Thank you once again for following us to our next discourse on Antichrist Man of Sin. We realize that this is a rather lengthy topic and indeed must be. All of the teachings and insights are leading us to the book of Revelation and once we are there you, our followers should have great clarity and will be able to receive the study of its contents as the blessing that it is.
Recapping from Antichrist Man of Sin III we will begin with the reminder that God is in control, quoting Proverb 21:1 . The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD: God holds and can guide the human heart. If God can do this with someone as powerful and noble as a king, He can do this with any man or woman He chooses. We will reiterate our points with Psalm 75: 6-7 from the New International Version: No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves. It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. Where man has thought himself to be the ruler and sovereign of his accomplishments we see from the study of God and His word that man isn’t in control, man is simply a tool in the Great Master’s hands, plans and purposes be the man good or evil. It is an established fact that God uses both good and evil for his purposes.
We walked a bit through the captivity of Judah by King Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian King and the most powerful King of his time. Judah is the tribe through which Jesus Christ’s lineage as a man of flesh was traced to. Regardless of the destruction intended this tribe throughout bible history, the tribe of Judah could never have been annihilated. This tribe would remain forever. But Yahweh would not destroy the House of David, because of the covenant which he had made with David, promising to provide him and his sons with a lamp for ever. 2 Chronicles 21:7
Judah was the fourth son of Leah and Jacob. The couple had six sons all together.Jacob is the father of the nation of Israel having bore twelve boys through four women. The mothers of Jacob’s 12 sons (Genesis 35:22-26) are: Leah, mother of: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun. Rachel, mother of: Joseph, Benjamin. Zilpah (Leah’s maid), mother of: Gad, Asher. Bilhah (Rachel’s maid), mother of: Dan, Naphtali
One of the great things that the fathers would do upon their death beds according to bible history was bless their children before their departure. They would tell them of their future, their destinies. Upon his death bed Jacob spoke to Judah his fourth son these words: To Judah, Jacob said that he was to receive the blessing as king and rule over his descendants spiritually and that this blessing would not depart from him until the coming of the promised Messiah, in other words, Jacob prophesied that Jesus was going to descend from his line.
Because of the curiosity and inquiries we will list what was said to each son.
Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come. 2 “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.
3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. 4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it.(Genesis 35:19-22) 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20 Jacob set a pillar (memorial, monument) on her grave; that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. 21 Then Israel (Jacob) journeyed on and pitched his tent on the other side of the tower of Eder [the lookout point used by shepherds]. 22 While Israel was living in that land, Reuben [his eldest son] went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard about it. {Concubine: a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife or wives. Concubinage resembled marriage in that concubines were recognized sexual partners of a man and were expected to bear children for him}.
SImeon and Levi are brothers—their swords are weapons of violence. 6 Let me not enter their council,
let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased.7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel.
{ Genesis 34: 1-31}
34 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out [unescorted] to visit the girls of the land. 2 When Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince (sheik) of the land, saw her, he kidnapped her and lay [intimately] with her by force [humbling and offending her]. 3 But his soul longed for and clung to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke comfortingly to her young heart’s wishes. 4 So Shechem said to his father Hamor, “Get me this young woman as a wife.” 5 Now Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled (violated) Dinah his daughter; but his sons were in the field with his livestock, so Jacob said nothing until they came in. 6 But Shechem’s father Hamor went to Jacob to talk with him. 7 Now when Jacob’s sons heard of it they came in from the field; they were deeply grieved, and they were very angry, for Shechem had done a disgraceful thing to Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing is not to be done. 8 But Hamor conferred with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem [deeply] longs for your daughter [and sister]. Please give her to him as his wife. 9 And [beyond that] intermarry with us; give your daughters to us [as wives] and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 In this way you shall live with us; the country will be open to you; live and do business in it and acquire property and possessions in it.” 11 Shechem also said to Dinah’s father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your sight, and I will give you whatever you ask of me. 12 Demand of me a very large bridal payment and gift [as compensation for giving up your daughter and sister], and I will give you whatever you tell me; only give me the girl to be my wife.” 13 Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, because Shechem had defiled and disgraced their sister Dinah. 14 They said to them, “We cannot do this thing and give our sister [in marriage] to one who is not circumcised, because that would be a disgrace to us. 15 But we will consent to you only on this condition: if you will become like us, in that every male among you consents to be circumcised, 16 then we will give our daughters to you [in marriage], and we will take your daughters for ourselves, and we will live with you and become one people. 17 But if you do not listen to us and refuse to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter [Dinah] and go.”
