In this sermon, the preacher discusses the corrupt leaders and rulers who prioritize their own interests over the needs of the people. He emphasizes that they love bribes and rewards, and do not defend the orphan or widow. The preacher also mentions that sinners and transgressors will face justice and be crushed, while those who forsake the Lord will come to an end. He then refers to a parable in Matthew 13 about the kingdom of heaven being compared to a field where both good and bad seeds are sown, highlighting the importance of recognizing the fruit of the Lord and the deeds of the flesh. The sermon concludes with a reminder to seek the Word of God over traditions and to listen to the entire series of teachings for a comprehensive understanding.

You see his revelation in the Word of God. It sometimes conflicts with what he has previously been taught. This causes you to have to deal with old traditions or wrong teaching. These tapes may contain some new light from God's Word, and it may be opposed to some traditions you have previously learned. Therefore, follow through these messages in your Bible, in sequence, in order that you may be able to make a choice for the Word of God rather than the traditions of men. This is tape number 11 in a series. We urge you to listen to all the tapes in the series in numerical order so that the whole teaching can be received and understood. Listening to a part of this series or to the tapes out of sequence can lead to a misunderstanding of the nature, the intent, and the importance of this series. "...of a million angels, cannot express my love for you, to God I say glory, and should I gain, He would raise me to glory." Isaiah 47, verse 1. "...Come and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon." Now, I want you to know we're going to continue talking about Babylon, the harlot church. "...Sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans, for you shall no longer be called tender and delicate. Take the millstones and grind the mill." In other words, making your own bread. "...Remove your veil, strip off the skirt, uncover the leg, cross the rivers." There's the harlotry. "...Your nakedness will be uncovered, your shame also will be exposed." They don't even know how to be ashamed. So when there's no shame, there's no repentance. "...I will take vengeance. I'm not going to spare a man." Isn't that interesting? The Lord says He's not going to spare a man. "...Our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts, is His name, and He's the Holy One of Israel, and His name is the Lord Jesus Christ, isn't it? Sit silently and go into the darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans, for you no more are going to be called Queen of the kingdoms." Now verse 7, "...But you said, I shall be a queen forever. These things you did not understand. You didn't understand, you didn't consider them, nor remember the outcome of them. Now then, hear this, you sensual one, who dwells securely, you're saying in your heart, I am, there's no one besides me. That's where your heart is on yourself. I shall not sit as a widow, be lost, nor shall I know loss of children, no calamity is going to come upon me. But these two things shall come upon you suddenly in one day, loss of children and widowhood. That's the curse and the lostness. They shall come on you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries, in spite of the great power of your spells. You felt secure, now that felt secure, the false security and your wickedness. You surely shall not die." No one sees me, your wisdom, your knowledge, they've deluded you. For you've said in your heart, I am, there's no one besides me. But evil will come on you, which you will not know how to charm away, and disaster is going to fall on you, which you cannot atone, and destruction, remember that word, destruction, about which you do not know, and it's going to come on you suddenly. Now look with me back, I want you to see this fire, this old man, just briefly there and turn back there, Isaiah 42. Isaiah 42, now we've read about when you draw near to God and your heart's far from him, that he lets the spirit of sleep come over you and he hides all discernment from you, is that correct? Okay, now we see there in verse 18, Hear you deaf, and look you blind, that you may see. Who is blind but my servant, and so deaf is my messenger whom I send. Sin, who is so blind is he that at peace with me, or so blind as a servant of the Lord. He's talking about the servant of the Lord. Verse 22, and verse 20, You've seen many things, but you do not observe them. Your ears are open, but none hears, because you don't have spiritual ears. The Lord was pleased for his righteousness sake to make this word great and glorious, but this is a people they're plundered, they're despoiled, all of them are trapped in caves, they're hidden away in prisons, the powers of darkness got them, they dwell in place of demons. They become a prey with none to deliver and a spoils with none to say give them back. Now who among you is going to give ear to this and who's going to give heed to the Word of God here and listen hereafter? And you want to say, who gave Jacob up for spoiling Israel to plunder? Was it not the Lord against whom we sinned? And now take heed, if you think you stand, lest you fall, if you're practicing all these things or obeying. And in whose ways they were not willing to walk and whose law they did not obey, so he poured out on him. Now where you see this word poured out, you can have the Spirit of God poured out on you, you can have the Spirit of the devil poured out on you. Are you hearing me? In this case, it's the flood. It's the flood of the devil. So he poured out on him the heat of his anger. Anger is the devil, Satan. And the fierceness, a battle, and it set him what? Flame. There's a fire all around him. He did not recognize it and it burned him. It burned him, but it paid no attention. Is that what's happening today? People being burned up and don't even know it or pay any attention. Turn to Isaiah 1. They don't even know it. They don't even... As a matter of fact, you start to tell them, they'd be offended. You can get pushed off a cliff for people that got idols. They'll not even consider this in the Word of God. Now in Isaiah 1, verse 4, a last sinful nation. A people are weighed down with iniquity, sin. They're offsprings of evildoers, sons who act corruptly. They have abandoned the Lord. They despise the Holy One of Israel. Now, we saw that in Jeremiah 23. The congregation that this prophet speaks a vision from his own imagination and he speaks it to a congregation that despises the Holy One of Israel, you despise him if you will not obey him. You'll love him if you do obey him. They've turned away from him. For you'll be stricken again as you continue. As you continue, that means practice sin when you continue in your obeying. That's what practice sin is writing in there. The whole head is sick. The whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head. You see that? There's nothing sound in it. Only bruises, whelps, and raw wounds. Sickness, and they'll go ahead and pay you in sin. Rebellion. Verse 7. Your land is desolate. No fruit, no word. And that's exactly what he said he's going to make it desolate. Your cities, churches, we saw it in Psalm 74. They're burned with fire. There they are. Your fields, look here, where do you feel that? 1 Corinthians 3 and 9 said, Your fields, strangers, are devouring them in your presence. Who are these strangers? They're the powers of darkness. They're devouring them. On your fields are these strangers. They own your land. It is a desolation and it's overthrown for these strangers. You know who these strangers are? They're the abomination that makes desolation. You see it there? The powers of darkness come into the temple, defile, and they are abomination that makes desolation. And that's what the harlot church of Babylon gives you a gold cup to give them permission to come in and destroy you. That way they become a curse to you. They have you to drink from the gold cup of abomination, and these strangers, the powers of darkness, come in, and they destroy and burn down the temple of God and the meeting places of the land. That's Babylon. Because Babylon has gathered around doctrines that do not conform you to godliness. I don't care how much intellect and academic they stand on, they're without understanding, deprived of the truth. Supposing that godliness is a means of gain for the flesh, a reputation, career. You can't have a reputation and career. Whenever a relationship and everything you do, you do it unto the Lord. You speak as oracles of God. We pass the word to one another. We say, Brother, this is not right. And we do this because the Lord says this right here, and you turn around and you can correct me, and we're all looking for the light. Now, when you have these kinds of relationships going with one another in life, the word of God's Spirit is going to get all over you as He leads you in all truth and holiness and righteousness. But if we're going to hold back because we're more concerned about people's flesh than we are about what God says, then He's