Dear
Brethren,
In
my last writing I wrote
mainly about the punishment
that will come from Jesus
Christ on the coming
European nations who will
enslave the survivors of
Israel not too many years
hence.
I
wrote of the parallels of
Hitler in World War II, and
the pharaoh of Egypt who
held Israel captive and in
slavery. This was to make
known the Gentile nations of
our time will also suffer
for what they will do to
God’s chosen people,
Israel, just as did the
others.
In
this writing I intend to
pick up where I left off
making known from Scripture
that after Armageddon there
will be further retribution
brought on the nations
themselves because of their
cruel and inhuman treatment
of the people of Israel who
will be enslaved by them.
As
bad as it will be for the
millions of Israel who will
experience and suffer the
humiliation and heavy
bondage brought upon them in
this coming time, God speaks
words of encouragement to
them:
"Alas!
For that day is great, so
that none is like it; and it
is the time of Jacob’s
trouble, BUT he shall be
saved out of it. For it
shall come to pass in that
day,’ says the LORD of
hosts, that I will break his
yoke from your neck, and I
will burst your bonds;
foreigners shall NO MORE
enslave them. But they shall
serve the LORD their God,
and David their king whom I
WILL RAISE UP for them.
Therefore do NOT fear, O My
servant Jacob,’ says the
LORD, ‘nor be dismayed, O
Israel; for behold, I will
SAVE YOU from afar, and your
seed from captivity. ...
Though I make a full end of
all nations WHERE I HAVE
SCATTERED YOU, yet, I will
NOT make a full end of you.
But I will correct you in
justice and will not let you
go altogether unpunished
(Jeremiah 30:7-11).
A
SIDE NOTE: The following
Scripture speaks only of the
house of Joseph being
delivered indicating the
other tribes will not suffer
in the same way:
"...
I will save the house of
Joseph. I will bring them
back, because I have mercy
on them. They shall be as
though I had not cast them
aside; for I am the LORD
their God, and I will hear
them" (Zechariah 10:6).
A
Leadership That Failed —
Due
to the primary leadership of
America, and the United
Kingdom, being the leaders
in the worst kinds of sin
and the exporters of it in
movies and in other ways,
the yoke will weigh much
heavier on them .
They
should have been the kind of
leaders to set the example
of not allowing the horrible
and wicked sins that are so
apparent today in the whole
society of both to be
virtually as bad as the
pre-flood world and Sodom
and Gomorrah (Isaiah 1:4-6,
10; II Peter 2:4-6). As the
result the other tribes have
fallen suit and their sins
are also very grievous!
However
God says all His people will
be saved out of the heavy
bondage after due
punishment. He speaks
further words of
encouragement to His people
regarding the heavy-handed
leader of the killings and
enslavement, Assyria, better
known today as Germany:
"...
do NOT be afraid of the
Assyrian. He shall STRIKE
YOU WITH A ROD AND LIFT UP
HIS STAFF AGAINST YOU, IN
THE MANNER OF EGYPT. For
yet a very little while and
the indignation will cease,
as will MY ANGER in their
destruction. And the LORD of
hosts will STIR UP A SCOURGE
for him like the slaughter
of Midian at the rock of
Oreb; as His rod was on the
sea, so will He lift it up
IN THE MANNER of Egypt"
(Isaiah 10:24-26).
Slavery
of the People of Israel Ends
–
A
number of Scriptures make
known the slavery will begin
ending right after the
return of Jesus Christ to
this earth for the rulers
and slave owners will be
visited by God-Family
members; and the visits will
not be pleasant ones! They
will be dealt with very
severely!
The
slave owners will quickly
foresee this coming and
desperately seek to
circumvent any retribution
to come upon them.
Personal
Experiences During World War
II —
While
writing about these things
some of my own personal
experiences that took place
during World War II came to
mind and I will write of
them to try and add to the
understanding, for though
time and circumstances
change, human beings pretty
much act and react the same
way at all times.
