Elijah, Daniel, Amos, and the Great Apostasy

An Apostasy scripture chase! Start 1) Amos 8:11-12 - a famine of hearing the word would come; associated with other famines: see 1 Kings Ch 17: 1-7; Elijah had power to shut up the heavens. Famine of hearing the word/ Elijah seals the heavens and is fed by the ravenst, his famine or that drought lasted 3.5 years. Step 2) Go to: Revelation 12:14, then write down 1 time, times, half time = 3.5 years, (Same length of time that happened with the famine during the days of Elijah, again, then lower to verse 6: Revelations 12:6, then for Famine, (what is a famine? also see: 1 Samuel 3:1) , Step 3) Then go to Malachi 4:5-6; Elijah, once again, appears to end the first drought spoken of by Amos; which is on the earth; but this time, a spiritual famine.

Bonus: Word of God compared to Rain: [Isaiah 55:10-11]

Bonus: During the Millennium, we will have living water among us: Revelation 7:17

Bonus: Daniel also saw this: Daniel 12:7

Additional Fun Reading:

ELIJAH'S RETURN AND VICTORY. (Note, I do not claim this as doctrine nor agree with all things mentioned. It is interesting, none the less... something to ponder!

--SEPTEMBER 5.--1 KINGS 18:16-40.--

ELIJAH'S EXPERIENCES TYPICAL--KING AHAB AND QUEEN JEZEBEL ALSO TYPES--THREE AND A HALF YEARS' DROUGHT PREFIGURED TWELVE HUNDRED AND SIXTY YEARS OF SPIRITUAL DROUGHT--ELIJAH'S PRAYER OF FAITH BROUGHT NATURAL SHOWERS--CHURCH'S PRAYERS OF FAITH BROUGHT SPIRITUAL SHOWERS AND A GREAT REFORMATION.

OUR lesson is interesting as we find it simply recorded in the Bible, but the interest of Bible students increases from the time they learn that Elijah was not only a Prophet of the Lord, but also a type of the Church's earthly experiences. The Book of Revelation (2:20-25; 18:7) pictures to us Queen Jezebel as representing a great religious system of this Gospel Age which did great violence to the Truth. Ahab represented the worldly governments. His wife represented a false Christian Church system married to earthly governments. As Ahab represented the worldly governments claiming to be Christ's kingdoms, so Queen Jezebel pictured, or typified, a false Church system, which, instead of maintaining its purity as the virgin Church of Christ, became married or united to these earthly systems. Contrary to this, the true virgin Church of Christ was to remain faithful to her Heavenly Lord, awaiting His Second Coming; and her marriage to Him was then to be accomplished.

As the Prophets of Baal were under the care of Queen Jezebel and under the patronage of King Ahab, so the priests and the religious representatives of a great church system have been the obedient servants of the great false institutions pictured by Ahab and Jezebel. Similarly, Elijah the Prophet and his dealings with Ahab, Jezebel and the affairs of Israel, was a type of the true Church of Christ in the flesh--this side the veil. Although the true Church is indeed represented symbolically by a woman, it is also represented sometimes by a man, when the picture includes the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church.

In Revelation we have the three and a half years of Elijah's experience stated in symbolic language--forty-two months--1,260 days--three and a half times or years. (Revelation 11:2,3; 12:6,14; 13:5.) In Revelation the time was symbolic, so that each day of the three and a half years represented a year, or the whole period 1,260 years. Some Bible scholars have applied this period as beginning in 539 A.D. and ending in 1798 A.D., at the time when Napoleon Bonaparte took the Pope of Rome prisoner to Paris.

As during Elijah's hiding in the wilderness there was no rain until he came forth, as told in today's lesson, so in the Church's experiences there was a lack of rain, a drouth spiritually, for twelve hundred and sixty years, ending in 1798.

As just before the time of drought in Israel ended, there was a great contest (related in to-day's lesson), with the victory on the side of the Lord, so in the history of the Church a great contest took place between Catholicism and Protestantism in the period styled the Reformation. In the Revelation picture the Church, symbolized by a woman, is seen driven into the wilderness-- lost to the general view. The woman corresponds in the type to Elijah hidden from view to the king, the queen and the prophets of Baal--in the world, but not of it. As Elijah was fed in the wilderness by the ravens, so the account in Revelation says that the woman, the true Church, secluded from general view, was, nevertheless, spiritually fed during the twelve hundred and sixty years in which the famine for spiritual food prevailed in the world.

The Elijah class did a very courageous work after emerging from the wilderness condition. Spiritual refreshment came in abundant measure. For a time it looked as though Queen Jezebel had been vanquished, and that the slaying of her prophets with the Sword of Truth had demonstrated their errors and put the Truth of God and its servant, Elijah, the true Church, into a commanding position. However, this was not for long. Our next lesson will show us the Elijah class again fleeing from Jezebel's power.

