I have been bringing to you a study of the kings of Israel. Because Israel wanted to be like other nations, they asked for a king. Being like other nations meant worshiping their gods and intermarrying with the heathen. God didn’t want Israel to have a king, but Israel contended for it, and He answered their prayers against His wisdom and desire. Again and again the Bible tells us that the kings sinned against Him.

I have a standing order in Heaven for God to never answer any of my prayers against His divine will. God, look at all my tomorrows before you do anything for me today. I don’t want the Lord to bless me today if it would be the wrong thing for me on tomorrow. My tomorrows mean a lot to me. I never contend with God; I ask only for His divine will. I want to face all my tomorrows in God’s divine will before I reach Heaven.

The Lord chose the best He could find to be Israel’s king—Saul. Saul had everything in his favor, and yet as time passed, he spit in the eye of God, backslid. The spirit of humility that had made Saul a desirable ruler was replaced with arrogance. When the wrong spirit or spirits take over a person, the Holy Spirit cannot work with that one.

Even Solomon with all his wisdom failed God. God said David was a man after His own heart, but Solomon, David’s son, wasn’t. It saddens, disappoints and dumbfounds me to study Solomon’s life. He had been given such wonderful wisdom from the Lord, and yet he was taken over by lust; his heart turned away from God as he worshiped the idol gods of his many wives. Solomon’s disobedience caused the tribes of Israel to be divided. It was heartbreaking to God. But God had an everlasting covenant with David, and because of it, his line ruled the tribe of Judah.

God has changed plans, gone in many different directions. He did not plan these changes, but the changes became necessary when people failed Him and believed the devil’s lies. God did not predestine the actions of any of the kings of Israel or Judah. He searched and searched for plans to help, plans to bring His people out of sin. He killed thousands at a time because of their disobedience. Yet the rest that lived grumbled and complained many times to God. God wouldn’t have it, and so Israel suffered and suffered. God killed, killed, killed. If you don’t think God would kill, study the kings. He had every one of Ahab’s sons killed at one time—seventy of them. And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets (II Kings 10:1,7).

Holy Prophets Foretold the Coming of a Different King

After all the years of turmoil, bondage and rebellion against God, at last a King would come on the scene who would be all God wanted Him to be, all that God desired. The most unusual King ever, He would be the King of God’s choice, not man’s. Study the prophecies about Him.

Isaiah had the vision of this King. For years Isaiah’s heart had been broken by the disobedience of Israel and Judah, by the way they had failed God. Then like a bombshell the news came, and his heart leaped within: At last there will be a real King, a King of God’s choice who will not fail. Isaiah wrote, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this (Isaiah 9:6,7). This most unusual King will have no end; He’ll be the final King, the King forever. God said He would be.

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). “Immanuel” means God with us. This King will be “God with you.” What will this King do? He will cry, The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn (Isaiah 61:1,2). Isaiah must have been a tremendous vessel of God to have received such revelations, a prophet whom God enjoyed and loved. God gave Isaiah more information about the King to come than He gave to any other prophet.

Different men of God had a message about this coming King; even Moses spoke of Him: The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken (Deuteronomy 18:15).

A Man of Sorrows

Isaiah gives us more information about this King who was to come: I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting (Isaiah 50:6). This King was to be put to shame and finally to death by His own people. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:3-5). At last a different King—one with healing power, healing balm for the people—would come!

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). We have all failed, the prophet is saying; and God is going to lay all our sins upon this King.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken (Isaiah 53:7,8). For the transgression of God’s people this King was to be killed.

A King That Could Make People New

In Luke’s Gospel the birth of this King is announced. A virgin is chosen to be the mother, just like the prophet had said. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus (Luke 1:30,31). I introduce to you in this sermon: Jesus, King of the Jews and King of the Gentiles—Jesus, the Son of the living God. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end (verses 32,33).

Jesus would be the final King. There never would be another king for Israel—and yet they would try to do away with Him.

Micah told where He would be born: But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting (Micah 5:2).

Zion’s future King is spoken of by Zechariah: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass (Zechariah 9:9). The King would fulfill this prophecy as He rode into Jerusalem in triumph. Many would break off palm branches to wave at Him as they hailed Him King, laying down their cloaks and coats for the little animal to walk over. But as a whole, Israel would not accept their King.

