Deep Impact of Faith / June 1998

Contents

• Deep Impact of Faith
• Michael - the Restrainer
• The Prophet Side

Hollywood's latest disaster movie pits (no pun intended) a comet against the earth. Unlike billiard balls bouncing off each other, the comet collides with the Earth causing a “DEEP IMPACT” into the ocean with a great tidal wave and other explosive effects. It is what the scientists call an E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event). They have an acronym for everything. An E.L.E is when the planet as we know it ends.

Don't misunderstand me; I am not making light of the subject matter. I find it fascinating how movie makers and the world try to deal with planet mortality in light of secular scientific prediction and probability. The movie is based on the latest statistical predictions from the astronomical community that a meteorite, asteroid, or comet will hit the earth in the next four years. Depending on the size of this falling star, its velocity, angle of impact, etc., life on this planet will be in jeopardy. An impact into the water has one set of effects while an impact into land has others. The movie attempts to deal with this and the human psyche of self preservation, but never deals with the subject of God who created the heavens and His salvation.

The basic scenario for the movie is: A comet streaking toward the Earth is discovered by amateurs. The government keeps the knowledge of the impending collision secret from the world. This is for our own good. Once the news breaks, the President declares a kind of emergency, freezing prices and keeping everyone calm (a bottle of water costs the same the day after the announcement as it did before the announcement). They send the shuttle, called the Messiah, with astronauts to put nuclear bombs on the comet to destroy it. This is as close as Hollywood can get to giving the Messiah any credit for saving us. Russia and the US even send ICBM's after the comet. Nuclear weapons have been the answer for everything in this generation. Down on Earth, the Government sets up a lottery system for 800,000 souls to hide in underground caves, called the Ark, in Missouri and other places. How ingenious, they combine the lottery system with a famous Bible story and everyone goes for it. Everyone stores up cases of Ensure, a nutritious mocha flavored drink, strings six-foot high chain link fence around their front yard topped with barbed wire, and the President says the Aaronic benediction, “The Lord bless you and keep you, …” I won't give away the whole story. Suffice it to say, some of the comet causes a “DEEP IMPACT”, the reason for the name of the movie, and a thousand-mile-an-hour tidal wave hits the Atlantic coast. Hollywood finally tops Cecil B. DeMille's special effect for the waters in the Ten Commandments. The only thing missing is the Scripture references and proper credit given to God for the movie idea.

The underlining message of the movie is that Hollywood thinks we mortals will survive and go on inhabiting the earth even if an Extinction Level Event occurs. According to them, we survive.

Wait a minute! Do we really believe that? Do we believe that the world will still keep going and it's just a matter of making a few provisions and keeping a stiff upper lip? Hollywood obviously believes that and wants you to believe it with them. This is not a purely secular concept. Some of the evangelical religious community think likewise.

Dispensationalists (particularly pretribulationists) believe that some mortals will survive the day of the Lord (even though God says He will make a complete end of every inhabitant of the earth).

Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the day of the Lord's wrath; and all the earth will be devoured in the fire of His jealousy, for He will make a complete end, indeed a terrifying one, of all the inhabitants of the earth.

Zepheniah 1:18

In the face of a comet the size of Mt. Everest plowing into the earth, the movie man says, “We will survive.” They believe that mankind is greater than anything else in the Universe. The pretribulationist says, “Yeh, that's right. We're the church and God beams us out prior to any ‘DEEP IMPACT’.” Even my Grandmother knew that movies were make believe. She believed that there was a God who made the heavens, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them. This includes comets heading for Earth. She knew that you believe only in real things.

When did we make the transition from make believe to believe? In the face of a Holy God who created the heavens and the earth, who decreed a great judgment and destruction at the end, who offered Himself as a great salvation, why are some religious teachers saying, “some mortals will survive?” Why do they believe in make believe? The answer is the same for the secular man and the pretribulationist. They share an overinflated opinion of themselves. The secular believes that man continues to evolve as the highest form. The pretribber believes that God will deliver the church because they are the highest form of the spiritual order.

Let's examine the premise of the movie again and think about it a little further.

1. Let's say that there is no God who created heaven and the earth. It just happened.

2. Let's say that a meteorite, asteroid, or comet-type-mountain in space is hurtling toward us and is going to impact the earth.

According to the secular man, God didn't create anything, therefore He can't save us. We have to save ourselves. This is called make believe; it is really unbelief. The pretribber believes he won't be present when the meteorite hits; he gets raptured out first. This is called escapism; it is really unbelief.

Now consider the alternative.

1. There is a God who created the heavens and the earth. It just didn't happen. God has design and plan for everything. Oh, by the way, this God is an AWESOME God. He is not a puny religious God, but the real Creator of the Universe.

