Thursday, October 30, 2008

Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey, Prototypes of the Antichrist and False Prophet
By Helena Lehman

As all are now aware, Barack Hussein Obama has won the Democratic nomination to run for US President, and is well on his way to winning the Presidential election on November 4th. Indeed, the media is now saying that there has not been such mass popularity for anyone running for President since JFK. Barack has a major cult following, and women have been seen fainting and weeping openly at his political rallies. It's almost as if Obama were a rock star rather than a politician, and that he may be destined to win the upcoming election based more on his cult status than on his readiness for the task.

Now, though this in itself might not make any born-again Christian suspect a dark supernatural element to Barack Obama's campaign touting "Change You Can Believe In," they should have taken major notice when internationally acclaimed talk-show hostess Oprah Winfrey endorsed Obama´s bid for the presidency, and even went to one of his campaign rallies to appear on stage with him and his wife. At that time, Oprah cryptically said "He's the One" before leaving the stage. Now, this leads me to ask; "Why - pray tell - is Obama 'The One?' Furthermore, just what in particular is he the one for?"

Why this should raise some questions should be crystal clear to anyone who has been paying attention to Oprah's talk show and magazine - those perennially popular venues that unashamedly tout Oprah's personal world view and spiritual beliefs as the "IN" way to think. You see, Oprah is not just an imminently likeable talk show hostess. She's a spiritual icon for the New Age movement, has been called the African Mother Goddess of America, and has inspired articles such as CBN's "The Gospel According to Oprah" and Christianity Today's "The Church of O."

Don't believe me? Check out Wikipedia, where it also says: "Oprah's most significant role has become that of spiritual leader. To her audience of more than 22 million mostly female viewers, she has become a postmodern priestess -- an icon of church-free spirituality." To this, I would add that not only is Oprah's spirituality Church-free, it's also Christ-free. In other words, Oprah is preaching a different Gospel than the one in the Bible - one that is totally devoid of any reference to a loving, caring Creator God, or a need for His Son as our Savior.

If the fact that a New Age priestess is backing Obama's campaign doesn't make Christians stand up and take notice, Barack's most enduring Church affiliation should. Until very recently, Obama and his family attended the Trinity United Church of Christ, and were close friends with its long time pastor Jeremiah Wright, whose radical teachings included cursing America as a racist nation and damning it to Hell. Now, I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like the Christianity of peace, love, forgiveness and equality that is unquestionably preached about in the Bible´s hallowed pages.

Not only that, but Obama has shown that he is not a true friend of Christianity. In fact, Obama is fully pro-abortion (as opposed to pro-choice or pro-life) and pro-ecumenical in that Obama not only supports all faiths, but he is radically opposed to allowing Christians slightly more freedom to express their faith than people of other faiths, and vehemently critical of any reference to America as a "Christian" nation.

Though this may seem like a constitutional stance, and it sounds democratic and fair on the surface, Obama's views may cause him to be easily swayed by special interest groups who favor imposing unfair restrictions on Christians in regard to their constitutional right to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. Indeed, there is no doubt in my mind that Oprah and her cronies would not only welcome but would encourage Obama to do so. The now all too frequent protests against Christians praying using Jesus' name in public, or displaying manger scenes or Christmas trees are a telling case in point.

There are also many questions about Obama's background and beliefs that have not been answered adequately in my mind, such as his associations with known radicals and whether or not he feels any patriotism or love for America as it was envisioned by its Christian founding fathers. The fact that Obama has refused to cover his heart during the playing of the National Anthem and initially refused to wear a flag pin during the early part of his campaign greatly disturbs me since I love my country, and want to support and improve it in any way that I can. Furthermore, I believe that this is the stance that every American should share, whether they are native born or naturalized.

In addition to these problems, Barack Hussein Obama seems unsure of whom or what to support on an international level, as was displayed during his recent trip to Israel. While there, Obama did a radical about-face regarding the topic of not dividing Jerusalem. Initially, Obama was supportive of keeping Jerusalem undivided, but then he quickly changed his tune when faced with Arab-led protests.

As a Messianic Christian who is quite familiar with Bible prophecy, I believe that any nation or group of people that attempts to divide, attack, or destroy Israel will pay the ultimate price on Judgment Day. It is therefore not only in America's best interests to continue supporting and protecting Israel, but it is also God's ultimate desire for America and all nations as revealed in Prophecy.

For those reading this who are strangers to Bible prophecy, let me tell you who Obama and Oprah remind me of in regard to the End Times. They unquestionably resemble the infamous Antichrist and the False Prophet, two secretly evil characters who will appear to be good, and will deceive many unsuspecting souls who don't read the Bible or have a personal relationship with God and His Son. So, if that sounds like you and you're voting for Obama, I'd think twice if I were you.

