Isaiah 9:1-7 and the First Advent of Christ

Isaiah 9:1-7 and the First Advent of Christ
 
Typically, there are a few passages of Scripture that are highlighted on Christmas cards when it comes to celebrating the First Advent of Christ. Amongst them is Isaiah 7:14, which states, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Another special one is Matthew 1:23, The New Testament quotes this passage from Isaiah to verify its fulfillment in the birth of Jesus Christ. God’s Word declares, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
 
“God with us,” what a glorious concept! The God of the Bible is not far off, unconcerned, and detached from His creatures. Though He is Transcendent, above, beyond, and outside His creation, He is also Immanent. This means He interacts, intervenes, and intercedes to brings us near to Himself through the merits of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:25). Ephesians 2:13 reveals, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
There is, however, a premier Scripture that rises above the rest of prophetic announcements concerning the Savior’s birth as a majestic mountain exceeds the foot hills. It is Isaiah 9:6, 7, which states:
 
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
 
This passage, in and of itself, is chalk full of revelation, sound theology, and grand doctrine. Chief amongst them are the coming of Messiah, the deity of Christ, and the advancement of His Kingdom and government in the earth. To fully comprehend the glory of this passage, however, one must investigate the previous verses in Isaiah 9:1-5 that prepare its way. These passages reveal the context and condition of mankind as the Good News is being heralded by Isaiah.
 
Isaiah 9:1 states, “Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, as when at first He lightly esteemed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward more heavily oppressed her, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles.” This speaks of a time of judgment. Gloom, oppression, and distress plagued the world. Yet, in the midst of this bleakness, a promise was granted by God. A Promise One will come to bring deliverance to His people.
 
How should we liken this in our day? America is a debtor nation due to our avarice, impatience, governmental theft, and poor economic policies. Many Americans, themselves, are also enslaved by debt. Imagine a Great Benefactor seeing you drowning in a sea of debt that comes to your aid and pays it off (Matthew 18:21-35). All the gloom, oppression, and distress would disappear in a heartbeat. It would be replaced by unspeakable joy that is full of glory.
 
Isaiah 9:2 proclaims, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.” This powerful passage is repeated in the New Testament (Matthew 4:16). Once again, the Old Testament prophesied and looked forward to fulfillment. The New Testament reveals God’s faithfulness in establishing His Word, and we can now look back with the assurance, “It is finished” (John 19:28-30). It happened exactly as God predicted with no deviations or shadow of turning. No other so-called “holy book” of any other religion can duplicate this accuracy in foretelling the future.
 
Isaiah 9:2 pinpoints the wretched condition of our fallen race. We walk in darkness, enslaved by sin, under the sway of the Evil One, and are hell bound. Death with all its uncertainty stalks the minds of men with great fear, whether we acknowledge it or not. To cope and manage, we look for love, meaning, value, security and stability in all the wrong places. Drugs, alcohol, sexual immorality and a host of other vices rush in to fill the void of our empty, longing souls. We get burned time and again and yet press on in our vain conceits. Eventually, disappointment, disillusionment, bitterness, hard hardheartedness, seared conscience, sickness and death take its toll as men fade into perdition.
 
Now imagine in that miserable setting that was exemplified by Plato’s Cave allegory where people who live in a cave of darkness are oblivious to this great light. Tragically, they are not aware of the reality of an outer world (The Kingdom of God) that has light, life, truth, love, and salvation. These dejected creatures in the darkened cave are chained and a great wall separates them from these realities. If one does escape, he is first dazzled by the light and then adjusts. His clarity eventually focuses in to the new reality. Slowly but surely, he comes to the truth as revealed in the light. Immediately, there is a sense of responsibility to go back and rescue those still deceived in the cave. Instead of receiving the messenger of light, however, those in the cave kill him. They are much more at home with the familiar darkness than they are with the unaccustomed light.
 
It appears Plato, a Greek Philosopher, was inspired by natural or general revelation. He aptly pointed out the plight of man in a fallen world filled with sin and demons. Though he did not use this allegory to reveal Christian truth, its depictions are Biblical. Regardless, those sitting in the cave, chained in darkness and dwell in the shadow of death will see a great light. No, it is not a philosophical light as Plato envisioned. It is the greater light of God Himself coming to this earth as a helpless babe in a manger (Luke 2:7). God’s Word, which is God made flesh, dwelt amongst us and we beheld His glory (John 1:1-14). Jesus Christ is the true light that lights everyman coming into the world (John 1:9).
 
