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The true identity of the two witnesses and other events that must take place at the end of the age!
Fred R. Coulter—November 21, 2020
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Greetings, everyone! Welcome to Sabbath services!
We're going forward with everything! Concerning the election, I think it was best said by Yogi Berra [transcriber's correction]—New York Yankee baseball player—'It ain't over till it's over'!
There's a lot of work going on, it will take a little time, but it's doubtful that Biden will raise his hand to be sworn in.
The other day I got an e-mail from a man who said, What's going to happen to the Church? We're all old! A friend of mine just died, and two more are getting close.
I told him that God's harvest always goes on! This isn't the first time. Let's see what's taking place. As you all know, I lost my wife in June, and those who have lost their mates, it is not easy. That's just the way life is.
Isaiah 57:1: The righteous perish…" It's give to all once to die, as in Adam we all die!
"…and no one lays it to heart…" (v 1). Hardly anyone understands what's going to happen after death! No one really thinks of it in the world as a harvest of God.
"…and merciful men are taken away; none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come" (v 1).
They're going to be spared. Certain of the Churches of God lived through times of horrible evil and persecution. We're going to come to a time like that! That is, you have no free choice, you shut up and obey or you're history!
Verse 2: "He shall enter into peace; they shall rest in their beds… [the final bed in coffin] …each one who walked in his uprightness."
Let's see what Jesus says; very interesting. The whole Gospel of John and the Epistles of John has more about love, faith and Truth! So, you study through those and see.
{note our in-depth study Gospel of John that I did 30 years ago} The Word of God is far older than that.
Too may of the Churches of God do not preach the Truth of the love of God. They are no different than Fascists. You shut up and obey! God wants you to love Him with all your heart, mind, soul and being! That's what God wants!
Church is not an organization where you just get together with your friends. If your friends aren't there, you don't know what to do. That's why we're scattered! We have to learn to come to God every day and depend upon God and not lean upon our friends.
When they're around that's fine and good, there's no problem with that. But many people will not choose the Truth alone over going to church for fellowship! Fellowship is not the most important thing in the world with brethren.
{note our DVD: True Fellowship with God (truthofGod.org)} That's what we need. You can have all the fellowship you want with people, but if you don't have fellowship with God, what are you doing? That doesn't come unless there is prayer and study.
John 5:25: "Truly, truly I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear shall live." That's the whole key that we're going toward!
Verse 26: "For even as the Father has life in Himself, so also has He given to the Son to have life in Himself; and has also given Him authority to execute judgment because He is the Son of man. Do not wonder at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves shall hear His voice and shall come forth: those who have practiced good unto a resurrection of life…" (vs 26-29). That can be in two ways:
- Those who have the faith through grace and do the good works of God that God has given us to do for eternal life.
- Those who are considered the just in the world, who have not committed the unpardonable sin. They will be raised to a second physical life for a first opportunity for salvation as we know through the Last Great Day.
"…and those who have practiced evil unto a resurrection of judgment" (v 29)—condemnation to the Lake of Fire!
Let's look at something else concerning faith! What we're doing is first looking at what we are doing in the Church and how we stand before God. Then we're going to look at some prophecies of what is happening in the world. How can we take all of these things and understand them the way that we ought to?
Jesus says concerning fighting for you, you pray to God; Luke 18:8: "I tell you that He will execute vengeance for them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, shall He find the true faith on the earth?"
Look at us, we're just a few here, and that's the way it is almost everywhere. The true faith, there are several ways of looking at that:
- those who have changed and perverted the faith so that there's nothing left of the Truth—fake Christianity
- there will be fewer and fewer people because of being called to the end of their life; they won't be around
There are the two way of looking at that. But nevertheless, what did Jesus say? He would build His Church on that Rock, that Rock was Christ, and the gates of the grave shall never prevail against it!
We have all of those things that we need to look at and consider as we look at what's going on today and what is happening. But with all the things going on, I'm getting papers that 'the rapture is just around the corner, everybody.' So, we'll look at the rapture here in a minute.
I go another one that 'Christ is going to return in 2027. How many times have had year given and it never works? Why? Because God is in charge!
