Eagles and Vultures

This is a link to YouTube if you would prefer to listen to Eagles and Vultures rather than read it.

In the Lord Jesus’ discourse in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 24, he covers many things, inclusive of what he terms a period of, in the Greek, mega thlipsis, that is, “great tribulation/great affliction/great anguish/great persecution.” However, in this teaching, what we want to address is where, at the end of his discourse, the Lord Jesus says, “For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together” (Matthew 24:28).  We are going to look at this “gathering together” a little more closely and see what light can be shed on this, which is called of the Lord, a gathering.

We read, “For wheresoever the carcase is.”

The word here used for carcase is, in the Greek, ptōma; meaning a ruin, that is, (specifically) lifeless body (corpse, carrion): – dead body, carcase, corpse.

Continuing on the Lord said, “there will the eagles be gathered together.”

And we find the definition for the word translated eagles, here in Matthew 24:28 is, in the Greek, aetos, and can be interpreted either vulture or eagle. With the Lord using, in this verse, the word ptōma, a dead body, as the subject being discussed, it is easy to see that the most appropriate translation of the word ptoma here would most certainly be vultures rather than eagles. Therefore what the Lord has said in this verse is, “For wheresoever the dead body is, there will the vultures be gathered together.”

Let us now bring in the Lord Jesus’ discourse in Luke 17 where he again covers many things,although here in Luke he does not make mention of any tribulation/affliction/persecution period.

In his words to the disciples, as recorded in Luke 17:34, the Lord Jesus begins to speak to the disciples of another “gathering” also, as we hear the Lord say, “I tell you, in that night there shall be two in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they (the disciples) answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” Now, let us examine this.

Here, in Luke, we find that the Lord said, “Wheresoever the body is”

By investigation we discover that the Greek word interpreted body here is, sōma; the body (as a sound whole), used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively: – bodily, body, slave. So, here we have the Lord Jesus speaking, not of a carcase, but of a body as a sound whole. And that being the case the word eagle is indeed the most appropriate translation of the Greek word aetos; which, as we have just discovered can be interpreted either vulture or eagle.

We then, with clarity, state that when the disciples ask the Lord where these persons who are being gathered would be taken he said, “Wheresoever the body (as a sound whole) is, there will the eagles (those persons who are being gathered) be gathered together.”

As we just saw, in his discourse in Matthew, the Lord Jesus makes reference to a dead body, and says that those ones (vultures) that inhabit this carcase will be gathered together there. And, in Luke, he says that the ones taken (eagles) will be brought together in a living body, as a sound whole.

Therefore, having discovered this truth concerning a dead body, as revealed by the Lord in Matthew, the questions on the one hand would then be:

1) What is this “dead body?”  2) When and how does it come into existence?  3) What does it consist of?  4) What or who are the “vultures” that are gathered together in or on this dead one?

And, on the other side of the equation, concerning the Lord’s statement in Luke, we need to discover the answers to:

1) What is this “body”, as a sound whole?  2) What does it consist of?  3) Who are these ones that are gathered together to make up this body as a sound whole?  4) When and how does it come into existence?

The answers to these questions are truly easy but, because of the state of affairs with the church not so easy, for the saints, both the leaders and the host, have been under strong delusion for centuries. How so you say? If we could understand the scriptures found in Matthew 24:29 and Mark 13:25 where we see the Lord say, “the stars of heaven shall fall,” or where the Apostle John recorded in Revelation 6:13 “the stars of heaven fell,” it would be simple. But the enemy has led all the shepherds (STARS) astray and they do not know they have fallen to the earth/earthy realm for, as they look around, by all appearances they are still “in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). Therefore the sheep have no reason to believe that ALL the stars have fallen for the stars themselves confess that they themselves are “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:3).

What is this dead body? The Lord Jesus said, “Behold, a sower went forth to sow; and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up” (Matthew 13:3-4). And again we see where the Lord said, “Behold, there went out a sower to sow: and it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up” (Mark 4:3-4). Then we discover that these fowls of the air are unclean spirits for the Lord calls them collectively, in Mark 4:15, “Satan.” And in Matthew 13:19 the Lord Jesus calls them, “the wicked.” We say these things to establish the fact that the “fowls of the air” are indeed unclean spirits in accordance with the Lord.

Now, that we have discovered what the fowls of the air are lets bring in the parable of the mustard seed from Mark 4:30-32 where the Lord said, “Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: but when it is sown, it grows up, and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.” Also, in Matthew 13:31 we hear the Lord saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field.” So, the Lord has revealed to us that this growing mustard seed plant constitues what is both within us (the kingdom of God) and what is without, that is where we have our being (the kingdom of heaven).

