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...

http://amzn.com/1500552291

The Gospel of the Kingdom: Part 9

Since it's been a while since part 8 of this blog was posted, it might be good to revisit the motivation for beginning this series in the first place. Motivation #1 - Jesus' central theme in ministry was the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 4:23, etal). Motivation #2 - Jesus said that the end would not come until this gospel had been preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations (to all peoples, people groups, ethnos, Matthew 24:14). Motivation #3 - we should be familiar with this gospel so we can preach it accurately, and thereby hasten the day of the Lord's return (2 Peter 3:12).

When we ended last time, we said that we would begin this installment with Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer i who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." By joining Him in death, we are also able to join Him in resurrection power (Philippians 3:10) and share in His resurrection life now (Ephesians 2:5). We are already living on the heavenward side of the first stage of the resurrection. Wow!

The final stage of the resurrection is seen when 1 Corinthians 15:24 and Revelation 20:10, 14 are seen together. The Kingdom (which became the possession of the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation 11:15, is now given up to God as the devil is thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, followed by Death and Hades (the grave). At the end of the millennial reign of Christ, the last enemy (death) will be destroyed forever, and having subdued all enemies, He will deliver up the Kingdom to God the Father. A previous stage of this conquest occurred, as stated in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:23, and Revelations 20:4, when "they which are Christ's at His coming" are raised (or transformed) incorruptible.

So the kingdom of God means the defeat of all of the enemies of God. It means the reign of the Lord Jesus Christ, defeating the enemies of God one by one until the last enemy is destroyed... death. And from whence cometh death? "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). And from whence cometh sin? Satan, of course - he who was created perfect, and then iniquity was found in him (Ezekiel 28:15). Here we have a hellish triumvirate - Satan, sin, and death. Christ must reign until He has put ALL enemies under His feet. While it is not until the end of the Millennium that this is finally accomplished, there is a past aspect to the conquering of this triumvirate which translates into a present benefit. Christ has already been raised from the dead. Stage one to the conquering of the final enemy has been accomplished.

It's not just the first stage of the conquering of death that has been accomplished, but the Kingdom of God has invaded the present evil age - the domain of Satan! Hebrews 2:14 (which we have cited previously) makes this abundantly clear. Those whom God would make His children through faith have been delivered from the fear of death and are no longer subject to its bondage. A destruction of Satan (at least his power) has already taken place through the death and resurrection of Christ. The Greek word translated "destroy" here means "to put out of action," "to render ineffective." The first of three stages in the conquering of Satan has been accomplished. We see this in several of the Gospel narratives, such as Matthew 4:23-24. "And He went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and infirmity among the people. SO His fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought Him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and He healed them."

The Lord Himself, when He proclaimed the Good News of the Kingdom of God, demonstrated that Good News by delivering men from the bondage of Satan. This involved both physical healing and the exorcism of demonic spirits. Jesus would say in Matthew 12:28, "But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." And so the Gospel of the Kingdom is that God is now acting among men to deliver them from the power of Sin, Satan and Death. Jesus commissioned the 12, and through them believers down through the centuries, to go and preach this Gospel, declaring that the same signs that accompanied His preaching of the Gospel would accompany theirs (ours).

Next time we will see how the importance of this Gospel being preached and and practiced will reach its zenith in the last days, as the end nears. Until then, be encouraged by these words. May they quell any concerns in your heart about healthcare reform. Jesus already reformed the healthcare system.

The Gospel of the Kingdom: Part 8

To what extent is the Kingdom of God manifest today?

It's taken a while (longer than I originally anticipated) but so far a foundational truth has been established: The Word of God divides the course of God's redemptive purpose into two ages: This Age and The Age to Come. These two ages are separated by the Second Coming of Christ and the first resurrection. The fullness of the Kingdom of God belongs to The Age to Come, and if that were all there was to the Kingdom, then the gospel of the Kingdom would be strictly that of promise. Salvation would be little more than an insurance policy to provide against a future day of trouble. It's present value would be little more than to provide a sense of security for deliverance on the day of judgment.

However, the bible makes it clear that there is a transition from This Age to The Age to Come which lasts 1000 years, called the Millennium. At the beginning of the Millennium, Satan will be bound and thrown into the abyss. The earth will then enjoy a new measure of the life and blessings of the Kingdom of God (Isaiah 65:20-25). At the end of the Millennium, the devil is released from the abyss, and amazingly he again deceives multitudes and incites them to rebel against God. God visits the earth with fire and devours all His enemies and Satan is thrown into the lake of fire, joining the beast and the false prophet where the unholy trinity will be tormented forever (Revelation 20:7-10).

