Is there a Place of refuge for God’s People

Well, brethren, we live in a world where the Church exists. The Church, of course, is the antithesis of what Satan is doing in the world. Satan is about the business of deceiving people. That's what his job is. That's what his role is in the world. And he's gladly taken that role. But Satan, brethren, is constantly trying to overturn and stamp out the truth of God. That's one of the things he's always tried to do. And, you know, old truths that we may take for granted, may assume everybody knows, everybody believes, need to be restated in the Church.

I hope you agree with me on that. That, you know, we can't just assume everybody understands that everyone knows. You know, a question that has often come up in the ministry. In fact, I've been asked this question a number of times here in the Phoenix area, and that is regarding the place of safety. You know, do we believe in the Church of God in the place of safety? We used to talk about the place of safety quite a bit more than we do now.

Maybe that's good. We haven't been fixated on going to the place of safety, but rather doing the work of God. You know, some have even made fun of the idea of the place of safety. You know, they have a sort of a big laugh out of it. And I know we all sort of joke about, well, it would be nice if the place of safety was in Hawaii, or it would be nice if it was in Tahiti or someplace else where it might be sort of cushy for the future.

But I think for the most part, if you still believe in the place of safety, you realize that might not be the case. You know, it may not be up in the hills of Colorado or somewhere like that. But let me tell you this, brethren. God's people, in spite of what the devil tries to do, believe what the Bible says. That's the difference between God's people and the world. God's people believe the Bible and what the Scriptures say. So let's answer the question, is there a place of safety for God's people?

I've heard it called a number of things, a place of refuge. It's been called a place of final training. I think Mr. Waterhouse coined that phrase, a place of final training. And it's been called a number of things in that way. But do we believe, again, in a place of safety? And does the Bible talk about it? Does the Bible say anything about it? You know, if you were to be asked that question, how would you prove that? Or could you prove it? In a word, you'd be able to do that. Let's go to Revelation 3 over here. In verse 10, it says here, he's talking to the Philadelphian church that was, remember, along that mail route, in Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey on the western coast of Turkey.

And here, in verse 10, it says, because you have kept my command to persevere. You've observed, in other words, my laws, and you've persevered, just as Jesus said, he that endures to the end, the same is going to be saved. And it says, I also will keep you from the hour of trial, which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth. What's coming is going to, in fact, affect the entire world, not just God's people, but the entire world. And God says he's going to protect us, or he's going to give a place of refuge for that from that hour of trial that's going to come upon the world.

Let's go over to Revelation 12. We'll have to go through some of these rapidly here to make sure that we are within the time frame of this message. But in Revelation 12 over here, let's begin in verse 7. Here it talks about a war that breaks out in heaven. In verse 7 it says, and war broke out in heaven, and Michael and his angels fought with a dragon, and the dragon his angels fought.

So there was this war that was happening, maybe akin to what we read about back in the book of Daniel, when Daniel was fasting and he wanted to have an understanding of what he was seeing, what he was understanding. And the angel was dispatched, and when the angel came to reveal it to Daniel, there were other angels that prevented him from doing it. So it took him three weeks to get to Daniel, because there was a battle that was going on.

So there was a war in heaven, and this war probably is more or less a constant war. And as in all wars, there's always somebody who is defeated. And we know the end of this story, that the devil is going to be defeated. But it says, and they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.

And so the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old called the devil, and Satan, who deceived the whole world. He was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. So they were thrown back down here to the earth, as a matter of fact.

And what are they going to do when they are cast down? And they may have already been cast down, as far as we know. Let's notice on down here, in verse 13. Now it says, when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. Or the male Christ child, as we know, depicted by Mary having Jesus Christ.

Mary, a symbol, you might say, of the chaste woman who pictures the church. So the thing that the devil does is he pursues the church. When he sees that he is lost in his battle against God, he pursues the church. In fact, in the Jerusalem Bible, it says, the dragon sprang in pursuit of the church.

