Men of Renown – Part xxiv – The Battles and Armageddon –

Men of Renown

Part xxiv

They Overcame and The Battles and Armageddon

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The Last Great Mystery Continues in the Second Woman

in the book of the Revelation

   There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. (Genesis 6:4) And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5)

   This series called Men of Renown will begin with these verses in Chapter 6 of the book of Genesis because it is the perfect scene setter for whatever and whoever follows that enables men of renown to act in conflict against God and His Word. Genesis 6, verses 4 and 5, are an accurate definition of men of renown.

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   In case you missed reading the complete llooonnnnggggg title of this article, it is part xxiv (24). Yup . . . that’s right, you missed twenty-three previous articles. Now let me tell you what you missed from the previous article, which is part xxiii. You missed: How the war in heaven began; why the war in heaven began; the three main angels and the meaning of their names (Lucifer, Michael and Gabriel); Lucifer’s primary role in heaven and in God’s sanctuary; how Lucifer sinned; the history of sin; why God had to cast Lucifer out of His realm; and the laws in heaven and how these laws were reaffirmed on earth; and there was much more in the previous article that you  missed.

   Chapter 12 of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is ALL about the second woman (Israel) mentioned in this last book of the Bible. The first woman mentioned is Jezebel; the second woman is Israel, and the third woman is Babylon the great: these are all types. Types of what? Jezebel is a type of idolatry working through guile, conspiracies, religion, and sexual manipulation. The second woman represents Israel in her past, present and future under the attack of Satan using all of his guile, (as with Balaam and Korah), conspiracies (as with Ahab, Jezebel and Athaliah), murder (as with Naboth and Zechariah), and pagan idolatries AND attacks using sexual influence (as with king Solomon) to destroy the nation that God set aside to serve Him. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. (Exodus 19:6)

     Revelation Chapter 12, is of course, all about Israel: THE TARGET! Then the last woman is Babylon the great (don’t miss out on Babylon whenever we get there), I’m looking forward to what God will unfold to us at that time. Nevertheless, because Satan  always had his murderous eyes on Israel even before she became a nation, you just know that he has massive sinister plans waiting in the shadows for Israel. Because Israel is Satan’s target, this small nation (at this very second in time) is fighting for her tenuous existence. For those of us who stand on the side lines outside the borders of this nation, we are daily inundated by thousands of voices barking out against Israel continuously. ‘Bad Israel . . . bad evil Israel . . . racist Israel . . . biased Israel . . . . hateful Israel . . . look at what she does against the poor innocent refugees . . . look at what she does against the good, fine, honorable and upstanding nations of the world,’ . . and on and on they scream. Whenever the so-called news agencies spit out the very same yarn then you know that they have unitedly selected Israel as their target to be destroyed. Israel has not been proven faithful to God, and most probably, its leaders (as most world leaders) are guided by money, power and greed. There are those who believe that this nation of God is spiritually honorable, but Israel’s history is a lesson of dishonor and spiritual rebellion, and she continues to pay the price for this. Rejecting God in the days of Samuel caused God’s glory to depart. As Israel rejected her Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, she became a people rejected by nations. As Israel condemned her Messiah, she too become condemned. Her land laid barren waiting for its people. A nation waiting for its people, and a people yearning to lay claim to the promises given by their God, but still in unbelief.  Although Israel is once again in the land that God had given to her, she has yet to accept and admit to her great betrayal. But that solemn day is yet future. And also, yet future are the promises prophesied and confirmed in the word of God. But she must once again go through a trial as no other trial, the trial of tribulation, and the trial of great tribulation. 

   We should remember that no other nation received the oracles of God, no other nation directly received His word, statutes and judgments, no other nation was called to be priests with the service of God, and no other nation were given great and sure promises. No other nation will serve their King on His throne in the millennial Kingdom as Israel will serve Him. Israel’s history is not one of spiritual greatness, but she has been promised a future of spiritual greatness and dignity. 

• And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine. (Leviticus 20:16)

• And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God. (Hosea 2:23)

• For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. (Zechariah 2:8)

• When Israel [was] a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. (Hosea 11:1) Just a minor side note: notice where this verse lives, the address is 1 – 1 – 1. Three one’s. Interesting that behind the veil of numbers that God brings out the Godhead of love. God (‘elohiym) loved Israel as a son. God’s love does not wax and wane as the love of mankind, but His love is eternal for God IS love. 

