Israel, Rise Up and Walk!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

“Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took hold of him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength” (Acts 3:6,7 KJV).

In this the Dispensation of Grace, Israel lacks her once privileged position before God. Her Temple is destroyed. Jews are scattered worldwide, absent from the land that God promised their father Abraham. Sadly, Israel is lost, far removed from JEHOVAH who dealt with her patriarchs in time past (Romans 10:1-3; Romans 11:11-32; 2 Corinthians 3:14-16). This is only temporary!

Today’s Scripture records the Apostle Peter’s first miracle—healing a lame man. In the context, Apostles Peter and John are going to the Temple to pray (verse 1). Verses 2-5 explain that a man lame from his mother’s womb is brought daily to sit at a Temple gate. As Peter and John pass, he begs them for alms (donations/money). Today’s Scripture is Peter’s reply.

The man, lame from birth, symbolizes Israel, spiritually impotent from her beginning (dead in her sins; Matthew 1:21; Matthew 18:11). By performing this miracle through Peter, the Holy Ghost is signifying to lost Israel that He can heal them spiritually like He physically restored the lame man (Acts 4:8-12)

Interestingly, the Temple gate by which the lame man sat was called “Beautiful” (Acts 3:2). He sat just outside God’s blessings (Israel’s kingdom), but he needed strength to get there. He needed God’s power to raise him up! After Peter healed him, he walked into the Temple, leaping and praising God (verses 8-10).

At His Second Coming, Jesus Christ will heal Israel of her existing lost, impotent state (Acts 3:19-21). As God gave the lame man strength to walk into the Temple, He will empower Israel to rise up in salvation (Romans 11:26-29) and literally walk into her kingdom (Isaiah 35:1-10; Ezekiel 37:1-28). In the name of Jesus Christ, Israel will be healed, delivered into her kingdom of everlasting salvation, peace, and prosperity (Jeremiah 23:5-8; Hosea 2:14-23; Luke 1:67-75; 1 Peter 2:9,10).

The Temporal Blindness of Israel

Monday, January 16, 2012

“And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a midst and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand” (Acts 13:11 KJV).

God formed Israel so He could utilize them in a kingdom to send His salvation to the Gentiles (non-Jews). When God sent Israel’s Messiah-King, Jesus, the Jews demanded His crucifixion. Even after Jesus was resurrected, they still rejected Him: Israel refused the apostles’ ministry (technically, the Holy Spirit’s ministry) in the early Acts period. Until all of Israel was saved, her kingdom could not be established, keeping the Gentiles from receiving salvation. But God had a plan to circumvent this rebellion!

Today’s Scripture is the Apostle Paul’s first recorded miracle—the physical blinding of Elymas. Why did Paul do this? According to verses 6-8, a lost Gentile, Sergius Paulus, sought to hear God’s Word from Paul, but Elymas, a Jewish sorcerer, attempted to prevent this Gentile from hearing God’s Word and trusting Christ.

Verses 9 and 10 read: “Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him [Elymas], and said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?”

Elymas symbolizes lost national Israel that prevents Gentiles from hearing God’s Word. Paul writes, “the Jews…[forbid] us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway…” (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16).

As Paul begins his apostolic journeys, God signifies, through the blinding of Elymas, that He will temporarily spiritually blind Israel and send salvation to the Gentiles through Paul’s ministry, without Israel (Romans 11:11-13). In our dispensation, Israel is “[blinded]…until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25). When our dispensation ends (the rapture), God will return to Israel (Romans 11:26-29). Just as Elymas was blinded “for a season”—not eternally—Israel is temporarily blinded. God is not finished with Israel.

Whom Doth Thou Really Follow? #3

Sunday, January 15, 2012

“Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is” (John 9:28,29 KJV).

In the context of today’s Scripture, Jesus heals a blind man. After he appears before the unbelieving Pharisees, they summon his parents to confirm his former blindness (verses 18-21). His parents fear being cast out of the synagogue, so they avoid admitting Jesus Christ healed him (verses 21-23). Contrariwise, their son boldly holds to God’s truth, refusing Israel’s vain religion. Thus, the Pharisees “reviled [insulted] him” (today’s Scripture). How we Pauline dispensationalists face the same persecution today!

