ECCE

      Some say that the Book of Revelation is difficult to understand. The word revelation means "unveiling". Something was covered or hidden but is now revealed. Before we begin our study of the Book of Revelation, I intend to lay the foundation for our understanding.      In Luke 21, Jesus taught about the signs, that we are seeing today , that would occur before His return. There would be fearsome signs in the heavens and upon earth as the powers of heaven were shaken. Jesus said: "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." (v. 25-28). Then Jesus told a parable : "Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled....

      Abraham Lincoln gave a famous speech at Gettysburg and part of what he said to describe the United States' republic was "a government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth." But is this what we really want? By the people?      Scriptures tell us that the welfare and deliverance of a nation does not come from the people: "I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth . My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and he delivered me from all my fears...This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles...Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD...The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles." (Ps. 34:1-17, excerpt, see also Ps. 50:1...

      I have been calling the Church to a 2 Chron. 7:14 repentance and return to the LORD. This scripture says: "If my people, which are called by my name , shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." This is the only way for a nation to get it right, but how can His people who are called by His Name accomplish this if they do not understand what the Name means?      In Proverbs, the Book of Wisdom, a man named Agur, whose name means that he is among the assembly of wise men or sages, wrote that he felt ignorant and brutish as he contemplated the greatness of God: "Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name , and what is his son's name , if thou canst tell? Every word of God is pure:...

     There is much speculation about the timing of the Rapture and the return of the Lord. While we do not know the day nor the hour, we are expected by the Lord to pay attention to the signs of the times. What are His appointed times, and how are we to consider them?      The prophet Habakkuk was given this command from the LORD as the prophet waited for what the LORD would say to him: "Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, so that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time , but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith." (Hab. 2:1-4). "Appointed time" used here is the Hebrew word, mo'ed , which means "appointed time, set time, feast." It also refers to the tent or tabernacle of meeting, where the people of God assembled before Him. In genera...