scripture pic

scripture pic

Monday, June 30, 2014

Using Bad People for Good, One World Government or New World Order

Nebuchadrezzar, aka Nebuchadnezzar, was not the kind of person that one would think God would call his servant, but in fact he did. There are many instances where God does use bad people for good. That does not mean God is sending the evil, the devil does that. As we have studied, God is not beating us up. God does use the evil within people as a resource to produce a better result. The devil has schemes and plans, and accuses us before the throne day and night. As we recently studied the four horsemen are keeping peace on the earth. Underneath the relative peace are evil plans for people. If one of those plans can be used for an intended purpose, God will allow it. For example, God used Nimrod to scatter the people over the earth. That is what God told people to do after the flood, but instead they did not spread out. Nimrod built a city and tower, and became a self-appointed ruler/god to the people as we studied last week. Because the people didn’t move out over the earth, God moved them by confusing their language. It is interesting because while it seemed like a bad thing to the people, it was really a good thing. God wanted people to rely on him, not rely on other men. Our example of someone who relied on God is Abraham. Abraham moved quite a number of times all by God’s direction to avoid famine and drought. See the Book of Jasher. Today, people simply can’t move if there is a drought, our system of living has become like Babylon, and our dependence towards men and government has grown.

Another clear example we have is Joseph. Joseph’s brothers were mad that Joseph had dreams and visions of his brothers bowing to him, and that he seemed to be his father’s favorite son. Yet God used Jacob’s son’s bad behavior to actually save their descendants. The many years Joseph spent imprisoned or as a servant were quite painful. However, it prepared him for his own future and the future of God’s people.   

Gen 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. KJV

Even though Nebuchadrezzar seemed like a crazy man, God used him to fulfil his purpose. If you remember, there was male prostitution in the temple in Jerusalem alongside the glory of God for about 300 years. While God is merciful, he wanted the people to look to him for their sufficiency. He told the people through Jeremiah that they would go into captivity for 70 years.   


Jer 25:8-14 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words,9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.13 And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations.14 For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands. KJV

God took the northern kingdoms, who were already in captivity, and Nebuchadrezzar, to make Judah a desolation. Why? Because Judah did not hear God’s words. The root problem which started with Nimrod was that people were not hearing God’s words. Oh, really they heard God’s words, but they did not heed them. Instead of doing what God said, they did what they wanted. That is the key to understanding the world system of Babylon. There is no compromising or negotiations with God, we humans can either obey or not. Not obeying comes with consequences, while obedience comes with blessing.

Habakkuk was a contemporary of Jeremiah. He speaks of the Chaldeans as bitter and hasty people who take possession of land that is not theirs. Yet, don’t miss this, God raised them up.

Hab 1:5-7 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves. KJV

God used the Chaldeans for a purpose, someone needed to destroy the temple that had been so horribly defiled. Baruch tells us that is what the Chaldeans did. 

Bar 1:1-2 And these are the words of the book, which Baruch the son of Nerias, the son of Maasias, the son of Sedecias, the son of Asadias, the son of Chelcias, wrote in Babylon,2 In the fifth year, and in the seventh day of the month, what time as the Chaldeans took Jerusalem, and burnt it with fire. KJV

It was the plan of God to put the people in a position to cry out to him. God wanted a personal relationship with his people, but people either turned to idols or became atheists. Abraham is our example, and even ancient people would put Abraham on a pedestal by claiming that Abraham was their father (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), yet Abraham did not have laws to live by, he lived by a heart relationship with God. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had a personal relationship with God. That should be our example today. When 70 years in captivity in Babylon was over, God used Cyrus to bring them back.

Isa 44:24-45:3 Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. 45:1 Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. KJV

How strange, God used a guy who didn’t worship him to bring his people back to Jerusalem. God even called him his shepherd and said Cyrus was anointed. When Cyrus invaded Babylon and saw he was already written about, he was quite impressed with the God of Israel. Can you imagine opening a scroll only to find your name written in it from two hundred years ago, saying you are God’s shepherd? I would want to know who this God is who is writing about me.

