In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of following the Word of God rather than the traditions of men. He encourages the listeners to examine their beliefs and teachings in light of the scriptures, even if it conflicts with their previous understanding. The preacher also discusses the concept of the field in Matthew 13, explaining that it represents the world and not just the church. He highlights the presence of both the sons of the kingdom and the sons of the devil in the world, and emphasizes the ultimate judgment and separation that will occur at the end of the age.

Today's topic is Revelation and 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 teachings. 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 two 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 the series, or to the tapes out of sequence, can lead to a misunderstanding of the nature, the intent, and the importance of the series. Verse 14, a yoke of my transgression is bound. By his hand they are knit together, they've come upon my neck. Now that's the power of the Doctrine and Covenants. He has made my strength fail. Now listen to me, folks. How many here realize how your strength has just been leaving you, you're just dragging one foot right behind the other, and it's nothing? Folks, can I tell you, those things are turned loose, important, right now. And see, folks, I see them all over you. You know, they used to be over in Africa, or down the street, or across the tracks. I see a church house, a church building, full of them. Thousands of them, right now. Does that make it serious? Can I add one more thing? See, we come here to deal in truth, not to play games. They're not blessings, all right? You'll possess the land, and you're not at rest. As a matter of fact, you're in torment and misery. Now that's how serious this is right here. The Lord has given me into the hands the rest of 14. He's given me into the hand of those against whom I'm not able to stand. Verse 15. The Lord has rejected my strong men. In other words, these flesh that I've been following. He's rejected them. Do you see that? We saw that, you know, earlier in Isaiah 1. In my midst, he's called and appointed time against me to crush my young men. The Lord has trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah. Now do you see how the winepress is trodden? Do you see how the winepress is trodden now, folks? For these things I weep. Verse 16. My eyes run down with water, because far from me is a comforter, one who restores my mind, will, and emotions, my soul. Is that very plain, folks? You're not going to act like it's not there, are you? Okay. My children are desolate. That means no fruit, no water, no word. Why? Because the enemy, the powers of darkness, have prevailed. Now verse 18. The Lord is righteous, for I've rebelled against his word, commander law. Hear now, all people, and behold my, what's that word? Pain. Now that's what people all over this congregation have been going through. You've been going through pain and hurting and mourning. Now I'm going to tell you what. Judgment's turning. It's getting worse and worse. Bye. All right. My virgins and my young men have gone into captivity. I call to my lovers, but they what? They deceive me. Now let me ask you something. If your heart is living out the lust of deceit, you'll always be deceiving with your mouth. Amen? You'll never keep your word. Amen? Okay. My priests and my elders or pastors or leaders are perishing in the church or city while they sought food to restore their strength themselves. In other words, no one repents. Amen? Now let's go to Lamentations 2, and I want you to see something about... While we're there, why don't you look at verse 5. Lamentations 2, verse 5. The Lord has become my what? Enemy. Enemy. Well, is the Lord going to come like a thief in the last days? Can I tell you something, folks? He is not going to only come like a thief. He's going to come as a thief because he's going to speak from his mouth. Judgment. And that's what's up. You hear what I'm saying? And, folks, why, the wicked are being taken from the righteous, which you're going to see in your word tonight. Okay? They're being destroyed. All right? The Lord has become like an enemy. He has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all its palaces. He has destroyed its strongholds. And he's multiplied in the daughter of Judah. Now here's what's going on. Mourning and moaning. Now let's look over in verse 13. How shall I admonish you, church? To what shall I compare you, O daughter of Jerusalem? What can I do with you, you harlot church that doesn't conform yourself to godliness? To 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 hear you? Now here's your problem, church. Your prophets, your preachers have seen for you false and foolish visions or traditions, lies. And they have not exposed your sin and iniquity in obeying the gods so as to restore you from this captivity. But they have seen for you false and misleading co-doctrine oracles. Look at verse 17. The Lord has done what he's purposed. He's accomplished his word. Now you're looking at the fury of fire that consumes the adversaries that want to willfully rebel against God. He accomplished his word which he commanded from old, days of old. What is the word he commanded from day and old? It's a sword or a curse against those that rebel against him. He has thrown them without sparing. He has caused the enemy to rejoice over you, the dwelling place of England. He has exalted the might of your adversaries. Now look at verse chapter 3. I am a man who's seen affliction because of the rod of his what? Does the law bring wrath? The affliction comes because of wrath. He has driven me and made me walk in what? Darkness. I'm not walking in light. Verse 4. He has caused my flesh and my skin to waste away. He has broken my bones. He has besieged and encompassed me. Now here it is. With bitterness and hardship. In dark places I