That's the first thing he thought of. That's the first thing he did. And following this period that we read about in Revelation 12, incidentally, we come into chapter 13. Now what is chapter 13 about here in the book of Revelation? What is chapter 13 about? Well, chapter 13, brethren, is about the arrival of the beast and the false prophet. And so when he's cast down, he attacks the woman who pictures the church. Next we see that the beast and the false prophet appear on the sea. They emerge in a very powerful way. Over in chapter 13, let's notice here, chapter 13 in verse 11, it says, And then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.

In other words, this is, of course, someone satanically led. And it says, And of course, this will be the final resurrection, as we understand it, of the Holy Roman Empire. You know, that is yet to happen, yet to occur. It's formulating in Europe right now. It's coming together. You know, France is really wanting and is on board for a European army.

So to make, in other words, Europe a force to reckon with. But it says, and he performs great signs, so he even makes fire come down from heaven on earth in the sight of men. So he's able to cast down fire out of heaven. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by the signs which he is granted to do in the sight of the beast, it's just telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image of the beast. So this individual will be a catalyst to causing people to make an image to the beast.

And it says, Now if you've studied church history at all, you know, again, I'm not here to bash, you know, any church. But it is a known fact that the government, you know, of the Catholic Church, you know, with the Pope and the Cardinals and the way that it is organized, was an image of the Holy Roman Empire. And so that is what is being talked about here. And of course, what has been missing in the whole thing of Europe has been the church part of it. Because, you know, as you know, what is occurring mostly in Europe, not right now, of course the Muslims are coming in, but also what's happening is not many people are really that dedicated to religion. They're not visiting and they're not in the cathedrals, they're not doing that. And of course they're going to try to turn that around to change that. And it says, He's the ones that is going to be the catalyst for this. And the image of these should be both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of these to be killed. So in other words, going to be under threat of life. You better get involved in this image of the beast. You better support it. And He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave to receive a mark on their right hand or their foreheads, that no man can buy or sell. See, there's going to be quite a bit of force here. You won't even be able to buy or sell if you're not on board with what's going to be happening with the formulating of the beast for the future. And we all know again the 666 is the identifying factor of this.

And so this other beast that rises, he causes again the world to worship the first beast. And the rest of the chapter reveals how he's going to do that. Now, before the false prophet introduces the image of the beast to the world, which initiates the Great Tribulation. That's what initiates the Great Tribulation. God moves to protect His faithful people who take the heart, His words that are contained in the book of Revelation.

Revelation 12. Notice over here in Revelation 12, going back again. But now in verse 14 now. And so when the dragon or Satan springs to action to attack the church, notice this. God has to do this for His people.

But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle. This symbolizes that whatever is going to occur, it is going to involve something very swift, very quick. You know, this two wings of a great eagle symbolizes that. That she might fly into the wilderness to her place, to her place, where she's nourished for a time and times and a half a time from the presence of the serpent. In the King James, if you happen to have that, it says, from the face of the serpent. Other translations say, out of the reach of the devil. She's going to have to be taken to a place out of the possibility that Satan can do harm, because he would certainly destroy the church if it was within his power to do so. But God is going to miraculously make that possibility null and void. He just will not have that ability to do that. Now, exactly where is this place? Where is it? We have again postulated about this for a long, long time. But there are three clues here, one of which is not your home.

By the way, three clues. Number one, we must go to it. Interestingly, when we go to the feast, we leave our home and go to the feast. Number two, and you got the verse right in front of you, number two, it's in the wilderness. It's not. In a place where you have civilization, apparently. And number three, it is out of the presence or out of the reach of the serpent. So those three factors tell us what the place of safety is and where it is. You know, what area will be out of the reach of Satan during the time of trial or the hour of trial that comes on the whole earth? What area would it be? Let's go to Psalm 27. Psalm 27.

I don't want to get bogged down in one scripture or to elucidate on one scripture. I want to make sure that we keep this moving. But here in Psalm 27, notice down in verse 5 here, it says, David writes here, There's another way that you could put this. It's like when there's danger, the hand of God puts his people on a rock too high for the predator to reach.

That God puts his people to protect them out of the reach, of course, of the devil. Let's go to Psalm 91. Psalm 91. We'll spend a little more time there in Psalm 91 by reading a little more in terms of the scriptures and what the Bible says. But here in Psalm 91, let's notice in verse 1, it says, Psalm 91 verse 1, I will say of the Lord, the Eternal, He is my refuge and my fortress. God is the fortress. And certainly, brethren, no matter where any of us would be, whether it was in our home or whether it was in Hawaii or whatever it might be, if God is not going to be there, it will not be safe.

