STUDY THE BIBLE COURSE
Lesson 3: Christ Will Stop World Suicide
Bob Thiel, Editor-in-Chief.
Published 2014 by the Continuing Church of God
Preface: This course is highly based upon the personal correspondence course developed in 1954 that began under the direction of the late C. Paul Meredith in the old Radio Church of God. Various portions have been updated for the 21st century (though much of the original writing has been retained). It also has more scriptural references, as well as information and questions not in the original course. Unless otherwise noted, scriptural references are to the NKJV, copyright Thomas Nelson Publishing, used by permission. The KJV, sometimes referred to as the Authorized Version is also often used. Additionally, Catholic-approved translations such as the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) are sometimes used as are other translations.
CIVILIZATION is AT THE CROSSROADS! HUMANKIND left it to itself would DESTROY itself from the face of the earth if God would fail to intervene (Matthew 24:22)! But GOD WILL NOT FAIL! God will not let this world continue as it has in the past. Yet, strange to say, many who do believe in a God, refuse to believe He will supernaturally intervene in world affairs.
It is of this doubting end time, just before Christ’s return, that Peter speaks: “There shall come IN THE LAST DAYS SCOFFERS, walking after their own lusts, and SAYING, WHERE IS THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING? FOR ALL THINGS CONTINUE AS THEY WERE FROM THE BEGINNING” (2 Peter 3:3-4, KJV).
But Christ will come to stop world suicide!
THE NATIONS WILL BE ANGRY at that time. The battle among them for world rulership will be at a crisis! GREAT DESTRUCTION AND LOSS OF HUMAN LIFE WILL HAVE OCCURRED. The war will be FURIOUS! Yet the issue hangs in the balance. Then—suddenly—CHRIST WILL APPEAR with all His holy angels, and enter their fight. THE NATIONS WILL NOT SUBMIT TO HIM LIKE A LAMB as most people carelessly seem to assume!
They will either reason that Christ’s army is only another group of mortal men who have developed a more scientific and ruthless way of waging war for world control or have Satanic influence as the forces of Antichrist! Jesus will have to deal with the nations in a language they do understand—hard, overpowering force. They will have no way to turn.
They will be forced to take their minds off destroying each other! How will this struggle end?
CHRIST WILL DESTROY THEIR WEAPONS AND ARMIES AND LEAVE THE NATIONS POWERLESS TO RESIST HIS RULE! HE, NOT MAN, WILL BE SUPREME ON THE EARTH! Christ’s coming to prevent total annihilation is much heralded by the Bible. It is a vital part of God’s PLAN.
But how WILL CHRIST PROCEED TO ESTABLISH ORDER IN THIS CHAOTIC, WAR-TORN WORLD?
Order Out of Chaos
Christ, Himself, declared: “I WILL COME AGAIN” (John 14:3). The manner of His coming is placed beyond all controversy by the words of the angels. They appeared on the Mount of Olives to the disciples who were witnessing the ascension of their Lord and Master into the heaven. The angels said, “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, WILL so COME IN LIKE MANNER as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11). Jesus will return IN LIKE MANNER AS HE WENT!
Christ is therefore coming PERSONALLY and VISIBLY, to be present on the earth. When He comes again, He will come, not as a sufferer, nor as a man of sorrows, but as a KING and AS A CONQUEROR, to occupy a throne of glory. His own words are: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory:” (Matthew 25:31).
There are numerous predictions throughout the Bible that Jesus Christ will occupy A THRONE, and reign as king thereon. God has declared, “Behold, the days are coming. . . That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.” (Jeremiah 23:5).
Christ will cause SATAN, THE PRINCE WHO NOW RULES OVER MANKIND, to be bound (Revelation 20:2).
Then, at that time, “The Lord shall BE KING OVER ALL THE EARTH: in that day shall there be ONE Lord, and his name one” (Zechariah 14:9, KJV).
Final Important Instructions
Now we are ready for the actual lesson. Is your Bible in front of you? If not, STOP RIGHT HERE! Go and GET YOUR BIBLE.
Also several sheets of paper, and a pencil or pen, so that you can MAKE NOTES to help you remember what you learn.
This course is based on the New King James Version because it is intended to be a literal translation and uses a version of the English language that people commonly use in the early 21st century. For most of the lesson, you can use other translations, but the questions and answers specifically refer to the NKJV unless otherwise stated. So, for most, the NKJV is the best choice to use with the Study the Bible Course.
Now we are ready to begin this lesson. REMEMBER you should open your Bible to every passage we give you in this lesson. Do not simply believe us (the teams directed by late C. Paul Meredith and/or Bob Thiel)—believe what the Bible really teaches.
You should READ, and re-read, and actually study EVERY PASSAGE IN YOUR BIBLE. This is a Bible STUDY course—a study of the Bible, not just a study of these words we sent you. Our words are intended to show you where to look in your Bible—to help you to know how to study the Bible.
Now, with your Bible, a good dictionary, and your note paper and pencil or pen on a desk or table before you, here is the METHOD of study: Write down, neatly on your note paper, the caption “Lesson 3, Part 1,” and underscore it. Next, write down the lesson heading and the question section heading. Then, underneath, number each question, and write down the answer to each, in your own handwriting (some of you may prefer to type or text).
As an EXAMPLE, for the question section, this is what you will write under your heading, Christ Will Come With Wrath:
1. Daniel 2:28—“But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be IN THE LATTER DAYS. . .”
Also write in any other thoughts or comments you want to remember. Study and understand this question, then read question number two.
Keep these lessons and your own notes and answers fastened in the binder. DO NOT SEND US YOUR ANSWERS TO THESE REGULAR LESSONS. Keep them for reference. (It may be that we will offer a free certificate to those who complete the entire course and/or significant portions of it, but that would be after 2014, and we would expect to announce this online and likely elsewhere. If we do end up so, we would ask that you simply send in a copy of the lessons you completed.)
2. The second question of Lesson 3 should be handled as you did the first question, except that you need not write out all the verses. Verses 42 and 44 are the most important and must be written or typed out.