dwell. Look at verse 7. He wore me in so I cannot go out. He's made my chain heavy. Verse 8. When I cry out, he shuts out my prayer. See it's curse. Verse 9. All my paths are crooked. I'm stumbling and staggering like a drunkard. I can't find a way. Verse 10. He's like a bear lying in wait to me. He's like a lion in the secret places. He's turned aside my way and he's torn me to pieces. Now you see folks, look here. Have you seen over and over in the New Testament that the folks are being torn to pieces? You'll be torn to pieces. Can I tell you what? That's judgment when you're torn to pieces. When the powers of darkness are turned loose, you are torn to pieces. You'll be torn to pieces and that's exactly what he's talking about. Now here's how you're done. He has made me desolate. In other words, you don't have no fruit, no word. You're drying up as a branch and you're being destroyed, cut down by the tree cutters. Now here they are. Verse 12. He has bent his bow. Now the bow that we saw. He has bent his bow and he set me as a target for the arrows, the arrows of the powers of darkness we're reading about. He's made the arrows of his quiver. Now what are they doing? They enter into my inward parts. That's a little different than sitting on your shoulder, isn't it? Huh? Now look at verse 17. My soul, in other words, my mind, will, and emotions have been rejected from peace. In other words, you're in torment. I have forgotten happiness. Look at verse 37. Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass unless the Lord is commanded? In other words, how are the powers of darkness ever going to do anything unless God permits it? You see what I mean? God, you just want to pick the blessings of God out there to build up names, reputations, and build something that doesn't sanctify the congregation and terrify them. I'm telling you, God is saying it right here if you can read. Now verse 37. Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass unless the Lord is commanded? Is it not from the mouth, the mouth, the mouth, the mouth? The mouth of the Most High. Now that's where judgment comes. That's where the bowl is, the mouth of God, that both good and ill go forth. Is that plain? Why should any living man or any mortal or any living man complain in view of their sin? You better examine and probe your ways and return to the Lord. Lift up your hands toward heaven. You have transgressed the covenant and rebelled and thou hast not pardoned. Now that ought to get some people on their face. They better get them on their face if they want to be free. Now chapter 4. Of course, the powers of darkness are not supposed to get in the church, are they? Chapter 4, verse 11. The Lord has accomplished his wrath. Now does the law bring wrath? It brings the fire. He has poured out his fierce anger. There is the anger and the wrath. He has kindled a fire in Zion. He has spoke it and sent it on it. He has consumed its foundations. The foundations are sand, not on the word of God. The kings of the earth did not believe. Folks won't believe, nor did the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary of the powers of darkness and the enemy could ever enter the gates of the church. They could get in there. But they got in there because of the sins of the prophets, the iniquity of the preachers, the iniquity of the priests who shed in their midst the blood of the righteous by teaching them and perverting the word of God and not dealing with their sin, exposing their sin and purifying them and teaching them lies and carnal doctrines. Let me see if that holds up your head. Now, let me just stop and tell you something, folks. Are you beginning to see why we have to sit a good while before I can get you to a place? See, there are places I'd like to share with you. Where would you think we'd go if I dropped this on you in about day two? Hmm? See, what would that have done? Well, you see, you couldn't handle something. You see? Okay. Now, let's go back to Lamentations 4. This is the reason. I mean, back to Jeremiah 50. This is the reason I wanted you to get through that series of babbling tapes that we have here because, see, it's not just a tape promotion. I want you to get that word. So, now, Jeremiah 50, verse 12. Now, your mother, who's the mother? Babylon the church, isn't that right? The mother of Harlot. Your mother, your church, will be greatly ashamed. She who gave you birth. See, the mother the church gave you birth. Is that right? Will be humiliated. Behold, she will be the least of the nations. A wilderness. This church is going to be a parched land and a desert. Everything in it is going to dry out. No word. Amen? Now, look at verse 14. Grow up your battle lines against Babylon on every side. Now, as you know, Jerusalem is going to be surrounded. Is that right? Now, I can't go to explain all that like I do in those tapes right there, but I'm just going to tell you what it is. Every side means it's surrounded. Is that right? You draw up your battle lines. That's what the powers of darkness have done. And that's where they are right now. Draw up your battle lines against Babylon on every side. In other words, surround Jerusalem. Now, see, if we had time to really get into what to do in these Babylon tapes right there, it would show you that there's a troops of God. And they're called an army of God. Isn't that amazing? The songs we sing today about them running on the wall, and you're talking about the powers of darkness and Joel. You know what kind of walls they're running on? White-voiced walls. You see in Ezekiel 13, that's the kind of walls they're running on. Draw up your battle lines against Babylon on every side. All who bend the bow. Now, see, who's... Shoot at her. Do not spare her with your arrows. Why? Because she has sinned against the Lord. And the powers of darkness already know they're not guilty in as much as they sinned against the Lord. Is that right? The hedge is down. It's an unwalled city. Verse 