If God is not going to protect us, wherever that is, it will not be safe. There's no place on the earth where that could be possible. But David said, God's my fortress. God's going to take care of me. And in my God, I trust. And surely He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler. And of course, Satan is the ultimate fowler, isn't he? Trying to trap God's people like he did ancient Israel. You know, the Pharaoh thought he was going to barrel down on the people of God, and God actually trapped the trapper.

Remember, the armies of Pharaoh drowned in the midst of the sea. And it says, and from the perilous pestilence, and he shall cover you with his feathers, and under his wounds you shall take refuge. His truth shall be your shield and your buckler. And it says, you shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that walks in the darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at the noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you.

Only with your eyes shall you look and see the reward, it says, of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High your dwelling place. So again, God is going to be our protector. No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near you, your dwelling. And it says, and he shall give his angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways. You notice that, brethren? He's going to cause his angels to protect you, to watch over you.

God's going to do that in the future. In their hands they shall bear you up, unless you dash your foot against the stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra. Now let me ask you, where do you find the lion and the cobra? Do you see it in downtown Phoenix? Don't think so. Where is it? In the wilderness. Those things you would see in the wilderness. The young lion, the serpent, you shall trample under foot, because he has set his love upon you. Therefore I will deliver you. I will set you on high. Set you on that high rock, that high precipice, because he is known by my name.

Or he has known my name. We're known because we pray, don't we? We talk to God. We converse with God. We ask God, Father, please help me be accounted worthy to escape the things that are going to come to pass in the stand before Jesus Christ when he returns. We've been praying that. Hopefully all of us do that.

He shall call upon me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver you and honor you. It says that with long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation. And so, brethren, God is going to have to be the one that's going to be the protector. And God's going to give angels charge to keep his people safe. Even as the angels, no doubt, did Jesus Christ when he walked this earth. And he, of course, fasted and he himself was in the wilderness when he was fasting. And who came to him after he had fasted for 40 days and night?

Well, the devil came to tempt him. But he will not be able to come near us, brethren. God will deliver us. And like I said, this place that the Bible talks about says it's in the wilderness. And here in Psalm 91 we're talking about situations like that. Let's go to Daniel 11.

Now, there are many things we are watching right now on the world scene. And we know that there's going to be, the Bible talks about a king of the north, and there's going to be a king of the south. The king of the north, we, I think, hopefully understand, is the coming beast power.

The king of the south, we're not so sure what that is going to be. But, you know, that in all likelihood is going to be some sort of conglomerate of Islamic nations. You know, of course it would include Iran, I'm sure, as one of those nations, and other Arabic nations. Of course, Iran is not an Arabic nation, but a Persian nation. But they're going to be conglomerates, and be against, of course, the king of the north.

And the king of the north is going to come against the king of the south with great power, with a great deal of power. But here in Daniel 11 and verse 40, here it says, At the time of the end, again, what could be clearer than that? In other words, at the end time, or during the end time, remember Daniel was told to close up the book, he wouldn't understand it in his own lifetime. But, brethren, we, because we have the book of Revelation, we have the book of Daniel, we can understand the things that are talked about here.

It says, the king of the south shall attack him. And this, I think, really shows the bravado of the Islamic nations, pushy as they are today, that they denigrate the west, they denigrate the United States, and they certainly do Israel. They'd like to push Israel right into the Mediterranean Sea. But the king of the south initiates, attacks, and the king of the north comes upon him like a whirlwind. He's going to come with great force, with power, probably the world has never seen before, probably war materiel that nobody's ever been made aware of, that is going to put down the king of the south so powerfully.

But in verse 1, He shall enter the glorious land, and many nations shall be overthrown, but these shall escape. Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. Now why are these people escaping? I mean, they're right in the pathway. They're right there. In fact, they are quite, have always been in the mix with anybody against Israel. They've always been there. So why are these areas escaping? You know, these are the children of Isaac, by the way, and Lot. These people that escape, you know, in other words, what we call today, modern-day Jordan.

