Day of Atonement—2018

Satan has to be removed and why the symbolic goat for Azazel was for Satan!

Fred R. Coulter—September 19, 2018

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Greetings, brethren! Welcome to the Day of Atonement! Time, as we say, continues going forward! God's plan is right on schedule, and it's all laid out according the framework of the Holy Days.

Sidebar: If you don't have our book God's Plan for Mankind Revealed by His Sabbath and Holy Days… Oh, I guess that's a wrong work today! I don't care!To those that thing being politically correct is right; it's not! It's satanic. You have to be Godly correct!

If you don't have our book God's Plan for Mankind Revealed by His Sabbath and Holy Days, you need to ge it. It is important! It is profound! The way it is in the world, religion is to help you be a nice person. God's way is that He wants you to become a son or daughter of God! Is that not greater than a 'nice' person? Yes, it is!

The reason that the world is in the mess that it is, is because of Satan the devil. This day pictures his removal. And the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles pictures his fate.

Randy Vild is our production manager for doing Church at Home—and I suggest that you watch Church at Home on a regular basis—has just finished doing The Shroud of Turin, showing what an absolute fraud, lie, cheat, deceit and wretchedness. All of that comes in this world because of Satan the devil, and men and women who give themselves over to him and the demons who help bring that all about.

That's why this day is a fast day, not eating any food or drinking any water. The problems that we face are not physical; the physical things are only a reflection of the spiritual problems. Those spiritual problems can never be resolved unless Satan and his demons are removed!

Leviticus 23:26: "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Also, on the tenth day of this seventh month, is the Day of Atonement. It shall be a Holy convocation to you. And you shall afflict your souls and offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. And you shall do no work in that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, in order to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God'" (vs 26-28). That means to be at-one with God!

Here's how important it is, v 29: "For whoever is not afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people"—meaning he won't have the blessings of God.

Verse 30: "And whoever does any work in that same day, the same one will I destroy from among his people."

That doesn't mean that He's going to kill them; that just means that if you desecrate the Day of Atonement by working, your life is going to end up being a terrible mess! And you won't know how it came about, because it will be a spiritual problem.

Now, He repeats it three times about working, so you ask: Does God mean what He says? Yes! If He says it once, it's true; twice, it's true; three times, you better pay attention!

Verse 31: "You shall do no manner of work. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be to you a Sabbath of rest, and you shall afflict yourselves. In the ninth day of the month at sunset, from sunset to sunset, you shall keep your Sabbath" (vs 31-32). That's why all the days begin at sunset!

Considering everything that God has done for us, our calling, what God has provided to us, and how God is doing things, we need to consider that in relationship not only to our lives and everything we do, but also to our offerings that we give on the Holy Days and the tithes and offerings we give regularly.

(pause for the offering)

Let's see the meaning of the day of the Feast of Atonement[transcriber's correction], and it is a Feast because it's a spiritual Feast, even though it is a fast day. The Bible tells us that 'old serpent, that ancient serpent—Satan the devil—rebelled and took a third of the stars of heaven with him' (Rev. 12); that is took a third of the angels. At that time, when he fell he became Satan the devil, and the angels that went with him became demons!

We also find that 'God created him perfect in his ways, until iniquity was found in him' and he sinned (Ezek. 28). That rebellion was the end result of that sin!

• How long was this going on?
• How long did it take to persuade a third of the angels to go with him? We don't know!
• But if we did know, what difference would it make? None!

We know that Satan's ultimate goal was 'to become like the Most High' (Isa. 14). Because of this rebellion there was war in heaven and the earth became a shambles and God had to cover it with a flood.

The rest of the story, how long between that time and God making mankind, we don't know! Even if we did know, what good would it do us? None! God wants to know:

• Do you love Me with all your heart, mind, soul and being?
• Do you?
• Really?
• In everything?

This is why we have tests, trials and difficulties! God wants to know!

Remember that when it came to Abraham, he was tried for 40 years from the time that God first called him to the offering of his only son Isaac. What did God say when Abraham reached down to get the knife to offer Isaac? Abraham!

Abraham answered and said, 'Here I am!' God said, 'Don't touch the lad! For now I know that you fear Me!'

• Wasn't God with Abraham for 40 years, all the time? Yes, indeed!
• What does this tell us? That free moral agency must always be used to do the will of God, and not to do your own thing!

As too many people do, they stamp the name of God on it! That's what all the religions of this world do, and the 'Christianity' of this world!

Satan always likes to come along—and he's got plenty of his agents—in religion teaching a false christ, a false salvation, and all of that is of Satan the devil!

That's why we have this Lev. 16 offering of the two goats. We will see that it also symbolizes that mankind alone cannot know the difference between the true God and Satan the devil, the false god of this world. God has to reveal it!

