World Government Thru the Coming World Bank II

Fred Coulter—October 16, 2010

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Greetings, everyone! Welcome to Sabbath services. Now let me just review a little of what I covered last week, but first I just want to mention this: The things we have to discuss and the messages concerning the times ahead are really telling us how difficult it's going to be. As it says there in Isa. 30, speak to us smooth things, speak to us nice things, that some may think that I am scaring you because of what I'm saying. But the truth is, I'm not scaring you.

So if you have felt that way—let me ask you to please read all of Jeremiah and all of Ezekiel, Deut. 28, and Lev. 26—what you're failing to understand is this: We all want the love and promises of God for eternal life and goodness and faith and hope, and all of those good things. However, if you have nothing that will try your faith, try your love, try your hope, how do you know that you really have it?

So it's like William Tyndale wrote. He says, 'If God sends you on a trip to go over the ocean, He will send a tempest to test you whether you believe Him or no.' If everything were just smooth, we would all become the most contemptuous and evil people in the world, because that's the way that human nature is. In bringing these things out and talking about them, it's not my intent to scare you.

Let's go back and look at the longer picture. For over 15-years I've been saying, 'Get out of debt.' Are you out of debt? And I've said that what you need to do is not have all your savings in cash, you need to be in gold or silver. Have you done that? And don't say, 'There he goes again.' Because one of the most watched television personalities today is Glenn Beck. And has he not been saying the same thing that I've been saying for how many ever years?

I've talked to gold dealers who people call and say, 'Well, I'd like to get some gold,' but they really didn't want to pay the price when it was down about $800 an ounce or something like that. And they're sitting with a couple hundred thousand dollars in the bank and he told me even one man had a half a million in the bank. And he says, 'Well, when the banks close, what are you going to do?'

This is the lemming effect. The lemming effect is this: When people see things getting bad, they run like lemmings. And lemmings all run at once. If they're in the wrong direction, they will run right over a cliff and they'll all die. So pretty soon we're going to have the lemming effect on gold and on silver, because people will finally realize, 'Well, I should have gotten it years ago, but I didn't get it.'

Then people call me and ask me, 'What should I do?' And I tell them I can 'give you some general things to do, but I'm not your financial advisor. I don't need to know your personal finances. That's yours to manage and you're responsible for it.' So, I'm not going to tell you: you must do this, you must do that, you must do the other thing. You need to examine all the facts and choose what you need to do.

So likewise in going through these Scriptures. As I mentioned, we all are happy that the return of Christ is closer than it has been. However, we don't remember that the Bible tells us that just before Jesus returns there's going to be trouble and difficulties such as not has been since the foundation of the world. What do I do as a minister? I can preach nice and lovely things. So if you want some of that, I suggest you get

• the series on love
• the series on hope
• the series on faith

—and go back over those. As the Apostle Paul said, 2-Timothy 4, let's see our charge as teachers and ministers before God. We have responsibilities to do. We cannot act in political ways to do that which is pleasing to people because it upsets their delicate feelings.

Now let's begin in 2-Timothy 3:16, because this is one we really need to have in our minds. We've gone over this many, many times, and I want you to think about it today since we have the whole Bible and how this was not even available in a complete form for anyone until William Tyndale translated it into English and Martin Luther did in German; although, Martin Luther became like a Jeroboam as far as his responsibility before God. He kept all the pagan things and even went back and worked with the Catholics to go against the peasants when they rebelled against the Catholic Church.

Remember years ago I gave a couple of sermons on [Andreas] Karlstadt—remember that? And Karlstadt was one who came to Martin Luther and showed him in the Bible that he should keep the Sabbath. Well, after that happened, Martin Luther went on his way, his own thing, and he rejected that knowledge and look what happened to his life. So once you have knowledge, you can't reject it.

But here's what we need to consider today. 2-Timothy 3:16: "All Scripture... [each and every one] ...is God-breathed... [and that means all the genealogies, because there's history involved in it. Michael Heiss gave three really great sermons and we're sending those out.] ...and is profitable for doctrine, for conviction... [If you believe, you have to have conviction, but how can you have conviction unless you really know the Scriptures and then also see and analyze how it's worked in your life, how it's worked in the lives of others. And today we're going to see how it's working in the world.] ...for correction... [and we all need correction, we all need things we need to change] ...for instruction in righteousness; so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work" (vs 16-17). Remember, we're going to be judged by our works—are we not?

On Church at Home I'm going to give a series of messages on works or no works. And how are you going to get around the Scripture where Jesus said, 'Blessed is he who keeps My works unto the end.' Human beings like to come along and take the good part of God's Word, overlook the corrective part of God's Word, and overlook the commands that God has given and try and substitute those with their own ways. Well, it'll work for a while, but sooner or later it's going to catch up and it's all catching up with the world now.

