Ewald Frank

preached on 14. 10. 1990, 10:00, Krefeld, Germany

Topic: 2 Peter 2:15: "Which have forsaken the right way, and gone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrightousness!"

broadcast on 10. 6. 2026

It is not easy for me to stand here this morning because of the responsibility that comes with a ministry. There are certain things that must be said which, as a human being, one would not normally say. As human beings, we would indeed like to be most closely connected with everyone, with all denominations, with all believers, no matter which direction they take. But when we come to realize this, we must admit that with God there’s only one way, only one truth, only one life. That this cannot be replicated, but that we must simply submit ourselves to God, so that he may have his way with us and we may pass from faith to sight.

In Romans we have all read that God has established an order within the church, setting out the ministries and duties that must be carried out, whether it be exhortation, instruction, or whatever else is necessary. God has ensured that these are in place.

I’m thinking in particular of 2 Timothy 4, where it is written that “the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears,” they will run after fables, and also that God is faithful and continually places his Word afresh upon the lampstand, calling his own back to his Word, in the awareness that “heaven and earth will pass away, but God’s Word will remain forever.” [Mat 24:35]

And that we must be sanctified in this Word, brought into complete harmony with it, for only those who are in harmony with the Word, are in harmony with God.

In the prophet Amos we read, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” [Amo 3:3]

We must come into harmony with God, and God will not come down to our level, we must rise to his level, in order to attain this divine unity.

I’d like to read from 2 Thessalonians 2 and then a number of other scriptures, so that as always, God’s Word may speak to us. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 13, a passage often preached.

[13] But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth.

The truth is always God’s Word. That is why it is written in John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

When it is written, “Without holiness no one will see the Lord” [Heb 12:14], this truly means what we have just read: that God has a people on earth who are chosen, who believe the truth and thus attain sanctification wrought by the spirit, which alone is valid before God and experience it by grace.

From Hebrews 10 verse 14 I would like to read. Hebrews 10 verse 14.

[14] For by one offering he has perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

When a person sets out on a journey, they have not yet reached their destination. They have a goal in mind. After all, anyone who sets out on a journey knows where they want to go, but the destination is still ahead. You set off, but you haven’t reached your destination yet. Here we are told, “For by one offering he has brought those who are being sanctified to their destination once and for all.” [Heb 10:14]

That is a very clear statement. In God’s eyes, those who in accordance with his Word allow themselves to be permeated and sanctified by the Holy Spirit through the truth of the Word, they have already reached their destination. They have not merely set out on the journey, they have the divine assurance that they will reach the goal.

Paul said back then, writing to the Philippians, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect: but I forget those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” [Php 3:12-14]

In those days, as in all times, what matters is for us to move forward in harmony with God’s work. And all those who walked with God in their time, in step with what God was doing at that time, proved him right, took his side and went along with what he was doing. Whether it was during the Reformation or in the revivals that followed, it was always those who pressed on with God, who did not stand still, but pressed on with God.

Believers have always come to a standstill when their leaders have turned the movement that God had given them into an organization with a headquarters, with people who determine what is to be believed and taught, and then they have built a fence around themselves and they have become an organization with a specific name, and lo and behold, God could no longer move forward with them. Only a remnant from each revival remained who were then prepared to go further with God without stagnating spiritually. This is in fact a proven fact that can be traced and verified throughout church history. There have always been people who clung to something or came to a standstill. And then there were others who moved forward with God from clarity to clarity, from knowledge to knowledge, in accordance with the work of the Holy Spirit which God has indeed bestowed at certain times.

When we think back to last night, to the passage read to us from Hebrews 11, and in particular verse 7, I would like to return to it briefly; it is too important for us simply to gloss over it. Hebrews 11:7.

[7] By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

We have already touched on some of the key points last night. Faith is linked to action, to the instruction God has given, carrying out what the Lord has commanded. If we look back to the time of Noah, and we simply must do so to understand what actually happened here: he did what the Lord commanded him without having anything before his eyes and followed the instruction.

I would like to read from Jude, Jude perhaps verses 5 to 7. Jude verses 5 to 7.

