Joseph Herrin (07-27-08)
After posting the writing yesterday that spoke of the deaths of two young men and the message inherent in their tragic end, I was met with a response that is not unusual. A person who did not give their name wrote: “You are not only sick in your body, but sick in your head.”
The natural man judges many things through a sense of right and wrong that was obtained by eating of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. The thoughts of the soul, societal taboos, the pressure to be politically correct, and a host of other influences serve as the basis upon which judgments are formed. For those who are children of God, judgments should all derive from one source, and that is from the mind of God as revealed by His Spirit.
It is not my intent to be insensitive to the human suffering of those who have lost a family member or friend. The writing I posted did not go out to these individuals, and there is only a small chance that family or friends of those who died will ever read my words. I do want to speak to those who would find offense in the thought that God would speak a message through the personal details of an individual’s life, or more specifically through the details of their death. The Scriptures reveal that God does so quite frequently.
Proverbs 20:24
Man's steps are ordained by Yahweh, how then can man understand his way?
Proverbs 16:9
The mind of man plans his way, but Yahweh directs his steps.
Romans 9:20
The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?
All of the details of a man’s life are appointed by God. Yahweh has determined what your race and sex would be. He determined what parents you would be born unto, and what siblings you would have. It is He who has determined the day and age in which you would live, and He has determined the length of your days, and the precise moment of your death. God has numbered the very hairs on your head, and the understanding of this phrase means that He not only knows the number of hairs on your head, but it was He who determined the number.
It is God who determines whether a man or woman will receive mercy from Him in this life, or whether they will be hardened. “No man can come to the Son of God unless the Father draws Him” (John 6:44). We are told that we cannot add one cubit to our life’s span, for these things are in the hand of the Father (Luke 12:25). Seeing that God is in control of the details of our lives, having planned the end before the beginning, does it not stand to reason that He has ordered the details of our lives, and even our deaths, with great precision? Indeed He has done so, and He has set many parables in the details of our lives.
Consider some of the profound ways in which God orchestrates the details of a person’s life that are little acknowledged in this hour. The order of a person’s birth is significant in God’s sight. He chooses who will be the first born, the last born, and all in between.
Genesis 38:27-30
And it came about at the time she was giving birth, that behold, there were twins in her womb. Moreover, it took place while she was giving birth, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, "This one came out first." But it came about as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out. Then she said, "What a breach you have made for yourself!" So he was named Perez. And afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.
Genesis 25:24-26
When her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. Now the first came forth red, all over like a hairy garment; and they named him Esau. And afterward his brother came forth with his hand holding on to Esau's heel...
It can hardly be argued that these babies knew what they were doing. Were there thoughts of obtaining the birthright filling their minds before they were even born that led to such wrestling? Was it not rather that God determined to show through these parables what would transpire in the lives of these men? Yes, it was God’s choosing.
Romans 9:11-13
for though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, "The older will serve the younger." Just as it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
If God can cause a child to be born grasping his brother’s heel to indicate a profound truth about God’s divine election, then can He not also show forth parables in the events of a man’s life throughout his days, even to the circumstances of his last day on earth? Certainly He can and does.
In the book The Mark of the Beast I have written about very profound details of individuals lives, and the things for which they stand. Esau came out from the womb hairy all over. Esau is a symbol of a man rejected by God. He was very beast like in nature, and this bestial character was revealed even in the details of his physical being. When Jacob stole the blessing from Esau, he had to disguise himself like his brother. He took the skin of a goat and put it on his hands and neck, revealing the extreme hairiness of Esau. Goats are used in contrast to sheep in the Bible to represent the wicked who are separated from the righteous. Goats are known for their lack of discernment in the appetites, and for their lustful nature. Thus Pan, the god of lust, is pictured as half man and half goat. Esau brought grief to his parents by marrying women who satisfied his lust, but whose behavior was extremely vexing to his parents.
Genesis 27:46
And Rebekah said to Isaac, "I am tired of living because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of Heth, like these, from the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?"
Genesis 28:8
So Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan displeased his father Isaac...
At the first mention of Saul in the Bible we find that he was searching for his father’s donkeys, but was never able to find them. Donkeys represent stubbornness, and this event symbolizes the stubbornness in the heart of Saul that he never fully identified and overcame, a failure which led to his being rejected as king over God’s people.
I Samuel 15:23
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of Yahweh, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
In contrast, at the first mention of David we hear of him slaying both the lion and the bear. This contrast between these two men reveals that Saul failed to rule over the beast nature of fallen mankind, but David obtained great victory in this regard. Lion’s speak of pride, and David was a humble man. Bears are a symbol of depression, and David had much to be depressed about in his life, but he constantly encouraged himself in the Lord, overcoming that which could have led to unbelief and unrighteous action.
David was a shepherd boy, and in this occupation it was foreshadowed that he would shepherd the people of God. Christ was the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep, and David put his life on the line by rescuing his father’s sheep from the mouth of the lion and the bear.
It is certain that God orchestrated the events of these men’s lives to speak profound things through parables. I could fill hundreds of pages in detailing how God has spoken through the details of men’s lives. He whittled down Gideon’s army based upon the way men drank water. He led Peter to obtain the temple tax by casting a hook in the water and taking a coin out of the fishes mouth. All of these things stand for various truths, which can be discerned by the Spirit of Christ. But let me press on to providing a few examples of how He has spoken through individual’s deaths.
Christ died on a Roman cross. This was appointed by God to signify many things. “Cursed is he who hangs on a tree.” Christ became a curse for mankind. He died lifted up from the earth, yet His blood fell to the earth and paid the penalty for sin. His side was pierced, as well as His feet and hands, yet not a bone of His body was broken. Christ was scourged, stripping the flesh from His body. Yahshua was crucified between two thieves. He was laid in the tomb of a wealthy man. All of these details serve as profound parables, and they contain messages for the body of Christ. Perhaps you have heard messages on some of these things, or maybe the Spirit has spoken to you and given you understanding.
If the manner of Christ’s death was filled with symbolism, then why would we expect that our’s would be without symbolism? Yahshua prophesied to Peter how he would one day die, and the form of his death was a parable. Moses, the servant of God, died outside the land of promise. As the Law giver this had to be so, for the Law cannot take men into the promises of God. The law cannot set men free from sin. It was Joshua, a type of Yahshua, who led the people into the land of promise.
When Eli died, he was an overweight man, and blind. He fell off a bench, breaking his neck, as he heard that the ark of the covenant had been captured by the Philistines. His sons perished in the battle, and his daughter-in-law died giving birth when she heard the news, naming her son Ichabod, “The glory has departed.” Taken individually, these things would stand as tragedies today. It would be akin to seeing some symbolism in the death of Billy Graham, or some other religious leader of renown, but clearly the Lord intended for a message to be discerned in their deaths.
Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin. She was the beloved bride of Jacob, and Benjamin is a symbol of the overcomers in Christ who come forth at a time of great sorrow for the church, the mother who gives birth to them. Rachel named this son Benoni, “son of my sorrow,” but Jacob renamed him “son of the right hand.”
Jezebel’s end was both terrible and prophetic. It was written of her:
II Kings 9:36
In the property of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; and the corpse of Jezebel shall be as dung on the face of the field in the property of Jezreel, so they cannot say, "This is Jezebel."
What a picture the Lord has portrayed in the death of this woman who typifies all that is detestable and loathsome to God. She ended up as dog feces spread over the fields of Jezreel. Jezreel means “God will scatter,” and surely He did so with this evil woman. God promised that the same fate would await all of the descendants of Ahab. Those who died in the city the dogs would eat, and those who died in the fields the birds would eat. Thus they would be scattered upon the face of the earth, and their would be no remembrance of them, for they would have no resting place and no grave.
Many wicked kings died violent deaths, testifying that God would not allow them to exit this world in peace. Saul, after leading Israel for forty years died in battle as he fell on his own sword. David, in contrast, after forty years of leading Israel, died at peace in his own bed. The manner of their deaths was very symbolic, and it was appointed to them by God. Two men are recorded as having died in Egypt, they were embalmed, and then transported to the land of Israel to be buried. The first was Jacob. The last was Joseph. Though they died within a single generation of one another, 400 years separated their burials in Israel. One was buried before the captivity, and one after the release from bondage. Many profound truths are bound up in these matters, and surely the Lord is the architect and planner of all.
As one examines the deaths of the various people whose lives are recorded in Scripture it becomes obvious that some deaths, like that of Jezebel and Saul, bring forth messages of judgment. Some might take offense that a person would discern a message in a young man being beheaded in this age, but Saul suffered the same fate, and it is a Saul church that must make way for a Davidic people in this hour. God will transfer the kingdom to the overcomers, and the rule of Saul will come to an end.
There are others whose deaths contain a message of reward and blessing. These ones are easy to talk about, for few would find reason to be offended in what is written about them. Yet it is not wisdom to receive only smooth words and pleasant messages. We must heed all that the Spirit is saying in this hour, and it is certain that with most of His people, God is not pleased.
May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Responses to Recent Posts
Joseph Herrin (07-26-08)
As I have been contemplating all of the witnesses that the Lord has been giving to His people in America about what is coming upon this land, I have been reminded of the testimony of Boris Sorokovsky. Boris’ family was residing in the Ukraine after the communists came to power, and for a period of quite a number of years life remained largely unchanged as the Communists consolidated their power. Toward the end of this period the Spirit of Christ began to speak to many Ukrainian Believers through dreams, visions and prophecies, warning them that a time of severe persecution was coming. The Spirit led a number of these Believers to relocate to other areas that they might be spared what was coming.
Boris’ family was among a group of Christians who heeded the warning, and the testimony of how God ordered their steps is fascinating. There is also a warning about unbelief and a desire to hold onto temporal comforts, as a group of those who heard the word of God and initially followed, turned back when the judgment tarried. All they were warned about came upon them. I highly recommend this testimony which can be read here: http://www.heart4god.ws/id474.htm
In a similar way, the Spirit of Christ is speaking to many American Christians about great judgments to befall this nation. The steps of preparation are somewhat different in that the Lord is calling His children to separate themselves from all idols and immorality, and to open their hearts to the poor and needy, that they might come under His protection in these days. The Spirit of Christ is calling God’s people to come out of Babylon, separating themselves from a religious system that protects the flesh. Spiritual Babylon hinders God’s sons and daughters from embracing a pure devotion to Christ as pure virgins, and discourages them from obtaining a conformity to the image of Christ that is attained only by taking up the disciple’s cross.
I do not discount that there may also be some physical things the Spirit may lead the children of God to do in this hour. He has led me to embrace a manner of living that will be similar to what many will experience in coming days. I am living out of a small camper/van, I have no home or furnishings, I eat a very simple and inexpensive diet, I am foregoing the use of air conditioning (and this in Georgia in the summer), and I am looking to the Father for the provision of all of my daily needs. Yet, I am persuaded that the Spiritual preparation is by far the most important.
Recently I shared with another Christian who wrote to inquire what they could do to prepare for coming days. I told them that what the Spirit has been speaking to me for some time now goes contrary to natural reason. The natural mind that believes that troubled days are coming, and that famine will be present, will logically want to set by some store of goods to be used as a supply in days of trouble. The Spirit has been telling me to do just the opposite. I have been led to open my heart and wallet to the poor and needy and to give generously in this hour. The Spirit promises that Yahweh will take care of those in days of famine who themselves cared for the hungry and needy in their time of want.
This counsel of the Spirit leads a Believer to embrace faith in God, trusting that He sees all things and He will deliver in a day of trouble. It would lead them away from walking in fear whose counsel is always to hoard food and supplies against a time of want. There are a myriad of very plain Scriptures that testify to this truth of God’s care of His people in a time of need. If you would like to have your faith encouraged, and your soul edified, I would recommend to you the audio teaching called “Compassion’s Silver Lining,” which can be heard here: http://www.heart4god.ws/Audio/id14.htm
God has allowed me to serve in some regards as a clearinghouse to distribute the various words of warning to the church of those things to come. I receive many things from brothers and sisters in Christ that I feel are of a significant nature that should be passed along, and in this blog I want to include a couple recent responses to the writing on what was symbolized by Hurricane Dolly. The first response comes from a sister in Christ who is in her 70's. She wrote the following:
Joseph,
I forwarded several of your messages over the past few days to some of my friends. [The following testimony speaks of an] occurrence this morning regarding my personal experience with the numbers "22" and "4."
--
The strangest thing happened yesterday while I was trying to send the message on the "signs" that were given to Joseph regarding Hurricane Dolly. The names of those who I sent this to are contained in a list in my Address Book that I titled "Undisclosed List." I tried 3 times yesterday afternoon to send "Hurricane Dolly," but the message kept staying in my "Outbox," and a yellow error icon came up 3 times at the bottom of my screen, so I "gave up," after logging off and rebooting twice.
It was not until I began checking my emails this morning that I noticed in my "Sent Items" that it did go out. BUT the names on this list came out OPPOSITE from the way they normally do. Figure that out!
ANYWAY, the reason for this message is that when I opened my Bible this morning it opened to Ezekiel 22 verse 4, which was the first verse at the top of the left page, which says:
"You have become guilty by the blood that you have shed, and defiled by the idols that you have made, and you have brought your days near, the appointed time of your years has come." Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all the countries." English Standard Version
AFTER I READ THIS VERSE I NOTED THE TIME ON THE CLOCK WAS 9:11!
I wrote the following in reply to this sister in Christ:
Dear Sister,
This is a very unusual occurrence. The reversal of the e-mail addresses strikes me as being symbolic of God saying that "the last shall be first, and the first shall be last." Surely, in coming days this will be true. Those who have eaten the bread of privation and have endured hardship and sorrows while their brethren were enjoying their good things, will find themselves promoted above their brothers.
That you turned to Ezekiel 22:4 and then read on the clock that it was 9:11 are surely a testimony of the Lord that these things are at hand.
[End Reply]
Today I received another response that informed me of an occurrence that took place yesterday in San Diego, California, home of the Padres Baseball team. A brother in Christ wrote:
The reason for my email has to do with the web blog you wrote about Hurricane Dolly this past Wednesday. In it you wrote the following:
Due to idolatry and wickedness God will cut-off evil from the Body of Christ by giving her sorrows. God will humble the Body of Christ. He will judge the fathers (Padres, pictured in Ahab), and He will bring forth purity from the body of Christ.
Well this past Thursday, as I was driving to work the radio stations were reporting a major accident here in Southern California on Interstate 5 going to San Diego. A truck filled with food had turned over and exploded causing a back up of almost 40 miles. People were being urged to take the East 91 Freeway to Riverside and then take Interstate 15 south in order to get to San Diego.
