Category Archives: Using the Bible

Keys to Prophecy: God Often Uses Evil Nations to Punish and Limit Each Other

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The book of Habakkuk, written during Judah’s decline in the seventh century BC, is instructive. Times are really bad in Judah. Judah was a high crime and sin place. Habakkuk cries out to the Lord.

“Yahweh, how long will I cry, and you will
not hear? …” Hab 1:2a

“2 … I cry out to you “Violence!” and will you not save? 3 Why do you show me iniquity, and look at perversity? For destruction and violence are before me. There is strife, and contention rises up. 4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice goes forth perverted.”
Hab 1:2b-4

Indeed, why? Then God says He will do something astonishing! God says He will raise up the Chaldeans, the Babylonians, to punish sinful Judah. What are they like? God says they are a bitter and hasty nation. “They are feared and dreaded.” They have horses swifter than leopards. They gather prisoners like sand, and they laugh at kings and fortified cities. Strength is their god. Hab 1:6-11.

But now Habakkuk has a bigger problem!

Yes, Habakkuk recognizes that God’s decision, Hab 1:12; but he asks,

“You who have purer eyes than to see evil, and who cannot look on perversity, why do you … keep silent when the wicked swallows up the man who is more righteous than he,”
Hab 1:13 WEB

So he essentially says, but Lord, the Babylonians are worse than we are! Are you really going to let the Babylonians swallow up everything? Will you really let them “kill the nations without mercy?” Hab 1:17.

Habakkuk decides to wait for God’s answer.

“I will stand at my watch, and set myself on the ramparts, and will look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.”
Hab 2:1

Then God says, write all of this down, in big letters so that even a running man can read it. This is true, and it will NOT prove to be false. “Though it takes time, wait for it; because it will surely come.” Hab 2:2-3.

Yes, Babylon is puffed up, and is not upright,
“but the righteous will live by his faith.”
Hab 2:4

Babylon, once the mightiest nation on earth, situated on plains as fertile as the American Mid-West, now it is a mound of rubble to be dug through, situated in the midst of salt marshes. God raises up nations, and lowers them.

In essence God says in chapter two, Judah will be punished severely, and God will also get around to Babylon, but the righteous man will survive by his faith in God. God will care for him.

This the grand theme of the book of Romans, Rom 1:17.

Things are out of OUR control, but they are
NOT out of control.

“6 Does the trumpet alarm sound in a city,
Without the people being afraid?
Does evil happen to a city,
And Yahweh hasn’t done it?
7 Surely the Lord Yahweh will do nothing,
Unless he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets.”
Amos 3:6-7

The grand scheme of history is laid out in prophecy, from Genesis to Revelation. This is part of the grand scheme, and is also reflected in Revelation.

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

Keys to Prophecy: God Raises Up Nations, and Lowers Them

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This is not something new. God has given Jesus present rule.

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

Jesus is now, and will be “the ruler of the kings of the earth,” Rev 1:5. He will continue to rule from the heavenly Jerusalem until,

“… he has put all his enemies under his feet.”
1Cor 15:25 WEB

To think that Jesus would step down from ruling ALL from the heavenly Jerusalem (Rev 21:1-2, etc.), to rule from earthly Jerusalem, is a gross misunderstanding of prophecy. The premillenialists confuse prophecies of this present earth, with prophecies of heaven.

These are ongoing processes.

“He increases the nations, and he destroys them.
He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.”
Job 12:23 WEB

Sometimes nations seek good things, and God prospers them. Or they turn away from good things, ruin themselves, and God disciplines or destroys them. Once again, these are ongoing processes in history, reflected in prophecy, all the way from Genesis to Revelation, and is definitely still going on. In the words of the prophet Daniel,

“21 He changes the times and the seasons; he removes kings, and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding; 22 he reveals the deep and secret things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.”
Dan 2:21-22 WEB

We often act as if God does not know what we are doing, but it says,

“9 He who implanted the ear, won’t he hear?
He who formed the eye, won’t he see?
10 He who disciplines the nations, won’t he punish?
He who teaches man knows.”
Psa 94:9-10 WEB

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (ruling 605-562 BC) wrote of Yahweh,

“34 … his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation. 35 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 4:34-35 WEB

That is history. It is the Liberal theories that are myths and fantasies, mere narratives to distract us from the truth.