We see it written, “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God comes not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21). This is where the SEED is planted: within US.

Then we find the Apostle Paul exorting us to, “Give thanks unto the Father, which has made us meet (qualified) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:12-13). This is where the saints and the leaders of God’s people should be in accordance with the Word of God, to wit: God “has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). This is where the SEED should be sitting. For, “if you be Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).

There are many different “ideas” about what this parable means and our purpose here is not to debate all the views. What we very specifically want to point out is that this is speaking of the growth of the Kingdom of God, both within and without, as set in motion by the death, burial (planting), and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ (Seed), which then began to be planted in the hearts of men (earth) causing us to be “born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, (to wit the Lord Jesus, for he is the Word (Seed) made flesh) which lives and abides for ever” (1Peter 1:23).

As we look closely though we see that something has gone very wrong with the growth of this herb, as it has shot out great branches that have created shadows. And, we do know that if this were the proper growth of the kingdom of God and also, respectively, the kingdom of heaven there would be NO SHADOWS for we find it written, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor SHADOW of turning” (James 1:17). But here we discover that the fowls of the air; these demons, these unclean spirits, these mean and hateful birds have come and lodged, camped out, made a home, reside, have a habitation in the shadow of its branches. Can we see anything in Scripture that would cause us to recognize this many branched shadowy thing where these demonics have come to rest?

The Apostle John said, “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations (Greek, ethnos, people, tribes) have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues” (Revelation 18:1-4).

Having discovered the nature of this misshapen mustard seed tree we see clearly that this is what the Lord Jesus was referencing when He said, “For wheresoever the dead body is, there will the vultures be gathered together” (Matthew 24:28). This is that dead body.  However, the “dead body” is far greater than you could ever imagine, as we shall see.

The second question is, “When and how did this misshapen tree come into existence?” The church began a descent into darkness in AD 313 when the Roman Emperor Constantine, by the Edict of Milan, gave Christianity legal status. This downward spiral continued until AD 538 when the Byzantine Emperor Justinian the 1st gave “christianity” its seat in Rome and named the Pope “the first among all the priests.” This is when AND how. But, as I said, there is far more to this than meets the eye.

The third question is, “What does it consist of?” Lets bring in the only thing in the Book of Revelation that took the Apostle John aback. We read in Revelation 17:1-7a, “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come here; I will show unto you the judgment of the great whore that sits upon many waters with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication. And upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me, Why do you marvel?”

Before we address anything here we would exhort you to hear what the response of the Apostle John was when he “saw her.” For when John saw her we read, When I saw her, I was greatly astonished (New International Version). I stared at her in complete amazement (New Living Translation). When I saw her, I marveled greatly (English Standard Version). When I saw her, I wondered greatly (New American Standard Bible).  And the angel that was speaking to John said, “Why do you marvel, why are you astonished, why are you surprised, why are you amazed?”

Brothers and sisters John saw many, many things as he was being given the Revelation OF Jesus Christ to write that were incredible sights, and we can discern no amazement in John’s responses anywhere in the Revelation with respect to those things: only THIS ONE THING. And the angel’s reaction to John’s response was to say to John, “Why are you astonished?” The implication being that the Apostle John should have already understood this harlot. And, as well he should have, for he had been instructed in this matter by the Lord Jesus before his ascension, for we read in Matthew 24:15, “When you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso reads, let him understand).” And what John is seeing here in this harlot is the church, of which he is a founding father, and she has indeed become THE ABOMINATION THAT DESOLATES as spoken of by Daniel the prophet. Astonished, surprised, amazed, you bet. For we discover that mustard seed tree is, without a doubt, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

The Apostle John is indeed taken aback for this abomination (disgusting thing) has desolated the saints of God for centuries (is drunk on the blood [the life] of the saints and martyr’s of Jesus). But we haven’t seen the full extent, the severity of it yet.

Now, going forward, the third question is “What does it (this mustard seed tree) consist of?”  We see that this tree has many branches, for the Lord said branches (plural) and these “great branches” (Mark 4:32) are such that the unclean spirits (fowls of the air) could make their abode under the shadow of it.

If this is only the original church, now labeled catholicism, that this tree consists of, there would be some few branches but the Lord Jesus said that this mustard seed tree would, “shoot out great (mega) branches” (again Mark 4:32).  Herein lies a mystery.

We just saw the Apostle John taken aback when he saw, “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” He understood the significance of this woman riding upon the back of, joined together with, a beast (secular government). Hear this now children of God, she is not only a harlot herself but she is the mother of harlots (plural). How many harlot children did she have? She had only two.

