GOD RESTRAINS THROUGH DIVISION AND THE MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS (Parts 1,2,3,4,5,6 & 7).

Part 1 Restraint by Division..the Mystery of Lawlessness. 

GOD RESTRAINS THROUGH DIVISION AND THE MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS by BRIAN GEMMELL.

2 Thessalonians 2: 1-12; Genesis 10:25; Genesis 11: 1-9; Acts 17:2-32.

INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL OUTLINE.

In the current geo-political climate of globalisation, observed on one hand, and the extreme international tensions between nations on the other, it is an appropriate time to examine the Scriptures to see how the living God of the Bible deals, and has dealt with, the gentile nations.

There is a clear start point in Genesis 10 with the incident at Babel where God divides the human race into parts by breaking up the unity of speech and thought that had hitherto prevailed. Mankind had been one complete and cohesive race but after Divine intervention they not only spoke differently between differing "family" groups, but they became separate nations, cultures, sub-cultures and races.

This was not God "getting His own back" because of mankind’s rebellion towards Him but rather an act of mercy and grace. Uninhibited human rebellion accumulates evil and leads to a speedy judgement. By dividing the race God applied a restraining mechanism on human behaviour and upon Satan’s underhand influence and control.

The breakdown of communication between men resulted in a slowing of their command and control, disrupted their education and development of technology, and replaced co-operation with competition. Delaying the inevitable judgement gave time for repentance, forgiveness and a relationship with YHWH God Himself.

Had God not held back mans unified development, then the headlong charge by the human race into universal rebellion and worldwide wickedness under Lucifer’s guiding hand would have brought the conditions that we see today and a world ripe for judgement, indeed, for The Judgement.

But our merciful God, in His limitless love for mankind enforced a separation of cultures which not only slowed down technological advance but kept the organisation and execution of global governance outside of mans reach. Throughout history, and still today, the offer of forgiveness and acceptance by Him was always available.

There was always an alternative and unifying culture available.....that of Heaven upon Earth by submission to Him and living according to His Word, spoken initially through Hebrew prophets and then personally by His Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The alternatives were typified by two cities, Jerusalem and Babylon, the latter a development of Babel in subsequent generations, giving two distinct cultures, God’s and Satan’s. (An interesting reference work is "The Two Babylon’s" by the late Alexander Hislop and available as a free download at  www.ulitmatebiblereferencelibrary.com).

God’s own plan of redemption, designed to nullify Lucifer and mans rebellion, was set to a timetable, here on planet Earth, and involved the personal presence and ultimate sacrifice of His Son and the calling of a forgiven, cleansed and redeemed community of saved human beings. Judgement was delayed, not abandoned.

But when God’s plan of Redemption has run it's pre-determined course (read Acts 15: 18 & Acts 17:26-32), then He will allow apostasy and rebellion to come to a head for a final conclusion. The amalgam of mans wickedness and Lucifer’s desire to rule them through his substitute for Jesus Christ, will quickly bring the whole race to a critical mass where divine judgement is unavoidable.

Inexorably, global unity without God becomes global unity against God, and against any man or woman, Jew or Gentile, who seeks to obey and follow God’s Word and His Son Jesus, King of Israel and King of Kings. This ultimate rebellion has been restrained by God’s division of the world, but now, (for around the past 100 years), we can see a controlled and ever increasing relaxation of that restraining hand.

In our immediate future, the Tribulation, a relatively short season of Global Governance, One World Religion and Culture contained within a movement of "unity in diversity", a single world currency/financial & monetary system and a universal sense of peace and safety supported by prosperity will be allowed to thrive.

The World will be consumed with a hedonistic lifestyle, and delusion and dominance by Lucifer will intensify with wicked lawlessness as never before. With Restraint and the Restrainer removed, Sin will become full and God’s judgement will fall on all who refuse Him, but except the Global System and its Leader. And it all began at Babel.A more detailed study of the Genesis 10/11 passages will follow soon in part two of this series.

PART TWO. 

After God’s judgement by worldwide flood on the human race (and a judgement on the fallen angels of Genesis 6 who exacerbated the wickedness then on earth), there was a new beginning through Noah and his sons and their subsequent descendants. A mass population explosion took place and mankind began to develop socially and technologically. Genesis chapters 10 & 11 record these events and also show the emergence of a single and successful ruler....Nimrod.

This, man, a great-grandson of Noah through Ham, was a warrior and rebel against the Almighty God. His name in the Scriptures, Nimrod, meaning the Rebel may have been an insulting reference to him by Moses and his given name was probably Gilgamesh. The Hebrew scholar, Josephus, records Nimrod and Gilgamesh as one and the same.