To those who repent, believe, and follow Christ, we become children of light. Based upon this truth, the Apostle Paul admonished, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” To those outside the saving faith of our Lord, he cried out, “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light” (Ephesians 5:14).
 
God’s light exposes, brings clarity, and manifests truth, which is the only liberating force available in our poor fallen world. Jesus taught, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31, 32). God sent His light to shatter the darkness and set the captives free. There is a problem, however. It is one that Plato stumbled upon in his analogy. Men love darkness more than the light and they will kill (In word or deed) any messenger who disturbs their cave (John 16:2). Jesus warned:
 
And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God (John 3:19-21).
 
It was sinful men inspired by demonic power that crucified the Lord of glory. It appeared darkness had triumphed and Satan’s cave remained undisturbed. His arms were folded and his goods were secure. Yet, three day later, the light, power, and presence of God exploded in a tomb. Christ was raised from the dead! His truth keeps marching on and this “Stronger One” bound Satan and plundered his goods (Mark 3:27). Indeed, to this day, there are those who still meander in darkness and draw near to death. The light of Christ still radiates to break their chains of darkness and mend their broken hearts (Luke 4:18).
Isaiah 9:3-5 states:
 
You have multiplied the nation and increased its joy; they rejoice before You according to the joy of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For You have broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle, and garments rolled in blood, will be used for burning and fuel of fire.
 
These verses precede the promise of the coming of the Christ Child. Notice the theme is “Joy to the Word, the Lord has come. Let earth receive her King.” These passages first speak of a joy that comes with receiving a mighty harvest. Imagine the preparations, the hard work and the great risk that goes into planting, watering, and overseeing this agricultural venture. With men, it is a tossup, whether or not, a harvest succeeds. The origin with this harvest does not rest with men, however. It is heaven that is superintending this Kingdom crop. It will not fail to produce good Kingdom fruit. Though there may be struggle along the way, God’s Word promises, “He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him (Psalms 126:6).
 
Next, these passages reveal the battle. It reveals the spoils that come from waging a good warfare. Picture a small army facing an overwhelming enemy intent on their utter destruction. No prisoners, no mercy, and nowhere to retreat. Our deliverance in this battle is reminiscent of the four lepers chronicled in 2 Kings. Lepers were outcasts who were ostracized by society. They are sitting in the place of defeat and all their prospects were death. They decided they should at least march towards the enemy’s camp and surrender. But as God would have it, instead of seeing four pitiful, pathetic lepers, the enemy hears a great army approaching. Apparently, God turned up His amplifier in heaven that shook the enemy to its core. The Syrian army abandoned their post, dispersed, and the lepers inherited all their spoils of war.
 
Mankind is helpless and defenseless against a three-fold enemy, which is our sinful flesh, Satan and demonic power, and this illegitimate world system that is in rebellion to God’s loving and just rule. In the midst of the fray, Jesus steps in as our Mighty Champion and Great Deliverer who “saved us all from Satan’s power when we had gone astray.” Now, the field that contains all of His Kingdom treasures is available to us. Provided, we experience the joy over discovering it and then go and sell all that we have to buy that field (Matthew 13:44).
 
Through Christ, His Kingdom, and great salvation amongst men, the rod of oppression is broken as Isaiah 9:1-5 promised. Our captivity has ceased. The harvest of deliverance has come. The night of wrong has ended and the light of right has dawned. The promise is fulfilled. How is all this possible? “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given” (Isaiah 9:5). Merry Christmas and have a blessed New Year in God’s Kingdom.
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The Glorious Incarnation 2016

In a couple of weeks the world will celebrate Christmas. As the years march on, the controversy surrounding this day magnifies. The mainstream church seeks to defend its language, “Merry Christmas” from the Christ denying “Happy Holiday” or “Winter Solstice” substitutions. Some Christians view it as an unholy alliance between Christianity and paganism, which should be avoided like the plague. Of course, the same case is made for Holy Week and the celebration of our Lord’s resurrection. In typical fashion, the God-hating world consistently dishonors the significance of Christ by substituting His preeminence with pagan themes. The question then becomes, should we throw out the baby with the bath water? In other words, should we reject God’s original due to satanic counterfeits? I’ll leave these questions to each man’s conscience to consider.

The view of Christmas has other implications as well. Some Protestants cringe at the last three words mas as it may be a reference to the Catholic Mass. Some point out that Christ was not born on December 25th, so why even bother. Others seek to avoid the commercialism surrounding the birth of Christ by concentrating on the “reason for the season.” Obviously, Christmas has become many things to many people.