15. Raise your battle cry against her on every side she's surrounding. She has given herself up. Her pillars have fallen. Are we supposed to be living stones that make up the spiritual house? Does Revelation tell you, you know, that if you overcome it, you'll be a pillar in the temple? The pillars have fallen. The pillars have fallen. Her walls, these white-washed walls, they have been torn down. Why? For this is the what? The vengeance of the Lord. Take vengeance on her. Is that what we saw now in Hebrews 10? The fury of fire, which is the vengeance of the Lord on those who sin willfully. Amen? Babylon sins willfully. Let me see it. Hold up your hand. It'll get clearer. Okay. As he has done to others, so do to her. Now, that's the law, isn't it? Isn't that right? What you do to us, you don't want. Let's look at verse 20. In those days... I'll tell you what I'd like for you to do. Just hold your place right there and turn over to Zephaniah. You're probably reading there this morning. Zephaniah, the first chapter, okay? Now, you're holding Jeremiah 50. You didn't turn it loose, too, did you? Okay. I want you to hold both of them. Now, I want you to... In Zephaniah 1, I want you to continue to hold your place in both places until I tell you to turn them loose. And in Zephaniah 1, I want you to read with me. Zephaniah 1. It's about four chapters before Matthew. Zephaniah is. Okay. Zephaniah 1, verse 12. And it'll come about at that time. Now, he's talking about the day of the Lord, the last days. I'm going to search the church. I'm going to search Jerusalem with lamps. How do you search a church with lamps? Look here. What is a lamp? The Word of God. Do you understand? Is this what my party is right here? The Lord is searching the church today with a lamp right here. Now, those whose hearts have... The Lord has their hearts. What are they going to do? They will hear the Lord. And what are they going to do? They're going to come and follow the Lord. They won't follow me, but they'll come and follow Jesus. They'll follow the Word. Is that right? So, now, this is what's going on to them. And out of this group, there's only... My Lord, what happens now? There's only going to be a remnant. Is that right? There is only going to be a remnant that's going to follow. Now, if you're looking for the crowd, you're looking for the flesh. Amen? Okay. So, verse 12, and it'll come about at that time, I'm going to search Jerusalem with lamps, and I'm going to punish the men who are stagnant in spirit, and they're saying in their hearts, the Lord will not do evil. The Lord will not do good. In other words, God just... There's no power in the Word or whatever. Just business as usual, just... You know, you don't have to be led by the Spirit of God, just stagnant. Now, keep holding Zephaniah, and let's look in Jeremiah 50, verse 20. Okay? All right, now, in verse 20, in those days, at that time, declares the Lord, a search will be made for what? That's the same thing you saw over there in Zephaniah 1, 12. A search would be made for sin, and this is what the search would be made with a lamp. It's going to search for sin. Of Israel, but see, you were talking about a remnant now, but there are not going to be any for the sins of Judah, but they will not be found, for I'm going to pardon those whom I leave as a remnant. Now, mark that remnant right there, because let me tell you who that remnant is. That remnant is the ones who deal with all that sin. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Now, we need to visit over here in Zephaniah just a little bit, so just hold your place right there, and let's go back over to Zephaniah 1, and let's just read a few verses there. Now, here's what the Lord is going to do in verse 2, Zephaniah 1, 2. I'm going to completely remove all things from the face of the earth, declares the Lord. Verse 6. And those who have turned back, in other words, turned from following the Lord, and those who have not sought the Lord or inquired of him, be silent before the Lord, for the day of the Lord is near. And I want you to know the day of the Lord is judgment. It's the time of all the way. Now, mark these two next sentences right here. I want you to mark them plain in your Bible. For the Lord... Somebody's not looking. All right, now look here. If you look over in Revelation 19, you will see the marriage supper of the lambs. And you're going to see those who go to the marriage supper of the lambs as a bride that made herself ready. Amen? How many know that the birds of the air is sometimes a reference to the powers of darkness and the enemy? It's birds of prey. Okay. Also, in that same chapter, is this supper and sacrifice that the Lord has prepared for kings, and a lot of kings today, for people who do not prepare themselves. And those birds of the air who are the birds of prey, the birds of the heaven, who are the powers of darkness, that's who that sacrifice is going to be for. And that's what you're going to see on those tapes I tell you about in Babylon right there. And it'll help you listen to the Lord when you first get up in the morning when you know these things. So in that chapter, you'll either be at the Lord's supper or you'll be at the devil's supper. You'll either eat or you'll get ate. Now if that's not plain to you, just stick with me here. For the Lord has prepared the sacrifice. He has consecrated his guests. Then it'll come about on the day of the Lord's sacrifice, I'm going to punish the princes and the leaders, the king's sons, that's Satan's sons. You know why? Because they've clothed themselves with foreign garments. They haven't got their garments of salvation. And I'm going to punish on that day all who leap from the temple threshold and they fill the house of the Lord with violence. In other words, they pervert. And then there's your deceit. It's deceitful because people fall in the lust of deceit. Verse 12. And it'll come about at that time when I'm going to search the