Article 1
By Steven J. Hogan
It’s all about Jesus Christ. That’s right. Whether we talk about the past, the present, the end times, or the way distant future, we have to realize that it’s all about Jesus Christ. I mean He is the Creator of the earth, the Lord of lords, the Savior of souls, the Head of the church, the Judge of the world, and the King of kings. It’s sure not about us; it’s about Jesus Christ. Isaiah 9:6-7
Over 2000 years ago Jesus Christ came to this earth for one primary reason, to die on the cross and pay the penalty for our sins, so that we could be born again, forgiven of our sins, receive eternal life and be children of God, so we could personally know Him, love Him, serve Him, and be with Him now and forever. It’s all about Jesus Christ. John 3:16, Philippians 2:5-12
The best news ever is that Jesus Christ died to save us from sin, death and hell. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. But He did not just save us. He is our Lord to lead us and our Friend to encourage us. He is now at this very minute the Word, the bread of life, the light, the living water, the way, the truth and the life. He is our spiritual sustenance, our strength, our rest, our joy, our peace, our portion, our possession. It cannot get any better than this. John 1:29, John 14:6
John 14:20 says, “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” What an amazing reality, that through the working of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ is now in us, and that we are now in Him. God wants you to realize the closeness, the intimacy, the relationship, the fellowship you can have with Him, and the security and protection you can have through Him. Psalms 23, 63, 91; Ephesians 3:14-17
Now we have eternal life, this wonderful, “nothing better in the world” relationship with Jesus Christ. Enjoy Him, love Him, trust Him, obey Him, serve Him and wait for Him. We have it good with Christ now, but it is soon going to get supremely better. Being cramped in this physical and sin prone body keeps us from fully experiencing Christ. Living in this perverse and wicked world prevents us from fully knowing the Lord. Being hounded by the devil and his demons on this earth makes it hard, at times, to fully experience intimacy with God. But God gives us all the grace we need to say no to sin, to live for Him, and to be close to Him. Titus 2:12-13
Yet, we have a blessed hope, that Jesus Christ will appear, and redeem us, and take us out of here, out of this body, out of this world, and rescued forever from the devil. Jesus Christ wants this “redemption” for us more than we know, for He longs to be with us, so we can fully, wonderfully and eternally experience Him and all that He has for us. Might we see Christ rightly, and might we love Him now, and be satisfied with Him now, but might we also long to be with Him. Job 19:27, Ephesians 1:14, Philippians 3:10
Jesus Christ now sits in heaven at the right hand of God, but He is coming back to earth. He promised it, telling us over and over again, and that He’s coming back soon. Jesus also told us many specific details about His return and the events surrounding His return. You can read all about it in the gospels, the epistles and the book of Revelation. There is no mistaking that Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior, Redeemer, Friend and King, wants us to know the what, the why, the when, and the how of His return, of His 2nd coming. Mark 13:23, Matthew 24, Revelation 6-7
There are over 100 verses in the New Testament that speak specifically about Christ’s return, His coming, His appearing, His revelation. Now that’s a lot of verses, which means that it must be very, very important. And in fact it is by far the single most important thing that could ever occur in this church age, and now we know that it could take place in our lifetime. Revelation 22:7
Why is Christ coming? To give us relief from persecution, to rescue us from the wrath to come, to give us rest from our labors, to redeem us from this earth, to rapture us into heaven, to reunite us with other believers, and to resurrect our weak bodies, transforming us to be like Christ and the angels. Yes, Christ is coming back to glorify us, but He is also coming back to judge the world, and then to rule as King over this world for 1000 years, and after that, to eternally reign with God the Father. 2 Thessalonians 1:4-7, Philippians 3:20-21, 1 Corinthians 15:20-28
God told us all He told us these things because He wants us to have hope. We live in a dismal, dreadful, diseased, devil-controlled world, and we have to have hope, this promise of His glorious return, this promise of future blessings, this promise of being with friends in heaven, this promise of a great and eternal inheritance, but most of all, this promise of being with Jesus Christ Himself. Might we truly and greatly love our Lord Jesus, and might we be looking forward to being with Him in our heavenly home. Hebrews 12:23-24, Matthew 24:42-51
Jesus Christ loves us and wants us to be aware, awake and alerted to the fact that He is coming soon to take us to be with Him. And He has given us signs, a number of specific events that need to take place before His return, for He wants us to be ready and waiting, excited about His return. Our Savior, Lord and Friend wants our minds to be on Him, to be loving Him and not to be loving the things of the world. Colossians 3:1-4, 1 John 3:1-3, Psalm 73:25-26
Jesus Christ is so excited to see us, and to take us from this earth so that we can be with Him in heaven. He wants to take away all our pain and sorrow and tears and heartache and sin. He wants to love us like we have never been loved before. He wants to show us His great glory. He wants us to love Him, to sing to Him, to worship Him like never before. He wants to bless us like never before. He wants us to be in our new home. He wants to fulfill all the plans that He has for us. Psalm 16:11, Psalm 84, John 17:24
This return of Jesus Christ to planet earth is no small subject, no minor matter, no insignificant event. Next to Christ’s 1st coming, this 2nd coming of Christ is the most important event to take place on planet earth, and it very well could take place in our lifetime. We know that it will be soon, we just don’t know exactly when.
Sad to say, way too many Christians don’t know much about Christ’s return, or are confused or in error as to what the Bible says, or are too busy to think about it, or just don’t seem to care. This is unbelievable, and not acceptable! We need to wake up, to come to our spiritual senses, and to get excited about the truth, the fact, the reality of Christ’s 2nd coming. We need to set our minds on Christ while we live on this earth. We need to be doing the work Christ wants us to do. We need to be working for Him. And we need to be waiting for Him. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10
There is no doubt that Jesus Christ is coming back, and He wants our minds to be convinced that He is coming back, and our hearts to be affected by the fact that He’s coming back. He wants us to be looking forward to His return, to seeing Him face to face, to being with Him forever and ever, on earth and in heaven. If you have a good friend or a relative, someone you really like, and they are coming to visit you, and you haven’t seen them for a while, then you are usually very excited, and you can’t wait to see him, and so you get ready and prepared for their visit. But we are not talking about just any old friend or a relative – we are talking about our Lord, Savior, Friend and King. Might you then be excited, and even ecstatic about Christ’s coming.
Do you remember the stories from Luke 2 about Anna and Simeon, and how they knew Christ was coming, and they were looking forward to Christ’s coming, and they were telling others about His coming? They knew with absolute certainty that the Messiah was coming, for they had believed the Old Testament promises about a coming Savior, Redeemer and King.
As you know, Jesus Christ’s main purpose at His 1st coming was to show Himself to be God, to live a perfect life, to die for our sins, and then be raised again. And all this really took place, and then Christ ascended into heaven; and He has been there during this church age, building the church, praying for the church, waiting for the time to come and get us. And soon Christ will return to rapture the church that is still on earth, to judge the world, and then to reign as King over the world. And so here we are, 2000 years after Christ’s 1stcoming, and we know that it won’t be long before Christ’s 2ndcoming. If Simeon and Anna were excited back then, should we not be all the more excited now?
Might God do a fresh work in your heart, weaning you away from sin, self, and worldliness, and filling you with a strong and vibrant love for His Son. Might God fill you with a desire to serve Him and obey Him, for now is your time, now is your opportunity to serve Him on this earth. Never again will you have this chance. And soon Christ will return from heaven to take you to be with Him, forever and ever. Might you be working for Him and waiting for Him. And might you be praying for His kingdom to come, and His will to be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen. Matthew 6:9-13
Article 2
By Steven J. Hogan
The greatest event to ever occur in the history of our world next to the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ will soon take place. It is Jesus Christ returning to earth to rapture the Christians and receive them to Himself. “Then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of the heavens.” Mark 13:27
I use the word rapture because it is the word that most evangelicals use in this present Christian world when speaking about Christ’s return. It was first used in the Latin Vulgate version of the Bible around 400AD, and comes from a Latin word “rapere” (the Greek is “harpazo”- from 1 Thessalonians 4:17), meaning seize, steal, snatch or take away. It is a good word in that it describes one particular and important aspect of Christ’s coming - that Christians on earth will suddenly be seized, be taken from this earth to be with Jesus Christ. But the word does not by any means fully describe all that takes place when Christ comes back for the believers.
Let me mention some other specific things that will result from being raptured. At Jesus Christ’s return believers on earth will be given relief from persecution (2 Thessalonians 1:7); rescued from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10); redeemed from a sinful body, and from this earth (Luke 21:28); raptured into heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:17); resurrected into glory (John 5:28-29); reunited with other believers (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18); given rest from their labors (Revelation 14:13); and received by Jesus Christ (John 14:1-3). These eight words summarize different blessings directly affecting the Christians at Christ’s return. And it will all take place very quickly and suddenly, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye… the dead will be raised imperishable.” 1 Corinthians 15:5-52
Jesus Christ will soon come back in the clouds to gather all the believers to Himself. Without question, this will be the biggest, greatest, most spectacular and most important event to ever take place since the 1st coming of Christ. Are you awake? Are you ready? Are you excited? Are you waiting? And are you looking forward to seeing your Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ? 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, 5:6-9
Sad to say, and understandably so, most unbelievers don’t know what is going to happen. But what is really sad is that a great majority of Christians, at least in the United States, aren’t even thinking about it. I mean, we are talking about Jesus Christ, their Savior, Lord, Redeemer and King. It is imperative for Christians to know, believe, understand, and be excited about what God says in His Word about the soon return of His Son, Jesus Christ to this planet earth, and then be telling others, both those who are saved, and those who are lost. Revelation 1:1-3, Matthew 28:19-20
Now there are many ways to describe Christ’s return. But let me say it this way:
Who: JESUS CHRIST
What: IS COMING BACK
When: SOON
Where: IN THE CLOUDS
Why: TO GATHER THE CHRISTIANS
How: IN POWER AND GREAT GLORY
The Who is JESUS CHRIST, the Son of God, the Creator, the Savior and the King. It is this Jesus who came to earth the first time over 2000 years ago and died and rose again to pay for the sins, the crimes of men and women against a holy God. Jesus Christ dearly and greatly loves His bride, the ones who have been chosen by His Father, those who have repented and have trusted in Him to save them from their sins, to forgive them give them eternal life. 1 Peter 3:18, John 3:16
The What is that Jesus Christ IS COMING BACK to this earth. Over 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ, having finished His mission, left this earth and ascended into heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of the Father. And very soon He will come back, returning to rapture, redeem, and rescue God’s children, His bride from planet earth. Acts 1:11, Philippians 3:20-21
The When is SOON. “For yet in a very little while He who is coming will come and will not delay.” The key event that tells us that we are in the end times is the fact that the Jews have been returning to Israel since the late 1880's. There are other signs given to us in God’s Word now coming true that also make it clear that Christ’s return is near. We do not know the day or hour, we don’t know specifically when, but as Hebrews 10:25 says, “as you see the day drawing near.” We will be able, in a general sense, to “see”, to sense, to know that the day of Christ, His coming, is getting closer and closer.
The Where is IN THE CLOUDS. Shortly after Christ’s death and resurrection He left this earth in the clouds and ascended to heaven to be with His Father. “In a very little while” Jesus Christ will return to this world, and “will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God…and 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 4:16-17
The Why is to GATHER THE CHRISTIANS. All believers who have ever been saved, those past, present and future, those who have died and already gone to heaven, and those still alive on earth, “who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord” will be “caught up together (raptured) with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thessalonians 4:15,17). “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all 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” (1 Corinthians 15:50-51). How amazing, how wonderful, how marvelous, how incredible, and God glorifying this will all be. “Amen. Come Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:20
The How is WITH POWER AND GREAT GLORY. Those who are alive on earth at Jesus Christ’s return will not and cannot miss what is going to happen, for Christ is coming back in power and great glory. God’s resurrection power will be clearly, mightily and magnificently displayed when Jesus Christ returns, to take us to be with Him, to give us new and immortal bodies, to take us to heaven, so we can then, like never before, love and glorify Him, our Lord, Savior, Redeemer and King. Hallelujah! Revelation 5:12-14
Article 3
By Steven J. Hogan
It is imperative that we study the subject of prophecy, but why? Why is it so vitally important that we study it at this time, in these days? Let me give you a number of reasons why we should study prophecy:
1. The subject of prophecy is God’s Word. Every subject in God’s Word is inspired and important, and so too is this subject of prophecy, of eschatology. Might we show ourselves approved to God, as workmen who do not need to be ashamed, but who accurately handle prophetic truth, who understand what it says, and then teach it rightly.
2. There is much said in God’s Word on the subject of prophecy. We may have 5 verses on baptism, 10 verses on communion, and we would all agree that these are important subjects for the church, but there are literally thousands of verses on end-times' prophecy. This enormous number of verses about the future of the church should help us to see the great importance of this subject, and motivate us to study it and learn it. In fact, there are over 100 verses specifically on the return of Christ and the rapture of the church. Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Micah, Zechariah, Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, Romans 11, 1 Corinthians 15, 1 Thessalonians 4-5, 2 Thessalonians 1-2, Revelation, etc.
3. There is a great amount of prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled. When we talk about prophecy, we understand that there is fulfilled and unfulfilled prophecy, that which was fulfilled in the past, and that which is still to be fulfilled in the future. Now that we are closing in on the end of this age, we need to see that there is a lot of prophecy yet to be fulfilled on this earth. Should we not be excited to understand what God says in His Word about the coming days and years, about what is to soon take place on this earth, what is to be our future, and more likely, the future of our children and grandchildren? Zechariah, Simeon and Annas' examples speak loudly to us, for they were excitedly looking forward to the fulfillment of Old Testament predictions about Christ, the promised Messiah. They were actually witnesses of Christ’s 1st coming. Might God sovereignly work it out so that we witness Christ’s 2nd coming, and then are raptured from this earth. Luke 1:67-79, Luke 2:25-32, Luke 2:36-38
4. The subject of prophecy is now more relevant than at any other time in history. Since the Jews are back in their land, the land of Israel, we know we are living in the end-times and that the return of Christ is drawing near. Therefore, it is most critical to study and understand what God’s Word says about the end-times and the return of Christ. Should we not want to know what God says about the end times and the coming of Christ? Should we not want to know what may take place in our lifetime? Please understand that it relates not just to you, but to your family, your friends, your church, and to the gospel of Christ and the glory of God. Matthew 24:3-44, Luke 21:5-36, 2 Thessalonians 2, Revelation 6-7
5. God has told us certain things about the future that He wants us to know. God has not told us everything that is going to happen with regards to the end-times and Christ's return, but only certain things, and it is these things which are in God's word. Should we not want to know these things that God wants us to know? Might we then study these sections of Scripture that speak about Christ's 2nd coming so that we can find out what our heavenly Father wants us to know. Might we take Jesus' words to heart, “Be on your guard, I have told you everything ahead of time.” Mark 13:23
6. So you don’t fall into error. There is so much error on this subject of prophecy, and we need to know what is true so we can recognize and refute what is false. That’s why Paul spent so much time on this subject when writing to the Thessalonians, for there were false teachers, their errors and with that, deception, with the result that the church was confused and unsettled. Do you not see in this day and age that the devil is working hard and doing all he can to lead us astray? As Christians we should not want our families, friends and our church to be deceived, and especially as the day of Christ draws nearer. Might we clearly understand prophetic truth so we can be encouraged, and so we can speak out against the false teachers and counter their errors. Matthew 24:4, Titus 1:9
7. Because Christ loves you and wants to see you and wants you to be looking forward to His return. Jesus Christ is our Savior, Lord and King, our lover, friend and brother, and He can’t wait to see us, and take us home to heaven to be with Him. Should we not be wanting to see Him? Of course, we should be excited about seeing Him, and therefore wanting to learn from His word as much as we can about the circumstances and events leading up to His coming. If we aren’t excited about Christ’s return, if we aren’t longing for Him, and looking forward to seeing Him, then what are we excited about, what are we longing for? 1 Peter 1:10-12
8. God wants you to know prophetic truths so you can share it with other Christians. Might we be good students, schooled in this subject so we can instruct and warn others about what is going to be taking place in these coming days. We are commanded to encourage one another as we see the day drawing near, but we can only do this as we ourselves know and understand prophetic truth as it is revealed to us in God’s Word. Matthew 28:19-20, Hebrews 10:24-25
9. God wants you to know the subject of prophecy so you can be at peace. In a world of confusion, calamity and conflict, in a world where things will get worse and worse before the return of Christ, God tells you, “Be still and know that I am God”. Wars, famines, earthquakes, plagues, economic distress, and persecution will all take place in the end-times. But knowing that they will come, that God is in control, that this is all part of God’s plan, and that God will be exalted, will help us to trust Him, and to be at peace. Psalm 46, Matthew 24:4-8, Revelation 6:1-8
10. So you can understand it. Many people don’t study this subject of prophecy because they don’t think they can understand it, that it is too confusing, that it is too hard to figure out, that there are too many opinions, or that it is too controversial. But why would God ever give us this subject if it was too hard and too confusing? Why would God ever give us this subject if we couldn’t understand it? I am telling you, that God by His Holy Spirit, will enable us to understand this important end-time’s subject. Pray to God, read and study prophetic truth, compare Scripture with Scripture, learn about it from other godly men, and read and study it some more, and you will understand it. Proverbs 2:1-10
11. So you can know what God says about Christ’s coming which will motivate you to share the gospel with the lost. All this truth about what is going to happen in the near future, about fiery judgments on earth and fiery judgments in hell, should encourage us to proclaim the gospel to the unsaved. The more we know the truth about the coming of Christ, the more we will want to warn the lost and tell them to repent of their sins and believe in Christ’s death and resurrection before it’s too late. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10
12. So you can know how you are to live in the end-times, in the time leading up to the return of Christ. God’s Word gives many specific instructions to the believers in the church regarding the end-times and how we are to live, instructions about faith, hope, love, evangelism, prayer, fellowship, error, perseverance, suffering and holiness. Seven letters to seven churches are given to us in Revelation 2-3, and these are in the context of the greatest prophecy book in the entire Bible. They are, no doubt, needed and relevant for all Christians living in these end-times. Listen and take heed to what the Spirit tells the churches so you can know how to live, can be an overcomer, and can be ready for Christ’s coming.
13. So you can be pure, holy and godly. There are many challenges and temptations for the Christian, and even more so in the end-times. We don’t want to be worldly Christians when Christ comes back. We need to know and understand end-times' prophetic truth so we can be pure and holy, unstained by sin and the world, and useful to the Lord in faithfully doing His work on earth. 1 John 3:2, 2 Peter 3:9-14, Luke 21:34-36, Revelation 18
14. The Old Testament prophets wrote about the end-times for the Christians of today. Yes, the prophets wanted to know the times and circumstances of Christ’s coming, but it wasn’t for them, it was and is for us. Isn’t this encouraging? The prophets were really writing for us. Should we not then read what they wrote, knowing that it pertains to us and the days we now live? Even the angels long to look into these things, which means this is critically important. Therefore we should want to read, study and know it so we can clearly and completely tell others the truth about the return of Christ and the rapture of the church. "Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; and whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me." Ezekiel 3:17, Daniel 12:4, 9; 1 Peter 1:10-12
15. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Much of what God says about the future is a warning to us about the upcoming difficulties, danger, distress, and about the devil’s work in the end-times. God wants us to know what will be taking place so we can be ready, so we can do battle. A good coach knows the game plan of the opponent, and a good general knows the strategies of the enemy, their tactics and tendencies. Might we know the schemes of the devil and the plans of God so we can be prepared, so we can put on the full armor of God, so we can be ready to fight, so we can be overcomers and winners. Ephesians 6:10-13, Revelation 2:7
16. God will bless those who take heed to His instructions on the end-times. I believe we all want to be blessed by God. Might we then read and understand what God says to us so we can know what to believe, take to heart what is written, and be doing what God wants us to be doing in the days before His Son’s return. The more we know and do, the more we will be blessed and encouraged. Those who don’t read, understand, and take heed will not be blessed in the way that God had planned for them. Revelation 1:3-4
17. Because the consummation of God’s plan, the fulfillment of much of prophecy, is the great goal of the church. God’s plans for the church will soon be fulfilled, and this will occur at the coming of Christ. The glory of God and of Christ will be seen as God fulfills His plans for the church. If this is the great plan of God, the great goal of the church, then we should be excited about prophecy and be wanting to study the texts of God’s Word that speak so much about it. Ephesians 1:9-11
Indeed, the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back soon. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Matthew 24:25). In the middle of one of the greatest chapters on prophecy we are told that God's prophetic word will be fulfilled. Might we show our love to God by being diligent to study His word so we can know all He wants us to know about His Son’s return, so we can be excited and prepared, and so we can be looking forward to seeing our Savior, and then being with Him forever and ever. "Then they will see the Son of Man coming back with power and great glory" (Luke 21:27). "God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him." 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10
Article 4
By Steven J. Hogan
The most important event in the history of our world was the 1st coming of Jesus Christ, which included His birth, three years of ministry, His death and resurrection. This took place about 2000 years ago. The next most important event is the 2nd coming of Christ, and this is going to happen soon, and could even take place in our lifetime. Let me ask you a question: are you ready for Christ’s return, for the return of the King? Luke 12:35 – “Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit.” Luke 12:40 – “You too be ready.”
There are a number of verses that tell us that Jesus Christ is coming back: Matthew 24:27 - “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Luke 17:29-30 – “But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.” John 14:3 – “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” Acts 1:11 – “Men of Galilee,… why do you stand looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” Romans 11:25-26 – “All Israel will be saved, just as it is written, ‘the Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.’ This is My covenant with them when I take away their sins.” 1 Corinthians 1:7-8 – “as you eagerly wait for the Lord Jesus to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Hebrews 9:27 – “Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.” 1 Thessalonians 1:10 – “You turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven,…, who rescues us from the wrath to come.” 2 Thessalonians 1:9-10 – “They will be punished with everlasting destruction…on the day He comes to be glorified in His holy people, and to be marveled at among all those who have believed.” 2 Thessalonians 2:8 – “Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the splendor of His coming.” Titus 2:13-14 – “while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, who gave Himself to redeem us from all wickedness.” 1 Peter 1:16 – “Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” Revelation 1:7 – “Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him.” Revelation 22:12 – “Behold, I am coming soon. My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.”
These are just some of the many verses that speak about the Lord’s return. But why has God given us so much information about the return of His Son. Let me share some reasons. He wants to impress upon us the importance of this momentous, cataclysmic, life changing, earth shaking, altogether holy and God glorifying event. He wants us to know specific things that are going to take place so we are not caught off guard, so we are ready for what will happen, and so we don’t get discouraged. He wants us to be looking forward to what will be happening. He wants us to be obedient to Him, helping to fulfill His purposes during the last days of this church age. He also wants us to know that the initial events of Christ’s coming will bridge this present age to the next age, the Millennial Kingdom age. Our focus isn’t just to be on His return and the rapture, but what is going to take place after this, the reign of Christ on earth, and world peace, but most importantly, the glory of God on earth like we have never seen before. “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.” Habakkuk 2:14
Jesus Christ has promised us that He will come back; and He will keep His Word. But why is Jesus Christ coming back? What does God tell us?
1. Christ is coming back so that you can be with Him. He loves you more than you realize and He can’t wait to see you and be with you, and for you to see Him and be with Him, and to know and love Him like never before. John 14:1-3
2. Christ is coming back to take you home to heaven, to this wonderful, most beautiful and perfect place, to this heavenly home that He has prepared for you. You cannot imagine how good, how great, how special it will be, to be in heaven, and on the new earth, with the Lord Jesus Christ. Revelation 21
3. Christ is coming back to change you, to get you out of your mortal, weak and sinful body, and to give you a brand new, powerful, immortal, glorified and spiritual body. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44
4. Christ is coming back to rescue you from His wrath that will be poured out upon this entire earth at the end of this age. He will punish all unbelievers who are still living on earth at the time of His return, ones who have rejected Him and His offer of mercy. This wrath, this punishment, vividly described in Revelation 8-9, 16 will be painful, tortuous and rightly deserved. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10
5. Christ is coming back to destroy his chief enemy on earth, the Antichrist. 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9
6. Christ is coming back to reward you for all your labor, all your work for Him. Don’t ever forget that working wholeheartedly for the Lord is infinitely and eternally worth it. 1 Corinthians 15:58
7. Christ is coming back to complete His work, to fulfill His promises to the Jews, to save a great number of them at the end of what is called the 70th week of Daniel. Isaiah 45:17
8. Christ is coming back so that He can begin His reign over this earth. The Kingdom the Jews desired at Christ’s first coming will finally be realized at Christ’s second coming, and then, Christ as the King, will rule and reign for a thousand years over this earth. Revelation 20
9. Christ is coming back to be praised and worshiped, for every eye will see Him, and every tongue will confess that He is Lord, the King of heaven and earth. Revelation 5:11-14
Jesus Christ is also coming back because His character demands it. He is coming back to this earth because He is holy and there needs to be justice, and because He is loving and He wants to show His love and kindness to those who are believers, and because He is faithful - faithful to His Father, faithful to His promises, faithful to His prophetic Word, and faithful to His people.
But when is Christ coming back? Some people say that God doesn’t want you to know when Christ is coming back, but that’s not true. The verses in Matthew 24:32-41 tell us that we won’t know the day or hour of Christ’s return, but they do tell us that we can know the general time of His return. You can’t know the specific time, but you can know the general time of Christ’s coming. Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us that Christians will be able to see and know that the day of the Christ’s return is getting closer and closer. God doesn’t want you to be in the dark - He wants you to know that the day of His return is getting closer, and He wants you to be ready and waiting for Him.
Matthew 24:3. The disciples ask Jesus this question about when He’s coming back. They wanted some visible signs that would let them know that the time was getting close. Now Jesus could have told them that they didn’t need to know, and that it wasn’t important to know. But He didn’t do that. He told them a number of specific things that would be taking place in the years and months before His coming. And other portions of the Bible tell us many other things that will be taking place before Christ’s return. Indeed, God does not want us to be asleep, but to be aware and alert to the fact that His Son’s return is getting closer. Let me briefly mention some of these things that have been taking place that indicate that Christ is coming soon:
1. The Jews have been regathering back to their land since the late 1800’s, an amazing and miraculous fulfillment of God’s prophetic word. This is the number one reason that we know we are in the end times. Ezekiel 36-37, Isaiah 11:11-12
2. The Jewish people took over Jerusalem in 1967. Daniel 9:24
3. Wars, famines, earthquakes, pestilence, and economic hardship have been taking place all over the world, and will continue to take place with increasing frequency and intensity in the time leading up to Christ’s return. Matthew 24:4-8, Revelation 6:1-8
4. The alignment of particular nations is now taking place as predicted in the Bible. The United States is going down in power, allowing for European / Mideast powers to rise up, from which the Antichrist will come, along with a 10 nation confederacy that is spoken of in Daniel 7:23-24 and Revelation 17:12-13.
5. Descendants of Ishmael, Lot, and Esau, who make up many of the present Arab / Islamic nations, are actively, unitedly and increasingly opposing Israel. Psalm 83:1-8
6. The gospel, the good news about Jesus Christ, is being preached to all the nations like never before, again a fulfillment of God’s Word. Matthew 24:14, Matthew 28:19-20
7. There is a present and urgent need for a peace treaty in Israel. Peace in Israel is one of the biggest international concerns, and much diplomacy is taking place in these days to bring this about. This peace treaty will be signed or confirmed at the beginning of the 70th week of Daniel. It will result only in a temporary pseudo peace. Daniel 9:27
8. There has been a growing interest in prophecy and an understanding of it. I have seen this increasing interest in this subject of prophecy in my lifetime, particularly since the 1970’s. God knows that now is the time, more than ever before, that we need to know, understand, believe, and take heed to what He has said about the return of His Son. Daniel 12:4, Revelation 1:3
9. The Jews are ready to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. There’s actually an organization called “The Temple Institute” that already has the garments, the utensils, the priests, and everything else that is needed to carry out the temple sacrifices. Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:4
10. The means for the antichrist to be dictator of the world, to establish a one world government are now being developed. The communication, identification, economic, tracking, military and transportation systems are becoming more and more sophisticated and globalized, making it possible for the Antichrist to rule the world in the end times. Revelation 13:11-18
What’s amazing is that these things weren’t taking place 100 years, and many not even 50 years ago. But they are now. God’s timetable for the return of His Son is right on schedule, on His schedule, and can be observed by any spiritually minded and discerning Christian. As we study God’s prophetic Word and then look at the world around us, we can see that Christ’s coming and the day of the Lord is getting closer and closer and closer. CNN, Fox News, ABC, NBC, CBS, and many other TV news networks and internet sources tell us their version of the “news.” But they don’t know how to interpret what’s going on in the world in light of God’s Word. These news stations aren’t going to tell us that Christ’s second coming, the biggest story since Christ’s first coming, is not that far off. But that you see is our job as Christians, and it’s imperative that we tell others. We are to preach the first coming, the news of the Savior, but also preach the second coming, the news of the coming Savior, Judge and King. Talk about “breaking news” or a “news alert.” This is it - “Christ is coming back soon!!” 1 Peter 1:10-12, 2 Peter 1:19, Luke 12:56
How then should we live, knowing that Christ’s return could take place in our lifetime?
1. If we are Christians, then we should be making disciples “until the end of the age.” We should be preaching the gospel, warning people before it’s too late. We should tell people that if they repent then they will be forgiven and go to heaven, but if they don’t repent then they will remain unforgiven and spiritually dead, and will go to hell. And if they are alive on earth when Christ comes back, then they will also go through the Day of the Lord, a “hell” on earth. Matthew 24:14, Revelation 8-9, 16
2. We should be living holy lives, hastening the return of Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:11-13
3. We should take comfort in the fact that Christ will return soon to take us home to heaven, to relieve us from our suffering, to redeem us from our bodies, and to rescue us from this wicked world. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-9
4. We should be thinking about Christ’s coming, and excitedly looking forward to His return to rescue, rapture, and resurrect us, and to receive us to Himself. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10
5. We should encourage one another as we see the day of Christ drawing nearer. Hebrews 10:24-25
6. We should be faithful to carry out the work that God has given us to do. The parable about the talents should motivate us to use the abilities, gifts, and money that God has given us to serve Him while we are living on this earth. Matthew 25:14-20
7. We should have faith, trusting God and His Word. We should have hope, confidently expecting Christ to come back soon, looking forward to all that He has for us. We should have love, and be loving both the believers and the unbelievers. 1 Thessalonians 5:8
Indeed, there is much written in the Word about Christ’s Second Coming. God has told us everything that we need to know about Christ’s return, and how we should then live. Let’s not neglect this important and timely truth. Let’s be good students and understand what Christ has told us, take heed to it, and then tell others. Mark 13:23, Revelation 1:4
If you are not sure if you are a Christian, then pray that you would understand that you have sinned against a holy God. Know that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, and desires to save you from your sins, from death, and from hell. Repent of your sins, and ask God for mercy, and believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again for you, and then you can be forgiven and receive eternal life. “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life.” Romans 6:23
What we are talking about today is no small thing, but the biggest event to take place since Christ came to this earth about 2000 years. It relates to you, to your family, to your friends, and to the church, but it also relates to the entire world. There will be more people alive on this world to witness this great, holy and magnificent event than at any other time in history. There will be a vast number of believers but a much greater number of unbelievers. This is most important and most exciting, but also very sobering. Be ready, be faithful, be loving, be holy, be hoping, be strong, and be doing the work of God.
As God’s children, let’s believe what God has told us in His Word about His Son’s coming. Let’s be excited about Christ’s return, and thankful that we can be alive on earth at this time in history. And let’s do the work God that has given us to do as long as it is day, for night is coming when no one can work. Hebrews 10:37, Revelation 22:12
Article 5
By Steven J. Hogan
You watch the news and hear about wars, earthquakes, plagues, famines and economic problems, and it is very distressing, and you are hoping it all goes away. But these things, these “birth pains”, as they are called in Matthew 24:4-8, aren’t going to go away, not yet anyway. Conditions in the world will get worse and worse. Then suddenly Jesus Christ will return, and He will take up the Christians, take out the enemy and take over the world. “They will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21:27, Revelation 6:1-8
We are now living in the end-times, and the reason we know this is because the Jews have been regathering to their homeland of Israel. We’re getting closer and closer to the end of this present evil age, that time period just before Christ’s second coming and the rapture of the church. On the night before Jesus Christ died, He told His disciples what would happen before He came again; and many of these things are now taking place in our lifetime. We should be very excited and thankful that we can be living in these days leading up to Christ’s return. Ezekiel 36-37, Mark 13:21 -“So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.” Hebrews 10:25 - “Encourage one another, and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.” Matthew 24:3-14
What can we expect to take place before Christ’s second coming, before we are raptured into heaven, and God judges the world? As I mentioned, there will be more and more wars, earthquakes, plagues, famines, economic problems, and death. But what else? Wars will continue, nations will be taken over, and new alliances will be made. People will increasingly be desiring world unity, and yearning for a ruler who will bring world peace. Anti-semitism will greatly increase, and Mideast tensions will boil over. Then, at the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week there will be a seeming breakthrough - this “peace treaty” between Israel and other nations. Finally, the Jews will rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, and once again offer sacrifices. But this peace will prove to be a "fake peace." Daniel 9:27, Luke 21:24, 2 Thessalonians 2:4-12
The world will continue to grow more lawless and wicked. “There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” People will be sinning all the more, but the gospel, God’s answer to man’s problem of sin, will be proclaimed to the entire world, and Christ’s command will be carried out: “Go and make disciples of all the nations…and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Matthew 24:12, 28:19-20; Ezekiel 38:1-6; Daniel 7:23-24
Then the Antichrist rises to power. It is the midpoint of this 70th week of Daniel. True Christians and discerning Jews will know that this man who desolates the temple in Jerusalem is the devil’s man, the beast, the man of lawlessness, the Antichrist. With great charm, eloquence and power, this most wicked man will deceive the unbelievers in the world, and they will worship him. To help carry out the Antichrist’s plan to control the world, his partner, the false prophet,will do great miracles, and using the latest technology, force people to worship the image of this Antichrist and to take his mark; and his number is 666. Then it will “seem” to be a time of relative peace for the unbelievers, for they will be buying and selling, eating and drinking, planting and building, marrying and being given in marriage. “As it was in the days of Noah so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” Matthew 24:37, Revelation 13, 2 Thessalonians 2:3
Christians will be hated and betrayed, even by their own family members, and many will be martyred for their faith. There are some who think Christians will have been raptured by this time, but this is not true, for that is not what the Word of God tells us. Christians have always suffered, but when the Antichrist comes there will be great suffering and persecution all over the world, even here in the United States. The rapture is pre-wrath, but not pre-tribulational. “In this world you will have tribulation.” John 15:33. “The beast (Antichrist) was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them.” Revelation 13:7. “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer.” Revelation 2:10
Jesus Christ will then rapture His church sometime during the last half of Daniel’s 70th week, but we don’t know the day or the hour. This great tribulation will suddenly be cut short by Jesus Christ. There will be signs in the heavens and the skies will grow dark, and then Christ will return in the clouds, His brilliant Shekinah glory lighting up the skies. Christ will give a loud command, the trumpet will sound, and Christ will rescue His bride, snatching her from the earth and taking her to heaven, so that she can live with Him forever. Matthew 24:27, 29-31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
How about you? Will you be left behind and face the great judgment of God on earth? Or will you be taken to heaven when Christ returns? Please understand the truth of Christ’s 1st coming, that He came to save sinners! Please understand the truth of Christ’s 2nd coming, that He is returning to rapture the Christians who received His mercy; and then judge those who rejected His offer for mercy! Don’t be left behind and face the wrath of God on earth, and then the wrath of God in hell, where God will show no mercy! “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” “For yet in a very little while, He who is coming, will come, and will not delay.” Hebrews 10:31, 37
If you’re not sure about your future, if you don’t know Jesus Christ and think you might be left behind, then know that it’s not too late to get right with God. Now is the day of salvation, the day of mercy, the time to wake up, the time to turn from your pride, selfishness, greed, idolatry and impurity, to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and receive God’s great mercy. “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.” John 5:24, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9-13
Repent of your sins, and believe that Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for your sins and then rose again, gaining victory over sin, Satan and death. Call out to God to save you, and trust in Christ alone for the mercy He wants to freely give you. Then you will become a child of God, be forgiven of all your sins, receive eternal life, begin to experience God's great love, and begin your eternal journey of worshiping and serving Him. Someday God’s purpose for your life on earth will be over, and either you will die and go to heaven, or you will be raptured into heaven. Romans 5:8 - “God demonstrates His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” 1 John 3:1-3, 1 John 4:16
What’s next? What is God’s plan after the Christians are raptured and Christ judges the earth? At the end of Daniel's 70th week, a great number of Jews will be spiritually saved, and then Jesus Christ will begin His 1000 year reign on earth. He will rule from Jerusalem with the glorified believers and the just-redeemed Jews, who at this time will be living with Christ in Israel. This millennial kingdom of Christ, an immense and wonderful subject in the Old Testament, will be a most magnificent period of time as we work with and serve Jesus Christ, witnessing His great power, holiness, love, mercy and glory. You don’t want to miss it! Be saved and you will be with the Lord Jesus Christ forever and ever! Isaiah 2, 4, 11, 12, 40-66; Psalms 2, 37, 47, 48, 67, 72, 102, 117; Romans 11:27
Don’t be naïve, misinformed, confused or in error! The devil has told many lies about these important subjects. Please understand the truth of Jesus Christ’s 1st coming, that salvation is through Him alone, and the truth of Christ’s 2nd coming, that He is coming back to take up the saints, take out the enemy and take over the world. “Do not let anyone deceive you in any way.” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, Matthew 24:4, Hebrews 9:27-28
If you are a Christian, then how should you live in these days leading up to Christ’s return? Read your Bible. Don’t be worldly. Love God and live all out for Him. Have faith in God. Put your hope in Christ. Be faithful and do God’s work. Love the Christians. Tell others how Christ can save them from their sins. Be in a church that clearly and passionately preaches the gospel and teaches God’s Word, including the truth of Christ’s 2nd coming. Persevere to the end. And remember, God is sovereign, and now, as always, He’s working out all things, and working through all people to fulfill His purposes, and to bring us to that point when Jesus Christ will come back to take us home, judge this world, and begin His 1000 year reign on earth. Ephesians 1:9-14, Hebrews 9:27, 1 Peter 1:13, Revelation 22:20 - “‘I am coming soon.’ Amen, come Lord Jesus.”
Article 6
By Steven J. Hogan
It is absolutely astounding how many verses there are in the New Testament about the second coming of Jesus Christ. The sheer volume of these verses helps us realize the extreme importance of this subject, particularly to those who are living in the end times. The focus of these verses relates directly to that day and time when Christ appears and is revealed – they are not about what happens before or what comes after that day. They tell us what is going to happen, why it is to happen, how we are to live, and about when it is going to happen. God wants us to know the truth about the return of His Son because it is needed, relevant, encouraging, and life changing. If we are to be ready for His return, and if we are to be rightly serving Him when He comes back, then we must know these things.
Here are the 100 + verses:
Matthew 10:21-22 - “Children will rebel against parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of Me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
Matthew 16:27 - “For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what he has done.”
Matthew 24:3 - “What will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”
Matthew 24:27 - “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
Matthew 24:30-31 - “They will see the son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heaven to the others.”
Matthew 24:36-37 - “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.”
Matthew 24:42, 44 - “Keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come… Be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour that you do not expect.”
Mark 12:25 - “When they rise from the dead, they neither marry or are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven.”
Mark 13:27 - “And He will send His angels and gather His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.”
Mark 13:32-33 - “But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Take heed, keep on the alert; for you to do not know when the appointed time will come.”
Luke 12:37 - “It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when He comes. I tell you the truth, He will dress Himself to serve… and He will wait on them.”
Luke 12:40 - “You must be ready for the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.”
Luke 17:29-30 - “The day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.”
Luke 17:34-36 - “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. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.”
Luke 18:8 - “However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”
Luke 21:28 - “At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
John 5:28-29 - “All who are in tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”
John 6:40 - “This is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
John 14:3 - “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.”
Acts 1:11 - “Men of Galilee,…, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him taken into heaven.”
Acts 3:19-20 - “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from 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 about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.”
Romans 8:23 - “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 8:30 - “And these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”
Romans 13:11-12 - “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us then when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore, let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”
1 Corinthians 1:7-8 - “…as you eagerly wait for the Lord Jesus to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 11:26 - “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”
1 Corinthians 15:22-23 - “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 Corinthian 15:51 - “Listen, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will all be changed.”
2 Corinthians 4:14 - “We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus, and present us with you in His presence.”
Ephesians 1:13-14 - “You were sealed in Him with a Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”
Ephesians 4:30 - “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
Philippians 1:6 - “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 1:10 - “So that you may be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
Philippians 2:16 - “…as you hold out the word of life - in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.”
Philippians 3:20 - “Our citizenship is in heaven. We eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.”
Colossians 3:4 - “When Christ appears then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
1 Thessalonians 1:10 - “You turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead - Jesus who rescues you from the coming wrath.”
1 Thessalonians 2:19 - “What is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when He comes - is it not you?”
1 Thessalonians 3:3 - “May He strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of God when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones?”
1 Thessalonians 4:15 - “We tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.”
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 Thessalonians 5:2, 4 - “For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night…But you brothers are not in surprise.”
1 Thessalonians 5:9 - “God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Thessalonians 5:23 - “May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Thessalonians 1:7 - “To give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels.”
2 Thessalonians 1:9-10 - “They will be punished with everlasting destruction… on the day when He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed.”
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 - “Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him, we ask you brothers, to not become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy…do not let anyone deceive you in any way for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.”
2 Thessalonians 2:8 - “Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the splendor of His coming.”
1 Timothy 6:13-14 - “I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in His own time.”
2 Timothy 4:1-2 - “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and Kingdom, preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season…”
2 Timothy 4:8 - “Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
Titus 2:13 - “While we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness.”
Hebrews 9:27-28 - “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.”
Hebrews 10:25 - “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:37 - “In just a very little while, He who is coming, will come and will not delay.”
James 5:7-8 - “Be patient then brothers until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.”
1 Peter 1:5 - “Who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
1 Peter 1:7 - “so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold…, may be found to result in praise and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 1:10-11 - “Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.”
1 Peter 1:13 - “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 1:16 - “Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Christ is revealed”
1 Peter 4:13 - "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 5:4 - “When the chief Shepherd appears you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”
2 Peter 1:19 - “We have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your heart.”
2 Peter 3:3-4 - “You must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, ‘Where is this coming He promised?’"
2 Peter 3:11-12 - “Since everything will be destroyed in this way what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”
1 John 2:28 - “And now dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.”
1 John 3:2-3 - “But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as he is pure.”
Revelation 1:7 - “Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all the people of the earth will mourn because of Him.”
Revelation 2:25-26 - “Nevertheless, what you have, hold fast until I come. He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.”
Revelation 3:3 - “So remember what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.”
Revelation 7:9 -“After this I looked and there before Me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.”
Revelation 22:7 -“Behold I am coming soon! Blessed is He who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
Revelation 22:12 - “Behold I am coming soon. My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what He has done.”
Revelation 22:20 - “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
Isn’t this an amazing set of verses about Christ’s second coming, verses that relate directly to that day and time when Christ appears and is revealed? They are instructive, encouraging, sobering, motivating and altogether true. They focus specifically on Christ’s return, and tell us how He will relieve us from tribulation, rescue us from wrath, redeem us from this earth, rapture us into heaven, resurrect us into glory, reunite us with believers who have gone on before us, and many other important aspects. Yet, there are hundreds more verses that give us more specific details about Christ’s return.
As you know we have but a few verses on baptism, and a few verses on communion, and we believe them, knowing that they are true, and that we should carry them out in our churches. But with 100 + verses on Christ’s second coming and 100’s more on many other aspects of His coming, should we not believe them, and know they are true, and make application of them to our churches? Yes, yes, a resounding yes! And especially in view of the fact that we live in the end times. Now is the time to focus on the truth of the second coming because Jesus Christ is coming very soon.
Know well the truth of Christ’s appearing so that you will be awake, alert and excited. In these days you want to be loving and serving the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. Indeed, Christ is coming soon, and then we will be with Him and with one another forever and ever. “To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father - to Him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen. Look, He is coming with the clouds…So shall it be. Amen.” Revelation 1:5-7
Article 7
By Steve J. Hogan
On this earth most of us don’t think about heaven like we should; but we need to think about it because it is our future. We are on this earth for only a few short years, and then we are in heaven, and on earth, for all eternity, forever and ever and ever. Heaven, and heaven on earth, is our future, and it is our hope, and it is what we should be hoping for and looking forward to and praying about.
Heaven is what we need to think about when our loved ones in the Lord pass away, for we know they are in the best place possible, with God and Jesus Christ and others who have gone before them. We know that they are completely free from sin and sadness, that they have no more pain, sorrow or troubles. We know they are exceedingly happy and joyful, and always at peace. We know they are perfectly praising the Lord, loving Him all the time, and that they are wonderfully enjoying the fellowship and love of other believers.
But for us still on earth, this is our hope, and speaks of that time when we will see God and Jesus Christ on Their thrones, when They will be glorified, when we will glorify Them, serve Them, and love Them. Not only that but we will be enjoying the pleasures of God and of heaven forever and ever. I encourage you to go over these verses, to pray about them, to think about them, and to be excited about the great future that God has for each one of us. From this earth we will soon go to heaven to be with our Lord and Savior, and our King and Friend.
Numbers 20:24 – “Aaron will be gathered to his people.”
Psalm 16:11 – “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Psalm 23:6 – “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Psalm 73:24-26 – “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 flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
Psalm 84:1, 2, 4, 10 – “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my flesh and my heart cry out for the living God… Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you…Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.”
Psalm 86:11 – “Great is your love toward me, for you have delivered my soul from the depths of the grave.”
Psalm 116:15 – “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.”
Job 14:5 - “Man’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months, and have set limits that he cannot exceed.”
Job 19:25-27 – “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes.”
Isaiah 57:1-2 – “The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.”
Luke 23:43 – “He said to her, ‘Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in paradise.’ ”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish, but have eternal life.”
John 5:24 – “He who hears My words and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”
John 11:25-26 – “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live even if he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?’ ”
John 17:24 – “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given me, be with Me where I am, so they may see My glory which you have given Me, for you loved Me before the foundation of the world.”
John 14:2-3 – “In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 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 also be.”
2 Corinthians 4:17 – “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal.”
Romans 8:18, 23 – “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us… Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”
Romans 8:29 – “Those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.”
1 Corinthians 15:42-44 – “So it will be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown perishable, it is raised imperishable; 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 15:53-54 – “The perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ”
2 Corinthians 5:1, 8 – “If this earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands…. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
Ephesians 2:6-7 - “God has raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of His grace expressed in His kindness in Christ.”
Philippians 1:21 – “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know. I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.”
Colossians 1:3 – “We give thanks to God for you…praying always for you… because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.”
Colossians 3:4 - “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
Philippians 3:20 – “Our citizenship is in heaven. We eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 – “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 – “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”
2 Timothy 4:7 – “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have loved His appearing.”
2 Timothy 4:18 – “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly Kingdom.”
Hebrews 11:10, 16 – “He was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God… But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”
Hebrews 12:22 – “You have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to the city of the living God. You have come to thousands and thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant.”
1 Peter 1:3-4 – “In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you.”
1 John 3:3 - “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known to us. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”
Jude 24-25 – “To Him who is able to keep you from falling 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 authority, through Christ our Lord.”
Revelation 4:2 – “Behold a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance…. Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder… And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and because of Your will they exited and were created.’ ”
Revelation 5:13 – “Every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.’ ”
Revelation 7:15 – “They serve Him day and night in His temple…Never again will they hunger or thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. The Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Revelation 20:6 – “Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.”
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.”
Revelation 21:10-12 – “He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone of crystal clear jasper. It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and the at the gates twelve angels.”
Revelation 21:22 – “I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.”
Revelation 22:12 - “Behold I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.”
Article 8
By Steven J. Hogan
These are tumultuous days, for there's conflict and terrorism all over the globe, where safety and security are increasingly becoming vital concerns. As we approach the end of this age, it is imperative to take note of ongoing global events, and to know how to process these events in line with God's prophetic word. What is happening? Why is it happening? Where is it leading to? The correct understanding about world events will not come from politicians, the news media or even religious leaders, but only from the Bible. It is God’s Word that rightly frames the issues, the events, the times we live in, and then instructs us how we are to live. Might we be diligent to know what God tells us will be taking place in these years leading up to the return of His Son, and might we be excitedly living for Him. In Mark 13:23, a prophecy passage, Jesus tells us, “But take heed: behold, I have told you everything in advance.” 1 Chronicles 12:32
My desire is to summarize what God has told us will happen in the end-times, leading up to the end of this present evil age (Galatians 1:4), to the coming of Christ, and to the end of the next age, Christ’s millennial kingdom. But before I give you a prophetic overview of the future, what God predicts is going to happen in the years ahead, I need to give you an overview of the Biblical and historical past, and events that have led up to this present day.
It was about 2050 BC when God chose Abram to be the father of the Jewish people. He promised him a multitude of descendants and a large and great piece of land - land that stretched from Egypt on the south to Lebanon on the north, from the Mediterranean Sea on the west to the Euphrates river on the east. And God also gave him a new name, Abraham. Genesis 15:18-19
Abraham had a son named Isaac, the son according to God’s promise. But he also had a son named Ishmael, a grandson named Esau, and a nephew named Lot. And herein lies much of the problems we see today in the Middle East. The descendants of Isaac are Jews and the descendants of Ishmael, Esau and Lot are for the most part Arabs, and most Arabs believe they are the rightful heirs to this land God had promised to Abraham. But the Bible, and no other book, tells us the truth, that Isaac was the rightful heir. Therein lies this great conflict between the Jews and the Arabs over this piece of property, and for 1000’s of years, there’s been this continual, intense, and at times, bloody conflict between these two groups. Genesis 16:11-12, Psalm 83
Now Isaac had a son named Jacob, and Jacob had a son named Joseph. But due to some extremely difficult, but providential circumstances, Joseph settled in Egypt, and eventually his whole family came there to live. To make a long story short, over a period of about 400 years, Joseph’s family of 75 grew to a family of over two million people. Acts 7:11-40, Nehemiah 9
It was about 1400BC, and the time came for God to bring His people to the land He had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Through many miracles, signs and wonders, God used Moses to deliver the Israelites out of slavery, out of Egypt, and then into the desert, where they lived for 40 years. But it was Joshua who was God’s man to lead the Jews out of the desert and into the promised land. Exodus, Joshua
Then for about 340 years, God raised up Judges to rule over rebellious Israel, and to deliver them from their enemies. After the Judges, God raised up Samuel, then Saul, and then a king named David, who helped Israel become the most powerful nation in the world at that time. Then God made an amazing promise to David, that one of his own descendants would be the future and eternal king over the entire world. This promise, referring to the Messiah, to Jesus Christ Himself, would not come true at Christ's 1st coming but at His 2nd coming. 2 Samuel 7:12-17, Psalm 89
As time went on, the Israelites kept rejecting God, worshiping idols and other man-made gods. And God was righteously angry, but yet was very, very patient with them over the years. But there came the time when God had enough. His holiness and justice prevailed, and He rightfully rejected them, and punished them by bringing Israel’s enemies, the Assyrians and Babylonians into their own land to judge them. The books of the Prophets summarize this 350 year period of sin and rebellion by the Jews, and of God’s holy wrath, His punishment upon them.
Many Jews were exiled at that time, but one person who was taken to the Babylonian kingdom was a teenager named Daniel, and he was a godly man, a wise leader, and an interpreter of dreams. To summarize, these dreams spoke of the short-lived kingdoms of men, and the eternal kingdom of God. As time went on, Daniel predicted many things concerning these future kingdoms, and particularly and most importantly some things relevant to the nature of the world in the “time of the end”, that time period, relevant to both Jews and Christians, leading up to the return of the Messiah, the coming of Christ. Daniel 12:4, 9
One very important prediction was found in Daniel 9 in which Daniel prophesied that there would be exactly 490 years of judgment upon Israel for their sin. But after 483 years, the one who was to be the future ruler and King of the world, this coming Messiah, the one called Jesus Christ, would be killed. Daniel also predicted that at the beginning of the last 7 years there would arise a cruel and powerful ruler who would confirm a peace treaty with Israel. This ungodly ruler, this “little horn”, would come to be known as the Antichrist. He would lead this mighty multi-nation kingdom that would be the power base by which he, as a global leader and evil dictator, would rule the entire world. Daniel 7
About 550 years after Daniel, the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ, became the Son of man. This descendant of David literally came to earth, being born of the virgin Mary, and God became Man. This Jesus lived a perfect life, loving people, teaching people, healing people, casting out demons, and encouraging people to repent of their sins and believe in Him, so as to receive forgiveness of their sins and eternal life. Mark 1:15, John 5:24
But for God to spiritually pardon us of our sins and give us eternal life, Jesus Christ had to die on the cross. And it was on the cross that Christ took our sins upon Himself, thereby paying the penalty that we should have paid. Jesus Christ died in our place and God punished Him, His own Son, instead of punishing us ( Romans 3:23, 2 Corinthians 5:21, John 3:16, John 5:24, 1 Peter 3:18). Three days after Jesus died, God miraculously raised Him from the dead and gave Him a glorified and immortal body. Jesus then appeared to His disciples, continuing to teach them, and finally commissioning them to go make disciples of all the nations until the end of this age. Then Jesus ascended into heaven to be with His Father, where He is now reigning with Him and building His church on this earth (Matthew 28:19-20). After Jesus’ departure, His disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, and became powerful witnesses and preachers of the life of Jesus Christ and the truth of His gospel.
The church age started, but God was not nullifying, but only suspending His promises and plans for the Jews. It was in 70 AD, according to Jesus' predictions in Luke 19, 21, and 23, that God again was punishing the Jews for their rejection of Him, and specifically of Jesus Christ. This time the wrath of God was being carried out by the Romans, and subsequently the Israelites were scattered to cities and countries all over the world. During this time the church was rapidly growing and being greatly persecuted. And through all the years up until this 21st century, the church has continued to grow, being built by Jesus Christ, Himself. Yes, it has been attacked by the devil but God has continually been faithful to build His church. Then there were the Jews, trampled upon and scattered and suffering and being killed all over the world, with the worst coming in the middle of the 20th century. It was the tragedy of all tragedies, the terror of all terrors, when during World War II, Adolph Hitler and his evil and diabolical regime mercilessly and systematically killed over 6,000,000 Jews. Luke 21:20-28
God used this terrible tragedy to move in the hearts of world leaders; and miracle of miracles, in 1948, God gave back to the Jewish people their own country. God’s promise, God’s prediction from 2500 years before this time finally came true (Ezekiel 37:21). Jewish people from all over the world, from the United States, South America, Europe, Russia and Africa, had been moving back to their land, to Palestine, since the late 1800's. Then in 1948 they officially became the nation of Israel. Amazingly and miraculously they retained their unique identity, language, culture and religion, and now at this time, in 2020, there are close to 6.6 million Jews in the land of Israel. In spite of much opposition from neighboring Arab countries since that time, the Jews have physically and wonderfully restored and rejuvenated the land so that the nation of Israel is once again a very prosperous country. Ezekiel 36-37, Isaiah 11
The fact that the Jews are back in Israel is the single major event, I repeat, the single major event that tells us that we are in the end-times, that time period predicted by Daniel, that leads us to the return of Jesus Christ. But what does the Bible predict will take place before the end of this age? More specifically what is the next major prophetic event to take place before the coming of Christ and the resurrection and rapture of the Christians? Remember Daniel’s prophecy of 490 years of judgment for the Jews? Well, 483 years have already passed and the last week, Daniel’s 70th week is still to come. There are seven years in this one last week that relate directly to these end times, seven, long, critical and difficult years that have not yet begun. But they will begin, and prophecy will be fulfilled, and then they will end, and Christ will begin His reign over this world. Daniel 9:24
This 70th week will be a 7-year period of time in which the spiritual forces of God and the spiritual forces of the devil will battle each other like never before, but as we know, the devil will be no match for God. It will be both a time of great salvation and a time of great judgment. It will be a time when we witness the coming of the Antichrist and then the coming of Christ. It will be that time when the Lord’s prayer and our prayers are finally answered,“Thy kingdom come, thy will is now being done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10, 2 Thessalonians 2
Let me specifically point out to you some of the major events of this 7 year time period: The peace treaty that was predicted in Daniel 9:27, or as Isaiah calls it, the “Covenant of Death” (Isaiah 28:15), will be signed. There are a number of things to know about this treaty. It is the next major event on the prophetic calendar that needs to take place. It will be signed at the very beginning of this 7-year time period spoken of by Daniel. It will be confirmed or signed by an individual who will later be revealed as the Antichrist. It will be needed in the Mideast. In fact, at this time it is obvious that there is tension and conflict between Israel and surrounding nations surrounding them. This treaty will be the answer that many people and leaders of the world will be looking for, but remember, it is man-made.
One of the conditions of this treaty will most likely be that the Jews will be able to rebuild their temple, and once again offer their Jewish prescribed sacrifices. This treaty will result in only a temporary and pseudo peace for the Jews, for the Jews will not be trusting in God, but will be putting their hope in a man, and in a very bad man, for one of the initiators of this treaty will later be revealed as the Antichrist. This treaty is destined not to work, and as we will see, it will soon be broken. After this peace treaty is signed, a number of events will occur on this earth in rapid succession. They are spoken of in Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21 and Revelation 6. These events, though all happening in the world at this time, will continue to increase in both intensity and frequency. There will be more false christs, more wars, more earthquakes, more famines and more plagues around the world. In addition to all this, there will be major global economic problems. Matthew 24 tells us that these events, like the birth pains of a mother, will come quicker and quicker, becoming stronger and stronger, and millions of people will be dying. But during this time, there will also be the formation of a 10-nation empire, the Antichrist being the ruler of this kingdom of man, this power base by which he will rule the world. Daniel 7
This will be a most anxious, disturbing, unsettling and conflicting time in the world. With our advanced communication system, with TV, internet and smart phones, we’ll know a lot of what is going on around the world; we’ll be hearing about it and watching it, for it will be brought home to us loud and clear. Yes, artificial intelligence may make us look smart in this world, but the intelligence, the wisdom to bring peace, where can that be found? I must say, these first few years of Daniel's 70th week will be a very difficult time to be alive. Don’t you think that people will be looking and longing for some type of savior to lead them out of the mess that the world is in? Don’t you think that conditions on the earth will be ripe for a sharp and smart dictator who they hope will deliver them from the problems in the world? You bet they will.
The next major event, taking place at the midpoint, at the 3½ year point of this 7-year period is when the Antichrist desecrates the Jewish temple (Daniel 9, Matthew 24). Both Jews and Christians will know for certain the identity of this one we call the Antichrist. Then this most wicked man, this Antichrist, this anti-Christian man, this beast, this man of lawlessness, will begin great tribulation against the Jews in Israel, which then spreads out against Jews and Christians all over the world. This time of great tribulation will be without question the greatest persecution Jews or Christians have ever encountered and experienced on this earth. Revelation 12:17
But the unbelievers won’t know the Antichrist’s true nature, that he is filled with the devil himself. They will be greatly deceived. They will be in awe of this new leader and more than willing to follow him. And they’re happy, for he’s bringing peace, the economy is getting better, and he is getting rid of those despicable Jews and Christians. But these unbelievers are led astray by this powerful and charismatic leader and by his partner, the man called the false prophet, the man who will do many amazing miracles. The false prophet will use these miracles to authenticate the purpose, position and power of the Antichrist, his purpose being to deceive, to fake out the people of the world.
It is at the midpoint of this seven-year period that the Antichrist consolidates his control over the world. It is at this time that the unbelievers will be worshiping the Antichrist through an image, probably through the internet and smart phones. They will also be swearing allegiance to this beast by taking his mark, called the mark of the beast, which when placed on, or embedded in a person’s hand or forehead, will be the only way a person can do business, to either buy or sell. What is so amazing is that the technology the Antichrist will need to do this is very likely now or very close to being developed and ready for use. Revelation 13
Please understand that this Antichrist, this world dictator, will be a very wicked man. He will be in charge of the world militarily, politically, economically and spiritually. At this time all religions will have been abolished, and it will be the religion of the Antichrist, for he alone, the devil’s man on earth, will be worshiped. But the true Christians and a remnant of Jews will not take this mark and will not worship the Antichrist, and many will then be persecuted for their refusal to do so.
Then suddenly, sometime during the last half of this 7-year period, at an unknown time to us, there will be a great earthquake, and great signs in the heavens, for the sun will turn black and the moon will turn red. Then there will be a great and brilliant light in the skies, this being the Shekinah glory of Christ. This is immediately followed by the shout of Christ heard round the world, then a loud trumpet blast and then a supersonic command given by an angel.
