Category Archives: Christianity

November 8, 2020 · 10:00

When the Lord Returns

Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; (Luke 12:35)

I am currently reading the Gospel of Luke in my personal Bible study, and, as often happens when I read my Bible, something caught my attention that I had not seen before. In Luke Chapter 12, Jesus had finished telling the parable of the rich fool[1] who had a bumper crop and started planning about what he would do with his newly acquired wealth. That night, God called him to account. “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” (Luke 12:20). Jesus’ point was that earthly riches do not amount to much in light of eternity. He said, “So is he [a fool] that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21). He went on to teach regarding the futility of worrying about the things of this world because God knows our needs, and He will provide for all our needs (not necessarily our “wants”). The ravens do not sow, reap, or store up food, yet God feeds them.[2] The lilies of the fields neither toil nor spin, yet God clothes the earth more beautifully than Solomon’s apparel.[3] So, Jesus taught, we should not overly concern ourselves with food or clothing because God will provide for our needs. Instead, He said, “But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you … For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Luke 12:31, 34)

With that in mind, since this life and this world does not last, He went on to encourage His listeners to be ready for His Second Coming. (I am not sure if His audience caught the significance of His message, but looking back, it should be clear to us.) “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning” (Luke 12:35). Having your “loins girded” is an expression that meant to prepare oneself for work, and one only lights a lamp when it gets dark. So the idea is that we should be on the alert and watching. We are to watch and work as we “seek the kingdom of God.”

He went on to amplify His meaning. “And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately” (Luke 12:36, emphasis mine). I highlighted in bold italics what I missed before. Jesus spoke in the form of a parable which His audience, His disciples, and His apostles would not have clearly understood at that time. He often used the example of a landowner – a lord or master – leaving on a long journey and leaving the care of his properties in the hands of stewards, i.e., “servants.”[4] All of these parables convey the idea that the Lord will leave – which Jesus did in His ascension – and will return at some undetermined time. In the meantime, His servants continue to conduct His business – in our case that of proclaiming the Gospel – until He returns.

What popped out at me in this passage is the phrase “when he will return from the wedding.” What relevance does a wedding have with the main point of the story? Note also the definite article. It is not just “a” wedding; it is the wedding. The significance is subtle and easy to miss, but indeed it carries great relevance to Christians living in this day.

Before Jesus went to the cross, He told His apostles, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3, emphasis mine). When His apostles heard this, they caught the imagery of a Galilean wedding. When a man proposed marriage to a young woman, if she accepted the proposal, he would leave to build a house for her. Once the father of the groom inspected and approved the house, he would give his son permission to go get his bride. The wedding would take place and the wedding feast that followed would last for seven days.

Likewise, Jesus, the Bridegroom, is betrothed to His Bride, the Church. His Bride is made up of those who have accepted His proposal.[5] Now He is gone preparing a place for His Bride, and when the Father approves of the house,[6] He will come to get His Bride and take her to the home He has prepared for her. The wedding feast[7] will last one week (seven years).[8] At the end of the seven years, Jesus will return with His Bride to reclaim His kingdom on earth.

The audience that heard the parable was Jewish, and they probably missed the significance of the lord returning from the wedding. Weddings were frequent and common events in those days as they are today. Jews then and now, for the most part, missed the Messiah. Yet Jesus admonishes these who fail to recognize Him to have their “loins girded” and their “lamps burning” in preparation for their Lord’s return from the “wedding.”

After Jesus snatches away His Bride and the seven-year wedding feast begins, those who remain on the earth will experience the seven-year Tribulation. During that time, many Jews will recognize the Messiah they missed and 144,000 of them will preach the Gospel message around the world.[9] Many Jews as well as Gentiles will be saved by their message. It is these whom Jesus admonishes to work, watch, and be ready for His coming. “Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants” (Luke 12:37-38).

“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” (2 Peter 3:9, emphasis mine). Even after the Rapture of the Church, even in the midst of the Great Tribulation, God is “not willing that any should perish.” Sadly, for many, that time will be the final opportunity for salvation but at such a high cost. Reader, if you do not know the Savior, please do not wait until the last moment. Accept the Bridegroom’s proposal today. Find my page on “Securing Eternal Life” and prepare to enjoy the wedding feast rather than work in the time of Great Tribulation.