The scripture, "a mighty hunter before YHWH ", should correctly translated read, "a mighty warrior in the face of YHWH". He was vehemently opposed to God. Pagan historical records and folklore of the Middle East present Gilgamesh in the context of a post-flood record as an evil, anti-God tyrant who was debauched, perverted, violent and two thirds man/one third god.

He is also classified as a giant in terms of physical stature. It MAY be that the genetic aberration of the Nephilim of Genesis chapter 6 were passed down via Ham's wife and Canaan ("cursed be Canaan”) and surface later in Nimrod. Genesis chapter 6 gives warning of a later scourge of Nephilim in verse  4, " also afterwards ", and the accounts of Josephus and other ancient writers equate the violence and corruption of Nimrod’s day with that of the pre-flood apostasy and wickedness.

Nimrod is the founder of Babel, Genesis 10:10 "And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech.....", and the Tower therein has clear occultic connections, in addition to its faithless asphalt protection against future flood, in contradiction of God’s rainbow promise of Genesis 9:13.

Genesis 10:25 states, "To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg (meaning division), for in his days the earth was divided....." and this Semitic descendent of Noah is only two generations further down the line than that of Nimrod on Hams side.

It is likely that any division of the earth had been but a short time before his birth, for it to be the event that is reflected in his given name, and the longevity still working in human life at this time makes it entirely possible that division in Nimrod’s day at Babel is referred to here. There are scholars who believe that this is also a Biblical  hint at the post-flood continental drift at a pace of tectonic plate movement unheard of today.

Genesis 11:1.  "Now the whole earth had one language and one speech". Speech here, literally one lip, refers to the sounds made by humans, their accent and the commonly held use of words. One language refers to the content and shared meaning of the words and illustrates that there was one culture and one way of thinking and expressing thought.

There was a single concept of "God", a common understanding of history and philosophy and a sense of a people without divisions or sub-cultures...note: "the WHOLE earth", so Nimrod was effectively the king of a one-world government and a type and shadow figure of the soon to come "Antichrist”.

Genesis 11:2. “And it came to pass as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the Land of Shinar and they dwelt there.". the "east" in Bible typology speaks of apostasy. This is east of Eden the direction of departure, and where the cherubim and flaming sword guarded Eden’s entrance  (Gen 3:24).

It was also signified as a place of departure by Cain who,"went out from the presence of YHWH and dwelt in the land of Nod (Wandering) on the East of Eden". Already the post flood world was using its unity to be independent from God, a state which takes no time at all to become rebellion against God as led by Nimrod.

The use of the geographic description Shinar, immediately makes us think of Zechariah 5: 5-11, where, in the  last days a home is made for "wickedness", typified by a woman in a basket topped with a lead lid and transported by two fallen angels. This is the home base for iniquity and its Mystery...the dominance of global rule of  the human race by the rebellious Lucifer, through his leading earthly appointee.

The phrase "and they dwelt there" is not just an innocuous statement of residence. The clear inference is of a people who have put down their roots in planet Earth and are without godly and Heavenly aspirations. This world is their HOME. Gods people are nomadic, just aliens and strangers passing through in service to their King and awaiting the upward call and the descent of the Holy City.

Earth-dwellers are found in Luke 21:35 as those who are not standing before the son of Man, the Lord Jesus, in the last days and therefore are subject to a coming judgement on "those who dwell on the face of the whole earth".

Revelation 3:10 similarly condemns to the hour of trial (the Tribulation), "...the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth". This concept of dwelling conveys the permanence and attachment which unregenerate humans have to this world, its systems of politics and religions, its material goods, accolades and positions, pleasures and lusts and, of course its god, mammon, behind which Lucifer hides. This is the place where judgement from God falls.

Next week we'll do as many verses as I can manage and look at the wider concept of City building.

PART THREE.

”Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake (them) thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar (Genesis 11:3 NKJV).

We see in this verse that man-made activity is preceded by communication, i e:" They said... Come let us ". Spoiling their communication will hinder cooperation and slow down their work together making "bricks", which represent that which comes from mans ingenuity and not form relying directly on Gods provision.

Later in Scripture we see the same principle in Egypt (and the enslavement of the Israelites) but here we see a deliberate rebellion and despising of God’s promise to Noah, given in the rainbow.

They are using bitumen/asphalt to waterproof their construction of baked bricks against any future flood and what they do is thorough. It is noteworthy that mankind has to be encouraged to apply diligence in the things of God, but when it comes to his own fleshly projects and rebellion, he is thorough.

There was no faith in the Word of God, publicly emphasised by the rainbow in the sky, and departure from it, apostasy, leads to "rebellion which is as the sin of witchcraft". This quote is from 1 Sam.15:23 and what we see in Genesis 11:4 is a direct fulfilment, as the proposed tower is fully intended for occult purposes as we shall see later.

”And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top (is) in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis11:4. NKJV).   