[5] I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

We shall move on shortly; we shall come to the time of Noah. But this too is very important. God had led them out with a mighty hand, had provided for them, gave them manna, gave them water, he let them lack nothing, but then came the moment when those who, despite all that God had done, did not believe, perished. They perished. Unbelief is a terrible thing. We read it last night: “Anyone who wants to come to God must believe that he is, and that he rewards those who come to him.” [Heb 11:6]

Here we are reminded, it was not the exodus that was the most important thing, but the entry; not the beginning, but the end. It is the end that is crowned, not the beginning. Whoever endures to the end will be saved, will be crowned. [Mat 24:13]

Verse 6 states:

[6] And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

[7] Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

There are certain events recounted to us in the Bible to which we must pay attention, so that we may learn why God did what he did, why he made certain decisions and gave instructions that his people were not to transgress in order to remain obedient and walk in the ways he commanded. In 2 Peter in chapter 2 it is explained in a little more detail. And here we will also see what it is all about. 2 Peter 2 verses 4 to 5.

[4] For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

[5] And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.

Here it is stated very clearly what happened. God had no mercy neither to the angels who rebelled alongside Lucifer, nor against other messengers of God, that is to say men of God on earth. You know there are messengers of God in heaven and there are messengers of God on earth, as written: “he makes his angels winds and his servants a flame of fire.” [Heb 1:7, Psa 104:4]

One thing strikes me in this context, and I would like to read the last verses of Genesis chapter 5, Genesis 5 — sorry, Genesis 4, the last verses, and then Genesis 6, the first ones.

From Genesis 4 I read from verse 25.

[25] And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

And now comes the verse:

[26] And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.

Other translations say to preach or to proclaim. Whatever the case may be, in any case it was with the line of Seth that the calling upon the name of the Lord began. That was the line blessed by God. The name of the Lord was called upon, the name of the Lord was known in that line blessed by God.

Now, we could all read the entire genealogy in Genesis 5, but I’m not the sort of person who reads whole chapters, as you well know. I only read individual verses that fit into the context. But anyone who then reads chapter 6 will see what is written here from verse 1.

[1] And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them…

And now it comes:

[2] That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

We already said here yesterday evening, when it is written in Luke 17, “it will be as it was in the days of Noah, people were marrying and giving in marriage” [Luk 17:26-27], then this is not something that goes against the divine order, which consists, as the Lord has said, “it is not good for man to be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” [Gen 2:18]

And what God has ordained is always right. So God is not against marriage; marriage is ordained by God and is the most natural thing on earth. And I really do wish that everyone would see it that way too. So God does not speak against marriage, which he himself instituted. God is against mixing. There were two groups here: the sons of God — and let no one say that these were angels who had come down from heaven. To date, no angel has ever stood before a registry office. It simply doesn’t exist. The Holy Scriptures say that in the rapture we will be like angels and will no longer marry. [Mat 22:30, Mar 12:25]

That is what the Holy Scriptures say. Angels are genderless, they cannot marry at all. These sons of God, that is the line of Seth, they called upon the name of the Lord. These were the children of God in those days. But even these children of God did not listen to the messenger of God, they carried on and fell victim to intermingling, so that they too perished because they did not stand on God’s side.

That may seem a little harsh to us, but God desires separation. God had set Israel apart. And then there were times when intermingling was decreed. I would like to read about that too. You can read the chapter from Numbers 22 to Numbers 24, when Balaam was called upon to curse the people of Israel. And he was after all a man in whom great confidence was placed. He made great claims. Anyone reading the chapters would genuinely have thought he was a man closely connected to the Lord, who could say, here for example in chapter 23, Numbers 23, he said the following. Chapter 23 from verse 18.

[17] And Balak said unto him, What hath the Lord spoken?

A very pious matter. Very pious. But Balaam did not belong to the people of Israel at all. He was not a prophet of God. And yet the Lord spoke to him. That is precisely the point we must bear in mind today.

Here once again from verse 18:

[17] And Balak said unto him, What hath the Lord spoken?

[18] And he uttered his oracle, and said: Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

[19] God is not a man, that he should lie;

We say amen to that. God is not a man, that he should lie. God is truth, blessed be his name forever. Then it continues:

[19] … neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

To this too we say amen and again yes and amen. For what God has promised, that he will fulfill, that he will do, for God is not a man that he should lie. A wonderful message we would say. Let us read on.

[20] Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

[21] He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.

[22] God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

[23] Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob…

No one could have said this better than it has been said here. But that is not all. We’ll be hearing more. I read on:

[23] … neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!

