Last updated on 1/27/2024
In 2009, an American businessman was sentenced to 150 years in prison. His wealth management company was found to have defrauded thousands of people out of billions of dollars. People trusted that the man with whom they'd invested their hard-earned money would act in their best interests, but that trust was betrayed.
Trust is essential in day-to-day life. We trust that the package we send will arrive at its destination at the appointed time. We trust that a company will fix a defective product, or that money will be available from a bank when a withdrawal is made. Without this trust, life as we know it simply wouldn't work.
But there's a bigger question: Can God be trusted? And can the Bible be trusted?
If a person has no firsthand knowledge of God, how can God earn that person's trust? To push back against the arguments of those who challenge the Bible as unreliable and false, God must demonstrate that the Bible is worthy of complete confidence by showing that it is historically true and accurate. And in the Bible, God does that very thing!
Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is not other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done.
By showing that He has the ability to predict future events before they happen, God shows that He can be trusted.
Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him.
The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him. As he lay awake at night, he knew he had dreamed something of great importance, but he couldn't remember the details of the dream and didn't know what it meant.
The Chaldeans answered the king, and said, "There is a not a man on earth who can tell the king's matter."
For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to all destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
This death sentence had serious implications for Daniel and his friends: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (also known as Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah). Although they were faithful followers of God, they were included in Nebuchadnezzar's inner circle of wise men. The death sentence given to the wise men meant that Daniel and his friends would also die.
Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret.
Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision.
Having been given permission by the king to take time to consider the king's dream, Daniel and his friends prayed that God would reveal the dream to them. And God did! Remember: God answers prayer!
You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image!
Unsurprisingly, Nebuchadnezzar - an idol worshipper - dreamed of a large image made of various metals.
This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.
You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces ... And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
Daniel told the king that a supernatural rock would hit the image - not on its golden head, but on its feet of iron and clay. This rock would then take the place of the image and fill the earth with its presence and power.
You are this head of gold.
The thought of Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom of Babylon ever being overthrown seemed out of the question. Such was its wealth that the prophet Isaiah had previously described Babylon as "the golden city." (Isaiah 14:4) The city walls were almost 200 feet (60 meters) high, and wide enough for two chariots. The gates of the city were made from solid brass, and within the city there seemed to be limitless resources. The Euphrates River flowed through the city of Babylon, adding to its strength.
| Portion of Image | Kingdom | Time Period |
|---|---|---|
| HEAD OF GOLD | BABYLON | 605-539 BC |
| CHEST OF SILVER | MEDO-PERSIA | 539-331 BC |
| THIGHS OF BRONZE | GREECE | 331-168 BC |
| LEGS OF IRON | ROME | 168 BC - AD 476 |
| FEET OF IRON AND CLAY | DIVIDED NATIONS | AD 476 - 2ND ADVENT |
But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours.
Remarkably, Daniel predicted that mighty Babylon would be overthrown - by an inferior kingdom! In Isaiah 13:19, 20, God had said Babylon would be overthrown, and that it would never again be inhabited.
Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom ruled the world from 605 to 539 BC. It was the combined force of the Medes and Persians - the kingdom represented by the chest and arms of silver - that overthrew Babylon in the most amazing circumstances. (Read about the fall of Babylon in Daniel chapter 5.) More than 150 years prior to the fall of Babylon, the prophet Isaiah predicted that a man named Cyrus would overthrow the city. (Isaiah 45:1, 2) And what God predicted years before happened exactly as He said it would!
A third kingdom of bronze which shall rule over all the earth.
Alexander the Great led the Greeks - known for their bronze armor - to victory over the Medes and Persians in the Battle of Arbela in 331 BC. The Jewish historian Josephus documented how Alexander the Great knew his destiny as a result of being shown the prophecies of Daniel. (Josephus, Antiquities, p. 244)
And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron.
The iron monarchy of Rome conquered the Greeks in 168 BC. The Romans ruled during the time of Jesus, and this great superpower was dominant for more than 600 years. The long legs of time resulted in much persecution of God's people.
Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided ... so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.
Instead of being conquered by another world-ruling empire, Rome would be divided into numerous kingdoms symbolized by the toes on the image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. By AD 476, barbarian tribes had conquered Rome, and 10 of these tribes developed into what eventually became modern Europe.
As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.
| TRIBE | MODERN NATION |
|---|---|
| ANGLO-SAXONS | ENGLAND |
| ALAMANNI | GERMANY |
| BURFUNDIANS | SWITZERLAND |
| FRANKS | FRANCE |
| LOMBARDS | ITALY |
| SUEVI | PORTUGAL |
| VISIGOTHS | SPAIN |
The Heruli, Vandals and Ostrogoths were wiped out and do not exist today
In spite of multiple attempts by many different leaders, the Roman Empire has never been re-formed and never will be - just as the Bible predicted.
Charlemagne, Napoleon, Kaiser Wilhelm II and Hitler all attempted to unite Europe, but all failed to do so. Even the European Union (EU) cannot succeed in reuniting Europe. During World War II, certain British preachers drew large crowds by claiming the Bible taught that Hitler could not possibly be successful in bringing Europe under one banner. Relying on the prophecy of Daniel 2, the preachers were 100 percent right!
And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.
Daniel spoke of a "stone ... cut out without hands" that struck and destroyed the image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, and grew until it became a great kingdom that would fill "the whole earth." (Daniel 2:34, 35)
The stone that struck and destroyed the image represents Jesus, who will ultimately sweep away the kingdoms of the earth at His return. A stone or rock is a symbol often used in association with Jesus. (Psalm 89:26, Matthew 16:18)
Jesus was represented by the smitten rock from which flowed water for all of Israel, the rock in which Moses hid himself, and the rock upon which the wise man built his house. (Exodus 17:6, Exodus 33:22 and Matthew 7:24) In addition, 1 Corinthians 10:4 says, "For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ."
The Bible predicts that it will be Jesus - not China, the United States or Israel - who will set up His kingdom and ultimately rule the world. There will be a fifth world empire - an empire ruled by the King of kings, whose kingdom of peace will last forever!
It shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms.
The stone strikes the statue at its feet, indicating that Jesus will come during the time of the divided nations. The kingdoms of this world will be destroyed. Just as all the previous aspects of the prophecy have been perfectly fulfilled, so it will be that Jesus will soon return and establish His eternal kingdom.
Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets.
When Nebuchadnezzar saw that Daniel's God could remember the forgotten, foretell the future, and overrule any earthly kingdom, he knew that this was the true God. This was a God who not only created secrets, but revealed them!
Three points to remember:
The Bible demonstrates that God can be trusted. Are you willing to tell God you trust Him, and that you would like to know more about Him and His plan for your life?
How was the Bible given by God to the human family?
Early on the morning of December 7, 1941, two United States servicemen reported for duty at a mobile radar unit on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. They were to scan the skies for anything that seemed to be out of the ordinary. At 7:02 a.m., the radar screen revealed that a squadron of at least 50 planes was heading toward Oahu.
Sharing their concern with their superiors, they were assured they had no reason to worry. But less than an hour later, bombs were falling on Pearl Harbor, and more than 2,400 military personnel were dead - 1,177 of whom died when the battleship USS Arizona sank.
For 51 minutes before the attack commenced, there was clear evidence that an attack was about to take place. Yet that clear evidence was missed - or ignored - and disaster was the result.
The Bible contains clear evidence that the end of the world is near and that Jesus is soon to return. These unmistakable signs are signs you do not want to miss!
Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?
The disciples correctly saw the Second Coming of Jesus and the end of the world (or age) as virtually the same event. They asked Jesus to tell them about the signs - or signals - that would indicate when this event would be near.
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
Jesus said that no one knows the date of His return except for God. Predicting dates not only results in disappointment and discouragement, but it also encourages people to disbelieve and ridicule the Bible.
Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near - at the doors!
Although Jesus warned us against setting dates for His return, He did tell us to investigate Bible prophecies and world events in order to see when His coming is near. Just as there were many prophecies regarding the First Coming of Jesus, there are also clear prophecies relating to His return.
All these are the beginning of sorrows.
After outlining a number of prophetic signs, Jesus called them the "beginning of sorrows." The word "sorrows" comes from the Greek word odin, which literally means "birth pains." Jesus used the illustration of childbirth as an example to describe the signs of His return.
Just as birth contractions increase in frequency and intensity as a mother gets closer to the birth of her child, so the signs of Christ's return become more frequent and intense as we near the end of time.
A. War.
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars ... For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
Jesus pointed to international warfare as one of the signs of earth's last days. In the 20th century, there were two global wars, with multiple other conflicts claiming millions of lives. War and terrorism continue to destabilize planet Earth and cause massive destruction and death.
Recent major wars include:
B. Earthquakes, famines and diseases.
And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
Each year, there are approximately 500,000 detectable earthquakes, and several of these cause enormous damage and claim many lives. As populations increase, the potential for massive loss of life increases.
An increase in earthquakes (and at times, related tsunamis) is another sign that Jesus is coming back soon.
Additionally, 1 billion people do not get enough food daily, and 500 million are chronically malnourished. It is said that population increase and a lack of fresh water will cause immense problems in the world in the near future.
Pestilence - or disease - is also a sign of the end. A growing number of unusual diseases are threatening an increasing number of people around the world.
C. Increased knowledge and technology.
But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.
While Daniel was likely also referring to an increase in spiritual knowledge in earth's last days, the dramatic increase in secular knowledge and technology is also a sign that we are in earth's final days.
Recent technological changes have been so rapid that we have become accustomed to innovation and advancement. Several decades ago, there was no Internet! The pace of technological change in recent years has been staggering.
D. Moral collapse.
But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Jesus said that, just before He returns, the earth will be in the same moral state as it was before the Flood in Noah's day. Social conditions in modern society indicate we are nearing the time of the return of Jesus. Immorality and violence continue to spiral out of control.
E. Breakdown in relationships.
And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
Marriages today are falling apart at a dramatic rate. The breakdown of the family is a key sign of the last days.
F. People will ridicule the message of the Second Coming.
Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming?"
Although Jesus promised us He would return (John 14:1-3), many people do not take the Second Coming of Christ seriously. Organized atheism and opposition to established Christian beliefs - including the prevalence of evolutionary theory - suggest we are living in earth's last days.
G. Deception through false miracles, false prophets and false christs.
For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Four times in Matthew 24, Jesus warns against religious deception. The Apostle John also wrote regarding false religion: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1)
The Bible gives us a means by which we can evaluate the validity of a message or messenger: "To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isaiah 8:20) In a world rife with religious confusion, the standard of truth is the Word of God.
H. Rampant spiritualism.
He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do.
For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Evil spirits will deceive people through signs and wonders. Spiritualism - mediums, witches and communication with the dead - is now viewed as mainstream.
I. Decline of genuine faith in God.
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves ... having a form of godliness but denying its power.
Paul predicted that in earth's last days, much of what passes for faith in God will be faith in name only. A "form" of godliness will often not be accompanied by real spiritual power.
J. The gospel preached all over the world.
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
A hopeful sign of Jesus' return is that the gospel (the "good news" of salvation through Jesus) will be proclaimed around the world. This hopeful prophecy is in the process of being fulfilled!
Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Even though we don't know exactly when Jesus will return, Jesus urged us to live in a state of constant readiness, in order to be prepared for the day He comes back to the earth.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
First, listen constantly to hear Jesus knocking at the door of your heart, asking if He can enter your life. Second, open the door and ask Jesus to come in. Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Savior and asked Him to become an important part of your life?
Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.
While the signs of the times reveal that the return of Jesus is near, it is important to recognize that an understanding of the nearness of Jesus' coming is of little use without a personal readiness for His coming! Along with "watching," Jesus urged us to "pray" - to have our hearts open to God and to communicate frequently with Him.
Personal spiritual growth should be the aim of every believer in Jesus. A vibrant devotional life - including daily prayer and Bible reading, and sharing one's faith with others - is vital for those who desire to honor God and intend to live forever!
Three points to remember:
Is it your desire to prepare now to be ready for the Second Coming of Jesus? Will you ask Jesus now to be your personal Savior and trust Him to guide and direct your life?
In August 1998, a bombing at the United States Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, left more than 200 people dead and 4,000 injured. A couple - on vacation in Africa at the time - arrived at the scene of the bombing. Amid the carnage, they noticed a car that had been destroyed in the explosions. The occupants of the car had been killed, and on the windshield of the car was a sticker that read, "God is love."
The question is often asked, "Why does God allow sin, pain and suffering?" The Bible has the answer, and it reveals that God truly is love!
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
The Bible story begins by introducing God with the words: "In the beginning God ... " (Genesis 1:1) He is the One who creates out of nothing and sustains all life.
God is not merely loving. He "is love." God is "merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth." (Exodus 34:6)
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil.
God's love for the human family is unconditional. "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) God's love "does not seek its own." His love is selfless, and is freely offered to every member of the human family.
And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
The whole world is in distress, wracked by war, natural disasters, illness, disease and social problems of the most serious kind. According to the United States Bureau of Justice, more than 15,000 people are murdered every year, including more than 500 children.
Evil and pain are real. This is a hurting world.
"Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?" He said to them, "An enemy has done this."
Jesus told a parable that depicted a farmer sowing wheat in the field. As the wheat grew, weeds appeared - growing in the midst of the wheat. When asked who was responsible for evil, Jesus blamed the "enemy," which is the devil. (Matthew 13:39)
God often gets blamed for the evil in the world - evil that is, in fact, the work of a fallen angel named Satan, the enemy of love and peace.
Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.
Knowing he has so little time left before the end of the world, Satan is now working with increased fury and intensity in an effort to cause maximum distress to the world, and maximum pain to the heart of God.
And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
In Bible prophecy, a woman is used to symbolically represent a church. Satan is targeting the church - God's people - in earth's last days as the special focus of his hate and wrath.
You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.
God didn't create a devil. He created a perfect and beautiful angel named Lucifer (which means "Light Bearer"). But Lucifer chose to rebel against God. It was Lucifer's own choices that alienated him from the heart of God.
choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.
God extended to His created beings the special gift of freedom of choice. People are free to choose to serve God, and free to choose not to serve Him. Angels were given this same capacity. The decision to sin was a choice on the part of Lucifer, as well as on the part of Adam and Eve. We can choose to sin, or we can choose to obey God.
How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! ... For you have said in your heart ... "I will exalt my throne above the stars of God ... I will be like the Most High."
Remarkably, Lucifer wanted to sit in God's place. He wanted to receive leadership, rulership and worship! Dissatisfied with his own elevated position as a covering cherub dwelling in the presence of God (Ezekiel 28:14), he rebelled against God in an attempt to receive the honor that belongs only to God.
You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God ... You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God ... You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you ... Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor.
Having been endowed by God with such wisdom and beauty, Satan sought honor for Himself rather than the honor of God. Such self-centered thinking is in direct contrast to the self-sacrificing love of the God of heaven.
A key principle in understanding the fall of Satan and the spread of sin and suffering in this world is the principle of freedom of choice. God did not create Lucifer as a robot - mechanically responding to the commands of his Maker. Instead, God placed within Lucifer the ability to choose. Lucifer was at liberty to choose to love God, or to reject Him.
Tragically, he chose the latter option. But for God to refuse to give Lucifer freedom of choice would have proven God to be the tyrant many people say He is. Consistent with His character as a loving God, God gave freedom of choice to His children. In doing so, God took an enormous risk: what if one of His creatures chose to rebel? God Himself would pay the price for humanity's choice to follow self rather than surrender.
Jesus - the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8)- would die so that human beings might live eternally. The One who has suffered the most on account of the rise of sin is God Himself!
And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought.
Satan's opposition to God's authority saw him undermine God's leadership to the extent that a third of the heavenly angels chose to side with Satan and stand against God. (Revelation 12:4)
So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth and his angels were cast out with him.
Planet Earth has become the epicenter of the great battle between Christ and Satan. While Satan misrepresents God on earth and tempts people to doubt the goodness and fairness of God, Jesus came to the earth to reveal to the human family the true character of God. Every person alive has the choice to accept Satan's view of what God is like, or the view of God presented to the world by Jesus. Our choices will ultimately determine whether or not we believe God is love.
He who has seen Me has seen the Father.
In order to know what our heavenly Father is like, all we need do is look at what Jesus was like, because He revealed the character of the Father to the world. The self-sacrificing, servant-like nature of Jesus - who "went about doing good" (Acts 10:38)-is a reflection of the character of God the Father.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
To make a way for sinful people to experience eternal life and recovery from the power of sin, God paid the ultimate price when He allowed Jesus to come to earth to die for us. Such a sacrifice reveals that God is not indifferent toward suffering and sin. In fact, sin has cost God far more than it will ever cost any of us!
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.
Adam and Eve's willful disobedience of God's express wishes caused them to lose the purity and innocence that God gave them at creation. Their sin separated them from God and brought the planet under the dominion of the "enemy" - Satan. And like our first parents, the Bible says that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Like Adam and Eve, we have sinned and are under the penalty of sin - which is death. (Romans 6:23)
All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Such is Satan's self-centered desire to receive worship that he eventually leads the world to the place where everyone alive makes a conscious decision for either God or Satan.
The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are.
Satan's ultimate doom is assured. He will not succeed in leading the entire planet in rebellion against God, and will himself be destroyed.
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
God's promise is that He will remake this world in perfection and beauty, and it will be a world without sin and suffering. The enemy will no longer taunt and tempt, and guilt and sorrow will no longer exist!
Consider this fact: God created a perfect earth, and placed two perfect people in the midst of a sinless garden. With absolutely no reason to sin, they chose rebellion over faithfulness to God, and plunged the universe into the chaos of sin. And sin would cost God infinitely more than it would cost anyone else in existence!
Faced with the loss of His eternal Son, God made the choice to redeem sinful humanity - even though it meant Jesus would die on the cross. There has never been another demonstration of such selfless love in all of history! As the Bible says, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." (John 3:16)
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Through faith in Jesus Christ, every person may have the hope of eternal life. Jesus died to reveal the depth of the love of God for a fallen world, and in so doing, ensured the defeat of Satan and the eternal security of believers. One day, sin will no longer exist, the universe will again be safe and God alone will be worshipped.
Are you willing to choose to have faith in Jesus, and to stand with Him in the great battle between good and evil?
In 1914, ice prevented British explorer Ernest Shackleton and a crew from reaching Antarctica, where they were to attempt to become the first people in history to cross the great southern continent on foot. When the ice destroyed their ship, they sailed in small lifeboats to Elephant Island, a remote, barren island near the bottom of the world. Shackleton and five crewmen then attempted one of history's most daring rescues - sailing one of the wooden lifeboats 800 miles in an effort to find help and save his crew.
For several months, most of Shackleton's crew waited. Their only hope for survival was Ernest Shackleton, because no one else knew where they were.
Our planet finds itself in a similar situation to that of Shackleton's men. Because of sin, our world is hopelessly lost and in need of outside help. But there is one Person who is able to save the inhabitants of planet Earth. Read on and discover what the Bible says about being saved from sin!
And war broke out in heaven.
The Bible tells us that, long ago, an angel named Lucifer rebelled against the government of God. There was war in heaven as God attempted to contain the outbreak of sin, and as Lucifer attempted to receive in heaven the worship that belonged only to God. (Isaiah 14:13, 14)
And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"
Satan tempted Eve to doubt what God had said - to reject some of the plainest words God could have spoken. God had told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit that grew on "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." (Genesis 2:16, 17) In choosing Satan's suggestions over God's clear word, Eve chose distrust of God over faith in God.
Your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.
Sin separates us from God, because God is the source of life. (John 17:3; 1 John 5:12; John 5:40) Eve's lack of faith in God - her disobedience - caused a fracture in her relationship with God and separated her from the One who is the source of all life.
Sin created a gulf between the human family and the God of heaven, and caused humanity to pass from life to death. Romans 5:12 says that as a result of the sin of Adam and Eve, sin "spread to all."
The wages of sin is death.
Sin leads to death. And every person on Earth is affected, because "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) The entire human family faces eternal death as a result of sin having entered the world.
Whether the sin is murder, drunkenness, pride, lying, stealing, gossip or fraud - whatever the sin, the consequence is the same: death.
The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God has made a way of escape from the death penalty sin introduced to the world. Through Jesus, every person alive can receive the gift of eternal life!
First Corinthians 15:3 says, "Christ died for our sins." The penalty for sin was - and is - death. But Jesus died to pay that penalty, to pay a debt we could never pay. As God (John 1:1), the death of Jesus - the Lawgiver - would be sufficient to pay the price of the sins of the human race.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Belief in Jesus Christ is the prerequisite for receiving the gift of everlasting life. And notice: it is a gift. God gives salvation to those who seek it. Eternal life cannot be bought or earned. It is given by God as a gift.
For by grace you have been saved through faith.
Nobody deserves eternal life! Every person has sinned against God, and the wages of sin is death. Salvation from sin is received by grace, through faith. God's grace - His power to forgive and cleanse from sin - extends salvation to the human family. Salvation is received by faith - the decision to believe that God can be relied upon, based on the promises in the Bible.
Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.
When Jesus offered to visit a man's home and heal his servant, the man said that all Jesus needed to do was to speak and the servant would be healed. He believed that God's word was able to do what it said it would do.
In response, Jesus said, "I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel." The man's complete trust in Christ's word was an example of true faith. Faith says, "If God said it, I expect it to be so."
When God says He gives you everlasting life, believing He does so and expecting God's promise to be true is a demonstration of faith in action. God promises to forgive us for our sins and to give us everlasting life. Faith is simply choosing to believe what God has said - believing that the gift of everlasting life is yours!
Another biblical example of faith is found in the experience of Abraham. Romans 4:20, 21 says, "He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform." Faith is a settled belief in God's ability to do what the Word of God says God will do.
repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.
To repent is to turn away from sin. A repentant sinner is sorry for the sins that he or she has committed, and - acknowledging the sinfulness of sin - turns from sin to embrace the righteousness of God.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
When we sincerely confess our sins to God in prayer, God forgives us and cleanses us. We know for certain we are forgiven simply because we believe God's promise to us. That is, we accept God's forgiveness by faith. We confess, and God forgives. It really is that simple!
Therefore submit to God.
A vital key in living a satisfying Christian life is submission to God. Christianity is not simply a matter of believing certain ideas or principles - it's a life lived in surrender to the will of God.