Notes:

[1] Luke 12:16-20

[2] Luke 12:22-24

[3] Luke 12:27-28

[4] Matthew 21:33-41; 25:14-30; Mark 13:32-37; Luke 19:11-27

[5] John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9-10; et al.

[6] Matthew 24:36

[7] Revelation 19:6-9

[8] Daniel 9:27

[9] Revelation 7:1-8; 14:1-5

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Filed under Christianity, End Times, Evangelism, Gospel, Salvation, Second Coming of Christ, Theology

Tagged as Christ, Christianity, End-Times, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Parables of Jesus, Revelation, Second Coming of Christ, theology

November 1, 2020 · 10:00

What’s Next?

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (Isaiah 46:9-10)

On Tuesday, November 3 the final votes will be cast to see if Donald Trump retains the presidency or if Joe Biden will take command. Aside from the presidential race, there are many challenging races for places in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. They say, as they have in every political race in the past, that this is the most significant race in history. The pundits may be right.

I voted early and in person last week. As you might guess from last week’s article,[1] I voted for all Republicans except for three Democrats that ran uncontested. I later learned that I could have left those positions unmarked. In Texas, where I voted, they removed the option to vote a straight party ticket, so I had to mark each candidate for each office individually. It was not bad. The process took less than 15 minutes.

So, what’s next? I am no prophet or the son of a prophet to know what the immediate future might bring. Several scenarios come to mind, and none, by worldly standards, look too promising. The presidential race is running neck-and-neck. If the crowds gathering for the Trump rallies give any indication, President Trump may win a decisive victory. If he wins (and I pray he does) chaos in our streets will get worse. The Democrats condone ANTIFA and BLM by the very fact that they refuse to denounce their lawlessness. Some conspiracy theorists suggest that the funding for these lawless groups comes from Democrat sources. Such allegations are difficult to prove, but judging from Democrat attitudes toward our President, I suspect those allegations are true. From the day of his inauguration, the Democrats have unrelentingly attacked President Trump to find some way to forcefully remove him from office. The viciousness of their assaults suggests that they will only double down if he wins a second term. In fact, they already talk about impeachment proceedings against Trump’s latest judicial pick, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, if she will not recuse herself from current cases coming before the court. One of those cases might be the legitimacy of the election should Trump win, and the election is contested. The fury, hate, and anger of the Democrats will explode, and they will turn loose their hounds of hell to terrorize the nation. It will not be pretty!

If Joe Biden wins, some believe the Democrats will find some way of replacing him – the 25^th Amendment[2] comes to mind – and Kamala Harris will become President. Even if Biden remains, we can kiss the America we once knew goodbye. All one needs to do is read the Democrat Party Platform to see the heavy Socialist leanings of the Democrat Party. The only reason they do not call themselves Socialists is because they know the term offends most Americans, but regardless of how they identify themselves, the ideology is clear. The Democrat Party is all about government control. This COVID “plandemic,” as some have called it, is nothing but an experiment in population control – forced masking, social distancing, closing down churches, closing schools, restricting businesses, etc. Then there is the Green New Deal, which will impose greater controls – curtail oil production in lieu of “renewable energy” like wind and solar. The Green New Deal will enforce restrictive building codes to make all structures energy-efficient without regard to the high cost of such an undertaking. The Socialists, I mean Democrats, will open our borders to allow anyone and everyone into our country with the promise of providing social welfare, free healthcare (because it’s a “right”) to everyone. By various means, they plan to redistribute wealth making everyone equally poor. The “pigs” on the other hand will live in luxury while the rest of us animals freeze and starve to death out in the barn.[3]

Neither option seems too promising. However, at least with a Trump presidency, we can trust that he really does have America’s best interest at heart. He is a nationalist. He believes in putting America first. The Democrats only care about putting their party first.

So, what’s next? I have no clue! I do know this. Jesus is coming soon! The signs He gave[4] announcing His return intensify every day. Some scoff and say, such things – wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines, etc. – have been happing throughout history. Yes, but not all at once! All the signs are converging. Jesus said, “All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:8). The “sorrows” He describes are birth pangs. Like a woman in labor, the pains come infrequently and erratically, but they become more frequent and more regular the nearer the time of the birth. What we see now is just the “beginning of sorrows.” Jesus gave these signs about His Second Coming. These signs will intensify during the seven-year Tribulation before He returns to reign on earth. However, before He returns to reign on earth for 1000 years,[5] He will snatch up His bride, the body of believers that have “gone to sleep” and those who are alive[6] at the Rapture of the Church. Because I see the signs for His Second Coming converging and intensifying, I know the Rapture can happen at any time, maybe before the election or maybe right after the election. Regardless, the only hope for this broken world is Jesus.

