The Two Witnesses & Sacred Names

(FOT Day 3—LIVE)

Bible Study

Fred R. Coulter—October 2, 2023

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Greetings, brethren! Welcome to a special short Bible study.

First thing we're going to do is look at Matt. 24, because there will be a lot of them coming up. All you have to do to know that this is true is go on the Internet and go on YouTube and so forth and see how many people, how many men and even women are saying that they're preaching the Gospel. Some are even saying that we're in the Tribulation.

Well, let's look at a couple of things here. We've put this together, because we want to cover the two witnesses and sacred names.

Matthew 24:14: "And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world for a witness to all nations, and then shall the end come."

Exactly how that's going to be, we don't know. What's the first way? The written word! It's the most available book in the entire world in the most languages. IF a person doesn't read it, that's not God's fault! He sent it:

You got a telegram from your recently dead uncle. You didn't like him, you didn't want it, you didn't go to his funeral, you didn't care anything about him. So, when you got the telegram, you put it up on the shelf. Then a couple years later, you're cleaning the shelf and you thought, 'Well, I'll open this up and see what's in it.' Opened it up and it says, you've inherited two million dollars. You have 60 days to claim it.'

That's what it's going to be for these people! How it's going to be preached, we don't know.

Verse 15 is the key. Why is this the key?

Verse 1: "And after going out, Jesus departed from the temple; and His disciples came to Him to point out the buildings of the temple."

Looking down from the Mount of Olives, from the floor of the Kidron Valley up to the highest pinnacle is 450 feet. They had beautiful rock up on the side of the Kidron Valley going up to the temple.

Verse 2: "But Jesus said to them, 'Do you not see all these things?….' [ take a good look at every one of these things] …Truly I say to you, there shall not be left here even a stone upon a stone that shall not be thrown down.'"

Now then, couple that with v 15.

• What do you think that the disciples originally thought in 70A.D. when the temple was in the process of being destroyed?
• Did not the Romans surround Jerusalem with their armies?

The Jews thought, 'We're so righteous, God has got to save us'—and you'll find us in Josephus! That's over two million people who came the year when the rebellion started.

The Romans were smart, they let them all in. They had a lot of food stored there, but not enough for two million people. So, the Romans encircled it again, and when the siege finally came, they went in there, and Vespasian's son Titus was the general in charge, came in to the Roman fort.

Now today, where the Mosque of Omar is, that used to be Roman fort property, where they had 5,000 troops and could hold up to 10,000 troops. Everything in there was like a little city

Sidebar: Remember the incident about the swine on the other side of the lake? A man came, he was possessed with all these demons, and they said, 'Let us go into the swine.' What were swine doing on the other side there? That was not in the territory of Judea. What do you suppose they were raising the swine for, because it was a big herd? To feed the Romans!

That's why if you know the Truth of God, you can analyze and figure out these things just by looking at what is said. Then think about what God has said, because what God has said is always true and will always happen! So, they had rationing of bacon and pork for probably six months.

Now then, back to this. Vespasian's son Titus got up there and he stood right where the Roman fortress was, because everything around it was destroyed. He looked down to the temple, and he didn't want it destroyed. But all of the troops wanted the gold, because they knew there was a lot of gold there.

So, they started tearing down the temple, they tore it down, they set it on fire, they moved all the stones, there wasn't one left on another. They were digging up the stones that were the pavement and the foundation to get all the gold.

Did they know that they were fulfilling the Word of Jesus Christ? No! They just wanted the gold. Let's see what else v 15 tells us. Here's the conundrum that the apostles had to face:

Verse 15: "Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the Holy place…."

When the temple was destroyed in 70A.D., there was no man of sin, the son of perdition (2-Thess.) that went in there and said he was 'God.' Yet, the temple was destroyed. Who wrote the book of Revelation? John!?

What do we find in Rev. 11? We'll go there in a little bit, but what do we find there?

Revelation 11:1: "…'Arise and measure the Temple of God…'" What does that tell us?

That before the end-time, there's got to be a temple built. When John was canonizing, he didn't understand it. So, this next phrase was inserted there by John to alert everyone who reads the Gospel that there is yet a temple to be built, but he didn't understand it. But he understood that there would be one in the last days, so he put in this statement:

Matthew 11:15: "…(The one who reads, let him understand.)."

When that happens, what is the key to start the Tribulation?

