Category: Articles (Page 2 of 5)

Article 40

By Steven J. Hogan

I recently received an email from a friend who is convinced, as I am, that the return of Christ and the rapture of the church will take place sometime in the near future. One of his primary concerns is that his family be prepared, be equipped for what God so clearly tells us will be taking place in this world in the years ahead. In response to my friend’s email, I have written an article that, I believe, is relevant and necessary for Christians living in the end times. At this time in HISstory, it’s imperative that we get ready for this storm, for these most difficult, yet divine and opportune years, leading up to the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In this article I will be covering six different areas. Today, in part one, I will focus on the Word of God, first in general, and then with specific verses.

THE WORD OF GOD:
Christians need to be strong and courageous in the end times, particularly during Daniel’s 70^th week, and especially when the Antichrist is ruling the world (Revelation 13). This will be the toughest time ever for Christians living on earth, for these will be very intense years of unprecedented difficulty. There will be great tribulation and persecution for true believers, for true lovers of God. Those who don’t worship the image of the beast (the Antichrist) will be targeted, tracked down and attacked by his evil forces, so as to be killed. Those not taking the mark of the beast will find it very difficult to obtain the basic necessities of life. Like never before, these will be days of great distress, of both inward stresses and outward pressures. But remember, this is the time God has chosen for you to live on earth for Him, and to be faithfully doing the work He has planned for you to do.

People ask, “What do I need to know? What do I need to do in the end times? How am I supposed to live?” As pointed out in Matthew 4:4, your main, overall objective is to always live by the word of God. “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” While we may be thinking about physical bread to eat, God wants us, first and foremost, to feed on the spiritual bread of His Word. The spiritual food coming from God’s word is what we need to be eating if we are to survive and live for the Lord.

Three categories come to mind when I think about God’s word for our lives, whether it’s now or in the future. There is truth we need to know, commands we need to obey, and promises we need to believe. God’s truth, God’s commands and God’s promises are all absolutely essential. Think about soldiers preparing for battle: there are things they need to know, things they need to do, and things that will motivate them to be good fighters. And as spiritual soldiers, there are things we need to know, things we need to do, and things that will motivate us to keep going for God. But you need to realize that God is training you now, and that this present preparation is getting you ready for the work He has for you today and tomorrow, but also for the future He has planned for you, whether that means you are alive during the days of great tribulation, or have already gone to heaven.

This is peace time, this is the calm before the storm, which means now is the time to get ready. Here in Florida, during hurricane season, we are regularly reminded to plan ahead, to get food, water and supplies before the storm hits. This only makes sense. How can you get ready in the middle of a hurricane, when winds are howling outside at 100 mph, or the power has just gone out, and it’s pitch dark? You can’t! You need to prepare ahead of time. How much more-so does this relate to Christians who are alive on earth in the years leading up to the time of great tribulation, and the return of Christ? Sadly, many Christians think there will be what’s called a pre-tribulation rapture, and don’t even believe we will be here when there is great tribulation, let alone are getting ready for it. I pray that God gives you Biblically based, heart-felt convictions about the timing of the rapture, and that you are totally convinced about what will be taking place in the end times, with the result that you are preparing and planning ahead for the upcoming storm.

My desire is that you have a clear understanding of what will be taking place in these last, fast-moving, event-packed years leading up to the coming of the Antichrist and the coming of Christ. You need to know what will be happening, and what you are to be doing, how you are to be living for Him. In all this, the word of God is essential, and needs to be dwelling in your mind and heart. Then you will be a successful, useful and ready Christian, a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Remember what God said to Joshua before he and Israel’s armies fought their way into their God-promised land. “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:8-9

Listed below, by categories, are a number of verses particularly relevant to the end times, and especially as we get closer to the return of Christ. These verses are your instructions, a set of orders to follow, and truths and promises you need to know and believe. (The bold verse references refer to verses specifically written in the context of the end times and the coming of Christ. After each category there is one or two letters, T, C or P, meaning that the verses listed below it, are in general, God’s Truth, God’s Commands, or God’s Promises).

Antichrist (T):
* Daniel 9:27 – “He (the Antichrist) will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week (Daniel’s 70^th week), he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate.”
* Daniel 8:23-25 – “A king will arise, insolent and skilled in intrigue. His power will be mighty, but not by his own power… Through his shrewdness He will cause deceit to succeed by His influence; and he will magnify himself in his heart, and he will destroy many while they are at ease. He will even oppose the Prince of princes, but he will be broken without human agency.”
* 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 – “The man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.”
* Revelation 13:4-6 – “They worshipped the beast saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?’ There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two month was given to him. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God.”

Comfort (T, P):
A great need during the end times is having verses that are encouraging and comforting, and the best place to find them is in the Psalms. Without a doubt, it is the best book in the Bible to find truths that minister to your soul in times of trouble and need. Listed below are some of my favorite verses, but you need to read the Psalms yourself, recording and remembering those verses that are a blessing to your own life.
* Psalm 16:7-11, Psalm 18:1-3, Psalm 23, Psalm 28:6-7, Psalm 31:7, Psalm 31:14-17, Psalm 34:4-10, Psalm 37:1-11, Psalm 40:1-5, Psalm 42:5, Psalm 46:10, Psalm 56:3-4, Psalm 57:1-5, Psalm 59:16-17, Psalm 63:1-4, Psalm 66:10-12, Psalm 68:19-20, Psalm 71:17-21, Psalm 84, Psalm 86, Psalm 90:12-13, Psalm 91:1-3, Psalm 91:14-16, Psalm 94:17-19, Psalm 96:1-3, Psalm 98, Psalm 100, Psalm 103, Psalm 107:23-32, Psalm 109:30-31, Psalm 112:4-6, Psalm 116, Psalm 119:81-88, Psalm 121, Psalm 123, Psalm 130, Psalm 138:7-8, Psalm 139, Psalm 142, Psalm 143, Psalm 144, Psalm 145, Psalm 150

Coming of Christ (T):
* Luke 21:27 – “They will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”
* Hebrews 10:37 – “In a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.”
* James 5:8-9 – “You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near… the Judge is standing at the door.”
* Revelation 22:7, 12, 20 – “Behold, I am coming soon.”

Endurance (T, P):
* 1 Corinthians 1:8-9 – “God will keep you strong to the end so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
* Philippians 1:6 – “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
* Romans 8:30 – “These whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”
* Jude 24-24 – “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

Evil men (T):
* Matthew 24:4 – “See to it that no one misleads you.”
* 2 Thessalonians 2:3 – “Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (Day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed.”
* Matthew 7:15 – “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
* 2 Peter 2:1 – “False prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.”

Faith (C):
* 1 Thessalonians 5:8 – “Putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.”
* Luke 18:8 – “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
* John 14:1-3 – “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me… If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself.”
* Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Fear not (C):
* Mark 13:11 – “When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit.”
* 2 Chronicles 20:15 – “Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
* Matthew 10:28 – “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
* Revelation 2:10 – “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested… Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Fellowship (C, T):
* Hebrews 10:25 – “Not forsaking our own assembling together,… encouraging one another and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.”
* Proverbs 18:24 – “A man of many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
* Acts 2:42 – “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostle’s teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
* Romans 16:3-4 – “Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me… Greet also the church that meets at their house.”

Fight for God (C, T):
* Ephesians 6:12 – “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places… take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day.”
* 1 Samuel 17:26 – “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
* 2 Chronicles 14:11 – “Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You and in Your name have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against You.”
* Nehemiah 4:14 – “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, your houses.”

Grace (T, P):
* 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness… Therefore, I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”
* 2 Corinthians 9:8 – “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, you will have an abundance for every good deed.”
* 2 Timothy 2:1 – “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
* Revelation 22:21 – “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all.” (the last verse of the Bible)

Holiness (C):
* 2 Peter 3:11 – “What sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God?”
* 2 Timothy 2:21 – “If anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel of honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.”
* Titus 2:12 – “Say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and live self-controlled and godly lives.”
* 1 Peter 1:15 – “Like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your behavior.”

Hope (T, P):
* Hebrews 12:22-24 (heaven) – “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant.”
* John 14:3 (being with Jesus) – “I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may also be.”
* 1 Thessalonians 2:18 (being with believers) – “For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?”
* 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 (a new body) – “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.”
* 1 Peter 1:3-4 (an inheritance) – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who… has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”
* Revelation 5:10 (reigning on earth) – “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

Hoping (C):
* 1 Peter 1:13 – “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
* Romans 5:2 – “We exult in hope of the glory of God.”
* 1 Thessalonians 1:10 – “… and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.”
* Titus 2:13 – “While we wait for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Jesus (T, P):
* Psalm 23:1 – “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
* Psalm 63:8 – “My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.”
* Psalm 73:23 – “Nevertheless, I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but Thee, and besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth.”
* Matthew 28:20 – “… and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
* Philippians 3:7-9 – “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ… that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”

Love God (C):
* Psalm 18:1 – “I love You, O Lord, my strength.”
* Mark 12:30 – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”
* John 14:21 – “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and disclose Myself to him.”

Love one another (P):
* 1 Peter 4:8 – “The end of all things is near… above all, keep fervent in your love for one another.”
* John 15:12 – “This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.”
* Romans 12:10 – “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.”
* 1 John 4:7 – “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”

Not Alone (T, P):
* John 14:16 – “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Holy Spirit), that He may be with you forever.”
* Hebrews 13:5-6 – “I will never leave you, nor will I forsake you… The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
* Isaiah 41:10 – “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you.”

Overcome (C, P):
* Revelation 12:11 – “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”
* Romans 8:35-37 – “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword?… But in all these things, we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”
* 1 John 2:14 – “I have written to you young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”
* Revelation 2:7 – “To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life.”

Persevere (C, P):
* Matthew 24:13 – “The one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”
* Revelation 13:10 – “If anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and faith of the saints.”
* 2 Chronicles 15:7 – “As for you, be strong, and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”
* Galatians 6:9 – “Do not grow weary of doing good, for in due we will reap, if we do not grow weary.”

Pray (P):
* 1 Peter 4:7 – “The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.”
* 2 Chronicles 20:12 – “O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”
* John 14:13-14 – “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
* Hebrews 11:6 – “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him.”

Preach the gospel (P):
* Matthew 24:14 – “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
* Matthew 28:19-20 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
* Acts 3:19-21 – “Repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things.”
* Philippians 1:12-13 – “I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard.”

Rapture (T):
* Matthew 24:31 – “He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”
* 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 – “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.”
* 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 – “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not sleep, but we will 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 imperishable, and we will be changed.”

Sober (C):
* 1 Thessalonians 5:6 – “Let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.”
* 1 Peter 1:13 – “Keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
* 1 Peter 4:7 – “The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.”
* Titus 2:6 – “Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech…”

Sovereignty (T, P):
* Isaiah 46:9-11 – “I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning… saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’… Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass”
* Psalm 46:10 – “Cease striving and know that I am God. I will be exalted in the earth.”
* Daniel 4:35 – “His dominion is an everlasting dominion… All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven, and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him, ‘What have you done?’”
* Romans 8:28 – “We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Strong (C):
* Ephesians 6:10-13 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might… Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil… Take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day.”
* Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” 2 Samuel 10:12
* 1 Corinthians 16:13 – “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

Suffering (T, P):
* Matthew 24:9 – “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.”
* 1 Peter 4:12-13 – “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you… but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.”
* 1 Peter 2:21 – “You have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.”
* Revelation 2:10 – “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested… Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Unbelievers (T):
* 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 – “For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so they will believe what is false, in order that they may all be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”
* Revelation 14:9-10 – “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger, and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone… in the presence of the Lamb… and the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever.”
* Psalm 37:7-10 – “Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes… For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord will inherit the land. Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more…”
* Luke 12:4 – “My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more they can do.”

Wisdom (T):
* Revelation 13:18 – “Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.”
* Proverbs 4:7 – “The beginning of wisdom is: acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding.”
* Matthew 10:16 – “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”
* 1 Thessalonians 5:21 – “Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.”

Work for God (P):
* Luke 19:12-13 – “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for Himself and then return…. Do business until I come back.”
* Matthew 25:21 – “The master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’”
* 1 Peter 4:10 – “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
* Ephesians 2:10 – “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

 

THE LAW OF THE LORD IS PERFECT, RESTORING THE SOUL;
THE TESTIMONY OF THE LORD IS SURE, MAKING WISE THE SIMPLE.
THE PRECEPTS OF THE LORD ARE RIGHT, GIVING JOY TO THE HEART;
THE COMMANDMENT OF THE LORD IS PURE, GIVING LIGHT TO THE EYES.
Psalm 19:7-8

Article 39

By Steven J. Hogan

One of the most important subjects for the Christian is the love of God. “For God so loved the world… God demonstrates His own love toward us… Your love is ever before me… Your lovingkindness extends to the heavens… The love of God has been poured out into our hearts… Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” (John 3:16, Romans 5:8, Psalm 26:3, Psalm 36:5, Romans 5:5, Romans 8:35). These are just a few verses, but there are hundreds of verses that speak specifically about the astounding and immeasurable love that God has for His children.

What an awesome and most wonderful subject is the love of God, and a most necessary one for the Christian. But it’s not just a subject, for we are talking about your personal relationship with your heavenly Father, with Jesus Christ, and with the Holy Spirit. God knows you and you know Him, and comprehending the love He has for you is essential if you are to grow in your relationship with Him. And your relationship with God is foundational if you are to have a good relationship with anyone on earth. How can you love another person if you are not first experiencing the love God has for you? “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love… We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:7-8, 19). My focus in this article is your relationship with God, and specifically helping you grow in knowing His great love for you.

Let me ask a couple of questions. Can you say as David said, “Your love is better than life?” Can you say as John said, “I have come to know and have believed the love that God has for me?” Isn’t it true that God wants you to be 100% confident of His divine love for you? Of course, this is what God wants for you. I am so thankful to God for the 46 year journey He has given me with Him, and especially for how He has expressed His love to me, the kindness, patience, forgiveness, compassion, gentleness, and faithfulness that He has shown me over that entire time. I am so thankful God has loved me the way that He has and has given me assurance of my relationship with Him.

My favorite book in the Bible is the book of Psalms. Without a doubt, this is the number one book in the Bible to help you grow in your relationship with God. One of the main reasons I like it so much is because it goes into great detail about David’s relationship with God, and in particular how he was strengthened, revived and motivated by the love God had for him. And I want to learn what David learned. That’s why I read Psalms every day of my life. I don’t want to miss a day because God’s love means so much to me – I want to learn about His love, and be reminded of His love. I know I can’t make it without the love of God. Indeed, it is what has strengthened, sustained and satisfied me through all the years.

