In Isaiah 2:2, we find a Prophesy that states,

    “...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. 3 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.” [emphasis supplied]

    The same prophetic theme is restated in Micah 4:1 & 2,

    “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. 2 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.”

    “...other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”

    “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

    Often times, Jesus speaks through people, even though they, themselves, don’t understand what they are saying or that it is, indeed, from God. Caiaphas, one of the chief priests, made a statement that would echo down through the ages. It is recorded in John 11:47-52, which tells us,

    “Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. 48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. 49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, 50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; 52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.”

    There are those today, who teach that only the prophecies that are found in the New Testament are good for today and that only those prophecies are left to be fulfilled. Many expound on the Words of Jesus and animate the Book of Revelation, teaching that the “beast” and the “image to the beast” are literal, physical entities. Simply stated, they are not. The are symbolic of false religions and false teachings, and even more to the point, it is a Revelation of Jesus and exposes of the powers behind the beast – the “spirit” that is the source of the power that sets them up in the “place” of God. Those who deny and reject the Old Testament as a source of last day prophecies have, evidently, not read the Old Testament with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They have entered the reading of the Old Testament with the preconceived idea that it was not written for the “end times” and, therefore, concluded that it was not. Even thought the prophecies of the Old Testament clearly state that they are for “the last times,” “the last days” and the “end of days,” preconceptions delude their true meaning and fulfillment and, subsequently, New Testament prophecies that expound upon those pronounced in the Old Testament are foundationless and, therefore, misinterpreted and/or misapplied.

    The Old Testament is full of prophecies regarding both the first and Second Coming of Christ. In addition, it is significantly abundant with prophecies regarding the last days. For instance, we are told in Scripture, that those that are teaching in a manner that is contrary to Scripture and causes the flock (church) to be separated and scattered, or teaches things that cause people to be driven out, will be dealt with severely and held accountable for their divisive actions.

Jeremiah 23:1-6 gives quite an overview of the last days and God’s plan for His people it begins with a warning being given to pastors and scatterers of the flock.

    “Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. 2 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. 3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. 4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD. 5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."

    In the last days we are told that there will be a “falling away” and during that time God’s people are, once again, scattered. But the promises of God to gather His people to Himself in the Old Testament, as He successfully accomplished so many times, are our assurance that that He is able to gather His people together in the last days. The many times that God’s people have been scattered and gathered back together again (according to His will) will ultimately glorify God, in His people.

    It is important to note that, each time that God’s people have suffered a scattering or captivity, a remnant has returned unto Him and His commands to live righteous, sanctified lives. In each instance they have been called back to God and His way. The call to forsake all gods, idols and evil, worldly practices has, in each instance accompanied their return to godliness. It is to be the same in the last days, except that the battle to overcome Sin becomes even more intense and the deceptions increase in size and number, building on the deception(s) that Satan has been able to instill in past generations. Satan has been preparing his deceptions since the first day that iniquity was found in him. Please see Ezekiel Chapter 28.

    Many of the religious practices and beliefs in Christian churches today, are but traditions handed down from generation to generation, based on man’s theories and ideas. It is into this trap of tradition that many of churches have fallen and the situation they find themselves in today; again "…having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." In brief, the seven churches of Revelation.

    In Jeremiah 31:6-11, is again recorded another of promises of God to gather His remnant.

    “For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God. 7 For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel. 8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. 9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. 10 Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. 11 For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.”

    “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

    “...ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. 28 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, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 30 And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. 3:1 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, 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.”

    “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

    Another prophet for the last days is Ezekiel and in Ezekiel 11:14-21, we are informed:

    “Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 15 Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the LORD: unto us is this land given in possession. 16 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come. 17 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. 18 And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence. 19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: 20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD.”

    Here, we again have warnings and promises in the same passage of Scripture. The new spirit that the Lord, God promised to "put" within us is of equal to the enmity that Jesus promised to "put" between the serpent and the woman. It is a spirit that turns us toward God and away from sin. It causes them to want to have Jesus "take away all the detestable things" in our lives. This "Spirit" makes us want to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments. Throughout the Old Testament and from Jesus’ own lips in the New Testament, we are instructed, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” This new spirit was promised, not only through the prophecies Ezekiel, but also through Jeremiah, one of Ezekiel’s contemporaries.

    So very often the prophecies in the Old Testament are repeated in the New Testament.

    For instance, in 2Corinthians 3:2-6 the same principle of a new heart is further expounded, in that:

    “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. 4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”

    “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

    In Ephesians 1:9, concerning the gathering of God’s people, is stated:

    “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.”

    “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. 21 The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. 22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness." Isaiah 10:20-22

    “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

    “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;...”

    “...be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”

    “And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.”

    In these days, scoffers certainly have risen – they abound, bringing with them their own opinions and theories, walking after their own lusts. These scoffers, as with each of those spoken of in 2Timothy, cited above, are not only represented as those "of the world." 2Peter 2:1-3 warns us,

    “...there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”

    An increasing number of movies and television shows are based in evil magic and spiritualistic activities. The result is that superficial love and satanic influences abound in many American homes. In many churches the evil magic and spiritualism are not only condoned, but also practiced openly by the majority of the congregation. False interpretations of Scripture are lauded as truth and even books that openly declare themselves as “fiction” are accepted and taught as Bible fact. Again, another instance of “...having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” Many do not discern the evil because, it seems (through Satan’s careful planning over the ages) to be the norm. Those who speak out against such atrocities (paraded before us whether we want to see them or not) are met with ridicule and even persecution.

    To lead his army, Satan will work through “the Antichrist” to initiate and carry out his deceptions. (See Chapters 17-20.) But for many, not knowing the truth will have the same result as practicing evil. Those who know not God will be living in darkness and will not hear his voice when He calls for His people to gather under one banner, the banner of Christ and His righteousness.

    Revelation 1:17 tells us,

    “...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 19:10 & 11 admonishes us as John, the Revelator says:

    “...I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, 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. 11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

    This will be the final expression of enmity and one that ends in the final battle between Jesus and Satan. The war that began in Heaven and resulted in the expulsion of Satan and one-third of the angels, will finally come to an end. Satan will gather his followers and God will gather His. God’s victory is certain and His army, by the power of the His Holy Spirit will prevail.