The one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
Jesus pledges to accept all who come to Him in faith. It is not possible to be so sinful as to be beyond the reach of the grace of God. In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him." Anyone! As long as you are willing for Jesus to accept and forgive and change and save you, He will do so. He has promised.
Four Simple Steps to Salvation
Believe - John 3:16
Repent - Acts 3:19
Confess - 1 John 1:9
Submit - James 4:7
Jesus described the process of coming to faith in Him as the "new birth." As He explained to Nicodemus, in order to receive the gift of salvation, a person must be "born again." (John 3:3)
That means a person is remade by God through the grace of God - given an entirely new nature, which creates a new life in place of the old, sinful life. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
After accepting the gift of eternal life from Jesus, a person lives surrendered to the will of God, in each moment yielding to Jesus and asking that His will be done in his or her life. As it says in Philippians 2:13, "For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."
When we accept Jesus as our Savior from sin, yield our lives to Him and then allow Him to live His life in us, we can be confident the gift of eternal life is ours and we are living with heaven in view!
For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.
Jesus clearly told us that the life of faith is a life of growth. With each passing day, we learn to yield more fully to the presence of God in our lives, so that His will may be done through us.
Jesus offers you the free gift of salvation. Will you invite Jesus into your life today, accept Him as your Savior, and allow Him to live His life in you?
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He Has Promised!
The lady posed a question. "Pastor, will God forgive me for a certain sin I have committed?"
"Yes, He definitely will," came the reply.
"But what if it was a very bad sin?"
"God is willing to forgive anyone who is repentant," she was assured.
"Pastor, I committed a dreadful sin more than 50 years ago. I've confessed it every single day since then - sometimes many times a day. How can I know God forgives me?"
By her own reckoning, the lady had confessed this one sin more than 50,000 times!
"I think the problem here is that you simply believe God is a liar!" the pastor challenged her. The lady looked puzzled. She had certainly never consciously thought of God in those terms. "Please," the pastor continued, "read this verse for me."
He opened the Bible to 1 John 1:9, and she began to read. "If we confess our sins..."
"And you've done that?" the pastor broke in.
"Yes," she said, "yes, I have."
"All right, keep reading," he urged her.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just ..."
"Did you catch that? What is God?"
"He is faithful and just," the lady replied, understanding beginning to show on her gently wrinkled face.
She continued. "He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
"Well," the pastor said after a brief pause, "it seems that the Bible is clear. Based on what we just read in the Word of God, it seems you've confessed that sin about 50,000 times too many!"
A few days later, the pastor saw the woman again. "Pastor," she beamed, "I want you to know that after talking with you, I had the best night's sleep I've had in more than 50 years!"
God means what He says. If you fear you've sinned against God, know for certain that God is willing to forgive you. He has promised!
In the north of Scotland is Loch Ness, a 20-mile-long lake famous for being the supposed home of a mythical creature known as the Loch Ness Monster. For many hundreds of years, stories have circulated claiming that a mysterious sea creature has been seen in the lake.
In more recent years, photographs and even video footage of what is said to be the Loch Ness Monster have been released, and detailed scientific testing has been carried out at Loch Ness in an attempt to verify the existence of "Nessie."
But in spite of the many claims made as to the existence of the Loch Ness Monster, nobody has been able to prove it exists. Even though there are some who are adamant that the Loch Ness Monster lives in the cool, deep waters of the Scottish lake, it appears to most observers that the Loch Ness Monster simply doesn't exist.
For thousands of years, there have been claims made about the existence of a place that very few people can claim to have seen. The first book of the Bible refers to heaven, as does the last book of the Bible, Revelation. In fact, heaven is mentioned in the Bible hundreds of times.
Does heaven really exist? And if it does, what is it like? As we consult the Bible, we'll find that what God has planned for us is as good as it gets!
I am the living bread which came down from heaven.
Jesus certainly believed in a place called heaven! He declared that He came to the world from heaven.
So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air.
I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
In the Word of God, "heaven'" can refer to the air (where the birds fly), outer space (where the stars are), or to heaven itself, where God dwells.
An inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.
In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.
God's people will certainly go to heaven!
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Based on what we read in the Bible, God's people will "travel" to heaven accompanied by Jesus! While it isn't easy to understand exactly how this will look, it seems logical to assume that the redeemed are going to experience intergalactic space travel!
Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.
Try as we might, we can't even imagine how wonderful heaven will be!
Take a moment to think about the most beautiful place you've ever seen. Heaven will be better! Your most enjoyable vacation? Better! The most memorable time you've ever had? Heaven will be better than that! Although there's no harm in trying, we simply cannot imagine how truly wonderful heaven is going to be.
He was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words.
Paul says this individual was caught up to "the third heaven" - the heaven where God dwells. (2 Corinthians 12:2)
After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven.
Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.
John saw God's throne, and God Himself - in heaven!
In Daniel 7:9, 10, Daniel describes a vision he received of heaven. In heaven he saw:
In Revelation 4, John describes:
Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple.
Heaven is the home of the Ark of the Covenant, the sacred repository of the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are in heaven.
We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected.
Jesus is in heaven as our High Priest, interceding for us before the Father's throne. Jesus' ministry takes place in the heavenly sanctuary, which was built by God. Heaven is where Jesus' work in the plan of salvation is currently being carried out.
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
The New Earth will be the eternal home of God's saved children. After spending time in heaven, the redeemed will relocate to a re-created planet Earth.
And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
God will relocate what could be referred to as His capital city from heaven to planet Earth. This once-sinful planet, the home of the fall of humanity and the site of the brutal crucifixion of the Savior of the world - Jesus, the Son of God - is transformed into the eternal abode of not only the redeemed but also of Christ Himself! (Revelation 21:3; 22:3)
Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
God's intention - His great desire - is to dwell in the midst of His people for all eternity!
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life.
Both the river of life and the tree of life will be in the New Earth - the forever home of the redeemed!
And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.
Throughout eternity, there will be no sin in the New Earth! Revelation 22:15 lists the types of people who will not be permitted to dwell in the Holy City.
In short, those who have not yielded to Jesus and have clung instead to their sin will not be in the Earth made new. Sinners would not be happy spending eternity in the presence of a holy God.
They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.
Not only will we see God face to face, but His character - represented here by His name - will be restored into the minds of His people!
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.
Throughout eternity, there will be no sorrow, pain or death. What a future God's people have to look forward to!
There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
There will be no night as the ages of eternity pass. Revelation 21:23 says the glory of the Father and the Son illuminates the New Jerusalem.
They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
Heaven will be a place of useful activity, where God's people will be able to develop talents and skills and use them in constructive ways.
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
Isaiah 11:9 says, "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord."
Heaven will be a place where there is no danger, and animals that are now natural enemies will dwell together in harmony.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.
The person who has faith in God will be given the gift of everlasting life, transformed by the power of His grace and prepared for eternity.
Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
Love for God will be manifest in loving obedience toward the One who is willing to save and keep His people for all eternity.
In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Jesus promises us that one day soon, He will return to this world and take us to be with Him in heaven!
Through faith in God's Word, you can have the assurance that heaven is real, that life after life on this earth is going to be full of meaning and purpose, and that the New Earth will be a place of blessing and goodness.
Jesus said that He is in heaven preparing a place for you - right now! (John 14:2, 3) Soon He will return to take us to our glorious heavenly home. You can be confident of your place in heaven simply by accepting Jesus as the Lord of your life - by accepting His offer of free forgiveness of sin and yielding your life unreservedly to Him.
Would you be willing to surrender your life to Jesus now, and ask Him to live His life in you?
"Peace on Earth, and goodwill toward men..." Each year at Christmastime, the refrain is the same, but the truth is that there is little real peace on earth. Multiplied millions of people have died in wars in recent decades, and hostilities and conflicts continue to rage around the world. Society is not as safe as it was in past generations, and there is a tragic lack of peace in many homes and in the lives of countless individuals. Stress, depression, addiction, illness and much more conspire to rob people of peace.
The Bible refers to Jesus as the "Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) Yet there seems to be a remarkable lack of peace in the world today. Does God have a way of restoring real peace into the lives of His people?
Great peace have those who love Your law.
Peace is promised to those who love the law of God.
Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
The people alive on earth and ready to meet Jesus when He returns are described as keeping God's commandments. On the other hand, the Bible says that "there is no peace ... for the wicked." (Isaiah 57:21)
Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.
Abraham lived long before the commandments were written on stone at Sinai. When Cain killed Abel - breaking the sixth commandment - God told Cain that "sin lies at the door." (Genesis 4:7) Clearly, the Ten Commandments were in existence before God wrote them down at Mount Sinai.
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In the Bible we read about two main divisions of law: the Ten Commandments and the ceremonial laws. Which of these laws are still in effect today?
God still means for us to keep the Ten Commandments. "You shall not kill" and "you shall not steal" are eternal principles. James quoted from the Ten Commandments in James 2:11. Paul did the same in Romans 7:7. Jesus referenced the Ten Commandments when he spoke to the rich young ruler in Luke 18:18-20, and when He spoke with His disciples in Matthew 24:20. In addition, in Revelation 14:12 and Revelation 22:14, God's end-time people are described as keeping the commandments of God.
The ceremonial laws are distinct from the Ten Commandments. They were given by God to illuminate the plan of salvation. Elements of the various sacrifices and feast days helped believers throughout all ages understand more about how God saves sinners. For example, the sacrificial lamb represents Jesus, the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) The protecting blood of the Passover lamb, when applied to the doorposts of the houses of the faithful, represents the saving blood of Jesus. (Exodus 12:13; Romans 3:25)
When Jesus died on the cross, it was no longer necessary to observe the ceremonial laws. The death of the true Lamb rendered further animal sacrifices meaningless. The sacrifices had pointed forward to the Lamb. Once the Messiah died for the world, there was no need to point toward His coming. When Jesus died on the cross, He "cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom." (Mark 15:37, 38) God was signifying that the temple ceremonies were now no longer binding on His people.
The Passover feast day was now no longer necessary "for indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us." (1 Corinthians 5:7) No longer would God's people be obligated to offer sacrifices or observe ceremonial feast days.
Paul wrote in Colossians 2:14-17 that Jesus "wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ." Notice what Paul wrote: the "handwriting of requirements [or 'ordinances']" was blotted out. These ordinances were "against us" and "contrary to us"-the very thought expressed by Moses when he said in Deuteronomy 31:26 that the "Book of the Law" was "against you."
Paul urges the Colossians not to let anyone judge them in "food or in drink," or regarding festivals or a new moon or "sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come." The meat and drink offerings were offered in conjunction with the feast days, while the book of Hebrews clearly states that the "shadow" refers to things associated with the ceremonial laws. (Hebrews 8:5)
Notice several differences between the Ten Commandments and the ceremonial laws.
| The Ten Commandments were | The ceremonial law was |
|---|---|
| Written by God (Deuteronomy 10:2) | Written by Moses (Deuteronomy 31:24) |
| Written on tables of stone (Deuteronomy 10:1, 2) | Written in a book (Deuteronomy 31:24) |
| Called the "Ten Commandments" (Deuteronomy 10:4) | Called the "Book of the Law" (Deuteronomy 31:26) |
| Put in the Ark of the Covenant (Deuteronomy 10:5) | Put beside the Ark of the Covenant (Deuteronomy 31:26) |
While it is not necessary for God's people to obey the ceremonial laws today, God still takes delight in writing His law in our hearts so that we can bring honor to Him while we live lives of peace and joy!
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Sin is "lawlessness" (KJV, "the transgression of the law").
The very fact that sin exists in today's world is evidence that God's law exists and is still binding. In fact, the Bible tells us that if the law of God didn't exist, there would be no such thing as sin. (Romans 4:15)
Additional facts about the Ten Commandments:
Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
New Testament writers understood the timeless nature of the Ten Commandments. In essence, the Ten Commandments are a written transcript of the character of God. Just as the laws of a country reflect the character of that nation and its lawmakers, the Ten Commandments reflect the character of God and the character of His kingdom.
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
The Ten Commandments were given by God to be a blessing to His people. James wrote that the Ten Commandments are a "law of liberty." (James 1:25; 2:12) Any person who lives in harmony with God's law will enjoy freedom from guilt, shame, sin and its penalty!
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet."
The law of God identifies sin and points us away from sin and toward Jesus.
Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
The Apostle Paul never suggested a change had ever been made to the law of God. In fact, he was adamant that God's law is unchangeable and eternal.
Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
Jesus never intended that the Ten Commandments be set aside. While He was on the Earth He said, "I have kept My Father's commandments." (John 15:10) Jesus counseled people to keep the Ten Commandments. His words to the rich young ruler could not be clearer: "If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." (Matthew 19:17)
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
The "Old Covenant" was God's agreement with Israel in the Old Testament dispensation. (Genesis 17:1-8) God agreed that He would be Israel's God, and Israel would be His people - and both parties agreed that the Ten Commandments would provide a framework for the covenant. (Deuteronomy 9:9-11)
The New Covenant is simply the Old Covenant renewed: God will be God to His people, and His people will be believers in Jesus. The Ten Commandments continue to provide a framework for a healthy relationship between God and His people.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.
It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
The Bible tells us that all people "have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) However, through the Holy Spirit, Jesus is willing to live His life in us. Strengthened by His presence, God's people can be assured of heaven's power to provide a heavenly ability to live in harmony with His law.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Salvation is a gift (Romans 6:23), and cannot in any way be earned. While God promises us heaven's power to enable us to live obedient lives (Jude 24), salvation is not received as a result of our obedience to God's laws. Salvation is given by God as a gift, and is received when a sinner exercises faith in God's ability and willingness to save. When you choose to accept the gift of salvation, you can know that salvation is yours!
My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
God is willing to forgive anyone who comes to Him in repentance. Romans 5:20 says, "Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more." This truth isn't intended to cause us to treat sin lightly, but to assure us that when we fall into sin and then turn to God in faith, He will extend grace and mercy to us. The Bible is clear that "the Lord is merciful and gracious." (Psalm 103:8)
I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.
God promises to write His law in our heart. (Hebrews 8:10) When the Holy Spirit enters a person's life - when your life is surrendered to Jesus - obedience to God becomes a joy. When Jesus comes into a person's heart, He brings with Him a love for God that includes a love for obeying God. God will do in us what we cannot do for ourselves!
If you love Me, keep My commandments.
Jesus is referring to what happens when a person loves God with his or her whole heart, soul and mind. (Matthew 22:37) Love for God results in an ever-deepening surrender to God. When we love Jesus, obeying Him comes naturally!
Are you willing today to invite Jesus to live His life in you, and to guide you in a life of loving obedience to God?
Some years ago, it became popular for married couples to schedule a regular "date night." Faced with the demands of modern life, many husbands and wives figured the only way they could get "quality time" was to reserve one night a week during which they could spend meaningful time together.
But what if your life is so busy that you find it hard to make time for God? When He created the world, God did something special to make sure His children could always have time for Him!
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
God wants us to unwind - with Him! He knows that for most people, life is busy and stressful, and He has provided a way for us to escape the busyness of life while spending time with Him.
And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
At the end of creation week, God set aside a day that would be a special time for His people to spend with Him. Knowing His people would be stressed and busy, He gave the Sabbath day as a release valve - as protection against the demands of life.
The Sabbath was made for man.
God created the Sabbath for the entire human race. That God made it "for" humanity indicates that God intentionally and thoughtfully made the Sabbath as a gift for people throughout the ages. Keep in mind: the Sabbath was made at creation - approximately 2,000 years before the existence of the first Jew. It was made for all people!
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
God included the keeping of the seventh-day Sabbath in the Ten Commandments. God "sanctified" the Sabbath day (Genesis 2:3), which means He made it and set it apart for holy use. Anything made holy by God is something God regards as very special.
Unlike the other days of the week - the "six working days" (Ezekiel 46:1) - the Sabbath day is a day for people to refrain from their regular secular pursuits and instead dedicate that time to God.
In Exodus 20:10, God said, "In it [that is, on the Sabbath day] you shall do no work." Rather than allow the demands of work to consume us completely, God gives us the Sabbath day in order for us to have quality time to spend with Him. That is not to say we shouldn't worship God or spend time with Him every day. We must do that if we are to be healthy Christians. But the Sabbath is an entire day given to God.
For in six days the Lord created the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
The seventh-day Sabbath is a memorial of God's creative power. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)
The Sabbath is a forever reminder of God's work of creation. It tells us that the world was purposely made by a loving Creator, who prepared a beautiful world for His children to enjoy. The Sabbath also tells us that human beings were carefully constructed by a Designer. The Sabbath day tells us there is a Creator!
Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.
Not only is the Sabbath a sign that God is our Creator, but it is also a sign that God is our re-Creator. Human beings who have fallen prey to sin have lost the holiness God intended for them to have.
Isaiah 59:2 says that sin separates a person from God. Fallen sinners need to be remade. David's prayer was, "Create in me a clean heart, O God." (Psalm 51:10) Ezekiel wrote that the Sabbath is a sign that God is our Sanctifier. God alone can make us holy by creating in us the clean heart we need. The Sabbath is a sign of that great truth!
So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day.
Jesus - like Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Moses and the early Christian church - kept the seventh-day Sabbath day holy every week.
Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.
| FRIDAY | SABBATH (SATURDAY) | SUNDAY |
|---|---|---|
| Crucifixion | Rested in grave | Resurrection |
The Bible says Jesus died on the preparation day (Luke 23:54), the day that is commonly referred to as Good Friday. He rose from the dead on the first day of the week (Luke 24:1), the day that today is called Easter Sunday. The day in-between was the Sabbath day. Saturday is the day that comes between Friday and Sunday. The seventh-day Sabbath of the Bible is Saturday.
Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
Jesus was adamant this His mission did not include making changes to the Ten Commandments. Jesus did not change the Sabbath day. God gave the Sabbath to the human family as a blessing and a joy. Nowhere does the Bible suggest that God ever intended to remove the blessing of the Sabbath.
And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.
Before Jesus died, He gave counsel regarding the destruction of Jerusalem, which would take place in AD 70, nearly 40 years after He died. Looking four decades into the future, Jesus told His hearers that the Sabbath day would still be important long after His death on the cross.
So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.
The Apostle Paul kept the Sabbath day holy. (Acts 17:2; 18:4) Along with the other apostles, he worshipped on the Sabbath with both Jews and Gentiles. On occasions when there was no synagogue in which to worship, Paul would meet by the riverside with Gentile believers. (Acts 16:13) The seventh-day Sabbath was certainly the day of worship for the early Christian church.
The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.
God specified the day we should keep as the Sabbath. In fact, it isn't possible to keep any other day holy, because the seventh day is the only day that is holy.
Keeping the seventh-day Sabbath holy is a sign that we are prepared to love God on His terms. God has not asked us to keep a Sabbath of our own choosing. God specifically stated that the seventh day is the Sabbath.
Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
While the Sabbath commandment is no more important than the rest of the Ten Commandments, it is no less important either! When a person breaks one of the commandments - whichever one it is - God regards that as being just as serious as breaking the rest of them.
Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
God's children who are preparing for eternity keep His commandments. They realize that it is God's will for people everywhere to keep all of the Ten Commandments.
If you love Me, keep My commandments.
Jesus was very clear that obeying God is the inevitable result of loving God. Those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior find it a delight to do His will. (Psalm 40:8)
Far from being a burden, a life of obedience to God is the natural consequence of love for God in a person's life. God works in the life of a believer "both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)
We ought to obey God rather than men.
Irrespective of the views of the majority, the Christian is called by God to be a follower of Christ, and not a follower of other Christians.
"For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me ... And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me," says the Lord.
In the New Earth, God's people will still come together to worship Him on the Sabbath. The Sabbath was created before man sinned in Eden (Genesis 2:2, 3), and it will be kept holy after sin has been eradicated from the universe. The Ten Commandments are in the temple of God in heaven. (Revelation 11:19) Clearly, God intends for the fourth commandment to be eternal.
If you love Me, keep My commandments.
Out of love for God, are you willing to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy?
The Sabbath starts and ends at sunset. At sunset on Friday, the Sabbath begins, and it ends at sunset on Saturday. (Leviticus 23:32; Mark 1:32)
A dictionary will tell you that Saturday is the seventh day of the week, and that Sunday is the first day of the week.
The resurrection of Jesus did not cause the Sabbath to be altered in any way. Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week - Sunday. And nowhere does the Bible say we should keep Sunday holy in honor of the resurrection.
The death of Jesus on the cross did not bring Sabbath-keeping to an end. When Jesus died, the veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place in the temple in Jerusalem was torn from top to bottom, signifying that the Jewish system of sacrifices and ordinances had come to an end. (Mark 15:38; Ephesians 2:14; Colossians 2:14-17) While Christians need not observe the old Jewish ceremonial laws, the Ten Commandments are still important and should be kept because we love God.
The Sabbath was given by God at Creation.
Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus all kept the Sabbath.
The early Christians kept the Sabbath.
The Sabbath will be kept throughout eternity!
The Sabbath is a gift given by God to His children.
More than 150 languages use the word "Sabbath" for "Saturday." For example:
| Language | Word |
|---|---|
| Spanish: | Sabado - (Sabbath) |
| German: | Samstag - (Sabbath's day) |
| French: | Samedi - (Sabbath) |
| Italian: | Sabato - (Sabbath) |
In 2012, a remarkable discovery was made. For many years, Sandy Island was shown on maps of the South Pacific. It was a small island located west of New Caledonia, a little over midway between New Zealand and Australia. But cartographers received a surprise when they looked at satellite images of the area and discovered Sandy Island wasn't there!
Bewildered scientists sailed to the area, and instead of Sandy Island, they found only water. The truth was that in spite of maps saying otherwise for decades, Sandy Island didn't exist - and never had! Even though it appeared on maps - even though it was believed to be there - Sandy Island wasn't real.
How many other things are like that? Most "old wives' tales" are harmless, but could it be possible that a commonly held belief within the Christian church simply isn't true? Could Christians believe in something that simply doesn't exist?
He who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
James made it clear in James 2:10-12 that the law he is referring to is the Ten Commandments. God wants His children to lovingly obey Him.
If you love Me, keep My commandments.
Love for God is the primary motivator when it comes to living a life of obedience to God. One may want to go to heaven or avoid being lost, but the greatest and most effective motivation to keep God's commandments is love for God.
One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
While God is certainly willing to forgive us when we fall into sin (1 John 1:9), and although Jesus is our Advocate in heaven (1 John 2:1), an attitude of willful turning away from obedience to God cannot meet with God's approval.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
When we surrender our lives to Jesus, He lives His life in us, bringing His power and His holiness into our lives. We obey God by allowing Jesus to live His life in us, and by cooperating with Him when He does so.