not going to even show us what the powers are. We're not going to have wisdom. Now, you remember what I said last night, and I never said that before. I never really understood that until I got up here and I said that before. But you know we have not fit together in love. We have not fit together in love because we haven't been standing on the word of God, and that's what is love. Amen? And so in every relationship with one another, we do as unto the Lord. This is why... Now, listen very carefully. This is exactly why you are never rejected in the beloved. So in every relationship I have, I treat this relationship as unto the Lord. So have a good, clear conscience. I'm doing this. I'm loving you, Rudy, as unto the Lord. George, I'm loving... Hon, I'm loving you as unto the Lord. The Lord has pleased my relationship, and has pleased how I treat you and so forth. Now, if something comes up in our relationship or something there, then we have the Bible there to deal with it because when the Bible and Jesus as Lord is the center, you're going to come to the truth, and you're going... whoever's wrong is going to come. It doesn't matter who's wrong. What happens, we get things right. Amen? And so now when we'll not do that, let's just say that you would not be willing to do that, then I'm not going to be troubled by rejection of you because I'm looking for the approval of the Lord, not to your approval. Amen? Because He's the one that's going to judge. And so by my seeking Him, see, I don't have any rejection to come on me because I'll never be rejected by the Lord. But you may reject Him now, and I examine my heart before the Lord, and I'll be sure that I'm trying to restore you. Now, I'm hurting in a relationship, you know, flesh, but it's got to die. I choose against it. It has to die. So while I'm dying in this relationship here, I'm being loved and comforted by the Comforter because I'm doing everything that's in to the Lord. Now, let's just say I go ahead and I let rejection, which He'll come and try to talk to me, unforgiveness, revenge, and all these things that kind of talk to me about a relationship. Let's just say I listen to them. What I'm really doing in my heart, I'm wanting your approval more than I am the Lord's. Let me say that over here. If I listen to the powers of darkness and rejection and so forth, I'm seeking His approval more than I am the Lord's. If I'm seeking the Lord's approval, I know before God I've done right in our relationship. Amen? And I'm not going to worry because it's out of my hand. I'm going to leave it up to God. God's working to restore it because I've got all kind of fire in prayer. When I walk this way, He's going to get all over you. He's going to put us back together. You know that, don't you? Because why? I chose to walk as God walked. I chose to do things His way, and love never fails. Is that right? And so therefore, but let's just say I went ahead and I started seeking your approval rather than keeping my mind on the Lord, which is perfect peace, I start keeping my mind on you. And so what happens? The powers of darkness start talking to me about this rejection. Well, then when I start seeking approval somewhere besides God, I'm setting up an idol in my heart. That's what to do. Now watch me. When I seek the approval, the powers of darkness start building a tree in me of strongholds. Because when I seek your approval more than God, I now open myself up to anger. I open myself up to irritation. I open myself up to that tree of rejection. I open myself up to slander. I open myself up to gossip. And I open myself up to everything because I wasn't seeking the approval of God with a whole heart. And when you seek approval in all relationships with a whole heart, that's how you keep your mind on the Lord, and that's how you walk in perfect peace. You do it as unto the Lord, and the Lord builds that relationship. We have never had meetings and sermons to teach us about relationships because we have not understood that we've all been an island thinking and do our own thing. We come together, but we have never fit together. We haven't been like they have been in a church of action because we're just now learning how. Every relationship you have, it's as unto the Lord. You speak to the oracles of God. Amen? Well, let's continue. Verse 8, And the daughter of Zion... Now, here's how God sees the church. She's left like a shelter in a vineyard. She's like a watchman's hook in a cucumber field, like a besieged city. Now, chapter 2, verse 21, How the faithful city, or church, has become a harlot. She was full of justice, righteousness, once lodged in her, not now, but now murders. Your $100 bill, your silver, has become draws. Money won't do the spiritual work of God. Your drink is diluted. The Word of God is watered down. It's diluted with water. Let me just show you how you do that. Now, look at me right here. If my motive is to have a big crown, have a big collection, or to build something besides the body of Christ... Now, some of you are not looking. If my motive is to build a big crown, get a lot of money, or any number of things besides build up the body of Christ... Now, what'll happen? Powers of darkness talk to you while you're up here sharing. They talk to you. And when you're coming to something, if they can make the motives in your heart to be something besides build up the body of Christ, when you come into a place, they'll whisper to you, and they'll remind somebody that's got a lot of money, or this might leave, or you might lose some numbers, or noses, or whatever like this. And it might hinder what the goal is. See, they put a different goal in your heart besides build up the body of Christ. So what you do, when you come to this place right here, in the Word, they tell you they shoot darts of intimidation. And then, you see, if you're building a self-image, you want to pick and choose through the Word of God and so you'll look good. See, because really in your heart, the enemy has deceived you by getting approval and looking good to people and your reputation and your image. And they'll pervert the Word of God when you teach it because you're wanting the approval of people, more than you are the Lord. And when you come to these places in the Word of God, they see. They see exactly, and you'll add a little water to it. Just add a little water, you know, and just tell them, you're bringing them on. You're bringing them on. See, they're not quite ready for this. You're bringing them on. You're bringing them on where? To that wrong foundation. You're bringing them to another Jesus and another gospel is where you bring them. God said it's the Word of God that's going to turn the hearts of people. Amen? Is that right? Brother, I want to ask you something. You're a pastor. Do they talk to you when they're up there and tell you? You can be looking over here and they tell you that they intimidate you the most with. Water it down. So the drink is diluted. Now you've got these $100 bills. Verse 23, your rulers, the leaders are rebels. Their companions are thieves and everybody loves a bribe. They love the world. They chase after rewards. That's where their heart is. They do not defend the orphan, nor does the widow's plea come before them. In other words, the lost people. Let's look at verse 27. Now Zion's going to be redeemed with justice and her penitent ones with righteousness. But transgressors and sinners, now it's transgression of covenant and sinners are going to be crushed together and it's happening right now. Those who forsake the Lord are going to come to an end. Surely now you're going to be ashamed of the oaks. That's the strong men in the flesh. That's where you make kings, rulers out of kings, makes kings out of men and follow after them. You're going to be ashamed of the oaks which you've desired. You're going to be embarrassed at the gardens which you've chosen. You didn't choose the vineyard of the Lord. You've got your own garden. So you're going to be like an oak whose leaf fades away. When there's no water, there's no word. I mean, there's no word, there's no water and it just fades away. And that's where the branches dry up and they're cut off and they're burned up. And there's a garden that has no water. You don't have any water. The word, your social gospel doesn't have water. And the strong man will come tender. There he is, dried up. That's the men of the flesh who are going to become tender. His work also will spark. His dead works are going to burn up and they shall both, the man and his works, are going to burn together and there's going to be none to quench them. Amen? Amen? Now turn to chapter 3. I want just verse 1. For behold, the God of hosts is going to remove from Jerusalem and Judah. You'll find this also in Amos. And you know, the supply and the support, the whole supply of bread. In other words, it's the famine of the world. The whole supply of water he's going to remove. Now verse 5. And the people will be oppressed, each one by another and each one by his neighbor. That's where the powers of darkness turn loose, everybody's disorder, and every evil thing. That's what you saw in his blessings and curses in James 3. The youth was storming