Trifocals, Scripture, and Prophecy

 

Several years ago I received my first pair of prescription trifocal glasses. It was a sign of aging which I could no longer postpone or deny. And if that wasn't traumatic enough...

 

The first obstacle I had to negotiate upon leaving the opticians office was the escalator in the mall. That was so successful (not) that I seriously considered groping my way back to the opticians for a refund. However I decided to press on, knowing that I still had my old distance lens glasses as a backup in case the drive home proved to be more of a challenge than I or my fellow travelers were willing to bear. Amazingly, as I exited the mall I noticed that little by little my eyes were adjusting. I was able to spot my car in the parking lot without the benefit of pressing the panic button on the remote. Most of the drive home I was able focus on objects in the distance, looking through the upper part of the lenses. Switching to intermediate objects, like the speedometer, was a bit dicey but my temporary fix was to use cruise control.

 

Little by little my eyes learned where to focus, depending on the need. After a while, my tennis game even improved as a result of my newly improved vision, even though that little yellow ball would change from being a far object to an intermediate object to a near object in less than a second. It has been the same way with my study of prophecy in the Word of God. Admittedly, just as it was with my vision, at first I had to turn to the professional to guide me. I am, and always will be, grateful for anointed teachers, who faithfully share their gifts with the saints, helping to equip them for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12). Those who do their jobs well are never interested in building for themselves an adoring fan base; rather their goal is to develop Bereans, who check the Scriptures themselves and who, able to digest solid food, are able to teach themselves (Acts 17:11, Hebrews 5:12).

 

The best teachers I had helped me to recognize my visual impairments with respect to seeing the truth contained in Scripture, and equipped me with tools to improve my spiritual vision. This has been especially true of prophecy. So much of Scripture is prophecy that fulfilled prophecy stands as the stalwart proof of this fact "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness," ( 2 Timothy 3:16). Accurate hindsight is important in the understanding of God's Word. But what of prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled?

 

That's where the trifocals (or at least bifocals) come into play. Much of prophecy that is still future has also enjoyed a fulfillment in the past. For example, there is an event in Scripture called "the abomination which causes desolation." This event is mentioned by Daniel, Jesus, Paul and John, so it must be important (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; Revelation 13). Daniel wrote of this event some 550 years before Christ. There was actually a fulfillment of this prophecy in 168 B.C., yet in the last few days of Jesus' earthly ministry He refers to it as yet future, as does Paul. John, in 95 or 96, while he also refers to this as a yet future event could also have looked in his rear view mirror and declared it fulfilled. The truth is - he didn't, although some Bible "scholars" have declared everything in Revelation as having been fulfilled centuries ago. I don't know where they get that from; perhaps they need some new glasses.

 

You see, "...we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; ²⁰ knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation," ( 2 Peter 1:19-20). The "abomination which causes desolation" is one of those prophetic passages which has a near, (perhaps intermediate), and far application. We'll talk more about that, and its implications as we view this event through the proper prescription trifocals. Until then, be encouraged.



4 X 4 Love

In the year 2014, many people sense that something of apocalyptic proportions is on the horizon, even if they don't agree about what and when. 4 X 4 Love explores the four dimensions of God's love about which Paul wrote and prayed in Ephesians 3:14-21. This great love is illustrated by real life experiences from both the present and the past. Only having the power to experientially know this love will carry us through life's off-road experiences. The "Big One," no matter how bad it gets, will be no match for God's love because it never fails!


Les Young's latest book, "4 X 4 Love for Life's Off-road Experiences (Especially the Big One" will encourage you to study your Bible and to prepare spiritually for the days ahead.
"Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."  (1 John 3:2) As the Kingdom of God is about to violently transition from This Present Age to The Age to Come, the children of God have nothing to fear. His love has motivated Him to tell us what will happen, and His love will sustain us. It will be worth it all when we see Him and become like Him. Read about it by getting your copy of 4 X 4 Love at...

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The Gospel of the Kingdom: Part 7

Last time we ended by pointing out the stark contrast between "this age" and "the age to come," or, to put it another way, the present "kingdoms of this world" which shall become, at God's appointed time, "the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ..." (Revelation 11:15). Until that time, while there is a manifestation of the Kingdom of God in the church, in the present, it is primarily one of the Kingdom being within the life of the individual believers who make up the church. "Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, 'The Kingdom of God does not come with careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the Kingdom of God is within you.'" (Luke 17:20-21).

And so we must point out here that it is the coming (parousia) of the Lord Jesus Christ that will separate This Age from The Age to Come. And further we must say that before the final consumption of God's redemptive purpose, Scripture teaches that the earth is to experience an extended period of our Lord's glorious rule, a literal 1,000 year period known as the Millennium. (Revelation 20:1-9; Isaiah 65:17-25). If The Age to Come is thought of as existing beyond history, then the Millennium will witness the triumph of God's Kingdom within history.

This is made easier to see when one understands the "Biblical prophetic perspective." The prophets of old often described the distant future, not only as a single although complex event, but the immediate future and the distant future were often described as a single act of God. The same can be said of Jesus' prophetic utterances recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. History makes it clear that the Lord was not only describing the historical destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans (A.D. 66-70), but it was against the backdrop of the eschatological Antichrist and the Great Tribulation. The Old Testament makes no clear delineation between the Messiah coming as a suffering servant (Isaiah 53, Zechariah 9:9-10) and the Messiah coming as a conquering King (Isaiah 9, 11).

George E. Ladd, in his book "The Gospel of the Kingdom" states, "The Old Testament makes no effort to synthesize the prophecies; and the effort to decide which prophecies apply to the church age, which apply to the millennial era, and which belong to the Age to Come ignores this basic fact of the prophetic perspective." Further study of Revelation and 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 make it clear that there are at least two eschatological stages in the future establishment of God's Kingdom. There are at least two resurrections. There are stages in the defeat of Satan. Death and the grave are not destroyed until the end of the Millennium (Revelation 20:14). Jesus possesses the keys of Hades and death now (Revelation 1:18) but the prayer, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven," will not be fully answered until the close of the Millennium.

So what can we conclude from our study thus far? 1) We shall never experience the full blessings of God's Kingdom in This Age. 2) The perfected Kingdom of god belongs to The Age to Come. 3) When God's people are called upon to pass through severe sufferings and tribulation, they should remember that God has not abandoned them, but that their sufferings are due to the fact that they no longer belong to This Age and are therefore the objects of its hostility. 4) Finally, the Kingdom of God will never be fully realized apart from the personal, glorious, victorious Coming of Christ. Men cannot build the Kingdom of God; Christ will bring it!

Next time we will be encouraged as we begin to study the extent to which the Kingdom of God today.