I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.
The seventh-day Sabbath is the sign God gave His children so they would know He is able to re-create them in His image. The Sabbath is a sign of God's creative power - the power He exercised at creation, and the power He exercises when He remakes a human heart.
Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.
Looking ahead to the destruction of Jerusalem - which happened four decades after Jesus' death, in AD 70 - Jesus encouraged His people to pray they would not have to flee on the Sabbath day. Jesus could not have made it clearer that the Sabbath would still be important to His people long after He died on the cross.
This is not due to any reason found in the Bible. Sunday observance is not mandated in the Bible, and it was never given to the human family by God as a day to keep holy. Nowhere does the Bible suggest that we should keep Sunday holy!
The first day of the week - Sunday - is mentioned infrequently in the New Testament:
Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.
Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.
Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
Each of these texts mentions the first day of the week, but never do they suggest that Sunday was to be recognized as a day of rest or worship.
Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."
The only reason the disciples were assembling on the first day of the week was because they feared the Jews in the wake of the death of Jesus.
Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together.
Paul was preaching on the first day of the week. Biblically speaking, a day starts and ends at sunset. (Leviticus 23:32; Mark 1:32) Therefore, Paul - preaching on the dark part of the first day of the week - was preaching on Saturday night. (Sunday night would have been the second day of the week.) The fact that Paul was preaching on the first day of the week did not make that day a holy day.
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.
Paul urged the believers to set money aside - at home - on the first day of each week, so that when he sent a messenger to Corinth to collect this offering for believers in Jerusalem, there would be no cause for delay. This setting aside of money on the first day of the week did not mean that day was considered holy.
Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.
Rather than Sunday observance, God gave the church the rite of baptism to commemorate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. The Lord's Supper - or the communion service - was also given by God to His people so they could regularly commemorate the death of Jesus. Nowhere in the Bible is Sunday referred to as any sort of memorial of the resurrection of Jesus.
Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures.
He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.
Many years after Jesus died, the apostles were observing the Sabbath on the seventh day of the week. They made no change to their weekly Sabbath observance.
On the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.
When there was no synagogue in which to worship, the Sabbath was still observed, with worship services sometimes being held outdoors. The early Christians did not keep the Sabbath simply because of Jewish customs. They kept all of God's commandments out of love for Him.
So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath ... On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.
Even Gentile believers worshipped on the Sabbath day. If the Sabbath had been changed, these believers would have come together to hear the Word of God on Sunday.
The Bible offers not a single instance of Sunday observance. However, over a period of some centuries, Sunday-keeping became established. Some religious leaders embraced Sunday as a means of distancing themselves from the Jewish people (who were being persecuted), while pagans in the Roman Empire recognized Sunday in honor of the sun god.
In AD 321, Roman Emperor Constantine passed the first law elevating Sunday above the Bible Sabbath.
On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. (Codex Justinianus, book 3, title 12, law 3; trans. in Philip Schaff's History of the Christian Church, vol. 3, 5th edition, p. 380)
Several years later, the church issued a decree honoring Sunday over the Sabbath of the Bible.
Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday, but shall work on that day; but the Lord's day they shall especially honor, and, as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If, however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out from Christ. (Charles Joseph Hefele, A History of the Christian Councils, vol. 2, p. 316)
Pagans and Christians were now united in recognizing Sunday - the day of the sun - as being the day of weekly religious significance. The Bible Sabbath was marginalized.
The Catholic Church has throughout time reinforced the concept of Sunday worship, even claiming that it was responsible for the change from Sabbath to Sunday.
Question: Which is the Sabbath day?
Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day.
Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?
Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea, transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday. (Peter Geiermann, The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, 1957 edition, p. 50)
It was the Catholic Church which, by the authority of Jesus Christ, has transferred this rest to Sunday in remembrance of the resurrection of our Lord. Thus the observance of Sunday by the Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the [Roman Catholic] Church. (Msgr. Louis Gaston de Segur, Plain Talk about the Protestantism of Today, p. 225)
Today, much of Christianity finds itself disregarding the Bible Sabbath, and embracing instead a substitute Sabbath that is without foundation in the Word of God.
Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men.
The Bible is clear that whenever a person has a choice between God's Word and the teachings of humans, it is the Bible we should yield to out of love for God.
In vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
A follower of Jesus is a follower of the Word of God. Saved Christians motivated by love for God will keep God's commandments. They will say with David, "I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart." (Psalm 40:8)
God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
Are you willing to worship God in spirit and truth, observe the seventh-day Sabbath of the Bible?
When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the United States was thrust into World War II. After many fierce conflicts in the Pacific, it became evident that Japan could not triumph in its war against the United States. Repeated calls were made for Japan to surrender, but that didn't happen, and it appeared the war would drag on, costing many more lives.
On August 6, 1945, an atomic bomb nicknamed "Little Boy" was dropped from the Enola Gay - a B-29 bomber - over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Three days later, a similar bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki.
Japan soon signaled its intention to surrender. On September 2 of the same year, the Instrument of Surrender was signed aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. World War II was over.
In the same way, the war so many people experience with sin will be over when a surrender is made. Surrender to God is a vital key to living a life of real faith!
Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
God asks us to surrender to Him. That is, to yield to God moment by moment so we can live in harmony with His will for our lives.
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."
In His darkest hour, when faced with the prospect of crucifixion, even though His humanity shrank from dying on the cross, Jesus surrendered His will to the will of His Father. In doing so, salvation came to the human family.
I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
Paul experienced what all human beings experience: the gravity of our human nature. Because we are fallen, we naturally want to live for self rather than live for God, but the life of a true Christian is the life of one who lives in harmony with heaven.
I thank God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Paul discovered that Jesus was able to strengthen him in his battle against self!
He wrote in Romans 8:13, "For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus brings to us a supernatural ability to live in harmony with God.
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Paul discovered the key to successful Christian living: surrender to God! He found that walking in the Spirit - living a life of being guided by the Holy Spirit moment by moment - allowed Him to no longer be a slave to his own selfishness and sinfulness!
Paul offered the same counsel when writing to the Galatians, in Galatians 5:17, 18: "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."
We can be led by either the Spirit of God or by the flesh - our natural desires and inclinations. It is when we choose to be led by the Spirit of God that God's will is done in our lives.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Paul described the experience of surrendering to Jesus as being a "death." When we come to Christ by faith, self dies, and we are made new through Jesus living His life in us.
Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
When a person gives his or her life to Jesus, self dies and Jesus reigns in the heart of that individual. It is in baptism that this experience is symbolically demonstrated. Baptism is the burial - in a watery grave - of an old life of sin, followed by a resurrection from that burial to walk in "newness of life." [Note: There is more on the subject of baptism in It Is Written Bible Study Guide #14, "Buried Alive?"]
I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Paul understood that living a life of surrender to Jesus was not accomplished in a one-time experience. He recognized that he needed to die to self and allow Jesus to be the Lord of His life on a daily basis. It is a constant connection with God - rather than a one-time connection with Him - that transforms us into people ready for eternal life.
The earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.
Growing in Christ is a process - the work of a lifetime. God in His mercy accepts us when we come to Him in faith, and He gives us the gift of His righteousness. As we remain surrendered to Him, our relationship with Him deepens, and growing in grace, we become more like Him.
My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
God is gracious! When we repent of our sins, we can know that Jesus, as our Advocate and Defense Attorney, represents us before the throne of God. That is not to say that we want to become presumptuous and choose to cling to sin. Faith in Jesus will develop in us a hatred of sin. We will strive to surrender to God.
However, we can recognize that God is willing to forgive us our imperfections when we experience genuine repentance. Like a parent tenderly watching over a young child falling over while learning to walk, God looks on us with patience and love when we fall while growing in His grace. This does not minimize the seriousness of sin. The wages of sin is death! But God does not cast us off when we make mistakes. If our hearts are with Him, God helps us to grow in Him.
It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
It is God's plan that when we yield ourselves to Him (Romans 6:16), He lives in us. And notice: He will bring into our lives both the willingness ("to will") to live for Him, and the ability ("and to do") to live for Him!
The Bible says that we are "by nature children of wrath." (Ephesians 2:3) But God's plan is to transform our nature - to re-create us in the image of God that was lost when Adam and Eve fell into sin in the Garden of Eden. "Even when we were dead in trespasses, [God has] made us alive together with Christ." (Ephesians 2:5)
Those who are "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1) are accepted, forgiven, cleansed and kept by God as He lives His life in them.
The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
God has given the gift of the Holy Spirit so that He can dwell with us and in us, strengthening us and keeping us as we live a life of surrender.
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!
As Jesus said, "Ask, and it will be given to you." (Matthew 7:7) God wants to give His Spirit to those who recognize their need of Divine help and ask God for His Spirit! It is good to keep in mind that God wants us to succeed spiritually. He wants to help us, to guide us and to dwell in us. God is with us and not against us!
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
God has promised that He will perform the work that He has begun in your life. Instead of fighting your spiritual battles in your own strength, you can expect God to provide you with His strength in your daily Christian experience.
They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.
The plan of salvation is about more than giving sinners the gift of everlasting life. The plan of salvation deals with humankind's complete recovery from the power of sin. And, ultimately, God will restore His own image in the minds of fallen sinners who have been redeemed. What Adam and Eve lost in the Garden of Eden will be restored!
God wants to do this work in you. Christianity goes far beyond simply believing certain truths - Christianity is a total surrender to the will of God.
The Holy Spirit will come to you as God's Representative and guide you in the path you should go. As Isaiah wrote, "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left." (Isaiah 30:21)
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Transformation! That's what God can do in us. When you surrender your will to Him - when you ask Him to take your life and make it His - God will create in you a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within you. (Psalm 51:10) And you can be confident that having surrendered to Him, you will dwell with Him throughout eternity.
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The American Civil War had dragged on for four bloodstained years. On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee and his Confederate soldiers found themselves surrounded by Union forces after reaching the village of Appomattox Court House. Realizing resistance was futile, Lee surrendered. The war, which had seen so much bloodshed and devastation, was over.
Without one side surrendering to the other, the Civil War would likely have dragged on much longer. Surrender secured the cessation of hostilities. The two sides could now begin to live in peace.
Peace with God is possible only if we completely surrender to Him, and choose to stop fighting against the will of heaven. Surrender to God's will and God's ways brings salvation to sinners.
--
Are you willing to make a complete surrender to God, and ask that His will - and not your will - be done in your life?
In 1981, not long before he died, writer William Saroyan was quoted by the Associated Press as having said, "Everybody has got to die, but I have always believed an exception would be made in my case. Now what?"
That's a question every person alive must eventually face. What happens when a person dies? Does the Bible tell us? And how is the subject important in the overall picture of Bible truth?
In order to understand how human beings end, we must first examine how human beings were originally made.
Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.
God was clear. Disobedience would result in death. As Adam and Eve surrendered their loyalty to God, separation from God would occur (see Isaiah 59:2), and death would be the inevitable result.
The serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die."
Satan directly contradicted the plain statement of God. This is the first lie recorded in the Bible. Tragically, Adam and Eve believed the lie and ate the forbidden fruit. Their disobedience brought death into the world.
The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
It is important to recognize that when Adam was created, he was not given a soul. The Bible teaches that Adam was a soul. The King James Version of the Bible refers to the combination of body and breath as a "living soul."
As you read this It Is Written Bible Study Guide, you can know that - in God's eyes - you are a "soul." The Bible does not teach that human beings have a soul that returns to God at death.
Remember this equation:
The dust of the ground + the breath of life = a living soul.
Psalm 146:4 puts it this way: "His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his plans [or thoughts] perish."
At death, the dust human beings were made from returns to the earth, and the breath God breathed into us to give us life leaves our bodies.
The dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
Job describes this "spirit" as being "breath" when he says in Job 27:3 (KJV), "All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils."
The "spirit" that returns to God at death and the "breath" that returns to God are one and the same thing.
Rather than being something living or conscious, the breath of life is simply the life force that keeps a person alive. When we stop breathing, we soon die. The Bible says that when we die, our "breath" returns to God.
The living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing.
People are unconscious in death. Their minds are inactive. Ecclesiastes 9:6 says, "Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished."
The dead do not praise the Lord, nor any who go down into silence.
Just as the dead "know nothing," the dead do not praise the Lord. The Bible describes their state as "silence."
He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up." ... Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead".
Jesus described death as a "sleep." Rather than going immediately into the presence of God at death, the dead sleep a dreamless sleep in anticipation of a future resurrection. In fact, there are dozens of locations in the Bible where death is referred to as sleep.
He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!"
Lazarus had been dead for four days, yet Jesus did not call him down from heaven, for the simple reason that Lazarus did not go to heaven when he died. Instead, he went into the grave. Jesus called Lazarus forth from the place where he had been buried.
Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day . .. For David did not ascend into the heavens.
Although we expect to see King David in heaven one day, God made very clear through Peter that approximately 1,000 years after his death, David was not in heaven. Peter made a very plain statement when he said, "David did not ascend into the heavens." Where was David? David was still in his tomb, sleeping the sleep of death.
The soul who sins shall die.
The Bible is consistent. Nowhere does the Bible say human beings possess an immortal soul. In fact, Romans 2:7 says that people "seek for" immortality. One would not need to seek for something one already possesses. And 1 Timothy 6:15, 16 says that God "alone has immortality."
Behold, I tell you a mystery We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Paul was very clear that the dead sleep until the resurrection, when the trumpet sounds. This has not yet taken place. Therefore, the dead have not yet ascended to heaven.
The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
The trumpet sounds and the resurrection of the saved takes place on the day that Jesus returns to this world.
Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
Martha perfectly understood the sleep of death. She was under no illusion that her brother, Lazarus, had gone to heaven when he died. The Old Testament expresses the thought in exactly the same way. In 1 Kings 2:10, we read that when David died, he "rested [slept] with his fathers." And 1 Kings 11:43 says, "Solomon rested [slept] with his fathers." The thought expressed throughout the Bible is that the dead sleep until the resurrection.
The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
When Jesus returns, "the dead in Christ will rise first." (1 Thessalonians 4:16) The resurrection of damnation takes place at another time. [Note: This will be discussed in It Is Written Bible Study Guide #12, "Hellfire: Would God Really Do That?"]
Carefully read the passage regarding the thief on the cross, and Jesus' words are very clear.
Luke 23:42,43 - He said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
The thief didn't ask to go to heaven that day. He asked that Jesus would remember him when Jesus came into His kingdom. Notice that Jesus seemed to say, "Today you will be with me in Paradise," when Jesus Himself didn't go to heaven that day. While Jesus' exchange with the thief took place on a Friday, it wasn't until Sunday that Jesus went to heaven. On the Sunday morning after His death, He told Mary that He had not yet been to heaven.
So what was Jesus telling the thief? It is important to remember that the Bible was written without punctuation. Punctuation was added by Bible translators several centuries after the Bible was originally written.
In this instance, the Bible translators put the comma in the wrong place! Rather than, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise," the passage should read, "Assuredly, I say to you today, you will be with Me in Paradise." Now, rather than contradicting many other Bible verses, Jesus' words are in harmony with the rest of Scripture.
Jesus was teaching a great truth, and giving the thief on the cross needed encouragement. Although he was a criminal and condemned by men to die, the thief could take heart in the knowledge that he was forgiven by God, and that in spite of his wretched state hanging on a cross, he could know that faith in Jesus is able to save anyone at any time. The thief could die in the assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ!
In 2 Corinthians 12:3,4, Paul speaks of a man caught up into "paradise" who is given a vision of the wonders of heaven. Paradise is, simply, heaven. In Revelation 2:7, the tree of life is described as being in the "midst of the Paradise of God." In Revelation 22:2, the tree of life is shown as being in heaven. Paradise and heaven are the same place.
Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus at His transfiguration. This was possible because Elijah was taken to heaven without seeing death (2 Kings 2:11), while Moses was specially resurrected after he died. (Jude 9) They appeared with Jesus as representatives of all who would be saved as a result of His death on the cross. (Luke 9:30, 31)
This proves that death is a sleep. Matthew 27:52 says that "many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised." They were dead and were described as sleeping. This serves to reinforce the Bible truth of death being a sleep.
As the cloud disappears and vanishes away, so he who goes down to the grave does not come up. He shall never return to his house, nor shall his place know him anymore.
The teachings of spiritualism are prevalent today in popular culture. Psychics who claim to communicate with the dead, and movies and books about vampires and sorcery have become part of the fabric of society. They all propagate Satan's original lie when he told Adam and Eve, "You will not surely die." (Genesis 3:4) Ghosts are widely believed in, when the truth is that the dead are resting in the grave - not haunting houses!
They are spirits of demons, performing signs.
According to the Bible, spiritualism is going to be a major force in earth's final days. Only those who understand the true state of a person in death will not be deceived by Satan's major end-time delusion.
Jesus said ..."I am the resurrection and the life."
If a person died and went straight to heaven, there would be no need for a resurrection to take place. However, because we die and go to the grave, we need Someone to wake us up from our sleep, clothe us with new bodies and take us to heaven.
Only one Person can do that - Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life. Through Jesus, we can live again. He is the Bread of Life, and anyone who eats of this Bread "will live forever." (John 6:51) Our hope in death is in Jesus - the Resurrection and the Life - through Whom we can live again.
Are you willing to put your faith in Jesus - the Resurrection and the Life - and trust Him to be your Lord and Savior?
Unemployment is no trivial matter. During the first decade of the 21st century, the global economy contracted, and jobs became much more difficult to find.
It isn't usually good news to find out that someone is out of work. But what if you found out Satan was out of a job? What if something happened that was so epic that Satan found himself unemployed - for 1,000 years?
He is a liar and the father of it.
At his core, Satan is a liar. He told the Bible's original lie when he told Eve that she would not die (Genesis 3:4), and he continues to lie to the human family - especially as he misrepresents the character of God.
How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High."
As incredible as it seems, Satan came to the place where he wanted worship. Self-exaltation led Satan to want to draw people to follow himself rather than render their allegiance to God.
All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.
The Bible tells us that Satan will be bound for 1,000 years. During this millennium, Satan will be held fast - no longer receiving the homage of those who gave him their allegiance while he dominated the earth.
The word "millennium" is derived from two Latin words: mille, meaning "thousand," and annus, meaning "year." Although the word "millennium" does not appear in the Bible, the millennium itself does. The millennium is the 1,000-year period written about by John in Revelation chapter 20.
He [the angel] cast him [Satan] into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished.
The millennium, when Satan is bound, causes Satan to be jobless for 1,000 years. He is essentially out of business, unable to "deceive the nations."
The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
When Jesus returns, the kingdoms of the world are swept away. (Daniel 2:44) It is at this time that the righteous dead are raised and taken to heaven. Satan can no longer tempt them.
The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
The resurrection of life takes place when Jesus returns - at the beginning of the millennium. The resurrection of condemnation takes place at the end of Revelation's 1,000 years.
They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
I go to prepare a place for you ... I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Jesus made it clear that His saved people will be with Him in heaven. All of God's children will spend the 1,000 years of Revelation in His presence in heaven!
[All who were not saved] said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"
The rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished.
The return of Jesus causes the wicked people living on earth to be destroyed. However, according to Revelation 20:5, they "live again" at the conclusion of the millennium.
| 1st resurrection | 2nd resurrection | |
|---|---|---|
| LAST DAYS | 1,000 YEARS | ETERNITY |
| Return of Jesus | Righteous in heaven | Christ, saints and city descend |
| Righteous dead raised | Wicked remain dead | Wicked dead raised, Satan released |
| Living saints caught up | Last judgment | |
| Wicked slain | Satan bound by chains of circumstance | Satan and sinners destroyed |
| Satan bound | Righteous will judge | Earth cleansed and renewed |
At that day the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth. They shall not be lamented, or gathered, or buried; they shall become refuse on the ground.
The destruction on planet Earth will be complete. Nobody will mourn over the dead, and there will be no funeral services held. The dead will simply decay on the surface of the earth. The world with all its billions of people will be completely depopulated. There will not be one human alive on earth after the Second Coming.
I beheld the earth, and indeed it was without form, and void; and the heavens, they had no light ... I beheld, and indeed there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens had fled.
This world will be desolate during the millennium. It will not be a place of peace or prosperity. The earth will be "empty." (Isaiah 24:1) Jesus said it will be destroyed just like Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. (Luke 17:28-30) Far from being a place of glory, this planet will be like it was prior to creation - "without form and void." Earth will become a wasteland.
I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them.
The redeemed will be involved in the judgment of the wicked. (1 Corinthians 6:2, 3) God will open up the record books of heaven and reveal to His people why the wicked have been judged as He has judged them.
During this time, many questions will be answered. It will be understood why certain people were saved or lost, and God will reveal how much was done to save humanity. During the millennium, God is not only just, but is seen to be just.
Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison.
Satan has been "bound" during the millennium - not with a literal chain but with chains of circumstance. He has been exiled on a desolate earth with nothing to do but reflect on the misery he has caused throughout human history. With the righteous in heaven and the unrighteous destroyed, Satan is left on the earth with his legions of evil angels.
The rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished.
At the end of the 1,000 years, every lost person who ever lived is raised from the dead. This event results in the devil being "released from his prison" (Revelation 20:7), in that he again has people to tempt. As the millennium ends, Satan is back in business.
I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
At the end of the 1,000 years, the holy city descends from heaven - inhabited by God's people, settling on a plain formed on the site of the Mount of Olives. (Zechariah 14:4) The holy city is so majestic that it is described as looking like a "bride adorned for her husband." (Revelation 21:2) The city has walls made from jasper and streets made of gold. There are 12 gates made from solid pearls, and the foundations are made from a variety of precious stones. (Revelation 21:18-20)
When the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.
A thousand years languishing on a desolate earth - desolate because of his own sin - has not caused Satan to change his attitude toward God. Still in rebellion against God, he deceives the wicked into joining him in a final battle against God. The lost of all ages unite with the devil in a futile attempt to gain control of the New Jerusalem.
Gog and Magog appear in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39, representing enemies of God. The book of Revelation borrows heavily from Old Testament imagery, and in Revelation 20:7, 8, John uses a symbol taken from the Old Testament. Just as Ezekiel represented the enemies of God as Gog and Magog, John does the same in the book of Revelation. In Revelation, Gog and Magog represent the lost - those in rebellion against God.
They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.
