Category: False Teaching

Neither Length Nor Fervor, But Clarity #3

Monday, May 12, 2025

“For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (1 Corinthians 2:11,12 KJV).

Let ministers depend on the Spirit of God as they deliver their sermons, and not rely on the (limited, weak) energy of the flesh!

An old cliché goes, “The Bible sheds a lot of light on commentaries!” This is said in jest, of course, since commentaries ought to shed light on the Bible. Just why do commentaries frequently make the Bible more confusing and complicated? They are the product of the “natural” (lost) man and/or the “carnal” (fleshly Christian) man! Very rarely is the “spiritual” man (a Christian led by the Spirit of God) writing or speaking about the words of God. It is this spiritual man who is connected to the same Holy Spirit who moved holy men of God to write the Holy Bible (1 Corinthians 2:15,16 cf. 2 Peter 1:20,21).

If someone is struggling to teach the Bible, or struggling to comprehend it, the following factors must be considered. Firstly, the teacher might be thinking in the energy of the flesh. Secondly, the student may be thinking in the energy of the flesh. It could even be a combination of both teacher and student leaning toward the flesh instead of toward the Spirit. Check today’s Scripture again, then read the verses immediately following: “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (verses 13,14).

For example, take any book about the Bible—a commentary—and read it. Where you see sound Bible doctrine, that was where the author had yielded to the Holy Spirit. Where you see false doctrine, that was where the writer was under the influence of the flesh….

Neither Length Nor Fervor, But Clarity #2

Saturday, May 10, 2025

“For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (1 Corinthians 2:11,12 KJV).

Let ministers depend on the Spirit of God as they deliver their sermons, and not rely on the (limited, weak) energy of the flesh!

Generally, both unbelievers and Christians are inclined to depend on their own resources in Adam in an attempt to pursue and identify truth. If they study enough “scholarly” journals, attend plenty of religious seminars, enroll in an abundance of philosophical classes, and/or think long and hard by themselves for a sufficient time, they assume they will eventually “see the light” and arrive at some sense of meaning or purpose, and finally get peace. This is to be expected of unbelievers, but not of Christians.

“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:…” (Ephesians 4:17-21).

When Christians adopt the “vain” (empty, worthless, profitless) and “darkened” (dimmed, obscured) and “blind” (sightless) position of unbelievers, they have rendered themselves pagans practically because they are isolated from the words of the Holy Bible that the Holy Spirit uses to teach (1 Corinthians 2:13). They know about the Bible, they are aware of what others say about it, but they do not have any personal faith in it. Amazingly, this is even where many seminary professors are—yea, the very people “training” the majority of our preachers, teachers, and missionaries, who will then go out upon graduation and add to the confusion….

Note: In order to bring you a special study tomorrow, we shall temporarily break away from this devotionals arc….

Neither Length Nor Fervor, But Clarity #1

Friday, May 9, 2025

“For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (1 Corinthians 2:11,12 KJV).

Let ministers depend on the Spirit of God as they deliver their sermons, and not rely on the (limited, weak) energy of the flesh!

A dear brother in Christ observed many years ago: “The Devil cares not how long or how fervently a minister preaches—just as long as no one understands what he is talking about. High-swelling words that people cannot understand will not result in conviction for sin. The Gospel of God’s salvation should be presented in words so simple that a child can understand. Jesus used simple, understandable words when He preached, and we should follow His example. Thereby will the message of saving grace be expressed in words that anyone can understand.”

Since the vast majority of “Bible” colleges, “Christian” universities, and seminaries (Bible cemeteries) are founded upon secular principles and humanistic worldviews, it is no surprise their graduates are more versed in the words and wisdom of men than in the words and wisdom of God. That was the primary transgression of the Corinthian church. Philosophy, loving man’s wisdom, was fundamental to Greek culture. Read Paul’s speech to Athens, near Corinth, in Acts 17:22-31. There was unfathomable spiritual ignorance, and thus, extensive idolatry, there. “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,…” (Romans 1:20-22).

The Athenians were the result of God leaving man to himself. Man left to himself is “ignorant” (without knowledge) of the things of God (today’s Scripture; cf. Acts 17:29,30). God must send His Holy Spirit to teach people, but it is all the more unfortunate when ministers themselves are not under the leadership of the Holy Spirit either….

A Prayer According to God’s Will

Thursday, May 1, 2025

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;” (1 Timothy 2:1-3 KJV).

