This morning I would like to talk about the elect in the wilderness. Today we find ourselves in a time like no other. The door has been shut. Wickedness is increasing. The world is being judged by the fire of the Word of God and the elect are “in the wilderness.”
As time continues to pass, we have come to grips with the reality that we may very well be here for some time and, yet, God is comforting His people in ways we had never expected. He is continuing to open the Scriptures to us and He is continuing to feed us and to guide us with more truths from His Word, truth we had never noticed before because the time for us to understand was not yet come.
Prior to May 21, 2011 I was under the impression we had learned most everything we were to learn from the Bible and May 21 was going to come and that would be it. But because we are finite creatures with limited sight, we understand now that God’s perfect wisdom kept us from understanding certain things in order to keep us focused on the task at hand and that was to reach the world with the message of impending judgment.
Little did we know what God had in store for us. He would continue to reveal more truths from His Word. It has been almost six years since God shut the door and since that time He has never ceased from providing us with more truths and more doctrine. He has done this, I believe, because God’s people have remained faithful in studying His Word and continuing to search to truth. As God’s people continue to search the Scriptures, we have been led to many truths that are new in comparison to what we learned in the past. Since God shut the door of salvation – first to the churches and then to the world – He has been consistently opening the eyes of His children to proclaim that which was not possible to proclaim before the times appointed.
It is no longer the case today that it is only those in the churches that cannot see the truth. There are many who left the churches (prior to May 21, 2011) and as time went on they continue to turn away from progressive revelation; they continue to turn away from new doctrine. You know, this is something that we are seeing of those that once walked with us and stood side by side with us. We are no longer on the same page with a lot of these people as we once were, but what is amazing is that God has done this before. He gave the nation of Israel Scriptures and they believed that all they had to do was follow the letter of the Law, but in the New Testament era Christ appeared and opened up the understanding of His people that they might understand what the Scriptures of the Old Testament meant. Let us turn to Luke 24:44-45:
And he said unto them, These *are* the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and *in* the prophets, and *in* the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
In other words, the Old Testament (as well as the whole Bible) is written in parables that require the opening of our understanding by God.
Let us look at Proverbs 1:5-6:
A wise *man* will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
As we know, the nation of Israel did not “attain unto wise counsels.” They did not understand the parables of the Old Testament, nor did they understand the parables spoken by Christ. The interpretation of those parables was not for them. The same is true today. Many parables that were given to us were kept sealed by Christ and they were not designed to come to light until a certain time. And for our time, it is the time that we are in the wilderness and all God’s elect can do is to continue to follow Christ. Let us turn to Exodus 13:18-22:
But God led the people about, *through* the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you. And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And JEHOVAH went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, *from* before the people.
As time continues during our time, God’s people are continuing to move forward in the wilderness toward the Promised Land, not due to any merit we possess but only because Christ is leading the way. He is the Pillar we must follow.
Another thing that is happening is that more and more people that gave the appearance of being delivered (as Israel did) are continuing to fall away. Amazingly, the Scriptures foretold that these very things would happen as God’s people continue to travel through the wilderness.
In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel represented God’s chosen people. They represented His elect and, therefore, Israel believed that they were the (chosen) ones. They believed they were the elect of God and not just representatives. Let us look at Isaiah 45, where we will see that God refers to them as His elect. It says in Isaiah 45:4:
For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.
The word “elect” is also the word for “chosen.” Of course, we know that the nation of Israel in its entirety was not all elect. They were not all God’s true chosen people, but they only outwardly identified as belonging to God. In the New Testament Jesus spoke to the Jews that were convinced that because they were of the physical seed of Abraham they were God’s chosen people. Christ was about to reveal to them the truth. It says in John 28:42:
Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? *even* because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of *your* father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell *you* the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear *them* not, because ye are not of God.
In the passage we just read, we can see why the Jews hated Christ and, for that matter, it was why any true prophet in the Scriptures was hated. It was because they spoke the truth. This was true of Christ and it was true of the true prophets of God.
