Category Archives: Christ

Prophecy, Knowing Changes Behavior, 5 of 15, The Thief

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For the common thief to survey the situation, to “case” the property and its occupants and how they act, and when they come and go, and the nature of their dispositions, is a common thing. In some places they say there are more break-ins during the day than at night. Why? Everyone one is at work or at school during the day. Seeing and understanding that, the thief shows up as a delivery person, a meter reader, a moving crew. Sometimes the family has posted on line their upcoming overseas trip, and the bad guys feel safe showing up in a moving van in broad daylight, to kick in the door and empty perhaps empty a house. Anticipation of what the situation will really be, alters behavior … and often alters final results

We are receiving an astonishing view of things
which we otherwise would never
think of actually happening.

Many are taken back by what the apostle John says in 1John 5.

“He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who doesn’t believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son.”
1Jn 5:10

I mean, who would call God a liar?

Further, part of that testimony God gives about His Son, concerns what God says He will yet do through the son. Sadly, we as men often hear what God says we should do or what will happen, and … then …. say to ourselves … I am not sure whether I believe that or not!

God makes provision to tell us astonishing things
which WILL BE, which we cannot
otherwise know!

“But as it is written,
“Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear,
Which didn’t enter into the heart of man,
These God has prepared for those who love him.” ”
1Cor 2:9

Well no man may have heard or seen or imagined these things, however Paul goes on to tell us, that God has told us about these things!

“But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”
1Cor 2:10

Wow! Paul goes on to say that no man can know what is in a man’s mind unless that man tells us what he is thinking. Similarly, Paul says that no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God reveals them, 1Cor 2:11. So what are we given in Scripture and the prophetic word? We are being given in these things gifts of staggering value.

“But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God.”
1Cor 2:12

This inside knowledge can give us tremendous advantages.

And we want to say, prophecy is of no consequence?

What we know, or what we think we know about what will happen, almost always changes behavior one way or another. Believing what God says in prophecy does matter! It is an ethical matter.

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Prophecy, Knowing Changes Behavior, 4 of 15, The Weather

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It commonly true that whatever our expectations are of the future, will have a tendency to alter our behavior. An everyday example is the weather. If we think it might snow today, we will probably dress differently. Most of us will not be wearing Bermuda shorts or tank tops. It might mean we will take a coat along, and maybe a hat and some gloves.

On the other hand, if we are expecting 90 degree Fahrenheit temperatures today, coats and insulated pants will not probably come to mind, and few or none will make a point to drag them along wherever we are going. Expectations of what we think will happen commonly changes behavior.

Prophecy is INTENDED to change behavior.

It should never be considered as anything less than something intended to change expectations and thus behavior, so that we maybe better prepared for those things which are to come.

Micah chapter one has a dramatic description of
the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

“2 Hear, you peoples, all of you.
Listen, O earth, and all that is therein:
And let the Lord Yahweh be witness against you,
The Lord from his holy temple.
3 For, behold, Yahweh comes forth out of his place,
And will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.
4 The mountains melt under him,
And the valleys split apart,
Like wax before the fire,
Like waters that are poured down a steep place.”
Mic 1:2-4

Listen O earth it says. God is coming from His Holy temple to tread on the mountains of the earth, and the mountains and valley’s will melt like wax. God is coming to witness against us it says. But then comes the next verse, relating all of this to the sins of Jerusalem and Samaria in the 8th century BC.

“All this is for the disobedience of Jacob,
And for the sins of the house of Israel.
What is the disobedience of Jacob?
Isn’t it Samaria?
And what are the high places of Judah?
Aren’t they Jerusalem?”
Mic 1:5

Ho! Ho! Ho! says the scoffing scholar.

What does this have to do with Judah and Israel of the 8th century BC? They would say this is merely metaphorical language expressing the Yahweh’s displeasure at their sins, and it symbolic of the desolations which will come down on them for their wrongs in the 8th century BC, so many would say.

Still, IF God was indeed personally coming from heaven to face men with their sins, and cause the mountains to melt, and MAKE MEN TO FACE THEIR SINS …?

That SHOULD change behavior!

Would it not?

And the men of Judah and Samaria WILL BE THERE
on that day, as will you and me!

Judah and Samaria’s sins did produce evil results in their days, as our sins also do today, and tomorrow and the next day. We will ALL be there somewhere on great and terrible day of the Lord, when the days of this present amnesty is over.

Further that should, and it is meant to, alter our behavior, our ethics.

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

The Kingdom of Glory Overrules Even Satan’s Power, 11 of 15

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The Kingdom of God is NOT a Revolutionary Power. Instead it is really THE power. As the apostle John said,

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.”
Jn 4:4

If we are truly Christians, God has translated us out of Satan’s power into God’s kingdom.