Daniel 11:40[transcriber's correction]: "And at the time of the end, the King of the South shall push at him. And the King of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind with chariots and with horsemen and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries and shall overflow and sweep through. He shall also enter into the glorious land…." (vs 40-41). The beast will be the one who goes into the temple that the Jews will build!

Now, the Tribulation cannot start until the temple is built!.

• How long do they offer sacrifices? We don't know!
• How long it takes to build it? We don't know!

 If you want to get a hint, go to templeinstitute.org and you'll find a lot of things that they've already got ready for the temple. They're just waiting. But God, as the rabbis, totally blinded to where it needs to be built, because if they knew where to build it, they would have built it already, and that would have been built before the time that it was to be built.

We have a DVD on the temple area there—Jerusalem and the Lost Temple of the Jews! {truthofGod.org}

Matt. 24:21 connects with v 15. We have when there's a temple, when the man of sin, and the abomination of desolation goes in.

Then v 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. And if those days were not limited, there would no flesh be saved; but for the elect's sake those days shall be limited" (vs 21-22).

Here's another key: Not everything is set in chronological order! It's set by event to complete and tell you about the event.

Verse 23: "Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or, 'He is there,' do not believe it. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and they shall present great signs and wonders, in order to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have foretold it to you" (vs 23-25).

So the Tribulation cannot begin until the temple is rebuilt, and then the man of sin, the son of perdition (2-Thess. 2) goes into the temple and saying that he is 'God,' That triggers the Tribulation right there!

I talked to a man on the phone here this past week who says that the two witnesses are here. So, let's read about the two witnesses, and then I'll tell you the rest of what he said. Now, they do happen to be in Judea.

Revelation 11:1: "Then the angel gave me a measuring rod like a staff, saying, 'Arise and measure the Temple of God…'"

If it had been destroyed roughly 30 years earlier, now you see the conundrum that John had. How can you rise and measure it? In vision, here it is, but in reality, it's destroyed!

So John writes in there, 'The one who reads let him understand,' meaning, you're going to understand it sometime in the future.

"'…and those who worship in it'" (v 1).

Don't believe for a minute that the Muslims are going to agree to allow the Jews to go on the area of the Temple of Omar, the Mosque of Omar, and set up a Jewish temple with animal sacrifices. The whole Muslim world would come down upon them immediately.

You know, all of the Imams from Iran would send off all their nuclear rockets immediately. That won't happen!

Verse 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."

Now, 42 months is the type of evil, and that is roughly three and a half years, but it's not the same as the 1260 days! Most people equate them as the same, but that is not true.

The 1260 days picture the righteous proclamations of the two witnesses.

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."

So, when I began to figure this out, I asked:

• Why is one 42 months, and one 1260 days, and they say they're equal in time?
• What is the difference?

Let's read a little bit more, and then we'll answer the question.

Now it identifies them, and we'll look that up in Zech. 3 & 4 here in just a minute.

Verse 4: "These are the two olive trees, and the two lampstands that stand before the God of the earth." Two men against the whole world!

• What does that tell you? God doesn't need great armies.
• What's going to happen?

Verse 5: "And if anyone attempts to harm them, fire will go out of their mouths and devour their enemies…."

For 1260 days, no one can touch them. No one can get away from the flame.

"…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). The most authority ever given to men by God!

• Can you imagine what this is going to be?
• When do they start their ministry?

Let's read on and we'll figure out how we can see approximately when they're going to begin, actually, to the day.

We have that with the In-Depth Study: Daniel/Revelation.

Verse 7: "And when they have completed their testimony, the beast who ascends out of the abyss will make war against them, and will overcome them, and will kill them. And their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified" (vs 7-8)—that's Jerusalem!

So their ministry will be in Jerusalem. Can you imagine the beast and their armies, nothing, can stop these two men? Imagine Hitler in a rage! You've seen him in a rage because he couldn't get something he wanted! Well, imagine the Beast Power. What a rage he's going to be in!

Now the two witnesses are clothed in sackcloth and ashes! 'Look at those dirty Jews out there; we can't get rid of them!' Then finally after 1260 days, what happens?

We got them! We got them! Then they have three and a half days. All around the world the people are happy. Hooray! We won! We finally conquered them and got rid of them.

God has a little surprise! Hold on!

Verse 9: "Then those of the peoples and tribes and languages and nations shall see their bodies three and a half days, for they will not allow their bodies to be put into tombs. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, and will make merry, and will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets had tormented those who dwell on the earth" (vs 9-10).