Now 2-Timothy 4:1: "I charge you, therefore..." So anyone who teaches and preaches, it's not a matter that all of a sudden you're going to be a preacher or teacher. Well, as I mentioned last week there was this group in, I said Pennsylvania, but it was actually in Baltimore, Maryland, that God did something to the minister to get him to really know he needed to preach the commandments. Had another phone call this week from a man in New York and he's in the same situation. So God is beginning to work with people in many different ways. That's why it's important that we

• stay with the Truth
• understand the Truth
• grow in grace and knowledge

to help these people. We've had all the years to get over the wounds and the bruises and the political fights and things that have been within the Church wars that we have experienced. In other churches, it's not over yet. Some of them it's just really beginning. But all of that is a way that God has of

• judging
• separating
• testing
• trying

So this charge then is: "...in the sight of God..." (v 1). In other words, everyone is going to be teaching and preaching, needs to figure this. What does it say in Heb. 4? That everything is naked and laid bare before the One with whom we have to deal.

• God knows our hearts
• God knows our minds
• God knows our weaknesses
• He knows all of that
• He deals with us in
  • His grace
  • His mercy
  • His love

—true, but we need to respond in the way that God wants. Likewise with teaching.] ...in the sight of God, even the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is ready to judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom…. [Of course, the book of Revelation is all about God's judgment on the world—is it not? Yes, indeed!] …Preach the Word!.…" (vs 1-2).

So there are things I need to preach. Some of them will be pleasant and inspiring, some of them will be instructive and give us knowledge and understanding, other things will be in the way of warnings and difficulties. Others are going to be showing what the way of the world is and that's what I'm going to do again today.

"...Be urgent in season and out of season..." That's not only with the Holy Days, but there is a time to preach things. There is a time to warn. Because you can read back in Ezek. 33 that if we don't warn, then we're held responsible. That's not to say I'm Ezekiel's watchman on the wall. I don't presume any of that. I'm just a teacher and I'll teach. If we teach the love of God, the hope of God, the faith of God, and loving each other, then the Truth gets down to this: You, with the Holy Spirit of God, will govern your own life and you don't need someone to rule over you. If Christ can't rule in your heart, can the rule of any minister over you make you do things? Will that get you into the Kingdom of God? No! God's not going to judge you by how the minister rules over you. God is going to judge the minister because he ruled instead of teaching so that each one of us can learn how to rule our lives. But He's going to judge each one of us.

So we have to "...be urgent in season and out of season; convict, rebuke, encourage, with all patience and doctrine. For there shall come a time when they will not tolerate sound doctrine..." (vs 2-3). We've lived through that. We've seen that. And now that's happening in the Protestant and Catholic world more than ever before.

On yesterday's Glenn Beck program—I didn't see it, but Dolores told me about it—Beck has uncovered how George Soros is sneaking himself through his money into the Protestant churches to subvert them. And he is an atheist. He does it though these foundations. 'Oh, this church, would you like some money here? Would you like to build a building? Well, we'll help you with it.' But remember, he who holds the money and holds the mortgage is the ruler. So if they fall for that and they accept George Soros' money, you think they can preach the Truth? Never happen! I don't know how many will fall for it, but a lot of them will, so we need to be alert to that.

"...not tolerate sound doctrine; but according to their own lusts they shall accumulate to themselves a great number of teachers, having ears itching to hear what satisfies their cravings; and they shall turn away their own ears from the Truth; and they shall be turned aside unto myths.... [And we've seen that happen. It's going to accelerate in the future as we go down.] ...But as for you, be vigilant in all things, endure hardships, do the work of an evangelist; fully carry out your ministry" (vs 3-5). So that's an admonition to everyone who teaches and preaches. I take that seriously. I hope that even in your own life for your studies, though you may not be a teacher or minister, that you would also take that as instruction and correction to you.

Let's begin by coming over here to 2-Timothy 3 and let's see the state of the world. Now we've gone through some of these Scriptures before, some we haven't gone through in a long time, but let's look at the number one problem in the world right here. That goes clear back to what we find, the very last verse in the book of Judges: 'And there was no king in Israel and every man did that which was right in his own sight.' That was what we covered in the time before the Flood and immediately after the Flood. And Jesus said that's what it's going to be like in the end-time.

So Paul is writing the same thing here. He says, 2-Timothy 3:1: "Know this also, that in the last days perilous times shall come... [And if perilous times come, should we not take warning from God's Word? Yes, indeed!] ...for men will be lovers of self... [Boy! That's sure exemplified by many people. Now it's infiltrated up to the Presidency of the United States, more concerned about self and his program than he is the welfare of the people and working with people to get things right.] ...lovers of money... [That's what's wrong with Wall Street, that's what's wrong with the banking in the world. I'm going to cover some things, I'll talk a little bit about the foreclosure crises that they have in stopping all foreclosures.] ...braggarts, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents..." (vs 1-2). I saw a clip of unruly kids in school. Man, I wouldn't want to be a teacher today.

"...without self control... [Do whatever you want, take whatever you want.] ...savage, despisers of those who are good, betrayers, reckless, egotistical, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God…. [And this fits the society, but what I want you to understand is this: Today, all of these factors are growing exponentially. This is creating the crises that we are in.] (here is the trick: …having an outward appearance of Godliness..." (vs 3-5).

 Just like Jesus said, 'Many shall come in My name saying I am the Christ and shall deceive many.' So that's why it's no surprise that the Churches of God are few. Then you read Rev. 2 and 3 and you understand that even the Churches of God have things to work on and correction to receive from Christ, Who's the Head of the Church—correct? Yes! .