O, how the love of God needs to flood our minds, overwhelm our souls and sink deep into our hearts. But way too many Christians are only skimming the surface, and are not diving into the depths of God’s love for them. Way too many Christians are not believing, knowing and experiencing the love God has for them. O, how sad. We have a heavenly Father who greatly loves His children, but yet, many of them aren’t being satisfied and sustained by His love. Might this not be. The truth is that God loves us, and this truth needs to get into our hearts and then be lived out in our lives.

God has done His part in saving you through Christ dying on the cross for you, and the Spirit regenerating your life. God has also given you His Word, His grace and the church, and even placed His Spirit into your heart. There’s nothing else you need, but to do your part. You are instructed, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” How does this relate to our subject about the love of God? Jude 21 gives us the answer, “Keep yourselves in the love of God.” I personally believe this is one of the most important commands in the Bible. This is essential, this is what you must do everyday of your life. But what must you do? What are the means God gives you by which you can keep yourself in His love? Listed below are a number of things that God has taught me over the years, and things you need to learn to keep yourself in the love of God.

Make sure you are a Christian. The first and most important step in knowing God’s love is being assured and confident that you are forgiven, that you are a child of God, that He has saved you from sin, Satan, death and hell. But it’s not just remembering that you are saved, that you are a Christian. It’s daily believing and being thankful of this reality, that you are a child of God, that God is your Father, and that you have eternal life. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God… In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:7, 10

Take time to be with God. You need to get time alone with God if you are to more fully know God and His love for you. Take time to read the Word, God’s love letter to you, and meditate on verses that speak about His love for you. In particular, take time in the morning, before the day starts, to be refreshed by the presence and love of God. “O God, You are my God; I shall seek you earnestly… Your lovingkindness is better than life” (Psalm 63:1, 4). “Satisfy me in the morning with your lovingkindness.” Psalm 90:14

Believe that God loves you. You can read 100 verses about God’s love, and can even memorize them all, but you need to believe them, you need to believe that God loves you. Faith is how you get saved and first know God’s love, but it is also a key to keep experiencing His love for you. “I have come to know and have believed the love that God has for me.” 1 John 4:16

Think about your salvation. The salvation God purchased for you is the single, greatest, and most important expression of His love for you. Think about and consider the particular details of your salvation – that He chose you, foreknew you, predestined you, suffered for you, died for you, called you, adopted you, redeemed you, justified you, forgave you, and gave you the Holy Spirit. Think also about how He is presently saving you in that He is sanctifying you, and that in the future, He will glorify you, thereby completing your salvation. From beginning to end, your salvation is a marvelous demonstration and display of God’s amazing love for you. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “In love, He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.” Ephesians 1:5

Confess your sins to God. Confession is a necessary means in experiencing God’s love. If you have knowingly sinned against God, then you need to openly and sincerely confess your sin to Him, and then you will freely and freshly experience His forgiving love. Only as you are open with God about your sin will you be able to more fully bathe in God’s love for you. “Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness, according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.” Psalm 51:1, 1 John 1:9

Stay in the word of God. God’s Word is essential if you are to grow in God’s love, for it is His primary means to describe His love to you. Hundreds of times in God’s personal love letter to you, He tells you that He loves you. Keep reading and thinking about God’s word, and you will learn more about His precious and marvelous love for you. And keep believing it. “Consider how I love your precepts; revive me according to Your lovingkindness.” Psalm 119:159

God’s love is freely given to you. You don’t deserve, and can’t earn, buy, or trade for God’s love. The love God has for you is not dependent on what you do but on what God has done and is doing for you. God’s love for you is unconditional, is based solely on His mercy and grace. God’s love is not gained or given to you because of your good works but because of Christ’s good and perfect work on the cross for you. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ.” Ephesians 2:4-5, Hosea 14:4 – “I will love them freely.”

 Worship the Lord. One way to know and experience God’s love is by worshiping Him, by praising Him. You have a personal relationship with God and you are to communicate your love to Him, and when you do that, then He will reciprocate and express His love to you. God is not silent when you worship Him, but is most pleased and blessed when you express your love to Him. Tell God that you love Him, and He will tell you that He loves you. “I love you, O Lord, my strength.” Psalm 18:1

Obey God. Obeying God is one of the most important ways to keep yourself in His love. Christians who faithfully obey God will experience His special and personal love, a closeness with Him, an abiding and intimate friendship with their heavenly Father. “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him… If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.” John 14:21, 23; John 15:9-11

Love others. You are like a channel, like a pipeline, and God wants His love to flow freely through you to others. The more God’s love flows through you, the more God will show His love to you, and then you will be able to love others even more. This is the way God’s love works, through His people, from one person to the next. “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38, 2 Corinthians 9:8-11

Don’t go by how you feel. God’s love for you isn’t dependent on how you feel. Yes, you may feel tired, overwhelmed, lonely, anxious, distant from God, and unloved. You may not even feel like you love God. But don’t question God’s love for you. In spite of your feelings and emotions, just believe what God says in His Word about His love for you. “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword?” Romans 8:35-39, Psalm 13

Be devoted to the saints. Being closely connected to other Christians, and having fellowship with them, results in mutual kindness, caring, giving, compassion, gentleness, forgiveness, forbearance and patience. Only as you are with others in the body of Christ can you know these aspects of God’s love in the way He desires for you. More than you realize, God loves you through people. But don’t seek to be loved by people. Love people, and seek to be loved by God, and then you will be loved by God. “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19

Expect God to show His love to you today. God loves you every day of the week, and He wants you to believe this, and to expect Him to love you today, and in very specific, visible and tangible ways. Get up in the morning, believing that God will love you that day and, then going through the day, you will see His love for you. And before you go to bed, think back over the day, and you will be most encouraged by how many times and by the different ways God specifically and personally showed His love to you. “Surely, goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life…” Psalm 23:6, Psalm 92:2

God shows His love to you in all kinds of ways. Realize that God’s love for you is revealed to you in many different ways. It is seen in His word, through people, through creation, through His provision, through trials, through the church, through His protection of you, and in other ways. Be alert and take careful note of how God loves you as you go through life, and then you will be more encouraged, and will then be reflecting His love to others. “The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord.” Psalm 119:64, 145:8-9

Be thankful for all that God has done. Being thankful is an important and necessary way to remind yourself of how God has loved you in the past. Being thankful for past relationships, situations, trials, victories and events crystallizes in your mind the love that God has for you. When you get discouraged, think back over the past, and be thankful, and then your heart will be revived as you remember specific ways that God has loved you. “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.” Psalm 136:1, Psalm 77:10-14

Trials are a means to know God’s love. One of God’s purposes for trials is to help you draw close to Him, and to more fully and intimately know the wonderful love He has for you. We too easily get dependent on fleshly and worldly things, but they are but flimsy and fake substitutes for God’s love. Knowing this, God will give you trials so you can know His true love. Don’t be distressed by trials, but rejoice in them, knowing that God, the source of real love, will then fill your heart with His love. “I will rejoice and be glad in Your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul… Let Your face shine on Your servant; save me in Your unfailing love… Praise be to God for He showed His wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city.” Psalm 31:7, 16, 21

When God disciplines you, then He is loving you. Your heavenly Father corrects you, spiritually spanks you when you are doing what is wrong. This discipline is done in love so as to draw you back to Him so that once again you will know and experience and be satisfied by His love. “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son.” Hebrews 12:5-6

Don’t be deceived by the world or the flesh. The world is a worthless substitute for God and His love. Your heavenly Father longs to show and express His love to you, but way too many believers are tricked, and look for love in the wrong places and in the wrong things. Don’t love the world, and don’t look for love in the world. Don’t be fooled by the “love of people”, by “lovely” women or “handsome” men. True love is a godly love, and God is the source of that love. “What fault did your fathers find in Me, that they strayed so far from Me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves… My people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols.” Jeremiah 2:5, 11-13; Psalm 115:1

Knowing God’s love is a spiritual battle. Don’t believe it when the devil says God doesn’t love you. Believe what God says, and not some lie that the devil floats into your mind, saying you are no good, you are not forgiven, that God doesn’t love you, or that God doesn’t care about what you are going through. “I write to you, young men, because you are strong and the Word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” 1 John 2:14, Job, Lamentations

God loves you through people. More than you realize, God shows His love to you through the saints, through the body of Christ. You may question God’s love for you, but oftentimes it’s because you fail to see how He has been loving you through friends, family and fellow church members. It is important to think of the many ways God has loved you and is loving you through the people He puts in your life. “Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart.” 1 Peter 1:22

Be with mature Christians. Older, mature Christians have known and seen the love of God over time, through good days and bad, through thick and thin, through “many dangers, toils and snares.” They are given to you to be an example and a reminder of God’s great love. Get with them, listen to their stories, find out how they have seen God’s love through the years, and be encouraged. “Greet Epanetus, my beloved… Greet Ampliatus, my beloved… Greet Persis, the beloved.” Romans 16:5, 8, 12; Colossians 4:7-17

Have hope. Hope speaks of how God will show His love to you in the future, and you should be excited about this, and be looking forward to this. You can’t imagine the amazing plans God has for you, the incredible and wonderful ways He wants to show His love to you in the ages to come. For then you will be perfect and be perfectly able to know and experience all the love God has for you. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9, 1 Peter 1:13, Ephesians 2:7

God’s love is radically different and infinitely better than man’s love. Man’s love is fleshly, flattering, selfish, superficial, shallow, short-lived, fake, fickle, temperamental, hypocritical, two-faced, conditional, disappointing and empty. Don’t look to be loved by people in the world, for that is foolish and disappointing. Look to be loved by your heavenly Father. “Your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth” (Psalm 26:3). “Because your love is better than life, my lips will praise You.” Psalm 63:4

Remember the many kinds of love. Like a diamond with many faces, so too the love of God has many faces, and therefore, is seen in a variety of ways. God’s love is kind, compassionate, gentle, good, faithful, patient, forbearing and forgiving. Take time to think about God’s working in your life, and specifically how He expresses His love to you in so many marvelous and incredible ways. “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.” Psalm 145:8, Psalm 40:5

God’s love is continuous and eternal. The love that God has for you is all the time. It is continuous and has no breaks. It’s every day, and all day long. It’s every week, and all month long. It’s every year and for the rest of your life on earth. And it’s forever. No matter what you think, no matter how you feel, no matter the trials you face, or no matter what you are going through, God always loves you. To know in your mind that God loves you all the time and loves you forever is the best news there is. But to actually know in your heart that God loves you is infinitely better. “His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Psalm 136

In all this, you must remember the great commandment, that your primary purpose in life is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And you are to love one another. But these two great purposes God has for you aren’t going to happen if you are an unloved person. I encourage you to keep yourself in the love of God, and then you will love God and love others, and be able to fulfill the plans God has for you. “We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:7-21

What does all this have to do with prophecy? As you know, this blog site is primarily about prophecy, is about the future God has for you, for me, for all the Christians, and for this planet earth. As you also know, we have talked about how life will become more difficult the closer we get to the return of Christ and the rapture of the church. There will be birth pains. Lawlessness will increase. There will be great apostasy. The Antichrist will rule the world. There will be great persecution. You may even be betrayed by your own family members. But what does God say you need to know to spiritually survive, to be victorious, to be able to endure to the end? Without a doubt, knowing the love of God is the main thing, the most essential thing for your life. This lesson about keeping yourself in the love of God is critically important for your life today, tomorrow and yes, in days of great tribulation. My desire is to help you grow in knowing the great love of God, at this time, and in the days and years leading up to the coming of Christ.

As you know, Paul suffered greatly for the Lord – he went through so many extremely, difficult trials. He warned us, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). But what was it that kept Paul going? It was the love of God that filled him, encouraged him, sustained him and fired him up. Might this be true for each of you as you live for the Lord, this love of God affecting, transforming, strengthening and revitalizing your life, and then overflowing and wonderfully affecting the lives of others.

Here are Paul’s words which clearly proclaim this important truth about knowing and being sustained by the love of God. “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword. Just as it is written, ‘For your sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-39

“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” 2 Corinthians 13:14

 

Article 38

By Steven J. Hogan

There’s much said in God’s word about what will be taking place in the end times, in these last years leading up to the return of Christ and the rapture of the church. Many well-schooled Christians understand future prophecy, what God says about the birth pains, the Jews, the Antichrist, etc. But the end times’ Christian must also be able to answer these questions: “How am I to live in the end times? What am I do to? What does God want the church to do?”

The answer is quite simple, for the entire Bible tells us how we are to live, whether that’s today, tomorrow or the day of Christ’s return. Throughout the centuries, the word of God has been what the Christian needs, and will continue to need right up to the end of this age. What was true for Paul, what was true for Martin Luther, what was true for Charles Spurgeon, what is true for you and I, and what will be true for the last saints living on this earth, is the word of God.

But I know some people are fearful and anxious about what it’s going to be like as we get closer to the return of Christ. But it’s not good to worry today about what is going to happen tomorrow, and particularly, as times get tougher and the Antichrist is ruling the earth. No matter what it is like, the answer is always God and His Word. The Christian life isn’t a matter of doing things different when life gets harder, when there are severe trials and great persecution. What God wants you to do today is what He wants you to do tomorrow. And so put on your spiritual armor and do what God tells you in His word, for now is the time to serve, to fight and to live for Christ. Serve today, fight today, and live today, for living for God today is how you are to live for God tomorrow. And living for God today is the single best preparation for living for God tomorrow. Learn to live rightly for God today, and you will be able to live rightly for God tomorrow, in the future, and in the last days before Christ’s return.

The purpose of this article is to remind us of how we are to live, whether that’s today or in the future. And how can we sum up what God tells us to do? I could have written a long list of instructions from all parts of God’s word, from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation. I could have used Revelation 2-3 as a text, writing out all the instructions from Christ to the seven churches. But I was led to the book of Colossians, and to glean from this short epistle what God wants us to do. I recognize that this list of instructions from Colossians is not by any means complete, but it does contain a fairly comprehensive set of truths and commands. If you learn and apply these things to your life today, tomorrow and in the days ahead, then you will be ready, you will be equipped for however long you live, and for whatever time period you are alive, even if that means living during the time of the Antichrist and great persecution.

