PREPARING THE WAY FOR THE ADVENT OF JESUS CHRIST

“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Gal.4:4,5

     As it was in the days leading up to the 1st Advent of Jesus Christ, there are similarities leading up to His 2nd Advent. The Bible’s record of history gives every insight to the events of our future, as Paul illuminated the history of Israel to be our best source of prophetic education: “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” I Cor.10:11. In light of this principle, in order to understand the character of Christianity leading to the 2nd Advent of Christ, we merely review the character of religion at the time of His 1st Advent. Having an understanding of Bible history and the constantly repeated lessons is key to know what is to come in our day as Solomon said in no uncertain terms (Eccl.1:9).

     Of the 1st Advent of Christ it is written, “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand…But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.” Matt.3:1,2,7,8.

     To the Jews of Christ’s day, the Pharisees and Sadducees stood as the best-educated and most pious men of the realm. Their scholarship included the memorization of entire passages and even books of “the law and the prophets.” Their tone of voice was caring; their written words embellished on all that appeared righteous in their profession to serve GOD. They did many works that were flawless in their public display of sanctity to the GOD of heaven. It is as the Apostle Paul said when he stood among them: “touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” Phil.3:6. So, when John the Baptist came on the scene, most of the people were unaware of the grotesque perversion of GOD’S truth being carried out by these religious leaders. In a nutshell, due to their religious upbringing the people were inherently illiterate to Scripture. Jesus declared that this illiteracy stemmed from the scholars themselves as He said, “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God” (Matt.22:29). But the common, uneducated class of men entrusted their leaders for truth, guidance—and their salvation. And the religious hierarchy relied on this illiteracy to maintain their power over the flocks (Eze.34). They betrayed their trust as GOD’S stewards by smothering the true lessons of GOD’S Word with a thousand laws outside of Bible guidelines—three hundred rules for Sabbath keeping alone. What a burden was placed on the backs of men that GOD never called for! (Matt.23:4,5.)

     And yet, the Jewish people saw their leaders as wise, disciplined servants of GOD, whose motives were unquestioned. For who would dare have the gall to go against the will of GOD while claiming His implicit service? [The same deception has been carried forward throughout the modern era, just as it is written of the great Antichrist of Christian history: “Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him” [when he professes the message of Christ? (Dan.11:31-35; Rev.13:4)]. But John the Baptist declared to them, (which includes the beast of our generation), “O generation of vipers.” Due to the contrast between John’s declaration and the pious appearance of the church leaders, many were led to believe: ‘John does not understand the sincere desires of our leaders to serve God;’ ‘He’s been out in the wilderness a little too long;’ ‘He’s had no formal education in Rabbinical Judaism;’ ‘I don’t see a Ph.D. after his name;’ ‘He’s just a hermit who’s jealous of the power and possessions of others.’ Hence, the religious upbringing of an entire nation was paving the way for its rejection of Jesus Christ and its utter destruction within a generation. [Jesus gave the prophecy of Jerusalem’s devastation to His disciples and to those women weeping for Him on His path to Calvary (Matt.24:15-20; Lu.23:28)].

     But, at long last, then came to the world’s view the “Saviour of all men” (I Tim.4:10), In His life is seen the most beautiful story in the history of Earth. The Creator, GOD, who became the Christ, presented the pure message of His coming Kingdom. Every word He spoke were the words of the Father Himself (Jn.16:13), as Christ acknowledged this in His Grand Prayer (Jn.17:14).

     In the perfect vocabulary, in the perfect countenance, in the perfect timing, in the perfect tone of voice, the Gospel of GOD’S salvation could not have been carried out any more thoroughly than the method demonstrated in the life of Jesus Christ (Isa.5:3,4). His absolute power over the elements of the Earth; His compassion, united with heaven’s authority, delivered people from every affliction, whether of stormy seas, demons holding men in suicidal insanity, hunger, the torments of disease—and even death itself. And these powerful displays of His deliverance He left for His disciples to continue (Jn.5:20; 14:12). His attributes and achievements, united with His message of the Father’s compassion and deliverance of His children from all affliction, available for the whole human race to receive (Rom.5:18) was voiced abroad throughout the land of Judea. Entering different towns, He often stayed awake throughout the night, and “healed them all.” Matt.12:15.

     And yet, even with this ultimate display of humanitarian effort, meeting the needs of the people, whether temporal, spiritual, and eternal, the religious leadership led the nation to declare, “We will not have this man to reign over us.” Lu.19:14. In the end, the church leaders stood naked in their egotistical pride and lust for power. And with satanic obstinacy against the pure logic of self-emptying love they stood condemned before the very GOD they claimed to serve. Their profession of service to GOD and their declarations of care for their fellow man were proven to be a sham, just as John the Baptist had warned everyone of their betrayal back in the beginning of his ministry. But they would not “hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Rev.2:7.17; 3:6,13,22; *Mk.3:29).