But whether people honor or protest Christmas, its annual commemoration is certain. I suspect it will remain this way for the foreseeable future. Minimally, the merchants of the earth have a vested interest to secure the day if for no other reason than to boost their bottom line. The purpose for this article, however, seeks to understand the birth of Christ from a Biblical perspective. Does the Bible honor the event? If so, in what ways is the birth of Christ distinguished?

There is no doubt the God of the Bible viewed it as a major production. There were several hundred prophecies, types, and shadows that predicted, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given (Isaiah 9:6).” In fact, there are over three hundred prophecies concerning the Messiah interwoven throughout the Old Testament. Some of them are duplications of the same prophecy. For instance, the prophecy concerning Jesus being from the house of David is repeated about fourteen times. The prophecy that foretells the birth place of Messiah as the city of Bethlehem is repeated five times (Micah 5:2). The number of non-repeating distinct prophecies, however, comes in at about one hundred and ninety.

M.B. Bleecker, an engineer, took one hundred and fifty of these noteworthy prophecies that Jesus fulfilled and calculated the odds of His fulfilling them all. The odds of one man fulfilling one hundred and fifty prophecies in one lifetime are one in –
1,039,851,278,722,473,896,502,516,467,047,788,121,009,514,090,594,304

The odds of Jesus fulfilling just eight of them in His lifetime are one in –

100,000,000,000,000,000

Following up on this mathematical probability, consider Peter Stoner in Science Speaks (Moody Press, 1963). Mr. Stoner demonstrates that coincidence is ruled out by the science of probability. Stoner suggests that by using the modern science of probability in reference to eight prophecies, “we find that the chance that any man might have lived down to the present time and fulfilled all eight prophecies is 1 in 1017.” That would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000.

In order to help us comprehend this staggering probability, Stoner illustrates it by supposing that “we take 1017 silver dollars and lay them over the face of Texas, so that they cover all of the state two feet deep.”

Mr. Stoner continues:

Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man.

In the realms of astronomy, the Star of Bethlehem has garnered for itself “the world’s most famous celestial event” in history. God rearranged the heavens as a sign that something of dramatic worth was transpiring upon the earth. Of course, it was never a common occurrence that the heavens would open and a choir of angelic hosts would appear to sing praise to God as they bring “good tidings of great joy.” What was the reason for such a bodacious display? They were carrying a divine message, which stated, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

The Bible records that there was no small stir to the holy announcement. The most famous response came from the woman who was chosen to conceive and give birth to the Son of God. Today, we recognize Mary’s prophetic reply as the Magnificat. Pay close attention to her declarations as it pertains to this poor fallen world. Mary cries out:

My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

Mary acknowledges the incredible favor that has been demonstrated to her personally. Beyond personal considerations, she proclaims that there will be powerful ramifications that will greatly impact the world. Wrongs will be righted. Justice will eventually prevail. Oppression in due course will cease. Tyrants, dictators, the ruling elite, and the proud will be cast down. The hungry, poor, outcast, and disenfranchised will be helped. All this and more is guaranteed by the promise God spoke to Abraham and is now coming to pass with the birth of Christ. Is this something that should be ignored or should it be shouted from the rooftops now and forever more.

The theological term for this glorious event is called the Incarnation. In general terms it means in the flesh or to become human. When it comes to the birth of Christ, however, who or what is becoming human or coming in the flesh? The Gospel according to John grants us the Biblical meaning, John 1:1 and 1:14 states:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God… And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The denial of the Incarnation is what actually constitutes the dreadful designation the Bible calls Anti-Christ. Any person, religion, or philosophy that denies Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is Anti-Christ (1 John 4:1-3). Perhaps, there is more to this Christmas business than meets the eye.

Remarkably, the same Word that spoke the heavens and the earth into existence, the same Word canonized in the Bible, the same Word that God sent to heal us, and deliver us from destruction became flesh and dwelt among us. One of the specific words is the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14 which states, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Matthew interprets the name Immanuel as God with us. C. S. Lewis defined the significance of the Incarnation as “The Son of God became a man so that men could become the sons of God.”

The first mention of the promise of the Incarnation traces back to Genesis 3:15. God promised, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Normally, I present this passage of Scripture to teach on the battle that is raging for the souls of men, the lives of children, and the future of our planet. For this article, however, the emphasis will change. The spot light will focus on this passage as the first mention of the glorious Gospel of the Kingdom and the Incarnation as God’s remedy to correct the fall of man. To make this possible God had to establish a seed line.

