The Lord of hosts will deliver His people

“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.” (Joel 3:10).

We have posed a lot of questions regarding gun control. But, the above verse does not refer to the nation of Israel. It is speaking to the enemies of Israel.

“Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: 

Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. 

Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. 

Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.” (Joel 3:9-12).

And it wasn’t a call to northern kingdom of Israel for war, but to the Gentiles, the Greeks, and men of Tyre and Zidon, the Philistines, “the mighty men”, “all the heathen round about”. The Lord was subpeoning the “heathen” to draw near for their award of justice, along with the vile king of the north and his voracious locust raiders (see Joel 2:1-11,20). Jehovah would judge all and then vanquish them by His “mighty ones” (vs. 11)—His angelic armies, all which “excel in strength” (Ps. 103:20). One angel alone slew 185,000 Assyrian men of war (see Isaiah 37:36). An army from heaven on a mission of justice would blot out all the millions of this world’s brutal wicked.

“All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth.” (Dan 4:35).

Joel’s message against a destroying army, the Assyrians, was the same bold message that we hear from Jeremiah against the armies of Babylon, after it had run its course as chief aggressor nation in the region of the ancient Middle East. By then the Chaldeans were worthless under wretched Belshazzar, and abominable to God. The whole nation needed to be swept into oblivion. But, by whom? Who would wield the battle axe and spear and sword? Their captives? And who today will wield the laser guided automatic weapons and the laser guided missiles? Will it be the modern counterpart of the ancient Israelites, the righteous and patriotic Protestant Americans, desiring the restoration of their unalienable rights and freedoms, their economy based on the gold standard, their original constituted government, the good life that was passed down from the American Revolution?

“The portion of Jacob [Jehovah] is not like them [all the man-made gods]; for He is the former of [He formed] all things: and Israel is the rod of His inheritance [heirloom]: the LORD of hosts is His name. 

Thou art My battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; 

And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider.” (Jer. 51:19-21).

Initially, Jeremiah sounded like Judah was providentially handpicked to overthrow their captors. But, the context says otherwise. They were a holier nation now due to “the punishment of their iniquity” (Lev. 26:41). Once again, they were a kingdom of priests and a peculiar people. They could again sigh and cry when they heard the word of God. “All the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.” (Neh. 8:9). Like never before since the revival of David they could see the beauty of holiness.

Did swashbuckling Jews fight their way out of captivity? Not at all. The Lord raised up nations to do what the Jews couldn’t do for themselves. “[Jehovah] is a man of war: [Jehovah] is his name” (Ex. 15:3). Yet, He did desire them to wield justice. But before they would be responsible with power, they first needed to learn righteousness and dependence on their God, the living God. And, if they would follow after dependence on God, it would open their hearts and minds to learn righteous national defense. Until that day, national dependence would sufficiently compensate for the lack of national defense, and heathen powers must do the work of defending and governing over God’s people.

The ten kings [all the violent world leaderships, “the kings of the earth” (Rev. 17:2), “the kings of the east” (Rev. 16:12)] will be available to do the terrible work of justice on Babylon. They will have fallen to the Jesuit false hopes of world dominance that lured them into the New Age papacy, only to revolt later. The gospel has been preached fearlessly, and the preachers now “shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn[ed] many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” (Dan. 12:3). The kings wake up to realize that their fling with the despotic Church only led to the Jesuits’ satanic control over them. “And the inhabitants of the earth” that “have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication” (Rev. 17:2) also awaken to their lost condition due to the Church’s wicked spell over them, without any time left to be saved. Their wrath upon the Christian religious leaders will be ferocious, without self-control. It will simulate another French Reign of Terror.

“Anarchy is seeking to sweep away all law, not only divine, but human. The centralizing of wealth and power; the vast combinations for the enriching of the few at the expense of the many; the combinations of the poorer classes for the defense of their interests and claims; the spirit of unrest, of riot and bloodshed; the world-wide dissemination of the same teachings that led to the French Revolution—all are tending to involve the whole world in a struggle similar to that which convulsed France.” Education, p. 228.

“Says the prophet: “I saw three unclean spirits like frogs; ... they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Revelation 16:13, 14. Except those who are kept by the power of God, through faith in His word, the whole world will be swept into the ranks of this delusion. The people are fast being lulled to a fatal security, to be awakened only by the outpouring of the wrath of God.” Great Controversy, p. 561.

“The ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 

These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. 

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful. 

And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 

And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 

For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.” (Rev. 17:12-17).

“And the nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear Thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” (Rev. 11:18).

“Parents were bitterly reproaching their children, and children their parents, brothers their sisters, and sisters their brothers. Loud, wailing cries were heard in every direction, “It was you who kept me from receiving the truth which would have saved me from this awful hour.” The people turned upon their ministers with bitter hate and reproached them, saying, “You have not warned us. You told us that all the world was to be converted, and cried, Peace, peace, to quiet every fear that was aroused. You have not told us of this hour; and those who warned us of it you declared to be fanatics and evil men, who would ruin us.” But I saw that the ministers did not escape the wrath of God. Their suffering was tenfold greater than that of their people.” Early Writings, p. 282.

Not the faithful Protestant people, but the people of the world, will heap judgment upon the Jesuit Vatican and upon its false prophet-front man of deception, apostate Protestant America.

“For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain. 

And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied, saith the LORD. 

Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of mine heritage, because ye are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls; 

Your mother shall be sore confounded; she that bare you shall be ashamed: behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert. 

Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues. 

Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD. 

Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.” (Jer. 50:9-15).

“And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.” (Rev. 16:12).

