An audio lesson.
A basic lesson on identifying themes and types in Scripture/
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Identifying Symbolism and Themes in Scripture
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Category Archives: God’s Rule
The Call of Abram, Genesis 12
An audio lesson
The role of faith in what God says He will do, in obtaining the promises.
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.
Prophecy, Knowing Changes Behavior, 15 of 15, The Second Coming of Jesus
Jesus will not leave everything the way it is.
He will come back to judge the
world in righteousness.
This is a short intermission in the relatively short history of our present heavens and earth, and a short time of amnesty from all of our wrongs, before Jesus brings this disintegrating universe to a close. Jesus now has all authority in both heaven and earth, Mtt 28:18. He is now working to put down all opposition.
“25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.”
1Cor 15:25-26
Jesus has given us a ministry of reconciliation, 2Cor 5:19.
This short time just before Jesus comes again, is time for us to repent, and come to our senses.
“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
Jesus promises us that terrible things will happen,
just before the end of our age.
Paul speaks of these things in a general sense in his letter to Timothy.
“But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons”
1Tim 4:1
“But know this, that in the last days, grievous times will come.”
2Tim 3:1
The details are given in both the Old and the New Testaments. A war will come by “the little horn,” “the abomination of desolation,” the living corpse, “the man of lawlessness,” “the beast,” against all righteousness and goodness and holiness in the entire world.
Jesus will bring all of mankind’s, and the spirit world’s, foolishness,
to a dramatic close.
Moses tells us both when the Jews will turn to Jesus of Nazareth, and when Jesus will come again.
“For Yahweh will judge his people,
Repent himself for his servants;
When he sees that their power is gone,
There is none remaining, shut up or left at large.”
Deut 32:36
When all is lost and there is no hope, and strength to oppose evil, THEN Jesus will come
“25 There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves; 26 men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”
Lk 21:25-28
Prophecy is pertinent to our lives throughout all history. We are truly on the edge of forever.
If you believe this, you will try to be ready for this. It will change how you live, it will change your ethics. Prophecy is NOT an optional extra. 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, 14 of 15, Troubles in the World
We live in a world of death and decay.
It has come to dominate our world because of sin. In physics it is described as the second law of Thermodynamics, which is that, as a we all know, things run down.
It can be troubles of all sorts
It can be national troubles when things fall apart. It can be an environment which falls apart, or weather disasters in a fragile climate. God does says He uses such things to work His will.
“10 By the breath of God, ice is given,
And the breadth of the waters is frozen.
11 Yes, he loads the thick cloud with moisture.
He spreads abroad the cloud of his lightning.
12 It is turned round about by his guidance,
That they may do whatever he commands them
On the surface of the habitable world,
13 Whether it is for correction, or for his land,
Or for loving kindness, that he causes it to come.”
Job 37:10-13
These are parts of how God works His will.
“For by these he judges the people.
He gives food in abundance. ”
Job 36:31
Or at other times it may be a fragile social and economic situation. It can be trouble brought on us because of the sins of others, as Aachan’s sins brought trouble on ancient Israel.
“Joshua said, Why have you troubled us? Yahweh shall trouble you this day. All Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire, and stoned them with stones.”
Josh. 7:25
This was the sins of a single family, but sometimes it can be the sins of a national leader that brings trouble on all.
Paul says all of this is temporary, and that one day
all of this will change.
Paul says that none of these problems are worth comparing with the new universe which is coming, in which righteousness lives.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.”
Rom 8:18
He goes on to say that creation itself waits for us to be revealed in our new roles, Rom 8:19. He describes this running down, falling apart characteristic of our sinful present universe, as the creation being “subjected to vanity,” that is, being subjected to futility, uselessness, worthlessness, Rom 8:20. It will not always be this way.
“that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.”
Rom 8:21
We are in the birthing of a new and glorious age, separated from sin and death. There is coming a day when God says, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Rev 21:5b
All of this is of course prophetic.