2. There is a meteorite, asteroid, or comet heading for impact with the earth.

Since the God who created everything told us about meteorites and falling stars beforehand, then we should consider what else God told us. For example, God has said that we will see these things happen and we are blessed if we heed His words. This makes sense; this is not make believe. This is reality; this is called faith. Faith is believing the promises of God.

In the movie and in make believe, people die poignantly on the beach with the 1,000 foot tidal wave, while others escape on motorcycles to the mountains and drink different flavors of the previously stored very nutritious drink. The sequel will show them saving the cans for recycling and life goes on. Pardon me please, but THAT IS NOT REAL!

In the movie and in make believe, the shuttle Messiah gives up it’s life for the benefit of the Earth, thus Earth is saved (where have we heard that theme before)? The temporary storage area of underground caves for humans and animals is called the Ark. Oh, c'mon guys! God is going to want some of the royalties, because you're stealing His story. Make believe always borrows a little of the truth to make it believable. Doesn't that tell you something? The truth is that there was a real Ark, and there really is a Messiah who does save the world. The fact is that God has already warned us of a “DEEP IMPACT” event that is coming. It includes meteorites, the sun, angels and demons, the devil, war, worldwide calamity, diseases, plagues, and judgments like the world has never seen before, topped off with the Return of His Son to destroy His enemies with the brightness of His coming. And, yes, the church will see all of this happening here on the Earth. There is no rapture of the church until we see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.

And the third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters;

Revelation 8:10

And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. 2 And lhe opened the bottomless pit; and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit.

Revelation 9:1

Not only has He warned us of the great judgment at the end of the age, but He has convincing evidence to support His intention. He did it once before!

The world has already endured a “DEEP IMPACT” event. The great flood of Noah is believed to have been caused by a meteorite strike causing massive precipitation and the oceans and continents to exchange places. (Noah did not get raptured.) The earth is full of evidence suggesting recent (within a few thousand years) cataclysmic events like the Bible says. While the evolutionists and geologists like to believe in very long periods of time for any earth transition, the Biblical account and recent evidences contradict their assertions. The volcano Mount St. Helens blew all those trees down and dropped them into Spirit Lake. Two years later, they were petrified wood and appeared to be millions of years old. There are plenty of other evidences, but space in this newsletter and time do not permit us to go further. The Bible simply says that the man who says there is no God is a fool.

So, if there is a God and there is going to be another “DEEP IMPACT”, what are we going to do?

Wouldn't it make sense to be reconciled with this God who is permitting, causing, and planning the “DEEP IMPACT” event? Do you really believe that as a member of the local church down the street that you are not subject to God's judgment? Wouldn't it make more sense to seek God's plan of deliverance for the days of the Great Tribulation and wait on the Lord for the Extinction Level Event that He calls the DAY OF THE LORD?

The Lord has asked, “When the Son of Man returns, will He find faith?” He is asking about real faith based on truth, not make believe. He is asking about faith that changes the direction of your life for eternity, not faith when it is convenient for your personal plans. The Extinction Level Event called the Day of the Lord is not a movie, nor is it for your entertainment. It is a real, no nonsense, prophesied event planned by a real Creator of the Universe. The same Creator who put the meteorites in question into orbit with a specific collision date. Our lives, therefore, are not happenstance nor statistics of chance. We need to answer God's question about Him and our faith before this all happens. In space talk, “We need to change the orbital direction of our lives, which is about to collide with the Creator, and turn toward the God who put everything into orbit.”

Bible prophecy clearly says that we will endure meteorite strikes before the coming of the Lord. The first will affect the atmosphere producing hydrocyanatic acid. The second one will make a “DEEP IMPACT” into the earth just like the movie describes. Darkness will cover the Earth and no flesh will survive without the Lord.

And the third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters; and the name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood; and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

Revelation 8:10-11

And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. And he opened the bottomless pit; and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit.

Revelation 9:1-2

The Apostle Peter summarizes the final prophesied events for the Extinction Level Event this way.
But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

II Peter 3:7

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

II Peter 3:10-13

The movie “DEEP IMPACT” is entertaining and thought provoking. It will sell a lot of tickets (movie fans love disaster movies). Sales of Ensure will go up; however, it is all make believe. I call this movie and others like it “Tribulation Training Films.” It really is the world's attempt to prophesy what is about to happen and an effort to spread their religion in light of the latest scientific discoveries. Don't believe in make believe. When it comes to real meteorites hitting the real earth that we live on, we need to get ready for the “DEEP IMPACT” of our faith by the One and Only,…
Awesome,…
Almighty God.

---

His name means “Who is like our God?” He is called a Great Prince and is one of the Angel Princes or Angels of His Presence. He stands guard over Israel and obeys the orders of his commander, the Lord of Hosts. He is said to stand on the right hand of the Father, the same side as the Messiah. Michael's counterparts, the archangels Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael are considered subordinate to Michael. Gabriel, God is My Hero, is better known for his role in heralding the birth of Messiah; however, Michael's finest hour is yet to come. While Gabriel heralded the Messiah's first coming, Michael plays a very important role in His second coming.

