Tag Archives: Bible

February 18, 2024 · 10:00

God Is Particular

(For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth. (Deuteronomy 6:15)

This year I have been following a chronological reading plan for reading the Bible through in the year, and currently, I am trudging through the book of Leviticus. Beginning with Exodus 20 when God speaks the Ten Commandments in the hearing of the children of Israel, Scripture goes into tedious detail for the proper worship of God by the Israelites.

Not only do the Scriptures detail the “thou shalt not” commandments, but every minute detail of the construction of the Tabernacle with all of its implements, and the garments of the priests, especially that of the high priest. The methods and occasions for the offering of sacrifices follows that in great detail. Reading the monotonous minutia might make the reader skip over all of those pages to get to more interesting reading, like Numbers. One is tempted to wonder why God would put all of that boring stuff in the Bible and actually expect readers to take it seriously.

For Christians, who are under grace and not under the Law, the reading may seem non-applicable, and to some degree, that is true. We who are born-again, Spirit-filled, children of God ARE the Temple of God[1] and priests unto God.[2] That being the case, where is the value in reading monotonous tedium? Much indeed.

The sacrificial system prescribed by God to Moses made clear God’s view of sin. To God, ALL sin is repulsive. That was true then and it is true today. When one considers the amount of blood shed for every manner of sin, one wonders how their herds were never depleted. To our animal-loving Western minds, the slaughter of innocent animals and the method (the throat was slit to drain blood while the heart continues to pump) for the holocaust is grotesque – it had to be. The revolting procedure dramatically illustrated how abhorrent sin is to God.

God specifies in great detail exactly how the priests were to handle the sacrifice. God gives precise descriptions on how to make the oil for the lampstand, the bread for the showbread, the incense for the altar of incense, and how to maintain all these things on a perpetual basis. Even if one scans quickly through these pages, it becomes readily apparent that God is very particular about how He is to be worshiped. However, this is not a new revelation.

From the beginning, God shed the blood of innocent animals to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve after the Fall.[3] Apparently, the practice of sacrificing animals for sin in worship to God continued because later we find Cain and Abel sacrificing to God. However, Cain did not offer his sacrifice in the prescribed manner, so his offering was rejected by God.[4] The practice continued until the time of Noah and afterward with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel). However, the practice was not codified until God gave the Law to Moses. Not long after the Tabernacle was dedicated and the form of worship was implemented, the first infraction took place. Two of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu (priests), took fire for the incense altar from somewhere other than from the altar of sacrifice (outside the tent) as prescribed. For their disobedience, God rained fire from heaven and incinerated them instantly.[5] God made His point clear. He is particular about the way He is worshipped.

The modern-day Christian might ask, “What does this have to do with us?” I asked myself the same question. However, as I browsed the minutia, which is not minutia to God, the broad understanding I gleaned is that God is particular about how His people approach Him in worship. We, Christians, are far removed from the sacrificial system and are not bound by the Levitical laws. Jesus is our once-and-for-all sacrifice. “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:11-12, emphasis mine).

For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he [the Lord Jesus Christ] cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I [Jesus speaking], Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man [Jesus], after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. (Hebrews 10:1-13, emphasis mine)

So, Jesus, by His sacrifice on the cross, ended the sacrificial system prescribed by the Law. As He breathed out His final breath, He proclaimed, “It is finished”[6] – paid in full. For those who are “born again,” who have placed their faith and trust in Christ, the rigors of the Levitical system of worship have been done away. Does that mean that God no longer cares about how we approach Him in worship? Is He less worthy of awe and reverence now than when He struck down Aaron’s sons for bringing “strange fire” before Him? I think not.

How one comes before God is a matter of one’s personal attitude, so I cannot judge the condition of an individual’s heart. However, as I observe many public gatherings called “worship services,” the focus of the activities seems designed to stir the emotions of the “worshipers,” and even though Christian lingo is randomly repeated, the direction of the “worship” is horizontal (i.e., human to human) rather than vertical.

I follow several well-known pastors who I consider to be very biblically sound and who preach the Gospel without reservation, yet, before they stand to preach, their “band” comes out to warm up the congregation in preparation for the sermon. As the cameras scan the crowd, some stand there unmoved while others raise their hands and sway to the music as if they are at a rock concert.  I wonder how God, Who was so particular in the OT about how He was to be worshipped, feels about the “worship” offered up these days. Indeed, far too often that worship is man-centered, not God-centered; it is not even directed to God. It is all about us and how we feel. Again, I cannot judge the heart of individual worshipers; only God can see into the heart, but what I observe on the surface comes across more as entertainment than worship.