At this time, Jesus Christ returns in the clouds and is visibly seen all over the world. The dead in Christ, those who have previously died, will be resurrected. Immediately after that, the Christians still on earth will be raptured, gaining relief from great tribulation, being rescued from God's wrath that will be poured out on the earth, and caught up together with the just resurrected believers. All believers from all time and from all over the world, will then suddenly be glorified and then gathered together and taken to with Christ, and then from there to heaven. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18
Shortly after the rapture, and in fact, exactly 30 minutes later (Revelation 8:1), God will judge the unbelievers on earth, pouring out His wrath on them. This time period is called the Day of the Lord, His righteous wrath on earth. But just before this, God had supernaturally sealed 144,000 Jews, for His desire is to physically protect these Jews during this time of judgment on earth. It will be at the end of Daniel's 70th week that these Jews, along with another remnant of Jews, will be redeemed, spiritually saved, and they will all be with Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. Daniel 9:24
The first part of the Day of the Lord, God's judgment on earth, is given in Revelation 8-9, and this speaks of six separate trumpet judgments. It is marked by fire, darkness and destruction, and by demonized locusts inflicting five months of pain and torture on every person on the earth. But the worst judgment is the sixth judgment, when 1/3 of the people in the world are suddenly and righteously killed. Then these trumpet judgments are finished, marking the end of the 7-year period spoken of by Daniel. Then this great number of Jews who have physically been saved from God’s wrath are now spiritually saved. They recognize Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and they repent of their sins, believe in Him for mercy, and begin to worship Him. Romans 11:26-27, Isaiah 53
But Christ is not yet done with His judgments of the people and nations of the earth, and it is Revelation 16 that tells us about the next set of judgments, the bowl judgments. Painful sores break out on people, water is turned to blood, fire is scorching the people, and total darkness covers the land. Can you imagine what this is like? Then God’s enemies are gathered to a place called Armageddon in Israel. It’s there that the Antichrist and his armies are finally and completely defeated by Christ and His heavenly armies. Then, the Antichrist and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire, where they will never die, but will forever be separated from God and His glory, and forever tormented for their terrible sins against a holy God. Hallelujah!
It is at this time that Christ’s enemies are now completely gone from earth, and so begins His reign on the earth during what is called the millennial kingdom. He will rule with a rod of iron. He will bring justice to every square inch of this planet. He will continually display true wisdom, mercy and love. There will be “peace on earth, good will towards men,” the most wonderful and prosperous time on earth since the beginning days of Adam and Eve. Genesis 1-2; Psalms 47, 67, 72
Even then, not all the people will bow to Christ. In fact, at the end of this 1000 years, Satan will be let loose and will deceive many people on the earth. But God will quickly capture this devil, and cast him into the lake of fire. Then there will be the most sobering time in all of human history, the great white throne judgment. All unbelievers from all time will be gathered together before the Lord Jesus Christ, the most holy and honorable Judge in the entire universe. There they will be judged for all their sins, declared guilty and worthy of eternal judgment, and they will be thrown into the lake of fire, where they will be forever, painfully and deservedly punished for their sinful crimes against a holy and just God. Revelation 20
Indeed, Jesus Christ is coming back soon to take up the saints, take out His enemies, and take over the world. But if you are to understand the truth of Christ's second coming then it is essential that you understand the truth of Christ's first coming. You need to know why Christ came the first time, that He came to die, to be crucified on the cross, to be punished by His Father for the sins of man. Have you repented of your sins? Do you believe that Jesus Christ died for you? Do you know that your sins are forgiven? Do you know if you have eternal life, an everlasting relationship with God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and the Holy Spirit? To be honest, the main issue is not what is going to happen to the world, but what is going to happen to you? When Jesus Christ comes back, will you go to be with Him, and then go up to heaven, or will you stay on this earth and be inundated by God's punishing wrath? Will you be in Hades, a most terrible, terrifying and painful holding place for 1000 years, awaiting final judgement? And will you then face Jesus Christ at the great white throne judgment with nothing to say to Him, except “I am guilty Your Honor,” and then be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity?
The most serious issue in your life is whether you will pay for your sins by being punished forever in hell, or whether you will repent of your sins and believe that Jesus Christ died in your place, being punished for your sins.. If you have not yet been saved, then may today be the day of your salvation. Turn from your sins, sincerely telling God that you are sorry that you sinned against him, and admitting to Him that you have rebelled against Him. Believe that God loved you by having His own Son, Jesus Christ, die for all your sins, and that the debt you owed God for your sin was paid in full by Christ. Do not trust in yourself or in anything you have done, but place your trust fully and only in Jesus Christ for salvation, for forgiveness, for eternal fellowship with God and Christ, and for your future in heaven, and on earth, with Him and all the other angels and saints. Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 Peter 3:18
Article 9
By Steven J. Hogan
The book of Revelation is a must read for all Christians, especially those of us living in the end-times, that time period defined by the second regathering of the Jews to Israel. Over 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ was revealed at His first coming as the Savior, the Servant, and the Son of Man. At that time, Jesus lived a perfect life, then He suffered, died and rose again, with a purpose to righteously and mercifully save people from their sin, death and hell. Then Jesus ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of the Father, awaiting that day when He will return to this earth. Because we now are living in the end-times, we know that Jesus Christ will soon be revealed again at His second coming, when He will be seen as the Son of God, a holy Judge, a mighty King, and the Lord of lords. Revelation 1:4-8
Christians should be encouraged, excited, and thankful that God has given us this book of Revelation, for it is altogether true, most relevant, very instructive and life-changing. We must not be ambivalent or apathetic about this book, thinking that it's not that important. Might we read it to learn what God wants us to know and do in these last years of this church age. Indeed, this is the greatest book on prophecy, one that goes into great detail about what is absolutely, and undoubtedly, will take place in the near future. 1 Peter 1:10-16
Let me mention a number of points that we need to understand about this book of Revelation:
1. The book of Revelation reveals to us the character of Jesus Christ, that He is holy and just, loving and merciful, and powerful and sovereign. It reveals to us the person of Christ, that He is the Lord, the Lamb, the Judge and the King. It also reveals to us the work of Christ - His amazing love for the church and for the Jews, and His holy justice upon a wicked world. Revelation 1:12-16
2. The book of Revelation is for the church. This entire book was written to seven churches back in the first century, and it was also written for all churches since that time. But now it is specifically relevant for the churches that exist in the end-times. Why would God give us these seven letters in this great prophetic book if they weren’t vitally important for us to know in these years leading up to Christ's second coming? Revelation 2-3
3. The book of Revelation focuses on the righteous and the unrighteous. God speaks about the righteous, the angels, the church, and a remnant of Jews. He also speaks about the unrighteous - the unbelievers, and His enemies, Satan, the Antichrist and the false prophet. God’s dealings with these spirits and people in the end-times, their inter-working with one another and their effect on the world, is explained in this book.
4. The book of Revelation instructs us about future, end-time events on this earth, and how we should live. God does not want us to be ignorant or surprised by what will be taking place in the days and years to come. This book instructs us to be living pure and holy lives, to be courageous overcomers, to be proclaiming the life-changing gospel, to be teaching the truth, and to be correcting error. This book motivates us to live our lives all out for God. This book encourages us to carry out His plans on earth and to be looking and longing for our Lord and Savior to return to rapture us to heaven. Mark 13:23
5. The book of Revelation brings to a completion God’s Word, but by no means does it speak of the completion of God’s plan for man. It is the end of the Bible, the end of the book, but not the end of the story. We must read it so we can know what God has done, is doing, and what He will do in the future. It is primarily a prophetic book, a predictive book, a book about God’s purposes, and since it is God’s Word, we know that it will come true, it will be fulfilled, and that this prayer will be answered, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10
6. The book of Revelation covers three different ages. This book is about the present age, particularly this church age (Revelation 2-19). It is also about the next age, the millennial kingdom age (Revelation 19-20). And it is about the final age, the eternal kingdom age (Revelation 21-22). Most of the Bible is about this present age we live in now (Galatians 1:4, Genesis 3 - Revelation 19), but the book of Revelation is a transition book, taking us from this present age to the millennial kingdom age, which then leads to the eternal kingdom age. Revelation 5:11-14
7. The book of Revelation shows that in the end-times, God’s work with the Jews is converging and coinciding with God’s work in the church. This is seen in Revelation 7, Revelation 10-11, Revelation 12, Revelation 20 and Revelation 21. God’s work with the Jews has, for the most part, been separate from His work with the church, but now in the book of Revelation, it all comes together, and will be most clearly seen during the millennial kingdom. Psalms 67, 72, 102
8. The book of Revelation can be read and understood. Why would God give us Revelation 1:3 – “Blessed is he who reads and those who understand the words of this prophecy, and heed the things written in it,” if you couldn’t comprehend it? Many people, including Christians, say this book is too hard to understand, that it’s too difficult, that it’s too confusing. But might we not stay ignorant, or be in error, and just give up on it. The humble and Spirit-filled Christian can read, study and understand this book. Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise. Through prayer, proper and diligent Bible study, and through good teachers, God will bless your efforts. Might you be a good student of this book, and know it inside and out, and apply it to your life, and then pass it on to others. Now at this time, in the calm before the storm, might you be studying this great and last prophetic book of the Bible. 2 Timothy 2:15
9. The book of Revelation is to be understood in a literal way. There are some who say much of it has already taken place, but that is not true. There are also those who treat it as allegorical, metaphorical or symbolic. They spiritualize it, saying 144,000 Jews doesn’t mean 144,000 Jews, or 1,000 years doesn’t mean 1,000 years, or that 7 trumpets doesn’t mean 7 trumpets. Then tell me, what does it mean? For those who don’t properly interpret this book, there will be at least 101 different meanings this side of heaven. But that’s not true, for there’s only one meaning this side of heaven. Might God help you to discover it. Let me say it this way - God says what He means and means what He says! If He says seven stars are seven angels, then they are seven angels. If He says there will be hail and fire mixed with blood, then there will be hail and fire mixed with blood. If he says “something like a mountain”, then it is not a mountain but it is something like a mountain. This is what we call a “face value hermeneutic” interpreting the passage at face value, in a natural, normal, customary sense. We are to understand what we read in the book of Revelation by taking it literally, at “face value”. This doesn’t mean we ignore obvious figures of speech, but it does eliminate substituting the literal meaning for some underlying and deeper spiritual meaning.
10. The book of Revelation should not be tampered with. That means you are not to add to it, to try to make it say more than it says, or to try to make it mean more than it means. Many people wrongly interpret this book, saying strange and weird things. Don’t be one of them. And don’t be one who subtracts from the book, who takes away the truth, the prophesies, saying that they have already taken place, or that they mean something else. It is unwise, it is unrighteous, and it is a most serious offense to tamper with God’s Word. This is not man’s word, this is God’s Word, so don’t change it in any way, shape or form. Revelation 22:18-19
11. The book of Revelation does not tell us all that is going to happen in the end-times, but only what God wants us to know, and therefore what we need to know. Isn’t this wonderful? Might we be humble, diligent and studious so as to find out what God wants us to know, and what He wants us to do. Mark 13:23, Revelation 1:1-3
12. The book of Revelation is more relevant now than ever before, for we are living in those days shortly before the return of Jesus Christ. Now is the time, as Daniel 12:4 makes clear, when His prophetic words will no longer be concealed but will be unsealed. It is so encouraging to think that they have been unsealed for those of us living in the 21st century. Now is the time that it's beginning to make sense, that it's coming true right before our very eyes. Might we find out what this book says, and be like the men of Issachar, “men who understood the times, and knew what they should do.” 1 Chronicles 12:32
13. The book of Revelation is supported by many other Scriptures and prophetic passages, particularly ones from Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, Matthew 24, Luke 21 and 1-2 Thessalonians. To truly and fully understand the book of Revelation, it is not just helpful, but it is necessary to study these passages, and in particular, the book of Daniel and Matthew 24.
14. The book of Revelation is the concluding book of the Bible, or we could say, the last chapter of the Bible. You all know how important it is to read the last chapter of a book. Without this book, the Bible is incomplete. For example, there was an old heaven and old earth, and in the future there will be a new heaven and new earth. There was the old Adam reigning over earth, and in the future there will be a new Adam reigning over earth. In the past, Adam and Eve were perfect, and in the future all believers will be perfect. So don’t be like some people who read the entire Bible and then skip the book of Revelation. Read and study it, and you will see how the last pieces of the puzzle are fitting together to give you the completed puzzle, the big picture, the future God has planned for His people.
15. The book of Revelation is written chronologically. Revelation 1 is the introduction. Revelation 2-3 is the church age. Revelation 4-5 is the heaven scene. Revelation 6-7 concludes the church age. Revelation 8-9 speaks of God’s judgment on earth, taking us to the end of Daniel’s 70th week. Revelation 10-14 is parenthetical, describing what takes place during the end-times with regards to the Jews, Christians and Satan. Revelation 15-16 describes God’s judgment on Babylon. Revelation 17-19 is parenthetical, describing Babylon, Satan’s religious, economic and political system in the world. Revelation 20 speaks of Christ’s 1000-year kingdom. Finally Revelation 21-22 speaks about the eternal kingdom of God and Jesus Christ.
The book of Revelation contains many different themes, but the most important themes are the person, character and work of Jesus Christ. Yes, the book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Let me summarize each chapter:
* Revelation 1 introduces Jesus Christ, giving a vivid description of him as Priest, Judge, and King, identifying His role for the rest of the book.
* Revelation 2-3 tells us about the church, the body of Christ, and instructions from Christ to the church as to how they are to live for Him, whether that is in the 1st century or in the end-imes.
* Revelation 4, the heavenly scene, pictures a holy God, and this sets the stage for the rest of the book, which focuses on the holy justice of God that is carried out by Jesus Christ.
* Revelation 5 is all about Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, the One to be worshiped, and the only One who can breaks the seals, which then sets in motion the end-time events and the return of Christ.
* Revelation 6 tells us about Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, breaking seals 1-6, which are depicting different events that precede the rapture. It is seal six that signals the end of this present evil age.
* Revelation 7, between seals 6 and 7, speaks about both Jews and Christians, the sealing of 144,000 Jews, and then Christ rapturing the church, rescuing her from the wrath to come.
* Revelation 8-9 speaks of Christ breaking seal 7, resulting in the blowing of trumpets 1-6. These trumpets speak of God’s wrath, the Day of the Lord, His judgment of unbelievers on planet earth.
* Revelation 10-11 tells us about Christ’s return to earth for the Jews, the two witnesses for Christ, and the blowing of the 7th trumpet, at which time the kingdom of the world becomes the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.
* Revelation 12-13 tells us about Satan and the Antichrist, Christ's enemies, and their war against Him and the Jews and Christians, and Christ’s victory over His enemies.
* Revelation 14 summarizes Christ’s work in the end-times. It speaks of Jesus Christ, the Lamb, with 144,000 redeemed Jews. It tells us about angels preaching the gospel of Christ. It tells us about Christ the reaper, rapturing believers from the earth. It tells us about His judgment of the unbelievers, and how they will be tormented with fire in the presence of Christ.
* Revelation 15-18 speaks of Christ’s judgment, of God’s wrath upon the unbelieving world, specifically on the Antichrist’s kingdom, and on Babylon the Great, which symbolizes Satan’s religious and economic world systems.
* Revelation 19 speaks about the worship of Christ, the wedding of Christ and His bride, and the war of Christ against the Antichrist and His victory over him.
* Revelation 20 tells us about Christ’s 1000 year kingdom, and of Christ’s final judgment upon Satan and all the unbelievers.
* Revelation 21-22 speaks of the new heaven, new earth and new city, of God and Christ’s reign over heaven and earth, their relationship with the believers, and how we will be serving them forever. Three times Christ concludes, “Behold, I am coming soon.”
The book of Revelation describes events that will soon be seen and heard on this earth, and very possibly in our lifetime, if not in our children and grandchildren’s lifetime. Therefore, it is most relevant and important for us to read and understand this prophetic book. The dealings of God and Jesus Christ with the Jews, the church, the unbelievers, and with Satan and the Antichrist, are the main overall themes of this book. The character and purposes of God are powerfully, clearly, vividly and wonderfully described in this book of Revelation. And don’t forget the promise - “Blessed is he who reads and those who understand the words of this prophecy, and heed the things written in it.” Revelation 1:3. Finally, might you say to Jesus, “Come, Lord Jesus.”
Article 10
By Steven J. Hogan
The subject of prophecy is extremely important and relevant for all Christians who are now living on this earth. It is God’s Word, and it is God telling us what will be taking place in the future. And at this time in history Biblically prophesied signs and events are taking place before our very eyes, proving to us the fact that we are now living in the end times. One of the main reasons we know we are in the end times is that the Jews, since the late 1880’s, have been re-gathering back to Israel, which is what God predicted would happen about 2600 years ago. Ezekiel 36-37
When it comes to Biblical prophecy, there is often ignorance, confusion, error, misinformation, and apathy on the part of many Christians, and this should not be. The Lord has told us quite clearly what He wants us to know about the future, and to not know, to not be interested, to be confused, or to be in error is not good, is not right, and is very sad. Mark 13:23
Our heavenly Father has told us explicitly and emphatically that His Son, and our Savior, is soon returning to earth. Therefore, we should be extremely excited, overjoyed, and looking forward to this, for Christ’s return will be one of THE greatest events in the history of the world! Just think, you and I may literally see Jesus Christ come in the clouds, and then we will be with Him forever! At this time in history, God is waking up more and more of His children to the truth about the end times, and the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ. Daniel 12:4
For the past 25 years I have been studying this subject of prophecy, and I must say that it is God who has fired up my spirit with a love for Him and a love for His return, and therefore a love for Biblical, prophetic truth. Now I must admit that this subject, on one hand, is quite simple - Jesus Christ is coming back, and He is coming back to rapture the saints, pour out His wrath on this earth, redeem a remnant of Jews, and then reign over the entire world. That sums it up. Revelation 7-11
But this subject of prophecy is also quite complex: there are lots of details that God gives us on this subject, and it takes much study, prayer, and most importantly, God’s Spirit to understand what God is communicating to us concerning His Son’s return, and specific events associated with it. But this seeming complexity and great volume of information should not at all deter us from examining this relevant subject, but instead motivate us all the more to study it. God has given us truth that He really wants us to know, and that we can know. 2 Timothy 2:15
Christians throughout the centuries have spent much time, and rightly so, studying and teaching many important Biblical subjects, like God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, man, salvation, the church and God’s Word. Some call this body of truth “Systematic Theology”. There is no doubt that God, at this present time, is impressing upon the church the need to study eschatology, the subject of the end times, and to then teach it with authority, clarity, conviction, and urgency. Daniel 12:9, 2 Timothy 4:1-2, Luke 12:56
God is waking up a great number of Christians around the world as to the present day relevance of prophecy. Now is the time for you to wake up and to be aware and alert to events now taking place in the world, and to understand this subject of prophecy, and to be overjoyed about the coming of Christ, and to know then how you should live. 1 Chronicles 11:32
Let me briefly explain my background as it relates to charts. I have always loved math. I remember my 7th grade math poem – “Math is a challenge you can’t forget; you'll get those numbers in the right places yet….” I have enjoyed explaining math concepts to people, and helping them solve math problems. I was a junior high and high school math teacher for a while. I love order and direction and chronology, seeing what takes place, and then what takes place after that, etc. I am a linear person.
I love maps, and I have lots of maps in my file drawer at home. I love maps that give you the big picture, that help you see everything at once, that help you know where you are at, and where you are going. These prophecy charts are like maps, maps that help us see where we are at now in the 21st century, where we have come from and where we are going.
For many years the Lord has helped me to study and teach this subject of prophecy, but it’s been the past two years that He has burdened me with the need to design and make charts so as to pictorially and specifically explain the great future that God has for His people. But before you begin to really look at and study these charts, that my friend Gino and I have been putting together, there are many things I need to tell you about them.
1. My goal with the charts is to encourage you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and for you to love Him more and more, and to be looking forward to His soon return, to that time when you will literally see Him and forever be with Him, and with your loved ones and other believers. Revelation 22:12
2. My goal is to teach you prophetic truth that is given to us in God’s Word, to help you clearly understand it and how events now taking place in our world relate to it. These charts are based on the Bible, and are designed to communicate and illustrate to you the glorious future God has for us. These charts are to help you see that the world isn’t just sitting still, that history doesn’t repeat itself, but that God is presently, powerfully and sovereignly working in this world, carrying out His Word, His will, and His purposes for this earth, for the believers and for the Jews. Psalm 33:4-12
3. These charts are like Bible studies, for they are based on the Bible. I will not do a chart unless there is a clear Biblical basis for it, Scripture behind it and verses attached to it. The purpose of these charts is to help you to know, believe and learn what the Bible says about prophesy. I know that we can’t understand everything in the Bible when it comes to prophecy. But that does not diminish my desire and should not diminish your desire to diligently study the prophetic word of God. We should want to learn what God wants us to learn, and these charts are designed to help you to understand future Biblical prophecy.
4. My goal for these charts is to motivate you to study this subject yourself, to be reading the many prophecy verses, passages and chapters that speak about the return of Jesus Christ, and events related to His return, and then to share this truth with others, specifically with those who are hungry to learn. Acts 17:11, 2 Timothy 2:1
5. The charts are a means to quickly, clearly and accurately learn prophetic truth, to discover what the Bible says about the future God has for this world. People in this day and age don’t seem to have much time to read - they want pictures, texts, tweets and instant messages. Now it is true that some learn better by seeing pictures than by reading words, and these charts are to help you clearly picture the prophetic word. My desire is that seeing God’s Word charted out will help believers to more easily understand the truth of Bible prophecy.
6. These charts are designed not just to teach truth, but to correct error. And there is so much error, so many wrong ideas and inferences, so many false presuppositions on this subject that are just not true. There is lots of misinformation, exaggeration and circular reasoning, and all this needs to be exposed, and then countered and corrected with the truth, and let me suggest, by using some of these Bible based charts. Matthew 24:4, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2
7. The principle focus of these charts is the end times and the rapture of the church. Now some charts first take you back in history, so as to give you the big picture, to help you see the beginning from the end. But the main theme in most of the charts is our God planned, God ordained and God glorifying future.
8. Each chart is designed to stand alone. There are usually one or two main points to each chart, and so each chart should be clear and understandable to you. But each chart is also like a puzzle piece, and so there are many other charts, many other pieces of the puzzle, and understanding the individual charts is necessary to understanding the big picture of prophetic truth.
9. Some of the charts actually show the whole big prophetic picture at once, and other charts are like individual pieces of a puzzle that, when put together with all the other pieces, make up this big picture. My overall goal is for you to see how all the pieces fit together, and then to see the big picture. And it’s imperative that you see the big picture, what God has done in the past, what He is doing now, and what He plans to do in the future. Too many Christians get lost in their own little world, and fail to see how they fit in with God’s overall plan, with the truth of God’s prophetic Word, especially in these days. They fail to see how every single detail in the world, everything in the past and present, is now fitting in with God’s comprehensive plans for the world at large, and specifically for His people, and for the future He has for them. Charts #4 and #86 give you the big picture of God’s working in the world, from His beginning with mankind to eternity future, and of God’s ultimate goal, which is His great glory. It will be very helpful for you to look at these big picture charts first, for all the charts fit in with these few charts. Psalm 145:1-2, 1 Corinthians 15:20-28
10. No chart in and of itself is complete, covering all prophetic truth. It can’t be. There is so much information in God’s Word on this subject of prophecy, and no person can see it and understand it all at once. Not only that but there’s way too much information to put on just one little piece of paper. That is why it’s imperative to get perspective, to first see the big picture, and then see the smaller puzzle pieces, how prophetic truth and prophesied events all fit together, and are all part of this big picture.
11. Some charts are simple, and can be quickly looked at and understood, but others are more complex, and will take more time, and will need to be carefully studied, thought about, and prayed over. Some charts have lots of information on them, and I encourage you to try to understand the different verses and points, and how it all fits in with the main message of the chart. But the many different points of the church are only to support and help you to see the main theme of the chart. It’s good to be a Berean and to take the time to look up these verses, and get your own Biblical convictions as to what God is saying in His Word.
12. Many present day prophecy teachers focus on the immediate future, which is well and good. But there is also a need in our churches for people to not just know about Christ’s coming and the rapture, and the events taking place before it, but to see beyond it, and way beyond it. Christians need to know that Christ’s coming, and the immediate future is not an end itself, not an end of the story, but a beginning point and a bridge to the next age, the millennial kingdom age. This kingdom age is what the Old Testament Jews were looking forward to, and we are not even there yet – we are still in the church age. Yes, Revelation is at the end of the Bible, but it is by no means the end of story, but is that which speaks of the end of this church age, and is a segue to the ages to come, the kingdom ages, the ages when Jewish believers, Christians, believers from all time will be together with Jesus Christ forever and ever. Amen.
13. The charts are based on God’s Word. Most ideas for the charts come from a relatively few books in the Bible, like Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, Micah, Zechariah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Peter, and Revelation. When you study prophecy these are the books I encourage you to read. I can say that these charts are not my ideas, and are not any man’s opinions or thoughts, but are diagrams based on truths and events specifically talked about in God’s Word, and in some cases corroborated by verifiable events in history. I know I am not by any means perfect, but I have tried to be perfect in my understanding of God’s prophetic word, and how it relates to our present world, and the future God has for us. There may be some errors, and please let me know if you see any.
14. Most of the charts are designed for Christians, but there are a few for unbelievers. That is, a few of these charts are more evangelistic. My desire is for unbelievers to look at any one of these charts, and hopefully and prayerfully be affected and convicted by it. As Christians we must understand the great opportunity we have in these days to tell people about Jesus Christ and their need for salvation. We must warn unbelievers of God’s judgment of the world at Christ’s 2nd coming, and then tell them about Christ’s 1st coming, and of salvation and forgiveness of sins that only comes only when they repent of their sins and place their faith in Jesus Christ. Hebrews 9:27-28
15. There are a number of charts about the Jews. Now there are many Christians who do not believe there is a future for the ethnic Jew, and believe that the land of Israel (Palestine) has no future place for the Jews, no future fulfillment in Bible prophecy; but that is false, and is just not true. There are a great number of verses about the Jew’s future, particularly from the Old Testament, and some of the charts are primers to help us understand the plans that God has for His chosen people, a remnant of Jews, those physical descendants of Abraham who will be saved at the end of Daniel’s 70th week. Some charts depict how God’s working with the Jews is in conjunction with His working with the church. You need to understand that He is working with both Jews and Christians in the end times. Matthew 24, Luke 21, Romans 11, Revelation 7 and Acts 3.
16. Most all charts have two big “arrows”, one pointing to eternity past, and the other to eternity future. These arrows are to help you see that there’s an eternal God who has plans for the future, that He is moving things straight ahead, and that what is going on in the world today isn’t static or circular or haphazard or going in all kinds of directions. God is supremely focused, extremely focused, future focused, and has plans for this world, and for our individual lives. And everything is moving ahead and towards that next major event in the history of our world, the return of Jesus Christ. God has told us clearly what is going to be taking place, and His purposes, plans, predictions and prophecies will not in any way, shape or form be thwarted, changed, compromised, redirected, stopped or altered. Matthew 24:35
17. Most charts have a little man, and in most cases this little man depicts you. One of my goals is for you to see that your life is important, that your life is part of God’s plan, that your life fits in with what God is doing, that your life is not going backwards, is not sitting still, is not going up and down, and is not going in circles. But rather, your life has purpose and direction and is moving straight ahead to the end of your life when you go to heaven and are with the Lord, or to the end of the age when you are raptured, and are taken into heaven and are then with the Lord. It’s not just important but it’s imperative that you believe that God has plans for your life in these days. You must know that your one small life can make a difference in this big world. This means that you need to be part of a church that believes all of God’s Word, teaches all of God’s Word, and is actively doing God’s work right up to the end of the age. Ephesians 2:10, Matthew 28:19-20
18. The charts have vertical lines and these lines usually mark some past or future Biblically prophesied event, or an event in history proving and / or corroborating the prophetic truth of God’s Word. These lines typically illustrate points in time, but when put together, they show chronology and a sequence of events taking place one after another, God ordered events all moving towards the big event, the return of Christ to take up the saints, take out the enemy and take over the world.
19. There are many horizontal lines in the charts. These horizontal lines indicate that some events don’t take place at a point in time, but take place over time, that some events begin and then continue on for a while, whether that’s for a finite period of time, or an infinite period of time.
20. The overall theme of most charts is the coming of Christ, the end times, and how God will bring about His eternal kingdom and His everlasting glory. But there are many charts that speak about some particular theme, some other piece of the puzzle. Here are some examples of some of the specific themes: big picture charts about prophecy, going back in time and going forward in time; end time charts about events taking place at the present time and up to Christ’s return; rapture charts, and what we need to know, and how we should live in view of Christ’s coming; Jewish charts - their history, and God’s future plans for them; judgment charts about God’s wrath on the unbeliever; the millennial and eternal kingdom charts; verse charts – verses related to one main topic, one theme; song charts - verses from songs that speak about the coming of Christ; and world charts - one verse that is relevant to the church in these days.
21. There is much, much overlap and repetition in these charts, but this is good, and needs to be done so that so you can learn, understand and be convinced of prophetic truth.
22. My desire is for these charts to look sharp. I want the charts to be grammatically correct and artistically pleasing. If you see any errars, misspeled words, incorrect Bible references, something of out place, something not centered , any content you believe is incorrect, please let me know. Most importantly, I want to do that which is Biblical accurate, is true to God’s Word, to the prophetic truth of the Bible about the great future God has for us.
23. These charts are not in any particular order, but have been written and designed as the Holy Spirit has put them on my heart. Please let me know if you think of other charts that are needed, and that would be helpful.
24. Please feel free to print these charts for your own personal use and study, or for your family or church.
Our Lord, Savior and King, Jesus Christ, will be coming back soon! Might we love Him and be faithful to Him, learning what He tells us in His word about the coming of Jesus Christ. Mark 13:23. Might we not be in error concerning this vital and most important subject. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2. Might we be encouraging others about the return of Christ, and all the more as we see the day drawing near. Hebrews 10:25. Might we be like the men of Issachar and understand the times that we are living in, so that we can know what we should do and how we should live. 1 Chronicles 11:32. Might we remember the words of our Lord Jesus, “Behold, I am coming soon.” And might we be saying, with all our heart and soul, “Come Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:20
Article 11
By Steven J. Hogan
The following is an article which I expanded from a sermon I preached on Matthew 24 to my congregation last year.
I personally believe that Matthew 24 is the single most important chapter in the Bible for Christians on end-times' prophecy. If you don’t know anything else, first go to this chapter, and get to know it inside and out, especially in these days, in these years leading up to the return of Jesus Christ to this earth. The following is a study of Matthew 24:3-41.
JESUS, WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK?
Matthew 24:3. The disciples had been with Jesus for close to 2½ years and they are getting the idea that He is leaving them, that He is taking off for heaven, and they want to know when He is coming back. They want a little advance notice before Jesus returns, and so they ask Him for two signs, a sign of His coming, and a sign of the end of the age.
Let me define two important words from verse 3: First, there’s the word “coming” which is used in Matthew 24:3, 27, 37, 39. The word coming means arrival and continued presence. The disciples wanted a sign to let them know when Jesus Christ would arrive and be present and begin His reign over the world. Second, this word “age” is referring to the present age we live in, an evil age that began with the sin of Adam and Eve. The next age, the age to come, is the 1000-year millennial kingdom, during which time Christ will be reigning on earth (Ephesians 1:21). The truth that this present age will end is a major point in Matthew 24, and is mentioned in verses 3, 6, 13 and 14. Later on in this chapter, in verses 27 and 29, Jesus answers these two questions about the sign of His coming and the sign of the end of the age. Before He does that, He has a lot more to tell them, and us too, about what will be taking place before these signs occur, and therefore before Christ’s 2nd coming.
THE BIRTH PAINS – THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END
Matthew 24:4-8. These verses describe the “birth pains.” They take place during the end-times, that time period starting with the regathering of the Jews to Israel and ending with the coming of Christ (Daniel 12:4, 9). There has been much discussion as to when these signs started, or will start, but personally, I believe they have already begun, corresponding to the return of the Jews to their homeland which began in the late 1800’s. Let me mention some key points about these birth pains:
1. These verses describe four major events taking place all over the world during the end times. We read about false christs, wars, famines and earthquakes. Mark 13:6-8, Luke 21:8-11a, and Revelation 6:1-8 are all parallel passages to Matthew 24:4-8, confirming and emphasizing the importance of these birth pains. Luke 21 includes plagues and Revelation 6 includes economic distress, meaning that these things will also be occurring in the world during the time of these birth pains.
2. These events are global events, but they are not occurring in every sector, in every place, in every city in the world. We read that people “will be hearing of wars…” and “in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.” The words “hearing” and “various places” mean that many people in the world will not personally experience these events, but will hear that they are taking place. At this time in history, with the internet and smart phones, we almost immediately know when some catastrophic event is occurring in some other location. This was not possible 2000 years ago, let alone 100 years ago. It is quite clear that this verse could not have been fulfilled in the distant past, only now in these days with our modern technology.
3. These events are like the “birth pains” of a mother. Birth pains, the labor pains a woman experiences before the birth of her baby, will increase in both intensity and frequency. As we get nearer to the return of Christ, the events described in Matthew 24:4-7 will increase in intensity, be getting stronger and stronger, and will increase in frequency, be getting closer and closer together. As these birth pains continue to happen, I believe Christians especially will be able to sense that Christ's coming is getting closer and closer, as the writer of Hebrews has told us - "Encourage one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near." Hebrews 10:25
4. These “birth pains” do not constitute the day of the Lord’s wrath. They are not God’s cataclysmic judgments upon the entire world in the end-times. They are severe and devastating events taking place in various parts of the world, signaling to us that Christ’s coming and God’s wrath on earth is getting closer. But they cannot compare to God’s wrath that is detailed in Revelation 8-9, 16. Here is the order of events given to us in the book of Revelation: Revelation 6 describes the seals, the birth pains; Revelation 7 describes the rapture; and Revelation 8-9, 16 describe the wrath of God. Birth pains, rapture, and then wrath – that is the divine order. This is also what Matthew 24 tells us.
5. Matthew 24:6 says, “those things (the birth pains) must take place but that is not yet the end.” This word “end” is referring to the end of the age. These terrible disasters will be occurring in different places around the world, and increasingly so, but there is still a ways to go before Christ’s return. Just because these events are happening does not mean the rapture is imminent. As these "birth pains" take place, we know Christ’s coming is drawing near, but it’s not right away. Jesus makes the same point two verses later - “all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains.” These birth pains are only the beginning events that will take place and need to take place before the return of Christ to rapture the church.
6. Jesus instructs us to not be frightened. Yes, there will be many events that could make us fearful, but we are to trust God and not be afraid. “Do not fear, for I am with you.” (Isaiah 41:10). Many people react wrongly and worry when “terrifying” things happen. We are God's children, and Jesus is telling us ahead of time what will be taking place, and therefore, we should not be surprised or scared when these things occur. "Behold, I have told you in advance" (Matthew 24:25). “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage, for I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
7. There will be death associated with these events. A few verses later, in Matthew 24:28, we read, "Wherever the corpses is, there the vultures will gather." Revelation 6:8 speaks of this pale horse who had the “name Death; and Hades was following with him.” But again, these events spoken of in Matthew 24, Luke 21 and Revelation 6, are not aspects of the Day of the Lord, are not part of God’s wrath, His cataclysmic and devastating judgments on the entire earth. Psalm 46 is talking about wars and earthquakes, what I believer are some of these end-time events. In verse 10, God tells the believers living on earth at that time, “Be still and know that I am God, and that I will be exalted in the earth.”
SIX THINGS CHRISTIANS MUST KNOW ABOUT THE END TIMES
Matthew 24:9-14. This is a very succinct and critical section of verses describing what will be taking place in the end-times, and which will particularly affect Christians. Let me state them briefly: Verse 9 - There will be great tribulation, a worldwide hatred and killing of Christians. Verse 10 - There will be a great apostasy, a falling away of so-called Christians. Verse 11 - False prophets will be trying to lead people astray. Verse 12 - The world is growing increasingly wicked and unloving. Verse 13 - Many Christians will endure to the end of the age and be saved (raptured). Verse 14 - The gospel will be preached to the entire world, and then this age will end. These six things will most definitely take place before the coming of Christ and the rapture of the church, and are things you really need to know, understand and remember. Let me expand on them:
1. Matthew 24:9. There is tribulation. The word “tribulation” is from the Greek word “thlipsis”, meaning pressure, distress, or persecution. It’s a word often used in the New Testament referring to the difficulties Christians will go through in this life. The following passages tell us that all Christians go through tribulation: John 16:33, Romans 8:35, 1 Corinthians 7:28, 2 Corinthians 4:17, Acts 14:22 – “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Tribulation is very common for the Christian, but in the end-times, and particularly after the revealing of the Antichrist, there will be great tribulation.
This tribulation that takes place during the time when the Antichrist is ruling is great tribulation. But why? Because of its severity, for believers are being killed for their faith; and because of its scope, for it is happening all over the world – “You will be hated by all nations.” This tribulation spoken of in verse 9 is the same tribulation spoken of in verse 21. Matthew 24:15-16, along with Revelation 12:13-17, make it clear that this tribulation starts in Jerusalem and then spreads out, affecting Christians all over the world, that which is described in verse 9. But verse 22 tells us that this great tribulation will be cut short. That is, it will not last a full 3½ years, the last half of Daniel’s 70th week. We do not know exactly how long this tribulation will be, for we don't know when Christ will return to rapture the saints, for we don't know the day or the hour (Matthew 24:36). From Matthew 24:15-21 and Revelation 13, we understand that this tribulation is started by the Antichrist. This tribulation then is not the wrath of God, but the wrath of Satan. It is the persecution of believers by the Antichrist, but it is not the punishment of unbelievers by Christ.
2. Matthew 24:10. This talks about this great apostasy meaning that at this time, many people will fall away from the Christian faith. Lots of people will think they are Christians when they are not, which is evident in many so-called churches today. As this persecution is taking place, as the heat is being turned up against the Christians, these so-called Christians will leave their church, turn away from the faith, turn against true Christians, and turn them in to the godless authorities. A very sad and sobering time this will be, especially if our own family members turn against us and betray us. Luke 21:12-19
3. Matthew 24:11. Many false prophets will arise, their purpose being to lead people astray away from the one true God and one true faith. This most deceptive devil will do all he can to get people to defect and depart from Christ. There is a clear connection between the false prophets of verse 11 and the apostasy of so-called Christians in verse 10, for these false and devilish prophets will be influencing people to leave the true church, to turn away from Christ and, in fact, turn to the Antichrist.
4. Matthew 24:12. Lawlessness and sin will increase. This world will get more wicked and evil the closer we get to Christ’s return, especially after the emergence of the Antichrist. This godless, unrighteous and perverted man will lead this world into sin like never before. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, this Antichrist is actually called the “man of lawlessness.” The peace, civility and goodness we sometimes see in our country, much of it rooted in our Judeo-Christian culture, will be seen no more, except in Christians, like you and me. Our light will shine brightly in the darkness. Matthew 5:14-16, Romans 12:9-21
5. Matthew 24:13. This is a rapture verse. Jesus Christ is describing Christians who are living during the days of this great tribulation, and they are to persevere to the end of the age. Then they will be saved, which means they will be physically raptured by Christ. Life will be very difficult for Christians during this time of great persecution, but many will endure to the end, and then suddenly be taken from the earth to be with Christ. Those physically enduring to the end will also be spiritually enduring to the end, and will be victorious over the enemy. Romans 8:35-39 and Revelation 2-3 describe these believers as overcomers.
6. Matthew 24:14. The last verse of this passage that focuses on Christians really stands out, reminding us that our primary purpose in the end-times is to preach the gospel. We are not to shrink back or be fearful. We are to be strong and courageous, proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to the lost. This gospel is to be preached in the whole world, “and then the end will come.” What is this end? It is the “end of the age” spoken of in verse 3 and the “end” referred to in both verses 6 and 13. Matthew 28:19-20 essentially tells us the same thing – “Go make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and lo, I am with you always to the very end of the age.” Christians are to persevere and preach the gospel to the end of this age, and then Jesus Christ will return in the clouds to rapture them and take them to Himself, and then on to heaven.
Let me sum it up: Matthew 24:4-14 speaks of events taking place during the end-times. Matthew 24:4-8 speaks of events that will affect the entire world. Matthew 24:9-14 speaks of events that will affect just the Christians. This is a chronological passage, taking us all the way from the beginning birth pains right up to the end of this age and the gathering of the elect, the resurrection and rapture of all the believers.
WHAT ABOUT THIS ANTICHRIST? AND WHAT IS GOING HAPPEN TO THE JEWS?
Matthew 24:15-27. We have just talked about the Christians, but we need to continue, for Jesus has much more to tell us. Let me make some brief statements about these verses:
1. These verses focus on Jewish people living in Israel at the time when the Antichrist is revealed.
2. These verses are for all the elect, for the “reader” in verse 15 is most likely referring to Christians, those who are saved or will get saved.
3. Matthew 24:15-27 is a parenthetical to verses 9-14, for it takes place at the same time. The perspective and focus of verses 9-14 is the Christians, and that of verses 15-27 is the Jewish people. For example, verse 9 talks about tribulation, and verse 15 talks about the Antichrist, the one who starts the tribulation. Verses 13-14 speak about the end of the age, and verse 27 speaks about the return of Christ at the end of the age.
4. These two passages, verses 9-14 and verses 15-26, are next to one another, which means God’s work with the Jews in the end-times is in conjunction with, and coincides with, His work with the church. It is important to understand that God is bringing all things together in the end-times, culminating in the coming of Christ for both Christians and Jews. This convergence of God’s working with both Christians and Jews is also seen in Mark 13:3-23, Luke 21:12-24, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, Revelation 7 and Revelation 21:12-14.
5. The activity described in these verses starts at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week (a 7-year time-frame) and stops at the 2nd coming of Christ, which begins sometime during the last half of Daniel’s 70th week, a time unknown to us.
6. The great tribulation initiated by the Antichrist just after the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week, is cut short at the end of this age, just before the coming of Christ and the rapture of the church.
Matthew 24:15. This “abomination that causes desolation”, prophesied in Daniel 9:27, refers to the Antichrist’s desecration of the temple in Jerusalem at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week. Because of modern technology, people around the world will be able to “see” what is happening. Therefore, true Christians and discerning Jews will very quickly realize what is taking place over in Israel, that this is the Antichrist's doing, and that great tribulation will soon begin, affecting both Jews and Christians. 2 Thessalonians 2:3
Matthew 24:16-20. This instruction is for Jews living over in Jerusalem, for those Jews who are Christians and for those who become Christians, who together make up the elect. The instruction is clear - when the Antichrist is revealed, then the elect need to get out of Jerusalem as fast as possible, for the enemy will be chasing after them. Revelation 12:13-16 also describes this time, speaking of a remnant of Jews making a great escape (those who will get saved at the end of Daniel’s 70th week.) The Antichrist, very angry that the Jews have gotten away, will go after the Christians. Revelation 12:17 says, “the dragon was enraged… and went off to make war with the rest of her children who keep the commands of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” It is obvious that the “rest of her children” are Christians, for they love Jesus.
Matthew 24:21-22. The Antichrist is revealed at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week, and he immediately goes after the Jewish people, but a good number of them get away. This is when a great tribulation begins, and it is directed at the elect, that is, all present and future believers. These are ones who will not take the mark of the beast, and will not worship his image (Revelation 13:11-18). This great tribulation starts in Jerusalem and, that which is initially against Jewish people, spreads out all over the world, and is then directed at Christians. This great tribulation in verses 21-22 is the same as the tribulation spoken of in Matthew 24:9. Verses 21-22 tell us where it starts and that it is stopped, and verse 9 tells us about its severity and scope.
This worldwide persecution against both Jewish people and Christians is cut short. And it’s cut short for the sake of the elect, the believers on earth who are already saved, and the protected remnant of Jews who will be saved at the end of Daniel’s 70th week. This phrase “cut short” is also translated “amputated,” meaning this great tribulation does not last the entire 3½ years, but only for part of it. The rapture of the believers takes place after this tribulation period is over, and after the signs in the heavens. Matthew 24:29-31
Matthew 24:23-26. It's clear that Christ wants us to know what will be taking place in the end-times. He tells us, “Behold, I have told you in advance." Just think, Christ has told us ahead of time everything we need to know about the end-times. Should we not then want to know all that He wants us to know? In these verses, Jesus also gives warnings to the Jews about false Christs and false prophets. Many of them will be saying that Christ is on earth, that He is out in the desert or in some room, and that the Jews need to come and see Him. But the idea that Jesus comes back and is on land is absolutely false, for Christ is not coming on the ground but is coming in the air, which is just what we read in verse 27.
Matthew 24:27. The question given in verse 3, “what is the sign of your coming?” is now answered. The sky will turn dark and then suddenly be lit up, like a bright, brilliant lightning flash. It will be the Shekinah glory of Christ that will be seen around the world immediately before the resurrection and rapture of the believers. The 2nd coming of Christ will not be secret like His 1st coming, but will be known and seen by everyone on the planet. Verse 30 also talks about this, saying that the “sign of the Son of Man will appear (will shine) in the sky.”
LOTS OF PEOPLE WILL BE DYING
Matthew 24:28. This verse comes at the end of this passage about the great tribulation and just before the passage about the coming of Christ. All of us know that vultures are associated with death. Jesus shares this little saying reminding us that there will be corpses, that is, dead bodies on the earth. This illustrates that lots of people will be dying all over the world during the days of the birth pains and the great tribulation, which takes place before Christ’s 2nd coming. I believe it is also referring to that time after the rapture of the church, that which is called the “Day of the Lord,” when God pours out His wrath on the earth, and great multitudes of people die. (Revelation 6:8, 8-9). Millions and millions of people will die, both Christians and non-Christians in that time before and after the rapture of the church.
FINALLY, THE END OF THIS PRESENT EVIL AGE
Matthew 24:29-31. The climax and central message of this entire chapter is found in these three verses. Immediately after this great tribulation is cut short, the skies around the earth will grow dark, for the lights in the sky will be turned off. This answers the question “What is the sign of the end of the age?” Can you imagine how eerie, how scary, how frightening this will be for the unbelievers, but not for the believers, for we know what it means? And so all over the earth, it will be completely dark, and then suddenly everything will be lit up by Christ’s Shekinah glory, the beautiful and brilliant light of Christ’s glorious coming. The tribes of the earth will mourn and wail, but these are not Christians - these are referring to the very sad Jewish people, for they had rejected Christ as the true Messiah, but it may also refer to unrepentant unbelievers because they know what’s next, the dreadful and horrific wrath of God. Both Luke 21:25-26 and Revelation 6:12-17 speak about the unbeliever's great and unspeakable fear at this time.
FINALLY, THE RESURRECTION AND RAPTURE OF ALL THE BELIEVERS
Matthew 24:31. This wonderful and climactic truth is stated that, at the end of this age, all believers from all time will be being gathered together to be with Jesus Christ. There are two aspects to this gathering. First, there's the rapture, the gathering of believers “who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). Second, there is the resurrection, the gathering of believers who have already died and are in heaven. You see, verse 31 tells us that some of the elect are gathered “from one end of the sky to the other.” These coming from the skies must be referring to the resurrection of believers who had already died and gone on to heaven. But some are gathered from the “four winds,” which refers to the four directions on earth - north, south, east and west, and is therefore speaking of the rapture of the Christians from all parts of the earth. Revelation 7:9 tells us that it will be a “great multitude… from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues.” It is at this time that both resurrected and raptured believers are gathered and are glorified, and join together to meet Jesus Christ in the air above this earth, and then go from there straight to heaven. Mark 13:27, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, Revelation 7:9-14
LET’S TALK ABOUT TIMING
Matthew 24:32-34. These verses make it clear that God wants us to know the general timing of Christ’s return. “When you see all these things, recognize that He is near.” Christ gives us all this information in Matthew 24 so we can know what will be taking place before His coming. Isn't this encouraging and exciting? Just think, in the end-times there is a generation of Christians who will read Christ’s words in Matthew 24, and see these things actually taking place on earth, and then know that Christ’s coming is getting closer and closer. This could be you and me. Hebrews 10:25 instructs us, “Encourage one another and all the more as you see the day drawing nearer.”
Matthew 24:36. This states that no Christian can know the day or hour of Christ’s coming, that is, no one can know the exact time of Christ’s return. Jesus Christ has given us these verses in Matthew 24:32-35 so we can know the general time of His coming and the rapture. Therefore, don’t ever believe date setters, those people who wrongly set a date for Christ’s return. And don’t believe people who preach imminence, who say there are no signs or events that need to take place before the coming of Christ, and that Christ can come today, that He can come at any moment. This idea of imminence is just not true - it is error. These verses in Matthew 24 tell us there are signs Christ wants us to see so we can know that His coming is getting near. God wants His children to know the general time of His Son's return.
THE UNBELIEVERS HAVE NO CLUE AS TO WHAT IS COMING
Matthew 24:37-39. We have talked about the Christians, the Jews, and now we read about the unbelievers. The analogy is given about the days of Noah, and the unbelievers living at that time did not believe a flood was coming. They were not expecting it and therefore they were not ready for it. And so too, the unbelievers living in the days before Christ’s return will be eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting and building. They will be doing normal everyday things with no thought, no clue, no idea as to the coming of Christ. They will be unbelieving and ignorant, and will be caught off guard for suddenly there will be coming of Christ and then the Day of the Lord. Hebrews 12:31 warns us, "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Luke 17:28-29, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-9
SEPARATING THE GOOD FROM THE BAD
Matthew 24:40-41 tells us about the nature of the rapture. Some believers who are alive on this earth in the end times will be living with and / or close to unbelievers. But at Christ’s coming, the believers will suddenly be taken away from the unbelievers, taken from this earth, and taken to be with Christ and all the other believers who have gone to heaven before them. In my opinion, the most dramatic event, apart from Christ’s death and resurrection, and apart from a person’s salvation in Christ, is the rapture and resurrection of the believers at the coming of Christ! All Christians on earth will be quickly taken, suddenly and safely snatched from this earth to be with Jesus Christ! Then they will be fully saved, for they will be glorified, be given a brand new, immortal, powerful and spiritual body! 1 Corinthians 15:40-42
GOD’S WORD IS THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH ABOUT CHRIST’S 2ND COMING!
Matthew 24:35. Right in the middle of Matthew 24, the most important prophecy passage in the Bible, Jesus gives us this powerful verse, this super-strong statement regarding the absolute truth of God’s prophetic word. Planted in the middle of all this instruction for believers about the end-times is this emphatic exclamation point from Jesus Christ, telling us that what is written in Matthew 24 about His coming and the events leading up to it is the absolute, God-given truth. Without question, it will be fulfilled!
WHAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE BEFORE THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH?
In Matthew 24, this most important prophecy chapter, we have talked about many things that need to occur before the coming of Christ and the resurrection and rapture of the believers. Let me list them: 1 - False christs. 2 - Wars. 3 - Rumors of wars. 4 - Famines. 5 - Earthquakes. 6 - Great tribulation. 7 - Great apostasy. 8 - Betrayal of believers. 9 - False prophets. 10 - Increasing lawlessness. 11 - An unloving world. 12 - Christians persevering. 13 - The preaching of the gospel. 14 - The Antichrist desolating the Jewish temple. 15 - The Antichrist in pursuit of the Jews. 16 - The Jews fleeing and escaping. 17 - Death. 18 - Great tribulation being cut short. 19 - The sign of the end of the age. 20 - The sign of Christ’s coming. This great prophecy chapter makes it crystal clear that all these things will take place before the coming of Christ and the rapture and resurrection of the believers. Can you see how Matthew 24 is the most instructive chapter in the whole Bible on end times' prophecy for the Christian?
TAKE HEED TO WHAT IS WRITTEN IN MATTHEW 24
Dear Christian, do not ignore this chapter. Do not take it lightly. This is most serious and most sobering and most important, especially at this time in history. We are talking about the most difficult and challenging days ever for Christians who are living on this earth. This is critically needed information from Christ to you about the end times, for this will help you to be the overcomer God wants you to be. I encourage you to read it, reread it, and read it again. Study it, think about it, and pray over it, being convinced that it will all take place. Jesus Christ is not lying. He is telling you the truth, the truth about the end-times that you need to know and believe.
As the time gets closer, you may be part of that last generation of Christians on this earth that sees every one of these verses come true just like Jesus said. If you are not part of that last generation, then it may be your children, or your grandchildren, or friends or fellow church members. It is your duty and responsibility to tell them what this chapter is all about. Then one day not long from now, Jesus Christ will come back, and will lovingly, powerfully, quickly, and gloriously take all the believers who are on this earth to be with Him, and to be with Him forever and ever and ever. “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:20
Article 12
By Steven J. Hogan
“In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” - 1 Peter 1:3-5. “Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given us” - Romans 5:5.
A Christian needs specific spiritual ingredients to be able to live a fruitful, purposeful, rewarding and God-glorifying life. He needs God’s Word, grace, holiness, love, joy, faith, wisdom, fellowship, and he needs hope. When you buy a car or some appliance, there are often optional features that you can purchase, but when it comes to being a Christian, hope is not optional, it is not just some nice accessory. Hope is absolutely essential for your Christian life on earth. “But now abide faith, hope and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
Life can be very difficult, and sometimes it even seems impossible. 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 tells us how Paul felt with regard to his trials, “We were burdened excessively beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed we had the sentence of death in our own life.” Paul was certainly going through it. But isn’t it true that you have experienced trials, conflicts, sickness, persecution, weakness and spiritual weariness? And have there not been times when you didn’t sense any progress or victory in your life or in your church? You felt like you were stuck and going nowhere. You may have even felt like God had abandoned you. “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” Psalm 13:1
For the Christian there has to be a reason to keep going; there has to be light at the end of the tunnel. He has to know that it is worth it to live for the Lord, that it won’t be long before he is with the Lord, when all the things on earth will pale in comparison to the great joy of being with Him, of being in heaven, of being perfect, of being with friends, and of being rewarded. Hope is a precious grace from God to help you live for Him, to help you run hard for Him, to help you get up when you are knocked down, to help you keep going when you are persecuted. “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us… we ourselves groan inwardly… as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.” Romans 8:18-25
All of you have had experience with earthly hopes. You were a child, and you looked forward to Christmas and getting toys. You were a student and you studied hard, and you looked forward to when school was finally out. You are working at a job, and you are tired, and you are looking forward to the weekend. You are a family and it’s been a long year, and you are looking forward to going on vacation. You understand the idea of looking ahead to something positive after going through the daily grind of work or school, of being sick, or just going through a rough stretch in life. You need something to look forward to - you need hope.
Life is not easy for the Christian - it’s a fight against the flesh, it’s living in this evil word, it’s warring against the devil, it’s being tempted to sin. And how does God help us? Yes, He gives us the Holy Spirit and grace and the church. But He also knows we need hope, true Biblical hope, godly and heavenly hope. This is where worldly hopes won’t do. We are not to be like unbelievers who put their hope in the things of the world, the things that change, break, spoil, fade, rust, wear out, get lost or get stolen. We are not to put our hope in money, clothes, jewelry, homes or possessions. We are not to put our hope in having a boyfriend or girlfriend or getting married. We are not to put our hope in men or women, in parents or children, in teachers or employers, or in preachers or politicians. “Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation… How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord His God.” Psalm 146:3-5
We are not to be like unbelievers who try to get through tough times by “medicating themselves,” by eating comfort food or watching TV, by drinking alcohol or taking drugs, by watching movies or sports, by listening to music or playing video games, or by texting or talking to friends. But rather, we are children of God, and we are to get hope from God and we are to put our hope in God. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace.” Romans 15:13
In the Bible there are many examples of people who had godly hope, and here are a few:
* Simeon and Anna had hope, for they were looking forward to seeing the Messiah. Luke 2
* Paul had hope, for he was looking forward to being with Jesus Christ. 1 Thess. 4:15-17
* Abraham had hope, for he was looking forward to the city with foundations. Hebrews 11:10
* Abraham had hope, for he knew there was a resurrection from the dead. Hebrews 11:17-19
* Moses had hope, for he was looking ahead to the reward. Hebrews 11:26
* Jesus Christ had hope, for He was thinking about the joy that was set before him. Hebrews 12:2
Hope is what kept these saints going. They were all looking ahead to something much, much better. These men and women of God could keep going, could keep living for God, and could suffer because they had hope, because they had a glorious future awaiting them. Romans 15:4-5 tells us that we are to learn about hope from these Old Testament saints - “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide, we can have hope.”
In fact Hebrews 11, which is about these Old Testament saints, is all about hope. Yes, it is called the “hall of faith”, but it could also be called the “hall of hope”, for we note verse 1 - “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The godly men and women “did not receive what was promised” (verse 40) during their life on earth, and so they were hoping for things not visible, for the “city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God,” (verse 10). We have to see that hope is based on faith, on faith in God and in the promises of God. Faith then is essential for hope, for if there is no faith, there is no hope. Hope and faith go together - they are inseparable. Again, “faith is the assurance of things hoped for.” (verse 1)
What is hope? How can we define it? It is believing what God tells you in His Word about your future. It is the confident expectation of the future goodness of God upon your life. It is a present certainty about a future reality. Hope is a conviction, a confidence of what God will give you, particularly after your life on earth. It is believing in the future grace that God your Father wants to bestow on you, His child. This hope is not some fake mind game, some mental trick, some pumped up emotion to get you feeling good about the future. This hope is real - it is the truth of God in your heart about the great future God has for you. Hope is knowing and believing that you will receive wonderful gifts, eternal blessings, and great rewards after your life on earth.
But hope is surely not just about you. Hope is first and foremost about God, and in particular that God will be glorified like never before, that you will see this glory, experience this glory, and share in this glory. Hope means that you love God’s glory, and you will sing of His glory and speak of His glory. Hope means you are believing that you will see the glory of God, and that you will wholeheartedly and perfectly glorify God. Hope is about what you will receive, but much more so about the glory God will receive. “We exult in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:3. “Blessed be His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.” Psalm 72:19. “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27.
Hope is also knowing there is a prize, a reward, a most positive outcome for living for the Lord. How many runners run a race with no reason to run? None. How many runners run and don’t have a finish line in mind? None. Runners run for a reason, with a purpose and goal in mind. They run and keep running because they are looking forward to the results, the prize, the benefits of running, and the personal satisfaction of finishing the race. But for Christians, this hope is so much more than a prize, a medal, a ribbon, and finishing a race - it is a wonderful, incredible, and most enjoyable future that God has promised us. “You made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16:11
Let’s now talk specifically about this hope?