against the elder and the inferior against the honorable. And then in verse 8. For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen. Okay. Now here we go. And verse 5. And the people will be oppressed, each one by another, each one by his own neighbor, we saw. And now in verse 8. For Jerusalem has stumbled. That's in darkness. Judah has fallen. Of course, she's fallen away. Because why? Her speech and her actions are against the Lord. Now do you remember where we saw in James 2, so speak and so act as those are doing in James 2? Is that right? They are against their speech and actions are against the Lord. Now when you're speaking of lust, rebellion, your actions are against the Lord. Is that right? Is that correct? And when you walk, well, okay. Alright, now watch in verse 9. The expressions of their faces bear witness against them. And they display their sin like Sodom, they do not even conceal it. Woe to them! For they brought evil upon themselves. Now verse 12. O my people, their oppressors are children, and women rule over them. O my people, those who guide you lead you astray. And they are confusion the direction of your path. The Lord arises to contend and stand to judge the people. The Lord enters into judgment with elders, the princes of his people. It is you, he's talking about the elders and leaders, who have devoured the vineyard of the Lord. The plunder of the poor, the lost, is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the face of the poor, the lost, declares the Lord God of hosts. Do you believe God means business? Chapter 5. Verse 5. So let me tell you what I'm going to do to my vineyard. I'm going to remove its hedge. It's going to be consumed. Did he remove the hedge on Job? Who came in? Powers of darkness, the troops. I'm going to break down its wall. It's going to become trampled ground. I'm going to lay it waste. It's not going to be pruned or hoed. There are briars and thorns going to come up. Now those briars and thorns are strings of flesh, exactly what you saw over in Luke 6. You're seeing over in James 3. You're seeing over in Matthew 7. I'll also charge the clouds. That's the Holy Spirit to rain no rain on it. Amen? And verse 7. And another gospel. He looked for righteousness. What did he see? A cry of distress. The powers of darkness are destroying the people. Burning them up. Suffering. Torment. Amen? And verse 12. They don't pay attention to the deeds of the Lord. You know why they don't pay attention to the deeds of the Lord? They don't consider the works of his hand because Babylon's too busy considering the works of their own hands. Verse 13. For why? Their lack of knowledge. When you already know it all, you can't receive anything else. And their audible men are famished. That means with a word. And their multitude, the congregation, is parched with thirst. No word. Just a form of godliness. Therefore hell's shield enlarges its throat. An openness mouth without measure in Jerusalem. That's this harlot church's splendor. Her multitude. Her dinner revelry. All this excitement and jubilant within her are going to descend right into hell. Verse 20. And woe to those they're calling evil good and good evil. They're substituting darkness for light. Do you see that? And substituting light for darkness. They substitute bitter for sweet. And sweet for bitter. Now let's watch in verse 21. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, their own wisdom, their own counsels, their own knowledge. They're clever in their own sight. 24. Therefore the tongue of fire consumes stubble, straw. The dry grass collapses into the flame. There it is. That's the fire. So their root will be like rot. In other words, they're not going to ever bear fruit. And their blossom is going to blow away as dust. See, if there's no blossom, there's no fruit, are there? Why is this going to happen? Because they've rejected the law of the Lord and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. They despise the words of Jesus. They don't want to obey it. So when you do that, the branch dries up. Amen? And then it's dry. There's no root. And Jesus said in John 15, you better abide in me. Is that correct? Now let's look in 26. He will also, he's going to lift up a standard. That's the word of God. Here comes the curse, folks, to a distant nation. I want to tell you who that is, that distant nation from the baroque parts of the earth is the powers of darkness, when he removes the hedge. A whistle from the ends of the earth, and behold, it's going to come with speed swiftly. Here they come. The hedge is gone. No one is in it weary or stumbled, none slumbers or sleeps, nor is the belt of its waist undone, nor is its sandal strap broken. Its arrows are sharp, and all its bows are bent. The hooks of its horses seem like flint, and its chariot wheels like a whirlwind. Its roaring is like a lioness. There they are. It roars like young lions. Here they come. They growl, they seize their prey, and they carry it off with no one. There's no deliverance for them, no one delivering them. And it shall growl over it in that day like the what? Roaring of the sea. Now let me ask you something. This roaring of the sea, isn't that exactly what we saw in Luke 21? They perplexed the end at the roaring of the sea. When the army is gathered around Jerusalem, are you hearing me? The army is going to be around Jerusalem. We're going to see that army around Jerusalem when I get through. If one looks to the land, behold, there is darkness and distress on the earth. Even light is darkened by its clouds. Amen? Now let's go back over to Revelation 18. We're still talking about Babylon, aren't we? Revelation 18. I mean, I want you to know that God knew what was going to be like. And I want you to tell you that what we've been reading is exactly this, about what this Babylon harlot church is like today. Now, I want you to read with me something right there. We saw in verse 7, we know in verse 2, she's a dwelling place of demons. And verse 7, to the degree that she has glorified herself and lived sensuously after the flesh, to the same degree give her torment and mourning, for she's saying in her heart. Do you see in her heart what she's saying? I'm the queen, Jesus is the king. I'm not a widow, I'll never see mourning. In other words, no calamity is going to come upon me. Now, verse 8. For this reason, in one day her plagues, this is a sickness, is promised all through the words, going to come pestilence and mourning. There's going to be a famine of the word. And she's going to be burned up with fire, and most don't have any idea that these demons up there in verse 2 are the ones that burn up the temple of God. They burn down the temple of God. They get the ground to come in through her bed. And they're the fire. Amen? They're the branches that don't bear fruit. See, they're babbling here it's not bearing fruit because she's feeding abominations with the gold cup to people. So she's not bearing fruit. And so when you don't bear fruit, the tree cutters come in. That's what Matthew 7 said. If you don't bear fruit, then the tree cutters come to cut you down. Is that right? So the branches cut off. For the Lord God who judges her is strong. Now, verse 9. And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and live sensuously with her, they weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning. And that's exactly what is going on now. Now look at verse 20. Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets. Now that's real saints and apostles and prophets. Because the Lord has pronounced judgment for you against her, this whore, harlot, false saints, false prophets, false apostles. And the Lord, the strong, the Lord, help me, Lord, and a strong angel took up a stone. It was like a great millstone. Now I want you to mark this great millstone. And threw it into the sea, saying, Thus with Babylon, this great church, great city, she's going to be thrown down with violence. Violence is perversion. And she's not going to be found any longer. Now I want you to see this great millstone. Hold your place there and turn me back to Luke 17. Luke 17. In Luke 17, I want to read two verses. Well, let me just read something else first. Hold your place and turn back to Matthew 12. I meant Matthew 13. Okay. Matthew 13, verse 24. He presented another parable to them, saying, The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. Now that's, let's just continue verse 24. While men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tars also among the wheat, and he went away. Now what I was wanting to say to you there, that the field is the world. And we'll see this in just a moment in verse 38. But look at verse 26. But when the wheat sprang up, it bore grain, which is fruit. The tars became evident also. Now, I'm going to tell you, when you see the fruit of the Lord, did it say over in Galatians 5, 19, the deeds of the flesh are evident? The deeds are evident. Alright, now this is how we're supposed to know one another by the fruit. Is that correct? We are to know one another by the fruit. Amen? Alright, now did we see that when the wheat sprang up, and it bore grain, bore fruit, then the tars are going to be evident. Is