So, regardless of the “atmosphere” of the “worship service” in which we participate, we need to remove all distractions from our minds and focus our thoughts, our minds, and our hearts on the greatness and majesty of our awesome, all-mighty, Creator God. Let Him be the object of our worship, not the performers on the stage.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable [act of worship]. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

Notes:

[1]  1 Corinthians 3:16

[2]  Revelation 1:6

[3]  Genesis 3:21

[4]  Genesis 4:3-5

[5]  Leviticus 10:1-2

[6]  John 19:30

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February 11, 2024 · 10:00

The Diorama

Dr. Henry M. Morris III checking on the progress of the Life of Christ Diorama. The beautiful bald head belongs to the author.

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

The Institute for Creation Research (ICR) opened the Discovery Center for Science and Earth History (DC) on Labor Day of 2019. As the year kicked off, the final touches were being added, tweaked, and polished before the big opening day.

The previous year, a wealthy donor presented to ICR his extensive collection of biblical figurines depicting the life of Christ. The collection included thousands of figurines, buildings, and miscellaneous accent pieces. The leadership of ICR decided that they wanted to take what was given and create a “Life of Christ” diorama which would be displayed at the end of the DC exhibit hall. The diorama would be across from the Empty Tomb display and occupy the corner leading to the “Return of the King” theater.

Because space would be limited, the entire collection of figurines and buildings could not be used, so the decision was made to limit the display to 16 significant scenes of the life of Christ. Once the scenes were determined, Dr. Henry M. Morris III, CEO of ICR at that time, tasked me with finding artisans who could create the diorama.

I got to work immediately and started contacting all the railroad modeling clubs around the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Because these clubs are experienced in creating scenery for their railroad displays, I naturally assumed that they would jump at the chance to create something significant and make some serious money for their clubs. ICR would naturally pay a fair wage for their work. However, after several months of making contacts, I did not get a single nibble.

In the process, I located a man who was willing to do the work, but he was a “one-man-band.” He said he could certainly do the work, but he could not possibly complete the task in time for the opening of the DC. Another man was recommended to me by one of my co-workers, but this man looked at our collection and determined that the project was beneath his artistic talents. Finally, I stumbled across a company in Dallas that specialized in these kinds of displays. Their representative came and looked at our collection and after a couple of weeks came back with an estimate to do the job. This company employed a large team of artisans. Even with their large crew, they could not promise completion before the middle of August – two weeks before opening day. Their estimate for the job was a shocking $175,000! ICR is an NPO that exists through the generosity of its donors, so the price was completely unacceptable to Dr. Morris.

It was mid-March 2019 by this time, and I was all out of options. Dr. Morris previously mentioned that he wanted each scene in the diorama to stand alone so that each was distinct and easily identifiable. Having no other options, I went to Dr. Henry and made one final suggestion. Since the room where the diorama would reside was painted black and the platform on which it would sit was black, I suggested that we arrange boxes of varying heights and sizes to accommodate the 16 scenes and cover the whole thing with black cloth. The scenes could then be arranged on the boxes and all spotlighted. This way, each scene would be isolated without distracting one from another. It was not a great idea, but it seemed that we had no other choice, so Dr. Henry accepted my lame idea.

The following week, I left for California for a conference. When I returned a week later, Dr. Henry called me into the office and informed me that the box idea was out and that I would be creating the diorama.

“I can’t do that!” I complained. “I’ve never worked with that material. I wouldn’t know where to begin!” I whined.

“You can do it,” Dr. Henry assured me. “You built the Ark!” (Which is on display in the DC.)

“Yes,” I reminded him, “but that took me five years!  And we only have four months to get this done. Even the professionals said they can’t get it done in that time.”

“You will do it,” Dr. Herny reassured me, “but it needs to be completed by the end of June when we will begin giving previews to our donors.”

I was not so sure, but Dr. Henry assured me that I could recruit all the help I needed to get the job done. I learned that one of my co-workers (JK) had dabbled in railroad modeling and had built several railroad dioramas. He knew how to use the materials for building dioramas. I recruited him as my primary helper. His supervisor objected severely to me taking him away from his primary responsibility, but Dr. Herny overruled his objection.  JK not only knew exactly what to do, but he taught me many of the skills needed to get the job done.

