I believe the most fruitful thing a person can do for God, for himself, for neighbor, or family is to seek and pursue that which is right in God's eyes. I don't care who it is, or what their circumstance might be, or what the appearance of things might be.

If you are not coming out of the Bible you are not even in the ballpark. And if you are then interpretation is everything. And for me it is the King James 1611 version of the Bible. It is the Bible I got saved on and it will lead me home. I don't need the Greek or the Latin or whatever. God never laid that on me. And those who would lay it on me like I couldn't get along without their expertise are men seeking to glory over other men. Keep it simple.

The Bible says that the prosperity of fools shall slay them. What is America where pagan idol republic has been equated with liberty and freedom and prosperity but the prosperity of fools? There is no true freedom in idolatry. And when you fight the evil you don't fight it striving unlawfully. Paul said that one is not crowned except he strive lawfully. It isn't lawful in God's eyes to strive against evil by embracing an idol.

Too many people can't see the forest of evil for the trees. The trees of man's customs and traditions. Some big ones of which are right out of the pit of hell. Pagan idol republic, banking, rent-for-profit, pure investment stocks, large land holdings instead of every man their vine and their fig. Jesus condemned the scribes and Pharisees of his day for teaching for doctrine the commandments of men. The customs and traditions of men. Making of none effect the word of God.

But, gee, if we don't lean on this pagan idol republic how shall we fight the evil? What effectual weapons are left? Perhaps only prayer. Yet it was all Israel had when they were backed against the Red Sea. It was all Hezekiah had when Jerusalem was surrounded by the Assyrian army. It was all Daniel had when he was in the lion's pit. It was all the 3 friends of Daniel had when they were thrown into the fiery furnace. And yet God delivered them. It was all the early church had when Rome fed some to the lions. Yet the church has survived. And Jesus promised that the gates of hell shall not prevail against his church. But a church not steeped in the dressed up evil of the day.

And how is a republic idolatry? What is the essential thing in a republic? What must live above anything else? That which is right in the eyes of God? No. In a republic what must live above anything else is that rulers be chosen by ballot. Nothing more and nothing less. God's right is made subordinate to this. In effect when you embrace republic that idea is being coveted, putting it above all else. Paul the apostle defined coveting in Colossians chapter 3 verse 5 as idolatry. And that is exactly what a republic is. An idol. Always has been, is, and always will be an idol. It matters not how manipulated the vote may or may not be. Idolatry is the rage of God. And to lean upon an idol is to strive unlawfully. But many might say, “Oh, what's a little idolatry? No biggy! I mean, take it up and put it down as is convenient. No biggy.” But again, idolatry is the rage of God. And through big idols big evils work.

Through this medium of pagan idol republic that feudal system of old wherein the enslavement of ones own people by their kings and nobility (a crime in God's book worthy of death) and sanctioned by the established church through the doctrine of the divine right of kings was supplanted by the bank man and the rent man. And through the banking and rent for profit people are enslaved still. Instead of it being God's justice of every man their vine and every man their fig. And they use pagan idol republic to enforce their will and slavery upon all.

This is God's earth not man's. And if push come to shove let the wicked go someplace else, not those who would live upon God's earth as he would have them do. It's those who live upon God's earth contrary to God's will, to God's justice, who are the ingrates. These are the filthy dreamers. Who think they can live on God's earth contrary to God's ways and receive blessings. Again, the prosperity of fools, according to scripture, shall slay them. But James admonished the church to resist the devil and he will flee from you.

I believe in a rapture of the church. Do you think God is going to come back to deliver a church that is steeped in the dressed up evil of the day? I don't think so. Yet, even the born again churches of this day embrace the evil of this day conveniently interpreting scripture to assuage their consciences. So that they make of little or none effect the word of God. Offering God and Christ lip service but worshiping devils. Like the scripture say, “They draw nigh to me with their mouths but their hearts are far from me.” Because as long as they get the things they want to out of life a token righteousness is good enough. In fact, actually preferred, because they don't want to risk things being too difficult. But according to scripture judgment must begin at the house of God. That fits in with the idea that God is not going to come back to deliver a church that is steeped in the evil of the day. Though they dress it up with convenient interpretations of scripture.