The Gospel of the Kingdom: Part 3

To understand the Kingdom of God, we must understand the biblical meaning of the word, "kingdom." The archaic definition from Webster's dictionary gives us a clue. "The rank, quality, state, or attributes of a king; royal authority; dominion; monarchy; kingship. The primary meaning of both the Hebrew Old Testament word and the Greek New Testament word translated "kingdom" is the rank, authority and sovereignty exercised by a king. We have already ascertained that the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 24:14) meant the Gospel of the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven. Now we are ascertaining that, first of all, a kingdom is the authority to rule, the sovereignty of the king. So when it is written in Ezra 8:1 of the return from Babylon "in the kingdom" of Artaxerxes, it refers to his reign. Likewise, when the Scriptures refer to God's Kingdom, it refers to His reign, His rule, His sovereignty and not the realm in which it is exercised. (George Ladd, The Gospel of the Kingdom, [Wm. B. Erdmans, Grand Rapids, 1959] 20).

In Hebrew poetic expression, God's Kingdom is also His power. (Psalm 145:11). "Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endures throughout all generations." (Psalm 145:13) It is God's rule which is everlasting, not the realm of His rule, for the Scriptures also declare that this heaven and this earth will pass away. (Mark 13:31) So when Jesus said that we must "receive the kingdom of God" as little children, (Mark 10:15) He wasn't speaking about receiving the church, or heaven, but God's rule. So here we begin to see a condition of the Kingdom: to enter the future rule of the Kingdom, one must submit, in complete trust, to God's rule in the here and now.

How many times have you heard it said at a funeral, "Well, so-and-so is in a better place now"? For that to be true, so-and-so had better have already submitted to the rule of God in his former life. It is not written for nothing, "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness." (Matthew 6:33) When we pray, "Thy kingdom come," we are not praying for heaven to come to earth, really. Apart from the reign of God, heaven is meaningless, so we pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10).

Now we've dealt with the primary meaning of the word "kingdom," but let's face it; a reign without a realm in which it is exercised is meaningless. So we find that the Kingdom of god is also a realm in which God's Kingdom may be experienced. In this regard, the Bible sometimes speaks of the Kingdom as a realm to be entered at the present; sometimes as though it were future. In passages such as Matthew 7:21; Mark 9:47, 10:23, 14:25 the Kingdom is equivalent to that aspect of eternal life which will be experienced only after the Second Coming of Christ. Other passages, such as Luke 16:16, 11:52; Matthew 21:31, the Kingdom is spoken of as being present, capable of being entered now.

So we are faced made up of three facts: 1) Some passages of Scripture refer to God's Kingdom as His reign; 2) Some passages refer to it as the realm into which we may now enter and experience blessings; 3) Others refer to a future realm which will come only with the return of Christ, into which we will enter and experience the fullness of His reign. So, the Scriptures must be studied to determine by context which meaning is correct for the particular passage. "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

Fundamentally, the Kingdom of God is God's sovereign reign; but God's reign expresses itself in different stages throughout redemptive history. On occasion, God has entered human history and has abruptly changed it's course (the flood, the exodus). He has also entered human history and changed human destiny, but the manner of change has been much quieter, although no less real. I'm speaking here of the word becoming flesh and dwelling among us, speaking to us, and expressing in human form the image of God. (John 1:14; Hebrews 1:1-3) Thus man has been able to enter the kingdom of God at various stages of its manifestation, where they experience today, enjoying in part but in reality, the blessings of God's reign, while they await the fullness of those blessings to manifest when Jesus returns as King of Kings.

So when you pray, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," pray with thankful confidence that His Kingdom is coming, and it will fill the whole earth. But when you pray that, also ask that God's will be done in the here and now (in you, in your family, in your church, town, state, country and the world). The church especially ought to be a fellowship of people among whom God's will is being done all the time. Our lives, our churches should be a sneak preview of the Kingdom of God.

"Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:10-11)

The Gospel of the Kingdom: Part 1

The teaching series, "Birth Pangs and Fig Trees" ended last time at an interlude recorded in Revelation 10:1 - 11:14. Since it was an interlude, and since the series was evolving into a commentary of Revelation, it was probably as good a time as any to stop for a while. Additionally, God has been impressing on me more and more a need to study and teach on the subject, "The Gospel of the Kingdom." This does not represent a departure from focusing on "End-Times" matters; rather it focuses on one of the most important topics of the end-times. One of the questions most frequently asked concerning the end-times is, "When will the end come?" or "When will Christ return?" The date-setters have always failed when answering this question, but did you know that Jesus (Who, along with the rest of us does not know the day or the hour - Matthew 24:36) gave a very definitive answer to the question, "When?"

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14, NIV)

While we, along with Jesus, don't know the day or the hour, we do know the times and the season and by God's grace and the power of the Holy Spirit have the ability to walk in light so that the Day of the Lord will not take us by surprise. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11). I doubt seriously that anyone will know precisely when the task mentioned in Matthew 24:14 is completed, but it does behoove us to know the gospel of the kingdom. We are told that "Jesus was going about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom...." (Matthew 4:23, NASB). The gospel of the Kingdom of God was the central message of Jesus' ministry. The phrase "Kingdom of God" appears in the New Testament 84 times - NIV and 90 times - KJV. The phrase Kingdom of Heaven appears 38 times - NIV and 40 times - KJV.

The Kingdom of God is basically the rule of God - the action of God's divine sovereignty and reign. It belongs to the present as well as the future. It is both limited and comprehensive. It can be resisted, and it is also absolute. It can take place in a nation, city, home or individual heart. The Hebrew-Christian faith expresses its hope in terms of the Kingdom of God. Biblical hope is not a pipe dream, but is an essential element ion the revealed will and redemptive work of the living God. The hope of the kingdom of God was seen by the Old Testament prophets as a day when men would live together in peace as described in Isaiah 2:4. (This Scripture is engraved on the walls of the UN Headquarters in New York - except the UN sees man as the one who will implement such peace, and not Almighty God.) The prophet saw a time when not only would all of the problems of human society be solved, but the present evils of man's physical environment would be no more (Isaiah 11:6)

Then came Jesus on the scene, announcing, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at

hand." (Matthew 4:17 NASB) Yet most of the Jews saw nothing of what was prophesied in Isaiah 2:4; 11:6. And today when you ask the Christian Church, "What is the Kingdom of God? When and how will it come?" you receive a bewildering array of answers. I doubt sincerely that I possess what it takes to give and answer to these questions that is both exhaustive and absolutely correct. But as we go through the study together, I am confident that the holy Spirit will give us a better understanding of this important subject than we started with.