What an unusual King, a King from everlasting to everlasting! He was a King to clean up messes made by the hands of men, a King who would rule with love. Study the other kings and see the contrast. This King could make people new, give them new lives, destroy the hatred and fear that most of the other kings had brought upon the Lord’s people. Never had there been a King like this one.

This King could make the weak strong, solve all problems. How would be a King of all wisdom and knowledge, a King who would carry people’s burdens and set the captives free. Never had there been such a King to supply all the needs of the people. Never had there been a king on the throne of Israel or Judah who could serve the people joy, peace and gladness. He was King who would bring salvation and forgive sins. What a King!

A King was coming who would give sight to the blind, open deaf ears, make the crippled to walk, raise the dead, heal all manner of sicknesses and diseases. He would come a King of life with healing balm, with so much strength He could carry mankind’s burdens. He would come with healing in His wings for all peoples. What a King! Never had there been such a King, a King who could perform miracles, who could give to His people all power. He would lift the Adam and Eve curse from the earth as well as from all human beings.

Never had there been a King who could separate good from evil for the people, to take light and dispel the darkness. No deceit would be in this King of truth, no lies. He would speak only the truth to His subjects.

A King of life, life would bring the same life that flowed in the first man to mankind again. What King! He was a King who could give His subjects abundant life, not just life, but abundant life. Oh, the burdens He could lift!

Other kings were deceived. Some were killed through that deceit, but this King would say, Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again (John 10:17,18). Would He take up His life again? Yes, He would. He would prove Himself to be King over death, a King with Heaven’s plan of salvation for all—no one left out. He would bring a way into Heaven for everyone who wants to go. He was a King who would die and be resurrected for His people so they could live forever. Never had a king died for the people; never had a king conquered death, hell and the grave. It’s breathtaking to think of Him and all He would offer mankind. Yet Israel would reject Him. They wanted a king of their own choice, their own kind.

This King was one who would worship God only in Spirit and in truth. There would be no idol gods this King would bow down to. People would have living reality of Him as they worshiped the true and living God; they would be given that Spirit.

This King was one who would speak to an angry sea and it had to obey. Men would witness such power, such greatness that they would be overwhelmed. A King who could walk the waters would show man how to walk the waters of life.

Never had there been a King who could cleanse the lepers. When a Syrian king sent Naaman the leper to the king of Israel to be healed, the king of Israel thought Syria wanted to start a war. Elisha, however, knew the power of God, and said, Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel (II Kings 5:8). How sad that the king of Israel didn’t have God’s healing power—he could have had it. God would have gladly given power to those kings—if they had been the right kind of kings.

But a King would come to conquer all of man’s enemies, even put the devil himself underfoot. A King would stand before a dead man’s tomb and call him back to life right before the people. What a King! He could do wonders with power, love and humility. He was a King to free men from the coffins they had nailed themselves into because of disobedience to God. He would come to set these captives free. Even bodies—not just souls—would be liberated through this King. Everyone could have a new body, a body that will endure for all eternity without sickness or death. A king would bring grace and truth, would buy back all that man had sold to the devil. What a King!

He was a King who would cry to all mankind: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). Come, bring those burdens—what a King!

A King was to come who would bless the people, not curse them. He would come saying, Blessed are ye, blessed are ye, blessed are ye. A King to heal broken hearts and homes, a King to give men and women power to become sons and daughters of God would come. A King sharing all His wealth, all His heavenly wealth, would make it possible for us to be joint-heirs with Him. What King had ever divided the spoil with the people like this, shared Heaven’s wealth? None.

He was a King who wouldn’t deceive the people in any way, a King with all the answers. Never had there been a king like Him. Even Solomon did not have all the answers. Yet the world as a whole would reject this King. Full of questions and no answers, the world would grope in the night because they would not accept the light of Him, preferring the darkness of the evil one to the light of King Jesus. Yet He would come to light the whole world so man could find his way back to God, bringing salvation to make every man, woman, boy and girl new.

Yes, this King would come with the message: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). You must be born again. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (II Corinthians 5:17). A new life, the new and living way would be ours because of Jesus. Not only am I your King, He would say, I am your Savior, Redeemer, big brother, your High Priest, your bread from Heaven, salt, water. I am light, I am life, I am truth, I am King, King Jesus.