The Bible refers to this event as the "second death." (Revelation 20:14) [Learn more about this in It Is Written Bible Study Guide #12, "Hellfire: Would God Really Do That?"]
I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
God's plan is to re-create the earth, making it at least as beautiful as it was when Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden. Sin and sinners will be gone forever. God's people will now live in a perfect world - in the presence of God! There will be no sickness, sadness, tears, pain or death. (Isaiah 33:24; Revelation 21:4)
I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God."
Revelation's 1,000 years reveal that God's wish ultimately comes true! After creation, sin interrupted God's fellowship with His children. God dwelled among His people when He inhabited the earthly sanctuary (Exodus 25:8), but the sin of His people prevented them from knowing God as He wished them to know Him. Jesus came and dwelled in the midst of His people, but "His own did not receive Him." (John 1:11)
Finally, God enjoys true closeness with His people. And without sin and Satan, the redeemed are free to enjoy the presence of God for eternity!
All who accept Jesus by faith can anticipate living one day with God in an earth made new. Are you willing to accept Jesus today as your personal Savior, and are you looking forward to living with Jesus on a re-created earth?
When Mary-Ellen was asked why she was a practicing witch, the answer she gave surprised the questioner. She said, "As a child, I was raised in a hellfire and brimstone-spitting church. I was told God would burn people - even old people and little children - for as long as time should last. I decided that if that's what God is like, I'd be better off without Him!"
Mary-Ellen wrestled with a commonly-asked question: "Would God really do that?"
God is love.
Although it might not be always possible to understand the providence of God, the Bible clearly states that God is love.
The Lord is ... not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
While it is evident that not everyone will repent, God's wish is that all people would find salvation in Him. Jesus invited all who labor and are heavy laden to come to Him (Matthew 11:28), while whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Jesus certainly believed there was a hell!
As the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire.
According to Jesus, hellfire will not start burning until the "end of this age," which means there is presently no one burning in hell!
The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
Jesus spoke about two resurrections. One - the resurrection of life - would take place at His Second Coming, while the other - the resurrection of condemnation - would not occur until the end of Revelation's 1,000 years, a whole millennium after the Second Coming of Jesus.
Based on the teachings of Jesus, no one will be subjected to hellfire until after the millennium. [See It is Written Bible Study Guide #11, "Revelation's 1,000 Years."]
| 1st resurrection | 2nd resurrection | |
|---|---|---|
| LAST DAYS | 1,000 YEARS | ETERNITY |
| Return of Jesus | Righteous in heaven | Christ, saints and city descend |
| Righteous dead raised | Wicked remain dead | Wicked dead raised, Satan released |
| Living saints caught up | Last judgment | |
| Wicked slain | Satan bound by chains of circumstance | Satan and sinners destroyed |
| Satan bound | Righteous will judge | Earth cleansed and renewed |
They [Satan and all the unsaved] went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.
The heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
The Bible teaches that hellfire takes place on the earth. While it has been common for people to teach that hell is located in the center of the earth, such an idea is clearly a fallacy - a modern myth. Hellfire consumes the entire planet.
The soul who sins shall die.
The wages of sin is death.
This [hellfire] is the second death.
People who find themselves in the fires of hell die in hell. The most well-known verse in the Bible says that anyone who believes in Jesus "will not perish." The Bible does not teach that people will suffer in hell throughout eternity.
"Behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up," says the Lord of hosts, "that will leave them neither root nor branch ... You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this," says the Lord of hosts.
The Bible is unambiguous when discussing the fate of the lost in hell. Hellfire destroys the wicked.
It is not God's intention that the wicked should exist forever. In fact, it is not possible that the wicked could exist forever. Eternal life is a gift given to those who have faith in Christ.
The lost are lost because they do not have faith in Jesus. God will not grant immortality to those who have not chosen to love Him. As 1 John 5:12 says, "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."
The lost do not have the Son, and therefore cannot live forever - even in hell!
Therefore I brought fire from your midst; it devoured you, and I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you.
Even the devil is reduced to ashes by the fires of hell. Satan and his angels will not be given authority to torture the lost in hell. Satan himself - along with every fallen angel - will be blotted out of existence in the fires of hell.
Hell exists to cleanse the world - to rid the planet and the universe of every last trace of sin. God has no interest in reserving a small corner of the universe as an eternal cesspool where people enduring indescribable torment suffer for all eternity.
As He did in the days of Noah, God will cleanse the world once again, but this time "affliction will not rise up a second time." (Nahum 1:9) Sin and sinners will be gone forever!
The smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.
The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
As we have already seen, the Bible teaches that Satan will be reduced to ashes in the fires of hell. It isn't possible for the devil to be reduced to ashes and to burn forever and ever at the same time!
Hannah ... said to her husband, "Not until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the Lord and remain there forever."
"I also have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord."
Notice: Hannah says her child will live in the temple "forever." Then she says that he will be in the temple for "as long as he lives." In this case, "forever" means "for as long as Samuel lives."
I went down to the moorings of the mountains; the earth with its bars closed behind me forever.
Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Jonah said that he was in the sea "forever," yet the Bible explains it as being a time period of "three days and three nights." As with Samuel at the temple, "forever" did not mean "forever" in the sense of an event lasting eternally. If "forever" meant "eternal," we could still expect to find Samuel in the temple today, and Jonah still in the belly of the fish.
While on two occasions the Bible refers to hellfire as lasting "forever," it uses the phrase "forever" in the same way it does on dozens of other occasions where "forever" refers to "as long as an event should last." Many times the Bible uses the phrase "forever" in conjunction with an event that has long expired.
Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them . . . are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly.
The Bible states clearly that the experience of Sodom and Gomorrah was an example of the "eternal" fires of hell. Clearly, "eternal" does not mean that the fires of hell will burn eternally. Sodom and Gomorrah are not still burning today. While the effects of hellfire are eternal, sinners in hellfire will be - as Sodom and Gomorrah were - reduced to ashes.
Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Hell was conceived of as a means of ridding the universe of sin and the arch-sinner, Satan. In Ezekiel 33:11, God says, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live."
Those who choose the service of Satan over the service of God will be destroyed along with Satan and the fallen angels in what Matthew 25:41 calls "everlasting fire."
As Jude 7 makes clear, it is not the fire itself that is everlasting, but its effects. Anything or anyone destroyed in hellfire will be totally destroyed - forever.
The chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.
In Jeremiah 17:27, God discusses a fire that shall not be "quenched." This fire is referred to in 2 Chronicles 36:19-21, and took place when Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylon. Jerusalem is not still burning today!
God is clarifying a very solemn point: nothing will be able to in any way lessen the seriousness of hellfire. Hell will burn until it has done its work. Nothing will be able to escape the seriousness of hell. It will completely annihilate everything it touches.
The story of the rich man and Lazarus is a parable. Jesus shared this story not to illustrate the realities of the afterlife, but to teach His hearers some vital lessons.
A. Wealth (in the case of the rich man) is not a guarantee of God's blessings. Neither is poverty (in the case of Lazarus) a sign of lacking God's blessing.
B. Salvation is not by birthright. Many Jews felt that because they were the descendants of Abraham, they were guaranteed salvation. This parable demonstrated to Jesus' hearers that heredity does not provide eternal life.
C. Believers must follow what is written in the Bible. In the parable, the rich man is told that if his brothers would not hear "Moses and the prophets," they would not believe - even if one of them rose from the dead. Interestingly, a man named Lazarus did rise from the dead, and rather than believe in Jesus, the religious leaders plotted to have Lazarus murdered. (John 12:10)
I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
After the fires of hell have gone out, God will re-create the earth. Every last trace of sin will be gone. Our eternal home will be a place of beauty and perfection, where God will dwell with His people. (Revelation 21:3)
Hellfire reveals the love of a gracious God. After doing everything He can to save every last person for all eternity, God ultimately destroys the earth and rids it of every trace of sin.
Those who choose not to receive everlasting life will not be caused to suffer for eternity; they will be blotted out of existence. Sin and sinners will be no more. The saved will be free to enjoy eternity without the presence of sin!
Are you willing to accept the gift of salvation from Jesus today, and are you looking forward to eternity in a world without sin and sadness?
While General Douglas McArthur was commander of U.S. Army Forces in the Far East during World War II, the American-occupied Philippines was invaded by Japan. Defense was futile, and on February 22, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered General MacArthur to leave the Philippines.
Once in Australia, MacArthur gave a famous speech in which he said, "I shall return." On October 20, 1944, MacArthur made good on his promise when he waded ashore with his troops on the island of Leyte. Before long, liberation came to the Philippines.
Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Jesus promised that He would return to this world, gather His waiting people, and take them to be with Him in heaven!
Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
The Bible portrays the return of Jesus in the most hopeful terms. One day, the trials and disappointments of this world will be gone forever. Jesus' return is truly the blessed hope of the world.
I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God.
Job, in the first book of the Bible to be written, looked with hope toward the return of Jesus to this world. Every author in the New Testament mentions the Second Coming of Jesus, and Jesus Himself referred to His return numerous times. (Matthew 24:30 and Matthew 26:64 are two examples.)
God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.
The sin and sadness of life will all be banished when Jesus returns! The last funeral service will have been held, no longer will people get sick and die, and no more tears will be shed. Truly, the Second Coming of Jesus is the "blessed hope"!
Of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
Throughout the years, many people have predicted when Jesus would return to the earth - but they have all been wrong! No one knows the day or the hour of Jesus' return.
Learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near - at the doors!.
While it isn't possible to know exactly when Jesus is going to return to this planet, it is possible to know - based on the signs He gave - when His return is near. [See It Is Written Bible Study Guide #2, "Seeing the Signs."]
While they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."
The return of Jesus will be a literal event. Jesus Himself will personally return to this world.
Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him.
The sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
The return of Jesus will be a visible event. People all over the world will see Jesus return to the world.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
We can only imagine what it will sound like when Jesus returns to earth accompanied by the angels of heaven. (Matthew 16:27) The Second Coming of Jesus will be an event that people will hear.
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.
The return of Jesus will undoubtedly be a glorious event!
The return of Jesus will be:
The dead in Christ will rise first.
The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
When Jesus returns, the first resurrection takes place, when the dead in Christ shall rise to be with Jesus forever. The dreamless sleep of death will come to an end, and the sleeping saints of God will rise to be with Him and to die no more. [For more information about the subject of death, see It Is Written Bible Study Guide #10, "The Mystery of Death."]
For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
When Jesus returns, believers in Jesus will receive immortal, eternal bodies. The righteous at Jesus' return will never again endure physical distress. Aches and pains will be gone forever, as God gives them new bodies in which they will live eternally!
As the days Noah of were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Comparing His return with the flood that covered the earth in the days of Noah, Jesus warned that indifference would affect the world. Most people will be carrying on with their daily lives, apathetic toward spiritual realities.
Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.
Jesus helps us understand the meaning of this passage by comparing events at His return with what took place in the days of Noah. In Noah's day, there were two groups of people: those who got on the ark and were saved, and those who did not get on the ark and were lost.
Jesus tells us that when He returns, circumstances on this planet will be as they were in Noah's day. One group of people will be saved, and another will be lost. People in similar situations ("two men will be in the field") and with similar opportunities ("two women will be grinding at the mill")-will meet with different fates. One will be saved, while another will be lost.
If they say to you, "Look, He is in the desert!" do not go out; or "Look, He is in the inner rooms!" do not believe it.
Jesus specifically stated that we should not believe that His return will be a secret event. If someone were to claim that Jesus had returned and was in a specific location, we should likewise reject that claim. Jesus' return will not be a secret.
Some people teach that the return of Jesus is going to be a secret event - that He will first return for the saved believers, and then return some time later for those who have become ready after having been given a second chance.
Nowhere does the Bible talk of a secret Second Coming of Jesus, nor does it indicate that those who are not ready for the return of Jesus will be given another opportunity to be saved.
They are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
False chrlsts and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Before Jesus returns, Satan will work with great power to deceive as many people as he can. Paul wrote that Satan will work "with all power, signs, and lying wonders." (2 Thessalonians 2:9)
Recognizing that he only has a short time left in which to deceive the world, Satan works miracles calculated to destroy the faith of God's people.
It is not the Lord who will come as a thief in the night but the day of the Lord And even then, that day will come as a thief to those who are not prepared to meet Jesus. "You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness." (1 Thessalonians 5:5)
There is no question that before Jesus returns, there will be a "time of trouble, such as never was." (Daniel 12:1) But nowhere does the Bible refer to a tribulation period of seven years. The Bible does not say how long this time will be.
Rather than living in fear of a future time of trouble, believers in Jesus can remember that Jesus has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)
Jesus has promised to be with His people during times of distress. In John 16:33, Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
Revelation 6:14-17 depicts the lost fleeing from Jesus at His return. Isaiah 25:9 quotes the joy of the saints of God when Jesus appears. And 2 Peter 3:10 tells us that "the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up."
The earth will be destroyed when Jesus returns. [For more on the millennium, see It Is Written Bible Study Guide #11, "Revelation's 1,000 Years."]
Therefore you also be ready.
What I say to you, I say to all: watch!
Jesus urges us to be ready for His return. Because we cannot know exactly when the return of Jesus will be, it is vitally important that we live in a state of constant readiness for the Second Coming. Peter warned that "scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to 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 creation." (2 Peter 3:3, 4) It is important to get ready for the Second Coming of Jesus, and stay ready!
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
By accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, confessing your sins and living a life of surrender to God, you can have the assurance of everlasting life, and of being ready for Jesus at His return.
Are you willing to surrender your life to Jesus, invite Him into your heart and live by faith in Jesus in preparation for His return?
Students of American literature are familiar with Edgar Allan Poe's famous fictional story, "The Fall of the House of Usher," in which a woman is mistakenly buried alive by her twin brother, only to escape from her coffin and cause her brother's death by the shock of seeing her again.
Today, premature burial is extremely rare, at least in a physical sense. In a spiritual sense, however, it happens more often than we realize!
Baptism is a ceremony described in the Bible as a symbol of conversion - the death of our sinful past as we rise to experience a new life of joy and victory in Jesus. Our former life of self-pleasing and rebellion against God is buried and left behind.
Jesus made clear that it is important to know what the Bible says about baptism. And without understanding the true meaning of baptism, many people are being buried alive!
Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
According to Jesus, all Christians need to be baptized. Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, and believers in Jesus publicly demonstrate that belief through baptism. Jesus clearly says that the practice of baptism, which is mentioned nearly 100 times in the Bible, is an integral part of the Christian experience.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
The last words a person speaks are often significant. In some of His last words to His disciples, Jesus shared His vision for the new Christian church. The leaders of this church were commissioned to share the gospel all over the world, encouraging people to accept Jesus and be baptized.
One Lord, one faith, one baptism.
The one true baptism of the Bible is baptism in water, by full immersion.
The word "baptize" literally means "to immerse" or "to submerge." It comes from the Greek word baptizo. Therefore, another word for baptism would simply be "immersion." The Bible never uses the words "sprinkle" or "pour" in reference to baptism.
It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.
Jesus went "in" the Jordan River and then came "up from" the water. John the Baptist specifically chose to baptize people in the Jordan "because there was much water there." (John 3:23) Jesus was baptized in water by full immersion.
In John 1:29-34, John identifies Jesus as the Messiah (compare with Matthew 3:11). The baptism of Jesus was a fulfillment of prophecy. It was a very important event!
Both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
It is clear from this passage that the apostles did not change the method of baptism. Here we find Philip and the Ethiopian man going down into the water, and then coming back up out of the water. The baptism was conducted by full immersion, according to the example of Jesus.
Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
The symbol of water is used to represent spiritual cleansing. It symbolizes purity and a fresh start. The Bible says, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Everyone is in need of the new start baptism provides.
Of course, there is no power in the water itself to wash away our sins. It is purely symbolic of the work God does in our lives.
We were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Baptism symbolizes the washing away of the old life of sin and the beginning of a new life in Jesus Christ. Baptism is the sign by which believers experience Christ's death, burial and resurrection in their lives - through death to self and rebirth to a new life.
Just as Jesus died, was buried and then was resurrected, so the new Christian dies to the old life of sin, is buried beneath the water in baptism and then rises with a new life empowered by the Holy Spirit.
This symbolism is at the heart of the meaning and importance of baptism. The person who is baptized first chooses to lay down the life of sin, is buried in the waters of baptism and is raised up out of the water to live a new life in Jesus.
A. The death of your old life
The Christian life is not just a matter of being a "better person" - it is a death to the old life. The Apostle Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ." (Galatians 2:20)
Baptism is only meaningful when a person surrenders to Jesus and allows the old life to pass away. Failing to yield fully to Jesus prior to baptism results in a person being "buried alive."
B. The burial of your old life
The Bible says we are "buried with Him in baptism." (Colossians 2:12) No one is truly baptized until they have been submerged - or buried - in water. No amount of sprinkling can ever "bury" a person. Bible baptism is baptism by full immersion.
C. Your new life in Jesus
Once your old life is dead and buried in baptism, you are raised out of the water as new person.
Baptism is as important to the Christian life as a wedding is to a marriage.
As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Paul wrote that when a person is baptized, that person has "put on Christ." Our old identity is swallowed up in a new identity - that of being one with Jesus Christ.
He who believes and is baptized will be saved.
While baptism itself does not secure the gift of salvation - salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ - baptism is a vital part of the Christian experience.
If the form of baptism is incorrect, the symbolism - and therefore the meaning - of baptism is radically changed. Baptism means death to the old life, and resurrection to a new life in Jesus. Only baptism by immersion can signify that spiritual reality.
When you accept Jesus as your personal Savior (Acts 8:37; John 3:3, 5) and experience the new birth, you:
Baptism is for those who have accepted Jesus and want to live together with Him. It is an exciting yet very serious decision. Jesus wants you to get to know Him and fully understand the commitment you are making.
Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
True water baptism is accompanied by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. To be baptized with the Holy Spirit means to be "fully immersed" in the Holy Spirit: receiving the Holy Spirit and allowing the Spirit to transform the life.
The role of the Holy Spirit is to convict of sin and to bestow the righteousness of Jesus as the solution for sin. (John 16:8) It is also the Holy Spirit who helps us understand the teachings of God's Word. (John 16:13)
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is demonstrated through producing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23), as well as receiving the gifts of the Spirit. This enables us to effectively share the good news about God's love. (1 Corinthians 12:3-7)
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them ... And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
He is the head of the body, the church.
By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.
When we are baptized into Jesus, we automatically become part of His body, the church. The church is God's chosen body of people who help nurture us in our spiritual life as well as work with us in the spreading of the gospel. When we make a decision for baptism, we are also making a commitment to become an active member of God's church.
There's nothing in the Bible that says the thief on the cross was not baptized. But assuming he was not, his case would parallel the case of any person who died without being baptized by immersion. In such situations, the baptism of Jesus is substituted in the place of that person. However, that is not an excuse for people who do not wish to be baptized. Baptism is still very important. It is apparent that after the thief developed a saving faith in Jesus, he did not have the opportunity to be baptized.
Also, it pays to remember that as important as baptism is, a person is not saved by baptism, but by faith in Jesus. Baptism - like all steps of obedience - demonstrates genuine love for God on the part of the believer.
Jesus Himself said that we are to be baptized "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." However, when He said that, He wasn't writing the script for the person performing the baptism service. Nowhere in the Bible do we read the precise words spoken by a minister when a person was baptized. In saying we should be baptized "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," Jesus was stating that we should be baptized accepting the authority of the three members of the Godhead. In Acts 19:5, when certain disciples "were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus," they were baptized accepting the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The context of this passage makes clear that the issue during this baptism was the Lordship of Jesus. Again, no mention is made of the words said during the baptism service. These individuals were baptized accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
The Bible makes no mention of infant baptism. In fact, the Bible makes clear that infant baptism is inappropriate. Those who were baptized in the Bible were mature people who made a personal decision to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and who chose to live surrendered to the will of God. Jesus Himself was baptized as an adult. Baptism by immersion has been referred to as "believer's baptism," because those who are baptized personally believe in Jesus. An infant cannot meet any of the prerequisites for baptism: recognition of personal sinfulness, belief in God, confession of sin, repentance, and surrender to the will of God. Rather than being baptized, infants should be dedicated to God by their parents, as Jesus was. (Luke 2:21-39) Parents not only dedicate their children to God, but they dedicate themselves to raising their children in a Christian environment, according to the Word of God. Dedication - rather than baptism - is appropriate for infant children. The Bible does not specify the precise age at which a person should be baptized. Some people are capable of developing a meaningful relationship with Jesus at a young age, while others are not.
This certainly didn't come from the Bible, nor from Jesus and the disciples. Baptism by immersion was the widely accepted method of baptism in the Christian church for hundreds of years after Jesus died. New methods of baptism entered the church over time and became established traditions.
In fact, many churches that today do not practice baptism by immersion did so in years past. Baptistries can be found in old churches where today baptism by immersion has been replaced by baptism by sprinkling or pouring. Today's unbiblical methods of baptism rest solely upon tradition. And the Bible is very plain that "we ought to obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29)
They said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism." Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Although baptism is ideally a once-only experience, there are instances when rebaptism is not only appropriate but recommended:
When substantial new truth is discovered
When Paul was preaching at Ephesus, he found a group of people who had been baptized by John the Baptist, but had never heard of the Holy Spirit. Paul took these people aside and taught them about the work and the power of the Holy Spirit. This truth had such an impact in their lives that they chose to be rebaptized. This example clearly shows that when significant new life - changing truths are learned, rebaptism is appropriate.
If you desire to return to Jesus after turning away from Him
Baptism is your marriage ceremony with Jesus. If you have left Jesus and abandoned this relationship, it is also appropriate to be rebaptized. A "fresh start" in your relationship with Jesus results as you once again pledge your love and loyalty to Him.
Why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized.
One of the most effective tactics of the devil is causing people to procrastinate - to put off making a decision. The Bible says, "Why are you waiting?"
Don’t put off baptism until you think you are good enough." Don't wait until you feel "clean." Don't wait for the approval of others. The Bible says, "Arise and be baptized."
Don't delay - make plans today for a fresh start in life through baptism.
A voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
When Jesus was baptized, God voiced His approval from heaven!
I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
All of heaven rejoices when a person is baptized!
Three points to remember:
Baptism is one of the most significant aspects of the Christian life.
Only baptism by full immersion of a believing person is biblical and reflects the meaning behind the symbolism of baptism.
Baptism is the entry point into God's church.