Many people know things about Satan and demons and things like this, but they don't know the true God! Or as Jesus said, 'If they're on our part, they don't speak against us.' So, there are some of those out there, as well.

The depths of Satan's sin of wanting to become like the Most High, can there be any other sin more grave or horrendous than that one? No!

There were two identical goats that were chosen for the Day of Atonement. After all the other things that Aaron was to do with the special offering for himself, his household and for Israel, here's what he was to do.

Leviticus 16:7: "And he shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation." There they are side-by-side. Just like the world: Which one is the true God? They all have the Bible. It's kind of like the Bible is the door of the tabernacle. How many million and billions of Bibles are there in the world? But how many still serve Satan the devil? Nearly all!

Verse 8: "And Aaron shall cast lots on the two goats; one lot for the LORD and the other lot for Azazel…. [another name for Satan the devil] …And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer it for a sin offering. But the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement upon it and sent away into the wilderness for Azazel" (vs 8-10).

Why? God makes the choice! A sin offering takes away all the sins of the children of Israel. But here's the truth as to why the other one is for Satan the devil and not the stupid comment of someone who wrote a commentary a hundred years ago saying that goat 'pictures Christ taking our sins to heaven'!

God doesn't want our sins in heaven! He wants them forgiven on the earth. Those who won't repent will be burned up; God wants nothing to do with sin! The truth of the matter is that you can forgive sin all the time, but unless Satan is removed and he is held responsible for his part in our sins, which is what the live goat does, and that's why the priest confesses over them. If you don't believe that, go to Rev. 20. As soon as Satan is released, what happens? War! Brethren, it's up to all of us to stay alert and alive and be watchful for false doctrines.

Remember what Jesus said? That there will arise many false christs and many false prophets who will show great signs and wonders so to try and deceive the elect! That's happened to way too many that we even care to think about. The truth of the Bible is what we follow, not the conjectures of some men stepping out to 'create' doctrine or believe past false doctrines created by those who never had the Spirit of God!

Verse 15: "Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people…"—for the Lord, for the people; the other one was for Azazel, completely separate and different.

"…and bring its blood inside the veil. And he shall do with that blood as he did with the blood of the young bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat. And he shall make an atonement for the sanctuary because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel and because of their transgressions in all their sins. And so he shall do for the tabernacle of the congregation, which remains with them in the midst of their uncleanness" (vs 15-16).

Verse 20: "And when he has made an end of reconciling the sanctuary and the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, he shall bring the live goat. And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the sins of the children of Israel…" (vs 20-21).

Here's how this works. The offering to God forgave the people for their sins. The live goat and the confession over the head of the live goat is that Satan is the instigator and the author of sin, and he is responsible for all the sins of angels and mankind, because of his evil wickedness!

Why does he leave the goat alive? Because Satan the devil is a spirit being, and God is not going to execute him or destroy him! We find that on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, after the Lake of Fire that he's cast into, he's taken to the 'blackest darkness forever!' That's the torment that Satan and the angels [demons] have talked about! Not just the torment of being thrown into the Lake of Fire.

"…and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat…" (v 21). When God said to Eve. 'Why did you do it?'

• What did Eve say? The serpent, he persuaded me!
• Was that a sin of Satan to do so? Yes!
• Was that sin of Eve to obey him? Yes!

If you're going to get rid of sin, you've got to remove Satan!

"…and shall send it away by the hand of a chosen man into the wilderness…. [that's like the angel in Rev. 20] …And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities to a land in which no one lives…." (vs 21-22).

How can that be heaven? God lives there forever! The wilderness is where Satan lives!

"…And he shall let the goat go in the wilderness" (v 22). That's symbolizing his day is coming, but it hasn't yet arrived!

Verse 23: "And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall strip off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the sanctuary, and shall leave them there. And he shall wash his flesh with water in the Holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself and for the people. And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar. And he that let go the goat for Azazel shall wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp" (vs 23-26).

Verse 29: "And it shall be a statute forever to you: in the seventh month, on the tenth of the month, you shall afflict your souls and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country or a stranger who is living among you, for on that day an atonement shall be made for you, to cleanse you, so that you may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. It shall be a Sabbath of rest to you, and you shall afflict your souls, by a statute forever" (vs 29-31).

This Day of Atonement this year is on a Wednesday, and it's very unusual to have a Day of Atonement on a Wednesday; it does not happen very often. It happens this year, and it happens next year. We have not had during a period of ten years where you would have this sequence. There was no Passover (Atonement???) on the 4th day of the week, during those ten years. We have one more year to go, 2019.

Leviticus 25:3: "You shall sow your field six years, and you shall prune your vineyard six years, and gather in the fruit of it."

