Category: Second Coming of Christ

No Shepherd for Israel! #8

Friday, July 19, 2024

“Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace” (2 Chronicles 18:16 KJV).

Why does Israel have no shepherd?

At His Second Coming, the LORD Jesus Christ will destroy the corrupt pastors/shepherds of Israel (the Antichrist and all his predecessors) and replace them with His 12 Apostles in preparation for the Millennial Kingdom.

Jeremiah 23:1-4: “[1] Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. [2] Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. [3] And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. [4] And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.” Pay close attention to verse 4, which now leads us to the 12 Apostles and the close of John’s Gospel Record.

See the “lambs” and “sheep” of John 21:15-17: “[15] So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. [16] He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. [17] He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

No Shepherd for Israel! #7

Thursday, July 18, 2024

“Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace” (2 Chronicles 18:16 KJV).

Why does Israel have no shepherd?

Through the centuries, most of Israel’s spiritual “leaders” were that in name only: they were not guiding the nation into the words and ways of JEHOVAH God. Yet, the LORD would not leave His people in the hands of satanic religious leaders forever. Read Isaiah’s prophecy in chapter 40, verses 9-11: “O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.”

Messiah Jesus, who is the JEHOVAH God of Isaiah, offered to be Israel’s Shepherd during His earthly ministry of Matthew through John. See John chapter 10, verses 12-16: “But he that is an hireling [false teachers leading Israel], and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf [more false teachers] coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”

With Israel rejecting and killing Jesus in unbelief, now the Antichrist can enter to further destroy the nation, therefore necessitating Jesus come back in power and great glory so as to reign as Israel’s Shepherd….

No Shepherd for Israel! #6

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

“Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace” (2 Chronicles 18:16 KJV).

Why does Israel have no shepherd?

Moving up through Israel’s history, the nation’s religious leaders habitually filled its people with centuries of worthless religious tradition. Whether apostate Levites (the priestly tribe, who should have been teaching and copying Scripture), or false prophets (whose empty words distracted them from God’s pure words), or formalistic Pharisees (who were obsessed with works-religion and self-righteousness), or aristocratic Sadducees (who wallowed in skepticism, doubting the supernatural), all were shepherds who had failed miserably to communicate spiritual knowledge, spiritual wisdom, and spiritual understanding to their people. We also recognize the negligence of many of Israel’s kings (north) and Judah’s kings (south), who themselves were quite busy in being poor spiritual examples.

As touching King Ahab, whose evils his heathen wife Jezebel had inspired (1 Kings 16:29-34; 1 Kings 21:25,26), the LORD would (and did) eliminate him from the throne because his idolatry contributed to Israel’s Assyrian Captivity (part of the curses of the violated Law of Moses). Ahab was no true spiritual shepherd, but, now, he would be gone physically too (see today’s Scripture). He is a preview or type of the Antichrist, who will be the final satanic spiritual-political leader of Israel.

The Antichrist is known as “a foolish shepherd” and “the idol shepherd:” “And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened” (Zechariah 11:15-17).

When Christ returns and destroys the Antichrist, Israel will again be without a shepherd….

Tokens #8

Saturday, June 22, 2024

“And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:…” (Genesis 9:12 KJV).

What are “tokens” in Scripture?

As touching suffering in this the Dispensation of the Grace of God, two “tokens” passages are found. Firstly, Philippians chapter 1: “[28] And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. [29] For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; [30] Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.” The “token” (or “evident token,” as in a sign or evidence) of their looming eternal damnation to Hell and the Lake of Fire (“perdition”) is these “adversaries” are persecuting God’s people. Yet, the “token” (or “evident token,” as in a sign or evidence) of their imminent eternal deliverance into Heaven (“salvation”) is how these believers suffer for Christ’s sake—that is, they are His people living in a hostile (unbelieving) world.

Secondly, there is the “token” (or “manifest token,” as in a sign or proof) in 2 Thessalonians chapter 1: “[4] So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: [5] Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: [6] Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; [7] And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, [8] In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: [9] Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;….” God will be fair in bringing saints to Heaven (in spite of their earthly troubles), and punishing the lost who abused them during their earthly troubles.

