Category Archives: Death

August 6, 2023 · 10:00

Coming Quickly

Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. (Revelation 22:7)

Have you ever imagined traveling in a time machine and going backward or forward in time to witness what happened in the past, or to see what would happen in the future? I am sure many people have, and several science fiction movies have attempted to portray what that might be like.

Jesus granted John the privilege of actually traveling into the future to record the events that would take place at “the end of days.” Much of what John witnessed seems unpleasant, but the end result climaxes in a completely remade planet and universe – a New Heaven and a New Earth.[1] John then sees an indescribable city descending from heaven to the New Earth with space enough to accommodate the billions of God’s children throughout the ages. The city is the New Jerusalem where God will dwell among His people.

What John witnessed defies any hitherto known reality. John could hardly believe his eyes. It was incredible! It was unbelievable! And when we read John’s attempt at describing it, our mind’s eye cannot visualize it, so we may be tempted to brush it off as fantasy. In anticipation of such an occurrence, his angel tour guide reassures John and encourages him to believe what he sees. “And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done” (Revelation 22:6, emphasis mine). It may be too much for our feeble minds to take in, but the guarantee comes directly from God, and we can rest assured that it will all come true because He is faithful to keep His promises.

Then, from some unspecified source, we hear the words of Jesus. “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (Revelation 22:7, emphasis mine). The Greek word translated as “quickly” is tachu from which we get our English word “tachometer.” Since Jesus said this almost 2000 years ago, it makes us wonder, “What is His definition of quickly?” It also gives fodder to the skeptics of whom the Apostle Peter warned. “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Peter 3:3-4, emphasis mine). Peter also reminded us that God’s timing is not like ours. “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8, emphasis mine). Peter is not providing a formula by which we can calculate God’s timetable. Rather, he applies simile (“as”) to emphasize that God’s measure of time does not correlate to ours. God is infinite. He is “timeless.” He is not bound by time. His attribute of omnipresence – being everywhere present at all times – also applies to our understanding of time. He exists in the past, present, and future simultaneously, which explains why He can tell the end from the beginning.[2] Considering the word “tachu” with the application of a tachometer, which measures the revolutions per minute (RPM) of an internal combustion engine; the faster the engine turns, the higher the RPMs the tachometer reads. In the same way, as we begin to see the things described in Revelation, they will rapidly increase in number and intensity the nearer we get to execution time. Even now, we see the rapid decline in morality and what used to be the “social norm.” The plans of the globalists – the “One-Worlders” – are being implemented worldwide at this moment. It is happing “quickly,” and this is probably what Jesus meant by the word “tachu.”

Many “Christians” today pay little attention to the Book of Revelation for a variety of reasons; however, Jesus says, “blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” Sadly, far too many pastors avoid teaching it because they fear that it breeds controversy and contentions. Fear is not of God; it is of Satan whose silencing the Word of God is part of his strategy. If taught rightly, there should be no controversy and those who object are the ones that need to hear it the most. Other pastors will not teach it because they do not understand it themselves. There is only one remedy for that. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Still, others think it might incite fear in people for the things that are about to come. Good! If they are lost, fear might be the incentive they need to get saved. If the pre-millennial, pre-tribulational view is taught, Christians have the hope of the Rapture and a greater incentive to share the Gospel with friends and family. The study, preaching, and teaching of this book is a blessing, says Jesus.

“And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand” (Revelation 22:8-10, emphasis mine). John is so overwhelmed by all that he has seen – the Rapture he experienced, the Great Tribulation, the Millennial Kingdom, the Great White Throne Judgment, the New Heaven, New Earth, and the New Jerusalem – that he falls at the feet of the angel and worships him. Note that the angel refuses the worship and directs the worship to God who alone is worthy of worship. The angel instructs John not to seal up the prophecy, “for the time is at hand.” The Prophet Daniel wanted to understand the prophecies of the end-times given to him, and he was given much different instructions. Daniel says, “And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end” (Daniel 12:8-9, emphasis mine). Daniel was not given the insight to understand the end-times. However, in the end, “the wise shall understand” (Daniel 12:10). Revelation is NOT sealed, and it is written for “the wise” to understand, and now, more than ever, “the time is at hand” for the wise to understand.

“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still” (Revelation 22:11). At this point in the Revelation, all accounts have been settled. Those that are unjust and filthy have been condemned to the lake of fire for all eternity, and they will continue eternally in the same state in which they were found guilty. The righteous and the holy (by the righteousness imputed on them by Christ) will continue in that same state for eternity.