[25] Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.

[24] And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

He is to curse them, and behold, God does not allow what he has blessed to be cursed. But Balak was displeased and said, “Listen, I have summoned you to utter a curse here, and now you’ve been blessing them from A to Z.” “What am I to do with that?”

[26] But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the Lord speaketh, that I must do?

That’s lovely, isn’t it? And then you can still read chapter 24. There are lots and lots of verses recited there. I would just like to read from verse 15, Numbers 24 from verse 15.

[15] And he uttered his oracle and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said…

As a true prophet he would have said, “Thus saith the Lord.” Did you notice the difference? Look up every word in the whole of Holy Scripture. True prophets have always said, “Thus saith the Lord."

[15] Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said.

“He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open.” [Num 24:16]

And it goes on and on and on. With such oracles he has made a great impression upon the people.

And I shall read a little further, namely from Revelation 2 verse 14. Revelation 2 verse 14.

[14] But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

That was the crux of the matter. He then went on to say, “we are all one people” and so on. “We all have the one God, whether you or us, let us join forces.”

He could not curse what God had blessed, but because he had now found a listening ear, and thanks to what he presented previously, he had already got a foothold and was now able to exert his influence, instructing the people of Israel to eat meat sacrificed to idols, to intermarry, and to commit fornication.

He didn’t even need to curse. It had already happened. The people became disobedient, they allowed themselves to be led astray.

God had sent a true prophet, and that was Moses. God appeared in the pillar of fire and gave the command. The Exodus had taken place. The way had been shown. Everything was clear, but now came the test for God’s people who had been called out and led out, whether they would stand firm or whether they would be swayed by others who had not originally been sent or commissioned by God, but had later been summoned by the one who simply did not want this people to grow in number and spread out there.

Beloved, this tactic, as we see in the message to the church at Pergamos, it was already present in early Christianity. Something crept in, just as had happened in the days of Balaam and the people of Israel.

If such warnings were given right from the start, what must the situation be like today? I would like to read on so that I can then highlight a point from 2 Peter chapter 2, verse 15.

2 Peter chapter 2, verse 15:

[15] Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

[16] But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

Elsewhere he’s called a soothsayer, here he is called a prophet. I’m reading from Jude, from the epistle of Jude, verse 11.

[11] Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

One cannot fully explore all that has been said, written, and set out here. One thing, however, seems clear and understandable to us: that we have a lesson to learn from this, namely that we too must pass our tests. As I hinted at earlier, after every revival that was genuine and came from God, God’s people were led further in the Spirit, in Scripture, and in biblical truths. But then there were always moments when things became organized, moments when new denominations were formed, all modeled on the first denomination.

And Revelation 17—and that is God’s Holy Word—describes this first church, which was united with the state in Constantine’s time and, one must say it, as the great harlot, that is the one who has become unfaithful to God. But she was not alone; there were many other harlots, many other daughters who emerged, who did the same as she did. And we see it happening before our very eyes: if the one is the world church, then surely the others are the denominations, all of which are returning to the mother’s bosom. And there is no stopping; the cart has no brakes. Did you hear that? The cart has no brakes; no one can step on the brakes to stop it. The whole thing will plunge into ruin, down into the abyss.

Well, you might say, is that really the case? We make a very clear distinction between all the lovely people who are everywhere and the systems that are simply under God’s curse. Anyone can be saved, regardless of their race, nationality, or denomination. But these systems are simply contrary to God’s Word.

I did read it to you here yesterday; was it yesterday or on Wednesday, from this book here on page 31, under the heading “The Ties to the Universal Church - One Network”. And among other things, all the full members are listed. And then also the five who are not full members, but who, as it says here below, according to the Ecumenical Center in Frankfurt, Friedrich Street so and so, are also united with this universal church.

And I’m going to read these five out again because they affect us right on our doorstep, and I think we simply need this information to be able to tell the difference.

It says here, to conclude the list above, all of these are considered full members. In addition, there are five guest members, guest members. We don’t know how long they will remain guests; one day they will be full members, so don’t worry.

The Federation of Free Evangelical Churches in Germany—everyone knows who that is. The Quaker religious community—I think everyone knows who that is. The Independent Lutheran Church—of course. The Christian Community Association of Mülheim an der Ruhr—that is the Pentecostal church which has not left the church and has retained infant baptism under Pastor Paul whose hymns we sometimes sing as well. And then the Federation of Free Pentecostal Churches, formerly the ACG, that is Erzhausen.