Just in case we don’t recognize shadows and types, there is a big one here we should look at. Last week we read about Babylon being destroyed in the tribulation time period by the Medes, Isaiah 13. At the time of the writing Persia was called Elam. Elamites were originally descendants of Shem, we don’t know if Shemites still dwelt there in the time period of Babylon’s conquest when the Jews were finished with their 70 years of captivity. Elam is what we know as Persia. Cyrus was a Mede from his mother’s side and a Persian from his father’s side. Cyrus is a Medo-Persian. Cyrus took Babylon without a fight as Daniel tells us. What will happen again, in the tribulation, is that the Medes and Persians will overtake Babylon. Now if this is a shadow, then we also must realize that Jews being in Babylon in the future tribulation is a shadow of the past as well. We know that God calls his people to come out of Babylon in Revelation. Why are the Jews in Babylon today? It will make sense shortly. 

This brings us to the realization that there is not a “one world government” until the very end of the tribulation when the beast destroys Babylon. Really, instead, today we are seeing a “new world order”. This N.W.O. is becoming more prevalent. I read a recent article that stated the United Nations considered it a human rights violation for a Detroit water company to turn off water to non-paying customers. Really? Since when does the UN weigh in on these matters? If someone does not pay their water bill they do not get water in the USA. That is how our free market society works. There is no obligation for a water company to provide water free of charge. Yet the United Nations thinks water companies should provide water regardless of getting paid? This type of Babylonian allegiance will become one side of a new world order where many countries unite in all the ways listed in Revelation 17&18. The other side is a more religious side which has many factions that do not get along. In fact they have been fighting each other for over one thousand years, but they will team up in the tribulation time to take over Babylon.  

There are two very clear opposing governments in the tribulation, Babylon and the Beast. The Jews are among Babylon. There will be a wrestling within the Beast’s kingdom as there will be separate kingdoms that will ban together to form one alliance. Yet clearly they are noted as individual kingdoms that are the ten horns that are of one mind and give their power and authority to the beast. What we know today is that someone from the Medo-Persian Empire will join those two factions, the Medes and the Persians, to kill Babylon. That is what God inspires the Beast to do. The “One World Government” will be a forced allegiance, enforced by the sword. That is when Jesus comes with his armies and destroys the beast. After that time, the Day of the Lord, there will be a New World Order and a One World Government with Jesus in charge. Daniel tells us via an angel that there are six reasons Israelites ended up in this position until Jesus would come which was 30 A.D or so.

Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression (1), and to make an end of sins(2), and to make reconciliation for iniquity (3), and to bring in everlasting righteousness (4), and to seal up the vision and prophecy (5), and to anoint the most Holy (6). KJV

Seventy sevens (490 years) are determined to do these six things. Unfortunately, Jesus was rejected as Messiah. What people had been looking for is for the Messiah to restore the kingdom. Yet Jesus accomplished a way to everlasting righteousness, he opened the kingdom of heaven. Now it may indeed look as if the Israelites blew it again by rejecting Jesus. And they did. However by rejecting Jesus, the door was open into the kingdom of heaven for the non-descendants of Jacob. Everyone on earth has an opportunity to enter in by believing Jesus is the Messiah. This is another example of using evil for good, however the Israelites would probably not see it that way. They could have been the elect nation that instructed the world regarding God. But Paul says their hearts are hardened until the number of Gentiles is fulfilled, Romans 11. Jesus said this:

Luke 21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. KJV

God used a Roman, Titus Vespasian, to destroy Jerusalem. On the one hand, we can gather this to be a longer punishment than the 70 years in Babylon. These are the gap years Daniel tells us about. Technically, the Jews have been “in” Babylon ever since they returned to Jerusalem, because Jerusalem was overtaken by the Greeks, then the Romans, and eventually the Ottomans. Once the Israelites got their homeland back in 1948, which was won back for them by “Babylon” (figuratively the world system), “Babylon” has been helping them to share control of the region with the Palestinians. Israel allies itself with Babylon, while Babylon rides/controls the beast. The beast wants to kill both Israel and Palestine, but is held back by the New World Order of Babylon.