At a personal level, the only hope for a hopeless, broken, messed up life, even in this world, is Jesus. Time is getting short. If you do not know Jesus, please get acquainted. I can help; just read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.” It makes no difference who is sitting in the White House; what matters is who reigns in your “heart-house.”

Notes:

[1] “Can’t Vote Democrat” – https://erniecarrasco.com/2020/10/25/cant-vote-democrat/

[2] Section 4 of the 25^th Amendment in part reads, “Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President Pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.”

[3] Reference to Animal Farm by George Orwell

[4] Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21

[5] Revelation 20:1-7

[6] 1 Corinthians 15:50-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

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Tagged as 2020 Election, Democrat Party, Donald Trump, End-Times, Joe Biden, Second Coming of Christ

October 25, 2020 · 10:00

Can’t Vote Democrat!

When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase. (Proverbs 28:28)

The presidential elections are upon us again, and my choices are quite simple. I remember a time in my life, at least 40 years ago when I voted for the first time, that one could vote for an individual regardless of party affiliation. One could examine each candidate and vote for the one that most agreed with one’s views, and one could be pretty sure that he/she would legislate according to the interest of their constituents.

Differences between Republican and Democrat have existed since the founding of our nation, but those differences could be laid aside when legislating laws that affected the American people. There was a time when “reaching across the aisle” meant that differing views could be debated, and a workable solution acceptable to both sides could be achieved. That day is long gone.

Today, one party still maintains the ideal of individualism that allows members to cross party lines in legislative matters. Some of those consistently cross party lines and are affectionately (or maybe not so affectionately) called RINOs – Republicans In Name Only. The other side has no DINOs – Democrats In Name Only. They all vote the Democrat party line as a block. They remind me of “The BORG.”[1] Their idea of “reaching across the aisle” means that Republicans must capitulate to their side – “We are the BORG. Lower your shields and surrender your ships. We will add your biological and technological distinctive to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile.”[2]

Democrats march in lockstep. They all vote as one block. It is extremely rare these days for a Democratic legislator to vote contrary to the party line. Such defections result in disciplinary action against the offender in one form or another.

There is strength in unity, but unity in unrighteousness destroys the nation. I would gladly vote for a Democrat if I could trust him/her to vote in a manner consistent with biblical values. (One does not necessarily have to be a Christian to hold biblical values.)

I spent several hours recently reading through the Democrat Party Platform – all 91 pages of it. Here is some of what I learned. First of all, the Democrats voted in 2008 to eliminate God from the party platform. In the entire platform, they mention God once and only as part of a hyphenated word. “Democrats remain committed to ending poverty and enabling all Americans to live up to their God-given potential” (p. 23 of the platform). That could be any god, not necessarily the God of the Bible. The Bible says that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). How can Democrats rule with understanding if they have no “fear of the LORD”? After this, the platform loses substance.

Democrats support abortion at any point in pregnancy – many even support infanticide within a few minutes after the birth of a child. They camouflage their callous disregard of human life under the pretext of “women’s reproductive health rights” – a misnomer if I ever heard one. What is “reproductive” about ending the life of a baby? They say, “Like the majority of Americans (emphasis mine), Democrats believe every woman should be able to access high-quality reproductive health care (emphasis mine) services, including safe and legal abortion (emphasis mine). We oppose and will fight to overturn federal and state laws that create barriers to women’s reproductive health and rights (emphasis mine), including by repealing the Hyde Amendment and protecting and codifying the right to reproductive freedom” (p. 41). Since the party is fundamentally atheist, the sanctity of human life means nothing because they reject the Creator of life. Without a Holy God superintending His Creation, nothing is sacred. For that reason, I cannot vote for a Democrat.

The Democrat Party is morally bankrupt. The party promotes LGBTQ+ Rights as if the laws protecting all Americans are insufficient for the sexually deviant community. God considers sexual perversion an abomination,[3] but since the Democrat Party rejects God, it has no problem supporting and even encouraging sexual deviancy. The Party goes so far as to support the raising of children in a sexually deviant environment. “We will work to ensure LGBTQ+ people are not discriminated against when seeking to adopt or foster children” (p.42). For that reason, I cannot vote for a Democrat.