The Bible's Book of Revelation says that the Antichrist - who is a powerful political leader - and the False Prophet - who is a powerful religious leader - will arise to power just before the Great Tribulation, which is a seven year period when God's wrath will be poured out on sinful humanity. This time period will culminate with the Battle of Armageddon - aka World War III - and climax with the Second Coming of Christ to set up His Millennial Kingdom on Earth. Considering what a mess we sinners have made of the world lately (and at nearly every point in history), I'm really looking forward to His reign.

Now, you may wonder, do I think Barack Hussein Obama IS the Antichrist? Well, before I answer that question, I need to explain that there is going to be not one but two Antichrists on the world scene in its final years. The one the Bible calls the King of the North is THE Antichrist, and he will conquer the little antichrist called the King of the South when he attempts to attack the King of the North's territory. I believe the Antichrist, or King of the North will be a prominent leader in the European Union and the world, and that he will be a bonafide prince, just as the Bible says he is. In addition to him, though, there is the little antichrist - the one that Muslims call the Mahdi - and he could be anyone, as long as he thinks like a Neo-Fascist/Radical Muslim.

With his radical anarchist friends, associates in the Nation of Islam, and his leftist political leanings, Barack Hussein Obama has many of the earmarks of being that prophetically little-known individual called the Mahdi. In fact, his father and stepfather were Muslims and the young Obama was schooled in a Muslim community where children currently are regularly taught to lie, cheat and steal from unsuspecting infidels - and even kill them without mercy when the opportunity presents itself. There are even rumors that Obama has a false birth certificate, was not born in Hawaii, but Africa, and is therefore not a naturally born US citizen.

Despite the dire warnings that his Christianity may be - at best - superficial, Barack Obama is very good at pretending to be Christ-like. Couple that with his wild popularity, heavy ecumenical slant, politically correct immorality, slick communication savvy, youthful attractiveness, nearly universal appeal, and heavy funding from Muslims and other special interest groups, and you´ve got many signs proclaiming that Obama could be the Mahdi, a.k.a. the little Antichrist or King of the South. As President of the USA, he could secretly make an agreement with several Arab nations with the objective of destroying Israel. Then, the President may convince the Israelis to sign a peace treaty that will divide Jerusalem between the Israelis and Palestinians - but only if it will allow the Jews to build a new Temple on the Temple Mount near to the Al Aqsa Mosque.

Bible prophecies have much to say about what will happen after that historic peace treaty is signed. Using the guidance of the Holy Spirit that God has given to me and the knowledge I've gained from the Bible and the Gospel in the Stars, this is what I foresee happening then:

First of all, the Rapture - when millions upon millions of Christians around the world will be caught up to heaven to be with Christ forever - will occur around this time. This event will partly cripple the USA and cause it to be less able to defend itself against invasion or to help Israel. This is when the Bible teaches that the Arab-Israeli peace treaty will be broken after three and a half years. At that time, the USA and the Arab nations surrounding Israel will be invaded by a massive multi-nation military force led by the Antichrist, or King of the North in Europe. So, though the Antichrist will help Israel defeat the nations attacking her, Israel will still lose her sovereignty and the entire USA will be under attack. This is known to Bible students as the Gog-Magog Invasion, though most miss that it will be launched against Israel and the USA simultaneously.

Having gained the upper hand around the world, the Antichrist will enter and desecrate the new Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and claim to be a god while demanding worship. This will cause Jews, Muslims, and Christians around the world to revolt against the Antichrist. As an inevitable result, all three religious groups will be targeted for annihilation by the Antichrist, and they all will be heavily persecuted until Christ returns to liberate Israel, destroy the Antichrist and his armies, and save the USA from annihilation.

Even if Barack doesn't win a ticket to the White House this time around, he no doubt will save some of the enormous sums he raised this year for his campaign to run for President again in 2012 - the year that the ancient Mayans predicted would see the end of the world as we know it. Time will certainly tell. And, even if Obama isn't "The One" - because he all too closely resembles that really, really bad guy of the Bible called the Antichrist or his twin in evil called the Mahdi, he certainly won't be getting my vote on Election Day.

By the way, contrary to popular belief, the United States is mentioned quite frequently in Bible prophecy. You just need to know the Language of God to figure it out, and I’d be happy to teach you. Just go to my web site. There you can find out about the four books I’ve written about it and see the many free articles that are available at http://pillar-of-enoch.com.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

NOTE: The following article can also be read on my blogs and at the American Chronicle web site at:

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/75784


The Day of Trumpets as a Call for Christian Repentance
By Helena Lehman

“L'Shanah Tovah Tikateyvu!”
May you be inscribed in the Book of Life!

This is a traditional blessing that is usually said in greeting on Rosh Hashanah, which means "the Head of the Year," in Hebrew, and is considered to be the Jewish New Year, which always falls on the first day of the seventh month called Tishri on the Jewish Lunar Calendar. It is also known as Yom Teruah, or the Day of Trumpets, which is one of the seven major Jewish Feast Days established by God. Celebrating this day God’s way calls for the ritual blowing of the Shofar or Ram’s horn, which is a type of trumpet fashioned from the actual horn of a ram. As such, the Day of Trumpets is celebrated among Jews and increasing numbers of Christians with the blowing of the Shofar.