that right? They're going to be evident. Well, let's just see what happened to these tars. Tars are stumbling blocks. You know that, don't you? If you bear the wrong fruit, you're a stumbling block. Alright, now we look over there in verse 37. Verse 36 says it explains the tars of the field. Verse 37 is talking about the one who sows good seed is the son of man. The field is the world, as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom, and the tars are the sons of the evil one. Now you saw the field is the world right there. Is that right? Now the field is not the church, because we already seen in 2 Corinthians 6, 14, that you're not supposed to be unevenly yoked. So you change the word of God, and see that's why there's no church discipline, because this scripture is turned around to where the devil and everything else can come there, and you can build another tower in the heaven besides on the gospel of God, another gospel. Now, we see, let's just continue. An enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is in the age, and the reapers are angels. Does the devil have angels? You're right, they're angels, and they carry out the things of the, I mean the Lord removes the hedge, I mean he turns them loose. To kill, steal, and destroy, is that right? Therefore, just as the tars are gathered and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. Now, we've seen that they're burned up at the end of the age, right? Wonder who's burned them up? Well, you know who's burned them up. The tars are being burned up right now. Verse 41, the Son of Man is going to send forth his angels, and they're going to gather out of his kingdom, all what? Stumbling blocks and those who what? Practice sin, commit law. Is that plain? That's very plain, isn't it? He's going to turn them loose, the hedge is down. Now look at verse 49. So this same thing's going to be at the end of the age. The angels are going to come forth, and they're going to take the what? The wicked from among the what? Righteous. You know, simply this. God's just going to destroy everything that practices rebellion to him. And you know why? And these same tars are waiting to be, think I am, there's no one besides me that's going to be lifted out of this thing. Now look up there in Luke 17. I want you to read a couple of verses with me. Verse 1. And he said to his disciples, It is inevitable that stumbling blocks should come, but woe to him through whom they come. If the devil makes you a stumbling block, if he becomes a stumbling block to people coming to God, woe to you. Is that part of the woes in Revelation that we're finding ourselves in right now? Okay, now look at the next verse. It would be better for him if a what? I can't hear you. A millstone was hung around his neck and they were thrown into the sea. Do you see the sea and the millstone? Then he should cause one of these little ones to stumble. Now I want to ask you something. Look at me. Is Babylon a stumbling block? She is a stumbling block. And she causes little ones to stumble. I was a little one, 45, when I was 45, the Lord saved me. And I was dying. I was a little one. And I'm telling you what folks, but for the grace of God did I survive to be able to see the truth and got through, because everything, Babylon came against every spiritual thing in my life. Everything spiritually God would do. Babylon came against it. Because the flesh is hostile toward the spirit of God and it will not subject itself, the word of God will never change. So there's stumbling blocks. Now we're back over in Revelation 18. And we already said that the real saints and apostles and prophets are going to rejoice in verse 20. Because what? The judgment of God. Is that right? Now let's see. Verse 21. And a strong angel took up a stone like a what? Great millstone. He threw it at the sea and said, Thus will what? Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with what? Violence. And not be found anymore. Can I just tell you what that is and I'm going to show you later on. Look at me. This violence is a manifestation of the powers of darkness. The sea. The Lord, if you look all through the word, he pours out his sea, which means he pours out the powers of darkness. He pours out the flood. He turns the powers of darkness. He removes the hedge. Now I'm going to tell you what's going to happen to Babylon. Because the Lord removes the hedge and the powers of darkness come with their flood of words and the deluding influence and spirit of sleep, just like Isaiah 29, 2 Thessalonians 2. They'll come and they'll deceive people. All discernment is hidden and they just drift and drift and drift away. And they're going to sink down in a flood of lies and perversion because they're trying to draw near with God with their mouth, their hearts far from him. And they're teaching people abominations, perverted gospel, and counseling rebellions to God. But these doctrines of ungodliness, that's what Babylon is, a cold cup full of abominations and the powers of darkness. See, that's why there's no fear of God, because people don't know that when they're doing these things, they're drifting. I mean, judgment's on you right then when you're causing people something and it gets stronger. The delusion on you comes stronger and stronger until you drift and the Lord lets you be the jubilant as you just descend right into hell when you're wise and on your own eyes, calling darkness light and light darkness. Now, that's what the powers of darkness, when they get through with you, that's what you do. Everything's perverted, and that's exactly it. Now, I'm not through with that verse right there. I'm going to show you that I'm not through with that later on. And the sound of the harpist and the musicians here at the entertainment and the flute players and the trumpeters are not going to be hearing you any longer. Are you hearing me? There goes entertainment. You hear me? There it goes. And then no Kraussman, any Kraussman, is going to be found in you any longer. Now, let me tell you what these Kraussman are. Look at me. The Kraussman are the ones, you know, in attending meetings that were anointed to do beautiful gold work and things, you know, in the Old Covenant, the Old Testament. Do you know who the Kraussman are today? The Kraussman are your pastors, prophets, teachers. That's who your Kraussman are today. You see them in Ephesians 4. And they're the ones that build up the house of God today, which is living stones that make up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood. Jesus Christ is a cornerstone to offer up spiritual sacrifice, the Sepulchre of God through Jesus Christ. They're a holy nation, a chosen generation, and a peculiar people. And there, what Ephesians 4, in Ephesians 4, it says, Don't you be tossed by every wind of word of doctrine that comes along. And so, these musicians right there, I'm very tempted right now, and no Kraussman, any Krauss, are going to be found in you any longer. Now, let's look up in verse 20. Did we say there, Rejoice over you the real saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment on her, because there is no real saints, there's no real apostles, there's no real prophets in her because that's a lost people. That's the reason God over there said in this same chapter, Come out from her, in verse 4, My people, My people, come out from her, that you don't participate in this sin and rebellion, so you'll not receive of this judgment and plagues. Is that right? Now, what do we see in John 10? Well, we're in Revelation 14, 4, The ones that follow the Lord follow the Lamb wherever he goes, and a stranger's voice, they're not going to listen to it. And you live in a time where the false prophets and false, we were warned in Matthew 24, and people's love is going to wax cold because of all this rebellion and drifting and drifting and drifting, and powers of darkness slowly move you into deception, with false signs and wonders, so your hearts go after men instead of the whole council of God. There are going to be signs and wonders, and there are going to be false signs and wonders, so we see there's no craftsman, any craft will not be found in you any longer, that's in Babylon. And the sound of the mill will not be heard in you any longer. Now, let me ask you something. That sound of the mill there, you don't need to be making your own bread anymore, you're fixing to be destroyed because you're going to sink down in this flood. Amen? Okay? And the light of the lamp will not shine in you any longer. Now, are you all beginning to see what we saw last night? The light of the lamp? The Word of God? You're not going to see where you're going. Why? Look at me. You're cursed, and you're going to be staggering and stumbling in spiritual darkness. The light of the lamp is not going to shine there. Because, see, that's the foolish heart of people, the foolish that hear the Word of God and don't act on it. The foolish virgins, they're going to go over to the wise virgins in Matthew 25 and say, Give us some of your oil. We don't see what you see. We want some of your oil. But they didn't have the oil. They didn't have the Spirit of God. They're not saved. They don't know the Lord. Because they're not wise. They don't have a wise heart. Only the wise can understand. Amen? It gives us revelation. The rest have idols. And the light of the lamp will not shine in you any longer. And the voice of the bridegroom, Jesus, and the bride will not be heard in you any longer. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived. They were deceived. People were deceived by your sorcery. It's sorcery. It wasn't worshiping the Lord. It's sorcery. And in her was found the blood of the prophets and the blood of the saints. And all have been slain on the earth, because people come to her, thinking they've come to Jesus. They're coming to God. And what they're coming to is a stumbling block. Because they have doctrines that do not conform into godliness. Now, I want you to turn quickly with me to Jeremiah 50. Turn back to Jeremiah 50. And we're going to try to clear up some of this right here. Now, I want you to remember all that entertainment right there. Look here. Let's just say you have your image right here. Let's just say this represents a structure right here. This pulpit represents a structure and it represents its doctrines that do not conform into godliness and everything. And then you crank up your music and everybody's heart just starts bound. What? They start bound down to the doctrines and structures, because they're not surely not bounded down to Jesus. Because Jesus is just one of their idols. You understand what I mean? That's where it's the stumbling block. Is it clear? Okay. Now, in Jeremiah 50, I'll just review just a few things, starting in verse 2. Declare and proclaim among the nation. Excuse me. But proclaiming and lift up a standard. That's the Word of God. Do not conceal it, but say, Babylon has been captured. Well, we know it's a dwelling place of demons. Is that right? Look at verse 6. My people have become lost sheep. That's the fallen away. Their shepherds have led them where? Astray. And that's exactly what you were warned about in 2 Corinthians 11, 3, 4, 13, and 14, that the servants of Satan will come with another gospel, another Jesus. And as the serpent led evil astray, they'll lead you to eat off the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They have good and evil. They'll be speaking good and evil. Amen? They'll be speaking good and evil. They'll come to have you eat off this tree of death. And these doctrines are saying, you surely shall not die. Peace. Safety. God, you come down here and cooperate with us here in Babylon. You see what we're trying to do for you here. And they're not led by the Spirit of God. They're led by men who've been set up kings. They're flesh. Men are gathered around them. They're bound down to men. So these shepherds have led them astray. They've made them turn aside on the mountains. They've gone along from mountain to hill. They've forgotten they're what? They've forgotten the resting place. Isn't that right? Now verse 7. All who came upon them, these are the powers of darkness, have devoured them, and their adversaries have said, We're not guilty. That's what the powers of darkness said. Now I've had them to say this to me. And as much as they've sinned against the Lord, who is the habitation of their righteousness. I remember one time when I was up there in your church right there, Rudy, that a person up there, I was dealing with a demon of hate. And that's back when they used to go through all these manifestations. God is very graceful today that he doesn't let all this go on here. You've never seen such a mess in your life if God wasn't in control. I'm going to tell you that right now. We don't have manifestations because God's choice is to have the grace to you, to not let you be scared to death, because you've been programmed by Hollywood and television to be scared of demons and Inquire magazine and all that stuff. And so he doesn't do that. But I've had, I used to, you know, you realize just about 2-3 nights ago, there are thousands and thousands and thousands of demons that left people here in one church. Now I used to, when the Lord just started showing me these things up there, when I was up there in Rudy's church, I sometimes did take me, it's taken me an hour and a half to cast out one demon. And I'd go through all these manifestations and they'd try to claw and try to try to hit me and all these kind of things that I used to go through. And I've had them, I just was thinking right there of this demon one time, I hate. You ought to see hate, the powers of darkness to manifest hate on a person. And this demon I hate. And I was casting it out and he'd just completely take this person over and say, I'm not leaving. I said, that's a lie, you are leaving in Jesus' name. He said, I'm not leaving, she likes me. She likes me. And I've had him say it to me over and over. And you bid you, he likes me. He likes me. What they're saying there, his heart agrees with me. It agrees with hate. It's not repentant of it. And you'll never get me out of here. Now this is exactly what you're reading right here. All who came upon him, devoured him, their adversaries have said, we're not guilty. And as much as they have sinned against the Lord, his habitation of righteousness in the Lord, the hope of their fathers, the powers of darkness judge sin. Now listen to me, folks. If they can talk to you in your mind, see, you're told by the Word of God to resist the devil. And if you won't resist the devil, then the powers of darkness talk you into hate in your heart and you get in agreement with hate in your heart, then they'll move in with you, front row, back row, platform, stained glass, the whole works. You understand what I mean? This is a spiritual walk and it's not church and funeral. Amen? And you're obeying your heart, you've got judgment on you right then. Just like when you commit adultery, when you do it in your heart, you don't have to be an act. When you do it in your heart, you've got a problem. You've got a problem and then they judge it and they know it. All right, now. Verse 13. Because of the indignation of the Lord, she's not going to be inhabited. This is Babylon. She's going to be completely desolate. Everyone who passes by Babylon is going to be horrified and going to hiss the cost of all her wounds. That's sickness. It's going to get worse and worse. 14. Draw up your battle lines against Babylon on every side. Now, that is the army that's gathered around Israel. Are you hearing me? They're gathered around every side. By Friday night, I'll get to wind this up and show it to you. But I'm going to tell you now. Draw up your battle lines against Babylon on every side. Now, every side, that's how the troops are gathered around Jerusalem. All you who have been the bow shooting her, do not spare with your errors for she has sinned against the Lord. Raise up your battle cry against her on every side. Now, these are the troops that's been turned loose that the hedges removed by the Lord. She has given herself up. Her pillars have fallen. Her walls have been torn down for this is a vengeance of the Lord. Now, is that what we're told in the last days? A vengeance of the Lord is vengeance for the temple. Take vengeance on her as she has done to others so due to her. Cut off the sore from Babylon. He's not going to be sowing that discord and stumbling block anymore. Now, let's look at verse 20. In those days, at that time, declares the Lord, a search is going to be made for sin of Israel, the church, but they're not going to be none. And the sins of Judah, they're not going to be found. For I'm not going to pardon those that leave the remnant and they're not going to be practicing or walking in sin. Amen? Is this pretty plain? Isn't it? Now, if you've got any sense, unless you're foolish, you know, God says in Jeremiah 10, 14, all mankind is stupid and devoid of knowledge. You'd be pretty stupid if you don't run the light as hard as you can go knowing this. Amen? Now, look at verse 24. I set a snare for you, and you were caught, O Babylon, the snares of powers of darkness. Well, you're not aware you've burned and nobody, you didn't even pay any attention to it. You've been found and also seized. Why? Because you're counseling and rebelling the Lord. You've engaged in conflict with the Lord. Is that plain? Now, look at verse 28. There is a sound of the fugitive and refugees from the land of Babylon. Boy, can you hear it? They're declaring the church, Zion, the vengeance of the Lord our God. They're talking about what's happening in Babylon. They're coming out and saying, the refugees are saying, I mean, they're being destroyed. I see it. That's the people of God. They're coming out of Babylon. Now, what's he destroying? It's vengeance for what? Vengeance for the temple of the Lord. Praise God forevermore. That's just been sitting here all the time for us to be able to see it now. Verse 32. And the arrogant ones, that's proud, they're just going to stumble and fall. There's your spiritual darkness drunk. With no one to raise him up, and I'm going to set fire to his cities. I'm going to devour all his environs. Thus says the Lord, a host of sons of Israel are oppressed. The sons of Judah as well. And all who've taken them captive have