Some of the pre-tribulation theorists, in their efforts to be consistent, regard the Christian Church as a special "mystery," a parenthesis as it were, in God's dealing with His own people, Israel.

Surely those who believe and teach this concept must realize the enormous consequences of their position. Surely it must be apparent to them that the writers of the Gospels and of the Epistles did not regard the Christian Gentiles as being separate from the Israel of God. Several New Testament passages reveal that the writers of the New Testament believed and taught that the Gentiles were being grafted on the family of Israel (Ephesians 2:11-22, for example).

Revelation, Chapter 11 shows that the powerful end-time witness will be silenced in the cities of the earth.

And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. (Revelation 11:8)

Notice that only one "street" is mentioned, the street of sin and disobedience to God. So it is true that only one "street" of the new Jerusalem is mentioned. That street is the way of faith (Revelation 21:21).

Three "cities" are indicated: Sodom, Egypt, and Jerusalem. These are the three spirits that war against the testimony of God and kill God's anointed.

Sodom represents the lust of the flesh. This is the animal nature of man. Fleshly lusts war against the soul and attempt to slay the spiritual life. Jezebel, the fornicator, always seeks to kill Elijah. Those who live after the flesh will die spiritually.

Egypt represents the lust of the eyes, the vain, proud attempts of the world to achieve security, pleasure, and achievement through the efforts of human talent. The fleshly "Egyptian" mind is the mind of the world. The fleshly mind always is the enemy of God and of God's prophets. Whoever will be the friend of the world is the enemy of God. The world hates Christ, the Anointed of God, because He testifies concerning the world that its works are evil.

The Sodomite drowns his personality in the lusts of the flesh. The "Egyptian" is covetous and pursues material splendor. The "Egyptian" tends to ignore the teachings of Christ, turning instead to the pursuit of money.

But it is Jerusalem that is the chief murderer of God's anointed testimony. Jerusalem represents religious pride and self-will. This is the nature of Satan, the source of envy, stubbornness, and other motives that will be cast into the Lake of Fire.

The harshest words spoken by Jesus during His ministry were directed toward the leaders of Israel. Christ accused the Jews of being the children of Satan, because of the wickedness they practiced. Christ emphasized their spiritual pride and the evil fruits being born of their religious pride and self-seeking.

In every century it has been the religious people, those who are zealous concerning the things of God, who have attacked the work of the Holy Spirit.

To be continued.