Due to its association with the blowing of horns and the coming of the holiest day on the Jewish Calendar - Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement - many Christian scholars recognize Rosh Hashanah’s prophetic connection to the Second Coming of Christ and the resurrection of the dead at the Last Trumpet. Still others see its close connection to an event known as the Rapture, or snatching away of the Church before the wrath of God is poured out on the wicked during the prophesied seven-year time of trouble known as the Great Tribulation, which is associated with the Prophet Daniel’s 70th Week, and the future event known as Jacob’s Trouble, which will be a time of great peril for the Jews in Israel.

Though not all churches believe that the Rapture will occur before the end of the Great Tribulation, many do. There are many proofs in the Bible that the Rapture will occur before the suffering of humanity during the Great Tribulation becomes unbearable. Since this Jewish New Year also marks the beginning of a new seven-year agricultural period known as a Sabbatical Cycle, many think it may coincide with the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

Due to this, expectations are high in some circles that the Rapture or secret return of Christ for His Church will occur on or near to the Feast of Trumpets this year, which will begin at the first sighting of the New Moon at dawn on September 30th, though it will officially begin being celebrated on September 29th this year at dusk. So, though my understanding of the prophecies in the Psalms and the Solar and Lunar Eclipses coming up on Jewish holidays over the next decade have led me to believe that the Rapture will not occur until sometime between the beginning of 2010 and the end of 2012, it is always an intriguing possibility to consider and to prepare for that blessed event.

In Jewish Tradition, the Day of Trumpets marks the beginning of the Days of Awe or Days of Repentance, which are the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Among Jews and Messianics, this ten day period is a time for fasting and serious introspection, when people are called to consider and repent of their sins over the previous year and to ask God for forgiveness before Yom Kippur. On Yom Kippur, with great pageantry and ritual in Temple times, two goats were sacrificed to atone for the sins of all Israel. This event is directly tied to Christ’s sacrificial death on the Cross for our sins, which is also directly tied to the sacrifice of the lamb on Passover.

The fasting and repentance of the Days of Awe are considered necessary because, in Jewish tradition, the Book of Life is officially opened on Rosh Hashanah, as well as the Book of the Dead. Now, while the Book of Life records the names of all those who will be resurrected into everlasting life on Judgment Day, the Book of the Dead records the names of all those who will perish in hell forever. Furthermore, on Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement, both of these books are officially closed again for another year. These truths are echoed in the Book of Revelation:

“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” - Rev. 3:5 (NKJ)

“And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” - Rev 20:12, 15 (NKJ)

Because the autumn Jewish holidays are tied to the Second Coming of Christ, Rosh Hashanah has increasingly become an important holiday for Christians, who joyfully await their Savior’s return at any moment. For them, Rosh Hashanah represents the fulfillment of God the Father’s promise of salvation for those who repent and accept His Son as their Messiah and King. It also represents the hopeful expectation among many Christians that Christ will soon return for His Bride the Church to attend the Wedding of the Lamb in Heaven while the Great Tribulation is raging on Earth. The biblical precedent for believing this is the Parable of the Ten Virgins (See Matthew 25:1-13).

In this deeply prophetic parable, five foolish virgin handmaids to a bride awaiting the arrival of her groom have to go out to search for oil for their lamps. Meanwhile, the five wise virgins who brought enough oil for their lamps are present at the bride’s home when the groom arrives at night. For this reason, they are mercifully allowed to accompany the bride to the groom’s home, where the wedding is to take place - all in the traditional Jewish fashion.

Now, this parable has little meaning unless it is seen as an allegorical prophecy pertaining to Christ’s return. When viewed in this way, this prophecy is telling us that half of the people who see Christ as their Messiah are not really prepared for His return to Earth to retrieve his Bride the Church, which is symbolized in the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 21:9-11). Meanwhile, half of those who profess to be followers of Christ will be sufficiently prepared to accompany Christ to attend the Wedding Supper, which will occur at His Father’s house in Heaven. So, while those who are left behind will have to endure the seven-year Great Tribulation that corresponds to the seven days in a traditional Jewish wedding celebration, the wedding party will be in Heaven celebrating their salvation in Christ and worshipping Him for those same seven years.

Though Rosh Hashanah has particular importance as a prophetic symbol for Christ’s return for His Bride, however, it is important for Messianics and Christians to remember that Christ could return at any time. For this reason, it is always good to make sure you are living a life that you won’t have to be ashamed of when Christ returns. This means that those who love Christ need to continually call on the Holy Spirit to help them become the loving, forgiving, merciful, compassionate, kind and gentle people that Christ calls all of his saints to be - on every occasion.