God tapped Abraham and said, “I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.” Why did God choose Abraham? This might have something to do with it. Genesis 18:19 states, “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”

The promise of Messiah passed from Abraham to Isaac from Isaac to Jacob. Jacob had twelve sons, which became the twelve tribes of Israel. Out of the twelve tribes, the tribe of Judah was chosen. Genesis 49:10 promised, “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” Out of the tribe of Judah, the House of David was chosen. 2 Samuel 7:12, 13 declares:

And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

Finally, the book of Galatians announces The Promise is born. Galatians 4:4, 5 records, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”

Having traced the seed line that brought about the Glorious Incarnation, it is time to explore what this means to us and this poor fallen world? There are many wonderful blessings associated with the Incarnation, but for our purposes, I’d like to concentrate on just two of them. One is corporate that concerns the world and the other is individual.

The corporate implications of the Incarnation are discovered in Isaiah 9:6, 7. God’s word states:

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, Counseller, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. 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.

When did the Kingdom of God come and the establishment of God’s government commence? When the Son was given and the Holy Child was born. What does this mean in the real world? “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever (Revelations 11:15).” How or when shall it completely take place? All we need to know is “the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform it.”

The Gospel according to Luke reveals how Christmas relates to us as individuals. God’s word states:

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:28-35).

Biblically, the same manner in which Mary conceived Christ physically is the same manner we receive Christ spiritually. Be it unto us according to thy Word. 1 Peter 1:23 affirms this powerful truth, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” James concurs, “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls (James 1:21).” The Apostle Paul agrees as well, “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 3:15).”

The circumstances surrounding the birth of Christ into our poor fallen world are highly significant as well. As the heavens and the earth were being prepared to receive their King, Satan was preparing to devour the Child. Revelation 12:3, 4 states, “And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.” Why this murderous plot by the one who has come to kill, steal, and destroy? Simply, “She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron (Revelation 12:5). It was either murder this Child or be dispossessed in time and history.

Herod, the wicked king, was the willing dupe of the Evil One to seek the destruction of the Christ Child. One cannot truly commemorate the Glorious Incarnation without remembering the Massacre of the Innocent. When Herod checked with the sages as to the time and location of Messiah’s birth, he, in a fit of rage, sent soldiers to murder all children in Bethlehem under the age of two. Better the innocent are slain than the guilty party escape.

With all its pomp and ceremony, whether feigned or unfeigned, associated with the Christmas saga, the birth of Messiah reveals the battle that rages to this day. Whenever Satan rears his ugly head, he goes after the seed of men. He is not just waiting for the Child to be born to devour in our day, he is reaching into the womb to devour children who are made in the image of God. The abortion holocaust of our day is the continuation of the Massacre of Innocents. Yet, the same God who survived Herod, will be the same God who will work through His Church to end this atrocity in Jesus’ name!

There was also no room for him in the inn. This world and each sinner in it have a natural repulsion towards Christ. We suppress the truth in unrighteousness. We reject the light and walk in darkness for fear our evil deeds will be exposed. We go astray from the womb because we are conceived in sin. We are born alienated from God and seek to be a law and god unto ourselves. We love our sin more than we love God. Thus for many, there is no room in our wicked hearts for Christ.

He was born in a stinky stable and laid in a manger. The manger was not a crib, but a feeding trough for animals. To think that the King of the universe chose this humble estate in which to become one of us is quite revealing. What a powerful depiction of the state of our lives before the King of Glory by the power of the Holy Ghost takes up residence in our immoral lives. We suffer from stinking thinking and sinful actions. When Christ regenerates our lives, however, the sanctifying power of His precious blood goes to work to purify and cleanse our “smelly stables” or if you prefer, our darknened souls.

Lastly, the ruling elite were clueless as the lowly shepherds saw and heard the glorious announcement:

Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (Luke 2:10-14).

So it is today, many glory in their riches, power, and wisdom, while those who are being saved boast in the Lord. In this way Christmas, among its many other accomplishments, also reveals our calling:

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Just as in His resurrection, Christ refused to appear to Pilate, Caesar, and the High Priest, but rather visited His rough and unsophisticated disciples, so at His birth, the angels appear to lowly shepherds and bypass the rich and famous. As Jesus grew into an adult; His attitude towards the proud never changed. He prayed, “I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes (Matthew 11:25).” “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out (Romans 11:33)!”

Much more can be shared about the implications of the Incarnation, but this will have to suffice for now. With that be said, I want to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and most blessed New Year in God’s Kingdom!

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Post Election Thoughts

Post Election Thoughts:

The Populist movement in America fueled a Trump victory. They defied the odds, confounded the political pundits, and granted America a reprieve from full blown tyranny that would have been the inevitable fruit of another Clinton administration.