church, I'm going to search Jerusalem with lamps. And I'm going to punish the men who are stagnant in spirit. They won't come to the word. Who say in their hearts, the Lord is not going to do good or evil. That's what they're saying in their hearts, just peace and safety. They don't have to be alert and sober. They'll sleep. Verse 14. Near is the great day of the Lord, near and coming very quickly. Listen, the day of the Lord, the warriors cry out bitterly. And you know who those warriors are. It's the power of the darkness. It's a day of wrath is that day. The Lord brings wrath against ungodliness. It's a day of trouble and distress. It's a day of destruction and desolation and you're in it right now. It's a day of darkness and gloom and you're in it right now. It's a day of clouds and thick darkness and you're in it right now. And I want you to know it's a day of trumpet and the trumpet's blowing you right now. I want you to know this trumpet is blowing you right now. It's a day of trumpet and battle cry. Who is it against? These fortified cities, these high corner towers that's building their way into heaven. And they're fortified. People find security in them. It's not in the Lord. That's the reason it's called fortified. Verse 17. I'm going to bring distress on the men so that they'll walk like blind. They're going to keep on, like the parable of the Word, they're going to keep on seeing, but they're not going to see. They're not going to hear, not going to understand. Why? Because they draw near to God with their mouth and their hearts are far from Him so He's blinded the eyes and hidden discernment for them. Isaiah 29, which we'll see later this week. They'll walk like the blind. Because why? They sinned against the Lord. In other words, it's a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of God. Amen? Is that what you saw in Hebrews? And their flesh is like dung. Needs hundred dollar bills or silver or gold is not going to be able to deliver them on the day of the Lord's wrath. And all the earth is going to be what? In the bard, in the what? In the fire of his jealousy. What is the fire of the jealousy? Look at me, folks. God wants all of your hearts. And when your heart goes to an idol, He is jealous. And when they are jealous, He turns loose His wrath. That's the reason the law came. His anger and wrath comes when you turn your heart from God. He made you to love Him and He made you to love you. And you don't want to live for God and you want to rebel against God, the one who created you. That's jealousy. That's the fire of his jealousy. Verse 10, it's going to be a what? Terrifying one. Did it say over in Hebrews 10 it's a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God? Let me ask you something. How much of this side of God have we been taught about in our deception? There you go. That don't please flesh to hear that part of the Bible, does it? It's a terrifying one. Who's it coming to? All the inhabitants of the earth. Now look in chapter 2, verse 1. Gather yourself together, yes, O nation without shame. See, there's sin. There's no repentance. When you have no repentance, you have no shame. Amen? No conviction. Before the decree takes effect, the day passes like chaff. Before the burning anger, there's a wrath of the Lord comes upon you. Behold, the day of the Lord's anger comes upon you. Seek the Lord. Now here's what you better do right now. Listen to this. Seek the Lord. All you humble of the earth who have carried out his words, in other words, the doer of the word, seek righteousness. Seek humility. In other words, give up this flesh. Perhaps you'll be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. Verse 15. Now you see Babylon right here. This is the exultant city or the exultant church which dwells securely. It's already arrived, increased in goods. Doesn't know she's naked, poor, and blind, which dwells securely. Who says in their heart, I am, and there's no one besides me. If you want to go to heaven, you better climb up my tower. How she has become a desolation. No fruit, no water, no Jesus. He's not even there. It's a resting place for the powers of darkness, the beast. Do you see them? There's your beast. And they're the image of the beast. Everyone who passes by will hip and wave his hands in contempt. Is that happening today? Absolutely. Chapter 3, verse 1. Woe to her, who is rebellious and defiled, the tyrannical city. Here's her problem. She wouldn't heed the word of God. She wouldn't accept instruction from God. She will not trust in the Lord and she'll not seek the Lord with a whole heart to draw near to him. Verse 4. For prophets, preachers, are reckless, treacherous men. For priests have profaned the sanctuary. They perverted the law. They've done violence to the law. The word perverted. Verse 8. Therefore, wait for me, declares the Lord. Just wait for me for the day I'm going to rise up to the prey. Indeed, my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms. It's going to be kingdom against kingdom. Isn't that right? I'm going to pour out on them my what? There's your flood, folks. My indignation. Now the powers of darkness, that's what they're referred to, indignation. And all my burning earth is going to be devoured by the fire of my zeal. There's the fury of fire again. Amen? And then I'm going to give to the people what kind of lips? Purified lips. Now, listen, folks. How do you have a purified lip to have a purified heart? And the ones who will not come to have their hearts purified are the proud. And the humble are going to have their hearts purified. And they're going to have purified lips. And they will bear the fruit of righteousness. Everything else will be destroyed. That's what it's talking about over in Revelation. Just hold your place right there. Turn over to your right a little bit. Well, let me just read it to you because we haven't got much time. Matthew 13, it's talking about explaining to the pairs of the field. The man sows