Extract: “Beauty for Ashes”
June, 1999.  Issue 2:2.

The record of King Nebuchadnezzar and his golden image in Daniel chapter three has significant for us today.
The three Jews who refused to bow down to that image are a fit type of the Jewish remnant in the Tribulation
who are faithful to the Lord God in the fiery furnace of the awful persecution of the Beast. Read carefully these
Scriptures:
Isaiah 1:9; Romans 11:5; Psalm 2:5; Revelation 7:14.

The record of King Nebuchadnezzar's image in the great plain of Dura is also a characterisation of the religious
authority of the One World Church under the Antichrist and the False Prophet, soon to hold sway over the earth?

The attempt by the powerful King of Babylon to unify the religions of his empire by self-deification will be
repeated by the horrendous "Beast", who will be the last head of the Gentile world dominion (Revelation
13:11-15):

"And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he has two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a
dragon.
And he exercised all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein
to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of man.
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the mean of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight
of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the
wound by a sword, and did live.
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, the image of the beast should both speak, and cause
that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed...."

These "Beasts" are described graphically in the book of Revelation. If we are close to the Rapture, and I believe
we are, then the rise of the New World Order and the One World Church is indeed the same system which will
demand, upon the threat of death, the worship decreed by the United Nations. We may not encounter the Trib.
per se, (and we will not), but we may encounter religious persecution under the existing system which is already
in place! The unification of all religions is NOT a new idea. Man has repeatedly sought, under Gentile authority
on the earth, to secure a united religion for all, with MAN himself (or THE MAN) of course being the centre of
worship, man-deified. See for examples Daniel 6:7; Acts 12:22, and the Roman emperors of history.

Will you and I stand as bravely and firmly as Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego did in their day (Daniel
3:16-18)? With God as our strength and shield, we will, fear not. Will we see the "Son of God" walking with us in
the fiery furnace of affliction before we are Raptured?  Who knows at this point.

How does the Lord instruct us to live in these days, prior to the Rapture?

A few verses from the Bible will start off your own study,
especially for Last Day living in the immediate future we face:

1. Titus 2:11-13.
"The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and
worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope,
and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ."

What is your personal attitude in regard to the Lord's return, especially towards the Rapture? It needs to be in
line with the Lord's commandments in the verse above. God is telling us to be ready to go, at any time. Who are
these upstarts who tell us we are extremists because we are ready to go, waiting for Christ Jesus to take us to
be with Him forever. Then the Lord has given us indication of what "being ready" is, in reality:

"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and
cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell
on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape
all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (Luke 21:34-36).

Yes, the above verse has to do with the Second Coming of Christ at the end of the Tribulation, but it also slots in
with the attitude we should have as we await the coming of Christ in the two stages - Rapture first and Glorious
Appearing second.  Here is the general outline, then, for our Christian walk in the last of the Last Days. We
should be:

Separated from the secular or worldly indulgences which make up the majority of people's lives in our modern
society. People live for overindulgence in our modern world. They are so involved with these pleasures and
luxuries (or the lack of them) that the coming of the Lord means nothing to them. The new carpet, the latest
electrical gadget, can mean more to some genuinely saved believers than the "airy-fairy" hopes of the Rapture.

Separating ourselves in spirit at least from being "overcharged" or dominated by the "cares of this life." Not
letting ourselves fill our minds with how we can pay the electricity bill, or how much cheaper we can get that new
washing machine, or even what university the daughter should attend. God wants us to be intensely and
earnestly in prayer in these days, not just filled with the affairs of this world. We should be in a spirit of
preparation for the Lord's Return, always. Yes, we have to handle everyday matters, but we do not have to let
them "overcharge" us!

Not given to "drunkenness." Now not many Christians I know are given up to drinking alcohol too much! But
there are many who "drown their sorrows" in a gratification of appetite, or in the comfort of simply getting more
consumer goods! Instead of yearning for and praying about the soon coming of the Lord, they are intend on
"pigging out" on food and goods. Things are looking pretty grim in 1999, so lets "eat drink and be merry"
seems to be their motto.
 Pamper self with a pile of new plants, chocolates, auto accessories, nick-nacks, new clothes, luxuries, anything
and everything. Living like that can dull our senses, in a way, almost like alcohol does. Let us be sober in these
days, and save money and our strength for spiritual service.