Then the fullness of the Kingdom of God will finally be realized in a new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21). Again, if this were the complete program of redemption, we would have merely a religion of hope and promise. Please don't get me wrong - Christianity is full of hope and promise, but Christianity (The Gospel of the Kingdom) is not a religion, but a relationship, so it goes beyond hope and promise. There is a further overlap of the two ages, beyond the Millennium. The New Testament is full of explicit statements compelling us to conclude that the blessings of The Kingdom are not exclusive to He Age to Come. The theology of the New Testament as a whole supports this as well. Hebrews 6:5 speaks of those who "tasted.....the powers of the coming age." Something has happened causing the powers of The Age to Come to penetrate This Age. And while a "taste" is not a seven-course banquet, a taste is still real; more than a promise it is something to be experienced.

Paul says in Galatians 1:3-4 "Grace and peace to you (virtually every epistle begins this way; grace first, followed by peace) from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father." Hallelujah! Satan may still be the god of this world (This Age) but the power of The Age to Come has projected itself back into This Age in the person of Jesus Christ, so that we might be delivered from this present evil Age. "Glory to God forever and ever! Amen!" (Galatians 1:5). Paul gives an amazing theological exposition in his letter to the Roman Christians, and the last verse in chapter 11 reads, "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen." (Romans 11:36).

He then begins chapter 12 with the words "Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy...." What are we to do? Present our bodies as living sacrifices.....Do not be conformed to the patter of this world (This Age) but be transformed by the renewing of our mind... It is only by undergoing an inner transformation, which is the result of the power of The Age to Come penetrating back into this present evil Age that we can keep from being conformed to This Age. By this new power we are able to test and approve that which is God's perfect will.

What does this mean? The follower of Christ is now caught up in the conflict of the ages, as the Kingdom of God which belongs to The Age to Come has overlapped with This Age. Therefore, we may be delivered from This Age and no longer live in conformity to it. This is not easy, and it is not complete and it is a struggle. It helps to know that God has a plan and a purpose. The plan (which includes the order of things) is outlined in 1 Corinthians 15:22-26. This passage declares that the Kingdom of God is the reign of God through Christ destroying the enemies of God's reign. The highest expression of the Kingdom is the defeat of death. "The last enemy to be destroyed is death." (v. 26). This does not happen at once, but in three stages: "Christ the first fruits; after that they which are Christ's at His coming. After that comes the end, when He delivers up the Kingdom to God the Father." (v. 20-24 paraphrased).

This all begins with the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is history; not something to be anticipated in the future. That is our assurance of our own resurrection (or sudden transformation) - a resurrection has already happened. Jesus said, "Because I live, you will live also" (John 14:19). This is the meaning of the power of His resurrection, in that it enables us also to partake of His sufferings (Philippians 3:10). Jesus in His human body, died for our sins and rose on the third day, "so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." (Hebrews 2:14-15). It is only when we enter into the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ that we experience the power of The Age to Come in This Age. When we no longer fear death, to paraphrase William Carey, the "Father of the Modern Missionary Movement," there is nothing we won't attempt for God, nothing we won't expect from God.

Take a look at Galatians 2:20, for that is where we will begin the next time. Good stuff with which to end one year and begin another. Be encouraged in Christ.

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 2

Some theologians have reduced the Kingdom of God to the subjective realm of "here and now" describing it in terms of the human spirit in relationship to God. Others interpret it as the absolute "wholly other" which entered space and time in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Still others confine the Kingdom of God to the apocalyptic realm which will be inaugurated by the supernatural act when Jesus comes again, history is broken off and a new heavenly order begins. And to confuse things even further, since the days of Augustine, the Kingdom of God has been identified with the church: as the church grows, so grows the Kingdom. Some have extended this "Kingdom Theology" so far as to believe that the church will actually establish the Kingdom of God on earth, and then Jesus will come. This last view coincides with another theology called "Post-millennialism." It also fits, to some degree, with those who place great emphasis on the social gospel, whereby man builds the ideal social order by solving problems such as poverty, sickness, labor relations, etc. Unfortunately Marxists, Fascists, and Progressives hold similar views, totally bereft of God.


