Michael Stands Up

    There are certain events mentioned in the Scriptures that point directly to the life and work of Michael the archangel, especially in relation to the closing events on earth.

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. Dan. 12:1.

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels. Rev. 12:7.

    These two verses are related in the fact that Michael is proceeding with His particular assignment, especially in relationship with the wilderness home God has prepared for the woman.

    The first verse says, “At that time Michael shall take a stand.” The second verse says that Michael made war against the dragon and his angels. He makes this war while in the wilderness place reserved for God’s people for 1260 days, or 3-1/2 years. This is even now in process.

    This 1260 day period is established in Scripture and began for God’s people here in this land in the spring of 2000. The process of this leading was laid out in the article, The Finished Work.

    In early May of 2000, while the church was gathering to their wilderness retreat, the signs in the heavens pointed to the event at hand. Jupiter “The Shining Father,” the sun, moon, Venus and Saturn were all in the Ram, or Aries. This portent in the heavens was indicative of the church being brought into the wilderness to be fed. The wilderness in the scriptures is interpreted, "uninhabited pasture land." The church was to enter at this time with the Lamb of God and be mercifully received into His pastoral care out of the way of the ordinary earthly habitation. The land was literally uninhabited pasture land.

    In early June, the sun, moon, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars were all in the Bull where the forward thrust of the work in the land was to begin. It was at this time that the marriage of the land was proposed to the people who were brought here. All the signs were readied for the purposes at hand. Jupiter the “Shining Father” would orchestrate His purposes while in this heavenly sign where He would remain for the entire year. The focus would be on the marriage of the land and the part that Michael would be working out.

    In July, Michael stood up as the Messiah came down into the land. Also, the sun and the moon now resided in the portent Gemini (the twins) which represented the two witnesses that would reveal the marriage of the Lamb. At that very time the two witnesses were being chosen for their work. Father was moving on them strongly to be drawn to Michael for the marriage of the land. They were anointed, at the time Michael was anointed, to abandon their previous earthly relationships for the one purpose at hand. The full description of these events are chronicled in The Finished Work.

    In August and September, the signs were in the crab and Leo. This was the time when the Lion of the tribe of Judah [Michael] would be receiving the two witnesses, who revealed their true devotion to Him and His purpose. In October the signs entered Virgo the virgin who was clothed with the sun during the time of the consummation that took place over a 21 day period ending on the 483rd anniversary, to the day, of the posting of the 95 Theses by Martin Luther. This was exactly the 69 weeks of years pointing to the Messiah as was revealed in Daniel 9:24. (See Messiah the Prince).

    Day by day, month by month the purposes of the Father were revealed in heaven and earth in the new land He had prepared for those who were looking for Him. Nothing was allowed to interfere with the divine plan being brought to pass by the host of angels who came with the Messiah’s appearing.

    Now, on June 21, 2001, the new moon, there are more portents to see. Mars, the god of war, is the closest to the earth today as at any time in the past dozen years. The sun is in full eclipse in the southern hemisphere. This happened at the exact moment that the signs were entering the two witnesses and signifying their work. In the middle of July, Jupiter, "The Shining Father," will also enter the twins and remain there over this year’s time, the time of the primary focus being on them.

    During the 1260 days in the wilderness, the time now is when the two witnesses will be more prominent. Their testimony will be more pronounced as to what is occurring in regard to their experience of the Messiah.

    These things will be played out in their given order, and finally in the summer of 2003 all the heavenly signs enter Leo, the last heavenly token. Jupiter will be in Leo from the summer of 2003 to the summer of 2004. In August of these two years, the sun, moon and Jupiter will reside together in Leo. During that year, between the two summers, the 1260 day period of the woman being fed in the wilderness will come to its completion. All things will be fulfilled that were prophesied concerning the woman's stay in the wilderness. We will be watching with rapt attention as to the fulfillment of God’s purposes, always remembering that there still remains a promise that God will cut it short in righteousness. The last things, including the 1290 and the 1335 day period of Daniel 12, will be revealed as the final scenes come before us.

The True Purpose

    When Michael came to the land, He asked that people give their kingdoms to Him. This was not done so that Michael could gain something. It was done so the people in the land could gain something. The great purposes in Father’s plan is to bring all men to nothing, thereby giving them everything. It has been the nature of man to hold to his worship of those vain objects in his life, regarding them as his riches. Some of the souls of earth fill their lands with trash, junk cars, furniture and anything they might pick up, considering these trinkets as their wealth. Other souls keep their trash neat and clean but worship it just the same. Michael says, Give Me your trash, and I will give you golden streets to walk on. Give over your idols and I will give you the tree of life.