None of this has happened yet. If we believe this we will “hang in there,” looking forward to the, “new heavens and a new earth, in which dwells righteousness.” 2Pe 3:13.
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, 13 of 15, Troubles in Life
Job in the book of Job had seen much good in this life, and was a respected and successful rancher, by any standards, ancient or modern. Also he was a godly man, and was indeed protected by God, as is pointed out in Job 1:10. Despite that, Job’s long discussion with his friends deals with many of the troubles and injustices of life.
“Man, who is born of a woman,
Is of few days, and full of trouble.”
Job 14:1
Or again,
“But man is born to trouble,
As the sparks fly upward.”
Job 5:7
Jesus spoke of the ordinary cares and worries of life
“That which fell among the thorns, these are those who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.”
Lk 8:14
What is Jesus talking about here? The ordinary ups and downs of life. These things are often self inflicted, much as it is for you and I. Not all of it, but some of it is about our choices.
“41 Jesus answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Lk 10:41-42
Scripture does not promise we will have no troubles
Jesus as a man had troubles. In the end, though innocent, He was condemned to die in courts rigged by the leaders of the Jews. Also He had deep compassion for those having troubles.
“When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,”
Jn 11:33
Much as it would be for us, Jesus was personally troubled by Judas unwarranted treachery.
“When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, “Most assuredly I tell you that one of you will betray me.” ”
Jn 13:21
He was tested in all points are we are, Heb 4:15.
None of these things can overcome us in Christ.
“35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Even as it is written, “For your sake we are killed all day long. We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
Rom 8:35-37
Jesus also acknowledges that we will have trouble because of our faith. To what end does He instruct us?
“I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.”
Jn 16:33
So He says to us,
“… Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.”
Jn 14:27
All of this is for sure prophetic instruction. Teaching about how it will be for you and I in the world. 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, 12 of 15, Judgment is Coming
Time after time Jesus speaks with certainty of the fact of coming Judgment of all men for their sins. Of those who will not listen Jesus says,
“Most assuredly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.”
Mtt 10:15
Jesus points out that men of ALL generations will stand before the Lord to answer for their sins, and that they will also see and comment on the answers of others.
Jesus points to the preaching of Jonah to the men of Nineveh
Jon 3:3 says that Nineveh “was an exceedingly great city,” and that it took three days to just to walk across it. The prophet Jonah with perhaps a bleached acid washed look to him, as it has been with other men through history who have been swallowed by “a great fish,” began his preaching.
“Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried out, and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” ”
Jon 3:4
Then a strange thing happened.
“The people of Nineveh believed God;
“and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.”
Jon 3:4
Even the king heard and fasted and prayed, Jon 3:6. The King proclaimed,
“8 … Yes, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who knows whether God will not turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish?”
Jon 3:8-9
Jesus then foretells what the men of Nineveh will do in the day of Judgment
“The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation, and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here.”
Mtt 12:41
This is prophecy which even some twenty-seven-hundred years later has not been fulfilled, yet! So it is pertinent to those Jews of the first century who were hearing these words of Jesus, and is also pertinent to you and I ! Knowing and believing these prophecies should change our behavior, and if we truly believe these things, it will change our behavior.
ALL of these things are prophetic statements
They are prophetic statements by the greatest prophet of all times. The prophet who was to be like Moses, Deut 18:15. His name is Jesus of Nazareth.
Believing what God says in prophecy does matter!
It is an ethical matter. We should seek to know what will happen. These things are of eternal importance to us all. As Paul says,
“Don’t despise prophesies.”
1Thes 5:20
It seems to be a common failing of fleshly men to despise what he cannot immediately see. However, if we are walking after the Spirit,
“Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.”
2Cor 5:16
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
Prophecy, Knowing Changes Behavior, 11 of 15, Every Idle Word
There is a long discussion by Jesus in Matthew 12 about how we talk and the things we might say. At the center of the discussion is questions about the Spirit that is behind Jesus works. Both Jesus and His opponents acknowledge that there is a spiritual power behind His ministry. His opponents said that Jesus is working by the power of the devil. They say,
… “This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebul, the prince of the demons.”
