In this sermon, the preacher addresses the issue of shepherds in the church who are not fulfilling their role of feeding the flock. He emphasizes the importance of practicing the teachings of the word of God rather than just hearing them. The preacher warns against false teachings and urges the congregation to follow the word of God rather than traditions of men. He concludes by recommending the book "The Great Falling Away Today" by Milton Green as a resource for further understanding.

When anyone receives 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 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 12 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. And he, verse 13, performs what? Great signs, and you know we're going to see something in 2 Thessalonians 2 just a minute about this. And verse 14, he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the what? Signs which be given him to form in the presence of beasts, telling those who dwell on the earth. Now what's he telling them to do? Make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. And you know what that image is? That image is religion. And that image is an image of the beast. And you come and crank up your music and get in the flesh and just bow to it, you know, just bow to it and worship it and let it get your heart. Amen? Because when you bow to it, who's really got your heart? Satan. And you bow to it. Now, would you like to see a little example of that? Okay. I'm glad you asked me. Now turn to Daniel. Now hold your place or we've got to come back there, man. Turn back to Daniel. Turn back to Daniel and I want to show you this. The Lord over in Daniel is explaining all this to us. Show you how you bow to the image today. Now who are we supposed to be an image of? We're supposed to be an image of Jesus and we're an image of Jesus? We have divine nature, is that right? And what's that divine nature called? Is that called go? Huh? Why does Satan always have the image of, he always has a counterfeit of everything that the Lord's supposed to bow? Now this is what he's trying to show us here in Daniel. Now, let me, I want you to get, I want you to understand this before we start. It's when you will not, when you're trying to walk in this Word and you're turning away from everything, does Satan bring all kinds of persecution and affliction to you? Does he throw you in the furnace a little bit? Amen. Okay. Now, Daniel 3 verse 1. Who's Nebuchadnezzar the type of? He's the type of Satan, isn't he? Right? The king made an image of gold. The height of it was 66 cubits and with six cubits, we run in a lot of sixes there, aren't we? He set up the plain of Durin, the province of Babylon, then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, I wish I hadn't used that verse, the perfects, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the prophecies that come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up. Now, who's Nebuchadnezzar the type of? And he's built an image of himself right here. You see what he's going to do? He's built an image of himself. Then the satraps, how do you say that? What is that word right there, brother? Huh? Is it satrap? Well, I don't want to do nothing wrong here. You can lose folks on account of something like that. Then the satraps, the perfects and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the prophecies which assemble to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. They stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the herald loudly proclaimed, to you the command is given, O people, nations and men of every language, that at the moment you hear this religious music, the moment you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the clarinet, the psalms with the bagpipe and all kinds of music, you're supposed to what? You're supposed to fall down and worship this image to Satan that he set up. Are you seeing it? But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be immediately cast into the what? Here comes persecution. They're going to come to furnish the blazing fire if you don't worship this beast, if you don't worship the image, if you don't worship religion. Therefore, at that time when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trident, the psalms with the bagpipe and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language, they fell down and worshiped the gold image that Satan the king had set up. You see that? For this reason, at that time, certain Chaldeans, now this is the army of Satan, the Chaldeans are a type of the powers of darkness, but they came forward and brought charges against the Jews and they responded and said to Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar the king, oh king, live forever. You yourself, oh king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn, the flute, the lyre, the trident, the psalms with the bagpipe and all kinds of music, get to fall down and worship this religion, this golden image. But whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. That's what you said, Satan. And there are certain Jews, now who's the Jews the type of? That's supposed to be the type of the people of God. In Romans 2, we are the Jews if Jesus Christ is your Lord. There are certain Jews whom you've appointed over the administration of the providence of Babylon, namely Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These men, oh king, have disregarded, they do not serve what? They won't serve the powers of darkness and they won't worship the gold image. Are you seeing that? The gods, are you hearing what I'm saying? They won't do it. These Jews won't do it. And then Nebuchadnezzar in rage and anger, he gave orders to bring Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego. Then these men were brought before the king and Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, that you do not serve my gods and you won't worship the image that I come? Are you, you Jews right here, you're not going to serve my demons and you're not going to serve my religion that I've set up, that's my image? You're not going to do that? So Nebuchadnezzar responded and said to them, no, I mean in verse 15, now you who are ready, at the moment you hear the music right here, now you remember Babylon over there? If you hear the sound of this entertainment right here, the horn, the flute, the lute, the trident, the psalm tree, the bagpipe and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the image I've made very well, but if you will not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. Here comes the persecution and affliction and what God is there who can deliver you out of my hands? And Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego answered and said to the king, O King Satan, O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this. Glory be to God forevermore. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of this blazing fire and he delivers out of your hands, O King. And but even if he does not, let it be known to you, O King, that we're not going to serve your God. We're not going to worship this golden image. We're not going to worship this religion. We're not going to follow after any demons that you set up. Then Satan was filled with what? Uh-oh, and there his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego. And he answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. And he commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army. Here comes the Chaldeans. And in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire, then these men, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, these Jews, these Christians were tied up and they had their armor on. They've got their trousers. They got their coats. They got their caps. They've got all their armor on. They got their other clothes. They were cast into the midst of the furnace of the blazing fire. And for this reason, because the king's man was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego. But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, they fell into the midst of the blazing fire and still tied up. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and he stood up in haste. He responded and said to his high official, was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of fire? And he answered and said, the king. Certainly, O king. But he answered and said, look, I see the fourth man loose walking in the midst of the fire with their armor. And the appearance of the fourth is like the Son of the God, their Jesus. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of the blazing fire. He responded and said, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here. Then Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego came out of the midst of the fire. And as they trapped the prophets, the governors, the kings, and the high officials gathered around and saw in regard of these men that they had their armor on, so the fire had no effect on their bodies. I said that fire had no effect on their bodies. The fire is going on. And these men, nor was the hair of their heads singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them. And Nebuchadnezzar just responded and said, Blessed be the God, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, who has sent his angels and delivered his servants, who put their trust in him. Glory be to God forevermore. Let's go back over there where we were. Okay, you know, I was saving this for later on. There's a whole lot of scripture I want to tie together, and I hadn't had a chance to do it, but we're in it, and so let's just stay here a while. Verse 14, now we're back on Revelation 13, let's see. I'll tell you what, let's just begin. We saw that he calls to verse 16, he calls all the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slave to receive a mark on their right hand and on their forehead. Is that right? Now look in chapter 14. And we're going to see the mark of God right now. As a matter of fact, before you do right there, I would like for you to look at one, back up with me to Romans, I mean Revelation. Let me see verse 3, I mean chapter 3, verse 9. Behold, I'm going to cause those of the synagogue of Satan... Do you believe any people in the synagogue of Satan today who say they are Jews and are not? Do you see that? They say they're the Jews. They're not Jews, but they're lying. Behold, I'm going to make them come and bow down at your feet, and you're going to know that I've loved you. Because why? You've kept the word of my perseverance. You're not walking in sin or obeying. And so I'm going to keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world. It's going to test those who dwell on the earth. I'm coming quickly. You better hold fast to that which you have in order that... Don't let them take your crown. Don't fall away. Now verse 12. Now watch here. He, the one who overcomes, the one who endures to the end, the one who has a pure heart, he who overcomes, I'm going to make him a pillar in the temple. Now who is the temple? He's going to be the pillar in the church. He's going to be a pillar in the temple of my God. And we make up a holy priesthood, a royal priesthood, and he will not go out from me anymore. And I'm going to what? I'm going to do what? I'm going to write upon him the name of my God. Now that, and the name of the city of my God, this is going to be the new Jerusalem, it's going to be written right on him because why? He has the mind of Christ. He come down to heaven for my God and my new name. Now folks, how many of you are seeing right there? If you have a harlot forehead, what are you bound down to? You're bound down to religion. So you're washing the image of the beast. You're not washing the image of Satan. Are you seeing what I'm saying? But if you have the forehead right there, you're not of the synagogue of Satan, are you? You're keeping the perseverance of the Lord. You're overcoming. Is that what your Bible says? And so you receive the mark of the Lord. Now we're over there in chapter 14 now. Chapter 14. We see in the last part that we have his name, and I look, behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion with him 144,000, having his name and the name of his Father written on him. Pridden-Reed said that means 0-0-0-0-0-0-0. Everybody goes. And I heard, I don't know what it really is saying, but frankly, myself. And verse 3, they sang a new song. They sang a new song, and I believe that song is Jesus Christ is Lord, amen? And the one that knows that song can sing it. Now, when you walk, when you speak blessings and cursive, what's the matter with your heart? Your heart is what? Defiled. And who comes in to defile a temple? Powers of darkness, amen? All right, now look here. Now, the ones that held the mark of God, verse 4, these are the ones who have not been defiled with who? The harlots. Babylon. Ever he goes. And you remember in John 10, My sheep follow me, a stranger's voice they will not hear. They're not going to follow, amen? These have been purchased from among men as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. And we look there in the next verse 5, and no lie was found in their mouth. They are what? Blameless. And what kind of bride is Jesus coming after? Holy and blameless. Now, does that sound like you're going to have a pure heart and overcome? Is it pretty easy to see who's got the mark of the Lord? Now we know what defilement is, don't we? Amen? And if you're defiled, you're bound down to an image of something that's going to make you like a beast, right? But if you have a pure heart, you're bound down to Jesus and you have the mind of Christ. Amen? Let's see if we want to go any further. Well, let's go to verse 6. And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, to every nation, tribe, and tongue, and people. And he said with a loud voice. Now, what is he saying to the people? All right, now, folks, don't let that pass over your head. The people that fear God is the only one that's going to come to life. Can I tell you? If you don't fear God, you won't walk with him. Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and you had better worship him. And verse 8. And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, Fallen, fallen is this poor harlot, Babylon the great, has made the nations drink of this teaching of passion and immorality. And you know, the ocean-blown Lord Jesus Christ is dead to passion and evil desires that we see over there in Galatians 5.24. And another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, If anyone worships the beast, that's the power of the darkness, and his image, is that right? And he receives a mark on his forehead upon his hand. He was going to drink of the wine of the what? What's that word? Wrath. They're breaking the law, aren't they? So the Lord brings wrath, wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of his what? There's anger and wrath, and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone. Is that what your Bible says? Verse 11. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they will have what? No rest day or night. All right, now let me ask you something. Is anybody walking out of the flesh having rest today? They're absolutely not. They have no rest. They're in torment. They're in torment day and night. Absolutely in torment day and night. And those who worship the beast and image and whoever receives the mark of his name, now here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. Amen? Isn't that pretty clear to see? Now I want you to turn with me to 2 Thessalonians 2. I've been putting this off. I'm just going to go over there for a minute. 2 Thessalonians 2. See, I want to tell you something, folks. I believe the Lord's going to change your Bible for us, don't you? I mean, in the last days, we're going to clearly understand these things. You know what he said in Jeremiah 23 we read the other day? What? You didn't have any problem with that, did you? Does it line up with everything we've been sharing in the Word all week? Exactly the same thing all the way through, right? See, it's the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. Don't ever make anything complicated about the Bible, because the Bible's been made to be understood. And see, you know why? I could have learned about the law a long time, and I couldn't learn about it, because I received a lie that I couldn't learn about it. And you know, when I decided, I didn't have anyone to teach me or anything about it. And see, the Lord just taught me. You see? Now, see, why I'm saying this now, he'll teach you. I told some people the other day, you know, in the first meeting there, you know, I was just reading the Bible. I didn't even know what a seminar was. And you know, here I was reading in this thing, and I remember that people and important people and so forth else were sitting out there. And I'll never forget that day that this fellow came up there, and he held his Bible there where I could see it. It's, you know, it's written in Greek, you know, and he's trying to, you know, kind of straighten me out about some things where I could see. Of course, I'm not sure it's Greek. It looked like, I think somebody told me it was. But but another time, it's got it. It's got it. Got to have some of these things happen to say, well, you know, I was sharing some things one day and this fellow come up to him and I could, you know, you can spot him coming off, coming up and he come up to me and he said, I want to know where you got that. Where'd you get that at? I said, God. And he just began shaking his head. You know, I thought so. All right. Now, let's look at the second Thessalonians one verse four. Therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and your faith in the midst of what? Is that the bride of Christ there? They have faith and perseverance in the midst of persecution and affliction. Now, see, there's persecution and affliction in the parable of the word. This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you may be what? This is the way you're considered worthy. If you stand in these things, you prove you love the Lord more than you do anything else. And you considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which indeed you are suffering. For after all, it's only just for God to repay with affliction those who are afflicting you and is going to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels and flaming fire. And he's going to be dealing out retribution to those who do not know God. Now watch very carefully. And it's going to be to those who do not obey this gospel right here. Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I want you to know here's who the retribution come to those who do not know God. And also those who act like they know him and they don't obey the gospel. Are you hear what I'm saying? All right. Now I want you to see something that the powers of darkness are turned loose in the last days. And we see in chapter two right here. But verse two, we're talking about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. First, he comes as a thief and destruction. And well, let me just show you who he's going to come and destroy. Let me just just hold your place right there. Back up to Matthew 13. Matthew 13, verse 25. Will you stand back up again, please? The ones of you who want to. Matthew 13, verse 24. He presented another parable of them, saying the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. Now this kingdom of heaven, while men were sleeping, the enemy came along and sowed what? Sowed tares, didn't he? Right. And also among the wheat, they went away. But when the wheat sprang up, who's supposed to be the wheat? That's supposed to be the body of Christ. It sprang up and it bore what? It bore fruit. Then when it bears fruit, then the what? The tares are evident. Is that right? The tares are evident. Now, this is why church discipline, you can be, it's going to be pretty obvious that who is not going to try to walk with the Lord. Amen. Because they're not, they're not wanting to bear the fruit of it. See, they won't come to the light. Okay. Now, verse 37. Now, they explained to us the tares of the field, verse 37. That's called, a lot of people want to call that the church. The field is the world. And as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom and the tares are the sons of who? The devil and they don't bear fruit. They don't bear grain. Is that right? And the enemy has sowed them as the devil and the harvest is the end of the age and the reapers are angels. Therefore, just as the tares are gathered up and what? Burned. And we know the powers of darkness as a fire with fire. So shall it be at the end of the age. The son of man will send forth his angels. Is that right? What are these angels going to do? They go right there and they will gather out of what? They're going to gather out of the kingdom of the Lord. They're going to gather out all who? Stumbling blocks and those who do what? Commit lawless. You don't see that? Now, folks, this is a stumbling block. Someone's a stumbling block when they pervert the word of God. You understand what I mean? When they stop you from being a success in Jesus, they're, they're, they're a stumbling block. Do you think Babylon's a stumbling block? Do you think anybody with pride and greed is a stumbling block? Sure they are. They're a tare and they're a stumbling block. And he's going to gather that and he's going to cast them into what? I'll tell you what. Nebuchadnezzar gets them, doesn't he? He can have those and he cast them into the furnace of fire. And in that place, there shall be a weeping and gnashing of teeth. Now, weeping and gnashing of teeth, that's the torment people are in when they're, when the powers of darkness can't get ahold of them. Is that right? Because they start putting pain and there's a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth going around and people so used to it, they don't even, they don't know what peace is. So they, it's, you know, it seemed to be all right. Well, when this happens right here, the righteous are going to shine forth as a sun in the kingdom of the father who has ears, let him, let him hear. Amen. You know, it's the interesting thing. You know, we're going to be snatched out before the tribulation. Can you hold one more place? Hold right there. Well, I'll do it after us. So it will be at the end of the age, verse 49, the angels are going to come forth and they're going to take what? From among the righteous. I thought it was the other way around. I thought the righteous going to come out among the wicked, didn't you? They're going to take out the wicked from among the righteous and they're going to cast them into the furnace of fire. They're going to be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Amen. While you're there, just turn to Matthew 13. I mean, uh, I'm not Mark. You don't have to scream at me. Mark 13. Mark 13. Okay. Boy, I'm, I'm telling you what I'm enjoying this right here, but I know I'm loving the way y'all loving the Lord and loving this word. We could already been gone. You know that. All right. In Mark 13, I want you to look there in verse eight. Okay. For nations going to rise up against nation. That's that's the people of God against the people of God and kingdom against keep, uh, against kingdom, a kingdom of darkness, the kingdom of light. There'll be earthquakes. You know what the earthquakes are? It's the powers of darkness coming against the foundations. Now, if I had time, I could really get into this and I could show you clearly what that is. I'm just going to tell you. There'll also be famines. That's the famine of the word. These things are merely the beginning of birth pains, the birth pains, and people want to call that the birth of church. These birth pains are, are, are these birth pains right here are like a woman in labor. Now, verse 10 and the gospel first must first be preached to all nations. Verse 13, and you will all, you're going to be hated by all on account of my name. But the one who does want, if you endure to the end, he's the one who's going to be what saved. Now, when you see the abomination standing where it should not be, where's the abomination going to be standing? The abomination of desolation. Oh, where's the holy place that folks right here. Let me show you something. Let the reader understand. Now, who, who makes you desolate? The powers of darkness, isn't that right? Are they the one that come into the holy place? They're the ones that come in there and defile, isn't that right? Now, when you see them standing in the holy place, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Verse 19, for those days will be a time of tribulation as has not occurred since the beginning of creation, which God created until now and never shall. Can I tell you already end of this? And unless the Lord has shortened those days, no life would have been saved. But for the sake of the elect whom he has want chosen, he's going to shorten these days. And then if anyone says to you, behold, here is Christ, behold, there is do not believe him. It's a lot of people over here say, hey, how about trying our Jesus? Now, come on, come over here to our Jesus over here. Hey, you ought to see our Jesus does this. Our Jesus does this. Our Jesus doesn't do anything. Now, verse 14, but when you see, wait a minute, I already done that once. Yeah, it's going to be awesome when I get a week off, you know it. All right, now, let's see right here for verse 22, for false Christ and false prophets are going to rise. They are going to show signs and wonders. They're going to show signs and wonders in order, in order, in order. These that's showing these false signs and wonders, if possible, they're going to lead the elect astray. But take heed, behold, I've told you everything in advance for in those days, what after what? After the tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give his light. Who's the sun and the moon and the stars are falling from heaven and the powers that are in the heavens will be shake. And then, oh, did it is a tribulation already over in verse 24 after tribulation. And in verse 26, it will say is what? And then we see the son of man coming. See, it comes in destruction first. That's the reason pride and greed messes it because the tribulation has come to destroy everything. The wicked, are you going to hear me? That's the reason pride and greed can't see it. Just simply just, just, just right there, isn't it? Sit back down. And then you're going to see the son of man coming in the clouds and great glory. And then he's going to send forth his angels and then gather his elect. Amen. But he's going to destroy first. And I say, let's go back over to 2 Thessalonians 2. Now, verse one, we request you brethren with regard to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together in him. That you don't be quickly shaken and that to the day that the day of the Lord, you see, the last part has come from your composure. Be disturbed either by spirit or message or letter as from us to the fact that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you. For it will not