 

A LIST OF LIFE GIVING TRUTHS AND COMMANDS FROM THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS:

* EXPERIENCE GOD’S GRACE: Humble yourself and you will experience the grace of God, the power, strength and ability you need to live the Christian life. “Grace to you and peace from God our Father.” Colossians 1:2, 4:18

* BE THANKFUL: Giving thanks to God for who He is and for what He does in our lives and in the lives of others is recognizing and honoring Him for His kind and faithful work. “We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Colossians 1:2, 3:17

* HAVE FAITH: Depend and rely on God for His leading, grace, wisdom and strength. Have faith in God. Trust in Him and not in yourself. “… since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus.” Colossians 1:4

* LOVE PEOPLE: Love the people God puts in your life and puts in your path. Love with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness and forbearance. “… the love which you have for all the saints.” Colossians 1:4, 3:12-15

* HAVE HOPE: Believe that you have a most wonderful and blessed future, and look forward to when you will be in heaven in a new body with Jesus Christ and all the other believers. “… because of the hope laid up for you in heaven…” Colossians 1:5, 25-27

* BE A LEARNER: God has made you to learn from Him and from other Christians. Learn from the words and examples of others, and particularly those whom God has placed over you. “… just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant.” Colossians 1:7

* THE HOLY SPIRIT: As a Christian, you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. God wants you to walk by the Spirit, be led by the Spirit, be comforted by the Spirit, be empowered by the Spirit, and have fellowship with the Spirit. “He informed us of your love in the Spirit.” Colossians 1:8

* KNOW GOD’S WILL: Know the purpose and plans God has for your life, the special work He wants you to do, revealed to you through His word, the Spirit, and the church. “We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Colossians 1:9, 4:12, 4:17

* REMEMBER YOUR SAVIOR: Always remember what Jesus Christ has done for you, that He saved you, redeemed you, reconciled you to God, and rescued you from the domain of the devil and transferred you to the kingdom of Christ. “He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14, 21-23

* KNOW JESUS CHRIST: You are to know Jesus Christ, that He is God, the Creator, Sustainer, Savior, and Head of the church. You are to know who He is, and you are to have a good relationship with Him. “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things are created… He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together… He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from among the dead…” Colossians 1:15-22, 2:3-4

* PLEASE THE LORD: Make it your purpose and aim not to please yourself, but to please the Lord, to honor Him, serve Him, and bear fruit for Him. “So that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit…” Colossians 1:10, 3:22-23

* SUFFERING: Part of God’s plan for your life is suffering and trials. When you suffer, God will give you the grace you need so you can be at peace, so you can persevere, and so you can be a witness to others of His work in your life. “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.” Colossians 1:24

* BE ENCOURAGED: You will get discouraged and spiritually weary, and therefore you need to be encouraged by the word of God, the Spirit of God, the love of God, and the fellowship of the saints. “…that their hearts may be encouraged, knit together in love…” Colossians 2:2, 4:8

* BE GROWING IN CHRIST: God wants you to have a close relationship with Christ. You need to know Him, love Him, trust Him, follow Him and obey Him. “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted in Him, and established in your faith…” Colossians 2:6, 19

* LOVE THE TRUTH: You need to love the truth of God, and included in that is knowing and refuting error and wrong doctrine. “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” Colossians 2:8, 3:16

* YOU ARE COMPLETE. In Christ you have been spiritually filled, you are complete. You are a child of God, and you need nothing more. You have all you need to be all that God has planned for your life. “In Him you have been made complete.” Colossians 2:10

* YOU ARE ALIVE IN CHRIST: You have been crucified with Christ, and are now alive in Him, a new creature in Christ and forgiven of all your sins. Therefore you are to live for Him. “When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions.” Colossians 2:11-13

* DON’T BE LEGALISTIC: Don’t live by man-made rules, self-made religion, traditions, schedules, and severe treatment of the body. Hold fast to the head, to Jesus Christ, and be led by the Spirit. “If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as ‘Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch.’” Colossians 2:16-23

* DON’T BE WORLDLY: Do not love the world nor the things of the world, but be seeking God, loving Him and living for Him. “Keep seeking the things above, where Christ is… Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:1-3

* KNOW ABOUT CHRIST’S COMING: You need to know the truth about the end times, the return of Christ, and the great and glorious future God has planned for you. “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:4

* BE HOLY: It is vital to learn to say no to temptation and sin, and yes to what is godly, to what is good, right and true. “Consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.” Colossians 3:5-10

* KNOW THAT YOU ARE CHOSEN, HOLY AND DEARLY LOVED: Understanding and believing that God has chosen you for salvation, has made you altogether holy, and loves you with all His heart, is critically important if you are to genuinely love God and live all out for Him. “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and dearly loved…” Colossians 3:12

* BE UNITED WITH BELIEVERS: Church and relational unity is essential for your life and the good of others, for the work God wants you to do, and for the glory He deserves. “Beyond all these things put on love which is the perfect bond of unity.” Colossians 3:14

* DWELL ON GOD’S WORD: God’s Word spiritually and supernaturally living in you is the primary means of spiritual success and blessing. “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you…” Colossians 3:16

* CARRY OUT YOUR ROLE: A wife is to be subject to her husband, a husband is to love his wife, a child is to obey his parents, and a father is not to exasperate his children. “Children, be obedient to your parents in all things.” Colossians 3:18-21

* BE A GOOD WORKER: Work hard for God, knowing that He sees both your heart and your actions all the time, and that He will greatly reward you for your work. “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.” Colossians 3:22-25

* BE PRAYING: That we can pray, that we can petition the Lord for one another and for our own lives, is one of the greatest Christian privileges. Be faithful to pray, to ask God for His blessings and mercies. “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2

* BE A GOSPEL WORKER: Pray for the lost, look for open doors, be gracious in your speech, and then with conviction, share the gospel with the people God puts in your life. “… praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ…” Colossians 4:2-5

* BE WISE IN YOUR SPEECH: Speak the truth, and speak it with love. Let your words be those that meet the needs of the hearers, the people you are with. “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” Colossians 4:6

* BE A BELOVED BROTHER, A FAITHFUL MINISTER, AND A FELLOW SERVANT. You need to spiritually know who you are, that you are a brother, a minister and a servant. You are to love, serve, and take up your cross. “As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother, and faithful minister and fellow bond-servant will bring you information.” Colossians 4:7

* HAVE GODLY RELATIONSHIPS: Be loving, faithful, committed, praying, and serving other Christians. Be mutually encouraged. Have godly friends. “I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.” Colossians 4:7-15

* BE MATURE: You are to be complete, a grown up and mature Christian, which is seen as you obey God, carry out His will and bear fruit for Him. “… always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect, and fully assured in all the will of God.” Colossians 4:12

* FULFILL YOUR MINISTRY: Use your spiritual gift, for this will help you to carry out and complete the work which God has given you to do. “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.” Colossians 4:17-18

I encourage you to hold on to this list, and continue to look over it, so that the Bible truths listed here become part of your life. Ask God to help you be who He wants you to be, and to do all He wants you to do, whether that’s from Colossians or any other portion of God’s word, whether that’s today, this year or in that time right before Christ’s return. Here are some other verses encouraging us to stay true to God’s word in time of great trials and great persecution. “How long must your servant wait? When will you punish my persecutors? The arrogant dig pitfalls for me, contrary to your law. All your commands are trustworthy; help me, for men persecute me without cause. They almost wiped me from the earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts. Preserve my life according to Your love, and I will obey the statutes of your mouth.” Psalm 119:84-87

P.S. Here is an encouraging sermon I preached that expands on this subject: God’s Plan for You in 2018.

Article 37

By Steven J. Hogan

One of the most dramatic events to ever take place on this planet will be occurring very soon. I am talking about Jesus Christ returning to earth at the end of this age to redeem and rescue all the Christians remaining on this earth. This is commonly called the rapture of the church. More than anything else, this is what you need to be looking forward to, this most amazing moment when Christ comes back to snatch His bride (you) off this earth so that she (you) can be with Him in heaven. Might you be excited about this most climactic time when Christ will take up the saints from this earth and receive them to Himself. “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for you have loved Me before the foundation of the world.” John 17:24

The focus of this bullet point article is the rapture, that very brief but action-packed, split-second time when so many incredible and wonderful things will be taking place. As you read this, you can’t miss the fact that God has a great deal to say about it, that it’s a very detailed subject. That is, there is a lot God wants you to know about the rapture of the church, which means it must be extremely important. This article will answer the following questions: 1) What is the rapture? 2) When will it take place? 3) Who is it affecting? 4) Why is it happening? 5) Why is the rapture so important? 6) Where does it take place?

Here are fifty important and encouraging truths about the rapture of the church:
1. The word rapture is the English word most commonly used when referring to that specific singular action at the end of this age, when Christians are suddenly, powerfully and safely taken off this earth and taken up into the sky to be with Jesus Christ.

2. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is the most well-known verse in the Bible that speaks about the rapture of the church.

3. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 reads, “Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” The phrase “will be caught up” is translated from the Greek word “harpagisometha.” The Latin translation of “harpagisometha” is “rapiemur” from which we get the English word rapture. This word “rapiemur” was first used with respect to Christ’s 2^nd coming when Jerome, a Christian theologian, translated the Bible, and 1 Thessalonians 4:17, into Latin around 400AD.

4. The root word for “harpagisometha” is “harpazo”, which is translated “to seize, to carry off, to snatch up, to take away, to catch up, to rapture.” Here are other Biblical uses of harpazo which help us to understand its meaning: Matthew 12:29, John 6:15, Acts 8:39, 2 Corinthians 12:2, and Revelation 12:5 – “She gave birth to a Son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.”

5. This Greek word harpazo “conveys the idea of force suddenly exercised” (Vines – p. 174). We understand that the rapture will be a forceful and physical event in that believers will literally be lifted off the surface of the earth, and defying gravity, will suddenly and smoothly be taken to be with Jesus Christ. No devil, no demon, no Antichrist, or any person on earth, will be able to stop God from carrying out His rescue mission, safely bringing His children home to heaven. “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever.” Jude 24-25

6. At the rapture, believers will be physically taken off the earth, powerfully taken off this earth, and rapidly taken off this earth. Bible translations say it this way: “shall be caught up” (NIV, KJ, NAS, NRSV), “shall be snatched away” (Wuest), “shall be seized” (Parallel NT in Greek and English), “shall be taken up” (Catholic version), “shall be swept away” (Phillips). 1 Thessalonians 1:10 tells us “to await for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.”

7. The rapture is a specific action (taken off the earth) occurring at a specific time (Christ’s 2^nd coming) at a specific place (surface of the earth) affecting specific people (Christians on earth). “Then He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to another.” Matthew 24:31

8. The believers who are raptured will come from all parts of the earth, “from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth.” Mark 13:27

9. The rapture of the church is going to take place very soon. That’s because we live in the end-times, that period of time defined by the returning of the Jews to Israel, which has now been taking place since the late 1800’s. God’s work with the Jews in the end-times is in conjunction with, and is coinciding with, His work with the church. “When these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:12-28

10. The rapture of the church takes place at Christ’s 2^nd coming, and in fact, is the initial event at His coming. Therefore, the rapture of the church does not take place before Christ’s 2^nd coming and is not separate from it. “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep… then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds.” 1 Thessalonians 4:15, 17

11. Seeing Jesus Christ come in the clouds and being raptured off the earth takes place in a very, very short time span, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

12. The rapture initiates a two-leg journey for all Christians alive on earth at Christ’s 2^nd coming, first going from earth to be with Christ in the clouds, and then going with Christ to be with the Father in heaven. “Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). “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.” John 14:3

13. God could have planned it so that the rapture would have taken us straight from earth to heaven, but instead He planned it so that we will first meet Christ in the air. At the end of this age, Jesus will come down from heaven and be above this earth on the clouds. The clouds above this world will be the stopping point where earth-leaving believers will first see Christ.  That’s because Jesus really wants to come down to meet us, to welcome us, and then personally escort us back to our heavenly home. “They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds” (Matthew 24:31). “Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17

14. The “dead in Christ” refers to believers who are asleep, who have already physically died before the coming of Christ and the rapture of the church. This includes believers living before Christ’s 1^st coming (Old Testament saints), and after Christ’s 1^st coming (church age saints). “We do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope… the dead in Christ will rise first.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 16b

15. The rapture of the church occurs in conjunction with, and in the same short time period as, the resurrection of the believers who have already died (fallen asleep). “The dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air… ” 1 Thessalonians 4:16b-17

16. The dead in Christ will rise first, be glorified first, immediately before the raptured Christians from earth are glorified. “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep… the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” 1 Thessalonians 4:15, 16b-17

17. Believers alive on earth at the end of the age will be raptured off the earth, and then be gathered together with other believers who have already died, and then altogether they will be taken to be with Jesus Christ. “We request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him…” 2 Thessalonians 2:1

18. Our belief that Jesus died and rose again is the basis of our belief that all believers, those who have already physically died and those physically alive at Christ’s coming, will rise again, that is, be glorified. The rapture is related to the resurrection of Christ from the dead, in that those believers on earth at Christ’s coming will be made alive in that they will be glorified, will be fully and forever saved. “For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in His own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming.” 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17

19. It’s during the rapture, that split second of time Christians are being caught up and taken to Christ, that they will receive their new, imperishable, glorified, powerful and spiritual bodies. “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.” 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

20.  Believers alive on earth at the end of this age need to be raptured to be in heaven. How else are you going to get there? Being raptured means being taken from this earth, transported to Christ, transformed (glorified) along the way, and then taken to heaven.  And you have to be glorified because you can’t possess your mortal and sin-prone body in heaven – there are no unholy saints there. You need to be fully fit and able to live there, you need a perfect, immortal, powerful and spiritual body, and that’s just what you are going to get. “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” Philippians 3:20-21

21. God completes your salvation at the time of the rapture, for God will carry out what He had planned for you in eternity past, for then you will be perfect, then you will be glorified. This is a primary purpose of the rapture. “These whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified” (Romans 8:30). “… so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” Hebrews 9:28

22. Once you are raptured, you are absent from your physical earthly body and are at home with the Lord. “We are of good courage, I say, and prefer to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8

23. Christians on earth are raptured and glorified at the appearing of Christ. “Little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming… We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” 1 John 2:28, 3:2

24. The only people who will be raptured are Christians living and remaining on earth at Christ’s 2^nd coming. “Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17

25. The people on earth who will not be raptured at Christ’s 2^nd coming are the sealed and protected Jews, who will be saved at the end of Daniel’s 70^th week, and the unbelievers who will be judged during the ensuing day of the Lord. Revelation 7:1-14, Revelation 8-9

26. The rapture of the church is in the future, for other prophesied events still need to take place before the rapture. For example, nations need to be realigned, the temple needs to be built, the Antichrist needs to be revealed, and great tribulation needs to begin. “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place… but of that day and hour no one knows but the Father alone. The coming of the Son of man…” Matthew 24:34, 36-37

27. The rapture of the church is not imminent. The word imminent means there are no signs or prophesied events that need to take place before the rapture. But God has clearly told us many specific signs and events that need to occur before the return of Christ and the rapture of the church. “Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door.” Mark 13:29

