Church

WHAT IS CHURCH?

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May I ask a few questions about your understanding of Church? When you think of Church; what comes to mind?  Here are a few of the typical answers I would anticipate. I am sure there are more.

A majority would probably think of a building they attend weekly to worship, sing, learn, and socialize with people of like faith. It is a place you go to be fed spiritually. Maybe your thoughts about the church are less endearing. Do you think of a building only?  Do you think it is a place of hypocrites? Do you believe a church is not a true church if it’s not your denomination? Perhaps your thoughts are very negative. When you think of church, you think of hurt and disappointment. Maybe you were forced to go to church as a child and now have no desire to be part of “organized religion.”

These are all real and legitimate feelings, but from a Biblical perspective, what did its Creator design it to be? What is the purpose of the Church? When did “church” begin.? Is it only a New Testament experience.? Are His people only in one church/denomination or are they in many places? What is meant by phrases such as “the body of believers?” These are the questions we will examine over the next few weeks.

Hopefully, with study and prayer, we can come to some new conclusions about the church that will give us hope and focus on the mission or intentions of God to build up “His church.” His desire is that :

He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:27

Along the way, in the study, we will begin to see the hand of God in working with “His people” throughout scripture. The Bible is filled with stories of how God works with “His people” and a rebellious planet. Who are “His people” anyway? Why so much division and denominations? Was Jesus’ prayer for unity unanswered? It seems to the casual observer it was never answered. People will point at the two large main divisions between Catholics and Protestants. Then there are about 200 different Protestant denominations in America alone, not to mention the many different sects and schisms within Catholicism!

In this Biblical study, we will see God pulling back the curtain to reveal the conflict between His church and the church of the Beast in Revelation 13.

Jesus’ Thoughts about the Church

Love

To start, let’s examine some important statements about the Church from Jesus and His Apostles. The most important statement Jesus gave us is mixed in with a command about how a husband should treat his wife:

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her…” Eph. 5:25

There is no doubt that Christ’s love for the church is sacrificial…He “gave Himself for her.” It is important to understand, also, that the church is referred to as a “her.” This will become important in understanding symbols later which will give us a more detailed view of the church and its relationship to Christ.

Peter and the Church

Matthew recorded a conversation between Jesus and Peter in the 16th chapter that illustrates something very important about the church. But the misunderstanding of the words of Christ, taken without reference to other Bible scriptures, created a very false understanding about His church. Let’s unpack this a little here, but it will be examined in detail later.

Starting in the 13th verse, Jesus ask his disciples,

 “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

They gave him the answers…all wrong! People said He was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets. Then Jesus made His question personal:

“But who do you say that I am?”

As a follower, ever person must settle this personal question in their own mind. Peter gave an answer that brought joy to the Savior:

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

This answer was correct…but the mission of Jesus’ life would not be completely understood by Peter anytime soon resulting in his denial of Christ three times (Matt. 26: 69-75) and Paul’s criticism for his hypocritical actions (Gal 2: 11-13). For now, however, one can feel the excitement and encouragement from Jesus in His response to Peter.

 …“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” Verse 17

Jesus tells Peter how blessed he is to have a revealing from God The Father which cannot come from human beings. There is no record of Peter having a dream or a vision to reveal this to him. Peter understood the answer because he had been living with Jesus! The truth about Jesus always comes from God through His word and being with Jesus. We all need to learn how to be with Jesus even though physically He is not here (John 20:29).

Jesus continues to direct His words to Peter in the hearing of the other disciples:

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” Verse 18

Wow! At first glance it sounds like the church is going to be built around and on Peter. But notice that Jesus says He will build “My church.” The church does not belong to Peter nor can he be the basis for it along. Also, consider this: Why would Jesus state the obvious in this conversation by saying, “you are Peter…“? The answer is found in the contrast between the Greek word for Peter and the phrase “this rock” The word for Peter (Petros) means a stone or a piece of rock. “This rock” is a different word. It is Petra, which means a massive or large rock.

Indeed Peter would become a piece of the rock. But, the basis for the church is the fact revealed to Peter by the Father:

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

All of Apostles Are Part of the Foundation for the Church.

Paul provides a pivotal understanding of the foundation of the church and its relationship between ALL of the disciples, prophets, the Gentile believers, and even you and me regarding His church in one powerful statement to the Ephesians:

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners (that us Gentile believers), but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION OF THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS, JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF BEING THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom ALSO ARE BEING BUILT TOGETHER FOR A DWELLING PLACE OF GOD IN THE SPIRIT..Ephesians 2: 19-22

Notice that the Household of God (the church) has been built on ALL of the apostles and prophets! Jesus is the firm large rock of the Cornerstone. Peter is a piece of the rock foundation along with the apostles and (don’t miss this) the prophets. The old testament Prophets also contributed to the church or “Household of God.”

Then, here comes the personal part: “you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

You and I are part of God’s dwelling place in the Spirit if we belong to Christ the Son of the living God!

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19

Please note the command just before this verse.

“Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.” Verse 18

This is an important message, particularly TO “His people” and secondarily to a world that thinks there is no such thing as “sexual immorality.”

The Real Rock

Peter is never referred to as The Rock (Petra) in the Bible, but God the Father and Jesus are referred to as the rock several times in Scripture. Here are a few:

There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:2

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm 18:2

And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:4

As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Romans 9:3 (KJV)

God’s House-The Building

When you think of places of worship, several words from the Bible will come to mind depending on who you are and your upbringing. Let’s look at some of those words and a summary of its usage (in alpha order):

Word# times in Old
Testament		# times in New
Testament		Notes
Church086Mostly Acts (20)
God’s House10Gen. 28:22
House of God816
Sanctuary1505Hebrews Only in NT
Synagogue041Mostly Acts (17)
Temple245111
Congregation3311Acts 13:43 (NT)
*King James used in research

A few observations about the words used above:

“Church” was a new word for the believer at that time. Jesus uses the word for the first time as recorded in the writings of the gospels, but He probably spoke it in Aramaic. The Greek translation is ekklēsia. It means a gathering or those called out. It does not reference a building. The other words in the chart above mostly signify a physical building, but can also refer to almost any place where God shows up! (See Genesis 28:22 and Jacob’s dream).

“Congregation” almost always refers to the congregation of the children of Israel.

“House of God” and “Sanctuary” are often used interchangeably and are the same. The Sanctuary was built upon the pattern given Moses on Mt. Sinai as shown below:

And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it. Exodus 25: 8-9

A pattern insinuates an original. Paul confirms this with these words:

…who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”  Hebrews 8:5

Note that the purpose of the earthly sanctuary was so God could “dwell among them.” It was a physical place for a spiritual God.. The spiritual application of our bodies being the temple of God is also for the reason that God would “dwell among” us.

…do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit…

1 Corinthians 6:19

The temple is the same as Sanctuary. We are a temple or sanctuary for God. A place for Him to dwell and to be made known (glorified). But how does God dwell in a person?

Let the word of Christ DWELL in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3: 16

Let this mind BE IN YOU which was also in Christ Jesus, Philippians 2:5

Here is where so many fail at understanding how to be part of the church for the purpose of the mission. God must dwell in us, but not for us only. It must be for others (particularly the lost) When it becomes all about ourselves and following denominational dogma, ministers, preachers, teachers regardless of how much we might like them or respect them, we become cultic in our nature instead dwelling in Him as a part of the body of Christ. Jesus’ last words were Go!

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matthew 28: 19-20

Here is the purpose of the church. If it has any other purpose (no matter how good and needed) it has missed the mark.

Christ Prayer For Unity-Answered

Finally consider this, Jesus’ prayer for unity WAS answered. We are one as individuals who are IN CHRIST. Being IN CHRIST is not about going to church or a denomination, it is dwelling in Him and following Him:

so we, being many, are ONE BODY IN CHRIST, and individually members of one another. Romans 12:5

If we are IN CHRIST, we are one body possessing different gifts as Paul goes on to explain in this chapter. Jesus told his disciples:

And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. John 10: 16

Another time, John wanted to stop the ministry of someone who was not part of the disciples, but Jesus told him to not stop him, thereby illustrating that God’s people are not all in one little fold.

“Now John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side.” Luke 9: 49,50

These two verses alone illustrate that God’s people are working for Him in most if not all denominations who lift up Jesus and His word.

Next time, we will study God’s People (the Church) and their mission. Who are they? Were they before Jesus walked the earth or only in the New Testament?

Daniel and Revelation

DANIEL 2 AND 7-REPEAT AND EXPAND

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The image of Daniel 2 unlocks the Prophecy of Daniel 7 & Revelation 13

 “I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.  I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things:

Daniel 7: 15:16

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Daniel 2 Review:

In Daniel 2, King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that he did not understand and it troubled him greatly.  None of the wise men, I call the “Fakers,” could help the King! But, God worked through Daniel and his three companions to remind the king of his dream and also give him the interpretation.

This interpretation comes straight from God to Daniel and needs “no private interpretation.”

Quite simply, Daniel told the king that four (4) great powers would arise.  He identified the first two in scripture as Babylon, then the dual kingdom of the Medes and Persians.  After Daniel’s time, the other two powers appear on the scene as history tells us: Greece (Belly and thighs of brass) and finally Rome (Legs of iron).

Rome was the ruling power when Jesus was on the earth teaching and dying for our sins.  It was a Roman decree and a Roman cross upon which our Lord died.  Rome continued to rule as the disciples went forth with the power of the Holy Spirit and built up the church.

Also, during this time, the church began to receive persecution as we will see later.

The king’s dream does not stop here.  The legs of iron were followed  by the feet and toes of iron and  clay.  These symbols identifie the fall of Rome and breaking into 10 divisions. Some of these countries are strong and some are weak just as clay is weak and iron is strong.   Three countries (powers) were annihilated  and there are no current countries that have roots in these three tribes:  The Heruli, Vandals, and Ostrogoths were the 3 countries (tribes) eliminated by Rome.

The prophecy ends with these startling words:

And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. 

And in the days of these kings  (The divisions of Rome or what we now call Europe) the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.  Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”

Daniel 2: 43-45

Never again will the old divisions of Rome (Europe) be joined together. Many have tried and failed, either through wars or marriage.

Over and over, the Bible talks of the 2nd coming as a time of destruction from the Lord.  More specifically, it is described as a time of surprise to the lost and utter destruction to planet earth.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

2 Peter 3:10

It also includes the unsaved. Their fate is symbolized by what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah.:

…turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;

2 Peter 2:6

“For behold, the day is coming,
Burning like an oven,
And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble.
And the day which is coming shall burn them up,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“That will leave them neither root nor branch.

Malachi 4:1

So when all the kingdoms of the earth are destroyed, God will create a new heaven and a new earth.  The”Rock” and God’s kingdom will fill the whole earth.  God will be our God and we will be his people.

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.”

Isaiah 65:17

And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

Revelation 21: 3

“The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.” History has proved the dream is “certain” and we can rest in the knowledge the interpretation is correct.

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Daniel 7-Introduction

In Daniel 7, another dream or vision is given.  But, this time, it is given directly to Daniel.  Like king Nebuchadnezzar, the dream troubles Daniel and he does not know what it means. This time, it is interpreted by the attending angels.

Like Daniel 2, we will let the Bible interpret itself and then we will check it out through history.

In this vision of Daniel, we will see that God has a way of revealing the truth and the future in a way as to prepare the heart to receive it.

In Daniel 7 God uses the principle of repeating and expanding about the meaning of the prophecies.  We will see the same four powers of Daniel 2, but with more detail about the nature of the beast powers and we will see the addition of a terrible and strong entity arise that comes up (not from the sea) but from one of the powers described in Daniel 2.  It does not get its power from conquering wars over people and multitudes (illustrated by the symbol of the sea)

This vision of Daniel 7 is like meat and not milk.  It will be new to many who read this and you might not be ready to receive it or digest it.  But, the words are certain and are supported by the Bible and history.  As we begin, let’s pray for the Spirit of Truth and let the story reveal itself to us.  Truth from God’s word is always meant for good, for life, and for comfort.  Keep in mind, we have a loving and forgiving Savior who desires us to find peace and assurance in Him and his revelation.

OK?  Let’s begin.

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Daniel 7-Part 1

The book of Daniel 7 is about 4 animals (kingdoms) that give fear and wonder to Daniel.  Daniel 2 was about four metals (kingdoms). But, in Daniel 7, Daniel is particularly interested in  the fourth beast and the little horn power.  This is the first time we see this “little horn power” in scripture.  The interpretation is given to Daniel and it goes far beyond the time he is living even until the coming judgment of planet earth.

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.

Daniel 7:1

This first verse is important because it gives the time and Daniel’s dream.  The first year of Belshazzar would be 540 BC.

Here is what Daniel saw that year:

“I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.”

Verse 2 and 3

As the beasts are described, they look something like below.  Very strange!  Wouldn’t you agree?  They are animals with something unusual about each.

When we read and study the Bible, we should read it as literal unless there is some overall reason to apply symbolism.  Here we have good reason to apply the rule of symbolism because of the unusual and unimaginable description of the beasts. Even more compelling is the fact that there is an interpretation of the beasts given by the attending angels. To think in literal terms would lose the message God is giving. Is that a fair statement?  I will explain as we go along.

To help us with the beginning of this prophecy, let’s look at some passages that unlock the symbolic meaning of this prophecy and others.  In Daniel’s vision, he is seeing “the four winds stir up the Great Sea.”

What does the four winds and the Great Sea represent? We can get our answer from Revelation where these same beasts appear.  Daniel explains Revelation and vice versa.  Perhaps, this is why the book of Daniel ends with these words,

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end.”

Daniel 12: 4

The book of Revelation had to be written and its message understood in the light of Daniel and history before these books could be “opened” 

Revelation describes the four winds in this passage:

After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree…”Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”

Revelation 7:1, 3

Here is a picture of 4 angels symbolically holding back winds that would harm the earth, sea, or trees. What does that sound like? Revelation does not leave any doubt

From this passage in Revelation, we can see that the 4 winds represent turmoil, strife, war, and destruction.  Another passage supports this interpretation:

 Thus says the Lord of hosts:

“Behold, disaster shall go forth
From nation to nation,
And a great whirlwind shall be raised up
From the farthest parts of the earth.”

Jeremiah 25:32

Even more important is the self-interpretation from this chapter about the beasts.  In its interpretation we can see that logically the winds and sea would indeed represent nations arising out of turmoil and wars:

What are the four beasts?  Let’s let the angel of Daniel 7 tell us:

“Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth.”

Daniel 7:17

If four kings or kingdoms arise, where do they come from?  The sea of people and the winds of war.

So early in this prophecy, we can conclude that Daniel is seeing four kingdoms arise from the many people and the results of conquering wars.  King Nebuchadnezzar also saw these four kingdoms:  Babylon, Medes/Persia, Greece, and Rome.  Then Rome is divided into 10 kingdoms (toes in Daniel 2 and heads in Daniel 7).  It is in the days of these 10 kingdoms (countries) that our Lord returns. Never in history could mankind see how close the 2nd coming is until these books were opened.

Image result for Comparison of Daniel 2 and daniel 7

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Daniel 7 goes on to describe the four beasts in more detail. They correspond to the four metals of Daniel 2, but God is adding more detail and explanation.

 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.

Daniel 7: 4

2347-1st-Beastx220

The wings on the lion represent the rapidity by which Babylon conquered its foes under king Nebuchadnezzar.  But, the wings are plucked and a man’s heart is given to it.  The boldness of the Lion wanes as it comes to a close of its earthly domination.  The man’s heart compared to the Lion illustrates the weakness that came about as it lay dormant and exposed caused by wealth and luxury.

Image result for images of ancient babylon and the lion

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It is now a perfect target for the next power to arise and take its place.  This power is the dual kingdom of the Medes and the Persians and is represented by the bear that raised itself up on one side and had three ribs between its teeth.