A King who would love the poor, who would give gifts, spiritual gifts, miraculous gifts to men and women would come. He would be a King with all authority, with all power, a King who speaks and what He says will come to pass, a King who knows the hearts of all men.

He would have no prejudice, just plain love and yearning for everyone to walk the paths of righteousness and for everyone to have a home in Heaven. He is a King who would say, In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you (John 14:2). Many, many mansions await the subjects of this King, the Son of God.

The queen of the south…came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here (Luke 11:31). Solomon wasted much God-given wealth and wisdom, reached out for foreign flesh, worshiped idol gods and turned from the true and living God. But the King greater than Solomon will never fail the true and living God. He would be God manifested in the flesh, greater than all the kings put together. All the love, all the peace, kindness, compassion, help, all the giving of those kings fail to measure up to the heart of this King. Number every kind deed the kings have rendered to the people; none of it would match the kindness of this one glorious King called Jesus. And thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

Jesus has taken center stage. Study Him carefully; learn all about Him. He is the King who would be the door for people into Heaven, the gate back into Eden. The only King who could have made that gate is Jesus, a gate in the form of a cross. That gate would cost Heaven everything, but God the Father paid the price. Jesus would be the King of all kings, none like Him.

An Angel Announced His Birth

At last He was born, King Jesus, the King for all mankind. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:8-11). Lowly shepherds—such a little they had in their nomadic existence—yet they were privileged to hear the announcement from an angel of the birth of the Savior, a King. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger (verse 12). The shepherds hurried to see their King, but the mighty and rich had not time for such a one. They thought a king should be born in a palace, not a stable.

The shepherds worshiped Him; they didn’t care where He was born. They had seen the light from Heaven, had marveled at the glory of the Lord and heard the angel speak to them. Suddenly they saw a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (Luke 2:13,14).

The wise men traveled from the east for a long time to worship Him. Behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him (Matthew 2:1,2). Herod had a demonic fit. Murder took him over. Closely he questioned the wise men. When did this star appear? Find Him and come back and tell me, Herod ordered, so I can worship Him. Herod didn’t want to worship but to kill. He couldn’t kill this King; the babe was Heaven’s King come down to Earth. All Heaven would protect Him, ten million angels if necessary.

The angel of the Lord appeared to the wise men in the night. Don’t go back to Herod, he warned. Herod heard about it; and in a murderous frenzy had all the boy babies two years old and under killed. What a weeping time it was! The Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him (Matthew 2:13). Oh Israel, that was the spirit of you. There it was. You’ve had to suffer much. Six million were killed in World War II who would never have been killed had you only accepted your King. Your King would have seen to your safety, but you were without your King. You dethroned Him; you wouldn’t recognize Him. What a price you had to pay—and are still paying! Jesus became King of the Gentiles, but the Gentiles treated Him the same way. What a mess this world is in because so many have rejected their King!

This King came to clean up all the messes that man had made, but they wouldn’t allow this King to clean them up. Only few have given Him that freedom.

This King Came to Serve

This King lived among the people, not in a palace. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head (Matthew 8:20). This King did not even have a bed to call His own. He was a King who served the people. He wouldn’t wait to be served, but He served. The King of Glory was a humble servant to all. How He loved mankind! How low He stooped to lift us out of the gutter, to take us out of the hog pens of sin. This King so meek and lowly never boasted about His greatness, His strength and power. Never enslaving, He liberated slaves and set the captives free. Jesus was the only King who would bring Jubilee to the people not once every fifty years as the Law brought to the people but every day. He would bring it to those who would serve, worship and recognize Him as King, letting Him take His rightful place on the throne of their hearts and be their love, their desire.

Jesus is the King of kings, Lord of lords—one day it will be proclaimed to all the world. In the meantime we as children of God declare Him to be King of kings and Lord of lords in our lives and hearts. He is everything to us.

We didn’t live in the days of those kings who failed God; we have never lived under any other king but Jesus. I’m glad I was born in a land where no mortal king heads the government. I’ve always been thankful for that since I was a child. But we did have a King in the Angley family, King Jesus. We didn’t eat until we bowed in gratitude and worship to this King, thanking Him for the food on the table. We were taught that this King was the one who filled our table, that the good food came from Him, the King of kings. I thanked Him for my clothes; Mama said Jesus gave them to us. I thanked Him for the joy and peace in our home—and we had a lot of it. I knew where it came from. As little children we knelt and worshiped the King at our family altar before going to bed each night. Daddy took down the big family Bible and read a passage from the Holy Book. Mama and Daddy loved this King. They’re in Heaven with Him today, enjoying that wonderful country.

