How a king handed over his spiritual stronghold to the enemy

2Chronicles 28 Ahaz Rules in Judah

1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. He did not do what was pleasing in the sight of the Lord, as his ancestor David had done. 2 Instead, he followed the example of the kings of Israel. He cast metal images for the worship of Baal. 3 He offered sacrifices in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, even sacrificing his own sons in the fire.[a] In this way, he followed the detestable practices of the pagan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites. 4 He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the pagan shrines and on the hills and under every green tree.

5 Because of all this, the Lord his God allowed the king of Aram to defeat Ahaz and to exile large numbers of his people to Damascus. The armies of the king of Israel also defeated Ahaz and inflicted many casualties on his army. 6 In a single day Pekah son of Remaliah, Israel’s king, killed 120,000 of Judah’s troops, all of them experienced warriors, because they had abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 7 Then Zicri, a warrior from Ephraim, killed Maaseiah, the king’s son; Azrikam, the king’s palace commander; and Elkanah, the king’s second-in-command. 8 The armies of Israel captured 200,000 women and children from Judah and seized tremendous amounts of plunder, which they took back to Samaria.

Ahaz Closes the Temple 16 At that time King Ahaz of Judah asked the king of Assyria for help. 17 The armies of Edom had again invaded Judah and taken captives. 18 And the Philistines had raided towns located in the foothills of Judah[c] and in the Negev of Judah. They had already captured and occupied Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages. 19 The Lord was humbling Judah because of King Ahaz of Judah,[d] for he had encouraged his people to sin and had been utterly unfaithful to the Lord.

20 So when King Tiglath-pileser[e] of Assyria arrived, he attacked Ahaz instead of helping him. 21 Ahaz took valuable items from the Lord’s Temple, the royal palace, and from the homes of his officials and gave them to the king of Assyria as tribute. But this did not help him.

22 Even during this time of trouble, King Ahaz continued to reject the Lord. 23 He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus who had defeated him, for he said, “Since these gods helped the kings of Aram, they will help me, too, if I sacrifice to them.” But instead, they led to his ruin and the ruin of all Judah.

24 The king took the various articles from the Temple of God and broke them into pieces. He shut the doors of the Lord’s Temple so that no one could worship there, and he set up altars to pagan gods in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 He made pagan shrines in all the towns of Judah for offering sacrifices to other gods. In this way, he aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of his ancestors.

26 The rest of the events of Ahaz’s reign and everything he did, from beginning to end, are recorded in The Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27 When Ahaz died, he was buried in Jerusalem but not in the royal cemetery of the kings of Judah. Then his son Hezekiah became the next king.

Footnotes:
1.2 Chronicles 28:3 Or even making his sons pass through the fire.
2.2 Chronicles 28:12 Hebrew Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel.
3.2 Chronicles 28:18 Hebrew the Shephelah.
4.2 Chronicles 28:19 Hebrew of Israel; also in 28:23, 27. The author of Chronicles sees Judah as representative of the true Israel. See also some Hebrew manuscripts, Greek and Syriac versions, and Latin Vulgate.
5.2 Chronicles 28:20 Hebrew Tilgath-pilneser, a variant spelling of Tiglath-pileser.

End Times Church Countdown: A message to the king

The watchman received a further message today for that nation. This is a message for the king (the royal family). Note: the king was standing “at the end of the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed.” (Are these signs of repentance? O watchman, please do not give up interceding for your king, the strongman for your nation, to repent and renounce the foreign idols!)

Isaiah 7 A Message for Ahaz

1 When Ahaz, son of Jotham and grandson of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria[a] and Pekah son of Remaliah, the king of Israel, set out to attack Jerusalem. However, they were unable to carry out their plan. 2 The news had come to the royal court of Judah: “Syria is allied with Israel[b] against us!” So the hearts of the king and his people trembled with fear, like trees shaking in a storm.