And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

Daniel 7:5

1198-2ndBeastx94

Eventually, the Persians dominated the kingdom and became stronger than the  Medes.  Like a bear putting his weight on his strong side, the Persians came up “last” as we will see in the prophecy in the 8th Chapter.  The Persians also become the dominant power.  The command to devour much flesh was obeyed and it left nothing but three bones.  These represent the three conquests of the Medes and Persians:  Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt

This power represented by the bear ruled from the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus in 538 BC to the battle of Arbela in 331 BC.  A time span of  207 years.  It fell to the next kingdom represented by the four-headed leopard with four wings of a fowl,

After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

Daniel 7:6

1200-3rdBeastx94

If two wings represent speed, then 4 wings on the quick-footed leopard must represent an extremely rapid course of conquests for the next kingdom of Greece under Alexander the Great.  This corresponds with the Daniel 2 prophecy and history.

Alexander has no parallel in historical annals for suddenness and rapidity.

Rollin, Ancient History, b.15, sec.2, gives the following brief synopsis of Alexander’s marches:-

“From Macedonia to the Ganges, which river Alexander nearly approached, is computed at least eleven hundred leagues. Add to this the various turnings in Alexander’s marches; first, from the extremity of Cilicia, where the battle of Issus was fought, to the temple of Jupiter Ammon in Libya; and his returning from thence to Tyre, a journey of three hundred leagues at least, and as much space at least for the windings of his route in different places; we shall find that Alexander, in less then eight years, marched his army upward of seventeen hundred leagues [or more than fifty-one hundred miles], without including his return to Babylon”

Alexander the Great succeeded his father Philip II at age 20 and lived to reign only about 11 1/2 years more.  He died at age 32.  His life spent in the fast lane of wars and debauchery.

The four heads of the leopard represent  the division of Alexander’s empire among his four leading generals:

Cassander (Macedon and Greece in the west)

Lysimachus (Thrace and parts of Asia on the Hellespont and Bosphorus in the North

Ptolemy (Egypt, Lydia, Arabia, Palestine, and Coele Syria in the south)

Seleucus (Syria and all the rest of Alexander’s dominions in the east.)

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Next to arise on the world scene is Rome illustrated as the “dreadful” and terrible beast.”  It was different from the other powers in a way that is more than mere appearances.

After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

Daniel 7: 7

There is not a beast in nature that Daniel can use to describe this fourth beast and how “dreadful and terrible” it is.  It’s great teeth devour and “brakes” to pieces the other countries.  It has  10 horns that correspond to the 10 toes of part iron and part clay of Daniel 2.

fourth beast

The nature of Rome was cruel.  They perfected the tortuous death of crucifixion believed to have been invented by the Persians.  Death by crucifixion could last up to 6 days!  Rome merciless stamped on and conquered all that would oppose it.

It was on a cruel Roman cross that Jesus took the shamefulness of our sins upon himself.  This act by the Creator was the ultimate demonstration of the sacrificial love for His creation.  It was part of the good news.  But, the fact that Jesus arose a victor over the death of the cross that the good news message is most nearly complete.  The other part of the good news is that Jesus will one day return to change us and to rescue us forever from the pull and presence of sin.  The good news cannot be captured by a list of events in the life of Jesus.   it is an experience initiated and propelled by the Lord and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Like Daniel, let’s turn our attention to the little horn that arose:

And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.

Daniel 7:20

Who was this power that captured the attention of Daniel?  This horn had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things and was more stout than the others.

This horn displaces three horns and speaks great things.  Like the 10 toes of Daniel’s image, it is in the day’s of these kings, that God will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed.  His kingdom will consume the entire earth.  This is the second coming of Jesus!

Revelation 13 is a composite of the beasts found in Daniel 7:

Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. 

Revelation 13: 1,2

Image result for image of Revelation 13

This little horn power that speaks great things exists today! It will bring the final deception of many people on this earth.  It is the beast of Revelation 13. In the next post, we will discover the identity of the little horn and how it is described in Revelation 13 as the Beast that the “whole world wonders after.”

Despite the little horn’s power, we can trust in the One who is greater.  Terrible times will come, but we can find peace in our Lord both day and night.

“By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.”

Psalm 42:8

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Daniel and Revelation

DANIEL 2-THE KING IS COMING!

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“When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”

Ezekiel 33:33

AUTHOR NOTE: THE KEY THAT UNLOCKS REVELATION STARTS IN DANIEL.  TO OPEN THE BOOK OF REVELATION WITHOUT READING DANIEL PUTS THE READER AT A DISADVANTAGE.  THIS IS WHY WE START IN THE GREAT BOOK WRITTEN CENTURIES BEFORE THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Have you ever had a dream you could not remember? Did you feel that the dream was very important, but you just could not remember it?

This is exactly what happened to an ancient king.  His name was King Nebuchadnezzar.  In his second year as king he “had dreams” which troubled him so much that he could not sleep.  His story is found in Daniel 2.

The Fakers

He needed help in remembering his dream so he sent for the people who claimed to know about dreams and spiritual matters:

Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.”

Daniel 2: 2-3

These wise men tried to impress the king so they spoke in his language “Aramaic” and made a simple request,

“Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”

Daniel 2:4

Here is the first sign, these guys were fakes.  If they were so knowledgeable of matters of the spirit, etc., why did they not know ahead of time that the king did not remember the dream?  They were not even good listeners because the king was anxious to “know the dream.”  This meant he couldn’t remember the dream!

They were anxious to give an interpretation and get back to whatever they were doing, but they did not realize that the true God of heaven would soon separate the true prophets from the false prophets.

These men had something new thrown at them.  The king had never before asked them to tell him the dream.  Usually, he would tell them a dream and they would interpret.  Interpretation is easy.  You can make it up so it sounds plausible. But reading the mind of someone else is something altogether different.  Only God has that ability.

“My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap.  However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”

Daniel 2:5-6

They couldn’t believe what they were hearing so they requested again that the king would tell them the dream,

 “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation.”

Daniel 2:7

But the king was wise to their tricks and he said,

“I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.”

Daniel 2:8-9

The fakers then informed the king that his request was not fair.  But, unwittingly they said a couple of things that were true:

“There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter; therefore no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean.”

Verse 10

Truth #1-There IS no man “on earth” who can help the king.  Only the Omnipotent God of heaven has answers about the future.

“…there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

Verse 11

Truth #2 -The “gods” do not dwell with flesh.  Why?  Because they are not real.  They are not alive.  They are dumb idols, but the Creator Himself would one day become flesh and dwell among flesh.  In fact, He would come in the flesh:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

None of this mattered to the king. He was extremely angry.  He was furious and made a decree to have all the wise men killed. In the king’s mind, he knew they were all fake, they would attempt to deceive him and therefore they were useless to him.

 For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; 

Verse 12-13

In today’s world, there are many who claim to know more than they really do and surprisingly there are many who know the true God who are given wisdom by Him.  They are confident and humble in their knowledge and wisdom.  Daniel was such a man.

True Prophets

Daniel asked the king for more time, which was obviously granted even though the fakers wanted time too, but I think the king had heard of the God of Daniel and gave them extra time expecting they would deliver.

Daniel went back to his three friends and they had a prayer session and sought God.

“Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.”

Verse 17-19

These four men, asked for mercies regarding the secret.  The secret was revealed to Daniel.  His first action?  “Bless the God of heaven.” May we never be in such a haste that we fail to stop to thank our Creator for His mercies.  There is a blessing for us when we take time to thank God.

Daniel’s prayer of blessing to the God of heaven is below. In his blessing, he describes God’s abilities.

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.

“I thank You and praise You,
O God of my fathers;
You have given me wisdom and might,
And have now made known to me what we asked of You,
For You have made known to us the king’s demand.”

Verses 20-23

Notice the things Daniel confirms about God:

1.) Wisdom belongs to God

2.) He changes “times” and “seasons”

3.) He sets up kings and removes kings

4.) He gives wisdom to the wise  (Notice who gets the wisdom.  It is the wise! Who gets the knowledge?  Those who have understanding!)

5.) He reveals secret things (This fits with our opening verse from Amos 3:17-He reveals His secrets to His servants the prophets.)

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The Prophets Work

Next, Daniel intercedes for the wise men, even the fakers!  He could have just saved himself and his three friends, but the character trait of the person who knows the true God of heaven is to save life, not destroy it, even if the “wise men” are fakers.

Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wisemen of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation.”

Verse  24

Daniel is taken in before king Nebuchadnezzar.  The king asks,

“Are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen, and its interpretation?”

Verse 26

Before Daniel answers the king, he demonstrates, with power, the comparison between the fakers and the true God in heaven.

“The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king.  But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days.”

Verse 27

Daniel has a mini-sermon before he starts to reveal to the king what he wants to know.  The mini-sermon is this:  There is a God in heaven (He is real).  He reveals secrets or things that man on earth would not know.  These secrets are given to man through God’s servants the prophets.  It is not only for the prophets benefit, but also it is for the benefit of the ones who are hearing the message from God through His prophets.

I can image the king on the edge of his seat.  He can sense through Daniel’s confidence that what he is about to hear is the truth and there is no guile (falsehood or fakery) from the mouth of this prophet of God.  It is one man (Daniel) and his God (Jehovah) in comparison to the many astrologers, magicians, and soothsayers.

Truth does not come through the majority.  It comes from the God of heaven and His prophets. It has always been a testimony to the power of God, that one with God is stronger than the majority.

Daniel begins to explain the dream:

Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these: As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be.  But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart.

Verse 28-30

The dream is for the benefit of both the prophet (who makes known the interpretation) and the one who is receiving the interpretation so that the thoughts of the heart may be revealed.  Notice the phrase:

“for OUR sakes…”  

What a wise and powerful Creator!  Daniel is telling the king that God’s revealing of the dream and God’s secrets are for both the speaker and the hearer!

When I read Bible prophecy, it has a strange effect of letting me know where my heart stands with God.  The effect can be fearful or it can be comforting.  All people have the invitation to move from fearful (lost) to comforting (saved from the penalty of sin i.e., eternal death)

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Daniel tells they king the topic of the dream.  It is about

“….what will be in the latter days.”

“The term “latter days” is simple to understand in the context of the dream.  Since this dream will be about the “latter days” of the kingdom of Babylon and its kings we can use it in that context.  But, it is also about the end of all kingdoms as well.  So the “latter days” can also refer to the end of time and this earth as we know it.

The Dream Revealed

To the amazement of the King, Daniel begins to recount the dream for him.  As he talks, the king starts to remember and cold chills run throughout his body:

“You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome.  This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs[ of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.[ You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.”

 “This is the dream.”

Verses 31-36

An artist’s idea of the image the king saw:

Daniel 2

The king must have been amazed as he recalled each detail.   Before the king could say anything, Daniel began the interpretation.  We will let Daniel interpret for us.  Then we will look back at history to see if it was true.  Finally, we will look into the future using the foundation of the interpretation.

Here is how Daniel interpreted the king’s dream as God showed it to him:

“Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king. You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold.”

Verses 36-38

So what does the head of Gold represent?  Daniel said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “you are this head of gold.”

Nebuchadnezzar and the kingdom of Babylon are represented in both time and space as the “head of gold.”  Could there be any other interpretation with something so plainly spoken?

The King must have been proud as he thought, even if just for a moment, that he was the top and the most valuable metal in the image.  But, he was soon to be disappointed.  Daniel continues with the interpretation of the great image,

The Interpretation

But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.

Verse 39

As great and wonderful as was King Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon, it would fall to another.  Not just another, but an inferior kingdom. Just as silver is of less value and strength as gold, the next kingdom was to be inferior.

The Second Kingdom

Does the Bible tell us who this next kingdom was to be?  Yes!  The story can be found in Daniel 5.  It is an interesting story about Belshazzar (The son of Nebuchadnezzar and the then current king of Babylon) The king and his subjects were having a feast with debauchery, and disrespect for things God had made holy.  During the drunken sacrilegious feast, a man’s finger appears and writes a message on the wall.

This supernatural act made the king’s “countenance” change.  Like his father Nebuchadnezzar, he was troubled as to what it meant so he called for the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers.   Remember them?  They are the fakers.   Just as they could not see Nebuchadnezzar’ s dream. They were unable to read the writing and make an interpretation.  Sound familiar?

handwriting on the wall

Fortunately for the king, the queen remembered Daniel.  She told the king,

There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans,and soothsayers. Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”

Daniel 5:11-12

Daniel’s interpretation confirms what he had told King Nebuchadnezzar with the image of God falling to an inferior kingdom,

And this is the inscription that was written:

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

This is the interpretation of each word. MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

Daniel 5:26-28

The king was slain and Babylon fell to the dual kingdom of the Medes and Persians led by Cyrus and Darius.

That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain.  And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

Daniel 5: 30-31

The Medes and the Persians were represented by the arms and shoulders of silver.  (Two arms-two kingdoms)

It is interesting and shows the foreknowledge of God as to how Babylon fell and the way the enemy was able to get into the walled city.

Also, before Cyrus was born, God called him by name as the conqueror of Babylon

Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut…

Isaiah 45:1

So how were Cyrus and Darius able to get into the walled city of Babylon?

*They dried up the river Euphrates (a familiar prophetic term in Revelation! )! This diverted the river that ran under the walls and through the city.  Along the river within the city was another set of walls with gates. The citizens were protected should someone swim in under the outer walls.  The enemy swimmers would then need to get through the second set of gates.   But on the night of Babylon’s fall, the gates had been left open due to drunken feast!  So the Medes and Persians were able to walk under the walls and up the banks through the leaved gates and into the city!

God is so amazing!  He knows the end from the beginning!

* See pages 265, 266 of Volume 1 of the book The Great Events by Famous Historians in the chapter on “Conquests by Cyrus The Great B.C. 538,” by George Grote. — University Edition, copyrighted 1905, by The National Alumni.
See also The Golden Age, as of June 7, 1922. page 572.

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Third Kingdom

But, there was to arise yet a third kingdom represented by the belly and thigh of brass.

“And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.”

Verse 39

The deciding point in the fall of the Persians
was
reached on the field of Arbela, B.C. 331, in which the Grecians,  were entirely victorious; and Alexander
became absolute lord of the Persian empire.

More could be said on this third kingdom, but let’s move on.  We will talk more about each kingdom as we study the prophecies that provide more detail.

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The Fourth Kingdom

The events really pick up when the powerful fourth kingdom comes on the scene,

And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. 

Verse 40

History tells us that this fourth power of legs of iron is none other than the “iron monarchy” of Rome.  Rome became the world power after it crushed the third kingdom of Greece.

Rome was in power during the life of Christ on earth and continued on for hundreds of years afterward.

4th Kingdom-Forever Division

But the prophecy does not stop there,  there was to be a time when this iron would mix with clay (partly strong and partly weak substances)

It is interesting that Rome eventually was divided into 10 divisions by the invading nomadic tribes.  These divisions became the modern day countries of Europe.  Three of these 10 divisions were eventually annihilated so that there was only 7, but even those events are part of the prophecy were will study later in Daniel and Revelation.  Those divisions of Rome are as follows:

10 Toes or Divisions of Rome
Heruli
Ostrogoths
Vandals
Franks
Visigoths
Burgundians
Lombards
Anglo Saxons
Alamanni
Seuvi
map_europe476 (1)

Daniel continues on and informs the king of something that stands to this day.  These divisions of Rome would attempt to unite, but as iron does not mix with clay, they would never unite:

 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. 

Verses 41-43

This 4th kingdom would be divided and would never reunite.  Throughout recent history, there have been attempts to reunite the old divisions of  Europe, but it has always failed and it always will because the God of Heaven has spoken. Those who have tried were:

 Charlamagne, 8th Century;

Charles V l6th Century;

Louis XIV l5th Century;

Napoleon, l9th Century;

Kaiser Wilhelm and Hitler, 20th Century.

All of these men invested enormous
resources and countless lives in their efforts to unite Europe, but each one failed. Even today the leaders
of Europe are trying to unite as one, but God says this will never happen!

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Our Day-The Soon Coming Eternal Kingdom

Daniel ends the interpretation of the dream with a dramatic ending!

You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

Verse 34, 35

Jesus is the Rock that was cut out without hands.

For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

I Corinthians 10:4

Daniel takes the king and the reader of this chapter to a time when God would set up his kingdom that would never end:

 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

Verse 44

My Friends, we are living in the “days of these kings.” The old divisions of Rome!