18 Their words seemed reasonable to Hamor and his son Shechem, 19 and the young man did not hesitate to do the [required] thing, for he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. Now he was more respected and honored than all [others] in the household of his father. 20 Then Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their [walled] city [where the leading men would meet] and spoke with the men of the city, saying, 21 “These men are peaceful and friendly with us; so let them live in the land and do business in it, for the land is large enough [for us and] for them; let us take their daughters for wives and let us give them our daughters [in marriage]. 22 But only on this condition will the men consent to our request that they live among us and become one people: that every male among us become circumcised just as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their cattle and their possessions and all their animals be ours [if we do this]? Let us consent [to do as they ask], and they will live here with us.” 24 And every [Canaanite] man who went out of the city gate listened and considered what Hamor and Shechem said; and every male who was a resident of that city was circumcised. Now on the third day [after the circumcision], when all the men were [terribly] sore and in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s [full] brothers, took their swords, boldly entered the city [without anyone suspecting them of evil intent], and they killed every male. 26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house [where she was staying], and left. 27 Then Jacob’s [other] sons came upon those who were killed and looted the town, because their sister had been defiled and disgraced. 28 They took the Canaanites’ flocks and their herds and their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field; 29 they looted all their wealth, and [took captive] all their children and their wives, even everything that was in the houses. 30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have ruined me, making me a stench to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites! My men are few in number, and the men of the land will band together against me and attack me; I shall be destroyed, I and my household.” 31 But they said, “Should he [be permitted to] treat our sister as a prostitute?” Amplified Bible
8 “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. 9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? 10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belong shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. 11 He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch;
he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.
13 “Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon.
The Tribe of Zebulun was known for its seafaring, shipping, and trade. Their symbol was a boat or ship because this was the primary way they made money. Their territory was located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Galilee so they had ample opportunity for ports.
14 “Issachar is a rawboned donkey lying down among the sheep pens. 15 When he sees how good is his resting place and how pleasant is his land, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and submit to forced labor.
Research says that Issachar names means “man of hire.” This definition fits well with what his dying father spoke to him. Also the Tribe of Issachar’s descendants were mostly scholars, including those who created the Israelite calendar. Specific descendants also included 200 members of the Sanhedrin
16 “Dan will provide justice for his people as one of the tribes of Israel. 17 Dan will be a snake by the roadside, a viper along the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider tumbles backward.
18 “I look for your deliverance, Lord.
19 “Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels.
20 “Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king.
21 “Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.
22 “Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall.23 With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility.24 But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, 25 because of your father’s God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the skies above, blessings of the deep springs below, blessings of the breast and womb. 26 Your father’s blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers.
27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.”
28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him.
The Death of Jacob
29 Then he gave them these instructions: “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.” 33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people. (Genesis 49: 1-33 New International Version)
THE FOOD TEST
From our introduction of the Babylonian captivity, we see that through the first wave of the captivity Nebuchadnezzar, by the will of God, took captive the noble, the elite, or the upper class of Judah’s society. Already we can see the blessing upon Judah fulfilling that his father spoke upon him. Kings after Kings after kings has descended from the tribe of Judah. King David, and King Solomon are descendants of Judah. Through the tracing of the human blood line that connects Jesus we can see that the blood line was not squeaky clean. In the blood line there was murderers, adulterers, liars, a prostitute, and many other sinful persons unnamed but God had a purpose and plan for every one of them.
The nobles taken captive in the first wave of the captivity was purposed by God. The future of the world hanged on the captivity of the especially four nobles that we’ve named already: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. These nobles were needed in the greatest empire on the earth, an empire that was godless and oblivious of the True and Living God. The king of the empire needed to have some encounters with God, the Sovereign God who is able to set up shop in any and every position held by man on the face of this earth.
The first chapter of the book of Daniel takes us immediately into the open doors of the palace giving us the plans held for the noble’s taken captive by the King. Nebuchadnezzar wanted handsome, young, healthy, strong, intellectually minded and unscathed bodies to serve in his presence. The King wanted some human trophies. But know that the four nobles were already trophies; trophies of the Most High and Living God. They were trophies that would not be shelved to be looked upon and admired but living trophies that would exalt and turn the minds and hearts of people to the Living God and to this very day these trophies of God are still impacting the lives of men and women.