- His time schedule is going to be met!
- His time schedule has flexibility depending upon repentance!
So, there are many things we don't know. So, we're going to look at some of these things today and see. What did Jesus say concerning the end-time?
Matthew 24:32: "Now, learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branches have already become tender, and it puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near."
Even that is flexible. You can have an early spring and summer or a late spring and late summer. You can have an early spring and then it will go back to winter, and become spring again. So, there are many variations in that statement.
Verse 33: "In like manner also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Verse 34: Truly I say to you, this generation shall in no wise pass away until all these things have taken place." All, not some, not most, not 95%, but all!
During the times of the Crusades, when they had the Black Plague, they had the Mongols coming from the east and you read the book of Revelation and there are armies coming from the east. During the Black Plague, 30% of the people died, up to half of the population. And they said, 'Christ's return was imminent. What was the problem? Not all the things were there, because there are a lot of things that need to take place!
"…when you see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors" (v 32).
There are a lot of things. You can have crises up to a certain point. Look at all the crises we've had in the Middle East, and then all of a sudden peace deals!
- How is that going to work? There must a King of the South and King of the North!
- Are they there? No!
Verse 34: Truly I say to you, this generation… [the end-time generation] …shall in no wise pass away until all these things have taken place."
- How sure is that?
- Has God ever made a mistake?
Some people will say that when Adam and Eve were given the right to eat of the Tree of Life. No, God thought of that beforehand because Christ was slain before the foundation of the world! So, God did not make a mistake!God doesn't want robots:
- He wants us to choose
- He wants us to love Him
- He wants us to obey Him
Look at what has happened in just the last few months in the last generation. Look at all the riots, burning, looting and things like this going on.
How long is a generation? That depends! I did a survey of the 14, 14, and 14 generations in Matt. 1 one time and I found out that a generation can be about 40 years or a little less. It can be as much as 69 years, depending on how long everyone lives.
In this generation that we have, at my age looking back I can see three generations behind me. Each one a little further from God, and the ones that are at the end are really far from God.
We can't go by what we think, which is the great fallacy of understanding Scripture:
- you must let Scripture interpret the Scripture
- you must put all of the Scriptures together so that you get the complete picture.
That's what we are going to do today, and we will try and get the outline of the puzzle. There are a lot of little things in between that also must take place.
{note our book: The Appointed Times of Jesus the Messiah} there are many, many things that are in there that will tell you what is going to happen.
Dan. 9 is quite a thing; this chapter runs from the time of Daniel clear to the end. Almost every one of the chapters in the book of Daniel end up with the return of Christ. Dan. 9 & 10 are not readily understood in a chronological basis, because there's a space of time between the segments. This verse gives us a hint of how God works, and how He has put things together:
Daniel 9:24: "Seventy weeks are decreed upon your people…"
These weeks are seven days equaling seven years. So, this is 490 years. The only way that can come out at the end is that there is space after the first 49 and after the next 61.
"…and upon your Holy city to finish the transgression… [Has that happened? No!] …and to make an end of sin…: (v 24).
- Has that happened? No!
- How far does that go?
- When does sin end?
- when the Lake of Fire consumes the wicked
- when Satan is removed
It's not ended until then! See how far reaching this is?
"…and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness…" (v 24).
The beginning of "…reconciliation for iniquity…" started with Jesus Christ and is still going on today, and will go on during the Millennium and during the White Throne Judgment.
"…to bring in everlasting righteousness…" [that hasn't been reached] …and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy" (v 24).
There are a lot of things contained in just this one verse. This is why God has some here, some there, some in the Old Testament, some in the New Testament.
{note out booklet: Prophecies of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament by James Meister} There are 356 minimum! There may be some beyond that.
Verse 25: "Know, therefore, and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, to Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks. It shall be built again with streets and the wall… [concerning Jerusalem] …even in troublous times. And after sixty-two weeks…" (vs 25-26).
That's contained in the book The Appointed Times of Jesus the Messiah. "…after sixty-two weeks…" doesn't say at 62 weeks.
"…Messiah shall be cut off but not for Himself…." (v 26). There's a break right there and it goes clear to the end!