By writing down all these answers, and by writing down all the words of the every Bible passage that answers a question, you will find you will REMEMBER what you have learned. It takes a little more time, but you will really LEARN your lessons that way, and remember them.
Furthermore, you can quickly REVIEW your lessons, as necessary, if you have them in this form.
WE ARE GIVING YOU THE BRIEF, COMPREHENSIVE, TRUE OUTLINE OF THE BIBLE. You will want to refer to these lessons and the explanation of them in your own words time after time in future years as you apply them to clear up related points in the Bible. Remember, you are to spend at least a half hour every day studying your bible with this Study the Bible Course.
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LESSON 3
Christ Will Come With WRATH
1. To whom did God REVEAL what is to HAPPEN IN THESE LATTER DAYS? Daniel 2:28.
2. Were there to be four successive world, ruling kingdoms? Daniel 2:31-40. (A later lesson will explain the full significance of these four empires). In the days of the last ten kings (represented by ten toes in verse 42), which are yet to arise out of the fourth kingdom, is God going to SET UP A KINGDOM THAT WILL NEVER BE DESTROYED? Daniel 2:44.
3. A stone is to destroy these last ten kings. Who is this stone? Acts 4:10-11. Does it STRIKE the image on its ten toes? Daniel 2:34.
4. Where else is the event of the end of this kingdom described? Revelation 17:12-14. Are ten kings also mentioned here?
5. Is this person mentioned in Revelation 19:11 to MAKE WAR? He is called King of Kings and Lord of Lords (verse 16). Who is He? Revelation 17:14. Who is the Lamb of God? John 1:29. Do these verses show that it is Christ who will come with an army of angels to make war with the nations of the earth?
6. What will be a PURPOSE in His coming? Revelation 19:15. What will happen to the great men who oppose Him? Verses 17-18.
COMMENT: The phrase “flesh of ALL people,” found in Revelation 19:18 does not refer to ALL people on earth, but to ALL who are in the armies gathered against Jerusalem. Compare with Zechariah 14:12-15.
7. Does Revelation 11:15-19 speak of this same time? How do we know? Verse 15. Is this angel the last of seven angels which will sound? Revelation 8:6.
8. Is this the SEVENTH TRUMPET? Compare this with 1 Thessalonians 4:15 and 1 Corinthians 15:52. Is the trumpet in 1 Corinthians 11:52 the last trumpet? Note there are no more trumpets blown after Revelation 11:15. Will the KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD BECOME THE KINGDOMS OF CHRIST at the last trumpet? Verse 15.
9. Christ came the first time as a meek lamb to be slain. How will He come the second time? Will Christ be WRATHFUL? Revelation 11:18. Did Zephaniah the prophet foretell this same TIME OF GOD’S WRATH? Zephaniah 1:15. Is the GREAT DAY OF THE LORD A DAY OF GOD’S WRATH on the inhabitants of the earth? Verses 14-16.
COMMENT: The “Day of the Lord” INCLUDES THE BLOWING OF ALL SEVEN TRUMPETS, six of which are blown in a period of months immediately preceding Christ’s return.
10. Read also Isaiah 13:6;(,)Ezekiel 7:19, and Isaiah 34:8. Do these verses verify what the “Day of the Lord” is?
11. Many believe the world will soon have peace. What does the Bible say? Revelation 11:18. When people are angry, some fight. Will there be WORLD-WIDE FIGHTING in these end times? Matthew 24:7; Revelation 19:19-21.
12. Why is Christ taking over this world’s kingdoms? Revelation 11:15-19 gives us some answers. Read it.
COMMENT: GOD DEMANDS OBEDIENCE. He says, “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments. . .” (Deuteronomy 8:11). In Revelation 11:19 God pictures the ARK OF THE COVENANT. Let us understand why!
What did the earthly ark of the covenant contain? 2 Chronicles 5:10; Deuteronomy 10:4-5. Does the world today keep God’s commandments? Are the people today destroying the earth? Revelation 11:18. “Thou shalt not kill” is one of these commandments,(.)Exodus 20:13 (KJV).
We therefore know that Christ will come with wrath to punish the nations because they are VIOLATING GOD’S LAWS!
13. The Bible shows that the saints, at Christ’s second coming, will be transformed and be forever with Him in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Most people today seem to believe that when they are changed they will lead a life of idleness. When Christ and his armies of angels begin to subdue the nations, will the saints have nothing to do? Read Daniel 7:18, KJV. What does the word “take” signify?
The converted are not to live a life of idleness when they are transformed. They will have an active part with Christ in taking over the kingdoms of this world.
14. What else will happen at the blowing of the great trumpet (the seventh) at which Christ comes? Isaiah 27:12-13. IS ISRAEL REGATHERED? Verse 12. What do they do? Verse 13.
15. If they worship God-come out of this Babylonish world in which they will have been scattered–will they escape His future plagues? Revelation 18:4.
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Divine Wrath To Fall on Lawless World
1. The world is rebellious. Even after Christ is present in person on this earth, the nations will not accept Him. What is one thing will God do to encourage THE ACCEPTANCE OF CHRIST and His government? Revelation 16:1.
2. Upon what do these BOWLS OF WRATH fall? So, isn’t the rebellion world-wide? Revelation 16:1.
3. How many bowls are there? Rev. 16:2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 12, 17. Are any of these seven “bowls” of God’s wrath also called “plagues”? Compare verse 17 of Revelation 16 with verse 21.
4. Do plagues hit end time Babylon? Revelation 18:8.
5. Upon whom is the FIRST BOWL poured? Revelation 16:2.
COMMENT: It will be poured upon all who are participating in this world’s major civil-religious system when Christ comes again.
6. How do we know the first bowl will occur AFTER Christ comes? (Remember that Christ comes at the last trumpet–Revelation 11:15. This trumpet introduces the seven last plagues.)
7. How will the nations be acting when Christ returns? Revelation 11:18. Will it be the time of God’s wrath also? Verses 17-18. As all the bowls are the wrath of God (Revelation 16:1), how plain that they will be poured out AFTER Christ intervenes.
