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Sound of Liberty
7286 Hwy 53 West
Dawsonville,
GA
30534
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The Two And's and the Seven Seals
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Message Transcribed and Edited From
Audio Tapes #711-716
Messages Preached August 23 - October 04, 1998
With Excerpts From
The [Interpreted} Book of Revelation
Preached by Brother Ben Howard
Dawsonville, Georgia
(A forethought: The message you will be reading in
this booklet has a continuing thought based upon a
verse from one of the books of the Holy Bible, -
namely, Saint John, chapter two, verse twenty-two.
Within this verse, two (2) “and’s” are written; and
the two “and’s” connect and complete the believing
action of the disciples mentioned in the scripture.
However, a deeper completion of action, directed
specifically for the Bride of Christ in this age to
accomplish, is REVEALED by the two and’s written in
this verse. Some readers may find the thought strange
to pursue emphasis on two small words; however, as you
read and allow your heart and mind to embrace the
emphasis, I believe you will come to understand the
significance of the depth of this scripture. Perhaps
you will even discover that you have a place of action
based upon this scripture, as our Heavenly Father,
through the Lord Jesus Christ, speaks to us!]
Let’s begin reading from the book of Saint John,
chapter two, verse twenty-two. I will start with a
thought that may sound rather strange unless you are
acquainted with some of the end time happenings. I
want to speak about “The Two “And’s” and The Seven
Seals”. Saint John, chapter two, verse twenty-two is
the text verse. “When therefore He was risen from the
dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this
unto them.” As we continue to read the remainder of
this scripture, please notice the two (2) “and’s”, as
they are placed in this particular scripture. “…AND
they believed the scripture, (the first “and”), AND,
(the second “and” of this verse), the word which Jesus
had said.” I am placing emphasis on the two “and’s”
in this verse for a particular thought. I want to
tell you about something that took place, just a few
years back, concerning this Bible I hold in my hand,
and a dream I believe has spiritual meaning. This
Bible was given to me by the church in South
Carolina. There are certain places that I always read
and mark with a pen when I first receive a new Bible,
and I was reading through the New Testament and taking
note of the places that I wanted specially marked.
The first day, I read Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Then
on the second day, I read Saint John. The night
before I read Saint John, I had a dream. Many times
the Lord reveals things to us in dreams, and sometimes
He does not. In this particular dream, there was a
granite-type monument right down here in the woods.
It was snow white in color, and it was in the shape of
an “M”. It was about six feet tall, I suppose, and
three or four feet wide, or about forty inches wide.
It looked as if it was a little more than three feet,
but a little less than four feet. So, I say just
about forty inches. Where the “M” came around at the
top, there were in very black letters (the monument
was snow white), but, in very black letters the word
“AND” was written on one side of the “M”, and on the
other part of the “M” was written the next “AND”.
When I woke up, I thought that was kind of a strange
dream. I thought it probably was not from the Lord
because I could not gather anything out of it that
would seem to connect with the scriptures. I just
kind of pushed the thought of the dream away. The
next morning, I got up and started reading in Saint
John. I made coffee, and was sitting at the table
drinking coffee and reading. Then a strange thing
happened. In Saint John, chapter two, verse
twenty-two, I was reading, casually reading along like
this, in verse twenty-two: “When therefore He was
risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He
had said this unto them, (concerning the
resurrection), “AND” they believed the scripture;
“AND” the word which Jesus had said.” As I read that,
the two “and’s” began to rise from the page! They
would rise from the page and become larger in size,
and then they would return back to the page! I said
within myself, “That is very strange indeed!”
Suddenly, my mind went back to my dream. The white
“M” - shaped monument with the two “and’s” written on
it! The first “AND” is here in this scripture!
“…AND, they believed the scripture…” The second “AND”
is here in this scripture! “…AND, the words that He
said unto them.” This profound scripture signifies
that there is more to the Word than just the written
scripture! This Bible is the body of the Word, but it
is the Spirit of the Word that makes it real! We can
use our own bodies as an example for this point. We
are body, soul, and spirit. Our flesh is the first
“and,” with the inner man, the deep soul and spirit,
being the second “and”. The second “and” - the strong
soul and spirit - brings to life the first “and” -
which, of course, is our body! Certainly this is a
thought over which to rejoice! I now believe that the
“M” in the dream represents “millennium”, as the
letter “M” represents 1,000 in Roman numerals!
Therefore, I believe we have a fresh, new Message for
the beginning of the new millennium!
I preached at a funeral the other day, and I told
them about the inner man. I said, “The Bible says
this body goes back to the dust from whence it came!
We go back to the dust from whence we came. This is
in no way speaking of the inner man. The inner man
did not come from the dust! The Bible says that the
Spirit of man came from God and will go back to God!
This reference is verified with Ecclesiastes, chapter
twelve, verse seven.
The book I hold in my hand before you now, - this
Holy Bible, - is the body of the Word. It is the body
of the Word, and is ‘dead,’ or basically useless,
without the Spirit of God giving it life! Just as
your spirit brings life to your natural body, also,
the powerful Spirit of God brings life to this body of
the Word - the words in this Holy Bible! Therefore,
the Word without the Spirit is dead! Our Bible tells
us, “…the letter killeth, but the Spirit of God giveth
life…” THE SPIRIT OF THE WORD IS THE LORD JESUS
CHRIST!
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