WHY DEPRIVED OF RAIN Many express surprise that in response to earnest Bible study the Word of God in our day is telling such a beautiful Message of Divine Wisdom, Justice, Love [R5751 : page 253] and Power--a Message very contrary to the teachings of the past. "How," they ask, "is it possible for Bible students of today to have so much more light on God's Word than was found by equally zealous Bible students of the past?"

We reply that the twelve hundred and sixty years of spiritual drought are the explanation. About the year 300 A.D., Christian bishops began to claim Apostolic powers and to style themselves Apostolic Bishops. The claim is still made that the bishops of the Church of Rome, of the Church of England, etc., are of equal authority with the twelve Apostles, while the Bible claims to the contrary --that the twelve Apostles selected by Jesus (St. Paul taking the place of Judas) were to be the only foundations of the Christian Church, their teachings being on a full parallel with those of the Lord Jesus-- they being His special mouthpieces to the Church, orally and through their epistles. Jesus prophesied the falling away which would result in some falsely claiming to be [R5752 : page 253] Apostles. See Rev. 2:2. Compare 2 Pet. 2:1; Acts 20:30.

This exaltation of the bishops came in gradually and was given great force by the action of Emperor Constantine in calling for a Church Council at Nice, Bithynia, 325 A.D. The Council, under the Emperor's guidance, produced the Nicene Creed as representing the faith of the people of God. Subsequently that creed was impressed upon the people as being the only proper and infallible faith. Similarly, other additions to the creed were made later on by the bishops. The indorsement of these creeds implied that the bishops who made them had the right, the authority, the Divine revelation necessary for the work; and the people gradually endorsing the creeds were really endorsing at the same time the doctrine of Apostolic Succession, which was subsequently made a feature of the creeds.

From the time the Nicene Creed was promulgated and accepted, 325 A.D., there was practically no more Bible study for over twelve centuries. During all that time Bible study was considered unnecessary, because the Apostolic Bishops had formulated the creeds as proper statements of the Church's faith. To study the Bible would have meant the studying of how to fight against the Emperor and the combined views and teachings of the bishops. Besides, Bibles, then written on parchment, were worth a fortune and possessed by few; and education necessary for reading was extremely limited.

REVIVAL OF BIBLE STUDY

Twelve hundred years after the first expression by the so-called Apostolic Bishops brings us to 1526, when the art of printing had become common. In that year Prof. Tyndale, having prepared his MS., published it in Germany, because of the opposition of the English clergy. He imported his New Testaments into London, in whose shops the people began to purchase them. Few were able to read; but many were glad to organize classes and to hire a reader, that they might know the Word of God. At this same time the Germans were learning something of the New Testament and its different teachings, from Luther and his associates.

The Church of England bishops had heard about this New Testament. They forthwith bought up the entire edition in the shops, and publicly burnt them in front of St. Paul's Cathedral, London. They feared that the people would become interested in the words of Jesus and the Divinely-inspired Twelve Apostles; and that they, who had taken to themselves the title of "Apostolic Bishop," would become mere ciphers. They knew, too, that the eighteen Ecumenical Councils held during those twelve hundred years had declared to be true Christian faith many things not taught in the Bible, and that they had omitted many things that are taught therein. They feared that the people, becoming Bible students, would know of these things, and thus would be upset the general belief based in the creeds--and not in the Bible.

We see, however, that their fears were almost groundless. The teachings of the creeds, impressed for twelve centuries, have so fastened themselves upon the minds of the people that they can read to the contrary in the Bible and never notice the discrepancy! However, a great Bible-study inclination came at that time to the British people. Several other translations were subsequently brought out, until finally the bishops considered it advisable to give the Bible to the people, impressing upon them the thought that the bishops had all along been upholding the Bible. Then, too, they warned the people against putting any construction upon the Bible that would make it different from the teaching of the so-called "Apostolic Bishops" in the creeds--threatening them with eternal torment.

Interest in the Bible continuing, King James thought to popularize himself by authorizing a committee to prepare the so-called King James Version. While it was in preparation, the Roman Catholics, not to be outdone, produced a version entitled the Douay Bible--still in vogue. This also was given to the people, with the suggestion that it was in harmony with the creeds, and that any one interpreting it differently would be a heretic who could not be stopped even in Purgatory, but would pass straight on to eternal torture.

