Category: Satan and Policy of Evil

Is the God of the Bible “Anti-Intellectual?” #2

Monday, November 7, 2022

“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:16,17 KJV).

Is the God of Scripture “anti-intellectual?”

Observe how the Creator originally ordained earthly life to be: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:26-28).

When the LORD made man (Adam) and woman (Eve)—yes, they were real, historical people!—He did not create them as robots. They were given volition or free will, a capacity to choose what path they would take in life. Since they were creatures and the LORD God was Creator, He exercised the right to make the rules and He gave them two options. Either they could function as He designed their life to be (see Genesis 1:26-28 above), or they could deviate from His will and suffer the dire consequences. Today’s Scripture again: “…Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely [exercise free will to] eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Satan, the fallen cherub (spirit creature in the angelic world, leader of the angelic rebellion against Almighty God), noticed Adam and Eve, and realized here was a way to train more worshippers of self. Let us now watch the Master Deceiver work….

The Man from Kerioth #4

Friday, November 4, 2022

“…Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him” (Matthew 10:4 KJV).

After Satan and the Antichrist, he is probably the most despised Bible character. Meet Judas Iscariot!

Unbelieving Judas’ downfall was materialism or avarice. Once he let that dominate him, the rest of Satan’s will appealed to him. Even though the context is the ministry of the local church (Paul’s Pastoral Epistles—1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon), the following words of this the Dispensation of the Grace of God are advisable even for individual Christians.

First Timothy chapter 6: “…[5] Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. [6] But godliness with contentment is great gain. [7] For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. [8] And having food and raiment [clothing] let us be therewith content. [9] But they that will [desire/wish to] be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. [10] For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows…. [17] Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; [18] That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate [share]; [19] Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

How many preachers and teachers (or even church members) these last 2,000 years would be better off today had they heeded the above counsel, instead of mismanaging God’s money in their local assemblies because of their insatiable appetite for accumulating material wealth? Saints, it is absolutely not a sin to be rich monetarily, but if we are striving for this end instead of aiming to be “rich in good works” (1 Timothy 6:18), then we resemble that most despised man from Kerioth. Our name will be just as distasteful in others’ mouths as his is!

The Man from Kerioth #3

Thursday, November 3, 2022

“…Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him” (Matthew 10:4 KJV).

After Satan and the Antichrist, he is probably the most despised Bible character. Meet Judas Iscariot!

The Holy Bible ties materialism and Judas Iscariot together. John 12:6 reveals him to be the Apostles’ dishonest treasurer—someone who pilfered from God’s people and was, apparently, so skillful at erecting a façade that no one suspected what he was really doing with their funds. “He was a thief,” but they had appointed him to “have the [money]bag!”

We also know from Scripture: “Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him” (Matthew 26:14-16). “And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him” (Mark 14:10,11). “Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude” (Luke 22:3-6).

Indeed, Judas did not work for free! He would turn Jesus over to Israel’s apostate religious leaders, but only if he got paid for all his trouble: “What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?” (Matthew 26:15). The 30 silver pieces he received were roughly three- or four-months’ wages—the price of a dead slave (Exodus 21:32) or a field (Matthew 27:3-10; Acts 1:16-19). This greed for material goods was prominent amongst lost Jews throughout Christ’s earthly ministry (Matthew 19:16-26; Matthew 21:12-13; Matthew 23:14; Mark 10:17-27; Mark 11:15-18; Luke 12:13-21; Luke 16:19-31; Luke 18:18-27; Luke 19:45,46; John 2:13-17; John 6:15,26,27)—people so distracted in wishing for more worldly goods that they overlooked their need for forgiveness of sins and eternal life through the Lord Jesus. Even today, material blessings are sought at the expense of spiritual blessings….

The Man from Kerioth #2

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

“…Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him” (Matthew 10:4 KJV).

After Satan and the Antichrist, he is probably the most despised Bible character. Meet Judas Iscariot!

Carefully consider John 6:64: “But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.” The Lord was not the least bit surprised when Judas Iscariot actually did betray Him. While the other 11 Apostles knew nothing of the real Judas until they beheld him leading that Christ-rejecting mob in the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ understood his heart from the beginning. Yea, God incarnate in His omniscience could read the hearts of all who were supposedly “believing” and “following” Him (John 2:23-25; John 6:15,26,27,43,64-66). Paraphrased, He told the bread-seeking crowds, “You alleged ‘disciples’ do not fool Me!” (John 6:65). Realizing He had looked into their faithless hearts, “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him” (John 6:66).