8. What are the SECOND AND THIRD BOWLS poured out upon? What do they cause? Revelation 16:3-7. Notice that ALL THESE VIALS WILL PRODUCE SUPERNATURAL EFFECTS. God WILL SUPERNATURALLY INTERVENE IN WORLD AFFAIRS!
9. God will use EXTREME MEASURES. Notice the FOURTH BOWL. Revelation 16:8-9 (There are seven bowls altogether.). Will the HEAT be intense? How intense will the light of the sun be for a short time? Isaiah 30:26.
10. What effect will all this have on the earth’s population? Isaiah 24:6. Will comparatively FEW more PEOPLE BE LEFT at the start of Christ’s rule?
COMMENT: Note particularly that NOT ALL PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED—some are left. With these Christ will start His rule.
11. WHY will God do this? Isaiah 24:5. Christ will execute the wrath of the Almighty on this earth because of its disobedience to God’s laws.
12. What else shows us that God’s wrath will occur when Christ begins to set up His rule on earth? Isaiah 24:10. What is the “City of Confusion”?
COMMENT: In Hebrew and Greek the word “Babylon” means “confusion.” Babylon the great—this world’s confused system which is the offspring of the old Babylonian system—will fall soon after the intervention of Christ (Revelation 18:2).
13. Does Revelation 18:21, 23 also prove this event will happen at that time? God is thus going to destroy great numbers of rebellious people from earth before Christ sets up His rule. Will most of those remaining REPENT when they are exposed to this severe heat? Revelation 16:9.
14. The FIFTH BOWL is poured out on the area of the earth which will be most actively promoting the fight against Christ’s rule. What is it called? Revelation 16:10. Will these people repent of their evil deeds? Is there light there? What does Christ compare Himself to? John 8:12.
COMMENT: Plainly the word “darkness” of Revelation 16:10 is dual—there will be actual physical DARKNESS—thick clouds—and also spiritual darkness in this area and wherever the beast’s system is. MUCH IS WRITTEN IN A DUAL SENSE IN THE BIBLE.
Many have believed that the earth’s inhabitants would quickly accept Christ even if they might not recognize Him at first. It is amazing to see in advance what this world actually will do. The fourth bowl will be extremely severe punishment. It will kill a vast portion of this earth’s population. Throughout history, Satan has fought against Christ. Many will fall for “doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1; Revelation 16:14) and not accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
This Babylonian system’s leaders will suffer this punishment and suffer an additional one at their own capital. They will still be unrepentant. MUCH FORCE, AND LIKELY TIME, WILL BE NEEDED TO OVERCOME OPPOSITION.
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World Will Gather to OPPOSE Christ
Gathering at Armageddon
1. What will the SIXTH BOWL of God’s wrath be? Revelation 16:12, 14. What will be the name of the GATHERING PLACE? Verse 16.
2. WHO WILL GATHER THE WHOLE EARTH to FIGHT AGAINST ITS CREATOR? Revelation16:13-14. Who is the dragon? Revelation 12:9. Are the “spirits” SATAN’S DEMONS? Mark 1:23, 34; Luke 11:18-19.
3. What will the evil spirits do to cause the people to gather? Revelation 16:14. Is the beast a great military leader having power over many armies? Revelation 17:13-14. Is the false prophet a great religious leader? Revelation 13:11-17.
4. Against whom are “all the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather to fight”? Revelation 17:14. (We have already shown that the “Lamb” is Christ. Notice that Christ bears other titles also: Read Revelation 19:11, 16 and 19.) These scriptures DEFINITELY PROVE THAT CHRIST AND HIS GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE WELCOMED BY BEAST SUPPORTERS.
5. What is described by Revelation 16:15? Is this inset verse a warning to the people of the earth that they keep posted on God’s prophecies so they will not be deceived and become involved in the fight against God which will follow the gathering of the nations at Armageddon?
This 15th verse is an inset thought—a warning to ALL OF US! It does not mean that Christ will come after the first five bowls are poured out. Rather, it is a warning not to join in the military preparations which undoubtedly commence months before Christ returns.
THE SIXTH BOWL REPRESENTS THE CLIMACTIC BATTLE OF CHRIST AGAINST THE NATIONS. IT FOLLOWS THEIR GATHERING AT ARMAGEDDON TO OPPOSE HIM.
6. Is God going to judge the heathen there? Joel 3:12.
COMMENT: “JEHOSHAPHAT” means “judgment of Jehovah” (Peloubet’s Bible Dictionary). So this very place bears the name “Valley of judgment of the Eternal.”
7. When will this judgment take place? Verse 14. Compare the time of this event (verse 14) with the time of the event described in Revelation 14:19.
COMMENT: This battle will be fought in the climactic day of God’s wrath—it will be the day when all seven bowls of the seventh trumpet are administered. This day in which Christ’s feet touch the earth will be ushered in by the blowing of the seventh trumpet. As we have already shown, the terms of the “day of the Lord” and the “wrath of God” are often used in the Bible interchangeably and therefore can describe the same time and the same event. Don’t these two events take place at the same time? Doesn’t God take a direct part in world affairs when either of these terms are used?
8. Will both of these events culminate in the Day of the Lord? Compare Joel 3:14 with Revelation 14:19-20, KJV. Doesn’t the fact that blood will rise “unto the horses bridles” indicate that there must be a valley?
COMMENT: Notice that the “blood came out of the winepress. . .by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.” A furlong is estimated to equal to 600 feet (Peloubet’s Bible Dictionary). Then 1600 furlongs is over 180 miles! The bloody remains of the rebellious soldiers will fill Palestine’s world famous valley all the way from Megiddo southward, passing right by Jerusalem and extending over 110 miles farther south into the land of ancient Edom. Compare this with Isaiah 63:1-6, where Christ is described as executing His wrath in the land of Edom. Look on a Bible map of Palestine for these places.
Blood Exacted for Rebellion
1. Compare verse 13 of Joel 3 with verse 19 of Revelation 14. Are the events described in each of these references a harvest?
Note that the judgment in both references is in the nature of a harvest in which grapes (rebellious people) of Christ’s wrath are pressed out. Their juice represents a HARVEST OF BLOOD.