Verse 8: "And you shall number seven Sabbaths of years to you, seven times seven years. And the time of the seven Sabbaths of years shall be forty-nine years to you. Then you shall cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; in the Day of Atonement, the trumpet shall sound throughout all your land. And you shall make the fiftieth year Holy, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee to you, and you shall return each man to his possession, and you shall return each man to his family. That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee to you. You shall not sow, neither reap that which grows of itself in it, nor gather the grapes of your undressed vine in it, for it is the jubilee. It shall be Holy to you. You shall eat the increase of it out of the field. In the year of this jubilee you shall return each man to his possession" (vs 8-13).

When Jesus began His ministry, it was in a Jubilee year on the Day of Atonement. Who dwells in the wilderness? Satan! That's what the wilderness pictured. After Jesus was baptized then He immediately went into the wilderness so that He could be confronted by Satan the devil and tempted by him.

Would He [Jesus]—as God manifested in the flesh—carrying human nature be able to withstand all of the pressure and all of the spiritual power of Satan the devil coming against Him, and yet, not sin! Though He would fast for 40 days and 40 nights!

Think about how important the Day of Atonement is! The year Jesus began His ministry was on the Day of Atonement in 26A.D. a Jubilee!

Let's see how Satan—the god of this world (2-Cor.)—comes at people. Let's notice what he wants them to do. He wants them to obey him. Is Satan able to bless those who obey him? Of course!

Matthew 4:1[transcriber's correction]: "Then Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Spirit in order to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted for forty days and forty nights, afterwards He was famished" (vs 1-2).

• Why did God do this?
• Why did Jesus do it?
• Because He had to confront Satan the devil when He was at His weakest as a human being!
• Would He rely on God?
• Would He be faithful to the Father?
• Could He resist all the temptations?

when you look at them

• Do you think any other human being could have resisted all of that? No!

Verse 3: "And when the tempter came to Him, he said, 'If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.'"

Think about it! Satan says, 'You can do it, You know that You're the Son of God; You can do it! You have the power to do it. Just think about how nice it would be, the aroma of those stones turning into fresh bread coming out of the oven. Look at You, You're weak, miserable, horrible and wretched. You need something to get your strength back, don't you?'

What did Jesus answer? Think about this in relationship to yourself and your life.

Verse 4: "But He answered and said, 'It is written…'" He always went to the Word of God. He didn't say that it's a tradition. And what is written is found in Deut. 8).

"'…"Man… [any human being, man or woman] …shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God"'" (v 4). That's the first lesson and the first test! Isn't that what Satan the devil didn't do? Yes!

What about us? Our old human nature goes in there, and we try and figure a way around it! Think about it! Think about how many people are really willing to do this.

Sidebar: All the words that God spoke concerning the sacrifices have been all fulfilled and replaced with a far superior sacrifice: Jesus Christ! The priesthood has been replaced with the ministry. Is that still the Word of God? Yes, it is!

• Only God can change something in His Word!
• No man can change it and tell God that He must obey!

That's the sin of Sunday and holiday-keeping of all the Christianity of this world!

Verse 5: "Then the devil took Him to the Holy city and set Him upon the edge of the temple… [way up there above the Valley of Kidron] …and said to Him…" (vs 5-6). Let's test You out…

• Are you really going to trust God or not?
• Do you really believe the Word of God or not?

"…'If You are the Son of God, cast Yourself down; for it is written, "He shall give His angels charge concerning You, and they shall bear You up in their hands, lest You strike Your foot against a stone"'…." (v 6). Satan quotes Scripture!

Are there a lot of these Sunday-keeping ministers that quote Scripture? Of course! You've got to make a counterfeit seem correct, but they always hop over the Sabbath and Holy Days and Passover. They all endorse the holidays of this world! So, they're not of God! Yes, they're using the Scriptures. Yes, they can help some people live better lives by following some of the Scriptures. But:

• that has nothing to do with salvation
• that's has nothing to do with knowing God
• that has nothing to do with the pure Truth of living by every Word of God

What happens when you do that? You tempt God!

Verse 7: "Jesus said to him, 'Again, it is written, "You shall not tempt the Lord your God."'" How do you tempt the Lord your God? By doing something that He said not to do, and say that God says that it's okay to do!

You're not going to jump in front of a speeding train and say, 'God, I'm testing You out to see whether You're true or not!' BANG! You aren't going to test God!

Verse 8: "After that, the devil took Him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory." Luke 4 says in a moment of time; like on a giant television screen:

• all the kingdoms
• all the cities
• all the wealth
• all the armies
• all the people

Verse 9: "And [Satan] said to Him, 'All these things… [and everything of it] …will I give You…" Now do you understand why he's called the god of this world or this age? Yes, indeed!