As it was, Tyndale and some of the others interested in the Bible suffered martyrdom, as enemies of the "Apostolic Bishops," and their creeds and institutions. The conflict proceeded, as already suggested, until 1799, when the Bible came into great prominence, nearly all of our great Bible Societies of today having been organized within fifteen years after that date. The foretold period of spiritual drought having been ended, a great spiritual shower came to the world. Nevertheless, as our next lesson will show, Ahab, and especially Jezebel, were unchanged. Elijah's life being again in danger, he fled to the wilderness. ----------

PILGRIMS ALL, IN SOLEMN HASTE

"Silent, like men in solemn haste, Girded wayfarers of the waste, We pass out at the world's wide gate, Turning our back on all its state; We press along the narrow road That leads to life, to bliss, to God. "We cannot and we would not stay; We dread the snares that throng the way; We fling aside the weight and sin, Resolved the victory to win; We know the peril, but our eyes Rest on the splendor of the prize. "'Tis but a little and we come To our reward, our crown, our Home! Another year, or more, or less, And we have crossed the wilderness; Finished the toil, the rest begun, The battle fought, the triumph won! "We grudge not, then, the toil, the way; Its ending is the endless Day! We shrink not from these tempests keen, With little of the calm between; We welcome each descending sun; Ere morn our joy may be begun!" ==================== http://www.agsconsulting.com/htdbv5/r5751.htm See also: http://creationconcept.wordpress.com/2011/07/30/elijah-and-the-ravens/

The Un-Read Letter

I was recently told that after I took the time to write him this letter, that it was erased before reading it. The letter was to You Tube user, "thejizzman99" My letters probably get ignored all the time but the fact that he returned to rail me, I decided at that moment that this letter must really be worth something and should live on someplace else.
I put it here, on my blog as, "The Un-Read" letter. My only request from others is that you be upfront and honest with me. If I'm going to write you a letter and you already know in advance that you won't be reading it, please give me the courtesy of at least letting me know. Give me some kind of clue that says, "I'll not accept anything that you say." and say this, for all I care, so I at least know how unreasonable you intend to be.
I value your time and if you value mine, I would appreciate knowing that my time will be well spent and not just tossed in the garbage. I take careful time and plan out these letters. Let me present the filth to you, in its entirety, so you can judge for yourself. To read this letter in context, one must know that it was like giving a child a pill that he would not swallow but since it was never taken, I have little doubt that the person this letter was intended for will ever overcome his self-inflicted wounds...
Josh Nelson

The Letter Proceeds as follows;

As an anti-Mormon myself once, there is hope even for you. Is it hard to kick against the pricks? Are you a "Saul of Tarsus-type?" or are you just a kin to the men who fought against God in yester-year? (Acts 5:33-39)

Acts 5:
33 ¶ When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;
35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

(In the letter, I did not quote the scripture but since he erased my message altogether, I didn't want this scripture to also fall by the wayside. It is a very revealing look into those men who fight against God. It almost makes someone wonder if they're really in the right since fighting against the true word of God has never went well for those who do.)


I was once encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but in God's great mercy, he opted to return me to the everlasting light unto salvation. I was preserved by the "Hand of God" and now I'm encircled about with his matchless bounty. I was preserved by the hand of God from a serious accident and while I was recovering, it was made known to me that I was given a chance to repent of my flight from God, having left my first love and undoubtedly, I helped many follow down forbidden paths and they are now lost because of my foolishness in attempting to live as my own person thinking I knew of myself.

I've been redeemed of and commissioned by the Christ as an instrument in his hands to work once again in his vineyard. No unholy hand can divert me. I covenanted to never leave him again. I'm God's go to man forever, so I hate to break it to you. I can only pray that they will notice the mask that you wear and the wolf that lies beneath. God has always proved and by sore experience of my own, that his wisdom is greater than the cunning of the Devil and of those who subject themselves unto him. Although they shall speak louder than some may be able to bear, I am prepared and have put on the whole armor of God.

My only question to you is simply this... how much longer will you endure living with so much wreckless hate against the Lord's established Zion. What chance do you have that the Lord could soften your heart as he has softened mine? Only time will tell. If God can find an honest bone in your body, he can show you the error of your ways if you humble yourself before him, as I was made to do.I was brought low unto nigh unto death until I would mend my ways and return to the fold. One thing he has shown me and he can show unto you is WHO the correct enemy is, even Satan.

Until you know with a perfect knowledge that he is fighting against Zion and enlisting any and all who are willing to join his campaign, you will merrily fight against the Lord's established truth on the earth. They'll continue to do so under the guise of fighting for the cause of God trying to save the damned Mormon's when they are doing all that they can to stand against the fiery darts of the adversary and keep the covenants in which they made. I find it a sad situation when someone as intelligent as you are unable to humble himself and become as a "Little Child" but this pointless argument and debate ought not to be "Childish." That is not what Christ meant about being as a little child, unfortunately...

Good luck to you. Hopefully, the Lord will see fit to grace your life with a life altering experience... and he may, if he discovers that you are not past feeling. He'll work with anything that he sees as whole about the person and he can work with it. If one is rotten to the core and himself is a dead tree that brings forth bitter, the Lord of the Vineyard has not choice but to remove the tree and cast it into the fire.

I sincerely hope this is not your fate. I am eternally grateful that God was able to pluck me out from where you now stand as a disturber of his kingdom to then be like unto Paul, who did much good for the
"Cause of Christ." I bid you well and good luck in this life. I sincerely hope that the hand of providence finds a way to channel the passion that you have and use it for building up of his kingdom on earth...

Sincerely,
Josh Nelson