Text: 2 Corinthians 6:1-2, Isaiah 49:8
The acceptable day of the Lord coincides with God’s day. The day of the vengeance of God will occur in the period of salvation (Isa. 61:2). As God saves, His vengeance will also be manifested. The day of salvation will not come into manifestation until the last times of the acceptable year has come. As one enters the holy place, the acceptable time begins. Whilst it is true that we are the temple of the living God, it is not true that we are manifesting this as it ought to be. One can be separated and yet not be clean.
The multitude are a product of great tribulation (Rev. 7:14). This tribulation is not the torment of Satan, but a result of the universal opening of the first six seals that God administers to the nations of the earth. This administration is to make sure the day of God rules over all other seasons in a short manner (Rom. 9:28). The seals are the operations of Christ; while the book itself is the operation of God.
The revelation of Jesus Christ has a mandate for it to be accomplished in a short time (Rev. 1:1). The day of God is going to bear in it all the operations of the gospel. The activity of the word of God is magnified across all the pages of the book of Revelation. The things written therein are not just records of events but are for feeding. In the season when God would be sealing the 144,000, He is going to harvest the world by the ministry of the face of Christ. All the seals would harvest all the nations of the earth in a joint effort by the labour of the 144,000 who would be sent out as emissaries. In that day, the time between the New Birth experience and the point where Christ is fully formed in men will be a short time. In that day, the standard would not just be to get men born again, but to also raise them above the corruption that is in the world.
The Gospel is essentially designed to heal corruption. Those who have been healed of corruption in their souls have entered into incorruption. At the new birth, a man’s spirit is void of corruption; but this is not yet true about the rest of his being, especially his soul. The New Birth is meant to delay the journey to perishing (Rev. 13:10). The antichrist bears a weapon (a sword) that can kill with the second death. He is so powerful that he could overcome saints who are not rescued soon enough, those who were yet to totally break ties with the world.
Although God so loved the world, He would never be in love with the wicked; He hates wickedness. His love for the world is with the intention to save it; but wickedness is irredeemable. The prince of this world is so wicked that he rules over other wicked spirits (Eph. 6:12). Satan once tried to stop the abundant entrance into paradise that was ahead of Paul through the abundance of revelation that was given him. God may allow certain evil spirits to trouble a saint for the sake of abundant entrance. The abundant revelation is the kind of revelation that can enforce ‘abundance of grace’ that makes the reign of God possible. Entrance into the reign of God is found amidst the realm of abundant life (Jn. 10:10). This manner of abundance entrance was what attracted such spiritual wickedness against Paul.
A wicked spirit is one that can stand against the perfect will of God. Spirits that fall under the category termed ‘rulers of the darkness of this world’ contend against the acceptable will of God; while principalities and powers contend against the good will of God. Although the world is dark, and darkness is one of the weapons of satan, it is not his most powerful weapon because the world is corruptible. The world was described as having the name of abomination; which is corruption (Rev. 17:3). She (the world) prospered her reign by her harlotry that the inhabitants of the earth pursued after (Rev. 17:2). The beast on the other hand, having a scarlet colour, was described as having the “names of blasphemy” (Rev. 17:3). The wickedness of this beast is its ability to blaspheme because he gradually accumulated blasphemy till it became full of it.
The woman fornicated with the kings of the earth, giving them power to implement her agenda on the earth. These kings of the earth are stars of the light of this world. The light they shine is actually the darkness that this world perpetuates. There are certain ruling spirits over the world that determine which king reigns per time. Such kings are positioned as pacesetters and men of influence that drive the trends of the earth (Job 38:31). Such men may not even be aware how much of a tool they are in the agenda to spread corruption. They are not given such roles until they partake of the woman’s agenda by their steady obedience to darkness. Dark agendas do not appear to be darkness when they are expressed and perpetuated on earth, rather they appear appealing.
