Category Archives: Hell

May 21, 2023 · 10:00

Tribulation Witnesses

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. (Revelation 14:1)

Jesus warned, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place,[1] (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 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 24:15-22, emphasis mine).

Jesus’ Olivet Discourse[2] is often misinterpreted and misapplied to include all followers of Christ. However, one must consider the audience Jesus addressed. It was His disciples who asked, “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). The question was prompted by Jesus’ remark concerning the Temple they were admiring. “And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (Matthew 24:2). The disciples were Jewish, and their concern was from a Jewish perspective. They were not yet “Christian.” They believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah. They knew He was destined to reign in Jerusalem and that His reign would culminate at the “end of the age.” Their twofold question requested two specific answers: when will He come to set up His kingdom, and when will “the end of the world” (Gk: aiōn – age) be?

Jesus’ reply addressed Jews, and the events outlined in His discourse were directed to Jews. “The abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet” was intended for Daniel and his people and his holy city, i.e., the Jews and Jerusalem.[3] Jesus warned that they should pray that their escape from Jerusalem would not be on a Sabbath Day. Such a warning can only apply to Jews; Christians observe the Lord’s Day (Sunday), not the Sabbath (Saturday). Jesus’ discourse on the last days described the events of the seven-year Tribulation prophesied by Daniel. Its primary purpose is “to finish the transgression [of Israel], 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). The prophets all speak of the scattering and regathering of Israel into their own land in the “latter days” with the promise that God will restore the nation forever (sealing up “the vision and prophecy”). Hence, the Tribulation is for that purpose and to bring God’s judgment to bear on a rebellious and sinful world.

In my previous article, I focused on Revelation 13 which deals with “the beast” (i.e., “the abomination of desolation, a.k.a. the Antichrist) and his false prophet,[4] who shows his true colors at the midpoint of the Tribulation initiating the final 3½ years, or what Jesus called the “Great Tribulation.” Of that time Jesus said, “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 24:22).

It is at this point that John once again changes the scene. “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads” (Revelation 14:1). The Lamb he sees is Jesus standing on Mount Zion.[5] Zion sometimes refers to Jerusalem and at other times it refers to the Temple Mount or “the mountain of God.” However, it almost always refers to the dwelling place of God. God established Jerusalem as His city forever[6] and the Temple as His dwelling place forever.[7] Even so, Solomon rightly concluded, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?” (1 Kings 8:27). Obviously, God cannot be confined to a single place; therefore, Zion goes beyond an earthly temple or city. Zion is the habitation of God in heaven.

Now we see Jesus, the Lamb, in Zion, His heavenly home, and there with Him are the 144 thousand “having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.”[8] We have seen them before in Chapter 7 of Revelation and as a result of their evangelistic efforts, millions on earth are saved.[9] Now, here they are in heaven. What happened? Either they were Raptured about the same time as the two witnesses,[10] or they paid with their lives for their evangelistic zeal.

“And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth” (Revelation 14:2-3). Clarence Larkin sums this up better than I can, so I will include his commentary as follows:

What the “voice” said is not told us, but it was followed with the voice or singing of the “Harpers” accompanied by their harps. These “Harpers” sung a “NEW SONG” before the Throne, and the “Four Living Creatures,” and the “Elders.” As the “Elders” represent the Church, these “Harpers” are not the Church, for they sing before the “Elders.” Who these “Harpers” are we are told in chapter 15:2-4. They are those who stand on the “Sea of Glass” before the Throne, Rev.4:6. The “New Song” they sing is a “double song,” the “SONG OF MOSES” and the “SONG OF THE LAMB,” and we are told that no man could learn the Song but the 144,000 who were redeemed from the earth. This is further evidence that the 144,000 “Sealed Ones” are in Heaven, either having been translated or died a Martyr’s death and from Rev. 14:4 we learn that they are the “FIRST-FRUITS” of the restored nation of Israel, not the “First-Fruits” of the Church, for that is represented by the “Elders,” and was gathered out long before.[11]

