The American Wisdom Series

Presents
 Lesson 7 "That Fearsome Locust Army" from The Book of Joel

Details of that fearsome locust army from the 9th chapter of Revelation.
Joel 1:3 Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.

Tell your generations and their generations until the last generation (of sons and daughters) is here, which is the generation when all these things He has foretold us shall be fulfilled (Mat. 24:34). And He has foretold us all things, the details of which He told us through His prophets: Mark 13:23 "But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things." By the way, if your father or one of your forefathers has broken this commandment of God in Joel 1:3 to tell your children His words contained herein, then YOU get busy studying His Word and learn the truth and restart the process with your children.  John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

Locusts, Locusts, Everywhere!

The apostle Peter on that first Pentecost Day, 10 days after the ascension of Jesus Christ, very emphatically documented that the Book of Joel was written concerning the sons and daughters of the "last days". It is therefore imperative, if we are in those last days (which we are), and if we are of those sons and daughters (which we are), that we take some extra time and really understand what our Father would have us know through Joel the prophet. It is also written and made explicitly clear in Acts 2 that what was being spoken of by the Holy Spirit through the servants of God on that day were the "Wonderful works of God", which Peter promptly stood up and said was what would happen, i.e. the works of God, in these last days, even the pouring out of the Truth AND the witness before the representatives of all nations and languages! Those works we find written in Revelation are accomplished by the sons and daughters of the churches of Philadelphia and Smyrna, respectively and collectively.

Acts 2:11
... we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
Are you familiar with those "Wonderful works"? We learned that a "marvelous work" whereby His doctrine, His Spirit of Truth, the former and the latter rain, would be poured out upon all flesh through His servants and His handmaidens, the sons and daughters of the last days, the final generation of the fig tree. We also learned that there is a great and spiritually dreadful locust army that shall soon descend upon the land when Satan and his angels are cast out of heaven at the sound of the 6th Trump upon a world that will believe the 7th Trump has sounded and Jesus Christ has returned. The false shepherds have prepared our people through the false doctrine of the any-moment Rapture Theory to accept the first supernatural entity who appears as an angel of light!

Then too, we documented that the "smoke from the bottomless pit" is that lengthened duration of time following the "Cold War" when the 1st Beast of Rev. 13:1 rises up out of the sea (people) and causes the waves (nations) to roar, while the 5th Trumpet of Grace heralds its coming, its arrival, and sounds the alarm that the 6th Trump is about to sound! So let us look once again at what "signs" Joel gave us that tell us when the locust army is coming, and also what the Wonderful Works of God are that have been and yet must be accomplished before the Day of Lord and the return of the true Bridegroom, Jesus Christ?

Let's review Joel 2:28:

Joel 2:28
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Have you ever thought about the FACT that "sons and daughters" are "brothers and sisters" to each other? Joel was talking about the Churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia, only Peter placed them in reverse chronological order showing the "young men" seeing visions before the "old men" dream dreams! Yes, the sons and daughters Joel spoke of are the brothers and sisters of the Church of Philadelphia. Let's break it back to the Greek:
Brother # 80  Päåëöüò  adelphos  ad-el-fos'
From G1 (as a connective particle) and äåëöýòdelphus (the womb); a
brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like [H1]):—brother.

Sister #79  PäåëöÞ  adelpheô  ad-el-fay'
Feminine of G80; a sister (natural or ecclesiastical):—sister.

Friend  #5384 ößëïòphilosfee'-los
Properly dear, that is, a friend; actively fond, that is, friendly (still as a noun,
an associate, neighbor, etc.):—friend.

Philadelphia #5361 öéëÜäåëöïò  philadelphos fil-ad'-el-fos
From G5384 and G80; fond of brethren, that is, fraternal:—love as brethren.

The churches of Philadelphia and Smyrna are the only two churches in the body of Christ that the Lord found no fault with for He approved of their "Works"! The apostle John was privileged to see in a vision the body of Christ in these last days, including all 7 churches. We pick up his testimony in the Rev. 1:9:
Rev. 1:9
I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
John saw ALL the events and spiritual battles take place in the final generation all the way to and including the return of Jesus Christ. He saw the locust army and Apollyon and he saw the victory the Lamb and of His saints, even witnessing those overcomers rejoicing and singing at the celebration ceremonies! John was then given his commission and dutifully wrote all those events and the "history" of their results to be our instruction guide and our companion during the current and coming times of tribulation. He also identifies himself with Philadelphia and Smyrna in verse 9.
Brother =  Päåëöüò adelphos ad-el-fos'
From G1 (as a connective particle) and äåëöýòdelphus (the womb); a
brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like [H1]):—brother.