When Jesus returns the earth is melted and no trace of anything left on this earth will be found.  Then He will make a new heaven and a new earth.

About 500 years before Jesus came to this earth the first time as a lamb to pay for the sins of a planet in rebellion, we see a prophecy concerning his second coming when he comes to “break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms.” It will stand forever!

 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Matthew 24:30

When Jesus returns the earth passes away.

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Matthew 24:35

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

II Peter 3:10

And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

Mark 4: 62

When God destroys the earth, he creates a new heaven and a new earth that will last forever:

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.

Isaiah 65:17

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Daniel tells the king,

“The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.”

Verse 45

After hearing Daniels recalling of the king’s forgotten dream and the interpretation, there wells up in the heart of this heathen king both fear and joy!

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel

Verse 46

This is what each of us should do as we see that God is in control of the history of planet earth and of our own lives.  He knows the exact number of hairs on your head.  He is all-powerful but most important, He loves each one of us so much as to send His son to pay for the sin we have committed.

His law, that can never be changed, shows we are sinners and deserve to die for eternity, but God makes a substitutionary sacrifice (atonement) for us so that we might live and enjoy the greatest gift he could have given us:  Life to the uttermost!

The king understood that there is a God in Heaven who reveals secrets

The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.”

Verse 47

One day, Like King Nebuchadnezer, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord:

For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” Revelation 14:11

A Week Before The Resurrection

The Place Called Calvary

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Day 6 of The Week That Changed History. The Gentiles call it Friday.

Based on Matt. 27:31-53; Mark 15:20-38; Luke 23:26-46; John 19:16-30

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My short Jesus Journey has been dramatic.  Today’s events have taken me to a deeper place in my experience.  I am not sure my words can bring light to the darkness and disappointment of what I saw. But, behind the darkness is the approaching light of redemption.  I can feel it! My heart and God’s word has been shown what is the truth about Jesus. Now, I chose to put all my trust in Him! It is said, it is darkest just before the dawn. I am reminded of the words of the prophet Zechariah:

It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light.

Zechariah 14:7

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“And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him.” Luke 23:33

A vast multitude followed Jesus from the judgment hall to Calvary. The news of His condemnation had spread throughout Jerusalem, and people of all classes and all ranks flocked toward the place of crucifixion. The priests and rulers had been bound by a promise not to molest Christ’s followers if He Himself were delivered to them, and the disciples and believers from the city and the surrounding region joined the throng that followed the Saviour. But, most of Jesus’ disciples had fled.

As Jesus passed the gate of Pilate’s court, the cross which had been prepared for Barabbas was laid upon His bruised and bleeding shoulders. Two companions of Barabbas were to suffer death at the same time with Jesus, and upon them the hard crosses were placed.

The Saviour’s burden was too heavy for Him in His weak and suffering condition. Since the Passover supper with His disciples, He had taken neither food nor drink. He had agonized in the garden of Gethsemane in conflict with satanic agencies. He had endured the anguish of the betrayal, and had seen His disciples forsake Him and flee. He had been taken to Annas, then to Caiaphas, and then to Pilate. From Pilate He had been sent to Herod, then sent again to Pilate. From insult to renewed insult, from mockery to mockery, twice tortured by the scourge,–all that night there had been abuse that would the soul of any mortal man to the uttermost. Christ had not failed. He had spoken no word but that tended to glorify God. All through the disgraceful farce of a trial He had borne Himself with firmness and dignity. But when, after the second scourging, the cross was laid upon Him, human nature could bear no more. He fell fainting beneath the burden.

The crowd that followed the Saviour saw His weak and staggering steps, but they manifested no compassion. They taunted and reviled Him because He could not carry the heavy cross. Again the burden was laid upon Him, and again He fell fainting to the ground. His persecutors saw that it was impossible for Him to carry His burden farther. They were puzzled to find anyone who would bear the humiliating load. The Jews themselves could not do this, because the defilement would prevent them from keeping the Passover. None even of the mob that followed Him would stoop to bear the cross.

At this time a stranger, Simon a Cyrenian, coming in from the country, meets the throng. He hears the taunts and ribaldry of the crowd; he hears the words contemptuously repeated, “Make way for the King of the Jews!” He stops in astonishment at the scene; and as he expresses his compassion, they seize him and place the cross upon his shoulders.

Simon had heard of Jesus. His sons were believers in the Saviour, but he himself was not a disciple. The bearing of the cross to Calvary was a blessing to Simon, and he was ever after grateful for this providence. It led him to take upon himself the cross of Christ from choice, and ever cheerfully stand beneath its burden.

Not a few women are in the crowd that follow the Uncondemned to His cruel death. Their attention is fixed upon Jesus. Some of them have seen Him before. Some have carried to Him their sick and suffering ones. Some have themselves been healed. The story of the scenes that have taken place is related. They wonder at the hatred of the crowd toward Him for whom their own hearts are melting and ready to break.

And notwithstanding the action of the maddened throng, and the angry words of the priests and rulers, these women give expression to their sympathy. As Jesus falls fainting beneath the cross, they break forth into mournful wailing.

This was the only thing that attracted Christ’s attention. Although full of suffering, while bearing the sins of the world, He was not indifferent to the expression of grief. He looked upon these women with tender compassion. They were not believers in Him; He knew that they were not lamenting Him as one sent from God, but were moved by feelings of human pity. He did not despise their sympathy, but it awakened in His heart a deeper sympathy for them.

“Daughters of Jerusalem,” He said, “weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.”

From the scene before Him, Christ looked forward to the time of Jerusalem’s destruction. In that terrible scene, many of those who were now weeping for Him were to perish with their children.

From the fall of Jerusalem the thoughts of Jesus passed to a wider judgment. In the destruction of the impenitent city He saw a symbol of the final destruction to come upon the world. He said,

“Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?”

By the green tree, Jesus represented Himself, the innocent Redeemer. God suffered His wrath against transgression to fall on His beloved Son. Jesus was to be crucified for the sins of men. What suffering, then, would the sinner bear who continued in sin? All the impenitent and unbelieving would know a sorrow and misery that language would fail to express.

Of the multitude that followed the Saviour to Calvary, many had attended Him with joyful hosannas and the waving of palm branches as He rode triumphantly into Jerusalem. But not a few who had then shouted His praise, because it was popular to do so, now swelled the cry of “Crucify Him, crucify Him.” When Christ rode into Jerusalem, the hopes of the disciples had been raised to the highest pitch. They had pressed close about their Master, feeling that it was a high honor to be connected with Him. Now in His humiliation they followed Him at a distance. They were filled with grief, and bowed down with disappointed hopes. How were the words of Jesus verified:

“All ye shall be offended because of Me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.” Matt. 26:31.

Arriving at the place of execution, the prisoners were bound to the instruments of torture. The two thieves wrestled in the hands of those who placed them on the cross; but Jesus made no resistance. The mother of Jesus, supported by John the beloved disciple, had followed the steps of her Son to Calvary. She had seen Him fainting under the burden of the cross, and had longed to place a supporting hand beneath His wounded head, and to bathe that brow which had once been pillowed upon her bosom. But she was not permitted this mournful privilege. With the disciples she still cherished the hope that Jesus would manifest His power, and deliver Himself from His enemies. Again her heart would sink as she recalled the words in which He had foretold the very scenes that were then taking place. As the thieves were bound to the cross, she looked on with agonizing suspense. Would He who had given life to the dead suffer Himself to be crucified? Would the Son of God suffer Himself to be thus cruelly slain? Must she give up her faith that Jesus was the Messiah? Must she witness His shame and sorrow, without even the privilege of ministering to Him in His distress? She saw His hands stretched upon the cross; the hammer and the nails were brought, and as the spikes were driven through the tender flesh, the heart-stricken disciples bore away from the cruel scene the fainting form of the mother of Jesus.

The Saviour made no murmur of complaint. His face remained calm and serene, but great drops of sweat stood upon His brow. There was no pitying hand to wipe the death dew from His face, nor words of sympathy and unchanging fidelity to stay His human heart. While the soldiers were doing their fearful work, Jesus prayed for His enemies,

“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

His mind passed from His own suffering to the sin of His persecutors, and the terrible retribution that would be theirs. No curses were called down upon the soldiers who were handling Him so roughly. No vengeance was invoked upon the priests and rulers, who were gloating over the accomplishment of their purpose. Christ pitied them in their ignorance and guilt. He breathed only a plea for their forgiveness,–

“for they know not what they do.”

Had they known that they were putting to torture One who had come to save the sinful race from eternal ruin, they would have been seized with remorse and horror. But their ignorance did not remove their guilt; for it was their privilege to know and accept Jesus as their Saviour. Some of them would yet see their sin, and repent, and be converted. Some by their impenitence would make it an impossibility for the prayer of Christ to be answered for them. Yet, just the same, God’s purpose was reaching its fulfillment. Jesus was earning the right to become the advocate of men in the Father’s presence.

That prayer of Christ for His enemies embraced the world. It took in every sinner that had lived or should live, from the beginning of the world to the end of time. Upon all rests the guilt of crucifying the Son of God. To all, forgiveness is freely offered. “Whosoever will” may have peace with God, and inherit eternal life….

The spotless Son of God hung upon the cross, His flesh lacerated with stripes; those hands so often reached out in blessing, nailed to the wooden bars; those feet so tireless on ministries of love, spiked to the tree; that royal head pierced by the crown of thorns; those quivering lips shaped to the cry of woe. And all that He endured–the blood drops that flowed from His head, His hands, His feet, the agony that racked His frame, and the unutterable anguish that filled His soul at the hiding of His Father’s face–speaks to each child of humanity, declaring, It is for thee that the Son of God consents to bear this burden of guilt; for thee He spoils the domain of death, and opens the gates of Paradise. He who stilled the angry waves and walked the foam-capped billows, who made devils tremble and disease flee, who opened blind eyes and called forth the dead to life,–offers Himself upon the cross as a sacrifice, and this from love to thee.

He, the Sin Bearer, endures the wrath of divine justice, and for thy sake becomes sin itself.

In silence the beholders watched for the end of the fearful scene. The sun shone forth; but the cross was still enveloped in darkness. Priests and rulers looked toward Jerusalem; and lo, the dense cloud had settled over the city and the plains of Judea. The Sun of Righteousness, the Light of the world, was withdrawing His beams from the once favored city of Jerusalem. The fierce lightnings of God’s wrath were directed against the fated city.

Suddenly the gloom lifted from the cross, and in clear, trumpet like tones, that seemed to resound throughout creation, Jesus cried,

“It is finished.”

“Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.”

A light encircled the cross, and the face of the Saviour shone with a glory like the sun. He then bowed His head upon His breast, and died.

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The preceding was taken from the book Desire of Ages, Chapter 78. To read the entire account, click here.

In An Hour As You Think Not, Rapture, The Soon Return of Jesus

Second Coming-Made SIMPLE

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The secular community, as well as Christians, pretentiously poked fun at Harold Camping’s prediction of the “Rapture.”  He said it would occur on May 21, 2011.  The day came and went as usual.  Christians all over the world knew from the words of Jesus himself that Mr. Camping’s prediction was in error.

“But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Matthew 24:36 

Just one verse in scripture is enough for anyone who would attempt to narrow down the Second-Coming to a particular day or hour.  Most Christians can quote it by heart!  We can trust in Jesus’ word on this. But it is just one verse among many others Jesus had to say about His coming! Matthew 24 is a great source of plain language about the Second Coming if read in its context (without adding or subtracting) will prepare the sincere seeker of truth to be prepared for that great day!

Even though the faithful watchers can discern the times, Jesus will come at a time when they do not expect it, but they can be prepared!

“So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!” …”Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Matthew 24:33, 44

On the other hand, those not prepared are not looking for Jesus and are going about their normal routine. To them, Jesus will come as a thief in the night…totally unexpected. But to the watchers, they will not be overtaken as a thief as we shall see in this study.

Second Coming Shams

There are a host of other shams thrown at us by the enemy more complicated and tougher to unravel.   Many rely on non-biblical reasoning or sources concerning the Second-Coming. Examples:

“If my grandmother believed it, that is good enough for me.”

“If it is on the internet, it must be right. “

“The religious programming and books can’t be wrong.”

“The nice preacher on the TV is telling the truth.  Look at his big church!”

But, the enemy is at work with trickery that is so deceptive that even the best of Christians could be deceived.

“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.“ Matthew 24:24

This warning by Jesus tells those who will listen that false christs (Messiahs), and false prophets (teachers, forecasters) will use the platform of religion to promote falsehoods that could deceive the “elect.”  The word for “elect” as translated from the Greek is the word, “eklektos.”  It means those “chosen by God”

These events and teachings are a strong delusion, but the implication is that the “elect” are not deceived.  What makes this group different?  Very simply, they listen to the voice of Jesus and His word.  Their guiding principle is Sola Scriptura.  The Bible alone.  Scripture comes first before the words of any person, book, movie, or institution.

“To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20

The situation in the last days is very profound. The magnitude of the deception is revealed through God’s word. Paul gave an important warning when He wrote to the Corinthians,  He stated plainly that evil appears to be good!  The bad guy is in a white hat!

 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.  It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. II Corinthians 11:14. 

This verse tells us that Satan and his servants can look like an angel (messenger) of light!  Satan can even use scripture to lead people down the wrong path. He certainly tried with Jesus during the days of temptation in the wilderness.  But, Jesus knew His Father and He knew the word of God.

As Christians were quoting Matthew 24:36 when Camping made his prognostication, it would have been well for all of us to read the entire chapter and listened closely to the instruction Christ gave his disciples when they asked,

“…what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?  Matthew 24:3. 

His answer? 

“Take heed that no man deceive you. Matthew 24:4

The very first words out of Jesus’ mouth regarding the sign of His coming and the end of the world is a warning to LISTEN so that no man deceive you! 

 Deception in the Manner of His Coming

As we have seen from Matthew 24:36, Jesus himself does not know when he will return, but He knows there will be deception involved.   But the deception is not just only the timing, but the way He comes back to earth.

The whole of Matthew  24 and the parallel chapters in the other Gospels tell of  Jesus as He described to the disciples how He would return. It is straight forward with no ambiguity! Why is this important, especially to Christians? Could it be that even Christians could be deceived and thereby lost? If you read Jesus’ warning, it is primarily to His followers. The lost of this world could care less.

“For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. ” 1 Thessalonians 5: 3

Recently, I heard a well-known TV evangelist say he doesn’t look at the signs or worry about the mark of the beast and other end-time-events because that is for those in the tribulation to worry about. Is this true? Isn’t this a dangerous way to prepare for Christ’s return? Is this not the object of the enemy’s falsehood to feel secure in something that is opposite from the teaching of Jesus?  

We will use primarily Mathew 24 for this first study.   Jesus’ return is not just about the “when” but the “how.”  Rest assured, the “elect” will know that his coming is near; by the signs he left us. If they are a student of the word of God, they will have stored up the truth in their minds and walked in the light.

“But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day 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. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 1Thessalonians 5: 4-6

Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. Revelation 3:3

How We Got Confused

There was a time when Christians knew how Jesus would come and many of the events of His coming by simply reading the portions of scripture that plainly tell of His coming.  In the last several years, there are books, movies, radio programs,  preachers and teachers with a different story that is not based on plain scripture but rather on a script from Hollywood or a book.

In the study of Jesus’ Second Coming, there is no need for any fanciful interpretation or any deep study.  It is plain and simple; written for all men, women, and children, not just university theologians or popular TV preachers.

Staying in Matthew 24, Jesus goes on to describe his Second Coming in verse 27-31:

For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Matthew 24: 27-31

What do you see in the words of Jesus regarding his coming?  Is it secret?  Are only a few Christians affected by it?  Is it in two parts or just one?  From the verses above, we can plainly see:

  • His coming is bright like lightning!  While lightning is quick, the comparison here is not the speed but by the brightness (shining)! The reference to shining involves sight.  Is there anything quite or secret about lightning that lights up the whole sky from east to west?
  • There is a tribulation before he comes and the sun is darkened and the moon does not give her light and the stars fall from heaven (massive meteorite shower?) and the powers of the heavens are shaken!  Can anyone miss this?  Is the tribulation before or after he comes?  It is before he comes!
  • Those who are lost see the sign of the Son of man in heaven and the people of the earth mourn!  They see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. They are not left to wonder.  They see Him!
  • He sends his angels with a great sound!  You can hear it!  The angels gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other!  Will this gathering be secret?  No! There is no indication here that this will be at the speed of lightning.  The process of gathering is for both the alive and those who died in Christ.