"…And the people of the prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. But his end shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week…." (vs 26-27)—seven years; the last seven years!
What will that covenant be? Similar to what Cyrus and Darius did for the building of the second temple! They gave them peace and the other nations around would not come in an invade them. So, the covenant that is going to be built—this is speculation—will probably be this:
The Jews need to build a temple; they will need protection to do it. This covenant ties in with the King of the North to give protection to build the temple. That covenant will be broken in the middle of the week.
So, if you have seven years, what is the middle? Three and half years!
{note our in-depth study: Daniel/Revelation with charts showing all the Scriptures and events and how they fit in; and how it fits in with the Calculated Hebrew Calendar}
God doesn't use the Roman calendar. His timing is always the Calculated Hebrew Calendar. In this in-depth study are the CDs with the messages, the transcripts, charts.
"…And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease…" (v 27).
A lot of people look at the destruction of the temple in 70A.D. and say that it was it. NO! there was another great matter that must be considered first before that is fulfilled.
"…and upon the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate even until the consummation…." (v 27)—the end of the age!
What did Jesus tell the disciples?
Matthew 28:18: And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore, go and make disciples in all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even until the completion of the age.' Amen." (vs 18-20). We haven't reached that, yet!
Daniel 9:27 "…And the fully determined end which is decreed shall be poured out upon the desolator."
Remember something very important: Paul, Peter and John were the ones who finalized and canonized the New Testament. That's why our Daniel/Revelation series, because there are two parts that come together to make a whole. Plus, there are many details from other prophecies that fit in.
Revelation was given to John, and remember that it came from God the Father to Christ, Who gave it to an angel to give to John. What did the angel tell John? Write! Write!
Revelation 11:1: "Then the angel gave me a measuring rod like a staff, saying, 'Arise and measure the Temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship in it.'"
How can the sacrifices be stopped, which then leads to the consummation, if there is no temple and no sacrifices. Rev. 11 tells us that there must be another temple built. We'll see how that ties in with Matt. 24. For those who are really curious, the Jews are making many, many preparations for the coming temple {templeinstitute.org}. The Temple Institute will show you a visualized tour going through the plans of the temple that they have. That's why there will have to be the peace treaty to begin the last seven years.
When they start building the temple, you're going to know that it's near!We don't know how long it's going to take to build. We don't know how many sacrifices they're going to be giving, but they will be giving them.
John gave us a little hint of this, as we see in Matt. 24, but here is John who was one of the apostles of Jesus Christ and with Jesus for three and a half years. Then John was alive through the destruction of the temple in 70A.D. When that occurred, a lot of the disciples thought that Christ was getting ready to return, because the temple was being destroyed.
Well, after that happened and the Jews were carried off into captivity, time still went on. John ended up in Asia Minor in the city of Ephesus. When he was well advanced in age—probably about 95-98—and just before the turn of the century, he was sent to the Isle of Patmos after they had put him in boiling oil and he survived.
If you were the executioner and you put someone in the boiling oil—which you probably did many times—and he comes out with not a burn… So, they exiled John to the Isle of Patmos. That's where he was given this revelation. Here he is… Everything that has happened in the Church up to that point—all the apostasy that occurred and so forth—and he's given this all of this revelation, and here's the temple. So, this is in the future:
Revelation 11:2: "But leave out the court that is within the temple area, and do not measure it because it has been given up to the Gentiles; and they shall trample upon the Holy city for forty-two months."
Please understand that 42 months is not the same as 1,260 days.
- Why is that?
- What do you know about the Hebrew calendar?
- How do the months run? 30/29; 30/29!
So, 42 months is less than 1,260 days; 42 months is also always a sign of wickedness. What does it say concerning the beast in Rev. 13? After he gets the deadly wound, he continues for 42 months!
Verse 3: "And I will give power to My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."
- When do they come on the scene?
- How can we find a good approximation for when they come on the scene?
- What is the key, important thing in counting that?
Since there is nothing that tells us that this is the day that they start
- How do we find out?