The Party claims to support religious freedom unless they determine that religion discriminates against select groups like LGBTQ+ or “women’s reproductive health rights.” They say, “Religious freedom is a core American value and a core value of the Democratic Party. Democrats will protect the rights of each American for the free exercise of his or her own religion … Democrats celebrate America’s history of religious pluralism and tolerance, and recognize the countless acts of service of our faith communities, as well as the paramount importance of maintaining the separation between church and state enshrined in our Constitution (emphasis mine) … We will reject the Trump Administration’s[4] use of broad religious exemptions to allow businesses, medical providers, social service agencies, and others to discriminate. (p. 48). In other words, religious freedom is permissible as long as it goes along with on-demand abortion for any reason and the LGBTQ+ culture or anything else the party supports that violate religious tenets. In the same paragraph they threaten, “We will confront white nationalist terrorism and combat hate crimes perpetrated against religious minorities” (emphasis mine) I am not sure what they mean by that, but it does not sound good! For that reason, I cannot vote for a Democrat.

The Democrat Party Platform is racist. Almost every platform page contained statements about how black lives matter (they do, but so do all lives), and about government efforts to better the lives of an assortment of ethnic groups in various ways. The fact that “race” dominates so much of the narrative gives evidence to the party’s racist perspective. Race should not even be part of the conversation. The platform should apply to all Americans regardless of race or ethnicity. To selectively point to different “races” for special treatment is racist. For that reason, I cannot vote for a Democrat.

The Democrat Party Platform offers many big ideas for government to benefit the American people (mostly “minorities”) without thought of the cost or who will pay for the government’s benevolence. They also speak a lot about climate change and how the United States, the cleanest, the least polluting country in the world, is obligated to lead the world in cleaning up the environment and controlling climate. The Democrat Party favors a global system of world government. They do not say that in so many words, but it is hidden between the lines throughout the platform. For that reason, I cannot vote for a Democrat.

Every Democrat running for office, regardless of what they say in their campaign ads, will have to conform to the Party Platform once they are in office. I cannot understand why any Christian would vote for any Democrat running for any office knowing that they are obligated to tow the party line. They must assimilate to the BORG; resistance is futile! For that reason, I cannot vote for a Democrat.

I admit, not all Republicans are saints, but at least they maintain a semblance of individuality so that they often vote contrary to their own party. Not Democrats, they vote a straight party line, and that party line violates Christian principles in multiple ways.

I have heard so many Christians say they cannot vote for Donald Trump because they do not like his personality. Personally, I do not care for his personality either, at least not what I see in the media. However, I do not know him personally, and neither do many of his critics. Many who have met him in person say he is very personable and even likeable.

So, disregard his media persona and consider what he has done for the national economy; he cut taxes for all Americans. He cut taxes and regulations for small and large businesses resulting in higher employment for all Americans – unemployment is rate down to 3.5%.[5] Consider what he has done to advance religious liberty, much to the chagrin of the Democrats. Consider how he has strengthened our alliance with Israel – the “apple of God’s eye.” Consider how he has advanced American interests around the world. He has either placed or reinforced sanctions on our nation’s enemies, Iran, China, North Korea, Russia, etc. Consider that he pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Agreement, which punishes the U.S. and makes allowances to world polluters, again, to the chagrin of the Democrat Party. Consider how he is making other NATO nations pay their fair share for their own defense. Consider how he has cut funding to the United Nations. Then consider the Democrat’s desire to negate Trump’s advancements according to the 2020 Democrat Party Platform. I simply cannot vote for a Democrat to any office, but especially not to the presidency of the United States. It would be the most unchristian thing I could do in carrying out my civic duty.

One final thought, God is in control. He rules and reigns in the affairs of men. In the meantime, He expects His children to do what is right according to the principles He has laid out in His Word. The Democrat Party violates the Word of God in so many ways. For that reason, I cannot vote for a Democrat, and I cannot see how anyone claiming to be a Christian can vote for a Democrat. It makes no sense to me. Vote, but please sincerely pray about it before making your choice. Oh, and not voting means a vote for the Democrats; do not neglect your civic duty.

Notes:

[1] “The Borg” – https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/11/11/the-borg/

[2] Quote from “Star Trek – The Next Generation” – https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=resistance%20is%20futile

[3] Leviticus 18:22-23, 27; Romans 1:26-27, 32; 1 Corinthians 6:9

[4] The 2020 Democrat Party Platform brings up many unsubstantiated charges against the Trump Administration. They make claims without any sources to verify the claims. You must believe what they say because they are the BORG and resistance (or critical thinking) is futile!

