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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – NOVEMBER 14

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The Time of Jacob’s Trouble,

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Part 5:

“Ye Shall Loathe Yourselves!”

To read Part 1, click here…July 13th (Jacob’s Trouble, Part 1: Alone With God)

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“And they that escape of you shall remember me

among the nations whither they shall be carried captives,

because I am broken with their whorish heart,

which hath departed from Me,

and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols:

and they shall loathe themselves for the evils

which they have committed in all their abominations.

And they shall know that I am the LORD,

and that I have not said in vain

that I would do this evil unto them.”

Ezekiel 6:9, 10

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ABOVE PICTURE: Prayer – Wherefore He is able to save to the uttermost…” Hebrews 7:25

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This above passage from Ezekiel 6:9, 10, speaks of God’s people returning from their 70-year captivity in the land of Babylon, during the days of the Old Testament prophets.

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But though this prophecy was written by the Old Testament prophet, Ezekiel, it is nonetheless applicable to both Jew and Gentile Christians!

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Oh yes, it was apparently written for the Old Testament Jews, in the day that they returned from their Babylonian captivity.

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But it was actually written more for Christians today, both Jew and Gentile, who are now being called out of Babylon (the world, and its world-loving churches), “The Mother of Harlots”, spoken of in Revelation 17 & 18…

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James Tissot – The Flight of the Prisoners – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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MYSTERY BABYLON, MOTHER OF HARLOTS

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Listen to Revelation 18:1-4…

“And after these things I saw another angel

come down from heaven, having great power;

and the earth was lightened with his glory.

And he cried mightily with a strong voice,

saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen…

For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,

and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her,

and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich

through the abundance of her delicacies. 

And I heard another voice from Heaven,

saying, Come out of her, My people,

that ye be not partakers of her sins,

and that ye receive not of her plagues.”

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Notice that this above message concerns the whole world! This Babylon is not just some isolated city somewhere in the Middle East. This can only be speaking of the apostate churches which have been named Mystery Babylon, in so many places in the Bible! It is the great harlot which “sits on many waters” (Revelation 17:1)! This above engraving from 400 years ago shows that the Church back in those days understood just who Babylon was and is.

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Whore – Babylon – Burgkmair – 1523 AD – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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ENTIRE BIBLE RELEVANT!

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Yes, the Bible makes clear that Babylon is still alive and well.

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Listen to this explanation of how we are to understand the Old Testament… “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.” 1st Corinthians 10:11

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The entire Old Testament was written for the Church…“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2nd Timothy 3:16, 17

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Here is proof-positive that God has written the Old Testament for the perfection of His people. Both the New and Old Testaments are equally beneficial for doctrine, confirmation, correction, and instruction in righteousness!

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And even though the vast majority of the Christian world cannot see nor appreciate these gems of truth found in the Old Testament, nevertheless, those who have been given eyes to see, and ears to hear, tremble before such counsels as these!

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However pressing his duties STM2-c James Lee Frazer always finds time to read a few chapters from his Bible each day. I – NARA – 520675 – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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BRINGING US BACK FROM CAPTIVITY

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But what does it mean when it says in today’s signature Bible passage, “And they that escape of you…shall loathe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.”? Ezekiel 6:9, 10

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Well, this is speaking of the day when God finally calls His people out of Babylon, the world-loving apostate churches. In that day, God will open our eyes, and we will realize that we were indeed captives of Satan, freely eating “swine-husks” from the world’s feeding-troughs and drinking from its “broken cisterns” (Luke 15:16 & Jeremiah 2:13).

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And when we think back on our rebellious ways, and our seemingly countless abominations committed in our apostasy, we will loathe ourselves, in the sight of a holy God!

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Vincent van Gogh – Old Man in Sorrow (On the Threshold of Eternity) – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

Weeping Woman – Van Gogh – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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JOB ABHORRED HIMSELF!

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Listen to Job, as he finally came to his senses…“I have heard of Thee (God) by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth Thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes!” Job 42:5, 6

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Yes, Job finally realized that he had rebelled against God, and spoke foolishly in his pride and self-righteousness. But now, God was manifesting Himself to Job. And such a revelation of the righteousness of the Almighty, made Job painfully aware of his own inward unworthiness and filthiness, causing Job to cry out…“Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes!”

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Job (oil on canvas) by Bonnat, Leon Joseph Florentin (1833-1922) – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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COMING OUT OF THE “CITY OF CONFUSION”

Isaiah 24:10

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Well, the Church, whether we know it or not, has been taken captive in spiritual Babylon, “the city of confusion”. Isaiah 24:10

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The Church has been scattered here and there, within various false gospels and apostate churches, while still trying to find happiness out there in the selfish world!

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And finally, after years of our captivity, the Lord is mercifully calling His lost sheep back into the fold of God!

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ABOVE PICTURE: Dream Maker of Babylon – Signs Of Heaven.org

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LOST IN SPIRITUALLY DARKNESS

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Yes, we were given the spirit of deep slumber, and began to eat and drink with the other hypocrites. We walked in darkness and knew not at what we stumbled (Proverbs 4:19)!

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We did stupid things. We verbally beat our fellow servants, by pointing our judgmental finger at their sin, not discerning our own sin! We spoke foolish words! We laughed and joked with the world (Ephesians 5:2)! We sought after the wine of Babylon, and were as spiritual drunkards in the world, and in the worldly churches (Revelation 14:8, etc…).