And I have deliberately made a few copies of this book so that anyone who finds it hard to believe can look it up for themselves.

Now we are faced with the fact that people, even the Pentecostal church, I have the status of a public law corporation in my office, meaning it is fully operational in the same way as the Baptist and Methodist and all the others. The date is stated here; it was an act of parliament whereby this community, to which we actually feel a sense of belonging and from which most of us come, has caused us pain as we see that they too are taking this broad path that leads to ruin.

And if we now, and please forgive me for this, I say this with a heavy heart, but I simply must say it because of what happened yesterday. Yesterday someone from the group that has left us and has now joined a church listed here handed me an invitation. The church listed here is the Federation of Free Pentecostal Churches, which includes the very church where our brothers and sisters now hold their meetings, and the invitation was extended to attend a harvest festival.

And I can’t help it; I simply have to tell the truth. I couldn’t help but think of Balaam and of many other things besides. And furthermore, I couldn’t help but wonder what have those dear brothers and sisters who love God and want to believe His Word done to deserve this, that they are led astray by their leaders without knowing where the path is leading.

What have these precious souls done to deserve this spiritual deception? That is my question. And I would like to hear this sentence again before the judgment seat of God.

The greatest seduction in our day takes place amidst all the trappings with celebrations and all manner of things. Back then, people celebrated festivals, came together, we and you, we are all one. God’s people are one with God, but not one with all the other peoples from whom they have been set apart.

It is the blood-bought multitude.

Beloved, when it comes to God’s cause, the Lord’s zeal consumes me, for this is no private matter. And the times have become so grave that I sometimes say to myself in silence, oh Lord, how is this to go on? Grant us grace and strength that we may see through these things and that we may sound the warning.

And we can see it, of course, and I ask you to understand this too, when the book of Revelation speaks of the mark of the beast, of the image of the beast. When you then hear these preachers spouting nonsense and ignoring what God has revealed in His Word, they are in the very thing that is the thing itself, and they don’t even realize it.

They praise the Lord. That is what the people of Israel did too when Aaron made the golden calf.

When he came down from the mountain, he heard cheering and commotion, and he said to himself, this is just like the cheering of victors; here victories are being celebrated in the kingdom of God.

Ha! And when he came right down, he saw the commotion, a dance around a golden calf. And the man of God was deeply moved. He smashed the thing to pieces, scattered it into the water and made the people of Israel drink it. [Exo 32]

What should we do today when we realize that the dance around the golden calf is taking over, that everything drowns in deception and people think they are celebrating victories? Who is celebrating the victory?

I want to share in the victory that comes from Calvary, in God’s victory, in the victory that has been given to the church, and we believe with all our heart that the Lord will finish the work He has begun.

You know, there is a passage; it is in Joshua and also in the books of Moses where Balaam was killed when the people of Israel took the land. [Num 31:8]

That was the reward he received. I wanted to make a note of the passage; you can certainly look it up. Balaam was then killed when God’s people took the land.

Beloved, it must be made clear that we are living in very serious times. It must be said that the main deceiver on the Christian and religious horizon is deceiving the whole world, as it is written: “…all whose names have not been written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” [Rev 13:8]

It is therefore essential that we pay attention so that we may know what is what.

I will never forget that when television first came along, there was a man who preached this is the image of the beast that can speak. He has already passed away, so I won’t mention his name. There are so many interpretations among people that miss the point entirely.

Brother Branham once said that he had heard one of the greatest Pentecostal preachers speak about it, and what did this preacher preach? That it would be a man of colossal stature, the superman of the end times, that when he took a step, a whole city block would be left behind him, and that he would be injected with something that would give him special powers and so on.

The human mind has always fallen short of what God meant. Divine revelation is necessary. Without it, the people go astray along with their leaders who lead the people to believe what is not right.

But I still wanted to find this passage where Balaam… well, you can read it for yourselves, but I feel a bit better if I can read out every passage I quote.

