The Church After Covid-19.
The Church After Covid-19
By: Irnawan Silitonga
This writing is a continuation of the previous one with the theme The Concept of Worship after Covid-19, but now with a broader theme. Before we move into the meaning of the Church, we absolutely need to understand that the Church has fallen. The Body of Christ has been torn apart into thousands of denominations (church organizations). If we do not see this, we can never understand what the Church truly is.
Many theologians say that the Church exists in two forms: the Visible Church and the Invisible Church. The visible one, they say, consists of the thousands of denominations or church organizations, while the invisible one refers to all the children of God who have been born again. This is a trick of theologians. They do not speak and think ‘AS THE BIBLE SAYS’. The Bible clearly states that the Church has fallen, and in the Book of Revelation there are two women who symbolize the Church: the first in chapter 12, who is the Bride of Christ, and the second in chapter 17, who is the harlot. Later, we will come to a detailed explanation of these two women who symbolize the Church. From the explanations in chapters 12 and 17, we CAN IDENTIFY THE CONDITION OF THE CHURCH TODAY. It is time for God’s people to wake up and stop being deceived by the words of theologians—even though they have been accepted for centuries. Covid-19 has truly exposed everything…
The Bible clearly says through Paul that after his departure, fierce wolves will come in, not sparing the flock, and they will work through some of the elders (church leaders) and will DRAW DISCIPLES AFTER THEMSELVES. How? BY FALSE TEACHING… (Acts 20:29–30). This HAS BEEN FULFILLED… The Church has been torn apart into thousands of organizations (denominations)… There are about 5,000 large organizations, and if we count the smaller ones, there are tens of thousands. If a glass has shattered into thousands of pieces, can we still say that those fragments are the glass?
Therefore, since the Church has been broken into fragments, God is calling HIS OVERCOMERS to represent the Church as the salt and light of the world. This is what is discussed in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. We will get to this explanation later…
So, my brothers and sisters, now is the time for God’s people to see what God is doing for His Church, especially through Covid-19. Some “servants of God” speak about the building up of the Body of Christ… but are they aware that the Body of Christ has already been shattered into pieces? Are they aware that perhaps they themselves are part of the cause of the Body being broken? We have already discussed in the previous writing the spirit of NICOLAITANS, JEZEBEL, and BALAAM that could even infiltrate servants of God at the level of Ignatius (117 AD)?
I will end this writing as an introduction… May God’s people not be easily deceived. Hallelujah.
In the previous writing, we emphasized that the church has fallen. The fall of the church is described in the Book of Revelation chapters 2–3, namely because of three teachings (Nicolaitans, Jezebel, Balaam). Now we will talk about the term TEACHING. When something has become a teaching, it can no longer be changed…
In Revelation 2–3 we see how something that at first was only an ACT later developed into a TEACHING. In Revelation 2:6, there were only the DEEDS of the Nicolaitans, but in Revelation 2:15, it had developed into the TEACHING of the Nicolaitans. For something to move from DEED to TEACHING requires time. At first, it is only the actions of a few people, then it becomes the actions of many people, and then leaders formulate it into a teaching. Once it has become a TEACHING, it is considered RIGHT, and usually no longer questioned…
Let me give a few examples within the Christian world of things that have become TEACHINGS. For instance, ‘tithing’. Tithing has become a teaching. Many of God’s people practice it, and leaders have formulated it, even writing about it and preaching it with conviction. We will not discuss the teaching of tithing here. I have made a video about tithing and proved from the Bible that it is a misguided teaching… yet many of God’s people still believe in tithing. Why? Because it has become a TEACHING.
The same goes for the teaching about the church, namely the ‘Visible Church’ and the ‘Invisible Church’, which I mentioned in the previous writing. This too has become a teaching. Leaders have written about it and also preached it with confidence… Hopefully, after finishing this writing, you can consider it and see that the teaching of the Visible and Invisible Church is truly excessive… Why? Because with this teaching, DIVISION IN CHRISTIANITY IS JUSTIFIED… Whereas we clearly know that division is caused by FEROCIOUS WOLVES attacking some leaders so that they draw disciples after themselves.
Thus, both tithing and the Visible/Invisible Church have become teachings. It is impossible to uproot these two teachings from Christianity. Those who disagree can only LEAVE THIS SYSTEM OF TEACHING. You can no longer change these two teachings… That is why when God works and gives NEW REVELATION, He does so OUTSIDE THE EXISTING SYSTEM. If you study movements within Christianity, you will see that ‘new wine’ cannot be put into ‘old wineskins’.
What does all of this have to do with what God is now allowing to happen, namely Covid-19? I believe that through Covid-19 there is a NEW MOVEMENT IN THE CHURCH… but you must COME OUT of the old system of teaching and keep following the Lord… Moving forward under His guidance… Let those who still feel comfortable with their old teachings remain… God is calling His overcomers OUT… The coming of the Lord is near… Arise, O overcomers… Hallelujah…
In the previous writing we affirmed that through Covid-19 THERE IS A NEW MOVEMENT WITHIN THE CHURCH… This time we will talk about this new movement, or more broadly, a journey of faith.
We will look at the example of Abraham as the father of faith. We know that when God called him, he was in Ur of the Chaldeans, and God’s command was clear that he had to leave his household. But in reality, Abraham left Ur of the Chaldeans with his father, and even Lot as well. Abraham did not fully obey God. He should have left Ur of the Chaldeans without his father or Lot. Later, it proved true that both of these people caused problems in Abraham’s journey of faith.
We know that there was strife between the herdsmen of Abraham and the herdsmen of Lot, so that the two had to separate. We will not discuss Abraham’s separation from Lot. Instead, we will discuss his separation from his father. After they left Ur of the Chaldeans toward the land of Canaan, because leadership was in the hands of Terah (Abraham’s father), they STOPPED at Haran… Abraham’s journey of faith came to a halt… and God had to call Terah home (through death) so that Abraham could continue his journey toward the Promised Land.