Once more the human race issues a call to a working unity and begins a very practical opposition to God’s plan: "let US build OURSELVES a city......". Remove from the word of God, and the result is always the same.....Godless building of cities leading to anti-God (anti-Christ) towers and edifices.

To understand mans relationship with the concept of "cities" we must invoke the law of first mention and look at Genesis 4:16-17 (NKJV). The scene is set by the introductory phrase "Then Cain went out from the presence of YHWH and dwelt....." which speaks for itself.

Now on his own, Cain builds a city and names it after his own son, starting a dynasty and establishing his own rule, perpetuating a family name. At Babel, the beginning of the kingdom of Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-10), the same self-centered ambition applies. As has been emphasised above, it is for self, and the verse continues to echo this sentiment :"let us make a name for ourselves." We will briefly detour and apply the "city building ambition " to our own lives and ministries.

Hebrews 11:9-10: 13-16; Hebrews 13:12-14 & Revelation 21:1-2, 10.

Hebrews clearly instructs the true believer that we have no continuing city, that is, no enduring dwelling on earth. We are not "earth-dwellers". Our permanent home is the Heavenly City prepared for us by God Himself, for which we wait. Any other "construction" by man is not only pointless but faithless.

Yet even today, within the Church, man persists with building programmes both literal and metaphoric. The concept of growth, development, "planting" and building has replaced the God given agenda for the church, that of true soul winning and discipling.

Denominational expansion, particularly that of the "New" churches and ministries of the late 20th century, has become the goal for many churches. As we will see, Cities soon become Empires. We must beware those whose agenda is the growth of their personal influence, ministry and their organisation.

The question to be asked is this: "Is this a result of moving out of the presence of the Lord?" (Gen 4:16) and are people being truly re-born by the Spirit of God, showing radically changed lives through this ministry? Or are we seeing organisational expansion resulting from man-made bricks and building, with an external rendering of evangelicalism?

Throughout history we observe mans obsession with moving and grouping in cities. City states quickly grow into Empires: Babylon, Nineveh, Greece and Rome! And equally quickly cities become centres of darkness and depravity leading to the building of all sorts of Towers.

Men love towers. From Babel onwards they are a sign of our ingenuity, strength and wealth. They aim for the sky in a declaration of mans ability to engineer and construct bigger and better as time passes. From parish spires to the turrets of great Cathedrals and Abbeys; from Blackpool to the Eiffel, the Burj Kalifa in Dubai, the Petronas Tower in Malaysia and the Empire State to our own famous "Gerkin" these buildings serve "to make a name for ourselves". Significantly the European Union has modelled the European Parliament building on the impression of the original Tower of Babel as envisaged by the artist Brueghel in 1563. Co-incidence??!! I think not.

In Genesis 11:4 the "Tower" ambition of man is nothing short of reaching to the heavens. This was to be a structure to touch the forbidden realm of the spiritual, in full defiance of Gods judgement as displayed on the world by the flood. This is a ziggaraut designed for astrological, occultic contact under the leadership of Nimrod whose prowess moves him to be "a mighty warrior in the face of YHWH". Rebellion is at the root of this activity and Nimrod (a rebel against God /anti-christ type) is leading a united mankind to the unseen realm of the fallen angels with false demonic religion and spirituality. Un-redeemed mans uncontrolled iniquity always leads back to satan himself. This "mystery" persists throughout human history

Not only does mankind, away from God, want to establish an immortality by naming things after themselves (all of us in Christian ministry take heed!) but, in direct disobedience, they do not want to be scattered over the earth as God commanded both Adam and Noah (Gen 1: 28 & 9:1). Rather than walk with God by faith, man chooses "safety in numbers", grouping together in corporate disobedience, advancing the cause of  Self and his own name.

It is always wise to keep our own name discrete and our personal profile low as we serve the Lord Jesus. Seeing our name in print, appearing on television / DVDs, or having our photograph splashed in the Christian media always presents a danger to the flesh as they appeal to that old chestnut...PRIDE! There is no room for celebrity status within the body of Christ for the Crown rests on one place only.... the Head of the Body. God has given only one Name and He does not need Joe Bloggs Ministries, or BRIAN GEMMELL MINISTRIES, either to successfully draw attention to his Word.

In Florida, USA, I once drove past the entrance to a very large and plush estate and property which had a large sign proclaiming "The Benny Hinn Worship Centre". My wife remarked "that seems about right"!!!! Our flesh is subtle and starts small but can end up with an Empire of Self, and we may not even notice.

PART FOUR.