2. The VALLEY OF JEHOSHAPHAT is a deep ravine having very steep sides, and borders the City of Jerusalem on the east. Will the harvest of Revelation 14:20 also be just outside a city?
3. Who will conduct this harvest for God? Revelation 14:14. Who is the “Son of Man”? Daniel 7:13-14; Matthew 9:6.
4. What will He do when He comes? Open to Revelation 19:11. Will He not also judge at the Valley of Jehoshaphat? Will He come with armies? Verse 14. Will the people of the earth fight against Him? Verse 19. Will He, with His armies, “tread THE WINEPRESS of the fierceness and WRATH OF Almighty GOD”? Verse 15.
Compare this phrase with the phrases in Revelation 14:19 and Joel 3:12-13. Isn’t it clear that the fight which will occur in the VALLEY OF JEHOSHAPHAT WILL BE THE TREMENDOUS CLIMACTIC BATTLE OF THE WAR? The main clash will occur around Jerusalem which borders this valley.
5. Read also Psalm 2, note verse 8. Will there not also be heathen at the Valley of Jehoshaphat? Joel 3:12. Compare the “rod of iron” of Psalm 2:9, with which Christ breaks them, with this same rod with which He will rule the nations, in Revelation 19:15.
Doesn’t this term include armies? WILL IT NOT BE CHRIST, THROUGH HIS ARMIES, WHO WILL “TREAD THE WINEPRESS OF THE WRATH OF GOD” AT THE VALLEY OF JEHOSHAPHAT AND CAUSE THE BLOOD OF THE HEATHEN WHO OPPOSE HIM TO FLOW AT THE WORLD’S GREATEST BATTLE?
6. Why will the nations fight Christ? Psalm 2:2-3; Revelation 11:8. Will they want His type of government? Will CHRIST WIN? Psalm 2:9. Note the word “break.”
7. The Valley of Jehoshaphat borders JERUSALEM. Will Christ take Jerusalem also, in this battle? Zechariah 14:2-4. Does Zechariah 14:2 show that one-half of Jerusalem will have been taken by the nations of the earth before Christ liberates it in this battle?
COMMENT: It can now possibly be seen why the world’s greatest battle will be fought at the Valley of Jehoshaphat and not at Armageddon: THE BATTLE IS FOR CONTROL OF THE WORLD. Jerusalem, the future world’s capital, will be the prize sought.
The “Field of Megiddo” is a flat area located on the south side of the Plain of Esdraelon. It lies about seventy miles north and west of Jerusalem and furnishes a natural gathering place because of the flatness of the land. In ancient times, it was a part of the main highway between Asia and Africa. From this natural gathering place the world’s armies will go southward for the big battle against Christ.
8. Who will aid Christ in his battles in the “day of the Lord”? Zechariah 14:5 and 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10. Notice Jeremiah 25:30-33: Christ will “tread out the grapes” wherever there is rebellion! What happens to those who oppose Christ in the battle for Jerusalem? Zechariah 14:11-12. Christ will be successful.
9. What soon follows with the SEVENTH BOWL? Revelation 16:18-21.
Results of Christ’s Victory
1. The RESULTS OF THE BATTLE AT THE VALLEY OF JEHOSHAPHAT ARE DESCRIBED IN MANY PLACES BECAUSE OF THEIR IMPORTANCE. What has Christ said He will make of Jerusalem and Mt. Zion when He returns? Zechariah 8:3.
COMMENT: JERUSALEM has been chosen by God to have the greatest influence of any city on the destiny of mankind. ITS VERY NAME MEANS “CITY OF PEACE.”
HERE WE SEE CHRIST, the “PRINCE OF PEACE” (Isaiah 9:6) TAKING THE CITY OF PEACE FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING IT THE CAPITAL OF THE EARTH (Jeremiah 3:17). FROM ZION GOD’S LAWS WILL GO FORTH WHICH WILL BRING PEACE TO THE EARTH! (Isaiah 2:2-4). CHRIST WILL PUNISH ALL WHO COME AGAINST HIM.
2. What will happen to the MILITARY LEADER of those nations, the Beast, that will oppose Christ? Revelation 19:19-20.
COMMENT: This describes the same LAKE OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE into which the beast—the military leader—will be cast alive.
3. The “beast” mentioned here is the military leader of the earth who receives military backing from ten dictators and fights Christ at the Valley of Jehoshaphat, Revelation 17:12-14.
The Bible uses the expression “ten kings.” These will be ten leaders who are arising in Europe. In Bible times the term “king” was often used to represent a ruler whom we would call a tyrant or dictator today. Doesn’t verse 14 also verify this MILITARY LEADER WILL BE OVERCOME?
4. Now notice something else about this military leader. He will maintain a very unusual establishment. Read Daniel 11:45 (KJV uses ‘tabernacles,’ NKJV uses ‘tents’). Observe that this same man is here again identified as a military leader (“therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many”—verse 44). He will MAINTAIN A PLACE OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP—a tabernacle! In Bible language the word “tabernacle” often designates a place of worship (e.g. Exodus 27:21). Why will he maintain a tabernacle? He will do this for the purpose of gaining the SUPPORT of misguided religious people for the conduct of his military ventures. The “false prophet,” the “beast of the earth,” will encourage the beast’s false religion (Revelation 13:11-17).
5. Will the FALSE PROPHET, who will be the head of this tabernacle, meet the SAME FATE as that of the beast his military cohort? Revelation 19:20, also Revelation 14:9-11. Does yet another prophecy verify the same fate for this man?
6. When Christ conquers these ten kings, will He begin to fulfill the prophecy that, in the days of these kings (represented by 10 toes), He would set up a kingdom that would never be destroyed? Daniel 2:42-44.
COMMENT: Although God will give the kingdoms of this world to Christ to rule when the seventh trumpet is blown, they WILL NOT ACTUALLY BE HIS UNTIL AFTER HE OVERCOMES THEM. Compare Revelation 11:15 with Revelation 17:14.
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This World’s Man-made Civilization Overthrown
Christ Will Establish New Order
The united armies of Europe will now have been conquered and an enormous death toll will have been taken of all peoples. Many CITIES of this world’s civilization—“BABYLON THE GREAT”—the pagan world in which we live, will still be standing, however. Also the “GREAT CITY” (Revelation 16:19), which has furthered this man-made system since the days of the Roman Empire, will still remain.