In addition to trying to properly define the Kingdom of God, we will be looking for answers to some of these questions. Is the Kingdom just for the future; just for today; or both? What is the mysterious element of the Kingdom? What is life like in the Kingdom? Is there a righteous standard for the Kingdom? What are the demands of the Kingdom? Who gets in the Kingdom. Does the Kingdom concern just Israel, just the church, or both? What are we really praying when we pray "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven?" By God's grace I hope to stay at this to the tune of at least one blog (hopefully two) per week. Until then remember, "....unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5, NASB)

Birth Pangs and Fig Trees, Part 28

When we ended last time, we were at the interlude of Revelation 10. This interlude, which continues through 11:14, does not advance the narrative in an obvious, chronological manner. John sees in his vision a mighty angel who comes down from heaven, awesome in appearance, and holding a little, opened scroll in his hand. The contents of the scroll are never revealed in the revelation. Whatever it says (and it may be nothing more than documentation of the angel's authority), the angel, by planting one foot on the earth and the other on the sea, indicates that the destiny of the whole world is involved. As the angel shouts with a lion-like roar, seven thunders speak. No doubt, the number seven here again represents divine perfection or completion. John is instructed to not write what he heard the seven thunders say. This is an example of a biblical truth revealed in the Old Testament. "The secret things belong to the lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." (Deuteronomy 29:29)


Do you remember the promise given at the beginning of the Revelation? "Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." (Revelation 1:3) So I encourage you to read, to study, and to discuss with your children the things in the book. As you continue, understanding will increase. Don't let the secret things or the things which mystify cause you to neglect the book and so miss out on the promised blessing. It's not necessary, yea - it's not possible, to know in advance, without error, everything that will happen during Daniel's 70th week, in order to be blessed.


The mighty angel then, by the authority of "the Causeless Cause of All Things" announces that there will be no more delay. When the seventh angel blows the seventh trumpet (which contains the 7 bowl judgments) then all the prophecies that God revealed to His prophets about the final days will come to pass. It will accomplish the revealing of the "mystery of God." Then John is told to take the scroll from the mighty angel. As he does so, the angel commands John to eat the scroll.


I believe that what happens next is that John experiences on a grandiose scale what all people experience when they have an encounter with the Living Word of God. The scroll tasted sweet in his mouth, yet made his stomach turn sour. This quickly brings to mind this description of God's Word: "For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) There is sweet blessing in the Word of God to all who hear, trust and obey; there is the curse of judgment on sin and evil which all who reject God's Word must face. Even for the believer, following the sweetness of salvation there is often the persecution and affliction which arises because of the word (Matthew 13:21). The believer often languishes in the face of injustice, crying out "How long, O Lord?" But when the time is right, the Lord will right every wrong, heal every hurt, and wipe away every tear. The double-edged sword will accomplish this, bringing everlasting joy to some and everlasting torment to others. (Why even entertain the thought of petty paybacks?)


The mystery will be how God has used centuries of Satan, and demon-inspired men, to have their way (that is to say, the wonder of evil prospering and good being trodden underfoot). God has partially checked this through governments, but governments become so corrupt that the idea of them accomplishing this to God's high standards is ludicrous. God's purpose in all this will ultimately be clear to all. John himself was experiencing the sweetness of God's Word (assurance of salvation and that God is in control) while experiencing the bitterness of being exiled to a labor camp because of that same Word. Yet in the end, John's commission (and ours as well) is clear - deliver the Word as it is given and revealed. "Then I was told, 'You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.'" (Revelation 10:11) This book applies to everyone.


I have experienced personally the privilege of standing on God's Word, and then being allowed to present it before people in high places of leadership in our nation. Whether leaders accept God's Word as authority on all matters, including politics and government, or whether they reject it, the Word is spoken as a witness (Matthew 24:14). That's one way in which we hasten the day of the Lord's return. So be encouraged my friend. God has called you to be a part of His End-Times plans.

Birth Pangs and Fig Trees, Part 27

"Woe! Woe! Woe! to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels." (Revelation 8:13) Woe unto me if I should have to face any of the 3 woes contained here in Revelation 8 or any of the 7 woes of Matthew 23. Trusting in my own righteousness, that is all I would merit. But, "Nothing of myself I bring, only to Thy cross I cling." "O Jesus Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee, for Thou in Thine atonement, didst give Thyself for me. I owe no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne, my live I give henceforth to live, O Christ for Thee alone." "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)


Because of Christ, the wrath of God is not our portion. So it is that "in Christ" and from that exalted perspective, we view these three woes which befall those who still inhabit the earth. In quick order, the fifth trumpet is blown and a star falls from heaven. We know that this is allegorical language, because the star is given a key to the shaft of the Abyss (Revelation 9:1). This is reminiscent of Jesus words, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" (Luke 10:18). Thus the star here in Revelation 9:1 is probably Satan, although it could be some other angel sent to do God's bidding. Smoke from the Abyss darken the light of the sun and out of the smoke appear locusts, who can sting like scorpions, and who look like armor-plated horses, and who, unlike natural locusts (see Proverbs 30:27) have a king over them, named "Destroyer." His name is given in both Hebrew and Greek, indicating that both ungodly Jew and Gentile are subject to them. The locust sting and torment men, but do not kill them, for five months. From this, we know that no matter how rapidly the trumpet and bowl judgments are meted out, the Day of the Lord's wrath lasts at least five months. There is nothing to say that this tormenting judgment does not overlay all the rest of the trumpet and bowl judgments.


The sixth trumpet is now blown and a voice speaks to the angel with the 6th trumpet telling him to release the 4 angels who have been bound at the great river Euphrates for this very moment in time. (Revelation 9:15). They are released to kill 1/3 of the remaining humans on the planet, by means of a huge army, 200,000,000 strong. It is obvious that the army moves from the east, towards the holy City, and that the Euphrates River factors greatly into the troop movements. Look at a map of the Middle East and this becomes clear. What follows next is a man who lived 1900+ years ago trying to describe modern, even limited nuclear, warfare. The details of the battle are not nearly as important as is the following description of people at this time. I hope this does away with the romantic myth of some huge tribulation force developing on the earth after the Rapture of the church. Listen carefully.


"The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood - idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts" (Revelation 9:20-21). At this point, just before the seventh trumpet is blown (which contains the totality of the 7 bowl judgments) there is a significant interlude and backflash in the order of events, which will prove significant.....so stay tuned until next time.