There is more to say about “tokens” in Scripture….

Tokens #6

Thursday, June 20, 2024

“And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:…” (Genesis 9:12 KJV).

What are “tokens” in Scripture?

Observe how the following “tokens” in the Bible are prophetic in nature (linking to Christ’s Second Coming and subsequent Kingdom Reign). When engaged in a philosophical discussion with his judgmental “friends,” Job states, “Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens, That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath” (Job 21:29,30). These “tokens” are signs, reports, or indications that travelers can provide: wherever they go and wherever they are from, they can testify firsthand how the wicked often do go unpunished in this life, but certainly face punishment in the next! This foresees Christ’s return in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9.

In Psalm 65:8, King David writes of the LORD: “They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.” These “tokens” are signs or indications of God’s power as Creator, having control over the weather—especially the extraordinary atmospheric conditions that will lead up to Christ’s glorious return. Additionally, David prays the following in Psalm 86:17: “Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.” This is believing Israel, the Little Flock of Luke 12:32, asking for the Lord Jesus Christ to come back and deliver them, giving a “token” or sign that He cares for Israel and will indeed save them from their opponents.

Psalm 135:9 looks back to the LORD’S judgments meted out on the Egyptians in the Book of Exodus: “Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants.” This psalm recalls the “tokens” or signs or evidences of JEHOVAH God’s superiority to Egypt’s idols. It also anticipates how that same LORD God will be faithful in bringing Israel into kingdom glory when Christ returns!

Amazingly, we have not yet seen all the “tokens” of the Bible….

Paul and The Pause of Prophecy #12

Thursday, June 13, 2024

“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him” (Acts 13:9 KJV).

How is the Apostle Paul connected to the pause of prophecy?

Someone will surely inquire, “Where is Jesus? Is He coming back or not? When? Does not God care about justice? Why are crime and evil still unpunished?” The Bible already answered these questions centuries ago—but gross ignorance prevails because people spend more time studying theology, denominational commentaries, and other distractions than actually reading pages of rightly divided Scripture. It is not God’s fault!

The pause in prophecy and the commencement of mystery allowed the resurrected, ascended, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ to come back to save His chief enemy in the Earth. This is the salvation of Saul of Tarsus and the commissioning of the Apostle Paul (Acts chapter 9), whose ministry has lasted 2,000 years. Never should we confuse “prophecy” (“[that] which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began;” Acts 3:21) with “mystery” (“[that] which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest;” Romans 16:25,26). To believe prophecy is still in effect now is to fail to “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

If God could and did save wicked Saul of Tarsus (His chief enemy!), and place him into the Church the Body of Christ, He can and still is saving sinners and putting them into the Body of Christ. This Christ-rejecting world has never deserved grace and will never deserve it—but, through Calvary, God has temporarily granted all people a chance to come by faith in Christ before His wrath does fall. Maybe, just maybe, like Saul so long ago, some of those self-righteous sinners will realize their lost estate and trust Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour too (see 1 Timothy 1:12-16). Surely, this “Gospel of the Grace of God” (Acts 20:24)—Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3,4)—is beyond human comprehension. Yet, as long as it is preached, as long as Paul’s apostleship continues, there is a pause of prophecy. In God’s own timing, He will stop mystery altogether and resume prophecy.

Paul and The Pause of Prophecy #11

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him” (Acts 13:9 KJV).

How is the Apostle Paul connected to the pause of prophecy?

Responding to the Thessalonians who were suffering great persecution for their faith, the Holy Spirit through Paul composed these words in 2 Thessalonians chapter 1: “[3] We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; [4] So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: [5] Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

“[6] Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; [7] And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, [8] In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: [9] Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; [10] When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.”

