AS IT WAS THEN, SO WILL IT BE IN THE END

Memory Text: “That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” Rom.3:4.

     The LORD of heaven has been on trial since Satan slandered the character of GOD before the angelic hosts, declaring that GOD’S Commandments given to govern life are bondage, and that liberty from their authority will bring a better life for every creature. Satan's political campaign gained him the votes of one third of all the angels of heaven (Rev.12:4a). Let us now examine, asking a simple question: What was the first fruit of Satan’s call to liberty? Violence! “And there was war in heaven.” Rev.12:7. To sin against GOD’S Law always leads to violence. GOD told Satan at the outset of his campaign to overthrow GOD’S authority, “Thou hast sinned” (Eze.28:16).

     Sin caused the first violence ever committed in the universe. It assaulted the tranquility GOD established “In the beginning.” Peace was removed and replaced with passions of rage whose only objective is the violent overthrow of GOD. Every accusation ever made against GOD here on Earth, Satan has made in heaven. But GOD has responded to both angels and man, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Prov.14:12.

     What is most profound for us today is the discovery that every lesson from the life of Jesus Christ has its counterpart in our day. Everything from the ruthless murder of innocent babes to the people’s cry for Barabbas (a common thief) over the righteous perfection of Jesus Christ who never hurt anyone. What took place in Christ’s day was simply the culmination of what man has done since the beginning of sin’s reign over the Earth. And this cry for Barabbas will reach its conclusion when today’s world dominant religion: nominal Christianity, who boastfully claim obedience to the Bible and the GOD of Heaven, is handed the throne of human government. As the priests of Judaea convinced the people to extinguish the love seen through Christ, so the religious leaders today will foment hatred of those who “keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Rev.14:12). This final display of religious tyranny will rise first in America, and from here to the rest of the world. (The proof of this is seen by the economic ripple effect felt throughout the world from America’s financial meltdown. Its religious counterpart will soon follow). As this seems unlikely to many, Jesus said it plain enough, “Fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven” (Lu.21:11).

     A desperation is coming where many pleasant, outwardly pious men in the church will be shown to be wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matt.7:15), as the Apostle Paul warned of these closing days: “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” II Tim.3:13. Based on the brutal history of the church, the church ministers are not to be excluded from those words of prophecy. Both history and Bible prophecy concur on a simple fact: When either ambition for power or desperation for survival takes hold, man always turns to sin to succeed. And yet, when sin is employed the threat is never averted and ruin has always followed. In this simple, often repeated lesson of history, the church and the world have yet to learn and take to heart. But this is as Solomon said it would be, “There is no remembrance of former things.” Eccl.1:11. As a result of this blindness the world will see “a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time.” Dan.12:1. It is this “time of trouble” that ushers the battle of Armageddon, which in turn ushers the 2nd Advent of Jesus Christ.

     It can never be said enough: Sin has always been the cause of every affliction that has ever taken place on the Earth. From the fall of Adam and Eve to the global flood of Noah’s day we see how men have refused the authority of GOD. And in each case, violence has always been the result beginning with Cain. GOD’S character, His manner, and His best intentions have been slandered in every generation, going all the way back to Satan’s first words ever spoken on Earth: “Hath God said…?” (Gen.3:3). But it was GOD’S Word from the beginning that gave the promise of “His only begotten Son;” and through His victory over sin and the grave comes His promise to one day restore the tranquility He established, “In the beginning.” Gen.1:1.

     So, in light of this, let us see a little of the contrast between GOD’S ways and that of man’s, for the LORD said: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isa.55:8,9. GOD has displayed a perfect example of this loftiness in the Bible's lessons of history. After GOD’S great deliverance of the Hebrews from Egyptian slavery, where the children of Israel didn’t have to ‘lift a finger’ for their deliverance, GOD wanted them to know that His manner of leading them as the Heavenly Shepherd watching over His sheep would always continue. GOD had assured them on their way to the promised land, “I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee” (Ex.23:28). But they refused to allow the power of GOD’S protecting hand to continue to oversee their safety. And their fear of Him and distrust tempted of devils led them to take up arms. And with that lifting of the sword opened the door to the spirit of violence against their fellow man. GOD desired for “the children of Israel,” His “peculiar treasure,” to never have blood on their hands. This precious example of GOD’S holy character is also seen when David was forbidden to build the temple in his day, for the LORD said unto David: “Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.” I Chron.22:8. It is this sacred intention of GOD that lies at the heart of His Holiness.