On this United States’ National Day of Prayer, we pray you pray according to the Lord Jesus Christ’s will for today!

Today, religious people—the general public, clergy, and government officials—will assemble nationwide, like they do every year, and pray for spiritual and moral revival of the “Christian” (?) United States of America. We commend their noble efforts, but God’s Word says there will be no godly revival of any of the world’s Gentile nations until Jesus Christ returns to earth at His Second Coming (Isaiah 11:9; Isaiah 59:20–60:3; Zechariah 8:20-23; Revelation 11:15; et cetera).

The LORD’s words to King Solomon are often quoted on this day: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Friends, this is certainly God’s Word, but has nothing to do with Gentiles in the United States in the Dispensation of Grace. This verse has a context often overlooked—the nation Israel under the Mosaic Law, praying in relation to God’s Temple in Jerusalem (verses 15,16). Actually, that Temple was destroyed over 19 centuries ago! Unlike Israel, the United States was never a divinely-founded nation. The American people as a whole are not God’s people like Israel was.

Rather than praying 2 Chronicles 7:14, remember today’s Scripture (God’s Word to us Gentiles). The verse following today’s Scripture says, “[God] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Pray for those in authority, that they would trust Jesus Christ alone as their personal Saviour, and then grow in His Word to them so they can make wise decisions on behalf of the people they govern.

The Seventy Weeks of Daniel #8

Wednesday, April 30, 2025

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24 KJV).

What precisely are these seventy weeks of Daniel? How do they form the backbone of prophecy?

The purpose of Daniel’s seventy weeks of years is to prepare Israel to serve as God’s earthly kingdom of priests. During the last of these weeks of years, the Antichrist will reign, commencing the final phase of eliminating unbelievers that have contaminated the nation for centuries. The Antichrist is God’s method of exposing the tares (spiritual weeds) or unbelievers in Israel (Matthew 13:1-51), for they will worship the Antichrist, his image, and receive his mark (Revelation 14:9-11). They are the idolaters whose Law-breaking ancestors caused the fifth course of chastisement in the first place (Babylonian Captivity 600 years before Christ).

Again, Daniel’s seventy weeks cleanse the Jewish people of idolatry just as the 70-year Babylonian Captivity purified the land of Canaan of idolatry: Satan’s influence will be addressed and reversed. The Lord Jesus Christ’s Second Coming terminates Daniel’s 70th Week and brings God’s literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic, Israeli kingdom. Once more, we have absolutely no reason whatsoever to place us the Church the Body of Christ into any of Daniel’s seventy weeks. Today’s Scripture indicates those 490 years are for Israel’s sake alone, not us. If we fail to “study… rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15)—like (!) many (!) do (!)—we will combine Daniel and Paul, law and grace, prophecy and mystery, Israel and the Body of Christ, Earth and Heaven. Nothing but unanswerable confusion will result.

Prophecy is quite interesting. Since it is God’s inspired Word, we can, should, and do study it. Yet, because it is not God’s Word to us or about us, many prophetic verses are unclear to us. This should not bother us in the least, for to whom and about whom they are written these passages will make complete sense in due time. Doubtless, this we know: our victorious Christian living in this the Dispensation of the Grace of God is found exclusively in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon.

The Seventy Weeks of Daniel #7

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24 KJV).

What precisely are these seventy weeks of Daniel? How do they form the backbone of prophecy?

Daniel 9:25-27: “…the Messiah the Prince… Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week….” Two “princes” are in Daniel’s seventy weeks. One is “Messiah the Prince… Messiah,” Jesus. The other is “the prince that shall come,” the Antichrist, who will sign a seven-year peace treaty with Israel (Daniel’s 70th Week). Basically, he flatters lost Israel with lies and rebuilds their Jerusalem Temple (see Daniel 8:13,14) that the Romans destroyed in A.D. 70. Animal sacrifices under the Law will resume… temporarily.

Remember, Daniel’s 70th Week is divided “in the midst” (verse 27)—42 months and 42 months, or 1260 days and 1260 days, or 3½ years and 3½ years. Why? Midway through those seven years, the Antichrist “shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Daniel 9:27). For this “abomination of desolation,” and the Antichrist’s military betrayal of Israel/Jerusalem, see Matthew 24:15-21, Mark 13:14-19, and Luke 21:20-24.