"...but denying the power of true godliness. But as for you, turn away from all these…. [Here's what happens.] …For from men such as these come those who are worming their way into houses, and are gaining control over empty-headed gullible women... [there are a lot of smart, wise women] ...given over to various sins, being driven by all kinds of lust. They are always learning but are never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth" (vs 5-7).

You can have all kinds of scientific knowledge, you can have all kinds of things, but unless you know the Truth of God, what do you really know? And God made it very simple. Just think, everything you need to know for eternal life is right here. As Jesus said, 'These words are spirit and they are life.' Then you need the Spirit of God and this tells you how to receive the Spirit of God. Everything that we need is here. So when we come to various times in society and especially in Israel in the end-times, then there are many things we have to look at.

Now, I want you to come back here to the book of Isaiah and we're going to look at some things here that are important for us to understand. I'll give a full sermon on these chapters in Isaiah, but I just want to cover some things from these chapters, and I want you to see an overall pattern as it is here in the book of Isaiah.

Isaiah 54:1: "'Sing, O barren, you that never bore; break out into singing and shout, you who never travailed, for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman,' says the LORD." Paul refers to this as the church in Gal. 4. So here is the church in Isa. 54.

Isaiah 55:1: "'Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat. Yea, come, buy wine and mile without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread? And your labor for what never satisfies? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness'" (vs 1-2). All right, this is the preaching of the Gospel. Then it talks about how you seek God (v 6). You forsake your thoughts, forsake your ways, because God's thoughts and His ways are not our ways.

Then you come to Isaiah 56:1, which I think is very important. I want you to notice how this flows along in a pattern. "Thus says the LORD, 'Keep justice and do righteousness; for My salvation is near to come... [And you can multiply that much more concerning the return of Christ—right?] ...and My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who lays hold on it; who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it; and keeps his hand from doing any evil'" (vs 1-2). Sabbath—correct? Yes!

Verse 4: "For thus says the LORD, 'To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose things that please Me, and take hold of My covenant; even to them will I give within My house and within My walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off'" (vs 4-5). That's talking about spiritual salvation—is it not? Look at how the Sabbath is involved in it. Yes, indeed!

 Then we have Isaiah 57, which also talks about conversion and the troubles and difficulties that we're going to have, the death of the righteous, and no one considers that they're being laid in store for the resurrection.

Isaiah 58:1: "Cry aloud, do not spare, lift up your voice like a ram's horn, and show My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." You look at it; isn't that interesting. My people has to refer to the Church. 'And the house of Jacob their sins.' So, there comes a time of correction. If you've ever heard a ram's horn or if you've ever been in a room where they blew a ram's horn, you know why it is a sound of war. It is piercing, it is unsettling, and it really gets your attention.

Verse 2: "Yet they seek Me daily, and seem eager to know My ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and one that did not forget the ordinance of their God. They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; they seem eager to draw near to God." That goes right in with Rom. 9 that the people of Israel 'have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge'—the ten tribes as well as the Jews.

Then they have their own religion, so there needs to be warnings that come from this, v 3: "They say, 'Why have we fasted, and You do not see? Why have we afflicted our soul and You take no knowledge?'... [God answers back]: ...'Behold, in the day of your fast you pursue your business and exploit all your workers. Behold, you fast for strife...'" (vs 3-4). Then He tells them what kind of fast that He wants. Then He tells them to draw near to Him.
Verse 11: "And the LORD shall always guide you and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make your bones fat [healthy] and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters fail not. And those who come to you shall build the old ruins; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called, The Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Paths to Dwell in…. [Then notice what follows that. We go from correction down to what God is going to do.] (Then He shows us how to do it again. And I want you to see how important the Sabbath is, because the Sabbath used in the right way as God intended is going to be the tool that God will use to show us and teach us what we need to do): …If you turn your foot away from the Sabbath..." (v 13). Which shows that they weren't, with their own religion.

I can't help but think of that. I saw it the other day. I was watching the Thursday night college football. And you get all those young people out there shouting and yelling and screaming and just going at it, and, of course, most of them have their activities—especially the college football games—on Friday night and all day Saturday. Do you think their minds would ever be on the Sabbath? Do you think you could convince them to give up all this seeming pleasure that they have and keep the Sabbath? No! Likewise with people in the world; likewise with Sunday-keepers. Now, there are some Sunday-keepers who understand. There are some like this one woman said, 'I sat in my church for nearly twenty years and every Sunday he said why don't we keep the Sabbath?' That's good, because finally she answered the question and she's now in the Church of God, so that's good.

So God says here: "If you turn your foot away from the Sabbath, from doing your own desires on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor pursuing your own desires, nor speaking your own words, Then..." (vs 13-14). Now notice all the conditions. You can say:

• IF you'll turn your foot away from the Sabbath, from doing your own desires on My Holy Day.
• IF you call the Sabbath a delight, the Holy of the Lord, honorable.
• IF you shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor pursuing your own desires, nor speaking your own words,
• THEN

That's quite a powerful IF statement—isn't it?—when you put it all together.
"'Then you shall delight yourself in the LORD; and I will cause you to ride upon the high places of the earth..." (v 14). And, of course, that's talking about the return of Christ and the resurrection from the dead, and all of that goes into it.