“These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God” (Revelation 14:4-5). Larkin suggests that the idea that they were “not defiled with women” may mean that they were celibate like the Apostle Paul who did not marry. However, since “the word translated ‘virgins’ means persons of either sex, they are ‘virgins’ in the sense that they kept themselves clean of the crowning sin of that day—FORNICATION, for the crowning sin of the Tribulation Period will be fornication (Rev. 9:21; 14:8), or looseness and laxity of the marriage tie of which ‘free-love,’ and the doctrine of “affinities,” and multiplied divorce in these days are but the opening wedge to the looseness of morals of those Anti-Christian times.”[12] This allows for the possibility that this number includes women and not just men. The defining characteristic is chastity or sexual purity, faithfulness in the bond of marriage, and fidelity to the Lord’s leading “whithersoever he goeth.”

What is remarkable to me, but not surprising, is the mercy God extends to a fallen world even at this time of judgment. He sends the 144,000 Jewish converts to spread the Gospel around the world, and they are so effective that millions of people on earth reject the Antichrist and turn to Jesus Christ for salvation even at the cost of their very lives. “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; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9-10). Along with that, He sends two witnesses,[13] who could be Moses and Elijah. As a result, many millions are saved during the first 3½ years of the Tribulation.

Chronologically, in the Revelation account, we are at about the midpoint of the Tribulation. The two witnesses have been killed. They are allowed to lay in the streets of Jerusalem for three days in full view of the entire world. Then God resurrects their dead bodies and calls them up to heaven to the shock and dismay of the watching world. It is possible that around this same time the 144,000 are taken out of the world, either by martyrdom or rapture, but they seem to be in heaven now according to the text. However, God still continues His outreach efforts. “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). “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11)

God’s outreach options are not exhausted. “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” (Revelation 14:6-7). Just because the 144,000 and the two witnesses are gone from the scene does not mean that the message of the Gospel has ended. Surely, there are many Tribulation saints that have survived to this point and many will survive to the very end when Christ returns. They will continue to spread the Gospel by whatever means they have available. In the meantime, God sends angelic help by way of what I call the “Gospel Angel.”

John sees another angel flying in the “midst of the heaven.” This “heaven” is the atmospheric “heaven” of the earth. The Gospel historically has been the responsibility of humans. Now, with severe persecution and limited resources, God sends an unstoppable angel to preach “the everlasting gospel” to all people of every language. No one will be able to say they never heard the message of redemption. No one will have an excuse for rejecting the Gospel. It will be preached everywhere, in every language, non-stop. And Antichrist will have no power over this angel to stop him. However, it is not just one angel. Two more follow.

“And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Revelation 14:8). This message is not of an actual event. It is a promise of an event that is coming, and it is such a sure thing, that it is proclaimed in the present tense.

“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name” (Revelation 14:9-11). For any rational person, this warning should serve to scare the hell right out of them. Receiving the mark of the beast[14] is the unpardonable death sentence. No one on earth will be forced to take the mark of the beast. They will take it willingly as a sign of fidelity to the Antichrist, the beast, and they will be eternally doomed for that choice.

No one will be able to plead ignorance. Three angels are sent by God to warn the earth dwellers of the judgments that are coming and provide them with the message of salvation. To take the mark of the beast may spare one’s life for a brief time, but in the end, the eternal fires of hell await. To reject the mark of the beast and choose Christ may mean physical death, but in the same instant that they close their eyes in death they will awaken in the presence of God, the Lamb, and all of the hosts of heaven.

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them” (Revelation 14:12-13).

There exist scoffers today that reject this message thinking that they will be able to survive the Tribulation. They think “if” that time ever comes, they will reject the mark and accept Christ. That sounds very self-assured, confident, and arrogant. However, if one will not accept Jesus now when it is relatively easy to do so, what makes one think that one will have enough courage in the midst of the worst economic, climatic, and environmental disasters the world has ever seen to stand up for Jesus when doing so means certain death? Reader, 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]  Daniel 9:27

[2]  Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21:5-36

[3]  Daniel 9:24

[4]  The Beast and His Mouth

[5]  Sion vs Zion is due to the Greek of the New Testament. The Greek does not have a “Z” in its alphabet. The nearest thing to it is the Greek letter sigma (Σ) that equates to our English letter “S.”