Though we can never achieve the perfect nature of Christ on our own merit alone, we can - with the help of the Holy Spirit - approximate His loving-kindness and mercy here on Earth until He comes. That is why Rosh Hashanah is a good time of year to remember to ask God for forgiveness, as well as to humbly pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance. It is also a great time for every Christian to renew their baptismal vows, which are to die to their fleshly sins and to live for Christ instead.

For more information about the timing of the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ, and to find out more about the Jewish Holy Days at what they prophesy and promise to Christians and Messianics everywhere, consider purchasing the highly acclaimed, heavily researched Language of God Book Series (See: http://pillar-of-enoch.com/language_series/). This four book series features over 2000 pages of engaging text and illustrations that reveal the amazing meaning of God’s prophetic language of symbols. This amazing language can be found in the heavens, as well as in Bible prophecies like those found in the books of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation.

In the meantime, may you find joy in Christ, and may your name be forever inscribed in the Book of Life!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Who Are The 144,000 Witnesses of Revelation?

By Helena Lehman of the
Pillar of Enoch Ministry

Click To Enlarge Graphic

NOTE: Article Published On August 28th, 2008, 
And Revised On December 5th, 2017

              When it comes to deciphering who the 12 times 12,000 Israelites who become the 144,000 Witnesses are, we need to clarify their identity and ministry by actually reading and analyzing the Scriptures concerning them in the Book of Revelation, Chapter 7 , Revelation Chapter 9, and Revelation, Chapter 14. In this article, I present the relevant Scriptures, and word studies of some of the Greek words used in these Scriptures to refer to the 144,000 who are chosen out of Israel. These serve to give a much better picture of who the 144,000 are. Praying to God for guidance from His Holy Spirit to help me understand His Word, the article that follows presents what I found out.

First of all, note the placement of Revelation Chapter 7 right after the Sixth Seal is opened. Chapter 7 is wholly devoted to describing the choosing of the 144,000 followed by the scene of the great multitude in white robes around God's heavenly throne room. This is an indicator that the Rapture will take place BEFORE the Sixth Seal is opened, and this is because God's Wrath will begin to be poured out at the time of the opening of the Sixth Seal, and believers are NOT subject to God's Wrath (Romans 5:8-10; 1 Thess. 1:8-10, 1 Thess. 5:8-10). The timing of the choosing of the 144,000 can be surmised because the angels are asked to hold back the plagues of the Wrath of God until the 144,000 are sealed with the Mark of God on their foreheads:
Revelation 7:2-4Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed...
Revelation 7:4 clearly indicates that the 144,000 are to be taken from the Twelve Tribes of Israel, and sealed with the Mark of God on their foreheads - just as some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem were sealed with a Mark on their foreheads before the siege and capture of the city by Nebuchadnezzar (See Ezekiel 9:3-7). This Mark was the Hebrew letter Tav, which is the equivalent of the Greek letter Omega, indicating the end of time. It's also interesting to note that the Proto-Hebrew letter Tav was drawn as an "X" or cross, and this no doubt is meant to signify the Cross of Christ. Furthermore, the marking of the foreheads at the time of the siege of Jerusalem was done by a linen clad man with an ink horn indicating that he was a Scribe and Prophet of God. In fact, this holy Scribe may represent the translated antediluvian prophet of God named Enoch. This is suggested by the fact that Enoch was called the Scribe of Righteousness several times by God in the Book of 1 Enoch (1 Enoch 12:51 Enoch 15:2).

Though the 144,000 may well be marked with the Hebrew letter Tav as well, the Book of Revelation Chapter 14, verse 1 makes it clear that - unlike the Jews spared during that ancient siege of Jerusalem - the 144,000 will not have the Tav marked on their foreheads, but the Hebrew name of God known as the Tetragrammaton "YHWH" written on their foreheads. However, though the 144,000 are Israelites from the Twelve Tribes, this does not mean that the 144,000 are strictly modern-day Jews. In fact, as my Language of God Series Books have exhaustively shown, the modern Jews only signify a fraction of the spiritual and literal Israelites living in today’s world and throughout the ages. What is being ignored by most commentators on the 144,000 is the fact that there are the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel to consider!

The Ten Lost Tribes consist of people groups that are partly descended from the Ten Tribes dispersed throughout the known world in several successive waves. These Diaspora Israelites can allegorically and literally be associated with over a dozen Middle-Eastern, European and British nations that absorbed three waves of fleeing Israelites and Jews. These three waves occurred successively over a long period of time: once after the ancient Northern Kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians, at another time after the southern Kingdom of Judah fell to the Babylonians, and still later when Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

The remaining Two Tribes of Israel are represented by the majority of ethnic Jews today, who are descended mostly from the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Though there is also a remnant of Diaspora Jews living in Israel today that are descended from all Twelve Tribes, they are not part of Lost Israel, but of Judah because of their total rejection of Yahshua as their Messiah, and their hatred of the Gentiles and Gentile nations they left behind.