It is just, fair, or right that God “take vengeance on” or “pay back” those who harm His children, the believers in Christ. He has reserved that judgment for the final years leading up to and at Christ’s Second Coming, but those days cannot be fulfilled while He is doing something else. He is currently dispensing grace to an undeserving world… and this has been true for some 2,000 years now. However, we must remember this message of “grace and peace” is only temporary. Prophecy has been paused, not cancelled—postponed or delayed, not abolished or nullified. Mystery is for now, not forever.

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

Paul and The Pause of Prophecy #9

Monday, June 10, 2024

“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him” (Acts 13:9 KJV).

How is the Apostle Paul connected to the pause of prophecy?

Wrath delayed should never, ever be confused with wrath nonexistent (imagined) or wrath abrogated (canceled). Just because God’s current attitude toward the world is grace and peace does not mean it has always been true or will always be true. The Holy Spirit through Paul reminded self-righteous, proud, hypocritical, unsaved Jews during the Acts period of this fact.

Romans chapter 2: “[3] And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? [4] Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? [5] But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; [6] Who will render to every man according to his deeds: [7] To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: [8] But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, [9] Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;….”

Concentrate on verse 4: “…despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering….” For 2,000 years now, God has had mercy upon all—Jew and Gentile alike. Anyone and everyone can approach Him through faith alone in Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork as sufficient payment for their sins (the Gospel of Grace, or Paul’s Gospel, of 1 Corinthians 15:3,4). Yet, many still smugly clung to their self-righteousness, believing they are “decent” or “good enough” without Christ. How pitifully ignorant they are of “the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:… unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;….”

The pause will now cease….

Paul and The Pause of Prophecy #8

Sunday, June 9, 2024

“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him” (Acts 13:9 KJV).

How is the Apostle Paul connected to the pause of prophecy?

Doubtless, the religious fanatic leading the Jewish people to hate and reject the Son of God most vehemently, the man in Israel most opposed to Jesus Christ during early Acts, was Saul of Tarsus. Saul held the clothes of Stephen’s murderers (Acts 7:57-60; Acts 22:19,20)! He viciously persecuted the Messianic Church (cf. Acts 8:1-3; Acts 9:1-6,13,14; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Galatians 1:13,14,22,23; Philippians 3:6). Had Christ come back in prophecy, God’s wrath would have easily consumed him. Instead, Christ returned in Acts chapter 9 in mystery. The God of the Bible had kept a secret, and he revealed it only when He was ready. He would spare Saul of Tarsus, save his pitiful soul through Christ’s finished crosswork, and send him out as the Apostle Paul with this new Gospel of Grace.

First Timothy 1:12-16: “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.”

Instead of wrath and war (as prophecy foretold), Christ came back in Acts chapter 9 to save His chief enemy in the Earth. Saul of Tarsus was delivered because of mystery truth. As per 1 Timothy, his salvation is a “pattern” of how God deals with sinners via “grace and peace.” This is the “longsuffering… salvation… wisdom given unto Paul” to which Peter referred in 2 Peter 3:9,15,16. God’s longsuffering that saved Paul is now being extended to all sinners, including apostate Israel mocking believing Israel in 2 Peter chapters 1 and 3….

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Paul and The Pause of Prophecy #7

Saturday, June 8, 2024

“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him” (Acts 13:9 KJV).

How is the Apostle Paul connected to the pause of prophecy?

By the time he composes his epistle of 2 Peter, the Apostle Peter is near the end of his earthly life (2 Peter 1:13-15). The Holy Spirit leads him to write the following inspired commentary: “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (verse 16). Why would it be necessary to pen this statement?

Peter and the rest of the Little Flock, Israel’s believing remnant, have been accused of believing fairytales or fallacious arguments (nonsense, faulty reasoning). Just where was their Jesus? After all, it had been some 30 years since He had ascended and promised to come back in flaming fire and vengeance to punish unbelievers! Now, these very unbelievers were gloating that they had gotten away with their sins. They were even mocking or making fun of believers who were still “waiting for Christ.”

Focus on 2 Peter chapter 3, verses 3 and 4: “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” Now, verse 9: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, 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’s explanation for the prophetic delay is to appeal to Paul.

See verses 15 and 16: “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

Now, let us appeal to Paul….