When
we, American soldiers, would
enter a village in Germany
to clear it of any military
presence, we would be
greeted by the civilian
populace with white flags
being flown from the windows
of the homes some little
time before actually
entering; a sign of
surrender! Then sometimes
met by the German populace
with hands outstretched with
great friendliness and in
the other hands a bottle of
cognac, wine, or champagne.
The
German people were told that
we would rape their women
and brutally kill all of
them. This was apparently
said to urge them not to
give up but actually fight
against us to the bitter
end. As the result they
expected the worst kind of
treatment!
It
is true that the Russian
armies would do those things
in retaliation for what the
German military had done to
their people when Germany
invaded Russia. However this
was not true of Great
Britain and the United
States and other nations of
Israel.
Though
I have written about the
following before I will do
so again to further make the
point: In early 1945, before
the war ended with Germany,
I remember a few American
soldiers and myself going
into a German home where I
saw a baby in a crib. I have
always loved children and I
went toward the crib to see
and make-over the baby. A
young red-haired woman
panicked and ran to the baby
while looking at me in
almost a state of hysteria!
She
was fearful of what I might
do to it. I could not speak
her language so there was
nothing for me to do but
back off, which I did.
The
German people were very
fearful of us until they got
to know us. Some little time
later after sizing us up
they were not as respectful
for they saw we were not the
cruel soldiers they had been
taught we would be killing
all regardless of age.
Even
though the German soldiers
raped, and cruelly and
barbarously slaughtered the
Jews and others of all ages,
even using babies for target
practice, as far as I know
only the Russians retaliated
in kind.
This
coming time the peoples of
the Gentile nations will not
get off so easy for all will
be involved with their harsh
and inhuman treatment of the
people of God. They will
reap what they have sown
because of the very powerful
leadership of Jesus Christ
exacting vengeance on them.
And they will know why!
As
with Egypt of Old —
With
the loss of their armies at
Armageddon and no military
presence to support them,
the slave masters will be
cringing and cowering before
the Israeli slaves pleading
for mercy from these very
people to whom they showed
no mercy and no compassion
during their captivity.
Desperately
trying to make amends they
will lavish costly presents
of all kinds upon their
Israelites slaves. Filthy,
tattered, clothing worn by
the bruised and emaciated
survivors will be replaced
with expensive clothing just
as it took place in Egypt
(Exodus 12:35-36).
In
addition all of the vast
wealth of gold and silver as
well as that seized from the
conquered nations of Israel
will be accumulated and
transported from Europe to
Jerusalem:
...
And the wealth of all the
surrounding nations shall be
gathered together: Gold,
silver, and apparel in great
abundance (Zechariah 14:14).
Fear
of Reprisal —
The
Gentile nations will also be
living in great fear from
not knowing what this GREAT
AWESOME BEING they have seen
descend from outer space
might do to them for they
will come to know what He
did to their armies at
Armageddon!
Before
learning their sons and
fathers will not be
returning back to the
homeland, there will be
great anxiety experienced by
the mothers, and wives, much
like in the time of Deborah,
a prophetess, and Sisera,
commander of the army of
Canaan.
They
will be anxiously awaiting
their return from what they
believed would be a quick
victorious war with Asia,
and overdue, as it was with
Sisera who did battle with
Israel:
The
mother of Sisera looked
through the window, and
cried out through the
lattice, "Why is his
chariot so long in coming?
Why tarries the clatter of
his chariots? (Judges 5:28)
They
will be experiencing the
same kind of extreme mental
agony as described about
Jacob foreseeing his time of
trouble (Jeremiah 30:4-7).
Much greater than did the
Egyptians after the 10th
plague fell on them!
Those
who survive the wrath of the
uprising of the Israeli
captives will cling in
humble servitude to their
former slaves hoping that
this possibly might appease
the wrath of their former
slaves, and this GREAT
BEING, lest He exterminate
all of them for they will
come to know how He dealt
with their armies at
Armageddon!