       Though this is not true in all cases, many of the Lost Israelites of the Diaspora that live in the West have become a part of the spiritual Israelites who have been adopted into the Kingdom of God through the acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross for their sins. In Romans 11:16-24, the Apostle Paul - who was a Benjamite and therefore can be identified as a Jew - taught that the Gentile believers in Yahshua are considered to be wild olive tree branches that are grafted into the natural olive tree that signifies the Israelites naturally descended from Isaac’s son Jacob/Israel. 

          Though they do NOT replace the Jews, the Ten Lost Tribes are reckoned with believing or Messianic Jews as equal members in the Body of Christ, and the loving congregations that form the Two-House Church of Judah and Ephraim. The Two House Church of Judah and Ephraim are referred to in several Bible prophecies as working together with Yahweh God against Satan’s schemes (See Psalm 108:7-9; Isaiah 11:12-14; Ezekiel 37:15-20; and Zechariah 9:12-14).

In Revelation Chapter 9, we are also indirectly told that the 144,000 will be protected from all harm by this Seal of God on their foreheads, In the following Scripture quote about the demonic locusts that come up out of the bottomless pit and will plague unsaved, unrepentant mankind for 5 months, note verse 4, where it says that those sealed with the Seal of God, which are the 144,000 Israelites from Chapter 7, will not be harmed by the plagues coming upon the wicked:
Revelation 9:1-6 ~ “Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do NOT have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.
Revelation 14:4 also tells us that the 144,000 are Firstfruits. As Firstfruits, they are the Firstfruits of the First Resurrection Harvest, or the first heads of spiritual grain to ripen before the rest of the crop. This same verse says that they are virgins who have not “defiled” themselves with “women”. The term “Firstfruits” specifically refers to the First Resurrection, which started when Yahshua rose from the dead, bringing many righteous saints from their tombs to rise up to everlasting life shortly after Him (Matthew. 27:51-53). These saints that took part in that Resurrection and in the First Rapture that will occur before the Greet Tribulation are among the Firstfruits of the Resurrection into immortal life. These saints that are caught up to Heaven before the Sixth Seal is opened are the Bride of Christ and the Wise Virgins. 144,000 of those spiritually pure virgins will be chosen for special service on the Earth at the time of the First Rapture just before the Sixth Seal is opened and the 3-1/2 year Great Tribulation begins. I call this Rapture the First Rapture because there may be a Second Rapture or Catching Away when the Two Witnesses are raised up and taken to Heaven just before the Battle of Armageddon ensues. See my article “Come Up Here and Come Away” to learn more about my Two Rapture Theory.

In contrast to these Resurrection and Rapture events, the Second Resurrection occurs only once, and there is no guarantee that any of these poor souls that are resurrected at the Last Judgment will be saved after they are judged by the Law. This resurrection and judgment of the unsaved will occur at the end of the world - just before the New Heaven and New Earth are created. Regarding this Final Judgment, Scripture suggests that the resurrected saints that took part in the First Resurrection unto everlasting (which includes those who were resurrected at the time of Christ's Resurrection from the dead) will be the judges of the unsaved at the time of the Second Resurrection (See Revelation 20:5 and Revelation 20:11-12).

As Firstfruits, the 144,000 are part of the Firstfruits of the Resurrection, meaning that the 144.00 are the first figurative heads of grain to ripen, or be spiritually mature. This means that they will not be left behind or be raised up at the end of the Great Tribulation with the remainder of the harvest. They have to be immortal saints that have been chosen at the Rapture that occurs before the Great Tribulation. Also interesting to note here is the fact that neither Revelation Chapter 7 nor 14 calls these set-apart saints “witnesses,” so that term for them originated out of association. Indeed, since these saints follow and serve only the Lamb of God who is Yahshua and His Father Yahweh, they are very godly and Spirit-filled. From this, we can infer that they are also great witnesses of God’s righteousness, and that they truly reflect God’s character to a lost and dying world.

Rather than receiving a visible mark, these 144,000 saints may simply be marked by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit within them, which serves as an indelible and invisible seal on their foreheads, which represents the seat of their intellect that controls their actions. In fact, the seal of the Holy Spirit guarantees the salvation of all who are truly redeemed in Christ (Ephesians 1:13, Eph. 4:30). Before Christ, this invisible seal of the Spirit was still given to devout Israelites just as Ezekiel attested to, but they had to earn the right to receive it. In other words, they could not simply repent, believe and then be covered by the blood of Christ to sanctify themselves like humble believers may mercifully do today.

Next, we have to determine what the writer means by “virgin” and “women.” Rather than meaning that the 144,000 are all men who never slept with a woman, could the writer be suggesting that these saints were never loyal to any particular church, synagogue, and/or political party? For example, the “Woman clothed with the Sun” in Revelation 12:1-6 represents the righteous Jewish/Israelite bloodline that Yahshua was descended from. As an extension of that righteous bloodline, Yahshua makes us into His Church and His Body by His shed innocent blood when we accept His shed Blood as a sacrifice for our atonement from sin.