For those of us living today, Jesus once again speaks. “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Revelation 22:12-13, emphasis mine). We see again the Greek word “tachu,” indicating that things are quickly winding up. Jesus comes with His reward in hand to give every person according to their works. For the unrepentant, unbelieving Christ-rejectors, their reward is the lake of fire. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). For those who place their trust in Christ, “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Jesus claims authority as the great “I AM.”[3] “I AM Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” He is the timeless, everlasting God!

“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie” (Revelation 22:14-15, emphasis mine). This is meant for us today. This is not future; it is now. “Blessed are they that do his commandments.” Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). What are those commandments? “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1, emphasis mine). “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31, emphasis mine). “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12, emphasis mine). “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:37-39, emphasis mine). Those who keep His commandments are on the “inside” (now) and have the right to the “tree of life” (i.e., eternal life). Those on the outside are the “dogs.” In John’s day, dogs were not the lovable pets that we love and cherish today. In his day, dogs were nasty, filthy, mangy, scavengers kept outside of the house. God regards sinners with the same contempt.  Their sins are listed in the text; however, their main fault is their rejection of Christ and their refusal to obey His commandments. They will remain outcasts forever unless they repent while there is time. “The time is at hand!”

“I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star” (Revelation 22:16, emphasis mine). This message is contemporary. It is relevant for us today. It is meant for the churches, not only for the seven churches that Jesus, through John, addressed but for the churches throughout the Church Age.

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). Here is the invitation. It is the Holy Spirit that speaks to the heart of every person to convict them of sin,[4] to convince them of their need for the Savior.[5] The Bride, the Church, the local body of believers, is the instrument through which the Holy Spirit works. Together they issue the invitation, “Come.” It is not through coercion but through the preaching of the Word of God. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:13-14, emphasis mine). All who respond to the invitation are welcome to partake of “the water of life freely,” i.e., eternal life.

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19, emphasis mine). Anyone (including myself) who handles the Word of God should take this warning very seriously. As humans, we are prone to error, and we can misinterpret Scripture occasionally for any number of reasons: lack of understanding, lack of maturity (spiritual growth – sanctification – is a process), lack of knowledge, etc. Such “mistakes” are understandable and excusable to some extent; they can be corrected. However, this admonition is for those who purposefully tamper with God’s Word in order to have it say what they want it to say. This warning is not only for the Book of Revelation, but it applies to all of Scripture because it is all prophecy, i.e., telling forth the Word of God. The Old Testament has a similar admonition. “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you” (Deuteronomy 4:2, emphasis mine). Anyone who handles the Word of God – pastors, evangelists, teachers, authors, etc. – needs to take this warning seriously.

“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20, emphasis mine). “He which testifieth” is the Lord Jesus Christ. He reminds us once again that His return is imminent. As we see the events predicted in this prophecy falling into place at an alarming rate, we know that the full force of this prophecy cannot be that far off. For those of us who have placed our faith in Christ, we can say with the Apostle John, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” We may even add “quickly.”

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (Revelation 22:21). “Grace” is the free, unmerited, gift of the Lord (Master, Owner, Possessor) Jesus (Yahweh Saves) Christ (Messiah, the Anointed One). That gift is eternal life, not only future, but in this present life. Eternal life, for the believer, starts right now and never ends. This physical, corrupt flesh must be done away with, but our spirit lives forever. The Apostle Paul says, “For this corruptible [flesh] must put on incorruption, and this mortal [flesh] must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:53). He explains how this takes place. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). So, whether our dead bodies are resurrected and rise from their resting place or our living bodies are instantly changed at the Rapture, they will be renewed to incorruptible bodies suitable to be in the presence of Holy God. That is the “grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” that is with us always.

“Amen.” It is the same word in Hebrew and in Greek meaning, “it is true.”