They
will plead justification;
saying they were led by God
to deal with Israel in this
manner because of their
sins:
...
their adversaries said,
"We are not offended,
because they have sinned
against the LORD"
(Jeremiah 50:7).
Pleading
for Mercy from Their Slaves
—
At
the same time the slave
masters will also continue
to do all they possibly can
to placate the wrath of the
Israeli captives knowing
they will very probably turn
on them with hatred and
vengeance for the way in
which they have been
treated! And Scripture
indicates they will!
It
appears this will begin with
the Jewish people turning on
their German captors much
like the French citizenry
turned on their German
captors while France was
being liberated at the close
of World War II.
"It
shall come to pass in that
day that A GREAT PANIC from
the LORD will be among them.
Everyone will seize his
neighbor and raise his hand
against his neighbor’s
hand; JUDAH ALSO WILL
FIGHT AT JERUSALEM"(Zechariah
14:13-14).
This
Scripture makes known there
will be a presence of Judah
yet in Jerusalem, whether as
captive slaves who will then
turn on their captors, or
will be just an occupied
nation.
AN
ASIDE: Scripture indicates
Judah will not suffer defeat
and captivity at the same
time as does the house of
Joseph and other tribes of
Israel. With America and the
UK no longer on the scene,
as nations, Judah will seek
allies from the Gentile
nations, not only for aid,
but for added protection
from the Arab world (see
narration of Joseph being
sold by Judah and his
brethren, Genesis
37:12-28;Ezekiel 23:11-12).
Almost
immediately after the demise
of the House of Joseph as
nations, the Jewish
leadership will probably
accept a military presence
in Jerusalem as a price for
added protection making
possible the Beast setting
up his headquarters in the
area. (Daniel 11:45).
Because
of heavy pressure brought on
them, Jerusalem will
undoubtedly be declared an
international city.
This
will also make possible for
the Pope to move to
Jerusalem and establish his
throne there. End-time
prophecies will be fulfilled
(Daniel 12:11; Luke 21:20;
Matthew 24:15; II
Thessalonians 2:3-4,9).
The
Uprising Quickly Spreads —
After
learning of the defeat of
the enemy armies at
Armageddon, and no real army
at home to support their
captors, will make possible
the uprising of the Israeli
slaves to swiftly spread
into all the other nations
where the people of Israel
will be held captive. There
will be little mercy shown
by them:
For
the Day of the LORD upon all
the nations is near; as you
have done, it shall be done
to you; your REPRISAL shall
return upon your own head.
... But on Mount Zion there
shall be deliverance. And
there shall be holiness; the
house of Jacob shall POSSESS
their possessions. And the
house of Joseph A FLAME;
..." (Obadiah 15-20).
Vengeance
will be exacted from God
through His people!
A
Reversal in Slavery —
Once
again, all will reap what
they have sown (Galatians
6:7; Ecclesiastes 10:8; Job
4:8) :
"Behold,
I will raise them out of the
place to which you have sold
them, and will RETURN your
RETALIATION upon your own
head. I will SELL your sons
and daughters into the hand
of the people of Judah, and
they will SELL them to the
Sabeans, to a people far
off; for the LORD has
spoken" (Joel 3:7-8)
Unlike
Israel of old leaving Egypt
for the Promised Land, and
leaving the Egyptians behind
them, in this coming future
time the surviving
slave-owners will go with
them and become the slaves
of the people of Israel:
Thus
says the LORD God:
"Behold, I will lift up
My hand in an oath to the
nations, and set up MY
STANDARD for the peoples;
they shall bring your sons
in their arms, and your
daughters shall be carried
on their shoulders; kings
shall be your foster
fathers, and their queens
your nursing mothers; THEY
SHALL BOW DOWN TO YOU with
their faces to the earth AND
LICK UP THE DUST OF YOUR
FEET. Then you will know
that I am the LORD, for they
shall not be ashamed who
WAIT for Me. ... even the
captives of the MIGHTY shall
be taken away, and the prey
of the TERRIBLE be
delivered; for I will
contend with him who
contends with you, and I
will save your children. And
they shall be drunk with
their own flesh as with
sweet wine. All flesh shall
know that I, THE LORD, am
your SAVIOR, and your
REDEEMER, THE MIGHTY ONE of
Jacob (Isaiah 49:22-26).