I knew He was King, and yet I didn’t know all about Him. I always respected Him and had some love for Him because I was taught that was the way of life. Then when I was eighteen, I met Him as my personal Savior, dethroning everything in my life unlike Him. I was made a new creature one night, my heart made holy through the blood of the Lamb. This King walked right in and took up His abode in my heart. What joy, what gladness came into my heart then! I looked upon Him with pride, in holy awe. I was in another world, overcome by Him, overwhelmed by His touch, by His life for my soul. I walked like one in a trance for about six weeks after I was saved. All I wanted to do was be with Jesus. Mama, Daddy had tried to tell me about salvation—my pastors, my Sunday School teachers. But I had to experience the King walking into my heart and soul with His own blood, cleansing my life from everything wrong, taking the throne of my heart to be His before I knew what salvation was really like. I knew He would walk with me all the way, that He would never leave or forsake me.

The Bible tells us that one day at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10,11). This King over all will play a great part in the history of mankind in our final hour. He could set all men free, and yet the majority of the human race is in bondage. There is much love, peace, greatness in this King.

Questions and Answers

Why doesn’t God talk to us in an audible voice?

God tried that in the beginning. He has tried everything with man, but not much has worked because of man’s disobedience and rebellion. God sent His Only Begotten Son, and even the greatness of Him hasn’t really been accepted by very many people. God did speak to the Israelites at Sinai. And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice (Exodus 19:18,19). And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die (Exodus 20:18,19). The people were so frightened at the presence of God that they didn’t want Him to speak to them. So terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake (Hebrews 12:21). Moses shook, trembled all over.

If God would talk to everyone in an audible voice today, most wouldn’t accept it. Israel didn’t. Many who were taught about the Lord have not heeded. They heard voices of love with the message of the great I-Am, but they didn’t take heed. They closed their ears to the voice God was speaking through.

As I look back on my life, God spoke many times through my parents to me and even through my two older sisters who lived so close to God. But it would take some years until I really listened. I was eighteen years old before I received salvation. To grow up in such an atmosphere of love and Heaven’s greatness was a marvelous privilege. We had so much God in our home, one would think we would have listened—we did listen at times. But then one day, the soft voice spoke to my heart: Child, come to me. It was a small still voice; but through the Holy Spirit you, too, can hear that voice. The Lord is speaking through the Holy Spirit: listen for Him, yield to Him. His voice—not an audible voice but one your heart can hear—will call you to His Word, to the prayer chamber to dine with Him. Listen. That voice will call you on a fast, a long fast—listen for it.

With signs, wonders, miracles and healings, Jesus revealed Himself when He was here on Earth; and He is doing the same thing today. We’re seeing all kinds of manifestations: they’re the voice of God speaking. Every miracle is the loving voice of King Jesus, every healing. Every time He dries a tear for us we hear the voice of the loving Jesus. With power in His voice He heals the hurt in our hearts when it seems we can’t breathe any longer.

Did Adam and Eve sleep?

Certainly. It’s wonderful to have a good night’s rest. Adam and Eve had no bad dreams before the fall, nothing to trouble their rest. God didn’t allow the devil to disturb them.

Why did God make us to need sleep?

Our bodies were made in such a way they would need rest to replenish and refresh our systems. Why He made us that way, you will have to ask Him when you see Him in Heaven. If you were awake all the time, your guardian angel never would get any rest. He’s glad when some of us are asleep. I’m sure He was quiet around me when I was a little boy. He probably hated to see me wake up. I’m sure Mama hated it sometimes. Mama would look at me and say, “Young man, you’re going to get a whipping before the sun goes down.” Most times she was right. Ready to have fun, I usually started something when I got out of bed. If my brothers and sisters didn’t look alive, I’d make sure I woke them up. It seemed a wonderful thing to me but not to them or to my parents.

Why is our life expectancy so short compared to people before the flood who lived hundreds of years?