Come to Isaiah 59, because we need to also understand that God judges in all the nations of the world—does He not? What is the sequence of God's judgment? Let's look at it this way. The sequence of His judgment and correction is:

• to His Church.

• Has the Church been corrected?
• Has the Church been spit out of the mouth of Christ?
• Has the Church lost their colleges and ministers and members, many of whom were questionably converted, if converted?
• to the nation
• Has not the judgment then come upon our nation? Very much in a similar pattern?

So much so that down through time different ones have said, 'Well, as the Church goes, so goes the nation.' Look at what's happening to it today and why. Because we're going to see there are laws of God that apply to everyone, every human being on earth—converted or unconverted—

• to every individual
• to every family
• to every community
• to every region
• to every state
• to every country

God says that any nation that He's going to bless, if He finds it's doing evil He's not going to bless it. But if that nation repents of its evil, then He will do good to them. So that works in the nations of men. God is not way off out them limited to just the Churches of God. If you have that view, that's a very narrow view, because

• God will bless those who believe in Him whether they're converted them or not.
• God will hear the prayers of those who call to Him in faith and understanding.

That's why the 33 were saved out of the mine, because they prayed to God. That doesn't mean they're converted. Do only converted people pray to God? No! How do you think the unconverted eventually become converted? By praying to God, studying His Word—right? And God leading them—correct? Yes!

So Isaiah 59 tells us the state of things and then we will go back and look at the causes of these, so that we will be able to understand without being afraid, without saying, 'Oh, you're scaring me.' I don't want to do that, but I want you to understand why things are the way that they are, and that there is a time to give warning and time to speak of punishment and judgment because of the state of people, the state of the world.

So here it is in Isaiah 59:1: "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened that it cannot save, nor is His ear heavy that it cannot hear.... [why?]: ...But your iniquities have come between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear" (vs 1-2). You can take this in varying degrees, beginning with those who are in the Church, who are—and you've heard the word how many times—Laodiceans or Sardisites, or Thyatira or from Pergamos, or whatever. So, God will not hear, He chooses not to hear because of your sins, because of your iniquities.

"For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; and your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perverseness" (v 3).'And you want Me to bless you. You want Me to spare you from any evil and difficulty.' Look, every one of these things have a penalty. 'The wages of sin is death'—correct? Defiled with blood, murder, rape, abortion, death, accidents, your fingers with iniquity. All of those have an automatic penalty just like the law of gravity.

Now if you don't believe me, watch National Geographic Channel if you have it, and watch when they talk about the hardened criminals—the lifers, the gangers—who are there, and the way they have to deal with them. I saw an interview with a man who said, 'I have killed. I have no remorse. I have no feelings. I have no love. I have no concern.' What are you going to do if he's released out of prison because there's no more money to pay the guards?

Now is that a scary thing? I suggest you go online and you read how the Germans and the Austrians reacted when they had the inflation going wild before the collapse of the Weimar republic. People were vicious to each other, taking food, beating them up, killing them, just to keep their own skin alive. Now will we see some of that with the things that are going on? Very likely! We don't know how bad it's going to get, but I'll give you one clue. The insane judge in Arizona agreed to let the thirteen Latin American countries join the lawsuit against Arizona with that law that they have—what was that, 1083 or something like that. I don't know if that's the correct number or not. Does that tell you strangers are getting high above us? Yes, indeed!

Why is it that all nations hate us? The people will say, 'Well, why should they hate us, the Americans are good people.' Look at what they do whenever there's a disaster. Look how we've helped the world. True! But then you need to look at the other end of the scale:

• What are your sins?
• What are your crimes?
• What are the things that you have done?

Verse 4: "None calls for justice... [True justice! They want their justice. Politically the right wants their justice, the left wants their justice. The communists want their justice, the atheists want their justice. None calls for the justice of God!] ...nor does anyone plead for Truth... [Only the acceptable version of Truth. That's the problem that even some people within the Church of God have. You only want your version of the Truth. 'I'll just take so much and no more.' Well, what if God says there's a whole lot more to come?] ...they trust in vanity and speak lies. The conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity." Man, if that doesn't describe Washington, D.L.C., I don't know—District of Liars and Corruption.

I mean, even now, look at the power given to Sebelius, the Secretary of Health and Human Services. She's sending down orders every day, ungodly orders concerning health care and things. I got a letter the other day that because medically speaking if I go to the doctor I have Medicare and I have supplemental insurance to go with it, but there are a lot of doctors withdrawing from Medicare because they're not going to pay them but a pittance for whatever they do. So, I got a nice little letter registered, signed, so it goes back. You get signed-return receipt that I got it. They said, 'We're no longer going to do serve you as a primary care physician.' I went once in two years. Now what's going to happen to people who are really dependent upon doctors when that happens? That's just one thing.

So they try and cure the problem, v 5: "They hatch adders' eggs and weave the spider's web; he who eats their eggs dies, and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper…. [That's why none of these plans work. That's why all the law enforcement never brings law abiding. Law abiding begins within by choice.] …Their webs shall not become clothing, nor shall they cover themselves with their works; their works are works of iniquity, and the acts of violence are in their hands. Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. They have not known the way of peace..." (vs 5-8).

