The Daily Word of Righteousness

Shaking the Heavens and the Earth, #8

Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. (Hebrews 6:7,8—NIV)

To gainsay the clear passages that warn us concerning falling back into sin, saying we are secure in Christ and we cannot fall away, will only jeopardize the believer's future role in the Kingdom. One cannot grasp the passages that speak of our security in Christ and ignore the other passages that warn us it is possible to die in the wilderness. Either both are the true Word of God or neither is. We cannot choose parts of the Bible because they appeal to us and then remove those that frighten us.

How will God shake the host in the heavens and on the earth? He will shake us by testing our obedience. He does this during our lifetime on earth by permitting Satan to put us in one prison or another, looking to see if we will remain steadfast or if we will bolt and run, trying to save our life. If we run away from our test we will only be given a more difficult one. God is preparing kings and priests who will be authorized and competent to judge the rebellious angels and humans and prevent future rebellions. There is to be no weakness or disobedience on this point.

Probably we can accept without too much trouble the reason for our testings on the earth. But how is the host in Heaven shaken? It will be shaken by Antichrist who will be given power by the Lord to shake the heavenly host.

Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land. It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them. It set itself up to be as great as the Prince of the host; it took away the daily sacrifice from him, and the place of his sanctuary was brought low. Because of rebellion, the host of the saints and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground. (Daniel 8:9-12—NIV)

The horn is Antichrist, from my point of view. His power extends to the south and to the east and toward the land of Israel. Then it grows vertically until it reaches the host of the heavens. We see this in the Book of Revelation.

Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so he might devour her child the moment it was born. (Revelation 12:3,4—NIV)

Some might object that the "starry host" that is flung to the ground is composed of the self-willed angels. I would not disagree strongly with this, except that it does not make sense for Satan to cast his own angels to the earth and trample on them. He will need them later when he fights against Michael and the angels of God.

To be continued.