Is it your desire to follow the example of Jesus, have a fresh start in life and begin preparing for your baptism according to the Bible?
Quoting the Danish Twin Study, Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones, stated that "only about 10 percent of how long the average person lives, within certain biological limits, is dictated by our genes. The other 90 percent is dictated by our lifestyle."
Evidently, people have a great ability to affect - positively or negatively - how long they live!
But God's plan isn't just that we live long lives on this earth. He wants us to live eternally. What does the Bible say concerning our physical health? And is there any connection between physical and spiritual health? The Bible contains the keys to a happy, healthy - and very long - life.
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
The subject of health is one of the most important subjects of the Bible. The Apostle John wished for his friends to prosper both physically and spiritually. Whatever affects the health of the body will affect the whole person. This includes the way we feel, think and interact in our relationships.
When you care for your body physically, your mind will also do better. A clear, sharp mind is more easily connected with God, providing a platform for true health and happiness.
You shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.
God gave His people health principles to protect them from sickness and keep them from premature and unnecessary death. As the Creator God, He knows what is best for our health. Many years ago, God gave us a number of principles that are still very important today.
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
God's desire is that His people - while preparing for everlasting life - live life to the fullest!
God wants us to flourish. An abundant life includes the personal presence of Jesus, who longs to give us a life of health and happiness beyond our imagination.
Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ... Therefore glorify God in your body.
Some people have the attitude of "it's my body, and I can do what l like with it." But the human body was intended to be a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. As such, we have a responsibility to care for ourselves physically and emotionally - to keep ourselves in the best possible condition to maintain a loving relationship with God.
If the mind is dulled, communication with God is made more difficult and spiritual growth is stunted. Having vitality and good health helps us understand the Bible and establish a close relationship with God.
Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Notice that God wants us to glorify Him in all we do - including how we eat and drink. It is easy to imagine ways of eating and drinking that are not to the glory of God. In His Word, God gives us clear instruction as to how we can treat our body temple in a way that glorifies Him.
God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food."
In the Garden of Eden, before the appearance of sin and death, the diet God prescribed for Adam and Eve did not include animal flesh. Meat was not a part of God's original dietary plan for the human family. And God's original dietary plan was clearly effective. Following this plan, Methuselah lived to be 969 years old! (Genesis 5:27)
Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud - that you may eat.
God made it clear that should people decide to eat animal flesh, they should not eat unclean animals - including pigs, rabbits, camels and horses. Only animals that have a split hoof and chew the cud are acceptable for human consumption.
You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female.
As far back as the time of Noah, God clearly distinguished between clean animals and unclean animals - and Jews didn't yet exist in Noah's day! He told Noah to take onto the ark seven of every clean animal, and two of every unclean animal.
God's intention was not that the unclean animals would be eaten. If they were, the species in question would have become extinct. God's instruction to Noah - long before the first Jew lived - clearly shows that restrictions against eating unclean animals do not apply only to the Jewish people. God's principles for honoring Him and enjoying good health are for everyone!
These you may eat of all that are in the water: whatever in the water has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers - that you may eat. But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing which is in the water, they are an abomination to you.
In an attempt to protect us from illness and disease, God asks that anyone eating creatures that live in the water refrain from eating certain creatures that were never intended to be food for human beings.
Filter feeders, such as oysters and other shellfish, have a very important role in the ecosystem. They cleanse waterways by ingesting water and filtering out impurities. Lobsters, crabs and other bottom-feeders cleanse rivers and oceans of dead matter. The same is true for catfish and other similar creatures. While not intended as food for people, these creatures perform the important task of helping to cleanse the planet's water supply.
And notice: God said that the eating of unclean animals is "an abomination to you." Nowhere in the Bible did God ever declare something to be an abomination that He later declared to no longer be an abomination. God stated that unclean food is an abomination, and never reversed that declaration.
These you shall regard as an abomination among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the buzzard ...
Birds of prey and birds that feed on carrion (the flesh of dead animals) are declared by God to be unclean. While chickens and turkeys are clean birds, eagles, vultures and other similar birds are declared by God to be unclean.
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; at the last it bites like a serpent and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things.
The Bible speaks very clearly about the dangers of alcohol use. While it is true that many people in the Bible drank alcohol, the Bible never portrays such alcohol use in a positive light. Bible figures also practiced bigamy and owned slaves, yet such flawed behavior cannot be used to justify similar practices today.
As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one says, "Do not destroy it, for a blessing is in it," so will I do for My servants' sake, that I may not destroy them all.
The "wine" God permits His people to drink is that which is found "in the cluster" - the unfermented juice of the grape. While some people point to Jesus turning water into "wine" at the wedding feast at Cana (John 2:1-11) as justification for drinking alcohol, there is nothing in the story that suggests Jesus created alcohol rather than grape juice.
It would be clearly inconsistent for Jesus to inspire Bible writers to speak strongly against alcohol use, and then create many gallons of alcohol to be consumed at the end of a wedding feast!
You shall not murder.
Reliable science reveals that every cigarette smoked causes tremendous harm to the human body and mind. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 90 percent of lung cancers - and many other diseases - are caused by smoking. Causing intentional and significant harm to the body temple - God's dwelling place - cannot possibly be construed as giving glory to God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
This vision is found in Acts 10. Cornelius, a Gentile, had been told by God to send messengers to invite Peter to come to his home to share the message of the gospel. However, Peter's personal prejudice against Gentiles meant there was no way he was prepared to make such a journey.
So God communicated with Peter through a vision of unclean animals being lowered to the earth, with the instruction, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat." (Acts 10:13) Peter protested that he could not eat anything unclean, to which God responded by saying, "What God has cleansed you must not call common." (Acts 10:15)
Later, Peter explained exactly what God was trying to communicate to him when he told those gathered at Cornelius home, "You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean." (Acts 10:28)
God was not showing Peter that he should now eat unclean food. He was telling Peter that he should no longer be racist, but should take the gospel to all people regardless of their ethnic background.
In addition, if it were true that Jesus' death somehow made unclean animals into clean animals, it is inconceivable that Peter did not learn of this change until several years after Calvary.
In 1 Timothy 4:4, 5, we read, "Every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."
Paul is not telling Timothy that every single creature is good for food. He certainly isn't telling Timothy that snakes and rats and cockroaches may now be on the menu. Paul tells Timothy that good food is "sanctified by the word of God and prayer."
Paul doesn't tell Timothy that simply praying over any food makes that food acceptable to eat. Paul mentioned two important things that make food acceptable in God's sight: prayer as well as "the word of God." The Word of God specifies which animals are acceptable for human consumption in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.
In 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul says to Timothy, "No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities." It is hard to imagine Paul suggesting alcohol as a medicine to soothe an upset stomach. It is not so difficult, however, to imagine Paul advising his young protegé to drink grape juice in order to settle his stomach.
It is important to keep in mind that the original words used in the Bible and translated into the word "wine" do not differentiate between unfermented grape juice and alcohol. They simply mean "wine" without specifying what kind of "wine" is being referred to.
Context and the weight of Bible evidence must determine what sort of wine is being referenced. In this case, context and the weight of evidence strongly suggest that Paul is recommending grape juice as a remedy for Timothy's ailments.
A comparison with 1 Corinthians 8 reveals that the "weak" brother was one whose conscience would not allow him to eat food that had been offered to idols. It is easy to imagine how such a practice could seem abhorrent to one who had recently come out of idolatry.
Paul stressed that for those with a more mature Christian experience, "an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one." (1 Corinthians 8:4) He explained that not all believers had that knowledge, stating that "some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled." (1 Corinthians 8:7) Therefore, some who were "weak" chose not to eat anything that had been offered to idols.
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
Just as an athlete trains and prepares wholeheartedly in his or her pursuit of a prize that will one day perish, the Christian should strive to prepare in every possible way to receive God's great gift of everlasting life.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
While salvation does not come through adhering to health principles - salvation comes only through faith in Jesus - those who have faith in Jesus will want to honor Him in every way possible. As we honor God with our bodies and also yield to Him our minds, He can fill us with His presence and communicate with us more clearly.
An example of this principle is found in the book of Daniel. Captured from his home in Jerusalem, the teenaged Daniel refused to eat the unhealthful food set before him by King Nebuchadnezzar - even though in doing so, he knew he could incur the king's wrath.
As a result of his faithfulness, God blessed Daniel and his friends to be "ten times better" than the rest of the wise men in Babylon. (Daniel 1:20) Daniel - who conscientiously honored God with his body - was blessed by God to receive some of the greatest prophetic messages ever shared by God with the human family.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, God is well able to not only provide strength to make changes in our lives, but also to be the strength we need to live lives that are entirely committed to God's glory. What seems impossible to us in our human weakness is possible with God in His divine strength. God is able to help anyone enjoy the blessings that come from following His principles for good health.
Are you willing to surrender your life to God and accept His principles for better physical and spiritual health?
Jerusalem, the "City of Peace," has a history like few other places on earth. Over thousands of years, many wars have been fought over this site. Today, Jerusalem is still one of the most volatile places in the world.
The most prized possession in Jerusalem is the Temple Mount, considered holy by both Jews and Muslims. It was where Solomon built the first great Israelite temple, which Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar later destroyed. Herod's temple, later built on the same spot, was eventually destroyed by the Romans in AD 70.
Since that time, there has been talk about rebuilding this temple. But according to the Bible, should the temple be rebuilt?
What was the purpose of the ancient temple - also known as the tabernacle or sanctuary? What did all the symbols and ceremonies mean? And as the ancient high priest ministered in the temple on behalf of God's people in times past, who represents us before God today?
Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.
God created humans for love and companionship. He even made us "in His own image" so we could understand Him better and learn to love Him more. When our original parents sinned, the closeness that existed between God and humans was interrupted. Sin raised a barrier between humankind and our pure and holy God. (Isaiah 59:2)
The sanctuary provided a means whereby God could again live with His people. His presence would reside permanently in the sanctuary. In this way, God went wherever His people went - guiding, providing for and protecting them. The sanctuary symbols and services taught the people to know and understand their loving God.
Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary.
The sanctuary was a three-dimensional model given to show God's way of salvation. The sanctuary is mentioned or alluded to throughout the Bible, and involves a wide variety of symbols and ceremonies.
The sanctuary outlines the complete gospel story in detail. It presents a God of judgment and mercy, and demonstrates how God will ultimately and eternally solve the problem of sin.
The books of Daniel and Revelation base their prophecies in large part on the subject of the sanctuary. In fact, the sanctuary and its services are mentioned or alluded to many times in the book of Revelation. There are few, if any, Bible topics more important for us to understand than the subject of the sanctuary.
Without shedding of blood there is no remission.
The sanctuary service was based on the sacrifice of animals. This heart-wrenching ceremony taught that the shedding of blood was required to obtain forgiveness (remission) and cleansing from sin.
Blood is a symbol of life. (Leviticus 17:11) Only blood from the life of the One who was sinned against - the God of heaven - could provide forgiveness for the sinner. Jesus is the Lamb of God whose blood takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)
Through the sanctuary services, God demonstrated the great cost of sin. Through the blood of animal sacrifices, God pointed toward the great Sacrifice, Savior and Substitute - Jesus Christ.
According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.
When Moses built the sanctuary, he followed "blueprints" that were given to him by God. The sanctuary was meticulously designed by God, and every symbol and ceremony was significant.
The original sanctuary was a tent-like structure that the Jews transported with them as they journeyed through the wilderness. (Exodus 25-40) It was made of a variety of materials, including acacia wood, goats' hair, animal skins and precious metals such as silver and gold. The sanctuary consisted of three aspects:
| The Courtyard | The Holy Place | The Most Holy Place |
|---|---|---|
| About 150 feet/46 meters long and 75 feet/23 meters wide | About 30 feet/9 meters long and 15 feet/4.6 meters wide | About 15 feet/4.6 meters long and 15 feet/4.6 meters wide |
The courtyard set a boundary around the sanctuary. There was only one entrance to the sanctuary - through the front curtain (or veil). It was through this veil that the sinner would enter the sanctuary precincts with an animal sacrifice. Within the courtyard was the altar of burnt offering (Exodus 40:6), where the animals were consumed by fire. There was also a laver (Exodus 40:7), a basin used by the priests to wash their hands and feet prior to entering the sanctuary.
In the Holy Place was a seven-branched candlestick (Exodus 25:31-40), kept constantly burning with oil. There was also the altar of incense, where incense burned continually (Exodus 30:7, 8), and the table of showbread, upon which were loaves of flat bread. (Exodus 25:30; Leviticus 24:5-9)
It was in the Most Holy Place that the presence of God resided. The Most Holy Place was the home of the Ark of the Covenant. (Exodus 40:3) On the ark stood two angels made of pure gold, watching over the mercy seat, which was upon the ark. (Exodus 25:17-22) Inside the ark was the law of God - the Ten Commandments - which was written with the finger of God. (Deuteronomy 10:4, 5)
He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill it as a sin offering at the place where they kill the burnt offering.
The sinner would take a lamb to the sanctuary, walk through the veil, and approach the altar of burnt offering. He would then place his hand on the head of the lamb and confess his specific sins onto that lamb. (Leviticus 4:29; 5:5) By doing this, the sinner symbolically transferred his sins to the lamb, and the lamb would die. In what was intended by God to be a difficult process, the sinner then killed the lamb himself.
Depending on the sacrifice offered, the priest either ate part of the animal or sprinkled some of its blood inside the sanctuary. Thus the sin was transferred from the sinner to the lamb, then to the priest and then into the sanctuary. The sinner left the sanctuary free from the penalty of sin.
We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.
The earthly sanctuary was modeled after the sanctuary in heaven. The sanctuary that Moses built was a "shadow" (Hebrews 8:5), representing the original temple that God built. As the book of Hebrews points out, there is a High Priest granting salvation to sinners from the sanctuary in heaven.
This being so, there is no need for a new temple to be erected in Jerusalem. The true sanctuary - the one that should be our focus - is in heaven. The sanctuary spoken of in the Bible's end-time prophecies is the sanctuary in heaven, and not a sanctuary on planet Earth.
Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
God made the great sacrifice to provide forgiveness to sinful humanity. As sacrifices were offered in the courtyard of the earthly sanctuary, it was on this earth that Jesus - the divine Son of God - died.
When He died on Calvary, the veil in the earthly sanctuary was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51), indicating that the services of the earthly sanctuary were obsolete from that moment on.
By His death, Jesus brought "an end to sacrifice and offering." (Daniel 9:27) God's true sanctuary is the heavenly sanctuary, and not an earthly sanctuary (or temple).
--
In the life, death and heavenly ministry of Jesus, it is demonstrated that there is no longer any need for an earthly temple; Our heavenly High Priest ministers in a heavenly temple. The earthly temple is now obsolete, and there is no biblical mandate for a new earthly temple to be constructed. Any earthly temple constructed for the purpose of offering animal sacrifices could not be the temple of God, as the offering of animal sacrifices would be a denial of the death of Jesus on behalf of the human family.
Each piece of furniture in the sanctuary represents an aspect of Jesus' work to save us from sin.
To illustrate:
| Piece | Represents |
|---|---|
| 1 - Altar of Burnt Offering | The sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary (John 1:29) |
| 2 - Laver | Jesus the Living Water (John 4:10, Titus 3:5) |
| 3 - Candlestick | Jesus the Light of the World (John 1:9) |
| 4 - Showbread | Jesus the Bread of Life (John 6:48) |
| 5 - Altar of Incense | The righteousness of Jesus mixed with the prayers of the faithful (Revelation 8:3) |
| 6 - Ark of the Covenant and Mercy Seat | The mercy of God offered to those who break His law (1 John 2:1; Psalm 85:10) |
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
Today, everyone still needs a priest for salvation - a heavenly High Priest. The Bible says there is "one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5) Jesus is our only Mediator today.
He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
The primary function of Jesus' role as our heavenly High Priest is to make salvation a reality in our lives. The cross of Calvary was not the end of the salvation process! Jesus, the Lamb who died for us, now ministers for us as our High Priest.
In the Old Testament, the priest stood before the holiness of God and became the mediator between God and the sinner. In this way, the sinner had constant access to God, and God had constant access to His people.
When Jesus returned to heaven, He personally took on the role of ministering before the Father to bring salvation to us. Jesus is the link between human frailty and divine immortality. He restores our relationship with God and gives us spiritual power to live a victorious Christian life.
The tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.
The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) occurred just once every year. This was the only day the High Priest entered the Most Holy Place. It was a day of judgment and a solemn time of repentance - the day to ensure there was complete harmony between God and His people. Those who refused to participate were cut off from God's people. (Leviticus 23:29)
Every day, the priests offered sacrifices, transferring the record of sin (symbolized by eating some of the flesh of the sacrifice or sprinkling some of the blood) onto the Holy Place of the sanctuary. The Day of Atonement was a day to cleanse the sanctuary from sin.
The prophet Daniel predicted a time when the sanctuary in heaven would also be cleansed. (Daniel 8:14) There will be a judgment prior to the Second Coming of Christ - a time of blessing for all whose lives are surrendered to Jesus. [This is covered in detail in It Is Written Bible Study Guide #17, "The Messiah and the Judgment."]
Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat.
On the Day of Atonement, two goats were chosen. The Lord's goat was killed as a sacrifice for God's people. Blood from the goat was taken by the High Priest into the Most Holy Place and sprinkled on the Mercy Seat upon the Ark of the Covenant. This represented the blood of Jesus and the mercy of God to save us from our sins.
Following this, the sins from the sanctuary were symbolically transferred to the scapegoat, which represented Satan. The scapegoat was taken into the wilderness (Leviticus 16:21, 22) to die a lonely death, representing that at the end of the judgment, Satan will be punished for the sins of humanity.
Following Jesus' Second Coming, the devil will be confined to planet Earth for 1,000 years. [See It Is Written Bible Study Guide #11, "Revelation's 1,000 Years."]
At the end of this period, he will finally perish in the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:10) [See It Is Written Bible Study Guide #12, "Hellfire: Would God Really Do That?")
In all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus was born in human flesh and was tempted to sin. He knows what it's like to feel the pull of temptation, and understands our struggle with the flesh. As a result, He is full of mercy and sympathy when we confess our sins.
Jesus resisted temptation. He was completely without sin. (1 John 3:5) Jesus gained the victory over temptation in His personal experience, and is ready to give you help just when you need it most.
Because Jesus perfectly fulfilled the requirements of the law, He can substitute His perfect life for your sinful life. As a result, we can go "boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)
Even more so, He is able to help us follow His example, and live a life free from sin through His power! (1 Peter 2:21, 22)
Three points to remember:
The sanctuary demonstrates the plan of salvation.
The sanctuary outlines how God solves the problem of sin.
The heavenly sanctuary is where Jesus now ministers to bring you salvation.
Would you like to accept the forgiveness and power offered you by your heavenly High Priest, ministering for you now in the heavenly sanctuary?
In recent times, courtroom dramas have become popular features on television news programs. Those accused of notorious - even grisly - offenses often find their cases and court proceedings the subject of moment-by-moment media coverage. Society's fascination with crime and punishment has become a fixture of contemporary life.
The Bible speaks of a day in court that none can evade or avoid. What does the Bible say about this judgment? When will it happen? Who is in charge? And will you be found guilty or innocent before God?
Keep reading. God's Word offers answers that are filled with hope!
We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
Every person will face the judgment and answer for the decisions made in this life. As serious as this is, there is no need to be afraid of this event. God's Word reveals that if you put your trust in Jesus, you can look forward to the judgment with confidence!
Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
Jesus will come with His reward, and a reward must first be determined before it can be given. Therefore, there is a time prior to Christ's return when the judgment will take place. This judgment will reveal who is saved and who is lost.
As with any courtroom, there will be an investigation of the evidence, followed by a verdict and a sentence. For the believer in Jesus, the sentence (or reward) is eternity with our Friend and Savior.
I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated ... The court was seated, and the books were opened.
Daniel in vision saw the judgment in heaven's sanctuary. God sat on His throne. The court was seated. Millions of angels were present. The books were opened for investigation, and the judgment began. Daniel portrays this scene as a spectacular event.
The saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.
As people have lived on the earth, they have either accepted or rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The judgment reveals and ratifies the decisions that have been made for or against Jesus. The saved will be found to have yielded their lives to Him, while the lost will be found to have chosen against surrender to Christ.
At the completion of this judgment, none will doubt God's integrity, justice or love. Heaven's response to God's judgment is, "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints ... For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested." (Revelation 15:3, 4)
God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.
The standard in the judgment is the law of God. Our thoughts and actions are measured against the holy standard of God's law. Since "all have sinned," how can a just God declare a guilty person to be "not guilty"?
The Bible says the "wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23) All who have sinned are guilty and deserve death, but Jesus took the sentence and died in the place of the sinner. Since He is the One who was sinned against, He is the only One who can take the punishment for sin on behalf of the guilty.
When we confess our sins, two things take place:
Jesus forgives us "according to the riches of His grace." (Ephesians 1:7) His grace then enables us to be cleansed of sin through that same power. (1 John 1:7, 9) Our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. At the end of time, those whose names are found written in this book will be saved. (Daniel 12:1)
In the judgment, Jesus promises His followers - those who experience His forgiving and overcoming power - that He will not blot their names out of the Book of Life. Rather, the record of their sins will be blotted out. (Acts 3:19)
For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.
In Daniel 9:20-22, the angel Gabriel appears to Daniel - the same angel! "seen in the vision" of chapter 8 "at the beginning." (Daniel 9:21) Gabriel provides the starting date of the judgment when he tells Daniel about a period of 2,300 years. Gabriel then provides further details of the vision that relate specifically to Daniel's city and people - Jerusalem and the Jews.
Part 1
Jesus the Messiah
Gabriel said that this section of the vision is "determined" (in the original Hebrew, "divided" or "cut off") from the total timeframe of 2,300 days. (Daniel 9:24) As a result, we can be certain that the starting date for the 2,300-day prophecy is exactly the same as the starting date for the Messiah prophecy of Daniel 9. Both are sections of the same prophecy. The first part of this amazing prophecy about the Messiah and the judgment reveals Jesus as the Messiah.
Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.
God gave a 70-week time period for the nation of Israel to repent of its apostasy, during which time Jesus would come to the world as the long-awaited Messiah.
I have laid on you a day for each year.
In Bible prophecy, a day represents a literal year. This principle is found in several places throughout the Bible (see Numbers 14:34), and is validated by numerous prophecies. It would be impossible for the events of Daniel 9 to apply to a literal 490 days. The 70 weeks (490 days) represent 490 literal years.
