“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17
The woman about which Revelation 12:17 speaks is the Church of God. The remnant of her seed are the remnant of the people of God, those who are living in the last generation, that is, today. Against these the dragon was wroth and made war with them; the great dragon, that old serpent, . . .the Devil, and Satan. The devil, being thus defeated in his designs upon the universal church of God, now turns his rage against particular persons and places; his malice against the woman pushes him on to make war with the remnant of her seed. But the warning is given of the distress and calamity that should fall upon the inhabitants of the world in general, through the wrath and rage of the devil. For though his malice is chiefly bent against the servants of God, yet he is an enemy and hater of mankind as such; and being defeated in his designs against the church, he is resolved to give all the disturbance he can to the world in general: “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth, and the sea!” Revelation 12:12. The signs, therefore, of the people of God and of their distinctions herewith are:
- They keep the Commandments of God;
- They have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
The Commandments, that is the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20), are, in the highest sense of the term, the expressions of God’s Law: His Character. These differ from all other laws, since God had given them with His own mouth (orally). (Deuteronomy 4:12). He wrote them with His own hand upon the tablets of stone. (Deuteronomy 4:13; Exodus 31:18). He separated them from all other laws, as He commanded that they be placed in the ark of the covenant, and this ark again He placed in the Most Holy Place. (Exodus 25:21; 26:34; Hebrews 9:4). From this Law, Jesus said: “And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.” Luke 16:17. The Apostle speaks of this Law: “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” Romans 3:31
Only this law can tell us the difference between right and wrong; truth and error. “For by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:20. This law was acknowledged again as sacred through the believers, when they found their way back to the sanctuary. “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark [in which was placed the law] of His testament.” Revelation 11:19. Since that time, the true Christians are carrying again the seal or sign of distinction of the true worship of the great Creator by bringing faithful obedience to the Law of God, and also:
THE SABBATH
—as kept in the days of Christ and the Apostles (Matthew 24:20; Acts 13:14, 42-44).
Besides this decided position toward the Law of God is the testimony of Jesus, the other sign of God’s people today. In another place it is stated of these people, that they “keep the Commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12
Just as the Commandments of God contain the holy, unchangeable desire of The Great Law-Giver, so does the testimony of Jesus contain the everlasting gospel or the joyful news of preserving from sin (transgression of the law), through Christ. The Apostles preached the testimony of Jesus: “Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:6–7. The Apostles were not ashamed of the testimony of Jesus, and suffered willingly, therefore, all tribulation and shame. “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, His prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.” 2 Timothy 1:8
In the first part of the book of Revelation, the Apostle speaks of “the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” Revelation 1:2. The Martyrs were shedding their blood for the cause of the Word of God and the testimony they had of Jesus (Revelation 6:9). The testimony of Jesus includes the spirit of prophecy, as a special gift. When John fell down before the angel, to worship him, he said: “See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10
The spirit of prophecy is the spirit of Christ (1 Peter 1:11). “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” Romans 8:9. “No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” 1 Corinthians 12:3. “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit… But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will.” 1 Corinthians 12:7–11
When the fullness of the Spirit at the time of the Apostles, according to the promise of Christ was here (Acts 1:5), then all the gifts appeared and wonders were performed (Acts 3:1–11).
We find in the history of the Old and New Testament people of God, that these spiritual gifts were present: and henceforth they must be found also among the true believers of today. No sooner did these spiritual gifts set in, than the discernment of the law was present; God then blessed the loyal obedience of His children with the gift of prophecy. Joel had spoken of this before: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.” Joel 2:28. Especially now in our days of great deceptions, of false prophets, is the gift of the spirit of prophecy for the people of God of great value.
Solomon had said: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverbs 29:18. This has often been seen in the history of the Old Testament people of God, and has been set for our admonition (1 Corinthian 10:11–12). The church of God is in more danger from heretics than from persecutors; and heresies are as certainly from the devil as open force and violence.
Also, among the fervent believers, Satan has not been dormant for the past 100 years. At every great spiritual awakening, believers stood firm in full view of the world by protecting the fundamental principles of God (the Law); but soon a change came. The voice of the Spirit was ignored by partaking of the spirit of the world, and the people uniting more and more with the world. At the commencement of WWI (1914), when the days of storm broke out, the nations of this world also required homage from the people of God by demanding even the seal: that is, the mark of the sign of the true children of God’s adoption—the Sabbath. Great numbers, who once claimed the faith of the third angel’s message, accepted to be part of Babylon. By partaking of the spirit of the world, man at last viewed matters in an earthly light; and when the time of decision came, many began to choose the easier, popular side—the wide road.