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2. The Kingdom of God and of His Christ

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (Revelation 12:10)

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Revelation 12:11)

   The span between verse 9 and verse 10 bridges time and timelessness. Again, the Spirit of God enforces the reality of the conflict between Satan and the people of God’s choosing. God promised to deliver His nation (Israel) with the power of His Christ and their Christ, the Messiah. This battle will end in victory, and the Kingdom of God on earth will prevail. These two verses proclaim victory as a past accomplished, notice the past tense of overcame, and loved, and accused. Also, it is also obvious that God is omnisciently aware of Satan’s accusations against His people although Satan has been CAST DOWN and is no longer in the presence of God. How did God’s people overcome Satan? Satan was overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. Since 12^th Chapter pertains to Israel then we should see that it was those of Israel who overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. But did they not live in the age of the Old Testament before Christ? Then how did they overcome by the blood of the Lamb? The overcomers overcame by FAITH. Those in the age of the New Testament often forget that GRACE and FAITH are not limited to time and dispensations. We often hear that, “we are in the age of grace,” or “this is the age of grace.” Wrong, grace was exhibited from the beginning of time and space (the realm of mankind). Since man was created, he has always existed in a time of grace. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:8) Faith is also wrongly considered to be particular to certain time periods often referred to as dispensations. Again, Abel was the first man of faith. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4) The eleventh (11^th) Chapter of Hebrews is a summary of Old Testament men and women of faith. Thousands of men and women from the nation of Israel lived and died in faith. Not just faith in themselves, or in a fantasy faith as the world today professes, but faith that what God had promised He would accomplish in providing a Savior – a Messiah, a Redeemer, and a King.

• And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. (Isaiah 59:20)

• Doubtless thou [art] our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, [art] our father, our redeemer; thy name [is] from everlasting. (Isaiah 63:16)

• Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I [am] the first, and I [am] the last; and beside me [there is] no God. (Isaiah 44:6)

• For thy Maker [is] thine husband; the LORD of hosts [is] his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. (Isaiah 54:5)

   Israel was promised an earthly kingdom. The Church is promised a heavenly kingdom. However, as with most things of Scripture, man desires to dictate to God his own will and wants, consequently, the failed church of Laodicea claims what is promised to Israel. This Laodicean church wants an earthly kingdom AND a heavenly kingdom. When we examine the promised earthly kingdom of the millennial reign of Christ over the earth, Israel will be blessed with unimaginable blessings, our limited minds cannot grasp the magnitude of one thousand years of peace, safety, righteousness, long life, and happiness.

• And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there. (Isaiah 65:9)

• The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. (Isaiah 11:6)

• There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner [being] an hundred years old shall be accursed. (Isaiah 65:20)

   Why a thousand years? Why ONLY a thousand years? Why cannot this utopian age of safety, peace, long life, happiness and the rule of righteousness continue on FOREVER? WHY? The answer is a simple one: because MAN is a sinner. The only thing that God does not change in this period of one thousand years of happiness is MAN. The sin nature within man, once more, cannot lay dormant within man, it MUST burst forth in rebellion against a righteous and holy God. After all, that old lie, that buried lie of ye shall be as gods refuses to stay buried for one thousand years. During this period of one thousand years, the sin DNA within man does not change. Once a sinner, always a sinner EXCEPT for one thing, the species of mankind must die and be replaced with a new creation, a new man; therefore, a man must be born again.

• Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)

• Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7)

• Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1^st Peter 1:23)

   One thousand years to prove to mankind that ALL HAVE SINNED, that within ALL there still remains the nature of sin. Mankind falsely believes that if they could only exist in a utopian society then they would enjoy a perfect existence. However, God in the thousand years that He provides for man, in a utopian setting, reveals that mankind CAN NEVER EVER possess utopia because it is merely an illusion of perfection because MAN himself IS the problem, not his environment. (Personally, after living a few decades under lying, thieving, greedy, treacherous political powers it would be such a tremendous life to be led by a righteous leader.) It is amazing that after such failure before the millennial kingdom and after a thousand years of peace and safety under the Righteous Kingdom of Christ that the evilness within mankind resurfaces to fight against Righteousness. I am tired of hearing the mantra that within mankind is a seed of goodness. There are times when goodness surfaces. There are occasions when man exhibits acts of goodness. However, the majority of mankind cannot understand their own nature. They cannot comprehend the depth of sin within. They have absolutely no awareness of sin as being a part of their makeup, or DNA, of human nature. They only see SIN as an action.