Some of this is scarcely complimentary to either
rulers or the peoples.

A coin of Nebuchadnezzar, the preeminent King of Babylon, and author of Daniel chapter 4

Again this is the words of Nebuchadnezzar.

“… to the intent that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whoever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men.”
Dan 4:17 WEB

Isn’t that the truth.

God decides where peoples will live, Acts 17:26.

Yahweh says,

“… “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 WEB

And 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 WEB

We are studying the context in which God deals with men, earth age long!

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Keys to Prophecy: God Frustrates the Plans of the Wicked

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You can call it a promise, you can call it a prophecy, but Psalm 37 indeed is perspective on how God deals with the wicked in history, and how the righteous should react to evil plans which we often see in history.

Psalm 37 is very much a part of Revelation’s view
of the plans of evil men.

It does view sinful inclinations of men as producing evil plans that are often of monstrous proportions. Revelation concentrates on two principal covert actors in history: Mystery Babylon the Great, and the beast organization (called the mystery of Lawlessness in 2Thessalonians chapter two).

The other side of these things is that such things are often seen and recognized as evil in history. Through crafty manipulation and covert action, great fortunes and power are often amassed in history. Evil men often dominate nations and even continents, and they care nothing about whether they ruin, or hurt or slaughter the innocent. These are continual things in history. Those trying to do what is right are often exasperated by these things, but such things are outside of their power or influence. Should we envy such power and wealth, and seek it ourselves?

What should be the perspective of the
men and women of God?

The theme is announced in the first four verses.

“1 Don’t fret because of evil-doers,
Neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither like the green herb.
3 Trust in Yahweh, and do good.
Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Also delight yourself in Yahweh,
And he will give you the desires of your heart.”
Psa 37:1-3 WEB

It continues along such a line for a full forty verses. Should we fear them? Center our lives around opposing them?

“7 Rest in Yahweh, and wait patiently for him.
Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath.
Don’t fret, it leads only to evildoing.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off,
But those who wait for Yahweh shall inherit the land.
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more.
Yes, though you look for his place, he isn’t there.”
Psa 37:7-10 WEB

All of this life, and ALL of human history is but a little while. This is really advice to those caught in such times, and in the violent storms which will surround the end of life in this universe as pictured in the book of Revelation. It is a commentary and a reminder on on,

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
1Pe 5:5

“28 For Yahweh loves justice,
And doesn’t forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
But the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land,
And live in it forever.”
Psa 37:28-29 WEB

It is talking about heaven, the new heavens and the new earth of Revelation 21 and all the rest.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Keys to Prophecy: God Does Sometimes Frustrate Our Plans

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There are many things which we may want, but we really do not need. They may not be things which are wrong in themselves, but they are not what is important. Many of these desires are often the root of terrible crimes and atrocities.

Pleasure gone amuck can ruin us.

“Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don’t they come from your pleasures that war in your members?”
Jas 4:1 WEB

Other translations make more plain that these are not just things of the big picture, but are also of the small things of our lives. The New English Translation, The Translation That Explains Itself, says, “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? …” Some of these conflicts over our pleasures are in our homes.

So why don’t we get the things we want?
As nations, as individuals?

“You lust, and don’t have. You kill, covet, and can’t obtain. You fight and make war. You don’t have, because you don’t ask. 3 You ask, and don’t receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it for your pleasures.”
Jas 4:2-3 WEB

We didn’t really need it. We merely wanted it, and God denied it.!

A focus on this present world is a focus on civilizations
plunging into wrong directions.

