THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT

It seems to me, based upon world events and the apostasy within the professing church (2 Thes. 2:3; Rev. 3:14-22), that the true Church, those who have been born again by the power and will of God (Jn. 1:12-13), should expect Jesus' return for us at any moment (Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:49-53; 1 Thes. 4:16-17).  Following the Rapture of the Church, there will be a seven-year Tribulation period (Dan. 9:24-27; Jer. 30:7; Mt. 24:3-29; Rev. 6 - 18).  The Tribulation will end with Christ's Second Coming (Mt. 24:29-31; Rev. 19:11-21), and He will establish His Kingdom, the long-awaited Messianic Kingdom Israel had hoped would occur with His First Coming (Mt. 21:9; Acts 1:6).  His Kingdom will last for 1000 years (Rev. 20:1-7).  Follow a short "attempted coup," Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire, and Jesus will gather mankind to the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:8-10). 

In Revelation 20:12, God tells us on what He will be basing His judgment of each individual:  "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."  Believers have debated for centuries as to the identity of "the books," and I doubt what I have to say will alter anyone's mind.  I simply present this for those who have yet to make up their minds for consideration.  I discussed the Book of Life two days ago, so I will refer you to my post of July 29.

Based upon the fact that the individual will be judged according to his or her works, I have to believe "the books" refers to the Bible, the βιβλίον (biblion), especially the Old Testament with its 613 laws.  The Bible says that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God," which is to say, none of us is righteous (Rom. 3:10, 23).  In order for man to be permitted to spend eternity with God in heaven, he needs to be declared righteous by God; he needs to be pure of heart (Mt. 5:8).  None are!  According to "the books," we all deserve to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire! 

But thank God, there is another book!  The Book of Life which contains the names of all who placed their trust in God, and in His Christ.  It is a listing of all who have had their sins replaced by Christ's righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21)!  In Christ, all are as righteous as He is!  Praise the Lord! 

The shame felt at God's Great White Throne Judgment,

lasts but a moment for those whose names are in His Book of life!

WHO ARE THE DECEIVED?

Is it possible for born again believers to know the identity of the Antichrist prior to being removed from earth via the Rapture?  Most students of the Bible would say no.  They would give 2 Thes. 2:3 as the basis for their swift response.  However, the context of the passage is not about the Antichrist, but about the Rapture of the Church (v. 1) and the Second Coming of the Lord (v. 2).  Notice that the Antichrist sits in power between those two events!  2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 says, 

"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him (the Rapture), that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand (the Second Coming).

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first (I believe this is referring to the "catching away" of the Church of Philadelphia - Rev. 3:7-13 AND the apostasy of the Church of Laodicea - Rev. 3:14-22), and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God (his revealing TO ISRAEL will occur when, half way through the seven-year agreement with Israel, he commits the abomination of desolation spoken by the prophet Daniel - Dan. 9:27; 12:11; Mt. 24:15; Rev. 13:5-8). 

Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let (only the Holy Spirit can restrain him), until He be taken out of the way (most believe this occurs at the Rapture of the Church). 

And then shall that Wicked (one) be revealed (again, to Israel as the true Church is gone), whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming:  even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish (Rev. 13:1-18); because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:  that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness (Christians can know, but unbelievers will not believe us because they reject the Gospel)."

Look up the name El Hassan bin Talal! 

WHAT IS THE BOOK OF LIFE?

There are eight verses in the Bible which specifically mention the Book of Life (Phil. 4:3; Rev. 3:5, 8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:21; 22:19).  Of the eight, only one is written by someone other than the Apostle John.  The Apostle Paul asked his "true yoke-fellow" to help those women who helped him, Clement, and others in spreading the Gospel; he stated that their names are in the "Book of Life" (Phil 4:3).

John is the person who reveals that the book is the "Lamb's Book of Life" (Rev. 21:27).  There appears to be two groups of names having to do with the Lord's Book of Life:  1) Those who are overcomers and whose names therefore remain in it (Rev. 3:5); and 2) Those whose names are not in it now (Rev. 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 22:19).

The question which immediately comes to mind is, why are there names that do not appear in the Book of Life?  I believe that before the Creation, all names were written in the book; after all, all human beings would eventually have life (that includes human beings the moment they are conceived – in the Bible, a pregnant woman is always considered to be “with child”).  I believe those children slaughtered “for women’s rights,” and children too young to understand, or those born with an inability to understand, will have been placed “in Christ” by the Holy Spirit, and are therefore, saved!

God, in His foreknowledge (1 Pet. 1:1-5), knew who would accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, and also, who would not.  In other words, those whose names remaining in the Book of Life until the final judgment, will have, at some point in their life, placed their trust in Jesus.   Those names which have been blotted out, are those who will not accept Jesus during their lifetime, and are therefore not considered to be “overcomers.”  In addition, those who will have tampered with the Word of God, also had their names removed from the book written before the "foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8; 17:8).

It is nearly impossible for us to comprehend that God is not limited by time.  What He knows will happen, for Him, it is already completed.  Read these verses and you will see that the death of Jesus, the names being placed in the book, and the names being blotted out of the book, all happened before the Creation (Mt. 25:34; Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:20; Heb. 4:3; Rev. 13:8; 17:8)!  To God, Jesus is the Lamb slain for the sins of the whole world, before the foundation of the world.

 

God is the “I AM,” not the “I was,” or “I will be!”

THE GREEK WORD "HARPAZO"

Most students of Bible prophecy have some familiarity with the Greek word, ἁρπάζω (harpazō); that is mainly because it appears in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, where it has to do with the Church being "caught up" to meet Jesus in the air.  We call the event, the Rapture, because the Latin Vulgate translates the Greek ἁρπαγησόμεθα as "rapiemur" from the verb "rapio" meaning "to catch up" or "take away".  But did you know that the same Greek word appears a total of seventeen times in thirteen verses in the Bible?  I certainly did not.  In my studies today, I also discovered the reason for my ignorance:  it is translated differently in most other places:

"take" - Mt. 11:12; Jn. 6:15; Acts 23:10.
"by force" - Mt. 11:12; Jn. 6:15; Acts 23:10.
"catch away" - Mt. 13:19.
"catcheth" - Jn. 10:12.
"shall" - Jn. 10:28.
"pluck" - Jn. 10:28; 10:29.
"caught away" - Acts 8:39.
"caught up" - 2 Cor. 12:2; 2 Cor. 12:4; 1 Thes. 4:17; Rev. 12:5.
"pulling" - Jude 1:23.

What do these nine different translations of ἁρπάζω (harpazō) have in common?  Well, it is clear that the person or persons changing location are not acting on their own, but that the action is that of some other person or persons.  In the case of the Rapture, "the dead in Christ shall rise first:  then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them" (1 Thes. 4:16-17).

Although it is not clearly stated in most of the examples where the word is used, there appears to be a connotation of resistance on the part of those being taken (with the exception of the dead, of course).  Could it be that the true Church will be reluctant to be removed from this world?  I have heard born again believers say something like, "I want to go to heaven, but I just don't want to go today."  To be quite honest, I cannot comprehend why that is true.  Why would anyone in their right mind want to stay in a world filled with hate, violence, disease, poverty, etc.?  There are no pot-holes in the streets of gold!  The Apostle Paul made it clear what he would choose if he had a choice as to whether to go to heaven, or remain here in this world (2 Cor. 5:1-8; Phil. 1:21-23)! 