Well three hours later another accident occurred. This was a fatal accident in the 91 east which caused more delays. What made this particular accident so shocking, was the fact that the son of a famous well known preacher in Southern California and other parts of the nation was the one who died. Christopher Laurie the son of mega-church pastor Greg Laurie, was killed in the accident. This brought sorrow to thousands of Christians in the area.
When I heard the shocking news the first thing that came to my mind was the blog I had read the night before. Look at the following:
- Both accidents happened on roads that lead to San Diego. San Diego has a baseball team called the PADRES (Fathers).
- Greg Laurie is seen by many here in California, if not the nation, as a major Church Leader (FATHER).
- Christopher was 33. Greg Laurie is 55. This means that Greg had his son when he was 22.
- The mega-church has 15,000 members. People were going on the 91 to get to the 15. 5+1=6
- The name Christopher means, bearing Christ inside. Could it be that the body of Christ has to die in order to the manifest the "Christ in you?"
The gospel that Laurie preaches is one of just salvation. They never seem to get past the milk and into the meat of the word. It's interesting that pastor Greg does not believe that God sent the September 11 judgment to America. He does not believe God is sending judgment to America.
Could this have been a judgment on one of the leaders? Greg Laurie as well as many others are active in the Republican Party, specially encouraging their members to support President Bush. Could this have been a message sent to the Jezebel church?
I don't want to sound judgmental as I know the Laurie family is in pain over the loss of Christopher. I do pray that God heals and restores their hearts and at the same time for their ears to be opened to what the Spirit is saying.
[End Letter]
A couple things stand out in this information. The first accident involved a truck carrying a load of food. The Spirit has been testifying that there is both a literal and spiritual famine coming to America. I recently shared the news articles about the collapse of a grain elevator in Nebraska, as well as a corn storage facility that exploded in Ohio. There has also been much in the news about soaring grain prices and the loss of billions of dollars of crops in the upper Midwest due to record flooding. Two believers forwarded me a correction that Kay Arthur released concerning her message in Atlanta that spoke of famine coming. However, her correction was very minor, and actually reinforces the understanding that a physical famine is coming. The correction she offered was to say that she did not receive this as a word from God, but by reading the Word of God, particularly Ezekiel chapter 14.
A second thing that stood out is that the brother who notified me of the death of Christopher Laurie wrote, “ This brought sorrow to thousands of Christians in the area.” This was the message of Hurricane Dolly, for Dolly is a diminutive of Dorothy and Dolores whose names mean “God gives” and “Sorrows.” Dolly impacted Corpus Christi which is Latin for Body of Christ.
As I looked further into this event I found a news site reporting the following:
Laurie, 33, of Huntington Beach, was driving alone "at a high rate of speed" in the carpool lane of the eastbound Riverside Freeway in Corona when his station wagon collided with a California Department of Transportation tractor, the California Highway Patrol said.
He was pronounced dead at the scene...
Chris Laurie is survived by his wife, Brittany; his daughter, Stella; his parents; and his brother, Jonathan, 22.
[Source www.latimes.com]
Christopher’s father was 22 years old when he was born, and he is survived by a brother who is 22 years old. Christopher was operating his automobile illegally when he crashed, going at a high rate of speed and driving in the carpool lane when he had no passengers in the car. As I have mentioned before, vehicles stand for ministries, and this event symbolizes one who is a Christ bearer acting in a lawless manner, resulting in a tragic end.
Matthew 7:21-23
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'”
Luke 6:46-49
"And why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say... But the one who has heard, and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house upon the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it [like Hurricane Dolly] and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great."
Brothers and sisters, it may seem insensitive to look upon this personal tragedy as a sign of things to come, but the Spirit testifies that what is coming to the church in America will result in personal tragedies in millions of homes. What is coming quickly will result in vast amounts of sorrow and suffering, and much of it could be avoided if the people of God would repent of their lawless ways and turn to God the Father with a heart to do His will. The church is filled with professors of Christ who utter the word “Lord” week after week. Yet they are being directed by the desires and passions of their own souls. They are pursuing works that God did not appoint to them. They are building programs and kingdoms that are monuments to man, being Babylonian in nature, even as Nebuchadnezzar boasted of his works.
Daniel 4:30
“Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?”
Christopher Laurie was working as the art director at the church where his father is Senior Pastor. Greg Laurie has embraced Rick Warren and the Purpose Driven Life deception. There are many running with a message today, but God has not sent them. They bear a message of which God is not the author. That Rick Warren counts Rupert Murdoch as one of his church members, and has accepted large financial donations from this man who is the world’s largest pornographer, reveals that the fruit of the Purpose Driven Life message is rotten. Significantly, Greg Laurie received a public reproof for his support of Rick Warren and Bill Hybels on 6/22 of this year.
[See link: http://evangelists.wordpress.com/2008/06/22/greg-laurie-connects-purpose-driven/]
As I heard of the death of Christopher Laurie I was reminded of another tragedy that occurred closer to my own home, taking place at Six Flags amusement park in Atlanta.
AP (June 28, 2008)
A teenager was decapitated by a roller coaster after he hopped a pair of fences and entered a restricted area Saturday at Six Flags Over Georgia, authorities said.
Six Flags officials are uncertain why the unidentified 17-year-old from Columbia, S.C. scaled two six-foot fences and passed signs that said the restricted area was off-limits and dangerous to visitors, spokeswoman Hela Sheth said in a news release...
The teen and his parents were at the park with a group from the Oakey Spring Baptist Church near Springfield, S.C., police said.
[End Excerpt]
Once more we see a person associated with a church acting in an illegal manner and meeting a tragic end. This young man scaled two fences that were marked with numerous warning signs. Is not the church doing the same in this hour? God is sending warning after warning, but they are not being heeded. The church continues to trespass against the will of God believing that they can do so with impunity.
Galatians 6:7-8
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Recently I have observed the Spirit of Christ directing me to turn away from all idolatry and immorality. It is a time to put away all besetting sins. It is a time to cast self down from the throne of life and allow God to take His rightful place in the direction of every action. The will of man must be laid upon an altar that God’s will might be done among His people. Failing to take Christ as Head in all things will result in God’s judgment falling upon the head of man. The judgment will come suddenly, and much sorrow will result.
This is an hour to live soberly, and to act radically in obedience.
Matthew 18:8-9
And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into the fiery hell.
For the past three weeks I have been dealing with a severe bout of sciatica. I pinched the sciatic nerve, and this has resulted in much pain in my right hip and leg. I have had to begin using a cane to walk or stand for the past few days as the pain has gotten severe. I have not been able to go to the gym to exercise, nor have I been able to ride my bike for the past two weeks. I am reminded of the passage above, and God’s call to separate ourselves from all immorality. We should be radical in our dealing with any impure or unrighteous thoughts.
I ask for your prayers on my behalf that I might not only be healed of this sciatica, but that I would be able to take captive every thought that exalts itself in unrighteousness in my mind. I am hearing the call of God to be pure in heart, pure in thought, and this must be done in the midst of an unrighteous and ungodly generation. In an hour when most of the church is manifesting a great carelessness in thought and action, the Spirit is testifying that God demands purity in our inward parts. It is my desire that I might walk with an unstained conscience before God and man, and I have not been perfect in these things. Thank you for your prayers.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
As I have been contemplating all of the witnesses that the Lord has been giving to His people in America about what is coming upon this land, I have been reminded of the testimony of Boris Sorokovsky. Boris’ family was residing in the Ukraine after the communists came to power, and for a period of quite a number of years life remained largely unchanged as the Communists consolidated their power. Toward the end of this period the Spirit of Christ began to speak to many Ukrainian Believers through dreams, visions and prophecies, warning them that a time of severe persecution was coming. The Spirit led a number of these Believers to relocate to other areas that they might be spared what was coming.
Boris’ family was among a group of Christians who heeded the warning, and the testimony of how God ordered their steps is fascinating. There is also a warning about unbelief and a desire to hold onto temporal comforts, as a group of those who heard the word of God and initially followed, turned back when the judgment tarried. All they were warned about came upon them. I highly recommend this testimony which can be read here: http://www.heart4god.ws/id474.htm
In a similar way, the Spirit of Christ is speaking to many American Christians about great judgments to befall this nation. The steps of preparation are somewhat different in that the Lord is calling His children to separate themselves from all idols and immorality, and to open their hearts to the poor and needy, that they might come under His protection in these days. The Spirit of Christ is calling God’s people to come out of Babylon, separating themselves from a religious system that protects the flesh. Spiritual Babylon hinders God’s sons and daughters from embracing a pure devotion to Christ as pure virgins, and discourages them from obtaining a conformity to the image of Christ that is attained only by taking up the disciple’s cross.
I do not discount that there may also be some physical things the Spirit may lead the children of God to do in this hour. He has led me to embrace a manner of living that will be similar to what many will experience in coming days. I am living out of a small camper/van, I have no home or furnishings, I eat a very simple and inexpensive diet, I am foregoing the use of air conditioning (and this in Georgia in the summer), and I am looking to the Father for the provision of all of my daily needs. Yet, I am persuaded that the Spiritual preparation is by far the most important.
Recently I shared with another Christian who wrote to inquire what they could do to prepare for coming days. I told them that what the Spirit has been speaking to me for some time now goes contrary to natural reason. The natural mind that believes that troubled days are coming, and that famine will be present, will logically want to set by some store of goods to be used as a supply in days of trouble. The Spirit has been telling me to do just the opposite. I have been led to open my heart and wallet to the poor and needy and to give generously in this hour. The Spirit promises that Yahweh will take care of those in days of famine who themselves cared for the hungry and needy in their time of want.
This counsel of the Spirit leads a Believer to embrace faith in God, trusting that He sees all things and He will deliver in a day of trouble. It would lead them away from walking in fear whose counsel is always to hoard food and supplies against a time of want. There are a myriad of very plain Scriptures that testify to this truth of God’s care of His people in a time of need. If you would like to have your faith encouraged, and your soul edified, I would recommend to you the audio teaching called “Compassion’s Silver Lining,” which can be heard here: http://www.heart4god.ws/Audio/id14.htm
God has allowed me to serve in some regards as a clearinghouse to distribute the various words of warning to the church of those things to come. I receive many things from brothers and sisters in Christ that I feel are of a significant nature that should be passed along, and in this blog I want to include a couple recent responses to the writing on what was symbolized by Hurricane Dolly. The first response comes from a sister in Christ who is in her 70's. She wrote the following:
Joseph,
I forwarded several of your messages over the past few days to some of my friends. [The following testimony speaks of an] occurrence this morning regarding my personal experience with the numbers "22" and "4."
--
The strangest thing happened yesterday while I was trying to send the message on the "signs" that were given to Joseph regarding Hurricane Dolly. The names of those who I sent this to are contained in a list in my Address Book that I titled "Undisclosed List." I tried 3 times yesterday afternoon to send "Hurricane Dolly," but the message kept staying in my "Outbox," and a yellow error icon came up 3 times at the bottom of my screen, so I "gave up," after logging off and rebooting twice.
It was not until I began checking my emails this morning that I noticed in my "Sent Items" that it did go out. BUT the names on this list came out OPPOSITE from the way they normally do. Figure that out!
ANYWAY, the reason for this message is that when I opened my Bible this morning it opened to Ezekiel 22 verse 4, which was the first verse at the top of the left page, which says:
"You have become guilty by the blood that you have shed, and defiled by the idols that you have made, and you have brought your days near, the appointed time of your years has come." Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all the countries." English Standard Version
AFTER I READ THIS VERSE I NOTED THE TIME ON THE CLOCK WAS 9:11!
I wrote the following in reply to this sister in Christ:
Dear Sister,
This is a very unusual occurrence. The reversal of the e-mail addresses strikes me as being symbolic of God saying that "the last shall be first, and the first shall be last." Surely, in coming days this will be true. Those who have eaten the bread of privation and have endured hardship and sorrows while their brethren were enjoying their good things, will find themselves promoted above their brothers.
That you turned to Ezekiel 22:4 and then read on the clock that it was 9:11 are surely a testimony of the Lord that these things are at hand.
[End Reply]
Today I received another response that informed me of an occurrence that took place yesterday in San Diego, California, home of the Padres Baseball team. A brother in Christ wrote:
The reason for my email has to do with the web blog you wrote about Hurricane Dolly this past Wednesday. In it you wrote the following:
Due to idolatry and wickedness God will cut-off evil from the Body of Christ by giving her sorrows. God will humble the Body of Christ. He will judge the fathers (Padres, pictured in Ahab), and He will bring forth purity from the body of Christ.
Well this past Thursday, as I was driving to work the radio stations were reporting a major accident here in Southern California on Interstate 5 going to San Diego. A truck filled with food had turned over and exploded causing a back up of almost 40 miles. People were being urged to take the East 91 Freeway to Riverside and then take Interstate 15 south in order to get to San Diego.
Well three hours later another accident occurred. This was a fatal accident in the 91 east which caused more delays. What made this particular accident so shocking, was the fact that the son of a famous well known preacher in Southern California and other parts of the nation was the one who died. Christopher Laurie the son of mega-church pastor Greg Laurie, was killed in the accident. This brought sorrow to thousands of Christians in the area.
When I heard the shocking news the first thing that came to my mind was the blog I had read the night before. Look at the following:
- Both accidents happened on roads that lead to San Diego. San Diego has a baseball team called the PADRES (Fathers).
- Greg Laurie is seen by many here in California, if not the nation, as a major Church Leader (FATHER).
- Christopher was 33. Greg Laurie is 55. This means that Greg had his son when he was 22.
- The mega-church has 15,000 members. People were going on the 91 to get to the 15. 5+1=6
- The name Christopher means, bearing Christ inside. Could it be that the body of Christ has to die in order to the manifest the "Christ in you?"
The gospel that Laurie preaches is one of just salvation. They never seem to get past the milk and into the meat of the word. It's interesting that pastor Greg does not believe that God sent the September 11 judgment to America. He does not believe God is sending judgment to America.
Could this have been a judgment on one of the leaders? Greg Laurie as well as many others are active in the Republican Party, specially encouraging their members to support President Bush. Could this have been a message sent to the Jezebel church?
I don't want to sound judgmental as I know the Laurie family is in pain over the loss of Christopher. I do pray that God heals and restores their hearts and at the same time for their ears to be opened to what the Spirit is saying.
