A clear understanding of the sovereignty of God in all of the affairs of His creation, particularly in His plan of redemption, is a rock on which the Spirit-anointed remnant will stand during the dark hours of Antichrist. It may be true that the era of Antichrist, the dreadful hour of temptation, is already upon us.

The reason Christian believers have, in some instances, discarded the major Bible doctrine of Divine election, is that the spirit of Antichrist, of Laodicea, of the "rights of people," is abiding in us. When the spirit of Laodicea has been removed from us we will be able to see clearly what the Scripture reveals concerning predestination and election.

In the present hour the Kingdom of God contains both wheat and tares. The wheat are people who have been added to the Church by the Lord. The tares are children of Satan. We know this by their works.

At the time of the Lord's return to earth His messengers will very carefully remove the devil's children from among the saints. Then the righteous character and deeds of the saints will be witnessed by Heaven and earth.

There are two ideas here: one, the revealing of the name of God; and two, the separating of the elect from the world and the giving of them to Christ as His special possession, His peculiar treasure among mankind.

Precisely who is the God who created all things? This is one of the few truly important questions of life. The peoples of the earth worship many persons and things, including demons.

The Lord God of Heaven revealed various aspects of Himself to the Jews. He showed to them, His chosen people, that He is One and not many; that He Is the Shepherd, the Healer, the Warrior, the Provider, the powerful and fruitful One; that He will become whatever He chooses to become.

He is the great "I Am"!

The revelation given to the elect, the Church, through the Lord Jesus Christ, is that God is to be worshiped as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are baptized in water into the names of these three Divine Personages.

To know the name of someone, in the sense in which Jesus is praying here, is to understand the person's true nature—a nature that may have been concealed behind many activities, but partially disclosed as he chooses to provide glimpses of the many sides of his personality.

Sometimes we say people wear masks, meaning they conceal who and what they really are, what their true identity is. Satan does not often disclose his horrible wretchedness, his hideous passion to destroy all that is virtuous and worthy. He and all other sinners will be unmasked and made manifest in the Day of Christ.

God keeps Himself hidden, and this is why the believer is required to seek the Lord continually.

To be continued.