Let's go over here to Isaiah. Again, why do these places escape? This is something that has intrigued the church for many, many years, in fact. But here in Isaiah 26, over here, Isaiah 26, in verse 20 and 21, we'll just do two verses here, but in chapter 26 and verse 20 and 21, notice this.

Come, my people. Here it talks about God's people. Enter your chambers. You know, as the time, again, gets along and the fireworks begin, God says, enter into your chambers. And shut your doors behind you. Hide yourselves, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is passed.

Until it's overpassed. And it says, for behold the Lord, the eternal comes out of His place. Some people ask, where is God? You know, and God is going to come out of His place, as the Bible says very clearly here, to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth will also disclose her blood or violence. And will no more cover her slain. And so in this time, in the time of when God begins to take a hand in world affairs, God says to His people, we'll enter into your chambers. Again, where are these chambers? Where would it be? Let's go over to Revelation 12 now. Revelation 12. In Revelation 12, in discussion of this, where are these chambers? Let's notice what it says over here. The events that take place at the end here of the age that even Daniel points out. Very clearly here. It's hard to miss. But in Revelation 12 and verse 15, let's notice here. And so the serpent, after he had pursued the woman, it says the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood. A flood in prophecy, by the way, is symbolic of an army. May, in other words, be spiritually inspired. But it's going to be a physical army that will be involved, this flood here. That is going to pursue the woman, go after the woman. A woman, again, symbolic of the church. That he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. In other words, be destroyed. But the earth helped the woman. The worth, it says, just like we might say what happened with ancient Israel. The waters covered the pursuing armies of Pharaoh. The waters, the earth helped the woman. Then the church and the wilderness of ancient times.

So the earth helped the woman. And the earth opened his mouth and swallowed up the flood, which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. By the way, this Exodus that we're talking about here has been compared to the first Exodus. This is going to be involving a part of the second Exodus that eventually will pale into insignificance the first Exodus. We'll talk about that. But the miracles that took place in the second Exodus, when that occurs, when that happens, it's going to be an exciting time. You and I, brethren, live in some of the most exciting times. We may not want to necessarily go through some of these things. It's going to be a harrowing experience for us to go through these things, but they are going to be nonetheless quite dramatic and quite exciting.

So it swallows up this flood, this army, which the dragon has spewed out of his mouth. Like, again, the pharaoh and his armies. These armies are going to be, in fact, put in that position. They're going to be wiped out.

In terms of the Scriptures here that we have talked about here, of course there are other things that we could tie into this. I don't want to take an awful lot of time with the minutiae of it, but I want to talk about enough, at least you can get the idea, that there's not just one or two places that talk about what is going to happen in the end time.

But the appointed place will be in one of the few places on earth that allows for the survival of what is coming the day of the Lord. When God takes a hand in world affairs. We're told of one area, specifically set apart by God, which will be untouched by the beast. In Daniel, let's go back over to the book of Daniel. Well, I don't know if we need to go back over there to Daniel, because we already read, did we not, that it where it says that Edom and Moab and the chief of Amman are going to escape? Let's go to Isaiah 16. I ask, why do Edom and Moab and Amman escape? Let's go to Isaiah 16 here.

I think we should all know that Isaiah is a millennial book. It focuses on the millennium. I think all of us have heard countless sermons with discussion of what the millennium is going to be like and how, in fact, the desert is going to blossom as it rose. That's talking about the millennium, the world tomorrow. So there are events pertaining to the end time in the book of Isaiah. But in chapter 16 and verse 1, let's just read from here, and down about four verses here. It says, send the lamb to the ruler of the land. Now, who is this lamb talking about here? From Silah to the wilderness. Here it talks about a wilderness here. To the mount of the daughter of Zion. For it shall be as a wandering bird thrown out of the nest. It's like they're booted out. It's like the church. Remember when the church was in Jerusalem, there came a time, where actually the Jerusalem church had to relocate. And it relocated to where? Some of you were students of history of the church. Pilla. It escaped to Pilla in 69 AD when Titus came down in there, in Vespasian, and destroyed Jerusalem. And you may remember that it talks about how there was an earthquake that occurred at the Temple Mount. There was a voice that said, remove you hence, and that is when the church relocated to Pilla. It left. It fled out. And it escaped what happened in 70 AD. You know, when the Roman armies came down and literally eradicated Jerusalem.