[5] Since the COVID-19 lockdowns, unemployment rates have risen once again but that can hardly be blamed on President Trump. He did not cause the pandemic and lockdowns were put in place by individual states under the advisement of the CDC, not Donald Trump.

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Filed under Apologetics, Christianity, Current Events, Politics, Random Musings

Tagged as Christianity, Current Events, Democrat Party, Donald Trump, Politics, Religion and Spirituality, Republican Party, United States Constitution

October 18, 2020 · 10:00

Jesus And The Fig Tree

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: (Matthew 24:32)

During Jesus’ last week of His earthly ministry before His crucifixion and shortly after His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, Matthew and Mark record a strange incident when Jesus cursed a fig tree because it had no fruit and immediately, the tree withered.

Jesus entered Jerusalem on what we know as Palm Sunday. He went directly to the Temple cast out the money changers and those who sold animals for the upcoming Passover sacrifice.[1] To us Gentiles, it seems strange that it offended Jesus that these men were turning the Holy Temple into a marketplace. However, as Jesus drove out the merchants, He exclaimed, “Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves” (Mark 11:17).

A long-held Jewish tradition during Passover is to get all the leaven out of the house before the Passover celebration. Leaven represents sin, and it must be removed from the house. The Temple was Jesus’ house, and He was cleansing it from the sin within in preparation for the coming Passover.

At this point, I need to mention an apparent contradiction between Mark’s account of the Temple cleansing and that of both Matthew and Luke. Both Matthew and Luke record that the cleansing took place on the same day as the Triumphal Entry – Palm Sunday.[2] However, Mark indicates that the cleansing took place on the following day (Monday). Mark records that on Palm Sunday, “Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. And on the morrow [Monday], when they were come from Bethany … And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple” (Mark 11:11-12, 15, emphasis mine). So, did Jesus cleanse the Temple on Palm Sunday or on the following day? Great biblical minds have no clue! I am not one who finds contradictions in the Bible because “God is not the author of confusion.”[3] Two Gospel writers say the cleansing took place on Sunday, and one (Mark, who was not an eyewitness) says it was on Monday. I believe all three accounts are correct. It is possible that there were two cleansings, one on Sunday and one on Monday. I will leave it at that for now.

Only Matthew and Mark record the incident with Jesus cursing the fig tree, and both agree that it happened on Monday morning as Jesus returned to Jerusalem from Bethany where He was probably staying in the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary.[4] What happened next seems rather strange. Jesus spotted a fig tree along the way and being hungry, He went to see if it had any figs.[5] Mark remarks that “the time of figs was not yet” (Mark 11:13). Finding no figs on the tree, Jesus cursed the tree, and it soon “dried up from the roots” (Mark 11:20).

It seems strange that Jesus, the Creator,[6] would not know that it was not the time for figs, So, why would He expect to find figs on the tree? Some commentators suggest that the tree should have had some unripe fruit on it that could be eaten.

“Toward the end of March the leaves begin to appear, and in about a week the foliage coating is complete. Coincident with [this], and sometimes even before, there appears quite a crop of small knobs, not the real figs, but a kind of early forerunner. They grow to the size of green almonds, in which condition they are eaten by peasants and others when hungry.”[7]

That makes some sense. Both Matthew and Mark remark that Jesus found nothing but leaves on the tree. There were not even “knobs” to eat on the tree. But was that sufficient cause for Jesus to curse the tree? The same commentators quoted above, suggested that Jesus used this incident as an object lesson to emphasize Luke’s parable about the fig tree that bore no fruit.[8] However, neither Matthew nor Mark includes that parable in their Gospels, and Luke omits the cursing of the fig tree, so their argument does not seem to be very strong.

Jesus, the Creator, knew it was too early for figs, and He knew He would not find figs on the tree. So the cursing of the tree had another purpose. Jesus never did anything without a purpose.

Later in the week as Jesus sat with His disciples on the Mount of Olives, they asked Him for signs of the last days and the end of the world. The detailed description of the last days, known as the “Olivet Discourse,” is found in all three Synoptic Gospels.[9] “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36). However, Jesus said the times would be discernible, and He used the fig tree to illustrate. “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled” (Matthew 24:32-34, emphasis mine).