1. Will God leave these cities standing and erect His new order around them? Or will most BUILDINGS OF THIS WORLD’S SYSTEM BE LEVELED TO MAKE WAY FOR CHRIST’S NEW WORLD ORDER? Revelation 16:18-21. What two physical forces will He use to accomplish it? THIS GREAT HAIL AND EARTHQUAKE WILL LEVEL MOST MAN-MADE STRUCTURES OF THE WORLD! This is the SEVENTH BOWL!
2. The last four of the seven plagues will have a terrible effect; but, with all this, will the people learn to FEAR God? Revelation 16:21. Will they learn at long last that a better system is on the way? Or will they STILL WANT TO CLING TO THE OLD? Revelation 18:9, 11, 17-19. Of what does this vile system consist which people will still long for even after God has destroyed it? Revelation 18:2-3, 14, 19.
3. Was this Lot’s attitude when he departed from the vile city of Sodom? Did he want to linger? Look behind? Stay near? And was it for this attitude that his wife DIED? Genesis 19:16, 17, 20, 26.
4. What does God, who knows there are better things ahead, command His people to do about the coming fall of today’s civilization—modern Babylon the Great? Revelation 18:20. DOESN’T MAN’S DESIRE TO CLING TO THE present CIVILIZATION SHOW THAT IT WILL TAKE TIME AND EFFORT ON THE PART OF CHRIST, THE SAINTS, AND THE ANGELS TO RE-EDUCATE PEOPLE IN THE NEW ERA? THEY WILL HAVE TO LEARN THAT GOD’S WAY IS BEST.
Strong resistance to Christ’s presence will have been overcome. The world’s great religious leader and its great military leader will have been destroyed. Great numbers of the incorrigibly wicked will have been killed. Huge hailstones and the world’s greatest earthquake will have destroyed vast numbers of habitations.
5. How WILL CHRIST proceed to ESTABLISH HIS KIND OF GOVERNMENT, which will maintain world order? Will He build a MODEL CITY FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD TO PATTERN AFTER? What city will this be? Isaiah 62:1-2. Will all the earth know of it? Verse 7.
6. Will Israel be the MODEL FOR THE EARTH? Jeremiah 33:7-9. What two groups will compose this nation? Verse 7. Their re-education under Christ will have what effect on them? Verse 8. Will God’s MODEL NATION ultimately be PRAISED BY ALL nations? Zephaniah 3:20 and Zechariah 8:3. What will Jerusalem also be called? Zechariah 8:3. Truth is very important to God.
7. Where will this nation have come from? Where will it be located when it ultimately becomes the praise of the earth? Ezekiel 34:1, 12. (The “sheep” are Israel. Have they been scattered?) Where will they be settled? Verse 13. Will not the model city be located within the bounds of the model nation?
8. Though Christ will have conquered the UNITED opposition of the beast-controlled world, will all nations be friendly to Him and His government? Or will He BEGIN HIS RULE AMONG ENEMIES? Psalm 110:2.
9. How will this remaining opposition be overcome? Haggai 2:22. What will He begin to do with this world’s remaining rulers? Psalm 149:8. Will He also PUNISH THE HEATHEN? Verse 7. Who will Christ use to do these things? Verses 5-9. Read the entire Psalm. Does this sound like the saints will “go to heaven” and do nothing?
10. Will Christ become discouraged with His task and quit because it WILL TAKE TIME AND PATIENCE? Isaiah 42:4. Who is “my servant,” mentioned in verse 1 of Isaiah 42? You will find the answer in Matthew 12:15-18 and Philippians 2:5-7.
Russia and China Will Attempt Final Coup
Russia and China will be important “kings of the east” (Revelation 16:12). Their massive combined army will be destroyed at the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:12) along with the UNITED armies of all the European and other nations gathered against Jerusalem.
1. What region of the world will end up concerning the King of the North? Daniel 11:44. Notice that the King of the North (Daniel 11:40), is disturbed by a power to his north and east. Where else do we learn about this? Jeremiah 50:41-43
COMMENT: Jeremiah 50:1-3 and 51:7–11 indicate that a northern nation or northern nations (Jeremiah 50:9,41) will destroy Babylon and could be in the forefront of what may be a nuclear attack on Rome itself (cf. Revelation 18:9–10). Only Scandinavia, Inuit areas, or countries once in the old Soviet Union are north of, let’s say, a geographically Germanic King of the North. And although many nations are north of Jerusalem (and most prophetic biblical directions seem to be centered in Jerusalem), various scriptures are pointing to those that inhabit the northern extremes of Eurasia.
What is the only militarily powerful nation that is north of Europe? Russia. Contrary to the claims of some Protestant theologians, Russia is NOT the final “king of the north,” but is involved in his destruction!
2. When Russia and her Eurasian allies see that the Babylonian beast power can be defeated, will they act? Jeremiah 51:11-32; Isaiah 13:1-8, 17-19. Are not Russia and China, to cite two examples, part of the “ends of the earth” (Jeremiah 51:11; Isaiah 13:5) from the perspective of Jerusalem or Europe?
3. Will a 200 million man army form? Revelation 9:16.
COMMENT: When the Book of Revelation was written, there were not enough people on the earth for a 200 million man army. But God revealed that nearly 2,000 years ago. In modern times, it would seem that it would take an Asian or Eurasian confederation to put together such an army—and that is consistent with biblical prophecies concerning the “kings of the east” (literally, “kings of the sunrise“). Because of its location in the far east and its population, a 200 million man army would be expected to include many from China.
4. What does God do to them? Ezek. 38:18,22. Read also Ezek. 39:1,20. This will be the LAST GREAT REBELLION for 1000 years. (One more will occur 1000 years later. Rev. 20:7,9.)
COMMENT: HOW do WE KNOW IT WILL BE RUSSIA AND CHINA which will have the boldness to come against Palestine in which Christ’s world capital will then be located?