Meanwhile, in Revelation 17:3-6, the “Woman sitting on a Scarlet Beast” represents the apostate churches and false religions of the Tribulation period that are “married to”, or in league with corrupt bankers and dishonest politicians, and “she” worships the same Beast that they have created. This false church is described as a Harlot because of “her” association with the Roman Catholic Church, and the Ecumenical Movement being pushed by the Vatican and the British Monarchy via the Church of England. Sadly, Rick Warren and a host of other American preachers are now in league with Rome and London in their desire to create the New World Order, which will be the world empire of the Beast. They are also working toward creating the wicked one world religion that will ride that economic Beast into perdition for eternity.

For those who don’t know, the Ecumenical Movement or Woman Riding the Beast being pushed by The Church of England and the Catholic Church supports the false religious doctrine that all paths lead to God, and therefore belief in Christ is not necessary for salvation, and this is pure HERESY. In addition, ecumenical doctrines include the elevation of the self to godhood, the denial of the reality of sin, and the flagrant denial of the need for true repentance and divine forgiveness. Therefore, in Revelation 14:1, where it says: “virgins not defiled by women,” it could very well mean that these saints are not part of any organized religion, nor are they major political or religious activists. In fact, this description strongly suggests that the 144,000 are godly saints that live quiet and pious lives apart from worldly religious organizations and political parties, and the associated riches and excesses attached to involvement in both.

If they are truly set-apart or holy, saints who love God give themselves exclusively to Him. As a result, they no longer serve the world, or any institutions that are of the world. In other words, these saints live more like hermits who are detached from the world rather than being active in church or politics, and they are definitely not social butterflies. In fact, they serve exclusively as God’s witnesses to their immediate families, friends, and acquaintances, and perhaps only reach the rest of the world through their own writings or books about their understanding of God and His desire for mankind. Incidentally, this describes my own life over the past twelve years fairly well, and someone once told me that they think I might be one of the 144,000. Though I do not claim this honor, I would be deeply humbled with gratitude if God chose me to be one of them.

There are several Scriptures that define what the nature of the 144,000 should be like. These Scriptures define the most holy or most set-apart of the saints who follow the Way of Yahweh through Yahshua. In the Epistle of John, for example, it says that those who truly love God cannot love the world, for they are mutually exclusive:
1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” 
The same Epistle also says: 
1 John 2:9-11 ~  “He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” 
Together, these two passages describe the nature of the 144,000. These are saints that do not love the world or the things of the world - such as wealth, fame, worldly success, and hedonism - at all, and they do not pursue mankind’s approval. Instead, they seek Yahweh God’s approval alone, and they love God the Father and their brethren around the world, especially those that claim to love Yahshua, but may not really “know” Him. Those who do not know Christ do not have a personal relationship with Him via the Holy Spirit, and are therefore unable to please God or live a truly set-apart or holy life.

        Now, when translated correctly (as in the NIV Bible instead of the KJV or NKJ), Revelation14:1 says that the 144,000 have Yahshua’s name and His Father Yahweh’s name written on their foreheads (instead of just the Father’s name as in other translations). KJV and NKJ Bibles with footnotes indicate that at least two ancient manuscripts record that “His name and His Father’s name” are written on the foreheads of the 144,000 instead of only “His Father’s name”. This means that these saints have Yahweh’s and Yahshua’s True Names always in their hearts and minds, and they have put themselves into subjection to both God the Father and God the Son, and follow their righteous Laws. 

        This means that the 144,000 cannot be racially pure religious Jews at all because they honor Yahshua’s Name! Instead they will likely be a mixture of Spirit-filled Messianic Jews and devout Christians who keep the three major Feasts of Israel, which are Passover or Pesach (Easter), Pentecost or Shavuot, and the Feast of Sukkot or Tabernacles, which the American Thanksgiving holiday is directly tied to, or the Second Sukkot called Chanukah, which Christmas is directly tied to. Remember, Christians are Israelites too because they are adopted into Israel by their active relationship with God and His Son, and some are even physically descended from the Lost Israelites.

As for the purpose of the 144,000 on the Earth during the Great Tribulation, it is never actually stated in Scripture, so there is an undeniable air of mystery concerning them. Nonetheless, it seems logical to assume that - due to their being chosen during the Tribulation period - these saints are meant to serve God by leading others to Christ and protecting these new saints during the Great Tribulation, which is a 3-1/2 year period. As an example of this, we need look no further than the Two Witnesses, who are called to be witnesses for God’s Truth by preaching the Gospel, performing terrifying supernatural miracles to destroy threats and convict the evil world of God’s power, and then by being resurrected from the dead and ascending into Heaven as the whole world watches (Rev. 11:3-12).