The subject of archangels and ministering angels is a mysterious one at best with considerably more questions than answers for mankind. They appear to play a much larger role in events about to happen than we really grasp. Take for instance, the number of angels that are involved in the books of Daniel and Revelation. Angels are the instruments of God's judgment and the proclaimers of heavenly events. The books of Daniel and Revelation share a common prophecy about Michael that concerns us.

It is Michael, the warrior angel, who will rise up to defeat the forces of satan in heaven and cast him to Earth at the start of the Great Tribulation. Yeshua will begin His reign in heaven, rising from His Father's side once His enemies have been made His footstool. Although this prophecy is clear and specific, the church appears to be totally ignorant of Michael's purpose or the role of the archangels. Does it not say that we will hear the shout of an archangel before the Lord comes? Is not Michael standing guard over Israel even yet today? Is not Michael the restrainer Paul refers to in keeping the antimessiah at bay until he is lifted out of the way and Jacob's trouble begins? On this last point, some churchmen are very confused as to who the restrainer is. Some believe that the Holy Spirit (and the church) is the restrainer of evil. They even advocate that it is the Holy Spirit (and the church) that will be taken out at the pretrib rapture. Instead of conjecture, let's listen to what the prophecies say of Michael and the Holy Spirit.

Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.

Daniel 12:1

The time of Michael's rising is at the Great Tribulation, the time of distress that the world has never seen before. Michael's role prior to the Great Tribulation is to stand guard over Israel. Until Michael is reassigned from his guard duty, the time of Jacob's trouble can not happen. But where would Michael go if he were not guarding Israel, and what does it mean when it says, “will arise?”

And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. And the dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Revelation 12:7-9

Michael will soon arise and be assigned duty in heaven to wage war against satan. As a result of this duty in heaven, satan will be thrown to the earth with no defender of Israel. It says further, that the dragon will then wage war on earth with the remnant of Israel, thus, Jacob's trouble - the Great Tribulation here on earth.

And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman [Israel] who gave birth to the male child. And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring [the remnant], who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus [Messianic Jews].

Revelation 12:13,17

Michael's role as guardian, warrior, and restrainer is clearly presented in the Old and New Testaments. The prophet Daniel records earlier the work of Michael.

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia…. However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince.

Daniel 10:13,21

Michael is depicted as a defender and as one of the chief princes. He is described as one who stands firmly (to retrain the enemies of God). In a New Testament reference, Jude recounts a previous encounter between Michael and satan, arguing for the bones of Moses.

But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”

Jude 1:9

In both of these instances, Michael is careful to do only what the Lord has commanded him to do. Michael stays within his delegated authority to accomplish his assigned task. The role and authority of Michael was clearly understood in the first century by the average believer. This is why Paul referred so casually to the role of Michael and end time events.

And you know what restrains [the Archangel Michael] him [the antimessiah] now, so that in his time he [antimessiah] may be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he [Michael] who now restrains will do so until he is taken [lifted up to heaven] out of the way.

II Thessalonians 2:6-7

The restrainer is Michael, not the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a comforter. He leads us into truth and convicts us of sin. The Bible never lists one of the attributes of the Holy Spirit as a restrainer of evil or of the antimessiah.

Many pretribulation teachers tell their followers that when the church is raptured before the tribulation, the Holy Spirit gets raptured also. Therefore the poor world below suffers with just Jews and Law. Bible prophecy says the opposite. During the Great Tribulation the Holy Spirit is poured even more so. The idea of the Holy Spirit leaving is based on the misunderstanding of the role of Michael the Prince of Israel.

The prophet Joel describes the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the end, not the rapture of the Holy Spirit. Even Peter on the day of Pentecost shared about the Holy Spirit's presence. But, Joel's prophecy is still yet to be fulfilled completely.

And it will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. And even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Joel 2:28-29

When is the Holy Spirit poured out to this degree? The answer is given both before and after these verses. And it will come about after this… It will come about after what???

Thus you will know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God and there is no other; and My people will never be put to shame.

Joel 2:27

When the name of Israel is never put to shame again, when we know there is no other god, when we see God as our God, and when we see our God is in the midst of Israel, then God will pour out His Spirit on all believers. That is what it says before.

Here is what Joel says happens after the Holy Spirit is poured out.

And I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, blood, fire, and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.

Joel 2:30-31

Obviously, the Holy Spirit is poured out before the Great Tribulation. I can't imagine going through the tribulation without the presence of God's Spirit. Equally so, I can't imagine how the Great Tribulation can begin without Michael being lifted up first. He has been restraining the evil one for a long time and has shown himself able to the task. But it is upon us to answer the question of his name. There is no one like our God!

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