End Times Warning: When a trumpet sounds in a city

It was not a pleasant dream. When he woke , the watchman shuddered. In his dream, a prominent rising star ambassador from a big nation to another big nation was murdered. His body was torn into many parts and only some parts were retrieved. The watchman opened the Bible and sought the Lord’s answer. he read the following verses.

Amos 3:6-8

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ When a trumpet sounds in a city,
   do not the people tremble?
When disaster comes to a city,
   has not the LORD caused it?

 ⁷ Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing
   without revealing his plan
   to his servants the prophets.

 ⁸ The lion has roared—
   who will not fear?
The Sovereign LORD has spoken—
   who can but prophesy?

Amos 3:11-12

New International Version (NIV)

 ¹¹Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says:

   “An enemy will overrun your land,
   pull down your strongholds
   and plunder your fortresses.”

 ¹²This is what the LORD says:

   “As a shepherd rescues from the lion’s mouth
   only two leg bones or a piece of an ear,
so will the Israelites living in Samaria be rescued,
   with only the head of a bed
   and a piece of fabric from a couch.”

End Times Witnessing: TODAY’S key word for endtimes survival is “Hear”!

The watchman thought he was hearing distant thunder around 2am and he got up and investigated. The rumbling sound was low and persistent. It was real and not a dream. He went back to bed after awhile as there was no sign for rain. But he continued hearing the same sound. When he heard the alarm at 3am he was not in a state to get up but he then heard in his spirit, get up, the thundering sound is for you today!

So he got up thinking that the word for the day’s interceding is “THUNDER”. But he knew he was wrong the minute he opened his Bible. A few pages of the bible index portion fell out and he saw the word, “HEAR” instead! The verses are from Deuteronomy 6:4-9 as follows. He was then asked to read aloud and proclaim chapters 5-8 (all about God’s Covenant and the Word given therein for His people to survive and prosper) as he was standing in the gap for his church for the hours. The previous days’ key words were: “COVENANT” and “OBEY”. TODAY’S “HEAR” is a continuation of the same theme: go back to the beginning, the Ancient Path, the Salvation Covenant, the Word.

Amazingly, the thunder stopped the minute he received the word, “HEAR” and responded! (The morning sky was clear and no rain fell. But the thunder was real and persistent until he obeyed and received the message. Awesome!) 

To survive end times, the believer must be able to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying. O watchman, hear our God now!

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NKJV)

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

End Times Witnessing: TODAY’s key word for abundant life is “OBEY”!!!

Here is the message today. Obey! Obey! Obey!  (The watchman’s comments are in brackets)

Nehemiah 9

New Living Translation (NLT)

The People Confess Their Sins (This is a repentance day for all!)

 ¹ On October 31 the people assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads. ² Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors. ³ They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law of the Lord their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God. ⁴ The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani—stood on the stairway of the Levites and cried out to the Lord their God with loud voices.  ⁵ Then the leaders of the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—called out to the people: “Stand up and praise the Lord your God, for he lives from everlasting to everlasting!”

Then they prayed:

 (Praise our God! Know His greatness before we can pray!)

  “May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise!
 ⁶ “You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you.

 ⁷ “You are the Lord God, who chose Abram and brought him from Ur of the Chaldeans and renamed him Abraham. ⁸ When he had proved himself faithful, you made a covenant with him to give him and his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashites. And you have done what you promised,

for you are always true to your word.  (God is true to His word! When we pray we need His words and not ours! Without the word in our hearts how can we pray? Prayer is offering of our lips and our hearts. Our prayers are gathered in heaven to mix with incense for burning at the altar)

 ⁹ “You saw the misery of our ancestors in Egypt, and you heard their cries from beside the Red Sea. ¹⁰ You displayed miraculous signs and wonders against Pharaoh, his officials, and all his people, for you knew how arrogantly they were treating our ancestors. You have a glorious reputation that has never been forgotten. ¹¹ You divided the sea for your people so they could walk through on dry land! And then you hurled their enemies into the depths of the sea. They sank like stones beneath the mighty waters. ¹² You led our ancestors by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night so that they could find their way.

(God sees all and knows all. He wants to help and deliver us from our mess and bondages. He makes sure we find the way of righteousness. Jesus has promised that all who seek shall find.)
 ¹³ “You came down at Mount Sinai and spoke to them from heaven. You gave them regulations and instructions that were just, and decrees and commands that were good. ¹⁴ You instructed them concerning your holy Sabbath. And you commanded them, through Moses your servant, to obey all your commands, decrees, and instructions.

(God gave us His Word. Jesus has promised that when we abide in Him and His word abides in us, whatever we ask will be done for us.)
 ¹⁵ “You gave them bread from heaven when they were hungry and water from the rock when they were thirsty. You commanded them to go and take possession of the land you had sworn to give them.