That final week is halved because the Antichrist is assassinated (Zechariah 11:15-17; Revelation 13:1-18), “the man of sin” (first half) transforming into “the son of perdition” (second half) (2 Thessalonians 2:3,4). An evil spirit reanimates his corpse—a counterfeit resurrection (!). The Antichrist now claims to be God Himself (really a fake messiah!), and continues reigning for the remainder of Daniel’s 70th Week with more worshipping him or being executed for refusal. Ultimately, the true Messiah (Jesus) returns in power and great glory to end it all and save redeemed Israel (Zechariah 14:1-4; Matthew 24:29-31; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 19:11-21)!

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

The Seventy Weeks of Daniel #6

Monday, April 28, 2025

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24 KJV).

What precisely are these seventy weeks of Daniel? How do they form the backbone of prophecy?

Let us repeat. In Daniel 9:16-23, God sent Gabriel to instruct Daniel because the Prophet sought clarification regarding Israel’s redemption and Jerusalem’s restoration from the Babylonian Captivity. A series of prophecies during seventy weeks of years (490 years) will lead up to Christ’s Second Coming and Israel’s subsequent kingdom glory. Today’s Scripture reveals six purposes or goals of these seventy weeks of Daniel.

Firstly, to “finish the transgression.” Israel’s “transgression”—all her “stepping across the boundaries,” or her national sin—will be done away. Redeemed Israel stops crossing the borders of righteousness God has erected. She will cease rejecting the LORD’S words and finally accept her Messiah (see Matthew 23:31-39; Luke 11:46-52; Acts 7:51,52).

Secondly, to “make an end of sins.” Israel quits wallowing in her unbelief and disobedience to God. Thirdly, to “make reconciliation for iniquity.” On the national Day of Atonement at Christ’s Second Coming, God forgives Israel’s sins via the New Covenant based on Christ’s shed blood (Acts 3:19,20; Romans 11:26-28; cf. Leviticus chapter 16; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Jeremiah 33:7,8; Hebrews chapters 8–10). Remember, Christ’s blood was shed when Messiah was “cut off” (killed) in Daniel 9:26.

Fourthly, to “bring in everlasting righteousness.” God’s literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic, Israeli kingdom is founded (Jeremiah 23:5,6; Hebrews 1:8,9; Revelation 20:4-6). Fifthly, to “seal up the vision and prophecy.” All of God’s promises to Israel are ultimately fulfilled. Lastly, to “anoint the most Holy.” The sanctuary will be cleansed and the Shekinah glory (God’s presence) returns to the newly-rebuilt Millennial Jerusalem Temple (Daniel 8:14; cf. Malachi 3:1; Matthew 23:38–24:1; cf. Ezekiel 43:1-6).

At Christ’s Second Coming in Revelation chapter 19 to conclude Daniel’s 70th Week, God remembers His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—exactly as He promised in Leviticus 26:42,45. He makes the Promised Land His land and Israel His people in that literal, physical, visible, earthly, Davidic, Israeli kingdom of Revelation chapter 20.…

The Seventy Weeks of Daniel #5

Sunday, April 27, 2025

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24 KJV).

What precisely are these seventy weeks of Daniel? How do they form the backbone of prophecy?

Today’s Scripture highlights seventy weeks of years, or 490 years overall. Daniel 9:25-27 divides them into three segments: “seven weeks” (49 years) followed by “threescore [3 times 20, or 60] and two weeks” (434 years) followed by one last “week” (7 years). Verse 25 declares these seventy weeks commence with “the going forth of the commandment to restore and to [re-]build Jerusalem [what the Babylonian invasions destroyed]… the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.” Nehemiah 2:1-8 fulfills this circa 445/444 B.C., roughly a century after Daniel prophesied it.

“Seven weeks [of years]” (49 years) is the length of time from the commandment of Nehemiah chapter 2 to the completion of the Hebrew Bible with Malachi (circa 397/396 B.C.). Another “threescore and two weeks [of years]” (62 weeks of years, or 434 years) brings us up to A.D. 32. Featuring years of 360 days each, God’s calendar in Daniel closed the first 69 weeks of years (483 years) just days before Calvary when “the Messiah” was “cut off” or killed (Daniel 9:25,26; cf. Isaiah 53:8). Daniel’s 69th week of years ended on the very Sunday Jesus entered Jerusalem on the donkey a few days before His crucifixion (see Luke 19:28-44, noting that significant “thy [Israel’s] day” and Israel’s pitiful ignorance of it in verses 41,42!).