In AD 1057 the eastern orthodox church was born out of her and in AD 1517 protestantism also came forth from her. Two daughters only, for she is the mother of harlots (and the daughters are) ALSO abominations of the earth. If you look in the yellow pages of your phone book under churches, no matter where you are, you will most likely see page after page of names (branches) of this mother and her daughters and together they are Mystery Babylon the Great.

The names you see in the phone book are the names of blasphemy which are inside (registered with) the scarlet colored beast (secular government) which this whore in three parts rides upon (Revelation 17:3). The whole of the ecumenical system is what this mustard seed tree consists of. “Come out of her my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4).

You cannot worship this beast (catholicism) or its image (the two horned beast out of the earth, eastern orthordoxism and protestantism). To worship simply means to give allegiance to, admire any part of, OR say something good about any facet of it, KISS IT. If you call yourself a catholic you have the mark. If you call yourself a follower of eastern orthodoxism you have the mark. If you call yourself a protestant YOU HAVE THE MARK.  We are CHRISTIANS, CHRISTIANS, CHRISTIANS, ONLY!  Again, come out of her my people.

The fourth and final question regarding this misshapen mustard seed tree is, “What or who are the vultures that are gathered together in or on this dead one?” They are the tares of Matthew 13:25, “But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat” And as we see in Matthew 13:30 the tares are gathered FIRST. “Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather you together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. No rapture of the saints here.

Also, the vultures that gather in this dead carcase entity, this misshapen mustard seed tree, the ones that have caused shadows to be where there should be light, the ones allowing the fowls of the air to make their habitation in the shadows of its great branches, the ones that have gathered in Babylon the Great, which consists of catholicism (the mother) and her two harlot daughters (eastern orthodoxism and protestantism) are: those that offend (to wit: cause stumbling) and those which do iniquity (that is, transgress the perfect law of liberty) which are spoken of by the Lord in Matthew 13:41. They are the wicked (the hurtful in effect or influence) as brought into the light by the Lord in Matthew 13:49.

Furthermore, thus says the Lord, Babylon the Great is full to running over with false prophets who, “prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart” (Jeremiah 14:14). Again, “Behold, I am against the prophets, says the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He said. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, says the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, said the LORD” (Jeremiah 23:31-32).

They are “false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ” (2Corinthians 11:13). Hear me now saints of God, they are ALL the leaders (STARS) of God’s people who have not discerned this dead thing and have embraced it, worshiped it, said something good about it and participate in it rather heed God’s call and sound the alarm to come out of her my people.

Thus says the Lord, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shall be no priest to me: seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children” (Hosea 4:6). Children of God the Lord has said WE are to be kings and priests (Revelation 1:6) so, by the mercies of God, in God’s stead, I exhort you to “come out from among them (the three of the earth/earthy systems), and be you separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2Corinthians 6:17-18).

All those who participate in this dead body system, either wittingly or unwittingly, whether knowingly or unknowingly, even unto this moment are, “drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus” (Revelation 17:6a). And I, along with the Apostle John say, “when I saw her, I wondered with great amazement” (Revelation 17:6b).

On the other hand, the good news is, we saw where in Luke 17 the Lord Jesus had said, “Wheresoever the body (as a sound whole) is, there will the eagles (those persons who are being gathered) be gathered together.” And we had posed some questions that needed answering with respect to this gathering also.

And, those questions were:

1) What is this “body”, as a sound whole?  2) What does it consist of?  3) Who are these ones that are gathered together to make up this body as a sound whole?  4) When and how does it come into existence?

What is this body, as a sound whole? Simply, it is the stone cut out of the mountain without hands of Daniel 2:34. It is the jewels of Malachi 3:16-18. It is the manifestation of the sons of God of Romans 8:19. It is the holy temple of the Lord of Ephesians 2:19-22. It is the perfect, complete man of Ephesians 4:13. It is the overcomer of the book of Revelation. It is the Lord’s christ of Revelation 11:15 (this is not the Lord Jesus Christ, this is the Lord Jesus’ christ). This is the Lamb’s wife of Revelation 19:7. Saints of God this is WHAT this body is as a sound whole.

What does it consist of? It consists of the fruit bearers of Matthew 13:23, Mark 4:20 and Luke 8:15. It consists of the branches that abide in the vine of John 15:5. And it also consists of the lively stones of 1Peter 2:5. Brothers and sisters this is the CONSISTANCY of this body as a sound whole.