The first test of the nobles was the test to defile themselves according to their beliefs and customs as a people of God. By the king’s command of provision, the nobles were to eat from the King’s table. Research says that there were twelve candidates chosen for a three-year training of preparation to stand before the King for a palace position. The bible does not record any of the trainees standing up to keep the command of God in reference to what they should or should not eat except the four nobles that we have mentioned. Being fed from the kings table with foods that the King himself ate sure held some mouthwatering delicacies that folk would kill for. It appears that the other candidates used the captivity as a justification to disobey God and partake of the forbidden. Satan surely established from the Paradise saga that food will turn a man, many to most of the times. Let’s look at this for a moment. Adam and Eve, a fruit. (Genesis 3:6) The death of Able by his brother Cane stemmed from a sacrifice of foods. (Genesis 4:1-8) Esau gave away his birthright for a bowl of beans. (Genesis25: 19-34). Rachel gave up a night with her husband for some mandrakes. Rachel the second wife of Joseph was barren. She was unable to have children. This devastated her so. Mandrakes were believed to be a stimulant to help with fertility and conception in barren women. Rachel sees the mandrakes as a way for her to bear a child with Jacob, so she gave away her night with her husband to have some of the mandrakes. The night she gave away to her sister Leah resulted in Leah becoming pregnant and eventually giving birth to yet another child to the husband that Rachel so desperately want to have a child by. (Genesis 30: 14-24). In the book of Numbers the 11th chapter we read about complaints against God because of food.
4 The rabble among them [who followed Israel from Egypt]{ mixed multitude of non-Israelites who joined the exodus} had greedy desires [for familiar and delicious food], and the Israelites wept again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? 5 We remember the fish we ate freely and without cost in Egypt, the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. 6 But now our appetite is gone; there is nothing at all [in the way of food] to be seen but this manna.”
7 The manna was like coriander seed, and it looked like bdellium. 8 The people went about and gathered it, and ground it in mills or beat it in mortars, and boiled it in pots, and made cakes with it; and it tasted like cakes baked with fresh [olive] oil. 9 When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna fell with it.
31 Now there went forth a wind from the Lord and it brought quails from the sea, and let them fall [so they flew low] beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and on the other side, all around the camp, about two cubits (three feet) deep on the surface of the ground. 32 The people spent all that day and all night and all the next day and caught and gathered the quail (the one who gathered least gathered ten homers) and they spread them out for themselves around the camp [to cure them by drying]. 33 While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck them with a very severe plague. 34 So that place was named Kibroth-hattaavah (the graves of greediness), because there they buried the people who had been greedy [for more than the manna that God provided them]. Amplified Bible
The sons of Eli [Hophni and Phinehas] were worthless (dishonorable, unprincipled) men; they did not know [nor respect] the Lord 13 and the custom of the priests with [the sacrifices of] the people. When any man was offering a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged [meat] fork in his hand; 14 then he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; everything that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did in Shiloh to all [the sacrifices of] the Israelites who came there. 15 Also, before they burned (offered) the fat, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest meat to roast, since he will not accept boiled meat from you, only raw.” 16 If the man said to him, “Certainly they are to burn (offer) the fat first, and then you may take as much as you want,” then the priest’s servant would say, “No! You shall give it to me now or I will take it by force.” 17 So the sin of the [two] young men [Hophni and Phinehas] was very great before the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord disrespectfully. (I Samuel 2: 12-17). Mind you dear readers, these two brothers were priest in the Lord’s house. Their disrespect and mishandling of the Lords food sacrifices was intolerable. “Will a man rob God?” Not only did they fill themselves with the choicest food from God’s house they also defiled the house of God filling lustful desires with women in God’s house. Let’s see what happens to them. I Samuel 2: 22-26: 2 Now Eli was very old; and he heard about everything that his sons were doing to all [the people of] Israel, and how they were lying with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle). 23 Eli said to them, “Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people? 24 No, my sons; for the report that I keep hearing from the passers-by among the Lord’s people is not good. 25 If one man does wrong and sins against another, God will intercede (arbitrate) for him; but if a man does wrong to the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to their father, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death. I Samuel 2: 27-34: 27 Then a man of God (prophet) came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Did I not plainly reveal Myself to the house of your father (ancestor) when they were in Egypt in bondage to Pharaoh’s house? 28 Moreover, I selected him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to go up to My altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod ( a sleeveless garment or apron worn by the high priest) before Me. And [from then on] I gave to the house of your father all the fire offerings of the sons of Israel. 29 Why then do you kick at (despise) My sacrifice and My offering which I commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, by fattening yourselves with the choicest part of every offering of My people Israel?’ 30 Therefore the Lord God of Israel declares, ‘I did indeed say that your house and that of [Aaron] your father would walk [in priestly service] before Me forever.’ But now the Lord declares, ‘Far be it from Me—for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be insignificant and contemptible. 31 Behold, the time is coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. 32 You will look at the distress of My house (the tabernacle), in spite of all the good which God will do for Israel, and there will never again be an old man in your house. 33 Yet I will not cut off every man of yours from My altar; your eyes will fail from weeping and your soul will grieve, and all those born in your house will die as men [in the prime of life]. 34 This will be the sign to you which shall come concerning your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: on the same day both of them shall die. (Amplified Bible)
The fourth chapter of Samuel informs us that war broke out between the Israelites and the Philistines. At the onset of the battle Israel was defeated by the Philistines losing four thousand men on the battlefield. Remaining soldiers returned to their camp seeking out the elders with questions of why God allowed them to be defeated. The elders coming up with what they thought was their own solution determined that the defeat would end if they brought the ark of the Covenant of God to the battle. They were going to (so they thought) force the presence of God to be among them. These elders sent to Shiloh where the ark was to bring it back The two clowns Hopni and Phinehas were there with the ark and of course they took it to the battle. Oh when the ark came into the camp the soldiers were elated. They danced they shouted, they just knew they were going to win the battle. When the Philistines learned that the ark was in the camp of the Israelites they became afraid. They knew about Israel’s God. Now verse 9 of chapter 4 holds a mystery. Somewhere encouragement came. Someone spoke words of strength saying: “Be strong Philistines! Be men and not sniveling cowards. Your fight is not with Israel’s God. Be men and fight!” The Philistines manned up and fought a victors fight. Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers and the ark of the covenant was taken and Hopni and Phinehas were killed. The thought that the Holy Spirit dropped in my spirit is :Still defeated in His presence, Protecting the presence of God.) We will touch on this thought somewhere in our discourses, I am sure.