What can we learn from all this? Following God is a journey. We should not “fellowship with Terah,” which causes us to stop halfway in our journey of faith. We can certainly understand that Terah settled in Haran because of the sense of safety. Travel in those days involved dangers—not only robbers, but also many other discomforts. When they settled in Haran, their wealth increased. But once again, following God IS A JOURNEY… let us not stop halfway for any reason. After this Covid-19, we believe that God is working something new for His church… Do not let the “comfort zone” cause us to stop midway. But the overcomers will surely move, following God’s movement…
Next, let us look at the life of Jonathan, son of King Saul, who had a relationship with David and even made a covenant with him. Jonathan knew for certain that King Saul had been rejected, and that David had been anointed to replace him. Jonathan also believed that he would be the second in command under David when David became king.
But there was a great problem here. Jonathan did not want to leave King Saul, nor his palace with all its luxury… When Jonathan knew that Saul intended to kill David, he only informed him, then said, “…go in peace…” (1 Samuel 20:42). Jonathan should have gone with David and shared in his hardships—being pursued by Saul, fleeing from cave to cave. Wasn’t Saul also intending to kill Jonathan? (verse 33). If so, why did Jonathan remain with Saul? Perhaps because of his natural tie to Saul (his biological father), or perhaps for reasons of safety…
Later, when David was still being hunted by Saul, Jonathan tried to strengthen David’s faith in God and reminded him of their covenant… (1 Samuel 23:16–18). But verse 18 says that after strengthening David, he RETURNED TO HIS HOUSE… This was the problem… Then when David became king according to God’s promise… where was Jonathan??? Jonathan died TOGETHER WITH SAUL.
What lesson can we take from these two journeys? My brother, following God is not a game… We must be willing to break fellowship with those who have a ‘different calling’, whoever they may be… We must be willing to pay the price of discomfort… I am convinced, my brother, that
through this Covid-19 GOD IS DOING A NEW MOVEMENT… God is doing something new for His church… Isaiah 43:19 says, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?...”
In the previous article, we emphasized that God is doing something new for His church through the arrival of Covid-19. Isaiah 43:19 says, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” If God is creating a new movement in Christianity, then surely there is an older movement as well. How do we explain this new movement, which we believe God has begun through Covid-19, while the old movement still continues? This is what we will discuss in this article.
To explain this, we need to revisit the story of Jonathan that we mentioned earlier. We will look at the life journey of Jonathan, son of King Saul, who had a close relationship with David and even made a covenant with him. Jonathan knew for certain that King Saul had been rejected and that David had been anointed to replace him, and Jonathan was also confident that he would become second-in-command under David once David became king.
But there was a big problem. Jonathan did not want to leave King Saul—and, of course, his palace with all its luxuries… When Jonathan learned that Saul intended to kill David, he only informed David and said, “…Go in peace…” (1 Samuel 20:42). Ideally, Jonathan should have gone with David and endured hardships alongside him, fleeing from one cave to another because of Saul’s pursuit. Wasn’t Saul also intending to kill Jonathan? (verse 33). So why did Jonathan remain with Saul? Perhaps because of his physical bond with Saul (his father), or perhaps due to security concerns…
Later, when David continued to be pursued by Saul, Jonathan sought to strengthen David’s trust in God and reminded him of their covenant… (1 Samuel 23:16-18). But verse 18 says that after strengthening David, Jonathan returned home… This is the problem. Later, when David became king according to God’s promise… where was Jonathan? Jonathan died ‘with Saul’. Jonathan died with Saul because he was unwilling to sever his connection with Saul and move forward with David.
The story above helps explain the new movement that God has begun through Covid-19. This pandemic is truly extraordinary. The old pattern of worship in church buildings came to a sudden halt. Following government recommendations, all activities—including worship—were conducted at home. Home-based worship became a new pattern. Here, we can identify which movements are old and which are new. Church leaders who conduct online/live-streamed services with the intention of ‘returning to the old worship patterns’ before Covid-19, often collecting tithes or offerings, clearly belong to the old movement. In contrast, church leaders who also conduct online teaching or discipleship sessions with the purpose of ‘equipping the congregation’ so that the members—or more accurately, the fathers—can build the church in their own homes, belong to the new movement.
Saul’s movement represents the old movement, while David’s movement represents the new. Returning to Jonathan’s story… Even today, there are “Jonathans” who understand that Saul’s
movement has become merely religious, whereas David’s movement is fresh and new because God is with it. May these “Jonathans” take decisive steps to leave Saul’s movement and fully join David’s movement. May there no longer be any “Jonathans” whose one foot is in Saul’s movement while the other is in David’s movement…
Praise God… even though David’s movement is still being “pursued” by Saul, there will come a time, according to God’s promise, when David’s movement will rule alongside Him… Amen.
Revelation 1:6 emphasizes, “and has made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” This verse explains what Jesus is doing for His church: making His church into priests and kings, into a KINGDOM. In fact, making us a kingdom has always been His plan from the beginning. In the Garden of Eden, we can see that God intended for humanity to have dominion over everything by building a FAMILY, by building a KINGDOM. That is why 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are… a royal priesthood….” This means priests and kings… Therefore, training His people to function as priests and kings is God’s work in this era, because in the next era, God will establish His kingdom on earth.
However, as we discussed previously, the church has fallen due to the teachings of NICHOLAS, BALAAM, and JEZEBEL, so God works through HIS OVERCOMERS (Revelation 2-3). Not all church members—even those born again—will rule in the next era.