[End Letter]
A couple things stand out in this information. The first accident involved a truck carrying a load of food. The Spirit has been testifying that there is both a literal and spiritual famine coming to America. I recently shared the news articles about the collapse of a grain elevator in Nebraska, as well as a corn storage facility that exploded in Ohio. There has also been much in the news about soaring grain prices and the loss of billions of dollars of crops in the upper Midwest due to record flooding. Two believers forwarded me a correction that Kay Arthur released concerning her message in Atlanta that spoke of famine coming. However, her correction was very minor, and actually reinforces the understanding that a physical famine is coming. The correction she offered was to say that she did not receive this as a word from God, but by reading the Word of God, particularly Ezekiel chapter 14.
A second thing that stood out is that the brother who notified me of the death of Christopher Laurie wrote, “ This brought sorrow to thousands of Christians in the area.” This was the message of Hurricane Dolly, for Dolly is a diminutive of Dorothy and Dolores whose names mean “God gives” and “Sorrows.” Dolly impacted Corpus Christi which is Latin for Body of Christ.
As I looked further into this event I found a news site reporting the following:
Laurie, 33, of Huntington Beach, was driving alone "at a high rate of speed" in the carpool lane of the eastbound Riverside Freeway in Corona when his station wagon collided with a California Department of Transportation tractor, the California Highway Patrol said.
He was pronounced dead at the scene...
Chris Laurie is survived by his wife, Brittany; his daughter, Stella; his parents; and his brother, Jonathan, 22.
[Source www.latimes.com]
Christopher’s father was 22 years old when he was born, and he is survived by a brother who is 22 years old. Christopher was operating his automobile illegally when he crashed, going at a high rate of speed and driving in the carpool lane when he had no passengers in the car. As I have mentioned before, vehicles stand for ministries, and this event symbolizes one who is a Christ bearer acting in a lawless manner, resulting in a tragic end.
Matthew 7:21-23
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'”
Luke 6:46-49
"And why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say... But the one who has heard, and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house upon the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it [like Hurricane Dolly] and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great."
Brothers and sisters, it may seem insensitive to look upon this personal tragedy as a sign of things to come, but the Spirit testifies that what is coming to the church in America will result in personal tragedies in millions of homes. What is coming quickly will result in vast amounts of sorrow and suffering, and much of it could be avoided if the people of God would repent of their lawless ways and turn to God the Father with a heart to do His will. The church is filled with professors of Christ who utter the word “Lord” week after week. Yet they are being directed by the desires and passions of their own souls. They are pursuing works that God did not appoint to them. They are building programs and kingdoms that are monuments to man, being Babylonian in nature, even as Nebuchadnezzar boasted of his works.
Daniel 4:30
“Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?”
Christopher Laurie was working as the art director at the church where his father is Senior Pastor. Greg Laurie has embraced Rick Warren and the Purpose Driven Life deception. There are many running with a message today, but God has not sent them. They bear a message of which God is not the author. That Rick Warren counts Rupert Murdoch as one of his church members, and has accepted large financial donations from this man who is the world’s largest pornographer, reveals that the fruit of the Purpose Driven Life message is rotten. Significantly, Greg Laurie received a public reproof for his support of Rick Warren and Bill Hybels on 6/22 of this year.
[See link: http://evangelists.wordpress.com/2008/06/22/greg-laurie-connects-purpose-driven/]
As I heard of the death of Christopher Laurie I was reminded of another tragedy that occurred closer to my own home, taking place at Six Flags amusement park in Atlanta.
AP (June 28, 2008)
A teenager was decapitated by a roller coaster after he hopped a pair of fences and entered a restricted area Saturday at Six Flags Over Georgia, authorities said.
Six Flags officials are uncertain why the unidentified 17-year-old from Columbia, S.C. scaled two six-foot fences and passed signs that said the restricted area was off-limits and dangerous to visitors, spokeswoman Hela Sheth said in a news release...
The teen and his parents were at the park with a group from the Oakey Spring Baptist Church near Springfield, S.C., police said.
[End Excerpt]
Once more we see a person associated with a church acting in an illegal manner and meeting a tragic end. This young man scaled two fences that were marked with numerous warning signs. Is not the church doing the same in this hour? God is sending warning after warning, but they are not being heeded. The church continues to trespass against the will of God believing that they can do so with impunity.
Galatians 6:7-8
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Recently I have observed the Spirit of Christ directing me to turn away from all idolatry and immorality. It is a time to put away all besetting sins. It is a time to cast self down from the throne of life and allow God to take His rightful place in the direction of every action. The will of man must be laid upon an altar that God’s will might be done among His people. Failing to take Christ as Head in all things will result in God’s judgment falling upon the head of man. The judgment will come suddenly, and much sorrow will result.
This is an hour to live soberly, and to act radically in obedience.
Matthew 18:8-9
And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into the fiery hell.
For the past three weeks I have been dealing with a severe bout of sciatica. I pinched the sciatic nerve, and this has resulted in much pain in my right hip and leg. I have had to begin using a cane to walk or stand for the past few days as the pain has gotten severe. I have not been able to go to the gym to exercise, nor have I been able to ride my bike for the past two weeks. I am reminded of the passage above, and God’s call to separate ourselves from all immorality. We should be radical in our dealing with any impure or unrighteous thoughts.
I ask for your prayers on my behalf that I might not only be healed of this sciatica, but that I would be able to take captive every thought that exalts itself in unrighteousness in my mind. I am hearing the call of God to be pure in heart, pure in thought, and this must be done in the midst of an unrighteous and ungodly generation. In an hour when most of the church is manifesting a great carelessness in thought and action, the Spirit is testifying that God demands purity in our inward parts. It is my desire that I might walk with an unstained conscience before God and man, and I have not been perfect in these things. Thank you for your prayers.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
Friday, July 25, 2008
Gospel Chemistry
Joseph Herrin (07-25-08)
I have had it upon my mind to write this article for a number of years. The thoughts expressed here first began to take seed in my mind back in 2003 as I was writing the book The Mark of the Beast. Of all the books I have written thus far, this one was the one most marked by a spirit of revelation as I wrote. The book followed the most severe spiritual trial of my life, one that was attended by great pain, a pain that was exacerbated by the perplexity of not understanding what God was doing in many events.
After a season of great fiery trials, I was left without any desire to return to the ministry of writing. I was numb from what I had just passed through, but after a season of rest the Father came to me and asked me if I wanted to re-join the walk He had called me unto. As I accepted His invitation He led me to begin writing the book The Mark of the Beast. Most of what is written in the book I had no perception of until I sat down and began writing. Revelation after revelation flowed forth, and understanding came into my mind, and I have been able to understand various types and symbols much more clearly from that day forth.
As I wrote, the Lord opened my understanding to the symbolism of the number 666. I will quote from this writing:
Throughout this book I have endeavored to focus on the spiritual understanding of the abundant symbolism relating to the beast. There has been much debate about the significance of the number which is given to represent the beast, and I believe God would have us to understand this number and not be in doubt about it. That God desires that we should have understanding is revealed in the following Scripture:
Revelation 13:18
Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.
John declares that it is possible to understand this symbolism. This is not one of those things that God told John to seal up. Instead, we are told that those who have understanding can arrive at the meaning of this number. The number is specifically related to a man, and the number of this man is 666.
Many have set out to decipher this riddle, and they have used various means to do so. One of the most common methods in days past and present is through the study of Gematria. In Hebrew and Greek, as well as some other languages, each alphabetic character has a corresponding numeric value. By summing up the value of each alphabetic character in a name, or title, one can arrive at a numeric value. In this manner many have demonstrated that various persons throughout history, from ancient Nimrod to present day Popes, as well as various world political figures, have borne names and titles whose corresponding numerical value has added up to the number 666.
It is not my intent to disprove any of these associations between individuals and the number 666. In fact, I believe that many of them are valid and correct. Yet, just because we can say that the Roman Pontiffs have borne this number, or we can link it to some other figure past or present, we cannot declare that this is sufficient proof that they are THE Beast. These individuals may be ones who have manifested the beast nature, as have multitudes of men and women down through the ages, they may have even been key instruments of Satan in his warfare against the elect of God, but in this book we want to delve down deeper to the fullest understanding of this symbolism and, with the help of God and the anointing that He has given to His elect, we hope to do so.
One problem I see in declaring that the Popes, or some other individual(s), are the person to whom this number points is that the influence of these men upon mankind has not been universal. I believe that John is speaking of that which is a threat to all men, and which all saints have an opportunity to overcome. There have been ages when the Popes held tremendous power over a large portion of the “civilized world”, but even at their zenith they did not have power over all men. With the advent of the Reformation the power of the Popes began to wane, and though they still have considerable influence in the world today, they are not someone, or something, that all men universally strive with.
We have already seen that from the very first chapter of the Bible, both the man and the woman were commanded to subdue and rule over all the beasts. Since Adam and Eve were at the head of the race of mankind, this command was universal and has applied to all those who have been born of woman. Ruling over the beasts is a universal injunction, and no man, woman, or child is exempted from this command of God. Therefore, when we read of the beast, his image, and the number of his name in the book of Revelations, and when we also read that there is a group of overcomers who have achieved victory over these things, what is being declared is something that is universal and in which all the saints must enter into battle and seek the victory.
The struggle against the beast nature began with Adam and Eve when they were met by the serpent, the most cunning of all beasts, while still in the Garden of Eden. This struggle has continued throughout all the ages of man. Because of the universality of this struggle, and in light of God’s injunction for all mankind to subdue and rule over the beasts, I believe that those who are seeking to identify a particular man as the beast are on the wrong track.
You may ask, “Didn’t we read that the number of the beast is the number of a man?” Yes, we did. But we must ask, “What man?” The Scriptures tell us that there have only been two men who have ever lived. These are the first Adam, and the Second Adam, who is also called the Last Adam. The name Adam literally means “man” and it occurs 552 times in the Old Testament. In the majority of instances it is translated as “man,” and only when it is used as a name of a person or town is it rendered as “Adam.” The corresponding word in the New Testament is the Greek word “anthropos” and we find this word occurring 561 times.
It is in the following Bible passage that we read of these two men:
I Corinthians 15:45-49
So also it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living soul." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
The apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit identifies the first Adam as the first man. He identifies Christ as the Last Adam, and he also calls Him “the second man.” Paul further states that, though we have all borne the image of the first man, we are now called to bear the image of the second man. As we have already discussed in this book, not all men attain to the image and likeness of God in this age. Some stubbornly cling to the image of the earthy.
I believe it is these two men that John has in view when he states that the number 666 is the number of a man. This makes the determination of which man it is relatively simple, for instead of billions of men to select from, we have only two. It is very evident from the Scriptures that the beast and His number cannot refer to the Second Man, who is Christ Yahshua, for Christ completely ruled over the beast nature. Christ always lived to do the will of the Father, and the Scriptures do further testify that Yahshua was the very expression of the Father.
This leaves us only the first man, Adam, whom Paul describes as being of the earth, earthy. How does this number 666 point to this first Adam? I believe that we can find testimonies of this everywhere throughout both the Scriptures and nature, for God is the architect of both of them and He has set this seal upon the flesh man. However, I will focus upon just a couple of these testimonies.
Let us begin with the opening chapter of Scripture. We read here that the first man, Adam, was created on the sixth day from the dust of the earth. It is generally accepted that the number six is representative of man, and particularly of the flesh man. The number six is a very interesting number. When we multiply the number six by itself we arrive at the number thirty-six. If we add up the sum of all the numbers from one to thirty-six we find that the sum of these numbers is 666.
In verse 28 of Genesis chapter 1 we read God’s command to the man and woman to “multiply.” This multiplication is done through the union of the man and the woman. Since both Adam and Eve were of the earth, earthy, they could only produce offspring who were also of the earth. They could produce living souls, but their union could not produce life giving spirits. Therefore, the multiplication of Adam and Eve, flesh man (6) multiplying with flesh woman (6), can only produce more of the same (36). If we are to calculate the value of their offspring by summing them all up we arrive at 666.
Because Adam and Eve bowed to the beast, all of their offspring were subject to the beast nature. They were marked, or engraved, with this nature and became subjected to futility and wrath. It would take the divine seed of God being united with woman to produce a man that was wholly man and wholly God. This man was Christ, who being in the image of sinful flesh was Himself without sin. This Second Man was not earthy (beastly), but heavenly. We must experience a second birth, a spiritual birth that arises from the seed of Christ, in order that we might escape the bondage to the flesh and live as heavenly creations.
I Peter 1:23
For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring Word of God.
Let us return to the flesh man and his relation to the number 666. God is the Author of all creation and He has revealed His marvelous truths through the creation. As modern science has advanced, that which is true science has only served to confirm the marvelous design of God in the creation.
Today, scientists understand that there are certain elements that are found abundantly throughout the universe. One element that is essential to all life, and which is found in all organic life forms is carbon. No other element is linked to life to the extent to which carbon is so linked. Therefore we often hear the phrase “carbon based life forms.” The life forms that are dependent upon carbon are of the earth, earthy. Therefore, we should not be surprised if we find in the element carbon a witness of the beast, and even the number of the beast.
All elements are classified by the number of protons, electrons and neutrons that are present within them. No two elements are the same. Only in the element carbon do we find six protons, six electrons, and six neutrons. Thus, the life of all flesh is marked with the numbers 666. Could God have engraved any deeper this stamp upon earthbound life forms? Consider now the following words of the apostle Paul:
I Corinthians 15:50-53
Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Flesh cannot inherit the kingdom of God. That which is stamped with the number 666 cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Even after men have been born again of the Spirit they still walk around in bodies of sinful flesh. Therefore, these bodies must be put off before the saints can enter into the presence of God. All that pertains to the beast must be slain.
[End Excerpt]
It was this last revelation, that all flesh is stamped with this number 666 at the most elemental level of creation, that led me to consider further revelations God has placed in the natural creation. Even as every living thing that lies under the curse is predominantly formed of carbon, and carbon has six protons, six electrons and six neutrons, we can realize that God has set parables everywhere throughout His creation.
As I looked further at this element carbon and how it symbolizes sin and the curse, I saw further remarkable details. Carbon is a six sided crystal, and six is the number of the flesh man, sold as a slave unto sin. Carbon is black in color, and blackness has universally been associated with sin and evil. Where there is no light, all is dark.
I knew at the time that I was shown this revelation that the number associated with the new creation man, of which Christ is the pattern and forerunner, is the number eight. It was on the eighth day that a Hebrew male was to be circumcised. This removal of the flesh of the foreskin is a parable of Adamic man laying aside the mortal flesh. Christ arose on the eighth day. He was the first to put off the flesh of this earth and enter into resurrection life, receiving a new, glorified body.