Finally let’s take a look at the 6th chapter of the gospel of John. Jesus had fed a multitude with two fish and five loaves of bread. After the five thousand were fed there was still remaining food; twelve baskets to be exact. Having seen the miracle of the feeding, the men confessed that Jesus was the prophet that was to come into the world. They then intended to take Jesus by force and make him a king over them. Knowing the very intents of their heart Jesus left and went into a mountain alone. The next day the people went looking for Jesus and when he was found Jesus said to them: “Yall aren’t seeking me out because of the miracles. Yall didn’t see My Father whom I have been showing you. Yall are seeking me out because you ate of the fish and loaves on yesterday and was filled. In other words “Yall hunted me down because I fed yall some fish sandwiches. You are seeking me out for your own selfishness and greed.”
The 4 Hebrew nobles knew what their diets from the Lord consisted of. Their spiritual diet was to eat of God and their physical diet was to abstain from foods restricted by their God. Leviticus chapter 11 has a listing of clean and unclean foods as ordered by the Lord for the Hebrews under the old testament covenant. We find in chapter 1 of Daniel that the stand of the four nobles to be clean before God proves beneficial as God moves on the food supervisor to show favor to the nobles. At their request the nobles were allowed to create their own menu and eat what they requested. Now as we look deeper into the food test the question asked is; was this a test of food or an attempt to have to nobles walk in disobedience to the lesser power to God and be taken out? Was the food test a thwart to stop a move of God. Remember that the nobles are on the devil’s turf by the will of God and don’t think for one moment that their presence caused the wicked one to flee. Not being omniscient, the wicked one has to watch the unfolding plan of God as did and does the rest of this evil empire. The one sure thing that the enemy knows is that the nobles presence on his turf is not one of coincidence and he knows that God is up to something.
During the reign of the Anti-Christ according to the book of Revelation, there is going to come a time when people are going to sell their souls for food. That’s right…food. The false prophet at that time who is going to be one hundred percent sold out to the Anti-Christ, will push to instill a mandate that will require any one who wants to eat, do business, shop and have the pleasures in life that marketing advertises, to take the mark of the beast in order to have the necessities and desires of life. Revelation 13: 11-17: 11 Then I saw another beast rising up out of the earth; he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke like a dragon. 12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence [when the two are together]. And he makes the earth and those who inhabit it worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs (awe-inspiring acts), even making fire fall from the sky to the earth, right before peoples’ eyes. 14 And he deceives those [unconverted ones] who inhabit the earth [into believing him] because of the signs which he is given [by Satan] to perform in the presence of the [first] beast, telling those who inhabit the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded [fatally] by the sword and has come back to life. 15 And he is given power to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast will even [appear to] speak, and cause those who do not bow down and worship the image of the beast to be put to death. 16 Also he compels all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead [signifying allegiance to the beast], 17 and that no one will be able to buy or sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. (Amplified Bible)
If we will carefully observe the times that we are in now we will see that food, folly, fame and fortune are the things that drives man. Materialism has captured the hearts of the people. More and more times and efforts are spent on gain and self than anything imaginable. Eating plays a major part in advertisement. There are more cooking and eating shows and post than ever before dreamed. What is the set up behind it all? Yes man has to eat let’s not get this twisted but food should not become a god. Right now pretty much of the land is in plenty where food is concerned so much so that the people have become wasteful. Yet a time will come when a man will sell his or her very soul for a morsel of bread. Where do you stand? Who’s on the Lord’s side? Many take food for granted. Many will not even acknowledge God for what he has so richly provided. My mother used to say “You never miss your water until the well runs dry.” Famine will hit the land. Where do you stand?