Now we will discuss why God allowed Covid-19 to happen, preventing His people from worshiping in church buildings. In the previous article (The Concept of Worship After Covid-19), we also discussed how almost all “buildings” carry the spirit of Nicholas, Jezebel, and Balaam, along with various rules ranging from tithes, firstfruits, and other organizational/religious regulations. God’s people are not focused on Christ within their hearts… there are too many external matters produced by these “buildings.” Most “buildings” preach the ‘COVENANT OF BLESSING’ (with its tithing laws, of course), which is not found in the Old or New Testament. In such ‘building’ conditions, how can God work to produce priests and kings who must also be INDEPENDENT in the Word and the Bread? Indeed, most ‘buildings’ are too attention-grabbing… whether it’s the preacher or the leaders, perhaps…
Covid-19 truly SEPARATES God’s people from the ‘building’ so that God can work to produce priests and kings in their own homes… In the previous article (no. 4), we tried to identify the movements of Saul and David. Church leaders who hold online services with the aim of DRAWING disciples back to the ‘CHURCH BUILDING PATTERN’, often enticing them with offerings, are in the ‘Saul movement’. But church leaders who hold online services to EQUIP disciples to become priests and kings, starting from their own homes and becoming independent in the Word… these leaders are in the ‘David movement’.
Leaders in the David movement do not take a single penny from the congregation for themselves or their ministry, even though they are entitled to support, because they have sown spiritual blessings… they are not paid, they do not eat from the ‘table of Jezebel’… they live from the ‘table of Elijah’, sometimes provided by the “ravens,” sometimes by a ‘widow of Zarephath’, or by ‘making a tent’ like Paul. Leaders in the David movement serve the congregation and do not take money from the congregation, let alone enrich themselves through their ministry…
It is very easy to distinguish who is in the Saul movement and who is in the David movement… MONEY… MONEY… MONEY… MAMMON… MAMMON… MAMMON… THAT’S THE DIFFERENCE… Saul took TAXES from the Israelites… David did not, my brother…
Returning to the topic of priests and kings, I have a conviction—though I could be wrong—that it is very difficult for someone to become a priest and king before God while entrenched in a ‘building’ like the ones described above, even for 10, 20, or 30 years…
In conclusion… let us look at the connection between FAMILY and KINGDOM mentioned above… Covid-19 brings family and kingdom close together… Hopefully, through Covid-19, priests and kings will arise in the context of FAMILY… in the context of HOME… Hallelujah.
This writing discusses the overcomers, because we already know that the church has fallen due to the teachings of Nicolaitan, Jezebel, and Balaam. In Revelation chapters 2–3, God calls His overcomers—people who may appear simple but are not defiled by the spirit of Nicolaitan, Jezebel, and Balaam.
We have also talked about Saul’s movement and David’s movement, and we have gained a clear understanding of the story of Goliath, a Philistine warrior who challenged the army of Israel led by Saul (1 Samuel 17). Goliath was a Philistine soldier with a large body, fully armed, and had been a warrior since youth. Therefore, not one of Saul’s soldiers dared to face Goliath. For 40 days, morning and evening, Goliath came forward to challenge the soldiers of Saul to single combat, yet not a single soldier dared confront him, including Saul himself.
But when David arrived at the battlefield and saw how Goliath challenged the army of Israel, he told Saul that he would face Goliath, who had mocked the army of God. Saul doubted David because of his youth and lack of proper armor. That is why Saul offered his own equipment for David to use against Goliath. But David could not use Saul’s weapons… David relied on God and had his own weapons… He only carried a staff, five stones, and a sling. With his own weapons, David struck Goliath down…
What is the connection between David’s story and the overcomers mentioned above? Overcomers may appear simple, unassuming like David, yet they have defeated the “Goliaths” in their own lives.
We have discussed Saul’s movement and applied it to the condition of the church after Covid-19. We have also tried to identify the people who support Saul’s movement. These are those who tend to want to return to the old patterns of worship—the ‘building-based worship’, with all its organizational rules and, of course, various types of offerings. Saul’s movement certainly comes with ‘full weaponry’. Perhaps besides the building, they have advanced musical instruments,
famous preachers, professional singers, etc. All of that is acceptable as long as the “building-based worship” DEFEATS GOLIATH… but honestly, with the rampant spirit of Nicolaitan, Jezebel, and Balaam in many existing ‘building-based worships’, I am not convinced it can strike down Goliath…
What about house worship, which may be very simple, without famous preachers, without sophisticated instruments, and of course, without offerings… The question for us is…perhaps this simple house worship is what actually DEFEATS ‘GOLIATH’… Once, Watchman Nee attended a worship service in England, specifically a Brethren movement service at that time. When asked about the atmosphere of the Brethren worship, Nee replied, ‘Good… good…’ but then slowly shook his head and said that the service was not suitable for striking down Satan in China… May our ‘house worship’ be sufficient to strike down the devils in Indonesia…
God has used Covid-19 so that His people may reassess whether the ‘building-based worships’ over the years have truly been able to strike down Goliath… May God’s people be guided to make the right and proper judgment… Amen.
We are still trying to compare the movement of Saul and the movement of David in relation to the condition of the church after Covid-19. We are convinced that there is a new movement that God is working in His church through this Covid-19, because the Covid-19 event is not a small, trivial matter that can be ignored. The whole world has experienced its impact, and God’s church has experienced it as well. Worship can no longer be conducted in the building, and we do not know whether Covid-19 will end quickly or slowly, or even if this virus will remain on earth. Therefore, we can confidently say that there is a new movement within God’s church after Covid-19.
We have tried to identify what Saul’s movement is and what David’s movement is. Those who try to maintain the old pattern of worship in the building with all its organizational rules and various kinds of offerings—in short, trying to preserve the pre-Covid-19 condition—represent Christians in Saul’s movement. But Christians who are in David’s movement are those who try to understand God’s purpose in allowing Covid-19, rather than opposing it. They do not wish for Covid-19 to end quickly but hope to quickly understand God’s intention and continue to follow His guidance.