Genesis 11: 5 is an amazing verse, the full impact of which is often  overlooked ....."But YHWH came down..."just as before in Genesis with Adam and later in chapter 18 en route to the judgement at Sodom, the Almighty God visits the planet in person and makes note of mans activities and behaviour. This is the great God whose eyes roam to and fro across the earth, who sees all things from heaven, but here He chooses to come down in an apparently covert mission amongst mankind and see for Himself, at mans level, both the city and the tower.

We have examined the building of both but it is good to re-emphasise that "city building", unsanctioned by the Lord, inevitably leads to the construction of fleshly self-aggrandising towers. Such activity does not go unnoticed by God and always results in a premature termination.  The unfinished nature of the European Parliament Building speaks volumes. Whether it be self centred Christian Ministries or the towering political edifice which is the European Union, God has allowed the seeds of their own destruction to be contained within and, in His perfect time which suits His ultimate plan, they will be incomplete before destruction.

Verses 5, 6 and 7 give us an insight into the just and merciful workings of our faithful God. Divine examination is God's creatorial prerogative. In Babel He finds a city that men built setting the direction for future history! Men built, and did not seek or involve their Creator, (who is building a city which is to be received by those who, like Abraham, have faith in Him, Hebrews 11:10 &16) but rather followed in the way of Cain. (Genesis 4:16-17; and Jude:11). The next verse (v.6) appears to have YHWH speaking in Heaven in the aftermath of His earthly visit, for verse 7 issues a call for a second, and plural ,visitation to earth..."Come, let US go down...".

The comment from the Lord after the examination of men’s independent and Godless works concerns a source of the problem: the unity of the human race and the glue which holds them together, the"one thought" i.e: common culture and communication. Under Divine rule Unity is a blessed thing built, but away from God, mans unity strengthens his resolve against God’s plan, order and rule. God also sees the future and the ultimate system of anti-christ rule that will surely and inevitably follow. Babel is "WHAT THEY BEGIN TO DO". And, concerned about the long term good of his creation and creatures, He sees that anything man proposes to do can and will be done. "..now nothing they propose to do will be withheld from them". Where will it end????? Cloning, cross-species breeding, Space travel in the second millennium...etc.

Under Divine rule this would have been (and one day under the rulership of the Lord Jesus, it will be) a wonderful thing. But under a rebellious human rule it would be Lucifer/Satan who would call the shots in rising against the Almighty God, using all the available resources, know-how and technology to war against the Kingdom of God. Divine retribution on both races, human and fallen angelic, would be swift and final. However God, in wonderful grace and mercy, has another plan which will give time for human repentance and redemption...He will divide and confuse, thereby exercising a restraint on the rise of evil to that critical mass which inevitably brings deserved and irrevocable judgement. Wickedness is constrained, judgement is delayed, redemption is made possible, God will have His will on earth as it is in Heaven.

The Scriptures record the endless pursuit of political and military dominion by the Gentile nations throughout Old Testament times up to the rule of the Roman Empire which was still extant at the time of the Lord Jesus and for several centuries after. Each succeeding empire advances Godless culture, and society sees technological developments used to exert mans independence from God, and consistently persecutes the people of God be they Jewish or Christian.

Whether it is Babylon, Greece or Rome, growth and land-grab by military might and the exploitation of human and natural resources serve to increase the wealth, influence and control of their leaders. They always expand until internal corruption weakens them and a bigger bully comes along and steals their sweeties (candy to American blog readers!!).

But the retarded pace of the growth of these empires and the restrictions on the scientific, social and technological development of them, and their offspring in subsequent centuries, has allowed the Word of God to prosper and travel all over the world. Indeed, some of these developments have been used by the Lord to aid the spread of His Good News; for example koine Greek, the commonly understood language of Alexander's Greek Empire, or the wonderful roads of Rome stretching across Europe, trodden by the feet of the Apostle Paul and many others.

By not allowing evil to come to the point where it was "full" as in the case of the Canaanites/Amorites (in Genesis 15: 16), God gifted to mankind Time....... time for repentance. Acts17: 26 states that"...He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings" (emphasis mine). Because God's marvellous grace is free and limitless, that is infinite. Time stands as a sentry. And in that time grace is available. If there was no restriction on the entry to infinite grace then universalism would be true, because the infinity of that grace would reach all eventually.

But that is not the case. Acts 17 goes on to say in verse 27 "so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him....". Man is given time, beginning, middle, end, so that he should seek for, and find the Lord. Elsewhere several Scriptures assure us that those who seek Him will find Him. It is so for individuals and it is so for the Race as a whole. There is an end to Divine pleading, an end to the time given in which "God commands all men everywhere to repent because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained and He given assurance of this to all by raising from the dead"(Acts 17: 30/31). The "appointed day" is on our near horizon.

