A MESSAGE TO SERVANTS OF GOD, "MINISTERS" - Introduction 3 of 5 from 'Iraq Prophecy "Parable"' 2008

To all previous questions God answers that He would clarify all things. The basic error of a scholar, minister or servant of God regarding Babylon is that he either thinks that the Scriptures speak of an Old Testament Babylon or they speak of "the Babylon the Great" in the book of Revelation chapters 17, 18 and 19 which is to come at some future era. But there are other prophecies in many parts of the Bible about Babylon - a name not precluding other nations with similar practices of evil appearing as Babylon - and those Scriptures have not yet been fulfilled, except that now they started being fulfilled before our eyes. The Bible is warning us:

Eph. 5:515-16, "Therefore, beware precisely how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, redeeming (making the most, making good use of) the time, because the days are evil." Of course, never has there been a time when evil days were not in the world. But, is it not today when it makes the most sense for us to be careful with this advice?

God said in Haggai 2:7, "I will shake all the nations;" and 2:22, "I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the horses and their riders will go down, everyone by the sword of another..."

We must pay attention to this. He did not say the God is going "to overthrow the thrones" supernaturally ... or "the riders will go down" from a thunderbolt and because of an accident, He said, "... they will go down, everyone by the sword of another." And as continued in Haggai 2:23 said, "on that day, declares the Lord of hosts," and that day is in our days. Blessed be God, if the earth is shaken, it is to shake the wicked out of it, Job 38:13."That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it." In the apocalyptic visions earthquakes bode no ill to the church. Here the heavens and the earth are shaken, that proud oppressors may be broken and brought down: God will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms. When this prophecy came forth, the Chaldean-Babylonian monarch, which had been the throne of kingdoms a great while, was already overthrown; and the powers that are and are yet to come, shall in like manner be overthrown; their day will come to fall. In that vision, God from times past programmed every detail about this war, and actually says it is He Himself who mandated the invasion in Iraq in Isaiah 13:4, "A sound of the uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathered together! The Lord of Armies is mustering the army for battle." It is He, the Lord of Armies, the Lord of Hosts. God executed this dethronement as a personal matter. How did He do it?

He did it by the sword of another! Does it not say it clearly here? The Word of God is proven of its validity by these spiritual depths of wisdom. A standard of recognition that distinguishes the true gospels from the false ones is always a hidden meaning in the text that should match as a parable with the truth. These hidden meanings are identified by the one who studies the text and when he finds them he has the evidence of the truth transmitted from linking physical things, stories, or events with heavenly teachings.

We know only God could have prearranged then and have them so convincingly matched. No one without the Holy Spirit's revelation could have included such that we find in the true Scriptures of God. For example, if we would study the verses in Haggai 2:7, 22-23 (on the preceding page), we will be amazed by what can be discerned with its parabolic meaning in the text.

Haggai 2:21-23:

Speak - spiritually it is God's message that which should be orally spoken by Haggai during the the days of the exile

to Zerubbabel - his name means born in Babylon: spiritually means born in the world of sin as we all carry evil in our flesh

governor of Judah, - God, by speaking to a governor, implies that the text which will follow refers to apolitical issues. It did not matter to God that Zerubbabel - as we can tell by his name - he was called from the world. God chose him to be the leader of a group of exiles, Jews taken away from Judea. Spiritually a governor is like a minister in a position ordained by God - as God's servant he is assigned to bring those in the world )from a place like Babylon) to their right mind with God (to a place of peace like Jerusalem).

saying, 'I am going' - the prophet goes on to explain God's Plan; this is the prophecy of what God is going to do in the last days

to shake - God will cause certain motions; He will make evil to fall and good to stand and remain forever

the heavens - the spiritual powers in the air that tempt people

and the earth the rulers in the world of sin, the earthly Babylon

I will overthrow - He will topple evil leadership and their control

the thrones - posts that Satan and his emissaries were allowed to hold over kingdoms; they organize locales and place for evil kings to govern with the rod of the ruler of darkness

and destroy - God will make non-effective these plans of Satan

the power of the kingdoms - governing authorities promoting sin

of the nations, - religious traditions keeping sin to abound

and I will overthrow - it is He, God saying, I in His overall plan, both historical and spiritual. The dethronement of kings is commanded by God; it is not done by any other spirit's initiative nor by man. Mica 4:8 says, "But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of migh," Zech=. 3:6, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the Lord of Hosts." Again, it is said to Zerubbabel (to a minister of God) here by prophet, Zechariah, who also foretold of the end times.

the chariots - positions of authority maneuvering evil plans

and their riders, - spirit is positioned in line for spiritual battle

and the horses - the fury and pride, the motivation of evildoers

and their riders, - men in pride, actual performer of evil acts

will go down - God explains how He is bringing them down:

everyone - each one will be individually judged and will fall

by the sword - the spiritual sword is God's word; in Hebrews 4:12, "Gods word is living and active. It is sharper than any two-edged sword..." Also, in Eph. 6:17, "...the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God: of another..." - it is

of another man. God has arranged men to be His representatives. They are designated to carry out the purposes of God in the earth in line with His Project. They dethrone evil and enthrone righteousness according to His eternal law.

God is waging war by sending into the world spiritual leaders.