There is a verse we need to reflect on now: “…David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.” (2 Samuel 3:1). If we apply this verse to our discussion, those who try to maintain the old pattern of worship with all its rules will become weaker. It should be emphasized here that we are not prophesying, but we are trying to understand God’s next movement after Covid-19.
In John 16:13 it is written, “…He will guide you into all the truth.” So, we are not speculating about what will happen to those in Saul’s movement, but we are trying to understand the Holy Spirit’s intention through all of this, because one of the works of the Holy Spirit mentioned here is to reveal to us the things that are to come… we need to understand the purpose of the Holy Spirit’s movement so we can determine our next steps.
Regarding David’s movement, it is said that ‘David grew stronger and stronger’. David was someone who brought the kingdom of Yahweh to the people of Israel. In this era, David’s movement aligns with God’s intention to establish His kingdom on earth. That is why ‘David grew stronger and stronger’.
We are not building our own kingdom… We are not building our own organization… We are only equipping God’s people to function as kings and priests, ready to welcome the Lord as the King above all kings…
So, my brother/sister, let us rise to continue following the leading of the Spirit. Let us not stubbornly force circumstances to return to the way they were before Covid-19. Move forward IN HIS MOVEMENT… not in our old movement… Once again, my brother/sister, SALUTE TO THE MOVEMENT…
Before continuing this discussion, it is important to reiterate that we are trying to understand God’s next movement after Covid-19. In the previous writing, we emphasized that God is doing and has done something new for His church through Covid-19—a ‘movement of David’, a movement of the Holy Spirit…
Now, we will discuss the approaching coming of the Lord. Through Covid-19, many of God’s children have been awakened to the nearness of His coming. However, some understanding of His coming is required before we can take steps to prepare ourselves and welcome Him. It should be emphasized here that we are not talking about the signs of the Lord’s coming. We are also not discussing the Antichrist. We are talking about the condition of the church after Covid-19 in relation to the approaching coming of the Lord.
To clarify this issue, we will examine the event of the Jewish people returning from exile in Babylon. As we know, not all the Jewish people returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian exile. Thus, there were two communities of God’s people: those in Babylon and those in Jerusalem. We know that, according to the prophets’ predictions, the Messiah would come to Jerusalem. The long-awaited Messiah for the Jewish people would not come to Babylon.
Similarly, with the condition of God’s church, not all of His people are in the right position to welcome the Lord’s coming. If God’s people are in ‘Babylon’, then talking about the Lord’s coming is useless because He will not come there.
After Covid-19, the condition of God’s people, including His servants, has been increasingly revealed by God… We have already discussed the movements of Saul and David, and it is hoped that we now have a clearer understanding of the church’s condition after Covid-19. In the following writings, we will also discuss the two women symbolizing the church in the Book of Revelation (chapters 12 and 17), which will further clarify our discussion. All of this is done so that the Overcomers will rise and prepare themselves to welcome His increasingly near coming.
To conclude this writing, we will quote Ezra 1:5: “Then the heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem”. Here we see that those willing to return from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the house of God were those whose hearts were moved by God. Why must God move their hearts to return to Jerusalem? Because the journey at that time was fraught with many dangers, from robbers to natural hazards. Meanwhile, life in Babylon had become quite comfortable after about 70 years. They already had houses, gardens, possessions, and children and grandchildren. Only a few returned to Jerusalem to fulfill God’s will and plan for His people.
Similarly today, only a few are willing to leave their comfort zones and move in God’s next movement. Most of God’s people want to return to the pre-Covid-19 condition because that is their comfort zone, but God allowed Covid-19 to shake His people so that the Overcomers would rise, leave their comfort zones, and move forward in God’s next movement… Hallelujah… Amen.
Our discussion remains focused on the condition of God’s people after Covid-19, specifically whether God’s people are ready to welcome His increasingly near coming. We have already talked about the next movement of God by taking examples of movements that occurred in Israel, both what we call the ‘Davidic movement’ and the ‘movement of the people of Israel returning from Babylonian exile.’
Regarding the movement of the people of Israel returning from Babylon, in addition to rebuilding the Temple (the Zerubbabel group in 536 BC), the Ezra group restored the Jewish community returning from Babylon according to the Torah (458 BC), and also the Nehemiah group to rebuild the walls (445 BC), their return to Jerusalem was also driven by the hope of the coming Messiah.
There was disappointment among the Jews returning from exile as they faced unexpected situations. The rebuilding of the Temple was halted for about 14 years due to economic problems and challenges from surrounding populations. The Messiah they hoped would restore the kingdom for Israel did not appear. Some placed their hope in Zerubbabel, encouraged by the prophecies of Haggai, but it did not come to pass.
It must be understood that the restoration of God’s people at that time occurred through the orders of the Persian kings, namely Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes. Indeed, the orders of these Persian kings were political in nature. These kings hoped that their reign would be blessed by the prayers of those sent back to Jerusalem (Ezra 6:10). Here we see that God uses worldly governments for the restoration of His people.
Returning to the hope of God’s people in the Messiah: after the times of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, including the prophets of that era—Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi—and the awaited Messiah still did not come, there followed a period of 400 years without prophetic voice (commonly called the ‘Silent Years’). Then suddenly John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, followed by Jesus carrying out His ministry, proclaiming that He is the awaited Messiah.
We know the story that followed, where Israel did not accept Jesus as their Messiah and even accused Him of blasphemy for calling Himself the Son of God. They then crucified Him through the hands of Pilate, the Roman ruler at that time. To this day, the Jewish people still await a Messiah who, in their understanding, is a physical leader who will rebuild a physical Temple, free Israel from physical enemies, and bring peace to the world with Israel as the head and other nations as the tail.
