The Truth About Present Truth

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Therefore, I will not neglect to make you always mindful of these things, although you already know them and have been established in the present truth. (2 Pet 1:12)

present truth is eternal
present truth is eternal

The first chapter of Second Peter is full of instruction, and strikes the keynote of victory. The truth is impressed upon the mind by the way it is presented in this chapter. Let us more abundantly recommend the study of these words, and the practicing of these precepts (Letter 43, 1895). {7BC 942.9}

When it comes to Present Truth, we are not merely to preach new truths which people do not know, but we are also to preach the old truths with which they are already familiar. The doctrines in which they are well established are still to be proclaimed to them. Every wise preacher brings forth from the treasury of truth things both new and old; –new, that the hearers may learn more than they knew before; old, that they may know and practice better that which they do already know in part.

Traditionally, when people talk about present Truth, they get very busy detailing their latest beast watching, Pope speaking, Sunday Law panic and abject fear. Present Truth to most people is simply an aggressive diatribe of fear-mongering and stinging criticisms. The many people who loosely use quotes from Christian writers to “prove” their clouded theology seem to have no idea what the Bible actually says about present truth. They would rather use quotes from anywhere but the Bible to force their pain and misery on everyone around them. People who dare to question such things are quickly whipped with labels like “rejecting present truth,” just because they question the party line, and dare to suggest that present truth is about Jesus. Present truth is about the cross.

The Bible has only one place where the phrase Present Truth is mentioned. It is found in 2 Peter

Therefore, I will not neglect to make you always mindful of these things, although you already know them and have been established in the present truth. (2 Pet 1:12)

To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (2 Pet 1:1-4)

What a grand theme this is for contemplation–the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Contemplating Christ and His righteousness leaves no room for self-righteousness, for the glorifying of self. In this chapter there is no standstill. There is continual advancement in every stage of the knowledge of Christ {7BC 942.10}

By the looks of Scripture alone, it is starting to appear like “Present Truth” is primarily about “the righteousness of God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.” Yes, Jesus is involved in a great controvery between good and evil, between Himself and Satan. Yet the thins of Satan are not what God’s people are to dwell upon. By making the devil, the Pope, or Sunday law babble primary in our message, we are ruining present truth and turning it into somthing that it is not. Some of us so love to condemn others by stinging accusations of having rejected “present truth” just because they will not go for our personal version that is filled with religious invectives and fear-mongering that is not in the Bible.

According to Gal 6:14, and Eph 2:13, there is one great central truth to be kept ever before the mind in the searching of the scriptures, and that must be “Christ and Him crucified.” All other truths are invested with power and influence, according to their relationship to this theme.

Let us hold fast the profession of [our] faith without wavering; (for he [is] faithful that promised; (Heb 10:23)

God Behind All His Promises.

Promises are estimated by the truth of the one who makes them. Many people make promises only to break them, to mock the heart that trusted in them. Those who lean upon such people lean upon broken reeds. But God is behind the promises He makes. He is ever mindful of His covenant, and His truth endures to all generations {7BC 942.12}

2 Peter, chapter one is about present truth. It is the only place in the Bible where the phrase present truth is mentioned. Christians would do well to pay closer attention to these words. Now, in 2 Pet 1:12,the Apostle is saying that”for this reason” he will not be negligent to “remind us always of these things.” So let us briefly examine two items from that verse.

1/ “For This Reason” The Bible is telling us that we are to make our calling and election sure. Making our calling and election sure is what present truth is all about. When Peter says “for this reason,” he is referring to our calling and election in Christ:

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Pet 1:8-11)

That very entrance into the eternal kingdom, according to the next, has everything to do with God’s precious promises and the Bible calls them. We experimentally have a personal relationship experience with Jesus by His divine promises (2 Pet 1:4) which do give us even right now “a way to partake of the divine nature, and to escape all the corruption that is now in the world through wrong desires.

2/ The other thing that our text talks about here (2 Pet 1;12) is how even though we are already established in all of the present truth mentioned before Verse 12, we still need reminding, because in our mortal humanity, thats just how we are. And according to 2 Pet 1:16-21, Christ’s glory also is shown through the prophetic word, some of which we have yet to learn. This is why the Apostle says more than once in this chapter, that we need constant reminders. (see 2 Pet 1:15)

The reason that we need those “precious promises,” is also revealed to us in this chapter of the Bible.

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Pet 1:5-8)

How can this transformation mentioned in 2 Pet 1:5-7 be accomplished without God’s precious promises? As one Christian writer puts it, “we must NOW acquaint ourselves with God by proving His precious promises.” (Great Controversy, pg 632) THAT my friends is PRESENT TRUTH. Present truth is truth for right now. present truth is for the people of God now. Present truth is how we relate personally to Jesus and get to know Him.

Present Truth And The Prophetic Word

And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own private interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of humanity, but people spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Pet 1:19-21)

Even when it comes to Bible prophecy, Present truth is always primarily about our Lord Jesus Christ and His righteousness. Christ and Him crucified is the hallmark of all doctrines. Especially Bible prophecy. Could this be why God’s people say things like “Prophecy is not so much about History, as it is “HIS – Story.” This is why Peter said:

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. (2 Pet 1:16-18)

Here in 2 Pet 1:16 the Apostle talks about “the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,” and it is this glory and righteousness that He and the disciples had seen with their own eyes. (2 Pet 1:16-17) is where he says that they saw the confirmation by the Holy Spirit of Christ’s power and glory.

For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. (2 Pet 1:17-18)

Its truly a sad state of affairs to see all the beast watchers, Pope Sayers, and Sunday law groupies making such a big push with all their F.E.A.R (False Evidence Appearing Real) because they are rarely in the mood to discuss the central point of Present Truth. They prefer, like our modern media factories, to feed us with fear, and all of the great powers of our enemy, the devil. You can see this all over the internet.

In conclusion, the Apostle calls Bible prophecy “a light that shines in a dark place.” (2 Pet 1:19).

And we need to be careful what we tell people when it comes to Bible prophecy. As one Christian writer puts it, in some cases, we need to refrain from mentioning the more fearful aspects:

In these meetings we should not at first present doctrinal subjects, of which the hearers have no understanding. Hold the attention of the people by presenting the truth as it is in Jesus. The very first and most important thing is to melt and subdue the soul by presenting our Lord Jesus Christ as the sin-pardoning Savior. Keep before the people the cross of Calvary. What caused the death of Christ?–The transgression of the law. Show that Christ died to give men an opportunity to become loyal subjects of his kingdom. {GCDB, March 2, 1899 par. 23}

The Truth About Present Truth

It is always about Jesus. Jesus Himself is present truth.

The Truth as it is in Jesus

If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus. Ephesians 4:21. {LHU 153.1}

When prophets stood in defense of the truth, it was the word of God that was given to them. They understood the work of salvation to be accomplished by the Messiah to come. But after Christ came, after He died as man’s sacrifice, after the typical sacrifices were fulfilled by the Antitype, the old truth in the typical service was revealed more clearly. In Christ, the representative of the Father, a wonderful truth was revealed to the world. The light from the cross of Calvary, reflected back upon the Jewish age, gives character and significance to the whole Jewish economy; and on this side of the cross, in a special manner, we have the truth as it is in Jesus. Truth communicated through our Redeemer becomes indeed present truth. {LHU 153.2}

What a truth is presented as we gaze upon Jesus in connection with the cross of Calvary, as we see this Wonderful, this Counselor, this mysterious Victim, stooping beneath the amazing burden of our race! That the transgressor might have another trial, that people might be brought into favor with God the Father, the eternal Son of God interposed Himself to bear the punishment of transgression. One clothed with humanity, who was yet one with the Deity, was our ransom. The very earth shook and reeled at the spectacle of God’s dear Son suffering the wrath of God for man’s transgression. The heavens were clothed in sackcloth to hide the sight of the Divine Sufferer. {LHU 153.3}

It was the transgression of the law of God that made this suffering necessary. And yet men harbor the thought, and give expression to the suggestions of Satan through those who trample upon the law of God, that all this suffering was to make that law of none effect. Deceived and blinded by the great transgressor, they tell the people that there is no law, or that, if they keep the commandments of God in this dispensation, they have fallen from grace. What a delusion is this that Satan has fastened upon human minds! {LHU 153.4}

When the theory that the law of Jehovah is not binding upon the human family is adopted and taught, man is blinded to his terrible ruin. He cannot discern it. Then God has no moral standard by which to measure character, and to govern the heavenly universe, the worlds unfallen, and this fallen world. Could God have abolished the law in order to meet man in his fallen condition, and yet have maintained His honor as Governor of the universe, Christ need not have died. But the death of Christ is the convincing, everlasting argument that the law of God is as unchanging as His throne {LHU 153.5}

Present Truth is always about “Christ and Him crucified.”

It is not the ready speaker, the sharp intellect, that counts with God. It is the earnest purpose, the deep piety, the love of truth, the fear of God, that has a telling influence. A testimony from the heart, coming from lips in which is no guile, full of faith and humble trust, though given by a stammering tongue, is accounted of God as precious as gold; while the smart speech and eloquent oratory of the one to whom is intrusted large talents, but who is wanting in truthfulness, in steadfast purpose, in purity, in unselfishness, are as sounding brass and a tinkling symbol. He may say witty things, he may relate amusing anecdotes, he may play upon the feelings; but the Spirit of Jesus is not in it. All these things may please unsanctified hearts, but God holds in his hands the balances that weigh the words, the spirit, the sincerity, the devotion, and he pronounces it altogether lighter than vanity. {PH028 26.1}

The truly converted soul is illuminated by the light shining from the Sun of Righteousness. That light tells upon hearts, lightens the pathway, dispels the darkness, because it comes from Him who says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Let everyone, to a man, now rise, and let his “light so shine before men that they may see his good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven.” Do what you can, and do it at once, cheerfully, heartily, prayerfully, joyfully, not as unto men, but unto God. Settle it in your hearts that you are not on the earth to exalt self, to make a great name, but to sink self wholly out of sight in Jesus Christ. Let Jesus be lifted up. Let the great truths connected with the salvation of man be the theme of your meditation day and night. Your work, both by precept and example, is to hold forth the word of life, to seek with all your power to bring souls to the knowledge of the truth. {PH028 27.1}

Remember, Bible prophecy is called “a light in a dark place.” That kind of light has to be Jesus! In Christ alone will present truth be made known in all it’s fullness!

As the rays of the sun penetrate to the remotest corners of the globe, so God designs that the light of the gospel shall extend to every soul upon the earth. . . . At this time, when the enemy is working as never before to engross the minds of men and women, we should be laboring with increasing activity. Diligently, disinterestedly, we are to proclaim the last message of mercy in the cities–in the highways and byways. All classes are to be reached. As we labor we shall meet with different nationalities. None are to be passed by unwarned. The Lord Jesus was the gift of God to the entire world–not to the higher classes alone, and not to one nationality, to the exclusion of others. His saving grace encircles the world. Whosoever will, may drink of the water of life. A world is waiting to hear the message of present truth. {AG 338.5}

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. (Heb 13:8-9)

You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. (2 Pet 3:17-18)

Israel In Prophecy: Vol 2

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Israel In Prophecy: Vol 2

Christ is the reason we are now at peace. He made us Jews and you who are not Jews one people. We were separated by a wall of hate that stood between us, but Christ broke down that wall. By giving his own body, Christ ended the law with its many commands and rules. His purpose was to make the two groups become one in him. By doing this he would make peace. Through the cross Christ ended the hate between the two groups. And after they became one body, he wanted to bring them both back to God. He did this with his death on the cross. Christ came and brought the message of peace to you non-Jews who were far away from God. And he brought that message of peace to those who were near to God. Yes, through Christ we all have the right to come to the Father in one Spirit. So now you non-Jewish people are not visitors or strangers, but you are citizens together with God’s holy people. You belong to God’s family. (Eph 2:14-19)

Christ alone
Christ alone

Paul’s theology of Old Testament history is determined by his faith experience with the risen and glorified Christ Jesus.