Most Jews—especially Israel’s religious leaders—refused to trust in Jesus as their Messiah. Any Jew who embraced Jesus as Messiah was alienated by his friends and family, for the Jews who followed Jesus Christ went counter to Israel’s apostate religious system. The parents of the man in today’s Scripture feared losing their popularity, so they did not confess Christ. Eventually, the Pharisees cast out the man for following Jesus (verse 34).

Similarly, if you have trusted exclusively in Christ Jesus, and you are not relying on your good works for salvation, you are going contrary to the prevalent works-religion system of our day. The lost world avoids you because you are God’s child. Moreover, if you study and believe the King James Bible “rightly divided,” as 2 Timothy 2:15 teaches, you become even less popular. The denominationalists and religionists do not want you either!

We follow our Apostle Paul as he follows Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Since most of Christendom abhors dispensational Bible study, they keep their distance from us. The denominationalists and religionists treat us the same way the wicked Pharisees treated the Jewish believers—criticize and ostracize! Like the Pharisees, they reject sound Bible doctrine and keep their tradition. Moreover, the non-religious lost world rejects us too, for we trust in Jesus Christ while they trust in their worthless idols.

Let us continue following Paul as he follows Christ, even as they criticize and ostracize! 🙂

Whom Doth Thou Really Follow? #2

Saturday, January 14, 2012

“Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is” (John 9:28,29 KJV).

In Jesus’ day, many Jews claimed to follow Moses (claimed to follow JEHOVAH). Yet, when JEHOVAH came in the flesh, Jesus Christ, their hypocrisy was exposed. By rejecting Jesus Christ, they openly admitted to not following Moses—ultimately, to never having followed JEHOVAH.

Today, there are over two billion professing Christians. Are they really following Jesus Christ as they claim? According to the Bible, most are not! The Pharisees rejected Moses’ words regarding Jesus to keep their tradition. Likewise, religionists today fully ignore when Jesus claimed He spoke to Israel only in the Four Gospel Records (Matthew 10:5-7; Matthew 15:24; John 4:22; Romans 15:8). Why? That they may keep their tradition!

Christendom today pledges its allegiance, not to Bible’s authority alone, but to the Bible and church tradition. Can you just hear these “Christians in name only?” They echo the Pharisees’ religious hypocrisy (see today’s Scripture):  “The Bible says Paul is our pattern, but we prefer our religious tradition that mandates we follow Jesus’ earthly ministry! Thou art Paul’s disciple, but we are Jesus’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Jesus: as for this fellow [Paul], we know not from whence he is.” Sad!

If you want to follow Jesus Christ today, you must, must, must follow the Apostle Paul as he follows Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Paul is our apostle (Romans 11:13) and our “pattern” (1 Timothy 1:15,16). Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, wrote, “Be ye followers of me” (1 Corinthians 4:16; cf. Philippians 3:17). We do not follow Jesus Christ after His earthly ministry (2 Corinthians 5:16). Rather, we follow Jesus Christ after His heavenly ministry, as He reveals Himself in Paul’s 13 epistles, Romans through Philemon.

By not following Paul, the members of Christendom’s 38,000+ denominations are exposing their unbelief—they are not following Christ! They follow the “tradition of men,” not Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:8; cf. Mark 7:9).

So, whom doth thou really follow?

Whom Doth Thou Really Follow? #1

Friday, January 13, 2012

“Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is” (John 9:28,29 KJV).

For approximately three years Jesus Christ preached to the nation Israel. He performed miracles (raised the dead, healed the sick, cast out devils) to verify that doctrine He taught. Alas, most Jews ignored their Messiah as He clearly demonstrated the powers of the world to come (Israel’s earthly kingdom) (Hebrews 2:3-5; cf. Isaiah 35:4-10).

In the context of today’s Scripture, John chapter 9, Jesus heals a blind man (verses 1-7). From verses 8-34, Jews debate whether or not Jesus performed the miracle using God’s power. Eventually, the man Jesus healed is brought before unbelieving Pharisees. These religious leaders of Israel then attempt to discredit the miracle and intimidate him into silence.

According to today’s Scripture, they insult the man and then—swelling with religious pride—claim, “Thou art his [Jesus’] disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow [Jesus], we know not from whence he is.” What pathetic hypocrites!