What can we learn from all these events? First, the restoration of the Temple can occur through the hands of worldly governments. In the case of the Jewish people, God used the Persian rulers. In the case of Covid-19, God has certainly used the government of Jokowi to restore His church. Are we aware that Jokowi’s order to worship at home is a form of restoration for His church? As we have discussed, almost every church building carries the spirit of Nicolaus, Jezebel, and Balaam. If Jokowi orders worship at home because of the Coronavirus, we should understand that worshiping at home is better because many church buildings have been contaminated by the spirits of Nicolaus, Jezebel, and Balaam.
Second, the Jewish people expected their Messiah to be a political, economic, and military leader in the physical sense, while Jesus came to build a spiritual Temple, restoring the spiritual kingdom… Israel failed to recognize their Messiah because they were too focused on the physical. We may also infer that the majority of Christians fail to recognize the coming of the Lord because they expect His coming to be physical. We will discuss the coming of the Lord further in the next section…
We continue our discussion regarding the coming of the Lord. As we mentioned in the previous writing, the Israelites who returned from Babylon were still waiting for the Messiah, whom they understood as a leader who would rebuild the physical Temple, restore the physical kingdom of Israel, and rule the world with Israel as the head and other nations as the tail. When Jesus came as the Messiah, He built the Temple, but in a spiritual sense (the believers), established a spiritual kingdom (the kingdom of heaven), and delivered Israel not from the hands of the Romans who ruled at the time but from the power of sin, the Jewish people could not accept Jesus as their Messiah. They could not accept Him because their concept was purely physical.
Today, the majority of Christians also hold a physical concept regarding the Lord’s coming. They expect Jesus to come physically, establish His physical kingdom, and center it in Jerusalem. This physical concept of the Lord’s coming is the result of teachings generally presented in “church buildings.” It is undeniable that teachings in these ‘buildings’ are largely physical. The prosperity theology that dominates many “church building” teachings is also essentially material in nature. The covenant taught in these “churches” is generally neither the Old Covenant (for Israel) nor the New Covenant (for the church and spiritual matters), but the ‘Blessing Covenant’ (a mixed and material-focused covenant). Given that God’s people have continuously been taught this Blessing Covenant, it is unsurprising that the majority hold a physical concept of the Lord’s coming. We will not delve too deeply into the Lord’s coming at this time. I have included a video of a seminar on the Lord’s coming in this writing.
It is hoped that after watching this video, we can understand that the Greek term PAROUSIA means PRESENCE, indicating that someone can BE in a place or present at a place without having to come there physically. This is what happened with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In fact, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the coming of the Lord, but not His physical coming. If we examine the verses in John chapter 14, we can understand Jesus’ words to His disciples that He would come again soon (verse 18), assuring that He would not leave them as orphans. He only left them for a short time, then came again in the form of the Holy Spirit, another Comforter. The term “another” in Greek here means a different manifestation but the same essence. Therefore, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the spiritual coming of the Lord, not a physical or material coming.
Returning to the condition of God’s people after Covid-19: it has been mentioned that President Jokowi’s directive to worship at home was actually God’s way of restoring His church. Why? By worshiping at home, God’s people are expected to reconsider the true meaning of worship and the true meaning of following the Lord. The noisy, material-focused teachings dominating almost all “church buildings” need to be paused, so that God’s people, especially the fathers, can formulate the spiritual meaning of everything.
The situation of God’s people being forced to worship at home due to Covid-19 is actually an opportunity for the rise of spiritual victors—those who await the Lord’s spiritual coming as well…
We continue our discussion regarding the coming of the Lord. As we know, the majority of Christians hold a physical understanding concerning the Lord’s coming. They expect Jesus to come physically, establish His physical kingdom, and center it in Jerusalem. This physical concept of the coming is the result of teachings generally presented in church ‘buildings’. There is no denying that church ‘building’ teachings are indeed very physical in nature. The prosperity theology that almost dominates church ‘building’ teachings is a physical teaching. The covenants taught in church ‘buildings’ are also generally not the Old Testament (for Israel) nor the New Testament (for the church and the spiritual), but rather the Blessing Covenant (which is mixed and physical in nature).
Under the condition where God’s people are continually taught such a Blessing Covenant, it is not surprising that the majority of God’s people hold a physical concept of the Lord’s coming—just as they hold physical concepts regarding success and other matters. We will now discuss the coming of the Lord as written in Romans 8:19-21: "For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God." (Romans 8:19-21).
These verses speak very clearly about the restoration of all things. It says that ALL CREATION waits for the moment when the children of God are revealed (manifested, displayed), for a purpose. What is that purpose? So that the creation itself (the context is ALL CREATION) may be LIBERATED—liberated from the bondage of decay.
How and when does the liberation of all creation from the bondage of decay begin? Liberation begins when the children of God are revealed (manifested, displayed). To understand how all creation will be liberated, it is helpful to look at Jude 14-15: “…Behold, the Lord comes with thousands upon thousands of His holy ones to execute judgment on all…”
Many people associate the term ‘execute judgment’ only with punishment, but Isaiah 26:9 states that judgment is also meant for people to know the truth. Just as the judgment of Covid-19 was intended for the earth to know the truth. Therefore, the restoration of all creation begins WHEN THE LORD COMES with thousands of His holy ones (the children of God), where these children of God will judge ALL CREATION so that ALL CREATION KNOWS THE TRUTH. If we link this coming of the Lord to Revelation 5:10, the children of God referred to are priests and kings who will rule on earth.
Thus, God is currently preparing His children to function as priests and kings to liberate His creation in the coming ages. THE COMING OF THE LORD WE ARE DISCUSSING HERE IS HIS COMING IN AND THROUGH HIS CHILDREN, NOT JESUS’ PHYSICAL COMING. Covid-19 is God’s way of preparing His children to serve as priests and kings.