- Your hope is that you will be with Jesus Christ forever and ever. This is the single most important aspect of your hope, to be with the One who loves you and can’t wait to be with you. Think about forever being with Jesus Christ, looking at Christ, hearing His voice, talking to Him, enjoying His company, and seeing the love on His face for you. Think about being with God Himself, Jesus Christ in the flesh. Think of being with the One who is the Lord, Creator, Savior, Judge and King. I think of my wife Marsha – I love to be with her. And a husband and wife should love to be with one another. But how much more so should this be true with respect to Jesus, the One who saved us, our heavenly husband, our eternal lover, and our closest friend? He wants to be with us and we should want to be with Him, and our hope is that we will be with Him in the not too distant future. “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.” John 17:24. “And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore, encourage one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:18
- Your hope is that you will be with believers, with Christians, particularly with those you knew on earth, with family, friends and church members. But you will also be with those you didn’t know, those from times past - Noah, Abraham, Moses, Deborah, David, Isaiah, Esther, Mary, Peter, Paul, Luther, Calvin, Owens, Edwards, Whitfield, Spurgeon, Taylor, Elliot, etc. Can you imagine this? Can you imagine enjoying fellowship with all kinds of believers, from all of history, from all walks of life, from all over the world, with all kinds of God-glorifying stories? Now on earth you love being with the believers, and in heaven you will love being with the believers, but much more so, for your fellowship will them will be sweet, unbroken communion all the time. In heaven you will have perfect relationships, and you will always be loving and encouraging one another. You will be perfectly worshiping and serving the Lord with other believers. You will be in your heavenly home with believers. You may even fly off to the stars with believers. In all this there will be perfect joy, unity and peace. There will be no malice, anger, jealousy, covetousness, and there will not be a single conflict or single wrong word. There will be perfect love and perfect communication all the time. Even though now you may miss those friends and family members who have passed away and gone on ahead of you, be greatly assured that you will see them and be with them again, and be with them forever. I personally believe there will be a continuity of relationships from earth to heaven, from our life now to our life forever. I believe that the ones you know on earth are ones you will spend a lot of time with in the future. I believe you will serve the Lord in heaven with believers you knew on earth. It was said of Aaron at his death, “Aaron was gathered to his people” (Numbers 20:24), and so it will be said of us, that we will be gathered to our people. “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. For you are our glory and joy.” 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, 4:13-14; 2 Corinthians 4:13-14
- Your hope is that you will be in heaven, and on earth, that you will in fact be in the new heavens and the new earth - a perfect place, a perfect environment, a perfect universe, a place where there is absolute beauty, wonderful comforts, continuous joy, and incredible pleasures forever and ever. I assume you like to be in your own home – for you are safe and secure, you relax, you have good food, and you enjoy being with family members. Just think how much better your heavenly home will be than your earthly home? Revelation 21 talks about your new home, the new city, the heavenly Jerusalem, and it is a perfect cube, about 1470 miles per side. Your new home will be absolutely beautiful, a lot bigger than your earthly home, but much more homey. It will definitely and infinitely be better than your earthly home, for Jesus is there with you. “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6. You are going to a place that Jesus Himself has prepared for you, a place, a home where Jesus Himself will be. “My Father’s house has many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 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 also be.” John 14:1-3, Hebrews 12:22-24, Revelation 21:1-7
- Your hope is that you will receive a brand new body. Now you get tired, you get hurt, you ache, you get sick, you get sad, you cry, you still sin, you still do what is wrong, you get afraid, you worry, you get selfish, and you get angry. And yes, as a Christian on earth you are not a sinner but a saint, and you learn to be holy, you learn to do what is righteous, but you are still in a body that is weak and wearing out. The time will come, at Christ’s return, when every believer will be given a brand new body, a powerful body, an immortal body, a glorified body, and a spiritual body. “There will no longer be any mourning or crying or pain.” Revelation 21:4. This perfect body will be perfectly and wonderfully suited to love and serve God and Jesus Christ, to love and serve people, to enjoy the pleasures of heaven and earth, and to be able to live forever and ever. “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our humble state into the 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, 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 2 Corinthians 5:1-9
- Your hope is a great inheritance that God has stored up for you. God has a perfect and wonderful inheritance for His Son, and as God’s children, we will share in that inheritance. “…if children, heirs also, heirs of God, and fellow heirs of Christ.” To think that we are co-heirs with Christ is mind boggling, beyond imagination, for we will share in the beauties, the pleasures, the treasures, the wealth of both heaven and earth. “The Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance.” Ephesians 1:14. There is much said in the Old Testament about this hope, for it describes in some detail the coming 1000 year kingdom of Christ on earth, what we call the millennial kingdom, and after that will be the eternal kingdom. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.” Psalm 67, Psalm 72, Isaiah 60-61, 1 Corinthians 2:9, 1 Corinthians 15:20-28
- Your hope is that you will reign with Jesus Christ over the world. We live in a world that is very wicked, a world that is run by the devil and by sinful men, and here on this earth we do not see much holiness, righteousness, justice, love and mercy. We live in a very evil age but it will be a very good age when Jesus Christ comes and reigns on earth. During this millennial kingdom age, we will be with Christ in our perfect bodies, and we will together reign over an imperfect world. After that, during the eternal kingdom, we will reign with God the Father and Jesus Christ over a perfect world. “They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years” - Revelation 20:6. “He has made us to be a Kingdom, priests to His God, to Him be the glory and dominion forever and ever” - Revelation 1:6, 2:26, 3:21, 5:10, 20:6; Colossians 3:4; Psalm 47
This is our hope - being with Jesus Christ, being with believers, being in heaven, being in a new body, reigning with Christ and receiving an eternal inheritance! This is very good news! This is the full measure of the gospel, for the gospel is not just about this life, but about our eternal life, about being with Jesus Christ, with others, in heaven, and on earth, forever and ever. “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:17
As Christians we need perspective, we need to see the big picture, we need to see that life on earth is very short, but life in a perfect and glorious state and in a perfect and glorious place with perfect and glorious people and with Christ Himself, will be forever. And we need to see that it won’t be long before our hope becomes reality. We need to see that it is now worth it to live for the Lord and to work for the Lord, that it is the only wise and reasonable thing to do. We need to be “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our work in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:28. Our work in the Lord is eternally worth it. To live for Christ means that we will be blessed now and then be blessed forever.
Saints, we are just beginning our eternal life. We live only 70, 80 or 90 years on this earth. Then we will be with Jesus Christ, and reign with Christ for one thousand years. Then we will reign with Christ and our heavenly Father forever and ever. Do you get it? Do you see it? Do you want this? Do you desire this? We are often so short sighted, and we don’t spiritually see the incredible and wonderful future we have of forever being with the Lord Jesus Christ, of experiencing and enjoying the amazing and wonderful plans God has for us. “I know the plans I have for you, plans for welfare and not calamity, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
Why is hope important? What is the earthly value of heavenly hopes? You need this hope of your future if you are to live rightly for the Lord on earth. This hope purifies you, strengthens you, and it helps you persevere, for you know there is an end in sight. It gives you stability, for it is an anchor for your soul. Finally, it helps you see that it is smart to live for the Lord, for you will be greatly rewarded in heaven for your work on earth. Having this hope has a profound and positive affect on your life, your attitude, your desires and on your earthly work. You won’t be negative in a fleshly way, worried about the future, but you will be positive in a godly way, and excited about the future. “Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies Himself as He is pure.” 1 John 3:3. “We have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.” Colossians 1:5
Hope is needed for every saint who has ever lived during the Old Testament times or during this present church age. Every saint must have hope. But now we live in the end-times, and there are only two possibilities – either we will die and go to heaven or we will be raptured and go to heaven. Either way, the realization of our hope is not far away. For those of us remaining on earth, life will be getting tougher and tougher the closer we get to the return of Christ. Let me tell you what will be happening. We will be hearing of and / or experiencing wars and famines and plagues; we will be sharing the gospel; the world will increasingly hate us; there will be great persecution, and believers will be suffering and dying; we ourselves may suffer and die, or we may be ones who endure to the end of the age, and then we are raptured into heaven.
Do you see that we will need hope? Do you see that hope will be essential? Do you see that we won’t be able to live without hope? We will need to encourage one another to have hope. We will need to tell other Christians that Christ is coming back soon to give us relief from tribulation, to rescue us from wrath, to redeem us from this earth, to rapture us into heaven, and then to receive us to Himself. “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13, Titus 2:11-13 tells us that we are to be “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of your great God and Savior.”
How do you get hope? Where does it come from? It’s not from yourself, from anything you can do, or from anyone else. Hope comes only from God and is through the work of the Spirit in your heart. To get hope, you need to look to God’s Word which describes this hope. To get hope, think about being with Jesus Christ, have faith in God, remember the promises, and ask God to give you this hope. And you need to look to the example of saints in the Bible and the example of saints you know on earth.
The best example I have ever had of a person who had real hope was a friend named Mike, in fact, one of the best friends I have ever had. For most of his adult life he had an intestinal disorder, with the result that he was in pain every day, and many days he was in severe pain. But he was a man who loved God and the word of God, and therefore he was a godly man, a joyful man, a hope filled man. It wasn’t long after he became a Christian that God taught him about hope, and gave him hope. For close to 40 years as a Christian, he lived with this hope in his heart, of being with Christ, of being in heaven, of being with Christians, of being pain free, and of possessing a perfect body. I will never forget the time way back in the mid 1980s, and Mike and I were talking on the phone, and that was when he first taught me about hope, and the importance of hope. From God’s Word and from Mike’s life I learned about hope. “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of the inheritance of the saints.” Ephesians 1:18
Might God give you hope - might you be filled up and super charged with hope, and then you will not grow weary, you will persevere, you will be encouraged, you will be more holy, you will be filled with more joy, and then you will be giving glory to God. “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 Spirit.” But remember the number one thing about hope – “We shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17, Revelation 22:20
Article 13
By Steven J. Hogan
All Christians go through trials. It is part of the life that God has given us, and it is a necessary part of our life. We have been talking a lot about prophecy, and the truth is that the Christian will face many trials and even great tribulation in the end-times, in that time just before the return of Jesus Christ. It is important then to know what God says about trials, and He has much to say in His word about trials and their purpose in our lives. May the following verses help you to learn about trials and to learn through your trials, about God and His great glory, and about His abundant grace and goodness to you.
- “The brother of humble circumstance is to glory in his high position.” James 1:9. The trial is given to humble you, to show you that you are weak, and that you need God and His help. It is a humbling circumstance that is to result in a high position with God. It is not a high position with man that we should be concerned about, but a high position with God.
- “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted in the nations - I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10. This Psalm speaks about major worldwide trials, the kind that have occurred in the past, and particularly those that will occur in the end times. These cataclysmic events are to show you that God is God, and that you are but flesh, and that He will humble you, and all of mankind. God will do what He wants to do, and in the future He will be exalted in all the earth. Psalm 57
- “Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:3. The trial tests your faith, and it builds your faith in God, for you are to learn to trust God, and to continually trust God as you go through trials. This continued trust in God builds spiritual endurance in your life, resulting in spiritual growth.
- “He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’” 2 Corinthians 12:9. The trial is given to show you your weakness, your inability, your need for God. When you encounter a trial, you are to turn to God and trust Him, then you will experience all the grace you need to get through the trial in a God-glorifying way.
- “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. The trial is given to you so that you can be comforted by God. When you go through trials, you need comfort, not so much the comfort of men, but the comfort of God. In a trial, look to God so you can experience His comfort and encouragement, and it is this comfort that will help you to endure, to get through the trial with His love in your heart. Being comforted by God is a demonstration of His love for you, and knowing this love and care is essential as you go through trials.
- “If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation, for if we are comforted, it is for your comfort.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-6. The trial is given so you can be comforted by God, but also so you can then comfort others who are going through a trial. God wants you to learn to be a channel of His comfort, to pass on the comfort you receive from God to others.
- “Now I want you to know brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel.” Philippians 1:12. When you experience God’s grace in a trial, that can open up a door for the gospel. People may see when you are going through a trial but they can’t see why you are encouraged in that trial. It is up to you to tell them that God Himself is helping you and is giving you His grace. Going through a trial may give you the opportunity to share the gospel with an unbeliever who sees you at peace in the midst of your trial.
- “The Lord your God is testing you to find out if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 13:3. God wants you to love Him at all times, when things are good or when they are bad. When you are going through a trial it is very important that you love God, and that you express that love to Him. This love for God is an expression of your faith in Him, that you believe God is doing what is right and best for you.
- “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.” 2 Corinthians 4:6-7. Your body is an earthen vessel, and when you are in a trial, it is evident that you are weak, and that you cannot make it through this trial in your own strength. The trial is an opportunity to experience God’s power working in and through your humble and weak body. Then you can say, “Look what God has done.”
- “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.” Psalm 119:67. The trial is an affliction given by God, and it is often given to show you that you have gone astray from God, that you have been disobedient to God. The trial is given to get you back on track, to get you to obey God. The trial and the need to obey God may relate to one specific area of your life. It may be an area of love or holiness or fear. When you go through a trial, read God’s Word, and ask God to show you if there is a specific area where you need to obey Him.
- “Therefore men, fear Him; for He does not regard any who are wise of heart.” Job 37:24. Job 37 is all about the weather and, in my opinion, is the best weather chapter in the Bible. You all have experienced a storm stopping you from doing what you want to do. And so too, the trial is often given by God to stop you in your tracks, to keep you from doing what you want to do, to humble you so you look to God and see that He will do what He wants to do. The trial is given to you so that you fear God, so you see His greatness, power and glory.
- “You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf.” 2 Chronicles 20:15-18. The trial was the enemy who had a vast army, and Jehoshaphat was thinking of this great battle he would have to fight, but a fight that he knew he couldn’t win apart from God. In this trial he looks to God, and God does all the fighting for Him. In some trials you need to stand still and see the salvation of God.
- “You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf.” 2 Chronicles 20:15-18. Jehoshaphat saw the salvation of God, the victory of God. That is, this trial helped him to see God’s character – His holiness, His love, His power, and His wisdom. A trial is a tool that God uses in your life to teach you about Himself, about His amazing, perfect and wonderful character.
- “Or those eighteen who died when the tower of Siloam fell on them - do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Luke 13:1-5. A deadly accident or calamity or a murder can be a severe trial, for you see or hear of people who suddenly die. It may even be friends or family members, and you may wonder why. These kind of trials are designed to be a wake-up call to you, so that you recognize that God is sovereign, that God is holy, that you need to fear Him, and that you need to be humble and repent.
- “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 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 10:24-25. There will be great trials and great tribulation on earth before the coming of Christ. These trials are part of God’s plan to help you see that you cannot make it on your own, that you need one another. Trials are given to build God’s family, to bring us together, so that we then love one another, help one another and encourage one another.
- “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials...” James 1:2. God wants you to see that His joy is much more important than the world’s happiness. You can go through life looking for ways to be happy. God gives you trials so you stop looking for things or people to make you happy, for He wants you to look to Him so you experience His joy. Happiness is circumstantial, and goes up and down, but joy from God is to be constant, that which you are to experience at all times, not just when things are good, but even when things are bad. God wants you to have His joy all the time, and when you are in a trial, God is working in you and causing you to go to Him to receive the joy He wants to give you.
- “Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; you preserve me from trouble. You surround me with songs of deliverance.” Psalm 32:6-7. Sometimes the trial is that you are in danger - there is an enemy who is after you and who is too strong for you. In the midst of being attacked by the enemy, you need to go to God, for He is your refuge, and He will protect you and deliver you from evil, and from the evil enemy. “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly Kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” 2 Timothy 4:18
- “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-17. It is vital that you understand that trials are a means of eternal glory. This is a very encouraging truth! Might you not be shortsighted, but might you know that trusting God in the midst of an earthly trial will result in eternal blessings for you and eternal glory for God. Might you also see that your trial is not a heavy affliction but a light affliction, resulting not just in some temporary blessing but in an eternal weight of glory.
- “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2. Trials are oftentimes God’s pruning tools, designed to take away useless and dead branches in your life. What is the result of this spiritual pruning? It is holiness, it is purity, and more fruit, more earthly and eternal blessings, and more glory to God.
- “Not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that our tribulation brings about perseverance…and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint.” Romans 5:3. Trials can be very hard, and some can last for a long time, even for your entire life. How can you make it through trials like this? You need hope, you need to see the light at the end of the tunnel. You need to know that it is worth it to keep living for the Lord. You need to see that hope enables you to endure the trials you go through. You need to see beyond the trial, and past the trial. You need to see that heaven awaits you beyond this earth.
- “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.” Romans 8:28-29. Trials are some of those “all things.” You need to know and believe that God is sovereign over your trials, and is personally working in your life, causing all your trials to work together for good, and the ultimate good is that you will be glorified and that God will receive great glory.
- “Whom have I in heaven but You, and earth has nothing I desire besides you.” “Set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Psalm 73:25-26, Colossians 3:1-4. When you go through trials God is not just teaching you to have hope for the future, but to put your hope in the Lord, to know that He is all that you have got, all that you need, and all that you might want, now and forever. “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1
- “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” 1 Timothy 4:12. When you go through a trial, people oftentimes see how you respond when you are going through that trial. God wants people to see Jesus Christ in you as you are standing in that fiery furnace or lion’s den. Your faith in God during the trial encourages other believers around you to trust in Him.
- “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.” Isaiah 41:10. The trial is given to you so that you learn that God is with you, and that God never leaves you no matter how hard or difficult the trial. No matter what you go through in life, know that God will never forsake you. God is always with you, which means that He will lead you, protect you, encourage you, help you, and then bring you to glory.
- “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7, 1 John 4:17-18. Trials can result in fears, but God does not want you to succumb to these fears, but by God’s grace to conquer them, to get victory over them. Always remember that God is with you. Always remember that greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. Do not be afraid! You never need to be afraid of anyone or anything!
- “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 1:6-9. You may be timid, but God is training you not to be timid, but to be strong and courageous, and trials are part of His training plan. God puts you in a tough situation, and you are not to be weak, wimpy or fearful. You are God’s soldier, and you are to know that He is with you, and that you are to boldly and courageously fight for God, for others, and for His glorious and eternal cause.
- “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Psalm 24:19. You may not like this verse, but it is true. As Christians, we will face many trials in life. That's the way it is, and it is God’s way for you. But the promise is that God will deliver you from all of life’s trials and difficulties, from every single one of them. Remember, there will be a time when there is no more mourning or crying or pain, or death. To God be all the glory!
Might God use these truths about trials to teach and train you to be the godly man or woman He wants you to be. Remember, trials are for your good, for the good of others, and for the glory of God.
Article 14
By Steven J. Hogan
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Can you imagine being with Jesus Christ in a perfect place, with perfect people, and in a perfect body? This is our hope, and this hope will soon be a reality for each one of us. “For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay” (Hebrews 10:37). Yes, times will get tough with the coming birth pains and great tribulation, but God is sovereignly and wonderfully working in our lives and in this world to the very end of this present age. Then our Savior will come at that perfect hour, on that perfect day, the Day of Christ, and all believers, those still on earth and those already in heaven, will be glorified. "Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23:6
BEING WITH JESUS - “This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John 17:3). Eternal life is knowing God and Jesus Christ, having a personal relationship with them now and forever. Yes, your eternal life began that first day you were saved on earth, but it will wonderfully continue in heaven. The shackles of sin, being fully gone, will enable your relationship and walk with God to be taken to new and heavenly heights. The grace, goodness, and glory of God will be revealed to you in amazing and profound ways. Jesus prayed, “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
Can you imagine what it will be like the first time you are with Jesus? He will see you, and He will be overjoyed to see you. You will hear His kind and tender voice as He expresses His love for you in the warmest way. He will enthusiastically welcome you into heaven, and into His presence, and He will commend you, “Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of your Master.” Matthew 25:21
Can you imagine seeing Jesus? You will be so be amazed and so much in awe. You will be thrilled to see Him, His face and sweet smile for you. Filled with overwhelming joy, you will express your gratitude to Him for all that He has done for you. Your eyes will see the holes in His hands, side and feet, and immediately you will be reminded of His supreme sacrifice for you, that while you were a sinner, He suffered and died for you. You will be able to personally thank Him for the amazing miracle of taking you from earth to heaven, from an unholy place to a holy place, from a sin corrupted body to a new glorious body. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” 2 Corinthians 9:15
To think that you will actually see Jesus your Savior, your Lord, your husband and your best friend. You cannot imagine how good it will be to see Him for the first time, to be with Him and to hear His voice. You cannot realize how good it will be the first time you see His face, the first time you will be with Him, the first time He will talk to you and you will talk to Him. Job 19:25-27
Think about the continual love, joy and peace you will be experiencing together. It will be so good, so encouraging, so heart-warming, and you know that it will never end. The eternal life that began on earth will continue on in heaven and on earth. Eternal life is knowing the Lord Jesus, and you have known Him, but now in heaven you will know Him in a fuller, deeper and more intimate way. This glorious revealing of Jesus Christ and His glory will continue on forever. Indeed, there is nothing better than this. “My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.” Psalm 84:2
BEING IN A NEW BODY - In the future you will be perfect. There will be absolutely no more sorrow, tears or sadness, no more sickness, tiredness or weakness, no more sin, no more pride, selfishness, anger or fear. Your sin-prone body is good enough for earth, but it is sure not good enough for heaven. Soon enough it will be gone, and you will forever be freed from the sinful flesh, and its effects on your mind and body. “… so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life… we prefer to be absent from the body and at home with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:4-8
This new body will be beyond superlatives, for all the bad and evil stuff associated with your old flesh will someday, and soon, be gone forever. Your earthly tent will be destroyed and then you will be clothed in your heavenly house. You can’t imagine how amazing, how good, how perfect this will be. Yes, you were justified, yes, you are being sanctified, but to be glorified, to be in a perfect, powerful, immortal and spiritual body is way beyond human comprehension. “We have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” 2 Corinthians 5:1
Your new mind will be perfect in every way, not infinitely perfect like Christ, but still perfect, perfectly suited to learn, and to learn from the Lord, to understand His Word like you have never understood it before. You will be able to lovingly and clearly communicate to others, to have perfect conversations, to unitedly team with others in serving the Lord. With a perfect heart and perfect memory, a mind that is super sharp, you will be able to spiritually and mentally do all that God wants you to do. You will rule and reign with the Lord, and you will completely carry out all His plans for your entire eternal existence. Indeed, with a new mind in a new body, you will be able to perfectly worship God, perfectly serve God, and perfectly experience the great glories of God, and of Jesus Christ. Psalm 145:1-2
You will have a glorified mind, a glorified soul, a glorified personality and glorified emotions. On earth your mind and soul are daily dimmed, dampened and cramped by sin, but this will not be true in the future, for all vestiges of sin will be gone, and now the new creation, the new you will be perfectly and beautifully seen for that which God had eternally planned. Your whole being, your whole mind, soul and body will be just the way God wants it to be. You will love the Lord and be loved by Him, you will love people and be loved by them, and you will live for the Lord and glorify Him forever. Just think, you will be fully and wonderfully saved. And in your glorified state, you will be different than all others, for there will no others in the universe like you - there will be no twins, no clones, no robots in heaven, just a heaven full of beautifully unique and perfect saints, all loving the Lord and living for Him.
1 Corinthians 15:42-44. You will have a powerful body, and you will be so strong, with no weaknesses, no deficiencies. People on this earth go to the fitness center, and work out and exercise, and some of this is good. And people on this earth need to sleep. But in heaven you will never work out, never be weak or tired and never need to sleep. You will always be super strong, fully energized, always feeling good, and always able to do whatever God wants you to do. You will have places to go, people to see and things to do, an eternal life to live, and you will never lack the ability, the strength or the energy to do it all.
You will have an immortal body, a body designed and made to last forever. On earth you had at best a 70, 80 or maybe 90 year old body, but in heaven, it will be an eternal body, a body with a brand new schematic, for God will have created it to live forever and ever. It will be an indestructible body, infinitely better than Superman, Iron Man or Captain America, for you will be like Jesus Christ and the angels - you will be immortal and perfectly godly in every way. 1 John 3:2, Philippians 3:20-21, Luke 20:36
You will have a glorified body, not a dishonorable body, not a body that will bring dishonor to the Lord. It is a body that will only do what is good, right and true. Your glorified body will have the perfect height, weight, color and proportions. You will have a perfect face, perfect hair, perfect eyes, perfect hands and perfect feet. This body will be absolutely beautiful, with no blemishes or imperfections. Since your new body will be like that of the glorified Christ, you can communicate with Christ, love Him and enjoy fellowship with Him. In heaven we will all be the same kind of beings, with the same kind of bodies and the same kind of minds, and we will all be perfect and glorified. Yet in heaven, you will be wonderfully special, and distinct from all other believers and all other angels.
You will have a spiritual body. Yes, it will be a physical body, but also a spiritual body in that it is not a natural body, not a body that can sin or be tempted to sin. The old body, in its all fleshly humanness, sins every day in thoughts, words and actions. Yes, by God’s grace, you are now enabled to do what is right and good, but that’s only some of the time. And that’s because you are not yet glorified, and because the world, the flesh and the devil hound and harass you every day, making it impossible for you to be perfect on earth, to be and do all that God wants.
In the future you will have this spiritual body, a body that is both spiritual and physical in nature. It will be a body that will be perfectly suited for the purposes that God has for you in worshiping and serving Him. It will be a body that will be able to think, say and do all that God wants. It will be a body always controlled by the Spirit, led by the Spirit and empowered by the Spirit, for then the Spirit will not be hindered in any way. You cannot imagine the blessing and glory this will be, to always be spiritually-minded and godly. You are now God’s child, but after your life on this earth, you will be a perfect child, for you will always be pleasing to your heavenly Father.
In the near future, you will have a powerful, immortal, glorified and spiritual body, a body that is perfectly made and suited to fully and forever carry out all the plans God has for you. You will be able to perfectly understand the goodness, grace and love of God, and able to perfectly learn more and more about the infinite glory of Jesus Christ. Perfect praise, love, obedience, holiness, serving, joy, peace, kindness, and communication will be your everyday life and experience.
BEING WITH BELIEVERS, WITH LOVED ONES AND FRIENDS - Imagine what the fellowship in heaven and on earth will be like. You will be with friends you knew and spent time with on earth, but then you will be with them forever in heaven. And no matter how good your relationships are on this earth, your heavenly and eternal friendships will be infinitely better. Think of worshiping the Lord with other believers, of singing to Him and praising Him. Think of being teamed up in serving the Lord, of being perfectly united in doing exactly what He wants you to do. Think of the great and perfect love you will have for one another, the pleasurable experiences, and the enjoyable things you will do together. Think of traveling around the world, visiting people and going to places you have never been before. Think of traveling to the distant expanses of the heavens, and enjoying and marveling at God’s beautiful star-lit creation.
Think of how you will visit people you have never met before, saints who are spoken of in God’s Word - Adam and Eve, or Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Joshua, Ruth, David, Elijah, Isaiah, Mary, Peter and Paul, and we could go on and on. How encouraging this will be - meeting them, talking with them, and having fellowship with them. You will converse with them about the Lord, and I am sure you will hear many wonderful stories of His working, of His greatness, power, patience, mercy, love, faithfulness and holiness during their time on earth.
Think of having fellowship with saints who lived during the church age – Irenaeus, Augustine, Huss, Luther, Calvin, Knox, Edwards, Whitfield, Spurgeon, Ryle, Elliot, Warfield, Jones, Graham and MacArthur. Think of all the people you read and heard about - now you will see them and be able to talk to them about their lives on earth, and how God led them and worked through their lives. Think of people you have never met before, children of God from all parts of the planet, from all of history, who loved and served the Lord. Many may have seemed like nobodies, but in God’s eyes, they are all somebodies, all special, all saints, all holy to Him, all loved by Him. In all this, you will have all of eternity to be with them - there will be no rush, no deadlines, no hurry up and get to the next meeting - just plenty of time to be encouraged by the goodness, greatness and glory of God in their lives. Psalm 136 - "His lovingkindness is everlasting."
Think of visiting believers who were spouses, parents, children, family members or fellow church members. This will no doubt be a big part of your life, for I believe that the believers you know well on earth will be ones you will know well in heaven. There will be a God planned, God ordained connection from your time on earth to your time in heaven, and your time on earth again. All this seems too good to be true, but it is true, for by God’s grace, you will be with all the other believers, continually worshiping God, continually enjoying wonderful fellowship, and continually experiencing the joy and love of the Lord. Psalm 16:11
THE BIG PICTURE – What about the timing of all this? You are now living in the end times, and it won’t be long before the return of Christ, the coming of Christ. You will soon leave this earth by death or by rapture, and then you will be with the Lord in heaven. And it is at Christ’s coming that you will be glorified, that you will receive your new and perfect body. And you will remain with the Lord Jesus in heaven for a short while, during which time there will be the great judgment of God on earth, the Day of the Lord, God’s wrath poured out upon all the unbelievers. Then there will be the salvation of a great remnant of Jews, and the kingdom of Christ will begin and the next age will start. Revelation 11:15 says, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.” All glorified saints will come back to earth for the millennial kingdom and will reign with Jesus Christ for 1000 years.
After that begins the eternal kingdom with the new heavens and the new earth. Heaven and earth will be joined together with no separation of God and man, but God and man will all be together at home in the heavenly city on earth. To think that God Himself will come down to be with us. Such love we cannot now imagine, we cannot now fathom. But it is true, and the time will come when God will be with us, and we will be with Him, and we will perfectly express His love to us, and we will perfectly express our love to Him, and this will go on forever and ever and ever. “I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them.” Revelation 21:3. Amen.
Article 15
By Steven J. Hogan
Jesus Christ has good reason to come back to earth, and in fact, many good reasons. But you need to first understand that He is not just going to drop in and see how things are going. He’s not making some casual visit to this planet, making stops in a few cities, seeing some Christians, giving some speeches, and then leaving. He is coming to stay. Jesus Christ is the Lord of this earth, and He is a holy judge, a sovereign King, and a loving Savior. This is His planet. He made it. He owns it. He’s going to do what He wants to do, what He has a right to do, and what He has already planned to do.
Way back in eternity past, God foreknew and predestined the life of Jesus Christ. We are all aware of Christ’s 1st coming, being born, living, and dying on this earth to pay for our sins, and then being raised from the dead. Both God’s Word and history tell us about Christ’s brief stay on earth. But God’s Word also tells us what will be taking place at His 2nd coming. It is no mystery to God, and He has not left it a mystery to us. God has told us ahead of time what will be taking place because He wants us to know why Christ is returning to earth, and to be looking forward to seeing Him and being with Him when He comes back.
Why is Jesus Christ coming? Let me say it simply: Christ is coming back to take up the saints, to take out the enemy, and to take over the world. It’s the rapture of the saints, the wrath of God, and the reign of Christ. But there is so much more than this. Let me list some general reasons why our Lord and Savior is returning to this world (the Biblical reasons in the following lists are by no means comprehensive in God’s future plans – there is much more).
* Jesus Christ is coming back to carry out His Father’s eternal will and purpose for planet earth. Matthew 6:9-10, Psalm 33:8-12
* Jesus Christ is coming back so that all things and all people in heaven and earth will be summed up in Him, and will be under His authority and control. Ephesians 1:9-11
* Jesus Christ is coming back because He’s going to keep His promise. Hebrews 10:37; Revelation 22:7, 12, 20
* Jesus Christ is coming back to fulfill God’s Word, to carry out all His plans for this world, and the people living in it. Matthew 5:17-18, 24:35; Revelation 22:18-19
* Jesus Christ is coming back to bring this present evil age to an end, to start the new age, and to establish His kingdom on earth. Ephesians 1:11-21; Psalms 47, 67, 72, 96
* Jesus Christ is coming back for His bride, for He loves her, and He can’t wait to take her home to heaven, to celebrate the wedding feast, to show her His glory, and then to reign over the world with her. John 14:1-3, John 17:24, Revelation 19:7-9
* Jesus Christ is coming back to clean up a world that has been polluted and messed up by sin and Satan. It must be a holy place before He can begin His reign over the earth. Revelation 4-9, 16
* Jesus Christ is coming back to fulfill the promises God made to Abraham and his descendants. Genesis 12:1-3, Isaiah 41-66, Acts 3:17-26, Romans 11:25-27
* Jesus Christ is coming back to be worshiped, for every knee to bow and every tongue to confess that He is Lord of heaven and earth. Philippians 2:9-11, Revelation 5:13
* Jesus Christ is coming back so that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.” Habakkuk 2:14
* Jesus Christ is coming back because God’s character demands it. He will be holy and judge sinners on the earth. He will be loving and rapture believers from the earth. He will be faithful and carry out God’s will on earth. Isaiah 42:1-4; Matthew 24:3-40; Revelation 4:8
There are many good reasons why Jesus Christ is coming back, and no one is going to stop Him. His great and glorious plans for us and this earth need to be fulfilled. Therefore, Christ must come back; He wants to come back; and He cannot not come back. And no one - no man, no woman, no angel, no devil, no demon - will deny Him, stop Him, or thwart any of His purposes and plans. “O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; for you have worked wonders, plans formed long ago with perfect faithfulness.” Isaiah 25:1
Do you see where we are at in the whole big scheme of things? We are living in the last part of this present age, what is often called the church age. God’s plans for this church age are now being carried out, and Jesus Christ, His Son, is executing these plans, is fulfilling His Father’s will, is building the church. And this is our time to live, to be faithful to God, to use our talents for His purposes, to do our job in building His Kingdom, and to make disciples of all the nations until the end of the age. But we are now living in the end-times (Daniel 12:4), and therefore we know that this present age is coming to a close, that our stay on this sin-filled earth is about over, and that specific, God ordained plans for the church will soon begin to be fulfilled.
At this time Jesus Christ is in heaven, and He is waiting for the signal from His Father to return to earth to bring this present age to a close, and then begin His millennial kingdom. Here are some reasons why Christ is coming back at the end of this age:
* Jesus Christ is coming back to give Christians relief from the great persecution that they will be experiencing on this earth. Matthew 24:21-22, 2 Thessalonians 1:7
* Jesus Christ is coming back to rescue the Christians from God’s wrath that will be poured out upon this world. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, 5:9
* Jesus Christ is coming back to give Christians rest from their labors. Revelation 14:13
* Jesus Christ is coming back to resurrect the believers already in heaven, to glorify them, and to gather them to Himself. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, Philippians 3:20-21
* Jesus Christ is coming back to rapture the Christians from the earth, to glorify them, and to gather them to Himself. 1 Thessalonians 4:17, Matthew 24:31
* Jesus Christ is coming back to redeem the Christians from their sinful bodies and from this evil world. Luke 21:28, Ephesians 1:14
* Jesus Christ is coming back to reunite you with all the believing friends and loved ones you knew on earth who have gone on ahead of you. 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, 4:13-14
* Jesus Christ is coming back to reward you for all your work for Him. 2 Corinthians 5:9, Revelation 22:12
* Jesus Christ is coming back to pour out His wrath on the unbelievers, during what is called the Day of the Lord. Psalm 98:9; Jude 14-15; Revelation 8-9, 16
* Jesus Christ is coming back to destroy Babylon, the sinful and Satanic religious and economic world systems. Revelation 16-18
* Jesus Christ is coming back to destroy his chief enemy on the earth, the devilish Antichrist and his evil empire. Christ will then cast him and his wicked partner, the false prophet, into the lake of fire. 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9, Revelation 19:19-20
In the near future Christ will visibly return to this earth, and then reign over this earth from Jerusalem for exactly 1000 years. How wonderfully glorious this will be, and to think that we will be with Him, worshiping Him, helping Him to reign, and promoting His name, His cause, and His glory all over the earth. Let me share some reasons why Christ is coming back as it relates to the Jews on earth, the glorified believers, the millennial kingdom, and His great judgment at the end of the millennial kingdom:
* Jesus Christ is coming back to receive His inheritance from His Father. Psalm 2:6-8
* Jesus Christ is coming back to save a large remnant of Jews. Romans 11:25-27
* Jesus Christ is coming back to shepherd His flock. Micah 5:4
* Jesus Christ is coming back so He can be King over the world, reigning on this earth during what is often called the millennial kingdom. Zechariah 14:11, Revelation 11:15, Psalm 2:6-9, Isaiah 9:6-7, Daniel 7:13-14, 27, Micah 5:4
* Jesus Christ is coming back so that both the recently glorified believers and the newly saved Jewish believers can reign with Him over the world. Revelation 20:6
* Jesus Christ is coming back to give the Jews the land that was promised to Abraham. Genesis 12:1-3, 13:14-15, 15:18-21
* Jesus Christ is coming back to possess Judah as His portion, and to rule over the earth from the holy land, from Mount Zion. Zechariah 2:12
* Jesus Christ is coming back to save a great number of Gentiles during the millennial kingdom. Psalm 67:2, Romans 15:9-12
* Jesus Christ is coming back to teach the truth of God to the people on earth. Isaiah 54:13
* Jesus Christ is coming back to lead and guide the nations on the earth. Psalm 67:4
* Jesus Christ is coming back so that the kingdoms of the world will worship and serve Him. Psalm 22:27-31, Psalm 102:21-22
* Jesus Christ is coming back so that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. Habakkuk 2:14
* Jesus Christ is coming back to rule the world with a rod of iron. Psalms 2:9, 110:1-2
* Jesus Christ is coming back to put all His enemies under His feet, including death itself. 1 Corinthians 15:25-26, Revelation 20:14
* Jesus Christ is coming back to carry out the overthrow and final defeat of the devil, and then cast him into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:7-10
* Jesus Christ is coming back to judge the unbelievers who are on this earth at the end of the Millennial Kingdom, and then cast them into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15
I hope you are beginning to see that God has many great plans for your future and the future of this world. It’s important for you to see that life is not so much about what you are doing but much more about what God is doing and will be doing. On this earth, men and women go here and there, hustling and bustling, hurrying and keeping busy, making plans and doing what they want to do.
As Christians we too can be focused on our life and our own little world and the things we are doing, but we need to get our eyes off of ourselves – we need to be looking to God. We need to be reading His Word. We need to see the big picture. We need to see what He will be doing. And we need to be seeking God’s Kingdom, and praying for His Kingdom to come. “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10, 33. Ultimately, all of God’s plans will be carried out. “The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands firm forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation.” Psalm 33:10-11
It won’t be long before Jesus Christ returns and everything will change! He will interrupt our little lives, and stop us and this earth, right in our tracks. None of us can fathom how different this will be, going from a devil-ruled, man-centered, sin-dominated world, to Christ suddenly taking over and doing what He has always planned on doing. The Lord and Savior will be back, the Judge is coming, and the King will be here to stay. This is good news for the believer, for he will experience the mercy and goodness of God; but this is bad news for the unbeliever, for he will experience the justice and wrath of God.
We need to wake up to the truth of Christ’s 2nd coming and the reasons for His 2nd coming. We need to do God’s work and hasten the coming of Christ, and the fulfillment of His plans for us and for the entire world. It won’t be long. You wait and see. In these days of the end-times, God is now carrying out His plans, and He knows exactly what He is doing. In fact, His work with everyone and everything on this planet is going precisely according to His eternal plan. Isaiah 46:9-11 – “I am God and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure, calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of My purpose from a far distant country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.” Amen.
Article 16
By Steven J. Hogan
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of Him as my Lord, Savior and King, as One who loves me so, so much, who thinks about me all the time, who really cares for me, and who always wants my best! “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you. Abide in My love.” John 15:9
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of Him as my friend, lover and husband, the One whom I love more than anyone else in this world! “Whom have I in heaven but You, and besides You, I desire nothing on earth.” Psalm 73:25
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of how He has loved me and thought of me and had me on His heart since eternity past, of how He and the Father made wonderful plans for my life! “In love He predestined me to adoption as His son through Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 1:4-5
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of how He is the creator and sustainer of the world, of how He is supreme, holy and all powerful, of how He is God, and yet “He did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave… He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:6-8
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of how He came into this world as a baby, and how He grew up and became a man. I think of how He lived a perfect life. I think of Him all alone, shamefully hanging on that cross, with that beaten and bloodied face, suffering for me, dying for me, poured out like water, paying for all my sins, bearing the wrath of God! “Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned He stood – sealed my pardon with His blood. Hallelujah, what a Savior.”
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of His body in the tomb those three days, but then His Father powerfully raised Him from the dead on the third day, and glorified Him! This was for the Father, but also for me, that I may someday be with Him in glory! “Christ has been raised from the dead… by a Man also came the resurrection from the dead.” 1 Corinthians 15:20-21
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think back to that day, how by His Word, by His grace, and by the Holy Spirit, I repented of my sins, and believed that He died and rose again for me. On that day, I gained eternal life, and first came to know Him! “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” John 17:3
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of how because of Him, I am redeemed from slavery, forgiven of my sins, reconciled to God, adopted into His family, made an heir of God, sealed by the Spirit, placed into Christ, made a citizen of heaven, and am forever holy in His sight and in the sight of God the Father! Ephesians 1:4-7
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of how I am God’s workmanship, and was “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that I would walk in them!” I am glad that I can work for Him. Ephesians 2:10
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of how He ascended into heaven and is now at the right hand of the Father, looking down at me, loving me, praying for me, protecting me, carrying out His plans for me, and looking forward to being with me! “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” Romans 8:34-35
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of how I will be like Him, how I will be given a powerful, immortal, glorified and spiritual body! How blessed I will be, and all because of Him. “We eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of my humble state into conformity with the body of His glory.” Philippians 3:20-21
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of how He is the Word of God, the Living Water, the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, the Resurrection, the Way, the Truth, the Life, and the Good Shepherd. Indeed, He is all I need! “I shall not want.” “Because Your love is better than life, my lips will praise You… my soul is satisfied...” Psalm 63:1-5
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of how He will be coming back on the clouds, and how I will physically see Him for the first time. How amazing, how glorious that day will be! “Yet from my flesh I shall see God; whom I myself shall behold, and whom my eyes will see and not another. O, how my heart yearns within me.” Job 19:26-27
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of how He desires that I be taken to heaven so that He can be with me, and so that I can be with Him, and so that I may know the fullness of His love, and that I may see and be satisfied by His perfect and infinite glory! John 17:24
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of the millennial kingdom, and how I will see Him on His throne in Jerusalem, ruling and reigning over this earth, how I will be with Him in glory, and will rule and reign with Him! “They will be priests of God and Christ and will reign with Him for one thousand years.” Revelation 20:6
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of how in His presence there will be no sin, sadness or sorrow, but only gladness of heart, fullness of joy, and pleasures forever. O, the wonders and delights of heaven, of being with Him, and enjoying Him forever! “The Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:17, Psalm 16:11
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of how in the Kingdom ages, He will give me work to do, work suited for me, work which is meaningful, beneficial for others, tireless, eternally rewarding, and God exalting! “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things - I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your Master.” Matthew 25:21
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of being with all the other saints and angels in the heavenly choir, and how we will all sing to Him, worship Him and exalt Him; and every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord, to the glory of God the Father! “O, sing to the Lord a new song.” Psalm 98:1, Philippians 2:10-11
When I think of Jesus Christ, I think of being with Him in the eternal kingdom, in the new heavens and the new earth, in the heavenly city, in my heavenly home, and loving Him, worshiping Him, and reigning with Him and serving Him forever and ever! “They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads... And they will reign forever and ever.” Revelation 22:4-5
When I think of Jesus Christ, I know I am still on this earth, but I remember His last words from Revelation 22:20 – “Behold, I am coming soon,” and that it won’t be long before I will see Him and be with Him - it won’t be long at all! “Come, Lord Jesus.”
Article 17
By Steven J. Hogan
All of us need to learn the lesson of stewardship, of being good managers of the things God has given us, whether that is abilities, gifts, talents, time, money and our body. As we become good stewards, then we are more useful to God, and are able to serve Him in a way that pleases Him, and gives Him great glory. Might we all look forward to that day when Jesus will say, “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things - I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your Master.” Matthew 25:21. Listed below are a number of principles and truths about time, this wonderful and most important gift that God has given to each one of us. Might we be good and faithful slaves. To God be the glory!
* “His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:2
* “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
* “Make the most of your time because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:17
* “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34
* Live life today. Don’t live in the past or in the future. Live one day at a time. Matthew 6:34
* You can’t speed up time and you can’t slow it down. You can’t make your life go faster or slower - it always moves at a constant rate. One hour is always one hour, and one day is always one day.
* The time you have is what God Himself gives you. Time is a very precious gift from God.
* You can never gain or get more time. (Exception – Joshua 10:12-13)
* You can’t buy time, earn time or trade for more time. You can’t get time from anyone else.
* You can’t get a day back, and therefore you can’t get time back – once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.
* Time is very valuable because it is a decreasing commodity. Your life gets shorter every day.
* Time is more valuable than money for you can make more money but you can’t make more time.
* The time that God gives you relates to the things He wants you to do. Purpose ~ Time
* If you are alive today, then you know you have a reason, a purpose for living this day.
* You won’t die, you won’t finish your days on earth until you finish your work on earth. Acts 13:36
* The value of your time relates directly to using the abilities and talents that God has given you. Maximize your time by focusing on the things that God has gifted and enabled you to do.
* Use your time to be godly. Use your time to trust God. Use your time to obey God. Use your time to be fruitful. Use your time to live for God. Use your time to walk with God. Hebrews 11
* Your time is a personal thing – it’s your time, and no one else’s time. It is the time God personally gives you so you can do the things He wants you to do, and that no one else is to do.
* You are to be a good steward and manager of the time God gives you - use it wisely. Luke 16:1-9
* It is wise to think and plan ahead as to how you are going to use your (God’s) time. Proverbs 21:5
* Your life is eternal, is infinite - it goes on forever, but the days of your life on this earth are finite.
* The days of your life on earth are next to nothing compared to all of eternity. Your life on earth is very short. “You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” James 4:14
* Your finite time on earth has eternal value if you use it for God’s purposes. Luke 16:9
* Yesterday is over, but if you used it for God, then yesterday has eternal value. The time is gone, but the results of how you used your time are not gone, but last forever. Hebrews 11:4
* Your time is for others. Don’t be selfish, but use your time to serve others. 2 Corinthians 12:15
* You have a set time to live, a specific time that’s already been determined by God. Psalm 139:16
* Be aware of how much time you have. For example, I am 66, and on a 80 year life span, that means 83% of my life is over. This is sobering, but it encourages me to serve the Lord all the more.
* God instructs you to count your life in days, months and years. Count your days, see them as precious, and consider them as having been given to you by God. Psalm 90:12, Job 14:5
* The time you have to live is uncertain, for you do not know how long you will live. James 4:14
* This day could be the last day of your life. Only God knows. “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” James 4:14
* If you are physically older, then you don’t have much time left on earth compared to others who are younger than you; and so use your time very wisely.
* Do not waste your time doing things that are sinful, and that have no real and spiritual value.
* If you waste your time then you are wasting the time God gave you, and you are wasting your life.
* Learn to forget the past. Don’t live in the past or try to relive the past. The past is gone, but press on to what lies ahead, for God has new things, special things for you today. Philippians 3:13
* God gives you strength today for today's work. He does not give you strength today for tomorrow’s work.
* Live for the Lord by making the most of each day. Capitalize on opportunities that come up, on ones you may never have again. Each day is valuable, and you need to take advantage of each day. Ephesians 5:17
* Every person has the exact same amount of time in a day, 24 hours. It’s how you use your time that really counts, that really makes a difference.
* God designed your body to operate in a 24 hour day, not in a 10 hour day or a 40 hour day. You need to see the 24 hour day as the daily time frame God has given you, and so work within it, with the proper amount of work, fellowship and rest.
* God gives you 24 hours / day, and this is all the time you need to do all He wants you to do on any given day. Don’t go too fast, and don’t go too slow. Don’t be too busy, and don’t be lazy. Do all that God leads you to do on a particular day.
* Make the most of a day by learning to make the most of your minutes and hours. Set little goals.
* God wants to give you His joy each day. He doesn’t want your days to be drudgery. Psalm 90:14
* No day is exactly like another day. Each day is unique because God has designed each day just for you – He has unique and special plans for you on each day.
* Each day brings you one day closer to leaving this earth, and being in either heaven or hell.
* The days of your life are not increasing, and are not staying the same. They are decreasing. Be sober and wise.
* The days of your life may be shorter than average because of Christ’s return. The coming of Christ will suddenly and divinely shorten the life of every person who is living on earth at that time.
* God may shorten a person’s life because of their sin. Acts 5:1-11, Acts 12:20-23
* God may shorten a believer’s life because He wants them to come home early. Genesis 5:24
* The day of one’s death (if he’s a believer) is better than the day of one’s birth. Ecclesiastes 7:1
* Pray and ask God to help you live the days of your life in the way that He wants you to live them.
* Ask God to bless your time, to protect your time, to help you maximize your time. Yes, we are to be faithfully using our time but we need to trust God to supernaturally bless each minute, each hour, and each day.
* It is good to pray for each day and plan out each day, but always remember that God is sovereign, supernaturally overseeing your life and intervening in your life in a way that you can’t always see. This is for your good, and is for God’s purposes and glory. Romans 8:28, Proverbs 20:24
* Be flexible with your time, being sensitive to the Spirit as to how He wants you to use your time. “Man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9
* Give thanks to God for all the days, months and years He has already given you. Psalm 136
* Faith, hope and love are some of the key ingredients for each day of your life. 1 Corinthians 13:13
* Remember that every day is to be a holy day, a day set apart for God. 1 Peter 1:14-16
* Loving God is the single most important thing that you are to do each day. Mark 12:30
* Loving one another is the second most important thing that you are to do each day. Mark 12:31
* Remember that God is with you all day long, all night long, all the time. He never leaves you.
* “By day the Lord directs His love, and His song will be with me in the night.” Psalm 42:8
* “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6
Article 18
By Steven J. Hogan
The story of the Jews for the past 4000+ years is an amazing display of God’s purpose, grace, love, holiness, justice, faithfulness, sovereignty, wisdom, power, goodness, mercy and glory. Think back to how it started – a country coming from one single man and his wife, a little country being born right in the middle of a big country. Then we see this little country growing and growing until they are close to 2 million strong. And then they have to leave, they have to get out of this country, this Egypt, and they do – and it is called the Exodus.
The Jews are now on their own, but God is with them, and for the next 40 years they are living in a hot, dry and barren desert region, a place with no food, little water, and lots of snakes. But God keeps them going, and they finally get to the land that God has promised them. Since that time, by God's grace, they have miraculously continued on. There have been many battles, tremendous trials, all kinds of leaders, many ups and downs, many victories, many failures, lots of persecution, lots of idol worship, and yes, they were even banished from their land a few times. But they have also worshiped the one true God, their Creator, Lord, Protector and Redeemer, but not by any means perfectly so.
Here we are in 2017, and we are 4000 years into the journey of these Jewish people, and they are still standing, still going, still being persecuted, and still with a bright future ahead of them. And the reason they are still going is because God has been faithful to His promises and faithful to them.
But now we are right in the middle of this story about the Jews, and there is a lot yet to take place. Our vantage point at this time is the end of the church age, and this is a great place from which to see God’s accelerating work with both the Jews and the church. And it's important that you now see the working of God with the Jews in conjunction with, coinciding with, and in connection with His working with the church. God's purposes for the Jews and for the church are all coming together at this time. You need to know this, and you need to see it.
These are exciting days, and the next major geo-political-prophetical event to take place is the signing of the Antichrist led peace initiative between the Jews and various other countries. Not long from now this treaty will be ratified, and it will set in motion Daniel’s 70th week, which will lead to a super-charged series of global activities resulting in four major God planned events in just 7 years. We will see the revelation of the Antichrist, the rapture of the church, the wrath of God poured out on the world, and the redemption of a remnant of Jews. Buckle up with the belt of truth, put on the full armor of God, read God’s Word, pray for God’s Kingdom, and fight the good fight of faith. And remember, you are on the winning team. You are an overcomer! “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in faith.” 1 Corinthians 16:13
The following is a series of prophecy charts about the Jew with short summaries under each one. They are designed to help you know what has happened, and what will be happening in the days ahead with reference to God’s miraculous working with His chosen people.
Biblical Prophetic Overview:
This gives us the big picture of the history of the Jews, from the time of Abraham to the salvation of the Jews at the end of the 70th week to Christ’s 1000 year kingdom. It’s very important that we see where things have been and where things are going, and that right now, we are the very end of this present evil age, close to the return of Christ, the salvation of the Jews, and His reign over the world during the millennial kingdom.
Things Hoped For:
When we look back 2500-4000 years, we see that Abraham and other men and women of faith were looking forward the fulfillment of the promises God had given to them. The hope that God had given them, for land and for a King, truly energized and motivated them to love the Lord, to serve the Lord, and to live and die for Him.
God’s Promises to the Jews:
This chart spells out the three major covenants for the Jews. There is the Abrahamic Covenant, the promise of land, given to Abraham. There is the Davidic Covenant, the promise of a King, given to David. There is the New Covenant, the promise of salvation, given to Jeremiah. Some believe that these promises have been reneged or nullified or changed, and that is just not true - there is no Biblical justification to say that. God is faithful, and these promises will be fulfilled in the near future when Jesus Christ returns. Be looking forward to what God will be doing.
70 Weeks of Daniel:
God gave Daniel a 70 weeks (490 year) chronology relating to both the 1st and 2nd comings of Christ. (Daniel 9:24-27). From the issuing of the decree to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, there would be exactly 69 weeks (483 years) to Christ’s crucifixion (mathematically, this has been proven to be true). Then there is the gap between the 69th and 70th weeks, which is where we are at now, and is what we call the church age. Finally, there is the 70th week, an explosive and exciting seven year time frame containing many end time events, the coming of the Antichrist, the coming of Christ, the rapture of the church and the salvation of many Jews.
The Jews and the Promised Land:
Over 4000 years ago God made a promise to Abraham that he and his descendants would inherit a very special piece of land. It was over 600 years before the Jews, Abraham’s descendants finally entered this land. They were there for over 800 years, but were then exiled because of their great sin against a great and holy God. They returned 70 years later, and this time they stayed in their land for close to 600 years, but they were exiled again because of their terrible sin. Finally, after 1800 years, they have come back to their land, and they are still there today, never again to be expelled. God has been faithful to His people and it won’t be long before the Jews will be occupying the entire promised land, not just a narrow strip of property off the coast of the Mediterranean, but land that borders Egypt on the south, and that is bordered by the Euphrates on the east. Then they will have received their inheritance in full, and will finally be safe, secure and satisfied with their Savior, worshiping and serving Him forever.
Promises for the Jewish Remnant:
God has continually and faithfully communicated His promises to His people about their future. Listed above are just some of the verses in God's Word about His future plans for the Jewish people. Time and time again, over a 2000 year period, God has told His people and us too, what He specifically plans to do in the end times. God knew that He needed to keep repeating Himself, and so from His Word He has made it abundantly clear that nothing was going to stop Him from doing what He set out to do for His chosen people. And there is nothing in God's Word that counters or contradicts the truth of His Word that all His promises and plans will be fulfilled for the Jews. And if you’re watching, you’ll see it happen - you won’t be able to miss God's wonderful working with His people.
That Because of the Mercy Shown To You Gentiles:
We now live in the church age, that time period for the unbelievers to call on the name of the Lord for mercy, for forgiveness of sins. The focus of this church age period is on the Gentiles, and great numbers of them have been getting saved. But the Jews, for the most part, have hardened their hearts, have been unbelieving and, during this church age, not many have turned from their sin and turned to the Lord for mercy. But this time of the Gentiles will be ending soon, and then there will be the rapture of the Christians and the Day of the Lord, and then a great remnant of Jews will get saved.
Regathering the Jews:
It was in 70 AD that the Jews were taken captive to the nations, were scattered over the entire world. Would they ever come back? Would they ever return to Israel? Would they keep their language? Would they keep their religion? Most people never even thought about it, let along believed these things would come true. But here we read of many promises made to the prophets, that yes, this would happen, that God’s word would come true, that the Jews would be regathered back to their land. And now we see it, now we know it – the Jews have been back in their land for over 140 years now – and it won’t be long before the 70th week begins, and then seven years later, the 70th week will end, and a great remnant of Jews will be saved.
The Regathering of the Jews to Israel:
In this day and age there are many statistics. You can google specific information about the number of Jews returning to Israel in the past 140 years. And it is clearly obvious that the Jews have consistently been coming back to their homeland, from 25,000 to 6,377,000. WOW! THIS IS TRULY A MIRACLE OF GOD. The promises from the Old Testament prophets that the Jews would regather to their land have come true right before our eyes. Now then we are in the end times, and God’s promises and plans for His chosen people will soon be fulfilled. You wait and see.
God’s Plan for the Jews:
God knows exactly what He is doing with His people in the end times. He has His plans all laid out, and He has told us some of them, like the Jews regathering to their land, Daniel’s 70th week, the peace treaty, the revealing of the Antichrist, and the salvation of a Jewish remnant. God wants us to know what He is doing, to be looking forward to these end time events, to be excited about the return of Christ, to be praying about His coming Kingdom, and to be doing our part in serving Him in these days.
The Salvation of the Jews:
We are so focused on the church age, and this is good, for we need to now do the work that God has called us to do. But we must not forget the promise of God to the Jews that a great remnant of them will get saved right at the very end of Daniel’s 70th week. As you see, verse after verse in God’s Word tells us this, and His Word is undeniably and undoubtedly true, and will be fulfilled. As Christians we will be gone from earth at that time, but we will have front row seats in heaven, from where we will see the great salvation of our Jewish brothers and sisters on earth. Hallelujah!
Psalms and the Millennial Kingdom:
Shortly after the salvation of the Jews at the end of Daniel’s 70th week there will be the start of the Millennial Kingdom. There is a whole lot said about this in the Old Testament, particularly in the prophets and the Psalms, but many believers are unaware of what God has said in His Word about this future 1000 year kingdom when His Son will be reigning over the world. Listed on this chart are just some of the things that Psalms tells us that we will be witnessing, and that we will be doing, during our reign with Jesus Christ for those 1000 years.
An Important Part of our Hope:
Romans 15:4-12 is a power packed passage of promises that makes it very clear that God’s work with the Jews and God’s work with the church is all coming together at the second coming of Christ. The Jews had their time on earth before the first coming of Christ. Now the church is having their time on earth before Christ's second coming. But shortly after Christ’s second coming, we will see God’s promises for the Jews come true, and then we will join with the Jews during the Millennial Kingdom, worshiping and serving our Lord together.
God's Eternal Love for Israel:
God's Word tells us about God's love for Israel, and this love is an eternal love, a love from everlasting to everlasting. It is this love that motivates God to do all that He has done and all that He will do with regards to the Jews. You just cannot grasp how deep and how great and how infinite is His love for His people. This love that began in eternity past was first seen in this world about 2050 BC, and today, about 4000 years later, this love continues. But now we live in the end times, and it won't be long before major earth shaking events predicted by God will be taking place, events that will lead to the rapture of the church and God judging this world. Then His love will be shown in the salvation of a great number of Jews. Then His love for His people will be seen during the millennial kingdom. And then His love for His chosen people, the Jews, will be seen in the eternal kingdom, continuing forever and ever and ever.
Article 19
By Steven J. Hogan
The Bible talks about the rapture of the Christians living on earth at the return of Christ. Since we live in the end-times, we know it won’t be long before this great event takes place. But not all saints now presently living on earth will be raptured – there will be many who die, who will leave this earth and take that glorious and rapid ride to heaven before Christ’s 2nd coming. It is important then to have a Biblical understanding of a Christian’s death, and in particular we need to answer this question: why does a believer die?
The Bible gives us many good answers to this question. These answers, I’m convinced, will ease some of the pain you may feel at the loss of a loved one, a close friend or a family member. Yes, it is good to grieve, but you don’t want to be too sad. Your grieving should not be dominated by sadness – there needs to be some Biblical gladness mixed in, a gladness that will sweeten some of your tears, that will give you hope, and even help you to be thankful for the departure of your loved one or friend. There are many Christians who do not properly understand God’s perspective on the death of a believer. It is imperative to know what the Bible says on this subject, because death for every believer is an absolute certainty, except for that remnant that will still be alive at the coming of Christ.
The following Biblical reasons for why believers die are ones that I’ve often shared at memorial or funeral services through the years, and I believe have comforted and encouraged many people, and I believe will comfort and encourage you as well.
The believer’s time on earth was finished. Psalm 139:17 - “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Job 14:5 - “Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with you. And his limits You have set so that he cannot pass.” God had already determined the exact days, months, and years that the believer was to live on this earth. They had been specifically ordained by God, and had come to an end. Therefore, this believer’s time on earth was up, and God, in accordance with His eternal plan, needed to bring the believer home to heaven, and not one day sooner, or one day later. And as believers, we need to always submit to the will of God, even in the loss of a loved one or friend.
The purpose and work of the believer on earth was finished. Acts 13:36 – “David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep.” All the work that God wanted the believer to do on earth was done, and there was nothing more for him to accomplish. God knew exactly what this believer was to do, and if the person passed away, then obviously, his work on earth had been completed. Death was the door this believer had to take to get to heaven, and the means by which his eternal life and eternal work for God could continue in a much greater and more glorious way.
God wanted the believer home in heaven with Him. Psalm 116:15 - “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones.” God the Father wanted His child to come home, for He had determined that it was better for the believer to be with Him in heaven than to be with us on earth. We need to see a believer’s death from God’s perspective, for while we may have wanted the believer to stay, God wanted him home - and who are we to argue with God? For God’s purposes and for God’s glory, and for the good of the believer, it was necessary for the believer to leave us and go home to heaven.
God wanted the believer to be with other believers in heaven. Numbers 20:24 – “Aaron will be gathered to his people.” A believer usually has Christian friends on earth, but this verse means that he was gathered to be with believing friends, family members and others who had gone on before him. Yes, it is good to be with friends on earth, but you have to think about this believer being with his friends in heaven, friends who love him, friends he loves, friends he has missed, and friends who are now perfect. Think about the encouraging reunion, the great celebration, the God-glorifying time this believer is now having in heaven with other Christians.
God wanted the believer to be taken away from evil. Isaiah 57:1-2 - “The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart; and devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from evil. He enters into peace.” This world is a very wicked place, a place controlled by the devil. To physically die and finally be freed from the devil and his evil world system, and from every sin and temptation, is a most positive blessing for the believer. There is no more anger, worry, fear, pride, selfishness, covetousness, laziness, impurity, lying, anger, bitterness or jealousy. There is no sin, and not even a hint of sin, for this believer is now perfect, and is in a perfect place with perfect people, and most importantly, with the Lord Jesus Christ. Jonathan Edwards said, “When a godly man dies, he rises from all remains of spiritual death, and comes into a state of perfect life. This body is like a prison to the soul, it exceedingly clogs, and hinders, and cramps it in its spiritual exercisers and comfort. But when a saint dies, the soul is released from this prison, this grave and comes into a state of glorious freedom and happiness.”
God wanted the believer to experience much more love, joy and pleasure. Psalm 16:11 - “You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in your right hand there are pleasures forever.” When this believer was on earth he experienced some of God’s grace, but not nearly to the degree he now experiences it in heaven. When he was on earth he tasted only a small portion of God’s mercy and love, for he was still living in his fleshly body, and still falling prey to sin. But now that the believer is in heaven, he is experiencing immense pleasure, perfect peace, great joy, amazing love, and incredible happiness. Why would we not want the believer to be with Jesus, and to be enjoying the pleasures of heaven?