When you understand that Pentecost is the resurrection, then you will understand that there are 1,260 days that ends three and a half days after the death of the two witnesses and resurrection. You count backwards: 3-1/2 days, 1,260 days and you come to where they start. If you look n the chart that we have, that's just before winter.
So, who are the two witnesses? I'll tell you one thing, they're not going to be anybody in the Church. The Jews will never, never, never accept what a Gentile tells them, even if it is true! The Jews must come to understand it themselves, and it must be announce by the leading rabbi.
Remember all the trips that Herbert Armstrong took to Jerusalem and met all the different ones there. Did he ever meet the leading rabbi and tell him that he (HWA) was one of the two witnesses? No! The leading rabbi never told him that.
Who are the two witnesses? We'll find out in just a minute! Here's the key:
Verse 4: "These are the two olive trees, and the two lampstands that stand before the God of the earth."
The Churches each have one lampstand. Seven churches, seven lampstands. Christ is in the middle of them (Rev. 1). Those seven lampstand equate, two of them, from the seven here. These are two different ones. Who are they? "…two olive trees, and the two lampstands that stand before the God of the earth." That means there's nobody in between them and God!
So, there's a minister of a Church of God who says, 'I'm the apostle for the 21st century, and I will be over the two witnesses!' Never happen! They would look upon you as the most arrogant jerk alive! Here's how powerful they're going to be:
Verse 5:" And if anyone attempts to harm them, fire will go out of their mouths and devour their enemies…."
You can say that these are two men against the world, the beast and false prophet, and they can't destroy them until God allows it! Can you imagine that? All they do is speak the word and fire comes out of their mouth and kills them. You talk about God meaning business! That is certainly something!
"…For if anyone attempts to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have authority to shut heaven so that no rain may fall in the days of their prophecy; and they have authority over the waters, to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they will" (vs 5-6).
Anyone who says that they're going to be over the two witnesses 'because I'm so important' has placed himself in the seat of God! So, David Pack, if you're listening, you'd better repent, because you are not going to make it!
Prophecy of Haggai: Sometimes it's best to look at the end before you look at the beginning. This was during the building of the second temple.
Haggai 2:20: "And a second time the Word of the LORD came to Haggai in the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying"—the 24th day of the 7th month! What is the 22nd day? The Last Great Day!
Verse 21: "'Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, 'I will shake the heavens and the earth.'"
- Where do you see all of that?
- Where is that done?
- What book shows the most shaking of all? The book of Revelation!
This is at the time of the end!
Verse 22: "And I will overthrow the throne of the kingdoms…"
- What is that?
- Who gets his throne from Satan the devil? The beast, who rules over all nations, languages, tribes and kindreds!
"'…and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations. And I will overthrow the chariots and their riders. And the horses and their riders shall come down, each one by the sword of his brother. In that day,' says the LORD of hosts, 'I will take you, O Zerubbabel, My servant, the son of Shealtiel,' says the LORD, 'and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,' says the LORD of hosts" (vs 22-23).
Who is going to choose the two witnesses? God!
(break)
Let's see some parallels in the book of Haggai and we will then identify the two witnesses.
Haggai 1:1: "In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the Word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak the high priest, saying, "'Thus the LORD of hosts speaks, saying, "This people says, 'The time has not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built.'"' Then came the Word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, 'Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your finished houses, and shall this My house lie waste?'" (vs 1-4). Think about that!
Look at that concerning the Church, because there are certain parallels for us here. Are the people—because of the elders and teachers who don't teach what is right—all out there doing their own thing? Possible!
Verse 5: "And now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Consider your ways…. [for all the people of the land] …You have sown much, but bring in little; you eat, but you do not have enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you dress, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes'" (vs 5-6). That's called, in today's world, inflation!
Please understand; here is living truth, that when you tithe and give offerings, willingly from your heart—this is not a plea for money—we don't extract money from you. If you don't want to give then you need to take it up with God. But when you withhold from God you're not going to be prospered; that's just the way it works.
Verse 7: "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Consider your ways…. [the second time] …Go up to the mountain and bring wood, and build this house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified,' says the LORD. 'You looked for much, and behold, it came to little! And when you brought it home, then I blew on it. Why?' says the LORD of hosts. 'Because of My house that is waste, and you, each man runs to his own house'" (vs 7-9).