One of my favorite accounts in the Scriptures is about the prophet Micaiah. King Ahab made inquiry of about four hundred prophets of Israel about going to war. He wanted to know if he should go to war and he wanted them to inquire of God. They all came in unison and said, “Go, for the Lord will deliver into thine hand.” Then King Jehoshaphat came and said, “Is there anybody else we can ask?” (I am paraphrasing here.) I will never forget it, because King Ahab said, “Yeah, there is one more man, but I hate him because he does not prophesy good.” Let us look at that quickly in 1Kings 22:5-8:
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of JEHOVAH to day. Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver *it* into the hand of the king. And Jehoshaphat said, *Is there* not here a prophet of JEHOVAH besides, that we might enquire of him? And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, *There is* yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of JEHOVAH: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
Micaiah was hated not just because he spoke evil things, but because he spoke the truth. What we find throughout the Scriptures, in the ears of the unsaved the truth is often interpreted as “evil.” If we look at verse 14, we will see what Micaiah said. I do not know if he was sarcastic at the first, but he said in 1Kings 22:14:
And Micaiah said, *As* JEHOVAH liveth, what JEHOVAH saith unto me, that will I speak.
This is a true characteristic of a child of God. When we study the Scriptures and we see something, we must speak it. We must tell people. We must proclaim it. We cannot cover it up because that is not a characteristic of a child of God, so Micaiah did just that – he told King Ahab he was going to die. That was the truth. King Ahab did not like it, so he threw Micaiah in prison. But the point is that Micaiah spoke the truth, nonetheless.
Let us look at Matthew, chapter 10 where Christ is going to relate what happened to Micaiah to everyone that speaks truth, because Christ was hated before any of us. We read in Matthew 10:22:
And ye shall be hated of all *men* for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
The phrase, “for my name’s sake” can be understood as “for the sake of Christ” or “for the sake of the truth,” because Christ is Truth. So, yes, it is true that God’s people are always going to be hated for the sake of the truth. When you speak the truth, it never comes out the way (unsaved) people want to hear it. Unsaved people will continue to reject it, especially in our day.
The second part of the verse says, “but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” What are we to endure? It is what He is telling us: it is for His name’s sake or he that endureth the truth to the end shall be saved.
Getting back to the nation of Israel, when we go through the parable of the exodus from Egypt we realize that Moses represented Christ as the deliverer and he delivered all those that identified with God’s elect. He delivered the entire nation of Israel to take them to the Promised Land. Let us look at Exodus 12:41:
And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of JEHOVAH went out from the land of Egypt.
In other words, just as Moses delivered all of God’s people from slavery in Egypt, so, too, Christ delivered all His elect from the slavery of sin and death and from the kingdom of Satan.
Let us turn to Colossians 1:13-14:
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated *us* into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, *even* the forgiveness of sins:
It is important to understand that Israel’s deliverance was only a historical parable that represented salvation. In other words, not everyone that came out of Egypt was truly saved.
Let us turn to Hebrews 3:17-19:
But with whom was he grieved forty years? *was it* not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
The word “unbelief” literally means “no faith.” In other words, they did not have the faith of Christ. No one can enter into the Promised Land without the faith of Christ and being born again (of the Spirit).
We are all familiar with the exodus account and we know that Israel did not immediately enter the Promised Land upon their exodus from Egypt, but they wandered in the wilderness for forty years. As God allowed, we did not completely understand this because it was a historical parable that we were not meant to understand until after Judgment Day began. Once God set all the captives free, all His elect were saved and this means that everyone that was ever to become saved was delivered by May 21, 2011. Not one “elect” was left in Egypt. So, Israel’s sojourn in the wilderness is key to our understanding the time we are currently facing.
We once thought that when God had saved the last of His elect, we would immediately be raptured to inherit the Promised Land, but we have come to understand that there must first be a time of severe testing, a time of (prolonged) judgment and a time in which we must sojourn through the “wilderness” ourselves before entering the Promised Land. This is a time in which God is testing everyone that believes they have truly been delivered.