 Reader, Jesus is coming quickly, as He promised. Are you ready to meet Him? If you do not know the Savior, do not wait any longer. The time is short. Please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  A New Creation | Ernie’s Musings (erniecarrasco.com)

[2]  Isaiah 46:9-10

[3]  Exodus 3:14

[4]  John 16:8

[5]  John 16:13

Comments Off on Coming Quickly

Filed under Apologetics, Bible, Christianity, Current Events, Death, Dogs, End Times, Eschatology, Evangelism, Gospel, Heaven, Hell, Rapture, Resurrection, Salvation, Satan, Second Coming of Christ, Theology, Worship

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

February 26, 2023 · 10:00

The Fifth Seal

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. (Matthew 24:9)

The first seal,[1] the white horse, introduced the Antichrist. The second seal,[2] the red horse, brought global wars. The third seal,[3] the black horse, brings economic collapse. War and economic collapse result in famines and pestilences. The fourth seal[4] releases the pale horse bringing death by way of war, hunger, and pandemics.

“And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held” (Revelation 6:9, emphasis mine). Who are these “souls … slain for the word of God?” With minimal effort, we can infer that these are martyred Christians. We make that conclusion based on a verse that follows. “And white robes were given unto every one of them…” (Revelation 6:11).

There are some students of end-times prophecy who use these verses to reject the doctrine of the Rapture of the Church. They use these verses to prove that the Church will go through and suffer persecution in the Tribulation. Hear what these martyrs cry. “And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:10). We know from Verse 9 that they “were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.” No doubt they are Christians who have died for their faith, and they plead for God’s vengeance on the earth-dwellers that caused their suffering. From the response given to them, we understand that other Christians still remain and suffer on earth. “And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled” (Revelation 6:11, emphasis mine). Obviously, there are Christians going through the Tribulation with the expectation that they will be martyred.

This would be a solid no-Rapture argument if these verses are the only verses used to make the case. However, making a case based on only a single passage is poor hermeneutics. We need to examine the whole counsel of God’s Word.

I hold the pre-millennial/pre-tribulation view of eschatology. The Pre-millennial view holds to a seven-year Tribulation period before Christ returns to establish His 1000-year reign on Earth.[5] The pre-tribulation side says that Jesus will come to receive His Bride – the Church – prior to the Tribulation. I covered some of these points in my article “The First Sight.” However, here it may be worth the extra time and space to support that stance.

First of all, the time of Tribulation is for the purpose of restoring Israel and God fulfilling the promise He made to Abraham to make him a great nation and give him a land (the land of Israel) as an everlasting covenant or promise.[6] God must keep His promise otherwise none of the promises He makes to us can be trusted.

The prophet Daniel laid out the time determined for Israel. “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24, emphasis mine). The Hebrew word translated as “weeks” is shebû‛âh, which is a period of seven (years in this case). By applying simple multiplication, we conclude that Israel was given 490 years until the anointing of “the most Holy,” i.e., Jesus Christ. That time started when Cyrus gave the command for the Jews to return to Judah and for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple.[7] Obviously, more than 490 years have elapsed. However, Daniel’s prophecy breaks up the timetable so that after 483 years, “shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself” (Daniel 9:26). Several biblical scholars have calculated the time and have verified the accuracy of the prophecy determining that Jesus was crucified (“cut off”) exactly 483 years to the day as predicted by Daniel. That leaves seven years (“one week”) to complete Israel’s timetable. Daniel immediately transitions to the final week which begins when “the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary” (Daniel 9:26, emphasis mine). This “prince,” we conclude, is the Antichrist. “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Daniel 9:27, emphasis mine). Antichrist, a.k.a. “the beast,” shows up on the scene and promises peace for Israel for seven years (“one week”).

Again, the timetable seems to fail. Considering that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, was “cut off” in AD 30 (arguably), the 70th or final week would have concluded in AD 37; but the Temple was not destroyed until AD 70. However, the Bible is NEVER wrong, so why have almost 2000 years gone by since the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ with no fulfillment of the 70th week? Enter the Church.

Part of Israel’s responsibility as God’s chosen people was that they should be a “priest” nation to the rest of the world. “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel” (Exodus 19:6, emphasis mine). They failed in this responsibility by adopting an exclusionary attitude toward other nations, i.e., Gentiles. Furthermore, when their promised Messiah revealed Himself, they rejected and crucified Him. However, God’s plan has always been for the redemption of all people. “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).

God has temporarily set aside Israel and temporarily replaced it with the Church to accomplish His plan of spreading the Gospel, the “good news,” around the world. John reminds us that “… Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1:5-6) However, He is not done dealing with Israel. Paul is clear on this matter:

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. (Romans 11:25-32, emphasis mine).