"'…if You will fall down and worship me'" (v 9)—because he wanted to be like the Most High. 'You can have it all.' Jesus knew that He was going to get it all sooner or later anyway, so that was stupid of Satan to suggest that! But he wanted to know.

Think of it this way: If Jesus would have said, 'If I just give a little genuflex, maybe he would go away.

Remember what happened when God told Moses to speak to the rock to bring forth water. God did tell him the time before to strike the rock, that's true. Moses was so frustrated with all the sinful, rebellious, carnal, glaring Israelites demanding water and food that he got angry and beat the rock with his staff.

For that one sin, he didn't go into the 'promised land.' Think about that! He would have violated the first commandment, the second commandment, all the commandments if he would have done that! Satan could have claimed, 'Look, I got the Son of God to worship me; I must be like the Most High!'

Do you the understand the severity of these things? Today, too many of the Churches of God are turning into heresy mills and social clubs. Why can't people love God, love one another, be zealous and understand the great calling that God has given to us, instead of succumbing to all of the pulls of the flesh?

How nice do you think Jesus was when the young man told Him that he would follow Him, but 'let me go bury my father.' Jesus said, 'Let the dead bury their dead; come and follow Me.' How many people would say, 'How can that be the Son of God? How could that man have any love to tell that poor grieving son that he should bury his father, but let the dead bury the dead? What an insult that is!' Satanic logic!

Why would Jesus tell him that? Because his father is going to resurrected later! So, don't give any concern about it. 'Come and follow Me.'

Verse 11: "Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and ministered to Him." Jesus was absolutely completely exhausted, weak and as close to death as you can get.

When Jesus was out there in the wilderness being tempted by Satan the devil, He could not make it known to the world that He was the Savior of God. So, He did in the account of Luke 4, but that was saved for the Feast of Pentecost, the day of the weeks. Not just an ordinary Sabbath. Counting Pentecost is the same way you count the Jubilee: 49 plus 1=50!

So, when He came into Nazareth, there's where He made His announcement, because His announcement was that He was the Savior to bring about the saving of the world, but on Pentecost because it would first begin with His Church. Here's what Jesus did, and this is important because this is in a Jubilee year. In a Jubilee year He announced that He was the Messiah to bring freedom from all sin to all people according to the plan of God.

Luke 4:14: "Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee; and word about Him went out into the entire country around. And He taught in their synagogues, and was glorified by all. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and according to His custom, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day and stood up to read" (vs 14-16).

{read the footnote at the bottom of the page in The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version}

Verse 17: "And there was given Him the book of the prophet Isaiah; and when He had unrolled the scroll, He found the place where it was written, 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me…'" (vs 17-18). He was emphasizing Himself!

• Was not Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit during the temptation? Yes, indeed!
• Was He not filled with the Holy Spirit during His entire ministry? Yes, indeed!

"…for this reason, He has anointed Me…" (v 18). What does 'Christos' or 'Christ' mean? The Anointed One!

"…to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal those who are brokenhearted, to proclaim pardon to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth in deliverance those who have been crushed" (v 18).

By who? Satan, people, the agents of Satan the devil, and life that come from government, religion, education, and all of that! Look at this world today, giving itself over to Satan the devil. Look at the stupidity that's going on in the schools and universities, teaching all of the young adults to be sixth graders again.

Can you imagine 30-year-old people with a sixth grade mentality? That's why they'll fall for socialism, stupidity and atheism, because they haven't been taught anything in their lives about God or what is true and what is right! That's because of:

• Satan the devil
• the government
• the education
• the religion
• the Christianity of this world

We need to really wake up and understand the severity of Satan the devil and this world, and why God is going to put all the sins of this world on the head of Satan the devil and the demons, and cast them into the Lake of Fire! And then remove them for a memorial forever into the blackest darkness!

Verse 19: "To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord"—a Jubilee year! The Jubilee runs from Atonement to Atonement!

Verse 20: "And after rolling up the scroll and delivering it to the attendant, He sat down; and the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on Him. Then He began to say to them, 'Today, this Scripture is being fulfilled in your ears.'"

"Today" meaning not only this Day of Atonement[transcriber's correction] when He was preaching, but this day meaning the beginning year of His ministry for casting out demons, healing the sick and preaching the Gospel.

How well did they receive Him? They wanted to kill Him!Lovely people! Yes, there's goodness in the heart of every person. There may be some good in every person, but also they have a lot of evil, because of the human nature and the way that Satan the devil is! Even the very best of them!

(go to the next track)

Let's look at some prophecies concerning our day and some of the things that took place in the New Testament. We will see how the whole transformation took place.