Be encouraged. Although things will get much worse on planet Earth, especially in the west, they will not get so bad that in Christ they cannot be endured. Go to Voice of the Martyrs website (http://www.persecution,com/) and see how Christians endure in North Korea, China, Etruria, et al. They know the sufficiency of Christ. They know that to live is Christ and that to die is gain. They know experientially that, "No temptation [test, trial] has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted [tested, tried] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted [tested, tried] He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Birth Pangs and Fig Trees, Part 26

Just for practice, why don't we just give one another a "high-five!" Why? Because I might be wrong in my understanding of when the Rapture occurs, and if I am, I think the worst consequence will be that we all give one another a "high-five" while we're on our way up to meet the Lord in the air. If a generation of Christians is not going to be tested by the first 5 seals of Revelation 6, or the persecution of the Antichrist and the False Prophet of Revelation 13, then having prepared ourselves to face those possibilities will surely have prepared us to be ready for the imminent (any moment/with no preceding signs) return of Christ. On the other hand, if we buy into a "Your Best Life Now," or "Health and Wealth" gospel, we will be ill-prepared to face such tests and trials. If we have embraced a social gospel, which includes the idea of the church having replaced Israel completely in God's plan for the ages, we will miss the signs and again be ill-prepared to be purified as the Bride of Christ. If we embrace a dominion theology, we will be caught up in the Utopian myth that things will just keep getting better and better.

That having been said, I should point out that a few theologian still look at the Book of Revelation as being non-literal or allegorical. Another group, called Preterists, view the book as a record of conflicts of the early church with Judaism and paganism. As such, they view the Revelation as symbolic rather than prophetic. Still others view the Revelation as a symbolic presentation of church history, culminating with the second advent. This last interpretation refutes itself because of the multiplicity of identifications of the personnel of Revelation with a variety of historical characters. (Walvoord, John, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Moody Press, Chicago, 1966, pgs 16-20). The last approach to the Revelation is the futuristic approach, where everything in Revelation 4 onward is subject to future fulfillment, with the events in chapters 4-19 preceding the Second Coming of Christ. My view of Revelation is futuristic.

For two thousand years, Christians have been following the model of the Lord Jesus Christ in their prayers, saying, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Here in Revelation 8 we read, "Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints,went up before God from the angel's hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake." (v. 3-5) God's Kingdom is about to come to earth in answer to the prayers of the saints, but first the earth must be cleansed.

John is about to give us a brutal, blow by blow description of what this cleansing entails. Peter, on the other hand, gives us just the big picture. "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief [Remember Paul said the same thing, stating that that day would not catch the alert believer by surprise (1 Thessalonians 5:4-5)]. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare." (2 Peter 3;10) And so the destruction (cleansing) begins. The first trumpet is blown and hail and fire mixed with blood burn up 1/3 of all the earth's vegetation. Notice that there is no pause or further explanation, just a rapid transition to the second trumpet. At this judgment, a huge blazing mountain is thrown into the sea, turning it to blood, wherein 1/3 of all the ships and sea creatures are destroyed. Immediately the third trumpet is blown and a blazing star named Wormwood falls from the sky, affecting 1/3 of the earth's fresh water supply, making it bitter and deadly. As an aside, the Ukrainian word for Wormwood is Chernobyl. Also, have you noticed the constant reference to fire in these three judgments, matching up squarely with Peter's big picture?

Please hang in there a little longer; chapter 8 is almost over. Immediately the fourth trumpet is blown and 1/3 of the sun and moon are turned dark and 1/3 of the day and night were without light. I take this to mean that the Sun, Moon and stars did not "shine" for 1/3 of the time that they normally do. Revelation 8:13 continues the rapid progression, John stating, "As I watched, I heard an eagle flying flying in midair call out in a loud voice: 'Woe! Woe! Woe! to the inhabitants of the earth because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels." God in His mercy announces that things are about to get even worse. Unfortunately, we see no signs of man repenting during the outpouring of God's wrath. Brothers and sisters, take comfort and courage in the fact that no matter how difficult things get, we are not appointed to face the wrath of God, but rather to enjoy His salvation.

Birth Pangs and Fig Trees, Part 23

The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord

The last two posts in this series have had to do with the subject of false teachers. Perhaps we will devote an entire series to that subject at some other time; suffice it to say here that part of the false teaching will involve those who declare that there will be no literal fulfillment to the "Great and Terrible Day of the Lord." It will involve declaring that things will only get better and better until the Lord returns. However, for those who love the truth, it is important to understand what is coming, what believers (mainly in the west - for Voice of the Martyrs http://www.vom-usa.org/ has listed at least 35 nations in the world where the Gospel of Jesus Christ is restricted and where Christians are persecuted for their faith on a regular basis) may have to face, and what believers will be delivered from.

To date, most of the postings in this series have been dedicated to proving from Scriptures that the last days are very near, if not upon us; and that the church (Christians) will enter the last seven years in history known as Daniel's 70th Week. There they will face the false peace, the unravelling of society and culture, the revealing of Antichrist, and the persecution of Antichrist and his one world government, economy and religion. But true followers of Christ, those who remain true to Him in spite of great deception and opposition, will not have to face the "Great and Terrible Day of the Lord."

About that day, the Scriptures declare, beginning in the Old Testament: "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord" (Joel 2:30-31). Joel's language is very similar to the Lord's when He spoke of end-of-the-age events. "Immediately after the tribulation of those days [He has just described events that occur during the first 3-1/2 years-plus of this 7 year period. The Antichrist has been revealed midway, and his persecution of faithful Jews and Christians has begun] the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (Matthew 24:29-31). Both Joel and Jesus speak of heavenly disturbances. Jesus goes on to say that these will happen just before He returns. He then goes on to describe in some detail, what we know as the Rapture: the coming on the clouds and the trumpet call (similar to Paul's language in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Then in Matthew 24:36-44, He gives further details concerning the Rapture, specifically: 1) how it will come at an unknown hour, catching many by surprise; 2) how one will be taken and another left behind.

Those who are left behind - what are they left to face? Why it's "The great and Terrible Day of the Lord." In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus says very little about this. We are left with Joel and Jesus, both speaking of heavenly disturbances, followed by both the Rapture and the coming of "The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord." This is also referred to as "the great Day of His wrath" (Revelation 6:17) and "the Day of the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 5:2). Next time we will pick up with the parallels in The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which He gave to John, and hopefully see how it all fits, and then see just what it is that the believer is NOT destined for. In the meantime, so that we can again end on a note of encouragement: "But you brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day [the Day of the Lord] should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness....For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him" (1 Thessalonians 5:4-5, 9-10).