In other words the full sense of The Old Testament Scriptures and types can only be properly understood by believers today from the position of faith in Christ. From the position of the cross in our lived experience. (Gal 6:14, Eph 2:13, Rev 12:10-11)

There is one great central truth to be kept ever before the mind in the searching of the Scriptures–Christ and Him crucified. Every other truth is invested with influence and power corresponding to its relation to this theme. The soul palsied by sin can be endowed with life only through the work wrought out upon the cross by the Author of our salvation. {FLB 50.2}

This is why Paul says in Gal 6:14 “God for I’d that I glory save in the cross of Jesus Christ my Lord.”

As Paul declared of his then Jewish contemporaries:

But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

Paul was clear in several ways, and he revealed in Scripture how that literal nation of Israel is not going to be complete without many others from other countries and cultures. 2 Corinthians 3:14-16 (KJV)This is why the Bible always talks about “every nation, kindred,tongue,and people when it talks about “the everlasting gospel.” (Rev 14:6-7,Rev 5:9, Acts 3:25,Mat 24:14, Dan 7:14,Psalms 67:2, Gen 22:18)

Paul stated in Rom 9:6

” its not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:” (Rom 9:6)

Many Christians adhere to an Israel Theology in the form of a rigid, inflexible system, closed to new information or more accurate facts. Presenting us all with a major puzzle. Such are stoically insting on a hardened view regarding their tortuous dichotomy of Israel and the church. They insist on their version of a “Biblical” classification that they say is made up of two opposing parts. (dichotomy) In this type of world view regarding Israel, the Church, and Bible prophecy, the Church really, can only hope for Heaven. While Israel, can only hope, apparently, for “Palestine” as their respective eternal inheritance. Yet the Bible says

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most miserable. (1 Cor 15:9)

Stand With Israel adherents provide no hope for the future life, as they clamor about with their dogmatic, sometimes very militant tortuous views on Israel in Bible Prophecy. It is easy to support their views by scripture alone. But not when they take just one or two texts in isolation from the rest of the Bible. “The rest of The Bible” tells us quite a different story as we have already seen above. Jesus Himself always taught that

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Mat 24:14)

Jesus said that before he returns, the Good News about the Kingdom (the message of salvation) would be preached throughout the world. Not just to the literal nation of Israel. The Bible is clear when it says

“every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.”

THAT my friends includes both Palestinians and literal Israel, Gentiles and everyone in between.

This was the disciples’ mission—and it is ours today. Jesus talked about the end times and final judgment to show his followers the urgency of spreading the Good News of salvation to everyone. All countries. All kingdoms. Every language. No one will be left out according to the everlasting gospel! Jesus said that before he returns, the Good News about the Kingdom (the message of salvation) would be preached throughout the world. This was the disciples’ mission—and it is ours today. Jesus talked about the end times and final judgment to show us all today the urgency of spreading the Good News of salvation to everyone who receives Jesus. (John 1:12)

In Scripture we are told how Jeremiah had related what God promised Israel. Israel was and is promised “a new covenant” whereby each Israelite would be able to know Jesus personally, through the forgiveness of sins. (Jer 31:31-34) The cross was central to ancient Israel as well. (Gen 3:15, Isa 45:24-25, Gal 6:14, Eph 2:13). God did/does state one main condition for this promise. You see, in The Old Covenant, so called, God gave the ten commandments, and the people responded by sayin “all that you have said Lord, we will do.” (Exodus 19:8) But when the people utterly failed to keep their promise, God put into play “a better promise” (Heb 8:6) That “better promise is found in Jeremiah:

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. (Jer 31:33)

The people, in trying to promise something they could not deliver, showed how they had serious “I” trouble. They wanted to be like God by trying to do what God would have to do. God’s reply was to direct them to the promise that he Himself would write His law on our hearts. This is the very gospel blessing that Jesus offers to both Jew and Gentile. Through the cross, the resurrection, and and His exaltation as The King Of Israel. (Acts 5:31). All. “Every nation, kindred, tongue, and people,” are welcome to partake of this “precious promise.” (2 Pet 1:3-4)

Today, Christians around the world look for a “better promise” than any literal country here on earth:

All these great people continued living with faith until they died. They did not get the things God promised his people. But they were happy just to see those promises coming far in the future. They accepted the fact that they were like visitors and strangers here on earth. When people accept something like that, they show they are waiting for a country that will be their own. If they were thinking about the country they had left, they could have gone back. But they were waiting for a better country—a heavenly country. So God is not ashamed to be called their God. And he has prepared a city for them. (Heb 11:13-16, ERV)

Israel In Bible Prophecy, Part 1

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The Cross of Christ Moves the World Not Israel

I don’t mean that God failed to keep his promise to the Jewish people. But only some of the people of Israel are really God’s people. And only some of Abraham’s descendants are true children of Abraham. This is what God said to Abraham: “Your true descendants will be those who come through Isaac.” This means that not all of Abraham’s descendants are God’s true children. Abraham’s true children are those who become God’s children because of the promise he made to Abraham. (Rom 9:6-8)

Christ our light, not Israel
Christ our light, not Israel

No matter what subject, regardless of which doctrine, it is always and only going to be about the cross. All other truths are invested with power and influence, according to their relation to this theme. “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” (Gal 6:14) That especially includes Israel in prophecy.

Israel in Bible prophecy actually shows us how and when “every nation, kindred, tongue, and people” will get a chance to embrace “the everlasting gospel.” (Rev 14:6-7)

The cross of Calvary challenges, and will finally vanquish every earthly and hellish power. In the cross all influence centers, and from it all influence goes forth. It is the great center of attraction; for on it Christ gave up His life for the human race. This sacrifice was offered for the purpose of restoring man to his original perfection. Yea, more, it was offered to give him an entire transformation of character, making him more than a conqueror. {6BC 1113.3} (Compare Gal 6:14)

Christ declares, “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” If the cross does not find an influence in its favor, it creates an influence. Through generation succeeding generation, the truth for this time is revealed as present truth. Christ on the cross was the medium whereby mercy and truth met together, and righteousness and peace kissed each other. This is the means that is to move the world (MS 56, 1899). {6BC 1113.5}

Paul’s Epistle “to the saints in Ephesus” (Eph 2:11,17, Eph 4:17) enlightens our understanding of the special relationship of Israel and The Church. Written specifically to Gentile Christians, at that time, the Apostle informs them that the integration of the Gentile believers into Israel, as sons and daughters/heirs of God was not just a matter of divine afterthought. It was not some kind of mistake. It is all part of God’s plan (Eph 1:5,11) from “before the creation of the world.” (Eph 1:4). The Bible explains how that BOTH Jewish and Gentile children of God would be would be united forever “under one head, even Christ.” (Eph 1:10) To be a true Christian today, we must live from the knowledge that all can now take part in Israel’s covenant blessings. No matter what the nationality. Through “the everlasting gospel” (Rev 14:6-7) Christians of all stripes may receive “citizenship in Israel” and to rejoice in the very same hope that the tiny nation of Israel does. (Eph 2:12, Eph 4:4)

So now you non-Jewish people are not visitors or strangers, but you are citizens together with God’s holy people. You belong to God’s family. You believers are like a building that God owns. That building was built on the foundation that the apostles and prophets prepared. Christ Jesus himself is the most important stone in that building. (Eph 2:19-20, ERV)

It was through the cross, “Christ and Him crucified:”

I decided that while I was with you I would forget about everything except Jesus Christ and his death on the cross (1 Cor 2:2, ERV).

In like kind, all prophecy is about the cross. Prophecy is HIS – Story. Prophecy is the story of Jesus. Always. “Christ and Him crucified,” is the story in all the parts of ‘the everlasting gospel. When we talk about Israel in Bible prophecy, we cannot avoid also talking about the cross. After all, we are not “saved” by being a citizen of any literal country in this world. ALL are saved by the cross. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Whether literal Israel, or one of the “Gentile” nations. (Eph 2:13, Gal 6:14, etc) “Christ and Him crucified,” and ALL other truths are invested with power and influence, according to their relation to this theme.” (1 Cor 2:2)

Through the cross, Jesus has reconciled BOTH Jews and Gentiles are saved by the blood of Christ. (Eph 2:16) This had been God’s plan all along the ages. That’s why the Bible says how “Christ is the reason we are now at peace. (John 14:27) He made us Jews and you who are not Jews one people. We were separated by a wall of hate that stood between us, but Christ broke down that wall. By giving his own body,Christ ended the law with its many commands and rules. His purpose was to make the two groups become one in him. By doing this he would make peace.

Through the cross Christ ended the hate between the two groups. And after they became one body, he wanted to bring them both back to God. He did this with his death on the cross. (Eph 2:14-16 ERV) Christ’s mission was and is the formation of a Messianic Israel, made up of al believers from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people” (Rev 14:6) thereby making for peace” (Eph 2:15) Christ’s mission of peace was and is realized through the shed blood of Christ, (Eph 2:16) and commissioned to be proclaimed by “God’s holy prophets and apostles.” (Eph 3:5)

And this is the secret truth: that by hearing the Good News, those who are not Jews will share with the Jews in the blessings God has for his people. They are part of the same body as Israel, (Jews), and they share in the same promise God made through Christ Jesus. (Eph 3:6) Everyone on earth shares in the promise of the gospel. God does not leave anyone out. All are invited to the “kingdom of God.” (1 Thes 2;12, Luke 17:21)

God’s plan was not revealed to previous generations, not because God wanted to keep something from his people, but because he would reveal it to everyone in his own perfect timing. God planned to have Jews and Gentiles comprise one body, the church. It was known in the Old Testament that the Gentiles would receive salvation (Isa 49:6) but it was never revealed in the Old Testament that all Gentile and Jewish believers would become equal in the body of Christ. Yet this equality was accomplished when Jesus destroyed the “wall of hostility” and created “one new people” (Eph 2:14-16).

Paul is stressing to us today, by mentioning the word “together” three times just in (Eph 3:6) When Paul said “together” here he was referring to how both Jewish and Gentile Christians are totally equal within Israel and The Covenant promise. (in the original language it is even more conspicuous: synklerinoma, syssoma, symmetocha). We can therefore assume that no theological system is justified in somehow trying to rebuild the dividing wall between Jews and Gentile,or  between Israel and the Church.

The grand reception of Gentiles into the household of Israel has sometimes been compared to the reception of the prodigal son into his Father’s house, in Jesus’ parable. (Luke 15:11-32) That father embraced the lost son when he returned home in shame, while the elder son strongly begrudged the Father’s generosity. So too must the largely Gentile Church in Paul’s time realize that Gentiles have entered into the house of Israel as if they would in their Father’s house and are entitled, by the cross to partake fully of Israel’s covenants as “fellow citizens and heirs.” (Rom 8:17) The Sonship of Gentiles is the adoption into an already existing household.

Paul differentiates between “we who were the first to hope in Christ,” (Eph 1:12) meaning the Israelites, and then the Gentiles, who were called “aliens” “without hope, and without God in the world,” (Eph 2:12) Of the Jews he said “we” were predestined in Christ “for the praise of His glory.” (Eph 1:12). Of Gentiles he says: “and you also were included in Christ…to the praise of His glory.” (Eph 1:13-14) BOTH Jews and Gentiles are called “in Christ” to the very same destiny. To praise God’s glory. Paul stresses in Ephesians chapter one the assuring concept that Christ carried out, and that The Spirit simply revealed, all that God had chosen in eternity.

The cross was the preconceived plan appointed for the salvation of BOTH Jews and Gentiles within one body, including some literal Israelites, but also many “Gentiles” or non-Israelites. Collectively can just be called “the Church.” The united worship of God by both Jews and Gentiles into one body, not any literal nation, but rather, all believers, as a whole, from all over the world. Such a joining together is not to be thought of as some sort of temporary fix for an emergency situation caused by the rejection of Christ by the Jewish nation of Israel.