Sin is abounding more and more. For thousands of years the curse has ravaged the earth. Sicknesses and diseases, obviously, have shortened lives. Many do not follow the laws of nature in taking care of their bodies. How often do you eat something you know is not good for you? How many times do you put your body through undue stress or fail to get the proper rest and exercise? Do you overeat? Mankind has upset the balance of nature in many ways with insecticides and hazardous materials. Fruits and vegetables are prolonged a little longer but not our lives. God didn’t will for man to live long after his ways became so wicked. What if evil people would live to be a thousand? Hundreds of years more of their torment others would have to endure. Some people are so mean God can hardly stand them. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee (Exodus 20:12). How many people have really honored their parents? It’s dangerous to dishonor godly parents; it’s like spitting in the face of God. Dishonoring parents has shortened the days of many young people.

The Bible says Thou shalt not kill. Is going to war to defend a nation a violation of this commandment?

I touched on this in an earlier message. The answer is no. You are not held accountable for killing when you are in the armed forces. You are not doing it because the devil is in you, but because you’re defending your country so you can live in a nation free to worship God in Spirit and in truth. God has fought for America these many years, but we’re getting in such a shape now that it would be dangerous for us to go to war. The nation as a whole is degraded, spitting in God’s eye. If you’ll get back with God, you will find He told the people they should not kill; but every time His people went to battle He was with them if they were in an obedient spirit. When they obeyed God no enemy could defeat them. They were defeated only if they left God out, failed God. God has killed thousands in judgment. I heard an old-time movie star say recently that she was not afraid to die, that it was just like having a good sleep. She doesn’t believe in God. She will find out to her sorrow that death involves more than that. The degraded life she has lived will land her in hell—unless she repents and takes Jesus unto her heart.

Explain the killing Joshua, Elijah, Samuel, Saul did in the Old Testament in the name of the Lord.

When God told His servants to kill, it was the same as God killing. The time God, for example, told Elijah to call fire down from heaven on fifty soldiers at a time, it was God doing it. Elijah didn’t have that kind of power. Elijah loved people but hated the sins that bond them, hated that old devilish spirit in Jezebel and Ahab.

Why are some born with great talents while others are not?

Talents have a lot to do with our ancestry, with your parents and your grandparents. Talents are handed down. People often take after kinfolks. Sometime God intervenes, steps in and decides to give extra talents for a person to work and serve Him. Many times this comes through the obedience of godly parents. I believe my talents to preach came through my parents, through their godly way of living, through the God that they put in my heart. They developed in my life talents to be used for God. Why should God throw away those kinds of talents when He knows they are going to be developed to be used for Him? Others are left out because they would never use those talents for God in the first place. In my own generation there was a large family on my mother’s side, but they all didn’t worship God like my mother. My daddy’s family did not worship God like my parents. But my parents walked so humbly before God that it brought heavenly blessings to our family and made many things available, spiritual things. Some people want talents to make money and be famous. My parents were not interested in that. They never encouraged us in that kind of ambition or influenced us to desire big money. They taught us first of all to respect God.

Before we were placed on this earth, did we know God?

No. You didn’t come into existence until you were conceived. Did you think you were in Heaven and then the Lord sent you to Earth? No. When you were born you became a breathing, intelligent soul. You learned about God here on Earth with that intelligence He gave you.

Concerning the statement that God is not a respecter of persons: I would like to know why in the days of Moses God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. I realize He did this for the Israelite’s sake and for His glory, but why Pharaoh?

God hardened Pharaoh’s heart because he was the devil’s vessel. He wasn’t going to surrender to God. He wanted no part of God. Always Pharaoh had rebelled against God and had no intention of ever serving Him. So God stepped in and used him to His advantage. God will do much of that in this final hour, too. Pharaoh blasphemed against the Spirit of God. Many will blaspheme against the Spirit of God in this last hour.

John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb? Why John?