Birth Pangs and Fig Trees, Part 22

AND THE WARNINGS ABOUT FALSE TEACHERS continues, because they will be with us until the very end. Underscoring this point are these comments concerning the worse threesome to ever walk the face of the earth. "Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, 'Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?' The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander His name and His dwelling place and those who live in heaven. He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast - all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world." (Revelation 13:5 - 8)

That speaks of Satan and the person known as the Antichrist. The third member of this unholy, false trinity is another beast, known as the false prophet. "Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And he performed great and miraculous signs... " (Revelation 13:11-13) Do you notice here a reference to a false resurrection even? The delusions will be powerful. That is why it is so important, no matter how astounding the signs and wonders, no matter how powerful the rhetoric, to check the walk and the talk with the whole counsel of God. Paul's concern for the Corinthian church is still valid concerning the church today. "I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough." (2 Corinthians 11:3-4)

There are two biblical principles that should show up sooner or later (usually sooner) when the Gospel of the Kingdom is being preached: repentance and suffering. The false teachers seldom if ever mention these things. True repentance involves a change of heart, a change of affection, a change of direction. It is evident by the fruit which is produced, according to the forerunner of Christ, John the Baptist. "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance" (Luke 3:8). Jesus confirmed this principle. "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them" (Matthew 7:15-16). James puts the lid on the issue with this statement. "But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds.' Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do" (James 2:18).

One of the signs of genuine faith in the Gospel of the Kingdom, is a willingness to suffer. The principle of suffering is so prevalent in the New testament, some have called it the doctrine of sufferology. In the New International Version, the word "suffer" appears 83 times in the New Testament, and the word persecution 14 times. In this post, I am going to mention only 2 or 3. "The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name" (Acts 5:41). "Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory" (Romans 8:17) And so that we might end on a note of encouragement: "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18)

Birth Pangs and Fig Trees, Part 21

ONE OF THE MOST REPEATED WARNINGS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT is the warning against false teachers/teaching. Last time we mentioned the Acts 20:20 initiative and we looked at Acts, Chapter 20 in some detail. I must correct an error though: the Acts 20:20 initiative is a part of Jerry Robinson Ministries International and the correct website is www.jrmi.org His most recent book is entitled Bankruptcy of Our Nation. That said, we return to Paul's warning against false teachers in Acts 20. This warning was given after Paul had been in ministry for probably 20 years and the Ephesian Church was about 5-6 years old. About 10 years later, Peter wrote his second epistle in which we find these scathing words concerning false teachers: "These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.........Of them the proverbs are true" 'A dog returns to its vomit,' and 'A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.'" (2 Peter 2:17-18, 22)

The warnings have been with us for 1950-1960 years, and they are probably as pertinent in 2010 as they have ever been. Remember Jesus' words concerning these last days. "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ' and will deceive many....At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and false prophets will appear and deceive many people....For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect - if that were possible. I am seeing these things take place right before my eyes. I hear (with my own ears because of the wonder of the Internet, mp3's, downloads, windows media player, etc.) powerful words being spoken about fresh streams of water flowing in and through the church, when at the same time clear mandates of Scripture and the church's own by-laws are being ignored. It brings to mind the words of James: "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be." (James 3:9-10)

I see that the Lord has put me on a roll here, and that the subject of false teachers and false doctrine should be addressed in more detail than has been done here. By His grace, it will be done, but it will require restraint of tongue which only the Holy Spirit can bring. I do not have the ability to tame my tongue in my own strength. James exhorts us to not slander one another by speaking about someone that which we should speak to someone. (James 4:11-12) I pray that I will be able to point out things which are true and things which are false. Sometimes a name will be named as a caution, or as something in particular which should be examined. Then perhaps someone with ears to hear will hear and judge the matter themselves. I make no claim at being another man's judge. However, I leave you now with this exhortation which should help to bring things into balance. "The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 'For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?' But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:15-16)

Birth Pangs and Fig Trees, Part 20

THE ACTS 20:20 INITIATIVE IS one of the ministries of Jerry Robinson Ministries International (http://www.jrmi.org) and is something about which I will be speaking more about on this site. Paul spoke these word to the Ephesian elders on his way to Jerusalem, where he would ultimately be arrested. "You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house." (Acts 20:20) A few verses later, Paul says "For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God." (Acts 20:27) And then he says, "I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from among your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears." (Acts 20:29-31)

The Acts 20:20 model includes both public and home gatherings of Christ-followers for the purpose of being taught the "whole will" or "entire counsel" of God. Paul's concern is that soon false teachers (described as "savage wolves") will come in from the outside and arise from the inside. He doesn't say what they will teach but when you read this entire 20th Chapter of Acts, the strong contextual implication is that the false teaching will: 1) disregard the importance of turning to God in repentance, 2) not emphasize faith in the Lord Jesus (not just fire insurance faith, but entering the kingdom where new rules for living, sacrifice and suffering are the order of the day), 3) avoid the whole counsel of God (often emphasizing one particular aspect, such as "Love."), 4) be devoid of warnings accompanied by tears.

Many of the "wolves" that have infiltrated the church today are purveyors of blatantly false doctrine. Two prime examples in the west are where the church has chosen to embrace that which the culture has embraced as legitimate in the areas of abortion and same sex marriage. Entire denominations have either gone on record supporting such blatant violations of the Word of God, or have actually pushed the agenda. Other denominations have chosen to be either "wishy-washy" or silent on the issues. While I am grieved by the huge number of people who have been so deceived, at least the issues are pretty clear; issues which I have addressed often over the years.

My additional observation concerns the false teachers who avoid the four things listed above. These are harder to spot. How do you know what someone has left out of their theology unless: 1) they openly tell you, or 2) you stay around for a considerable time and notice that it never comes up? I wish that I could give you an easy litmus test. You can begin by looking at a church's or ministry organization's statement of faith, purpose, constitution & by-laws, etc. This is only a start, because I have had the unpleasant experience of personally dealing with a faith community which blatantly has disregarded such documents in dealing with such issues as membership, annual meetings and finances. When such things occur, good preaching and teaching may still be the order of the day, hiding from the view of the average church-goer that there are some cracks in the foundation. Paul warned with tears, implying that the warnings were serious, were hard to stomach, and applied to Paul as well as everyone else - no exceptions. I can still remember the parental admonition, "Do as I say, not as I do." Such an admonition should not come from the pulpit.

In the next installment we will take the Acts 20:20 concept a little further, and connect Paul's warnings to those of Jesus' in the Olivet Discourse. But to close on an encouraging note, I leave you with these words of Paul, also in Acts 20. "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 20:32)

Birth Pangs and Fig Trees, Part 18

APOSTASY AND REVIVAL. Last time we looked at how both of these phenomena can occur at the same time. The fact that they can presents a clear and present danger, calling for discernment on the part of the saints. Let me give you an example from about 27 years ago. My wife was recently saved and I had just returned from several years of wandering in the wilderness. One Saturday afternoon, my wife suffered one of those horribly painful back injuries which are brought on by nothing more traumatic than lifting a newspaper. The only way she could move from the bed to the bathroom was to crawl. We both prayed, but the pain persisted through the night. The next morning, with my wife's approval, I went to church. It was a good church with good people, but denominational through and through. I went to some of the deacons after service (there were no elders) and asked if they would come to the house and anoint my wife with oil and pray in accordance with James 5:14-15. I was told that we didn't do things that way here; that Scripture was for the early church. We now have good doctors, and we should consult one.