This world is not my home, and I do so want to go home to my Father! 

     

"IF"

"IF" is both the saddest word, and the most positive word I know!  It is sad when it is followed by the word "only."  When a person says that, what he is stating is that at one point in his life, he made the wrong decision.  "If only I had finished school!"  "If only I had obeyed the law."  "If only I hadn't listened to him."  "If only I had believed those who told me about Jesus!"  Yes, "IF" could well be the saddest word in the English language!

"IF" also offers one the hope of having a wonderful life in this world, filled with the joy (Jn. 3:24; 15:11; etc.), the peace of Christ (Jn. 14:27; 16:33; etc.), and a glorious, eternal life spent with God forever (Jn. 3:15; 10:28; etc.)!  God's Word, presented here in bold print, says, "That IF thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and (IF thou) shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Rom. 10:9).  The following verse explains the importance of those two factors in our salvation:  "For with the heart man believeth (in the resurrected Lord) unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession (of Jesus as one's Lord) is made unto salvation" (Rom. 10:10).  These two factors were revealed earlier in the Book of Romans:

"Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:  whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Rom. 3:24-26).

And, just as there are two factors involved in one being born again, there are two factors which reveal our status as being children of God:  born again believers cannot help but warn others of the danger they are in if they do not trust in Jesus, and believers and unbelievers alike, will be able to see that our words match our lives.  That is how the Church grew so rapidly at the beginning:  they were "Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:47).  James wrote of the need for one's life to match his testimony (Jam. 1:21-27).

"IF" you are born again, you, and others, will have no problem knowing it!

THE LATTER DAYS

Most of us have heard the story of Balaam's "transportation" speaking as the Lord enabled it to speak, and how that situation turned the cursing of Israel, as Balak wanted, into Balaam's blessing of God's people (Num. 22:21 - 24:25); but have any of you ever noticed that two of Balaam's parables appear to describe the Antichrist, and the Lord's Second Coming? 

In Numbers 24:1-7, we are told that Israel will be dwelling in peace, surrounded by trees and plush gardens, with more than enough water in what has always been known as a "dry and thirsty land."  Doesn't that sound like what Israel will be like during the first half of their seven-year treaty with the Antichrist (Ezek. 38:10-13; Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:4-14)?  Then in Numbers 24:8-9, we read:

"God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce [them] through with his arrows.  He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed [is] he that blesseth thee, and cursed [is] he that curseth thee."

Notice he returns from Egypt  (cp. Dan. 11:44); he has a single horn (cp. Dan. 7:8;8:9); he destroys his enemies (cp. Dan. 7:7; 8:10); he shall kill with arrows (cp. Ezek. 39:1-3).  A bow is a sign of power, and in the case of the Antichrist's relationship during the first half of the Tribulation, it is the power he promises to use to protect Israel; they only "hears of wars and rumors of wars" (Mt. 24:6; Rev. 6:2).  It is not until his return from Egypt, that he makes Israel the seat of his power, that he is said to be holding arrows (Exek. 39:1-3).  He comes AS a great lion; he impersonates the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5).

Now notice, in his next parable, Balaam speaks of "a Star" coming out of Jacob, and "a Sceptre" out of Israel" (Num. 24:14-19), One, unlike the Antichrist who curses Israel, will come, and He will bless them.  He will knock the bow and arrows from their enemy's hand, and He will cast him into the lake of fire (Ezek. 39:3; Rev. 19:20).
 

Praise God!  Israel will be rescued at Christ's Second Coming!

The one "like" a lion, will be destroyed by the One who is the Lion! 

JOHN LENNON'S IMAGINE

Bible prophecy is clearer today than it has ever been.  Daniel's sealed book (Dan. 12:4) has obviously been unsealed, and nearly all of the pieces of the great puzzle, that is the world's future, are falling into place.  The key to understanding what is to come is found in Daniel 9:24-27.  Verse 24 says, "Seventy weeks (seventy periods of seven years) are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy." 

Sixty-nine of those seventy "weeks" have been fulfilled with the Crucifixion of Israel's Messiah (Dan. 9:26).  There remains but one "week" (Dan. 9:27), at the end of which, all of those things listed in verse 24 will have been completed.  Notice that the last thing is for Israel to "anoint the most Holy"; that is, to finally acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Messiah.  I believe this occurs when they realize the Antichrist is not their Messiah, and they "head for the hills" (Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:15; Rev. 12 - 13).  The gap in time between verse 26 and verse 27 is known as the Church Age, a mystery to the Jews (Mk. 4:11; Rom. 16:25; Eph. 5:32; 1 Tim. 3:16; etc.).  

One of the reasons I believe Christ's Second Coming may be as close as seven years from today, is that the end of the Church Age, the Rapture of the Church, could happen while I am writing this (Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thes. 4:16-17; etc.).  The seven years, known as Daniel's Seventieth Week [ a.k.a. the Tribulation (Mt. 24:3-28; Rev. 6 - 18); and the Time of Jacob's Trouble (Jer. 30:1-7)], could actually begin the moment the Church is removed (2 Thes. 2:1-7), paving the way for the Antichrist to make a seven-year peace treaty with Israel (Dan. 9:27).       

To show that the world needs to be restrained, one need only to look at the words of what some have called the most popular song in history:  John Lennon's "Imagine"; Copyright 1971.  It is a cry for a Marxist one-world government!  His lyrics tell us to imagine there is no heaven, no hell, no countries, no religion, no possessions, no greed, no hunger, and nothing to kill or die for!   It sounds like a utopia ruled by God Himself, right?  Well that is exactly what the "minister of propaganda" for the Antichrist, the False Prophet, will be preaching (Rev. 13:11-18)! 

Imagine what you will; there is a heaven, a hell, a Bible ("religion"),

and One for whom all born again believers desire to live:  Jesus Christ!  

MASTER, LORD, I AM

In the Book of Philippians, Paul calls upon born again believers to think as Jesus thought; that is, to be humble (Phil. 2:5-8).  Christ's humility is clearly seen in our Creator's willingness to suffer the crucifixion for the sins of the whole world (Jn. 1:1-3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:1-2; 1 Jn. 2:2; etc.)!   While there is little doubt that being stripped of His clothing (Mt. 27:28), and being nailed upon a cross for all to see (Jn. 20:25), evidence of His humility can also be found in the following verses.

"So after He had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, and was set down again, He said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?  Ye call Me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for [so] I am.  If I then, [your] Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you" (Jn. 13:12-15).

Note that two words in these verses are in italics.  That is because they were not in the original Greek text.  They were added by the translators "for clarity."  Like most of their efforts to do so, by adding something, which is "frowned upon" in the Scriptures, by the way (Rev. 22:18-19), they actually obscure some great truth!  Let's read those two verses without the "additions":

"Ye call me Master and Lord:  and ye say well; I AM" [in the Greek, εἰμί (eimi); in the Hebrew,  יְהֹוָה (Yĕhovah) or LORD]!

"If I then,  Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet."

Many of you may not see the difference as significant, but I assure you, there is a great difference.  "I AM" is the name of the one true God:  "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you" (Ex. 3:14).  Like the ten other times in the Gospel of John, Jesus was declaring Himself to be the "I AM" of Scripture (Jn. 6:35; 8:12; 8:58; 10:7; 10:11; 10:36; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1; 18:6).

 

Jesus is not our Master and Lord; He is THE Master and Lord!