Notice that Gog comes “out of the north parts”—NORTH of PALESTINE! Ezekiel 38:15. Who is Gog? There is a basic KEY to understanding what nations in our day are referred to when they are mentioned in Bible prophecy. If we understand how to use this key, WE CAN KNOW, IN ADVANCE, EXACTLY WHAT THE NATIONS TODAY – Russia, Germany, Turkey, the United States, and many others—WILL DO IN THE TIMES JUST AHEAD OF US! This is vital to know in these end times. What is this key?
The key is this: NATIONS OF BIBLE TIMES NATURALLY GAVE RISE TO NATIONS OF TODAY. Therefore God in prophecy had to use the SAME NAMES WHICH THEY HAD THEN, TO FORE-TELL WHAT THEIR DESCENDANTS IN OUR TIME WOULD DO!
The descendants of these nations have taken other names in modern times, BUT such a small lapse of time has occurred between the bearing of their former names and their present ones that it is NOT AT ALL DIFFICULT, in most cases, to pick up ancient history books and find what each nation’s name—its BIBLE NAME—has been!
Thus, knowing a modern nation’s BIBLE NAME and knowing the sureness of God’s prophecy—knowing what He says WILL happen—WE CAN KNOW EVERY IMPORTANT FUTURE MOVE OF THE NATIONS AROUND US. We shall now see an example of the use of this PRINCIPLE IN ACTION. There will be no guessing. God did not intend that we would have to guess regarding His prophecies, as people today are doing when they seek to interpret them!
Notice that it is Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38:2) which will come against the nation that Christ’s capital will be located in (verse 16). Notice again that Gog and Magog come “OUT OF THE NORTH PARTS” (verse 15)—where Russia, Mongolia and China are today.
Can it be shown that Russia is the nation which will come out of the north to invade Palestine? “From the accounts found among the Arabians, Persians, and Syrians,” we learn that these three nations used the names “Yajuj and Majuj” (note the similarity in the names Majuj and Magog) to refer to “all less known barbarous people of the Northwest and Northeast of Asia”—WHERE RUSSIA AND CHINESE MONGOLIA ARE TODAY! (From McClintock and Strong, article “Magog”).
Notice that Meshech and Tubal (verse 2) will be associated with them in this invasion. Can we prove these ancient tribes to be also the ancestors of the Russians of today? Remember, Russia has been formed by the association of a number of great tribes. Professor Sayce says about Meshech and Tubal: “In the Assyrian inscriptions the names appear as Tublâ and Muskâ, and they were known to the classical geographers (Greeks) as Tiberani and Moskhi.” After the days of Nebuchadnezzar, the Greeks found them “farther to the north than they had been in the age of the Assyrian monuments. . .they were forced to retreat northward towards the Black Sea, and it was in this region of Asia Minor that Xenophon and his Greek troups found their scanty remains.” (From The Races of the Old Testament). They had migrated NORTH into the land we know as RUSSIA today.
Having CROSSED INTO THE PLAINS OF RUSSIA the people of Meshech, called Moskhi by the Greeks, became known as Muskovs. From this word “Muskov” the name of the modern city of MOSCOW IS DERIVED. The descendants of Tubal gave their name to the Tobol River and the city of Tobolsk in ASIATIC RUSSIA. Thus we have demonstrated by these facts that the nations mentioned in this chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy include the RUSSIANS AND CHINESE OF TODAY! It will be Russia and her allies who will come against Palestine after Christ has begun to establish Israel in that land as His model nation.
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Christ Will Replace Satan as World Ruler
In Hebrews 2:5 we read this: “For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels.” In other words, the Kingdom which Christ will set up on this earth will not be under subjection to fallen angels, such as Satan and his demons. These demons, and the devil who is their head, rule this present earth and sway its inhabitants.
Christ is coming to change this situation. Man has been allowed for 6000 years to experience the effects of his own rule under the sway of Satan. In the coming millennium, he will for the first time see the effect of God’s supreme rule over the earth.
1. Who did Christ admit is THE PRESENT RULER of this world? Matthew 4:8-9. SATAN showed Christ all the kingdoms of the world, and he said to Christ, “All these things I will give You…” Did Christ say they were not Satan’s to give?
2. Notice in Ephesians 2:2 that Satan is called “the prince.” Has CHRIST QUALIFIED TO BECOME A PRINCE? Acts 5:31. Over whom did John say Christ would become ruler over? Revelation 1:5.
3. Does Satan know that his rule of this earth is almost up? Revelation 12:12. When will SATAN BE DISPOSSESSED of his rule and CHRIST assume his position as RULER? Revelation 20:2-4. Doesn’t this follow soon after Christ’s victory at the Valley of Jehoshaphat?
4. What is another name for Satan? Ephesians 2:2. Has he been deceiving the whole earth? Revelation 12:9. WHEN SATAN IS SHUT UP IN THE ABYSS WILL IT BE POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO DECEIVE? Revelation 20:3.
5. How many SUPREME RULERS of the earth will there be after Christ has firmly established His rule? Zechariah 14:9.
6. Are the DEMONS—wicked angel followers of Satan, who have an unclean spiritual attitude—to be RESTRAINED also? Zechariah 13:2.
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SUMMARY
CHRIST MUST COME with GREAT POWER AND GLORY. He MUST supernaturally intervene in the affairs of this world! Nothing less than supernatural force can stop the tide of human self-destruction that is sweeping this earth! Mankind can’t stop it!
Only God will have the POWER to dispose of Satan who has deceived the inhabitants of the earth all these centuries, who has caused them to violate God’s laws unknowingly, or has caused sin to appear so attractive that they were overcome by it. Only GOD will have the power to overcome the evil dictators –religious and worldly—who are now rising up, and who, inspired by Satan, are planning to bring the earth under THEIR rule regardless of the cost in human lives. ONLY HE CAN CHANGE HUMAN NATURE.