a good field. The field's the world. It's not the church house. The field is the world. And there's the sons of kingdom, the son of the devil. In verse 39, the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is in the age, and the reapers are angels. Now, I want you to listen to this. Verse 40, Therefore, just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so it shall be at the end of the age that tares are gathered up. Now, who are the tares? We saw the tares earlier back there in verse 26. When the wheat sprang up and bore grain, which is fruit, then the tares become evident. The fruit of the flesh is evident, and the fruit of the spirit is evident. So you can tell them by their mouth. And then the Son of Man, verse 41, will send forth His angels. They will gather out of His kingdom. All the stumbling blocks, is Babylon a stumbling block? Does anyone have doctrines that do not conform you to God? Are they stumbling blocks? Absolutely. And the Lord is going to gather out. He's going to send His angels. They're going to gather out all stumbling blocks. And those who commit lawlessness, they break the law. Is that plain? And He's going to cast them into the firmness of fire. And they're going to be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And that's already happening. And verse 49, so it will be at the end of the age the angels are going to come forth. They're going to take out the wicked from the righteous. So Babylon thinks she's going to miss all that and get snatched down. She's going to get snatched down. It's going to take the wicked from the righteous and going to cast them into the firmness of fire. They shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. That's exactly what we're reading here. Amen? It's the purifying judgment of God. We're back in September 9th to read verse 11. In that day, you're not going to feel no shame because of all your deeds but which you rebelled. That's the one that's purifying and humbling herself for which you rebelled against me. You're not going to feel any shame because I'm going to remove from your midst. I'm going to get that flesh out of there. People that love that rebellion, hostile flesh, I'm going to remove your proud, exulting ones. Is that what your Bible says? Huh? And you will never again be haughty on my holy mountain, on my holy church, Zion. But I'm going to leave among you a humble. This is one that's going to say it's going to be a lowly people. They walk in love and they'll take refuge in the name of Jesus, the name of the Lord. The remnant of the Israelites. And this is what it's going to look like. They're not going to do no wrong. They're not going to tell no lies. And they'll not have a what? They will not have a sepal tongue speaking blessings and curses. And this sepal tongue is not going to be found in their mouth because they have a purified heart and they have purified lips. For they shall feed, they'll receive the word, and then they're going to lie down in peace. And no one's going to make them tribble because perfect love casts out all fear. So let's just stop and stand up a minute. Now, I told you I was going to jump on over a wave and then we're going to have to come back and kind of, but I want to tell you you're going to have some understanding about some things here and I'm going to tell you what I believe. How do you fear God? Is it kind of picking up? I want to tell you something, folks. If you think you've just seen the word, you're not ready to repent it and turn from anything in your heart, you're not going to, there's not going to be too much happening to you. Don't think because you see, this hadn't, something hadn't learned. You better get to the sacrifice of something in your heart. You better turn from everything. Just decide it. Jesus is going to have your whole heart. Amen. We're back in Jeremiah 50. Jeremiah 50, verse 24. I set a snare for you. You know when you talk about your table being a trap and a snare? The table is what you eat off of. And you were so caught, O Babylon, while you yourself was not aware. You wasn't aware. You were asleep. You've been found and also seized. Why? Because you've engaged in conflict with the Lord. Let me ask you this something. How do you engage in conflict with the Lord? When you walk after the flesh, the flesh is hostile to God and it will not subject itself to the word of God, the law of God. Verse 25. The Lord has opened His armory. There it is. The Lord's opened. His mouth is spoken. And He has brought forth His weapons of indignation. We already saw that before in His indignation. He's going to pour forth. Would you like to just have a look at them? Just hold your hand right there and turn me back to Isaiah 13. I want to show them to you. I want to show you the powers of darkness that turn loose today. This is why people have a problem getting people here and this is why you have such a battle coming here in yourself. They know what's going to happen here. That's why persecution is going to come on you. That's why it comes on me. Because they want to, they want to, what's the word for it? They want to discredit someone and then you won't listen to them if they can make you fearful of them. If I had to go before what was said about me, I'd be scared to death of me. And that keeps people from examining truth. You know what I mean? I mean, I'm everything from Jim Jones, I'm telling you what. I've even, you know, I've been called a false prophet and a brother in the same article. Now isn't that perverted? But we need to pray for him and he's full of lies. So what? See, I'm not, you know, I'm just sorry. Now I want to ask you something. Is this called the fury of fire in the last days? Huh? The vengeance of the Lord? Is that what we saw in Hebrews 10? Those who sin willfully? All right. That means they won't be led by the Spirit of God? All right then. Isaiah 13, we're going to see these estimates of his indignation. We saw it over in Zephaniah 1, didn't