Out of that is a great and true principle in everything: no one can really live like they should and survive the way God wants you to prosper and survive without God! No human being can! The people in the world, God has blinded, but they still have to rely on Him for everything. Everything comes from God!
Verse 10: "Therefore, the heavens above you have held back the dew, and the earth has held back its fruit. And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the grain, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground brings forth, and upon men, and upon livestock, and upon all the labor of your hands" (vs 10-11).
Why? Because they weren't building the house of God! All of us as elders need to consider: we need to build the house of God; that is the brethren! To teach them!We are here to learn how to have the mind of God and Christ so we can rule the world when Christ returns!
There's nothing more important for Sabbath services and getting together than that! Remember, you must have fellowship with God all during the week through prayer and study. It's not like the Protestants that you come one day and give 40 minutes—if you have long services—and everything is fine. NO!
Being the firstfruits and having the Holy Spirit of God, we must be constantly doing the will of God every day, every night in everything that we do! Likewise, those of us who are elders, we need to teach the brethren the Truth!
When you walk into our meeting hall, we have a rug right on the floor and there's a big emblem of the Church and in the middle is an open Bible, and it says, 'Your Word is the Truth!' This is what we are to do! I'm talking about the spiritual house; they're talking about the physical house right here in building the temple of God.
Verse 12: "Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him. And the people feared before the LORD. Then Haggai, the LORD'S messenger, spoke the message of the LORD to the people, saying, '"I am with you," says the LORD.'" (vs 12-13).
Notice the connection. If you're out here just doing your own thing all the time, and you're not praying and studying, you're not building your part of the spiritual house of God! Is He really with you the way He should be? You have to ask that question; no one can judge that but you!
If you do what God says, He says, "…'I am with you,' says the LORD." What will God do when He's with you?
Verse 14: "And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, In the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king" (vs 14-15).
Very interesting! One month before the 24th day of the 7th month, right at that time.
Now, where we find who the two witnesses are, and though won't find it at first, but we will see certain types as we go through this leading up to what's going to happen. There must be the two witnesses on the scene before that covenant is broken in the middle of the week!
Haggai 2:1: "In the seventh month, in the twenty-first day of the month… [the 7th day of the Feast of Tabernacles] …the Word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai, saying, 'Now speak to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying, "Who is left among you who saw this temple in her first glory?…."'" (vs 1-3).
Well, they would have to be in their 80s or so, because the captivity was 70 years.
"…And how do you see it now? In comparison, is it not in your eyes as nothing?" (v 3). It was smaller!
All the instructions for the measurements of this temple were give to Ezekiel (Ezek. 40-48). It's a false doctrine to say that that is the Millennial temple. It's not! What's the key? All the measurements there were the measurements of the temple in Jerusalem that God gave to Ezekiel so this one could be built! You don't build anything for God that is God's without His plans!
Think about that in relationship to the auditorium. They should have left it as the auditorium, not as the house of God.
Verse 4: "'Yet, now be strong, O Zerubbabel,' says the LORD. 'And be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong all you people of the land,' says the LORD, 'and work; for I am with you,' says the LORD of hosts."
How are we to work? Eph. 2:10; the works that we are to do are those that God pre-ordained for those who are converted.
- love God
- keep His commandments
- study
- grow
- overcome
- prepare for the return of Christ
- prepare for the resurrection
Verse 5: "'According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt…"
God is talking to them well removed from coming out of Egypt, but He's talking in present tense to them, because they are the descendants who reach clear back to God's relationship with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt. You need to understand that that's how God works some of these prophecies.
There wasn't one of them, at that time, that came out of the land of Egypt. Where did they come out of? Out of Babylon!
"…so My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear" (v 5).
Let's notice where these prophecies come from, because these prophecies come from events that are at the end. That's the way that God does it. Remember Isa. 28, 'here a little, there a little; line upon line; precept upon precept,' and put it together. Some events talk about now, then go way back as we just read, and others go way forward as we're going to read. That's how God works!
Verse 6: "For thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Once again—it is yet a little while—I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land. And I will shake all the nations; and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD of hosts." (vs 6-7).