THIS uniting of two previously separated branches of the human race is a mystery, and yet is the very substance and essence of God’s eternal plan. Meaning, “the everlasting gospel.” (Rev 14:6-7). “Everlasting” means that it is not only just literal Jews, from one place only. It means people from all over the world. The gospel is not just for one race only. otherwise, it would not be and “everlasting” gospel. This was revealed in principle, although never on such a scale and never with such clarity as in the various prophetic writings of Israel.

The gospel of Christ was not fully disclosed in any of Israel’s prophetic writings. (Eph 3:5, Rom 1:2, Rom 16:25-26). It was mostly  understood dimly during the times before Christ. (1 Pet 1:10-12, Luke 24:15-15,44). In the light of God’s new revelation in Christ, the Apostles were able to properly understand God’s eternal plan of salvation, covering ‘every nation, kindred, tongue, and people,” as described, in it’s universal scope and to fully grasp it’s Christ-centered structure in all it’s bearings within the classic gospel text from Rev 14:6-7. (see also Eph 1:9-10, 2 Cor 3:13-18)

Hanging upon the cross Christ was the gospel.

Now we have a message,

“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.”

Will not our church members keep their eyes fixed on a crucified and risen Savior, in whom their hopes of eternal life are centered? This is our message, our argument, our doctrine, our warning to the impenitent, our encouragement for the sorrowing, the hope for every believer. If we can awaken an interest in men’s minds that will cause them to fix their eyes on Christ, we may step aside, and ask them only to continue to fix their eyes upon the Lamb of God. They thus receive their lesson. Whosoever will come after Me, let them deny themselves, and take up their cross, and follow Me. Anyone whose eyes are fixed on Jesus will leave all. They will die to selfishness. They will believe in all the Word of God, which is so gloriously and wonderfully exalted in Christ.(6BC 1113.1}

All things are made by and sustained by Christ. All things in the universe will finally be reunited and once again fully integrated into one, organic whole by Him, on the basis of His reconciling shed blood at the cross. (Col 1:20) This cosmic unity of heaven and Earth has now been achieved in Christ (Eph 1:22) and therefore signifies also the decisive end of racial barriers of every kind in Abraham’s true seed (lineage) and Israel’s spiritual household before God. (Eph 2:16-22) All eyes are not, or should not be on “Israel” but on Jesus, and His Messianic Israel by which He has fully welcomed Gentile Christians into Israel, as fully equal, fellow citizens.

And the Spirit himself speaks to our spirits and makes us sure that we are God’s children. (John 1:12)

If we are God’s children, we will get the blessings God has for his people. He will give us all that he has given Christ. But we must sometimes suffer like Christ suffered. Then we will be able to share his glory. (Rom 8:16-17)

God loves His obedient children. He has a kingdom prepared, not for disloyal subjects, but for His children whom He has tested and tried in a world marred and corrupted by sin. As obedient children, we have the privilege of relationship with God. “If children,” He says, “then heirs” to an immortal inheritance. Christ and His people are one. {6BC 1077.8}

If You Really Want To Be Scared Try This!

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Don’t call something a rebellious plot, just because they do, and don’t be afraid of something, just because they are (Isa 8:12, CEV)

Dont fear their fears
Dont fear their fears

For the people of Judah, fear of invasion was a constant threat. They had powerful enemies on their doorstep. Yet Isaiah said, “The LORD of Heaven’s Armies . . . is the one you should fear . . . He will keep you safe.” Fear is a powerful enemy of our faith and a strong deterrent to the believer’s peace of mind. Fear of war, terrorist attacks, disease, and pollution can rob us of our trust in God. God is always going to be our shelter and hiding place:

…the LORD will cover the whole city and its meeting places with a thick cloud each day and with a flaming fire each night. God’s own glory will be like a huge tent that covers everything. It will provide shade from the heat of the sun and a place of shelter and protection from storms and rain.(Isa 4:5-6).

God’s Spirit clearly says that in the last days many people will turn from their faith. They will be fooled by evil spirits and by teachings that come from demons. They will also be fooled by the false claims of liars whose consciences have lost all feeling. (1 Tim 4:1)

There will be false dreams and false visions, which have some truth, but lead away from the original faith. The Lord has given people a rule by which to detect them: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Isa 8:16-20) If they belittle the law of God, if they pay no heed to His will as revealed in the testimonies of His Spirit, they are deceivers. They are controlled by impulse and impressions which they believe to be from the Holy Spirit and consider more reliable than the Inspired Word. They claim that every thought and feeling is an impression of the Spirit; and when they are reasoned with out of the Scriptures, they declare that they have something more reliable. But while they think that they are led by the Spirit of God, they are in reality following an imagination wrought upon by Satan.{7BC 952.2}

Ask Jesus to drive inappropriate fear from your heart and to help you fear only to not be in a right relation to Him. (John 14:6, John 17:3)

The Divine Touch Needed

The gospel is now resolutely opposed on every hand. Never was the confederacy of evil greater than at the present time. The spirits of darkness are combining with human agencies to set them firmly against the commandments of God. Traditions and falsehoods are exalted above the Scriptures; reason and science above revelation; human talent above the teachings of the Spirit; forms and ceremonies above the vital power of godliness. We need the divine touch {4BC 1142.1}

The Angel of Revelation 18

The prophecies in the eighteenth of Revelation will soon be fulfilled. During the proclamation of the third angel’s message, “another angel” is to “come down from heaven, having great power,” and the earth is to be “lightened with his glory.” The Spirit of the Lord will so graciously bless consecrated human instrumentalities that men, women, and children will open their lips in praise and thanksgiving, filling the earth with the knowledge of God, and with His unsurpassed glory, as the waters cover the sea. {7BC 983.9}

And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.(Rev 18:1)

Every merchant on earth will mourn, because there is no one to buy their goods. (Rev 18:11)

If there is anything which will draw from the people of this generation a sincere cry of distress, it is that which touches their treasures. There is a fitness in this retribution. They who but a short time before had issued a decree that the saints of God should neither buy nor sell, now find themselves put under the same restriction in a far more effective way.

The wicked are filled with regret, not because of their sinful neglect of God and their fellow men, but because God has conquered. They lament that the result is what it is; but they do not repent of their wickedness. They would leave no means untried to conquer if they could. The world see the very class whom they have mocked and derided, and desired to exterminate, pass unharmed through pestilence, tempest, and earthquake. He who is to the transgressors of His law a devouring fire, is to His people a safe pavilion. {GC 654.2,3}

Jesus accepted everything as coming from our Father in Heaven. (Rom 8:28, etc)  If you accept everything as coming from Jesus, you too may enter into the joy of your Lord. (Neh 8:10)

IF you really want to be very afraid, fear their fears. Have the same goals as them. Agree with them. Let them distract you from the Word of God. Let them come between you and Jesus…if you really want to be very afraid.

Putin’s Numbered Days: God Is There

Reading Time: 2 minutes
God is in control
God is in control

Today “the news” has articles in it about events in Russia/Ukraine that are portentous, and signal to us that something is happening, maybe a few cracks in the murdering military forces?As Christians, we can spread the hope that God is in control of the affairs of nations, and rulers, and of everyone:

He changes the times and seasons. He gives power to kings, and he takes their power away. He gives wisdom to people, so they become wise. He lets people learn things and become wise. (Dan 2:21)

To understand these things,–to understand that “righteousness exalts a nation;” that “the throne is established by righteousness,” and “upholden by mercy;” to recognize the outworking of these principles in the manifestation of His power who “removes kings, and sets up kings,”– this is to understand the philosophy of history. Prov 14:34; Prov 16:12; Prov 20:28; Dan 2:21. {PK 502.2}

In the word of God only is this clearly set forth. Here it is shown that the strength of nations, as of individuals, is not found in the opportunities or facilities that appear to make them invincible; it is not found in their boasted greatness. It is measured by the fidelity with which they fulfill God’s purpose. {PK 502.3}

An unconscious babe was the promised seed, to whom the first altar at the gate of Eden pointed. This was Shiloh, the peace giver. This was He whom seers had long foretold. He was the Desire of all nations, the Root and the Offspring of David, and the Bright and Morning Star. {FLB 47.6}

Anyone seeks to quench their thirst at the fountains of this world will drink only to thirst again. Everywhere men are unsatisfied. They long for something to supply the need of the soul. Only One can meet that want. The need of the world, “the desire of all nations,” is Christ. The divine grace which He alone can impart, is as living water, purifying, refreshing, and invigorating the soul. {FLB 99.4}

Those who seek to quench their thirst at the fountains of this world will drink to thirst again. Everywhere men are unsatisfied. They long for something to supply the need of the soul. Only One can meet that want. The need of the world, “the Desire of all nations,” is Christ. The divine grace which He alone can impart, is as living water, purifying, refreshing, and invigorating the soul. {AG 119.2}

Please Pray for all countries involved. They need our support.

SPIRITUALISM AND THE CHURCH Part Two

Reading Time: 13 minutes

If the dead are completely insensate, with whom or what do spiritualist mediums communicate? Every honest person will admit that at least some of these phenomena are fraudulent; but others cannot be explained as such. There obviously is some supernatural power connected with spiritualism.

What does the Bible teach on this point?

peace and truth
peace and truth

THE BASIS OF SPIRITUALISM.

Spiritualism originated with Satan’s first lie to Eve-“‘You will not surely die’” (Gen 3:4). His words were the first sermon on the immortality of the soul. Today, throughout the world, religions of all sorts unwittingly repeat this error. For many,the divine sentence that “the soul who sins shall die.”

And today we have popular preachers rebelling against the Word and making it out to mean “the soul that sins will not surely die. (we are all sinners). (Rom 3:23). Ezekiel 18:20 has been reversed to say “the soul, even though it sins, shall live eternally and go straight to heaven before the resurrection.” (…………) The reference brackets are empty for that sentence because there is not a single verse in the Bible to prove this dogma of the popular churches.

This erroneous doctrine of natural immortality has led to belief of consciousness in death. Even though the Bible says

“the dead know not anything.” (Eccl 9:4-6)

As we have seen, these positions of our most admired preachers, priests, pastors, etc directly contradict the Biblical teaching on this subject. These new age spiritualistic beliefs were incorporated into the Christian faith from pagan philosophy. Particularly that of Plato-during the time of the great apostasy. See Eph 2:19-22. These beliefs became the prevailing view within Christianity and continue to be the dominant view today.

Belief that the dead are conscious has prepared many Christians to accept modern-day spiritualism in all of its forms and guises. If the dead are alive and in the presence of God, why could they not return to earth as ministering spirits? (Heb 1:14). And if they can, why not try to communicate with them to receive their counsel and instruction, to avoid misfortune, or to receive comfort in sorrow?

Building on this line of reasoning, Satan and his angels (Rev 12:4,Rev 12:9) have established a channel of communication with the spirit world of the devil through which they can accomplish their deception. Through such means as spiritualistic seances, (Gen 3:4) they impersonate departed loved ones, bringing supposed comfort and assurance to the living. At times they predict future events,which, when proved to be accurate, seems to give them credibility. Then the dangerous heresies they proclaim take on the aura of authenticity, even though they contradict the Bible and God’s law. Having removed the barriers against evil, Satan has free rein to deceive and to lead people away from God and to certain evils that God has condemned in His Word.

WARNING AGAINST SPIRITUALISM.

No one need be deceived by spiritualism. The Bible clearly exposes its claims as false. As we have seen, the Bible tells us that the dead do not know anything, that they lay unconscious in the grave. The Bible also strongly forbids any attempt to communicate with the dead or the spirit world. It says that those who claim to communicate with the dead, as spiritualistic mediums do today, are actually communicating with “familiar spirits” (Deut 18:10-11) that are “spirits of devils.” that actually work real miracles that we will believe if we do not accept what the Bible says on this point. (Rev 16:4).

What if someone you know who died came to you all of a sudden and said they did not in fact die? The Lord said these activities were abominations, and that those who perpetrated them were to be punished. (Lev 19:31; Lev 20:27; Deu 18:10-11).

Isaiah expressed well the gross error of spiritualism:

“When they say to you, ‘Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,’ should not a people seek their God?

Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isa 8:19-20).

There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, an observer of clouds, or a fortune-teller, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or one who calls to the dead.(Deut 18:10-11)

Only the teachings of the Bible can safeguard Christians against this overwhelming deception that will test every person on the planet. The first lie (Gen 3:4)will be the last lie upon which everyone will be tested. (Rev 3:10)

MANIFESTATIONS OF SPIRITUALISM.

The Bible records a number of spiritualistic activities-from the magicians of Pharaoh and the magicians, astrologers, and sorcerers of Nineveh and Babylon to the witches and mediums of Israel-and condemns them all. The Bible even says that “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.” (1 Sam 15:23).

Recall the “familiar spirit” seance that the witch of Endor conjured for Saul. Scripture says, “When Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets” (1 Sam 28:6). God, then, had nothing to do with what happened at Endor. Saul was deceived by a demon impersonating the dead prophet Samuel; he never saw the real Samuel. The witch saw the form of an old man while Saul only “perceived” or concluded that it was Samuel. (1 Sam 28:14).

If we are to believe that that apparition truly was Samuel, we must be prepared to believe that witches, wizards,necromancers, sorcerers, spiritualists, or mediums can call the righteous dead from wherever they go when they die. We must also then accept that the godly Samuel existed in a conscious state in the earth, because the old man ascended “out of the earth” (1 Sam 28:13). This seance apparently brought Saul despair, not hope. The next day Saul committed suicide (1 Sam 31:4). Yet the so-called “Samuel” had predicted that on that day Saul and his sons would be with him (1 Sam 28:19). If he were correct, we would have to conclude that after death the disobedient Saul and the righteous Samuel dwelt together!

Instead, we must conclude that an evil angel brought about the deceptive events that occurred at this seance.

BIBLE PROPHECY AND SPIRITUALISM

The Final Delusion.

In the past the manifestations of spiritualism were confined to the realm of the occult, but more recently spiritualism has taken on a much more “Christian” appearance so that it might deceive the Christian world better. In professing to accept Christ and the Bible, spiritualism has become an extremely dangerous enemy to believers. Its effects are very subtle and deceptive. Through the influence of spiritualism “the Bible is interpreted in a manner that is pleasing to the unrenewed heart, while its solemn and vital truths are made of no effect.

Love, so called, is dwelt upon as the chief attribute of God, but it is degraded to a cheap, weak sentimentalism, making little distinction between good and evil. (Ezekiel 22:26 , Acts 15:9). God’s justice, His denunciations of sin, the requirements of His holy law, are all kept out of sight by such teachings that God condemns. The people are taught to regard the Decalogue as a dead letter while pleasing, bewitching fables captivate the senses and lead people to reject the Bible as the foundation of their faith. Through this means right and wrong become relative and each person, or situation, or culture becomes it’s own norm as to what is “truth.” (Judges 17:6, Judges 21:25, Deut 12:8, Prov 12:15, Prov 21:2). In essence each person becomes their own god, fulfilling Satan’s promise that “ye shall be as gods” and “ye shall NOT surely die.” (Gen 3:5, KJV ).

Before us is “the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” (Rev 3:10). Satan is about to use great signs and miracles in his final effort to deceive the world. These will be real miracles! They wont be fake magic. Speaking of this masterful delusion, John said:

“I saw three unclean spirits like frogs. They are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Rev 16:13-14; Rev 13:13-14).

Only those who are kept by the power of God,(1 Pet 1:5) having their minds fortifed with the truths of Scripture, accepting it as their only authority, will be able to escape. All others have no protection and will be swept away by this delusion.

THE FIRST AND SECOND DEATHS.

The second death is the final punishment of unrepentant sinners all whose names are not written is the book of life-that takes place at the end of the 1000 years (see Rev 21:1-5). From this death there is no resurrection. With the destruction of Satan and the unrighteous, sin is eradicated and death itself is “the last enemy to be destroyed.” (1 Cor 15:26; Rev 20:14; Rev 21:8).

Christ has given the assurance that everyone “‘who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death’” (Rev 2:11). Based on what Scripture has designated the second death, we can assume that the first death is what every person-except those who are translated-experiences as a result of Adam’s transgression. It is the normal outworking on humanity of the degenerative effects of sin.

Fearful sights of a supernatural character will soon be revealed in the heavens, in token of the power of miracle-working demons. The spirits of devils will go forth to the kings of the earth and to the whole world, to fasten them in deception, and urge them on to unite with Satan in his last struggle against the government of heaven. By these agencies, rulers and subjects will be alike deceived. Persons will arise pretending to be Christ Himself, and claiming the title and worship which belong to the world’s Redeemer. They will perform wonderful miracles of healing and will profess to have revelations from heaven contradicting the testimony of the Scriptures. {DD 41.3}

THE CROWNING DECEPTION

For such ones are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. Did not even Satan marvelously transform himself into an angel of light? Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. (2 Cor 11:13-15)

As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Savior’s advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. Revelation 1:13-15. The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air:

“Christ has come! Christ has come!”

The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed His disciples when He was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Savior uttered; he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name by refusing to listen to his angels sent to them with light and truth. This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion. Like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon Magus, the multitudes, from the least to the greatest, give heed to these sorceries, saying: This is “the great power of God.” Acts 8:10. {DD 41.4}

But the people of God will not be misled. The teachings of this false christ are not in accordance with the Scriptures. His blessing is pronounced upon the worshipers of the beast and his image, the very class upon whom the Bible declares that God’s unmingled wrath shall be poured out. {DD 42.1}

Some time ago when I was selling Bible books door to door, I had an appointment with a lady to study the prophecies of Daniel and The Revelation. When the day came to do this visit, I knocked on the door and waited. After what seemed like forever, she answered the door and asked me to come in. It was obvious that she was very distressed and had been crying. As it turned out, she had just lost her two young daughters just two weeks ago, in a nasty car accident. I even started crying because it was really a horrible thing.

But when I asked her what upsets her the most, this is exactly what she said:

“Now I will never get to see my girls again. They are gone forever.”

I told her at some point that we don’t need to study prophecy today, lets just look at something you might find encouraging. When I told her about the Hope of the resurrection,she and I both had tears again. She was just so happy to hear that she would see her girls again, and that she didnt have to worry about them already being in heaven and crying because they miss their Mom, and because they can see her crying and screaming in spiritual anguish and moral outrage. Like the passage says:

“I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”(1 Thes 4:13)

In the meantime, let us be assured by the following point:

Bible prophecy eventually leads to the point where sin and sinners no longer exist and it is my prayer that all who are reading this will be included in that number.

Satan came as an angel of light in the wilderness of temptation to deceive Christ; and he does not come to man in a hideous form, as he is sometimes represented, but as an angel of light. He will come personating Jesus Christ, working mighty miracles; and men will fall down and worship him as Jesus Christ. We shall be commanded to worship this being, whom the world will glorify as Christ. What shall we do? Tell them that Christ has warned us against just such a foe, who is man’s worst enemy, yet who claims to be God; and that when Christ shall make His appearance, it will be with power and great glory, accompanied by ten thousand times ten thousand angels and thousands of thousands; and that when He shall come, we shall know His voice (RH Dec. 18, 1888). {6BC 1105.11}

AN UNFAILING TEST. (Mat 7:15; 2 Thes 2:7-12.) Satan has come down in these last days to work with all deceivabelness of unrighteousness in them that perish. His satanic majesty works miracles in the sight of false prophets, in the sight of men, claiming that he is indeed Christ Himself. Satan gives his power to those who are aiding him in his deceptions; therefore those who claim to have the great power of God can only be discerned by the great detector, the law of Jehovah. The Lord tells us if it were possible they would deceive the very elect. The sheep’s clothing seems so real, so genuine, that the wolf can be discerned only as we go to God’s great moral standard and there find that they are transgressors of the law of Jehovah {6BC 1106.1}

PREPARING FOR THE FINAL ACT

This world is like a theater. The actors, the inhabitants of the world, are preparing to act their part in the last great drama. God is lost sight of. There is no unity of purpose, except as parties of men confederate to gain their ends. God is looking on. His purposes in regard to His rebellious subjects will be fulfilled. The world has not been given into the hands of men, though God is permitting the elements of confusion and disorder to bear sway for a season. A power from beneath is working to bring about the last great scenes in the drama–Satan coming as Christ, and working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in those who are binding themselves together in secret societies. Those who are yielding to the passion for confederation are working out the plans of the enemy. The cause will be followed by the effect (Letter 141, 1902). {6BC 1106.2}

The apostle John in vision heard a loud voice in heaven exclaiming:

“Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Revelation 12:12.

Fearful are the scenes which call forth this exclamation from the heavenly voice. The wrath of Satan increases as his time grows short, and his work of deceit and destruction will reach its culmination in the time of trouble. {DD 41.2}

Fearful sights of a supernatural character will soon be revealed in the heavens, in token of the power of miracle-working demons. The spirits of devils will go forth to the kings of the earth and to the whole world, to fasten them in deception, and urge them on to unite with Satan in his last struggle against the government of heaven. By these agencies, rulers and subjects will be alike deceived. Persons will arise pretending to be Christ Himself, and claiming the title and worship which belong to the world’s Redeemer. They will perform wonderful miracles of healing and will profess to have revelations from heaven contradicting the testimony of the Scriptures. {DD 41.3}

THE CONTROVERSY ENDED

The chaos caused by sin will not last forever. Someday we will live as God intended—in peace, love, and happiness. Death and Sorrow will be banished forever. And best of all, you can be a part of that amazing new world! {DD 52.1}

“I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away.” Revelation 21:1. The fire that consumes the wicked purifies the earth. Every trace of the curse is swept away. No eternally burning hell will keep before the ransomed the fearful consequences of sin. {DD 60.3}

THE MARKS OF LOVE REMAIN

One reminder alone remains: Our Redeemer will ever bear the marks of His crucifixion. Upon His wounded head, upon His side, His hands and feet, are the only traces of the cruel work that sin has wrought. Says the prophet, beholding Christ in His glory: “He had bright beams coming out of His side: and there was the hiding of His power.” Habakkuk 3:4, margin. That pierced side whence flowed the crimson stream that reconciled man to God—there is the Savior’s glory, there “the hiding of His power.” “Mighty to save,” through the sacrifice of redemption, He was therefore strong to execute justice upon them that despised God’s mercy. And the tokens of His humiliation are His highest honor; through the eternal ages the wounds of Calvary will show forth His praise and declare His power. {DD 60.4}

IN THE CITY OF GOD

There shall be no night. None will need or desire repose. There will be no weariness in doing the will of God and offering praise to His name. We shall ever feel the freshness of the morning and shall never be far from its close. All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God’s redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tireless fight to worlds afar—worlds that thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe and rang with songs of gladness at the tidings of a ransomed soul. (The Great Controversy, pg 673-678}

THE CONTROVERSY IS ENDED

And the years of eternity, as they roll, will bring richer and still more glorious revelations of God and of Christ. As knowledge is progressive, so will love, reverence, and happiness increase. The more men learn of God, the greater will be their admiration of His character. As Jesus opens before them the riches of redemption and the amazing achievements in the great controversy with Satan, the hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devotion, and with more rapturous joy they sweep the harps of gold; and ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of voices unite to swell the mighty chorus of praise. {DD 62.3}

“And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” Revelation 5:13.

The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love. {DD 62.5}

SPIRITUALISM AND THE CHURCH: Part One

Reading Time: 14 minutes

But the [Holy] Spirit explicitly and unmistakably declares that in later times some will turn away from the faith, paying attention instead to deceitful and seductive spirits and doctrines of demons, [misled] by the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared as with a branding iron [leaving them incapable of ethical functioning] (1 Tim 4:1-2, AMP)

church and spiritualism
church and spiritualism

Satan deceives people by offering a clever imitation of the real thing. The false teachers gave stringent rules (such as forbidding people to marry or to eat certain foods). This made them appear self-disciplined and righteous. Their strict disciplines for the body, however, could not remove sin (see Col 2:20-23). We must not be unduly impressed by a teacher’s style or credentials; we must look to their teaching about Jesus Christ. Their conclusions about Christ show the source of their message. (Life Application Notes re 1 Tim 4:1-2)

Another Christian writer warns us:

Many a star that we have admired for its brilliance will then go out in darkness. Those who have assumed the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ’s righteousness, will then appear in the shame of their own nakedness. (PK 188).

Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of Spiritualism, the latter creates a world-wide bond of sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of Spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience. (GC 588).

Jesus wants everyone to know whats coming. It would be irresponsible for Christians who know to not tell others. We warn each other all the time about the weather, or about various wars or social quandary. This is no different. The warning is being sounded in love. With a deep and compassionate care for everyone reading it.

When Jesus was talking about the time of the end, just before He comes again, He answered a question of concern by the disciples about “what are the signs of your coming?” (Mat 24:3) The very first thing that Jesus mentioned in His reply was to let no one deceive you.” (Mat 24:4)

Take heed that no man deceive you. For many will come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and will deceive many. (Mat 24:4-5)

Paul obviously knew about this warning from our Lord when he amplified the warning to say something very startling:

I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. (Acts 20:29-30)

[People] will arise speaking perverse things. Already they have been working and speaking things which God has never revealed, bringing sacred truth upon a level with common things. Issues have been and will continue to be made of [people’s] conceited fallacies. None of which are true. The devisings of human minds will invent tests that are no tests at all, that when the true test shall be made prominent, (Rev 3:10) it shall be considered on a par with the man-made tests that have been of no value. We may expect that everything will be brought in and mingled with sound doctrine, but by clear, spiritual discernment, by the heavenly anointing, by The Holy Spirit we must distinguish the sacred from the common which is being brought in to confuse faith and sound judgment and demerit the great, grand, testing truth for this time.

Throughout the Bible, it has been a major problem that the Churches of the land become befuddled about plain doctrine from the Bible, and fail to make any difference between the holy and the unholy:

Her priests have broken My Law and have defiled My holy things. They have put no difference between the holy and the common, and have not taught between the unclean and the clean, and have hidden their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am defiled among them. (Ezekiel 22:26)

Paul had a tough time trying to warn the people of the day, as we see here by his comments after he warned about “the rise of false Christians in Church:

So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.(Acts 20:31-32)

Never, never was there a time when the truth will suffer more from being misrepresented, belittled, demerited through the perverse disputings of men than in these last days. Men have brought themselves in with their heterogeneous mass of heresies which they represent as oracles for the people. The people are charmed with some strange, new thing, and are not wise in experience to discern the character of ideas that men may frame up as something. But to call it something of great consequence and tie it to the oracles of God does not make it truth. Oh, how this rebukes the low standard of piety in the churches. Men who want to present something original will conjure up things new and strange, and without consideration will step forward on these unstable theories that have been woven together as a precious theory. And present it as a life and death question. {6BC 1064.6}

One of the key pillars of Spiritualism is deception. The very thing that Jesus has warned us about. The very first warning Jesus gave about the time of the end was about the rampant deception that Christians and the Churches would be directly confronted with:

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. (Mat 24:24-26)

My friends, we will soon see some very astounding things in “the news.” Will we see “Mary?” Will we see “Jesus” healing people? John The Revelator gives an even dimmer outlook on final events before Jesus comes:

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (Rev 16:13-14)

During the “time of the end” (Dan 8:17) we will all experience massive deceptions, on a scale never known before in all of Earth’s history. (Dan 12:1) As we have just read in Scripture, there WILL BE “THE SPIRITS OF DEVILS WORKING MIRACLES .” (Rev 16:13-14)

Now, this is not hard to understand, in principle, but how many of you today actually believe this? And if you do believe that we will see this kind of thing, HOW will you determine what is from demons, and what is the truth as it is in Jesus? Will you believe it because its on the internet? Or, perhaps you will believe it more if it on ‘the news?” Or maybe a preacher of a church is telling you to believe something that is simply not true? Or even more convincing, will you believe it just because you see it or detect it with your five senses? I mean, if the spirits of demons are going to do real miracles in front of us, they will have to be really convincing to dupe so many people. (many will be deceived” Mat 24:11)

What is the one thing that is already being used to  trick  people into embracing the strongest deception that we will see just before our Lord returns? When I think about this question; I realize, with a chill down my spine, that we are already being primed for the great deception spoken of in Bible prophecy. We can note here how that the reason there is no such thing as a counterfeit three dollar bill, is because there is no such thing as a real three dollar bill. Deceptions of Biblical proportions are always based on some point of essential truth that the forces of evil wish to distract us from. And right on that point is what Jesus warns us about in Mat 24:24.

Jesus said that the final deception would be so powerful, so overwhelming, that it would run the danger of possible deceiving the very elect. “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Mat 24:24) The reason that demonic deception is often so completely convincing is because there is always some truth to it. Deception needs truth in order to be exposed. Something true. These “miracles of demons” will always use something true to try to convince us of something that is not true. The “father of lies” has been practicing his masterful art of deception for many years. Since Eden. (John 8:44, Gen 3:4)

The Bible is very clear about where all lies come from:

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.(John 8:44)

It would be very worthwhile now at this point to take a look in our Bibles at the very first lie ever promulgated by the devil:

“And the serpent said unto the woman, “YE SHALL NOT SURELY DIE:” (Gen 3:4)

Why is Gen 3:4 the first lie? Because God said the complete opposite just one verse previous:

But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, LEST YE DIE. (Gen 3:3)

Other Bible versions make this truth even clearer:

But there is one tree we must not eat from. God told us, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden. You must not even touch that tree, or you will die.'” (Gen 3:4, ERV)

Scripture shows us the first lie. God says if we do certain things, collectively known as “sin” then we will “die.” It cannot get any clearer than this. Other prophets also realized this truth. The devil is the first being that has told us the opposite. “We will not die.” So whom do we believe? God or the devil?

The danger of depending only on what we perceive with our five senses is very real here in the book of Genesis:

“The woman could see that the tree was beautiful and the fruit looked so good to eat…” (Gen 3:6) The devil had Eve hook, line, and sinker here. Eve could see the serpent as “touching the forbidden fruit” The serpent plucked the fruit of the forbidden tree and placed it in the hands of the half-reluctant Eve. Then he reminded her of her own words, that God had forbidden them to touch it, lest they die. She would receive no more harm from eating the fruit, he declared, than from touching it. Perceiving no evil results from what she had done, Eve grew bolder. When she “saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat.” It was grateful to the taste, and as she ate, she seemed to feel a vivifying power, and imagined herself entering upon a higher state of existence. Without a fear she plucked and ate.

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food — Her imagination and feelings were completely won; and the fall of Eve was soon followed by that of Adam. The history of every temptation, and of every sin, is the same; the outward object of attraction, the inward commotion of mind, the increase and triumph of passionate desire; ending in the degradation, slavery, and ruin of the soul (James 1:15; 1 John 2:16).

Long has Satan been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world. The foundation of his work was laid by the assurance given to Eve in Eden, “Ye shall not surely die: in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4,5).

Little by little he has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of Spiritualism. He has not yet reached the full accomplishment of his designs; but it will be reached in the last remnant of time, and the world will be swept into the ranks of this delusion. They are fast being lulled into a fatal security, to be awakened only by the outpouring of the wrath of God. {SR 398.2}

The spiritualism of today has simply taken this first lie from Eden and their intention is to make it the last lie. Paul said the following:

“…I fear that you will be tricked, just as Eve was tricked by that lying snake. I am afraid that you might stop thinking about Christ in an honest and sincere way. We told you about Jesus,and you received the Holy Spirit and accepted our message. But you let some people tell you about another Jesus. Now you are ready to receive another spirit and accept a different message. (2 Cor 11:3-4,CEV)

It seems that when it comes to the question about what happens when we die, that all kinds of ideas will come out of the wood work. Obviously, none of us are immortal, as is God, (1 Tim 1:17) and none of us have died before, we can only go by what is written and intended by scripture on this vital subject. 1 Cor 15:52 says none of us are immortal until the second coming of Jesus; and this makes perfect sense when we understand how the Bible describes death and the resurrection. IF as many are bound to say, we just go straight to heaven when we “die” then we really didn’t die, and we are immortal now. If we go to heaven right away when we die, then why would we need the cross?

Who is a liar but anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He who denies the Father and the Son is antichrist.(1 John 2:22)

The Bible describes it this way, the same way as He explained it in Eden:

“The wages of sin is death.” (Rom 6:23). But God, who alone is immortal, will grant eternal life to His redeemed. Until that day death is an unconscious state for all people. ” The dead know not anything.” (Eccl 9:4-5) When Christ, who is our life, appears, the resurrected righteous and the living righteous will be glorified and caught up to meet their Lord TOGETHER and IN THE CLOUDS.” The second resurrection, the resurrection of the unrighteous, will take place a thousand years later. (Rev 20:5-6)

A wise preacher who has mentored me in the past once encouraged me with the thought that “the gospel is wonderfully simple, and simply wonderful. And that is certainly true when it comes to this topic. Over the years I have wondered how so many theories could come in like a wave on the ocean and just wash away all the simplicity that is in Christ, only to substitute it with “the doctrine of demons,” that will “seduce by a false appearance.” (1 Tim 4:1-2)

There is hope for those who are still alive—it does not matter who they are. But this saying is true: A living dog is better than a dead lion. The living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. They have no more reward. People will soon forget them. After people are dead, their love, hate, and jealousy are all gone. And they will never again share in what happens on earth. (Eccl 9:4-6, ERV)

Eccl 9:4-6 tells us clearly what happens when we die, and further, it emphasizes how that as long as we are alive, there is always hope for us in Christ. And so we can conclude that the Bible doctrine of the state of the dead is for the living. It gives us the warning and the assurance that even if we were a real dog, as long as we are breathing on this side of the ground; there is hope for us in Christ. “For a living dog is better than a dead lion.”

YE SHALL NOT SURELY DIE?

Do we have some kind of unconscious soul that survives the physical death of our body? Lee Strobel, in his popular book, “The Case For Heaven,” asserts that yes we do. I have often wondered how anyone can believe such a thing. The Bible simply does not support this New Age idea which is just a repeat of the world’s first lie, (Gen 3:4) which was also used in the world’s first seance. (1 Sam 28:7-15).

The serpent duped Adam & Eve into thinking that “ye shall NOT surely die.” And this lie is being repeated almost everywhere today.

Christians need to remember it was the devil who said this, NOT Jesus or the Bible. (Gen 3:4-5). The Bible clearly reflects the fact that we shall surely die. The Bible says it happens to everyone “once” (Heb 9:27) and that death is “the last enemy to be destroyed,” (1 Cor 15:26) so why would Bible believing Christians say that only part of us goes to heaven and never dies, and the other part of us is mortal and “dies?” Strobel should know better than to use things we have coined as “Near Death Experiences” as a part of the  alleged Bible “evidence” for his opinion that we go straight to heaven when we die.

Are there other texts that would agree with Ecclesiastes 9:4-6 ? Lest someone suspects “cherry-picking” I offer the following: Job 14:21, Isa 63:16, Job 7:8-10, Eccl 1:11, Eccl 2:16, Eccl 8:10, Isa 26:14.

The Bible tells us that “the wages of sin is death.” (Rom 6:23) If we go to Heaven as soon as we die then this cannot be true! But God, who alone is immortal, will grant eternal life to His redeemed. The Bible says nothing about part of us being mortal and the other part immortal. No one is immortal in whole or in part until the second coming of Jesus. (see 1 Cor 15:50-54) Until that day death is an unconscious state for all people because they wait for the resurrection when those who have died in Christ will be resurrected TOGETHER with those who remain and are alive at His second coming. (see 1 Thes 4:13-18). Verses 15-18 emphasize strongly that When Christ, who is our life, appears, the resurrected righteous and the living righteous will be glorifed and caught up TOGETHER (at the same time) to meet their Lord IN THE AIR. Now, if we were to believe that when people die they go straight to heaven, then we have a real problem with the Bible’s account of the resurrection. Essentially, there is no need for a resurrection if we go straight to heaven when we die.