Matthew 28:1-6
Now after the Sabbath (seventh day), as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave... And the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Yahshua who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.”
After seven days, on the first day of a new week (Day 8) Christ arose. Yet this is not the only relationship between Christ and the number eight. In Gematria the name Jesus (Iesous in Greek) has the numeric value 888. This is illustrated in the following diagram.
After seeing the correlation of the number 666 to the element carbon, I began to wonder what element must pertain to Christ and the number 888. I looked at the Periodic Table of the Elements to see what element had 8 electrons, 8 protons, and 8 neutrons. I observed that the element Oxygen perfectly satisfied all of these criteria. How wonderful and appropriate this seemed.
Oxygen is an eight sided crystal. In contrast to Carbon which is black, Oxygen is colorless, being invisible to the sight. This is fitting as Christ is said to be “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). Also oxygen is absolutely essential in order to have fire. In fact, fire is defined as “rapid oxidation.” Once more this is fitting, for John declared of the Son of God that He would baptize men with fire. Christ also declared, “I have come to cast fire on the earth.” how fitting then that He is represented by oxygen.
More profound truths are revealed as we observe the interplay of Oxygen and Carbon in nature, especially in the process of respiration. As mentioned, Carbon represents sin, and Christ came to take away the sins of mankind. In order for the sins of man to be taken away, Christ must enter into the life of mankind. Man breathes in Oxygen. As this Oxygen enters man’s lungs, and is passed to the blood stream, it combines with Carbon which has formed in the cells, and builds up in the muscles and bloodstream. One Carbon atom combines with two Oxygen atoms to form CO2, carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide is then expelled from the body as man exhales.
In this is a magnificent parable of the work of Christ. Even as Oxygen enters into man and combines with Carbon and is expelled, so Christ comes into mankind and takes away sin. This process of respiration must continue all the days a person lives. When respiration ceases, so does life end. In the same way, mankind must abide in Christ all his days, receiving the life of Christ into his members. If he should stop this process, death would result.
The Scriptures speak of the Tree of Life. It is understood in biology that trees perform the opposite function of mankind. Trees take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and they give off Oxygen. Christ is life, and in the action of trees we see the function of the Tree of Life. It supplies the life of God to the world.
Revelation 22:2
And on either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
There are many other significant truths that God has placed in His creation, and there are grand parables contained in the Periodic Table of the Elements. If I were a chemist, or physicist, perhaps I would understand more of the profound parables contained there. As it is, I can see only a few basic details of this grand parable.
The most common element in all the Universe is Hydrogen. The numeric value of hydrogen is 1. I believe this speaks of God the Father.
Deuteronomy 6:4
“Hear, O Israel! Yahweh is our God, Yahweh is one!”
Hydrogen is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and highly flammable. No man has seen God at any time, for the natural senses cannot see the invisible God. God the Father is also described as “a consuming fire.” Hydrogen is said to comprise approximately 75% of all the elemental mass in the universe. It is everywhere found in abundance.
Acts 17:28
For in him we live, and move, and have our being...
Colossians 1:17
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Stars are believed to mainly consist of Hydrogen, and the stars are the source of light in the universe.
James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Hydrogen and Oxygen combine to form H2O (water). This is once more a source of life upon the earth, and it reveals that there is a parable in the words of the prophet Habakkuk.
Habakkuk 2:14
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh, as the waters cover the sea.
If Oxygen is the element representing Yahshua, and Hydrogen is the element representing Yahweh, then what is the element representing the Spirit of Christ? My guess is that it would be Nitrogen, which has the value 7 on the Periodic Table.
Revelation 4:5
And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God...
Nitrogen is also colorless, odorless and tasteless. It cannot be perceived by the natural senses. Nitrogen makes up 78% of the earth’s atmosphere. The Scriptures portray the Spirit as a wind, and truly Nitrogen is the most abundant element that makes up the wind.
John 3:8
"The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Truly God has set many marvelous testimonies before the eyes of man. May we have eyes to see the mysteries of His creation.
May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
I have had it upon my mind to write this article for a number of years. The thoughts expressed here first began to take seed in my mind back in 2003 as I was writing the book The Mark of the Beast. Of all the books I have written thus far, this one was the one most marked by a spirit of revelation as I wrote. The book followed the most severe spiritual trial of my life, one that was attended by great pain, a pain that was exacerbated by the perplexity of not understanding what God was doing in many events.
After a season of great fiery trials, I was left without any desire to return to the ministry of writing. I was numb from what I had just passed through, but after a season of rest the Father came to me and asked me if I wanted to re-join the walk He had called me unto. As I accepted His invitation He led me to begin writing the book The Mark of the Beast. Most of what is written in the book I had no perception of until I sat down and began writing. Revelation after revelation flowed forth, and understanding came into my mind, and I have been able to understand various types and symbols much more clearly from that day forth.
As I wrote, the Lord opened my understanding to the symbolism of the number 666. I will quote from this writing:
Throughout this book I have endeavored to focus on the spiritual understanding of the abundant symbolism relating to the beast. There has been much debate about the significance of the number which is given to represent the beast, and I believe God would have us to understand this number and not be in doubt about it. That God desires that we should have understanding is revealed in the following Scripture:
Revelation 13:18
Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.
John declares that it is possible to understand this symbolism. This is not one of those things that God told John to seal up. Instead, we are told that those who have understanding can arrive at the meaning of this number. The number is specifically related to a man, and the number of this man is 666.
Many have set out to decipher this riddle, and they have used various means to do so. One of the most common methods in days past and present is through the study of Gematria. In Hebrew and Greek, as well as some other languages, each alphabetic character has a corresponding numeric value. By summing up the value of each alphabetic character in a name, or title, one can arrive at a numeric value. In this manner many have demonstrated that various persons throughout history, from ancient Nimrod to present day Popes, as well as various world political figures, have borne names and titles whose corresponding numerical value has added up to the number 666.
It is not my intent to disprove any of these associations between individuals and the number 666. In fact, I believe that many of them are valid and correct. Yet, just because we can say that the Roman Pontiffs have borne this number, or we can link it to some other figure past or present, we cannot declare that this is sufficient proof that they are THE Beast. These individuals may be ones who have manifested the beast nature, as have multitudes of men and women down through the ages, they may have even been key instruments of Satan in his warfare against the elect of God, but in this book we want to delve down deeper to the fullest understanding of this symbolism and, with the help of God and the anointing that He has given to His elect, we hope to do so.
One problem I see in declaring that the Popes, or some other individual(s), are the person to whom this number points is that the influence of these men upon mankind has not been universal. I believe that John is speaking of that which is a threat to all men, and which all saints have an opportunity to overcome. There have been ages when the Popes held tremendous power over a large portion of the “civilized world”, but even at their zenith they did not have power over all men. With the advent of the Reformation the power of the Popes began to wane, and though they still have considerable influence in the world today, they are not someone, or something, that all men universally strive with.
We have already seen that from the very first chapter of the Bible, both the man and the woman were commanded to subdue and rule over all the beasts. Since Adam and Eve were at the head of the race of mankind, this command was universal and has applied to all those who have been born of woman. Ruling over the beasts is a universal injunction, and no man, woman, or child is exempted from this command of God. Therefore, when we read of the beast, his image, and the number of his name in the book of Revelations, and when we also read that there is a group of overcomers who have achieved victory over these things, what is being declared is something that is universal and in which all the saints must enter into battle and seek the victory.
The struggle against the beast nature began with Adam and Eve when they were met by the serpent, the most cunning of all beasts, while still in the Garden of Eden. This struggle has continued throughout all the ages of man. Because of the universality of this struggle, and in light of God’s injunction for all mankind to subdue and rule over the beasts, I believe that those who are seeking to identify a particular man as the beast are on the wrong track.
You may ask, “Didn’t we read that the number of the beast is the number of a man?” Yes, we did. But we must ask, “What man?” The Scriptures tell us that there have only been two men who have ever lived. These are the first Adam, and the Second Adam, who is also called the Last Adam. The name Adam literally means “man” and it occurs 552 times in the Old Testament. In the majority of instances it is translated as “man,” and only when it is used as a name of a person or town is it rendered as “Adam.” The corresponding word in the New Testament is the Greek word “anthropos” and we find this word occurring 561 times.
It is in the following Bible passage that we read of these two men:
I Corinthians 15:45-49
So also it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living soul." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
The apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit identifies the first Adam as the first man. He identifies Christ as the Last Adam, and he also calls Him “the second man.” Paul further states that, though we have all borne the image of the first man, we are now called to bear the image of the second man. As we have already discussed in this book, not all men attain to the image and likeness of God in this age. Some stubbornly cling to the image of the earthy.
I believe it is these two men that John has in view when he states that the number 666 is the number of a man. This makes the determination of which man it is relatively simple, for instead of billions of men to select from, we have only two. It is very evident from the Scriptures that the beast and His number cannot refer to the Second Man, who is Christ Yahshua, for Christ completely ruled over the beast nature. Christ always lived to do the will of the Father, and the Scriptures do further testify that Yahshua was the very expression of the Father.
This leaves us only the first man, Adam, whom Paul describes as being of the earth, earthy. How does this number 666 point to this first Adam? I believe that we can find testimonies of this everywhere throughout both the Scriptures and nature, for God is the architect of both of them and He has set this seal upon the flesh man. However, I will focus upon just a couple of these testimonies.
Let us begin with the opening chapter of Scripture. We read here that the first man, Adam, was created on the sixth day from the dust of the earth. It is generally accepted that the number six is representative of man, and particularly of the flesh man. The number six is a very interesting number. When we multiply the number six by itself we arrive at the number thirty-six. If we add up the sum of all the numbers from one to thirty-six we find that the sum of these numbers is 666.
In verse 28 of Genesis chapter 1 we read God’s command to the man and woman to “multiply.” This multiplication is done through the union of the man and the woman. Since both Adam and Eve were of the earth, earthy, they could only produce offspring who were also of the earth. They could produce living souls, but their union could not produce life giving spirits. Therefore, the multiplication of Adam and Eve, flesh man (6) multiplying with flesh woman (6), can only produce more of the same (36). If we are to calculate the value of their offspring by summing them all up we arrive at 666.
Because Adam and Eve bowed to the beast, all of their offspring were subject to the beast nature. They were marked, or engraved, with this nature and became subjected to futility and wrath. It would take the divine seed of God being united with woman to produce a man that was wholly man and wholly God. This man was Christ, who being in the image of sinful flesh was Himself without sin. This Second Man was not earthy (beastly), but heavenly. We must experience a second birth, a spiritual birth that arises from the seed of Christ, in order that we might escape the bondage to the flesh and live as heavenly creations.
I Peter 1:23
For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring Word of God.
Let us return to the flesh man and his relation to the number 666. God is the Author of all creation and He has revealed His marvelous truths through the creation. As modern science has advanced, that which is true science has only served to confirm the marvelous design of God in the creation.
Today, scientists understand that there are certain elements that are found abundantly throughout the universe. One element that is essential to all life, and which is found in all organic life forms is carbon. No other element is linked to life to the extent to which carbon is so linked. Therefore we often hear the phrase “carbon based life forms.” The life forms that are dependent upon carbon are of the earth, earthy. Therefore, we should not be surprised if we find in the element carbon a witness of the beast, and even the number of the beast.
All elements are classified by the number of protons, electrons and neutrons that are present within them. No two elements are the same. Only in the element carbon do we find six protons, six electrons, and six neutrons. Thus, the life of all flesh is marked with the numbers 666. Could God have engraved any deeper this stamp upon earthbound life forms? Consider now the following words of the apostle Paul:
I Corinthians 15:50-53
Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Flesh cannot inherit the kingdom of God. That which is stamped with the number 666 cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Even after men have been born again of the Spirit they still walk around in bodies of sinful flesh. Therefore, these bodies must be put off before the saints can enter into the presence of God. All that pertains to the beast must be slain.
[End Excerpt]
It was this last revelation, that all flesh is stamped with this number 666 at the most elemental level of creation, that led me to consider further revelations God has placed in the natural creation. Even as every living thing that lies under the curse is predominantly formed of carbon, and carbon has six protons, six electrons and six neutrons, we can realize that God has set parables everywhere throughout His creation.
As I looked further at this element carbon and how it symbolizes sin and the curse, I saw further remarkable details. Carbon is a six sided crystal, and six is the number of the flesh man, sold as a slave unto sin. Carbon is black in color, and blackness has universally been associated with sin and evil. Where there is no light, all is dark.
I knew at the time that I was shown this revelation that the number associated with the new creation man, of which Christ is the pattern and forerunner, is the number eight. It was on the eighth day that a Hebrew male was to be circumcised. This removal of the flesh of the foreskin is a parable of Adamic man laying aside the mortal flesh. Christ arose on the eighth day. He was the first to put off the flesh of this earth and enter into resurrection life, receiving a new, glorified body.
Matthew 28:1-6
Now after the Sabbath (seventh day), as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave... And the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Yahshua who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.”
After seven days, on the first day of a new week (Day 8) Christ arose. Yet this is not the only relationship between Christ and the number eight. In Gematria the name Jesus (Iesous in Greek) has the numeric value 888. This is illustrated in the following diagram.
After seeing the correlation of the number 666 to the element carbon, I began to wonder what element must pertain to Christ and the number 888. I looked at the Periodic Table of the Elements to see what element had 8 electrons, 8 protons, and 8 neutrons. I observed that the element Oxygen perfectly satisfied all of these criteria. How wonderful and appropriate this seemed.
Oxygen is an eight sided crystal. In contrast to Carbon which is black, Oxygen is colorless, being invisible to the sight. This is fitting as Christ is said to be “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). Also oxygen is absolutely essential in order to have fire. In fact, fire is defined as “rapid oxidation.” Once more this is fitting, for John declared of the Son of God that He would baptize men with fire. Christ also declared, “I have come to cast fire on the earth.” how fitting then that He is represented by oxygen.
More profound truths are revealed as we observe the interplay of Oxygen and Carbon in nature, especially in the process of respiration. As mentioned, Carbon represents sin, and Christ came to take away the sins of mankind. In order for the sins of man to be taken away, Christ must enter into the life of mankind. Man breathes in Oxygen. As this Oxygen enters man’s lungs, and is passed to the blood stream, it combines with Carbon which has formed in the cells, and builds up in the muscles and bloodstream. One Carbon atom combines with two Oxygen atoms to form CO2, carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide is then expelled from the body as man exhales.