Have we understood what it is all about? Anyone who fails to recognize the times we live in and the seriousness of the divine message will fall for pious religious deception. And let us make no mistake. I might read from 2 Thessalonians again, because the passage comes immediately after Paul, as the teacher, as the man of God in the New Testament, has spoken of the day of the Lord, of the apostasy, of the Lord’s return, of the man of sin, and so on. It was only after that that he wrote verse 13. And when you read what comes before that about this man who will have himself celebrated as God and sit in the temple of God and so on, and then the warning that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

I’ve just read verse 12, 2 Thessalonians 2, verse 12.

To whom will God send a strong delusion? All those who have not believed the truth.

Perhaps one should also read it, from 2 Thessalonians 2, from verse 10:

[10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

[11] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

[12] That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

I mentioned it here last Sunday when the brothers and sisters from Czechoslovakia were here. The brothers spoke to me, the brothers from Bratislava, formerly known as Pressburg, and they told me how the Pope was received by all the churches including the Pentecostals. They all signed, “Beloved brother in Christ”, that is how they all signed, “Our beloved brother in Christ, we welcome you”, and then came many kind words and then came the signature.

What does the Bible say? What does the Holy Scripture say? Do we have a fanatical spirit here or do we have the Spirit of God who exposes and unmasks this deception? We must do so. Do you think we would be so foolish as to ruin our relationship with the whole world if it weren’t for the Spirit of God compelling us to speak the truth? For if we do not say it, those who are themselves in error will not be able to preach the truth.

The Bible teaches us very clearly and plainly that this man—and I’m really sorry, I wish none of this had to be. Sometimes I wish there had never been Cain, never Judas. Sometimes I wish the devil didn’t exist either, so that everything might finally be settled before God in peace and tranquility. But that will come, and that is why we all have the sincere longing to experience the day when everything that ought not to be will no longer be, but God will have created something entirely new.

But the fact remains that when the Bible speaks here of this man of sin who is to appear in the end times, his name is not important. It is the system, and whoever takes that place, it makes no difference, in any case Revelation 13 makes it very clear that Satan gives him his throne and his power and that he utters arrogant and blasphemous words against the Most High and so on. It is all described so clearly in the Holy Scriptures. Surely we cannot confuse God with the devil; you have to call light light and darkness darkness; there’s no other way.

So we have the task before God to proclaim the truth so that the Lord’s church may be sanctified in this divine truth.

As a human being, you can hide a great deal from others, engage in religious politics and, when the need arises, celebrate festivals; and the name of the festival doesn’t matter either; what matters is that they can celebrate.

And then we have the Word: they have a form of godliness, and every denomination preserves this. They all preserve their own form of worship—the Methodists theirs, the Baptists theirs, the Pentecostals theirs—they all preserve their outward form and stick to it. But at the same time, they all enter into this union, into this world church, into this global institution, as they say, for the sake of a common testimony. What common testimony?

Revelation chapter 19 speaks of the testimony of Jesus Christ, which is the spirit of prophecy. What then is the common testimony they have? Certainly not the testimony of Jesus Christ, for they do not believe at all that he is the only Lord.

I read from Revelation 19 verse 10:

[10] And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

There are many who speak of Jesus without having had it revealed to them who he really is, and then it is a denomination, a doctrine, which has fixated on certain things without taking in and believing this testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy in its entirety; and that is precisely what matters.

For it is written time and again, “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.” [in Revelation chapter 2 and 3]

God does not lead us into widespread ruin. God calls out, “Ye my people, come out, and touch not the unclean thing; be ye separate, and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. [2Co 6:17-18]

That’s what it says in 2d Corinthians chapter 6 in the last verses, Revelation 18 verse 4, and other passages.

This is the message of the hour, to come out of everything and thus form the Church of Jesus Christ, which will be united under Christ as the head, for the church of the antichrist will be united under him as its head, just as the little flock will be united under Christ as its head.

As the redeemed Church, each of us will belong to one of these groups, as will everyone else. For whoever does not receive the seal of God will bear the mark of the beast.

And so it is written, some have the seal of God and others the mark of the beast.

The seal of God is upon the blood-bought multitude, the firstborn who have been born again through the seed of the Word and begotten by the Holy Spirit. This is the divine lineage.

And those who belong to this group believe the whole Word of God and are also given the ability to discern what is happening now and thus to take their stand before God and for themselves.

Just as in those days, whether in the time of Moses or in the time of Noah, what was it? It was always a mixture, and intermingling brought God’s wrath and then death, the flood, destruction, and so on.