The Sadducees said there was no resurrection. (Mat 22:23, Mark 12;18, Luke 20:27) Jesus said “Jesus said to her, I am the Resurrection and the Life! He who believes in Me, though he die, yet he shall live.” (John 11:25) The Bible explains the reason we cannot believe that people go straight to Heaven when they die, because then there is no need for a resurrection either:

But if Christ is proclaimed, that He was raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is worthless, and your faith is also worthless. And we are also found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified of God that He raised Christ; whom He did not raise if the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ is not raised. And if Christ is not raised, your faith is foolish; you are yet in your sins. Then also those that fell asleep in Christ were lost. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. (1 Cor 15:12-19)

The second resurrection, the resurrection of the unrighteous, will take place a thousand years later. (Job 19:25-27; Psalms 146:3-4 ; Eccl 9:5-6; Eccl 9:10; Dan 12:2; Dan 12:13; Isa 25:8; John 5:28-29; John 11:11-14; Rom 6:23; Rom 16:1-27; 1 Cor 15:51-54; Col 3:4; 1 Thes 4:13-17; 1 Tim 6:15; Rev 20:1-10.)

There are several stories in the Bible that many Christians have been taught “prove” that we go to heaven as soon as we die. Lets take a look at one of the more popular ones.

WORLD’S FIRST SEANCE WITH THE WITCH OF ENDOR

The Philistine army moved into Shunem, set up its camp, and made ready to attack Israel. His mood far from optimistic, King Saul positioned Israel’s army on nearby Mount Gilboa. In the past, the assurance of God’s presence had enabled Saul to lead Israel against its foes fearlessly. But he had turned from serving the Lord, and when the apostate king had tried to contact God about the outcome of the impending battle, God had refused to communicate with him. The ominous fear of the unknown morrow weighed heavily upon Saul. If only Samuel were here. But Samuel was dead and could no longer counsel him. Or could he?

Locating a medium who had escaped his earlier witch hunts, the tall king stooped to inquiring through her about the outcome of the next day’s battle. He requested:

“Bring up Samuel for me.”

During the seance the medium “‘saw a spirit ascending out of the earth.’” (1 Sam 28:13) This spirit, that the witch thought was a god, informed the apostate king that not only would Israel lose the war,but that he and his sons would be killed in that battle the very next day. (see 1 Samuel 28). The prediction came true. But was it really Samuel’s spirit that made the prediction? How could a medium, condemned by God, or an apostate king have power over the spirit of Samuel-God’s prophet? And where did Samuel come from-why did his spirit arise “out of the earth” if its true that we go to heaven as soon as we die?

What had death brought to Samuel? If it wasn’t Samuel’s spirit that spoke to Saul, who or what was it? If we believe that one goes straight to heaven as soon as we die, then we are left with no way to prove from scripture of what sort the spirit is that we are engaging with. I have had Christians who have read Strobel’s book, for example, and they just told me

“Oh I would know if it was an evil spirit!”

But exactly HOW would they know? Intuition? Really?

Let us see some more of what the Bible teaches on the subject of death, communication with the dead, and the resurrection

HARMONY THROUGHOUT THE SCRIPTURES

Many honest Christians who have not studied the complete teaching of the Bible on death have been unaware that death is a sleep until the resurrection. They have assumed that various passages support the idea that the spirit or soul has a conscious existence after death. Careful study reveals that the consistent teaching of the Bible is that death causes the cessation of consciousness. In Eden we read from the book of Genesis how that mankind does not “have a soul,” but rather, we are a soul.

The Bible says that God breathed into the first pair and ONLY THEN did they “become a living soul.” (Gen 2:7)

See Rest Of Message in SPIRITUALISM AND THE CHURCH PART TWO

 

A More Sure Word Of Prophecy

Reading Time: 12 minutes

It is important for you to understand what will happen in the last days. People will laugh at you. They will live following the evil they want to do.They will say, “Jesus promised to come again. Where is he? Our fathers have died, but the world continues the way it has been since it was made.” (2 Pet 3:3-4)

comfort one another
comfort one another

Bible prophecy is much more than just “predictions.” Prophecy takes us through past ages, and reflects upon the progression of sin and righteousness and justice and injustice. And yet, prophecy is not just “history” so called. Bible prophecy is “H.I.S. S.T.O.R.Y.” Prophecy is the story of Jesus. His life, His death, His resurrection, and His intercession for us now, in heaven. (Heb 7:25)

One verse that is somewhat blunt puts it like this when talking about the state of the world today, and how so many are cringing in fear at the slightest whisper of the word virus:

“…as for our iniquities, we know them; In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. (Isa 59:12-14)

Our world today is something akin to a ripe fruit, ready to be harvested. Jesus is coming back to put an end to the long sad history of sin and to build up His kingdom of righteousness. Jesus is coming to take you home. Jesus is coming to tell you that He has never lost hope in seeing you safe with Him for all eternity. And this is the grand purpose of Bible prophecy. In the midst of all the world’s turmoil; God’s people need to say with belief:

You were rescued by the precious blood of Christ, that spotless and innocent lamb. Christ was chosen even before the world was created, but because of you, he did not come until these last days. And when he did come, it was to lead you to have faith in God, who raised him from death and honored him in a glorious way. That’s why you have put your faith and hope in God. (1 Pet 1:19-21)

You were rescued by the precious blood of Christ, that spotless and innocent Lamb. Christ was chosen even before the world was created, (the everlasting gospel, Rev 14:6-7) but because of you, he did not come until these last days. And when he did come, it was to lead you to have faith in God, who raised him from death and honored him in a glorious way. That’s why you have put your faith and hope in God. You obeyed the truth, and your souls were made pure. Now you sincerely love each other. But you must keep on loving with all your heart. Do this because God has given you new birth by his message that lives on forever. The Scriptures say, “Humans wither like grass, and their glory fades like wild flowers. Grass dries up, and flowers fall to the ground. But what the Lord has said will stand forever.” Our good news to you is what the Lord has said. (1 Pet 1:19-25, CEV)

This article does not solve all the problems or riddles of Bible prophecy: it does not profess to know everything. But it will point us in the right direction. Let us continue into study of the vital subject of Bible prophecy of the second coming with open hearts. Prophecy is described in scripture as “the sure word” and as “a light in a dark place.”

“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)

Students of the Bible realize the vast importance of having correct views about those prophecies which still remain unfulfilled. What will the future be like? Can we know what sort of a world we shall be living in tomorrow? Or is there to be any tomorrow? So discordant are the voices of those who claim to know what the prophecies of the Bible predict, that the average person is tempted to say, with the perplexed and despairing Jewish exiles of the Babylonian captivity:

“We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet neither is there among us any that knows how long.” (Psalm 74:9).

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. (2 Pet 3:3,4)

It is the strongest part of faith to believe that God is still in His heaven, even though all is not right with the world, and to believe that He must have revealed to us in the Holy Scriptures the real truth about the world’s future.

“I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near. A star shall come forth from [the descendants of] Jacob, A scepter shall rise out of [the descendants of] Israel And shall crush the forehead of Moab And destroy all the sons of Sheth. (Num 24:17).

“Again Isaiah says, “THERE SHALL BE A ROOT OF JESSE, HE WHO ARISES TO RULE [as King] OVER THE GENTILES, IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE.” (Rom 15:12). (Mat 2:2)

Sometimes it can be very challenging to sift through all the stuff we keep calling “prophecy,” because there are many voices crying out for recognition and favor; yet the only real Light in the world is Jesus. “When Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” (John 8:12).

All prophecy, being described as “a light in a dark place” has to be about Jesus. And only Jesus. And Jesus told us who believe today that we are also :the light of the world,” (Mat 5:14), so Gods children are also a part of this Light that the world sees. “You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; (Mat 5:14). “For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us!” (Rom 8:18) As Paul puts it “Christ in you, THE hope in glory.” (Col 1:27)

While many look at prophecy as just a lesson in largely secular history, or cherry-picked Bible tidbits from their denominated religion or church, the Bible simply declares all prophecy, in it’s intended bearings, IS about Jesus. Prophecy is not history; but rather, HIS-Story. There are many places in both Old or New Testaments to tell us this.

We could filter this all down to the lowest common denominator and simply say that when searching the scriptures, we must acknowledge that the most important and timely prophecy must be always centered around “Christ and Him crucified.” (Gal 4:4) ALL other truths are invested with Power and Influence, according to their relation to this theme. (Gal 6:14, Eph 2:13, etc). All prophecy has to be about Jesus. Bible Prophecy is HIS-STORY as reflected more by Old Testament prophets than New Testament writers at times!

“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O Daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King (Messianic King) is coming to you; He is righteous and endowed with salvation, Humble and unassuming [in submission to the will of the Father] and riding on a donkey, Upon a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zech 9:9).

We see here in Scripture that the triumphal entry of Jesus riding into Jerusalem (Mat 21:1-11) was predicted here more than 500 years before it happened. Just as this prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus came to earth, so the prophecies of his second coming are just as certain to come true. We are to be ready for his return, for he is coming!

“BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes (nations) of the earth will mourn over Him [realizing their sin and guilt, and anticipating the coming wrath]. So it is to be. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega [the Beginning and the End],” says the Lord God, “Who is [existing forever] and Who was [continually existing in the past] and Who is to come, the Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all].” (Rev 1:7-8, AMP).

“I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, on the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. “And to Him (the Messiah) was given dominion (supreme authority), Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations, and speakers of every language Should serve and worship Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed. (Dan 7:13-14)

Now, THAT is “the everlasting gospel” of Rev 14:6-12! The “everlasting gospel” is about this everlasting kingdom!

Then I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, with an eternal gospel to preach to the inhabitants of the earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people; (Rev 14:6)

The “warning” part of this message is seen in many places of Scripture; and there is a short passage in Galatians that sums it up very well. Christians today who want to know and make known Bible truth will be able to relate to what Paul stated in Galatians:

I am astonished and extremely irritated that you are so quickly shifting your allegiance and deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different [even contrary] gospel; which is really not another [gospel]; but there are [obviously] some [people masquerading as teachers] who are disturbing and confusing you [with a misleading, counterfeit teaching] and want to distort the gospel of Christ [twisting it into something which it absolutely is not]. (Gal 1:6-7, AMP).

This is obviously the same warning as in the text of Rev 14: “Then another angel, a second one, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality [corrupting them with idolatry].” “Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “Whoever worships the beast and his image and receives the mark [of the beast] on his forehead or on his hand,” (Rev 14:8-9). Isaiah prophesies a very similar message: “”Now look! Here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; And all the carved images of her gods are shattered on the ground.” (Isa 21:9).

Prophecies in Daniel also concur with the book of Revelation’s fourteenth chapter: “The king said thoughtfully, ‘Is not this the great Babylon which I myself have built as the royal residence and seat of government by the might of my power and for the honor and glory of my majesty?’ While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came [as if falling] from heaven, saying, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: “The kingdom has been removed from you, (Dan 4:30-31)

We need to realize that salvation is taught not only in the gospels but also in the prophecies. The author has endeavored to make clear the vitally important truth that the true interpretation of the prophecies illustrates how salvation is accomplished, and also strengthens the soul to resist sin, by spelling out exactly what sin is. As the Word of God is the “seed” which, through the operation of the Holy Spirit, generates the new life (1 Peter 1: 23), that life is revived and strengthened as often as the Word of God is read and received into the soul (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

The “new person” (Colossians 3:10, 2 Cor 5:17, etc.) lives and grows “by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4; 1 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 3:18). In purifying the life (1 Peter 1:22) and building up the soul (Acts 20:32), the Savior emphasizes the necessity of heeding “every word” of the Holy Scriptures (Matthew 4:4).