Let me highlight some important points in the passage above. In addressing the church in Rome, Paul declares God’s dealing with Israel a “mystery.” He addresses some of these things in bits and pieces in other parts of the letter to the Romans,[8] but here the message is concise. First, Israel is spiritually blind in that they do not recognize their Messiah. This spiritual blindness will continue until the time of the Gentiles, i.e., the Church, is completed. Second, all Israel – at least all that survive the Tribulation – will be saved. This happens when Jesus returns in His second coming. God says through the prophet Zechariah, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me [God/Jesus] whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10, emphasis mine). That has not happened; this event is yet future. Third, there is the promise of a Deliverer coming out of Zion[9] that will turn away ungodliness from Jacob (Israel). The Deliverer came but He was rejected; so, this promise is yet future. Fourth, Israel (Jews) are enemies of the Gospel for our sake, the Gentile Church. However, they are still “elect” for their fathers’ (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel) sakes, and “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance,” i.e., God is not going to change His mind about it. Finally, God has concluded or determined this in order that all may receive mercy.

So far, I hope, I have established that the time of Tribulation is for the sake of restoring Israel so that God can fulfill His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel). The final week of Daniel’s prophecy is intended for Israel “to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24). This time is not meant for the Church. In speaking of “the Day of the Lord,”[10] which will come “as a thief in the night,” Paul assures us, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9, emphasis mine). The Church is not appointed for the wrath of God. That time is reserved for the spiritual restoration of Israel.

Even now, the Church is experiencing persecution around the world. Christians are being killed for their faith in all of the Muslim countries, including China, in India, and in several African countries. In many western nations, including the United States, “soft” persecution is taking place where Christians are being “canceled” by social media and other media outlets. Laws are being enacted that declare much of the Bible, particularly those portions speaking against sodomy, as hate speech. Pastors that speak against such topics are in danger of being arrested. It is happening in Canada, and it will soon come here. But that is the wrath of man, not the wrath of God. The Church will not face the wrath of God.

Jesus promised to take His Bride home to be with Him.[11] That event, known as the Rapture, will take place in an instant. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump 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” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, emphasis mine). John gave us a glimpse of this when he says, “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne” (Revelation 4:1-2, emphasis mine). To the church of Philadelphia, Jesus promised, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Revelation 3:10, emphasis mine).

The Tribulation is not for the Church. The Bride will be with the Bridegroom during this awful time on earth. So, who are these souls under the altar that were killed for the Word of God and for their testimony? These are those that missed the Rapture and had to go through the Tribulation. Perhaps they were CINOs (Christians In Name Only) who were not saved but retained enough Bible knowledge to recognize what was taking place. At that point, they will truly believe in the Gospel, but it will cost them their lives. Others will be those who came to faith by the witness of those who are being saved. Still, others will believe because of the preaching of the 144,000 witnesses described in Revelation 7, 14 or from the preaching of the two witnesses in Jerusalem.[12] If that is not enough, God sends a Gospel angel to preach the Word to all the world.[13] As Peter said, God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). These will be saved, but it will cost them their lives. To these, Jesus said, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake” (Matthew 24:9).

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24:14, emphasis mine). I am constantly amazed at the love of God for a sinful world. He gives every opportunity for people to repent, ask forgiveness, and place their trust in Jesus Christ who is the only Way, Truth, and Life.[14] Even so, many who will recognize that all the judgments that will follow come from God, will still refuse to repent and will curse God instead.[15]

Reader, are you prepared for what is coming to the world? You do not need to go through the Tribulation, God’s wrath, that is coming upon the world. Read my page on “Securing Eternal Life,” and ask Jesus to save you from the wrath to come.

Notes:

[1]  Revelation 6:1-2

[2]  Revelation 6:3-4

[3]  Revelation 6:5-6

[4]  Revelation 6:7-8

[5]  Revelation 20:1-10

[6]  Genesis 12:2, 7; 13:14-17; 15:18; 17:4-8; 18:17-18

[7]  Daniel 9:25

[8]  Romans 9:27; 10:1-4, 19-21; 11:2

[9]  Paul quoting Psalm 14:7

[10]  1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

[11]  John 14:1-3

[12]  Revelation 11:1-14

[13]  Revelation 14:6-7

[14]  John 14:6

[15]  Revelation 16:21

Comments Off on The Fifth Seal

Filed under Apologetics, Bible, Christianity, Current Events, Death, End Times, Eschatology, Heaven, Rapture, Second Coming of Christ, Theology

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

April 17, 2022 · 10:00

Then Came Sunday

Empty Tomb

And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun … And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. (Mark 16:2, 4)

The story of mankind is brief and straightforward despite the naturalistic stories invented by evolutionists. God created man in His own image (Genesis 1:26). God created man to enjoy fellowship with Him, but man erected a barrier between himself and God by his disobedience to God’s only command: “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:17). That disobedience brought the curse of death – separation from God who is life and the giver of life. “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11:25-26). Holy God cannot abide sin. “Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?” (Psalm 94:20).