Tribulation =  èëßøéò thlipsis thlip'-sis
From G2346; pressure (literally or figuratively):—afflicted, (-tion), anguish,
burdened, persecution, tribulation, trouble.

"Thlipsis" is the same word for the "tribulation" of Smyrna. Notice that the reason John was in the isle that is called Patmos was (1) for the Word of God and (2) for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Companion = óõãêïéíùíüò sugkoinoônos soong-koy-no-nos'
From G4862 and G2844; a co-participant:—companion, partake (-r, -r with).
John was right there and saw it all!
[10] I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,...
Now let's check out the body of Christ in these last days and see what's up!
Rev. 1:11
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

[12] And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

You will find in vs. 19 of this chapter that the 7 candlesticks are the 7 churches which make up the body of Christ.
[13] And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
There is a deceiver coming soon who will also stand in the midst of the churches, the temple of God (2 Thes. 2) and he will claim to be god. Here, however, is the description of brilliance and the brightness of the real Jesus Christ.
Rev. 1:14
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

[15] And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

[16] And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

Jesus Christ will now address the 7 churches and in EVERY case, specifically address their WORKS.  Shall He find the "flame of His fire" among them? Yes, here is the church of the sons & daughters, the brothers and sisters, the adelphos and adelpheo:
Rev. 3:7
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
Those who have eyes to see need pay close attention to this. David was a shepherd and the key of David is the key of the Shepherd who opens the seals, which are the "visions" of the prophets "sealed" until the time of the end, and reveals them to the sons and daughters of the Church of Philadelphia!  We know from Joel that in "seeing these visions" they then prophesy (teach His Word) and gather as many as will hear the voice of the trumpet, the voice of the Shepherd, into His sheepfold, the door of which He has now opened!
[8] I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
You must understand what the door is that is opened to the sons and daughters, the brothers and sisters of the Church of Philadelphia. The door that He opens is the door to the sheep, i.e. to the lost tribes of the House of Israel, His sheep. If you have studied the Book of John with us, then you know of this "Door"! Let's review some of John chapter 10. Jesus speaks:
John 10:1
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
There is only one way to enter into the sheepfold, that place of rest for the sheep, and that is by the DOOR or the gate. Below is an explanation of what a sheepfold is. It is a resting place for sheep!
Sheepfold and Sheepcote.
An inclosure for sheep (Jer. 23:3, Ezek.34:14) whither the flock was ordinarily driven for the night. Many were permanent pens, surrounded by a stone wall (cp. Num. 32:16) and entered by a gate (John 10:1). The wall was often surmounted with branches of thorny shrubs. The sheep lay in the yard under the open sky; but doubtless there were in former days, as there are now, low, flat buildings on the sheltered side of the area, in which the flocks were shut up on cold nights. It was common for several flocks to pass the night in one fold under the care of an under-shepherd. The shepherds came in the morning, and were admitted by the under-shepherd. Each shepherd knew the sheep of his own flock, and was known by them (John 10:3,4). Less substantial inclosures were hastily formed of tangled thorn branches for temporary use on pastures remote from home, and caves and other natural shelters were taken advantage of for protecting the sheep at night, the shepherds camping with their flocks. On ranges exposed to the raids of robbers or hostile tribes, towers were erected, about which the flocks and herds were pastured and at night folded (2 Kings 27:9; 2 Chron. 26:10; Mic. 4:8). ("A Dictionary of the Bible", John D. Davis, Baker Book House, 1958, pg. 706.)
Now that we know what a sheepfold is, it will be much easier to understand the following parable (vs. 6). These are the words of Jesus Christ, the one and only True Shepherd.
[2] But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Not only do the false shepherds not enter in through the "Door" but as thieves they steal the birthright and even eternal life from the sheep. But know this: The false shepherd of false shepherds is soon coming into the sheepfold to steal ALL the sheep who do not have the seal of the True Shepherd in their foreheads (Rev. 9:4). He will look just like the True Shepherd but he is the false-shepherd, a thief and a robber indeed! Let's move to verse 6:
[6] This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which He spake unto them.
Do you understand this parable? Has the shepherd of the sheepfold you attend entered in through the door or has he climbed into the pulpit another way? Here's how you can tell:
John 10:7
Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
This is the DOOR that is opened to the Church of Philadelphia that the lost sheep of the House of Israel may find the true sabbath, the true rest.
[8] All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