Our enemy seeks to render ineffective to students of the Bible the life-giving energy contained in certain important prophecies of Holy Writ. He does this by means of erroneous interpretations. Conversely, Jesus not only says “Search the Scriptures” (John 5:39), but He also inquires: “How reads thou?” (Luke 10:26). God wants us to “reason together with Him. (Isa 1:18)

By erroneous interpretations it is possible to “add unto” or “take away from” the Word of God, against which we are explicitly warned (Revelation 22:18,19). But God invites us to reason with Him, to ask Him what he thinks about our ideas and God always answers with Scripture. (Rom 4:3, Mat 4:4)

If you want real-time, real-life Bible prophecy, turn your eyes on Jesus! Not the internet, or fancy sermons by denominated preachers or priests who want to show and tell all of their doctrinal carrots to deceive people. To attract people into their church. The Bible warns us that

“…people shall arise from your own selves, speaking perverse things in order to draw disciples away after them.” (Acts 20:30).

I recall some years ago being approached by a coworker. They wanted to speak to me privately, so we went into the utility room. They said to me “You look like you are a Christian? My Mom is dying of cancer and she is very frightened. Can you please come out and read the Bible to her?”

I was very surprised to hear this person say

“you look like you are a Christian.”

Well, how did they know? I never once mentioned anything Bible at that place because it was a work setting and I knew I had to be sensitive to others who would not appreciate the gospel. But still, Jesus was seen in me somehow, and I did go to read the Bible to that person for several months whenever I could. As some of the family were gathered round the sick bed with me, we would join hands and sing their favorite hymns. Everyone there was decidedly a Christian because Jesus was present in a miraculous way, and that lady did die unafraid. In fact, she told us just before she died: “God just walked in the room.” And the person who originally asked me to come out, not only became a Christian but they ended up going back to school and became a Pastor. (Jer 3:15).

The New Testament shows how Jesus brought fulfillment to the Old Testament prophecies. In the unfolding of the Gospel, the New Testament employs 1500 quotations of sentences and phrases from the Old Testament Scriptures. The first verse of Matthew shows one of the main reasons for the writing of the book of Matthew and the New Testament; namely, to show the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies in Jesus and His work of salvation:

Through Jesus the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies is made certain. (See 2 Corinthians 1:20; Acts 13:27-37) The book of Matthew contains 99 direct references to the Old Testament Scriptures. Nine times he employed the formula, “That it might be fulfilled” (see Matthew 1:22,23; Mat 2:15,17,23,etc.), and at other times he referred to the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, saying: “For thus it is written by the prophet” (Matthew 2:5); “Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by the prophet” (Matthew 27:9); “But all this was done, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled” (Matthew 26:56); “For it is written” (Matthew 26:31, etc.).

Thus Matthew illustrates the burden of the writers of the New Testament to show that Jesus’ birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection, and the development of His church and her work, all fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament. The first words we read in Matthew’s Gospel direct our minds back to the prophecies which were given to David and Abraham. While Solomon was the son who sat upon David’s throne in the days immediately following the prediction, the longer and the real fulfillment is to be fulfilled by “a greater than Solomon” (Matthew 12:42). The peacefulness and the wisdom of the earlier part of Solomon’s reign when people came from afar to learn of him, find their larger application in Christ. David was to have a son who would sit upon his throne (2 Samuel 7:12,13,16; Luke 1:32,33).

At Pentecost the disciples of Jesus were united in Peter’s interpretation because he made his declaration “standing up with the eleven” (Acts 2:14). Their present spiritual application of the kingdom prophecies (which the Jews applied only in a strictly literal sense in relation to the future) made the Old Testament a new and a living book for them and their hearers. No longer was it a book containing dry records of the past, and future blessings which were unrelated to the present, but a Book containing a past and a future which lived in the present-a living book vibrant with messages from a living Christ. Not only were “many infallible proofs” (Acts 1:3) afforded by the Old Testament itself, but the living Christ by his ever-present Spirit gave an experience in harmony with the interpretation. “In him there was life, and that life was a light for the people of the world.” (John 1:4, ERV)

The New Testament teaching is clear that, since the rejection of the Jewish nation, the church is now the “temple” in which Christ by His Spirit reigns. “The man of sin”-the counterfeit king-who was to sit “in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3,4) is one of the world’s most popular churches – a professedly Christian church that claims to rule all of the worlds religions.

Futurists-whether Papal or supposedly Protestant apply this prophecy in connection with a literal temple yet to be built in literal Jerusalem by an enemy of the literal Jews. Futurism fails to see the righteous/moral purpose of the prophecies concerning “the temple of God” referred to in 2 Thessalonians 2:3,4, and in other temple prophecies such as described in Ezekiel 40-48 and in Revelation 11:1. By applying these prophecies literally in relation to the future and Palestine, they fail to understand the present moral purpose for which they were given. Jesus even said “If you destroy this temple, I will raise it up again on the third day.” (John 2:19)

There is a place in heaven for you (John 14:1-2) and Jesus thinks that Heaven will not be the same without you in it. To Jesus you are precious (Isa 43:4, James 5:7) just as you are. (John 6:37). With all of your joys, sorrows, struggles, conflicts, your good points, your mistakes, yes. You are important to Jesus. So much so that:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:16-19)

Bible prophecy tells us that Jesus is coming again to take you, to take us, home to be with Him forever

How can we be ready for that amazing day? Stay tuned for next weeks message to find out!

Comfort One Another With THESE Words

Reading Time: 10 minutes

Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thes 4:18)

comfort one another
comfort one another

This week’s article, and next week’s will talk about the second coming of Jesus. I can imagine how this might sound like science fiction to much of the world because of the many and diverse ways that the world’s denominated sources try to deal with it and explain it. It seems almost everyone has their own doctrine about this sometimes complicated subject. It is quite possible that most of us do have one thing in common. I think many of us can agree that yes, Jesus is coming again. But how many of us can agree on anything else? Some say it will be a secret. Some say everyone will know when it happens. Others say they actually know exactly when Jesus will return. Yet others say no one can know. But there is a developing problem regarding the second coming of Jesus. Many people are starting to echo this verse, and Peter warns us about it:

This letter which I am now writing to you, dear friends, is my second letter. In both my letters I seek to revive in your honest minds the memory of certain things so that you may recall the words spoken long ago by the holy Prophets, and the commandments of our Lord and Savior given you through your Apostles. But, above all, remember that, in the last days, men will come who make a mock at everything, people governed only by their own passion and asking,

“What has become of His promised Return? For from the time our forefathers fell asleep all things continue as they have been ever since the creation of the world.”(2 Pet 3: 1-4, Weymouth)

It is clear that the subject of the second coming is not very clear to much of the world, including church-goers. People either don’t believe it’s going to happen, while others believe it will happen, but they cannot agree on how or when Jesus will come again. The first thing I would personally suggest about this idea of Jesus coming again is that there is something by which we can measure any belief that we think comes from the Bible. I got it from a preacher some years ago when I first became a Christian. I was confused about the many opinions and variations of this Bible prophecy on the second coming of Jesus and the first thing he said to me was

“David, the gospel is simply wonderful, and wonderfully simple.”

The prophecy about Jesus’ second coming actually does fit perfectly with this descriptor of being “wonderfully simple, and simply wonderful.” The way my church has described it in our fundamental belief is as follows: (with minor edits of grammar)

The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the grand climax of the gospel. The prophecy of our Savior’s coming will be literal, personal, visible, and worldwide. When Jesus returns, the righteous dead will be resurrected, and together with the righteous living will be glorified and taken to heaven, but the unrighteous will die. Currently, the almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy, together with the present condition of the world, indicates that Christ’s coming is imminent. The time of that event has not been revealed, and we are therefore exhorted to be ready at all times. Fundamental Beliefs, 25

When my boys were little, they would often ask me questions. Very pointed questions. Questions that would come at the most inopportune times. Questions so pointed, that it would be impossible to defer the ‘answers” to some other time. One evening, my youngest asked me one such question. I was just tucking him in and he said

“Daddy, when will Jesus come so that all the days will be over?”

I was taken aback at this question. The depth and theological soundness of it had startled me in unexpected ways. Because after all, how much of this prophecy can a child really understand? How could my little one possibly know that his young heart’s desire has been the longing of the ages. The last words we see in the Bible give us the wonderful promise of the soon return of Jesus: but how did my little one know this? He was only 5 years old? Here is what the verse says:

“He who testifies and affirms these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” (Rev 22:20, AMP)

It is likely that the very first thing we can and really do need to understand about the second coming is about when it is going to happen.Lots of people think they know the “answer.”

Forget what Jehovah’s Witnesses say about how Jesus has already returned, (secretly, in 1914 and 1975 to name just some of the dates of their failed prophecy) because one quick look around us shows that clearly Jesus did not yet return, and the Bible does not support such beliefs! Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught that Jesus Christ is never returning personally or bodily to the earth. What Christians commonly call the “second coming” of Christ, according to the Watchtower doctrine, is his invisible presence in a spiritual, figurative sense. All of this contradicts the Bible.(*1)

And don’t believe what Mormons teach that Jesus has already done a quick side trip to North America BEFORE this second coming of the Bible prophecy. (**2)  That is just plain fiction and is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible. I live in North America and I do not see any evidence that Jesus was here to fiddle around for a while in North America, contradicting His own prophecy in the Bible. And so the first thing to understand is really simple. No one can know the exact time Jesus will return.

And according to the Bible we cannot not believe the likes of Dr David Jeremiah who teaches a variation of the widely held beliefs of a secret rapture. (***3) The Bible clearly disproves this in Rev 1:7 and many other places:

“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

Many preachers come along and say things that we count as Gospel truth, just because of who they are, what we think they represent. Correctly understood in all its bearings, Bible prophecy is not based on any such “private interpretations:” Jesus says

I have come with my Father’s authority, but you have not received me; when, however, someone comes with his own authority, you will receive him.(John 5:43, GNB)

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. (2 Pet 1:20)

If anyone tells you that they know exactly when Jesus is coming, that is a private interpretation:

“But of that [exact] day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son [in His humanity], but the Father alone.(Mat 24:36 AMP)

It is a fact that one day Jesus will return, though even to the saints His coming will be an overwhelming surprise-for all slumber and sleep in their long wait (Mat 25:5).

Even if we are not quite agreed on the nature of the second coming, it is very clear that all are agreed that no one can tell us the actual time date or hour that Jesus is coming.

The Certainty of Christ’s Return

The fact that Jesus is coming again is agreed on by almost everyone so let us see if we can build on that from what the Bible teaches us. The apostles and other early Christians considered Christ’s return “the blessed hope” (Titus 2:13; Heb 9:28). They expected all the prophecies and promises of Scripture to be fulfilled at the Second Advent (see 2 Pet 3:13; Isa 65:17),

The second coming is the very goal of our Christian pilgrimage. The culmination of all Bible prophecy. The second coming is a part of HIS STORY, not history. All who love Christ look forward eagerly to the day when they will be able to share face-to-face fellowship with Him-and with the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the angels.

The day when the Lord comes again will surprise everyone like the coming of a thief. The sky will disappear with a loud noise. Everything in the sky will be destroyed with fire. And the earth and everything in it will be burned up. Everything will be destroyed in this way.

What kind of people should you be (while waiting for Jesus to come?)

Obviously, your lives should be holy and devoted to God.

You should be looking forward to the day of God, wanting more than anything else for it to come soon. When it comes, the earth will be destroyed with fire, and everything in the sky will melt with heat. But God made a promise to us. And we are waiting for what he promised—a new sky and a new earth. That will be the place where goodness lives. (2 Pet 3:10-13, ESV)

IF there was a “secret rapture” then why would the earth not be destroyed then?

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. (2 Thes 2:7-8)

Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen. (Rev 1:7, Dan 7:13, Zech 12:10, John 19:37)

Here John carries us forward to the second advent of Christ in glory, the climax and crowning event of His intervention in behalf of this fallen world. Once Jesus came in weakness, now He comes in power; once in humility, now in glory. Jesus doesn’t come secretly. Jesus comes with clouds, every eye will see Jesus and in like manner as He ascended. (Acts 1:9; Acts 1:11.)