Not the one that they were building, but "…this house…" refers to the one in Isa. 4, the tabernacle. This is talking about the return of Christ. These who are doing the work are those who just precede the return of Christ.
Verse 8: "'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says the LORD of hosts. 'The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than that of the former,' says the LORD of hosts…." (vs 8-9).
Wait a minute! He just said, 'Isn't it little in your eyes?' (v 3). Didn't we just read that? Yes! This is the one who that's going to come as we see in Isa. 4.
"…'And in this place I will give peace,' says the LORD of hosts" (v 9).
- What is Christ? The Prince of Peace!
- When will peace really come?
That's why the Bible says, 'Peace peace and there is no peace'!
- Why? Absence of war is not real peace, because all of those countries that agree to not be fighting, all have weapons to fight!
Take a look at Saudi Arabia. They just bought $35-billion worth of weapons, planes and munitions. Yet, they're in a 'peace deal'—will be, they're not yet—with Israel. What do the Jews have? Many, many weapons! So, this has to be at the return of Christ.
Verse 10: "In the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Now ask the priests concerning the Law, saying, 'If one carries Holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and touches his skirt to bread, or boiled food, or wine, or oil, or any food, will it also become Holy?'"' And the priests answered and said, 'No.' Then Haggai said, 'If one who is unclean by a dead body touches any of these, shall it also be unclean?' And the priests answered and said, 'It shall be unclean'" (vs 10-13).
This is a lesson for Jehozadak, the high priest, which we will see.
Verse 14: "And Haggai answered and said, '"So is this people, and so is this nation before Me," says the LORD. "And so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean. And now, I ask you, consider from this day and onward—from before the placing of a stone upon a stone in the Temple of the LORD— How that one came expecting a heap of twenty measures, and there were but ten; one came to the wine vat to draw off fifty measures from the winepress, and there were but twenty. I struck you with blight and with mildew, and with hail, in all the labors of your hands; yet, you did not return to Me," says the LORD. "Now consider from this day and forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the LORD'S temple was laid, consider this: is the seed still in the barn? Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not brought forth. From this day forward I will bless you"'" (vs 14-19).
Verse 20: "And a second time the Word of the LORD came to Haggai in the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, 'Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, 'I will shake the heavens and the earth."
Here it is concerning Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest:
Zechariah 3:1: "And He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the LORD said to Satan, 'May the LORD rebuke you, Satan! May even the LORD Who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked out of the fire?'" (vs 1-2). In other words, saved from eternal death!
Verse 3: "Now, Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And He answered and spoke to those who stood before him, saying, 'Take the filthy garments from off him.' And to him He said, 'Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with ceremonial robes.' And I said, 'Let them set a clean miter on his head.' And they set a clean miter on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by" (vs 3-5).
This is what's going to have to happen: the Jews are going to come to an understanding, when they're building the temple, that they need to have a high priest. They've already check on who are the priestly lines by DNA. They have all of that going, and like I said, you need to go to templeinstitute.org there are a lot of things there. There are priestly garments, many things.
Who this one is going to be will probably be one of the leading ones of the current Sanhedrin where the rabbis meet the orthodox rabbis. That's when they'll discover the right place to build the temple.
{DVD: Jerusalem and the Lost Temple of the Jews. We can't put this online because we have a license agreement with the owner of it. So, write for it.}
Verse 6: And the angel of the LORD charged Joshua, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My charge, then you shall also judge My house, and shall also keep My courts, and I will give you places to walk among these who stand by."'" (vs 6-7).
So, Joshua the high priest is going to be one of the two witnesses; the end-time Joshua! We will see how that works out. You can't have a temple without a high priest.
Zechariah 4:1: "And the angel that talked with me came again and awakened me, as a man that is awakened out of his sleep. And he said to me, 'What do you see?' And I said, 'I see, and behold, a lampstand… [Where did we read about lampstand? Rev. 11!] …all of it gold, and a bowl on its top, and its seven lamps upon it, and seven pipes to the seven lamps on its top… [different that the menorah] …and two olive trees beside it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side of it.' And I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, 'What are these, my lord?' Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, 'Do you know what these are?' And I said, 'No, my lord.'" (vs 1-5).