Continuing
His loving thought for the
liberated Israelis and a
time of lasting peace before
them, God reveals:
"For
the LORD will have mercy on
Jacob, and will still choose
Israel, and settle them in
their own land. The
strangers (slave owners)
will be joined with them and
they shall CLING to the
house of Jacob. Then people
will take them and BRING
THEM to their place, and the
house of Israel will POSSESS
them FOR SERVANTS AND MAIDS
in the land of the LORD;
they will TAKE THEM CAPTIVE
whose captives they were,
and RULE over them. It shall
come to pass in the day the
LORD GIVES YOU REST from
your SORROW, and from your
FEAR and the hard bondage in
which you WERE MADE to
serve, that you will take up
this proverb against the
king of Babylon (the modern
successor of Nebuchadnezzar,
the coming Beast of the holy
Roman Empire), and say:
"How the OPPRESSOR HAS
CEASED, the insolent city
ceased (his HQ)! The LORD
has broken the staff of the
wicked, the scepter of the
rulers; he who struck the
people (of Israel) IN WRATH
WITH A CONTINUAL STROKE, he
who RULED the nations in
anger, is persecuted and no
one hinders (tries to stops
it). The whole earth is
at rest (afterwards) and
quiet. They break forth into
singing (Isaiah 14:1-7).
Here
we find the beginning of the
restoration of the scattered
survivors of the captive
people of Israel with the
aid of the highest rulers of
the Gentile captors and
common slave owners who will
be displaying tenderness and
the greatest care for them
and will be there to help
them in the building
program. They will look
after the care of the exiles
while showing abject
self-humiliation.
The
Human Element
As
I continue to study the
Scriptures and meditate on
what will occur during the
first hundred years or more
of the millennium, the more
I see the practical and
human side that Jesus Christ
and the tens of thousands of
His glorified Family Members
will be working with to
bring about all the
wonderful promised
blessings.
Blessings
that are promised for these
human beings as they turn to
God the Father and Jesus
Christ in true heartfelt
repentance and conversion.
Though
Christ will open minds and
make receptive the hearts
for the receiving of His
Holy Spirit, the human
beings who will live over
into that new world will yet
be dealing with their own
human nature just as we do
today.
TOMORROW
... WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE,
Page 68, Mr. Armstrong
"Just
as the converted Christian
in this present age must
continue to live a life of
overcoming, and of spiritual
growth and development (II
Peter3:18), so will they in
the Millennium. Happily they
then will not have to
overcome Satan. But they
shall still have to overcome
all evil impulses, habits,
or temptations, innate
within themselves."
Most
will turn to God with true
heartfelt repentance, and
will some years later be
born into the God-Family,
joining all the other Family
members.
God’s
Government Restored —
Sad
to say, there will be those
who will choose to refuse
and accept God’s way of
life, even though much
effort, and all the time
needed will be given to
them:
"...
your teachers will not be
moved into a corner anymore,
but your eyes shall SEE your
teachers (by manifesting
ourselves). Your ears shall
hear a word behind you
(warning), saying, ‘This
is the way, walk in it,’
whenever your turn to the
right hand or whenever you
turn to the left"
(Isaiah 30:20-21).
Officials
will bring before the Spirit
kings and selected human
judges all those who will
stubbornly refuse the
instruction and help offered
by both God’s Family
members and human leaders.
"I
will restore your judges as
at the first, and your
counselors as at the
beginning. Afterward you
shall be called the city of
righteousness" (Isaiah
1:26; Luke 19:17-19).
TOMORROW
... WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE,
Pages 99, 54
"...
governments will be in the
hands of the spiritual
Family of God, and partially
administered by those human
leaders directly under that
great ruling Family —
under the apostles, each now
king over a great nation,
will be the rulers over
districts, states, shires,
counties or provinces, and
over cities."