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times.
The starting point of this prophecy was a command allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their city. This decree, found in Ezra 7:11-26, was made by King Artaxerxes in the seventh year of his reign, in 457 BC.
... until Messiah the Prince.
Daniel was told that the Messiah would come 69 weeks after the command to rebuild Jerusalem. That command was given in 457 BC, so 69 weeks (483 literal years) brings us to the year AD 27 (when calculating this, remember that there is no year 0, so we must add a year). According to this prophecy, the Messiah would appear in AD 27.
"Messiah" means "the Anointed One." In AD 27, Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River and was anointed by the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:37, 38), beginning His public ministry as the Messiah.
Luke 3:1 says Jesus' baptism took place in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar's reign, which history places at AD 27. The Messiah, Jesus Christ, came right on time in AD 27!
When Jesus announced that "the time is fulfilled" (Mark 1:15), He was declaring that the time prophecy of Daniel 9:25 had been fulfilled. Jesus was announcing that He was the Messiah.
After the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself.
Daniel predicted the death of the Messiah! Jesus would die for the sins of the world.
In the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
The "middle" of this week - seven days representing seven years in prophecy - is the year AD 31, three-and-a-half years after the coming of the Messiah in the autumn of AD 27. When Jesus died, the curtain in the temple was miraculously torn from top to bottom (Mark 15:38), indicating that the sacrificial system was now obsolete, because Jesus - the true Lamb - had died for the sins of the world.
In the temple service, the Passover lamb was sacrificed once a year on a specific day and at a specific time (the afternoon of the 14th day in the Hebrew month of Nisan).
Jesus was dying on the cross as the priests were preparing to kill the Passover lamb. On that dark afternoon, prophecy was fulfilled as "Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us." (1 Corinthians 5:7)
This time, prophecy demonstrates that the Bible can be trusted and that Jesus Christ is the true Messiah of Bible prophecy!
2300 Days (2300 Years) "For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed" (Daniel 8:14)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
70 Weeks (490 Years) ”Seventy weeks are determined [cut off]" (Daniel 9:24) 1810 Years
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------
7 Weeks (49 Years) 62 Weeks (434 Years) 1 Week (7 Years)
------------------ -------------------- --------------------------------
457 BC 408 BC AD 27 AD 31 AD 34 AD 1844
Decree of Rebuilding Jesus anointed Jesus crucified, Apostle Stephen Jesus begins final
Artaxerxes completed, as Messiah bringing "an stoned, ending work of atonement
"to restore including in baptism end to sacrifice" Jews' probation in heaven
and build "the street... (Daniel 9:25) (Daniel 9:27) (Daniel 9:26, 27) (Daniel 8:14)
Jerusalem" and the wall"
(Daniel 9:25) (Daniel 9:25)
Prophetically, 1 day = 1 year.
So 1 week (7 days) = 7 years, and
70 weeks (490 days) = 490 years.
When calculating from BC dates
to AD dates, treat the starting BC
dates as negative numbers, and
add to them.
Remember to add one year when
crossing from BC to AD, because
there is no year 0.
Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
After being anointed as the Messiah in AD 27, Jesus instructed His disciples to focus on preaching to the Jewish people. He longed for the Jewish nation to accept and present Him as the Messiah to the whole world.
Even after His death, Jesus told His disciples to begin their ministry at Jerusalem. He had not given up on the people of Jerusalem. There was still time for them to repent of their sin of rejecting the true Messiah.
The kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.
Jesus loved the people of Jerusalem. He knew the prophecy of Daniel 9, and He passionately warned them about refusing to accept the gift of salvation. Jesus declared that the great promise of a glorious future would be taken away from the Jews and given to another people.
Devout men carried Stephen to his burial ... Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.
When Stephen was killed by the Jewish religious leaders, he became the first Christian martyr. This occurred in AD 34, exactly 490 years after the start of the prophecy. The blessings of the gospel were now to be extended to Gentiles as well as Jews. Israel was no longer God's exclusive nation. Today, all who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior are considered part of God's modern Israel.
Galatians 3:29 says, "If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."
Paul wrote in Romans 2:28, 29, "He is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart."
Part 2
Jesus and the Judgement
Daniel 8:14 says, "For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed." What is the cleansing of the sanctuary?
The tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.
On that day the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.
As animal sacrifices were offered each day, the priest took some of the blood of the sacrifices and sprinkled it inside the Holy Place of the sanctuary. On other occasions, the priest ate part of the flesh of the sacrifice. Both services symbolized the transfer of sin from the animal into the sanctuary.
On one day each year, a special event took place. On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest entered the Most Holy Place, into the very presence of God and His law.
The Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, was a day set aside to ensure complete harmony between God and humans. To "atone" means to restore "at one"-ness with God. The purpose was to cleanse both the sanctuary and the sinner. The record of sin left by sacrificial blood had built up in the sanctuary throughout the year. On the Day of Atonement, these sins were symbolically "blotted out," and the sanctuary was cleansed of sin.
This was a day of judgment. The people of Israel would "afflict" their souls by making sure there were no specific sins left unconfessed or unforsaken. On this day, those who refused to confess their sins were judged guilty and cut off from God's people. (Leviticus 23:29)
It was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens [the earthly sanctuary] should be purified with these [the blood of animals], but the heavenly things themselves [the heavenly sanctuary] with better sacrifices than these [the precious blood of Jesus].
The cleansing of the sanctuary referred to by Daniel does not involve an earthly sanctuary. The Jewish temple was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70 and has never been rebuilt. The events and symbols of the earthly sanctuary point to Jesus and the sanctuary in heaven.
The cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary is the removal of the record of our sins from the books of heaven. (Daniel 7:10) While sinners are forgiven when they repent of their sins, even the very record of our sins is blotted out in God's judgment!
For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.
The starting date of this prophecy was the command allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their city (Daniel 9:25), which was issued in the year 457 BC.
Counting 2,300 years from 457 BC brings us to the year 1844, the start of the cleansing of the sanctuary. In 1844, Jesus began the work of judgment in God's sanctuary in heaven. According to the Bible, we are now living in heaven's judgment hour! (Again, when calculating this time prophecy, remember to add one year because there is no year 0.)
Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.
Living at this time in earth's history is not "business as usual." God's judgment is now in session. Therefore, we can confidently worship God, knowing that as we yield our lives fully to Jesus Christ, we have a High Priest in heaven who is "for us." (Hebrews 9:24)
Three points to remember:
Are you willing to commit your life to Jesus today?
According to Greek legend, the Trojan War began after Helen, the wife of the king of Sparta, left him to be with a man named Paris in the city of Troy. The expedition to avenge the Spartan king was unsuccessful, so the Greeks set sail for Troy in a fleet of 1,000 ships.
After years of fruitless efforts to take Troy, the Spartans resorted to treachery rather than force. They constructed a large wooden horse, and left it - filled with armed warriors - outside the city of Troy. Believing the horse would bring them good fortune, the Trojans brought it inside their city.
At night, Greek soldiers emerged from the wooden horse, and the city of Troy was captured and destroyed. Something promising good fortune instead brought calamity!
As we look at the prophecies of this planet's final days and the prediction that a time of spiritual crisis will come to the world, the Bible details the rise of a spiritual Trojan horse. Something that seems to offer hope and blessing will instead bring spiritual danger - ultimately preparing the world for Satan's final, deadly plans.
Many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
The term "antichrist" is mentioned in only four passages of the Bible - all in the letters of John. In each case, the term is used to portray a false teacher or a deceptive power that corrupts faith within the church.
While the prefix "anti" can mean "against," it can also mean "in place of." The antichrist of the last days will not be an open opposer of Christ, but will actually seek to take the place of Christ.
Consider this: the great deception of the last days will result in "all the world" following the beast of Revelation 13. (Revelation 13:8) Someone coming in open opposition to Jesus - standing against Him and refuting the Word of God - would not succeed in deceiving "all the world," especially the Christian world. But a power espousing Christian virtues and appearing to represent God would be far more likely to deceive the planet.
It was Lucifer who first wanted to take the place of Christ (Isaiah 14:12-14), and it is he who continually opposes and misrepresents Him. But through whom or what will he work in earth's final days?
Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.
Paul states that before Jesus returns to this planet, the church would experience a major spiritual "falling away," revealing the "man of lawlessness" (or "man of sin").
As 1 John 3:4 states that "sin is lawlessness" (or "the transgression of the law," KJV), it can be expected that the great apostasy of earth's last days will be characterized by disrespect for God's authority - and in particular, His law.
I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.
He sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
Paul stated that significant problems would arise from within the Christian church.
As stated in It Is Written Bible Study Guides #16 and #17, the earthly temple and its services became obsolete when Jesus died on the cross, and any rebuilt temple would not be of God.
When the Bible says the last-day antichrist will sit "in the temple of God," it is stating that this entity will rise up in the Christian church. The New Testament refers to God's people or God's church as a "temple" numerous times. (See 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16 and Ephesians 2:20-22.)
The four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.
In Bible prophecy, symbols are frequently used to represent important realities.
A beast represents a kingdom or a nation. (Daniel 7:17, 23)
The sea represents multitudes of people. (Revelation 17:1, 15)
Wind represents strife or warfare. (Jeremiah 49:36, 37; Revelation 7:1-3)
In Daniel 7, Daniel sees the rise of four powerful nations - the same nations revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2.
The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings.
Suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth.
There was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.
Behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.
Just as in the prophecy of Daniel 2, the nations Daniel saw in Daniel 7 are the nations shown below:
The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom.
Just as the iron legs of Rome divided into the feet and the 10 toes of Daniel 2, Daniel now sees 10 horns rising out of the power of Rome. The 10 horns represent the 10 powers that rose from the divided Roman Empire. Today, these nations are in what we recognize as Western Europe.
I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots.
Historically, it has been believed that this little horn is the same power as the first beast of Revelation 13 - often referred to as the "antichrist."
Based on the 30-day calendar used by the ancient Scriptures, three-and-a-half years is 1,260 days. In Bible prophecy, a day is a symbolic code for a literal year. (Ezekiel 4:6) Thus 1,260 days represent 1,260 years. Seven times in the books of Daniel and Revelation, this same time period is given - using different phrases - to represent the length of rule for this power.
When Christianity stays faithful to God's Word, the church is a source of light, grace and blessing. But when Christians stray from faithfulness to the Bible and allow Bible truth to be eclipsed by traditions, false doctrines and church rules, the church cannot fulfill the position God has called it to. Throughout history, there have been times when the church has misrepresented the Word of God - often with disastrous results.
As Protestant Reformers such as Martin Luther, John Calvin and John Knox studied the book of Daniel, they identified the Roman papacy as the "little horn" power.
Historically, Vatican City has been seen by many as fulfilling the identifying marks of the little horn of Daniel 7. Is there any validity to this conclusion?
Each of the 10 points above applies to the Roman papacy:
The Vatican arose in Western Europe.
The Vatican is a "small" nation.
The Vatican arose after the other 10 nations. The rest of the 10 kingdoms were established by AD 476. The Vatican came to full political power in AD 538.
The Vatican conquered three nations as it rose to power - the Heruli, the Vandals and the Ostrogoths. All three kingdoms were "plucked out by the roots." They have disappeared from Europe.
The Vatican is "different" from the other nations in that it is both a religious and a political power.
Daniel said that in the little horn were "eyes like the eyes of a man." (Daniel 7:8) There would be a man "seeing" for - or leading - this power.
The Bible defines blasphemy as a person claiming to have the ability to forgive sin (Luke 5:21) or a person claiming to be God. (John 10:33) The Vatican blasphemes against God by claiming to have the power to forgive sin, and by claiming the prerogatives of God. In 1870, the Vatican Council declared that the pope was infallible whenever speaking from his position of papal authority.
The Vatican has persecuted Bible-believing Christians down through the centuries, and is responsible for the deaths of multiplied millions of people.
The Vatican gained ultimate power in AD 538, and reigned until 1798 - a period of 1,260 years. In 1798, the Emperor Napoleon had Pope Pius VI taken captive, and the Vatican lost its status as a self-governing civil power - the "deadly wound" prophesied about in Revelation 13:3.
The Vatican attempted to change God's law by substituting Sunday for the Bible Sabbath, removing the second commandment from its official teachings and dividing the 10th commandment into two separate commandments.
Note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church removes the second command forbidding
idol worship, and splits the tenth commandment regarding coveting into two.
AD 538: Papacy rises to power (Papacy overthrows Ostrogoths)
|
| 1260 years
|
AD 1798: Papacy wounded (Pius VI imprisoned by Napoleon)
Dan. 7:25 - A time, and times, and half a time
Dan. 12:7 - A time, times, and half a time
Rev. 11:2 - Forty-two months
Rev. 11:3 - One thousand two hundred and sixty days
Rev. 12:6 - One thousand two hundred and sixty days
Rev. 12:14 - A time, and times, any half a time
Rev. 13:5 - Forty-two months
I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.
The first beast (nation) of Revelation 13 and the little horn of Daniel 7 are the same You shall have entity. Notice the similarities: both speak blasphemies (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5, 6), both persecute God's people (Daniel 7:21, 25; Revelation 13:7), and both rule for 1,260 years (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5).
The entire world will be so influenced by this power that those who do not receive its mark will not be able to buy and sell. (Revelation 13:17) Everyone on the planet - with the exception of those who remain faithful to Jesus - will worship this power. (Revelation 13:8)
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
William Shakespeare once wrote, "All that glitters is not gold." While it is undoubtedly true that Vatican City stands for much that is good and right, many of her teachings deviate far from the truth of the Bible.
And these deviations are not insignificant:
These and many other unbiblical ideas demonstrate that Rome's teachings do not build faith in the Bible or in Jesus as the Savior of the world. Rather, they undermine the Bible and are in opposition to the teachings of Jesus.
Churches don't typically set out to misrepresent the Word of God. In fact, in most cases, those who are teaching unbiblical doctrines are unaware they are doing so, and are intending to be a blessing to the world.
But when Bible truth is rejected, churches can only offer the world a gospel that is riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies. Such errors are never harmless, and some are dangerous and misleading. False teachings also misrepresent the character of God, making it difficult for people to truly understand God's grace and mercy, and the beauty of the gift of eternal life.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.
Faith in Jesus Christ, demonstrated by a moment-by-moment connection will prepare any person to live a heaven-bound life ready for Jesus' Second Coming.
It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Jesus pledges to live in the lives of all who surrender themselves unreservedly to Him. When your life is given to Christ, you have the assurance that His power fills you, directs you and keeps you.
No one is left to fight the power of evil on his or her own. Jesus living His life in you enables you to live a life of faith and victory! Romans 6:16 (KJV) says, "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you can live a life of surrender today!
Are you willing to follow Jesus wherever He leads, and allow the Bible to be the basis for your faith in Him?
Recovery experts sifting through the rubble following a major earthquake in Turkey in 1999 made a shocking discovery. Thousands of the buildings that collapsed in the temblor were poorly constructed, and many lives might have been saved if these buildings had only been built according to code. External appearances gave no indication of problems with the buildings. But when the earth shook, it became painfully obvious that what appeared to be solid and stable was anything but.
In the final days of earth's history, a time of trouble will shake the world. Only those who have built their faith according to the Word of God are going to withstand the spiritual shaking that will take place.
There shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation.
A final great conflict is set to engulf the earth, preparing the way for the enforcement of the mark of the beast.
He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Restrictions on buying and selling are not a new idea. During wartime, rationing was common as a means of restricting what and how much of various products people were able to buy.
In addition to a prohibition on buying and selling, Revelation 13:15 says that there will be a time when those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast will be threatened with death, and will even be killed.
all who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice ... saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads."
The Bible states that only those who remain faithfully committed to Jesus will not receive the mark of the beast. The rest of the people living on the earth - the vast majority - will receive the mark of the beast.
Every person will receive one of two marks. Those who worship and obey the Creator God will receive the seal of God. Those who do not will receive the mark of the beast.
Till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.
The seal of God is placed on (or "in") the forehead of the believer, representing that the seal of God will be placed in the mind of the person who receives it. Behind the forehead is the frontal lobe of the brain - the area of the mind responsible for decision-making. Those who receive the seal of God will have made an immovable decision for God.
They shall see His face, and His name be on their foreheads.
Having His Father's name written on their foreheads.
In ancient times, a seal was used to signify authority and approval. Here we find God writing His name - which represents His character (Exodus 34:5-7) - in the minds of the redeemed. Those who receive the seal of God will have the gracious character of Jesus deeply planted in their minds.
Humanity was originally created in the image of God. When Adam and Eve fell into sin, that perfect image of God was lost. The entire plan of salvation is based on God re-creating in human beings the image of God. The hopeful fact is that those who receive the seal of God will have been remade in the image of God, through the power of God and the presence of Jesus in their lives.
The mark of the beast issue sees planet Earth divided into two groups: one willing to allow Jesus to live in their hearts no matter the cost, and the other unwilling to surrender their lives totally to Him.
Worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.
God's Word urges us to worship the Creator, rather than His created beings. The mark of the beast issue contrasts true worship - the worship of the Creator God - with false worship. Just as Satan attempted to have Jesus worship him in the wilderness (Matthew 4:9), he seeks to receive the worship of the world before Jesus returns.
And in calling us to worship the Creator, Revelation 14:7 quotes directly from the fourth commandment, which calls people to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. (Exodus 20:11)
Hallow my Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.
The Sabbath is a sign, or seal, that signifies the authority of God, calling to mind God's creatorship, and His power to re-create. In keeping the Sabbath, a person demonstrates allegiance to the Creator God and full acceptance of His complete authority.
For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day.
I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.
The seal of God represents God's authority as Creator and Redeemer. The Sabbath exists not only as a memorial of Creation and of God's creative power, but also as a sign of God's re-creative power. Only the Creator has the power to be the Re-Creator.
Full surrender to God leads to obedience regarding His commandments. As Jesus said in John 14:15, "If you love Me, keep My commandments."
Obedience to God represents full submission to God's leadership and lordship, with the Sabbath being God's special sign that the Creator has been given permission to re-create the sinner in His image.
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In Bible times, an official seal was placed on legal documents to demonstrate that the laws in question were valid and backed by the authority of the one in power. For example, when Jezebel set out to take a vineyard owned by a man named Naboth, she forged a letter from King Ahab and sealed it with the royal seal. The seal declared the letter to be valid. (1 Kings 21:8)
Similarly, in Esther 8:8, King Ahasuerus ordered l that a decree be issued and sealed with his royal seal. In both instances, the sealing of the document indicated ownership. God's seal - affixed to His law - indicates ownership and possession.
The Sabbath day is the seal of God's law. It demonstrates that the law - of which it is part - is valid, as it is the law of the Creator God and is backed by the authority of the One who rules the universe.
"For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it." (Exodus 20:11)
This seal shows that the sovereign God created the universe and is therefore its rightful owner. This seal demonstrates that the law is valid, as it is the law of the God of heaven.
The seal of God is a symbolic mark that identifies God's genuine followers. This mark will be placed on those who love Jesus supremely and keep all of His commandments. They refuse to accept or participate in false worship.
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He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
In Bible prophecy, a beast is a symbol used to represent a kingdom or a nation. Consistent with the testimony of the Bible, the nation being referred to here is Vatican City. [See It Is Written Bible Study Guide #18, "The Mystery Beast of Revelation."]
Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.
The number is 666, and 666 is not the mark of the beast. It is the number of a "man" and can be "calculated" (Revelation 13:17, 18) to help identify the first nation of Revelation 13. Some Bible scholars have demonstrated that a title given to the pope, Vicarius Filii Dei (meaning "Vicar of the Son of God"), has a numerical value of 666 (a Latin phrase written in Roman numerals; each letter of the phrase has a numerical value).
V 5
I 1
C 100
A 0 F 0
R 0 I 1
I 1 L 50 D 500
U 5 I 1 E 0
S 0 I 11 I 1
112 + 53 + 501 = 666He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads.
The symbol of the hand represents work or actions. (Ecclesiastes 9:10) The forehead represents the mind, where decisions are made. People will demonstrate allegiance to the beast either in their thoughts - by agreeing with the agenda of the beast - or in their actions, by submitting to the beast's authority even if they disagree with that authority.
The mark of the beast is a symbol of allegiance to the false religion of the last days.
Just as the Sabbath is a sign that represents the authority of God, Sunday is a sign that represents the authority of the church.
"Fundamentalists meet for worship on Sunday, yet there is no evidence in the Bible that corporate worship was to be made on Sundays. The Jewish Sabbath, or day of rest, was, of course, Saturday. It was the Catholic Church that decided Sunday should be the day of worship for Christians, in honor of the Resurrection." (Karl Keating, Catholicism and Fundamentalism, p. 38)
The change of the Sabbath is a mark of Rome's authority, because the Vatican instituted Sunday worship without any biblical authority. The only basis for keeping Sunday is the authority of the Catholic Church. There is no authority from the Scriptures to observe Sunday as a holy day.
"Moreover, the same pope decreed that the rest of the Sabbath should be transferred rather to the Lord's day [Sunday], in order that on that day we should rest from worldly works for the praise of God." (De Clericorum Institutione [Concerning the Instruction of the Clergymen], book 2, ch. 46, as translated by the writer from the Latin text in Migne's Patrologia Latina, vol. 107, col. 361)
Eusebius, the Bishop of Caesaria in the fourth century, wrote, "And all things whatsoever that it was duty to do on the Sabbath, these we have transferred to the Lord's day, as more appropriately belonging to it, because it has precedence, and is first in rank, and more honorable than the Jewish Sabbath." (Eusebius' "Commentary on the Psalms-Psalm 92, A Psalm or Song for the Sabbath-day" in Migne's Patrologia Graeca, vol. 23, col. 1171 & 1172; and Bernard de Montfaucon's Collectio Nova Patrum Et Scriptorum Graecorum, 2 vols., folio, Paris, 1706)
In times past - such as during wars - people have been restricted as to what and how much of various commodities there were able to buy. This happened in a time of comparatively primitive technology - in a time without silicon chips, personal computers, smartphones, tablets or the Internet.
In addition, trade embargoes are often enforced to penalize nations that fall foul of international conventions or opinion.
Today, in the age of the electronic economy, it is a very simple matter to freeze individuals' assets or financial accounts. The enforcement of the mark of the beast may be technology-based. However, history demonstrates that it need not necessarily be so.