Incidentally, just as the Woman Clothed with the Sun in Revelation Chapter 12 that signifies the Two House Church is kept safe for 1,260 days, the Two Witnesses are also commissioned to preach for 1,260 days, which is 3-1/2 years or 42 months - the same length of time that the Beast out of the Sea, or one world government of the Antichrist, will reign over Jerusalem - according to the following Scriptures:
Revelation 11:2“But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.” 
Revelation 13:5“And he (the Beast out of the Sea) was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.” 
When taken together, these two Scriptures indicate that the Antichrist and his New World Order will only be in control of the world for the last half of Daniel’s Seventieth Week, not the full seven years of the Tribulation. Since the Woman clothed with the Sun is protected in the “wilderness” or place of refuge for the same amount of time, it makes sense that the First Rapture is tied to the middle of Daniel's 70 Week, or after the first Five Seals are opened, and not before the beginning of the Seal Judgments.

Something few have noted about the 144,000 is that they appear with Christ on Mount Zion in Revelation, Chapter 14, and this portion of the book appears to be dealing with events after the Antichrist declares himself to be God in the middle of the Tribulation. This suggests that Christ will descend to Earth before the Battle of Armageddon to Rapture the surviving Tribulation Saints that were kept alive, shepherded and protected by the 144,000, and that this will happen at the same time that the Two Witness are raised from the dead and caught up to Heaven.

The Rapture is suggested by the fact that Revelation 14:3 says that these 144,000 saints are to be taken up to Heaven at that time so that they may sing a special worship song that only they can learn to sing. They sing this song before God’s magnificent throne that is surrounded by the four Cherubim or Living Creatures and the Twenty-four Elders, which may represent the first twelve godly Patriarchs of old, and the Twelve Apostles of Christ (Rev. 4:2-7, Rev. 14:2-3).
Revelation 14:1-5Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. 3 They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
If all of the 144,000 survive until near to the end of the Great Tribulation, and the Scripture quoted above says that they do, then the 144,000 must be fully immortal, resurrected saints that will be incapable of being killed during the Great Tribulation, or at any time.

As shown in my 800-page book “The Language of God in History,” Zion may not only refer to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, but to the Great Pyramid at Giza, which was built on the border between Upper and Lower Egypt by the righteous Sethites who followed Yahweh prior to Noah’s Flood. This huge stone pyramid is tied to the brightest of the constellation Orion’s belt stars called “Al Nitak”, and this bright star may also signify an invisible location in the Third Heaven where Paradise is located, and where Yahshua now resides. In addition, both this star and the pyramid represent the Two-House Church of Israel, and specifically the Bride of Christ, who will one day forever reside in the New Jerusalem with Yahshua. Please see my Blog article about the Great Pyramid by clicking HERE for more details. 

Could God’s Throne be located in another dimension in the vicinity of Orion or Taurus, since Orion is a decan of Taurus? Is this the location of the heavenly Zion where the Saints will travel when the First Rapture occurs? It is possible, since scientists have long speculated that the center of the Universe may be near to the Pleiades star cluster in Taurus. In fact, that may be the reason why the brightest star in the Pleiades is named “Al Cyone”, which means “The Center”.

Could this imply that the Pleiades are tied to the center of the Universe, and the invisible location of God’s Throne room in Heaven? It is certainly possible, and it would also explain why Satan’s henchmen known as demons often disguise themselves as alien beings or “Ascended Masters” and claim to be from the region of the Pleiades. Satan loves to confuse the Saints by tainting everything good that is associated with God the Father and falsely connecting these things with evil, darkness, and deception!

When taking all of these facts into consideration, one thing is clear: the 144,000 Witnesses are a very special group of believers in God’s Kingdom, and they are given a unique position and a great purpose during the Great Tribulation that only Yahweh God understands fully at this time.

************************************
Bible Scholar Helena Lehman is the author or four books, including “The Language of God in Prophecy,” part of a four book series that emphasizes understanding the allegorical language of God to understand both our past spiritual and temporal history and current events. Utilizing prophetic language found in the Bible, the Psalms, the Book of 1 Enoch, the Great Pyramid, and Sacred Astronomy, Helena Lehman expertly shows that we are definitely living in the End Times. The world we know is about to change in terrifying ways, and unless you know who and what to put your allegiance in, your chances of survival are slim. "The Language of God Book Series" is a road map for your survival. Get the entire series today by visiting the Pillar of Enoch Ministry Web Site at: http://pillar-of-enoch.com   
ALSO AVAILABLE: Link to the Printable
PDF Version of this POEM Ministry Article:
http://pillar-of-enoch.com/essays/index.html#Witnesses



Sunday, August 17, 2008

The Power and Purpose of Prayer
By Helena Lehman

http://pillar-of-enoch.com

For those of you who aren't sure what believers are called to pray for, or want to be sure God hears our prayers, I created this summary of the many reasons why, when, and how we are called to pray. Here is a short list of causes taken directly from Scripture:

1. Here, Christ asks us to worship and praise God the Father without being repetitive and not by reciting meaningless memorized prayers (a warning not to simply say the rosary, or repeat the same prayer incessantly). Rather, we should pray to the Father in a conversational but reverent way for the Kingdom of God in Christ to be established on Earth, to ask for God to protect us and provide for us, to ask God to forgive us and keep us from sinning, and to ask God to help us forgive those who sin against us - while always remembering to praise our heavenly Father, His Son, and God’s Spirit for all their blessings:

"And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray: our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." - Matthew 6:7-13 (NKJ)

2. Here, we are shown that we should to pray for deliverance of our brethren who are in prison or being persecuted:

"Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints." - Romans 15:30-31 (NKJ)

3. Here, we are called to give thanks to God for those who strive with us in the faith:

"Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him." - Ephesians 1:15-17 (NKJ)

4. Here, we are shown how to labor for others by beseeching God with zeal to help us and our brethren to do God's Will and act righteously:

"Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis." - Colossians 4:12-13 (NKJ)

5. Here, we are shown that we should thank God in prayer, and ask Him to guide us and our political and religious leaders to live godly, peaceful, and reverent lives even as we pray for all people to find spiritual truth in Christ:

"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." - 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NKJ)

6. Here, we are shown that we need faith to ask God for healing, believing that He will heal us, and that we can confess our sins to God and one another in prayer. Finally, we are told that we can pray for miraculous changes in the weather in order to do God's Will:

"Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit." - James 5:14-18 (NKJ)

Note that this final Scripture about praying for healing includes the idea that we need to recognize our sins and ask God for forgiveness in order to be considered righteous before God and men, as well as to be heard when we pray. It also makes it clear that healing is a gift that is not ordinarily meant to be given in secret, but to give faith to others.

That is why - if at all possible - the sick should seek anointing, a laying on of hands, and the prayers of the righteous in their community when they desire healing. However, no matter what the circumstances, God can perform healing at any time when a person has faith that he or she will be healed, and asks God in a way that is pleasing to Him!

Remember - God doesn't like memorized or repetitious prayers! He wants you to talk to Him like He was your own human father, but with a tad more reverence, and a whole lot more love.

Finally, this last Scripture shows us that a righteous person who loves God dearly can miraculously control the weather if it is God's Will. This may not sound possible, but with God, "all things are possible for the person who believes" (See Mark 9:23).

This is not an exhaustive list, but was created to help everyone get an idea of how, when and why we should pray. Hope you find it helpful!


NOTES from Helena Lehman:

I hope you will consider sharing this article with your friends and family, and I encourage you to do so. Just be sure to let others know I wrote it by leaving the by-line intact. :-)

All Scriptures were taken from the New King James Version of the Bible.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Could the Prophecy of a Mid-East War in Psalm 108 Be Fulfilled on the 9th of Av This Year?

By Helena Lehman

Elmwood Park, Illinois, USA - August 6th, 2008 - Today, I thought I would take some time to write about an upcoming important date on the Jewish calendar that may be significant this year, especially in light of my past interpretations of the End-Time prophecies hidden in the Psalms.

This Sunday, August 10th, 2008 will be the 9th of Av on the Jewish calendar. Though few people know it, this is a major day of mourning for the Jewish people because of the destructions of the First and Second Temples that occurred long ago on that day.

As a result, many Jews in Israel and around the world will be in a somber mood remembering the loss of their temples this August 10th. In addition they will be mourning many other acts of Anti-Semitism that have occurred on the 9th of Av throughout history, such as the many pogroms and expulsions against the Jews in Europe, England, and other places around the globe.

Ominously, there is a prophecy in Psalm 108 about a war between the West and the Middle East over the dividing of Israel and Jerusalem. In fact, I wrote a detailed article about it last year called: “The Amazing Hidden Prophecy in Psalm 108 and the War on Terror - Are They Connected?” If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it.

In that article, I explained how Psalm 108 corresponds with the years 2008 and 2009. It is therefore highly likely that this prophesied war will occur this year or next - providing God doesn’t delay it for some reason. If there are no delays, some tragic event could occur surrounding the current surrender of portions of Israeli territory to those to whom it does not belong. Indeed, if authorities attempt to divide the city of Jerusalem anytime soon, it could precipitate a war in the Middle East between Israel and several other Middle Eastern countries this year, and it certainly could occur on the 9th of Av.

Regardless of what happens to Israel or the Jewish people this Sunday, there are signs that the war prophesied in Psalm 108 is very near on the horizon. These signs include the ongoing missiles and other acts of Terror being relentlessly directed at Israelis from the Palestinian and Syrian Terrorists, Russia’s recent military exercises via air and sea in the Baltic Sea and Atlantic Ocean, Iran’s refusal to stop their nuclear enrichment program, Israel’s recent military air strike against Syria, and the worry expressed by the US Government in regard to Iran’s hatred toward Israel and the West, especially the USA.

It will be interesting to see what does unfold in Israel and the Middle East this year, and what part the United States will play in it, considering that Israel is having upcoming elections for the seat of Prime Minister, and there will be a Presidential election here in the USA this November.

With both countries anticipating new leaders at the helm, many changes may soon be on our political and economic horizons.