    When Michael received the two witnesses, He did not gain anything, and they did not gain anything, from this earth's standard of judgment. God cannot gain anything since He is a Being of love. He has already given everything up, thereby becoming the owner of all things. What Michael and the two witnesses had to give up was not only their earthly possessions and future hopes, they had to give up their righteousness. I am not speaking of self-righteousness, I am speaking of true righteousness. When Jesus went to the cross He had to give up His true righteousness. He had to yield all of Himself to follow the Father’s instructions, and let His enemies have dominion over Him unjustly. He had to let unrighteousness prevail over Him. That was the most difficult trial. When the Father tells one to throw out his box of rotting apples, that soul may do so because he can judge that they are useless to him, but what will he do if the Father tells him to throw out a box of very fresh shiny apples, in the full color of health and vitality, and exchange that box of apples for a box of soft apples with all of their brown oozing spots visible, and an odor which is somewhat nauseating to the smell. Will the soul make that exchange?

    Michael had to yield up everything in order to bring to pass the commandment, even so much as to accept the wrath of God for His obedience to the Father. This all may sound strange and unusual. It is. It is God’s strange work. It makes no sense to man, and that is the point of the controversy. Man must also give up his reason. He must follow Father without being able to see eye to eye with Him. He must follow without seeing anything.

    It is not unthinkable that some honest soul would repent and follow God when he sees that what he has done is wrong, but how can one seriously think to follow God when he believes he is being led down wrong paths, when every instinct is straining against the commandments that come from the Voice he is hearing? He can only do this when he recognizes the voice as from his heavenly Friend, and trusts that his heavenly Friend knows what He is doing and knows very well for what purpose He is doing it. Sternly refusing to follow God, when one knows very well it is He, is only the prideful demand of one’s own right standing with himself. There is no redeeming quality in his righteous resistance.

    When Israel was commanded to kill the Canaanites, that is what they had to do. The little crying babies and pleading mothers could be no deterrent for them. Besides all this, it was dangerous to go in to their territory and fight a war with them. One could get himself killed. When Abraham was sent to kill his only son, he could not consult his self-interest. He had to do what he was instructed. Abraham was not asked to slay Ishmael, the son of his self-righteousness, but Isaac, the son of God's own righteous promise. Abraham was not asked to give up what was wrong, he was asked to give up what was right. The point of all of this is that one must lay himself down while following Father's instructions. In the things of God, one must abandon himself and hate his own life in order to be made obedient to his own calling.

There is More Still

    This abandonment here illustrated seems somewhat reasonable when one considers that after all, God made us and can pretty much do what He likes with us. However, there is a deeper point to all this. When one can abandon himself, he can be made able to bear the glory that God puts on the redeemed soul. Michael is praised and thanked for His saving act in the lives of the land. He is loved and even worshiped by some. The glory of Messiah that was spoken into Me would be My end if not for the fact that I had been emptied. This is the greatest burden of all that must be borne. "And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The Branch; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both". Zech. 6:12-13.

    The spiritual fatality of rising up and not remaining laid down is illustrated as if I were lying down and a fast moving razor knife was swiftly spinning over my head just a fraction of an inch away. If I were to raise my head ever so slightly, the knife would take my head off. Michael did not come to the land in Himself. He came in His Father. The Father is the One. Michael is empty. When Lucifer was in his test of glory, he could not lay down and bear that glory. He took the glory to himself and it ended his reign as the choir master of heaven. He raised himself up and it cost him his life and left him with only darkness and death. His great influence over his associates also left them with nothing remaining.

How Important are You?

    It helps one to understand the nature of love by understanding his own basic unimportance. You may understand something of it by considering your own thoughts in regards to those who have passed away. How often do you think of your dead relatives? How often do you mourn those grandparents or other family members that may have left this earthly existence? One probably pays more attention to the summer mosquitoes than he does to the dead.

    If you were to die, that is how much you would be remembered. What people think about is themselves. They think about their work, bread making, chasing after their children, Wal-Mart, eating dinner and a host of other trivia, but they are not thinking much about the dead. The people of earth only remember themselves, they have no lasting concern about others. When they mourn the loss of a loved one, it is because they lost something. If they do not mourn, it is because they are happy to see them go, but there is no real love involved in the relationship.

