share the gospel while we are still here. We have to allow ourselves to be used by God to prepare that soil or plant that seed or water that seed before we leave. There is nothing more important than that. Along with this, we must warn the lost about the coming rapture and tribulation. We have so much to do and so many people to reach before Lord returns!

2.  Once we are gone, we still need a way to share the gospel. I believe we can do that by creating a packet of information for those left behind. You can create a “generic” packet that can be left or given to anyone, but it should have the flexibility to be able to be personalized and updated. What kind of information am I referring to? 

• Tracts: Tracts are very important. There are plenty of really good tracts out there that explain the reason for becoming a born-again believer in Christ.
• Bible: A bible will be an important tool for the new believer in the tribulation. There are plenty of inexpensive paperback bibles out there on the market. You can either purchase a full paperback bible or you can purchase a paperback New Testament. Either way, it seems a no-brainer to leave a copy of the word of God behind. If you're trying to save space, I suggest including only the New Testament instead of a bulkier bible. 
• Personal Message:
• Write a personal letter to the person you're giving the packet to or leaving the packet behind for and include it in the packet. 
• Many of us have a web cam, camcorder or phone that can take videos. We can use that technology to create a brief message explaining in our own words what has just taken place (the rapture) and what is about to occur in the near future (the tribulation). It also gives us a chance to once again share the salvation message in our own words. We can leave the video on those devices, copy it to a thumb drive, burn it on a DVD or burn it on an audio CD. If it's portable, you can put it in the packet.

• DVD: Find a few short Christian videos online (like on YouTube) concerning the rapture, tribulation and salvation, and burn them to a DVD.  You can also include your own personal message on the DVD. I will provide some links below for information that I have included in my own packets. 
• Internet Resources: There are a myriad of Christian web sites out there.  Copy the links of those sites that adequately describe what they need to know about salvation, the rapture and the tribulation.  Make a list of these web sites and print out a copy to include in your packet.
• Additional Materials: Add any additional materials that you feel someone might appreciate or benefit from.
• Find some inventive way of packaging up this information.  No matter how you decide to pack up the information, remember to include a label describing what’s in the packet.  Example: “Emergency Rapture Kit” or “In Case Of A Mass Disappearance, Open Immediately!”

Here are some ideas on how to package up your “Rapture Kit”:

• Large plastic zip-type freezer bag. This will not only keep everything together, but it will protect the contents from dirt and liquids and allow you to update it when needed, especially if you have created and "generic" packet and want to personalize it.
• Plastic wrap. It will help protect the contents keep things tightly bundled together.
• Hard plastic container. The type and amount of information you’re leaving behind will dictate the size of the container. If you're leaving it in your own home, it can be as large as you want it to be, but remember to keep it compact if you're making packets to give away.
• Cardboard box. Again, the size of the box will depend on what you’re including in the packet. A cardboard box alone may not protect your content as well as a plastic container. If it's the size of a shoe box, then you may be able to waterproof the box by sealing it in a plastic bag or by securing it in a food saver type sealer bag (air tight and sealed).
• Large manila mailing envelope. Again, this may not protect your information as well as a plastic container, but it can be left in an office environment or where you keep your important paperwork at home.

However you package up the information, remember that it should be clearly marked so that there is no doubt what the packaging contains.

Here are some ideas on what to do with the packet when it’s completed: 

• Give one to family members and friends who do not have a relationship with Jesus. Now, there are bound to be those who will not even want anything to do with the information you're offering. In that case, ask them if they would accept it as a personal favor to you and just put the information in a safe place so that if the rapture does actually happen, they can retrieve the packet and find out what just happened, what’s coming next and what they can do to be sure they spend eternity with God. If they know you’re not expecting anything else from them, then they're more likely to take the packet and tuck it away.
• Hand them out to neighbors or specific people you've been witnessing to but who haven't yet submitted their life to the Lord.
• Leave some in a conspicuous area in your house, like near your video tapes, CD’s, DVD’s, books, etc… where they will be easily found.
• Leave a packet or two at work. Place them in your desk drawer or in your locker at work to become a witness to your co-workers after you're gone.
• If it's packaged right (create your own booklet as I have), you may be able to donate a few to your local library.
• Share the contents of the packet with your church leadership and ask if they would be willing to contribute materials for your special ministry or if they would like to encourage the congregation to create their own packets.  Also suggest creating similar packets to leave behind in the sanctuary or Pastor’s office so that those flocking to the church after the rapture will find the information.
• Leave a packet in your glove box, center console or trunk in your vehicle.
• Carry one with you. If your information packet is small enough, you can keep a packet in your pocketbook or briefcase, ready to give out if the opportunity arises. If not, anyone going through your pocketbook or briefcase after the rapture will find it (after all, you’re not taking it with you…lol).
• Leave a copy where you keep your important paperwork (last will and testament, home insurance, mortgage papers, birth certificates, etc…)

These are just a few examples on how you can share or store your packets so that anyone left behind will be able to access this important information.

The important thing to remember is that however you package up the information and however you give them out or store them, you are taking steps to continue witnessing to the lost and unsaved world even after you’re gone.

For a more in-depth article describing of what I have in my own After Rapture Packet, click here.

Suggested Videos For Your Own DVD

Experiencing Tribulation

What To Do If You're Left Behind

Did Many People Disappear?

My Last Day

Set Your Eyes

All I Have Is Christ

The Gospel Song

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