Satan always uses whatever avenue he can to reach whomever he can. Of course, his sneaky efforts usually go undetected until it is too late. Look at his cheap flattery in Genesis 3:1-5. Observe his clever terminology in 2 Corinthians 11:3,4,13-15. Contemplate his “devices” or schemes (grudges dividing Christian brethren) in 2 Corinthians 2:10,11. Recall his “wiles” or tricks against which we must guard in Ephesians 6:11-18. Whatever weaknesses we have, he exploits them. Yet, we always have a choice to be informed concerning his ways, using God’s wisdom imparted to us so we resist the Devil’s will (see 2 Timothy 2:24-26). Remember, Satan does not take over someone without their consent.

John 12:3-6 suggests Judas Iscariot made himself vulnerable to satanic influence via one specific sin or wicked inclination: “Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.”

Material wealth was Judas Iscariot’s idol….

ARCHIVED: “Should Christians observe All Souls’ Day?”

The Man from Kerioth #1

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

“…Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him” (Matthew 10:4 KJV).

After Satan and the Antichrist, he is probably the most despised Bible character. Meet Judas Iscariot!

His name is entered into the Bible record for the first time in today’s Scripture, and, observe how he always appears last in the listings of the 12 Apostles (today’s Scripture; Mark 3:19; Luke 6:16). Carefully note that he is not to be confused with the other Apostle Judas—the latter also known as “Judas not Iscariot” (John 14:22) and “Judas the brother of James” (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13).

The Holy Spirit designates him as a “traitor” 12 times (today’s Scripture; Matthew 26:25; Matthew 27:3; Mark 3:19; Mark 14:10; Luke 6:16; Luke 22:48; John 6:71; John 12:4; John 13:2; John 18:2,5). From the Book of John alone, we gather that Judas Iscariot’s father was called “Simon” (John 6:71; John 12:4; John 13:2,26). His surname, “Iscariot,” is derived from two Hebrew words—“ish” (“man”) and “Kerioth” (a town in Judah, southern Israel). Unlike the rest of the Apostles, who were from Galilee (northern Israel; see Acts 1:11), Judas Iscariot was from down south.

Three passages about him are of primary interest to us here. Firstly, John 6:70,71: “Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.” Secondly, Luke 22:3 says, “Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.” Finally, John chapter 13 reports: “[21] When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me…. [26] Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. [27] And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.”

What could have happened to Judas Iscariot to lead him to this abysmal outcome? Let us search the Scriptures….

ARCHIVED: “Should Christians observe All Saints’ Day?”

Arrayed in Hypocrisy

Monday, October 31, 2022

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:27,28 KJV).

“Looks can be deceiving” is not only true during Halloweentime, but confirmed year-round within Christendom.

Today is Halloween, when children dress up and feign themselves to be creatures they are not. Likewise, many church leaders today wear “Christian” garbs, but their ministries do not bring the Lord Jesus Christ glory and honor. They promote their denomination, and seek to perpetuate it, rather than serve and exalt the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. The Bible manifests these who appear to be good, as “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”

In today’s Scripture, Jesus Christ exposed Israel’s corrupt religious leaders who misled the nation in His day. In His Parable of the Tares, Matthew 13:24-30,37-43, Christ explained how just as He had sown good seed (wheat, believing Jews) in Israel, Satan had also sown tares/weeds (unbelieving Jews). Tares resemble wheat; unbelieving Jews resemble believing Jews. The unbelieving Pharisees and scribes, for instance, looked like God’s people (believing Israel). Judas Iscariot was another example of Satan’s tares—the apostles never realized who Judas really was until it was too late!

But Satan’s counterfeit believers are not confined to Israel’s program. Today, within local assemblies of the Body of Christ, there are people feigning themselves to be Christians: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

Beloved, beware of the church leaders who are arrayed in hypocrisy, “and avoid them” (Romans 16:17b). If their teaching does not agree with the rightly divided King James Bible, you have no business as a child of God to be listening to them.

*This is excerpted from a larger Bible study with the same name. The Bible study can be read here or watched here.

You may also see our special study, “Should Christians celebrate Halloween?” In addition, “What does the Bible say about ghosts?”

Tornado Day

Saturday, October 29, 2022 🌪️

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 KJV).

Exactly 20 years ago today, I awoke to some startling news….

I had been a high school student for two months. One particular morning, Mom woke me up early to inform me I would not be going to school that day. She had learned from a local television news broadcast that a tornado had just touched down at my school’s campus and caused significant damage. Heavy cinderblock walls had been toppled into some classrooms. The walls and roof of the gymnasium had collapsed and the multipurpose room—another enormous structure—had also fallen inward. If that tornado had come just a few hours later, students (including me) and teachers would have been there to be seriously injured or killed!

Out of school for almost two weeks, all 400 of us finally relocated to a nearby abandoned school campus. This small place had been renovated especially for us. To make up for lost time, we even had some Saturday classes. Being in that new, cramped environment was definitely stressful for all of us. We were not able to return to our old school until the next school year some 10 months later. “Tornado Day” and its ensuing trials seem only like yesterday, so it is hard to fathom 20 years have passed!