The fig tree represents the nation of Israel. Several passages in the Old Testament make this association. God says, “I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time …” (Hosea 9:10, emphasis mine). “He [the king of Babylon] hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white” (Joel 1:7, emphasis mine). God also refers to Israel as His (grape) “vine.” Concerning Israel’s restoration, Scripture says, “Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people … Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength” (Joel 2:18, 22, emphasis mine).

Jesus’ parable of the fig tree gives the signal for the beginning of the end-time events. Israel, the fig tree, budded on May 14, 1948, signaling that “summer” is near. Jesus said that “this generation,” the one that sees the fig tree bud, will not pass until all these signs are accomplished. “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

So, why did Jesus curse the fig tree? God chose Israel to be a “priest nation” to all the nations of the world, beginning with Abraham; “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:3, emphasis mine). To Israel, God says, “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation …” (Exodus 19:6). It was Israel’s task to reveal God to the nations of the world. Instead, Israel followed in the idolatrous steps of the surrounding nations. Israel, the fig tree, did not produce the fruit God expected. Jesus’ object lesson in cursing the fig tree demonstrated that God would no longer use Israel to bless the nations and to be the priest nation to the world. Instead, He assigned that task to other “husbandmen.”[10] To these new husbandmen, i.e., the Church, Jesus said, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8, emphasis mine).

So, the fig tree withered and can no longer produce fruit. Instead, Jesus assigned the task of bringing God to the world to the Church. As for the fig tree, “they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke 21:24, emphasis mine).

That time is near. It started when the fig tree budded in 1948. The fig tree has yet to produce any fruit, but that is because the Church is still yielding fruit, albeit at a waning rate. Soon, the Church will be plucked up, and God’s fig tree will have another opportunity to yield its fruit. “And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel” (Revelation 7:4, emphasis mine). During the Tribulation, the 144,000 Israeli evangelists will carry the Gospel to all the world and produce much “fruit” for the Lord. “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands” (Revelation 7:9, emphasis mine).

In the end, the fig tree will produce the fruit for which it was created. However, it must be understood that not every individual Israeli will be saved. Their salvation does not come from their nationality (Israel) or their religion (Judaism). Just as with every other person, salvation comes only through faith in Jesus the Messiah. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). The 144,000 remnant of Israel that carry the Gospel to all the world will be saved by the same message that “whosoever believeth in him [Jesus] should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Those that hear and believe the message of the 144,000 will be saved the same way.

Reader, if you do not know Jesus, now is a great time to get acquainted. Read my page on “Securing Eternal Life” and get that settled today.

Notes:

[1] Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45-46

[2] Matthew 21:8-13; Luke 19:35-46

[3] 1 Corinthians 14:33

[4] John 11:2

[5] Matthew 21:18-19; Mark 11:12-13

[6] John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11

[7] Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Peter H. Davids, F.F. Bruce, Manfred T. Brauch, Hard Saying of the Bible, (InterVarity Press Academic, Downers Grove, Illinois, 1996), p. 442, quoting W.M. Christie, “The Barren Fig Tree.”

[8] Luke 13:6-9

[9] Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21

[10] Matthew 21:33-41

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Tagged as Cleansing the Temple, End-Times, End-Times Prophecy, Israel, Jesus Christ, Jesus' Last Days, Palm Sunday, Second Coming of Christ, Triumphal Entry

October 11, 2020 · 10:00

Jesus And Genesis

But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. (Mark 10:6)

If one wants to criticize and discount the Bible, there is no better place to start than at the beginning with Genesis. Those who reject God find it easier to believe the absurdity that nothing expanded and resulted in everything. They claim to believe the “science.” However, scientific proof requires the implementation of the “scientific method.” As an elementary school teacher just 12 years ago, we still taught the “scientific method” which included observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and falsification. God deniers profess science without employing the scientific method to support their hypothesis. No one observed the Big Bang. No one can experiment to reproduce the Big Bang. (It would be scary if they could!) And no one can falsify the Big Bang, yet they claim to be “scientific.”