In this is a magnificent parable of the work of Christ. Even as Oxygen enters into man and combines with Carbon and is expelled, so Christ comes into mankind and takes away sin. This process of respiration must continue all the days a person lives. When respiration ceases, so does life end. In the same way, mankind must abide in Christ all his days, receiving the life of Christ into his members. If he should stop this process, death would result.
The Scriptures speak of the Tree of Life. It is understood in biology that trees perform the opposite function of mankind. Trees take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and they give off Oxygen. Christ is life, and in the action of trees we see the function of the Tree of Life. It supplies the life of God to the world.
Revelation 22:2
And on either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
There are many other significant truths that God has placed in His creation, and there are grand parables contained in the Periodic Table of the Elements. If I were a chemist, or physicist, perhaps I would understand more of the profound parables contained there. As it is, I can see only a few basic details of this grand parable.
The most common element in all the Universe is Hydrogen. The numeric value of hydrogen is 1. I believe this speaks of God the Father.
Deuteronomy 6:4
“Hear, O Israel! Yahweh is our God, Yahweh is one!”
Hydrogen is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and highly flammable. No man has seen God at any time, for the natural senses cannot see the invisible God. God the Father is also described as “a consuming fire.” Hydrogen is said to comprise approximately 75% of all the elemental mass in the universe. It is everywhere found in abundance.
Acts 17:28
For in him we live, and move, and have our being...
Colossians 1:17
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Stars are believed to mainly consist of Hydrogen, and the stars are the source of light in the universe.
James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Hydrogen and Oxygen combine to form H2O (water). This is once more a source of life upon the earth, and it reveals that there is a parable in the words of the prophet Habakkuk.
Habakkuk 2:14
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh, as the waters cover the sea.
If Oxygen is the element representing Yahshua, and Hydrogen is the element representing Yahweh, then what is the element representing the Spirit of Christ? My guess is that it would be Nitrogen, which has the value 7 on the Periodic Table.
Revelation 4:5
And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God...
Nitrogen is also colorless, odorless and tasteless. It cannot be perceived by the natural senses. Nitrogen makes up 78% of the earth’s atmosphere. The Scriptures portray the Spirit as a wind, and truly Nitrogen is the most abundant element that makes up the wind.
John 3:8
"The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Truly God has set many marvelous testimonies before the eyes of man. May we have eyes to see the mysteries of His creation.
May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
Thursday, July 24, 2008
News Notes
Joseph Herrin (07-24-08)
There is so much happening in the news of late that is of significance that I find myself amazed at the witnesses being given of what is coming to America. I want to touch on several very recent news items here. Let me start by sharing a bit of historical information on Port Isabel and South Padre Island, where Hurricane Dolly came ashore yesterday. This information was sent to me by a brother in Christ.
Historic Port Isabel
Welcome to historic Port Isabel, the "Point" of the Laguna Madre with a 30-foot bluff where the Point Isabel Lighthouse now stands. The point's strategic location was instrumental to the settlement of Point Isabel and early maritime industry.
The Coahilitecan Indians originally inhabited this land. During the 1500s, Spain sent explorers to the area, but the land remained inhospitable to European settlements until the mid-1700s when Spain awarded land grants to new colonists. Doña Rosa Maria Hinojosa inherited several land grants including the Santa Isabella Land Grant on the Texas coast. Her son, Padre Nicholas Balli, later obtained the grant to what is now Padre Island.
The Texas coast gained importance to Mexico, the U.S., and smugglers from both countries during the 1800s. Legend has it that pirate Jean Lafitte took refuge in this area and dug a well in Laguna Vista. Local ranchers formed business alliances with pirates who sailed their contraband between the Rio Grande and Corpus Christi. During the 1830s, Don Rafael Garcia established El Fronton de Santa Isabel (Point Isabel) to become the base for the growing Port of Matarnoros and the privateer fleet.
In 1846, Fort Polk, named in honor of President Polk, was established on this site as a supply unit for the U.S./Mexican War. Many notable men, including Zachary Taylor, Ulysses S. Grant, and Robert E. Lee, were stationed at this fort. In 1852, the Point Isabel Lighthouse was built to serve the maritime industry. It survived the Civil War and numerous hurricanes, finally becoming T exas ' smallest state park in 1952.
In the early 1900s, Point Isabel became a recreational spot and at one time had the largest shrimping fleet in the nation. Wanting to attract more visitors, the newly renamed Port Isabel decided to develop a beach by removing the bluff. The hill on which the lighthouse stands is the original elevation of the area. The removed soil was used to fill in a salt flat where the Port Isabel Yacht Club is now located. Several businesses and a hotel replaced the historic homes that once surrounded the Lighthouse Square. The booming tourist trade, however, bypassed Port Isabel for South Padre Island.
Today , the Port Isabel Lighthouse Square has blossomed once again with shops, restaurants, and museums.
[End Article]
After reading this, I sent the following note to the brother who provided the information.
The history of this area paints quite a picture. It is interesting to see how this history also weaves together all three of the locations mentioned in the writing I posted on Hurricane Dolly; Port Isabel, South Padre Island and Corpus Christi. That there was "illegal commerce" between these locations is a picture of the idolatrous and immoral influence of Jezebel upon the body of Christ.
It is mentioned here that the largest shrimping fleet in the nation was once located here. In the Old Testament God gave the criteria by which all seafood was to be judged as clean, or unclean. Seafood had to have fins and scales, and shrimp have not been considered to have met this criteria. Much of the seafood that fails to pass this test are scavengers, and shrimp are certainly among them. Shrimp are bottom feeders, and they are known to eat the sores off of fish. (I apologize if you were about to sit down to a nice shrimp cocktail.) What is interesting to me is what is symbolized in this. In the passage from Revelation that speaks of Jezebel, and her influence upon the church, we read the following:
Revelation 2:20
But I have this against you, that lyou tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray, so that they commit acts of immorality andeat things sacrificed to idols.
Revelation is a book of symbolic language. Eating things sacrificed to idols is a parable of those who are feeding on doctrines of demons. God lays the blame for providing these detestable foods to His church at the feet of Jezebel. There are many who qualify to be labeled as Jezebels today, who are providing things for the children of God to feed upon that are detestable in God’s sight. They are passing off doctrines of demons as the word of truth. The result is much sickness in the body of Christ resulting from embracing immorality and idolatry.
In Hurricane Dolly there is a warning of the judgment to come upon those promoting idolatry and immorality in the church. To find out who they are just go to a local Christian bookstore and look at the list of Christians best sellers. Paul’s prophecy is being fulfilled where the people of God have heaped up to themselves teachers to tickle their ears and tell them the things they want to hear. In this last hour the church will not endure sound doctrine, but have turned aside to myths and fables. Even what is being touted as revival in this hour is of this nature. There is clear idolatry present, and many impure teachings being presented to the body of Christ which distract from a pure devotion to Christ. God will give sorrow to the body of Christ that she might be purified from her idolatrous and immoral ways.
This message has been coming forth for many years. The events of 911 spoke of God’s judgment upon a people who have used their liberty to pursue all of the things of the world. The World Trade Centers were located on Church Street and Liberty Street in Manhattan, and the church has been filled with the noise of the merchants and money changers for generations now. Look at the best selling authors, and the popular television ministries. They are all promoting prosperity, worldly success, and a feel good gospel that promises material blessings now and heaven when you die. James called such ones “adulteresses,” but such straight talking is seldom heard today.
Mississippi River Collision
I had noted yesterday that there was a collision between a ship and barge on the Mississippi river near New Orleans. I looked at it again today when a brother in Christ mentioned to me that there were 22 crew members on board the ship involved. I also noted that the barge, which was split in two and sunk spilling all of its contents, was carrying #6 Fuel Oil. The numbers 6 and 22 together speak of God’s judgment on the flesh. 6 is the number of the flesh man, and 22, as noted in yesterday’s blog, is the number of judgment upon sinful flesh.
If you have read the writings on the Heart4God website that speak of the Hurricanes of 2004-2005, you will have noted that these multiple hurricanes that struck the United States in those years bore a message relating to God judging America for her unrighteous pursuit of oil, and for her immorality. This event on the Mississippi River yesterday at New Orleans, contains the very same symbols as the hurricanes. Both the ship and the barge were transporting oil products, and the ship bore the name Tintomara. This is a Scandinavian name of a literary character who was sexually indistinct. The person was described as either being an effeminate male, or a masculine female. Other characters in opera and music have had the same confused sexual identity.
That this collision took place at New Orleans which is renowned for its immoral festivals and decadent lifestyle, as well as being a hub for the oil industry, seems very symbolic. Interestingly, the barge filled with # 6 fuel oil was headed for Memphis, Tennessee, intended for American consumption, and it was completely destroyed and all of its contents spilled into the Mississippi. The tanker ship Tintomara was heading to Europe where its petroleum products were destined for Denmark and Germany. It suffered only minor damage and lost none of its product.
A hundred mile stretch of the Mississippi has been closed due to this collision, as the oil has polluted the river.
All shipping from the Mouth of the Mississippi has been halted, and it could be days or weeks before it is all cleaned up.
Another Crane Collapse
Recently I posted a writing on some significant crane collapses that have occurred this year in America. I did not report nearly all of them, though I had compiled a lengthy list of such events. A brother was asking me what I saw in all of them. I told him that these crane collapses were across a range of industries in America, and they typified a great collapse coming to each industry that was involved. The two cranes that collapsed in Manhattan were being used in the construction of high rise housing developments. We are seeing the demise of the housing industry even as we speak. Congress is voting now on a bailout package for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, the two huge mortgage conglomerates. Any witnessing this action should be concerned in light of what was shared in the article The Coming Enslavement of America. The legislation being passed gives the government the right to buy stock in these huge corporations, and for the Federal Reserve to supply financial resources to them. In one fell swoop, one half of all mortgages in America will be transferred to the control of the government and Federal Reserve. It is one thing to owe your money to a bank that can harass you with phone calls when you get behind on your payments. It is quite another to owe money to the government who has authorized the use of the military against her citizens and can lock a person up without charging them and hold them indefinitely without trial. The borrower is the lenders slave.
There have been cranes that have fallen in other areas of significance. A crane collapsed working on a highway overpass. This is a symbol of the collapse of America’s infrastructure.
Another collapsed at an oil refinery in Houston. There have been so many witnesses of the collapse of America’s oil industry that there can be no doubt this is coming. Another collapse occurred at the construction site for the new Dallas Cowboys football stadium. This is a symbol of God’s judgment upon America’s idolatry over sports and sports stars.
There was a collapse of a building at MGM Universal Studios when a fire broke out and destroyed a large production lot. This speaks of judgment to come upon Hollywood, and the immorality and idolatry clearly seen there.
There was the collapse of a grain silo in Nebraska. The silo was 110 feet tall, and it stood next to an identical silo that was hit in its collapse, requiring that it be taken down as well. A parallel is seen to this in the World Trade Towers which were each 110 stories tall. The collapse of the grain silos speaks of the collapse of America’s food supply.
There have been other strange events similar to this, such as that which occurred on June 11th of this year when an explosion occurred in a grain storage facility near Thackery, Ohio destroying 400,000 bushels of corn. One witness described it as like an atomic bomb going off. Great damage was done to the facility in what was described as a “rare event.”
Today, another crane toppled over while installing a steeple on a church in Oklahoma City. An 80 year old man died while sitting in his car watching the work being done. The crane fell on the car, and also injured his 78 year old wife who was also in the car.
This comes a day after Hurricane Dolly bore the message of judgment coming to the people of God due to their idolatry and immorality. I noted in a previous post that on Mother’s Day a tornado struck Macon, Georgia where I reside. The churches in the town closed by the hundreds due to loss of power and impassable roads. More than one church was damaged, and I observed the steeple of one church laying on the ground afterwards. I would encourage those who are interested to read Ezekiel chapter 16 to read a description that is well fitted to the Christian religious system of the day. In this chapter God describes the buildings His people meet in as houses of prostitution, and describes the high vaulted ceilings that are typical of church architecture today. In this passage we also find the words:
Ezekiel 16:26
You also played the harlot with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbors.
As I mentioned, the barge with #6 fuel oil was headed to Memphis, a city named after the ancient Egyptian city, and which has as a landmark a building styled after the pyramids.
The Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee
There is certainly much in the news to be paying attention to in this hour. God is sending many warnings of what is coming to America, and particularly to His church in her borders. It is a time to come out of Egypt and all her ways. Throw away your prosperity books and humble yourself before God. The hour is very late.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
There is so much happening in the news of late that is of significance that I find myself amazed at the witnesses being given of what is coming to America. I want to touch on several very recent news items here. Let me start by sharing a bit of historical information on Port Isabel and South Padre Island, where Hurricane Dolly came ashore yesterday. This information was sent to me by a brother in Christ.
Historic Port Isabel
Welcome to historic Port Isabel, the "Point" of the Laguna Madre with a 30-foot bluff where the Point Isabel Lighthouse now stands. The point's strategic location was instrumental to the settlement of Point Isabel and early maritime industry.
The Coahilitecan Indians originally inhabited this land. During the 1500s, Spain sent explorers to the area, but the land remained inhospitable to European settlements until the mid-1700s when Spain awarded land grants to new colonists. Doña Rosa Maria Hinojosa inherited several land grants including the Santa Isabella Land Grant on the Texas coast. Her son, Padre Nicholas Balli, later obtained the grant to what is now Padre Island.
The Texas coast gained importance to Mexico, the U.S., and smugglers from both countries during the 1800s. Legend has it that pirate Jean Lafitte took refuge in this area and dug a well in Laguna Vista. Local ranchers formed business alliances with pirates who sailed their contraband between the Rio Grande and Corpus Christi. During the 1830s, Don Rafael Garcia established El Fronton de Santa Isabel (Point Isabel) to become the base for the growing Port of Matarnoros and the privateer fleet.
In 1846, Fort Polk, named in honor of President Polk, was established on this site as a supply unit for the U.S./Mexican War. Many notable men, including Zachary Taylor, Ulysses S. Grant, and Robert E. Lee, were stationed at this fort. In 1852, the Point Isabel Lighthouse was built to serve the maritime industry. It survived the Civil War and numerous hurricanes, finally becoming T exas ' smallest state park in 1952.