[6]  2 Chronicles 6:6

[7]  1 Kings 9:3

[8]  The 144K

[9]  Revelation 7:9-17

[10]  Revelation 11:1-14

[11]  Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation, Illustrated, (Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, Philadelphia, 1919), p. 131.

[12]  Ibid.

[13]  The Two Witnesses

[14]  Revelation 13:16-18

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February 6, 2022 · 10:00

We’ve Been Warned

Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7)

As you watch or listen to news reports, even from the “fake news” media, do you wonder about what is going on in the world? Russia amasses troops and armaments on the border of Ukraine threatening an invasion. It already has troops stationed in Syria, which although not openly voiced, threaten Israel with its alliances with Turkey and Iran.[1] China boldly invades Taiwan’s airspace daring the United States to do something about it. North Korea once again tests its ballistic missiles in defiance again of the United States. Just yesterday (February 4, 2022), the United States lifted all sanctions from Iran allowing the belligerent nation to go unrestrained in the development of their nuclear weapons – not that the sanctions were any deterrent to their plans, but perhaps the plight of the Iranian people will improve somewhat.

The United States has sent 3000 troops to Europe to scare Putin into backing off of Ukraine. In addition, the United States has sent weapons of various kinds to Ukraine for their own defense. NATO nations are also sending troops and weapons. Germany sent helmets! By analyzing the situation, it appears that the stage is being set for World War III.

Meanwhile, the COVID “plandemic” is being used by governments to oppress their people. Australia and Canada exemplify the harsh totalitarian mandates imposed by governments to exercise control over their people. The United States is not far behind. However, here we have the Constitution that hobbles the government from taking such draconian measures. Instead, government mouthpieces exert their influence to pressure large businesses to do their dirty work for them. Hence, airlines force employees to take the “shot” and require passengers to mask up.

Because medical facilities are on the government teat (they accept Medicare/Medicaid), the government can force “shot” and mask mandates to all employees and they can require patients to show proof of the injection before receiving treatment. Many hospitals are experiencing shortages in healthcare workers because many healthcare workers refuse to take the “jab” because they, being medical “experts” know the harm that the injection can do. As for COVID patients arriving at many hospitals, strict regimens of prescribed treatments (by the CDC) prevent medical staff from administering any of alternative treatments that have been proven to work. Instead, they end up killing patients with “approved” treatments.

Large businesses that employ 100 or more employees are carrying out the government mandate that all employees take the injection as a requirement for employment, even though the Supreme Court struck down the mandate as unconstitutional. They do it because they know “from whence cometh their help.” As a result, many businesses suffer from shortages of workers, which further weakens the economy – and this is true around the world. Of course, government employees must adhere to government mandates for shots and masks, which further enhances government inefficiency. I personally am dealing with an IRS matter that I cannot resolve because no one at the IRS is there to answer the phones. They use COVID to excuse their inability to provide service.

In the meantime, “woke” cities experience increasingly high crime and murder rates because “woke” city leaders refuse to prosecute crimes. Then they blame guns for their problems while they prevent honest, law-abiding citizens from purchasing guns for their own self-defense.

Do you get the picture? Do you find all of this a bit unnerving and perplexing? If you are a Christian and a serious student of the Bible, this should not come as a surprise. All of what we are experiencing right now has been predicted in the pages of the Bible. Jesus said of the last days, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring” (Luke 21:25). Of course, in context, Jesus referred to the time of Tribulation before His Second Coming, but these things will not happen suddenly. They take time to develop and increase in intensity. For those of us who are paying attention, we have seen all of this building up and ramping up for the last 50 years or more. Jesus spoke of the time of Tribulation in His “Olivet Discourse.”[2] However, what Jesus described will be much worse, if you can imagine. Think about the phrase, “upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity.” Is that not what we see happening? It seems that the world has gone mad and governments are at a loss as to what to do to fix it. They are perplexed!