And there were a considerable number of people that were in fact in the church at that time.

But here, it's talking about an end-time group that is like a bird thrown out of its nest, as it talks about here. And it says, so shall be the daughters of Moab, now here's the mention of Moab, at the fords of the Annan, which is a river. And it says, take counsel, execute judgment. You know, God is saying, make your shadow like the night in the middle of the day. You know, what Christ talked about when He told His disciples about the end of the age, He talked about, pray that your flight not be on the Sabbath day. So you would not, maybe, it might not be be read of who you were, the people that were, you know, that were in fact God's people. But here, notice it says, take counsel, execute judgment. Verse 3, make your shadow like the night in the middle of the day. Hide, it says here, to Moab, hide the outcasts. These people that are cast out.

And it says, do not be ray or betray Him who escapes. Now, these people are going to be escaping. Let my outcast, my outcast, dwell with you, O Moab, be a shelter to them from the face of the spoiler, out of the presence of the devil. For the extortioner is at an end, you know, what Satan has been extorting from the world, you know, since he's been here, since in fact man has been here. And devastation, the death and the ma'am and the things that Satan has been a part of, war, and all of it is at an end. It's going to cease. The oppressors are consumed out of the land. So those are the oppressors that are motivated by Satan. The devil are going to be, again, out on the land at this time.

By the way, you know, Selah, you notice in verse 1 here, it talks about from Selah, Selah is another name for Selah is Petra. I think we've often called it Petra. I think the word really is Petra. But the word Selah means rock. And it actually was the Edomites that gave that name to Petra of Selah. They named it after the Israel vacated that area. Well, let's keep going on here now. Chapter 33 in Isaiah. Chapter 33. We'll just read again what the book says. But in Isaiah 33, verse 13, let's notice this.

Chapter 33, verse 13, and we'll go down to verse 17. Hear you who are far off what I have done, and you who are near acknowledge my might. The sinners and Zion are afraid. Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites. Now notice this. Notice this, brother, what it says here. Who among you shall dwell with a devouring fire? What is the devouring fire? Well, how about the explosion of atomic bombs? Nuclear bombs, which we have a plethora of in the United States and Russia and China. And who knows? Israel may have a lot of nuclear weapons as well. Some have said that Israel may have as many as 200 nuclear weapons. Even North Korea has nuclear weapons somewhere. There are going to be a lot of fireworks in the future. But who's going to survive the devouring fire? Who among you shall dwell with the everlasting burnings?

He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, that's who's going to survive. You're not righteous, and I'm not going to make it. He who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, who stops his ears from hearing a bloodshed or violence, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil. He shall dwell on high. His place of defense shall be the fortress of the rocks. Interesting that the protection is in some sort of fortress of rocks. Like I said, Selah means rock. It has to do with that. Bread will be given him, like Elijah was fed by the ravens.

And his water shall be sure. Now how does that happen in the wilderness? I think it would be virtually impossible, brethren, for people to survive in the wilderness without water. It's never been done before, right? I'm being facetious. What happened with ancient Israel? There was no water where they were. In fact, one of the places where they encamped, where there was a wadi Musa, refers to the River Moses. And you know where that was. And how that came about, how that occurred. It is very interesting, brethren, at the time the Israelites went out of Egypt, not only were they fed by manna, they lived in the wilderness.

Numbers 10 and verse 12, it talks about how that they... And I'll just give you the scriptures and you can write them down and read them later. In Numbers 10 and 12, it talks about how the children of Israel, that they left Sinai, remember they were encamped at Sinai where they were given the Ten Commandments and the other laws of God. And it says that the cloud went forth and it rested in the wilderness of Peron. Now interestingly, you know what the word Peron means? It means a piece of caverns. And it's from the Hebrew root having to do with dig or cut out. And some actually translate this as something ornamental, quite ornamental. Now over in Deuteronomy 1 and verse 19, maybe we could go to that one over in chapter 1 and verse 19.