The American people took on both establishments, the global elites, the banksters, and said no to their agenda. This election is part of a revolution that is taking place throughout the world. It is a continuation of Brexit.

The Benham Brothers commenting on the election stated, “Tyranny will crush a nation, but populism will corrupt it – unless principle is at the foundation.” I agree. As stated previously in my Prepare for Increase article, “This election will determine to what degree we will have to prepare for an increase of opposition. If Trump wins, though a donkey of a man, we may receive a reprieve from overt persecution. In other words, he will not use the federal beast like Hillary to crush us. As a result, we will need to prepare for an increase of effort in spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom during this window of opportunity. Storming the gates of hell, establishing the Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate, and calling ourselves, the church, and our nation to repentance will be a must.”

Does a Trump victory mean he will take on directly the abominable roots of our woe as a nation? I think not. Though, I do believe he may have an influence indirectly. Depending on who he surrounds himself with and those he appoints as Department Heads, this will determine to what degree, he is committed to drain the swamp in Washington DC.

Will Trump be successful in making America great again? He may help us economically, militarily, and rebuild our failing infrastructure, but treating the symptoms alone will not, in and of itself, make America great again. No, if America is ever to be great again, the church of Jesus Christ must become good again. Otherwise, what happened historically to empires that fell previously will be repeated in America. Before complete collapse, empires received merciful reprieves. Unfortunately, they refused to take advantage of the opportunity and continued headlong into perdition.

We have a window of opportunity. Do not go back to sleep. Roll up your sleeves and get to work. Church become salt and light as if our future hangs in the balance, because it certainly does.

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Abortion Violation Message

While in Arizona ministering at two men’s meetings, the Lord opened the door to preach 4 episodes for Apologia All-Access. It was a joy to be with the brothers from Apologia. Pastor Jeff Durbin was in Australia at the time spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom and calling the Church Down Under to drive abortion from their nation. From what I heard, he was well received. Praise God!

This is the 1st of 4 messages. If you find any merit, please pass it on in your sphere of influence. Thanks!

 

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Prepare for Increase

 “And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5)
    To those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, it appears we are entering a new season concerning our service to God. This election cycle has revealed much about the state of our country, the church, and the citizens of America. It is not a pretty sight to behold. On the one hand, it is sickening, despicable, and disheartening to observe. On the other hand, it is good to see all the corruption, lawlessness, and injustice finally surface. Sadly, it has also revealed the Christian cannibalism running rampant as brethren tear each other apart based on whether Christians should vote for Donald Trump or not. My advice, let your conscience be your guide and whatever you cannot do in faith, to you it is sin. Besides that, it would be wise to refrain from condemning brethren to hell over their vote.
    Now more then ever, it is time that we seek God to increase our faith, service, and determination to serve Him and His Holy purposes in the midst of this perverse and crooked generation. Now more than ever, we need to prepare for greater service to advance God’s glory, Kingdom, and great salvation amongst men and nations. 
    For those of us who have endured the persecution, rejection, abandonment, and shunning of this generation, I believe a new day is dawning. Doors that were once closed, now appear to be opening. The church who once viewed us an embarrassment, radicals, or second class citizens in the Kingdom of God seem to be reevaluating our warnings and are more willing to hear our message. Some, are actually joining us in the battle for the souls of men, the lives of children, and the future of our broken, wounded land defiled by the innocent blood of babies and the perversion of the homosexual agenda. Is it too little too late, I do not know, but I thank God for this increase.

