Category: prophecy

What is God Doing? #23

Sunday, January 27, 2019

“Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea” (Job 11:7-9 KJV).

What exactly is God doing? Can we say? Or, must we remain clueless?

Christian friend, have you ever wished the Lord Jesus Christ would hurry up and come back, and rid us of all these challenges besetting our society? Sure, we all have (and still do, oftentimes). Why has He not returned yet, even after 2,000 years of believers praying for it? Will He ever come back? When? What is taking Him so long? Has He forgotten? Is He lazy? Can He not sense the urgency? Has He turned a blind eye to the evil waxing worse and worse? Has He closed His ears to the cries of the oppressed?

God’s wrath, dear readers, would have actually been poured out on our planet 20 centuries ago. Jesus Christ should have returned long ago. Historically, it would have occurred in early Acts. The Prophet Stephen declared in Acts 7:55,56: “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” Psalm 110:1 had predicted 1,000 years earlier: “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” As soon as sitting Christ stood at His Heavenly Father’s right hand, that meant He was returning to judge His enemies in undiluted rage (cf. Acts 2:33-36; Acts 3:19-23, especially the unbelievers being “destroyed” in verse 23).

John the Baptist forewarned of “the wrath to come” (Matthew 3:7-12), so did Jesus Christ (Matthew 13:36-43), Peter (Acts chapters 2 and 3), and Stephen (Acts chapter 7). They preached that Divine punishment would transpire within the lifetime of their audiences. Yet, it never came—and, as you know, we are waiting for it still. Why? The God of the Bible is deliberately doing something different today….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Should we pray for God to ‘guide the surgeon’s hands?’”

What is God Doing? #16

Sunday, January 20, 2019

“Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea” (Job 11:7-9 KJV).

What exactly is God doing? Can we say? Or, must we remain clueless?

The God of the Bible is a strong advocate of free will. He does not have to be in control of every last detail of every single event. Since He is God, all-powerful, He has the right/power to give His creation permission to make its own choices. However, let it be clearly understood that, regardless of who does what, no matter how disruptive that “who” or “what” is, the Creator has purposed to accomplish a specific goal and it will be achieved in the end. His creatures can cooperate or oppose, but His counsel shall nonetheless stand forever!

Something just is not right in creation. Even without the Bible’s testimony, we can sense it. We expect there to be justice, and yet, where is it? We envisage prosperity, health, and happiness all around, and there abounds poverty, sickness, and misery. Life—no matter how long and glorious—still ends in death. Indeed, something is wrong… something is terribly wrong. What, oh what, is it?

Friends, terrible choices were deliberately made long ago. Though we had nothing to do with them, we must live with their consequences. Immediately, the Bible scoffer rises to make his case. “See, if God is loving, He would not allow such suffering, such injustice! He must therefore not be loving. If He can do nothing to stop the evil, then He must not be God!” Unfortunately for him, the God critic has not gathered enough evidence (though he thinks he has).

In his rash zeal to free himself from a holy, righteous God, he has overlooked the following counterargument: “Right choices were intentionally made long ago as well. Though we had nothing to do with them either, we must live with their consequences too.” Overall, there is a balance. The Creator God was not outsmarted, and He has certainly not been outdone either. Behold, what wisdom He has displayed for us all to see….

What is God Doing? #15

Saturday, January 19, 2019

“Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea” (Job 11:7-9 KJV).

What exactly is God doing? Can we say? Or, must we remain clueless?

Returning to the opening chapter of Ephesians, we recall one of the Book’s main themes: “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will” (verses 9-11).

Through the Apostle Paul’s ministry and doctrine, the God of creation has revealed His secret will. In prophecy, Israel’s prophetic program (His plan to reclaim the Earth), He had disclosed only part of His plan for creation. However, while revealing prophecy, He was withholding information—the mystery program (His plan to reclaim the heavenly places). Whatever Father God is doing, no matter where we are on the Bible timeline, there is one ultimate goal: “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.” The two realms of creation—Heaven and Earth (Genesis 1:1)—have their respective governmental offices (Colossians 1:16). Overall, universal administrative authority is to be consolidated in Jesus Christ.

Sin has complicated and delayed God’s original purpose in creation. Nevertheless, Scripture shows us a gradual unfolding of how the Creator has wisely devised, arranged, and enacted strategies to bring it about anyway. As we look at the world, we not only see the Creator God at work. We see one chief Adversary opposing it all, a spirit creature who, while wise, is not wise enough to outdo his Creator. It is the work of this evil being that we must now consider….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “How should we view dispensationalists of bygone days?”

What is God Doing? #8

Saturday, January 12, 2019

“Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea” (Job 11:7-9 KJV).

What exactly is God doing? Can we say? Or, must we remain clueless?