28. The rapture of the church does not take place at the beginning of Daniel’s 70^th week, for God’s word has told us that Christ’s coming and the rapture of the church occur after the Antichrist is revealed, sometime during the last half of Daniel’s 7 year 70^th week. “With regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him… Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction (the Antichrist).” 2 Thessalonians 2:1,3; Revelation 13:5-7

29. The rapture of the church takes place at the end of this age, and is the first event taking place at the end of this age. Heavenly signs, causing the skies above us to grow dark, will mark the end of the age, and are therefore signaling what will take place next, this most wonderful, dramatic and God-glorifying rapture of the church. “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky… and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky… and He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.” Matthew 24:29-31

30. Before the coming of Christ there will be great tribulation, great persecution on the earth, directed at both Christians and Jews. The Christians will experience this great tribulation, but then it will be cut short, and then they will be raptured. “Then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved, but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.” Matthew 24:21-22, 29-31; Revelation 7:9-14

31. The rapture will occur after the opening of the sixth seal but before the opening of the seventh seal. It is in Revelation 7 that we read about the rapture of the church. “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb… and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’” Revelation 6:12, 7:9-14, 8:1

32. The rapture of the church will occur shortly before the Day of the Lord begins and on the same day that it begins. “These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day.” 2 Thessalonians 1:9-10, Luke 17:24-35

33. The rapture of the church is the exciting conclusion, the exclamation point, the  climax of the church age. “What will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?… The sun will be darkened… He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.” Matthew 24:3, 29, 31

34. The general time of the rapture can and will be known by Christians for they will be observing a number of prophesied events pointing to and signaling the soon return of Christ. “Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25

35. No one but God the Father knows the exact time of the rapture. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” Matthew 24:36

36. Christians will not be surprised by the coming of Christ and the rapture, but unbelievers will be caught off guard, not at all expecting the return of Christ. “While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety’, then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman, and they will not escape. But you brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief.” 1 Thessalonians 5:3-4

37. Believers and unbelievers will be suddenly separated at the rapture of the church, for the believers will quickly be taken from the earth, and the unbelievers will be left all alone on the earth. “I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left.” Luke 17:34-35

38. There are three distinct sounds announcing the rapture: “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16

39. All Christians on earth at the time of Christ’s 2^nd coming will see Him in the sky above, and immediately be raptured off the earth and taken to be with Him in the clouds. “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21:27

40. One significant and immediate result of the rapture is that Christians will be given relief, will be delivered from tribulation, and in fact, from great tribulation. “To give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven…” 2 Thessalonians 1:7

41. Another significant and immediate result of the rapture is that Christians will be rescued from the wrath to come. “And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thessalonians 5:10

42. Another significant and immediate result of the rapture is that Christians will be redeemed, will be delivered from their sinful body. “Having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.” Romans 8:23

43. Another significant and immediate result of the rapture is that Christians will be resting from their labors, for their work on earth will be done. “… so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds will follow them.” Revelation 14:13, Matthew 28:20

44. Another significant and immediate result of the rapture is that Christians will be reunited with other believers who had gone on before them, whom they had known on earth. “For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?” 1 Thessalonians 2:19

45. Another significant and immediate result of the rapture is that Jesus will receive Christians to Himself. “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.” John 14:3

46. Another significant and immediate result of the rapture is that you will be revealed with Jesus Christ in glory. “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:4

47. One of the main reasons for the rapture is that we are Christ’s. He redeemed us, purchasing us by His death on the cross, and therefore we are His, and not the devil’s. “But each in His own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming.” 1 Corinthians 15:23

48. The rapture of the church must take place because Christ promised that we would be with Him forever. “I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may also be” (John 14:3). “Who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.” 1 Thessalonians 5:10

49. Christians should be extremely ecstatic about the rapture, and be looking forward to this most exciting end-time event when we (“we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord), will first see Jesus and then forever be with Him, our Lover, Lord, Savior and Friend. “You turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven.” 1 Thessalonians 1:9b-10

50. God wants you to fix your hope on the coming of Christ and the rapture, to be eagerly waiting for that time when He will return to earth to bring you to Himself, and then take you to heaven. “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:16).

Article 36

By Steven J. Hogan

The word “rapture” is frequently used when speaking about the sudden taking of Christians from this earth to be with Jesus Christ at the end of this church age. I believe that the rapture is one of the most significant and monumental events that will ever take place in the history of our world, and without question, the next most important event to occur on this planet. And why? Because this is when Jesus Christ will literally come down from heaven to earth to get His precious and beloved bride and take her to be with Him forever. In the Bible, God repeatedly instructs the Christians to be looking forward to that time when they will be taken into heaven. He wants us to be excited about seeing Jesus, when our salvation will be complete, when we will finally be perfect in body, soul and spirit, fit to fully and forever love and serve Him and one another in heaven and on earth. “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be given to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13

Are you excited? Are you thinking about the return of Jesus Christ and the rapture of the church? Do you realize that if you are still living on earth at Christ’s coming, this will be the first time you will ever see your Savior’s face? Does it not take your breath away to think that you will finally see the One who is so in love with you, so passionate about you, so committed to you, and so thrilled to be coming back to take you home? This Jesus actually died for you while you were a sinner and an enemy of His so that you could be His holy bride, and after loving and serving Him on earth, you could then go to heaven and forever be with Him. “When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:4

This rapture event is now more relevant than ever before. Since the Jews have returned to their land, we know we’re living in the end-times, and therefore it won’t be long before the Christians are raptured from earth. It could even happen in our lifetime! But there needs to be more Biblical clarity and understanding with regards to the rapture, for there’s error and confusion as to what it means, who it refers to, and when it will take place. My purpose in this short article is to answer these and other related questions. But most importantly, I want to stir up your love for Christ so that you’re excitedly looking forward to His return for you. I don’t know about you, but I picture Jesus sitting on the edge of His seat, waiting for that word from His Father to come and get us, so we can finally be with Him. “‘Behold, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:21

First we have to define the word “rapture.” But we look in our Bible and discover that it’s not actually found in our present day English translations. Where is it then? We have to go to 1 Thessalonians 4:17 which says, “Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord,” and there we see this phrase “will be caught up.” The actual Greek word for this phrase is “harpagisometha”, and the Greek root is “harpazo”. To connect this Greek word to the word rapture, we need to go back to the late 4^th century when Jerome was translating the Greek New Testament into Latin. There he used the Latin word “rapiemur” to translate this Greek word “harpagisometha”. Then we come to the Medieval Latin where we find the word “raptura”, from which we get our modern English word rapture. The word “rapture” then is derived from the phrase “will be caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

With regard to the return of Christ, we find that this root word “harpazo” is only used in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 – it’s not found in any other end-times’ text. Of course, other verses contain this Greek word (which we’ll talk about shortly), but there are no others in the context of the second coming of Christ. It just so happens that modern-day evangelicals, and in particular, the premillennialists, usually use this word rapture when speaking of Christ’s return for the church at the end of this age. In today’s Christian world, this word rapture is by far the most common word used when referring to that time when Christ comes back to take the believers home to heaven. It’s important then to understand the definition, the Biblical meaning and the context of the rapture.

Let’s go back to our primary text, to 1 Thessalonians 4:17, and to the phrase “will be caught up”, which again is translated from the Greek root word “harpazo”. Vines dictionary defines “harpazo” this way – “to snatch or catch away… this verb conveys the idea of force suddenly exercised.” Other meanings of this word are “to seize, to carry off, to catch up, to take away.”

To learn more about this word “harpazo” and the rapture, let’s look at other verses that use this word. In Matthew 12:29, we read, “How can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong men? And then he will plunder his house.” In Acts 8:39, we read, “When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch no longer saw him.” In 2 Corinthians 12:2, we read, “I know a man in Christ, who fourteen years ago – whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body, I do not know, God knows – such a man was caught up to the third heaven.” In John 6:15, we read, “So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself.” Finally, in Revelation 12:5, we read, “She gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule the nations, with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and His throne.” Do you see how the word “harpazo” is used in all these verses? It is translated as “carry off, plunder, snatched, caught up and take Him by force.” Something or someone is suddenly, quickly and forcefully being taken. It is these three adverbial truths that help us to understand the word “harpazo”, and therefore the rapture of the believers living on earth at the coming of Jesus Christ.

It will happen suddenly. Though you should be expecting to be raptured and won’t be surprised when it does happen, you don’t know exactly when it will take place. Then one day you will see Jesus Christ in the sky above and, immediately and suddenly, you’ll be carried off this earth to be with your Savior. And after a very short layover with Christ in the clouds, then you will head off to heaven to be with God the Father. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-9

It will happen quickly. As it says in 1 Corinthians 15:52, in “a moment, in the “twinkling of an eye,” or let me say, “faster than a speeding bullet”. At the end of this age, on the day of Christ, believers living in this world will literally and suddenly see Christ coming in the clouds and instantly and rapidly they’ll be taken off this earth, the fastest ride they will ever experience.

It will happen forcefully. I’m not saying you will be handled roughly, that this will be a violent experience, for you will most gently and smoothly be lifted off this earth. But it will be that which you cannot stop, not that you will want to stop it. The great power of God, so much greater than the power of rockets taking a payload off this earth, will take you off this planet to be with Christ. And no power on earth can stop this. I can picture the devil and the Antichrist seeing this innumerable number of believers suddenly escaping the earth and ascending into the sky above to be with Christ, and there’s absolutely nothing they will be able to do about it.

What God purposed, planned and predicted will most definitely take place, and no one will have any power to stop it. If you are a believer alive on this earth at the end of this age, then know that the Lord has already purchased your ticket for this most incredible and indescribable trip. You will be on a two-leg, end-times journey, first, going to be with Christ in the clouds, and second, traveling first class with Christ and all the other believers to heaven. “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” Philippians 3:20-21

And so where are we at in the whole big scheme of things? And when will the rapture take place? We don’t know exactly when, for “of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone” (Matthew 24:36). The fact that we live in the end-times and are in the “the beginning of birth pangs” stage means that the coming of Christ to rapture the church is not far off. There are now wars, famines, earthquakes and plagues, and these are escalating, just like the birth pains of a mother. They started slowly but they will be increasing more and more, and getting harder and harder, signaling that Christ’s return is getting closer and closer. Therefore we need to say, “For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.” Hebrews 10:37

Let me mention some other events taking place before the rapture of the church. Besides the birth pains, nations will be realigned, lawlessness will be growing, anti-Semitism will be increasing, an Israeli peace treaty will be signed, globalism will be increasing, the temple will be rebuilt, the Antichrist will be revealed, there will be great persecution against both Jews and Christians, and finally “the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light” (Matthew 24:29), signaling the end of this age. Then “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 (believers who have died and are already in heaven) will rise first.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16

Then, without delay, there’s the rapture of the Christians. “We who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Right after the earth goes dark, Christ will suddenly return. In His brilliant Shekinah glory, He will come back in the clouds and light up the skies, and all Christians living on earth will suddenly see Him. Hearing Christ’s voice, they will be quickly swept off this earth, and taken to be with Him. These redeemed, relieved and rescued believers, now fully transformed and glorified, will first be reunited with their Christian friends, then be taken to be with Jesus. Their Savior has returned for them and their salvation is finally complete – the day of Christ has come! All the believers are extremely excited and greatly rejoicing, their senses fully awakened and aware of all that is going on around them. After a very short stay in the clouds, they will then complete the second leg of their journey, jetting off to heaven and getting there in no time. “And behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’” Revelation 7:9-14

This is what God’s word clearly tells us, what it emphatically states will happen, what will most assuredly take place, and what will be taking place very soon. Be ready for the rapture, be excited about your Savior coming to get you, and be looking forward to this most amazing experience when you will suddenly be snatched from this earth and escorted into the very presence of Jesus Christ, and then be with Him forever and ever. This is what Jesus says He wants for His bride – “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for you loved Me before the foundation of the world.” John 17:24

We have talked about this critically important rapture verse that is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. But what I find so encouraging is that God has told us a lot more than just this rapture verse. He has given us a lot more information about what will be taking place when Christ returns and takes us home to heaven. In our focus on the rapture, we have learned that it refers to just one specific aspect of Christ’s return for us, that He is literally and physically taking us from this earth and then rocketing us up into the sky to be with Him. We’ve seen that it is a sudden, quick and forceful action in which the saints on earth are seized, snatched and rapidly removed from this earth, and then are immediately and forever with Jesus Christ, their Savior and King.

When you study this subject of Christ’s coming, you realize that there’s so much more that takes place during the rapture, and in that brief split second right after it. That is, there are many immediate results of the rapture. In fact, I have an extensive list of over 100 prophecy verses, all relating directly to the 2^nd coming of Christ. This immense volume of verses is most impressive and instructive, for when you read it you will see how important this end time event will be, how much God is going to do for you, and how everything is going to change. Indeed, there’s a huge mountain of material on this subject. That’s because your heavenly Father really desires for you to know some of the encouraging and exciting details, and to be looking forward to seeing His Son’s return and to all that will be taking place after that time.