Since May 21, 2011, many that had proclaimed the day of God’s final deliverance have since turned away from the Truth. They have turned away from this teaching, claiming that since nothing visible happened (on May 21, 2011), it was a mistake. Israel did the same thing when they did not see the Promised Land after a short period after their deliverance and they murmured against God – they desired to go back to Egypt. Let us look at Numbers 11:4-6:
And the mixt multitude that *was* among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: But now our soul *is* dried away: *there is* nothing at all, beside this manna, *before* our eyes.
After May 21, 2011, many people began to behave the same way Israel did. The Israelites desired to go back to Egypt and many professed believers spiritually desired to go back to Egypt by turning away from the Truth. One thing they had in common was that they walked by “sight” and not by “faith.” Let us turn to Hebrews, chapter 11 where God gives us the very definition of faith. It says in Hebrews 11:1:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Where would this “evidence” come from? It would come from the Scriptures or the Bible. Interestingly, this word “evidence” is Strong’s #1650 and it is only found one other time in this tense in a verse that describes the entire Word of God. It is found in 2Timothy 3:16:
All scripture *is* given by inspiration of God, and *is* profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
The word “reproof” is our word, so we could understand this to say, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for evidence,” and that is very important for us to understand. The Word of God is our evidence. So, why do we continue to proclaim that Judgment Day began on May 21, 2011 if nothing visible happened? It is because the Word of God is our “evidence” of things not seen – that is what our faith is in.
So, when those within the nation of Israel desired to go back to Egypt, they were demonstrating that just because someone identifies with the elect of God does not mean they are elect. As a matter of fact, they are demonstrating that they never belonged to God in the first place.
Let us turn to 1John 2:19:
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would *no doubt* have continued with us: but *they went out*, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
Let us also turn to Hebrews 10:37-39:
For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if *any man* draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
During the Day of Judgment, going back to the corporate church is not the only method by which some are making manifest that they were never of God in the first place. There are many that have not returned to the churches, but they now reject the accuracy of the Biblical calendar and there are others that are tired of “date setting” and they just want to move on with their lives. But those that spiritually desire to go back to Egypt are forgetting the time we are living in, which is a time of fiery trial and severe testing and a time of “refining” to see if you are truly a child of God and time of “burning up” if you are not a child of God.
Let us turn to Mark 4:16-19:
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
In verse 17 the phrase “for the word’s sake” could be understood, again, as “for the sake of the truth.” In other words, when persecution arises for the sake of the truth immediately they are offended.
So, when we follow the exodus account, we can see that many that once identified with God’s chosen people were falling away during the time of testing in the wilderness. And the same holds true today. God comforts His children by allowing them to know that not all that came out of Egypt fell away, but only those that did not have the faith of Christ.
Let us turn to Hebrew 3:16-18:
For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? *was it* not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
Another point I would like to look at is the transition God made between the nation of Israel and the New Testament churches. As God was making that transition, we notice that the Jews that represented God’s elect did not believe Jesus Christ was the Messiah. They could not believe because they were blinded. This was the time when God was ending His relationship with national Israel because of their unfaithfulness. It says in John 12:37-41:
But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with *their* eyes, nor understand with *their* heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
Because they were blinded, they could not understand the Words of Christ. They could not understand the truth. All they knew was that this Jesus spoke with authority and He was coming with “new doctrine” and this was immediately unacceptable to them.
Let us look at Mark 1:27:
And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine *is* this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.