In Ephesians chapter 3, concluding the first half of the Book, the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul wrote: “[13] Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. [14] For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, [15] Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, [16] That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; [17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, [18] May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; [19] And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

The chapter ends with a marvelous doxology, an expression of praise to Father God: “[20] Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, [21] Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Paul cannot help but grow enthusiastic as he thinks on the wonderful doctrine he has just penned! He has uttered a prayer for mature saints, and it is no coincidence that that prayer corresponds to today’s Scripture—Job being written some 1,500 years earlier, and approximately 3,500 years from our day.

What today’s Scripture says cannot be known of God, the completed Bible canon says we can know of God. We need not wonder, groping around in sheer spiritual darkness, fumbling and stumbling, hoping to get a little nugget of truth here and see a speck of light there. Nay, we know perfectly well what God is doing….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Was Priscilla ‘lead teacher in her family?’”

NOTE: Dear Saints, the two introductory videos to our Old Testament Survey Project are now online and ready to watch! Click here. Remember to bookmark this link because this is where all our OT videos will be filed away in the coming months! Praise our Lord Jesus Christ!

What is God Doing? #7

Friday, January 11, 2019

“Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea” (Job 11:7-9 KJV).

What exactly is God doing? Can we say? Or, must we remain clueless?

The Bible opens, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Creation is divided into two realms—Heaven and Earth. From verse 2 onward until the Apostle Paul’s ministry, we read about God’s plan for the Earth. This was the situation in Job’s day. Acts chapter 3: “Jesus Christ… Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (verses 20,21). “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). Ever since God placed man on the Earth, the Bible’s focus is the Earth, an earthly kingdom, God’s earthly kingdom.

By the time we come to Paul’s ministry, we read: “Now to him [Father God] that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith” (Romans 16:25,26). Paul is preaching “Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest.”

We have now looped back to 1 Corinthians chapter 2, verses 7 and 8: “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” Not only do we understand more about prophecy than Job did, we also have insight concerning information Job knew nothing about at all….

Our first Bible Q&A of 2019: “Should we say ‘God bless you’ after someone sneezes?”

What is God Doing? #6

Thursday, January 10, 2019

“Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea” (Job 11:7-9 KJV).

What exactly is God doing? Can we say? Or, must we remain clueless?

Miserable Job wailed, “Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!” (Job 19:23,24). Little did he know that his distress, and even these very words about them, would be entered into the record of God’s eternal Word! Job was likely the first Bible Book written, as it highlights events that occurred a few decades before Israel escaped Egypt under Moses’ command. Yes, it seems this Job was the Job who was a son of Issachar (Genesis 46:13), thus making Job grandson of Jacob, great-grandson of Isaac, and great-great-grandson of Abraham.

Job did not know it, and neither did his friends “the miserable comforters,” but God allowed his unpleasant circumstances to transpire in order to hearten the Jewish saints living in the end times. The Apostle James remarks: “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy” (James 5:10,11).

First Peter 4:19 aptly summarizes both Job’s plight, suffering under Satan’s “reign,” and the end-times saints’ dilemma, anguishing under the Antichrist’s brutal rule: “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” Even in the midst of trouble, God is still hard at work, fully dependable. No matter who opposes His efforts or troubles His people, He will bring His will to pass and He will bring them through it. Right now, in spite of the world’s mess, society’s degradation, God is quite busy doing His good pleasure….

The Misunderstood Messiah #5

Sunday, December 30, 2018

“Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God” (John 8:41 KJV).

Did you ever notice the magnitude of the insult put forth toward Jesus Christ in today’s Scripture?

Once Christ replied with sound doctrine (verses 42-47), Israel’s religious leaders simply resorted to name-calling again (verse 48): “Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?” A Samaritan was half-Jew/half-Gentile, and “the Jews [had] no dealings with the Samaritans” (John 4:9). Notice Jesus was insulted twice more—they called Him a “Samaritan” and “devil possessed.” Throughout the rest of John chapter 8, Israel’s religious leaders continue arguing with Jesus and nearly stone Him to death (verse 59)!

Why did Jesus not simply “zap” these religionists and instantly throw them into hellfire? They belittled and blasphemed Him several times in this one account, and then attempted to murder Him, but rather than Jesus killing them with His spoken word (which would have been justified), He only conversed with them. Why?

Remember, when the Apostles James and John saw how the Samaritans refused to accommodate Jesus, they asked Him if He wanted them to call down fire from heaven and consume those sinners, He replied, “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them” (Luke 9:55,56). This First Coming of Christ was His “meek and lowly” coming: He did not come to judge man’s sins, but to die for them!

Even today, God is still not pouring out His wrath on wicked mankind (2 Corinthians 5:19), creatures who still snicker at Jesus Christ, deceive others in His name, persecute His saints, ignore His Word, and “rub His nose” in their sins. Lost mankind is wasting God’s grace and mercy that He is offering so freely. When His grace is finally exhausted, the undiluted wrath that has accumulated will finally be poured out (His Second Coming). May we trust Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour now so we have our sins forgiven now, lest we face that angry, righteous God in judgment (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)!

For more information, you may also see our archived Bible Q&A: “Did God ‘rape’ Mary?”

The Word Was Made Flesh

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…” (John 1:1,14 KJV).