From whence did Elihu get his wisdom? Elihu, in the book of Job, rebuked Job and Job's three friends. Job, because though he really had not done anything wrong, yet he blamed God for letting him be afflicted. That was where Job was at fault. But the three friends of Job kept trying to tell Job that he was afflicted because he had done something wrong and wasn't fessing up. Elihu rebuked them because that was a false accusation against Job. But the point here being- from whence did Elihu get his wisdom? Elihu said he would fetch his wisdom from afar.

When you are living in a world steeped in evil, dressed up or not, the truth can very well appear to be far-fetched; but the truth nonetheless. We have all been so steeped in the values and norms of our culture, the customs and traditions of our culture, that they have hardly been questioned, let alone contended against. But every pulpit in the country and the world for that matter ought to be screaming bloody murder against banking, against rent for profit, against pagan idol republic. But none can see the forest for the trees. The trees of man's customs and traditions.

From the world that might be expected though not excused; for God commanded all men everywhere to repent and believe the Gospel: but those who have had the light of Christ quickened in them through born again salvation certainly ought to know better or at least be very troubled in spirit until they get things a whole lot more right than they currently do. But instead it seems they got their fingers stuck in their ears and are contented so long as they get the things they want to out of life, and to hell with a greater right. To me, this makes them cheats. They have and do cheat God, themselves for that matter, their neighbors, and even their brethren in Christ. Why don't they, and why haven't they taken up their cross for Christ? They can't see the forest for the trees and they don't want to. Too difficult. It's a wonder to me. What is their excuse? Ignorance?

Did not Christ quicken them with the light of his salvation? Are they just ignorant or have they got their fingers stuck in their ears, too? Jesus said, “Except ye love me more than wife, or kids, or mother, or father, or daughter, or son, yea, your own life, also, ye are not worthy of me.” But I am not going to hold my breath waiting for them to get it right. God will take care of them.

In fact, I believe he will let the world purge them out for him, even unto death. The very false props they cleave to God will let the wicked use to hang them, except they humble themselves and let go of the evil they cleave to. Else, will God rapture those who cleave to big evils? I hardly think so.

This, in part, is why I don't believe in a pre-tribulation rapture. God is going to come back for a church like that? No way. As it stands they aren't people, they are pigs. And they have been that way a whole lifetime long. From their youth up. Though they give their bodies to be burned, without charity it profits them nothing. And where can charity be when they embrace idolatry and values that are hate in practice?

Like Jesus said of the scribes and Pharisees of his day- that he knew them, that they were of their father the devil and they had not the love of God in them. And today I believe that God has to work more around than through his born again church because they serve devils more than God. Jesus posed the question that if we are unfaithful in the things of this world, who shall commit unto us the true riches?

I am of the baby boom generation and from their youth so many of my generation have settled at best for a convenient interpretation of scripture. Buying into the crud taught them by their fathers. Telling them to play by man's rules and taking care of numero uno themselves and to hell with everyone else, every dog for himself religion. Which is the devil's religion. Well, you end up reaping what you sow.

And I am persuaded my parents generation couldn't rest until they made their own children two fold more the child of hell than themselves.

But speaking now of the tribulation; perhaps the only way that a purged church can survive the gates of hell is for God himself to step in very soon by beginning his tribulation as depicted in the book of the Revelation. That the evil now today is so entrenched and so powerful that nothing this side of heaven can stop it. And so God will.

When do I suppose God will complete the purging of his church? I surmise by the end of the 5^th seal of the book.

Let me share with you some of my take on the book of the Revelation:

At the time when Jesus takes the book of the Revelation out of the hand of the Father and opens the first seal Revelation chapter 5 verse 13 says that, “every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” I interpret this to be a literal event. Not symbolic gibberish.

But such things as all creatures in the sea saying blessing, and honour, and glory, etc...? How can that be? But didn't Balaam's ass literally speak to Balaam? That was literal. So why not here?