Dear saints, the above account illustrates how quickly life can change because of this sin-cursed world (also see Luke 12:16-21 and James 4:13-15). Natural disasters, illnesses, financial losses, broken relationships, and even physical death will come our way if the Lord tarries. We are “creatures of habit,” meaning we grow extremely accustomed to our surroundings and are greatly displeased when adjustments must be made. Though tomorrow’s challenges are uncertain, we can join our Apostle Paul in today’s Scripture: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” In fact, he was writing as a prisoner (see the “bonds” [chains, shackles] of chapter 1, verses 7,13,14,16). When a “Tornado Day” comes our way, remember that it is our opportunity to let Jesus Christ live His life in and through us. Even if we lose our physical life during those conditions, we have still gained Heaven! 🙂

God’s Battle #10

Thursday, October 27, 2022

“And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15 KJV).

Indeed, “for the battle is not yours, but God’s!”

Christendom’s plenteous and hopeless confusion amongst innumerable so-called “Bible groups” can easily cause us to assume the Holy Scriptures are totally irrelevant, a Book of fairytales and superstitions, a complete waste of time. (After all, countless souls have already been disenchanted in “church” to the point of resenting, forsaking, and opposing any and every notion of “Jesus,” “God,” “Christianity,” “Bible,” and the like.)

Dear friends, we must take our eyes off our fellow man—and instead look at literal, historical, rightly-divided verses—if we hope to ever see and rejoice in any Bible truth. It is not God’s fault if He has given willfully ignorant souls over to the darkness they preferred (Romans 1:18-32; 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12). Remember, we must be sincere seekers of the truth, or we will wind up with the same spiritual blindness and displeasure unspeakable! When we think about the Bible laid out on a timeline—“time past,” “but now,” and “the ages to come” (see Ephesians 2:7,11-13)—we can appreciate how the past and the future are mirror images of each other. Whoever wrote the Book of Genesis knew what the Book of Revelation would say.

As we consider the decades of fruitless summits, treaties, and speeches regarding peace in the Middle East (or any other part of our Earth), let us remember sinful man will solve absolutely nothing. We live in “this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4; cf. Matthew 4:8-10; Luke 4:5-8), and it will remain that way until the Lord Jesus Christ comes back literally, physically, and visibly to fight and guarantee righteousness in the Earth. “Let them [Israel’s enemies] be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth [Millennial Reign of Christ!]” (Psalm 83:17,18). Only then will it be proclaimed, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). It is His battle!

God’s Battle #9

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

“And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15 KJV).

Indeed, “for the battle is not yours, but God’s!”

Remember, Zechariah 14:1-4 is Christ’s future return in power and great glory. Keep reading: “[12] And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. [13] And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour. [14] And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.” (See Christ’s earthly kingdom founded in verse 9.)

Again, verses 13 and 14 remind us of the war of today’s Scripture. Whether history or prophecy, Israel’s enemies destroy each other, leaving their material riches behind for the Jewish people to enjoy (re-read 2 Chronicles 20:23,25). Furthermore, how interesting it is that the Gentile armies who sought to besiege Jerusalem during Jehoshaphat’s lifetime match those Gentile nations united with the Antichrist against Jerusalem and Israel in the ages to come. Compare Psalm 83:1-8 with 2 Chronicles 20:1,22,23—noting especially the Moabites and Ammonites.

In both past and future, Gentiles want the Promised Land that God gave Israel forever (see 2 Chronicles 20:7,10,11), and are determined to annihilate the Jewish people to achieve that end (Psalm 83:4,5). Read Psalm 83:9-18, believing Israel praying for Christ’s Second Coming to deliver them as He did with Deborah, Gideon, David, Jehoshaphat, and so on. The prosperity, fear, and peace of Jehoshaphat’s reign that followed the war of today’s Scripture (see verses 25-30) foreshadow Christ’s Millennial Kingdom (Isaiah 61:6; Zechariah 9:10; Zechariah 14:11).

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

God’s Battle #8

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

“And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15 KJV).

Indeed, “for the battle is not yours, but God’s!”

Zechariah 12:4-9 looks toward Jesus Christ’s Second Coming to defend Jerusalem: “[4] In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. [5] And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God.

“[6] In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. [7] The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. [8] In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. [9] And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.”

We should bear in mind how this closely resembles the context of today’s Scripture. As in the days of Jehoshaphat more than 2,700 years ago, so antagonistic Gentile armies have gathered to attack Jerusalem (yet future from us). Like long ago, the LORD ultimately controls the situation: He gives opportunity for Satanically-inspired men to oppose Him, but He causes them to turn on and destroy each other, sparing Israel and Jerusalem to enter His earthly kingdom….