“who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love”
Col 1:13

God is in control

Yes, Satan is allowed some power here to reward his servants. He tells Jesus,

“5 The devil, leading him up on a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 The devil said to him, “I will give you all this authority, and their glory, for it has been delivered to me; and I give it to whomever I want. 7 If you therefore will worship before me, it will all be yours.” ”
Lk 4:5-7

Jesus does not deny this power, but says it only appropriate to worship the Lord our God!

Satan’s power and rule is only by permission. Indeed, of the governments of our world it says,

“1 Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God.”
Rom 13:1

God overrules all.

There has been a hand off to the Son

In Psalm 2 it speaks of giving “my son,” verse 7, rule over the nations, Psa 2:8-9. The judges and rulers of the earth (Psa 2:10) are allowed a measure of liberty, as is Satan and you and I, but they are warned,

“Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
For his wrath will soon be kindled.
Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.”
Psa 2:12

Peter was an outstanding apostle,

both before and after Christ’s death, but though very aggressive in nature, was at times perhaps had a little too much confidence in himself as a man.

“The Lord said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat,”
Lk 22:31

Satan can only do what he is allowed to do.

Satan’s power is all by permission!

Satan cannot even tempt the Christian beyond individually set limits,

“No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. ”
1Cor 10:13

There will even be a period in history when Satan, “that he should deceive the nations no more,” Rev 20:3, and the world is able to see through the Satanic designs.

Finally “… he must be freed for a short time,” Rev 20:3

For a short period of testing, just before the end of our universe.

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

The Kingdom of Glory: Satan is allowed a little power for a little while, 10 of 15

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Evidently Satan was originally one of the most powerful creatures that was ever made by God. Angels in themselves are powerful creatures. Peter tells us that angels are “greater in might and power,” than men, 2Pe 2:11. When Paul speaks of Christ coming on the last day, it will be “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire,” 2Thes 1:7. Story after story speaks of them having power far beyond that which a man personally can wield.

And Satan’s power?

At first it seems Satan was both good and glorious. Evidently the King of Tyre in Ezekiel 28 is a type, symbolic, of Satan. As is common when there are types or symbols in Scripture, part of Ezekiel 28 applies to the ancient King of Tyre, and part applies to Satan himself. It says that he was in the garden of Eden, Ezek 28:13. However, the King of Tyre was further away from the garden of Eden than we are from the birth of Christ! It says of Satan,

“14 You were the anointed cherub who covers: and I set you, so that you were on the holy mountain of God; you have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, until unrighteousness was found in you.”
Ezek 28:14-15

So Satan was originally good and pure, as indeed you and I were before sin seized us. Satan originally one of the covering cherub that surrounded the very throne of God Himself in heaven, as pictured in Ezekiel 1, and Rev 4:6-8. That is to say that Satan was one of the most powerful creatures ever created! It says of him,

“We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”
1Jn 5:19

Or again it describes Satan,

“in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.”
2Cor 4:4

So Satan is described as “the god of this world,” or a better translation would be “the god of this age,” which is still quite a description. Further Satan is clearly described here as being able to influence the minds of mere men, and is able to even blind us at times

In Job 1 Satan is able,

to make fire fall from heaven, influence groups of men to steal and kill, cause mighty winds to blow. In Job 2 Satan is able to cause debilitating diseases, and on and on it goes.

If a man has a particular weakness,
Satan is quick to exploit it.

With Judas it was evidently money.

Satan can influence or even enter us!

Jesus says to Peter, “” Get behind me, Satan!” Mtt 16:23

“Satan entered into Judas, who was surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered with the twelve.”
Lk 22:3

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

The Kingdom of Glory: Jesus Decides the Boundaries of Nations, to what purpose? 9 of 15

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We should always remember the general statements God makes about nations and sin and righteousness.

“Righteousness exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to any people.”
Prov 14:34

“Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh,
The people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance.”
Psa 33:12

Yes, the Son does rule the nations

“7 I will tell of the decree.
Yahweh said to me, “You are my son.
Today I have become your father. …
8 Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance,
The uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron.
You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
Psa 2:7-9

And the purpose … what is the purpose?

“that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.”
Acts 17:27

God raises up nations and lowers nations, seeking for His eternal purpose that as many men as possible might be delivered from their sins! Paul does treat this as if it should be natural thing, seeking God and drawing close to Him.

“‘For in him we live, and move, and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’”
Acts 17:28

You see, God really desires that we repent of our sins and turn to Him.

God Himself has said it.

“For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies, says the Lord Yahweh: therefore turn yourselves, and live.” Ezek 18:32

There are three wrong ideas
we may fall into here.

Sometime we are willfully blind. Our distorted theology may blind us to God working in history to both help the righteous and punish the wicked. Some are so focused on God’s love that they cannot see that God both can and does punish men in history. Often even US !

