Category: prophecy

God’s “Imperceptible” Work #4

Thursday, May 12, 2022

“And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them” (Exodus 2:23-25 KJV).

Beloved, the LORD is never idle, so may we grow in His words to better see His works….

God is neither “asleep” nor “on vacation;” He is quite alive and alert. Are we? He does care, having appointed a day when He will lift the curse of sin, restore creation to its original state, punish evil, and cause righteousness to prevail in the Earth. That is Christ’s glorious Second Coming of Revelation chapter 20. However, the prophetic program to which all these events belong is momentarily suspended.

The Apostle Peter himself ultimately realized that in 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slack [lazy, inattentive] concerning his promise [coming in wrath], as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Peter learned this from the Apostle Paul (see verses 15,16); we should ascertain it too. God’s wrath is delayed because the Dispensation of Grace has interrupted prophecy, thereby allowing people to come to faith in Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork alone, before that wrath does fall. Saul of Tarsus himself experienced that truth firsthand in Acts chapter 9 (cf. 1 Timothy 1:12-17).

Why does God not hurry up and accomplish His will in the Earth by judging sin now? He is forming the Church the Body of Christ, His heavenly people. Indeed, this world is a mess (Genesis chapter 3! Romans chapter 1! Romans chapter 8!)—and it will only worsen because it is headed for the Tribulation or Daniel’s 70th Week. Israel’s national restoration is delayed, for God is doing something amongst the Gentiles through Paul’s ministry (Romans 9–11); this parallels the LORD waiting to redeem Israel from Egypt until He had wrought a work with Gentile Pharaoh (cf. Romans 9:17,18). By faith, brethren, we see the Lord administering the mystery program, knowing full well the prophetic program will resume when “grace and peace” finishes!

There is Such A Place After All

Saturday, May 7, 2022

“And I saw a great white throne…. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works…. [A]nd they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-15 KJV).

What if there really is such a place of eternal judgment? (There is!)

Our world abounds with injustice. Some 6,000 years of human history testify to that fact. The judicial system has either too many court cases to process or too few honest officials to work. It is a broken arrangement because it is “this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4). Innocent people are convicted and wrongfully penalized, but the guilty parties escape if they have enough money and know the right people. Will evildoers ever actually be punished? According to the Christian Bible, YES!

The Creator God will deal with all sins in one of two places. Firstly, of course, Calvary’s cross is where the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins. There, He satisfied a holy, righteous God whom we offended as sinners. We can believe on Christ alone, that He paid our sin debt in full by shedding His sinless blood. He can be our substitute, our “propitiation” or fully-satisfying sacrifice (Romans 3:25). Secondly, there is Hell (to be transformed into the Lake of Fire in the ages to come; see today’s Scripture). This is where the souls go who believe they can replace God’s life, His Son’s life, with their own efforts (sins). They have chosen to pay for their own sins—and that debt will take them a literal eternity to pay!

A Bible mocker once smugly asked a Christian, “What will you say if you die and find out there is no Heaven? The Christian smiled, “I will say, ‘I had a fine time getting there anyway!’” He then posed a question to the mocker: “What will you say if you die and find out there is a place such as Hell after all?”

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A Prayer According to God’s Will

Thursday, May 5, 2022

“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.

Categorized! #7

Friday, April 29, 2022

“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10 KJV).

Behold, the evil categorizer!

Addressing Israel’s believing remnant, both during the Acts period and Daniel’s 70th Week, the Apostle John communicates in 1 John chapter 2: “[1] My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: [2] And he is the propitiation [fully-satisfying payment or sacrifice] for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” We want to draw our attention to the title “advocate.” Jesus Christ is the believer’s defense attorney or intercessor, someone called alongside to help. (By the way, that Greek word is “parakletos,” rendered “Comforter” with respect to the Holy Spirit aiding the believer. See John 14:16,26; John 15:26; John 16:7.)