1-Timothy 4:1: "Now, the Spirit tells us explicitly that in the latter times some shall apostatize from the faith…" Now, there are two latter times:

• the latter times of the apostles
• the last days

Both had very similar things taking place. Everything in Matt. 24 happened except the abomination of desolation!  Everything that these prophecies say, the latter times, have the first fulfillment in the latter times of the apostles. Then in the latter times of the world before the return of Jesus Christ.

"…apostatize from the faith… [Is that happening today? Yes!] …and shall follow deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons" (v 1). All demons do not come in a destructive mode at first.

• they come with intelligence
• they come with logic
• they come with charisma
• they come with humor
• they come friendly
• they come with piety

I can't help but think every time I see some of these Catholic ceremonies, that those men are not just possessed by sweet religious demons, but they're still against God! I don't care how sweet they may appear, or how nice they can pretend to be, they're not of God!

"…and doctrines of demons" (v 1). Which one doctrine in the Catholic Church is really true? There may be some Truth in some statements, but if the overall is a deception, then the Truth is overwritten by the deception.

Verse 2: "Speaking lies in hypocrisy, their consciences having been cauterized with a hot iron." We have to be the judge of those things with the Word of God! They were fighting them all along.

Remember the first one who wanted to have a substitute religion? Simon Magus (Acts 8)! Then they had Eliamus the sorcerer (Acts 13). Then you had the seven sons of a Jewish priest trying to cast out demons in Paul's name. We will see that they even infiltrated the Church and kicked the Apostle John out of the Church!

I want you to think about some of those things! Yes, we've covered some of these because we've been going through 2-Corinthians, true! But let's look at them in light of the Day of Atonement. That's how people get deceived. They have the conception in their mind that demons are always known because they are just despicably evil. Not so! You go back and look a the videos we did on Ecumenism: Satan's Gentle Touch to Deceive #s 1-3 {truthofgod.org} The sweet side of Satan!

How do you think he conned Eve into eating the fruit? By being sweet! By lying! By being gentle!

Look how nice that will be. Don't you really want to be like God? You know, God hasn't told you everything. I know a little bit more about it, so if you eat of that tree you will be like God and you can make up your own mind as to what is good and evil. You don't have to listen to God.
Why should you listen to God?
Aren't you an adult?
Aren't you a free moral agent?
Can't you make your own decisions?
Do you always have to rely on God?
Why don't you rely on yourself, you're smart, you're intelligent?

2-Pet. 2 is very interesting. Peter is warning after he got done explaining that they were producing the Truth, which became the New Testament.

2-Peter 1:19: "We also possess the confirmed prophetic Word…" That means it was given by Christ, given by the apostles; confirmed because it:

• agrees with God
• agrees with Christ
• agrees with the Truth
• agrees with the prophecies of the Old Testament

"…to which you do well to pay attention, as to a light shining in a dark place…" (v 19) Is not this world covered with darkness just like the prophecy says: gross darkness covers the earth!

"…until the day dawns… [the return of Christ] …and the morning star arises in your hearts… [the resurrection] …knowing this first…" (vs 19-20).

That's why we have the Bible inspired by God, layered and layered with meaning, multiple meanings with different ways of putting it together that fill out the whole picture.

"…that no prophecy of Scripture…" (v 20). Every Scripture in a sense, because it comes from God is a prophecy, whether it's foretelling of the future, or whether it is a telling forth of the Truth.

"…originated as anyone's own private interpretation" (v 20).

• Where do you think it says there, 'I think'?
• Where does it say, 'All you Israelites, I was in my tent and I was thinking and I came up with this brilliant idea'?

Always remember one thing, no man can improve upon a perfect God! and a perfect Christ! Never, never, never happen!

Verse 21: "Because prophecy… [any speaking of the Holy Scriptures that had been written down] …was not brought at any time by human will, but the Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit"—the same way as when they wrote.

Peter was warning them, and these warnings we really need to understand as ever before, because there's more satanic activity that is thrown at us, thrown at the world through religion, politics, music, entertainment, television, Internet, books, false teaching and activities; all to deceive the elect if possible!

2-Peter 2:1: "But there were also false prophets among the people, as indeed there will be false teachers among you…"

• Have we not all experienced that and still are experiencing it today?
• What happens when someone comes along and speaks the Truth, the Truth, the Truth, and then begins to turn?
• What happens?
• How many people follow that?

Quite a thing to keep in mind—isn't it?

"…who will stealthily…" (v 1). They don't come and say, 'Hey, everybody, I'm here! I'm a false prophet!' Of course not! Stealthily!

• What do the Protestants teach on it?
• What do the Catholics teach on it?

They do have some good—don't they? Watch out for that kind of reasoning! Remember that not all 'good' comes from God. There's good from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

"…stealthily introduce destructive heresies, personally denying the Lord who bought them, and bringing swift destruction upon themselves" (v 1). For us, 'swift' means immediately! For God, 'swift' means when the destruction comes it will come immediately. There may be a length of time between the beginning of it and the end of it.

