XXXVIII - 3 (05) Excerpt

“Watchman,

what of the night?”

"The hour has come, the hour is striking and striking at you,
the hour and the end!"            Eze. 7:6 (Moffatt)

The Battle of the Great
Day of God Almighty
It is Pending!

Wm. H. Grotheer

Editor's Preface

Recent events and the forces at work behind the events as indicated in prophetic Scripture indicate that the final phase of the great controversy between Christ and Satan has begun. The final battle is pending. It dare not be overlooked that the revelation given to John on Patmos clearly and unequivocally stated that the "frog" symbols coming out of the mouth of the "dragon, ... and the beast" ... and the "false prophet" ... "are the spirits of devils" (Rev. 16:13-14). These spirits of evil gather the rulers of earth into one great combine or ecumenical assembly for the final phase of the "war" (Greek) of the great day of God Almighty. It begins by the "false prophet" suggesting to those who "dwell on the (prophetic) earth" that they should make an "image to the beast" (Rev. 13:14).

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The Battle of the Great - - -

Day of God Almighty

It is Pending!

The book of Revelation designates three powers symbolically represented as the "dragon," the "beast," and the "false prophet" which vomit out "frogs," which are defined as "spirits of devils" which in turn "go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle (πλεμος - war) of that great day of God Almighty" (Rev. 16:14). They are gathered "together into the place which is called in Hebrew, Har-Magedon" (verse 16, ARV).

These powers - the dragon, beast, and false prophet - are defined symbolically in chapters 12 and 13, and placed in a locality, "heaven," "sea," or "earth." In the 12th Chapter, "heaven" is used either as the screen on which the drama is portrayed (vs. 1, 3) or heaven itself from which is heard "a loud voice" (verse 10). Beginning with verse 12, the warfare is transferred to the earth and sea, a "beast" rising "up out of the sea (13:1);" and a second beast "coming up out of the earth" (13:11). This second beast is designated as the false prophet. Compare Rev. 13:14 with 19:20.

The first beast is a composite animal with parts from a leopard, bear and lion, thus linking it with the symbolism of Daniel 7, but in reverse order. The time allotted to the "beast" (13:5) parallels the time given the "little horn" in Daniel 7 (verse 25), and the wilderness experience of the woman of Rev. 12 (verse 14).

We have interpreted the "false prophet" as symbolic of apostate Protestantism, and rightly so, but we have failed to recognize that the second "beast' came up out of the "earth," not the "sea" where "historic Protestantism" under Luther originated. It is an evangelical "Protestantism" originating in the prophetic "earth," which has now become "the political religious right." It was coming up "in" the earth at the same time that the deadly wound was being healed in the "sea" following World War 1.

It could not exercise the power assigned it in Rev. 13:12 until the deadly wound "was healed." The message to "make an image to the beast" is spoken to "them that dwell on the earth" (13:14), in other words, the electorate. Then the image once formed would proceed to fulfill the prophecy (13:15-17).

We must see the "beast"" as it operates to perceive more accurately the image being formed. Let us consider just one aspect - the persecution initiated by the "beast." "It was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them" (13:7). A Roman Catholic professor, Alfred Baudrillart, wrote that the Catholic Church is a respecter of conscience and of liberty" and that she "loudly proclaims that she has 'a horror of blood." But ----

Nevertheless, when confronted by heresy, she does not content herself with persuasion; argument of an intellectual and moral order appear to her insufficient, and she has recourse to force, to corporal punishment, to torture. She creates tribunals like the Inquisition, she calls the laws of the state to her aid, if necessary she encourages a crusade, or a religious war, and all her "horror of blood" practically culminates in urging the secular power to shed it, which proceeding is almost more odious - for it is less frank - than shedding it herself. [Then he cites examples from history) (Source Book for Bible Students,1940 rev. ed., pp. 408-409).

A simple identification of the "beast" is: it is the religious power which arose from the prophetic "sea" and for "forty and two months" (13:5) used the state to carry out its agenda until the state turned on her and inflicted a "deadly wound." The "image to the beast" would be the creation of a government in the prophetic "earth" which would carry out the agenda of the "false prophet." To this end the "religious right" has been seeking to create through the Christian Coalition a theocratic government which will enact and force their agenda on the people of the United States of America revoking the liberty and freedom so long enjoyed by those dwelling in the prophetic "earth."

A perceptive, documented, analysis of the current situation in the prophetic "earth" is to be found in the Yurica Report prepared by Katherine Yurica, a lawyer, and her Editorial and Research Assistant, Laurie Hall - "The Despoiling of America." This report which was first issued, February 11, 2004, documents "How George W. Bush became the head of a new American Dominionist Church/State" A footnote [# 58] was corrected Nov. 6, 2004. This correction alone is alarming. It reads:

Taking his cue from Leo Strauss, Scalia [the Vatican "voice" on the Supreme Court] argued, a democratic government, being seen as 'nothing more than the composite will of its individual citizens, has no more moral power or authority than they do as individuals...' Democracy, according to Scalia, creates problems: it can foster civil disobedience."

The Report begins with a discussion of "The First Prince of the Theocratic States of America:"

It happened quietly, with barely a mention in the media. Only the Washington Post dutifully reported it. And only Kevin Phillips saw its significance in his new book, American Dynasty. On December 24, 2001, Pat Robinson resigned his position as President of the Christian Coalition.

Behind the scenes religious conservatives were abuzz with excitement. They believed Robertson had stepped down to allow the ascendance of the President of the United States of America to take his rightful place as the head of the true American Holy Christian Church.