One of the challenges we faced was making the figurines appear to be standing on solid ground. The figurines were made to stand on a tabletop, so they were all molded standing on pedestals. That, of course, would be distracting when they were to be placed on “turf.” We built the landscape by stacking Styrofoam insulation of varying thicknesses to sculpt the Judean topography. So, we carved holes into the foam of the size and depth of the figurine pedestals and set the figurines into the carved-out spaces so that their feet were at “ground level” with the topography. Once the turf material was applied, the pedestals disappeared. (See below.)

One other big challenge I faced was that the collection came with a “Temple” that was clearly of Greco-Roman architecture. It was totally incompatible with the Jewish Temple, so I cast that aside and built a Temple replica that, at least visually, looked more like the Jewish Temple. Once the diorama was completed and in place, I discovered that the graphics created for kiosks in front of the diorama contained images of the Temple that looked almost exactly like the replica I built. That was totally a God thing!

I had a lot of help in building the diorama, so I cannot take full credit for it. JK possessed excellent skills and had a good eye for detail. One lady (KM) was very artistic and re-painted many of the figurines to make them look more Middle Eastern (they were all very European-looking figurines). She also painted the Temple and many of the buildings to look like Jerusalem limestone. She painted a lot of exposed rock formations as well. KM did terrific work! Another lady (RB) was very good at following directions and did not mind getting her hands dirty. She was great at staging the figurines in the proper position for the scene. However, the One who did the greatest work was God. We started the work about mid-April,  completed the entire project, and installed it in place by the middle of June. That was a miracle only God could perform. The professionals with a team of professional artists could not promise the completion in time for opening day, and here, a bunch of amateurs got it done with time to spare. That is a God thing!

After the DC opened, I retired from ICR at the end of the year. In my retirement, I had the opportunity to volunteer as a docent from time to time. It always gave me a great sense of satisfaction to observe visitors as they scrutinized the diorama. They took in every detail!

I live far from DC now, so I do not have the opportunity to visit anymore. But as I remember the work we did there to get the DC up and running, I am reminded of what God can do through us when we place our trust in Him for the outcome. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

I received the picture at the beginning of this post this week from Dr. Henry’s son, H-4. It revived a lot of good memories.

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February 4, 2024 · 10:00

God Hardens Hearts

And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. (Exodus 4:21)

I am not a pessimist, nor am I an optimist. I see myself as more of a realist. I analyze and evaluate things on a deeper rather than a superficial level. That is not to say that my perception is always accurate by any means, but I do try to assess things without relying on my emotions. That does not mean that I do not have or express emotion. However, I try not to allow emotions to influence my assessment of what I see taking place around me. In my analysis of the world around me, I do not rely on my experience because I have not experienced every situation that there is to experience. Rather, I evaluate things through the lens of God’s Word, which has something to say about every possible experience we may face. My worldview finds its basis in the Bible. Some may say that is a very narrowminded way to look at things, and it may be; however, I have found it to be accurate in every case.

The world is falling apart. The pessimist may want to give up and forgo any effort to improve his situation. He may turn off the news to avoid hearing another bad report. He may immerse himself in all sorts of distractions that drown out the clamor of doom and gloom. The optimist, on the other hand, appears oblivious to all that goes on around him, believing that it will all get better eventually. Because he knows that things will get better, he feels that he must do all in his power to improve the world around him like, saving the planet, saving the whales, feeding the hungry, etc. All the while, he fails to see that his efforts accomplish nothing, but he is happy in the knowledge that he is doing his part and things will get better, eventually.

Without going into specifics, we see the actions of world leaders (especially those of our own administration), and we wonder why in the world they do the things they do that only bring misery upon the peoples of the world. Then when certain leaders, like those of Israel, take the only sensible and logical actions in their self-defense and self-interest, the rest of the world rises up in protest against them. Anyone with the slightest bit of common sense understands that one side is right and the other is wrong. Yet, the protestors persist in their attacks on the righteous one. Why?