All the people of God will reject every one of them and we'll get rid of all false prophets! NO!

Verse 2: "And many people will follow as authoritative their destructive ways; and because of them, the way of the Truth will be blasphemed."

How do they blaspheme? 'This is an allegory! It doesn't mean what it says.' That's how it starts! or 'This was for those people back there, but not for us today. 'They kept the Sabbath there.' No, they never kept the Sabbath there. 'We keep Sunday; we're not like them.'

When the children of Israel followed Baal, what do you think they were worshipping? Tuesday? "…the way of the Truth will be blasphemed."

Verse 3: "Also, through insatiable greed they will with enticing messages exploit you for gain; for whom the judgment of old is in full force, and their destruction is ever watching."

Since this is the Day of Atonement, keep this in mind, v 4: "For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but, having cast them into Tartarus… [a place of restraint] …delivered them intochains of darkness to be kept for the judgment."

"…God did not spare the angels who sinned…" They knew better! That's why the Day of Atonement, so we can be at-one with God and not have all these other things coming in upon us:

• not compromising with the world
• not compromising with our own evil within us

So we can think we can get away with things when we shouldn't be doing them. Do you understand that? "…God did not spare the angels who sinned…"

Notice the power that Peter[corrected] is bringing here in this situation.

Verse 5: "And if God did not spare the ancient world… [the Flood is called the 'kataklusmos']…over the whole world." It destroyed the whole world!

What did Jesus say it would be like before His coming? As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of man!

"…but saved Noah, the eighth, a preacher of righteousness, when Hebrought the Flood upon the world of the ungodly" (v 5). So, Peter lists all of these major events, major sins caused by Satan and his demons.

• now you know why Satan has to be removed
• now you know why the symbolic meaning of the goat for Azazel was for Satan

You can't get rid of sin unless you get rid of Satan and the demons—period!

Verse 6: "And having reduced the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes, condemned them with a catastrophic destruction, making them an example for those who would be ungodly in the future. And if He personally rescued righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the lawless ones living in licentious conduct" (vs 6-7). That's the way it is today! Oppressed!

• that's why we need God
• that's why we need the Day of Atonement
• that's why we need the Holy Spirit
• that's why we need to draw close to God every day in prayer and study
• that's why we need to yield ourselves to Him

This world is being oppressed by Satan the demons through every manipulating device and method possible:

• to deceive people
• to trick them
• to destroy their mind
• destroy belief

Oppressed by their licentious conduct!

Verse 8: "(For that righteous man, dwelling among them, through seeing and hearing their lawless activities, was tormented day-by-day in his righteous soul).

A lot of the problems and difficulties we have is because the world is coming in on us today. Remember what happened when the two angels came to bring them out of Sodom, it was riotous! What do we have today? Riots! Stupidity! Same thing!

Verse 9: "The Lord knows how to rescue the Godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unrighteous to the day of judgment to be punished; but particularly those who walk after the flesh in corrupting lust, and hold in utter contempt the lordship of God…." (vs 9-10).

How do people hold in contempt the lordship of God? By following their own traditions, ideas and their own interpretations of the Bible, which are contrary to the Word of God!

Listen! If we're going to stand for the Truth, there are going to be people who are not going to like us. That's just a fact, because we love the Truth more than they have any understanding or love of God.

Verse 12: "But these—as irrational brute beasts, born to be caught and destroyed—blaspheme those things of which they are ignorant, and shall be utterly destroyed in their own corruption. They are bringing upon themselves the reward of unrighteousness, while finding pleasure in satisfying their lustful desires day-by-day…." (vs 12-13).

Witness all of the sex crimes within the Roman Catholic Church. Think on that!

Sidebar: John Guenther is bringing the history of the Church from 100A.D. to 1600A.D. and he sends me material all the time. I can't help but think of the great courage and great strength that God gave to those who were martyred, especially those who went through trials and tortures, and were burned at the stake and had their heads cutoff. Those who were arrested and burned at the stake were singing hymns and glory to God while they were being led away.
Here we have pompous fools as ministers in too many places, and we have brethren that are willing to follow them! What does God think? There's coming a vomiting out from Laodiceans, and you'd better be prepared, because it is going to come!

"…They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their own deceptions, while feasting together with you" (v 13).

I cannot help but think about the yearly reunion of graduates from Ambassador College. Guess what, there are those all the way from atheists to those who are still holding to the Truth. Does that not fit what we're reading here? Where did they have their last conference? In the wonderful sin city of Las Vegas! Remember, 'what is done here stays here'! that's the motto of the city! But the motto of God is God knows!