In the early 1900s, Point Isabel became a recreational spot and at one time had the largest shrimping fleet in the nation. Wanting to attract more visitors, the newly renamed Port Isabel decided to develop a beach by removing the bluff. The hill on which the lighthouse stands is the original elevation of the area. The removed soil was used to fill in a salt flat where the Port Isabel Yacht Club is now located. Several businesses and a hotel replaced the historic homes that once surrounded the Lighthouse Square. The booming tourist trade, however, bypassed Port Isabel for South Padre Island.
Today , the Port Isabel Lighthouse Square has blossomed once again with shops, restaurants, and museums.
[End Article]
After reading this, I sent the following note to the brother who provided the information.
The history of this area paints quite a picture. It is interesting to see how this history also weaves together all three of the locations mentioned in the writing I posted on Hurricane Dolly; Port Isabel, South Padre Island and Corpus Christi. That there was "illegal commerce" between these locations is a picture of the idolatrous and immoral influence of Jezebel upon the body of Christ.
It is mentioned here that the largest shrimping fleet in the nation was once located here. In the Old Testament God gave the criteria by which all seafood was to be judged as clean, or unclean. Seafood had to have fins and scales, and shrimp have not been considered to have met this criteria. Much of the seafood that fails to pass this test are scavengers, and shrimp are certainly among them. Shrimp are bottom feeders, and they are known to eat the sores off of fish. (I apologize if you were about to sit down to a nice shrimp cocktail.) What is interesting to me is what is symbolized in this. In the passage from Revelation that speaks of Jezebel, and her influence upon the church, we read the following:
Revelation 2:20
But I have this against you, that lyou tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray, so that they commit acts of immorality andeat things sacrificed to idols.
Revelation is a book of symbolic language. Eating things sacrificed to idols is a parable of those who are feeding on doctrines of demons. God lays the blame for providing these detestable foods to His church at the feet of Jezebel. There are many who qualify to be labeled as Jezebels today, who are providing things for the children of God to feed upon that are detestable in God’s sight. They are passing off doctrines of demons as the word of truth. The result is much sickness in the body of Christ resulting from embracing immorality and idolatry.
In Hurricane Dolly there is a warning of the judgment to come upon those promoting idolatry and immorality in the church. To find out who they are just go to a local Christian bookstore and look at the list of Christians best sellers. Paul’s prophecy is being fulfilled where the people of God have heaped up to themselves teachers to tickle their ears and tell them the things they want to hear. In this last hour the church will not endure sound doctrine, but have turned aside to myths and fables. Even what is being touted as revival in this hour is of this nature. There is clear idolatry present, and many impure teachings being presented to the body of Christ which distract from a pure devotion to Christ. God will give sorrow to the body of Christ that she might be purified from her idolatrous and immoral ways.
This message has been coming forth for many years. The events of 911 spoke of God’s judgment upon a people who have used their liberty to pursue all of the things of the world. The World Trade Centers were located on Church Street and Liberty Street in Manhattan, and the church has been filled with the noise of the merchants and money changers for generations now. Look at the best selling authors, and the popular television ministries. They are all promoting prosperity, worldly success, and a feel good gospel that promises material blessings now and heaven when you die. James called such ones “adulteresses,” but such straight talking is seldom heard today.
Mississippi River Collision
I had noted yesterday that there was a collision between a ship and barge on the Mississippi river near New Orleans. I looked at it again today when a brother in Christ mentioned to me that there were 22 crew members on board the ship involved. I also noted that the barge, which was split in two and sunk spilling all of its contents, was carrying #6 Fuel Oil. The numbers 6 and 22 together speak of God’s judgment on the flesh. 6 is the number of the flesh man, and 22, as noted in yesterday’s blog, is the number of judgment upon sinful flesh.
If you have read the writings on the Heart4God website that speak of the Hurricanes of 2004-2005, you will have noted that these multiple hurricanes that struck the United States in those years bore a message relating to God judging America for her unrighteous pursuit of oil, and for her immorality. This event on the Mississippi River yesterday at New Orleans, contains the very same symbols as the hurricanes. Both the ship and the barge were transporting oil products, and the ship bore the name Tintomara. This is a Scandinavian name of a literary character who was sexually indistinct. The person was described as either being an effeminate male, or a masculine female. Other characters in opera and music have had the same confused sexual identity.
That this collision took place at New Orleans which is renowned for its immoral festivals and decadent lifestyle, as well as being a hub for the oil industry, seems very symbolic. Interestingly, the barge filled with # 6 fuel oil was headed for Memphis, Tennessee, intended for American consumption, and it was completely destroyed and all of its contents spilled into the Mississippi. The tanker ship Tintomara was heading to Europe where its petroleum products were destined for Denmark and Germany. It suffered only minor damage and lost none of its product.
A hundred mile stretch of the Mississippi has been closed due to this collision, as the oil has polluted the river.
All shipping from the Mouth of the Mississippi has been halted, and it could be days or weeks before it is all cleaned up.
Another Crane Collapse
Recently I posted a writing on some significant crane collapses that have occurred this year in America. I did not report nearly all of them, though I had compiled a lengthy list of such events. A brother was asking me what I saw in all of them. I told him that these crane collapses were across a range of industries in America, and they typified a great collapse coming to each industry that was involved. The two cranes that collapsed in Manhattan were being used in the construction of high rise housing developments. We are seeing the demise of the housing industry even as we speak. Congress is voting now on a bailout package for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, the two huge mortgage conglomerates. Any witnessing this action should be concerned in light of what was shared in the article The Coming Enslavement of America. The legislation being passed gives the government the right to buy stock in these huge corporations, and for the Federal Reserve to supply financial resources to them. In one fell swoop, one half of all mortgages in America will be transferred to the control of the government and Federal Reserve. It is one thing to owe your money to a bank that can harass you with phone calls when you get behind on your payments. It is quite another to owe money to the government who has authorized the use of the military against her citizens and can lock a person up without charging them and hold them indefinitely without trial. The borrower is the lenders slave.
There have been cranes that have fallen in other areas of significance. A crane collapsed working on a highway overpass. This is a symbol of the collapse of America’s infrastructure.
Another collapsed at an oil refinery in Houston. There have been so many witnesses of the collapse of America’s oil industry that there can be no doubt this is coming. Another collapse occurred at the construction site for the new Dallas Cowboys football stadium. This is a symbol of God’s judgment upon America’s idolatry over sports and sports stars.
There was a collapse of a building at MGM Universal Studios when a fire broke out and destroyed a large production lot. This speaks of judgment to come upon Hollywood, and the immorality and idolatry clearly seen there.
There was the collapse of a grain silo in Nebraska. The silo was 110 feet tall, and it stood next to an identical silo that was hit in its collapse, requiring that it be taken down as well. A parallel is seen to this in the World Trade Towers which were each 110 stories tall. The collapse of the grain silos speaks of the collapse of America’s food supply.
There have been other strange events similar to this, such as that which occurred on June 11th of this year when an explosion occurred in a grain storage facility near Thackery, Ohio destroying 400,000 bushels of corn. One witness described it as like an atomic bomb going off. Great damage was done to the facility in what was described as a “rare event.”
Today, another crane toppled over while installing a steeple on a church in Oklahoma City. An 80 year old man died while sitting in his car watching the work being done. The crane fell on the car, and also injured his 78 year old wife who was also in the car.
This comes a day after Hurricane Dolly bore the message of judgment coming to the people of God due to their idolatry and immorality. I noted in a previous post that on Mother’s Day a tornado struck Macon, Georgia where I reside. The churches in the town closed by the hundreds due to loss of power and impassable roads. More than one church was damaged, and I observed the steeple of one church laying on the ground afterwards. I would encourage those who are interested to read Ezekiel chapter 16 to read a description that is well fitted to the Christian religious system of the day. In this chapter God describes the buildings His people meet in as houses of prostitution, and describes the high vaulted ceilings that are typical of church architecture today. In this passage we also find the words:
Ezekiel 16:26
You also played the harlot with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbors.
As I mentioned, the barge with #6 fuel oil was headed to Memphis, a city named after the ancient Egyptian city, and which has as a landmark a building styled after the pyramids.
The Pyramid Arena in Memphis, Tennessee
There is certainly much in the news to be paying attention to in this hour. God is sending many warnings of what is coming to America, and particularly to His church in her borders. It is a time to come out of Egypt and all her ways. Throw away your prosperity books and humble yourself before God. The hour is very late.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Hurricane Dolly
Joseph Herrin (07-23-08)
Dolly officially became a hurricane at the 4:00 PM (Central Time) update of the National Hurricane Center on July 22nd, 2008. There are numerous significant details in what I have just shared with you.
Four is a number symbolizing humility, being related to the earth. Humus, the organic composition of soil, and humility share a common root. Man was formed of the dust of the earth, and to dust (humus) he will return. From beginning to end man’s existence is humble, and God would have mankind to recognize this condition. Yet man is ever exalting himself, causing God to resist man’s efforts and thoughts, and to bring him again and again to a condition of abasement.
Dolly became a hurricane on the 22nd day of the month. Those who have been reading this blog for some time will recognize the number 22 as being significant of flesh cutting, the abasement of the flesh, and the cutting off of wickedness. Doing a search of the occurrences of the number 22 in Scripture will reveal a profound association with the removal of wicked rulers, such as that observed in the following verses.
I Kings 16:29-31
Now Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD more than all who were before him.
Ahab was reputed to be the most wicked king of Israel, and God cut him off in his 22nd year of reigning. We see the association of the number 22 and the removal of wickedness, an association that is repeated many times. Jeroboam was the king that made all Israel to sin by establishing idols in Dan and Beersheba. We read the following of Jeroboam.
I Kings 14:20
And the time that Jeroboam reigned was twenty-two years; and he slept with his fathers.
Once more we see wickedness and idolatry judged at the end of 22 years.
II Kings 8:26-27
Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri king of Israel. And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of Yahweh, like the house of Ahab had done, because he was a son-in-law of the house of Ahab.
Ahaziah began in evil, and there was nothing pleasing in him. He was 22 years old when he began his reign and was cut-off after one year. This same pattern is seen in the life of King Amon who was cut-off due to his idolatry.
II Kings 21:19-21
Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. And he did evil in the sight of Yahweh, as Manasseh his father had done. For he walked in all the way that his father had walked, and served the idols that his father had served and worshiped them.
We noted that Ahab was cut-off after 22 years of reigning. Ahab manifested a true humility before God on a number of occasions, and he would not have been the wicked king he became apart from the influence of his wife Jezebel.
I Kings 21:25-26
Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of Yahweh, because Jezebel his wife incited him. And he acted very abominably in following idols...
Port Isabel Damage
Hurricane Dolly’s eye passed directly over Port Isabel, Texas, doing much damage there. Isabel is a variation of the name Jezebel. In 2003 I wrote an article about Hurricane Isabel, and I will quote from it here:
What then is the message of Hurricane Isabel? In researching the etymology of the name Isabel I have found that there is discord concerning the name’s origin. Some state that Isabel is a foreign form of the English name Elizabeth, while others contend that it is derived from the name Jezebel. Interestingly, when I did a search on the names Isabel and Jezebel together I came up with dozens of links to a theatrical production called “Isabel is a Jezebel.” I believe that there is great significance in this, and that in understanding the message of Hurricane Isabel we must understand that Isabel is a Jezebel...
According to Strong’s Dictionary of Greek and Hebrew words, both the Greek New Testament and the Hebrew Old Testament pronunciation of the name Jezebel bears a striking resemblance to the name Isabel. Following is how Strong’s records it.
NT:2403
Iezabel (ee-ed-zab-ale'); of Hebrew origin [OT:348]; Jezabel (i.e. Jezebel), a Tyrian woman (used as a synonym of a termagant or false teacher):
OT:348
'Iyzebel (ee-zeh'-bel); from OT:336 and OT:2083; Izebel, the wife of king Ahab:
[End Excerpt]
The website www.behindthename.com provides an identical pronunciation for Isabel as that of the Hebrew Jezebel. Jezebel is not a name reserved only for the Old Testament. The name is found in the last book of the New Testament as well.
Revelation 2:20-23
“But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.”
Note that the two things attributed to Jezebel as sins, leading the people of God to immorality and idolatry, were the same sins as Jezebel of the Old Testament, and the same sins for which God cut-off many wicked kings of Israel, including Ahab who was married to Jezebel. It is for a similar transgression that God is judging the church in this hour. Hurricane Dolly came ashore near South Padre Island and Port Isabel, and the storm surge and other effects from Dolly were reported as far as Corpus Christi, which is Latin for “the body of Christ.”
What is signified in all of these things? Let us look at the name Dolly to discern a profound message. According to the website www.behindthename.com, the name Dolly is a diminutive of the names Dorothy and Dolores. Looking further we see that Dorothy means “gift of God,” and Dolores “means "sorrows", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary María de los Dolores, meaning "Mary of Sorrows."” Combining the meanings of these two names that are both related to Dolly, we find the meaning to be “the gift of God is sorrows,” or “God gives sorrows.”
Taking all the elements we have defined together, we arrive at the following message found in this hurricane.
Due to idolatry and wickedness God will cut-off evil from the Body of Christ by giving her sorrows. God will humble the Body of Christ. He will judge the fathers (Padres, pictured in Ahab), and He will bring forth purity from the body of Christ.
As I have pondered these things I have been reminded of a passage from the prophet Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 9:5-6
"Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity, and do not spare. Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary." So they started with the elders who were before the temple.
The body of Christ is the temple of God. Dolly struck South Padre Island (the fathers - elders) before striking Corpus Christi. Yet it is symbolized in Dolly that God will give sorrow to all. He will not spare old men, young men, maidens, little children, or women. Only those who have the seal of God on their foreheads will be spared. Who are these with the mark?
Ezekiel 9:4
"Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst."
Only the righteous will be spared, those who have separated themselves from the idolatry and immorality of the nation. Surely God is giving many signs of that which is coming. What will come will appear suddenly, even as Dolly became a hurricane just one day before striking land. It is a time to separate oneself from all that defiles. It is not a time to tolerate Jezebel in the midst of God’s people. It is a time for the church fathers to cast out Jezebel for she is influencing the body of Christ to consume that which is detestable in God’s sight, and to act wickedly.
May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
Dolly officially became a hurricane at the 4:00 PM (Central Time) update of the National Hurricane Center on July 22nd, 2008. There are numerous significant details in what I have just shared with you.
Four is a number symbolizing humility, being related to the earth. Humus, the organic composition of soil, and humility share a common root. Man was formed of the dust of the earth, and to dust (humus) he will return. From beginning to end man’s existence is humble, and God would have mankind to recognize this condition. Yet man is ever exalting himself, causing God to resist man’s efforts and thoughts, and to bring him again and again to a condition of abasement.