come until the falling away comes first. Now, folks, if you haven't seen enough this week to know that you're in a great falling away, if you haven't seen enough of your body, we have used a few scriptures, haven't we? If you will just receive those scriptures that we look at, you don't have any problem knowing that you're in a great falling away. That's what apostasy is. Now, the day of the Lord comes when the falling away comes. And the day of the Lord is the day of the Lord's judgment. It's not going to come unless the apostasy comes first and then the man of who? Lawlessness is revealed. Now, let me show you something. Folks, who is the one that gets you to go break the law and the powers of darkness? The man of lawlessness. Now, I want you to see something right here. I want you to understand the mystery of godliness and the mystery of iniquity, a mixed mystery of lawlessness. Now, the Spirit of God comes when he controls your life and he puts to death the deeds of the flesh. In other words, the Spirit is working your life. The mystery of godliness is how the life of Jesus is manifested through your mouth and through your life. Isn't that right? I'm not going to go back over it. We could go back over in 2 Corinthians 4 and Paul is saying, I die daily, that the life of Jesus might be manifested through my body. So we've already seen that. Satan has the opposite. The mystery of lawlessness is how the Spirit of the devil, what are they called? The powers of darkness. How they come and they manifest. And if you listen to them, if you receive their seed, then it's going to go in your heart and then lawlessness is going to be produced instead of godliness. Amen? There is a mystery of godliness and there's a mystery of law. It's just that simple because of what we've already gone over this week. You all see that? Hold up your hands. Why, who is the man of lawlessness? The man of lawlessness is the powers of darkness. Somebody waiting for some man, I want you to know the man of lawlessness is the powers of darkness. Okay? Because you take, when you're leaving out the powers of darkness, you've got to call this something else. So the man of lawlessness is revealed and he's also called the what? Son of who? Son of destruction. Is that what Satan is? Is that what the powers of darkness is? They are the man of laws. They come to get you to break the law and then they destroy you and destruct you. Is that right? They come and tempt you and entice you to break the law. And when you break the law, then they can destroy you. Is that right? Okay. Now, they oppose and exalt himself. Do they exalt them? There's pride and greed and all these, there's these powers of darkness exalt themselves against the word of God or against God. Ever so God or object of worship so that they take their seat in the temple of God, displaying him as being God. Now, let me ask you something. While people are looking at the flesh, Jerusalem over there, waiting for a temple to get built. There's been a temple, there's been a temple built today. And it's the body of Christ, the living stones that make up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice itself to God, to Jesus Christ. That's looking at the natural. The spiritual is the church, right? Where is the temple today? Temple. All right. How do, what comes in and takes his seat in the temple? The powers of darkness. That's what he's talking about. The sons of destruction, the man of laws that come in and seats in this temple. And while people are watching for it to come up over there, they're already in the temple and they're already destroying everything. The man of laws has revealed the son of destruction who opposes and exalts himself above ever so God or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God, verse six. And you know what restrains him now? He's not being too restrained right now. I'll tell you that for sure. So that in time he may be revealed. Do you think he's being revealed right now? In time he's being revealed, right? Right now. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work only. He who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one, the lawless one, the powers of darkness is going to be revealed whom the Lord is just going to speak it from the sword of his mouth. We know this in Revelation. And the Lord is going to slay with the breath of his mouth and bring to an end the appearance of his coming. Is that right? But he's going to turn them loose for destruction first, and then he's going to destroy them. How many of you see that? Hold up your hand. Does that line up with everything you've been seeing in the word, see? Okay. He's going to destroy them. Now, that is these powers of darkness who's coming is going to be in accord with the activity of Satan. With all powers, signs, and false wonders. Now, I'll tell you what I want to ask you to do. I want you to know that the Lord Jesus Christ, that the signs and wonders followed the word. They're not fallen folks. And they made a misprint about some, you know, in a place where we did in the video that we made a mistake instead of talking about signs and wonders following me. The signs and wonders doesn't follow me. The signs and wonders follow the word. And see, people, we're excited about having a pure heart, mature man, complete in Jesus, and signs and wonders are just a byproduct of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I want you to have another look real closely, to examine real closely and let the Lord show you. Now, you don't have to be scared of anything. You know that, don't you? Now, the opposite, see, is to be scared. You see, like, see, if you talk about false gifts, then it scares people. They're all, everything is a real thing, there's a counterfeit of them. People have been programmed to be scared to death. Gifts are going to still be scared to death because you tried to teach them something about false gifts. You know what I mean? But just understand, and then just let the Lord show you, and be sure of the motives of people and so forth you're involved in and things like that. Because signs and wonders is to make the Lord look good. It's not supposed to make folks look good. Now, let's just stop for a minute. If you were doing, if you were this man over in Matthew 7, who practiced law, did miracles, signs and wonders, and so forth, what do you think these signs and wonders were pointing to? It's pointing to Him. And that's exactly what the power of the darkness is. He used servants of Satan to bring you another gospel, another Jesus, and get other spirits on you. You'd be led by other spirits. A deluding influence, right? Check your head. Now, see, you just be cautious, because if the Lord's going to show us anything, it's all up to Him. You know, if you want to be afraid of anything, why don't you fear God? There's no wisdom counselor I understand against Him. If it's not left up to you, you're sunk anyway. Amen? It's all up to Jesus. Now, you either believe the Lord loves you, or you're going to be lied to. I want to tell you He loves you. He loves me too. All right? That's tremendous compassion. He'll just keep putting tremendous compassion. He'll keep putting tremendous compassion, always bringing it back, tremendous compassion. He's not going to zap you out. But I'm going to tell you something. When you break the law, judgment's on you. There's no getting out of it. But He'll receive you. You can repent. You can come back. But see, when you get so hardened, you can't come back. Come back while you can come back. I mean, repent. Amen? All right, now, all these signs and wonders and with all the deception of wickedness, now, I want you to stop right there. Let's hold that right there. I want you to turn back to Matthew 24, so you'll just have a better idea of what I'm talking about. Matthew 24. I didn't think we was going to get over here in these things, but it'd be all right. I didn't think we'd have time. We just take time. Now, verse 4, And Jesus answered and said to them, See to it that no one what? You're warned to be not... We're talking about His coming there in verse 3. Tell us when the things that be and what will be the sign of your coming at the end of the age, right? And see that no one misleads you, for many are going to come in the name of Jesus saying, I'm the Christ, here's Jesus, and they're going to mislead many people. Is that right? Can I tell you that's what's going on today? And verse 10, And at that time, many are going to what? Let me say it again and again. Many are going to what? What? To fall away. That means their hearts are going to go after other things. Is that right? They're going to fall away. They will fall away and will deliver up one another, and they're going to hate one another. Is that right? Do you see any of that going on today? Absolutely. And these false prophets, many false prophets, many false preachers will arise and will mislead many. Now, anyone that has a problem, they're thinking that I just don't like preachers. I don't like false preachers. Okay? Let me say that again. I