How can you have any peace there? This is why I can see and I'll show you that the Scriptures will support, that they can't get a world government by trying to change all of the governments to conform with what they want governmentally. But they can do it financially, bring in a one-world currency. And then I'll show you that at the end, then they have power as kings. So we're getting close to that time.

"...and there is no justice in their ways.... [Have you ever felt that?] ...They have made crooked paths for themselves; whoever goes therein shall not know peace. Therefore, justice is far from us; nor does righteousness overtake us. We wait for light, but behold, darkness; for the brightness, but we walk in deep shadows. We grope along the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes. We stumble at noonday as in the night; among those who are strong, we are like dead men" (vs 8-10). All because of the way that our society has been. This is quite an indictment.

I guarantee you that we're just beginning to see the beginning part of how this is going to be on a mammoth scale. So, it's well worth our paying attention to, to understand what's going to come in the future, and that we can get out of the way of evil. We can take care of ourselves financially. We can be 'wise as serpents, harmless as doves,' so we're not all caught up in the world that is described here.

"We all roar like bears, and mourn grievously like doves; we look for justice, but there is none, we look for salvation, yet it is far off from us" (v 11). And I guarantee you, that's what's going to happen financially. There will not be the money to pay even the interest on the national debt. There is close to what? I think it is $300-trillion worth of debt in the whole world if you include everybody's debt everywhere, under all circumstances. There's not enough money in the world to solve that. It's going to be just like it says here: "…far from us."

"For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them" (v 12). We understand it, but they don't want to change!

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You see the words of God are absolutely true and apply at any time whenever these things come up in any society, anywhere in the world, down from the beginning of the first nation before the Flood.

Isaiah 59:12: "For our transgressions are multiplied before You, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them; In rebellion and denial of the LORD, and turning away from our God, talking perversity and revolt, conceiving and speaking from the heart words of falsehood" (vs 12-13). That is the whole governmental and financial system and also the whole of so many individual lives. That's something I'm going to bring up when I start talking about Christmas for Church at Home. I'm going to lay the groundwork by asking:

• Do you want the Truth? Yes!
• Do you want all the Truth? Yes!
• What if the Truth goes against what you think or believe?
• What if it is not advantageous to you to admit or to forsake what is wrong and accept the whole Truth?
• What are you going to do?
• Do you believe that God exists?
• Do you believe that He is true?
• Do you believe His Word is true?
• What if you have been absolutely born into a society that has been deceived and you have been deceived?

And if you're deceived and don't know you're deceived, then you don't know you're deceived! But, you're still deceived. And you accept a lot of lies as Truth! And you reject Truth as lies! How are you going to handle that?

Then I'll talk about Christmas. Did you know that Christmas made you a liar and a believer in lies? And was a driving wedge between you and your children when they finally found out there is no Santa Claus. 'Oh, but it's so much fun. It gets families involved.' That's the catch! How many hooks of lies do you have in you? Likewise, in the society? Sins, transgressions, rebellion, denial, turning away from God—are they running to church? No! It's becoming worse. They're leaving. Are they talking perversity and revolt? Absolutely!

"…conceiving and speaking from the heart words of falsehood…. [Yes, beginning right with the Presidency of the United States.] …And justice is driven backward, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth has fallen in the street, and uprightness cannot enter. Yea, truth fails; and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.... [In other words, you're going to be victimized by other people. Another way of saying this, is cannibalized. Not necessarily eating your flesh, but cannibalize your reputation, your character, your thoughts, impugn you.] ...And the LORD saw, and it was evil in His eyes that there was no justice. And He saw that there was no man..." (vs 13-16). So, when it comes down to the time that there is no one, no man, God must act in a very powerful and devastating way.

"...and was astonished that there was no intercessor.... [This is what I'm trying to do with these sermons.] ...Therefore His own arm brought salvation to Him; and His righteousness sustained Him, for He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon His head. And He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was covered with zeal like a cloak" (vs 16-17). That's talking about the return of Christ to rescue the world from this very thing. How else is it going to be saved? It won't be saved!

All right, let's come back to Isaiah, the second chapter, and let's look at some things. Let's look at the causes of these and how they build up and how correction lies in wait. God is kind and merciful and just, so He holds off His correction seeing if any will change and turn and repent.

Isaiah 2:6: "For You have forsaken Your people, the house of Jacob... [God has! That day is coming; it's already here!] ...because they have become full of divinations from the east... [New Age religion. Everyone's wanting to know, 'Well, is President Obama a Christian or is he a Muslim?' That's not the question. He is a New Ager, which means he accepts Christianity and Muslim and every other religion, because he believes there are many paths to God. And as Michelle Obama said in her speech, 'Pray for my husband that there will be clean spirits about him.' That is a New Age prayer, which tells me—as the Bible says, 'You'll know them by their fruits'—that they believe exactly as Oprah Winfrey.] ...and are fortunetellers like the Philistines. And they shake their hands with the children of strangers." Agree on things that are not right or true and evil. Yet at the same time, a nation does not fall when it's at its lowest. A nation or empire falls when it reaches its height and peak and there are gradual downward movements and then all of a sudden a sudden slide.