Though the nation Israel is sinful and has not kept the Old Covenant, that system of the Law of Moses was temporary (see Galatians 3:15-26). Once a believing remnant learns the lesson of the Law—that they would be blessed of God because of His grace instead of their goodness—they can serve as His kingdom of priests in the Earth. That was the LORD’S intention all along with the promise of the Abrahamic Covenant of Genesis 12:1-3, long before the Law of Moses was ever instituted. The New Covenant qualifies them to be heirs of the Abrahamic Covenant. When Satan interjects that Israel’s believing remnant is composed of sinners, unable to be God’s people in the Earth, Jesus Christ pronounces them innocent, for He has paid for their sins by shedding His sinless blood on Calvary’s cross! Their sin debt cancelled, Satan’s “categorizing” of them is invalid.

As members of the Church the Body of Christ, the same is true of us. “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13).

Our two latest Bible Q&As: “How does the love of Christ ‘constrain’ us?” and “Should we pray to the Holy Ghost?”

Categorized! #6

Thursday, April 28, 2022

“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10 KJV).

Behold, the evil categorizer!

Just before we the Church the Body of Christ occupy the heavenly places and subsequently reign for our Saviour’s glory (Ephesians 1:3,20-23; Ephesians 2:6,7; Colossians 1:16-20), the defiled heavenly realm must be vacated of all evil beings. Satan’s multimillions of angelic cohorts—the “spiritual wickedness in high [same in Greek as ‘heavenly’] places” (Ephesians 6:12)—must be addressed. Here is the purpose of the battle in the context of today’s Scripture.

We re-read Revelation 12:7-9: “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 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.” With Satan and his troops defeated and permanently evicted from outer space (second heaven), they are thrown down to Earth to afflict it for the last 42 months of Daniel’s 70th Week. Those last three-and-one-half years will close with Christ’s glorious return.

As we fill Heaven’s governmental offices, God’s authority in the heavenly places is restored. Israel’s believing remnant on Earth, aware of our occupation high above, prays, “Our Father which are in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9,10; Luke 11:2). To wit, as God’s kingdom has now been founded in Heaven, Israel’s Little Flock implores the Lord to return to them and also establish His earthly kingdom with them. Jesus Christ’s Second Coming to Earth is His reply.

Yet, there is a difficulty: Israel’s unresolved sin dilemma obstructs righteousness in the Earth. Let us consider one last passage to see Almighty God finally settle the sin issue for His earthly people….

Bible Q&A #945: “What are ‘bunches of camels?’”

Categorized! #5

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10 KJV).

Behold, the evil categorizer!

We return to Zechariah chapter 3: “[4] And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. [5] And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.

“[6] And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying, [7] Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by. [8] Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. [9] For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. [10] In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.”

Joshua the High Priest is given clean clothes, a type of Israel’s redemption to be God’s kingdom of priests in the ages to come. In verse 8, we see Messiah Jesus (“the BRANCH”). Of course, verse 9 hints at the New Covenant, Israel’s forgiveness, the LORD promising, “I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day” (cf. Zechariah 13:1,2—also Christ’s return; note chapter 12, verse 10, and chapter 13, verse 6).

Now, light has been shed on today’s Scripture….

Categorized! #4

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10 KJV).

Behold, the evil categorizer!

“Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?” (Isaiah 49:24). When the Devil disputed the validity of God’s promise to use defiled Israel in the ages to come, the Divine reply thundered: “[25] But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. [26] And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.” While it was unclear to Satan and Israel in Isaiah’s day precisely how the LORD would address Israel’s sin problem, we (with a completed Bible in hand) realize that was Messiah/Christ Jesus promising to fight Satan face-to-face at Calvary 700 years into the future!

Though Israel is Satan’s spiritual prisoner, under the control of sin and useless to God, Messiah will liberate them and make them His people and cause them to be righteous. “For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he” (Jeremiah 31:11). Also see verses 31-34, the promise of the New Covenant, when Christ’s shed blood is applied to Israel’s national account, rendering her forgiven and cleansed of her filthiness (cf. Hebrews chapters 8–10). This new arrangement to permanently cancel the sin debt accrued under the Old Covenant (Law of Moses), will be ratified at the Lord’s Second Coming (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 11:26,27; Hebrews 9:14-17). Here, the Holy Spirit is poured out on Israel to cause them to walk in God’s ways, to be God’s people in the Earth, free from Satan’s evil categorizing of them (Ezekiel 36:25-38)….