don't like false preachers. I love a shepherd. I already told you it's the most beautiful thing in the world, but I'm not going to make any excuse about it or add some water to it. I don't like false preachers who won't preach the Word of God. I don't like a false shepherd. Okay. I love him, but I don't like what he's doing. And if there's any way we can expose it, we'll do it. And many false prophets will arise. They're going to mislead many. And because what is increased? When you've got a false prophet or a false preacher, he's going to lead you into sin and lawlessness, and that's what he'll do. And we already know that. So you're breaking the law. That's lawlessness. It's increased. And because of this, most people's love is going to what? Grow cold. Now, see, when you're led into sin and told you can practice sin, you love yourself. And when you love yourself, you can't love other people because your love grows cold. It's not the love of Jesus. It's perverted. Amen? But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved. Amen? And the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations. And then to what? Can I tell you the gospel is being preached right now? And then the end's coming. Therefore, when you see the abomination of the desolation, which was spoken up through Daniel, and a prophet standing where? Holy place. Then you said, you better flee the mountains. And boy, in verse 17, let him own the house, and not go down to get his things and goods. Don't worry about your goods. Verse 21, for then there is going to be a what? Folks, when you see them entering into the holy place, this is the time of the what? Great tribulation. And what's a great tribulation going to do? It's going to destroy all tares and stumbling blocks. Everything that's proud and haughty, it's going to be destroyed. And how many are having a problem with this? Is what you're seeing right now, happening right now, with what we've seen the word of God. If you see right now, that's what we've entered into right now. The destruction and tarry, just everyone, it's law breaks. They're being destroyed by the powers of darkness and judgment, and hell is turned loose. Hold up your hand. You see, that's why it's called the birth thing. You see that? But it's not occurred since the beginning of the world, even until now, nor ever shall. Amen. Now look at verse 23. Then if anyone says to you, behold, here, over here is Christ. Over here is Christ. Don't believe him because there are going to be false Christ. They're going to be false prophets and preachers. They're going to rise and show great signs and wonders so as mislead if possible, even the elect. After the tribulation. And then look what's going to happen in verse 30. Then the sign of the son of man is going to appear in the sky after the tribulation. Isn't it amazing how it's something so simple with the head? And then after the tribulation, and then verse 31, look, he's going to send forth his angels with a great trumpet, and they're going to gather together his elect from the four winds from one. Are you seeing what I mean after the tribulation? But see, pride and greed says you're not going to go to it. You're not going to go through it. You just stick with me. Just stay close to me. You're not going to go. All us nice folks are going to go right on out of here. I'll be back over in a second with Thessalonians 2. Verse 9, the stars and darkness are moved in, and this is how Jesus comes as a thief for destruction. That is, the one who's coming is in accord with activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, with all the deception of what? Wickedness. Do you think all kind of deception of wickedness is going on today? Okay. For those who what? Perish, because you know why? Their hearts are going to be going to these signs and wonders instead of to the Word and to the Lord. Do you see what I mean? That's what their hearts go after, to buy a product instead of Jesus. Because they did not receive a what? I can't hear you. They did not receive what? They never had a love for the truth. I mean, it'll wear them out to come and sit for an hour to hear this truth right here. They don't receive a love for the truth because signs and wonders and things like that have got their heart. And if you don't have a love for truth, can you be purified? Can you be sanctified? You're deceived. And they didn't receive the love of the truth so as to be what? Saved. And for this reason, this very reason, mark this reason, God will send upon what? Them. What's he going to send upon them? A deluding influence. You know what these are called? Religious demons. He sends upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false because they draw near their mouth and their heart far from him in order that they all may be what? They're all going to be judged. They're all judged who did not believe the word, the truth, but they took pleasure in wickedness, flesh, lust. And we should also give thanks to the brethren for you brethren believe beloved by the Lord because God has chosen you from the beginning for what? Salvation. And how is that salvation going to come? Through what? Sanctification by the spirit and faith in the truth. And they didn't receive a love for the truth. The brethren are going to be saved this way, but these are going to be destroyed and they're going to be destroyed by these powers of darkness going to enter into the temple displaying themselves as being God. And he's the man of lawlessness and these are breaking the law right there. And so he's going to destroy them. How many of you see that? Hold up your hands. See, that's exactly what you saw. Now see, it's not real complicated, is it? Now see, listen, folks, I want to encourage you about something. It's the simplicity and the purity of devotion to Christ. Don't make something so complicated. You have to bow down to men. You have to bow down to smart men before you can find out what God's saying. Folks, don't you never believe that anymore? You come to him all his heart and you get in that word and you watch God get all over you. He'll make you look smart or something. Now verse 14, And it was for this he called you through our God. Now just a couple of places more I want to go here before I turn to 1 Corinthians 6. I mean 2 Corinthians 6, I meant to say. 2 Corinthians 6. 2 Corinthians 6. I want you to get more of some in the last days. But I tell you what, there's just probably so much time that I probably ought to try to keep you. I'd like for you to come back the next time that we get a chance to get together. But you know, this has been a thing. Boy, he'll just keep you forever. Now anything that the devil can bring up to keep people out of the word of God, I mean, he just does it. But see, we've come to a place now where we can just really get in some things in the last days and things like that. You know what I mean? But you had to work through these other things first. And you see why we had to stay here a little while? Now you see, we can see these things. Isn't it important? Can you imagine trying to drop that on you in about day three? Verse 14, 2 Corinthians 6, 14. Do not be bound together with what? Unbelievers. Don't be bound together for what partnership has what? Righteousness and what? Laws. In other words, let me ask you something, folks. How can you want to walk outright in God? Go join your hearts to people who want to walk and break the law. Won't purify their hearts. Now, is that what your Bible says right here? Now see, pride and greed find you some scripture where we all get together. Amen? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? Look at verse 16. Or what agreement has someone who is a temple of God walking with somebody as a temple of idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said, I will dwell in them, I'll walk among them, I'll be their God, they shall be my people. Therefore, verse 17, it says, come out from their midst and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and then I'll welcome you. And then when you do this, I'm going to be a father to you. And then you're going to be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty. Isn't that pretty plain? Now, chapter 7, verse 1. Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us do what? How do you cleanse yourself? With the word of God, you cleanse from all what? Defilement of the flesh. Now, defilement of the flesh is blessings and curses and walking double minded. You cleanse yourself from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, you're perfecting what? Wholeness, and you're walking in what? In the fear of God. Now, turn with me to Ezekiel 22. Is it very plain? Ezekiel 22. Point it out. Do you think pride and greed, like this part of the Bible, a few hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of scripture that's all week long to show you, just on top of each other? And then, you know, even, you know, it's amazing thing after you see the first 2000 of them, that someone looking at you like a cave to new gate, like they've just heard something for the first time. And I'm up here in a sentence that we already covered this same thing, 1400. Okay. I tell you, I want to tell you something, folks. I told a pastor here, boy, I'll tell you what it's, you know, we all have to unlearn some things, don't you? When you come to life, you have to learn and learn. But see, when you won't unlearn, it proves that you love something else more than you do the Lord. We all got to come to life and we all have to work through some things. But you don't be able to work through them. If you go get your opinions of people, because see the way the enemy works this out. Now he gets in your mind to go. He just puts a compulsion. Oh, I've got to just go talk with them. And when they get through those words, flesh, it just comforts you flesh. It just comforts your little carton. And boy, you don't have to be led the spirit of God. You don't have to die to rebellion. Just keep hanging in there. Are you seeing what I'm saying? You better leave everything alone with Jesus. You better find out the truth from Jesus. Amen. Okay. Just get in your Bible. And, uh, if we, I don't know where we're going to have to use it. Are we going to have list scriptures of this? We're not in this meeting, but we, I'll tell you what we can send them to them. Okay. Let's send everybody a list of scripture at all. The scripture we've used in this meeting and send it to them. Okay. Be alright. We'll mail them to you. We send you, we send you scripture to you. Okay. Then you get in your Bible. We'll leave our opinions out of it. You just get in your Bible and you just go through there and see what the Lord's showing you all over again. Same. If it's spirit of God here, it's going to be the spirit of God there. Amen. Okay. Here we go. Ezekiel 22, verse 24, son of man. I want you to say to her, you, I believe we're talking about the church. You're going to see you are a land that is not what plans. You're not washed with the word are what you're not rain on the Holy spirit and the word in the day of what indignation that's wrath because of the law, there is a conspiracy verse 25 of her prophets. Now let me show you what a conspiracy is. Listen, folks, look at me. A conspiracy is, is when people gather around a lie and they don't teach the, the, they don't purify the congregation. They won't let the word of God sanctify the congregation or purify it. What they do. They, a bunch of people gather around a lie and they have a conspiracy to defend it. And they all doing and saying the same thing. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Because the same thing has their hearts. Amen. It's got the conspiracy of her prophets in her midst. They're like what? Roaring lines. In other words, they've already been saying, don't book the system. All saying the same thing. You've got, you know, when you practice in the same doctrine, they're like roaring lines, tearing the prey. They have devoured lives. How do you devour lives with a form of godliness? They have taken treasures. Well, they take the Lord's glory, take a Lord's people, take it money and names, reputation. They taken treasure and precious things. And they have made many widows there. They make lost people in the midst of her. See, they don't cleanse the land with a word and they make many lost people. Her priests, that means her preachers, have done violence to my law. In other words, they perverted it, right? Pervert the word. And they have profaned my holy things. They leave out the righteousness and holiness. They have made no distinction between the holy and profane. See, that's gloom and doom to people of pride. They have not taught the difference between the what? Unclean and the clean. See, we were told you leave and walk out, you walk away from lawlessness and then you move out from it and do not touch what is unclean anymore. And he said, then I'll be a father with you and you'll be sons and daughters to me. Is that right? But see, because in there, they're not going to teach the difference when they gather around doctrines that do not conform you to godliness. They're not going to teach the difference between the clean and unclean. Only thing that matters is get them in here where we can count them. Amen? The devil himself can come and join and he can be a member in good standing until he dies. And be against everything that God wants to do there. Because holiness and righteousness is not what you're looking for. You're looking for nickels, noses and numbers. So they don't teach the difference between the unclean and the clean and they hide their eyes from my salvation. If you don't believe it, you just watch Hebrews 3 and 4 get taught and act like that's an option instead of a commandment that your bodies are going to fall if you don't enter into it. Amen? It's no option. If you will, enter in the rest. And I am profaned among them. How is he profaned among them? They want people to think that Jesus looks like them. Amen? Her princes, that's a leader there. Her princes, that's the leaders within her, are like wolves tearing the prey by shedding blood. How do you shed the blood? You're perverting the word of God and that's what you see in Ezekiel 33. They're destroying lives in order to get this honest gain. In other words, godliness is a means of gain for the flesh and they'll pervert the word of God and let anyone hurt, suffer and they withhold the truth and they pick and choose through the word of God in order to fulfill their selfish ambition while letting the powers of darkness destroy the lives of people as they lead them to break the law and lawlessness. Are you hearing me? Okay. And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them. In other words, they cover up everything for them, seeing false visions and divining lies. In other words, these doctrines of men and traditions and that's a false vision and doctrine. They use the word of God to point people and bring people to those. It's a conspiracy. Thus says the Lord God when the Lord has not spoken and the Lord hasn't said it, so they build after the flesh instead of producing the fruit of the spirit. Do you see it? And the people of the land have practiced oppression. In other words, they oppose spiritual things, committed robbery and they have wronged the poor. That's the lost and the needy. That's the sick and afflicted. They've oppressed the sojourner without justice. And I searched for a man among them who'd build up the wall, who'd stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy. But I found no one. And when I didn't find anyone, I poured out my indignation. In other words, I've lowered the hedge on them. I've consumed them with the fire of my wrath and their way I've brought upon their heads the prayers of the Lord God. You see there? Now you see, you know what you do? You get to make a choice between a nice fellow and someone that talks nice and smooth, a flattering speech. Or you get to choose between Jesus or your heart wants to go after men. I'm going to just share just a little about Babylon right there, just a little, okay? Jeremiah 50. And then I think that we're kind of, I just want you to get this, just a little plan. Jeremiah 50. I want you to see Babylon. Babylon 50, just a few verses there. I mean, you need to get that out of there, Marvin. Oh my, what about that? Oh my, I'm ready to go home after a while. Verse 24. Well, I'll tell you what, that's kind of hard to start there. I want to back up a little bit. Verse 14, draw up your battle lines against Babylon on every side. All you who bend the bow, we saw who that was in lamentation, shoot at her, do not spare her with the arrows for she has what? Sinned against the Lord. Raise your battle cry against her on what? Every side. Folks, can I tell you, that's the one that surrounds Jerusalem in the last days. They're already around there. That's the army while they're waiting for Russia to get around Israel. I want you to know that the powers of darkness surround Jerusalem. The army is around them. If I had time, we could, you see, I hate to even say these things without going the word and showing them to you. So I'll just leave it alone. But anyway, raise your battle cry against her on every side. She has given herself up. Her pillars have fallen. Her walls have been torn down. And that's their whitewashed walls. For this is the vengeance of the Lord. Take vengeance on her. That's the reason eternity lives as she has done to others. So do to her. Now, is that what the law says? In other words, this is law and the prophets that you, what you do to others is going to come on you. If you can bless people, you're going to, if you, if you want to destroy people with words and so forth like that, it's going to come on you. And that's why they bring it to you. Now, let's, verse 17, Israel is the scattered flock. The lions have driven them away. Verse 20. Now we see where the remnant is right there. In those days at that time declares the Lord, a search is going to be made for the sin of Israel. And they're going to be none, the sins of Judah. And they're not going to be found. For I shall pardon those whom I leave as a what? Remnant, but what's he going to destroy? Everything else. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Now the remnant, there's going to be the church who walks away from sin right there because sin breaks the law and the powers that aren't get ground destroyed. Everybody breaks the law, lost. Is that right? Now let's just continue. I'm glad I backed up a little. All right. Verse 24. I set a snare for you and you were also caught, O Babylon, while you yourself was not aware. You wasn't aware. Babylon was not aware of what kind of torment and problems they have. You've been found and also seized because why? You have engaged in conflict with the Lord. In other words, you're breaking God's law and you're standing against God there. Amen. The Lord has opened his armory. He's brought forth the weapons of his indignation. Do you see that? Verse 28. There is the sound of refugees, of fugitives, and refugees from the land of Babylon. And boy, I'm telling you, they're coming out of Babylon to declare and sign the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance for his temple. I mean, there's some refugees. Some and many against Babylon, all those who've been to borrow a camp against her on every side. Let there be no one who escapes. Repay her according to her work, according at all she's done so due to her because she's become arrogant against the Lord, against the Holy One of Israel. Now, verse 32. The arrogant one stumbles and falls with no one to raise him up and all set fire to his cities. You remember, I tried to show you some verses in Matthew 22 about Jesus going to set fire to the cities. Hmm, that's what we're talking about. It'll devour all his environs. Thus says the Lord of hosts, verse 33, the son of Israel oppressed, the sons of Judah as well, and all have took them captive, have helped them fast, and they have refused to let them go. Amen. Let's look there, verse 38. A drought on our waters. They be dried up for it's the land of idols. They're mad over their fearsome idols. Look in 41. Behold, the peoples come from the north. That's them, a great nation, many kings. Be aroused. Where are they going to come from? The remote parts of the earth. They'll seize their bow and javelin. They're cruel. They have no mercy. And their voice is going to roar like the sea. You remember in Luke 21, that's going to be in the last days, the roaring of the seas and everything. That's what he's talking about. That's the power of the darkness is turned loose. That's, see, in 21, he's talking about the army around Jerusalem. They're going to be roaring of the seas. And that's what it is. And each of you save his life. Do not be destroyed in their punishment. This is the Lord's time of vengeance. And look at verse 7. Babylon has been a cold golden cup in the hand of the Lord. He's been intoxicating all the earth, make them stumbling, staggering in spiritual darkness. If people don't love the Lord with all their heart, God gives them poison water to drink. And that's what it is. The nation has drunk of her wine. Therefore, the nations are going mad. Isn't that right? Now look at verse 11. Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers. The Lord has aroused the spirit of the kings of need because his purpose against Babylon is to destroy it. For it's vengeance of the Lord. Vengeance for his temple. Amen. And then verse 14, the Lord of hosts is sworn by himself. Surely I'm going to fill you with a population like what? Locust folks, that's the same thing in Joel. That's the same thing in Revelation. Let me just tell you something. People that was Egypt holding the people of God in captivity. What they have them doing? You're getting straw and brick and building. Isn't that right? Can I tell you what's happening today? Satan and Babylon have got the people of God. The people of God is trying to find out. They've got them in captivity and they got them building, getting their straw and brick and building for men's reputation of the flesh. See, it's the kings of pride and greed and all these things. They're working and they're still working. And they've got them in captivity. This is the reason all the same plagues that came on Egypt are coming in Babylon right here in Revelation. You remember the locusts over there and all of them? You know who that's coming against? All these plagues are coming against Babylon, who's holding. See, he's going to harden their hearts and keep putting it stronger and stronger and stronger. They're going to be the first ones destroyed. Are you hearing what I'm saying? All the same plagues that's on Egypt because he's saying, let my people go. Let them go. Amen. Are you seeing how they're in captivity? Let me ask you something. Folks, if somebody loves the flesh and you fall after them, do you understand you're a slave? Are you really following the Lord? Haven't you got your straw and brick full filling his ambition? Selfish ambition, you've been deceived. Is that right? Well, there he's going to fill a population like locusts and they're going to cry out with shouts of victory over you. Let me show you who these locusts are. And he's talking about the powers of darkness. You are my war club, my weapon of war. And with you, I'm going to shatter nations. With you, I'll destroy kings. With you, I'll shatter the horse and the rider. With you, I'll shatter the chariot and this rider. And 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, I'm going to shatter the young man and the virgin. With you, demons, I'm going to shatter the shepherd and his flock. Do you see that? We go on to verse 29. So the land quakes and they're coming against the foundation. Everything's not on the word of God. They're going to move them off of it and rise. This is earthquakes in the last days. For the purpose of the Lord against Babylon stands to make the land of Babylon a desolation without inhabitants. The mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting. They stay in their strongholds. Why? Because their strength is exhausted. Because the powers of darkness has just stopped them. Their strength is exhausted. Do you see that? They've become like women. In other words, they're weak. Their dwelling places are set on fire. Where's the dwelling places, folks? Folks, is this a dwelling place? I didn't run off and leave you somewhere there, did I? All right. The bars of the gate are broken. There it is, 34. Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon. There's Satan. He devoured me and crushed me. Set me down like an empty vessel. Let's go on to verse 45. Look at verse 42. The sea has come up over Babylon. She has been engulfed with its tumultuous waves. I don't have a chance to get in this, but over in Revelation, that's what it says. You know, like throwing a millstone into the sea? Do you remember that? So shall Babylon is going to sink. Is that what I did? I wish I'd read it to you over in Revelation 18 about Babylon. That's the way Babylon is. Do you know what the millstone's the type of? Stumbling blocks. It'd be better for you to have a millstone tied around your neck and thrown into the sea than cause any of these little ones to stumble. And you know what the sea is? It's a flood of words. Just like in the days of Noah, so it's going to be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man, the flood of words. You see, there's not going to be a destruction by the flood of water, but there's going to be a flood of water. But you can see on these tapes, many of you have already said through it once probably when I shared this, but there's going to be a flood. And this is Babylon. She's going to make, look here, here it is. The sea has come up over Babylon. She's been engulfed with its tumultuous ways. Verse 45. Come forth from her midst, my people, and each of you save yourself from the what? Fierce anger of the Lord. Verse 50. You have escaped the sword. Depart. Do not stay. Remember the Lord from afar and let Jerusalem come to your mind. Right? Now, watch very closely in verse 51. We are ashamed because we have heard reproach. Disgrace has covered our faces. For what? Aliens have entered what? Holy place of the Lord. That's the abomination of desolation coming into the holy place. Do you see what I mean? The aliens, the powers that are, have come into the holy place. You see it? Now, verse 53. Through Babylon should ascend to the heavens, though she should fortify her lofty stronghold from me. Destroyers are going to come. Is that what we saw in 1 Corinthians 10? When you walk after these things, right? Verse 56. For the destroyers coming against her, against Babylon, and their mighty men will be captured. Their bows are shattered. For the Lord is a God of recompense. He will fully repay. I shall make her princes. I am going to make her princes, that's the leaders, and their wise men drunk. Her governors and procreants and her mighty men. Don't you wonder who's saying all these things right here? Where is he coming from? That they might sleep for what? A perpetual sleep. He's going to put a spirit of sleep over. They're not going to wake up. Declares who? Uh-oh, who? Who's been praying all this? Jesus! Everything we read, and comes Jesus, and I left out a bunch. Declared Jesus, whose name is the Lord of hosts. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the broad wall of Babylon. That's the white horse wall to be completely razed. And her high gate to be set on fire, so the people will be toiling for nothing. And the nature is going to be exhausted from this fire. That's the powers of darkness, verse 63. And it'll come about as soon as you finish reading this scroll. You're going to tie a stone to it and throw it in the middle of the Euphrates, and say, just so shall Babylon, this whore, harlot church, is going to sink down. Not going to rise again, because the calamity I'm going to bring upon her, and they will become exhausted, like rottenness and like a moth. Just slow deterioration away, and destroyed. Well, we're going to wind up here in Ezekiel 33 and 34 there, okay? Just turn over to the right there. Ezekiel 33, you have any problem with that? Let me ask you over here, they quit. Do you have any problem with that? No. Okay. And be a lot plainer, if we had more time. But I'm telling you, there'll be some times when we can... Boy, I'll tell you what, I want to know everything you know, and I want you to know everything the Lord showed me. Ezekiel 33, verse 30. For as for you, son of man, your fellow citizens who talk about you by the walls, that's those white horse walls, and the doorways, the houses, they speak to one another, each to his brother, saying, Come now, let's hear what the message is that comes forth from the Lord. Ho hum. And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people. They don't act like they're my people. They hear your words, but they do not do them. You know why? Because their hearts, they're due to what? What are they doing? The lustful desires expressed by what? Their mouth. And when you express the lustful desire of your mouth, where's your heart? Your heart is going after what? Gain. And behold, you're to them like a sensual song, one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on the instrument. For they hear your words, but they do not what? They're not going to practice them. So who do you think's in charge of this congregation right here? It's the false shepherd. Look in verse 2. Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Won't prophesy and say to those shepherds, thus says the Lord God. Woe, shepherds of Israel, who've been going through this word, feeding yourself, and then come back and pick and choose for the flock. Should not the shepherds feed the flock? We see in chapter 4 right there, 3, you eat the fat and clothe yourself with the wool. Verse 4 said, with force and with severity you dominate. In other words, you become king over them. Now verse 18, he said to this shepherd here, is it too slight a thing right there, shepherd, that you feed and a good pastor in this word of God, that you tread down the rest with your feet, the rest of your pastors? Did you come and drink of the clear word, the good word, the water, and that you just tread through and foul the rest of your feet? You walk through the rest of the word, right? You pick and choose out of there what's going to make you look good. You don't want to upset flesh. And as for my flock, they must eat what you tread down them with your feet. They must drink what you foul with your feet. Now that's how you get a congregation right there that goes after lust desires. Are you hearing what I'm saying? And their heart goes after gain when you pick and choose and call the rest of it, call it repentance and walk in godliness and holiness, gloom and doom. Amen? So let me show you what the Lord's saying right here today, right now. He said, verse 7, Therefore, you shepherds, you hear the word of God. Because my flock has become a what? A prey, my flock has even become food for all the what? Beasts to fill left powers of darkness. They become food for all the beasts to fill. Why? Because of lack for a shepherd. And my shepherd didn't search my flock, but rather the shepherd just fed himself. And they don't feed the flock. They go around and read through the word of God. And they go to things that will make nice church. Therefore, you shepherds, you hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God, behold, I'm against the shepherds, and I'm going to demand my sheep from them. And that's what he's doing right now. I'm going to make them cease from feeding sheep. You know why? Because I'm going to deliver my flock from their mouth. May I tell you that's what the Lord is doing right now, that they may not be food for them. For thus says the Lord God, behold, I myself am going to search my sheep, and I'm going to seek them out. That's what God is doing right now. As a shepherd cares for his herd in a day when he's among his scattered sheep. So I'm going to care for my sheep, and I'm going to deliver them from all of these places, which they're being scattered, in other words, made worldly, going back in the world on a cloudy and gloomy day. A cloudy and gloomy day is the darkness around it, dark places. I'm going to bring them out from the people. I'm going to gather them from the countries. I'm going to bring them to their own land, and I'm going to feed them on the mountains of Israel, that church, by the streams and all the inhabited places of the land. I'm going to feed them in the good pasture, and their grazing ground. Boy, you're going to love this word, and you're going to love it, and love it, and love it, and love it, and love it more and more. They're going to feed them on the good pasture, and their grazing ground we're going to be on the mountain heights of Israel. And there they're going to what? Lie down. Lie down. Does that sound like peace? You're going to lie down there when you're receiving this word, and you're walking, and peace is coming to you. They're going to lie down in the good grazing ground, and they're going to feed the rich pastures on the mountain of Israel. I'm going to fleed my flock, and I'm going to lead them to what? You're going to lead them to lie down to rest. In other words, they're going to possess the land, declares the Lord God. I'm going to seek the lost right now. He's doing it. I'm going to bring back the scattered right now. He's doing it. I'm binding up the broken right now. He's doing it. I'm going to strengthen the sick, the fat, and the strong. Here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to destroy them. I'm going to feed them with judgment. And you know what he's going to give them? He's going to give them a people as a shepherd. Where they hadn't got a shepherd, they're going to find it. God's going to give them a shepherd, and He's going to give them a shepherd like old David right there, 23. And we look in 25, and I'm going to make a covenant of peace with them. And when I make this peace with them, I'm going to eliminate these powers of darkness. I'm going to eliminate these harmful beasts from their land right there. And they're going to live securely in the wilderness. In the world, they're going to live securely. They're going to sleep in the woods. They're going to rest. And I'm going to make them in the places around my hill. Who shall ascend unto the hill, O Lord? He that has clean hands and a pure heart, I'm going to make it a blessing. I'm going to call showers. He's going to pour out His Spirit to come down in their season. There are going to be showers of blessings. Verse 27, and also these trees of the field, they're going to yield fruit for the Lord. And the earth is going to yield its increase. And they're going to be secure. They're going to rest on their land. And then they're going to know that I'm the Lord when I've broken the bars of their yoke, and I'm going to deliver from those, the hands of those, the powers of darkness who have been enslaving them. And they're no longer going to be a prey. To the nations, the powers of darkness. And the beast of the earth is not going to devour them. But they're going to live securely. And no one's going to make them afraid. Amen. And I'm going to establish for them a renowned planting place. And they will never again be victims of a famine of the word. They're going to know what this word is saying. And they will not endure the insults of these nations anymore. Praise God. And so, later on, you might want to read in 2 Peter 3, how you just better make sure that you're found in peace when he comes. Because the only way you can be found in peace is be walking in his word. The Great Falling Away Today by Milton Green The Great Falling Away Today is the clearest, most complete presentation that God, by his word, spoke through Milton Green. To obtain copies of this book or information concerning additional tapes, just write to Be Fruitful and Multiply, Post Office Box 3459, Palestine, Texas 75802. That's Be Fruitful and Multiply, Post Office Box 3459, Palestine, Texas 75802.