ENEMIES

Just about everyone who has heard of Jesus, has heard of His teaching that those who are His disciples, should love their enemies (Mt. 5:44; Lk. 6:27, 35).  Of course, there is one exception; we, as believers, should hate THE enemy:  Satan (Mt. 13:25, 39; etc.).  We are to resist him by wearing the whole armor of God, and he will flee from us (Eph. 6:10-16; Jam. 4:7).

As I was studying this topic, I made a few interesting discoveries.  For one, the words "enemy" and "enemies" are predominately found in the Old Testament.  "Enemy" occurs in 95 verses there, as compared to 11 verses in the New Testament.  The same is true of "enemies"; it is 245 to 19!  This is not surprising in that, in the Old Testament, the Hebrew children were fighting both human and spiritual enemies.  In the New Testament, the Lord tells His children to let Him do the fighting (Mt. 22:44; Mk. 12:36; Lk. 1:71-74; 20:43; 1 Cor. 15:25; Heb. 1:13; 10:13; etc.). 

Jesus said, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Mt. 5:43-44).  While the concept of "loving one's enemies" was viewed to be a "new teaching" of Jesus, it is also found in the Old Testament. 

In the Book of Proverbs, we read, "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth" (Prov. 24:17).  And again, "If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink" (Prov. 25:21).  Unfortunately, the writer of Proverbs was not motivated by love for his enemies, as can be seen by the verses following these quotes.  "Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from Him" (Prov. 24:18); and "For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee" (Prov. 25:22).

We should pray for those who oppose God, as we ourselves were once His enemies (Rom. 5:10; Col. 1:21; etc.).  And who are the enemies of God?  They are all who will not submit to His reign over their lives (Lk. 19:27)!  In reality, the one enemy nearly all believers fear, is what the Bible calls "the last enemy":  death (1 Cor. 15:26).  But based upon our eternal relationship with God as our Father, we have no need to fear death; in fact, like Paul, we ought to look forward to it (2 Cor. 5:1-8)!

Death, for the believer, is nothing more than a metamorphosis into Christ-likeness!     

GOD HATES A FROWARD MOUTH

God's Word says that He hates many things, and it even calls some of them an abomination.  Proverbs 6:16-19 says, "These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him:   a proud look; a lying tongue; and hands that shed innocent blood; an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations; feet that be swift in running to mischief; a false witness that speaketh lies; and he that soweth discord among brethren."  Ironically, the list, though long, does not mention His hatred for the person, only for his attitude and his actions; the one exception being that used for a comparison:  He hated Esau and love Jacob (Mal. 1:1-3; Rom. 9:13).  This is similar to the point Jesus was making in Luke 14:26.  

One of those many things He hates is a "forward mouth" (Prov. 8:13).  God even calls "being froward" an abomination (Prov. 3:32).  Since I did not know what that was, I thought I would do a study on it; it never hurts to make sure I am not guilty of whatever it is! 

The word "froward," by itself, is found in twenty-four verses, twelve of which are in Proverbs.   The phrase "a froward mouth" appears three times in the Bible, all of them are in Proverbs:
*   "Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee" (Prov. 4:24)
*   "A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth" (Prov. 6:12). 
*   "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate" (Prov. 8:13).

The Blue Letter Bible shows one Hebrew word translated "froward" as being עִקְּשׁוּת (`iqqĕshuwth).  It is found in Proverbs 4:24 and 6:12), where it means "distortion" or "crookedness."  A second Hebrew word,  תַּהְפֻּכוֹת (tahpukah), is translated as such in Proverbs 8:13; there, it has to do with "being perverse."   

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary/Thesaurus defines "froward" as:  "habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition."  Synonyms are:  "defiant, disrespectful, ill-mannered, impolite, impudent, insolent, rude, disobedient, headstrong, etc."

While I have been guilty of some of those in the past, and most likely will be again, the cure for a "froward mouth" is found in Philippians 4:8: 

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." 

 

DEMONS

The word "demon" does not appear in the King James Version of the Bible.  On the other hand, "devils" appears in forty-eight verses in the Scriptures, four of them in the Old Testament.  Two Hebrew words are translated "devils."  One is שֵׁד (shed), in Deut. 32:17 and Ps. 106:37 where it means "demons."  The other Hebrew word translated "devils" is שָׂעִיר (sa`iyr), in Lev. 17:7 and
2 Chron. 11:15, where it means "hairy," or "he-goat."  All four verses deal with offering of sacrifices to idols.  In the New Testament Greek, "devils" appears in 44 verses, and is translated as such from δαίμων (daimōn),  meaning "demon";   δαιμόνιον (daimonion), meaning "evil agents of Satan"; and δαιμονίζομαι (daimonizomai), meaning "to be under the power or possessed of a demon or devil."

Unfortunately, none of the verses tell us what demons are, or from where they came.  We know angels existed before the creation of the Universe, from Job 38:4-7, which says, "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth . . . Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened?  Or who laid the corner stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"  See my post dated 7-18-13 for an explanation of "morning stars" being angels.

We know that a third of the angelic beings joined Satan and were cast out of heaven with him, from Dan. 8:10, which says, "And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them."  A cross reference for that verse is
Rev. 12:4, which says, "And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born."  But we still cannot be dogmatic in stating that demons are fallen angels.

One piece of evidence which does seem to support that they are one and the same, is found by comparing Matthew 9:34 with 25:41:  "But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils."; and "Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels."  But unfortunately, Jude 1:6 and 2 Pet. 2:4 say that the fallen angels are presently bound by chains in darkness, awaiting judgment.  So, the bottom line:  I do not know! 

The only things one has to know from the Bible:

Because we sin, and the punishment for sin is death, someone had to die for us to be saved!

Jesus was crucified, buried, and rose from the dead for us, according to the Scriptures!

If we trust in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we become the children of God!  Praise Him!!!

 

MICHAEL, THE ARCHANGEL

The word, "Archangel," appears only twice in the Bible (1 Thes. 4:16; Jude 1:9).  In Jude's epistle, the Archangel is named:  Michael.  While he is the only Archangel named in the sixty-six books of the Bible, it is clear that there are others which hold that rank.  In Daniel 10:13, we read, "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia." 

The names of the others are a mystery, as is their number.  There is another Archangel named in the Apocrypha, but since those books are not accepted as canonical, one cannot say with a certainty that an Archangel named Uriel ever existed.  Nevertheless, I will include the verse:  2 Esdras (4 Ezra. 4:36) says, "And unto these things Uriel the archangel gave them answer, and said, Even when the number of seeds is filled in you: for he hath weighed the world in the balance." 

The Archangel Michael is unique in another way as well.  He appears to be assigned by God to be the guardian of the nation of Israel.  Daniel wrote, "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book" (Dan. 12:1). 

Another verse in Daniel supports the idea that Michael is "their angel":  "But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince" (Dan. 10:21).

There are humans named Michael in the Bible, and there are also men named Uriel in the Canon (1 Chron. 6:24; 15:5, 11; 2 Chron. 13:2).  "Michael," in the Hebrew is מִיכָאֵל (Miyka'el), meaning "who is like unto God?"  Jude, used the Greek word Μιχαήλ (Michaēl) for "Michael," as did John in Revelation 12:7, which reads, "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels."

While there are two named angels in the Bible which oppose God, Satan/Lucifer and Abaddon/Apollyon (Rev. 9:11), there are also two named angels which obey God, Michael and Gabriel (Dan. 8:16; 9:21; Lk. 1:19, 26).