Verse 7: "And their land is full of silver and gold.... [Not any longer; it was! After WWII we held all the known gold in the world.] ...There is no end of their treasures and their land is full of horses... [today, cars.] ...neither is there any end of their chariots.... [Large, small, medium, from motorcycles to trucks.] ...And their land is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands... [that's what we do] ...that which their own fingers have made. And men will be brought low, and humbled—forgive them not.... [It leads up to the Day of the Lord]: ...Enter into the rock and hide in the dust for fear of the LORD...." (vs 7-10).

What does that tell you? From what? A land full of silver and gold, a land full of houses, (Deut. 8). And when you are 'full and dwell in goodly houses, beware that you forget not the Lord.' And you forget that it is the Lord who gave you the ability to get wealth. So rather than stick to true wealth, you go to your deceitfulness and you create all of these things that we see in the financial and banking world today and it's a mirage and it's all a lie. It's all going to catch up on everyone and it's going to come down. Now here they're without house—right?—hide in the dust of the earth. Well, if you're out there hiding in the rocks and dust of the earth, you're not in your house. Would you agree? Yes, indeed! "...for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of His majesty" (v 10). That's talking about His return.

Isaiah 3—let's look at what's going to happen. It will happen! Now these are not pleasant words, but should we avoid them and hide our eyes from them as if they're not going to happen? And then when they happen we say, 'Oh, how did that occur?'

Isaiah 3:1: "For behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah... [Jerusalem can refer to all of Israel, really, and Judah.] (Did He not do this?): ...the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread and the whole stay of water... [Yes! Read Josephus, the fall of Judah in 586B.C. and in 70A.D. It's exactly what it said, right here.] ...The man of might and the man of war, the judge and the prophet, the diviner and the ancient, the captain of fifty, and the honorable man and the adviser, and the cunning charmer and the skillful enchanter. 'And I will give young lads to be their princes, and capricious children shall rule over them'" (vs 1-4). Boy! Does that not tell us what it's like! And it's going to get worse. All these capricious children are going to grow up, and they're all going to come out here and get what is theirs.

"'And the people shall be crushed, every man by another, and every man by his neighbor; the young shall rise up against the old, and the base against the honorable.' When a man shall take hold of his brother of his father's house, saying, 'You have clothing, you be our ruler, and let this ruin be under your hand'... ['It's all wrecked and ruined and fallen down, now you take over.' It sounds like the governorship of California—doesn't it?] ...in that day he shall swear, saying, 'I will not be a healer; there is no bread nor a cloak in my house. You shall not make me a ruler of people.' For Jerusalem is staggering and Judah has fallen because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of His glory. The look of their faces witnesses against them; and they declare their sin like Sodom. They do not hide it!.... [You think God is upset, not going to punish because of gay marriage? supposedly gay?] ...They do not hide it!...." (vs 5-9).

We're going to pick up on some woes. Here's one of them: [#1] "…Woe to their soul!.... [Their whole body. The sickest group of people in the world are male homosexuals. And you have nothing to look forward to but death—no loved ones, no children, no nothing.] ...For they have rewarded evil to themselves" (v 9).

Here's some encouragement, so listen up! In the midst of all of this: "Say to the righteous that it shall be well with him; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. [#2] Woe to the wicked!.... [We're going to see there are a lot of woes, which is a warning of punishment coming because of sin. God will watch over you, protect you. Claim Psa. 91 every single day. God will make sure even in famine that you will have enough food. Doesn't mean you won't be hungry. In drought you'll have a little bit of water, doesn't mean you won't be thirsty, but He'll watch over you.] ...For the evil doing of his hand will be given to him" (vs 10-11).

Don't worry. God is going to pay back the evil, just stay out of the way. That's why anyone who thinks that they can solve the problems of the United States of America through an election, doesn't have a clue as to what is in the Bible. Only Christ can solve the problems of the world today, they are so evil.

Verse 12: "'As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them.... [I think we're seeing a good number of good, wise, intelligent women running for office. I call that 'the Deborah effect.' You go back and study Deborah and Barak. Barak was so weak that he wouldn't do it, and so Deborah said, 'All right, I'll go with you, but it's a woman's victory.' The question is: What happens after the 'Deborah effect'? Can women be as corrupt as men? Yes, indeed! Can it happen to them over a period of time? Yes, indeed! The solution can only come from Christ.] ...Oh, My people, those who lead you cause you to err and destroy the way of your paths.'" You grow up in a society that is so perverted, you don't know right from wrong. And your leaders say, 'That's okay.' Your teachers tell you, 'That's good.'

"The LORD stands up to plead His case, and stands up to judge the people. The LORD will enter into judgment with the elders of His people, and their kings... [Their day is coming. All the political leaders, their day is coming! Not from the voter, but from God.] ...'For you have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses'" (vs 13-14).