Here is the anti-picture of the true church. The mother of all fornication or apostasy is brought here before our eyes. In the days of Emperor Constantine I of Rome, the Church became Catholic or Universal. The Church tried to please the world, and constantly more unconverted people were accepted by her. It carried the truth of Christ into the grave. Out of heathen Rome arose a “Christian Rome,” but it was only a change in form. When persecution ceased and Christianity entered the courts and kingly palaces, then the humble simplicity of Christ and that of the apostles were exchanged with the pomp and pride of the heathen priests; in place of the commands of God, human theories and conclusions of finite reasons were made supreme.
The conversion of Emperor Constantine I in the early part of the 4th century caused great joy; and all Christians were thankful when he gained control of the Empire in his defeat of Emperor Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge on October 28, 312 A.D. Was Constantine a Christian at that time? Well, he was tolerant of the Christians, but heathen emblems continued to be used on his armor and coins. And he retained the pagan title of Pontifex Maximus, which meant he was the supreme priest of the pagan religion of the Empire.
Constantine, however, felt that his end was near. Believing that baptism, by itself, washed away all the sins of one’s previous years, years earlier Constantine decided that he would not be baptized until just before his death. Yet, only eleven years earlier, he had his favorite son, Crispus—who had helped him so much in his campaigns—put to death. Shortly thereafter his second wife, Fausta, was slain at his command.
His life was over but the effects of that reprobate life reaches down to our own time. Constantine had made Sunday-keeping official in the empire (March 7, 321 A.D.); and in the process, he made the local church of the pastor at Rome into the State Church of the Empire! The people were commanded to keep the “venerable day of the Sun”; that is, the sacred day dedicated to the Sun god.
“In the fourth century at The Council of Laodicea (approx. 336 A.D.), this church council, for the first time, decided that worship on the seventh day of the week was forbidden, by an official decree of the Church. The Council of Laodicea marked the beginning of a new era. This Council of Laodicea issued the first conciliar legislation for that day: Constantine I issued the first civil legislation.” Priest Vincent J. Kelly, Forbidden Sunday and Feast-Day Occupations, p. 203 [Roman Catholic]
So the world, clothed with the appearance of righteousness, boldly entered into the church. Now the work of pollution made rapid progress. Heathenism, which appeared to be conquered, became victorious. Its spirit ruled the church. Its teaching, habits, and superstitions were substituted in place of the faith and worship of God, by the professed followers of Christ. Since those days, the woman is arrayed with earthly grandeur and tinsel. Christ repelled the deceiver when he proposed to Him the kingdoms and riches of this world (Matthew 4:8–9). Now Satan had success with the followers of Christ.
From these days of apostasy originated the deep rooted errors of the church—The Christianity of today; Sunday-keeping; Mass as a daily celebration; Doctrine of purgatory; Holy water; Wax candles; Sale of indulgences; Auricular confession to priests instead of God; Saint-worshiping; Holy-days; Confirmation; Christening; Absolute infallibility of pope; Prayers for the dead; Apocryphal books added to Bible; National pride; Christian Patriotism, etc., etc. (The Fabulous First Centuries of Christianity, Vance Ferrell, Harvestime Books, 2006, p. 472–473).
The Christian life disappeared more and more, leaving only an outward form, until even this disappeared from the original form. In the same manner as the believers were honored by the world, have they yielded and committed “fornication” through their friendship with the world. Such has it been always, and Satan has won more souls through flattery (Christians in name only) than he has brought to fall by force.
The next step, which the worldly minded churches took were to assure favors for the enforcement of unbiblical teachings and laws. In this project the Protestant churches and denominations have been making wonderful progress.
Over the last years the European powers have also persecuted the present people of God. During the years of war (WWI: 1914–1918; and WWII: 1939–1945) loyal believers received severe prison penalties for their obedience toward the Commandments of God. The fourth commandment, as well as the sixth commandment of God’s Law, are not acknowledged by the “Christian” nations of today; and all the existing churches and denominations did not regard Christ as their King. And as such “they have turned the world upside down and walk contrary to the law of Caesar;” the true believers were scourged.
The Apostle Paul met with the same experience, by proclaiming Christ as his King (Acts 17:6–7). All true Christians are submissive to the higher powers that be and “render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s.” Luke 20:25. (Romans 13:1; Luke 20:24–25; Matthew 22:17–21)—but also “unto God the things which be God’s” (Luke 20:25)—“Therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law [and] “love worketh no ill to his neighbor.” Romans 13:10
That this is well-pleasing to God is shown by the tender care and help from the great God, which was allotted to Daniel through his protection in the lion’s den. It was also witnessed in the experience of the Apostles, of the ancient Christians, that God desired and sanctioned this unyielding position. A “thus said the Lord,” should not be set aside for a “thus said so-and- so.” The crown (diadem) of Jesus must be elevated—always!