Who are the ones that are gathered together to make up this complete body company? They are the ones who have entered at the strait gate of Matthew 7:13. This gate is not pertaining to salvation but rather of santification so that this ones house is built upon the rock of Matthew 7:24. They are the ones who have on the wedding garment of Matthew 22:8-14, for many are called but few are chosen. These are the ones who strive lawfully (2Timothy 2:5) running with patience the race that is set before them (Hebrew 12:1) hating even the garment spotted with the flesh (Jude 1:3). These ones are the remnant of her seed (Revelation 12:17) as they were not defiled with women (the harlot and her daughters) of Revelation 14:4-5.

These ones that make up this body as a sound whole are the ones of whom the Apostle John wrote, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with/amid Christ a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4).

Please do pay attention at this last statement made by John as to who these ones are. He says these ones were beheaded…YET they lived and reigned with/amid Christ a thousand years. How is this possible? To be beheaded is to pass through the strait gate and lose your self life, be crucified with Christ, then Christ is your Head and it is no longer you but Christ.

Our final questions are when and how does this living body as a whole come into being? First, let’s deal with the how for we see it written it is, “not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6). By this we understand that the stone cut out of the mountain without hands of Daniel 2:34 is solely an operation of the Spirit and man’s responsibility is to be in the right place at the right time (spiritually), as on the day of Pentecost. There were many, many people, probably thousands, who had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ at the time of his visitation but only a remnant, about 120, were in the right place at the right time to take part in the move of the Spirit of God.

So, as we see, it is our reasonable service to be ready for, “the Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold, he shall come, says the LORD of hosts” (Malachi 3:1). Where is it, in accordance with the Scriptures, that the Lord is coming? By this we see he is coming to inhabit his temple and as it is written, “But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house/temple are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end” (Hebrews 3:6).

Where is the Lord, the messenger of the covenant, coming to? It is not to rapture the church and take it away. It is not the Lord Jesus himself coming to tread the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” (Revelation 19:15). In Matthew 24:35 we hear the Lord Jesus himself say, “heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away.” That being the case then it must be fulfilled where we read, “Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the Chief Corner Stone; in whom ALL the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom you also are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22). This next coming of the Lord is by his Spirit to bring whosoever will “unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13) And, “he which testifies these things says, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).

Next, we need to understand what scriptural time it is if we are to have an idea as to when “the one shall be taken and the other left” of Luke 17:34, causing this living body, as a sound whole, to come into being. We will start with the words of the Lord Jesus where he said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night comes, when no man can work” (John 9:4). Let me assure you saints of God the night has long since come. So, what time is it?

In the Book of Daniel we see it written, “there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time your people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever” (Daniel 12:1-3). Having done the work I can assure you we have been in this “time of trouble” for approximately 172 years now. And, let us simply say that Daniels people at this time are, “if you be Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29).

There are a few things in these verses that help us to understand at what time, when, this sound body gathering shall take place. We see “at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the book.” This deliverance speaks directly to the gathering we have before us for this is not referring to the book of life but is, in fact, referring to the book of remembrance, the Lord’s jewels, which we touched upon as brought out in Malachi 3:16-18. This is what was spoken of by the Lord when he said, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption/deliverance draws nigh” (Luke 21:28).

Next we discover many of them (Daniel’s people) that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake. These one’s are not dead they are literally sleeping, as we see with the ten virgins of Matthew 25:1-13, in that they ALL slept. “While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept” (Matthew 25:5). The “dust of the earth” refers to our adamic nature. There is an awakening coming and the five wise virgins shall enter in, but the five foolish virgins (all virgins, all Christians) shall find themselves on the wrong side of this move of God. We hear them saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us” (Matthew 25:11) but the response of the Lord to them is, “Truly I say unto you I know you not” (Matthew 25:12). The Greek word eido, here interpreted know, means, more directly to see, perceive, have knowledge of. They are ALL virgins (saved) but the five foolish one’s did nothing to cause the Lord to see them, as they had not done anything worthy of his recognition, all their works were “wood, hay and stubble” (1Corinthians 3:12). These are the one’s of Daniel’s people (Christians) “who awoke to shame and contempt everlasting” (Daniel 12:2). Let us look at that portion of scripture again simplified and clarified, “who awoke to reproach and disgust of long duration.” These ones of Daniel’s people are the five foolish virgins that the Lord did not see or perceive because of their unworthy works, therefore they suffer reproach and disgust.

Now, that we have discovered what season we are in scripturally; that being the “time of trouble,” let’s see if we can narrow the time down a bit. As we previously stated, the Lord Jesus said in John 9:4, that “the night comes when no man can work” and I’ll assure you we have been in that night for centuries.