Their ministry was 1260 days, next after three and a half days, now what happens? We know when they end, and this is how we determine when they start.

Verse 11: "Then after the three and a half days, the spirit of life from God entered into them and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. And they heard a great voice from heaven, say, 'Come up here!'…." (vs 11-12).

• Now what do we have? The last two martyrs are the first two resurrected!
• Does that fulfill the Word of God, that the last shall be first? Yes!

"…And they ascended into heaven in a cloud; and their enemies saw them rise. And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; and seven thousand men were killed in the earthquake. And the rest were filled with fear, and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming immediately. Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet; and there were great voices in heaven, saying..." (vs 12-15). What is this? Resurrection!

Since the resurrection is on Pentecost, not on Trumpets, what can you do then?

I have a 7-year chart of every month, and the way you find out when their ministry starts is you count back 1260 days. So, guess when their ministry starts? Shortly after the Feast of Tabernacles, in the year that the Tribulation begins, and the Tribulation begins somewhere around Passover time.

You'll see that all on the chart. Why is that different from the 42 months concerning the beast and the false prophet? The span of time from Pentecost to Trumpets is about four and a half months. On Trumpets we all come back to the earth with Christ, and what's the first thing that happens? The beast and false prophet are cast into the Lake of Fire!

You can count backward from Trumpets, and you can find out when the 42 months begin. So, you'll see that on the chart. That turned out to be amazing!

The reason you can figure things out like that is because if you know:

• the Holy Days
• the Sabbath
• the Word of God is true
• what God says will happen
• every prophecy will take place

We're not trying to fudge anything; if we don't know something, we don't know, and that's what we have to say: we don't know! We're not going to come up with an idea to tell God what he needs to do. No man can do that!

God says in Isa. 40: 'Who has been His counselor?'
or, 'Who has taught Him?' No one! So, here are the clues.

• IF you don't study the Bible
• IF you don't know the Word of God
• IF you don't believe in the Sabbath
• IF you don't believe in the Holy Days
• IF you don't believe when the Holy Days are

you're going to miss the mark! That's just the way it is!

Now, let's answer the question: Who are the two witnesses? This man who called me said that they've been there since 2017. Really? Anyone want to look on a calendar and tell me the number of days between 2017? Let's just give it Passover 2017 up until now. Yeah, that's more than 1260 days.

I ask him:

• Are they clothed in sackcloth? No!
• What are they doing? Well, they're working in a dig doing archaeological work!
•  Are they performing miracles? No!
•  Are they calling plagues down from heaven? No!
• Are they tormenting the earth? No!

They're not the two witnesses! Yes, they are; they're the two witnesses!

So I said, 'This conversation has ended.'

It's not going to be any minister. Remember when we were told years ago, who were the two witnesses? Remember? HWA and GTA! They're both dead.

God is going to have to perform a special miracle; let's see what He does. As I read Zech. 3, remember what God did to Saul, who was persecuting the Church. For you and I, in our thoughts: if we thought, 'Okay, let's select another apostle.' Someone says, 'I have a good idea. Let's select the one who's killing Christians now.' You're stupid!

God does things that people don't! He thinks differently than we do! So when He called Saul, the first thing He did was teach him a lesson and knock him down on the ground and blinded. Then Saul had to be led by the hand after Jesus answered Saul's question: 'Who are You, Lord?'

He said, 'I'm Jesus Whom you're persecuting.' Now, think about that! If Christ is in you and you're persecuted, that's not only you, it's also Christ!

Then Christ said, 'It's hard to kick against the pricks, isn't it?' You know, those long spikes of pricks? You've seen them.

What's the most tender part of your body? The bottom of your feet! Think if you were barefooted kicking against those. How long do you think you would last? The pain would be incredible right away, and I don't think you could get more than two or three kicks at the best before you would fall flat on the ground, fainting from pain. So that's what Christ was telling Saul.

'Get up on your feet, Ananias is going to come and take you and baptize you.' Saul had three days of fasting and prayer and not eating to think it all over.

Then a vision came to Ananias, 'Go get Saul because I've chosen him.' Ananias said, 'Oh Lord, we've heard a lot of things about him and he's even killed the saints. You want me to go get him?'

'Yes, I've chosen him. I have a work for him to do.' So, Ananias goes over there and says, 'The Lord sent me. Now you stand up on your feet. I'm going to baptize you.'