 

It is clear that the Church needs no angel; Jesus watches over us (Jn. 10:28)!

THE LAW IS GOOD; LOVE IS GREATER

From the day mankind was created by God, we have been answerable to our Creator.  God gave Adam and Eve only one rule; they were not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:9, 17).  And of course, like all of mankind since, in choosing to disobey God, they sinned (Gen. 3:1-24; Rom. 3:23; 5:12).  Some six thousand years has passed since then, and while the dietary "rules" have changed over time, one thing remains the same:  man is accountable to God for what he eats.
 
Mankind, from Adam to Noah, ate nothing but "fruits and veggies" (Gen. 3:17-19 through Gen. 6:24).  It was not until after the Ark landed, that God changed the rules; He put fear of man in the "hearts" of all living things, and they were "added to the menu" (Gen. 9:2-4). 

It was not until God gave the Law to the descendants of Abraham through Moses, that the "rules" changed.  While the rest of the human race could continue eating any thing they chose, Abraham's people, Israel, were required to restrict their diet to things which are called "kosher" today.  These dietary restrictions are mainly listed in Leviticus 11:1-47 and Deuteronomy 14:3-21.  In addition, during some of Israel's Feasts, they were not permitted to eat anything that contained leaven.  God even instructed the Jews to purge their homes of leaven so that there would not be a possibility that what they consumed might have been contaminated by it (Ex. 12:15-20).  To this day, these dietary laws are binding upon all Jews.

Following the Resurrection of Jesus, His Ascension, and the birth of the Church at Pentecost, it took some time before Christians understood that they were no longer under the Law.  In Acts 10:9-48, God used a vision to show Peter that, not only had the dietary rules changed for the Church, but that it would be made up of both Jews and Gentiles who accepted Christ as their Lord.  Change came slowly among the Jewish members of the Church, but eventually, through the preaching and writings of Paul, they learned that the Church is not bound by the Law of Israel (Acts 15:5-30).

Today, born again believers can eat anything they choose, with one exception:  we ought not to eat any food or drink any drink that offends a brother or a sister in Christ!  In Romans 14:1-23, Paul tells us how we are to behave around brethren who have yet to come to an understanding of the difference between the Law of Israel, and the Law of Love (Mt. 7:12; Rom. 13:8-10; Gal. 5:13-14; Jam. 2:8)! 

"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore Love is the fulfilling of the Law."

Romans 13:10

          

STARS, A STAR, AND THE STAR

Before I begin my study of what the Bible has to say about stars, we need to keep in mind that Satan, not only wants to be equal to God (Isa. 14:12-14), he, as the "planter of tares" (Mt. 13:25, 38-39), and as the power behind the Antichrist (Rev. 6:2; 13:1-10), impersonates Jesus to deceive man.  And one other note about stars:  according to the Bible, our Sun is a unique creation; that is, it is not a star (cp. Gen. 1:16 and the 13 other verses that list the Sun, Moon, and Stars separately).  That is very important, in that, if the Sun were a star, it would be an angel; and if that were true, that angel would be significantly brighter than Jesus, according to the material below!

STARS:
*   Stars fight - Jud. 5:20.
*   Stars sing - Job 38:7.
*   Stars praise God - Ps. 148:3.
*   Stars differ in magnitude - 1 Cor. 15:41.

A STAR (AND HIS MINIONS):
*   Satan wants to ascend above the Stars to be like God - Isa. 14:12-14.
*   Satan is a great Star that destroys - Rev. 8:10-11; 9:1.
*   Some Stars are cast down - Dan. 8:10; Mt. 24:29; Mk. 13:25; Rev. 6:13; 8:12.
*   Wandering Stars are reserved for blackness forever - Jude 1:13.

THE STAR:
*   Jesus is The Star:.
     - "I shall see Him, but not now: I shall behold Him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth" (Num. 24:17).
     - "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the Day Star arise in your hearts" (2 Pet. 1:19).
     - "And I will give him the Morning Star" (Rev. 2:28).
     - "I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and The Bright and Morning Star" (Rev. 22:16).

Jesus is the only "Star" that is brighter than the Sun!

WHAT AND WHERE IS PARADISE?

Have you ever heard a preacher say that Jesus spoke more about Hell than He did about Heaven?  Well, I am sorry to have to inform you that your preacher erred in failing to check the validity of the what he had read or heard.  The word "heaven" appears 582 times in 550 verses in the K.J.V., while the word "hell" appears only 54 times in 54 verses in the entire Bible.  The Book of Matthew alone, mentions "heaven" 68 times, and it is mentioned in the four Gospels 129 times!

So, what does all that have to do with Paradise?  Well, many people mistakenly think of Heaven when they hear the word "paradise."  Today, they are correct, but in Christ's day, that was not the case.  The word "paradise" appears on three times in the Bible.  In the first of these, Jesus promised the thief on the cross next to Him, that he would be with Him in Paradise that very day (Lk. 23:23).  We know that Paradise could not have meant Heaven, because Jesus did not ascend to Heaven until forty days later (Acts 1:3-9).  That means there had to be a place called Paradise somewhere other than Heaven.

In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells of the death of two men.  One man is described as being in torment, and the other being "in Abraham's bosom" (v. 23).  While the word "paradise" is not mentioned in this passage, "Abraham's bosom" and Paradise must be the same place (at that time).  In Ephesians 4:8-10,  Paul says, "Wherefore He saith, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.  Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things." 

I believe that the phrase "He led captivity captive" refers to Christ taking those who were temporarily being held in "Abraham's bosom," to Heaven.  No one could go directly to Heaven until after Jesus, "the First Fruits," ascended (1 Cor. 15:20, 23).  I base my belief upon two facts:  1) that, according to the other two references to Paradise, it is in now in Heaven.  Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4 that he knew a man who ascended into Paradise, or the third Heaven.  And John wrote that overcomers will "eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God"; it is obvious that John is speaking of Heaven; and 2) that today, when a born again believer dies, he or she is immediately present with Jesus in Heaven (2 Cor. 5:8), and there is therefore no need for a place called "Abraham's bosom."

Today, Paradise and Heaven are the same place; at the feet of Jesus!
    

HAVE YOU WATCHED THE NEWS LATELY?

2 Timothy 3:2-4 - For Men Shall Be . . .

1. lovers of their own selves--selfish, self-centered, seeking to please self
    
2. covetous--lovers of money, greedy, worshiping the dollar bill
    
3. boasters--those who love to brag about themselves and about what they are going to do
    
4. proud--a person who considers himself above others and tries to lift himself above others, even if it means stepping on others
    
5. blasphemers--those who speak against God, and drag His good Name into the mud, and speak of God in an irreverent way
    
6. disobedient to parents--those who do not obey or honor their parents, those who are rebellious in the home
    
7. unthankful--ungrateful, not appreciating all the blessings received, not thankful for all of God’s goodness (Rom. 1:21)
    
8. unholy--no respect for anything that is sacred
    
9. without natural affection--without that love and affection that should be shown in the family (the love that a mother has for her child, that a father has for his son, or that a young person should have for his brother or sister or parents)
    
10. truce breakers--those who refuse to make peace, who would rather be at war with you, who would rather be your enemy than your friend
     
11. false accusers--those who say false things about a person
     
12. incontinent--not having self control
     
13. fierce--savage, brutal, untamed like a wild animal
     
14. despisers of that which is good--no love for what is good and right
     
15. traitors--one who betrays another (like Judas), pretends to be your friend but later he lets you down and is not your friend at all
     
16. heady--those who do things in a hasty way without much thinking; they will act first and think later
     
17. high minded--puffed up, swollen with pride, conceited
     
18. lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God--pleasure seekers rather than God-seekers

THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

The Ark of the Covenant is actually known by four different names in the Scriptures:
*   "the Ark of the Covenant" (41 times between Num. 10:33 and Heb. 9:4).
      -   "the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD" (32 times between Num. 10:33 and Heb. 9:4).
*   "the Ark of His Testament" (1 time - Rev. 11:19).
*   "the Ark of the Testimony" (9 times between Ex. 25:22 and Josh. 4:16).

