In that God’s dealings with ancient Israel were recorded for “our instruction” (1 Cor. 10:11), and in that the writings of the prophets, along with those of the apostles, form the foundation of the New Covenant Church (Eph. 2:20), what was written in olden times applies directly to today’s end time church. God’s people have never been accepted by the religious masses who call themselves His people. His “little flock” is tolerated at best and hated at worst. To the vast majority within Catholicism/Protestantism, His saints are like a crazy relative whom the family claims does not exist. But in God’s eyes they are alive, well and soon to be both vindicated and glorified as He proclaims in Isaiah 66:4,5. Speaking through the Prophet Isaiah, the Lord begins by warning those who reject His Word: “I will also determine their DELUSIONS and will bring their fears upon them, because when I called (through His Word and His ministers) they did not answer; when I spake they did not hear.” Then Isaiah speaks to the Lord’s saints who hear His Word, believe it, tremble before it and answer (obey) it: “Hear the Word of the Lord, you that tremble at His Word. ‘Your BRETHREN that HATED YOU, that CAST YOU OUT FOR MY NAME’S SAKE said, ‘LET THE LORD BE GLORIFIED’ (by their rejection of you). But He (God) shall appear in your joy, and they (those that hate you) will be ashamed.” Notice several things: God’s trembling saints are “hated” and “cast out” “for His name’s sake.” Those who reject God’s people believe that they are glorifying Him. In John 16:2 Jesus prophesied that there would come a time when church people would kill God’s saints while believing that they are doing Him a favor. This has already proven to be true. The Catholic Church killed millions of people during the Inquisition, many of them God’s saints. In the Book of Revelation we are told that another, much more deadly Inquisition is coming. Look for this slaughter to be administered by the same church and empowered by the same government as the first one. Note the rapid rise in global power and acceptance of the Catholic Church. Note also the resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire, known today as the European Union. See The Mark Of The Beast.

Note in the Isaiah 66 passage that God sends Word rejecters delusions of His choosing. Those who believe that the New Testament God would never do such a thing to church people need to read 2 Thessalonians 2:11 where we find Him saying to those in the church that He sends  “strong delusions” so that they will “believe a lie.” The lie involves the belief that BY OBEYING SATAN THEY ARE OBEYING GOD. This perfectly describes the two billion plus participants of Catholicism/Protestantism who, because they reject God’s Truth, “know” that they are one with the Lord. He addresses this issue in 2 Thessalonians 2:10,11 where He warns false believers that they will “perish because they receive not the love of the Truth (so) that they might be saved.” Note that He was speaking to people in the Thessalonian church who “knew” that they were right with Him though they were obeying Satan’s lie. In verse 12 He says that all would “be damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Nothing has changed. Why do today’s Truth deniers “know” they are saved, etc? Because their hirelings repeatedly assure them of this “fact” (Jn. 10:12,13) in their ear-scratching sermons delivered every Satan’s sabbath. To be continued. L.J.