    In this, we may see a glimpse of a promise that God made to Jeremiah being fulfilled in our day. Jeremiah went through a great struggle in serving the Lord. It was hard to be faithful to Him in the midst of national rejection. It was so bad that Jeremiah had threatened to cease speaking in the name of the Lord. The increase of persecution was pressuring him to remain silent and inactive in the midst of an apostate church that was committing national idolatry (Sound familiar). 
    It was at this critical time, God’s Word revealed Jeremiah’s reluctance, “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay” (Jeremiah 20:9) In other words, if you shut up Jeremiah, My Word will explode in your soul as an inferno to convince you otherwise. 
    May we take heed to this admonishment as well. This is not a time to retreat, be silent, or inactive. It is time for increased devotion to the Gospel of the Kingdom to defeat the culture of death savaging our nation.
    Many of us may have felt the same way as Jeremiah. Like him, we need to trust God to restore our fervor in holy fear. Our God indeed is a consuming fire!  All the struggles, such as, “No one is listening, no one cares, and why even bother, need to give way to a an increased devotion. Yes, in times past, both friend and foe rejected us us for telling them the truth. The demand to shut up, fit in, and no longer speak in the name of the Lord was a real temptation. 
    Regardless, God’s promises stand sure. To those who stay faithful to a persecuted truth and perform godly actions in the midst of an ungodly nation, a time of increase will come. God promised Jeremiah, “The  Lord  said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction” (Jeremiah 15:11).
    God promised to watch over his Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12) When He does, those who were once rejected, shunned, or condemned for living a persecuted truth, they will be “entreated well” at the appointed time. No longer will the church think that they are “Madmen in the house of our God” in the day of God’s visitation (Hosea 9:7). No, when the proverbial stuff hits the fan, it will be those who remained faithful to understand the times and knew what to do, it will be that remnant that will be in a position of increased influence. Thus, it is imperative that we prepare now for an increase of open effectual doors, knowing full well that there will also be an increase of adversarial opposition (1 Corinthians 16:19).
    This election will determine to what degree we will have to prepare for an increase of opposition. If Trump wins, though a donkey of a man, we may receive a reprieve from overt persecution. In another words, he will not use the federal beast like Hillary to crush us. As a result, we will need to prepare for an increase of effort in spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom during this window of opportunity. Storming the gates of hell, establishing the Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate, and calling ourselves, the church, and our nation to repentance will be a must.
    If, however, the Clinton’s demonic, political machine prevails, it will be a time to prepare for an increase of overt persecution. For some of us, the last time the Clinton’s were in power, we faced many years in federal prison. This happened when they were touting abortion as safe, legal, and rare. Today, they demand abortion and will force American citizens to pay for it. The stakes for obeying Christ to intervene and interpose on the behalf of the preborn will go up my friends.
    Remember this, right before the famous rescue Scripture in Proverbs 24:11, 12, God’s Word states, ” If you faint in the day of adversity,  your strength is small” (Proverbs 24:10). Jeremiah concurs, “i f you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan” (Jeremiah 12:5)?
    Brethren, I believe we are entering a time of increase. Our faith will need to increase, our service will need to increase, our influence may increase, and our willingness to suffer may increase. Regardless, it is time to prepare for increase!  
 
IN KING JESUS’ SERVICE,
Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas
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National Televised Message of the Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate

Here is the televised message of the Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate. At the end, the program promotes and makes available Pastor Matt Trewhella’s two books, The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate and the Magdeburg Confession. This had the potential to reach 34 million viewers. Pray that many respond, get these materials, study, and act upon its truths in Jesus’ name!

 

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Special Edition: OSA CT Regional Event Report

Our OSA-Regional Event started  Wednesday night Sept. 21  at Milford Christian Church. Pastor Loomer is the pastor and the only pastor in CT that comes to the Planned Parenthood
death camp in New Haven every week. He unashamedly takes a bold, yet loving public stand against abortion. Around 100 people attended our first rally.
 
Jason Storms, our preliminary speaker, addressed the deep need to disciple our young and help them mature in an age that promotes perpetual immaturity. He also cautioned parents on the dangers of public education. Chet Gallagher, Assistant Director of OSA, trained the congregation in the discipline of Word in Warfare. The next day we applied the training of proclaiming God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation at key strategic spots in New Haven. Gallagher also revealed other Biblical weapons of warfare to increase our effectiveness in the battle for the souls of men, the lives of children, and the future of our bloodstained, perverted land. We had dynamic public reading of Scripture in strategic spots in New Haven including PP, Yale, Courts, and New Haven Green.
 

Thursday  morning, Sept 22,  we went to Hillhouse High School in New Haven with the Gospel. Armed with signs and Gospel literature we ministered the truth about sexual immorality and its subsequent evil, abortion. We met with the police ahead of time with our agenda. A couple of cops still gave our lawyer and others a hard time, (threatened to arrest them) but we won out. Some of the staff tried to take the literature from the students but many of them still kept it.