Did you ever study his mother and father? God had wonderful material to work with in the parents and the son. Being able to work with yielded hearts is the reason God invests more in some than in others. God doesn’t like to lose His investment. God put so much faith in John’s parents that He was able to baptize John with the Holy Ghost the moment he was born. People don’t realize the great power that parents have for their children, how God can work with the children. So many children have gone astray, so many are devil possessed because their parents failed to instill the reality of God in their hearts. My parents could never have had a small child who was devil possessed, there was too much of the blood of Jesus used, too much faith in the blood of the Lamb. That child would had to have grown older and give over to the devil of his or her own free will to have become devil possessed. In so many homes today the little children have no protection; little children two and three years of age are devil possessed. The Bible tells that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves…disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy (II Timothy 3:1,2). Children are born with that spirit of disobedience. God’s Spirit of love is not there, none of God’s discipline. In God’s love is real discipline. Children are growing up in most homes today without any of God’s influence; they don’t get it in the schools. Robbed, turned over to the devil, many children come into a world of devil possessed people, devil possessed parents. Some parents even worship the devil. When I was in Africa I went to one place that was known as the seat of Satan. I had never before experienced such devil possession. The children were more like zombies than human beings. When I touched them I felt like drawing back. I didn’t want to keep my hands on them. But it was a different story after God delivered thousands from devil possession. The devils went out of the people and the people were set free; the children came to life and became like human beings. The parents had worshiped the devil and had given their children over to the devil at birth. But God changed things, and things are still changed today.

I know that John the Baptist went before Christ to prepare the way, but I don’t understand why one person is chosen over another.

God is a wise God; He seeks to invest much in children, but when they have not been reared in godly homes and later come to God, He has many obstacles to deal with, struggles in trying to bring them into His discipline. They cannot easily bow to the discipline of God because they were not raised with godly discipline in the home. People should accept the discipline of the Holy Spirit when they give their hearts to God and become new creations, but many don’t give self completely to the Lord. If they neglect to dethrone self, then self, not the devil, is their worst enemy.

When God gave the Law, did He know the time would come when He wouldn’t want people to be under the Law anymore?

If the Law had worked the way God intended, He would not have needed anything else. The Law was given in all good faith. God had tried everything. He didn’t predestine that man could not serve Him under the Law. God gave man power and strength to serve Him, but man would not yield to God. God will help anyone who will yield to Him to be what He wants them to be. Down through the years He has been that way. It was the lack of man’s yielding to God that caused Him to change His plans.

Did the Jews think they were to be under the Law forever?

I don’t think they as a whole thought that much about God. That’s the reason they experienced such chaos, why they followed all kinds of evil ways of the evil kings. It wasn’t just the kings who sinned; the people were ready to bow down to other gods. They wanted to do this because they lived in self and loved having their own way.

Why did God give the Law in the first place?

He gave it to help people. When God created man He had no plan for the Law because at that time sin had not entered man’s future.

Instead of giving the Law, why didn’t God send Jesus?

Would you have given your son to be killed had you thought there was another way to accomplish what needed to be done? God would not look into man’s future to see if he would change. God did not want to give Jesus; He wanted man to serve Him without that sacrifice. God gave Jesus because nothing else would work. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). No matter how many animal sacrifices were offered, they did not keep man out of sin. The Lord had promised through His love that He would give necessary deliverance even to the sacrifice of His own Son.

Why did God wait for years letting the people be under the Law and not until later send His Son Jesus?

God, I say again, tried everything, gave the human race all kinds of time to repent, telling them again and again that if they failed, if they mingled and mixed with heathen nations, those nations would be thorns in their sides. The people failed to obey God over and over. We have created havoc in this civilization, not God. This is the devil’s and man’s civilization. God looks at people who are deformed and crippled, blind, sick—it’s not His plan. Man failed, sold out to the devil. Man loved the ways of the devil more than he loved the ways of God. His disobedience put man in bondage, made him a slave to the devil.

I know that because of the fall of man we have suffering here on Earth. But God is still all-powerful. There is no greater power. So why do innocent babies and children have to suffer?