ONLY GOD WILL HAVE THE WISDOM to administer the TERRIBLE PUNISHMENTS which will come about soon. ONLY HE will have the Divine wisdom. He alone will know on whom to administer them. He will know when destruction of vast numbers of human beings by His wrath has proceeded far enough so that only the repentant of all nations are left on earth. With these He will START A BETTER CIVILIZATION under a BETTER FORM OF GOVERNMENT. All of this is NOT SOME IDLE PIPE DREAM conjured up by some uninspired “minister.” You HAVE JUST FINISHED READING IT IN YOUR own BIBLE! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
No wonder now is not the ONLY time of salvation. God says to the people of this nation, “In an acceptable time I have heard thee, and in a day (not “the day”) of salvation have I helped thee. . .to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages” (Isaiah 49:8, KJV). THE EARTH WILL SOON BE NEARLY DESOLATE due to man’s sins causing God’s bowls of wrath to be poured out upon it. AFTER THIS, THE NEW ORDER WILL BE ESTABLISHED. It is AFTER this that HE WILL REALLY START TO BRING PEOPLE UNDER HIS RULE AND SAVE THEM!
FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW
A HOT WORLD WAR 3 IS COMING!
Make no mistake!—The soon-coming World War 3 will end all wars! It will DECIDE WHO WILL RULE the world.
World War 2 was supposed to have been fought for this purpose, but it did not produce a decisive outcome. The nations know they have the power—and much to spare—to destroy all life from the earth in the form of the Hydrogen Bombs and other devices!
World War 1 of 1914 and World War 2—in which four times as many were killed as in World War 1—were only flashes in the pan! They were only the forerunners of the UTTER DESTRUCTION which is soon to break SUDDENLY upon the nations! The contenders for world rule will not abandon their quest. That’s why God says “WATCH“! (Luke 21:36).
This is a command from God. Let us therefore examine the backgrounds of the ambitious contestants who would rule or ruin this earth. Your very life may well depend upon your being convinced of the deadly seriousness with which gangster nations are out to attain their goal. You need more zeal in studying God’s way of ESCAPE revealed in the coming lessons of the Study The Bible Course.
Here are some amazing excerpts and comments which reveal to you the dogged determination and diabolical cleverness with which each pretender has settled down to attain his aim—kingship over this earth—the office that rightly belongs to Christ!
Germany about to SHOCK the World Again!
Since the above headline was originally written, Germany has shocked the world by rising up from the ruins in WWII and now becoming a major economic and technological power once again.
Down through the ages the Assyrians, the ancestors of modern Germany, called themselves the Herrenvolk—the “MASTER RACE.” Today the term is still used among themselves. Has today’s Germany given up the idea of achieving this dream?
The keynote of what lies in the Germanic mind was voiced in 1950. Then, according to T.H. Teten’s book Germany Plots with the Kremlin, Dr. Adenauer, the leader of Germany, caused much embarrassment by leading a German crowd in singing “Deutschland Uber Alles”—“GERMANY ABOVE ALL OTHERS“—in the presence of Allied representatives. Why was this thought lurking in his mind?
Here are Some Clues to the PRESENT GERMAN ATTITUDE
“No defeat is final. Defeats are simply lessons to be learned in preparation for the next and greater attack,” said German General von Stuelpnagel in 1944. Furthermore, he stated, ”In the NEXT WORLD WAR…the same mistake should not be made. The principal ADVERSARY WILL BE THE UNITED STATES, and the entire effort must be concentrated against this country from the beginning. . .our defeat in the present war need not be considered except as an incident in the triumphal march of Germany towards CONQUEST OF THE WORLD”—Deutschland Uber Alles!
Twice already Germany has attempted to seize world rule. And twice Britain, USA, and their allies have prevented her from achieving it. This time she will make sure that the USA is not around!
Adolf Hitler told us of the next step in the carefully laid German military plan to rule the world when he expounded the thesis in Mein Kampf. He said that Germany must FIRST DEFEAT THE WEST in order to have a free hand for the “Drang Nach Osten”—the march toward the East—toward Russia! How perfectly all this accords with revealed prophecy! Hitler was following this same plan in the last World War until Russia ceased to supply him with oil to further his war effort and he was forced to turn upon her in an attempt to seize oil from her.
Germany is out to conquer the world. As it is absolutely necessary for YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY that you be convinced on this point let’s examine further overwhelming evidence. Let’s examine the amazing tenacity with which Germany has set out methodically to achieve its goal of world rulership.
Many decades ago leading German industrialists founded a society which they called the PAN GERMAN LEAGUE. Its slogan was “Deutschland uber alles!”—Germany over all. They utilized the trademark “Made in Germany” as proof of German superiority. Behind their commercial and business methods was a central, PERMANENT strategy—with the GOAL OF CONQUERING THE WORLD!
It was they who were largely responsible for inducing the Kaiser to enter World War 1. It was they who were behind World War 2. Co-operating with the German militarists and the SECRET MOVEMENT started by General Ludendorff, who selected Adolf Hitler as his stooge and protégé, these same industrialists financed the Nazi movement and actually elevated Hitler to power. (Senator Kilgore’s report to the Senate Military Affairs Committee calls attention to this fact.) SOME FELT THAT HITLER WAS MERELY A TOOL. He was the rabble-rouser they needed to sway the masses of German people to get behind their fanatical plot for world rule.
The world heard and saw Hitler. But many of his promoters and backers kept in the background. If Hitler failed in this second round of World War, they planned to let him shoulder the blame before the world, and KEEP THEMSELVES FREE TO SECRETLY PLOT THE THIRD ROUND—WORLD WAR 3! This coming war! While those leaders are now dead, various of their descendants and others still have the same goal.
It was those industrial barons who met together to take action in mid-May, 1943. They knew Hitler’s war was probably lost. They realized the time had come for them to once again go UNDERGROUND—to throw all guilt of World War 2 on Hitler just as they had thrown that of the first round—World War 1—on the Kaiser.
From that time until now German industrialists have led a double life. To the world’s view, they have become merely private business men. BUT SECRETLY THEY HAVE OTHER PLANS! Their job is to keep German industry ready to produce the weapons, munitions, and technologies for the third war. Their mission is to finance the new movement, by whatever new name they may call it, whenever the time is ripe.