“But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”
Heb 12:8 KJV

On the other hand many have so distorted the message of Scripture the other way, that all that they can see is vengeful, wrathful, God. This also is a misconception.

Then comes the third distortion. Sometimes we see all the evil in the world and do not understand that God IS working in the world, and we wonder why God does not do something?

So why doesn’t God do something about all the wickedness in the world?

“The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient WITH US, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
2Pe 3:9

This is a short period of amnesty.

God is going to bring both us and them to account for our sins. In between God is giving both us and them time to think through our situation, and repent, before it is eternally too late.

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

KJV is the King James Version, 1611.

The Kingdom of Glory: Jesus Decides the Boundaries of Nations, Using Whom He Pleases, 8 of 15

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The prophet Amos makes some general statements of how God operates.

“Are you not like the children of the Ethiopians to me, children of Israel?” says Yahweh. “Haven’t I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?”
Amos 9:7

David calls on God to punish wicked nations.

“You, Yahweh God of hosts, the God of Israel,
Rouse yourself to punish the nations.
Show no mercy to the wicked traitors.”
Psa 59:9

Further, if you look at the context in Psalm 59, David included the wicked among God’s people to also be destroyed for they are plotting to murder David for no valid reason. In this psalm the wicked among God’s people are counted as among the nations (Psalm 59 introduction, and verse 5, etc.

God uses even the wicked, to wipe out evil nations

God’s very own people had sinned against Him, and turned to wickedness, deceit, adultery and blood shed. God’s own people now deserve judgement and punishment. So how does God act in these things.

“For, behold, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that march through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling places that are not theirs.”
Hab 1:6

The Lord speaks at length about the strength and wickedness of the Chaldeans / Babylonians.

“9 All of them come for violence. … 10 Yes, he scoffs at kings, and princes are a derision to him. He laughs at every stronghold, for he builds up an earthen ramp, and takes it. 11 Then he sweeps by like the wind, and goes on. He is indeed guilty, whose strength is his god.”
Hab 1:8-11

When mankind deserves to have nothing
but an animal rule over them,
how will God act?

God Himself will raise up the “beast” Revelation. God Himself will give this animal authority.

“It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him.”
Rev 13:7.

God helps this monster deceive the entire world, because they reject the truth of God.

“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:”
2Thes 2:11.

And when the prophet Zechariah speaks of this “beast,” calling him “the foolish shepherd,” or “the idol shepherd,” he specifically says that God is the one who will raise him up.

“For, behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, who will not visit those who are cut off, neither will seek those who are scattered, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which is sound; but he will eat the flesh of the fat sheep, and will tear their hoofs in pieces.”
Zech 11:16 KJV

The word “land” here is the Hebrew word eretz and can mean either a land, or the earth (as in Genesis 1), and probably should be translated “earth” here. This foolish shepherd will be killed, but not by men, but will have some sort of resurrection, by God’s allowance.

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB),
a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

KJV is the King James Version, 1611.

The Kingdom of Glory: Jesus Rules and Decides the Boundaries of Nations, 7 of 15

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Jesus rule is not just “pie in the sky” heavenly things. It is also down to earth every day things also, and the massive changes in history also. As has been demonstrated, all of God’s rule and authority has been handed to Jesus, Mtt 28:18. So what is this power, and to what ends does it work?

Paul gives a good summary in speech to the scholars at the Areopagus in Athens

The Areopagus could be called the ancient “University of Athens.”

“Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.”
Acts 17:21

Paul soon in his speech gets to the point:

“The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands,”
Acts 17:24

The images of the so-called “gods” are pointless and worse are deceptive. Of the true God Paul says,

“neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things.”
Acts 17:25

The true and living God does NOT need us. Rather we need Him. Then Paul makes a biological point about men.

“He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, …”
Acts 17:26a

Biologically we are ALL of the same descent. Further, God,

“… having determined appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings,” Acts 17:26b

God determines the “seasons” of nations, that is to say their rising and their falling. It God who overrules the kingdom of men.

“He changes the times and the seasons; he removes kings, and sets up kings; …”
Dan 2:21a

“7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it; 8 if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.”
Jer 18:7-8

On the other hand, God may decide to build up a nation. However,

“9 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; 10 if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good, with which I said I would benefit them.”
Jer 18:9-10

Some of this incredibly far ahead of time.

Some where around 1800 BC, God told Abram that his descendants would be slaves for four hundred years, and then He would give them the land of Canaan, because,

“In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.”
Gen 17:16

Further, it not just about God’s own people.

God rules the nations.