Returning to the condition of God’s people after Covid-19: it has been previously mentioned that President Jokowi’s directive to worship at home was actually God’s way of raising up His victors, priests, and kings. Why? By worshiping at home, God’s people are expected to reconsider the true meaning of worship and the true meaning of following the Lord. The commotion of PHYSICAL TEACHINGS dominating almost every church ‘building’ must first be STOPPED, so that God’s people—especially the fathers—can formulate the spiritual meaning of everything, especially the spiritual meaning of His coming.
We return to reflecting on the condition of God’s people after Covid-19. This time, we will discuss the calling of the overcomers and relate it to the situation in which God’s people were “forced” to worship at home.
We have discussed extensively the fall of the church, both by looking at Paul’s conversation with the elders of Ephesus in Miletus (Acts 20:29-30) and by outlining the three false teachings (Nicolaitans, Jezebel, Balaam) that led God to call His overcomers to represent the church as the salt and light of the world (Revelation 2-3).
Who are His overcomers in this era? We should not quickly assume that they are the most famous people in the Christian world, great preachers with super busy schedules, or speakers at revival meetings endowed with the gift of divine healing, and so on. If we look at Revelation chapters 2 and 3, we can conclude that the overcomers are those who did not participate in the fall of the church. In Revelation 2-3, we see that the church’s fall was caused by issues of character and doctrine. Regarding character, only God can see whether someone is growing in Christ or not.
But regarding doctrine, we can assume that those teaching the doctrines of the Nicolaitans, Balaam, or Jezebel were famous or leaders in the Christian world. So, just because someone is well-known does not automatically mean they are an overcomer. Perhaps, God’s overcomers are simple people, not highly regarded by the Christian world—in short, they are not ‘on the Christian stage’.
Once, Watchman Nee spoke about these overcomers. Nee said that if you want to know who truly knows God, do not look in famous places… He meant that people who truly know God are usually not “on the Christian stage.” This statement is not without basis. If we look at those whom God rejects on the day of judgment, they often appear to be famous people with many gifts—people ‘on the Christian stage’ (Matthew 7:21-23).
Perhaps we should also consider the testimony of Billy Graham in his autobiography (Vol. 2, pp. 391-431). There, Billy Graham mentions at least two things he regretted. First, he felt that he had not given enough time to his family and could not watch his children grow into adulthood. He even advised young evangelists not to make the same mistake. Second, he regretted not spending enough time in prayer and Bible study for his own spiritual growth and personal knowledge of God. Often, he prayed and studied the Bible only to prepare his sermons. We mention this not to judge Billy Graham, but to learn that even those who are very famous in the Christian world have regrets that may surprise us.
Returning to the situation of the church after Covid-19, I see that the suspension of worship in ‘buildings’ and requiring God’s people to worship at home was God’s way of sending a message to His people to grow together with their families in Christ. It was also so that God’s people, especially their leaders, would have time for prayer and Bible study for their own growth in the Lord. And certainly, God’s purpose is that through “homes,” His overcomers will arise… Hallelujah.
We continue our discussion regarding the condition of God’s people after Covid-19. This time, we will talk about what God’s next program is after His church has fallen and split into thousands of denominations (church organizations).
The fall of the church was revealed to the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation, chapters 2–3. And God calls the overcomers in each church to represent the church and function as the salt and light of the world. We already know that the teachings of Nicolaus, Jezebel, and Balaam are the three doctrines that caused the church to fragment into thousands of denominations, as we see today. God does not intend to restore His church BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION AS A SINGLE ORGANISM. Even if history shows some partial restorations of certain truths, these are not restorations of the original unity of the church as one organism. We must fully understand that God’s next program is to call His overcomers to represent the fallen church.
God’s next program for the church, which has broken into thousands of denominations, is clearly depicted in the vision in Revelation chapters 4 and 5. Revelation 4:1 states, “After this I looked…” The phrase “after this” in the original language is META TAUTA, meaning “after all these things.” This means that after all of John’s visions about the seven golden lampstands, the Son of Man, and the seven churches and the calling of the overcomers, the vision in chapters 4 and 5 immediately follows. There is no time gap, and John remains in the Spirit to see the next vision. In other words, God’s next program after calling the overcomers is revealed in chapters 4 and 5.
The vision in chapters 4–5 concerns the THRONE. We will not discuss all aspects of the vision, but we will focus specifically on the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders, who will rule as priests and kings on the earth (Revelation 5:10). Therefore, if we combine John’s visions in chapters 2–3 with chapters 4–5, we can conclude that God’s next program, after the church has fallen into thousands of denominations, IS to prepare the Overcomers to function as kings and priests in the coming age.
The ministers during the church age as an organism were Apostles, Prophets, Shepherds, Evangelists, and Teachers, according to Ephesians 4. After the church fell, God seeks His overcomers to be trained to function as kings and priests. Of course, there are still people serving today as Apostles, Prophets, Shepherds, Evangelists, and Teachers—but they are not building the Body of Christ AS IF THE BODY OF CHRIST HAD NOT BEEN SHATTERED. Today’s denominational leaders who talk about building the unity of the Body of Christ are those who do not understand the condition of the church or God’s program for His church. While they speak of unity, they are actually reinforcing the “walls of their own denominations.
O God’s people… do not call a denomination a church… it is not a church… it is a BROKEN PIECE of the church. If a glass has shattered into thousands of pieces, not a single shard can claim to be the glass… THE GLASS NO LONGER EXISTS. May God’s people understand the current condition of His church… May God’s people understand His next program… Arise, O Overcomers!
Covid-19 is God’s way of moving forward toward His next program. Of course, denominational leaders have tried hard to return to the old patterns before the outbreak—even attempting to scold it. But God’s program cannot be stopped by anyone. The overcomers do not scold Covid-19; rather, they flow with God in His next program… Hallelujah.
