The Aaron Papers  www.the-aaron-papers.net 

A SYSTEMATIC STUDY IN BIBLICAL THEOLOGY

CHAPTER IX

-GOD'S INDIGNATION / WRATH-

THESE are some of the passages that openly reveal the need for a continuance of the earth and its population for a specific period of time beyond the pre-Armageddon gathering of the hidden elect priesthood.  There are some very clear predictions here, which concern God’s visible institutions and the unsaved, that must be fulfilled.  To begin, we must see that God's indignation is being re-directed away from His covenant peoples: Directed toward the unsaved populations of earth.

“For yet a very little while and the indignation against you (God's peoples) shall be accomplished, and then My anger shall be directed to his destruction.” (Isa.10:25)

“So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecution and in the afflictions which you endure; which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; to the end that you may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you also suffer:” (2Thes.1:4 and 5)

“Till the indignation be accomplished.” (Dan.11:36b)

We must not confuse God's indignation that He has exerted against His own peoples, and God's indignation that He will pour out during the forthcoming DAY of the Lord.  We must understand that the DAY of the Lord is that time in the future, when God will turn His full attention toward the lost of this world.

“Wrath shall be poured out upon the desolate.” (Dan.9:27; Ref. Lu.21:34-36; 2Thes.2:)

When God's Holy Spirit is taken out of the way, and the hidden priesthood of Jesus Christ has been taken up from off the earth—taken up into Heaven, the lost population of this earth will surely be SPIRITUALLY DESOLATE.

“Son of man, set your face toward Gog, and the land of Magog... and say, This is what the Lord Jehovah says: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal: And I will turn you around, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you forth, and all your armies...” (Ezek.38:2-4a)

“Come up from the uttermost parts of the north; and I will bring you upon the mountains of Israel...” (Ezek.39:2b)

“And he(Gog); shall plant the tents of his palace between the sea and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” (Dan.11:45)

These passages are clearly describing the preparation which ultimately leads to the "THE WAR of THE GREAT DAY OF GOD", the Almighty.

“For they are spirits of demons, working signs; which go forth unto the kings of the whole world, TO GATHER THEM TOGETHER UNTO "THE WAR of THE GREAT DAY OF GOD", the Almighty.  (Behold, I come as a thief.  Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, unless he walk naked, and they see his shame.)   And they gathered them together into a place which is called in Hebrew Har-Magedon.” (Rev.16:14-16)

Har-Magedon is the culminating event, which will ultimately bring everything to a final conclusion.  I would also contend that Rev.16:13-16 and Rev.20:7 and 8 are each pointing to the same frame in God's time table of events. 

“And when the thousand years are finished, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall come forth to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, TO GATHER THEM TOGETHER TO THE WAR: Their number is as the sand of the sea.” (Rev.20:7 and 8; ref. Ezek.38 and 39)

Could the Valley of Jehoshaphat of Joel 3:2 and 9:11, be the same valley that we see in Zech.14:4—where it is called a very great valley?

(You shall flee, but the valley of My mountains shall be stopped to) the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azel (in Palestine).” (Zech.14:5)

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place for burial in Israel, the valley of them that pass through (east of the sea); and it shall stop them that pass through: And there shall they bury Gog and all his multitudes; and they shall call it the valley of Hamon-gog (the multitude of Gog).” (Ezek.39:11)

It would appear that what looks like an attack or an escape route, turns out to be a dead-end-trap for these great armies.  If this is the case, Isa.2:10-21 becomes understandable: “Enter into the rocks, and hide yourself in the dust; from the terror of Jehovah.”  Rev.6:15-17

This valley is also the location of the great winepress, where the vintage of the earth will be trodden outside of the city—“and there came out blood from the winepress, even unto the bridles of the horses, as far as sixteen-hundred furlongs”.  As we read in Rev.14:19 and 20.  The same harvest picture that we see in Joel.3:13 and Rev.19:15b.  

[Define Jehoshaphat: Jehovah has judged.] 

Because of the presence of blood in this immense slaughter of these earthly inhabitants, the judgment that is pictured here in this great valley must involve living beings.