Some young people who were part of a travelling drama ministry overheard the conversation and dared to interject their thoughts. They believed the Scriptures were true and applicable today, and that even though they weren't elders (I think the oldest was about 22) there were other Scriptures, such as Mark 16:18 we could stand on. So, they came to the house, laid hands on my wife and prayed - believing that God would honor His word and confirm it. Six hours later my wife and I were at our couples bowling league. I think she bowled a 224 that night. Praise God!

I use that story to illustrate the time of crisis that is about to visit us. I'm told that in the Chinese language the word for crisis consists of two connected symbols, one meaning danger and the other meaning opportunity. Danger lurks around every corner; danger that is common to all men, and danger that is specific for the Christian. If the government takes over the health-care industry (and there are rumors that it will be forced upon us within the week) it poses a certain danger for everyone in the USA. Oh some will see it as an opportunity to gain something they never had, but in the long run, health care will deteriorate, become more expensive, and will be mired in the muck of bureaucracy. For the Christian, the immediate crisis may be caused by the inclusion of tax-payer funded abortion coverage in the government plan. What should a Christ-follower do? There is a danger if one cannot reconcile such a plan with their faith. I know I couldn't, and Scripture says: "...everything that does not come from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23) Opinions will be divided in the church, both among individuals and denominations, just as it is now concerning the matters of abortion, gay rights, etc.

Where's the opportunity in all of this? It is simply to stand on God's Word as Plan A, with no Plan B in sight. Pressure to fold and compromise will come from every quarter. Your own church and your own church friends may not support your decision. Your child may be running a fever of 103 and answers to prayer may be delayed. Now is the time to begin seeing yourself facing the pressure of the enemy and not folding. Now is the time to begin being vocal and demonstrative in your faith, and as such begin aligning yourself with others of like precious faith. It will be hard when support will not be forthcoming from the deacons, but God will send the young Christian actor, or some other such "weak and foolish" vessel to bring about your deliverance. And the church will begin to look more and more like the church of Acts 2:42-47 and beyond.

"Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." (Acts 4:29-30)

Birth Pangs and Fig Trees, Part 17

In the last installment, we ended by looking at some words in 2nd Peter. Today I want to begin by looking more closely to a Q & A which Peter developed. "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming." (2 Peter 3:11-12) Some years ago, theologian Francis Schaeffer put together an outstanding video series base on the similar question, "How Should We then Live?" That is the topic we will cover in this, and perhaps one or two additional installments, as we bring this series to a close. And just in case I have failed to make a compelling case for the church entering the 70th week of Daniel, and having to face times of unprecedented testing, I will just come out and state it plainly: I BELIEVE THAT THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS, DANIEL, PETER, PAUL AND JOHN ALL HARMONIZE AND MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE CHURCH WILL ENTER THE 70TH WEEK OF DANIEL (AKA "THE TRIBULATION") AND FACE PERSECUTION AND TESTING UNLIKE ANYTHING BEFORE IN HUMAN HISTORY. IN THIS THE CHURCH WILL BE PURIFIED AS SHE AWAITS THE RAPTURE (THE BLESSED HOPE) WHICH WILL OCCUR WHEN CHRIST APPEARS A SECOND TIME, NOT TO DEAL WITH SIN BUT TO SAVE THOSE WHO WAIT IN EXPECTANT PERSEVERANCE, AND JUDGMENT UPON ALL THE REST. (TITUS 2:12-13; HEBREWS 9:28)

So now to the question: "How should we then live?" I think the short answer to that question is found right here: "They devoted themselves to the apostle's teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:42-47) If you continue reading in Acts, this activity was still going on in Acts 6, where the distribution of the goods held in common for those who had need was becoming a logistical problem. But what had happened in the interim?

The new church was growing by leaps and bounds (120 [Acts 1:15] to 3,120 [Acts 2:41] to 5,000 men [Acts 4:4]). Miracles in the public arena were drawing people's attention (Acts 3:1-4:21). Persecution was beginning (Acts 4:3) and then increased (Acts 5:17 - 40). The preaching was becoming bold and to the point (Acts 3:11-26; 4:8-12, 19-20; 5:29 - 32). It became absolutely clear that people who just wanted to play church were not welcome (Acts 4:32 - 5:13). When I read these passages from Acts in light of biblical truth concerning the Second Coming of Christ, I see a clear picture of the church that is being perfected, with every spot and wrinkle being removed (Ephesians 5:27), all taking place under the pressure that comes from the earth groaning, the organized church drifting towards apostasy, lawlessness increasing (1 Peter 1:6-9). It becomes clear how apostasy and revival can happen at the same time.

Please allow me to give you an example of this as we bring this installment to a close. Suppose that world-wide there are 1.5 billion people who call themselves "Christian." Then a revival of righteousness and holiness begins to occur at the same time which persecution against Christians is increasing and concurrently a huge portion of the 1.5 billion in the visible church begin to embrace all sorts of ungodly mixture so as to get along, enjoying both governmental favor and protection from persecution. (For an historical example, look at the church in Germany between 1930 and 1940). In such a scenario, some will be drawn to the true Gospel and be saved. Some of the carnal Christians in the church will become truly converted. The number of true Christians will increase. At the same time, many will fall from the faith, accepting a government-sanctioned form of eccumenicalism.

That's enough for today. To leave you with some words of encouragement: "...brothers (and sisters), since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:19-23)

Birth Pangs and Fig Trees, Part 16

After fifteen installments in this series, some may find the messages anything, ranging from informative to interesting to boring to nonsense. To the extent that I have been able to keep them true to the Word of God, I believe they have the potential to transform, especially when we get to the place where the Word intersects our daily lives. Last time I pointed out that the Rapture (when believers are changed in the twinkling of an eye, receiving glorified bodies and are snatched away to be with the Lord forever, with the short-term benefit of being removed from the earth and its unbelieving inhabitants who are about to experience the judgment and wrath of Almighty God) will take people out of the ordinary activities of life. The illustration was one of two men standing in a field, one taken and the other left.

Most of the books and movies about the subject in the last 3-4 decades have been based on a pre-tribulation Rapture theory, where the Rapture could take place any moment, even NOW! This theory can be a good incentive to live in holiness, watching, praying and waiting. However, it paints a picture of somehow being ready at every moment without knowing what that means. Beyond that, we have been given a picture of those "left behind" becoming "the tribulation saints" where the Rapture gets them off the fence and propels them to true faith in Christ. In this scenario the Rapture serves to encourage them to live a life described in Revelation 12:11, "They overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." Many of the authors and theologians who espouse this theory also label the 144,000 sealed Jews in Revelation 7:1-8 as evangelists. Books and videos have been produced for believers to leave behind for their unsaved loved ones to help them to faith in Christ.