(God makes sure we receive all that we need to live an abundant life as promised. Jesus promises and is the abundant life. Jesus also said, “Seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, and all these things we need for our physical living on earth will be added to us!)
 ¹⁶ “But our ancestors were proud and stubborn, and they paid no attention to your commands. ¹⁷ They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt!

(What made us fail and be under bondage again? Pride, stubborness, pay no attention to God’s word, refuse to obey His word, forget His miracles in our lives, even appoint a leader i.e. our sinful nature, to lead us back to the worldly way, thus falling into the enemy’s snare, oppression, robbery, destruction and even get killed. John 10:10)

But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them, ¹⁸ even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, ‘This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!’ They committed terrible blasphemies.
 ¹⁹ “But in your great mercy you did not abandon them to die in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud still led them forward by day, and the pillar of fire showed them the way through the night. ²⁰ You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst. ²¹ For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell!

 ²² “Then you helped our ancestors conquer kingdoms and nations, and you placed your people in every corner of the land. They took over the land of King Sihon of Heshbon and the land of King Og of Bashan. ²³ You made their descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and brought them into the land you had promised to their ancestors.
 ²⁴ “They went in and took possession of the land. You subdued whole nations before them. Even the Canaanites, who inhabited the land, were powerless! Your people could deal with these nations and their kings as they pleased. ²⁵ Our ancestors captured fortified cities and fertile land. They took over houses full of good things, with cisterns already dug and vineyards and olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate until they were full and grew fat and enjoyed themselves in all your blessings.

(How to get back to God’s protection and blessing? Remember! Remember His miracles in ur lives!)
 ²⁶ “But despite all this, they were disobedient and rebelled against you. They turned their backs on your Law, they killed your prophets who warned them to return to you, and they committed terrible blasphemies. ²⁷ So you handed them over to their enemies, who made them suffer. But in their time of trouble they cried to you, and you heard them from heaven. In your great mercy, you sent them liberators who rescued them from their enemies.
 ²⁸ “But as soon as they were at peace, your people again committed evil in your sight, and once more you let their enemies conquer them. Yet whenever your people turned and cried to you again for help, you listened once more from heaven. In your wonderful mercy, you rescued them many times!

(Remember how good God is and how evil our sinful nature can be!)
 ²⁹ “You warned them to return to your Law, but they became proud and obstinate and disobeyed your commands. They did not follow your regulations, by which people will find life if only they obey. They stubbornly turned their backs on you and refused to listen. ³⁰ In your love, you were patient with them for many years. You sent your Spirit, who warned them through the prophets. But still they wouldn’t listen! So once again you allowed the peoples of the land to conquer them. ³¹ But in your great mercy, you did not destroy them completely or abandon them forever. What a gracious and merciful God you are!
 ³² “And now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of unfailing love, do not let all the hardships we have suffered seem insignificant to you. Great trouble has come upon us and upon our kings and leaders and priests and prophets and ancestors—all of your people—from the days when the kings of Assyria first triumphed over us until now. ³³ Every time you punished us you were being just. We have sinned greatly, and you gave us only what we deserved. ³⁴ Our kings, leaders, priests, and ancestors did not obey your Law or listen to the warnings in your commands and laws. ³⁵ Even while they had their own kingdom, they did not serve you, though you showered your goodness on them. You gave them a large, fertile land, but they refused to turn from their wickedness.

(God has given His people two most effective weapons and sure win keys: His Word and His Spirit! all we need to do is to obey and follow His word and His Spirit!)
 ³⁶ “So now today we are slaves in the land of plenty that you gave our ancestors for their enjoyment! We are slaves here in this good land. ³⁷ The lush produce of this land piles up in the hands of the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They have power over us and our livestock. We serve them at their pleasure, and we are in great misery.”

(The result and evidence of disobedience to God’s word and to the Holy Spirit: Losses in every aspect of life that we treasure, for example, right and freedom, enjoyment, produce of our work, power to overcome, property and asset, pleasure, happiness, peace!!!)

The People Agree to Obey

 ³⁸ The people responded, “In view of all this, we are making a solemn promise and putting it in writing. On this sealed document are the names of our leaders and Levites and priests.”

(This is what we need to do now, individually and as a church!)

End Times Witnessing: TODAY’S key word for survival is “OBEY”!

The watchman woke around 2:30am and it was too early to get up. So he lingered in bed thinking of having more needed sleep. Alas, the alarm rang soon at 3am. So he told himself he better wait for the next round of alarm. After awhile he heard, “Today’s key word is OBEDIENCE” (as in the case of King Saul, who lost his kingship and favor from God because he chose not to obey God’s word). When the watchman heard this word, he jumped out of bed eventhough he could hardly open his eyes!