A Clear Picture

The clearest picture of the 2nd Coming is found in the letter to the Thessalonians by Paul. Here he provides more detail to the canvas of this event.

 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18.

From this verse, we can plainly see:

  • Jesus comes down from heaven (where he went to prepare a place for us-John 14: 2, 3) and there is sound in the form of a shout, a voice, and a trumpet. So can we conclude there is sound involved with the Second Coming? Yes!
  • Those that died in Christ are resurrected. The resurrection of the saved is the beginning of literal eternal life.  It is the reward Jesus brings with him (Revelation 22:12).
  • Those who are alive when Jesus comes will begin to ascend up into the heavens and meet both Jesus and those who were resurrected.  Here is the “rapture.”  It means to be caught up, but there are two groups that meet the Lord in the heavens.  Those who were in their graves asleep in Christ and those who did not experience death. (1 Thessalonians 4: 13, 14)
  • This is where immortality is given.  Eternity with Jesus starts here at this event! (Notice it is not at death)….”and so shall we ever be with the Lord!”

Paul”s further explanation of these events are found in his letter to the Corinthians.

 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump(et): for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1 Corinthians 15: 52, 53

 Notice that when Jesus returns, immortality is given instantly at that point…not at death. As mentioned above, this is the reward Jesus brings with Him…It is out of context and in error to use the following verse at a funeral (as I heard) because the saying can only come to pass when Jesus returns and gives us immortality.

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

1 Corinthians 15: 55

The context of this quote is found in the verse just before (v. 54)

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed…

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”

1 Corinthians 15:54

Very plainly…it is at the second coming that Jesus takes the dust of the dead and shapes them back into life.  The sleep of death is but like a mere second. When Jesus resurrects those who are asleep in death, they are instantly (a twinkling of an eye) given the gift of immortality and bodies that will never decay.

There is a lot going on in these verses to let us know there is nothing secret and it is not in two parts.  Other verses from the other writers further describe the glory of his coming, Here are just a few:

Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Mark 8:38

Jesus does not come in his glory alone, but the glory of his Father and with the holy angels!  With all that glory, there is nothing secret or invisible about His coming!

The lost have a different response to His coming:

 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

Revelation 6: 15-16:

The unsaved will hide in the darkest places of the dens and rocks of mountains and pray for them to fall on them to hide them from the face of Jesus!  No secret coming here!  This was also foretold by Isaiah:

“Go into the rocks, hide in the ground from dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty!”

Isaiah 2:10

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

Revelation 1:7

From the verses above, we can see:

  • When he comes, he comes in His own glory and the glory of the father and the holy angels.  It only took the glory of one angel to make the soldiers at the tomb of Jesus drop to the ground like dead men (Matthew 28: 2-4).  Imagine the whole sky full of the glory of millions of angels and the glory of the Father and Jesus!
  • Those that are lost cannot bear to look upon the sight of Jesus’ coming and try to hide from the face of Jesus by calling for the rocks and mountains to fall on them.
  • Every eye sees him coming!  Much like every eye can see the sun as the earth turns.  It is possible that his coming is seen up to as long as a 24 hour period!

Nothing secret about this!

Notice the contrast of the words of those that are saved.

 “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Isaiah 25:9

In the next writing, we will study out where Hal Lindsey and others came up with the idea of a sudden snatching away of the church and the 7-year tribulation.

Another topic we will study is the fate of the lost.  The reason for the Lord’s apparent delay in coming is because when he comes, there will be those who perish in the destruction of the earth:

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

2 Peter 3: 9, 10

The Second coming is both rejoicing and destruction for this earth as we know it. Nowhere does the word of God split the return of Christ into two parts. But, as we shall see, the saved spend a honeymoon of one thousand years with Jesus in heaven (where he is now) before He creates the new heavens and the new earth prepared in the saved of the redeemed.

“Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” 2 Peter 3: 13

In conclusion, the Lord taught his disciples about the deception regarding the timing and manner His second coming.  This deception would be very tricky and inspired by the enemy himself with the intent to take as many as possible with him, especially those who give up on the return of Christ and return to their former life:

But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of,..Matthew 24: 48-50

It is critically important for the follower of Christ to know what Jesus and the writers of the Bible have to say about this grand event when all the saved will meet the Lord in the air and begin eternity with each other never; to experience sin and death ever again.  What a day that will be!  It will be glorious! We shall behold Him!

 Listen to the correct theology of Christ’s second coming in Sandi Patty’s version of “We Shall Behold Him.”  May the Lord bless you as you listen.



Rapture, The Soon Return of Jesus

WHAT THE RAPTURE IS NOT

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The Rapture is Not

1. A word in the Bible.

The word is promoted as a secret snatching away of Christians, leaving the lost on earth for a 7 year period of tribulation, where the Anti-Christ rules.  Many point to Paul’s description of the second coming in 1 Thessalonians as the starting point for the rapture scenario.

“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

1 Thessalonians 4: 17-18

All the illusions of what happens during the “rapture” feed off this verse and are embellished in Bible fiction books and the work of Hollywood.  However, the Bible is extremely clear about the events surrounding Jesus’ second coming.  If you read only the verses describing the return of Christ, the truth becomes clear. If Jesus warned us about our need to understand, it must be important to each one of us individually.

“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.” Matthew 24:4

2. It is not silent and invisible

Often Hollywood producers and writers of Bible fiction will describe the event as quite and sudden; leaving the lost to wonder, “What just happened?”  The righteous are gone!  Beds, clothing, cars, airplanes are minus bodies. But, consider these Biblical descriptions of the second coming and ask yourself if it is quite.

*”For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.”  

1 Thessalonians 4: 16

This is the verse right before the one described above that says the Christians will be “caught up to meet the Lord in the air!”  Does it sound quite?  Can you hear a shout, a voice, and a trumpet? Of course!

When Jesus returns,  He comes in His glory, the glory of countless angels, and the glory of the Father Himself!

For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

Luke 9:26

Jesus returns in His own glory, but also the glory of His Father, and the glory of the angels! It is an understatement to say this is a lot of glory!

Can the lost hear it?  Can the lost see it? What are they saying when the Lord returns? They are in a panic and don’t want to see His face!

“ (they)…”hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Revelation 6: 16-17

Indeed, “who is able to stand” during the second coming? The second coming is described above as “the great day of His wrath” not the plagues and time of trouble!  

As shown in 1 Thessalonians the ones who meet the Lord in the air (with their resurrected and glorified bodies) will survive this destructive event!  The saved are saying,

“And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”

Isaiah 25:9

How many will see Him when he returns?

“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.”

Revelation 1:7

Jesus left in clouds and he returns in clouds. As the disciples watched in wonder as Jesus ascended.  He was taken up with clouds.  They were told He would come back in a similar manner i.e. visible!

Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Acts 1:9-11

The lost morn, the save rejoice. Some will ask, “How can every eye see Him on a round earth?”  It is simple.  Like the rising of the sun, the second coming can be seen approaching the earth like clouds forming on the horizon! As the earth rotates, the righteous (both dead and alive) rise and are changed in a twinkling of an eye.  The lost look for places to hide from the face of the lamb. But, some have been taught that He comes fast, in the “twinkling of the eye. “That takes us to the next the thing the Rapture is not:

3.)  It is not instantaneous

As we saw above, there is enough time for the lost to run and attempt to hide from the Lord’s coming.  The saved have time to proclaim they have waited on Him and He will save them.  Every eye sees Him.

The Hollywood and the Biblical fiction writers paint a  false picture of a man preaching the word of God suddenly disappearing.  But how does the Bible describe it?  Let’s look closely at two phrases they use:  1.)  “Twinkling of an eye” and 2.) “Thief in the night.”

They claim from this partial verse that the Lord comes in the twinkling of an eye.

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:52

But look closely at what is happening in a moment and in the twinkling of the eye.  Let’s read the verse in its context.

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 1 Corinthians 15: 51:53

Is it not very clear? The physical bodies of the saved are changed from mortal to immortal very quickly.  They went into the grave sick and subject to death (corruptible) and rise to never see death and decay again!

It is not about the speed of the second coming, but rather the speed of the transformation from mortal to immortality!  This happens with trumpets and sound and the very presence of God and His holy angels, not some instantaneous disappearing of the saved.

This description is a direct reference to the same author’s preview of the second coming in 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18 where the dead are raised up and those of us alive are caught up to meet the Lord in the air.  But, before we rise to meet him, our bodies are changed and receive the promise of immortality!  What a reunion day that will be when we all meet together for the first time!  Thank you Lord, for inspiring Paul to reveal this mystery!

Another verse often used in connection with the twinkling of the eye is found in Matthew 24.

For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Matthew 24: 27

Without the context, it certainly sounds like the Lord comes instantly like a flash of lightning!  But, again, context is so important.  Let’s read the verses before.

“Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

Matthew 24: 26-27

Jesus describes the lie He has already come and He is in the desert or in some secret inner room,  This sounds like a secret coming to me.  But, Jesus warns us to not believe it, because his coming is compared to lightning.  The context is not the speed but rather the all-encompassing brightness! It is a brightness that covers the entire sky.  This is confirmed by the fact that the skies are lit up with the glory of God and His angels! Just like the brightness of lightning, every eye can see it.  His coming is not in the secret places of the desert or the inner rooms.

Paul describes the brightness in 2 Thessalonians:

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

2 Thessalonians 2:8

This verse alludes to another event that occurs at the second coming-destruction.  We will discuss it next.

But, you may ask: “How about the thief in the night that Paul describes?”  Isn’t it secret?  Let’s read the verse using context and related verses from Peter

For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.

1 Thessalonians 5: 2

From this verse, it is no doubt that His coming is compared to a thief in the night.  It can be said, that when a thief comes, it is unexpected.  It is not about a secret rapture, but rather the unexpected event, just like those during the time of Noah.  Although they were warned, it was still unexpected.  This idea is confirmed by Peter:

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

2 Peter 3:10

Both Paul and Peter say the Lord will come as a thief in the night, but Peter adds an additional description.  When He comes as a thief, there is “great noise” “elements will melt.”  Even the earth and all of man’s works are “burned up.”  This doesn’t sound quite or secret.

Paul confirms Peter’s description.  Let’s read the remainder of Paul’s description we read in 1 Thessalonians 5:2 (above)

For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape . But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.

1 Thessalonians 5: 2-4

He describes destruction when the Lord comes just like Peter did in his description!  Did you notice that followers of Christ are not overtaken by darkness and the experience of a thief in the night? The thief in the night is not about secretiveness of the Lord’s coming, but rather being unprepared, as Jesus said here,

“But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.”

Matthew 24: 43

The Christians know approximately when Jesus is coming and are watching, the lost are going about their normal routine just like they were before the flood came in Noah’s day.

For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,

Matthew 24:38

This brings us to the next point:

4. Is not an event where the lost are left behind

An interesting point: The phrase “left behind” is not in the Bible even though a whole series of books and movies are entitled as such! However, the word “left” is mentioned many times, but is it to be interpreted as “left behind?”

The movies and Bible fiction portray a dramatic moment where the saved are instantaneously snatched away leaving the lost wondering what just happened.  They claim they are “left behind” to endure 7 years of tribulation (will discuss  next time.)

The Bible verses used to support this are not interpreted in the context nor collaborated with other clear passages. Let’s explore the most often used and compare between two disciples:  Matthew and Luke.  First Matthew:

Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.

Matthew 24: 40-41

At first glance and with Hollywood echoing its description, it certainly sounds like one man and one woman are taken up to meet the Lord and the other two are left on earth.

But, let’s read the context and the point  of all of the words of Jesus:

37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Matthew 24: 37-39

Jesus compares the lost in the days of Noah with the lost at His coming (verse 37). Read the verse carefully and answer this question:  “who got took away by the flood?” Was it the saved or the lost?  In Noah’s day, it was those who were ignoring Noah’s plead to come in the ark (the lost).  In the “day of the Lord” it is those not looking for the second coming (the lost).  Of the people in Noah’s day, Jesus said the flood came and “took them all away.” So, it is the lost who are taken!  The waters swirled and took them down stream where they were destroyed (dead). Just to be sure we are reading this correctly, let’s compare with Luke:

26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. 

Luke 17: 26-30

So those who are described as being “taken all away.” in Matthew are described as being “destroyed” in Luke.  Contradiction?  No!  Just a misapplication of the Bible fiction writers with the word “taken”.

“Taken” or “took” in its context means they are destroyed.  I don’t want to be taken, I want to be left.  Which means being the opposite of taken (destroyed).  To illustrate:  Suppose you had a library and your house burned down.  When you go in to see how many of your books survived the fire, you might find a few unscathed by the fire.  You would say, “I had a thousand books, but only three are “left” or remaining. Paul described what it means to remain alive or “left” in this passage:

“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

1 Thessalonians 4: 17

The scholars who produced the NIV understood this and translated the words “alive and remain” as “alive and are left“:

After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

1 Thessalonians 4: 17 (NIV)

I want to remain alive when the Lord returns. Don’t you?  I don’t want to be “taken away” in the destructive fires of His brightness.

Verse Luke 17:26 reminds us of the direct comparison between Noah and Christ. In both cases, the story is about the lost.  In Noah’s day, the lost have ignored the appeals for salvation and are going about the normal routines of life expecting nothing to change. But, they are caught as a thief in the night (surprised) by the destructive event of the flood.  They are destroyed (killed)! Verse 27.

The same thing happened to Sodom, but this time it was fire from heaven that “destroyed them all“!

As we understand what happened to the lost at the time of Noah (destruction by flood) and Sodom (destruction by fire); it will be the same when He returns.  Peter describes it clearly:

Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

2 Peter 3: 11-13

So the fate of the lost is destruction at the second coming. Every known element will be burned up in intense flames (brightness) when the Lord returns. But, the saved have the promise of inheriting the earth; not the old earth, with its scars of sin, but a new earth where righteousness lives! When are the new heavens and the new earth created?  We will look at this next time.

But, what about this 7 years of tribulation and the 1,000 years?  Next time we will look closely at this…using only the Bible.

We have seen a clear picture of the second coming where there is no room for second chances i.e. 7 years to endure tribulation.  When the Lord comes the time for salvation is stopped.  This is expressed in Peter’s writings where he connects perishing with the second coming:

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

The above verse is in the context of his second coming.  See verse 4:

“Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

2 Peter 3: 4

Our God delays the coming of Christ because he is “longsuffering toward us.”  Today, we have our second and third chances, but when He comes there are no more opportunities and those that have spent the chances will perish as described above.

It is the enemy’s desire to make people put off the day of their salvation by encouraging them to believe they have a second chance during the 7 years of tribulation.  To eat, drink, and go about the normal routines of life ignoring the appeal of a loving God to come into the ark of salvation.

In my research, I discovered a website dedicated to giving instructions to people who will be on earth during the 7 years of tribulation.  It is a worthless website and a dangerous concept. Herein is why the Lord warns us.  The theory of a second chance during the 7 years is both false and a danger to souls.

5.)  It is not a Second Coming with a part A and part B

The return of Jesus to start eternity is a one-time event.  Jesus takes us “to where He is” after He returns. We will stay there in heaven for 1,000 years and then the redeemed of all ages will all return to watch the Lord create a new earth.  At this time, Jesus will set the New Jerusalem down on the new earth and this will become our home throughout eternity.  Truly, the meek inherit the earth! We will discuss more in our next study.

After Christ’s second coming we go to be where Jesus is now!

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

John 14:3

As mentioned, after 1,000 years, we all return  in the New Jerusalem and watch the Lord do what He did in Genesis 1:

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God…”

Revelations 21: 1-3 

Summary:

We have been talking about what the rapture is not, but we have seen what the second coming really is.   The events of the second coming of the Lord are as follows:

1.) The Lord can be seen coming in clouds with all the brightness and glory of Jesus, God the Father, and the holy angels.