   One thousand years of being ruled by a righteous and holy King becomes a nightmare life for many, and to again prove to all of Adam’s race, that within Adam there is no good thing, God allows Satan to surface for the FINAL battle between God and Satan.

Side Note: The GREAT Battles of Heaven and Earth:  Through my own existence in the time frame of life, I can name many wars: WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the 1983 invasion of Granada by USA, 2003 invasion of Iraq by USA, the Iraq-Iran war of 1980-1988, the six day war of Israel and Egypt in 1967, the Russian war in Afghanistan 1979 to 1989, the Yugoslav Wars of 1991 and 1999, the USA and Afghanistan war from 2001 to 2021, and of course let us not forget about the current planned and financed war of, by and for the USA against Russia using the Nazified corrupt country of Ukraine as their excuse to wage war against Russia (using the Ukraine people as pawns in a contrived take over by the USA and NATO). Ask these questions, Why is the United States dumping billions of dollars that WE do not have into this corrupt country? Is it to back the Nazi government of Ukraine? Is it to help the people of Ukraine? When have the leaders of our Congress done anything for the good of anyone in your lifetime without a hidden agenda? Congress only does what is good for Congress, and no one else! The Ukraine government has been in the laundry business for a very long time, and our Congress loves clean sheets. The tales of twisted truth reveals that emotionalism, not reason or common sense, is behind every scripted word that emanates from the forked tongues of paid script readers. (Alice has fallen down so far into the rabbit hole that she now finds herself not in a hare’s home, but a serpent’s nest.)

   There have been many other wars known and non-advertised; clandestine wars (by the shadowy fourth branch of the government of the USA aided by other shadowy governments hidden within their own governments), overturning nations as a power grab: wars upon wars, endless, needless wars; all this within a very short span of time. (I have deliberately not mentioned the internal political wars within our government, nor will I mention the war that is being prepared as hundreds of thousands of invaders have crossed our borders to overcome the economic and social stability of this nation. Isn’t this a silent war? Yet many refuse to recognize this invasion because the ‘truth twisters’ have intentionally not informed their viewers of the immensity of this invasion. After all, if you don’t hear it from the ‘truth twisters’ then it never happened, and it is not happening. Don’t you just love how family members and neighbors live in a fantasy world of pretending not to know anything about anything.)

   The first battle was the war in heaven between Lucifer/Satan and his rogue angels against Michael (the archangel of God) and his angels. The second battle will be the battle of Armageddon when the Lord and His angels (and thousands of His saints) descend to destroy the beast, the false prophet and their armies BEFORE the millennial rule of Christ on earth. At this battle, Babylon the great will be destroyed, and Jerusalem will be invaded by the armies of the Beast. This battle of Armageddon is also known as taking place in the valley of Megiddon, the valley of decision, the valley of Jehoshaphat, and the valley of slaughter. (Joel Chapter 3, Zechariah Chapter 12) (We will most probably be writing about this battle of Armageddon later, but for now it is only for your understanding of the timeline of these three MAJOR supernatural and natural battles on earth.) The last and FINAL battle will be AFTER the millennial rule of Christ when Satan is allowed to surface, and God then will cast Satan into the lake of fire and brimstone together where two individuals of the natural realm who had been previously cast into this place of eternal damnation at the second battle known as the battle of Armageddon.

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. (Revelation 20:1)

And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (Revelation 20:2)

And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. (Revelation 20:3)

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And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, (Revelation 20:7)

And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. (Revelation 20:8)

And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. (Revelation 20:9)

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)

   Here is a summary of these battles; first, the war in heaven; second, the battle of Armageddon, before the millennial; then finally, the last battle, after the millennial. I find it interesting that this last battle (at first glance) doesn’t appear to have a specific name, but it is referenced as Gog and Magog.