Jesus declared (John 5:45,46): “Do not think that I will accuse you [unbelieving Jews] to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?” If these Pharisees really followed Moses (and thus, God), they would have followed Jesus, for Moses foretold Jesus’ coming (Deuteronomy 18:15,18; cf. Acts 3:22,23).

In John 1:45, Philip said, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” The Pharisees knew the Old Testament, yet they willingly ignored what Moses wrote of Jesus Christ (cf. John 5:39)—to retain their vain religious tradition, they pled ignorance. They claimed to be following God, yet they were not. Like today, many claim to be Christians, but just how many are really Christians?

Should We Be Loyal to a Bible Translation?

Thursday, January 12, 2012

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest” (Exodus 34:1 KJV).

No autographs (original Bible manuscripts) exist today: these documents penned by God’s holy apostles and prophets are long gone (disintegrated through continued usage, deliberately destroyed, et cetera). Our link to the God-inspired autographs is apographs (manuscript copies). The Bibles we have today are based on manuscript copies (not the originals). Does that mean we do not have God’s Word today? NOT AT ALL.

Misinformed people (misled by “educated” seminarians) profess, “I owe my loyalty to the original Bible manuscripts, not to any one particular translation.” Utterly ridiculous—they owe loyalty to a non-entity (something that does not exist!)?!?

Indeed, the autographs were important (they contained the very words of God, first transcribed by God’s holy men; 2 Timothy 3:16). The problem is—the autographs do not exist anymore. Does that mean God’s Word is lost? GOD FORBID! Before the autographs were destroyed, God had saints copy them. God’s intention was to preserve the text of the autographs, not the autographs themselves.

Today’s Scripture provides an illustration of Bible preservation through copies. Moses had spent 40 days and 40 nights on Mount Sinai, communing with the LORD and receiving His commandments (Exodus 24:18). As Moses descended the mount, carrying the two stone tablets (the Ten Commandments), he observed Israel dancing naked around a golden calf idol (Exodus 32:19-25). In anger, Moses literally broke the tablets upon which the Ten Commandments were written.

What does today’s Scripture say? God would rewrite the stone tablets. According to God, the originals that Moses broke were not important. It was their text—their “words”—that was important.

One day, God will judge us using something we can read—an English Bible (specifically, the King James Bible). We can neither access nor read the original Greek and Hebrew Bibles (autographs). While we understand the autographs’ significance, we owe our loyalty to a copy of God’s Word that we can read and hold—the (English) King James Bible.

Free Thyself from the Yoke of Bondage

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

“Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” (Acts 15:10 KJV).

The “yoke” of today’s Scripture, according to Acts 15:1-5 and Galatians 5:1-4, is the Mosaic Law (physical circumcision and Judaism). In the Old Testament, God commanded the nation Israel to keep His covenant with them and obey the Law of Moses (the “Mitzvot,” the 613 laws of Judaism). What a burden! (They failed, by the way!)

The Mosaic Law was perfect because it was God’s laws: “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Romans 7:12). If the Law is “good,” how can it be “a yoke of bondage?” Because we sinners are not good. The Law is “weak through [our] flesh” (Romans 8:3). Whether saved or lost, we cannot keep the Law in our own strength.

Throughout Romans chapter 7, Paul, even as a saved man, admits he cannot obey the Mosaic Law. Paul concludes the chapter in defeat (verse 24), “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

God’s purpose in giving Israel the Mosaic Law was to show every human was a sinner, Jew and Gentile (Romans 3:9-20). God has already proven that we cannot measure up to His standard of perfection. Consequently, our performance and our righteousness are not the issue today.

Romans 3:21,22 says, “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifest… Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon them that believe….” Through Calvary’s cross, God did away with Israel’s performance-based system, and replaced it with our grace system (Romans 6:14,15; Colossians 2:13,14). As long as we Christians are submissive to the Holy Spirit working in us, and not giving heed to our sinful Adamic nature, God will work in us to generate the righteousness that the Law demanded (Romans 8:1-15; Galatians 5:16-26).

The only way to enjoy the grace life is to cast off works-religion and legalism. Cast off the “yoke of bondage!”

Is It Wrong to Go to War?

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:… a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,8 KJV).

War is devastating. It causes great loss of life, injury, and heartache. Considering this, does God’s Word encourage war? Clearly, it does (today’s Scripture is only one example).