The same can said for Creation. Creation cannot be proven by the scientific method. It was a unique, miraculous, one-time event. Creation differs from the Big Bang in that it started with Someone; it did not come from nothing – “In the beginning, God”[1] and God recorded His work in the first chapter of the Book of Beginnings – Genesis. The thinking person (not the God denier – they do not think) only needs to consider the creation account for what it says, recognizing the implied characteristics of the omnipotent Creator’s ability to do what He said He did and compare that to the order out of chaos suggested by the Big Bang proponents. Because of the vast complexity of the universe and life on earth, logic supports creation by an intelligent Creator over life by luck. Of course, some God deniers reject the Big Bang for that very reason and opt to believe that life on earth was “seeded” by extraterrestrials from other worlds, but that raises another question. How did the extraterrestrials originate? That question cannot be answered.

God deniers will not be convinced with logic. They reject God by choice. I am more surprised by those who say they believe the Bible but reject the Genesis account. They have been taught that the Big Bang is a fact and that life on earth arose through the process of evolution. In order to keep their faith in God intact, they rationalize that God somehow used the Big Bang and evolution to create. That makes sense. God can do anything He wants to do and use whatever means He chooses to do it. He is God! However, in reading the straightforward creation account in Genesis 1, one cannot find the logical steps of evolution. God created the universe by His spoken word, not with a bang.[2] He created plant life[3] before He created the sun. He created the sun and moon before creating the rest of the stars as sort of an afterthought.[4] He created marine and avian life before creating the dinosaurs (land creatures). Secular scientists claim that birds evolved from dinosaurs, but Genesis says that birds came first. Furthermore, the Genesis account of creation records that each day of creation was a 24-hour day;[5] that amount of time does not allow for evolution to take place.

Some overly educated theologians dismiss the Genesis account of creation as poetry or allegory. Somehow in all of their education, they miss the fact that Hebrew poetry is distinct by its use of parallelism. There is none of that in the Genesis account. Any Hebrew language novice understands that the first three chapters in Genesis, which take the brunt of the criticism, are written in narrative form like any other historical portion of Scripture. Genesis is not poetry. It presents a factual account, or at least it is factual to the author.

Jesus, who the New Testament credits as Creator[6], affirmed the validity of Genesis. When the Pharisees challenged Him on the question of divorce, Jesus referred them back to Genesis. “But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female” (Mark 10:6, emphasis mine). The making of the first human pair is recorded in the first chapter of Genesis. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27, emphasis mine). For the sake of this confused world today, it should be noted that God made one pair of opposite, yet complementary sexes. They were not androgynous with the option to choose their sex. God did not create two males to mate with each other or two females to cohabitate. God designed the sexes for reproduction. Two males cannot reproduce, nor can two females reproduce. The union is not about “feeling” but about “function.” Male and female “fit” together. The way God designed it works. The way modern man has perverted it often ends in tragedy.

Genesis records that Adam’s first son was Cain and the second was Abel. Cain murdered Abel in a fit of jealous rage,[7] and Jesus referred to that as a factual account. As Jesus excoriated the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, He said, “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar” (Matthew 23:33-35, emphasis mine). Jesus again affirmed the veracity of Genesis in citing Abel as a real person. As an aside, I find it interesting that Jesus takes credit for sending the prophets – “I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes.” That is what God does. Therefore, Jesus claims to be God.

The Global Flood account in Genesis 6-9 is also a major point of contention with Bible critics, even those claiming to be Christian. However, Jesus vouched for its authenticity. In speaking on the last days, Jesus said, “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:37-39, emphasis mine). So, to those who claim to be Christian yet reject Genesis, do you reject Jesus’ words as well? If you doubt the first eleven chapters of Genesis, how can you believe the words of Jesus? He spoke of the Genesis account as fact.

Jesus created[8] man in His image[9] knowing the kind of body He would one day inhabit.[10] Jesus accepted Abel’s sacrifice[11] over that of Cain’s, and when Cain murdered Abel, He demonstrated mercy toward Cain by setting a mark on him to spare his life.[12] God had Noah build an ark with only one entrance. The Ark was large enough to accommodate thousands of more people than Noah and his family, but only those eight that believed God and entered through the only door were saved from the Flood. Jesus is our Ark of salvation. He said, “I AM the door.”[13] He is the only entrance to eternal life; there is no other way. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6, emphasis mine).

I understand God deniers rejecting the Genesis account of creation. They are lost and hell-bound. But there is no excuse for Christians rejecting the Genesis account if indeed they believe Jesus’ words.

Reader, if you are questioning the veracity of Scripture, particularly where it comes to creation, perhaps the first thing you need to consider your eternal standing before God. Read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”