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, (Revelation 20:7)

And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. (Revelation 20:8)

And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. (Revelation 20:9)

  Why Gog and Magog, and who was/is Gog and Magog? (Whenever we get to Babylon the great, the nation of Gog will be revealed.) The same verse that has Gog and Magog also defines them: the nations in the four quarters of the earth. (YOU try to squeeze thousands of years into one sentence and see what happens to YOUR mind!   ) It is this third battle that GOD finally destroys His two main adversaries MAN and SATAN in judgment.

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (Revelation 20:11)

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:12)

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (Revelation 20:13)

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (Revelation 20:14)

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)

   Then after judgment there will be a new heaven and a new earth. Why does God create a new heaven? You may, by now, understand that God HAS to create a new earth because SIN swallowed it all up. Heaven also has to be destroyed along with earth because SIN also deeply affected this realm of goodness and glory. Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. (Job 15:15) Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: (Job 4:18) Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. (Job 25:5)

   Why take the time to summarize the happenings around these three battle groupings? I find it easier in my own mind to see these battles in a time frame (because my mind is set in time) in order to grasp the prophecies in the Old Testament. Frequently there is confusion in prophecy because of the lack of understanding of WHO the prophecy is directed to, WHEN the prophecy will happen, and WHY the prophecy is given at that particular verse, Chapter and book. Continuing on . . . after the LAST FINAL battle when God puts down Satan and mankind forever, it is THEN that He creates a new heaven and a new earth.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (Revelation 21:1)

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2)

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (Revelation 21:3)

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (Revelation 21:5)

And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Revelation 21:6)

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:7) ♦ End of Side Note: The GREAT Battles of Heaven and Earth. The Battles of the Supernatural.

  (Now for an explanation: I have previously written ‘the end of the world as we know it,’ or ‘the end of the age as we know it.’ I was not referring to the last battle after the millennium, nor the second battle before the millennium, I was specifically referring to the time BEFORE the millennium: a time period of 3 ½ years of tribulation and 3 ½ years of GREAT Tribulation. This time period of seven years BEFORE the millennial Kingdom of God on earth will be a period as no other age or time in the history of mankind. We, the people of the world, right at this moment are being prepared and conditioned to fit into this New World Order. This is the world or age that I mean when I write ‘the end of the world as we know it,’ or ‘the end of the age as we know it. The world or age that we KNOW will cease to be, as we are currently being transitioned to accept lies as truth, confusion as order, insanity as normality, normality as insanity, and to question is insurrection.)

   Let us return again to examine the second battle, and the third and final battle in order to understand the difference between these two battle fields. The battle of Armageddon: And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. (Revelation 16:16) It is the end of Babylon the great. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. (Revelation 17:14) It is Babylon the great, the mystery Babylon that is destroyed by the Lamb, the Lord of lords, and King of kings. Because Babylon, from its inception, has been the enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, Revelation 17:14 informs us that it will be the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ who will demolish and prevail over Babylon. And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Revelation 17:5) (Of course, there is much more that can be written about this particular battle, and Babylon, but, if God is willing, the time will come to write and write and write and . . . .) Chapters 16, 17, 18, 19 all deal with this second battle of Armageddon. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. (Revelation 19:19) And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:20) This battle of the nations of the world against God’s Christ marks their end and the beginning of the millennial period.

   I am not going to spend much time here, as I believe that the Spirit of God will lead us further when we concentrate on the third woman mentioned in revelation by the name of Babylon the great.) However, I just cannot walk away from these verses in Revelation without writing about a particular detail. Look at where these verses live (their street address).