So, in anticipation of the fast approaching conclusion of this Gospel era, God allows mankind to move towards a unity that at the right time will cover the whole earth. Genesis 11 shows us Gods interjection into rebellious humanity and the combined work of the Godhead ("Let Us"), bringing confusion by destroying universal communication. That God is sovereign over mans mouth is decreed in Exodus 4: 11 "Who has made mans mouth ?.................Have not I, YHWH?".

Remember too, that the Lord Jesus totally submitted His mouth to the Father's will and only said what He heard from the Father. A single language unites, gives unity of understanding and purpose and simplifies the chain of command that gets things done. Division of language throughout history has slowed down ungodly progress and stopped things "getting done" ....until NOW!! Our next session will cover Gen. 11:8-9 preparing us to study the current Global unity, the simplifying of modern communication all in readiness for the "great and terrible day of the Lord YHWH".

PART FIVE. 

One of the great uniting features of the Industrialised World was the British Empire and the subsequent spread of the English language to almost every part of the globe. Part of the script from Wikipedia gives a clear impression of the influence of the Empire. "At its height it was the largest Empire in history, and for over a century, it was the foremost global power. By 1922 it held sway over 458 million people, one fifth of the worlds population.......and covered almost a quarter of the worlds total land area".

As the centuries moved on, God in His great wisdom, allowed a controlled unifying of populations under the British Crown to accomplish His purposes with respect to Israel as the end of the gentile age appeared on the horizon. It was a time of tremendous prosperity for the United Kingdom and set the foundation of current globalism that is carried forward by the Anglo-Saxon/American Elite today.

Running parallel was the rise of Zionism and practical steps which resulted in the State of Israel being re-founded in 1948. Tragically, for "Great" Britain, deceit, obstruction and downright opposition by the elite Establishment of the country towards the prophetically signalled reformation of Israel, resulted in the accelerated shrinking of an Empire on which "the sun never set", down to the homelands and a few distant small islands. (The strong showing in UK polls for Scottish nationalism seems to herald that the reduction of size and influence is not yet complete.)

But English speaking globalism was not over. The United States of America, at the forefront of financial expansion and wealth creation in the 20th century became the most powerful political/industrial/financial/military force that the world has seen so far, and its political will and power increased its global reach throughout that century.
Several strands of events which are of interest to the prophetic Bible scholar can be seen to draw together.

The ongoing Reformation continues in Victorian times addressing such subjects as, New Testament church structure, as opposed to the then current structures of the main Denominations in Christendom; the covenants of God with Abraham and the Ancient people of God, looking at their continued future under His blessing and greater detail and teaching on the Second Coming of Jesus. The latter subject included the re-discovery and popularising of the truths concerning the translation of the true Church, colloquially known as the "Rapture". It is important to note that the teaching about this miraculous removal of the church from the earth was not a product of the 1800's but had been documented as far back as the writings of Ephraim the Syrian, 306-373, and by the Reformation scholar and theologian Dr John Gill, 1697-1771, to name but two adherents.

At the same time there was an evangelical movement amongst Jewish people in Great Britain and America during which many came to a living faith in the Lord Jesus as their personal Messiah. In the UK this was spearheaded by various missionary organisations, the Mildmay Mission and Christian Testimony to Israel being noteworthy. The Mildmay Mission estimated that in the latter part of the 19th Century over quarter of a million Jewish people found a living faith in Jesus.

On another parallel, the Zionist movement slowly but surely gathered pace. Although Jewish people were always to be found in the land of Israel, and in Jerusalem, the scant regard that the Ottoman Empire had for the Holy Land enabled the steady legitimate purchase of parcels of real estate by them and numbers grew. Visionaries like Theodore Herzl, aided by the evangelical Christian Reverend William Hechler, pressed forward with political and diplomatic pressures resulting in the First Zionist Congress in Basle, Switzerland, in 1897.

Herzl said that within 50 years the state of Israel would exist again. He was right. And some Bible scholars knew that he was right. For instance, the Rev.H.Grattan Guinness had concluded from the study of Scripture that Jerusalem would be released from the Ottoman Empire by the end of 1917, (published in his book, Light for the Last Days, in the 1880s), and that Israel would be reborn in 1948. (The details of the latter information can be found in "The Guinness Legend" by Michelle Guinness, available both new and second hand, from Amazon).

At this time three other relevant movements will be briefly noted.

1. LIBERAL CHRISTENDOM. The rise of the works of so-called "Higher Critics", largely German theologians who did not accept that the Bible was the Word of God and subjected it to an extremely liberal and non-literal interpretation. Apostasy, which automatically follows, lays the bedrock for the liberal infiltration of today’s church, and begins the movement against literal interpretation of God’s Word, especially that which is miraculous, prophetic, dispensational and relating to His unconditional covenants to Israel. Replacement Theology is set to prosper. 