We continue our discussion regarding His People after Covid-19. This time, we will try to identify two women mentioned in the Book of Revelation. We know that the Book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ and His church through symbolic language. And the woman is a symbol of the church. Why is that? We know that Adam is a symbol of Christ, so Eve, as the bride, is a symbol of the church. Many male figures in the Old Testament represent Christ, so naturally, their female counterparts represent the church. Joseph also symbolizes Christ, which is why Asenath represents the church, certainly in certain aspects. In this way, we see that the woman is a symbol of the church.
In the Book of Revelation, we find two women (chapters 12 and 17), both of whom symbolize the church. But before we continue, it is important first to clarify the concept of Babylon in chapter 17, because many interpret the great city of Babylon in this chapter as not being a symbol of the church. Let us examine some verses to identify who the great Babylon truly is.
The woman in chapter 17 is called a prostitute (Revelation 17:1). And this prostitute IS THE GREAT CITY (Revelation 17:18). The great city in the context of this chapter is Babylon (Revelation 18:2). Therefore, the woman who is a symbol of the church IS BABYLON. So, if we read chapters 17 and 18 as a whole, the prostitute woman is actually the great Babylon or the great city. Both are symbols of the church.
For now, we will only look at how the two women end. The woman in chapter 12 eventually gives birth to a male child who will shepherd all nations with an iron rod (12:5). The LAI translation uses a capital ‘C’ in ‘Child’, as if referring to Jesus. But this is impossible because it is Jesus who ‘gives birth to the church’, not the church that gives birth to Jesus. Therefore, the male child in this verse does not refer to Jesus. The male child here represents the overcomers, but we will not discuss this now. What is important is that we understand that the woman (church) in chapter 12 gives birth to the overcomers.
In contrast, the woman in chapters 17 and 18 ends with GOD’S JUDGMENT, which causes her never to rise again. This is a serious matter for God’s People because in 18:4 it is emphasized, “…come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins…”. So, there are God’s People within this woman, but they are commanded to leave…
At this point, we have not yet fully explained the identities of these two women through an exposition of Revelation, but what is clear is that both women represent the ‘church’. We will certainly reveal their identities in subsequent writings. But for now, I am convinced that Covid-19 is what will begin to clarify the identities of these two women. Covid-19 acts as a ‘catalyst’ that accelerates change; what was once unclear about the identities of these two women is now becoming increasingly clear… These two women must indeed be recognized so that God’s People can take precautionary action in anticipation of His coming. Because God’s command is clear: leave the woman in chapter 17. The woman in chapter 17 is called a mystery (17:5), and a mystery means something secret. Only those who have received understanding will no longer find the identity of this woman to be a secret.
In the previous discussion, we saw that a woman is a symbol of the church. In the book of Revelation, there are two women mentioned, in chapters 12 and 17. This time, we will look at chapter 17, where it is written that there are not just one, but two symbols of the church: the woman and the city (the great city of Babylon). The woman in chapter 17 is the same as the great city of Babylon (17:18). Nimrod was the first person to wield power on earth and built the city of Babylon (Gen. 10:8-10).
It is said in Genesis 10:9 that Nimrod was a mighty hunter before the Lord, as if Nimrod was someone serving God. However, Strong’s Concordance reveals that the Hebrew term translated as ‘before’ has a wide range of meanings. In Gen. 10:9, as in, for example, Num. 16:2, the Hebrew term translated as ‘before’ literally also means ‘rebel’. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, the name Nimrod means he who causes everyone to rebel against God. Therefore, Nimrod was someone who rebelled against God by BUILDING HIS OWN KINGDOM…
As we know, the book of Revelation is written in symbolic language. The woman and Babylon are symbols of the church. So, Nimrod, as the ruler of Babylon, is also a symbol of the ruler of the church, but we must remember that the church symbolized as the ‘prostitute woman’ (Rev. 17:1). To easily identify the term ‘prostitute’, we can remember that a wife’s main role is to receive the ‘seed’ from her husband. But a prostitute receives ‘seed’ from many men. Thus, the prostitute church is a church that receives the seed of the Word, but also receives other seeds. As we have learned, this prostitute church receives the seeds of the ‘teachings of Nicolas,’ ‘Jezebel,’ and also the seeds of the ‘teaching of Balaam.’
Before drawing lessons from the two women in Revelation, we need to further identify who the women in chapters 17 and 12 are. The woman in chapter 12 is in the ‘heavens’ (12:1), while the woman in chapter 17 is in a place with many waters (17:1). Many waters symbolize nations, multitudes of people, tribes, and groups—in short, many people (17:15), whereas heaven’ certainly represents something divine. So, the church in chapter 12 is not visible to the natural eye because it exists in the spiritual realm, while the church in chapter 17 is the multitude of people, which is obviously easy to see.
Let us draw lessons from the explanation above, which may surprise many of God’s people. The church of chapter 17 is easy to see because it is easy to identify who its ‘Nimrod (ruler)’ is, and it is also obvious because it ‘sits’ (rests) upon the many people. Meanwhile, the church of chapter 12, although its members are on earth, is not easy to recognize. Only those with spiritual eyes can see that, at present, there is ‘the Invisible Church’ on earth, which will ultimately produce the overcomers.
In the previous article, we discussed that Covid-19 acts as a kind of ‘catalyst,’ in the sense of accelerating a change… something vague becomes clear… the identity of the woman in chapter 12 and the woman in chapter 17 becomes increasingly clear… Why do God’s people need to see these two women? Because God’s command is clear as His coming approaches (Rev. 18:4): a command to COME OUT of the system of teachings of Nicolas, Jezebel, and Balaam that nest within the woman of Revelation 17. May God’s people stand forth in these last days… Hallelujah.
