The Fall And Rise of The Church

The apostle Paul warned the early church that a time of darkness would fall on the
church. A time, when sound doctrine would diminish.

Acts 20:29-31 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in
among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away
disciples after them.
31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn
every one night and day with tears.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 ¶ Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor
by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 ¶ Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there
come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Paul is says concerning the return of the LORD, would not take place until there come ‘a
falling away first’, that ‘grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.’

2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but
after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

In time the church started to ‘turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto
fables’. The main theme of these scriptures is that they love not the truth. The church fell
into spiritual darkness the teachings of Jesus and the apostles were no longer available.
The church fell into the dark ages and out of the darkness crept idol worship, saint
worship, purgatory, forbidding priest to marry, confession, rapture and many other
belief's that are not biblical.

Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men.

The church began teaching ‘the commandments of men’ instead of sound doctrine.
History shows us that by 300 AD the church began mixing pagan religion with Christian
religion. Certain saints were venerated and statues that represented them began to be
erected in the houses of worship, copying pagan hero worship. This process of mixing
religions is called syncretism.

syncretism ; the amalgamation (the action, process, or result of combining or uniting) or

attempted amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought.
2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now
letteth (allows) will let (allow), until he be taken out of the way.

The apostle calls this the ‘mystery of iniquity’, and it was already beginning in Paul’s
time. Iniquity means division. The apostles warned and prevented this division until they
were ‘taken out of the way’ in persecution. So the truth started diminishing in the church.
Men with personal agendas began to rule the church.

Jesus also warned darkness would creep into the church. Jesus said the night would come
and that no man or ministry could work.

John 9:4-5 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh,
when no man can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

Jesus said 'as long as I am in the world I am the light of the world’. Yet the night cometh,
when no man can work.. The apostles were also ‘the light of the world'. Our next
scripture is Jesus speaking to his disciples.

Matthew 5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it
giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify
your Father which is in heaven.

The apostles because they had been so close with the LORD, had a complete
understanding of the scriptures and the Spirit without measure. They had the ability to
perform miracles. They were in essence enlightened.

With the knowledge that, ‘the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine ‘ our next scripture can be properly interpreted. In my book – ‘Jesus Christ The
Mystical YHWH’ (available at Scribd store) is a lesson that demonstrates that ‘woman’ is
a symbolic word for the church.

Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place
prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore
days.

The woman or church went though a wilderness experience much like Israel went
through a wilderness experience after leaving Egypt. Like Israel in the wilderness was
fed and nourished by God, so also was the church. Even though the full truth was not
available to the average person, nevertheless the church prospered and grew. Knowledge
of salvation still spread thru the world like a wild fire.
Revelation 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she
might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and
times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

In our two previous scriptures give two descriptions of the same time.1,260 ‘days’ or
years. Also a ‘bible time’ which is 360 days or years. 360 (time) + 360 + 360 (times) and
(half a time) 180 = 1260. This time covers from 538 AD to 1798 AD. During this time
the Roman Catholic Church was in power and had locked the word of God in the obscure
language of Latin. The average man had no access to the word of God. Because of this
the church was in darkness or a wilderness. The reformation of the church began in the
1500-1600’s AD because people wanted access to the word of God in their in their native
languages. Many people lost their lives to achieve this. During this 1260 years is when
our next scripture was fulfilled.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but
after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

The church turned their ears from the truth and began teaching false doctrines. A power
struggle ensued in the church, when the bishops started vying for dominance as the head
of the church, which resulted in a so-called Pope.

Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

Isaiah 1: 21-23 ¶ How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment;
righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water:
23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and
followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow
come unto them.

Jeremiah 3:3 Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter
rain; and thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.

Though church fell into darkness but the bible clearly states that the church would come
out of the wilderness into the restored glorious light of the gospel.

Song of Solomon 8:5 Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her
beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there
she brought thee forth that bare thee.

What a beautiful poetic scripture. The church comes out of the wilderness leaning on the
arm of her beloved Jesus Christ. The apple tree is a representation of when the early
church, which was in ‘perfect order’ with a full understand of the word of God and the
undiminished Spirit working in it.
In Song of Solomon 8:5 ‘thy mother’ is speaking of this Early rain church, ‘there thy
mother brought thee forth’. The Early rain church is the mother of a soon to appear latter
rain church. Let’s look at some scriptures that describe this latter rain.

James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the
husbandman (the LORD) waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long
patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

He ‘hath long patience for it’, 2000 years of patience.

Deuteronomy 32:2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew,
as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:

Joel 2:23-24 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he
hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the
rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.

Wheat = word of God, wine = Spirit of God, oil = understanding.

Job 29:23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as
for the latter rain.

Deuteronomy 11:14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first
rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

Very symbolic language indeed. The corn is representive of the word of God, the wine is
representive The Holy Spirit and the oil represents the perfect understanding that comes
with the union of the two.

Proverbs 16:15 In the light of the king’s countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud
of the latter rain.

Zechariah 10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD
shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

The ‘bright cloud’ began to shine again with the protestant reformation, and for the last
500 years more & more truth light is being restored to the church. The word reformation
means exactly that the, re-forming of the original glory of the church.

Haggi 2:9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the
LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

This is speaking of the second temple in Jerusalem, the glory of the second temple was
greater because the LORD Jesus visited it, but also refers to the latter rain church.
Isaiah 1:26-27 And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the
beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.
27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

Isaiah 1:26-27 is speaking to Israel but by extension to the church, which is the spiritual
Israel. The true church is the city of righteousness where truthful counselors and correct
judgment is found.

Hosea 6:3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is
prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former
rain unto the earth.

Jude 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it
was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend
for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

We should be earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. How? By
learning the word of God.

Isaiah 32: 9-18 ¶ Rise up, ye women that are at ease; hear my voice, ye careless
daughters; give ear unto my speech.
10 Many days and years shall ye be troubled, ye careless women: for the vintage shall
fail, the gathering shall not come.
11 Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones: strip you, and
make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins.
12 They shall lament for the teats, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.
13 Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses
of joy in the joyous city:
14 Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts
and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;
15 Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful
field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.
16 Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful
field.
17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness
quietness and assurance for ever.
18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in
quiet resting places;

The woman or church was at ease, the vintage failed. Yet there was a promise of the
Spirit will be ‘poured’ out from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field. The
field is the church. Good judgment and righteousness remains in the field. The work of
righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for
ever. My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation.
John 10:16 And 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.

The other sheep not of the first fold is the second restored church. Our next scripture is
about the second fold.

Eph 5:25-27 …… Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or
any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Revelation 6:9-11 ¶ And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the
souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou
not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that
they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their
brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

Revelation 21:9-11 & 22-27 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which
had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come
hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me
that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like
a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple
of it.
23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory
of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of
the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever
worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of
life.

Copyright © 2010 J. Wilder & The Wilder Family Trust dated 2/13/04

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