Dolly became a hurricane on the 22nd day of the month. Those who have been reading this blog for some time will recognize the number 22 as being significant of flesh cutting, the abasement of the flesh, and the cutting off of wickedness. Doing a search of the occurrences of the number 22 in Scripture will reveal a profound association with the removal of wicked rulers, such as that observed in the following verses.
I Kings 16:29-31
Now Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD more than all who were before him.
Ahab was reputed to be the most wicked king of Israel, and God cut him off in his 22nd year of reigning. We see the association of the number 22 and the removal of wickedness, an association that is repeated many times. Jeroboam was the king that made all Israel to sin by establishing idols in Dan and Beersheba. We read the following of Jeroboam.
I Kings 14:20
And the time that Jeroboam reigned was twenty-two years; and he slept with his fathers.
Once more we see wickedness and idolatry judged at the end of 22 years.
II Kings 8:26-27
Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri king of Israel. And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of Yahweh, like the house of Ahab had done, because he was a son-in-law of the house of Ahab.
Ahaziah began in evil, and there was nothing pleasing in him. He was 22 years old when he began his reign and was cut-off after one year. This same pattern is seen in the life of King Amon who was cut-off due to his idolatry.
II Kings 21:19-21
Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. And he did evil in the sight of Yahweh, as Manasseh his father had done. For he walked in all the way that his father had walked, and served the idols that his father had served and worshiped them.
We noted that Ahab was cut-off after 22 years of reigning. Ahab manifested a true humility before God on a number of occasions, and he would not have been the wicked king he became apart from the influence of his wife Jezebel.
I Kings 21:25-26
Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of Yahweh, because Jezebel his wife incited him. And he acted very abominably in following idols...
Port Isabel Damage
Hurricane Dolly’s eye passed directly over Port Isabel, Texas, doing much damage there. Isabel is a variation of the name Jezebel. In 2003 I wrote an article about Hurricane Isabel, and I will quote from it here:
What then is the message of Hurricane Isabel? In researching the etymology of the name Isabel I have found that there is discord concerning the name’s origin. Some state that Isabel is a foreign form of the English name Elizabeth, while others contend that it is derived from the name Jezebel. Interestingly, when I did a search on the names Isabel and Jezebel together I came up with dozens of links to a theatrical production called “Isabel is a Jezebel.” I believe that there is great significance in this, and that in understanding the message of Hurricane Isabel we must understand that Isabel is a Jezebel...
According to Strong’s Dictionary of Greek and Hebrew words, both the Greek New Testament and the Hebrew Old Testament pronunciation of the name Jezebel bears a striking resemblance to the name Isabel. Following is how Strong’s records it.
NT:2403
Iezabel (ee-ed-zab-ale'); of Hebrew origin [OT:348]; Jezabel (i.e. Jezebel), a Tyrian woman (used as a synonym of a termagant or false teacher):
OT:348
'Iyzebel (ee-zeh'-bel); from OT:336 and OT:2083; Izebel, the wife of king Ahab:
[End Excerpt]
The website www.behindthename.com provides an identical pronunciation for Isabel as that of the Hebrew Jezebel. Jezebel is not a name reserved only for the Old Testament. The name is found in the last book of the New Testament as well.
Revelation 2:20-23
“But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.”
Note that the two things attributed to Jezebel as sins, leading the people of God to immorality and idolatry, were the same sins as Jezebel of the Old Testament, and the same sins for which God cut-off many wicked kings of Israel, including Ahab who was married to Jezebel. It is for a similar transgression that God is judging the church in this hour. Hurricane Dolly came ashore near South Padre Island and Port Isabel, and the storm surge and other effects from Dolly were reported as far as Corpus Christi, which is Latin for “the body of Christ.”
What is signified in all of these things? Let us look at the name Dolly to discern a profound message. According to the website www.behindthename.com, the name Dolly is a diminutive of the names Dorothy and Dolores. Looking further we see that Dorothy means “gift of God,” and Dolores “means "sorrows", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary María de los Dolores, meaning "Mary of Sorrows."” Combining the meanings of these two names that are both related to Dolly, we find the meaning to be “the gift of God is sorrows,” or “God gives sorrows.”
Taking all the elements we have defined together, we arrive at the following message found in this hurricane.
Due to idolatry and wickedness God will cut-off evil from the Body of Christ by giving her sorrows. God will humble the Body of Christ. He will judge the fathers (Padres, pictured in Ahab), and He will bring forth purity from the body of Christ.
As I have pondered these things I have been reminded of a passage from the prophet Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 9:5-6
"Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity, and do not spare. Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary." So they started with the elders who were before the temple.
The body of Christ is the temple of God. Dolly struck South Padre Island (the fathers - elders) before striking Corpus Christi. Yet it is symbolized in Dolly that God will give sorrow to all. He will not spare old men, young men, maidens, little children, or women. Only those who have the seal of God on their foreheads will be spared. Who are these with the mark?
Ezekiel 9:4
"Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst."
Only the righteous will be spared, those who have separated themselves from the idolatry and immorality of the nation. Surely God is giving many signs of that which is coming. What will come will appear suddenly, even as Dolly became a hurricane just one day before striking land. It is a time to separate oneself from all that defiles. It is not a time to tolerate Jezebel in the midst of God’s people. It is a time for the church fathers to cast out Jezebel for she is influencing the body of Christ to consume that which is detestable in God’s sight, and to act wickedly.
May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
A Prophecy and a Dream
Joseph Herrin (07-22-08)
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I wanted to pass along to you a prophecy and a dream that I received from two Believers today. Both are remarkable, and speak of great and terrible things that are about to come upon the earth. May you be blessed with peace and understanding as you read them.
From a believer who prefers to be known as Gus, I received the following prophetic word received from the Spirit of Christ on July 8, 2008.
Say unto My people that Lo! I am coming quickly. My rod of judgment is in My left hand; My reward is in My right hand. These things happen simultaneously - judgment and reward - to awaken the world to My righteousness and mercy. Only a few shall remain standing after the initial move, but these few comprise the “little” stone cut out of the mountain without hands. They shall grow and multiply until My glory covers the earth and the saints of the Most High completely overcome the kingdoms of this world and establish My kingdom in the earth.
Yet a very little while and you shall see My glory manifested in My seed, My sons. These are those whose lives are totally mine. They have no desires of their own. Their only desire is to do our Father’s perfect will and to glorify Him in their lives. No other hope or expectation governs their thoughts or their actions. This is the army spoke of by the prophet Joel. They are doing great things in My strength, because they have none of their own. They have become as ashes in their self-lives so that I, the Conqueror, might rise from them and overcome all evil. It is through their deaths to self that I am given Life. Together we shall deliver all creation and return it to our Father Creator. This has begun and shall continue until God becomes ALL in all. Keep looking up and believe!
[End Prophecy]
The sister in Christ who received this prophetic word was led to my website through a roundabout manner, and there she encountered the writing Bootes - He is Coming! When she saw the image of the constellation Bootes, she was struck by the correspondence between it and the prophecy the Spirit had given to her.
Bootes means “the Coming One.” If you want to read about this spectacular sign in the heavens, you can find the article here: http://www.heart4god.ws/id655.htm
I also received the following dream, and interpretation today that was received by David Weber.
In this dream I was on a plane; in the rear of the plane, actually, where I felt more like an observer than I did a passenger. This plane seemed as though it was preparing for a landing for we were slowly descending, but during this descent something went terribly wrong. In an instant it seemed as though the pilots completely lost control of the plane, and the plane then took a nosedive. It was headed directly for the ground.
Now, the pilots at this time were panicking while trying to pull us out of the dive. I knew though that we were going to crash, but I had no fear. None at all.
For some reason, the cockpit of this plane was not separated from the rest of the cabin, so I could actually see the pilots panicking as well as see through the front windshield of the plane to the ground below. I must say that I was actually quite taken in at this time by the view that I saw through the windshield. There I saw lush green trees and beautiful blue water, though I knew that we were not going to land in these things apart from a very great calamity.
I then woke up ....
Now after praying considerably about this dream, it seems that the Spirit bears witness that the plane represents the United States of America and the pilots somehow represent the "leaders." It seems that the "slow descent" of this plane represents the presently faltering US economy, which somehow is going to take a nosedive ... and that quite suddenly.
I find it interesting that I had absolutely no fear through any of this, and I believe that this represents the people of God who find their peace (and put their trust) in God alone and not in their outward circumstances. I also believe that the view of the green foliage and of the blue water below represents vision for the blessings of God that will come to those who actually survive (in heart) this calamitous "crash."
It seems that Daddy is now giving many of us a "heads up" about things like this, beloved, lest these things come to us like "a thief in the night." Oh sure, many do not want to hear about such things, for "Peace and safety!" is all that their itching ears want to hear right now! But the scriptures are clear that sudden destruction will come upon such as these like birth pangs come upon a woman with child, and these then shall be overwhelmed with fear to the extent that their hearts may even fail them.
But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that things like this should overtake you like a thief, for you are all sons of light and sons of day! So let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober -- fully prepared for whatever may come our way.
[End Quote]
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I wanted to pass along to you a prophecy and a dream that I received from two Believers today. Both are remarkable, and speak of great and terrible things that are about to come upon the earth. May you be blessed with peace and understanding as you read them.
From a believer who prefers to be known as Gus, I received the following prophetic word received from the Spirit of Christ on July 8, 2008.
Say unto My people that Lo! I am coming quickly. My rod of judgment is in My left hand; My reward is in My right hand. These things happen simultaneously - judgment and reward - to awaken the world to My righteousness and mercy. Only a few shall remain standing after the initial move, but these few comprise the “little” stone cut out of the mountain without hands. They shall grow and multiply until My glory covers the earth and the saints of the Most High completely overcome the kingdoms of this world and establish My kingdom in the earth.
Yet a very little while and you shall see My glory manifested in My seed, My sons. These are those whose lives are totally mine. They have no desires of their own. Their only desire is to do our Father’s perfect will and to glorify Him in their lives. No other hope or expectation governs their thoughts or their actions. This is the army spoke of by the prophet Joel. They are doing great things in My strength, because they have none of their own. They have become as ashes in their self-lives so that I, the Conqueror, might rise from them and overcome all evil. It is through their deaths to self that I am given Life. Together we shall deliver all creation and return it to our Father Creator. This has begun and shall continue until God becomes ALL in all. Keep looking up and believe!
[End Prophecy]
The sister in Christ who received this prophetic word was led to my website through a roundabout manner, and there she encountered the writing Bootes - He is Coming! When she saw the image of the constellation Bootes, she was struck by the correspondence between it and the prophecy the Spirit had given to her.
Bootes means “the Coming One.” If you want to read about this spectacular sign in the heavens, you can find the article here: http://www.heart4god.ws/id655.htm
I also received the following dream, and interpretation today that was received by David Weber.
In this dream I was on a plane; in the rear of the plane, actually, where I felt more like an observer than I did a passenger. This plane seemed as though it was preparing for a landing for we were slowly descending, but during this descent something went terribly wrong. In an instant it seemed as though the pilots completely lost control of the plane, and the plane then took a nosedive. It was headed directly for the ground.
Now, the pilots at this time were panicking while trying to pull us out of the dive. I knew though that we were going to crash, but I had no fear. None at all.
For some reason, the cockpit of this plane was not separated from the rest of the cabin, so I could actually see the pilots panicking as well as see through the front windshield of the plane to the ground below. I must say that I was actually quite taken in at this time by the view that I saw through the windshield. There I saw lush green trees and beautiful blue water, though I knew that we were not going to land in these things apart from a very great calamity.
I then woke up ....
Now after praying considerably about this dream, it seems that the Spirit bears witness that the plane represents the United States of America and the pilots somehow represent the "leaders." It seems that the "slow descent" of this plane represents the presently faltering US economy, which somehow is going to take a nosedive ... and that quite suddenly.
I find it interesting that I had absolutely no fear through any of this, and I believe that this represents the people of God who find their peace (and put their trust) in God alone and not in their outward circumstances. I also believe that the view of the green foliage and of the blue water below represents vision for the blessings of God that will come to those who actually survive (in heart) this calamitous "crash."
It seems that Daddy is now giving many of us a "heads up" about things like this, beloved, lest these things come to us like "a thief in the night." Oh sure, many do not want to hear about such things, for "Peace and safety!" is all that their itching ears want to hear right now! But the scriptures are clear that sudden destruction will come upon such as these like birth pangs come upon a woman with child, and these then shall be overwhelmed with fear to the extent that their hearts may even fail them.
But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that things like this should overtake you like a thief, for you are all sons of light and sons of day! So let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober -- fully prepared for whatever may come our way.
[End Quote]
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
Monday, July 21, 2008
More Signs and Witnesses
Joseph Herrin (07-21-08)
Stop for a moment and look around you. What do you see? If you are at work, do you see business going on as it has for years? If you are at home, do you see the normalcy of routine, the ebb and flow of the daily patterns of living? Does it not seem like things have always been the same, and that they will continue indefinitely? This may truly be how things appear, but the appearance is a lie.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the... conviction of things not seen.
The sons and daughters of God are not to walk by sight and hearing. To do so is a trap that leads to spiritual blindness. We have other senses that we are to live by, spiritual senses gained when we were born again of the Spirit of God. Yahshua said, “Unless you have been born again, you cannot SEE the kingdom of God.” We have spiritual senses by which we can receive the thoughts of God and act upon them as the reality of our lives. If you are doing your reckoning according to the report of your natural senses and rational thought, then you are not seeing things as you ought to.
What has God said about your life, the hour you live in, and the things coming swiftly upon the earth? I have shared much about these matters in recent years, and there is an acceleration of signs in this late hour. America will collapse, never to rise again to a glorified status in the world. Israel will lose her protector that has usurped this position from God. The powers of the nations will be realigned. We live in an hour when many of the most momentous prophecies of the Scriptures are set to be fulfilled. It will be a day of woe and great trouble. The earth will experience birth pangs. Fear and panic will be felt by the nations. Men’s hearts will fail them for fear in the anticipation of the things coming upon the earth.