In the previous writing, we tried to identify the two female symbols in the Book of Revelation (chapters 12 and 17). Now, we will discuss judgment. We have previously touched on the end of these two women. The woman in chapter 12 ultimately gives birth to the sons of God, who will rule on earth as priests and kings. But the woman in chapter 17 ends with God’s judgment upon her.
Before we continue, we need to remember that God’s judgment has two aspects: the aspect of retribution/punishment, and the aspect of restoration/reform. Indeed, judgment is God’s retribution against those who do evil, because what a person sows, they will also reap. But the aspect of God’s restoration in judgment is rarely considered. In Isaiah 26:9, it is clearly written that the purpose of God’s judgment is so that people may know the truth. Through Covid-19, it is evident that the inhabitants of the world are learning what is true.
Let us read a few verses from Revelation 17–18, so that we may better understand the judgment that occurs upon the woman in this chapter. Revelation 18:20 says, “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has pronounced judgment for you on her.” Verse 24 of the same chapter says, “In her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who have been slain on the earth.” Revelation 17:6 says, “And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.”
We have seen that God’s judgment applies only to the woman in chapter 17, while the woman in chapter 12 does not experience God’s judgment. But what is interesting here is that God’s judgment upon the woman in chapter 17 is RELATED TO THE BLOOD OF THE SAINTS AND WITNESSES OF JESUS. It is even said above that the saints, apostles, and prophets should rejoice… Why is that?
From the verses above, we can conclude that the woman in chapter 17 PERSECUTES the saints and witnesses of Jesus, and it is reasonable to think that the saints, apostles, and witnesses of Jesus are THE WOMAN IN CHAPTER 12. If we study church history, we can understand that the suffering of the saints and witnesses of Jesus was caused by the established religious system of the time. It is very natural that Saul’s movement persecuted David’s movement… That is also why Jesus suffered, not at the hands of the Romans, but by the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious court. The Roman soldiers were only executors, but the decision to condemn Jesus to death was made by the Sanhedrin.
Let us reflect again on Covid-19. For me, Covid-19 is clearly God’s judgment on this earth. God’s judgment causes people to learn what is true. Many people fall down and worship God, acknowledging that only God should be exalted. The Bible says that God’s judgment always begins within His house. But I believe that the saints within the woman in chapter 12 will experience the fulfillment of Psalm 91:7, which says, “Though a thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, it shall not come near you.” There is no need for this Psalm to be spoken… because IT HAS ALREADY BEEN FULFILLED FOR THE WOMAN IN CHAPTER 12.
Now we will conclude this writing by once again discussing the end of the woman in chapter 12. We have already discussed the end of the woman in chapter 17, which is God’s judgment. This time, we will look again at how the woman in chapter 12 gives birth to a male child who will rule the earth (12:5).
If we read the entire account of the woman in chapter 12 giving birth to the male child who will rule the earth, and compare it with the events described in Romans 8:19-21, we will recognize that the male child mentioned in Revelation 12 is none other than the children of God or the Sons of God as mentioned in Romans 8.
In fact, if we study the coming/presence of the Lord carefully, so that we DO NOT HAVE THE CONCEPT OF JESUS’ SECOND COMING IN THE FLESH, we will surely understand that the children of God or Sons of God who will rule the earth represent the Lord’s coming in the end times. I have made a video about the coming/presence of the Lord that corresponds with the three Jewish feasts (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles), titled The Trilogy of the Lord’s Coming/Presence, and I will not repeat it here.
So, in these last days, we are awaiting the appearance of the male child (the Manifestation of the Sons of God) who will rule the earth as priests and kings to restore His creation. All creation truly longs for the moment of His coming THROUGH and IN the Sons of God. This is God’s program in the end times.
Indeed, in these last days, difficult times will come (2 Timothy 3:1-9). People will love themselves and become servants of money… etc., etc. But according to the Father’s plan in heaven, suddenly like a thief (for those who are not watchful), the Lord comes through and in His sons to rule the earth… This is God’s program in the last days… and that is His coming…
But we must always remember one very important thing: the Sons of God are not born of the woman in Revelation 17, but of the woman in chapter 12. Therefore, it is crucial, as His coming approaches, for God’s people to identify these two women. We must be in the woman of Revelation 12, in my opinion… because if we remain in the woman of chapter 17, we are actually commanded to come out of her (Revelation 18:4). By being in the woman of chapter 12, we are in a position of watchfulness, awaiting the Lord’s coming in and through the Sons of God. We are the ones who will be revealed at His coming to rule with Him in the ages to come. What matters now is that we remain watchful and do not partake in the woman of Revelation 17.
Once again, God’s program in these last days is TO COME TO RULE THE EARTH THROUGH AND IN HIS SONS. God’s program in the last days is not a massive spiritual revival… not a mass harvest of souls… not a large outpouring of the Holy Spirit (whatever term is used)… not uniting the Body of Christ that has already fragmented into thousands of pieces… ALL OF THIS IS THE TALK OF THE WOMAN IN REVELATION 17… THIS IS THEIR BUSINESS… The Bible clearly states in 2 Timothy 3 that in the last days DIFFICULT TIMES WILL COME… NOT MASSIVE SPIRITUAL REVIVALS… May God’s people not be deceived…
Through the judgment of Covid-19, I am confident that God’s chosen people can increasingly discern the voice of the woman in Revelation 17 and the voice of the woman in Revelation 12. They can distinguish the voice of the True Shepherd from the voice of thieves and robbers…
So, what is the conclusion, the summary of all these writings? Stay at home… yes… stay at home… worship at home… church at home… awaiting the Lord’s coming at home… serving starting from home… The next step will surely be guided by the Lord, because in His chosen people there is the anointing of the Spirit so that we can understand the next steps… HALLELUJAH, AMEN.