2. DARWINISM. Although "evolution" is only a theory, as stated by Darwin himself, we can see its universal influence in all disciplines, and throughout the World, from its early mid-19th Century beginnings. It has now become a global philosophy and way of thinking, almost a reversal of Babel.

3. MARXISM. Again from beginnings in the mid-1800s this anti-God philosophy and system covers the planet in various guises. The use of the "Marx" title has lost much credibility and is being quietly dissolved but the political decision making which it inspires, still afflicts the globe from China to the Obama Administration in the US, from Cuba to the Government of Norway.

All of the above combine to bring about the globalising world we live in today. The God of Israel, King of the Universe, whilst still exercising control and restrain via division can be observed allowing a greater adhesion of the peoples, and especially of the LEADERS, of our nations leading towards a world-wide unity and a Planetary Union.

The availability of foreign travel over the same period of approximately 175 years has increased vastly, particularly for those living in the Western Hemisphere who have the greatest sway in world affairs. The increase in news media through radio, television and now the internet serves to strengthen ties between people, globalise art and culture and expose the population to the same mind-numbing influences the world over. Even new software which automatically translates languages in real time serves to overturn the consequences of the Divine division revealed in Genesis 11.

The previous liberalism of the 20th century, which greatly affected western educational systems, has now produced a political leadership, and an intelligensia, who think in terms of "internationalism" and do not have a strong sense of national sovereignty. The World Wars of the last century have not only produced unifying global organisations and institutions, (League of Nations, United Nations, EU, World Bank, IMF, WWF, International Court of Justice, International Court of Human Rights, European Parliament, North American Union{proposed}, International Bank for settlements, UNESCO, Nato....etc,etc!!), but a mindset which looks for "countries without borders."

Such a way of thinking is actively promoted by the subsidiary educational institutions of the UN, and by Foundations such as the Lucis (formerly Lucifer!) Trust, the Foundation for Inter-religious and Intercultural Research and Dialogue, begun by Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope) and Hashemite Prince El Hassan Bin Talal. A similar philosophy emanates from the American Council of Foreign Relations and George Soros's, Open Society Institute. These organisations are continually and professionally indoctrinating the younger elements of our society, from politically aware teens and youth to post-graduates, getting hold of the minds of the next generation of opinion formers and political leaders.

But fear not...our God has an irresistible timetable and events will finally combine to suit and effect His purposes. We can see in recent history, that given a little release for restraint, the human race speedily uses the space to turn against God and his people, both the soon-to-depart true Christians and the future people for Jesus' earthly rule, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel. However until the Lord has called in "the fullness of the Gentiles", the next phase of His plan will not commence, (Romans 11: 25-27). When God has completed calling out of the Gentiles a people for His name, Acts 15:14-18, then the full release of restraint will take place and uncontrolled mankind will display the abject rebellion of which they are capable and from which they have been held back since Babel.

PART SIX:

Developing Global Unity Indicates That Judgement Is Near. 

2 Thessalonians 2: 1-12

 [Note verse 6: "what is restraining" (the thing restraining), and verse 7: " He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way"]

In the above passage, verse 6 refers to an inanimate "what", or "that which", holds back, referring to the mechanism and power that causes restraint, and the next verse refers to the person exercising that restraint. That "Restrainer" is the Holy Spirit of God. His removal which is stated in verses 7-8 clears the way for the public revelation of the lawless one, the Anti-Christ.

Since the Incarnation there has always been a Divine Person, One of the Trinity, permanently resident on planet Earth. Before His departure to Heaven the Lord Jesus breathed into the eleven apostles and said "receive the Holy Spirit". Ten days later, at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended, immersing the one hundred and twenty disciples who were in the upper room....... and the Church was born.

The Temple, the permanent dwelling of God the Holy Spirit on Earth, is the Church of Jesus Christ, specifically, within the bodies of its members, the truly born-again believers. This is a condition which continues today, and will do so, until the Church is removed at the Rapture. The final prayer of Scripture, found in Revelation 22:17, is a joint call by the Holy Spirit and the Church..." The Spirit and the Bride say Come". Here we see the Spirit of God empowering prayer in the Church and calling through the Church simultaneously.

During the church age God has exercised authority and restraint by heeding the Spirit inspired prayer of His people. One unique feature of the Church, and the time of her sojourn on earth, has been the permanent presence and activity of God the Holy Spirit in our midst. No longer coming in visitation to this globe, as at Babel, Sodom, and to the great saints of Israel but residing here, throughout the world, in the church. When, finally, the pleading of Revelation 22:17 is answered, the Holy Spirit and the Church will depart...be taken away!

A typological example of this is seen in Genesis 24 when Rebecca is escorted home to Isaac by the un-named servant of Abraham (a separate essay on this subject will be posted soon).