I believe I have shown in the previous fifteen installments why this theory does not line up with Scripture. It's a nice theory, which allows believers (especially westerners who have a tendency to equate health and prosperity with the Gospel and who eschew suffering for the Gospel) to enjoy all of their stuff until things get tough on planet Earth. If, somehow, we have been a little too carnal, we'll know that when we miss the Rapture and we'll no doubt get it right from that point forward. But the Bible strongly indicates that the church (true believers and not so true believers, the wheat and tares of Matthew 13:24-30) will enter Daniel's 70th week, often called the 7-year tribulation. The church will still be here when the Antichrist is revealed and begins his undaunted persecution against Jews and Christians. The church will have her faith tested like never before (at least in terms of scale) and life and death choices will have to be made. Living as described above in Revelation 12:11 will be a choice made by faith in God's Word. The Rapture will not have happened yet, but will remain the "blessed hope" of the believer.

However, because of the Great Tribulation now occurring on the earth, the love of many will grow cold. Many "believers" will opt for the ecumenical world-wide church which will have as part of its liturgy "tolerance and diversity" rather than "righteousness and holiness." We can see the stage being set for that even now. "The wrath of God is being revealed even now against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness." The courts and the legislatures in the land are being used as instruments for people, "Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they do not only continue to do these very things, but also approve of those who practice them." (Romans 1:18, 32) Political correctness demands that nobody be offended, except those who stand on the unchanging truth of God's Word.

So we are standing at a place in history when Peter's inspired words are more relevant than ever. The Rapture, which will immediately followed by the Day of the Lord will happen, after there have been several signs (birth pangs and buds on the fig tree) but they will be of such severity that they will try the faith of many, and under such trials, many will abandon the faith. At that time, "the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming." (2 Peter 3:10-12)

From this same passage of Scripture, there are words of encouragement, which I think we could all use at this point. "Therefore dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen." (2 Peter 3:17-18)

Birth Pangs and Fig Trees, Part 14

As we progress with the signs which will portend the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, we find ourselves immersed in a world that is out of control. All systems of human government and culture seem to lack even common sense, much less righteousness or any other virtue. A power struggle of gigantic proportions is going on and the average individual will feel sucked into its vortex. The inconsistencies and disconnects apparent in the president's speech the other night will seem like child's play by comparison. The temptation to go along so that one might get along will never have seemed greater. The true followers of Christ will not be able to put much trust in organized religion, which will become more and more apostate by the day. Just what will it be like living in a day described by these words: "If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened." (Matthew 24:22, NIV)

When put into context, what is cut short is not Daniel's 70th week, but that portion of it beginning at the mid-point, known as "The Great Tribulation." For the sake of the elect (the faithful followers of Christ) those days will be cut short, and the remainder of the latter half of Daniel's 70th week will be taken up by The Day of the Lord. Another label for this is the time of God's wrath. So what is it that cuts short (amputates, if you will) the Great Tribulation? My friends, it is the Rapture - the resurrection of all the faithful from centuries past, followed by the immediate changing of all the faithful on earth (called glorification) and then all being caught up into the air to meet the Lord in the clouds, and so to be with Him forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Now that's encouraging!

We are at a point now where it is necessary to explain a couple of things from 1 Thessalonians 5. There we read "for you know that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night." (v. 2) and "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." (v.9) The "thief in the night" phrase is used by the Lord when He says, "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him." (Matthew 24:42-44)

What Jesus and Paul are telling us here is that with everything happening (all of the signs and events mentioned thus far) only those who are watching and expecting the return of Christ will be ready for it. Others will be caught up in the world running amok and in the apostate church of the hodge-podge religion. They will even be saying "Peace, peace" when the sudden destruction comes. The Lord reminded me that when you have to keep talking about the thing (in this case "peace") that usually means that the genuine article is absent. The same thing is true with the anointing, miracles, the next great move of God, etc. When the genuine is present, you just have to experience it; no hype needed. It's not the Rapture that comes on the believer like a "thief in the night" but the Day of the Lord coming upon the unbelieving world immediately following.

We'll go into that in more detail next time. Meanwhile, let these words encourage you. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." (1 John 3:1-3)

Birth Pangs and Fig Trees, Part 12

Last time we were looking at some of the things the follower of Christ will have to face during the 70th Week of Daniel (aka "The Tribulation") I've already made a case - a case that will be reiterated and strengthened over time - for the believer entering the 70th Week of Daniel. A believer's view of this is extremely important because it will affect his/her preparation. For example, if you believe that you will be raptured before the 70th week, you will probably have little more than a passing curiosity about the person known as the Antichrist.




Over the centuries, there have been several theological positions developed concerning this time in history, adding to the confusion. Alan Kurschner, of the Pre-wrath Institute (http://www.prewrathrapture.com/) gives a brief summary of these positions and how they affect ones view of the Antichrist.




Pretribulationalism: The Antichrist is a literal future man, but this view sees the Church being raptured before he is revealed and begins his persecution of Israel and Christians.

Preterism: The Antichrist was fulfilled in the first century, so there is no future Antichrist.

Historicism: The Antichrist is manifested in oppressive leaders throughout church history, so there is no future Antichrist.

Spiritualism: The Antichrist is not literal, instead, he is symbolic of an evil principle in the church age, so there is no future Antichrist.

Skepticism: God doesn't want us to know if the church will encounter the Antichrist, therefore, don't teach about it.
Prewrath: The church will enter the 70th Week of Daniel and will encounter the Antichrist and his persecution. This is the position of Encouragement for End-Times Endurance. It is the only view which is supported by a natural reading of Paul's words:

"Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you brothers not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the Day of the Lord has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion (apostasy) occurs and the man of lawlessness (Antichrist) is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called god or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4)


Thus we see the church being warned that the Rapture (our being gathered to the Lord) followed by the Day of the Lord (time of God's wrath) both taking place after the Antichrist is revealed when he commits the act known as "the abomination of desolation" by setting up an image of himself in the rebuilt Jewish Temple. Daniel speaks of this (Daniel 9:27); Jesus speaks of this (Matthew 24:15); and John speaks of this (Revelation 13:11-15. Both Jesus and Paul speak of this event as clearly taking place prior to the Rapture.


In closing for today, please be reminded that Paul made his point in the 2 Thessalonian passage above. Jesus makes the point in that Matthew 24:15 precedes the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:16-26) which precedes the passage about cosmic disturbances (Matthew 24:27-29) which precedes the Rapture (Matthew 24:30-31). Jesus summarizes all the signs leading up to His coming, and then reiterates that His coming will still not be known as to the day and hour (Matthew 24:36-39); making clear that it is the rapture about which He speaks (Matthew 24:40-41).