Jesus also spoke of “signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars.” That is happening also. NASA watches as “Apophis,” a large asteroid, approaches earth and is due to arrive on April 13, 2029.[3] While Earth has experienced many “close encounters,” this one actually has the potential of striking Earth. As a result, NASA is trying to come up with a way to divert giant space rocks away from Earth. Could Apophis be the “great mountain burning with fire” spoken of in Revelation 8:8, or the “great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp” described in Revelation 8:10?

Jesus said that “Men’s hearts [would be] failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken” (Luke 21:26). Does that not sound like the prevailing attitude these days? My goodness! Even among Christians, I see so much fear about the Wuhan Bug that they are even staying away from church. They willingly get injected with this unproven mRNA therapy treatment (trusting the NIH and the CDC rather than trusting God), and not daring to leave their homes without their face coverings! I think that is sad.

The Scripture verse I cited at the beginning clearly tells us that God will not do anything without first revealing it to His prophets. We have that revelation in the Bible, so none of what is happening should come as a surprise to Christians if they are reading their Bibles.

So, is God doing all of this? Yes! Nothing in this world takes place unless God either does it directly or allows it to take place. Just read Job 1 and 2, for example. God says, “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things” (Isaiah 45:7, emphasis mine). By the way, “evil” in this context does not mean “sin.” It is the Hebrew word râ‛âh, which means “bad, disagreeable, malignant, unpleasant, displeasing, etc.” Many of the bad things that happen around the world arise from men inspired by Satan, but it is God that allows it in order to accomplish His purpose, which will ultimately work out for good.

Again, Christians should not be caught by surprise by what is taking place in the world today. Understanding what God revealed to His prophets long ago should give comfort and hope to Christians knowing that our “blessed hope”[4] is drawing near. As Christians (the Church, the Bride of Christ), we may experience the “wrath of man” (and we see that on the rise around the world), but we will miss the “wrath of God” that will be in full display during the Tribulation. “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9). As things ramp up, we have the hopeful expectation that Jesus is coming soon for His Bride. He promised, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3).

Sadly, most Christians do not study end-times prophecy, hence they find prophecy confusing, bewildering, and even frightening. However, there are many resources readily available which provide insight into current events and how they relate to Bible prophecy. Here are some of the resources I use frequently to keep me apprised of world events that the secular media purposefully obfuscate. If you find end-time prophecy scarry or confusing, I would encourage you to take advantage of these resources.

The above is not an exhaustive list, but all of these are solid Bible teachers that I do not hesitate to recommend. When you look at end-times prophecy correctly, it should not be cause for fear, but for hope and anticipation. It should also be a motivator for evangelism. When you know that the time is short, and that you have many friends and loved ones that are lost and hell-bound, it should motivate you to warn them of what is to come and hopefully bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

If you are unsure of where you will spend eternity, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  Ezekiel 38

[2]  Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21

[3]  https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroid-watch/eyes-on-asteroids

[4]  Titus 2:13

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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

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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

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July 11, 2021 · 10:00

Creator, Creation, and the Cross (Part 3)

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7)

          Last week, in Part 2, we studied the overall creation. In today’s study, we focus on the creation of man, the fall of man, the resulting curse of death on the whole creation, and God’s solution for restoration.

Part 3, The Cross

          Some misunderstand the second chapter of Genesis thinking that it is a second creation account. However, this is a recapitulation of Day Six to focus on the creation of man. The Bible is the account of God dealing with mankind from beginning to end, hence the reason for the recap.

          Genesis 2:7-9 shows God placing man in a perfect environment. Unlike the animals, God “formed” – Hebrew yâtsar, to fashion as a potter molds a clay vessel – man out of the dust of the “ground” – Hebrew ‘ădâmâh, the feminine form of “adam.” God “breathed” into man the “breath of life,” distinguishing man from the animals. Humans are NOT animals. God placed man in a special garden – a place where God and man could commune.

          In the Garden of Eden, God planted all kinds of luscious fruits and vegetables for man to enjoy without restriction. In the center God planted two unique trees. One was the unrestricted Tree of Life and the other was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:9) Adam could eat all he wanted from the Tree of Life, but he was strictly forbidden to eat of the second tree. “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 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 2:16-17). It should be noted that at the time God gave the prohibition, the woman had not yet been created.