These are missionaries, preachers of His gospel armed with the written word as their sword. When they go like armies in the historical physical domain, by their bringing down evil leaders they demonstrate an event which is also a parable with spiritual meaning. The meaning is the victory over a spiritual entity governed by a spirit which keeps people captive in the kingdom of darkness. In the same manner the king of Babylon in Iraq was brought down like that spirit. So, "everyone" who has that spirit "will go down, by the sword of another..." The other - another man here - with the sword is sent as a solder in God's assignment.

The assignment is to preach the gospel given by Christ Who said in John 20:21, "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you," In the event in Iraq the downfall of that regime signified the strategic victory of God over a spiritual entity governed as it is said in Eph. 3:30 by "...principalities and powers in heavenly places."

In domains both physical and spiritual the dethronement is irrevocable, but typically, they do not repent and face the reality of their defeat. They just run away in delusion as if they might regain power and are hiding until their final capture and execution. In that false desire of theirs we see the tactical part of the war in the ongoing post -invasion situation in Iraq, in which God is pointing out the ugliness and travesty of the evildoers. As we will see, this is a demonstration that will help us understand its deeper spiritual meaning. Just before his coming, "Parousia", Christ exposes the evildoers openly for the whole world to see, to abhor, and to earnestly call on Him to come and judge the evil that is in the earth.

That is the reason we must be willing to comprehend God's signs He began showing for the end times and to be prepared. We have not seen anything like this in the whole era of the New Testament, but as we come further into the last hour of events we will progressively see more of God's intervention.

It is quite sad, though, that many are entirely missing this visitation of God. For them and their faith God makes this comment in Luke 18:7-8, "And shall not God avenge of His elect, who cry to Him day and night, and He is long-suffering over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"

Many may lack of hearing to perceive as Matt. 13:9, and Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29 states, "who has ears to hear, let him hear... what the Spirit says..." Others may let their faith decrease by ignoring that the Scriptures are obviously being fulfilled and will act like the foolish virgins who wee overtaken by their worldly cares. In Matt. 25:13 says, "Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour...," but even prominent ministers in God's Word would be sluggish to not search and interpret such notable sayings, and might become idle and stagnant, ready to hear the Lord's saying in Matt 25:26, "You wicked, lazy servant..." The Lord warns from long ago, in Jer. 25:20 "The anger of the Lord shall not return, until He has executed, and till He has performed the thoughts of His heart; in the latter days you shall consider it perfectly. 21 I did not send these prophets, but they ran. I did not speak to them, but they prophesied. 22 But if they had stood in My council and would have caused My people to hear My Words, then they should have turned them back from their evil way, and from their evils deeds. 23 "Am I a God Who is at hand (near in time)? Declares the Lord,"and not a God far off?"

We need to see three distinct things in the prophecies of Jeremiah chapter 25:

1. in verse 20 - "in the latter days you shall consider it perfectly;" He speaks of our days,

2. in verse 22 - "if they had stood in My council, and would have caused My people to hear My Words then they should have turned them back from their evil..." This is the burning issue for pastors, teachers, prophets and scholars of our day; Are we truly telling His Words to His people? Do we realize there is a teaching designed to be a lesson along with each prophecy's fulfillment? And

3. in verse 23 - "a God Who is at hand (near in time)" God relates here, whether we look at the signs pointing to His Day at hand.

The Lord warns us also in Mark 13:35-37, "Therefore, be on the alert - for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning - in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. "What I say to you I say to all: 'Be on the alert!'" Are we alert to recognize the world events in relation to the Scriptures?

Diligent responsibility is required from the ministers of God's Word on the urgency of readiness. It is expounded in Luke 12:40, "Become ye therefor ready also: for the Son of man comes at an hour when you think not." How would the minister try to keep his flock ready? Luke 12:42 says, "And the Lord said, who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them the portion of food in due season?" What does it mean portion of food? The minister as ruler over God's household must have revelation of the proper portion of the Word that is needed according to the season. The original Greek does not say, "Their portion" to mean t the part of knowledge that each listener shroud sustain his growing, but is says, "The portion" which is due according to the season as it relates to time.

The theme in this parable is urgency in knowing the signs of the times and being together with the faithful in expectancy for the master's coming. Time is of the essence and the urgency is for the occasion to not be missed. This is in the context of all verses in this parable as says in Matt. 24:45, "in season," and in Mark 13:33, "when the season is."

The question of concern is "when" in Matt. 24:3, "the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your "Parousia," Presence [Gr. "Parousia" is Presence by our side.]...?"

"The time" for "these things" to be accounted is really now, because events that have started unfolding are God's prophecies being fulfilled as they are pre-designed word-by-word in scripture, these actually are the first signs of His coming, and they must be taught.

So, what must be the top priority in the job of a minister?

Is it to give His flock what they like to hear?

No. The minister's responsibility is to feed his people what they need to hear, "the portion" which is due according to the season. And for the congregation to honor one as "a minister of God," he must be according to Luke 12:39, "Master of the Lord's house." He must be proven in the parable of Matt.24:45, to be "the servant, " in Mark 13:34, "the doorkeeper," in Luke 12:42, "the steward," in Luke 12:45, "the watchman."

He must be diligent to avoid being the idle "...watchman" of Luke 12:45, "who is not aware of the times thinking in his heart, my lord delays his coming; and shall begin to beat (=spiritually causes serious damage by mishandling the club of authority) the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;" (acting in an irresponsible and worldly manner);"

Then in Luke 12:46, "The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he does not expect Him, and at an hour when he does not know, and will bisect (cut him in sunder), and will appoint his portion with unbelievers."