helped them fast. Now, that's the power of the darkness. It's taking them captive. And they've refused to let them go. The Redeemer is strong. The Lord, a host, is his name. That's Jesus. Now, he's going to vigorously plead their case that he may bring rest. Now, there is rest right there. Peace to the earth. But he's going to let them tear Babylon all to pieces right there. Tormoil to the inhabitants of who? Babylon. I mean in Zion, he's going to plead their case, but he's not pleading anybody's case in Babylon. Are you hearing me? Alright, now, in verse 36. A sword, that's a curse against these word preachers, oracle priests, and they're going to become fools. A sword against their mighty men, and they're going to be shattered. That's the men of flesh. Verse 37. A sword, a curse against their horses, that's flesh. And against their chariots, that's the carts that carry the doctrines. Against all the foreigners, that's the world who are in the midst of her. And they're going to become like women. Why are they going to become like women? Because all their strength is going to be taken from the men. And a curse, a sword against their treasures, and they're going to be plundered. They're going to do away with the money. I'm going to tell you what, it's going to disappear. It's a drought on their waters. There's the famine. Ever learning, never able to come to knowledge of the truth. It's a drought of the word. And they're going to be dried up. That's when you deprive the truth, it's going to be dried up branches. For it's a land of idols. That's what, and their heart loves idols. They're mad over their fearsome idols. Praise God. Go on, thank you, Lord. 41. Is this playing? Now, 41. Behold, a people's coming from the north. It's a great nation and many kings. That's many different kings. Many different kings. And they're going to be aroused from the what? Where are they coming from? The remote parts of the earth. They seized the bow and javelin. They are cruel. And they have no mercy. If you want to go right in there, Proverbs 5, 1-14 where it says cruel. And here they are. Their voice roars like what? The sea. That's the same one, the roaring of the seas. It's their voices that you're talking about in Luke 21. That's surrounded around Jerusalem. The army around Jerusalem. That's them. And they ride on horses, martial like man for battle against you, O daughter of Babylon. Let's look in chapter 51. Again in verse 6. When God says flee, that means you better take off. Well, I tell you, you ought to come back and read all this sometime. 51, verse 6. Flee from the midst of Babylon. You better take off, and each of you save his life. Do not be destroyed in their punishment, for this is the Lord's time of vengeance. He's going to render a recompense to her. Babylon, here it is, has been a golden cup in the hand of the Lord. The Lord has let people be tested. If that's where their hearts want to go, He lets them go. If they want to go to the devil, intoxicating all the earth. That's why they stumble and drunk. The nations have drunk of her wine. That's the wine of Babylon, of passion and immorality. Therefore, the nations are going mad. And I'm telling you, the powers of darkness move in. Now, verse 11. Sharpen the arrows. Fill the quiver. The Lord has roused the spirit of the king of Medes, because his purpose is against Babylon. He's going to destroy it. Why? Because it's a vengeance of the Lord. It's blessings. They don't want to walk in the blessings, so it's vengeance for His temple, the temple of God, the pleasant land that they want to defile and bring the devil in on. Now, verse 14. Let's look at 13. O you who dwell by many waters, abundant in treasures, have a lot of hundred dollar bills for your rich and increasing good, but your end has come, the measure of your end. Verse 14. The Lord of hosts is sworn by Himself. Surely I'm going to fill you with a population like locusts. They're going to cry out with shouts of victory over you. Verse 20. He says, You're my war club, my weapon of war. I'm going to shatter nations with you. I'm going to destroy kingdoms with you, powers of darkness. I'm going to shatter the horse and the rider. I'm going to shatter the chariot and the rider. I'm going to shatter the man and woman, old man and youth. I'm going to shatter the young man and the virgin. I'm going to shatter the shepherd and the flock. Amen? Let's look at verse 23. No, let's go on to 29, rather. So the land quakes. There is the foundations are being shaken. There's the earthquake again. And it rise. For the purpose of the Lord against Babylon stand. And He's going to make the land of Babylon. It's a desolation without any help. Now, how does He make the land of desolation? Look at me, folks. He removes the hedge. He lets the diluting influences, the powers of darkness, start telling everybody the same thing. And they just start drifting and drifting. And as they believe this in their heart, they get more ground to bring plagues and sickness and disease and destruction inside their bodies and destroy them. Weakness. Just get weaker and weaker and weaker. Do you see it? Now, verse 30. The mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting. They stand in their strongholds. Why? Their strength is exhausted. They just give up. Just passive. Passivity. They become like women. Weak. Their dwelling places, these temples right here, are set on fire. That's for the powers of darkness. That's how the branches burn up. In Jeremiah 51, 30. The dwelling places are set on fire. The bars of their gates are broken. There's no defense. Everything's white washed. It's just white washed. 37. And Babylon will become a heap of ruins, an object to harness without inhabitants. Look at verse 38. They're going to roar together like young lions. They're going to growl like lion cubs. That's when the powers of darkness come in and people start biting and devouring each other. Their disorder and every evil thing is the opposite of love. You understand? Everything becomes selfishness. Right? Alright, now verse 39. When they become heated up, I'm going to serve them their banquet. Here they're going to become jubilant. I'm going to make them drunk. That's going to stagger in spiritual darkness. And they're going to become jubilant. We know of Soback and Isaiah going to be jubilant as they descend into hell, didn't we? And they're going to sleep as perpetual sleep. There is a spirit of sleep. Amen? There is a spirit of sleep. And they're not going to wake up, declares the Lord. You see that? They're not going to wake up. Now, I want you to look with me in verse 42. Here it is. Here is how the stumbling blocks. The sea has what? Come up over Babylon. She has been engulfed with a stumulous wave. Now you see, folks? Look at me. This is how Babylon is cast into the sea. It's like a millstone. It just sinks down. Millstone is one of the heaviest things that you can... So, I mean, God says, I'm throwing Babylon right into the sea and there he's going to let the waters and the flood come right up over. That's exactly what you're reading over in Revelation 18. Do you see it? And the sea is going to come right over. And the waves, that's the flood. That's the flood of the powers of darkness that sweeps her away because of what? Rebellion in her heart. Count out stumbling blocks. Amen? Okay. Now, let's read again. The sea has come up over Babylon. I think there are a broad river. She's been engulfed with its tumultuous waves. And that's where you'd read about in Luke 6 and Matthew 7, the river flood. Why, verse 45 says, you'd better come forth from her, my people. My people, you'd better come forth from her midst, and each of you save yourselves. Verse 50, you've escaped the sword, the curse, depart, do not stay. Remember the Lord from where? Afar. Let Jerusalem come to your mind. We are ashamed. Let the church come to your mind. We're ashamed because we have heard reproach. Disgrace has covered our faces. Now, in verse 53, though Babylon should ascend to the heavens, and though she should fortify her lofty stronghold from thee, destroyers are going to come to her, declares the Lord. Now, were we warned in 1 Corinthians 10, at this example of you, that destroyers would come against you too? That's right. In the New Testament, of course, these things are called something else, you know, of course. But the destroyers will come. And verse 54, the sound of an outcry from Babylon. One of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans. For the Lord is going to destroy Babylon. He's going to make her loud noise vanish from her. Their waves will roar like many waters. The tumult of their voices sound forth. For the destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon. That's the destroyers, the powers of darkness. Her mighty men are going to be captured. Their bows are shattered, for the Lord is a God of recompense. He's going to fully repray. I'm going to make her leaders, that's the leaders of Babylon, their church, and their wise men, drunk. They're going to stagger. Her governors are perfect. I wonder who's saying all these things. Do you have any idea who's doing the talking here and all these things? We're going to find out in just a minute. Who's been saying, her governors are perfect and her mighty men, they're going to sleep a perpetual sleep, that's the spirit of sleep, they're not going to wake up. It's Laertes. King Jesus, whose name is the Lord of hosts. Thus says the Lord of hosts, Jesus, the broad wall, that's his flat worst wall. You see one of these walls in Ezekiel 13 if you want to study it sometime. It's going to be completely razed. For high gates will be set on fire, powers of darkness. So the people are toiling for nothing. And the nations are going to be exhausted only for fire. Now look after King Jesus said this in verse 63, look here. In 63, for it will come about as soon as you finish reading this scroll right here, these words, tie a stone to it, throw it into the middle of the Euphrates, there's your millstone, throw it in there, and say just so shall Babylon, this whole harlot church going to sink down, she's not going to rise again, why? Because of the calamity I'm going to bring upon her. And they're going to become exhausted. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah. I want you to look with me back in Isaiah 8, please. Look a bit, turn back to Isaiah 8. Folks, is this pretty plain? Isaiah 8. Isaiah 8. Verse 6. Now the stone's going to be thrown in the Euphrates, right? Verse 6. And as much as these people, they have rejected the gentle flowing waters of Shiloh, and rejoice in the sons of Malala. Now therefore, behold, the Lord is about to bring on them the strong, abundant waters of the Euphrates. You see that? Even the king of Assyria in all his glory, that's Satan. And it's going to rise up over all its channels and go over all its banks. Now that's the flood. Are you seeing it? That's the flood. Here it's going to come. It'll sweep on into Judah, it's going to overflow and pass through. It'll reach even to the neck. And the spread of its wings are going to fill the breath of your land, O Emmanuel. That's the church. Do you see it? The flood's coming. And it's here. Can I just tell you? It's here. Be broken, O people, and be shattered. Is that what we saw before? They're going to be broken and shattered? With the war club of the Lord? Is that what we saw back in Jeremiah? And give ear to all the remote places of the earth. Now what are the remote places? Look at me. The remote places of the earth are the ones that don't have the Spirit of God. You're remote. You're alone. Unless a grain of wheat falls in the ground and dies, it's going to remain alone. Amen? Guard yourself, yet you're still going to be, whatever you do, you're still going to be shattered. Right? Devise a plan. Get you another program, another doctrine, but it'll be thwarted. State a proposal, but it's not going to stand. For God is with us. Look at verse 12. You are not to say it's a conspiracy in regard to all this people shall call us a conspiracy. For don't you fear what they fear. Amen? Let me say it again. Don't fear what they fear or be in dread of it. Don't be in dread of this day. Don't be in dread of the day of the Lord. Let God be your dread and fear. Amen? Now verse 13. It is the Lord a host whom you should regard as holy, and he should be your fear, and he shall be your dread. Amen? When you fear and dread God, you're not going to dread and fear anything else. Then he's going to become a sanctuary, but to the houses of Israel he's going to be a stone, a stumbling stone. That's Jesus. Just striking a rock to stumble over. People are going to be offended over the word. They're going to stumble over the rock. He's a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many are going to stumble over them. Then they'll fall and be broken. They'll even be snared and caught. There's the snared and trapped and caught and rebellion. Amen? Bind up the testimony and seal the word among my disciples. Now the word is going to just be among the disciples. Is that the way you see it? They're the only ones that are going to have light. That's the parable of the words. They're the only ones that can understand the parables. And I'm going to wait for the Lord who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob. He's hiding from the church. I'll either look eagerly. I'll even look eagerly for him. Now who's going to eagerly await with the Lord? Those who are coming to him with all his heart. Everybody else, if you're loving your life in this world, you're not eagerly awaiting the Lord. Is that plain? You're not eagerly awaiting the Lord. Now verse 18. Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me, that's Jesus talking, are for what? Signs and wonders in the church for the Lord, a host who dwells on Mount Zion. Amen? Look at verse 20. The law unto the testimony. If folks do not speak according to this word, I don't mean adding to it, adding to the word, it's because they have no domain. They don't have any light. 21. And they're going to pass through the land hard pressed and famished. It'll turn out that when they're hungry, they're going to be enraged. They can't get any help from the Lord. They're going to curse their king and their God as they face up. In other words, they're going to blame God. Blame God. God, why have you done this to me? God, why have you let this happen to me and my rebellion to you? See, I'm just seeing people set free from some of these things right now. A little later on, there's not going to be any freedom for them. Don't blame God when you sin and the powers of darkness get to the ground of your life. Rejoice in all trials. What do you think about that? Now, verse 22. Then they're going to look to the earth and behold distress and darkness. This is what's going to be happening in, boy, wait till we get to Zephaniah 1. They're going to look to the earth and behold distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish, and they're going to be driven away in darkness. That's what's going to be going on on the earth. Are you seeing that? You know, it's a real interesting thing. Let me just look at that later on. But I want to show you this to you a little clearer. Turn to Lamentations. I want to show you it. It's between Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Between Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Now, I want you to start with me in chapter 1. Chapter 1. Now, I want you to see everything we've been reading here. You're just going to see it a little clearer right here. Verse 3. Judah has gone... Let's go back to verse 1. How long they set the city of the church that was full of people. Now she's become like a widow, lost. She was once great among the nation. She was a princess among the poverty, but now she's become a what? A forced laborer. Now who? Who's the taskmaster? Look at me. Folks, get this in mind. The taskmaster is Satan that keeps you worrying. Busy, busy, busy, busy, busy. Strife, strife, strife, strife, strife, strife, strife. Go and keeps you building and works you become a forced laborer. They get ground in there and just work you to death. Where are you at? Then when you get over to Babylon, they have you start loading up your bricks and straws, start building. We've got to build something pretty that you can see with the flesh. Let's don't deal with the inside that's full of dead men's self-indulgence and dead men's bond. Let's make everything look good outside so we can go boast in what we're doing for God as we descend into hell. In the very last days, folks, I'll say this one more time. You are not in just the last days. You are in the very last days because, see, you're just right now. See, things have been a lot worse the last two or three years if you have any idea, but I'm telling you what, it's about to get bad, bad. And then when people can't hear from God, I mean, if you don't get your life straightened, you turn from God's Word right now and you don't get your life straightened out right now before God, there's going to come a time God's going to move off that throne of grace. He's going to sit on the throne of judgment. I mean, everything's shut up, and I mean, the powers that I can do whatever they want to do with you, all of them are turned to loot. There's never been a hell in a time like it. And people are suffering right now. They're in such torment and suffering right now that they don't even comprehend because they look around at other people and just think all this hell is supposed to be upon them. It's on them right now. And they're programmed by the world and these powers that aren't. Just keep on keeping a stiff upper lip. Just hang in there and just look. Let's keep looking at this brick and stone and all these straw and all these good things that we're doing and don't realize that God's not in 25 miles of anything you're doing. And that in Babylon it's the worship of men. Men are kings. People bow their hearts down. Now, let me tell you something. It's all right to have, you know, training and so forth like this, but Paul had some and many. But I mean, listen, folks. What do you bow down to another man for? We are not subject of men. I'm a subject of the Lord Jesus Christ in a man, not a man. No man's got me. No man's going to have me. I'm a subject of Jesus. And when I see Jesus in you, I'm a subject to you