Robertson's act was symbolic, but it carried a secret and solemn revelation to the faithful. It was the signal that the Bush Administration was a government under God that was lead by an anointed President who would be the first regent in a dynasty of regents awaiting the return of Jesus to earth.

Robertson himself had sought to run for the presidency of the United States and entered the primaries as a candidate for the Republican Party. He has promoted via his 700 Club TV show, a political religious movement called Dominionism. Dominionism started with the Gospel teaching of the invisible and spiritual "kingdom of God" and turned this concept into a literal political empire that could be taken by force. Forgetting that Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world," the framers of Dominionism boldly presented a gospel whose purpose was to inspire Christians to enter politics and execute world domination so that Jesus could return to an earth prepared for His earthly rule by His faithful "regents." This cult has gathered in an estimated thirty-five million Americans who calling themselves Christian form the core of the religious right. Unless recognized for what it is, Americans will find themselves living in a theocracy that has already spelled out its intentions to change every aspect of American life including its cultural life, its Constitution and its laws.

This cult, born in Christian Reconstructionism, was founded by the late R. J. Rushdoony. The core included Rushdoony, his son-in-law, Gary North, Pat Robertson, Herb Titus, the former dean of Robertson's Regent University School of Public Policy, Charles Colson, Robertson's political strategist, Tim LaHaye, Gary Bauer, the late Francis Schaeffer, and Paul Crouch, the founder of TBN, the world's largest television network, plus an army of television and radio evangelists and news talk show hosts.

Prior to his death, Schaeffer was the leading evangelical theologian. Appearing on the 700 Club show, he urged revolt against what he termed a humanistic society. While not using the word "Dominionism," he charged that the "dominant culture" in the United States was the humanistic, and that Christians had to regain the dominance. He was joined in this appeal for Christians of the religious right to get into politics by Billy Graham. Appearing on the same show, April 29, 1985, he stated:

I'm for evangelicals running for public office and winning if possible and getting control of the Congress, getting control of the bureaucracy, getting control of the executive branch of government. ... I would like to see every true believer involved in politics in some shape or form.

According to these men, Schaefer, Graham and Robertson, - leading voices in the American protestant church which arose in the "earth," - "God's people" have a moral duty to change the government of the United States.

Already the "Religious Right" has achieved the time table which they set for themselves, that by 2004 they would complete the take over of the American government. Controlling the executive and legislative, they are poised to alter the judicial to their liking.

Into the picture enters US Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia. He was appointed to the Court in 1986 by the then President Ronald Reagan. Now, with speculation that William Rehnquist is on the verge of retirement after the diagnosis of thyroid cancer, Scalia may be the leading candidate to take his place. The online edition of the Jerusalem Post (Nov. 23, 2004) reported an appearance of the Justice at the Orthodox synagogue in New York. He used the appearance to assail the notion that the US government should maintain a neutral stance toward religion maintaining that "the founding fathers never advocated the separation of church and state."

Another interesting aspect has been noted by Pastor Rich Lang of the Trinity United Methodist Church of Seattle, Washington. In a release on Feb. 14, 2004 (ICH) he called attention to the checks and balances of the Constitution which created a system that while not perfect "kept alive the possibility of true democracy." Then he noted: "That dream died in December 2000 when the checks and balances of our Constitution collapsed and George Bush was inserted into the Presidency of the United States." Instrumental in that collapse and "insertion" was Scalia.

One of Scalia's concepts needs to be carefully noted. Several months after the first inauguration of Bush, he wrote in First Things (May 2002) that the Bible teaches and Christians believe "...that government ... derives its moral authority from God. Government is the 'minister of God' with powers to 'revenge,' to 'execute wrath,' including even wrath by the sword...." Placing this concept beside the objective of Dominionism, you think you are reading Revelation 13. Journalist Frederick Clarkson in 1994 warned that Dominionism "seeks to replace democracy with a theocratic elite that would govern by imposing their interpretation of 'Biblical Law’” He then describes the creation of a new class of citizens:

Women would be generally relegated to hearth and home. Insufficiently Christian men would be denied citizenship, perhaps executed. So severe is this theocracy that it would extend capital punishment [to] blasphemy, heresy, adultery, and homosexuality (Pub/ic Eye Magazine, Vol. VIII, Part 1, 1994; emphasis mine).

In the January 17, 2005 issue of U.S. News & World Report was a Special Report, "The Dobson Way" (pp. 62-71), which is a "must" reading for all who know and are concerned about the prophecy of Revelation 13. The objectives of Focus on the Family, founded by Dobson, are in line with the objective to make Sunday a family day. The Catholic Church has already shifted schedules in many places to make Sunday such a day by celebrating Mass on Saturday night, leaving the Catholic family free to do as they wish on Sunday.

Further, in the article it is noted that Dobson is ready to play "hard ball," threatening any Senator facing re-election in 2006 who filibusters Bush's appointments to the judiciary. Thus the take over of the three branches of the American government, the executive, legislative, and judicial has been accomplished by the election in November. We have only to await the imposition of the theocratic state as envisioned by the Dominionists and "the image" to the beast will have spoken. The "battle" of the great day of God Almighty has been joined.

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"The last great conflict between truth and error is but the final struggle of the long standing controversy concerning the law of God. Upon this battle we are now entering, - a battle between the laws of men and the precepts of Jehovah, between the religion of the Bible and the religion of fable and tradition" (Great Controversy, p. 582).

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The Duality of the Fourth Commandment

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work . . . (Exodus 20:8-10