If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:31 and 32
FORWARD
By Lester Oliver Thomas Flock © 2020
Presented as the twelve essays of the “hidden” Church of Jesus (Isaiah 26 verse 20, Joel 2 verse 16, and Zephaniah 2 verse 3), as prepared by a disciple committed to understanding the books of Daniel and The Revelation, The Pure River of Life is a discipleship course for those in search of God’s truth and Kingdom.
Compiled by the “least of the flock”, (Jeremiah 50 verse 45), the essays are the Living Word of scripture arranged in such manner as allow scripture to speak and interpret itself, so Christians may be educated in the true word of prophecy, “for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”. (Revelation 19 verse 10 KJV 1611).
Speaking to the multitudes in parables Jesus taught His chosen disciples privately. (Matthew 13 verses 10 and 11). Instructing them to enquire as to the worthiness of potential potentates, (Matthew 10 verse 11), obedience to the gospel remains paramount in doctrine. (2 Thessalonians 1 verse 8 and 1 Peter 4 verse 17) “Not every one” that calls Jesus Lord will “enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will” of the Father. (Matthew 7 verse 21).
Sending them out “as sheep in the midst of wolves” (Matthew 10 verse 16), Jesus repeatedly warned His followers of the dangers associated with being Christian, saying, “a city that is set on an hill cannot be hid”, (Matthew 5 verse 14). Praying His church would be one, (John 17 verse 22), the reality is “the pastors have become brutish”, and have “scattered” the flock, (Jeremiah 10 verse 21), and Christendom (as this appears to the world) is doctrinally divided. Consequently, many believers experiencing disunity are not able to be “the salt of the earth” or “the light of the world”, and the Earth continues to decline and decay, the love of many having grown cold because iniquity abounds. (Matthew 24 verse 12)
Taught little or nothing about Daniel much less The Revelation, many believers are wholly unprepared for forthcoming events. Warned of perilous times ahead in many verses, believers nevertheless continue to tithe without studying The Word. Without understanding “the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet”, (Matthew 24 verse 15) they unknowingly expose themselves to great danger!
Calling His children out of “Babylon”, depicting false, apostate worship, (Isaiah 48 verse 20, Jeremiah 51 verse 6, and The Revelation 18 verse 4) scripture is clear “that the day of Christ”, “shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2 verses 2 and 3). Understood as intended with scripture interpreting scripture, “Babylon”, meaning the whole of divided “dispersed” denominational Christendom worshipping in many various Churches is being emptied! As the “falling away” continues, soon, false Christs will arise, and “shall deceive many”. (Matthew 24 verse 24).
“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come”. (Matthew 24 verse 14 in the 1611 King James)
Teaching something to attract innumerable multitudes “insomuch that they trode one upon another”, (Luke 12 verse 1), the essays of the hidden Church are an attempt to recover the lost truths of Jesus. “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known”. (Luke 12 verses 1 and 2)
Held together by all of the scriptures, the true prophecy of future events is not an opinion of man. The truth is clearly sign posted in The Word by verses of scripture impossible to misinterpret. For “we have also a more sure word of prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation”. (2 Peter 1 verses 19 and 20)
The day of Christ being the 1000 year period of Christ’s reign on earth commencing in the third millennium after Christ (2 Peter 3 verse 8, Luke 13 verse 32, Revelation 20 verse 6), there is no doubt we are past prophetic time. How this occurred is answered and addressed as are many “hard to be understood” verses. (2 Peter 3 verse 16). Moreover what we may do to accelerate the coming of God’s kingdom on earth to improve this world for our children is clearly revealed in The Word.
As we give ourselves to understanding prophecy false teaching is exposed, a doctrinal standard is raised with the distinct purpose of uniting believers in The Truth to end argument and establish the teaching of The Church. “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophecy”. (1 Corinthians 14 verse 1) For “surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret to His servants the prophets”. (Amos 3 verse 7)
At war with corruption, mature Christians have learned to “keep a silence”, (Amos 5 verse 13), “for it is an evil time”. Disciples earnestly seeking truth risk betrayal by their own family, therefore Christians are required to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves”, (Matthew 10 verse 16) for “a man’s foes will be they of his own household”. (Matthew 10 verse 36). For this reason the essays are available only to those who are worthy, “for whosoever hath, shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.” (Matthew 13 verse 12)
In the final hours of the age of Antichrist, (Daniel 11 verse 45 and Revelation 11 verse 18) “the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God”, (1 Peter 4 verse 17) for “they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful”. (Revelation 17 verse 14) The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few”, (Luke 10 verse 2), and a separation of the sheep and the goats must be anticipated until the harvest is complete. (Matthew 25:32) “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light”. (Romans 13:25)
Giving thanks we “are not in darkness that these things shall overtake us” (1 Thessalonians 5 verse 4), we buy the truth and sell it not. (Proverbs 23 verse 23) And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22 verse 17 1611 King James)
ERRATA
“The Pure River of Life” is split into twelve sessions. Each session starts at page one and continues to its end. Starting from session two, the referenced number of a page will be different from the page number of the single session. This is intended to verify the session is a genuine copy of the relevant chapter in the complete work, “The Pure River of Life”. It is a simple means of checking authenticity with the original manuscript.
There is an error in early copies of Session 3, The truth of The Rapture”, in paragraphs 8 and 10 on page 132, (page 35 in the single session), 1944, should read 1948. The exact date is 14th May 1948. It is the date that Israel became recognised as a nation. The error has been corrected accordingly, and the site was updated on 20th March 2021.
There is an error in early copies of Session 6, “The 144,000”, on page 224, in the 4th paragraph, (paragraph 4 on page 15 in the single session), teaching “a child’s blood only coagulates with speed on the eighth day”. This information is not correct, and the content has been edited accordingly to read “a woman’s menstruation cycle is every 28 days”. The site has been up to date since construction.