2.)  Every eye will see Him just as every eye sees the sun and lightning across the sky.

3.)  The lost will run to places to hide.

4.)  Despite the lost’s attempt to hide they are destroyed by the brightness of his coming.  They are taken in death like the floods that took the lost in Noah’s day and the fires that took those in Sodom!

5.) The saved are not burned up, but remain alive.  They remain or are leftover from the destruction.

6.)  The saved will rejoice.

7.)  The dead in Christ will be resurrected in the first resurrection (The Bible talks about a second resurrection.  We will explore this next time.)

8.)  Both the saved who are resurrected and those still alive after the destructive fire from heaven will be changed instantly. Their bodies will be glorified so that they are no longer subject to corruption nor death.  They put on immortality.

9.)  The saved meet the Lord in the air. This is the first time all the saved see each other!  It is God’s great reunion day!

In future topics, will address these questions and many others:

1.) “Where does Jesus take the saved after He returns?”

2.) “What about the tribulation?”

3.) “Where did the 7 years come from?”

4.)  “How about the 1,000 years?”

5.) “How about the new Jerusalem John saw coming down from heaven?”

6.) “What about the fate of the unsaved dead at the coming of Jesus?”  “What happened to them?”

7.)  “What about hell?”

All this we will explore from the Bible soon.  Until then, put on the whole armor of God, because the enemy wants to slay you.  But, you can find strength and protection under the wings of the One who is able to keep you until the end.  The Lord Jesus.

Reasons to Believe

SCIENCE, SICKNESS, AND DEATH-GOOD REASONS TO DOUBT?

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Listen to my teaching, and you will be wise; do not ignore it.

Proverbs 8:33

A Brilliant Mind Falls Short

Albert Einstein was arguably one of the most brilliant minds of all times, yet he admitted his short-comings and “limited mind” on the topic of God. He did not believe in a personal God. He considered himself an agnostic or a “religious unbeliever.”

Einstein was not an atheist. He could see the work of a Creator in the order of the cosmos. He often complained about being put into the atheist camp:

“In view of such harmony in the cosmos which I, with my limited human mind, am able to recognize, there are yet people who say there is no God. But what really makes me angry is that they quote me for the support of such views.”5

“I’m not an atheist and I don’t think I can call myself a pantheist. We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. It does not understand the languages in which they are written. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangements of the books but doesn’t know what it is. That, it seems to me, is the attitude of even the most intelligent human being toward God.”6

Einstein also expressed his skepticism regarding the existence of an anthropomorphic God, such as the God of Abrahamic religions, often describing this view as “naïve”[3] and “childlike”.[11] 

In a 1947 letter, he stated, “It seems to me that the idea of a personal God is an anthropological concept which I cannot take seriously.”[12] In a letter to Beatrice Frohlich on 17 December 1952, Einstein stated,

“The idea of a personal God is quite alien to me and seems even naïve.”[13]

He also said, in an interview with the Saturday Evening Post (1929):

“As a child, I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene.”

When asked,

“Do you accept the historical existence of Jesus?”, He replied emphatically,

“Unquestionably! No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.”7

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The Shortcoming of Scientific Intelligence-Lack of Knowledge

Here is the oxymoron of Einstein’s statements. It fits many who consider Jesus to be a wise teacher, but nothing more:

Albert had doubts about the existence of a personal God, but he found Jesus wise and appealing in many ways. That is personal. Despite all this, he would not follow God’s own instructions so that he could know him personally:

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13

God, Himself, tells the reader of His word that it is possible to know and understand Him.

But let him who glories glory in this,

That he understands and knows Me,

That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.

For in these, I delight,” says the Lord.

Jeremiah 9:24

It is possible to have a personal relationship with One who delights in things. Being delightful is a very human emotion. It is an emotion that God possesses. There are human beings (like God) who are loving, kind, and always do the right thing for others, often sacrificing their desires and comforts. They did not come to be this way by themselves. God is the author of these qualities! But, there is another author at work that has opposite attributes.

Here is the big hangup in the scientific mind. Scientists won’t accept the fact that evil had a beginning and the flames of its passion are whipped up by this entity in the minds and hearts of people every day. He is the author of destruction and death.

The scientific mind can’t, or won’t, consider the Bible as a viable book to read and study; therefore, they will not search for spiritual knowledge. And since they won’t search its inspired writers, their skepticism grows. The converted Paul said,

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 2:14

They can’t see the order of the cosmos and life, as did Mr. Einstein. They would rather attribute it to chance and billions of years of blind luck. But, let’s be fair. There are some very good reasons for people to doubt the existence of God or, at the least, a personal God.

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Religion and Jesus-Two Different Things:

Real followers of Christ (not the religious) have found that the key to understanding God is Jesus. It is all about Him from Genesis to Revelation:

1 Corinthians 2:14

You search the Scriptures… these are they which testify of Me.-Jesus

John 5:39

At another time, Jesus revealed to his disciples an important truth about the God of the Old Testament and Himself.

 “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

Luke 24: 44, 45

So if the scriptures are about Jesus, we can’t just say he is a “good teacher” or a “good moral man”….who suddenly and without warning appeared on the scene. He is the One who all the writers of the Old Testament wrote and sought over the millennia. But, when

“the time was right, God sent his Son…” Galatians 4:4

So, why wouldn’t a scientific mind desire to know Jesus and scripture? It is because it is not science and does not fit into the comfortable world of science and its sterile operational paradigms. The Bible is not a book of science, but rather a book about the human experience and spiritual truths. If God is all that He claims to be, then He is the author of science and the scientists are merely the discoverers of His science. For example, scientists did not create the laws of gravity, they discovered them.

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Religion is Its Own Worst Enemy

Another couple of reasons for the scientific mind to dismiss the book that provides insight into many of the human experiences not addressed by science is the radical religionists and suffering.

The religious people are their own worst enemy! The ones who are not real followers of Jesus, but people who are ”religious,” portray the God of mercy and loving-kindness and his truth into undesirable rounds of ceremonies, does and don’ts, eternal torment, and guilt trips. Some even feel God desires them to terrorize people into belief. I am not just talking about our friends in the middle east. How often is eternal burning hell used as a weapon to scare the uninformed into belief?

You can’t blame unbelievers. For a long time, this was my main reason for unbelief and disdain for churches. There are no answers or peace in such a religious world. But, there is a path to truth in Jesus, who invites people into a one-on-one experience with Him.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

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Unbelief in God Because of Death and Suffering

Often I receive comments from readers of this blog and some of my Facebook sites who say that Jesus is “an imaginary friend.” While others ask, “Where was God’ when my (fill in a family member relationship) died from cancer or was killed in a car wreck, etc.

Einstein had similar feelings about the incompatibility of a caring God and the daily horrors of planet earth:

How many have asked….

 “Why would God allow my family member to die of cancer?”

“Why has he allowed death and destruction to reign on this planet?”

“Where was God when...If there is a God, He is not in control.”

These questions pre-suppose that God should make our lives perfect and without sin, death, and destruction. To the uninformed, belief is contingent upon our feelings of what God should be to us. But, this is not according to what God reveals in His word. This author captures my next thoughts exactly:

God made man perfectly holy and happy; and the fair earth, as it came from the Creator’s hand, bore no blight of decay or shadow of the curse. It is transgression of God’s law–the law of love–that has brought woe and death. Yet even amid the suffering that results from sin, God’s love is revealed. It is written that God cursed the ground for man’s sake. Genesis 3:17. The thorn and the thistle–the difficulties and trials that make his life one of toil and care–were appointed for his good as a part of the training needful in God’s plan for his uplifting from the ruin and degradation that sin has wrought. 

God’s Love for Man. Page 9

When God made man as described in the opening chapters of Genesis, everything He made, He declared “good” or “very good.” There was not death, decaying, or the curse. But something went wrong. Evil ( in the form of a rebellious angel called Lucifer), began our journey of sin, death, and decay. He is the author of the bad things in this life, not God for it is written:

 Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same.

James 1:17 (ERV)

So when we blame God for the evil in this world, we demonstrate we do so without a knowledge of God and what He has been revealed to us through his word.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55: 8, 9

Einstein’s failure to understand the motives of God are the result of his incorrect assumption that God intended this universe as His ultimate perfect creation. Einstein could not get past the moral problems that are present in our universe. He assumed, as most atheists do that a personal God would only create a universe that is both good morally and perfect physically. Where Einstein erred was in that thinking that there was a god who designed the universe, but designed it in such a way as to allow evil without a purpose

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It would be too inconvenient or dangerous to the dedicated scientist and to their worldview to consider there might be more to existence than what can be explained only through formulas, books, test tubes, and philosophies. Unbelieving professors that focus only on what can be seen and understood severely limit the God-created mind. Therefore, many won’t listen or follow any of Jesus’ words even though all are invited to follow Him down a path of discovery. So His words are chosen by unbelievers and religionists like fruit from the tree of knowledge to fit their own likeness of God. At the same time, other less palatable instructions are left to rot on the altar of narcissism and selfishness.

…while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:18

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

John 5:39

Ultimately, we cannot project limited human thoughts, philosophies, or reasoning upon God and create Him in our own image. He is supreme. We are not. He is omnipotent; we are not.

 How can we intelligently base our decision to be an unbeliever based on cancer, which is often the result of our own actions i.e., smoking cigarettes or runaway eating of anything and everything?

The order and intelligence of the design of the universe leave us will little excuse for unbelief.

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

Romans 1:20

Yes, you can know God personally, but you must search and desire to understand and gain knowledge, unlike what you will learn from the textbooks or even blog sites like this. Being a scientist does not mean you can’t study and read the Bible. If you do, at the least, you will find wisdom. Many scientists are believers in Jesus and have faith in God’s word.

I have concluded that unbelievers are uninformed! When I searched out Jesus through the Bible, I found Him. He is there if you will just look.

Listen to my teaching, and you will be wise; do not ignore it.

Proverbs 8:33

If you want to begin your Jesus journey through the Bible, I invite you to click on the site below to start a basic understanding of God’s word. These studies will lead you to a deeper understanding of spiritual things and the God who made the universe.

Free Online Bible School

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References

  1. “Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind.” (Albert Einstein, “Science, Philosophy and Religion: a Symposium”, 1941)
  2. “My position concerning God is that of an agnostic. I am convinced that a vivid consciousness of the primary importance of moral principles for the betterment and ennoblement of life does not need the idea of a law-giver, especially a law-giver who works on the basis of reward and punishment.” (Albert Einstein in a letter to M. Berkowitz, October 25, 1950; Einstein Archive 59–215; from Alice Calaprice, ed., The New Quotable Einstein, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2005, p. 206. )
  3. Helen Dukas and Banesh Hoffman (eds) (1981). Albert Einstein, The Human Side. Princeton University Press. p. 43.
  4. Cable reply to Rabbi Herbert S. Goldstein’s (Institutional Synagogue in New York) question to Einstein, “Do you believe in God?”.
  5. Prinz Hubertus zu Lowenstein, Towards the Further Shore: An Autobiography (Victor Gollancz, London, 1968), p. 156.
  6. G. S. Viereck, Glimpses of the Great (Macauley, New York, 1930), quoted by D. Brian, Einstein: A Life , p. 186.
  7. G. S. Viereck, “What Life Means to Einstein,” Saturday Evening Post, 26 October 1929; Schlagschatten, Sechsundzwanzig Schicksalsfragen an Grosse der Zeit (Vogt-Schild, Solothurn, 1930), p. 60; Glimpses of the Great (Macauley, New York, 1930), pp. 373-374.
Faith, Reasons to Believe, What to Do With Doubt

WHAT TO DO WITH DOUBT PART 2

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“If you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about me.”

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel… By which also ye are saved… unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, ow that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures”

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

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Have you been able to see Jesus in the books of Moses (Generally accepted as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,  Numbers, and Deuteronomy)?  Have you seen Him in the other books of the Old Testament?

If you haven’t seen Jesus in the Old Testament you have missed 59% of the story about Jesus.

Come with me as we take a walk with two disciples who, after a three to four hour Bible study with Jesus had their lives changed.  They went from massive disappointment to solid believers in Jesus.  It can do the same for you.

This is written in first-person for a “reality” version of the story. At the end is some additional material which should appeal to your logic.

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It was early in the morning and the sky was getting brighter as I walked the dusty road speaking in low tones with my friend Cleopas about the things which had transpired over the last few days.  So many things!  All very bad!

It started with the arrest of Jesus in the Garden east of the city.   During the night and into the early morning of the Preparation Day (Friday) the soldiers and mob began to move Him between the governor and religious leadership. Then they beat Him to a pulp and eventually crucified our Friend and Leader on a Roman cross on the hill outside of Jerusalem later in the afternoon of the Preparation Day.

I watched from a distance as He hung His head and took his last breath.  He said something at the end, but I was unable to hear because I was trying to stay far enough away so that no one would try to connect me with Him .  I would certainly be labeled as a fanatic believer in this prophet who the clergy had called a blasphemer.  This led to his death.  I think I saw Peter off in the distance.  He appeared to be on his knees with his face in his hands.  His disappointment must be very great!

There had been an earthquake and the sun refused to shine.  Darkness took over the land like a thick smothering blanket.  Everything seemed out of place…frightening.  The large curtain in the temple had been ripped from top to bottom by some unseen hand. There were even reports of people, considered saints,  coming out of their graves and appearing to many in the city! (Matthew 27: 51-53)

My personal disappointment is great because I believed everything He had taught.  I was amazed at His great miracles and works of kindness. His followers thought Him to be the Messiah prophesied by many of the prophets hundreds of years ago.  He was going to set up His kingdom and deliver my people from the iron rule of Rome.  We thought He was the coming king upon which hung on all our hopes.

But, it seemed like He did not want the office of king.  I had left everything to follow Him and learn His teachings. My commitment all came to nothing on Friday afternoon when He died.  Now only doubt, but also sadness and disappointment hung on Cleopas and me like a heavy smelly cloak belonging to someone else.  I  want an explanation, but the reality of deception was creeping into my thoughts and it made me feel sick and foolish.

On top of everything else, the body of Jesus is missing!  The women followers said He was alive, confirmed by a couple of other disciples, but I know better.  It is just wishful thinking on their part. No one could have survived the beating, the nails, the loss of blood, and finally the sharp sword in the side.  I saw it and refuse to believe anything but what my eyes can confirm. There was no mistaking… the vision of so much blood and the pale appearance of death was real.

It is the first day of the week. Fresh days lie before us as we make our way to Emmaus to start over;  a walk of about 8 miles. It will take me the usual 3 1/2 hours or so to walk…maybe longer today because of our conversation and a heavy heart. This will give us plenty of time to try and put all the pieces together….to try to understand and make sense of everything and to decide what to do with the rest of our lives.

All of a sudden, an unexpected stranger walks up from behind and joins us.  He asks,

“Why are you so sad and what are you discussing?”

I find these two questions odd in the light of the excitement and well-known events of the weekend. Slightly agitated and amazed Cleopas speaks before I can open my mouth and he answers the question with a question.  He throws in some sarcasm for good measure.

“Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem that does not know the things which happened there these last few days?”

 I am even more amazed when the stranger asks,

“What things?”

In disbelief, we began to explain to the young manr the events of the weekend.  Reviewing everything does not help my disappointment and we rush through them as a courtesy to the stranger.

“These things concern Jesus of Nazareth who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people.  The chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.  But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.  Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.  Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.  Then they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but Him they did not see.” Luke 24: 19-24

Then the stranger calls Cleopas and me “foolish ones” and that we are “slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken”  This is certainly not so! I have always believed the prophets.  I have come from a family who believes in the Tanakh (Old Testament) and I have read it often.  The prophets said, that the Messiah would come and deliver Israel from its enemies.  But the stranger began to recite the writings of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy) and all the Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Micah, Malachi, etc)  of the Tanakh and explain things I had missed in my readings.

The stranger clearly points out passages that were references to Jesus.  For the next 3 hours, I am amazed at the knowledge and clarity of the stranger’s words.  As I listened to the stranger recite our ancient books, I begin to see that it was necessary for Jesus to die for the sins of the world, but that He would be raised up the third day!  How had I missed that?  Why had we not believed Jesus when He said it was necessary for Him to die and that he would rise again?  It was like I had been reading the scripture the way I wanted it to read instead of letting it talk to me!  Indeed, we felt foolish but encouraged by the words of the stranger.  My heart burned within me!  I wanted to hear more!  This was all exciting and new to me!