[9 ] I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

The false messiah is coming to steal the sheep, but the door is NOW open to enter into the sheepfold of the True Shepherd. Yes, the true Shepherd has opened that door with the key of David the shepherd, through the sons and daughters of this final generation who show their people where they can find the green pastures during these times of the great famine (Amos 8:11-13)! Meanwhile, many false shepherds are gone out into the world, claiming to be shepherds of His flock, and as Christ foretold us, they have deceived MANY! But they have not deceived the Church of Philadelphia because they know His voice, and listen not to the thief, because they have already entered into the sheepfold through the Door of the True Shepherd!
[10] The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Let's return to the Church of Philadelphia in Rev. 3:
Rev. 3:9
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
He loves these sons and daughters, the brothers and sisters, the "adelphos" and "adelpheo"!

"And do you know why?"

"Because they love studying His Word!"

[10] Because thou hast kept the word of my patience,
Yes, the opening by the key of David is when the Shepherd (Who alone is worthy) opens the seals of His Word, revealing the visions of the prophets to the brothers and sisters of the Church of Philadelphia, who then prophesy (teach His Word) and gather as many as will hear the voice of the trumpet, the voice of the Shepherd, into His sheepfold.
[10... continued] I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
This is a promise to the sons and daughters of the Church of Philadelphia who prophesy and allow His spirit, His truth, the rain, to flow through them unto their brothers and sisters of the House of Israel. They will not be tempted by the lies and deception of the thief, because his voice is not the voice of the True Shepherd. You see, they KNOW the voice of the True Shepherd which is the Word of God!
[11] Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

[12] Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

When the bride marries the Bridegroom she goes to live with Him and is given a new name, which name comes from her new Husband, right? Think about the magnitude of what Christ said here!
[13] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Do you have ears to hear the true Shepherd's voice, the voice of the Trumpet which John heard in Rev. 1:10?

We covered the Works of the Church of Smyrna and the testimony those "some of you" who will be delivered up before the kings and rulers of the nations. That witness will be brought forth when the sons and daughters become "old men", i.e. when the final generation that began in the year 1948 begin to get gray hair and receive their AARP cards. In other words, "ye old men" refers to the age of the generation, not to the age of those who will be "brought before kings and rulers for my names sakes!" Got it?

Also, in so far as we gave examples of God's servants being delivered up, we will not do so again. However, you should make a study of Acts 27:22-25 and read how Paul was delivered up before Caesar. The boat ride was a "little rocky" but hey, no big deal! If God has plans for you (and He does if you love Him) then nothing and no one can or will stop you, though He may allow some blocks or blockheads to fall across your path, giving you some things to stomp on or kick out of your way. "And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. [23] For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, [24] Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. [25] Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me."

Here is Christ's address to Smyrna:

Rev. 2:8
And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

[9] I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

[10] Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

[11] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

And what shall be the sign when the witness is given by the "spiritually rich Christian soldiers" of the Church of Smyrna?
Joel 2:31
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
This is NOT the same "signs in the heavens" and the "signs in the earth" that occur during the same period when the smoke from the bottomless pit rises. They were signs of the 1st Beast, the political beast, who is here now. No, this is religious, i.e. the sign of the religious beast of Rev. 13. This is when the false-christ, the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stands in the midst of the temple, of the body of Christ, and spiritual darkness prevails as the daily sacrifice through the blood of the Lamb slain is cut off and the moon, symbolic of Satan (lunar), is put in place of His blood. Yes, the whole world, including most of professing Christianity will worship the false messiah. It is written! And when the "locusts come out of the smoke" at the sound of the 6th Trump, some of those sons and daughters who have been prophesying (teaching) for some time now will take a stand, even "take the stand"!
Rev. 9:13
And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

[14] Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.