But what is the significance of the rapture, and what are the immediate effects of the rapture upon the Christians who are living on earth? What else happens during this split second, twinkling of an eye time? Lots! You will be amazingly astounded at what God’s word says about this glorious event. Let me briefly state a number of things that will be taking place at the return of Jesus Christ:
1. You will be given relief from tribulation. Christians on earth will be experiencing great tribulation, great persecution, but when Jesus Christ returns, it will be cut short, it will suddenly stop, and you will be raptured into heaven. Matthew 24:22, 29; 2 Thessalonians 1:4-7
2. You will be rescued from the wrath to come. All Christians living on earth at the end of this age will be spared, rescued from the Day of the Lord, which is the wrath of God to be poured out upon the earth (this will take place about 30 minutes after the rapture). 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9; Revelation 8:1
3. You will rest from your labors. Life will be extremely difficult on earth. You will be working hard for the Lord, sacrificing and suffering for Him, and getting extremely tired – but then you will rest when Jesus Christ returns and you are raptured from the earth (Revelation 14:13). “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning or crying or pain.” Revelation 21:4
4. You will be redeemed. You will be released from this wicked world, delivered and taken out of this evil and rebellious place. But not only that, your soul will be redeemed, that is, released and freed from your own corrupt and sin-prone body. Luke 21:28; Ephesians 1:14, 4:30
5. You will be glorified. You will be given a brand new body, an infinitely and incredibly better body than Superman, Iron Man, Captain America, and the Incredible Hulk. It will be a powerful body, an immortal body, a spiritual body, a perfect body. Your salvation will finally be fully complete. Having already been justified and sanctified on earth, you will be glorified as you take off from the earth to be with Jesus Christ. Romans 8:30, 1 Corinthians 15:40-42, Philippians 3:20-21
6. You will be gathered together. You will be assembled and joined together with other believers and taken to be with Jesus Christ. Believers from all time, those who have already died and gone to heaven, and those who are still alive on earth, will be gathered together “from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven” to be with Jesus Christ. Matthew 24:31, Mark 13:27, 2 Thessalonians 2:1
7. You will be reunited with believing loved ones who have already died and gone on before you. And you will be with other believers you had heard about or read about in God’s Word. What a great, grand and glorious gathering this will be, an unimaginable multitude of believers celebrating together, loving one another and worshiping the Lord. 2 Corinthians 4:14, 1 Thessalonians 2:19, Revelation 7:9-12
8. You will be with Jesus Christ and will remain with Him. This is by far the best and most heart-warming, soul-stirring aspect of Christ’s return, that He’s coming for you, that He wants you to be with Him, that you will see Him, that He will express His love to you, that you will express your love to Him, and then forever be with Him, your Redeemer and Lord. John 17:24, 1 Thessalonians 4:18
9. You will be greatly rejoicing in heaven. You will wholeheartedly be expressing your praise and love to God for your salvation, and for His great and infinite love for you. “They cry out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’” Revelation 7:9
10. You will be richly rewarded for your labor for God.  Your heavenly Father will incredibly and unbelievably bless all believers who had loved Him and served Him during their short time on earth. But this initial reward is only the beginning of a glorious inheritance that you will then experience for all eternity. 2 Corinthians 5:10, 2 Timothy 4:7-8, 1 Peter 1:4

Our Lord specifically tells us what will be taking place at the time of the rapture and shortly thereafter. God is your heavenly Father and you are His children, and I hope you are beginning to see that He’s going to make sure you are taken care of, protected and blessed, and much more so than you could have ever imagined. He tells you what will be taking place because He wants you to know what to expect. He wants you to be encouraged and overjoyed about this hope you have and to be looking forward to the end of this age, to that day and time when Christ takes you from earth to be with Himself. He wants you to be excited about this event, this very brief but momentous transitional time from earth to heaven, to Jesus Christ, and to this most wonderful and eternal future that He has in store for you. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9.

When Jesus Christ returns, this church age will be over and you will be raptured. And everything is going to change, and I mean everything is going to change! Christ’s triumphant return to earth will unquestionably, undoubtedly and unmistakably, be the single biggest event that has ever taken place since His first coming nearly 2,000 years ago. Can you imagine the emotional high, the great excitement, exhilaration, exuberance and ecstasy, as well as the extreme love, inexpressible joy and perfect peace that you and all the other believers will wonderfully and gratefully experience at that time? At this present time, Jesus Christ is in heaven, preparing a place for you and His bride. Jesus tells you, “I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3) – and it won’t be long now. Then you will all “cry out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb’” (Revelation 9:10).  “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” Revelation 5:13

Article 35

By Steven J. Hogan

Being thankful is an incredibly important subject that should occupy our minds and hearts, and not just one day a year, but every day of the year, and to the end of our lives, or to the end of the age. There are many basic duties for the Christian, and thankfulness is one of them. It’s what God commands us to do. Now being thankful is much more necessary and essential than most people realize. To be a growing, joyful, fruitful, contented and truly blessed believer, you need to be thankful. But sad to say, many Christians are not as thankful as they should be, resulting in problems and struggles in their lives, in their relationships with others, and with God Himself.

What does it mean to be thankful? It comes from the Greek word “charis”, and is translated grace. A person who is thankful realizes that who he is, what he has, what he has accomplished and what he owns and possesses, ultimately is not from himself or others, but is from God, and is by God’s grace. In John 3:27, John the Baptist says, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.” 1 Corinthians 4:7 tells us, “What do you have that you did not receive?” In 1 Chronicles 29:13-14, David says, “Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name… Who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You.”

As Christians we must realize that anything we have that is good, or anything we can do that is good, is from God. He is the source of everything that is good. In 1 Chronicles 29:16, David went on to say, “All this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from Your hand, and all is Yours.” James 1:17 tells us, “Every good thing given, and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” In that classic doxology, we sing “Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise Him all creatures here below; praise Him above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.”

The thankful person knows that there is a God, and realizes that all that he has that is good is from God, and then from his heart and in his own words he expresses thanks to God, he honors God. But in Romans 1:21 the unbeliever is described this way – “For even though they knew God, [that is, knew there was a God], they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks, but they became foolish in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

The thankful person is aware of God’s work, and sees God’s work in the world, in the church, in his family, in his own life, and then expresses gratitude and appreciation to God. That is, he is truly grateful to God for what He does, and then gives Him all the credit. Look at Paul’s life, and you see that he continually thanked God for people. Paul was aware of the fact that God was working in a person’s life – he knew that the salvation of souls, and the goodness and growth in a person’s life was from God. Look at how Paul expressed thanks to God for people. Ephesians 1:16 – “(I) do not cease giving thanks for you…” Philippians 1:3 – “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.” Each of us need to be thinking of how God works in our lives, and be thankful to Him for His glorious work. “Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart… Great are the works of the Lord; they are studied by all who delight in them. Splendid and majestic is His work.” Psalm 92:1-3

The thankful person is humble, for he realizes he is not a self-made person. He is not proud, thinking in his heart, “Look at me, and look at what I have done.” He knows that God has been working in his life, that Christ is praying for him, and that the Spirit is sanctifying him. In 1 Timothy 1:12 Paul said, “I thank Christ Jesus my Lord who has strengthened me.” The thankful person is not proud or arrogant, and so thankfulness comes from his humble heart to God Himself. Again, from 1 Chronicles 29:14 we read, “Who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this?”

A thankful person realizes that he doesn’t deserve anything good, and especially when it comes to his salvation. He knows that left to himself, he is a sinner, an unrighteous person, and that it’s only by the grace of God that he has received mercy and forgiveness, and is perfectly righteous before God. A thankful person realizes his salvation is what God alone has done. Jonah said, “Salvation is of the Lord.” In Ephesians 2:8, Paul said, “By grace you are saved.” In 2 Corinthians 9:15 Paul said, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” In Revelation 7:9-12, the newly arrived saints in heaven “cry out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’” There’s no doubt that God should and will get all the credit and glory for what He did to save us from sin, death and hell.

A thankful person is sincere – he is not faking it, he is not a hypocrite. He knows that it is God who has done this miraculous and supernatural work in his life and in the lives of others, and so his heart is humbled, and therefore he is genuinely thankful to God. And He personally tells God that He is thankful, expressing his wholehearted appreciation and gratitude to God, and this honors God and gives Him glory. But he also is thankful to God when he is with others. Psalm 35:18 says, “I will give You thanks in the great congregation.” Nehemiah 12:46 tells us, “In the days of David and Asaph, in ancient times, there were leaders of the singers, songs of praise and hymns of thanksgiving to God.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18 instructs us, “In everything give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” A thankful person gives thanks to God for everything, and everything means everything. A thankful person is thankful to God for the past, for what happened yesterday, for what happened 30 years ago, and for everything that happened in between. And thankfulness is one of the main ways by which God wants you to process the past; and if you’re not thankful for what has happened, then you will often be angry or bitter with regards to people from the past, and events that took place in the past. And you will tend to worry more, and have less faith for the future. Thanking God means recognizing that God has been personally involved in your life, and that He has been sovereign, and that the things that have happened were His will for your life. The thankful believer knows too that God has been faithful, merciful, and good in his life, and that He is working all things together for good. “Give thanks to God, bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5

A thankful person is thankful for yesterday and for all the days and years of his life. He is thankful for every little thing and every big thing. He is thankful for both the food God has given him, and the salvation God has given him (1 Corinthians 11:23-24). He is thankful for his one friend, and for the entire church. He is thankful for one soul that gets saved, and for all that God is doing in the entire world. In everything, and for everything and for everyone, a person is to give thanks to God.

If a person is not thankful, then he will tend to grumble and complain about things when they don’t go the way he wants, whether it’s the weather or work or the government or the church or people’s lives. Be thankful then for little things and for big things, for specific things and for general things. Be thankful for hot weather and cold weather, for sunny days and stormy days. Be thankful for individual people, for family members, for friends and for the church. Be thankful for trials you’re in, for problems you face, and for bad things in your life. Be thankful for food, for clothing, for the house you live in, and for the car you drive. Be thankful for the job you have, for the money you have, and that you can pay your bills. Be  thankful for the President, for government, and for what’s going on in the world. Be thankful for all the problems in our country, for God is in control and knows what He is doing, and be assured, is working all things together for good. Most of all, be thankful for God the Father, for Jesus Christ His Son and for the Holy Spirit. Be thankful for who God is, that He is holy, wise, good, powerful, faithful, forgiving, omniscient and sovereign. Be thankful that you know Them, that you have eternal life. Be thankful that They saved you, and love you, and are committed to you. Be thankful that They have a plan for your life, that They will use you for Their purposes, and will soon bring you to heaven. Be thankful that you will be with Them forever and ever. Psalm 73:23-26

And what are the results, the benefits of being thankful? There are many, and let me mention some of them:
– Thankfulness helps you to see God more clearly – who He is and what He is like. Thankfulness is like a telescope or a microscope, for it makes small things bigger. When you are thankful then it brings God into focus, and His glorious character and His wonderful work.
– Thankful people are giving glory to God, and so God is very honored when you thank Him.
– Thankful people are contented and satisfied people. Thanking God for what you have helps you to not covet things, and want things which you don’t have.
– Thankful people don’t sin as much, for they’re not focused on themselves – they’re focused on God and Christ, and are filled up with God and with the things of God instead of wanting things in the world, and things for themselves. Therefore, they don’t want to sin, they want to love God. “But immorality or any impurity or greed must not be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness… but rather giving of thanks.” Ephesians 5:3-5

Thankful people are joyful, are spiritually happy, for they realize how rich and blessed they are by God, and they are not then wanting things from the world and the flesh.
– Thankful people have more faith, for thankfulness reminds them what God has done for them in the past, and that motivates and enables them to be trusting God for the future.
– Thankfulness promotes believing prayer, for when you are thankful and see what God has done in the past, then that motivates you to pray for things regarding the future. “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” Colossians 4:2
– Thankfulness promotes praise, for when you thank God for what He’s done, then you see God’s character and you praise Him for who He is. Thanking God for what He has done helps you to thank Him and praise Him for who He is. Thanksgiving and praise often go together. “I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart… I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.” Psalm 9:1-2

Thankfulness helps you to be humble, for being thankful helps you to clearly see how good God is and how great God is, and that you are what you are because of Him, and that is very humbling.
– Thankfulness promotes good relationships, for when you’re thankful, then you see that God is sovereignly working in a person’s life, that God is patient and faithful with them, and you see them more from God’s perspective, and therefore you love them for who they are, for what God has done, and aren’t upset at them for what they’re not.

Thankfulness also has a stabilizing, anchoring influence in your life. Focusing on self and others always has a destabilizing effect in your life for you are seeing you imperfections, inabilities and sins. Thankfulness means you are not looking at what you and others are doing, but at what God is doing, and this focus on God helps you to see His steady, faithful and continual work in your life and in the lives of others. Life then doesn’t become so up and down, so rough and rocky, so frantic and frenzied, but being thankful keeps you on an even keel, on a level path, on a straight road, for you see that God is in charge, that God is doing what is good and right.

I cannot say it strongly enough – you need to be thankful day after day, day in and day out, until the Lord takes you home or until the rapture, and then you will keep thanking Him forever and ever. The Lord desires your thanks and deserves your thanks. And those who are thankful will be a great blessing to God, a blessing to others, and will then be greatly blessed by God. Remember Psalm 136, the number one Psalm on God’s love, and how it starts with thankfulness and then ends with thankfulness – might this be true of your life. “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love is everlasting… Give thanks to the God of heaven, for His love is everlasting.” Psalm 136:1, 26.

I encourage you to be thankful right now. Don’t wait. Bless and honor your Lord by being thankful right now! “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, and bless His name.” Psalm 100:4

Article 34 

By Steven J. Hogan

I love lists. I make lists every day, lists of things that I believe God wants me to get done. But my favorite lists are lists of verses. Through the years I have compiled a number of lists of verses, and here is another one. They have proven to be very comforting, encouraging, and motivating to me, and now I hope to you as well. This blog site is all about prophecy, and my heart’s desire is to do all I can to prepare you for the days and years ahead. And I will not hesitate to tell you that the road leading up to the return of Christ will be a very difficult one, filled with trouble, hardship, opposition and great persecution. Yet what an opportunity to live for our Lord. In light of all eternity it is well worth it to love the Lord and live for Him, for it will bring immense blessing to you and to the lives of others. But most of all it will be a blessing and a glory to our Lord. And what is most essential, most needed in your life is the word of God, words of truth, instruction, correction, promise and comfort. Listed below are many of my favorite verses, ones that express the love, grace and peace of God. I have made these available to members in my church, but I wanted to make them available to you, for I know they will prove to be a means of strength, encouragement and peace to you now and in the days leading up to the return of Christ. Might they be a resource for you to use when you are sad, discouraged or weary, or for others you know who are in a similar state. As you read them, learn from them, reflect on them and believe them, I can’t help but believe that they will be a spiritual medicine, bringing you healing, comfort and strength to your soul.

Numbers 6:24-25 – The Lord bless you, and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you; and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.
Deuteronomy 33:12 – Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders.
Deuteronomy 33:27 – There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your help, and through the skies in His majesty. The eternal God is a dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.
1 Samuel 2:8 – The Lord raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with nobles, and inherit a seat of honor.
1 Chronicles 29:11 – Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all and in Your hand is power and might.
Job 19:25 – As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God.
Job 23:10-12 – He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed His steps. I have kept His way without turning aside… I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
Psalm 11:7 – The Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; the upright will behold His face.
Psalm 16:11 – You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand are pleasures forever.
Psalm 23:1, 6 – The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul… Surely goodness and love follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 25:4-9 – Show me Your ways, O Lord, and teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.
Psalm 26:3 – Your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in Your truth.
Psalm 27:13-14 – I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart, and wait for the Lord.
Psalm 31:1-3 – Rescue me quickly; be Thou to me a rock of strength, a stronghold to save me. For Thou art my rock and fortress; for Thy name’s sake Thou wilt lead me and guide me.
Psalm 31:7, 9 – I will be glad and rejoice in Your love, for you saw my affliction, and knew the anguish of my soul… Be merciful to me O Lord, for I am in distress.
Psalm 31:14 – But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord. I say, ‘My times are in Your hand.’ Make Your face to shine upon Your servant. Save me in Your lovingkindness.
Psalm 33:20-22 – We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in You.
Psalm 34:4-6 – I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame… The Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his trouble.
Psalm 40:1-3 – I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.
Psalm 40:11-12 – Do not withhold your mercy from me, O Lord; may Your love and Your truth always protect me. For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see… my heart fails within me. Be pleased O Lord to save me.