Jesus Christ wanted the believer to be with Him so that he could see His glory. John 17:24 - “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.” On earth, this believer had a small taste, a little glimpse, a vague comprehension of the glory of Christ. But now that the believer is in heaven, Christ’s glory is on full display, and his eyes are fully opened to see His glory, to see Christ’s love, joy, holiness, power, kindness, greatness, wisdom and majesty. He is experiencing eternal life like never before, in his relationship with Jesus, in his love for Jesus, in his serving Jesus, in his fellowship with others, in his complete freedom from sin, and in the total absence of sickness, pain and sorrow. The believer is not asleep in heaven, but he is fully awake and alert, and is seeing, feeling and experiencing the great glories of Jesus Christ, and living like he has never lived before. He is experiencing life to the full, and that’s because he is with Jesus Christ.
God wanted the believer to be free from all physical pain. Revelation 21:4 – “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, crying or pain.” This is a comforting truth, that the believer who has just passed away, is totally free from any physical ailments, aches, pain, sickness, tiredness or weakness. Our lives on earth can be so influenced and even controlled at times by physical struggles, by how we physically feel, and it is so encouraging to think that our friend in heaven is no longer affected and afflicted by any discomfort or pain at all.
God wanted the believer to rest from his labors on earth. Revelation 14:13 – “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on, so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.” The believer has finished all his earthly work for the Lord. His work on earth was not usually easy - it was tiring work, and hard work that sapped his strength and wore him out. It was labor, it was toil, it was work, day after day, week after week, and year after year. Now the believer is still working for the Lord, but he is working for the Lord in heaven, and it’s no sweat, no stress, and no tiredness. It is energizing work, encouraging work, work that is always fulfilling, productive and God-glorifying.
God wanted the believer to be able to perfectly worship Him. Psalm 84:4 – “How blessed are those who dwell in your house! They are ever praising you.” The believer is finally able to fully and continually obey the great commandment, to love God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength. You see, the Holy Spirit is enabling him to abide in the Lord at all times, and for the Lord to abide in him. Therefore, the believer in heaven is now worshiping and loving God at all times. He is able to perfectly and joyfully sing to the Lord. His relationship with God is perfect, with no sin whatsoever interfering with his worshiping the Lord. It is the most encouraging and glorious experience in heaven, being perfectly loved by God and being able to perfectly love God.
God knew that it would be gain for the believer. Philippians1:21-23 - “To live is Christ, and to die is gain… having the desire to be with Christ is very much better.” It is much better for the believer to be in heaven than to be on earth. The believer in heaven has no pain, no sin, no sickness, no sadness, no tiredness, no weakness, no worries, no fears, no conflicts, no disabilities, no difficulties or trials whatsoever. The believer in heaven has perfect joy and peace, and is fully satisfied. He is able to perfectly love and worship God. He has perfect relationships with believers in heaven, and he is with friends he knew on earth. Having gone from earth to heaven, he has gone on to the next stage of his salvation, and has taken the next step in his eternal life. The believer is with his best friend, with Jesus Christ in heaven, and there is great joy, intimacy, kindness, fellowship and communion in their relationship. Just think, the believer you know, the believer you may have seen or talked to just a few hours ago or a few days ago, is now standing in the presence of God, 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.” Jude 25
God wants to use the believer’s death to instruct other believers still living on earth. Ecclesiastes 7:2-4 - “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart… The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, while the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.” A believer’s death is to instruct us that life is short, and that life on this earth can suddenly be over. We are to be reminded that while we are on this earth we are to live for the Lord, and not for ourselves. The death of a person is to sober us, to wake us up, and alert us to the fact that our day to die is coming (unless we are raptured). And then we will give an account to God of how we lived our life on earth. “So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.” Romans 14:12
God wants to use the death of a believer to instruct unbelievers still living on earth. Luke 13:2-3 – “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” The unbeliever needs to know that this believer he knew or had heard about is now in heaven, that he is in a place of great joy, peace and comfort, and all because of the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The unbeliever needs to understand the gospel, that Jesus Christ paid for, was punished by God the Father for the sins of unbelievers, so that all people who repent of their sins and place their faith in Christ will be forgiven, receive eternal life, and someday be in heaven. The unbeliever needs to know that he needs to repent of his sins before it’s too late. He needs to know that if he doesn’t repent, he will die and perish, that he will forever be in hell, a place of great torment and punishment. John 11:25-26 - “Jesus said, ‘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.’” Romans 5:8 - “God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” 1 Peter 3:18 - “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring you to God.” John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish but will have eternal life.”
God wanted the believer to be in the house of the Lord. Psalm 23:6 – “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” The believer is now in the best place possible, the house of the Lord. And he is not just visiting there, not just passing through, but he is dwelling there, is living there. This is his new home, his new place of residence, and it is very much unlike his earthly home, and is infinitely better than his earthly home. But most importantly, it is the house of the Lord. It is the house where the Lord is living, a glorious place, a beautiful place, a clean place, a neat place, a peaceful and comfortable place. And in that place he is being treated wonderfully, kindly, for he is not a guest, and is not just a servant, but he is a child of God, living in his Father’s house, and living with Jesus Christ Himself. It can be no better, for it is the best place, the perfect place, a most wonderful place, and your believing friend is there right now.
I encourage you to consider these truths that convey God’s perspective on the death of a believer. Yes, you may be grieving and have strong feelings about the death of your loved ones, and understandably so, for this person has been an important part of your life, and maybe for a long, long time. But don’t live by your feelings. Think about the truth of God’s word with respect to a believer’s death, and when you do, you will still grieve, but not in a fleshly or worldly way, but in a godly way. God will then increase your hope in Him, and your hope of what He has in store for you.
Finally, and don’t ever forget this - you will see your loved one or friend again, and be with him again, and to be honest, it won’t be that long from now - and then when you do, it will be forever and ever. Let the truth of this future and eternal reunion gladden your heart, encourage your soul, and stir you to praise our most gracious Lord. “For who is our joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.” 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20
Article 20
By Steven J. Hogan
There’s hidden treasure in the Old Testament that if discovered will help you learn more about Jesus Christ and His coming kingdom. Now there are some who are uninformed and unaware of this valuable treasure. Others disregard it, and say that the Old Testament contains little if anything about Christ and our future. But I’d strongly disagree with that assessment, for we are talking about a large portion of God’s Word which is rich with promises and prophecies, and contains vital information about the future of the Jews and the church. Now I’ve already done some of the digging for you, and have uncovered hundreds of spiritual nuggets, rock solid truths, that when understood, give a wonderful description of Jesus Christ, and of His first coming and His second coming. I must also admit that there is a lot I don’t know on this subject, and so I am only sharing with you what I do know.
CONCERNING THE FIRST COMING OF CHRIST:
Genesis 3:15
Psalm 16:10, Psalm 22:1, Psalm 22:14, Psalm 22:16, Psalm 22:17, Psalm 22:18, Psalm 34:20, Psalm 35:11, Psalm 41:9, Psalm 69:4, Psalm 69:21, Psalm 78:2, Psalm 110:4, Psalm 118:22
Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:1, Isaiah 11:1, Isaiah 35:5, Isaiah 50:6, Isaiah 52:14, Isaiah 53:5, Isaiah 53:7, Isaiah 53:9, Isaiah 53:12, Isaiah 61:1-2
Jeremiah 31:15
Hosea 11:1
Amos 8:9
Micah 5:2
Zechariah 9:9, Zechariah 11:12-13, Zechariah 12:10, Zechariah 13:7
(ALL THESE VERSES HAVE LITERALLY BEEN FULFILLED IN THE PAST.)
CONCERNING THE END TIMES, THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND THE KINGDOM AGE:
1) THE LAW:
Genesis 12:1-3, Genesis 13:14-16, Genesis 15:17-18, Genesis 17:2-8, Genesis 22:15-18, Genesis 26:2-5, Genesis 28:13-15, Genesis 32:12, Genesis 49:9-12
Exodus 2:24
Leviticus 26:42-45
Numbers 24:17-19, Numbers 25:12-13
Deuteronomy 4:31-40, Deuteronomy 7:6-9, Deuteronomy 33:26-29
Joshua 1:6-7
2) THE PSALMS:
Psalm 2:6-9, Psalm 22, Psalm 33:10-12, Psalm 37, Psalm 46, Psalm 47, Psalm 48, Psalm 67, Psalm 68:15-18, Psalm 68:28-35, Psalm 72, Psalm 89:20-36, Psalm 89:34-37, Psalm 96, Psalm 98, Psalm 99:1-3, Psalm 102:12-28, Psalm 105:8-11, Psalm 106:44-48, Psalm 110, Psalm 111, Psalm 115:9-18, Psalm 117, Psalm 122, Psalm 125, Psalm 130, Psalm 132:13-16, Psalm 136:21-22, Psalm 148:14, Psalm 149
3) THE PROPHETS:
2 Samuel 7:11-16, 2 Samuel 23:3-5
Isaiah 1:26-27, Isaiah 2:1-5, Isaiah 4:2-6, Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 11:1-12, Isaiah 12:1-6, Isaiah 25:1-9, Isaiah 32:15-20, Isaiah 33:5-6, Isaiah 33:17-22, Isaiah 35:1-10, Isaiah 40:1-11, Isaiah 42:5-13, Isaiah 43:1-3, Isaiah 44:1-8, Isaiah 45:17-25, Isaiah 46:8-11, Isaiah 49:1-26, Isaiah 51:1-6, Isaiah 52:1-12, Isaiah 54:1-17, Isaiah 55:1-3, Isaiah 59:15-21, Isaiah 60:1-22, Isaiah 61:2-11, Isaiah 62:1-12, Isaiah 65:1-25, Isaiah 66:7-24
Jeremiah 3:16-17, Jeremiah 7:7, Jeremiah 16:14-15, Jeremiah 23:3-8, Jeremiah 30:1-24, Jeremiah 31:1-14, Jeremiah 31:31-38, Jeremiah 32:6-44, Jeremiah 33:6-25, Jeremiah 50:4-5
Ezekiel 11:17-20, Ezekiel 16:60-63, Ezekiel 17:22-24; Ezekiel 20:40-41, Ezekiel 34:23-31, Ezekiel 36:1-38, Ezekiel 37:1-28, Ezekiel 38:1-23, Ezekiel 39:1-29, Ezekiel 40-48
Daniel 2:40-45, Daniel 7:17-27, Daniel 9:24-27, Daniel 11:36-45, Daniel 12:1-13
Hosea 1:10-11, Hosea 2:16-23, Hosea 3:5, Hosea 14:4-7
Joel 2:27-32, Joel 3:12-21
Amos 9:13-15
Obadiah 15-21
Micah 2:12-13, Micah 4:1-8, Micah 5:1-5, Micah 7:14-22
Habakkuk 2:13-14
Zephaniah 1:14-18, Zephaniah 3:14-20
Haggai 2:4-9, Haggai 2:20-23
Zechariah 1:14-17, Zechariah 2:1-12, Zechariah 3:8-10, Zechariah 4:11-14, Zechariah 6:12-13, Zechariah 8:1-23, Zechariah 9:9-17, Zechariah 10:1-12, Zechariah 12:1-14, Zechariah 13:1-9, Zechariah 14:1-21
Malachi 1:11, Malachi 3:16-18, Malachi 4:1-6
(ALL THESE VERSES WILL LITERALLY BE FULFILLED IN THE FUTURE.)
Here is some more information and more clues that you will help you to find and understand the great and hidden treasure that God has for us in the Old Testament.
1. The truth that is discovered in these verses is to be taken literally. This is God’s Word and it needs to be taken at face value. You are not to try to find some deeper meaning. God’s Old Testament Word is not to be taken figuratively, it is not to be spiritualized, and it is not to be allegorized. Yes, there are figures of speech, similes and metaphors, but these are common writing tools that are used to illustrate the truth, making it easier to understand.
2. The Old Testament gives us a mother lode of information about the future. It is no small subject, for there are literally over 1000 verses covering the end times, the 2nd coming of Christ, and the 1000 year kingdom. This great amount of information alone should motivate every Christian to take the time to read and study it, and then see how it relates to the future of the church. Indeed, this will be a golden age, a most glorious time, for the King of kings will be reigning over this earth, and as Christians, we will be reigning with Him.
3. This Old Testament treasure relates directly to the promises given by God to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3), David (2 Samuel 7:11-16), and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-38). These promises speak about Jesus Christ, the salvation of a remnant of Jews, the Jews inheriting land, and the Jews having a great number of descendants. The focus of all these verses is on the Jews, and that in the future, Christ the King will reign over them and over the entire world.
4. The information found in these Old Testament verses is first and foremost about Jesus Christ. But it is also about four future time periods that Christ is personally involved with – the end times, the 2nd coming of Christ, the day of the Lord, and the 1000 year kingdom age on earth. It is important to remember this as you are putting the puzzle pieces of truth together, for then you will be able to see the entire treasure, and begin to grasp the great and rich blessing that will be for the Jews, for all believers, and for the entire world. Most importantly though, it is for the glory of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14
5. A motivation for being involved in this Old Testament treasure hunt is knowing that you are an integral part of all that God is doing during these end time church days, as well as during the entire kingdom age. In this age to come, all Christians will be glorified and will be serving Jesus Christ. We will be going from here to there, flying from place to place, using our gifts and abilities to serve the Lord and people on this earth, with the result that God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son, will be glorified like never before. Revelation 5:12-13
6. The prophets were extremely interested in these prophecies about Jesus Christ, but they didn’t fully understand it. They knew that what they had written was precious, but they couldn’t grasp how it all fit together. Peter talks about this – “As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, in these things which have now been announced to you… things into which angels long to look.” 1 Peter 1:10-12.
It is quite obvious that the prophets were very excited about what they had written with regards to the Messiah’s future, both His suffering and His glories. But do you realize that Peter was talking about those living in this church age when he said, “they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you…” That means us! Church age believers like us have the distinct advantage of being able to look back and see clearly that there are two comings of Christ. We know now that His suffering is over, but that He is coming again, and then His glories will be seen over the entire earth, and for all eternity. And since we are alive at the end of this church age, since we are living in the end times, then we should be super excited to be learning about Christ and the future God has for us. What a great time to be alive, and to know that Christ is returning soon, and that it won’t be long before Old Testament prophecies and promises will be coming true.
7. Finally, we need to read Jesus’ instructive and motivating words to these two men on the road to Emmaus. Jesus could’ve said a lot of things to these men, but what did He say? “ ‘O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer all these things and to enter into His glory?’ Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” Luke 24:25-27. Now what did Jesus say? First, He chastises these men for not knowing what the Law and the Prophets said about Himself. He says they are “foolish men and slow of heart to believe” all that the prophets had spoken. Then He reminded them that He had to suffer. Then He used the Old Testament, and in particular the Law and the Prophets, to explain to them what it said about Himself. What’s interesting is that Jesus uses all the prophets and all the Scriptures to instruct these men about Himself. This must have been an extensive, enlightening and most encouraging Bible study – I sure would’ve loved to have been there.
But there’s more. Shortly after Jesus appears to these two men He appears to His eleven disciples. Notice what He says to them: “ ‘These are My 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.’ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” Luke 24:44-45. Jesus’ instruction to His disciples is similar to what He had just said to these previous two men. He tells them that the truth about Himself is to be discovered in the Law and the Prophets, but here He adds the Psalms. And again He gives them a Bible study. We learn that the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets are essential if we are to learn about Jesus Christ. We learn that God has to open our minds, that we can’t by ourselves understand God’s Word. We also see that all that is written in the Old Testament about Christ must be fulfilled. I want you to notice too that the apostle Paul used the Law and the Prophets to teach the people about Jesus Christ. In Acts 28:23 we read, “He (Paul) was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning to evening.”
It is imperative that Christians love and live by the truths of the entire Bible. And in this short article, I want you to know that I am not at all trying to minimize the importance of the New Testament. My goal is to always maximize the truth of both the New Testament AND the Old Testament. But my focus here is the Old Testament. My encouragement to you is to read the Old Testament, and specifically the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets, for there you will learn a great deal of valuable information about Jesus Christ and the future God has for you. And if you want a place to start, then go back to the verses that I already listed out for you. There is no doubt that the truths, promises and prophesies of the Old Testament ought to be like silver and gold to you. “Look for it as silver and search for it as hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:4-6
We have a spiritual treasure in the Bible. Do you see it for what it really is? Do you see what it means? Do you see how it talks about Jesus Christ, and the future of this world, the age to come, and the great glory that will then be given to Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior and King? This valuable truth that is found in the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets, will undoubtedly enrich your lives.
Article 21
By Steven J. Hogan
There’s no greater subject than the love of God. As Christians, we’re extremely blessed to know God and to be loved by Him. But God is not just the Lord, the Creator, the Ruler of all things - He is our heavenly Father, a perfect Father, an eternal Father, a most loving Father. In Psalm 63:3, David speaks of the supremacy of our Father’s love when he says, “Your lovingkindness is better than life.” Did you get that? The love that our heavenly Father has for us is greater than anything else in this world, greater than a good meal, greater than a good friend, greater than marriage, greater than a good job, greater than going on vacation, greater than watching your favorite movie, and greater than anything you possess or could ever own.
My concern for the church is that we don’t know and believe the love of God like we should. Now I’m not talking about knowing it in your head, but knowing it in your heart, knowing specifically what God’s Word says about His love, and knowing it in such a way that it dramatically, totally, and forever changes your life. The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and then you are to love one another. But only as your heart is filled up with the love of God will you then be able to rightly and passionately do this. “We love because God first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
It is important to know that it is only through God’s Word that you can know about God’s love. Your understanding of God’s love does not come from your own thinking or your own ideas. It does not come from the world, and it’s wrong ways of thinking. It does not come from some false religion, and it does not come from the book of Mormon, or the Koran or some other false teaching. The truth about God’s love comes only from God’s Word. That is why it's imperative to read God’s Word, God’s love letter to you. Let me share some thoughts about the love of our heavenly Father.
GOD IS LOVE
“God is love.” 1 John 4:16. Love is who God is, it is His very essence. When we talk about God, we have to first know that He is love. To say that love is who God is, that God is love, is I believe, the most important way to define love. In this verse love is a noun, and because God is love (a noun), then He loves (a verb), and He is loving (an adjective). God is love, and this is who He is. God loves and that is what He does. God is loving and this is what He is like.
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD’S LOVE
As believers we need to know that God’s love is foundational to and specifically related to His attributes. That is, God’s love is the heart, the reason, and the motivation for other aspects of His character. Let me share some examples:
- God is powerful and He uses His power to show you His love.
- God is omniscient, He knows everything, and He uses His omniscience to love you.
- God is omnipresent, and He uses the fact that He is always present with you to love you.
- God is patient, and He uses His patience to love you.
- God is compassionate, and He uses His compassion to love you.
- God is wise, and He uses His wisdom to love you.
- God is forgiving, and He uses His forgiveness to love you.
- God is truth, and He uses His truth to love you.
- God is holy, and He uses His holiness to love you.
We could also say it this way, that God’s love is the reason and motivation for His power, for His omniscience, for His patience, wisdom, forgiveness, truth, etc.
We see then this intimate relationship between the fact that God is love with other aspects of His character. And it is these other attributes that help to further describe the love that God has for you. They are like adjectives giving you more details about God’s love. We can speak of God’s powerful love, His patient love, His compassionate love, His truthful love, His wise love, etc. And all these attributes harmonize together, expressing themselves in God’s loving work in your life, and in the entirety and the eternality of your salvation, your past justification, your present sanctification and your future glorification. Might it be abundantly and supremely clear to you that God does nothing for you apart from His love for you.
THE LOVE OF GOD IS BASED ON THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
There is this great distinction between God’s love and God’s justice. Before you were saved you couldn’t experience your Father’s love, for you weren’t His child, for you were a sinner deserving of God’s wrath. But “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16. God’s Word tells you that Jesus Christ experienced God’s justice and wrath for you. Therefore, because God is loving, because Christ died for you, because you repented of your sins and believed in Christ alone, then you are forgiven of your sins, and you will never then experience God’s justice and wrath. “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 4:10. God could then forgive you because He was satisfied with what Christ did for you. God's justice was poured out on His Son so He could then pour out His love on you. The love that God wanted to bestow upon you could only be obtained through the death and resurrection of His Son. Only through Jesus Christ can you know God and His love for you. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
THE INFLUENCE OF GOD’S LOVE ON YOUR LIFE
God’s love for you is to be a controlling and constraining influence in your life, and this is a very good thing. This love, this central and most important part of His being, relates to everything that He does for you. Let me give you some examples: God’s love for you moved Him to save you – Ephesians 1:4. God’s love for you moved Him to have His Son, Jesus Christ, die for you - Romans 5:8. God’s love for you moved Him to make you a child of God - 1 John 3:1. God’s love for you moved Him to give you eternal life - John 3:16.
This great and awesome love of God affects everything He does for you, and should then affect everything you do. God’s love for you should motivate you to love others – 1 John 3:16. God’s love for you should affect how you use your time – 2 Corinthians 5:14-15. God’s love for you should affect the decisions you make and the things you do – Philippians 1:9-11. God’s love for you enables you to be fruitful, to have a positive effect on the lives of other people – John 15:1-7. It is God’s love that influences and impacts your life more than anything else in the world.
SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD’S LOVE
God's love is eternal. You have eternal life, and this means that you will be loved eternally by God. You can’t really grasp this truth, but it is true. There is no end to this love that God has for you. It is a love that is forever and ever, and that is because God is eternal, and therefore He will eternally love you. The One who is the Lord of all, the God who made this universe, and the One who made you, eternally loves you. Psalm 136 – “His love is everlasting.”
God’s love is continuous. It is not just that God’s love for you is eternal, but that God’s love for you is continuous – there are no gaps or breaks in His love for you. God does not love you for just eight hours a day, or for just three days a week. He does not love you one minute and then not love you the next minute. God loves you all the time. In geometry you can talk about a series of points, but God’s love for you is not defined by a series of points, even though you may sometimes think and feel that He loves you that way. God’s love for you can be illustrated by a line, by a solid, continuous and never ending line. God loves you every second, every minute, every hour, every day, every week, every month, every year... God never stops loving you. He always loves you. And He will always, continually love you. Psalm 136 – “His love is…”
God’s love is unconditional. The love that God has for you is based on God’s will to save you and His work in saving you - it is not at all based on your will or your work. In fact, there’s nothing you did to deserve God’s love, and so there is nothing you can do to cause God to take His love away from you. God's love for you is by grace and not by works. This is a wonderful and amazing truth, that God will always and forever love you, and there is nothing you can do to change it, for it’s not what you did but what God did for you and will continue to do for you. God loved you and He will always love you. And that is because of Jesus Christ, because of what He did for you in taking away all your sins. Therefore, God is completely satisfied with Christ’s payment for your sin, and therefore has all the reason to love you, and no reason not to love you. You are not only forgiven but you are also righteous, and righteous as Christ, and therefore you are loved like God the Father loved Christ His Son. Not only that, but God forever sealed you with His Holy Spirit. This is truly good news, the best news there is. “It does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy… So then He has mercy on whom He desires.” Romans 9:16, 18. "Just as the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love." John 15:9
God’s love is sufficient. I mean by this that you don’t need any more love than that which God gives you. You don’t need love from anyone else. You should not look for love from someone else. You should not seek to be loved by anyone else. You may think you need love from others, but you don’t. And if you think you need love from others, then it is because you have not sufficiently received love from God. God is always showing you His love, and wants you to experience His love and to receive His love all the time. You may want to be loved by others, you may desire the affection, kindness and compassion of others, but you must not seek it - you must seek love from God, and see then that God’s love will do. It is truly sufficient. You need to ask for God’s love and expect His love, and not because you deserve it, but because God really wants to give it to you. This does not mean God will not show His love to you through the lives of others, for as you are involved with other believers, then God will usually show His love to you. The point here is that God wants you to see that His love for you is sufficient, however you may receive that love. “The Lord is my portion… may your love comfort me… may your compassion come to me that I may live.” Psalm 119:57, 76-77
God’s love is satisfying. God has loved you and He will love you, for you are His child, and He wants you to be satisfied, to be content with His love, to be enjoying His love, to be filled up with love. As an unbeliever you went after things and people in the world to be satisfied. And you always came up empty, unsatisfied, unfulfilled and disappointed. Might you not go back to your old ways – might you not be deceived by the world, the flesh or the devil. By faith, might you go after God and seek Him and His love day after day. The Psalmist prayed it well, “Satisfy me in the morning with Thy lovingkindness, and then I will sing for joy and be glad all my days.” Psalm 90:14. You need to ask God to satisfy you with His love, and He will answer your prayer.
God’s love is perfect. There are no flaws, no blemishes, no imperfections in God’s love. God’s love is altogether pure and holy, perfect in every way. And because God’s love is perfect, then it is sufficient for you, and can satisfy you, and your greatest spiritual needs. God’s perfect love is perfect for you. In His wisdom, God knows how to perfectly love you now and forever. This means that God’s love for you is never deficient, never lacking, and is always able then to comfort you, encourage you, sustain you, and satisfy you. This too is a wonderful and marvelous truth, that God’s love for you is always perfect, and always perfect for you. “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of hosts.” Isaiah 6:3
God’s love is holy. The love that God has for you is holy in that it is unique, different than any person’s love for you. You must see this or else you will easily seek the love of man. God’s love is so great, so supreme, so wonderful, so perfect, so good, so satisfying – it is a heavenly love and not an earthly love, and you need to know this heavenly and holy love of your Father while you live on this earth. The love of God for you is also holy in that you need to be holy to fully know the love of God. Hebrews 12:6 talks about how the Father disciplines His child. “Those whom the Lord loves He disciplines.” And why? Because the Father loves you and knows that only as you are holy will you be able to know the full expression of His love. “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14
God’s love is infinite. There is no limit to God’s love, to the breadth and length and height and depth of God’s love for you. It surpasses knowledge, it surpasses comprehension, for it literally is infinite. You never need to fear that there is not enough of God’s love for you. You never need to think that there are too many people in the world for God to love, and that His love will run out when He gets to you. There’s more than enough love for you and for everyone else in the world. Just as there is more than enough water for a child’s little pail at the ocean’s edge, so too there is more than enough love for you and everyone else in the world. “As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.” Psalm 103:11
God’s love is personal. God knows how to personally love you. The love God has for you is tailored for you – it is designed and personalized for you – it is just what you need. God knows you inside and out. God knows your past, the things you went through growing up. He knows of any deficiencies in your upbringing. He knows your personality, your weaknesses, your sins and temptations. There is no one else like you in the world, and He knows just how to love you. His love for you today is what you need today. His love for you tomorrow is what you will need tomorrow. Might you be thankful that God’s love for you is both personal and perfect. “Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” John 13:1
SOME WAYS THAT GOD SHOWS HIS LOVE TO YOU
God’s love for you is shown in so many ways. I want to share some of the ways God manifests His love to you. This is important that you are fully aware of His love for you, that you know this love, that you see this love, that you experience this love, that you feed on this love, that you are encouraged and strengthened by this love that God has for you.
Forgiveness: One of the greatest ways you are loved by God is that He has forgiven you of all your sins. Because of the work of Christ on the cross in paying for your sins, because of the work of the Spirit in your heart, and because of your faith in Christ and in what He did for you, then you are forgiven. You are forgiven of all your sins, past, present and future. You are forgiven of little sins and big sins. You are forgiven of sins in your thoughts, words and actions. You are forgiven of unseen sins, of unknown sins. You are forgiven of sins of commission and omission. This truly is one the most amazing and refreshing aspects of God’s love, that He completely and totally forgives you. Therefore, you have no reason to ever feel distant from God, or think God is against us, for God is always a forgiving and loving Father. “Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1
Adoption: We live in a world where there are many dysfunctional families, and where there are many dysfunctional fathers, fathers not functioning in a godly and righteous way. And oftentimes children have no fathers, or their fathers are absent. Therefore, one of your greatest needs is to have a heavenly Father, to have One who is never absent, who is always with you, who deeply loves and cares for you, who protects you and who provides every one of your needs. This is a most wonderful way that God shows you His love, for as a Christian you have been adopted by God into His own family, and have become His child, His precious child. Now you have a heavenly Father, a spiritual Father, an eternal Father, a perfect Father, the most loving Father. “In love, God predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself.” Ephesians 1:4-5
Compassion: Each of you have trials and temptations, physical problems and spiritual problems, internal struggles and relational struggles, and sickness and illnesses. Your Father knows that you are needy, that you are living in this physical body that is but flesh, that gets weak and tired, that is daily tempted to sin, that gets worn out with age. A good mother has a strong love and strong feelings for her child, but how much more so is your heavenly Father like this to you. You don’t realize the great feelings and emotions God has for you. And so God shows His love by being compassionate towards you. He feels when you are hurt; He’s concerned when you are troubled, when you go through trials, when you are tempted; He sympathizes and empathizes with your weaknesses. Indeed this is a very important aspect of God’s love for you, that He is genuinely concerned for you, that He really cares for you, and that He has great compassion for you. “Just as a father has compassion on His children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.” Psalm 103:13
Protection: As a Christian you are in a great spiritual battle, a great spiritual fight against a wicked, ruthless and unseen enemy, one who hates you and is against you much more than you realize. God is fully aware of every aspect of your spiritual battles, of how you are being attacked, of the specific temptations you are encountering, of the schemes Satan is devising against you. And He’s watching over you, protecting you in ways that you don’t even realize. This protection is by means of God’s Word, by means of the Spirit, by means of the angels, and by means of the church. This protection also results from the fact that Jesus Himself is personally praying for you. He prayed for Peter when he was being viciously attacked by Satan, and He also prays for you. Don’t be naïve about the battle that rages around you and against you, and don’t be a casualty. Be humble and look to God to help you, to protect you, to be your strength, to energize you in this spiritual battle. And please put on your spiritual armor. “Be strong in the Lord … 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.” Ephesians 6:10-12
Provision: It is true that you need to do all you can to provide for your own needs – you need to work and make money because you don’t want to be dependent on others. But it is also true that you need to depend on God, to be looking for Him to meet your daily needs. In the Lord’s prayer you are instructed to pray for your daily bread, to be looking to Him to provide for your needs. Know that ultimately it is God Himself, who in His great love for you, provides for all your needs. He is the One who gives you your food, shelter and clothing. He gives you your health, your job, your friends, and everything else that you need. You need to realize that God Himself is watching over you every day, with the goal to make sure that all your true needs are met. But you must also know that God doesn’t just provide your physical needs, but He also provides your spiritual needs. He gives you the Holy Spirit, His Word, the church, godly believers, His grace, His wisdom, His peace and His joy. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1, Ephesians 1:3
Goodness: God is good to you, and in fact, is very good to you. Throughout your life God has consistently shown His love to you in that He has given you so many good things. He has given you a wonderfully designed body, a body that can see and hear and talk and touch and taste. He has given you a body that has arms and legs, a body that can get you places. God hasgiven you a world to live in, with the sun and the stars, with the land and the seas, with the wind and the rain, with plants and animals, and with beaches and mountains. He gives you a place to live and a car to drive. He gives you good food to eat. He gives you family and friends. He may have even given you a wife or husband, and with that, children. And He gives you weekends off and vacations for rest and relaxation. God is very good to you, and this goodness is an expression of His great love for you. “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.” Psalm 100:4-5
Patience: God loves you by being patient with you. None of you do everything right, and in fact, as Christians, you do quite a few things that are wrong. But when you do something wrong, when it’s your bad, God doesn’t always correct you right away, He doesn’t always discipline you right away. Can you imagine what it’d be like if God corrected you right on the spot for everything you did wrong? But God is so patient with you - He puts up with you much more than you realize. Part of the reason for this is that there are many areas in your life that are still deficient, and for your sake, God usually only works on one or two things in your life at a time, and then is patient and forbearing with the remaining areas in your life. Just like good parents are patient with their children, so too God is patient with you, and let me say, very patient. “Love is patient.” 1 Corinthians 13:4, Nehemiah 9
Wisdom: God shows His love by being wise in His dealings with you, and in fact, perfectly wise in His dealings with you. God knows exactly what He is doing in your life and through your life. God is supremely smart, infinitely intelligent, and is therefore most wise in dealing with every aspect of your life. God’s wisdom relates directly to the purposes and plans He has for your life. His wisdom relates to how He trains you, corrects you and disciplines you, and helps you become what He wants you to be. His wisdom relates to the mind He has given you, and the work He wants you to do. His wisdom relates to the family He has given you, the church He has given you, and the relationships and friends He has given you. Everything that God does in your life relates to His perfect wisdom, to His perfect love for you. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9
Purpose: God loves you by giving you a purpose, a reason for living. Now it is true that God gives each one of His children the same general purpose in life, that we are to love Him and love one another. But God has made you a certain way, a unique way, and has given you particular abilities, talents and desires, and with that, a very special purpose and very specific plans for your life. And these plans for your life are good plans, great plans, the best of plans. They may relate to a job, a task, a ministry, a marriage, a relationship or to children. And these plans are for your good, your usefulness, and for the good of others, and for the glory of God. Be excited, be overjoyed, and be thankful for how God shows His love for you by having great purposes and plans for your life. “I know the plans I have for you, plans for welfare and not calamity, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 139:13-16
Fellowship: One of the main ways God loves you is through the lives of other Christians. As you are involved in the church family, then you will be loved by other believers. This love may be seen in their compassion, kindness, patience, forgiveness or gentleness towards you. It may be seen in their commitment and loyalty to you. It may be seen in that they pray for you, or that they share God’s Word with you. It may be seen in that they want to spend time with you. But if you’re not involved with the church family, if you’re not fellowshipping with other believers, then you’ll miss out on all the love that God desires to give you. I hope you can see why this area of fellowship is so important, for if relates directly to the love God wants to give you through the lives of other Christians. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.” Romans 12:10, Hebrews 10:25, Ephesians 3:14-18
Communication: God loves you by communicating to you. If someone says they love you but they don’t talk to you or rarely talk to you, then you have to wonder if they really love you. But God loves you by communicating to you, and His primary way to communicate to you is through His Word. It’s important then you for to daily and carefully read the Word, for God has a great desire to speak to you and to share His truth with you. More than you realize, He wants to use His Word to encourage you, comfort you, instruct you, correct you, and tell you how to live your life in a purposeful, meaningful and God-glorifying way. There is no doubt that the one who reads and heeds God’s word will know and experience God’s love more than the one who does not. You also need to realize that God is not vague or imprecise in His communication with you - His communication to you is clear and specific. That’s why God’s Word is His main means of communication, for it has been carefully and precisely written out. Of course, God will also teach you through trials, and through the lives of other people, but first and foundationally, it must be through His Word. “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall observe it to the end.” Psalm 119:32
Prayer: God shows His love to you by talking to you, but He also shows His love by letting you talk to Him. What a wonderful blessing that you can talk to God anytime you want, anywhere you want, and as long as you want. You have the Holy Spirit who is the Person and the means by which you can talk to your Father. And what is so encouraging is that God understands you, knows exactly what you are saying and exactly what you mean, and is concerned with what you are saying, and then will respond to all your prayers. Whether you are the youngest or the oldest Christian, you can talk to God. You can share your joys, or share your sorrows; you can cry out for help; you can ask for wisdom; or you can intercede for others. But the most important thing in prayer is that you worship God and tell Him that you love Him. “I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever.” Psalm 145:1
Hope: One of the greatest ways that God shows His love to you is that He gives you hope, and this hope is His future love for you, a future reality not yet realized. Hope is God’s promise, God’s guarantee to you of what He will give you in the future, and in particular after you die or are raptured, and leave this earth. You all know how you can be excited about something taking place in the future – it may be that you are looking forward to the weekend, or to Christmas, or to going on vacation. But most importantly, God wants you to be looking forward to the great future He has for you – when you’ll be in heaven, a perfect place, a perfect home, when you’ll be with Jesus, the perfect person, your Savior and friend, when you’ll have a new body, a perfect body, a beautiful, powerful and immortal body, and when you will be with all the other believers in heaven. “Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5
APPLICATION
1 John 4:16 – “We have come to know and have believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God and God abides in Him.” I can’t think of anything more important than knowing, believing, understanding and experiencing the great love God has for you. Please take the time to be with God, to worship Him, to read His loving Word, to know and believe the love He has for you, to abide in this love, and to then love Him. Every day think specifically about how God greatly loves you, and thank Him for His great love for you. “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High, to declare your lovingkindness in the morning, and your faithfulness by night.” Psalm 92:1-2. “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5
Article 22
By Steven J. Hogan
Throughout church history there’s been a great and intense debate about the place, purpose and future of the Jews. There have been many people, both Christians and non-Christians, who have said that there’s absolutely no future for national Israel, for the ethnic Jews. They say that many of the Old Testament promises regarding Israel’s future are no longer valid, and that the church has replaced national Israel when it comes to God’s future plans for this world. They would say that these promises that were for the Jews will be fulfilled by the church.
This is incorrect, this is an error, this is not what God's Word says, and this error needs to be addressed and refuted, and especially so in these days, for we now live in the end times. And we know this because the Jews have miraculously been regathering to their land, and we can clearly see that God is directly dealing with them. This then, is the time to know what God says about the future of the Jews and, of course, about the future of the church.
A common name for this error is Replacement Theology. This name is used because the adherents of this false view believe that the church has replaced Israel as the recipients of many Old Testament promises, that God’s promises for the Jews have been nullified and transferred to the church. Of course there are variances in the beliefs of those who hold this view, depending on their interpretation of specific Old and New Testament prophecies.
This thinking that God canceled His plans for the Jews began during the first few hundred years of the church age. It started out as a wrong attitude towards the Jews, for “they killed Christ”, and this resulted in a growing anti-Semitism in the hearts of many Gentiles. But something else was taking place in the early church, and this was that some Christian leaders, like Origen and Augustine, were beginning to allegorically interpret the Bible. This non-literal and figurative interpretation of the Bible led them to reformulate these Old Testament promises that were for the Jews and then transfer them to the church. There was then the motive for the Gentile’s opposition to the Jews – “they killed Christ”; and now they thought, the revision of these Old Testament promises would be the means to exclude the Jews from being the recipients of them.
This opposition to the Jews continued through the centuries, primarily being promoted by the Catholic Church. David Ettinger, in his article (Zion's Fire magazine; May-June 2013) entitled Replacement Theology: Disdaining God’s Character said this, “Tragically, centuries later, the Reformers of the 16th century embraced Augustine’s allegorical views of prophecy and subsequent condemnation of the Jewish people.” Ettinger goes on to say, “Sadly, this mindset has carried on through the centuries. Subsequently, most of today’s mainline denominations trace their origins back to the Reformation, erroneously adhering to the Augustinian / Reformist view of Israel and the Jewish people.” This is no doubt true, and you see this with the World Council of Churches, and with many denominations - Catholics, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Methodists and Lutherans, as well as thousands of other independent Protestant churches.
These adherents of Replacement Theology would say that these promises, these covenants for the Jews are invalid, are null and void. They would say that they no longer pertain to the Jews, and are now for the church, for the new Israel. Most of the followers of this “Replacement” type thinking also say the following:
- They say that there’s no Biblically promised future for Jerusalem or for the nation of Israel.
- They say that when the New Testament speaks of the kingdom of God it is only speaking of the kingdom in the heart of a man, and not the kingdom that will be established on this earth by Jesus Christ.
- They say that 1000 years does not mean 1000 years. (Revelation 20). They say that there will be no millennial kingdom, that is, a 1000 year period when Jesus Christ will reign over the world. Those who believe this view are often called A-millennialists.
- Many say that Christ already came the 2nd time, this taking place in 70AD at the time when Israel was ransacked, and when close to one million Jews were killed. They say this was not a physical coming of Christ but a spiritual coming. Those who believe this are called Preterists.
- They say that Christ now reigns over the world, that the transfer of power from the devil to Christ has already occurred (Revelation 11:15), and that it took place in 70AD.
- Some say the church will greatly influence this world, and so much so that this world will become an increasingly righteous place, and then Jesus Christ will physically return. This is often called Dominion Theology, and this too is error.
- There are those who say that many of the Old and New Testament references that use the word Israel now refer to the church. God’s blessing, they say, will not come through the Jews, but that the church is the means by which blessing will come to the world both now and forever.
This teaching that disregards God’s promises for the Jews is not found in the Bible, and so it is not true, it is false, it is error. It needs to be corrected and refuted, and the truth about God’s future for the Jews need to taught and clearly understood, especially in these days of the end times. There are many different points that prove that God’s promises to the Jews are still true, and that they will be fulfilled in the future. My plan is to just list these different points today, and then to expound on them over the course of the next few weeks. They are as follows:
1. God’s character is holy - He didn’t change His mind about the Jews. Numbers 23:19
2. God’s word is true - He will fulfill His promises because He said so, He gave His word. Jeremiah 1:4
3. The sheer volume of Old Testament verses regarding God’s promises to the Jews proves that they are extremely important and unquestionably true. Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, etc.
4. God never changed His mind about His promises to the Jews. Psalm 33:11-12
5. Jesus Christ never once voided God’s promises to the Jews. Luke 24:25, 44
6. Jesus Christ continually affirmed God’s promises to the Jews. Matthew 5:17
7. Jewish history during the church age, and in particular, the recent regathering of the Jews back to their homeland, proves that God’s promises are true. Luke 21:20-24
8. God’s work with the church in the end times is dependent on and in conjunction with His work with the Jews. Therefore, the Jewish promises need to be fulfilled. Matthew 24:9-26
9. The literal, face value interpretation of the Bible proves that God's promises to the Jews are still valid. Isaiah 46:8-11
10. God’s promises to the Jews are true, and that's because after the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, then a number of Jews will be saved. Romans 11
Let me conclude by sharing some of my favorite Old Testament verses on this subject, what I call “forever verses.” That is, in a verse that speaks about God’s promise to the Jews, the word forever is used. These "forever verses" are some of the clearest and strongest reasons why I believe that God’s promises to the Jews will come true – God gave His word that they would last forever, not just for a few years or even a few hundred years, but forever.
Genesis 13:14-15 – “The Lord said to Abram… ‘Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are… for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever.’”
2 Samuel 7:16 – “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”
Psalm 33:11-12 – “The counsel of the Lord stands firm forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.”
Psalm 37:29 – “The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.”
Psalm 72:19 – “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.”
Psalm 105:8 – “God has remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham.”
Psalm 111:9 – “He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever. Holy and awesome is His name.”
Jeremiah 32:39-40 – “I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good...”
Ezekiel 37:25-26 – “They will live on the land that I gave to Jacob, my servant, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and their sons forever; and David my servant will be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them.”
Daniel 7:18 – “But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come.”
Hosea 2:19 – “I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, in lovingkindness and compassion.”
Joel 3:20 – “But Judah will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem for all generations.”
Amen.
Article 23
By Steven J. Hogan
In the previous article I spoke about this great debate with regard to God’s plans for the Jews. Here is the issue: many people, believers and unbelievers, say there’s no future for national Israel, for the ethnic Jews. They say that many of God’s Old Testament promises for them are no longer valid, and that the church has replaced national Israel when it comes to His future plans for this world. But that’s not what God’s word says - this kind of thinking is wrong, is an error, and it needs to be addressed and refuted. God does not want there to be confusion on this issue. He wants there to be clarity, and especially in these days, for now that the Jews have come back to their land, we know we live in the end times.
A common name for this error is Replacement Theology. This name is used because those who hold this view believe the church has replaced Israel as the recipients of many Old Testament promises. It’s also called Covenant Theology, Dominion Theology or A-millennialism. Of course there are differences in their beliefs depending on how they interpret specific Bible verses. But the main thing they have in common is that they believe God’s promises for the Jews have been changed or nullified, and for the most part then have been transferred to the church.
Now there are many good arguments refuting this error, and proving the truth of God’s word with regard to the future of the Jews. My purpose, over the course of the next few weeks is to go over a number of them, hoping they help you see the validity and truthfulness of God’s gracious and eternal promises to the Jews.
1. The Word of God is at stake. The Old Testament is God’s word, and it is filled with promises to the Jews about their future. When reading the prophets, we often see the phrase, “The word of the Lord” (Jeremiah 1:4, 1:11, 1:14, 2:1, 2:4, for example). The word of the Lord is God’s word. God spoke to the prophets, and then they spoke God’s word. Now I’m not here to give reasons why God’s word is His word. But it is, and this truth that God’s word is His word and not man’s word should by itself weigh heavily on our mind as evidence that His word is not to be tampered with or be taken lightly, but is to be examined, studied and believed. This is true with regard to all of God’s word, and in this particular context, with respect to God’s prophetic word, for it is that which also concerns the church at this time. “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 119:89-90.
“I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, 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. I have planned it, surely I will do it.” Isaiah 46:9-11. What is the context of these verses? It is the salvation of Israel. “My salvation will not delay. And I will grant salvation in Zion, My glory for Israel.” Isaiah 46:13. All God’s promises to Israel will indeed be fulfilled.
2. The sheer volume of Old Testament verses regarding God’s promises to the Jews proves they are true. THE LAW: Genesis 12:1-3, Genesis 13:14-16, Genesis 15:17-18, Genesis 17:2-8, Genesis 22:15-18, Genesis 26:2-5, Genesis 28:13-15, Genesis 32:12, Genesis 49:9-12; Exodus 2:24; Leviticus 26:42-45; Numbers 24:17-19, Numbers 25:12-13; Deuteronomy 4:31-40, Deuteronomy 7:6-9, Deuteronomy 33:26-29; Joshua 1:6-7; 1 Chronicles 17:10-14; Nehemiah 9:7-8. THE PSALMS: Psalm 2:6-9, Psalm 22, Psalm 33:10-12, Psalm 37, Psalm 45, Psalm 46, Psalm 47, Psalm 48, Psalm 67, Psalm 68:15-18, Psalm 68:28-35, Psalm 72, Psalm 89:20-36, Psalm 89:34-37, Psalm 96, Psalm 98, Psalm 99:1-3, Psalm 102:12-28, Psalm 105:8-11, Psalm 106:44-48, Psalm 110, Psalm 111, Psalm 115:9-18, Psalm 117, Psalm 122, Psalm 125, Psalm 130, Psalm 132:13-16, Psalm 136:21-22. THE PROPHETS: 2 Samuel 7:11-16, 2 Samuel 23:3-5; Isaiah 1:26-27, Isaiah 2:1-5, Isaiah 4:2-6, Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 11:1-12, Isaiah 12:1-6, Isaiah 25:1-9, Isaiah 32:15-20, Isaiah 33:5-6, Isaiah 33:17-22, Isaiah 35:1-10, Isaiah 40:1-11, Isaiah 42:5-13, Isaiah 43;1-3, Isaiah 44:1-8, Isaiah 45:17-25, Isaiah 46:8-11, Isaiah 49:1-26, Isaiah 51:1-6, Isaiah 52:1-12, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 54:1-17, Isaiah 55:1-3, Isaiah 59:15-21, Isaiah 60:1-22, Isaiah 61:2-11, Isaiah 62:1-12, Isaiah 65:1-25, Isaiah 66:7-24; Jeremiah 3:16-17, Jeremiah 7:7, Jeremiah 16:14-15, Jeremiah 23:3-8, Jeremiah 30:1-24, Jeremiah 31:1-14, Jeremiah 31:31-38, Jeremiah 32:37-41, Jeremiah 32:6-44, Jeremiah 33:6-25, Jeremiah 50:4-5; Ezekiel 11:17-20, Ezekiel 16:60-63, Ezekiel 17:22-24; Ezekiel 20:40-41, Ezekiel 34:23-31, Ezekiel 36:1-38, Ezekiel 37:1-28, Ezekiel 38:1-23, Ezekiel 39:1-29, Ezekiel 40-48; Daniel 2:40-45, Daniel 7:28-27, Daniel 9:24-27, Daniel 11:36-45, Daniel 12:1-18; Hosea 1:10-11, 2:16-23, Hosea 3:5, Hosea 14:4-7; Joel 2:27-32, Joel 3:12-21; Amos 9:13-15; Obadiah 15-21; Micah 2:12-13, Micah 4:1-8, Micah 5:1-5, Micah 7:14-22; Habakkuk 2:14; Zephaniah 1:14-18, Zephaniah 3:14-17; Haggai 2:4-9, Haggai 2:21-23; Zechariah 1:14-17, Zechariah 2:1-12, Zechariah 3:8-10, Zechariah 4:11-14, Zechariah 6:12-13, Zechariah 8:1-23, Zechariah 9:9-17, Zechariah 10:1-12, Zechariah 12:1-14, Zechariah 13:1-9, Zechariah 14:1-21; Malachi 1:5, Malachi 11, Malachi 3:16-18, Malachi 4:1-6.
In this article we're focusing on three specific and primary promises God made to the Jews regarding their future. These promises are also called covenants – there’s the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1-3 - the land), the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:13-16 - the King), and the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34 - salvation). God, through His spokesmen, has communicated these promises to the Jews. And in the Old Testament, we see that they are repeated again and again, being explained in great detail.
In one of my articles, “Hidden Treasure in the Old Testament”, I spoke extensively about these promises, these prophecies, these predictions regarding the Jews (listed above). It is imperative that you see the great volume of these verses. My rough count is that there are close to 1400 Old Testament verses relating directly to these three promises, and therefore to the future of Israel. It’s not that they are stated only three times in the Old Testament and never stated again – it is that they are restated, reproduced and repeated time and time again.
These three promises are the very word of God. That should be enough for you. But it is the enormous, overwhelming number of verses about these three promises that should be should be striking and shocking! You can’t help but see that it’s a tremendous weight of truth, irrefutable evidence, absolutely proving these promises to be true. This means they are very, very important, and are to never, in any way, be changed, disregarded, negated, nullified or overturned. Now If you think they are not true, then you need to clearly show that each one of them is not true, and that every one of them is not true. God’s prophetic Word is true, and it is all true, and it is always true, and these promises will be fulfilled, and sometime in the near future. God tells the truth. “Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar.” Romans 3:4
3. God never changed His mind about His promises to the Jews. God made three major covenant promises to the Jews with regard to their land, their King and their salvation. As I just said, there are, in addition, hundreds and hundreds of auxiliary verses enhancing and explaining these promises. But where in the Bible does it say God changed His mind, that He went back on His word, that His truth is no longer truth? Where does it say this? You can’t find one single verse that counters God’s plan for the Jews and then reformulates it for the church.
O, I know that people who believe in this false theory of replacement theology have their little verses, but they do not at all stand up to the greatness and the entirety of God’s truth, the massive number of prophecies and promises that proclaim this truth. In fact, their little verses that they say change God’s promises do not change God’s promises at all. God Word is true and therefore counters any error, any bit of man’s wisdom that so weakly and impotently tries to come against it.
I’ve heard people make one sweeping statement that these promises aren’t true for the Jews, but are true for the church. But they are greatly mistaken, and let me say, foolish as well. They may have their thoughts on this subject, but do they have the mind of God, the word of God in their hearts? The word of God is the word of God, and it cannot and will not be changed or altered. Listen to what God says about the nation of Israel and their future. “The word of the Lord is right, and all His work is done in faithfulness… The counsel of the Lord stands firm forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:4, 11-12
4. Jesus never changed or nullified God’s promises to the Jews. Where in the gospels does it say that Jesus changed His mind with regard to these promises to the Jews? Give me one verse where Jesus Himself actually says that the Jews aren’t going to be the recipients of God’s promises to them? There aren’t any. You can’t find a single verse ever stated by Jesus where He negates and nullifies, or to even a small degree, alters God’s promises to the Jews. In fact, you can’t find any verse in the entire New Testament. If Jesus didn’t change His mind about these promises, then why should we or anyone else exchange God’s truth for a lie, saying they’re different from how they were originally given to Abraham, David and Jeremiah, and to all the prophets, and to all the Jews.
5. Jesus Christ affirmed the truth of God’s covenant promises to the Jews about their future. In the gospels Christ regularly confirmed that the promises made to the Jews were true and still valid. Let me give you some examples of this:
a. Acts 1:3-10. “He also presented Himself to them alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of things concerning the kingdom of God… When they (apostles) had come together, they were asking Him, saying, ‘Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?’ He (Jesus) said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority.” (Acts 1:3, 6-7). In this passage Jesus is telling the disciples that He will set up His kingdom in the future, but in the meantime, they need to carry out the great commission, they need to preach the gospel to the “remotest part of the earth.” Then He will come back in the same way that He left them.
In verse 3 we understand that Jesus had been talking to His disciples for forty days about the coming kingdom. In that verse it doesn’t explicitly say that it was the future kingdom on earth, but verse 6 makes it clear that it was implied, for here the disciples are talking about the future kingdom for Israel. This was what was on their mind at that time. It was also on their mind when they had previously asked Jesus about “the sign of your coming and of the end of the age.” (Matthew 24:3). It is also clearly talked about in Acts 3:20-21, when Peter says, “and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.” There is no question that the Jews in the time of Jesus were looking forward to His kingdom being set up on earth.
But back to Acts 1, what is Jesus’s answer? He never denies there’s a future kingdom for Israel, but rather affirms it by saying that they are not to know when it will be appearing. It’s like He’s saying, “It’s going to happen, but I’m not going to tell you when. And in the meantime you got some work to do.” And then right after Jesus ascends into heaven, two angels appear, telling the disciples that Jesus will be returning to earth - and why? Of course, to set up His kingdom on earth. This is what the disciples had been talking about, this is what Jesus had been talking about, and this is what He was going to do. Surely Jesus was not deceptive, was not lying to them, was not misleading them. And surely He wasn’t saying that all the promises to the Jews were now being transferred to the church, but in fact, He was making it clear that the promises were true, that they were the same as they had always been. In these verses in Acts 1, Jesus is affirming the truth of His future kingdom on earth, but before His return, He wanted His disciples to know that they were to be reaching out to the entire world with the good news, His gospel message.
b. Luke 19:12-27. “A nobleman went to distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return.” In this parable Jesus illustrates how He will be leaving His disciples, but then will be coming back to set up His kingdom on earth. And in the meantime, (that is, during this church age), they are to be faithfully serving their master.
In this parable, we read that a nobleman, referring to Christ, was going away to receive a kingdom for himself. In fact, this is how it worked back in the days of the Romans with those who wanted to be a ruler over Israel. A person had to go to Rome to get the authority to be a ruler. Jesus then was going away, was going to heaven, and would then come back and establish His kingdom on earth. Now verse 13 tells us that they were to “Do business with this until I come back.” They were to faithfully use their minas, the money the nobleman had given them, until he came back. And so too we are to use our abilities, our gifts, our money in serving the Lord during this church age, until He comes back. Not only that, but note the commendation given in verse 17. Some of the slaves had been faithful with what He had given them, and therefore they would be given authority over a number of cities. Surely this is in reference to the future kingdom on earth when Jesus will be reigning, and when we will be reigning with Him. Again we see Jesus affirming God's promises for the Jews, that He would come back, and then set up His kingdom on earth.
c. Matthew 19:27-28. “Truly, I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel.” In this passage Jesus talks about the future kingdom when He’ll be reigning on the earth, and His disciples will then be rewarded by reigning with Him.
Peter was talking about how he and the other disciples had been following the Lord during their time with Him on earth, but this is for all of us who are serving Him during this church age. The disciples wanted to know their reward, the benefits of being His disciples. Jesus then tells them about the future, the “regeneration”, and this is not referring to a spiritual rebirth, but a physical rebirth – it is referring to the “restoration of all things” spoken of in Acts 3:21. This is referring to the millennial kingdom. We go on to read that Jesus will be sitting on His glorious throne, which is of course, referring to His earthly throne in Jerusalem, and His reign on earth during the coming kingdom age. In Vines Dictionary (Regeneration – page 260), we read, “This restitution will not, in the coming Millennial age, be universally a return to the pristine condition of Edenic innocence previous to the Fall, but it will fulfill the establishment of God’s covenant with Abraham concerning his descendants, a veritable rebirth of the nations, involving the peace and prosperity of the Gentiles.” Once again, Jesus is speaking about His future kingdom, when He will be reigning over the earth, and when they, and all true believers will be reigning with Him. (Revelation 5:10, 20:6)
d. Matthew 23:37-39. “For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.'” In this passage Jesus is making it clear that He is leaving Israel, that Jerusalem will be desolate, but that He is coming back again for the Jews, for those who receive Him as Lord and King, and then He will set up His Kingdom on earth.
Jesus knows that His earthly ministry is coming to an end, that His death on the cross is but a few days away. What is He then saying to the Jews and to us? He wants us to know that His desire had been to gather the Jews, to be their “mother hen”, to be their King. And then He speaks of their rejection of Him, but it is not just that He would be rejected, but that He would be killed, just like many prophets in the past had been killed. Yes, Jesus knows He is leaving, but He doesn’t want to leave, yet He also knows it is part of God’s sovereign plan.
With much emotion, Jesus goes on to tell them that Jerusalem will be desolate, will be left all alone, for He won’t be with them anymore. Jesus wanted to be with them – He loved them, He felt a deep compassion for them, but for the most part, they didn’t love Him, and so He had no choice but to leave them. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus repeatedly warns the Jews of this upcoming destruction and desolation of Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44, 21:20-44, 23:27-31). But again we know this is part of God’s overall plan, that the Jews would be scattered, but then later, in the end times, they would be regathered to Israel.
Now we come to this clear promise from Jesus to the Jews about their glorious future, one that connects us with many of God’s Old Testament promises to the Jews. Jesus isn’t saying here that “if” you say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” He is saying “until” you say…. “Blessed is He…” The word “until” is a timing word meaning that the Jews would not see Him before they say, “Blessed is He…” This is important to see this, to understand this, to realize that Jesus was reaffirming to the Jews, and to us, that He’d be coming back in the future, and that would take place when the Jews would be saying this, when they’d receive Him as Lord and Savior. And then He’d reign as King over them and over the world.
e. Luke 24:25 - “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!” This is one of my favorite passages proving that Jesus never changed His mind or His Father's mind with regards to the promises God had made to the Jews, but that He actually affirmed them. The key for them and for us is “to believe in all that the prophets have spoken.” (Emphasis is mine)
These two men are on this road to Emmaus and Jesus joins up with them. He goes on to tell them that they are foolish because they aren’t believing all that the prophets had spoken about Himself. In Jesus’ time with these disciples, He wasn’t pressing the delete key with regard to the Jewish promises. He didn’t say they were being reformulated for the church. He wasn’t saying, “You Jews rejected Me, and now I am done with you.” He was saying that you need to believe “all that the prophets have spoken.” (Emphasis is mine.)
The gospels make it very clear that the Jews wanted Jesus to be their physical King over Israel - they understood the promises that spoke of the future kingdom when the Messiah would reign over Israel and the entire earth. They had heard it repeatedly and rightly taught in the synagogues over the years. But there’s no doubt Jesus was wanting them to also know He was the Savior, the Messiah, the One to die for their sins, and then be resurrected. I can’t help but think that He used Isaiah 53, Psalm 22 and Psalm 16, and many other passages, to show and prove these things. But the point I want to make is that He used the word “all” in reference to what the prophets had spoken. Jesus wanted them to understand “all” that the prophets had spoken, whether it related to His suffering or His glory (1 Peter 1). Jesus was telling them that He would have to suffer as a Savior, and then He would reign as King.
Jesus was reaffirming the truth of the Jewish promises that showed Him to be Savior, Lord, Judge and King. O, might we not be foolish and slow of heart to believe “all that the prophets have spoken”. Might we believe the truth of Christ’s 1st coming, that He came as Savior and Lord, but might we also believe the truth of His 2nd coming, that He will come as Judge and King. Might we believe His promises for the church, and might we believe His promises for the Jews. Might we believe that Christ is coming again for the church, and also that He is coming again for the Jews.
There’s no doubt that all God’s promises to the Jews, given to us time and time again in the Old Testament, will be fulfilled. But there is much more to say, from the gospels and from the rest of the New Testament, that gives us evidence, and without question, prove the truth of God’s promises to the Jews. Next week, we’ll look at more of these, and specifically at Romans 11 (salvation of the Jews), Hebrews 11 (the land of the Jews), and Revelation 11 (the King of the Jews). “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep quiet, until her righteousness goes forth like brightness, and her salvation like a torch that is burning. And the nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory.” Isaiah 62:1-2
Article 24
By Steven J. Hogan
As Christians our desire should be to clearly understand the prophecy passages in the Bible that speak of the future God has for us. And one thing necessary for this understanding is to know the promises God gave to the Jews, particularly about their land, their King and their salvation. Unfortunately, many in the church are confused about this, and in fact, there are those who actually negate and nullify these promises to the Jews. For different reasons, they say there’s no future for national, ethnic Israel.
Those who believe these promises have been nullified, and have then been reformulated for the church, are in error. This false view, my friend, one that is often called Replacement Theology, is an attack against the credibility of Scripture and the character of God. It is also an attack against Bible prophecy, the future of Israel, and the common sense literal approach to Scripture. 2 Thessalonians 3:3, in a passage about prophecy, says, “Let no one deceive you in any way.” My desire is to make sure you are not deceived by this error, to help you see that those who believe this error are wrong. Their faulty arguments can be refuted and corrected by the overwhelming number of Old and New Testaments verses that clearly and powerfully proclaim God’s future plans for the Jews. The primary purpose of this particular article is to look at some New Testament verses to prove to you the truth of God’s promises to the Jews, that they have not been changed, but will indeed come to pass.