   In Revelation 16:16, And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. This verse reference is about mankind gathering together to fight against Israel and the Lamb of God. Man has a number; it is the number of 6. And in 16 – 16 we have God (1) against man (6) and it repeats (as a witness) that this conflict is man’s last attempt to overthrow God and His Christ. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. (Revelation 16:16) But the conclusion centers around the beginning of the conflict between Satan and God. How a thing begins MUST also end in the same manner that it began. Since this article is about Satan’s war against God’s people, Israel, then Revelation 19:19 is very fitting, And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. The Spirit of God leads off this verse with the beast, for the beast is Satan’s man on earth leading the kings of the earth and their armies as they gather together under the banner of Babylon the great to annihilate Israel. What a perfect address to find this conflict: 1-9 : 1-9. Ah, God not only uses words, but He also loves to enforce His words through the veiled messages in numbers of baby math; Nine is the number of finality, completion, the end, IT IS DONE, IT IS FINISHED. What exactly has been finalized and completed? What exactly has ended? Again, let us repeat: what begins must also end. This series began with Nimrod, the first tyrannical confederate unifier of the known world in Babel, Shinar and Babylon. In Revelation 19 : 19 we have the end of Babylon, the end of the last tyrannical unifier of the whole world against Israel, and the Lamb.

Side Note: IT IS DONE: This three-word phrase, it is done, is documented four (4) times in the Bible. Okey dokey, then how does it connect to our subject?

• The first mention: Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken. (Ezekiel 39:8) Chapter 39 of Ezekiel is about the prophecy that is fulfilled in Revelation Chapter 16, And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. (Revelation 16:16) God’s prophecy is fulfilled and completed from the first words to the last words. IT IS DONE.

• The second mention: And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. (Luke 14:22) The Lord spoke through parables as recorded in Luke 14 to teach many spiritual concepts. One of these concepts was the understanding that there would be some of Israel who would be accepted into His Kingdom, and there would be others who would refuse His call. This also applies to the reason for the battle of Armageddon. The Lord Jesus calls out to all men, Jew and Gentile, and those who reject His voice and plea and who are living in the pre-millennial age will be gathered together to face a battle like no other. Luke 14:22, is the Lamb’s plea that, yet there is room. His call in love and grace has gone out to all of man, His gospel has gone out. His offer of salvation has gone out. IT IS DONE!

• The third mention: And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. (Revelation 16:17) What is done? Babylon is DONE! Babylon is FINISHED! Here is the culmination of what began in Genesis with Nimrod, Babel, Shinar and Babylon. IT IS DONE!

• The fourth mention: And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Revelation 21:6) What does the Spirit of God mean by this fourth and last mention of it is done? God’s purpose and will has been fulfilled. The great plan that God began in His Supernatural realm of goodness, righteousness and holiness before Lucifer sinned has been completed. Lucifer/Satan IS DONE! Lucifer/Satan IS FINISHED! I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. God the Holy Spirit loves repetition: I am Alpha (the beginning) and Omega (the end) , the beginning and the end. All that God began in the beginning of His great plan of redemption, a Savior, Immanuel (God with us) . . . ALL . . .. IT IS DONE! End of Side Note: IT IS DONE:

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And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Revelation 12:11)

   This is God’s voice in prophecy and in history proclaiming how His people overcame Satan. Look at this as both history and prophecy. Historically, those of His people of the Old Testament who overcame Satan is documented and preserved for all who followed to reveal the sufferings and tribulation that those who follow Christ in God endured. The faith Chapter of Hebrews 11 is heart wrenching, especially the second section of Chapter 11.

By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. (Hebrews 11:29)

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. (Hebrews 11:30)

And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: (Hebrews 11:32)

Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, (Hebrews 11:33)

Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. (Hebrews 11:34)

Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: (Hebrews 11:35)

And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: (Hebrews 11:36)

They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Hebrews 11:37)

(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. (Hebrews 11:38)

And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: (Hebrews 11:39)

God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:40)

   How did these Old Testament saints overcome Satan? BY FAITH. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6) How could these Old Testament saints possible be saved before the cross of Christ?

Side Note: Christ IN the Old Testament. There is a misconception that somehow Christ was unknown to the ancients of the Old Testament age. THIS IS WRONG! I came across these questions by an unknown writer, ‘Gosh!! What happened to all those folks who lived before the time of Christ and could not know about him? Are they condemned to eternal damnation through no fault of their own?’ They definitely were aware of a coming Messiah. The word Messiah means ‘the anointed one,’ or ‘the chosen one.’ So, whenever we see the name, Jesus Christ, it is the Messiah, Jesus, the anointed one, and/or Jesus the chosen one.