Psalm 41:1-3 – Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the Lord delivers him in times of trouble. The Lord will protect him and preserve his life; He will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.
Psalm 50:15, 23 – Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me… He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; and to Him who orders His way aright I shall show the salvation of God.
Psalm 55:16, 22 – I call to God and He saves me, evening, morning and noon… Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you. He will never let the righteous fall.
Psalm 62:7-8 – On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart to Him, God is a refuge for us.
Psalm 63:2-3 – Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You.
Psalm 73:23-26 – Yet, I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 84:11-12 – The Lord God is a sun and a shield; the Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You.
Psalm 86:3-7 – Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to You all day long. Bring joy to Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to You. Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy.
Psalm 91:14-16 – Because He loves me, I will rescue him. I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name. He will call upon Me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.
Psalm 100:4-5 – Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness endures to all generations.

Psalm 103:1-5 – Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, and who satisfies your desires with good things.
Psalm 116:5-6 – The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The Lord protects the simple hearted; when I was in great need, He saved me.
Psalm 118:14, 17 – The Lord is my strength, and my song, and He has become my salvation… I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.
Psalm 121:7-8 – The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and coming in from this time forth and forever.
Psalm 138:8 – The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your love O Lord endures forever.
Psalm 139:14 – I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 143:8 – Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way that I should go, for to You O Lord I lift up my soul.
Psalm 145:14, 17-18 – The Lord upholds all who fall, and lifts up all who are bowed down… The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and loving toward all He has made. The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.
Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Isaiah 26:3-4 – You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord is the Rock eternal.

Isaiah 40:29-31 – He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak… Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 41:10 – Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Lamentations 3:19-25 – The Lord’s lovingkindnesses never cease; His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
Micah 6:8 – He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.
Nahum 1:7 – The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.
Matthew 11:28-29 – Come to Me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your soul.
Mark 12:30 – You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might, and with all your strength.
John 5:24 – He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me, has eternal life and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
John 11:25-26 – I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies; and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.
John 14:27 – Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid.

Romans 5:3-4 – We rejoice in our sufferings because we know suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Spirit.
Romans 8:28-29 – We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.
Romans 8:38-39 – We overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, not principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:8-9 – He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 – Praise be to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we have received from God.
2 Corinthians 2:14 – Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.
2 Corinthians 3:18 – But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 4:7-10 – We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us. We’re hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed, always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
2 Corinthians 12:9-11 – My grace is sufficient for you, My power is made perfect in weakness. I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 13:14 – May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Philippians 1:6 – To live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Philippians 4:6-7 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 – May the God of peace sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit, soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 – May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
2 Timothy 4:18 – The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 12:2-3 – Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, scorning the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such suffering by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:22-24 – You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the eternal assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator or a new covenant.
1 Peter 5:6, 10 – Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you… After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strength and establish you.
2 Peter 1:2 – Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
2 Peter 1:3-4 – His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

1 John 4:10 – This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:16 – We have come to know and have believed the love that God has for us.
Jude 24-25 – To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and dominion, through Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore.
Revelation 7:15-17 – For this reason, they are before the throne of God… They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of water; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Revelation 21:3-7 – The dwelling of God is with men and He will live with them. They will be His people and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain… He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be His God, and he will be My son.

Article 33

By Steven J. Hogan

My favorite book in the Bible is the Psalms, for it is so personal and encouraging. I am writing a three-part series on a number of Psalms that relate specifically to the future of the Jews. But what God wants you to know is that many of these Psalms are also for you, the Christian, the church age believer. Much of God’s future for the Jews is conjoined and in conjunction with the future God has for you. This is what Hebrews 11:39-40 tells us – “All these (Old Testament believing Jews), having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us (church age believers), so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.”

When I read the Psalms, I get very encouraged, and for two reasons. First, it’s truth that comforts and motivates me on a daily basis. Second, it’s truth that is hope-based, that speaks about the future of the Jews, and this is our future as well. And as you know, a true hope of the future helps us to live all out for the Lord in the present. Listed below are summaries of the remaining Psalms that speak of this great and glorious future that God has for the Jews, and for you.

Psalm 111. This kingdom Psalm focuses on the works of God, and these are to be studied and remembered. What are these works? First, it is God giving us food, giving us our daily bread (verse 5). Second, it is that “He (God) will remember His covenant forever. He has made known to His people the power of His works, in giving them the heritage of the nations” (verses 5-6). This eternal covenant is about the land, spoken of in God’s promise to Abraham, which was also for his descendants (Genesis 12, 13, 15). Since 1400BC the Jews have been in their land, then out of their land (600BC), then back in their land (530BC), then out of their land (70AD) and, from 1885AD up to the present, have been coming back to their land. At this time (2018), the Jews are not securely in their land, but they will be, for God will remember His eternal covenant, which will be fulfilled when Christ returns and the millennial kingdom begins. Third, we read that “He has sent redemption to His people, He has ordained His covenant forever.” This is referring to the promise about the salvation of a great number of Jews (Jeremiah 31). This will occur after the rapture of the church, and at the end of Daniel’s 70^th week (Romans 11:25-27). How then should all believers, both Jews and Gentiles, respond? We should fear God, obey God, and praise God. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever” (verse 10).

Psalm 115. A sharp contrast between the unbelieving Gentile nations and the believing nation of Israel is seen in this Psalm. The unbelievers are trusting and worshiping their dehumanized idols, and becoming like them. These heathen nations, with their lifeless silver and gold idols are deriding the Jews for their trust in God. But God greatly desires to bless His people, the Jews, (verses 12-15), and those who are blessed by God are those who fear the Lord, trust the Lord, and praise the Lord. Of course, this Psalm was written and applicable in the Old Testament age, but the fact that the Israelites are to “bless the Lord from this time and forever,” means that it is still relevant today. Now that we are in the end-times we know it won’t be long before Christ returns and begins His reign on this earth, first for 1000 years, but then forever and ever in the eternal kingdom. But we also read that the earth has been given to the sons of men, and this, in large part, relates to the land that the Jews will inherit. Again, this speaks of the fulfillment of God’s covenant promise to Abraham (Genesis 13:14-17). But the main point, given in both the first and last verses, is that God gets all the glory and all the praise, from this time forth and forever.

Psalm 117. This is the shortest Psalm, and it speaks about the future of the Jews. But first, you need to know who’s who. The “nations”, the “peoples” are the Gentiles of the world, and “us” is referring to Israel. This Psalm starts with a command given to the Gentiles, “Praise the Lord, all nations. Laud Him, all peoples.” They are instructed to praise the Lord as they see God’s wonderful work with Israel, “For His lovingkindness is great toward us.” This Psalm was written in the Old Testament times, but it was only fulfilled to a small degree during those days. The whole truth of this Psalm will be seen in the next age, when Jesus Christ, with believing Jews and Gentiles, will be reigning over the world, a world still populated by many unbelievers. At that time, Israel will be the most loved and blessed nation on this earth, and the entire world will clearly see God’s special treatment of this chosen nation. God’s blessing upon Israel will result in all the nations giving praise to Jesus Christ. Psalm 67 tells us the same thing, “God blesses us so that all the ends of the earth will fear Him.” Finally, notice that “the truth of the Lord is everlasting.” Surely this is speaking about the promises God gave the Jews regarding their land, salvation and King, that will be fully and forever carried out in the future. Ultimately this is all for the glory of God, for everyone is to “Praise the Lord.”

Psalm 121. The writer knows the Lord will personally help him, protect him and keep him. This is what he then proclaims to all of Israel, “He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (verses 3-4). The Lord is the protector of Israel, and since they will be guarded physically and spiritually, then they will have nothing to fear. “The Lord is your keeper… the Lord will guard your going out and coming in from this time forth and forever” (verse 8). This final verse declares the eternal nature of this Psalm. God is not finished with His people, for His plans have only been suspended during this church age. But now in these end times, they’re being revived, and it won’t be long before the whole world will see God graciously and gloriously caring for His people, in the millennial kingdom and then forever more.

Psalm 122. This Psalm is talking about the past, but it is also talking about the future. The focus is on Jerusalem, a city that was and still to this day, is compact, and a city that had gates and still has gates. It is a city where the tribes used to worship the Lord, and will in the future still worship the Lord. It is a place which has thrones for judgment, and now this has special meaning for the millennial kingdom, for the world will be judged from Jerusalem (Matthew 19:28). But the instruction is given to pray for Jerusalem, for the “city of peace” to have peace, a city that’s been wracked by wars for the past 3000+ years. It is now 2020, and there is a great and global opposition to the Jews claiming all of Jerusalem, but it is their city, for this is God’s promise to His people (Daniel 9:24-27). That this is their city is not true now, but it will be in the near future. And note that this promise of prosperity is also for those who love Jerusalem. But the focus, the main point of the Psalm has to do with the main part of the city, with the “house of the Lord.” This is the temple, the place where we will worship the Lord Jesus Christ. The Psalm starts and finishes by talking about the “house of the Lord”, by far the most special place in the city. And in the future, you and I, and all believing Jews and Gentiles will see this temple, and there we will be worshiping the Lord. Let’s continue to pray for peace in Jerusalem, knowing that our prayer will be answered, but not until the start of the millennial kingdom. Then, as it says in Psalm 100:4, we are to “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and bless His name.”

Psalm 125. This Psalm speaks specifically about Israel’s most important city, Mount Zion, the eternal city of Jerusalem. The Psalmist tells us, “Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever” (verse 1). This is referring to the promise God made to Abraham that He had set aside a portion of land that would forever be for all believing Jews (Genesis 13:14-17, 15:17-21). But it is not just the land, it is the people of God who are living on the land, for we read that “the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever” (verse 2). These Jews are believers, are God’s people, and Jesus Christ will be their King and will bless them, protect them and reign over them forever, for “the scepter of wickedness shall not rest upon the land of the righteous” (verse 3). This Psalm is in reference to all the promises to the Jews, for it refers to their land, their King and their salvation. The Psalm concludes with the prayer, “Peace be upon Israel”, which will most definitely be answered in the near future. (verse 5).

Psalm 130. This Psalm is speaking about the New Covenant, which has to do with God’s promise to forgive sins – “But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared” (verse 4). But here we are talking about the Jews for we read, “O Israel, hope in the Lord – for with the Lord there is lovingkindness, and with Him is abundant redemption” (verse 7). This is not speaking about the salvation of believers during the church age, but is clear instruction to all of Israel, to the Jews, that they are to put their hope in the Lord, that they are to trust in Him for their salvation. Do you see what it says? “He will redeem Israel from all His iniquities” (verse 8). It does not say that God will redeem the church, and it does not say that some will be redeemed from Israel, a few Jews here and there. When it says God is going to redeem Israel, He’s speaking of the nation of Israel. Now when does this take place? In the future, at the coming of Christ, for this is when Christ returns to earth to first rapture the Christians, and then at the end of the 70^th week, He will save a great remnant of Jews. Isaiah 45:17, Zechariah 13, Romans 11:25-27

Psalm 131. David likens himself to a quiet, contented and weaned child resting upon his mother. He is speaking of his relationship with the Lord, for we read that his heart is not proud but humble, for he has put his hope in the Lord. But then David instructs Israel to put their hope in the Lord. “O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forever” (verse 3). This is not just for Old Testament Jews, but is a verse that will be true for believing Jews for all eternity. Looking back at the history of the Jews, we know that they were not always trusting in the Lord, but rather were sinning greatly against Him. Consequently, they were severely disciplined, and displaced from their land, and not just once, but twice. As we know, now they are back in their land. We know it won’t be long before the Lord Jesus returns, and then at the end of Daniel’s 70^th week, He will save a great remnant of Jews, ones who will hope in the Lord forever. Ezekiel 37:21-28

Psalm 132:12-18. These verses are clearly speaking about Israel’s future, about that which is still to come to pass. We read that the Lord has chosen Zion, and this means Jerusalem, the place from which Christ will reign, during both the millennial and eternal kingdoms. And God will bless the believing Jews, and they will be satisfied, singing and sitting on Christ’s throne, reigning and ruling with Him forever and ever. “Their sons also shall sit upon Your throne forever….for the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation; this is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.”

Psalm 135:12-13, 21. “He gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to Israel his people. Your name O Lord is everlasting, Your remembrance, O Lord, throughout all generations…” God will remember His promise to Abraham, this blessing of choice land for His beloved descendants, those who are righteous by faith, and this includes both believing Jews and Gentiles. When Jesus Christ returns, His dwelling place will be Jerusalem. His everlasting name, His eternal glory, holiness, love, truth, goodness, wisdom and power, will be wonderfully and forever on display, seen in His working in this world, and in His work with His people. For this we are to always bless and praise the Lord.

Psalm 136. This glorious Psalm continually speaks of the Lord’s everlasting love. We read repeatedly that all God does for His people is done out of love for them. This love of God for His people is first seen through creation. Then it is seen in that He faithfully leads His people from Egypt to the desert to the promised land. “And (He) gave their land as a heritage, for His lovingkindness is everlasting, even a heritage to Israel His servant, for His lovingkindness is everlasting” (verses 21-22). Do you see that God shows His love to His people by coming through on His promise to Abraham, in giving his descendants the land? And since God’s love is everlasting, then we know that His promise is everlasting, one that will be realized in the ages to come, both in the millennial kingdom and the eternal kingdom. “His love is everlasting” is true for all believing Jews of the Old Testament, but also for all believers of all time, and that includes you and me.

Psalm 138. When I study the Psalms I look for verses that can be fulfilled in the past and in the future, in part and also in full. We have already seen this in other Psalms, and we see it again here. The first two verses no doubt spoke of what David did in the past, and what we do in the present, and also what he and we will do in the future. But then notice verses 5-6 – “All the kings of the earth will give thanks to you, O Lord, when they have heard the words of Your mouth. And they will sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord” (verses 4-5). This portion is 100% prophetic, for never in our world have all the kings of the earth given thanks to the Lord, but it will happen in the future, for God’s word must come true. And do you see that it says, “great is the glory of the Lord.” Surely we will see the great glory of the Lord in the kingdom ages to come, and then we will greatly and gloriously sing to the Lord. But notice the last verse – “The Lord will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting; do not forsake the works of Your hands.” Don’t you wonder if David was thinking about God’s promise that one of his descendants would be the future King who would be reigning over the earth. Indeed the Lord’s love is everlasting, and all His promises will be faithfully fulfilled, and all His work will be wonderfully accomplished.