Unfortunately, the school administration viewed everything we did through a faulty racial grid, which sought to impugn our motives and condemn our actions. We challenged them to replace the racial grid with a Biblical grid. Instead of seeing the world through the racial tension of black and white people, see it through the grid of good and evil, regardless of the race of men.
Saints Intervening to Save Lives
After the high school a few of us went to Planned Parenthood, others went to different venues. The place is usually packed, but to our pleasant surprise, it was empty. Three cars went in that looked like abortion clients. Pastor Dale Sochia ministered to them and they all left. One of them gave her contact info to us and we are following up. Her name is Georgette. Please pray for her.
Thursday night Rusty Thomas welcomed the rally with a short exhortation. He warned that there are two sins that once they reach heaven, we are in deep trouble with the Almighty. They are child sacrifice, the shedding on innocent blood, and homosexuality.
Andrew Street challenged us to be lovers of hospitality, which is a great way to evangelize! Street is a missionary to other nations. Pastor Ante Pavkovich spoke on how the Lord wants us to travail and be broken by what’s going on in our beleaguered nation. We can’t let entertainment take us away from prayer. He proceeded to state, “We are not protestors, we are Christians. We go to the mills because we love God and our neighbors as ourselves. It is our reasonable service.
Pastor Ante then read some heartfelt, mature notes by a 7 year old named Zion. Zion wrote them to God. They were precious and profound for his age. We must teach our kids to have a relationship with Jesus! Pastor Ante also covered America and Connecticut’s Christian history. He recommended America’s Providential History resource to study.
The Holy Spirit was so strong in this service that many left their seats and went to the altar. They kneeled in repentance and cried out to God to create in them a clean heart. They acknowledged that our nation is staggering under the weight of blood guilt and we need God to break this Covenant with Death that is savaging our nation.
Friday morning everyone went to PP. We did Word in Warfare, preached, and passed out Gospel literature to people on the streets and those going into PP. At ten o’clock we left to go to the New Haven Green with signs, literature and our Word in Warfare campaign. Another team went to Southern CT State University lead by Jason Storms.
Jason Storms Preaching to Captivated Audience on Campus
On campus, the team passed out tons of literature and had compelling conversations. Some students shook their hands and thanked them for coming. Some Christian students were convicted that they were not reading their Bibles and going to church. They committed to reconnect with the Lord. Unbelievers said that they were seriously thinking about repenting and trusting Jesus as their Lord and Savior!
The next session of students and teachers were addressed by Jason. One girl was trying to cause a disturbance and the police told her, “if you don’t like what they are saying, you can leave.” Brother Jeff talked to one young man for an hour and a half and exchanged phone numbers. Jeff invited him to church. PTL!
Recruiting More Good Soldiers into the Battle
Back at the death camp, God recruited another good soldier into the battle. A young mom in the PP neighborhood told us that she has been crying out to God to do something at the death mill. She was thrilled to finds the saints storming the gates of hell. She is going to join us, PTL!
Police Rally in New Haven
Around 2:30 PM that same afternoon, we held a rally in front of the New Haven Police Dept. We went to honor and support the police in this time when they are targeted for assassination. We passed out OSA’s Open Letter to the Police in America and delivered a loving, yet strong prophetic message to them. As Christians, we let them know that they have no greater base of love, support, and honor as they perform their duty as peace officers. We also let them know that we are praying for them and their families.
Afterwards, Rusty Thomas delivered a prophetic message. He called upon the police to repent with us and join with the Church of Jesus Christ to break the Covenant of Death. He beseeched the police to rise up and demand all governors of each state call a special session to outlaw abortion and allow the police to shut down any death camp in their jurisdictions. He warned, “Peace will never return to America as long as our country protects violence in the womb! We can shout black lives matter, blue lives matter, and all lives matter till the cows come home, but until preborn lives matter, no lives matter, including the police.”
Voiceless the Movie Premieres October 7th Nationwide
Friday night, two moms gave their testimony on how God rescued them and their babies from abortion based upon the ministry of the saints at the death camp. Pat Necerato, director and writer of the movie Voiceless, spoke at our rally. It was a treat. This movie deals with the reality of what happens when an abortion mill sets up its grisly trade right across the street from the Church. How should the church respond? Should they advocate for it, ignore it, or cross the line of obedience and drive it out in Jesus’ name? Necerato made mention that after the movie ends, they will challenge the movie-goer to get involved by texting a certain number. Immediately, Voiceless will send a link to a page. On the page will be a link to www.operationsaveamerica.org and all our resources to equip the church to fight the battle and rise up to end the American Holocaust.
The congregation was so moved by the presentation, Susan Johnson’s had the inspiration to stand and say “How can we get this movie here in CT?” After the meeting, many people signed up to help. We will be having a private viewing on Friday October 8, and it will be open to the public on Saturday, Oct 29, at a centrally located AMF theatre in CT (Southington or Plainville). We will have 250 tickets to sell for $10.00. If you are interested contact me at marilynprolife@aol.com. I believe they will go fast if we get a few churches to offer them. We are also getting five minutes before and after Saturday night’s showing to speak about OSA-CT. and the need to get involved! God is awesome! Rusty Thomas helped with the story, his booklet is one of the  catalysts in this movie, and he even has a small part. PTL! We are so excited about this!
 Ecclesiastical Court in the Midst of God’s Enemies
 
