Is there intelligent life out there in the universe. Some think so, and even think these superior creatures have influenced life here on earth?
Well the Bible says there is such, and calls them angels.
An audio lesson.
For a through beginning look at angels as they have affected men on earth, read Prophecy Principles, by Neal Fain.
The second world wide persecution will be just before the end of this present universe.
Satan and his angels will be briefly released to deceive the nations, and turn them against Christianity and against God.
Satan at this time, for a very short period of time, 42 months, will be openly worshiped by men world wide.
An audio lesson,
At right time, Jesus will rescue His faithful ones, and punish Satan and all who have followed him.
Both Prophecy Principles and Revealing the Christian Age have much information about these final times.
One of the contrasts throughout all of Scripture is between this material earth and universe, and what is often called heaven.
Man’s part in initiating this separation, this fall, is in Genesis chapter 3. Man had been literally given a very good setup. Man is put in charge of “the garden” (which in Greek translation is paradeisos, or “paradise”, Genesis 2). This seems to almost to be a training field for man’s destiny to,
“… have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Gen 1:26
He does not have this yet! Evidently some restrictions were put on man, and one mentioned is that is he was NOT to eat of “the of the knowledge of good and evil,” Gen 2:16-17. Then man, by refusing God’s commands, joined the heavenly rebellion led by Satan, who also called the devil, and the serpent of old, Rev 12:9.
This of course has catastrophic results. Man is now to die, and death starts working in mankind. From now on there will be enmity between the seed of woman and the seed of the serpent, Gen 3:15. Specific curses are put on the woman, Gen 3:16; and then comes the curse on creation. “… cursed is the ground for your sake.” Gen 3:17. Without obedience to the Lord God, there is no more easy living for mankind.
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Gen 3:19
Man still has a taste for that mastery of all of creation, Heb 2:6-8a; but it is not quite within his grasp, Heb 2:8b.
It is however not a permanent condition.
“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 8:21-22
It goes on to say that we ourselves groan within us, thirsting for release from this bondage to decay, “waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.” Rom 8:23
It will pass away with fire, with a roar, as the element melt with tremendous heat, on “the day of the Lord,” 2Pe 3:10-12.
By turning in faith to Jesus our Lord, repenting of our sins, being baptized in water for the forgiveness of our sins, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, etc.; and then living for Christ and not for ourselves.
As Jesus told Pilate,
“My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from here.”
Jn 18:36
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
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
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.
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
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 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.
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
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.
“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 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
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!
“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
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
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.
An audio lesson.
How the end of the world is 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.
An audio lesson.
How the end of the world is 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.
It seems Jesus is about half way through His ministry. He has sent his apostles out on the limited commission to just the Jews in Matthew 10. He warns them of dangers yet to come. Many good things have happened, but the Jews as a group have not been turning in repentance. Jesus is now causing conflict here on earth.
“34 Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 A man’s foes will be those of his own household.”
Mtt 10:34-37
John the Baptist has been seized and is now in prison, and there under confinement even needs some reassurance in Matthew 11.
Of those who turn to Jesus, Paul says,
“who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love;”
Col 1:13
That Greek word that is rendered as “translated” means someone whose state or status of being has been changed. They have become citizens of this embryonic kingdom. Even us gentiles now, “are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God,” Eph 2:20.
This stone cut out of a mountain without hands (Dan 2:34), this kingdom, will yet, even in this age, become a great mountain which will fill the entire earth (Dan 2:35). Which means there many more things yet to happen, even in this age.
“All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.”
Mtt 11:27
None of us can do anything, except as God allows! And now the Father passes control of all to Jesus.
“he Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.”
Jn 3:35
“… “All things have been delivered to me by my Father.”
Lk 10:22
There is no need to be afraid.
“Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.”
Lk 12:32
“27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”
Jn 10:27-29
There are aspects and dimensions to this kingdom in the world to come, but its citizens and rulers are being assembled NOW!
“He who overcomes, … to him I will give authority over the nations.”
Rev 2:26
Things do not just wait for the end of the age. They are working now.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901