As we get near the village where we plan to rest, it is almost dark. I don’t want the stranger to go and I look for excuses for Him to stay the night so we can hear more. Thankfully, He agrees to have supper with us.  As He breaks the bread, I recognize those hands and the manner in which He breaks it!  I finally look across the table into his eyes at about the same time as Cleopas.  It is Jesus!  As soon as we recognize him, He disappears!  We had been talking to Jesus the whole time and we didn’t recognize Him!

With intense excitement and joy, Cleopas and I jump up and run the 8 miles back to Jerusalem!   We must tell the 11 who were behind closed doors who share our confusion and disappointment.  When we arrive,  we find them huddled in a group in fear and disappointment.  Out of breath, we begin to tell them what had happened over the last several hours.  As we are telling them, Jesus appears in the room!

Everyone jumps back.  They think they are seeing a spirit, but Jesus tells them it is Him and that He is not a spirit. To prove it, He invites them to touch Him and He asks for something to eat.  They give Him some fish and some honeycomb.  After everyone settles down and the scales of their eyes begin to fall away, Jesus repeats the same type of study Cleopas and I heard on the road to Emmaus.  This time, He uses the entire Tanakh including the Psalms to explain how He is found all through scripture. All the disciples begin to understand that He had to die, but that He would rise on the third day.  How could we have missed this?  It was right there!

Then He said to us,

“These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you.  that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.  (And He opened our understanding that we might comprehend the Scriptures.”) Luke 24:44

Do we need  Jesus to open our understanding of Scriptures?  Have we missed Jesus as we have read the Old Testament?  What did Jesus teach these two disciples when He explained passages from all the books of the Old Testament?  Is the Old Testament not relevant to New Testament Christians?  Have we misunderstood Jesus?  What does the entire Bible  teach about Him?

 Next, we will take a look at Jesus through the eyes of one who is a well-known doubter Thomas and attempt to understand why the resurrection of Jesus is an absolute cornerstone of the Christian faith. In fact, without it, Paul says we are most pitiful of all men. But, after we see through the eyes of Thomas we will exclaim as he did:

“My Lord and My God.”  John 20:28 

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ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

What is the possibility of one man fulfilling only eight of the Old Testament prophecies?

It is 1 x 1028 or 1 in 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. Given this and the time span between the writings of the Old Testament and the fulfillment by Christ in the New Testament, the prophecies were either given to the prophets by God, or the prophets just wrote them down as they thought they should be. With Christ fulfilling all eight prophecies, what are the odds the prophets were just guessing?

“Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me”

Psalm 40:7.

“The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”

Revelation 19:10.

“…all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me”

Jesus Christ, Luke 24:44.

“For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.”

Jesus Christ, John 5:46.

“To Him give all the prophets witness”

Acts 10:43.

353 Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ!

