Eyes To See and Ears To Hear
You gotta have eyes to see, and you got to have ears to hear,
To read the writing on the wall, because the end is getting near.
Prologue
This is a unique sort of a prologue, and might be better explained as a confession (since it actually comes after the fact), in November 2023, when the writings were mostly compiled from 2020 up to the present. Some of what will be summarized in this prologue is also mentioned in the message to the “poor of the flock”, which has been written for two years already. I never intended to write articles that might be read by others. I had no formal training, but didn’t need any since I was just writing working copies of things that might be articulated orally whenever called upon to speak in my local church. That is how my writing started; while preparing what was to be a short explanation on the ancient Canaanite deity “Baal”. I had made a connection between the more physical ancient deity “Baal”, and (once spiritualized), the more modern (hard to see), but nevertheless present version. Anyway, the article went on to become a longer dispensation on the whole subject, and I became convinced that it was revealed to me. The article is tedious to take it all in, but in the end (if you have eyes to see and ears to hear), you will see that hidden in the narrative of God, via the writings of the Old Testament prophets, is an untold story about the origin of Baal, and who his image is really meant to portray, and that he is still around and still operating (invisibly though), (but then so is God). Basically, the true story is never told, because men do not let the narratives of God ever get expressed at length, but only in numbered verses, partial chapters, and sometimes a whole chapter here and there. But what if I said to you, that God sometimes speaks unbroken for 10 or 15 or 20 chapters on one subject? Some of you might say: where? Anyway, this article on Baal led to another and another, until eight were written. Nothing ever came of them because I was not pursuing anything, (but I was forwarding some of them to my ministers, who were poo pooing them and encouraging me to quit writing such unconventional biblical opinions). Over the three years since I began writing, I began to realize that the “real truth” is incredible, which by definition means hard, or even impossible to believe. As I spent weeks, months and years meditating on this phenomenal revelation, I chose to sum up my writings as “An Introduction to the ‘real truth’, and all things God”. So, plain and simple, that is the subject; “an introduction to the real truth, and all things pertaining to God”, as expressed in all my writings. Since I toyed with the idea of turning my first articles into a book, in which each article was going to appear in an order of chapters, beginning with the article on Baal, I will propose an order, which you may like to follow (or not as you choose) in reading the articles. The first article to be read is actually the most recent article written (which, were I to number them would make it the twenty something article). But it is the main article of the whole initiative of an introduction to the truth and all things God, and the most important for the “poor of the flock”. It appears on the homepage of the website and is entitled “Open Letter to the Remnant of the Worldwide Church of God, Wherever You May Be”. After that, if one chooses to keep reading more articles, I propose you read articles in this order, and I have blocked them together a bit as “subjects”. Here’s their titles.
There are more articles, but these were the subjects that initially preoccupied my mind. And as I said, you may pick and choose as you wish. For instance, I know that many people who have read the book of Daniel would like to know what God was intending by all of the imagery and symbolism.
On another note, you will notice that on certain articles (but not all), I began them with a short prayer which I chose to write out rather than audibly speak as I began the article. They’re always short and to the point, and I felt they were harmless but meaningful, so I chose to leave them in. There’s much more that could be said, but with this bit of prologue, I will leave the rest to the articles, beginning with this shorter one which serves as a bit of an introductory article, and a bit of an overall synopsis written in hindsight.
July 27, 2020
Message to the “poor of the flock”.
Where to begin, where to begin? With a prayer is the only answer I can suggest. Oh Dear God, I did not plan to be a writer, and yet herein is a writing. I did not know all these thoughts would come into me and then flow out of me. I’m as surprised or more than anyone who knows me, who might read this. You know very well God, that all I was doing was trying to write down a 12 minute sermonette, and things just kept coming in and going out through my fingertips. And You know how many times I’ve prayed fervently, for understanding of the real truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, even so help me God. And You know I have prayed equally fervently, that I would not be a party to lies, or heresy’s, or any other errors. And now here I am sticking my neck out with this book, and not knowing what’s going to come of it, or what kind of trouble it will get me in. And fearing the future, nevertheless, I am compelled to let these thoughts out. So please be with me, and back me up, and if I am a wayward child, forgive me I pray, in Jesus name. Amen.
With that said, I still say again, where to begin, where to begin?