     The destiny of pharisaical Judaism was now sealed. Another thousand years would not change that fateful decision welded to their pride (Isa.30:12,13). [And so it is with the Orthodox Jews today.] The moment of time had now come, a moment that has been repeated all throughout history. Looking back nearly 4,500 years, we see how the religious leaders in the days of our righteous father Noah followed the same course of self-righteous pride. In that extraordinary age, leading to the global flood, the whole world followed the insisted teachings of its leaders in their declarations of religion, law and science (all masquerading in the guise of virtue). Despite their illusion of contribution, it is written: “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Gen.6:5.

     For anyone to assert that this history of men’s maligning of GOD’S Holy Word has not held sway throughout modern church history have not prayerfully compared today’s Christian beliefs and practices with the purity of “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Ju.3. The churches established by the Apostles was what Paul called the Judean model (I Thess.2:14). This is the standard that Satan schemed to overthrow. And by and large he succeeded. And that scheme has held sway to this day. But the LORD has always had a class of faithful children who kept His Law Holy and the counsel of Christ dear to their hearts.

     A thousand years after Christ, this age-old theme of Bible illiteracy ruled throughout the history of the Roman Catholic Church when Papal Rome stood on the throne of Europe, promoting the most sadistic and Unbiblical superstitions. And with their unsanctified doctrines they employed the pagan system of religious blackmail [using the doctrines of Purgatory (eternal torment in hellfire), Indulgences (bribing GOD to allow for sin), the Eucharist (where the priests claim to create the literal flesh and blood of Christ at their command: corrupting the words of Christ (Jn.6:53), and the Confessional (where the priests usurp the authority of the only “one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ:” I Tim.2:5)].

     By these ancient methods taken from pagan idolatry, (which are still held today), they ruled the minds of kings and nobles, and through them the common people. Even today, in every particular, the traps of Satan hold tens of millions of professing Christians in the shackles of ignorance and sin, disqualifying their entrance into the kingdom of heaven (Matt.7:14; I Pet.4:18) simply due to the betrayal of our religious leaders to the guidelines of salvation (Eze.34).

     Let us ask the simple question, How can this be? Because the churches have ignored Scripture's warnings of Satan's "devices" (II Cor.2:11) and wilfully sin against the Ten Commandments thereby removing GOD'S sovereign authority to overrule on the sinner's behalf, Satan is legally free to lead his Bible illiterate victims with displays of the miraculous: visions of the virgin Mary showing little Catholic girls the tormented souls in the fires of hell, bleeding statues promoting the idolatry of bowing before “graven images” (Ps.97:7) that is so prevalent within popery (Ex.20:4-6), answered prayers of the dead saints (Isa.8:19), even counterfeit healing carried out by the devil that even in the days of Christ openly competed with Christ’s healing ministry (Jn.5:1-9).

     Of these paranormal demonstrations and the deceiving miracles to come (II Cor.11:14; Rev.16:14), the great Apostle Paul even warned, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8. In these words we see the prophecy that Satan will send demons posing as the Apostles! And multitudes of Christians will bend the knee, all because they stand illiterate of the Biblical meaning of death, and how the Bible repeatedly commands us to have nothing to do with the dead (Deut.18:9-13). Satan will pull out all the stops before the end, including presenting himself as Jesus Christ before the world‘s population (Matt.24:24). And the Bible illiterate world will bow the knee.

     Multitudes view themselves as saved when they stand condemned, simply because they stand unrepentant in sin (Isa.59:2; Jer.3:5; Prov.28:13; Matt.7:21-23). It has always been about sin, and it will always be about sin! The obedience of Christ to the Ten Commandments is not a license for transgression. The Apostles were clear: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” Acts 3:19; I Jn.1:9; 2:4. Rome perpetuates sin against the 2nd and 4th Commandments. While nominal Protestants perpetuate sin against the 4th. As usual, it is due to the select few who have taken upon themselves the power and authority over others, willingly taking to themselves a work for which they are unfit, yet are eager for its power and carnal rewards. Just look at the lavish lifestyles of the most famous churchmen, from the pope and Kenneth Copeland to Joel Osteen and Benny Hinn. They will never hear the simple words of Jesus, “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Matt.23:24.

     You see, the posh pastors stand illiterate to the words of the LORD given to the children of Israel:

“For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.” Deut.15:11.

     They also stand illiterate, or more accurately ‘belligerent’ against the words of David, from whom Jesus drew His words of warning:

“For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.” Ps.73:3-12.

"Verily, they have their reward."