The two witnesses are in the same boat. One will be a coming high priest who will be selected for the temple that will be built in Jerusalem. The other one will be the governor of Judea. You have the priest named here in Zechariah—Joshua—and you have the governor named Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel (Hag. 1:1)[transcriber's correction]. They were the type.

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."

Right there! Satan right there!  Now, you or I wouldn't choose anyone like that.

Verse 2: "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?'"

That's quite a statement, isn't it? His behavior up to this point was worthy of death by fire!

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'" (vs 3-4).

So, he will receive those ceremonial robes, but when he becomes one of the two witnesses, he'll be in sackcloth.

Verse 5: "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."

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. Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you and your fellows who sit before you; for they are men wondered at, for behold, I will bring forth My Servant the Branch!"'" (vs 6-8). That's it, second return of Christ!

Zech. 4—we'll have to remember what was said in Rev. 11.

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, 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'" (vs 1-2)—that's not the menorah!

The menorah that's in the temple has seven little cups, and they have a little place where a wick is put in there, and they put olive oil in each one of them, and they light the wick. This is different. There's a bowl of oil at the top coming down.
 
Verse 3: "And two olive trees beside it..." Two olive trees (Rev. 11).

This identifies the priest and the governor of Judea as the two witnesses.

"'…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.' 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'" (vs 3-6).

That's why he chose two men. God doesn't need an army. One man or two men will be sufficient. How many times you read in the Bible that it's a man, a prophet!

Verse 7: "Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel…"

Who's the great mountain? The final world system with the beast!

Verse 7: "Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain; and he shall bring forth the head stone with shoutings, 'Grace! Grace unto it!'"—paving the way for Christ!

Imagine when this happens, imagine how many Jews in Judea are going to repent, because when they see signs, and they see wonders, they will say, 'This is of God."

Verse 8: "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 8-9).

This before he becomes one of the two witnesses!

Verse 10: "For who has despised the day of small things?…."

Can you get it any smaller? Think about it. Against all the armies, against all the guns, all the planes. Imagine that they came after the two witnesses with these flaming flamethrowers. Didn't hurt them!

"…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" (v 10). You find that in Rev. 1; 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?' 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?'"

Verse 13: "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 13-14).

Let's go back to Rev. 11 because this identifies the two witnesses! They're not coming from the Church. No man's going to set himself up….

Ron Weinland said he was one of the two witnesses. And he said, 'I'll reveal who the other witness is a little bit later.' Then he revealed it was his wife. I hope he repents. If he doesn't repent, he's in trouble.

Revelation 11:4: "These are the two olive trees, and the two lampstands that stand before the God of the earth." Identical to what we find in Zech. 4!

So that's who the two witnesses will be when God selects them! So no one's going to come along and say, 'We're the two witnesses.'

After I got done asking the man on the phone:

• Are they wearing sackcloth? No!
• Are they calling plagues down from heaven? No!
• Is there a temple there? No! But they're still the two witnesses!

I ended the conversation!

(break @44:20)

Sacred Names:

With so many people being assaulted with sacred names, especially if you listen to Jonathan Cahn. Some people are beginning to understand he's not a prophet. He is a good analyst. He can figure times and paradigms and things like this.

He's not a prophet, and he knows virtually nothing about the New Testament—nothing! He knows the name Yeshua, but if you watch his Passover service, it is strictly Judaism, everything about it.

We're also confronted with sacred names. There's even one man who put out a sacred name Bible, New Testament and Old Testament.

Titus1:1: "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ…"

Since we're going to talk about sacred names, let's do a little analysis first. We know that the Old Testament was written in Hebrew. The Jews like to say that Hebrew is a sacred language, and that we need to use the names of God as written in Hebrew.

But even the Jews don't know how to pronounce it themselves. Sacred names doesn't give you an inside track to God. What does? A broken heart and a contrite spirit! 'To this one whom I'll look, who has a broken heart and contrite spirit and trembles at My Word'—keeps it!

• Remember who Paul was? Saul!
• Does he know Hebrew? Yes, he does!

Acts 9 is when God called him, and He spoke to him in Hebrew, and told him, 'Saul, I want you to use sacred names in everything that you write.' NO, He didn't tell him that!

Did Saul/Paul know Greek? Yes! What was the Bible written in for most of the 300 years beginning when they did the Septuagint? The Greek Septuagint, which was the Old Testament translated into Greek! In that, they did not put any sacred names. No Hebrew!