You see, the nation of Israel had a problem with “new doctrine.” They did not understand it, so they rejected it. When Christ spoke and performed miracles, it was all done in parabolic form to conceal truth and it was not just concealed from the nation of Israel but for all those that are not truly saved, including those in the churches of the world today and some of those that left the churches. When God made the transition from the nation of Israel as His representative to the New Testament churches, it was not long before the churches fell into the same snare as Israel fell into and that is why God gave them all a warning in the Book of Revelation. In God’s perfect timing, He would also end His relationship with the New Testament churches and just as God in times past sent His prophets to proclaim judgment upon unfaithful Israel, He also did so with the churches. But, like Israel, the churches wanted no part of it. The churches were convinced, like Israel, that they were the people of God and they were convinced that they were God’s elect, but the truth is that very few within either establishment truly were God’s people. The churches, like ancient Israel, have refused to believe that they are not the people of God and that is because the churches (like Israel) have been blinded. Let us look at 2Thessalonians 2:7-12:
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth *will let*, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: *Even him,* whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Since May 21, 1988, God has blinded the churches of the world that they should believe a lie and that they should worship Satan, the man of sin, all the while believing they are worshipping God. This is something that both Israel and the churches were guilty of, because God had ended His relationship with them. Let us turn to Matthew 15:7-9:
*Ye* hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with *their* lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching *for* doctrines the commandments of men.
That is why neither national Israel nor the corporate churches could see spiritual truths, because they were never truly saved. As a result, they began to create and teach their own doctrines.
It has been almost six years since God transitioned His judgment on the churches to include the whole world. While times are certainly changing, one thing remains consistent and that is God’s Word. And not only does His Word remain consistent, but the method that God uses to cause men to stumble and fall remains consistent and that is through doctrine. Let us turn to 1Peter 2:7-9:
Unto you therefore which believe *he is* precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, *even to them* which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye *are* a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
They “stumble at the word.” The word translated as “being disobedient” in verse 8 is also translated as “unbelieving” or “believe not.” In other words, not believing everything the Word of God teaches is what causes people to stumble. We cannot look at this as a simple decision to believe, or not believe, the entire Word of God. That is what the churches still teach. But believing or not believing in everything God teaches is a direct result of God’s election program and in the time of the end, the time in which we are currently living, God has revealed much information to be understood only by His people.
So, the nation of Israel, which typified by God’s elect, was replaced by the New Testament churches and God would address them as His elect as well; and this is what probably caused the churches to believe that they were truly God’s elect. Let us turn to 1Thessalonians 1:1-4:
Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians *which is* in God the Father and *in* the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace *be* unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
This is what caused the churches to believe that everyone in the churches are part of the body of Christ and all saved and part of the elect. No. As we know, history would repeat itself and God would end His relationship with the churches as well. Israel represented God’s elect, but very few were elect. And the churches also represented God’s elect, but very few were elect.
When God ended His use of the New Testament churches, there was a group of people that had left the churches. What institution did God establish for these people to become a part? There were none. There was no new institution established by God once the New Testament church age came to an end. At the time when people began to depart from the churches, everyone that departed was identifying himself with the true people of God. So, after May 21, 2011 when the door was shut and all those that had left the churches joined in the task of warning the world of impending judgment, did that mean that they were all part of the true people of God? No, it does not, because the Biblical pattern would continue and not everyone was truly saved that had left the churches and believed that May 21, 2011 was Judgment Day and had identified themselves with God’s elect in every way.
Now in the Day of Judgment, there is no more physical nation or corporate church that we must separate from, because these things have already been done. Now it is only God’s elect “in the wilderness” and, as the Biblical pattern would have it, history would begin to repeat itself once again. Just like Israel and just like everyone in the churches, not everyone that understand we are in the judgment period and not everyone that identifies with the elect are truly saved. This is what we learned from the account of the elect in the wilderness. Let us look at 1Corinthians 10:1-12:
Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as *were* some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
Israel’s time in the wilderness was written for our sakes, so the warning found in verse 12 is for all of us that identify ourselves as God’s elect “in the wilderness” and we should all take heed. During this time in the wilderness, God is humbling all those that identify with the elect and He is testing them to make what I believe to be a final separation between His elect and those that only identify with His elect.
Let us look at Deuteronomy 8:1-2:
All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which JEHOVAH sware unto your fathers. And thou shalt remember all the way which JEHOVAH thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, *and* to prove thee, to know what *was* in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
Let us turn one more time to Hebrews 3:7-12:
Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in *their* heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
We know that when someone departs from the living God, they are departing from the Truth. In closing, I encourage everyone to be diligent and to continue in prayer that we might continue to walk in Truth.
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