Verse 14: "Having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, they are engaged in seducing unstable souls…"

• Are you an unstable person?
• Can you be swayed by stupid false doctrine?

That's up to you! You have to stand on your own two feet. If you're unstable, you'd better get stable with God!

"…having a heart trained in lustful cravings—cursed children who have abandoned the straight way. They have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the reward of wickedness. But he received a rebuke for his own transgression; the dumb donkey, speaking in a man's voice, restrained the madness of the prophet. These false prophets are fountains without water, clouds driven by a storm, for whom is reserved the blackest of darkness forever" (vs 14-17).

They're all demon-inspired! How do we know that?

1-John 4:1: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit… [there are plenty out there today; that's why we have the Day of Atonement] …but test the spirits whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this test you can know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God" (vs 1-2).

That is He had human flesh like we have human flesh, and He had the law of sin within Him, like we have the law sin within us. That was necessary in order to condemn sin in the flesh (Rom. 8:3[transcriber's correction]). Sin was condemned in the flesh of Jesus Christ, no one else's flesh!

Verse 3: "And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not from God. And this is the spirit of antichrist, which you heard was to come, and even now it is already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them because greater is He Who is in you than the one who is in the world. They are of the world; because of this, they speak of the world, and the world listens to them" (vs 3-5).

Do you understand that, brethren? Notice the difference! That's why the Sabbath and Holy Days are so important!

I can't get over it. I remember one woman I used to know years ago. She was supposedly so dedicated and such a wonderful woman in serving, praying and all of this sort of thing. When all of the changes came, and everyone was told it was all right to celebrate Christmas, they ran out and got a Christmas tree! She said, 'All of these years I missed the smell and the aroma of the Christmas tree in the house.' Amazing!

Can people be led astray and back into the slop trough of the swine of Satan the devil? Yes, indeed!

Let's see another sign of I, and this sure applies to us today, because of all that is in the world, all the gadgets and things that are going on. I mean, it is something! It's getting so that you won't even have to think! Just hook yourself up to 'Watson'! Artificial intelligence! 'We'll do your thinking for you; isn't that nice of us?'

1-John 2:15: "Do not love the world, nor the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." That's why it's important that every day, day-by-day:

• prayer
• study
• yieldedness to God
• overcoming
• watching

Being alert to the things that are in the world that are going to try and appeal to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the mind to draw you away from God!

Verse 16: "Because everything that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pretentious pride of physical life—is not from the Father, but is from the world." Who is the god of this world? Satan the devil!

Verse 17: "And the world and its lust is passing away… [it all comes to nothing] …but the one who does the will of God abides forever."

The reason that we keep all the things that God wants us to keep, and to maintain the Spirit of God and grow in grace and knowledge is because the goal is:

• eternal life
• rulership of the world
• living in New Jerusalem
• expanding into the greatness of the universe

Think of that! Why is Satan after us? The truth of the matter is that we are the most important people in the world!

Not the ones that we look at in the world and see out there who are presidents, prime ministers, chief executives, television mucky-mucks and all this sort of thing. NO! The people of God are the most important people in the world because we're going to rule the world!

• Do you grasp that?
• Do you understand why there's a fight?
• Do you understand why Satan comes after us?
• Do you understand why these things are important that we really grasp and understand and hold to?

Verse 18: "Little children, it is the last time; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have risen up, by which we know that it is the last time."

This is the beginning of it. At first they were leaving, which was good that they left. Later they were kicking the brethren out and kicking the Apostle John out. Isn't that what we have today? Look at the organization that it grew to. That's why when John saw Babylon the Great, the harlot woman sitting on the great beast, he wondered with amazement! He was awestruck!

• How could this come out of the Church of God?
• And with all of these other religions associated with it?
• How could it get to the point that they killed those for the name of Christ and killed the saints?

All of that blood is on their hands! Amazing, isn't it? Yes, indeed!

Verse 19: "They went out from among us, but they were not of us because if they were of us, they would have remained with us; nevertheless, they left that they might be exposed to show that they all were not of us."

2-John[transcriber's correction] is powerfully full of meaning; Verse 1: "The elder to the chosen lady… [the Church] …and her children… [us who are alive and have the Spirit of God] …whom I love in Truth, and not I alone, but also all those who have known the Truth."

• it is the Truth that is going to keep us straight
• it is the love of God that is going keep us straight

Verse 2: "For the sake of the Truth that is dwelling in us, and shall be with us forever: Grace, mercy, and peace shall be with us from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love." (vs 2-3).

That's what it has to be. We have to fight the world, and there's enough of it out there; we don't need all the confusion and stupidity within.