“The Albigenses, who were first by Emperor Dioclesian (284–316 A.D.) driven up into barren and mountainous places, and afterwards cruelly murdered by popish rage and power for several generations; and for no other reason than because they kept the commandments of God and held the testimony of Jesus Christ. Diocletian’s intense persecution of the Christians began in February 303 A.D. –Eusebius Church History, bk. 8, ch. 5. As you might expect, by the end of Diocletian’s persecution the true Christians were anxious for an Emperor who could bring them peace!
Ah! But then came a dramatic change—one which would radically affect the Christian church all the way down to our own time. Christianity was about to walk into the halls of kings and be changed into a State Church!!
“The Waldenses, likewise, suffered a similar fate. This group was active in northern Italy as early as the time of Emperor Constantine I. Their fidelity to God and Christ, in doctrine, worship and practice, was that which exposed them to the rage of Satan and his instruments. These faithful witnesses for the truth strongly opposed the pagan superstitions of the papacy. Eventually, the Waldenses withdrew to mountain valleys of the Piedmont, today known as the Italian Alps, where they were persecuted for their faith throughout most of the Dark Ages and beyond, until about 1850.
“There were many groups later who arose and who were determined to maintain Biblical principles. These included the Petrobrusians, Henricians, Humiliati; and such men as Arnold of Bresica, Tenchelm, Eudo, Marsillius of Padua, and Peter Celcicky. But the most influential reformers before the 16th century Reformation were John Huss, and Jerome of Bohemia and their followers (Bohemian Brethren), and John Wycliff of England and his followers (the Lollards).” –The Fabulous First Centuries of Christianity, Vance Ferrell, Harvestime Books, Altamont, TN 37301, 2006, p. 338, 433, 437, 453, 463, 477–478, 504
Such fidelity will expose men still, more or less, to the end of the world, when the “last enemy shall be destroyed.” 1 Corinthians 15:26. “If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.” 2 Timothy 2:12
But, even so, there’s an oft overlooked demonic trinity at work in the turbulent world today:
1) Satan;
2) The first beast—out of the sea (The Antichrist, Revelation 13:1);
3) The second beast—out of the earth (False prophet, Revelation 13:11).
The first beast is against God (Revelation 13:5–6)—he is energized by Satan. . . He possesses world-wide power and he persecutes the saints of God (Revelation 13:7) “The dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” Revelation 13:2. It is almost unbelievable that the whole earth will worship both the dragon and the beast (Revelation 13:3–4).
There will be much religion on earth, but it will be godless and blasphemous. Who would now deny that the stage of world history is rapidly being set by tendencies that will ultimately lead to the rule and adoration of such a monster? All who do not belong to the Lamb of God (Jesus) will worship the beast.
“Do we not see today that image being set up in nation after nation upon the earth by the power of propaganda and lies? . . . Have we not heard the raucous voice of that beast blaring and shouting over the radio and television, and read his boasts and threats on the pages of the world press? . . . All that can be done apart from Jesus Christ is to give a fresh disposition to unbelief, to give organic or subtle shape to human evil and pride and selfishness. . . . All the time the latent evil in the world is setting up its image and making its imprint upon the persons and minds and deeds of men.” Professor T. F. Torrence (1913–2007), scientist, theologist, evangelist, author, Christian. op.cit., p. 88–89) (Whose theology is thoroughly and self-consciously Reformed). –Wikepedia–the Free Encyclopedia
Nicholas Berdyaev, Russian philosopher, writing on the bestiality of modern man, says: “Movement toward super-humanity and the superman, toward super-human powers, all too often means nothing other than a bestialization of man. Modern anti-humanism takes the form of bestialism. It uses the tragic and unfortunate Nietzsche as a superior sort of justification for dehumanization and bestialization. (Nietzsche (1844–1900); philosopher, religious critic—“God is Dead”)
“. . . .A bestial cruelty toward man is characteristic of our age, and is more astonishing since it is displayed at the very peak of human refinement, where modern conceptions of sympathy, it would seem, have made impossible the old barbaric forms of cruelty. Bestialism (or beastliness) is something quite different from the old, natural, healthy barbarism; it is barbarism within a refined civilization. Here the atavistic (appearance of ancestral not parental characteristics in human beings), barbaric instincts are filtered through the prism of civilization, and hence they have a pathological character. Bestialism is a phenomenon of the human world, but a world already civilized. (Nicholas Berdyaev, (1874-1948; religious and political philosopher).” –The Fate of Man in the Modern World, Hesperides Press Pub., 2006, p. 26–29
History is the progression of prophecy!
That is the response to the question, “Who Are the Persecuted Remnant?”
Amen. <>< <>< <><
John Theodorou U.S.A.