“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). This is conditional—some wars cannot be avoided. Why? James 4:1,2 reads: “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.” War occurs because of sin. In this sinful world, war will occur, as it has for 6,000 years.

The Bible makes many references to God’s people and war. Moses gathered 12,000 Jews “armed for war” (Numbers 31:2). Through the prophet Samuel, the LORD encouraged King Saul to attack wicked King Amalek and his people (1 Samuel 15:3). Entering into the Promised Land (Canaan) under Joshua, some 40,000 Jews “prepared for war” (Joshua 4:13). The LORD helped King David win countless military battles (see 2 Samuel chapter 8, especially verse 6).

Jesus Christ was no pacifist when He claimed, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). In fact, God is called a “man of war” (Exodus 15:3; Isaiah 42:13). Moreover, Jesus will fight and overcome Satan, the antichrist, and his armies at His Second Coming (Revelation 16:14,16; Revelation 19:11-21).

Understand that war is not necessarily evil, for Proverbs 20:18 says, “Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.” There is nothing unbiblical about defending yourself and your possessions. Countries must defend themselves against terrorism. God does not expect us to sit quietly as we are robbed of our freedom and possessions. “If it be possible… live peaceably with all men.”

The Whole Creation Groaneth and Travaileth in Pain

Monday, January 9, 2012

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:22,23 KJV).

In today’s Scripture, the Apostle Paul explains that all creation groans and travails in pain. The animal kingdom suffers sickness and death, just as we humans experience sickness and death. Saints, short of the Lord’s coming for us at the rapture, we will eventually grow sick and old, and finally die. Does God not care about us? Does God really love us? If so, why do we suffer?

Our suffering has nothing to do with un-confessed sin, meager giving, or being outside of God’s will. We suffer, not because God is angry with us, but rather because we live under the curse of sin, “the bondage of corruption” (Romans 8:21). This curse was introduced in Genesis 3:16-19, in response to Adam’s sin.

God will not remove the curse of sin from creation until Christ’s Second Coming. At that time, Christ will establish His earthly kingdom, “the times of refreshing [that will come] from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). But, as Christians, we have an advantage: we will not have to wait as long to enjoy deliverance from the curse.

Either at our death or the rapture—both will come before Christ’s Second Coming—we Christians will leave these sinful human bodies. When the rapture occurs, God will resurrect all members of the Body of Christ, giving them glorified bodies fashioned like unto Jesus Christ’s resurrected body (1 Corinthians 15:50-54; Philippians 3:20,21). In that day, we will receive the “redemption of our body” (today’s Scripture), never again to suffer this curse.

For now, we are comforted: “For the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Hang in there by God’s grace!

Cunningly Devised Fables

Sunday, January 8, 2012

“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” (2 Peter 1:16 KJV).

Satan has been working for thousands of years. Spiritual warfare between good and evil begins in the denominational leadership. Ungodly, lost church leaders with religious clout entice the masses to follow them… to hell! Jesus explained, “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Matthew 15:14).

Religious authorities concoct nonsensical stories that play on gullible people’s emotions in order to gain followers and their savings. Last May, Harold Camping was the latest “date setter” for the end of the world. For years individuals have been calculating elaborate timelines that document the end of world, only to be mocked when the dates fail to come to pass. How people ridicule God because of these fools, too! But, the “cunningly devised fables” grow more and more far-fetched.

Tales of tumors miraculously falling from infirm bodies, Mary appearing in treetops, stigmata seen on hands and feet, weeping statues, “Holy Ghost” encounters, relics, and grotto shrines are but a few of religion’s “cunningly devised fables” used to deceive sincere souls. These “doctrines of devils” distract people from the truth of God’s Word, and because these stories are so preposterous, they cause people to doubt the Bible’s testimony (1 Timothy 4:1-3; cf. Ephesians 4:14; 2 Peter 2:1-3).

Beloved, the Bible warns us about people “beguiling [tricking] us with enticing [nice-sounding] words” (Colossians 2:4). The story appears to be godly, but do not be fooled. Compare it with the Bible rightly divided.

In today’s Scripture, the Apostle Peter reassures his Jewish readers that he did not fabricate the account of Jesus Christ appearing in all His glory on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36). Unlike the “signs, miracles, and wonders” of religion, it really did happen—visibly, physically, and literally.

As long as we believe the King James Bible rightly divided, we too “have not followed cunningly devised fables.”