—MOMarch 1, 1970NO.D—DO

—Persecution

P.O. Box 31, London, WC2E 7LX, England or GPO Box 3141‚ San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936

(These are the notes from a class given by Moses at the Ranch in Texas (also called TSC) in March of 1970, two weeks after arriving there to set up the first Children of God Colony with about 120 people. This was at the end of six months travelling across the U.S. in a vehicle caravan camping in tents and demonstrating with sackcloth vigils in the major cities. The Ranch was a former missionary training camp that was unused for years and in a state of disrepair that was loaned to us. The scripture references from Nehemiah must be read along with the reading of this letter to get the complete lesson.)

PARALLELS OF THE PIONEERING CHILDREN OF GOD TODAY WITH GOD'S PEOPLE IN NEHEMIAH'S DAY AND IN HISTORY

1. There is nothing new under the sun, Nehemiah was one of the captives in the land of captivity.

2. (Neh.1:3) The wall of Jerusalem is broken down. This place (the Ranch) was like the Promised Land, and then due to sin and mistakes the camp was broken up and the people carried away into false doctrines. The camp has never been revived again until now. The camp bears a parallel to what happened to Israel. We left and left unwise rulers in charge and they were cast out for their sins. In the intervening years the Lord gathered you together and we wandered in the wilderness (strangers in a strange land), but during that time we were a witness for the Lord. The children of Israel had become very poor examples while in Canaan. So God had to cast them out to help them see the need. He even uses our mistakes for His glory.

3. SO NOW HAVING GATHERED TOGETHER THE CAPTIVES FROM FAR COUNTRIES WE APPEALED TO THE KING THAT HE WOULD LET US RETURN HOME, and when it was God's time due to our repentance and our desperation, God turned the hearts of kings and permitted us to come back. This occurred in the days not long before the coming of Christ, it was a preparation for His coming, even a sign of His coming. They had to go back as a testimony to the mercy of God. The Lord is reviving His original message through us and others in these last days and restoring to the church its original power even under bondage. The Israelites were under the rule of the king of Babylon and the kings of Medo-Persia in their land.

4. This is exactly what God is doing again. History repeats itself. America was founded for religious freedom, and freedom from persecution. As soon as America became mighty and prosperous it went whoring after other gods, and therefore has had nothing but trouble and war until finally they will be scattered out and cast among the heathen again. God is now going to clobber them to show them Who is boss.

5. Abraham came from Assyria which later came and captured the Israelites. But when they became famous, they became famous instead of righteous. In one generation this nation has fallen into iniquity which is worse than the heathen around us. Because of her sin, God will have to publicly chastise her. If God doesn't chastise them, then He isn't God. Before long the world will realise that the God America once stood for is not dead and is going to punish His people as an example to the world.

6. IN THE LAST DAYS OF ISRAEL, GOD REVIVED A FEW PROPHETS TO WARN ISRAEL OF HER DOOM. Most of the prophets appeared during the time of the kings (Israel's backsliding). Even as America follows a similar parallel, we have a part in it. The Lord is now preparing them for destruction just before His second coming. He will prepare His church with bondage, affliction, and persecution. We are occupying the same place in America's history that the prophets did just before the destruction of Israel.

7. LIKE AS ISRAEL, GOD SPARED NOT THE JEWS, HE IS CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO SPARE US. After the captivity, the Babylonian king permitted the Jews to go back under the heathen kings. The king let them go because they repented and were forgiven of the Lord. It was not long after that the Messiah came. Under the heathen kings there was a period of great confession and repentance, they were studying the Word‚ and had rebuilt the temple and were beginning to prosper again. There is a measure of revival in the church today.

8. Let's go back to our history. We repented and made things right with the Lord and He allowed us to go back. This place was broken down. The king himself had tried to rebuild it but didn't have any help. You can't have any glory from the ruins of a country. God allows persecution for our purification. We have "come back" like Nehemiah.

9. (Neh.1:10) Prayer of repentance. God told us to speak to the king so we did (Neh.2) and appealed to the king (v.5). The king had to debate how it would affect his kingdom. God granted all the requests because the hand of the Lord was upon him. We shouldn't make a move unless we follow the guidance of the hand of God. The right answer might be just the opposite of what our natural mind thinks. God's great system is very similar to the way man has modeled his governments.

10. (Neh.1:10) Owners around Israel who were enemies. They're always out to get the leader because they know he's in touch with God and the Devil thinks if he can get the leader he can get the whole work. The Devil knows the leaders are God's leaders. They'll never stop the message or the move of God or the Word of God‚ but they can sometimes delay‚ hinder‚ and persecute. The people had to work with a tool in one hand and a weapon in the other. You have to do it the hard way when you get out of the will of God. The first reaction is usually the right one.