Psalm 145. This is one of the greatest kingdom Psalms. Right away, we read that David is committed to praising the Lord every day, and forever and ever. And why? Because of God’s mighty acts, His glorious splendor, His wonderful works, His awesome acts, wonders and works that David himself experienced when he was living on this earth about 3000 years ago. But the truth of this Psalm is also realized in this church age, and in the kingdom age to come. Do you think this Psalm was only applicable to the righteous people living in the Old Testament, or only applicable to Christians living during this church age? Is there not truth in this Psalm that is relevant for the next age, the kingdom age to come? Of course there is. Let me mention a few examples. Verse 8 – “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.” Verse 9 – “The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works.” Verse 17 – “The Lord is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds.” But look at verses 10-13, for surely these speak of our future in the age to come. “All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord, and Your godly ones shall bless You.” Then the Psalmist speaks of God’s kingdom which, in the future, will be more visible and more glorious than ever before. “Your (God’s) kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.” O, you must see the past, present and future truth of this Psalm, for it applies to all believers, and for the ages to come. Each of should say, “Every day I will bless You (now during this church age), and I will praise Your name forever and ever (in the kingdom ages to come).” Verse 2

Psalm 148. This is a classic praise Psalm, and that’s because this word praise appears 13 times in 14 verses. First we read about praise coming from the heavens and then we read about praise coming from the earth. And yes, this praise occurred in the past and still occurs in the present, but much more so in the future. For the earth is presently under a curse; and like we read in Psalm 98 about the rivers clapping their hands, and the mountains singing for joy, so too this praise will sound forth in the future unlike anything that has ever happened since the days of Genesis 1-2. The truth of verses 11-12 about the kings and all peoples praising God will undoubtedly be truer in the kingdom ages to come. Finally we see that this Psalm has a Jewish flavor, for we read this about Israel. They will be “a people near Him”, and they too will “praise the Lord.”

Psalm 150. This is another classic praise Psalm.
– What are we to do? “Praise the Lord.” Verse 1
– Where are we to do it? “In His sanctuary… in His mighty expanse.” Verse 1
– Why are we do it? “For His mighty deeds… according to His excellent greatness.” Verse 2
– How are we do it? “Praise Him with trumpet sound… with harp and lyre… with stringed instruments and pipe… with loud cymbals…
with resounding cymbals.” Verses 3-5
– Who is to praise the Lord? “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” Verse 6

But one more question needs to be answered. When are we to praise the Lord? We know this was written in the Old Testament days, and was applicable back then. Of course it is applicable now during this church age. But how about in the future, in the kingdom ages to come? You know the answer. Then we will perfectly, beautifully, harmoniously, melodiously, and unitedly “praise the Lord!”

In conclusion, let me say that only God knows exactly how the Psalms will be fulfilled in the kingdom ages. But regardless, might we be seeing in these Psalms more of the Lord’s future purposes regarding Israel, and also for His church. And might we see the glory of His name, of His holiness and power and wisdom and love and goodness and mercy and faithfulness and sovereignty and faithfulness and eternality. Be glad, be encouraged, be excited, be hopeful, for this God is truly our God, and His purposes for His glory and our good will surely come to pass.

Finally, I want you to see how Romans 15:4-13 confirms that the hope of the Jews written about in the Psalms was not just for them but also for the church, for the Gentiles. “Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope… Christ has become a servant to the circumcision (Jews) on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers (Jews), and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, ‘Therefore I will give praise to You among the Gentiles, and I will sing to Your name.’ Again, He says, ‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people’… Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and people in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:4-13

Article 32

By Steven J. Hogan

Everyone needs comfort, encouragement and hope. You have to have it, and you can’t live without it. Or else you will go trudging along with a soul weary and forlorn, discouraged and saddened by the problems and difficulties of life. You need to know why you are here and where you are going, with the grace of God to lift your spirit along the way. Now when I say grace I mean present grace and the hope of future grace. And in my opinion, Psalms is one of the best books in the Bible that talks about this grace and shows it in action.

Much is recorded in the Psalms about David, the man of God, the shepherd, singer, soldier and king, and how he faced so many trials. But he kept going because he continually experienced God’s grace in his life. If you are going through tough times, if you are saddened, discouraged, weary or persecuted, then Psalms is the book for you. I’ve been reading it most every morning now for over 45 years, and I find it so instructive, sympathetic, heartwarming, inspiring, comforting and motivating. I must admit that I couldn’t have made it without the Psalms, inspired words that have continually soothed and stirred my heart, giving me the grace, peace and hope that I need.

But in the past seven years I began learning more about the promises God gave to the Jews, about their land, salvation and King (Ezekiel 37:21-23); and this opened my eyes to see truth in the Psalms like never before. Now the Jews were in their land from about 1400BC to 70AD, with a brief sin caused exile in the middle of that time. And it was around 70AD that the Jews were rightly and greatly judged by God for their sin, and then scattered all over the face of the earth (Luke 20:20-24). The church age, the age of proclaiming to the world salvation through Christ alone, started soon after His ascension into heaven, and it continues on today. But God never canceled His plans for the Jews – they were only put on hold, only suspended.

The fact that the Jews have miraculously been returning to their land for the past 130 years makes it clear that their 1900 year suspension is over, and that God, at this time in history, is once again reviving His plans for the Jews (Ezekiel 36-37). This means it won’t be long before Christ comes back to rapture the church, redeem a remnant of Jews, and then reign over this world. It’s important that you see the big picture, that we are now living in the end times, and that God is wrapping up His work with the church, and renewing His work with the Jews, and that the Father will soon send His Son back to this earth.

But now we are talking about these Psalms written between 2500-3000 years ago that are still relevant today, and even more so now that we are living in the end times. They are so important, for when we go through troubles, then we need the present comfort of God, and Psalms is one of the best Biblical sources for this special grace. But going through tough times also necessitates that we have hope in our hearts, that we believe God has good plans for our lives in the future. Of course, there is a whole lot in God’s word that talks about this hope, but we need to see that Psalms has a lot to say about it too.

Last week we looked at some Psalms that talk about the hope of the Jews, a future that God has not nullified or negated because of their sin. This hope is a sure thing, guaranteed by God for every Old Testament believing Jew. But as I mentioned in the first article, the future of the Jews is linked with the future of the Christians. God’s promised work for the Jews is related to His promised work for the Christians. This brings us back to Psalms, a book that is no doubt about and for the Jews, but is also for Christians. You need to see this! Knowing, understanding and believing that Jews and Christians have a similar hope will help the Psalms come alive in your own mind and heart, and then result in great comfort and peace in your life!

Let me mention some New Testament verses that put all this together. Romans 15:4-13 talks about believing Jews and Gentiles, and their hope for the future, in the millennial kingdom. Do you see “that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy.” This is speaking about God’s promises to the Jews regarding their land, their King and their salvation, and that believing Gentiles will be worshiping God. But what is the time frame? A little bit in the Old Testament, a little more during this church age, but a great deal more during the coming kingdom age. Romans 15:9 says, “I will give praise to You among the Gentiles, and I will sing to Your name.” Surely this NT verse rendering of an OT verse speaking about the Jews and the Gentiles is for the next age, the kingdom age. But notice verse 12, “There shall come the root of Jesse, and He who arises to rule over the Gentiles – in Him shall the Gentiles hope.” This is speaking about Christ Himself, that He will reign as King over the world during this future millennial kingdom. But notice that the conclusion for church age believers is given in verse 13. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” We often isolate this verse, taking it out of context, but we must see that it is relates to the preceding passage (Romans 15:4-12). This hope God is talking about is the hope Christians have of joining with the believing Jews, and together giving praise to Christ during the millennial kingdom. Indeed, this is the incredible sovereign working of God, and a most encouraging hope that God has given to us about our future. Hebrews 11:13, 39-40 confirms this.

I say all this to help you see that the Psalms are given for believing Jews of old, and for believing Gentiles and Jews living during this age. These Psalms give us hope for the wonderful future God has for us all. Yes we live in this church age, and it is an evil age, but it won’t be long before we’re all together in a very good age, the millennial kingdom age when Christ is ruling and reigning over the entire world. Read the Psalms and be encouraged today by both the present grace of God, and the hope of the future grace of God, a glorious future.

Let’s look at some more Psalms that give us hope, that talk about the future God has for us.

Psalm 96. This Psalm describes how the Jews were to witness to the world. They were to sing to the Lord, proclaim good tidings of His salvation, ascribe to the Lord His glory and strength, worship the Lord, and tell the nations that “the Lord reigns.” And why were they to do this? Because the Lord is the Lord, the Creator, Savior, Judge and King. In the time when the Jews were first occupying their land over 3000 years ago, this is what they were to do. And I’m sure the instructions of this Psalm were fulfilled to some degree. But by no means was it ever completely carried out, for Judah and Israel were often very sinful, rebellious and idolatrous, and eventually were exiled out of their land, not once, but twice. And yes, in this church age, we can carry this out, at least to some degree. But the fulfillment of this Psalm will never be seen until the millennial kingdom, when Christ is King and reigns over the world. How wonderful and God glorifying that will be. But what does the Psalm say will take place before this happens? “He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness”, and then a remnant of Jews will be saved, and the kingdom age will start, and Jesus Christ will begin His reign, and everyone will know that “the Lord reigns.”

Psalm 98. God encourages us with this special Psalm that speaks of the future salvation of the Jews, and the resulting great joy during the millennial kingdom. Verse 2 tells us that this salvation is in reference to the Jews for “He has remembered His lovingkindness and faithfulness to the house of Israel.” And the entire world will see this, for the “Lord has made known His salvation; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.” This no doubt is referring to the salvation of the Jews in the end times, for in verse 8 we read that the Lord is coming back to judge this earth, and this is referring to the Day of the Lord, a just punishment of the unbelievers on this earth at that time. This redemption of a remnant of Jews will occur after the rapture of the Christians, after the initial judgment of God upon this earth, the Trumpet judgments, and at the very end of Daniels’ 70^th week. (Romans 11:25-26). Then Christ’s reign will begin with the result that the whole world will be rejoicing! Now I believe that the world will be renovated at the beginning of this millennial kingdom, but not completely transformed until the end of this 1000 year kingdom age (Revelation 21:1). But the initial change in the physical character of the earth during this millennial kingdom will be such that the sea is roaring, the “rivers clap their hands”, and “the mountains sing together for joy.” It will be a time of great celebration, for the promise to the Jews of their eternal salvation will have finally come true (Jeremiah 31:31-34). A great number of Jews will have been miraculously saved to serve the Lord and bring Him great glory. “Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done wonderful things… Shout joyfully to the Lord all the earth, break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.” Verses 1, 4

Psalm 100. This is an upbeat, joyful, God glorifying little Psalm. Some very important instructions were given to the Jews and to the entire earth back in the Old Testament days, commands for their good and for the glory of God. They were to shout to the Lord, to serve the Lord with gladness, to sing to the Lord, and to enter His gates with thanksgiving. And why? Because the Lord is God, Creator and Shepherd, but also because He is good, faithful and loving. But the Jews, let alone the whole earth, weren’t even close to carrying this out during their time in Israel. But this was God’s purpose and goal for them. And now during this church age this should be our goal, at least in a spiritual sense, either though we know we will never see these instructions completely carried out. But think about the next age, the glorious kingdom age, for at that time believing Jews and Gentiles from all over this earth will be shouting and singing to the Lord like never before. This is when this Psalm will be fulfilled to a much greater degree, for glorious praise and wholehearted thanks will be given to God. And then, if you can imagine this, a great number of believers will be in Jerusalem with Jesus Himself, and will literally “enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” But might we shout, serve and sing during this church age, knowing that we will be doing this in a much greater way in the future, for this is our hope, and the hope of all believing Jews and believing Christians. And finally, after this age and the next age, there will be the eternal kingdom, and then these commands will be perfectly carried out. Psalm 100 tells us our future, and the future plans of the entire world.

Psalm 102:12-22. This Psalm takes us from great personal affliction (“my days have been consumed in smoke… the loudness of my groaning… I have become a lonely bird… I have eaten ashes…“) to great hope for the nation of Israel. Then we see this dramatic change in the Psalmist, for he got his eyes off himself, and with God’s truth in his heart he then had hope, for he saw the glorious future of the Jews. The turning point comes in verse 13 where we read God’s promise, “You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to be gracious to her, for the appointed time has come.” This speaks of a future time planned and set by God Himself, to bring redemption to Israel. We know this was written in Old Testament days, but it was written for a future generation, and now that we are living in the end times, then we know it won’t be long before we will say, “the appointed time has come.”

This tells us that God will look down and “hear the groaning of the prisoner, to set free those doomed to death, that men may tell of the Lord in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem.” This speaks of the not too distant future salvation of a great remnant of Jews, for compassion will be shown to them, and they will be set free from death and be spiritually saved. Jesus Christ, at His 2^nd coming, will appear in His glory, and prayers for mercy will be answered, for Jews will be saved, and then they will praise and serve the Lord. Not only that, but do you notice that the physical garments of the earth will be changed at the beginning of this millennial kingdom? “Like clothing you will change them and they will be changed.” It will be a brand new day and a new age, the start of the millennial kingdom. And speaking of the Lord we will gladly say, “Your years will not come to an end.”