Before the angry people, effeminate priest hands that never exerted themselves in hard labor will wipe sweat from foreheads that never knew perspiration, and will cover bitter mouths that never knew mercy. All will be swept away in the bloody convulsion of societies. All, religious leadership and duped church members, fall before the glory of Christ.

The Lord of hosts would provide for His people’s break out from their prison. They will go free depending wholly on the protection of heaven, as Jacob did after he was humbled into the dust. “I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.” (Gen. 33:14). “And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.” (Gen. 32:1,2).

If the Medo-Persia were the power that overthrew ancient Neo-Babylon, then why was Judah called the Lord’s battle axe? Because, like Jacob, they finally humbled themselves and surrendered to the will and the punishments of the Lord their God. They now were spiritual soldiers, prayer warriors. They would battle to remain patiently following their God’s providential guidance. They could trust His protection, as Jacob did. This is why Babylon was finally overthrown.

“Rejoice, O ye nations, with His people: for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and will render vengeance to His adversaries, and will be merciful unto His land, and to His people.” (Deut. 32:43).

“For true and righteous are His judgments: for He hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of His servants at her hand.” (Rev. 19:2).

“I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for My people and for My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted My land….  The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of His people, and the strength of the children of Israel.” (Joel 3:2, 16).

As in the days of Jehoshaphat, Judah didn’t fight a conventional war. They fought in a spiritual war—the warfare was against themselves, against their deplorable pride, unbelief, and past unfaithfulness to their holy God, the only true God. The spiritual war would happen again after their 70 year captivity, and surrender and dependence would set the stage for Jeremiah’s final prophecy against Babylon.

It would bear an identical resemblance to Joel’s prophecy and to the apocalyptic war against the final Babylonian vile king of the north.

“In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God. 

They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten. 

My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace. 

All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers. 

Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks.” (Jer. 50:4-8).

The same would also happen again at the end of the world, as everything in Revelation can only be understood by previous precedents.

“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, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 

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. 

For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 

Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.” (Rev. 18:1-6).

How will the finally released protestants from captivity heap double upon the modern Babylon? With vindictive bullets and chaotic vengeance? Not at all. They will heap mercy and holiness upon their assailants.

“Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 

Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom. 12:17-21).

They will do as their Master exemplified.

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.…

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matt. 5:44,45,48).

“But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you.” (Matt. 20:25,26).

 “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 

And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 

And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 

And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 

Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” (Acts 2:41-47).

“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. 

And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. 

And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.” (Acts 4:31-33).

“God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, 

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. ” (Eph. 2:4-6).

“But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. 

And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the Law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 

And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 

But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. 

For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever. 

In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; 

And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.” (Mic. 4:1-7).

What Micah preached against Babylon is a repeat of what Isaiah had foretold of Assyria.

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 

And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 

And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 

O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.” (Isa. 2:2-5).

“That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:7).

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. 

Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before Thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. 

For Thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. 

For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. 

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 

Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” (Isa. 9:2-7).

No, Armageddon will not be the church or holy people shooting at a million man army of cut-throats and hoodlums. Armageddon will not be the blitz of lies and delusions that today’s priests of Baal are teaching from church pulpits and television stations and radio towers. It will not be cavalry and infantry divisions amassing on either side of an empty Euphrates River. Don’t even go to look at that fakery when it actually does take place as massive fraud. Everything of the evangelicals’ deceptive eschatology has been forged by four centuries of wicked Jesuitry, “after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,” (2Thess. 2:9). “They are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” (Rev. 16:14). Don’t look and get caught up in the forbidden foray. Hear of it from afar, but don’t get involved. Warn people of it. Don’t look, but expect it. Anticipate it. Jesuit deception of every specie has already been instituted since 1844. Even the seven year rapture scenario began in 1590, by a Jesuit theologian. The denominations have left their Reformation forefathers’ protest. Today Evangelicalism is fully devoured by the Jesuit locusts.

“Satan delights in war, for it excites the worst passions of the soul and then sweeps into eternity its victims steeped in vice and blood. It is his object to incite the nations to war against one another, for he can thus divert the minds of the people from the work of preparation to stand in the day of God.” Great Controversy, p. 589.

But, the true Armageddon will be what Jesus gave to His messenger, Ellen G. White—the finale of the great investigative judgment—the executive judgment of the sheep and the goats by Jesus at His return.

“Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. 

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 

The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. 

The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of His people, and the strength of the children of Israel.” (Joel 3:13-16).

“And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 

And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for Thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 

And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. 

And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 

And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to Him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in Thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 

And the Angel thrust in His sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 

And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.” (Rev. 14:14-20).

But the people of the Lord, who learned dependence and surrender, which caused their special work of purification, are prepared to meet their beloved Lord coming in power and great glory. “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” (Dan. 12:10).

“The restraint which has been upon the wicked is removed, and Satan has entire control of the finally impenitent. God’s long-suffering has ended. The world has rejected His mercy, despised His love, and trampled upon His law. The wicked have passed the boundary of their probation; the Spirit of God, persistently resisted, has been at last withdrawn. Unsheltered by divine grace, they have no protection from the wicked one. Satan will then plunge the inhabitants of the earth into one great, final trouble. As the angels of God cease to hold in check the fierce winds of human passion, all the elements of strife will be let loose. The whole world will be involved in ruin more terrible than that which came upon Jerusalem of old.” Great Controversy, p. 614.

It will be worse than France’s Reign of Terror.

“For true and righteous are His judgments: for He hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of His servants at her hand. 

And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. 

And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. 

And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye His servants, and ye that fear Him, both small and great. 

And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. 

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” (Rev. 19:2-8).