Remember when they tried to kill Paul because he came into the temple to be at charge with those four men who had a vow and everything? They said, 'That's the one! That's the one!' They were going to kill him.

So, the Roman centurion and the soldiers came down and rescued Paul and took him up, and he was at the Praetorium. That was the entrance into the Roman area of where the Mosque of Omar is today—Roman property.

Paul asked the centurion, because they were ready to kill him, 'Can I speak to the people?' (Acts 22 & 23). And the centurion said, 'Yes.' So Paul raised his arm, and he spoke in Hebrew.

I bring this up because everyone there at the temple calmed down. They listened to what he said. He told his account on how God called him and everything. Then when he mentioned the word Gentiles in Greek, the 'ethnodes' went berserk.

They had to take Paul upstairs and get them away from the Jews, because they're going to kill them.

Did sacred names make those Jews more loving? No! I bring it up for the introduction of Paul, what he's going to say.

• Why did God call Saul to be Paul, to be an apostle of all things?
• Why didn't He just call him to be a deacon?

Now we'll start you out low down here, Saul; we'll make you a little deacon. If you kiss the ring of the apostles above you, maybe we'll raise you in rank. Sound similar to what we found in the Church?

The reason I bring it out is because God did not want Judaism in the Church. We find that in Gal. 2; what was it that Peter told Cornelius? You know it's unlawful for a man who is a Jew to come into another one of another nation. But God has shown me that He is no respecter of persons!

God had to do that in a miracle with signs. A vision to go with the soldiers to go to Cornelius. Then later, when he was preaching, all the Gentiles, because the Jews are forbidden to keep company with anyone of any other race and they are not to eat food with them; they are not to stay with them! That's Judaism!

So you need to get our book, Judaism: Revelation of Moses, or Religion of Men by Philip Neal, and also In Depth Study: Scripturalism vs Judaism.

So, if God wanted sacred names, don't you think that He would have inspired all the apostles to use the sacred names? But he didn't!

Who created all the languages? God did at the Tower of Babel! If God created the language, and God is Holy, is not the name of God in that language Holy? Have to be, otherwise, God is cursing Himself! And of course, God wouldn't do that!

Now, I bring this up because of what we're going to read here in Titus, but first come to Prov. 30 and we'll tie this together with Acts 2 in just a minute, Then we'll get to Titus!

Proverbs 30:5: "Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him." It doesn't say you are to speak Hebrew!

"Every word of God is pure…." If He created all the languages, the name of God is pure in that language!

In the Old Testament, how is it described in English? The Most High and Jehovah or Yahweh! That's what's used in the Old Testament.

What do we have in the New Testament? We have the Father, who is Most High, and we have His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ!

When the angel came to Mary—it's recorded in Greek—what were they to call Him? This actually came to Joseph first. They were to call His name Jesus! In Greek, it is pronounced: 'ee-ay-sooce'—Jesus. That has nothing to do with Zeus, the fake god.

Jesus:

• 'Ho Christos' the Christ
• 'Ho ee-ay-sooce' the Jesus

That's what it is in the Greek!

• The Father is 'Ho Pater'—Father!

Now, we do have a couple of places where the Semitic word, Aramaic, for Father is used, which is 'Abba.'—two places! Now, if God wanted that in every place where the name Father appears, could he not have inspired that? But He didn't!

Verse 5: "Every Word of God… [understand that is what He inspires] …is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He correct you and you be found a liar" (vs 5-6).

• What do we find in Rev. 22?
• What are the closing words of Jesus?

Revelation 22:17: And the Spirit and the Bride… [the Spirit refers to Christ, obviously] …say, 'Come,' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.' And let the one who thirsts come; and let the one who desires partake of the water of life freely. For I jointly testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book…" (vs 17-18)—the whole Bible!

Prophecy means the inspired book! Not just prophecy in a foretelling, but the inspired Word of God.

"…that if anyone adds to these things, God shall add to him the plagues that are written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, and from the Holy City, and from the things that are written in this book" (vs 18-19). That agrees with Prov. 30!

Let's add one more here before we get back to Titus; Acts 2. This was a reality of what was spoken, but also a prophecy concerning the Word of God.

What did we read earlier today? And this Gospel, shall be preached in all the world to all nations. The translations always come in the language of the people that it's directed to, because that's what they understand.

So here in Acts 2, because there's also a controversy of this because Raymond Cole justified a Monday Pentecost by saying that the first verse means when Pentecost ended.

