Category: war and fighting

Israel, Be Still, and Know That He is God

Sunday, November 30, 2014

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is a well-known verse from the book of Psalms; we look at it briefly within its context.

“[1] God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. [2] Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; [3] Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.”

As believing Israel struggles through Daniel’s 70th week, persecution by the Antichrist and his followers, JEHOVAH is her shelter and strength. He has a watchful eye on her, to “see” her through the seven-year Tribulation!

“[4] There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. [5] God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. [6] The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. [7] The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”

Jesus Christ has now arrived on Earth, concluded those seven years, defeated Israel’s enemies in fire and wrath, redeemed and delivered His believing Jews, now become “Immanuel,” “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14; Zechariah 8:23).

“[8] Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. [9] He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. [10] Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. [11] The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”

Israel rejoices that she is free from her captives, never again to fear oppression or war. Her King is sitting on David’s throne in Zion, Jerusalem, urging her to “be still,” rest, and enjoy Him, for she is now become His vessel to reach the Gentiles!

NOTE: As I announced Friday, I have been diagnosed with double-lung pneumonia (which can be fatal). Currently, I am on medication, improving in strength and appetite, recuperating slowly with much rest. Later this week, I visit my family doctor for a follow-up exam. I will provide additional info in the near future. Thank you for your continued prayer!

Keep Yourselves in the Love of God #7

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 21 KJV).

How will today’s Scripture benefit the nation Israel in “the ages to come?”

Writing to the future seven-year Tribulation Jewish saints, the Apostle Peter exhorted: “[6] Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: [7] Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. [8] Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: [9] Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. [10] But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you” (1 Peter 5:6-10).

With almost all of mankind united with the Antichrist to “cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance” (Psalm 83:4), Israel’s believing remnant must cast all their worry upon God, for He cares for them. He loves them ever so much, even if no one else does. Jude reminds them that, as long as they keep God’s love for them foremost in their thinking, Satan cannot use their hateful enemies to intimidate them into surrendering. Their faith, their kingdom doctrine (particularly Hebrews through Revelation), will guard them against the deception engulfing the world.

Father God will make these precious Jewish saints “perfect” (spiritually mature). He will “strengthen” Israel’s believing remnant. He will “settle” these Messianic Jews. Jude 20 and 21 are the keys to Israel’s spiritual survival during Daniel’s 70th week: studying the Scriptures applicable to them (especially Hebrews through Revelation), praying according to the Holy Spirit’s revealed Word to them, constantly recalling God’s love for them, and anticipating Christ’s glorious return to usher in their “heaven-on-earth” kingdom. Just as Israel will rely on Him to see them through difficult times, may we study and believe Paul’s epistles, to rely on God in our times of sorrow. 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Does 1 Corinthians 15:11 disprove dispensational Bible study?”

Keep Yourselves in the Love of God #2

Friday, October 17, 2014

“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 21 KJV).

How will today’s Scripture benefit the nation Israel in “the ages to come?”

In the first installment of the so-called “Great Commission,” the Lord Jesus prepared His believing Jewish remnant to withstand the immense hostility that Satan and his associates would direct toward them. Matthew 10:34-36 quotes Jesus’ words to His little flock, especially His 12 apostles: “[34] Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. [35] For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. [36] And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.”

Some months later, Jesus continued that line of thinking: “[9] But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them… [12] Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death” (Mark 13:9,12). As we will see shortly, these verses are yet future, and actually coincide with today’s Scripture.

Man is naturally opposed to the plan and work of the Creator God, the Lord Jesus Christ—that is what sin is. Satan will exploit man’s natural anti-God attitude to further his policy of evil. As people today grow sick and tired of us Christians preaching the Lord Jesus Christ, it was also true in time past and it will be true in the ages to come. Jesus knew that unbelievers would eagerly rid the world of His followers—even family members would betray one another! Unsaved people would gladly turn in their Christian relatives to the authorities for punishment. It will be especially true during Daniel’s 70th week, the seven-year Tribulation….

Swords, Plowshares, and Right Division

Sunday, August 31, 2014

“And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isaiah 2:4 KJV).

Before there is world peace, there must first be world war.

Today’s Scripture is often quoted by Christians and non-Christians to advocate world peace, but they obviously overlook Joel 3:10: “Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.” Then, to make matters worse, we find today’s Scripture quoted in Micah 4:3: “And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

It is Scriptural to “beat … swords into plowshares, and … spears into pruninghooks” (Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:3). It is also Scriptural to “Beat … plowshares into swords, and … pruninghooks into spears” (Joel 3:10). Why does God’s Word teach two completely different ideas here? Dispensational Bible study is just as important to Israel as it is to us in the Dispensation of Grace! “Rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15) is necessary—to not separate (divide) these passages is to confuse them. Again, Israel must also use the Bible dispensationally.