In our own country, we have the problem (among many others) of open borders.  We are not the only country with this problem, but this is the one in which I live and which affects me directly. We have thousands of people crossing our southern border daily. They come in such great numbers that our border officials are overwhelmed by the invasion. It is a mistake to think that these are coming from Mexico only. Indeed, they come from all over the world, especially from countries that are hostile to our own. What is more frightening is that the majority of these invaders are young, military-age men, not poor families looking for a better life. Rather than stop the infiltration, our federal government gives them money, gives them phones (supposedly for tracking purposes), and puts them on commercial flights to destinations of their choice. Meanwhile, U.S. citizens must show I.D. and be subjected to x-ray screening of their bodies and luggage. These, on the other hand, walk right on with no screening or vetting whatsoever. They are not even given a health exam to ensure they are not carrying some contagious disease. Those with any common sense say, “That’s crazy!” Yet our President, says there is nothing he can do unless Congress passes a new law that increases the budget for border control, never mind that there are already sufficient immigration laws in place that need only to be enforced. By ignoring and failing to enforce current laws, the President is in violation of his constitutional obligations as President, and in many respects, his lack of action can be considered treasonous. Yet, he says there is nothing he can do about it.

So, we remain astonished at how our leaders appear powerless to solve problems that to the rest of us seem to have a very simple solution. The root of the problem goes deeper than what is obvious on the surface. The fact is that God’s plan for the world is working according to His purpose. Jan Markell has a saying that resounds in truth. She says, “Things are not falling apart, they are falling together.”

God did not leave us clueless about future events. “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). Indeed, all the problems experienced around the world were foretold thousands of years ago in the pages of our Bible. There is coming a “New World Order” that will attempt to control all of the world. There already exists a cabal of world “elites” dedicated to bringing all the nations of the world under a one-world government. These include the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, and the World Health Organization, all working toward the common goal of unifying all the nations of the world under one governing body. That plan excludes any “super-power” nation. So, the demise of America meets that goal. So, when we consider the actions of our government that result in the weakening of our nation, the only thing that makes sense is that our leaders are in cahoots with the globalists of the world, and they aim to remove America’s super-power status so that they can assume control of the world without opposition.

“Well, that’s just un-American!” you protest. “Why would our leaders participate in the demise of our nation? Treason!” Why would they allow that? I believe Scripture answers the question. First of all, God has His plan, and His plan will supersede the plans of mankind. One way that He does this is by hardening the hearts of leaders so that they are impervious to the Word of God. We find a perfect example in the Book of Exodus.

The children of Israel had been captive in Egypt for over 400 years when God raised up Moses to deliver them from their captivity. Pharaoh’s heart was already hardened against his Hebrew slaves. They were essential to his economy. They provided much-needed labor. He had no sympathy for their harsh conditions. So, when God gave Moses his assignment, He prepared him for the opposition he would meet. “I will harden [Pharaoh’s] heart, that he shall not let the people go” (Exodus 4:21, emphasis mine). God had a plan to demonstrate His mighty power at Pharaoh’s expense. Pharaoh was already predisposed to the hardening of his heart, so God encouraged that attitude. That resulted in 10 terrible plagues upon Egypt that finally broke Pharaoh’s resolve.

In the same way, world leaders, including our own feckless President, have their hearts hardened against God. As Paul described in Romans, they “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen” (Romans 1:25, emphasis mine). The “creature” is all of God’s creation which includes the planet, the climate, and mankind. Paul continues: “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient” (Romans 1:28, emphasis mine). A “reprobate mind” is one that is totally incapable of proper reasoning. So, when you see our leaders make decisions that have no basis in logic or reason, there is your answer. God has hardened their hearts.

I am not troubled by any of this. I am a realist. I see what is going on, but it does not worry me because I know God’s plan is being carried out, and His plan will prevail. He has this in control!

If you want to know more about what is coming, read my articles on Revelation. If you do not know the Savior, read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

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January 7, 2024 · 10:00

How Are Humans Affecting Climate?

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (Romans 1:21-22)

It should not be a shock to anyone that a cabal of super-rich elites seeks to dominate the world by imposing ridiculous and drastic measures to reduce the human population and establish themselves as the dominating class of a utopian world. In an article published on the AMAC ™ website, Ben Shapiro says, “They appoint themselves the representatives of global interests — without elections, without accountability — and then create mechanisms of national and international order to control citizens over whom they claim to preside.”[1]

One of the sharpest arrows in their quiver claims that humans cause climate change. (Several years ago it was “global cooling,” but then the planet started warming. Then the danger came from “global warming,” but the planet started to cool again. In order to maintain a heightened level of panic over the demise of the planet, they changed the verbiage to “climate change.” That covers all variants, and they are all bad.)