1. LUKE 1-2 ~ FIVE STAR WITNESSES TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH OF GOD’S PROMISES TO THE JEWS
Luke 1:30-33 - “Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold you shall conceive in your womb and will bear a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Mary was a young and godly lady. As an Israelite, she had been schooled in the synagogue and no doubt understood the Davidic covenant, that one of David’s descendants would someday reign as King over the Jews, and over the entire world. And here is Mary the servant, and she is shocked to hear from this angel that she would be the mother of this Messiah, this Son of the Most High. But she believed him, for she believed the promise God Himself had already given in His word.
Luke 1:54-55 - “He has given help to His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and His descendants forever.” In these verses Mary references the Abrahamic Covenant, and she knew this too to be God’s promise to the Jews, that through Abraham, all the families of the earth would be blessed. She believed that this promise, like the Davidic covenant, was an eternal promise that would never be changed.
Luke 1:67-79 - “… (the Lord) has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David His servant, as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old, salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; to show mercy to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to Abraham our Father.” Zechariah the priest, the father of John the Baptist, understood these promises to Abraham and David. Over the years, he had continually heard and believed the prophets’ messages about salvation, redemption and forgiveness. Without question, Zechariah was looking forward to the coming of the Messiah.
But let’s not forget the shepherds. What did the angel tell them? “I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord… ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of goodwill.’” Luke 2:10-14. Yes, the shepherds also knew and believed these promises God had given to their ancestors, about this King who would bring peace to the world. You see, most Jews had heard them time and time again, from their parents, from the priests, and from the words of the prophets.
Then Luke 2:25-32 tells us about a devout man named Simeon, and he was “looking for the consolation of Israel.” And in Luke 2:36-38, we read that the prophetess Anna was “looking for the redemption of Israel.” They too knew the promises about the land, their King, the salvation of the Jews, and the glorious future of Israel, and they really wanted to see this King, this Messiah. Now they didn’t know there’d be a 1st and 2nd coming of the Messiah, that a church age would take place between the two, and that only at His 2nd coming would all these promises be fulfilled. But they believed what they knew, and then in God’s kindness, He let them see His Son with their own eyes.
What can we sum up from these accounts, from these five star witnesses for the Messiah?
1. The people God picked to be His witnesses were all Jews, and they all believed these promises, and were convinced that they'd be coming true.
2. These Jewish witnesses were testifying to the truthfulness of these promises, that a Messiah was coming who would be King, who would bring salvation and great blessing to the Jewish people, and to the entire world. They were agreeing with the promises that had already been given, were affirming them, and then publicly declaring them.
3. God could have chosen just one person to testify to the truth of the Messiah’s coming and these promises to the Jews. But He picked four people, all godly witnesses, but even more than that, for these shepherds were also testifying about the Messiah, the Chief Shepherd. God, through these witnesses, and now to us through His word, is emphatically making the case that these promises are true, are legitimate, and will be fulfilled.
4. In Luke 1-2, in the context of the most Biblically detailed story about the birth of His Son, God wants us to know that it’s not just about the baby Jesus. Embedded in these two chapters are a number of reminders of the key promises directly related to Jesus, and divinely given to the Jews. Right at the beginning of Luke’s gospel, God wants to make sure we remember the big picture, the overall purposes concerning His Son, yes, that He will be a Savior, but also a King, and that He will reign over the Jews and the entire world.
5. Nothing is said in these verses or later verses that counters and contradicts these witnesses’ understanding of these promises. Nothing is said to them that they were wrong in what they believed, or that God had changed His mind and nullified these promises, or that He had something new in mind, and that this entity called the church, would be the new recipients of the Jewish promises. Nothing at all is ever said to deny, to negate these promises. In these verses, God is not only validating His promises to the Jews, but He is not invalidating them.
6. What a pity it would be, as some must believe, that these five star witnesses had been deceived, that even Jesus’ own mother had been tricked, and that the promises were going to be changed. Why would God want His godly people to repeat these promises if He knew He was going to change His mind? How deceptive, how cruel that would be. But these witnesses weren’t deceived, they were telling the truth, and nothing but the truth. To go even further, what a pity it would be, as some must believe, that millions and millions of Old Testament Jews were misled, were mistaken, were deceived with regard to the promises about the Messiah, and the promises about the future of their own people. They thought they were believing the truth, but it really was a lie. But no, they were not deceived, they weren’t lied to, they were told the truth. “The plans of the Lord stand firm forever.” Psalm 33:11
7. These godly witnesses were given to us by God to affirm and validate the truth about Jesus, the Messiah, and the truth about the promises to the Jews. Nothing had changed, and nothing had been changed – all that God had said in the past, all that had been written in the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets, was 100% true, and would always, would forever be 100% true.
2. ROMANS 11 ~ GOD'S PROMISE TO THE JEWS ABOUT THEIR SALVATION WILL COME TRUE
Romans 11 is the best chapter in the New Testament that speaks about the salvation of a remnant of Jews in the end times. In the Old Testament we read that God preserved His people, the nation of Israel, even in spite of their continual sin and rejection of Himself. And God didn’t in those days nullify His promises to them, but only kept on reaffirming them. Then the New Testament gospels tell us how the Jews turned against the Messiah, the Christ. But would their rejection and crucifixion of Christ cause God to change His mind with regard to His promises, and specifically the future salvation of a remnant of Jews? No, not at all.
My desire is to help you see how Romans 11 confirms God's plans for the salvation of the Jews in the end times. The key question is given to us in verse one: “I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He?” And right away, Paul answers it. “May it never be!” Now when Paul says, “His people,” we know he is talking about the Jews. We also know God is saving some Jews during this church age. But what Paul goes on goes on to say is that God has not reneged on his promise to save a remnant of Jews at the end of this age.
First, Paul says that their salvation relates to God’s foreknowledge (verse 2). That God would save a remnant of Jews at the end of this age is because God had foreknown them. Since eternity past, God has desired and planned to save this great remnant of Jews. That’s what He foreknew, that’s what His Word says, and nothing can or ever will change His eternal plans for them.
Second, it is by God’s grace. Of course, the Jews as a people, have sinned and rejected Christ. But it is not by their good works that they received these promises, and it is not by their sin that they will forfeit these promises. The Abrahamic, Davidic, and New Covenants, the three primary promises, will not be obtained by works, but rather are unconditional, guaranteed by God, granted by grace, and given freely to the Jews. “There is a remnant chosen by grace” (verse 5).
Third, we understand that the Jews, as a whole, are not very receptive to the gospel during this church age. In reference to the Jews, it says, “the rest were hardened” (verse 7). But why? It's important to realize that in a general way, God has sovereignly hardened the hearts of the Jews during this church age. “God gave them a spirit of stupor” (verse 8). But let me assure you, this does not take away their responsibility to repent of their sins and believe in Christ.
Fourth, the Jews have stumbled during this church age (verse 11), but they haven’t fallen. That is, they are not permanently out of the picture, for God has not canceled His plans for the Jews, but only suspended them. As a people, the Jews have been set aside now for about 2,000 years, but this long but temporary interruption of God’s plans for them will soon come to an end, for now we are living in the end times, and therefore in a very little while, Christ will return to fulfill His promises to them.
Fifth, “By their (the Jews’) transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous” (verse 11). The Gentiles are clearly more open to the gospel during this church age than the Jews. But “If their (Jews’) rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead” (verse 15). God is telling us that He’s not finished with the Jews, for there’ll come a day when they will accept the Messiah, and spiritually be made alive.
Sixth, in speaking of the salvation of the Gentiles, God says they are like wild olives branches grafted into a good olive tree. But then in speaking of the Jews, God says, “God is able to graft them in again… how much more will these who are natural branches (the Jews) be grafted into their own tree (verse 23).” By saying this, God is speaking of a great number of Jews who will be grafted into this good olive tree, who will be saved at the end of Daniel’s 70th week.
Seventh, the most telling verses in Romans 11 with regards to the future salvation of a remnant of Jews are these: “I do not want you, brethren, (Gentiles) to be uninformed of this mystery, so that you will not be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.’ This is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins (verses 25-26).” You can’t miss this. You can’t read this any other way but to say that it is telling us about the salvation of a number of Jews at the end of Daniel’s 70th week. Let me explain a few other things about this verse:
a. The hardening of the Jews is not a complete and permanent hardening, just a temporary and partial hardening during this church age, “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” God is focused on the salvation of the Gentiles during this age, but once “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in”, once all the Gentiles to be saved, are saved, then all Israel will be saved.
b. Luke 21:24 tells us that the Jews were scattered (about 70AD), but now they have gathered back, an important precondition that had to be met before these Jews could be saved.
c. Luke 21:24 also tells us that the trampling of the Jews will continue “until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled”. This trampling, this Jewish persecution, this Anti-Semitism continues even today. But when will it come to an end? Only when “the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled,” only when Christ becomes King over the world at the end of Daniel’s 70th week, will a great remnant of Jews will be saved.
“All Israel will be saved”, means that all the Jews alive on this earth at that time will be saved, will be forgiven of their sins. What God had promised to the prophets will then most assuredly take place. God is faithful to His word, and His promise to the Jews will finally be fulfilled. This is one of the clearest affirmations of God’s commitment to His chosen people, to an elect remnant of Jews. There is no question that Romans 11 is one of the most important passages in the New Testament regarding His promise to save a great number of Jews at the end of Daniel’s 70th week. “To Him be the glory,” and that my friend, concludes this chapter. These final verses, in this context, are speaking of the working and ways of God with regard to the salvation of the Jews. And all the glory goes to God. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are His judgments, and unfathomable His ways… For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” Romans 11:33-36
3. HEBREWS 11 ~ GOD’S PROMISE TO THE JEWS ABOUT THEIR LAND WILL COME TRUE
Hebrews 11 is about faith, but it’s also about hope. Verse 1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for.” When we have faith for the future, then that is hope. If you believe in a promise from God about the future, then you have hope. You see, Hebrews 11 is just as much about men and women who had faith, as it is about men and women who had hope. What was their hope? It related directly to the promises God made to the Jews in the Old Testament. With reference to Abraham it says, “By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise… for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:9-10). In Genesis 12:1-3 and Genesis 13:14-16, we read that God had promised Abraham that he would be blessed with land and many descendants. And Abraham believed God, and it was his faith in God’s promise that gave him hope.
But we must note Hebrews 11:13-16 - “All these died in faith without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were exiles on the earth… they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” Do you see what this is saying? All these Old Testament believers mentioned in Hebrews 11 knew the promises God had given them – they all had faith and hope, and were looking forward to these promises being fulfilled.
Hebrews 11 again confirms God’s promises to the Jews. God did not nullify His promises to them, and then make them available to the church. He is keeping His promises, He is keeping His word. And the beginning of the fulfillment of these promises takes place at the end of this age, when Christ returns, when all believers from all time, both Old Testament and New Testament saints, will be gathered to be with Christ.
But I believe the best verses in the entire Bible that bring it all together, that summarize a key aspect of God’s grand and glorious plans for the saints, are found in Hebrews 11:39-40. “All these (referring to the Old Testament believers), having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us (New Testament believers), so that apart from us (New Testament believers) they (Old Testament believers) would not be made perfect.” I love these verses, for they help us see how everything comes together at the end of this church age with respect to both Old and New Testament saints. Old Testament believers had hope for the future, hope for their land and for a new heaven, but they wouldn’t see the realization of their hope apart from the New Testament saints. That’s how God planned it. And when Christ returns, Hebrews 11:39-40 will come true, for then all believers from all time will be gathered together to be with Christ. “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 24:31). How wonderful, how amazing. Thanks be to God!
4. REVELATION 11 ~ GOD’S PROMISE TO THE JEWS ABOUT THEIR KING WILL COME TRUE
The fulfillment of a key promise is given to us in Revelation 11:15. There we read, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” The promise given to David about a future king (1 Samuel 7:13-16), repeated many times over in the Old Testament, finally comes true. “The Lord will be King over all the earth.” Zechariah 14:9.
At the very end of Daniel’s 70th week, the seventh trumpet is sounded, and then Jesus Christ becomes King over the world, and He will reign forever and ever. It is at that time that all the Jews alive on this earth will be saved (Romans 11:25-26, Isaiah 45:17). And Christ the King will be there with them, loving them, rejoicing over them, and then reigning over the world. “God is the King of all the earth… God reigns over the nations” (Psalm 47:7-8). The promise given to David over 3,000 years ago finally comes true at this point in time, and because we live in the end times, then we know that it won’t be long before this takes place.
IN CONCLUSION ~ THE OLD TESTAMENT PROMISES TO THE JEWS ARE TRUE, NOW AND FOREVER
I hope this helps you to see that many New Testament verses affirm and prove the truth of God’s Old Testament promises to the Jews. I pray that you have a greater understanding of these promises, and a conviction that they will all be carried out. God’s word is true. God’s word is eternal. God’s word will be fulfilled. By the Lord God, and through His promises to His people, great blessing will come to the entire world. More importantly, great glory will be given to God the Father, and to the Lord Jesus Christ. “Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone works wonders. And blessed be His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen.” Psalm 72:18-19
Article 25
By Steven J. Hogan
This is not so much an article to read as it is a resource to use. A long time ago, back in the early 70’s, God taught me the importance of feeding my soul with His Word. I have to admit, I am so thankful that He got me into the habit of daily reading His Word, of thinking about it, praying over it, doing it, and it then becoming a part of my life. There’s no doubt that one of the main reasons I am going on for Christ is because of God’s Word. I love God and I love His Word and I couldn’t make it in life as a Christian without it. Through it, God teaches me, leads me, comforts me, motivates me, instructs me, warns me and protects me. By God’s grace, I have learned to believe His truths, obey His commands, heed His warnings, and hold on to His promises. Every morning I’ve learned to get up, and first get into God’s word, and have my most important meal of the day.
What follows is a long list of verses. These are most of my favorite verses, and ones I’ve read and thought of time and time again for the past 45 years. I first wrote this list for myself, so that I could more easily remember the word God had given me. But then I made it available to my friends, and then to my church. Then this past week, I thought it would be good to make it available to you. (You will notice that I like the Psalms).
When you start reading it, you’ll see that it is a randomized list of verses. I did this on purpose. There have been times in my life when I’d read a section of these verses every day, and I’d go through the entire list, and then I’d start all over again. There have been times when I was spiritually lethargic or discouraged, and then I’d start to read through some of the verses. And invariably, I wouldn’t get very far in the list before God would quickly spiritually pick me up and get me back on my feet. By His Word, He’d encourage, refresh and energize me. I can’t tell you how many times God has used these verses to help me get up and keep on going for Him. And if God can use this list to be a help for your own life, and for the lives of others, then I say “Amen.”
My prayer is that God’s word becomes a part of your soul. “Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being” (Psalm 51:6). You need God’s word - you have to have it. You can’t make it, you can’t survive without it. God’s Word needs to become a part of your life. You need to learn to go to certain books, certain chapters, and certain verses in the Bible, trusting God to use His word to build you, to instruct you, to lead you, and to protect you. And sometimes you will go back to the same verse or same passage. And that’s fine, that’s good, if that’s what you need to do.
One more thing – I believe you all know that we’re in the end times, and that it won’t be long before the return of Christ. And I hope you realize that there’ll be some rough days ahead before Christ’s coming and the rapture of the church. Paul said it simply, “Through many tribulations, we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). But then we’ll come to “great tribulation” days, and the road will be even rougher, and life will be even tougher. Now’s the time to get God’s word in your life, and for His word to become a part of your life. Now’s the time, in the calm before the storm, to learn the key truths, commands, promises and warnings found in God’s word. Don’t wait, please don’t wait. Finally, remember the Lord’s instruction to Joshua, “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.” Joshua 1:8
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Psalm 145:1 - I will exalt You, my God the King; I will praise Your name forever and ever.
Psalm 23:1-3, 6 - The Lord is my shepherd, and 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 mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Mark 12:30-31 - Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength… Love your neighbor as yourself.
Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Psalm 27:7 - One thing I have asked of the Lord, that I shall seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to meditate in His temple.
Matthew 6:33-34 - Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow.
Lamentations 3:20-23 - My soul is downcast within me; yet this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope. Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness.
Psalm 18:1-2 - I love You O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 18:28, 30 - You keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light… as for God, His way is perfect; His Word is flawless; He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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 called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
John 5:24 - He who hears My words, and believes in Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
Psalm 119:105 - Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 26:3 - Your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in Your truth.
Psalm 86:12-13 - I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever. Great is Your love towards me; You have delivered my soul from the depths of the grave.
Psalm 100:4 - Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good, and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 28:2, 6-7 - Hear my cry for mercy as I call to You for help… Praise be to the Lord, for He has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy, and I will give thanks to Him in song!
Nahum 1:7 - The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.
Ephesians 3:20-21 - Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
2 Corinthians 3:18 - We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Exodus 15:11 - Who among the gods is like You, O Lord? Who is like You - majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?!?!
Isaiah 6:3 - Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory!!!
Deuteronomy 10:13 - What does the Lord ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.
Matthew 28:19-20 - Go therefore and makes disciples of all the nations… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, and surely I am with you always, even to the end of this age.
1 Corinthians 15:58 - Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your work in the Lord is not in vain.
Hebrews 11:6 - Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists, and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
Psalm 71:19-21 - Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, You who have done great things. Who, O God, is like You? Though You have made me see troubles many and bitter, You will restore my life once again… You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.
Romans 8:28-29 - We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who have been called according to His purpose. For those whom God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.
Psalm 31:19 - How great is Your goodness which You have stored up for those who fear You.
Psalm 55:22-23 - Cast your burden upon on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Psalm 57:10-11 - For great is Your love, reaching to the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; may Your glory be over all the earth.
Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself up for me.
Lamentations 3:31-32 - For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love.
Psalm 126:3-5 - Restore our fortunes O Lord… Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy… The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy.
Micah 6:8 - He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 15:7-9 - If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, and prove to be My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you.
Proverbs 16:9 - Man plans his way but the Lord directs his steps.
Job 23:10-12 – God 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 31:7, 9, 14 – 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; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief… I trust in You, O Lord and say, “You are my God.”
Psalm 73:23-26 - Yet I am always with You. You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel. Afterwards, You will take me into glory… My heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Psalm 118:24 - This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Proverbs 2:6-7 - For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose way is blameless, for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones.
Hebrews 7:25-26 - Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets our need - one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.
1 John 1:7 - But if we walk in the light, as God is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.
Psalm 143:8-10 - Let the morning bring me word of Your love, for I have put my trust in You. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
Psalm 46:10 - Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.
2 Corinthians 4:7-10 - We have this treasure in earthen vessels so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way but not crushed; perplexed but not despairing; persecuted but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed, always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so the life of Jesus may be revealed in our body.
Psalm 62:5, 8 - Find rest, O my soul, in God alone. My hope comes from Him… Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.
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.
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. This poor man called and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Psalm 40:11-12 - May Your love and truth always protect me. For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see… and my heart fails with me.
1 Samuel 12:23-24 - As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord, and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.
Proverbs 21:5 - The plans of the diligent lead to an advantage, as surely as haste leads to poverty.
Romans 8:1 - Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 90:14 - Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us.
Psalm 103:1-5 - Praise the Lord, O my soul; praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of 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.
Psalm 80:7, 18 - Restore us, O God Almighty; make Your face shine upon us, that we may be saved… Return to us, O God Almighty... Revive us, and we will call on Your name.
2 Thessalonians 3:5 - May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.
James 1:2-4 - Consider it all joy my brothers when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Psalm 147:3-5 - He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars, and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Proverbs 4:4-5 - Let your heart hold fast My words; keep My commandments and live. Get wisdom, get understanding. Do not forget or turn away from the words of my mouth.
Ezra 7:10 - Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
Romans 11:33 - Oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His paths are beyond tracing out.
Psalm 84:1-2 - How lovely is Your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our trials so we will be able to comfort those who are in any trial with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
Romans 7:20, 21, 24 - Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: when I want to do good, evil is right there with me… What a wretched man that I am. Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Psalm 119:75-77 - I know O Lord that you are righteous, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. May Your unfailing love be my comfort, according to Your promise to Your servant. Let Your compassion come to me that I may live, for Your law is my delight.
Deuteronomy 13:3-4 - The Lord your God is testing you to find out if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him and cling to Him.
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 and your houses.
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. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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 will I satisfy him, and show him My salvation.
Joshua 5:13-14 - Joshua lifted up his eyes and looked and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said, 'Are you for us or for our adversaries?' And he said, 'No, rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the Lord.'
John 14:27 - My peace I give to you… Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid.
Daniel 3:17-18 - We do not need to defend ourselves. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know O king that we will not serve your gods.
2 Corinthians 1:8-9 - We were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead.
Psalm 36:7-8 - How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house.
Daniel 4:35 - God 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?”
Matthew 6:9-11 - Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.
Isaiah 26:3-4 - You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord is the Rock eternal.
Mark 13:27 - Then He will send forth His angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Esther 4:14 - Who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?
Job 22:21-22 - Yield now and be at peace with God; thereby good will come to you. Please receive instruction from His mouth and establish His words in your heart.
Philippians 1:21-23 - To live is Christ, and to die is gain… Yet what shall I choose? I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ which is better by far.
Psalm 77:13-14 - Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display Your power among the peoples.
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 the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 21:4 - He will wipe away every tear from your eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
Psalm 52:8-9 - I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever. I will praise You forever for what You have done; in Your name I will hope, for Your name is good.
Mark 1:15 - The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.
2 Corinthians 9:8 - God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good deed.
2 Peter 1:2-3 - Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 John 2:15, 17 - Do not love the world, nor the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him.... The world and its lusts are passing away, but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
Psalm 31:21 - Praise be to God, for He showed His wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city. In my alarm I said, “I’m cut off from your sight”, yet You heard my cry for mercy.
Psalm 119:50 - My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.
Philippians 3:10 - I want to know Christ, the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Psalm 139:16-17 - Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.
Psalm 56:3-4 - When I am afraid I will trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?
2 Chronicles 14:11 - Lord, there is no one like You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, You are our God; do not let mere man prevail against You.
Psalm 66:8-12 - Praise our God, O peoples… He has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping, for You, God, tested us and refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs, and let men ride over our heads. We went through fire and water, but You brought us to a place of abundance.
1 Peter 5:10 - 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, strengthen and establish you.
Psalm 119:71 - It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn Your decrees.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Philippians 1:6 - I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it on the day of Christ Jesus.
1 John 2:12, 14 - I write to you children because your sins are forgiven… I write to you young men because you’re strong, and God’s word lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
Psalm 103:11-12 - As high as the heavens are above the earth so great is His love for those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our sins from us.
Ecclesiastes 7:2, 4 - It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart... The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, while the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.
Colossians 3:12-13 - As God’s chosen people, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another… Put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
Colossians 3:17 - Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Matthew 4:10 - Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.
Hosea 6:3 - So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth.
Psalm 16:9, 11 - My heart is glad and my tongue rejoices... You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in Your presence and eternal pleasures at Your right hand.
1 Peter 1:6-7 - In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith, of greater worth than gold, may be proved genuine, and result in praise, honor and glory when Jesus Christ is revealed.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Psalm 77:8-9, 11 - Has God’s unfailing love vanished forever? Has His promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has He in anger withheld His compassion… I will remember the deeds of the Lord, yes I will remember Your miracles of long ago.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 - My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so Christ’s power may rest on me… For Christ’s sake I delight in weakness… when I am weak, then I am strong.
James 1:9, 12 - The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position… Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
2 Kings 6:16 - Do no fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.
Isaiah 40:29 - God gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Jeremiah 29:11-12 - I know the plans that I have for you, plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
Romans 5:8 - God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
2 Chronicles 31:21 - In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.
1 John 4:16 – We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us.
John 11:40 - Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Jude 1b-2 - To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: may mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.
Psalm 107:6, 8 - They cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress... Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love, and His wonderful deeds for men, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
Romans 5:3-4 - We rejoice in our sufferings, because we know suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.
Luke 21:27 - At that time they will see the Son of man coming with power and great glory.
Jeremiah 10:10 - But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God, the everlasting King.
John 11:24-25 - I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me will live, even though He dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?
Jude 24-25 – 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, now and forever.
2 Corinthians 5:7, 9 - We live by faith and not by sight… For we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.
Psalm 138:8 - The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your love, O Lord endures forever.
Exodus 33:14 - The Lord replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Philippians 2:1-2 - Since you have encouragement from being united with Christ, since you have comfort from His love, since you have fellowship with the Spirit, since you have tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded.
Psalm 34:17-18 - The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those crushed in spirit.
Psalm 63:2-4 - I have seen You in the sanctuary, and beheld Your power and glory. Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You. I will praise You as long as I live.
Psalm 119:132-133 - Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love Your name. Direct my footsteps according to Your word; let no sin rule over me.
Psalm 119:159 - I love your precepts; preserve my life, O Lord, according to your love.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 – We do not lose heart. Though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. Momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Colossians 3:3-4 - For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory.
James 5:11-12 – We consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance, and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
Psalm 86:4-5, 7 - 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. In the day of my trouble I will call to You, for You will answer me.
Psalm 145:14, 17 -The Lord upholds all those who fall, and lifts up all who are bowed down… The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all His deeds. The Lord is near to all who call on Him; He hears their cry and saves them.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Malachi 2:5-6 - He revered Me, and stood in awe of My name. True instruction was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many back from iniquity.
Psalm 136:16, 23, 25, 26 - To Him who led His people through the desert, His love endures forever… to the One who remembered us in our low estate, His love endures forever… who gives food to every creature, His love endures forever... Give thanks to the God of heaven.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 - May the 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.
1 John 4:10-11 - 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. Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 Corinthians 6:19 - Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God. You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.
Hebrews 12:22-24 - You have come to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands and thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the first born, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant.
Psalm 103:8 - The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love.
Ephesians 3:16-19 - I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so Jesus Christ may dwell in your heart through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is love of Christ - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Psalm 40:1-2 - I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust.
Isaiah 40:31 - But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run, and not grow weary, they will walk, and not grow faint.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Psalm 103:13-14 - As a father has compassion on His children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are but dust.
1 Peter 4:10-11 - Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms… so that in all things God may be praised.
Psalm 143:11 - For Your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life. In Your righteousness bring me out of trouble. In Your unfailing love, silence my enemies, for I am Your servant.
Hebrews 12:10-11 - Our heavenly Father disciplines us for our good so that we may share in His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
Psalm 13:1-2, 4-5 - How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts, and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?... But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord for He has been good to me.
Psalm 146:5 - Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord.
1 Peter 1:3-4 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy, has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Romans 3:23-24 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement through the shedding of His blood, to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate His justice.
Romans 15:13 - 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.
Ephesians 1:3-5 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ according to the kind intention of His will.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Deuteronomy 8:2-3 - You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. He humbled you, and let you be hungry… that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but on everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.
John 14:15-16 - If you love Me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, to be with you forever, the Spirit of truth.
Psalm 71:18 - Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare Your power to the next generation, Your might to all who are to come.
Psalm 119:1-2 - Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart.
Psalm 33:18-19 - The eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love, to deliver them from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Psalm 118:17-18 - I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done. The Lord has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death.
Romans 8:31-32 - If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His Own Son, but delivered Him over for all of us, how will He not also freely give us all things?
Jeremiah 32:38-40 - They will be My people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear Me so they will never turn away from Me.
Psalm 121:7 - The Lord will keep you from all harm - He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forever more.
Romans 8:36-39 - In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2 Timothy 4:7-8 - I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord will award to me.
John 17:4 - This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent. I brought you glory on earth by completing the work You gave me to do.
Colossians 2:9-10 - For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.
Psalm 116:1 - I love the Lord, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy.
Psalm 116:6-7 - The Lord protects the simple-hearted; when I was in great need, He saved me. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.
Psalm 16:5-7 - You have assigned me my portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; I have a delightful inheritance.
Isaiah 50:10 - Who is among you that fears the Lord, that obeys the voice of His servant, that walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the Lord and rely on His God.
Ephesians 5:1 - Be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us, and gave Himself up for us, as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:17-18 - So then do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is... Be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 6:10 - Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the schemes of the devil.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Psalm 3:3-4, 8 - You are a shield around me, O Lord… To the Lord I cry aloud and He answers me from His holy hill. I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me.
Genesis 50:20 - As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about the present result, the saving of many lives.
Psalm 142:6-7 - Listen to my cry - I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Set me free from my prison that I may praise Your name.
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 51:10, 12 - Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me… Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Romans 6:13 - Offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness.
Isaiah 57:1-2 - The righteous man perishes, and no one takes it to heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands, that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace.
Job 19:25-26 - I know that My Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes – I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 - It is God who makes us stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing the future.
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.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Psalm 57:7 - My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
Philippians 2:10-11 - At the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
1 Peter 1:16 - Just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.
James 4:6, 8, 10 - God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble… Humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up. Come near to God and He will come near to you.
2 Chronicles 15:7 - As for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.
John 17:24, 26 - Father, I want those you have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory You have given me because You loved Me before the creation of the world… I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them.
Psalm 116:8-9 - For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
Hebrews 4:16 - Let us then approach the throne of grace of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.
Psalm 119:92 - If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.
Jeremiah 9:23-24 - Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom, or the strong man boast of his strength, or the rich man boast of his riches. Let him who boasts boast that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 John 2:13-14 - I write to you fathers because you have known Him from the beginning. You young men are strong because the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
Proverbs 20:24 - Man’s steps are ordained by the Lord. How then can anyone understand His way?
Isaiah 50:6-7 - I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting. The Sovereign Lord helps me, and I will not be disgraced. I have set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.
Hebrews 12:1-2 - Let us run with endurance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Romans 4:19, 20 - Abraham faced the fact that his body was as good as dead… yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He promised.
John 1:14 - The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 14:6 - I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.
1 Peter 3:18 - For Christ died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God.
Hebrews 1:3 - The Son is the radiance of God’s glory, and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Philippians 2:12-13 - Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will, and to work, according to His good pleasure.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2 Timothy 4:1 - I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His Kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with great patience and careful instruction.
Psalm 115:1 - Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name be the glory, because of Your lovingkindess, because of Your truth.
1 Chronicles 29:10-13 - Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O Lord, is the Kingdom; You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now our God we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name.
Philippians 3:8 - 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, and may be found in Him.
Proverbs 8:17 - I love those who love Me, and those who seek Me will find Me.
Joshua 1:8 - Do not let this book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.
Psalm 119:159 - See how I love Your precepts; preserve my life according to Your love.
Psalm 119:28 - My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word.
Philippians 1:9-11 - This I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ, having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Hebrews 11:26, 27 - Moses regarded disgrace for Christ’s sake as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to His reward… he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Romans 10:9, 13 - If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.... Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.
Job 1:21 - The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
Jeremiah 10:23 - I know that a man’s life is not his own, it is not for man to direct his steps.
2 Chronicles 20:12 - O our God, will You not judge them? We have no power to face this vast enemy that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.
Galatians 6:9 - Do not grow weary of doing good, for in due time you will reap a harvest if you do not give up. As you have opportunity, do good to all people, especially to the believers.
Job 10:12 - You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit.
Ephesians 6:18 - With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.
Psalm 43:3, 5 - Send forth Your light and Your truth, let them guide me… Why are you downcast O my soul? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
2 Corinthians 5:2, 8 - We groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling… we are confident and would be prefer to be away from the body, and at home with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 - May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Psalm 47:6-7 - Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth.
Matthew 25:21 - Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of Your master.
Romans 12:1 - I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your body a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you can prove what the will of God is.
Revelation 1:5-7 - To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen! Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him.
Revelation 5:13 - To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 21:7 - He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be His God and he will be My son.
Matthew 4:4 - Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
Revelation 4:8 - Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.
Revelation 22:20 - He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Come Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord be with you all. Amen.
Numbers 6:24-26 - 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.
Article 26
By Steven J. Hogan
One of my purposes in teaching eschatological prophecy is to help you see the plans God has for your life. Way too often we trudge through life, lost in our own little worlds, and we don’t see the big picture. And it’s God’s word that enables you to know why you are really here, what life’s all about, and where you are going. In particular, it’s important to understand God’s prophetic word as it relates to your future, and the future of the church and of the Jews. It’s also important to see that God’s plans for the Jews directly relate to God’s plans for the church. And there’s no doubt that seeing God’s plans for the Jews gives you a bigger, better and more comprehensive picture of God’s plans for the church.
But there’s a problem in that many people, both Christians and non-Christians, believe in an error called Replacement Theology. This is a lie the devil has foisted upon the church for over 1900 years now, saying that God negated and nullified His Old Testament promises to the Jews about their land, salvation and King, and then to some degree, gave them to the church. But the church did not replace Israel when it came to God's Old Testament promises. I have shared many arguments from God’s word, proving that His promises to the Jews are still valid, and will be fulfilled in the future. Today, I will share a few more.
1. Christ Himself Affirmed That the Promises to the Jews Are True. Luke 24:44 - “All things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Jesus Christ told His disciples that all things written about Him in the Old Testament were to be fulfilled, things related to His suffering and His glory, to His first coming and His second coming, and to His reign over the world.
Jesus came to visit His frightened disciples, for He wanted to reassure them, and give them evidence that He was the Messiah, the Savior and the King. And so what did Jesus do? He immediately goes to God’s word, to the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms. These Bible passages had much to say about Jesus, about who He was, what He had done and what He was going to do. This must have been a most enlightening Bible study, for here’s Jesus, God in the flesh, opening up the Word, using it to instruct and confirm His identity and purpose, and thereby encourage His disciples.
Jesus uses the phrase “all things”, to say that He was going to share "all things" about Himself with the disciples - He was going to tell the disciples what the Word said about Himself. This would include His relationship and dealings with the Jews, that He was their Savior and coming King. This verse helps us to see that God’s promises to the Jews have never been negated, but that they’ll come true in connection with His plans for the Messiah. You can’t separate the truth about Jesus from God’s promises to the Jews. Since Jesus was affirming the truth about Himself, then He was also affirming God's promises about the future of the Jews. Jesus will be the Savior of the Jews, and He will be the King of the Jews. For example, look at Psalms 47, 67, 72.
I want you to notice that Jesus tells us the same thing in Matthew 5:17-18 - “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter stroke shall pass from the Law until all is all is accomplished.” Do you see that? Jesus is coming to fulfill the Law and the prophets. And all that is predicted about Him will come to pass, which, as I just said, includes all things as it relates to God’s promises for the Jews.
It's 2017, and we now live in the end times. At the end of this church age believers will be raptured, unbelievers will be judged, a remnant of Jews will be saved, and Christ will begin His reign over the Jews and over the world. Especially at this time in history, might we see that “all things which are written about Me” are true and will come true. Might we not be “foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken.” Luke 24:25. Let’s pray that God opens our “minds to understand the Scriptures.” Luke 24:26
2. God’s Character Demands that He Carry Out His Promises to the Jews. If God, in His Word, says something is going to happen, and then He backs down or changes His mind, or somehow says that’s not what He meant, then that’s a terrible blemish on His character, for He would not be truthful, but He would be lying. But God cannot lie, otherwise He would not be God, for God is always truthful and holy. You must understand that God did not lie when He communicated His promises to the Jews about their future. In fact, if God has lied about His promises to the Jews, then maybe He has lied about His promises to the church. If God’s “forever” and “eternal” promises to the Jews aren’t true, then maybe Christians don’t really have eternal life. But we know that’s not true. God did not lie! He has always told the truth, to the Jews and the Christians! “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” Numbers 23:19. “Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar.” Romans 3:4.
Another important aspect of God’s character is His faithfulness, which means that God will carry out what He has promised to do. In His Word, God predicts that many things will happen, and because He’s faithful, then He will most definitely bring them about. The best chapter in the entire Bible that declares God’s faithfulness is Psalm 89, for there we read about His faithfulness eight different times. And what is God going to be faithful to do? He will faithfully fulfill His promise to David, that one of his descendants will be the Christ, and will forever reign as King over the world. Psalm 89:2-3 - “I have said, ‘Lovingkindness will be built up forever; in the heavens You will establish your faithfulness. 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 for all generations.’ ” Now it is 2 Samuel 7:13-16 that originally gives us this promise, but it is Psalm 89, along with other passages, that repeat it and reestablish the fact that it will be fulfilled. “My faithfulness and My lovingkindness will be with Him, and in My name his horn shall be exalted.” Psalm 89:24. Indeed God will be faithful to His Word and His character - you can count on Him to completely carry out His promises to the Jews, to the church, and to you. "The Lord God will Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom shall have no end." Luke 1:30-33
3. The Gathering of the Jews to Israel Proves that God’s Promises to Them Are True. The Jews first came to their God promised land around 1400 BC. They lived there for about 800 years, but because of their terrible sin, they were taken captive and exiled to other countries. Then after 70 years, a remnant of Jews returned to their land. A little over 500 years later, Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, and then was raised in Nazareth. During his 3 ministry years, He traveled throughout Israel, and then He died in Jerusalem for our sins, but was raised from the dead. Shortly before Jesus died, He predicted the departure of Jews from Jerusalem and their return to it (Luke 21:24 - “They (Jews) will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled”). Lo and behold, about 1850 years after Jesus said this, Jews from all over the world started to come back to the land of Israel. Jesus’ prophecy about the Jews was 100% right. He told the truth, and we have been seeing His prediction come true right before our very own eyes.
But it’s not just what Jesus said in Luke 21:24, it’s that many Old Testament prophets, from around 740BC-490BC, had already predicted this second gathering back to Israel. Isaiah 11:11 - “In that day the Lord will reach out His hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of His people…” Jeremiah 32:37-38 - “I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in My furious anger and great wrath. I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. They will be My people and I will be their God.” Ezekiel 36:26 - “I will gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land… I will give you a new heart and spirit.” Ezekiel 37:21-23 - “Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations where they have gone, and I will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land… and one King will be king for all them… and they will be My people and I will be their God.” Hosea 1:11 - “Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together and appoint themselves one head and they shall come up out of the land; for great shall be the day of Jezreel.” Micah 4:6-7 - “In that day, I will assemble the lame and gather the outcasts, even those whom I have afflicted. I will make the lame a remnant and the outcasts a strong nation, and the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on and forever.” Zechariah 8:7-8 - “I will save My people from the countries of the east and the west and bring them back to Jerusalem and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.”
It was in 1867 that JC Ryle, one of my favorite prophecy teachers, spoke about the return of Israel to their land. He believed what these Old Testament prophets had already predicted concerning the future of the Jews. From his book, Are You Ready For the End of Time?, and in his chapter titled, “Scattered Israel to Be Regathered”, he says, “Out of the 16 prophets of the Old Testament, there are at least ten in which the gathering and restoration of the Jews in the latter days are mentioned.” He goes on to say, “There is one common remark that applies to them all. They all point to a time which is yet future. They all predict the final gathering of the Jewish nation from the four quarters of the globe, and their restoration to their own land.” Here is this godly man, living at a time when the Jews were still scattered all over the world, and when the vast majority of Christians believed there was no future for the Jews. But JC Ryle was convinced of God’s truth regarding the future of the Jews, and he was right. Therefore he rightly and boldly preached that the Jews would be gathered back to their land.
Well, it was about 15 years after JC Ryle was teaching these things that the Jews started returning to their homeland, just like God said they would. From all over the world they came, and they kept coming, and they kept coming, and they kept coming back to their land. What’s so amazing and so sovereign of God is that all these prophecies about the Jews coming back to their land have been coming true, just like He promised in His Word. For over the past century, we’ve been seeing the fulfillment of God’s Jew gathering prophecy.
Since around 1880, the Jews have been returning to their land, from a few thousand to over six million strong. This is truly a miracle of God! Nothing like this has ever happened before, where a people group this prominent, have been defeated, taken from their land, dispersed all over the earth, and have then come back to their own land, and that after over 1800 years being apart from their land! But what’s really incredible is that the Jews returned with their same language, same culture, same religion, and same identity. This is unbelievable! Indeed, this has been a work of God, for the predictions from over 2500 years ago have now been coming true, and no one can deny it. If you don’t believe this, then google “Israel.” Or, better yet, go to Israel and see for yourself what God has done, how He has miraculously brought back millions of Jews to the promised land.
Now many people still say God’s future plans for Israel are no longer valid. Then why are the Jews back in their land? Did they just come back for no reason? Is it a fluke, sort of a strange phenomenon that has taken place? Is this something that happened that was beyond God’s control? Is there any meaning to their return to Israel? Of course there is. Plain and simple, this is God’s work, and the fulfillment of His promise to the Jews that He’d bring them back to their own land. The prophets' predictions have come true just as they had written them down. And so we’ve been seeing this amazing journey back, this incredible and seemingly impossible event taking place with regard to the Jews. Back in 70AD, they were defeated, scattered, and taken captive to the nations. But now they’ve come back to their country. This is a flat out miracle of God – the likes of which has never taken place before. Ezekiel says it this way - “As I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone (the present)… and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army (the future).” Ezekiel 37:7-10. Let me encourage you to read all of Ezekiel 36-37, the most descriptive chapters in the Bible about the return of the Jews back to Israel.
But why have the promises about the Jews’ coming back to their land now come true? Because God wants to get His end time plans going (Daniel 12:4,9). Because God wants the church age to come to a close, and then send His Son back to earth (Matthew 24:4-31). And because the Jews returning to their land is the precondition that needed to be met so that the rest of God’s promises to them could come true. (Ezekiel 37:21-23). Since God has brought the Jews back to their land, then surely He will fulfill the rest of His promises to them. And when you look at the entire context of the aforementioned verses about the Jews gathering back to their land, it’s obvious that they were coming back so that God’s promises to them about their King, their land, and their salvation would also come true.
It’s important that you see the connection between the fulfillment of God’s promise to the Jews about regathering to their land, and the fulfillment of the other promises He made to them. You can’t separate the Jews' return to Israel in these prophecy passages from all their other promises – they go together. The regathering of the Jews is one of the greatest proofs there is that God's promises to the Jews are still true, and will, in the near future, be fulfilled. It all fits, it all makes sense, it's God's Word. The Jews are now back in the land, and therefore God will soon begin to carry out the rest of His Old Testament promises to them.
4. New Testament Jewish Prophecy Passages In Conjunction With Church Prophecy Passages. There are many New Testament prophecy passages that talk about both the Jews and the church. I am not, at this time, going to write them all out, but I encourage you to look at them yourself. Here, I will only mention them, and then make a few observations.
First, there’s Matthew 24:9-26, and verses 9-14 are about the church, and verses 15-26 are about the Jews. There’s Mark 13:9-23, and verses 9-13 are about the church, and verses 14-23 are about the Jews. There’s Luke 21:12-24, and verses 12-19 are about the church, and verses 20-24 are about the Jews. There’s 2 Thessalonians 2:1-9, and it’s about the church and the Jews. There’s Revelation 7, and verses 1-8 are about the Jews, and verses 8-17 are about the church. Finally, there’s Revelation 12, and verses 1-6, 13-16 are about the Jews, and verses 10-12, 17 are about the church.
Here are some observations:
a. These are all passages about the future. Now I know they may be metaphorical in the minds of those who misinterpret prophecy portions in the Bible. But the truth is, these prophecies are about the end times, about what will be taking place in the future with regards to both the Jews and the church; and they will literally and completely come true, and it will be soon.
b. God’s work with the church is in the same time frame as His work with the Jews. The fact that these Jewish passages are adjacent to these church passages is significant. It is obvious that God’s work with the Jews in the end times is coinciding with and in conjunction with His work with the church, and that God will not do His prophetic work with the Jews apart from His prophetic work with the church.
c. You can’t say that the prophecies for the church will be fulfilled, but not the prophecies for the Jews. If these passages about the church will be fulfilled, then won’t these passages about the Jews also be fulfilled? Do you think, like some, that there is no future for the Jews? If not, then why in the world are these Jewish passages sitting right next to these New Testament church passages? And why all this Jewish talk in these verses? Why does it talk about the abomination of desolation in Jerusalem? (Matthew 24:15). Why does it talk about the trampling of Jerusalem until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled? (Luke 21:24). Why does it talk about the Jews trying to escape the clutches of the Antichrist during the last half of Daniel’s 70th week? (Revelation 12:13-16). Why does it talk about the newly built temple in Jerusalem? (2 Thessalonians 2:4). The reasons are obvious. Because God will actively be working with the Jews in the end times, and his promises and His plans for them will be carried out and fulfilled in the same general time period as His work with the church.
d. The fact that the Jews have been returning to Israel means we’re in the end times. God’s prophetic work with both the Jews and the church is in high gear, going full speed ahead. It won’t be long before many of the predictions, promises and plans with regards to both the Jews and the church will be fulfilled. You need to see and understand this, for it is undoubtedly and unquestionably true. Now is the time to know what God’s word says about these days, to wake up from your sleep, to be alert, to be aware of what’s going on in the world, and to know how you should then live for the Lord.
The evidence in the above end time passages clearly shows us that God is now working with the church and the Jews. The verses in these important prophecy passages prove to us that God’s plans for both the Jews and the church will be carried out. Once the church is raptured, then God’s wrath will be poured out upon the world, and then the Jews will be redeemed. Jesus Christ will then begin His reign over the world, with both Christians and believing Jews.
But what's the conclusion? Let's look at Romans 11:33-36. Some say these great, glorious and God exalting verses are the conclusion to Romans 11, that great chapter about the salvation of the Jews in the end times. Some say it's the conclusion to Romans 9-11, three chapters primarily about the Jews and the gospel. Some say it is the conclusion to Romans 1-11, the greatest passage in the entire Bible speaking about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news that is for both Jews and Gentiles. Regardless of what you believe, we know that the work of God, the grace of God, and the love of God for His people, both Jews and Gentiles, brings Him great, great glory. “O, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God… For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”
Article 27
By Steven J. Hogan
Over twenty years ago, I attended a church conference, and the speaker’s main message was about having a correct view of God, a Biblical understanding of God’s character. That message really struck me at that time, and has stuck with me ever since. Knowing God rightly is the most important thing in life. If you don’t have a true knowledge of God’s character, then you won’t have godly character, you will be unsteady, you will fall prey to error, your life will go off track, you will not grow properly, and you will not be able to do all that God desires. I cannot stress enough the importance of knowing God, of knowing the living, true, holy, and loving God.
I love to read the songs in the Bible, the song of Moses, the song of Hannah, the song of Mary, and the songs of David (the Psalms). They all are just filled with truth about the character of God, a clear evidence of the believer’s knowledge of God and close relationship with Him. I think of Enoch and how he walked with God. There’s no doubt that Enoch knew the Lord, and had a close relationship with Him. I love the passion in Paul’s prayer in Philippians 3:10 - “I want to know Christ.” Clearly this was the reason why Paul was such a godly man, for he knew the Lord in a very intimate way. Is this your heart cry, your desire, your pursuit, what you really want in life – to know the Lord?
In John 17:3, Jesus prays to the Father, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” What is eternal life? It’s knowing God and Jesus Christ – that’s it. And there’s nothing better and more essential than knowing God. You know people, you know family and friends, and people in your church. But knowing God and having a relationship with Him is by far what’s most important in your life. Psalm 9:10 says, “Those who know Thy name will put their trust in Thee.” If you want to have faith in the Lord, then you need to know the Lord, for your personal and experiential knowledge of God is the basis of your faith, and the energy behind your faith. If you want love, love for God and love for people, then you need to know the love of God. “I have come to know and have believed the love that God has for me.” 1 John 4:16.
In his 2nd epistle, Peter makes a sweeping statement, “Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory.” 2 Peter 1:3. Do you see that? Everything in your Christian life, “everything pertaining to life and godliness” relates directly to knowing God, to having a “true knowledge of Him.” Peter knew the extreme importance and worth of knowing God. And then at the end of his epistle, Peter exhorts us, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:18. Do you have “knowledge of our Lord?” Do you know Him, do you love Him, do you trust Him, are you walking with Him?
Many people ask me about living for the Lord in the end times. What am I to do? How should I live? How can I keep going for the Lord when there’s great tribulation? What you need to do today, tomorrow and the next day, and for the rest of your life is this – know God and keep growing in your knowledge of God, your relationship with Him. It’s not complicated. Now I’m not saying it’s not a struggle at times, that you won’t be tested to believe Him for who He says He is. But you need to determine to know and believe the truth about God as you go through the day, as you go through life. You need to see His power, His mercy, His faithfulness, His sovereignty, His holiness, His goodness, and the many other facets of God’s character that make Him who He is. You need to rely on the character and life of God, and see it as a source of strength in your life. You need to be like Moses, “for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.” Hebrews 11:27. Make this your chief aim in life, to know God. And from your knowledge of Him, you will grow in your relationship with Him, you will have more faith, more love, more joy, more peace, more wisdom. And you will be more obedient, and you will be more blessed.
Not long after that conference of 20 years ago, I wrote up my ABC’s of God’s character. I immediately memorized them, and I must say, that I’ve recited them and thought about them hundreds of times over the years. I can’t tell you how much the truth of God’s character has brought refreshment to my soul, has stirred me, strengthened me, and encouraged me to keep on going for the Lord.
I encourage you to get to know the Lord. Go over these ABC’s. Read the songs in the Bible. Read books on the attributes, on the character of God. Pray to God that He would reveal Himself to you (Ephesians 1:17 – “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.”) As you do these things, I have no doubt that God will enlarge your heart for Him, increase your love for Him, and strengthen your faith in Him. And you will bring more glory to God. “To Him be the glory, both now and in the day of eternity. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18
ALMIGHTY GOD - Exodus 15:1-18, Job 42:1-5, Psalm 77:14, Ephesians 1:19-22, 1 Peter 5:6
BEAUTIFUL SAVIOR - Psalm 18:19, Psalm 34:17; Isaiah 43:3-7, Daniel 3:17, Jonah 2:1-2, Acts 4:12, Romans 10:13, Titus 3:5
COMPASSIONATE FATHER - Nehemiah 9:28-29, Psalm 102:13, Lamentations 3:22-23, Matthew 9:36-38, Mark 1:40-42
DIVINE DIRECTOR - Psalm 33:10-11, Isaiah 46:8-11, Jeremiah 29:11-13, Romans 8:28, Acts 2:23, Acts 4:27-28, Ephesians 1:4-5
ETERNAL GOD - Deuteronomy 33:27, Psalm 90:2, Psalm 102:27, Jeremiah 10:10, Micah 5:2, 1 Timothy 6:15-16
FAITHFUL FATHER - Psalm 89:1-2, 1 Corinthians 1:8-9, 2 Corinthians 1:18-20, 1 Thessalonians 5:24, 2 Timothy 2:13, Revelation 19:11
GOOD SHEPHERD - Psalm 23:6, Psalm 31:19, Ezekiel 34:1-16, Nahum 1:7, John 10:11, 1 Peter 2:25
HOLY GOD - Exodus 15:11, Leviticus 11:44, 1 Samuel 2:2, Isaiah 6:3, Habakkuk 2:18-20, Acts 3:14, Revelation 4:8, Revelation 15:4
IMMUTABLE GOD - Numbers 23:19, 1 Samuel 15:29, Job 26:5, Psalm 33:11, Malachi 3:6, James 1:17
JUST GOD - Psalm 33:5, Psalm 98:9, 2 Chronicles 19:7, Daniel 9:14, Romans 1:17, Romans 3:21-26, Revelation 15-16
KINSMAN REDEEMER - Ruth 3:9-13, Job 19:25, Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 2:14, 1 Peter 1:18-19
LOVING LORD - Psalm 103:8,11; Isaiah 54:10; Jeremiah 31:3; John 3:16; Romans 5:8, 8:38-39; Ephesians 2:4-5; 1 John 3:16
MERCIFUL FATHER - Psalm 32:1-2, Psalm 103:10-12, Mark 2:1-12, Colossians 2:13, Hebrews 8:12, 1 John 1:9
NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES - Psalm 92:1, Psalm 145:1-2, Luke 1:31-33, Matthew 1:21-23, Philippians 2:9, Hebrews 1:2-5
OMNISCIENT GOD - Job 23:10, Psalm 33:14, Psalm 139:1-6, Proverbs 15:3, Jeremiah 16:17, Matthew 24:3-31, John 21:17
PATIENT FATHER - Nehemiah 9:17, Psalm 145:8, Romans 2:4, 1 Corinthians 13:4, 1 Timothy 1:15, 2 Peter 3:9
QUINTESSENTIAL KING - 1 Chronicles 29:11-12, Psalm 47, Proverbs 21:30, Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 33:22, Philippians 2:5-11, Revelation 19:16
RIGHTEOUS GOD - Genesis 18:25, Psalm 75:2, Psalm 85:10, Acts 10:34-35, Romans 1:17, Romans 3:9-26, Revelation 15-16
SOVEREIGN LORD - Genesis 50:20, Job 1:9-12, Daniel 2:20-21, Acts 17:26, Romans 8:28-29, Romans 9:18, 1 Timothy 6:14-15
TRUTHFUL GOD - Psalm 33:4, Psalm 119:142, Isaiah 40:8, Luke 21:33, John 1:14-17, John 8:32, Hebrews 4:12
UNCHANGING GOD - Numbers 23:19, 1 Samuel 15:29, Psalm 33:11, Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 1:10-12, Hebrews 13:8, James 1:17
VICTORIOUS LORD - Joshua 10:10-12, Psalm 18:50, Romans 8:31, 2 Corinthians 2:14, Colossians 2:15, Revelation 19:1-3
WISE GOD - Job 12:13, Proverbs 2:1-6, Jeremiah 10:12, Daniel 2:20, Romans 11:33, Ephesians 1:8, Colossians 2:3, 1 Timothy 1:17
XTRA PROTECTING GOD - Deuteronomy 33:27, Psalm 91, Psalm 121, Proverbs 18:10, Isaiah 25:4, John 10:27-29
YOUR PERSONAL FRIEND - Exodus 33:11, Proverbs 17:17, Proverbs 18:24, John 15:13-15, James 2:23, Hebrews 13:5
ZEALOUS WARRIOR - Exodus 15:13, 2 Kings 19:30-31, Isaiah 37:32, John 2:17
Article 28
By Steven J. Hogan
Our primary subject in this blog site is eschatological prophecy, what God predicts will be taking place before, during, and after the return of Jesus Christ to this earth. God’s Word gives us a great deal of extremely profitable and relevant information that we need to understand, believe, and proclaim to the church. But sadly, many Christians don’t know what the Bible so clearly teaches regarding the future for Jews and Gentiles, and for believers and unbelievers. And those who don’t know or who are in error, need to be properly instructed and / or corrected. Since we live in the end times, then now’s the time to discover and tell others what God says in His Word about our future.
For the Christian there needs to be an understanding of God's purposes and plans for the Jews. In the Old Testament there is a whole lot said about their past, but also about their future. In fact, close to 1500 Old Testament verses tell us about God’s future for the Jews. These prophecies were given to the Jews between 2000BC–450BC, and have never been changed or nullified. But many people believe these promises have been changed, reformulated or re-categorized, and are no longer relevant to the Jews, but are only applicable to the church. That is, the church has replaced the Jews in terms of being recipients of these Old Testament promises. This belief is what many call Replacement Theology, but this is an error - it's wrong, is not true, and is a lie of the devil.
With regards to prophecy, Jesus said, “See to it that no one misleads you” (Matthew 24:4). Paul said, “Let no one in any way deceive you” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). You need to make sure you’re not misled, mistaken or in error with regard to God’s promises to the Jews. That's because it relates to your understanding of God and His plans for His people, both Jews and Gentile believers, both in the past and the future. In my four previous articles, I’ve not focused on why this error is wrong, but rather on the enormous amount of evidence that shows why what God says about the future of the Jews is right. There is, without question, an overwhelming and incontrovertible number of Bible verses proving that God will fulfill His promises to the Jews.
But today I want to talk about why people would think this way? Why would people believe this error of Replacement Theology? Why would they believe the lie of the devil? How and when did this erroneous thinking with regard to the future of the Jews begin? Let me list six major reasons:
1. The devil is chiefly responsible, for he’s the author of the lies that deny the truth of God’s Word, and specifically this error that God nullified His promises to the Jews.
2. Proponents of this error wrongly say that since the Jews killed Jesus, since they crucified Christ, since they were such wicked people, they had to forfeit the promises God had given them.
3. Those who believe this error say that the Jews being driven from their homeland in 70 AD, and being led captive to all the nations, is solid and substantiating evidence proving that God has revoked His promises to the Jews. This is wrong thinking.
4. Many Christian leaders throughout the centuries have believed and publicly promoted this lie that God has taken away His promises to the Jews and given them to the church. Their false teaching about the Jews has been written up in many position papers and doctrinal statements in various denominations and churches all over the world.
5. Many Christians leaders in the first four to five centuries were allegorically and symbolically interpreting the Bible in a way that made it possible for them to redefine these Jewish promises, and transfer them to the church. This was their “Biblical” means by which they and the church could replace the Jews as recipients of these Old Testament promises.
6. The Jews were not in the land of Israel from 70 AD up until the late 1800’s, further strengthening and buttressing, and wrongly so, the position of those who believed in Replacement Theology, that God's plans for the Jews were finished.
Let me go through each one of these errors:
1. The devil is one of the principal reasons for this error of Replacement Theology. 1 Timothy 4:1-3 tells us that the devil uses “deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons” to wrongly influence people who then go on to proclaim his errors. There’s no doubt that the devil is behind this lie of Replacement Theology, for he doesn’t want the promises regarding the Jews to be believed. The fact that the devil wants people to believe that a massive volume of Old Testament verses regarding the future of the Jews have been rescinded shows the great magnitude of this error. The devil is largely responsible for deceiving so many people in this area. Not only that, but Revelation 12, the primary chapter in the Bible describing the devil’s opposition to the Jews, makes it very clear how he has tried to destroy the Jews throughout the millennia. The devil is the chief enemy of the Jews, and we've seen this in the past, we see this in the present, and we'll see it in the future.
2. The Jews killed Jesus, and therefore forfeited their rights to inherit the Old Testament promises God had given them. The Bible clearly tells us that the Jews, aided by proud Jewish leaders, were all screaming for Jesus Christ to be killed, “Crucify, crucify Him" (Luke 23:18-25). Peter himself indicted the Jews, “You nailed Him to the cross” (Acts 2:23). There’s no question that the Jews were guilty of murdering Jesus. Here’s the Creator, the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God, and He was rejected by His own people (John 1:11), with the result that many Gentiles, and Gentile Christians at that time, began to think that the Jews were the absolute worst people on earth. They were thinking that these Christ killers deserved the wrath that God was pouring out upon them, and they did, but only for awhile. Therefore, many people believed that the church was permanently replacing the Jews, and would therefore inherit their Old Testament promises.
As time went on, it was obvious that more and more Jews were rejecting the gospel of Jesus Christ. The book of Acts gives numerous accounts of how the Jews vociferously and violently opposed the Christians and the gospel of Christ. But you also need to understand that during this time more Gentiles were getting saved than Jews, and many Gentiles were beginning to develop wrong attitudes towards the Jews, with the result that a huge rift was growing between the two.
Many Gentiles thought that the Jews’ horrific and heinous sin of crucifying Christ, along with their continued unbelief, had forced God’s hand and made Him forever turn His back on those who were once His chosen people. They believed that the Jews had just killed their chance of any future blessing from God. These Gentile Christians could see the Jews’ widespread rejection of Christ. They could see the Jews holding on to the Old Testament priesthood, their offerings and sacrifices, which were now all but shadows. Therefore, they believed God had completely rejected the Jews as a national entity, and had permanently taken away their Old Testament promises, and had given them to the church, to the Christian believers.
Many Christian scholars used Matthew 21:43 as their primary text for why they believed God had rejected the Jews. There it says, “The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.” Yes, this was true for a time, but they did not understand the unconditional and eternal love of God, and that He would faithfully keep His Old Testament promises to the Jewish people, regardless of their great sin and rejection of Christ and the gospel. In fact, it is just two chapters later, in Matthew 23:38-39, where Jesus is speaking about the Jews, telling them, “Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ” Until. Until is a timing word, and it's just a matter of time before a remnant of Jews will say, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."
3. A major event that cemented the wrong attitude many Gentiles had toward the Jews was the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish temple in 70AD, the killing of hundreds of thousands of Jews, and the Diaspora, the dispersion of a great many Jews to all parts of the world. In the minds of many Gentiles, the fulfillment of God’s predictions about His punishment of the Jews (Luke 19:41-44, 21:20-24, 23:27-31) was unmistakable evidence that He was forever finished with them. They couldn’t believe and didn’t believe God would keep His promises to the Jews. They believed the Jewish state had been eliminated, that the nation of Israel had been forever destroyed.
In previous posts and articles we have talked extensively about the gathering of the Jews back to their land, and we see that this has now happened. Luke 21:20-24, a passage in which Jesus predicts the desolation of Jerusalem, also makes it clear that the Jews will return. These five verses sum up the history of the Jews for the past 1940+ years. In particular, verse 24 says, "They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." Do you see what this says? That there's a time limit to this trampling of Jerusalem, for it will end when the "the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." Now this trampling of the Gentiles is still going on, for the times of the Gentiles won't be fulfilled until the end of Daniel's 70th week, and then all the Jews will be saved. Romans 11:25-26 also talks about this, speaking of the fullness of the Gentiles coming in, and then "all Israel will be saved."