Here it talks about what again ancient Israel did. But in chapter 1 and verse 19, notice what it says here.

It says, So we departed from Horeb and went through all the great and terrible wilderness which you saw on the way the mountains of the Amorites. As the Eternal God had commanded us, then we came to Kadesh Barnaiah. Now what is Kadesh Barnaiah? And this was again the mountain of the Amorites here.

You know, the boundary of the Amorites was from what geographically was the scorpion pass. In fact, to Sila and beyond. Sila being what we call Petra. But going on, it says, Look, it says, The Eternal God has set the land before you. Go up and possess it as the Eternal God of your fathers has spoken to you, Do not fear nor be discouraged. So whatever this place is, this Kadesh Barnaiah, it was right before they could have launched into the Promised Land. The Promised Land was right there. It was like a staging area, as it were, for Israel. That this was where they would stage before they went into the Promised Land. This fabulous opportunity. Now, interestingly, it was from Puran, where the Kadesh Barnaiah, that Moses sent the twelve spies out to spy out the land. Remember, they went in, they were gone 40 days, and they came back, and ten of them gave a bad report. You remember what happened, brethren, after these ten gave the bad report, Caleb and Joshua gave the good report? Did God let them go ahead and go into the Promised Land? No, He did not. He didn't allow that to happen. What did He do? He made them wander in the wilderness for 40 years. And by the way, it wouldn't have taken that long to get to the Promised Land. I guarantee it would have been a very quick trip. They could have taken everybody up, probably within a week or two, as a matter of fact. But God made them wander in the wilderness for 40 days, and that was in the wilderness of Puran to Kadesh, where this happened, Kadesh Barnaiah. And let's do this over here in Deuteronomy chapter 1 now, in verse 46. You're probably still there at this time. But in verse 46, let's notice here what it says at the end. So you remained in Kadesh many days, according to the days you spent there. You know, they spent a lot of time right there in Kadesh Barnaiah.

And interestingly, as I mentioned earlier, when they abandoned Kadesh Barnaiah, it was the Edomites who renamed it Selah. And then later on, Israel recaptures that area, and they renamed it, I can't remember the name, Jot-Jotthan, or something like that, that it was renamed. Today it's called, of course, Petra. The point is, brethren, God brought Israel from the area of Selah and Petra to prepare them to enter the Promised Land. And He did it twice. He took them there the first time, and when they rebelled, He made them wander in the wilderness for 40 years. And then He brought them back as a staging area before they entered on in to the Promised Land. You know, Israel, another thing I would mention, when they were in Kadesh Barnaiah, that area, that's where Marian died, the sister of Moses. It's also where Aaron died. It may have been the place where God gave Moses the opportunity to see the land. He wouldn't let Moses go into the Promised Land, but to go up and to see it from there. And you could have done that from the mountains that are high above that area. Josephus actually, by the way, talks about how that Aaron and Miriam's bodies, their burial was there in close proximity to one another. But it was from Selah, our Petra, brethren, that the Israelites began to move in position to enter into the Promised Land. And remember back in Isaiah 33 verse 16, we read there, it says that his waters were sure. And that came about because, remember, that God is the one that gave them miraculously water. Unfortunately, Moses took his staff and he hit the rock when God said, just speak to it. But the water was provided and that became what is called the wadimusa, the river Moses, the God provided for the children of Israel. And just like the Bible says, brethren, in other places, in one place, Isaiah 41 and verse 18, I will cause the wilderness, it says, to be a pool of water and the dry as springs of water. And God has historically, brethren, provided for his people from the waters at Selah. And God may once again do the same thing with similar miracles of the future. You know, if anybody poo-pooed the idea that it couldn't be this, you know, it couldn't be that. Well, it could be. You know, we don't know.

Certainly it would be nicer to be in Hawaii. I think we'd all choose that. If we had the choice, I don't know what the Hawaiians would think about it. If all of us moved over there all at once, I guess if God decided that was where it was going to be, nobody would have any saying about it whatsoever.