Of course, anyone who pays attention knows that the earth’s temperatures fluctuate periodically. It’s called “weather,” and humans have nothing to do with it. Sadly, though, far too many, self-focused people ignorantly accept what the elitists say because it is backed by “science.” If “science” says so, it must be true. There is no need to think about it any further; let’s go have some fun!

However, is it really true that science confirms that humans cause climate change? Actually, more scientists reject the notion that “climate change” (in the scary sense) exists at all, much less that humans are the cause than those scientists (who are bought and paid for by the elites) that champion the idea.

In September 2019, 500 scientists signed a letter to the Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, stating that there is no climate emergency. In the letter, they offered at least seven points challenging the notion. “(1) Natural as well as anthropogenic factors cause warming. (2) Warming is far slower than predicted. (3) Climate policy relies on inadequate models. (4) CO2 is not a pollutant. It is a plant food that is essential to all life on Earth. Photosynthesis is a blessing. More CO2 is beneficial for nature, greening the Earth: additional CO2 in the air has promoted growth in global plant biomass. It is also good for agriculture, increasing the yields of crops worldwide. (5) Global warming has not increased natural disasters. (6) Climate policy must respect scientific and economic realities. (7) There is no climate emergency. Therefore, there is no cause for panic.”[2] Have you heard about any of this in the media (which is bought and paid for by the elites)?

Of course, this does not deter the elitists. Their minds are made up; there is no need to confuse them with facts. They are charging full-steam-ahead with their mission to panic the peons into submission with their message of certain doom if we do not stop breathing and expelling our noxious gasses into the atmosphere. In order to help things along, we need to stop driving gasoline-powered cars and start driving electric cars. There is no need for concern that the power to charge those electric vehicles comes from power plants using fossil fuels. We also need to stop eating beef because cows pollute the air with their methane exhaust.  Ireland is acting proactively to do its part in combatting the climate emergency by killing off its cattle.[3] The elites would also have us live in “15-minute cities” where all of our needs can be met within 15 minutes of our homes. We would not be allowed to leave our area except for once a year and only if our “social credit scores,” imposed on us by the elites, allow it; and it would be closely monitored. China already does that to its subjects, and the globalists think it is the model for all of the world. In the words of Klaus Schwab, “You will own nothing and be happy.”

What is all this really about? Well, without getting too deep into the weeds, it is about power and it is about the destruction of humanity. It finds its roots in Genesis 3 when Satan caused Adam and Eve to sin. It happened again when the “sons of God” procreated with the “daughters of men” and spoiled the human race (except for Noah and his family).[4] Satan hates humans because they are created in the image of God and to them has God given dominion over the earth.[5] However, that dominion was temporarily lost, and it is now waiting for Jesus to return to reclaim it.[6] In the meantime, Satan wants to do all he can to leave Jesus with nothing left to reclaim. It will not work, but that does not stop him.

The globalist elites likewise, acting under Satan’s direction whether they know it or not, want to rid the world of “useless eaters” and bring the population down to a respectable 500-million (last I heard). “Climate change” is their weapon of choice. They believe they can accomplish their goal because they do not know God nor do they believe in Him. The “sheeple” who fall for their propaganda do so because they do not believe in God either.

Anyone who believes in God and in God’s Word does not live in fear that the planet will get too hot or too cold due to human agency. God made an unconditional promise after the Flood saying that He would not destroy the earth because of man.

And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: (Genesis 9:8-12, emphasis mine)

The “token” of the covenant – God’s unconditional promise – was the rainbow that He set in the clouds as a reminder to us of His unconditional promise. That “token” has been perverted by Satan as he attempts to pervert everything that God has made. However, that changes nothing. God again restated His promise:

And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth. (Genesis 9:15-17, emphasis mine)

The Flood God sent upon the earth was truly a climate catastrophe. There was nothing like it before and there has not been anything like it since. These elites who “profess themselves to be wise have become fools.”[7] The psalmist says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good” (Psalm 14:1, emphasis mine). If they believed in God, whether they knew Him personally or not, they would understand that the climate is under God’s control and there is nothing man can do to alter it. God promised, “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22). Global warming, global cooling, it’s called weather, and it is under God’s control.

So, don’t listen to the climate alarmists. They are fools. Trust God and His Word.