3 Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Take your son Shear-jashub[c] and go out to meet King Ahaz. You will find him at the end of the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed.[d] 4 Tell him to stop worrying. Tell him he doesn’need to fear the fierce anger of those two burned-out embers, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah. 5 Yes, the kings of Syria and Israel are plotting against him, saying, 6 ‘We will attack Judah and capture it for ourselves. Then we will install the son of Tabeel as Judah’s king.’

7 But this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “This invasion will never happen; it will never take place; 8 for Syria is no stronger than its capital, Damascus, and Damascus is no stronger than its king, Rezin. As for Israel, within sixty-five years it will be crushed and completely destroyed. 9 Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria, and Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah.

Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm.”

The Sign of Immanuel 10 Later, the Lord sent this message to King Ahaz: 11 “Ask the Lord your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.[e]” 12 But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I will not test the Lord like that.”

13 Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well? 14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin[f] will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). 15 By the time this child is old enough to choose what is right and reject what is wrong, he will be eating yogurt[g] and honey. 16 For before the child is that old, the lands of the two kings you fear so much will both be deserted.

17 “Then the Lord will bring things on you, your nation, and your family unlike anything since Israel broke away from Judah. He will bring the king of Assyria upon you!”

18 In that day the Lord will whistle for the army of southern Egypt and for the army of Assyria. They will swarm around you like flies and bees. 19 They will come in vast hordes and settle in the fertile areas and also in the desolate valleys, caves, and thorny places.

20 In that day the Lord will hire a “razor” from beyond the Euphrates River[h]—the king of Assyria—and use it to shave off everything: your land, your crops, and your people.[i]

21 In that day a farmer will be fortunate to have a cow and two sheep or goats left. 22 Nevertheless, there will be enough milk for everyone because so few people will be left in the land. They will eat their fill of yogurt and honey.

23 In that day the lush vineyards, now worth 1,000 pieces of silver,[j] will become patches of briers and thorns. 24 The entire land will become a vast expanse of briers and thorns, a hunting ground overrun by wildlife. 25 No one will go to the fertile hillsides where the gardens once grew, for briers and thorns will cover them. Cattle, sheep, and goats will graze there.”

End Times Church Countdown: I will love them no more

A derelict church in a nation (once great empire). The watchman found many more such photos. He was led to read the following passage for that nation on this second day. But then there is still hope, despite the above abandoned church which used to call Hope Church!
The hope comes from praying and proclaiming Ezekiel 37:1-10 (Vision at the Valley of Dry Bones) to the churches of that nation.

Hosea 9 “Hosea Announces Israel’s Punishment”

1 O people of Israel,


do not rejoice as other nations do.

For you have been unfaithful to your God,

hiring yourselves out like prostitutes,

worshiping other gods on every threshing floor.

2 So now your harvests will be too small to feed you.

There will be no grapes for making new wine.

3 You may no longer stay here in the Lord’s land.

Instead, you will return to Egypt,

and in Assyria you will eat food

that is ceremonially unclean.

4 There you will make no offerings of wine to the Lord.

None of your sacrifices there will please him.

They will be unclean, like food touched by a person in mourning.

All who present such sacrifices will be defiled.

They may eat this food themselves,

but they may not offer it to the Lord.

5 What then will you do on festival days?

How will you observe the Lord’s festivals?

6 Even if you escape destruction from Assyria,

Egypt will conquer you, and Memphis[a] will bury you.

Nettles will take over your treasures of silver;

thistles will invade your ruined homes.

7 The time of Israel’s punishment has come;

the day of payment is here.

Soon Israel will know this all too well.

Because of your great sin and hostility,

you say, “The prophets are crazy

and the inspired men are fools!”

8 The prophet is a watchman over Israel[b] for my God,

yet traps are laid for him wherever he goes.

He faces hostility even in the house of God.

9 The things my people do are as depraved

as what they did in Gibeah long ago.

God will not forget.

He will surely punish them for their sins.

10 The Lord says, “O Israel, when I first found you,

it was like finding fresh grapes in the desert.