On this Christmas Day, we reflect on the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

The candidate who could solve man’s sin problem had to meet two requirements. He had to be God, and He had to be man—a “God-Man.” It had to be God, because God’s righteousness had to be satisfied, but it also had to be man, for it was man who had sinned. God’s righteousness was offended, since “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But, it was also a man who had sinned, “As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).

Consider Philippians 2:5-8: “Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” In short, heaven’s best—Jesus Christ—came to save earth’s worst—us! In summary, Jesus Christ was born to die for us.

Brethren, the salvation that we enjoy today in Christ could not be possible without the shed blood of Christ on Calvary’s cross, and the shed blood of Christ could not be possible without the incarnation of Christ! God is a Spirit (John 4:24), and in order for Him to shed sinless blood, He had to first have blood. Thus, it behooved Jesus Christ to take upon Himself the form of a man. It was at this time of year that God the Son entered the virgin Mary’s womb, possessing a body that was conceived by the Holy Ghost.

Remember, “The Word was made flesh” (today’s Scripture) so we could have an opportunity to be “made the righteousness of God in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Merry Christmas!

*Adapted from a larger Bible study with the same name. It can be read here or watched here.

Emmanuel’s Tabernacle

Monday, December 24, 2018

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:23 KJV).

Using the Scriptures, we can date the birth of Emmanuel, Jesus Christ.

John the Baptist’s father, Zacharias, was a priest, “of the course [order] of Abia [Abijah]” (Luke 1:5). Under King David, Israel’s priests were organized into 24 courses (1 Chronicles 24:7-19). A priest from each course served a week in the Temple ministration (and thus served one week twice a year). Israel’s calendar began with Abib/Nisan, equivalent to March 16-April 15 (Exodus 12:1,2; Exodus 13:4). Passover was observed on April 14, starting Israel’s religious calendar.

Passover week (The Feast of Unleavened Bread) lasted from April 15-21. The first course of priests served in the Temple around this time. Zacharias’ course, Abijah, was the eighth course after Passover (1 Chronicles 24:10), thus placing Zacharias’ service roughly eight weeks after Passover (or June 17-23). This was the time when the angel appeared to Zacharias to announce John’s conception (Luke 1:8-22). Once Zacharias and his wife Elisabeth leave the Temple and go home, Elisabeth conceives John (late June; Luke 1:23-25).

Six months after Elisabeth conceived John in late June (Luke 1:26), Mary conceived Jesus—in late December. Contrary to religious tradition, the birthday of Christ is not December 25. Late December is the time of Christ’s conception. The conception of Christ in Mary’s womb, not Mary’s conception in her mother’s womb, is the biblical immaculate conception: it was Christ’s conception, not Mary’s, that was sinless (Luke 1:35).

If a perfect human gestation lasts 280 days (9 months), late September/early October is the time of Christ’s birth. During this time of year, recall that God had Israel observing the Feast of Tabernacles, when Jews would dwell in “booths” (tents, tabernacles) for seven days (Leviticus 23:39-44).

While Israel was observing Tabernacles in September/October, God was born as a man (Jesus Christ) of the virgin Mary, and dwelt (“tabernacled”) with them! Sadly, very few Jews paid any attention to Jesus, “Emmanuel,” “God with us” (today’s Scripture). The rest of Israel ignored “God dwelling among them” (John 1:14).

For more information, see our archived Bible Q&A: “Was Jesus born on the 25th of December?”

You may also see our other archived study: “Why do people use ‘Xmas’ instead of ‘Christmas?’”

The Prince of Peace, Born in the Middle East

Saturday, December 22, 2018

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6 KJV).

Ironically, God’s wisdom ordained the birthplace of the Prince of Peace to be the contentious Middle East….

Almost from the very beginning of time, the Middle East has been a battleground, the chief war zone of good and evil. Originally the peaceful home of Adam and Eve, today it is the most contentious region on the globe. Because of Adam’s sin, what was a paradise is now known as the area where man joined Satan in his rebellion against God. Adam and Eve utterly failed to reign over the earth for God’s glory (Genesis 1:26-28). Instead they united with the opposition, and were banished from God’s presence and the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:23,24).

“Wherefore, as by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin” (Romans 5:12). Verse 14 says that Adam “is the figure of him that was to come.” God would send another Man, Jesus Christ, and He would accomplish what Adam failed to do: glorify God on the earth by dispossessing it from Satan, and reigning in righteousness. This is the “government” spoken of in today’s Scripture.

“For if by one man’s [Adam’s] offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (verse 17). Adam plunged the human race into sin and made it God’s enemy; Jesus Christ offers mankind eternal life, forgiveness of sins and a reconciled relationship with God! This was God’s goal in sending Jesus Christ.

As our world desperately continues to seek peace, let us remember there will be no peace on earth until the Prince of Peace returns to His nation, Israel, and rids our planet of Satan and his policy of evil (the root of the Middle Eastern turmoil). At Christ’s Second Coming, there will be peace on earth (Luke 2:14), and especially in the Middle East.