From that time on, innocent blood has been shed to cover or atone for the sins of man “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Starting with that first sacrificial lamb slaughtered by the Lamb of God (Genesis 3:21), the innocent pay the penalty for the sins of the guilty. So the sacrificial system began carried on by Abel (Genesis 4:4), Noah (Genesis 8:20) and the law delivered by Moses. But the practice failed to bridge the chasm rived by sin “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4).

This hopeless situation required a better and permanent solution. This was mankind’s problem and the responsibility fell upon man for resolution. But Holy God cannot be satisfied with anything less a perfect, sinless sacrifice. Only the blood of a perfect, sinless man would do. Where could such a man be found? For, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one … They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Romans 3:10, 12). Such a conundrum was no puzzle for an omniscient God. “[He] made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:7-8). “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). So, God in human form died in the stead of His human creation, and He took upon Himself the penalty that was due to each one of us individually. This is an awesome thing! In all the world religions of man, man sacrifices himself to his god, but the Bible teaches that God sacrificed Himself for man. Is that not incredible!

So Jesus died on the cross at Passover. He became the sacrificial Lamb of God to atone for the sins of mankind. He took on the crushing blow of the curse of death. In His final words He declared, “It is finished!” (John 19:30), and He died. Death took its greatest prize, but then came Sunday! The curse of death was broken. “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life” (Romans 5:18).

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

(“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” – Isaac Watts, 1707)

His death on the cross covered our sins once and for all. His resurrection bridged the chasm of death separating sinful humanity from Holy God. He has made the way for you and for me. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). After all He has done for you, the least you can do is follow the way He has prepared. “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all!”

 

1 Comment

Filed under Apologetics, Bible, Christianity, Creation, Death, Easter, Evangelism, Gospel, Religion, Resurrection, Salvation, Theology

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

January 9, 2022 · 10:00

Hell

And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (Luke 16:23)

No one wants to hear about hell, but someone needs to talk about it. Why not me? I do not write this blog to be popular or become famous. If anything, dealing with topics such as this may win my place in infamy. That is okay; I will take my chances.

Most people largely ignore hell. They ask, “How can a loving God send anyone to hell?” Indeed, God sends no one to hell. “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). In fact, when God unleashes the full force of His wrath upon the world during the seven-year Tribulation, He provides 144,000 witnesses to preach the Gospel to all nations.[1] He brings two Old Testament prophets from the dead to preach repentance and perform miracles in Jerusalem.[2] If that is not enough, God sends an angel to proclaim the Gospel to all of the world.[3] God does not want to send anyone to hell. He gives mankind every opportunity to avoid that place. (That is the main purpose of this blog.) However, it is up to every individual to make that choice for themselves. God does not force His affection on anyone.

If hell is not real, why would God go to such extremes – like taking on human form[4] to die on a cross for our sins[5] – to keep us out of that place? The Bible speaks more about hell than it speaks about heaven. Yet, some scoffers foolishly mock claiming that they look forward to going to hell so that they can party with all of their friends. Little do they know that they will suffer hell alone. (More on that later.) Still others, while accepting the fact of hell, reject the eternal nature of hell. Obviously, they have misinterpreted the multiple times that Jesus referred to hell as a place of “everlasting fire.”[6] While some may acknowledge that hell is eternal, they believe a sentence to hell is not. They believe that those that go to hell will only spend enough time there to pay for their sins and then cease to exist. However, that amounts to a lot of wishful thinking with no basis in Scripture.

In the Old Testament, “hell” often translates the Hebrew word she’ôl, which is the abode of the dead. Sometimes it is translated as “the grave” or “the pit,” and it is a place of no return. It is not clear to me, but it seems that she’ôl refers to “life after death,” and it could be either bad or good. King David expressed this idea at the death of his son by Bathsheba.[7] When the child was sick, David fasted and prayed unto God for the child’s life, but when the child died, he washed, dressed in his kingly apparel, and ended his fast. When asked about this seemingly odd behavior, David said, “But now he [the child] is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:23, emphasis mine). David understood that there was life after death, and his anticipation of that event was not cause for dread; rather, David looked forward to that day.