with Jesus. Amen? But if I... When you're not acting like Jesus and I don't bear Jesus and I'm not hearing Jesus come out of you, you're not going to come up to me as some title or some kind of intimidation or persuasive argument and get me to bow down to you. Is that plain? Jesus is my Lord, not folks. And there's something wrong with folks that want to gather something around them with a selfish ambition to build something. I'll tell you right now, Bob and I have decided we've got more going around us than we're supposed to have right now, but we're just looking for what to do about it. You understand what I mean? I mean, brother, I want Jesus. I don't want anybody, and I don't want folks, and I don't want to build nothing. I want Jesus. And I want my headquarters in heaven. Verse 3. Judah has gone in exile under affliction. She is under harsh servitude. She dwells now among the world. She's found no rest. It's just torment. Found no rest. All her pursuers have overtaken her in the midst of distress. The roads of Zion, that's where they're walking at in the church are in mourning. Why? Because no one comes to the appointed feast. All her gates are desolate. There's no fruit, no water, no defense. Her priests are groaning. Preachers are groaning. Her virgins are afflicted, sick, demonized. And she herself is bitter, angry, irritation, slander, whatever. Verse 5. Her adversaries, that's the powers of darkness, have become her masters. Her enemies prosper. For the Lord has caused her grief. That grief is the same. He took her griefs at Calvary too when we're walking in covenant. Died of sin and live unto righteousness. 1 Peter 2.24. Because why has he caused her grief, sickness? Because of the multitude of her transgressions. Her little ones have gone away. How have they gone away? They're captives before the adversary. The powers of darkness. Now that's today right now. Look at verse 9. Her uncleanness. Now mark this uncleanness. That's unclean spirits moving uncleanness. Was in her skirts. That's harlotry. She did not consider her future. Therefore she has fallen astonishingly. Fallen, fallen, is babbling, fallen away. She has no comforter. I wonder who this comforter is supposed to be. That's the Spirit of God. She has no comforter. See, O Lord, my affliction. That's disease. Persecution. For the enemy has magnified himself. That's the powers of darkness have magnified himself. The adversary has stretched out where were all her precious things. For she has seen these nations enter a sanctuary. Now where's the sanctuary at? Your body right there. Many are seeing it and not even dealing with it. They're whitewashing it. The ones whom thou did command that they should not enter into thy congregation. They were commanded not to enter into that congregation as long as that congregation is in covenant. But when they transgress the covenant, the hedges are removed and there they are. You see what I mean? Now let's go in verse 11. All her people have grown. They're seeking bread. They're wanting the Word. They've given their precious things for food, everything for the food. And you know, they're going to make their own bread. They're going to restore their lives themselves. See, O Lord, and look, for I am despised. Is it nothing to all you who pass this way? Look and see if there's any pain like my pain, which was severely dealt out to me, which the Lord inflicted on the day of what? His fierce anger. Isn't that right? Now, verse 14. The yoke of my transgression is bound. By his hand they are knit together. They've come upon my neck. Now that's the yoke of the devil. They've made my strength fail, and that's what they've been doing. The Lord has given me unto the hands of those against whom I'm not able to stand. I want you to know, folks, that you're not able to stand against the powers of darkness. If you believe it, bittersweet and darkness is light, and you cannot stand against them. The only way that you can stand against them is to have a covenant partner stronger than them, and there's only one. His name is Jesus, and you'd only get him his way. And you'll do it his way. Now, verse 15. I want you to see what the winepress is right there. Understand the winepress. The Lord has rejected all my men of the flesh that I've been made his king, all my strong men. He's rejected them. In my midst he's caused at a point in time against me to crush my young men. Now, here it is. The Lord has trodden us in a winepress. Do you see the winepress? The virgin daughter of Judah. How does he trodden in a winepress? He removes the hedge, and he becomes, he doesn't come only like a thief, but he comes as a thief. He lets him turn loose in destruction. Now, there's your winepress. Do you see it? Now, verse 16. For these things I weep, my eyes run down with water, crying. Why? Because far from me is a comforter, the one who restores my mind, will and emotions, my soul. The Holy Spirit is not there. Desolate. My children are desolate, because why? The enemy has overcome. You either overcome the enemy, or the enemy overcomes you. Verse 18. The Lord is righteous, for I have rebelled against his word, command. Hear now, all people, and behold my pain, my virgins, and my young men have gone into captivity. I call to my lovers, but they always, they deceive me, lest the flesh always does. My prophets, my pastors, and my elders, leaders, are perishing right in the church, the city. They're seeking food to restore them strength themselves, because they're walking in their own counsel and rebellion. Are you seeing that? Now in chapter 2, verse 1. How the Lord has covered the daughter of Zion, that's the church, with a cloud in his anger. Verse 5. The Lord has become like a thief. He's become like an enemy. Do you see that? Hey, becomes like a thief. He's swallowed up Israel. He's swallowed up all his policies. Now Babylon, instead of having churches, you know what they have? Look at me. Babylon has policies. And who's the king of it? Satan. He has policies. Policies is something big and nice you look at with your eyes. You understand what I mean? You remember the Scripture I told you in Exodus? When you build an altar to me, don't use an iron tool on it and cut on it, because you're going to profane, because people's hearts will be bowing down to their little palace right there. They're hard to get off me. And they start looking how beautiful the altar is. And see, it's me that you're bowing your heart to. Amen? Okay. He has destroyed its strongholds. He's multiplied in the daughter of Judah, mourning and moaning. Amen? Now, look at verse, I guess about 13. How shall I admonish Judah? What shall I compare to you, O daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I liken you as I comfort you, O virgin daughter of Zion? For your ruin is as vast as the sea. Who can heal you? Your prophets, your preachers have seen for you false and foolish visions, that's traditions, lies and traditions. They've not exposed your sin and iniquity. So as to restore you from captivity, you can't be set free from the powers of darkness until you deal with sin. But they've seen for you false and misleading oracles. Verse 17. The Lord has done what he's purposed. He's accomplished this word, which you're commanded from old. That's a curse. You either get blessings or curse. He was thrown down without sparing. He's caused the enemies to rejoice over you. He has exalted the might of your adversaries. Chapter 3. Verse 1. I'm a man who's seen affliction because of the rod of his wrath. Who is the anger of the Lord? Satan. He has driven me and made me walk in darkness. I've not been walking in light. And verse 4. Here is sickness. He's caused my flesh and skin to waste away. Verse 6. In dark places, spiritual darkness, he's made me dwell like those who've been dead. Look at verse 7. He's walled me in so that I cannot go out. He's made my chain heavy. You saw that same chain in Psalms 107. 9. Verse 9. He's blocked my ways. He's hinged on me. He's made my path crooked. Now crooked is, once again, look at me. That's when you're stumbling and staggering in spiritual darkness. See, you don't know the way. Amen? Stumbling and staggering in spiritual darkness. Now, verse 10. He's like a bear lying in wait. Like a lion in sick places. Now that means the powers of darkness. He's turned aside my way. He has torn me to pieces. He's made me desolate. No water, no fruit, no light. He's bent his bow. That's where he moves the hedge. He's set me as a target for the arrow. He's made the arrows of his quiver to enter into my inward parts. Now that's where sickness comes into your inward parts. And I suggest if you want to read over, you'll really enjoy Proverbs about the first 8 chapters of Proverbs. You'll really enjoy it. It kind of ties some things together about your mouth and rebellion and how these strangers and powers of darkness come in and destroy you right in the midst of the congregation. Talk about it in Proverbs 5. Verse 15. He's filled me with bitterness. He's made me drunk with wormwood. That's rebellion. Amen? This concludes tape number 11. Please fast forward this tape to return it to the beginning. Please proceed to tape number 12, where this message continues.