Verse 6: "Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, 'This is the Word of the LORD to Zerubbabel, saying, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the LORD of hosts. "Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain…"'" (vs 6-7).
- Who is the great mountain? The Beast Power!
- Why? Because the beast comes after the two witnesses and everyone that he sends are burned up with fire that comes out of the mouth of the two witnesses!
We will see them identified right here very clearly!
"'…and he shall bring forth the head stone with shoutings, "Grace! Grace unto it!"'…. [that's what the Jews will need; lots of grace] …And the Word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also finish it.' And you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you" (vs 7-9).
Let's read on and we will see the true identification of the two witnesses:
Verse 10: "For who has despised the day of small things? For they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel. These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth."
Where do we see that? Rev. 4 & 5!
Verse 11: "And I answered and said to him, 'What are these two olive trees on the right side of the lampstand and on its left side?'" Where did we read about two lampstands?
Verse 12: "And I answered again and said to him, 'What are the two olive branches beside the two golden pipes, emptying the golden oil out of themselves?' And he answered me and said, 'Do you not know what these are?' And I said, 'No, my lord.' And he said, 'These are the two anointed ones who stand by the LORD of the whole earth'" (vs 12-14).
So, the two witnesses will be the high priest of the coming temple and the governor of Judea! No one from the Church. There's nothing here that associated with the Church, just from the tribe of Judah!
Revelation 11:4: "These are the two olive trees, and the two lampstands that stand before the God of the earth." There we have an identification of who they will be!
- they're not on the scene
- the temple has not yet been built
- the peace treaty had not yet come
- there's no King of the North
- there's no King of the South
Those have yet to be!
When anyone says that the 'rapture' is ready to come, Christ is going to return in 2027, they need to read Matt. 24, and that will help you a great deal.
This we know is a fact: out of the United States of America is the only place that the Gospel—whether pure or impure—is being preached to the world. We wished that it were all pure and true. The Protestants are doing some, but they're all mixed up.
Various Churches of God are going what they are doing, but too many of them are strapped to the teaching of HWA rather than the Bible, so they haven't grown in grace or knowledge. They need to understand!
This is the most important thing that needs to be done, and there has to be a reasonable amount of law and order in order for this to take place.
Matthew 24:14: "And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world for a witness to all nations…"
What did Jesus say just before He ascended into heaven? Go to the ends of the earth! Today we have the ability to do it. We have the means like we're doing with live services. I don't know where all this is going or how many are watching. Different Churches of God also have the same thing. May we all be working to preach the Gospel and the Truth, and getting the Word out! It's got to be preached!
"…and then shall the end come. Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the Holy place.'…." (vs 14-15).
- there must be a temple at the end-time
- there must a high priest
- there must be a governor of Judea
- there must be a third Elijah
When you read the book of Haggai, it sounds like that that's a prophecy of the third Elijah.
- first one: Elijah
- second one: John the Baptist
- third one: Malachi says that there must be a third Elijah
"…(The one who reads, let him understand.)" (v 15. Jesus did not say these words!
They know that it was added, probably by John the apostle, because he was the one who was given the prophecy in Rev. 11 about the temple. But in canonizing this, he saw there was no temple anywhere. So, there had to be one to be built, and he didn't understand exactly how that was going to be. So John put there: "…(The one who reads, let him understand.)"
Verse 21: "For then…" Tie this in with:
Verse 15: "Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the Holy place…."
Verse 21: "For then shall there be Great Tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until this time, nor ever shall be again."
The Great Tribulation does not start just because there's a lot of trouble going on. There are a lot of troubles, wars, rumors of wars, famines and different things going on; false prophets, false teachers, false christs, and all of those things will be all in a great huge package.
Then He says, v 22: "And if those days were not limited…"
We know what's going to happen with the coming Breast Power. Rev. 13 is the key and this is what they're wanting to start with what the financial world calls 'the great reset.' Here is a world government. Let's look at the election this way:
All the forces of the world, of the establishment and the deep state worldwide, and all financial institutions are against Donald Trump. They want to put in Joe Biden so that he will diminish America and take it down and bring it into the New World Order. That's what this beast is in Rev. 13.