Notes:

[1]  https://amac.us/newsline/society/the-elitists-who-want-to-rule-the-world/

[2]  https://www.aei.org/carpe-diem/there-is-no-climate-emergency-say-500-experts-in-letter-to-the-united-nations/

[3]  https://humanevents.com/2023/06/03/ireland-moves-to-slaughter-200000-cows-over-climate-concerns

[4]  Genesis 6

[5]  Genesis 1:26-28

[6]  Revelation 5:6-8

[7]  Romans 1:22

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December 17, 2023 · 10:00

The Mystery of the Gospel

… that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, (Ephesians 6:19)

The Gospel is a mystery. The Gospel (Greek: euaggelion) means “good tidings” or “good news.” The angel brought the euaggelion to the shepherds who watched their flocks by night.[1] It was the euaggelion that the Savior was born in Bethlehem. But what did this euaggelion mean? When the angels departed, the shepherds hurried to Bethlehem to see the euaggelion for themselves. Once they had seen the baby, they spread the news to all who would hear. “And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds” (Luke 2:18, emphasis mine). It was a mystery!

At Christmastime, we sing the mournful carol, “Oh Come, Oh Come Emanuel.” The lyrics describe a deep yearning for the advent of Messiah. “Oh come, oh come Emanuel, and rescue captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear.” However, Israel was not expecting the Son of God to appear. That was the mystery.

Indeed, the prophets foretold of the coming Messiah. When the magi later came searching for “he that is born King of the Jews,”[2] the religious leaders, who knew the Scriptures, directed them to Bethlehem. They quoted the Prophet Micah: “And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel” (Matthew 2:6, emphasis mine). However, they omitted the last phrase of Micah’s prophecy: “whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:9). That last part was a mystery to them. How could an earthly ruler/king exist “from of old, from everlasting”? That would mean this king existed from eternity past. That could only mean this coming king would be God. To them, that was impossible. It was a mystery.

Four hundred years prior, the last prophet spoke of the coming Messiah. “And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness” (Malachi 3:3). This certainly speaks of authority, but the general tone of the prophecy expressed God’s displeasure with His people obscuring any hint of the Messiah’s divinity. After that, God stopped talking for four hundred years. A lot can be forgotten in four hundred years or blurred beyond recognition.

Previous prophets had spoken of a coming king who would sit on David’s throne. A favorite Christmas passage from Isaiah says, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:6-7, emphasis mine). While Isaiah clearly stated that His name would be “The mighty God” and “The everlasting Father,” the promise of His reign on David’s throne overshadowed (in their minds) the fact of His divinity. Since the fifth century before Christ, Israel had been ruled by outside forces; first Babylon, then Persia, then Greece, and now the Romans. The Jews wanted a king to make them a superpower. God coming to reign on earth in human flesh was unthinkable. It was a mystery!

Other prophecies held an even more unimaginable mystery – Messiah would suffer and die. Psalm 22 describes His crucifixion when such execution methods did not exist. Isaiah 53 also details the suffering of Messiah. The prophet Daniel precisely foretold the number of years when Messiah would be “cut off.”[3] The Messiah that was to be king and rule the world would have to die. That makes no sense! It was a mystery!

Even today, the idea that the Almighty, Creator God took on human flesh, in a virgin’s womb, was born by natural means in the lowliest of estates, grew up among “his own, and his own received him not” (John 1:11). “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isaiah 53:3). He was nailed to a cross for our sins and rose on the third day so “that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “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). That is the mystery of the Gospel.

All religions of the world, including many so-called “Christian” religions, demand some kind of sacrifice from their adherents. The adherents of these false religions must do something to appease their gods in order to gain entry into eternal life. It is no wonder then that the idea that all one needs to do is believe in Jesus and trust in the sufficiency of His sacrifice for our sins. It’s too easy. It’s a mystery! Paul describes how Jesus left His first estate as God, and took on human flesh for the purpose of making Himself the perfect sacrifice for our sins.[4] Our God performed the work of salvation for us so that all we need to do is believe. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, emphasis mine). It is a mystery! “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). That is the mystery of the Gospel.

As we ponder the mystery of the Gospel, especially during this Christmas season, the thought of God coming to us in the form of a helpless baby should captivate us in awestruck wonder. How could such a thing be! The only thing that remains is praise and thanksgiving for the incalculable gift that He offers. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Reader, if you have not accepted God’s free gift of salvation, there is nothing you have to do but believe. Please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  Luke 2:8-18

[2]  Matthew 2:1-12

[3]  Daniel 9:25-26

[4]  Philippians 2:5-11

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