“I will gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will execute judgment upon them there.” (Joel.3:2)

(You,) proclaim this among the nations: Prepare war...  Let the nations prepare themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the nations round about.  (You,) put in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe: (You,) come and tread; for the winepress is full...” (Joel.3:9-13; Ref. Rev.14:14-20)

“He treads the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty.” (Rev.19:15b)

“The valley of slaughter.” (Jer.7:32)

“And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives... and the Mount of Olives shall be cleft in the midst... and there shall be a very great valley...” (Zech.14:4)

This valley runs east and west.  This valley will also become a part of the Holy Oblation to Jehovah. (Ezek.48:8-22)  The Holy City will also be enlarged. (Jer.31:38-40)   And the whole valley of dead bodies and ashes shall be Holy unto Jehovah:

“For as the new heavens and earth... shall remain before Me, says Jehovah; so shall your seed and your name remain...  (Worship is outlined for all flesh.)   And they shall go forth, and look upon the dead bodies of the men that have transgressed against Me: For their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.” (Isa.66:22-24; Ref. Mk.9:48)

“My (judgment) is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them My indignation, even all My fierce anger: For all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy.” (Zeph.3:8b)

The pre-Armageddon gathering of the hidden priesthood must be completed—all of the elect priests who were gathered out from this dispensation of grace, must be present in God's Heavenly Kingdom before the following scriptural prediction can come to pass:

“I have commanded My consecrated ones, yes, I have called My mighty men for My anger, (even those who rejoice in My exaltation). The noise of the multitudes in the mountains... the noise of a tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together!  Jehovah of Hosts is mustering the hosts for battle.  They come from a far country, from  the uttermost part of heaven, even Jehovah, and the weapons of His indignation, to destroy the whole land.  Wail you; for THE DAY of Jehovah is at hand; as destruction from the Almighty shall it come.” (Isa.13:3-6)

“Then shall Jehovah go forth, and fight against those nations...  And Jehovah my God shall come, and all the holy ones with  Him.” (Zech.14:3,5)

“Jehovah utters His voice before His army, for His camp is very great.” (Joel.2:11a)

“Behold, a white horse, and He that sat thereon (is) called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He does judge and make war. (Rev.19:11) And the armies which are in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure.  And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: And He shall rule them with a rod of iron...” (Rev.19:14 and 15a)

“And He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked.” (Isa.11:4b)

“And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of His mouth...” (2Thes.2:8)

“But you that forsake Jehovah... I will destine you to the sword, and you shall bow down to the slaughter...” (Isa.65:11 and 12)

“Behold, Jehovah will come in fire, to render His anger with fierceness, and His rebuke with flames of fire.  For by fire will Jehovah execute judgment, and by His sword upon all flesh: And the slain of Jehovah shall be many.” (Isa.66:15 and 16; Ref.Nah.3:15)

“And all the hosts of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll...” (Isa.34:4; Ref.Rev.6:14)

“Therefore will I make the heavens tremble, and the earth shall be shaken out of its place, in the wrath of Jehovah of Hosts, and in THE DAY of His fierce anger.” (Isa.13:13)

“Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment; and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner.” (Isa.51:6)

“(For) THE DAY of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (2Pe.3:10)

“For He is strong that executes His word; for THE DAY of Jehovah is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?” (Joel.2:11b)

“And Jehovah will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake...” (Joel.3:16)

“Whose voice then shook the earth: But now He has promised, saying, yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heavens.  And this word, yet once more, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.” (Heb.12:26 and 27)

Note the sequence of these predicted events.  God pours out His wrath upon this sad world just prior to His final judgment.

1. The nations were angry, and

2. Your wrath came; and

3. The time of the dead to be judged, and

4. The time to give their reward to Your servants; and

5. To destroy them that destroy the earth.  (Rev.11:18)

This passage is a prophetic prediction of God's final outpouring of His wrath upon this lost world—which is then followed by His final judgment.