“Every eye shall see Him.” (Rev 1:7)

How much plainer can it be said? All who are alive at the time of His coming shall see Jesus. We know of no personal coming of Christ in Scripture that will be as the stillness of midnight or take place only in the desert or in the secret chamber. Jesus does not come as a thief in the sense of sneaking in secretly or quietly upon the world.

Jesus does come to take to Himself His dearest treasure, His sleeping and His living saints, Himself His dearest treasure, His sleeping and His living saints, whom He has purchased with His own precious blood; whom He has wrested from the power of death in a just, fair, and open conflict.

Jesus’ second coming will be no less open and triumphant. It will be with the brilliancy and splendor of the lightning as it shines from east to the west. (Mat 24:27.) It will be with the sound of a trumpet that will pierce to earth’s lowest depths, and with a mighty voice that shall wake the sainted sleepers from their dusty beds. (Mat 24:31, margin; 1 Thes 4:16.)

Yes, Jesus will come upon the wicked as a thief, only because they persistently shut their eyes to the clear signs in scripture of His approach, and will not believe the declarations of His word that Jesus is at the door. (Mat 24:33, Mark 13:29)

To represent two comings, a private and a public one, in connection with the second advent, as many modern-day preachers represent, is completely misleading and wholly unwarranted from the Scriptures. Such ideas are clear examples of the “private interpretations’ that we are warned against and in some cases may even be referring to the following text about one of the really disturbing signs of the last days:

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, (1 Tim 4:1, NKJV)

“They Also Which Pierced Him.”

They also (in addition to the “every eye” before mentioned) who were chiefly involved as the perpetrators of Christ’s death shall behold Him returning to earth in triumph and glory. But how is this? They are not now living, they are not now resurrected, and how then shall they behold Him when He comes? This question cannot be answered by “secret rapture” tenets.

We know that there will be a resurrection from the dead. This is the only possible avenue to life for those who have already been once laid in the grave. But how is it that these wicked persons who pierced Jesus come up at this time, since the general resurrection of the wicked does not take place until a thousand years after the second advent? (Rev 20:1-6.) Those that pierced Jesus are not alive now. Only the righteous who are alive, and who have died will be resurrected at Christ’s second coming. None of us who may be alive then when Jesus comes will ever go up to meet Jesus in those clouds before those righteous who have already been laid in the grave. We will all go up TOGETHER to meet Jesus “in the air:”

The Coming of the Lord

1Th 4:13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
1Th 4:15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
1Th 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

There are in the world today many who close their eyes to the evidences that Christ has given to warn men of His coming. They seek to quiet all apprehension, while at the same time the signs of the end are rapidly fulfilling, and the world is hastening to the time when the Son of man shall be revealed in the clouds of heaven.

Paul teaches that it is wrong to be indifferent to the signs which are to precede the second coming of Christ. Those guilty of this neglect he calls children of the night and of darkness. He encourages the vigilant and watchful with these words: “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” {AA 260.1}

Especially important to the church in our time are the teachings of the apostle upon this point. To those living so near the great consummation, the words of Paul should come with telling force: “Let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.” {AA 260.2}

References:

*1 “Shedding Light on Christ’s Presence,” Watchtower, May 1, 1993, 11

**2 see 3 Nephi, in Book Of Mormon

***3 https://davidjeremiah.
WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE THE LORD RETURNS?
This coming event is the first part of Christ’s two-part return to earth. First, He’ll remove the Church from the world. Second, seven years later, He’ll establish His Kingdom on earth.

Has Dr Jeremiah forgotten the following? 3 see Mat 24:33 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.(Mat 24:33, KJV) + Deut 13:1-3; Mark 13:21; Luke 17:23-24, Luke 21:8; John 5:43

 

Are We Living In The End Times?

Reading Time: 8 minutes

Expect to witness amazing and perplexing signs throughout the universe with the sun, the moon, and the stars. The raging of the sea will bring desperation and turmoil to many nations. Earthquakes will bring panic and disaster. What men see coming to the earth will cause the fear of doom to grip their hearts, for they will even see the powers of the heavenly realm shaken!” (Luke 21:25-26, TPT)

God on the mountain
God on the mountain

Today, many people see what is happening in the world around us and they are afraid. Many are asking if we are now living in what the Bible calls the end times, or “time of the end” as spoken of in Bible prophecy. (Dan 8:17, Dan 12:9)

The purpose of this article is to briefly introduce the Bible’s case, that yes, we are indeed living in these end times now. The “time of the end” is shown by the following text, among others:

And I saw another mighty angel coming down out of the heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, and his face was as the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. And he had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the earth. (Rev 10:1-2, MKJV)

Rev 10 details about a mighty angel which is seen coming down from heaven with ‘” a little book” in their hands. And right at this time when the little book of said prophecy was to be examined and therefore would no longer be sealed. This little book is indeed the very same one as what the prophet Daniel had described in Dan 12:4

But you, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased”

Rev 10:2 describes “a little book” as “opened” from which we may reasonably assume that the little book was at some point closed or “sealed.” We read in Daniel of a little book which was indeed closed and sealed until a very specific time: “the time of the end.” Since this “little book” was only closed or sealed until “the time of the end” then it would follow that this little book would then be opened when we reach that time. Because the closing of the little book is mentioned in Bible prophecy, it is also very reasonable to expect that in any predictions of events to take place during the “time of the end” the the opening of the little book should be one of those events predicted in Bible prophecy.

There is no other book spoken of anywhere in the Bible as “closed or ‘sealed,” except for this “little book” of Daniel’s prophecy (Dan 12:4) and there is no other verse in the Bible that mentions the opening of that “little book” except for Rev 10:2 We may further observe that this “little book” which Daniel had received directions to ‘seal” had a very particular reference to time: “how long shall it be to the end of these wonders?” (Dan 12:6)

That we are in the time of the end is shown by Rev 10:1-2, where a mighty angel is seen to come down from heaven with a little book open in his hand. Then the book of this prophecy should be no longer sealed. It was to be opened and understood. For proof that the little book to be opened is the book here closed and sealed when Daniel wrote, and that that angel delivers his message in this generation, see Rev 10:2.

And I saw another mighty angel coming down out of the heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, and his face was as the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. And he had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the earth. (Rev 10:1-2, MKJV)

An important point is now determined in our effort to settle the chronology of this angel We have seen that prophecy, especially the prophetic periods of Daniel, were not to be opened and understood in all it’s bearings, until the time of the end. If this is the book which the angel had in his hand open, it follows that he proclaims his message after the time when the book should be opened, or somewhere this side of the beginning of the time of the end.

The chronology of the events of Revelation 10 is further seen from the fact that this angel appears to be identical with the first angel of Revelation 14. The points of identity for them both are easily seen: They both have a special message to proclaim, They both utter their proclamation with a loud voice. They both use similar language, referring to the Creator as the maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and the things that are therein. And they both proclaim time, one stating that time should be no more, and the other proclaiming that the hour of God’s judgment has come.

The message of Rev 14:6 is obviously located during this day and age of the beginning of the time of the end. It is a proclamation of the hour of God’s judgment come, and therefore must have its application in this our last generation. During this “time of the end.” Paul did not preach the hour of judgment come. Martin Luther and his cohorts did not preach it. Paul reasoned of a judgment to come, indefinitely future, and Luther placed it at least three hundred years beyond his day.

Paul warns the church against preaching that the hour of God’s judgment has come, until a certain time. He says:

“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, 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 a hand. Let no one deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed.” 2 Thes 2:1-3.

After these seven thunders uttered their voices, the injunction comes to John as to Daniel in regard to the little book: “Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered.” (Rev 10:3) These relate to future events which will be disclosed in their order. Daniel shall stand in his lot at the end of the days. (Dan 12:13). And John sees the little book unsealed in the three angel’s message of Rev 14: 6-12. This means that Daniel’s prophecies have their proper place in the three angel’s message to be given to the world. The unsealing of the little book was the message in relation to this our day. The time of the end.

As we continue to investigate Bible prophecy, we will see how the books of Daniel and the Revelation are one message. One story. HIS STORY. One is a prophecy, the other a Revelation; one a book sealed, the other a book revealed. The special light given to John which was expressed in the seven thunders was a description of events which would transpire under the three angel’s message of Rev 14:6-12 If it is indeed Bible prophecy, the prophecy will always be 100% accurate. With no exception. And not a single prophecy is accurate or Biblical, unless it is centerd around “Christ and Him crucified.” (Gal 6:14, Eph 2:13)

Closing and sealing up the book simply meant that it was to be kept safe and preserved. This was to be done so that believers of all times could look back on God’s work in history and find hope. Daniel did not understand the exact meaning of the times and events in his vision. But we can see events as they unfold, for we are now finally in the end times. The whole book will not be understood until the climax of earth’s history.

And when the seven thunders spoke their sounds, I was about to write. And I heard a voice from Heaven saying to me, Seal up what things the seven thunders spoke, and do not write these things. (Rev 10:4, MKJV)

Throughout history people have wanted to know what would happen in the future, and God reveals some of it in this “little book” of Bible prophecy. But John was stopped from revealing certain parts of his vision. An angel also told the prophet Daniel that some visions he saw were not to be revealed yet to everyone (Dan 12: 9), and Jesus told his disciples that the time of the end is known by no one but God (Mark 13:32-33). God has revealed all we need to know now to live for him now. In our desire to be ready for the end, we must not place more emphasis on speculation about the last days than on living for God while we wait.

The second coming of Jesus is the most important event in everyone’s life. We should all enter this event into our Google Calendars now. But what year, what date, what time should we make this entry for?

When Jesus said that even he did not know the time of the end, he was, among other things, affirming his humanity. Of course God the Father knows the time, and Jesus and the Father are one. But when Jesus became a man, he voluntarily gave up the unlimited use of his divine attributes. But the emphasis of this verse is not on Jesus’ lack of knowledge, but rather on the fact that no one knows. It is God the Father’s secret to be revealed when he wills. No one can predict by Scripture or science the exact day of Jesus’ return. Jesus is trying to teach us that preparation, not calculation, is what we need now..

Months of planning go into a wedding, the birth of a baby, a career change, a speaking engagement, the purchase of a home, etc. Do we place the same importance on preparing for Christ’s return, the most important event in our life? Its results will last for eternity. We dare not postpone our preparations because we do not know when Christ’s return will occur. The stated way to prepare is to study God’s Word and live by its instructions each day. Only then will any of us be ready.. Jesus informs that our preparation involves the following:

But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not the angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father. Take heed, watch and pray, for you do not know when the time is. (Mark 13:32-33)

The disciples once asked Jesus what would be the signs of His coming, or, of ‘the end of the age,” and the very first thing Jesus said to them was “take heed that no one deceive you.” (Mat 24: 3-4)

Turning to the disciples, Christ said, “Take heed that no one deceive you. For many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” Many false messiahs will appear, claiming to work miracles, and declaring that the time of the deliverance of the Jewish nation has come. These will mislead many. Christ’s words were fulfilled. Between His death and the siege of Jerusalem many false messiahs appeared. But this warning was given also to those who live in this our day and age of the world. The same deceptions practiced prior to the destruction of Jerusalem have been practiced through the ages, and will be practiced again. {DA 628.2}

Christians today may rest in the grand assurances that Bible prophecy is always about Jesus. Bible prophecy is called “sure” for a reason. Bible prophecy is HIS-Story. And Bible prophecy is the light in our clouds in these trying times we live in today. This is why prophecy is called “a light in a dark place.” (2 Pet 1:19)

IF the prophecies we are being taught are not light; if they create heat rather than light, perhaps we should consider closer the Bibles idea that

We also have a more sure word of prophecy, to which you do well to take heed, as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the Daystar arises in your hearts,” (2 Pet 1:19, MKJV)

Christ is a “Day Star,” and when he returns, he will shine in his full glory. Until that day we have Scripture and the Holy Spirit to illuminate it for us and guide us as we seek the truth (see also Luke 1:78; Eph 5:14; Rev 2:28; Rev 22:16).

NOTHING else in scripture is called “a more sure word.”