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And as a result of our spiritual inebriation, we enthusiastically pursued the cares and pleasures of the world, “as in a day of slaughter!” (James 5:5)

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And God silently watched us, allowing our foolishness to come into its fullness!

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PS Krøyer – Hip hip hurra! Kunstnerfest på Skagen – 1888 – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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REMEMBERING OUR PAST FOOLISHNESSES

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But in His great mercy, He has not cast us off, eternally! No, but He has rewarded us double in the cup of His indignation!

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Yes, God has made us (and all nations) to drink of His, “cup of fury!” Jeremiah 25:15

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And now, like old Job, we abhor ourselves, for all our past foolish ways. And like Job, we are wanting to repent in dust and ashes! Forever have we been humbled!

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And like Peter, we have denied our Lord, and now weep bitterly, just as did Peter “wept bitterly”! (Luke 22:62)

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Tissot – The Sorrow of Peter – Joyful Heart.com

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GOOD SHEPHERD BRINGS US BACK!

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But now, Jesus is calling us back, even as a good shepherd seeks out his lost sheep “where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.” Ezekiel 34:12

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And though we have been brought back to our senses, we nevertheless vividly recall our past foolishness, when still held as captives in Babylon. But we beg for the promise found in 2nd Timothy…“if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” 2nd Timothy 2:25, 26

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Oh, how we desire such grace, spoken of here in 2nd Timothy: a grace that will fully release us from our captivity, and restore us back into God’s sheep-fold!

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Brooklyn Museum – The Good Shepherd – James Tissot – Wikpedia – US Public Domain

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THE GOOD NEWS!

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Yes, so many of God’s people are now being held captive by Satan, and are badly in need of God’s mercy, to give them the Spirit of repentance, that they may recover themselves out of Satan’s prison-house of sin and selfishness!

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Well, the very Good News is, that this is still the day of Salvation! And if you or I have been given ears to hear, we can still turn away from our foolish ways, and return to the Lord…

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USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public-Domain

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PLEADING FOR COMPLETE RESTORATION

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Listen…“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God….Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.” James 4:4, 8-10

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Here is the prescription for spiritual health and restoration: a complete and thorough humbling before the Lord, and a pleading for restoration!

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And though our sins have been grievous in the sight of a sin-hating God, and though, “your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18

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David’s sorrow – Wikigallery – Public Domain

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TO READ PART 6, GO HERE…

April 20 (Jacob’s Trouble, Part 6: “Let The Old Man Live!?”)

Pilgrim’s Progress – 09, p29 – Obstinate – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Help me to awaken to this frightful situation! Help me to cry out daily! Chasten me Lord, that I may be cleansed of my Laodicean apathy…

Praying Hands – Otto Greiner – Wikimedia – .bassenge.com – Cropped image – Public Domain

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READ MORE…

To explore deeper into this subject, please read…January 1st  (Good Shepherd Finds Us)”), or you can also read… January 10th (Why Doesn’t My Christianity Work?)

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

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ORION, THE GOOD SHEPHERD

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This star-chart from Wikipedia, has Orion sketched in by the editor of this website. With the addition of a single star, Theta Geminorum (the left hand of the Castor twin of Gemini), the sickle in Orion, the Reaper’s hand (sketch to left), now extends the blade, thus transforming that sickle into the hook of a shepherd’s rod and staff. And so now this little Gemini star becomes the tip of Orion’s Shepherd’s rod & staff. Thus with this additional star, Orion the Reaper Constellation now becomes the 5th personality of Orion: The Good Shepherd (sketch below right). Theta Geminorum is a class A3, 4th magnitude star, which means it is much fainter than either of the stars, Castor or Pollux. But faint as This little star may be, it nevertheless presents a giant concept, turning Orion’s sickle into a shepherd’s rod. And this is a very wonderful and beautiful Bible truth: namely, that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, as is written…

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“As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out My sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.” Ezekiel 34:12 

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And so God has placed this Starry Shepherd in the winter-night heavens to remind us of His great love for a planet which has wandered away: just like sheep that wandered to where the grass looked greener.

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ABOVE WIKIPEDIA STAR-CHART: Orion the reaper – Wikipedia star-chart (with the Reaper drawn over by this website)

ABOVE WIKIPEDIA STAR-CHART – winter – Orion the Good Shepherd (Orion Constellation and rod made of Gemini stars – with the Shepherd drawn over by this website) – www.signsofheaven.org

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READ MORE…

Orion, The Good Shepherd

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TOMORROW:

NOVEMBER 15 (Watchman On Zion’s Walls, Part 2: When the World ‘Moves Itself Aright!’)

Alcohol bottles – photographed while drunk by Kotivalo for Wikimedia – cropped image – Share-alike License 3.0

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END OF THE CHURCH AGE STUDIES ON AUDIO

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THE READER IS INVITED AND ENCOURAGED TO LISTEN TO THE FOLLOWING AUDIO BIBLE STUDY BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING.

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THIS STUDY IS PART 11, CONCERNING “THE END OF THE CHURCH AGE”

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click here to listen…Harold Camping The End of the Church Age #11 – YouTube

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Click on image credit links below each photo, for licensing names, details, and tags, etc.. Most Images cropped & reduced in size.