we? All right, verse 3, I've commanded my consecrated ones, I've even called my mighty warriors. Now, you know up there at the first, it's concerning Babylon, isn't it? You see up there in verse 1? All right, the oracle is concerning Babylon. Verse 3, I've commanded my consecrated ones, I've even called my mighty warriors. Now, here are his warriors. Here are the Lord's warriors. My proudly exalting ones. And what do they do? They execute the anger of the Lord. Do you see that? There's a sound of tumult on the mountains. Like that of many people, the sound of uproar of the kingdoms. The nations gather together. The Lord of hosts is mustering the army for battle, and that's the same army you see over in Zion. And they're the proud, exalting ones of the Lord. And they run on the wall. They're coming from a far country. Your margins say, well, the end of heaven. Do you see it? They're coming from a far country. It's the end of heaven. That's the powers that are from the farthest horizon, right there. The Lord and his instruments of what? Indignation. That's where he pours out this indignation on those who practice sin and rebellion to him. They're instruments of indignation, and he's going to destroy the what? Look at me. The whole land. Where's the land there? Right there. Bodies, hearts. Well, for the day of the Lord is near, it'll come as what? It's going to be destruction. Now, I want you to remember that word. It's going to come as what? Destruction from the Almighty. Now, you know what? I just can't resist this. I want you to turn back. Now, I want you to hold Jeremiah, Isaiah, and turn over to Hebrews 10 a minute, and I want you to see one thing. Now, they are going to be his instruments of destruction, and it's going to destroy the whole land, and they're coming from the end of heaven. Is that right? Proud, exalting ones. Now, in this same intent right there, did you see, if you go on verse 26, you go on, "...sin and willfully I have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains the sacrifice for sin, but there's a certain terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of fire." Is that right? And then we see verse 30, "...we know him who says vengeance is mine." Verse 31, "...it's a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Now, you're seeing what we're talking about right there. That will change your direction. That will help you fear God. And I'm going to tell you what, you'll quit listening to what folks are saying, and you'll start reading your Bible to see what He's saying. Ain't that right? Amen? He said He'd lead you in all truth, right? And you'll read your Bible, and you'll see if I'm saying what God is saying, you'll see if anybody else you're listening to is saying what God's saying. Is that right? Amen. So, we see there, verse 38, "...but my righteous people," that's one that's led by the Spirit of God, "...shall live by faith." Amen? "...but if he shrinks back," look at me. When he reads the Word of God, if something's got his heart, then he'll just shrink back from the Word of God. Back up. "...if he shrinks back, my soul will have no pleasure in him, but we are not those who shrink back or fall away from the Word of God to destruction." Now, do you see the destruction? Check your head. "...but we are those who have faith to preserving of the mind, will, and emotions of the soul, abstaining from fleshly lust, and sinning." Which war against your soul? Do you remember us seeing that first Peter 2? So, when you shrink back from the Word of God, you've got a war on your hands because you're breaking the law. And a period of fire is coming on. Now, there's going to be a chastisement coming, but if you practice it, it's going to be a period of fire because you're sinning willfully. You're practicing sin and continuing sin. Amen? The sin and the death is when you willfully sin. Or you gather your hearts around something that tells you it's all right to practice rebellion just like it told me it's easy, and you surely shall not die. I'm going to tell you you'll be destroyed. Now, turn to Hebrews 10 and Luke. We're back over in Isaiah 13. Now, let's see. They are coming from up, verse 5. They are coming from a far, far country, from the farthest horizons. The Lord, in His testaments of indignation, destroyed the whole land. Well, for the day of the Lord is near. And it's what we saw in Zelphi and I. It will come as destruction from God Almighty. Therefore, all hands will fall left, and every man's heart will melt. Everybody has become more fearful of everything around them, everything around them, scaring people, scared to death. Men don't act like men. They act like women. And they'll be terrified. Pains and anguish will take hold of them. They will rise like a woman in labor. Now, you know that's punishment. Look, when a woman's in labor, they're hurting. And so you have all pains and aches and all this pain in your body being destroyed and sickness and all this stuff. It's just like a woman in labor. And it says, they will look at one another in astonishment. Why is it? Why is it? Why is it I'm following Jesus? And I love Jesus, and all this is happening to me. Why is all these things happening to us? We're in a church. Their faces are aflame, being burned up. Why? Behold, the day of the Lord is coming. It's here. It's cruel. And with what's that word? It's the fury of fire of the Lord, which you saw in Hebrews 10. It's burning anger, and he's making the land a desolation. He will exterminate these sinners, these stumbling blocks and terrors, and the proud exulting ones. Flinch. Destroy. For the stars of the heavens in their consolation will not flash forth their light. The sun will be dark when it rises. The moon will not shed its light. Thus I'm going to punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I'll put an end to the arrogance of the proud flesh and abase the haughtiness of the ruthless. I'm going to make mortal man scarcer than pure gold and