She’ôl also has a not-so-pleasant side to it. In describing Israel’s reward for idolatry, Moses records God’s plan. “And he [God] said, I will hide my face from them [Israel], I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith. They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them” (Deuteronomy 32:20-23, emphasis mine). While the language may be figurative (I take it literally), it describes the extent of God’s wrath against sin, and it is not pretty.

We see, then, that she’ôl, the abode of the dead, has both a good and a bad side. Jesus confirmed this idea when He recounted the death of a rich man and Lazarus.[8] Some assume that this was one of Jesus’ parables, but a close inspection reveals that Jesus relayed this as an actual account. Lazarus died as did the unnamed rich man, but they ended up in two different locations. Lazarus died “and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried” (Luke 16:22). Albert Barnes points out that “Burial was thought to be an honor, and funerals were, as they are now, often expensive, splendid, and ostentatious. This is said of the rich man to show that he had “every” earthly honor, and all that the world calls happy and desirable.”[9]

That the rich man was buried also expresses the finality of, at least, his earthly life. However, that was not his end. “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom” (Luke 16:23, emphasis mine). “Hell” here translates the Greek word hadēs which is equivalent to the Hebrew she’ôl. Two regions of the abode of the dead are expressed here: “Abraham’s bosom” and “torments.”

“Torments” is what we normally understand as “hell.” Notice that the rich man possessed consciousness. He could see Abraham and Lazarus “afar off.” However, Lazarus seems to be unaware of the rich man’s suffering. It appears that part of the torture of those in hell is seeing those who are enjoying heaven. At the same time, those in heaven remain unaware of those suffering in hell. Heaven would not be so heavenly knowing the fate of friends and loved ones suffering in hell.

Jesus described the rich man’s end as a place of fire. “And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame” (Luke 16:24, emphasis mine). Some deny the fire of hell, but Jesus never did.[10] Notice that the rich man retains his selfish nature in hell. He dares to ask Abraham to send Lazarus to relieve him of some of his suffering. Later, he asks that Lazarus be sent to preach to his five brothers (vv. 27-28). He does not care about the rest of the lost, only his brothers. Sinners in hell do not change their sinful ways.

Finally, Jesus does not mention others suffering along with the rich man. He appears to be alone and isolated. So much for those who think they will party in hell with their friends. When one rejects God’s free offer of salvation, that one alone bears the responsibility for that choice. It is important to point out that nothing in this account describes the rich man as a particularly wicked or sinful person. Nor does it portray Lazarus as a particularly upright man. However, by implication, the rich man took no thought about God, while Lazarus depended on no one else but God. The rich man counted on his riches and thereby rejected God – not overtly – he probably attended synagogue regularly – but in his attitude of self-sufficiency.

Hell is a real place and the final destination of many. Jesus said, “Enter ye in at the strait [i.e., “narrow”] gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14, emphasis mine). Sadly, Jesus makes it clear that the majority of people will end up in hell.

Many believe that at “judgement day” their good deeds will outweigh the bad and they will gain access into heaven by their good works. They correctly conclude that their deeds will be judged, but the standard to which they will be evaluated is the perfect, sinless life of Jesus Christ, and all will fall short of that standard. Everyone’s life is recorded in the annals of heaven and everyone will give an account. John the Revelator writes, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works … And death and hell [hadēs] were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:12, 14-15, emphasis mine). “The lake of fire” is the place we understand as “hell,” and it is eternal.

The question remains. Which way do you choose, the broad way or the narrow way? Do you want to follow the majority on the way to hell or choose the narrow way that leads to eternal life? The choice is yours and yours alone. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6, emphasis mine). Does that seem narrow? It is! If you are on the broad way with the majority, you can get off of that road to destruction. Please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  Revelation 7; 14:1-5

[2]  Revelation 11:1-14

[3]  Revelation 14:6-7

[4]  John 1:14

[5] Philippians 2:5-8

[6]  Matthew 18:8-9; 25:46; Mark 3:29; 9:43-48

[7]  2 Samuel 12:1-25

[8]  Luke 16:19-31

[9]  Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible (Published in 1847-85; public domain.)