When does a day end? At sunset! That means if he's correct that the day ended, then they spoke to him at night! The day ends at sundown? Well, the temple was never up and operating at night!

But Cole twisted the Scripture to satisfy what he thought was a proclamation of HWA who never really repented of a Monday Pentecost. When he accepted the true Pentecost being on the first day of the week, he announced to all the ministers that 'God bound it on Monday these 40 years.' That's no different than Sunday-keepers saying, 'God has bound Sunday.' He never really repented, do he never understood Pentecost being the first resurrection.

Now, before we get more here, I'll add some more to it. When we had Pentecost for the first time on a correct day, we had 750 people come to the Los Angeles Convention Center. I was pastor of Torrance and Santa Monica, the two big churches down there in the Los Angeles area. Gerald Waterhouse—one of the most ardent Herbert Armstrong men in the world—came down to bring the message. Another minister from headquarters gave the sermonette. and I led the songs, though I was pastor of Torrance and Santa Monica.

You know, rank came first. So, anyway, I'm up there leading the songs, and I said, 'Brethren, here we are keeping Pentecost on the correct day for the first time.' And I said, 'And who knows, it probably pictures the first resurrection.' That was in 1974.

Guess who was on the first row sitting right down there with his Bible open getting ready to speak? The meanest, nastiest corrector of all in the Church—Gerald Waterhouse! And it sailed right over his head.

So when someone asked me, 'When's the first time you taught the resurrection on Pentecost?' I said, 'The first Pentecost that we kept it on the right day.'

• Is that not the harvest of the firstfruits?
• Is not the Church called the firstfruits of God?
• The firstborn from the dead? Yes!

Then when we're on the Sea of Glass—as we understand it now—we're going to use the months to learn how to take over the world! Now that's a big job, don't you think? Taking over the world?

• we've got to know what we're going to do
• we've got to know where we're going to go

We're not going to be resurrected on the day and meet Christ in the air and say, 'Oh, hello, Jesus, hat am I supposed to do?' I can't tell you now. You just follow Me down! No! When do you get your white horse then, if you're resurrected on trumpets.

Sidebar: To answer the question, the Greek cannot mean ended, because the Greek word here is an articular infinitive. An infinitive is explained in English to—to walk, to run—that's an infinitive.

But the articular infinitive in the Greek means specifically present tense fulfillment of the word being fulfilled. It cannot mean ended.

Acts 2:1: "And when the Day of Pentecost, the fiftieth day, was being fulfilled… [I translated that precisely from the Greek]...they were all with one accord in the same place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rushing of a powerful wind, and filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…" (vs 1-4).

• Did that come from God? Yes!

Notice what God did!

• Did He speak in Hebrew only? No!

"…and they began to speak with other languages… [it does not say 'except for the sacred name] …as the Spirit gave them the words to proclaim" (v 4).

This is a Divine miracle, proving you don't need sacred names!

They were speaking in the Greek, because that was the common language at the time. A second language was Aramaic, a version of Hebrew, and the third was Latin. But Greek was the main language.

"…because the Spirit gave them words to proclaim. Now, there were many Jews who were sojourning in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven" (vs 4-5).

That means they attended synagogue, and in every synagogue at that time, there was the Septuagint Bible. But they all spoke the language of the country that they were in.

Verse 6: "And when word of this went out, the multitude came together and were confounded, because each one heard them speaking in his own language."

In their minds, they had their own language that they were speaking, but when it came to the person to hear it, it was in their language.

How did God want them to know about Jesus? In their own language, and about God the Father, in their own language!

Verse 7: "And they were all amazed, and marveled, saying to one another, 'Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?'"

God didn't choose any of the rabbis, and Galileans were not very well favored by those in Jerusalem. And they were supposed to be uneducated, but these men were educated. So they asked the question:

Since they're all Galileans, you know. I don't want to insult anybody, but that's kind of like saying that you're from the deep south, 'y'all, you're hicks from the sticks. Who are you?'

Verse 8: "Then how is it that we hear each one in our own language… [the Greek is 'dialektos'] …in which we were born?" That is their native language, Then a list of them:

Verse 9: "Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and those who inhabit Mesopotamia, and Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, both Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya which are near Cyrene, and the Romans who are sojourning here, both Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians…" (vs 9-11).

We hear them speaking in our own languages the great things of God" (v 11). All this is recorded in Greek!