After Jesus was cut off, as Daniel puts it, Jerusalem was destroyed again. This continues until the war of the desolations are finished. Then someone rises to political power that seems like a savior to Israel. This anit-Christ will confirm the covenant, break the covenant, and make desolate until the consummation is poured out on the desolate, or the final punishment is poured out on the anti-Christ. We know from Paul’s writings that this anti-Christ will not just sit in the temple, but sit in the Holy of Holies. Remember how much care the priests used to have to take in entering into the Holy of Holies, complete with a rope around their ankle and bells on their clothes. Yet how is it that this anit-Christ person can not only enter into the Holy of Holies, but put his throne there? He doesn’t seem to need the bells on his clothing to let the people on the outside know he has stopped moving, and he doesn’t seem to need a rope on his ankles so someone can pull his dead body out, even though we know he is a sinful person. It seems God will be using this man of perdition to bring about another useful means, the crying out of Jerusalem for Jesus, specifically crying, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  

While the destruction of Babylon happened once with Cyrus, it has never been completely desolate, people have always lived there. Prophecies of Babylon have been and will be fulfilled. In Revelation, Babylon’s ultimate destruction comes and Isaiah tells us her hidden secretes, her nakedness and shame will be uncovered.  

Isa 47:1-6 Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.2 Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.3 Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.4 As for our redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.5 Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms.6 I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke 7And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it.8 Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:9 But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments. KJV

The purpose of God’s people being given over to Babylon is for refining. The burden the Babylonian world system puts on God’s people is very heavy. Although God’s people are scattered all over the world, they are burdened, oppressed, and enslaved to this system. Look around the world, in every country there are burdened and enslaved people. Those are the people that Babylon has put a heavy yoke on. Yet Babylon doesn’t see herself as a harsh taskmaster or oppressor, but sees herself as a lady. In one day Babylon will be destroyed, the day the beast rises up and slaughters people so that the blood rises to the horses’ bridals and as long as 200 miles, Revelation 14:20. This is the wrath of God.

Isa 48:10-22 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.11 For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.13 Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath declared these things? The Lord hath loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.15 I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.17 Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:19 Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.20 Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob.21 And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.22 There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked. KJV

When the tribulation starts, many Jews will recognize Jesus is the Messiah, the I AM, the first and the last. By the end of the tribulation there will be a few Jews left, about one third will still be on earth when Jesus comes with His armies. Zechariah says two thirds will be killed, martyred. So the one third of the Jews on earth will rejoice when Babylon falls. But, after Jesus destroys the beast God’s people will increase again.

Jer 3:16-18 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.18 In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers. KJV

It is interesting to realize that the Ark of the Covenant will not be needed, instead the people will have a personal relationship with Jesus, the King. People will not walk after their own evil imaginations that come from their heart. They will not take on the attitudes of Babylon, which in part is the independence of their own will, but they will depend on Jesus. It will be a different age. A new dispensation. A New World Order. It hardly matters what man does to attempt to thwart the plans of God, God specifically set up times and seasons. The devil has control of the world and the spirits that go out to keep peace will have a change in their mission. They will stop keeping peace on the earth to allow a time on earth that will not be like any other. It will be a time of great distress to break the hardness of people’s hearts so that they will accept Jesus as Messiah and King. Israel’s redeemer has come, and will come again. In the meantime, there will continue to be a New World Order of Babylon, it will grow and strengthen and there will not be a one world government until the beast kills Babylon. Today, people live in either Babylon or the beast’s world system, regardless of religion, or race, or nation. Yet we can change our citizenship to the kingdom of God, and recognize that we are strangers and aliens until Jesus call us up or calls us home.