On Saturday, Sept 24 , the whole group went back to Planned Parenthood. Afterwards, we went over to the courthouse to hold an Ecclesiastical Court. The enemies of the Lord came to disrupt the proceedings. We pressed on in spite of their vile reactions. The church of Jesus Christ is a lawful government authority instituted by God. We came to hold the federal and Supreme courts accountable before the Court of Almighty God. Courts cannot make laws! In fact, we held these courts in contempt of the Court before whom every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. We addressed the several rulings pronounced by the courts of America that has banned God from the public life of our nation, codified evil into law, and invoked the wrath of God upon our perverse and blood stained nation.
On Saturday night, another mom gave her testimony. Rusty Thomas spoke on the Paradigm Shift to End the American Holocaust. The message will be made available soon on Youtube. This message is a game changer. Rusty Thomas also wrote a song and Pastor Dale Sochia unveiled it at our event. It is called the The Sin of Silence. This song was sung to the melody of the Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel.

These are the words: ” Hello Jesus my best friend, I come to pray through you again, Cause delusion strongly sweeping, Left its tares in men that were sleeping And your mission that was planted in my brain, Still remains: Confront the sin of silence. In troubling dreams that vexed my soul, No one cared I walked alone, Yet your word acting as a lamp, Guided me from the enemy’s camp, And my eyes once blinded was pierced by your holy light, That split the night. Removed the sin of silence. In Your brilliant light I saw, Enclaved masses from the Fall, People existing without living, People hearing without listening, People singing songs, that nations never cared, And no one dared, Disturb the sin of silence. Fools said, “God You do not know,” While silence like a cancer grows, Hear God’s word that He might teach you, Take His arms that might reach you, But His Words like bloody sweat drops fell, And echoed in the hell of silence. And the people bowed and prayed, To the neon gods they made, And the truth flashed out its warning, And the words that it was forming, And the sign said the words of the prophets are written on the sacred scrolls on countless souls, And thundered the end of silence.”

On Sunday, Sept 25,  we finished Word in Warfare at the local death camp by proclaiming the book of Revelation. Afterwards, Rusty Thomas preached at Calvary Life Church in Cheshire CT (my church). He delivered a powerful message on The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate . The church was so impacted, the leadership is making it available on national TV that has the potential of reaching 34 million viewers. They are going to offer the message and include Pastor Matt Trewhella’s books, The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate and The Magdeburg Confession as well. CDs, DVDs, books, the messages, the Ecclesiastical Court, and the Support Police rally will soon be available on YouTube.
Preaching Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate that is scheduled to go nationwide soon
We want to thank Promise land Church for hosting the lunches for three days and thanks to those who made the lunches (Promise land, Milford Christian Church, Christ the Redeemer) God bless you!
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The Justice Anthem

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More Good Fruit from Wichita

To those who may wonder what has happened in Wichita since our national event, the Summer of Justice took place, I got good news. The vision and mission we left behind is being implemented by the church in Wichita. Here is the brief report that I pray encourages your heart. Your work in the Lord was not in vain.
“All of us in Wichita and the surrounding area have been busy since our O.S.A. friends across the country joined with us during the ‘Summer of Justice’ event in July. First, we were busy catching up on all of the things we put off in the months leading up to the national event and second, planning and implementing opportunities that came to us because of the faithful service of O.S.A.
At Culture Shield ministry, Donna Lippoldt has been meeting and organizing efforts to make sure there is a ‘church presence’ at the abortion clinic everyday it is open. Although Mark Gietzen and his volunteers with Kansas Coalition for Life are present every open day providing counseling, Donna is organizing Christians from churches to provide prayer and worship opportunities on site everyday as well. Around 30-35 different groups and churches have been identified and sign up has already begun.
Additionally, the national event host church, Word of Life, is providing signs and support to regular visits to the homes of abortionists here in Wichita. We currently have 5 teams being led by Pastors Rotola and Henke, David Gittrich with Kansans for Life, John Pride, and Bruce Garren will be in the abortionist neighborhoods each week with signs calling attention to them and their shameless works.
It is the love of Christ that brought prolife brothers and sisters from every corner of our country to Wichita this summer, and it will be that love that continues to bring people locally to step out of the safety of their churches into the streets to expose this terrible sin against our Lord.”
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