          Not long after – I believe it was within two weeks – Satan, the serpent, entered the Garden to destroy God’s perfect creation (Genesis 3:1-6). In executing his strategy to destroy mankind by separating him from his Creator, Satan employed three tactics that he has not changed in over 6000 years. He introduced doubt in God’s Word – “Yea, hath God said” (v. 1). Next he slandered God’s Word – “Ye shall not surely die” (v. 4). Finally, he accused God of withholding benefits – “God knows … ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (v. 5).

          Eve succumbed to Satan’s tactics by the same three weaknesses that we all have as humans. The beloved Apostle John described them this way. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:16). Eve “saw that the tree was good for food” – lust of the flesh. She saw “that it was pleasant to the eye” – lust of the eyes. Finally, She saw that it was “a tree to be desired to make one wise” – the pride of life. As Solomon says, “there is no new thing under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

Eve ate of the fruit “and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat” (Genesis 3:6). Adam was in on the conversation, so he knew exactly what was taking place. God gave the command to Adam directly. Eve got the command second hand from Adam; therefore, Adam had the greater responsibility. So, why did Adam not intervene?

When they ate of the forbidden fruit, “the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked” (Genesis 3:7). I believe that when they were first created, God clothed them in light [‘ôr (אוֹר)] and when they sinned, they lost the cover of light and could see their nakedness.[1] Having their guilt exposed, they feared to face their Creator and they hid themselves. Obviously, they were not acquainted with God’s omnipresent nature. Scripture records that “they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day” (Genesis 3:8). The Hebrew word translated “voice” is qôl, which can also be translated as “sound” or “noise.” God, the Father, is “spirit” (John 4:24), therefore it is unlikely that a spirit would produce any kind of sound. However, God the Son having a physical body like that of His creation which He created in His image, would make noise as He walked through the Garden. He called out to Adam – as if He did not know where Adam was hiding. Rather than confront them directly, He gave them the opportunity to confess their sin. God seeks confession and repentance. God seeks man: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Man does not seek God: “there is none that seeketh after God” (Romans 3:11). God patiently waited for a confession (Genesis 3:11). “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). However, instead of confessing and pleas for forgiveness, God got excuses. Adam blames God for the woman (Genesis 3:12) and blames the woman even though he bore the greatest responsibility. The woman blamed the serpent (Genesis 3:13), and the serpent had no one to blame but himself.

With no confession or a plea for forgiveness forthcoming, God pronounced a curse upon man and upon all of His creation because of man. However, God did not end it there. He also provided the promise of redemption. “And I will put enmity between thee [the serpent/Satan] and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; [He] shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). This is known as the “Protevangelium” – the “First Gospel.” It is The first promise of the Savior. He would be the “seed of the woman” previewing the Virgin Birth. The serpent (Satan) would bruise His heel (at the cross), but in the end, He will bruise Satan’s head (Revelation 20:10).

In the meantime, God the Son, instituted the first blood sacrifice[2] to atone for sin (Genesis 3:21). “Atone” means to “cover.” It was a temporary covering for sins. Death now entered the world as God (Jesus) sacrificed an innocent animal to make coverings of skins (‛ôr, עוֹר) for Adam and Eve. Initially, God clothed them with (‘ôr, אוֹר); now He clothed them with (‛ôr, עוֹר). This began the practice of offering animal sacrifices to atone for sin. Jesus would be the ultimate sacrifice to atone for sin, once and for all. Through His perfect sacrifice of His own blood, He won redemption for His fallen creation. Still, there must be a choice. One can choose the Tree of Life, i.e. the cross, or one can continue on the “broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction” (Matthew 7:13) and be “cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). There are no other options.

If you are not sure of your eternal destiny, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  “Bare Naked” — https://erniecarrasco.com/2018/04/29/bare-naked/

[2]  “The First Sacrifice” — https://erniecarrasco.com/2014/02/16/the-first-sacrifice/

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