With that short background, many will say, "Enough, already! Let's go to the Word of God and see what it has to say." That's a wonderful idea, except if you were to look up every reference to the Kingdom of God for the Kingdom of Heaven in the New Testament (some 120-130, depending on the translation used) and wrote down a short summary of each verse, you would end up with a complexity of teaching. The Kingdom of God is a lot of things:

A Present Spiritual Reality: "For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17).

An Inheritance Yet to be Bestowed: "Then the King will say to those on his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world'" (Matthew 25:34).

A Realm Into Which Believers Have Entered: [God] "has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son" (Colossians 1:13).

A Future Realm to be Entered When Christ Returns: [there] "will be provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:11).

A Future Kingdom Attended by Great Glory: [angels] "will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers...Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Matthew 13:41, 43).

A Kingdom Without Signs: "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed....... for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you" (Luke 17:20-21).

Is it any wonder so many different interpretations have arisen over the ages concerning the Kingdom of God. It's a present reality and a future blessing; an inner spiritual redemptive blessing, yet has to do with the government of the nations in the world; it's a realm into which men enter now, and a realm into which they will enter in the future; it is a gift which God will bestow in the future but must be received in the present.

I hope this has captured your attention while captivating your imagination. There is a key to understanding these varied definitions and applications of the Kingdom of God. It all has to do with this question: "What is the meaning of kingdom?" In our western thinking, a kingdom is primarily a realm over which a king exercises his authority. We don't have too many examples on the world scene today. The second meaning is the people belong to that particular realm. To exclusively apply either of these two ideas to the Scriptures leads us astray. Even the dictionary definition "the spiritual realm of God" is misleading. We will stop at that point, allowing us to complete our definition of "kingdom" and thus "the Kingdom of God."

Until then, keep praying......"Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

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 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 24

The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, continued

To understand better the details of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, it is important to see how Jesus' discourse on the Mount of Olives (Matthew 24) parallels the vision which He gave to John, as recorded in Revelation 6. Because this has been touched on previously, I will present only a brief outline here. Matthew 24:5 compares to Revelation 6:1-2; Matthew 24:6-7a compares to Revelation 6:3-4; Matthew 24:7b compares to Revelation 6:5-6; Mathew 24:7c-8 compares to Revelation 6:7-8; Matthew 24:9 compares to Revelation 6:9-11; Matthew 24:29 compares to Revelation 6:12-13; Matthew 24:30-31 compares to Revelation 6:15-17. To compliment this, may I remind you that Jesus, quoting the prophet Daniel (Matthew 24:15-16), places the event called "the abomination which causes desolation" BEFORE the sign of the Lord's coming and the Rapture. Daniel places this event squarely in the middle of his 70th week (Daniel 9:27). Paul, states clearly: "Concerning the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him........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 is revealed...." (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3). Then in verse 4 Paul describes how he is revealed - by committing "the abomination which causes desolation" which he describes.

As Revelation 6 closes, we are on the brink of the Coming of Christ and the Rapture (which includes the resurrection of the saints), and the unleashing of God's wrath on the planet. Before that happens, one other event must take place - the sealing of 144,000 Jews who will be left on earth during that time. You see, the closing verse in Revelation 6 is a rhetorical question. "....who can stand?" The answer is, "No one!" Without God's intervention, no one will be able to successfully stand against the wrath to come. For the Christians of all ages, He intervenes with the Rapture; for these faithful Jews, He intervenes with this seal of protection (Revelation 7:1-8)

Revelation gives no details about the Rapture. For that one must look to Matthew 24:26-44 and 1 Thessalonian 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-57 for those details. We know that the rapture has taken place in Revelation someplace between 6:17 and 7:8 because of what we see in 7:9 and following. Here we see a great multitude out of "every nation, tribe, people and nation.....wearing white robes.....crying out in a loud voice: salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." (v. 9-10) The description is that of humans and may I remind you that only humans, created in the image of God are the recipients of salvation. Also those in white robes are identified as "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation..." (v. 14) If you will remember, the first 3-1/2 years of Daniel's 70th week are correctly identified as "the beginning of sorrows (or birth pangs). From the mid-point on is called "The Great Tribulation" which is cut short (amputated) for the elect's sake. The Great Tribulation is cut short by the Rapture. So, here we are, ready to look at the rest of Revelation from heaven's vantage point, except for a parenthetical insertion or two which goes back to a time when the saints are still on the earth.

This is where we will begin next time. Until then, be encouraged by this Word of the Lord: "Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:15-17). It will be worth it all my friends, so remain strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

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 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)