  The Old Testament is ALL about the Lord Jesus Christ. All the sacrifices taught about the Christ to come. From the very first book of the Bible, Genesis, a Savior to come was known. He spoke to Adam face to face. He spoke to Cain and Abel face to face. He spoke to Moses face to face. He was also known as ‘Jesus,’ (Joshua – Savior). They knew His day would come, and they rejoiced in what the future held for them as a nation.

• For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:7)

• Know therefore and understand, [that] from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince [shall be] seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. (Daniel 9:25) And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. (Daniel 9:26)

• The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; (Deuteronomy 18:15)

•  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. (Deuteronomy 18:18)

• Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. (John 8:56) Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? (John 8:57) Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:58) 　

  The Lord Jesus CHRIST is the express image of God. God revealed Himself to man many times in the image of CHRIST, for man was created in the image of God; therefore, God presented Himself through the image of CHRIST.

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, (Hebrews 1:1) Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (Hebrews 1:2) Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when: he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3).

   I find that the brash ignorance of man speaking about things that are ‘above their pay grade,’ is about denying God, and they seem proud of their ignorance. You know the proverbial leading of a horse to water? Sometimes, the horse doesn’t want water, it prefers arsenic. Because even after explaining that Christ was known in the Old Testament as a future glory to come, still they will repeat and repeat their empty statements of ‘What happened to all those folks who lived before the time of Christ and could not know about him? Are they condemned to eternal damnation through no fault of their own?’ ♦ End of Side Note: Christ IN the Old Testament.

   As Christians look BACK to the cross in FAITH, the Old Testament saints looked FORWARD to the cross also in FAITH. Although these Old Testament saints lived under the Law of Moses, the faith of these saints of old was not centered on the Law but on the Lawgiver. To obey the Law was to those saints to obey the Lawgiver for the Law was given as a schoolmaster to bring them to the Christ. The Law did not justify, neither could the Law redeem.

• Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Galatians 3:24) But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. (Galatians 3:25)

• Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (Galatians 2:16)

• And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end [shall be]: for they [are] a very froward generation, children in whom [is] no faith. (Deuteronomy 32:20)

• Behold, his soul [which] is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:4)

• But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. (Galatians 3:11)

• Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (Galatians 2:16) 

• But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:40) Believing God, believing His word, leads to faith. Those of the Old Testament had the words of God and heard the words of God from the prophets of God, and those who believed, God rewarded them by the gift of faith.

   Let us use a weaving loom as an example of how God simply ties things together for us. The loom is the basic structure strongly formed and constructed to bear weight and pressure of the shuttle as it moves the horizontal weft thread over and under the vertical warp threads. The warp threads are tied and attached to the frame. These threads can be one color thread or many color threads. But for our spiritual application, let’s say that the threads have different colors: there is the thread of righteousness, there is the thread of grace, there is the thread of truth, there is the thread of belief. The weft thread is attached to a shuttle, and by sliding the weft thread over and under the warp threads everything is tied and connects together to become one united creation. You see, God very simply (because we are simple) presents to us how faith ties this all together, because FAITH is the weft thread. And because we are simple: first, believe; then the gift of Faith is given; then Righteousness is counted unto the believer; then Grace and Truth in Jesus Christ is unveiled in His glory. Belief, faith, righteousness, grace and truth is not a journey of time, but it is a supernatural moving of the Spirit of God in His creation of a new creature born into a new world: a new being, a new life, and a new spirit within ALL of God’s children.

• Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3) 

•  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7) 

• Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1^st Peter 1:23)

   Those who are spoken of in Hebrews Chapter 11, verses 39 thru 40 draws those saints of the past in the Old Testament to the saints in the New Testament. Chapter 4, verse 16 in the book of Romans, although written by the pen of Paul, was actually written by the Holy Spirit of God. Read how the Spirit of God connects the saints before the Law, and those of the Law together with all those of faith after the Law was put away in the death of Christ in the cross. Therefore [it is] of faith, that [it might be] by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all. (Romans 4:16)  

   Saying that this concludes this post is not being totally honest, for the word of God never really ends. There is always much more than can be said and written. Since my portion of this article ends here; for you, the reader, it maybe just beginning.

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (Revelation 12:10)

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Revelation 12:11)

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Men of renown is a companion piece to Giants in the Earth series.

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© Copyright 2022, Mary Haigh

This article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.

All Scripture references are from the King James Bible. (KJV)

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