When I saw your ancestors,

it was like seeing the first ripe figs of the season.

But then they deserted me for Baal-peor,

giving themselves to that shameful idol.

Soon they became vile,

as vile as the god they worshiped.

11 The glory of Israel will fly away like a bird,

for your children will not be born

or grow in the womb

or even be conceived.

12 Even if you do have children who grow up,

I will take them from you.

It will be a terrible day when I turn away

and leave you alone.

13 I have watched Israel become as beautiful as Tyre.

But now Israel will bring out her children for slaughter.”

14 O Lord, what should I request for your people?

I will ask for wombs that don’t give birth

and breasts that give no milk.

15 The Lord says, “All their wickedness began at Gilgal;

there I began to hate them.

I will drive them from my land

because of their evil actions.

I will love them no more

because all their leaders are rebels.

16 The people of Israel are struck down.

Their roots are dried up,

and they will bear no more fruit.

And if they give birth,

I will slaughter their beloved children.”

17 My God will reject the people of Israel

because they will not listen or obey.

They will be wanderers,

homeless among the nations.

Footnotes:

a.Hosea 9:6 Memphis was the capital of northern Egypt.

b.Hosea 9:8 Hebrew Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel; also in 9:11, 13, 16.

Note: The “children” refers to spiritual children. Many churches do not have any more viable spiritual ‘children’ and they simply die off as a church.

End Times Church countdown: war, famine, wild animals, and disease

The message today is not pleasant. When the watchman started to pray for his siblings and their descendants, he was told in the spirit to pray for a nation first. He was led to pray for that nation. None of his family members is in there currently but their spiritual ‘roots’ are from that national church. Then he was asked to read this message below to that nation. When he read the verses he realized that many of the prophecies have already taken place in that nation! It is now the most secular nation in Europe and the once so great empire had crumbled to dust.

The worst fear of the people who riginally dwelled there had come to pass, i.e. aliens from the most terrible nations had conquered them in the spiritual realm and this conquest is being manifested in the physical realm (population growth, religious and social dominance, rising political power, cultural and community encroachment). The demographic trend is irreversible. There is nothing the current political leaders can do. The national leaders had abandoned God long ago and their unbelief had hardened their hearts far too long. How to pray for such a state?

However, God has given one solution: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent and turn away from your idols, and stop all your detestable sins.”



Ezekiel 14 (New Living Translation)

The Idolatry of Israel’s Leaders

1 Then some of the leaders of Israel visited me, and while they were sitting with me, 2 this message came to me from the Lord: 3 “Son of man, these leaders have set up idols[a] in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests? 4 Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Israel have set up idols in their hearts and fallen into sin, and then they go to a prophet asking for a message. So I, the Lord, will give them the kind of answer their great idolatry deserves. 5 I will do this to capture the minds and hearts of all my people who have turned from me to worship their detestable idols.’

6 “Therefore, tell the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent and turn away from your idols, and stop all your detestable sins. 7 I, the Lord, will answer all those, both Israelites and foreigners, who reject me and set up idols in their hearts and so fall into sin, and who then come to a prophet asking for my advice. 8 I will turn against such people and make a terrible example of them, eliminating them from among my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

9 “‘And if a prophet is deceived into giving a message, it is because I, the Lord, have deceived that prophet. I will lift my fist against such prophets and cut them off from the community of Israel. 10 False prophets and those who seek their guidance will all be punished for their sins. 11 In this way, the people of Israel will learn not to stray from me, polluting themselves with sin. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!’”

The Certainty of the Lord’s Judgment

12 Then this message came to me from the Lord: 13 “Son of man, suppose the people of a country were to sin against me, and I lifted my fist to crush them, cutting off their food supply and sending a famine to destroy both people and animals. 14 Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, their righteousness would save no one but themselves, says the Sovereign Lord. 15 “Or suppose I were to send wild animals to invade the country, kill the people, and make the land too desolate and dangerous to pass through. 16 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, even if those three men were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be made desolate.