The key to understanding these “Bible contradictions” is to realize that “beating plowshares into swords and pruninghooks into spears” belongs in one dispensation, and “beating swords into plowshares and spears into pruninghooks” belongs in another dispensation. In Israel’s program, there is a time when war and weapons are necessary, and there is a time when war has ended, peace reigns, and agricultural production increases dramatically.

When we study the contexts of these passages, we learn that Joel 3:10 applies to the wars of the seven-year Tribulation period (especially the Battle of Armageddon), and Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3 describe the subsequent Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ, when Satan is removed from Earth, and world peace from God will be in effect. What clarity!

Aerial Attack! #12

Thursday, July 17, 2014

“And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines” (2 Samuel 5:24 KJV).

Some 3,000 years ago, Israel had aerial military support, and it is only a preview of the “fighter jets” yet to come!

Jesus Christ will ultimately return to Earth in an “aerial attack” to purge it of Satan and his policy of evil (typified in today’s Scripture); He will cleanse the heavenly places of that wickedness with a similar war.

The Apostle John commented in Revelation 12:7-9: “[7] And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, [8] And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. [9] And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

At the middle of the seven-year Tribulation, Michael, the archangel (chief) of God’s angels, will lead an angelic army in outer space to purge it of Satan and his evil angelic cohorts. When Satan and his angels are cast down to Earth, we, the Church the Body of Christ, will then fill those “places” vacated in the heavens (see Ephesians 1:3,20-23; Ephesians 2:6,7). Once God casts Satan and his angels down to Earth, Christ’s Second Coming and the battle of Psalm 68 will only be 42 months away. Satan and his minions will be cast to Earth in order to be defeated at Jesus Christ’s Second Coming, and then Earth will be cleansed of Satan’s wickedness (Revelation 20:1ff.).

Redeemed Israel will accept Jesus Christ, He will resurrect her Old Testament saints, and they will all enter His earthly kingdom, to do His will in the Earth. We, the Church the Body of Christ, will reign in the heavens (outer space) for Jesus Christ’s glory! “[God’s] will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10b). 🙂

Aerial Attack! #11

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

“And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines” (2 Samuel 5:24 KJV).

Some 3,000 years ago, Israel had aerial military support, and it is only a preview of the “fighter jets” yet to come!

Remember Psalm 68 enumerates Jesus Christ’s Second Coming, to redeem Israel and restore His headship in the Earth. Notice verses 17 and 18: “[17] The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. [18] Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.”

The Apostle Paul quoted Psalm 68:18 in Ephesians 4:8. Understand that these two verses are not describing the same event, but two similar events in two separate programs.

Read Ephesians 4:7-10: “[7] But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. [8] Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. [9] (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? [10] He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)”

After Jesus Christ ascended into heaven (Acts chapter 1), He then “ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.” He began the Body of Christ with Saul of Tarsus (the Apostle Paul) in Acts chapter 9, and “gave” (notice, past tense) the members of the early Body of Christ spiritual gifts (listed in Ephesians 4:11), gifts to disseminate a body of doctrine (verses 12-16) that would form a group of mature saints (Body of Christ) who would fill up “all things” (governmental offices in heavenly places [see Colossians 1:16-20] which Satan has polluted [Ephesians 2:2; Ephesians 6:12]).

Jesus Christ will restore His headship in the heavenly places, similar to how He will reestablish His authority on Earth….

Aerial Attack! #10

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

“And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines” (2 Samuel 5:24 KJV).

Some 3,000 years ago, Israel had aerial military support, and it is only a preview of the “fighter jets” yet to come!

While we have only briefly scratched the surface, we can list some of the various weapons Jesus Christ will bring with Him at His Second Coming, as He majestically flies over the Middle East on a white horse to fight for His nation Israel (Revelation 19:11):