“Yahweh is King forever and ever!
The nations will perish out of his land.”
Psa 10:16

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

The Kingdom of Glory: Jesus Rules Over ALL Kings, Nations, Peoples, 6 of 15

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We are not really sovereign in ourselves. Paul says this pretty plainly, speaking of,

“14 … our Lord Jesus Christ; 15 which in its own times he will show, who is the blessed and ONLY Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; ”
1Tim 6:14-15

“Ruler” in the WEB, is the Greek word dunastes which is about one who has power, might, and ability. The NASB, the NET, and the ESV translate the phrase as “ only Sovereign,” which is really pretty good. The NKJV translates it “only Potentate,” which is also pretty good. Any way you take it, the passage in 1Timothy 6 is saying that Jesus is the only one who really has the power to do anything He pleases.

Yes, we can, and do, make some decisions.

We are urged in Scripture to turn from our evil ways and make God our only master. John the Baptist tells men that “decisions” cannot be superficial things without us really changing our lives.

“Therefore bring forth fruit worthy of repentance!”
Mtt 3:8

And John the Baptist speaks as if the decision to “bring forth fruits worthy of repentance,” as if it is something that can be done! Even so, Scripture also acknowledges how much trouble we may have really carrying out decisions. Paul writes,

“18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don’t find it doing that which is good. 19 For the good which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice.”
Rom 7:18-19

In truth there many limitations on our “free will.”

We have been foolishly led to confuse
our limited decision making ability,
with omnipotence.

Many talk about “free will” as if it means that we can do anything we want. But free will really only means we can will / want whatever we want to.

And Jesus over rules us all.

You and I and every ruler and power broker on earth, can want, and do many things. Still, in the end we are all very limited beings. God in His blessings, or His mercy, or His wrath, may at any time either help, or obstruct, or even defeat us, as He may desire.

“… All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or tell him, What do you?”
Dan 4:35

Even the worst of bad men are subject to His influences.

The ten horns (rulers) and the beast himself of Revelation will destroy Mystery Babylon the Great within history.

“For God has put in their hearts to do what he has in mind, and to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished.”
Rev 17:17

Jesus literally has the whole world in his hands.

And the time in between is to give us space to repent, if we will.

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Prophecy Practice: Out of Egypt, 5 of 5

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An audio lesson.

How the end of the world is in many ways like when Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt. They were going to the earthly promised land of Canaan, and we are going a heavenly promised land in the New Heavens and the New Earth, Isa 65:17, and Isa 66:22, and 2Pe 3:13.

Listen to this audio lesson here, or click on the Audio Player to download as an MP3 file.

The basics of how Bible prophecy works is discussed in detail in Prophecy Principles.Available from you bookseller.

Psalm 22 makes an excellent example of how prophecy works, and it more fully discussed in “Prophecy Principles” in the section “Time and Image in Prophecy,” and in “Revealing the Christian Age” in the section “Balking at the Symbolism.”

The Kingdom of Glory has Territory, 5 of 15

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“38 the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the kingdom; and the darnel are the children of the evil one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.”
Mtt 13:38-39

The owner of this “field” is the man who sowed good seed “in his field,” Mtt 13:24. Jesus said plainly that He was that man, Mtt 13:37 Further it is more than this present world, for once again Jesus said,

… “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.”
Mtt 28:18

For Jesus is source of ALL things

“For by him were all things created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him.”
Col 1:16

Everything is “for him.” If we serve Him we have only fulfilled our original purpose, and He is the only source of life.

“3 All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made.”
Jn 1:3

You see, sin is not just an earthly thing.

In fact it started in the spiritual world before it started in the material world. It was a powerful renegade from the spiritual world who first seduced mankind into sin. I am speaking of Satan himself. The angels are not perfect, as has been noted repeatedly in these blogs and in my books.

“Behold, he puts no trust in his holy ones;
Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight:”
Job 15:15

Or again,

“Behold, he puts no trust in his servants.
He charges his angels with error.”
Job 4:18

The angels, although much more powerful than men 2Pe 3:11, are moral being like us. Evidently most of the angels are still faithful to God. When Revelation describing the war in heaven in symbolic terms, it puts it this way.

“3 Another sign was seen in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns. 4 His tail drew one third of the stars of the sky, and threw them to the earth.”
Rev 12:3-4

We are told clearly that this great red dragon is “… is called the devil and Satan,. …” Rev 12:9. So Rev 12:3-4 is telling us that Satan was able to draw a third of the angels in all creation into his revolt. That means that two-thirds of them are still faithful to God.

Faithful … but not perfect beings!

And Jesus is not just reconciling mankind to himself.

“19 For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him; 20 and through him to reconcile ALL things to himself, by him, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross.”
Col 1:19-20

Jesus is the true Master of the Universe.

His territory includes ALL that exists, Mtt 28:18, both this universe and the one to come.

Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901