Know that all of these warnings are given so that the Church, the Bride of Christ will be keeping watch (Matthew 25:13); constantly being about the Master's business in "this day" so that on "that day" we will hear Him say"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master's happiness!" (Matthew 25:21). There are only two days guaranteed to any of us: "this day" and "that day."

Birth Pangs and Fig Trees, Part 7

Revelation 13 - what a great passage of Scripture to look at during Christmas week! There is probably nothing that can crush the warm fuzzies of Christmas like the prospect of having to face the Antichrist, who will be given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. Facing the false prophet will be no less daunting - he who will be given power to give breath to the image of the first beast so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. And what about being forced to choose between taking the mark so as to engage in any financial transaction or staying true to Christ? (Rev. 13:7, 16-17)

The little Babe of Bethlehem caused quite a stir 2000 years ago, and He continues to do so today. Imagine if you were a parent living in Bethlehem with a 14 month old son at the time Herod issued his paranoid decree. At the time of Jesus' birth the angelic host gave glory to God and declared peace on earth among those with whom He is pleased. This peace is offered to all, but there are few who receive it. Jesus would later say that He came not to send peace but a sword. (Matt. 10:34)

So Revelation 13 is part of an interlude (along with chapters 12 and 14) which interrupts the progression of the trumpet and bowl judgments. If you were reading a Zane Grey novel, this would be the part where it says, "Meanwhile, back at the ranch." Here in Revelation we can read, "Meanwhile, back at the great tribulation spoken of in Matthew 24:21." We are given some insight as to what constitutes the great tribulation, and what the martyrs of Revelation 6:9-11 had faced.

In verses 9-10 of Revelation 13 we read: "If anyone has an ear, let him hear: If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints." It's hard to see "Merry Christmas and Peace on Earth" in that! Or is it?

How far have we come from the true meaning of Christmas? We seem to be fighting a battle just to say "Merry Christmas" in the stores where we shop. Wars are being waged over the right to display nativity scenes in public. A good Christmas is measured in retail sales. The angelic announcement has been transposed into "Peace on earth, good will toward men." In keeping with that, the true message of Christmas has been buried under all sorts of peaceful acts of good will, with no mention of sin and salvation. The manger (if it is spoken of at all) is seldom connected to the cross.

Jesus came to earth as Emmanuel (God with us), as the Word made flesh. He had to be human so that He could pay the price for human sin, and He did. Scripture tells us that as a man, He was tempted (tested and tried) like every other human, yet He committed no sin. (Hebrews 2:14-15; 4:15). Therefore, when He had paid the price (death) He sprinkled His blood on the Mercy Seat of the holy place in heaven, thus securing "an eternal redemption" for us. (Hebrews 9:11-14)

My friends, enjoy CHRISTmas, but please do not forget it's true meaning. It goes way beyond the glitter, lights. and tinsel; it goes way beyond "Silent Night." Sin is a terrible thing, and it has invaded the heart of every one of us; it has cursed every fiber of our planet; and it has required the bloody, gory death of the Son of God to purchase our redemption. It will cause much more turmoil and heartache on earth, until the King of Kings returns to exact justice and to cleanse the earth. We must embrace Him as so much more than the Babe in a manger, and much more than savior of our souls; we must embrace Him as Lord of our lives - now and forever more. Those who do so are the ones with whom He is pleased.

Birth Pangs and Fig Trees, Part 6

As we begin part 6 of this discourse, I would ask that you notice the flow of Jesus' speech. Verse 9 of Matthew 24 begins with the word "then." Jesus says, "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted...." This last phrase is translated "tribulation" in many versions of Scripture which has led to much confusion. The Greek word is thlipsis, and appears many times in the New Testament. (e.g. John 16:33; Romans 5:3; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; Hebrews 10:32-33; Acts 14:21-22) In these places, as well as others, thlipsis translated as tribulation is not speaking of some special period of time known as The Tribulation. Tribulation is presented in the New Testament as something which is the normal lot through which the Christian must travel.

Jesus does use the word thlipsis when in Matthew 24;21 He says, "For then there will be a great tribulation [mega thlipsis], such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world, nor ever will." What has happened between the general tribulation of Matthew 24:9 and Matthew 24:21? We won't be able to cover all of it during this part 6, but Matthew 24:10 - 14 which we looked at last week speak of betrayal, apostasy (turning from true faith), hatred, false prophets, deception, increase in wickedness, and cold love. This sounds a lot like Paul's last-day's list in 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

Remember Jesus' admonition to stand firm until the end, and thus be saved. Almost anyone can start almost anything; not everyone can finish. That's what this ministry is all about - helping people finish; pointing out signs along the way so that we won't be found sleeping and unprepared. This is so important that Jesus said it clearly in Matthew 10:22 and Matthew 24:13; and then He illustrated it with several parables, four of which are in Matthew 24:36 - 25:46.

One very clear way in which we stand firm is to "preach the gospel of the kingdom in the whole world as a testimony to all nations." (Matthew 24:14) We know from Scripture that this gospel is to be preached in word and in deed. We are to do this in spite of persecution, even when it comes from "church people." Jesus says, "then the end will come." This is one reason I believe strongly that a proper view of end-times places the Great Commission and the Great Commandment under a huge microscope. The necessity of the church obeying Jesus is only magnified; everything the church (the Bride of Christ) should be comes to the forefront.

What will be going on while the church is doing all of this? Matthew 24:15 says, "So, when you see standing in the holy place the abomination that causes desolation...." Those are familiar words, so let's stop right there and examine this statement. This will serve as a bit of an interlude, after which we will stop for now, continuing with the action in part 7.

Jesus says that this event was spoken of by the prophet Daniel. It's in chapter 9, verse 27.This prophecy was fulfilled by an antichrist (Antiochus Epiphanes IV in or about 168 BC) and will be fulfilled literally by the antichrist at sometime in the near future. Paul identifies this very same event, which along with the great apostasy of the church are two specific things which must happen before the return of Christ. "Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him (sound like the rapture?) we ask you brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion (apostasy) occurs and the man of lawlessness (the antichrist) is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." (the abomination that causes desolation).

Some of the rest of his activities are described in Revelation 13, and we will go there next time. In the meantime, please let me remind you that this antichrist is a created being. He certainly does oppose Christ, and he seeks to take the place of Christ, but he falls way short of being equal to Christ.

In closing, be greatly encouraged by the words of Isaiah (God speaking):

"See, it is I who created the blacksmith (a type of the devil who makes weapons to destroy) who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. (Remember, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but powerful through God to the pulling down of strongholds....) And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc; (so that) no weapon forged against you will prevail..." (Isaiah 54:16-17) The creator is infinitely greater than the created. Trust Him.