 Psalm 105. This Psalm affirms the Abrahamic covenant, the promise of God to Abraham that he and his descendants would inherit a specific portion of land (Genesis 13:14-17, 15:18). This indeed is an everlasting covenant, a promise God would never revoke. “God has remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham and His oath to Isaac, then He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, ‘To you I will give the land Canaan as the portion of your inheritance’” – the eternal nature of this promise can’t be any clearer. The entire Psalm also shows God’s sovereign character for “He sent a man before them… He made him lord of his house… He caused His people to be very fruitful.” Anytime we think of God’s purposes being carried out, then we must know that it’s not by the will of man but by the will of God, by His sovereign grace. The Psalm talks about God’s people journeying from Canaan to Egypt, and then into the desert, and then the initial phase of this promise is fulfilled, for they enter into their land (at least for a while). “He remembered His holy word with Abraham His servant; He brought forth His people with joy, His chosen ones with a joyful shout. He gave them also the lands of the nations that they might take possession of the fruit of the people’s labor… Praise the Lord.” Psalm 105:42-45

Psalm 106. This covenant Psalm begins with praise and thanks being given to God for His goodness, love and faithfulness to Israel. Like Psalm 105, this is a history of the Jews from their beginning days in Egypt. But it goes further, for it also covers their entire time in the promised land clear up to being exiled to other nations, a period totaling about 1400 years. But a sad and noteworthy feature of this Psalm is the vivid detailing of the Jews’ sin against God – “we have sinned… we have behaved wickedly… they quickly forgot His works… they worshiped a molten image… they exchanged their glory for an image of an ox… they despised the pleasant land… they joined themselves to Baal-peor… they provoked Him to anger… they were rebellious against His spirit… they mingled with the nations… and served their idols… they even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons.”  This is why “He gave them into the hands of the nations… and their enemies also oppressed them” (verses 40-42). And after all their sin, what is most amazing is God’s continued grace and mercy for His people. But why? We read that “He remembered His covenant for their sake, and relented according to the greatness of His lovingkindness.” Then the Israelites prayed, “Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, to give thanks to Your holy name and glory in Your praise.” God then gathered His people, and as we know now, not just once, but twice. And so here we are, 2500 years after the writing of this Psalm, and the Jews are again back in their land, just like God promised. It’s obvious that God is still working for His people, still working for His glory, and will soon be faithfully fulfilling His promises to them. And we will say with all believing Jews and Gentiles, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting. And let all the peoples say, ‘Amen.’ Praise the Lord.” Psalm 72:19

Psalm 110 – This prophecy Psalm is filled with truth about the future of Christ, the believing Jews, and believing Christians as well. First we read God’s promise to His Son, “Sit at My right hand until I will make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” Do you see that this is being fulfilled during this church age, for Christ is now sitting at the right hand of the Father, and His enemies are being defeated. But at the end of this age, Christ will return for His climactic battle with the Antichrist and his armies, and will quickly and soundly defeat them. But not all people and not all kings living in the coming age will be saved. Do you see that the Father is instructing His Son to “rule in the midst of Your enemies.” Yes, there will be great peace, joy and gladness during the millennial kingdom, and that’s because Christ will be ruling the world with a rod of iron. “Your people”, that is, all believers from all of time, will be serving with the Lord, righteously assisting Him in His reign over the earth. Then we read of the day of His wrath. Now is this referring to the Day of the Lord at the end of this age (Revelation 19:20-21), or at the end of the next age (Revelation 20:7-10), when God’s chief enemy, Satan, and the remaining evildoers on earth will revolt, and then be destroyed? I am not sure, but either way, Christ will be a great Victor and King. 1 Corinthians 15:25-26 confirms the truth of this Psalm, for in speaking of the millennial kingdom, it says, “He (Christ) must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death.” Might we be very encouraged that God has it all planned out, and with Jesus Christ and the angels and saints, He will be altogether victorious, and then during the eternal kingdom there will be perfect peace and love, and glory to God forever and ever.

I encourage you to read and study the Psalms, and I pray that you see both its present and future value. The Psalms is most encouraging and comforting because it speaks of the grace we can receive during this church age, but also of our hope, the grace and glory we will receive in the ages to come. “The Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:5.

Article 31

By Steven J. Hogan

I love the Psalms, a treasure trove of truth for the soul, one of the most encouraging books in the entire Bible. This Jewish song book was written from 2500 to 3400 years ago, but because it is God’s word then it is still relevant today. It has much to say about your personal relationship with the Lord, knowing Him, trusting Him, crying out to Him, loving Him, singing to Him, praying to Him, and being loved and comforted by Him. But it’s more than just about you and the Lord, and that’s because a good portion of the Psalms is prophetic. Do you remember when Jesus told His disciples, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). Surely Jesus wasn’t just talking about Psalms that would be fulfilled when He came the first time, but also those that would be fulfilled when He came the second time.

It was about seven years ago that the words of Luke 24:45 relative to the Psalms were coming true in my own life. “He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” At that time I was understanding more about the Jews, and the promises God had given them concerning their land, their salvation and their King. I was more clearly seeing how these were central themes in the Old Testament, but had only been partially fulfilled. Hundreds of prophetic verses in the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms spoke about the future of the Jews, but have still not yet come to pass.

Then during my daily reading in the Psalms, I started seeing many prophecy portions speaking about God’s plans for His people, plans that now include believers like you and me. Yes, these words were written for ethnic Jews, and they will come true for ethnic Jews, but it is also true that Christians will be joining believing Jews in the millennial kingdom, reigning with them, working with them, and worshiping the Lord together. I was so excited when I was reading the Psalms, because I found so many verses that spoke of the future God had for the Jews and for me, and for all Christians.

Let me mention some keys to finding prophecy verses in the Psalms about our future:
– First, you have to realize that the Psalms were originally and primarily written to the Jews and for the Jews. That is, the Psalms were and are Jewish in their purpose, context and content.
– Second, look for anything in the passage that speaks about God’s promises for the Jews concerning their land, their King, and their salvation.
– Third, look for words like forever and eternal, for they are strong clues that the passage you are reading is speaking about the future.
– Fourth, find from the text those things which have not yet taken place, for that means they are still future, and particularly so with regard to the millennial kingdom.
– Fifth, realize that we will be united with the Jews in the coming kingdom age, and that these verses are relevant for your future and the future of all Christians.
– Sixth, remember that you need hope, and these prophecy passages give some of the details of the hope you have for the future. And so read these verses, think about them, believe them, pray over them, and then tell others about them. Romans 15:4-13

Most believers don’t properly understand the prophetic portions of Scriptures, and this includes the Psalms. Might you not be one of them. Might God’s prophetic words in the Psalms not be a mystery unsolved, words misunderstood, and promises misapplied. Might it be true of you as it was for the disciples – “He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” Luke 24:45

Now I must admit, that sometimes God’s word is hard to understand, and that I am by no means perfect in my comprehension of His word. Not only that, but I’m not completely sure which Psalms are still prophetic. Some of the Psalms had relevance for the Jews in the Old Testament days, and for us today in the church age, and for the future in the millennial kingdom. And then there are those that are strictly future. I think we all know that we will only learn so much this side of heaven, but we should still try to learn as much as we can. But when we are with the Lord, then He will open our minds to understand His word like never before. How wonderful and glorious that will be, when we are finally and forever in heaven, and on the earth, with the Lord and with one another.

Following is a summary of many of the prophecy Psalms (Part one):

Psalm 2. The unbelieving nations, people, and kings of the world have defiantly been taking their stand against God since the tower of Babel (Genesis 9). These rebels have been hating God, not wanting to bow down to Him and let Him rule their lives. But the time is soon coming when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in His holy wrath, will return to earth and shatter and smash all His enemies. Then Jesus Christ, officially installed as King over this entire earth, will save a great remnant of Jews, and then for one thousand years will powerfully and righteously rule over all the nations of the world. “But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain… I will surely give the nations as your inheritance.” Psalm 2:6, 8

Psalm 22:22-23, 27-31. This is a unique Psalm, for it speaks about  Christ’s first coming and His second coming. The first 21 verses vividly describe different aspects of Christ’s crucifixion, of His loving and sacrificial work as a Savior, but the last five verse are about the future, and speak of Christ the King reigning over the world. “For the Kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules over all nations.” From both Jews (vss. 22-23) and Gentiles (vs. 27), there will be praise and glory for our Lord, Savior and King. “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will worship before You.”

Psalm 33:10-12. World history is filled with stories of how powerful heathen nations, with their strong willed and wicked kings, have been carrying out their man made – demon inspired plans. But we must not miss that God is sovereign over all of them and, in ways you cannot see, has been continually frustrating and nullifying their plans – they cannot do whatever they want. This is in sharp contrast with the fact that God will faithfully fulfill His eternal plans for His people – plans for the salvation of the Jews, their occupation of their land, and for Christ His Son to rule as King. Because God is God, and is purposeful, powerful and wise, then He will wonderfully bless the nation of Israel, and the whole world will know what He has done, and bow to Him. “The counsel of the Lord stands firm forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation.” Psalm 33:11

Psalm 37:9, 11, 18, 22, 29, 34. Remember God’s promise to Abraham, that “all the land which you see, I will give it to you and your descendants forever” (Genesis 13:14-17). That promise from God to His people is clearly reiterated many times in the Old Testament, and is repeated six times here in Psalm 37, and for it says that the Jews will “inherit the land.” But it is not just some nice little promise that will come true for a few years, for verse 22 informs us, “the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.” And do you remember what Jesus shared in the Beatitudes, that the “meek will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5), which is referring to church age believers. This parallels Psalm 37:12 which says, “the humble will inherit the earth.” This means that in the millennial kingdom, both believing Jews and Christians, will be inheriting the land together.

Psalm 45. This is clearly a Kingdom Psalm, for seven different times the word King or kingdom is mentioned. And it’s not speaking of the past or the present but of the future, for we understand that Jesus Christ will be reigning as King over the whole world, and He will reign over it forever. “Your throne O God is forever and ever” (Psalm 45:6). In speaking of the Jewish people, it tells us that there will even be princes and princesses, and that they will eternally worship and serve the Lord. Finally, verse 17 reminds us that all “the peoples will give You thanks forever and ever.”

Psalm 46. This Psalm is very relevant for it speaks of the end times, of our time now, of that time when there are many wars and earthquakes. And what are we to do? We are to know that “the Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold”, and we are to trust in the Lord, for “God is our refuge and strength.” Supernatural peace will be given to those trusting in Him during these days of trouble, of increasing “birth pains”. We also read that our Lord Jesus, our King, will be victorious, for “He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth.” But God also knows we need hope, and so He gives us a vision of our glorious future – “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High.” Then we come to the conclusion, and it is a command, “Cease striving and know that I am God,” and a promise, “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” This promise has not yet come true, but it will – you wait and see, for it won’t be long from now.

Psalm 47. This is the Psalm that most clearly articulates that Christ is King and will be reigning over the world. Close to 3000 years ago, God made a promise to David (1 Samuel 7) that one of His descendants would be exalted as King and would rule over the entire earth. But let the Psalm speak for itself: “For the Lord Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth… Sing praises to God, sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a skillful psalm. God reigns over the nations, God sits on the holy throne.” (Psalm 47:2,6,7). And as Zechariah 14:9 tells us, “The Lord will be King over the whole earth.”

Psalm 48. This series of kingly Psalms continues. But here the focus is on the “city of the great King,” the “city of our God, His holy mountain,” the “city of the Lord of hosts,” on “Mount Zion in the far north.” This city will be the “joy of the whole earth,” the glorious and beautiful city from which our great Lord and Savior will reign over the world. And you and I as Christians, along with believing Jews, will be there, in this city and in His temple. It also tells us one very important thing that we will be doing: “Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.” God’s love for us is one of the greatest subjects there is, and is to occupy our minds, stir our hearts, and encourage our souls for all eternity. In Jerusalem and all over the earth we will wholeheartedly and joyfully be worshiping our Lord – “as is Your name, O God, so is Your praise to the ends of the earth.”

Psalm 67. This encouraging little prayer Psalm sums up some of Christ’s primary purposes during the millennial kingdom. But first you must see that it is from the perspective of the Jews, for the “us” in verse one is referring to Jewish believers during this time when Christ is reigning over the earth. It instructs the Jews to pray, “God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us.” During this time, God will bless the Jews in a way in which the whole world will be blessed, for many of God’s promises to them will then be fulfilled (Look at Isaiah 40-66). Of course the center of attention is Jesus Christ, for ultimately, it is all about His way, His salvation, and how He will judge the peoples and guide the nations of the earth. And why? So that “the peoples praise You… so that all the end of the earth may fear Him” (Verses 5, 7). But remember that all believers will be there, believing Jews and Christians (in their glorified bodies), loving and serving the Lord, enjoying Him, and living life like never before.

Psalm 68:24-35. The strength, glory and majesty of our God and King is vividly on display in this Psalm. Featured here is the procession of believers into the temple in Jerusalem during the millennial kingdom. Singers, musicians, princes of Israel, and kings from all over the earth will be in attendance. They will be singing praises to God, and bringing gifts to the King, for He is the awesome One, the Glory of all the earth. “O God, You are awesome from your sanctuary. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God.” Verse 35

Psalm 72. This great and grand Psalm is speaking specifically about Jesus Christ’s 1000 year rule on earth. Yes, it is a reference to Solomon, but more so, it is a prophecy, a promise about Christ and His perfect and glorious reign. He will judge the people, “rule from the River to the ends of the earth”, save the children of the needy, and have compassion on the poor. The righteous will flourish, nations will serve Him, and there will be an “abundance of peace” on the earth. Glory and praise will continually be given to our Savior and King. Verses 18-19 state it well, “Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone works wonders. And blessed be His name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.”

Psalm 86:8-10. The Psalmist is speaking of God’s personal work in his life, but he suddenly shifts to God’s work in the world, and it’s important that we see this. As believers we need to see ourselves as a small part of this big world, but we also need to see God’s work in the world at large. This chapter talks about God’s glorious and merciful work in the life of David, but then it quickly transitions, and not to the nation of Israel, but to all the nations of the world. And we see that the work of our sovereign God will be completely successful, for we read, “All nations whom you have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name.” Yes, David the writer was worshiping the Lord, but now we realize that the entire world will be worshiping the Lord during the next age. This portion of the Psalm is definitely speaking of the millennial kingdom, for it has not happened yet, but it will, and every one of us will see and rejoice in this amazing, miraculous work of God. Then we too will say, “There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord… For You are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God.” Psalm 86:8, 10.

Psalm 87. This encouraging little Psalm tells us about something very glorious that will take place during the millennial kingdom. We read about those being born in Zion, the city of God, the holy mountain. This city is referring to Jerusalem, where Christ will be living. Now when it says born, it is not referring to physical birth but spiritual birth for it says, “those who know Me,” and that those born there will sing, and these no doubt will be spiritual songs to the Lord. The Psalm tells us that those born there are Jews, for there are ones from Zion. But they are also from Rahab, Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Ethiopia, and these are all Gentile nations. One of the most exciting and encouraging things taking place during the millennial kingdom is that people will be getting saved. Now not everyone living during this age will get saved, but this Psalm tells us that there will be those who do, and that they will worship and serve the Lord. And they will be exceedingly happy for they will be singing and saying to the Lord, “All my springs of joy are in You.”

Psalm 89:1-5, 19-29. This Psalm, much more than any other Psalm, focuses on the faithfulness of God. And for what reason, and to what end? The theme of this Psalm is clearly stated in verse 3, that God will be faithful to His covenant with David. “I have made a covenant with my chosen; I have sworn to David my servant, I will establish your seed forever, and build up your throne to all generations.” God will surely be faithful to His promise to David, that one of his descendants will be an eternal King in Jerusalem. The promise is again stated in verses 27-29, “I will also make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth, My lovingkindness I will keep for Him forever, and My covenant shall be confirmed to Him. So I will establish His descendants forever, and His throne as the days of heaven.” Again it is confirmed in verses 35-36, “Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. His descendants shall endure forever, and His throne as the sun before Me.” Without question, God will be faithful to fulfill His covenant promise to David, and it won’t be long before this takes place, for we now live in the end times. The signals that Christ is coming soon are being given – the birth pains are taking place, God is aligning the nations, and the gospel is being preached all over the world. And then in the near future, as it says in Psalm 47:2, “The Lord Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth.”