We hear the Apostle John saying in Revelation 14:6, “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach.” We emphatically state that the messenger with this message is not an angelic being, for literal heavenly angels do not preach the everlasting gospel, the Lord Jesus Christ has committed this unto men. This messenger that is preaching is not some one individual person, he is a many membered spirit of Elijah ministry, “saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come” (Revelation 14:7a).

Saints, this is a time when there is, “no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:18). This Babylonian system speaks in the Name of the Lord with impunity. However, it is high time that we come to understand the fear of God for, “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Pro 9:10).

This many membered messenger, this preacher of righteousness states, “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.” And, we see it written, “…For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1Peter 4:17). The Greek word kairos, interpreted hour in Revelation 14:7a is the same Greek word interpreted time in 1Peter 4:17. We also read in Romans 13:11-14, “And that, knowing the time (kairos,) that now it is high time (the phrase high time is, in the Greek, hōra and hōra means hour [therefore, “now is the hour”]) to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put you on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.”

In so far as I can see the only things left to be fulfilled before the Lord comes suddenly to his temple (those who spiritually are in the right place at the right time) to cause the manifestation of the sons of God of Romans 8:19, and for the God of heaven to set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, as foretold in Daniel 2:44, is the true spirit of the Elijah ministry of Malachi 4:5 and, in the words of the Lord Jesus, the gospel of the kingdom being preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations (people); and then the end shall come (Matthew 24:14).

There are some few things that need to be said so as the message will be clear – First, this message is of one crying “mightly with a strong voice saying Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage for every mean and hateful bird” (Revelation 18:2). So, the exhortation is “come out of her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sin, and that you receive not of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4). Saints of God if you do not come out of her and confess that there is no good thing in Babylon then none of this will do you any good. Come out of her my people!

Second, the Lord said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for you neither go in yourselves, neither permit you them that are entering to go in” (Matthew 23:13). So, also is it today! You cannot get into heavenly places in Babylon, for the apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, elders, etc. have shut up the kingdom and by their teachings have blocked the way to the strait gate.

In Matthew 5:1-2 we see where the Lord Jesus “seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: and he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying.” We aren’t going to go into all that he taught, but we need to see who he was teaching and he was teaching the disciples, not the multitude.

Again, in Matthew 7:13-15, we hear the Lord say to the disciples, the believers, “Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it.” The strait gate is for believers and is designed to kill our adamic nature and cause us to walk in a newness of life. This is the gospel of the kingdom! To help us better understand the strait gate the word of the Lord came unto me while I was in prayer in this manner:

Revelation 22:10 – 1John 2:8 – 1John 3:3 – Revelation 18:2 – 2Corinthians 6:17-18 – 1Peter 4:17 – Hebrews 12:25-27 – Romans 13:12 – Mark 7:10-13 – Matthew 5:44 – Luke 6:28-30 – James 4:8-10 and Revelation 22:17. At the time that I received this I did not know what the Lord was saying to me but as I looked up the books, chapters and verses this is the interpretation.

Thus says the Lord, the time is at hand, the darkness is past, the light has come. What time you say? It is the time for the purification of My saints.

Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Wherefore come out from among them, and be you separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God. See that you refuse not him that speaks. For if they escaped not who refused him that spoke on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaks from heaven: whose Voice then shook the earth: but now he has promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this Word, Yet once more, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother; and, Whoso curses father or mother, let him die the death: but you say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever you might be profited by me; he shall be free. And you suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which you have delivered: and many such like things do you.

For it is written, I SAY, “Love your enemies,” but you say, “Lofty ideals.” I SAY, “do good to them which hate you,” but you say, “I’ll just stay as far away from them as I can.” I SAY, “bless them that curse you,” but you say, “I don’t appreciate that, they had no right to speak to me like that.” I SAY, “pray for them who mistreat or take advantage of you,” but you say, “That’s rude or inconsiderate of them.” I SAY, “give to everyone who asks of you,” but you say, “If they’re deserving, or if it’s convenient for me.” I SAY, “and of him who takes away your goods ask them not again,” but you say, “Hey, that’s mine give it back.”

Repent therefore and, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

I SAY, “the time is at hand.” I SAY, “the time is at hand.” I SAY, “the time is at hand.”

Therefore, the Lord HAS SAID, the time is at hand, the darkness is past, the light has come. “Watch you therefore: for you know not when the master of the house comes, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch” (Mark 13:35-37). “For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the earth” (Luke 21:35).  Saints of God Awake!!

THIS IS THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, PREPARE YOU THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE STRAIGHT HIS PATHS.  Amen.