The Ark was a two and a half cubits, by one and a half cubits, by one and a half cubits box made of shittim wood, covered inside and out with gold (Ex. 25:10-11).  Shittim wood is believed to be from the Acacia tree, a tree common to arid climates, and known for its beauty, its hardness, and its pleasant fragrance.  In addition to the Ark having a top of gold, it also had a separate layer of gold which was called the "Mercy Seat" (Ex. 25:17).  On either end of the Ark were two cherubs, facing one another, and having their wings forming a cover for the Mercy Seat (Ex. 25:20).  The LORD told Moses that He would commune with him upon the Mercy Seat, under the wings of the cherubim (Ex. 25:22).  Apparently, after Moses died, only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies and then only once a year at the Feast of the Atonement (Ex. 30:10).

The last biblical reference to the location of the Ark of the Covenant as being in Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, is in 2 Chronicles 35:3.  Many believe it was taken by the Babylonian invasion described in the very next chapter (2 Chron. 26:17-19), but in actuality, there is no where in Scripture that says the Ark of the Covenant was taken by any conquering army.  Theories as to its location have ranged from a secret chamber under the Temple mount, to a secret location in Ethiopia.  The movie, The Raiders of the Lost Ark gave a wooden crate in a Washington, D.C. government warehouse as its present location.  Most biblical scholars say that no one know where it is today, and believe it or not, the majority of them doubt that it ever existed!  Surely we are in the last days described as being filled with apostasy!

One might be wise to simply read their Bible to find the present location of the Ark of the Covenant.  In Revelation 11:19, John wrote, "And the Temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His Temple the Ark of His Testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail."  Like Enoch, Elijah, and soon, the Church, is it not possible that before God allowed the Babylonians to destroy Solomon's Temple, He removed the Ark? 

Regardless of the Ark's location, the important question is, where do you think Jesus is today?  Of course, He is seated at His Father's right hand (Acts 2:33), but He is also living within all those who have accepted Him as both Lord and Savior (Jn. 14:20; 15:4; Rom. 8:10; 1 Cor. 14:25; 2 Cor. 13:5; Eph. 4:6; Col. 1:27; 1 Jn. 4:4; etc.)!

The God who visited the Arc of the Covenant once a year,

lives in the hearts of those who have placed their trust in Jesus FOREVER! 

  

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS

Recently, there has been a commercial running on TV that speaks of the importance of the conjunction "and."  A couple wanted to stay at a bed-and-breakfast, but had to choose between a bed or a breakfast.  Another couple, looking at art in a gallery, wanting a black and white painting, but were forced to choose between an all white canvas called "A City in the Daylight," or a solid black painting called "A City at Night."  Both couples bemoaned the fact that they could not have both; they wanted the "and."

The "and" makes a huge difference in the Bible, as well.  For example, there are two kings described by the prophets as the "king of kings."  Artaxerxes, the emperor of Persia from 465-424 B.C., and Nebuchadnezzar, the emperor of Babylon from 605-562 B.C., were both recognized as such: 

Artaxerxes:  "Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time" (Ezra 7:12). 

Nebuchadnezzar:  "For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people" (Ezek. 26:7). 
And:  "Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory" (Dan. 2:37).  

But there is only one "man" in the Bible who is known as the King of kings AND the Lord of lords:  Jesus of Nazareth (17 times between Mt. 26:71 - Acts 26:9); Jesus Christ (187 times between Mt. 1:1 - Rev. 22:21); Jesus, the Son of God (44 times between Dan. 3:25 - Rev. 2:18), Jesus, the Creator of the Universe (Jn. 1:1-3, 10; Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:1-2; Rev. 4:11)!
 
Jesus:  "Which in His times He shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords" (1 Tim. 6:15).

And:  "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful" (Rev. 17:14).

And:  "And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:16).

I believe the "and" makes a difference in whether or not one is saved;

I would ask you, is Jesus your Lord AND Savior?  It makes a difference! 

THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF REVELATION

The Book of Revelation, unique in so many ways, contains two phrases which have always puzzled me:  "the seven Spirits" (v. 1:4), and "the seven Spirits of God" (v. 3:1; 4:5; 5:6).  It is clear from the rest of God's Word, that there is one Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 2:18; and especially Eph. 4:4).  When I checked to see if there were any clues in the original language, this is what I found:

*   "seven":  the Greek ἑπτά (hepta), is always translated "seven."
*   "Spirits":  the Greek πνεῦμα (pneuma), depending on the context, is translated "Spirit" (111x); "Holy Ghost" (89x); the human "spirit" (49x); and an evil "spirit" (47x).
*   "God":  the Greek θεός (theos), is always translated "God."

So, is there anything about the context in the four instances, where the phrase is used, that explains the meaning?  Let's see: 

*   Verse 1:4 - "John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before His throne."  The phrase "the throne" occurs twenty-seven times in Revelation and all those around it have chosen to serve the One seated upon it.  That would mean, like Jesus, the seven Spirits have humbled themselves (Phil. 2:5-8).

*   Verse 3:1 - "And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith He that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead."  Again, the seven Spirits are under the authority of the One on the throne.

*   Verse 4:5 - "And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire (see also Dan. 10:6) burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God."  The seven lamps are a metaphor for the seven Spirits.

*   Verse 5:6 - "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes (see also Zech. 3:9; 4:10), which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth."  The seven horns (horns represent power in the Word), and the seven eyes are also metaphors for the seven Spirits.

Perhaps the best explanation for the phrase is found in Isaiah 11:2, which reads, "And the spirit (1) of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the Spirit (2) of wisdom and (3) understanding, the Spirit (4) of counsel and (5) might, the Spirit (6) of knowledge and (7) of the fear of the LORD."

The seven-fold work of the Holy Spirit is:

Rest, Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Might, Knowledge, and Fear! 

HEBREWS 13:20-21 - AMEN!

I have always been amazed by how much of God's Word is condensed into two verses, written by the author of Hebrews as a doxology.  In Hebrews 13:20-21, we see that God wants peace with His creatures, and that He provided for that peace by raising Jesus from the dead.  Through Christ's leadership (our Shepherd), and through His blood as the satisfaction for our atonement, God has made The Way (Jn. 14:6) for us to "come home to our Father."  He is also transforming us into the image of His Son, and is using us to do His work here on earth.  Take the time to look up these verses and you will see that Hebrews 13:20-21 is the "Reader's Digest" version of God's Word!

"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (Heb. 13:20-21).

God of peace - Rom. 15:33; 16:20; 1 Cor. 14:33; 2 Cor. 13:11; Phil. 4:9; 1 Thes. 5:23.