And in the end we now have the same situation: intermingling. “Come on everyone, we all believe in the same God and so on, come!” And then it starts.

There are two voices calling out in particular; there may be many instruments that convey these voices, but one is the voice of Christ our Lord, the head of the Church, and the other is the voice of the antichrist.

One simply has to know whom to listen to. And whoever is of God hears God’s Word. [Joh 8:47]

I wish I could make you see today in all its final implications what this is all about, so that you would remember it forever.

If it is written in Revelation 14 that all those who have accepted the image and the mark, the number, will be tormented before God forever and ever, then should I not raise my voice here and cry out in warning, calling a spade a spade, and even if it costs me my life, it shall not cost you yours.

You are to be saved for eternity and have heard the truth, and the divine truth of the Word will set us free even in this age. But one must hear the truth and have that truth revealed to one, so that one may then realize that it is not a man who has spoken here, but God speaking through his Word revealed by the Holy Spirit to his people in our day.

And allow me to make one final remark: precisely because God has sent messengers at all times. There was Noah, and there were the sons of God who did not heed the message he brought, made life difficult for him, and mingled with others.

Then there was the prophet Moses, who suffered so much with the people of God and then experienced the Exodus and so on. And then someone from outside came along, spouting grand claims. And once he had gained the people’s trust, he led them astray into eating meat sacrificed to idols and committing fornication with them whom God had set them apart.

What does Holy Scripture say? “How can Christ be in agreement with Belial? What does light have in common with darkness?” [2 Cor 6:14-15]

Oh, that these words might penetrate deep into our hearts, even in our own day.

And I say this with satisfaction—please understand the word correctly—before the face of God, in our own time, just as in the days of Noah and other times, the Lord has sent one of his servants and prophets.

And I’ll tell you right now what’s going to happen. I can tell you this now, and I’m no prophet, but I can tell you this: that all who rebel against him, his ministry, and the message he brought are doomed to go astray before God.

Did you hear that? You cannot go against God and against what he does and says, and still march forward in step with God. Then you are heading in two different directions.

It’s not about Noah, it’s not about Moses, it’s about God who has sent his men at all times. It is not about Paul or anyone else, but God had sent him and he could say, “If anyone preach a gospel other than I have preached, let him be …” [Gal 1:8]

Is that right? So God has sent his servants at all times and especially his messenger in our own day to make the last book of the Bible, the Revelation of Jesus Christ, truly accessible to us through the revelation of the Holy Spirit from God, so that we too might gain an understanding of all the matters at stake in our own day.

May the Lord God bless us and be with us, so that we too may make our decision without hesitation and without second thoughts, the decision for Christ in accordance with the overall testimony of Holy Scripture.

And then the Lord will finish the work he has begun in us, and by his grace we will reach the goal.

Blessed and praised be his glorious name.

I would like what I have said here today to be played back on the Lord’s day as a testimony against all those who have not heard what God had to say to his people through his Word, and whoever thinks they are a child of God and yet believes they can still go along with this mixing, let them go their own way; but be assured that the end will be different from what is expected.

Only those who walk the path of obedience to God to the very end will be saved and will be crowned. All other paths, despite all piety and outward forms of piety, lead past the goal.

May the Lord God be with us all and bless us all by his grace. Amen.

Faithful God, I worship you, oh Lord. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your great grace and love, for your faithfulness, Lord, which you have towards us, oh Lord.

Once again this morning you have spoken to us in such a wonderful way, so clearly and distinctly through your Word, oh Lord.

You have set your Word before our eyes, you have shown us what hour and time we have come to and what matters most in these days, oh Lord.

We worship you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your powerful Word, Lord, and for the warning you have given to your people.

All honor, all glory, and all worship be to your holy name.

Lord, grant us the grace to submit ourselves fully to your Word, oh Lord, and to surrender ourselves completely to you, for we know one thing, Lord: heaven and earth will pass away, but your Word will never pass away; it will accomplish the purpose for which you sent it.

We pray once more with all our hearts: grant us all the grace to heed your Word, Lord. Hallelujah! Oh praise and glory to your glorious and wonderful name of Jesus. Hallelujah!

Lord, bless us now as we go our separate ways and be with us and keep us in your peace, in Jesus’ name. Amen.