But where is the church going to be nourished for three and a half times? It's got to be fed for three and a half times. Most people read this, by the way, when we talk about the three and a half years, sometimes we read that you're protected for three and a half years. Actually, it doesn't say that. We're nourished for three and a half years. That's different, isn't it? If you're fed three and a half years, then if you're protected for three and a half years, that's a different thing altogether. You'd have to have both, of course. At least I would if I had digested my food, if I wasn't in constant danger all the time. But it's going to have to be more than three and a half years, brother. God will protect us much longer than that. Let's go to Daniel real quick over here. Daniel 12, verse 6. Daniel 12 and verse 6.

Daniel 12 and verse 6.

This is in chapter 12 and verse 6. It's here of Daniel.

Here are the things that were revealed to Daniel. How long are these going to be? Let's notice going on down here, down in verse 9. We'll skip some verses for the sake of time. But it says, and he said, Go your way, Daniel. For the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Daniel would not again see these things happen. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. They're going to see and grasp it.

And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and that is what we've been watching for, for that sacrifice to be cranked back up. And when it's time, it's going to happen. It's going to happen in Jerusalem, on that temple mount. Or perhaps nearby. It will happen, just as God has said here. But notice that it says, from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation set up, then shall be 1,290 days.

Of course, this would have no meaning whatsoever, unless we're talking about prior to the return of Jesus Christ. But then it goes on to say, blessed is he that waits and comes to the 1,335 days. But he said, but you, Daniel, go your way, till the end, for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days. So it may be more than 1,260 days, or 3 1,500 years, we're going to be protected. But we're going to be nourished for 3 1,500 years here, is what, again, 1,260 days means.

And the reason why, of course, these are going to be protected, you know, is because they have patience, they wait until the 1,335 days, because they have the understanding necessary to know when to act and what to do. But, brother, what do we know? What do we know? You know, how are they blessed, again, with this great protection? What do we know? Well, Revelation 13 warns about a false prophet that is coming. And, you know, this false prophet that is going to come may very well claim to be Elijah, the coming of Elijah, this talk about Malachi 4. He's going to call down fire from heaven, and he's going to appear as very righteous, very righteous before the world. After the devil is cast down, as we read in Revelation 12, then in chapter 13 it talks about the arrival of this individual, this false prophet, who's going to do these things.

And he's going to be instrumental in helping to consolidate the entire Christian world. Everybody is going to bring them together, maybe as well not only Christians, but all religions. We don't know. But it does also reveal that there's coming someone who is going to be claiming to be the Christ. And so as Elijah prepared the way for Christ, this individual is going to be a type of that, to prepare the way for the antichrist when he comes on the sea. And we know that this is going to take place probably a short time from the time the false prophet appears, and then, of course, the sacrifice is going to be stopped, and the abomination is going to be set up when that occurs. You know, over in Zephaniah, let's go to Zephaniah in chapter 2.

Zephaniah chapter 2, it's on page 647 if you don't know where that is.

Well, if you had my book, you'd be able to pick it up real fast here. But in Zephaniah 2 verse 1, let's notice this. It says, Gather yourselves together. Yes, gather together, O undesirable nation. We are, brethren, a nation. The church is a nation. Before the decree is issued. So something's going to happen before the decree is issued. Or the day passes like chaff, before the eternal fierce anger comes upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger comes upon you. And it says, Seek the eternal, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld his justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the eternal's anger. You may be hidden. Gather together, gather together. Before the decree is issued. So what do they gather for? They gather to flee. They gather to leave.

And we're told, gather, gather two separate times. We may very well gather, and then we will be taken to this place of hiding that God will give to his people. It seems the church is going to gather in two places. It will be a staging area, and then to where that place of refuge will be. May be Jerusalem, I don't know.

Generous seeing what Jesus said about, Pray that your flight not be on in the wintertime or on the Sabbath day.

But what is the meaning of nourishing, being nourished for time and time and half a times?

Well, we're going to be fed. Got to be shown more than we know now. Are you ready, brethren, to be a king? Are you ready to be a priest in the world tomorrow? I mean, we've been in the church a long time, right?