We need to realize the impact of focusing on a lost world.

“4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
Jas 4:4-5 WEB

God is trying to turn us around, from a life going nowhere, to a life going somewhere good. So sometimes He frustrates our plans, so that perhaps, we can attains goodness and life that lasts forever.

Some of the “unneeded” drains the energy of our lives,
leaving us unable to pursue life that
life indeed.

It is a barrier to our becoming what we should become. Jesus says we need to be in Him to be what we should become.

“I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
Jn 15:5 WEB

If we do not remain in the One who is Life Itself, ultimately we are cut off as a branch and put on the burn pile, Jn 15:6. If we are productive, then God will cut off those parts of us draining our productivty.

“… Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
Jn 15:2 WEB

God is willing to help us, but He resists some,
and helps some.

“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.””
Jas 4:6 WEB

Go in new directions, while you still have room to move. This is part of God’s plan for our age.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Keys to Prophecy: Sometimes Trouble is Necessary to Discipline Us

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The author of Hebrews asks us if we have forgotten warnings in the book of Proverbs, given to us as sons. He tells us we should not irritated with God’s discipline.

“5 …My son, don’t take lightly the chastening of the Lord,
Nor faint when you are reproved by him;
6 For whom the Lord loves, he chastens,
And scourges every son whom he receives.”
Heb 12:5-6 WEB

If God loves us, He tries to straighten us out
when we are wrong.

“It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline?”
Heb 12:7 WEB

And if we do not receive any discipline from God? The King James Version is the plainest here.

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

It is only when we have gone so far that we will
NEVER turn back, that destruction
comes upon us.

That is true for both individuals and nations. Satan of course desires such, and tries to get us to harden our hearts and minds. Satan is not about building, only about destroying as many as he can. You can hear this in the Satanic media of today as they promote the vilest of perversions, and declare they will “never again go back into the closet.” These ups and downs in morality throughout the ages are at best temporary. If a society tolerates the very worst for very long, it risks its own destruction. Normally the built-in shamefulness breeds its own backlash, and the worms and insects crawl away to their holes on their own, no longer daring the glare of close examination.

Jewish history is instructive here. Without kings, they went through cycles of debauchery, then under pressure from their enemies, repented and turned back to God. The cycles seem to have been very short in the times of the Judges. Then organized punishment of wickedness came through the kings of Israel and Judah, and cycles were still there, but they were lengthened. Still, when they got to the point that they would not change, no matter what, as in the times of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, then Israel and Judah were removed, their lands were given to other people and the remnant that remained was deported to other countries.

Such is typical for the entire Christian age, so much so that Revelation chapter 6 it describes the world as being turned over to violence, and a pale horse of Death and Hades had authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, and famine, Rev 6:3-8.

That is an apt picture not only ancient and medieval history, but also of modern history, until we get to the point where,

“and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. They didn’t repent of their works.”
Rev 16:11 WEB

A picture of the entire Christian Age.

KJV is the King James Version, 1611.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Keys to Prophecy: There is More Than One Wide Spread Tribulation.

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It is sometimes missed but there are actually several periods of extreme trouble in the Christian Age. This is the way Paul describes the issues.

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”
2Tim 3:1 KJV

It is not just a single perilous or difficult or harsh time, but perilous timeS, plural.

Russia, China, and Eastern Europe had an anti-Christian
blood baths in the 20th century,
France in late 18th century.

There have been multiple attempts to bull-doze away Christianity and prepare the way for the worship of Satan and his special seed. Rome and the caesars were so used, until Christianity outright conquered Rome, as in Dan 2:44, and other passages. Islam was used in this way. The French Revolution was another attempt, and was intended to spread from nation to nation, but didn’t have the impact desired. The Communists also attempted world revolution, and did conquer one-third of the world before imploding. Communism still shows some lingering signs of life even in the United States in the early 21st century, and many of the old Communist organizations now seem to want to carry a banner of environmental emergencies to drive the destruction of any who might oppose them.