  • Plague and pestilence (Habakkuk 3:3-5) will afflict His enemies (those who have fought against Jerusalem), instantly consuming their flesh, eyes, and tongues (Zechariah 14:12).
  • A consuming fire will wipe out His enemies (Psalm 97:3,5; Isaiah 66:14-16), especially those who have united against Israel and assembled in her land to overrun Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:12), it will burn up Israel’s idols and all the other elements of pagan religion (Micah 1:3,4,7), and it will expose (subterranean) hell (Psalm 97:3,5; Deuteronomy 32:22) so that Christ’s enemies can be cast into it. God’s memorial against sin will be erected so that, in the Millennial Kingdom (Revelation 14:9-11), believers can view those wicked souls burning (Isaiah 66:23,24; Mark 9:43-50). Jesus Christ will control this fire with His spoken word, instructing it where to go (Revelation 19:15; cf. Amos chapters 1 and 2), eventually causing it to overtake the Antichrist himself (2 Thessalonians 2:8) and his false prophet (religious leader) and instantly whisking them away into everlasting hellfire (Revelation 19:20).
  • Lightning (Psalm 97:4), strong winds (Jeremiah 25:32), thunder (Isaiah 29:6), and storms and hailstones (Isaiah 30:30) will be useful in fighting against Satan’s angelic and human allies.
  • Tens of thousands of angelic soldiers will also accompany Jesus Christ back to Earth (Jude 14; Revelation 19:14). One angel slew 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in a single night (2 Kings 19:35; Isaiah 37:36)—just imagine an army of tens of thousands of angels!

Before we conclude this devotionals arc, we will briefly examine how we have an appointment for a similar future battle, but in the heavenly places….

Aerial Attack! #7

Saturday, July 12, 2014

“And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines” (2 Samuel 5:24 KJV).

Some 3,000 years ago, Israel had aerial military support, and it is only a preview of the “fighter jets” yet to come!

“Thou [Ariel /Jerusalem, verse 1] shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire” (Isaiah 29:6). At His Second Coming, Messiah (Jesus) will come with “flaming fire” to cleanse His land and His nation Israel of apostates/unbelievers, those who have followed Satan’s policy of evil (Psalm 97:3-5; Ezekiel 20:38; Zechariah 13:8,9; Matthew 3:7-11; Luke 3:7-9,16,17).

Through Moses, JEHOVAH prophesied in Deuteronomy 32:22: “For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.” (See also verses 35-43, which speak of God’s vengeance.) The fire that will attend Jesus Christ will burn into the Earth’s surface to expose a shaft leading into hell itself. Christ will toss His enemies, Israel’s enemies, right into hell (Revelation 14:9-11), and His people on Earth will see those carcasses/souls suffering in hell (Isaiah 66:22-24; Mark 9:42-50).

The Prophet Micah wrote: “[3] For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. [4] And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place. … [7] And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate:…” (1:3,4,7). Using this fire, Jesus Christ will purge the world of its idols.

Indeed, the fire at Christ’s Second Coming will throughly cleanse the world of everything that pollutes and opposes Israel….

Aerial Attack! #6

Friday, July 11, 2014

“And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines” (2 Samuel 5:24 KJV).

Some 3,000 years ago, Israel had aerial military support, and it is only a preview of the “fighter jets” yet to come!

The Old Testament prophets provided many glimpses of Jesus Christ’s Second Coming “in flaming fire.” It will be a most glorious event when the King of kings and Lord of lords comes to judge and pour out His wrath on wicked mankind, and to establish His eternal, earthly kingdom of righteousness:

  • “Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him” (Psalm 50:3).
  • “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God” (Psalm 68:1,2).
  • “…[A]nd the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his enemies, and his indignation toward his enemies. For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD will be many” (Isaiah 66:14b-16).
  • “God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power. Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet” (Habakkuk 3:3-5).

Hence, the Bible speaks of “the brightness of [Jesus Christ’s] coming” (2 Thessalonians 2:8). This fire will light up our planet’s atmosphere, and then it will burn down into the Earth’s surface to expose hell….

Aerial Attack! #5

Thursday, July 10, 2014

“And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines” (2 Samuel 5:24 KJV).

Some 3,000 years ago, Israel had aerial military support, and it is only a preview of the “fighter jets” yet to come!

John the Baptist (Matthew 3:7-12; Luke 3:7,16,17) and even the Apostle Paul warned of “the baptism with fire,” “the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10), when the Lord Jesus Christ would return to Earth “in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:8). Let us search the Old Testament prophets to see what the Holy Spirit had already foretold centuries earlier.

Firstly, consider the following, written 700 years before Jesus’ earthly ministry: “[27] Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:… [30] And the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones. [31] For through the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian [the Antichrist] be beaten down, which smote with a rod…. [33] For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it” (Isaiah 30:27,30,31,33).

Having been treated so shamefully at Calvary, so ridiculed and snubbed for 2,000 years, the mighty Lord Jesus Christ has returned, in undiluted wrath and righteous anger, to the planet that is rightfully His. He will take it by force from Satan, his evil world system, and all of its participants. Let us see what else the prophets have to say about this fire….