It is God Himself who exercises power and authority over the demonic world and Lucifer. In Jude 9 the Archangel Michael deals with the enemy by saying "the Lord rebuke you". The Lord God alone has held the Mystery of Lawlessness at bay but has involved the Church through her Spirit inspired prayer life, communicating with Him and participating in His work of restraint.

The instruction to pray for kings and those in authority being a case in point. When the "Restrainer" is removed, that is the departure of the permanent presence of the Holy Spirit from Earth at the Rapture of the Church, then the full force of wickedness is unleashed and the unrestrained plans of Satan and man for a self-governing worldwide empire will come to fruition. There will be NO resistance to the objectives of globalism, one-world culturalism and governance, and a pagan, "New Age" religious hysteria will then sweep the planet.

The dividing control of the Holy Spirit having been removed means that the field is open for every foul spirit to wreak havoc throughout the Babylonian (Babel) System. But it will fall under the judgement of Almighty God as described in Revelation 18. The current accelerating unity of global commerce and banking, of political institutions and the organs of world government backed with a merging of cultures and ever-increasing multi-faith policy in religions indicates that Divine intervention and judgement is approaching.

From Nebuchadnezzar/Babylon through the Greek and Roman Empires via those of Spain, Britain or Nazi Germany to the present day, mankind has tried and failed to achieve global dominion and unity and to present the world with a leader who could hold together the promised, impossible utopia. The Church had learned from Scripture that "a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand", and in the latter of these Empires, the Church prayed; the Holy Spirit restrained; and God divided His enemies! (including the UK for its resistance and obstruction of his Word regarding the restoration of Israel). 

But the prayers of believers which are led by the Holy Spirit are not only to be in tune with the plan of God but also with His timetable found in the chronology of the Bible. The period of the "closedown", or "consummation" (RSV) of the age, that is of the Age of the Church and the Gospel of Grace, is marked by the unity of mankind and the eventual reversal, albeit temporary, of Babel.  One indicator is found in all three synoptic Gospels..." nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom" heralding World War.

Last century saw the FIRST world war and from it a great leap towards global unity in the form of the League of Nations, followed by the London Economic Conference of 1933. Notably. the latter was attended by 600 delegates from 66 nations and was described in the popular media of the day as the first world get-together since the Tower of Babel! On the religious front the organisations which would eventually in 1937-38 form the World Council of Churches begin the process of amalgamation. But the globalising progress was insufficient and too slow for the Illuminist and International Masonic masters of the 20th Century and another global event was orchestrated, viz world war 2!

An outcome of the Second World War was the United Nations, and the plethora of satellite organisations which now accompany it. This has facilitated even greater unifying developments in every facet of life through the globe, as observed by the population, firstly through the lens of terrestrial television and now by satellite TV/internet/i-phone/and whatever-comes-next!

The 20th Century really has seen the beginning of the irreversible "End-Game" of prophetic fulfilment. Accelerating throughout the past hundred years, the on-going unity of the human race signals impending judgement from Heaven. This has been accompanied by a steady departure from Biblical truth in the beliefs and practice of human behaviour the world over, particularly within the so-called "Christian" West. The apostasy within Christendom has paralleled an anti-Christian, multi-faith polemic which dominates humanist and internationalist thinking.

Despite a growing world unity, violence fills the earth and is reported daily in our media. The current evidence (2012) of international relations indicates that a third world war is a real possibility right on our immediate horizon. No doubt the Illuminist Elite require a further "Order out of Chaos" event to bring their nefarious plans for One World Government to final fruition.

The scene is set and the culminating events could precipitate overnight. What God delayed at Babel. He will execute on modern day Babylon, a judgement on the globalist system of commerce, religion and governance which acts as a "mighty warrior in the face of God". Centuries of defiance and outright rebellion against YHWH, His Son and His Word, will bring their own forewarned consequences. Fighting back or hiding in underground bunkers is not a viable option as the power and severity of His righteous, destructive judgement removes all that resists the coming Kingdom of God, the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.

PART SEVEN:

FUTURE GLOBALIST INTENTIONS.

The generation which has observed the post WW2 world has seen, amongst many changes, the shrinking of the planet to become the "Global Village" and the accelerating growth of the phenomena we call globalism. As mankind has been propelled together by warfare, pulled closer through huge developments technologically and politically manoeuvred and deceived into monetary and political unions, the pace of "one world-ism" has increased exponentially and a single World Government looms near.

The World Wide Web ties everything together and facilitates instant communication at all levels, from the domestic chatter of families spread abroad, to the secret signals of clandestine Intelligence outfits or Terrorist organisations. As far as the Internet is concerned the world is one place.