[10]  Matthew 3:12; 5:22; 7:19; 13:40, 42, 50; 18:8-9; 25:41, et al

Comments Off on Hell

Filed under Apologetics, Christianity, Death, Gospel, Heaven, Hell, Salvation, Theology

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

October 3, 2021 · 10:00

The End Is Not Yet

All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:8)

Jesus faced the final week of His earthly ministry, and the looming shadow of the cross lay just a few days ahead. He had just capped off His final conversation with the Jewish religious leaders with a scathing pronouncement. “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. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation” (Matthew 23:33-36, emphasis mine). That is a pretty harsh accusation coming from the sweet and gentle Jesus! He associated them with the original serpent in the Garden of Eden.[1] Notice too, that He claims to be the One who sends prophets to them. Is it not God who sends the prophets? Well, I believe that is the point!

When we study the Old Testament, we learn of God’s struggle and patience with Israel and Judah. Jesus takes on that role as well. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 23:37-39, emphasis mine).

Jesus knows what lies ahead for Israel, and His disciples wanted to know that too. “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3).

Surprisingly, instead of launching right into a long discourse of the last days, Jesus issued a warning. “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you” (Matthew 24:4, emphasis mine). It seems that the most outstanding feature of the last days is deception. Jesus speaks of wars and rumors of wars, ethnic group against ethnic group, and kingdom (country/nation) against kingdom, but that is just the beginning.[2] The main problem is deception. Jesus goes on to speak of the rise of false preachers and false christs, an increase in wickedness and the loss of love. These false christs and false prophets will perform wonders such that “if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect,”[3] i.e., Christians.

We live in days of great deception. If you do not see it, you are either not paying attention, or you are deceived yourself. Our government lies to us. Our politicians lie to us. Government health agencies lie to us. The news media lie to us. We need to be alert and discerning these days to see the truth hidden among the lies.

The news media diverts our attention from the chaos around the world, but more importantly, the activity around the Middle East, the “cradle of civilization” and the focal point of end-times prophecy.

I follow several good end-times prophecy teachers, but one of my favorites is Amir Tsarfati,[4] founder and president of Behold Israel Ministry. Amir is a native Israeli and a reserve officer in the IDF (I believe he is a major, but not sure about his rank). His home in Israel overlooks the Jezreel Valley, aka, the Valley of Armageddon, so he has a very unique and acute perspective on end-times prophecy and how it relates to current events, especially in Israel and the Middle East. I follow Amir on the Telegram ™ app where he posts current events as they take place in the Middle East. The kind of coverage he provides will not be carried by the mainstream news media. For example, yesterday Amir shared this headline: “’War with Israel already started’ says Iranian FM spokesman: A spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry told Maariv that a solution must be found for regional issues according to UN resolutions.”[5]

That is only one example. There are wars and rumors of wars all over the world. Since the fall of the great United States under the Biden regime, China is advancing undeterred on Taiwan, and making deals for lithium with the Taliban government of Afghanistan. North Korea is testing its hypersonic missiles. Iran is on the brink of developing a nuclear bomb, and threating Israel. Russia (Magog of Ezekiel 38) along with Turkey are well entrenched in Syria. Australia has gone totalitarian on its citizens (who cannot fight back because their firearms have been confiscated). To top it off, the world is invading our southern border.

With all of this going on, “the end is not yet.” In Matthew 24, Jesus describes the conditions before His second coming when He will set up His earthly reign for 1000 years.[6] What we are witnessing now are just “the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:8). Things will get a lot worse during the seven-year Tribulation. “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:21-22).

Except for the fact that we have friends and loved ones that are lost without Christ that will go through the Tribulation (if they do not die and go to hell first), Christians should not fear the trouble that is ahead for the rest of the world. Jesus promised, “I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Revelation 3:10). We cannot know when that will be, but when we see what is taking place in the world, we can know that the time for our departure is very near.

Reader, if you are unsure of your prospect for eternity, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  Genesis 3:1

[2]  Matthew 24:6-7

[3]  Matthew 24:11-12, 23-24

[4]  https://beholdisrael.org/about/amir-tsarfati/

[5]  https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/war-with-israel-already-started-says-iranian-fm-spokesman-680796

[6]  Revelation 20:1-7

Comments Off on The End Is Not Yet

Filed under Apologetics, Christianity, Current Events, Death, End Times, Eschatology, Hell, Rapture, Salvation, Second Coming of Christ, Theology

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,