Messiah Jesus died after Daniel’s 69th Week, leaving the last week of years unfulfilled even today. This final week is Daniel’s 70th Week of Daniel 9:27, to run its course after our dispensation closes. Incidentally, the war against Jerusalem in Luke 19:43,44 is that of Daniel 9:26, corresponding to the battles of Daniel 11:5-20. Conflicts against Jerusalem will eventually lead to the diabolical Antichrist’s rise to power and his one-week (seven-year!) peace treaty in which he promises to protect and bless Israel and Jerusalem (see Daniel 11:21-45). We are in the “gap” between Daniel’s 69th Week and Daniel’s 70th Week, our dispensation totally isolated from the seventy weeks of Daniel….

The Seventy Weeks of Daniel #4

Saturday, April 26, 2025

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24 KJV).

What precisely are these seventy weeks of Daniel? How do they form the backbone of prophecy?

It is essential we properly define the term “seventy weeks.” The Hebrew word translated “week” here means a group of seven—a heptad or a septet. It functions in the same way “dozen” signifies “12” in English. If there are 70 weeks (70 “sevens,” 70 sets of seven, or 70 times seven), that totals 490. What is the unit though? These are 490 what?

The Bible uses “week” in various ways. Firstly, a “week” is a set of seven days (our common week—Daniel 10:2,3). Secondly, a “week” is a group of seven weeks (49 days—Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10,16; 2 Chronicles 8:13). Thirdly, a “week” is a set of seven years (Genesis 29:27,28). The key to unlocking the meaning of the 70 “weeks” of Daniel 9:24 (today’s Scripture) is found in identifying the length of the final week (verse 27).

Studying the Book of the Revelation, a companion of the Book of Daniel, we find references to 3½ years and 3½ years (“a time [one], and times [two], and half a time” in Revelation 12:14; cf. Daniel 12:7), 42 months and 42 months (Revelation 11:2; Revelation 13:5), and 1260 days and 1260 days (“a thousand two hundred and threescore [60] days” in Revelation 11:3 and Revelation 12:6). Thus, as with Genesis 29:27,28, Daniel’s 70th Week of Daniel 9:27 is seven years, revealing the “seventy weeks” are 70 weeks of years (490 years overall).

Although it took 70 years to cleanse the Promised Land of Israel’s pagan idolatry—the duration of the Babylonian Captivity (Jeremiah 25:11,12; Jeremiah 29:10)—a period of 70 weeks of years is required to cleanse the Israeli people themselves. This is what Daniel learned in chapter 9, verses 24-27. Once the Jewish people are purified of satanic contamination and freed from bondage to sin over a period of 490 years, they can serve as God’s kingdom of priests in the Earth….

The Seventy Weeks of Daniel #3

Friday, April 25, 2025

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24 KJV).

What precisely are these seventy weeks of Daniel? How do they form the backbone of prophecy?

Before we dissect Daniel 9:24-27, it is tremendously critical for us to observe how today’s Scripture restricts these seventy weeks to a certain people and a particular location: “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city….”

Who are these “thy people?” Remember, the Angel Gabriel is talking to Daniel (verses 21-23). Since Daniel is an Israelite, Daniel 9:24-27 applies to Daniel’s people—Israel (note well verses 7,11,20). “And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel,…” (verse 20). What is this “thy holy city?” Again, the context defines it for us—Jerusalem (check verses 2,7,12,16,25). “O LORD, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us” (verse 16).

Daniel’s seventy weeks deal with the restoration of Israel and Jerusalem as they recover from the devastation and destruction of the 70-year Babylonian Captivity (cf. Daniel 9:16-19). This must be distinctly understood, for sensational “prophecy preachers” have habitually wrested or perverted these verses to accommodate Gentiles and European cities (Rome, for instance) or American cities (New York City, for example). We should not rip these verses from context. Daniel’s focus is the Middle East: again, it is Israel and Jerusalem.

Echoing the words he heard from God, the Angel Gabriel lays out for Daniel and his Jewish people a schedule of “seventy weeks.” During this designated period of time, several individual prophecies will be fulfilled to finally restore Israel to the LORD God and ultimately equip the nation and its capital city to fulfill His purposes (today’s Scripture)….