We'll just add something else. Have you heard of Davos? That's Switzerland! Every winter the rich oligarchs of the world from all nations come together to plan what they're going to do the next year. This was to be the year of the 'great reset.'
Nothing is going to happen until God says that it's time! So, if it's not time, Donald Trump is going to be President. If it is time, Joe Biden will be President.
Satan is the one who is orchestrating this whole thing:
Revelation 13:2: "And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, and his feet like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne and great authority." All orchestrated by Satan the devil!
We're now getting into Christmas, and everybody is having a good time. They say, 'Let's do it for the children.' It's all a lie! If you keep Christmas you cannot be worshipping the true God. If you have a Christmas tree in your house, you have a memorial to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The star on top of the tree is a memorial to Satan the devil! The beautiful lattice that you wrap around the tree from the bottom to the top, to the star, is the serpent. Satan the devil! He wants you to have a good time in sin, to keep you distracted from the Truth!
Verse 3: "And I saw one of his heads as if it were slain to death, but his deadly wound was healed; and the whole earth was amazed and followed the beast."
Verse 4: "And they worshiped the dragon, who gave his authority to the beast…."
What did Satan tell Jesus during the temptation? If you will fall down and worship me—as 'God'—all these nations and the glory and riches and wealth of them I will give to you, for it has been delivered unto me. I give it to whomever I will!'
There you go! He's the one doing it! The whole banking system and the mark of the beast are all going to be tied up in this. Is it time for it to happen? We don't know, but we better stay close to God!
"…And they worshiped the beast, saying, 'Who is like the beast? Who has the power to make war against him?'" (v 4).
Is there a power right now of the King of the North that is of this kind of thing? Europe is in disarray. But what happens when there is disarray? Out of it arises…
What happened with all the disarray with what happened in WWI and after that to the rise of Hitler? You can see it right on television, everything that took place. Wars! Just like Antifa and Black Lives Matter, same thing! Eventually Hitler came out on top. That was all of Satan the devil.
Where did they get a lot of their technologies and things like that? From Satan and the occult! You can even see documentaries on that: The Third Reich and the Occult (History Channel or NatGeo). It's amazing! You can see the tactics and how they are used, and the way that it comes about.
Verse 5: "And a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies was given to him; and authority was given to him to continue for forty-two months."
So, he comes on the scene pretty early, maybe at the beginning of the last seven years. For the first three and a half years the world in euphoria:
- we finally have a system
- everybody is obedient
- we have a wonderful thing that we're going to do
- now we're all a part of the greatest thing that has ever happened in the history of mankind
That's the way it's going to be billed!
Then, after that deadly wound is healed, who does he come after? The people of God! So, that tells us what we're in for. How ever its going to come, whether soon or further down the road:
- we need to keep doing what God wants us to do
- we need to take seriously our calling
- study
- pray
- use the Word of God
as we live and think and move in everything!
God is going to bring us into the first resurrection with great power, glory and understanding! But we have to do the work with His Word and with His Spirit now!
Scriptural References:
- Isaiah 57:1-2
- John 5:25-29
- Luke 18:8
- Matthew 24:32-34, 32, 34
- Daniel 9:24-27
- Matthew 28:18-20
- Revelation 11:1-6
- Haggai 2:20-23
- Haggai 1:1-15
- Haggai 2:1-20
- Zechariah 3:1-7
- Zechariah 4:1-14
- Revelation 11:4
- Matthew 24:14-15, 21, 15, 21-22
- Revelation 13:2-5
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
- Matthew 1
- Daniel 10
- Revelation 1
- Ezekiel 40-48
- Ephesians 2:10
- Isaiah 28; 4
- Revelation 4; 5
Also referenced:
In-Depth Studies:
- Gospel of John
- Daniel/Revelation
DVD:
- True Fellowship with God
- Jerusalem and the Lost Temple of the Jews
Book: The Appointed Times of Jesus the Messiah by Fred R. Coulter
Booklet: Prophecies of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament by James Meister
FRC:bo
Transcribed: 11/25/20
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