     Then came the Supreme Example of Holiness among men: the Peacemaker, seen in the life of Jesus Christ. Isaiah prophesied of Him, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isa.9:6. When Jesus began His public ministry, there was displayed in Him all of the character traits of our Heavenly Father. In His life was seen the character of a servant, not that of a ruler (Mk.10:45). His power and authority was used to only bless the lives of others, and never take anything for His own gain (I Cor.10:24). He never incited violence (Matt.26:53). And He always shielded the common man from his shame (Lu.11:17). In His life stood the epitome of moral integrity (Jn.8:46). He was blameless and “without blemish” (Ex.12:5).

     But the religious leaders were expecting another Savior, and not the One the Scriptures promised. They only wanted a messiah who would do their bidding and conform to their religion that stood outside of GOD’S will and the Scriptures. They did not want what heaven had ordained “before the foundation of the world” (Eph.1:4). In fact, the Jew’s desperation for deliverance from the Roman occupation of Judaea led them to once again turn to sin and underhanded tactics to accomplish their deliverance. And so, when Jesus came on the scene, “who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil” (Acts 10:38), the Jewish people (who believed a corrupt view of the character of GOD) were convinced that Jesus would display His great power to defeat the Roman armies. He could heal the soldiers when wounded. He could feed the soldiers on the march. And even raise from the dead the soldiers killed in battle. This power, they thought, under THEIR command, could place the Jews over all men and thus, rule over all men. This was in fact their theology, a theology the disciples themselves held, which led them to great perplexity when Jesus didn’t go along with the devil's game of deceiving the people with false expectations. As a result of this perversion of GOD’S plan of salvation, the following happened: “Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.” Jn.6:14,15.

     Jesus didn’t meet their selfish values that gave allowance for sin. And so when the Jews were given a choice between Barabbas and Jesus they chose the unrighteous over the Righteous.

     Let’s bring this to our day. The volume of abuse seen in the Christian church is no less shameful today than when Christ walked among men. In fact, when one studies the values of “The Religious Right” and reads the tenor of their thesis, and that of most religious conservatives, behind their legitimate desires to restore some moral ground that has been lost due to sin there is no recognition of their own. They see "the mote" that is in their "brother's eye, but considerest not the beam" that is in their own. Neither is there seen the spirit of a tearful, prayerful desire for those they perceive will suffer in their fictitious doctrine of eternal hellfire. In fact, ministers such as the late Jerry Falwell led his congregations to cheer and give applause to those they believe will suffer in the torments of hellfire forever. In this sadistic mindset, they all say, Amen! And when shown the verses disproving this pagan doctrine from worshiping heathen deities, (first recorded by Plato in the 5th century B.C.), they prefer the god of their own making to the “Prince of Peace,” as it is written: "These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes." Ps.50:21.

     The entire foundation of the religion established through Roman Catholicism is set on perpetuating sin forever. As a result of the leading churches blindness to the legal battle of the controversy between Christ and Satan, when the prophesied desperation for survival comes and takes hold over the nations of Earth, (just as in the days of old), the religious leaders will choose Barabbas over Christ. This ill decision is inevitable because every popular view of prophecy and Armageddon denies that sin is the culprit for this last great battle in the war between unrepentant men and the GOD of our salvation. Nevertheless, sin led to the first war in heaven. Sin forced Satan out of heaven. Sin forced Adam and Eve out of the garden in Eden. Sin has been the cause of every crime of inhumanity throughout history. And sin murdered “the Son of God!” And sin will be the final blow that destroys the Earth, in the vain attempt to rid the Earth of Commandment Keeping Christians. But what Satan has planned against the Bible believing saints will be thwarted because to go against the last generation of the righteous is to go against Christ Himself: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matt.25:40. In this, the apostate church ruled via Rome is making a grave mistake: "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful." Rev.17:14.

     And so, GOD calls every man, woman and child to heed “the Word” of Jesus Christ: “But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt.19:17. Any theology that works to overrule this one single verse of Christ’s salvation works to the destruction of life, never its benefit.