But the Holy Spirit—this is a prophecy—would go to the Gentiles, which didn't begin until Acts 10, but here was a prophecy of it to the Jews who lived in the Gentile countries and spoke those languages and came to Jerusalem to keep the Feast in their own language. Now we're read for:

Titus 1:1: "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the Truth that is according to Godliness; in the hope of eternal life, which God Who cannot lie promised before the ages of time, but revealed in its own set time in the proclamation of His Word, with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior" (vs 1-3).

Think about that! Paul says he was entrusted to record the Word of God! Show me a sacred name in any Greek text, in any of the Epistles of Paul. They are not used!

God wants broken heart and a contrite spirit. He doesn't want names that you cannot pronounce and do not understand.

Verse 4: "To Titus, a true son according to our common faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

Verse 5: "For this cause I left you in Crete, so that you might set in order the things that needed to be done, and might ordain elders in every city, as I commanded you." Then he gives the qualification for an elder!

Verse 9: "Holding steadfastly to the faithful Word, according to the teachings of Jesus Christ, so that he may be able both to encourage with sound doctrine and to convict those who are gainsayers."

Anything about sacred names? No!

Verse 10: "For there are many rebellious and vain talkers and deceivers, especially those from the circumcision party."

The circumcision party are those who Judaize by following the traditions of the Jews. True spiritual circumcision is of the heart and mind!

Verse 11: "Whose mouths must be stopped; who are subverting whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of selfish gain." Perfect description of sacred namers!

Verse 12: "One from among them, even one of their own prophets, said, 'Cretans are always liars, and evil, wild beasts, and lazy gluttons.' This testimony is true. For this reason you must rebuke them severely, that they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men, which turn away from the Truth" (vs 12-14).

That's precisely what sacred namers do! They want you to follow them, because they're 'the only ones on earth that have contact with God. No one else does.'

Depart from the Truth, which takes away and turns from the Truth.

Verse 15: "To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; rather, both their minds and consciences are defiled. They personally profess to know God, but in their works they deny Him…" (vs 15-16).

Quite a statement there, isn't it? It's not what you say, it's what you do and how do you live!

"…but in their works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and reprobate unto every good work" (v 16).

You can search the New Testament.  Nowhere are sacred names required. When it's translated in another language, as we found on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), God Himself translated in the language of those who heard the wonderful works of God in His own language.

Sacred namers are just a branch of Judaism trying to get a niche so that they're more righteous than other people. You don't do it that way!

One thing that God wants, and especially in the ministry, the most important thing for any elder is this, that you know the Truth of God. The truth always fits with Truth. As long as we stay with the Truth, preach the Truth and believe it ourselves first; as long as we do that, then we can serve the brethren, and we can teach them.

We're not going to exalt ourselves above the brethren. We're to teach till we all, we all together come into the unity of the knowledge of the Truth of God.

But notice what happened to Paul, Ephesians 3:1: "For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles,"

Here he is in chains in a private house in Rome before he is released. This also tells us that whenever we have a trial, maybe God is going to inspire us to understand more things if we yield to God!

It's very important to understand. So, don't worry about any of the trials you have. Don't get all your emotion involved and your feelings hurt, because that's just going to lead to an upset mind and upset emotions. That won't work. You take it all to God! Paul could have said:

Boy, it's pretty tough out here and God hasn't been fair to me. I went through this almost shipwreck, landed on an island and finally got to Rome and I'm still here in this house in chains.

No, he didn't say that!  He said:

Verse 2: "If indeed you have heard of the ministry of the grace of God that was given to me for you."

Any knowledge of the Bible that we have as elders is not for us; it's for the brethren! It's what it is.

Verse 3: "How He made known to me by revelation the mystery (even as I wrote briefly before, so that when you read this, you will be able to comprehend my understanding in the mystery of Christ)" (vs 3-4).

That's what it is! We're understanding the mystery of God during the Feast of Tabernacles that the world doesn't know. I mean, think about that. How precious is that knowledge?

Verse 5: "Which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His Holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit."

God gave this revelation to all the apostles and prophets at the same time.

Verse 6: "That the Gentiles might be joint heirs, and a joint body, and joint partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel."

Together! Not one greater than the other. Not one chosen over the other. We're all chosen!  What are we called? The called, the chosen, the faithful!

Verse 7: "Of which I became a servant according to the gift of the grace of God, which was given to me through the inner working of His power."