Verse 4: "I rejoiced exceedingly that I have found among your children those who are walking in Truth…"

• walking in the way of the Lord
• Christ is the Way, the Truth, the Life
• walking in the Truth

"…exactly as we received commandment from the Father. And now I beseech you, lady, not as though I am writing a new commandment to you, but that which we have observed from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is the love of God: that we walk according to His commandments…." (vs 4-6).

• Truth
• commandments
• walking in Truth
• walking in commandments

YES! Not as the Protestants do, 'The ones we agree with it and accept.' As the Mormons say, 'How do we know that it's been translated properly?' Do a little study and you'll find out!

"…This is the commandment, exactly as you heard from the beginning, that you might walk in it, because many deceivers have entered into the world…" (vs 6-7). Now the apostasy is taking hold!

"…those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. This is the spirit of the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out for yourselves in order that we may not lose the things we have accomplished, but that we may receive a full reward" (vs 7-8).

What a warning! Think about it! He was very intent in wanting them to keep the Truth and the love!

Verse 9: "Anyone who transgresses and does not continue in the doctrine of Christ does not have God…." Transgressing the Law of God, the whole teaching, everything that He has does not have God! Protestants, Catholics, Orthodox and independents! If you don't keep the commandments of God in Truth, and if you don't observe the Sabbath, Holy Days and Passover, you do not have God!

Isn't that what John wrote? And Paul wrote the same thing, too, because he have the same warning!

"…But the one who continues in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house…" (vs 9-10).

'That would be unfriendly.' NO! You don't want it in your house! and Not in your congregation!

"…and do not say to him, 'Welcome!'…. [Is that politically correct behavior today? No!] …For anyone who says, 'Welcome!' to him is partaking in his evil works. I have many things to write… [yes, there was a lot for him to write] …but I do not wish to convey these things to you with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face in order that our joy may be completely full" (vs 10-12).

3-John 5: "Beloved, you are faithfully practicing whatever you have been doing for the brethren and for strangers,  who have testified of your love before the Church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God; because for the sake of His name they went forth preaching, taking nothing from the Gentiles. For this cause, we are personally obligated to receive those who do such service, in order that we may be fellow workers in the Truth. I wrote to the Church, but Diotrephes, the one who loves to be chief among them, does not accept us" (vs 5-9).

Diotrephes kicked out the Apostle John!

Verse 10: "Because of this very thing, if I come, I will call him to account for the actions that he is practicing with evil words—maliciously berating us; and he is not satisfied with these things, for he himself neither receives the brethren, nor does he permit those who wish to receive the brethren, but he forbids them and casts them out of the Church."

Sounds like something many of us went through in recent years, not too far back!

Verse 11: "Beloved, do not imitate that which is evil; rather, imitate that which is good. The one who practices good is of God… [good of God, not the 'good' of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil] …but the one who practices evil has not seen God."

• I've seen Jesus Christ
• I've seen God
• I had a vision from God
• He told me all of this

Listen! All of that is straight from Satan the devil! That's why we have the Day of Atonement!

Verse 12: "We have received testimony from everyone on behalf of Demetrius, and from the Truth itself; and we also bear witness, and you know that our witness is true. I had many things to write, but now I will not write them with ink and pen; for I hope to see you shortly, and I will speak with you face to face. Peace be to you. Our friends salute you. Salute the friends by name" (vs 12-15).

Amazing how suddenly this was talking place in the Churches of God. We have seen it! Someone asked me about the parable of wheat and the tares: Do you suppose that could have cyclical fulfillment? Yes! God separates the tares from the wheat!

That's why we have to really yield to God, love God, love one another!

Now that we're going to the Feast of Tabernacles, or wherever we are at the Feast, have a marvelous Feast and spend time together, rejoice together, look forward to the plan of God that we're going to take over and rule the world. Satan is going to be removed! All of these things will be changed! We will reign a thousand years!

Have a good Feast of Tabernacles!

Scriptural References:

• Leviticus 23:26-32

• Leviticus 16:7-10, 15-16, 20-26, 29-31
• Leviticus 25:3, 8-13
• Matthew 4:1-9, 11
• Luke 4:14-20
• 1 Timothy 4:1-2
• 2 Peter 1:19-21
• 2 Peter 2:1-10, 12-17
• 1 John 4:1-5
• 1 John 2:15-19
• 2 John 1-12
• 3 John 5-15

Scriptures quoted, not referenced:

• Revelation 12
• Ezekiel 28
• Isaiah 14
• Revelation 20
• Deuteronomy 8
• Matthew 24
• Acts 8; 13
• Romans 8:3

Also referenced:

• Church at Home series: The Shroud of Turin (churchathome.org)
• Book: God's Plan for Mankind Revealed by His Sabbath and Holy Days by Fred R. Coulter
• Sermon Series: Ecumenism: Satan's Gentle Touch to Deceive

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 8/4/18

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