17 “Or suppose I were to bring war against the land, and I sent enemy armies to destroy both people and animals. 18 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, even if those three men were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.

19 “Or suppose I were to pour out my fury by sending an epidemic into the land, and the disease killed people and animals alike. 20 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, they wouldn’t be able to save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved by their righteousness. 21 “Now this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How terrible it will be when all four of these dreadful punishments fall upon Jerusalem—war, famine, wild animals, and disease—destroying all her people and animals. 22 Yet there will be survivors, and they will come here to join you as exiles in Babylon. You will see with your own eyes how wicked they are, and then you will feel better about what I have done to Jerusalem. 23 When you meet them and see their behavior, you will understand that these things are not being done to Israel without cause. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

Footnotes:

1.Ezekiel 14:3 The Hebrew term (literally round things) probably alludes to dung; also in 14:4, 5, 6, 7.

O watchman of that nation, take heed!

End times church Countdown: Christmas prophecy for country and a present for your family

The watchman wrote a blog last Christmas all about dreams and visions he had for his family. This year he wondered what he would encounter in his spirit. So he waited.

____________PROPHECY ONE: a stern warning to nation




On this eve of Christmas he rose as usual and started interceding for another matters. He asked about the prophecy of another senior intercessor and whether his country will be spared just as she has prophecied. He was shown in his spirit the name of one Book, “Nahum“. He was not sure where that Book was located, but when he opened the Bible, the Bible opened on the page, Nahum, Chapter one. so he read the whole Book. It was a judgment on Nineveh, a very successful and well developed capital city at that time.

The conclusion of this Book for his country is frightening: Nahum chapter 3 ”15 But the fire will devour you; the sword will cut you down.
The enemy will consume you like locusts,
devouring everything they see.
There will be no escape,
even if you multiply like swarming locusts.

16 Your merchants have multiplied until they outnumber the stars. But like a swarm of locusts, they strip the land and fly away.

17 Your guards[d] and officials are also like swarming locusts that crowd together in the hedges on a cold day. But like locusts that fly away when the sun comes up, all of them will fly away and disappear. 18 Your shepherds are asleep, O Assyrian king; your princes lie dead in the dust.

Your people are scattered across the mountains with no one to gather them together. 19 There is no healing for your wound; your injury is fatal. All who hear of your destruction will clap their hands for joy. Where can anyone be found who has not suffered from your continual cruelty?”

War defeat, economic failure, political/governmental corruptions/strives and downfalls, religious slumbering, sufferings and oppressions etc. are exactly what happens today. Indeed, the enemy in the spiritual realm consumes like locusts. The country is rich in resources and well developed, and yet, as described in Chapter 2:8-10 ”Nineveh is like a leaking water reservoir! The people are slipping away.

“Stop, stop!” someone shouts, but no one even looks back.
9 Loot the silver! Plunder the gold! There’s no end to Nineveh’s treasures—its vast, uncounted wealth.
10 Soon the city is plundered, empty, and ruined. Hearts melt and knees shake. The people stand aghast, their faces pale and trembling.”


_______________PROPHECY TWO: a Christmas present for family

Enough of gloom. On the eve of Christmas after interceding for his country, he asked the Lord what the future of his own family be like. He was told to read one Book in the Bible particularly one particular chapter. This was the third time he was told that their future will be there. In fact he has forgotten all about this Book and the chapter he was asked to read the last time he asked the Lord on the same topic.

By now the watchman knows how the Holy Spirit talks to him. In fact he has been receiving messages this way. When he asked the Lord, he will receive answer instantly through the Word. Sometimes he forgot that he has asked before and he asked the same topic again and received exactly the same answer!

He does not celebrate the season and give physical gifts anymore. The harsh and sudden wintry cold he has seen in his earlier visions has indeed arrived all over the world! Even in the hottest zone the temperature dropped to below freezing point! Is there anywhere safe in this world to run to and hide? The Lord has answered that question for his family!
He will not reveal the place in this blog but he will let his family know. Are they special people? Not more special than any believing followers of the Lord Jesus Christ!