Prophecy Fulfillment
1. Gen. 3:15Seed of a woman (virgin birth)Galatians 4:4-5, Matthew 1:18
2. Gen. 3:15He will bruise Satan’s headHebrews 2:14, 1John 3:8
3. Gen. 3:15Christ’s heel would be bruised with nails on the crossMatthew 27:35, Luke 24:39-40
4. Gen. 5:24The bodily ascension to heaven illustratedMark 16:19
5. Gen. 9:26, 27The God of Shem will be the Son of ShemLuke 3:36
6. Gen. 12:3Seed of Abraham will bless all nationsGalatians 3:8, Acts 3:25, 26
7. Gen. 12:7The Promise made to Abraham’s SeedGalatians 3:16
8. Gen. 14:18A priest after the order of MelchizedekHebrews 6:20
9. Gen. 14:18King of Peace and RighteousnessHebrews 7:2
10. Gen. 14:18The Last Supper foreshadowedMatthew 26:26-29
11. Gen. 17:19Seed of Isaac (Gen. 21:12)Romans 9:7
12. Gen. 22:8The Lamb of God promisedJohn 1:29
13. Gen. 22:18As Isaac’s seed, will bless all nationsGalatians 3:16
14. Gen. 26:2-5The Seed of Isaac promised as the RedeemerHebrews 11:18
15. Gen. 28:12The Bridge to heavenJohn 1:51
16. Gen. 28:14The Seed of JacobLuke 3:34
17. Gen. 49:10The time of His comingLuke 2:1-7; Galatians 4:4
18. Gen. 49:10The Seed of JudahLuke 3:33
19. Gen. 49:10Called Shiloh or One SentJohn 17:3
20. Gen. 49:10Messiah to come before Judah lost identityJohn 11:47-52
21. Gen. 49:10Unto Him shall the obedience of the people beJohn 10:16
22. Ex. 3:13-15The Great “I AM”John 4:26, 8:58
23. Ex. 12:5A Lamb without blemishHebrews 9:14; 1Peter 1:19
24. Ex. 12:13The blood of the Lamb saves from wrathRomans 5:8
25. Ex. 12:21-27Christ is our Passover1Corinthians 5:7
26. Ex. 12:46Not a bone of the Lamb to be brokenJohn 19:31-36
27. Ex. 15:2His exaltation predicted as YeshuaActs 7:55, 56
28. Ex. 15:11His Character-HolinessLuke 1:35; Acts 4:27
29. Ex. 17:6The Spiritual Rock of Israel1Corinthians 10:4
30. Ex. 33:19His Character-MercifulLuke 1:72
31. Lev. 1:2-9His sacrifice a sweet smelling savor unto GodEphesians 5:2
32. Lev. 14:11The leper cleansed-Sign to priesthoodLuke 5:12-14; Acts 6:7
33. Lev. 16:15-17Prefigures Christ’s once-for-all deathHebrews 9:7-14
34. Lev. 16:27Suffering outside the CampMatthew 27:33; Heb. 13:11, 12
35. Lev. 17:11The Blood-the life of the fleshMatthew 26:28; Mark 10:45
36. Lev. 17:11It is the blood that makes atonementRom. 3:23-24; 1John 1:7
37. Lev. 23:36-37The Drink-offering: “If any man thirst”John 7:37
38. Num. 9:12Not a bone of Him brokenJohn 19:31-36
39. Num. 21:9The serpent on a pole-Christ lifted upJohn 3:14-18, 12:32
40. Num. 24:17Time: “I shall see him, but not now.”John 1:14; Galatians 4:4
41. Deut. 18:15“This is of a truth that prophet.”John 6:14
42. Deut. 18:15-16“Had ye believed Moses, ye would believe me.”John 5:45-47
43. Deut. 18:18Sent by the Father to speak His wordJohn 8:28, 29
44. Deut. 18:19Whoever will not hear must bear his sinActs 3:22-23
45. Deut. 21:23Cursed is he that hangs on a treeGalatians 3:10-13
46. Joshua 5:14-15The Captain of our salvationHebrews 2:10
47. Ruth 4:4-10Christ, our kinsman, has redeemed usEphesians 1:3-7
48. 1 Sam. 2:35A Faithful PriestHeb. 2:17, 3:1-3, 6, 7:24-25
49. 1 Sam. 2:10Shall be an anointed King to the LordMt. 28:18, John 12:15
50. 2 Sam. 7:12David’s SeedMatthew 1:1
51. 2 Sam. 7:13His Kingdom is everlasting2Peter 1:11
52. 2 Sam. 7:14aThe Son of GodLuke 1:32, Romans 1:3-4
53. 2 Sam. 7:16David’s house established foreverLuke 3:31; Rev. 22:16
54. 2 Ki. 2:11The bodily ascension to heaven illustratedLuke 24:51
55. 1 Chr. 17:11David’s SeedMatthew 1:1, 9:27
56. 1 Chr. 17:12-13To reign on David’s throne foreverLuke 1:32, 33
57. 1 Chr. 17:13“I will be His Father, He…my Son.”Hebrews 1:5
58. Job 9:32-33Mediator between man and God1 Timothy 2:5
59. Job 19:23-27The Resurrection predictedJohn 5:24-29
60. Psa. 2:1-3The enmity of kings foreordainedActs 4:25-28
61. Psa. 2:2To own the title, Anointed (Christ)John 1:41, Acts 2:36
62. Psa. 2:6His Character-HolinessJohn 8:46; Revelation 3:7
63. Psa. 2:6To own the title KingMatthew 2:2
64. Psa. 2:7Declared the Beloved SonMatthew 3:17, Romans 1:4
65. Psa. 2:7, 8The Crucifixion and Resurrection intimatedActs 13:29-33
66. Psa. 2:8, 9Rule the nations with a rod of ironRev. 2:27, 12:5, 19:15
67. Psa. 2:12Life comes through faith in HimJohn 20:31
68. Psa. 8:2The mouths of babes perfect His praiseMatthew 21:16
69. Psa. 8:5, 6His humiliation and exaltationHebrews 2:5-9
70. Psa. 9:7-10Judge the world in righteousnessActs 17:31
71. Psa. 16:10Was not to see corruptionActs 2:31, 13:35
72. Psa. 16:9-11Was to arise from the deadJohn 20:9
73. Psa. 17:15The resurrection predictedLuke 24:6
74. Psa. 18:2-3The horn of salvationLuke 1:69-71
75. Psa. 22:1Forsaken because of sins of others2 Corinthians 5:21
76. Psa. 22:1“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”Matthew 27:46
77. Psa. 22:2Darkness upon Calvary for three hoursMatthew 27:45
78. Psa. 22:7They shoot out the lip and shake the headMatthew 27:39-44
79. Psa. 22:8“He trusted in God, let Him deliver Him”Matthew 27:43
80. Psa. 22:9-10Born the SaviourLuke 2:7
81. Psa. 22:12-13They seek His deathJohn 19:6
82. Psa. 22:14His blood poured out when they pierced His sideJohn 19:34
83. Psa. 22:14, 15Suffered agony on CalvaryMark 15:34-37
84. Psa. 22:15He thirstedJohn 19:28
85. Psa. 22:16They pierced His hands and His feetJohn 19:34, 37; 20:27
86. Psa. 22:17, 18Stripped Him before the stares of menLuke 23:34, 35
87. Psa. 22:18They parted His garmentsJohn 19:23, 24
88. Psa. 22:20, 21He committed Himself to GodLuke 23:46
89. Psa. 22:20, 21Satanic power bruising the Redeemer’s heelHebrews 2:14
90. Psa. 22:22His Resurrection declaredJohn 20:17
91. Psa. 22:27-28He shall be the governor of the nationsColossians 1:16
92. Psa. 22:31“It is finished”John 19:30, Heb. 10:10, 12, 14, 18
93. Psa. 23:1“I am the Good Shepherd”John 10:11, 1Peter 2:25
94. Psa. 24:3His exaltation predictedActs 1:11; Philippians 2:9
95. Psa. 30:3His resurrection predictedActs 2:32
96. Psa. 31:5“Into thy hands I commit my spirit”Luke 23:46
97. Psa. 31:11His acquaintances fled from HimMark 14:50
98. Psa. 31:13They took counsel to put Him to deathMt. 27:1, John 11:53
99. Psa. 31:14, 15“He trusted in God, let Him deliver him”Matthew 27:43
100. Psa. 34:20Not a bone of Him brokenJohn 19:31-36
101. Psa. 35:11False witnesses rose up against HimMatthew 26:59
102. Psa. 35:19He was hated without a causeJohn 15:25
103. Psa. 38:11His friends stood afar offLuke 23:49
104. Psa. 38:12Enemies try to entangle Him by craftMark 14:1, Mt. 22:15
105. Psa. 38:12-13Silent before His accusersMatthew 27:12-14
106. Psa. 38:20He went about doing goodActs 10:38
107. Psa. 40:2-5The joy of His resurrection predictedJohn 20:20
108. Psa. 40:6-8His delight-the will of the FatherJohn 4:34, Heb. 10:5-10
109. Psa. 40:9He was to preach the Righteousness in IsraelMatthew 4:17
110. Psa. 40:14Confronted by adversaries in the GardenJohn 18:4-6
111. Psa. 41:9Betrayed by a familiar friendJohn 13:18
112. Psa. 45:2Words of Grace come from His lipsJohn 1:17, Luke 4:22
113. Psa. 45:6To own the title, God or ElohimHebrews 1:8
114. Psa. 45:7A special anointing by the Holy SpiritMt. 3:16; Heb. 1:9
115. Psa. 45:7, 8Called the Christ (Messiah or Anointed)Luke 2:11
116. Psa. 45:17His name remembered foreverEphesians 1:20-21, Heb. 1:8
117. Psa. 55:12-14Betrayed by a friend, not an enemyJohn 13:18
118. Psa. 55:15Unrepentant death of the BetrayerMatthew 27:3-5; Acts 1:16-19
119. Psa. 68:18To give gifts to menEphesians 4:7-16
120. Psa. 68:18Ascended into HeavenLuke 24:51
121. Psa. 69:4Hated without a causeJohn 15:25
122. Psa. 69:8A stranger to own brethrenJohn 1:11, 7:5
123. Psa. 69:9Zealous for the Lord’s HouseJohn 2:17
124. Psa. 69:14-20Messiah’s anguish of soul before crucifixionMatthew 26:36-45
125. Psa. 69:20“My soul is exceeding sorrowful.”Matthew 26:38
126. Psa. 69:21Given vinegar in thirstMatthew 27:34
127. Psa. 69:26The Saviour given and smitten by GodJohn 17:4; 18:11
128. Psa. 72:10, 11Great persons were to visit HimMatthew 2:1-11
129. Psa. 72:16The corn of wheat to fall into the GroundJohn 12:24-25
130. Psa. 72:17Belief on His name will produce offspringJohn 1:12, 13
131. Psa. 72:17All nations shall be blessed by HimGalatians 3:8
132. Psa. 72:17All nations shall call Him blessedJohn 12:13, Rev. 5:8-12
133. Psa. 78:1-2He would teach in parablesMatthew 13:34-35
134. Psa. 78:2bTo speak the Wisdom of God with authorityMatthew 7:29
135. Psa. 80:17The Man of God’s right handMark 14:61-62
136. Psa. 88The Suffering and Reproach of CalvaryMatthew 27:26-50
137. Psa. 88:8They stood afar off and watchedLuke 23:49
138. Psa. 89:27FirstbornColossians 1:15, 18
139. Psa. 89:27Emmanuel to be higher than earthly kingsLuke 1:32, 33
140. Psa. 89:35-37David’s Seed, throne, kingdom endure foreverLuke 1:32, 33
141. Psa. 89:36-37His character-FaithfulnessRevelation 1:5, 19:11
142. Psa. 90:2He is from everlasting (Micah 5:2)John 1:1
143. Psa. 91:11, 12Identified as Messianic; used to tempt ChristLuke 4:10, 11
144. Psa. 97:9His exaltation predictedActs 1:11; Ephesians 1:20
145. Psa. 100:5His character-GoodnessMatthew 19:16, 17
146. Psa. 102:1-11The Suffering and Reproach of CalvaryJohn 19:16-30
147. Psa. 102:25-27Messiah is the Preexistent SonHebrews 1:10-12
148. Psa. 109:25RidiculedMatthew 27:39
149. Psa. 110:1Son of DavidMatthew 22:42-43
150. Psa. 110:1To ascend to the right-hand of the FatherMark 16:19
151. Psa. 110:1David’s son called LordMatthew 22:44, 45
152. Psa. 110:4A priest after Melchizedek’s orderHebrews 6:20
153. Psa. 112:4His character-Compassionate, Gracious, et alMatthew 9:36
154. Psa. 118:17, 18Messiah’s Resurrection assuredLuke 24:5-7; 1Cor. 15:20
155. Psa. 118:22, 23The rejected stone is Head of the cornerMatthew 21:42, 43
156. Psa. 118:26aThe Blessed One presented to IsraelMatthew 21:9
157. Psa. 118:26bTo come while Temple standingMatthew 21:12-15
158. Psa. 132:11The Seed of David (the fruit of His Body)Luke 1:32, Act 2:30
159. Psa. 129:3He was scourgedMatthew 27:26
160. Psa. 138:1-6The supremacy of David’s Seed amazes kingsMatthew 2:2-6
161. Psa. 147:3, 6The earthly ministry of Christ describedLuke 4:18
162. Prov. 1:23He will send the Spirit of GodJohn 16:7
163. Prov. 8:23Foreordained from everlastingRev. 13:8, 1Peter 1:19-20
164. Song. 5:16The altogether lovely OneJohn 1:17
165. Isa. 2:3He shall teach all nationsJohn 4:25
166. Isa. 2:4He shall judge among the nationsJohn 5:22
167. Isa. 6:1When Isaiah saw His gloryJohn 12:40-41
168. Isa. 6:8The One Sent by GodJohn 12:38-45
169. Isa. 6:9-10Parables fall on deaf earsMatthew 13:13-15
170. Isa. 6:9-12Blinded to Christ and deaf to His wordsActs 28:23-29
171. Isa. 7:14To be born of a virginLuke 1:35
172. Isa. 7:14To be Emmanuel-God with usMatthew 1:18-23, 1Tim. 3:16
173. Isa. 8:8Called EmmanuelMatthew 28:20
174. Isa. 8:14A stone of stumbling, a Rock of offense1Peter 2:8
175. Isa. 9:1, 2His ministry to begin in GalileeMatthew 4:12-17
176. Isa. 9:6A child born-HumanityLuke 1:31
177. Isa. 9:6A Son given-DeityLuke 1:32, John 1:14, 1Tim. 3:16
178. Isa. 9:6Declared to be the Son of God with powerRomans 1:3, 4
179. Isa. 9:6The Wonderful One, PelehLuke 4:22
180. Isa. 9:6The Counsellor, YaatzMatthew 13:54
181. Isa. 9:6The Mighty God, El Gibor1Cor. 1:24, Titus 2:3
182. Isa. 9:6The Everlasting Father, Avi AdthJohn 8:58, 10:30
183. Isa. 9:6The Prince of Peace, Sar ShalomJohn 16:33
184. Isa. 9:7To establish an everlasting kingdomLuke 1:32-33
185. Isa. 9:7His Character-JustJohn 5:30
186. Isa. 9:7No end to his Government, Throne, and PeaceLuke 1:32-33
187. Isa. 11:1Called a Nazarene-the Branch, NetzerMatthew 2:23
188. Isa. 11:1A rod out of Jesse-Son of JesseLuke 3:23, 32
189. Isa. 11:2Anointed One by the SpiritMatthew 3:16, 17, Acts 10:38
190. Isa. 11:2His Character-Wisdom, Knowledge, et alColossians 2:3
191. Isa. 11:3He would know their thoughtsLuke 6:8, John 2:25
192. Isa. 11:4Judge in righteousnessActs 17:31
193. Isa. 11:4Judges with the sword of His mouthRev. 2:16, 19:11, 15
194. Isa. 11:5Character: Righteous & FaithfulRev. 19:11
195. Isa. 11:10The Gentiles seek HimJohn 12:18-21
196. Isa. 12:2Called Jesus-YeshuaMatthew 1:21
197. Isa. 22:22The One given all authority to governRevelation 3:7
198. Isa. 25:8The Resurrection predicted1Corinthians 15:54
199. Isa. 26:19His power of Resurrection predictedMatthew 27:50-54
200. Isa. 28:16The Messiah is the precious corner stoneActs 4:11, 12
201. Isa. 28:16The Sure Foundation1Corinthians 3:11, Mt. 16:18
202. Isa. 29:13He indicated hypocritical obedience to His WordMatthew 15:7-9
203. Isa. 29:14The wise are confounded by the Word1Corinthians 1:18-31
204. Isa. 32:2A Refuge-A man shall be a hiding placeMatthew 23:37
205. Isa. 35:4He will come and save youMatthew 1:21
206. Isa. 35:5-6To have a ministry of miraclesMatthew 11:2-6
207. Isa. 40:3, 4Preceded by forerunnerJohn 1:23
208. Isa. 40:9“Behold your God.”John 1:36; 19:14
209. Isa. 40:10.He will come to rewardRevelation 22:12
210. Isa. 40:11A shepherd-compassionate life-giverJohn 10:10-18
2101. Isa. 42:1-4The Servant-as a faithful, patient redeemerMatthew 12:18-21
212. Isa. 42:2Meek and lowlyMatthew 11:28-30
213. Isa. 42:3He brings hope for the hopelessJohn 4
214. Isa. 42:4The nations shall wait on His teachingsJohn 12:20-26
215. Isa. 42:6The Light (salvation) of the GentilesLuke 2:32
216. Isa. 42:1, 6His is a worldwide compassionMatthew 28:19, 20
217. Isa. 42:7Blind eyes opened.John 9:25-38
218. Isa. 43:11He is the only Saviour.Acts 4:12
219. Isa. 44:3He will send the Spirit of GodJohn 16:7, 13
220. Isa. 45:21-25He is Lord and SaviourPhilippians 3:20, Titus 2:13
221. Isa. 45:23He will be the JudgeJohn 5:22; Romans 14:11
222. Isa. 46:9, 10Declares things not yet doneJohn 13:19
223. Isa. 48:12The First and the LastJohn 1:30, Revelation 1:8, 17
224. Isa. 48:16, 17He came as a TeacherJohn 3:2
225. Isa. 49:1Called from the womb-His humanityMatthew 1:18
226. Isa. 49:5A Servant from the womb.Luke 1:31, Philippians 2:7
227. Isa. 49:6He will restore IsraelActs 3:19-21, 15:16-17
228. Isa. 49:6He is Salvation for IsraelLuke 2:29-32
229. Isa. 49:6He is the Light of the GentilesJohn 8:12, Acts 13:47
230. Isa. 49:6He is Salvation unto the ends of the earthActs 15:7-18
231. Isa. 49:7He is despised of the NationJohn 1:11, 8:48-49, 19:14-15
232. Isa. 50:3Heaven is clothed in black at His humiliationLuke 23:44, 45
233. Isa. 50:4He is a learned counselor for the wearyMatthew 7:29, 11:28, 29
234. Isa. 50:5The Servant bound willingly to obedienceMatthew 26:39
235. Isa. 50:6a“I gave my back to the smiters.”Matthew 27:26
236. Isa. 50:6bHe was smitten on the cheeksMatthew 26:67
237. Isa. 50:6cHe was spat uponMatthew 27:30
238. Isa. 52:7Published good tidings upon mountainsMatthew 5:12,15:29,28:16
239. Isa. 52:13The Servant exaltedActs 1:8-11; Eph. 1:19-22, Php. 2:5-9
240. Isa. 52:14The Servant shockingly abusedLuke 18:31-34; Mt. 26:67, 68
241. Isa. 52:15Nations startled by message of the ServantLuke 18:31-34; Mt. 26:67, 68
242. Isa. 52:15His blood shed sprinkles nationsHebrews 9:13-14, Rev. 1:5
243. Isa. 53:1His people would not believe HimJohn 12:37-38
244. Isa. 53:2Appearance of an ordinary manPhilippians 2:6-8
245. Isa. 53:3aDespisedLuke 4:28-29
246. Isa. 53:3bRejectedMatthew 27:21-23
247. Isa. 53:3cGreat sorrow and griefMatthew 26:37-38, Luke 19:41, Heb. 4:15
248. Isa. 53:3dMen hide from being associated with HimMark 14:50-52
249. Isa. 53:4aHe would have a healing ministryMatthew 8:16-17
250. Isa. 53:4bThought to be cursed by GodMatthew 26:66, 27:41-43
251. Isa. 53:5aBears penalty for mankind’s iniquities2Cor. 5:21, Heb. 2:9
252. Isa. 53:5bHis sacrifice provides peace between man and GodColossians 1:20
253. Isa. 53:5cHis sacrifice would heal man of sin1Peter 2:24
254. Isa. 53:6aHe would be the sin-bearer for all mankind1John 2:2, 4:10
255. Isa. 53:6bGod’s will that He bear sin for all mankindGalatians 1:4
256. Isa. 53:7aOppressed and afflictedMatthew 27:27-31
257. Isa. 53:7bSilent before his accusersMatthew 27:12-14
258. Isa. 53:7cSacrificial lambJohn 1:29, 1Peter 1:18-19
259. Isa. 53:8aConfined and persecutedMatthew 26:47-27:31
260. Isa. 53:8bHe would be judgedJohn 18:13-22
261. Isa. 53:8cKilledMatthew 27:35
262. Isa. 53:8dDies for the sins of the world1John 2:2
263. Isa. 53:9aBuried in a rich man’s graveMatthew 27:57
264. Isa. 53:9bInnocent and had done no violenceLuke 23:41, John 18:38
265. Isa. 53:9cNo deceit in his mouth1Peter 2:22
266. Isa. 53:10aGod’s will that He die for mankindJohn 18:11
267. Isa. 53:10bAn offering for sinMatthew 20:28, Galatians 3:13
268. Isa. 53:10cResurrected and live foreverRomans 6:9
269. Isa. 53:10dHe would prosperJohn 17:1-5
270. Isa. 53:11aGod fully satisfied with His sufferingJohn 12:27
271. Isa. 53:11bGod’s servant would justify manRomans 5:8-9, 18-19
272. Isa. 53:11cThe sin-bearer for all mankindHebrews 9:28
273. Isa. 53:12aExalted by God because of his sacrificeMatthew 28:18
274. Isa. 53:12bHe would give up his life to save mankindLuke 23:46
275. Isa. 53:12cNumbered with the transgressorsMark 15:27-28
276. Isa. 53:12dSin-bearer for all mankind1Peter 2:24
277. Isa. 53:12eIntercede to God in behalf of mankindLuke 23:34, Rom. 8:34
278. Isa. 55:3Resurrected by GodActs 13:34
279. Isa. 55:4aA witnessJohn 18:37
280. Isa. 55:4bHe is a leader and commanderHebrews 2:10
281. Isa. 55:5God would glorify HimActs 3:13
282. Isa. 59:16aIntercessor between man and GodMatthew 10:32
283. Isa. 59:16bHe would come to provide salvationJohn 6:40
284. Isa. 59:20He would come to Zion as their RedeemerLuke 2:38
285. Isa. 60:1-3He would shew light to the GentilesActs 26:23
286. Isa. 61:1aThe Spirit of God upon himMatthew 3:16-17
287. Isa. 61:1bThe Messiah would preach the good newsLuke 4:16-21
288. Isa. 61:1cProvide freedom from the bondage of sinJohn 8:31-36
289. Isa. 61:1-2aProclaim a period of graceGalatians 4:4-5
290. Jer. 23:5-6Descendant of DavidLuke 3:23-31
291. Jer. 23:5-6The Messiah would be both God and ManJohn 13:13, 1Ti 3:16
292. Jer. 31:22Born of a virginMatthew 1:18-20
293. Jer. 31:31The Messiah would be the new covenantMatthew 26:28
294. Jer. 33:14-15Descendant of DavidLuke 3:23-31
295. Eze.34:23-24Descendant of DavidMatthew 1:1
296. Eze.37:24-25Descendant of DavidLuke 1:31-33
297. Dan. 2:44-45The Stone that shall break the kingdomsMatthew 21:44
298. Dan. 7:13-14aHe would ascend into heavenActs 1:9-11
299. Dan. 7:13-14bHighly exaltedEphesians 1:20-22
300. Dan. 7:13-14cHis dominion would be everlastingLuke 1:31-33
301. Dan. 9:24aTo make an end to sinsGalatians 1:3-5
302. Dan. 9:24aTo make reconciliation for iniquityRomans 5:10, 2Cor. 5:18-21
303. Dan. 9:24bHe would be holyLuke 1:35
304. Dan. 9:25His announcementJohn 12:12-13
305. Dan. 9:26aCut offMatthew 16:21, 21:38-39
306. Dan. 9:26bDie for the sins of the worldHebrews 2:9
307. Dan. 9:26cKilled before the destruction of the templeMatthew 27:50-51
308. Dan. 10:5-6Messiah in a glorified stateRevelation 1:13-16
309. Hos. 11:1He would be called out of EgyptMatthew 2:15
310. Hos. 13:14He would defeat death1Corinthians 15:55-57
311. Joel 2:32Offer salvation to all mankindRomans 10:9-13
312. Jonah 1:17Death and resurrection of ChristMatthew 12:40, 16:4
313. Mic. 5:2aBorn in BethlehemMatthew 2:1-6
314. Mic. 5:2bRuler in IsraelLuke 1:33
315. Mic. 5:2cFrom everlastingJohn 8:58
316. Hag. 2:6-9He would visit the second TempleLuke 2:27-32
317. Hag. 2:23Descendant of ZerubbabelLuke 2:27-32
318. Zech. 3:8God’s servantJohn 17:4
319. Zech. 6:12-13Priest and KingHebrews 8:1
320. Zech. 9:9aGreeted with rejoicing in JerusalemMatthew 21:8-10
321. Zech. 9:9bBeheld as KingJohn 12:12-13
322. Zech. 9:9cThe Messiah would be justJohn 5:30
323. Zech. 9:9dThe Messiah would bring salvationLuke 19:10
324. Zech. 9:9eThe Messiah would be humbleMatthew 11:29
325. Zech. 9:9fPresented to Jerusalem riding on a donkeyMatthew 21:6-9
326. Zech. 10:4The cornerstoneEphesians 2:20
327. Zech. 11:4-6aAt His coming, Israel to have unfit leadersMatthew 23:1-4
328. Zech. 11:4-6bRejection causes God to remove His protectionLuke 19:41-44
329. Zech. 11:4-6cRejected in favor of another kingJohn 19:13-15
330. Zech. 11:7Ministry to “poor,” the believing remnantMatthew 9:35-36
331. Zech. 11:8aUnbelief forces Messiah to reject themMatthew 23:33
332. Zech. 11:8bDespisedMatthew 27:20
333. Zech. 11:9Stops ministering to those who rejected HimMatthew 13:10-11
334. Zech. 11:10-11aRejection causes God to remove protectionLuke 19:41-44
335. Zech. 11:10-11bThe Messiah would be GodJohn 14:7
336. Zech. 11:12-13aBetrayed for thirty pieces of silverMatthew 26:14-15
337. Zech. 11:12-13bRejectedMatthew 26:14-15
338. Zech. 11:12-13cThirty pieces of silver cast in the house of the LordMatthew 27:3-5
339. Zech. 11:12-13dThe Messiah would be GodJohn 12:45
340. Zech. 12:10aThe Messiah’s body would be piercedJohn 19:34-37
341. Zech. 12:10bThe Messiah would be both God and manJohn 10:30
342. Zech. 12:10cThe Messiah would be rejectedJohn 1:11
343. Zech. 13:7aGod’s will He die for mankindJohn 18:11
344. Zech. 13:7bA violent deathMark 14:27
345. Zech. 13:7cBoth God and manJohn 14:9
346. Zech. 13:7dIsrael scattered as a result of rejecting HimMatthew 26:31-56
347. Zech. 14:4He would return to the Mt. of OlivesActs 1:11-12
348. Mal. 3:1aMessenger to prepare the way for MessiahMark 1:1-8
349. Mal. 3:1bSudden appearance at the templeMark 11:15-16
350. Mal. 3:1cMessenger of the new covenantLuke 4:43
351. Mal. 3:6The God who changes notHebrews 13:8
352. Mal. 4:5Forerunner in spirit of ElijahMt. 3:1-3, 11:10-14, 17:11-13
353. Mal. 4:6Forerunner would turn many to righteousnessLuke 1:16-17
Faith, What to Do With Doubt

WHAT DO DO WITH DOUBT-PART 1

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“Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed, Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29

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It was the walk with Jesus by someone else that inspired me.  Since age 25, I have had a walk with Jesus, but it is a non-physical spiritual walk of faith.  In my walk, I can’t see His form, His eyes, His hair, His face, nor hear His kind voice, but there were two disciples who could. Their story is recorded in the new testament for our encouragement and contemplation.  (We will look at this story in the next post.) Parts of their 3-hour conversation with Him was recorded because our Creator wants to help us in our walk of Faith.  This is not my opinion.  Jesus said it!