They suffer because grownups have brought sin on this earth and tied the hands of God. Read my book Untying God’s Hands. The innocent suffer; the just suffer with and because of the unjust. It isn’t that God doesn’t have the power; He is going to show His great power in the end when He takes over, takes control out of man’s hands. He will conquer all, do a quick work. He is coming King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus presented Himself as King for all mankind, but He was not accepted. In His second coming He will rapture the Church, but in the third coming He will appear as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He will not ask to be accepted. By force and might He will put people in place, destroy the wicked. The Tribulation Period will be so terrible that Isaiah writes: The curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left (Isaiah 24:6). Jesus, when He was here, said, For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened (Matthew 24:21,22). Read the Book of Revelation that tells of Jesus as He appears King of kings and Lord of lords. God will not take the responsibility for children’s suffering. The devil and mankind have done it. Men, women, boys and girls have caused the children to suffer. Parents have caused it. Although we live in a world that the devil and man have made, we who are born again have found a new life in Christ Jesus. He has taken us into a brand-new world. We are new creations. He is getting us ready to live in Heaven. If you want to get away from this civilization, you must serve God. Don’t let the devil cause you to be critical of the God who made you. The devil likes to blame God when little children are deformed. I say again, this is not God’s civilization, but the devil’s. Sin brought a curse on the earth, on the bodies of mankind. Adam and Eve sold out to the devil, and the Adam’s and Eve’s down through the years have carried on that heritage as they walked with the devil instead of walking with God. We live in a land in which the Bible and prayer have been eliminated from the schools—and people wonder why the devil has taken over the young people, why murder in the schools, why students are on drugs and carry arms. This civilization as a whole has given over to the devil. I knew that this time would come, and I have preached that we would reap the whirlwind of a wild harvest. Reaping time is here.

In Isaiah 60:8: Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? Whom is this verse referring to?

It is a prophecy about the airplane. This is the only scripture we have foretelling it. Isaiah the prophet didn’t only see King Jesus, he got to see the airplane. The plane flies as the clouds and goes right to its intended destination. Just as the dove knows where her window is and goes to it, the pilot knows where to land the plane.

Why are some books in the Bible so hard to understand? I have a problem understanding the Book of Job.

If you suffered the way Job suffered, you might understand his book. It is believed that Job lived before the Law was given. Job spoke words even he didn’t understand. His three so-called friends tormented him, but study the beautiful prophecy that came through Job: For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see (Job 19:25,26). Job was talking about King Jesus.

Does God know us as souls in Heaven before we are born on Earth?

No, no, no. You did not exist before your life here on Earth.

Are certain souls sent to certain families for a special reason? Although we are free moral agents and can choose to obey or disobey God’s will, does He still have a special plan for each of us to fulfill before we are born? When is our destiny planned?

The shaping of a child born into a family has a lot to do with the generations and with what is in the family. An alcoholic father often has alcoholic sons. A daughter may hate the ways of her mother and yet have the same ways herself. If you have a dysfunctional parent, you must guard against taking on the same spirits. Spirits run in families. Spirits of some diseases go from one generation to the next. Cancer, heart trouble, sugar diabetes often run in families. Even a dog may take on the spirit of the family. If you see a family always fussing and fighting, the dog is liable to growl a lot.

God does not have a special plan for most people before they are born, only to serve Him. The destiny of most people is planned along their journey in life. A few are marked in their mother’s wombs for a certain mission, but still they have free choice to serve or not serve God. God does well to get some people’s attention one day at a time. It is a very special calling when God plans a life; John the Baptist is an example of a person with that special calling. Angel and I were marked in our mothers’ wombs. She was visited by God when she was ten, and I was visited by God when I was seven or eight. God ordained our lives because He had a special, divine mission for us. We both had mothers who would put the greatness of God into our hearts. John the Baptist and Jesus had special mothers. God plans your life with you as you walk with Him.

Young people, if you will be consecrated and dedicated to God, He will choose for you someone consecrated and dedicated to Him also, and bring your lives together. If you are disobedient, willful, full of anger and determined to choose your own way before God’s, He will not pick out one of His dear little lambs for you. God’s ability to protect and guide you depends on how you walk with Him. God will not take the responsibility completely for you unless you walk in the divine will of God. You have to walk in His divine will all the time for Him to direct your paths. He lays out those paths as you need them, not miles ahead. He has given us a road map from here to Heaven that is to be walked holy and lived holy. You future depends on how God can work with you, how you will yield to Him and the kind of company you keep. The reason some people made bad marriages is because they didn’t associate with the right kind. Couples who fight like dogs and cats even when they are dating often marry their fighting partner. Why marry someone you can’t get along with? That person is on his or her best behavior before marriage. After you are married to the wrong one, you both are in trouble. You need God to help you. Without His help you don’t really know what another person is like; you just think you do. God is the one who knows the heart, and that’s the reason you must get the mind of God before you marry. If you date a sinner, God is not with that relationship. He will let you marry anyone you want; He leaves it up to you. You can be on your own or you can walk with the Lord. In this awful world you must have King Jesus if you want to get along. Bow to this King every day; live in His love and in His grace and hold to the nail-riven hand. God will not change for you; He is the One who will change you for Him. Jesus came with what is needed to make that change. The Lord loves everyone, but He doesn’t like everyone’s ways. If you liked everyone’s ways you would have to like sin, evil. I decided one day that I wanted the Lord to love me and like me, too. At the end of every day I want to know if God liked what I said and did that day. Did He like how I served His love? Did I deal with everyone the way He wanted? Did I fuss?

