Advancing Into The Darkness

The Old English word bulwark means a wall for defensive purposes. The English word "boulevard" is taken from the French word of that spelling, which itself originated from the Old English word bulwark i.e. the English boulevard was taken from the French word boulevard, which was taken from the English word bulwark. The meanings are directly related; "boulevard" originally meant a street that ran beside a defensive wall, or a road that ran along the fence.

"Bulwark" is sometimes used to translate a number of Hebrew and Greek words of the Holy Scriptures, all of which mean either a fence (which is an abbreviated form of defence, from the French meaning "the fence") or a foundation upon which something stands. A bulwark is where the line between opposites is drawn and defended at all costs, without retreat, without compromise, ever.

True Christians are to steadfastly "hold the line," regardless of who or what tries to physically overpower or morally undermine the Truth. We are issued the spiritual "armor of God" for that specific purpose.

"^6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

^6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ^6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. ^6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

^6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; ^6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ^6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. ^6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:10-17 KJV)

"They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament that they may turn many to righteousness"

Holding that spiritual line doesn't mean holding it in the same place. While we must never retreat the line, we must always advance the line, deeper and deeper into the hostile darkness, not becoming engulfed by the darkness, but relentlessly bringing forward the Light of the Truth. That is why The Messiah (see also The By-The-Book Messiah) called His true people "the light of the world," who must not leave their God-given light sitting "under a basket."

"^5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

^5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

^5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16 KJV)

The Light that we bring is also the Light that guides us to bring it - the Holy Spirit of Truth.

"^11:33 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. ^11:34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. ^11:35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. ^11:36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light." (Luke 11:33-36 KJV)

The purpose of the Light is that all may see when they awaken, now, or in the latter time.

"^12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

^12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." (Daniel 12:2-3 KJV)

On the day of Christ's return, the advance will become an all-out charge from which the still-unrepentant forces of darkness will be rolled back into the lake of fire, where they will meet their end in that light. The task of bringing the Light will then have been completed, "^22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 22:5 KJV).

"^19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. ^19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. ^19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

^19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses [see 'To Meet The Lord In The Air'], clothed in fine linen, white and clean. ^19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ^19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.

^19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; ^19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

^19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. ^19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. ^19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh." (Revelation 19:11-21 KJV)

Fact Finder: What "dictator" is going to take over the world at the end of the end-time?
See The Coming World Dictator

This Day In History, February 22

896: Arnulf was crowned emperor by Pope Formosus, who later declared Lambert deposed.

1349: Jews were expelled from Zurich, Switzerland.

1370: Robert II succeeded his uncle, David II, as King of Scotland, beginning the Stuart dynasty.

1512: Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci died at age 61. "America" (i.e. the continents of North America and South America where numerous "American" nations would later come into existence, from the northern border of Canada, to the southern tip of Argentina) was derived from his first name.

1630: Native Americans (who were called "Indians" by early European explorers who thought that they had arrived in India) introduced popcorn to British colonists in North America.

1797: The last invasion of Britain occurred when 1,500 French troops landed at Fishguard, in Wales.

1825: Britain and Russia established the Alaska-Canada boundary. The U.S. purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867.

1862: Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as president of the breakaway "Confederate States of America."

1911: The Parliament of Canada voted to keep Canada as a member state within the union of the British Empire.

1913: Francisco Madero, revolutionary president of Mexico, was assassinated by the military, along with vice-president Pino Suarez.

1979: The Caribbean island of Saint Lucia gained full independence from Britain after 165 years. It became the 40th member state of the British Commonwealth.

1980: Israel introduced its new currency, the shekel. It replaced the Israeli pound.

1984: The U.S. and Britain sent warships to the Persian Gulf in support of the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein following an Iranian offensive against Iraq. At the time, Saddam Hussein was viewed as an ally of the western democracies, despite the atrocities and war crimes that he was committing then, no different than he was later when he had gone from being a pro-western "good dictator" to an anti-western "bad dictator."