Realizing
God’s structure of
Government, Scripture
indicates the incorrigibles
will be brought to Jerusalem
by the local officials for
final judgement by those
placed in authority directly
under Christ, or from Christ
Himself (Deuteronomy
17:8-12).
No
one can really say, but
possibly they will be given
one final opportunity to
repent and change before the
presence of Christ. If so,
and this is rejected, the
incorrigibles will then have
final sentence passed upon
them. Final judgement made
on the highest level, Christ
Himself:
"But
bring here those enemies of
Mine, who did not want Me to
reign over them, and slay
them before Me" (Luke
19:27).
Judgment
then will be swiftly carried
out!
"My
eyes will be on the faithful
of the land, that they may
dwell with Me; he who walks
in a perfect way, he shall
serve Me, He who works
deceit shall not dwell in My
house; he who tells lies
shall not continue in My
presence. Early (morning
by morning, RSV; each
morning, Jewish and NIV),
I will DESTROY all the
wicked of the land, that I
may CUT OFF all the
evildoers from the city of
the LORD" (Psalm
101:6-8).
The
fires will be rekindled in
the valley of Hinnom (Gehenna)
and will burn up the dead
bodies as they were in the
time when Christ was here in
human form (Mark 9:42-48;
Isaiah 66:24, a type of the
final fire, Malachi 4:1;
Revelation 20:14-15).
Time
Will Be Needed —
Based
on some of the things that
Scripture reveals will occur
years later inside the
Millennium, it looks like
it could very well be
possibly a hundred years or
more before the world will
really begin to come to be
"The Wonderful World
Tomorrow."
It
Begins with Israel —
Please
realize that though it will
be God’s new age of
awesome and wonderful
blessings it will require
that period of time before
all will come to pass.
Scripture
makes known that Jesus
Christ will for the most
part begin working with the
people of Israel and will
continue to do so all
through the millennium. They
will begin reaping the
blessings within a very
short time, probably within
three to five years, or
less.
Scripture
indicates it will be that
length of time or more
before the real work will
begin with the Gentile
nations and they begin to
experience the same
spiritual and physical
blessings. (This will be
made plain a little later.)
As
the family Members of God,
our responsibilities will be
full-time, each and every
day and each and every
night, to work with all
nations for then we will be
Spirit and will no longer
require sleep and rest as we
now do as human beings.
Always we will be watching
over and guiding all that
will be done while working
through human leadership
established by Christ. Never
a dull moment!
To
Be Continued —
To
read and study the
Scriptures of the very near
future we will soon be
entering should move all of
us with real excitement and
joy to realize the blessing
of really being with Christ
Jesus and seeing Him
face to face, just as He now
sees us, more, to be
forever in His presence!
Then
to also experience the
reunion we will have with
God’s people; men and
women we have
known! In addition, to
have the opportunity to
meet all those who have
lived and been faithful to
God through past
generations. It will
be joy on a level never
before experienced!
The
same joy Christ is
anticipating at the
resurrection:
"Therefore,
we also (referring to the
previous chapter of the
sleeping saints waiting to
be awakened), since we are
surrounded by so great a
cloud of witnesses, LET US
lay aside every weight, and
the sin which so easily
besets us, and let us run
WITH ENDURANCE the race that
is set before us, LOOKING
UNTO JESUS, the author and
finisher of our faith, WHO
FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET
BEFORE HIM endured the
cross, despising the shame,
and has set down at the
right hand of the throne of
God" (Hebrews
12:1-2).
Our
love and prayers for each of
you,
Don
Billingsley
Please
continue to frequently view
our website: www.cog-ff.com
To
listen to our Church
services by a speaker phone,
please dial (free call):
1-800- 820-4690, then follow
the operator’s instruction
and punch in the following
numbers: 7076149, then to be
followed by the pound sign #
For
better quality try our
internet link: http://www.cog-ff.com