11. WE ARE SURROUNDED BY ENEMIES ON EVERY SIDE. This part of the country has had the message and rejected it. We have heard rumours that the citizenry are organizing indictments and citizen committees‚ etc. Probably all just lies to frighten us‚ but we have to be prepared. The Devil wants to publicise the leader's name. Nehemiah came in and spied out the land in the middle of the night to see the situation! If we would have come in in a big caravan we would have tipped our hand. (v.5) God let us get in here 3 days before anybody really knew what we were doing. (v.16) The king didn't really know what you were up to. (v.19) God sent us here and what we are doing here God is going to help us to do (v.20).

12. CHAP. 3—REBUILD CITY.

PARALLELS OF THE PERSECUTION OF GOD'S CHILDREN TODAY AND IN HISTORY

13. CHAP. 4—PERSECUTION BEGINS.

14. (v.1) ENEMY GOT MAD WHEN HE SAW THEY WERE ESTABLISHED. One of their enemies was a half breed, on the east were the Ammonites‚ cousins of the Jews, on the south the Edomites. (v.3) "Even what they're rebuilding is just about ready to fall over. Do they think they're going to revive that work again?"—Taunts of the enemy. (v.4) Our enemy conspiring with other enemies to try to attack us. Nehemiah cried to the Lord and asked Him to take care of it. (v.6) We just kept on doing the work of God. We didn't stop to fiddle with the enemy. We're here to be built up and strengthened in the faith. We are the living stones of this wall and are being put in place.

15. (v.7) Even the west side is conspiring against them. It takes a little time for the word to get around, that they're actually restoring the wall! (v.8) There is a rumour that the citizenry are organising a citizens committee. (v.9) Keep a watch out for them though, but don't go out and fight them. (v.11) Watch out for those that try to sneak inside as spies to spy out the land. (v.12) The friendly Jews come to warn Israel. Our friends relay the news from enemy territory. (v.14) Quit thinking about these enemies, but remember the Lord. It is a shame to even speak of those things which are done of them in secret. (v.13) Dog, radio, and guards at gate. Be not afraid‚ remember the Lord which is great and terrible! (v.14) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal: Prayer, faith, word. (v.15) When the enemies found out we were aware and that we knew God was going to defeat them. (v.16) Half of them worked and half stood guards. Half in manual labour, half in Bible study. (v..17) All the people stayed on guard. (v.20) If you hear a trumpet, come running in case there is trouble. (v.21) We haven't got much time to get ready before the enemy attacks again.

16. CHAP. 5 (v.13) MAY GOD GET RID OF EVERYBODY THAT DOESN'T REALLY BELONG HERE. (v.14, v.15) We told the king we would not be chargeable to him. (v.16) We didn't try to keep anything for ourselves but to further the work of God.

17. CHAP. 6 (v.1) The enemy found out it was too late to attack en masse from outside. (v.2) Then they tried trickery, tried to trick Nehemiah to come out to meet them. (v.3) He refused to even see them, much less go out to meet them. (v.4) Parents and friends will keep trying to get you to go back. (v.5) Next they tried accusation and wrote letters to the king. (v.8) Keep working and don't pay any attention to them.

18. THE ENEMY IN ALL OF THIS, NOT ONCE DID HE ACTUALLY OPENLY ATTACK. It was all in words, lies, tales, and stories. In the garden the Devil just talked to Eve. An actual open attack will not do as much damage as disobeying the Lord. The enemy was trying to trick Nehemiah into actually doing something wrong, coming down and meeting them on their ground. The main purpose of their words was to cause fear. It will weaken your work for the Lord and upset you in every way. The Devil begins with his word. If you believe it, then you will act on it and sin. Do not be afraid of the enemy, because once you're scared you'll get excited and do the wrong thing. The Devil was ordained to see if he could get you not to believe God. If the Devil can get you to doubt God's word, you are believing in the Devil's word. The Devil will put in a partial half truth to give credence to the lie. The Devil told Eve that God was really lying.

19. A TRAITOR IN THE MIDST PROPHESIED TO TRY TO MAKE THEM AFRAID. No telling what the system has promised our enemy. Why all of a sudden this switch in his attitude towards the system? Could it be there might be 30 shekels involved somewhere? (Gal.6:12,13) There's always something a traitor wants to gain.

20. THE ENEMY'S WORDS VS. GOD'S WORD. The Devil's word in our enemies vs. God's word in us, to even where some of our leadership could have doubted!

21. Without faith it is impossible to please God. LOOK TO JESUS and live!