Just like the city of Bell in Southern California. Small little city and all of the big mucky-muck officials making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and the potential governor, Jerry Brown, knew nothing about it. Yet, he was the Attorney General and should have overseen it. You can't solve it. You vote out one corrupt politician another one comes in. Or if you get a righteous one in, all the corrupt politicians get together and block what he's going to do that would be right! So you can take your hats off to Governor Christie in New Jersey and Governor McDonnell in Virginia. At least they're making things work fairly well, but they have the cooperation of the people. Never happen in California.
Verse 16: "And the LORD says, 'Because the daughters of Zion are proud...'" Now someone's going to say, 'There Fred goes again picking on women.' Well, I'm not, it's in the Bible. God is telling you what you need to do and what you need not do. I couldn't help but thinking of this in all my travels and get in the airport. I saw more women that I had to take a double take on to see whether it was really a man or a woman than I've ever seen before in my life. God says, 'It's a shame for a woman to have short air, cropped hair,' and they're all going around with that. And even some in the Church do that. Do you believe God or not? Then, you look around and see all these long-haired men and God said, 'It's a shame for a man to have long hair.' And yet all the long-haired freaks are held up as leaders of the youth—right?

I mean, one of the first things to get rid of is MTV. That's what's corrupted our youth more than anything else and then get rid of all the teachers that they have, because they are all a bunch of teachers of sin and licentiousness, especially in the sex classes. They even give personal lessons on how to do it.

Are women causing problems in the society today? Yes, indeed! Now if you're not, be thankful. You probably know of many women who are. "'...and have walked with stretch out necks and ogling with their eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet; therefore the LORD will strike with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will uncover their secret parts'" (vs 16-17). That's why we have more nakedness of women than ever before. They have the plunging neckline down to the belly button and the short skirts that are not much different than less than half of a baby diaper, and they're proud of it.

Look how it has affected people, because the next generation degenerates even more. Look at the daughter of the one who was the vice-presidential candidate on the Republican ticket dancing with the stars. That's what it's talking about. The women today don't even know what a woman is, why God created them, the great and fantastic blessings that they really are, and was the final creation of God. No, they have to go out and do all the things that they do. So God is going to uncover their secret parts.

"In that day the LORD will take away the beauty of ankle bracelets, and the headbands, and the crescents, The pendants, and the bracelets, and the veils; the headdresses, and the leg ornaments, and the sashes, and the boxes of perfume, and the earrings; the rings and nose jewels; the festal apparel and the outer garments; and the mantles, and the purses; the mirrors and the fine linen; and the turbans and the veils. And there shall be, instead of fragrance, rottenness; and instead of a sash, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a wrapping of sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty. Your men shall fall by the sword, and your mighty in the war. And her gates shall lament and mourn [Jerusalem.] and she shall sit deserted upon the ground" (vs 18-26).

So if you think that's a little tough, I suggest you read Ezek. 16 & 23 and see what God says about Jacob. See how God looks at it. So if this offends you, then you need to ask the question: Do I really believe God? Is what I read you in the Bible? Yes, indeed! Why should you be angry at me then?

We're going to pick up some more woes. Isaiah 5:8: "Woe [#3] to those who join house to house, that lay field to field, until there is no place left... [Sound like our cities?

• no place for kids to play
• no place for them to have fun
• no place for them to be kids

If they go out to play, you have to be careful that there are stalkers and rapists and kidnappers, bullies and sex offenders.] ...and you are made to dwell alone in the midst of the land! The LORD of hosts swore in my ears, 'Truly, many houses shall be deserted, even great and fair, without inhabitant…. [That's going to come because of captivity. It's starting with foreclosures. Are there a lot of houses that are empty? Without inhabitant? Yes, indeed!] …Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath [of fruit] and the seed of a homer shall yield an ephah.' Woe [#4] to those who rise up early in the morning to go after strong drink; who continue late into the night while wine inflames them!…. [You can add into that drugs and everything like that.] …And the lyre, and the harp, the drum, and pipe, and wine, are at their feasts... [This is like Friday night, Saturday night partying, rock concerts, home parties, drugs. Does not God know that and see that? Yes, He does!] ...but they do not regard the work of the LORD. Yea, they do not see the work of His hands. Therefore My people are gone into exile because they have no knowledge..." (vs 8-13). It's going to happen. I used to think, 'Well, I didn't know if they could invade the United States.' I think it's already invaded and it's just a matter of who has the arms.

"...and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude is dried up with thirst. Therefore the grave has enlarged its appetite, and opened its mouth without limit; and down goes her glory and multitude and brawlers, and he who rejoices in her, shall go down into it. And man is bowed down, and men are brought low, and the eyes of the lofty are humbled…. [These are the things that are coming. This is what's going to happen.] …But the LORD of hosts is exalted in judgment, and God, the Holy One, is sanctified in righteousness. Then shall the lambs feed..." (vs 13-17). Then it talks about the ultimate thing of the return of Christ.

Verse 18: "Woe [#5] to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin with cart ropes; Who say, 'Let Him hurry and hasten His work, so that we may see it; and let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, so that we may know!'…. [It's going to come. The gospel's going to be preached in all the world.] …Woe [#6] to those who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" (vs 18-20). Isn't that what we have today? Everything upside down!

I saw a very interesting thing on the news the other day about people who win the lotto. When they first get their ticket they're happy. 'Oh, I won the lotto!' But they've done a study on them. After that they become the most unhappy, terribly dissatisfied people in the world.