The apostle Paul also spoke of God’s vengeance upon the Jews: “wrath has come upon them to the utmost” (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16). But Paul knew that God’s wrath upon the Jews and their being scattered to the nations was only for a time, for in Romans 11, he makes an airtight case for the future salvation of a Jewish remnant. This was not just Paul’s word, but more importantly, this is God’s word which will come to pass at the coming of Christ. The desolation, destruction and trampling of Jerusalem was not permanent, but only temporary. "Israel has been saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation; you will not be put to shame or humiliated to all eternity." Isaiah 45:17
4. Many leading Gentile Christians, throughout the church age, have come out openly in their opposition to the Jews. Justin Martyr (160 AD), an early church father, was very strong in his condemnation of the Jews. In speaking to a Jew, he said, “The Scriptures are not yours, but ours.” Some of his writings were instrumental in the origin of Christian anti-Semitism. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon (177 AD), spoke against the Jews by saying, “Jews are disinherited from the grace of God.” Tertullian (160 AD-230 AD), another leading Christian of the day, was teaching that God had rejected the Jews in favor of the Christians. Origen (185 AD-254 AD), an outspoken Gentile said, “We say with confidence that they (the Jews) will never be restored to their former condition, for they committed a crime of the most unhallowed kind, in a conspiracy against the Savior of the human race.” And Jerome (347 AD-407 AD) described the Jews as “serpents, wearing the image of Judas, their psalms and prayers are the braying of donkeys.” Around 400AD, a famous theologian named Augustine said, “Judaism, since Christ, is a corruption; indeed Judas is the image of the Jewish people; their own understanding of Scripture is carnal; they bear the guilt of the Savior, for through their fathers they have killed Christ.” It was also in the 4th century that Constantine declared Christianity to be the official religion in the Roman world. While the persecution of Christians had for the most part come to an end, the persecution of the Jews was only increasing.
At the end of the 4th century, John Chrysostom, another critic of the Jews, wrote this: “The synagogue is not only a brothel and a theater, it is also a den of robbers and a lodging for wild beasts. No Jew adores God… Jews are inveterate murderers, possessed by the devil, their debauchery and drunkenness gives them manners of the pig.” There’s no doubt that the Jews were sinners and had rejected Christ, but it was sad to see so many Christians hating them instead of loving them. Their animosity towards the Jews only fueled their thinking that God had altogether nullified His promises to them. And yes, the church was growing, but anti-Semitism was also growing, among both Christians and non-Christians.
This wrong attitude towards the Jews gave rise to anti-Semitism in both Christian and Catholic churches. Moving through the centuries we come to Martin Luther and John Calvin and other reformers. And yes, they were reformed in their teaching of soteriology, of salvation in Christ alone, by faith alone, and through grace alone. But they held on to the baggage of the early church fathers and of the Catholics when it came to eschatology and the future of the Jews. Martin Luther, a man zealous for God, was wrongly zealous in his animosity towards the Jews, for he wasn’t loving his enemies, those Jews opposed to the cross of Christ. He was in error in his heart and in God’s word when it came to the Jews, and he turned out to be one of their fiercest critics.
Church history tells us that this hatred of the Jews has now been going on for about 2000 years, since the early days of the church, and on up to the present day. But God’s word sheds some needed light on what has been taking place during this church age, not excusing the Gentiles’ hatred toward the Jews, but explaining the Jews’ hatred toward God. “If their (Jews) transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be?” “If their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” “Behold, then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness.” “A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in." Romans 11:12, 15, 22, 25
Paul tells us that we are to expect this hardness of the Jews and their rejection of Christ, for God had predicted it. But in the same chapter God also promised their future salvation, and this is what many Christians have failed to see. They haven’t understood God’s overall working with the Jews, that His plans for them were never canceled, but only temporarily suspended, and that in the end times, He would renew His work with them, saving a remnant of them at the end of Daniel’s 70th week. “And so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is My covenant with them when I take away all their sins’” (Romans 11:26-27). The Jews’ sin, their turning away from Christ, was necessary for the Gentile’s salvation, their trusting in Christ. After the end of this age, God will again show forth His great power and glory by again pouring out His mercy upon the Jews.
5. In the first few centuries Christians began to interpret the Bible symbolically, allegorically and figuratively, with the result that they were coming up with deeper spiritual meanings of the texts, many of which were wrong. This new method of Bible interpretation was the primary means by which many thought they could now negate God’s promises to the Jews and then transfer them to the church.
But you first need to understand the literal method of interpreting the Bible, which means interpreting the Bible in a natural, normal and customary sense, in what is also called a face value hermeneutic. This literal method was and is the correct method of interpretation, and is the only way you can truly discern the historical meaning of a passage, the meaning the authors intended at the time of its writing. This method of interpretation doesn’t mean you ignore obvious figures of speech, but it does eliminate trying to come up with some symbolic or deeper spiritual meaning.
Now the early church leaders were often contrasting the literal sense with the spiritual sense, debating then the real and true meaning of a word, verse or passage. During this time there were two main schools of interpretation, the Alexandrian school which favored allegorical interpretation, and the Antiochene school, which favored a more literal interpretation. This resulted in a growing confusion and conflict in the early church as to how to interpret the Bible.
As time went on, many early church leaders were moving towards this allegorical means of interpretation. Clement, an early church father, wrote, “Finding the deeper meaning is the process by which God gradually, by means of parable and metaphor, leads those to whom God would reveal Himself from the sensible to the intelligent world.” Dan McCartney in his survey of Origen’s interpretative methods said, “It should be clear from this survey that Origen lived in a complex hermeneutical environment… Certainly, it is not surprising that Origen allegorized the Bible.” John Franke said this about Origen, “Origen inherited a strong belief in allegory as a tool to communicate the deepest and most profound philosophical and theological truths, as well as the assumption that the Bible, the inspired word of God, must be subject to such allegorical interpretation in order to grasp it’s spiritual significance.”
You also read that Augustine was increasingly allegorizing parts of the Bible, particularly as it related to the Jews. In his paper, Against the Jews, Augustine wrote, “Christ, then, did not change the ancient signs to come by censoring them - He changed them through their fulfillment.” Augustine went on to explain his “theory of substitution whereby the new Israel of the church be a substitute of ancient Israel”. From church history, it’s obvious that Augustine and many other early church fathers believed that God’s promises to the Jews had been permanently transferred to the church. By means of allegorical interpretation, they could now validate their belief that the church had inherited the Old Testament promises to the Jews. Consequently, replacement Theology was rapidly becoming an official position in the church.
We are talking about principles of interpretation. Literally interpreting a passage versus spiritualizing it, makes all the difference when it comes to understanding the true meaning of a Bible passage. For example, this new allegorical and symbolic way of interpreting the Old Testament meant that there were times when the word Israel in the Old Testament didn’t mean Israel anymore, it meant church. This word Israel appears about 700 times in the Bible, and it always means Israel. But you’d find these Bible interpreters going through the Psalms and Prophets saying Israel meant the church, and that’s error. They’d also talk about the word Jerusalem and say its meaning had been changed. And they’d talk about the word forever, and say forever didn’t mean forever with regard to Israel and Jerusalem, but that it meant forever with regard to the church. Again, their thinking was inconsistent and wrong.
It was during these early years of the church that this new way of interpretation was getting lodged in the minds of many Christians. But dismissing the Jews for the church in this way was, and is, error. God didn’t change His mind concerning His promises to Israel. He cannot and did not lie. Old Testament promises given to the Jews were not changed one iota – they most definitely will be fulfilled in the future, and it won’t be long from now. "The Lord said to Abram after Lot had separated from him, 'Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give to you and to your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth'" (Genesis 13:14-16). Descendants means Abraham's physical descendants, land means land, and forever means forever.
J.C. Ryle, a great Christian pastor, scholar and teacher in the 19th century, had much to say about God’s promises to the Jews. In his message, Scattered Israel to be Gathered, he said this about Bible interpretation as it related to the Jews: “What I protest against is the habit of allegorizing plain sayings of the Word of God concerning the future history of the nation of Israel, and explaining away the fullness of their contents in order to accommodate them to the Gentile church. I believe the habit to be unwarranted by anything in Scripture, and to draw after it a long train of evil consequences… Cleave to the literal sense of Bible words… Beware of that system of allegorizing and spiritualizing, and accommodating, which the school of Origen first brought in, and which has found such an unfortunate degree of favor in the church.” Ryle is right.
We know that the Jews were primarily responsible for the crucifixion of Christ. We’ve seen that the Jews were defeated in Israel and scattered all over the world. We’ve seen that the attitudes of the Gentiles were changing towards the Jewish people, that there was increasing hatred towards them. We’ve seen that many church leaders were speaking out against the Jews, saying that God’s promises to them were no longer valid. We’ve seen that there was a major change in how the Bible was being interpreted, from a literal sense to an allegorical sense. You put all this together and it’s not hard to see why many Christians were no longer believing God’s promises to the Jews were true. But they were wrong in their thinking back then, and they are wrong in their thinking today.
The people who falsely declared that the promises from God to the Jews were null and void had both the motive and the means to do it. There was the motive, the wrong attitudes they had towards the Jews, their hatred towards them, their anti-Semitism. And now there was the means, an accepted way to redefine the Old Testament promises for the Jews. Their wrong attitude plus a wrong method of interpretation made it relatively easy for people to dismiss, displace and disregard the Jews. With regard to Jewish prophecy, these error-minded Gentile Christians had both the desire and the method and the motive and the means to replace Israel with the church. And that's exactly what happened in their own minds and words, but not in the mind of God and not in the word of God.
6. The Jews were not in their land from 70 AD to the late 1800’s, and that must have meant these Jewish promises were now the church's promises. Wrong again. Can you imagine what the Replacement Theology people were thinking during this period of close to 1800 years? It wasn’t just that the Jews were not in their land but the fact that it went on and on and on – from the 1st century to the 2nd century to the 3rd century to the 4th century to the 5th century, and finally to the end of the 19th century. During this entire period of time, the Jews were not in their land. This, no doubt, had to have strengthened and solidified the position many Christians and unbelievers had, that God was done with Israel as a nation, and that the Jewish promises had been totally and forever transferred to the church.
Then the Jews started coming back. It was the late 1800’s. I wouldn’t doubt that many Christian leaders wondered what was going on, but most were so stuck in their thinking that they just couldn’t change, and they weren’t going to change, and they didn’t change. They had taught that the Jews had no future; their articles and doctrinal statements had been written and printed; their positions had publicly been made known. But God, in fact, was once again working with the Jews. "'O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.’ Thus says the Lord God to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life." (Ezekiel 37:4-5). God’s promises to the Jews were finally starting to be fulfilled, and they will be fulfilled.
Up to this very day there are many mainline denominations - Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Mennonite, Church of Christ, Episcopalian, Orthodox, as well as thousands of independent Protestant churches that still hold on to these erroneous and heretical teachings regarding the future of Israel. There are also many good Bible-based churches and reformed churches rightly preaching the gospel, but they’re not rightly teaching the truth about the future of Israel, for they don't believe the promises of God with regard to the Jews. Estimates are that the majority of all true churches and so-called churches in this country don't believe there is a future for the Jews. This is one of the main reasons I’m taking the time to correct this terrible error, for it is presently affecting many people and many churches. But you know what? I'm convinced that God is going to change the thinking of many of those caught up in this error as we get closer to the return of Christ. Do you think God would let His people, the Christian believers, stay steeped in their error concerning the Jews? I don’t believe so. Just like God is going to change the minds of many Jews in the end-times, leading them to repentance and forgiveness, so too, I believe He will change the minds of many Christians to believe that many Jews are going to get saved. By the grace and truth of God, might you be one who believes that God will fulfill all His promises to the Jews.
Since the Jews are back in their land, then we know we live in the end-times, and that the words of the prophets are no longer sealed and concealed (Daniel 12:4, 9). More than ever before, now is the time to find out what God, over 2500 years ago, predicted and promised to the Jews. This is the time to clearly understand God’s prophetic word, for it is relevant to the Jews, but also to the Christians. Don’t be lazy, don’t be ignorant, don’t be deceived, and don’t be in error. Ask God for wisdom, discernment, for insight, and then go to His word, and learn about the Jews from the Law, the Psalms, the Prophets and the New Testament (Luke 24:44-45). Romans 15:9-10 sums it up well, “Therefore I will give praise to You among the Gentiles, and I will sing to Your name… Rejoice, Gentiles, with His people… There shall come the root of Jesse, and He who arises to rule over the Gentiles, in Him shall the Gentiles hope.” Do you see it? Jewish and Gentile believers praising God together, Jewish and Gentile believers together being ruled by Jesus Christ, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. This is our future. "Praise the Lord, all nations; laud Him all peoples! For His lovingkindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord." Psalm 117
Article 29
By Steven J. Hogan
1. Jesus Christ is coming - this is the truth, straight from the pages of God’s Word. About 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ came the first time, and He is coming again. The first coming of Christ lasted about 33 years, and the second coming of Christ, when it begins, will go on forever. “Christ also, having offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation, to those who eagerly await Him.” Hebrews 9:27-28, Luke 21:27
2. Jesus Christ is coming back soon. We know this because we live in the end times, evidenced by the fact that the Jews, as promised by God, have gathered back to their land, to Israel. But let me clarify something - soon does not mean tomorrow, the next day, and probably not even in the next few years; but in view of all of human history, Christ’s coming is very soon, is very near. “For yet in a very little while, He who is coming, will come, and will not delay.” Hebrews 10:37, Revelation 22:20
3. The word “coming” is a singular noun and it “denotes both an arrival and consequent presence.” (Vines Dictionary). The meaning of the word coming is not referring to a simple single event which occurs at one point in time, but instead refers to a period of time, during which many events will take place, and many purposes of God will be fulfilled. Christ’s coming begins with the rapture, followed by the Day of the Lord, the salvation of a remnant of Jews, and then culminates in Christ’s reign over the earth. Since the word coming is a singular noun, then we also must conclude that there is only one second coming of Christ, not two or three. “But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father.” 1 Corinthians 15:23-24; Revelation 7-9, 15-20
4. The first event to take place at Christ’s coming is the gathering of the believers to Himself. When Christ comes back in the clouds, then all the believers who have ever lived, those in heaven, and those still living on earth will be gathered to be with Him, the One who is their Savior, Lord and King. “Then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.” Mark 13:27, 2 Thessalonians 2:1
5. At the coming of Christ, all believers, those on earth, and those in heaven, will be glorified, receiving brand new, powerful, immortal, glorified and spiritual bodies. “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 to subject all things to Himself.” Philippians 3:20-21, 1 Corinthians 15:42-44
6. At the coming of Jesus Christ, a believer’s salvation will be complete. A believer is justified when he is born again, is sanctified during his life on earth, and then is glorified, not when he dies on earth and goes to heaven, but only at the coming of Christ. All believers from all time, those already in heaven, and those still alive on earth, will be glorified at the coming of Jesus Christ. “Now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” 1 John 3:2, Romans 8:30
7. Believers who have already physically died will be resurrected and glorified at the coming of Christ. There are millions and millions of believers already in heaven, and their salvation is not yet complete. That's because they do not yet have their glorified bodies, but they will receive them at the coming of Christ, a split second before the believers on earth will receive theirs. “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 4:15-17
8. There will be a number of Christians remaining on earth until the coming of the Lord, which means that the church will be on earth at that time. The fact that 1 Thessalonians 4:15 is a parallel verse to 1 Thessalonians 4:17 makes it very clear that those who are alive and remain until the coming of Christ will be raptured at the coming of Christ. “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 live and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds.” 1 Thessalonians 4:15, 17
9. Jesus Christ will appear, and be visibly seen at His coming. In 1 John 2:28 we read that “He appears”, and “at His coming”, and therefore we know that the appearance of Christ will occur at the coming 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.” 1 John 2:28, 1 John 3:2
10. At Christ’s coming, all Christians on earth will be given relief from tribulation, from persecution. The great tribulation is cut short by these dramatic signs in the heaven, marking the end of this age; and then Christ will appear in the clouds, rapturing and redeeming the believers on the earth, taking them out of all tribulation, and bringing them quickly and safely to Jesus Christ. “To give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire.” 2 Thessalonians 1:5-8, Matthew 24:29-31
11. The Christians on earth at Christ’s coming will be rescued from the wrath of God that is to be poured out upon this earth. Christians living on earth during Daniel’s 70th week will go through great tribulation, but they will not experience God’s wrath. “… and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.” 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:9
12. All believers will be gathered to be with Jesus Christ at His coming, and then will be with Him forever and ever. Christ, our Husband, loves us very, very much, and wants us to always be with Him, and to see His great glory. What an encouraging truth that, at Christ's coming, He will take us to Himself so we can be with Him forever. “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 Thessalonians 4:17, John 17:24
13. No one knows the exact day or hour of Christ’s coming, no one can predict when it will be, but we do know that it will take place sometime during the last half of Daniel’s 70th week. “But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:32
14. The coming of Jesus Christ is not imminent, and that’s because there are many discernible prophesied events that need to take place before His return – birth pains, the signing of a treaty, the building of a Jewish temple, the revealing of the Antichrist, great tribulation, signs in the heavens, etc. “Tell us, when will these things take place, and what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3, Matthew 24:32-33
15. As Christians we can know the general time of Christ’s coming, for the Bible tells us many events that still need to take place before His return to earth. For example, Matthew 24:3-41 spells out over 15 specific things that need to occur before the return of Christ and the rapture of the church. “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and then puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.” Matthew 24:32-33, Luke 21:7-36
16. The coming of Christ begins sometime during the last half of Daniel’s 70th week. Christ's coming does not start at either the beginning of Daniel's 70th week or at the end of Daniel’s 70th week, but it starts sometime during the last 3½ years of this time period, between the sixth and seventh seals of Revelation 6, 8. “Now we request you brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering to Him…” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, Revelation 7:9-14
17. The coming of the Antichrist, which occurs at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week, begins before the coming of Christ and the Day of the Lord. Therefore, the rapture of the church, which is the first event at Christ’s coming, will be after the coming of the Antichrist, sometime after the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week. “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.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3-9, Matthew 24:9-27
18. The coming of Christ begins after the great tribulation and before the wrath of God. The rapture of the church, the first event at Christ’s coming, will occur after the persecution of the Christians, but before the punishment of the unbelievers. “But immediately after the tribulation… He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and will gather together His elect…” Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 6:9-9:21
19. Christ’s coming begins right after the end of this present evil age. Marked by great signs in the heavens and a great earthquake, the end of this age will immediately be followed by the return of Christ and the rapture of the church. “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars… then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21:25-27; Matthew 24:3, 29-31
20. The coming of Christ begins after the end of this present evil age, but before the start of the glorious millennial kingdom age. It is the Day of the Lord, God’s judgment of unbelievers on earth, that separates these two ages, an evil age ruled by the devil, and a good age ruled by Jesus Christ. “The one who endures to the end (of the age) will be saved (raptured).” Matthew 24:13; Revelation 6-20
21. At the coming of Christ, there will be a great reunion of believers in the skies above, for those on earth will be wonderfully and immediately reunited with believing family members and loved ones who had passed away and gone on before them. “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. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 4:12-13, 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20
22. At the coming of Christ, the Antichrist will be defeated, dethroned, and cast into the torturing lake of fire where he will be greatly, rightfully and eternally punished for his great and devilish rebellion against God. “Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming.” 2 Thessalonians 2:8, Revelation 19:11-19
23. At the coming of Christ, the devil will be defeated, captured and then chained, cast into the abyss for a 1000 years, then let loose, then captured again, and finally be cast into the lake of fire where he will be eternally and most severely punished. Hallelujah! “He laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years… and the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone...” Revelation 20:2-3, 7-10; Colossians 2:15
24. Before the coming of Christ, the believers on earth will be unmercifully mocked by the unbelievers. This is similar to what happened to Noah when he was building the ark, which too took place before God’s judgment was suddenly poured out upon a most wicked world. “In the last days, mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’” 2 Peter 3:3-4, Luke 21:12-19
25. Immediately before the coming of Christ, the Christians on earth will see His brilliant Shekinah glory light up the sky. The glory of Christ will be visibly and brightly shining before Christ Himself will appear. “Just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:27, Matthew 24:30
26. When Jesus Christ comes to rapture the church, He will be accompanied by a great multitude of angels. Next to the death and resurrection of Christ at His 1st coming, the 2nd coming of Christ will be the most dramatic, most climactic, most exciting event to ever take place on this earth. The skies will be filled with angels as Jesus Christ makes His return visit to earth. “So that He (the Lord) may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints (angels).” 1 Thessalonians 3:13, Luke 2:13-14
27. At His coming, Jesus Christ will be revealed for all the world to see, appearing in His glory in the sky above, manifesting Himself to the entire world. “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him.” Revelation 1:7, 1 John 2:28-3:2
28. Jesus Christ is coming as a Savior, Judge, Redeemer and King. He will save believers, rescuing them from the wrath of God. He will judge unbelievers who are still on earth during the Day of the Lord, except the protected and elect Jews. He will redeem a remnant of Jews at the end of Daniel’s 70th week. Then He will begin His rule and reign as King over the entire earth. “Let the mountains sing together for joy before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth.” Psalm 98:9, Romans 11:25-26
29. The glory of Christ will be greatly manifested at the coming of Christ. Jesus Christ is always glorified, but at His coming, His glory will be displayed like never before, and therefore be seen like never before. Shortly thereafter, the new millennial kingdom age will begin, and the whole earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord. “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21:27, Habakkuk 2:14
30. Christ is coming again! Are you excited, are you looking forward to seeing Christ and being with Him forever? Are you praying, “Come, Lord Jesus.” As you await Christ’s soon return, might your heart be overflowing with love for your Lord, Savior and King. “Behold, I am coming soon.” Revelation 22:20
NOW MAY THE GOD OF PEACE HIMSELF SANCTIFY YOU ENTIRELY;
AND MAY YOUR SPIRIT AND SOUL AND BODY BE PRESERVED COMPLETE,
WITHOUT BLAME AT THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
FAITHFUL IS HE WHO CALLS YOU, AND HE WILL ALSO BRING IT TO PASS.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
Article 30
By Steven J. Hogan
The Antichrist is coming, and this is the truth, this is what God has planned, this is what He clearly tells us in His Word, and this is surely going to happen. It won’t be long now before this evil and ruthless man will be ruling this world. This Antichrist, this Christ-hater, will unite his diabolical forces in opposing the plans and people of God like no person has ever done before. That’s why it’s imperative that all Christians living in these days of the end times understand what the Bible says about this most wicked man.
This Antichrist, this royal impostor, will not succeed in his plans - he will not win for he is a big time loser, and he will in the end be utterly and totally defeated by God. But with that, we must know that we are winners, that we are victors, that we will overcome all the forces of evil, including this devilish enemy of God, for “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4b). Revelation 12:10-11, in speaking of our victory over the devil, and therefore of the Antichrist, says it this way, “The accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. 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.”
The Bible has a lot to say about the Antichrist, for he will be a key instrument, a critical player in the time before Christ’s return. Therefore, God wants you to know who he is, what he is like, what he will be doing, and that he will be seized, defeated, and then forever punished in the lake of fire. Many passages speak about him - Daniel 7:8-25, 8:9-12, 9:27, 11:36-37; Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10; 1 John 2:21-22, 4:3; and Revelation 13:4-18. Since God talks about him so much, then we should desire to know what God wants us to know. And what do we learn from God’s word? That this Antichrist will be proud, arrogant, lawless, evil, powerful, a blasphemer, a slanderer, a destroyer, a deceiver, an impostor, a truth-hater, a liar, a persecutor, a murderer, a devilish man, a Satanist.
There will be a great number of Christians living on this earth when the Antichrist is revealed at the middle of Daniel’s 70th week. Anyone who tells you otherwise is in error and does not understand the truth of the Bible with regards to the general timing of the rapture. 1 Thessalonians 4:15, 17 tells us that the rapture of the church is the first thing to take place at Christ’s coming. Then 2 Thessalonians 2:1-9 tells us that Christ’s coming is after the Antichrist’s coming. Therefore we must conclude that the rapture takes place after the Antichrist’s coming, which means that Christians will be living on this earth during the time of this evil man's rule. And since the Antichrist is revealed at the midpoint of Daniel’s 70th week, we know that the rapture will take place sometime after the midpoint, at a “day and hour no one knows… but the Father alone.” Matthew 24:36
I say this at the outset because God wants you to know, with certainty, that Christians will be on this earth when the Antichrist is here. That’s why this article about him is so extremely important for you, your family and your friends to understand. Who are you to argue with the truth, to question God’s word, and to object to God’s plans? Might you accept and believe this fact, and be a ready soldier for your Lord during this time of great distress and tribulation. Might you not shrink back and go a.w.o.l., shirking from your responsibility to serve your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Indeed, it is and will be a high honor and great privilege to be part of God’s special forces, being able to fight for Him during these most difficult days. “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. For 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. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” Ephesians 6:10-13
To better understand the Antichrist, we need to see the big picture, which means we need to go back to before this world was ever made. It all began when that “star of the morning, son of the dawn” (Lucifer) became proud, when he wanted to be like God (Isaiah 14:11-15). Lucifer then fell from heaven and became Satan, and has since that time been God’s chief adversary, aided by millions of evil angels who joined him in his fierce and devilish rebellion of creature against Creator. The devil’s work was first seen on earth when he tempted Adam and Eve in the garden, where they sadly succumbed to his temptation, resulting in deadly, universal, and eternal consequences. It was their sin that enabled the devil to take charge of the world, and for the entire earth to come under his power and influence (1 John 5:19). Adam’s sin and disobedience at that time also resulted in all mankind becoming sinners, all mankind becoming children of the devil. Romans 5:12
Since his initial temptation and evil in this world, Satan has continued his wicked work. Uniting with sinful men and women, he has viciously and unrelentingly been fighting against God by fighting against His people. But never forget that it’s only by God's sovereign hand that Satan has any power at all. Throughout this evil age, since that first sin of Adam and Eve, we have continually seen the devil doing his dirty work, but he has never thwarted God’s purposes and plans. Smallish and sinful Satan never has been a match for almighty and holy God, and therefore he will never succeed in his war against Him in the end-times.
You must realize that Satan has already been defeated. At times it may not seem so, but you have to remember that Jesus Christ conquered the devil at the cross. God’s eternal, complete and crushing victory over Satan, sin and death was realized at that time (Colossians 2:15), and the outworking of the devil’s defeat is now being seen during this church age, and will continue to be seen, leading up to that time when he will finally and forever be cast into the lake of fire. “The seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to your name.’ And He said to them, ‘I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning'” (Luke 10:17-18). “The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Revelation 20:10
Revelation 12 accurately summarizes Satan’s war against God. When you read this chapter, you see that Satan has been, and still is, fiercely fighting against God, but he never wins, he is always defeated. Satan is a loser, a big-time loser, a total loser, the greatest loser this world has ever seen. Yes, it’s true that Revelation 12 describes how Satan has diabolically influenced seven earthly and evil “beast” empires in an effort to keep Christ from carrying out His purposes; but he has never been victorious, he has been beaten every time, he always gets soundly defeated. It was Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, the Roman empire, and then Hitler's Germany. Through God’s just and Christ crucifying work, through the Holy Spirit, through God’s angels and His soldiering saints, Christ’s victory over the devil is assured and will continue to be seen on earth in these years leading up to Christ's return. I must say it again – this archenemy of God always has been and always will be stopped, defeated, and finally, be destroyed for good.
But in the end times there will be an 8th “beast” empire, and this one will be the most powerful and evil empire this world has ever seen. Again the devil will attempt to prevent God’s purposes from being carried out, and he will be working through this final “beast” empire, one that is led by a man who is actually called the “beast”, but in other verses is referred to as the little horn, the man of lawlessness, or the Antichrist. It is at this time that the devilish work of Satan will be displayed on this earth like never before, for he will be deceptively and wickedly working in and through this evil “beast” of a man, this Antichrist. He will come after the woman, the Jews, but again being thwarted, he will then attack the Christians. Without a doubt, he will be the most unrighteous man this world has ever seen, carrying out Satan’s fiendish work on earth in those last few years before the return of Christ, hopelessly and foolishly fighting against God and His people.
It is God Himself who will raise up the Antichrist for His divine and eternal purposes. But think of it this way - the Antichrist will be like a dog on a leash, and he may feel like he’s free to do whatever he wants, but His Master, the all supreme and sovereign God, will be in complete control, for God will always be reigning, always reining in the devil’s man on earth. It is absolutely essential for Christians who are alive during the time of the Antichrist’s rule on earth to understand God’s ultimate rule, this peace-giving sovereignty of God. “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate my power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.’” Romans 9:17
Let me describe for you what I believe will be the Antichrist’s ascendancy to power. Sometime, and I believe most likely during this 21st century, this future world leader will be growing up and living in either Europe or in the Middle East. He will be a well-educated and very intelligent man, one who is learning both the ways of the world and the ways of the devil. He will be politically inclined, very much aware of the geopolitical condition of the world. He will see that the world is a very unstable and tumultuous place, an earth filled with wars, earthquakes, famines, plagues, economic problems, and death. He will be fully aware of the regional and global conflicts in the world. He will also be well versed in the world’s major religions, and in particular, the one called Christianity. But he will by no means ever become a Christian. Certainly, it will be obvious that he was not chosen by God for salvation, but rather was chosen by God to do the work of the devil. “For God has put it into their hearts (the ten horns) to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled.” Revelation 17:17
During this most troubled time on earth, people will be looking for a person to lead the world, to solve the world’s problems, and to bring peace. And so it is, that this wicked and godless man, this future Antichrist, being groomed by the devil, will be rapidly growing in power and influence. But in all this, you must again see that God Himself is sovereignly raising up this evil man to help fulfill His righteous plans in the end times.
It is also during this time that the vast majority of people in the world will be hating the Jews. Antisemitism will be increasing, and if you are alive at this time, you will see that this global hatred of the Jews is much worse than it was during the 1930’s - 1940’s when Adolph Hitler was in power. The time will come when Israel will be completely surrounded by her enemies, and for fear of being wiped out, the Jews will be looking for someone to provide and guarantee them security and protection.
This future Antichrist will prove to be a major player in brokering and confirming a peace agreement between Israel and other nations. The Jews, unbeknownst to them, will then sign a deal with the devil. A most likely and enticing feature of this treaty is that they will be allowed to rebuild their temple in Jerusalem, and again offer sacrifices, something that present day orthodox Jews have been wanting and planning to do for a long time. This treaty will be signed at the very beginning of the 70th week of Daniel, a seven year period of time ordained and designed by God for the testing and purifying of the Jews. It is exactly 7 years later, at the very end of this 70th week, that God will bring about the salvation of a large remnant of these Jews. Daniel 9:24-27, Isaiah 45:17
During the first half of Daniel’s 70th week, problems in our world will greatly increase in intensity, seen in these birth pangs - wars, earthquakes, famines, plagues and economic problems. The need for a person to take control of the world will now be obvious, for at this hour of history, peace is desperately needed on this very disturbed and troubled planet. The Antichrist will continue to grow in power, and it so happens that he and his country will become part of a ten nation block or caliphate, becoming the most powerful kingdom on this earth. Daniel 7:24 says, “As for the ten horns (nations), out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will rise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.” This other king who will rise up after them is the “little horn”, the Antichrist. We read that he will be unique and different than all the others, for he will have immense influence, and that’s because Satan will supernaturally empower him, raising him up for his ungodly purposes. This coming Antichrist will want to be in control, want to be in charge, want to rule the world, and he will then subdue three of the ten kings. At this time, he will be the most mighty man in the world.
Revelation 13 gives us specific details about this devilish man, this Antichrist. It is this chapter, more than any other, that describes the work and character of the Antichrist during his time in power. It says “the dragon (the devil) gave him his power and his throne and great authority.” Then it is written that this evil man will suffer some type of wound, and it will seem to be fatal, but this apparent deadly wound will seem to be miraculously healed. Because of modern day communication the entire world will quickly know this, for we read that “the whole earth was amazed, and followed after the beast.” Revelation 13:4a.
Then we go on to read that no one could stand against him. We read that he spoke proudly, and that he blasphemed God, and spoke out against the Christians. We read that he was given authority for 42 months, for 3 1/2 years. We read that he had the ability to make war against the saints, against the Christians, and to overcome them. We read that he had authority over every tribe, people, tongue and nation - that is, he was ruler of the world, a devilish dictator over the entire earth. We read that he will be worshiped by all the people, that is all the non-elect unbelievers on this earth, those "whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who had been slain." And we read that his number "is that of a man, and his number is 666." It is Satan himself who will inspire this man and give him great power, and therefore this Antichrist will, without question, be the worst man, the most wicked man this world has ever seen.
But right in the middle of this chapter, there is a particular instruction given to the Christians. Revelation 13:9 says, "If anyone has an ear, let him hear." God wants us to listen up, to hear what He has to tell us. In verse 10 He talks about believers going into captivity, and being killed, being martyred. And He says to us, "Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints." God is telling us that we will need to persevere, to endure, to be steadfast, to not give up, to not quit, but to keep going for Him until Christ's return and the church. With perseverance there needs to be faith - we will need to keep trusting the Lord, keep relying on Him, keep believing His promises. This important instruction from our Lord harmonizes with what He says in Matthew 24:13 - "But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved (raptured)," and with Hebrews 12:3 - "Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart."
Now we come to the midpoint, the 3½ year mark of Daniel’s 70th week. 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 tells us that the restrainer of Satan, most likely Michael the archangel, will step aside, allowing this evil devil to have a much greater influence on this earth. At this time it is obvious that Satan has possessed and energized his man on earth, this one we know as the Antichrist. As 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9 goes on to say, this is the coming of the Antichrist, and his coming is before the coming of Christ. Again, this makes it clear that Christians will be living on this earth when this devilish man, this beast, this Antichrist, is revealed for the whole world to see. At this point in time, Jesus Christ has not yet come to rapture the saints, but it will take place very soon, at His coming, sometime during the last half of Daniel’s 70th week.
At this 3½ year mark, this devil-inspired Antichrist will be in Jerusalem and will be revealed and seen for who he really is. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 tells us, “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 God.” Both Daniel 9:27 and Matthew 24:15 describe this event as the “abomination of desolation”, that time when this godless, blaspheming, diabolical Antichrist will publicly and proudly take his stand against God, showing forth his true colors. Christians and discerning Jews around the world will see what is happening, and will know that what had been prophesied by Daniel over 2500 years earlier, has finally come true. And now their worst enemy on earth, this God-hater, this Christ-hater, this Christian-hater, this Jew-hater, will be in charge and will be ruling the world.
During this time, and sadly so, there will be a great increase in lawlessness, wickedness and immorality, with the result that unbelievers all over the world will love this lawless man who is letting them do whatever their evil flesh desires. The devil’s goal is for the world to worship this evil man, for in effect, it will then be worshiping him. And so, we read that “they worshiped the beast.” The devil does not now, and will not in the future, want any person to worship Jesus Christ, for he hates and despises Him with the greatest passion - and he will do whatever he can to get the world to worship him, or else. The devil then will get people to worship him by worshiping the Antichrist.
This Antichrist, the first world dictator in modern times, will be a beast, a wicked, powerful, and ungodly man, for he will be anti Christ, against Jesus Christ, and his main purpose will be to usurp Christ’s position as Lord and King. 1 John 2:18 describes him by saying, “Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.” He will be so deceptive, so slick, and such a smooth talker, and to the unbelievers he won’t seem like he's a bad person. “There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for 42 months was given him.” Revelation 13:5. The world will have never seen such an able and powerful man as this – one who is leading the world politically, militarily, economically, and spiritually. “They (unbelievers) worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war against him?’” Revelation 13:4
Great tribulation will now begin, and it is this Antichrist who will initiate this great persecution against both Jews and Christians. But this tribulation is not wrath. It is brought on by Satan, but is that which is allowed by God. It is Satan persecuting the saints, but the coming wrath is God punishing the sinners. Now this tribulation, this persecution, will start in Jerusalem against the Jews, and then spread out from there to the entire world. This Antichrist will go after all the elect on this earth, those who are true believers and those who will become true believers, both Jews and Christians. “It was also given to him (Antichrist) to make war against the saints and to overcome them.” Revelation 12:17, 13:7
The hatred, persecution and death that the Christians will be experiencing at this time will be much more intense and difficult than they have ever encountered before. Yet, as Christians, we are to still love our enemies, and to lovingly tell them the truth of the gospel. Now most unbelievers don’t want to be told that their sin is wrong, that they are guilty, and that they deserve to be punished. These sinners will love their sin, and therefore will hate the Christians who tell them that they are sinners in need of a Savior. Now I must say that most unbelievers because a few unbelievers will get saved during this tribulation time. Matthew 24:14, 28:19-20
The church has always undergone persecution, and no doubt millions of believers have died for the Lord Jesus in the past 2000 years, but there’s been nothing like what will be taking place during this time of great persecution. This tribulation will be great in scope, because it is all over the world, on every continent, in every country, in every province, in every state, and in every city. This tribulation will also be great in severity - it won’t just be a matter of being thrown in jail and being tortured - it will in many cases result in death, for the Antichrist’s objective is for all believers to be killed, exterminated, and wiped off the face of the earth. Psalm 119:86-87; Matthew 24:9, 21; Revelation 12:17
All over the world the Antichrist and his forces, his armies, his militia, his police, his people, will be chasing after and tracking down Christians, seizing them, persecuting them, and having them killed. Not only that, but many unbelievers will be turning in their own parents or children or brothers or sisters to the Antichrist and his armed forces of evil. Now this may be the hardest part of all, for this will be most heart-wrenching if your own family members, people you loved, people you thought loved you, turn against you and turn you in to the authorities to be killed. And yes, God will enable many believers to escape, and to endure to the end and be saved, that is, be raptured by Christ. It is also true that some unbelievers will not take the mark of the beast, and will not give in to the demands and threats of the Antichrist, and will repent of their sins and become believers in Christ. Matthew 24:9-13, Luke 21:12-19
What about the godless unbelievers? What will they be thinking? What will they be doing? You have to realize that the result of the Antichrist’s rule will be fewer wars, less famines, more economic stability, and a greater calm in the world. People will be getting jobs, getting married, buying and selling, planting and building; and they will be saying “peace, peace,” but this is just a pseudo-peace, for there will be no real peace apart from Jesus Christ. The world, at this point in time, will be absolutely amazed and astounded by the activity of the Antichrist, and so excited to have one so seemingly powerful, wise, and competent, now ruling the world. They will love his character, his personality, his godless ways, and his “freedoms”, and consequently this world will become an even more evil and wicked place. The unbelieving and unrighteous world will be getting an ungodly leader, for this will be just what they wanted, and just what they deserve. Psalm 11
The unbelievers, the followers of the Antichrist, will be strongly outspoken in their hatred towards Jesus Christ and His followers. Emboldened and energized, they will finally have their man, their god, leading this world - and they will love it so. The Bible tells us, “They did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness” (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). These ungodly sinners will reject the truth of God, and so God will send a deluding influence upon them - they will be more deceived than ever before; and this great deception is another reason why they will love the Antichrist, and love wickedness. Their minds will be darkened like never before for “God gave them over to degrading passions… God gave them over to a depraved mind.” Romans 1:26, 28
The Antichrist has a partner joining him in his horrific crimes against the Christians, and he's another beast called the false prophet. He’s the Antichrist’s assistant, and he will do all he can to get the world to worship the first beast. Revelation 13:12 - “He exercises all the authority of the first beast… he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast.” How will this second beast, this false prophet do this? How will he get people on this earth to worship the beast? How will he further establish the Antichrist’s control over the world? He will do three main things:
First, he will perform great and miraculous signs that are seen all over the world, and the result will be that people are in great awe of him and the Antichrist. People nowadays are so naïve, so gullible and so easily led astray by even little things, little so-called “miracles” that take place on this earth; and in the future, this false prophet will do these amazing wonders and spectacular miracles, but these will only be false signs further authenticating this false leader and his false message.
Second, this other beast will set up an image of the first beast and give life to this image, and people will be told that they need to worship this image or else they will be killed. But how exactly will he do this? We don’t know for sure, but just think about it - in this information age where you have all this incredible technology, I believe this “image of the beast” will somehow be connected to computers, to the internet, and to smart phones. Most everyone in the world, in one way or another, have or soon will have access to the internet. I believe this second beast will require all people to worship the Antichrist via this technology, and then will be able to identify, track down and kill those who don’t worship him. As you probably know, our government is becoming increasingly sophisticated in it's use of surveillance equipment, phone taps, electronic devices, listening devices, satellites, drones, and hidden cameras, with the result that they are able to monitor people all over the world. They have the ability to quickly locate and track down about anyone in the world, but in the future, this Antichrist’s ability to surveil, to track people, to seize people, will be greatly increased and globally effective.
Third, the false prophet will force people to take a mark on their forehead or hand, and all who don’t take it won't be able to buy or sell on the open market. The technology to do this is very close to being perfected. We already have what are called embedded chips being used in animals, and even by some people. An individual's personal, employment, financial and medical information will be on this little rice sized chip that can be placed under his skin. All this will be part of the devil’s plan to exert his control and authority over the world, with the result that God’s people, those who don’t and won’t take the mark, will have a very hard time working, eating and surviving. But do not fear, for God will miraculously take care of His elect during this tribulation time, and those He wants to rescue and rapture from this earth, will by His grace, stay strong to the end. Matthew 6:11 says, “Give us this day our daily bread.” 1 Corinthians 1:8-9 promises us, “He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
These will undoubtedly be the darkest and most difficult days on earth for the elect, but there is hope, for the Christians will be raptured, and the Jewish remnant will be saved at the end of Daniel’s 70th week. Yet through this entire time we must not forget that God is in control of the Antichrist and the false prophet, and they will only be able to do what God allows them to do. Don't forget that God is sovereign over your life, as well as over all the people and events on this earth - He will be doing exactly what He wants to do, what is good, just and true, and in line with His purposes. “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.” Romans 8:28, Ephesians 1:9-11
How then should we live for the Lord in these days when the Antichrist is ruling the earth? It is during this time of the Antichrist’s rule that we will need to remember God’s instructions about how we are to live for Him. That is, love God and love one another. Do all that God has commanded you. Preach the gospel and make disciples to the end of the age. Remember the truths about Christ's coming, and especially that He's coming very soon. Persevere. Be holy. Have hope. Be faithful to the end, to the rapture of the church. Finally, encourage one another, and all the more, as you see the day of Christ drawing near. Mark 12:30, Matthew 24:14, Matthew 28:19-20, Hebrews 10:25, Hebrews 10:37, 1 Peter 1:13
In these days when the Antichrist will be ruling the world and there's great persecution, we will need to remember the words from Revelation 6:9-10 - “I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained, and they cried out with a loud voice saying, ‘How long, O Lord holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ And there was given to them a little white robe; and they were told that they should wait a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.” God will be holy, true and faithful.
Yes, there will be great tribulation. There will be untold and unfettered lawlessness. There will be an intense and global hatred of the Christians, and many of them will experience hunger, confusion, sadness, and at times, loneliness and discouragement. Many will be betrayed by family and church members, and then be taken to ungodly authorities where they will undergo suffering and torture. And yes, many will have the honor of dying for their Lord. “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.” Matthew 24:9, 21; Matthew 10:16-39
And again, what are we to do? We are to keep loving one another, which means even our enemies. We are to have hope. We are to keep believing the promises God has given us about our glorious future, expecting and looking for His soon return. In every situation, in every trial, we are to have faith, to keep trusting the Lord. In Luke 18:7-8 Jesus said, “Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However when the Son of Man comes will He find faith on the earth.” Might we have faith in our Lord and be faithful to Him. And I remind you to keep praying, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven” - Matthew 6:9-10.
These difficult times of great tribulation will only go on for a little while, somewhere, I believe, between one and three years, but of course we don’t know exactly how long, for only God knows the day and hour of His Son’s return. But then suddenly, and hopefully not surprisingly to you, there will be these great signs in the heavens, and the sky will instantly go dark. Then there will be the sign of Christ’s coming, and all believers on earth will see Christ’s magnificent and brilliant Shekinah glory, the sky suddenly being lit up by the glorious return of Christ. Then we will hear the shout of Christ, the trumpet sound and the voice of the angel, and immediately all the saints living on earth will be raptured, joining all the other believers from times past in the skies above this earth, being glorified and then gathered to Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior and King. Mark 13:27
All Christians living on earth at that time will, by either death or by rapture, be quickly and mercifully delivered from the Antichrist and his persecution. They will be overjoyed, thrilled and ecstatic at what is wonderfully taking place, for they will be forever changed, and forever with the Lord Jesus Christ. But for the unbelievers on earth and the Antichrist too, the day of the Lord will be a sudden and terrifying surprise, for it will come upon them like a thief in the night. One second they will be saying peace and safety, and the next second they will see the skies grow dark, and they will know that “the great day of their wrath has come” (Revelation 6:17). Minutes later, destruction will unmercifully and devastatingly come upon them. First, there will be the Trumpet judgments - fire, hail, water turning to blood, skies turning dark, demonized locusts tormenting everyone, and then 1/3 of the ungodly unbelievers in the world will be suddenly and justly killed. Revelation 8
But the Antichrist and many other unbelievers, by God’s sovereign working, will survive to the end of Daniel’s 70th week, but these hardened sinners still won’t repent and worship God. Their power and influence will have been greatly diminished by this time, but they are still not completely defeated. In fact, Revelation 11:7 tells us that the Antichrist, at the end of the 70th week, will kill two of God’s greatest witnesses, many believing these to be Moses and Elijah.
Then there will be the Bowl judgments, and more darkness, blood and death. The Antichrist and many others will providentially survive this, for God has planned all this out for His purposes and glory. Revelation 19:11-21 describes what will then take place, that Jesus Christ, with great power and glory, will quickly come down from heaven. Riding on a white horse and clothed in a robe dipped with blood, He will come with His heavenly armies to judge and wage war against the Antichrist and his weak and worthless earthly armies. This is the Antichrist’s last battle on earth, this great, Christ glorifying battle of Armageddon.
With Jesus Christ are a great multitude of saints, clothed in fine linen, and they are following Christ on white horses. “And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘King of kings, and Lord of lords.'” Do you see what will be taking place? At this great battle, we will be with Jesus Christ when He comes to earth to finally defeat the Antichrist. And the Antichrist and the false prophet will quickly be seized, at which time they will meet their Maker, and then be thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with fire and brimstone forever and ever. This greatly deserved everlasting pain and punishment is just beginning for these evil, diabolical and most wicked enemies of God. They will be the first of billions to be cast into this torturous lake of fire, and they will be there all alone in unrelenting torment for 1000 years (Revelation 19:20). Then they will be joined by Satan and all the other unbelievers who have rebelled against God, hated Jesus Christ and rejected the truth of His gospel. Revelation 20:10, 15 - “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
What I am telling you is the absolute truth of God – it is not fiction, not fantasy, not a myth, and not a script for some movie – this is straight from the holy and true Word of God. What I’m telling you will most definitely take place. Might you be awake. Might you be alert. Might you be ready soldiers for Christ, serving Him to the very end. And yes, might you be willing to suffer for the Lord. Might you never fear the one who has the power to kill the body, but has no power to kill the soul.
Might you remember the truth of Romans 8:35-39, “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.” Might you know and believe this truth, and might it be so deeply embedded in your soul so that you never doubt the Lord’s great love for you. Might you be continually convinced that He is doing what is good, right and true. Then at the perfect time, He will take you from earth to forever be with Him in heaven, and on earth in the ages to come. Amen! Hallelujah! To God be all the glory! Psalms 47, 67, 72; Revelation 22:20 – “Come Lord Jesus”
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.”
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’ 70th 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 2nd 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 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 70th 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 70th 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 70th 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 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 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 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 4th 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 2nd 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 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 2nd 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 2nd 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 2nd coming, and in fact, is the initial event at His coming. Therefore, the rapture of the church does not take place before Christ’s 2nd 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 2nd 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 1st coming (Old Testament saints), and after Christ’s 1st 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 2nd 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 2nd coming are the sealed and protected Jews, who will be saved at the end of Daniel’s 70th 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 70th 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 70th 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 2nd 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 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 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 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 70th 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 70th 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 41
By Steven J. Hogan
The slogan, “Be the Best You Can Be,” is instructive to all of us. As people, we should want to be the best we can be, but as believers, we should desire to be all that God wants us to be. Being who God wants us to be means that we need to be taught and trained by Him for His purposes on this earth. Growing and becoming more like Jesus Christ, being useful to God, being their able servants, is truly what’s most important, and is what we should want more than anything else.
To be a servant of God, a disciple and soldier of Christ in this life, is most encouraging, and the highest privilege. Think of it this way, that in a spiritual sense, you are to be a member of the Special Forces, a Navy Seal or an Army Ranger. Isn’t it good to set the bar high, to have God’s standard in view, knowing that’s what it will take for you to fully carry out His plans for your life? Matthew 5:48 says it well, “Therefore, you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
There is an abundance of stories in the Bible about believers being used by God for His unique, eternal and glorious purposes. There are the stories of Noah, Moses, Deborah, Gideon, Ruth, David, Jeremiah, Nehemiah, Mary, Peter, Susanna, Paul, Paul’s nephew, and many others, ones who are to be models and examples to us. “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Hebrews 12:1
Set your sights high. See what God wants you to be. Know that God has special plans for you. Realize that you are in training, and are always in training. Understand that what you are going through, with relationships, with trials, at your job, in your church, and in your own personal life, is part of God’s sovereignly designed, spiritual regimen for you. Your heavenly Father wants you, His child, to grow up, to be strong in faith, hope and love, to increase in wisdom and discernment, to be courageous, and to do the work He has called you to do. “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13
Since God has your life all planned out, then He must know exactly what He’s doing, day after day, month after month, and year after year. As I look back, I can more clearly see how God has faithfully, wisely, lovingly and purposely been working in and through my life. Who I am today, what I am doing today, and what God wants me to do tomorrow, relates directly to what He has been doing in my life for the past 64 years. (Psalm 139:16). “I am what I am by the grace of God, and His grace toward me did not prove vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:10).
I think of Moses, and he was 80 years old when he received his most important task, a God-planned assignment that took up the last 40 years of life. We live in a world where most people retire from their job sometime in their sixties, but we are to never think of retiring from serving God. Don’t ever quit working for God, don’t ever retire from your spiritual service. Yes, we may not physically be able to do what we did in the past, but physical limitations will never keep God from using us, and from doing His spiritual work in and through us. In fact, sometimes our physical weaknesses are the means by which we do our greatest work for Him. As long as we have life and breath, we are to work for God, like Moses, and like David. “For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep.” Acts 13:36
My desire is to remind you to be working for God, and to help you see that He is teaching you, discipling you, always making you more like Christ, always preparing you for the work He wants you to do. Now that we are living in the end times, it is important and, in fact, imperative for you to see the need to be specially trained by God so you can be all that He wants you to be. I wouldn’t be surprised if this were the last generation of believers to be living during this church age, and that many of us will be here on earth when Christ returns to rapture the Christians. “For yet in a very little while, He who is coming, will come, and will not delay.” Hebrews 10:37
I am convinced that hundreds of millions of Christians will be living during Daniel’s 70th week, not having been raptured before it, like so many erroneously believe. A great multitude of believers will be living during the rule of the Antichrist, going through great tribulation, and suffering persecution like never before in the history of the world. It will not be easy. It will be the most difficult time of your life. You need to be a member of God’s “Special Forces” if you are to spiritually survive and successfully carry out the mission He has for you.
But sadly, many Christians are totally oblivious to what will be taking place. It really is a shame that so many believers are worldly, in error, or just plain ignorant with regards to the soon coming of Christ, and the rapture of the church. “How is it that you do not know how to interpret this present time?” (Luke 12:56). “The men of Issachar understood the times, and knew what Israel should do.” (1 Chronicles 12:32). “Do this, understanding the present time: the hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.” (Romans 13:11). Might we wake up from our sleep; might we be alert and aware of what is going on in the world; might we know what God’s Word says about the end times, the future of the church, the future of the Jews, the future of unbelievers, and the future of our world.
The Jews have returned to Israel, over 6.4 million of them, and that is the reason we know we are living in the end times. Matthew 24:4-8 describes the “beginning of birth pains,” those events signaling to us that we are in the beginning stage of the end times. This means there are still many years to go before the start of Daniel’s 70th week, the revealing of the Antichrist, the return of Christ, and the rapture of the church. I am convinced that God is now, at this time, raising up men and women, His own “Special Forces,” for the days and years ahead, and for the work He has prepared for us. Jesus Christ is building the church with His return and the rapture in mind. Many who are unsaved are being saved, and are then being discipled for one of the most important and strategic times in the history of mankind. This then is the time, as we see the approaching storm, for you to be trained, for you to be ready to do all God has in store for you, and for His church.
I have no doubt that God will have all His people in place, people praying, people serving, people preaching, people making disciples, people doing the work He wants them to do. I have no question that God will succeed, that His eternal plans will not fail, that He will faithfully carry out His work through His faithful saints, servants and soldiers. Yes, God is sovereign, for He has chosen the people He wants for the work He has planned to carry out. “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain.” (John 15:16). Yes, God chooses, but it is also true that He doesn’t want us to be just sitting around, waiting for something to happen. As God’s people, we should pursue Him, and should want to be trained, so we can help to fulfill His plans. "I love those who love Me, and those who diligently seek Me, will find Me." Proverbs 8:17
I think of athletes and their amazing dedication and devotion to their sport. I think of how hard they train, how diligently they work out, how they are so disciplined, and so driven to be a success in their sport. And they may be training for only one event, one Olympics, or one season, and all for some earthly glory. Might we learn from their example. Might we be determined to be all we can be for God. Might we be spiritually working out, spiritually staying in shape, with a commitment to be the best we can be for the purposes of God, the work of God, and the glory of God. Might we be fully equipped, knowing all we need to know, believing all we need to believe, and doing all we need to do. "Therefore, I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I buffet my body, and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified." 1 Corinthians 9:26-29
I write this to stir you up to want to be this kind of a person for God. You need to seek God, see what lies ahead, know what He wants you to be, and be excited that you can be serving Him during these last years before the start of Daniel’s 70th week, and the return of Christ. Don’t miss your calling, your assignment, the work God has already planned out for you. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10). Be loving God. Be trusting God. Be trained by God. Be faithful to Christ. Be living for Christ. Be filled with the Spirit. Be walking by the Spirit. Count the cost. Sacrifice your life for the Lord. “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Luke 9:23
Listed below are some key truths, commands and lessons God has been teaching me during my life, and I want to pass them on to you. By writing these out, I am by no means, saying I have arrived. I know well my weaknesses, my sin, my inadequacies and my failures. I know I need to keep growing. But I am determined to keep going, to not give up, to not quit, to persevere to the end of my life, or to the end of this age. These are life lessons, lessons you can’t learn in a day or a week or a month, but over time, over the years, in all kinds of ways, in all kinds of situations, and with all kinds of people. I could give stories and examples for every truth and lesson, but I wanted to give you bullet points, and as you continue on for the Lord, and are being trained and used by Him, then He will give you your own life experiences.
Be thankful that you can be alive at this special time in history, these last years before the coming of Christ, the rapture of the church, and the Day of the Lord. Know that you are a servant of the living, holy and true God. Know that He is training you for His special plans. Know that you are to fulfill His purposes, for the good of the church, the good of the world, and for the glory of God. Be willing to do whatever God wants you to do. And do today the work He wants you to do today, knowing that He has work for you tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, until that time, whether by death or by rapture, He takes you home to heaven.
LIFE LESSONS: FIFTY FOUNDATIONAL TRUTHS
1. The Word of God – Loving and delighting in God’s word. “O, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.” Psalm 97:1, Psalm 1:2, Matthew 4:4
2. Seeking and knowing God – Personally knowing God, and walking with Him. “I want to know Christ.” Philippians 3:10, Ephesians 1:17, 1 John 4:16
3. Loving God and Jesus – Loving God deeply and passionately. “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.” Mark 12:30, John 14:15, Psalm 18:1
4. Loving people – Loving the people God puts in your life. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:31, John 15:12-13, 1 John 4:7
5. Knowing who you are – “Beloved, now we are children of God.” 1 John 3:2, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Ephesians 1:1
6. Praying – Taking the time to pray, to intercede, to ask God for things. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7, Hebrews 11:6, 1 John 5:14-15
7. Communion – Having close and continued fellowship with God. “Thus I have beheld Thee in the sanctuary, to see Thy power and glory.” Psalm 63:1-8, Mark 6:31-32, Luke 10:42
8. Fearing God – Respecting God, holding Him in the highest regard. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Proverbs 1:7, Deuteronomy 10:12, Psalm 33:18
9. Humility – Being humble before God and people. “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt You.” James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:5, Matthew 23:12
10. Trusting God – Trusting the Lord, having faith in Him. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6, Jeremiah 17:7, Psalm 56:3
11. Authority – Submitting to the authorities God puts in your life. “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution…” 1 Peter 2:13-14, Romans 13:1-5, Colossians 3:18-25
12. Other people – Putting others first. “With humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3-4, 1 Corinthians 13:5, Ephesians 5:21
13. Grace – Depending on God’s grace every day. “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8, 1 Corinthians 15:10, Ephesians 1:2
14. Meditation – Thinking about God’s word, and getting it into your heart. “His delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:2, Joshua 1:8, Psalm 119:15
15. Walking in the Spirit – Being filled with and led by the Holy Spirit. “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16-25, Ephesians 5:18, John 14:16-17
16. Purpose and vision – Knowing and carrying out God’s purpose for your life. “For I know the plans I have for you, plans for welfare, and not calamity, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11, Ephesians 2:10, Philippians 1:9-11
17. Sovereignty – Seeing God’s sovereignty in your life. “Man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9, Daniel 4:35, Romans 8:28
18. Obeying God – Doing what God wants you to do. “I delight to do Thy will, O God. Thy law is in my heart.” Psalm 40:8, Psalm 119:1-8, John 14:21
19. Righteousness – Doing what’s right, not what’s popular. “Having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” Romans 6:18, Proverbs 10-12, 1 Samuel 15:22-23
20. Forgiveness – Knowing God’s forgiveness, and forgiving others. “Forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.” Colossians 3:13, Colossians 2:13-14, Matthew 18:33
21. Serving – Being a servant to God and to others. “The greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.” Luke 22:27, Romans 12:11, Hebrews 3:5
22. Stewardship - Using your time, abilities and money wisely. “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10, Luke 19:17, 1 Corinthians 12
23. Church – Being in a holy, loving, Bible-teaching church. “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42, 1 Corinthians 12-14, Hebrews 10:24-25
24. Training others – Be an example, and teach others to obey. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:2, Psalm 78:5-8
25. Communicating - Learning to listen, and to speak. “Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.” James 1:19, Luke 2:46, Ephesians 4:29
26. Trials – Learning to trust God as you go through trials. “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials.” 1 Peter 1:6-7, James 1:2, Romans 5:3-5
27. Sin – Getting victory over temptation and sin. “Direct my footsteps according to Your word; let no sin rule over me.” Psalm 119:133, Romans 6, Genesis 4:1-8
28. Error – Discerning lies and errors, and staying away from evil. “Hate evil, you who love the Lord.” Psalm 97:10, Matthew 24:4, Psalm 119:104
29. Relationships – Having fellowship and building good friendships. “As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow slave in the Lord, will bring you information.” Colossians 4:7-17, 1 John 1:5-7, 1 Samuel 18:1-3
30. Hope – Looking forward to the future God has for you. “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13, Colossians 1:27, Romans 15:13
31. Thankfulness – No matter what happens, always give thanks. “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Colossians 3:17, Psalm 100:4
32. Wisdom and discernment – Learning what is right and wrong, better and best, and making good decisions. “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:6, Philippians 1:9-10, 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
33. Promises – Having promises for your life. “For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature.” 2 Peter 1:4, 2 Peter 3:13, Psalm 32:8
34. Witnessing – Being a witness to the lost. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Acts 1:8, Acts 26:16, 2 Corinthians 2:14-15
35. Encouraging – Faithfully building up the believers. “Encourage one another day after day, as long as it is called today.” Hebrews 3:12-13, Hebrews 10:24-25, Galatians 6:10
36. Learning - Being taught by good teachers. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness…” 2 Timothy 3:14-17, Acts 18:26, 2 Timothy 2:2
37. Working – Being a hard worker, and a diligent worker. “The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.” 2 Timothy 2:6, 1 Corinthians 15:10, Proverbs 21:5
38. Physical disciplines – Disciplining your body and being self-controlled “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is of some value.” 1 Timothy 4:7, 1 Corinthians 9:27, 1 Timothy 3:2-3
39. Warfare – Fighting and battling for God. “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness…” Ephesians 6:10-18, Nehemiah 4, 1 John 2:14
40. Courage – Not being afraid, but being courageous. “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13, Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 41:10
41. Unity – Being of like mind with other believers. “That you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.” 1 Corinthians 1:10, Philippians 2:2, Psalm 133
42. Perseverance – Never give up, but keep going for God. “As for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” 2 Chronicles 15:7, Galatians 6:9, James 5:11
43. The Past - Remembering the deeds of the Lord. “I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old.” Psalm 77:11, Psalm 78:5-11, 1 Samuel 7:12
44. Contentment – Being satisfied with what you have. “If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” 1 Timothy 6:6-8, Philippians 4:10-13, Psalm 23:1
45. Prophecy – Knowing about and looking forward to Christ’s coming. “They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:30, Daniel, Revelation
46. God’s plan for me – Being content with your lot in life. “The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.” Psalm 16:5, 1 Corinthians 7:17-20, Romans 8:2
47. Sacrifice and suffering – Be willing to suffer for Jesus. “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.” 1 Peter 2:21, Matthew 5:10-11, Matthew 24:9
48. Patience – Waiting on God, and being patient with people. “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart, and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14, 1 Corinthians 13:4, Colossians 3:12-13
49. Rebounding – Getting up after sin or failure. “When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.” Psalm 37:24, Psalm 51, Philippians 3:12-14
50. Living for Jesus – “To live is Christ, and to die is gain… Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith.” Philippians 1:21-26, Colossians 1:27-29, Philippians 3:7-10
Article 42
By Steven J. Hogan
The last few years leading up to the coming of Jesus Christ will be an extremely difficult time for Christians living in this world. Close to the end of this age, the Antichrist will appear and begin his evil rule over this earth. He, along with the rest of the unruly unbelievers, will be greatly sinning, and in fact, appear to be winning. Truly, it will be a terribly dark and distressing time for Christians. But God’s word is sufficiently instructive and very comforting with regards to these last days before the return of Christ: “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.” Psalm 37:7-9
My purpose in writing this article is to focus on the unrepentant unbelievers living in the end-times, their lives, their sin, their hate for God and Christians, and the trouble they may bring to your life. In fact, many of you reading this may be alive on this earth during the time of the Antichrist’s devilish rule. During his short time as dictator, there will be great tribulation, believers will be persecuted, fellow saints will be martyred, and food and water may be hard to find. You may even wonder if you are going to survive during these dark and evil days, if you can keep persevering until the return of Christ and the rapture of the church. Now I am not trying to scare you. I just want to make sure you are Biblically informed and warned about the end-times, and that you have a living hope. God wants you to know what will be happening, but also how you can victoriously live for Him during what will probably be the most difficult time of your life.