Mtt 12:24
Jesus went on to show that this was not a reasonable proposition, the idea that Satan would oppose his own destructive work. Then He went on to warn of ominous future consequences.
“31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in that which is to come.”
Mtt 12:31-32
A scary prospect to say the least.
Then Jesus makes some general observations about human speech.
“34 You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. 35 The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.”
Mtt 12:34
Again here Jesus is commenting that if we store evil and wicked things in our hearts, they will without fail tend to come out of mouths.
Then Jesus again forecasts what will happen to us.
“36 I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Mtt 12:36-37
Jesus tells us that there IS a record of all of our activities and all of our speech. This is testified to more than one Scripture.
“I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
Rev 20:12
More than that, we will have to give an account for ALL of those stupid and senseless things we may say from time to time. That should be a scary thought to all us. Who of us would not be caught in such a net.
These things are not meant as idle speculations of what might happen
These are prophecies springing from that same Holy Spirit of God that Jesus opponents were slandering. Prophetic statements of the nature of things in our world. Statements, which if we believe them, and we should, SHOULD change our conduct and our speech.
Prophecy is NOT an optional extra! 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, 10 of 15, Repent or Perish
Sometimes bad things happen to people
Sometimes disasters are very directly related to our sins. Lying can very often directly lead to troubles for us. Immoral sex quite often leads to direct problems for us. Paul says of such things,
“Flee sexual immorality! “Every sin that a man does is outside the body,” but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.”
1Cor 6:18
Sometimes it is so direct that we have sexually transmitted diseases from our sins, and we are in direct agony from our sins. At other times it is more indirect, but it is still there, in the form of troubles with our sexual partners, or destroyed homes, of the fathering of children who bear part of the curse of our sins, even as it is with all sin. Or even further, possible damage to our own genome, so that years later we have premature aging and health problems that no one can heal.
Sometimes it brings disasters that even kill us,
or cause our death.
King Ahab clearly comes to an early death in battle, because of his many sins. This death was by the direction of the Lord, as told in 1Kings 22. On a more personal level we see the story of one of Judah’s sons, a man by the name of Er. Simple statements are made, without explanation of where or how.
“Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Yahweh. Yahweh killed him.”
Gen 38:7
Such things happen all the time. We often hear it on the evening news.
Even so, not all calamities are because of our sins.
Jesus is an example, and Job is another example, and there are many others we can see both in life and in Scripture.
Also Jesus tells us another part of the story.
Some men came to Jesus telling stories of men dying in horrible and disastrous ways.
“Now there were some present at the same time who told him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.”
Lk 13:1
Many might assume they were worse sinners than others, and that is why they died. It is true that God sometimes takes men early because of their sins, as is documented time after time in Scripture. However, Jesus says that not all calamities are because of our sins.
“Jesus answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered such things?”
Lk 13:2
Jesus gave another example, then Jesus tells us,
“I tell you, no, but, unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.”
Lk 13:3
Unless we repent? Perish in the same way? What does that mean? I guess it means we will all die a violent death unless we repent?
Notice that this is a prophecy
Jesus is forecasting what “will” happen. If we believe this prophecy, it will indeed provide powerful motivation to repent, and be reconciled to God. Prophecy is never a neutral informational matter. Believing what God says in prophecy does matter! It is an ethical matter, and indeed an eternal 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, 8 of 15, David and the Kingship
David was between a rock and a hard place!
He wanted to serve his God, and his country and his king. He was a powerful warrior before the Lord, much feared and respected by the men and women of his own country. Further, God had told David that he would be the next king over Israel. Then came the hard part. It came about that King Saul now feared David, and wanted to murder his top soldier, to secure his own kingdom.
For David, it seems, this was not an issue.