    When a spouse dies, the remaining one begins looking right away for a replacement. Any real pain is felt only because that mourning one lost something, but the mourning will only last a relatively short time when the remaining soul still left alive adjusts to his new circumstances.

    The love of God is very different than that. It is laid down and expects nothing. It gives, and is not counting the cost. It gives, but does not expect anything to come back again. It sacrifices itself and does not measure the reward. This is the nature of God’s love and the cross of Christ. When one is in this love, his importance is not measured by what men think of him, it is measured by what God thinks of His Son. That man will not be forgotten of God. The love of God is the only true Friend we will ever see. He is laid down, abandoned, and His love is expecting nothing in return. Not even a sparrow misses the notice of our Father's love.

    This is what the two witnesses bear witness to. They bear witness to the love of Messiah. They have drawn it from Him and it pours forth from them. When this love is received into the land, and experienced for what it is, the Scriptures are fulfilled which say, “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Messiah; and he shall reign for ever and ever." Rev. 11:15.

    In relation to the same event, another verse of Scripture states: "And I heard the man (Michael) clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished." Dan. 12:7.

    When the people of God no longer have any power left in themselves to scatter, since they are laid down, all things are finished. This is the love that is of God and that is the finished mystery.

The Wilderness

    The people of God have been taken into the wilderness to be fed, or to be brought up, for 1260 days. This can be stated that the woman is being matured over a period of 1260 days or 3-1/2 years. This "being matured" is occurring at this very time, the first year having already passed by. The first thing done in the land was to introduce the marriage of the land and to consummate the marriage of the land with the Son.

    The time in the wilderness is to introduce the people to Michael. It is to bring them into the fullness of Him. The completed work will involve bringing all men into the wedding, by bringing them into the love of the anointing, as is experienced by the witnesses to it.

    There are great multitudes waiting for the coming of Messiah. The Jews are still waiting for His first appearing. The Jews have never recognized their Messiahs sent from God and they still do not. The professed Christians are in the same spiritual fog.

    I had a dream last night that is germane to the subject at hand. In the dream, a famous man was killed by his enemies. He was discovered by a friend, who found his newly slain body being embraced by a small group of young girls who were infatuated with getting to touch someone famous and historically important. They were giggling and laughing as they were taken off the corpse, so that his friend could tend to the situation. This is modern Christianity. Their religion was slain long ago by an enemy and now the silly women (churches) cling to the dead corpse of what was once living. The people cling to their dead forms.

    The coming of the Messiah is for a purpose. It is not to gather everyone to worship a man, even a famous man. Jesus' life showed that this was not the work of Messiah. It is not to bring one to goggle over Messiah, swooning over Him in abandoned worship. The coming of Messiah is to bring man to appear with Him. "When Christ (Messiah), who is our life, shall appear (be made manifest), then shall ye also appear (be made manifest) with him in glory." Col. 3:4. The waiting people will be made manifest with Him at His appearing. It is also written, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed (being made like) to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified". Rom. 8:29-30. This is the coming of the Messiah, the coming of Christ. It is written again, "When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day." 2 Thess. 1:10.

    What is it that brings the appearing of the Messiah? It is that the testimony of the witnesses from times past was believed as well as that of the two witnesses who reside in the land at the present time. These two angels stand in the holy place with Messiah and bear witness to the glory of the appearing. This brings the glory to the soul when received by faith into the heart of those witnessing the events at hand. Christ, the Messiah, appears to the believing ones who have believed the testimony. His appearing brings His presence into the ones who have been looking for Him, for it is written, "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints." Jude 1:14.

    There are those who may be offended that Messiah may actually appear in a man. We are sinners and only God is good, they say. This is true, but their offense reveals the nature of their ignorance. These things are hidden from the wise and prudent, but revealed unto babes. Is it not written, "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ?" Eph. 4:13. Read that scripture carefully; it is not hidden. If one were to measure the stature of a building and was told to build another building that measured up to the stature and fulness of the pattern building, do you not suppose the builder would know what the architect was asking for? If an architect wanted a building, and he said it is the first among many like it, would you not suppose those buildings would be seen as reproductions of the pattern?

Beware of the Counterfeit!