Who raised Jesus - Acts 3:15; 4:10; 10:40; 13:30, 34; 17:31; Rom. 4:24; 8:11; 1 Cor. 6:14; 15:15; 2 Cor. 4:14; Gal. 1:1; Eph. 1:20; Col. 2:12; 1 Thes. 1:10; 1 Pet. 1:21

That great Shepherd - Isa. 40:11; Ezek. 34:12; 37:24; Jn. 10:11, 14; 1 Pet. 2:25; 5:4

The blood of the everlasting covenant - Gen. 9:16; 17:7, 13; Lev. 24:8; 2 Sam. 23:5; 1 Chron. 16:17; Ps. 105:10; Isa. 55:3; 61:8; Jer. 32:40; Ezek. 16:60; 37:26; Zech. 9:11; Heb. 10:29

Make you perfect - Jn. 17:23; Rom. 8:29; Gal. 3:2-3; Phil. 1:6; Col. 1:28; Heb. 10:14

In every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight - Jn. 6:29; 2 Cor. 9:8; Eph. 2:10; 3:20; Phil. 1:6; 2:13; Col. 1:29; 2 Tim. 2:21; 3:17

Through Jesus Christ - Rom. 1:8; 6:11, 23; 7:25; 15:17; 16:27; Gal. 3:14; Titus 3:6; 1 Pet. 4:11

To whom be glory for ever and ever - Mt. 6:13; Rom. 11:36; Gal. 1:5; Phil. 4:20; 1 Tim. 1:17; 2 Tim. 4:18

Amen - "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God" (Rev. 3:14).

Jesus is "The Amen" to the will of His Father!

IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE PERFECT?

Throughout Scripture (66 times in the O.T. and 57 times in the N.T.), God's Word speaks of perfection.  In Matthew 5:48, Jesus said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."  Synonyms for "perfect," are "holy" (Lev. 20:7; 1 Pet. 1:15-16), and "righteous" (2 Kg. 10:9; Mt. 6:33; Rev. 22:11).  Of course, God is perfect, we know that, but we also know that we are not (Rom. 3:23).  Neither are we holy (1 Sam. 2:2), nor are we righteous (Rom. 3:10).  That is the problem! 

While God's goal has always been for mankind to be "like Him," with the fall of Adam, man ceased to be like his Creator.  We read in Genesis 1:26, "And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness..."; but notice, following Adam's sin, his children were made in his likeness, not God's.  We read,  "And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth" (Gen. 5:3).  While we are not specifically told that Cain and Abel were born in Adam's likeness, we are told that Seth was.  Surely, if Seth was born in Adam's likeness, there should be no doubt that Seth's older brothers were as well.

So, how do you and I become perfect?  We don't!  For us to become perfect, we need to be perfected!  Philippians 1:6 says, "Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."  From the moment we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are born anew (Jn. 3:3-8; 2 Cor. 5:17).  It is then, that God begins transforming us into the likeness of His dear Son (Rom. 6:5; 1 Jn. 3:2).  Here is what the Word of the Lord has to say:

*  "For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified" (Heb. 10:14).
*  "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one..." (Jn. 17:23).
*  "To the general assembly and Church of the Firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect" (Heb. 12:23).
*  "Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect IN Christ Jesus" (Col. 1:28).
*  "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?  (Gal. 3:2-3).

Our perfection: 

"With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible."

Matthew 19:26

 

   

THE BOW OF THE ANTICHRIST

In Revelation 6:1, the four beasts, which are described in chapters four and five, tell John to "come and see."  He then writes, "And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer" (6:2).  Because of John's description of Christ at His Second Coming (Rev. 19), many believe the rider on the first of the four horses, is Jesus.  However, let's compare this verse with John's description of Christ at His return:

"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.  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.  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.  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.  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:11-16).

The only thing the two individuals have in common is that they ride white horses (the Greek λευκός (leukos), and ἵππος (hippos), meaning "white horse").  And while they both wear crowns, they are quite different.  The crown given to the Antichrist is the Greek στέφανος (stephanos), meaning "a wreath of victory."  His crown is made of organic material, and is therefore temporary.  The crowns of Christ are the Greek διάδημα (diadēma), meaning "the symbol of a king's authority."  These crowns are made of inorganic material, and are described as eternal (1 Pet. 5:4).  Praise God, they have replaced the crown of thorns He wore during His crucifixion!

Some believe the Antichrist carries a bow because he is going forth to conquer.  However, the Old Testament uses the same word for a weapon, and for a sign of peace.  A bow is a weapon (Gen. 27:3), and it is a sign of peace (Gen. 9:13).  Daniel describes his approach as being that of a person offering peace (Dan. 8:25; 11:21-24).  Notice that Christ is described as Faithful and True, and He comes to make war.  The Antichrist is a liar, and he will deceive many (Mt. 24:4-5, 11, 24; 2 Jn. 1:7; Rev. 13:14; 19:20)!

You can tell them apart by when they come.  The Antichrist comes "in peace" at the beginning of the Tribulation, and the Christ comes wielding a sword at the end of the Tribulation! 

SOUND ADVICE FOR GOOD STEWARDS

Read this and make a copy for your files in case you need to refer to it someday. Maybe we should all take some of his advice! A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his company:

1. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put 'PHOTO ID REQUIRED.'
2. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the 'For' line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.
3. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have It printed, anyone can get it.
4. Place the contents of your wallet on photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place.  I also carry a photocopy of my passport when I travel either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in stealing a Name, address, Social Security number, credit cards.. 
5. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.
6.. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).
7. Call the national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the Social Security fraud line number.

1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-62851-800-525-6285
2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742 1-888-397-3742
3.) Trans Union : 1-800-680 7289 1-800-680 7289
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THE BEGINNING AND THE END

Anyone even slightly familiar with the Bible, knows this verse:  "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1:1).  And yet, very few of those who claim to be Christians, are aware that the Scripture clearly states the creation of the Universe was the work of the Son of God (Jn. 1:3, 10; Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:1-2; Rev. 4:11).  Perhaps it is their unfamiliarity with the Word of God that makes many of them hesitant to declare that Jesus, being the Son of God, is God!  In His creative work, Jesus began His self-imposed submission of Himself to the Father, in that, He was acting under the direction of His Father (Eph. 3:9; Heb. 1:2).  Then Jesus initiated the Sabbath:

"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.  And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made" (Gen. 2:1-3).

On the day following the first Sabbath, Jesus "went back to work."  Genesis 2:4 reads, "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens."  The word "LORD" is from the Hebrew יְהֹוָה (Yĕhovah), which occurs 6519 times in 5521 verses in the Hebrew concordance of the KJV.  Few Christians, and even fewer Jews, would deny that the name Jehovah (Yehovah) refers to God.  And yet, Jehovah has to be the pre-incarnate Christ.  Here's why:

1)  Jehovah is "the first and the last" (cp. Isa. 44:6; 48: 11-12 w/ Rev. 1:8, 11, 17, 18; 22:13).
2)  People saw Jehovah (cp. Isa. 6:5 w/ Jn. 12:41).
3)  Jehovah was "pierced" (cp. Zech. 12:1-10 w/ Jn. 19:37; Rev. 1:7).
4)  Jehovah is the only Savior (cp. Isa. 43:10-11; 45:21 w/ Acts 4:10-12).
5)  Every knee shall bow to Jehovah (cp. Isa. 45:21-22 w/ Phil. 2:9-11).
6)  Jehovah will reign on this earth (cp. Isa. 24:23; Zeph. 3:15-17 w/ Rev. 19:11-20:15).
7)  Jehovah is the "I AM" (cp. Ex. 3:14-15 w/ Jn. 6:35; 8:12, 24, 58; 10:9, 11; 11:25; 14:6; 18:5-6).