As I look around at the churches in America, I see no awareness of the lateness of the hour; no anticipation of how severely life is about to change. Christians are still spending money, still buying houses and lands and cars and furniture as if all will go one into perpetuity. This is madness; madness precipitated by spiritual blindness. The apostle Paul declared:
I Thessalonians 5:2-6
For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
There has never been a need for greater vigilance and sobriety. But most are sleeping. They are acting in a manner that is lacking sober judgment. I was encouraged a few days ago when I received an e-mail providing a testimony of a woman had attended a seminar in Atlanta where Kay Arthur spoke. She revealed that Kay Arthur had spoken in a very blunt manner about coming judgment, and her words and demeanor were noticeably unorthodox, being a departure from what was anticipated. I went out to the Internet to see if I could verify the facts of this testimony, and I was indeed able to do so from a number of sources. Therefore, I want to share it with you. Following is the testimony from a woman named Beth.
On June 27th and 28th I attended a conference in Atlanta called "Deeper Still." Internationally known speakers Kay Arthur, Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer were there and I looked forward to a special time of worship and having God convict me of my sins and lead me to areas in my life where I need to change. I have been to similar conferences for years, although none this large and with so many well-known speakers. There were over 20,000 women in attendance at the Phillips Arena in Atlanta- they said it was the largest crowd ever. I had an idea of what to expect from the conference, but nothing prepared me for what actually happened. I feel led to share my experience with family and friends. This is important, so stay with me!
When Kay Arthur took the stage you could just tell that her spirit was heavy and there was a certain "heaviness" in the atmosphere even before she started to speak. She said that she had been literally physically sick to have to bring us this message and right out the gate she said, We are in grave danger." She said that God had revealed to her that a literal famine is coming to America. Physical, not spiritual. She said that God is moving in judgment against our nation. I know I can't describe this well enough, but the atmosphere was ominous. Kay is a seasoned speaker and she had to BATTLE to get through her message. She stumbled over scriptures and had an extremely difficult time. At times I was almost expecting her to collapse. At one point she just had to stop and pray. There was no person, myself included, that I could see who did not have tears streaming down their faces.
As you may know, Kay Arthur is normally a very confident, composed speaker, but she was literally in a spiritual battle and it was taking place right before my eyes. I have never seen anything like it. She went on to give 7 things that Christians must do during this time and I am going to give those to you now:
1. Jer 4:3- Break up the fallow ground- return to Me. Repent. Get on your face before God and ask him to break your heart with the things that break His heart.
2. Mourn- Jer. 9:17-18 and Ezekial 9. It is time to weep because our nation's sin is incredible.
3. Pray- Jer 36:7- Pray fervently, passionately for America.
4. Love God's Word- Jer. 20. You MUST love the Word of God and be in the Word of God. I was particularly convicted here because I know I have not been as deeply in His Word as I need to be. She said we must get serious about this.
5. Love others as Jesus loved them. Jer. 31:3 and John 13:34.
6. Introduce people to Jesus Christ. It's time to get serious about this. This is no time for timidity. Jer. 31:31; Jer. 33:1-9 and 15 and 17.
7. Rest. If you will do these things, then rest in the fact that you have done God's will. She said that it is going to be vitally important for us to get enough physical rest.
She went on to say that God has not given us a spirit of fear and that if we are obedient to Him, we will be protected. She said to read Ezekiel 14 over and over until you understand it. This is what God will do if a country turns against Him. She said that this is going to be a calamity ( she used the word calamity in such a way that you knew this is going to be no small thing) for our country, and gave many more scripture references, but what I have given you are the main points that she made. I hope you know that I would not have sent this to you if I had not been profoundly affected by it and feel it is of great importance to share it.
[End Letter]
Following is the passage from Ezekiel 14 that is relevant to what was shared.
Ezekiel 14:12-23
Then the word of Yahweh came to me saying, "Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it, and cut off from it both man and beast, even though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves, "declares Yahweh God. "If I were to cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they depopulated it, and it became desolate so that no one would pass through it because of the beasts, though these three men were in its midst, as I live, "declares Yahweh God," they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the country would be desolate. Or if I should bring a sword on that country and say, 'Let the sword pass through the country and cut off man and beast from it,' even though these three men were in its midst, as I live, "declares Yahweh God," they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters, but they alone would be delivered. Or if I should send a plague against that country and pour out My wrath in blood on it, to cut off man and beast from it, even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, as I live, "declares Yahweh God," they could not deliver either their son or their daughter. They would deliver only themselves by their righteousness."
For thus says Yahweh God, "How much more when I send My four severe judgments against Jerusalem: sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague to cut off man and beast from it! Yet, behold, survivors will be left in it who will be brought out, both sons and daughters. Behold, they are going to come forth to you and you will see their conduct and actions; then you will be comforted for the calamity which I have brought against Jerusalem for everything which I have brought upon it. Then they will comfort you when you see their conduct and actions, for you will know that I have not done in vain whatever I did to it," declares Yahweh God.
The essence of this passage is that when a nation turns to sin, God will not withhold His judgment, nor show mercy. He will judge severely, yet the outcome will reveal the wisdom of God’s actions, for a remnant will be brought through the judgments whose lives will be turned to righteousness. Considering the depths of depravity and selfishness in America, how severe must the judgment be? Previous judgments have already come, and America has continued on the course she was set upon, even accelerating her transgressions. America has seen New Orleans devastated by two hurricanes a month apart when she was about to host a debauched festival called Southern Decadence. We have seen California erupt in flames the day after the Governor signed a law permitting homosexual marriages. We have witnessed catastrophic flooding in the Mid West, following hard on the heels of a record breaking tornado season. We are seeing the collapse of the economy with over a million homes in foreclosure, the dollar falling against world currencies, gasoline increasing in price 100 percent a year, and premier industries such as General Motors on the verge of bankruptcy. We are hearing news accounts reporting a growing trend of people paying their monthly bills with credit cards, as if they can borrow themselves out of trouble. We are seeing major investment banks and thrifts failing, but the church and the people of America have not changed their behavior a bit.
We are seeing signs of collapse all over. The day after I posted the recent writing on the collapsing cranes in New York, the news reported a further crane collapse, this one being at an oil refinery, and it was reported to be the largest mobile crane in America.
Just before this I had reported on the two Miss USA contestants that had fallen two years in a row at the Miss Universe competition. The news then reported the fall of two American Olympic Athletes, one of which broke her left leg, and the other her right leg.
Shayla Worley broke her leg last week, knocking her out of the gymnastics competition where she was a leading contender on the parallel bars.
Three days earlier, Abby Wambach broke her leg. She was the leading scorer on America’s women’s soccer team.
Everywhere that America is seeking to arise, she is getting knocked back. Collapse is everywhere, and the economy will not be far behind. With it will come a collapse of food, oil, employment, health, security, and a host of other things. The hour is truly late.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
Stop for a moment and look around you. What do you see? If you are at work, do you see business going on as it has for years? If you are at home, do you see the normalcy of routine, the ebb and flow of the daily patterns of living? Does it not seem like things have always been the same, and that they will continue indefinitely? This may truly be how things appear, but the appearance is a lie.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the... conviction of things not seen.
The sons and daughters of God are not to walk by sight and hearing. To do so is a trap that leads to spiritual blindness. We have other senses that we are to live by, spiritual senses gained when we were born again of the Spirit of God. Yahshua said, “Unless you have been born again, you cannot SEE the kingdom of God.” We have spiritual senses by which we can receive the thoughts of God and act upon them as the reality of our lives. If you are doing your reckoning according to the report of your natural senses and rational thought, then you are not seeing things as you ought to.
What has God said about your life, the hour you live in, and the things coming swiftly upon the earth? I have shared much about these matters in recent years, and there is an acceleration of signs in this late hour. America will collapse, never to rise again to a glorified status in the world. Israel will lose her protector that has usurped this position from God. The powers of the nations will be realigned. We live in an hour when many of the most momentous prophecies of the Scriptures are set to be fulfilled. It will be a day of woe and great trouble. The earth will experience birth pangs. Fear and panic will be felt by the nations. Men’s hearts will fail them for fear in the anticipation of the things coming upon the earth.
As I look around at the churches in America, I see no awareness of the lateness of the hour; no anticipation of how severely life is about to change. Christians are still spending money, still buying houses and lands and cars and furniture as if all will go one into perpetuity. This is madness; madness precipitated by spiritual blindness. The apostle Paul declared:
I Thessalonians 5:2-6
For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
There has never been a need for greater vigilance and sobriety. But most are sleeping. They are acting in a manner that is lacking sober judgment. I was encouraged a few days ago when I received an e-mail providing a testimony of a woman had attended a seminar in Atlanta where Kay Arthur spoke. She revealed that Kay Arthur had spoken in a very blunt manner about coming judgment, and her words and demeanor were noticeably unorthodox, being a departure from what was anticipated. I went out to the Internet to see if I could verify the facts of this testimony, and I was indeed able to do so from a number of sources. Therefore, I want to share it with you. Following is the testimony from a woman named Beth.
On June 27th and 28th I attended a conference in Atlanta called "Deeper Still." Internationally known speakers Kay Arthur, Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer were there and I looked forward to a special time of worship and having God convict me of my sins and lead me to areas in my life where I need to change. I have been to similar conferences for years, although none this large and with so many well-known speakers. There were over 20,000 women in attendance at the Phillips Arena in Atlanta- they said it was the largest crowd ever. I had an idea of what to expect from the conference, but nothing prepared me for what actually happened. I feel led to share my experience with family and friends. This is important, so stay with me!
When Kay Arthur took the stage you could just tell that her spirit was heavy and there was a certain "heaviness" in the atmosphere even before she started to speak. She said that she had been literally physically sick to have to bring us this message and right out the gate she said, We are in grave danger." She said that God had revealed to her that a literal famine is coming to America. Physical, not spiritual. She said that God is moving in judgment against our nation. I know I can't describe this well enough, but the atmosphere was ominous. Kay is a seasoned speaker and she had to BATTLE to get through her message. She stumbled over scriptures and had an extremely difficult time. At times I was almost expecting her to collapse. At one point she just had to stop and pray. There was no person, myself included, that I could see who did not have tears streaming down their faces.
As you may know, Kay Arthur is normally a very confident, composed speaker, but she was literally in a spiritual battle and it was taking place right before my eyes. I have never seen anything like it. She went on to give 7 things that Christians must do during this time and I am going to give those to you now:
1. Jer 4:3- Break up the fallow ground- return to Me. Repent. Get on your face before God and ask him to break your heart with the things that break His heart.
2. Mourn- Jer. 9:17-18 and Ezekial 9. It is time to weep because our nation's sin is incredible.
3. Pray- Jer 36:7- Pray fervently, passionately for America.
4. Love God's Word- Jer. 20. You MUST love the Word of God and be in the Word of God. I was particularly convicted here because I know I have not been as deeply in His Word as I need to be. She said we must get serious about this.
5. Love others as Jesus loved them. Jer. 31:3 and John 13:34.
6. Introduce people to Jesus Christ. It's time to get serious about this. This is no time for timidity. Jer. 31:31; Jer. 33:1-9 and 15 and 17.
7. Rest. If you will do these things, then rest in the fact that you have done God's will. She said that it is going to be vitally important for us to get enough physical rest.
She went on to say that God has not given us a spirit of fear and that if we are obedient to Him, we will be protected. She said to read Ezekiel 14 over and over until you understand it. This is what God will do if a country turns against Him. She said that this is going to be a calamity ( she used the word calamity in such a way that you knew this is going to be no small thing) for our country, and gave many more scripture references, but what I have given you are the main points that she made. I hope you know that I would not have sent this to you if I had not been profoundly affected by it and feel it is of great importance to share it.
[End Letter]
Following is the passage from Ezekiel 14 that is relevant to what was shared.
Ezekiel 14:12-23
Then the word of Yahweh came to me saying, "Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it, and cut off from it both man and beast, even though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves, "declares Yahweh God. "If I were to cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they depopulated it, and it became desolate so that no one would pass through it because of the beasts, though these three men were in its midst, as I live, "declares Yahweh God," they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the country would be desolate. Or if I should bring a sword on that country and say, 'Let the sword pass through the country and cut off man and beast from it,' even though these three men were in its midst, as I live, "declares Yahweh God," they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters, but they alone would be delivered. Or if I should send a plague against that country and pour out My wrath in blood on it, to cut off man and beast from it, even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, as I live, "declares Yahweh God," they could not deliver either their son or their daughter. They would deliver only themselves by their righteousness."
For thus says Yahweh God, "How much more when I send My four severe judgments against Jerusalem: sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague to cut off man and beast from it! Yet, behold, survivors will be left in it who will be brought out, both sons and daughters. Behold, they are going to come forth to you and you will see their conduct and actions; then you will be comforted for the calamity which I have brought against Jerusalem for everything which I have brought upon it. Then they will comfort you when you see their conduct and actions, for you will know that I have not done in vain whatever I did to it," declares Yahweh God.
The essence of this passage is that when a nation turns to sin, God will not withhold His judgment, nor show mercy. He will judge severely, yet the outcome will reveal the wisdom of God’s actions, for a remnant will be brought through the judgments whose lives will be turned to righteousness. Considering the depths of depravity and selfishness in America, how severe must the judgment be? Previous judgments have already come, and America has continued on the course she was set upon, even accelerating her transgressions. America has seen New Orleans devastated by two hurricanes a month apart when she was about to host a debauched festival called Southern Decadence. We have seen California erupt in flames the day after the Governor signed a law permitting homosexual marriages. We have witnessed catastrophic flooding in the Mid West, following hard on the heels of a record breaking tornado season. We are seeing the collapse of the economy with over a million homes in foreclosure, the dollar falling against world currencies, gasoline increasing in price 100 percent a year, and premier industries such as General Motors on the verge of bankruptcy. We are hearing news accounts reporting a growing trend of people paying their monthly bills with credit cards, as if they can borrow themselves out of trouble. We are seeing major investment banks and thrifts failing, but the church and the people of America have not changed their behavior a bit.
We are seeing signs of collapse all over. The day after I posted the recent writing on the collapsing cranes in New York, the news reported a further crane collapse, this one being at an oil refinery, and it was reported to be the largest mobile crane in America.
Just before this I had reported on the two Miss USA contestants that had fallen two years in a row at the Miss Universe competition. The news then reported the fall of two American Olympic Athletes, one of which broke her left leg, and the other her right leg.
Shayla Worley broke her leg last week, knocking her out of the gymnastics competition where she was a leading contender on the parallel bars.
Three days earlier, Abby Wambach broke her leg. She was the leading scorer on America’s women’s soccer team.
Everywhere that America is seeking to arise, she is getting knocked back. Collapse is everywhere, and the economy will not be far behind. With it will come a collapse of food, oil, employment, health, security, and a host of other things. The hour is truly late.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063