While Rev.11:18 gave us a prediction of the final events that are yet to come, these next passages will be pictures of the events themselves:

“And I saw a Great White Throne, and Him that sat thereon, from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away; and there was no place found for them.” (Rev.20:11)

“I beheld till thrones were placed, and One that was ancient of days did sit: His raiment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool.  His throne was fiery flames, and the wheels thereof burning fire.  A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: Thousands of thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: The judgment was set, and the books were opened.” (Dan.7:9 and 10)

“But when the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then shall He sit on the throne of His glory: And before Him shall be gathered all the nations...” (Mat.25:31 and 32a)

“And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and the books were opened: And another book was opened, which is the book of life: And the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.  And the sea gave up the dead that were in it...” (Rev.20:12 and 13a)

The dead that is in view within this Scripture, could include all of the institutional covenant peoples of God (visible Israel and the visible Church) who were saved into God’s covenant throughout the centuries.  Some of those spoken of in Heb.11:13a and 39—"These all died in faith, not having received the promise..."  " And these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, received not the promise, God having provided some better things concerning US, that apart from US, they should not be made perfect." 

With these passages in mind, we might see the need for the hidden elect saints from this dispensation of grace to be resurrected at an earlier time: In that God has provided some better things concerning us, "that apart from us, they should not be made perfect."

This Scripture from Rev.20: does not conclusively determine that all were cast into the lake of fire: It says that only those who were not found written in the book of life were to be casts into the lake of fire.  Maybe all of the dead—the small and the great pictured there were written in the book of life.

"And Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: And they were judged, every man according to their works.  And Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire...  This is the second death, the lake of fire.  AND IF ANY WAS NOT FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE, HE WAS CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE". (Rev.20:13b-15)

We then see that all of those who were resurrected from Death and Hades were, without the indication of an exception, automatically cast into the lake of fire.  We must conclude, by this Scripture, that the lost soul, at the very moment of their death, goes immediately to the place which is identified here as Death and Hades: All of the lost from the beginning of creation, on through this present time—Even to the very end.  The word Hades appears as a proper noun.  See Lu.16:22b and 23a

Some have speculated on the final judgment, as to the length of time that it might take to accomplish this judgment because of the vast numbers involved.  It would appear that the major portion, if not all of those present, will have already been judged at the time for their death: That is,

1) the lost souls were sent to the place called Death and Hades: Which appears to be the interim place of residence between the natural death and the second death; the lake of fire.  Or,

2) the souls of God’s covenant peoples was sent to the place of the DEAD.  Now conversely, the promise for all of the departed elect priests during the New Covenant era, is that at the time of their death their souls would immediately go into heaven to be with our Lord.  Though this same promise was previously in place, yet it was not as clearly manifested for the understanding of the Old Testament saints.

The only book that has any consequence in all of these judgments is the book of life.  It is doubtful that many of the lost souls slipped through the determination made at the time of their death, but it is remotely possible: The parable given in Mat.22:1-14 shows a person present at the marriage feast without having the proper apparel (he was naked Ref. Rev.3:18).  The primary things that are being accomplished here in these pictured events, are the judgment of reward and sentence of the saved and the lost; the sheep and the goats. 

“He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on His left.  Then shall the King say to them on His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world...”             

Another concept that must be considered here, is this resident Kingdom that these sheep are to inherit.  We know that the Kingdom, during this present dispensation of grace, has been in its development phase right here on earth.  And we also know by the Scriptures, that this gathered Kingdom would ultimately be delivered up to God in heaven by our Lord Jesus Christ.  Since this completed Kingdom is the embodiment of the resurrected elect priesthood from God’s whole reconciliation, it is absolutely essential that these elect priests be resurrected first.  That is, resurrected before the "sheep".  Now if they are not resurrected first, then these "sheep" will have no Kingdom to inherit—Heavenly or earthly.    

“Then shall He say also unto them on His left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels: And these shall go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.  Eternal rewards.” (Mat.25:32b-34, 41, and 46)

“I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.  And the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to > the people of the saints of the Most High: His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominion shall serve and obey Him.  But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. (Dan.7:21, 22, 27, 18, and 28a)  -Here is the end of the matter.-