Oh Sinner, don’t look at the people who fail God. Look at those following hard after Him. Look at those seeking to be as much like King Jesus as they can be, walking, talking like Him and serving what He served.

Jesus is now on stage. Weigh His words, learn about Him. No longer need He be a mystery; He has unveiled Himself. Jesus unveiled Himself to the disciples, but just as they didn’t really know Him, many Christians today do not really know Him. That’s the reason they have suffered so much weakness, so much heartache and despair. That’s the reason the devil has been able to push them around: they didn’t really know Jesus. Paul said, That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death (Philippians 3:10). You are not excused if you weren’t reared in a godly home; now you have been told the truth. Paul was not taught to respect Jesus, but he was taught to respect the Law. When Jesus was introduced to him on the road to Damascus, he recognized Him and yielded completely to Him. Paul didn’t stop until he learned everything he could about Jesus.

Jesus Saves and Heals

Are you saved? Do you have King Jesus on the throne of your heart? If you need Him, pray this prayer with me now: Oh, God, save my soul! Forgive me of all my sins. I am so sorry that I sinned against you, but I have come home. I believe the blood of Jesus washes away all my sin. Come into my heart, Jesus! Come on in!

If you meant that prayer, He has come into your heart. He is King, but you must let Him be King all the time. He has the final say, the wisdom and knowledge, all the greatness to lead you; and He is ready to serve it to you. Use His kind of love, His kind of forgiveness, His knowledge. Use just what He brought; it’s yours to use, and He wants you to use it. You must use it to be like Him. If you don’t, you won’t be a true subject of His; you won’t be in His Kingdom. Those in His Kingdom speak a language of love, faith. They have their own walk; they don’t walk like the world but in the holiness and righteousness of God. They live by, on and through faith—God’s faith.

You who are sick and afflicted, you who have faith in Him: King Jesus will make you whole. Pray with me in faith believing. Jesus came with healing in His wings for you. Lord, here they are: I bring the sick and afflicted to you. There is no disease you cannot heal, no deformity you cannot take away. There is no part of the body that you cannot re-create or create. In the name of Jesus, I inject your miracle-working healing power: Heal, heal! in the holy name of the Lord!

Don’t you feel the healing power flowing into your body? It’s real, wonderful, great. It’s the power of the great I-Am. King Jesus—no sickness, no disease can stand before His power. If you use the power—you have to use it and continue to use it in faith in Him—He will get you well. Praise Him and watch yourself get well.

Thus saith the Lord: The power of my greatness for all peoples is in my blood. Even my own have not understood my blood. They have lost many battles because of the lack of understanding of my blood. They have been defeated with depression and oppression by the enemy because they didn’t understand how to use my blood. The Bride must know how to use my blood. She must know all the greatness of my blood and all the many ways that my blood is to be used in this her final walk. My blood will be her victory. My blood will be her power over all demonic spirits, even Lucifer himself. The Bride will use my blood, and she will do great and wonderful wonders in the eyes of the people in this her last hour. The powers of darkness will close in, but my blood will be her light and her strength and her greatness. She will be separated without spot, wrinkle, blemish or any such thing through my blood. She will learn her separation is through the blood, and she will remain separated in her final walk. She will not be in and out as some of my people have been in the past, failing me one day and then walking with me another day. Not so. The Bride will stay with me the rest of the journey, and she will spend her time serving, serving my greatness. She will know her calling to serve through the blood. She will know her strength through my blood. She will know why that I shed my blood for her, and her courage will flow through my blood. She will know that no power can destroy her, that no evil can overtake her, and the world cannot spot her or cause blemishes to come upon her. She will walk in the humility of my Spirit and in the power of my blood, and she will trample devils underfoot and cast devils out in my holy name through my blood, saith the Lord.

King Jesus will soon come. Are you ready?