mankind than the gold offers. Therefore, I'm going to make the heavens tremble. The earth will be shaken from its place. That is the earthquake. That's the earthquake when the powers of darkness come, and they're going to shake. And if you're not standing on the foundation of the Word, you will be shook down. If you hear the Word and don't act on it, you're standing on the wrong foundation, and great will be your fall. And that's the same thing it's talking about in Hebrews, that everything's going to be shaken, and only those things that cannot be shaken are the only things that are going to remain, and the only things that are going to remain are the ones that are standing on this Word of God instead of some phony carnal doctrine. And that's what's going on. That's why people are destroyed right now by saying, and then intimidate and fear and hold people together with fear and intimidation and threaten them and everything. If he's going to get two or three people in the house to read the Bible, it threatens the kingdom. Therefore, I'm going to make the heavens tremble, and the earth is going to be shaken from its place. That's the earthquake. That's the what? The fury of the Lord of hosts. There's the fury of the fire in the day of His burning anger. Now, we're in Jeremiah 50. Now, we saw there in verse 25, the Lord has opened His armory and has brought forth the weapons of His indignation. You saw what they were there, didn't you? Verse 28, there is the sound of fugitives, of refugees from the land of Babylon. Now, that's, can you see the refugees trying to get out of Babylon today? To declare in the church Zion that the vengeance of the Lord, vengeance for what? This temple right here. It's vengeance for this temple that's been turned over to thieves and robbers and letting them come in instead of the heart going to let righteousness rule and reign in their lives. It's vengeance for this temple of God's giving. You profane a temple and defile it. A walking, double-minded harlot. Some and many against Babylon. All who bend the bow and tempt against her on every side. Let there be no escape. No escape. Repay her according to her what? Work. That's the way the law works, isn't it? According to all that she has done so due to her. Is that what the law is? Given and be given unto you, it's going to be poured in your lap. That's what you give out. And what she's done, she's become arrogant against the Lord, she's become arrogant against the Holy One of Israel. Is that right? Look at verse 38. 38. A drought on their waters. There's a famine. And there'll be dry death. For it is the land of idols and they're mad over their fearsome idols. Verse 41. Behold, a people is coming from the north and a great nation and many kings. There's a king of pride. Everything else will be roused from the... Where? They're coming from the remote parts of the earth. They seize their bows and javelins. They are cruel. How many knows that when you're dealing with the powers of darkness in somebody, even in the people, they're ruler demons. They have a government in the person. You say, that sounds like off the wall. Nobody knows anything to deal with the powers of darkness. They're ruler demons. They are cruel. And they have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea. How many of you know that in the last days of reading about Luke 21, about the city being surrounded and the voice is going to be like the roaring of the sea, and all this kind of thing? Honey, you're looking at them here right now. Let's look at verse 42. I mean, that's where it was, the verse 42. Let's go to 51 there. Verse 6. Chapter 51, verse 6. Flee from the midst of Babylon and each of you save his life. Do not be destroyed in her punishment for this is the Lord's time of vengeance. He's going to render recompense to her. Verse 7. Babylon has been a what? It's been a golden cup in the hand of the Lord. Now, the Lord permits that. He lets the hearts of people be tested. It's been intoxicating all the earth because they want to come to men instead of come to rats and hoes. And they stagger and stumble in spiritual darkness right there, intoxicating all the earth. The nations have drunk of her wine, therefore the nations are what? They're going mad. That's exactly right. Verse 11. Sharpen the heirs. And you know who the heirs are? The powers of darkness. Fill the quivers. The Lord has aroused the spirit of the king of Medes because his purpose is against Babylon to destroy it. For it is a vengeance of the Lord, vengeance for his temple. Amen? Verse 14. The Lord of hosts has sworn by himself, Surely I will fill you with a population like locusts. And they will cry out with shouts of victory over you. Do you know? I told you the same things in Job, the same plagues that came on the first Egypt. You see them over there in Revelation. But what did they have God's people doing over there in Egypt? Did they have them with straw and brick building? Did they have them in slave labor, straw and brick? God's people in slave labor today. Straw and brick and that's the vengeance that God is bringing and the plagues that he's coming. But the locusts have changed. These locusts are the powers of darkness. And he said, Let my people go. And the plagues, that's the plagues that's on the church. That's why he said you better come out from her midst so that you will not receive her plagues. You see the same plagues and this is the same locusts. Now let me show you what these locusts look like right here. The shouts of victory. Look at verse 20. And this power is in us. You are my war club, my weapon of war, and with you I'm going to shatter nations. With you I'm going to destroy kingdoms. With you I'll shatter the horse and its rider. The horse and the rider is the people that ball of flesh. And with you I'll shatter the chariot and its rider. With you demons I'm going to shatter man and woman. With you demons I'm going to shatter the old man and youth. With you demons I'm