Notice his attitude! Look where he came from. He came from persecuting and killing Christians! Then he came to say a little later, 'I'm the least of all the apostles.'

Look at the humility that Paul has here when he's in prison.

Verse 8: "To me, who am less than the least of all the saints."

Quite a statement! Every elder needs to read that and understand it. If you're on your 'high spiritual, religious high horse,' you better get rid of it.

"…was this grace given, that I might preach the Gospel among the Gentiles—even the unsearchable riches of Christ… [he didn't keep it to himself] …and that I might enlighten all as to what is the fellowship of the mystery that has been hidden from the ages in God, Who created all things by Jesus Christ" (vs 8-9). Quite a statement!

• What is it that you know?
• Why do you know it?

It's the greatest thing that there can possibly be.

Verse 10: "So that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the Church to the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places."

Where to come to understanding that even angels aren't privileged to understand.

• What does that mean?
• How powerful is the Word of God?

Verse 11: "According to His eternal purpose, which He has wrought in Christ Jesus our Lord, in Whom we have boldness and direct access with confidence through His very own faith" (vs 11-12).

Think about the privilege! Think about this: We have direct contact with God the Father through prayer. And that takes place every time we get on our knees and we say, 'Our Father.'

We know it's spiritual. How all of that works with all of His people everywhere. God can handle. God can work it out. And we're all scattered and some of us alone much of the time we're not alone because God is with us, Christ is with us, and God is with all His saints wherever they are.

Verse 13: "So then, I beseech you not to faint at my tribulations for you, which are working for your glory."

That's how we look being in jail. So, the next time you have a trial, come along, open Eph. 3 and read it on your knees before God. Let those words sink deep within because that's where they are to be.

Verse 14: "For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of Whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named" (vs 14-15).

The whole Plan of God! An amazing thing, isn't it? I just got a letter from a man in England. He said he got the book, the new expanded version of God's Plan of Mankind Revealed by his Sabbath and Holy Days. He was overwhelmed to get it. Well, that's where it needs to go. To go to people to see, to read, to understand.

Notice what God wants for each and every one of us, and eventually, as we know what the Feast of Tabernacles pictures, the Millennial reign of Christ:

• we're going to rule
• we're going to reign
• we're going to teach
• we're going to govern
• we're going to help
• we're going to encourage
• we're going to heal

We're going to do all of these things according to the will of God! That's what it's for.

Verse 14: "For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of Whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power by His Spirit in the inner man… [that's what God wants] …that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith" (vs 14-17).

That's the whole cause of what we do. That's why we live.

Verse 18: "And that being rooted and grounded in love, you may be fully able to comprehend with all the saints…'

This is what God wants us to learn! That's why we have the Sabbath and Holy Days and everything, while we have peace enough to learn, to pray, to study, to live God's way.

"what is the breadth and length and depth and height" (v18)—and that will come at the resurrection. The fullness of that.  That's an amazing thing.

Verse 19: "And to know the love of Christ, which surpasses human knowledge so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

That one verse tells you the whole purpose of:

• why you're here
• why you were born
• why you were converted
• why you had the knowledge of the Word of God

Notice it's going to be done; v 20: "Now, to Him Who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that is working in us."

• God will do it
• Christ is there

Verse 21: "To Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all generations, even into the ages of eternity. Amen."

Scriptural References:

The Two Witnesses:

• Matthew 24:14. 1-2, 15
• Revelation 11:1
• Matthew 24:15
• Daniel 11:40-41
• Matthew 24:21-25
• Revelation 11:1-15
• Zechariah 3:1-8
• Zechariah 4:1-14
• Revelation 11:4

Sacred Names:

• Titus 1:1
• Proverbs 30:5-6
• Revelation 22:17-19
• Acts 2:1-11
• Titus 1:1-4, 9-16
• Ephesians 3:1-21

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• 2 Thessalonians
• Isaiah 40
• Haggai 1:1
• Revelation 1, 4; 5

• Acts 9; 22-23
• Galatians 2
• Acts 10

Also referenced: {truthofGod.org}

Books:

• God's Plan For Mankind Revealed by His Sabbath and Holy Days by Fred R. Coulter
• Judaism: Revelation of Moses, or Religion of Men by Philip Neal

DVD: Jerusalem and the Lost Temple of the Jews! {truthofGod.org}

In Depth Study: Scripturalism vs Judaism

FRC:bo/po
Transcribed: 10/18/23

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