And how can this event take place at all literally? And we are not robots, right? God just doesn't push a button and we respond as such, right? So if this is literal what would motivate all on earth at this time to respond so? I reason that the only thing that would sufficiently motivate all here on earth at that time would be for God to open unto us the same door that was opened unto John the Revelator in his vision. That is, we here on earth at that time will hear a trumpet sound bringing all creation to a safe halt. And then that door to heaven will be opened for all to see with thunderings and lightnings as John also saw and heard and we will see the Lamb taking the book out the hand of the Father and opening the first seal. Thus the tribulation will have as it were an official start.

Also, after the first four seals are opened and the fifth seal is opened- at this time John saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? (Rev. 6.9,10)

And then at the sixth seal God puts a seal on his servants foreheads. John says he heard the number of those which were sealed and that there were sealed of the children of the tribes of Israel 144,000. I believe seals 5 and 6 can be interpreted thus: That by the end of the 5^th seal the church has been purged unto death. That the mark of God upon the foreheads of the remaining church is a purged church that God will protect to the last soul through the following judgment periods right up to the 7^th trumpet translation of the church. That the 144,000 Israelis that were sealed were not all that were sealed but Gentile believers were included, too. The number of which was not given. John heard the number of all that were sealed, but he did not give that number. Only that 144,000 of that number were Israelis.

Of the whole tribulation period there are seven seals, seven trumpets, and then seven vials. In my view, all in an ongoing chronological order. For seals 1 through 7 and trumpet judgments 1 through 4 there are no specific time periods given. But for trumpet judgments 5, 6, and 7 specific time periods are evident.

Trumpet 5 is 5 months of locusts with a sting like the sting of a scorpion. Trumpet 6 consists of one year, one month, one day, and one hour of a great army that slays 1/3 of men. Then, still part of trumpet judgment 6 comes 3 ½ years of the two witnesses. Trumpet 7 which begins the pouring out of the 7 vial judgments is 42 months or 3 ½ years.

Total time for trumpet judgments 5, 6, and 7 is 8 ½ years. So the total time period of the tribulation is 8 ½ years plus however long it takes for the previous seals 1 through 7 and trumpets 1 through 4 to transpire. Since no specific time periods are given for these previous judgments the total time period for the tribulation is open for speculation.

But Daniel 9.27 speaks of the covenant being for one week? Yes. But that is only part of the tribulation, not all of it.

Like as soon as the great army judgment (part of trumpet 6 judgment) ends the covenant is made. And as if in response to this covenant the 2 witnesses appear. They witness for 3 ½ years, then the church is translated at the seventh trumpet, and the beast rises up to full power for the remaining 3 ½ years. One might imagine that without the 2 witnesses the beast would immediately betray the covenant but instead the 2 witnesses keep him and the world at bay, forcing the delay of the betrayal for 3 ½ years and the 2 witnesses even protecting the purged church from the world.

Admittedly, these views on the tribulation are interpretation or somewhat speculation. But it seems quite credible to me and I am sharing these views here.

As far as myself and all these views as expressed here in all of this paper, I'm not saying I'm perfect. Likely a whole lot far from it. It is a matter of degrees. But I am saying the values that I embrace and would embrace and strive to honor are a whole lot closer to God's will and ways than are embraced today not only by the world but even by my born again brethren in Christ. The way I see it, a man should seek to know and honor God's will and let God take care of bringing his own to perfection. That is God's work. My work is to try my best to seek and to honor his will.

Paul the apostle said in 1^st Corinthians chapter 3 (paraphrased) that every man's works shall be tried in a fire. If we build good works upon our salvation we will receive reward. If we build false works upon our salvation those works shall be burned, yet we ourselves (born in Christ) shall be saved. Yet, as it were, by fire. Purgatory.

Well, in my view, better to get things as right as possible sooner rather than later. If I am wrong in my views, in the values I would embrace, then I reckon I have built false works upon my salvation and will be judged accordingly, though I yet be saved.

But I believe, am persuaded, am convicted, that I am right. And though others who believe contrary to this believe, are persuaded, are convicted, that they are right, it is obvious that we can't both be right; at least one or both are wrong. Time will tell. It will be seen.