Categorized! #3

Monday, April 25, 2022

“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10 KJV).

Behold, the evil categorizer!

When the nation Israel entered the covenant or contract with the LORD God at Mount Sinai, they had already been notified of its severe conditions: “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel” (Exodus 19:5,6). The “if… then” requirement is noteworthy. If Israel obeyed God’s laws, then she would be His people. The converse was also true. If she disobeyed, then she would not be His people. Most foolishly, the Israelites agreed to this disastrous arrangement: “All that the LORD hath spoken we will do” (verse 8).

In Isaiah chapter 49, as Almighty God relates His wonderful promises to bless and use the nation Israel for His earthly purposes, a stern objection is raised in verse 24: “Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?” This is Satan’s boast, and its contents are extremely weighty. How can holy God use sinful Israel? What a dilemma! In the 700 years since Moses, they have defiled themselves and God’s land with false religion and devil worship! Satan brags, “They legally belong to me, God, for they have disobeyed You!”

Let us turn back to Zechariah 3:1-3, re-reading Satan’s accusation against Joshua the High Priest: “…Satan standing at his right hand to resist [oppose, contest] him…. Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.” As Israel was to be God’s kingdom of priests but corrupted herself with the evil world system, so Joshua the Jewish High Priest is dirty. Joshua symbolizes his nation, both equally unclean to serve in their God-given roles because they bear Satan’s attributes….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What is an ‘execration?’”

Categorized! #2

Sunday, April 24, 2022

“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10 KJV).

Behold, the evil categorizer!

When our English Bible names Satan as “accuser” in today’s Scripture, it supplies us with the translation of the underlying Greek word “kategoros.” Obviously, here is the origin of the English term “category.” As we categorize something, we are really judging it based on its size, shape, color, texture, and so on. That is, we have accused it of possessing or lacking certain qualities. Satan is functioning in this capacity with respect to believing Israel in today’s Scripture. Yet, before we look into the future any further, let us go back into history.

After a Jewish remnant returned to the land of Judah following the 70 years of Babylonian captivity, the Prophet Zechariah conducted his ministry. The restoration and rebuilding of Jerusalem and its Temple (Zerubbabel’s replacing Solomon’s) looks forward to Israel’s future kingdom restoration when the Lord Jesus Christ comes back to permanently deliver them from all five courses of punishment and bless them (see Leviticus 26:1-46, especially verses 40-46). In fact, the Book of Zechariah, written circa 500 B.C., has Messiah’s two comings in view (though only one coming is apparent to them at that time because God was withholding details of two advents).

One of Zechariah’s prophetic visions is recorded in chapter 3: “[1] And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. [2] And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? [3] Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.” Satan is opposing Joshua the High Priest (not to be confused with Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ successor, who lived a millennium prior!). Joshua has been categorized as dirty, unfit for his noble office….

Categorized! #1

Saturday, April 23, 2022

“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10 KJV).

Behold, the evil categorizer!

In “the ages to come,” after our (“but now”) Dispensation of Grace has terminated, today’s Scripture will be brought to pass. Let us read it in context to get the flow of meaning: “[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.

“[10] And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. [11] And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. [12] Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”

These verses provide us with several names or titles for God’s chief enemy—“the great dragon” (Greek, “drakon;” a huge, snake-like monster), “that old serpent” (a sneaky or dishonest being that has existed for a long time; Genesis 3:1 and 2 Corinthians 11:3,4), “Devil” (Greek, “diabolos,” “throw through” or divide; as in creating rifts between Creator and creation or creature and creature), and “Satan” (Hebrew, “satan,” “adversary;” as in, rival of the truth). Another designation is he is the “accuser of our brethren.” Let us study this label by searching the Scriptures….