Here is a view of how one GREAT INDUSTRIALIST, for an EXAMPLE, has carried out his part in this plan. It is the hoax of multimillionaire industrialist Fritz Thyssen. It is revealed in the book, The Nazis Go Underground, written by Curt Riess. At the beginning (note the extreme cleverness) of World War 2, Thyssen was sped into neutral Switzerland proclaiming loudly that Hitler had duped him into financing the Nazi party, and then, once in power, Hitler had double-crossed and confiscated his wealth, and left him poor. The Nazis went through the pretense of removing Thyssen from their party. Thyssen wrote a book about his “shabby” treatment at their hands. But when the Nazis invaded France later, where Thyssen was, the very Nazis who were supposed to hate him, left him unmolested and soon he was back in Berlin where the Nazis were, living in luxury. The whole RUSE was to deceive the Allied nations into placing confidence in Thyssen in event of an Allied victory so he could supply them with funds for World War 3.
Today, thanks to this deeply-laid plan and others like it, Krupp and many other outstanding German businessman are actively establishing great factories all over the world to finance World War 3. The Nazi plans are well-laid. (Interestingly, within five minutes of reviewing the above, in 2014, which was written in the 1950s, I, Bob Thiel, walked onto a jet airliner and noticed that the huge automatic walkway had the name ThyssenKrupp—an industrial power that exists to this day.)
MANY OF THE NAZIS WENT UNDERGROUND, MAY 16, 1943!—two years before the war ended! The German generals, scientists, industrialists, bankers, and others, knew that War 2 was lost. So at that time they organized themselves for the future. The most thoroughly organized secret government of modern history began to function—UNDERGROUND! In 1951 Dr. Adenauer admitted the presence of 134 former Nazis, who served under Hitler, in high echelons in his Bonn government.
What about now? Germany is Europe’s biggest economy. It is well recognized that Germany dominates the European Union in many respects. Furthermore, even today various Europeans are WORKING FEVERISHLY on ultramodern weapons and other projects. From the Large Hadron and F.A.I.R. collider projects to the new Galileo “GPS” system to laser weaponry (ELI) to the European Space Agency, the German-dominated European Union is taking militaristic steps. Germany also makes nuclear weaponry for France. In addition to those, the Europeans have control over hundreds of nuclear weapons that the USA has put at their disposal. Europe has more military might at its disposal than most think.
Today you hear much of about the European Union, a potential UNITED STATES OF EUROPE. Where does it fit into Germany’s plan for world conquest?
Dr. Adenauer and his press reveal that Germany regards the creation of a United Europe as the first step in the erection of a Third Power bloc. In 1950 Dr. Adenauer wrote, “A federated Europe will become a Third Force in the world.” Later he said, “No one has more to gain through the unification of Europe than the Germans who are the most numerous and most dynamic among the nations west of the U.S.SR. {Russia}.” Dr. Adenauer here showed that GERMANY desired a United States of Europe and points out that it WILL NATURALLY LEAD it once it is formed—in the 21st century, we are seeing the rise of such a German-dominated power.
We know what Germany’s plan is. WE know how the United States of Europe will be used by it to attempt world domination. PROPHECY shows 10 kings—TEN DICTATORS—will arise in Europe and GIVE THEIR POWER TO GERMANY.
You may be saying to yourself, well since most of the above was written in the 1950s, it cannot be true of the Germans in the 21st century. Many believe that Germany has been a reliable ally for decades and would not attempt domination again. You might believe that, and even many Germans and other Europeans believe that, but you would be wrong.
Notice the following prophecy:
5 “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.
6 I will send him against an ungodly nation,
And against the people of My wrath
I will give him charge,
To seize the spoil, to take the prey,
And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7 Yet he does not mean so,
Nor does his heart think so;
But it is in his heart to destroy,
And cut off not a few nations.
8 For he says,
‘Are not my princes altogether kings? (Isaiah 10:6-8)
Isaiah tells of a time when the end time Assyrian power will be sent against an ungodly (NKJV), “hypocritical” (KJV) nation. The Hebrew word used signifies being “soiled” or impious, and certainly that is now the case for the nation known as the United States. The Snowden leaks of USA espionage have enraged the Germans.
Not only do they feel that the USA has been hypocritical here, they were outraged to learn that according to leaked documents from the National Security Agency (NSA), Germany was one of the most spied upon nations by the USA. Another NSA document said that the only nations that the USA considered to be “close friends” that did not warrant extensive USA espionage was the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic dominated lands. Germany and others have noticed this and will take steps against them later (cf. Daniel 11:39; Psalm 83:-3-8).
But notice verse 7 of Isaiah 10. It says this “Assyrian” power does not think that it will destroy at the time of the end. Yet, it is in his heart, his history, his outlook on the world to do so.
Why?
Because as verse 8 indicates, he considers that he is part of a master race.
The Vatican Enters the Scene
Does Germany have any plans for receiving the aid of a “Great Church” in helping her achieve world domination? The “Madrid Circular Letter,” which reflects the thinking of those in authority in Germany, states, “The German people, well-trained and steeled under national socialist leadership, are dominated by two sovereign ideas: the concept of a German Reich, and Germany’s mission of leadership in the world. . .the religious tradition embodied in the concept of the Reich, sparks our political mission and is especially attractive within the Catholic world.”
The GERMAN IDEA OF THE ACHIEVEMENT OF WORLD RULE PLEASES THE CATHOLIC WORLD GREATLY! Now let’s see why this is so. It affects our lives—your life—much more than you probably realize!
On February 10, 1952 in his pontifical exhortation, the POPE SAID, “THE WHOLE WORLD MUST BE REBUILT from its foundations.” Secretly the Vatican diplomats have been laying the foundations of a PROGRAM that WILL REMAKE WESTERN CIVILIZATION! It has to be PLANNED SECRETLY so it will not be discovered until it is too late to stop! The Vatican contends that peace can be maintained only by a CATHOLIC-DOMINATED international organization which has IRON TEETH TO CRUSH OPPOSITION.
“This organization,” said Pope Pius in his Christmas message of 1944, “will be vested . . . with supreme authority and POWER TO SMOTHER. . .AGGRESSION.” Note the organization which the pope will invest with this power will have military might enough to quell resistance to the Church.