Our God is big enough to finish what He has started, thank God (Phil. 1:6)!!!  

 

DOES JESUS KNOW YOU?

Jesus identified Himself as both Lord and Master (Jn. 13:13), and yet, He twice tells His disciples that He will reject some who come to Him addressing Him as "Lord" (Mt. 7:21; 25:11).  That seems to contradict statements made by the Apostles Peter and Paul.  In Acts 2:21, Peter said, "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."  Paul wrote, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. 10:13).  Since Scripture cannot contradict itself, there must be an explanation.  Let's look at the two passages:   

*   "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Mt. 7:21-23). 
*   "Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not" (Mt. 25:11-12).

In the first, Jesus is saying that He is "from Missouri."  It is easy to call Him Lord, but the proof of a relationship with Him, is the person's faithfulness at doing God's will.  And what is God's will when it comes to salvation?  He answered that very question by saying, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent" (Jn. 6:29).  Notice those rejected had come to Him declaring their "good works."  Ephesians 2:8-9 says this about "good works":  "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast."

In the second, a parable, Jesus was describing those awaiting His return (Second Coming), by comparing it to something familiar to them:  the Jewish wedding.  In it, the Bridegroom (Jesus) takes His bride (the Church) to His Father's house for the actually wedding ceremony (cp. Mt. 25:1-6; Jn. 14:1-3; Rev. 19:7-9).  Upon returning with His wife for the Marriage Supper (cp. Mt. 25:10; Rev. 19:7-9), those who knew it was His Second Coming (born again Jews - those with the oil - most believe it is the Holy Spirit), are allowed to enter.  Those without the oil, appear to be those who are still awaiting His First Coming (Jews who had not accepted the One whom God had already sent).

 

Those who know the Resurrected Messiah, are also known by Him (Jn. 10:27)!   

AN OUTLINE OF REVELATION

THE KEY VERSE:  Revelation 1:19 - "Write the things which thou hast seen (The Past), and the things which are (The Present), and the things which shall be hereafter (The Future)."

 

THE PAST
            CH 1:1-18  The source of the vision and the things which thou hast seen.

THE PRESENT

            CH 1:20-3:22  The things which are (The Church Age).

THE FUTURE

            CH 4:1-22:5  The things which must be hereafter.

 *   (EVENT ONE )

            CH 4:1  The picture of the Rapture (“Come up hither”).

 *   (EVENT TWO)

            CH 4:2-5:14  The throne room of God.

 *   (EVENT THREE)

            CH 6:1-7:17    The Six Seals (Stage one of the first half of the Tribulation).
            CH 8:1            The Seventh Seal (Silence in Heaven).
            CH 8:2-11:19  The Seven Trumpets (Stage two of the first half of the Tribulation).

 *   (EVENT FOUR)

            CH 12:1-13:6  The Conversion of Israel (The Midst of the Tribulation).

 *   (EVENT FIVE)

            CH 13:1-18:24  The Seven Vials (The last half of the Tribulation).

 *   (EVENT SIX)

            CH 19:1-10  The preparations for the Second Coming of Christ in Heaven.

 *   (EVENT SEVEN)

            CH 19:11-21  The Second Coming of Christ.

 *   (EVENT EIGHT)

            CH 20:1-15  The Millennium Kingdom of Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords.

 *   (EVENT NINE)

            CH 21:1-22:5  The Eternal presence of God.

 *   (EVENT TEN)

            CH 22:6-21  The Command to go warn humanity that He is coming again!

The Lamb who was slain, is coming again, and this time, He will be coming as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah!

RUSSIANS AND THE MUSLIM NATIONS

Have you ever wondered why the Bible associates the area we now know as Russia, with the Muslim nations of the world?  I am not saying I know why for sure, but it may have something to do with a significant event occurring about every thousand years of the world's seven thousand years of biblical history. 

Using Ussher's theory that the Creation occurred in about 4000 B.C. as a starting date, the major events would be:  3000 B.C. - The World-wide Flood; 2000 B.C. - The Call of Abraham; 1000 B.C. - The Anointing of David as King of Israel; "Zero" - The Crucifixion of Christ; and A.D. 1000 - The Schism Between the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Churches. 

Before I address "my guess" concerning the Russians and the Muslims, I would like to suggest that for A.D. 2000 - The Second Coming of Christ; and for A.D. 3000 - The New Heaven and the New Earth.  Remember, all of these millennia are approximates in relationship to the events.

In the year A.D. 1054, The Bishop of Rome (the Pope), and the Bishop of Constantinople (the Patriarch) excommunicated each other.  Forty-two years later, the first of the Crusades began, conducted by the Roman Catholic Church, against Muslims, pagans, heretics, and "people under the ban of excommunication."  Five hundred years later, Constantinople was conquered by the Muslims and became the capital of the Ottoman Empire. 

While the nation of Russia can only be historically connected to Turkey due to its connection to the Eastern Orthodox Church, that may be enough for it to align itself philosophically with Turkey, along with the Muslim nations of Iran, Libya, and Sudan, all of which are listed in Ezekiel 38:1-6.  For an explanation of this, see:  ( http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/proph/ezek38.htm). 

It appears that both religion and politics will create these "strange bed-fellows!"

SAVED FROM WHAT?

I have been thinking about the word "saved."  We toss it about without really giving it much of a thought; at least I know I do.  When we use the word, we usually are referring to someone being saved from something, such as a fire, a wild animal, a kidnapper, etc., but when believers use it in the biblical sense, from what is a soul being saved? 

I made a list of things from which God has saved people in the Bible:  capture, bondage, hunger, thirst, sickness, death, enemies, etc.  But, the most important use of the word has to do with a soul being saved from the penalty of his or her sin (Rom. 6:23).  Once we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ, we are also being saved from the power of sin (Acts 26:18; Col. 1:13: Jam. 4:7).

Born again believers (Jn. 3:3-8) are those who have responded to the Father's "tug" (Jn. 6:44-45).  They have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying, that is, the Gospel (Jn. 3:3-8; 14:15-18; 16:7-15; Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:3-4).  And, it is they who, believing in the resurrected Jesus, the One who is worthy to be both their Savior and their Lord, are constantly talking about salvation. 

Genuine Christians are born again believers who are the children of God; they have a relationship with their Creator (1 Jn. 3:1-2).  They are always ready to give their testimony about their own salvation (1 Pet. 3:15).  And, born again believers cannot help but be concerned for the billions of lost and dying souls in the world.  They are willing to give their lives, if need be, to preach the Gospel as Christ leads them (Mt. 18:11; 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15; Lk. 19:10; Acts 16:10; Rom. 1:15-16; 10:15).  Born again believers have their church door open to any and all who will come (Rev. 3:7-13).

On the other hand, those who are "Christians" in name only, are just like members of the rest of the world's religions:  they are merely being religious.  They remain children of their father (Jn. 8:44).  When, and if they actually do talk about "spiritual things," they are focused upon how one becomes a member of their congregation, the frequency of church attendance, the "dress code," the type of music the new song leader chooses, and most of all, the flaws in the theology of neighboring churches.  They are nothing more than an exclusive organization, much like the Masons.  "Christians" have their church closed and locked; they have become so focused upon "churchianity," that Jesus, Himself, is left outside (Rev. 3:14-22).