We must "watch ...and pray always." ( Luke 21:36). If we are not praying Christians spending time in prayer and
devotion every day, then we are not ready for our Master's coming.

HOW CAN WE GET THROUGH THE NEXT FEW MONTHS?

The Scriptures reveal the Lord Jesus Christ in His glorified state. He will return to put down all the enemies of
the heavenly Father one wonderful day. This same Jesus shares His life with us, who are the redeemed of the
Father. Consider anew the One whom you serve, and then will you wonder how we will get through the next few
months, and any trials that might occur? We will triumph, because we belong to Him. We will be victorious over
the problems we face, because he is the victorious One. We will never be moved, because He is immovable.
He is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).
"Blessed are all they that put their trust in him." (Psalm 2:12b).

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse: and he that sat upon him was called FAITHFUL and
TRUE, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man
knew, but he himself.
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God...
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a
rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written,
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." (Rev.19:11-16).

"I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine
anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my
raiment  For the day of vengeance is on mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come." (Isaiah 63:3-4).

Gladys Aylward, the well-known Christian missionary to China earlier this century, told of a terrible time of purge
whilst she was in China. The communists rounded up the Chinese Christian believers in a university Gladys was
involved with, and demanded that they denounce the foreign devil's religion with its Christ! Each young believer
was given mentors, confirmed communist youth, who were given a certain time to convince the young person
that their faith in Christ Jesus was nonsense, and must be denied. The mentors argued hours on end, day after
day, presenting academic and atheistic proofs that the Bible was a lie! The believers were given no rest
through weeks of intense badgering and bullying.
At last the ordeal was over for them. Hundreds of young people were herded into a open area, a microphone
was set up, and the communist officials sat in judgment against them. Gladys Aylward and other missionaries
were in the vast gathering who were commanded to view the interrogation.

A harsh voice commanded that a seventeen year old student step forward! She was young Chinese lass, a tiny
little figure in the crowd of students, her black hair hanging down her back in a pigtail. The missionaries wept as
they realised that this lass would be the first to be interrogated. "Why, Oh Lord, did it have to be her? She is so
small, so very young, she might crack under the strain. Why her? She is such a gentle, timid little thing, She has
not long ago left her mother?" The Chinese girl stepped to the microphone, her eyes cast down in the presence
of so many adults.

The harsh voice of the interrogator rang out:
"You have had time to consider your stand. We have been patient with you.
Do you now know that Jesus Christ is not real, that Christianity is a lie? Answer the Chinese Revolution now.
What do you say?"

There was an awful silence. The missionaries prayed through their tears waiting for the tiny girl to make her
reply. "Oh help her Lord, give her your strength!"  With a shake of her pretty head, the Chinese lass said:
"When this all began weeks ago, I did not know if Jesus Christ was really God and if He was really my Saviour. I
was not sure. But as the weeks have gone by and the arguments have been given, I have changed, Now I
KNOW Jesus Christ is God, and I KNOW that HE died for me, and that I have eternal life because he shed His
Blood for me. I KNOW He is my Saviour!"

She was taken away, as many were that day, and they put her to death. Gladys did not tell us how she died, she
did not want to relate the details of that ghastly day, or tell of the horror of her death.

Why did God allow that small, timid little girl to be the first called to witness for Christ? I believe He allowed it for
His own purposes, don't you? If a strapping, tall and confident fellow had been the first, and he had been brave
enough to stand for Christ, would that have helped the others, really? They would have thought, "it is alright for
him, he is a strong man, he is as brave as a lion. But I am only small and weak, how will I go through this?"
But no, the Lord showed His strength and power through a weak, frightened child of a girl. Then the power was
seen to be of God Himself, for He had taken the weak vessel and given her His glory, His courage and His fire
of Truth in her heart.  Then the others knew that if she could stand triumphant for their Saviour, so could they!

How about you, beloved of God? It is not who you are that is going to give the victory in this spiritual crisis
period of 1999. It is Who HE is, and what He can do through you that will give the victory.

" And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their
lives unto the death. " (Revelation 12:11).