So when the command goes forth from the Altar of God to the archangel Michael, who has held back the "desert storm" of the locusts and their king, Apollyon, the king of Babylon, then that great hour of temptation and spiritual desolation will come upon the earth. By the way, Babylon is in Iraq, which is the country through which the Tigris and Euphrates rivers run right smack down the middle of. (Hello, Wake up! What's happening in the middle east these days?)
[15] And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
Here comes the cavalry, those locusts who have "the appearance of horses prepared unto battle (Rev. 9:7)" and "The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run (Joel 2:4)."
[16] And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
It is time to stay awake and keep alert because my friends, it appears the winds are now a changin'! You can even hear the windbags from all directions "blowing hot air" and "spinning" lies and deception like a whirlwind. They call it the N.E.W.S. which is mostly a bunch of "smoke and mirrors" covering up the activities of the Four Hidden Dynasties as the kenites bring forth the multi-headed, i.e. multi-national, political beast!

In conclusion, do you remember those two profound statements from President Bush's inaugural address which we talked about in our short study, "Angel in the Whirlwind"? Open your ears and "see" if you can hear the Voice from the burning bush spoken through the flesh Bush as the gentle rain fell from heaven that momentous day, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2001.

"Through much of the last century, America's faith in freedom and democracy was a rock in a raging sea. Now it is a seed upon the wind, taking root in many nations." (President George W. Bush)
We have learned from the words of the Lord through the prophet Joel when we compared them with the words the Lord spoke directly to His disciples in Matthew and Mark, that the "pillars of smoke" is the bringing forth of the 1st Beast of Rev. 13:1, when nation rises alongside nation in the marketplace, etc., i.e. the NWO emerges. Then in Luke He tells us that the "vapor of smoke" is, as in causes, the sea and the waves (the people and the nations) to roar, i.e. rage! Here is that verse in Luke with the words of Joel in brackets.

Live Link to- Nation shall rise against nation.
Live Link to- Revelation 13
Luke 21:25
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars [in the heavens]; and upon the earth distress of nations [blood], with perplexity [fire]; the sea and the waves roaring [pillars of smoke];
Do you know what happens after the these signs when the smoke has successfully darkened (spiritually) much of the earth?
Rev. 9:3
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

[4] And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

Yes, these are the most exciting times in the history of the world, especially for those sons and daughters who have walked through the open door into His sheepfold. The hour is now late and it is soon time for some of God's elect to be delivered up before the security councils of the beast, controlled by the synagogue of Satan, and give witness before the kings and rulers of the nations of the earth, even before "death" himself, i.e. Satan. It is a great and marvelous time to be a True Blue Smyrph, isn't it? (A Smyrph, sometimes spelled Smurf, is a member of the church of Smyrna and Philadelphia. LOL)

But do not be alarmed, nor be afraid, nor be anxious in anyway. Those are tactful ways of saying "CALM DOWN"! The battle is spiritual and those sons and daughters who daily call upon the name of the LORD their God, will the Deliverer surely deliver out of bondage, and out the fiery furnace when they are delivered up before death, and He will bind up the cheek teeth of the lions when His servants are thrown into their dens of iniquity. For it is written, not one hair on their heads shall be harmed in anyway. And they need not premeditate what they shall say at that time for the Holy Spirit will speak right through them. Matthew 10:19 "But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak."

Joel 2:32
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.           
Has He called you? If so, do you call Him up daily and tell Him you love Him and show forth your love by keeping His commands and the Word of His patience? If you do, then each and every day is just such a beautiful day, isn't it? God bless you brothers and sisters.

Read part 8 of our Fearsome Locust Army next:

Live Link to> Part #1 of 9 parts
Live Link to> Part #2 of 9 parts
Live Link to> Part #3 of 9 parts
Live Link to> Part #4 of 9 parts
Live Link to> Part #5 of 9 parts
Live Link to> Part #6 of 9 parts
 Live Link to> Part #7 of 9 parts
Live Link to> Part #8 of 9 parts
Live Link to> Part #9 of 9 parts
To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.

We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.



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