Verse 21: "Woe [#7] unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! [That's what we have today in everything—don't we? Yup!] …Woe [#8] unto them thatare mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink... [just add into it drugs and all of that with it] ...Who justify the wicked for a bribe and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Therefore..." (vs 21-24). [God says it's going to happen. What I want you to understand is, these things that are coming are because of sin, because of

• sin in the world
• sin in the society
• sin in people that you know
• sin in your neighbors and your relatives

—all collective! God looks at the whole picture and He gives plenty of warning, does He not? Does His Word not cover all of these things, time and time and time again? Yes, indeed!

Verse 24: "Therefore, as the fire devours the stubble, and the flame burns up the chaff; their root shall be like rottenness, and their blossoms shall go up like dust because... [Here's the reason for all of this, everything that we have covered and read from the Scriptures today is right here.] ...because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel" (v 24). That's the cause and that's what has happened.

Here's what they should have done. Let's look and see what they should have been taught—at home, in school, in churches. Let's come to Proverbs 3. Wouldn't it have been nice if the world would have done this? They had the Word of God. They could have done it. They had the churches. They had a lot of people going to church. They could have taught it—couldn't they? They could have taught the same thing in the schools. Couldn't also this be taught on television? Yes, indeed! 'The carnal mind is enmity against God, is not subject to the law of God. Neither indeed can be.' But nevertheless, had they done this even in the letter of the law, think if the majority of people would have done this, instead of giving themselves over to sin, instead of allowing the Bible and the Word of God to be subverted by supposed teachers who knew nothing of God, think what it would have been like if they would have done just Proverbs 3.

Proverbs 3:1: "My son, do not forget my law... [That's not only son, that's daughter as well.] ...but let your heart keep my commandments." Now when you understand this, this was written by David to Solomon. Think how Solomon started out, but look at how he finished. So likewise we need to consider how we start and also how we finish. Remember, it's not how you start, it's how you finish.

Here's what everyone wants: "For they shall add length of days, and long life, and peace, to you…. [Isn't that what everyone wants? You show me one person that doesn't want that. You can't find them.] …Do not let mercy and truth forsake you... [That's how you keep your mind, your ability. That's how you 'love your neighbor as yourself,' love God.] ...bind them around your neck; write them upon the tablet of your heart; and so you shall find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man" (vs 1-4). There it is right there. Isn't that what people want? Yes! Everything that every human being desires, God has shown how to do it. And all of these people that are in so much trouble in their lives, whatever their sin may be, I imagine that they have access to a Bible—don't you think? And it's written in a language they can understand—isn't it?

All right, here's what God says, v 5: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding…. [Boy! That's a whole lifelong thing to really keep in mind. Don't let yourself be deceived by your own ways.] …In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.... [You want God in your life? Doesn't this tell you how to do it?] ...Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. It shall be health to your navel and marrow to your bones" (vs 5-8). And that means it will be health to all your vital organs internally and your bones will produce the blood as necessary for your life to continue. That's where blood is made in the marrow of the bones.

"Honor the LORD with your substance and with the firstfruits of all your increase... [Oh, but people want to spend the money on themselves. There are even those in the Church who don't believe in tithing. Some don't even believe in giving offerings. Does God know that? Of course, He does! How do you express your thankfulness to God for the physical things that you have? Because in Him we live and move and have our being!There's nothing we haven't received. And it brings the blessings of God—does it not? Should we not do that then?] ...And your barns shall be filled with plenty, and your presses shall burst with new wine…. [God will take care of you. There's going to be some correction along the line, because we all need correction. As human beings we're flawed. As human beings we sin, but God is there to forgive and blot out and restore.] …My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be weary of His correction; for whom the LORD loves He corrects, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights" (vs 9-12). Did not Paul quote this? Yes, he did! (Heb. 12).

"Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gets understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the gain from silver, and its produce more than the gain of fine gold; she is more precious than rubies; and all the things you can desire are not to be compared with her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand, riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold upon her; and happy is everyone who holds her fast" (vs 13-18).

So that's the solution to it. Now even at this late date, if there were a lot of people in the world who do this, who would just take Proverbs 3, begin to apply it to their lives, change the way that they're living, repent to God, I'm sure the hand of God's correction would be held back for a time, because that's how merciful God is. But nevertheless we have to go through these things and understand them, so we realize what lies ahead.

I'll continue and give you more on the nitty-gritty of financing and things like that in the next sermon.

Scriptural References:

1. 2-Timothy 3:16-17
2. 2-Timothy 4:1-5
3. 2-Timothy 3:1-7
4. Isaiah 54:1
5. Isaiah 55:1-2
6. Isaiah 56:1-2, 4-5
7. Isaiah 58:1-4, 11-14
8. Isaiah 59:1-17
9. Isaiah 2:6-10
10. Isaiah 3:1-14, 16-26
11. Isaiah 5:8-24
12. Proverbs 3:1-18

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

1. Isaiah 30
2. Jeremiah
3. Ezekiel
4. Deuteronomy 28
5. Leviticus 26
6. Hebrews 4
7. Ezekiel 33
8. Revelation 2 & 3
9. Galatians 4
10. Isaiah 55:6; 57
11. Romans 9
12. Deuteronomy 8
13. Psalm 91
14. Ezekiel 16, 23
15. Hebrews 12

Also referenced:

• Book: Josephus
• Sermon Series:
  • Love
  • Hope
  • Faith

FRC:lp
Transcribed: 10-22-10
Formatted: bo—10-25-10