God gives us many promises to comfort and strengthen us, even in the midst of our worst problems. Romans 8:35-37 tells us about suffering, but it also gives us hope: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? …. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Do you see this? Even though you may go through extreme trials, you can be a conqueror, you can be victorious through Christ, who loves you much more than you could ever imagine. Do not fear, for your heavenly Father will make sure that you make it to heaven, so that you can be with Him and Jesus, and all the rest of the saints. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:1-3
This subject about the unrepentant unbeliever in the end times, their open sin and rebellion, and the resulting trouble it could bring to your life, is something you rarely read about, something you just don’t hear being taught in our churches. But you will see that God's word has a whole lot to say about the character and conduct of the end-times’ unbeliever. Here are a number of things God wants you to know about the sinful people living on earth in the years leading up to the coming of Christ.
Disrespectful of God. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). The unrepentant sinner’s primary problem is that he doesn’t fear God, he doesn’t give God the respect that He deserves. Most ungodly people don’t believe in the one true God, and many don’t even believe there is a God. They have rejected the truth about God seen in creation, and that which is given in God’s word (Romans 1:18-32). Therefore, the unbeliever doesn’t see God as God, and give Him the praise, honor and love that is due Him. But God is our creator, the One who has fearfully and wonderfully made us. He is our sovereign Lord, the One who is in charge of our lives. He is the holy One, and we are accountable to Him, and if we don’t turn from our sin to Him, then He will righteously judge and punish us. Yet, instead of being humble and worshiping God, the unrepentant unbeliever is proud, and worships and idolizes himself and creation. He is not thinking right, he is not thankful, he is not wise, and he is a terrible fool. “An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin… he has ceased to be wise and do good.” Psalm 36:1-4
Greatly sinning. In the last days, unbelievers will be increasingly lawless. “But mark this: there will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:1-4). We are living in an evil age, and the hearts of men are evil, but it’s going to get a lot worse in the last few years before the return of Christ. In the end times, sinners will be extremely sinful, similar to the days of Noah (Genesis 6:5-6, Matthew 24:37). It will be a very wicked time, when everyone will be doing what is right in his own eyes. In the middle of that important prophecy chapter, we read, “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). But as a Christian, “You are the light of the world… let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
What about the Antichrist? Unbelieving sinners will undoubtedly be doing the work of Satan, but it is the Antichrist who is the most devilish sinner on earth. Without question, he will be the worst sinner in the world, the chief lawbreaker, the most corrupt man on earth, for 2 Thessalonians 2:3 tell us that he is “the man of lawlessness.”
The Antichrist’s desire is to oppose Christ, to take the place of Christ, and to rule the world. He is the one “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 God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4). This Antichrist, this beast, this man of lawlessness, will actually try to take the place of God, but there’s no way he will ever succeed. He will be the greatest fake, the biggest impostor, the most despicable and diabolical man to ever live on the face of the earth. Revelation 13:4 sadly says that he will actually fool and deceive the people, for “they will worship the beast.” The unbelievers will turn out to be his followers, and will do whatever he tells them to do. Revelation 13:5 tells us that this Antichrist will speak “arrogant words and blasphemies… he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name.”
The Antichrist will hate God and all of His children with a passion, and he will hate all that is right and godly. As the most lawless man on earth, he will promote sin, and encourage the unbelievers to act wickedly, to hate the believers and do them harm. Matthew 24:9 warns us, “They will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.” Revelation 13:7 confirms this by saying, “It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them.” The Antichrist will try to hunt you down, hurt you, and kill you. And it’s his forces of evil, unrighteous unbelievers, religious defectors, or even members of your own family, who will be doing his dirty work. At that time, the most wicked man on earth will be the Antichrist, and he will use his Satanic power to get the rest of the unrepenting unbelievers to join him in his outright hate for God, and his persecution of the saints. But in the end, he will be a total failure, a big-time loser at the battle of Armageddon, after which, he will immediately be cast into the lake of fire, where he will remain forever and ever. “The beast was seized, and with him the false prophet… these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.” Revelation 19:20
Worshiping Satan. “They worshiped the dragon (Satan), and they worshiped the beast (Antichrist)” (Revelation 13:4). It will happen around the time of Daniel’s 70th week that a series of events will take place, leading to this one man becoming this powerful and world-renowned Antichrist. This man will seem to miraculously rise from the dead; he will militarily defeat a number of other nations; he will proudly and loudly proclaim his hate for God; he will take “his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4). Not only that, but his partner, this 2nd beast, will be promoting this most evil man. “I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon. He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he will make the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men” (Revelation 13:11-13).
After seeing all these things, the sinners of the world will be utterly amazed, and therefore, will worship this superman, this first beast, and in effect, be worshiping the devil himself. Nothing like this has ever happened before, for we will literally see the whole unbelieving world united in their love and worship for this most wicked man. This is so wrong and so unrighteous, but God, sovereignly ruling over all the world, will be working all this together for our good, and for His purposes and glory (Revelation 17:16-17). And soon enough, this rule of the Antichrist and his course of evil will be finished, and God will send His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, back to earth, to take up the saints, take out the enemy, and take over the world.
Taking the mark of the beast. “He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead” (Revelation 13:16). Most unbelievers will take this mark of the beast, with the result that they will be able to openly buy and sell, to publicly do business. But taking this mark means that they will be worshiping, trusting and following the Antichrist. What these sinners don’t know is that this will turn out to be their death sentence (Revelation 14:9-11). But what about the Christians? Won’t this new godless business plan make life very difficult for us? Where will we get food and water? How can we buy clothes? Where will we buy gas? How will be able to travel? Will be able to live in our own home? How will we be able to take care of our children? How will we get the medicines we need? Will we be able to use our phones to communicate with believers? I have to admit, I don’t have the answers to all these questions. I do know we are to pray and trust God. But let me say this, that as long as God wants us here on earth for His purposes, then He will protect us and provide all our needs. “Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Deceived, deluded and depraved. “God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-11). Sinners hate the truth, love their sin and enjoy their evil ways. But in the end times, God will cause sinners to be deluded and deceived all the more, resulting in the rapid and devilish decline of our world. It’s hard to imagine, but all these wicked and wayward sinners will be even more deceived, fooled and tricked by the world, the flesh, and the devil. Sinners will go from bad to worse. They will think they are doing what is right, when in fact, they are doing what is wrong. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness” (Isaiah 5:20). But the truth and promises of God will still stand. “The wicked will perish; and the enemies of the Lord will be like the glory of the pastures, they vanish – like smoke they vanish away… for those blessed by the Lord will inherit the land, but those cursed by Him will be cut off.” Psalm 37:20-22
Mocking the Christians. “In the last days, mockers will come with their mocking, following after their lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’… But by His word, the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3:3-6). During the Antichrist’s rule, we need to share with people the gospel, the truth of Christ’s 1st coming and salvation through Him, and the truth about Christ’s 2nd coming and the rapture of the church. But most unbelievers will think we’ve gone crazy, that we have lost our minds, and therefore will make fun of us, mocking and taunting us. But remember, Jesus was mocked and ridiculed. Might we see it as a privilege to suffer like our Savior suffered, and for this, we will be eternally blessed. “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps… and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats; but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.” 1 Peter 2:21-23
Hating and killing. “They will deliver you to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name" (Matthew 24:9). During Daniel’s 70th week, Christians will be seen as a terrible menace, a harmful blight, a spiritual plague, as ones who need to be dealt with, as ones who need to be put to death. Unlike any other time in history, unbelievers will be united, emboldened and impassioned in their hate for Christians, so much so that they will want to kill them, to rid the earth of them. You can see how serious and deadly this situation will be, for the leader of the world, his military forces, people you don’t know and people you do know, even your own family members, will want you dead. “I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony they had maintained” (Revelation 6:9). “They poured out the blood of saints and prophets” (Revelation 16:6). The sinners in the world will be so deceived, for by wanting to kill you, they will think they are doing what is right, but instead will be doing what is wrong, and in fact, what is the most outrageous and unrighteous thing they can do. “An hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think he is offering service to God” (John 16:2). “Do not fret because of evildoers… trust in the Lord and do good… for evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.” Psalm 37:1, 3, 9
Betraying family members. “You will be betrayed by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death” (Luke 21:16 ). Many unbelievers will turn against family members who are Christians, and turn them in to the authorities. Can you believe this, that members of your own family, ones whom you have loved and prayed for, will betray you, and want you to be persecuted and killed? It may be your mother or father, your brother or sister, your son or daughter, an aunt or uncle, or a first or second cousin. I tell you, do not be surprised that people you have known so well, whom you have grown up with, whom you have spent time with, whom you have loved so deeply, will hate you so much. “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). Being hated by your own family members will unquestionably be one of the saddest and hardest things for Christians to go through in the end times. “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us… For I am convinced that neither death, nor life… will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37
Repenting, at least some of them. “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). We have been talking about the attitudes and actions of unrepentant unbelievers living on this earth in the end times. But this verse, along with Matthew 28:19-20, instructs us to do what is good, specifically, to be preaching the gospel and making disciples of all the nations. And some of our preaching will bear fruit. God wants to know that some of the unbelievers living during this time, by His grace, will repent of their sins and be saved. Though the world will be filled and controlled by unbelievers, our compassionate God will have mercy on some of them, "snatching them out of the fire" (Jude 23), causing them to be born again, and giving them eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16
This window of mercy for lost sinners extends right up to the end of this age. You don’t know who will repent of his sins and believe in Christ, and so keep showing your love, and sowing the gospel seed, believing that God will save some of the unsaved (John 4:34-38). In Jesus’ instruction about the end-times, He says, “The gospel must be preached to all the nations. 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” (Mark 13:10-11). Do you see what God is telling you? When you preach the gospel, you may be arrested and persecuted. But you are not to be afraid. You are to live your life full out for the Lord by loving the lost and sharing the gospel, in hopes that the unsaved will turn from their sin and trust in Jesus, and be forgiven of their sins and be given eternal life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” John 5:24
Eating, drinking, and shocked. “It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: They were eating and drinking, they were buying and selling, they were planting and building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:28). A pseudo peace will be seen on earth during the Antichrist’s rule, and the deceived unbelievers will be so happy, living life like everything is just fine. Yes, life will be better than what they had been going through, for the famines, wars, plagues and economic distress, for the most part, will be gone. Not only that, but there is the “good news” that Christians are being dealt with, are being turned in to the authorities and killed.
Sinners will be saying and singing, “Happy days are here again.” Unbelievers will be doing the things they were doing before, and life will seem to be back to normal. “For as in those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:38-39). Suddenly and unexpectedly, there will be these great signs in the heavens, the trumpet will sound, and immediately the Son of Man will be seen coming in a cloud with power and great glory - and all the Christians will be raptured off the earth. “There will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left” (Matthew 24:40-41). The unbelievers will be dumbfounded, completely surprised, and in great fear.
Scared to Death, and Doomed. “There was a great earthquake… the stars of the sky fell to the earth… the sky was split apart like a scroll… and the kings… and the great men… and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves… for the great day of God’s wrath has come” (Revelation 6:12-17). In the end times, there will be these great signs in the heavens, and a great earthquake, and the whole world, in great shock, will be stopped in its tracks. But Christians should know that these heavenly signs and this earthquake are signaling the end of this age and the return of Christ. But the unrepenting, unsuspecting unbelievers will be totally caught off guard and greatly afraid. There will be “men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Luke 21:26). Christ-rejecting unbelievers will be scared to death when they see Christ’s sudden return, and wanting to get away from God, they will find no place to hide. Christians will be suddenly taken from the earth, the day of the Lord will come, and unbelievers, left on earth, will be doomed, forever damned and punished by God.
Remaining unrepentant. “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands… they still did not repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or of their thefts” (Revelation 9:20-21). Unbelievers alive at the rapture of the church will be punished during the day of the Lord, and remain unrepentant. Their hearts will get harder, and it will be obvious that they still hate God and Christ, and Christians and Jews, and therefore, will be justly judged for all their evil thoughts, words and deeds. “They deserve it… Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are your judgments” (Revelation 16:6-7). As the ungodly are rightly and greatly afflicted, they will not be broken, they will not be softened, but will be hardened all the more, and hate God all the more. With fists raised high, these children of the devil and worshipers of the Antichrist, will defiantly and madly cry out blasphemies against the King of kings and Lord of lords. “They worshiped the dragon… and they worshiped the beast.” Revelation 13:4
Punished in hell. “He will be tormented with fire and brimstone… and the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever” (Revelation 14:9-10). These unrepentant unbelievers will receive the mark of the beast, and they will go to hell, and later be cast into the lake of fire, where they will be punished forever (Revelation 20:15). This will be the sad but righteous reality for the God-hating, Christ-hating, Christian-hating, Jew-hating unbelievers. Jesus solemnly tells us, “Throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth… Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels… Then they will go away to eternal punishment.” Matthew 25:30, 41, 46
This is not one of those feel-good, ear-tickling, prosperity-gospel messages, but in fact, is one of the most mind-sobering, complacent-smashing, holy-producing messages in the Bible. God really wants you to know what it’s going to be like during the days of great tribulation, what the unbelievers will be like, how they will act, how they will treat you, and what they will be saying. What is called “great tribulation” will be great tribulation. But even during these difficult days, you will have a great opportunity to serve the Lord, and do the work He has called you to do. If God has planned for you to be alive at this time in history, then be assured that He will lead you, encourage you, provide for you, and use you for His purposes, giving you all the grace and peace you need.
What else do you need to know? What else do you need to do? When there are tough times, we can easily lose sight of God, we can get afraid, we can forget what we are to do, and how we are to live. But you are not to be surprised when life gets hard, for God has already told you in His word about these difficult days in the end times. And you are to be prepared, you are to be ready for whatever may come. Let me remind you of truths you need to know, promises you need to believe, and commands you need to obey, for knowing and living by God’s word is vital for your spiritual survival and success as a Christian.
1. Remember that God is sovereign, that He is in complete control. There are no accidents, nothing just happens. God has planned out all things on this earth, including all the details of your life; and everything in this world, and everything in your life is going exactly according to His design. Yes, you are to pray, and plan your way, but you are to also know that God will direct every one of your steps. He causes all things, even the difficult things, the evil unbelievers, the wicked Antichrist, the great persecution, to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose. “In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:10-12, Proverbs 16:9, Romans 8:28
2. Don’t be afraid. It may seem like there’s lots to fear, but in reality, there's nothing to be afraid of. Your loving Father is not only sovereign and in complete control, but He is also infinitely wiser and stronger than the devil, than any of your enemies. “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid, what can mere man do to me?” (Psalm 56:3-4). Through the Holy Spirit, He is always with you, and will lead you, instruct you, use you, protect you, and bring you safely to His heavenly kingdom. And don’t forget that God has a lot of angels out there, and in ways you cannot see or understand, is also using them to help you and keep you safe. “For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:11, Psalm 34:7). Not only should you not be afraid, but you should be strong and courageous, you should be a brave fighter, a good soldier for God and His glory. “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons… Our God will fight for us.” Nehemiah 4:14, 20
3. Be strengthened by the love of God. The truth of God’s great love for you needs to be deeply embedded in your heart. No matter what happens, know that the Lord loves you, cares for you, forgives you, has compassion on you, and will bring you home to heaven, whether by death or by rapture. Jude 21 reminds you, “Keep yourselves in the love of God as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” You keep yourself in the love of God by remembering your salvation in Christ, believing His promises, being in fellowship, and by obeying God. “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love” (John 14:9-10). “We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love…” 1 John 4:16
4. Receive God’s grace so you can be who He wants you to be, do what He wants you to do, and joyfully make it through all your trials. You will never lack the power, strength and ability to live rightly for the Lord in the end times. “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work… My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 9:8, 12:9). “May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.” 1 Peter 1:3
5. Be in a good church. You are not to be alone, and you are not to be a loner. You are a member of the church, and you need others, and others need you. As much as possible during times of tribulation, you need to stay connected and close to other believers, working as a team, praying for one another, and encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near. “God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.” 1 Corinthians 12:18, Ephesians 4:12-16, Hebrews 10:25
6. Do the work God gives you to do. Reading this article might get you thinking about the possibility that you might suffer in the end times, but don’t focus on that. Instead, think about how you are to serve the Lord, and carry out the work He wants you to do. Be focused on finishing strong for God by completing the work He has planned out for you. “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Jesus instructs you to “do business with this until I come back” (Luke 19:13), meaning that you are to use the unique gifts and talents God has given you for His work and His glory. While you live on this earth, be excited and committed to do all that God wants you to do. Once your work on earth is done, then His angels will bring you home to heaven. “For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers.” Acts 13:36
7. Trust in the Lord. In Luke 18:8, Jesus asks a very important question, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” At this time, Jesus is asking you and I this same question. Will you have faith, will you be trusting God at the coming of Christ? Might you have this mindset, to trust the Lord and His word, from the present time to the end of this age. You need to walk by faith, and as times get tougher and we get closer to the return of Christ, you need to keep walking by faith. No matter what happens, rely on the Lord, and trust Him for wisdom, grace, peace, direction, protection, and for all that you need. “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 diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6
8. Have hope in your heart. As a Christian, you have so much to look forward to - being in heaven, being with believers, being in a new glorified body, and most importantly, being with Jesus. For you to keep moving ahead with faith, joy and peace in your heart, you have to have hope. You need to know that living for the Lord is well worth it, that the sacrifices you are making and the trials you go through are short-lived, and soon you will see Jesus face to face, and be with Him forever. “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.” Romans 15:13
9. Know and believe the truth and promises about Christ’s second coming, the rapture, and the future God has for you. Read, believe, and meditate on prophecy passages like Matthew 24:29-31, Luke 12:35-59, Luke 17:20-37, Luke 21:7-36, John 14:1-3, 1 Corinthians 1:8-9, 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, 1 Corinthians 15:42-58, Philippians 3:20-21, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, 2 Timothy 4:18, Hebrews 10:37, 2 Peter 3:3-18, Jude 24-25, Revelation 1-22, and other sections of Scripture that speak specifically about the return of Christ, the rapture of the church, and the coming kingdom age.
10. Tell others the truth about the coming of Christ, the rapture of the church, and our glorious future. “Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight” (Luke 3:4) was the purpose of John the Baptist in the 1st century, and it is our purpose here in the 21st century. As John told people about the 1st coming of Christ, is it not our duty to tell people about the 2nd coming of Christ? Be excited about the return of Jesus, and be looking forward to seeing Him. Tell your family, friends, fellow church members, co-workers, neighbors, and even people you meet on the street, about the coming of Christ, as well as the day of the Lord. Tell them that Christ is coming to rescue the believers, the children of God, and take them to heaven, and warn them that He will pour out His wrath on those who don’t believe in Him, on those on earth who remain unrepentant unbelievers.
11. Be a watchman. “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me” (Ezekiel 3:17). In these remaining years of the end times, we are to be watchmen. We are to be telling people that the prophetic word of God is being fulfilled in the world around us. “You know how to analyze the appearance of the sky, but why do you not analyze the present time?” (Luke 12:56). The men of Issachar understood the times, and so too we need to see how God’s prophetic word is being fulfilled in today’s world, and then be telling others (1 Chronicles 12:32). We are not to keep what we know about Christ’s coming to ourselves; tell others about how He will soon return to rescue the believers from the earth, and then pour out His wrath on the unbelievers who remain on the earth.
12. Remember the example of Jesus, and of saints from the past:
- Think of Jesus, the holy One, living in this unholy world, being hungry, slandered, mocked, beaten, persecuted and killed. “Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:3
- Think about Lot, and how he suffered when he was living in that wicked city of Sodom. “He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men… that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds… the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation.” 2 Peter 2:7-9
- Think of Job and his great trial, and the great suffering he experienced. “‘Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?’ In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.” Job 2:10
- Think of Joseph being in that Egyptian jail for those 13 years (Genesis 40-41). “They afflicted his feet with fetters, he himself was laid in irons. Until the time that His word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him.” Psalm 105:18-19
- Think of David, and all the trials and persecution he went through, even from his own family members. “Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men; preserve me from violent men who devise evil things in their hearts; they continually stir up wars. They sharpen their tongues as a serpent; the poison of a viper is under their lips” (Psalm 140:1-4). Psalms 27, 31, 34, 52-55, 59, 140-143
- Think about what it was like for Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, as he saw his own people being killed, and the city of Jerusalem being destroyed. “I am the man who has seen affliction because of the rod of His wrath. He has driven me and made me walk in darkness and not in light. Surely against me He has turned His hand repeatedly all the day. He has caused my flesh and skin to waste away...” Lamentations 3:1-18
- Think of all that Paul went through, being hungry, beaten, whipped, stoned, shipwrecked, falsely accused, and much, much more. “To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things.” 1 Corinthians 4:11-13
- Think about what is written in Foxes Book of Martyrs. There we read about hundreds of saints who were persecuted and killed in all kinds of ways, and they all loved Jesus, lived for Jesus, and were willing to die for Jesus.
What we are going to see taking place in the coming days, at the very end of this age, is not something totally new. Persecution of God’s people has been happening ever since the days of Cain and Abel. What is new is that this great tribulation in the days of the Antichrist will be global in nature, taking place all over this world. “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name… For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, not ever will.” Matthew 24:9, 21
Think about the future, and the fact that you might be on this earth during the time of this great tribulation brought on by the Antichrist. Who are you to think that you should not suffer for the Lord, that somehow, you are exempt from great persecution? Might you be living for God, and be willing to die for God. Might you not shrink back from suffering for your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And look at the promise of God, how He says you will be victorious during this time of great tribulation: “They overcame him (Antichrist) 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.” Revelation 12:11
13. Be in the word of God. Be in the word of God today – don’t wait until times get tough. Love the word. Delight in the word. Read the word. Study the word. Pray over the word. Memorize the word. Meditate on the word. Believe the word. Obey the word. Teach the word. I can’t stress enough your need for God’s word. And now is the time to get God’s word into your heart! There is nothing more important than this! I mean that – there is nothing more important than getting God's word into your heart! “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you will 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” (Joshua 1:9). “They almost destroyed me on earth, but as for me, I did not forsake your precepts… If Your law had not been my delight, then I would have perished in my affliction” (Psalm 119:87, 92). “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4
14. Remember that suffering results in great blessing and glory.
- “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they treated the prophets who were before you” Matthew 5:10-12). Do you see it? Persecution results in blessing, joy and great rewards in heaven!
- “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). You need to know that the little suffering you go through is only for a very short time compared to the great and eternal blessings you will receive from God.
- “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 4:13). The suffering you experience is Christ’s suffering. In reality, you are suffering with Christ. What a wonderful blessing!
15. Be excited about seeing Jesus, and being with Him forever. You are not to focus on any suffering that may come your way. You are to fix your eyes on Jesus, your Lord, Savior and King. Think not of the difficulties that may lie ahead. Think about being with Jesus, the One who loves you so much more than anyone else. And think about how you will be with Him forever and ever.
- “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 Thessalonians 4:17-18
- “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes – I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me.” Job 19:25-27
16. Christ is excited about seeing you. I hope you realize this, that Christ is in heaven, and with love in His heart, is looking down on you. He knows what you are going through, and what you will go through, and He deeply cares for you, always wanting the best for you. What you don’t always see is that His ways are higher than your ways, and His thoughts are higher than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). I think of the Jews when they were suffering in Egypt, under the hand of that other antichrist, that wicked Pharaoh. Here is what God said to Moses: “I am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt. And I have promised to bring you up out of your affliction” (Exodus 3:16-17). I think of God’s promise to Christians living during the time of that final Antichrist, that God will “give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire.” Might Christ’s love for you encourage and strengthen your heart. And remember, He can’t wait to see you, and be with you. Here is Jesus’ prayer for you: “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). Here is what Jesus says to you, “Behold, I am coming soon.” Revelation 22:7
Article 43
By Steven J. Hogan
God is sovereign, and that is the absolute truth, one we need to
be convinced of, and apply to our daily lives, and to our entire life. Once
believed and understood, this truth will bring comfort, peace and wisdom to
your soul, and great glory to God. To learn about God’s sovereignty, you must
read and study His word. You must then look at life through the lens of His
sovereignty, for only then can you more clearly see God, and how He works in
life, and what He is doing in your life. Following are hundreds of verses about
His sovereignty, and I encourage you to take the time to read them all, as well
as the time to reflect, to think about what they mean. Share them with your
family and friends, and pass them on to your pastor, for it is necessary for
your church that he teach on this vital and most important truth. After the
listing of these verses, I will share a number of thoughts about
sovereignty.
ABRAHAM:
* Genesis 12:2 - “I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, and so you shall be a blessing.”
* Genesis 17:2-6
* Genesis 18:18-19 - “I have chosen him (Abraham) so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what He has promised.”
ANGELS:
* Psalm 103:20-21 - “Bless the Lord, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you who serve Him, doing His will.”
* Matthew 26:53 - “Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”
* Revelation 7:14 - “And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God.”
ANIMALS:
* Numbers 22:28 - “The Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, ‘What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?’”
* Isaiah 34:16 - "Look in the scroll of the Lord and read, 'None of these will be missing, not one will lack her mate.' For it is His mouth that has given the order and His Spirit will gather them together."
* Isaiah 11:6 - “The wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together.”
* Isaiah 46:9-10 - “I am God, and there is no one like Me… saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure, calling a bird of prey from the east… Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.’”
* Isaiah 65:25 - “The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food.”
* Matthew 10:29 - “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.”
BABIES:
* Genesis 18:14 - "Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son."
* 2 Samuel 12:22-23 - “Who knows, the Lord may be gracious to me, that the child may live. But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
* Psalm 139:13-15 - “For you formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb… My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth.”
* Jeremiah 1:4 - “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I set you apart; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
* John 9:2-3 - “‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘It was neither that this man sinned nor his parents; but it was so the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day.”
CHURCH:
* Psalm 127:1 - “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.”
* Matthew 16:18 - “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
* Acts 9:31 - So the church through all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.”
* Ephesians 2:20-21 - “… Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord.”
CREATION:
* Genesis 1:1 - “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
* Psalm 104:5, 14, 19-20 - “He established the earth upon its foundations, so that it will not totter forever and ever... He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the labor of man… He made the moon for the seasons; the sun knows the place of its setting. You appoint darkness and it becomes night.”
* Jeremiah 32:17 - "Ah Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you."
* Colossians 1:16-17 - “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
DAVID:
* 2 Samuel 7:8-16 - “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from following the flock to be ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I will cut off all your enemies before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men of all the earth.’”
* 2 Chronicles 6:6 - “Now I have chosen Jerusalem for my name to be there, and I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.”
* Acts 13:22, 36 - “After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He testified, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all My will’… For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep…”
DEATH:
* 1 Samuel 2:6 - “The Lord kills and makes alive. He brings down to Sheol and raises up.”
* Matthew 28:6-7 - “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead.”
* Luke 7:14-15 - “‘Young man, I say to you, get up!’ The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.”
* John 11:43-44 - “When he said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and cloth around his face.”
* Acts 2:24 - “But God raised Him up again putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.”
* Hebrews 2:14-15 - “He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”
DEMONS:
* Mark 1:34 - “He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons, and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.”
* Luke 4:41 - “Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ.”
DISASTER:
* 1 Samuel 2:7 - “The Lord makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts.”
* Isaiah 45:7 - “I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I the Lord do all these things.”
* Lamentations 3:37-38 - “Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and ill go forth?”
* Amos 3:6 - “When disaster comes to a city, has not the Lord caused it?”
FUTURE EVENTS:
* Isaiah 46:8-10 - “I am God, and there is no other; I am God and there is none like Me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do."
* Ephesians 1:9-11 - “He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is the summing of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.”
* Matthew 24:3-41, Mark 3:13-37, Luke 21:7-36, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
* Revelation 1:1 - “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place.”
ISRAEL:
* Genesis 13:14-16 - “The Lord said to Abram after Lot had separated from him, ‘Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth.”
* Exodus 6:7 - “I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.”
* Deuteronomy 7:6-7 - "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession. The Lord did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples."
* Deuteronomy 8:18 - “But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers.”
* Joshua 24:3-8, 13 - “Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the river and led him through all the land of Canaan… To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau… Then I sent Moses and Aaron… I brought your fathers out of Egypt… Then I brought you into the land of the Amorites… I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and cities which you had not built, and you lived in them.”
* Psalm 105:8-10 - “He has remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham… to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, ‘To you will I give the land of Canaan.’”
* Ezekiel 37:23-24 - “I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their land.”
* Haggai 1:12-14, 2:4 - “The whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord. Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: ‘I am with you.’… So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel.”
* Romans 11:25 - “A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved.”
JESUS’ BIRTH:
* Isaiah 7:14 - “Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.”
* Isaiah 9:6 - “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders”
* Micah 5:2 - “But as for you Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Judah.”
* Matthew 1
* Luke 1:30-31 - “The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid Mary for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus.”
JESUS’ LIFE:
* Deuteronomy 18:15 - “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me among you.”
* Psalm 69:21 - “They also gave me gall for my food and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”
* Isaiah 53:3 - “He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”
* Hosea 11:1 - “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
* Zechariah 9:9 - “Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey…”
* Zechariah 11:13 - “So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the Lord.”
JESUS’ DEATH:
* Psalm 22:1-24
* Isaiah 53:4-12
* Luke 9:22 - “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.”
* Acts 2:23 - "This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross."
* Acts 4:27-28 - “Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against Your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what Your power and will had decided beforehand should happen."
JOB:
* Job 1:21 - “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
* Job 14:5 - “Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; and his limits You have set so that he cannot pass.”
* Job 42:2 - “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.”
JOBS:
* James 4:13-15. “Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why you do not know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'"
JONAH:
* Jonah 1:4 - “The Lord hurled a great wind on the sea…”
* Jonah 1:7 - “So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.”
* Jonah 1:17 - “The Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah.”
* Jonah 2:10 - “The Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto the dry land.”
* Jonah 3:10 - “When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.”
* Jonah 4:6 - “So the Lord God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort.”
* Jonah 4:7 - “God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day and it attacked the plant and it withered.”
JOSEPH:
* Genesis 45:5-8 - "God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance… So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.”
* Genesis 50:20 - “You intended to harm me but God meant it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."
* Psalm 105:17-21 - “He sent a man before them, Joseph, sold as a slave. They afflicted his feet with fetters, he himself was laid in irons… He made him lord of his house…”
* Acts 7:9-10 - “The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet God was with him, and rescued him from all his afflictions, and granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and He made him governor over Egypt and all his household.”
JUDGMENT:
* 1 Samuel 2:9-10 - “But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness; for not by might shall a man prevail. Those who contend with the Lord will be shattered. Against them He will thunder in the heavens. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth.”
* 2 Kings 19:25, 31 - “Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it. In days of old I planned it; now I have brought it to pass, that you have turned fortified cities into piles of stone.”
* Psalm 9:5, 8, 16-17 - “You have rebuked the nations; You have destroyed the wicked; You have blotted out their name forever and ever… And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity… The Lord has made Himself known; He has executed judgment. In the work of his own hands the wicked is snared. The wicked will return to Sheol.”
* Psalm 98:9 - “For He is coming to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.”
* Isaiah 10:5-12 - “Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of My anger, in whose hand is the club of My wrath! I send him against a godless nation (Israel), I dispatch him against a people who anger Me.... But this is not what he intends, this is not what he has in mind; his purpose is to destroy, to put an end to many nations... When the Lord had finished all His work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, He will say, ‘I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look of his heart.’”
* Isaiah 14:24-27 - "The Lord Almighty has sworn, 'Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed so it will stand. I will crush the Assyrian in my land; on my mountains I will trample him down. His yoke will be taken from my people, and his burden removed from their shoulders.' This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?”
* Acts 17:30-31 - “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
* Revelation 6:16-17 - “They said to the mountains and to the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of Their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?’”
* Revelation 8-9 - The Trumpet judgments
* Revelation 16 - The Bowl judgments
* Revelation 20:11-12 - “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it from whose presence earth and heaven fled away. And no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds…. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake fire.”
KINGDOMS:
* Daniel 2:21 - “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings.”
* Daniel 2:44 - “In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all those kingdoms.”
* Daniel 4:34-35 - “His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing. But He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. And no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”
* Daniel 5:28 - “Your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”
* Daniel 7:27 - “The sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.”
* Revelation 11:15 - “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
KINGS:
* Psalm 47:7-9 - “God is the King of all the earth; sing to Him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.”
* Proverbs 21:1 - "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases."
* Isaiah 40:23 - “He it is who reduces rulers to nothing, who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.”
* Ezra 1:1 - “The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia.”
* Isaiah 45:1 - “Thus say the Lord to Cyrus His anointed, whom I have taken by the right hand, to subdue nations before him and to loose the loins of kings, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut; I will go before you and make the rough places smooth.”
* Daniel 2:21 - “He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men.”
* Acts 12:21-23 - “On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. The people kept crying out, ‘The voice of a god and not of a man.’ And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.”
* Romans 9:17 - “The Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.’”
* Revelation 17:17 - “God has put it in their heart to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled.”
LIFE:
* Job 12:13-16 - “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are His. What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released. If He holds back the waters, there is drought; if He lets them loose they devastate the land. To Him belong strength and victory; both deceived and deceiver are His....He makes nations great, and destroys them...”
* Job 14:5 - “Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; and his limits You have set so that he cannot pass.”
* Job 42:2 - “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.”
* Psalm 115:3 - “Our God is in heaven and He does whatever pleases Him.”
* Psalm 139:16 - "All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be."
* Proverbs 16:33 - “The lot is cast into the lap, but it’s every decision is from the Lord.”
* Proverbs 19:21 - “Many are the plans in a man’s heart but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
* Proverbs 20:24 - “A man’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?”
* Jeremiah 10:23 - “I know O Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.”
* Daniel 4:34-35 - "His dominion is an eternal dominion: His kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the people of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him: 'What have you done?'"
* Acts 13:36 - “For David, after he has served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep.”
* 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 whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son.”
PAUL:
* Acts 9:15 - “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.”
* Acts 13:2, 4 - “The Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’… So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia.”
* Acts 16:7 - “They were trying to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them.”
* Acts 18:20-21 - “When they asked him (Paul) to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, but taking leave of them and saying, ‘I will return to you again if the God wills,’ he set sail from Ephesus.”
* Ephesians 1:1 - “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God...”
* 2 Timothy 4:17-18 - “The Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear, and I was rescued out of the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom, to Him be the glory forever and ever.”
PERSECUTION:
* 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.”
* John 21:18-22 - “‘When you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where do not wish to go.’ Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death He would glorify God… Peter, seeing him said to Jesus, ‘Lord, and what about this man.’ Jesus said to him, ‘If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.’”
* Revelation 6:10-11 – “‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’... Wait a little while longer until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.”
* Revelation 13:10 - “If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.”
PURPOSES AND PLANS:
* Job 42:2 - “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”
* Psalm 33:10-12 - “The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands firm forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.”
* Psalm 135:5-6 - “I know that the Lord is great and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.”
* Jeremiah 29:10-11 - “‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’”
* Romans 8:28-30 - “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. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”
* Romans 9:20-21 - "One of you will say to me: 'Then why does God still blame us? For who resists His will?' But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?"
* Ephesians 1:11 - “We have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.”
SALVATION:
* Matthew 11:27 - “No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”
* John 6:44 - “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.”
* Acts 13:48 - “All those who were appointed to eternal life believed.”
* Acts 18:9-10 - “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you and no one is going to harm you, because I have many people in this city."
* Romans 8:30-39 - “And those God predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.”
* Ephesians 1:4 - “God chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.”
* Ephesians 1:11 - “In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will.”
* 2 Thessalonians 2:13 - “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning, God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.”
* James 1:18 - “In the exercise of His will, He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.”
SAMSON:
* Judges 14:4 - “‘I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.’ His father and mother replied: ‘Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people?” ... But Samson said to his father, ‘Get her for me. She’s the right one for me.’ (His parents did not know that this was from the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines.)”
SICKNESS:
* Isaiah 38:9-22 - “But what can I say? He has spoken to me, and He himself has done this… You restored me to health and let me live. Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish…”
* Mark 1:34 - “He healed many who were ill with various diseases…”
* Luke 4:40 - “While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and laying His hand on each one of them, He was healing them.”
* Luke 7:1-10 - “… Just say the word, and my servant will be healed… when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.”
* John 9:1-8 - “As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth… So he went away and washed and came back seeing.”
* Acts 3:2 - “A man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along… he raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were strengthened… it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.”
SIGHT AND SPEECH:
* Exodus 4:11 - “The Lord said to him, ‘Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’”
* Matthew 9:27-29 - “As Jesus went on from there two blind men followed Him, crying out, ‘Have mercy on us, Son of David!’ … Then He touched their eyes saying, ‘It shall be done to you according to your faith.’ And their eyes were opened.”
* John 9:1, 7 - “As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth… and said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which is translated Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing.”
SIN:
* Genesis 3 - Adam and Eve
* Genesis 6 - The world in the time of Noah
* Genesis 16 - Abraham and Hagar
* Genesis 38 - Judah and Tamar
* Genesis 39 - Joseph and his brothers
* 2 Samuel 24:1 - “Now again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, ‘Go, number Israel and Judah.’”
*1 Chronicles 21:1 - “Then Satan stood up against Israel and moved David to number Israel.”
* 2 Chronicles 10:15 - “So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of events from God that the Lord might establish His word…”
* Acts 2:23 - “This man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to the cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.”
SPIRITUAL GROWTH:
* 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 is faithful…”
* 1 Corinthians 1:6 - “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.”
* 1 Corinthians 15:10 - “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of with me.”
* 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.”
* 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 - “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you and He will bring it to pass.”
* Jude 24-25 - “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.”
SPIRITUAL WORK:
* John 15:16 - “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”
* Ephesians 2:10 - “We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
* Philippians 2:12-13 - “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who is at work in you to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
TIME:
* Joshua 10:13 - “So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies.”
* Daniel 9:24-27 - “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people to finish transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement… And he (the Antichrist) will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will make a stop to sacrifice and grain offering…”
* Luke 9:22 - “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.”
* Acts 17:26 - “He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live."
* Revelation 20:6 - “They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.”
WEATHER:
* Job 37:6, 10-12 - “For to the snow He says, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the downpour and the rain, ‘Be strong’… From the breath of God ice is made, and the expanse of the waters is frozen. Also with moisture He loads the thick cloud; He disperses the cloud of His lightning. It changes direction, turning around by His guidance, that it may do whatever He commands it to do.”
* Psalm 135:6 - "The Lord does whatever pleases Him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses."
* Matthew 27:45 - “Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon the land until the ninth hour.”
* Mark 4:39 - “He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Hush, be still.’ And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.”
WAR:
* Joshua 11:19-20 - “Not one city made a treaty of peace with the Israelites, who took them all in battle. For it was the Lord Himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that He might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.”
* Psalm 46:8-10 - "Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations He has brought on the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear, He burns the shields with fire. Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth."
WHERE AND WHEN YOU LIVE:
* Acts 17:26 - "From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live."
WORD OF GOD:
* Joshua 21:45 - “Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.”
* 1 Samuel 3:19, 21 - “Thus Samuel grew and the Lord was with him and let none of His words fail… And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, because the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.”
* Psalm 147:19-20 - “He declares His words to Jacob, His statutes and His ordinances to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any nation.”
* Isaiah 55:11 - "So is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."
* Ezekiel 1:3 - “The word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest.”
* Matthew 24:33-34 - “This generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”
* Luke 24:25, 44-45 - “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken’… ‘These are My 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.’ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.”
Some concluding thoughts about God’s sovereignty:
1. To say that God is sovereign means that He predestines, He ordains, He chooses, He leads, He controls, He directs, He intervenes, He works, He initiates and He commands.
2. That God is sovereign means you cannot do whatever you want.
3. When making plans, learn to say, “If God wills.”
4. When it seems circumstances are beyond your control, remember that they are never beyond God’s control, for He is sovereign over everything.
5. Don’t try to figure out everything, but rather, learn to trust God, and know that He is in charge, and that He is working all things together for good.
6. When difficult things happen, you will not feel like God is sovereign, and it may not look like He is sovereign. But you must have faith and trust God, knowing that He is working, and knows what He is doing, and that all things will turn out for your good, and for His glory.
7. Even though God is sovereign, you are still responsible for your actions. From a human point of view, you cannot understand how these truths can coexist, how both God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility can both be true at the same time.
8. Though God is sovereign over sin, He is never sinful, and He never sins.
9. God’s sovereignty is based on many aspects of His character working together - His power, supremacy, holiness, wisdom, omniscience, love, goodness, justice, patience, faithfulness, and eternality, etc.
10. Because He is sovereign, God can carry out all His purposes and plans.
11. For God’s purposes to be accomplished, whether it is in your life or in the world, He must be sovereign over every single person, every single action and every single event.
12. Prophecy that has been fulfilled in the past is one of the greatest proofs that God is sovereign. For example, Christ’s first coming is the fulfillment of prophecy, and proves that God is sovereign.
13. God’s sovereignty relates to the future, that is, in the end times, and in the ages to come. God is sovereign forever and ever, and we will see His sovereignty in the future.
14. The truth of God’s sovereignty is one of the strongest and clearest ways that we see that God is God, that He is in charge, and that He can do whatever He wants.
15. If God enables you to live until the time of Christ’s coming and the rapture, then you will be seeing His sovereignty in action like never before.
16. That God is sovereign should silence you, in that you are not to object to what is taking place, and get angry at God for what He is doing.
17. To be a mature Christian, you must understand the truth of God’s sovereignty. You cannot rightly and wholly live for God without believing that He is sovereign.
18. It is very important that you understand God’s sovereignty with respect to your salvation, in addition to all other areas of your life.
19. Be assured that God is sovereign over the church, and that He is building the church, and that no devil, no demon, no person, will stop Him and His work in the church.
20. The truth and realization that God is sovereign should result in you being humble, having more faith, peace and joy, and desiring to fulfill God’s purposes for your life.
21. The fact that God is sovereign means He has a purpose for your life, and has plans for your life, and that He is now carrying out these plans, and wants you to do your part in fulfilling these plans.
22. God’s sovereignty is seen in both the small things of life, and the big things of life.
23. On one hand, God’s sovereignty can be isolated and seen in one person, in one event, or in one day, but it’s also true that each thing that happens, each person in your life, each day of your life, can’t just be separated out, but is connected and relates to everything else, to the entirety of your life, and to all that God wants you to be and do.
24. Take the time to reflect on the past, and think about the works of God in your life, and in others around you, for this will help you believe and see that God is sovereign.
25. That God is sovereign shows you that He is the King of kings, and that He deserves all the glory, resulting in you giving Him praise and honor.
ROMANS
11:33-36 – “OH, THE DEPTH OF THE RICHES BOTH OF THE WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE OF
GOD. HOW UNSEARCHABLE ARE HIS JUDGMENTS AND UNFATHOMABLE HIS WAYS! FOR WHO HAS
KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? OR WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN
TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? FOR FROM HIM AND THROUGH HIM
AND TO HIM ARE ALL THINGS. TO HIM BE THE GLORY FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN.
Article 44
By Steven J. Hogan
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is a most important truth, a central fact of Christianity. Only because Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead can we be saved and forgiven, receive eternal life, have true love and peace in our hearts, and go to heaven and be with God and Christ and fellow believers forever and ever. 1 Cor. 15:3-4 – “I delivered to you of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” Today, I want to look at a number of verses that talk about a person's death and Christ’s resurrection, about our problem and Christ’s solution for us and, in fact, the only solution there is. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
First, we have to look at the reason for a person’s death, which is sin. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Every person who has ever lived in this world has sinned and is therefore separate from God, and falls short, far short of being holy, of being what God wants him or her to be. Romans 6:23 tells us, “The wages of sin is death.” The consequence, the result of our sin, is that we spiritually die. In Genesis 2:17, God said to Adam and Eve, “from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it, you will surely die.” The dying talked about here is not physical, but spiritual. Ephesians 2:1 tells us, “You were dead in your trespasses and sins.” Ezekiel 18:20 says, “The soul that sins will die.” These verses are not talking about the death of the body, but the death of the soul. We are talking then about spiritual death, which is caused by sin, and which results in physical death. While people get quite concerned and upset about physical death, we should be most concerned about spiritual death, our separation from God, our Creator, and the Lord of all.
The person who sins is spiritually dead, and if he never gets right with God, is never forgiven of his sins and physically dies, then he is eternally dead. That is, he is spiritually dead and separated from God forever, and will be punished forever by God for his sins. I cannot think of a more sad and sobering truth in the Bible, that people who sin and don’t ever get right with God, will be apart from God, and be righteously punished by God forever. "It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31
God is holy and righteous and must deal with a person’s sin, one way or the other. The one way is what Jesus Christ does for us, and the other way is what we try to do ourselves, which never works, which always results in eternal death and punishment. John 3:16 - “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.” Matthew 25:41, 46 - “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels… These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Romans 4:23-25 – “Now not for His sake only was it written that it was credited to Him, but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.” Vs 25 says Jesus was delivered over because of our transgressions. That is, God the Father delivered Jesus over to death because of our sins. Jesus died on the cross for us, being punished by His holy Father. Then it says He was raised “because of our justification,” or better said, He was raised for our justification, that is, Christ's resurrection was necessary for us to be justified. You see, Jesus would not have defeated sin and justified us if He had just stayed in the tomb, because the result of sin is death, and Jesus was still dead in the tomb.
But the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead means He got victory over sin, and proves He got victory over sin. You see, sin results in death, and the fact that Jesus was no longer physically dead, meant that He defeated not just death, but sin which resulted in death. And all who believe in Jesus are justified, are completely righteous in God’s sight, and because of Jesus Christ, defeat both sin and death. Romans 4:24 talks about those “who believe in Him.” To be justified, to be made perfectly righteous in God’s sight, we need to believe in God, and believe that He raised Christ from the dead. And God raising Christ from the dead showed that Christ got victory over sin - for Christ paid for our sins, and then died, but He did not stay dead. His resurrection proves that He not only got victory over our sin, but also over the result of sin which is death.
Hebrews 2:14-15 – “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise, also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” This tells us some important truths: First, Jesus needed to be a man, for only by being a man could Jesus die in our place, and die for our sins. Jesus took our sin upon Himself and died, thereby getting the victory over sin and death, the evidence and proof being that He rose from the dead. Second, we understand that the devil has the power of death, which means he has power over unbelievers who are spiritually dead. All who are sinners are children of the devil and are in his camp, his domain of death and darkness and, therefore, the devil, has power over them. “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4, Colossians 3:13-14
Of course, it’s our sin, our rebellion against God that allows Satan to have power over us; and an unbeliever when he sins, whether he realizes it or not, is doing what Satan wants him to do, and thereby remains spiritually dead. Again, it is our sin that gives Satan his power over us, this power of sin resulting in this power of death. The devil’s desire is to do all he can to keep people spiritually dead during their life on earth, and if he succeeds in that, then people will go to hell forever. In a real sense, Satan has the power of sin and death over us, and this power of sin and death has to be broken if we are to be saved.
Satan knows if unbelievers remain spiritually dead during their life on earth and then die, their opportunity for salvation is gone forever. Jesus came to take the devil’s power away, to destroy it for us, and give us the power of life, which is eternal life. The way to eternal life is through the resurrection, and the way to the resurrection is through death, and so Christ went through death and was then raised from the dead and, therefore, conquered death for us, His death and resurrection being the only means of eternal life. Christ took away the devil’s power of death through the resurrection and, therefore, could give us the power over death which is eternal life.
Hebrews 2:14-15 – “He (Jesus) also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” Unbelievers are enslaved to sin, and the result of sin, which is death. Now many unbelievers are afraid to die. Maybe they have realized they have sinned against God and are guilty and deserve to be punished in hell. (Hebrews 10:26-27). Maybe they are afraid of being apart from loved ones and friends on earth. Maybe they feel they have to be a good person to get to heaven, and they know they are not. Maybe they are afraid of the unknown, of what is going to happen to them after they die. For whatever the reason, many unbelievers are afraid to die.
Colossians 2:9 says Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, which means He is perfect, and therefore could die for us and pay for our sins. Colossians 2:10-14 tells us, “In Him you have been made complete, … And in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the remove of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead… He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven of us all our sins.”
Through Jesus Christ you have been made complete. The fact that you were spiritually circumcised means you have a new spiritual heart, you are a new person in Christ, you are a child of God. And it’s not by your works, but by your faith, your trust in Christ alone. “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness.” (Titus 3:5). Colossians 2:12 says you were baptized, not physical baptism, but spiritual baptism, which means you were spiritually placed into Christ. Since Christ was raised from the dead you were, spiritually speaking, raised from the dead and raised up with Him. This is an amazing work, an incredible miracle of God for us who were lost in our sins, spiritually dead, and with no hope.
Because of Christ’s death and resurrection and because you were raised up with Him, you are not spiritually dead but are spiritually alive, your sin and debt being taken away; and it's not by your works, but by your faith in Christ and His work for you. Again we see that Christ defeated the devil, made him powerless, which means he has no power over you; and you are forgiven of all your sins. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom. 8:1, 31-34
Ephesians 2:1-9 is a great section of verses about our problem of sin and the answer being Christ and what He did for us. As unbelievers we were sinners and, therefore, spiritually dead and deserving God’s wrath. But because of His mercy, God sent His Son to die in our place, to save us from our sin and from death. And again we see that we are saved, not because of what we do, but because of God’s grace, because of His mercy, because of what He did for us. The good news is that we are now spiritually alive, and spiritually speaking, are seated with Christ in heaven and, in fact, are citizens of heaven. Not only that, but God will show us the surpassing riches of His grace in the ages to come.
Revelation 1:17-18 -“Jesus placed His right hand on me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.’” John was very afraid, for he had just seen this vision of Jesus, and it was a powerful, sobering and frightening vision. But Jesus tells him not to be afraid, and if we know Jesus, if we are saved, we have nothing to be afraid of, not even death, which to be honest, is a person’s biggest fear.
An unbeliever should be very concerned about what’s going to happen to him after he dies. He should be asking himself some serious questions: “Is there life after death? Will I live after I die? Will I cease to exist? Is there purgatory? Will I go to heaven? Will I go to hell? Will I be judged by Christ for my sins? Will I be declared innocent or guilty? If I go to hell, will I be eternally and painfully punished for my sins? What is the answer to my problem of sin and death?” These are extremely important questions; and a person who doesn’t know Christ should be dreadfully afraid of what will happen to him after he dies - but sadly, most people aren’t very concerned. Their idea of the afterlife is often wrong, for they are believing their own misconceptions or some false teaching. And so they are stuck in their sin, and facing eternal death. Yet you should pray for God to be merciful and gracious to the lost, and for Him to give you opportunities to share the good news of the gospel.
Now Jesus reminds John and all of us the truth about life and death.
- First, Jesus says He is the “first and the last,” that He Himself is God, which means He has all authority and power, and that what He says is true, absolutely and eternally true.
- Second, Jesus says He is the “Living One,” for He was dead, but He was raised from the dead, and is now alive, and will live forevermore, which means He defeated and conquered death, which is the best news there is. No one else could defeat death, could get victory over it, but Jesus did, and He did it for Himself, for His Father, and for those who know Him and will know Him.
- Third, Jesus has the keys to death. This means through Christ, we can defeat death, both spiritually and physically. We spiritually come alive when we are born again; and we physically come alive when we are glorified, for then we receive our new, immortal bodies, which enable us to live forever with God in body, soul and spirit. 1 Corinthians 15:50-53
It also says Christ has the keys to Hades. In the New Testament, Hades refers to hell, to that place of punishment an unbeliever goes to after he dies (Luke 16:23-24). That Christ has the keys to Hades means He controls, means He has power over who goes to Hades and who doesn’t. Jesus died on the cross to pay for all the sins of all the people who repent of their sins and believe He died for them, and those who believe will be forgiven of their sins, and not be punished in Hades. If you don’t believe in Christ you will go to hell, to Hades, and after that you will be punished forever in the lake of fire, that horrific place unbelievers go to at the end of the millennial kingdom, after the Great White Throne Judgment. Rev. 20:11-15
1 Corinthians 15:20-28 - This gives us the big picture. It talks about Christ being resurrected, which happened about 2000 years ago, and then it says we will be resurrected, will be glorified at Christ’s coming, which will happen in the near future. At Christ's coming, the church will be raptured and all believers from all time will be given brand-new, perfect and powerful bodies. And then the next age, the millennial kingdom age will begin, and you and I, in our glorified bodies, will reign with Jesus Christ and serve Him, carrying out our specially assigned tasks on this earth. And then it will be said, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of Hosts, and the whole earth will be filled with His glory.” Isaiah 6:3
Finally, at the end of that 1000-year period, Jesus Christ will hand the kingdom over to God the Father, and then the eternal kingdom will begin, and we will be with Christ in the new city of Jerusalem, worshiping Him, reigning with Him and serving Him forever. Psalm 23:6 – “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 145:1-2 – “I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised.”
Article 45
By Steven J. Hogan
How are you thinking and feeling about what’s been happening with regard to COVID-19, to the coronavirus? These have been tough times, most difficult times. These past six weeks have been like none I have ever seen before, and I am 66 years old. There’s talk about sickness, death, social distancing, mitigation, masks, ventilators, testing, therapeutics, vaccines, antibodies, and herd immunity. There’s talk about jobs, layoffs, unemployment, financial stimulus, protests, inflation, recession, and getting back to work.
Then there are the thoughts and emotions of people trying to deal with this: Anxious, distraught, fearful, frightened, nervous, scared, unsettled, worried. Alarmed, angry, annoyed, mad, upset. Aggravating, difficult, disruptive, frustrating, inconvenient, stressful. Bored. Confused. Depressed. Lonely. Oppressed. Questioning. Uncertain. There is no doubt that people have been greatly affected by this sickening little virus that has been spreading all over the world, now in 184 countries. How about you? How are you doing? How have you been affected?
I am sure you have been tested by this most unusual trial. Peter 1:6-7 tells us, “In this we greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold… may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” God says that trials are distressing, are difficult and troubling for the body / or soul. They take place now, only during your life on this earth. They last a little while, not very long compared to eternity. There are various trials, all kinds of trials, and this pandemic is a very unique one.
They are necessary. They help you be humble, for you see that God is much greater than you, that He is sovereign and in charge, and that He will do what He wants to do. They help you have faith in God, to trust Him, for He is good and powerful, and can enable you to get through the trial (James 1:2-12). They help you grow in hope, for you know things will get better, that there will be a time when everything is perfect (Rev. 21-22). They help you grow in love, for you learn to love God even more, for it is He who strengthens and comforts you, and who through the Holy Spirit, is with you all the time. “The Lord your God is testing you to find out if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deut. 13:3, Romans 5:1-5
God is using this present pandemic, this Coronavirus trial, to help you spiritually grow up, to be more humble, have more faith, be hoping in Him, and be loving Him. God does not want you to be like people in the world who are fearful, upset or angry, or who are trusting in themselves, in their money, or in the government. He wants you to love Him, and trust Him and obey Him. “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” John 14:15
To love God, to trust and obey Him, you need to think about how God is your heavenly Father, how He is the only One who greatly cares for you, who loves you far more than anyone else. At times like this, you need to have an intimate relationship with Him. And for that to happen, you need to know that He is sovereign, is in complete control, and that He is holy, loving, merciful, faithful, wise, purposeful, good, unchanging, righteous, and truthful. Only as you truly know God and His character will you be delivered from fear, loneliness, anger, stress and boredom, and be given all the grace, peace and joy you need. Then you will be encouraged and enabled to love and obey Him. Phil. 3:7-10, 2 Tim. 1:2
Now you need to see this pandemic with the big picture in mind, in light of the end-times, the last years leading up to the end of this age and the return of Christ. God has told us many things in His word about the end-times, and specifically the condition of the world before the coming of Christ. That’s because He doesn’t want you to be surprised when His Son returns to rapture the church. As Christians, we are so blessed and privileged to be living in the end-times, and yet it is during this time that “birth pains” will be occurring around the world, signs that are designed by God to wake us up, to alert us to the soon coming of Christ.
This plague, this pandemic, is one of the birth pains, along with wars, great earthquakes, famines, and economic distress. “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains” (Matt. 24:4-8). “There will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines…” Luke 21:8-11, Rev. 6:1-8
Now I must admit, this pandemic, this present birth pain, has personally affected me. What do I mean? Well, for the first time ever, I feel like I have an idea of what it’s like to go through an end-times’ birth pain. Like an expectant mother literally experiences and feels her birth pains, I am now literally experiencing and feeling the effects of this pandemic. I don’t believe Florida has ever had wars, great earthquakes, or famines. But now there’s this plague, this coronavirus, affecting our country, my county, my church, and my wife and I. And God wants this plague, this virus to sober up, to wake up the Christians, which includes you and me. These birth pains are God-ordained problems, designed to get our attention, to get our eyes off ourselves and on Him. God does not want us to ever be living for the world or for self, but only and always for Him. 2 Chronicles 15, Psalm 27:1-9
What can we say about these birth-pains, which includes this pandemic?
1. These birth pains will continue and will increase in frequency and intensity. This present plague will come to an end, but there will be more of them. As much as we would like to say we will never see a pandemic again, Christians must know that these plagues, along with wars, famines, and great earthquakes, will continue to take place in the years ahead, leading to the “birth” of Christ, that is, the coming of Christ and the rapture of the church. 1 Thess. 5:4-11, Matt. 24:4-31
2. These birth pains will not continually be taking place. You know that an expectant mother, at a certain point in time, begins experiencing these birth pains. But once they start, they don’t continually keep going, one right after another - one happens and then stops, and then another happens and then stops, and so on. The point is that these birth pains will be happening now and then (Matt. 24:6-8). This means this present pandemic will come to an end. In the future, another one will take place, and only God knows exactly when it will happen, how bad it will be, and how in the world it relates to the coming of Christ.
3. These birth pains occur in various places on this earth. For example, wars are not, and will not, be taking place in every single country, but in various places around the world. Great earthquakes usually happen only in certain areas, in geographical areas where the tectonic conditions are right (“The Ring of Fire”). Then there are famines, which typically take place in poorer parts of the world. Matt. 24:4-8 talks about these birth pains, but in Rev. 6:1-8, they are called the first four seals, and in verse 6, we read about food and poverty, which I believe relates to these famines we are talking about in Matt. 24:7.
Matthew 24:6 says we will be hearing about these birth pains. And for most of you, isn’t that the way it is? You watch TV or read some internet news source, and you hear about some war, earthquake, or famine happening in some other geographical area. It is not taking place in your locality, but you are hearing about it. For example, I do not personally know anyone who has died from this coronavirus, but I have heard that many people have died.