This series of articles began as a topic. I have been obsessed with God’s Word, the bible, for many years now. And I mean all of it. There are people that become obsessed with prophecy, and that just drives them, and becomes their only focus. But I am obsessed with the whole of God's mind and being, and yes, His Word too, including prophecy. I say that because this series is all about prophecy, and yet I would love to just talk about God in general. What God has done, and what He is doing is massively ginormous, and prophecy is just a little part of it. God has not only preoccupied my mind with prophecy, but all the rest of His accolades, accomplishments, and various works as well. Nevertheless, He is working on a to-do list, within a time schedule, or time-frame, which He has laid out in scripture in a deliberate covert, and enigmatic way, and that, we call prophecy. This series is largely a message to His church in the latter days, at near the very end of man's rule of the earth. It is a message to various groups within His church, and does single out the “little flock”, also called the “poor of the flock”. It was only supposed to be one short article prepared in the fashion of a sermonette. (There was a time in my church when I used to give sermonettes until the ministry shut me up). That article was on a topic that I had been mulling over for about a decade on the ancient Canaanite deity of Baal. I had made a connection between Baal worship and modern day Protestantism, and thought it might be an idea for a sermonette. So I began to prepare a paper on it, and the paper just went on for 19,000 plus words. (A twelve or thirteen minute sermonette could not be more than 1,000 words). And really the article could have been much longer. That article led to the next one, then the next, until the completion of five original articles, all of which were on the same overall subject; God's true church. Many things became connected from the books of the prophets, and especially the prophets that were active during the fall of Jerusalem, their exile to Babylon, and the return of the exiles back to Jerusalem. I saw that the exiled Jews of the southern kingdom of Judah were a spiritual type of the modern “true” church of God that Christ said He would build, (just as the ten tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel were a type of Protestantism, and Mystery Babylon was a type of Catholicism). (And incidentally, God references the other two main faiths in the world in the scriptures also; they being Islam and Atheism, you just have to know where to look). But the focus of this book is largely about His truth and His Church, both of which have been counterfeited. But the prophetic books of Ezekiel, Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, and Jeremiah were the most key to this subject, but then the books of Isaiah, Ezra, Nehemiah, The Psalms, and Hosea and others all became involved. One thing just kept leading to another. The things that are written are not going to be popular with the Church of God. Although I spent much time over the last decade meditating on, and praying about the things that are written, I do not believe they are my thoughts alone. In fact, most of what I wrote occurred to me as I was writing it. I had a basic wonderment about the subject, and a yearning to know the truth, but did not have the answer (if you will). As I said, the true Church of God, and especially the ministry, is not going to like most of what is written. Some will though, and they are ultimately ministers who are part of the "poor of the flock". But each reader can be the judge of what they think the scriptures are saying. And you might as well not read this book at all if you’re not going to have your bibles, and concordances out on the table. There’s going to be a lot of bible reading and referencing, and a lot of considering, meditating, ruminating, contemplating, regurgitating (figuratively speaking), and some speculating, going on. There are going to be some things challenged. Some deeply ingrained doctrines are going to be challenged, and the reliability of age-old accepted translators will be challenged here and there. Some are going to say, this guy is turning things upside down. (Or are they really being turned right side up)? The main concept is that God's message to the latter day true church is contained mostly in the the books of Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. But of course the other books almost all play into it, for it is here a little and there a little. The Gospels, Revelation, and Isaiah, will also be used a little. I think God will reveal all of the sealed knowledge to us eventually. And much of it, (which we think we know), we may be surprised to find out that we only know vaguely. There’s still going to be a lot of unanswered questions, but what is written in this series is going to be eye opening to say the least; that is, if you have eyes to see. I know that we in God’s true church, (for this is largely written to you who are in God’s true church), think we have eyes to see and ears to hear because Christ said so in Matthew 13:11, “To "you", it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven“. But I have learned that we do not know all those mysteries. So I ask, who is the “you” He was speaking to? I no longer assume that it is always intended for all or any of us in the New Testament "true church”. Perhaps He is being more specific. Maybe it is the little flock that will spiritually "see", as it says in Zechariah 11:11, NKJV, “thus the poor of the flock "who were watching Me", knew that it was the word of the Lord”. You will hopefully see though, and understand too. You will also hopefully see that The Word of God is the absolute Mastermind of words, language, and communication. And when He ties something up, it is tied up, and when He loosens it, it is loosened. You don't just "figure it out", as so many attempt to do with sealed prophecy. He uses the figurative and the literal in an incredible way to do this, as well as many other amazing techniques. One huge key to understanding His many symbols, analogies, and metaphors, is that everything must be "spiritualized" to understand His true intended meaning. And that He almost always has an earlier and then a latter day type that occurs, and parallel figurative meanings, such as the literal to the spiritual etc. This series does not begin with the book of Haggai (where it seems that the message to the true church begins). It starts with the concept of the modern day worship of Baal. Then it necessarily goes into the concept of a modern day Elijah. Then it goes into the book of Haggai, then Malachi, then it doubles back to the book of Zechariah, (because that's the order that I wrote them in. The book of Daniel explained has been added, as well as two articles on the Holy Spirit and God’s essence. (This comes out in an “incredible article about the origin of Christ as The Word of God entitled: “In the Image of God He made them, male and female He made them”). I sat on that article for some time because I was afraid to release it. After writing the article explaining the Holy Spirit, I realized it could be released, but not before the explanation of the Holy Spirit was released. And these articles are in no way the end of the story, probably just the beginning. I can’t help but fear that I will be rejected for writing these things. Maybe I’ll even get kicked out of the church. I could explain why I feel this way but it might start up another article. But even if things like that happened, I would hope I’d still be a part of the “poor of the flock”. If you’re not too familiar with that term, it will be brought out in the explanation of the book of Zechariah, chapter 11. As I said, I feel compelled to share these writings, and I know who I think is compelling me.
And as a little writer’s note, let me say, I have never (until now) been a writer. I imagine I’ve made a lot of errors. I know I have taken “writer” liberties, and broken rules, that maybe I’m not allowed to. For instance, I always capitalize references to God, whether it be Christ, The Father or The Holy Spirit etc. And conversely, I have refused to capitalize references to satan. I capitalize the pronouns that refer to God also. Probably some professional editor would correct me, but I have my reasons. I could say a lot more as an introduction, but I would rather just get into the article that got it going, and that is with the article on Baal. Thank you for reading this far.
Glen Clarke.
July 27, 2020
Edited slightly in November, 2023
PS: I have now been kicked out of my church, but I know that the ministry cannot kick me out of the body of Christ. Similar to when the Pharisees kicked the man who was born blind out of the Synagogue (whom Christ healed remember), and Christ deliberately found him after, and reassured him, so I also know, that only God can kick me out of the body of Christ.