However, the watchman shares the clue as follows. He prays that all who are led by the Holy Spirit will know the answer.

CLUE TO END TIMES SURVIVAL FOR YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES:


BE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. PRACTICE LIVING SUPERNATURALLY, JUST AS THE SAVIOR JESUS HAS DONE WHEN HE WAS ON EARTH.


How to do that? You need to read and believe every word in the Bible for a start! What other better way to herald in the New Year than to gather your whole family to exercising your faith, fast and pray and read through the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation? As you seek the Lord you will find. God is pleased with faith. (Heb.11:1-3, 6)

End Times Church Survival Kits: five more prayer weapons!

During the week, the watchman has received daily revelation of verses that showed him many different prayer weapons. They turned out to be the end times survival kits as well!


He has briefly discussed the first three prayer weapons in a previous blog. Here he would list five further weapons. However, readers need the Holy Spirit to decode, understand and know how to use them. Only the spiritually discerned will understand matters (mysteries) pertaining to the Spirit. (“We speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truth.” “Only those who are spiritual understand what the Spirit means.” 1Cor.2:13-14)

The Fourth Weapon: “Set your sight on the realities of heaven” “Think of the things of heaven.” The verses are from Colossians 3:1-2 and the rest of the chapter.

The Fifth Weapon: All Scripture makes us realize what is wrong, corrects us when we are wrong; teaches us what is true, teaches us to do what is right. (2 Tim.3:16)

The Sixth Weapon: The Wall of Fire. Zechariah 2:5 “Then I, myself, will be a protective wall of fire around Jerusalem, says the Lord. And I will be the glory inside the city!” Exodus 14;24 “But just before dawn the Lord looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw their forces into total confusion.”

The Seventh Weapon: The Power of the name of God (pray in the name of Jesus). John 17:11 “Holy Father, You have given Me Your name. Now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.” 15 “Keep them safe from the evil one.” Read the whole chapter.

The Eight Weapon: “Command” and “Boundary“. read Jobs 38-41.

O church watchman, be spiritual! There is no option. The Holy Spirit is the only key to survival in end times.

End Times Church Survival Kits: 3 Prayer Weapons

The watchman asked the Holy Spirit to reveal the end times prayer weapons for his class for a whole week so that by the end of the week he will have at least seven weapons to share and practice with them.


The first morning he received Phil4:4-9

“ 4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”

Number One Weapon: The God of Peace be with you!

On the second morning, the watchman received Galatians 3-5, in particular 5:16-26

Living by the Spirit’s Power

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. “

Weapon Number Two: Living by the Spirit’s Power!

In addition, on the second day, the watchman received a bonus in Number 10:1-10 especially 10:9-10 “ When you arrive in your own land and go to war against your enemies who attack you, sound the alarm with the trumpets. Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies. Blow the trumpets in times of gladness, too, sounding them at your annual festivals and at the beginning of each month. And blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and peace offerings. The trumpets will remind the Lord your God of his covenant with you. I am the Lord your God.”

Weapon Number three: Blow the trumpets

“Ancient Israel understood that trumpets were used as a way of announcing special, very important messages. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ reveals that before His return to the earth, there will be the blowing of seven trumpets, announcing progressive stages of the downfall and overthrow of this world’s kingdoms, ending with the return of Christ to take possession of the earth. Christ’s return is announced by the seventh and final trumpet (Revelation 8:2; 11:15). This day also pictures the time when faithful Christians will be resurrected to eternal life at the time of the seventh trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16) to reign with Jesus Christ for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6).” (Quoted from other sources)

So Christians watchmen are to keep their focus on the Lord Jesus’ imminent return to earth and intercede accordingly, proclaiming the most urgent and important message for all men at all times, with eternity in mind and in spirit!