4. We are living in the beginning stages of the end-times, a time during which these birth pains are occurring, but not intensely so. I personally believe they will go on for about 10, 20, 30 years or more, and then Christ will return to rapture the church. “All these things are merely the beginning of birth pains” (Matt. 24:8). “These things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately” (Luke 21:9). That is, many more things need to happen in our world before the coming of Christ. Some even say His coming is imminent, that no prophesied events need to take place before the rapture, that it can happen today, tomorrow, next month, or this year, but that is not true, for many prophesied things need to occur before this age ends and Christ appears above the earth, and then takes us to heaven. Matt. 24:8-31
5. I do not believe, as some say, that the birth pains start at the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week, a seven-year period. The rapture happens sometime in the last 3½ years of this time frame, and I cannot see how you can fit all these wars, famines, earthquakes and plagues into what I believe will be a rather short time period, maybe only 4-5 years long. The very nature of these events, with the exception of earthquakes, is that they occur over a somewhat elongated period of time. I do believe they have been already going on for many years.
6. These birth pains affect believers and unbelievers. They do not affect just the unbelievers, and they do not affect just the believers. These birth pains are wake-up calls for both the saved and the lost. The very nature of these events shows us that. If an earthquake hits a city, then surely there are some Christians living in that city who are affected. And of course, this present pandemic does not discriminate, for it is affecting both Christians and non-Christians.
7. These birth pains are not God’s wrath. They are separate from God’s wrath, taking place at a completely different time. Rev. 6:1-8 describes the birth pains which affect both Christians and non-Christians. Rev. 7:9-14 talks about the rapture which affects only Christians. Then Rev. 8-9 describes God’s wrath which affects only non-Christians. These birth pains are distinct from God’s wrath and affect both Christians and non-Christians. And as Christians, we should be extremely thankful that we will escape this punishing and devastating wrath of God, which is coming upon this earth, wrath which starts right after the Christians are raptured. “… Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thess. 1:9, 5:9). And so, Christ comes, rapturing and rescuing the church, and then God’s wrath is immediately poured out upon the unbelievers who are still on earth.
8. These birth pains will be distressing, disruptive, and death-producing. Rev. 6:8 tells us that up to one-fourth of the people in the world will die because of these birth pains. That’s close to two billion people, an unthinkable number of people, both saved and lost, who will die. In addition to that, many end-time deaths will be Christians who are martyred for their faith, particularly during the great tribulation. “They will deliver you to tribulation and will kill you” (Matt. 24:9, 21; Rev. 6:8-11). This sad and sobering state of our world is also described in Matt. 24:28 - “Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.” The word corpse means a dead body.
During these last years leading up to Christ’s return, great multitudes of people will be dying. We are talking about birth pains, major events and conditions which will be affecting and, to some degree, devastating many parts of our world in the last years leading up to the coming of Christ and the rapture of the church. With this in view, here are a few closing thoughts:
1. God does not want you to be afraid when these things take place. Be strong and very courageous. Psalm 46, Eph. 6:10-12
2. Trust God during these difficult times, knowing that He is sovereign, and that He greatly loves you, and is using you for His purposes. Proverbs 3:5-6
3. Know that God is faithfully and continually working, and these birth plans are all part of His overall plan to send His Son back to earth to rapture the church and judge the world. Isaiah 42:1-4, Matthew 24:4-31, Revelation 8-9
4. Birth pains are wake-up calls to get you focused on God and your relationship with Him. They are to also alert you to the fact that Christ is coming soon. The occurrence and increasing frequency of these birth pains will be continual reminders that the return of Christ to rapture the church is drawing near. 1 Thess. 5:1-9, Heb. 10:25
5. Life on earth will get more difficult in the days leading up to Christ’s coming, and you don’t want to be weak, worldly or fearful. You want to be a strong, holy and courageous Christian, walking with the Lord, experiencing His grace and peace, and doing what He wants you to do.
6. Finally, you are to keep doing the work of the Lord. Even though life may be very hard, even though there may be extreme difficulties, you will need to stay close to your Father, and stay focused on the work He gives you to do before Christ returns to take you home to heaven. Matt. 24:14, Matt. 25:12-19, Matt. 28:19-20 – “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Article 47
By Steven J. Hogan
1. God is a perfectly righteous judge. Because God is holy and hates sin, then He must judge sin. Throughout history, whether it’s in individuals, families, cities, countries, or the entire world, God has judged sin. Many examples of this are in the Bible: the flood (Gen. 7-8), Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19), Achan and his family (Josh. 7:16-26), Israel and Judah (Prophets), Babylon (Jer. 51), Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10), Herod (Acts 12:21-23), etc. Then there’s God’s eschatological wrath, also called the day of the Lord, His fierce and just judgment of the entire world, which will happen in the near future.
What’s most amazing is that the holy and merciful God also judged His own Son, Jesus Christ, who took our sins upon Himself, and paid for them by dying on a cross so that we could be made perfectly righteous. All those who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ are completely forgiven and receive eternal life, and they will never be judged for their sins - they will be saved from God’s wrath, this end-of-the-age wrath, and from eternal wrath, that forever and fiery hell. Matt. 25:41, 46; Mark 1:14-15; John 3:16; 2 Cor. 5:21; Rev. 20:11-15
2. The eschatological day of the Lord, the climactic judgment of this world, takes place at the end of this present evil age, which, since we now live in the end-times, won’t be long from now. This awesome and righteous judgment will be extremely destructive, devastating the entire planet as well as human life, the greatest global demonstration of justice since the Noahic flood. Rev. 8-9, 16
3. God’s holiness is the reason for His justice and wrath during the day of the Lord. God is perfectly just in unleashing His wrath upon an unjust world. The execution of His justice is a vivid demonstration of His righteousness and brings Him great glory. Rom. 3:4-6, Rev. 4:8 - “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” Rev. 19:5 - “Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.”
4. The day of the Lord results in the exaltation of Christ, the vindication of Christians, the punishment of unbelievers, the defeat of the Antichrist, the end of Satan’s rule on earth, and the beginning of Christ’s reign on earth. Matt. 6:9-10, Eph. 1:9-11, Rev. 1:4-7, Rev. 8-9, Rev. 19:20-21, Rev. 20:1-6
5. A scroll written by God contains instructions for the day of the Lord. This scroll has seven seals, and Jesus Christ is the only One who can break these seals. Once He does, then the scroll is opened, and this sets in motion the day of the Lord - for soon as all the seals are broken, then there is the blowing of the seven trumpets, the outpouring of God’s wrath, resulting in Christ reclaiming the earth and receiving “power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise… and dominion forever and ever.” Rev. 5
6. The events associated with the first six seals are not part of this “day of the Lord” wrath, but are judgments that happen here and there and now and then, and they are also wake-up calls, signs to those on earth that Christ is coming soon. The first four seals are the “birth pains” (wars, earthquakes, famines, plagues) which affect Christians and non-Christians in various parts of the world. The fifth seal is great tribulation affecting Christians and Jews. The sixth seal, speaking of great signs in heaven and a great earthquake, is announcing to the world that the day of the Lord is at hand, “that the great day of Their wrath has come.” Note - this eschatological wrath of God begins after the breaking of the 6th seal, and not before. Matt. 24:4-9, 29; Rev. 6:1-17
7. Christ’s coming will be like a “thief in the night” to non-Christians. Unbelievers in the end-times will not know and / or not believe what will soon be hitting the world. Similar to sinners in Noah’s day, they will be eating, drinking, working, marrying, sleeping, etc. Suddenly they will see these heavenly signs and feel this huge earthquake, and be shocked, scared to death, and try to escape, for they know God’s wrath will soon be poured out upon them. “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world.” Luke 21:25-26, 1 Thess. 5:1-9, Rev. 6:12-17
8. The coming of Christ will not be like a “thief in the night” to Christians. Christians “are not in darkness” and should not be surprised by these cosmic signs announcing the immediate outpouring of God’s wrath upon a wicked world. Those knowledgeable about the end-times are sober, alert, and doing the Lord’s work, and understand that the signs are not just signaling the wrath of God, but also the imminent rapture of the church. Matt. 24:29-31; 1 Thess. 1:9-10, 5:1-11
9. A vast number of Jews will be physically protected during the day of the Lord and will not experience God’s wrath. Between the breaking of the 6th and 7th seals there will be the sealing of 144,000 Jews. There will also be a large remnant of Jews who escape from the devil (the Antichrist) when he comes chasing after them. Matt 24:15-20; Rev. 7:1-8, 12:13-16
10. At Christ’s coming the church is raptured, which happens before the day of the Lord. Thus, all Christians will escape the fierce and deadly judgments, for “Jesus… rescues us from the coming wrath” (1 Thess. 1:10, 5:9). The rapture occurs between the breaking of the 6th and 7th seals, and at a time unknown to us. Matt. 24:36, Rev. 7:9-14
11. The day of the Lord begins right after the rapture and on the same day. Luke 17:26-35
12. The day of the Lord is comprised of the trumpet and bowl judgments. The trumpet judgments (Rev. 8-9) begin after the rapture, after the breaking of the seventh seal, and during the 2nd half of Daniel’s 70th week. The bowl judgments (Rev. 15-16) begin after the blowing of the 7th trumpet, and after the end of this 70th week.
13. The breaking of the 7th seal results in the scroll being completely opened which sets in motion the first phase of God’s wrath, the trumpet judgments. Once the 7th seal is opened, there will be exactly 30 minutes of silence before God begins to pour out His wrath on earth. This will be a most sobering and suspenseful time for unbelievers, for they will be in utter agony, dreading the destructive and deadly day of the Lord. Zeph. 1:7, Zech. 2:13, Rev. 8:1
14. Just before the trumpet judgments, the pleasing smell of incense mixed with our prayers arises up to God. These prayers are from great tribulation saints crying out to God to judge their persecutors (Rev. 6:9-10), as well as from believers throughout history, praying, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth” (Matt. 6:9-10). Then this censer, filled with incense, prayers, and also fire, is thrown down to earth, a signal to the world that God’s wrath is starting.
15. Seven angels, standing before God, prepare themselves to sound their trumpets. These angels, these agents of God, are carrying out His righteous work. They know what to do, and that the trumpet blasts are a battle cry for God’s justice, for His holy wrath to be poured out upon an extremely wicked world. Psalm 103:20-21, Rev. 8:2, 6
16. The blowing of the seven trumpets happens consecutively, one after another, the first, then the second, and all the way to the seventh. After the blowing of the seventh trumpet, there is the outpouring of the seven bowls, and these too do not happen simultaneously, but are consecutive, each one occurring after the previous one.
17. The fact that the judgments are sequential, and take place over a period of time, tells us that the entire day of the Lord is not quick and sudden. It won’t be done in a day or two or even a month - and so there won’t be a complete and instantaneous end of this earth and the people on it like some may think. But rather, the outworking of God’s justice is gradual and takes time - God’s punishing wrath is drawn out, cumulative, and terrible. The effect on the unrepentant unbelievers will be tormenting and torturing, mentally, emotionally, and physically, resulting in great fear, great pain, and death - and rightfully so.
18. We do not know how long the trumpet judgments will last. We do know they begin after the rapture, at an unknown time during the last half of Daniel’s 70th week, that the fifth judgment goes on for five months, and that they conclude with the seventh, which is at the end of the 70th week. Since the last half of Daniel’s 70th week is 42 months, then we know these trumpet judgments last more than 5 months but less, and I’d say, much less than 42 months, for the Antichrist-led persecution (great tribulation) of Christians and Jews goes on for at least a little while. Dan. 12:11; Matt. 24:36; Rev. 9:1-6, 10:7, 11:15, 12:13-17
19. The first three judgments are cataclysmic, destroying plants, animals, rivers, and seas. The fourth judgment impacts the sun, stars, and moon, darkening the earth. These particular aspects of God’s wrath don’t affect the entire world, only thirds of it, those parts specifically targeted by God. The blasting of the fifth trumpet results in unbelievers being tormented by the stings of scorpion-like-locusts - and it lasts for five long months and is so painful that people want to die but they can’t. The sixth judgment is the worst, for 200 million horsemen go out and kill one third of mankind, which I believe will be between 1 -2 billion people.
20. Three things result from the blowing of the seventh trumpet:
- Daniel’s 70th week, seven prophecy-filled years, comes to an end. Dan. 9:24, 27
- The mystery of God is finished, and a large number of Jews are saved. Dan. 9:24, Rev. 10:7
- “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ” (Rev. 11:15). Fantastic, for Christ reclaims the earth! This is one of the most important points in the history of the world - but it’s not at this precise time that Christ actually begins His reign. It’s the ensuing bowl judgments, the final defeating of His enemies, that enable Him to fully establish His reign on earth.
21. The Antichrist is present on earth during the day of the Lord, during both the trumpet and bowl judgments. He is given authority to rule for 42 months, lasting from the midpoint to the end of Daniel’s 70th week. During this time, people are worshiping the Antichrist and being influenced by him - but during the day of the Lord, his power is diminished, for God’s wrath is being poured out upon his kingdom. At the sound of the seventh trumpet his role as world ruler is officially over. Yet, the Antichrist still wants to be in control and refuses to accept Christ’s authority. The bowl judgments are a transitional phase from the rule of the Antichrist to the rule of Christ. They are God’s means to defeat the Antichrist, and all His enemies, so as to reclaim and establish Christ’s kingdom on earth. At the battle of Armageddon, the Antichrist puts up his final fight, but he’s quickly and royally defeated, and along with the false prophet, is thrown into the lake of fire, where he will greatly and eternally suffer. Rev. 17:14 - “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lord, and King of kings.” Dan. 9:27, 12:11; Rev. 13:4-5, 16:12-16, 19:20-21
22. The bowl judgments are the final phase of God’s wrath on this earth. These bowls, being wide and shallow, are quickly poured out, meaning this aspect of God’s justice happens fast, for only 30 days, yet it’s terribly destructive and most effective, specifically wiping out the kingdom of the Antichrist. Daniel 12:11, Rev. 16
23. The bowl judgments are extremely painful, sickening, and deadly. The first bowl judgment results in all worshipers of Antichrist receiving “loathsome and malignant” ulcer-like sores. The second one results in all the seas becoming like the thick, coagulated blood of a dead person, resulting in the death of every sea creature. The third affects all the rivers, and they too turn to blood. The fourth causes all the people in the world to be “scorched with fierce heat.” How excruciatingly painful!! The pouring of the fifth bowl results in the Antichrist’s kingdom being darkened. These judgments are consecutive and cumulative, with the result that the people “gnawed their tongues because of pain, and they blasphemed the God of heaven…” Rev. 16:1-11
24. No one repents of their sins. It is incredibly sad that after all these fierce, fiery, hard-hitting judgments there are still all these hard hearts, unbelievers who won’t and don’t repent of their sins. “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver… and they did not repent of their murders nor their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts” (Rev. 9:20-21). Not only did they not repent but they were angry at God and yelled back at Him - “they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and sores, and they did not repent of their deeds.” Rev. 16:1-11
25. The battle of Armageddon. The pouring out of the sixth bowl prepares the world for the battle of Armageddon. The river Euphrates is dried up so the kings of the east can march their armies to the battleground. Unclean spirits, God’s instruments, go out to the kings of the world, supernaturally gathering them together for this last battle, a place in Israel called Armageddon. But there’s no real battle. Yes, “the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him,” but they don’t have a chance, not against the “King of kings, and Lord of lords.” The Antichrist and the false prophet are quickly seized and thrown into the lake of fire, and “the rest were killed with the sword” of the Lord. Rev. 19:11-21
26. “A loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’” The most destructive bowl judgment is saved for last. There is a mighty earthquake, the most powerful ever, and every mountain is leveled, and all the cities of the nations collapse. Everyone knows that God is angry at them, and rightfully so. Finally, 100-pound hailstones rain down from the sky, crushing and killing millions of sinners - and “they deserve it” (Rev. 16:7). From before the creation of the world, God knew this day of the Lord would come, when His holy justice would be on display like never before, His righteous wrath being poured out upon a most sinful and wicked world, and that this particular day would come when the heavenly voice would finally say, “It is done!” Rev. 16:17
27. “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons” (Rev. 18:2). The “whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19), and it has been this way since the sin of Adam and Eve. But the devil’s wicked rule climaxes in those last years before Christ’s coming, necessitating the day of the Lord, the powerfully awesome judgments described in Rev. 8-9, 16. Then we come to Rev. 17-18, two chapters that are parentheticals - they describe in detail the world system, and the devilish end-time’s kingdom of the Antichrist. We read about Babylon the Great, a phrase referring to both the religious and economic systems of the world (Rev. 17:1-7, 18). We also learn about the Antichrist’s ungodly and evil empire, and the nations aligned with him, and that these are destroyed by God’s catastrophic judgments (Rev. 17:7-18). You see, before Christ can come and begin His kingdom on earth, He must wipe out the Antichrist’s kingdom and the demonic world system.
28. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! God’s wrath is completed. “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because His judgments are true and righteous.” (Rev. 19:1-2). The Antichrist’s authority comes to an end at the blast of the 7th trumpet, but it is by the pouring of the 7th bowl that the execution of God’s justice is completed, for at that time the Antichrist is fully defeated, Satan’s world system is totally destroyed, and Christ’s authority is finally and fully established on earth. The saints and angels in heaven are super-excited, and so there is this great celebration - and they are thanking and praising God and Jesus for Their incredibly awesome and glorious victory over the enemy. “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns.” Rev. 19:6
29. The greatest world war is between God and Satan, and God is the winner. Since the sin of Adam and Eve, there has been a gargantuan battle, seen and unseen, raging between the seed of the woman and the seed of Satan, between the forces of God and the forces of the devil (Gen. 3:15, Dan. 10, Eph. 6:10-13, Rev. 12) - and it has been playing out on earth from that time in the past to the present, and now we look to the future when Satan and his Antichrist will be defeated. It’s 2021, and we are very close to that point in time when God’s plans for believers and planet earth will be completely carried out, and God’s victory, and ours, will be realized. “… with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth.” Eph. 1:9-11, Phil. 2:9-11
Let me summarize what Christians can expect in the years ahead: we will see this spiritual battle intensify, from the birth pains (Matt. 24:4-8) to the coming of the Antichrist (2 Thess. 2:8-9) to the great tribulation (Matt. 24:9) to the rapture of the church (Matt. 24:31) to the outpouring of God’s wrath (Rev. 8-9) to the salvation of a remnant of Jews (Rom. 11:25-26) to the defeat of the Antichrist and his kingdom (Rev. 16, Rev. 19:11-21) to Jesus Christ reigning over the earth - “The Lord will be King over all the earth” (Zech. 14:9, Psalm 47). I hope you understand how wonderfully blessed you are that you can be part of God’s eternal plans, that you are on earth at this key time in history, and that you will actually reign with Jesus Christ during the millennial kingdom. “He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father - to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him.” Rev. 1:6-7
30. “The Lord is coming to judge the earth” (Psalm 98:9). Be very excited and very thankful that you are now living on earth, for we are very close to the end of this age and the coming of Christ to rapture the church. Don’t be fleshly or worldly, and don’t be ignorant of what will soon be taking place on this earth (Rom. 13:11-14). This is our time to live for the Lord and do the work He wants us to do. Tell the lost to turn from their sin to Christ, to believe that He died to pay for their sins so they can be saved from sin and death. Warn them that if they don’t, then they may be here for that dreadful and deadly day of the Lord, and from there, descend to a fiery hell where they will have to “pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of His power” (2 Thess. 1:9). “Be encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Heb. 10:25). “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your work is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Cor. 15:58
Article 48
By Steven J. Hogan
Your future as a Christian is not just that you will be in heaven someday - it’s so much more than that. If you are saved, if you are born again, then you have this hope - which is summed up as being with Jesus Christ, being with fellow believers, being in a brand-new body, and being in your heavenly home. This is what will happen if you are just born again, if you are just saved, which is very good news! But if during the course of your Christian life, you love the Lord, you serve and obey Him, then you will also be greatly rewarded, and beyond imagination! Do you realize that you will be rewarded for living for the Lord, for whatever you do for Him? “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” (Col. 3:23-24). “To Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think… to Him be the glory…” Eph. 3:20-21
No words can truly and adequately describe your future. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). But always remember that your greatest reward, your greatest future blessing is the Lord Himself. “And so we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17). All other rewards you receive from the Lord relate directly to your personal and eternal relationship with Him. “In your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand are pleasures forever.” Psalm 16:11
We are now living in the end-times, the last years before Christ’s return to rapture the church. This means it won’t be long before all believers from all time will be gathered together and then individually receive their rewards, their inheritance from Him. “Behold I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to every man according to what He has done.” (Rev. 22:12). “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
Listed below are over 150 verses about God’s future plans for you, about your eternal life after this short life on earth. Your heavenly Father gives you His word, and many words at that, because He wants to give you a little taste of your incredible, wonderful, and amazing future. Might you read every one of these verses, and take the time to think about them. As you do, you will be greatly encouraged for they all speak about what God has in store for you. You will also grow in your love for God, for He is giving you a good glimpse of how He will love you in the future. And you will be more motivated to love the Lord, to serve and obey Him every day. “How (eternally) blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. How (eternally) blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart.” Psalm 119:1-2
* Job 19:25-27 – “I know that My Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes – I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me.”
* Psalm 11:7 – “For the Lord is righteous, He loves justice; upright men will see His face.”
* Psalm 16:11 – “In Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”
* Psalm 17:15 – “And I – in righteousness I will see Your face – when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing Your likeness.”
* Psalm 23:6 – “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
* Psalm 31:19 – “How great is Your goodness which You have stored up for those who fear You.”
* Psalm 67:1, 7 – “May God be gracious to us and bless us, and make His face shine upon us, that Your ways may be known on earth… God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear Him.”
* Psalm 73:24-25 – “You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but You, and besides You, I desire nothing on earth.”
* Psalm 84:1-2 – “How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints for the courts of the Lord; my flesh and my heart cry out for the living God.”
* Psalm 84:4 – “How blessed are those who dwell in Your house. They are ever praising You.”
* Psalm 100:3-5 – “We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good, His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.”
* Psalm 117:2 – “For great is His love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.”
* Psalm 121:8 – “The Lord will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forever.”
* Psalm 145:2, 13 – “I will exalt You, my God, the King; I will praise Your name forever and ever. Every day I will praise You, and extol Your name forever and ever… Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.”
* Isaiah 40:11 – “Behold, the Lord God will come with might, with His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him.”
* Isaiah 57:1-2a – “The righteous man perishes, and no one takes it to heart; and devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from evil, he enters into peace.”
* Matthew 5:3, 10 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven… Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
* Matthew 5:5 – “Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth.”
* Matthew 5:12 – “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
* Matthew 5:44-45a – “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father, who is in heaven.”
* Matthew 6:3 – “When you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
* Matthew 6:6 – “When you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
* Matthew 6:20 – “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal.”
* Matthew 10:41b - "... he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward."
* Matthew 19:28-29 – “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life.”
* Matthew 24:46-47 – “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when He comes. Truly I say to you that He will put him in charge of all His possessions.”
* Matthew 25:21 – “Well done, good and faithful slave, you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your Master.
* Mark 10:29-30 – “… he will receive a hundred times as much now in this present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.”
* Luke 6:22-23 – “Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold your reward is great in heaven.”
* Luke 6:35 – “Love your enemies and do good and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.”
* Luke 6:38 – “Give and it will be given to you.”
* Luke 12:37 – “Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when He comes; truly I say to you, that He will gird Himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.”
* Luke 12:32 – “Do not be afraid little flock for the Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”
* Luke 12:33 – “Sell your possessions and give to charity; make money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys.”
* Luke 12:37 – “Blessed are those slaves whom the Master will find on the alert when He comes; truly I say to you, that He will gird Himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.”
* Luke 12:42-44 – “Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom His master will put in charge of His servants, to give them their rations at the proper time. Blessed is that slave whom His master finds so doing when He comes. Truly I say to you that He will put him in charge of all His possessions.”
* Luke 16:9 – “I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into eternal dwellings.”
* Luke 19:16-17 – “The first appeared, saying, ‘Master, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And He said to him, ‘Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.’”
* John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
* John 4:14 – “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”
* John 7:37 – “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”
* 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 12:26 – “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.”
* John 14:2-3 – “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places… for I go to prepare a place for you. 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 14:21, 23 – “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 17:24 – “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.”
* Acts 20:32 – “I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
* Acts 26:18 – “… to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.”
* Romans 5:2 – “We exult in hope of the glory of God.”
* Romans 5:5 – “Hope does not disappoint us because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit.”
* Romans 8:18, 23, 25 – “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us… waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body… if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”
* Romans 8:29 – “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.”
* 1 Corinthians 2:9 – “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
* 1 Corinthians 3:8, 14-15 – “Each will receive his own reward according to his own labor… if any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved as through fire.”
* 1 Corinthians 4:5 – “… wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts, and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.”
* 1 Corinthians 9:24-26 – “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wrath, but we an imperishable. Therefore, I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”
* 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 – “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 15:53 – “For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
* 2 Corinthians 4:17 – “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal.”
* 2 Corinthians 5:1, 8 – “If this earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands… We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
* Galatians 4:7 - "Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."
* Ephesians 1:13-14 - "You were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory."
* Ephesians 2:6-7 – “But God… because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions made us alive together with Christ… and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
* Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
* Philippians 1:21 – “To live is Christ and to die is gain… I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.”
* Philippians 3:12 - "I press on toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
* Philippians 3:20-21 – “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also 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.”
* Colossians 1:5 – “… because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel.”
* Colossians 3:4 – “When Christ, who is our life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”
* Colossians 3:23-24 – “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.”
* 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 – “We do not want you to be uninformed about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.”
* 1 Thessalonians 4:7, 5:10 – “… so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words… so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.”
* 1 Timothy 6:18-19 – “Instruct those who are rich in this present world… to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they might take hold of that which is life indeed.”
* 2 Timothy 2:11 – “It is a trustworthy statement; for if we died with Him, we will also live with Him.”
* 2 Timothy 4:7-8 – “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
* Titus 3:7 - "... that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
* Hebrews 6:10 – “God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.”
* 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 seek Him.”
* Hebrews 11:10 – “He was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”
* Hebrews 11:13, 14, 16 – “All these died in faith without receiving the promises… For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own… But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”
* Hebrews 11:24-26 – “By faith Moses… choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking ahead to his reward.”
* Hebrews 11:35 – “… and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection.”
* Hebrews 12:2 – “… fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
* Hebrews 12:22-24 - “You have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to the city of the living God. You have come to thousands and thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant.”
* James 1:12 – “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to all who love Him.”
* James 4:10 – “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”
* 1 Peter 1:4 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”
* 1 Peter 1:13 – “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
* 1 Peter 5:4 – “When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”
* 1 Peter 5:10 – “After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
* 2 Peter 3:13 – “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”
* 1 John 3:2-3 – “Now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.”
* 2 John 2:8 - "Watch yourselves, that you might not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward."
* Revelation 1:6 – “He made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father - to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him.”
* Revelation 2:17 – “To Him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one else knows but he who receives it.”
* Revelation 2:26-27 – “He who overcomes, and he who keeps my deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron.”
* Revelation 3:12 – “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore.”
* Revelation 3:21 – “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne.”
* Revelation 5:10 – “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
* Revelation 5:13 – “And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.’”
* Revelation 7:9-10 – “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 7:16-17 – “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 the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
* Revelation 19:7 – “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”
* Revelation 21:4, 7 - “He will wipe away very tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away… He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be His God and he will be My son.”
* Revelation 21:10-21 – “… and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper… and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.”
* Revelation 22:3-4 – “There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.”
BEHOLD, I AM COMING SOON, AND MY REWARD IS WITH ME, TO GIVE TO EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO WHAT HE HAS DONE. REVELATION 22:11
Article 49
By Steven J. Hogan
Your heavenly Father wants you to be a good, faithful, and fruitful worker, to be fulfilling His purpose on this earth. In His word, God tells you how you can do this. My desire in this article is to share a number of key truths and principles that will help you be a more excellent and effective end-time's worker for God.
1. Working for God means you are using your mind, soul, and body for the good of others and for the purposes and glory of God. Adam and Eve were the first workers for God, and because they were perfect, their work was perfect. “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.” Mark 12:30, Gen. 1:28-29
2. Your primary work is to love God, to worship Him - it’s the single most important thing you are to do. Everything else you do are specific ways you show your love for God, are those things which flow, which spring from your love for Him. “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.” Matthew 4:10, Luke 10:38-42
3. God’s eternal and great love for you is the primary spiritual driving force in your work for Him. Knowing and being strengthened by His love is the key motivational factor, the central component for you to be an effective worker. His love for you will encourage you to love Him which leads to you doing what He wants you to do. All the work you do is to be done from a heart of love for God and others. Jesus says, “I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love” (John 15:9-10). Paul says, “Let all you do be done in love” (1 Cor. 6:14). “Keep yourselves in the love of God.” Jude 21
4. Adam and Eve sinned which resulted in their work becoming very difficult, for then they had to work by the sweat of their brow. We all know from experience that work can be very hard, but this is the way it is during our time on this earth, and it’s all because of sin. Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 8:20-22
5. God is your Master and you are His slave, and He has given you one life with the perfect number of years so you can do all the work He wants you to do. And don’t think of yourself as a 9-5 worker, but as a fulltime, 24-7 worker. The entirety of your life, all your days, are given to you by God so you can work for Him. “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be...” Psalm 139:16-24, Jeremiah 1:5-10, Luke 17:7-10
6. Always see yourself as one who is working for God. You are to faithfully and diligently work for your earthly employer, but first and foremost you are to serve the Lord, knowing that He will richly and eternally 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. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” Colossians 3:23-24
7. Be encouraged and excited that God not only chose to save you, but also chose you to do His work. Be thankful that God planned out ahead of time all the work He wants you to do. “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain.” John 15:16, Jeremiah 29:11-12
8. You only have one life to live, and it’s a short life, and so make it your goal, your ambition, to do all the work God has given you to do. “I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave me to do.” John 17:4, Philippians 3:12-14
9. All your work is to be spiritual work, that which God wants you do that is to be done for Him and His purposes. The entirety of your life - your 9-5 job or whatever work you do, fixing a meal, cleaning the house, mowing the lawn, helping your children, helping your parents, praying for someone, serving in the church, sharing the gospel, etc. - is spiritual work that is to be done for the Lord. “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord…” Col. 3:23
10. The work God wants you to do is outlined in the Bible. That is, the general nature of your work is given to you in God’s word. For example, you learn that you are to love people, work at a job, pray, share the gospel, be faithful with your money, have fellowship, encourage others, etc. 2 Tim. 3:16-17, 1 Thess. 4:11
11. Obeying God’s commands is doing God’s work, and is one of the easiest ways you know that you are doing His work. “Love one another”, “pray for one another”, “encourage one another”, are some of the commands that spell out the work God wants you and every Christian to do. Then there's the grand command, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..." (Matt. 28:19-20), the basis for what is called the Great Commission. This command cannot be carried out by any one Christian, but is the work of all believers during the entire church age. God has chosen every Christian to do his part, his role, in making disciples, work that usually relates to using the spiritual gift(s) that God has given him in a loving way.
12. How can you know God’s will for your life, the specific work He wants you to do?
a. Read and study His word for it has truths and commands that will lead you in the work God wants you to do. Proverbs 2:1-9, 4:4
b. Get counsel, get advice from godly Christians. Proverbs 12:15
c. Be in a good church. The work God wants you to do is usually in conjunction with being involved in a spiritually healthy church. 1 Corinthians 14
d. Think about the physical and spiritual talents God has given you, for they directly relate to the work He wants you to do. Jer. 1:5, 17-19; Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Peter 4:12
e. Be willing to do whatever God wants you to do, and then He will show you the work He has planned out for you. Psalm 40:9, Rom. 12:1-2
f. Pray to God. ASK Him for guidance. “Ask, and it will be given to you; Seek, and you will find; Knock, and it will be opened to you.” Matt. 7:7, Psalm 143:8, Prov. 8:17
g. Be led by the Spirit. “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” Psalm 143:10
h. Do what you already know what to do, and then God will lead you, like a car that is much easier to steer when it's already moving.
13. God is working in you, training you to carry out His will. Never say you can’t do what God wants you to do, for He will enable you to do His work. Joseph was trained when he was in prison. David’s training included fighting the lion and the bear. For forty years, Moses was being trained by God. “We are His workmanship… ” Ephesians 2:10
14. Believe that God has work for you to do, expect Him to show you what it is, and believe that He will use you to accomplish His work. Believing God, having faith in Him, is a needed and critical component in doing the work God wants you to do. “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going” (Heb. 11:8). Hebrews 11 gives many examples of how doing God’s work requires faith, and that you cannot do His work apart from faith. “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 seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6
15. Whether it’s big things or little, God wants you to know the work He has planned out for you. Making big decisions usually means taking more time to seek the Lord. “I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the Lord.” Nehemiah 1:4-11
16. God is sovereign and will often wisely change your plans and redirect your steps so you do what He wants you to do. Always be sensitive to God’s leading. “Man plans his way, and the Lord directs his steps” (Prov. 16:9). “The steps of man are ordained by the Lord. How then can anyone understand His way?” Proverbs 20:24, Acts 16:6-10
17. God spiritually and physically strengthens you so you can do the work He wants you to do. God’s Holy Spirit is in you - His grace is sufficient for every task He gives you. “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 Cor. 9:8). “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
18. God has a special plan for your life which means He has special work for you to do, work that is unique, unlike anyone else in the world. “For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function...” (Rom. 12:3-8). “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow… For we are God’s fellow workers.” 1 Corinthians 3:5-9
19. God does not want you to be working alone but to be teamed up and united with others, for then you will be more encouraged, more effective, and have better results. “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.” Ecclesiastes 4:9, Nehemiah 3
20. When you are doing God’s work, don’t be surprised if there’s opposition from the devil and from evil people, for they hate God, and will do whatever they can to stop you. “When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews…” (Neh. 4:1) “When our enemies heard that… God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his own work.” Nehemiah 4:15, 2 Timothy 4:17-18
21. It’s easy to be distracted, tempted, or persuaded to give up when you are working for God. There are many things that can get you off track, but you need to stay the course, and keep doing the work God has called you to do. When the enemy tried to trick him, Nehemiah said, “Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” Nehemiah 6:1-4
22. Be faithful to do God’s work even when it may seem to be a small thing. Every task you do is important in the eyes of the Lord and is to be done for Him. Being faithful in small things usually leads to God giving you bigger assignments. “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much.” Luke 16:10-13
23. The work you do for God may take a minute (microscopic) or it may take a very long time (macroscopic). Being married is a good work that usually lasts for decades. Encouraging someone can take place over lunch. Praying for someone can happen in a few seconds. “Then the king said to me, ‘What would you request?’ So I prayed to the God of heaven.” Nehemiah 2:4
24. The work God gives you changes every day. God designs each day to be different and, therefore, how you serve Him varies from day to day. You may get with a friend, meet a need, pray for someone, or go on an errand. That is, your work is microscopic, for God has uniquely selected you to do specific tasks, work that He planned for you to do, and work that only you can do. “This is the day which the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
25. When you look at the big picture, you realize that your work is macroscopic. That is, the general nature of your work does not change every day, but only over the course of your life. Examples of this are your physical job, your church ministry, being married, raising children, and special friendships. Other factors that can affect what you do on a macroscopic level are your age, health, location (you may move), and spiritual maturity. When you look at the life of Paul, you read about the specific things he did, but the general nature of his life, his preaching, teaching, discipling, as well as many relationships, did not change very much. “I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:24). “… I have finished the course…” (2 Tim. 4:7). The overall macroscopic work of the church, directed by Christ Himself, is that which involves all Christians, each doing their part during this church age.
26. To be an effective worker, God gives you some important instructions: a) be praying (1 Thess. 5:17); b) be led by the Spirit (Rom. 8:14); c) be faithful (Luke 16:9); d) be diligent (Prov. 10:4, 21:5); e) work hard (2 Tim. 2:6); f) persevere (Gal. 6:9); g) make the most of the time (Eph. 5:15-17); h) work with others - Eccl. 4:9.
27. Work that is done for God has many good results. There is profit, blessing, reaping, and fruit. The work you do will be a glory to God, a blessing to others, and eternally rewarding for yourself. Knowing that serving the Lord has many good results, both on earth and in heaven, will motivate you to work for Him. “He who tills his land has plenty of bread” (Prov. 12:11); “In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads to poverty” - Proverbs 14:23, Psalm 128:1-2.
28. There are are good reasons to work at a job: a) It enables you to meet your needs (1 Thess. 4:11-12). b) It enables you to help meet the needs of others (1 Tim. 6:18). c) It helps build your character (humility, faithfulness, diligence, endurance, etc.). d) It is a good testimony to others - both saved and lost (1 Thess. 4:11-12). e) When you are working, God often gives opportunities for the gospel. Colossians 4:2-6
29. God’s desire is for people to use their gifts and abilities to serve others with the result that He will bless them now and in the future. “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake, and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age…. and in the age to come, eternal life.” (Mark 10:29-30). God righteously indicts the person who is gifted to work but doesn’t by saying that he is a “wicked, lazy slave… throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 25:26, 30
30. You must persevere, you must keep going when doing God’s work. Working for God over the course of your life is truly a marathon, a lifetime race. There will surely be times when you are working and you get physically, emotionally, and spiritually tired, and you feel like giving up, quitting, stopping. But you need to endure, to persevere to the end, whether that means the end of a particular task, the end of your life, or the rapture. “Do not grow weary of doing good, for in due time, you will reap if you do not grow weary.” Galatians 6:9, Isaiah 40:27-31
31. Laziness and procrastination can be major hindrances when you are working. Overcome sluggardly thoughts and habits, and be diligent, for then you will be a faithful and fruitful worker. “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the soul of the diligent is made fat” - Proverbs 13:4, 6:6, 20:4, 24:30-34, 26:16
32. When you are working for God you are a good example to others, and are motivating them to be working as well. “… show yourself an example to those who believe.” 1 Timothy 4:12
33. As a Christian, you are to never retire. You may retire from a physical job that has provided earthly income, but you are to never retire from working for God. Don’t be wrongly influenced by unbelievers who say, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take it easy, eat, drink, and be merry” (Luke 12:19). Yes, you may get more weak and tired as life goes on but God still has work for you to do, right up until that time when He takes you home. Pray, work, and pace yourself, and God will keep you going to the end. “The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree… they will still yield fruit in old age… to declare that the Lord is upright.” Psalm 92:12-15, 1 Corinthians 1:8-9
34. When you are working you need physical and spiritual rest. Get the physical rest you need, and make sure you get time with the Lord so you can be spiritually recharged and refreshed. “… Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word...” Luke 10:40-42, 1 Kings 19:1-18, Psalm 63:1-5
35. God will generously reward you in heaven for your work on earth, whether you are working at a job, in a ministry, going shopping, praying, or encouraging a Christian. You are to work with hope, knowing that it’s well worth it to work for the Lord. “He who plants, and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor” (1 Cor. 3:8). The reward a person receives does not depend on the kind of work he does, but on his motives, the quality of his work, his faithfulness in finishing the work. “… wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come from God.” 1 Cor. 4:5, Matthew 25:14-30
36. Once your work on earth is done, then God will take you home to heaven. The fact that you are now reading this means you are alive, and that God still has work for you to do. “David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep.” Acts 13:46
37. You should be looking forward to that time when you have finished all your work on earth, and Jesus says to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of your Master” (Matt. 25:21). “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21
38. You will be eternally worshiping God (Ps. 145:1-2), and eternally working for God. Matt. 25:21 goes on to say, “You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things.” But in the future, the curse of sin will be all gone, you will have a new body, work will not be hard, and you will never get tired. The work you do for God will be done effortlessly and perfectly, exactly the way He wants. "And they will reign upon the earth.” Rev. 5:10
39. Remember that God will fulfill His purpose for you, He will always use you to accomplish the work He wants you to do. Yes, you are imperfect, but God is perfect, and powerful, purposeful, and sovereign. Nothing will ever prevent Him from using you to carry out all the work He has planned for you to do. “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your love, O Lord, endures forever.” Psalm 138:9, Psalm 33:10-12
40. The work you do for God is God’s work and, of course, is a small fraction of all the work He is doing. This point needs to be understood for many reasons: a. The work you do needs to be seen in the context of the whole of God’s work. b. Only when you get to heaven will you begin to see things from God’s perspective and get an idea of how your work is part of the entirety of God’s work. c. Your work is not separate from others but, like a puzzle piece, fits together perfectly with the work that others are doing for God. d. The work you are now doing for God must be seen as part of God’s overall plan for this entire church age, an age that is soon coming to an end. e. The work you do for God is grace-empowered work, that which He enables you to do. f. You need to be humble, for it is God's work being done in and through you. g. The work you do for God is ultimately about His purposes and glory. Ephesians 1:3-11, 2:10, 2:19-22, 3:20-21 - "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundant beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."
Pray over these truths and principles and apply them to your life, asking God to help you be the best worker you can be in these end-times, some of the toughest times the church will ever face. What an opportunity to be living for Him in these days! "Onward Christian soldiers..." And remember, when all is said and done, your work for God is truly His work, and for His glory. “Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wonderful works, I will meditate. Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts, and I will tell of Your greatness… the Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works. All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord, and Your godly ones shall bless You.” Psalm 145:1-8
Article 50
By Steven J. Hogan
In these end-times, we are to work for God while we wait for Christ. And God has much work that He wants to do and that He wants us to do (with Him) before He sends His Son back to earth. What a privilege, what a blessing to work for God in these last years of the church age. Jesus told us, “Do business with this until I come” (Luke 19:13), and “Take heed, keep on the alert, for you do not know when the appointed time will come. It’s like a man going away. He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task.” Mark 13:33-34
God gives us hundreds of stories about people doing His work. There’s Noah building the ark, Moses leading the Israelites, Joshua commanding the army, Hannah being a mother, David being a king, Jeremiah warning the Israelites, Nehemiah building the wall, Jesus being a Savior and Teacher, Mary being a mother, Paul being a preacher and writer, etc. They all did work God wanted them to do. Now that we’re getting close to the end of this age, we should be extremely motivated to do the work God wants us to do before Christ comes back to earth.
Today, we will look at several Bible passages that speak about work:
Luke 17:7-10. This is about a slave doing work in his master’s field. When he finished that work, he didn’t go into the house and call it a day - he worked even more, for he cooked a meal for his master. The slave did everything his master wanted him to do. As Jesus said, “He did the things which were commanded.”
How does this apply to you? “So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’” (Luke 17:19). Your work isn't doing whatever you want whenever you want. God is your Master, and you are His slave, and you are to work for God all the time - and He gives you all the time you need to do what He wants you to do. And you are not to expect God to thank you - you’re His slave, and when you work for Him, you’re only doing what you ought, what God Himself chose you to do.
Colossians 3:22-24. “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.” This talks about working for earthly employees, which I’m sure you have all done. But ultimately and most importantly, you are working for God, for He is your supreme and perfect Master, and you are His slave. And unlike a job where your employer occasionally sees you work, God watches you all the time.
A key phrase in this passage is “whatever you do.” This makes it clear that work isn’t just an 8-4 or 9-5 job - it’s working for God all the time, and in “whatever you do.” It can be physical work - you are mowing the yard or doing dishes. It can be mental work - you are working in an office or paying your bills. It can be spiritualwork - you are praying or sharing the gospel. All this and much more is work for God.
We also learn that working for God when you are on earth results in heavenly and eternal rewards. “From the Lord you will receive the reward of your inheritance” (Col. 3:24). What an incredibly powerful truth, for “each will receive his own reward for his own labor” (1 Cor. 3:8). You are to wholeheartedly work for God, for it pleases Him, blesses others, and results in you being richly rewarded, in receiving great treasure in heaven (Matt. 6:6). "Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to render to everyone according to what he has done." Rev. 22:12
Luke 12:13-21. You’re to think about work from a godly, eternal perspective, and not be like unbelievers who work from a fleshly, temporal perspective.
1. An unbeliever is selfish. He works for himself, makes money for himself, and buys things for himself.
2. An unbeliever invests money for his retirement, and he stores up possessions. But he seems to forget that he can’t take anything with him when he dies. “Their inner thought is that their houses are forever” (Ps. 49:10-12). Not only that, but the unbeliever doesn’t think about the state of his sinful soul, and that if he doesn’t repent while he’s on earth, then he will be punished forever in hell.
3. Believers are to work for God and earn money for His purposes. Yes, we make
money to meet our needs, but we are to also make money for His purposes, and for the needs of others. “By working hard in this manner, you must help the weak… ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:33-35
4. It’s prudent to save money for that time when you aren’t working at some job and making money. But never put your hope in money or in a retirement account (Pr. 23:5). Put your hope in God and keep using the money you have for the lives of others and for His glory. Indeed, using your money for God’s purposes is your best investment, and the returns, the rewards are out of this world.
5. Don’t retire like unbelievers, who think there comes a point in time when they are done working at some job, and then “take it easy, eat, drink, and be merry” - they sit around, relax, have fun, travel, and do things on their bucket list. (Luke 12:19). And yes, you may retire from a job where you’re making money, but you are to never retire from working for God, from fulfilling His purpose for your life. Deut. 34:5-7; John 5:17; Acts 13:36, 20:24, 28:30-31; Eph. 6:18
Ephesians 2:8-10. “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” What does God want you to learn about work from these verses?
1. You are not saved by your “good” works, but you are saved by God’s grace, and one reason you are saved is so that, by God’s grace, you can do good works.
2. You are created in Christ Jesus. Therefore, you are a new person in Christ. You are not like an unbeliever working at a job for your own good and your own glory, but you are a Christian, and you are working for God and His glory. 1 Cor. 10:31 - “Whether then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
3. You are God’s workmanship. God made you just the way He wants you to be, giving you abilities when you were born, spiritual gifts when you were born again, and the godly character you need so you can do all the work He wants you to do. “May the God of peace… that great shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to Him be the glory forever and ever.” Heb. 13:20-21
4. The work you do for God is good work. It’s work that is needed, beneficial, and important, whether it’s for your family, the church, society, or the world. You may be a mother, a cook, a repairman, a nurse, a salesman, a realtor, a cleaning lady, a builder, a pastor, a policeman, a plumber, etc. And all these are needed services.
5. God planned these good works in eternity past. He knew everything He wanted you to do. Not only that, but Jesus Christ is building the church, and He assigned you and every believer specific tasks so that, by the end of this age, all His work will be completely finished.
6. Christians are to walk in these good works. As you go through life, you are to walk with the Lord, and as you do, you will discover and do the work He planned for you. And the work you do on any given day is not usually just one thing - it’s typically all kinds of things. Pray to God, “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground” (Ps. 143:10); trust God, for He will lead you in all the good works He designed for you to do; and be flexible (Pr. 16:9).
Here are several other important principles about work:
* Serve the Lord with gladness. You are not to complain or grumble, but you are to be gladly working for God. Ps. 100:1
* Work by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). Working for God isn’t always a feel-good experience. You will get tired, you may work long hours, and there may be opposition (Neh. 4). As you work for God, look to Him, and trust Him to give you all the strength you need to do all the work He wants you to do. 2 Cor 9:8, Phil. 4:13
* Work hard. Work for God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength (Mark 12:30). Don’t be lazy, daydreaming, or take lots of breaks. Be diligent, engaged, conscientious, and focused (Pr. 10:4-5). Be like a hard-working farmer who works from dawn to dusk (2 Tim 2:6). Be like Paul - “I worked harder than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” 1 Cor. 15:10, 2 Chron. 31:20-21
* Have a mind to work (Neh. 4:6). In our culture, many people don’t want to work, but rather want to relax, play, and have lots of leisure activity. Pr. 21:17
* You need to be holy to do the work of God. 2 Tim. 2:20-21
* Doing God’s work is a primary reason for living. Ps. 40:8, John 17:4
* The work God wants you to do is unique. No one in the world has the exact same work that you do, work that is part of God’s end-time plans. Ps. 139:13-16
* Working with other people is better than working alone. Eccl. 4:9, Col. 3:7-19
* God wants you to be satisfied with the results, the fruit of your work, whether this work is prayer, speaking to people, or doing for people. Prov. 12:14
* You need to persevere, to endure, to keep doing all that God wants you to do. Only as work day to day, week to week, month to monthy, and year to year, will you be able to finish God’s work and be truly successful. John 4:34, Col. 1:9-12
* God wants you to rest, for you need to be physically, emotionally, and spiritually recharged. Jesus rested, and you need to rest too. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed” (Mark 1:35). Rest comes from being with the Lord, from reading His word, from praying, from fellowship, and from sleeping.
* Finish the work God wants you to do. Paul said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” 2 Tim. 4:7, Acts 13:36
* Glorify God by doing the work He wants you to do. Jesus said to His Father - “I brought You glory by completing the work You gave me to do” (John 17:4). Jesus finished the work God wanted Him to, resulting in God receiving great glory.
It’s so amazing and encouraging that you can work for God the Father, and for your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Be excited and thankful that you can do just the work He wants you to do, work that has eternal value, and work that relates directly to the coming of Christ. “You turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven.” 1 Thess. 1:9-10
Article 51
By Marvin J. Rosenthal
Note from Steve Hogan: Marv Rosenthal was a servant of God, a proclaimer of God's word, a pastor of God's people, a man of hope, and a friend of mine. He was founder and President of Zion’s Hope, and an acclaimed international Bible teacher for almost 6 decades.
“Anti-Semitism” is an ugly word. Just men and women have always abhorred it. But, like a bad dream, it refuses to go away. Historians, social scientists, philosophers, theologians – all are hard pressed to explain this phenomenon which is as ancient as Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, and as contemporary as the state of Israel in the early twenty-first century.
In the Old Testament, the Amorites, Egyptians, Amalekites, Assyrians, Phoenicians, Philistines, Babylonians, Persians, and Macedonians were among the many nations who rose up to plunder and harass the children of Jacob. In turn, each of these nations experienced the chastening hand of God and, with few exceptions, the nations of antiquity who persecuted the Jewish people are no more. For some, that they existed at all is often only known through the Bible, a few ancient manuscripts, or the archaeologist’s spade.
Following the death of Christ, anti-Semitism not only continued but intensified. Among Israel’s antagonists were Roman soldiers, Islamic fanatics, “Christian” Crusaders, Spanish Inquisitors, Russian Cossacks, Nazi S.S. troops and, in recent years, Palestinian terrorists.
No race, no religion, no nation, no ethnic group has experienced the continuous, almost relentless persecution the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have known. Clearly, one of the great marvels of human history is the continued existence of the Jewish race. God, himself, gave the formula for destroying the Jew. He said, in effect, if humanity could destroy the sun, moon, and stars – then, and only then, could they destroy Israel. But as long as those heavenly bodies were in the sky, Israel would continue to exist as a nation (Jeremiah 31:31-40). Here is compelling evidence to those with an open and honest mind of the existence of God and His faithfulness to His Word.
The universal dispersion of the Jewish people, with its attendant persecution, was prophesied by Moses almost 1,500 years before it came to pass. He wrote: "And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shall serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life… "(Deuteronomy 28:64-66).
After the death of Christ, the hostility between the Jews and imperial Rome continued to fester for some thirty years. At that time, the Roman governor, for some unknown reason, chose to loot the Temple on Mount Moriah and interfere with Jewish worship – something meticulously avoided by Rome until that time. More than 200 years earlier, in 165 B.C., the Jews had successfully revolted against the Greeks who had desecrated their Temple. Now they would try to revolt against the Romans. In response, Rome sent her powerful legions under the command of General Titus, son of the emperor. The Jews took refuge behind the strong walls of the city of Jerusalem. The Romans countered by building a barrier outside the city walls so that supplies could not get in, and people could not get out. The standoff continued until different factions among the defenders began to fight among themselves.
A Dispersed People
Tragically, in A.D. 70, the city of Jerusalem fell to the invading army. The Temple was destroyed, the priesthood ended, the sacrificial system terminated; and precisely as the Lord Jesus had predicted, not one stone was left upon another by the time the Roman legions were finished (Matthew 24:2). Thousands of Jews were crucified, others were sold as slaves, or dragged off to be exhibited and ridiculed, or torn to pieces in Roman arenas. Those who could flee did so across the desert. Some went east toward Babylon; others went southward toward Egypt and North Africa. Still others chose to sail to the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The worldwide Diaspora (Greek for “dispersion” or “scattering”) of the Jews had begun.
A remnant of Jews, however, stayed behind, preferring to bow to Rome rather than face the uncertainties and hardships of dispersion. Sixty-five years later, in 135, these remaining Jews would seek to throw off the yoke of Roman oppression one more time. It was on this occasion that the highly esteemed Rabbi Akiba identified a leader by the name of Bar Kochba (Son of the Star) as the long-promised messiah and deliverer of Israel. With rabbinic sanction, multitudes flocked to his side to fight against the hated Romans. It would end in disaster. Half a million men, women, and children died. Rabbi Akiba was captured and tortured to death. And now the Romans had had enough of the troublesome, rebellious, freedom-loving Jews. The holy city of Jerusalem itself, God’s home on earth, was leveled and plowed over. Jews were forbidden, under penalty of death, to set foot in the new Roman city named Aelia Capitolina, which was built on the site. Even the name of the land itself was changed from Israel to Syria Philistina, from which later would come the name Palestine.
The Roman Empire, in the centuries which followed, began to decline and, in 476, fell by the weight of its own debauchery and corruption. And in the deserts of Arabia, a new religion arose. It began with the flight of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622. Familiar with both Judaism and Christianity, Muhammad took elements of both, added his own “revelation,” and wrote the Koran (the holy book of the Islamic faith, with Ishmael, rather than Isaac, the son to be sacrificed by Abraham). In the seventh century, Muhammad’s followers, with sword in hand, swept out of the Arabian desert of the Middle East and conquered lands from Persia (modern-day Iran) to southern France. Israel was one of the many victims who fell within the Islamic domain. And in Jerusalem, on the site where Abraham had consented to offer Isaac as a sacrifice to his God, and the Solomonic and Herodian Temples once stood, they erected the “Dome of the Rock” (the place, according to Islamic teaching, where Muhammad ascended into Heaven) and the Al Aqsa Mosque, today the third most holy site in the Muslim world. The Muslims held sway for the next five centuries. Under their rule, the plight of the Jew would once again be difficult.
In the eleventh century, the “Christians” of Europe became aroused over the fact that the Holy Land was ruled by the Muslims. Under Richard the Lion-Hearted, the Crusades were launched in 1095. The intent was to deliver the Holy Land from the infidel. And, what some would argue began as a noble cause, degenerated into an occasion for wickedness and debauchery of every kind. As Crusader armies, seeking adventure, liquidation of debts, and assurance of Heaven, marched across Europe toward the Promised Land, they killed, raped, and robbed the Jews as they passed through their villages. The first contingent of Crusaders arrived in Israel in 1099. In their eagerness to “cleanse” the land from centuries of pollution, they rounded up the Jews, put them in the synagogue, locked the door, barred the gates and windows, and burned the men, women, and children to death. Thus began the “Christian” cleansing of the land in which Jesus had died to bring salvation to a sin-sick world.
The Crusaders managed to gain a foothold, and for about 100 years they controlled Palestine from strategic fortresses along the coastline and inland. Eventually they were driven out by troops from the eastern realm of Saladin the Magnificent. The Holy Land continued to be drenched in blood until it was captured by the Ottoman Turks in 1516. Under Turkish rule, landowners were taxed based on the number of trees on their property and so trees were cut to reduce taxes. The forests were also cut down to fuel the trains of the famed Orient Express, which had a spur that ran through Palestine to Egypt. The hills became barren. The topsoil was washed away by the rains. The land languished. The fertile plains became swamps, and swarms of mosquitoes spread malaria in much of the Galilee and the Sharon along the coastal plain.
But this was not the end – more wars were to come. In 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte, with his great army, entered Israel from Egypt hoping to destroy the Ottoman Turkish Empire. He was defeated in Palestine at the fortress of Acre (Akko), north of modern-day Haifa, and returned to France.
And the ancient land – which knew greatness and glory in the days of David and Solomon, the land where Christ was born and the stage upon which redemption was acted out – lay in decay. It had become no more than a collection of sickly villages, with Jerusalem hardly more than a small town, and the whole country ruled by a governor, appointed (usually for a price) by the sultan in Turkey.
Not in all of the centuries during which the land was governed by Romans, Muslims, Crusaders, Saracens, and Turks did the people who lived in the land set up their own government. They fought over the land, they used the land, and they abused the land. But only the Jew – linked to the land with an eternal love – would form a government, draw the land to her bosom, and make her to “blossom as the rose” (Isaiah 35:1).
But what of the other Jews during all this time, most of whom had been scattered over the face of the earth? Had they fared better than their brothers and sisters who had stayed in the land?
Persecution Spreads
In 1096, as many as 12,000 Jews were killed in Germany within three months. In 1290, Jews were banished from England. In 1306, Jews were banished from France. In 1348, Jews were blamed for the European plague. In 1492 (the year that Columbus discovered America), under Ferdinand and Isabella who wanted to make Spain a purely Catholic nation, the Spanish Inquisition was launched. Jews, living in Spain in large numbers, were required to convert and be baptized or they would be killed, imprisoned, or driven out of the land.
As they were uprooted and driven from country to country, there was no haven at the end of the road, no protection along the way, and ever-present danger of robbers and murderers. They were people without a land. Lies were spread that the Jews killed infant Gentile children and used their blood in the observance of Passover. In many lands they were often required to wear a badge of identification. The women had to wear bells on the bottom of their dresses as marks of shame. Jews normally could not own ground, hold a governmental office, attend educational institutions, or work in the trade guilds. Usury (the lending of money for interest, which in those days was viewed as the lowest of activities), merchandising, and shoe repair were among the few areas of gainful employment available to the Jew. (Parenthetically, it is for those reasons that when Jews arrived in America around the turn of the twentieth century, they went immediately into merchandising and insisted – now that opportunity presented itself – their children take advantage of educational opportunity.)
In 1516, the first ghetto – where Jews were herded together, placed within a restricted area, and deprived of normal opportunities – was established in Venice. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the largest Jewish population in the world was in Russia, and in 1883, the government permitted the infamous pogroms. More than 500 Jewish villages were victimized by over 1,200 pogroms. More than 60,000 Jews were killed, and many times that number were wounded. Here was the genuine “Fiddler on the Roof.” (It was these very pogroms which motivated this author’s grandparents to seek refuge in America, and here his mother would find Christ through a godly missionary to the Jewish people.) The government encouraged and then looked the other way as Russians attacked, harassed, and robbed their Jewish neighbors. But this was nothing new. Through the centuries, when governments needed diversion to draw attention away from internal problems, the Jew was always a convenient scapegoat.
Between the years 1933 and 1945, the greatest attempt at genocide the world has ever known occurred. Under the depraved and satanically-empowered genius of Adolph Hitler, 5.8 million Jewish lives were snuffed out in the death camps, gas chambers, and firing squads of the Third Reich. When many of the nations (and religions, most notably the papacy) of the world had it within their power to save tens of thousands of European Jews, they took no action. Most world governments not only took no action, but they refused to increase immigration quotas and open their borders. Few raised their voices in protest. For 1,900 years, the words “No Jews Wanted!” could have been written over most of the nations of the world.
A Twisted Theology
What had the Jewish people done? What was their crime? Why this never-ending persecution? To blame it, as so many have, on the Jewish national rejection of Christ is to acknowledge a total lack of understanding of the Word of God. It is the worst kind of anti-Semitism – THEOLOGICAL! Some have suggested hatred of the sons of Jacob was the result of their strange religion. In a day of polytheism, they believed in the one true, universal God. Their dietary laws, strange dress, code of conduct, and aloofness from other peoples all served to make them different and defenseless. Others have argued that abrasive character, excessive wealth, and disproportionate influence are the root cause of hatred of the Jew. These are erroneous excuses used as an attempt to justify ungodly attitudes and remain widespread right up to the present hour of history – sometimes, tragically, even among some who bring shame to the name of Christ by calling themselves “Christian.”
The only accurate explanation for anti-Semitism is to be found in the fact that God sovereignly chose Israel, through her greatest Son, to be the channel for universal blessing and the ultimate defeat of Satan. To retaliate, the secret purpose of Satan, therefore, has always been to destroy the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and thereby frustrate the divine plan for redemption of mankind. This is a foundational principle for understanding 4,000 years of human history.
In the Old Testament, had the Jewish people been killed off by marching armies, or assimilated during her captivities, Jesus never could have been born in Bethlehem as the Son of David, to die on Calvary for the sins of the world. And, in the ensuing years, if the Jews had ceased to exist as a people through her many vicissitudes; if she were not brought back to establish the land of Israel, Jesus could not return to consummate our salvation.
Jesus is not a usurper. He will return as the rightful heir to the throne of David. He will be the King of the Jews and then King of all kings and Lord of all lords, “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5).
Satan has used his considerable power through the ages to attack God’s chosen people through governments, religions, and individual hatred. But in spite of satanically inspired Crusades, pogroms, inquisitions, dispersions, ghettos, burnings, and butcheries, the Jews have miraculously kept their identity. Their belief in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; their divine national destiny; and the promise of a land given by God in perpetuity was strong enough to enable them to grasp the tail of one of the cyclones of history and ride that cyclone through two world wars back to their ancient homeland.