An audio lesson.
National prophecies about the Jews as a nation, and what the Messiah of the Jews, Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth will yet do with them. And NO! This is NOT about the millennium, but rather about things yet to happen in history.
After a time of great stress when two-thirds of the Jews are killed, then the Jews will at last turn to their own Messiah, Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth.
An audio lesson.
This lesson starts off with the mystery of how the scribes and the Pharisees knew that Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem, and describes the situation in Judah at the time of Jesus’ birth. Then it goes to laying the foundation for looking at the evidence which they laid out.
The basics of understanding Bible prophecy are addressed in Prophecy Principles, which is available from your bookseller.
An audio lesson.
How we have missed it in our values about love and marriage.
Abraham is old now, but needs a wife for his son Isaac. He doesn’t seem to trust Isaac to pick a wife for himself, after all he is only about 37 years old! Oh, my!
Many of our problems in life and in Christianity derive from our misconceptions about love, and about the human heart. These then distort our visions of life and prophecy, and a little bit of everything else.
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
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
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.
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
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
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!
“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
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
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.
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.
“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
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.
Would it not?
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.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
It was said of Abraham and the ancient fathers,
“But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. …”
Heb 11:16
A real country, from a new creation; untainted by sin and death and decay. A heavenly country. It is described in this way.
“1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. 2 I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband.”
Rev 21
Further, as we know more about the material world and its components, the more obvious it is how vulnerable it is.
Many misquote the second apostle James to say that we are like a vapor. Rather he says we are a vapor,
“Whereas you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you ARE a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.”
Jas 4:14
The physicists have known for sometime that such is literally true. Knowledge of such things came about with the early experiments with nuclear radiation. The ratio of particles able to pass through our bodies without hitting anything was very high, meaning that we were mostly empty space! Sometimes they have given analogies such as, if an atom was the size of a football stadium, the nucleus would be the size of a basketball at the 50 yard line, and an electron would be size of a golf ball, way out in the bleachers. But those electron shells move fast enough that light bounces off our bodies and we “look” solid.
And those electron shells, they too are subject to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, that “things run down.” At our present time Jesus sustains them, and you and I and everyone.
“His Son is … upholding all things by the word of his power, …”
Heb 1:3
But such is not forever, and “things” and our bodies do still “run down.”
In 2Corinthians 5 the comparison is made between a tent versus a building.
“For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.”
2Cor 5:1
Paul is talking about our present bodies and comparing them to a mere tent, which is at best a flimsy and vulnerable shelter. It is not that we would like to be without a body, and we won’t be.
“For indeed we who are in this tent do groan, being burdened; not that we desire to be unclothed, but that we desire to be clothed, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.”
2Cor 5:4
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
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.
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
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.
With Judas it was evidently money.
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
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
“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
“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
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
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?
“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
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.