Satan sees ambitions in certain men and discern how strongly they can push his agenda before selecting them for the role. Such men can resist the agenda of Christ, which is to withstand incorruption and are capable of making strong allegiance with darkness and spreading darkness on to their circles of influence as light bearers. Satan’s interest in the qualities of the antichrist was what motivated him to give the antichrist such power and influence (Rev. 13:2). When the antichrist takes his rightful place, he would displace all those kings and put out their light because he has power to rule and influence without them. After this, he would go on to raise his own kings to do his bidding.
The word of righteousness as taught by Christ is the instrument of purification against the work of the antichrist. The antichrist, after withstanding Christ for a while, would rise up to also oppose God; thus making him anti-God (2Thess. 2:3-4). The antichrist’s blasphemous name is a weapon against all that is called God.
The main purpose of the seals is to forcefully harvest souls from the path of destruction. The antichrist is making strong efforts to finish his agenda before the ordained time; making moves like enforcing gay rights before his time. The cremation of Sodom was an example of the eternal fire (lake of fire). Gay originated from Sodom; such abuse of natural affections violate the boundaries that God has placed to enable Him reach souls. Many of such abused souls shall be made free by the Lord.
One of the agendas of the enemy is to stir up hatred amongst different races. We can not be among the saviors for the nations if we still have tribal prejudice lurking within hearts. The sin portion of the enemy’s agenda is not as strong as his death. What Satan carries within him is the power of the second death; while the death of extinction is the death God has prepared for those who get into the Lake. Those who partake of the second death are already fit for the lake.
The purpose of the seals is to induce tribulation (Rev. 6:12). The first portion of the stars of heaven that would fall is sufficient to give way for the great tribulation that would harvest many souls. Certain spirits are responsible for shaking the heavens intensely till those stars fall from heaven (Rev. 6:13). The 5th seal is for the altar. The great multitude approached the altar, having turned to God, and the sign of their surrender is the reason for the 5th seal (Rev. 6:9-11).
The outer court is characterized by killing, it is the place where sin is taken out. Similarly, the horses were commissioned to take out corruption in men.
The Lord expects that New Testament ministers would bring men at least to the outer court. This cannot be achieved without the power of the horses that have power to shake the heavens. As the stars of the first heaven fell, that first heaven rolled away (Rev. 6:14). This was enough to make men realize that there was a being seated on the throne, from whom they tried to hide (Rev. 6:15-17). After the great tribulation shall the sign of the Son of man (Matt. 24:30). Although there are many signs, there is only one sign of the Son of man (Matt.24:3). This sign is the appearance of the sons of God with glory in the heavens, what would result in a great harvest. These sons would shine brightly in the heavens after displacing the former stars of heaven. It is at this point that Israel also would be successfully preached to.
Therefore, preachers of the word of righteousness must keep preaching despite the opposition that would arise against them; preaching the gospel to the point where even the eyes of understanding of unbelievers would be opened. We should also anticipate the prosperity of iniquity; a time where darkness would abound and this world would be exalted. Darkness would have many infallible proofs causing the love of many to wax cold. False men would produce great signs that if it were possible, they would deceive the very elect (Matt. 24:24). Such wonders are to deceive men to believe they can live without God. We should be prepared for great wickedness that will be shown in such days as part of the anti-god agenda.
In a short while from now, we should expect the sixth seal to be open, which is for the harvest of the nations. The work of bringing people into the outer court of the Kingdom would be a compressed work. The only safe haven in that day would be the Kingdom; all other things would be shaken. Ministers should bear in mind that as often as they labour for men’s eyes to be open, they are tampering with certain wicked agendas which is why spirits attack them vehemently. Intense violence would accompany entrance into the Kingdom (Matt. 11:12). On that day; only the violent would escape the corruptible into the incorruptible. Only those who are already in the Kingdom before the operation of this seal begins would be given access to glory in that time. Such men are those who “first trusted in Christ”.
God is doing a short work in righteousness, and it would take those who have the stature of the righteousness of God to preach the message of this short work. God is currently preparing the company of deliverers (Obad. 1:17, 21). Israel typifies all earth, the people of God (Rom. 11:26). Salvation is coming to Israel, the great deliverance will surely occur, when obedience is fulfilled, the forces that would bring these things to pass would be engaged.