Later he looked at the related passage at 1 Samuel 15:21-23 and understood why the word is so urgent for end times survival!

Here is the passage: (with the watchman’s comment after the passage)

1 Samuel 15:21-23

New International Version (NIV)

²¹The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”

 ²²But Samuel replied:    “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
   as much as in obeying the LORD?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
   and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
²³ For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
   and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
   he has rejected you as king.”

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Watchman’s summary of this key message received today:

1. The Lord wants your heart’s obedience above your sacrifice of material stuff.
2. Disobedience links to rebellion and arrogance. Rebellion and arrogance are in turn linked to the sin of divination and the evil of idolatry!
3. Obedience to God is evidenced by obedience to the word of the Lord.
4. Serious consequence of disobedience was also recorded in Hebrews 3:16-19 in which it is linked to unbelief. The Holy Spirit warned against unbelief (as those who did not enter the promised land). The people rebelled, sinned, disobeyed God’s word, and all these were evidences of their unbelief.
5. To believe is a spiritual act of faith. Without faith one cannot believe in a supernatural and spiritual God (John4:24) and in His word who is God (John 1:1)!

End Times Witnessing: TODAY’S Key word for Survival is COVENANT

The watchman was called to wake at 3am but he waited for the second round of alarm and got up at 3:10am. After intercession he went back to bed at 5:30am. But he could not sleep and heard distant sounds. Later around 7am he heard the Lord said, “The key for end time survival is COVENANT.” He was also told that he should write this down today. He was also told to write a new story on End Times Survival. The details will be given to him as he obeys.

The previous day was a fruitful day in the Spirit.

He preached about the rebuilding of the Nehemiah’s Jerusalem Wall. He went through the anointing of the banners and ram horns with the whole congregation. He also obeyed the Lord and stayed in the sanctuary to fast and pray until after sunset. The verse he received and carried out by faith was Joel 2. This day he had to stand in the gap to intercede as a priest who ministers at the altar! A watchman indeed must be prepared to stand anywhere as called for any assignment at an appointed time. He needed to hear further instructions from the Lord for his class as well.

The Intercession Joel 2:17: Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, O Lord, Do not make Your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is your God?’”

Claim the promise of God in Joel 2:20: ”I will drive the northern army far from you, pushing it into a parched and barren land, with its front columns going into the eastern sea and those in the rear into the western sea. And its stench will go up; its smell will rise.” (This is also a prophetic declaration for what is happening inIsrael today).

Why should God answer? The key word is “COVENANT”.

God is a covenant keeping God. He has a covenant with Abraham, who followed and obeyed the Lord by faith. The same covenant has been extended to those who by faith become descendents of Abraham (Gal 3:29). All who have faith in Jesus, the Seed from Abraham, inherits the same covenant blessing promised to Abraham (Gal 3:16). The confirmation of this covenant is through the blood of Jesus.

Matthew 26:28 “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Jesus said.

God’s covenant with Abraham:

Genesis 17:4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. Genesis 17:7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.

God’s instructions to Moses:

Exodus 2:24 So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. Exodus 23:32 You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. Exodus 24:7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the LORD has said we will do, and be obedient.” Exodus 24:8 And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to all these words.”

The Ark carried the Covenant of the Lord recorded by Moses:

Joshua 3:3 and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.

How the Lord keeps and remembers His covenant

Nehemiah 1:5 And I said: “I pray, LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, Nehemiah 9:38 “And because of all this, We make a sure covenant and write it; Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it.”

Psalm 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant. Psalm 50:5 “Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” Psalm 89:34 My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. Psalm 105:8 He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,

God promised another Covenant – Jesus Christ(the Ark)!

Isaiah 42:6
“ I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles, Isaiah 59:21 “As for Me,” says the LORD, “this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,” says the LORD, “from this time and forevermore.” Acts 3:25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ Hebrews 10:16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,”

Believers receive the New Covenant through Jesus

1. Through His blood

Matthew 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 1 Corinthians 11:25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” Hebrews 9:18 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. Hebrews 9:20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.”

Hebrews 10:29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

2. A better Covenant

2 Corinthians 3:6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Hebrews 7:22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. Hebrews 8:6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. Hebrews 9:1 [ The Earthly Sanctuary ] Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. Romans 11:27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.” Hebrews 9:15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

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At the end times everyone will be identified by their mark. They either have the mark of the beast or the mark of God. The mark of the beast is described in Revelation 13:16-18. The covenant mark/seal of God is described in Ezekiel 9:4 and Revelation 7:3, 9:4, and 14:1.