going to shatter the young man and the virgin. With you demons I'm going to shatter the shepherd and his flock. Look in 29. So the land quakes. That's the earthquake. And rise. For the purpose of the Lord against Babylon stand to make the land of Babylon a desolation without inhabitants. The mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting. They stay in their strongholds. Their strength is exhausted. Are you seeing what I'm telling you today? They are becoming like women, weak. Their dwelling places are set on fire and the bars of their churches are broken. And this is what's happening, been happening to us. Amen? 45. Come forth from her midst, my people, so that each of you can save yourselves from the fierce anger of the Lord. Verse 50. You who have escaped this curse, depart. Do not stay. Remember the Lord from where? Afar. You better let heavenly Jerusalem come to your mind. Verse 51. We're ashamed because we've heard reproach. This grace has covered our faces. For aliens, that's the powers of darkness, have entered the holy places of the Lord's house. Can I tell you what? Sounds like the beast has walked into the temple, doesn't it? Now you see why I said a while sometimes? Just have to persevere and then do it. People that don't have the heart, doesn't have the word, they won't persevere and then do it. They get bored. Because they've got options. Land, family, things to take care of in this world. They've got their hearts. So where is the world of people and riches? It's ours and other things. It's ours and Arkansas. Come out of it. They know what's going to happen here. 53. Though Babylon should ascend to heavens and though she should fortify her lofty stronghold. For me, God says, the storms will come to her, declares the Lord. Verse 55. For the Lord is going to destroy Babylon. He's going to make a loud noise, banish from her. And their waves will roar like many waters. Now they're going to make waves. Do you understand some of their waves today? What does it say over in Ephesians 4? Every wind of doctrine carried about by waves. What does it say in Jeremiah? The waves caused the devil mindedness. What is it talking about over in Jude? The roaring tossed here and there. By winds, that's them. They roar like many waters. The tumult of their voices sound forth. For the destroyer is coming against her. Against Babylon. Her mighty men will be captured. Hey, it's the dwelling place of demons today. Their bows are shattered. For the Lord is the God of recompense. He'll fully repay. Did he say that he'd be a God of vengeance? Look at me, folks. I want everybody here to look at me just a minute. Who do you reckon is saying everything we've been reading right here in Jeremiah? Let me just go ahead and show you who's saying it. Next verse. And I'm going to make her princess. That's the leadership. Here's the fury of our vengeance. I'm going to make her leaders. Her wise men. They're going to be drunk. They're going to be drunk. Staggering at some. Her governors. Her perfect. Her mighty men. And they're going to sleep or perpetual sleep. They never are going to wake up. Declare who? King Jesus. Whose name is the Lord of hosts. Now, folks, I want to tell you something. You're in and in something. Probably you never thought of it. You can dream nothing of your life. Now, I'm going to tell you what. God is just fixing to open up his word all over the place. And I'm going to tell you something, folks. If we had time to look over there in Luke. I tell you about something when it said. It said, leave your goods behind. The floods come. That's the indignation when he pours out the flood. And just like in the days of Noah. They're going to be eating, drinking. See, that's where people in the world. They're going to be worried about what to eat, drink, and wear. That's where the world is. It deceives. It worries the world. It deceives. It enriches desire for other things. It's got their hearts. And it said, you better not heart. You better not be on your goods. You better not be on your treasures. And I was able to explain it in that babbling tape there. It said, you better remember Lot's wife. Well, what happened to Lot's wife? The righteous were moved out. And he said, I'm going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah with fire. Is that right? Well, we've been seeing how Sodom is compared to Sodom and Gomorrah. Flesh is compared to Sodom and Gomorrah. Why? What happened to Lot's wife? Oh, the righteous were moving out. And the fire was going to destroy. He said, don't look back. Why do you say don't look back? Because I don't want your heart back there. I want your heart on heavenly things. Amen? So he said, and then all of them walked far, and they wouldn't look back except one. One of them had to just look back. One of them. One of them was Lot's wife. And the moment she looked back, she became a pillar of salt, because her heart was still back there. So now if you know about the world and the things in the world and idols and everything, and you go on willfully sinning, then you're not fear of God in your heart. You're not led by the Spirit of God. And you shake your fist to the fear of God. Fear of God is good, when you learn it. To learn the fear of God is to know the reality of what's happening around you. People who are in deceit, they know fear of God before their eyes. Don't say, God, I just say I have the fear of God. You have to learn the fear of God. And the fear of God is learned by coming to God with all your heart and coming to the Word of God. Well, you're going to shrink back to destruction if you shrink back to the Word. Well, I guess that'd be a good place to stop. This concludes tape number two. Please fast-forward this tape to return it to the beginning. Please proceed to tape number three, where this message continues. For additional tapes, write Be Fruitful and Multiply. Post Office Box 160065, Irving, Texas 75016. That's Post Office Box 160065, Irving, Texas 75016.