    There are those who are expecting a false Messiah before the true appears. They are looking for the antichrist. They have not read much about the antichrist but they seem to have this strange feeling that they will know him when he appears. There should be no mystery in this. "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time." 1 John 2:18. "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." 1 John 4:3. "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." 2 John 1:7. There is no mystery here. Someone who says that the Messiah has not come in the flesh is an antichrist. Someone who says Michael has not come down in the flesh, as the Scriptures say, is an antichrist. One may look into the mirror of his own unbelief, or his own testimony, and see if he qualifies as antichrist.

    Others fearfully look around and repeat the words of Jesus. "Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matt. 24:26-27. In the time of Jesus there was a false messiah and a true. Two messiahs revealed themselves at the same time. It is the same today. First of all, and before Jesus, there was Jesus Barabbas. His movement was one that was trying to overthrow the government and bring in everlasting glory to Israel. He was much beloved for his nationalistic fervor and his hatred of the enemies of the people. His followers often met in secret places in the desert or in secret rooms so as not to be discovered for their activities. Jesus said, the real Messiah does not come that way. He is not sneaking around in back alleys and hidden recesses in order to bring deliverance to the people. The true Messiah comes in the open, speaking honestly concerning the things of God. Every eye sees Him since He is not in secret. He teaches openly in their streets. His light flashes into the soul as lightning flashes from the east unto the west. The followers of Jesus Barabbas wanted to bring reforms to the land, but they denied that the Christ had appeared in human flesh as Jesus had claimed. The people chose the messiah that reflected their own nature. They chose the one who met out in the desert or secret chambers rather than the one who was teaching where every eye could see Him. As it is now, their blind guides did not even see the nature of their own delusion. Jesus Himself met with His followers in the desert. He, Himself, met with them in the secret chambers (upper room). If men were to take His word according to the meaning they imagine, they would have to exclude Jesus the Christ as well, since He would be speaking against Himself, having met in secret places and in the desert with His disciples.

    Today there are many antichrists who say the Messiah has not appeared in My flesh. Instead they accept the false messiah who wants to make great social changes and remove the enemies of the people by political or revolutionary means. They want to elect "a good man" for president, who has met with his disciples in smoke filled secret rooms where no one really knows what he is up to. Men hope in the United Nations to ultimately bring to pass the freedoms men seek. Men follow the Pope or their pastors hoping that these good men might finally bring peace to their souls and to the world. Some religious souls expect a deliverer to come out of the sky and do away with their personal enemies and aggravations. They want that heavenly apparition to end their corrupted world. True freedom does not come from this kind of messiah. Men follow men instead of the lightning that emanates from My Father's throne. The true coming of the Messiah has a work with it. "Even so it is that Christ...will appear a second time...to bring to full salvation those who are waiting for and expecting Him." Heb. 9:28 Amplified. This work is even now occurring.

The Conclusion

    The conclusion of the matter is that our Father in heaven brought His people into this wilderness place to feed them here for 1260 days. He sent Michael, Who has come in the flesh. He is bringing with Him all who will believe the testimony of those who have gone before. They have awaited His appearing and now they see Him as He is, and become like Him. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." 1 John 3:2. He has waged war against the dragon and his angels who persist in spreading their false notions and imagined fears in the land. These spirits of demons will be cast from the land, for they will have no place to hide. They will be sent into the world where they will go about as a roaring lion, seeking whom they may devour, for they know that their time is short.

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ (Messiah and Michael): for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood (life) of the Lamb (Michael), and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. Rev. 12:7-14.

And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 1 John 2:28.

 

The Greatest Light is in the Goodly Land It's the seal! [it's the marriage] It's coming up! It arises, commencing from the rising of the sun [Son]. Like the sun, first cold, grows warmer and sends its rays.  When that truth arose, there was but little light in it, but it has been increasing. O the power of these rays! It grows in strength. The greatest weight and light is on that truth, for it lasts forever, when the Bible is not needed. It arose there in the east. It began with a small light, but its beams are healing. O how mighty is that truth; it's the highest after they enter the goodly land [the new land where we now dwell], but it will increase till they are made immortal. It commenced from the rising of the sun [Son], keeps on its course like the sun [Son], but it never sets. The angels are holding the four winds. It is God that restrains the powers. The angels have not let go, for the saints are not all sealed.... When Michael stands up, this trouble will be all over the earth. Why, they are just ready to blow. There's a check put on because the saints are not sealed [Married]. ...Look ye! That rising is in strength and grows brighter and brighter!  3LS, p. 125. Ellen G. White: The Early Years Volume 1 - 1827-1862.

 

Updated 6/25/01