The Bible doesn't indicate exactly how those who do not receive the mark of the beast will be prevented from buying and selling, but the history of the world as well as our current economic systems demonstrate that such a scenario is indeed achievable.
According to the Bible, 666 is the number of the beast, not the mark of the beast. It is the "number of a man" (Revelation 13:18), or a number representing a man's name. Also, the number is not "six, six, six", as though it were one number repeated three times, but "six hundred and sixty-six."
While it is possible that the numerical value of many names might add up to 666, the name in question will refer to the mystery nation of Revelation 13, identified in It Is Written Study Guide #18 as Vatican City.
As one of many identification marks, 666 helps clarify the identity of the beast of Revelation 13. While it is certainly true that the leader of the Vatican system has had many official names throughout history, Vicarius Filii Dei - "one who takes the place of the Son of God" - is a name that identifies the nature of Satan's end-time deception, that of usurping God's place and receiving the worship due to God in planet Earth's final days.
There is a world of difference between what the mark of the beast is and how the mark of the beast will be enforced. While it cannot be known exactly how the mark of the beast will be enforced and how people will be prevented from buying and selling, it is possible this could be accomplished via technological means.
However, the mechanism used to enforce the mark of the beast - whatever it might be - isn't the mark of the beast. The prohibition on buying and selling is simply a means of coercing faithful people to compromise their faith in God.
The mark of the beast has to do with unfaithfulness to God, demonstrated by an unwillingness to surrender to God in full obedience. The mark of the beast is not a silicon chip. God's issues are more than skin deep. Salvation is a matter of the heart, and the mark of the beast issue reflects this.
And shall intend to change times and law.
The papacy - represented in Daniel 7:25 as the little horn - has attempted to change God's times and laws by changing Sabbath observance from the seventh to the first day of the week, and by altering the second and the 10th of the Ten Commandments.
Note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church removes the second command forbidding idol worship, and splits the tenth commandment regarding coveting into two.
He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads.
It is when this mark is enforced by law that it becomes the "mark of the beast." Until that time, nobody will have the mark of the beast.
Here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Those who avoid the mark of the beast will remain faithful to Jesus Christ and obedient to God - having surrendered their lives fully to Him.
These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.
Would you like to prepare for the seal of God by keeping all of God's commandments, including the Sabbath, as a sign that you will follow Jesus wherever He leads?
Governor Alfred E. Smith of New York, a prominent American political leader of the 20th century and twice a candidate for the presidency, stated in his final public appearance why he believed God would never abandon the United States.
Speaking of this country, Smith stated, "I have been taught to look upon this country as designed and founded by Divine Providence itself to be the haven of rest and the harbor of refuge for the downtrodden and the oppressed of every land."
From America's earliest days, men and women throughout the world have sought its shores seeking this promise. A young woman from New York City - herself a descendant of immigrants to the United States - penned the poem that is quoted on the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor:
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" (Emma Lazarus, "The New Colossus")
Millions of people from all over the world have been inspired by America's assurance of liberty and justice for all. But for students of the Bible and many others, the questions arise: Will America continue to offer this promise? And at the close of human history as foretold in Bible prophecy, will America still be the champion of freedom?
"I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed." (Revelation 13:11-15)
Several points stand out in this prophecy, and they help us identify that to which it refers.
The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth.
In Bible prophecy, a beast represents a nation or a kingdom.
I saw another beast coming up out of the earth.
John saw this second beast, or nation, of Revelation rising to prominence after the demise of the first beast. The first beast experienced a period of decline before ultimately losing power in 1798. [See It Is Written Study Guide #18, "The Mystery Beast of Revelation."]
As the first nation declined and ultimately lost power in 1798, the second beast would arise around the year 1798.
The waters which you saw ... are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.
The first beast in Revelation 13 comes up out of the sea, as do the four beasts in Daniel 7. In Bible prophecy, waters represent multitudes of people. In contrast, the earth represents a part of the world that is sparsely populated. This beast will arise in a sparsely populated area of the world.
He had two horns like a lamb.
In the book of Revelation, Jesus is repeatedly described as a Lamb. (Revelation 5:6; 6:1; 13:8; 14:1; 21:27; 22:1; etc.) John the Baptist exclaimed, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)
This nation would in some way be Christ-like, exhibiting principles consistent with Jesus, the true Lamb.
Political, historical, geographical and philosophical evidence all suggest the nation portrayed in Revelation 13:1 1-15 is the United States of America.
This power is represented as a lamb because it was founded on the very principles Jesus came to this planet to share. As Jesus came to make people free (John 8:32), this nation offers - and models for the world - religious and political freedom. And as horns represent power and strength in Scripture, these two freedoms are the great strengths of the nation portrayed.
"[The Declaration of Independence includes guarantees of] ... right to trial; guarantees of freedom of assembly, free speech, free press and, for the first time in history, the guarantee that the state would support no 'establishment of religion."" (Theodore H. White, Breach of Faith: The Fall of Richard Nixon, p. 323)
He had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.
Jesus said in Matthew 12:34, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."
Revelation predicts that there will be a change at the heart of this nation that will cause it to appear as a lamb but speak as a dragon.
The great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world.
Like a lamb, America offers people a life of freedom. But according to Bible prophecy, this country will one day abandon liberty - setting aside the methods of the Lamb for those of the dragon.
He exercises all the authority of the first beast.
Of the first beast, the Bible says, "It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them." (Revelation 13:7)
Revelation predicts a time when the second nation will govern in the manner of the first nation of Revelation 13 - Vatican City.
He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
The Bible says that this power will unite with the first beast to restore power to the first beast and cause the world to yield to its power.
He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
A nation affects the actions of its citizens by passing laws, and laws will be passed causing people to yield to the first beast of Revelation 13.
He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads.
Revelation 13 concludes with the Vatican and the United States simultaneously reaching a pinnacle of power. This will result in the implementation of the mark of the beast.
The Bible says that if you receive the mark of the beast, you will be on the right side of civil powers, but on the wrong side of the will of God. If you refuse the mark of the beast, you will be in harmony with God's will but out of harmony with the will of civil powers. [For more information on the mark of the beast, see It Is Written Bible Study Guide #19, "The Mark of the Beast."]
He [causes] as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
Not only will America establish an image to the first beast - that is, a replica of medieval intolerance - but it will eventually levy the death penalty upon dissenters.
The old saying states that "history repeats itself." The book of Revelation reveals that the future of this world will see the return of religious intolerance and persecution toward all who do not cooperate with Satan's end-time agenda of enforcing the mark of the beast. [See It Is Written Study Guide #19, "The Mark of the Beast."]
I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
The lack of freedom and the enacting of laws governing worship will see virtually the entire population of the world uniting with the beast against God and His people. The entire world - all but those who allow Jesus to possess their lives - will be united in a state of defiance against God and His people.
This same scenario played out in the days of the prophet Daniel.
Daniel 3:4-6 says, "A herald cried aloud: 'To you it is commanded, 0 peoples, nations, and languages, that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
Nebuchadnezzar cast the young men into the furnace because they disobeyed him and chose to obey the commandment of God. (Exodus 20:4-6)
God responded by miraculously protecting Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, as Jesus stood with them in the fiery furnace.
Daniel 3:25 says, "'Look!" he answered. 'I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.""
For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast.
Revelation 16:14 mentions "spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty."
Earth's final days will be a time of strong deception, calculated by Satan to separate people from faith in God and His Word.
To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Complete reliance on the Word of God will keep people from being deceived in a time of overwhelming deception.
Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men."
Disciples of Jesus who have surrendered their lives to Him will esteem obedience to God far above obedience to any human being.
It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.
Jesus acknowledged that His followers would "have tribulation" (John 16:33), and Paul wrote that "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." (2 Timothy 3:12)
But Jesus has pledged that through the Holy Spirit, He will dwell in us. Just as Daniel was able to be faithful to God while facing the lions' den, the grace of God is pledged to sustain every child of God - all who choose to be faithful to Him.
Are you willing to yield your life to Jesus, and - by His power - live a life committed to Him and His Word?
Legend has it that Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon discovered Florida in 1513 while he was searching for the legendary Fountain of Youth. The Fountain of Youth was said to miraculously restore the youthfulness of any person who drank from its waters.
While it might be exciting to think of discovering the Fountain of Youth or something as remarkable as Atlantis, many people would be satisfied if they could only find the right church - a church faithfully teaching the truths of the Bible.
With numerous churches in existence, does it matter which church you belong to? And does God have a church for this time?
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
The Bible example is that God's people gather together for worship and fellowship, as well as for the purpose of unitedly working to share the gospel with the world.
On this rock I will build My church.
Jesus faithfully attended church every Sabbath. (Luke 4:16) He made it clear that His intention was that He would build a church. It is hard to imagine that Jesus would establish a church He would not want people to be part of!
The churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.
After Jesus died, the church multiplied and grew, and was used by God to share light and blessing with the world.
The Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Although it did not have a denominational name, the disciples labored to build up Christ's church. It was an organized church, described as the body of Christ (Colossians 1:18), which people became part of through the ordinance of baptism. (1 Corinthians 12:13) Christ's church had deacons and elders and sent out missionaries. Jesus established an organized church.
There are four key benefits of being involved in a church:
The church can enhance your spiritual journey.
You can encourage others in their spiritual journey.
The church community and organization enables a more effective sharing of the gospel.
You'll experience the blessings and benefits of community. Being part of a faith community offers significant spiritual, emotional and social advantages.
I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
The Bible is clear that God's church would be characterized by a commitment to teaching His truth - not traditions, customs or manmade doctrines.
I have likened the daughter of Zion to a lovely and delicate woman.
Throughout the Bible, a woman symbolically represents a church. A pure woman represents God's true church. An impure woman represents an impure church. (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 17:1-6)
The dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
God's end-time church will be characterized by faith in God and obedience to Him. These characteristics have always been present in those who have faithfully followed the God of the Bible. In Genesis 26:5, God said of Abraham, "Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws."
God is seeking to prepare a group of people who are ready to spend eternity with Him.
A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.
Revelation chapter 12 depicts a pure church - clothed with the beauty of nature and reflecting light to the world. However, God's church would have a difficult experience throughout human history.
When the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child.
The devil knows the most effective way to hurt Jesus is to hurt those He loves. The early Christian church suffered greatly at the hands of pagan Rome. Enormous numbers of people were martyred.
But instead of destroying God's church, persecution became the catalyst for growth. The Christian character in life and death was such a powerful witness that others were inspired to join the Christian church. The early Christian writer Tertullian is quoted as having said, "The blood of the martyrs is seed" - that is, the seed of the church.
Realizing that persecution would not achieve his aim of destroying the Christian church, the devil changed his tactics and resorted to corrupting the Christian church - bringing about its ruin from the inside out.
Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day [the Second Coming] will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.
After the first 300 years or so of Christianity, the truths of God's Word were obscured by tradition and false teaching. When persecution was reintroduced, multitudes who would not yield to the authority of the ruling church were banished or killed.
The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God.
The woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished.
In many parts of Europe, faithful believers in the Bible were forced to flee to remote wilderness areas where they could live their faith in God in some safety. In these areas, church members could still meet together, worship and study the Bible.
It is important to note that God's church was still in existence during these times, but not as an official mainstream organization. The church was "in the wilderness." It was comprised of groups of people who remained faithful to God at the risk of persecution and death.
The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
The woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.
The prophecy predicted a period of 1,260 years in the wilderness for God's church. (Note: A "time" is one Jewish year of 360 days. "Times" is two years, 720 days. "Half a time" is half a year, 180 days. These add up to 1,260, showing that Revelation 12:6 and 12:14 describe the same time period.)
This prediction was perfectly fulfilled when the church went into hiding during the reign of the beast power, which stretched from AD 538 to 1798. [See It Is Written Bible Study Guide #18, "The Mystery Beast of Revelation," for more details.]
Prior to the fall of the papacy, a movement began that brought reformation to the Christian church. The Bible was translated into the common language, and people understood the gospel of Jesus and Bible prophecy. After the darkness of tradition and error, the light of the gospel began to shine. The slow process of exiting the wilderness had begun.
As the light of the Word of God began to shine brighter in the world, churches emerged that built on the truths taught by earlier churches. The spirit of the Reformation continued throughout the world until God's church was established for the last days - a church that returned to all the original teachings of the Christian church.
The dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
The devil is especially angry with the "rest of her offspring" - called the "remnant" in the King James Version - the church of the last days. The devil will do his best to deceive and discourage as many of God's people as possible because he knows that time is short and that this is a war that he will ultimately lose!
... the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
The "rest" (or "remnant") is the final church that represents Jesus Christ and His truth in the closing moments prior to the return of Jesus.
God has provided a number of clear characteristics to enable us to easily identify this church.
A. It will rise after AD 1798. (Revelation 12:6, 14)
In the wilderness until AD 1798-the end of the 1,260 years of papal supremacy - the church would emerge from obscurity to be a global representation of God's love and truth.
B. It will believe the original teachings of the Christian church. (Revelation 12:17)
Just as a remnant of material is the end piece of cloth - the same color and pattern as the original - God's final church will teach the same message as the original Christian church.
C. It will be a global movement. (Revelation 14:6)
God's church will proclaim His final message to "every nation, tribe, tongue, and people." (Revelation 14:6)
D. It will proclaim the everlasting gospel. (Revelation 14:6-12)
The everlasting gospel found in Revelation 14 presents several key teachings:
E. It believes - and keeps - all of God's commandments, including the seventh-day Sabbath. (Revelation 12:17; 14:12)
F. It will teach that death is a peaceful rest that lasts until the resurrection. (Revelation 14:13)
G. It will believe in the words of the prophets and in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including the gift of prophecy. (Revelation 12:17; 19:10)
The only church organization in the world today that fulfills each of these identifying characteristics is the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Founded in 1863, the Seventh-day Adventist Church grew out of a sincere desire to know and follow Jesus according to the Word of God.
Building on the biblical understandings of the Reformers, the Adventist Church is the only global organization presenting the everlasting gospel of Revelation 14. Just as the Bible presents faith in Jesus as the only means of salvation, and obedience to God's commandments as the fruit of faith in Jesus, the Seventh-day Adventist Church teaches that Jesus will soon return to this world and take His faithful children home to heaven.
Committed to Christ's commission to take the gospel to all, it is a church that believes in sharing Jesus with the world.
Every church is made up of people, and people are far from perfect. Jesus said in Matthew 9:13, "I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
It has been said that the church is "a hospital for sinners," and while that does not excuse un-Christian behavior, it does help us understand that no church is going to be a perfect church.
And remember: Christians are not called to be followers of other Christians, but followers of Jesus. Jesus is our example in all things. A person who stays out of the church because of the poor example of others is an easy target for Satan.
God may well have led you to the church you currently attend. However, the question is, does He want you to stay there? In the same way, your parents may have led you to elementary school, but their intention was not that you would stay there forever.
There comes a time when we go on to more advanced learning, and greater opportunities in the world. God often calls people to move on from the church they attend - not because the church is a bad church, but because God wants people to continue to advance and grow in their faith in Him and understanding of the Bible, and to share greater truth with others.
This can only happen by faithfully adhering to the Bible. Jesus said He would have a church. (Matthew 16:18) The book of Revelation refers to God's end-time "remnant" (Revelation 12:17, KJV), and Jesus said He would call people into "one flock." (John 10:16)
In light of clear instruction from Jesus, it is important for every believer to be convinced - from the Bible - that the church they attend meets the biblical specifications of God's church for the final days.
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism.
Rather than a multitude of various churches presenting a wide range of differing messages, God is seeking to bring His people together - united in the truths of His Word.
I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues."
Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
The word "church" comes from the Greek word ekklesia, which means "called-out ones." There are saved people within all churches - people who love God and are living up to the spiritual light they have. And as we approach the end of time, Jesus calls His people into "one flock"-His final church of the last days.
Soon there will be only two global religions. One will worship and obey Jesus Christ. The other will yield to the religious powers of the world. Now is the time to hear the call of Jesus - to follow Him in truth and be part of His last-day church.
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Jesus loves you, and He is calling you to join Him within God's end-time church. Is it your decision to follow Jesus according to the teachings of the Bible and become a part of sharing God's final message with the world?
In one of the most dramatic stories in the Bible, King Belshazzar of Babylon was hosting a party in his palace when - in the midst of the festivities - a mysterious hand appeared and wrote several words on a wall in the room where the party was taking place. Unable to interpret the writing on the wall, the king summoned the prophet Daniel, who told the king the meaning of the mysterious message.
Daniel said, "God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it . . . you have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting." (Daniel 5:26, 27)
Then Daniel stated ominously, "Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians." (Daniel 5:28)
The Bible says, "That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old." (Daniel 5:30, 31)
That evening, the mightiest kingdom in the world was overthrown. Babylon had fallen.
The Bible tells us that Babylon is going to fall again. How are we to understand the future fall of Babylon? And in what way does this affect people of faith?
The king spoke, saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?"
Ancient Babylon was a leading world power. The Babylonians ruled a significant section of the planet, and the city of Babylon was a center of wealth and influence. Babylon was also a religious center without rival in the world. The religion of Babylon was characterized by idolatry, ancestor worship and sun worship.
Its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth.
The name "Babylon" appears to be derived from the word "Babel," meaning "confusion," an apt description of the confused pagan teachings of Babylon.
Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans' pride, will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
Due to its great wickedness, God promised that ancient Babylon would one day be destroyed.
Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations are deranged.
Babylon confused - or made drunk - the nations of the earth with its wickedness and false teachings.
Babylon has suddenly fallen and been destroyed. Wail for her!
In persistently refusing the blessing of God and choosing not to yield to Him, Babylon fell and was destroyed. A once mighty nation was reduced to ruin.
Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them.
While the armies of Medo-Persia were gathering outside the gates of the city, the king of Babylon hosted a lavish party, during which he drank wine from the holy worship vessels stolen from the temple of God in Jerusalem.
The pagan king defied the God of heaven by desecrating holy items intended by God for use in true worship. Belshazzar used God's holy worship items for the unholy worship of false gods. (Daniel 5:4)
That very night Belshazzar, king of the Chaldeans, was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom.
Belshazzar went too far when he took the holy things of God and used them for unholy purposes. In total rebellion to God, he perished as Babylon fell.
It will never be inhabited, nor will it be settled from generation to generation; nor will the Arabian pitch tents there, nor will the shepherds make their sheepfolds there.
God has made clear that ancient Babylon will never be revived. Therefore, the Babylon of the book of Revelation will not be a revived literal Babylon. The Babylon of the book of Revelation is spiritual Babylon.
The woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.
On her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
In the book of Revelation, spiritual Babylon is represented in two ways: as a city - demonstrating a parallel with ancient Babylon, and as a woman - representing that she is a church.
Jeremiah 6:2 and 2 Corinthians 11:2 use the symbol of a woman to represent the church. In the book of Revelation, the Bible uses the term "Babylon" to represent a spiritual entity.
"Babylon" in the book of Revelation is referred to as:
Each of these identifying marks point to the church of Rome as being the Babylon of the book of Revelation. In 1 Peter 5:1 3, Peter referred to those "in Babylon." As Peter was clearly not referring to people in the literal city of Babylon, it is believed by many that Peter was referring to believers in the city of Rome.
On her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Just as the woman - the "mother" - of Revelation 17 represents a church her daughters - also women - likewise represent churches. The mother church, Babylon, is the church that like ancient Babylon has confused the world with her teachings.
The daughter churches are those that follow the key teachings of the mother church. They teach her errors as truth, even though those errors have no biblical basis and rest only upon human authority. The churches teaching the errors of the mother church are also a part of what the Bible calls "Babylon."
All the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.
Just as wine is intoxicating (confusing), the teachings of Babylon have intoxicated and confused the earth. Because of Babylon's influence, many people in the world today reject some of the plainest teachings in the Bible and accept in their place the confusing wine of Babylon.
He brought me to the door of the north gate of the Lord's house; and to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz.
The Babylonians believed that people survived bodily death and went on existing in another form. This was not only the precursor to modern spiritualism, but also formed the basis of what many Christians believe today.
Tammuz was a god worshiped by the Babylonians. They believed that Tammuz - a god of food and vegetation - died each year, and they mourned his passing. The Babylonians believed in the immortality of the soul.
The living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.
The dead do not praise the Lord, nor any who go down into silence.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:51, 52
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
The Bible teaches that death is an unconscious sleep between life in this world and the resurrection when Jesus returns. The teaching that people have a soul that survives bodily death did not originate in the Bible. Instead, it entered Christianity from paganism, where the idea was made popular by the Babylonians, who worshipped the dead.
The teaching of the immortality of the soul - that people continue to live on or be conscious after death - is part of the wine (or false teaching) of Babylon. It has been made popular in modern Christianity due to the influence of spiritual Babylon.
He brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house; and there, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun toward the east.
Sun worship was practiced in ancient Babylon. Not only did it corrupt the way God's people worshipped in Bible times, but it has also become a key component of Christian worship today.
Sunday - the day of the sun - has replaced the Bible Sabbath day as the day of worship for many Christians. While many are unaware of the origin of their worship, they break this commandment of God and practice unbiblical worship.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.
Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.
God gave the human family the seventh-day Sabbath as a memorial of His power to create and re-create. The Sabbath was kept not only by the patriarchs and prophets, but by Jesus, the disciples, and the early Christian church of the New Testament.
As Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for man." (Mark 2:27) The Sabbath day was given as a gift to the human family, designed to be observed by those whose love for God has motivated them to obey Him.
Sunday worship - which originated in paganism and became established in Christianity - is part of the wine of Babylon. It has been made popular in modern Christianity because of the influence of spiritual Babylon.
No, it does not! In fact, God makes that clear in Revelation 18:4 when He says, "Come out of her, my people."
The fact that a person might not have known certain Bible teachings does not mean he or she is not a child of God. However, once a person knows God's will, God looks to them to come out of Babylon and stand on the Bible alone.
When Jesus has a person's heart, that person will receive from Him all the grace needed in order to make a new start in life. Very often, change seems to be more difficult than it actually is.
Every day, people change jobs, homes or careers. In fact, countless people from every religious background have made a break with their past to follow God. The greatest change a person could ever make is to grow in the grace of Jesus. Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." With Jesus living His life in you, all things become possible!
Under immense pressure from religious leaders to compromise their beliefs, Peter answered for Christians of all time when he said in Acts 5:29, "We ought to obey God rather than men."