Compare the faith of the poor dear Jewish girl who became so famous for her poignant dairy, written whilst in
hiding from the Nazis in WW II, Anne Frank.
This very young girl, a mere slip of a teenager, wrote with such bravery, such faith. But in what was her faith?
Anne believed in the inherent goodness of man, in the triumph of human beings over this evil world system. She
still gave credence to the hope that "the heavens" would intervene, but did not see the horror that man is sinful,
and that this world is a lost world. That nothing will change, ever, until Christ Jesus steps into history and rules
with a rod of iron!
Nations uniting across the earth to bring "peace" will never stop wars and the terrors of holocaust. God must
send His wrath against the unrepentant and put them down, before peace will ever come to this planet. Here are
the heart-rending words of Anne Frank, did she believe them still when she murdered in Bergen-Belson?:

"I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are still truly good at heart.
I simply can't build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery and death. I see a world
gradually being turned into a wilderness. I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too; I can
feel the sufferings of millions; and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think it will all come right, that this cruelty will
end, and that peace and tranquillity will return again....I must uphold my ideals, for perhaps the time will come
when I shall be able to carry them out." (Quote taken from "Time." June 14, 1999. p.56).

Two children compared here. One was basically trusting in mankind; one trusted in Almighty God. One saw the
hope in the changes that could be wrought by man in this world, Anne Frank. One saw the heavenly splendour
and trusted only the Lord Jesus Christ - Who could resurrected the dead, and bring His rule upon the earth one
day. Who will you trust? Both ended their lives by the hands of EVIL men. But their stories are not over yet. Nor
is the story of this world over yet, and the fate of killers of the young and helpless is decreed!

TIME NO LONGER.
All this wickedness on earth cannot just go on forever. Anne Frank could sense this wonderful truth, although her
faith was misguided. One day, perhaps soon, God will call "TIME IS OUT!" and the last delay will be over, and
them cometh the END. Henry M. Morris has written of this time in his book "Revelation." Page 182-183 has this
glorious commentary on Revelation 10:6:
"And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that herein are, and the
earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, and there should be TIME
NO LONGER.

The One who 'liveth for ever and ever' is, oc course, the Creator on His throne (Rev. 4:10,110, and also the
Lamb (Rev.5:13). There can be none greater. ' because He could swear by no greater, he sware by himself'
(Hebrews 6:13).

Although the final judgment had been deferred, as it were, for yet a time and times and half a time, there will be
no delay beyond that. This is the meaning of the statement that 'there should no time no longer. ' The space/time
universe has been established forever, and there could be no ending of time as such without the annihilation of
space as well. As a matter of fact, time will still be measured  by months in the new earth (Rev. 22:2). It is just
that the time when 'the mystery of God shall be finished' is near at hand.

The indentification of the Creator is very explicit, and carries us back to Genesis 2;1. 'Thus the heavens and the
earth were finished, and all the host of them. ' Even more explicitly is there a reference to the wording of the
fourth commandment. 'For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is.' (Exodus
20:11).

It is significant that the sworn assurance that there will soon be a consummation of all things appeals to that fact
that there was a creation of all things. A universe without a creation would necessarily be one with no purpose.
Since it did begin in creation, however...and since the Creator, by definition, cannot be capricious, therefore the
universe does have a divine purpose, and that purpose will surely be consummated.

God  indeed is long-suffering. He has accomplished a wonderful and winsome plan of redemption, and desires
all men to come to repentance and salvation (II Peter 3:9).  He has waited year after year, and century after
century, for lost men to accept their Saviour, but He will not compel them against their will. Finally, He has,
against His own will, it almost seems, reluctantly initiated the terrible judgments of the day of the Lord. But even
in these, many are saved, and He will joyfully receive those who come to Him out of the great Tribulation.

But those who have persisted in hardening their hearts throughout the successive waves of chastisement for
three and a half years are surely beyond hope, it would seem. Nevertheless, our "God of all grace' (I Peter 5:10)
will endure such vessels of wrath yet another three and a half years, exhausting every last drop of His cup of
patience. But that will be the last delay; then cometh the end."
(Close+ of quote from Henry M. Morris).
 
 

        MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU  AS YOU WITNESS FOR HIM IN THE COMING DAYS  -
                               MARANATHA! THE LORD COMETH!

W. B. Howard ...Editor of Despatch

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