The words "Multinational Corporations", which were unknown during our childhood, are now common currency in all languages. And the organisations they represent own most of the world’s large commercial trading enterprises. Furthermore, these Corporations, linked with International Banks, have structures of ownership and control whose tentacles reach right down to the High Street, and often share a common denominator in their institutional shareholders. Ownership of these shares is truly international with the Chinese Government, Middle and Far East interests taking ever higher stakes. From McDonalds to Rio Tinto mining the same companies operate within, and influence the governments of, many countries of the world.

But it is not only the fields of commerce, finance and banking which have been internationalised. Charities and the Voluntary Sector, Non-Government Organisations, Media, the Arts and even Sport now operate on an international level. The Olympics and the "World Cup" immediately come to mind, but from golf to tennis and Formula One to Ping Pong, sporting endeavours transcend borders. The soccer "industry" sees an international pool of players; long gone are the days when a local club was filled with the players born and bred within the city environs. The mind of the population is slowly and subtly seduced towards a borderless world just as George Soros’s "Open Societies" organisation desires.

It appears to be that there has been a deliberately constructed policy to have nations INTER-dependant on one another for resources. Despite huge tonnages of un-mined coal in the UK most of our supplies are now imported. Much of the manufacturing of the UK, and increasingly also the USA, has been shipped East, with China having the lions share. Britain holds major power when it comes to the Financial Services and London is becoming a centre for large financial transactions conducted under Muslim Sharia Law. No one nation can survive alone, independent and self-sufficient. All must be party to regional trading and supply arrangements and these are subject to centralised global control, or, at least, the significant influence of internationalists. The International Monetary Fund, World Bank, the Eurozone and the G20, etc, combine to exert a controlling influence of the monetary and fiscal policies of the majority of nations the world over.

We are seeing the active final preparations for a united yet diversified world, ready for a closing "crisis event" which will be used to usher in the new order of global finance and governance , producing a single president, a "Captain" capable of solving humanities crises and giving the desperately sought leadership. The Global Elite sees Utopia within their grasp....the kingdom of God but excluding God, His Son, His Word and His righteousness. A prosperous, peaceful Global Governance based on humanism is their goal.

And it always has been, as successive generations of so-called illuminated leaders and opinion formers have passed on their Godless vision from the days of Adam Weishaupt the 18th century founder of the Order of Illuminati (for more information check him on Wikipedia). What Bible scholars know as the reign of the Lawless One, the Man of Sin, "that Wicked", the Anti-Christ has never been more likely than in our immediate future. The mystery of iniquity that was already at work when the Apostle Paul penned the second letter to the Thessalonians has, after two more millennia of covert operations, come to the point where the enemy of God and His people can brazenly display his intent and bring his nefarious plans to a crescendo.

So what of the immediate future? The relentless and irrevocable stampede towards a sustainable world under a single sovereignty, controlled by a sole all-powerful leader, will undoubtedly continue. The circle of technological development further facilitating global unity, which in turn stimulates new technology, will also continue to revolve. Scientific progress which is now uninhibited by a Godly morality and the limitations of Biblical behaviour, will take man into unknown and dangerous spheres from which YHWH has protected His creation ever since Babel.

The realm of trans-human development, combining the human DNA with that of other species and even plant life, in total disobedience to Genesis 1:"according to its kind”, will escalate. The final outcome of this is likely to parallel the Genesis 6 Nephilim and will warrant, and receive, final Divine judgement. No doubt the Large Hadron Collider on the Franco-Swiss border will feature highly in these last days. This international project [CERN], the largest piece of scientific equipment of all time costing approximately £7 billion, was dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva in 2004 and a large statue of it is outside the main buildings.

Although presented as the lord of the dance of creation, Shiva is in fact the god of destruction known in Hebrew as Abaddon and Greek as Apollyon. Compare this with Revelation 9:1-12 and comments from CERN officials about encountering the unknown and "this is where science ends and religion and philosophy begin" take on a different meaning. God’s injunction in Genesis 11: "...now nothing they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language....." was essentially for man’s benefit.

The unity of thought and word which God has allowed in these days will bring man and Lucifer’s rebellion to a final head and ensuing judgement will be unavoidable. The sin of the global "Amorites" will be full and complete [Genesis 15:16] and their removal is inevitable. We are on the very edge of the Tribulation time.

The current tensions and uncertainty in the Middle East both internally in Arab States and between Israel and her Ishmaelite neighbours, Iran and the wider Muslim world will shape the next series of prophetic events and may be the trigger mechanism which initiates the conflagration ushering the final detailed stages of World Government. The future roadmap for the believer is the Word of God. However events shape up in the world, our security rests in the faithfulness, love and care of our wonderful Triune God and His eternal promises..."I will never leave you or forsake you", Deuteronomy 13:6 and Hebrews 13:5.

LOOK UP YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWS NEAR.

MARANATHA,

BRIAN.

We hope to produce this featured article in booklet form in the near future.