It seems from Scripture that two special times of tribulation/stress will come.

One is the times of stress in when the Jews turn
to Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth in faith.

And yes, Jesus is called “Rabbi” some thirteen times in the gospels, but it is sometimes translated as “Master” of “Teacher.”

It is clearly prophesied in the Old Testament that this will happen, and is verified in the New Testament, but many gloss over the texts. Moses, after denouncing the stubbornness and sins of Israel, is the first to announce it.

Coming in September, 2020, Jewish Chronicles will be an overview of Jewish history and Scripture as it pertains to these things.

“When you are in distress, and all these things are come on you, in the latter days you shall return to Yahweh your God, and listen to his voice:”
Deut 4:30 nf

This will be an extreme period stress for many nations. It appears to begin with a world-wide persecution of Christians. It is dealt with in detail in Ezekiel 37 and 38, and Zechariah, and also in my forthcoming book, Jewish Chronicles. It will be so severe that is seems it will become yet another “type,” symbolic of the end of this present universe.

The greatest tribulation will be right at the end.

It is literally called “the great, the tribulation” in Greek.

… “These are those who came out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb’s blood.”
Rev 7:14 WEB

This time Christianity will be “overcome”/conquered.

“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 WEB

The Greek word is nikao, to conquer, to overcome, to have the victory.

Never yet has any one government had authority over every nation. Never yet has Christianity been “overcome” world-wide. But it will happen, for a short while … just before Jesus intervenes.

KJV is the King James Version, 1611.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

nf is my own translation based on the WEB.

Keys to Prophecy: Revelation Applies to the ENTIRE Christian Age.

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The principal powers at work during the Christian Age are the same throughout. They are:

Jesus of Nazareth, the One and Only
Son of God

He is ignored by most, but He is indeed Lord of Lords and King of kings, Rev 19:16. He is THE major power of the Christian Age. He is a conquerer!

“And behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him, and he came forth conquering, and to conquer.”
Rev 6:2 WEB

Jesus has complete authority.

… “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.”
Mtt 28.28 WEB

All authority where? “In heaven and on earth.” As God has operated in the past, so now Jesus rules the nations, and has,

“26 … appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 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 17:26-27 WEB

He must reign (presently and continuously) until ALL His enemies are destroyed, 1Cor 15:24-25.

Mystery Babylon the Great

This is a religio-commercial entity. It evidently dominates world trade for the entire Christian Age. It does not control all of it, but it is evidently a central facilitator of world trade. It is pictured in Rev 18:11-13 as selling a little bit of everything, and so rich that “she” drinks out of gold cups, and is extravagantly clothed with gold and jewels in Rev 17:3-4. It says that,

“The kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived wantonly with her, will weep and wail over her, when they look at the smoke of her burning,”
Rev 18:9 WEB

She is the arranger of wars and conflicts on earth. Why? To make money out of those conflicts. It says,

“In her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on the earth.”
Rev 18:24 WEB

What a staggeringly comprehensive statement!

And she rides the Satanic dragon that has seven heads and ten horns, Rev 17:3! She rides the Mystery of Lawlessness, the seldom noticed “beast” organization of Rev 13:1-2, of which there are seven “heads,” directors.

The Mystery of Lawlessness

The mystery of lawlessness is a much smaller organization than Mystery Babylon the Great, and is opposed to Mystery Babylon, but also allows itself to be used for her purposes. It is a very highly leveraged satanic organization, a dragon (compare Revelation 12), and is already in operation in the first century, 2Thes 2:7. It is guided by a directory of seven men/kings, and it directs ten centers of power. It hates the harlot, and before the end will destroy her at God’s instigation, Rev 17:16-17.

None of the these powers are absolute, except Jesus the Christ. The others plot and plan and coerce as best they can, and have whatever triumphs God allows. In history they have both many victories and many dismal defeats. In worldly terms they are intimidating, but they are doomed from the start.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901