He had already been anointed as the next king by the prophet Samuel, 1Samuel chapter 16. This was really a prophecy. It had not happened yet. But David felt no need to do anything murderous and evil against Saul or his sons. God had assured him. David clearly believed it. There no need for him to do any evil things against anyone! God would make it happen at the right time.
David as an enemy of the state!
Was he willing to fight for Saul, and for his country under Saul? Why sure! That would be a good thing to do. On the other hand was he willing to fight against his own king and country? No way? Further, David had multiple opportunities to murder King Saul? Murder? Wasn’t he promised the throne? Might not this be the way to throne. Not to David. That would be murder to David. He didn’t need to murder anyone. God’s promise was good enough.
So David in the wilderness, running for his life, became
a model for New Covenant ethics.
“27 But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.”
Lk 6:27
You and I may do this in much tamer circumstances, but David did this on a battlefield, when he was running for his life from an evil king, when he had wrongfully been declared an enemy of the state. So it came about that he repeatedly spared Saul’s life when he easily could have taken personal revenge on his personal enemy. This story is told in some detail in 1Samuel chapter 18, all the way to 2Samuel chapter 1.
An example is in 1Samuel 26. Saul and his troops were pursuing David to kill him. Saul was sleeping within a circle of men within his camp, and everyone was so tired that they were soon asleep. All of them! David and Abisahi snuck inside the camp, and Abishai pleaded for permission to kill Saul with a single stroke. David contented himself with talking Saul’s spear and the jar of water at his head, and then retreating, and later, at a distance, showing Saul what he had done!
To David, as indeed it should be to any saint
of either the Old or the New Testament,
personal revenge is out of line.
As the Lord says, “Vengeance is mine …” Deut 32:35.
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, 7 of 15, Lot
Abram and Lot had parted ways. Their herds and their flocks had been too much for them to stay anywhere close to each other. Abram had given Lot the choice. The plain of the Jordan valley was what Lot chose. It was rich and fertile in those days of long ago. And Sodom, where was Sodom? No knows for sure for no trace of the city was left after God destroyed it. Many seem to think that it is now below the waters of the Dead Sea.
It was surely a good livelihood living there.
However, there were problems.
“Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against Yahweh.”
Gen 13:13
Finally God decided to destroy these wicked cities. When God made this decision known to Abraham it caused him to earnestly plea to God that these cities would be spared. Abraham knew some good men there. God finally agreed that if there were ten good men in Sodom, He would spare these cities, Gen 18:32.
Incredibly, Lot had NOT been morally infected by Sodom and Gomorrah.
Peter tells us of Lot,
“(for that righteous man dwelling among them, was tormented in his righteous soul from day to day with seeing and hearing lawless deeds):”
2Pe 2:8
Peter calls Lot “righteous” twice, and “godly” once. Still, evidently these were still difficult things for Lot. He was told by the angels,
“for we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is grown great before Yahweh. Yahweh has sent us to destroy it.”
Gen 19:13
The angels says they are the ones who will destroy this place. Lot’s first response is to try to get his perspective sons-in-law to abandon Sodom for Yahweh was about to destroy it. Similarly, when we learn from God’s word that His is soon to destroy this place, that is, this universe, we will try to get those we care about to not stay under destruction, for,
“the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment;”
2Pe 2:9
Believing the message of future things changes us,
changes our actions.
If indeed we are convinced. Lot believed the message, but evidently it was still difficult, even as it is for us at times. After all, despite the wickedness, this was now his home, and all his possessions that he was about to abandon. So, though a righteous and godly man, it says,
“But he lingered; and the men laid hold on his hand, and on the hand of his wife, and on the hand of his two daughters, Yahweh being merciful to him; and they took him out, and set him outside of the city.”
Gen 19:16
The pull of our Babylons can be very hard on us.
We are warned,
… “Come out her, my people, that you have no participation in her sins, and that you don’t receive of her plagues,”
Rev 18:4
Believing what God says in prophecy should change behavior! 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