Saving lives is stuff of heroes; saving souls is the burden of believers!

   

THE WRATH OF GOD

Most of us have heard comments about the difference between the harsh God of the Old Testament, and the loving God of the New.  In fact, we all have probably viewed the God of Moses as being sort of the antithesis of the God of Jesus.  That view, however, is difficult to support from the Scriptures for two reasons:  1) there is only one God, a fact that is stated seven times in the Bible (Mal. 2:10; Mk. 12:32; Rom. 3:30; 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:6; 1 Tim. 2:5; Jam. 2:19); and 2) God is immutable, that is, God does not change (Ps. 15:4; Heb. 1:12; 6:17-18; 13:8).

It might be easier for us to view God as being like a two-sided coin.  On one side, God is pictured as the Holy Judge who sentences all men to death for their sin.  On the other side, God is love, as seen by the fact that He sent His only begotten Son to take our "death sentence."  These two views can be seen in a single verse:  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23)!  In other words, our "works" earn us a death sentence, but His Son's work on the cross of Calvary, allows Him to offer us the gift of eternal life!

The Just God is often known for His wrath.  The phrase, "the wrath of God," appears ten times in the entire Bible, and surprisingly, it appears only once in the Old Testament (Ps. 78:31).  Nine times in the New Testament, five of which are in the Book of Revelation, "the wrath of God" is presented (Jn. 3:36; Rom. 1:18; Eph. 5:6; Col. 3:6; Rev. 14:10, 19; 15:1, 7; 16:1). 

Those who view God as being "God is love" (1 Jn. 4:8, 16), are aware that there are two purposes for the biblical writers to warn us of God's wrath:  1) God is trying to prevent us from sinning; and 2) God is trying to bring to repentance those who ignored His warning.  In the Book of Revelation, John describes horrendous judgments on mankind, and then, almost mournfully, states that the world will refuse to "take the hint," and repent (Rev. 9:20, 21; 16:9, 11)!

It is inevitable that the "wrath of God" will result in many men, women, boys, and girls spending eternity in the Lake of Fire, but those who are cast into the torment intended for Satan, will have no one but themselves to blame:  God has faithfully warned them of His certain, and eternal, wrath!

"God's wrath" is both a warning, and a certainty for those who reject Jesus!  

DREAMS

The word "dream" appears seventy-nine times in the Old Testament (Gen. 30x, Dan. 22x, and 25x throughout the rest of the books).  With all the discussion about "dreams" in the Church today, I found it somewhat strange that "dream" only appears seven times in all of the New Testament, the last being at the birth of the Church on Pentecost (Acts 2:17).  And if, as Peter stated, what the Jews were seeing was the fulfillment of Joel 2:28, then why are students of prophecy so fascinated about them today.  I believe the answer is found in the context of the Joel reference. 

Joel 2:28-32 says, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.  And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call."

Peter interpreted "afterward" to mean "in the last days" (Acts 2:17).  It is my understanding that this phrase should be interpreted to include the Church Age and the Kingdom Age.  We know that verse twenty-eight applies to the Church Age because of Acts 2:16-17.  But the context does seem to be speaking of more than the event at Pentecost.  Joel 2:28-32 appears to be speaking of the Tribulation, which will follow the Rapture, Christ's removal of the Church (Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thes. 4:13-17).  Based upon Joel 2:30-31, dreams will continue throughout the Tribulation as we see them lasting until the signs in the Sun, Moon, etc. (cp. Mt. 24:29).  And, it is interesting that "whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord," from both the remnant of the Jews, and Gentiles alike, will be saved during both, the Church Age and Daniel's Seventieth Week, the Tribulation (Dan. 9:27; Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; 10:43; Rom. 10:13; 1 Jn. 4:15; 51).

This is just my interpretation, and is certainly not meant to be a statement of fact:  since "dreams" are only referenced to the Jews at the beginning of the Church Age, and because no reference to them is made anywhere else in the New Testament, "dreams" are not to be seen as authoritative for the Church; we have the New Testament.  And, although both Peter and John saw visions (Acts 10:17; Rev. 9:17), the New Testament had not yet been written.

If you have a dream, let it be measured by the Word of God.    

THE RAPTURE



The fact that God removes His children to a safe place above the destruction He is about to pour out on those in rebellion against Him, can be clearly seen from the Old Testament characters of Noah and Lot.  In Noah's case, the "waters...bare up the ark," and God's wrath occurred below in the waters.  In Lot's case, God sent His messengers to make sure Lot and his family were removed from the plain He was about to be destroy; at their bidding, Lot eventually went up into the nearby mountains.  And God, being no respecter of persons, has promised to do the same thing for His Church before the seven-year Tribulation, a.k.a. "the Time of Jacob's Trouble" (Jer. 30:7), and "Daniel's Seventieth Week" (Dan. 9:27). 

 

THE RAPTURE AS PICTURED BY NOAH AND LOT

*     "In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; and the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth." (Gen. 7:13, 17).
*     "And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.  And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters" (Gen. 19:29-30). 

JESUS PROMISES TO RETURN FOR HIS CHURCH

*     "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (Jn. 14:1-3).

 

THE APOSTLE PAUL PROMISES CHRIST WILL RETURN FOR HIS CHURCH

*     "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Cor. 15:51-52).
*     "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. " (1 Thes. 4:16-17).

 

THE ANGEL HAS THE APOSTLE JOHN SYMBOLIZE US GOING UP 

*     "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter" (Rev. 4:1).

Born again believers will soon see our "Ark," and our "Mountain" coming in the clouds!   

BELIEVE AND RECEIVE; TRY AND DIE

My salvation is the result of faith in what God has done for me, and not the result of anything I have done (Rom. 1:17; 6:23; 10:8-17; Eph. 2:8-10)!  My salvation is the result of my believing: 

*   Believing that I have been freed from the penalty of sin that was due me, because Jesus Christ paid the penalty for my sin (Rom. 3:23; 5:8; 6:23; Gal. 3:13; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Rev. 5:9; etc.);
*   Believing that I am being freed from the power of sin which is within me, because the Holy Spirit lives within me (Jn. 14:17; Rom. 7:14-25; 1 Jn. 1:8-10; 2:20, 27; 4:4; etc.);
*   Believing that eventually, I will be freed from the very presence of sin (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 8:12; 10:17; 1 Jn. 3:2; Rev. 20:6; etc.)! 

In order for me to be saved from the penalty of sin, the power of sin, and the very presence of sin, I must believe that:

1)  God exists and I am accountable to Him (Heb. 11:6; Rev. 20:11-15).

2)  God is Holy, and in order to fellowship with Him, I must be holy (Ps. 99:9; 1 Cor. 1:9; 3:17; Heb. 12:14; 1 Jn. 1:3).

3)  I am not holy (Lev. 10:10; Rom. 3:9, 23; 5:8; 11:32; Gal. 3:22).

4)  Nothing I can do will make me holy (Rom. 3:20, 27; 4:2-3; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:9).

5)  God has offered His Son's holiness to me (Isa. 53:6; Jn. 1:11-12; 3:14-18; 2 Cor. 5:21).

6)  When I humbly accept God's offer, and I trust in Jesus, I become holy (Rom. 5:8; 2 Cor. 5:21).

7)  Because I believe in the finished work of Christ on my behalf, His death, His burial, and His resurrection, I am saved (Rom. 1:16; 10:8-17; 1 Cor. 15:1-4)!

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you too will be saved (Act. 16:30-32)!