The person whose opinion matters most is Jesus. When He has taken your heart and leads in your life, your privilege is to follow Him wherever He leads. And then your life becomes a powerful witness to others!
Flee from the midst of Babylon, and every one save his life! Do not be cut off in her iniquity, for this is the time of the Lord's vengeance; He shall recompense her.
Recognizing the impending fall of Babylon, God called His people to flee fallen Babylon and come to a place of safety.
I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities."
Knowing He has faithful, committed people who are part of the system the Bible calls "Babylon," God calls those believers to come out of Babylon and to be a part of His end-time church. [For more on God's end-time church, see It Is Written Bible Study Guide #21, "In Search of the Church."]
God understands that remaining in a system that teaches error in the place of truth is spiritually dangerous. Recognizing that coming out of a church can sometimes seem difficult, Jesus offers the same advice today that He offered Peter when Peter asked Jesus about the responsibilities of another individual. Jesus said, "What is that to you? You follow Me." (John 21:22)
Rather than concerning ourselves with what others think or what others might say, Jesus urges us to keep our hearts connected with His heart and to faithfully follow His leading.
I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
When Jesus returns, He will return for "a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." (Ephesians 5:27)
His church will be made up of faithful people following Christ in harmony with the Bible. They will have made the decision to be separate from false teachings and traditions that have no place in the Bible.
They will say with David, "I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart." (Psalm 40:8)
Are you willing to come out of Babylon, and to allow God to lead you in harmony with the truth of His Word?
The man was beaming!
"We had such a great night at our church a few nights ago," he began. "We had a guest speaker - and not only was he a great speaker, but he was also a prophet!"
His friend answered with a question of his own. "How do you know he was a prophet?"
The man thought for a moment. "Well," he began, "the pastor said he was a prophet, so I guess he had to be!"
How do you know if someone has the genuine gift of prophecy? And is the gift of prophecy still relevant today?
Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.
False christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Jesus warned about false prophets in the end times. He did not, however, say that people should beware of all prophets. Jesus warned against false prophets, suggesting that He believed the genuine gift of prophecy would exist in the world.
I have also spoken by the prophets, and have multiplied visions; I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets.
Prophets were used by God to communicate His will to humanity. Prophets were spokespeople for God - making known God's will and sharing messages from heaven. In Exodus 7:1, Aaron is referred to as being Moses' "prophet," the one who spoke on Moses' behalf. A prophet speaks on behalf of God.
Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
When God intended to do great things in the world, He communicated that intention to prophets to make it known to the human family.
And Isaiah 46:9, 10 says, "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.'"
But not all prophecy is predictive. The gift of prophecy is also used by God to provide counsel, direction and an understanding of His will.
It shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
This prophecy was partially fulfilled at the feast of Pentecost in Acts 2. The Bible indicates that God will give the gift of the Holy Spirit in great power before the return of Jesus. At this time, it can be expected that the gift of prophecy will be evident.
If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream.
Prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
The gift of prophecy is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11) At no time did God ever suggest that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were only for a certain period of time. As long as the Holy Spirit is at work in the world, we can expect to see spiritual gifts at work for the glory of God.
Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.
Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good.
At no time did God ever declare that He would no longer speak through prophets or give the gift of prophecy. God has promised blessings to those who believe in the words of the prophets, and urges us to discern between the genuine gift of prophecy and that which is false.
A. The prophet's predictions must come to pass.
As for the prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent.
B. Someone possessing the genuine gift of prophecy will not speak contrary to the Word of God - even if what he predicts comes to pass.
If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, "Let us go after other gods" - which you have not known - "and let us serve them," you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams.
C. The genuine gift of prophecy will always speak in harmony with God's law.
To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
D. The life of someone with the genuine gift of prophecy will reveal the character of Jesus.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves ... Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you.
In spite of their popularity, mediums and psychics do not possess the gift of prophecy, nor any other gift given of God. The practice of communicating with the dead has been specifically outlawed in Scripture. Because "the dead know nothing" (Ecclesiastes 9:5), it is certain that God does not speak through those who claim to communicate with the dead. [See It Is Written Bible Study Guide #10, "The Mystery of Death."]
Her gates have sunk into the ground; He has destroyed and broken her bars. Her king and her princes are among the nations; the Law is no more, and her prophets find no vision from the Lord.
When God's people lived in rebellion and disregarded His law, He responded by withholding the gift of prophecy. The gifts of the Spirit are given to those who are earnestly seeking to live lives of surrender and obedience in harmony with God. When His people would not surrender their lives to Him and obey His law, the gift of prophecy was not given.
God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.
The gift of prophecy is not found on television talk shows or in blogs. The genuine gift of prophecy is given to operate within the confines of and in harmony with the ministry of the church. As with all spiritual gifts, the gift of prophecy is given to be a blessing to all and to help people come closer to God, in preparation for the return of Jesus.
When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men . .. And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
The gift of prophecy is not intended to take the place of the Word of God. Old Testament Israel possessed the gift of prophecy, as did the early Christian church. But this did not in any way minimize the importance of the Scriptures. The gifts of the Spirit were given by God to equip His people for ministry, and to prepare the church for the return of Jesus.
The dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 19:10 says that "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." God makes it clear that the gift of prophecy is an identifying mark of His last-day church. According to God Himself, the church at the end of time must possess the genuine gift of prophecy!
As it was explained in It Is Written Bible Study Guide #21, "In Search of the Church," God's end-time church will:
A. Rise after AD 1798. (Revelation 12:6, 14)
B. Believe the original teachings of the Christian church. (Revelation 12:17)
C. Be a global movement. (Revelation 14:6)
D. Proclaim the everlasting gospel. (Revelation 14:6-12)
E. Believe in all of God's commandments, including the Sabbath. (Revelation 12:17; 14:12)
F. Teach that death is a peaceful rest until the resurrection. (Revelation 14:13)
G. Believe in the words of the prophets and in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including the gift of prophecy. (Revelation 12:17; 19:10)
Absolutely not! In fact, embracing a genuine prophetic gift is an example of living in obedience to the Bible. The Bible says that God's church in earth’s last days will possess the genuine gift of prophecy The gift of prophecy is given to direct people to Jesus and encourage them to know and live more closely with God in preparation for Jesus' return.
In Revelation 22:18, 19, John wrote, "For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."
Proverbs 30:5,6 says, "Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar."
Accepting the ministry of a God-given spiritual gift does not in any way alter the Bible or the message of God's Word.
Israel in the Old Testament might have asked that question. God frequently raised up people with the gift of prophecy to help Israel live in harmony with God and His Word. There were times when those with the gift of prophecy were rejected, but those were not times of blessing for Israel.
The early Christian church, which had the entire Old Testament and eventually the writings of the New Testament, did not suggest to God that they did not need the gift of prophecy. The prophetic ministries of Peter, Paul, Philip's four daughters, John, and so many others were embraced by the church, and the church prospered as a result!
As God's end-time church began to emerge, God placed His hand on a young woman named Ellen Harmon (1827-1915) and blessed her with the gift of prophecy.
God wanted to guide the growing church, and through the writings and instruction of Ellen Harmon - who married and became Ellen White - God was able to counsel and encourage this growing group of mission-minded believers.
In spite of having a very basic formal education, this young woman went on to write millions of words, dozens of books, and provide invaluable guidance to a church that would experience rapid growth around the world.
During her 70-year ministry, her writings on health, parenting, Christian living and the Bible provided guidance and strength for many people. Since her death, her writings have continued to direct people to the Bible as the sole rule of faith and practice, and to Jesus as the Savior of the world.
Her writings have been widely translated. Steps to Christ - her masterpiece on having a saving relationship with Jesus - has been translated into more than 165 languages.
Tens of millions of copies of her books have been printed, and people around the world have been led into a closer relationship with Jesus as a result of the ministry of Ellen White.
The best way to become familiar with this special spiritual gift is to read what Ellen White has written. Prayerful consideration of her writings has led many people to become convicted that God has used Ellen White to communicate light, blessing and truth to the world. [Two of her most well-known books, Steps to Christ and The Great Controversy, are available from the It Is Written Store at www.itiswritten.com/store or by calling 1-888-664-5573.]
I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
Joel's prophecy makes it appear that it is possible that God could raise up more individuals with the gift of prophecy. While only time can tell, it is important we remember Jesus' warning regarding false prophets in earth's final days (Matthew 24:24), as well as Paul's counsel: "Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:20, 21)
It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
Doctrinal beliefs are derived from the Bible. People blessed with the gift of prophecy are used by God to direct people to the Bible, and not to themselves.
While it is true that prophets have been used by God to clarify God's Word, the prophets themselves were not used by God to originate beliefs that have no basis in the Bible.
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Are you willing to embrace the genuine gift of prophecy, and allow God to guide you in your understanding of this special end-time blessing?
Carlo's new business venture looked like a great success. Investors were pouring millions of dollars into his company, and the return on investment was so good that some people mortgaged their homes and invested their life savings with Carlo. He was making $250,000 a day - in 1920!
But it was soon discovered that Carlo's company wasn't generating any profits at all. Carlo had been using the money of new investors to provide dividends to longer-term investors. When a greater number of his clients began demanding their money, Carlo (Charles) Ponzi's scheme was revealed to be a massive fraud - and many people lost everything they had.
Ponzi's get-rich-quick scheme wasn't the first ever devised, and it certainly won't be the last. While the Bible doesn't suggest that God wants His people to be involved in get-rich-quick schemes, it does clearly state that God intends for His people to be financially secure. In fact, the Bible says that God wants us to have more than enough!
The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.
For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is Mine, and all its fullness.
The Bible begins by saying, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)
God created the universe out of nothing "by the breath of His mouth." (Psalm 33:6)
Therefore, everything in the world is God's property. Human beings - to whom God has entrusted wealth - are simply managers of God's goods.
We are stewards given the task of managing God's property. All we have is His. Jesus explained this in a parable when He said, "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them." (Matthew 25:14)
The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine," says the Lord of hosts.
The God of heaven is the rightful owner of all the world's wealth. A person may have money in the bank or investments in precious metals, but the true owner of everything is God.
You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth.
The Bible makes it clear that God is the source of all blessing. James 1:17 says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning."
When it comes to financial matters, it is the blessing of God that enables us to obtain what we have. Our financial blessings come from God.
All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's. It is holy to the Lord.
The word "tithe" means "a tenth." God claims one-tenth of our income as His. It is to be returned to Him as a demonstration of faith in God and as an expression of love for Him.
I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting.
When God divided the Promised Land among the tribes of Israel, He did not give the tribe of Levi a large tract of real estate, as He gave the other tribes. Along with certain cities that God gave Levi, He designated that the Levites be supported by the tithe. This was to be their income, in return for the ministry they performed in the sanctuary.
If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? ... Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.
Just as God intended for ministers in Old Testament times to be supported by the tithing system, He intends for ministers today to be supported in the same way. Paul was very specific in his commentary about the tithing system, making it clear that tithing is still God's means of supporting the preaching of the gospel.
God intends for all His people to return the tithe to Him, so that the good news of the gospel can be proclaimed throughout the world. In this way, all God's children can participate equally and share in the blessing of taking the gospel to the world!
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
Jesus was unimpressed with people who observed certain religious principles while failing to experience the heart change offered through the work of the Holy Spirit. While he rebuked the spirit that failed to demonstrate Christian grace, He commended the practice of returning tithe. While the Pharisees were wrong in failing to show justice, mercy and faith, they were right to tithe.
Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And he gave him a tithe of all.
Tithing was practiced before the nation of Israel existed. Clearly, tithing is not an ordinance reserved only for Jews. God grants people of all ages the privilege of practicing faithful stewardship, and honoring Him with their possessions. In Genesis 28:22, Jacob also pledges to honor God with a tithe of his wealth.
The Bible refers to Jesus' ministry as our High Priest as being "according to the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 6:20)
As Melchizedek's ministry was supported by the tithing system, it is appropriate that the priesthood during Jesus' ministry would also be supported by the tithe.
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house.
The "storehouse" was administered by the priests, and was closely connected with the temple (or sanctuary) ministry. Nehemiah 10:38 says, "And the priest, the descendant of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes; and the Levites shall bring up a tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the rooms of the storehouse."
When God stated that the tithe should be brought into the storehouse - which today we would recognize as the church - God's clear intention was that the tithe would be used specifically for the work of ministry.
All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's. It is holy to the Lord.
The tithe has been designated by God to be used for the work of ministry. It is holy. Therefore, we are not to decide for ourselves to use it in another way that we might think suitable. The tithe is not to be used for charitable giving purposes. God has specifically claimed it as His own.
Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me! But you say, "In what way have we robbed you?" In tithes and offerings.
In addition to the tithe - which is holy and is intended solely for the support of the work of ministry - God's people were able to bring to Him free-will offerings. These offerings were voluntary, and were left to the discretion of the giver.
In the same way, after our first 10 percent has been returned to God as tithe, we are free to give God additional offerings. Additional offerings beyond the tithe may be directed to a variety of causes, at the discretion of the giver.
Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, "In what way have we robbed You?" In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.
To neglect to tithe is to commit robbery! He leaves us in no doubt as to the seriousness of refusing to tithe. In Exodus 20:15, God says, "You shall not steal." Neglecting to tithe is stealing from God. The tithe belongs to Him.
"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and try me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," says the Lord of hosts; "and all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land."
God promises to prosper those who faithfully tithe, stating that those who tithe out of a heart of love for God will receive so much blessing that they will not have enough room to receive it!
God pledges that His people will have more than enough! In addition, He says that He will bless the ground of those who enter into this trust relations with Him.
A person can't afford not to tithe! God has promised His blessing to those who tithe. God's blessing on 90 percent of a person's income can make that income go much farther than 100 percent of a person's income can go without God's blessing.
It is true that for some people, the prospect of tithing can seem daunting. But remember what Jesus said in Malachi 3:10: "Try Me now in this." In other words, "Put Me to the test!"
Anyone who is uncertain about tithing is encouraged to put God to the test, and see how He is able to show Himself to be faithful.
Couldn't this system be open to abuse? Couldn't some individuals take advantage of this system for their own gain?
Undoubtedly, such abuses have occurred. But in responsible organizations, the tithe is carefully managed, and ministers are paid appropriately. Anywhere there are people, there will be imperfect organizations. But the frailty of humanity should not keep people from being faithful to God.
Evidently not. In John 12:8, Jesus said, "The poor you have with you always."
It seems there will always be the poor among us, even in the church. Just as wealth is not necessarily a sign of God's blessing, a lack of wealth is not a sign of God's disfavor.
There is no reason to believe it is God's will for all His children to be prosperous. However, it is certainly God's will for all His children to be holy.
Tithing is not a guarantee against hardship. Farmers who tithe might still experience drought or crop failure; businesspeople who tithe might still experience loss and hardship; and individuals who tithe still must live in a world filled with challenges.
Tithing is a demonstration of faithfulness to and love for God. The blessing that comes from tithing cannot be measured in purely financial terms. And the practice of tithing doesn't miraculously guard against every hardship life might present. It does, however, bring the blessing of God!
The tax we pay to the government is a bill we pay, just like a mortgage payment or an electricity bill. Just as a person would not tithe on their income after all their bills have been paid, a person would not be content to tithe on their after-tax income.
Paul's counsel seems appropriate: "He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:6, 7)
When we give to God bountifully, we will reap bountifully. When we give to God willingly, we can be certain His blessing will be present!
If you love Me, keep My commandments.
God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.
While tithing is not one of the Ten Commandments, it is clearly something God wills for us. Obedience to God is not a matter of righteousness by works, but is a form of righteousness by faith.
God has always called His people to live lives of obedience. When His will is obeyed from the heart, such demonstrations of faith are evidence that love for God reigns supreme in the life of the believer.
"Try me now in this," says the Lord of hosts, "if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it."
"Blessing" comes in many ways. While God can certainly choose to prosper the business of His faithful children, or cause an unexpected windfall to come into a person's life, He might instead choose to grant the blessing of good health, or savings on purchases, or the blessing of peace of mind. The greatest blessing God can choose to offer is that of His presence. And while He has promised to pour out great blessings into the lives of those who tithe, it is presumptuous to believe that tithing is the doorway to financial prosperity. While God has promised that His people will be secure, He has not guaranteed material riches.
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Any person seeking to honor God should make it his or her first priority to seek God's ways and allow Jesus to work out His will in his or her life. It is faith that takes God at His word and permits the will of God to be done.
God encourages us to seek His will, and then trust that the blessings He has promised will be graciously granted.
Are you willing to trust God, and in faith return 10 percent to Him?
As he prepared to use a power tool to complete an important project, the man was surprised to find that the tool would not work. He checked the on/off switch, but still it failed to operate.
Wondering if the tool needed to be fixed, he noticed the cause of the problem: it wasn't plugged into the power supply! Once it was plugged in, it worked perfectly and the job was soon finished.
For something to work properly and reliably, it needs to be connected to a power source. The same is true for believers in Jesus. For a believer to have a successful Christian experience, that individual must be connected to a source of spiritual power. And the source of spiritual power for believers everywhere is the Holy Spirit!
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Godhead - which is also referred to as the Trinity. (Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9) The Bible teaches that there is one God, made up of three distinct Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Each of these divine entities is a Person, and these three Persons are united as one God. The Father is not the Son; the Son is not the Holy Spirit; the Spirit is not the Father. But each of the three is in perfect harmony, each is eternal and each is powerful.
Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? ... You have not lied to men but to God."
When Ananias and Sapphira lied about their dealings with God and the church, Peter declared that in lying to the Holy Spirit, they had lied to God. This demonstrates not only that the Holy Spirit is considered to be God, but also that as the Holy Spirit can be lied to, the Holy Spirit has personality and therefore must be considered a Person.
When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
Seven times in this verse, the Holy Spirit is referred to as an individual Being. Jesus considered the Holy Spirit to be a Person. The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal "force," but a member of the Godhead who loves and cares for God's children.
I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever ... I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to be our Helper (or "Comforter," KJV). Jesus ensured that when He returned to heaven, we would still have access to His presence and help - through the Person of the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
He who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
The Holy Spirit brings to us the personal presence of Jesus Christ. Jesus lives and dwells in us through the Holy Spirit.
When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
It is the Holy Spirit's role to guide the mind of the student of Scripture into an understanding of the truth of the Bible. Psalm 119:130 says, "The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple."
The understanding that David writes of is provided by the Holy Spirit.
When He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.
Conviction of sin, an understanding and appreciation of righteousness, and an awareness of judgment are all brought to the believer by the Holy Spirit. Without the ministry of the Holy Spirit, spiritual growth, love for God and holy living are impossible.
When the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
The Holy Spirit speaks of Jesus and brings the presence of Jesus to the searching believer. The Holy Spirit also produces the character of Jesus in the life of the believer.
Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.
John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.
God's desire is that His children be filled with the Holy Spirit - described by Jesus as the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
When the Holy Spirit comes into a person's life, that person experiences spiritual growth that will enable him or her to become more like Jesus. The "works of the flesh" (Galatians 5:19-21) disappear and are replaced by the "fruit of the Spirit"-the attributes of Jesus that become a part of the life of the believer.
Paul wrote, "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16)
To one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
Spiritual gifts are special endowments that produce in a believer capabilities that can be used for the upbuilding of the church and the fulfilling of its mission. They can be miraculous endowments, or the Holy Spirit can use and develop talents and capabilities already present in a person's life. Other lists of spiritual gifts can be found in Romans 12:6-8 and Ephesians 4:11-13.
One and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
While a person may desire to receive a certain spiritual gift, it is the Holy Spirit who decides which spiritual gifts are to be given.
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!
Receiving the Holy Spirit is as simple as asking God for the gift! God is willing that we receive this vital gift, and therefore will gladly give the gift of the Spirit to those who ask Him to do so.
Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
The unpardonable sin is the sin against the Holy Spirit. Rather than being a specific sin, the unpardonable sin is a condition in sin. God has made it clear that He is willing to forgive any sin. As 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
But a sin that we choose not to confess cannot be forgiven.
In the passage in Matthew 12 discussing the unpardonable sin, Jesus heals a man who was "demon-possessed, blind and mute." (Matthew 12:22)
In attributing the miracle to the working of Satan, the Pharisees rejected not only Jesus but also the Holy Spirit, who was present to bring conviction to their hearts. When an individual refuses to surrender to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, that person is rejecting the Holy Spirit.
While God in His goodness continues to bear with resistant people, there comes a time when those who harden their hearts against conviction are left to their own devices. Having rejected the Holy Spirit, they have committed the unpardonable sin.
The reason the unpardonable sin is not forgiven is because it is not confessed. If a sin remains unconfessed, the sin in question becomes the unpardonable sin.
Please note: There is no need to worry that any sin committed in the past and not confessed is the unpardonable sin. The unpardonable sin represents a continual rejection of the Holy Spirit's pleading - how long until the unpardonable sin is committed is not known.
What is known is that it is neither wise nor safe to say "no" to the Holy Spirit. The only right course of action is to surrender when God's Spirit speaks, and to enjoy the peace and blessing of a union with the God of heaven.
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.
The word "grieve" as used in Ephesians 4:30 means to "make sorrowful." In failing to surrender to the Spirit's promptings, either by the sins we commit or by the things we refuse to do - sins of commission or sins of omission - we can grieve and turn away the Spirit of God.
In Genesis 6:3, God told Noah that His Spirit "shall not strive with man forever." There comes a time after continued rejection of the Holy Spirit that He ceases to invite a person to come to Christ.
He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
The Holy Spirit is Christ's personal representative in the world. His ministry involves drawing the world to Jesus, and urging people to yield fully to Him and know Him in His true character.
This helps us to understand that those with genuine spiritual gifts will not seek to draw attention to themselves or to worthless, worldly enterprises. The Holy Spirit seeks to draw people to Jesus, that He might be glorified.
John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.
Jesus' promise of the baptism of the Holy Spirit was realized at the Feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples with great power and they received supernatural spiritual gifts.
Just as the baptism of the Holy Spirit empowered the apostles for service, believers today are prepared for service through this same outpouring of God's Spirit. (Ephesians 4:11-13)
During his sermon at Pentecost, Peter promised the believers that should they repent and be baptized, they would "receive the gift of the Holy Spirit," a gift that is still available to believers today. (Acts 2:38)
God wants you to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is the greatest gift God can give as we wait for the return of Jesus!
Are you willing to receive the Holy Spirit? Do you desire to be equipped to serve God, and to be made like Jesus?