There was another individual who God called out of the world. His name was Paul. Saul before that. What did God do with Saul? Did he say, okay, well, Saul just have at it? No, he brought, he had Saul be in Arabia, and that's where he taught. Jesus Christ taught Paul. Now, don't ask me how he did that. You know, whether he was a voice, I don't know. He may have sent an angel to teach Paul. It was an emissary of Jesus Christ. I don't know how it would have been done. But he was instructed. He was taught. It's very possible, brethren, that during the three and a half years where we're in a place of refuge that we will be trained. Maybe angels will train us. I don't know. Maybe even it's possible that Christ will be there for us. That wouldn't be out of the possibility that that would happen. I know Mr. Waterhouse used to talk about the place of final training. Many, many times he talked about that. We had Mr. Waterhouse in our house, our home, many times having dinner and just really enjoyed talking with him because he was on fire. Because he was on fire for the Bible.

But God is very well going to instruct us in the same way that Paul was instructed.

I want you to think about that over in the book of Daniel, it talks about over there about in chapter 9 how that Christ was cut off in the middle of the week. I think most of us know what that means. We know he was crucified on a Wednesday.

And that was in the midst of the week. It was in the midst of the week. But the Bible talks about a prophetic week. And he was cut off in his ministry when he came and he taught the disciples three and a half years. But what about the other three and a half years? Well, it may very well take place during the time of the place of refuge. Where we'll be instructed, rather. Where we'll be taught for a three and a half year period.

And really prepared for what we're going to be doing. The Bible actually talks about how that people are going to be staged after, in fact, the King of God is established. The people are going to be processed into the kingdom. And they'll have to pass under the rod. And the rod is a symbol of authority. Before people are going to be able to be a part of the coming kingdom of God.

They're going to have to have a certain attitude. They're going to have to have a desire to be righteous, to walk in God's way of life. So the time of nourishment will be the time of our training, brethren. And we're going to be used after that point to help people as they come into the newly established kingdom. You know, there's going to, of course, have Christ as the King in Jerusalem. And we're going to be there, brethren, to assist Jesus Christ in whatever He assigns us to do. Now, brethren, knowing these things, what advice would you give if you were warning us today as the disciples of Jesus Christ? What advice would you give? Knowing what was coming? What was going to occur? You know, there is a place of refuge. What would you say? Let's go to Luke 17. Luke 17 over here. You know, one of the things that Jesus Christ said is, When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth? Brethren, do we believe, do we truly believe what the Bible says?

Or are we self-willed? People today are entirely self-willed. They're gods to themselves. They don't submit to God's Word and God's laws and His commandments.

And that's, of course, the problem with human beings. But in Luke 17 here, let's notice here, in chapter 17, verse 28, down here in the course of time, Jesus is talking about these things with His disciples. He's speaking about the end of the ages. Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot, they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built. But on the day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so it will be when the Son of Man is revealed. Now right before Christ is going to be revealed. In that day, He who is on the rooftop, the housetop, and His goods are in the house, let Him not come down to take them away. And likewise, the one who is in the field, let Him not turn back. Remember, it says, Lot's wife. Remember Lot's wife. Again, are we going to have the faith? Are we going to believe when the time comes? And please, I'm not going to be calling anybody and say it's time to go. That'll be something miraculous that God will have to do, that God will bring about. But will we believe? How many will believe? Who can say? Will it be a Matthew 25 scenario? Half believe and half don't. Very possible. But each of us, brethren, need to ask ourselves the question, will Christ find faith in us when He comes? Do we believe? And the answer lies in how we live now. Are we living God's way right now? Are we watching ourselves? And we don't get caught up in this world and the society out there. Are we diligently seeking and obeying God? Are we watching ourselves and the events of the world that are transpiring? Do we truly believe God will provide a way of escape? Or do we scoff at it? We laugh at it. Remember, Jesus warned His disciples. In Luke 21, to not get caught up in the world, not to be as some are, how they're corrals in the world, they are into drunkenness, or they're into just being caught up in taking care of themselves in this world, in the society, with a physical accruiter, but that's all they think about. How comfortable they're going to be. Well, let me tell you, this world's going to be mighty comfortable, uncomfortable in the future, a whole lot worse than it is now. But Jesus said in Luke 21, He said, Watch, watch, pray always that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man.

Thank you.