“…these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”  John 20:31

My questions is this: Do I have “life in His name”? Is my experience all about heaven and the hereafter or the “here-now”?  May I propose to you that if we are not having a “here-now” experience with Jesus, we won’t have a “hereafter” experience with Him either.  It all starts here!  Now!

Don’t have this?  Your journey can start now….or perhaps it has already started and you just don’t know it.  Perhaps, if you have been on your Jesus journey for many years, you don’t have the assurance that you have eternal life.

Jesus said this to Thomas when He appeared to this doubter some 8 days after Jesus’ resurrection,

“Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed, Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:29

Thomas had heard that Jesus was alive from people who would not lie to him i.e., the other disciples who had seen Him. But, Thomas wanted his own experience; not one based on the word of others. He was a doubter despite their convincing words.  So, Jesus accommodated him and appeared to him.

But, wouldn’t Thomas have an advantage over us in the faith department because he could actually see and feel the hands and side of Jesus?  Is faith built only on what you see?  No! In the verse above, it indicates our experience is blessed by believing even though we have not seen.  But, how does this work?

Are we going to be like Thomas and say,

“Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”  John 20:25

Let’s be real.  It is highly unlikely that Jesus is going to appear to any of us in our bedroom and say,

“Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Take your hand, and put it into my side. Stop doubting, and believe.”

John 20:27

Our faith in Jesus comes from three main sources available to everyone:

Creation

The Bible

Other Real People (Not REALigious people)

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Creation:

It is by observing and contemplating the beauty of life….a squirming warm new-born human, calf, puppy, or anything new to the world through the act of birth and procreation…the laughter, smile, and innocence of a small child.  (They have more of the image of God at this point than any other time)….the wisdom of a bright-eyed old man who has been there before you….large mountains with a hat of ice and snow…the laughing lapping of the ocean waves against the shore at sunset…the colorful creatures swimming past you in the waters off Cozumel….the intricate detail and webbing of an opening spring flower to receive the life-giving sun rays…the sound of the morning birds outside your window bursting with the praise of its Creator. It is because of the signature of God on Creation that He says we can know Him….even the “invisible” things of Him…things we can’t see!

From the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly observed in what he made. As a result, people have no excuse.

Romans 1:20

Do you catch that? We have no excuse to be an unbeliever.  Creation is available for all to see, touch, hear, taste.  If we open our minds and be honest and logical, we will not only know there is a Creator, but we will know some things about Him.

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The Bible

This book is no accident.  It is not just a collection of 40 different authors separated by hundreds of years and three different continents with an agenda to deceive people.  If it had just one author, as do some religions, I would be skeptical too.

 It is in the number of different books, authors, and cultures preserved for thousands of years who agree about Jesus, which gives the basis for faith.

Have you failed to see Jesus in the Old Testament?  Has your experience been based only on the New Testament?  You are missing something…at least 39 books of the 66!  That is 59% of the story you are missing if you don’t visit the old testament! It is estimated that there are over 400 prophecies in the Old Testament about the first and second coming of Jesus.

I can say this with confidence because of the story that we will see in the next post.  Jesus himself exclaimed to his disciples this very thing when He appeared to them after His resurrection.    Once they understood that Jesus was throughout scripture, they went from fearful men hiding behind closed doors on the first day of the week, to week-long believers of Jesus willing to lay down their life for telling the truth about Jesus!

  It is a life-giving gospel of love and peace for all people unlike the hatred and control of other religions we are seeing modern times.

It is difficult if not impossible to ignore the word of God during the week and snack on it occasionally and be a solid believer in Jesus.  It was written that we might believe Jesus.  That Bible given to you by your grandmother with its 66 books is all about Him! Yes, that means Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy…you name it.  Here is how I know.

Jesus gave a Bible study to two disciples who had just witnessed his death a few days earlier.  They were walking away from the massive head wound of discouragement.  Their faith was near death. It was at the pinnacle of their hurt that Jesus showed up and encouraged them.  They went from the depths of doubt, despair, and unbelief to their “hearts burning” within them. As I mentioned, we will look at this next time.

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The Experience of other real people (Not REALigious)

It was the experience of these two men that inspired men and continues even to this day.  In my life I have seen some miraculous working of God in people’s lives.  I have seen atheists turned into believer in Jesus (I am one of them).  It is their testimony that is powerful in the dispelling of doubt.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony

Revelation 12:11

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When I was younger, a friend and I received an invitation to give Bib

When I was younger, a friend and I received an invitation to give Bible studies to the mother and daughter of a young African-American man who was now a follower of Christ. He had given up his life as a professional fighter to follow Jesus. He wanted his family to know the beauty of God’s word. This is a powerful story in itself, but I will save it for another time.

On a frosty night in Nashville, Tennessee, I met with my friend to give the first of the Bible studies. We walked into the very poor apartment complex near downtown Nashville wearing our ties and suits (We had just come from work that required us to dress this way.). We carried our Bibles also. Needless to say, we stuck out in our appearance.

As we passed by a group of young men warming themselves by a dumpster, recently set ablaze, one of them asked, “Where are you going?” We told him, “To give a Bible study.” The words came out of my fear-lumped throat, “Come join us!” We had reason to fear because one of them said, “I have a gun.”

One of them showed up as a massive shadow in the doorway to the poor apartment! He sat down quietly and with a threat in his eyes. The massive shadow said nothing when he arrived and nothing when he left, but you could see trouble in his face and the way he carried himself.

As I gave the study about the life of Jesus, the rats scampered about…even under my feet! But, they did not distract from the beautiful story of Jesus’ love for all of mankind. Nevertheless, we never again saw the young man, with the big shadow, at the studies.

Several months later, I sat with my family in church waiting for the service to begin when my friend came up to me and asked me to come back to the vestibule. He wanted me to see something he said I was not going to believe.

I got up respectfully and walked to the back of the main auditorium and through the doors. Standing before me was the massive shadow who we had seen by the burning dumpster! His eyes said it all. I walked up to him and said, “You have Jesus in your life!” You could see in his eyes and face the transformation from a troubled soul to a man of peace because of his Savior who had been welcomed into this man’s life.

Somehow, our little time together on that frosty night led him to search for Jesus and he found Him. His experience reminded me of two great truths. God’s word, will never return to void and if someone searches for Jesus, they will find him.

“My word, which comes from my mouth, is like the rain and snow. It will not come back to me without results. It will accomplish whatever I want and achieve whatever I send it to do.”

Isaiah 55:11

And ye shall seek me, and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13

Next time, we will look at the walk with Jesus by the two disciples and how it can help us with doubt in our life, but even more importantly, how it can help us on our Jesus journey.

Blessings my friends.

Faith

Real Faith, Fake Faith

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Introduction

Faith is one of those common religious words used by churches and their members.  It is not a word typically used by the scientific community or atheists.  The experience of faith, however, is a daily experience by everyone regardless of their world view. For an easy understanding of faith, think of the word trust.  Trust comes from knowing the words or actions of a person, process, of thing that perform as it has always.   They are predictable and true.  That will be the basic definition or premise used for this writing. But faith or trust is more dynamic for the believer in Christ. Since there is an enemy of Christ, there is also a misplaced thinking that can create a fake faith in the religious community.  Therefore this writing is primarily for the church. It is interesting that Jesus had the most severe warnings for those who were religious than for those who were “sinners.”

True Faith Has Action

For an example of true faith, the story is told of the man who planned to walk a tight-rope across the roaring Niagara Falls.   He received a lot of press, interviews, and attention, then the day came for his historic walk.  The crowd and newspaper reporters gathered to hear the words of the daring young man. Everyone was surprised when a wheelbarrow was brought up and placed on the wire in front of the man.  Then he said, “Who has the faith that I can push this wheelbarrow across this wire to the other side of the Niagara Falls?  Everyone was silent except for one person.  An old man said, “I have faith you can do it.” The next words tested the faith of the old man, “Ok since you have faith, please get in and I will push you across.” The old man refused to get in and thereby exposed to everyone that his words were just that, only words.  But, the young man’s wife said, “I have faith in you” and she carefully placed herself in the cold garden utensil.  She had been married to the daring young man for several years and had time to observe and trust in him and his abilities. He had pushed her across a thin wire many times before, but on a smaller scale.  Today, she would put her trust in his ability even though the environment was windy, misty, and higher.  Her faith had grown in the small things to where she could trust her husband in the big things…because she knew him.

In a similar manner trust in Jesus comes only from an experience with Him in the small things at first.   Its source for trust is in the Bible and His words, they bring to life the experience of trust. “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6: 63). The premise of this book is that real faith comes from three sources: God’s word, an experience with Him, and continued building trust.  Faith is never stagnant, but it grows or dies with continued use or lack of use. Works (actions) and faith (trust) are not separate experiences that are a result of each other as James explains, “Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” James 2:18

Faith or trust in Jesus is so important that the writer of Hebrews said, “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him…” Hebrews 11:6. Jesus’ rhetorical question indicates there will be a small amount of saving faith when Jesus comes, “…when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). 

Fake Faith-Self Deception

On the other hand, there is a pseudo-faith in the world of religion that is misplaced and deadly.  It may even contain good works or deeds, but lack a personal experience with Jesus.  One of the most startling passages of scriptures paints a picture of people who offered up their works as evidence of their faith, but it is rejected by the Lord because He didn’t know them:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you…” (Matthew 7: 21-23). 

It is for these reasons I write my first book.  Of all the topics I considered, this was by far the one that inspired me the most because it is so dynamic and so important.  My desire is your experience with Christ will move to a new level of trust.

One last thing, I came from an atheist philosophy while in college to a full-blown believer in Christ when I was 25 years old.  How that happened is part of this book. I am now 70 years old and have experienced Jesus in good times and bad times.  The Bible tells us of the importance of personal experience and testimony.  The stories of the people of God in the Old Testimony, even their failures, help us in modern society to reach a higher level of faith and hope. They are written so we can learn to grow in faith.

“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4). 

We are told by John our personal experience and testimonies with Jesus can actually overcome Satan. 

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. (Revelation 12:11)

Fake News-Fake Faith

We live at a time where we often hear the phrase “Fake News.” It indicates the reporting of news that is not necessarily true. It also appears in the form of deception using facts purposely neglected or events spun to fit the writer’s desired narrative.  In the spiritual realm facts (the basis of faith) can be counterfeited, ignored, or explained in such a way that our understanding of faith becomes worthless, even deadly.  Solomon expressed it this way:

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” Proverbs 14:12 NKJV.

Solomon repeated these same words again in Proverbs 16:25.  By repetition, he highlighted the extreme danger of putting too much trust in our own thoughts and feelings, especially those created by the manipulation of others who would seek to lead us down a wrong line of thinking either by direct intention to gain something or unintentional. This great wise man of God was subtly telling us, we may think a certain path is the right one, but it doesn’t make it right. Even more, our faulty reasoning and life plans can ultimately lead to destruction.  This is why understanding true faith versus false faith is so important in today’s world.

Unfortunately, as erring humans, we often trust our feelings more than rely on objective rational thinking even in the world of faith. True faith, contrary to the opinion of unbelievers, is based on solid logical thinking.  Fake faith, like fake news, is based on what we want to hear, so we choose to believe what makes us feel good or fits what we want the truth to be.

For many years we have been taught to “only believe.” But, real faith is not blind nor ruled by emotions.  It is based on an understanding of the evidence.  If we are going to truly trust something or someone, we must have a reason, a history of confirmed reliability, or unfailing consistency. The journey of experiences leads to trust.

Faith is Based on Evidence

As a little boy, I could fearlessly jump off the high couch into my father’s arms.  Though a little shaky and mistrusting at the start, I soon believed in the strong arms of my Dad to always catch me for two simple reasons: 1.) My continued active experience of jumping/catching and 2.) I learned through this play that Dad loved me.

When I began my search for truth and meaning of life at age 25, I was glad to hear Paul say,   

 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”

Hebrews 11:1.

Substance and evidence are tangible reasons that connect us with the intangibles i.e. hope and things not seen. “Substance” is like the supper my wife makes for me.  It is something I can see, smell, and taste.  It is not made-up or imaginative.  Evidence is similar except it requires the use of reasoning powers given to us by God. I can’t actually see her make the meal if I am not in the kitchen, but I have the evidence that there was rational planning in the delivery of my meal by the empty cartons, cans, and the aromatic smells.  I can’t see the flavoring baked into the casserole, but I can see the evidence by the things lying around the kitchen such as salt and pepper shakers and I can taste it with my own tongue (substance).  God has provided the meal of life in a similar way.  This meal He provides is the substance for a life of faith that can grow over time and become steadfast by the evidence which is easily observable. Understand, I am not necessarily talking about the substance and evidence for creation, but rather the rational reasons to have faith and trust in our Creator that we don’t see.

The most convincing evidence of my Father’s love and a foundation of faith are found in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But, how can I trust Him and His promises if I have not experienced a jump from low heights and Him catching me?  I can’t know the flavors if I have not tasted. The Psalmist invites us to

“…taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Psalm 34:8.

You see how tasting and trust go together with substance and evidence.

Faith comes not by feelings which are unreliable much of the time, but rather by the tangible ever-present realities around us, both physical and spiritual.  Therefore, the elementary basis for faith is found in the facts and reasoning powers God provides in various venues in our lives, especially His word and creation.  This will be an objective of this book, to find faith in the pages of God’s word which can be seen and tasted and then transferring this to a practical experience of faith in the One who made us. Faith is dynamic and active it is not a mental exercise of will power. God’s word, from Genesis to Revelation, tells of real people of the past who failed or excelled at faith. Their experiences will teach us to watch out and be cautious of their mistakes or learn how they succeeded at faith. “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” Romans 15:4. See also Hebrews 11.

Source of Real Faith

Real faith has its origin in God’s communication to mankind, primarily through chosen men who were inspired by God to write what they saw and experienced. Peter recognized that

“…holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit,”

2 Peter 1:2.  

Luke desired to tell Theophilus what he knew as an observer at the time of Jesus,

“…it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus,” Luke 1:3 

These thirty-five or so “holy men” wrote down what they saw and experienced. If we read with a desire to know, we will be blessed with faith from their communications.

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” Romans 10:17.  

Here is the primary origin of faith for all who wish to understand the mysteries of life and the universe.  Since the prophets of old were moved by the Spirit of God to write, we are encouraged to read what they wrote, particularly if we seek to know more about God.  If we do, our faith will have substance and evidence on which to build our faith in God. Faith in the true God will come when we hear the word of God. It has been said, “Little time in God’s word equals little faith. Much time in God’s word equals much faith.”  This is logically true, but we will see there are other Biblical directives, not just reading, to nurture the seedling of faith so that it grows into a faith larger than a mustard seed. Herein is another purpose of this book.  It is to get our answers from scripture first on the topic of faith, but then to move into a personal experience that can move the mountains of difficulties we face every day in a sin-sick world with its fake news and fake faith. As we will see, true faith is critical for the searcher of faith and especially for the long-term church member who may think the way they are going is right, but they may be on a road to destruction even as they ride to church every weekend.

God does not discount feelings.  In fact, feelings can be a tool in the hand of an omnipotent God.  For example, we may feel that something is not right in our lives because there is no peace and no real practical trust in God when times get tough or even in everyday challenges. These feelings can lead to a search for answers, but the feelings should never trump the facts found in the time-tested word of God. 

Real Faith and The End

One last thought before we move on. Jesus insinuated by a rhetorical statement that faith would be scarce when He returned,

“when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).

Over the years, I have seen the power of God’s word to bring light to many people’s eyes and the creation of a new life full of forgiveness, happiness, determination, contentment, hope, and peace. I have seen the cruelest of men changed to loving faithful husbands and fathers.  Equally inspiring transformations are those who were once unbelievers, doubters, and even atheists, who took up hearing and reading God’s word.  It led to a complete change of mind and way of thinking.  I was one of them. My way of thinking and feelings changed on a dare from my Christian wife. As we examine the people in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11), we will discover the difference between real faith and fake faith. From there, my prayer is for each reader to experience faith that is real and a glory to our Creator and soon coming King.

[i] *New King James Version is used in this book unless otherwise noted.

"He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. Colossians 1:28